INTRA- AND INTERRATER RELIABILITY OF MORPHOLOGICALLY EVALUATED LYMPHOCYTE APOPTOSIS IN TRAINED AND UNTRAINED OBSERVERS

Exercise-induced lymphocyte apoptosis has been reported using biochemical analysis and morphological assessment. Morphological evaluation is limited by the subjective nature of the technique. This investigation evaluated the intra- and interrater reliability of trained and untrained observers assessing apoptosis morphologically. Blood smears at baseline (PRE) and following cycle ergometer exercise (POST) were assessed microscopically for each condition. To obtain reliability measures, cell sets were evaluated for morphological characteristics of apoptosis on two separate occasions by trained and untrained observers using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Test-retest reliability for trained observers was higher for both conditions than untrained observers. Interrater reliability was below-average or below acceptable regardless of training status. Exercise may induce apoptotic changes in lymphocytes that are more easily discriminated by trained observers. Investigations assessing exercise-induced apoptosis should train observers in order to produce reliable results, and a single trained observer would be expected to yield the most reliable results

Targeted free energy perturbation

A generalization of the free energy perturbation identity is derived, and a computational strategy based on this result is presented. A simple example illustrates the efficiency gains that can be achieved with this method.Comment: 8 pages + 1 color figur

Prevalencia y factores de riesgo de úlceras por presión

ObjetivoConocer la prevalencia de úlceras por presión (UPP) en pacientes incapacitados de una Zona Básica de Salud (ZBS) y caracterizar los factores de riesgo asociados a su aparición.DiseñoEstudio transversal observacional.EmplazamientoZBS Rincón de la Victoria (Málaga).ParticipantesPacientes incluidos en el Programa de Incapacitados (n = 178), de la ZBS, residentes en su domicilio o en una residencia geriátrica.MedicionesCuestionario específico con variables sociodemográficas y de salud. Para la valoración de factores de riesgo asociados con la formación de UPP, se utilizó la Escala de Norton Modificada (ENM). La variable resultado de interés fue la presencia o ausencia de UPP, localización y grado. El denominador para el cálculo de la prevalencia ha sido el total de pacientes valorados.ResultadosLa prevalencia fue del 12,9%. La característica sociodemográfica más significativa asociada con la presencia de úlceras en estos pacientes fue el nivel de instrucción del cuidador. Se constata asociación de determinadas variables del estado de salud del paciente con aparición de UPP.ConclusionesLos resultados alertan a la necesidad de la realización de protocolos diagnósticos y de intervención comunitaria para reducir la presentación de UPP en pacientes incapacitados que viven en la comunidad.ObjectivesTo study prevalence of pressure ulcers among functionally impaired patients in the community and evaluate risk factors associated with the development of pressure ulcers in these patients.DesignCross-sectional, observational study.SettingCommunity dwellers served by the Primary Health Care Area of Rincón de la Victoria in Málaga.ParticipantsAll patients included in the «Impaired Patient Programme» (n=178).MethodsA questionnaire was developed to ascertain demographic and health characteristics. Risk factors were evaluated with the Modified Norton Scale. The outcome variable of interest was presence or absence of pressure ulcers, their location and grade. The denominator used for the calculation of the prevalence was the total of evaluated patients.ResultsPrevalence of pressure ulcers in our Basic Health Area was 12.9%. The most important sociodemographic characteristic associated with the presence of pressure ulcers in these patients was the educational attainment of the caregiver. Health varaibles of the patient were also associated with the risk of developing ulcers.ConclusionsResults indicate the need of diagnostic protocols with standardised instruments and prevention plans to reduce pressure ulcers in the community. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate interventions in this area

Cold Nuclear Matter In Holographic QCD

We study the Sakai-Sugimoto model of holographic QCD at zero temperature and finite chemical potential. We find that as the baryon chemical potential is increased above a critical value, there is a phase transition to a nuclear matter phase characterized by a condensate of instantons on the probe D-branes in the string theory dual. As a result of electrostatic interactions between the instantons, this condensate expands towards the UV when the chemical potential is increased, giving a holographic version of the expansion of the Fermi surface. We argue based on properties of instantons that the nuclear matter phase is necessarily inhomogeneous to arbitrarily high density. This suggests an explanation of the "chiral density wave" instability of the quark Fermi surface in large N_c QCD at asymptotically large chemical potential. We study properties of the nuclear matter phase as a function of chemical potential beyond the transition and argue in particular that the model can be used to make a semi-quantitative prediction of the binding energy per nucleon for nuclear matter in ordinary QCD.Comment: 31 pages, LaTeX, 1 figure, v2: some formulae corrected, qualitative results unchange

Global Strings in High Density QCD

We show that several types of global strings occur in colour superconducting quark matter due to the spontaneous violation of relevant U(1) symmetries. These include the baryon U(1)_B, and approximate axial U(1)_A symmetries as well as an approximate U(1)_S arising from kaon condensation. We discuss some general properties of these strings and their interactions. In particular, we demonstrate that the U(1)_A strings behave as superconducting strings. We draw some parallels between these strings and global cosmological strings and discuss some possible implications of these strings to the physics in neutron star cores.Comment: LaTeX JHEP-format (26 pages) Option in source for REVTeX4 forma

Limits on Cosmological Variation of Strong Interaction and Quark Masses from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, Cosmic, Laboratory and Oklo Data

Recent data on cosmological variation of the electromagnetic fine structure constant from distant quasar (QSO) absorption spectra have inspired a more general discussion of possible variation of other constants. We discuss variation of strong scale and quark masses. We derive the limits on their relative change from (i) primordial Big-Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN); (ii) Oklo natural nuclear reactor, (iii) quasar absorption spectra, and (iv) laboratory measurements of hyperfine intervals.Comment: 10 pages 2 figurs: second version have several references added and some new comment

Spectral fluctuation properties of spherical nuclei

The spectral fluctuation properties of spherical nuclei are considered by use of NNSD statistic. With employing a generalized Brody distribution included Poisson, GOE and GUE limits and also MLE technique, the chaoticity parameters are estimated for sequences prepared by all the available empirical data. The ML-based estimated values and also KLD measures propose a non regular dynamic. Also, spherical odd-mass nuclei in the mass region, exhibit a slight deviation to the GUE spectral statistics rather than the GOE.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

QGP flow fluctuations and the characteristics of higher moments

The dynamical development of expanding Quark-gluon Plasma (QGP) flow is studied in a 3+1D fluid dynamical model with a globally symmetric, initial condition. We minimize fluctuations arising from complex dynamical processes at finite impact parameters and from fluctuating random initial conditions to have a conservative fluid dynamical background estimate for the statistical distributions of the thermodynamical parameters. We also avoid a phase transition in the equation of state, and we let the matter supercool during the expansion. Then central Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 2.76$ TeV are studied in an almost perfect fluid dynamical model, with azimuthally symmetric initial state generated in a dynamical flux-tube model. The general development of thermodynamical extensives are also shown for lower energies. We observe considerable deviations from a thermal equilibrium source as a consequence of the fluid dynamical expansion arising from a least fluctuating initial state

The check of QCD based on the tau-decay data analysis in the complex q^2-plane

The thorough analysis of the ALEPH data on hadronic tau-decay is performed in the framework of QCD. The perturbative calculations are performed in 3 and 4-loop approximations. The terms of the operator product expansion (OPE) are accounted up to dimension D=8. The value of the QCD coupling constant alpha_s(m_tau^2)=0.355 pm 0.025 was found from hadronic branching ratio R_tau. The V+A and V spectral function are analyzed using analytical properties of polarization operators in the whole complex q^2-plane. Borel sum rules in the complex q^2 plane along the rays, starting from the origin, are used. It was demonstrated that QCD with OPE terms is in agreement with the data for the coupling constant close to the lower error edge alpha_s(m_tau^2)=0.330. The restriction on the value of the gluonic condensate was found =0.006 pm 0.012 GeV^2. The analytical perturbative QCD was compared with the data. It is demonstrated to be in strong contradiction with experiment. The restrictions on the renormalon contribution were found. The instanton contributions to the polarization operator are analyzed in various sum rules. In Borel transformation they appear to be small, but not in spectral moments sum rules.Comment: 24 pages; 1 latex + 13 figure files. V2: misprints are corrected, uncertainty in alpha_s is explained in more transparent way, acknowledgement is adde