MSSM-inspired multifield inflation

Despite the fact that experimentally with a high degree of statistical significance only a single Standard Model--like Higgs boson is discovered at the LHC, extended Higgs sectors with multiple scalar fields not excluded by combined fits of the data are more preferable theoretically for internally consistent realistic models of particle physics. We analyze the inflationary scenarios which could be induced by the two-Higgs doublet potential of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) where five scalar fields have nonminimal couplings to gravity. Observables following from such MSSM-inspired multifield inflation are calculated and a number of consistent inflationary scenarios are constructed. Cosmological evolution with different initial conditions for the multifield system leads to consequences fully compatible with observational data on the spectral index and the tensor-to-scalar ratio. It is demonstrated that the strong coupling approximation is precise enough to describe such inflationary scenarios.Comment: 27 pages, 4 figures, 5 tables. Version to appear in JHEP. Additions made to the text of the Introduction dealing with the issues of conformity of this multifield model and models of N=1 supergravity (pages 2-3). Added new inflationary scenarios, which are an artifact of such analysis (pages 11-12, Tables 1-4). Additional comments on page 9 and page 13. New references adde

Forage Yield Estimation with a Process-Based Simulation Model

A process-based simulation model of natural grasslands and improved pastures can be used to compare mean productivity and stability of forage productivity across years, agroecological regions, and management approaches. Model simulations can help farmers develop management practices to optimize livestock stocking rates and nutrient management for native and improved grasses on different soils with varying rainfall amounts. Likewise, forages are adapted to a wide variety of soils, rainfall zones, and latitudes. The objective of this chapter is to describe the Agricultural Land Management Alternative with Numerical Assessment Criteria (ALMANAC) model that simulates a wide variety of environmental and management impacts on forage production, soil health, and conservation concerns, including nutrient and sediment losses. We describe the various processes simulated in the model and input data requirements. We also describe how to derive plant parameters for various forage plant species. The model has been applied to simulate forage yields across years and diverse environments in the U.S. and tested using published forage yield data from Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Dept. of Agric. Many common native and introduced grasses or grass mixtures in the U.S. have been successfully simulated. We also describe and discuss knowledge gaps for the model that future research should address to improve this and similar simulation models

Genetic basis of anthracyclines cardiotoxicity: Literature review

The purpose of this review was to systematize data on molecular genetic markers of increased risk of cardiotoxic effects, as well as to search for risk and protective variants of candidate genes. Today, the therapy of malignant neoplasms is based on the use of anthracyclines – drugs of the cytostatic mechanism of action. Along with their effectiveness, these drugs can have a cardiotoxic effect on cardiomyocytes by increasing the amount of reactive oxygen species and disrupting mitochondrial biogenesis. Pathological disorders lead to an increased risk of myocardial dysfunction and a number of other cardiovascular pathologies in patients receiving chemotherapy using anthracyclines. The cardiotoxic effect of anthracyclines leads to cardiomyopathy, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and thrombosis. Early detection of cardiotoxic damage leads to reducing the negative effects of these drugs due to changes in chemotherapy tactics. It is known that the risk of cardiotoxic myocardial damage is genetically determined and controlled by more than 80 genes. In this review, the description of basic molecules such as ATP-binding cassette transporters and solute carrier family (SLC transporters), carbonyl reductase, molecules of antioxidant defense, xenobiotic and iron metabolism was performed. In addition, a special attention is paid to the study of epigenetic and post-translational regulation. The available data are characterized by some inconsistency that may be explained by the ethnic differences of the studied populations. Thus, a more detailed research of various ethnic groups, gene-gene interactions between potential candidate genes and epigenetic regulation is necessary. Thus, understanding the contribution of genetic polymorphism to the development of cardiotoxicity will help to assess the individual risks of cardiovascular pathology in patients with various types of cancer, as well as reduce the risk of myocardial damage by developing individual preventive measures and correcting chemotherapy

Diode area melting single-layer parametric analysis of 316L stainless steel powder

Diode area melting (DAM) is a novel additive manufacturing process that utilises customised architectural arrays of low power laser diode emitters for high speed parallel processing of metallic powdered feedstock. The laser diodes operate at shorter laser wavelengths (808 nm) than conventional SLM fibre lasers (1064 nm) theoretically enabling more efficient energy absorption for specific materials. This investigation presents a parametric analysis of the DAM process, identifying the effect of powder characteristics, laser beam profile, laser power and scan speed on the porosity of a single-layer sample. Also presented is the effect of process energy density on melt pool depth (irradiated thermal energy penetration capable of achieving melting) on 316L stainless steel powder. An analysis of the density and the melt depth fraction of single layers is presented in order to identify the conditions that lead to the fabrication of fully dense DAM parts. Energy densities in excess of 86 J/mm3 were theorised as sufficient to enable processing of fully dense layers

Assessment of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction following anthracyclinebased chemotherapy in breast cancer patients

Cardiotoxicity is a side effect of anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Clinical and prognostic significance of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in heart failure patients is undeniable.The aim. To assess dynamic changes in the left ventricular diastolic function after anthracycline-based chemotherapy (ANT) in breast cancer patients.Material and methods. The study included 40 women aged 35 to 72 years with breast cancer (BC) undergoing ANT chemotherapy. The main group (n = 40) consisted of women with breast cancer examined at admission, after 6 months the same women (n = 37) were examined again. Women without breast cancer (n = 25) were used as the control group.Results. Dynamic changes in mitral annular velocities were revealed by Doppler tissue imaging. Lateral early diastolic mitral annular velocity (e’ lateral) was significantly lower in breast cancer patients as compared to the control group (p = 0.031). Six months after ANT chemotherapy, there was a definite increase in the lateral late diastolic mitral annular velocity (a’ lateral) (p = 0.033). Average early diastolic transmitral flow velocity to early diastolic velocity (E/e’ lateral) ratio was within the normative values in all groups, but E/e’ lateral in the main group was higher compared to the control group (p = 0.003). In the main group, septal early diastolic mitral annular velocity (e’ septal) was lower compared to the control group (p = 0.0005). Moreover, an increase in the septal mitral annular velocity (a’ septal) (p = 0.01) and higher E/e’ septal ratio (p = 0.011) were revealed during dynamic observation. Multiple logistic regression disclosed that E/A, e’ lateral, e’/a’ lateral, and E/e’ lateral were affected by heart rate, psychological status, age, hypertension, and body mass index, but not anthracycline chemotherapy. The total dose of anthracycline was independently associated with e’ septal and E/e’ septal: F(4.18) = 16.466 (p < 0.001; R2 = 0.775) and F(3.16) = 7.271 (p = 0.004; R2 = 0.627).Conclusion. Left ventricular diastolic function worsens in women undergoing anthracycline-based chemotherapy for breast cancer (lower e’, e’/a’ lateral, and e’ septal, higher E/e’ septal ratio). However, anthracycline does not significantly affect LVEF and LV deformation indicators. E/e’ septalande’ septal are independently associated with the total dose of anthracycline

Clinical and psychological correlations with type D personality in patients with chronic coronary syndrome

Recently, it has become common to identify type D personality, which is predisposed to the development of psychological distress. Negative behavioral characteristics of individuals with type D personality contribute not only to the development of cardiovascular diseases, but also to  other comorbid pathologies that can influence the progression and prognosis of coronary heart disease. The aim of the study. To identify clinical and psychological correlations with type D personality in patients with chronic coronary syndrome. Methods. The study included 113 patients (68 men and 45 women; median age – 64 years) admitted for planned percutaneous coronary intervention at the Research Institute for Complex Issues of Cardiovascular Diseases (Kemerovo, Russian Federation). Based on the results of the DS-14 test, patients were divided into two groups: patients with type D personality (n = 40) and patients without this type (n = 73). Results. In patients with chronic coronary syndrome with type D personality, compared with patients without this type, concomitant diabetes mellitus (35 % and 15 %, respectively; p = 0.018), signs of diastolic dysfunction of left (Е/е’ ratio 7.1 [6.48; 8.0] and 5.0 [4.55; 5.74], respectively; p = 0.0038) and right (Et/At ratio – 0.8 [0.66; 1.35] and 1.38 [1.28; 1.63], respectively; p = 0.014) ventricles were more often diagnosed. Correlation analysis revealed associations of diabetes mellitus with type D personality (r = 0.243; p = 0.011), severity of negative excitability (r = 0.253; p = 0.008) and social suppression (r = 0.224; p = 0.020), as well as association of ankle-brachial index (ABI) with the severity of negative excitability (r = 0.393; p = 0.004) and social suppression (r = 0.414; p = 0.002). Conclusion. In patients having chronic coronary syndrome with type D personality, concomitant diabetes mellitus, as well as left and right ventricular filling disorders are  more often detected. Correlation analysis revealed associations of diabetes mellitus with type  D personality and its subscales; the ABI level was associated with subscales of type D personality, but not with the level of anxiety and depression

PARP-1 regulates DNA repair factor availability.

PARP-1 holds major functions on chromatin, DNA damage repair and transcriptional regulation, both of which are relevant in the context of cancer. Here, unbiased transcriptional profiling revealed the downstream transcriptional profile of PARP-1 enzymatic activity. Further investigation of the PARP-1-regulated transcriptome and secondary strategies for assessing PARP-1 activity in patient tissues revealed that PARP-1 activity was unexpectedly enriched as a function of disease progression and was associated with poor outcome independent of DNA double-strand breaks, suggesting that enhanced PARP-1 activity may promote aggressive phenotypes. Mechanistic investigation revealed that active PARP-1 served to enhance E2F1 transcription factor activity, and specifically promoted E2F1-mediated induction of DNA repair factors involved in homologous recombination (HR). Conversely, PARP-1 inhibition reduced HR factor availability and thus acted to induce or enhance BRCA-ness . These observations bring new understanding of PARP-1 function in cancer and have significant ramifications on predicting PARP-1 inhibitor function in the clinical setting

ВЛИЯНИЕ НАЛИЧИЯ МУЛЬТИФОКАЛЬНОГО АТЕРОСКЛЕРОЗА НА КАЧЕСТВО ЖИЗНИ БОЛЬНЫХ C ИБС

Purpose. To study the effect of polyvascular disease (PolyVD) on quality of life (QoL) of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.Materials and methods. We examined 807 CAD patients (59,0 ± 8,0 years old; 648 men and 159 women), who were examined before planned coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). The patients were additionally examined for subclinical stenosis of non-coronary arteries to identify the signs of PolyVD (artery stenosis 30% and more were included). The following groups were formed: PolyVD group (n = 336) and non-PolyVD group (n = 473). The groups were compared in terms of quality of life and depression. QoL was analyzed with the help of SF36 questionnaire, depression level – with the help of “Depression scale” questionnaire.Results. In PolyVD group integral indicators of QoL were lower compared to non-PolyVD group both as for physical component (69 (51,5;72,3) and 71,3 (61,3;75,8) points; р = 0,004), and for psychological component (62.8 (48.5, 72.0) and 63.5 (57.0, 72.8) points, p = 0.045) of QoL. In multiple regression analysis the independent effect on physical component of QoL was provided by PolyVD (OR = 0,679; 95%CI 0,477–0,966; р = 0,031) and functional class of CHF (OR = 0,514; 95%CI 0,378–0,698; р < 0,001), on psychological component – functional class of CHF (OR = 0,577; 95%CI 0,425–0,784; р<0,001).Conclusion. CAD patients with PolyVD as compared to patients with discrete lesion of coronary arteries have a higher level of depression and reduce of quality of life both as for certain scales of SF-36 questionnaire and integral indicators of physical and psychological components of QoL. In multivariate analysis the independent factors associated with a reduction in overall physical health were PolyVD presence and CHF severity, associated with a reduction in overall psychological health – only CHF severity.Цель. Изучение влияния наличия мультифокального атеросклероза (МФА) на качество жизни (КЖ) у больных с ИБС.Материалы и методы. Обследовано 807 больных с ИБС (возраст 59,0 ± 8,0 года; 648 мужчин и 159 женщин), обследовавшихся перед плановой операцией коронарного шунтирования (КШ). Пациенты дополнительно были обследованы на предмет выявления у них субклинических стенозов некоронарных артерий для выявления признаков МФА (учитывали стенозы артерий 30 % и более). Сформированы следующие группы: группа с МФА (n = 336) и группа без МФА (n = 473). Группы были сопоставлены по уровню качества жизни и депрессии. КЖ анализировали с помощью опросника SF-36, уровень депрессии – с помощью опросника «Шкала депрессии».Результаты. В группе МФА интегральные показатели КЖ были ниже по сравнению с группой без МФА как по физическому (69 (51,5; 72,3) и 71,3 (61,3; 75,8) балла; р = 0,004), так и психологическому компоненту (62,8 (48,5; 72,0) и 63,5 (57,0; 72,8) балла; р = 0,045) КЖ. При множественном регрессионном анализе независимое влияние на физический компонент КЖ оказывали МФА (ОШ = 0,679; 95 %ДИ 0,477–0,966; р = 0,031) и функциональный класс ХСН (ОШ = 0,514; 95 %ДИ 0,378–0,698; р < 0,001), на психологический компонент – функциональный класс ХСН (ОШ = 0,577; 95 %ДИ 0,425–0,784; р < 0,001).Заключение. У больных с ИБС с наличием МФА по сравнению с пациентами с изолированным поражением коронарных артерий отмечаются более высокий уровень депрессии и снижение качества жизни как по отдельным шкалам опросника SF-36, так и интегральным показателям физического и психологического компонента КЖ. При многофакторном анализе независимыми факторами, связанными со снижением общего физического здоровья, были наличие МФА и выраженность ХСН, со снижением общего психологического здоровья – только выраженность ХСН

Kepler-16: A Transiting Circumbinary Planet

We report the detection of a planet whose orbit surrounds a pair of low-mass stars. Data from the Kepler spacecraft reveal transits of the planet across both stars, in addition to the mutual eclipses of the stars, giving precise constraints on the absolute dimensions of all three bodies. The planet is comparable to Saturn in mass and size, and is on a nearly circular 229-day orbit around its two parent stars. The eclipsing stars are 20% and 69% as massive as the sun, and have an eccentric 41-day orbit. The motions of all three bodies are confined to within 0.5 degree of a single plane, suggesting that the planet formed within a circumbinary disk.Comment: Science, in press; for supplemental material see http://www.sciencemag.org/content/suppl/2011/09/14/333.6049.1602.DC1/1210923.Doyle.SOM.pd

ФАКТОРЫ, АССОЦИИРОВАННЫЕ С ПАТОЛОГИЧЕСКИМ СЕРДЕЧНО-ЛОДЫЖЕЧНЫМ СОСУДИСТЫМ ИНДЕКСОМ У БОЛЬНЫХ С ОСТРЫМ НАРУШЕНИЕМ МОЗГОВОГО КРОВООБРАЩЕНИЯ

Aim. To compare the clinical significance of the pathological cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and the abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) in patients with acute stroke, and to assess the factors associated with the presence of pathological CAVI in these patients.Methods. 375 patients with stroke (aged 65,0±7,5 years, 200 men and 175 women) were examined in the Department of Neurology at Cardiac Dispensary. All patients were assigned into three groups based on CAVI and ABI: Group 1 - patients with CAVI<9.0 and ABI>0.9 (n= 131), Group 2 - patients with CAVI>9.0 and ABI>0.9 (n = 153), Group 3 - patients with ABI<0.9 (n = 91).Data on rior vascular events and the presence of cardiovascular disease were colledcted. All patients underwent colour Duplex scanning of brachiocephalic arteries, echocardiography, electrocardiography, and laboratory testing (lipid profile, complete blood count, biochemical blood assay, coagulation profile). Arterial stiffness was measured with the VaSera VS-1000.Results We found that patients with abnormal levels of CAVI (40.8%) were more likely to have concomitant cardiovascular disease (diabetes, chronic heart failure, rhythm disturbances). Patients with abnormal CAVI more often had extracranial artery stenoses (p = 0.001), thickened intima-media complex (p = 0.02), and atrial fibrillation (p = 0.007) compared to patients with normal CAVI.Conclusion The assessment of cardio-ankle vascular index is preferable in patients with stroke. It allows timely identifying patients with increased arterial stiffness and peripheral artery disease and initiating targeted therapeutic procedures. Цель. Сопоставить клиническое значение патологического сердечно-лодыжечного сосудистого индекса (СЛСИ) и патологического лодыжечно-плечевого индекса (ЛПИ) у больных с острым нарушением мозгового кровообращения (ОНМК), а также оценить факторы, ассоциированные с наличием патологического СЛСИ у этих пациентов.Материалы и методы. Обследовано 375 больных с ОНМК (возраст 65,0±7,5 лет, 200 мужчин и 175 женщин) в неврологическом отделении кардиологического диспансера. Больные были разделены на три группы в зависимости от показателей СЛСИ и ЛПИ: I группа – больные с СЛСИ0,9 (n = 131), II группа – больные с СЛСИ>9,0 и ЛПИ>0,9 (n = 153), III группа – больные с ЛПИ>0,9 (n= 131), II группа – больные с СЛСИ>9,0 и ЛПИ>0,9 (n = 153), III группа – больные с ЛПИ<0,9 (n = 91). Изучены предшествующие сосудистые события, наличие сердечно-сосудистых заболеваний. Всем больным проводили цветное дуплексное сканирование брахиоцефальных артерий, эхокардиографию, электрокардиограмму, а также лабораторные исследования (липидограмма, общеклинический и биохимический анализ крови, коагулограмма). Артериальная жесткость исследовалась с помощью прибора VaSera VS-1000.Результаты. В ходе исследования выявлено, что пациенты с патологическим уровнем СЛСИ (40,8%) чаще имели сопутствующую сердечно-сосудистую патологию (сахарный диабет, хроническая сердечная недостаточность, нарушение ритма). У пациентов с патологическим СЛСИ чаще, чем в группе с нормальным СЛСИ, выявлены стенозы экстракраниальных артерий (р = 0,001), утолщенный комплекс интима-медиа (р = 0,02), фибрилляция предсердий (р = 0,007).Заключение. Оценка СЛСИ целесообразна при ишемическом инсульте для выявления пациентов с повышенной жесткостью артериальной стенки и периферическим атеросклерозом и проведения у них целенаправленных профилактических мероприятий