Aluminium (Al) is the most common natural metallic element in the Earth's crust. It is released into the environment through natural processes and human activities and accumulates in aquatic ...environments. This review compiles scientific data on the neurotoxicity of aluminium contamination on the nervous system of aquatic organisms. More precisely, it helps identify biomarkers of aluminium exposure for aquatic environment biomonitoring in freshwater aquatic vertebrates. Al is neurotoxic and accumulates in the nervous system of aquatic vertebrates, which is why it could be responsible for oxidative stress. In addition, it activates and inhibits antioxidant enzymes and leads to changes in acetylcholinesterase activity, neurotransmitter levels, and in the expression of several neural genes and nerve cell components. It also causes histological changes in nerve tissue, modifications of organism behaviour, and cognitive deficit. However, impacts of aluminium exposure on the early stages of aquatic vertebrate development are poorly described. Lastly, this review also poses the question of how accurate aquatic vertebrates (fishes and amphibians) could be used as model organisms to complement biological data relating to the developmental aspect. This "challenge" is very relevant since freshwater pollution with heavy metals has increased in the last few decades.
Abstract We study the topologically twisted index of 3d N $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 supersymmetric gauge theories with unitary gauge groups. We implement a Gröbner basis algorithm for computing the Σ g × ...S 1 index explicitly and exactly in terms of the associated Bethe ideal, which is defined as the algebraic ideal associated with the Bethe equations of the corresponding 3d A-model. We then revisit recently discovered infrared dualities for unitary SQCD with gauge group U(N c ) k,k+lNc with l ≠ 0, namely the Nii duality that generalises the Giveon-Kutasov duality, the Amariti-Rota duality that generalises the Aharony duality, and their further generalisations in the case of arbitrary numbers of fundamental and antifundamental chiral multiplets. In particular, we determine all the flavour Chern-Simons contact terms needed to make these dualities work. This allows us to check that the twisted indices of dual theories match exactly. We also initiate the study of the Witten index of unitary SQCD with l ≠ 0.
A
bstract
A graded quiver with superpotential is a quiver whose arrows are assigned degrees
c
∈ {0
,
1
,
⋯
, m
}, for some integer
m
≥ 0, with relations generated by a superpotential of degree
m
− 1. ...Ordinary quivers (
m
= 1) often describe the open string sector of D-brane systems; in particular, they capture the physics of D3-branes at local Calabi-Yau (CY) 3-fold singularities in type IIB string theory, in the guise of 4d
N
= 1 supersymmetric quiver gauge theories. It was pointed out recently that graded quivers with
m
= 2 and
m
=3 similarly describe systems of D-branes at CY 4-fold and 5-fold singularities, as 2d
N
= (0
,
2) and 0d
N
= 1 gauge theories, respectively. In this work, we further explore the correspondence between
m
-graded quivers with superpotential,
Q
(
m
)
, and CY (
m
+ 2)-fold singularities,
X
m
+2
. For any
m
, the open string sector of the topological B-model on
X
m
+2
can be described in terms of a graded quiver. We illustrate this correspondence explicitly with a few infinite families of toric singularities indexed by
m
∈ ℕ, for which we derive “toric” graded quivers associated to the geometry, using several complementary perspectives. Many interesting aspects of supersymmetric quiver gauge theories can be formally extended to any
m
; for instance, for one family of singularities, dubbed
C
(
Y
1,0
(ℙ
m
)), that generalizes the conifold singularity to
m >
1, we point out the existence of a formal “duality cascade” for the corresponding graded quivers.
Background
Chemotherapy doses are usually prescribed on the basis of body surface area but dose banding is emerging as an efficient alternative. Dose banding presents the possibility of in-advance ...preparation in a Centralized Intravenous Admixture Service.
Aim of the study
To evaluate the long-term stability of 5-fluorouracil at banded doses (700 mg and 800 mg) in polyolefin bags.
Materials and methods
Ten polyolefin bags were prepared under aseptic conditions and stored at 23 ± 2°C for 24 days. Five of them were composed of 14 mL 5-fluorocuracil (700 g) in 100 mL 0.9% sodium chloride solution and the five other of 16 mL 5-fluorouracil (800 mg) in 100 mL 0.9% sodium chloride solution. At defined times, physical stability parameters were assessed: optical densities, pH measurements, visual and microscopical inspections. Solutions concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector.
Results
No change was observed on pH and optical density measurements during the study period. Visual and microscopical inspections remained free of colour change, precipitate, microagregate or crystal. The concentrations of 5-Fluorouracil in 800 mg bags remained stable for 24 days while the concentration in 700 mg bags showed a stability of at least 17 days.
Conclusion
Five-fluorouracil at banded doses of 700 and 800 mg in polyolefin bags is physicochemically stable for at least 17 days at 23 ± 2°C. These results support the possibility of in advance centralised preparation.
We study how the global structure of rank-one 4d \mathcal{N}=2 = 2 supersymmetric field theories is encoded into global aspects of the Seiberg-Witten elliptic fibration. Starting with the ...prototypical example of the \mathfrak{su}(2) ( 2 ) gauge theory, we distinguish between relative and absolute Seiberg-Witten curves. For instance, we discuss in detail the three distinct absolute curves for the SU(2) S U ( 2 ) and SO(3)_± S O ( 3 ) ± 4d \mathcal{N}=2 = 2 gauge theories. We propose that the 1 1 -form symmetry of an absolute theory is isomorphic to a torsion subgroup of the Mordell-Weil group of sections of the absolute curve, while the full defect group of the theory is encoded in the torsion sections of a so-called relative curve. We explicitly show that the relative and absolute curves are related by isogenies (that is, homomorphisms of elliptic curves) generated by torsion sections - hence, gauging a one-form symmetry corresponds to composing isogenies between Seiberg-Witten curves. We apply this approach to Kaluza-Klein (KK) 4d \mathcal{N}=2 = 2 theories that arise from toroidal compactifications of 5d and 6d SCFTs to four dimensions, uncovering an intricate pattern of 4d global structures obtained by gauging discrete 0 0 -form and/or 1 1 -form symmetries. Incidentally, we propose a 6d BPS quiver for the 6d M-string theory on \mathbb{R}^4× T^2 ℝ 4 × T 2 .
Abstract
We report on the stereolithography printing of a hydroxyapatite powder dispersed in an acrylate-based resin with a focus on the influence of the laser power, the scanning speed and the layer ...thickness on the dimensional accuracy of the green, debinded and sintered parts and on the microstructural and mechanical properties of the sintered parts.
Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction remains a major problem after heart transplantation and may be associated with brain death (BD) in a donor. A calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus was recently found to ...have beneficial effects on heart function. Here, we examined whether tacrolimus might prevent BD-induced RV dysfunction and the associated pathobiological changes.
After randomized tacrolimus (
= 8; 0.05 mg·kg
·day
) or placebo (
= 9) pretreatment, pigs were assigned to a BD procedure and hemodynamically investigated 1, 3, 5, and 7 h after the Cushing reflex. After euthanasia, myocardial tissue was sampled for pathobiological evaluation. Seven pigs were used as controls.
Calcineurin inhibition prevented increases in pulmonary vascular resistance and RV-arterial decoupling induced by BD. BD was associated with an increased RV pro-apoptotic Bax-to-Bcl2 ratio and RV and LV apoptotic rates, which were prevented by tacrolimus. BD induced increased expression of the pro-inflammatory IL-6-to-IL-10 ratio, their related receptors, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in both the RV and LV. These changes were prevented by tacrolimus. RV and LV neutrophil infiltration induced by BD was partly prevented by tacrolimus. BD was associated with decreased RV expression of the β-1 adrenergic receptor and sarcomere (myosin heavy chain MYH7-to-MYH6 ratio) components, while β-3 adrenergic receptor, nitric oxide-synthase 3, and glucose transporter 1 expression increased. These changes were prevented by tacrolimus.
Brain death was associated with isolated RV dysfunction. Tacrolimus prevented RV dysfunction induced by BD through the inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation activation.
Summary Background Postoperative pancreatic fistula is the leading cause of death and morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy. However, the best reconstruction method to reduce occurrence of fistula ...is debated. We did a multicentre, randomised superiority trial to compare the outcomes of different reconstructive techniques in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic or periampullary tumours. Methods Patients aged 18–85 years with confirmed or suspected neoplasms of the pancreas, distal bile duct, ampulla vateri, duodenum, or periampullary tumours were eligible for inclusion. An internet-based platform was used to randomly assign patients to either pancreaticojejunostomy or pancreaticogastrostomy as reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy, using permuted blocks with six patients per block. Within each centre the randomisation was stratified on the pancreatic duct diameter (≤3 mm vs >3 mm) measured at the time of surgery. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of clinical postoperative pancreatic fistula (grade B or C) as defined by the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula. The study was not masked and analyses were done by intention to treat. Patient follow-up was closed 2 months after discharge from the hospital. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT00830778. Findings Between June, 2009, and August, 2012, we randomly allocated 167 patients to receive pancreaticojejunostomy and 162 to receive pancreaticogastrostomy. 33 (19·8%) patients in the pancreaticojejunostomy group and 13 (8·0%) in the pancreaticogastrostomy group had clinical postoperative pancreatic fistula (OR 2·86, 95% CI 1·38–6·17; p=0·002). The overall incidence of postoperative complications did not differ significantly between the groups (99 in the pancreaticojejunostomy group vs 100 in the pancreaticogastrostomy group), although more events in the pancreaticojejunostomy group were of grade ≥3a than in the pancreaticogastrostomy group (39 vs 35). Interpretation In patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic head or periampullary tumours, pancreaticogastrostomy is more efficient than pancreaticojejunostomy in reducing the incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula. Funding Funding Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices, Belgium.
•The leaf economics spectrum is narrower in New Zealand than in European forests.•Sycamore maple increases photosynthetic efficiency of New Zealand evergreen forests.•Sycamore appears a ‘pre-adapted’ ...alien species which fills a formerly empty niche.
Understanding the mechanisms behind the successful invasion of alien plant species remains a significant research challenge in invasion ecology. There are surprisingly few cross-continental comparative studies which investigated interspecific trait differences between native and invaded ranges. Here, we compare leaf functional traits of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.), a deciduous tree species native to Europe and invasive in New Zealand (NZ), to co-occurring resident woody species in both the native and invaded ranges. We analyze a suite of 14 physiological traits on individuals growing either in shade or in sun light conditions. Despite similar environmental conditions, the leaf economics spectrum of forest communities is narrower in NZ than in France. Sycamore extends the leaf economics spectrum of the recipient community towards greater photosynthetic efficiency in the invaded range at a relatively low construction cost. This feature increases the competitive advantage of sycamore over native species. Biogeographic history likely has resulted in a native insular temperate forest community in NZ with unoccupied trait space along the leaf economics spectrum, making these communities susceptible to invasion by ‘pre-adapted’ alien species, according to the Evolutionary Imbalance Hypothesis. Sycamore may thus successfully invade NZ evergreen forests simply because it fills a functional gap at the fast return end of the leaf economics spectrum, corresponding to a formerly empty niche. As a consequence, forest management can hardly extirpate the invasive alien tree.
Healthcare expenses are increasing, as is the utilization of laboratory resources. Despite this, between 20% and 40% of requested tests are deemed inappropriate. Improper use of laboratory resources ...leads to unwanted consequences such as hospital-acquired anemia, infections, increased costs, staff workload and patient stress and discomfort. The most unfavorable consequences result from unnecessary follow-up tests and treatments (overuse) and missed or delayed diagnoses (underuse). In this context, several interventions have been carried out to improve the appropriateness of laboratory testing. To date, there have been few published assessments of interventions specific to the intensive care unit. We reviewed the literature for interventions implemented in the ICU to improve the appropriateness of laboratory testing. We searched literature from 2008 to 2023 in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases between April and June 2023. Five intervention categories were identified: education and guidance (E&G), audit and feedback, gatekeeping, computerized physician order entry (including reshaping of ordering panels), and multifaceted interventions (MFI). We included a sixth category exploring the potential role of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML)-based assisting tools in such interventions. E&G-based interventions and MFI are the most frequently used approaches. MFI is the most effective type of intervention, and shows the strongest persistence of effect over time. AI/ML-based tools may offer valuable assistance to the improvement of appropriate laboratory testing in the near future. Patient safety outcomes are not impaired by interventions to reduce inappropriate testing. The literature focuses mainly on reducing overuse of laboratory tests, with only one intervention mentioning underuse. We highlight an overall poor quality of methodological design and reporting and argue for standardization of intervention methods. Collaboration between clinicians and laboratory staff is key to improve appropriate laboratory utilization. This article offers practical guidance for optimizing the effectiveness of an intervention protocol designed to limit inappropriate use of laboratory resources.
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