Algebraic-geometrical formulation of two-dimensional quantum gravity

We find a volume form on moduli space of double punctured Riemann surfaces whose integral satisfies the Painlev\'e I recursion relations of the genus expansion of the specific heat of 2D gravity. This allows us to express the asymptotic expansion of the specific heat as an integral on an infinite dimensional moduli space in the spirit of Friedan-Shenker approach. We outline a conjectural derivation of such recursion relations using the Duistermaat-Heckman theorem.Comment: 10 pages, Latex fil

Effects of robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy on surgical pathology specimens

Background Robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) has greatly changed clinical management of prostate cancer. It is important for pathologists and urologists to compare RALP with conventional open radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP), and evaluate their effects on surgical pathology specimens. Methods We retrospectively reviewed and statistically analyzed 262 consecutive RALP (n = 182) and RRP (n = 80) procedures performed in our institution from 2007 to 2010. From these, 49 RALP and 33 RRP cases were randomly selected for additional microscopic examination to analyze the degree of capsular incision and the amount of residual prostate surface adipose tissue. Results Positive surgical margins were present in 28.6% RALP and 57.5% RRP cases, a statistically significant difference. In patients with stage T2c tumors, which represent 61.2% RALP and 63.8% RRP patients, the positive surgical margin rate was 24.1% in the RALP group and 58.8% in the RRP group (statistically significant difference). For other pathologic stages, the differences in positive margins between RALP and RRP groups were not statistically significant. The incidence of positive surgical margins after RALP was related to higher tumor stage, higher Gleason score, higher tumor volume and lower prostate weight, but was not related to the surgeons performing the procedure. When compared with RRP, RALP also caused less severe prostatic capsular incision and maintained larger amounts of residual surface adipose tissue in prostatectomy specimens. Conclusions In this study RALP showed a statistically significant lower positive surgical margin rate than RRP. Analysis of capsular incision and amount of prostatic surface residual adipose tissue suggested that RALP caused less prostatic capsular damage than RRP

Fully Immunocompetent CD8+ T Lymphocytes Are Present in Autologous Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients Despite an Ineffectual T-Helper Response

BACKGROUND: Reduced CD4 T lymphocytes counts can be observed in HIV infection and in patients undergoing autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Nevertheless, whereas opportunistic infections (OI) are frequent in HIV-infected individuals with low cell counts, OI are uncommon in ASCT patients. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To verify whether this observation could be secondary to intrinsic HIV-correlated T cell defects, we performed in-depth immunologic analyses in 10 patients with comparable CD4 counts in whom lymphopenia was secondary either to HIV-infection or ASCT-associated immunosuppressive therapy and compared them to age-matched healthy subjects. Results showed the presence of profound alterations in CD4+ T lymphocytes in both groups of patients with respect to healthy controls. Thus, a low percentage of CCR7+ CD4+ T cells and a compensative expansion of CD45RA-CCR7- CD4+ T cells, a reduced IL-2/IFN-gamma cytokine production and impaired recall antigens-specific proliferative responses were detected both in ASCT and HIV patients. In stark contrast, profound differences were detected in CD8+ T-cells between the two groups of patients. Thus, mature CD8+ T cell prevailed in ASCT patients in whom significantly lower CD45RA-CCR7- cells, higher CD45RA+CCR7- CD8+ cells, and an expansion of CCR7+CD8+ cells was detected; this resulted in higher IFN-gamma +/TNFalpha production and granzyme CD8+ expression. The presence of strong CD8 T cells mediated immune responses justifies the more favorable clinical outcome of ASCT compared to HIV patients. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These results indicate that CD8 T cells maturation and functions can be observed even in the face of a profound impairment of CD4+ T lymphocytes in ASCT but not in HIV patients. Primary HIV-associated CD8 defects or an imprinting by an intact CD4 T cell system in ASCT could justify these results

Investigación de lateralidad en recién nacidos prematuros

O estudo objetivou investigar a existência de coordenação mão-boca e preferência manual em recém-nascidos (RNs) prematuros a partir da estimulação gustativa, comparando a lateralidade dos bebês e seus genitores. Trata-se de estudo experimental e analítico, com procedimento duplo-cego. Participaram 90 RNs prematuros de uma maternidade pública de Sergipe. O teste durou 15 minutos, dividido em 3 períodos de 5 minutos. Nos primeiros 5 minutos, linha de base inicial - LB1, nenhum estímulo foi aplicado. No segundo momento, houve estimulação gustativa com sacarose para análise (PA) a 12% ou água, em 5 doses de 0,2 mL a cada minuto; e no último período, linha de base final - LB2, houve observação do recém-nascido sem aplicação de estímulo, durante 5 minutos. Foi realizado registro da frequência e duração dos comportamentos das mãos direita (MBD) e/ou esquerda (MBE) na região oral e sucção das mãos direita (SMD) e/ou esquerda (SME) dos RNs durante os estados comportamentais (sono profundo, sono leve, sonolento, alerta, agitado/irritado e choro) apresentados por estes. Os dados foram executados no software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Como resultado encontrou-se correlação forte de MBD e SMD na LB2, independente do estímulo recebido, evidenciando que a estimulação aumentou a correlação dos comportamentos do lado direito do corpo. Sugere-se realização de novas pesquisas sobre lateralidade, contemplando maior número de pais sinistros na amostra. _________________________________________________________________________________________ RESUMEN: El objetivo del estudio fue investigar la existencia de coordinación mano-boca y la preferencia manual en recién nacidos prematuros a partir de la estimulación gustativa, comparando la lateralidad de los bebes y sus progenitores. Se trata de un estudio experimental y analítico, con procedimiento doble ciego. Participaron 90 recién nacidos prematuros de una maternidad pública de Sergipe. El test duró 15 minutos, dividido en tres períodos de cinco minutos. En los primeros cinco minutos, línea de base inicial - LB1, ningún estímulo fue aplicado. En un segundo momento, existió estimulación gustativa con sacarosa PA a 12% o agua, en cinco dosis de 0,2 mL a cada minuto, y en el último período, línea de base final - LB2, existió observación del recién nacido sin aplicación de estímulo, durante cinco minutos. Fue realizado registro de la frecuencia y duración de los comportamientos en la mano derecha (MBD) y/o mano izquierda (MBI) en la región oral y succión de la mano derecha (SMD) y/o izquierda (SMI) de los recién nacidos durante los estados comportamentales (sueño profundo, sueño leve, somnoliento, alerta, agitado/irritado y llanto) presentados por estos. Los datos fueron analizados en el software Stastistical Package for the Social Sciences. Como resultado se encontró correlación fuerte de MBD y SMD en la LB2, independiente del estímulo recibido, evidenciando que la estimulación aumentó la correlación de los comportamientos del lado derecho del cuerpo. Se sugiere realización de nuevas investigaciones sobre lateralidad, contemplando mayor número de padres zurdos en la muestra

Fluvastatin synergistically enhances the antiproliferative effect of gemcitabine in human pancreatic cancer MIAPaCa-2 cells

The new combination between the nucleoside analogue gemcitabine and the cholesterol-lowering drug fluvastatin was investigated in vitro and in vivo on the human pancreatic tumour cell line MIAPaCa-2. The present study demonstrates that fluvastatin inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells harbouring a p21ras mutation at codon 12 and synergistically potentiates the cytotoxic effect of gemcitabine. The pharmacologic activities of fluvastatin are prevented by administration of mevalonic acid, suggesting that the shown inhibition of geranyl-geranylation and farnesylation of cellular proteins, including p21rhoA and p21ras, plays a major role in its anticancer effect. Fluvastatin treatment also indirectly inhibits the phosphorylation of p42ERK2/mitogen-activated protein kinase, the cellular effector of ras and other signal transduction peptides. Moreover, fluvastatin administration significantly increases the expression of the deoxycytidine kinase, the enzyme required for the activation of gemcitabine, and simultaneously reduces the 5′-nucleotidase, responsible for deactivation of gemcitabine, suggesting a possible additional role of these enzymes in the enhanced cytotoxic activity of gemcitabine. Finally, a significant in vivo antitumour effect on MIAPaCa-2 xenografts was observed with the simultaneous combination of fluvastatin and gemcitabine, resulting in an almost complete suppression and a marked delay in relapse of tumour growth. In conclusion, the combination of fluvastatin and gemcitabine is an effective cytotoxic, proapoptotic treatment in vitro and in vivo against MIAPaCa-2 cells by a mechanism of action mediated, at least in part, by the inhibition of p21ras and rhoA prenylation. The obtained experimental findings might constitute the basis for a novel translational research in humans

Supportive and symptomatic management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The main aims in the care of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are to minimize morbidity and maximize quality of life. Although no cure exists for ALS, supportive and symptomatic care provided by a specialist multidisciplinary team can improve survival. The basis for supportive management is shifting from expert consensus guidelines towards an evidence-based approach, which encourages the use of effective treatments and could reduce the risk of harm caused by ineffective or unsafe interventions. For example, respiratory support using noninvasive ventilation has been demonstrated to improve survival and quality of life, whereas evidence supporting other respiratory interventions is insufficient. Increasing evidence implicates a causal role for metabolic dysfunction in ALS, suggesting that optimizing nutrition could improve quality of life and survival. The high incidence of cognitive dysfunction and its impact on prognosis is increasingly recognized, although evidence for effective treatments is lacking. A variety of strategies are used to manage the other physical and psychological symptoms, the majority of which have yet to be thoroughly evaluated. The need for specialist palliative care throughout the disease is increasingly recognized. This Review describes the current approaches to symptomatic and supportive care in ALS and outlines the current guidance and evidence for these strategies

W mass and Leptonic Z-decays in the NMSSM

We study a subset of electroweak-precision observables consisting of $M_W$, $\sin^2\theta_{{\tiny eff}}^{\tau}$, $BR(Z\to\tau^+\tau^-)$ and $\Gamma(Z\to\tau^+\tau^-)/\Gamma(Z\to e^+e^-)-1$ (characterizing leptonic $Z$-decays) in the context of the NMSSM. After a brief review of common MSSM-NMSSM effects, e.g. for $\Gamma(Z\to\tau^+\tau^-)/\Gamma(Z\to e^+e^-)-1$, which has been little discussed, even in the MSSM), specific NMSSM scenarios are studied, with the result that the NMSSM, considering existing constraints on its spectrum, is essentially consistent with available measurements, given the current accuracy.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figure