Sesame-Style Decomposition of KS-DFT Molecular Dynamics for Direct Interrogation of Nuclear Models

A common paradigm used in the construction of equations of state is to decompose the thermodynamics into a superposition of three terms: a static-lattice cold curve, a contribution from the thermal motion of the nuclei, and a contribution from the thermal excitation of the electrons. While statistical mechanical models for crystals provide tractable framework for the nuclear contribution in the solid phase, much less is understood about the nuclear contribution above the melt temperature ($C_v^{(\text{nuc})}\approx 3R$) and how it should transition to the high-temperature limit ($C_v^{(\text{nuc})} \sim \frac{3}{2}R$). In this work, we describe an algorithm for extracting both the thermal nuclear and thermal electronic contributions from quantum molecular dynamics (QMD). We then use the VASP QMD package to probe thermal nuclear behavior of liquid aluminum at normal density to compare the results to semi-empirical models -- the Johnson generic model, the Chisolm high-temperature liquid model, and the CRIS model.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, APS Shock Compression of Condensed Matter Conference Proceedings 201

Stapling and Section of the Nasogastric Tube during Sleeve Gastrectomy: How to Prevent and Recover?

Bariatric surgery has become an integral part of morbid obesity treatment with well-defined indications. Some complications, specific or not, due to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) procedure have recently been described. We report a rare complication unpublished to date: a nasogastric section during great gastric curve stapling. A 44-year-old woman suffered of severe obesity (BMI 36.6 kg/m2) with failure of medical treatments for years. According to already published technique, a LSG was performed. Six hours postoperatively, a nurse removed the nasogastric tube according to the local protocol and the nasogastric tube was abnormally short, with staples at its extremity. Surgery was performed with peroperative endoscopy. In conclusion, this is the first publication of a nasogastric section during LSG. Therefore we report this case and propose a solution to prevent its occurrence. To avoid this kind of accident, we now systematically insert the nasogastric tube by mouth through a Guedel cannula. Then, to insert the calibrating bougie, we entirely withdraw the nasogastric tube

Early Life Programming of Abdominal Adiposity in Adolescents: The HELENA Study

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between birth weight and abdominal adiposity in adolescents. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 284 adolescents (49.3% of whom were female) aged 14.9 +/- 1.2 years were included in the study. Birth weight and gestational age were obtained from parental records. Abdominal adiposity (in three regions: R1, R2, and R3) and trunk and total body fat mass were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Regional fat mass indexes (FMIs) were thereafter calculated as fat mass divided by the square of height (Trunk FMI and abdominal FMI R1, R2, and R3). RESULTS: Birth weight was negatively associated with abdominal FMI R1, R2, and R3 independently of total fat mass, gestational age, sex, breast-feeding duration, pubertal stage, physical activity, and socioeconomic status (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows an inverse association between birth weight and abdominal adiposity in adolescents independently of total fat mass and other potential confounders. These findings suggest that fetal nutrition, as reflected by birth weight, may have a programming effect on abdominal adiposity later in life.The HELENA study was carried out with the financial support of the European Community Sixth RTD Framework Programme (contract no. FOOD-CT-2005-007034). This work was also partially supported by the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (to F.A.S.), the Spanish Ministry of Education (EX-2007-1124), and the Spanish Ministry of Health: Maternal, Child Health and Development Network (RD08/ 0072)

A specific case in the classification of woods by FTIR and chemometric: discrimination of Fagales from Malpighiales

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic data was used to classify wood samples from nine species within the Fagales and Malpighiales using a range of multivariate statistical methods. Taxonomic classification of the family Fagaceae and Betulaceae from Angiosperm Phylogenetic System Classification (APG II System) was successfully performed using supervised pattern recognition techniques. A methodology for wood sample discrimination was developed using both sapwood and heartwood samples. Ten and eight biomarkers emerged from the dataset to discriminate order and family, respectively. In the species studied FTIR in combination with multivariate analysis highlighted significant chemical differences in hemicelluloses, cellulose and guaiacyl (lignin) and shows promise as a suitable approach for wood sample classification

Tumor markers in breast cancer - European Group on Tumor Markers recommendations

Recommendations are presented for the routine clinical use of serum and tissue-based markers in the diagnosis and management of patients with breast cancer. Their low sensitivity and specificity preclude the use of serum markers such as the MUC-1 mucin glycoproteins ( CA 15.3, BR 27.29) and carcinoembryonic antigen in the diagnosis of early breast cancer. However, serial measurement of these markers can result in the early detection of recurrent disease as well as indicate the efficacy of therapy. Of the tissue-based markers, measurement of estrogen and progesterone receptors is mandatory in the selection of patients for treatment with hormone therapy, while HER-2 is essential in selecting patients with advanced breast cancer for treatment with Herceptin ( trastuzumab). Urokinase plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 are recently validated prognostic markers for lymph node-negative breast cancer patients and thus may be of value in selecting node-negative patients that do not require adjuvant chemotherapy. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Is Reduced in Tissues of Obese Subjects After Weight Loss

OBJECTIVE—Obesity is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, although the mechanisms linking these pathologies remain undetermined. Recent studies in rodent models revealed endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in adipose and liver tissues and demonstrated that ER stress could cause insulin resistance. Therefore, we tested whether these stress pathways were also present in obese human subjects and/or regulated by weight loss

Effect of Contemporary Bariatric Surgical Procedures on Type 2 Diabetes Remission. A Population-Based Matched Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of gastric banding, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy on medium to long-term diabetes control in obese participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Matched cohort study using primary care electronic health records from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Obese participants with type 2 diabetes who received bariatric surgery from 2002 to 2014 were compared with matched control participants who did not receive BS. Remission was defined for each year of follow-up as HbA1c <6.5 % and no antidiabetic drugs prescribed. RESULTS: There were 826 obese participants with T2DM who received bariatric surgery including adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) 220; gastric bypass (GBP) 449; or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) 153; with four procedures undefined. Mean HbA1c declined from 8.0 % before BS to 6.5 % in the second postoperative year; proportion with HbA1c <6.5 % (<48 mmol/mol) increased from 17 to 47 %. The proportion of patients in remission was 30 % in the second year, being 20 % for LAGB, 34 % for GBP and 38 % for SG. The adjusted relative rate of remission over the first six postoperative years was 5.97 (4.86 to 7.33, P < 0.001) overall; for LAGB 3.32 (2.27 to 4.86); GBP 7.16 (5.64 to 9.08); and SG 6.82 (5.05 to 9.19). Rates of remission were maintained into the sixth year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Remission of diabetes may continue for up to 6 years after bariatric surgical procedures. Diabetes outcomes are generally more favourable after gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy than LAGB

An empirical approach towards the efficient and optimal production of influenza-neutralizing ovine polyclonal antibodies demonstrates that the novel adjuvant CoVaccine HT(TM) is functionally superior to Freund's adjuvant

Passive immunotherapies utilising polyclonal antibodies could have a valuable role in preventing and treating infectious diseases such as influenza, particularly in pandemic situations but also in immunocompromised populations such as the elderly, the chronically immunosuppressed, pregnant women, infants and those with chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to optimise current methods used to generate ovine polyclonal antibodies. Polyclonal antibodies to baculovirus-expressed recombinant influenza haemagglutinin from A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1 (PR8) were elicited in sheep using various immunisation regimens designed to investigate the priming immunisation route, adjuvant formulation, sheep age, and antigen dose, and to empirically ascertain which combination maximised antibody output. The novel adjuvant CoVaccine HT™ was compared to Freund’s adjuvant which is currently the adjuvant of choice for commercial production of ovine polyclonal Fab therapies. CoVaccine HT™ induced significantly higher titres of functional ovine anti-haemagglutinin IgG than Freund’s adjuvant but with fewer side effects, including reduced site reactions. Polyclonal hyperimmune sheep sera effectively neutralised influenza virus in vitro and, when given before or after influenza virus challenge, prevented the death of infected mice. Neither the age of the sheep nor the route of antigen administration appeared to influence antibody titre. Moreover, reducing the administrated dose of haemagglutinin antigen minimally affected antibody titre. Together, these results suggest a cost effective way of producing high and sustained yields of functional ovine polyclonal antibodies specifically for the prevention and treatment of globally significant diseases.Natalie E. Stevens, Cara K. Fraser, Mohammed Alsharifi, Michael P. Brown, Kerrilyn R. Diener, John D. Haybal

Noradrenergic ‘Tone’ Determines Dichotomous Control of Cortical Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity

Norepinephrine (NE) is widely distributed throughout the brain. It modulates intrinsic currents, as well as amplitude and frequency of synaptic transmission affecting the ‘signal-to-noise ratio’ of sensory responses. In the visual cortex, α1- and β-adrenergic receptors (AR) gate opposing effects on long-term plasticity of excitatory transmission. Whether and how NE recruits these plastic mechanisms is not clear. Here, we show that NE modulates glutamatergic inputs with different efficacies for α1- and β-AR. As a consequence, the priming of synapses with different NE concentrations produces dose-dependent competing effects that determine the temporal window of spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP). While a low NE concentration leads to long-term depression (LTD) over broad positive and negative delays, a high NE concentration results in bidirectional STDP restricted to very narrow intervals. These results indicate that the local availability of NE, released during emotional arousal, determines the compound modulatory effect and the output of STDP