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Context: Camera traps are widely used in ecological studies, including analyses of habitat use. However, the relationships between animal spatial behavior and landscape features obtained with camera traps have seldom been compared to those obtained with more established methods. Objectives: We evaluated the use of camera trap data to predict habitat use in red deer Cervus elaphus by comparing them to GPS telemetry data, used as a benchmark. Methods: Within a 100 km2 study area in the Stelvio National Park (Italy), we collected red deer presence data from 50 camera traps from 2019 to 2023. In addition, 23 deer (15 females and 8 males) were equipped with global positioning system collars. For both types of data, we modeled presence/absence as a function of environmental variables using a generalized linear mixed modeling approach. Model estimates were compared in terms of directionality of the effects and of predicted habitat suitability. Results: We found a higher concordance of effect directionality and predicted suitability for females than for males, possibly due to limited sample size in the latter. Discrepancies were found in specific habitat relationships and may be due to inherent differences between telemetry-based and camera trap-based data. Conclusions: Our results suggest that camera trap data can capture coarse-scale patterns of habitat use, whereas telemetry data are more suitable for finer-scale analyses. The choice of which method to use depends on the research objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory research investigated the work of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the major critical aspects, including healthcare providers' needs as well as personal, professional, and social changes brought about by the pandemic upon both living and dying. In general, for many healthcare providers, the changes imposed by COVID-19 together with their inadequate training led to an excessive emotional load that caused high levels of stress and, consequently, the risk of burnout. In the present study, we wanted to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare professionals and to explore if and how spirituality influenced their experience. We adopted a qualitative methodological design based on interpretative phenomenological analysis. The respondents were 15 healthcare professionals (12 general practitioners, 1 physician, and 2 nurses). This research was carried out in Italy during the first lockdown, that is, between March and September 2020. Following the analysis of participants' experiences, four main themes were created: (1) critical issues in healthcare, critical incidents, and changes in the attitudes and habits of general practitioners during the pandemic; (2) emotional experiences and primary needs during the emergency; (3) dying during the pandemic and new psychological symptoms in noninfected patients; and (4) resilience and the role of spirituality. Since healthcare professionals, and general practitioners more specifically, were extensively exposed to the dying process and to changes in the end-of-life scenario, the support offered by palliative care is desirable, in terms of both the special skills that palliative physicians can provide and the presence of psychologists as well as through death education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops the idea that valid arguments are equivalent to true conditionals by combining Kripke's theory of truth with the evidential account of conditionals offered by Crupi and Iacona. As will be shown, in a first-order language that contains a naïve truth predicate and a suitable conditional, one can define a validity predicate in accordance with the thesis that the inference from a conjunction of premises to a conclusion is valid when the corresponding conditional is true. The validity predicate so defined significantly increases our expressive resources and provides a coherent formal treatment of paradoxical arguments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses some key connexive principles construed as principles about reasons, that is, as principles that express logical properties of sentences of the form 'p is a reason for q'. Its main goal is to show how the theory of reasons outlined by Crupi and Iacona, which is based on their evidential account of conditionals, yields a formal treatment of such sentences that validates a restricted version of the principles discussed, overcoming some limitations that affect most extant accounts of conditionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the analysis of concessive conditionals suggested by Crupi and Iacona, a concessive conditional p ↪ q is adequately formalized as a conjunction of conditionals. This paper presents a sound and complete axiomatic system for concessive conditionals so understood. The soundness and completeness proofs that will be provided rely on a method that has been employed by Raidl, Iacona, and Crupi to prove the soundness and completeness of an analogous system for evidential conditionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A "bundle" is defined as a combination of evidence-based interventions that, if followed collectively and reliably, improve patient outcomes. The aim of this quasi-experimental study, conducted in a level-III NICU in Belgium, was to assess the impact of central line dressing and maintenance bundle implementation on the rate of catheter-related mechanical complications. We performed a quality improvement (QI) project. Prior to bundle implementation, neonatal PICC lines were secured by Steri-Strip® and occlusive dressing. We implemented a new PICC bundle consisting of the use of glue, sutureless device (Griplock®), and a transparent dressing to secure the catheter to the skin. We compared the rate of infections, mechanical complications, and dislocations before and after bundle implementation (periods 1 and 2, respectively). The use of glue resulted in a significantly decreased rate of central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) (p < 0.001), dislocations, and mechanical complications (p < 0.0001). During period 2, there was a significant increase for the average number of days the catheter stayed in place (p < 0.05). We did not observe catheter breakage or patient skin irritations attributable to the use of glue (not even in ELBW infants). Conclusion: The implementation of the new bundle to secure neonatal PICCs in our NICU was associated with a significant reduction in CLABSI and dislodgment rates, without glue-related complications. Active surveillance of CVC placement procedure, positioning, and management, as well as analysis of related complications is crucial for improving patient safety. Continuous implementation of up-to-date central line bundles based on best practice recommendations is a key for quality improvement in NICUs. What is Known: • Stable vascular access is crucial in the NICU. Neonatal PICC securement issues can have serious consequences and are associated with device failure. What is New: • Catheter securement with tissue adhesive is safe and effective in reducing failure and complication rates in the neonatal population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines an account of conditionals, the evidential account, which rests on the idea that a conditional is true just in case its antecedent supports its consequent. As we will show, the evidential account exhibits some distinctive logical features that deserve careful consideration. On the one hand, it departs from the material reading of 'if then' exactly in the way we would like it to depart from that reading. On the other, it significantly differs from the non-material accounts which hinge on the Ramsey Test, advocated by Adams, Stalnaker, Lewis, and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In camera trap studies, attractants may be used to increase detection probabilities of wildlife, which may help to improve estimates of abundance and occupancy. Using a semi-experimental approach, we investigated if a commercial, strawberry scented lure increased detection probability and visiting time duration in red fox Vulpes vulpes, and the potential reasons for variation in these parameters. In September 2020, within the Stelvio National Park, central Italian Alps, 32 camera sites were randomly assigned to 4 different treatments: 8 to commercial lure, the target of our investigation; 8 to orange aroma, to test for the "curiosity" effect; 8 to cat kibble, to test for the "likability" effect; 8 to camera trap only, the control test. Detection probability and duration of visiting time were estimated using hurdle negative binomial regression models. Daily detection probability was significantly higher with lure (0.078), orange aroma (0.086), kibble (0.075) than with camera trap only (0.031); in the first day after treatment, the time an animal spent in front of the cameras significantly increased with orange aroma (16.61 s) and kibble (33.78 s) compared to lure (9.97 s) and camera trap only (0.38 s). Our results support the use of lures to improve detection probability and visit duration in red fox, but we could not disentangle the drivers of increased parameter estimates. When consumable costs are considered, the use of the commercial strawberry scented lure does not appear justified for both detection probability and visit duration, and cheaper alternatives may be preferable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines an account of concessive conditionals that rests on two main ideas. One is that the logical form of a sentence as used in a given context is determined by the content expressed by the sentence in that context. The other is that a coherent distinction can be drawn between a reading of 'if' according to which a conditional is true when its consequent holds on the supposition that its antecedent holds, and a stronger reading according to which a conditional is true when its antecedent supports its consequent. As we will suggest, the logical form of concessive conditionals can be elucidated by relying on this distinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) are widely used to track stress responses in wildlife and captive species. Rules of thumb suggest that samples should be collected as soon as possible after defecation, to avoid decay of FCMs. To date, however, only a few studies investigated the stability of defecated FCMs over time, and most of them were conducted in controlled laboratory conditions. Here, we investigated the stability of FCMs over seven consecutive days, in two mountain-dwelling ungulates, under natural environmental conditions using a semi-experimental approach. Fecal samples from Northern chamois Rupicapra rupicapra (n = 24) and red deer Cervus elaphus (n = 22) were collected in summer of 2020 within the Stelvio National Park, Italy, and placed in an open area above 2000 m a.s.l. For the next 7 days, we collected a portion of each sample, and all sub-samples were analyzed with an 11-oxoetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay. Exposure, temperature, and precipitation were fitted as covariates in non-linear generalized mixed models to assess FCM variation over time, and competing models were selected using AICc. For chamois, the best model included only time as a predictor, while for red deer, it included time, precipitation, and exposure. For both species, FCM values decreased rapidly from the first days after deposition until the fourth day. For red deer, in northern-exposed samples, FCM values decreased slower than in south-exposed ones; furthermore, FCM values increased with increasing precipitation. Our results offer a solid methodological basis to wildlife researchers and practitioners interested in the investigation of the ecological factors affecting stress variation in wildlife and support the recommendation to collect samples as fresh as possible, to avoid misleading inference. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the stability of FCMs when other enzyme immunoassays are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has created profound upheavals in today's society, accompanied by psychological effects. The discomfort experienced during the pandemic accompanied by the increased availability of time has offered many people the chance to reconnect with their spiritual dimension, which is considered a vital resource in managing the stress produced by the perception of risk to their health. This study addresses the motivations that led research participants to choose to receive spiritual support via a 10-week training. The work also explores the changes perceived by the participants as they overcame the difficulties resulting from the pandemic. The research involved nine people between the ages of 19 and 59 who took part in an online experience focused on the spiritual dimension. Almost all the participants came from an area in Northern Italy most affected by the pandemic. A qualitative research design was used, with semistructured interviews designed to understand participants' views on the topic under investigation. The areas that emerged from the interviews concerned the motivations that led the participants to choose a spiritual support process, the role of spirituality in daily life, and the changes participants experienced after the conclusion of the experience related to managing the stress caused by the pandemic. In agreement with the existing literature, the results show that spiritual support can be useful in counteracting the negative effects of the pandemic, producing improvements in the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing interest in spirituality has enabled numerous avenues of pastoral counselling support, which can be a useful resource for improving quality of life in the context of significant social deprivation. The aim of this research was to investigate the role of the spiritual dimension of pastoral support interventions created to help the inhabitants of a strongly deprived territory in Southern Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight people between the ages of 28 and 67 took part in the study. A qualitative research design was applied via online interviews with the participants, who were operators of a pastoral counselling service located on the outskirts of a suburban town. The main emergent themes were the importance of religiosity and spirituality in the lives of the participants, the role that these two aspects play in the lives of those who carry out activities devoted to helping others, and the ways in which these dimensions are used within support programmes responding to the needs of an area characterized by socioeconomic and psychosocial problems. The interviews revealed how pastoral counselling can be useful in situations of stress in highly deprived areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the question whether future contingents are knowable, that is, whether one can know that things will go a certain way even though it is possible that things will not go that way. First I will consider a long-established view that implies a negative answer, and draw attention to some endemic problems that affect its credibility. Then I will sketch an alternative line of thought that prompts a positive answer: future contingents are knowable, although our epistemic access of them is limited in some important respects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a probabilistic analysis of conditionals which hinges on a quantitative measure of evidential support. In order to spell out the interpretation of 'if' suggested, we will compare it with two more familiar interpretations, the suppositional interpretation and the strict interpretation, within a formal framework which rests on fairly uncontroversial assumptions. As it will emerge, each of the three interpretations considered exhibits specific logical features that deserve separate consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper articulates in formal terms a crucial distinction concerning future contingents, the distinction between what is true about the future and what is reasonable to believe about the future. Its key idea is that the branching structures that have been used so far to model truth can be employed to define an epistemic property, credibility, which we take to be closely related to knowledge and assertibility, and which is ultimately reducible to probability. As a result, two kinds of claims about future contingents—one concerning truth, the other concerning credibility—can be smoothly handled within a single semantic framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giving land managers the ability to predict invasion patterns can provide planning tools for acquisition and management of protected areas. We compared the effects of roads and streams, two substantial pathways for delivery of invasive plant propagules and sources of disturbance that may facilitate invasions, on the abundance of non-native invasive plants in 27 protected areas in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States. As an extension of our road analysis, we also evaluated specific road type as a predictor of protected area invadedness. We found that road and stream predictors did not improve on a model that included only other covariates (e.g., distance to an urban area, average canopy cover, average slope, edge-to-interior ratio, percent agricultural land, and percent developed land). In this model, only percent agricultural land was marginally significant in predicting parcel invadedness. However, we found that four-wheel drive (4WD) roads did predict protected area invadedness well relative to other road types (primary, secondary, and local) and better than a covariates-only model. The role of 4WD road density in predicting protected area invadedness may be explained by their relation to recreation, the unmaintained nature of 4WD roads, or the accumulation of mud and plant materials on 4WD vehicles. Although we found overall streams and roads in general to be poor predictors of invadedness of protected areas by invasive plants, we do propose that our finding of a relationship between plant invasions and density of 4WD roads merits further investigation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This issue encompasses eight papers that have been presented at the Topoi Conference 2018 - I Foundational Issues in Philosophical Semantics i - which took place in Turin in June 2018 and was organized by the I Center for Logic, Language, and Cognition i (LLC) at the University of Turin. Foster noted that given a theory of the sort Davidson envisioned, for a language L, there will be many equally true theories whose theorems pair endlessly many sentences of L with very different specifications of whether or not those sentences are true. In "Truth conditional cognitivism and the lexical problem", Fabrizio Calzavarini discusses a foundational problem for I truth-conditional cognitivism i - the view that truth-conditional formal semantics for natural language is a theory of semantic competence. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose of Review: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the deadliest forms of cancer worldwide, and researchers are continuously striving to discover novel therapeutic targets and treatment methods. Many of the molecular mechanisms central to CRC development and progression have yet to be elucidated. The goal of this review is to highlight the most recent findings and theories behind the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in CRC.Recent Findings: Recent work has indicated that ncRNAs, RNA molecules that are not translated into protein, play significant roles in cellular events directly affecting CRC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and survival. These ncRNAs include specific microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and other types of RNAs. Many of these molecules themselves are oncogenic or tumor suppressive in nature, and some have been suggested to be diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers in CRC. NcRNAs can impact gene expression and signal transduction through various mechanisms on epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels.Summary: Understanding the biological mechanisms governing CRC initiation and propagation may lead to novel therapeutics and biomarkers for treating this deadly disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental managers regularly face decisions about how to counteract threats. These decisions require an understanding of both the conservation benefits and economic costs of candidate actions. However, transparent frameworks for how to accurately calculate costs for management are rare. We worked with island managers in Australia to develop eradication protocols for six invasive species- four mammals and two weeds. We used the protocols to create an accounting framework for invasive species eradications to produce realistic cost estimates for eradications across multiple locations. We also used our models to test common cost assumptions: (1) that costs scale linearly with area, (2) that terrain does not influence costs, and (3) that eradication costs stay constant through time. By explicating testing assumptions, we found that costs largely scaled linearly with area, that terrain influences costs, and that costs decline as populations decline in response to ongoing management. Estimated mammal eradication costs were driven in large part by the area of an island and the cost of transport. However, when area alone was used as a proxy for costs, the calculated costs deviated from our modelled costs by 40-56%. Weed eradication cost estimates were driven by the size and density of an infestation as well as the terrain of the island, with the effect of terrain becoming more pronounced as area to be treated increased. We provide a method to calculate realistic costs across several sites, which can be used to guide strategic management decision-making, including prioritisation, and on-ground management actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation organizations must redouble efforts to protect habitat given continuing biodiversity declines. Prioritization of future areas for protection is hampered by disagreements over what the ecological targets of conservation should be. Here we test the claim that such disagreements will become less important as conservation moves away from prioritizing areas for protection based only on ecological considerations and accounts for varying costs of protection using return-on-investment (ROI) methods. We combine a simulation approach with a case study of forests in the eastern United States, paying particular attention to how covariation between ecological benefits and economic costs influences agreement levels. For many conservation goals, agreement over spatial priorities improves with ROI methods. However, we also show that a reliance on ROI-based prioritization can sometimes exacerbate disagreements over priorities. As such, accounting for costs in conservation planning does not enable society to sidestep careful consideration of the ecological goals of conservation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the question of what it is for a quantifier expression to be vague. First it draws a distinction between two senses in which quantifier expressions may be said to be vague, and provides an account of the distinction which rests on independently grounded assumptions. Then it suggests that, if some further assumptions are granted, the difference between the two senses considered can be represented at the formal level. Finally, it outlines some implications of the account provided which bear on three debated issues concerning quantification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NCIQ is a quantifiable self-assessment health-related quality of life instrument specific for cochlear implant users. The aim of this study was to culturally adapt the NCIQ into Italian (I-NCIQ). A prospective instrument validation study was conducted. Cross-cultural adaptation and validation were accomplished. Cronbach α was used to test internal consistency in 51 CI users and in a control group composed by 38 post-lingual deaf adult on a waiting list for a CI. ICC test was used for test-retest reliability analysis. Kruskal-Wallis test with Mann-Whitney post hoc were used to compare the I-NCIQ scores in CI users before and after the cochlear implantation and in control patients. I-NCIQ scores obtained in CI users were compared with the results of Italian version of disyllabic testing without lip-reading and without masking. Good internal consistency and good test-retest reliability were found. I-NCIQ scores obtained in the 51 CI users after implantation were consistently higher than those obtained before implantation and in the control group. Moreover, no differences were found in the results of I-NCIQ obtained in the group of 51 CI users before implantation and in the group of control patients on post hoc Mann-Whitney analysis. Positive correlations between I-NCIQ scores and the results of disyllabic testing without lip-reading and without masking were found. The I-NCIQ is a reliable, valid, self-administered questionnaire for the measurement of QOL in CI users; its application is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the intriguing article The puzzle of the changing past, Barlassina and Del Prete (Analysis 75:59-67, ) argue that, if one grants a platitude about truth and accepts a simple story that they tell, one is forced to conclude that the past has changed. I will suggest that there is a coherent way to resist that conclusion. The platitude about truth is in fact a platitude, but the story is not exactly as they tell it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-quantum well Si/Ge nanowires (NWs) were realized by combining molecular beam epitaxy deposition and metal-assisted wet etching, which is a low-cost technique for the synthesis of extremely dense (about 10 cm) arrays of NWs with a high and controllable aspect ratio. In particular, we prepared ultrathin Si/Ge NWs having a mean diameter of about 8 nm and lengths spanning from 1.0 to 2.7 μm. NW diameter is compatible with the occurrence of quantum confinement effects and, accordingly, we observed light emission assignable to the presence of Si and Ge nanostructures. We performed a detailed study of the photoluminescence properties of the NWs, with particular attention to the excitation and de-excitation properties as a function of the temperature and of the excitation photon flux, evaluating the excitation cross section and investigating the presence of non-radiative phenomena. PACS: 61.46.Km; 78.55.-m; 78.67.Lt [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the logic of Ockhamism, a view according to which future contingents are either true or false. Several attempts have been made to give rigorous shape to this view by defining a suitable formal semantics, but arguably none of them is fully satisfactory. The paper draws attention to some problems that beset such attempts, and suggests that these problems are different symptoms of the same initial confusion, in that they stem from the unjustified assumption that the actual course of events must be represented in the semantics as a distinguished history, the Thin Red Line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public awareness of audiological issues has never been measured in the general public even if the World Health Organization (WHO) has detected a common urgent need for action to prevent and manage ear diseases and hearing loss. The aim of this study was to measure urban community citizens' awareness of managing and preventing ear disease and hearing loss using a specific questionnaire. A questionnaire was formulated on the basis of WHO material concerning the major specific audiological issues and attitudes, focusing in particular on four domains: (1) knowledge of infant hearing loss, (2) correct management of the ears including cleaning and treating, (3) focus on the effect of overexposure to loud sounds and noise, (4) underestimated ear symptoms leading to diagnostic delay. 254 volunteers were enrolled in this cross-sectional study by a team of medical doctors and audiologists stationed in a mobile unit that visited different areas of Milan, Italy. More than 80% of correct responses were given to almost all of the statements by the interviewees, although certain important knowledge was found to be lacking. The proposed audiological questionnaire seems to be a suitable tool to evaluate the public awareness of ear and hearing management. The results showed a need for continued development of comprehensive hearing conservation programs, focused on hearing aid management and early infant hearing loss identification as well as noise exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrohydrodyamic (EHD) heat transfer enhancement and flow control methods are becoming increasingly popular in engineering science and applications both in terrestrial and low gravity applications. The correct choice of the working fluid is essential for the design and performance of EHD hardware and can pose challenge because some working fluids with favorable EHD properties can be unstable or hazardous. In this paper key properties and criteria for the selection of working fluids for single-phase (liquid) as well as gas-liquid and vapor-liquid two-phase electrohydrodynamic experiments and applications are discussed. Key physical and electrical properties as well as environmental and safety issues are reviewed for the sample fluids PF-5052, FC-72, R141b, cyclohexane and pure water. Microgravity experiments impose additional demands on the selection of the working fluids. Some of these demands are addressed by contrasting bubble dimensions and shapes at detachment, estimated using a simple thermodynamic model, in terrestrial and microgravity conditions with and without electric fields. Data are obtained using a simplified analytical model and verified experimentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The herbaceous ground cover of the longleaf pine ecosystem harbors the highest plant species richness in North America, with up to 50 species per square meter, but the mechanisms that regulate this diversity are not well understood. In this system, variability in seedling recruitment events may best explain the extremely high small-scale species richness and its relationship to soil moisture and system net primary productivity. To understand the potential mechanistic controls on species richness, we used a long-term resource manipulation study across a natural soil moisture gradient to assess environmental controls on seedling recruitment. We considered the availability of resources to be an indicator of seedling safe-site supply, and also manipulated seed availability to examine the relative importance of recruitment limitations on seedling diversity. We found that water availability regulated the number of species in the seedling community regardless of the underlying natural moisture gradient, and that this effect may result from differential responses of seedling guilds to resource availability. Water supply was more important than seed supply in determining seedling establishment, suggesting that appropriate sites for regeneration are a factor limiting seedling success. This is the first study that shows that the episodic supply of microsites for recruitment could influence species richness in the highly threatened and biodiverse longleaf pine savanna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two large, randomized, placebo-controlled trials (IRESSA NSCLC Trial Assessing Combination Therapy; INTACT 1 and 2) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) failed to show survival benefit for gefitinib (IRESSA) in combination with first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) staining was assessed retrospectively in relation to survival response to gefitinib in combination with chemotherapy. Tumor biopsies obtained prior to start of therapy were assessed by immunohistochemistry for EGFR using the Dako EGFR pharmDx assay™ (Dako, Denmark). Analyses were stratified by trial and performed independently for patients randomized to placebo and gefitinib as well as for both treatment groups combined. A restricted backwards elimination Cox regression analysis was conducted to identify independent EGFR factors that were statistically significant ( P < 0.10), and these were also tested for treatment interaction to assess if they served as predictive factors. Analyses found two statistically significant EGFR-based prognostic factors representing growth pattern and percent membrane staining in patients treated with gefitinib ( P = 0.0023), placebo ( P = 0.0128), and both combined ( P < 0.0001). The prognostic effect was independent of other known prognostic factors. There was no predictive effect of either the growth pattern or membrane staining variable. While some previous studies indicate that higher EGFR expression correlates with poor survival, our analyses provide statistically significant evidence that the combination of EGFR expression and growth pattern is a strong prognostic indicator for improved survival within this setting. The effects of membrane staining and growth pattern are still significant when adjusting for mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This preliminary research reports results on the influence of light quality on anther culture of Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan., cultivar Nules. After one month of cultivation in darkness, four light qualities were tested: White, Red, Far-Red and Blue. Continuous Darkness and White light under photoperiod of 16 hrs were used as a control conditions. Gametic embryoids and embryogenic callus were obtained only under photoperiodic conditions of White light, suggesting that the alternation of light and dark can be used for the process of gametic embryogenesis in Citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple model for predicting bubble volume and shape at detachment in reduced gravity under the influence of electric fields is described in the paper. The model is based on relatively simple thermodynamic arguments and relies on and combines several models described in the literature. It accounts for the level of gravity and the magnitude of the electric field. For certain conditions of bubble development the properties of the bubble source are also considered. Computations were carried out for a uniform unperturbed electric field for a range of model parameters, and the significance of model assumptions and simplifications is discussed for the particular method of bubble formation. Experiments were conducted in terrestrial conditions and reduced gravity (during parabolic flights in NASA’s KC-135 aircraft) by injecting air bubbles through an orifice into the electrically insulating working fluid, PF5052. Bubble shapes visualized experimentally were compared with model predictions. Measured data and model predictions show good agreement. The results suggest that the model can provide quick engineering estimates concerning bubble formation for a range of conditions (both for formation at an orifice and boiling) and such a model reduces the need for complex and expensive numerical simulations for certain applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary:We studied a model of in vivo purging with Rituximab and high-dose (HD) cytarabine in 14 patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma and two with refractory mantle cell lymphoma enrolled in a program of HD chemotherapy and autotransplant. After two courses of debulking immunochemotherapy with Rituximab, Vincristine and Cyclophosphamide, we used a combination of Rituximab, HD cytarabine and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) mobilization. The median number of CD34+ cells collected was 14.69 × 106/kg (range 5.74-73.2). Monitoring of peripheral CD19+ and CD20+ B cells prior to and throughout the purging period showed that a treatment with Rituximab, Vincristine and Cyclophosphamide results in a profound depletion of B cells in peripheral blood. B-cell depletion persists during mobilization with Rituximab and HD cytarabine allowing a collection of PBSC free of B cells (median CD19+ and CD20+ cells counts 0%). Of nine patients PCR positive for bcl-2 or bcl-1 in blood and marrow at the start of immunochemotherapy, all showed PCR-negative PBSC. In conclusion, in patients with indolent lymphoma, the concurrent administration of Rituximab and HD cytarabine is a safe and efficient method to obtain in vivo purged PBSC. Immunochemotherapy prior to mobilization produces B-cell depletion and seems to be a useful preparative step.Bone Marrow Transplantation (2004) 34, 175-179. doi:10.1038/sj.bmt.1704551 Published online 31 May 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realists claim that, amongst the statements we understand, there are some which are true, yet whose truth potentially transcends the limits of what we can recognize. Dummett and others have argued that this realist thesis is incompatible with an account of understanding in terms of recognitional capacities. But careful analysis reveals that this contention is mistaken. The alleged incompatibility presupposes the truth of a metaphysical principle which cannot be vindicated on the basis of an account of understanding. Realists have independent reason to reject this metaphysical principle, as it leads to a collapse of more modest forms of realism into more contentious ones. According to moderate realism, we neither know that there are actually recognition-transcendent truths nor do we know that there are none. Pending a positive case for the metaphysical principle, this agnosticism is sufficient to warrant the realists' key thesis, viz. that there are potentially recognition-transcendent truths. Thus realism, in its more moderate guise, turns out to be the default position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of air bubbles injected into a stagnant, isothermal liquid in microgravity through an orifice was studied. The bubbles grew very large in microgravity. They attained a nearly spherical shape and showed pronounced affinity towards coalescence in the absence of electric fields and other perturbations. Under the influence of electric fields, periodic detachment was observed, with bubble sizes larger than in terrestrial conditions. The bubble shape was elongated. After detachment, the bubbles moved away from the electrode at which they formed without coalescing with other bubbles. Experimental data on bubble shape and size at detachment showed good agreement with models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the structural, electrical and optical properties of MOS devices, where the dielectric layer consists of a substoichiometric SiO[sub x] (x<2) thin film deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. After deposition the samples were annealed at high temperature (>1000 °C) to induce the separation of the Si and the SiO[sub 2] phases with the formation of Si nanocrystals embedded in the insulating matrix. We observed at room temperature a quite intense electroluminescence (EL) signal with a peak at ∼850 nm. The EL peak position is very similar to that observed in photoluminescence in the very same device, demonstrating that the observed EL is due to electron–hole recombination in the Si nanocrystals and not to defects. The effects of the Si concentration in the SiO[sub x] layer and of the annealing temperature on the electrical and optical properties of these devices are also reported and discussed. In particular, it is shown that by increasing the Si content in the SiO[sub x] layer the operating voltage of the device decreases and the total efficiency of emission increases. These data are reported and their implications discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-free protein synthesizing systems were prepared from the livers of chick embryos at selected ages and the characteristics of individual fractions were compared. While polysomes showed decreasing size with older embryos, isolated polysomes did not differ significantly in amino acid incorporating activity when assayed with standard cell sap. When assayed with standard polysomes, cell sap activity decreased with increasing developmental age whether incorporation was measured using [H]lysine, [H]leucine, or [H]aminoacyl-tRNA. Free amino acid concentrations in the cell sap showed reproducible independent variation during development which was taken into consideration in calculating net amino acid incorporation. A large increase in ribonuclease activity was observed during development; however, nuclease inhibitor activity was absent before day 15 but increased thereafter. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activity did not vary significantly. It is proposed that the observed changes in the rate of cell-free protein synthesis result not only from increasing ribonuclease activity with increasing developmental age but also from changes in the activity of other soluble factors. This is paper VI in a series; paper V is reference 6. The series title is based on earlier work with systems derived from fowl which synthesized two genetic variants of serum albumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since in vitro observations indicated that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), especially in combination with IFNalpha, can exert significant suppressive effects on Ph+ cells, we investigated the effects and the pharmacokinetic profile of ATRA in a selected cohort of patients with Ph+ chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase. Eighteen patients were treated with ATRA at a dose of 80 mg/m2/day (p.o.), divided into two equal doses after meals, for 7 consecutive days every other week for a maximum of 12 courses (1 course = 1 week on and 1 week off). Pharmacokinetic profiles of ATRA were evaluated during intermittent therapy on days 1 and 7 of course 1; on day 1 of course 2; on day 1 of course 6. Out of the 18 patients treated with ATRA, 11 (61%) went off study before the sixth course of treatment because of progressive hyperleukocytosis (seven cases), or thrombocytosis (one case), or refusal (three cases). Seven (39%) patients completed the first six courses (12 weeks) of treatment with ATRA and two of them (11%) maintained a white blood cell (WBC) <10 x 10[9]/l which was induced by the pretreatment with hydroxyurea. One patient completed the 12th course of ATRA maintaining WBC <10 x 10(9)/l, platelets <500 x 10(9)/l and spleen not palpable. The treatment with ATRA was well tolerated and only one patient discontinued the therapy because of non-hematological side-effects. The area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) decreased significantly (P< 0.001) during the first week of therapy. By adopting an intermittent dosing regimen, 1 week on/ 1 week off (1 course), at the start of courses 2 and 6, we obtained the ATRA AUCs equivalent to the ones achieved on day 1 of course 1. In conclusion, our results showed that ATRA alone appeared to be unable to control the WBC expansion in the CML patients in chronic phase. Moreover, it did not induce any remarkable cytoreductive effects on the platelet count and on the hemoglobin level. The major interest of ATRA would be in combination with other therapies. If ATRA was given in combination with IFNalpha or other agents, dose reduction of these would not be planned. On the basis of the pharmacokinetic profile, ATRA should be administered intermittently rather than continuously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigated the pharmacokinetics of tretinoin during alternating cycles of 1 week of tretinoin treatment and 1 week drug-free in patients with Ph1+ chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) in the chronic phase. Patients: Eighteen patients with CML were treated with tretinoin 80 mg/m/day (in two divided doses) for 7 consecutive days every other week (one cycle = 1 week on/1 week off). Results: Body systemic exposure to tretinoin as determined by the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) decreased significantly during the first week of drug administration, from (mean ± SD) 678.3 ± 498.1 to 258.7 ± 272.4 µg/L·h. In about 40% of the patients the decline in plasma concentrations was ≥80%, while 17% of the population did not experience any decline. On day 7 of cycle 1, the mean apparent oral clearance (CL/F) was 2.6 times the corresponding value on day 1. After 1 week without tretinoin, the mean AUC on day 1 of cycle 2 was lower (down 15%) but not statistically different from the corresponding value observed on day 1 of cycle 1; 62% of patients showed an increase in the AUC, which was 40% higher than the corresponding value on day 7 of cycle 1. On day 1 of cycle 6, the AUC and CL/F of tretinoin during a dosage interval were not statistically different from those observed on day 1 of cycle 1 and cycle 2. On all occasions the peak plasma concentration (C) was strongly correlated to the corresponding AUC. No significant change in the time to observed C (t) and in the elimination half-life (t) was observed during the whole study. These results confirmed that the metabolism of tretinoin is rapidly up-regulated in CML patients, with significant declines in plasma drug exposure during the first week of drug administration. After tretinoin was discontinued, a return to the noninduced state followed a mean time-cycle similar to the induction. The strong decrease in the apparent oral drug clearance and the absence of significant variations in the drug half-life demonstrated that the presystemic extraction of tretinoin is the main cause of the marked decline in plasma drug exposure. Conclusion: The favourable pharmacokinetic profile of tretinoin obtained by an intermittent regimen, 1 week on/1 week off therapy (vs continuous administration), suggests that such a therapeutic schedule is the most appropriate for the assessment of clinical efficacy in those pathologies in which its use is suitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinus pericranii is a rare vascular anomaly involving an abnormal communication between the extracranial and intracranial circulations. A 3-year-old girl presented with a 2 × 2-cm, midline soft-tissue mass at the vertex. Plain skull films and CT using bone windows showed erosion of the parietal bones. MRI confirmed the clinical diagnosis by identifying communication of the vascular mass with the intracranial dural venous sinus. The advantages of MRI are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels are observed in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and this increase is associated with poor prognosis. Increased synthesis of PGE2 in CRC has been shown to occur through COX-2-dependent mechanisms; however, loss of the PGE2-catabolizing enzyme, 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH, HPGD), in colonic tumors contributes to increased prostaglandin levels and poor patient survival. While loss of 15-PGDH can occur through transcriptional mechanisms, we demonstrate that 15-PGDH can be additionally regulated by a miRNA-mediated mechanism. We show that 15-PGDH and miR-21 are inversely correlated in CRC patients, with increased miR-21 levels associating with low 15-PGDH expression. 15-PGDH can be directly regulated by miR-21 through distinct sites in its 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR), and miR-21 expression in CRC cells attenuates 15-PGDH and promotes increased PGE2 levels. Additionally, epithelial growth factor (EGF) signaling suppresses 15-PGDH expression while simultaneously enhancing miR-21 levels. miR-21 inhibition represses CRC cell proliferation, which is enhanced with EGF receptor (EGFR) inhibition. These findings present a novel regulatory mechanism of 15-PGDH by miR-21, and how dysregulated expression of miR-21 may contribute to loss of 15-PGDH expression and promote CRC progression via increased accumulation of PGE2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of an innovative hybrid light source operating at room temperature, obtained by embedding a carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion inside a Si nanowire (NW) array is reported. The NW/CNT system exhibits a peculiar photoluminescence spectrum, consisting of a wide peak, mainly observed in the visible range, due to quantum confined Si NWs, and of several narrower IR peaks, due to the different CNT chiralities present in the dispersion. The detailed study of the optical properties of the hybrid system evidences that the ratio between the intensity of the visible and the IR emissions can be varied within a wide range by changing the excitation wavelength or the CNT concentration; the conditions leading to the prevalence of one signal with respect to the other are identified. The multiplicity of emission spectra obtainable from this composite material opens new perspectives for Si nanostructures as active medium in light sources for Si photonics applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]