We present the results of spectroscopic, narrow-band and X-ray observations of a z= 2.30 protocluster in the field of the QSO HS 1700+643. Using a sample of BX/MD galaxies, which are selected to be ...at z∼ 2.2–2.7 by their rest-frame ultraviolet colours, we find that there are five protocluster AGN which have been identified by characteristic emission-lines in their optical/near-IR spectra; this represents an enhancement over the field significant at >98.5 per cent confidence. Using a ∼200-ks Chandra/ACIS-I observation of this field we detect a total of 161 X-ray point sources to a Poissonian false-probability limit of 4 × 10−6 and identify eight of these with BX/MD galaxies. Two of these are spectroscopically confirmed protocluster members and are also classified as emission-line AGN. When compared to a similarly selected field sample, the analysis indicates this is also evidence for an enhancement of X-ray selected BX/MD AGN over the field, significant at >99 per cent confidence. Deep Lyα narrow-band imaging reveals that a total of 4/123 Lyα emitters (LAEs) are found to be associated with X-ray sources, with two of these confirmed protocluster members and one highly likely member. We do not find a significant enhancement of AGN activity in this LAE sample over that of the field (result is significant at only 87 per cent confidence). The X-ray emitting AGN fractions for the BX/MD and LAE samples are found to be 6.9+9.2−4.4 and 2.9+2.9−1.6 per cent, respectively, for protocluster AGN with L2-10 keV≥ 4.6 × 1043 erg s−1 at z= 2.30. These findings are similar to results from the z= 3.09 protocluster in the SSA 22 field found by Lehmer et al. (2009), in that both suggest AGN activity is favoured in dense environments at z > 2.
Previous studies have shown that the disturbance of redox homeostasis plays a role in the pathogenesis of mood disorders. It is currently unclear whether oxidative stress parameters can be used as ...biomarkers (state vs. trait). The aim of the present study was to investigate oxidative stress markers in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BP) in acute depressive episodes and remission, and healthy individuals.
Thirty-two patients with a diagnosis of MDD, 32 patients with a diagnosis of BP and 32 matched healthy controls were included in the study. We measured the serum levels of markers of oxidative damage, including 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-Iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α; 8-isoprostane), and malondialdehyde (MDA), and also serum activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione reductase (GR) in both acute and remission phase, and in control group.
After controlling for the effects of age, sex, body mass index, and smoking status, serum 8-iso-PGF2α levels were significantly higher in both patient groups compared to controls, regardless of disease phase. The activities of GPX and GR were significantly lower in the acute phase in MDD patients compared to controls. Serum GR activity was lower in both acute and remission phase in MDD compared to BP.
Our results suggest that both MDD and BP are associated with a disturbed redox balance with a particularly pronounced increase in serum 8-iso-PGF2α levels in both groups and the presence of glutathione metabolism disorders in MDD patients. Further research is needed to confirm the importance of oxidative stress parameters as potential biomarkers of MDD and BP.
Observations of QSOs at
z
∼
5.7–6.4 show the appearance of Gunn–Peterson troughs around
z
∼
6, and a change in the slope of the IGM optical depth
τ(
z) near
z
∼
5.5. These results are interpreted as ...a signature of the end of the reionization era, which probably started at considerably higher redshifts. However, there also appears to be a substantial cosmic variance in the transmission of the IGM, both along some lines of sight, and among different lines of sight, in this intriguing redshift regime. We suggest that this is indicative of a spatially uneven reionization, possibly caused by the bias-driven primordial clustering of the reionization sources. There is also some independent evidence for a strong clustering of QSOs at
z
∼
4–5 and galaxies around them, supporting the idea of the strong biasing of the first luminous sources at these redshifts. Larger samples of high-
z QSOs are needed in order to provide improved, statistically significant constraints for the models of these phenomena. We expect that the Palomar-Quest (PQ) survey will soon provide a new set of QSOs to be used as cosmological probes in this redshift regime.
The aim of investigation was to assess the role of somatostatin receptor
scintigraphy in diagnosis and follow-up of pancreatic neuroendocrine
neoplasms. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy was ...performed with 740 MBq
99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC TOC for diagnosis of primary tumors and follow-up after
the therapy. There were 63 true positive, 24 true negative, 4 false
positive, and 6 false negative findings. Sensitivity was 91.3 %, specificity
85.7 %, positive predictive value 94.0 %, negative predictive value 80.0 %,
accuracy 89.7 %. The SPECT contributed diagnosis in 28 true positive
findings. In 32 patients (33 %) somatostatin receptor scintigraphy
significantly changed the management of the patients (10 had surgery, in 17
somatostatin analogues, and in 5 peptide receptor radionuclide therapy was
introduced). Mean Ki-67 index in true positive patients was 13.8 ?5.0 %
while in true negative 7.1 ? 3.4% which is significantly lower at p < 0.05. There
was significantly (p < 0.01) higher number of increased chromogranin A
values in true positive than in true negative patients (p = 0.000857). Our
results confirmed the value of SRS in the diagnosis and follow-up of the patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms PanNEN if primary tumors, recurrences or metastases are suspected, as well as for appropriate
choice of the therapy.
IntroductionIncreased plasma concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines are found in chronic schizophrenia patients, patients with first episode and in individuals with high risk for psychosis. The ...most replicated findings are increased concentrations of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β through different phases of the disorder while the results for two important proinflammatory cytokines IL8 and IFN-γ were not consistent.ObjectivesPrimary objective of this study was to assess differences in concentrations of IL-8, IFN-γ and IL-1β between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls, Secondary objective was to explore differences in first episode drug naïve patients.MethodsWe measured plasma concentrations of IL-8, IFN-γ and IL-1β in 64 healthy controls and 64 schizophrenia patients during acute exacerbation and remission phase. 25% were drug naive first episode schizophrenia patients. The patients were matched by age, sex and body mass index and exclusion criteria included obesity class 2 or higher, any concomitant organic mental or neurological disorder, acute or chronic inflammatory disease, and use of immunomodulatory drugs or psychoactive substances.ResultsLevels of IL-8 were significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia in acute phase and remission compared to healthy controls (p=0,009 for acute phase and p=0,020 for remission). There was no significant difference in the levels of INF-γ and IL-β between schizophrenia in acute phase and remission and healthy controls (p>0,05). In schizophrenia patients there was no difference in the levels of INF-γ, IL-β and IL-8 between acute phase, remission and healthy controls (p>0,05). There was no difference in plasma levels of IL-8, IFN-γ and IL-1β between first episode drug naïve and previously treated schizophrenia patients.ConclusionsOur research did not find disturbance of plasma levels of IFN-γ and IL-1β in schizophrenia patients, although the increase of IL-1β was the most replicated finding up to date. Interestingly and contrary to expected the finding of significantly decreased levels of IL-8 in schizophrenia patients requires further research since IL-8 plays a vital role in the inflammatory pathway and may be implicated in cognitive dysfunction.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
Introduction
The kynurenine pathway of tryptophan catabolism has come into the spotlight of schizophrenia research since its catabolites exert neuroactive effects. A strong body of evidence suggests ...that kynurenic acid, a catabolite of kynurenine pathway, acts as the only endogenous NMDA receptor antagonist leading to the weakening of circuits in layer III of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of schizophrenia patients. Studies exploring the levels of kynurenic acid and other metabolites of tryptophan in peripheral blood did not yield any definite conclusions.
Objectives
Primary objective of this study was to assess differences in concentrations of key constituents of kynurenic pathway in blood plasma – tryptophan (TRP), kynurenine (KYN) and kynurenic acid (KYNA) between schizophrenia patients (SCZ) and healthy controls (HC). Secondary objective was to explore correlations between these concentrations and clinical characteristics.
Methods
In our two-centre prospective case-control study we measured plasma concentrations of TRP, KYN and KYNA in 36 healthy controls (HC) and 38 schizophrenia (SCZ) patients during acute exacerbation and remission and explored the correlations with clinical parameters using PANSS scale. The patients were matched with HC by age, sex and body mass index and exclusion criteria included obesity class 2 or higher, any concomitant organic mental or neurological disorder, acute or chronic inflammatory disease, and use of immunomodulatory drugs or psychoactive substances.
Results
TRP concentrations were significantly higher in HC than in SCZ patients in acute phase (p<0,001) and remission (p<0,001), while SCZ patients in acute phase had significantly higher TRP levels than in remission (p<0,01). Levels of KYNA and KYN were significantly lower in SCZ patients than in HC both in acute phase and remission, all with high statistical significance (p<0,001). There was no statistically significant difference between acute phase and remission neither for KYN (p>0,05), nor for KYNA (p>0,05). There was no correlation of plasma levels of TRP, KYN and KYNA with total PANSS score, PANSS positive scale score, PANSS negative scale score and PANSS general psychopathology scores, both in acute phase and remission (p>0,05). Also, there was no correlation between plasma levels of TRP, KYN and KYNA in SCZ patients in remission with improvements measured with PANSS scale (p>0,05).
Conclusions
Although there are concerns about the value of measurement of metabolites of kynurenine pathway in the peripheral blood, our data suggest that significantly decreased levels of KYN and KYNA could suggest that disrupted TRP degradation in SCZ patients may be reflected in the peripheral blood as well. Further studies of peripheral levels of kynurenine pathway metabolites on larger samples should also explore effects of antipsychotic therapy, but also their correlation with other clinical parameters such as neurocognition.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared
In this paper, the switched nonuniform polar quantization is asymptotically analyzed for the case when the power of an input signal varies in a wide range. We observed two compression functions: ...logarithmic and optimum. For the suggested quantizer model we optimized the granular distortion in order to obtain the manner of the total distribution of points, i.e., we evaluated the expressions for the amplitude-level number and the phase-level number for on one amplitude level. In addition, we found the expression for granular distortion, which we used to estimate the suggested model. We compared the numerically obtained results with the G711 and G712 standards, and on these bases, we derived conclusions about the possibilities of this switched quantization application in speech processing. The suggested quantizer can be used for data compression where the saving can reach 1.5 bits/sample. This circumstance means that the technique that we presented in the paper can be applied for voice transmission over the Internet (VoIP) and in public switched telephone networks (PSTN).PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
We present observations of an optically faint quasar, RD J114816.2+525339 (hereafter RD J1148+5253), discovered from deep multicolor observations of the field around the z = 6.42 quasar SDSS ...J1148+5251. The two quasars have a projected separation of 109 and both are outliers in r - z versus z - J color-color space. Keck spectroscopy reveals RD J1148+5253 to be a broad absorption line quasar at z = 5.70. With z sub(AB) = 23.0, RD J1148+5253 is 3.3 mag fainter than SDSS J1148+5251, making it the faintest quasar known at z > 5.5. This object was identified in a survey of -2.5 deg super(2). The implied surface density of quasars at these redshifts and luminosities is broadly consistent with previous extrapolations of the faint end of the quasar luminosity function and supports the idea that active galaxies provide only a minor component of the reionizing ultraviolet flux at these redshifts.
Objective: Significant advances in the surgical treatment of intracapsular
fractures of the femoral neck began in the mid-twentieth century, because of
the better understanding of the characteristics ...and biomechanics of the
fractures. The aim of this study is to precisely identify the characteristics
of the fractures, that will be taken into account in the individualization of
treatment of intracapsular fractures of the femur. Materials and Methods: We
analyzed, in a retrospective study, 148 patients with intraarticular
fractures of the femoral neck from the registry of the Orthopaedic Department
in Pozarevac, in the period from 2009 to 2014. Fractures were classified by
the modified Garden?s classification. Garden type III fractures were divided
into two sub-types. Garden type IIIa included fractures in which the distance
between the fragments of the medial cortex was less than ? the diameter of
the femoral neck. Garden type III b included fractures in which the distance
of the medial cortex of the fracture fragments was larger than ? the diameter
of the femoral neck. Patients with the Garden type I fracture (6 cases),
Garden type II ( 22 cases), Garden type IIIa (35 cases) and Garden type IV (5
cases) were treated by closed reduction and internal fixation. Patients with
Garden type IIIb (28 cases) and Garden type IV (52 cases) were treated by
primary total hip replacement. Results : All fractures in patients with the
fracture Garden type I (6 cases) and Garden type II (22 cases) have healed
and avascular necrosis did not occur. In the group of patients with the
Garden type III b fracture, 3 patients with non-union were treated with total
hip arthroplasty. In the same group in two patients avascular necrosis
occurred. In the group of patients with the Garden type IV fracture who were
treated by closed reduction and inter- nal fixation (5 cases), two patients
with non-union were treated with total hip arthroplasty. In patients with
Garden sub-type III b, in the time of monitoring we found 4 dislocations
after primary total hip arthroplasty. One patient underwent acetabular
revision in the same group. In the group of patients with Garden type IV
fracture, we found 7 dislocations after total hip arthroplasty and two
patients underwent acetabular revision surgery. Conclusion: Our results
indicate that fractures Garden type I, II and Garden type III a can be
successfully treated with internal fixation. Fractures Garden type III b and
IV should be treated by primary hip arthroplasty, because of internal
fixation of these fractures lead to unsatisfactory results.
nema
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