221 research outputs found
Pulmonary apelin levels and effects in rats with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension
SummaryBackgroundThe peptide apelin is localised in the vascular endothelium and highly expressed in pulmonary tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate whether apelin could be a potential lung-derived plasma marker for pulmonary hypertension, and study the effect of apelin in pulmonary arteries.MethodsApelin protein levels were measured in the lung, right ventricle, and plasma from normoxic and chronic hypoxic rats with pulmonary hypertension. Isolated intrapulmonary arteries were mounted in microvascular myographs and the effect of apelin investigated. Finally, the distribution of apelin receptors in pulmonary tissue was visualised by immunohistochemistry.ResultsTotal pulmonary apelin content was not changed by hypoxia. Right ventricular apelin concentrations and content were lower than in the lung, but increased substantially in hypoxia in correlation with right ventricular pressure. Plasma apelin did not reflect pulmonary or right ventricular apelin levels. In pulmonary arteries from normoxic rats, apelin inhibited vasoconstriction to endothelin-1 and angiotensin-II. However, in arteries from hypoxic rats, apelin failed to inhibit contraction to angiotensin-II and endothelin-1. No difference in immunoreaction for apelin receptors was found in lung sections and arteries from normoxic versus chronic hypoxic rats.ConclusionsApelin changes in the right ventricle seem more specific for pulmonary hypertension than do changes in pulmonary tissue, which does not speak in favour of apelin as a lung-derived marker for this disease. During normoxic conditions, apelin has a modulating effect on vasoconstriction which is lost in chronic hypoxia. This may reflect alterations in the signal transduction downstream of the apelin receptor
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Correlated Two Electron Effects in Collisions of Multiply Charged Au Ions with He
We have studied the fate of electrons released in collisions between highly charged Au/sup q+/ ions (20 MeV) and He atoms and find that the large transfer ionization (TI) cross section observed can be accounted for by transfer of two electrons to a highly correlated state on the Au projectile followed by the loss of one electron to the continuum. Autoionization lines are also observed, but they are attributable to electron transfer accompanied by core excitation (TE)
Electron recombination with multicharged ions via chaotic many-electron states
We show that a dense spectrum of chaotic multiply-excited eigenstates can
play a major role in collision processes involving many-electron multicharged
ions. A statistical theory based on chaotic properties of the eigenstates
enables one to obtain relevant energy-averaged cross sections in terms of sums
over single-electron orbitals. Our calculation of the low-energy electron
recombination of Au shows that the resonant process is 200 times more
intense than direct radiative recombination, which explains the recent
experimental results of Hoffknecht {\em et al.} [J. Phys. B {\bf 31}, 2415
(1998)].Comment: 9 pages, including 1 figure, REVTe
The contribution of the four-parton final states to gamma* gamma* -> hadrons
In the analysis of the total cross section for the gamma* gamma* -> hadrons
process, we include the four parton final states, which are part of the
O(alpha_s^2) corrections. The four-parton final states contain the diagrams
with gluon exchange in the crossed channel, which constitute the leading order
of the BFKL resummation. We show that the diagrams with gluon exchange in the
crossed channel play an important role in the large Y region, however their
contribution to the cross section must be evaluated exactly. In fact, the
high-energy limit, which constitutes the kinematic framework of the BFKL
resummation, is not sufficiently accurate at LEP2 energies. The inclusion of
the diagrams with gluon exchange in the crossed channel reduces the discrepancy
between the theory and the LEP2 data collected by the L3 Collaboration, but the
data still lie above the theory, even allowing for a large scale uncertainty in
the theory. Thus, in order to describe accurately the data for gamma* gamma* ->
hadrons in the large Y region, corrections of an order higher than O(alpha_s^2)
seem to be necessary.Comment: 32 pages, 10 figures, published versio
Classical approach in quantum physics
The application of a classical approach to various quantum problems - the
secular perturbation approach to quantization of a hydrogen atom in external
fields and a helium atom, the adiabatic switching method for calculation of a
semiclassical spectrum of hydrogen atom in crossed electric and magnetic
fields, a spontaneous decay of excited states of a hydrogen atom, Gutzwiller's
approach to Stark problem, long-lived excited states of a helium atom recently
discovered with the help of Poincar section, inelastic
transitions in slow and fast electron-atom and ion-atom collisions - is
reviewed. Further, a classical representation in quantum theory is discussed.
In this representation the quantum states are treating as an ensemble of
classical states. This approach opens the way to an accurate description of the
initial and final states in classical trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) method and
a purely classical explanation of tunneling phenomenon. The general aspects of
the structure of the semiclassical series such as renormgroup symmetry,
criterion of accuracy and so on are reviewed as well. In conclusion, the
relation between quantum theory, classical physics and measurement is
discussed.Comment: This review paper was rejected from J.Phys.A with referee's comment
"The author has made many worthwhile contributions to semiclassical physics,
but this article does not meet the standard for a topical review"
Measurement of charm production at central rapidity in proton-proton collisions at TeV
The -differential production cross sections of the prompt (B
feed-down subtracted) charmed mesons D, D, and D in the rapidity
range , and for transverse momentum GeV/, were
measured in proton-proton collisions at TeV with the ALICE
detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis exploited the hadronic
decays DK, DK, DD, and their charge conjugates, and was performed on a
nb event sample collected in 2011 with a
minimum-bias trigger. The total charm production cross section at TeV and at 7 TeV was evaluated by extrapolating to the full phase space
the -differential production cross sections at TeV
and our previous measurements at TeV. The results were compared
to existing measurements and to perturbative-QCD calculations. The fraction of
cdbar D mesons produced in a vector state was also determined.Comment: 20 pages, 5 captioned figures, 4 tables, authors from page 15,
published version, figures at
http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/307
European Academy of Neurology (EAN) guideline on the management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in collaboration with European Reference Network for Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD)
Background
This update of the guideline on the management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was commissioned by the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and prepared in collaboration with the European Reference Network for Neuromuscular Diseases (ERN EURO-NMD) and the support of the European Network for the Cure ALS (ENCALS) and the European Organization for Professionals and Patients with ALS (EUpALS).
Methods
Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was used to assess the effectiveness of interventions for ALS. Two systematic reviewers from Cochrane Response supported the guideline panel. The working group identified a total of 26 research questions, performed systematic reviews, assessed the quality of the available evidence, and made specific recommendations. Expert consensus statements were provided where insufficient evidence was available.
Results
A guideline mapping effort revealed only one other ALS guideline that used GRADE methodology (a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE] guideline). The available evidence was scarce for many research questions. Of the 26 research questions evaluated, the NICE recommendations could be adapted for 8 questions. Other recommendations required updates of existing systematic reviews or de novo reviews. Recommendations were made on currently available disease-modifying treatments, multidisciplinary care, nutritional and respiratory support, communication aids, psychological support, treatments for common ALS symptoms (e.g., muscle cramps, spasticity, pseudobulbar affect, thick mucus, sialorrhea, pain), and end-of-life management.
Conclusions
This update of the guideline using GRADE methodology provides a framework for the management of ALS. The treatment landscape is changing rapidly, and further updates will be prepared when additional evidence becomes available
Single-shot Ad26 vaccine protects against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques
A safe and effective vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may be required to end the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic1–8. For global deployment and pandemic control, a vaccine that requires only a single immunization would be optimal. Here we show the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a single dose of adenovirus serotype 26 (Ad26) vector-based vaccines expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein in non-human primates. Fifty-two rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) were immunized with Ad26 vectors that encoded S variants or sham control, and then challenged with SARS-CoV-2 by the intranasal and intratracheal routes9,10. The optimal Ad26 vaccine induced robust neutralizing antibody responses and provided complete or near-complete protection in bronchoalveolar lavage and nasal swabs after SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Titres of vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibodies correlated with protective efficacy, suggesting an immune correlate of protection. These data demonstrate robust single-shot vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in non-human primates. The optimal Ad26 vector-based vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, termed Ad26.COV2.S, is currently being evaluated in clinical trials
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