Spatially self-similar spherically symmetric perfect-fluid models

Einstein's field equations for spatially self-similar spherically symmetric perfect-fluid models are investigated. The field equations are rewritten as a first-order system of autonomous differential equations. Dimensionless variables are chosen in such a way that the number of equations in the coupled system is reduced as far as possible and so that the reduced phase space becomes compact and regular. The system is subsequently analysed qualitatively with the theory of dynamical systems.Comment: 21 pages, 6 eps-figure

Imatinib Enhances Functional Outcome after Spinal Cord Injury

We investigated whether imatinib (Gleevec®, Novartis), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, could improve functional outcome in experimental spinal cord injury. Rats subjected to contusion spinal cord injury were treated orally with imatinib for 5 days beginning 30 minutes after injury. We found that imatinib significantly enhanced blood-spinal cord-barrier integrity, hindlimb locomotor function, sensorimotor integration, and bladder function, as well as attenuated astrogliosis and deposition of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, and increased tissue preservation. These improvements were associated with enhanced vascular integrity and reduced inflammation. Our results show that imatinib improves recovery in spinal cord injury by preserving axons and other spinal cord tissue components. The rapid time course of these beneficial effects suggests that the effects of imatinib are neuroprotective rather than neurorestorative. The positive effects on experimental spinal cord injury, obtained by oral delivery of a clinically used drug, makes imatinib an interesting candidate drug for clinical trials in spinal cord injury

Spatially self-similar locally rotationally symmetric perfect fluid models

Einstein's field equations for spatially self-similar locally rotationally symmetric perfect fluid models are investigated. The field equations are rewritten as a first order system of autonomous ordinary differential equations. Dimensionless variables are chosen in such a way that the number of equations in the coupled system of differential equations is reduced as far as possible. The system is subsequently analyzed qualitatively for some of the models. The nature of the singularities occurring in the models is discussed.Comment: 27 pages, pictures available at ftp://vanosf.physto.se/pub/figures/ssslrs.tar.g

D=3, N=8 conformal supergravity and the Dragon window

We give a superspace description of D=3, N=8 supergravity. The formulation is off-shell in the sense that the equations of motion are not implied by the superspace constraints (but an action principle is not given). The multiplet structure is unconventional, which we connect to the existence of a "Dragon window", that is modules occurring in the supercurvature but not in the supertorsion. According to Dragon's theorem this cannot happen above three dimensions. We clarify the relevance of this window for going on the conformal shell, and discuss some aspects of coupling to conformal matter.Comment: plain tex, 24 pp v2: minor change

Coding of procedures documented by general practitioners in Swedish primary care-an explorative study using two procedure coding systems

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Procedures documented by general practitioners in primary care have not been studied in relation to procedure coding systems. We aimed to describe procedures documented by Swedish general practitioners in electronic patient records and to compare them to the Swedish Classification of Health Interventions (KVÅ) and SNOMED CT.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Procedures in 200 record entries were identified, coded, assessed in relation to two procedure coding systems and analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>417 procedures found in the 200 electronic patient record entries were coded with 36 different Classification of Health Interventions categories and 148 different SNOMED CT concepts. 22.8% of the procedures could not be coded with any Classification of Health Interventions category and 4.3% could not be coded with any SNOMED CT concept. 206 procedure-concept/category pairs were assessed as a complete match in SNOMED CT compared to 10 in the Classification of Health Interventions.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Procedures documented by general practitioners were present in nearly all electronic patient record entries. Almost all procedures could be coded using SNOMED CT.</p> <p>Classification of Health Interventions covered the procedures to a lesser extent and with a much lower degree of concordance. SNOMED CT is a more flexible terminology system that can be used for different purposes for procedure coding in primary care.</p

Dynamics of M-Theory Cosmology

A complete global analysis of spatially-flat, four-dimensional cosmologies derived from the type IIA string and M-theory effective actions is presented. A non--trivial Ramond-Ramond sector is included. The governing equations are written as a dynamical system. Asymptotically, the form fields are dynamically negligible, but play a crucial role in determining the possible intermediate behaviour of the solutions (i.e. the nature of the equilibrium points). The only past-attracting solution (source in the system) may be interpreted in the eleven-dimensional setting in terms of flat space. This source is unstable to the introduction of spatial curvature.Comment: 13 pages, 4 Postscript figures, uses graphics.sty, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Deformation independent open brane metrics and generalized theta parameters

We investigate the consequences of generalizing certain well established properties of the open string metric to the conjectured open membrane and open Dp-brane metrics. By imposing deformation independence on these metrics their functional dependence on the background fields can be determined including the notorious conformal factor. In analogy with the non-commutativity parameter $\Theta^{\mu\nu}$ in the string case, we also obtain `generalized' theta parameters which are rank q+1 antisymmetric tensors (polyvectors) for open Dq-branes and rank 3 for the open membrane case. The expressions we obtain for the open membrane quantities are expected to be valid for general background field configurations, while the open D-brane quantities are only valid for one parameter deformations. By reducing the open membrane data to five dimensions, we show that they, modulo a subtlety with implications for the relation between OM-theory and NCYM, correctly generate the open string and open D2-data.Comment: 24 pages, LaTe

Regulation of Transforming Growth Factor-β1–driven Lung Fibrosis by Galectin-3

Rationale: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic dysregulated response to alveolar epithelial injury with differentiation of epithelial cells and fibroblasts into matrix-secreting myofibroblasts resulting in lung scaring. The prognosis is poor and there are no effective therapies or reliable biomarkers. Galectin-3 is a beta-galactoside binding lectin that is highly expressed in fibrotic tissue of diverse etiologies. Objectives: To examine the role of galectin-3 in pulmonary fibrosis. Methods: We used genetic deletion and pharmacologic inhibition in well-characterized murine models of lung fibrosis. Further mechanistic studies were performed in vitro and on samples from patients with IPF. Measurements and Main Results: Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta and bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis was dramatically reduced in mice deficient in galectin-3, manifest by reduced TGF-beta 1 induced EMT and myofibroblast activation and collagen production. Galectin-3 reduced phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of beta-catenin but had no effect on Smad2/3 phosphorylation. A novel inhibitor of galectin -3, TD139, blocked TGF-beta-induced beta-catenin activation in vitro and in vivo and attenuated the late-stage progression of lung fibrosis after bleomycin. There was increased expression of galectin-3 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum from patients with stable IPF compared with nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis and controls, which rose sharply during an acute exacerbation suggesting that. galectin-3 may be a marker of active fibrosis in IPF and that strategies that block galectin-3 may be effective in treating acute fibrotic exacerbations of IPF. Conclusions: This study identifies galectin-3 as an important regulator of lung fibrosis and provides a proof of principle for galectin-3 inhibition as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for IPF

An MR-based brain template and atlas for optical projection tomography and light sheet fluorescence microscopy in neuroscience

IntroductionOptical Projection Tomography (OPT) and light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) are high resolution optical imaging techniques, ideally suited for ex vivo 3D whole mouse brain imaging. Although they exhibit high specificity for their targets, the anatomical detail provided by tissue autofluorescence remains limited.MethodsT1-weighted images were acquired from 19 BABB or DBE cleared brains to create an MR template using serial longitudinal registration. Afterwards, fluorescent OPT and LSFM images were coregistered/normalized to the MR template to create fusion images.ResultsVolumetric calculations revealed a significant difference between BABB and DBE cleared brains, leading to develop two optimized templates, with associated tissue priors and brain atlas, for BABB (OCUM) and DBE (iOCUM). By creating fusion images, we identified virus infected brain regions, mapped dopamine transporter and translocator protein expression, and traced innervation from the eye along the optic tract to the thalamus and superior colliculus using cholera toxin B. Fusion images allowed for precise anatomical identification of fluorescent signal in the detailed anatomical context provided by MR.DiscussionThe possibility to anatomically map fluorescent signals on magnetic resonance (MR) images, widely used in clinical and preclinical neuroscience, would greatly benefit applications of optical imaging of mouse brain. These specific MR templates for cleared brains enable a broad range of neuroscientific applications integrating 3D optical brain imaging