449 research outputs found
Perioperative infection prophylaxis and risk factor impact in colon surgery
Background: A prospective observational study was undertaken in 2,481 patients undergoing elective colon resection in 114 German centers to identify optimal drug and dosing modalities and risk factors for postoperative infection. Methods: Patients were pair matched using six risk factors and divided into 672 pairs (ceftriaxone vs, other cephalosporins, group A) and 400 pairs (ceftriaxone vs. penicillins, group B). End points were local and systemic postoperative infection and cost effectiveness. Results: Local infection rates were 6.0 versus 6.5% (group A) and 4.0 versus 10.5% (group B); systemic infection rates in groups A and B were 4.9 versus 6.3% and 3.3 versus 10.5%, respectively. Ceftriaxone was more effective than penicillins overall (6.8 vs. 17.8%, p < 0.001). Length of postoperative hospital stay was 16.2 versus 16.9 days (group A) and 15.8 versus 17.6 days (group B). Of the six risk factors, age and concomitant disease were significant for systemic infection, and blood loss, rectum resection and immunosuppressive therapy were significant for local infection. Penicillin was a risk factor compared to ceftriaxone (p < 0.0001). Ceftriaxone saved Q160.7 versus other cephalosporins and O416.2 versus penicillins. Conclusion: Clinical and microbiological efficacy are responsible for the cost effectiveness of ceftriaxone for perioperative prophylaxis in colorectal surgery. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel
Photo-antagonism of the GABAA receptor
Neurotransmitter receptor trafficking is fundamentally important for synaptic transmission and neural network activity. GABAA receptors and inhibitory synapses are vital components of brain function, yet much of our knowledge regarding receptor mobility and function at inhibitory synapses is derived indirectly from using recombinant receptors, antibody-tagged native receptors and pharmacological treatments. Here we describe the use of a set of research tools that can irreversibly bind to and affect the function of recombinant and neuronal GABAA receptors following ultraviolet photoactivation. These compounds are based on the competitive antagonist gabazine and incorporate a variety of photoactive groups. By using site-directed mutagenesis and ligand-docking studies, they reveal new areas of the GABA binding site at the interface between receptor β and α subunits. These compounds enable the selected inactivation of native GABAA receptor populations providing new insight into the function of inhibitory synapses and extrasynaptic receptors in controlling neuronal excitation
Scaling of the distribution of fluctuations of financial market indices
We study the distribution of fluctuations over a time scale (i.e.,
the returns) of the S&P 500 index by analyzing three distinct databases.
Database (i) contains approximately 1 million records sampled at 1 min
intervals for the 13-year period 1984-1996, database (ii) contains 8686 daily
records for the 35-year period 1962-1996, and database (iii) contains 852
monthly records for the 71-year period 1926-1996. We compute the probability
distributions of returns over a time scale , where varies
approximately over a factor of 10^4 - from 1 min up to more than 1 month. We
find that the distributions for 4 days (1560 mins) are
consistent with a power-law asymptotic behavior, characterized by an exponent
, well outside the stable L\'evy regime . To
test the robustness of the S&P result, we perform a parallel analysis on two
other financial market indices. Database (iv) contains 3560 daily records of
the NIKKEI index for the 14-year period 1984-97, and database (v) contains 4649
daily records of the Hang-Seng index for the 18-year period 1980-97. We find
estimates of consistent with those describing the distribution of S&P
500 daily-returns. One possible reason for the scaling of these distributions
is the long persistence of the autocorrelation function of the volatility. For
time scales longer than days, our results are
consistent with slow convergence to Gaussian behavior.Comment: 12 pages in multicol LaTeX format with 27 postscript figures
(Submitted to PRE May 20, 1999). See
http://polymer.bu.edu/~amaral/Professional.html for more of our work on this
are
Determining the neurotransmitter concentration profile at active synapses
Establishing the temporal and concentration profiles of neurotransmitters during synaptic release is an essential step towards understanding the basic properties of inter-neuronal communication in the central nervous system. A variety of ingenious attempts has been made to gain insights into this process, but the general inaccessibility of central synapses, intrinsic limitations of the techniques used, and natural variety of different synaptic environments have hindered a comprehensive description of this fundamental phenomenon. Here, we describe a number of experimental and theoretical findings that has been instrumental for advancing our knowledge of various features of neurotransmitter release, as well as newly developed tools that could overcome some limits of traditional pharmacological approaches and bring new impetus to the description of the complex mechanisms of synaptic transmission
Dynamics of market correlations: Taxonomy and portfolio analysis
The time dependence of the recently introduced minimum spanning tree
description of correlations between stocks, called the ``asset tree'' have been
studied to reflect the economic taxonomy. The nodes of the tree are identified
with stocks and the distance between them is a unique function of the
corresponding element of the correlation matrix. By using the concept of a
central vertex, chosen as the most strongly connected node of the tree, an
important characteristic is defined by the mean occupation layer (MOL). During
crashes the strong global correlation in the market manifests itself by a low
value of MOL. The tree seems to have a scale free structure where the scaling
exponent of the degree distribution is different for `business as usual' and
`crash' periods. The basic structure of the tree topology is very robust with
respect to time. We also point out that the diversification aspect of portfolio
optimization results in the fact that the assets of the classic Markowitz
portfolio are always located on the outer leaves of the tree. Technical aspects
like the window size dependence of the investigated quantities are also
discussed.Comment: 13 pages including 12 figures. Uses REVTe
Exhaled breath condensate pH as a biomarker of COPD severity in ex-smokers
Endogenous airway acidification, as assessed by exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH, is present in patients with stable COPD. The aim of this study was to measure EBC pH levels in a large cohort of COPD patients and to evaluate associations with functional parameters according to their smoking status
New experimental constraint on the W()W cross section
In this work, we present new data on the W() cross
sections, utilizing a quasi-monochromatic photon beam produced at the NewSUBARU
synchrotron radiation facility. Further, we have extracted the nuclear level
density and -ray strength function of W from data on the
W()W reaction measured at the Oslo
Cyclotron Laboratory. Combining previous measurements on the
W() cross section with our new W()
and ()W data sets, we have deduced the
W -ray strength function in the range of MeV
and MeV.
Our data are used to extract the level density and -ray strength
functions needed as input to the nuclear-reaction code \textsf{TALYS},
providing an indirect, experimental constraint for the
W()W cross section and reaction rate. Compared to the
recommended Maxwellian-averaged cross section (MACS) in the KADoNiS-1.0 data
base, our results are on average lower for the relevant energy range keV, and we provide a smaller uncertainty for the MACS. The
theoretical values of Bao \textit{et al.} and the cross section experimentally
constrained on photoneutron data of Sonnabend \textit{et al.} are significantly
higher than our result. The lower value by Mohr \textit{et al.} is in very good
agreement with our deduced MACS. Our new results could have implications for
the -process and in particular the predicted -process production of
Os nuclei.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figures; to be submitted to Phys. Rev.
Evolution of the -ray strength function in neodymium isotopes
The experimental gamma-ray strength functions (gamma-SFs) of 142,144-151Nd
have been studied for gamma-ray energies up to the neutron separation energy.
The results represent a unique set of gamma-SFs for an isotopic chain with
increasing nuclear deformation. The data reveal how the low-energy enhancement,
the scissors mode and the pygmy dipole resonance evolve with nuclear
deformation and mass number. The data indicate that the mechanisms behind the
low-energy enhancement and the scissors mode are decoupled from each other.Comment: 14 pages and 10 figure
Statistical mechanics of complex networks
Complex networks describe a wide range of systems in nature and society, much
quoted examples including the cell, a network of chemicals linked by chemical
reactions, or the Internet, a network of routers and computers connected by
physical links. While traditionally these systems were modeled as random
graphs, it is increasingly recognized that the topology and evolution of real
networks is governed by robust organizing principles. Here we review the recent
advances in the field of complex networks, focusing on the statistical
mechanics of network topology and dynamics. After reviewing the empirical data
that motivated the recent interest in networks, we discuss the main models and
analytical tools, covering random graphs, small-world and scale-free networks,
as well as the interplay between topology and the network's robustness against
failures and attacks.Comment: 54 pages, submitted to Reviews of Modern Physic
Preserved Morphology and Physiology of Excitatory Synapses in Profilin1-Deficient Mice
Profilins are important regulators of actin dynamics and have been implicated in activity-dependent morphological changes of dendritic spines and synaptic plasticity. Recently, defective presynaptic excitability and neurotransmitter release of glutamatergic synapses were described for profilin2-deficient mice. Both dendritic spine morphology and synaptic plasticity were fully preserved in these mutants, bringing forward the hypothesis that profilin1 is mainly involved in postsynaptic mechanisms, complementary to the presynaptic role of profilin2. To test the hypothesis and to elucidate the synaptic function of profilin1, we here specifically deleted profilin1 in neurons of the adult forebrain by using conditional knockout mice on a CaMKII-cre-expressing background. Analysis of Golgi-stained hippocampal pyramidal cells and electron micrographs from the CA1 stratum radiatum revealed normal synapse density, spine morphology, and synapse ultrastructure in the absence of profilin1. Moreover, electrophysiological recordings showed that basal synaptic transmission, presynaptic physiology, as well as postsynaptic plasticity were unchanged in profilin1 mutants. Hence, loss of profilin1 had no adverse effects on the morphology and function of excitatory synapses. Our data are in agreement with two different scenarios: i) profilins are not relevant for actin regulation in postsynaptic structures, activity-dependent morphological changes of dendritic spines, and synaptic plasticity or ii) profilin1 and profilin2 have overlapping functions particularly in the postsynaptic compartment. Future analysis of double mutant mice will ultimately unravel whether profilins are relevant for dendritic spine morphology and synaptic plasticity
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