226 research outputs found
Stepwise radical endoscopic resection for eradication of Barrett's oesophagus with early neoplasia in a cohort of 169 patients
An interactive web-based educational tool improves detection and delineation of Barrett’s esophagus related neoplasia
Background & Aims: Endoscopic detection of early Barrett’s esophagus-related neoplasia (BORN) is a challenge. We aimed to develop a web-based teaching tool for improving detection and delineation of BORN. Methods: We made high-definition digital videos during endoscopies of patients with BORN and non-dysplastic Barrett’s esophagus (NDBE). Three experts superimposed their delineations of BORN lesions on the videos using special tools. In phase 1, 68 general endoscopists from 4 countries assessed 4 batches of 20 videos. After each batch, mandatory feedback compared assessors interpretations with those from experts . These data informed selection of 25 videos for the phase 2 module, which was completed by 121 new assessors from 5 countries. A 5-video test batch was completed before and after scoring of the four 5-video training batches. Mandatory feedback was as in phase 1. Outcome measures were scores for detection, delineation, agreement delineation, and relative delineation of BORN. Results: A linear mixed-effect model showed significant sequential improvement for all 4 outcomes over successive training batches in both phases. In phase 2, median detection rates of BORN in the test batch increased by 30% (P [less than].001) after training. From baseline to the end of the study, there were relative increases in scores of 46% for detection, 129% for delineation, 105% for agreement delineation, and 106% for relative delineation (all P [less than].001). Scores improved independent of assessors’ country of origin or level of endoscopic experience
HIGH-RESOLUTION LAMB DIP SPECTROSCOPY ON OD AND SiCl IN A MOLECULAR BEAM
Contains fulltext :
99073.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access
Transversely-intersecting D-branes at finite temperature and chiral phase transition
We consider Sakai-Sugimoto like models consisting of Dq-Dp-anti-Dp-branes
where flavor Dp and anti-Dp-branes transversely intersect color Dq-branes along
two (r+1)-dimensional subspaces. For some values of p and q, the theory of
intersections dynamically breaks non-Abelian chiral symmetry which is
holographically realized as a smooth connection of the flavor branes at some
point in the bulk of the geometry created by Dq-branes. We analyze the system
at finite temperature and map out different phases of the theory representing
chiral symmetry breaking and restoration. For q<5 we find that, unlike the
zero-temperature case, there exist two branches of smoothly-connected solutions
for the flavor branes, one getting very close to the horizon of the background
and the other staying farther away from it. At low temperatures, the solution
which stays farther away from the horizon determines the vacuum. For background
D5 and D6-branes we find that the flavor branes, like the zero temperature
case, show subtle behavior whose dual gauge theory interpretation is not clear.
We conclude with some comments on how chiral phase transition in these models
can be seen from their open string tachyon dynamics.Comment: 35 pages, 7 figures, minor changes, published versio
Thermodynamic behavior of IIA string theory on a pp-wave
We obtain the thermal one loop free energy and the Hagedorn temperature of
IIA superstring theory on the pp-wave geometry which comes from the circle
compactification of the maximally supersymmetric eleven dimensional one. We use
both operator and path integral methods and find the complete agreement between
them in the free energy expression. In particular, the free energy in the limit is shown to be identical with that of IIB string theory on
maximally supersymmetric pp-wave, which indicates the universal thermal
behavior of strings in the large class of pp-wave backgrounds. We show that the
zero point energy and the modular properties of the free energy are naturally
incorporated into the path integral formalism.Comment: 25 pages, Latex, JHEP style, v4: revised for clarity without change
in main contents, version to appear in JHE
D-brane Deconstructions in IIB Orientifolds
With model building applications in mind, we collect and develop basic
techniques to analyze the landscape of D7-branes in type IIB compact Calabi-Yau
orientifolds, in three different pictures: F-theory, the D7 worldvolume theory
and D9-anti-D9 tachyon condensation. A significant complication is that
consistent D7-branes in the presence of O7^- planes are generically singular,
with singularities locally modeled by the Whitney Umbrella. This invalidates
the standard formulae for charges, moduli space and flux lattice dimensions. We
infer the correct formulae by comparison to F-theory and derive them
independently and more generally from the tachyon picture, and relate these
numbers to the closed string massless spectrum of the orientifold
compactification in an interesting way. We furthermore give concrete recipes to
explicitly and systematically construct nontrivial D-brane worldvolume flux
vacua in arbitrary Calabi-Yau orientifolds, illustrate how to read off D-brane
flux content, enhanced gauge groups and charged matter spectra from tachyon
matrices, and demonstrate how brane recombination in general leads to flux
creation, as required by charge conservation and by equivalence of geometric
and gauge theory moduli spaces.Comment: 49 pages, v2: two references adde
Organic matter chemistry controls greenhouse gas emissions from permafrost peatlands
Large tracts of arctic and subarctic peatlands are underlain by permafrost. These peatlands store large quantities of carbon (C), and are currently under severe threat from climate change. The aim of this study was to determine the size and organic chemistry of the easily degradable C pool in permafrost peatlands and link the functional organic chemistry to temperature and moisture controls of greenhouse gas emissions. First, we used a combination of field measurements and laboratory experiments to assess the influence of increased temperature and flooding on CO₂ and CH₄ emissions from sixteen permafrost peatlands in subarctic Sweden and Canada. Second, we determined the variation in organic matter chemistry and the associated microbial community composition of the peat active layer, with depth using quantitative ¹³C solid-state NMR and molecular biomarkers respectively. We demonstrate that the peat organic chemistry strongly controls CO₂ release from peat and that ca. 35 and 26% of the peat organic matter, at the Swedish and Canadian peatlands sites, respectively, is easily degradable by heterotrophic microorganisms. In contrast to CO₂, CH₄ emissions were decoupled from peat functional organic chemistry. We show a strong relationship between the microbial community structure and the peat organic chemistry suggesting that substrate type and abundance is an important driver of microbial composition in sub-arctic peatlands. Despite considerable variation in peat chemistry and microbial community composition with depth the temperature sensitivity was comparable throughout the active layer. Our study shows that functional organic chemistry controls both soil respiration rates and the composition of the microbial community. Furthermore, if these peatlands collapse and flood on thawing, they are unlikely to become large emitters of CH₄ without additional input of labile substrates
GNAQ and GNA11 mutations and downstream YAP activation in choroidal nevi
Background: Mutations in GNAQ/11 genes are considered an early event in the development of uveal melanoma that may derive from a pre-existing nevus. The Hippo pathway, by way of YAP activation, rather than MAP kinase, has a role in the oncogenic capacity of GNAQ/11 mutations.Methods: We investigated 16 nevi from 13 human eyes for driver GNAQ/11 mutations using droplet digital PCR and determined whether nevi are clonal by quantifying mutant nevus cell fractions. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 15 nevi to analyse YAP activation.Results: For 15 out of 16 nevi, a GNAQ/11 mutation was detected in the nevus cells albeit at a low frequency with a median of 13%. Nuclear YAP, a transcriptional co-activator in the Hippo tumour-suppressor pathway, was detected in 14/15 nevi.Conclusions: Our analysis suggests that a mutation in GNAQ/11 occurs in a subset of choroidal nevus cells. We hypothesise that GNAQ/11 mutant-driven extracellular mitogenic signalling involving YAP activation leads to accumulation of wild-type nevus cells
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