Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 and echocardiography in sepsis

Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) has emerged as a biomarker of cardiac stretch or remodeling, and has demonstrated a role in acutely decompensated heart failure. However, its role in sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction is still unknown. We explored whether sST2 serum concentration reflects either systolic or diastolic dysfunction as measured by Doppler echocardiography. In a total of 127 patients with sepsis, correlations between sST2 and blood pressure, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, LV diastolic filling (ratio of early transmitral flow velocity to early diastolic mitral annulus velocity), and resting pulmonary arterial pressure were evaluated. Correlations between sST2 and other sepsis biomarkers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP] and procalcitonin) were also examined. sST2 showed a moderate correlation with mean arterial pressure (r=-0.3499) but no correlation with LV ejection fraction, diastolic filling, or resting pulmonary hypertension. It showed moderate correlations with hs-CRP and procalcitonin (r=0.2608 and r=0.3829, respectively). sST2 might have a role as a biomarker of shock or inflammation, but it cannot reflect echocardiographic findings of LV ejection fraction or diastolic filling in sepsis

Current oscillations in Vanadium Dioxide: evidence for electrically triggered percolation avalanches

In this work, we experimentally and theoretically explore voltage controlled oscillations occurring in micro-beams of vanadium dioxide. These oscillations are a result of the reversible insulator to metal phase transition in vanadium dioxide. Examining the structure of the observed oscillations in detail, we propose a modified percolative-avalanche model which allows for voltage-triggering. This model captures the periodicity and waveshape of the oscillations as well as several other key features. Importantly, our modeling shows that while temperature plays a critical role in the vanadium dioxide phase transition, electrically induced heating cannot act as the primary instigator of the oscillations in this configuration. This realization leads us to identify electric field as the most likely candidate for driving the phase transition

Theoretical interpretation of a pronounced permeability scale effect in unsaturated fractured tuff

Numerous single‐hole and cross‐hole pneumatic injection tests have been conducted in unsaturated fractured tuff at the Apache Leap Research Site (ALRS) near Superior, Arizona. Single‐hole tests have yielded values of air permeability at various locations throughout the tested rock volume on a nominal scale of ∼1 m. Cross‐hole tests have yielded equivalent air permeabilities (and air‐filled porosities) for a rock volume characterized by a length scale of several tens of meters. Cross‐hole tests have also provided high‐resolution tomographic estimates of how air permeability (and air‐filled porosity), defined over grid blocks having a length scale of 1 m, vary throughout a similar rock volume. The results have revealed a highly pronounced scale effect in permeability (and porosity) at the ALRS. We examine the extent to which the permeability scale effect is amenable to interpretation by a recent stochastic scaling theory, which treats the rock as a truncated random fractal

Treatment of Keratoacanthoma with 5% Imiquimod Cream and Review of the Previous Report

Keratoacanthoma (KA) is a benign epidermal tumor, characterized by rapid and abundant growth, a tendency toward spontaneous regression and histopathologic similarity to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Because KA can be easily misdiagnosed as SCC, surgery is considered the treatment of choice. Recently, regression of KAs following application of 5% imiquimod cream (Aldara®) has been reported. We present 4 cases of KA treated with topical imiquimod, applied 3 to 4 times a week. Obvious improvement was observed after 4 to 6 weeks of application and the lesions were almost cleared leaving scars after 9 to 11 weeks. These results show that topical imiquimod can be an effective option for the conservative management of KA as previously reported. We also suggest that lesions treated with imiquimod cream should be considered for biopsy to judge histopathological remission after 5 to 8 weeks of application to shorten the duration of the treatment

Quantum-Corrected Cardy Entropy for Generic 1+1-Dimensional Gravity

Various studies have explored the possibility of explaining the Bekenstein-Hawking (black hole) entropy by way of some suitable state-counting procedure. Notably, many of these treatments have used the well-known Cardy formula as an intermediate step. Our current interest is a recent calculation in which Carlip has deduced the leading-order quantum correction to the (otherwise) classical Cardy formula. In this paper, we apply Carlip's formulation to the case of a generic model of two-dimensional gravity with coupling to a dilaton field. We find that the corrected Cardy entropy includes the anticipated logarithmic ``area'' term. Such a term is also evident when the entropic correction is derived independently by thermodynamic means. However, there is an apparent discrepancy between the two calculations with regard to the factor in front of the logarithm. In fact, the two values of this prefactor can only agree for very specific two-dimensional models, such as that describing Jackiw-Teitelboim theory.Comment: 18 pages, Latex; references adde

A Rare Case of Recurrent Myoid Hamartoma Mimicking Malignancy: Imaging Appearances

Myoid hamartoma is an uncommon type of breast hamartoma and its recurrence is very rare. We report the imaging appearance of an unusual case of recurrent myoid hamartoma of the breast mimicking malignancy in a 43-year-old woman. Although the mammographic and ultrasonographic findings have long been described in the literature, MR finding with a dynamic study has not, to the best of our knowledge, been reported previously

Induction of p53-independent apoptosis by ectopic expression of HOXA5 in human liposarcomas

Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is a highly malignant subtype of human liposarcoma (LPS), whose genomic profile is characterized by chromosomal amplification at 12q13-q22. miR-26a-2 is one of the most frequently amplified genes in the region, and inhibition of its downstream target genes likely contributes to LPS tumorigenesis. Our previous study of LPS predicted homeobox protein A5 (HOXA5) as a target of miR-26a-2, and here we explored further the function of HOXA5, and its relationship with miR-26a-2 in DDLPS cells. Compared to normal human adipocytes, all LPS cell lines showed significant downregulation of HOXA5 (p = 0.046), and inhibition of miR-26a-2 using anti-miR-26a-2 substantially upregulated HOXA5 expression in these LPS cells. Interestingly, overexpression of HOXA5 alone induced very strong apoptotic response of LPS cells. HOXA5-induced apoptosis was p53-independent and caspase-dependent. Surprisingly, overexpression of HOXA5 induced nuclear translocation of RELA (p65), which was not associated with the transcriptional activity of RELA. Rather, nucleolar sequestration of RELA was observed. Overall, our study demonstrated for the first time that the downregulation of HOXA5 in LPS cells, partly by overexpression of miR-26a-2 in DDLPS, confers LPS cells resistance to apoptotic death. Further studies are required to understand the relationship of HOXA5 and the NFκB pathway in LPS cells

Viscoelastic gels of guar and xanthan gum mixtures provide long-term stabilization of iron micro- and nanoparticles

Iron micro- and nanoparticles used for groundwater remediation and medical applications are prone to fast aggregation and sedimentation. Diluted single biopolymer water solutions of guar gum (GG) or xanthan gum (XG) can stabilize these particles for few hours providing steric repulsion and by increasing the viscosity of the suspension. The goal of the study is to demonstrate that amending GG solutions with small amounts of XG (XG/GG weight ratio 1:19; 3 g/L of total biopolymer concentration) can significantly improve the capability of the biopolymer to stabilize highly concentrated iron micro- and nanoparticle suspensions. The synergistic effect between GG and XG generates a viscoelastic gel that can maintain 20 g/L iron particles suspended for over 24 h. This is attributed to (i) an increase in the static viscosity, (ii) a combined polymer structure the yield stress of which contrasts the downward stress exerted by the iron particles, and (iii) the adsorption of the polymers to the iron surface having an anchoring effect on the particles. The XG/GG viscoelastic gel is characterized by a marked shear thinning behavior. This property, coupled with the low biopolymer concentration, determines small viscosity values at high shear rates, facilitating the injection in porous media. Furthermore, the thermosensitivity of the soft elastic polymeric network promotes higher stability and longer storage times at low temperatures and rapid decrease of viscosity at higher temperatures. This feature can be exploited in order to improve the flowability and the delivery of the suspensions to the target as well as to effectively tune and control the release of the iron particle