15,071 research outputs found

    HIV-associated multi-centric Castleman’s disease with multiple organ failure: cuccessful treatment with rituximab

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    Introduction: Multicentric Castleman's Disease (MCD), a lymphoproliferative disorder associated with Human Herpes Virus-8 (HHV-8) infection, is increasing in incidence amongst HIV patients. This condition is associated with lymphadenopathy, polyclonal gammopathy, hepato-splenomegaly and systemic symptoms. A number of small studies have demonstrated the efficacy of the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab, in treating this condition. Case presentation: We report the case of a 46 year old Zambian woman who presented with pyrexia, diarrhoea and vomiting, confusion, lymphadenopathy, and renal failure. She rapidly developed multiple organ failure following the initiation of treatment of MCD with rituximab. Following admission to intensive care (ICU), she received prompt multi-organ support. After 21 days on the ICU she returned to the haematology medical ward, and was discharged in remission from her disease after 149 days in hospital. Conclusion: Rituximab, the efficacy of which has thus far been examined predominantly in patients outside the ICU, in conjunction with extensive organ support was effective treatment for MCD with associated multiple organ failure. There is, to our knowledge, only one other published report of its successful use in an ICU setting, where it was combined with cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and prednisolone. Reports such as ours support the notion that critically unwell patients with HIV and haematological disease can benefit from intensive care

    Formation of van der Waals molecules in buffer gas cooled magnetic traps

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    We show that a large class of helium-containing cold polar molecules form readily in a cryogenic buffer gas, achieving densities as high as 10^12 cm^-3. We explore the spin relaxation of these molecules in buffer gas loaded magnetic traps, and identify a loss mechanism based on Landau-Zener transitions arising from the anisotropic hyperfine interaction. Our results show that the recently observed strong T^6 thermal dependence of spin change in buffer gas trapped silver (Ag) is accounted for by the formation and spin change of AgHe, thus providing evidence for molecular formation in a buffer gas trap.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

    Quasi-periodic X-ray Flares from the Protostar YLW15

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    With ASCA, we have detected three X-ray flares from the Class I protostar YLW15. The flares occurred every ~20 hours and showed an exponential decay with time constant 30-60 ks. The X-ray spectra are explained by a thin thermal plasma emission. The plasma temperature shows a fast-rise and slow-decay for each flare with kT_{peak}~4-6 keV. The emission measure of the plasma shows this time profile only for the first flare, and remains almost constant during the second and third flares at the level of the tail of the first flare. The peak flare luminosities L_{X,peak} were ~5-20 * 10^{31} erg s^{-1}, which are among the brightest X-ray luminosities observed to date for Class I protostars. The total energy released in each flare was 3-6*10^{36} ergs. The first flare is well reproduced by the quasi-static cooling model, which is based on solar flares, and it suggests that the plasma cools mainly radiatively, confined by a semi-circular magnetic loop of length ~14 Ro with diameter-to-length ratio \~0.07. The two subsequent flares were consistent with the reheating of the same magnetic structure as of the first flare. The large-scale magnetic structure and the periodicity of the flares imply that the reheating events of the same magnetic loop originate in an interaction between the star and the disk due to the differential rotation.Comment: Accepted by ApJ, 9 pages incl. 4 ps figure

    Cold heteromolecular dipolar collisions

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    We present the first experimental observation of cold collisions between two different species of neutral polar molecules, each prepared in a single internal quantum state. Combining for the first time the techniques of Stark deceleration, magnetic trapping, and cryogenic buffer gas cooling allows the enhancement of molecular interaction time by 105^5. This has enabled an absolute measurement of the total trap loss cross sections between OH and ND3_3 at a mean collision energy of 3.6 cm1^{-1} (5 K). Due to the dipolar interaction, the total cross section increases upon application of an external polarizing electric field. Cross sections computed from \emph{ab initio} potential energy surfaces are in excellent agreement with the measured value at zero external electric field. The theory presented here represents the first such analysis of collisions between a 2Π^2\Pi radical and a closed-shell polyatomic molecule.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

    Demanding stories: television coverage of sustainability, climate change and material demand

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    This paper explores the past, present and future role of broadcasting, above all via the medium of television, in shaping how societies talk, think about and act on climate change and sustainability issues. The paper explores these broad themes via a focus on the important but relatively neglected issue of material demand and opportunities for its reduction. It takes the outputs and decision-making of one of the world’s most influential broadcasters, the BBC, as its primary focus. The paper considers these themes in terms of stories, touching on some of the broader societal frames of understanding into which they can be grouped. Media decision-makers and producers from a range of genres frequently return to the centrality of ‘story’ in the development, commissioning and production of an idea. With reference to specific examples of programming, and drawing on interviews with media practitioners, the paper considers the challenges of generating broadcast stories that can inspire engagement in issues around climate change, and specifically material demand. The concluding section proposes actions and approaches that might help to establish material demand reduction as a prominent way of thinking about climate change and environmental issues more widely. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Material demand reduction’

    Jellyfish Impacts on Marine Aquaculture and Fisheries

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    Over the last 50 years there has been an increased frequency and severity of negative impacts affecting marine fishery and aquaculture sectors, which claimed significant economic losses due to the interference of stinging gelatinous organisms with daily operational activities. Nevertheless, original scientific information on jellyfish-related incidents, their consequences, and potential preventative and mitigation countermeasures is limited and scattered across gray literature, governmental technical reports, and communication media. A literature scan searching for records of any interactions between jellyfish and the marine fishery/aquaculture sectors was carried out. Out of 553 papers, 90 contained original information, referring to more than 130 cases worldwide of negative impacts of jellyfish on marine fishery/aquaculture over the last century. Calling attention on too often neglected socio-economic and ecological impacts of jellyfish blooms, the purpose of this paper is to review and analyze the most up-to-date research on this subject and to provide a global perspective on the importance of jellyfish impacts and their cascading effects on marine fishery and aquaculture sectors
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