A simple thermodynamical witness showing universality of macroscopic entanglement

We show that if the ground state entanglement exceeds the total entropy of a given system, then this system is in an entangled state. This is a universal entanglement witness that applies to any physical system and yields a temperature below which we are certain to find some entanglement. Our witness is then applied to generic bosonic and fermionic many body systems to derive the corresponding "critical" temperatures that have a very broad validity.Comment: 3 pages, Torun conference, June 25-28, 200

Aire à battre

La culture des céréales et en particulier blé et orge pratiquée depuis une très haute antiquité sur tout le territoire maghrébin est régie par tout un ensemble de traditions fortement imprimées dans la mentalité des populations rurales. Culture vivrière capitale pour les habitants, elle exige des opérations de récolte et en particulier la séparation du grain par battage et vannage. Ces deux opérations se pratiquent sur une aire à battre. L’aire à battre s’apelle en kabyle annar pluriel inurar..

Nerve Injury Model in Rabbits: Benefits and Pitfalls

Peripheral nerve injury is widely studied through the sciatic nerve injury model. Although many animal models are used for sciatic nerve injury studies, rabbits are reported as the third most commonly used animal model. However, there is a significant gap in the literature describing common postoperative complications following sciatic nerve injury in rabbits. This chapter analyzed postoperative complications recorded from an original study that tested 40 mm sciatic nerve gap repairs in 56 rabbits. Autophagy of the toes and pressure ulcer development on the injured limb were the two most common and severe postoperative complications seen. These impairments ultimately led to 23.2% of the rabbits requiring euthanasia prior to the study endpoint. This raised the cost of the study by over $25,000. This chapter outlines the risks and benefits of using this animal model in sciatic nerve injury studies. It also proposes treatment methods for common postoperative complications that can substantially reduce future study costs. To preserve ethical animal care standards in research, we recommend alternative models be used instead of rabbits to study sciatic nerve injuries. However, if rabbits must be used, we encourage using the treatment protocol outlined below

Âne

L’âne est inséparable du paysage rural nord-africain. Cet équidé de petite taille, 0,90 à 1,20 mètre, est présent partout, des collines et plaines du Tell aux plus hauts cols de l’Atlas, dans les oasis comme dans les campements touaregs. S’adaptant facilement à des conditions aussi diverses, l’âne africain, le bourricot, semble, encore plus que le petit bœuf (race brune de l’Atlas), représentatif de la faune domestique du Maghreb et du Sahara. Les statistiques officielles des annuaires de l’O..

Âne

L’âne est inséparable du paysage rural nord-africain. Cet équidé de petite taille, 0,90 à 1,20 mètre, est présent partout, des collines et plaines du Tell aux plus hauts cols de l’Atlas, dans les oasis comme dans les campements touaregs. S’adaptant facilement à des conditions aussi diverses, l’âne africain, le bourricot, semble, encore plus que le petit bœuf (race brune de l’Atlas), représentatif de la faune domestique du Maghreb et du Sahara. Les statistiques officielles des annuaires de l’O..

Circulating metabolites associated with kidney function decline and incident CKD:a multi-platform population-based study

Background. Investigation of circulating metabolites associated with kidney function and chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk could enhance our understanding of underlying pathways and identify new biomarkers for kidney function. Methods. We selected participants from the population-based Rotterdam Study with data on circulating metabolites and estimated glomerular filtration rate based on serum creatinine (eGFRcreat) available at the same time point. Data on eGFR based on serum cystatin C (eGFRcys) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) were also included. CKD was defined as eGFRcreat &lt;60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. Data on circulating metabolites (ntotal = 1381) was obtained from the Nightingale and Metabolon platform. Linear regression, linear mixed, and Cox proportional-hazards regression analyses were conducted to study the associations between metabolites and kidney function. We performed bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses to investigate causality of the identified associations. Results. We included 3337 and 1540 participants with data from Nightingale and Metabolon, respectively. A total of 1381 metabolites (243 from Nightingale and 1138 from Metabolon) were included in the analyses. A large number of metabolites were significantly associated with eGFRcreat, eGFRcys, ACR, and CKD, including 16 metabolites that were associated with all four outcomes. Among these, C-glycosyltryptophan (HR 1.50, 95%CI 1.31;1.71) and X-12026 (HR 1.46, 95%CI 1.26;1.68) were most strongly associated with CKD risk. We revealed sex differences in the associations of 11-ketoetiocholanolone glucuronide and 11-beta-glucuronide with the kidney function assessments. No causal associations between the identified metabolites and kidney function were observed. Conclusion. Our study indicates that several circulating metabolites are associated with kidney function which are likely to have potential as biomarkers, rather than as molecules involved in the pathophysiology of kidney function decline.</p

Circulating metabolites associated with kidney function decline and incident CKD:a multi-platform population-based study

Background. Investigation of circulating metabolites associated with kidney function and chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk could enhance our understanding of underlying pathways and identify new biomarkers for kidney function. Methods. We selected participants from the population-based Rotterdam Study with data on circulating metabolites and estimated glomerular filtration rate based on serum creatinine (eGFRcreat) available at the same time point. Data on eGFR based on serum cystatin C (eGFRcys) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) were also included. CKD was defined as eGFRcreat &lt;60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. Data on circulating metabolites (ntotal = 1381) was obtained from the Nightingale and Metabolon platform. Linear regression, linear mixed, and Cox proportional-hazards regression analyses were conducted to study the associations between metabolites and kidney function. We performed bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses to investigate causality of the identified associations. Results. We included 3337 and 1540 participants with data from Nightingale and Metabolon, respectively. A total of 1381 metabolites (243 from Nightingale and 1138 from Metabolon) were included in the analyses. A large number of metabolites were significantly associated with eGFRcreat, eGFRcys, ACR, and CKD, including 16 metabolites that were associated with all four outcomes. Among these, C-glycosyltryptophan (HR 1.50, 95%CI 1.31;1.71) and X-12026 (HR 1.46, 95%CI 1.26;1.68) were most strongly associated with CKD risk. We revealed sex differences in the associations of 11-ketoetiocholanolone glucuronide and 11-beta-glucuronide with the kidney function assessments. No causal associations between the identified metabolites and kidney function were observed. Conclusion. Our study indicates that several circulating metabolites are associated with kidney function which are likely to have potential as biomarkers, rather than as molecules involved in the pathophysiology of kidney function decline.</p

Sex Differences in the Association Between Serum Testosterone and Kidney Function in the General Population

Introduction: Testosterone might prevent kidney function decline, although evidence is limited in men and lacking in women from the general population. We investigated the association between serum testosterone and kidney function in men and women from a large population-based cohort study. Methods: Participants aged ≥45 years with available measurements of serum testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), creatinine, and cystatine C were included. Assessments of kidney function included baseline assessments of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on serum creatinine (eGFRcreat) or serum cystatin C (eGFRcys), and the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), and repeated assessments of eGFRcreat. Linear regression and linear mixed models were used to assess the associations of serum free and total testosterone with kidney function, stratified for sex. Results: A total of 4095 men and 5389 women (mean age 65.2 years) were included. In men, higher free testosterone was associated with lower eGFRcreat (beta −0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.05; −0.21), higher eGFRcys (beta 0.56, 95% CI: 0.07; 1.05), and lower ACR (beta −0.25, 95% CI: −0.35; −0.16) at baseline. Higher total testosterone was associated with higher baseline and follow-up eGFRcreat, and with lower eGFRcreat when additionally adjusted for SHBG. In women, higher free testosterone was associated with lower baseline eGFRcreat and eGFRcys (beta −1.03, 95% CI: −1.36; −0.71; beta −1.07, 95% CI: −1.44; −0.70; respectively) and lower eGFRcreat over time (beta −0.78, 95% CI: −1.10; −0.46), but not with ACR. Conclusions: eGFRcys might be a better parameter than eGFRcreat for the association of testosterone with kidney function, although further studies investigating this are needed. Furthermore, we identified sex differences in the association between testosterone and kidney function, with a positive association in men and a negative association in women.</p

Immundefekte bei chronischer Rhinosinusitis : eine bedeutende und oft unterschätzte Ursache

Background Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most frequent chronic diseases. Among these patients the prevalence of immune defects is higher than in the healthy general population. Methods A selective review of the literature was carried out in PubMed and Medline covering the period between 2008 and 2019. Additionally, recent German publications in journals not listed in the abovementioned databases were analyzed. Results The diagnostic workflow with respect to the immunodeficiency consists of a detailed anamnesis and physical examination, laboratory tests and the antibody reaction to polysaccharide vaccines and antigens. Beside antibiotic treatment, vaccinations and immunoglobulin replacement are available. Notwithstanding the above, functional endoscopic surgery of the paranasal sinuses should be performed according to guideline recommendations. Conclusion Patients with CRS who do not sufficiently respond to conservative and surgical treatment should be checked for underlying immunodeficiencies

Gawky is a component of cytoplasmic mRNA processing bodies required for early Drosophila development

In mammalian cells, the GW182 protein localizes to cytoplasmic bodies implicated in the regulation of messenger RNA (mRNA) stability, translation, and the RNA interference pathway. Many of these functions have also been assigned to analogous yeast cytoplasmic mRNA processing bodies. We have characterized the single Drosophila melanogaster homologue of the human GW182 protein family, which we have named Gawky (GW). Drosophila GW localizes to punctate, cytoplasmic foci in an RNA-dependent manner. Drosophila GW bodies (GWBs) appear to function analogously to human GWBs, as human GW182 colocalizes with GW when expressed in Drosophila cells. The RNA-induced silencing complex component Argonaute2 and orthologues of LSm4 and Xrn1 (Pacman) associated with 5′–3′ mRNA degradation localize to some GWBs. Reducing GW activity by mutation or antibody injection during syncytial embryo development leads to abnormal nuclear divisions, demonstrating an early requirement for GWB-mediated cytoplasmic mRNA regulation. This suggests that gw represents a previously unknown member of a small group of genes that need to be expressed zygotically during early embryo development