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Pseudoscalar meson dominance has implications for nucleon structure which follow from an Extended Partial Conservation of the Axial Current (EPCAC). The minimal resonance saturation of the nucleon pseudoscalar form factor of the lowest pseudoscalar and isovector mesons compatible with pQCD short distance constraints and chiral symmetry. Using PDG masses and widths we obtain g π N N = 13.21 (- 0.06 + 0.11) , to be compared with the most precise determinations from np, pp scattering, g π + n p = 13.25 (5) from the Granada-2013 database. Equivalently a Goldberger–Treiman discrepancy Δ GT = 1. 8 - 0.4 + 0.9 % is found. Our results are consistent with almost flat strong pion-nucleon-nucleon vertices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease with a catastrophic course causing progressive muscle weakness leading to loss of ambulation (LoA) and affecting quality of life. The 6 Minute Walk Distance Test (6MWD) is a measurement tool for disease progression, a baseline 6MWD <300m has been identified as threshold for risk of loss of ambulation (LoA) within the next year. Ataluren is a dystrophin restorative therapy for DMD patients with nonsense mutations (nmDMD) that has proved to slow disease progression by allowing longer preservation of independent ambulation. We present the data of 15 nmDMD Colombian patients who started treatment with ataluren after the baseline 6MWD <300m threshold. Patients were on daily corticosteroid treatment with a stable, weight appropriate dosage; in our cohort, the median age was 11 years old (7y-21y) and the median time to exposure to Ataluren was 25 months at data cut-off, the median 6MWD baseline was 236 meters. Although all patients were at high risk of LoA within the next year, the results showed that 13 of 15 patients (86.67%) remained ambulatory after the first year of follow-up; 10 of 15 patients eventually lose ambulation between the first and fourth year in therapy and the mean age at LoA was 12.1 years old; currently, 33.33% of the patients remain ambulatory despite their initial bad prognosis. These results show that Ataluren is a well-tolerated medication which seemed to have beneficial effects in delaying loss of ambulation in nmDMD patients, even in latter stages of the disease, therefore having a positive influence in patients' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disease leading to muscle damage and loss of ambulation around 10 to 12 years old. Different functional tests are used to assess disease progression, being the 6 Minute Walk Distance Test (6MWD) the most widely performed; the baseline performance in the Supine to Stand Test (STS) has shown a strong association with subsequent 1-year changes in 6MWD, specifically a ≥5 second STS is considered a predictor for functional deterioration and loss of ambulation (LoA) in DMD over the following 12 months. Ataluren is an oral treatment for patients with nonsense mutation DMD (nmDMD) aimed to slow disease progression. We present the data of 6MWD and STS for 16 nmDMD Colombian patients receiving Ataluren plus standard of care; in our cohort, the median age was 10.5 years and the median time of exposure to ataluren was 20 months at data cut-off, the median baseline for 6MWD and STS were 298 meters and 12.45 seconds, respectively. Patients were divided into two groups depending on STS time ("fast decline": STS ≥5s; "Stable": STS <5s); patients in the "fast decline" subgroup were at higher risk of LoA within the next year. After the first year of follow-up, we found that all patients in both groups remained ambulatory; 6 of 12 patients in the "fast decline" subgroup eventually lost ambulation between the first and fourth year in therapy and the mean age at LoA was 12 years old; currently, 62.5% patients in our cohort remain ambulatory. We observed high levels of Δ6MWD variability according to the STS baseline; patients in "fast decline" had an average rate of progression of -51.74m/year, lower than the reported on natural history studies, while patients on the "stable" group gained 13.98m/year on average. Since all our patients were on a stable treatment with corticosteroids, we hypothesize that these positive effects could be due to the therapy with Ataluren, allowing a delay in disease progression in nmDMD patients [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The various surgical specialties in our center have used the simulation and experimental surgery resources available for their training tasks in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in an individualized manner. With this learning model, a great dispersion of effort and expense was observed, so it was decided to create a unified program based on the following: shared learning, synergy among specialties, moderation of the economic cost, and rational use of the facilities. Objective. To describe and assess our consensually designed training program in order to consolidate a shared learning strategy that will enable our residents to acquire and perfect surgical skills in MIS. Materials and methods. The program consists of various increasingly complex phases implemented on a continuous basis throughout the period of specialized training in the virtual laboratory and experimental operating room. The assessment methods were based on quantifiable criteria: percentage of efficiency and completion time of the "McGill Inanimate System for Training and Evaluation of Laparoscopic Skills" (MISTELS) exercises at the beginning and end of the program. An economic study was also conducted. Results. 20 residents have completed the program. Mean times show a significant reduction in each of the exercises. The efficiency percentages at the end of the program were higher than at the beginning (p < 0.001). The cost of the program represented a saving of 67.89%. Conclusion. The new MIS training program improved the quality of learning in a safe environment, establishing common criteria among the different specialties and an improved use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are chiral theories at present describing experimental NN scattering data satisfactorily? Will the chiral approach offer a framework where fitting and selecting the existing np and pp data can be done without theoretical bias? While predictive power in theoretical nuclear physics has been a major concern in the study of nuclear structure and reactions, the Effective Field Theory (EFT) based on chiral expansions has emerged after Weinberg as a model-independent hierarchy for many-body forces and much progress has been achieved over the last decades. We review some of the issues involved which point to being close to the solution, but also that work remains still to be done to validate the theory. We analyze several examples including zero energy NN scattering and perturbative counter-term-free peripheral scattering where one would expect these methods to work best and unveil relevant systematic discrepancies when a fair comparison to the Granada-2013 NN-database and partial wave analysis based on coarse graining the interaction is undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac Sarcoidosis (CS) is a chronic granulomatous disease that can recur in transplanted hearts. There are currently no standardized guidelines for management of CS in heart transplant recipients. A 58-year-old male with end-stage NICM (presumed chemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity) presented with shortness of breath, and persistent low flow alarms on his HVAD. His past medical history was significant for leukemia (treated with doxorubicin), non-sustained VT s/p ICD and HVAD as bridge-to-transplant (2016). RHC showed evidence of cardiogenic shock. He was upgraded to UNOS Status 2 and underwent orthotropic heart transplant (OHT) on 7/30/21. He received standard induction (Basiliximab) and maintenance (Tacrolimus, MMF, prednisone) immunosuppression regimen. Unexpectedly, his explanted heart was noted to have non-necrotizing granulomatous myocarditis consistent with CS. He was switched from MMF to Sirolimus at 7 months post-OHT after TTE showed normal biventricular function and surveillance biopsy revealed 0R, AMR0. He was weaned off prednisone at 8 months. Subsequent cardiac biopsy showed recurrence of non-necrotizing granulomas with focal infiltrates (Fig A), suggesting recurrence of CS and mild acute cellular rejection (1R, AMR0). Patient remained asymptomatic with normal biventricular function. He was restarted on high dose prednisone and switched from Sirolimus to MMF. Tacrolimus goal was kept at 8-10. Five months following CS recurrence, cardiac PET showed no evidence of CS on Tacrolimus, MMF and low-dose prednisone. Recurrent CS in a transplanted heart is rare and usually manifests itself once immunosuppression is weaned. While there are no standard guidelines for its management, standard dose MMF plus low-dose prednisone in addition to Tacrolimus was effective in preventing further recurrence in our patient. Routine monitoring for recurrence is important for early detection and prevention of life-threatening complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the infrared limit of the similarity renormalization group (SRG) using a simple toy model for the nuclear force aiming to investigate the fixed points of the SRG evolution with both the Wilson and the Wegner generators. We show how a fully diagonal interaction at the similarity cutoff λ → 0 may be obtained from the eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian and quantify the diagonalness by means of operator norms. While the fixed points for both generators are equivalent when no bound-states are allowed by the interaction, the differences arising from the presence of the Deuteron bound-state can be disentangled very clearly by analyzing the evolved interactions in the infrared limit λ → 0 on a finite momentum grid. Another issue we investigate is the location on the diagonal of the Hamiltonian in momentum-space where the SRG evolution places the Deuteron bound-state eigenvalue once it reaches the fixed point. This finite momentum grid setup provides an alternative derivation of the celebrated trace identities, as a by product. The different effects due to either the Wilson or the Wegner generators on the binding energies of A = 2 , 3 , 4 systems are investigated and related to the occurrence of a Tjon-line which emerges as the minimum of an avoided crossing between E α = 4 E t − 3 E d and E α = 2 E t . All infrared features of the flow equations are illustrated using the toy model for the two-nucleon S -waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted in the Pastaza province, Ecuador, its aim was identify the main species used for human consumption on farms of Pastaza, Mera and Santa Clara cantons, comparing their reporting frequency depending on the canton and producer ethnia, for which a survey, consisting of aspects of identification of farmers, plants used in human food and ways of uses, which was applied to 214 producers in the province, corresponding to 30 % of producers identified was developed. Globally, 59 species were reported by canton bearing 32 species in Pastaza, 16 in Mera and 56 in Santa Clara, depending on the ethnia of the producer 44 species used by half-breeds and 46 species used by Kichwas were reported. 33 botanical families was obtained, Solanaceae and Arecaceae the highest number of species reported, frequency analysis reports through contingency tables with respect to the canton and producer ethnia, presented significant differences in the value of P for Pearson Chi Square statistics and Chi square MV-G2. The proportion comparison analysis showed nine species, being the highlights: Musa sp Schott, Manihot esculenta Crantz L. and Colocasia esculenta (L.), which are the most reported. It concludes that there is diversity in the use of plants for human consumption, in which variability is influenced by the canton components and the producer ethnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experimental data from quasielastic electron scattering from 12C are reanalyzed in terms of a new scaling variable suggested by the interacting relativistic Fermi gas with scalar and vector interactions, which is known to generate a relativistic effective mass for the interacting nucleons. By choosing a mean value of this relativistic effective mass ..., we observe that most of the data fall inside a region around the inverse parabola-shaped universal scaling function of the relativistic Fermi gas. This suggests a method to select the subset of data that highlight the quasielastic region, about two thirds of the total 2,500 data. Regardless of the momentum and energy transfer, this method automatically excludes the data that are not dominated by the quasielastic process. The resulting band of data reflects deviations from the perfect universality, and can be used to characterize experimentally the quasielastic peak, despite the manifest scaling violation. Moreover we show that the spread of the data around the scaling function can be interpreted as genuine fluctuations of the effective mass ... . Applying the same procedure we transport the scaling quasielastic band into a theoretical prediction band for neutrino scattering cross section that is compatible with the recent measurements and slightly more accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to study the interaction of a dimer of chondroitin 4-sulfate (Ch4S) with the (100), (010), and (121̅) surfaces of the mineral calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM). The Ch4S glycosaminoglycan has been implicated in the modulation of the biomineralization process of kidney stones. MD simulations of the mineral surfaces and the disaccharide in the presence of solvent water allowed us to compute the adsorption energies of the saccharides on the COM surfaces. The calculations show that Ch4S interacts with COM principally through the sulfate, the carboxylate, and the carbonyl of the acetyl amine functional groups. The mode and strength of the interaction depend on the orientation of the disaccharide with respect to the surface and the ability of the Ch4S to replace the interactions of the water molecules that compete with the saccharide for adsorption sites on the COM surface. Ch4S binds more strongly to the (010) surface than the (100) surface, leading to a more pronounced [001]/[010] aspect ratio in the calculated crystal morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thorium dioxide is used industrially in high temperature applications, but more insight is needed into the behavior of the material as part of a mixed-oxide (MOX) nuclear fuel, incorporating uranium. We have developed a new interatomic potential model including polarizability via a shell model, and commensurate with a prominent existing UO2 potential, to conduct configurational analyses and to investigate the thermophysical properties of uranium-doped ThO2. Using the GULP and Site Occupancy Disorder (SOD) computational codes, we have analyzed the distribution of low concentrations of uranium in the bulk material, where we have not observed the formation of uranium clusters or the dominance of a single preferred configuration. We have calculated thermophysical properties of pure thorium dioxide and Th(1-x)UxO2 which generated values in very good agreement with experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At low temperatures, we expect that all QCD observables are defined in terms of hadrons. This includes the partition function as well as the Polyakov loop in all representations. We analyze the physics underlying a microscopic derivation of the hadron resonance gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On a finite momentum grid with N integration points pn and weights wn (n=1,…,N) the Similarity Renormalization Group (SRG) with a given generator G unitarily evolves an initial interaction with a cutoff λ on energy differences, steadily driving the starting Hamiltonian in momentum space Hn,m0=pn2δn,m+Vn,m to a diagonal form in the infrared limit (λ→0), Hn,mG,λ→0=Eπ(n)δn,m, where π(n) is a permutation of the eigenvalues En which depends on G. Levinson's theorem establishes a relation between phase-shifts δ(pn) and the number of bound-states, nB, and reads δ(p1)-δ(pN)=nBπ. We show that unitarily equivalent Hamiltonians on the grid generate reaction matrices which are compatible with Levinson's theorem but are phase-inequivalent along the SRG trajectory. An isospectral definition of the phase-shift in terms of an energy-shift is possible but requires in addition a proper ordering of states on a momentum grid such as to fulfill Levinson's theorem. We show how the SRG with different generators G induces different isospectral flows in the presence of bound-states, leading to distinct orderings in the infrared limit. While the Wilson generator induces an ascending ordering incompatible with Levinson's theorem, the Wegner generator provides a much better ordering, although not the optimal one. We illustrate the discussion with the nucleon-nucleon (NN) interaction in the S01 and S13 channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Polyakov loop has been used repeatedly as an order parameter in the deconfinement phase transition in QCD. We argue that, in the confined phase, its expectation value can be represented in terms of hadronic states, similarly to the hadron resonance gas model for the pressure. Specifically, ... where gɑ are the degeneracies and Δɑ are the masses of hadrons with exactly one heavy quark (the mass of the heavy quark itself being subtracted). We show that this approximate sum rule gives a fair description of available lattice data with Nf = 2 + 1 for temperatures in the range 150 MeV < T < 190 MeV with conventional meson and baryon states from two different models. For temperatures below 150 MeV different lattice results disagree. One set of data can be described if exotic hadrons are present in the QCD spectrum while other sets do not require such states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this second paper of the Brain, Drugs and Genes review we would like to discuss illicit drugs and the genetics that may predispose subjects to addiction. We describe the effects, action sites and pathophysiological consequences of the use of these illicit drugs. The drugs that are reviewed are marijuana, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA, also known as ecstasy. All of them cause an effect on the brain, modifying the activity of the neuronal systems, altering the activity or availability of the neurotransmitters or emulating their actions. The risk of dependence is related to the velocity with which these drugs induce plastic changes in the brain, very much like a learning process. Such changes underlie the patient's dependence to drugs. Therefore when a long term user quits and deprives the brain abruptly of these drugs, an abstinence syndrome is precipitated and it may be quite severe. Only for marijuana it seems to be mild, misleading people to believe this drug does not cause physical dependence. Marijuana (Cannabis sativa) is a plant which has its active principle ´9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in almost all its parts, i. e. the flowers, stems, seeds and leaves. It adua;lly contains over 60 cannabinoids as well as other chemical compounds. Marijuana causes euphoria followed by relaxation and several other reinforcing effects. Among the adverse effects marijuana causes: alteration of short-term memory, slowness of reflexes, depression and anxiety, bronchitis and lung infections. Marijuana effects depend on the activation of the CB1 and CB2 receptors, distributed in the entire body. The CB1 receptor is mainly present in the brain. In medicine, ´-THC has been useful in treating symptoms caused by chemotherapy, and in treating the anorexia caused by the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Also, an antagonist of the CB1 receptor, Rimonabant, has been used to treat morbid obesity with certain degree of success. However, despite this promising application of Rimonabant, the side effects it caused led to its withdrawal from the market in Europe, Canada and Mexico. Heroin, derived from morphine, which in turn is isolated from opium, causes euphoria and analgesia, suppresses hunger, increases energy and induces sleepiness. The adverse effects are liver and kidney diseases as well as a decrease in breathing and heart rates. This drug acts on the opioid receptors: MOR, DOR and KOR. Cocaine, derived from the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca) produces immediate rewarding effeds that last between 30 to 60 min, and causes anxiety once its serum concentration drops. Due to its very short half-life, it is the most addictive of all drugs. Cocaine reduces hunger, thirst and sleep. The most used forms of cocaine are powder and crack (available as rock). The mechanism of action by which cocaine and related compounds induce their effects is the blockade of the dopamine transporter at the synapsis, leaving dopamine available for a longer time at the synapses of the motivation-reward system. Cocaine and related compounds induce blood vessel constriction, muscular spasm, chest pain, and an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, thus augmenting the risk of cardiac arrest and stroke. The methamphetamine, a synthetic stimulant, is a crystalline, odorless, bitter drug which causes a pleasant feeling and euphoria. Its action mechanism is the blockade of the dopamine transporter, same as cocaine. The effects pursued by the users of crystal methamphetamine are increased alertness, increase in physical activity and decrease in hunger. Its side effects include increase in body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, thus augmenting the risk for stroke. Methamphetamine also triggers violent behavior, anxiety, irritability, confusion, paranoia and hallucinations. This compound has been used for medical reasons, such as in the treatment of narcolepsy and obesity. 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA or ecstasy, is a synthetic compound with stimulant and hallucinatory effects. Its action is exerted mainly on the serotonin transporter, leaving serotonin available at the synapsis for a longer time. After clearance from the bloodstream this drug causes severe depression. Ecstasy is also combined with other stimulants. All the drugs discussed here induce body changes that compromise the life of the user, or his health at the very least. Despite this fact, the highly reinforcing effects the drugs produce by over activating the motivation-rewarding system compel their repetitive use. Not all users, however, are equally vulnerable to becoming addicted or respond the same way to the use of drugs. The individual response depends, in part, on genetic factors, as we discuss in the following section. It is evident that not only environmental factors account for the vulnerability to addiction. Genetic factors also have a substantial contribution. In order to facilitate the understanding of the interaction environment-gene, we define the following concepts: gene, allele, mutation, polymorphism, heritability and epigenesis. Apparently, the genetic contribution to addiction vulnerability varies depending on the drug. For example, cocaine and opiates are much more dependant on genetic factors to trigger addiction than are nicotine, alcohol or marijuana. Mutations or polymorphisms carried by several genes might make the difference between being at high or low risk for addiction. They may also underlie the degree of response to rehabilitation treatments. Addiction, then, is a result of on interaction between environment and genes. Environmental demands make the organism modify its structure and physiology in order to cope efficiently to such demands. One crucial way to do so is by changing gene expression. Changes in gene expression may be a consequence of chemical rearrangements in the chromatin structure, which lead to transcriptional modifications that affect the expression of the proteins the genes encode. Consequently, the normal tendions of such proteins in different systems are also altered. These adaptive rearrangements in the chromatin structure are called epigenesis. The epigenetic changes induced by environmental stimuli have been proved to affect the expression of several neurotransmitter receptors and trophic factors, among many other molecules crucial for the proper functioning of the Central Nervous System. Hence, these chromatin's structural changes, triggered by environmental demands, are most likely to help the subject cope with such specific demands. However, this adaptation is not free of charge, and requires a toll to be paid which is: vulnerability to addiction. Finally, one question arises: Who is the person most likely to seek a drug of abuse? Statistics have shown that those patients suffering from a psychiatric illness. This hypothesis suggests that addiction is a symptom or a disease caused by a psychiatric illness such as a personality disorder, depression or schizophrenia. Hence, at the end, drug addiction would be a co-morbid entity, generating what in Spanish we call the dual-disease. On the other hand, the self-medication hypothesis also makes sense, at least for an extensive group of patients. This hypothesis suggests that patients take drugs of abuse to relief the symptoms caused by their psychiatric pathology. The present review discusses the interaction between brain circuits, drugs and genes to generate an addict patient. We do not intend to revise each field exhaustively, but rather we intend to give the reader a general scenario on the convergence of these three worlds. Thus it may be better understood how addiction develops and how it may be treated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pleasant sensation experienced when, for example eating or having sex is regulated by the motivation-rewarding system. This rewarding sensation makes the subject to repeat the behavior in order to obtain the reinforcer once more. This system can be corrupted by drugs of abuse by triggering an «intense feeling of pleasure» and inducing plastic changes. In normal conditions, a natural reinforcer is a stimulus generating a benefit to the organism. For example, food will provide energy and structure among many other benefits. Sex, in turn, accomplishes the function of giving new beings to the species and to create boundaries between subjects to generate groups and culture. Due to these facts, it is crucial to reinforce this kind of behaviors. They are crucial for the subject's life. In contrast, drugs do not produce any benefit to the subject or group. Although in ancient times human beings used drugs as a means to develop and practice their mysticism, such practice is no longer associated with the use of drugs. With the exception of present time aboriginal communities, none of the regular users in our countries consume drugs with ritualmystical purposes. Hence, we have to accept that drugs are of no use for human beings. They do not help us as species to have more adapted, intelligent or developed subjects in our communities. However, their ability to stimulate the rewarding system makes them popular and dangerous to the individual's health and life. The motivation-rewarding system is regulated by numerous neurotransmitters, among them dopamine, that is released in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and synthesized by the neurons located in the ventral tegmetal area (VTA). There are other substances that modulate the activity of the dopaminergic neurons in the VTA, such as serotonin, acetylcholine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate. The activation of the VTA and its consequent activation of the NAc enhance the release of neuromodulators such as endorphins and endocannabinoids, thus generating the subjective sensation of pleasure. All these interactions trigger the activity of memory systems generating a memory trace encoding the characteristics of the substance or behavior causing pleasure. This occurs in the context that the brain accepts these substances or behaviors as beneficial to the organism. The punishment system is also a very important system working in tight communication with the pleasure system. Fear is one of the most critical adapting behaviors for any subject in the animal kingdom. Fear helps us to avoid dangerous stimulus and behaviors. There is also pleasure involved in escaping this kind of situations. It seems like there is an interaction between the motivation-rewarding and the punishment systems. As a result, there is a balance at times in favor of pleasure, at times in favor of punishment depending on the quality of the stimulus. This balance gives the valence to the emotion triggered by the stimulus. A stimulus with a positive valence will increase the probability of exhibiting the behavior displayed to obtain it, while a stimulus with a negative valence will increase the probability of exhibiting the behavior displayed to avoid it. In this context, the so-called non-natural reinforcers such as drugs of abuse act directly on the pleasure system. For example, nicotine acts on the nicotinic receptor of ACh, alcohol, on the receptor of GABAa and glutamate (NMDA), marihuana on the endocannabinoid receptor (CB1R), located in the motivationrewarding system triggering an «intense sensation of pleasure». However, two main shortcomings make drugs of abuse dangerous: first, their effect is short and, second, they do not convey any beneficial effect to the organism whatsoever. Brain mechanisms not very well defined detect this lack of benefit; hence, the motivation-rewarding system reduces its response by means of at least two plastic changes, reducing the availability of receptors (epigenetic changes induced by the drug) and by increasing the activity of the punishment system to maintain the balance. As a result, the subject does not experience the same pleasure with the same dose of the drug. In the clinic we call this phenomenon tolerance. If the individual insists in pursuing the same intensity of pleasure, he/she has to consume more of the drug, forcing the brain to strengthen its plastic changes. In this context, we can say that these systems are defending themselves against the action of the drug. Then, why do subjects insist in pursuing the effect of drugs? Very likely because the substrate of the subject's disorder resides anywhere in the brain but in the pleasure system. If so, this indicates that drug addiction is a disorder caused by another disease, very likely a psychiatric one. Several factors contribute to generate drug addiction, i. e. social, psychological and genetic. Genes contribute in different ways to generate the subject's vulnerability to suffer an addiction. A gene mutation (alteration in genetic information) or a given polymorphism (the existence of multiple alleles of a gene in a population) can produce a dysfunctional protein or alter its normal levels. Such changes may make some individuals vulnerable to the initial use of drugs of abuse. However, those genes facilitating adjustments in the motivation-rewarding system that occur after the repeated consumption of drugs of abuse seem to be functioning normally, as we can infer from the development of tolerance. The heritability of these genes, making subjects vulnerable to addiction, has been studied in many ways, including studies of families, adoptees, and twins (monozygotic and dizygotic). From these studies it has been possible to calculate the heritability index, a measure which indicates how much variance of a trait in a specific sample is associated to genetic factors and how much to the environment. The heritability index has a range from 1, meaning the maximum genetic influence, to 0, meaning the maximum environment influence. At present, a significant number of genes have been involved in facilitating addiction to drugs, and also very important, to the response to treatment for rehabilitation. The expression of the genes is regulated by a series of processes called epigenesis. Epigenetic changes can be a result of the interaction between genes and environment. This interaction results in chemical processes that modify chromatin structure. For example, cytosine nucleotide methylation causes chromatin condensation, which interferes with gene transcription; hence, the protein encoded by this gene will be reduced, and the function in which it participates will be altered. As an example, when the methylation of the gene encoding for the glucocorticoid receptor occurs in rats, it reduces the bioavailability of this receptor and increases the release of corticosterone when rats are stressed. At the behavioral level, rats seem to be more stressed most of the time as compared with rats without methylation of this gene. Almost every stimulus in the environment is a potential promoter of epigenesis. Epigenesis is important to occur, since it is an adaptive response of the organism to the environment. It seems like the switches of the genes are turned on or off according to environment circumstances. These genetic changes will be ultimately expressed as plastic changes pursuing the right adaptation of the subject to the environment. Parental care seems to be one crucial contributor to these epigenetic modifications. For example, when a mother-rat provides poor care (feeding, grooming, and physical contact) to its litter during the neonate period, facilitates the methylation of genes, as it has been proved for the glucocorticoid receptor. These changes generate subjects with poor stress management and less capability for learning. Likewise, it makes them susceptible to drug addiction. These results highlight the importance of parental care as provider of a healthy environment, which is modeling the expression of their genes, hence their behavior. In this review we are discussing the interaction between genes and environment and the function of the brain to generate drug addiction. Although not exhaustive, this review pursues to discuss relevant and state-of-the art information to help the reader to understand those mechanisms subserving this debilitating disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The rigorous quantum mechanical definition of a resonance requires determining the pole position in the second Riemann sheet of the analytically continued partial wave scattering amplitude in the complex Mandelstam s variable plane. For meson resonances we investigate the alternative Breit–Wigner (BW) definition within the large expansion. By assuming that the pole position is and exploiting unitarity, we show that the BW determination of the resonance mass differs from the pole position by terms, which can be extracted from ππ scattering data. For the case of the σ () pole, the BW scalar mass is predicted to occur at while the true value is located at . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We analyze how a short distance boundary condition for the Schrödinger equation must change as a function of the boundary radius by imposing the physical requirement of phase shift independence on the boundary condition. The resulting equation can be interpreted as a variable phase equation of a complementary boundary value problem. We discuss the corresponding infrared fixed points and the perturbative expansion around them generating a short distance modified effective range theory. We also discuss ultraviolet fixed points, limit cycles, and attractors with a given fractality which take place for singular attractive potentials at the origin. The scaling behavior of scattering observables can analytically be determined and is studied with some emphasis on the low energy nucleon–nucleon interaction via singular pion exchange potentials. The generalization to coupled channels is also studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Spherical silica-based mesoporous materials encapsulating magnetic nanoparticles have been synthesized following an aerosol-assisted route. The influence of nonionic surfactant P123 concentration in the structural and textural parameters has been investigated. Moreover, the effect of adding different amounts of magnetic nanoparticles to the precursor solution has been studied attending to structural, textural, and magnetic properties. The ability of these materials to achieve stability in aqueous solution at physiological pH, and their potential to be magnetically guided, have been evaluated. The microspheres adsorption and release performance have been tested by using ibuprofen as a model drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The renormalization of singular chiral potentials as applied to NN scattering and the structure of the deuteron are discussed. It is shown how zero range theories may be implemented non-perturbatively as constrained from known long range NN forces. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The deficiency trials of some trace metals (copper, nickel, zinc) were made in laboratory Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactors containing the inoculum of an industrial anaerobic sludge, a basal medium with the rest of nutrients and vitamins in comparison with a control reactor with the optimal doses of trace elements. From the main control parameters (alkalinity, acidity, DQO), no inactivation by deficit of essential elements was detected, but the control reactor showed greater mineralization and solid content, being necessary to make purge to avoid bulking. The inoculum has high metallic element contents, so the additional contribution produces high bacterial growth, also purge being necessary to avoid bulking. The purge, made after 120 days in continuous operation, eliminates a great quantity of solids and increases the volatile solids (VS)/total solids (TS) ratio. The comparison of the initial content of metallic elements in the solid and liquid phases with the contents after 120 days showed a progressive depletion of metals in all reactors without a clear appreciation of the lack of the studied metals. Finally, in 210 days, the reactors without addition of a metallic element accumulated greater quantity of major (Ca, Fe, Mg) and trace (Co, Ni, Cu) elements in the solid phase with respect to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract??As a first step in the research on ethanol production from lignocellulose residues, sugar fermentation byFusarium oxysporumin oxygen-limited conditions is studied in this work. As a substrate, solutions of arabinose, glucose, xylose and glucose/xylose mixtures are employed. The main kinetic and yield parameters of the process are determined according to a time-dependent model. The microorganism growth is characterized by the maximum specific growth rate and biomass productivity, the substrate consumption is studied through the specific consumption rate and biomass yield, and the product formation via the specific production rate and product yields. In conclusion,F. oxysporumcan convert glucose and xylose into ethanol with product yields of 0.38 and 0.25, respectively; when using a glucose/xylose mixture as carbon source, the sugars are utilized sequentially and a maximum value of 0.28?g/g ethanol yield is determined from a 50% glucose/50% xylose mixture. Although fermentation performance byF.?oxysporumis somewhat lower than that of other fermenting microorganisms, its ability for simultaneous lignocellulose-residue saccharification and fermentation is considered as a potential advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We Conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical presentation and the computed tomographic (CT) and ultrasound (US) findings in six episodes of hepatosplenic brucelloma in five patients. Methods: In four episodes, the diagnosis was based on clinical history, serology, and characteristic imaging findings. In the other two episodes in the same patient, the diagnosis was suspected alter a biopsy was taken. CT was performed in all six cases and US in live. Results: On US, brucellomas were iso- or hypoechogenic with the liver. Hyperechogenic masses were seen in one patient. Brucellomas were very poorly defined and contained small scattered cystic areas. All lesions showed central or marginal gross local calcification, except multiple lesions in one patient. Contrast-enhanced CT showed predominantly solid masses with irregular borders and fine or thick enhancing trabeculations separating hypodense solid areas and/or small cystic areas. Two patients showed transdiaphragmatic lung invasion by brucelloma, a complication not previously published. Conclusion: In regions where brucellosis is endemic, brucelloma should he included in the differential diagnosis if a hepatic or splenic mass with irregular borders and central or marginal gross focal calcification is detected. and contrast-enhanced CT shows enhancing trabeculations that separate hypodense solid areas and or small liquid collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In injection moulding processes such as Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) for example, numerical simulations are usually performed with a fixed mesh, on which the displacement of the flow front is predicted by the numerical algorithm. During the injection, special physical phenomena occur on the front, such as capillary effects inside the fibre tows or heat transfer when the fluid is injected at a different temperature than the mould. In order to approximate these phenomena accurately, it is always better to adapt the mesh to the shape of the flow front. This can be achieved by implementing re-meshing algorithms, which will provide not only more accurate solutions, but also faster calculations. In order to represent precisely the shape of the saturated domain in the cavity, the mesh needs to be non-isotropic in the vicinity of the flow front. The size of the elements along the front is connected to the overall accuracy needed for the simulation; the size in the perpendicular direction governs the accuracy on the position of the moving boundary in time. Since these two constraints on element size are not related, the need for non-isotropic mesh refinement is crucial. In the approach proposed here, the mesh is changed at each time step from a background isotropic mesh used as starting point in the refinement algorithm. The solution needs to be projected on the new mesh after each re-meshing. This amounts to adopting a new filling algorithm, which will be validated by comparison to a standard simulation (without re-meshing) and with experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various aspects of the reproductive biology and dimorphism of achenes from the annual heterocarpic weed Leontodon longirrostris (Finch & PD Sell) Talavera were studied in the laboratory and field. The species is self-incompatible, pollinated by generalist insects and produces two different types of achene in the capitula: peripheral and central achenes. Peripheral achenes are heavier (1.63 mg) and exhibit virtually no pappus and short-range dispersal, whereas central achenes are lighter (0.45 mg), possess a well-developed pappus and are produced in greater numbers. The morphological differences between the two types of achene result in differences not only in dispersal, but also in germination, seedling vigour and the ability of seedlings to emerge from different achene burial depths. Central achenes germinate more rapidly and in higher proportions under a broad spectrum of conditions. On the other hand, germination in peripheral achenes is much more restricted, partly as a result of their thick pericarp; a high proportion of this type of achene does not germinate and remains in a dormant state on the ground, forming a temporary seedbank. Because of the increased size of the embryo, seedlings from peripheral achenes can emerge from greater depths and are initially more vigorous than those from central achenes. Central achenes represent a strategy that facilitates settling in new areas; peripheral achenes represent a strategy that ensures in situ persistence. These biological characteristics are advantageous for colonizing species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights a study which examined whether there were differences in plants' growth, biomass and achene production, with reference to the Catananche lutea `Asteraceae.' In-depth look at the Catananche; Discussion on plant density; Methodology used to conduct the study; Results of the study.

Compares the reproductive biology of Ajuga iva (L.) Schreber and Ajuga chamaepitys (L.) Schreber, two closely related Ajuga (Lamiaceae) plant species. Description of the plants; Similarities and differences of the plants; Other results of the comparison; Method by which the comparison was conducted.

Studies the complex fruit heteromorphism of the amphicarpic annual Catananche lutea (Asteraceae). Types of subterranean achenes produced; Differences in floral features; Germination for the different types of achenes.

Investigates the production and dispersal times, morphological differences between seeds and germination of the two types of fruit of Ceratocapnos heterocarpa. Association of heterocarpy with fruit dispersal mechanism; Effect of temperature, light and cold pretreatment.

We make variational estimates for the binding energies of 2H, 3H, 4He, 16O, 40Ca, showing their running with the Similarity Renormalization Group (SRG) cutoff towards the infrared region and show the generalized Tjon lines that emerge from the calculations. We infer the SRG evolution of the three-body contributions for the 3H and 4He binding energies by computing the two-body contributions with a variational approach assuming that four-body forces are negligible. At any given SRG cutoff, the three-body contributions may then be inferred as being the experimental value minus the two-body contributions. The off-shell/on-shell transition at a critical SRG cutoff λ c drives the behavior of all binding energies and this scale is the turning point of the generalized Tjon lines. Also, at λ c the ratios between three-body and two-body contributions to the binding energies, B λ c (3) ∕ B λ c (2) , are the same in both 3H and 4He systems and equal to 1 ∕ 4 , so that B λ c (2) = 4 B λ c (3). All calculations are carried out with the Idaho–Salamanca N3LO potential, which is evolved with the SRG up to the infrared fixed point (λ → 0) in all S, P, D, F and G partial-wave channels in order to compute the variational binding energies at several SRG cutoff scales. • The SRG flow presents an off-shell/on-shell crossover. • Off-shellness of an interaction can be quantified with the Frobenius norm. • The two regimes of the Tjon lines correspond to the two phases (on/off-shell). • Critical SRG cutoff can be found by inspecting the norm and its derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies of the analytical and numerical models of neutron stars suggest that their exterior field can be well approximated by only four arbitrary parameters of the 2-soliton solution of Einstein’s equations, which gives rise to the so-called no-hair conjecture for neutron stars proposed by Yagi et al. By assuming that the latter conjecture is correct, we show that there exists an infinite hierarchy of universal relations for neutron stars in terms of multipole moments that arises as a series of the degeneration conditions for generic soliton solutions. The analysis of the simplest of these relations involving the hexadecapole mass moment is able to reveal which of the known equations of state for the stellar interior are most consistent with the Yagi et al conjecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the journal Endoscopy, discusses a case of a 67-year-old woman who presented with low back pain. An abdominal CT scan revealed a retroperitoneal lesion near the inferior vena cava (IVC). Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) was used to further examine the lesion, and a fine-needle biopsy (FNB) was performed. The histology results indicated a mesenchymal neoplasia with spindle cell proliferation, specifically a well-differentiated leiomyosarcoma of the IVC. The article highlights that this type of neoplasia is rare and more common in women between the ages of 40 and 60. EUS-FNB is an effective diagnostic tool, and surgical intervention is the recommended treatment. [Extracted from the article]

The repulsive short-distance core is one of the main paradigms of nuclear physics which even seems confirmed by QCD lattice calculations. On the other hand nuclear potentials at short distances are motivated by high energy behavior where inelasticities play an important role. We analyze NN interactions up to 3 GeV in terms of simple coarse grained complex and energy dependent interactions. We discuss two possible and conflicting scenarios which share the common feature of a vanishing wave function at the core location in the particular case of S waves. We find that the optical potential with a repulsive core exhibits a strong energy dependence whereas the optical potential with the structural core is characterized by a rather adiabatic energy dependence which allows one to treat inelasticity perturbatively. We discuss the possible implications for nuclear structure calculations of both alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Very Long Baseline Array we performed a high-resolution OH maser survey in Galactic star-forming regions (SFRs). We observed all the ground state spectral lines: the main lines at 1665 and 1667 MHz and the satellite lines at 1612 and 1720 MHz. Due to the exceptionality of finding satellite lines in SFRs, we will focus our discussion on those lines. In our sample of 41 OH maser sources, five (12%) showed the 1612 MHz line and ten (24%) showed the 1720 MHz line, with only one source showing both lines. We find that 1720 MHz emission is correlated with the presence of H ii regions, suggesting that this emission could be used to diagnose or trace high-mass star formation. We include an analysis of the possible mechanisms that could be causing this correlation as well as assessing the possible relationships between lines in our sample. In particular, the presence of magnetic fields seems to play an important role as we found Zeeman splitting in four of our sources (W75 N, W3(OH), W51 and NGC 7538). Our results have implications for current understanding of the formation of high-mass stars as well as on the masing processes present in SFRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe herein the case of a man with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae septic arthritis and possible infective endocarditis. This is the first report in the English-language medical literature of septic arthritis caused by this organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]