Tunneling cosmological state revisited: Origin of inflation with a non-minimally coupled Standard Model Higgs inflaton

We suggest a path integral formulation for the tunneling cosmological state, which admits a consistent renormalization and renormalization group (RG) improvement in particle physics applications of quantum cosmology. We apply this formulation to the inflationary cosmology driven by the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson playing the role of an inflaton with a strong non-minimal coupling to gravity. In this way a complete cosmological scenario is obtained, which embraces the formation of initial conditions for the inflationary background in the form of a sharp probability peak in the distribution of the inflaton field and the ongoing generation of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) spectrum on this background. Formation of this probability peak is based on the same RG mechanism which underlies the generation of the CMB spectrum which was recently shown to be compatible with the WMAP data in the Higgs mass range $135.6 {\rm GeV} \lesssim M_H\lesssim 184.5 {\rm GeV}$. This brings to life a convincing unification of quantum cosmology with the particle phenomenology of the SM, inflation theory, and CMB observations.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures, LaTe

No Differences in Renal Function between Balanced 6% Hydroxyethyl Starch (130/0.4) and 5% Albumin for Volume Replacement Therapy in Patients Undergoing Cystectomy: a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND The use of artificial colloids has declined in critical care, whereas they are still used in perioperative medicine. Little is known about the nephrotoxic potential in noncritically ill patients during routine surgery. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the influences of albumin 5% and balanced hydroxyethyl starch 6% (130/0.4) on renal function and kidney injury. METHODS One hundred urologic patients undergoing elective cystectomy were randomly assigned for this prospective, single-blinded, controlled study with two parallel groups to receive either albumin 5% or balanced hydroxyethyl starch 6% (130/0.4) as the only perioperative colloid. The primary endpoint was the ratio of serum cystatin C between the last visit at day 90 and the first preoperative visit. Secondary endpoints were estimated glomerular filtration rate and serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin until the third postoperative day and risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage renal disease criteria at postoperative days 3 and 90. RESULTS The median cystatin C ratio was 1.11 (interquartile range, 1.01 to 1.23) in the albumin and 1.08 (interquartile range, 1.00 to 1.20) in the hydroxyethyl starch group (median difference = 0.03; 95% CI, -0.09 to 0.08; P = 0.165). Also, there were no significant differences concerning serum cystatin C concentrations; estimated glomerular filtration rate; risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage renal disease criteria; and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin. Infusion requirements, transfusion rates, and perioperative hemodynamics were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS With respect to renal function and kidney injury, this study indicates that albumin 5% and balanced hydroxyethyl starch 6% have comparable safety profiles in noncritically ill patients undergoing major surgery

The intravascular volume effect of Ringer's lactate is below 20%: a prospective study in humans

Introduction: Isotonic crystalloids play a central role in perioperative fluid management. Isooncotic preparations of colloids (for example, human albumin or hydroxyethyl starch) remain nearly completely intravascular when infused to compensate for acute blood losses. Recent data were interpreted to indicate a comparable intravascular volume effect for crystalloids, challenging the occasionally suggested advantage of using colloids to treat hypovolemia. General physiological knowledge and clinical experience, however, suggest otherwise. Methods: In a prospective study, double-tracer blood volume measurements were performed before and after intended normovolemic hemodilution in ten female adults, simultaneously substituting the three-fold amount of withdrawn blood with Ringer's lactate. Any originated deficits were substituted with half the volume of 20% human albumin, followed by a further assessment of blood volume. To assess significance between the measurements, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) according to Fisher were performed. If significant results were shown, paired t tests (according to Student) for the singular measurements were taken. P < 0.05 was considered to be significant. Results: A total of 1,097 +/- 285 ml of whole blood were withdrawn (641 +/- 155 ml/m2 body surface area) and simultaneously replaced by 3,430 +/- 806 ml of Ringer's lactate. All patients showed a significant decrease in blood volume after hemodilution (-459 +/- 185 ml; P < 0.05) that did not involve relevant hemodynamical changes, and a significant increase in interstitial water content (+ 2,157 +/- 606 ml; P < 0.05). The volume effect of Ringer's lactate was 17 +/- 10%. The infusion of 245 +/- 64 ml of 20% human albumin in this situation restored blood volume back to baseline values, the volume effect being 184 +/- 63%. Conclusions: Substitution of isolated intravascular deficits in cardiopulmonary healthy adults with the three-fold amount of Ringer's lactate impedes maintenance of intravascular normovolemia. The main side effect was an impressive interstitial fluid accumulation, which was partly restored by the intravenous infusion of 20% human albumin. We recommend to substitute the five-fold amount of crystalloids or to use an isooncotic preparation in the face of acute bleeding in patients where edema prevention might be advantageous

Hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 and its impact on perioperative outcome: a propensity score matched controlled observation study

BACKGROUND Adverse effects of hydroxyethyl starches (HESs) have been verified in patients suffering from sepsis or kidney disease, but not in surgical patients at large. The investigation aimed to determine whether the use of HES 130/0.4 was associated with the incidence of acute postinterventional adverse events compared to Ringer's acetate alone in a perioperative setting. METHODS This propensity score matched, controlled observational study was performed in a single-centre university hospital. The perioperative data of 9085 patients were analyzed. Group matching was based on 13 categories including demographic data, type of procedure, and 5 preexisting comorbidities. Duration of procedure and intraoperative transfusion requirements were integrated in the matching process to reduce selection and indication bias. The primary outcome was incidence of postoperative kidney failure. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, fluid requirements, blood loss, hemodynamic stability, and the need for postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. RESULTS The administration of HES 130/0.4 was not associated with an increased frequency of postoperative kidney failure. In-hospital mortality (Ringer's acetate: 2.58%; HES 130/0.4: 2.68%) and the need for ICU care (Ringer's acetate: 30.5%; HES 130/0.4: 34.3%) did not differ significantly between groups. Significant intergroup differences were observed for mean blood loss (Ringer's acetate: 406 ± 821 mL; HES 130/0.4: 867 ± 1275 mL; P < .001) and median length of hospital stay (Ringer's acetate: 10.5 (5/17) days; HES 130/0.4: 12.0 (8/19) days; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS An association between intraoperative HES therapy and postoperative kidney failure was not observed in a mixed cohort of elective surgical patients. In addition, HES 130/0.4 was not associated with an increased morbidity or the need for ICU therapy in this propensity score matched study

Anreizsysteme - Eine Möglichkeit zur Verbesserung der universitären Lehre?

Eingeleitet wird das Journal mit dem Beitrag "Anreize für gute Lehre" von Kiefer, Niederhaus, Balzani, Bobisch, Gerharz, Kruggel-Emden, Schwarz, Thielbörger & Weiss, Mitgliedern der Global Young Faculty. In ihrer Umfrage in den UMAR-Universitäten gingen sie der Frage nach "Was motiviert Lehrende qualitativ gute Lehre anzubieten?". Ihre Ergebnisse überraschen und zeigen, welchen Stellenwert nach Meinung der Interviewten Lehre generell einnimmt

Spontaneous Creation of Inflationary Universes and the Cosmic Landscape

We study some gravitational instanton solutions that offer a natural realization of the spontaneous creation of inflationary universes in the brane world context in string theory. Decoherence due to couplings of higher (perturbative) modes of the metric as well as matter fields modifies the Hartle-Hawking wavefunction for de Sitter space. Generalizing this new wavefunction to be used in string theory, we propose a principle in string theory that hopefully will lead us to the particular vacuum we live in, thus avoiding the anthropic principle. As an illustration of this idea, we give a phenomenological analysis of the probability of quantum tunneling to various stringy vacua. We find that the preferred tunneling is to an inflationary universe (like our early universe), not to a universe with a very small cosmological constant (i.e., like today's universe) and not to a 10-dimensional uncompactified de Sitter universe. Such preferred solutions are interesting as they offer a cosmological mechanism for the stabilization of extra dimensions during the inflationary epoch.Comment: 52 pages, 7 figures, 1 table. Added discussion on supercritical string vacua, added reference

New Developments in the Spectral Asymptotics of Quantum Gravity

A vanishing one-loop wave function of the Universe in the limit of small three-geometry is found, on imposing diffeomorphism-invariant boundary conditions on the Euclidean 4-ball in the de Donder gauge. This result suggests a quantum avoidance of the cosmological singularity driven by full diffeomorphism invariance of the boundary-value problem for one-loop quantum theory. All of this is made possible by a peculiar spectral cancellation on the Euclidean 4-ball, here derived and discussed.Comment: 7 pages, latex file. Paper prepared for the Conference "QFEXT05: Quantum Field Theory Under the Influence of External Conditions", Barcelona, September 5 - September 9, 2005. In the final version, the presentation has been further improved, and yet other References have been adde

Phage display-based discovery of cyclic peptides against the broad spectrum bacterial anti-virulence target CsrA

Small macrocyclic peptides are promising candidates for new anti-infective drugs. To date, such peptides have been poorly studied in the context of anti-virulence targets. Using phage display and a self-designed peptide library, we identified a cyclic heptapeptide that can bind the carbon storage regulator A (CsrA) from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and displace bound RNA. This disulfide-bridged peptide, showed an IC50 value in the low micromolar range. Upon further characterization, cyclisation was found to be essential for its activity. To increase metabolic stability, a series of disulfide mimetics were designed and a redox-stable 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole analogue displayed activity in the double-digit micromolar range. Further experiments revealed that this triazole peptidomimetic is also active against CsrA from Escherichia coli and RsmA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This study provides an ideal starting point for medicinal chemistry optimization of this macrocyclic peptide and might pave the way towards broadacting virulence modulators

Durabilité de la culture cotonnière selon l'utilisation des insecticides : cas du Togo de 1991-2010

Dans la perception des profanes, le coton est encore associé à la culture consommant le plus d'insecticides néfastes pour la santé et l'environnement. Une telle mauvaise image n'est plus méritée selon une étude internationale, mais les pays producteurs ont peu analysé et informé sur l'évolution de l'utilisation d'insecticides. Cette communication comble la lacune dans le cas du Togo. L'étude est basée sur la reconstitution des séries de données des surfaces emblavées et d'insecticides distribués aux producteurs de coton du Togo, de 1990 à 2010. Les données sur les insecticides concernent les volumes distribués ainsi que leurs compositions en matières actives, permettant ainsi de déduire la consommation de matières actives par hectare. Par ailleurs, les charges toxicologiques vis-à-vis de divers éléments de la faune ont été calculées à partir des indices d'écotoxicité établis par la FAO pour chaque matière active. La consommation de matières actives insecticides au Togo a chuté régulièrement jusqu'à un litre/hectare, du même niveau que l'Australie qui recourt par ailleurs aux variétés génétiquement modifiées. La charge toxicologique, pesant sur l'homme mais aussi sur divers éléments de la faune comme les abeilles ou les daphnés des cours d'eau, a diminué quoique de manière moins régulière. Cette évolution est la conséquence d'une protection limitée depuis trois décennies à moins de six traitements et de l'adoption de nouvelles générations de molécules insecticides. Au Togo, l'utilisation des insecticides dans la culture cotonnière a évolué dans une direction plus compatible avec le souci de la santé humaine et de la préservation de l'environnement, mais cette évolution est extrapolable à tous les pays cotonniers de l'Afrique francophone. Il convient de poursuivre l'évolution engagée dans les décisions relatives aux insecticides à commander, en s'inspirant des indicateurs utilisés dans cette étude. (Résumé d'auteur