Aspects of topology of condensates and knotted solitons in condensed matter systems

The knotted solitons introduced by Faddeev and Niemi is presently a subject of great interest in particle and mathematical physics. In this paper we give a condensed matter interpretation of the recent results of Faddeev and Niemi.Comment: v2: Added a reference to the paper E. Babaev, L.D. Faddeev and A.J. Niemi cond-mat/0106152 where an exact equivalence was shown between the two-condensate Ginzburg-Landau model and a version of Faddeev model. Miscelaneous links related to knotted solitons are available at the author homepage at http://www.teorfys.uu.se/PEOPLE/egor/ . Animations of knotted solitons by Hietarinta and Salo are available at http://users.utu.fi/h/hietarin/knots/c45_p2.mp

Social influence matters: We follow pandemic guidelines most when our close circle does

Why do we adopt new rules, such as social distancing? Although human sciences research stresses the key role of social influence in behaviour change, most COVID-19 campaigns emphasize the disease’s medical threat. In a global data set (n = 6,674), we investigated how social influences predict people’s adherence to distancing rules during the pandemic. Bayesian regression analyses controlling for stringency of local measures showed that people distanced most when they thought their close social circle did. Such social influence mattered more than people thinking distancing was the right thing to do. People’s adherence also aligned with their fellow citizens, but only if they felt deeply bonded with their country. Self-vulnerability to the disease predicted distancing more for people with larger social circles. Collective efficacy and collectivism also significantly predicted distancing. To achieve behavioural change during crises, policymakers must emphasize shared values and harness the social influence of close friends and family

Modelling complex cracks with finite elements: a kinematically enriched constitutive model

A continuum constitutive framework with embedded cohesive interface model is presented to describe the failure of quasi-brittle materials. Both cohesive behaviour for cracking inside the fracture process zone and elastic bulk behaviour are treated at integration points making implementation straightforward. In this sense, the proposed approach is simpler than existing ones that focus on element enrichments, such as the extended finite element method, while share similarities with smeared crack models, and offers the capability to correctly model quasi-brittle failure in post-peak regime at constitutive level. In this work, the formulation is introduced, numerical algorithms described and static and dynamic fracture simulations with complex crack patterns are conducted to demonstrate the capability and advantage of the proposed approach.ARC DP140100945, ARC FT140100408, ARC DE 15010170

Modelling complex cracks with finite elements: a kinematically enriched constitutive model

A continuum constitutive framework with embedded cohesive interface model is presented to describe the failure of quasi-brittle materials. Both cohesive behaviour for cracking inside the fracture process zone and elastic bulk behaviour are treated at integration points making implementation straightforward. In this sense, the proposed approach is simpler than existing ones that focus on element enrichments, such as the extended finite element method, while share similarities with smeared crack models, and offers the capability to correctly model quasi-brittle failure in post-peak regime at constitutive level. In this work, the formulation is introduced, numerical algorithms described and static and dynamic fracture simulations with complex crack patterns are conducted to demonstrate the capability and advantage of the proposed approach.ARC DP140100945, ARC FT140100408, ARC DE 15010170

Inflammatory breast cancer appearance at presentation is associated with overall survival

Background: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a clinical diagnosis. Here, we examined the association of a "classic" triad of clinical signs, swollen involved breast, nipple change, and diffuse skin change, with overall survival (OS). Method: Breast medical photographs from patients enrolled on a prospective IBC registry were scored by two independent reviewers as classic (triad above), not classic, and difficult to assign. Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used to assess differences between patient groups. Kaplan-Meier estimates and the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to assess the OS. Results: We analyzed 245 IBC patients with median age 54 (range 26-81), M0 versus M1 status (157 and 88 patients, respectively). The classic triad was significantly associated with smoking, post-menopausal status, and metastatic disease at presentation (p = 0.002, 0.013, and 0.035, respectively). Ten-year actuarial OS for not classic and difficult to assign were not significantly different and were grouped for further analyses. Ten-year OS was 29.7% among patients with the classic sign triad versus 57.2% for non-classic (p < 0.0001). The multivariate Cox regression model adjusting for clinical staging (p < 0.0001) and TNBC status (<0.0001) demonstrated classic presentation score significantly associated with poorer OS time (HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.7-3.9, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: A triad of classic IBC signs independently predicted OS in patients diagnosed with IBC. Further work is warranted to understand the biology related to clinical signs and further extend the understanding of physical examination findings in IBC

Postcardiotomy Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation With and Without Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)Objectives: To compare the outcomes of patients with postcardiotomy shock treated with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) only compared with VA-ECMO and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). Design: A retrospective multicenter registry study. Setting: At 19 cardiac surgery units. Participants: A total of 615 adult patients who required VA-ECMO from 2010 to 2018. The patients were divided into 2 groups depending on whether they received VA-ECMO only (ECMO only group) or VA-ECMO plus IABP (ECMO-IABP group). Measurements and Main Results: The overall series mean age was 63 +/- 13 years, and 33% were female. The ECMO-only group included 499 patients, and 116 patients were in the ECMO-IABP group. Urgent and/or emergent procedures were more common in the ECMO-only group. Central cannulation was performed in 47% (n = 54) in the ECMO-IABP group compared to 27% (n = 132) in the ECMO-only group. In the ECMOIABP group, 58% (n = 67) were successfully weaned from ECMO, compared to 46% (n = 231) in the ECMO-only group (p = 0.026). However, inhospital mortality was 63% in the ECMO-IABP group compared to 65% in the ECMO-only group (p = 0.66). Among 114 propensity score-matched pairs, ECMO-IABP group had comparable weaning rates (57% v 53%, p = 0.51) and in-hospital mortality (64% v 58%, p = 0.78). Conclusions: This multicenter study showed that adjunctive IABP did not translate into better outcomes in patients treated with VA-ECMO for postcardiotomy shock. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc.Peer reviewe

Physics Opportunities with the 12 GeV Upgrade at Jefferson Lab

This white paper summarizes the scientific opportunities for utilization of the upgraded 12 GeV Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) and associated experimental equipment at Jefferson Lab. It is based on the 52 proposals recommended for approval by the Jefferson Lab Program Advisory Committee.The upgraded facility will enable a new experimental program with substantial discovery potential to address important topics in nuclear, hadronic, and electroweak physics.Comment: 64 page

Integrated genomics and proteomics define huntingtin CAG length-dependent networks in mice.

To gain insight into how mutant huntingtin (mHtt) CAG repeat length modifies Huntington's disease (HD) pathogenesis, we profiled mRNA in over 600 brain and peripheral tissue samples from HD knock-in mice with increasing CAG repeat lengths. We found repeat length-dependent transcriptional signatures to be prominent in the striatum, less so in cortex, and minimal in the liver. Coexpression network analyses revealed 13 striatal and 5 cortical modules that correlated highly with CAG length and age, and that were preserved in HD models and sometimes in patients. Top striatal modules implicated mHtt CAG length and age in graded impairment in the expression of identity genes for striatal medium spiny neurons and in dysregulation of cyclic AMP signaling, cell death and protocadherin genes. We used proteomics to confirm 790 genes and 5 striatal modules with CAG length-dependent dysregulation at the protein level, and validated 22 striatal module genes as modifiers of mHtt toxicities in vivo

Ciliary Beating Recovery in Deficient Human Airway Epithelial Cells after Lentivirus Ex Vivo Gene Therapy

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia is a heterogeneous genetic disease that is characterized by cilia dysfunction of the epithelial cells lining the respiratory tracts, resulting in recurrent respiratory tract infections. Despite lifelong physiological therapy and antibiotics, the lungs of affected patients are progressively destroyed, leading to respiratory insufficiency. Recessive mutations in Dynein Axonemal Intermediate chain type 1 (DNAI1) gene have been described in 10% of cases of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. Our goal was to restore normal ciliary beating in DNAI1–deficient human airway epithelial cells. A lentiviral vector based on Simian Immunodeficiency Virus pseudotyped with Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Glycoprotein was used to transduce cultured human airway epithelial cells with a cDNA of DNAI1 driven by the Elongation Factor 1 promoter. Transcription and translation of the transduced gene were tested by RT–PCR and western blot, respectively. Human airway epithelial cells that were DNAI1–deficient due to compound heterozygous mutations, and consequently had immotile cilia and no outer dynein arm, were transduced by the lentivirus. Cilia beating was recorded and electron microscopy of the cilia was performed. Transcription and translation of the transduced DNAI1 gene were detected in human cells treated with the lentivirus. In addition, immotile cilia recovered a normal beat and outer dynein arms reappeared. We demonstrated that it is possible to obtain a normalization of ciliary beat frequency of deficient human airway epithelial cells by using a lentivirus to transduce cells with the therapeutic gene. This preliminary step constitutes a conceptual proof that is indispensable in the perspective of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia's in vivo gene therapy. This is the first time that recovery of cilia beating is demonstrated in this disease