Bulk-Brane Matching in Bianchi-Types Brane World

We discuss a comprehensive description of the geometry of the brane-world cosmologies, and present bulk and brane structure and matching between brane and bulk metrics. It is clear that the possibility of the matching condition is not always obvious and therefore it requires a separate analysis. In this study we have shown, under the assumption of consideration of the anisotropic metric except Kasner-AdS like, matching procedure is not achieved for Bianchi-types bulk metrics. Examples of this result are presented by the illustrations of the Bianchi-types II and V bulk metrics

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of (E)-2-[2-(2-amino-1-cyano-2-oxo­ethyl­­idene)hydrazin-1-yl]benzoic acid N,N-di­methylformamide monosolvate

In the title compound, C10H8N4O3·C3H7NO, the asymmetric unit contains two crystallographically independent molecules A and B, each of which has one DMF solvate molecule. Molecules A and B both feature intramolecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming S(6) ring motifs and consolidating the molecular configuration. In the crystal, N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect molecules A and B, forming R22(8) ring motifs. Weak C—H⋯O interactions link the molecules, forming layers parallel to the (\overline{2}12) plane. The DMF solvent molecules are also connected to the main molecules (A and B) by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. π–π stacking interactions [centroid-to-centroid distance = 3.8702 (17) Å] between the layers also increase the stability of the molecular structure in the third dimension. According to the Hirshfeld surface study, O⋯H/H⋯O interactions are the most significant contributors to the

The Relations of Religious Coping, Gratitude and Life Satisfation: A Case Study on Patients, Patient Relatives and Hospital Staff

This article examines the relationship between religious coping, gratitude and life satisfaction. It also purposes to examine the links between religious coping, gratitude, life satisfaction and socio-demographic variables (gender, age etc.). Correlational survey method and questionnaire technique are used. The sample covers 114 people ranging from 16 to 64. In this research, Religious Coping Scale, and Gratitude Scale, and Life Satisfaction Scale are used to collect data. The findings of the study indicate that females reported higher levels of positive religious coping (like benevolent religious reappraisal and religious pleading) than males, and patients reported higher levels of positive religious coping than patient relatives and hospital staff (like doctors and nurses). Morever, life satisfaction is positively correlated with positive religious coping and gratitude

Review of nanomaterials in dentistry: interactions with the oral microenvironment, clinical applications, hazards, and benefits.

Interest in the use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) as either nanomedicines or dental materials/devices in clinical dentistry is growing. This review aims to detail the ultrafine structure, chemical composition, and reactivity of dental tissues in the context of interactions with ENMs, including the saliva, pellicle layer, and oral biofilm; then describes the applications of ENMs in dentistry in context with beneficial clinical outcomes versus potential risks. The flow rate and quality of saliva are likely to influence the behavior of ENMs in the oral cavity, but how the protein corona formed on the ENMs will alter bioavailability, or interact with the structure and proteins of the pellicle layer, as well as microbes in the biofilm, remains unclear. The tooth enamel is a dense crystalline structure that is likely to act as a barrier to ENM penetration, but underlying dentinal tubules are not. Consequently, ENMs may be used to strengthen dentine or regenerate pulp tissue. ENMs have dental applications as antibacterials for infection control, as nanofillers to improve the mechanical and bioactive properties of restoration materials, and as novel coatings on dental implants. Dentifrices and some related personal care products are already available for oral health applications. Overall, the clinical benefits generally outweigh the hazards of using ENMs in the oral cavity, and the latter should not prevent the responsible innovation of nanotechnology in dentistry. However, the clinical safety regulations for dental materials have not been specifically updated for ENMs, and some guidance on occupational health for practitioners is also needed. Knowledge gaps for future research include the formation of protein corona in the oral cavity, ENM diffusion through clinically relevant biofilms, and mechanistic investigations on how ENMs strengthen the tooth structure

Brucella abortus–infected platelets modulate the activation of neutrophils

Brucellosis is a contagious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. Platelets (PLTs) have been widely involved in the modulation of the immune response. We have previously reported the modulation of Brucella abortus–mediated infection of monocytes. As a result, PLTs cooperate with monocytes and increase their inflammatory capacity, promoting the resolution of the infection. Extending these results, in this study we demonstrate that patients with brucellosis present slightly elevated levels of complexes between PLTs and both monocytes and neutrophils. We then assessed whether PLTs were capable of modulating functional aspects of neutrophils. The presence of PLTs throughout neutrophil infection increased the production of interleukin‐8, CD11b surface expression and reactive oxygen species formation, whereas it decreased the expression of CD62L, indicating an activated status of these cells. We next analyzed whether this modulation was mediated by released factors. To discriminate between these options, neutrophils were treated with supernatants collected from B. abortus–infected PLTs. Our results show that CD11b expression was induced by soluble factors of PLTs but direct contact between cell populations was needed to enhance the respiratory burst. Additionally, B. abortus–infected PLTs recruit polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells to the site of infection. Finally, the presence of PLTs did not modify the initial invasion of PMN cells by B. abortus but improved the control of the infection at extended times. Altogether, our results demonstrate that PLTs interact with neutrophils and promote a proinflammatory phenotype which could also contribute to the resolution of the infection.Fil: Trotta, Aldana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Milillo, María Ayelén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Serafino, Agustina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Castillo Montañez, Luis Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Birnberg Weiss, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Delpino, María Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo; ArgentinaFil: Giambartolomei, Guillermo Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Cecilia Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Barrionuevo, Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; Argentin

A stochastic programming approach for chemotherapy appointment scheduling

Chemotherapy appointment scheduling is a challenging problem due to the uncertainty in pre-medication and infusion durations. In this paper, we formulate a two-stage stochastic mixed integer programming model for the chemotherapy appointment scheduling problem under limited availability and number of nurses and infusion chairs. The objective is to minimize the expected weighted sum of nurse overtime, chair idle time, and patient waiting time. The computational burden to solve real-life instances of this problem to optimality is significantly high, even in the deterministic case. To overcome this burden, we incorporate valid bounds and symmetry breaking constraints. Progressive hedging algorithm is implemented in order to solve the improved formulation heuristically. We enhance the algorithm through a penalty update method, cycle detection and variable fixing mechanisms, and a linear approximation of the objective function. Using numerical experiments based on real data from a major oncology hospital, we compare our solution approach with several scheduling heuristics from the relevant literature, generate managerial insights related to the impact of the number of nurses and chairs on appointment schedules, and estimate the value of stochastic solution to assess the significance of considering uncertainty

Role of Rhipicephalus bursa larvae in transstadial transmission and endemicity of Babesia ovis in chronically infected sheep

Babesia ovis, transmitted by Rhipicephalus bursa ticks, is the causative agent of ovine babesiosis, a disease characterized by fever, anemia, hemoglobinuria, and high mortality in sheep. This study investigates whether sheep that survived babesiosis without treatment can serve as a source of infection for B. ovis-free host-seeking R. bursa larvae in a later season. Three donor sheep were experimentally infected with B. ovis, and after six months, persistence of B. ovis was assessed through blood and tick transmission experiments. Blood from donor sheep was intravenously injected into three recipient sheep, while donor sheep were also infested with B. ovis-free R. bursa larvae. Engorged nymphs molted to adults, and new recipient sheep were infested with these ticks. All recipient sheep were monitored for B. ovis for 100 days using microscopic, serological, and molecular approaches. The presence of B. ovis was confirmed in the recipient sheep that received blood, leading to clinical infection in two. However, no B. ovis was detected in recipient sheep infested with ticks. These results suggest that sheep recovering from B. ovis infection do not serve as a source of infection for R. bursa larvae in subsequent seasons

Magnesium reduces calcification in bovine vascular smooth muscle cells in a dose-dependent manner

WOS: 000300421300010PubMed ID: 21750166Vascular calcification (VC), mainly due to elevated phosphate levels, is one major problem in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. In clinical studies, an inverse relationship between serum magnesium and VC has been reported. However, there is only few information about the influence of magnesium on calcification on a cellular level available. Therefore, we investigated the effect of magnesium on calcification induced by beta-glycerophosphate (BGP) in bovine vascular smooth muscle cells (BVSMCs). BVSMCs were incubated with calcification media for 14 days while simultaneously increasing the magnesium concentration. Calcium deposition, transdifferentiation of cells and apoptosis were measured applying quantification of calcium, von Kossa and Alizarin red staining, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and annexin V staining, respectively. Calcium deposition in the cells dramatically increased with addition of BGP and could be mostly prevented by co-incubation with magnesium. Higher magnesium levels led to inhibition of BGP-induced alkaline phosphatase activity as well as to a decreased expression of genes associated with the process of transdifferentiation of BVSMCs into osteoblast-like cells. Furthermore, estimated calcium entry into the cells decreased with increasing magnesium concentrations in the media. In addition, higher magnesium concentrations prevented cell damage (apoptosis) induced by BGP as well as progression of already established calcification. Higher magnesium levels prevented BVSMC calcification, inhibited expression of osteogenic proteins, apoptosis and further progression of already established calcification. Thus, magnesium is influencing molecular processes associated with VC and may have the potential to play a role for VC also in clinical situations.Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH, GermanyThis study was supported by Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH, Germany

Scientometric Analysis and Combined Density-Equalizing Mapping of Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Research

Background: Passive exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is estimated to exert a major burden of disease. Currently, numerous countries have taken legal actions to protect the population against ETS. Numerous studies have been conducted in this field. Therefore, scientometric methods should be used to analyze the accumulated data since there is no such approach available so far. Methods and Results: A combination of scientometric methods and novel visualizing procedures were used, including density-equalizing mapping and radar charting techniques. 6,580 ETS-related studies published between 1900 and 2008 were identified in the ISI database. Using different scientometric approaches, a continuous increase of both quantitative and qualitative parameters was found. The combination with density-equalizing calculations demonstrated a leading position of the United States (2,959 items published) in terms of quantitative research activities. Charting techniques demonstrated that there are numerous bi- and multilateral networks between different countries and institutions in this field. Again, a leading position of American institutions was found. Conclusions: This is the first comprehensive scientometric analysis of data on global scientific activities in the field o

Optimization of a GCaMP calcium indicator for neural activity imaging

© The Author(s), 2012. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Journal of Neuroscience 32 (2012): 13819-13840, doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2601-12.2012.Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) are powerful tools for systems neuroscience. Recent efforts in protein engineering have significantly increased the performance of GECIs. The state-of-the art single-wavelength GECI, GCaMP3, has been deployed in a number of model organisms and can reliably detect three or more action potentials in short bursts in several systems in vivo. Through protein structure determination, targeted mutagenesis, high-throughput screening, and a battery of in vitro assays, we have increased the dynamic range of GCaMP3 by severalfold, creating a family of “GCaMP5” sensors. We tested GCaMP5s in several systems: cultured neurons and astrocytes, mouse retina, and in vivo in Caenorhabditis chemosensory neurons, Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction and adult antennal lobe, zebrafish retina and tectum, and mouse visual cortex. Signal-to-noise ratio was improved by at least 2- to 3-fold. In the visual cortex, two GCaMP5 variants detected twice as many visual stimulus-responsive cells as GCaMP3. By combining in vivo imaging with electrophysiology we show that GCaMP5 fluorescence provides a more reliable measure of neuronal activity than its predecessor GCaMP3. GCaMP5 allows more sensitive detection of neural activity in vivo and may find widespread applications for cellular imaging in general.A.F. has been supported by a European Molecular Biology Organization long-term fellowship. Work in H.B.’s laboratory was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Nanomedicine Development Center “Optical Control of Biological Function,” and work in S.S.-H.W.’s laboratory was funded by NIH R01 NS045193