Nucleation versus Spinodal decomposition in a first order quark hadron phase transition

We investigate the scenario of homogeneous nucleation for a first order quark-hadron phase transition in a rapidly expanding background of quark gluon plasma. Using an improved preexponential factor for homogeneous nucleation rate, we solve a set of coupled equations to study the hadronization and the hydrodynamical evolution of the matter. It is found that significant supercooling is possible before hadronization begins. This study also suggests that spinodal decomposition competes with nucleation and may provide an alternative mechanism for phase conversion particularly if the transition is strong enough and the medium is nonviscous. For weak enough transition, the phase conversion may still proceed via homogeneous nucleation.Comment: LaTeX, 10 pages with 7 Postscript figures, more discussions and referencese added, typos correcte

Common and distinct structural features of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: The European Network on Psychosis, Affective disorders and Cognitive Trajectory (ENPACT) study

INTRODUCTION: Although schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) share elements of pathology, their neural underpinnings are still under investigation. Here, structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data collected from a large sample of BD and SCZ patients and healthy controls (HC) were analyzed in terms of gray matter volume (GMV) using both voxel based morphometry (VBM) and a region of interest (ROI) approach. METHODS: The analysis was conducted on two datasets, Dataset1 (802 subjects: 243 SCZ, 176 BD, 383 HC) and Dataset2, a homogeneous subset of Dataset1 (301 subjects: 107 HC, 85 BD and 109 SCZ). General Linear Model analyses were performed 1) at the voxel-level in the whole brain (VBM study), 2) at the regional level in the anatomical regions emerged from the VBM study (ROI study). The GMV comparison across groups was integrated with the analysis of GMV correlates of different clinical dimensions. RESULTS: The VBM results of Dataset1 showed 1) in BD compared to HC, GMV deficits in right cingulate, superior temporal and calcarine cortices, 2) in SCZ compared to HC, GMV deficits in widespread cortical and subcortical areas, 3) in SCZ compared to BD, GMV deficits in insula and thalamus (p<0.05, cluster family wise error corrected). The regions showing GMV deficits in the BD group were mostly included in the SCZ ones. The ROI analyses confirmed the VBM results at the regional level in most of the clusters from the SCZ vs. HC comparison (p<0.05, Bonferroni corrected). The VBM and ROI analyses of Dataset2 provided further evidence for the enhanced GMV deficits characterizing SCZ. Based on the clinical-neuroanatomical analyses, we cannot exclude possible confounding effects due to 1) age of onset and medication in BD patients, 2) symptoms severity in SCZ patients. CONCLUSION: Our study reported both shared and specific neuroanatomical characteristics between the two disorders, suggesting more severe and generalized GMV deficits in SCZ, with a specific role for insula and thalamus.Funding: PB was partially funded by grants from the Ministry of Health (RF-2011-02352308). Grant support of EM was provided by the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no. 602450 (IMAGEMEND Project). Part of the present study was conducted at the Hospital Universitario MarqueÂs de Valdecilla, University of Cantabria (Santander, Spain), under the following grant support: Carlos III Health Institute PI020499, PI050427, PI060507, Plan Nacional de Drugs Research Grant 2005- Orden sco/3246/2004, SENY Fundacio Research Grant CI 2005-0308007 and FundacioÂn MarqueÂs de Valdecilla API07/011. We wish to acknowledge IDIVAL Neuroimaging Unit for imaging acquirement and analysis. Part of the study was conducted at the Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, supported by the European Union EU-FP7-HEALTH-F2-2008-222963 “MOODINFLAME” and by the Italian Ministry of Health RF-2011-02350980 projects. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

EU-AIMS Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP) the autism twin cohort

EU-AIMS is the largest European research program aiming to identify stratification biomarkers and novel interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Within the program, the Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP) has recruited and comprehensively phenotyped a rare sample of 76 monozygotic and dizygotic twins, discordant, or concordant for ASD plus 30 typically developing twins. The aim of this letter is to complete previous descriptions of the LEAP case-control sample, clinically characterize, and investigate the suitability of the sample for ASD twin-control analyses purposes and share some 'lessons learnt.' Among the twins, a diagnosis of ASD is associated with increased symptom levels of ADHD, higher rates of intellectual disability, and lower family income. For the future, we conclude that the LEAP twin cohort offers multiple options for analyses of genetic and shared and non-shared environmental factors to generate new hypotheses for the larger cohort of LEAP singletons, but particularly cross-validate and refine evidence from it

Amperometric paper sensor based on Cu nanoparticles for the determination of carbohydrates

In the present article the development of a paper-based amperometric sensor for the determination of glucose and of the total carbohydrates is described. The motivation of the study lies in the necessity of novel low cost and fast methods for the determination of sugars in foodstuff; the commonly used procedures, in fact, often suffer from inaccuracy. To this aim, paper-based electrodes have been fabricated through the deposition of an electrically conductive ink based on Cu nanoparticles, graphite and polystyrene. In order to gain highest oxidation currents for glucose, i.e. to increase the sensitivity of the sensor, the composition of the ink has been optimised through a suitable experimental design. The performance of the paper-based system has been estimated in glucose, 0.1 M KOH solution. The estimated concentration value calculated from the calibration curve is ca. 10.4 mM (0.6 mM standard deviation) when a probe solution containing 10.1 mM glucose is used. In addition, the effectiveness of the system has been verified in real matrices, i.e. soft drinks: calibration curves lead to accurate estimation of the total carbohydrates concentration. On the basis of a suitable t-test, the probability of being wrong in rejecting the proper null hypothesis is lower than 1%

Clinical feasibility of &quot;awake-ECMO&#8221; in acute respiratory failure

Introduction: Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vv-ECMO) is nowadays safer due to recent technical improvements and thus is increasingly used as a rescue therapy for acute respiratory failure. Mechanical ventilation is the standard support for patient with respiratory failure, but can itself damage the lung. Objective: To explore vv-ECMO as an alternative to conventional mechanical ventilation in acute respiratory failure, we tested feasibility of vv-ECMO in spontaneous breathing patients (\u201cawake- ECMO\u201d). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive patients who underwent vv-ECMO support from June 2012 to January 2015. Results: A total of 48 patients with acute respiratory failure (30 acute respiratory distress syndrome - ARDS, 7 acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - AECOPD, 11 end-stage pulmonary disease bridged to lung transplantation - ESPD) were analyzed. Figure shows the number of days on ECMO and on \u201cawake-ECMO\u201d for different patients\u2019 categories. All ESPD and all out of one AECOPD patients were successfully treated while spontaneous breathing, whereas only 26% of ARDS patients could remove invasive ventilation and only during shorter time of ECMO support (p<0,001). Patients who could not undergo \u201cawake-ECMO\u201d were sicker than \u201cawake\u201d patients (SOFA 9.1\ub13.4 vs 4.5\ub11.3, p<0,001). Reasons underlying the impossibility of weaning from ventilator ARDS patients were pulmonary plasma-leakage (n=7), hemodynamic derangements (n=10), neurologic impairments (n=4), bleeding (n=7), severe respiratory distress and hypoxemia (n=8). Conclusion: vv-ECMO in awake spontaneous breathing patients is feasible as a bridge to lung transplantation and in AECOPD patients, while in sick ARDS patients we were not able to use vv- ECMO as an alternative to mechanical ventilation

Modello sperimentale suino di morte cerebrale

Introduzione La maggior parte degli organi trapiantati proviene da donatori in seguito a morte cerebrale. Obiettivo Scopo dello studio \ue8 stato riprodurre un modello sperimentale e clinicamente rilevante di morte cerebrale in suini sani. Materiali e metodi Abbiamo indotto la morte cerebrale secondo un modello sperimentale standardizzato1. Previa anestesia generale e monitoraggio dei parametri vitali, sono stati praticati 3 fori nella teca cranica per l\u2019introduzione di una sonda sottodurale per il monitoraggio della pressione intracranica (ICP), un catetere di Swan Ganz intraparenchimale al fine di calcolare la compliance intracranica (IC), un Foley epidurale di 18 Ch per provocare l\u2019aumento di ICP. Ogni 10 minuti sono stati aggiunti 1,5 mL di soluzione fisiologica nel catetere Foley e registrati i valori di ICP, IC, pressione arteriosa media (PAM) e frequenza cardiaca (FC). Tale procedura \ue8 stata ripetuta fino al raggiungimento di valori di pressione di perfusione cerebrale (CPP) 64 0. La morte cerebrale \ue8 stata dichiarata dopo 60 minuti di CPP 64 0. La diagnosi \ue8 stata confermata mediante test di apnea, assenza di riflessi carenale e corneale e assenza di attivit\ue0 elettrica corticale. Risultati Sono stati studiati 5 maiali (37\ub14 Kg). Valori di CPP 64 0 sono stai raggiunti dopo l\u2019infusione di 13.2\ub11.6 mL di fisiologica, in un tempo di 78\ub111 minuti. L\u2019ICP \ue8 aumentata da 13\ub16 mmHg a 115\ub151 (P<0.05) e la IC si \ue8 ridotta da 0.24\ub10.13 mL/mmHg fino a valori di 0.02\ub10.01 al raggiungimento di CPP 64 0 (P<0.05). Volume (mL)0,01,53,04,56,07,59,010,512,013,515,016,5CPP ( mmHg)-120-100-80-60-40-20020406080100 Volume (mL)0,01,53,04,56,07,59,010,512,013,515,016,5ICP ( mmHg)020406080100120140160180 Conclusioni Siamo stati in grado di indurre la morte cerebrale nel suino. Il modello si \ue8 dimostrato ripetibile e clinicamente rilevante. 1. Purins K, Standardized experimental brain death model for studies of intracranial dynamics, organ preservation, and organ transplantation in the pig. Crit Care Med. 2011 Mar;39(3):512-7

Modello suino di gestione del potenziale donatore d\u2019organo dopo morte cerebrale

Introduzione La maggior parte degli organi trapiantati proviene da donatori a cuore battente in seguito a morte cerebrale. Il periodo compreso tra la diagnosi di morte cerebrale e il prelievo degli organi \ue8 spesso caratterizzato da una condizione di instabilit\ue0 del potenziale donatore. Obiettivi Scopo del nostro studio \ue8 stato realizzare un modello suino clinicamente rilevante di gestione del donatore in morte cerebrale candidato a prelievo multi-organo. Materiali e Metodi Abbiamo indotto la morte cerebrale secondo un modello sperimentale standardizzato1. La diagnosi \ue8 stata confermata mediante test di apnea, assenza di riflessi carenale e corneale e assenza di attivit\ue0 elettrica corticale. Al termine dell\u2019accertamento (T0) abbiamo osservato e gestito i potenziali donatori nelle 6 ore successive. L\u2019obiettivo della gestione \ue8 stato mantenere l\u2019omeostasi fisiologica2, garantendo adeguati scambi respiratori con strategia ventilatoria protettiva3, stabilit\ue0 cardiocircolatoria, adeguato output urinario. Abbiamo registrato parametri cardio-respiratori prima dell\u2019induzione di morte cerebrale (baseline) a T0 e dopo 3 (T3) e 6 (T6) ore. Risultati Tutti gli animali sono sopravvissuti alle 6 ore di osservazione (n=5, 37\ub14 Kg). Come mostrato in tabella, abbiamo raggiunto gli obiettivi di gestione. Abbiamo osservato nel tempo il progressivo aumento della frequenza cardiaca, l\u2019aumento importante della diuresi e lieve aumento dei lattati. Mediante una strategia ventilatoria caratterizzata dalla riduzione del volume corrente e dal contestuale aumento della PEEP siamo stati in grado di garantire adeguati scambi gassosi a fine osservazione. Baseline T0 T3 T6 P FC, battiti/min 100\ub120 129\ub138* 145\ub128* 163\ub117* < 0.001 PAM, mmHg 75\ub110 56\ub18 68\ub113 79\ub119 0.042 PAPm, mmHg 17\ub13 21\ub13.7 19.2\ub14.2 21\ub14 0.100 PVC, mmHg 5.4\ub13.0 6.8\ub13.2 6.6\ub12.7 8\ub12.8* 0.003 Stroke volume variation, % 9.0\ub11.8 10.4\ub1 2.7 11.8\ub1 4.6 10.7\ub14.1 0.326 Diuresi, mL/Kg/h 5.2\ub11.8 3.1\ub10.6 8.3\ub112.5 7.8\ub15.2 0.521 Lattati, mmoli/L 1.7\ub10.5 2.0\ub10.8 2.5\ub12.3 4.8\ub11.8 0.043 P Plateau, cmH2O 12.4\ub11.3 13\ub11 14\ub1 1 14.2\ub10.8 0.061 PEEP, cmH2O 5.0\ub10.0 7.4\ub11.0* 7.6\ub11.0* 8.0\ub11.8* 0.008 Volume corrente, mL 328\ub149 284\ub129* 286\ub123* 288\ub121* 0.007 PaO2/FiO2, mmHg 540\ub133 502\ub146 492\ub133* 480\ub131* 0.004 PaCO2, mmHg 40.5\ub15.7 45.6\ub13.2 43.6\ub12.5 45.6\ub15.2 0.168 pH 7.429\ub10.036 7.411\ub10.046 7.402\ub10.057 7.358\ub10.057 0.127 Media \ub1 ds, ANOVA per misure ripetute, *vs baseline p< 0.005 Conclusioni Abbiamo realizzato un modello suino di morte cerebrale e gestione del potenziale donatore cadaverico che presenta caratteristiche del tutto simili alla realt\ue0 clinica. 1Purins K. Crit Care Med. 2011 Mar;39(3):512-7. 2Wood KE. N Engl J Med. 2004 Dec 23;351(26):2730-9. 3Mascia L. JAMA 2010 Dec 15; 304 (23) : 2620 -7

Relazione pressione/volume in un modello suino: effetti dell&#8217;espansione di una massa sovra-tentoriale

Introduzione La pressione intracranica (ICP) \ue8 determinata dal rapporto tra componenti tessutali, vasali, liquorali e dalla presenza di eventuali masse intracraniche. L\u2019Indice Pressione-Volume (PVI) e la Compliance Intracranica (IC) sono indicatori della capacit\ue0 di compenso di questo sistema. Obiettivi Esplorare le relazione tra PVI, IC ed espansione di una massa sovra-tentoriale in un modello suino. Materiali e metodi Previa anestesia generale, attraverso 3 fori praticati nella teca cranica sono stati posizionati una sonda sottodurale per il monitoraggio della ICP, un catetere Swan-Ganz intraparenchimale per calcolare la IC mediante inflazione del micropalloncino e un catetere di Foley epidurale per simulare l\u2019espansione di una massa sovra-tentoriale con aumento acuto di ICP iniettando ogni 10 minuti 1.5 mL di soluzione fisiologica nel catetere di Foley, fino al raggiungimento di valori di pressione di perfusione cerebrale (CPP) negativi. Sono stati registrati i valori di ICP, e calcolati IC [ICP/volume] e PVI [\u394V/log10(ICP0/ICPmax)]. Risultati Dieci suini (35.4\ub13.9 Kg) sono stati inclusi nello studio. All\u2019aumentare della massa intracranica l\u2019ICP \ue8 aumentata da 17.2\ub16.8 a 130.7\ub149.3 mmHg, l\u2019IC si \ue8 ridotta da 0.18\ub10.13 a 0.02\ub10.01 mL/mmHg con andamento lineare (Multiple Linear Regression R2=0.385 p<0.001) mentre il PVI \ue8 rimasto invariato da 6.68\ub11.99 a 7.05\ub13.18 mL (R2= 0.111 p=0.310). Abbiamo osservato una relazione tra IC e CPP (R2=0.479 p<0.001), mentre nessuna correlazione \ue8 stata riscontrata tra PVI e CPP (R2= 0.113 p=0.291), Conclusioni Nel nostro modello la IC \ue8 pi\uf9 attendibile del PVI nel descrivere gli effetti acuti sulla relazione pressione/volume intracranica dovuti all\u2019espansione di una massa sovra-tentoriale. References W.J. Gray, J Neurosurg,1987; A. Schettini, American Physiological Society, 1991