Effective fermion couplings in warped 5D Higgsless theories

We consider a five dimensional SU(2) gauge theory with fermions in the bulk and with additional SU(2) and U(1) kinetic terms on the branes. The electroweak breaking is obtained by boundary conditions. After deconstruction, fermions in the bulk are eliminated by using their equations of motion. In this way Standard Model fermion mass terms and direct couplings to the internal gauge bosons of the moose are generated. The presence of these new couplings gives a new contribution to the epsilon_3 parameter in addition to the gauge boson term. This allows the possibility of a cancellation between the two contributions, which can be local (site by site) or global. Going back to the continuum, we show that the implementation of local cancellation in any generic warped metric leaves massless fermions. This is due to the presence of one horizon on the infrared brane. However we can require a global cancellation of the new physics contributions to the epsilon_3 parameter. This fixes relations among the warp factor and the parameters of the fermion and gauge sectors.Comment: Latex file, 23 pages, 1 eps figur

Relation of gallbladder function and Helicobacter pylori infection to gastric mucosa inflammation in patients with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis

Background. Inflammatory alterations of the gastric mucosa are commonly caused by Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in patients with symptomatic gallstone disease. However, the additional pathogenetic role of an impaired gallbladder function leading to an increased alkaline duodenogastric reflux is controversially discussed. Aim:To investigate the relation of gallbladder function and Hp infection to gastric mucosa inflammation in patients with symptomatic gallstones prior to cholecystectomy. Patients: Seventy-three patients with symptomatic gallstones were studied by endoscopy and Hp testing. Methods: Gastritis classification was performed according to the updated Sydney System and gallbladder function was determined by total lipid concentration of gallbladder bile collected during mainly laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Results: Fifteen patients revealed no, 39 patients mild, and 19 moderate to marked gastritis. No significant differences for bile salts, phospholipids, cholesterol, or total lipids in gallbladder bile were found between these three groups of patients. However, while only 1 out of 54 (< 2%) patients with mild or no gastritis was found histologically positive for Hp, this infection could be detected in 14 (74%) out of 19 patients with moderate to marked gastritis. Conclusion: Moderate to marked gastric mucosa inflammation in gallstone patients is mainly caused by Hp infection, whereas gallbladder function is not related to the degree of gastritis. Thus, an increased alkaline duodenogastric reflux in gallstone patients seems to be of limited pathophysiological relevance. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

On The Renormalization of Two-Higgs-Doublet Models

We perform the complete one-loop renormalization of a general two-Higgs-doublet model. We present all the vertices for this model including the ones in the scalar sector and calculate all the counterterms of the theory.Comment: 48 pages, 2 figures and 2 table

Barrett&apos;s esophagus: proton pump inhibitors and chemoprevention II.

The following on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and chemoprevention in relation to Barrett's esophagus includes commentaries on 48-h pH monitoring, pH-impedence, bile acid testing, dyspepsia, long/short segment Barrett's esophagus, nonerosive reflux disease (NERD), functional heartburn, dual-release delivery PPIs, immediate-release PPIs, long-term PPI use, prokinetic agents, obesity, baclofen, nocturnal acid breakthrough, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and new PPIs

Toxicity and morbility after isolated lower limb perfusion in 242 chemo-hyperthermal treatments for cutaneous melanoma: The experience of the Tuscan Reference Centre

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the results concerning the regional and systemic toxicity and complications in 242 chemo-hyperthermal treatments (HILPs) for lower limb melanoma.</p> <p>Patients and methods</p> <p>60 HILPs (G-A) were performed with mild HT plus L-PAM (10 mg/lt) ± D-actimomycin; 74 HILPs (G-B) with true HT (40–41.8°C) plus L-PAM (10 mg/lt) ± D-act; 108 HILPs (G-C) with true HT plus L-PAM (10 mg/lt) ± D-act plus L-PAM (5 mg/lt) additional bolus.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Limb toxicity was very low in G-A and in G-B; increasing toxicity (grade III = 37%) in G-C; no grade IV statistical difference was registered in all three groups, with percentage values among 1.6% and 2.7%. Systemic toxicity showed itself only in the haemopoietic parameters. No differences were registered in G-B vs G-A group. In G-C vs G-B a significative increase of systemic toxicity was seen in grade 3 (p < 0.05). Postoperative complications were acceptable. Local and systemic side-effects were transient; no permanent neurological limb deficit was registered. The postoperative mortality was recorded in 3/182 HILPs (1.6%) of the G-B and G-C groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data suggested that the technical implementations reduced the occurrence and the severity of the side effects and complications. The essential requirement for HILP is the quality assurance of the procedures. Although higher regional and systemic toxicity were observed in the G-C group caused by L-PAM additional bolus, the safeness of the procedures under the true hyperthermal regimen and the time increase of the high L-PAM concentration have assured the treatment reliability along with the increased clinical efficacy expectations of the treatments.</p

Circulating microRNAs in sera correlate with soluble biomarkers of immune activation but do not predict mortality in ART treated individuals with HIV-1 infection: A case control study

Introduction: The use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically reduced HIV-1 associated morbidity and mortality. However, HIV-1 infected individuals have increased rates of morbidity and mortality compared to the non-HIV-1 infected population and this appears to be related to end-organ diseases collectively referred to as Serious Non-AIDS Events (SNAEs). Circulating miRNAs are reported as promising biomarkers for a number of human disease conditions including those that constitute SNAEs. Our study sought to investigate the potential of selected miRNAs in predicting mortality in HIV-1 infected ART treated individuals. Materials and Methods: A set of miRNAs was chosen based on published associations with human disease conditions that constitute SNAEs. This case: control study compared 126 cases (individuals who died whilst on therapy), and 247 matched controls (individuals who remained alive). Cases and controls were ART treated participants of two pivotal HIV-1 trials. The relative abundance of each miRNA in serum was measured, by RTqPCR. Associations with mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular and malignancy) were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Correlations between miRNAs and CD4+ T cell count, hs-CRP, IL-6 and D-dimer were also assessed. Results: None of the selected miRNAs was associated with all-cause, cardiovascular or malignancy mortality. The levels of three miRNAs (miRs -21, -122 and -200a) correlated with IL-6 while miR-21 also correlated with D-dimer. Additionally, the abundance of miRs -31, -150 and -223, correlated with baseline CD4+ T cell count while the same three miRNAs plus miR- 145 correlated with nadir CD4+ T cell count. Discussion: No associations with mortality were found with any circulating miRNA studied. These results cast doubt onto the effectiveness of circulating miRNA as early predictors of mortality or the major underlying diseases that contribute to mortality in participants treated for HIV-1 infection

MYC is a major determinant of mitotic cell fate

Taxol and other antimitotic agents are frontline chemotherapy agents but the mechanisms responsible for patient benefit remain unclear. Following a genome-wide siRNA screen, we identified the oncogenic transcription factor Myc as a taxol sensitizer. Using time-lapse imaging to correlate mitotic behavior with cell fate, we show that Myc sensitizes cells to mitotic blockers and agents that accelerate mitotic progression. Myc achieves this by upregulating a cluster of redundant pro-apoptotic BH3-only proteins and suppressing pro-survival Bcl-xL. Gene expression analysis of breast cancers indicates that taxane responses correlate positively with Myc and negatively with Bcl-xL. Accordingly, pharmacological inhibition of Bcl-xL restores apoptosis in Myc-deficient cells. These results open up opportunities for biomarkers and combination therapies that could enhance traditional and second-generation antimitotic agents