Universal relation between magnetic resonance and superconducting gap in unconventional superconductors

Unconventional superconductors such as the high-transition temperature cuprates, heavy-fermion systems and iron arsenide-based compounds exhibit antiferromagnetic fluctuations that are dominated by a resonance, a collective spin-one excitation mode in the superconducting state. Here we demonstrate the existence of a universal linear relation, $Er \propto 2\Delta$, between the magnetic resonance energy (Er) and the superconducting pairing gap ($\Delta$), spanning two orders of magnitude in energy. This relation is valid for materials that range from being close to the Mott-insulating limit to being on the border of itinerant magnetism. Since the common excitonic picture of the resonance has not led to such universality, our observation suggests a much deeper connection between antiferromagnetic fluctuations and unconventional superconductivity.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, 2 table

Resonant magnetic exciton mode in the heavy-fermion antiferromagnet CeB6

Resonant magnetic excitations are widely recognized as hallmarks of unconventional superconductivity in copper oxides, iron pnictides, and heavy-fermion compounds. Numerous model calculations have related these modes to the microscopic properties of the pair wave function, but the mechanisms underlying their formation are still debated. Here we report the discovery of a similar resonant mode in the non-superconducting, antiferromagnetically ordered heavy-fermion metal CeB6. Unlike conventional magnons, the mode is non-dispersive, and its intensity is sharply concentrated around a wave vector separate from those characterizing the antiferromagnetic order. The magnetic intensity distribution rather suggests that the mode is associated with a coexisting order parameter of the unusual antiferro-quadrupolar phase of CeB6, which has long remained "hidden" to the neutron-scattering probes. The mode energy increases continuously below the onset temperature for antiferromagnetism, in parallel to the opening of a nearly isotropic spin gap throughout the Brillouin zone. These attributes bear strong similarity to those of the resonant modes observed in unconventional superconductors below their critical temperatures. This unexpected commonality between the two disparate ground states indicates the dominance of itinerant spin dynamics in the ordered low-temperature phases of CeB6 and throws new light on the interplay between antiferromagnetism, superconductivity, and "hidden" order parameters in correlated-electron materials

Location-Specific Epigenetic Regulation of the Metallothionein 3 Gene in Esophageal Adenocarcinomas

Metallothionein 3 (MT3) maintains intracellular metal homeostasis and protects against reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced DNA damage. In this study, we investigated the epigenetic alterations and gene expression of the MT3 gene in esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs).Using quantitative bisulfite pyrosequencing, we detected unique DNA methylation profiles in the MT3 promoter region. The CpG nucleotides from -372 to -306 from the transcription start site (TSS) were highly methylated in tumor (n = 64) and normal samples (n = 51), whereas CpG nucleotides closest to the TSS (-4 and +3) remained unmethylated in all normal and most tumor samples. Conversely, CpG nucleotides in two regions (from -139 to -49 and +296 to +344) were significantly hypermethylated in EACs as compared to normal samples [FDR<0.001, -log10(FDR)>3.0]. The DNA methylation levels from -127 to -8 CpG sites showed the strongest correlation with MT3 gene expression (r = -0.4, P<0.0001). Moreover, the DNA hypermethylation from -127 to -8 CpG sites significantly correlated with advanced tumor stages and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.005 and P = 0.0313, respectively). The ChIP analysis demonstrated a more repressive histone modification (H3K9me2) and less active histone modifications (H3K4me2, H3K9ace) in OE33 cells than in FLO-1 cells; concordant with the presence of higher DNA methylation levels and silencing of MT3 expression in OE33 as compared to FLO-1 cells. Treatment of OE33 cells with 5-Aza-deoxycitidine restored MT3 expression with demethylation of its promoter region and reversal of the histone modifications towards active histone marks.In summary, EACs are characterized by frequent epigenetic silencing of MT3. The choice of specific regions in the CpG island is a critical step in determining the functional role and prognostic value of DNA methylation in cancer cells

Sun Protection Intervention for Highway Workers: Long-Term Efficacy of UV Photography and Skin Cancer Information on Men’s Protective Cognitions and Behavior

The risk for skin cancer is increased among older males and outdoor workers who have high levels of ultraviolet (UV) exposure. This study was designed to examine the long-term efficacy of UV photography interventions on male outdoor workers, the potential mediators of its impact, and the efficacy of UV photography and skin cancer vs. aging information with this population. One hundred forty-eight male outdoor workers were randomly assigned to one of four intervention conditions or a control condition in a two by two plus one factorial design. The men in the intervention conditions received or did not receive a UV photo of their face and watched either a photoaging or skin cancer educational video. Participants completed pre-intervention, immediate post-intervention, and 2-month and 1-year follow-up assessments. Analysis of covariance and structural equation modeling revealed that participants in the UV photography and cancer information interventions reported higher levels of sun protection cognitions, which were significant partial mediators of increases in sun protection behaviors and decreases in skin color. This study provides evidence for effective sun protection interventions on male outdoor workers that may help reduce skin cancer risk

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Omics-based molecular techniques in oral pathology centred cancer: Prospect and challenges in Africa

: The completion of the human genome project and the accomplished milestones in the human proteome project; as well as the progress made so far in computational bioinformatics and “big data” processing have contributed immensely to individualized/personalized medicine in the developed world.At the dawn of precision medicine, various omics-based therapies and bioengineering can now be applied accurately for the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and risk stratifcation of cancer in a manner that was hitherto not thought possible. The widespread introduction of genomics and other omics-based approaches into the postgraduate training curriculum of diverse medical and dental specialties, including pathology has improved the profciency of practitioners in the use of novel molecular signatures in patient management. In addition, intricate details about disease disparity among diferent human populations are beginning to emerge. This would facilitate the use of tailor-made novel theranostic methods based on emerging molecular evidences