1,367 research outputs found
PET probe-guided surgery: applications and clinical protocol
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens
The holographic quantum effective potential at finite temperature and density
We develop a formalism that allows the computation of the quantum effective
potential of a scalar order parameter in a class of holographic theories at
finite temperature and charge density. The effective potential is a valuable
tool for studying the ground state of the theory, symmetry breaking patterns
and phase transitions. We derive general formulae for the effective potential
and apply them to determine the phase transition temperature and density in the
scaling region.Comment: 27 page
Effective Holographic Theories for low-temperature condensed matter systems
The IR dynamics of effective holographic theories capturing the interplay
between charge density and the leading relevant scalar operator at strong
coupling are analyzed. Such theories are parameterized by two real exponents
that control the IR dynamics. By studying the thermodynamics,
spectra and conductivities of several classes of charged dilatonic black hole
solutions that include the charge density back reaction fully, the landscape of
such theories in view of condensed matter applications is characterized.
Several regions of the plane can be excluded as the extremal
solutions have unacceptable singularities. The classical solutions have
generically zero entropy at zero temperature, except when where
the entropy at extremality is finite. The general scaling of DC resistivity
with temperature at low temperature, and AC conductivity at low frequency and
temperature across the whole plane, is found. There is a
codimension-one region where the DC resistivity is linear in the temperature.
For massive carriers, it is shown that when the scalar operator is not the
dilaton, the DC resistivity scales as the heat capacity (and entropy) for
planar (3d) systems. Regions are identified where the theory at finite density
is a Mott-like insulator at T=0. We also find that at low enough temperatures
the entropy due to the charge carriers is generically larger than at zero
charge density.Comment: (v3): Added discussion on the UV completion of the solutions, and on
extremal spectra in the charged case. Expanded discusion on insulating
extremal solutions. Many other refinements and corrections. 126 pages. 48
figure
Functional immunomics: Microarray analysis of IgG autoantibody repertoires predicts the future response of NOD mice to an inducer of accelerated diabetes
One's present repertoire of antibodies encodes the history of one's past
immunological experience. Can the present autoantibody repertoire be consulted
to predict resistance or susceptibility to the future development of an
autoimmune disease? Here we developed an antigen microarray chip and used
bioinformatic analysis to study a model of type 1 diabetes developing in
non-obese diabetic (NOD) male mice in which the disease was accelerated and
synchronized by exposing the mice to cyclophosphamide at 4 weeks of age. We
obtained sera from 19 individual mice, treated the mice to induce
cyclophosphamide-accelerated diabetes (CAD), and found, as expected, that 9
mice became severely diabetic while 10 mice permanently resisted diabetes. We
again obtained serum from each mouse afterCAD induction. We then analyzed the
patterns of antibodies in the individualmice to 266 different antigens spotted
on the antigen chip. We identified a select panel of 27 different antigens (10%
of the array) that revealed a pattern of IgG antibody reactivity in the pre-CAD
serathat discriminated between the mice resistant or susceptible to CAD with
100% sensitivity and 82% specificity (p=0.017). Surprisingly, the set of IgG
antibodies that was informative before CAD induction did not separate the
resistant and susceptible groups after the onset of CAD; new antigens became
criticalfor post-CAD repertoire discrimination. Thus, at least for a model
disease, present antibody repertoires can predict future disease; predictive
and diagnostic repertoires can differ; and decisive information about immune
system behavior can be mined by bioinformatic technology. Repertoires matter.Comment: See Advanced Publication on the PNAS website for final versio
Preoperative Y-90 microsphere selective internal radiation treatment for tumor downsizing and future liver remnant recruitment: a novel approach to improving the safety of major hepatic resections
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Extended liver resections are being performed more liberally than ever. The extent of resection of liver metastases, however, is restricted by the volume of the future liver remnant (FLR). An intervention that would both accomplish tumor control and induce compensatory hypertrophy, with good patient tolerability, could improve clinical outcomes.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 53-year-old woman with a history of cervical cancer presented with a large liver mass. Subsequent biopsy indicated poorly differentiated carcinoma with necrosis suggestive of squamous cell origin. A decision was made to proceed with pre-operative chemotherapy and Y-90 microsphere SIRT with the intent to obtain systemic control over the disease, downsize the hepatic lesion, and improve the FLR. A surgical exploration was performed six months after the first SIRT (three months after the second). There was no extrahepatic disease. The tumor was found to be significantly decreased in size with central and peripheral scarring. The left lobe was satisfactorily hypertrophied. A formal right hepatic lobectomy was performed with macroscopic negative margins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Selective internal radiation treatment (SIRT) with yttrium-90 (Y-90) microspheres has emerged as an effective liver-directed therapy with a favorable therapeutic ratio. We present this case report to suggest that the portal vein radiation dose can be substantially increased with the intent of inducing portal/periportal fibrosis. Such a therapeutic manipulation in lobar Y-90 microsphere treatment could accomplish the end points of PVE with avoidance of the concern regarding tumor progression.</p
Graphene plasmonics
Two rich and vibrant fields of investigation, graphene physics and
plasmonics, strongly overlap. Not only does graphene possess intrinsic plasmons
that are tunable and adjustable, but a combination of graphene with noble-metal
nanostructures promises a variety of exciting applications for conventional
plasmonics. The versatility of graphene means that graphene-based plasmonics
may enable the manufacture of novel optical devices working in different
frequency ranges, from terahertz to the visible, with extremely high speed, low
driving voltage, low power consumption and compact sizes. Here we review the
field emerging at the intersection of graphene physics and plasmonics.Comment: Review article; 12 pages, 6 figures, 99 references (final version
available only at publisher's web site
Type Ia Supernovae as Stellar Endpoints and Cosmological Tools
Empirically, Type Ia supernovae are the most useful, precise, and mature
tools for determining astronomical distances. Acting as calibrated candles they
revealed the presence of dark energy and are being used to measure its
properties. However, the nature of the SN Ia explosion, and the progenitors
involved, have remained elusive, even after seven decades of research. But now
new large surveys are bringing about a paradigm shift --- we can finally
compare samples of hundreds of supernovae to isolate critical variables. As a
result of this, and advances in modeling, breakthroughs in understanding all
aspects of SNe Ia are finally starting to happen.Comment: Invited review for Nature Communications. Final published version.
Shortened, update
Lower production of IL-17A and increased susceptibility to Mycobacterium bovis in mice coinfected with Strongyloides venezuelensis
The presence of intestinal helminths can down-regulate the immune response required to control mycobacterial infection. BALB/c mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis following an infection with the intestinal helminth Strongyloides venezuelensis showed reduced interleukin-17A production by lung cells and increased bacterial burden. Also, small granulomas and a high accumulation of cells expressing the inhibitory molecule CTLA-4 were observed in the lung. These data suggest that intestinal helminth infection could have a detrimental effect on the control of tuberculosis (TB) and render coinfected individuals more susceptible to the development of TB
Genes Suggest Ancestral Colour Polymorphisms Are Shared across Morphologically Cryptic Species in Arctic Bumblebees
email Suzanne orcd idCopyright: © 2015 Williams et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Complex polarity: building multicellular tissues through apical membrane traffic
The formation of distinct subdomains of the cell surface is crucial for multicellular organism development. The most striking example of this is apical-basal polarization. What is much less appreciated is that underpinning an asymmetric cell surface is an equally dramatic intracellular endosome rearrangement. Here, we review the interplay between classical cell polarity proteins and membrane trafficking pathways, and discuss how this marriage gives rise to cell polarization. We focus on those mechanisms that regulate apical polarization, as this is providing a number of insights into how membrane traffic and polarity are regulated at the tissue level
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