71 research outputs found
Metallic ferromagnetism without exchange splitting
In the band theory of ferromagnetism there is a relative shift in the
position of majority and minority spin bands due to the self-consistent field
due to opposite spin electrons. In the simplest realization, the Stoner model,
the majority and minority spin bands are rigidly shifted with respect to each
other. Here we consider models at the opposite extreme, where there is no
overall shift of the energy bands. Instead, upon spin polarization one of the
bands broadens relative to the other. Ferromagnetism is driven by the resulting
gain in kinetic energy. A signature of this class of mechanisms is that a
transfer of spectral weight in optical absorption from high to low frequencies
occurs upon spin polarization. We show that such models arise from generalized
tight binding models that include off-diagonal matrix elements of the Coulomb
interaction. For certain parameter ranges it is also found that reentrant
ferromagnetism occurs. We examine properties of these models at zero and finite
temperatures, and discuss their possible relevance to real materials
Placental CD4(+) T cells from preeclamptic patients cause autoantibodies to the angiotensin II type I receptor and hypertension in a pregnant rat model of preeclampsia
AIM: Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy associated with activated CD4(+) T cells and autoantibodies to angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1-AA). We have previously shown that CD4(+) T cells isolated from women with PE cause hypertension, increased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), endothelin-1, and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) when injected into pregnant nude-athymic rats compared to CD4(+) T cells from normal pregnant (NP) women. However, the role of PE CD4(+) T cells to cause AT1-AA as a mechanism of hypertension is not known. Our goal was to determine if PE CD4(+) T cells stimulate AT1-AA in pregnant nude-athymic rats. METHODS: CD4(+) T cells were isolated from human NP and PE placentasand injected into nude-athymic rats on gestational day (GD) 12. In order to examine the role of the PE CD4(+) T cells to stimulate B cell secretion of AT1-AA, a subset of the rats receiving PE CD4(+) T cells were treated with rituximab on GD 14 or anti-CD40 ligand (anti-CD40L) on GD 12. On GD 19, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and tissues were obtained. RESULTS: MAP [114 ± 1 mmHg (n = 9)] and AT1-AA [19.8 ± 0.9 beats per minute (bpm, n = 4)] were increased in NP nude + PE CD4(+) T cells compared to NP nude + NP CD4(+) T cells [98 ± 2 mmHg (n = 7, P < 0.05) and 1.3 ± 0.9 bpm (n = 5, P < 0.05)]. Rituximab (103 ± 2 mmHg, n = 3, P < 0.05) and anti-CD40L (102 ± 1 mmHg, n = 3, P < 0.05) lowered MAP compared to NP nude + PE CD4(+) T cells. Circulating a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) and placental angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) activity was increased in response to PE CD4(+) T cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that placental CD4(+) T cells play an important role in the pathophysiology of PE, by activating B cells secreting AT1-AA to cause hypertension during pregnancy
Blockade of CD40 ligand for intercellular communication reduces hypertension, placental oxidative stress, and AT1-AA in response to adoptive transfer of CD4(+) T lymphocytes from RUPP rats
Preeclampsia (PE) is associated with altered immune activation during pregnancy. We have previously shown that adoptive transfer of CD4+ T cells from the reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) rat model of PE increases blood pressure, oxidative stress (ROS), and inflammation in normal pregnant recipient rats. The objective of this study was to determine if blockade of communication via the CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interaction between placental ischemia-induced CD4+ T cells with endogenous normal pregnant (NP) cells would improve pathophysiology that was previously observed in NP recipient rats of RUPP CD4+ T cells. Splenic CD4+ T lymphocytes were magnetically separated, incubated with 2.5 {mu}g/ml anti-CD40 ligand ({alpha}CD40L) overnight, and transferred into NP rats on day 12 of gestation (NP+RUPP CD4+ T+anti-CD40L). On day 19 of gestation, blood pressure (MAP), blood, and tissues were collected. MAP was 99 +/- 2 in NP (n = 13), 116 +/- 4 in NP+RUPP CD4+ T cells (n = 7; P < 0.01); MAP only increased to 104 +/- 2 in NP+RUPP CD4+ T cells+CD40L (n = 24) (P < 0.05 vs. NP+RUPP CD4+ T cells). Mechanisms of hypertension in response to RUPP CD4+ T cells include endothelin-1 (ET-1), ROS, and angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1-AA) were analyzed. Inhibition of CD40L binding reduced placental ET-1 to 2.3-fold above NP rats and normalized placental ROS from 318.6 +/- 89 in NP+RUPP CD4+ T cells (P < 0.05) to 118.7 +/- 24 in NP+RUPP CD4+ T+anti-CD40L (P < 0.05). AT1-AA was also normalized with inhibition of CD40L. These data suggest that placental ischemia-induced T-cell communication via the CD40L is one important mechanism leading to much of the pathophysiology of PE
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Technology and Discourse: A Comparison of Face-to-face and Telephone Employment Interviews
Very little research has investigated the comparability of telephone and face-to-face employment interviews. This exploratory study investigated interviewers' questioning strategies and applicants' causal attributions produced during semi structured telephone and face-to-face graduate recruitment interviews (N=62). A total of 2044 causal attributions were extracted from verbatim transcripts of these 62 interviews. It was predicted that an absence of visual cues would lead applicants to produce, and interviewers to focus on, information that might reduce the comparative anonymity of telephone interviews. Results indicate that applicants produce more personal causal attributions in telephone interviews. Personal attributions are also associated with higher ratings in telephone, but not face-to-face interviews. In face-to-face interviews, applicants who attributed outcomes to more global causes received lower ratings. There was also a non-significant tendency for interviewers to ask more closed questions in telephone interviews. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed
Do patients with chronic low back pain have an altered level and/or pattern of physical activity compared to healthy individuals? A systematic review of the literature
Background It is commonly assumed that patients with chronic low back pain are less active than healthy individuals. There has been a
recent increase in the number of studies published comparing the physical activity levels of patients with chronic low back pain and healthy
individuals.
Objectives The aim of this systematic review was to determine, based on the current body of evidence, if patients with chronic low back pain
have a lower level and/or altered pattern of physical activity compared with asymptomatic, healthy individuals.
Data sources The electronic databases Embase, Medline, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cinahl, Sport Discus and Nursing and Allied Health were
searched from the beginning of each database until the end of December 2009.
Review methods Studies which compared the level and/or pattern of physical activity of patients with chronic low back pain and healthy
controls were included. The quality of the included studies was assessed using an assessment tool based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The
scale was modified for the purposes of this study.
Results Seven studies were included in the final review. Four studies recruited adult patients (18–65 years), two studies examined older adults
(≥65 years) and one study recruited adolescents (<18 years). Pooled data revealed no significant difference in the overall activity level of
adults or adolescents with CLBP, however there is evidence that older adults with chronic low back pain are less active than controls. The
results suggest that patients exhibit an altered pattern of physical activity over the course of a day compared to controls. Major methodological
limitations were identified and are discussed.
Conclusion There is no conclusive evidence that patients with chronic low back pain are less active than healthy individuals. Based on a
limited number of studies, there is some evidence that the distribution of activities over the course of a day is different between patients with
chronic low back pain and controls
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175 Preoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy for large soft tissue sarcomas: A phase II trial
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