358 research outputs found
The Effect of Spironolactone on the Pathogenesis of Ligatureinduced Alveolar Bone Loss in Wistar Rats
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that has a straight relationship with tissue destruction in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Inhibitory effects of TNF production have been attributed to spironolactone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of spironolactone on the pathogenesis of ligature-induced alveolar bone loss in rats. Experimental periodontitis was induced in 38 Wistar rats by ligature placement in the left second maxillary molar. The contra-lateral maxillary molar served as intragroup control. Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups and treated with spironolactone (50, 100, 200 mg·kg-1) or saline. Morphometrical registration of maxillary alveolar bone was performed after 28 days of experimental periodontitis. Intra-group comparisons showed significantly higher alveolar bone loss mean values in maxillary sides with ligature (paired sample t test, p<0.05). Mean alveolar bone loss was not significantly different between groups, independently of the dosage (range: 0.63 – 0.66 mm, one-way ANOVA, p>0.05). Although spironolactone has recognized TNF-inhibitory properties, the possibility of its use on modulation of host immune-inflammatory response in periodontal disease was not confirmed.
Hip Manipulation Under Anesthesia for Post-Hip Arthroscopy Pericapsular Scarring: Indications and Techniques
Hip arthroscopy has become an increasingly common procedure with expanding indications over the last several decades. With the increase in number of procedures performed a complication profile has emerged, although there is yet to be a formal classification system for complications. The most cited complications include lateral femoral cutaneous nerve neuropraxia, other sensory deficits, chondral or labral iatrogenic damage, superficial infection and deep vein thrombosis. One complication that has not yet been well documented in the literature is pericapsular scarring/adhesions resulting in decreased hip range of motion and function. If this complication is noted to persist after adequate impingement resection and a rigorous post-operative physical therapy regimen, the senior author has addressed this with a hip manipulation under anesthesia. Therefore, this techniques paper aims to describe pericapsular scarring as a post hip-arthroscopy condition which may cause pain and demonstrate our technique to address this diagnosis through hip manipulation under anesthesia
Fernandez Blanco, T,; Gonzales Roel, V.; Capone, R.; Branchetti, L.; Gaio, A. Inprasitha, M., Changsri, N. & Boonsena, N. (Eds). SYMMETRY-ART: A STEAM TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS (2020). Interim Proceedings of the 44th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Khon Kaen, Thailand: PME.
The aim of this paper is to analyse a symmetry and art workshop from a STEAM
perspective. The theoretical framework of the Meta-Didactical Transposition is taken
as a reference. The sample consists of seven Primary School teachers. A qualitative
methodology is followed that is developed in four phases: learning, planning,
implementation and reflection. The results show that the teachers are not flexible in
dealing with the different conceptions of symmetry and the creative aspect of the
workshop. In general, there is a positive attitude towards the interdisciplinary
character of the workshop, despite the fact that they were not able to connect both
disciplines in a balanced way
BEAM ORBIT STABILITY AT ELETTRA
Abstract The top-up operation established since 2010 at the Elettra third-generation synchrotron light source has solved the problems related to thermal drifts and beam current dependence, and a series of feedback loops acting on the machine optics and radio-frequency systems made easier to setup and operate the ring. Those systems together with the fast orbit feedback in operation since 2007, contributed to very high electron beam orbit stability. A description of the active systems and their performance, future perspectives as well as some still open issues will be presented and discussed
Saturn Platform: Foundation Model Operations and Generative AI for Financial Services
Saturn is an innovative platform that assists Foundation Model (FM) building
and its integration with IT operations (Ops). It is custom-made to meet the
requirements of data scientists, enabling them to effectively create and
implement FMs while enhancing collaboration within their technical domain. By
offering a wide range of tools and features, Saturn streamlines and automates
different stages of FM development, making it an invaluable asset for data
science teams. This white paper introduces prospective applications of
generative AI models derived from FMs in the financial sector
Dye Stabilization and Wavelength Tunability in Lasing Fibers Based on DNA
Lasers based on biological materials are attracting an increasing interest in view of their use in integrated and transient photonics. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as optical biopolymer in combination with highly emissive dyes has been reported to have excellent potential in this respect. However, achieving miniaturized lasing systems based on solid-state DNA shaped in different geometries to confine and enhance emission is still a challenge, and the physicochemical mechanisms originating fluorescence enhancement are not fully understood. Herein, a class of wavelength-tunable lasers based on DNA nanofibers is demonstrated, for which optical properties are highly controlled through the system morphology. A synergistic effect is highlighted at the basis of lasing action. Through a quantum chemical investigation, it is shown that the interaction of DNA with the encapsulated dye leads to hindered twisting and suppressed channels for the nonradiative decay. This is combined with effective waveguiding, optical gain, and tailored mode confinement to promote morphologically controlled lasing in DNA-based nanofibers. The results establish design rules for the development of bright and tunable nanolasers and optical networks based on DNA nanostructures
COVID-19 Vaccines and Atrial Fibrillation: Analysis of the Post-Marketing Pharmacovigilance European Database
Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been described in COVID-19 patients. Recently, some case reports and US pharmacovigilance analyses described AF onset as a rare adverse event following COVID-19 vaccination. The possible correlation is unclear. We systematically analyzed the reports of AF related to COVID-19 vaccines collected in the European pharmacovigilance database, EudraVigilance (EV), from 2020 to November 2022. We carried out descriptive and disproportionality analyses. Moreover, we performed a sensitivity analysis, excluding the reports describing other possible alternative AF causes (pericarditis, myocarditis, COVID-19, or other drugs that may cause/exacerbate AF). Overall, we retrieved 6226 reports, which represented only 0.3% of all those related to COVID-19 vaccines collected in EV during our study period. AF reports mainly referred to adults (in particular, >65 years old), with an equal distribution in sex. Reports were mainly related to tozinameran (54.04%), elasomeran (28.3%), and ChAdOx1-S (14.32%). The reported AF required patient hospitalization in 35% of cases and resulted in a life-threatening condition in 10% of cases. The AF duration (when reported) was highly variable, but the majority of the events had a short duration (moda = 24 h). Although an increased frequency of AF reporting with mRNA vaccines emerges from our study, other investigations are required to investigate the possible correlation between COVID-19 vaccination and the rare AF occurrence
Twisting gauged non-linear sigma-models
We consider gauged sigma-models from a Riemann surface into a Kaehler and
hamiltonian G-manifold X. The supersymmetric N=2 theory can always be twisted
to produce a gauged A-model. This model localizes to the moduli space of
solutions of the vortex equations and computes the Hamiltonian Gromov-Witten
invariants. When the target is equivariantly Calabi-Yau, i.e. when its first
G-equivariant Chern class vanishes, the supersymmetric theory can also be
twisted into a gauged B-model. This model localizes to the Kaehler quotient
X//G.Comment: 33 pages; v2: small additions, published versio
Start of SPIDER operation towards ITER neutral beams
Heating Neutral Beam (HNB) Injectors will constitute the main plasma heating and current drive tool both in ITER and JT60-SA, which are the next major experimental steps for demonstrating nuclear fusion as viable energy source. In ITER, in order to achieve the required thermonuclear fusion power gain Q=10 for short pulse operation and Q=5 for long pulse operation (up to 3600s), two HNB injectors will be needed [1], each delivering a total power of about 16.5 MW into the magnetically-confined plasma, by means of neutral hydrogen or deuterium particles having a specific energy of about 1 MeV. Since only negatively charged particles can be efficiently neutralized at such energy, the ITER HNB injectors [2] will be based on negative ions, generated by caesium-catalysed surface conversion of atoms in a radio-frequency driven plasma source. A negative deuterium ion current of more than 40 A will be extracted, accelerated and focused in a multi-aperture, multi-stage electrostatic accelerator, having 1280 apertures (~ 14 mm diam.) and 5 acceleration stages (~200 kV each) [3]. After passing through a narrow gas-cell neutralizer, the residual ions will be deflected and discarded, whereas the neutralized particles will continue their trajectory through a duct into the tokamak vessels to deliver the required heating power to the ITER plasma for a pulse duration of about 3600 s. Although the operating principles and the implementation of the most critical parts of the injector have been tested in different experiments, the ITER NBI requirements have never been simultaneously attained. In order to reduce the risks and to optimize the design and operating procedures of the HNB for ITER, a dedicated Neutral Beam Test Facility (NBTF) [4] has been promoted by the ITER Organization with the contribution of the European Union\u2019s Joint Undertaking for ITER and of the Italian Government, with the participation of the Japanese and Indian Domestic Agencies (JADA and INDA) and of several European laboratories, such as IPP-Garching, KIT-Karlsruhe, CCFE-Culham, CEA-Cadarache. The NBTF, nicknamed PRIMA, has been set up at Consorzio RFX in Padova, Italy [5]. The planned experiments will verify continuous HNB operation for one hour, under stringent requirements for beam divergence (< 7 mrad) and aiming (within 2 mrad). To study and optimise HNB performances, the NBTF includes two experiments: MITICA, full-scale NBI prototype with 1 MeV particle energy and SPIDER, with 100 keV particle energy and 40 A current, aiming at testing and optimizing the full-scale ion source. SPIDER will focus on source uniformity, negative ion current density and beam optics. In June 2018 the experimental operation of SPIDER has started
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