Non-Extremal D-instantons and the AdS/CFT Correspondence

We investigate non-extremal D-instantons in an asymptotically $AdS_5 \times S^5$ background and the role they play in the $AdS_5 / CFT_4$ correspondence. We find that the holographic dual operators of non-extremal D-instanton configurations do not correspond to self-dual Yang-Mills instantons, and we compute explicitly the deviation from self-duality. Furthermore, a class of non-extremal D-instantons yield Euclidean axionic wormhole solutions with two asymptotic boundaries. After Wick rotating, this provides a playground for investigating holography in the presence of cosmological singularities in a closed universe.Comment: 30 pages, 3 figure

Wormholes in AdS

We construct a few Euclidean supergravity solutions with multiple boundaries. We consider examples where the corresponding boundary field theory is well defined on each boundary. We point out that these configurations are puzzling from the AdS/CFT point of view. A proper understanding of the AdS/CFT dictionary for these cases might yield some information about the physics of closed universes.Comment: 38 pages, 2 figures, harvmac. v2: minor typos corrected and references adde

Does immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy influence the outcome of patients with non-endocrine responsive breast cancer?

Background/Aim: In breast cancer (BC) patients, breast surgery followed by immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) might favour recurrences and metastases due to extensive surgical manipulation. We retrospectively investigated whether IBR after mastectomy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NT) influenced the outcome in patients with early and locally advanced oestrogen receptor (ER)-negative BC. Patients and Methods: Between 1995 and 2006, 133 BC patients received NT followed by total mastectomy, 59 of whom underwent IBR. Patients receiving IBR (IBR group) were compared to patients who did not receive IBR (no-IBR group) over a prolonged median follow-up time (8.2 years). Results: Patients receiving IBR were on average younger than patients not receiving IBR (p<0.00I). The percentage of patients with positive clinical nodal status (cN) was 19% in the IBR group and 7% in no-IBR group (p=0.036), whereas patients without 1BR were more frequently diagnosed as clinical T4 (59% vs. 15%, p<0.001). The 5-year cumulative incidence of locoregional recurrences were 14% in the no-IBR group and 21% in the IBR group. The hazard of locoregional events, adjusted for age, clinical T and cN, was significantly greater in the IBR group than in the no-IBR group (hazard ratio (HR)=2.77, p=0.045). The 5-year cumulative incidences of distant metastases were similar in the two groups (p=0.414). Conclusion: IBR following total mastectomy in patients with ER-negative disease after NT is associated with a worse rate of local relapses. More insight in mechanisms of wound healing and extent of surgery is required to further investigate this observation

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Is It Ovarian Torsion? A Systematic Literature Review and Evaluation of Prediction Signs.

This study aimed to identify, through systematic literature review, the most reliable clinical, biological, and radiological signs of ovarian torsion in the pediatric population and to compare their diagnostic value. This is a systematic review of the literature, searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Databases for articles published between January 1990 and January 2014. From the 946 references initially identified, 14 retrospective publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria, involving a total of 663 episodes of ovarian torsion. Sudden onset abdominal pain with nausea and/or vomiting is the most frequent symptom of ovarian torsion. It can occur at any age, not only in menarchal or perimenarchal patients. Abdominal tenderness is present in 88.4% of patients, whereas only 24% have a palpable mass. Blood tests are commonly requested (51.4% of cases) but are not diagnostic. Abnormalities on plain abdominal radiograph include masses, calcifications, and ossified images. Ultrasound has a sensitivity for ovarian torsion of 79% and computerized tomographic scan of 42.2%. There is a significant diagnostic delay at 101.8 hours (median). Abdominal pain in children and adolescents is difficult to evaluate, and the diagnosis of ovarian torsion remains a challenge. Because of its potential complications, we need effective clinical tools. From our review of the literature, it was not possible to develop a diagnostic algorithm. Further research is needed to improve our practice and shorten the delay to diagnosis. Considering the low incidence of ovarian torsion, a multicenter prospective study would be required

Modélisation en protection des cultures

La cercosporiose des agrumes provoquée par #Phaeoramularia angolensis$ (de Carvalho & O. Mendes) P.M. Kirk, occasionne de sérieux dégâts sur feuilles et fruits au Cameroun. Une étude de l'évolution de la maladie en champ a été réalisée à Nkolbisson (zone forestière humide) entre octobre 1989 et octobre 1991. L'observation de sept séries de fruits à différentes saisons a permis de constater que : les chutes de fruits malades sont précoces et nombreuses en seconde campagne (floraison de septembre à décembre), mais plus tardives et peu nombreuses en première campagne (mars-juin); les proportions de fruits tachés sont élevées même sur variétés réputées peu sensibles à la cercosporiose pendant toutes les campagnes (81 % sur Satsuma St Jean, 61 % sur citronnier Eureka dans la floraison de mars 1991); les fruits demeurent sensibles durant tout leur développement, c'est ce que traduit l'augmentation continue du nombre moyen de lésions par fruit ainsi que des proportions de fruits tachés; l'accroissement du diamètre moyen des fruits est faible en seconde campagne (septembre - décembre) suite aux attaques précoces et intenses; une fructification déclenchée par des arrosages en saison sèche (février 1990) n'a été attaquée que tardivement après le retour des pluies. Les résultats sont présentés pour 3 séries de fruits sur 7 (une de première, une de deuxième campagne ainsi que celle correspondant à la floraison décalée). (Résumé d'auteur

Flood warning systems and ubiquitous computing

10.1051/lhb/2012034Houille Blanche611-1