Exotic Superfluid Phases in Spin-Polarized Fermi Gases in Optical Lattices.

Leveraging cutting-edge numerical methodologies, we study the ground state of the two-dimensional spin-polarized Fermi gas in an optical lattice. We focus on systems at high density and small spin polarization, corresponding to the parameter regime believed to be most favorable to the formation of the elusive Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) superfluid phase. Our systematic study of large lattice sizes, hosting nearly 500 atoms, provides strong evidence of the stability of the FFLO state in this regime, as well as a high-accuracy characterization of its properties.

Ultracold Atoms in a Square Lattice with Spin-Orbit Coupling: Charge Order, Superfluidity, and Topological Signatures.

We present an ab initio, numerically exact study of attractive fermions in square lattices with Rashba spin-orbit coupling. The ground state of this system is a supersolid, with coexisting charge and superfluid order. The superfluid is composed of both singlet and triplet pairs induced by spin-orbit coupling.

Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling, Strong Interactions, and the BCS-BEC Crossover in the Ground State of the Two-Dimensional Fermi Gas.

The recent experimental realization of spin-orbit coupled Fermi gases provides a unique opportunity to study the interplay between strong interaction and spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in a tunable, disorder-free system. We present here precision ab initio numerical results on the two-dimensional, unpolarized, uniform Fermi gas with attractive interactions and Rashba SOC. Using the auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo method and incorporating recent algorithmic advances, we carry out exact calculations on sufficiently large system sizes to provide accurate results systematically as a function of experimental parameters.

FFLO order in ultra-cold atoms in three-dimensional optical lattices.

We investigate different ground-state phases of attractive spin-imbalanced populations of fermions in three-dimensional optical lattices. Detailed numerical calculations are performed using Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory to determine the ground-state properties systematically for different values of density, spin polarization and interaction strength. We first consider the high density and low polarization regime, in which the effect of the optical lattice is most evident.

Microvesicular fat, inter cellular adhesion molecule-1 and regulatory T-lymphocytes are of importance for the inflammatory process in livers with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Great progress has been made in understanding the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) but less is known about the mechanisms underlying the progress from steatosis to steatohepatitis (NASH). Our aim was to evaluate if the amount and type of storage of fat in hepatocytes is of importance for hepatocyte injury. We also wanted to show if not only the innate immunity but also the adaptive immunity is involved in NASH.

Attenuated liver fibrosis after bile duct ligation and defective hepatic stellate cell activation in neural cell adhesion molecule knockout mice.

Aim: Neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) is expressed by activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC), portal fibroblasts, cholangiocytes and hepatic progenitor cells during liver injury. Its functional role in liver disease and fibrogenesis is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of N-CAM in liver fibrogenesis.

Ezrin-radixin-moesin-binding phosphoprotein (EBP50), an estrogen-inducible scaffold protein, contributes to biliary epithelial cell proliferation.

Ezrin-radixin-moesin-binding phosphoprotein 50 (EBP50) anchors and regulates apical membrane proteins in epithelia. EBP50 is inducible by estrogen and may affect cell proliferation, although this latter function remains unclear. The goal of this study was to determine whether EBP50 was implicated in the ductular reaction that occurs in liver disease.

Psoriasis patients with diabetes type 2 are at high risk of developing liver fibrosis during methotrexate treatment.

Background/aims: We investigated the impact of diabetes mellitus type 2, overweight, alcohol over-consumption, and chronic hepatitis B or C as risk factors, for liver fibrosis in psoriasis patients treated with methotrexate.

Methods: One hundred and sixty-nine liver biopsies from 71 patients who underwent liver biopsies as part of the monitoring of methotrexate treatment for psoriasis were reviewed. Fibrosis, steatosis and inflammation were staged according to the NAFLD activity score.

Radioactivity in trinitite six decades later.

The first nuclear explosion test, named the Trinity test, was conducted on July 16, 1945 near Alamogordo, New Mexico. In the tremendous heat of the explosion, the radioactive debris fused with the local soil into a glassy material named Trinitite. Selected Trinitite samples from ground zero (GZ) of the test site were investigated in detail for radioactivity.

The liver in heart failure.

Severe congestive heart failure is associated with two distinct forms of liver dysfunction: jaundice that is related to passive congestion and acute hepatocellular necrosis that is caused by impaired perfusion. Cardiac cirrhosis (fibrosis) may result from prolonged recurrent congestive heart failure. Ischemic hepatitis (shock liver) usually manifests as asymptomatic elevation of the serum aminotransferase levels after an episode of hypotension, although the clinical presentation may mimic that of acute viral hepatitis.

Advanced glycation end products (AGE) and the receptor for AGE are present in gastrointestinal tract of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy patients but do not induce NF-kappaB activation.

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), Portuguese type, is a hereditary amyloidosis caused by mutated transthyretin (ATTR) in which an exchange of valine for methionine at position 30 has taken place (ATTR Val30Met). Gastrointestinal complications, such as nausea, diarrhoea and malabsorption, have a significant impact on survival since the cause of death in the majority of cases is a consequence of extreme malnutrition due to dysmotility of the gastrointestinal tract. Recently, a role of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has been implicated in amyloid toxicity.

Rapidly progressive fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis--hepatitis C virus in HIV coinfection.

Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH) is a severe and progressive form of liver dysfunction seen in organ transplant recipients infected with hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus (HCV) and has been attributed to cytopathic liver injury. To date, no case of FCH due to HCV has been reported in HIV-positive individuals. We describe two cases of HCV-induced FCH in two patients coinfected with HIV, culminating in rapidly progressive liver failure and death.