First results from the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST)

Hypothetical axion-like particles with a two-photon interaction would be produced in the Sun by the Primakoff process. In a laboratory magnetic field (``axion helioscope'') they would be transformed into X-rays with energies of a few keV. Using a decommissioned LHC test magnet, CAST has been running for about 6 months during 2003. The first results from the analysis of these data are presented here. No signal above background was observed, implying an upper limit to the axion-photon coupling < 1.16 10^{-10} GeV^-1 at 95% CL for m_a <~0.02 eV. This limit is comparable to the limit from stellar energy-loss arguments and considerably more restrictive than any previous experiment in this axion mass range.Comment: 4 pages, accepted by PRL. Final version after the referees comment

Research on the efficacy, tolerability and cost effectiveness of cefixime in the »switch« therapy of urinary tract infections and urosepsis

U razdoblju od 01.01.2005. do 31.12.2005. u Zavodu za infekcije mokraćnog sustava u Klinici za infektivne bolesti »Dr. Fran Mihaljević« u Zagrebu ispitivano je 70 bolesnika oba spola starijih od 18 godina s dijagnozom pijelonefritisa i urosepse koji su nakon parenteralne empirijske antimikrobne terapije primali peroralni cefixim. Etiologija bolesti utvrđena je u 62 bolesnika. E. coli izolirana je u 51 bolesnika, P. mirabilis u 5, Kl. pneumoniae u 6. Empirijska antimikrobna terapija bila je adekvatna u svih bolesnika. Kriteriji za prijelaz na peroralnu terapiju su bili afebrilnost kroz 12–24 sata, stabilizacija općeg stanja i vodećih kliničkih simptoma, tendencija normalizacije broja leukocita i nalaza leukociturije i bakteriurije, te odsutnost zapreka u probavnom sustavu. Razlozi za odabir cefixima za »switch« terapiju su bili njegova djelotvornost, farmakokinetske osobine, primjena 1× dnevno, smanjenje liječenja i mogućnost brzog otpusta iz bolnice. Prosječno trajanje parenteralne antimikrobne terapije ovisno o lijeku je bilo 3 do 5, a peroralne terapije cefiksimom 7 do 10 dana. Svi su bolesnici izliječeni. Nije bilo nuspojava liječenja. Ušteda cijene liječenja po danu s obzirom na prijelaz parenteralne antimikrobne terapije na cefixim je bila i do 157 kuna.In the period from January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005 at the Institute for urinary tract infections of the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases »Dr. Fran Mihaljevic«, in Zagreb, we examined a total of 70 patients of both sexes, older than 18 years of age with diagnosed pyelonephritis and urosepsis, that received oral cefixime after parenteral empirical antimicrobial therapy. Disease etiology was determined in 62 patients. E. coli was isolated in 51 patients, P. mirabilis in 5, Kl. pneumoniae in 6. Empirical antimicrobial therapy was adequate in all patients. The criteria for switch to oral therapy were the following: afebrile patient for 12–24 hours, stabilization of general condition and leading clinical symptoms, tendency towards normalization in the number of leukocytes and findings of leukocyturia and bacteriuria, and no obstacles in the GI tract. The reasons for choosing cefixime for switch therapy were its efficacy, pharmacokinetic characteristics, once daily administration, reduced duration of treatment and possibility for quick discharge from hospital. Average duration of parenteral antimicrobial therapy, depending on administered drug, was 3 to 5 days, and of peroral therapy with cefixime 7 to 10 days. All patients were cured. There were no side effects to treatment. The cost of treatment per day, with switch from parenteral antimicrobial therapy to cefixim, decreased for up to 157 kunas

The search for solar axions in the CAST experiment

The CAST (CERN Axion Solar Telescope) experiment at CERN searches for solar axions with energies in the keV range. It is possible that axions are produced in the core of the sun by the interaction of thermal photons with virtual photons of strong electromagnetic fields. In this experiment, the solar axions can be reconverted to photons in the transversal field of a 9 Tesla superconducting magnet. At both ends of the 10m-long dipole magnet three different X-ray detectors were installed, which are sensitive in the interesting photon energy range. Preliminary results from the analysis of the 2004 data are presented: g$_{a\gamma}<0.9\times10^{-10}$ GeV$^{-1}$ at 95% C.L. for axion masses m$_{a} <$ 0.02 eV. At the end of 2005, data started to be taken with a buffer gas in the magnet pipes in order to extend the sensitivity to axion masses up to 0.8 eV.The CAST (CERN Axion Solar Telescope) experiment at CERN searches for solar axions with energies in the keV range. It is possible that axions are produced in the core of the sun by the interaction of thermal photons with virtual photons of strong electromagnetic fields. In this experiment, the solar axions can be reconverted to photons in the transversal field of a 9 Tesla superconducting magnet. At both ends of the 10m-long dipole magnet three different X-ray detectors were installed, which are sensitive in the interesting photon energy range. Preliminary results from the analysis of the 2004 data are presented: g$_{a\gamma}<0.9\times10^{-10}$ GeV$^{-1}$ at 95% C.L. for axion masses m$_{a} <$ 0.02 eV. At the end of 2005, data started to be taken with a buffer gas in the magnet pipes in order to extend the sensitivity to axion masses up to 0.8 eV

Incidence and phenotypes of childhood-onset genetic epilepsies:a prospective population-based national cohort

Epilepsy is common in early childhood. In this age group it is associated with high rates of therapy-resistance, and with cognitive, motor, and behavioural comorbidity. A large number of genes, with wide ranging functions, are implicated in its aetiology, especially in those with therapy-resistant seizures. Identifying the more common single-gene epilepsies will aid in targeting resources, the prioritization of diagnostic testing and development of precision therapy. Previous studies of genetic testing in epilepsy have not been prospective and population-based. Therefore, the population-incidence of common genetic epilepsies remains unknown. The objective of this study was to describe the incidence and phenotypic spectrum of the most common single-gene epilepsies in young children, and to calculate what proportion are amenable to precision therapy. This was a prospective national epidemiological cohort study. All children presenting with epilepsy before 36 months of age were eligible. Children presenting with recurrent prolonged (&gt;10 min) febrile seizures; febrile or afebrile status epilepticus (&gt;30 min); or with clusters of two or more febrile or afebrile seizures within a 24-h period were also eligible. Participants were recruited from all 20 regional paediatric departments and four tertiary children’s hospitals in Scotland over a 3-year period. DNA samples were tested on a custom-designed 104-gene epilepsy panel. Detailed clinical information was systematically gathered at initial presentation and during follow-up. Clinical and genetic data were reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and genetic scientists. The pathogenic significance of the genetic variants was assessed in accordance with the guidelines of UK Association of Clinical Genetic Science (ACGS). Of the 343 patients who met inclusion criteria, 333 completed genetic testing, and 80/333 (24%) had a diagnostic genetic finding. The overall estimated annual incidence of single-gene epilepsies in this well-defined population was 1 per 2120 live births (47.2/100 000; 95% confidence interval 36.9–57.5). PRRT2 was the most common single-gene epilepsy with an incidence of 1 per 9970 live births (10.0/100 000; 95% confidence interval 5.26–14.8) followed by SCN1A: 1 per 12 200 (8.26/100 000; 95% confidence interval 3.93–12.6); KCNQ2: 1 per 17 000 (5.89/100 000; 95% confidence interval 2.24–9.56) and SLC2A1: 1 per 24 300 (4.13/100 000; 95% confidence interval 1.07–7.19). Presentation before the age of 6 months, and presentation with afebrile focal seizures were significantly associated with genetic diagnosis. Single-gene disorders accounted for a quarter of the seizure disorders in this cohort. Genetic testing is recommended to identify children who may benefit from precision treatment and should be mainstream practice in early childhood onset epilepsy

Применение уравнений Френеля в статистическом анализе эллипсометрических данных - определение оптических показателей анодно полученных плёнок из TiO2

Оптические показатели TI02 плёнок , определены эллилсометрически при стандартных ех-ситовых условиях в видимой спектральной области. Плёнки , изготовленные из Ti02, получены анодным окислением электрополирован:ной титановой поверхности в области потенциала от О до 100 V. Путём вычисления:, с помощью измеренных эллипсометрических параметров L1 и Р и Френеловых уравнений, показано , что численное значение оптических показателей уменьшае11ся: с изменением т олщины плёнки, и что у тол·стых плёнок они получают постоянные значения:. Исползован и ем различных спос обо в выч исления: пок.азано, каким образом можно получить наиболее точные рез у ль таты, т. е. самая: маленькая: погрешность при статистической обработке эллипсометрических д анных

Nanoparticles can wrap epithelial cell membranes and relocate them across the epithelial cell layer

Although the link between the inhalation of nanoparticles and cardiovascular disease is well established, the causal pathway between nanoparticle exposure and increased activity of blood coagulation factors remains unexplained. To initiate coagulation tissue factor bearing epithelial cell membranes should be exposed to blood, on the other side of the less than a micrometre thin air-blood barrier. For the inhaled nanoparticles to promote coagulation, they need to bind lung epithelial-cell membrane parts and relocate them into the blood. To assess this hypothesis, we use advanced microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to show that the nanoparticles wrap themselves with epithelial-cell membranes, leading to the membrane's disruption. The membrane-wrapped nanoparticles are then observed to freely diffuse across the damaged epithelial cell layer relocating epithelial cell membrane parts over the epithelial layer. Proteomic analysis of the protein content in the nanoparticles wraps/corona finally reveals the presence of the coagulation-initiating factors, supporting the proposed causal link between the inhalation of nanoparticles and cardiovascular disease

Search for solar axions: CAST

The CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) is searching for axions produced in the Sun's core by the Primakoff process. CAST is using a decommissioned Large Hadron Collider (LHC) test magnet where axions could be converted back into X-rays with energies up to 10 keV. Analysis of the 2003 data showed no signal above background implying an upper limit for the axion-photon coupling constant gagg < 1.16 X 10 ^-10 GeV exp -1 at 95% C.L. for ma . 0.02 eV [1]. The higher quality 2004 data is presently under analysis. CAST Phase II is scheduled to start in late 2005. This will be the first step in extending CAST's sensitivity to axion rest masses up to ~ 1 eV

An Essential Role for Katanin p80 and Microtubule Severing in Male Gamete Production

Katanin is an evolutionarily conserved microtubule-severing complex implicated in multiple aspects of microtubule dynamics. Katanin consists of a p60 severing enzyme and a p80 regulatory subunit. The p80 subunit is thought to regulate complex targeting and severing activity, but its precise role remains elusive. In lower-order species, the katanin complex has been shown to modulate mitotic and female meiotic spindle dynamics and flagella development. The in vivo function of katanin p80 in mammals is unknown. Here we show that katanin p80 is essential for male fertility. Specifically, through an analysis of a mouse loss-of-function allele (the Taily line), we demonstrate that katanin p80, most likely in association with p60, has an essential role in male meiotic spindle assembly and dissolution and the removal of midbody microtubules and, thus, cytokinesis. Katanin p80 also controls the formation, function, and dissolution of a microtubule structure intimately involved in defining sperm head shaping and sperm tail formation, the manchette, and plays a role in the formation of axoneme microtubules. Perturbed katanin p80 function, as evidenced in the Taily mouse, results in male sterility characterized by decreased sperm production, sperm with abnormal head shape, and a virtual absence of progressive motility. Collectively these data demonstrate that katanin p80 serves an essential and evolutionarily conserved role in several aspects of male germ cell development

Linking Human Diseases to Animal Models Using Ontology-Based Phenotype Annotation

A novel method for quantifying the similarity between phenotypes by the use of ontologies can be used to search for candidate genes, pathway members, and human disease models on the basis of phenotypes alone