Search

The beam energy and invariant mass dependence of the dielectron yield in p + d interactions relative to the yield in p + p interactions is presented for incident kinetic energies from 1.0–4.9 GeV. The ratio of the yield in p + d interactions to that in p + p interactions decreases from 10.5±1.6 at 1.0 GeV to 1.96±0.08 at 4.9 GeV for electron pairs with invariant masses ⩾ 0.15 GeV/ c 2 . The large ratio at 1.0 GeV suggests that dielectron production in the p + d system is dominated by a p + n process. The beam energy dependence of the ratio indicates that this p + n contribution decreases with respect to the other dielectron sources as the incident energy is increased.

We present measured dielectron production cross sections for Ca+Ca, C+C, He+Ca, and d+Ca reactions at 1.0 A GeV. Statistical uncertainties and systematic effects are smaller than in previous DLS nucleus-nucleus data. For pair mass < 0.35 GeV/c2 : 1) the Ca+Ca cross section is larger than the previous DLS measurement and current model results, 2) the mass spectra suggest large contributions from pi0 and eta Dalitz decays, and 3) dsigma/dM is proportional to ApAt. For M > 0.5 GeV/c2 the Ca+Ca to C+C cross section ratio is significantly larger than the ratio of ApAt values., Submitted to Physical Review Letters. Further analysis information will be posted on our web pages -- http://macdls.lbl.gov Figure 1 has been redrawn to make more legible. Text modified to support redrawn figure

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), with an initial cure rate of 81% after the first FMT, rising to 94% after two FMTs [1]. However, for the small number of subjects whose infection fails to respond to this approach, there are no clearly defined therapeutic options. In our hospital, a consultation was requested regarding a 74year-old man with underlying B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia who had presented with recurrent CDI. He had previously completed four cycles of chemotherapy, but he fell, with a resulting subdural haematoma, and his chemotherapy was stopped. He developed diarrhoea in August 2013, and his stool was glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) positive (Alere, USA) and toxin A/B enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay positive (Alere, USA). He was treated with a ten-day course of oral metronidazole 400mg three times a day. This was subsequently followed by a further course when symptoms returned. When he again developed diarrhoea, he underwent colonoscopy, which confirmed pseudomembranous colitis. At this point, he was treatedwith oral vancomycin 125mg four times a day for 14 days. When this failed, he was treated with a pulsed/tapered 6-week course of vancomycin. During treatment, his symptoms were suppressed, but when he received alternate-day vancomycin, his symptoms returned, and laboratory testing confirmed toxinpositive C. difficile. He was subsequently maintained on oral vancomycin 125 mg three or four times a day. In late November 2013, he received his first FMT (unrelated donor 100 g of faeces in 500 mL of 0.9% saline passed by nasojejunal tube), but after