The gauge structure of generalised diffeomorphisms

We investigate the generalised diffeomorphisms in M-theory, which are gauge transformations unifying diffeomorphisms and tensor gauge transformations. After giving an En(n)-covariant description of the gauge transformations and their commutators, we show that the gauge algebra is infinitely reducible, i.e., the tower of ghosts for ghosts is infinite. The Jacobiator of generalised diffeomorphisms gives such a reducibility transformation. We give a concrete description of the ghost structure, and demonstrate that the infinite sums give the correct (regularised) number of degrees of freedom. The ghost towers belong to the sequences of rep- resentations previously observed appearing in tensor hierarchies and Borcherds algebras. All calculations rely on the section condition, which we reformulate as a linear condition on the cotangent directions. The analysis holds for n < 8. At n = 8, where the dual gravity field becomes relevant, the natural guess for the gauge parameter and its reducibility still yields the correct counting of gauge parameters.Comment: 24 pp., plain tex, 1 figure. v2: minor changes, including a few added ref

Data Privacy in European Medical Research

The European Data Protection Regulation applies since May 25th, 2018. It creates a uniform data protection legal framework within the EU. National and international medical research projects, regardless of whether they were started before or after the introduction of the GDPR, are obliged to follow this new regulation and implement it promptly. This raises various challenges for a large number of medical research projects. The University Medicine Greifswald commissioned this legal report, that was prepared by DIERKS+COMPANY. Two real-world research projects, the Baltic Fracture Competence Centre (BFCC) as well as the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) provide use cases, questions, and context for this legal report. It addresses questions regarding all steps of data processing. The report provides practical answers to a wide array of technical and organisational questions in the area of data protection-compliant processing of research data. A comprehensive guide to GDPR-compliant data processing has been developed, which both summarises the broad legal environment and provides specific assistance in the design and implementation of GDPR-compliant data management processes, including Informed Consent, Legal Consequences of Withdrawal, and Privacy by Design

Extended geometry of magical supergravities

We provide, through the framework of extended geometry, a geometrisation of the duality symmetries appearing in magical supergravities. A new ingredient is the general formulation of extended geometry with structure group of non-split real form. A simple diagrammatic rule for solving the section constraint by inspection of the Satake diagram is derived.Comment: 25 p

Data Privacy in European Medical Research

The European Data Protection Regulation applies since May 25th, 2018. It creates a uniform data protection legal framework within the EU. National and international medical research projects, regardless of whether they were started before or after the introduction of the GDPR, are obliged to follow this new regulation and implement it promptly. This raises various challenges for a large number of medical research projects. The University Medicine Greifswald commissioned this legal report, that was prepared by DIERKS+COMPANY. Two real-world research projects, the Baltic Fracture Competence Centre (BFCC) as well as the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) provide use cases, questions, and context for this legal report. It addresses questions regarding all steps of data processing. The report provides practical answers to a wide array of technical and organisational questions in the area of data protection-compliant processing of research data. A comprehensive guide to GDPR-compliant data processing has been developed, which both summarises the broad legal environment and provides specific assistance in the design and implementation of GDPR-compliant data management processes, including Informed Consent, Legal Consequences of Withdrawal, and Privacy by Design

Passive Immunization against Pyroglutamate-3 Amyloid-β Reduces Plaque Burden in Alzheimer-Like Transgenic Mice: A Pilot Study

Background: N-terminally truncated and modified pyroglutamate-3 amyloid-β protein (pE3-Aβ) is present in most, if not all, cerebral plaque and vascular amyloid deposits in human Alzheimer's disease (AD). pE3-Aβ deposition is also found in AD-like transgenic (tg) mouse brain, albeit in lesser quantities than general Aβ. pE3-Aβ resists degradation, is neurotoxic, and may act as a seed for Aβ aggregation. Objective: We sought to determine if pE3-Aβ removal by passive immunization with a highly specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) impacts pathogenesis in a mouse model of Alzheimer's amyloidosis. Methods: APPswe/PS1ΔE9 tg mice were given weekly intraperitoneal injections of a new anti-pE3-Aβ mAb (mAb07/1) or PBS from 5.8 to 13.8 months of age (prevention) or from 23 to 24.7 months of age (therapeutic). Multiple forms of cerebral Aβ were quantified pathologically and biochemically. Gliosis and microhemorrhage were examined. Results: Chronic passive immunization with an anti-pE3-Aβ mAb significantly reduced total plaque deposition and appeared to lower gliosis in the hippocampus and cerebellum in both the prevention and therapeutic studies. Insoluble Aβ levels in hemibrain homogenates were not significantly different between immunized and control mice. Microhemorrhage was not observed with anti-pE3-Aβ immunotherapy. Conclusions: Selective removal of pE3-Aβ lowered general Aβ plaque deposition suggesting a pro-aggregation or seeding role for pE3-Aβ

Case report: Urolithiasis, nephrolithiasis and a urinary bladder malformation in a seven-month-old alpaca cria

Urolithiasis is a common condition in male small ruminants where predisposing factors have been identified. Occasionally, urolithiasis is diagnosed in South American camelids (SACs). However, nephrolithiasis is rarely diagnosed in ruminants. To our knowledge, this is the first report focusing on a combined appearance of nephrolithiasis and urolithiasis in an alpaca cria. A 7-month-old alpaca cria suffering from impaired urinary flow was presented for examination. On admission, the alpaca had a wet prepuce and showed a standing posture with a wide-based stance. Ultrasonographic examination of the abdomen showed a distended bladder. Clinical chemistry revealed azotemia and hypophosphatemia. After the first examination, repeated urination was observed. Conservative therapy using antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic drugs was started with the suspected diagnosis of urinary calculus. During the first 24 h, plasma concentrations of creatinine and urea decreased, but increased again during the following days. During the second day after admission, urination was not observed for 16 h while the concentration of urea and creatinine further increased. Therefore, the animal was euthanized due to financial concerns of the owner. Necropsy revealed that calculi were located in the left kidney as well as in the urethra. In addition, the animal exhibited uroperitoneum. The urinary bladder was intact, moderately distended with urine and showed a malformation, which was covered with a translucent mucosal membrane. Histologic examination revealed that this malformation was a bladder diverticulum. The extent to which the unilateral nephroliths affected the general condition and renal function of the animal is unclear, since the uroliths also cause azotemia, and abdominal pain. Further studies are needed for a better understanding of obstructive urinary disease in SACs

Anti-NGF treatment worsens subchondral bone and cartilage measures while improving symptoms in floor-housed rabbits with osteoarthritis

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disorder often affecting the knee. It is characterized by alterations of various joint tissues including subchondral bone and by chronic pain. Anti-nerve growth factor (NGF) antibodies have demonstrated improvement in pain associated with OA in phase 3 clinical trials but have not been approved due to an increased risk of developing rapidly progressive OA. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of systemic anti-NGF-treatment on structure and symptoms in rabbits with surgically induced joint instability.Methods: This was elicited by anterior cruciate ligament transection and partial resection of the medial meniscus in right knee of 63 female rabbits, housed altogether in a 56 m2 floor husbandry. Rabbits received either 0.1, 1 or 3 mg/kg anti-NGF antibody intra-venously at weeks 1, 5 and 14 after surgery or vehicle. During in-life phase, static incapacitance tests were performed and joint diameter was measured. Following necropsy, gross morphological scoring and micro-computed tomography analysis of subchondral bone and cartilage were performed.Results: After surgery, rabbits unloaded operated joints, which was improved with 0.3 and 3 mg/kg anti-NGF compared to vehicle injection during the first half of the study. The diameter of operated knee joints increased over contralateral measures. This increase was bigger in anti-NGF treated rabbits beginning 2 weeks after the first IV injection and became dose-dependent and more pronounced with time. In the 3 mg/kg anti-NGF group, the bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness increased in the medio-femoral region of operated joints compared to contralateral and to vehicle-treated animals, while cartilage volume and to a lesser extent thickness decreased. Enlarged bony areas were found in right medio-femoral cartilage surfaces of animals receiving 1 and 3 mg/kg anti-NGF. Alterations of all structural parameters were particularly distinct in a subgroup of three rabbits, which also exhibited more prominent symptomatic improvement.Conclusion: This study showed that anti-NGF administration exerted negative impact on structure in destabilized joints of rabbits, while pain-induced unloading of joints was improved. Our findings open up the possibility to better understand the effects of systemic anti-NGF, particularly on subchondral bone, and thus the occurrence of rapidly progressive OA in patients

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ABSTRACT. Objective. To evaluate the metric properties and practicability of valid, internationally available outcome instruments in the special setting of health resort programs. Methods. A cohort study in a convenience sample of patients with low back pain, upper back pain, conditions of the lower extremities, and conditions of the upper extremities was conducted. Their functioning and health were assessed before and after a health resort program by the disease- Spa therapy has a long tradition in many European countries and in Israel as a credible medical treatment 1,2 . Treatment programs at spas combine treatment with local resources such as thermal water or mineral water with physical medicine interventions and traditional medicine to optimize functioning and health. The goals of health resort programs are to overcome impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions (a rehabilitative strategy) and to prevent further loss of functioning (a preventive strategy) 3 . Although the condition may not be cured or prevented, spa therapy can improve function and minimize disability. Some controlled clinical trials have shown the effectiveness of spa therapy in reducing pain and improving physical function and quality of life in patients with low back pain 4 , osteoarthritis (OA) 5 , rheumatoid arthritis 6,7 , and ankylosing spondylitis 8 . Combined spa exercises showed a favorable cost-effectiveness compared with standard treatment alone in patients with ankylosing spondylitis 9 . A systematic review on the efficacy of balneotherapy for OA of the knee concluded that this therapy has short-term benefits for pain relief and function 10 . However, a Cochrane review on balneotherapy and its efficacy in treating rheumatoid arthritis concluded that a firm conclusion on the effectiveness of balneotherapy cannot be drawn, because the number of high-quality studies was small and several studies had methodological flaws 11 . One of the authors&apos; recommendations was that new research should use outcome measures that are relevant to patients and are adequate and responsive to the study treatment. Responsiveness of an instrument refers to the magnitude of change in scores associated with a given change in the health status. For group comparisons, the greater the responsiveness of an outcome measure, the fewer subjects required to detect a significant treatment effect 12 . A variety of statistical methods such as effect size (ES) or standardized response mean (SRM) have been used to assess responsiveness, and no single one is superio

Calcinosis in Alpaca Crias (Vicugna pacos) Due to Vitamin D Intoxication—Clinical, Laboratory and Pathological Findings with a Focus on Kidney Function

Alpacas kept in Central Europe are often deficient in vitamin D3, which is supplemented orally or by injection by the owners or veterinarians. Vitamin D3 can be specified in two different units (IU and µg), which differ by a factor of 40. By mixing up these units, an overdosage can be induced. In this study, three alpaca crias were examined after vitamin D3 intoxication, with particular reference to kidney function. All three animals developed non-specific clinical alterations 1–2 weeks after a vitamin D3 overdose of approximately 40 times. Plasma of the animals revealed several alterations. The main findings were severe azotemia, hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia, 15 days after treatment. Kidney function analysis (endogenous creatinine clearance) in two of the crias revealed severe glomerular damage. All crias died despite intensive treatment within 23 days after vitamin D3 treatment. Necropsy revealed calcification in different organs, mainly the kidneys, lungs and liver. Since nine other crias in the same group were treated with comparable doses of vitamin D3 and no clinical signs were observed in these animals, it is concluded that individual animals show different levels of sensitivity to vitamin D3

Malaria incidence in Limpopo Province, South Africa, 1998–2007

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria is endemic in the low-altitude areas of the northern and eastern parts of South Africa with seasonal transmission. The aim of this descriptive study is to give an overview of the malaria incidence and mortality in Limpopo Province for the seasons 1998–1999 to 2006–2007 and to detect trends over time and place.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Routinely collected data on diagnosed malaria cases and deaths were available through the provincial malaria information system. In order to calculate incidence rates, population estimates (by sex, age and district) were obtained from Statistics South Africa. The Chi squared test for trend was used to detect temporal trends in malaria incidence over the seasons, and a trend in case fatality rate (CFR) by age group. The Chi squared test was used to calculate differences in incidence rate and CFR between both sexes and in incidence by age group.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In total, 58,768 cases of malaria were reported, including 628 deaths. The mean incidence rate was 124.5 per 100,000 person-years and the mean CFR 1.1% per season. There was a decreasing trend in the incidence rate over time (p < 0.001), from 173.0 in 1998–1999 to 50.9 in 2006–2007. The CFR was fairly stable over the whole period. The mean incidence rate in males was higher than in females (145.8 versus 105.6; p < 0.001); the CFR (1.1%) was similar for both sexes. The incidence rate was lowest in 0–4 year olds (78.3), it peaked at the ages of 35–39 years (172.8), and decreased with age from 40 years (to 84.4 for those ≥ 60 years). The CFR increased with increasing age (to 3.8% for those ≥ 60 years). The incidence rate varied widely between districts; it was highest in Vhembe (328.2) and lowest in Sekhukhune (5.5).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Information from this study may serve as baseline data to determine the course and distribution of malaria in Limpopo province over time. In the study period there was a decreasing trend in the incidence rate. Furthermore, the study addresses the need for better data over a range of epidemic-prone settings.</p