Quark cluster signatures in deuteron electromagnetic interactions

A suggestion is made for distinguishing 2N and 6q short range correlations within the deuteron. The suggestion depends upon observing high momentum backward nucleons emerging from inelastic electromagnetic scattering from a deuteron target. A simple model is worked out to see the size of effects that may be expected.Comment: 18 pages (3 figures available as hard copy), WM-94-10

Taxonomic identification of Amazonian tree crowns from aerial photography

Question: To what extent can aerial photography be used for taxonomic identification of Amazonian tree crowns? Objective: To investigate whether a combination of dichotomous keys and a web-based interface is a suitable approach to identify tree crowns. Location: The fieldwork was conducted at Tiputini Biodiversity Station located in the Amazon, eastern Ecuador. Methods: High-resolution imagery was taken from an airplane flying at a low altitude (600 m) above the ground. Imagery of the observable upper layer of the tree crowns was used for the analysis. Dichotomous identification keys for different types of crowns were produced and tested. The identification keys were designed to be web-based interactive, using Google Earth as the main online platform. The taxa analysed were Iriartea, Astrocaryum, Inga, Parkia, Cecropia, Pourouma, Guarea, Otoba, Lauraceae and Pouteria. Results: This paper demonstrates that a combination of photo-imagery, dichotomous keys and a web-based interface can be useful for the taxonomic identification of Amazonian trees based on their crown characteristics. The keys tested with an overall identification accuracy of over 50% for five of the ten taxa with three of them showing accuracy greater than 70% (Iriartea, Astrocaryum and Cecropia). Conclusions: The application of dichotomous keys and a web-based interface provides a new methodological approach for taxonomic identification of various Amazonian tree crowns. Overall, the study showed that crowns with a medium-rough texture are less reliably identified than crowns with smoother or well-defined surfaces

Development of a three-dimensional bone-like construct in a soft self-assembling Peptide matrix

This work describes the development of a three-dimensional (3D) model of osteogenesis using mouse preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells and a soft synthetic matrix made out of self-assembling peptide nanofibers. By adjusting the matrix stiffness to very low values (around 120 Pa), cells were found to migrate within the matrix, interact forming a cell-cell network, and create a contracted and stiffer structure. Interestingly, during this process, cells spontaneously upregulate the expression of bone-related proteins such as collagen type I, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin, indicating that the 3D environment enhances their osteogenic potential. However, unlike MC3T3-E1 cultures in 2D, the addition of dexamethasone is required to acquire a final mature phenotype characterized by features such as matrix mineralization. Moreover, a slight increase in the hydrogel stiffness (threefold) or the addition of a cell contractility inhibitor (Rho kinase inhibitor) abrogates cell elongation, migration, and 3D culture contraction. However, this mechanical inhibition does not seem to noticeably affect the osteogenic process, at least at early culture times. This 3D bone model intends to emphasize cell-cell interactions, which have a critical role during tissue formation, by using a compliant unrestricted synthetic matrix

The effect of inoculum source and fluid shear force on the development of in vitro oral multispecies biofilms

AimsSaliva has been previously used as an inoculum for in vitro oral biofilm studies. However, the microbial community profile of saliva is markedly different from hardâ and softâ tissueâ associated oral biofilms. Here, we investigated the changes in the biofilm architecture and microbial diversity of in vitro oral biofilms developed from saliva, tongue or plaqueâ derived inocula under different salivary shear forces.Methods and ResultsFour inoculum types (saliva, bacteria harvested from the tongue, toothbrush and curetteâ harvested plaque) were collected and pooled. Biofilms (n ⠥ 15) were grown for 20 h in cellâ free human saliva flowing at three different shear forces. Stained biofilms were imaged using a confocal laser scanning microscope. Biomass, thickness and roughness were determined by image analysis and bacterial community composition analysed using Ion Torrent. All developed biofilms showed a significant reduction in observed diversity compared with their respective original inoculum. Shear force altered biofilm architecture of saliva and curetteâ collected plaque and community composition of saliva, tongue and curetteâ harvested plaque.ConclusionsDifferent intraoral inocula served as precursors of in vitro oral polymicrobial biofilms which can be influenced by shear.Significance and Impact of the StudyInoculum selection and shear force are key factors to consider when developing multispecies biofilms within in vitro models.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136333/1/jam13376-sup-0001-FigS1.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136333/2/jam13376-sup-0002-TableS1.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136333/3/jam13376_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136333/4/jam13376.pd

The Atlántida of Capitalism. The murals of Sert in the decorative programme of New York’s Rockefeller Center

New York’s Rockefeller Center is one of most symbolically rich places in the world, although few of its millions of visitors stop to reflect on what its images of power really mean. In the form of an Atlantean mythological allegory, Rockefeller Center was conceived as symbolic propaganda for capitalist, liberal values implicit in both the ‘American Dream’ and the ideology espoused by the Rockefeller family. It embodies the utopia of progress and science that promotes the freedom of the individual and the free movement of capital. Due to ideological clashes –or the vagaries of fate– the Catalan José María Sert was the artist to ultimately complete the most eloquent mural in the main building, a mural which had formerly been painted by Diego de Rivera, and entitled Man at the Crossroads. Sert was a muralist who had previously worked on the scenographic illustration of Manuel de Falla’s Atlántida, capturing some of the motifs that inspired that great cantata based on poetic texts by Jacint Verdaguer. That earlier work is reflected in the lobby of Rockefeller Center’s main building. While Diego de Rivera’s censored frescoes have been studied prolifically, little attention has been paid to Sert’s paradoxical reading of the same subjects. In this article, we analyse the history of the Atlantean Mediterranean literary myth in relation to Spain, the use John D. Rockefeller Jr. made of them in his emblematic urbanistic ensemble, and also the peculiar reading that the Catalan muralist made of these themes of Atlantis in relation to capitalism

A comparison of different antibiotic regimens for the treatment of infective endocarditis.

Infective endocarditis is a microbial infection of the endocardial surface of the heart. Antibiotics are the cornerstone of treatment, but due to the differences in presentation, populations affected, and the wide variety of micro-organisms that can be responsible, their use is not standardised. This is an update of a review previously published in 2016. Objectives: To assess the existing evidence about the clinical benefits and harms of different antibiotics regimens used to treat people with infective endocarditis. Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase Classic and Embase, LILACS, CINAHL, and the Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science on 6 January 2020. We also searched three trials registers and handsearched the reference lists of included papers. We applied no language restrictions. Selection criteria: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of antibiotic regimens for treating definitive infective endocarditis diagnosed according to modified Duke's criteria. We considered all-cause mortality, cure rates, and adverse events as the primary outcomes. We excluded people with possible infective endocarditis and pregnant women. Data collection and analysis: Two review authors independently performed study selection, 'Risk of bias' assessment, and data extraction in duplicate. We constructed 'Summary of findings' tables and used GRADE methodology to assess the quality of the evidence. We described the included studies narratively. Main results: Six small RCTs involving 1143 allocated/632 analysed participants met the inclusion criteria of this first update. The included trials had a high risk of bias. Three trials were sponsored by drug companies. Due to heterogeneity in outcome definitions and different antibiotics used data could not be pooled. The included trials compared miscellaneous antibiotic schedules having uncertain effects for all of the prespecified outcomes in this review. Evidence was either low or very low quality due to high risk of bias and very low number of events and small sample size. The results for all-cause mortality were as follows: one trial compared quinolone (levofloxacin) plus standard treatment (antistaphylococcal penicillin (cloxacillin or dicloxacillin), aminoglycoside (tobramycin or netilmicin), and rifampicin) versus standard treatment alone and reported 8/31 (26%) with levofloxacin plus standard treatment versus 9/39 (23%) with standard treatment alone; risk ratio (RR) 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49 to 2.56. One trial compared fosfomycin plus imipenem 3/4 (75%) versus vancomycin 0/4 (0%) (RR 7.00, 95% CI 0.47 to 103.27), and one trial compared partial oral treatment 7/201 (3.5%) versus conventional intravenous treatment 13/199 (6.53%) (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.22 to 1.31). The results for rates of cure with or without surgery were as follows: one trial compared daptomycin versus low-dose gentamicin plus an antistaphylococcal penicillin (nafcillin, oxacillin, or flucloxacillin) or vancomycin and reported 9/28 (32.1%) with daptomycin versus 9/25 (36%) with low-dose gentamicin plus antistaphylococcal penicillin or vancomycin; RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.89. One trial compared glycopeptide (vancomycin or teicoplanin) plus gentamicin with cloxacillin plus gentamicin (13/23 (56%) versus 11/11 (100%); RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.85). One trial compared ceftriaxone plus gentamicin versus ceftriaxone alone (15/34 (44%) versus 21/33 (64%); RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.44 to 1.10), and one trial compared fosfomycin plus imipenem versus vancomycin (1/4 (25%) versus 2/4 (50%); RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.07 to 3.55). The included trials reported adverse events, the need for cardiac surgical interventions, and rates of uncontrolled infection, congestive heart failure, relapse of endocarditis, and septic emboli, and found no conclusive differences between groups (very low-quality evidence). No trials assessed quality of life. Authors' conclusions: This first update confirms the findings of the original version of the review. Limited and low to very low-quality evidence suggests that the comparative effects of different antibiotic regimens in terms of cure rates or other relevant clinical outcomes are uncertain. The conclusions of this updated Cochrane Review were based on few RCTs with a high risk of bias. Accordingly, current evidence does not support or reject any regimen of antibiotic therapy for the treatment of infective endocarditis.post-print876 K

Nuevos nematicidas: valoración de residuos de la producción semiindustrial de aceites esenciales

PublishedEste trabajo ha sido financiado por fondos de del MINECO al Proyecto CTQ2012-38219-C03-0

Abordaje transvasto mínimamente invasivo versus abordaje parapatelar medial convencional en la artroplastia total de rodilla en pacientes con gonartrosis: estudio prospectivo comparativo no randomizado

Objetivos: valorar y comparar los resultados a corto plazo de la artroplastia total de rodilla realizada mediante dos vías de abordaje. Material y métodos: estudio prospectivo comparativo que compara abordaje parapatelar medial (24 pacientes) y transvasto mínimamente invasivo (25 pacientes) en artroplastia total de rodilla. Se incluyeron pacientes con gonartrosis grado IV de la clasificación de Kellgren-Lawrence y se excluyeron aquellos menores de 50 años, deformidad en varo (> 15º) o valgo (> 10º), artrosis postraumática, artritis reumatoide, cirugías de revisión, osteotomías correctoras previas, IMC > 40 kg/m2, infección activa local o sistémica y/o deterioro mental. Resultados: se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en dolor del primer y segundo día postoperatorios a favor del abordaje mínimamente invasivo (1º día: 3,8 ± 2,5 vs. 6,7 ± 2,1; p< 0,001. 2º día: 3 ± 2,1 vs. 6 ± 2; p< 0,001). Conclusiones: no existen diferencias relevantes entre ambos abordajes, por lo que se recomienda la utilización del abordaje con el que el cirujano se encuentre más cómodo y familiarizadoAim: Assess and compare short-term outcomes of total knee arthroplasty performed using two surgical approaches. Material and methods: a prospective study with 49 patients comparing medial parapatellar approach (24 patients) and minimally invasive trans-vastus access (25 patients) in total knee replacement. The patients included suffered knee osteoarthritis grade IV the Kellgren-Lawrence’s classification. Exclusion criteria were age under 50 years, large axial deformity (varus deformity > 15° or valgus > 10°), posttraumatic osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, revision surgeries, previous osteotomies, BMI> 40 kg/m2 and of course local or systemic active infection and mental impairment. Results: statistically significant differences were found for pain in first and second postoperative days for the minimally invasive approach (1st day: 3.8 ± 2.5 vs. 6.7 ± 2.1; p <0.001. 2nd day: 3 ± 2.1 vs. 6 ± 2; p <0.001). Conclusions: there are not significant differences between mini and standard approaches in knee replacement, so decision about which access to use in knee reconstruction surgery depends on surgeon’s preferences

Increased cerebrospinal fluid levels of cytokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Introduction: Neuroinflammation has recently been described in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the precise role of such proinflammatory cytokines as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1� (MIP-1�) in ALS has not yet been determined. In this study, we determined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) MCP-1 and MIP-1� levels and assessed their association with the duration and severity of ALS. Methods: Concentrations of MCP-1 and MIP-1� were determined in the CSF of 77 patients diagnosed with ALS and 13 controls. Cytokine levels were analysed in relation to ALS duration ( 12 months) and severity ( 30 points on the ALS Functional Rating Scale administered at hospital admission). Results: Higher CSF MIP-1� (10.68 pg/mL vs 4.69 pg/mL, P < .0001) and MCP-1 (234.89 pg/mL vs 160.95 pg/mL, P = .011) levels were found in the 77 patients with ALS compared to controls. There were no differences in levels of either cytokine in relation to disease duration or severity. However, we did observe a significant positive correlation between MIP-1� and MCP-1 in patients with ALS. Conclusions: The increase in MIP-1� and MCP-1 levels suggests that these cytokines may havea synergistic effect on ALS pathogenesis. However, in our cohort, no association was found witheither the duration or the clinical severity of the disease

Vertical distribution of PAHs in marine sediments (particulate fraction and interstitial water) from eight Iberian Mediterranean areas

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been determined in sediment cores from eight Iberian Mediterranean coastal areas (Barcelona, Tarragona, Ebro Delta, Valencia, Castellón, Cartagena, Almería y Málaga), considering both interstitial water and solid fraction. Three sediment cores were taken in three different sampling sites per area by using a box corer. Cores were cut into 1-cm-thick sections between 0 and 18-cm depth, interstitial water was obtained by centrifugation and samples from every site were pooled. Fourteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, crysene, benzo[e]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene) were determined in interstitial water by stir bar sorptive extraction coupled to GC/MS and solid fraction by Soxhlet extraction and HPLC with fluorescence detection. As result of PAHs hydrofobicity, their concentrations were several magnitude order higher in sediment (solid phase) than interstitial water. Total PAH concentration in sediment varied from 1 to 1321 g•kg-1 d.w and from 4.9 to 274 ng•L-1 in interstitial water. Vertical PAHs distributions in sediments were homogeneous in some areas, however, sharp concentration decreases were observed at deeper layers from some sampling sites. However, their maximum concentrations in interstitial water were found mainly in upper or in deeper layers, depending on the specific characteristics of the area and sediments.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Environment (2-ESMARME and 2-2-ESMARME projects), the Spanish Inter-Ministerial Science and Technology Commission through the ‘IMPACTA’ (CICYT, CTM2013-48194-C3-1-R) project and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)