Eosinophilic Granuloma of the Spine With and Without Vertebra Plana: Long-term Follow-up of Six Cases (Cast Reports)

Vertebral eosinophilic granuloma is a rare condition frequently associated with vertebra plana. In this paper we present six patients with eosinophilic granuloma of the spine; three were without vertebra plana, which represents a diagnostic problem. The mean follow-up was 9 years, (range 2 to 23) and the mean age was 10.8 years at diagnosis. All complained of pain with no neurological deficit. The lesions were located on the vertebral bodies of C4, T9, T10, L1, L2, and L5, respectively. Histologic confirmation of diagnosis was obtained in all patients, two by puncture and four by open biopsy. The patients with vertebra plana (T10, L1, and L5, respectively) were treated conservatively. Long-term follow-up demonstrated total healing of the vertebral body in two and partial rebuilding 8 years after diagnosis in one. Patients without vertebra plana (C4, T9, and L2, respectively) underwent curettage and bone grafting. In the patient with T9 location, a T8-10 anterior arthrodesis with autogenous rib graft was performed. The outcome was satisfactory in all

Lack of uniqueness for weak solutions of the incompressible porous media equation

In this work we consider weak solutions of the incompressible 2-D porous media equation. By using the approach of De Lellis-Sz\'ekelyhidi we prove non-uniqueness for solutions in $L^\infty$ in space and time.Comment: 23 pages, 2 fugure

Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Based on a Cathode of Copper Hexacyanoferrate

In this work, the performance of copper(II) hexacyanoferrate(III) (CuHCF) as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries was studied. The compound was synthesized by a precipitation reaction in aqueous solution in a closed system. The morphology and structure show nanoparticles with sizes between 40 and 70 nm with a high agglomeration and a crystalline phase with a cubic structure, respectively. The material exhibited a stable performance with a working potential of around 3.6 V vs Li+/Li and a decrease in the charge transfer resistance due to increased ionic conductivity. The gravimetric capacity obtained is near 60 mAh g−1 during 300 cycles at a rate of C/20, close to the practical capacity. Considering its electrochemical performance, CuHCF could be a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries

Paleoclimate reconstruction of the last 36 kyr based on branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers in the Padul palaeolake record (Sierra Nevada, southern Iberian Peninsula)

Quantitative continental climate reconstructions covering the last glacial cycle from the Iberian Peninsula are scarce. In order to fill this gap, we obtained for the first time a high-resolution mean annual air temperature (MAAT) record based on the distribution of specific bacterial membrane lipids (i.e., branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers; brGDGTs) from the last 36.0-4.7 kyr palaeolake record recovered by the Padul-15-05 sedimentary core (Padul, Sierra Nevada, southern Iberia). The fractional abundance of the three major groups of GDGTs present in the Padul sediments, GDGT-0, crenarchaeol and the summed brGDGTs, is comparable with that of other shallow and small (Peer reviewe

Phenomenological constraints on SUSY SU(5) GUTs with non-universal gaugino masses

We study phenomenological aspects of supersymmetric SU(5) grand unified theories with non-universal gaugino masses. For large tan beta, we investigate constraints from the requirement of successful electroweak symmetry breaking, the positivity of stau mass squared and the b to s gamma decay rate. In the allowed region, the nature of the lightest supersymmetric particle is determined. Examples of mass spectra are given. We also calculate loop corrections to the bottom mass due to superpartners.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures (8 eps files), uses REVTeX. Replaced to match the version to be published in PRD: minor corrections and addition

Plasma Lead Concentration and Risk of Late Kidney Allograft Failure:Findings From the TransplantLines Biobank and Cohort Studies

Rationale &amp; Objective: Heavy metals are known to induce kidney damage, and recent studies have linked minor exposures to cadmium and arsenic with increased risk of kidney allograft failure, yet the potential association of lead with late graft failure in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) remains unknown. Study Design: Prospective cohort study in The Netherlands. Setting &amp; Participants: We studied outpatient KTRs (n = 670) with a functioning graft for ≥1 year recruited at a university setting (2008-2011) and followed for a median of 4.9 (interquartile range, 3.4-5.5) years. Additionally, patients with chronic kidney disease (n = 46) enrolled in the ongoing TransplantLines Cohort and Biobank Study (2016-2017, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03272841) were studied at admission for transplant and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after transplant. Exposure: Plasma lead concentration was log2-transformed to estimate the association with outcomes per doubling of plasma lead concentration and also considered categorically as tertiles of lead distribution. Outcome: Kidney graft failure (restart of dialysis or repeat transplant) with the competing event of death with a functioning graft. Analytical Approach: Multivariable-adjusted cause-specific hazards models in which follow-up of KTRs who died with a functioning graft was censored. Results: Median baseline plasma lead concentration was 0.31 (interquartile range, 0.22-0.45) μg/L among all KTRs. During follow-up, 78 (12%) KTRs experienced graft failure. Higher plasma lead concentration was associated with increased risk of graft failure (hazard ratio, 1.59 [95% CI, 1.14-2.21] per doubling; P = 0.006) independent of age, sex, transplant characteristics, estimated glomerular filtration rate, proteinuria, smoking status, alcohol intake, and plasma concentrations of cadmium and arsenic. These findings remained materially unchanged after additional adjustment for dietary intake and were consistent with those of analyses examining lead categorically. In serial measurements, plasma lead concentration was significantly higher at admission for transplant than at 3 months after transplant (P = 0.001), after which it remained stable over 2 years of follow-up (P = 0.2). Limitations: Observational study design. Conclusions: Pretransplant plasma lead concentrations, which decrease after transplant, are associated with increased risk of late kidney allograft failure. These findings warrant further studies to evaluate whether preventive or therapeutic interventions to decrease plasma lead concentration may represent novel risk-management strategies to decrease the rate of kidney allograft failure.</p

Plasma Lead Concentration and Risk of Late Kidney Allograft Failure:Findings From the TransplantLines Biobank and Cohort Studies

Rationale &amp; Objective: Heavy metals are known to induce kidney damage, and recent studies have linked minor exposures to cadmium and arsenic with increased risk of kidney allograft failure, yet the potential association of lead with late graft failure in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) remains unknown. Study Design: Prospective cohort study in The Netherlands. Setting &amp; Participants: We studied outpatient KTRs (n = 670) with a functioning graft for ≥1 year recruited at a university setting (2008-2011) and followed for a median of 4.9 (interquartile range, 3.4-5.5) years. Additionally, patients with chronic kidney disease (n = 46) enrolled in the ongoing TransplantLines Cohort and Biobank Study (2016-2017, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03272841) were studied at admission for transplant and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after transplant. Exposure: Plasma lead concentration was log2-transformed to estimate the association with outcomes per doubling of plasma lead concentration and also considered categorically as tertiles of lead distribution. Outcome: Kidney graft failure (restart of dialysis or repeat transplant) with the competing event of death with a functioning graft. Analytical Approach: Multivariable-adjusted cause-specific hazards models in which follow-up of KTRs who died with a functioning graft was censored. Results: Median baseline plasma lead concentration was 0.31 (interquartile range, 0.22-0.45) μg/L among all KTRs. During follow-up, 78 (12%) KTRs experienced graft failure. Higher plasma lead concentration was associated with increased risk of graft failure (hazard ratio, 1.59 [95% CI, 1.14-2.21] per doubling; P = 0.006) independent of age, sex, transplant characteristics, estimated glomerular filtration rate, proteinuria, smoking status, alcohol intake, and plasma concentrations of cadmium and arsenic. These findings remained materially unchanged after additional adjustment for dietary intake and were consistent with those of analyses examining lead categorically. In serial measurements, plasma lead concentration was significantly higher at admission for transplant than at 3 months after transplant (P = 0.001), after which it remained stable over 2 years of follow-up (P = 0.2). Limitations: Observational study design. Conclusions: Pretransplant plasma lead concentrations, which decrease after transplant, are associated with increased risk of late kidney allograft failure. These findings warrant further studies to evaluate whether preventive or therapeutic interventions to decrease plasma lead concentration may represent novel risk-management strategies to decrease the rate of kidney allograft failure.</p

Histiocitosis X

Presentamos una revisión bibliográfica y de nuestra experiencia clínica en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la Histiocitosis X, término que engloba el granuloma eosinófilo, el síndrome de Hand-Schüller-Christian y el síndrome de Letterer-Siwe. Tuvimos un total de 28 casos, con un promedio de edad de 11.8 años y una distribución por sexo de 18 (64%) hombres y 10 (36%) mujeres. De los casos estudiados, 17 lesiones fueron solitarias y 8 pacientes tuvieron lesiones óseas múltiples. Tres pacientes padecieron formas diseminadas de la enfermedad. De éstos, dos eran síndrome de Hand-Schüller-Christian y uno de Letterer-Siwe. La localización más frecuente fue el fémur en los pacientes con localización ósea solitaria y el cráneo en los de localización ósea múltiple. El número total de lesiones fue de 47. El tratamiento aplicado dependió del tipo de localización, la forma clínica y el número de lesiones. Los pacientes con localización ósea solitaria (17) fueron tratados con legrado e injerto en 6 casos, resección segmentaria en 3, legrado en otros 3, radioterapia en 1 y 4 pacientes no recibieron tratamiento. Los pacientes con lesiones óseas múltiples (8) fueron tratados con cirugía en 4 ocasiones, radioterapia en 2, cirugía y radioterapia en 1 y, finalmente, un paciente no recibió tratamiento. Las formas diseminadas fueron tratadas con cirugía de la lesión principal dependiendo de las manifestaciones clínicas, así como quimioterapia y radioterapia. El pronóstico de casi todos los casos estudiados fue bueno, observándose regresión de la enfermedad incluso sin tratamiento específico. El caso de enfermedad diseminada aguda tipo Letterer-Siwe falleció por las complicaciones generales propias de la enfermedad

Flavour Violation in SUSY SU(5) GUT at Large tan beta

We study flavour violation in the minimal SUSY SU(5) GUT assuming all the third generation Yukawa couplings to be due to the renormalizable physics above GUT scale. At large $\tan\beta,$ as suggested by Yukawa unification in SU(5), sizable flavour violation in the left (right) slepton (down squark) sector is induced due to renormalization effects of down type Yukawa couplings between GUT and Planck scales in addition to the flavour violation in the right slepton sector. The new flavour physics contribution to $K-\bar K,$ $B-\bar B$ mixing is small but might be of phenomenological interest in the case of $b\to s\gamma.$ The sign of the latter contribution is the same as the sign of the dominant chargino contribution, thus making the constraints on SUSY scale coming from $b\to s\gamma$ somewhat more restrictive. The most important feature of the considered scenario is the large rate of lepton flavour violation. Given the present experimental constraints, the $\mu\to e\gamma$ and $\mu-e$ conversion branching ratios are above the sensitivity of the planned experiments unless the SUSY scale is pushed above one TeV.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure