Quantum fluctuations of the Chern-Simons theory and dynamical dimensional reduction

We consider a large-N Chern-Simons theory for the attractive bosonic matter (Jackiw-Pi model) in the Hamiltonian collective-field approach based on the 1/N expansion. We show that the dynamics of low-lying density excitations around the ground-state vortex configuration is equivalent to that of the Sutherland model. The relationship between the Chern-Simons coupling constant lambda and the Calogero-Sutherland statistical parameter lambda_s signalizes some sort of statistical transmutation accompanying the dimensional reduction of the initial problem.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

The size of juxtaluminal hypoechoic area in ultrasound images of asymptomatic carotid plaques predicts the occurrence of stroke

Objective: To test the hypothesis that the size of a juxtaluminal black (hypoechoic) area (JBA) in ultrasound images of asymptomatic carotid artery plaques predicts future ipsilateral ischemic stroke. Methods: A JBA was defined as an area of pixels with a grayscale value <25 adjacent to the lumen without a visible echogenic cap after image normalization. The size of a JBA was measured in the carotid plaque images of 1121 patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis 50% to 99% in relation to the bulb (Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis and Risk of Stroke study); the patients were followed for up to 8 years. Results: The JBA had a linear association with future stroke rate. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.816. Using Kaplan-Meier curves, the mean annual stroke rate was 0.4% in 706 patients with a JBA <4 mm 2, 1.4% in 171 patients with a JBA 4 to 8 mm2, 3.2% in 46 patients with a JBA 8 to 10 mm2, and 5% in 198 patients with a JBA >10 mm2 (P <.001). In a Cox model with ipsilateral ischemic events (amaurosis fugax, transient ischemic attack [TIA], or stroke) as the dependent variable, the JBA (<4 mm2, 4-8 mm2, >8 mm2) was still significant after adjusting for other plaque features known to be associated with increased risk, including stenosis, grayscale median, presence of discrete white areas without acoustic shadowing indicating neovascularization, plaque area, and history of contralateral TIA or stroke. Plaque area and grayscale median were not significant. Using the significant variables (stenosis, discrete white areas without acoustic shadowing, JBA, and history of contralateral TIA or stroke), this model predicted the annual risk of stroke for each patient (range, 0.1%-10.0%). The average annual stroke risk was <1% in 734 patients, 1% to 1.9% in 94 patients, 2% to 3.9% in 134 patients, 4% to 5.9% in 125 patients, and 6% to 10% in 34 patients. Conclusions: The size of a JBA is linearly related to the risk of stroke and can be used in risk stratification models. These findings need to be confirmed in future prospective studies or in the medical arm of randomized controlled studies in the presence of optimal medical therapy. In the meantime, the JBA may be used to select asymptomatic patients at high stroke risk for carotid endarterectomy and spare patients at low risk from an unnecessary operation

Abstract PR14: Germline submicroscopic chromosome imbalances in pediatric cancer

Abstract The development of cancer is a multi-step process and, therefore, the probability of cancer occurrence increases with age. Pediatric cancer then either involves a succession of infrequent events occurring in a short period of time, which supposedly only happens rarely, or alternatively, some of the steps required for cancer development are already present in the individuals' germlines. Support for the presence of genomic alterations in the germline of these patients is given by the association of pediatric cancer with congenital abnormalities, observed both as the frequent presence of congenital abnormalities among these patients and as an increase of cancer among children with congenital abnormalities. We investigated DNA copy number variations (CNVs) in a cohort of 55 pediatric cancer patients attending the AC Camargo Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil. In particular, we focused on those alterations not commonly found in the general population (rare CNVs). No selection criteria were used other than age at diagnosis &amp;lt; 20 years and the families agreeing to participate in the study. In addition to CNV profiling by array-CGH (180K – Agilent Technologies), the patients were also physically examined by a clinical geneticist. Eighteen copy number alterations were detected in 16 patients; these rare CNVs included complex rearrangements and triplications, not often observed among common variants. The size of the alterations ranged from 58 to 2,600 Kb, with an average of 438 Kb, which is over twice the average length of rare copy number variations identified with the same array-CGH platform in a sample of 100 reference individuals studied in our laboratory. Many of the sixty-four genes mapping within the chromosome imbalances detected in patients represent good candidates for cancer manifestation and/or congenital abnormalities. Our results suggest that constitutive submicroscopic chromosome imbalances are a contributor to the etiology of pediatric cancer, that the combined presence of pediatric cancer and congenital abnormalities is strongly suggestive of constitutive chromosome imbalances being present, and that further CNV studies will lead finally to identification of genes involved in predisposition to pediatric cancer. Funding: FAPESP; CNPq This abstract is also presented as Poster B7. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2011 Sep 14-18; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(18 Suppl):Abstract nr PR14.</jats:p

Breath analysis combined with cardiopulmonary exercise testing and echocardiography for monitoring heart failure patients: the AEOLUS protocol

This paper describes the AEOLUS pilot study which combines breath analysis with cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and an echocardiographic examination for monitoring heart failure (HF) patients. Ten consecutive patients with a prior clinical diagnosis of HF with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction were prospectively enrolled together with 15 control patients with cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, type II diabetes or chronic ischemic heart disease. Breath samples were collected at rest and during CPET coupled with exercise stress echocardiography (CPET-ESE) protocol by means of needle trap micro-extraction and were analyzed through gas-chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The protocol also involved using of a selected ion flow tube mass spectrometer for a breath-by-breath isoprene and acetone analysis during exercise. At rest, HF patients showed increased breath levels of acetone and pentane, which are related to altered oxidation of fatty acids and oxidative stress, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between acetone and the gold standard biomarker NT-proBNP in plasma (r = 0.646, p &lt; 0.001), both measured at rest. During exercise, some exhaled volatiles (e.g., isoprene) mirrored ventilatory and/or hemodynamic adaptation, whereas others (e.g., sulfide compounds and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone) depended on their origin. At peak effort, acetone levels in HF patients differed significantly from those of the control group, suggesting an altered myocardial and systemic metabolic adaptation to exercise for HF patients. These preliminary data suggest that concomitant acquisition of CPET-ESE and breath analysis is feasible and might provide additional clinical information on the metabolic maladaptation of HF patients to exercise. Such information may refine the identification of patients at higher risk of disease worsening

Ethics in Recruitment and Selection

This chapter focuses on one approach to ethics in recruitment and selection process in an organization: the way in which the specific processes of recruitment and selection are carried out, whether it concerns relationships among the people involved, the criteria used to exclude and rank the applicants or the transparency and fairness of the processes undertaken. It reviews the literature on values as a criterion for recruiting and selecting candidates. The chapter then discusses the relationships between those responsible for carrying out the recruitment and assessment process and applicants. Next, it focuses on ethical dimensions of the recruitment and selection process brought about by the exponential growth of social networks and social media. The chapter also talks about executive search and headhunting practices. The advantages of using social media websites in the recruitment and selection process are finally discussed