Detection of and Mutations in Circulating Tumor DNA Using Next-Generation Sequencing in the Screening Process for Early Breast Cancer Diagnosis.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has emerged as a non-invasive "liquid biopsy" for early breast cancer diagnosis. We evaluated the suitability of ctDNA analysis in the diagnosis of early breast cancer after mammography findings, comparing and mutations between tumor biopsies and pre-biopsy circulating DNA. Matched plasma and frozen fresh tissue biopsies from patients with Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) 4c/5 mammography findings and subsequent diagnosis of primary breast cancer were analyzed using NGS TruSeq Custom Amplicon Low Input Panel (Illumina) and plasma SafeSEQ (Sysmex Inostics).

Unitary Limit of Two-Nucleon Interactions in Strong Magnetic Fields.

Two-nucleon systems are shown to exhibit large scattering lengths in strong magnetic fields at unphysical quark masses, and the trends toward the physical values indicate that such features may exist in nature. Lattice QCD calculations of the energies of one and two nucleons systems are performed at pion masses of m_{π}∼450 and 806 MeV in uniform, time-independent magnetic fields of strength |B|∼10^{19}-10^{20}  G to determine the response of these hadronic systems to large magnetic fields. Fields of this strength may exist inside magnetars and in peripheral relativistic heavy ion collisions, and the unitary behavior at large scattering lengths may have important consequences for these systems.

Ab initio Calculation of the np→dγ Radiative Capture Process.

Lattice QCD calculations of two-nucleon systems are used to isolate the short-distance two-body electromagnetic contributions to the radiative capture process np→dγ, and the photo-disintegration processes γ^{(*)}d→np. In nuclear potential models, such contributions are described by phenomenological meson-exchange currents, while in the present work, they are determined directly from the quark and gluon interactions of QCD. Calculations of neutron-proton energy levels in multiple background magnetic fields are performed at two values of the quark masses, corresponding to pion masses of m_{π}~450 and 806 MeV, and are combined with pionless nuclear effective field theory to determine the amplitudes for these low-energy inelastic processes.

Magnetic moments of light nuclei from lattice quantum chromodynamics.

We present the results of lattice QCD calculations of the magnetic moments of the lightest nuclei, the deuteron, the triton, and ^{3}He, along with those of the neutron and proton. These calculations, performed at quark masses corresponding to m_{π}∼800  MeV, reveal that the structure of these nuclei at unphysically heavy quark masses closely resembles that at the physical quark masses. In particular, we find that the magnetic moment of ^{3}He differs only slightly from that of a free neutron, as is the case in nature, indicating that the shell-model configuration of two spin-paired protons and a valence neutron captures its dominant structure.

Hyperon-nucleon interactions from quantum chromodynamics and the composition of dense nuclear matter.

The low-energy nΣ(-) interactions determine, in part, the role of the strange quark in dense matter, such as that found in astrophysical environments. The scattering phase shifts for this system are obtained from a numerical evaluation of the QCD path integral using the technique of lattice QCD. Our calculations, performed at a pion mass of m(π)~389 MeV in two large lattice volumes and at one lattice spacing, are extrapolated to the physical pion mass using effective field theory.

Evidence for a bound H dibaryon from lattice QCD.

We present evidence for the existence of a bound H dibaryon, an I=0, J=0, s=-2 state with valence quark structure uuddss, at a pion mass of m(π)∼389  MeV. Using the results of lattice QCD calculations performed on four ensembles of anisotropic clover gauge-field configurations, with spatial extents of L∼2.0, 2.

Exogenous nitric oxide modulates the systemic inflammatory response and improves kidney function after risk-situation abdominal aortic surgery.

Objective: Renal impairment is a very frequent complication of aortic surgery requiring prolonged suprarenal clamping, especially if it is associated with previous hemorrhage. The aim of this study was to assess the beneficial effect of the administration of a nitric oxide (NO) donor on renal function through a modulation of the systemic inflammatory response in a model of abdominal aortic surgery.

Methods: Twenty-five minipigs were divided into five groups.

Asymmetries in the nonmesonic weak decay of polarized lambda hypernuclei.

The nonmesonic weak decay of polarized Lambda hypernuclei is studied for the first time by taking into account, with a Monte Carlo intranuclear cascade code, the nucleon final state interactions. A one-meson-exchange model is employed to describe the Lambda-->N-->nN processes in a finite nucleus framework. The relationship between the intrinsic Lambda asymmetry parameter a(Lambda) and the asymmetry a(M)(Lambda) accessible in experiments is discussed.

Nucleon-nucleon coincidence spectra in the nonmesonic weak decay of lambda hypernuclei and the gamma(n)/gamma(p) puzzle.

By combining a one-meson-exchange model for the LambdaN-->nN transition in finite nuclei with an intranuclear cascade code, we have obtained nucleon-nucleon (angular and energy) coincidence distributions from the nonmesonic weak decay of (5)(Lambda)He and (12)(Lambda)C hypernuclei. Although, due to the elimination of interferences, two-nucleon coincidences are expected to give a cleaner extraction (with respect to single nucleon observables) of the ratio Gamma(n)/Gamma(p) identical with Gamma(Lambdan-->nn)/Gamma(Lambdap-->np), we show that the effect of the final state interactions is still important even when applying favorable energy and angular cuts. The agreement of our results for the ratio N(nn)/N(np) between the number of nn and np emitted pairs with preliminary KEK coincidence data allows us to conclude that Gamma(n)/Gamma(p) for (5)(Lambda)He should be small and close to the value of 0.

Hematological changes in rats exposed to weak electromagnetic fields.

A number of experimental studies report that biological systems can be affected by in vivo exposure to low frequency and extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields. However, attempts to independently replicate some of these studies have shown the reported effects to be elusive. The difficulty in replicating results could be due to unidentified physical and/or biological parameters which may affect the response of a sample to electromagnetic fields.

A new stabilimeter for small laboratory animals.

A stabilimeter is described in which a loudspeaker is used both as platform and transducer. This design provides good reproductibility, high sensitivity and wide range of utilization (rats, mice).

Significance of appropriate techniques and media for isolation and identification of Ureaplasma urealyticum from clinical specimens.

Controversy over the association of Ureaplasma urealyticum with reproductive failure may be due to methods used to isolate the microorganism. U. urealyticum isolations from clinical material should be done simultaneously in broth and on Shepard's differential agar medium (A7) containing manganese sulfate.

T-strain mucoplasmas and reproductive failure in monkeys.

T-strain mycoplasmas were isolated from the genital tracts of 3 genera of female monkeys: the talapoins, Miopithecas talapoin, the patas, Erythrocebus patas, and the macaques, Macaca fascicularis. The talapoins have not reproduced successfully for the past 2 yr. Fertility in the patas has also been reduced, with a high incidence of stillbirths and spontaneous abortions.