Topological mass mechanism and exact fields mapping

We present a class of mappings between models with topological mass mechanism and purely topological models in arbitrary dimensions. These mappings are established by directly mapping the fields of one model in terms of the fields of the other model in closed expressions. These expressions provide the mappings of their actions as well as the mappings of their propagators. For a general class of models in which the topological model becomes the BF model the mappings present arbitrary functions which otherwise are absent for Chern-Simons like actions. This work generalizes the results of [1] for arbitrary dimensions.Comment: 11 page

Clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and outcomes of Hispanic hypertensive patients

Hispanics are the largest and fastest-growing minority population in the United States, currently comprising about 16.3% (52 million) of the total population. With an increased prevalence of metabolic risk factors in this population, the rate of uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) in Hispanics significantly exceeds the rates observed among non-Hispanic blacks and whites. Unfortunately, data on HTN in Hispanics remains limited due to the under-representation of Hispanics in clinical trials; with most of the data primarily restricted to observational and retrospective subgroup analyses. This article aims to review the available data on prevalence, awareness and control of HTN, risk factors and some of the challenges unique to the Hispanics population. We also discuss treatment strategies derived from large HTN trials that included Hispanics

La fisión mediada por DRP1 tiene un papel importante en las enfermedades de Alzheimer y Parkinson

Our objectives were to perform a bibliometric analysis with which to highlight the role of Drp1 in the pathogenesis of AD and PD as a fundamental regulator of mitochondrial fusion and fission homeostasis, in addition to highlighting Drp1 as a possible therapeutic target in AD and PD.Nuestros objetivos son realizar un análisis bibliométrico con el que destacar la relevancia de Drp1 en la patogénesis de la EA y la EP como regulador fundamental de la homeostasis de la fusión y fisión mitocondrial, además de destacar a Drp1 como posible diana terapéutica en la EA y la EP.Ciencias Experimentale

A FEM-based model to predict the behaviour of RC beams shear strengthened according to the NSM technique

Experimental research has demonstrated the excellent performance of the near surface mounted (NSM) technique with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates for the shear strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. This paper presents a finite element analysis to evaluate the behaviour of RC beams shear strengthened with NSM CFRP laminates. To predict correctly the deformational and the cracking behaviour of RC elements failing in shear using a smeared crack approach, the strategy adopted to simulate the crack shear stress transfer is crucial. For this purpose, a strategy for modelling the fracture mode II was implemented in a smeared crack model already existing in the FEM-based computer program, FEMIX. This strategy is mainly based on a softening shear stress-shear strain diagram adopted for modelling the crack shear stress transfer. To assess the predictive performance of the developed model, the experimental tests carried out with a series of T cross section RC beams shear strengthened according to the NSM technique by using CFRP laminates were simulated. In this series of beams, three different percentages of CFRP laminates and, for each CFRP percentage, three inclinations for the laminates were tested: 90º, 60º and 45º. By using the properties obtained from the experimental program for the characterization of the relevant properties of the intervening materials, and deriving from inverse analysis the data for the crack shear softening diagram, the simulations carried out have fitted with high accuracy the deformational and cracking behaviour of the 2 tested beams, as well as the strain fields in the reinforcements. The constitutive model is briefly described, and the simulations are presented and analysed.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Probabilistic Quantum Memories

Typical address-oriented computer memories cannot recognize incomplete or noisy information. Associative (content-addressable) memories solve this problem but suffer from severe capacity shortages. I propose a model of a quantum memory that solves both problems. The storage capacity is exponential in the number of qbits and thus optimal. The retrieval mechanism for incomplete or noisy inputs is probabilistic, with postselection of the measurement result. The output is determined by a probability distribution on the memory which is peaked around the stored patterns closest in Hamming distance to the input.Comment: Revised version to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

A009 Importance of tweak-CD163 system in peripheral artery disease

IntroductionCD163 is a macrophage receptor of haptoglogin/ haemoglobin complexes responsible for clearance of hemogloin. It has been recently suggested to be a potential scavenger receptor for TWEAK (Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis). TWEAK levels were reported to be decreased in carotid atherosclerosis. Our hypothesis is that decreased circulating TWEAK could be paralleled by an increased presence of CD163-expressing macrophage in atherosclerotic plaques. Since peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an important manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis, we have assessed the levels of circulating TWEAK-CD163 in PAD.Methods and ResultsPatients with PAD (n=184) had lower TWEAK (169.2±8.3vs 211.9±15.4pg/mL; p<0.05) and higher sCD163 (408.1±14.5vs 317.4±8.4ng/mL; p<0.05) plasma concentration than age-matched controls (n=330). After stratification according to the severity of disease, we observed that TWEAK/sCD163 ratio was significantly decreased in those patients with higher degree of disease (0.39±0.06vs 0.66±0.08, p<0.05) relative to the other groups. Analysis of conditioned medium obtained from cultured human atherosclerotic femoral plaque samples (n=38) and healthy aortas (n=14) revealed that higher amount of sCD163 was released by the atherosclerotic tissue, whereas TWEAK presented the opposite trend.ConclusionsOur results suggest that CD163/TWEAK plasma ratio could be a potential biomarker of clinical peripheral artery disease. We can hypothesized that decreased levels of circulating TWEAK observed in atherosclerosis may be the result of a trapping by plaque macrophages through their CD163

On algebraic models of relativistic scattering

In this paper we develop an algebraic technique for building relativistic models in the framework of direct-interaction theories. The interacting mass operator M in the Bakamjian-Thomas construction is related to a quadratic Casimir operator C of a non-compact group G. As a consequence, the S matrix can be gained from an intertwining relation between Weyl-equivalent representations of G. The method is illustrated by explicit application to a model with SO(3,1) dynamical symmetry.Comment: 10 pages, to appear in J. Phys. A : Math. Theo

Benzbromarone, quercetin, and folic acid inhibit amylin aggregation

Human Amylin, or islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP), is a small hormone secreted by pancreatic ß-cells that forms aggregates under insulin deficiency metabolic conditions, and it constitutes a pathological hallmark of type II diabetes mellitus. In type II diabetes patients, amylin is abnormally increased, self-assembled into amyloid aggregates, and ultimately contributes to the apoptotic death of ß-cells by mechanisms that are not completely understood. We have screened a library of approved drugs in order to identify inhibitors of amylin aggregation that could be used as tools to investigate the role of amylin aggregation in type II diabetes or as therapeutics in order to reduce ß-cell damage. Interestingly, three of the compounds analyzed—benzbromarone, quercetin, and folic acid—are able to slow down amylin fiber formation according to Thioflavin T binding, turbidimetry, and Transmission Electron Microscopy assays. In addition to the in vitro assays, we have tested the effect of these compounds in an amyloid toxicity cell culture model and we have found that one of them, quercetin, has the ability to partly protect cultured pancreatic insulinoma cells from the cytotoxic effect of amylin. Our data suggests that quercetin can contribute to reduce oxidative damage in pancreatic insulinoma ß cells by modulating the aggregation propensity of amylin

Impact of echocardiographic left ventricular geometry on clinical prognosis

Abnormal left ventricular (LV) geometry, including LV hypertrophy (LVH), is associated with increased risk of major cardiovascular (CV) events and all-cause mortality and may be an independent predictor of morbid CV events. Patients with LVH have increased risk of congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, sudden cardiac death and stroke. We review the risk factors for LVH and its consequences, as well as the risk imposed by concentric remodeling (CR). We also examine evidence supporting the benefits of LVH regression, as well as evidence regarding the risk of CR progressing to LVH, as opposed to normalization of CR. We also briefly review the association of abnormal LV geometry with left atrial enlargement and the combined effects of these structural cardiac abnormalities

Theoretical Examination of the Lithium Depletion Boundary

We explore the sensitivity in open cluster ages obtained by the lithium depletion boundary (LDB) technique to the stellar model input physics. The LDB age technique is limited to open clusters with ages ranging from 20 to 200 Myr. Effective 1-sig errors in the LDB technique due to uncertain input physics are roughly 3% at the oldest age increasing to 8% at the youngest age. Bolometric correction uncertainties add an additional 10 to 6% error to the LDB age technique for old and young clusters, respectively. Rotation rates matching the observed fastest rotators in the Pleiades affect LDB ages by less than 2%. The range of rotation rates in an open cluster are expected to ``smear'' the LDB location by only 0.02 mag for a Pleiades age cluster increasing to 0.06 mag for a 20 Myr cluster. Thus, the observational error of locating the LDB (~7-10%) and the bolometric correction uncertainty currently dominate the error in LDB ages. For our base case, we formally derive a LDB age of 148 +- 19 Myr for the Pleiades, where the error includes 8, 3, and 9% contributions from observational, theoretical, and bolometric correction sources, respectively. A maximally plausible 0.3 magnitude shift in the I-band bolometric correction to reconcile main sequence isochrone fits with the observed (V-I) color for the low mass Pleiades members results in an age of 126 +- 11 Myr, where the error includes observational and theoretical errors only. Upper main-sequence-fitting ages that do not include convective core overshoot for the Pleiades (~75 Myr) are ruled out by the LDB age technique.Comment: 35 pages, 9 figures, accepted Ap