The Number of Incipient Spanning Clusters in Two-Dimensional Percolation

Using methods of conformal field theory, we conjecture an exact form for the probability that n distinct clusters span a large rectangle or open cylinder of aspect ratio k, in the limit when k is large.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX, 1 eps figure. Additional references and comparison with existing numerical results include

Establishment of a monoclonal antibody for human LXRα: Detection of LXRα protein expression in human macrophages

Liver X activated receptor alpha (LXRα) forms a functional dimeric nuclear receptor with RXR that regulates the metabolism of several important lipids, including cholesterol and bile acids. As compared with RXR, the LXRα protein level in the cell is low and the LXRα protein itself is very hard to detect. We have previously reported that the mRNA for LXRα is highly expressed in human cultured macrophages. In order to confirm the presence of the LXRα protein in the human macrophage, we have established a monoclonal antibody against LXRα, K-8607. The binding of mAb K-8607 to the human LXRα protein was confirmed by a wide variety of different techniques, including immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). By immunoblotting with this antibody, the presence of native LXR protein in primary cultured human macrophage was demonstrated, as was its absence in human monocytes. This monoclonal anti-LXRα antibody should prove to be a useful tool in the analysis of the human LXRα protein

Statin Therapy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Hungary

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A parabolic approach to the control of opinion spreading

We analyze the problem of controlling to consensus a nonlinear system modeling opinion spreading. We derive explicit exponential estimates on the cost of approximately controlling these systems to consensus, as a function of the number of agents N and the control time-horizon T. Our strategy makes use of known results on the controllability of spatially discretized semilinear parabolic equations. Both systems can be linked through time-rescalin

Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism: the Task Force for the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

none47siNon-thrombotic PE does not represent a distinct clinical syndrome. It may be due to a variety of embolic materials and result in a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, making the diagnosis difficult. With the exception of severe air and fat embolism, the haemodynamic consequences of non-thrombotic emboli are usually mild. Treatment is mostly supportive but may differ according to the type of embolic material and clinical severity.openTorbicki A; Perrier A; Konstantinides S; Agnelli G; Galiè N; Pruszczyk P; Bengel F; Brady AJ; Ferreira D; Janssens U; Klepetko W; Mayer E; Remy-Jardin M; Bassand JP; Vahanian A; Camm J; De Caterina R; Dean V; Dickstein K; Filippatos G; Funck-Brentano C; Hellemans I; Kristensen SD; McGregor K; Sechtem U; Silber S; Tendera M; Widimsky P; Zamorano JL; Andreotti F; Ascherman M; Athanassopoulos G; De Sutter J; Fitzmaurice D; Forster T; Heras M; Jondeau G; Kjeldsen K; Knuuti J; Lang I; Lenzen M; Lopez-Sendon J; Nihoyannopoulos P; Perez Isla L; Schwehr U; Torraca L; Vachiery JLTorbicki A; Perrier A; Konstantinides S; Agnelli G; Galiè N; Pruszczyk P; Bengel F; Brady AJ; Ferreira D; Janssens U; Klepetko W; Mayer E; Remy-Jardin M; Bassand JP; Vahanian A; Camm J; De Caterina R; Dean V; Dickstein K; Filippatos G; Funck-Brentano C; Hellemans I; Kristensen SD; McGregor K; Sechtem U; Silber S; Tendera M; Widimsky P; Zamorano JL; Andreotti F; Ascherman M; Athanassopoulos G; De Sutter J; Fitzmaurice D; Forster T; Heras M; Jondeau G; Kjeldsen K; Knuuti J; Lang I; Lenzen M; Lopez-Sendon J; Nihoyannopoulos P; Perez Isla L; Schwehr U; Torraca L; Vachiery J

Normal Fermi Liquid Behavior of Quasiholes in the Spin-Polaron Model for Copper Oxides

Based on the t-J model and the self-consistent Born approximation, the damping of quasiparticle hole states near the Fermi surface is calculated in a low doping regime. Renormalization of spin-wave excitations due to hole doping is taken into account. The damping is shown to be described by a familiar form $\text{Im}\Sigma({\bf k}^{\prime},\epsilon)\propto (\epsilon^{2}/ \epsilon_{F})\ln(\epsilon/ \epsilon_{F})$ characteristic of the 2-dimensional Fermi liquid, in contrast with the earlier statement reported by Li and Gong [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 51}, 6343 (1995)] on the marginal Fermi liquid behavior of quasiholes

Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants and atrial fibrillation guidelines in practice: barriers to and strategies for optimal implementation.

Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an independent risk factor for stroke, increasing the risk five-fold. Strokes in patients with AF are more likely than other embolic strokes to be fatal or cause severe disability and are associated with higher healthcare costs, but they are also preventable. Current guidelines recommend that all patients with AF who are at risk of stroke should receive anticoagulation. However, despite this guidance, registry data indicate that anticoagulation is still widely underused. With a focus on the 2012 update of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for the management of AF, the Action for Stroke Prevention alliance writing group have identified key reasons for the suboptimal implementation of the guidelines at a global, regional, and local level, with an emphasis on access restrictions to guideline-recommended therapies. Following identification of these barriers, the group has developed an expert consensus on strategies to augment the implementation of current guidelines, including practical, educational, and access-related measures. The potential impact of healthcare quality measures for stroke prevention on guideline implementation is also explored. By providing practical guidance on how to improve implementation of the ESC guidelines, or region-specific modifications of these guidelines, the aim is to reduce the potentially devastating impact that stroke can have on patients, their families and their carers

Current clinician perspective on non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant use in challenging clinical cases.

OBJECTIVE: The evolution of non-vitamin K antagonist anticoagulants (NOACs) has changed the horizon of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (SPAF). All 4 NOACs have been tested against dose-adjusted warfarin in well-designed, pivotal, phase III, randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) and were approved by regulatory authorities for an SPAF indication. However, as traditional RCTs, these trials have important weaknesses, largely related to their complex structure and patient participation, which was limited by strict inclusion and extensive exclusion criteria. In the real world, however, clinicians are often faced with complex, multimorbid patients who are underrepresented in these RCTs. This article is based on a meeting report authored by 12 scientists studying atrial fibrillation (AF) in diverse ways who discussed the management of challenging AF cases that are underrepresented in pivotal NOAC trials. METHODS: An advisory board panel was convened to confer on management strategies for challenging AF cases. The article is derived from a summary of case presentations and the collaborative discussions at the meeting. CONCLUSION: This expert consensus of cardiologists aimed to define management strategies for challenging cases with patients who underrepresented in pivotal trials using case examples from their routine practice. Although strong evidence is lacking, exploratory subgroup analysis of phase III pivotal trials partially informs the management of these patients. Clinical trials with higher external validity are needed to clarify areas of uncertainty. The lack of clear evidence about complex AF cases has pushed clinicians to manage patients based on clinical experience, including rare situations of off-label prescriptions

Development of a yeast model to study the contribution of vacuolar polyphosphate metabolism to lysine polyphosphorylation

A recently discovered protein post-translational modification, lysine polyphosphorylation (K-PPn), consists of the covalent attachment of inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) to lysine residues. The non-enzymatic nature of K-PPn means that the degree of this modification depends on both polyP abundance and the amino acids surrounding the modified lysine. K-PPn was originally discovered in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), in which polyP anabolism and catabolism are well characterized. However, yeast vacuoles accumulate large amounts of polyP, and upon cell lysis, the release of the vacuolar polyP could non-physiologically cause K-PPn of nuclear and cytosolic targets. Moreover, yeast vacuoles possess two very active endopolyphosphatases, Ppn1 and Ppn2, that could have opposing effects on the extent of K-PPn. Here, we characterized the contribution of vacuolar polyP metabolism to K-PPn of two yeast proteins, Top1 (DNA topoisomerase 1) and Nsr1 (nuclear signal recognition 1). We discovered that whereas Top1-targeting K-PPn is only marginally affected by vacuolar polyP metabolism, Nsr1-targeting K-PPn is highly sensitive to the release of polyP and of endopolyphosphatases from the vacuole. Therefore, to better study K-PPn of cytosolic and nuclear targets, we constructed a yeast strain devoid of vacuolar polyP by targeting the exopolyphosphatase Ppx1 to the vacuole and concomitantly depleting the two endopolyphosphatases (ppn1Δppn2Δ, vt-Ppx1). This strain enabled us to study K-PPn of cytosolic and nuclear targets without the interfering effects of cell lysis on vacuole polyP and of endopolyphosphatases. Furthermore, we also define the fundamental nature of the acidic amino acid residues to the K-PPn target domain