Dynnikov coordinates on virtual braid groups

We define Dynnikov coordinates on virtual braid groups. We prove that they are faithful invariants of virtual 2-braids, and present evidence that they are also very powerful invariants for general virtual braids

Immunohistochemical localization of collagen VI in diabetic glomeruli

Immunohistochemical localization of collagen VI in diabetic glomeruli. Late stage diabetic nephropathy is histologically characterized by either diffuse or nodular expansion of the glomerular matrix. This is presumed to represent the morphological correlate for the functional impairment of the kidney. The exact matrix composition of the nodular glomerulosclerosis lesion of end-stage diabetic nephropathy is not known. Biochemical studies have provided evidence that the microfibrillar collagen type VI is increased in diabetic nephropathy. Consequently, this immunohistochemical study was designed to evaluate the extent and exact morphologic location of increased collagen VI deposition at various stages of diabetic glomerulosclerosis (GS). An irregular, sometimes spot-like staining of collagen VI was observed in diffuse GS in the mesangial portion. The uninterrupted staining which was evident along the glomerular basement membrane in normal glomeruli was discontinuous in diffusely sclerotic glomeruli. In nodular GS, the markedly increased deposition of collagen VI appeared to be evenly distributed throughout the entire nodular lesion. At the same time, mesangial staining for collagen IV was reduced in nodular GS, suggesting that in the expanded mesangial matrix collagen IV is progressively substituted by collagen VI during the transition from diffuse to nodular GS. The colocalization of PAS staining with collagen VI deposition in nodular GS suggests that the typical Kimmelstiel-Wilson lesions at least in part consist of collagen VI. Biochemical analysis confirmed the increased collagen VI deposition in glomeruli extracted from diabetic patients with nodular GS. Application of two antisera, recognizing primarily the α1(VI)- and α2(VI)-chains and the N-terminal part of α3(VI)-chain, respectively, revealed no difference in staining pattern. Comparison of the immunohistochemical results with clinical parameters of diabetic nephropathy suggested that increasing collagen VI deposition may be an indicator of the irreversible remodeling of the glomerular matrix to nodular GS which is associated with functional insufficiency. Our findings indicate striking differences of the mesangial matrix composition in diffuse and nodular GS. These observations together with earlier results provide evidence for a “switch” in the matrix protein production in association with the development of nodular GS in diabetic nephropathy

Changes in life satisfaction when losing one's spouse: individual differences in anticipation, reaction, adaptation and longevity in the German Socio-economic Panel Study (SOEP)

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.Losing a spouse is among the most devastating events that may occur in people's lives. We use longitudinal data from 1,224 participants in the German Socio-economic Panel Study (SOEP) to examine (a) how life satisfaction changes with the experience of spousal loss; (b) whether socio-demographic factors and social and health resources moderate spousal loss-related changes in life satisfaction; and (c) whether extent of anticipation, reaction and adaptation to spousal loss are associated with mortality. Results reveal that life satisfaction shows anticipatory declines about two and a half years prior to (anticipation), steep declines in the months surrounding (reaction) and lower levels after spousal loss (adaptation). Older age was associated with steeper anticipatory declines, but less steep reactive declines. Additionally, younger age, better health, social participation and poorer partner health were associated with better adaptation. Higher pre-loss life satisfaction, less steep reactive declines and better adaptation were associated with longevity. The discussion focuses on the utility of examining the interrelatedness among anticipation, reaction and adaptation to further our understanding of change in life satisfaction in the context of major life events

A finite-volume scheme for modeling compressible magnetohydrodynamic flows at low Mach numbers in stellar interiors

Fully compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations are a fundamental tool for investigating the role of dynamo amplification in the generation of magnetic fields in deep convective layers of stars. The flows that arise in such environments are characterized by low (sonic) Mach numbers (M_son < 0.01 ). In these regimes, conventional MHD codes typically show excessive dissipation and tend to be inefficient as the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) constraint on the time step becomes too strict. In this work we present a new method for efficiently simulating MHD flows at low Mach numbers in a space-dependent gravitational potential while still retaining all effects of compressibility. The proposed scheme is implemented in the finite-volume Seven-League Hydro (SLH) code, and it makes use of a low-Mach version of the five-wave Harten-Lax-van Leer discontinuities (HLLD) solver to reduce numerical dissipation, an implicit-explicit time discretization technique based on Strang splitting to overcome the overly strict CFL constraint, and a well-balancing method that dramatically reduces the magnitude of spatial discretization errors in strongly stratified setups. The solenoidal constraint on the magnetic field is enforced by using a constrained transport method on a staggered grid. We carry out five verification tests, including the simulation of a small-scale dynamo in a star-like environment at M_son ~ 0.001 . We demonstrate that the proposed scheme can be used to accurately simulate compressible MHD flows in regimes of low Mach numbers and strongly stratified setups even with moderately coarse grids

Cognitive improvement in patients with carotid stenosis is independent of treatment type

Treatment of carotid artery stenosis decreases the long-term risk of stroke and may enhance cerebral blood flow. It is therefore expected to have the potential to prevent cognitive decline or even improve cognition over the long-term. However, intervention itself can cause peri-interventional cerebral infarcts, possibly resulting in a decline of cognitive performance, at least for a short time. We investigated the long-term effects of three treatment methods on cognition and the emotional state one year after intervention. In this prospective observational cohort study, 58 patients with extracranial carotid artery stenosis (≥ 70%) underwent magnetic resonance imaging and assessment of cognition, mood and motor speed before carotid endarterectomy (n = 20), carotid stenting (n = 10) or best medical treatment (n = 28) (i.e., time-point 1 [TP1]), and at one-year follow-up (TP2). Gain scores, reflecting cognitive change after treatment, were built according to performance as (TP2 -TP1)/TP1. Independent of the treatment type, significant improvement in frontal lobe functions, visual memory and motor speed was found. Performance level, motor speed and mood at TP1 were negatively correlated with gain scores, with greater improvement in patients with low performance before treatment. Active therapy, whether conservative or interventional, produces significant improvement of frontal lobe functions and memory in patients with carotid artery disease, independent of treatment type. This effect was particularly pronounced in patients with low cognitive performance prior to treatment

Dermal fillers do not induce upregulation of NLRP3 inflammasomes or expression of inflammatory cytokines in granulomas

Background: Filling materials have increasingly been used in aesthetics over the last decades. Understanding the pathophysiology of granuloma formation as a very relevant unwanted side effect of filler application may be essential to help avoid these adverse events. Aims: Our aim was to investigate the role of the inflammasome in the formation of filler granuloma, as a central column of the innate immune response. Methods RPMI 1640 medium was used for growth of THP-1 cells and the induction of THP-1 macrophages. Sonication was applied in order to crush the acrylic particles of the filler. ELISA was the method of analysis for the specific cytokines. Biopsy specimens of filler granuloma were analyzed by various immunohistochemical methods. GraphPad Prism 5 software was used for the statistical data analysis. Results: Neither was the sensor NALP3 overexpressed, nor could an elevated expression of cleaved IL-1 beta, IL-18, or IFN-gamma be detected. Furthermore, no increased expression of IL-8 or IL-1 beta was detectable in vitro. Conclusion No increased inflammasome activation could be observed;however, filler granulomas were infiltrated with granulocytes and macrophages. Therefore, we speculate that an unspecific immune response might be the key player in the formation of filler granuloma