A Cup Product in the Galois Cohomology of Number Fields

Let K be a number field containing the group of n-th roots of unity and S a set of primes of K including all those dividing n and all real archimedean places. We consider the cup product on the first Galois cohomology group of the maximal S-ramified extension of K with coefficients in n-th roots of unity, which yields a pairing on a subgroup of the multiplicative group of K containing the S-units. In this general situation, we determine a formula for the cup product of two elements which pair trivially at all local places. Our primary focus is the case that K is the cyclotomic field of p-th roots of unity for n = p an odd prime and S consists of the unique prime above p in K. We describe a formula for this cup product in the case that one element is a p-th root of unity. We explain a conjectural calculation of the restriction of the cup product to p-units for all p < 10,000 and conjecture its surjectivity for all p satisfying Vandiver's conjecture. We prove this for the smallest irregular prime p = 37, via a computation related to the Galois module structure of p-units in the unramified extension of K of degree p. We describe a number of applications: to a product map in K-theory, to the structure of S-class groups in Kummer extensions of K, to relations in the Galois group of the maximal pro-p extension of K unramified outside p, to relations in the graded Z_p-Lie algebra associated to the representation of the absolute Galois group of Q in the outer automorphism group of the pro-p fundamental group of P^1 minus three points, and to Greenberg's pseudo-nullity conjecture.Comment: final versio

A patient with neurofibroma (schwannoma) in peri-sacral: A case report

Schwannomas are benign tumors of the nerve sheath and are usually single encapsulated and slow growing in peripheral or sympathetic nervous system. In this report a 49 year-old man is presented with one year complain of abdominal pain and intermittent hematospermia. The CT scan of the abdomen showed a 60 × 65 × 60 mm mass in anterior pelvic cavity with deviation to the sacral bone, originated from nerve. Several examinations revealed neurofibroma. Due to the large size of the tumor and it's position to the pelvic nerves, to remove the mass the patient only underwent laparotomy with partial resection. Pathology tests confirmed Ancient Schwannoma with degenerative changes. Radiotherapy was done with the aim of reducing the size of the rest of tumor. In our case, schwannoma was diagnosed incidentally. The size of the tumor indicated a relatively long period from the time that tumor was generated until the time of diagnosis. Despite using paraclinical findings, a definite diagnosis of the disease was made by histopathological tests. © 2015, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Cellular studies on the pathogenesis of X-linked lymphoproliferative (XLP) syndrome.

X-linked lymphoproliferative (XLP) disease is a severe primary immunodeficiency. Immunodysregulatory phenomena are observed following EBV infection suggesting that defects exist in these effector populations. The gene defective in XLP is SAP (SLAM-associated protein), an intracellular adaptor protein that mediates signals through SLAM and other immunoglobulin superfamily receptors including 2B4. Cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells play a major role in the normal immune response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. EBV specific T cell lines (EBV-T cell lines) were generated from normal individuals and XLP patients and examined for CTL function in response to different stimuli. It has been shown that XLP patients can generate EBV-T cell lines that are phenotypically similar to those from unaffected individuals. XLP patient derived EBV-T cell lines showed a significant decrease in interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production in response to 2B4 and autologous EBV transformed lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) stimulation but not in response to SLAM. Furthermore, XLP EBV-T cell lines demonstrated markedly decreased cytotoxic activity against autologous LCLs. By retroviral gene transfer of the SAP gene into XLP patient derived EBV-T cell lines, reconstitution of EFN-gamma production and cytotoxic activity has been shown, confirming the defects are SAP dependent. These studies demonstrate that in XLP the lack of SAP affects specific signalling pathways resulting in severe disruption of CTL function. In addition, SLAM and 2B4 expression on immune cell lineages has been investigated, the results suggest a wider range of 2B4 expression and deserve further investigation in relation to XLP molecular and cellular pathogenesis

Interaction of IBA and NAA with enzymes in root induction of Crocus sativus (L)

Effect of auxin type on some antioxidative enzymes during in vitro root induction of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) was investigated to reveal the variation of activities and isoenzyme banding patterns during root induction of saffron (C. sativus L.). Indole-3- butyric acid (IBA) and naphtalene acetic acid (NAA) at different concentrations were added to the solidified MS or B5 medium. Corm explants of saffron were placed on root inducing media and enzyme levels in explants prior or after adventitious root formation were measured and compared. Percentage of root formation on B5 medium containing 2.46 &#236;M IBA was highest; however the maximum number of root per explant and per cm2 observed on MS medium with 19.6 &#236;M IBA. Significant changes occurred in the activities of these enzymes. Some polymorphisms occurred in patterns of lactate dehydrogenase and esterase during root induction in different treatments

Triumph of hope over experience: learning from interventions to reduce avoidable hospital admissions identified through an Academic Health and Social Care Network.

BACKGROUND: Internationally health services are facing increasing demands due to new and more expensive health technologies and treatments, coupled with the needs of an ageing population. Reducing avoidable use of expensive secondary care services, especially high cost admissions where no procedure is carried out, has become a focus for the commissioners of healthcare. METHOD: We set out to identify, evaluate and share learning about interventions to reduce avoidable hospital admission across a regional Academic Health and Social Care Network (AHSN). We conducted a service evaluation identifying initiatives that had taken place across the AHSN. This comprised a literature review, case studies, and two workshops. RESULTS: We identified three types of intervention: pre-hospital; within the emergency department (ED); and post-admission evaluation of appropriateness. Pre-hospital interventions included the use of predictive modelling tools (PARR - Patients at risk of readmission and ACG - Adjusted Clinical Groups) sometimes supported by community matrons or virtual wards. GP-advisers and outreach nurses were employed within the ED. The principal post-hoc interventions were the audit of records in primary care or the application of the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) within the admission ward. Overall there was a shortage of independent evaluation and limited evidence that each intervention had an impact on rates of admission. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the frequency and cost of emergency admission there has been little independent evaluation of interventions to reduce avoidable admission. Commissioners of healthcare should consider interventions at all stages of the admission pathway, including regular audit, to ensure admission thresholds don't change

Spinal intramedullary epidermoid cysts: Three case presentations and literature review

Background: True intramedullary epidermoid cysts (IECs) not associated with congenital anomalies or previous spinal procedures are extremely rare. In a review of the literature since 1992, only 29 such cases have been reported. Here, we add three new cases in this category. Case Description: Three adults presented with spastic paraparesis attributed to thoracic IECs. Gross total microsurgical removal was achieved in two cases, while one case was a partial resection due to capsular adherence to the cord. In all three cases, patients sustained complete recoveries of neurological function and remained symptom free for an average of 5 years follow-up. Conclusion: IECs are rare lesions; here, the three located in the thoracic spine, contributed to slow, progressive spastic paraparesis with/without incontinence, and resolved following total (2 patients) and partial (1 patient) resection. © 2020 Scientific Scholar. All rights reserved

Endoscopic repair of transsellar transsphenoidal meningoencephalocele; Case report and review of approaches

We present an extremely rare case of transsellar transsphenoidal meningoencephalocele in a 36-year-old woman with pituitary dwarfism complaining of nasal obstruction. Imaging studies showed a bony defect in the sellar floor and sphenoid sinus with huge nasopharyngeal mass and 3rd ventricle involvement. Using endoscopic endonasal approach the sac was partially removed and the defect was reconstructed with fat and fascial graft, and buttressed with titanium mesh and septal flap. Visual field improvement was noticed post-operatively and no complication was encountered during follow-up. So, endoscopic endonasal approach with partial resection of the sac is a safe and effective treatment for this disease. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V

Management of Streptococcus mutans-Candida spp. Oral biofilms’ infections: Paving the way for effective clinical interventions

Oral diseases are considered the most common noncommunicable diseases and are related to serious local and systemic disorders. Oral pathogens can grow and spread in the oral mucosae and frequently in biomaterials (e.g., dentures or prostheses) under polymicrobial biofilms, leading to several disorders such as dental caries and periodontal disease. Biofilms harbor a complex array of interacting microbes, increasingly unapproachable to antimicrobials and with dynamic processes key to disease pathogenicity, which partially explain the gradual loss of response towards conventional therapeutic regimens. New drugs (synthesized and natural) and other therapies that have revealed promising results for the treatment or control of these mixed biofilms are presented and discussed here. A structured search of bibliographic databases was applied to include recent research. There are several promising new approaches in the treatment of Candida spp.–Streptococcus mutans oral mixed biofilms that could be clinically applied in the near future. These findings confirm the importance of developing effective therapies for oral Candida–bacterial infections.C.F.R. would like to acknowledge the UID/EQU/00511/2019 Project—Laboratory of Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), financed by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). N.M. would like to thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT-Portugal) for the Strategic project ref. UID/BIM/04293/2013 and “NORTE2020—Northern Regional Operational Program” (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012)

Therapeutic applications of curcumin nanomedicine formulations in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) compromises a group of heart and blood vessels disorders with high impact on human health and wellbeing. Curcumin (CUR) have demonstrated beneficial effects on these group of diseases that represent a global burden with a prevalence that continues increasing progressively. Pre- and clinical studies have demonstrated the CUR effects in CVD through its anti-hypercholesterolemic and anti-atherosclerotic effects and its protective properties against cardiac ischemia and reperfusion. However, the CUR therapeutic limitation is its bioavailability. New CUR nanomedicine formulations are developed to solve this problem. The present article aims to discuss different studies and approaches looking into the promising role of nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems to deliver CUR and its derivatives in CVD treatment, with an emphasis on their formulation properties, experimental evidence, bioactivity, as well as challenges and opportunities in developing these systems.This work was supported by CONICYT PIA/APOYO CCTE AFB170007. N. Martins would like to thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT–Portugal) for the Strategic project ref. UID/BIM/04293/2013 and “NORTE2020—Programa Operacional Regional do Norte” (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012)