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We study the $T {-} μ$ phase diagram of quark matter under the influence of a strong uniform magnetic field in the framework of a nonlocal extension of the Polyakov Nambu Jona Lasinio model (PNJL). The existence of a critical end point (CEP) is found for the whole considered range of the magnetic field (up to 1 $GeV^{2}$). We analyze the location of this CEP as a function of the external field and discuss the presence of inverse magnetic catalysis for nonzero chemical potentials. Our results show that the temperature of the CEP decreases with the magnetic field, in contrast to the behavior observed in local NJL/PNJL models.

Corynebacterium aquaticum, an environmental organism associated with fresh water, has very seldom proved to be a cause of infection, although it has increasingly been isolated from clinical specimens. This report describes an unusual case of bacteremia occurring in an HIV-infected patient, complicated by septic shock and secondary to an epididimo-orchitis. Combination therapy of levofloxacin and metronidazole was used successfully.

ContextSince the introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy, mortality rates in adults with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection have decreased. However, little information is available outside the setting of controlled trials on survival of perinatally HIV-infected children treated with antiretroviral therapy.ObjectiveTo assess effect of availability of antiretroviral therapy on decreasing mortality in perinatally HIV-infected children.DesignPopulation-based, multicenter longitudinal study involving data collected by the Italian Register for HIV Infection in Children.SettingA network of 106 pediatric clinical centers.SubjectsA total of 1142 children born between November 1980 and December 1997 with perinatally acquired HIV infection with a median follow-up of 5.9 years.Main Outcome MeasureTime to HIV-related death calculated for birth cohort and calendar period and grouped by distribution of predominant type of antiretroviral therapy administered over time.ResultsSurvival was longer in the 1996-1997 birth cohort (crude relative hazard [RH] of death, 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.96) and 1996-1998 calendar period (crude RH of death, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45-0.95) than in birth cohort and calendar period 1980-1995, but not when adjusted for maternal antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy and clinical condition at time of delivery, gestational age, and birth weight (adjusted RH of death, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.20-1.50, for birth cohort; and adjusted RH of death, 0.71, 95% CI, 0.43-1.16, for calendar period). In a multivariate model with 1980-1995 as comparison, the 1996-1997 birth cohort had an RH of 0.57 (95% CI, 0.22-1.47; P=.27) but RH for calendar period 1996-1998 was 0.63 (95% CI, 0.47-0.85; P

This presentation addresses iBOSS (intelligent Building Blocks for On-Orbit Satellite Servicing and Assembly) as building blocks for non-nuclear sub-systems in INPPS (International Nuclear Power and Propulsion System) flagship. iBOSS are ideal mechanical, thermal, fluidic and data standardized building blocks to be used in autonomous robotic in-space assembly operations (referred to CAESAR (Compliant Assistance and Exploration SpAce Robot (CAESAR))) of INPPS in high Earth orbit above 800km. Additionally iBOSS will be used after non-human Mars return of INPPS, new replacements of INPPS sub-systems equipped in iBOSS for extended INPPS mission to Europa plus usage in a later first human Mars-INPPS mission. iBOSS building blocks are foreseen to be used in the non-human INPPS version (with wide wing radiators) in the second half of 2020th for space qualification - also already to Mars / Europa - and later in the 2030th in an arrow wing radiators version of INPPS flagship for human and cargo transport to Mars. These INPPS flagship versions with iBOSS were studied in a concurrent engineering study at DLR within the European-Russian DEMOCRITOS project. The study was supported by NASA Glenn Research Center and JAXA Tokyo. The result of the study related to iBOSS is, that the flagship will be - in considerable high quantity of the non-nuclear sub-systems - be equipped with iBOSS and iBOSS interfaces. For example, these sub-systems within iBOSS are the tanks of the electric thrusters, the power processing units and the electric thrusters. The iBOSS interfaces are foreseen for the deployable boom, the payload basket as well as for the auxiliary solar power ring. Insofar these sub-systems contribute to advancements with respect to engineering, manufacturing, assembly, test verification, reliability and service to reach the ten years operation duration of the new advanced space system INPPS.

This paper explicitly explains INPPS (International Nuclear Power and Propulsion System) flagship subsystems like nuclear reactor, shielding, power conversion, boom, radiators, building blocks for tanks / payload basket / PPU / cluster of electric thrusters as well as additional solar power ring electricity and real time radiation detectors. Differences between the two flagships - as high power space transportation tug - for non-human (second half of 2020th) Mars / Europa and human (2030th) Mars exploration missions are sketched. The international studied conditions for human Mars and exploration Europa space flights are realizable by rationales for pursuing high power space transportation by INPPS due to: 1) the successful finalization of the European-Russian DEMOCRITOS and MEGAHIT projects with their three concepts of space, ground and nuclear demonstrators for INPPS realization (reached in 2017), 2) the successful ground based test of the Russian nuclear reactor with 1MWel plus important heat dissipation solution via droplet radiators (confirmed in 2018), 3) the space qualification of the Russian reactor until 2025 and 4) the perfect celestial constellation for a Earth-Mars/Phobos-Earth-Jupiter/Europa trajectory in 2026-2035 for most maximal INPPS flagship tests. Critical performance will be studied by parallel realizations of the ground and nuclear demonstrators of DEMOCRITOS (until 2025). The space qualification of INPPS with all subsystems including the nuclear reactor in the middle of the 2020th plus the INPPS tests for about one to two years - first in high Earth orbit robotic assembly phase of INPPS and later extended in nearby Earth space environment flight - means a complete concepts driven approval for all applied INPPS space technologies for both Mars/Europa exploration missions by INPPS flagship. In dependence - from the cluster of electric thrusters - the Mars/Europa INPPS payload mass is up to 18/12 tons. This very high payload mass allows to transport scientific, pure commercial and new media communication payload sections. For example, Mars and Europa payload as well as scientific payload in form of s small INPPS co-flying satellite are envisaged. The INPPS flagship missions are visionary, comparable with Apollo project and ISS with dedicated outcomes for science / technologies, international peaceful cooperation in space and additionally for commercialization plus communication from Earth to INPPS, within INPPS – means in space - and back from INPPS to Earth.

Bioactive and antibacterial coatings on stainless steel substrates were developed and characterized in this study. Silver nanocluster-silica composite coatings of 60-150 nm thickness were deposited using radio frequency (RF) co-sputtering on PEEK/bioactive glass (BG) layers (of 80-90 ?m thickness) which had been electrophoretically deposited onto stainless steel. Two sputtering conditions were used by varying the deposition time (15 and 40 min); the resulting microstructure, composition, adhesion strength, in vitro bioactivity, and antibacterial activity were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed the presence of silver nanoclusters, which were homogeneously embedded in the silica matrix. The isoelectric point of the coatings and their charge at physiological pH were determined by zeta potential measurements. The presence of BG particles in the PEEK/BG layer allows the coatings to form apatite-like crystals upon immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). Moreover, silver nanoclusters embedded in the silica matrix as a top layer provided an antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus carnosus.

In this work a set of time-series of inter-arrival times of rainfall events, at daily scale, was analysed, with the aim to verify the issue of increasing duration of dry periods. The set consists of 12 time-series recorded at rain gauges in 1926–2005, six of them belong to an Italian Sub-Alpine area (Piedmont) and six to a Mediterranean one (Sicily). In order to overcome the problem related to limited sample size for high values of inter-arrival times, the discrete probability polylog-series distribution was used to fit the empirical data from partial (20 yr) time-series. Moreover, a simple qualitative trend analysis was applied to some high quantiles of inter-arrival times as well as to the average extent of rain clusters. The preliminary analysis seems to confirm the issue of increasing duration of dry periods for both environments, which is limited to the ''cold'' season.

We describe a novel approach for metabolic network reconstruction in order to switch from the full reaction-metabolite scheme to a more synthetic description at a pathway level. The network thus obtained retains much information of the original model, allowing easier graphical visualizations and multiscale modeling. We apply our approach to the state-of-the-art database of human metabolic network (Recon2): our approach allows different ranking of the network elements based on its topology and on Markov dynamics induced by network structure.

The southernmost part of the Venice Lagoon catchment was progressively reclaimed from marshland starting from the end of the 19th century and finishing in the late 1930s (Figure 1). As a major result, the area was turned into a fertile farmland. At present, the area is kept dry by a distributed drainage system that collects the water from a capillary network of ditches, and pumps it into the lagoon or the sea. By its very origin, this area lies below sea level and progressively sinks mainly because of bio-oxidation of the histosols (soils with high organic content) that represent a large fraction of the outcropping soil in the area. The biooxidation process occurs in close connection with the agricultural practices and is currently responsible for a subsidence rate of between 1.5 and 2 cm/yr. The Venice Organic Soil Subsidence (VOSS)project was undertaken with the objective of understanding the process of land settlement in this area, quantifying past and present subsidence rates, and advancing possible remedial measures that would not penalize the current agricultural activities of the area. The study,conducted in close collaboration with the local Land Reclamation Authority (Consorzio di Bonifica) and the farmland owners, is focused on a hydrologically controlled catchment, the Zennare Basin (Venice, Italy). Land subsidence in peaty areas is a major consequence of the oxidation of the soil organic fraction in the upper aerated zone [Stephens et al., 1984; Deverel and Rojstaczer, 1996]. The release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere causes a soil mass loss which manifests itself as land subsidence. The organic soil derives from the accumulation and decomposition of reeds (Phragmite Australis) grown in the ancient marshy area of the lagoon surroundings. Seasonal ploughing contributes to the exposure of new organic material to the atmosphere, which promotes new subsidence. The bio-oxidation reaction is controlled primarily by temperature and the presence of oxygen, with its rate increasing at low soil water content and high ambient temperature. Since moisture content is sensitive to the amount of precipitation, dry and hot seasons are most favorable for the occurrence of the reaction. By distinction, in winter soil oxidation slows down almost to zero. In light of the above, it is expected that anthropogenic land subsidence in the future might increase should the extreme climate events (i.e., hotter and dryer seasons) become more frequent, as the most recent meteorological records seem to indicate.