Duality between the Maxwell-Chern-Simons and self-dual models in very special relativity

This work aims to investigate the classical-level duality between the $SIM(1)$-Maxwell-Chern-Simons (MCS) model and its self-dual counterpart. Initially, our focus is on free-field cases to establish equivalence through two distinct approaches: comparing the equations of motion and utilizing the master Lagrangian method. In both instances, the classical correspondence between the self-dual field and the MCS dual field undergoes modifications due to very special relativity (VSR). Specifically, duality is established only when the associated VSR-mass parameters are the same. Furthermore, we analyze the duality when the self-dual model is minimally coupled to fermions. As a result, we show that Thirring-like interactions, corrected for non-local VSR contributions, are included in the MCS model. Additionally, we demonstrate the equivalence of the fermion sectors in both models, thereby concluding the proof of classical-level duality.Comment: 16 page

Castration-resistant prostate cancer: systemic therapy in 2012

Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous neoplasm in the male population worldwide. It is typically diagnosed in its early stages, and the disease exhibits a relatively indolent course in most patients. Despite the curability of localized disease with prostatectomy and radiation therapy, some patients develop metastatic disease and die. Although androgen deprivation is present in the majority of patients with metastatic prostate cancer, a state of androgen resistance eventually develops. Castration-resistant prostate cancer, defined when there is progression of disease despite low levels of testosterone, requires specialized care, and improved communication between medical and urologic oncologists has been identified as a key component in delivering effective therapy. Despite being considered a chemoresistant tumor in the past, the use of a prostate-specific antigen has paved the way for a new generation of trials for castration-resistant prostate cancer. Docetaxel is a life-prolonging chemotherapy that has been established as the standard first-line agent in two phase III clinical trials. Cabazitaxel, a novel taxane with activity in cancer models resistant to paclitaxel and docetaxel, is the only agent that has been compared to a chemotherapy control in a phase III clinical trial as a second-line therapy; it was found to prolong the overall survival of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer previously treated with docetaxel when compared to mitoxantrone. Other agents used in this setting include abiraterone and sipuleucel-T, and novel therapies are continually being investigated in an attempt to improve the outcome for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer

A constituição da identidade na pós-modernidade: o simulacro da realidade

This work aims to analyse how the identity is constituted in the post modern era, a period in which a crisis in the formation of the identity takes place if compared to the modern period. The subject of the present investigation concerns the rising and development of modernity, since the projections for the social and cultural development failed giving opportunities to the appearance of post modernity. The social identity presents itself as a result of the social and cultural development according to Norbert Elias and Stuart Hall. The appearance and unfolding of modernity and its main features along with how these features influences the constitution of identity and the rising of the subject are approached based upon Alain Tourraine and Zygmunt Bauman’s theoretical work. It is this subject who no longer presents a fixed constitution of the identity during the post modernity since the subject is constantly exposed to the propaganda and to the media in a play of seduction and adequacy. At this point in the post modernism development – as a logic of the cultural development of this period – consumption culture is more and more determinant turning out to be a simulacrum and presenting a possibility of a hyper-reality. I used as an illustrative element of my theoretical discussion the movie Her (2013) to demonstrate the possible relationship between the simulacrum and the human being in contemporary societies, such unfolding has as its main authors Frederic Jameson and Jean Baudrillard whose contributions also features in this dissertation.Dissertação (Mestrado)Este trabalho tem como objetivo principal analisar como se constituem as identidades sociais na etapa da pós-modernidade, momento este que ocorre uma crise de direcionamento na formação das identidades quando comparadas ao período moderno. A problemática que resulta desta investigação busca seu fundamento no nascimento e desenvolvimento da modernidade, que após as apostas feitas para o seu desenvolvimento social e cultural, vieram a ruir, dando espaço e necessidade ao surgimento da pós-modernidade. A identidade se apresenta como resultado do desenvolvimento social e cultural, do ponto de vista teórico de Norbert Elias e Stuart Hall. O surgimento e emancipação da modernidade, suas principais características e como as mesmas irão influenciar na constituição da identidade e o nascimento do individualismo, com a contribuição teórica de Alain Touraine e Zygmunt Bauman. É este sujeito que no decorrer da pós-modernidade, não mais apresentará uma constituição fixa de sua identidade, uma vez que o mesmo está constantemente sendo bombardeado pela propaganda e pela mídia, por um jogo de sedução e adequação. Neste momento do desenvolvimento do pós-modernismo e da cultura de consumo toma um espaço cada vez determinante com o simulacro e a possibilidade de uma hiper-realidade, utilizei como elemento ilustrativo de minha discussão teórica, o filme Ela (2013) para demonstrar a possível relação estabelecida entre o simulacro e o indivíduo nas sociedades contemporâneas,tendo como teóricos principais Fredric Jameson e Jean Baudrillard

The Structure Of The Giant Haemoglobin From Glossoscolex Paulistus.

The sequences of all seven polypeptide chains from the giant haemoglobin of the free-living earthworm Glossoscolex paulistus (HbGp) are reported together with the three-dimensional structure of the 3.6 MDa complex which they form. The refinement of the full particle, which has been solved at 3.2 Å resolution, the highest resolution reported to date for a hexagonal bilayer haemoglobin composed of 12 protomers, is reported. This has allowed a more detailed description of the contacts between subunits which are essential for particle stability. Interpretation of features in the electron-density maps suggests the presence of metal-binding sites (probably Zn(2+) and Ca(2+)) and glycosylation sites, some of which have not been reported previously. The former appear to be important for the integrity of the particle. The crystal structure of the isolated d chain (d-HbGp) at 2.1 Å resolution shows different interchain contacts between d monomers compared with those observed in the full particle. Instead of forming trimers, as seen in the complex, the isolated d chains associate to form dimers across a crystallographic twofold axis. These observations eliminate the possibility that trimers form spontaneously in solution as intermediates during the formation of the dodecameric globin cap and contribute to understanding of the possible ways in which the particle self-assembles.711257-127

Prostate-Specific Antigen testing in men between 40 and 70 years in Brazil: database from a check-up program

Objectives To evaluate the PSA in a large population of Brazilian men undergone to check up, and correlate the PSA cutoffs with prostate size and urinary symptoms. Materials and Methods This is a cross sectional study performed with men between 40 and 70 years undergone to check-up. All men were undergone to urological evaluation, digital rectal examination, prostate-specific antigen, and ultrasonography The exclusion criteria were men who used testosterone in the last six months, or who were using 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors. Results A total of 5015 men with an average age of 49.0 years completed the study. Most men were white and asymptomatic. The PSA in the three different aging groups were 0.9 ± 0.7ng/dL for men between 40 and 50; 1.2 ± 0.5ng/dL for men between 50 and 60; and 1.7 ± 1.5ng/dL for men greater than 60 years (p=0.001). A total of 192 men had PSA between 2.5 and 4ng/ml. From these men 130 were undergone to prostate biopsy. The predictive positive value of biopsy was 25% (32/130). In the same way, 100 patients had PSA >4ng/mL. From these men, 80 were undergone to prostate biopsy. In this group, the predictive positive value of biopsy was 40% (32/100). The Gleason score was 6 in 19 men (60%), 7 in 10 men (31%) and 8 in 3 men (9%). Conclusions The PSA level of Brazilian men undergone to check up was low. There was a positive correlation with aging, IPSS and prostate size.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Department of UrologyHospital Israelita Albert EinsteinWake Forest UniversityUNIFESP, Department of UrologySciEL

Influência da suplementação com probióticos sobre as complicações infecciosas pós-operatórias e gastrointestinais em pacientes com Câncer colorretal: revisão sistemática e metanálise: Influence of probiotics supplementation on post-operatory infectious and gastrointestinal complications in colorectal Cancer patients: systematic review and meta-analysis

O câncer colorretal é atualmente a segunda causa de morte por câncer no mundo e o terceiro tipo de câncer mais incidente, seu tratamento é associado a grande morbidade. A microbiota intestinal possui reconhecido papel na modulação do sistema imune, na patogênese de doenças intestinais e está relacionada com a eficácia de tratamentos oncológicos. Nesta revisão sistemática com metanálise, objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos do tratamento complementar com probióticos sobre complicações pós-operatórias infecciosas, febre e sintomas gastrointestinais em pacientes com câncer colorretal. Utilizando as bases de dados PubMed/MEDLINE, Scielo, BIREME, Cochrane Library e ClinicalTrials.gov, foram obtidos 118 artigos. Após avaliação criteriosa da elegibilidade foram incluídos 8 artigos na análise final. O risco de viés dos estudos incluídos foi avaliado usando os critérios do Review Manager, enquanto o viés de publicação foi avaliado utilizando o gráfico em funil (Begg funnel). Foi calculada a medida sumária dos desfechos comparáveis e para cada um deles foram gerados gráficos forest-plot; ademais, foi construída uma tabela com informações extraídas de cada estudo. A população dos 8 estudos incluídos foi de 765 pacientes, foram extraídos dados sobre o tipo de cepa utilizada, duração da intervenção, ano e local do estudo, número de participantes e suas características. Os desfechos comparáveis foram: diarreia (OR= 0,40; IC(95%)= 0,26 - 0,62), distensão abdominal (OR= 0,47; IC(95%)= 0,28 - 0,78), duração da febre (SMD= -0,48, IC(95%)= -0,68; -0,28), pneumonia (OR= 0,37; IC(95%)= 0,19 - 0,70), infecção do sítio cirúrgico (OR= 0,48; IC(95%)= 0,26 - 0,92) e infecção do trato urinário (OR= 0,28; IC(95%)= 0,14 - 0,59). Pacientes que receberam probióticos tiveram menor frequência eventos diarreicos, distensão abdominal, pneumonia, infecção do sítio cirúrgico e do trato urinário, e menor duração da febre, quando comparados ao grupo controle. O risco de viés dos estudos incluídos foi baixo e não foi identificado viés de publicação, a principal limitação encontrada foi o baixo número de estudos clínicos realizados abordando o tema. Conclui-se, portanto, que o uso de probióticos por pacientes com câncer colorretal apresentou benefícios clínicos em todos os desfechos avaliados

The many faces of fungal disease of the paranasal sinuses: CT and MRI findings

The prevalence of fungal rhinosinusitis has increased worldwide over the last two decades. Fungal rhinosinusitis includes a wide variety of infections, from relatively innocent to rapidly fatal processes. Fungal infection may be one of the most challenging forms of sinonasal pathology to manage, especially the invasive forms, which have high mortality rates. Therefore, it is essential to correctly diagnose and classify fungal disease of paranasal sinuses in order to accurately predict prognosis and implement effective therapy. This essay describes the different manifestations of fungal sinusitis on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging to optimize differentiation, and includes correlation with the pathologic classifications

Uroflowmetry in a Large Population of Brazilian Men Submitted to a health check up program and its correlation with ipss and prostate size

Purpose: the aim of this study was to assess the uroflowmetry data in a large population of asymptomatic Brazilian men submitted to a health check up program and their correlation to IPSS and prostate size.Materials and Methods: Asymptomatic men underwent a health check-up program between January and December 2012. the inclusion criteria were men between 40 and 70 years, IPSS <= 7, without bladder, prostate, urethral surgery, neurological diseases, urinary tract infection, PSA < 4.0 ng/dL and urinary volume higher than 150 mL. Urological assessment consisted of clinical history, IPSS, digital rectal examination (DRE), prostate specific antigen (PSA), urinalysis, ultrasonography and uroflowmetry.Results: A total of 1041 asymptomatic men were included in this study. the average age was 49 years and average maximum flow rate was 17.4 mL/s. in spite of IPSS and prostate size increase with aging, they had a weak correlation with Q(max) cutoffs (10 mL/s and 15 mL/s). A total of 85 men (8.3%) had more than 60 years, and even in this group, Q(max) was higher than 15 mL/s. Out of 1041 men, 117 had IPSS less than 8 and Q(max) less than 10 mL/s.Conclusions: in asymptomatic men there is a weak correlation between IPSS, prostate size and uroflowmetric data. the establishment of different normal cutoffs seems to be complicated and uroflowmetry data should be interpreted with caution in order to avoid misdiagnosis.Hosp Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilWake Forest Univ, Winston Salem, NC 27109 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Pancreatic endosonographic findings and clinical correlation in Crohn’s disease

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the incidence of pancreatic alterations in Crohn’s disease using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and to correlate the number of alterations with current clinical data. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with Crohn’s disease (n=51) were examined using EUS, and 11 variables were analyzed. A control group consisted of patients with no history of pancreatic disease or Crohn’s disease. Patients presenting with three or more alterations underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Pancreatic function was determined using a fecal elastase assay. RESULTS: Two of the 51 patients (3.9%) presented with four EUS alterations, 3 (5.9%) presented with three, 11 (21.5%) presented with two, and 13 (25.5%) presented with one; in the control group, only 16% presented with one EUS alteration (p&lt;0.001). Parenchymal abnormalities accounted for 39 of the EUS findings, and ductal abnormalities accounted for 11. Pancreatic lesions were not detected by MRI. Low fecal elastase levels were observed in 4 patients, none of whom presented with significant pancreatic alterations after undergoing EUS. Ileal involvement was predictive of the number of EUS alterations. CONCLUSION: A higher incidence of pancreatic abnormalities was found in patients with Crohn’s disease than in individuals in the control group. The majority of these abnormalities are related to parenchymal alterations. In this group of patients, future studies should be conducted to determine whether such morphological abnormalities could evolve to induce exocrine or endocrine pancreatic insufficiency and, if so, identify the risk factors and determine which patients should undergo EUS

Produção e morfologia do capim de Rhodes em seis maturidades

The grass cutting time interval affects pasture yield and morfology in terms of leaf, steam and dead material percentages. The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield, flowering time, height, structure (leaf, stem and dead material percentages) and leaf: stem ratio of a Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth.) pasture for several cutting ages. The experiment was conducted using a pasture of Piracicaba, Brazil. The experimental design consisted of completely randomized blocks, replicated four times. Treatments consisted of six cutting ages (20 to 70 days) each ten days. Increasing in yield, height, flowering, stem and dead material percentages were observed during the experimental period. Leaf percentage and leaf:stem ratio decreased during de experimental period. The cutting age affects Rhodes grass parts and yield and the optimal interval for cutting is 30 to 40 days.O manejo adotado para as gramíneas forrageiras afeta sua morfologia, traduzida em porcentagem de folhas, hastes e material morto assim como sua produção de matéria seca. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a produção e a estrutura morfológica (porcentagem de folhas, hastes, material morto) e a relação folha:haste do capim de Rhodes (Chloris gayana Kunth.) durante seu crescimento. O experimento foi desenvolvido em uma pastagem, na cidade de Piracicaba e o delineamento experimental foi de blocos completos casualizados (quatro blocos), com seis cortes (tratamentos) a cada 10 dias, sendo o primeiro 20 dias após o corte de rebaixamento. Foram observados aumento da produção de matéria seca com o decorrer do período experimental, aumentos na altura do capim do número de inflorescências da porcentagem de hastes e de material morto. A porcentagem de folhas e a relação folha:haste diminuiu com o decorrer do período experimental. O aumento no intervalo de cortes altera a morfologia do capim de Rhodes, assim como sua produção e baseando-se nisto, o melhor intervalo para cortes situa-se entre 30 e 40 de crescimento, considerando produção e porcentagem de folhas