932 research outputs found
Liver Cirrhosis As a Real Risk Factor for Necrotising Fasciitis: a Three-Year PopulationâBased FollowâUp Study
[[abstract]]INTRODUCTION Necrotising fasciitis (NF) is often found in patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, alcoholism, malignancy or liver cirrhosis. However, it remains unknown whether liver cirrhosis is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of NF. This study aimed to determine whether liver cirrhosis is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of NF, and to identify the relationship between severity of liver cirrhosis and occurrence of NF.
METHODS The National Health Insurance Research Database, maintained by Taiwanâs National Health Insurance programme, was retrospectively analysed, and the hospitalisation data of 40,802 cirrhotic patients and 40,865 randomly selected, ageâ and genderâmatched nonâcirrhotic control patients was collected. The medical records of all patients were individually followed for a threeâyear period from the patientsâ first hospitalisation in 2004.
RESULTS During the threeâyear followâup period, there were 299 (0.7%) cirrhotic patients with NF and 160 (0.4%) nonâcirrhotic patients with NF. Cox regression analysis showed that liver cirrhosis was a risk factor for the occurrence of NF during the study period (hazard ratio 1.982; p < 0.001). Among cirrhotic patients, those with complicated liver cirrhosis had a higher risk for the occurrence of NF than patients with nonâcomplicated liver cirrhosis (hazard ratio 1.320; p = 0.028).
CONCLUSION Cirrhotic patients had a higher risk for the occurrence of NF than nonâcirrhotic patients, and the risk for NF was especially high among patients with complicated liver cirrhosis.[[notice]]èŁæŁćźçą[[journaltype]]ćć€[[incitationindex]]SCI[[booktype]]çŽæŹ[[countrycodes]]SG
The space group classification of topological band insulators
Topological band insulators (TBIs) are bulk insulating materials which
feature topologically protected metallic states on their boundary. The existing
classification departs from time-reversal symmetry, but the role of the crystal
lattice symmetries in the physics of these topological states remained elusive.
Here we provide the classification of TBIs protected not only by time-reversal,
but also by crystalline symmetries. We find three broad classes of topological
states: (a) Gamma-states robust against general time-reversal invariant
perturbations; (b) Translationally-active states protected from elastic
scattering, but susceptible to topological crystalline disorder; (c) Valley
topological insulators sensitive to the effects of non-topological and
crystalline disorder. These three classes give rise to 18 different
two-dimensional, and, at least 70 three-dimensional TBIs, opening up a route
for the systematic search for new types of TBIs.Comment: Accepted in Nature Physic
The biogeographical history of the interaction between mycoheterotrophic Thismia (Thismiaceae) plants and mycorrhizal Rhizophagus (Glomeraceae) fungi
Aim Achlorophyllous mycoheterotrophic plants and mycorrhizal fungi often have highly specific interactions that potentially limit the plantsâ distribution and diversification potential. However, specificity in biotic interactions may differ considerably over a speciesâ distribution range and therefore interactions need to be studied over their entire range to assess their evolution in space and time. The present study investigates the biogeographical history of the interaction between five closely related mycoheterotrophic Thismia species and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi over the distribution range of the plant species. Location Temperate south-east Australia and New Zealand. Methods Phylogenetic relationships of Thismia (nrITS and mtcob) and their arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (partial nrSSU) were reconstructed based on data from 65 plant specimens. The diversification times in Thismia were estimated with a Bayesian relaxed clock approach using a Dioscoreales framework (nrSSU, mtatp1, mtmatR, mtnad1 b-c). Ancestral geographical ranges were reconstructed using a maximum likelihood approach. The same approach was used to reconstruct ancestral mycorrhizal associations. Results Our analysis shows that Thismia plants have highly specific, phylogenetically conserved and evolutionarily persistent interactions with Rhizophagus fungi. Nevertheless, Thismia was able to diversify and radiate recently due to the wide geographical distribution of the host fungi. In addition, we find that although the mycorrhizal interactions of this clade of mycoheterotrophs are strictly bound to a fungal lineage, host switches remain possible. Main conclusions In this clade of closely related mycoheterotrophs, dependency on highly specific fungal interactions is the result of phylogenetic niche conservatism, acting over at least 12 million years. Nevertheless, plants that are dependent on highly specific fungal interactions have ample opportunities to disperse and radiate over the geographical range of their hosts. Our study highlights the need to link the ecology and evolution of species interactions over broad geographical and evolutionary scales for understanding mycorrhizal interactions
Topological crystalline insulator states in Pb(1-x)Sn(x)Se
Topological insulators are a novel class of quantum materials in which
time-reversal symmetry, relativistic (spin-orbit) effects and an inverted band
structure result in electronic metallic states on the surfaces of bulk
crystals. These helical states exhibit a Dirac-like energy dispersion across
the bulk bandgap, and they are topologically protected. Recent theoretical
proposals have suggested the existence of topological crystalline insulators, a
novel class of topological insulators in which crystalline symmetry replaces
the role of time-reversal symmetry in topological protection [1,2]. In this
study, we show that the narrow-gap semiconductor Pb(1-x)Sn(x)Se is a
topological crystalline insulator for x=0.23. Temperature-dependent
magnetotransport measurements and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy
demonstrate that the material undergoes a temperature-driven topological phase
transition from a trivial insulator to a topological crystalline insulator.
These experimental findings add a new class to the family of topological
insulators. We expect these results to be the beginning of both a considerable
body of additional research on topological crystalline insulators as well as
detailed studies of topological phase transitions.Comment: v2: published revised manuscript (6 pages, 3 figures) and
supplementary information (5 pages, 8 figures
Parallel fast fourier transform in SPMD style of cilk
Copyright © 2019 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. In this paper, we propose a parallel one-dimensional non-recursive fast Fourier transform (FFT) program based on conventional Cooley-Tukeyâs algorithm written in C using Cilk in single program multiple data (SPMD) style. As a highly compact designed code, this code is compared with a highly tuned parallel recursive fast Fourier transform (FFT) using Cilk, which is included in Cilk package of version 5.4.6. Both algorithms are executed on multicore servers, and experimental results show that the performance of the SPMD style of Cilk fast Fourier transform (FFT) parallel code is highly competitive and promising
Mapping the unconventional orbital texture in topological crystalline insulators
The newly discovered topological crystalline insulators (TCIs) harbor a
complex band structure involving multiple Dirac cones. These materials are
potentially highly tunable by external electric field, temperature or strain
and could find future applications in field-effect transistors, photodetectors,
and nano-mechanical systems. Theoretically, it has been predicted that
different Dirac cones, offset in energy and momentum-space, might harbor vastly
different orbital character, a unique property which if experimentally
realized, would present an ideal platform for accomplishing new spintronic
devices. However, the orbital texture of the Dirac cones, which is of immense
importance in determining a variety of materials properties, still remains
elusive in TCIs. Here, we unveil the orbital texture in a prototypical TCI
PbSnSe. By using Fourier-transform (FT) scanning tunneling
spectroscopy (STS) we measure the interference patterns produced by the
scattering of surface state electrons. We discover that the intensity and
energy dependences of FTs show distinct characteristics, which can directly be
attributed to orbital effects. Our experiments reveal the complex band topology
involving two Lifshitz transitions and establish the orbital nature of the
Dirac bands in this new class of topological materials, which could provide a
different pathway towards future quantum applications
Differential Effects of Concomitant Use of Vitamins C and E on Trophoblast Apoptosis and Autophagy between Normoxia and Hypoxia-Reoxygenation
Concomitant supplementation of vitamins C and E during pregnancy has been reportedly associated with low birth weight, the premature rupture of membranes and fetal loss or perinatal death in women at risk for preeclampsia; however, the cause is unknown. We surmise that hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) within the intervillous space due to abnormal placentation is the mechanism and hypothesize that concomitant administration of aforementioned vitamin antioxidants detrimentally affects trophoblast cells during HR.Using villous explants, concomitant administration of 50 microM of vitamins C and E was observed to reduce apoptotic and autophagic changes in the trophoblast layer at normoxia (8% oxygen) but to cause more prominent apoptosis and autophagy during HR. Furthermore, increased levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL in association with a decrease in the autophagy-related protein LC3-II were noted in cytotrophoblastic cells treated with vitamins C and E under standard culture conditions. In contrast, vitamin treatment decreased Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL as well as increased mitochondrial Bak and cytosolic LC3-II in cytotrophoblasts subjected to HR.Our results indicate that concomitant administration of vitamins C and E has differential effects on the changes of apoptosis, autophagy and the expression of Bcl-2 family of proteins in the trophoblasts between normoxia and HR. These changes may probably lead to the impairment of placental function and suboptimal growth of the fetus
The Main Belt Comets and ice in the Solar System
We review the evidence for buried ice in the asteroid belt; specifically the questions around the so-called Main Belt Comets (MBCs). We summarise the evidence for water throughout the Solar System, and describe the various methods for detecting it, including remote sensing from ultraviolet to radio wavelengths. We review progress in the first decade of study of MBCs, including observations, modelling of ice survival, and discussion on their origins. We then look at which methods will likely be most effective for further progress, including the key challenge of direct detection of (escaping) water in these bodies
Strain-induced partially flat band, helical snake states, and interface superconductivity in topological crystalline insulators
Topological crystalline insulators in IV-VI compounds host novel topological
surface states consisting of multi-valley massless Dirac fermions at low
energy. Here we show that strain generically acts as an effective gauge field
on these Dirac fermions and creates pseudo-Landau orbitals without breaking
time-reversal symmetry. We predict the realization of this phenomenon in IV-VI
semiconductor heterostructures, due to a naturally occurring misfit dislocation
array at the interface that produces a periodically varying strain field.
Remarkably, the zero-energy Landau orbitals form a flat band in the vicinity of
the Dirac point, and coexist with a network of snake states at higher energy.
We propose that the high density of states of this flat band gives rise to
interface superconductivity observed in IV-VI semiconductor multilayers at
unusually high temperatures, with non-BCS behavior. Our work demonstrates a new
route to altering macroscopic electronic properties to achieve a partially flat
band, and paves the way for realizing novel correlated states of matter.Comment: Accepted by Nature Physic
PRODIGE -- Envelope to Disk with NOEMA II. Small-scale temperature structure and a streamer feeding the SVS13A protobinary using CH3CN and DCN
Aims. We present high sensitivity and high-spectral resolution NOEMA
observations of the Class 0/I binary system SVS13A, composed of the low-mass
protostars VLA4A and VLA4B with a separation of ~90 au. VLA4A is undergoing an
accretion burst that enriches the chemistry of the surrounding gas. This gives
us an excellent opportunity to probe the chemical and physical conditions as
well as the accretion process. Methods. We observe the (12K-11K) lines of CH3CN
and CH313CN, the DCN (3-2) line, and the C18O (2-1) line toward SVS13A using
NOEMA. Results. We find complex line profiles at disk scales which cannot be
explained by a single component or pure Keplerian motion. By adopting two
velocity components to model the complex line profiles, we find that the
temperatures and densities are significantly different between these two
components. This suggests that the physical conditions of the emitting gas
traced via CH3CN can change dramatically within the circumbinary disk. In
addition, combining our observations of DCN (3-2) with previous ALMA
high-angular-resolution observations, we find that the binary system (or VLA4A)
might be fed by an infalling streamer from envelope scales (~700 au). If this
is the case, this streamer contributes to the accretion of material onto the
system with a rate of at least 1.4x10-6 Msun yr-1. Conclusions. We conclude
that the CH3CN emission in SVS13A traces hot gas from a complex structure. This
complexity might be affected by a streamer that is possibly infalling and
funneling material into the central region.Comment: 20 pages, 19 figures, accepted to A&
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