On finite-temperature holographic QCD in the Veneziano limit

Holographic models in the T=0 universality class of QCD in the limit of large number N_c of colors and N_f massless fermion flavors, but constant ratio x_f=N_f/N_c, are analyzed at finite temperature. The models contain a 5-dimensional metric and two scalars, a dilaton sourcing TrF^2 and a tachyon dual to \bar qq. The phase structure on the T,x_f plane is computed and various 1st order, 2nd order transitions and crossovers with their chiral symmetry properties are identified. For each x_f, the temperature dependence of p/T^4 and the quark-antiquark -condensate is computed. In the simplest case, we find that for x_f up to the critical x_c\sim 4 there is a 1st order transition on which chiral symmetry is broken and the energy density jumps. In the conformal window x_c<x_f<11/2, there is only a continuous crossover between two conformal phases. When approaching x_c from below, x_f\to x_c, temperature scales approach zero as specified by Miransky scaling.Comment: 66 pages, 29 figure

A search for the presence of magnetic fields in the two Supergiant Fast X-ray Transients IGR J08408-4503 and IGR J11215-5952

A significant fraction of high-mass X-ray binaries are supergiant fast X-ray transients (SFXTs). The prime model for the physics governing their X-ray behaviour suggests that the winds of donor OB supergiants are magnetized. To investigate if magnetic fields are indeed present in the optical counterparts of such systems, we acquired low-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of the two optically brightest SFXTs, IGR J08408-4503 and IGR J11215-5952 with the ESO FORS2 instrument during two different observing runs. No field detection at a significance level of 3sigma was achieved for IGR J08408-4503. For IGR J11215-5952, we obtain 3.2sigma and 3.8sigma detections (_hydr = -978+-308G and _hydr = 416+-110G) on two different nights in 2016. These results indicate that the model involving the interaction of a magnetized stellar wind with the neutron star magnetosphere can indeed be considered to characterize the behaviour of SFXTs. We detected long-term spectral variability in IGR J11215-5952, while for IGR J08408-4503 we find an indication of the presence of short-term variability on a time scale of minutes.Comment: 5 pages, 1 table, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Bloodstream infections following different types of surgery in a Finnish tertiary care hospital, 2009-2014

The risk and outcome of bloodstream infections (BSIs) were evaluated following surgery. BSIs were identified in Helsinki University Hospital during 2009-2014 as part of the national surveillance. Of 711 BSIs identified, 51% were secondary and 49% primary. The rate was highest after cardiovascular surgery (8.7 per 1000 procedures) and lowest after gynaecologic (1.0 per 1000). Surgical site infection was the most frequent source of secondary BSIs (34%) and 45% of primary BSIs were central-line-associated. The 28-day case fatality ranged from zero in gynaecology/obstetrics to 21% in cardiovascular surgery. Besides BSIs related to surgical site infections, half of BSIs were primary, providing additional foci for prevention. (C) 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Lake eutrophication and brownification downgrade availability and transfer of essential fatty acids for human consumption

Fish are an important source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for birds, mammals and humans. In aquatic food webs, these highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) are essential for many physiological processes and mainly synthetized by distinct phytoplankton taxa. Consumers at different trophic levels obtain essential fatty acids from their diet because they cannot produce these sufficiently de novo. Here, we evaluated how the increase in phosphorus concentration (eutrophication) or terrestrial organic matter inputs (brownification) change EPA and DHA content in the phytoplankton. Then, we evaluated whether these changes can be seen in the EPA and DHA content of piscivorous European perch (Perca fluviatilis), which is a widely distributed species and commonly consumed by humans. Data from 713 lakes showed statistically significant differences in the abundance of EPA- and DHA-synthesizing phytoplankton as well as in the concentrations and content of these essential fatty acids among oligo-mesotrophic, eutrophic and dystrophic lakes. The EPA and DHA content of phytoplankton biomass (mg HUFA g(-1)) was significantly lower in the eutrophic lakes than in the oligo-mesotrophic or dystrophic lakes. We found a strong significant correlation between the DHA content in the muscle of piscivorous perch and phytoplankton DHA content (r = 0.85) as well with the contribution of DHA-synthesizing phytoplankton taxa (r = 0.83). Among all DHA-synthesizing phytoplankton this correlation was the strongest with the dinoflagellates (r = 0.74) and chrysophytes (r = 0.70). Accordingly, the EPA + DHA content of perch muscle decreased with increasing total phosphorus (r(2) = 0.80) and dissolved organic carbon concentration (r(2) = 0.83) in the lakes. Our results suggest that although eutrophication generally increase biomass production across different trophic levels, the high proportion of low-quality primary producers reduce EPA and DHA content in the food web up to predatory fish. Ultimately, it seems that lake eutrophication and brownification decrease the nutritional quality of fish for human consumers. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Short primiparous women are at an increased risk for gestational diabetes mellitus

Objectives: Both short stature and adiposity are risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The aim of this study was to simultaneously evaluate the importance of stature and degree of adiposity on development of GDM in primiparous women. Study design: Longitudinal cohort study. Methods: In the city of Vantaa, Finland, between 2009 and 2015, all together 7750 primiparous women without previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus gave birth. Of these, 5223 women were >= 18 years of age with information on height, weight, and complete data from a 75 g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test composing the study participants of this study. Results: A 155-cm tall woman with a body mass index (BMI) of 25.5 kg/m(2) had a similar risk for GDM as a 175-cm tall woman with a BMI of 27.1 kg/m(2). Women shorter than 159 cm had the highest prevalence of GDM, 28.7%, whereas women with height between 164 and 167 cm had the lowest prevalence of GDM, 19.9% (P <0.001). Height was inversely and significantly associated with both 1- and 2-h glucose values (both P <0.001). Conclusions: To avoid over diagnosis of GDM, an unbiased strategy is needed to determine and diagnose GDM in women with different stature and degree of adiposity. (c) 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Hurricane risk analysis: A review on the physically-based approach

This paper reviews recent studies that take a physically-based approach to better assess and manage hurricane risk. Such a methodology includes three components: modeling the storm climatology (which defines TC risk in terms of the upper tail of the storm statistics); modeling landfalling hazards; and characterizing damage and losses

Functional Recruitment of Human Complement Inhibitor C4b-Binding Protein to Outer Membrane Protein Rck of Salmonella

Peer reviewe

ANLN truncation causes a familial fatal acute respiratory distress syndrome in Dalmatian dogs

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the leading cause of death in critical care medicine. The syndrome is typified by an exaggerated inflammatory response within the lungs. ARDS has been reported in many species, including dogs. We have previously reported a fatal familial juvenile respiratory disease accompanied by occasional unilateral renal aplasia and hydrocephalus, in Dalmatian dogs. The condition with a suggested recessive mode of inheritance resembles acute exacerbation of usual interstitial pneumonia in man. We combined SNP-based homozygosity mapping of two ARDS-affected Dalmatian dogs and whole genome sequencing of one affected dog to identify a case-specific homozygous nonsense variant, c.31C>T; p.R11* in the ANLN gene. Subsequent analysis of the variant in a total cohort of 188 Dalmatians, including seven cases, indicated complete segregation of the variant with the disease and confirmed an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Low carrier frequency of 1.7% was observed in a population cohort. The early nonsense variant results in a nearly complete truncation of the ANLN protein and immunohistochemical analysis of the affected lung tissue demonstrated the lack of the membranous and cytoplasmic staining of ANLN protein in the metaplastic bronchial epithelium. The ANLN gene encodes an anillin actin binding protein with a suggested regulatory role in the integrity of intercellular junctions. Our study suggests that defective ANLN results in abnormal cellular organization of the bronchiolar epithelium, which in turn predisposes to acute respiratory distress. ANLN has been previously linked to a dominant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in human without pulmonary defects. However, the lack of similar renal manifestations in the affected Dalmatians suggest a novel ANLN-related pulmonary function and disease association.Peer reviewe

Treatment of keloid scars with intralesional triamcinolone and 5-fluorouracil injections - a randomized controlled trial

Keloids have high recurrence rates. Current first-line therapy is triamcinolone (TAC) injection, but it has been suggested that approximately 50% of keloids are steroid resistant. We compared the efficacy of intralesional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and triamcinalone injections in a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Forty-three patients with 50 keloid scars were treated with either intralesional TAC or 5-FU-injections over 6 months. There was no statistically significant difference in the remission rate at 6 months between the 5-FU and TAC groups (46% vs 60%, respectively). Local adverse effects were higher in the TAC group compared to the 5-FU group. Occurrence of skin atrophy in TAC group was 44% and in the 5-FU group 8% (p <0.05). Also the occurrence of telangiectasia in the TAC group was 50% and in the 5-FU 21% (p <0.05). Vascularity of the keloids, assessed by spectral imaging and immunohistochemical staining for blood vessels, after treatment decreased in the TAC group, but not in the 5-FU group (p <0.05). Fibroblast proliferation evaluated by Ki-67 staining significantly decreased in the TAC group (p <0.05) but increased in the 5-FU group (p <0.05). TAC and 5-FU injections did not differ in their clinical effectivity in this randomized study, but 5-FU injections lead to increased proliferation rate and did not affect vascular density in histological assessment. Due to the greater number of adverse effects observed after TAC treatment, 5-FU injections may be preferable for cosmetically sensitive skin areas. (C) 2018 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe