Vector meson quasinormal modes in a finite-temperature AdS/QCD model

We study the spectrum of vector mesons in a finite temperature plasma. The plasma is holographically described by a black hole AdS/QCD model. We compute the boundary retarded Green's function using AdS/CFT prescriptions. The corresponding thermal spectral functions show quasiparticle peaks at low temperatures. Then we calculate the quasinormal modes of vector mesons in the soft-wall black hole geometry and analyse their temperature and momentum dependences.Comment: 27 pages, 9 figure

Primary Non-refluxing Megaureter: Analysis of Risk Factors for Spontaneous Resolution and Surgical Intervention

Background: The risk of febrile urinary tract infection (fUTI) in children with primary non-refluxing megaureter (PM) has been extensively studied in the literature, however, a paucity of information exists regarding risk factors for surgical intervention and spontaneous resolution. We sought to analyze data from our prospectively collected PM cohort to determine risk factors that would predict surgery and resolution in this population.Methods: Patients with PM were identified from our prospectively-collected prenatal hydronephrosis (HN) database from 2008 to 2017. Primary outcomes included surgical intervention and hydroureter resolution. Spontaneous resolution was defined as ureteral dilation <7 mm at last follow-up. Age at presentation, gender, development of fUTI, HN grade [low (SFU I/II) vs. high (SFU III/IV)], anteroposterior diameter (APD) measurements and ureteral diameter at baseline and last follow-up were recorded. Univariate and multivariable analyses (binary logistic and Cox regression) were performed.Results: Of 101 patients, 86 (85%) were male, and 80 (79%) had high grade HN. Median age at baseline and last follow-up were 2 (0–23) and 29 (2–107) months, respectively. Overall, 23 (23%) patients underwent surgery at a median age of 22 (3–35) months. Mean ureteral diameter was larger in surgical patients vs. those treated non-surgically (14 ± 4 vs.11 ± 3 mm; p < 0.01). Of the 78 (77%) non-surgical patients, 43(55%) showed resolution of their ureteral dilation at a median age of 24(4–56) months. Survival analysis demonstrated that 12 patients resolved by year 1, 22 by year 2, 30 by year 3, 40 by year 4, and 43 by year 5. However, when considering resolution as APD <10 mm, 62(79%) children resolved their HN by last follow-up (29 months). Univariate and multivariable analyses (Table 1) revealed that high-grade HN at baseline, development of fUTI, and ureteric dilation ≥14 mm were significant risk factors for surgical intervention. Cox regression (Figure 2) found that ureteral dilation <11 mm was the only independent risk factor significantly associated with PM resolution (Table 2).Conclusion: Patients with PM and high-grade HN, as well as individuals with ureteral dilation ≥14 mm and fUTI were more likely to undergo surgical intervention. Ureteral dilation <11 mm was the only independent risk factor significantly associated with spontaneous resolution of PM

Melting of heavy vector mesons and quasinormal modes in a finite density plasma from holography

In this work, we investigate the melting of charmonium states within a holographic QCD model in the context of Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton (EMD) theory. In the dual field theory, the model describes the heavy mesons inside a finite temperature and density medium. First, we calculate the spectrum at zero temperature. Then, at finite temperature, we obtain the spectral functions, where the heavy vector meson are represented by peaks. We show that the charmonium melts down at temperatures above the confinement/deconfinement temperature of the quark-gluon plasma. We also observe that the chemical potential speeds up the melting process. This finding is in agreement with results previously reported in the literature. In the gravitational side of the theory, we solve the perturbation equations in the hydrodynamics limit. From this result, we read off the diffusion coefficient by comparing the dispersion relation against the corresponding result obtained in the dual field theory. We also investigate the behavior of the diffusion coefficient as a function of the temperature. The perturbation equations are solved numerically, in order to get the quasinormal frequencies. We report the emergence of a new mode whose real part increases rapidly at a certain value of the chemical potential while its imaginary part decreases with the increasing of the chemical potential. Finally, by comparing against results obtained in the conformal plasma, we observe that the real part of the frequency increases, while the imaginary part decreases when we consider the non-conformal plasma.Comment: 39 pages, 15 figures, 5 table

Erratum: (Pediatric Urologists of Canada (PUC) 2021 position statement: Differences of sex development (AKA disorders of sex development) (Can Urol Assoc J (2021) 15:1 (E11-E116) DOI: 10.5489/cuaj.6712)

In a recently published paper entitled, Comparison of micro-ultrasound and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging for prostate cancer: A multicenter, prospective analysis, (Citation: Klotz L, Lughezzani G, Maffei D, et al. Can Urol Assoc J 2021;15(1):E11-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.5489/cuaj.6712), the affiliations for authors Davide Maffei and Giovanni Lughezzani, as well as for contributing author Marco Paciotti, were incorrectly stated. The correct affiliations for all three authors are: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, and IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy. CUAJ regrets the oversight and apologizes for any inconvenience

NIRS and multivariate methods for discrimination of morning glory species at different growth stages

Morning glory species are weeds very common in tropical crops, where they cause direct and indirect damage. The management of these species primarily relies on the application of herbicides, disregarding the growth stage and spatial distribution. Studies addressing new techniques for identifying these species may contribute to the development of proximal sensors for carrying out specific and rational management. Thus, the objective of this work was to use near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and multivariate analysis to discriminate two species of morning glory in three growth stages. NIRS spectra were collected from Ipomoea hederifolia and Merremia aegyptia were collected at three different stages in the spectral range of 4.000 to 10.000 cm-1. PCA and PC-LDA were used to analyze the entire spectrum and specific bands. NIRS associated with PCA and PC-LDA were sufficient to discriminate I. hederifolia and M. aegyptia species and their growth stages. PCA allowed a proper segregation of stages and species when applied individually PC-LDA correctly classified between 90.93 to 100% of species and stages. The best discrimination results were observed in the NIR spectra ranges from 4.500 to 6.000 cm-1 and 4.500 to 6.000 + 6.500 to 7.750 cm-1. This study represents an advance in the research and implementation of NIRS technology to discriminate weed species for the future development of equipment to assist in the adoption and/or performance of a specific management of weeds, capable of contributing to the reduction in the use of herbicides in crops