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Section 7 of the original paper contained several errors which are corrected here. Equations (54) and (55) are incorrect. In the following, the corrected versions of these equations are given and the subsequent results of Section 7 are also revised.

In this work we study the effect of density dependent nonlinear diffusion on pattern formation in the Lengyel--Epstein system. Via the linear stability analysis we determine both the Turing and the Hopf instability boundaries and we show how nonlinear diffusion intensifies the tendency to pattern formation; %favors the mechanism of pattern formation with respect to the classical linear diffusion case; in particular, unlike the case of classical linear diffusion, the Turing instability can occur even when diffusion of the inhibitor is significantly slower than activator's one. In the Turing pattern region we perform the WNL multiple scales analysis to derive the equations for the amplitude of the stationary pattern, both in the supercritical and in the subcritical case. Moreover, we compute the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation in the vicinity of the Hopf bifurcation point as it gives a slow spatio-temporal modulation of the phase and amplitude of the homogeneous oscillatory solution., Comment: Accepted for publication in Acta Applicandae Mathematicae

Grapevine fleck virus (GFkV), the causal agent of fleck disease, and Grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (GRSPaV), associated to a disorder of rugose wood complex, are two of the most widespread viruses in grapevine. Both viruses are symptomless in Vitis vinifera, although some negative effects of their presence are reported on vine agronomic and physiological performances. In order to provide more information about the impact of these viruses, a trial was carried out in 2013 comparing the behavior of plants belonging to V. vinifera Nebbiolo clone CVT 423 infected by both GFkV and GRSPaV or by GRSPaV only. The results showed a basically positive effect on yield and grape ripeness due the GFkV elimination although associated to a reduction of grape phenols. This reduction, in terms of anthocyanin profile, regarded the peonidin while the malvidin content was increased. These modifications may have important implication on wine color. The canopy physiological parameters measured during summer did not show significative differences between the two theses except for a slight increase in photosynthesis and transpiration in the early dates in vines infected by GRSPaV only.

Contains fulltext : 172592.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) A locus at 19p13 is associated with breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC) risk. Here we analyse 438 SNPs in this region in 46,451 BC and 15,438 OC cases, 15,252 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 73,444 controls and identify 13 candidate causal SNPs associated with serous OC (P=9.2 x 10(-20)), ER-negative BC (P=1.1 x 10(-13)), BRCA1-associated BC (P=7.7 x 10(-16)) and triple negative BC (P-diff=2 x 10(-5)). Genotype-gene expression associations are identified for candidate target genes ANKLE1 (P=2 x 10(-3)) and ABHD8 (P

Sono presentati i risultati di una sperimentazione triennale sulla termoterapia in acqua per la prevenzione dei fitoplasmi nel materiale di moltiplicazione

Sono presentati i risultati di una sperimentazione di 6 anni sulla reinfezione naturale della vite da virus tramite vettori naturali

La rigenerazione mediante embriogenesi somatica è stata proposta come tecnica alternativa per il risanamento da virus. In questo lavoro se ne è studiata l’efficacia nel risanamento da virus floematici di cloni di vite. Antere e ovari immaturi delle cultivar Müller Thurgau e Brachetto (infetti da GLRaV-3), Grignolino (infetto da GVA e GLRaV-1) e Dolcetto (infetto da GVA) sono stati coltivati su mezzi inducenti la formazione di callo embriogenico. Le piante ottenute dagli embrioni somatici sono state micropropagate e quindi sottoposte a saggi sierologici (ELISA) e molecolari (RT-PCR). Nessuno dei virus presenti nelle piante madri è stato individuato nelle piante da queste rigenerate.

Report as contribution to the controversy between supporters of total thyroidectomy versus "less than total" thyroidectomy.42 patient operated on over six years; 35 treated with total thyroidectomy, 7 with lobohystmectomy.In the patients who underwent total thyroidectomy we observed recurrent nerve lesions in 5.7%, hypoparathyroidism in 14.3% and 1 lymph nodal relapse (it was a cancer stay III); in patients who underwent lobohystmectomy, we observed 1 temporary recurrent nerve palsy (14.2%) and 1 lymph nodal relapse (14.2%).The choice between total thyroidectomy and lobohystermectomy depends upon different goals: reduction in risk of relapse in total thyroidectomy, to minimize complications in lobohystmectomy. In our series the risk of lymph nodal relapse seems to depend more on biological characters of the tumour than surgical tech of lymphadenectomy; however, this occurrence does not change prognosis.In our experience, potential multifocality of the disease, low risk of hyatrogenic lesions and easy postoperatory management make total thyroidectomy the our preferred technique. Informed consensus is mandatory in order to involve the patients to the best choice.

ABSENCE OF MUTATIONS R451C AND D396TER (1186 INST) IN THE NEUROLIGINS NOS. 3 AND 4,GENES, RESPECTIVELY, IN 140 ITALIAN PATIENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS..

Early exposure to stressful stimuli is crucial for developing varied behavioural patterns in adulthood such as anxiety, cognitive dysfunction and abuse disorders. The alteration of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis represents the neurobiological substrate responsible of the behavioural consequences of prenatal stress (PS). Indeed, prenatal manipulation of the HPA axis impacts on cognitive performance of the adult offspring, but also on vulnerability to alcohol consumption. Prenatal acute, moderate restraint stress has proved to facilitate HPA axis development of the offspring, since maternal corticosterone secretion leads to the reduction of anxiogenic behaviour and an improvement in the ability to cope with stress, increasing both the rate of learning and long-term potentiation, but also gestational stress blunts initial alcohol-induced HPA axis activation. In our recent study, moderate alcohol intake proved to reduce emotionality and facilitate the adaptive responses to stress, enhancing behavioural flexibility. Based upon these findings, we aimed at assessing the impact of a single, intense prenatal stress on exposure to alcohol preference and on the effects exerted by ethanol on behavioural reactivity, anxiety-like behaviour and spatial learning in adult male Wistar rats.

The Italian Ministry of Agriculture funded in 2009 the "ARNADIA" Project, aimed at producing validated reference diagnostic protocols for the control and monitoring of plant pathogens of phytosanitary interest and, among them, grapevine viruses. In this framework, the "Working group ARNADIA-grapevine viruses (WG)", composed of eight universities and research bodies, three accredited private laboratories, one plant health service and one association of grapevine nurseries, was established.

Two vineyards planted in the Langhe (Piemonte, Italy) with clonal vines of Vitis vinifera cv Nebbiolo originating from heat-treated mother plants, were monitored for the occurrence and spread of viral infections. More than ten years after the establishment of one of the vineyards, where rows of vines infected with Grapevine virus A (GVA) and Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1 (GLRaV-1) or GVA and Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) were interplanted with rows of healthy plants, viruses had spread to 18.5% of the healthy vines. Spreading was slow and limited to small groups of vines, the size of which increased slowly, thus providing indirect evidence of transmission by vectors. Mealybugs collected in the vineyard were classified as Heliococcus bohemicus. RT-PCR analysis of mealybugs revealed the presence of at least one virus in more than 45% of the tested insect batches, indicating that H. bohemicus can acquire viruses during feeding on infected plants, thus acting as a potential vector. No natural spread of Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) was detected in a second vineyard which had been fumigated before re-planting because of the heavy incidence of fanleaf disease in the preceding uprooted vineyard, and where Xiphinema index, the GFLV vector, was found only occasionally.

Despite a huge effort of the scientific community, the functioning of Long-Term Memory (LTM) processes is still debated and far from being elucidated. Functional and neurophysiological data point to an involvement of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) in both encoding and retrieval phases. However, the recently proposed Explicit/Implicit Memory Encoding and Retrieval (EIMER) model proposes that LTM at the encoding phase consists of anatomically and chronologically different sub-phases. On this basis, we aimed to investigate the role of right DLPFC during a late-encoding phase by means of low-frequency rTMS. Thirty right-handed healthy subjects were divided into three experimental groups. Inhibitory rTMS was applied over right-DLPFC immediately after the encoding phase (Late-Encoding Group) or before recognition phase (Pre-Recognition Group), 24 h after, of an LTM task. Both groups also received sham stimulation during the non-target phase, while the third group (Sham Group) received only sham stimulation in both phases. The Late-Encoding Group collected a lower number of correct responses compared with Sham Group (p = 0.00), while Pre-Retrieval Group increased accuracy as compared to the Sham Group (p = 0.0). rTMS-inhibition of the right DLPFC seems able to interfere with LTM memory performances when delivered at a late stage of the encoding phase, with opposite effects at the pre-retrieval phase.

Ketogenic Diet is a nutritional pattern often used as dietotherapy in inflammatory diseases, including neurological disorders. Applied on epileptic children since 1920, in recent years it has been taken into account again as a tool to both reduce inflammatory burdens and ameliorate the nutritional status of patients affected by different pathologies. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered an immune-mediated neuro-inflammatory disease and diet is a possible factor in its pathogenesis. The aim of this work is to investigate the main potential targets of MS-related impairments, in particular the cognitive deficits, focusing on the alteration of biomarkers such as the Brain Derived-Neurotrophic Factor and the Tryptophan/Kynurenine ratio that could play a role on neuroprotection and thus on MS progression. Furthermore, we here propose nutritional suggestions which are useful in the development of a ketogenic diet protocol that takes advantage of the anti-inflammatory properties of low-carbohydrate foods from the Mediterranean diet to be applied to subjects with MS. In conclusion, this approach will allow one to develop the ketogenic diet combined with a modified Mediterranean diet as a possible tool to improve neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis.

Purpose To evaluate factors influencing the insulin and levothyroxine requirement in patients with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 3 (APS-3) vs. patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and autoimmune hypothyroidism (AH) alone, respectively. Methods Fifty patients with APS-3, 60 patients with T1DM and 40 patients with AH were included. Anthropometric, clinical and biochemical parameters were evaluated in all patients. Insulin requirement was calculated in patients with APS-3 and T1DM, while levothyroxine requirement was calculated in APS-3 and AH. Results Patients with APS-3 showed higher age (p = 0.001), age of onset of diabetes (p = 0.006) and TSH (p = 0.004) and lower total insulin as U/day (p p = 0.001), long-acting insulin as U/day (p = 0.030) and U/kg (p = 0.038) and irisin (p = 0.002) compared to T1DM. Patients with APS-3 had higher waist circumference (p = 0.008), duration of thyroid disease (p = 0.020), levothyroxine total daily dose (p = 0.025) and mcg/kg (p = 0.006), triglycerides (p = 0.007) and VAI (p = 0.010) and lower age of onset of thyroid disease (p = 0.007) than AH. At multivariate analysis, levothyroxine treatment and VAI were associated with insulin and levothyroxine requirement in APS-3, respectively. VAI was independently associated with insulin requirement in T1DM. Circulating irisin levels were independently associated with levothyroxine requirement in AH. Conclusion Patients with APS-3 show lower insulin requirement and higher levothyroxine requirement than T1DM and AH alone, respectively. Levothyroxine treatment and VAI affect insulin and levothyroxine requirement, respectively, in APS-3. In T1DM, adipose tissue dysfunction, indirectly expressed by high VAI, is associated with an increased insulin requirement, while circulating irisin levels influence the levothyroxine requirement in AH.

Objectives To compare survival and progression outcomes between 2 nodal assessment approaches in patients with nonbulky stage IIIC endometrial cancer (EC). Methods Patients with stage IIIC EC treated at 2 institutions were retrospectively identified. At 1 institution, a historical series (2004–2008) was treated with systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy (LND cohort). At the other institution, more contemporary patients (2006–2013) were treated using a sentinel lymph node algorithm (SLN cohort). Outcomes (hazard ratios [HRs]) within the first 5 years after surgery were compared between cohorts using Cox models adjusted for type of adjuvant therapy. Results The study included 104 patients (48 LND, 56 SLN). The use of chemoradiotherapy was similar in the 2 cohorts (46% LND vs 50% SLN), but the use of chemotherapy alone (19% vs 36%) or radiotherapy alone (15% vs 2%) differed. Although there was evidence of higher risk of cause-specific death (HR, 2.10; 95% CI, 0.79–5.58; P = 0.14) and lower risk of para-aortic progression (HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.05–1.42; P = 0.12) for the LND group, the associations did not meet statistical significance. The risk of progression was not significantly different between the groups (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.60–2.67; P =0 .53). In parsimonious multivariable models, high-risk tumor characteristics and nonendometrioid type were independently associated with lower cause-specific survival and progression-free survival. Conclusions In EC patients with nonbulky positive lymph nodes, use of the SLN algorithm with limited nodal dissection does not compromise survival compared with LND. Aggressive pathologic features of the primary tumor are the strongest determinants of prognosis.

We construct square and target patterns solutions of the FitzHugh–Nagumo reaction–diffusion system on planar bounded domains. We study the existence and stability of stationary square and super-square patterns by performing a close to equilibrium asymptotic weakly nonlinear expansion: the emergence of these patterns is shown to occur when the bifurcation takes place through a multiplicity-two eigenvalue without resonance. The system is also shown to support the formation of axisymmetric target patterns whose amplitude equation is derived close to the bifurcation threshold. We present several numerical simulations validating the theoretical results.

Background: The research on the improvement of epilepsy therapy is constantly growing. Valproyl-LPhenylalanine (VPA-Phen) and N-valproyl-L-tryptophan (VPA-Tryp) were synthesized to increase the antiepileptic efficacy of valproic acid. Methods: VPA-Phen and VPA-Tryp were comparatively tested on CA1 hippocampal epileptiform bursting activity obtained by increasing potassium and lowering calcium and magnesium concentrations in the fluid perfusing rat brain slices. Each slice was treated with a single concentration (0.2, 0.5, 1 mM) of VPA-Phen or VPA-Tryp. Both burst duration and interburst frequency, during and after treatment, were off-line compared with baseline values. For both parameters, either the latency or the duration of drug-induced statistically significant responses was calculated, as well as the response magnitude. Results: VPA-Phen significantly reduced both burst frequency and duration. Comparative analyses show that VPA-Phen and VPA-Tryp exert almost equivalent actions on both latency and magnitude of the observed inhibitory effects. The main observed difference between the two tested molecules concerned the duration of inhibitory effects, since VPA-Phen-dependent actions on both burst rate and duration were significantly shorter than the VPA-Tryp-induced ones. In addition, in some slices the above reported inhibitory responses were preceded by a “paradoxical” transient increase, more present at lower drug concentrations. Conclusions: Both VPA-Phen and VPA-Tryp exert significant inhibitory effects on hippocampal burst activity parameters. Although of comparable magnitude, VPA-Phen-dependent effects have a shorter duration than VPATryp- induced ones. Nevertheless, the present results confirm that the conjugation between VPA and aminoacids represents a valid tool to improve the efficacy of antiepileptic drugs and, as well as for VPA-Tryp, propose VPAPhen as a novel VPA derivative with enhanced pharmacological features.

IntroductionSentinel lymph node (SLN) dissection has been recognized as a valid tool for staging in patients with endometrial cancer. Several factors are predictors of recurrence and survival in endometrial cancer, including positive lymphovascular space invasion. The aim of this study is to formulate a pre-operative score that, in the event of no-SLN identification, may give an estimate of the true probability of lymphovascular space invasion and guide management.MethodologyThis was a multi-institutional retrospective study conducted from January 2007 to December 2017. We included all patients with any grade endometrial tumor with a complete pathological description of the surgical specimen and with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. All patients underwent a class A hysterectomy according to Querleu and Morrow and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Lymphadenectomy was performed based on patient risk of node metastases. In order to verify the predictive capacity of the parameters associated with lymphovascular space invasion status, grading, abnormal CA125 (>35 units/ml), myometrial invasion, and tumor size, a synthetic score was calculated. The score was introduced in the receiver operating characteristic curve model in which the binary classifier was represented by the lymphovascular space invasion status. The ideal cut-off was calculated with the determination of the Youden index. Sensitivity and negative predictive value of lymphovascular space invasion score was calculated in patients with lymph node metastasis.ResultsSix hundred and fourteen patients were included in the study. The average age and BMI of patients were 64.8 (range 33–88) years and 30.1 (range 17–64) respectively. Of the 284 patients who underwent lymphadenectomy, 231 (81.3%) patients had no lymph node metastases, 33 (11.6%) patients had metastatic pelvic lymph nodes, 12 (4.2%) patients had metastatic aortic lymph nodes, and eight (2.8%) patients had both pelvic and aortic metastatic lymph nodes. Lymphovascular space invasion was associated with deep myometrial infiltration (PConclusionWe found that when lymphovascular space invasion score ≤4, there is a very low possibility of finding lymph nodal involvement. The preoperative lymphovascular space invasion score could complement the SLN algorithm to avoid unnecessary lymphadenectomies.

Heart failure (HF) represents the end-stage condition of several structural and functional cardiovascular diseases, characterized by reduced myocardial pump function and increased pressure load. The dysregulation of neurohormonal systems, especially the hyperactivity of the cardiac adrenergic nervous system (ANS), constitutes a hallmark of HF and exerts a pivotal role in its progression. Indeed, it negatively affects patients’ prognosis, being associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, with a tremendous burden on global healthcare systems. To date, all the techniques proposed to assess the cardiac sympathetic nervous system are burdened by intrinsic limits that hinder their implementation in clinical practice. Several biomarkers related to ANS activity, which may potentially support the clinical management of such a complex syndrome, are slow to be implemented in the routine practice for several limitations due to their assessment and clinical impact. Lymphocyte G-protein-coupled Receptor Kinase 2 (GRK2) levels reflect myocardial β-adrenergic receptor function in HF and have been shown to add independent prognostic information related to ANS overdrive. In the present manuscript, we provide an overview of the techniques currently available to evaluate cardiac ANS in HF and future perspectives in this field of relevant scientific and clinical interest.

The exogenous cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,212-2, (R)-(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-(4-morpholinylmethyl) pyrrolo[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazin-6-Yl]-1-naphthalenylmethanone (WIN), has revealed to play a role on modulating the hyperexcitability phenomena in the hippocampus. Cannabinoid-mediated mechanisms of neuroprotection have recently been found to imply the modulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), a cationic channel subfamily that regulate synaptic excitation. In our study, we assessed the influence of pharmacological manipulation of TRPV1 function, alone and on WIN antiepileptic activity, in the Maximal Dentate Activation (MDA) acute model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Our results showed that the TRPV1 agonist, capsaicin, increased epileptic outcomes; whilst antagonizing TRPV1 with capsazepine exerts a protective role on paroxysmal discharge. When capsaicin is co-administered with WIN effective dose of 10mg/kg is able to reduce its antiepileptic strength, especially on the triggering of MDA response. Accordingly, capsazepine at the protective dose of 2mg/kg managed to potentiate WIN antiepileptic effects, when co-treated. Moreover, WIN subeffective dose of 5mg/kg was turned into effective when capsazepine comes into play. This evidence suggests that systemic administration of TRPV1-active drugs influences electrically induced epilepsy, with a noticeable protective activity for capsazepine. Furthermore, results from the pharmacological interaction with WIN support an interplay between cannabinoid and TRPV1 signaling that could represent a promising approach for a future pharmacological strategy to challenge hyperexcitability-based diseases.

In this paper the Turing pattern formation mechanism of a two components reaction-diffusion system modeling the Schnakenberg chemical reaction is considered. In Ref. (Madzavamuse et al., J Math Biol 70(4):709–743, 2015) it was shown how the presence of linear cross-diffusion terms favors the destabilization of the constant steady state. We perform the weakly nonlinear multiple scales analysis to derive the equations for the amplitude of the Turing patterns and to show how the cross-diffusion coefficients influence the occurrence of super-critical or sub-critical bifurcations. We present a numerical exploration of far from equilibrium regimes and prove the existence of multistable stationary solutions.

This paper presents a direct load control based demand side management (DSM) algorithm that performs peak shaving considering time-varying renewable generation, and thermal comfort of the buildings. The demand side operator of the microgrid (MG) uses the DSM algorithm for peak-shaving, and reducing the energy costs. The DSM controller has a hierarchical control architecture, wherein there is a central controller (CC) and numerous local controllers (LCs). The CC uses information on demand and renewable generation to compute the load to be curtailed. The LCs that supply the consumers, reduce the demand by curtailing heating loads in buildings without breaching thermal comfort limits. Building models, information on comfort margins, and an optimization routine are used by the LCs to implement the DSM algorithm. As the algorithm guarantees thermal comfort, reluctance among consumers to employ direct load control based DSM algorithm is eliminated. Further, in the proposed algorithm demand side operator controls the consumption by monitoring the temperature, therefore need to instal smart thermostats/controllers, and continuous monitoring of prices in buildings is eliminated. The working of the DSM algorithm is illustrated using simulations performed on data obtained from residential heating system with 50 buildings in Norwegian living lab in Steinkjer. Our results indicate that the algorithm performs peak-shaving considering information on renewable generation without breaching thermal comfort margins of the consumer.

In this paper, we employ the technique of Jacobi Last Multiplier (JLM) to derive Lagrangians for several important and topical classes of non-linear second-order oscillators, including systems with variable and parametric dissipation, a generalized anharmonic oscillator, and a generalized Lane–Emden equation. For several of these systems, it is very difficult to obtain the Lagrangians directly, i.e., by solving the inverse problem of matching the Euler–Lagrange equations to the actual oscillator equation. In order to facilitate the derivation of exact solutions, and also investigate possible isochronous behavior in the analyzed systems, we next invoke some recent theoretical results and attempt to map the potential term to either the simple harmonic oscillator or the isotonic potential for specific values of the coefficient parameters of each non-linear oscillator. We find non-trivial parameter sets corresponding to isochronous dynamics in some of the considered systems, but none in others. Finally, the Lagrangians obtained here are coupled to Noether׳s theorem, leading to non-trivial conservation laws for several of the oscillators.

Indicaxanthin is a bioactive and bioavailable betalain pigment from the Opuntia ficus-indica fruits. In this in vivo study, kinetic measurements showed that indicaxanthin is revealed in the rat brain within 1 h from oral administration of 2 μmol/ kg, an amount compatible with a dietary consumption of cactus pear fruits in humans. A peak (20 ± 2.4 ng of indicaxanthin per whole brain) was measured after 2.5 h; thereafter the molecule disappeared with first order kinetics within 4 h. The potential of indicaxanthin to affect neural activities was in vivo investigated by a microiontophoretic approach. Indicaxanthin, administered in a range between 0.085 ng and 0.34 ng per neuron, dose-dependently modulated the rate of discharge of spontaneously active neurons of the hippocampus, with reduction of the discharge and related changes of latency and duration of the effect. Indicaxanthin (0.34 ng/neuron) showed inhibitory effects on glutamate-induced excitation, indicating activity at the level of glutamatergic synapses. A molecular target of indicaxanthin is suggested by in silico molecular modeling of indicaxanthin with N- methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), the most represented of the glutamate receptor family in hippocampus. Therefore, at nutritionally compatible amounts indicaxanthin (i) crosses the rat BBB and accumulates in brain; (ii) can affect the bioelectric activity of hippocampal neurons locally treated with amounts comparable with those measured in the brain; and (iii) modulates glutamate-induced neuronal excitation. The potential of dietary indicaxanthin as a natural neuromodulatory agent deserves further mechanistic and neurophysiologic investigation.

In this paper we employ three recent analytical approaches to investigate the possible classes of traveling wave solutions of some members of a family of so-called short-pulse equations (SPE). A recent, novel application of phase-plane analysis is first employed to show the existence of breaking kink wave solutions in certain parameter regimes. Secondly, smooth traveling waves are derived using a recent technique to derive convergent multi-infinite series solutions for the homoclinic (heteroclinic) orbits of the traveling-wave equations for the SPE equation, as well as for its generalized version with arbitrary coefficients. These correspond to pulse (kink or shock) solutions respectively of the original PDEs. Unlike the majority of unaccelerated convergent series, high accuracy is attained with relatively few terms. And finally, variational methods are employed to generate families of both regular and embedded solitary wave solutions for the SPE PDE. The technique for obtaining the embedded solitons incorporates several recent generalizations of the usual variational technique and it is thus topical in itself. One unusual feature of the solitary waves derived here is that we are able to obtain them in analytical form (within the assumed ansatz for the trial functions). Thus, a direct error analysis is performed, showing the accuracy of the resulting solitary waves. Given the importance of solitary wave solutions in wave dynamics and information propagation in nonlinear PDEs, as well as the fact that not much is known about solutions of the family of generalized SPE equations considered here, the results obtained are both new and timely., Comment: accepted for publication in Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation