Orientational order in dipolar fluids consisting of nonspherical hard particles

We investigate fluids of dipolar hard particles by a certain variant of density-functional theory. The proper treatment of the long range of the dipolar interactions yields a contribution to the free energy which favors ferromagnetic order. This corrects previous theoretical analyses. We determine phase diagrams for dipolar ellipsoids and spherocylinders as a function of the aspect ratio of the particles and their dipole moment. In the nonpolar limit the results for the phase boundary between the isotropic and nematic phase agree well with simulation data. Adding a longitudinal dipole moment favors the nematic phase. For oblate or slightly elongated particles we find a ferromagnetic liquid phase, which has also been detected in computer simulations of fluids consisting of spherical dipolar particles. The detailed structure of the phase diagram and its evolution upon changing the aspect ratio are discussed in detail.Comment: 35 pages LaTeX with epsf style, 11 figures in eps format, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Comprehensive lung injury pathology induced by mTOR inhibitors

Molecular Targets in Oncology[Abstract] Interstitial lung disease is a rare side effect of temsirolimus treatment in renal cancer patients. Pulmonary fibrosis is characterised by the accumulation of extracellular matrix collagen, fibroblast proliferation and migration, and loss of alveolar gas exchange units. Previous studies of pulmonary fibrosis have mainly focused on the fibro-proliferative process in the lungs. However, the molecular mechanism by which sirolimus promotes lung fibrosis remains elusive. Here, we propose an overall cascade hypothesis of interstitial lung diseases that represents a common, partly underlying synergism among them as well as the lung pathogenesis side effects of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors

Detecção molecular e análise filogenética de vírus respiratório sincicial bovino (BRSV) em swabs e tecido pulmonar de bovinos adultos

O vírus respiratório sincicial bovino (BRSV) é um dos agentes etiológicos de pneumonias em bovinos jovens. Poucos estudos foram realizados visando à detecção do agente em amostras coletadas de animais adultos, e em especial de bovinos assintomáticos. No entanto, presume-se que as infecções ocorridas nestes grupos possam ocorrer em sua maioria de forma assintomática e este seria um mecanismo importante para manutenção do BRSV nos rebanhos. No presente estudo, o objetivo foi realizar uma análise da prevalência de infecções assintomáticas pelo BRSV em pulmões (n=68) e swabs nasais (209) coletados de bovinos adultos coletadas em frigoríficos da região Sul e Sudeste respectivamente, no sentido de detectar por intermédio de reação da polimerase em cadeia qual a taxa de animais infectados em populações de animais adultos onde não ocorram sinais clínicos da infecção. As amostras positivas à RT-PCR (6) foram posteriormente submetidas ao corte com enzimas de restrição (REA) e sequenciamento para caracterização genética do gene F (2 das amostras). Todas as amostras se enquadram no subgrupo B de BRSV, o grupo circulante no Brasil conforme estudos anteriores. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que o BRSV pode estar presente em amostras obtidas de animais sadios, reforçando a hipótese de que infecções subclínicas fazem parte do mecanismo de manutenção do vírus nos rebanhos

The DZHK research platform: maximisation of scientific value by enabling access to health data and biological samples collected in cardiovascular clinical studies

The German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) is one of the German Centres for Health Research and aims to conduct early and guideline-relevant studies to develop new therapies and diagnostics that impact the lives of people with cardiovascular disease. Therefore, DZHK members designed a collaboratively organised and integrated research platform connecting all sites and partners. The overarching objectives of the research platform are the standardisation of prospective data and biological sample collections among all studies and the development of a sustainable centrally standardised storage in compliance with general legal regulations and the FAIR principles. The main elements of the DZHK infrastructure are web-based and central units for data management, LIMS, IDMS, and transfer office, embedded in a framework consisting of the DZHK Use and Access Policy, and the Ethics and Data Protection Concept. This framework is characterised by a modular design allowing a high standardisation across all studies. For studies that require even tighter criteria additional quality levels are defined. In addition, the Public Open Data strategy is an important focus of DZHK. The DZHK operates as one legal entity holding all rights of data and biological sample usage, according to the DZHK Use and Access Policy. All DZHK studies collect a basic set of data and biosamples, accompanied by specific clinical and imaging data and biobanking. The DZHK infrastructure was constructed by scientists with the focus on the needs of scientists conducting clinical studies. Through this, the DZHK enables the interdisciplinary and multiple use of data and biological samples by scientists inside and outside the DZHK. So far, 27 DZHK studies recruited well over 11,200 participants suffering from major cardiovascular disorders such as myocardial infarction or heart failure. Currently, data and samples of five DZHK studies of the DZHK Heart Bank can be applied for