Neutralization of chemokines RANTES and MIG increases virus antigen expression and spinal cord pathology during Theiler's virus infection.

The role of chemokines during some viral infections is unpredictable because the inflammatory response regulated by these molecules can have two, contrasting effects-viral immunity and immunopathologic injury to host tissues. Using Theiler's virus infection of SJL mice as a model of this type of disease, we have investigated the roles of two chemokines-regulated on activation, normal T cell-expressed and secreted (RANTES) chemokine and monokine induced by IFN-gamma (MIG)-by treating mice with antisera that block lymphocyte migration. Control, infected mice showed virus persistence, mild inflammation and a small degree of demyelination in the white matter of the spinal cord at 6 weeks post-infection. Treatment of mice with RANTES antiserum starting at 2 weeks post-infection increased both viral antigen expression and the severity of inflammatory demyelination at 6 weeks post-infection. MIG antiserum increased the spread of virus and the proportion of spinal cord white matter with demyelination. Overall, viral antigen levels correlated strongly with the extent of pathology. At the RNA level, high virus expression was associated with low IL-2 and high IL-10 levels, and RANTES antiserum decreased the IL-2/IL-10 ratio. Our results suggest that RANTES and MIG participate in an immune response that attempts to restrict viral expression while limiting immunopathology and that anti-chemokine treatment poses the risk of exacerbating both conditions in the long term

Oscillatons revisited

In this paper, we study some interesting properties of a spherically symmetric oscillating soliton star made of a real time-dependent scalar field which is called an oscillaton. The known final configuration of an oscillaton consists of a stationary stage in which the scalar field and the metric coefficients oscillate in time if the scalar potential is quadratic. The differential equations that arise in the simplest approximation, that of coherent scalar oscillations, are presented for a quadratic scalar potential. This allows us to take a closer look at the interesting properties of these oscillating objects. The leading terms of the solutions considering a quartic and a cosh scalar potentials are worked in the so called stationary limit procedure. This procedure reveals the form in which oscillatons and boson stars may be related and useful information about oscillatons is obtained from the known results of boson stars. Oscillatons could compete with boson stars as interesting astrophysical objects, since they would be predicted by scalar field dark matter models.Comment: 10 pages REVTeX, 10 eps figures. Updated files to match version published in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Galactic Collapse of Scalar Field Dark Matter

We present a scenario for galaxy formation based on the hypothesis of scalar field dark matter. We interpret galaxy formation through the collapse of a scalar field fluctuation. We find that a cosh potential for the self-interaction of the scalar field provides a reasonable scenario for galactic formation, which is in agreement with cosmological observations and phenomenological studies in galaxies.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figue

The SOCS-1 gene methylation in chronic myeloid leukemia patients

SOCS-1, an important protein in the JAK/STAT pathway, has a role in the down stream of BCR-ABL protein kinase. We investigated 56 CML patients and 16 controls for the methylation status of SOCS-1 gene promoter and Exon 2 regions. Exon 2 was found to be methylated in 58.9% of the patients and 93.8% of the controls [P = 0.020, OR = 0.121(0.015-0.957)%95CI]. The promoter region was found unmethylated in all patient samples and controls. Although previous studies revealed a relation between SOCS1 gene Exon-2 hypermethylation and CML development or progression, the results of this study showed no such correlation. On the contrary, our results might be indicating hypomethylation in CML patients, this hypothesis need to be studied in larger study population. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Pain: metaphor, body, and culture in Anglo-American societies between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries

This article explores the relationship between metaphorical languages, body, and culture, and suggests that such an analysis can reveal a great deal about the meaning and experience of pain in Anglo-American societies between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries. It uses concepts within embodied cognition to speculate on how historians can write a history of sensation. Bodies are actively engaged in the linguistic processes and social interactions that constitute painful sensations. Language is engaged in a dialogue with physiological bodies and social environments. And culture collaborates in the creation of physiological bodies and metaphorical systems

Relation of gallbladder function and Helicobacter pylori infection to gastric mucosa inflammation in patients with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis

Background. Inflammatory alterations of the gastric mucosa are commonly caused by Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in patients with symptomatic gallstone disease. However, the additional pathogenetic role of an impaired gallbladder function leading to an increased alkaline duodenogastric reflux is controversially discussed. Aim:To investigate the relation of gallbladder function and Hp infection to gastric mucosa inflammation in patients with symptomatic gallstones prior to cholecystectomy. Patients: Seventy-three patients with symptomatic gallstones were studied by endoscopy and Hp testing. Methods: Gastritis classification was performed according to the updated Sydney System and gallbladder function was determined by total lipid concentration of gallbladder bile collected during mainly laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Results: Fifteen patients revealed no, 39 patients mild, and 19 moderate to marked gastritis. No significant differences for bile salts, phospholipids, cholesterol, or total lipids in gallbladder bile were found between these three groups of patients. However, while only 1 out of 54 (< 2%) patients with mild or no gastritis was found histologically positive for Hp, this infection could be detected in 14 (74%) out of 19 patients with moderate to marked gastritis. Conclusion: Moderate to marked gastric mucosa inflammation in gallstone patients is mainly caused by Hp infection, whereas gallbladder function is not related to the degree of gastritis. Thus, an increased alkaline duodenogastric reflux in gallstone patients seems to be of limited pathophysiological relevance. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

Chemical Biology is.....

Chemical Biology is a relatively new field, and as such is not yet simply or succinctly defined. It includes such a wide range of fundamental problems that this commentary could only include just a few snapshots of potential areas of interest. Overarching themes and selected recent successes and ideas in chemical biology are described to illustrate broadly the scope of the field, but should not be taken as exhaustive. The Chemical Biology Section of Chemistry Central Journal is pleased to receive manuscripts describing research into all and any aspects of the subject

Systematic engineering design approach for improvement of oil-free twin-screw compressors

Twin-screw compressors are widely used in industry, especially in compressed air, refrigeration, air-conditioning and process gas which consume a significant part of the world's energy. Nowadays, oil-injected compressors represent the majority of twin-screw compressors in the market due to their high efficiency and reliability. The oil-free compressor is potentially a better solution in the context of the net-zero CO2 target in 2050. However, due to its high thermal deformation and small clearances, this technology still suffers from reliability issues. To remedy this problem disruptive innovative solutions are required. In this purpose, the present study uses a systematic engineering design process to develop new concepts for the improvement of the oil-free twin-screw compressor. The paper is focused on the first two phases of the design process which are the definition of problem and the conceptual design. In the problem definition, main objectives are expressed and are divided into sub-objectives and weighed using an objective tree decomposition. Moreover, a thorough functional model of the oil-free compressor is detailed with a focus on the leakage paths and heat transfers. For the conceptual design, engineering characteristics extracted from the functional analysis have been assessed against the most important objectives using Quality Function Deployment matrices (QFD). Based on the developed problem definition, new concepts have been generated and three distinct concept categories have been further explored: Secondary flow; Surface features; Clearance control and monitoring. The evaluation, embodiment and detailed designs of the concepts, using experimental and numerical analyses will follow

Validation of a deep neural network-based algorithm supporting clinical management of adnexal mass

BackgroundConservative management of adnexal mass is warranted when there is imaging-based and clinical evidence of benign characteristics. Malignancy risk is, however, a concern due to the mortality rate of ovarian cancer. Malignancy occurs in 10–15% of adnexal masses that go to surgery, whereas the rate of malignancy is much lower in masses clinically characterized as benign or indeterminate. Additional diagnostic tests could assist conservative management of these patients. Here we report the clinical validation of OvaWatch, a multivariate index assay, with real-world evidence of performance that supports conservative management of adnexal masses.MethodsOvaWatch utilizes a previously characterized neural network-based algorithm combining serum biomarkers and clinical covariates and was used to examine malignancy risk in prospective and retrospective samples of patients with an adnexal mass. Retrospective data sets were assembled from previous studies using patients who had adnexal mass and were scheduled for surgery. The prospective study was a multi-center trial of women with adnexal mass as identified on clinical examination and indeterminate or asymptomatic by imaging. The performance to detect ovarian malignancy was evaluated at a previously validated score threshold.ResultsIn retrospective, low prevalence (N = 1,453, 1.5% malignancy rate) data from patients that received an independent physician assessment of benign, OvaWatch has a sensitivity of 81.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 65.1–92.7] for identifying a histologically confirmed malignancy, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.7%. OvaWatch identified 18/22 malignancies missed by physician assessment. A prospective data set had 501 patients where 106 patients with adnexal mass went for surgery. The prevalence was 2% (10 malignancies). The sensitivity of OvaWatch for malignancy was 40% (95% CI: 16.8–68.7%), and the specificity was 87% (95% CI: 83.7–89.7) when patients were included in the analysis who did not go to surgery and were evaluated as benign. The NPV remained 98.6% (95% CI: 97.0–99.4%). An independent analysis set with a high prevalence (45.8%) the NPV value was 87.8% (95% CI: 95% CI: 75.8–94.3%).ConclusionOvaWatch demonstrated high NPV across diverse data sets and promises utility as an effective diagnostic test supporting management of suspected benign or indeterminate mass to safely decrease or delay unnecessary surgeries