Sprouted Innervation into Uterine Transplants Contributes to the Development of Hyperalgesia in a Rat Model of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is an enigmatic painful disorder whose pain symptoms remain difficult to alleviate in large part because the disorder is defined by extrauteral endometrial growths whose contribution to pain is poorly understood. A rat model (ENDO) involves autotransplanting on abdominal arteries uterine segments that grow into vascularized cysts that become innervated with sensory and sympathetic fibers. ENDO rats exhibit vaginal hyperalgesia. We used behavioral, physiological, and immunohistochemical methods to test the hypothesis that cyst innervation contributes to the development of this hyperalgesia after transplant. Rudimentary sensory and sympathetic innervation appeared in the cysts at two weeks, sprouted further and more densely into the cyst wall by four weeks, and matured by six weeks post-transplant. Sensory fibers became abnormally functionally active between two and three weeks post-transplant, remaining active thereafter. Vaginal hyperalgesia became significant between four and five weeks post-transplant, and stabilized after six to eight weeks. Removing cysts before they acquired functional innervation prevented vaginal hyperalgesia from developing, whereas sham cyst removal did not. Thus, abnormally-active innervation of ectopic growths occurs before hyperalgesia develops, supporting the hypothesis. These findings suggest that painful endometriosis can be classified as a mixed inflammatory/neuropathic pain condition, which opens new avenues for pain relief. The findings also have implications beyond endometriosis by suggesting that functionality of any transplanted tissue can be influenced by the innervation it acquires

The ALICE experiment at the CERN LHC

ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is a general-purpose, heavy-ion detector at the CERN LHC which focuses on QCD, the strong-interaction sector of the Standard Model. It is designed to address the physics of strongly interacting matter and the quark-gluon plasma at extreme values of energy density and temperature in nucleus-nucleus collisions. Besides running with Pb ions, the physics programme includes collisions with lighter ions, lower energy running and dedicated proton-nucleus runs. ALICE will also take data with proton beams at the top LHC energy to collect reference data for the heavy-ion programme and to address several QCD topics for which ALICE is complementary to the other LHC detectors. The ALICE detector has been built by a collaboration including currently over 1000 physicists and engineers from 105 Institutes in 30 countries. Its overall dimensions are 161626 m3 with a total weight of approximately 10 000 t. The experiment consists of 18 different detector systems each with its own specific technology choice and design constraints, driven both by the physics requirements and the experimental conditions expected at LHC. The most stringent design constraint is to cope with the extreme particle multiplicity anticipated in central Pb-Pb collisions. The different subsystems were optimized to provide high-momentum resolution as well as excellent Particle Identification (PID) over a broad range in momentum, up to the highest multiplicities predicted for LHC. This will allow for comprehensive studies of hadrons, electrons, muons, and photons produced in the collision of heavy nuclei. Most detector systems are scheduled to be installed and ready for data taking by mid-2008 when the LHC is scheduled to start operation, with the exception of parts of the Photon Spectrometer (PHOS), Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) and Electro Magnetic Calorimeter (EMCal). These detectors will be completed for the high-luminosity ion run expected in 2010. This paper describes in detail the detector components as installed for the first data taking in the summer of 2008

Growth in extremely low birth weight infants up to three years.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate postnatal growth of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW, <1,000 g) until 36 months of corrected age (CA), and to relate growth outcome to anthropometric parameters at birth, sex, fetal growth status (small or appropriate for gestational age--SGA/AGA), period of admission and major perinatal events. STUDY DESIGN/METHOD: Weight (Wt), height (Ht) and head circumference (HC) were assessed in 159 ELBW infants. Data were standardized with Z-scores following Usher and McLean and Sempe growth curves. Uni- and multivariate statistical analysis were performed. RESULTS: The mean birth weight was 851.2+/-116.5 g. Z-scores decreased from birth to term, at a deeper rate for AGA than for SGA infants (p<0.005 for Ht, Wt, and HC). Between term and 36 months, growth was better in SGA compared with AGA infants (p=0.003 for Ht). Multivariate analysis showed that anthropometric parameters at birth were positive determinants for Wt, Ht and HC at term, and also for Wt and Ht at 36 months CA (Z-scores). Oxygen therapy after 36 weeks of post-conceptional age was a negative determinant influencing growth at 36 months CA (Z-scores). CONCLUSIONS: Significant catch-up growth took place between birth and 36 months, which was greater for SGA than for AGA infants. Anthropometric parameters at birth and oxygen therapy at 36 weeks post-conceptional age are the main predictive factors for growth at 36 months CA

Fatores associados à morte neonatal em recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso em quatro maternidades no Município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil Factors associated with neonatal mortality among very low birthweight newborns in four maternity hospitals in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Os recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso representam a grande maioria das mortes no período neonatal, constituindo o maior percentual da mortalidade infantil no Brasil. Este estudo, do tipo longitudinal, incluiu um total de 487 recém-nascidos e propôs uma análise dos fatores associados à mortalidade em recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso até completarem 27 dias de vida. Foram calculados os riscos relativos de óbito para cada uma das variáveis estudada, e as que se mostraram estatisticamente significativas foram selecionadas para o modelo multivariado, no qual se calcularam as razões de chances (OR) com a regressão logística. Os fatores associados à diminuição do risco de morte foram: uso de corticosteróide antenatal (OR = 0,40; IC90%: 0,23-0,74) e uso de nutrição parenteral total (OR = 0,06; IC90%: 0,02-0,15). Os fatores associados ao risco de morte foram: recém-nascido do sexo masculino (OR = 2,19; IC90%: 1,27-4,00); hemorragia materna (OR = 4,28; IC90%: 1,27-14,46) e uso de ventilação mecânica (OR = 18,83; IC90%: 5,15-68,87); escore de CRIB (OR = 4,48; IC90%: 2,43-8,27) e peso ao nascimento. O uso de corticosteróide antenatal deve ser mais difundido, visando à diminuição da morbi-mortalidade neonatal.<br>In Brazil, neonatal mortality is the most common cause of infant mortality. The majority of deaths occur in very low birthweight newborns. This longitudinal study assesses factors associated with mortality risk in very low birthweight newborns during the first 27 days of life. Relative risk of mortality was assessed for each variable, and the most statistically significant variables were selected for the multivariate model, in which odds ratios were calculated using logistic regression. Factors associated with decreased mortality risk were: prenatal corticosteroid (OR = 0.40; 90%CI: 0.23-0.74) and total parenteral nutrition (OR = 0.06; 90%CI: 0.02-0.15). Factors associated with increased mortality risk were: male gender (OR = 2.19; 90%CI: 1.27-4.00); maternal hemorrhage (OR = 4.28; 90%CI: 1.27-14.46); use of mechanical ventilation (OR = 18.83; 90%CI: 5.15-68.87); CRIB (OR = 4.48; 90%CI: 2.43-8.27); and birthweight. Selective use of prenatal corticosteroid should be encouraged in order to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity

Erratum: Global disorders of sex development update since 2006: perceptions, approach and care (Hormone Research in Paediatrics (2016) 85 (158-180) DOI: 10.1159/000442975)

In the appendix of the recent publication by Lee et al. entitled 'Global disorders of sex development update since 2006: perceptions, approach and care' [Horm Res Paediatr 2016;85:158–180, DOI: 10.1159/000442975], Massimo Di Grazia, Psychologist, is incorrectly mentioned to be from Cosenga, Italy. The correct city is Trieste, Italy

ALICE: Physics Performance Report, Volume II

ALICE is a general-purpose heavy-ion experiment designed to study the physics of strongly interacting matter and the quark\u2013gluon plasma in nucleus\u2013nucleus collisions at the LHC. It currently involves more than 900 physicists and senior engineers, from both the nuclear and high-energy physics sectors, from over 90 institutions in about 30 countries. The ALICE detector is designed to cope with the highest particle multiplicities above those anticipated for Pb\u2013Pb collisions (dNch/dy up to 8000) and it will be operational at the start-up of the LHC. In addition to heavy systems, the ALICE Collaboration will study collisions of lower-mass ions, which are a means of varying the energy density, and protons (both pp and pA), which primarily provide reference data for the nucleus\u2013nucleus collisions. In addition, the pp data will allow for a number of genuine pp physics studies. The detailed design of the different detector systems has been laid down in a number of Technical Design Reports issued between mid-1998 and the end of 2004. The experiment is currently under construction and will be ready for data taking with both proton and heavy-ion beams at the start-up of the LHC. Since the comprehensive information on detector and physics performance was last published in the ALICE Technical Proposal in 1996, the detector, as well as simulation, reconstruction and analysis software have undergone significant development. The Physics Performance Report (PPR) provides an updated and comprehensive summary of the performance of the various ALICE subsystems, including updates to the Technical Design Reports, as appropriate. The PPR is divided into two volumes. Volume I, published in 2004 (CERN/LHCC 2003-049, ALICE Collaboration 2004 J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys. 30 1517\u20131763), contains in four chapters a short theoretical overview and an extensive reference list concerning the physics topics of interest to ALICE, the experimental conditions at the LHC, a short summary and update of the subsystem designs, and a description of the offline framework and Monte Carlo event generators. The present volume, Volume II, contains the majority of the information relevant to the physics performance in proton\u2013proton, proton\u2013nucleus, and nucleus\u2013nucleus collisions. Following an introductory overview, Chapter 5 describes the combined detector performance and the event reconstruction procedures, based on detailed simulations of the individual subsystems. Chapter 6 describes the analysis and physics reach for a representative sample of physics observables, from global event characteristics to hard processes

The ALICE Transition Radiation Detector: Construction, operation, and performance

The Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) was designed and built to enhance the capabilities of the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). While aimed at providing electron identification and triggering, the TRD also contributes significantly to the track reconstruction and calibration in the central barrel of ALICE. In this paper the design, construction, operation, and performance of this detector are discussed. A pion rejection factor of up to 410 is achieved at a momentum of 1 GeV/c in p-Pb collisions and the resolution at high transverse momentum improves by about 40% when including the TRD information in track reconstruction. The triggering capability is demonstrated both for jet, light nuclei, and electron selection

The ALICE Transition Radiation Detector: construction, operation, and performance

The Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) was designed and built to enhance the capabilities of the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). While aimed at providing electron identification and triggering, the TRD also contributes significantly to the track reconstruction and calibration in the central barrel of ALICE. In this paper the design, construction, operation, and performance of this detector are discussed. A pion rejection factor of up to 410 is achieved at a momentum of 1 GeV/ c in p–Pb collisions and the resolution at high transverse momentum improves by about 40% when including the TRD information in track reconstruction. The triggering capability is demonstrated both for jet, light nuclei, and electron selection