1,706 research outputs found
Vitamin D and Risk of Neuroimaging Abnormalities.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with an increased risk of incident all-cause dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The aim of the current study was to explore the potential mechanisms underlying these associations by determining whether low vitamin D concentrations are associated with the development of incident cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative neuroimaging abnormalities. The population consisted of 1,658 participants aged ≥65 years from the US-based Cardiovascular Health Study who were free from prevalent cardiovascular disease, stroke and dementia at baseline in 1992-93. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry from blood samples collected at baseline. The first MRI scan was conducted between 1991-1994 and the second MRI scan was conducted between 1997-1999. Change in white matter grade, ventricular grade and presence of infarcts between MRI scan one and two were used to define neuroimaging abnormalities. During a mean follow-up of 5.0 years, serum 25(OH)D status was not significantly associated with the development of any neuroimaging abnormalities. Using logistic regression models, the multivariate adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for worsening white matter grade in participants who were severely 25(OH)D deficient (<25 nmol/L) and deficient (≥25-50 nmol/L) were 0.76 (0.35-1.66) and 1.09 (0.76-1.55) compared to participants with sufficient concentrations (≥50 nmol/L). The multivariate adjusted odds ratios for ventricular grade in participants who were severely 25(OH)D deficient and deficient were 0.49 (0.20-1.19) and 1.12 (0.79-1.59) compared to those sufficient. The multivariate adjusted odds ratios for incident infarcts in participants who were severely 25(OH)D deficient and deficient were 1.95 (0.84-4.54) and 0.73 (0.47-1.95) compared to those sufficient. Overall, serum vitamin D concentrations could not be shown to be associated with the development of cerebrovascular or neurodegenerative neuroimaging abnormalities in Cardiovascular Health Study participants.The Cardiovascular Health Study was supported by contracts HHSN268201200036C, HHSN268200800007C, N01 HC55222, N01HC85079, N01HC85080, N01HC85081, N01HC85082, N01HC85083, N01HC85086, and grant HL080295 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), with additional contribution from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Additional support was provided by AG023629, AG20098, AG15928 and HL084443 from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). A full list of principal CHS investigators and institutions can be found at chs-nhlbi.org. Additional support was also provided by NIRG-11-200737 from the Alzheimer’s Association, the Mary Kinross Charitable Trust, the James Tudor Foundation, the Halpin Trust, the Age Related Diseases and Health Trust, and the Norman Family Charitable Trust (to D.J.L.). This research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. The National Institutes of Health was involved in the original design and conduct of the Cardiovascular Health Study and in the data collection methods
Modifying the Sum Over Topological Sectors and Constraints on Supergravity
The standard lore about the sum over topological sectors in quantum field
theory is that locality and cluster decomposition uniquely determine the sum
over such sectors, thus leading to the usual theta-vacua. We show that without
changing the local degrees of freedom, a theory can be modified such that the
sum over instantons should be restricted; e.g. one should include only
instanton numbers which are divisible by some integer p. This conclusion about
the configuration space of quantum field theory allows us to carefully
reconsider the quantization of parameters in supergravity. In particular, we
show that FI-terms and nontrivial Kahler forms are quantized. This analysis
also leads to a new derivation of recent results about linearized supergravity.Comment: 17 pages, minor change
Prevalence and clinical characteristics of serum neuronal cell surface antibodies in first-episode psychosis: a case-control study
Psychosis is a common presenting feature in antibody-mediated encephalitis, for which prompt recognition and treatment usually leads to remission. We aimed to investigate whether people with circumscribed schizophrenia-like illnesses have such antibodies—especially antibodies against the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)—more commonly than do healthy controls.
We recruited patients aged 14–35 years presenting to any of 35 mental health services sites across England with first-episode psychosis, less than 6 weeks of treatment with antipsychotic medication, and a score of 4 or more on at least one selected Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) item. Patients and controls provided venous blood samples. We completed standardised symptom rating scales (PANSS, ACE-III, GAF) at baseline, and tested serum samples for antibodies against NMDAR, LGI1, CASPR2, the GABAA receptor, and the AMPA receptor using live cell-based assays. Treating clinicians assessed outcomes of ICD diagnosis and functioning (GAF) at 6 months. We included healthy controls from the general population, recruited as part of another study in Cambridge, UK.
Between Feb 1, 2013, and Aug 31, 2014, we enrolled 228 patients with first-episode psychosis and 105 healthy controls. 20 (9%) of 228 patients had serum antibodies against one or more of the neuronal cell surface antibodies compared with four (4%) of 105 controls (unadjusted odds ratio 2·4, 95% CI 0·8–7·3). These associations remained non-significant when adjusted for current cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and illicit drug use. Seven (3%) patients had NMDAR antibodies compared with no controls (p=0·0204). The other antibodies did not differ between groups. Antibody-positive patients had lower PANSS positive, PANSS total, and catatonia scores than did antibody-negative patients. Patients had comparable scores on other PANSS items, ACE-III, and GAF at baseline, with no difference in outcomes at 6 months.
Some patients with first-episode psychosis had antibodies against NMDAR that might be relevant to their illness, but did not differ from patients without NMDAR antibodies in clinical characteristics. Our study suggests that the only way to detect patients with these potentially pathogenic antibodies is to screen all patients with first-episode psychosis at first presentation.Medical Research Counci
Passive phloem loading and long-distance transport in a synthetic tree-on-a-chip
Vascular plants rely on differences of osmotic pressure to export sugars from
regions of synthesis (mature leaves) to sugar sinks (roots, fruits). In this
process, known as M\"unch pressure flow, the loading of sugars from
photosynthetic cells to the export conduit (the phloem) is crucial, as it sets
the pressure head necessary to power long-distance transport. Whereas most
herbaceous plants use active mechanisms to increase phloem concentration above
that of the photosynthetic cells, in most tree species, for which transport
distances are largest, loading seems to occur via passive symplastic diffusion
from the mesophyll to the phloem. Here, we use a synthetic microfluidic model
of a passive loader to explore the nonlinear dynamics that arise during export
and determine the ability of passive loading to drive long-distance transport.
We first demonstrate that in our device, phloem concentration is set by the
balance between the resistances to diffusive loading from the source and
convective export through the phloem. Convection-limited export corresponds to
classical models of M\"unch transport, where phloem concentration is close to
that of the source; in contrast, diffusion-limited export leads to small phloem
concentrations and weak scaling of flow rates with the hydraulic resistance. We
then show that the effective regime of convection-limited export is predominant
in plants with large transport resistances and low xylem pressures. Moreover,
hydrostatic pressures developed in our synthetic passive loader can reach
botanically relevant values as high as 10 bars. We conclude that passive
loading is sufficient to drive long-distance transport in large plants, and
that trees are well suited to take full advantage of passive phloem loading
strategies
Evaluating the Prognostic Factors Associated with Cancer-specific Survival of Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma Presenting with Distant Metastasis
Implementation of a population-based epidemiological rare disease registry: study protocol of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - registry Swabia
BACKGROUND: The social and medical impact of rare diseases is increasingly recognized. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most prevalent of the motor neuron diseases. It is characterized by rapidly progressive damage to the motor neurons with a survival of 2–5 years for the majority of patients. The objective of this work is to describe the study protocol and the implementation steps of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) registry Swabia, located in the South of Germany. METHODS/DESIGN: The ALS registry Swabia started in October 2010 with both, the retrospective (01.10.2008-30.09.2010) and prospective (from 01.10.2010) collection of ALS cases, in a target population of 8.6 million persons in Southern Germany. In addition, a population based case–control study was implemented based on the registry that also included the collection of various biological materials. Retrospectively, 420 patients (222 men and 198 women) were identified. Prospectively data of ALS patients were collected, of which about 70% agreed to participate in the population-based case–control study. All participants in the case–control study provided also a blood sample. The prospective part of the study is ongoing. DISCUSSION: The ALS registry Swabia has been implemented successfully. In rare diseases such as ALS, the collaboration of registries, the comparison with external samples and biorepositories will facilitate to identify risk factors and to further explore the potential underlying pathophysiological mechanisms
Outcome measurement in functional neurological disorder: a systematic review and recommendations.
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify existing outcome measures for functional neurological disorder (FND), to inform the development of recommendations and to guide future research on FND outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to identify existing FND-specific outcome measures and the most common measurement domains and measures in previous treatment studies. Searches of Embase, MEDLINE and PsycINFO were conducted between January 1965 and June 2019. The findings were discussed during two international meetings of the FND-Core Outcome Measures group. RESULTS: Five FND-specific measures were identified-three clinician-rated and two patient-rated-but their measurement properties have not been rigorously evaluated. No single measure was identified for use across the range of FND symptoms in adults. Across randomised controlled trials (k=40) and observational treatment studies (k=40), outcome measures most often assessed core FND symptom change. Other domains measured commonly were additional physical and psychological symptoms, life impact (ie, quality of life, disability and general functioning) and health economics/cost-utility (eg, healthcare resource use and quality-adjusted life years). CONCLUSIONS: There are few well-validated FND-specific outcome measures. Thus, at present, we recommend that existing outcome measures, known to be reliable, valid and responsive in FND or closely related populations, are used to capture key outcome domains. Increased consistency in outcome measurement will facilitate comparison of treatment effects across FND symptom types and treatment modalities. Future work needs to more rigorously validate outcome measures used in this population
Delocalized single-photon Dicke states and the Leggett- Garg inequality in solid state systems
We show how to realize a single-photon Dicke state in a large one-dimensional
array of two- level systems, and discuss how to test its quantum properties.
Realization of single-photon Dicke states relies on the cooperative nature of
the interaction between a field reservoir and an array of two-level-emitters.
The resulting dynamics of the delocalized state can display Rabi-like
oscillations when the number of two-level emitters exceeds several hundred. In
this case the large array of emitters is essentially behaving like a
mirror-less cavity. We outline how this might be realized using a
multiple-quantum-well structure and discuss how the quantum nature of these
oscillations could be tested with the Leggett-Garg inequality and its
extensions.Comment: 29 pages, 5 figures, journal pape
F-theory on Genus-One Fibrations
We argue that M-theory compactified on an arbitrary genus-one fibration, that
is, an elliptic fibration which need not have a section, always has an F-theory
limit when the area of the genus-one fiber approaches zero. Such genus-one
fibrations can be easily constructed as toric hypersurfaces, and various
and models are presented as examples. To each
genus-one fibration one can associate a -function on the base as well as
an representation which together define the IIB axio-dilaton
and 7-brane content of the theory. The set of genus-one fibrations with the
same -function and representation, known as the
Tate-Shafarevich group, supplies an important degree of freedom in the
corresponding F-theory model which has not been studied carefully until now.
Six-dimensional anomaly cancellation as well as Witten's zero-mode count on
wrapped branes both imply corrections to the usual F-theory dictionary for some
of these models. In particular, neutral hypermultiplets which are localized at
codimension-two fibers can arise. (All previous known examples of localized
hypermultiplets were charged under the gauge group of the theory.) Finally, in
the absence of a section some novel monodromies of Kodaira fibers are allowed
which lead to new breaking patterns of non-Abelian gauge groups.Comment: 53 pages, 9 figures, 6 tables. v2: references adde
PENYULUHAN STUNTING DALAM MENINGKATKAN GIZI ANAK,IBU HAMIL, DAN LANSIA DI DESA TEWANG PAJANGAN KECAMATAN KURUN KABUPATEN GUNUNG MAS
Salah satu kegiatan mahasiswa adalah Kuliah Kerja Nyata Tematik (KKN-T), yang mana termasuk kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat. Dalam tulisan ini diangkat topik Stunting yang merupakan kegiatan penyuluhan kepada anak-anak dan orang tua betapa pentingnya kebutuhan gizi anak yang tercukupi di Desa Tewang Pajangan Kecamatan Kurun, Kabupaten Gunung Mas, Provinsi Kalimantan Tengah. Hasil kegiatan berupa penyuluhan tentang stunting serta peningkatan gizi dengan pembagian makanan dan minuman kepada ibuhamil dan lansia. Berupa bubur kacang hijau, pisang, teh kotak dan kuebasah/buatan teruntuk lansia sedangkan teruntuk ibu hamil dan anak – anak berupa bubur kacang hijau, pisang, dan susu kotak indomilk. Hal ini dilakukan sebagai salah satustrategi untuk meningkatkan mutu gizi perseorangan, keluarga dan masyarakat melalui perbaikan polakonsumsi makan dan perilaku sadar giz
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