The microbiome-gut-brain axis in acute and chronic brain diseases

The gut microbiome — the largest reservoir of microorganisms of the human body — is emerging as an important player in neurodevelopment and ageing as well as in brain diseases including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The growing knowledge on mediators and triggered pathways has advanced our understanding of the interactions along the gut-brain axis. Gut bacteria produce neuroactive compounds and can modulate neuronal function, plasticity and behavior. Furthermore, intestinal microorganisms impact the host’s metabolism and immune status which in turn affect neuronal pathways in the enteric and central nervous systems. Here, we discuss the recent insights from human studies and animal models on the bi-directional communication along the microbiome-gut-brain axis in both acute and chronic brain diseases

Tracing U mobility in deep groundwater using Ra isotopes

The mobility of natural U is compared among four boreholes in a fractured granite using Ra isotopes and geochemical modelling. Rn-222/Ra-226 activity ratios (ARs) spanning an order of magnitude underline differences in reactive surface area. (Ra-224/Ra-228)(ARs) up to 9 indicate recent changes in hydrogeochemistry, and (Ra-226/Ra-228)(ARs) 0.6-30 indicate variable deposition of U. Dissolved U is related to dissolution of a solid U(VI) phase by groundwater with HCO3- > 20 mg.L-1. U reduction is hindered by Ca2UO2(CO3)(3)(0)

Prospects for measuring the gravitational free-fall of antihydrogen with emulsion detectors

The main goal of the AEgIS experiment at CERN is to test the weak equivalence principle for antimatter. AEgIS will measure the free-fall of an antihydrogen beam traversing a moir\'e deflectometer. The goal is to determine the gravitational acceleration g for antihydrogen with an initial relative accuracy of 1% by using an emulsion detector combined with a silicon micro-strip detector to measure the time of flight. Nuclear emulsions can measure the annihilation vertex of antihydrogen atoms with a precision of about 1 - 2 microns r.m.s. We present here results for emulsion detectors operated in vacuum using low energy antiprotons from the CERN antiproton decelerator. We compare with Monte Carlo simulations, and discuss the impact on the AEgIS project.Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures, 3 table

Double vs single internal thoracic artery harvesting in diabetic patients: role in perioperative infection rate

Background: The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the role in the onset of surgical site infections of bilateral internal thoracic arteries harvesting in patients with decompensated preoperative glycemia. Methods: 81 consecutive patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus underwent elective CABG harvesting single or double internal thoracic arteries. Single left ITA was harvested in 41 patients (Group 1, 50.6%), BITAs were harvested in 40 (Group 2, 49.4%). The major clinical end points analyzed in this study were infection rate, type of infection, duration of infection, infection relapse rate and total hospital length of stay. Results: Five patients developed sternal SSI in the perioperative period, 2 in group 1 and 3 in group 2 without significant difference. All sternal SSIs were superficial with no sternal dehiscence. The development of infection from the time of surgery took 18.5 ± 2.1 and 7.3 ± 3.0 days for Groups 1 and 2 respectively. The infections were treated with wound irrigation and debridement, and with VAC therapy as well as with antibiotics. The VAC system was removed after a mean of 12.8 ± 5.1 days, when sterilization was achieved. The overall survival estimate at 1 year was 98.7%. Only BMI was a significant predictor of SSI using multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis (Odds Ratio: 1.34; 95%Conficdence Interval: 1.02–1.83; p value: 0.04). In the model, the use of BITA was not an independent predictor of SSI. Conclusion: CABG with bilateral pedicled ITAs grafting could be performed safely even in diabetics with poor preoperative glycaemic control

Low-energy resonances in the 18O (p,Υ) 19F reaction

Background: Shell hydrogen burning during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase through the oxygen isotopes has been indicated as a key process that is needed to understand the observed 18O/16O relative abundance in presolar grains and in stellar atmospheres. This ratio is strongly influenced by the relative strengths of the reactions 18O(p,\u3b1) 15N and 18O(p,\u3b3 ) 19F in low-mass AGB stars. While the former channel has been the focus of a large number of measurements, the (p,\u3b3 ) reaction path has only recently received some attention and its stellar reaction rate over a wide temperature range rests on only one measurement. Purpose: Our aim is the direct measurement of states in 19F as populated through the reaction 18O(p,\u3b3 ) 19F to better determine their influence on the astrophysical reaction rate, and more generally to improve the understanding of the nuclear structure of 19F. Method: Branchings and resonance strengths were measured in the proton energy range Elab p = 150\u2013400 keV, using a high-purity germanium detector inside a massive lead shield. The measurement took place in the ultralow- background environment of the Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics (LUNA) experiment at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory, leading to a highly increased sensitivity. Results: The uncertainty of the \u3b3 branchings and strengths was improved for all four resonances in the studied energy range; many new transitions were observed in the case of the 334 keV resonance, and individual \u3b3 decays of the 215 keV resonance were measured for the first time. In addition a number of transitions to intermediate states that decay through \u3b1 emission were identified. The strengths of the observed resonances are generally in agreement with literature values. Conclusions: Our measurements substantially confirm previous determinations of the relevant resonance strengths. Therefore the 18O(p,\u3b3 ) 19F reaction rate does not change with respect to the reaction rate reported in the compilations commonly adopted in the extant computations of red-giant branch and AGB stellar models. Nevertheless, our measurements definitely exclude a nonstandard scenario for the fluorine nucleosynthesis and a nuclear physics solution for the 18O depletion observed in Group 2 oxygen-rich stardust grains