1,720,968 research outputs found
Renormalization of high-energy Lorentz-violating four-fermion models
No full textWe study the one-loop renormalization of high-energy Lorentz-violating four-fermion models. We derive general formulas and then consider a number of specific models. We study the conditions for asymptotic freedom and give a practical method to determine the asymptotic-freedom domain. We also point out that in some models the renormalization-group flow contains rational Zimmermann trajectories that might hide new symmetries
Low-energy phenomenology of scalarless standard-model extensions with high-energy Lorentz violation
No full textWe consider renormalizable standard model extensions that violate Lorentz symmetry at high energies, but preserve CPT, and do not contain elementary scalar fields. A Nambu-Jona-Lasinio mechanism gives masses to fermions and gauge bosons and generates composite Higgs fields at low energies. We study the effective potential at the leading order of the large-N(c) expansion, prove that there exists a broken phase, and study the phase space. In general, the minimum may break invariance under boosts, rotations, and CPT, but we give evidence that there exists a Lorentz invariant phase. We study the spectrum of composite bosons and the low-energy theory in the Lorentz phase. Our approach predicts relations among the parameters of the low-energy theory. We find that such relations are compatible with the experimental data within theoretical errors. We also study the mixing among generations, the emergence of the CKM matrix, and neutrino oscillations
Septic shock in dogs: clinical features and prognostic significance.
No full textIntroduction: septic shock is a subset of sepsis characterized by significantly
increased mortality in people. A novel proposed classification of
septic shock based on 3 different phenotypes (cryptic, hyperlactatemia
without persistent hypotension; vasoplegic, persistent hypotension
without hyperlactatemia; and dysoxic, persistent hyperlactatemia and
hypotension) seems helpful for outcome prediction. Our aim was to
report the clinical features and outcome of dogs with septic shock,
including the prevalence of the 3 different septic shock phenotypes,
compared to dogs with uncomplicated sepsis.
Methods: Dogs with sepsis, identified as SIRS plus confirmation of
infection, and hospitalized in the intensive care unit were prospectively
included (June 2018 –December 2019). Presence of septic shock
was defined by persistent hypotension requiring vasopressor therapy
or persistent hyperlactatemia after adequate fluid resuscitation Dogs with septic shock were further classified as affected by cryptic,
vasoplegic, or dysoxic shock according to the previously cited human
criteria. The canine Acute Patient Physiological and Laboratory Evaluation
(APPLEfast) score was calculated and the presence of multiorgan
dysfunction syndrome (MODS), defined as previously reported
for dogs, was evaluated upon admission in the whole population. Nonparametric
statistical tests were performed, and significance set at P <
0.05.
Results: One-hundred-thirty-one septic dogs were enrolled; 31/131
(24%) had septic shock: cryptic (10/31, 32%), dysoxic (18/31, 58%),
and vasoplegic (3/31, 10%). Septic shock dogs had significantly higher
APPLEfast Scores (28, 13-38 vs 25, 6-33, P = 0.0051) and plasma
lactate (3.5, 1.3-9.9 vs 2.2, 0.4-7.1, P < 0. 001), and significantly
greater frequencies of MODS (74.2% vs 7%, P <0. 001) and death
(64.5% vs 24%, P < 0.001) compared to patients with uncomplicated
sepsis (n = 100). There was no significant difference in the investigated
variables, including mortality rate (cryptic, 60%; dysoxic, 67%;
vasoplegic shock, 67%), among the 3 different phenotypes of septic
shock.
Conclusions: canine septic shock is associated with greater disease
severity, occurrence of MODS, and higher mortality compared to
uncomplicated sepsis. Dysoxic shock was the most prevalent phenotype
of septic shock reported; however, the incidence and the prognostic
relevance of the 3 septic shock phenotypes need to be addressed in
larger study populations
Triage body temperature predicts outcome in cats at emergency department admission: a retrospective study of 1440 cases (January 2018 to December 2021)
Full text linkOBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between triage body temperature (BT) and outcome in cats presenting to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted on cats presented to the ED. BT, clinical diagnosis and outcome were recorded. BT was categorised as follows: normothermia (37.8-39.7°C); hyperthermia (⩾39.8°C); mild hypothermia (36.8-37.7°C); moderate hypothermia (35.6-36.7°C); severe hypothermia (33.1-35.5°C); and critical hypothermia (⩽33°C). Outcome in the ED was categorised as death, euthanasia, hospital admission and discharge. Outcome at hospital discharge was evaluated in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) was identified in patients. No-SIRS cats were divided into three disease categories (urinary system, cardiovascular and miscellanea) and SIRS cats into four categories (urinary system, cardiovascular, trauma and miscellanea). The presence of sepsis was evaluated. Non-parametric statistics were used. RESULTS: A total of 1440 cats were included. The hospital mortality rate was 21.9%. Hypothermia in the ED was reported in 510 (35.4%) cats, normothermia in 849 (59%) cats and hyperthermia in 81 (5.6%) cats. In the ED, the median temperature in non-survivors (35.4°C, 95% confidence interval [CI] 34.6-36.3) was significantly lower than in survivors (38.2°C, 95% CI 38.1-38.3; P <0.0001). The risk of non-survival in the ED was significantly higher in cats with a decreased BT, progressively increasing with the severity of hypothermia (P <0.0001). Furthermore, BT was significantly associated with a higher risk of mortality in the ICU (P <0.0001). A diagnosis of sepsis was associated with a high prevalence of hypothermia (79/124 cats, 63.7%) and a higher risk of non-survival (odds ratio [OR] 2.62, 95% CI 1.52-4.54; P = 0.0006). The mortality risk significantly increased in SIRS cats with a cardiovascular disease (OR 8.27, 95% CI 4.09-16.68; P <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Hypothermia is common in cats at ED admission and is significantly associated with outcome. Triage hypothermia might identify patients with sepsis or SIRS complicated by comorbidities, such as cardiovascular and urinary diseases
Circulating Methemoblogin Fraction in Dogs With Sepsis
Full text linkLarge amount of nitric oxide (NO) can be released in patients with sepsis. Methemoglobin is formed from the interaction between NO and hemoglobin. Mild methemoglobinemia reflecting NO overproduction has been reported in septic people, and occasionally associated to septic shock and organ dysfunction. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate circulating methemoglobin fraction in dogs with sepsis and to assess its prognostic value. Methemoglobin reference interval (RI) was calculated in 41 healthy dogs and was set at 0–2.2%. A total of 131 dogs with sepsis were included in the study; 24/131 had a circulating methemoglobin ≥2.2%. The median methemoglobin fraction was significantly higher in dogs with sepsis compared to healthy ones (1.7%, 0.4–3.5% vs. 1.0, 0.3–2.2%, P = 0.0005). No significant difference was observed between dogs with uncomplicated sepsis (n = 98) vs. dogs with septic shock (n = 33) (1.8%, 0.4–2.8% vs. 1.5%, 0.4–3.5%, P = 0.74), between dogs with and without multi-organ dysfunction (n = 38 and n = 93, respectively) (1.7%, 0.4–3.5% vs. 1.7%, 0.5–2.8%, P = 0.27), and between survivors (n = 77) vs. non survivors (n = 54) (1.5%, 0.4–2.8% vs. 1.8%, 0.4–3.5%, P = 0.05). Dogs with methemoglobin fraction above or equal to the upper limit of the RI had a significantly higher frequency of death compared to dogs with methemoglobin levels <2.2% (60.0% vs. 36.8%, P = 0.04). In conclusion, mild methemoglobinemia is detected in dogs with sepsis, and methemoglobin values above the RI might be associated with a worse outcome
Apolipoprotein A1 and serum amyloid A in dogs with sepsis and septic shock
Full text linkIntroductionApolipoprotein-A1 (Apo-A1) acts as a negative acute phase protein (APP) during inflammatory states, and has a potential prognostic value in people and dogs with sepsis. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the association of serum Apo-A1 concentration with disease severity, multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and outcome in a population of dogs with sepsis, and to assess its correlation with major canine APPs. MethodsNinety-nine dogs with uncomplicated sepsis (n = 78) or septic shock (n = 21) were included. The serum concentration of Apo-A1, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) were recorded, alongside the canine acute patient physiologic and laboratory evaluation fast (APPLE(fast)) score and the presence of MODS. ResultsDogs with septic shock had significantly lower serum Apo-A1 concentrations (106.3 +/- 22.7 mg/dl; reference interval: 123.0-142.3 mg/dl), higher APPLE(fast) score (30, 13-38) and greater frequency of MODS (67%) compared to those with uncomplicated sepsis (117.9 +/- 19.3 mg/dl; 25, 6-33 and 8%, respectively) (P = 0.0201; P = 0.0005; P < 0.0001, respectively). Similarly, dogs with MODS had significantly lower serum Apo-A1 concentrations (104.1 +/- 4.6 mg/dl) and higher APPLE(fast) score values (31, 13-38) compared to those without MODS (118.32 +/- 2.1 mg/dl and 26, 6-33, respectively) (P = 0.0050 and P = 0.0038, respectively). Conversely, neither CRP nor SAA were different between these groups. No difference in serum APPs concentrations was detected between survivors and non-survivors. Significant negative correlations were detected between serum Apo-A1 and SAA (P = 0.0056, r = -0.277), and between serum Apo-A1 and the APPLE(fast) score (P = 0.0027, r = -0.3). In this population, higher values of the APPLE(fast) score and the presence of MODS were independently associated with a higher risk of death. DiscussionOur study shows that Apo-A1 is a useful biomarker of sepsis severity in dogs, since it is decreased in those with septic shock and MODS. Further prospective investigations are deemed to evaluate the applicability of Apo-A1 to predict sepsis course and response to treatment in septic dogs
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Classification of Septic Shock Phenotypes Based on the Presence of Hypotension and Hyperlactatemia in Cats
Full text linkBackground: Three different phenotypes of septic shock based on changes in blood pressure and lactate are recognized in people. Dysoxic shock, representing the combination of fluid-refractory hypotension and hyperlactatemia, is characterized by greater disease severity and mortality compared to cryptic shock (hyperlactatemia alone) and vasoplegic shock (hypotension with normal blood lactate). Little is known about septic shock and specifically its phenotypes in cats. Objective: To analyze the characteristics and prognostic implications of three septic shock phenotypes in cats with sepsis. Methods: Cats with septic shock were prospectively included. Septic shock was defined by the presence of hypotension (mean blood pressure <60 mmHg) requiring vasopressor support and/or persistent hyperlactatemia (>4 mmol/L) and classified in three subgroups: dysoxic shock, vasoplegic shock and cryptic shock. Clinical and clinicopathological variables including APPLEfast and APPLEfull scores, occurrence of multi-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS; presence of at least two dysfunctional organs simultaneously) and outcome were compared among subgroups. Cats with sepsis showing normal blood pressure and lactate concentrations hospitalized during the study period were included as uncomplicated sepsis, and compared to cats with septic shock for selected variables. Length of hospital stay and mortality were evaluated in the whole study population. Odds ratios for mortality were calculated using logistic regression analysis. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The study enrolled 48 cats with uncomplicated sepsis and 37 cats with septic shock (dysoxic shock n = 17; vasoplegic shock n = 11; cryptic shock n = 7). Cats with dysoxic shock had significantly higher APPLEfast and APPLEfull scores compared to vasoplegic and cryptic shock. Mortality rates were not significantly different among cryptic (57%), dysoxic (65%) and vasoplegic shock (91%), while MODS occurrence was significantly lower in cats with cryptic shock (57%) compared to patients affected by dysoxic (94%) and vasoplegic (100%) shock. Cats with septic shock had higher frequency of MODS and greater mortality rate than cats with uncomplicated sepsis. Conclusion: Despite similar in-hospital mortality, cats with dysoxic and vasoplegic shock are characterized by having higher occurrence of multi- organ dysfunction compared to cats affected by cryptic shock. Results from this study suggest novel means of identifying high-risk subgroups of septic cats
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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