Immunodesign of experimental sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture

Sepsis remains a prevalent clinical challenge and the underlying pathophysiology is still poorly understood. To investigate the complex molecular mechanisms of sepsis, various animal models have been developed, the most frequently used being the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model in rodents. In this model, sepsis originates from a polymicrobial infectious focus within the abdominal cavity, followed by bacterial translocation into the blood compartment, which then triggers a systemic inflammatory response. A requirement of this model is that it is performed with high consistency to obtain reproducible results. Evidence is now emerging that the accompanying inflammatory response varies with the severity grade of sepsis, which is highly dependent on the extent of cecal ligation. In this protocol, we define standardized procedures for inducing sepsis in mice and rats by applying defined severity grades of sepsis through modulation of the position of cecal ligation. The CLP procedure can be performed in as little as 10 min for each animal by an experienced user, with additional time required for subsequent postoperative care and data collection

One-neutron knockout from 51-55Sc

Results are presented from a one-neutron knockout experiment at relativistic energies of ____approx 420 A MeV on 51-55Sc using the GSI Fragment Separator as a two-stage magnetic spectrometer and the MINIBALL array for gamma-ray detection. Inclusive longitudinal momentum distributions and cross-sections were measured enabling the determination of the contributions corresponding to knockout from the ____nu p_{1/2} , ____nu p_{3/2} , (L = 1 and ____nu f_{7/2} , ____nu f_{5/2} (L = 3 neutron orbitals. The observed L = 1 and L = 3 contributions are compared with theoretical cross-sections using eikonal knockout theory and spectroscopic factors from shell model calculations using the GXPF1A interaction. The measured inclusive knockout cross-sections generally follow the trends expected theoretically and given by the spectroscopic strength predicted from the shell model calculations. However, the deduced L = 1 cross-sections are generally 30-40% higher while the L = 3 contributions are about a factor of two smaller than predicted. This points to a promotion of neutrons from the ____nu f_{7/2} to the ____nu p_{3/2} orbital indicating a weakening of the N = 28 shell gap in these nuclei. While this is not predicted for the phenomenological GXPF1A interaction such a weakening is predicted by recent calculations using realistic low-momentum interactions $V_{low k}$ obtained by evolving a chiral N3LO nucleon-nucleon potential

Structure of Ti-55 from relativistic one-neutron knockout

Results are presented from a one-neutron knockout reaction at relativistic energies on 56Ti using the GSI FRS as a two-stage magnetic spectrometer and the Miniball array for gamma-ray detection. Inclusive and exclusive longitudinal momentum distributions and cross-sections were measured enabling the determination of the orbital angular momentum of the populated states. First-time observation of the 955(6) keV View the MathML sourceνp3/2−1-hole state in 55Ti is reported. The measured data for the first time proves that the ground state of 55Ti is a 1/2−1/2− state, in agreement with shell-model calculations using the GXPF1A interaction that predict a sizable N=34N=34 gap in 54Ca.12 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physics Letters B 13 pages, 4 figures, resubmitted to Physics Letters B (major revision to meet the suggestions of the reviewers)status: publishe