pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Endovascular versus open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm in 15-years' follow-up of the UK endovascular aneurysm repair trial 1 (EVAR trial 1): a randomised controlled trial

SummaryBackgroundShort-term survival benefits of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) versus open repair of intact abdominal aortic aneurysms have been shown in randomised trials, but this early survival benefit is lost after a few years. We investigated whether EVAR had a long-term survival benefit compared with open repair.MethodsWe used data from the EVAR randomised controlled trial (EVAR trial 1), which enrolled 1252 patients from 37 centres in the UK between Sept 1, 1999, and Aug 31, 2004. Patients had to be aged 60 years or older, have aneurysms of at least 5·5 cm in diameter, and deemed suitable and fit for either EVAR or open repair. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using computer-generated sequences of randomly permuted blocks stratified by centre to receive either EVAR (n=626) or open repair (n=626). Patients and treating clinicians were aware of group assignments, no masking was used. The primary analysis compared total and aneurysm-related deaths in groups until mid-2015 in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered at ISRCTN (ISRCTN55703451).FindingsWe recruited 1252 patients between Sept 1, 1999, and Aug 31, 2004. 25 patients (four for mortality outcome) were lost to follow-up by June 30, 2015. Over a mean of 12·7 years (SD 1·5; maximum 15·8 years) of follow-up, we recorded 9·3 deaths per 100 person-years in the EVAR group and 8·9 deaths per 100 person-years in the open-repair group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1·11, 95% CI 0·97–1·27, p=0·14). At 0–6 months after randomisation, patients in the EVAR group had a lower mortality (adjusted HR 0·61, 95% CI 0·37–1·02 for total mortality; and 0·47, 0·23–0·93 for aneurysm-related mortality, p=0·031), but beyond 8 years of follow-up open-repair had a significantly lower mortality (adjusted HR 1·25, 95% CI 1·00–1·56, p=0·048 for total mortality; and 5·82, 1·64–20·65, p=0·0064 for aneurysm-related mortality). The increased aneurysm-related mortality in the EVAR group after 8 years was mainly attributable to secondary aneurysm sac rupture (13 deaths [7%] in EVAR vs two [1%] in open repair), with increased cancer mortality also observed in the EVAR group.InterpretationEVAR has an early survival benefit but an inferior late survival compared with open repair, which needs to be addressed by lifelong surveillance of EVAR and re-intervention if necessary.FundingUK National Institute for Health Research, Camelia Botnar Arterial Research Foundation
Dynamic Transport and Cementation of Skeletal Elements Build Up the Pole-and-Beam Structured Skeleton of Sponges

SummaryAnimal bodies are shaped by skeletons, which are built inside the body by biomineralization of condensed mesenchymal cells in vertebrates [1, 2] and echinoderms [3, 4], or outside the body by apical secretion of extracellular matrices by epidermal cell layers in arthropods [5]. In each case, the skeletons’ shapes are a direct reflection of the pattern of skeleton-producing cells [6]. Here we report a newly discovered mode of skeleton formation: assembly of sponges’ mineralized skeletal elements (spicules) in locations distant from where they were produced. Although it was known that internal skeletons of sponges consist of spicules assembled into large pole-and-beam structures with a variety of morphologies [7–10], the spicule assembly process (i.e., how spicules become held up and connected basically in staggered tandem) and what types of cells act in this process remained unexplored. Here we found that mature spicules are dynamically transported from where they were produced and then pierce through outer epithelia, and their basal ends become fixed to substrate or connected with such fixed spicules. Newly discovered “transport cells” mediate spicule movement and the “pierce” step, and collagen-secreting basal-epithelial cells fix spicules to the substratum, suggesting that the processes of spiculous skeleton construction are mediated separately by specialized cells. Division of labor by manufacturer, transporter, and cementer cells, and iteration of the sequential mechanical reactions of “transport,” “pierce,” “raise up,” and “cementation,” allows construction of the spiculous skeleton spicule by spicule as a self-organized biological structure, with the great plasticity in size and shape required for indeterminate growth, and generating the great morphological diversity of individual sponges
A new behavioural apparatus to reduce animal numbers in multiple types of spontaneous object recognition paradigms in rats

AbstractStandard object recognition procedures assess animals’ memory through their spontaneous exploration of novel objects or novel configurations of objects with other aspects of their environment. Such tasks are widely used in memory research, but also in pharmaceutical companies screening new drug treatments. However, behaviour in these tasks may be driven by influences other than novelty such as stress from handling which can subsequently influence performance. This extra-experimental variance means that large numbers of animals are required to maintain power. In addition, accumulation of data is time consuming as animals typically perform only one trial per day. The present study aimed to explore how effectively recognition memory could be tested with a new continual trials apparatus which allows for multiple trials within a session and reduced handling stress through combining features of delayed nonmatching-to-sample and spontaneous object recognition tasks. In this apparatus Lister hooded rats displayed performance significantly above chance levels in object recognition tasks (Experiments 1 and 2) and in tasks of object-location (Experiment 3) and object-in-context memory (Experiment 4) with data from only five animals or fewer per experimental group. The findings indicated that the results were comparable to those of previous reports in the literature and maintained statistical power whilst using less than a third of the number of animals typically used in spontaneous recognition paradigms. Overall, the results highlight the potential benefit of the continual trials apparatus to reduce the number of animals used in recognition memory tasks
Sensitivity, Specificity, and the Hybridization Isotherms of DNA Chips

AbstractCompetitive hybridization, at the surface and in the bulk, lowers the sensitivity of DNA chips. Competitive surface hybridization occurs when different targets can hybridize with the same probe. Competitive bulk hybridization takes place when the targets can hybridize with free complementary chains in the solution. The effects of competitive hybridization on the thermodynamically attainable performance of DNA chips are quantified in terms of the hybridization isotherms of the spots. These relate the equilibrium degree of the hybridization to the bulk composition. The hybridization isotherm emerges as a Langmuir isotherm modified for electrostatic interactions within the probe layer. The sensitivity of the assay in equilibrium is directly related to the slope of the isotherm. A simpler description is possible, in terms of c50 values specifying the bulk composition corresponding to 50% hybridization at the surface. The effects of competitive hybridization are important for the quantitative analysis of DNA chip results, especially when used to study point mutations
Energy dependence of hyperon production in nucleus–nucleus collisions at SPS

AbstractA measurement of strange baryon and antibaryon production in Pb–Pb collisions has been carried out by the NA57 experiment at the CERN SPS, with 40 and 158 AGeV/c beam momentum. Results on Λ, Ξ and Ω hyperon yields at mid-rapidity in the most central 53% of Pb–Pb collisions at 40 AGeV/c are presented and compared with those obtained at higher energy, in the same collision centrality range.The Λ and Ξ− yields per unit rapidity stay roughly constant while those of Ω−, Λ̄, Ξ̄+ and Ω̄+ increase when going to the higher SPS energy. Hyperon yields at the SPS are compared with those from the STAR experiment in sNN=130 GeV Au–Au collisions at RHIC
Dynamic Receptor Team Formation Can Explain the High Signal Transduction Gain in Escherichia coli

AbstractEvolution has provided many organisms with sophisticated sensory systems that enable them to respond to signals in their environment. The response frequently involves alteration in the pattern of movement, either by directed movement, a process called taxis, or by altering the speed or frequency of turning, which is called kinesis. Chemokinesis has been most thoroughly studied in the peritrichous bacterium Escherichia coli, which has four helical flagella distributed over the cell surface, and swims by rotating them. When rotated counterclockwise the flagella coalesce into a propulsive bundle, producing a relatively straight “run,” and when rotated clockwise they fly apart, resulting in a “tumble” which reorients the cell with little translocation. A stochastic process generates the runs and tumbles, and in a chemoeffector gradient, runs that carry the cell in a favorable direction are extended. The cell senses spatial gradients as temporal changes in receptor occupancy and changes the probability of counterclockwise rotation (the bias) on a fast timescale, but adaptation returns the bias to baseline on a slow timescale, enabling the cell to detect and respond to further concentration changes. The overall structure of the signal transduction pathways is well characterized in E. coli, but important details are still not understood. Only recently has a source of gain in the signal transduction network been identified experimentally, and here we present a mathematical model based on dynamic assembly of receptor teams that can explain this observation
Interplay of oxidative, nitrosative/nitrative stress, inflammation, cell death and autophagy in diabetic cardiomyopathy

AbstractDiabetes is a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and heart failure. Diabetic cardiovascular dysfunction also underscores the development of diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy. Despite the broad availability of antidiabetic therapy, glycemic control still remains a major challenge in the management of diabetic patients. Hyperglycemia triggers formation of advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs), activates protein kinase C, enhances polyol pathway, glucose autoxidation, which coupled with elevated levels of free fatty acids, and leptin have been implicated in increased generation of superoxide anion by mitochondria, NADPH oxidases and xanthine oxidoreductase in diabetic vasculature and myocardium. Superoxide anion interacts with nitric oxide forming the potent toxin peroxynitrite via diffusion limited reaction, which in concert with other oxidants triggers activation of stress kinases, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1-dependent cell death, dysregulates autophagy/mitophagy, inactivates key proteins involved in myocardial calcium handling/contractility and antioxidant defense, activates matrix metalloproteinases and redox-dependent pro-inflammatory transcription factors (e.g. nuclear factor kappaB) promoting inflammation, AGEs formation, eventually culminating in myocardial dysfunction, remodeling and heart failure. Understanding the complex interplay of oxidative/nitrosative stress with pro-inflammatory, metabolic and cell death pathways is critical to devise novel targeted therapies for diabetic cardiomyopathy, which will be overviewed in this brief synopsis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Autophagy and protein quality control in cardiometabolic diseases
Algebraic solutions of the Lamé equation, revisited

AbstractA minor error in the necessary conditions for the algebraic form of the Lamé equation to have a finite projective monodromy group, and hence for it to have only algebraic solutions, is pointed out (see Baldassarri, J. Differential Equations 41 (1) (1981) 44). It is shown that if the group is the octahedral group S4, then the degree parameter of the equation may differ by ±1/6 from an integer; this possibility was missed. The omission affects a recent result on the monodromy of the Weierstrass form of the Lamé equation (see Churchill, J. Symbolic Comput. 28 (4–5) (1999) 521). The Weierstrass form, which is a differential equation on an elliptic curve, may have, after all, an octahedral projective monodromy group
Physiotherapists demonstrate weight stigma: a cross-sectional survey of Australian physiotherapists

AbstractQuestion: Do physiotherapists demonstrate explicit and implicit weight stigma? Design: Cross-sectional survey with partial blinding of participants. Participants responded to the Anti-Fat Attitudes questionnaire and physiotherapy case studies with body mass index (BMI) manipulated (normal or overweight/obese). The Anti-Fat Attitudes questionnaire included 13 items scored on a Likert-type scale from 0 to 8. Any score greater than zero indicated explicit weight stigma. Implicit weight stigma was determined by comparing responses to case studies with people of different BMI categories (where responses were quantitative) and by thematic and count analysis for free-text responses. Participants: Australian physiotherapists (n=265) recruited via industry networks. Results: The mean item score for the Anti-Fat Attitudes questionnaire was 3.2 (SD 1.1), which indicated explicit weight stigma. The Dislike (2.1, SD 1.2) subscale had a lower mean item score than the Fear (3.9, SD 1.8) and Willpower (4.9, SD 1.5) subscales. There was minimal indication from the case studies that people who are overweight receive different treatment from physiotherapists in clinical parameters such as length of treatment time (p=0.73) or amount of hands-on treatment (p=0.88). However, there were indications of implicit weight stigma in the way participants discussed weight in free-text responses about patient management. Conclusion: Physiotherapists demonstrate weight stigma. This finding is likely to affect the way they communicate with patients about their weight, which may negatively impact their patients. It is recommended that physiotherapists reflect on their own attitudes towards people who are overweight and whether weight stigma influences treatment focus.[Setchell J, Watson B, Jones L, Gard M, Briffa K (2014) Physiotherapists demonstrate weight stigma: a cross-sectional survey of Australian physiotherapists. Journal of Physiotherapy 60: 157–162
Smooth extension of functions on a certain class of non-separable Banach spaces

AbstractLet us consider a Banach space X with the property that every real-valued Lipschitz function f can be uniformly approximated by a Lipschitz, C1-smooth function g with Lip(g)⩽CLip(f) (with C depending only on the space X). This is the case for a Banach space X bi-Lipschitz homeomorphic to a subset of c0(Γ), for some set Γ, such that the coordinate functions of the homeomorphism are C1-smooth (Hájek and Johanis, 2010 [10]). Then, we prove that for every closed subspace Y⊂X and every C1-smooth (Lipschitz) function f:Y→R, there is a C1-smooth (Lipschitz, respectively) extension of f to X. We also study C1-smooth extensions of real-valued functions defined on closed subsets of X. These results extend those given in Azagra et al. (2010) [4] to the class of non-separable Banach spaces satisfying the above property
The primitive solutions to x3+y9=z2

AbstractWe determine the rational integers x,y,z such that x3+y9=z2 and gcd(x,y,z)=1. First we determine a finite set of curves of genus 10 such that any primitive solution to x3+y9=z2 corresponds to a rational point on one of those curves. We observe that each of these genus 10 curves covers an elliptic curve over some extension of Q. We use this cover to apply a Chabauty-like method to an embedding of the curve in the Weil restriction of the elliptic curve. This enables us to find all rational points and therefore deduce the primitive solutions to the original equation
Modal and non-modal stabilities of flow around a stack of plates

AbstractModal and non-modal stabilities of flow around a stack of flat plates are investigated by means of asymptotic stability and transient growth analyses respectively. It is observed that over the parameters considered, both the base flow and the stabilities vary as a function of ReW2/(W−1)2, i.e. the product of the Reynolds number and the square of the expansion ratio of the stack. The most unstable modes are found to be located downstream of the recirculation bubble while the global optimal initial perturbations (resulting in maximum energy growth over the entire domain) and the weighted optimal initial perturbations (resulting in maximum energy growth in the close downstream region of the stack) concentrate around the stack end owing to the Orr mechanism. In direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the base flow initially perturbed by the modes, it is noticed that the weighted optimal initial perturbation induces periodic vortex shedding downstream of the stack much faster than the most unstable mode. This observation suggests that the widely reported vortex shedding in flow around a stack of plates, e.g. in thermoacoustic devices, is associated with perturbations around the stack end
Effects of a psychological intervention on the quality of life of obese adolescents under a multidisciplinary treatment

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the effects of multidisciplinary treatment with and without psychological counseling on obese adolescents’ self-reported quality of life.MethodsSeventy-six obese adolescents (15.87±1.53 y) were allocated into psychological counseling group (PCG; n=36) or control group (CG; n=40) for 12 weeks. All participants received the same supervised exercise training, nutritional and clinical counseling. Participants in PCG also received psychological counseling. QOL was measured before and after 12 weeks of intervention by Generic Questionnaire for the Evaluation of Quality of Life (SF-36).ResultsThe dropout rate was higher in GC (22.5%) when compared with PCG (0.0%) (p<0.001). After 12 weeks, participants from PCG presents lower body weight, relative fat mass and higher free fat mass (p<0.001 for all) compared to GC. QOL improved among adolescents from both groups (p<0.05), however, a better QOL was reported from those adolescents enrolled in PCG.ConclusionThe inclusion of a psychological counseling component in multidisciplinary treatment for adolescent obesity appears to provide benefits observed for improved QOL as compared with treatment without psychological counseling
Measurement of the total cross section from elastic scattering in pp collisions at s=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

AbstractA measurement of the total pp cross section at the LHC at s=7 TeV is presented. In a special run with high-β⋆ beam optics, an integrated luminosity of 80 μb−1 was accumulated in order to measure the differential elastic cross section as a function of the Mandelstam momentum transfer variable t. The measurement is performed with the ALFA sub-detector of ATLAS. Using a fit to the differential elastic cross section in the |t| range from 0.01 GeV2 to 0.1 GeV2 to extrapolate to |t|→0, the total cross section, σtot(pp→X), is measured via the optical theorem to be:σtot(pp→X)=95.35±0.38(stat.)±1.25(exp.)±0.37(extr.)mb, where the first error is statistical, the second accounts for all experimental systematic uncertainties and the last is related to uncertainties in the extrapolation to |t|→0. In addition, the slope of the elastic cross section at small |t| is determined to be B=19.73±0.14(stat.)±0.26(syst.) GeV−2
Microneedle/nanoencapsulation-mediated transdermal delivery: Mechanistic insights

AbstractA systematic study was undertaken to gain more insight into the mechanism of transdermal delivery of nanoencapsulated model dyes across microneedle (MN)-treated skin, a complex process not yet explored. Rhodamine B (Rh B) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) as model hydrophilic and hydrophobic small/medium-size molecules, respectively, were encapsulated in poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) and delivered through full thickness porcine skin pretreated with MN array. Permeation through MN-treated skin was affected by physicochemical characteristics of NPs and the encapsulated dyes. Dye flux was enhanced by smaller particle size, hydrophilicity, and negative zeta potential of NPs. Regarding encapsulated dyes, solubility at physiological pH and potential interaction with skin proteins proved to outweigh molecular weight as determinants of skin permeation. Data were verified using confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging. Findings coupled with the literature data are supportive of a mechanism involving influx of NPs, particularly of smaller size, deep into MN-created channels, generating depot dye-rich reservoirs. Molecular diffusion of the released dye across viable skin layers proceeds at a rate determined by its molecular characteristics. Data obtained provide mechanistic information of importance to the development of formulation strategies for more effective intradermal and transdermal MN-mediated delivery of nanoencapsulated therapeutic agents
Probing Orientational Behavior of MHC Class I Protein and Lipid Probes in Cell Membranes by Fluorescence Polarization-Resolved Imaging

AbstractSteady-state polarization-resolved fluorescence imaging is used to analyze the molecular orientational order behavior of rigidly labeled major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) proteins and lipid probes in cell membranes of living cells. These fluorescent probes report the orientational properties of proteins and their surrounding lipid environment. We present a statistical study of the molecular orientational order, modeled as the width of the angular distribution of the molecules, for the proteins in the cell endomembrane and plasma membrane, as well as for the lipid probes in the plasma membrane. We apply this methodology on cells after treatments affecting the actin and microtubule networks. We find in particular opposite orientational order changes of proteins and lipid probes in the plasma membrane as a response to the cytoskeleton disruption. This suggests that MHC I orientational order is governed by its interaction with the cytoskeleton, whereas the plasma membrane lipid order is governed by the local cell membrane morphology
Search for heavy long-lived charged R-hadrons with the ATLAS detector in 3.2 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at s=13 TeV

AbstractA search for heavy long-lived charged R-hadrons is reported using a data sample corresponding to 3.2 fb−1 of proton–proton collisions at s=13 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The search is based on observables related to large ionisation losses and slow propagation velocities, which are signatures of heavy charged particles travelling significantly slower than the speed of light. No significant deviations from the expected background are observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are provided on the production cross section of long-lived R-hadrons in the mass range from 600 GeV to 2000 GeV and gluino, bottom and top squark masses are excluded up to 1580 GeV, 805 GeV and 890 GeV, respectively