Electron Dynamics in Nd1.85_{1.85}Ce.15_{.15}CuO4+δ_{4+\delta}: Evidence for the Pseudogap State and Unconventional c-axis Response

Infrared reflectance measurements were made with light polarized along the a- and c-axis of both superconducting and antiferromagnetic phases of electron doped Nd$_{1.85}$Ce$_{.15}$CuO$_{4+\delta}$. The results are compared to characteristic features of the electromagnetic response in hole doped cuprates. Within the CuO$_2$ planes the frequency dependent scattering rate, 1/$\tau(\omega)$, is depressed below $\sim$ 650 cm$^{-1}$; this behavior is a hallmark of the pseudogap state. While in several hole doped compounds the energy scales associated with the pseudogap and superconducting states are quite close, we are able to show that in Nd$_{1.85}$Ce$_{.15}$CuO$_{4+\delta}$ the two scales differ by more than one order of magnitude. Another feature of the in-plane charge response is a peak in the real part of the conductivity, $\sigma_1(\omega)$, at 50-110 cm$^{-1}$ which is in sharp contrast with the Drude-like response where $\sigma_1(\omega)$ is centered at $\omega=0$. This latter effect is similar to what is found in disordered hole doped cuprates and is discussed in the context of carrier localization. Examination of the c-axis conductivity gives evidence for an anomalously broad frequency range from which the interlayer superfluid is accumulated. Compelling evidence for the pseudogap state as well as other characteristics of the charge dynamics in Nd$_{1.85}$Ce$_{.15}$CuO$_{4+\delta}$ signal global similarities of the cuprate phase diagram with respect to electron and hole doping.Comment: Submitted to PR

Studies of the Response of the Prototype CMS Hadron Calorimeter, Including Magnetic Field Effects, to Pion, Electron, and Muon Beams

We report on the response of a prototype CMS hadron calorimeter module to charged particle beams of pions, muons, and electrons with momenta up to 375 GeV/c. The data were taken at the H2 and H4 beamlines at CERN in 1995 and 1996. The prototype sampling calorimeter used copper absorber plates and scintillator tiles with wavelength shifting fibers for readout. The effects of a magnetic field of up to 3 Tesla on the response of the calorimeter to muons, electrons, and pions are presented, and the effects of an upstream lead tungstate crystal electromagnetic calorimeter on the linearity and energy resolution of the combined calorimetric system to hadrons are evaluated. The results are compared with Monte Carlo simulations and are used to optimize the choice of total absorber depth, sampling frequency, and longitudinal readout segmentation.Comment: 89 pages, 41 figures, to be published in NIM, corresponding author: P de Barbaro, [email protected]

Gaussian Tunneling Model of c-Axis Twist Josephson Junctions

We calculate the critical current density $J^J_c$ for c-axis Josephson tunneling between identical high temperature superconductors twisted an angle $\phi_0$ about the c-axis. We model the tunneling matrix element squared as a Gaussian in the change of wavevector q parallel to the junction, $<|t({\bf q})|^2>\propto\exp(-{\bf q}^2a^2/2\pi^2\sigma^2)$. The $J^J_c(\phi_0)/J^J_c(0)$ obtained for the s- and extended-s-wave order parameters (OP's) are consistent with the Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$ data of Li {\it et al.}, but only for strongly incoherent tunneling, $\sigma^2\ge0.25$. A $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave OP is always inconsistent with the data. In addition, we show that the apparent conventional sum rule violation observed by Basov et al. might be understandable in terms of incoherent c-axis tunneling, provided that the OP is not $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Prognostic Value of N-terminal B-type Natriuretic Peptide in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Multicenter Study

Background: Several models have been developed to help the clinician in risk stratification for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS),such as the TIMI and GRACE risk scores. However, there is conflicting evidence for the prognostic value of NT-ProBNP in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Objective: (1) To explore the association of NT-proBNP with 30-day clinical outcome in AMI patients. (2) To compare the prognostic value of NT-proBNP with TIMI and GRACE risk scores in AMI patients. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, prospective observational study recruiting patients presented with AMI between 29-October-2015 and 14-January-2017, involving 1 cardiology referral centre and 4 non-cardiology hospitals. NT-proBNP level (Alere Triage®, US)was measured within 24 hours fromthe diagnosis of AMI. Patientswere followed-up for 1 month. Results: A total of 186 patients were recruited, 143 from tertiary cardiology centre and 43 from non-cardiology hospitals. Mean age was 54.7±10.0 years, 87.6% male and 64% were STEMI. The NT-proBNP level ranged from 60 to 16700pg/ml, with a median of 714pg/ml. Using the 75th centile as the cutoff, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for the 30-day cardiac related mortality was significantly higher for patient with NT-proBNP level of ≥1600pg/ml (6.4% vs. 0.7%, p=0.02). Cox-regression analysis showed that NT-proBNP level of ≥1600pg/ml was an independent predictor of 30-day cardiac related mortality, regardless of TIMI risk score, GRACE score, LV ejection fraction and study hospitals (HR 9.274, p=0.054, 95%CI 0.965, 89.161). Readmission for heart failure at 30-day was also higher for patient with NT-proBNP level of ≥1600pg/ml (HR 9.308, p=0.053, 95%CI 0.969, 89.492). NT-proBNP level was not associated with all-cause mortality, risk of readmission for ACS, arrhythmia and stroke (pN0.05). By adding 50 score to GRACE risk score for NT-proBNP level of ≥1600pg/ml, combination of GraceNT-proBNP scores of more than 200 appeared to be a better independent predictor for 30-day cardiac related mortality (HR:28.28, p=0.004, 95%CI 2.94, 272.1). ROC analysis showed that this new score had 75% sensitivity and 91.2% specificity in predicting 30-day cardiac related mortality (AUC 0.791, p=0.046). Conclusions: NT-proBNP is a useful point-of-care risk stratification biomarker in AMI. It can be combined to the current risk score model for better risk stratification in AMI patients

Knockdown of zebrafish Nav1.6 sodium channel impairs embryonic locomotor activities

[[abstract]]Although multiple subtypes of sodium channels are expressed in most neurons, the specific contributions of the individual sodium channels remain to be studied. The role of zebrafish Nav1.6 sodium channels in the embryonic locomotor movements has been investigated by the antisense morpholino (MO) knockdown. MO1 and MO2 are targeted at the regions surrounding the translation start site of zebrafish Nav1.6 mRNA. MO3 is targeted at the RNA splicing donor site of exon 2. The correctly spliced Nav1.6 mRNA of MO3 morphants is 6% relative to that of the wild-type embryos. Nav1.6-targeted MO1, MO2 and MO3 attenuate the spontaneous contraction, tactile sensitivity, and swimming in comparison with a scrambled morpholino and mutated MO3 morpholino. No significant defect is observed in the development of slow muscles, the axonal projection of primary motoneurons, and neuromuscular junctions. The movement impairments caused by MO1, MO2, and MO3 suggest that the function of Nav1.6 sodium channels is essential on the normal early embryonic locomotor activities.[[notice]]補正完畢[[journaltype]]國

Oral treatment with etoposide in small cell lung cancer - dilemmas and solution

Background. Etoposide is a chemotherapeutic agent, widely used for the treatment of various malignancies, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC), an aggressive disease with poor prognosis. Oral etoposide administration exhibits advantages for the quality of life of the patient as well as economic benefits. However, widespread use of oral etoposide is limited by incomplete and variable bioavailability. Variability in bioavailability was observed both within and between patients. This suggests that some patients may experience suboptimal tumor cytotoxicity, whereas other patients may be atrisk for excess toxicity. Conclusions. The article highlights dilemmas as well as solutions regarding oral treatment with etoposide by presenting and analyzing relevant literature data. Numerous studies have shown that bioavailability of etoposide is influenced by genetic, physiological and environmental factors. Several strategies were explored to improve bioavailability and to reduce pharmacokinetic variability of oral etoposide, including desired and undesired drug interactions (e.g. with ketoconazole), development of suitable drug delivery systems, use of more water-soluble prodrug of etoposide, and influence on gastric emptying. In addition to genotype-based dose administration, etoposide is suitable for pharmacokinetically guided dosing, which enables dose adjustments in individual patient. Further, it is established that oral and intravenous schedules of etoposide in SCLC patients do not result in significant differences in treatment outcome, while results of toxicity are inconclusive. To conclude, the main message of the article is that better prediction of the pharmacokinetics of oral etoposide may encourage its wider use in routine clinical practice.Izhodišča. Etopozid je protitumorna učinkovina, ki jo pogosto uporabljamo za zdravljenje različnih rakavih obolenj, vključno z drobnoceličnim pljučnim rakom. Ta je agresivni rak s slabo napovedjo poteka bolezni. Peroralno vnašanje etopozida ima veliko prednosti tako z vidika kakovosti življenja bolnika kakor tudi z vidika obvladovanja stroškov. Uporaba etopozida pa je omejena zaradi nepopolne absorpcije ter velike intra- in inter-individualne spremenljivosti biološke uporabnosti. To lahko pri nekaterih bolnikih privede do zmanjšane učinkovitosti ali povečane toksičnosti. Zaključki. Članek s pregledom in analizo literaturnih podatkov predstavlja dileme in rešitve gledeperoralnega zdravljenja z etopozidom. Rezultati številnih raziskav so pokazali, da na biološko uporabnost etopozida vplivajo genetski, fiziološki in okoljski dejavniki. Poznamo številne pristope za izboljšanje biološke uporabnosti in zmanjšanje farmakokinetične spremenljivosti peroralnega etopozida. To so želene in neželene interakcije (npr. s ketokonazolom), razvojustreznih dostavnih sistemov, uporaba predzdravila, ki je bolj vodotopno od etopozida in vpliv na hitrost praznjenja želodca. Etopozid je primerna zdravilna učinkovina za odmerjanje na osnovi poznavanja farmakokinetike in genotipa, kar omogoča tudi prilagajanje odmerka pri posameznemu bolniku. Ugotovili so, da se učinkovitost peroralnega in intravenskega zdravljenja z etopozidom pri bolnikih z drobnoceličnim pljučnim rakom značilno ne razlikuje, medtem ko so si rezultati primerjav toksičnosti nasprotujoči. Glavno sporočilo članka je, da boljša napovedljivost farmakokinetike peroralnega etopozida omogoča večjo uporabo le-tega v rutinski klinični praksi

The Incidence and Clinical Relevance of Coronary Artery Anomalies Detected on Multidetector Computed Tomography in Sarawak

Background: Coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) are rare. Some anomalies are associated with myocardial ischaemia, heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine the incidence of CAAs detected on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and their clinical relevance. Methods: We reviewed our center’s MDCT database from January 2005 to December 2015. Results: 76 out of 5677 (incidence 0.01%) patients were reported to have CAAs. They consisted of 44 patients (57.9%) with anomalous origin of right coronary artery (RCA), 7 (9.2%) with anomalous origin of left coronary artery (LCA), 3 (3.9%) with anomalous origin of the left circumflex artery (LCX), 1 (1.3%) with abnormal course of LCX, 15 (19.7%) with coronary artery fistulas, 3 (3.9%) with single coronary artery, 3 (3.9%) with anomalous left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA).We were able to retrieved 26 patients’ (mean age 49 ± 13 years, 17 male) case folder. They consisted of 11 patients with anomalous origin of the RCA (10 from left coronary sinus), 4 with anomalous origin of LCA from right coronary sinus (3 interarterial course), 7 with coronary fistulas (2 large fistulas), 1 with single coronary artery (Lipton LII, anterior course) , 3 with ALCAPA. Out of the 26 patients, 24 (92.3%) were alive and 2 were lost to follow-up. The commonest presenting symptom was chest pain (65.4%), followed by dyspnea (34.6%) and heart failure (11.5%). 3 patients underwent surgery and 1 underwent transcatheter coiling of fistula. 4 patients had positive functional test (2 anomalous origin of RCA, 1 anomalous origin of LCA from right coronary sinus and 1 ALCAPA). Only 1 patient who had positive functional test underwent surgery. The remaining 3 who did not undergo surgery were still alive. The patient with single coronary artery presented with heart failure and remained alive with pharmacotherapy. All 3 ALCAPA patients were alive, with the oldest patient survived to age 71 years. None of them had surgery performed. Conclusions: CAAs are rare. Majority of cases may be benign. Largescale studies are needed to better define the prognosis and optimal treatment of individual forms of CAAs

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) collaborative care for patients with axial spondyloarthritis (AcuSpA): Protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial

10.1186/s13063-018-3117-2Trials2014