Energy radiated from a fluctuating selfdual string

We compute the energy that is radiated from a fluctuating selfdual string in the large $N$ limit of $A_{N-1}$ theory using the AdS-CFT correspondence. We find that the radiated energy is given by a non-local expression integrated over the string world-sheet. We also make the corresponding computation for a charged string in six-dimensional classical electrodynamics, thereby generalizing the Larmor formula for the radiated energy from an accelerated point particle.Comment: 12 page

Cross-sectional associations between occupational factors and musculoskeletal pain in women teachers, nurses and sonographers

A. Technical measurements of the physical workload. (DOCX 18 kb

Genuine Counterfactual Communication with a Nanophotonic Processor

In standard communication information is carried by particles or waves. Counterintuitively, in counterfactual communication particles and information can travel in opposite directions. The quantum Zeno effect allows Bob to transmit a message to Alice by encoding information in particles he never interacts with. The first suggested protocol not only required thousands of ideal optical components, but also resulted in a so-called "weak trace" of the particles having travelled from Bob to Alice, calling the scalability and counterfactuality of previous proposals and experiments into question. Here we overcome these challenges, implementing a new protocol in a programmable nanophotonic processor, based on reconfigurable silicon-on-insulator waveguides that operate at telecom wavelengths. This, together with our telecom single-photon source and highly-efficient superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, provides a versatile and stable platform for a high-fidelity implementation of genuinely trace-free counterfactual communication, allowing us to actively tune the number of steps in the Zeno measurement, and achieve a bit error probability below 1%, with neither post-selection nor a weak trace. Our demonstration shows how our programmable nanophotonic processor could be applied to more complex counterfactual tasks and quantum information protocols.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of axonal and synaptic degeneration in a population-based sample

Background: Neurofilament light (NfL) and neurogranin (Ng) are promising candidate AD biomarkers, reflecting axonal and synaptic damage, respectively. Since there is a need to understand the synaptic and axonal damage in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we aimed to determine the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of NfL and Ng in cognitively unimpaired elderly from the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies classified according to the amyloid/tau/neurodegeneration (A/T/N) system. Methods: The sample consisted of 258 cognitively unimpaired older adults (age 70, 129 women and 129 men) from the Gothenburg Birth Cohort Studies. We compared CSF NfL and Ng concentrations in A/T/N groups using Student’s T-test and ANCOVA. Results: CSF NfL concentration was higher in the A−T−N+ group (p=0.001) and the A−T+N+ group (p=0.006) compared with A−T−N−. CSF Ng concentration was higher in the A−T−N+, A−T+N+, A+T−N+, and A+T+N+ groups (p<0.0001) compared with A−T−N−. We found no difference in NfL or Ng concentration in A+ compared with A− (disregarding T− and N− status), whereas those with N+ had higher concentrations of NfL and Ng compared with N− (p<0.0001) (disregarding A− and T− status). Conclusions: CSF NfL and Ng concentrations are increased in cognitively normal older adults with biomarker evidence of tau pathology and neurodegeneration

Synthetic approaches to radiochemical probes for imaging of bacterial infections

This present review provides an account on the available synthetic strategies employed to radiolabel commercial and potential bacteria-selective probes fortomographic imaging. These molecular probes encompass leukocytes, antibodies, small molecules, peptides, antibiotics, macrolides, vitamins, oligomers and siderophores. Although this technique has shown to be a valuable tool for non-invasive infection imaging, more development is required to create easy-to-radiolabel kit solutions procedures for the preparation of the probes.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ejmech2018-06-16hj2017Nuclear Medicin

Nitric oxide from inflammatory origin impairs neural stem cell proliferation by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor signaling

Neuroinflammation is characterized by activation of microglial cells, followed by production of nitric oxide (NO), which may have different outcomes on neurogenesis, favoring or inhibiting this process. In the present study, we investigated how the inflammatory mediator NO can affect proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs), and explored possible mechanisms underlying this effect. We investigated which mechanisms are involved in the regulation of NSC proliferation following treatment with an inflammatory stimulus (lipopolysaccharide plus IFN-gamma), using a culture system of subventricular zone (SVZ)-derived NSCs mixed with microglia cells obtained from wild-type mice (iNOS(+/+)) or from iNOS knockout mice (iNOS(-/-)). We found an impairment of NSC cell proliferation in iNOS(+/+) mixed cultures, which was not observed in iNOS(-/-) mixed cultures. Furthermore, the increased release of NO by activated iNOS(+/+) microglial cells decreased the activation of the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway, which was concomitant with an enhanced nitration of the EGF receptor. Preventing nitrogen reactive species formation with MnTBAP, a scavenger of peroxynitrite (ONOO-), or using the ONOO- degradation catalyst FeTMPyP cell proliferation and ERK signaling were restored to basal levels in iNOS(+/+) mixed cultures. Moreover, exposure to the NO donor NOC-18 (100 mu M), for 48 h, inhibited SVZ-derived NSC proliferation. Regarding the antiproliferative effect of NO, we found that NOC-18 caused the impairment of signaling through the ERK/MAPK pathway, which may be related to increased nitration of the EGF receptor in NSC. Using MnTBAP nitration was prevented, maintaining ERK signaling, rescuing NSC proliferation. We show that NO from inflammatory origin leads to a decreased function of the EGF receptor, which compromised proliferation of NSC. We also demonstrated that NO-mediated nitration of the EGF receptor caused a decrease in its phosphorylation, thus preventing regular proliferation signaling through the ERK/MAPK pathway.Foundation for Science and Technology, (FCT, Portugal); COMPETE; FEDER [PEst-C/SAU/LA0001/2013-2014, PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013-2014, PTDC/SAU-NEU/102612/2008, PTDC/NEU-OSD/0473/2012]; FCT, Portugal [SERH/BPD/78901/2011, SERH/BD/38127/2007, SFRH/BD/77903/2011, SFRH/BD/79308/2011]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An expression signature of the angiogenic response in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours: correlation with tumour phenotype and survival outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs) are heterogeneous with respect to biological behaviour and prognosis. As angiogenesis is a renowned pathogenic hallmark as well as a therapeutic target, we aimed to investigate the prognostic and clinico-pathological role of tissue markers of hypoxia and angiogenesis in GEP-NETs. METHODS: Tissue microarray (TMA) blocks were constructed with 86 tumours diagnosed from 1988 to 2010. Tissue microarray sections were immunostained for hypoxia inducible factor 1α (Hif-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), carbonic anhydrase IX (Ca-IX) and somatostatin receptors (SSTR) 1–5, Ki-67 and CD31. Biomarker expression was correlated with clinico-pathological variables and tested for survival prediction using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression methods. RESULTS: Eighty-six consecutive cases were included: 51% male, median age 51 (range 16–82), 68% presenting with a pancreatic primary, 95% well differentiated, 51% metastatic. Higher grading (P=0.03), advanced stage (P<0.001), high Hif-1α and low SSTR-2 expression (P=0.03) predicted for shorter overall survival (OS) on univariate analyses. Stage, SSTR-2 and Hif-1α expression were confirmed as multivariate predictors of OS. Median OS for patients with SSTR-2+/Hif-1α-tumours was not reached after median follow up of 8.8 years, whereas SSTR-2-/Hif-1α+ GEP-NETs had a median survival of only 4.2 years (P=0.006). CONCLUSION: We have identified a coherent expression signature by immunohistochemistry that can be used for patient stratification and to optimise treatment decisions in GEP-NETs independently from stage and grading. Tumours with preserved SSTR-2 and low Hif-1α expression have an indolent phenotype and may be offered less aggressive management and less stringent follow up

Patients' independence of a nurse for the administration of subcutaneous anti-TNF therapy: A phenomenographic study

Rheumatology nursing supports patients to manage their lives and live as independently as possible without pain, stiffness and functional restrictions. When conventional drugs fail to delay the development of the rheumatic disease, the patient may require biological treatment such as self-administered subcutaneous anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. It is therefore important that the patient perspective focuses on the life-changing situation caused by the administration of regular subcutaneous injections. The aim of this study was to describe variations in how patients with rheumatic diseases experience their independence of a nurse for administration of subcutaneous anti-TNF therapy. The study had a descriptive, qualitative design with a phenomenographic approach and was carried out by means of 20 interviews. Four ways of understanding the patients' experience of their subcutaneous anti-TNF therapy and independence of a nurse emerged: the struggling patient; the learning patient; the participating patient; the independent patient. Achieving independence of a nurse for subcutaneous anti-TNF injections can be understood by the patients in different ways. In their strive for independence, patients progress by learning about and participating in drug treatment, after which they experience that the injections make them independent