Cosmic acceleration in Lovelock quantum gravity

This paper introduces novel solutions for inflation and late-time cosmic acceleration within the framework of quantum Lovelock gravity, utilizing Friedmann equations. Furthermore, we demonstrate the hypergeometric states of cosmic acceleration through the Schr\"{o}dinger stationary equation. A physical interpretation is proposed, whereby the rescaled Lovelock couplings represent a topological mass that characterizes the Lovelock branch. This research holds the potential for an extension into the quantum description. Predictions for the spectral tilt and tensor-to-scalar ratio are depicted through plotted curves. By utilizing the rescaled Hubble parameter, the spectral index is determined in terms of the number of e-folds.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figure

CORRODED GAS PIPELINE REMAINING LIFE UNDER VARIABLE OPERATING PRESSURE

Gas pipelines are subjected to mechanical and chemical stresses which lead to failures of various types such as corrosion, cracking, deformation and rupture. Corrosion damage to pipelines has become a growing concern in the gas industry. Corrosion defects in the form of pitting caused by the corrosion phenomenon cause high concentrations of stresses and plastic strains thus reducing the strength of the pipe by threatening its structural integrity. Indeed, the internal operating pressure is variable and can generate the phenomenon of fatigue, which is dangerous, given its insidious nature, causing damage to the corroded zone for stress levels well below the yield stress of the material. The standards used in the framework of the rehabilitation of corroded pipes allow the determination of their burst pressure but not their remaining life. To address this issue, we have developed a model based on damage mechanics to predict the remaining life of a pipe in the presence of an external corrosion defec

Implications of the NANOGrav results for primordial black holes and Hubble tension

The purpose of this work is to investigate the formation and evaporation of the primordial black holes in the inflationary scenarios. Thermodynamic parameters such as mass, temperature and entropy are expressed in terms of NANOGrav frequency. By numerical calculations we show that the constraint on the mass range $10^{-5}kg-10^{50}kg$ is well confirmed. We discuss the relation between the redshift and the probability for gravitational wave source populations. A new parameter associated with the frequency and Hubble rate is presented, by which for the spectral index $n_{s}\approx 0.996$ and the Hubble constant $H_{0}\approx 67.27km.s^{-1}.Mpc^{-1}$, the effective Hubble constant is calculated to be $H_{eff,0}\approx 73.24km.s^{-1}.Mpc^{-1}$ which is compatible with the observational data. We make a comparison between the Hubble tension and the primordial perturbations and the expression of the mass loss rate, chemical potential and central charge needed to describe the Hawking evaporation will be established

Cytotoxicity, metabolism, and isozyme mapping of the synthetic cannabinoids JWH-200, A-796260, and 5F-EMB-PINACA studied by means of in vitro systems

Intake of synthetic cannabinoids (SC), one of the largest classes of new psychoactive substances, was reported to be associated with acute liver damage but information about their hepatotoxic potential is limited. The current study aimed to analyze the hepatotoxicity including the metabolism-related impact of JWH-200, A-796260, and 5F-EMB-PINACA in HepG2 cells allowing a tentative assessment of different SC subclasses. A formerly adopted high-content screening assay (HCSA) was optimized using a fully automated epifluorescence microscope. Metabolism-mediated effects in the HCSA were additionally investigated using the broad CYP inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole. Furthermore, phase I metabolites and isozymes involved were identified by in vitro assays and liquid chromatography–high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. A strong cytotoxic potential was observed for the naphthoylindole SC JWH-200 and the tetramethylcyclopropanoylindole compound A-796260, whereas the indazole carboxamide SC 5F-EMB-PINACA showed moderate effects. Numerous metabolites, which can serve as analytical targets in urine screening procedures, were identified in pooled human liver microsomes. Most abundant metabolites of JWH-200 were formed by N-dealkylation, oxidative morpholine cleavage, and oxidative morpholine opening. In case of A-796260, most abundant metabolites included an oxidative morpholine cleavage, oxidative morpholine opening, hydroxylation, and dihydroxylation followed by dehydrogenation. Most abundant 5F-EMB-PINACA metabolites were generated by ester hydrolysis plus additional steps such as oxidative defluorination and hydroxylation. To conclude, the data showed that a hepatotoxicity of the investigated SC cannot be excluded, that metabolism seems to play a minor role in the observed effects, and that the extensive phase I metabolism is mediated by several isozymes making interaction unlikely

Effect of Ramadan fasting on glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, insulin, lipids and proteinous concentrations in women with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Ramadan fasting on body mass index (BMI) and on certain biochemical parameters of serum in women patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Sixty-six subjects from 3 regions located in the west of Algeria participated in this study. All participating patients were studied a week before Ramadan and at the third week of Ramadan fasting. No statistically significant fluctuations were noted in BMI either during Ramadan or in nonfasting days. However, the rates of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) decreased slightly (P < 0.05) during the last week of the month of Ramadan among the diabetic patients. Also, the glucose levelswere significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the serum subjects of patients during the fasting period when compared to the level before Ramadan. This could be due to the significant decrease (P < 0.05) of insulin levels in patients during the fasting period. The rates of HDL cholesterol recorded in the blood among patients rose significantly (p < 0.05) during the Ramadan than during the non-fasting period. The statistically significant increase in HDL-cholesterol explains clearly the beneficial effect of Ramadan fasting on diabetic’s serum lipids. Moreover, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol levels decreased significantly (p < 0.05) during the third week of Ramadan than nonfasting day. As for proteinous compounds (protein, creatin and urea), their plasmatic rates all increased substantially (p < 0.05) in patients during the fasting period of the month of Ramadan

Serial Morphological and Functional Assessment of Drug-Eluting Balloon for In-Stent Restenotic Lesions Mechanisms of Action Evaluated With Angiography, Optical Coherence Tomography, and Fractional Flow Reserve

ObjectivesThis study sought to elucidate the underlying mechanism through which drug-eluting balloons (DEB) restore coronary blood flow, by assessing the coronary vessel before, immediately after, and at 6-month follow-up with angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fractional flow reserve (FFR).BackgroundIn-stent restenosis (ISR) treatment remains challenging. Drug-eluting balloons have been shown to be a valid treatment option in several studies. These studies focused on efficiency of the device, whereas the mechanisms of action of DEB in ISR treatment have not been investigated.MethodsIn this prospective, single-center observational study, patients with ISR were treated with a second-generation DEB. Serial angiographic, OCT, and FFR measurements were performed before and after the procedure, as well as at 6-month follow-up.ResultsTwenty-five patients were assigned to DEB treatment, with an angiographic and device success of 100% and 92%, respectively. Late luminal loss was 0.01 ± 0.43 mm. Median percent changes [interquartile range] between pre-and post-procedure, and post-procedure and follow-up were, respectively: lumen volume 75.1% increase [43.7 to 115.0], and 8% increase [−14.0 to 25.8]; stent volume 23.7% increase [15.5 to 40.0], and −1.2% decrease [−6.9 to 5.9]; and neointimal volume −14.4% decrease [−29.2 to −9.5], and −15.8% decrease [−38.1 to 28.3]. The FFR gradient along the treated stent (difference in FFR between the distal and the proximal stent edge) was 0.37 ± 0.18 pre-procedure, 0.06 ± 0.04 post-procedure, and 0.05 ± 0.05 at follow-up. In all post-procedural OCT images, intrastent dissections were seen, which were sealed at follow-up OCT.ConclusionsDEB restore coronary blood flow by means of a short-term mechanical effect, causing an increase in lumen and stent volumes and compression of neointimal hyperplasia (with intra-stent dissections). Due to the local drug effect, patency persists and may even improve at follow-up, with further increase in lumen volume, decrease in neointimal volume, and complete sealing of neointimal dissections

MicroRNA-targeting in spermatogenesis: Over-expressions of microRNA-23a/b-3p and its affected targeting of the genes ODF2 and UBQLN3 in spermatozoa of patients with oligoasthenozoospermia

Background Male infertility is a multifactorial syndrome with diverse phenotypic representations. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Altered abundance levels of ODF2 and UBQLN3 have been reported in patients with different spermatogenic impairments. However, the transcriptional regulation of these two genes by miR-23a/b-3p is still unclear. Objectives To investigate experimentally whether miR-23a/b-3p targets the genes ODF2 and UBQLN3 and whether this targeting impacts abundance levels of ODF2 and UBQLN3 in patients with oligoasthenozoospermia. Materials and methods A total of 92 men attending a fertility clinic were included in the study, including 46 oligoasthenozoospermic men and 46 age-matched normozoospermic volunteers who served as controls. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), Western blot, and dual-luciferase (Firefly-Renilla) assays were used to validate the miRNAs and their target genes. Results RT-qPCR revealed that miR-23a/b-3p was more abundant and ODF2 and UBQLN3 targets were less abundant in men with impaired spermatogenesis. Besides, Western blot shows that ODF2 and UBQLN3 protein levels were reduced in men with impaired spermatogenesis. In silico prediction and dual-luciferase assays revealed that potential links exist between the higher abundance level of miR-23a/b-3p and the lower abundance level of ODF2 and UBQLN3 targets. Mutations in the miR-23a/b-3p-binding site within the 3ˊUTRs (3ˊuntranslated regions) of ODF2 and UBQLN3 genes resulted in abrogated responsiveness to miR-23a/b-3p. Correlation analysis showed that sperm count, motility, and morphology were negatively correlated with miR-23a/b-3p and positively correlated with the lower abundance level of UBQLN3, while ODF lower abundance level was positively correlated with sperm motility. Conclusion Findings indicate that the higher abundance level of miR-23a/b-3p and the lower abundance level of ODF2 and UBQLN3 targets are associated with oligoasthenozoospermia and male subfertility

Patterns of practice of regional nodal irradiation in breast cancer: results of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) NOdal Radiotherapy (NORA) survey†

Predicting breast cancer outcome based on SLN node status without ALND is currently an area of uncertainty in SLN+ patients. These uncertainties influence the decision-making of adjuvant nodal irradiation. The NORA Survey was designed to examine the patterns of RNI practice in Europe to provide a basis for designing future trials in areas of equipoise in clinical decision-making concerning RN

History of the rare cancer network and past research.

Approximately, twenty years ago, the Rare Cancer Network (RCN) was formed in Lausanne, Switzerland, to support the study of rare malignancies. The RCN has grown over the years and now includes 130 investigators from twenty-four nations on six continents. The network held its first international symposium in Nice, France, on March 21-22, 2014. The proceedings of that meeting are presented in two companion papers. This manuscript reviews the history of the growth of the RCN and contains the abstracts of fourteen oral presentations made at the meeting of prior RCN studies. From 1993 to 2014, 74 RCN studies have been initiated, of which 54 were completed, 10 are in progress or under analysis, and 9 were stopped due to poor accrual. Forty-four peer reviewed publications have been written on behalf of the RCN

Multiple Λ\LambdaCDM cosmology with string landscape features and future singularities

Multiple $\Lambda$CDM cosmology is studied in a way that is formally a classical analog of the Casimir effect. Such cosmology corresponds to a time-dependent dark fluid model or, alternatively, to its scalar field presentation, and it motivated by the string landscape picture. The future evolution of the several dark energy models constructed within the scheme is carefully investigated. It turns out to be almost always possible to choose the parameters in the models so that they match the most recent and accurate astronomical values. To this end, several universes are presented which mimick (multiple) $\Lambda$CDM cosmology but exhibit Little Rip, asymptotically de Sitter, or Type I, II, III, and IV finite-time singularity behavior in the far future, with disintegration of all bound objects in the cases of Big Rip, Little Rip and Pseudo-Rip cosmologies.Comment: LaTeX 11 pages, 10 figure