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BACKGROUND & AIMS: A better understanding of prognostic factors in ulcerative colitis (UC) could improve patient management and reduce complications. We aimed to identify evidence-based predictors for outcomes in pediatric UC, which may be used to optimize treatment algorithms. METHODS: Potential outcomes worthy of prediction in UC were determined by surveying 202 experts in pediatric UC. A systematic review of the literature, with selected meta-analysis, was performed to identify studies that investigated predictors for these outcomes. Multiple national and international meetings were held to reach consensus on evidence-based statements. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on 31 statements regarding predictors of colectomy, acute severe colitis (ASC), chronically active pediatric UC, cancer and mortality. At diagnosis, disease extent (6 studies, N = 627; P = .035), Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index score (4 studies, n = 318; P 10 years), male sex, and younger age at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: These evidence-based consensus statements offer predictions to be considered for a personalized medicine approach in treating pediatric UC.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: A better understanding of prognostic factors within the heterogeneous spectrum of pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) should improve patient management and reduce complications. We aimed to identify evidence-based predictors of outcomes with the goal of optimizing individual patient management. METHODS: Asurvey of 202 experts in pediatric CD identified and prioritized adverse outcomes to be avoided. A systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis, when possible, was performed to identify clinical studies that investigated predictors of these outcomes. Multiple national and international face-to-face meetings were held to draft consensus statements based on the published evidence. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on 27 statements regarding prognostic factors for surgery, complications, chronically active pediatric CD, and hospitalization. Prognostic factors for surgery included CD diagnosis during adolescence, growth impairment, NOD2/CARD15 polymorphisms, disease behavior, and positive anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody status. Isolated colonic disease was associated with fewer surgeries. Older age at presentation, small bowel disease, serology (anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody, antiflagellin, and OmpC), NOD2/CARD15 polymorphisms, perianal disease, and ethnicity were risk factors for penetrating (B3) and/or stenotic disease (B2). Male sex, young age at onset, small bowel disease, more active disease, and diagnostic delay may be associated with growth impairment. Malnutrition and higher disease activity were associated with reduced bone density. CONCLUSIONS: These evidence-based consensus statements offer insight into predictors of poor outcomes in pediatric CD and are valuable when developing treatment algorithms and planning future studies. Targeted longitudinal studies are needed to further characterize prognostic factors in pediatric CD and to evaluate the impact of treatment algorithms tailored to individual patient risk.

Background The intertidal zone of seacoasts, being affected by the superimposed tidal, diurnal and lunar cycles, is temporally the most complex environment on earth. Many marine organisms exhibit lunar rhythms in reproductive behaviour and some show experimental evidence of endogenous control by a circalunar clock, the molecular and genetic basis of which is unexplored. We examined the genetic control of lunar and diurnal rhythmicity in the marine midge Clunio marinus (Chironomidae, Diptera), a species for which the correct timing of adult emergence is critical in natural populations. Results We crossed two strains of Clunio marinus that differ in the timing of the diurnal and lunar rhythms of emergence. The phenotype distribution of the segregating backcross progeny indicates polygenic control of the lunar emergence rhythm. Diurnal timing of emergence is also under genetic control, and is influenced by two unlinked genes with major effects. Furthermore, the lunar and diurnal timing of emergence is correlated in the backcross generation. We show that both the lunar emergence time and its correlation to the diurnal emergence time are adaptive for the species in its natural environment. Conclusions The correlation implies that the unlinked genes affecting lunar timing and the two unlinked genes affecting diurnal timing could be the same, providing an unexpectedly close interaction of the two clocks. Alternatively, the genes could be genetically linked in a two-by-two fashion, suggesting that evolution has shaped the genetic architecture to stabilize adaptive combinations of lunar and diurnal emergence times by tightening linkage. Our results, the first on genetic control of lunar rhythms, offer a new perspective to explore their molecular clockwork.

The in situ process-laser ablation in combination with thermal evaporation of Tl2O-has turned out to be a preparation method for single-phase and epitaxial TlBa2Ca2Cu3O9 (1223) thin films with T-c values up to 109 K. It was found by several groups that a partial substitution of T1 by Bi simplifies the phase development of the 1223 compound in the usual two-step process. We have investigated the influence of the Bi doping on the in situ growth. Xray measurements show that the films consisted mainly of the 1223 compound. In 300-nm thin films there was no evidence of a Bi amount in the crystal structure, but thinner films (80 nm) show a small amount of Bi. We concluded that Bi doping supports the phase develop ment of the 1223 compound only in an early stage of the film growth. The Bi-doped films have higher T-c values up to 114 K, higher j(c) values up to 6 x 10(5) A/cm(2) (77 K, 0 T), and lower surface resistances of 56 m Omega (77 K, 87 GHz) than the undoped films.

The Max Planck School of Photonics is an interdisciplinary graduate school in Germany providing an integrated MSc and PhD program for international students. Aspects of curriculum development and outreach measures will be presented and discussed.

Print ISBN: 978-3-8007-3621-8; International audience; In this paper, interference alignment (IA) is utilized to obtain an efficient and fair resource allocation algorithm in MIMO cognitive radio (CR) systems. In the proposed algorithm, IA enables all secondary users to share the available spectrum without affecting the quality-of-service of the primary system. The considered methodology increases the total degreesof-freedom of the CR systems and achieves fairness among CR users. An optimal power allocation based on IA is formulated in order to maximize the total sum-rate while keeping the interference introduced to the primary system lower than the prescribed interference threshold. Furthermore, a sub-optimal power allocation scheme is proposed to overcome the high computational complexity of the optimal scheme. Simulations reveal that IA technique achieves significant sum-rate increase of CR systems compared to frequency division multiple access (FDMA) CR systems. Moreover, the sup-optimal algorithm approaches the optimal sum-rate performance.

Publication in the conference proceedings of EUSIPCO, Antalya, Turkey, 2005

Various methods are used for the routine diagnosis of autonomic regulation disorders. The evaluation of blood pressure and heart rate response during active orthostasis together with assessment of the 30/15-ratio (Ewing's ratio) was proven to be a valid method. One main disadvantage of these tests is their dependence on the active cooperation of the patient. In contrast, passive orthostasis using the tilt-table may also be carried out in bed-ridden patients. The test comprises a manual tilting manoeuvre of the patient lying on the tilt-table, with continuous assessment of heart rate and blood pressure. Until now, the main advantages of the tilt-table test were considered to be its better standardisation and good reproducibility, especially with regard to the diagnosis of vasovagal syncope. Several authors have postulated a specific pattern of initial heart rate response in healthy patients, showing characteristic changes in cases of underlying autonomic neuropathy. However, the diagnostic relevance of these tests is dependent on the reproducibility of the course of initial heart rate response. The objective of our study was to assess the intra- and interindividual reproducibility of initial heart rate response in the tilt-table test in healthy subjects. The tilt-table test was repeated 10 times in all 40 subjects under standardised conditions, and heart rate and blood pressure response were presented in a diagram. Reproducible courses of initial heart rate response were not seen, neither on intra- nor on interindividual comparison. After an initial rise, most subjects showed a rather horizontal course of heart rate, whereas others presented a heart rate response similar to that in the Ewing test, with an initial rise of heart rate around the 15th beat, followed by a decrease, and a maximum around the 30th beat. However, all subjects showed considerable variations in heart rate response within the 10 tilting manoeuvres. A reliable quotient comparable with the 30/15 ratio (Ewing's ratio) in active orthostasis was not seen. Based on these results, we conclude that the initial heart rate response in the tilt-table test is not suitable for routine diagnosis of autonomic regulation disorders, since it is not sufficiently reproducible in healthy individuals.

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The mesowear method evaluates the wear patterns of herbivore cheek teeth by visually evaluating the facet development of the occlusal surfaces. It thus allows classification of most herbivorous ungulates into browsers, grazers or intermediate feeders, due to the fact that in grazers, tooth wear is characterized by a comparatively high degree of abrasion, most probably due to the presence of silicacious phytoliths in grasses, a higher amount of dust and grit adhering to their forage, or both. It has been suggested that excessive tooth wear could be a particularly limiting factor in the husbandry of captive large browsing species, and major tooth wear was demonstrated in captive as compared to free-ranging giraffe. If this increased tooth wear in captivity was an effect of feeding type and diets fed, then it would be expected that other browsing species are affected in a similar manner. In order to test this hypothesis, we investigated the dental mesowear pattern in captive individuals of 19 ruminant species and compared the results to data on free-ranging animals. Compared to free-ranging populations, captive browsers show a significantly more abrasion-dominated tooth wear signal. The reverse applies to captive grazers, which tend to show a less abrasion-dominated wear in captivity. Captive ruminants were generally more homogenous in their wear signature than free-ranging ruminants. If grit contamination in the natural habitat is a major cause of dental wear in grazers, then diets in captivity, although similar in botanical composition, most likely contain less abrasives due to feeding hygiene. If dental wear is one of the major factors limiting longevity, then captive grazers should achieve longer lifespans than both captive browsers and free-ranging grazers. In particular with respect to browsers, the results suggest that captive feeding regimes could be improved.

Although it is generally thought that dental design reflects mechanical adaptations to particular diets, concrete concepts of such adaptations beyond the evolution of hypsodonty are largely missing. We investigated the alignment of enamel ridges in the occlusal molar surface of 37 ruminant species and tested for correlations with the percentage of grass in the natural diet. Independent of phylogenetic lineage, species that were either larger and/or included more grass in their natural diet showed a higher proportion of enamel ridges aligned at low angles to the direction of the chewing stroke. Possible explanations for this design are a potential alignment of grass blades in parallel to the molar tooth row, a potential increased proportion of a propalinal (anterior-posterior) chewing movement in grazers as opposed to a strictly transversal chewing stroke in browsers, and the general distribution of forces along the occlusal surface during the chewing stroke. The latter will be less heterogenous (with less force peaks) with an increasing proportion of low-angle enamel ridges. While the validity of these explanations will have to be tested in further studies, the enamel ridge alignment represents a clear signal that deviates from arbitrary distribution and hence most likely represents a functional adaptation.