Лучевая диагностика артериомезентериальной компрессии двенадцатиперстной кишки

In the following study, we presented and conducted a structural analysis of the clinical manifestations of aortomesenteric conflict (or superior mesenteric artery syndrome, SMA syndrome) in 71 patients aged 14 days through 65 years. We aimed to assess the evolution of the symptoms in time and its connection to other abdominal pathology. The selection criteria for this study included MSCT signs of aortomesenteric conflict and following a deep analysis of the patient’s case history. Patients presented with exocrine pancreatic insuffciency and gastric outlet obstruction were excluded unless MSCT showed signs of aortomesenteric conflict, because, in most cases, these symptoms were reflexive. All patients were fasting and imaging studies were conducted using the standard multiphase protocol for contrast-enhanced CT using iodine-based non-ionic contrast media.Артериомезентериальная компрессия является одной из причин хронической дуоденальной непроходимости нижне-горизонтальной части двенадцатиперстной кишки, возникающей в результате сдавления двенадцатиперстной кишки между верхней брыжеечной артерией и аортой. Впервые в 1861 году барон Von Rokitansky заметил, что верхние брыжеечные сосуды могут сдавливать и перекрывать двенадцатиперстную кишку над поясничным отделом позвоночника. Впоследствии, в 1927 году, Wilkie опубликовал первым исследования из 75 пациентов. Таким образом, SMAS также известен как синдром Wilkie, артериомезентериальная дуоденальная компрессия, хроническая двенадцатиперстная кишка

Progressive retinal degeneration and glial activation in the Cln6nclf mouse model of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis : a beneficial effect of DHA and Curcumin supplementation

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is a group of neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders characterized by vision loss, mental and motor deficits, and spontaneous seizures. Neuropathological analyses of autopsy material from NCL patients and animal models revealed brain atrophy closely associated with glial activity. Earlier reports also noticed loss of retinal cells and reactive gliosis in some forms of NCL. To study this phenomenon in detail, we analyzed the ocular phenotype of CLN6nclf mice, an established mouse model for variant-late infantile NCL. Retinal morphometry, immunohistochemistry, optokinetic tracking, electroretinography, and mRNA expression were used to characterize retinal morphology and function as well as the responses of Müller cells and microglia. Our histological data showed a severe and progressive degeneration in the CLN6nclf retina co-inciding with reactive Müller glia. Furthermore, a prominent phenotypic transformation of ramified microglia to phagocytic, bloated, and mislocalized microglial cells was identified in CLN6nclf retinas. These events overlapped with a rapid loss of visual perception and retinal function. Based on the strong microglia reactivity we hypothesized that dietary supplementation with immuno-regulatory compounds, curcumin and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), could ameliorate microgliosis and reduce retinal degeneration. Our analyses showed that treatment of three-week-old CLN6nclf mice with either 5% DHA or 0.6% curcumin for 30 weeks resulted in a reduced number of amoeboid reactive microglia and partially improved retinal function. DHA-treatment also improved the morphology of CLN6nclf retinas with a preserved thickness of the photoreceptor layer in most regions of the retina. Our results suggest that microglial reactivity closely accompanies disease progression in the CLN6nclf retina and both processes can be attenuated with dietary supplemented immuno-modulating compounds

Integrated life cycle assessment and thermodynamic simulation of a public building's envelope renovation : Conventional vs. Passivhaus proposal

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552The need to improve the energy efficiency of buildings has introduced the concept of nearly zero-energy buildings into European energy policies. Moreover, a percentage of the building stock will have to be renovated annually to attain high energy performance. Conventional passive interventions in buildings are focused on increasing the insulation of the building envelope to increase its energy efficiency during the operating phase. Often, however, intervention practices imply the incorporation of embodied energy into the building materials and increase the associated environmental impacts.This paper presents and evaluates a comparison of two different proposals for a real-world building renovation. The first proposal was a conventional project for energy renovation, while the second was a low-energy building proposal (following the Passivhaus standard). This study analysed the proposals using an integrated life cycle and thermal dynamic simulation assessment to identify the adequacy of each renovation alternative regarding the post-renovation energy performance of the building, including an evaluation of the introduction of a renewable insulation material into the low-energy building proposal, specifically a specific cork solution. The most significant conclusion was the convenience of the renovation, achieving energy savings of 60% and 80% for the conventional and Passivhaus renovations (ENERPHIT), respectively. The former supposed less embodied energy and environmental impacts but also generated less energy savings. The latter increased the embodied impacts in the building, mainly for the large amount of insulation material. The environmental implications of both proposals can be compensated for within a reasonable period of time, over 2 years in the majority of alternatives and impact categories. However, the ENERPHIT project was 30% better than the conventional proposal when the total lifespan of the building was considered. The introduction of cork did not fit the requirements for competing with the common non-renewable insulation materials because it did not imply better environmental performance in buildings, but cork insulation solutions currently present ample room for improvement

Adsorption of methylene blue from aqueous solution using untreated and treated (Metroxylon spp.) waste adsorbent: equilibrium and kinetics studies

Background (Metroxylon spp.) waste is an inexpensive and abundantly available material with the characteristics of a good adsorbent for treating dye from wastewater. We studied the effectiveness of alkali and acid modification in enhancing the adsorption capacity of sago waste. The untreated and treated adsorbent was characterized by FTIR, elemental analysis and BET surface area. The capacity of each adsorbent to adsorb MB was evaluated at different pH values, adsorbent dosage and initial dye concentrations and contact time. Results According to the results obtained, alkali treatment more than doubled the sorption capacity of sago waste by increasing the porosity, surface area and number of adsorption sites. The alkali-treated material also adsorbed significantly more than many known biosorbents. The effects of the initial concentration of methylene blue, solution pH and adsorbent dosage on methylene blue removal are reported. Equilibrium data were best represented by the Langmuir isothermmodel with adsorption capacities of 83.5, 212.8 and 36.82 mg/g for untreated, potassium hydroxide-treated and phosphoric acid-treated sago wastes, respectively. The kinetics of adsorption were best described by a pseudo-second-order model (R2 = 0.999). Conclusions The alkali treatment of sago waste demonstrates the use of a low-cost agricultural waste and a simpl

Prevalence of Muscle Dysmorphia and Associated Health Activities in Male Medical Students in Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) is a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and is currently classified under anxiety disorders (subheading: Obsessive-compulsive disorder) in DSM 5. MD is hypothesized to affect the self-esteem and social outlook of the younger generation. MD shows a higher rate in males and may influence their self-confidence rendering them more prone towards using steroids, supplementary proteins and other drugs to alter their physical outlooks as shown in previous studies. This problem has been on the rise lately due to revolutionary advancement in the media and film industry and the abrupt changes about the standards of physical good looks and body shapes. With the lack of studies done in our population, our study will be helpful to consider the prevalence of the disease in our setting and increase awareness in the general public and clinicians. We hope to help clinicians/ therapists find better options in managing the disease. Materials: We performed a cross-sectional study with a sample size of 246 medical school students in Karachi to collect data through self-administered questionnaires. We used the DSM 5 criteria for the diagnosis of BDD and additional questions on the presence of MD. Nutritional habits, exercise routines, use of supplements and drugs were also obtained for exploratory analysis. Results: Our study predicted the prevalence of MD to be 25%. Other main findings included statistical significant associations between MD and the thoughts and practice of steroid use for muscularity. Conclusion: MD is an underdiagnosed and often unrecognized disease that we believe has significant consequences for the young male population. Further work is needed on this in our part of the world. Our research, we believe, can be a stepping stone for further studies that would incorporate wider populations

Thermodynamic Geometry of black hole in the deformed Horava-Lifshitz gravity

We investigate the thermodynamic geometry and phase transition of Kehagias-Sfetsos black hole in the deformed Horava-Lifshitz gravity with coupling constant $\lambda=1$. The phase transition in black hole thermodynamics is thought to be associated with the divergence of the capacities. And the structures of these divergent points are studied. We also find that the thermodynamic curvature produced by the Ruppeiner metric is positive definite for all $r_+ > r_-$ and is divergence at $\eta_2=0$ corresponded to the divergent points of $C_{\Phi}$ and $C_T$. These results suggest that the microstructure of the black hole has an effective repulsive interaction, which is very similar to the ideal gas of fermions. These may shine some light on the microstructure of the black hole.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Mass spectrometry based metabolomics comparison of liver grafts from donors after circulatory death (DCD) and donors after brain death (DBD) used in human orthotopic liver transplantation

Use of marginal liver grafts, especially those from donors after circulatory death (DCD), has been considered as a solution to organ shortage. Inferior outcomes have been attributed to donor warm ischaemic damage in these DCD organs. Here we sought to profile the metabolic mechanisms underpinning donor warm ischaemia. Non-targeted Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry metabolomics was applied to biopsies of liver grafts from donors after brain death (DBD; n = 27) and DCD (n = 10), both during static cold storage (T1) as well as post-reperfusion (T2). Furthermore 6 biopsies from DBD donors prior to the organ donation (T0) were also profiled. Considering DBD and DCD together, significant metabolic differences were discovered between T1 and T2 (688 peaks) that were primarily related to amino acid metabolism, meanwhile T0 biopsies grouped together with T2, denoting the distinctively different metabolic activity of the perfused state. Major metabolic differences were discovered between DCD and DBD during cold-phase (T1) primarily related to glucose, tryptophan and kynurenine metabolism, and in the post-reperfusion phase (T2) related to amino acid and glutathione metabolism. We propose tryptophan/kynurenine and S-adenosylmethionine as possible biomarkers for the previously established higher graft failure of DCD livers, and conclude that the associated pathways should be targeted in more exhaustive and quantitative investigations

Thermodynamic curvature and black holes

I give a relatively broad survey of thermodynamic curvature $R$, one spanning results in fluids and solids, spin systems, and black hole thermodynamics. $R$ results from the thermodynamic information metric giving thermodynamic fluctuations. $R$ has a unique status in thermodynamics as being a geometric invariant, the same for any given thermodynamic state. In fluid and solid systems, the sign of $R$ indicates the character of microscopic interactions, repulsive or attractive. $|R|$ gives the average size of organized mesoscopic fluctuating structures. The broad generality of thermodynamic principles might lead one to believe the same for black hole thermodynamics. This paper explores this issue with a systematic tabulation of results in a number of cases.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures, 7 tables, 78 references. Talk presented at the conference Breaking of Supersymmetry and Ultraviolet Divergences in extended Supergravity, in Frascati, Italy, March 27, 2013. v2 corrects some small problem