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• Similarity laws are verified in the framework of a one-dimensional heat and water vapor diffusion problem through an experimental campaign. • Two configurations of hemp concrete samples, equivalent in terms of similarity laws, are exposed to thermal and hydric stress. • Temperature and relative humidity at equivalent positions in both samples are measured and compared. • A detailed uncertainty investigation is proposed to discuss the reliability of the observed discrepancies. • The comparison of discrepancies and entire uncertainties show a good agreement between the reference and reduced configurations. Similarity law is a mathematical mapping that aims to set up equivalences between different configurations regarding the involved physical parameters, space dimensions and the duration of the configuration. These equivalences are defined by means of the dimensionless formulation of the physical model that describes a phenomenon. This concept is widely adopted in some scientific fields, notably in computational fluid dynamics. In heat and water vapor diffusion, similarities are applicable theoretically on configurations distinct in terms of material, space dimensions, duration or even imposed stress magnitude. It is worth noting that these are slow kinetic phenomena. In this regard, this study aims to verify similarities experimentally while using hemp concrete and reducing the duration of a reference experiment. Before performing measurements, two main limitations are fixed. First, by means of an experimental design, heat and moisture transfer are assumed one-dimensional. In addition, Dirichlet boundary conditions are considered at the surface that is exposed to ambient air. Mainly, temperature and relative humidity are measured at the quarter and middle of the material in order to compare the two similar configurations. Afterwards, an uncertainty study is carried out in order to discuss and justify the observed discrepancies. Following a deterministic approach, this investigation considers five sub-uncertainties which are related to : the calibration of used sensors, their positions, time of response, randomness of an experiment and the boundary condition modeling. Results show a good agreement between the reference and reduced configurations. Indeed, the discrepancies between both are entirely within the calculated confidence intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ocean acoustic noise floor (observed when the overhead wind is low, ships are distant, and marine life silent) has been measured on an array extending up 987 m from 5048 m depth in the eastern North Pacific, in what is one of only a few recent measurements of the vertical noise distribution near the seafloor in the deep ocean. The floor is roughly independent of depth for 1–6 Hz, and the slope (∼ f−7) is consistent with Longuet-Higgins radiation from oppositely-directed surface waves. Above 6 Hz, the acoustic floor increases with frequency due to distant shipping before falling as ∼ f−2 from 40 to 800 Hz. The noise floor just above the seafloor is only about 5 dB greater than during the 1975 CHURCH OPAL experiment (50–200 Hz), even though these measurements are not subject to the same bathymetric blockage. The floor increases up the array by roughly 15 dB for 40–500 Hz. Immediately above the seafloor, the acoustic energy is concentrated in a narrow, horizontal beam that narrows as f−1 and has a beam width at 75 Hz that is less than the array resolution. The power in the beam falls more steeply with frequency than the omnidirectional spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tested science operations strategies developed for use in remote mobile spacecraft missions, to determine whether reconnoitering a site of potential habitability prior to in-depth study (a walkabout-first strategy) can be a more efficient use of time and resources than the linear approach commonly used by planetary rover missions. Two field teams studied a sedimentary sequence in Utah to assess habitability potential. At each site one team commanded a human “rover" to execute observations and conducted data analysis and made follow-on decisions based solely on those observations. Another team followed the same traverse using traditional terrestrial field methods, and the results of the two teams were compared. Test results indicate that for a mission with goals similar to our field case, the walkabout-first strategy may save time and other mission resources, while improving science return. The approach enabled more informed choices and higher team confidence in choosing where to spend time and other consumable resources. The walkabout strategy may prove most efficient when many close sites must be triaged to a smaller subset for detailed study or sampling. This situation would arise when mission goals include finding, identifying, characterizing or sampling a specific material, feature or type of environment within a certain area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid and broadband (1 h, 1 < f < 400 Hz) increase in pressure and vertical velocity on the deep ocean floor was observed on seven instruments comprising a 20-km array in the northeastern subtropical Pacific. The authors associate the jump with the passage of a cold front and focus on the 4- and 400-Hz spectra. At every station, the time of the jump is consistent with the front coming from the northwest. The apparent rate of progress, 10-20 km h−1 (2.8-5.6 m s−1), agrees with meteorological observations. The acoustic radiation below the front is modeled as arising from a moving half-plane of uncorrelated acoustic dipoles. The half-plane is preceded by a 10-km transition zone, over which the radiator strength increases linearly from zero. With this model, the time derivative of the jump at a station yields a second and independent estimate of the front's speed, 8.5 km h−1 (2.4 m s−1). For the 4-Hz spectra, the source physics is taken to be Longuet-Higgins radiation. Its strength depends on the quantity , where F ζ is the wave amplitude power spectrum and I the overlap integral. Thus, the 1-h time constant observed in the bottom data implies a similar time constant for the growth of the wave field quantity behind the front. The spectra at 400 Hz have a similar time constant, but the jump occurs 25 min later. The implications of this difference for the source physics are uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We describe a new technology that can provide near real‐time telemetry of sensor data from the ocean bottom without a moored buoy or a cable to shore. The breakthrough technology that makes this system possible is an autonomous surface vehicle called a Wave Glider developed by Liquid Robotics, Inc. of Sunnyvale, CA, which harvests wave and solar energy for motive and electrical power. We present results from several deployments of a prototype system that demonstrate the feasibility of this concept. We also demonstrated that a wave glider could tow a suitably designed ocean bottom package with acceptable loss of speed. With further development such a system could be deployed autonomously and provide real‐time telemetry of data from seafloor sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall gradients select for contrasting, integrated, adaptive strategies in the Mediterranean legume, Lupinus luteus, where phenology, productivity, fecundity, and water-use are matched to seasonal rainfall. Profligate high-rainfall ecotypes have developed drought tolerance that is redundant in drought-avoiding low-rainfall ecotypes.Our understanding of within-species annual plant adaptation to rainfall gradients is fragmented. Broad-scale ecological applications of Grime’s C-S-R triangle are often superficial, while detailed drought physiology tends to be narrow, focusing on elite cultivars. The former lack the detail to explain how plants respond, while the latter provide little context to investigate trade-offs among traits, to explain where/why these might be adaptive. Ecophysiology, combining the breadth of the former with the detail of the latter, can resolve this disconnect and is applied here to describe adaptive strategies in the Mediterranean legume Lupinus luteus. Wild and domesticated material from low- and high-rainfall environments was evaluated under contrasting terminal drought. These opposing environments have selected for contrasting, integrated, adaptive strategies. Long-season, high-rainfall habitats select for competitive (C) traits: delayed phenology, high above- and below-ground biomass, productivity, and fecundity, leading to high water-use and early stress onset. Terminal drought-prone environments select for the opposite: ruderal (R) traits that facilitate drought escape/avoidance but limit reproductive potential. Surprisingly, high-rainfall ecotypes generate lower critical leaf water potentials under water deficit, maintaining higher relative water content than the latter. Given that L. luteus evolved in sandy, low-water-holding capacity soils, this represents a bet-hedging response to intermittent self-imposed water-deficits associated with a strongly C-selected adaptive strategy that is therefore redundant in R-selected low-rainfall ecotypes. Domesticated L. luteus is even more R-selected, reflecting ongoing selection for early maturity. Introgression of appropriate C-selected adaptive traits from wild germplasm may widen the crop production range. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background:Nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) is becoming more important as a mode of ventilation in premature neonates predisposed to development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). To the best of our knowledge, there have been no detailed studies characterizing neonates who fail NIPPV.Objective:To determine the differences between neonates who are successfully extubated to NIPPV and those who require re-intubation from NIPPV, and the impact of timing of NIPPV failure on BPD rates.Study Design:This was a retrospective cohort study in which we included infants with gestational age (GA) ⩽28 weeks and birth weight ⩽1000 g. χ2-test, analysis of variance and multivariate logistic regression models were used.Results:Two hundred and forty infants were studied; 180 failed NIPPV and of those, 33 (18%), 39 (22%) and 108 (60%) failed NIPPV within 0 to 6 h, ⩾6 to 24 h and ⩾24 h, respectively. Female sex and increased weight were protective against NIPPV failure (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.28 (0.14 to 0.58), 0.04 (0.01 to 0.22)). Increased GA at extubation and female sex were both associated with increased time to failure (P=0.008, <0.001, respectively). Apnea was more likely the cause for failure ⩾24 h (P=0.015), whereas increased work of breathing/fraction of inspired oxygen requirements were more significant when NIPPV failure occurred earlier (P=0.001). Neonates who failed NIPPV within 24 h did not have any association with likelihood of developing BPD or severity of BPD, after adjusting for confounding variables.Conclusion:Significant differences in neonatal characteristics may help identify which neonates are more likely to fail NIPPV, and their timing of failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) is becoming more important as a mode of ventilation in premature neonates predisposed to development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). To the best of our knowledge, there have been no detailed studies characterizing neonates who fail NIPPV.Objective:To determine the differences between neonates who are successfully extubated to NIPPV and those who require re-intubation from NIPPV, and the impact of timing of NIPPV failure on BPD rates.Study Design:This was a retrospective cohort study in which we included infants with gestational age (GA) ⩽28 weeks and birth weight ⩽1000 g. χ2-test, analysis of variance and multivariate logistic regression models were used.Results:Two hundred and forty infants were studied; 180 failed NIPPV and of those, 33 (18%), 39 (22%) and 108 (60%) failed NIPPV within 0 to 6 h, ⩾6 to 24 h and ⩾24 h, respectively. Female sex and increased weight were protective against NIPPV failure (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.28 (0.14 to 0.58), 0.04 (0.01 to 0.22)). Increased GA at extubation and female sex were both associated with increased time to failure (P=0.008, <0.001, respectively). Apnea was more likely the cause for failure ⩾24 h (P=0.015), whereas increased work of breathing/fraction of inspired oxygen requirements were more significant when NIPPV failure occurred earlier (P=0.001). Neonates who failed NIPPV within 24 h did not have any association with likelihood of developing BPD or severity of BPD, after adjusting for confounding variables.Conclusion:Significant differences in neonatal characteristics may help identify which neonates are more likely to fail NIPPV, and their timing of failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second-rank fabric tensors have been extensively used to describe structural anisotropy and to predict orthotropic elastic constants. However, there are many different definitions of, and approaches to, determining the fabric tensor. Most commonly used is a fabric tensor based on mean intercept length measurements, but star volume distribution and star length distribution are commonly used, particularly in studies of trabecular bone. Here, we investigate the effect of the fabric tensor definition on elastic constant predictions using both synthetic, idealized microstructures as well as a micrograph of a porous ceramic. We use an efficient implantation of a symmetric Galerkin boundary element method to model the mechanical response of the various microstructures, and also use a boundary element approach to calculate the necessary volume averages of stress and strain to obtain the effective properties of the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Representative volume elements (RVEs) from porous or cellular solids can often be too large for numerical or experimental determination of effective elastic constants. Volume elements which are smaller than the RVE can be useful in extracting apparent elastic stiffness tensors which provide bounds on the homogenized elastic stiffness tensor. Here, we make efficient use of boundary element analysis to compute the volume averages of stress and strain needed for such an analysis. For boundary conditions which satisfy the Hill criterion, we demonstrate the extraction of apparent elastic stiffness tensors using a symmetric Galerkin boundary element method. We apply the analysis method to two examples of a porous ceramic. Finally, we extract the eigenvalues of the fabric tensor for the example problem and provide predictions on the apparent elastic stiffnesses as a function of solid volume fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

guably the most important adaptive criterion in annual crops is appropriate phenology that minimizes exposure to climatic stresses and maximizes productivity in target environments. To date this has been achieved empirically by selecting among diverse genotypes in target locations. This approach is likely to become inadequate with pending climate change because selection is imposed on the outcome (flowering time) rather than the underlying mechanism (i.e. responses to daylength, ambient or vernalizing temperatures). In contrast to the cereals, in legumes the interaction between phenological mechanisms and environmental selection pressure is largely unknown. This paper addresses this shortcoming through photothermal modelling of chickpea germplasm from the world's key production areas using a meta-analysis of multi-environment trials located from 49° N to 35° S. Germplasm origin had significant effects on temperature and daylength responsiveness, the former strongly correlated to vegetative phase temperatures at the collection or development site ( r = 0.8). Accordingly, temperature responses increase from winter- to spring-sown Mediterranean and Australian material, and then to north, central & southern India. Germplasm origin also affects the relationship between photoperiod and temperature response. In Eastern Mediterranean material a strong negative relationship ( r = −0.77) enables temperature insensitive genotypes to compensate through a strong photoperiod response. Clearly, chickpea evolution has selected for different phenological mechanisms across the habitat range. Given that under the anticipated global warming temperature sensitive cultivars will flower relatively earlier than those responding largely to photoperiod, it is important to exploit this diversity in developing better-adapted genotypes for future cropping environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented which is about sensitivity of hematopoietic (HPs) and mesenchymal (MPs) progenitors to fludarabine with regard to HP mobilization and impaired bone marrow niche.

Abstract: Past initiatives to address surveillance and reconnaissance mission planning mainly focused on low-level control aspects such as real-time path planning and collision avoidance algorithms in limited environment. However, few efforts have been spent on high-level real-time task allocation. It is believed that automated decision capabilities supporting real-time resource allocation for sensor control and interactions might significantly reduce user workload, focusing attention on alternate tasks and objectives while assigning hard computational tasks to artificial agents. In this paper, we propose a new hybrid genetic algorithm to solve the dynamic vehicle routing problem with time windows, in which a group of airborne sensors are engaged in a reconnaissance mission evolving in a dynamic uncertain environment involving known and unknown targets/threats. In that context, visiting a target may consist in carrying out a collection of subtasks such as search, detect, recognize and confirm suspected targets, discover and confirm new ones. The approach consists in concurrently evolving two populations of solutions to minimize total travel time and temporal constraint violation using genetic operators combining variations of key concepts inspired from routing techniques and search strategies. A least commitment principle in servicing scheduled customers is also exploited to potentially improve solution quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Incidence of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency in biliary pathology is estimated for about 30%. The objective was to assess pancreatic exocrine function in biliary tract pathology (cholelithiasis, strictures) before and after endoscopic treatment. Patients and methods: Twenty-eight patients with choledocholithiasis and its complications (19F/9M; aging 31-90 years, median: 69 years) were evaluated. Fecal elastase 1 concentration was measured using ELISA, before, early, and 6-8 weeks after endoscopic treatment. The inflammatory response of pancreas to the treatment was also assessed. Results: Initial fecal elastase 1 concentration in patients (median 454 µg/g) was not significantly different as compared to the control (median 357 µg/g). Nine patients (32%) had low fecal elastase 1 concentration (below 250 µg/g) and out of them 6 had the concentration below 200 µg/g, suggesting impairment of exocrine pancreatic function. Endoscopic treatment was successful in 82% of patients. Pancreatic inflammatory response was noted only in one patient. After 6-8 weeks fecal elastase 1 concentration in the whole group of patients did not significantly change in comparison to the initial level. However, out of 9 patients with initially low fecal elastase 1 concentration (median 191 µg/g) at least in 6 pancreatic function improved (median 310 µg/g), P<0.001. Conclusion: One third of the patients with biliary pathology had a low fecal elastase 1 concentrations, suggesting pancreatic dysfunction. In at least 2/3 of these patients successful endoscopic treatment of biliary pathology resulted in the significant increase of fecal elastase 1 concentration. Therefore, an additional positive effect of such treatment in some patients, could be an improvement of the exocrine pancreatic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This continuation of the derivation of general beam-referenced stage-two spin-correlation functions is for the analysis of top–antitop pair-production at the Tevatron and at the Large Hadron Collider. Both the gluon-production and the quark-production contributions are included for the charged-lepton-plus-jets reaction pp or $p\bar{p}\rightarrow t\bar{t}\rightarrow(W^+b)(W^-\bar{b})\rightarrow(l^+\nu b)(W^-\bar{b})$ . There is a simple 4-angle beam-referenced spin-correlation function for determination of the relative sign of or for measurement of a possible non-trivial phase between the two dominant $\lambda_b=-1/2$ helicity amplitudes for the $t\rightarrow W^+b$ decay mode. There is an analogous function and tests for $\bar{t}\rightarrow W^-\bar{b}$ decay. This signature requires use of the $(t\bar{t})_{\text{c.m.}}$ energy of the hadronically decaying W-boson, or the kinematically equivalent cosine of the polar angle of $W^\mp$ emission in the antitop (top) decay frame. Spinors and their outer-products are constructed so that the helicity-amplitude phase convention of Jacob and Wick can be used throughout for the fixing of the signs associated with this large W-boson longitudinal–transverse interference effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To evaluate the effect of combined iron–zinc supplementation on micronutrient status, growth and morbidity.Design:Randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled supplementation trial.Setting:Rural district of Que Vo, in the Red River Delta in Vietnam.Subjects:A total of 915 breast-fed infants aged 4–7 months were included and 784 completed the study.Interventions:The Fe-group received daily and for a 6-month period 10 mg of iron, the Zn-group 10 mg zinc, the Fe–Zn group 10 mg iron+10 mg zinc and the placebo group a placebo. Hemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin (SF) and zinc (SZn), and anthropometry were measured before and at the end of the intervention. Morbidity was recorded daily.Results:Changes of Hb and SF were higher in both Fe and Fe+Zn groups (respectively 22.6 and 20.6 g/l for Hb; 36.0 and 24.8 μg/l for SF) compared to Zn and placebo groups (Hb: 6.4 and 9.8 g/l; SF: −18.2 and −16.9 μg/l, P<0.0001). SZn increased more in Zn group (10.3 μmol/l) than in Fe+Zn group (8.0 μmol/l, P=0.03) and more in these groups compared to Fe and placebo groups (1.6 and 1.2 μmol/l, P<0.0001). Weight gain was higher in the Zn group. No significant effects of supplementations on growth in length or morbidity.Conclusions:Combined iron–zinc supplementation had a positive effect on iron and zinc status in infants. However, the positive effect of zinc alone on SZn and weight would indicate a negative interaction of iron when added to zinc supplements.Sponsorship:UNICEF New York.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006) 60, 443–454. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602336; published online 23 November 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ługowska A, Berger J, Tylki-Szymańska A, Löschl B, Molzer B, Zobel M, Czartoryska B. Molecular and phenotypic characteristics of metachromatic leukodystrophy patients from Poland.The occurrence and genotype–phenotype correlations of the eight most common mutations in the arylsulfatase A (ARSA) gene were studied in 43 unrelated Polish patients suffering from different types of metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). Screening for mutations p.R84Q, p.S96F, c.459+1G>A, p.I179S, p.A212V, c.1204+1G>A, p.P426L, and c.1401–1411del allowed the identification of 53.5% of the mutant alleles. In the whole investigated group of patients, mutations c.459+1G>A and p.P426L were the most frequent, 19 and 17%, respectively. The prevalence of the third most frequent mutation, i.e. p.I179S (13%), seems to be higher than that in other populations. The incidence of c.1204+1G>A was 5%, which is higher than reported earlier (2%). It seems that p.I179S and c.1204+1G>A are more prevalent in MLD patients from Poland than from other countries. In the group examined by us, mutations p.R84Q, p.S96F, p.A212V, and c.1401–1411del were not detected; thus, 46.5% of MLD alleles remained unidentified. This indicates that other, novel or already described, but rare, mutations exist in Polish population. In late infantile homozygotes for c.459+1G>A and one homozygote for c.1204+1G>A, first clinical symptom was motor deterioration. In adult homozygotes for p.P426L, the disease onset manifested as gait disturbances, followed by choreoathetotic movements, difficulties in swallowing, dysarthria, tremor, and nystagmus. In the carriers of the p.I179S mutation, the hallmark of the clinical picture was psychotic disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate body composition changes using bioelectrical impedance analysis and skinfold thickness measurements in infants from tropical areas who become stunted between 4-18 months of age. Design and measurements: Follow-up study. Extracellular water to total body water ratio index (length²/resistance at low to high frequency), peripheral fat (tricipital and subscapular skinfold thickness), and length-for-age index were studied at 4 and 18 months of age. Settings: Low-income areas in four tropical regions (Congo, Senegal, Bolivia and New Caledonia). Subjects: Infants were included in the analysis provided they were neither stunted nor wasted at 4 months. Two groups of infants were compared, those that were stunted at 18 months (n = 61) or not (n = 170). Results: The extracellular water to total body water ratio index and the sum of skinfold thickness measurements were similar in the two groups at 4 months, and only the extracellular water to total body water ratio index was significantly different at 18 months. When no stunting appeared between 4 and 18 months, the change in the extracellular water to total body water ratio index was not linked with variations in length-for-age, and presented the expected pattern of variation in body water compartments. When stunting occurred, variation in length-for-age was related to significant changes in the extracellular water to total body water ratio index, the biggest increase in the proportion of extracellular water being found in the most stunted infants. Variations in the sum of the two skinfold thickness measurements presented the expected pattern for the 4-18 months growth and did not differ between the two groups. Conclusions: Multifrequency resistances suggested that stunting was associated with a lack of the expansion of the intracellular compartment that is expected during normal growth of cell mass, together with preserved fat mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beliefs about diverse status characteristics have a common core content of performance capacities and qualities made up of two features: hierarchy (superior/inferior capacities) and role-differentiation (instrumental/expressive qualities). Whatever the status characteristic, its more-valued state tends to be defined as superior and instrumental, and the less-valued state tends to be defined as inferior but expressive. We account for this in terms of the typification of differences in behavioral inequalities and profiles that emerge in task oriented social interaction. Status construction theory argues that new configurations of the states of a nonvalued discriminating characteristic, status values, and status typifications of actors possessing these states arise from a similar process. The theory we present here makes new predictions on the construction and institutionalization of status characteristics and generalized beliefs about the relation of status characteristics to social rewards, called referential structures. This theory, we argue, integrates micro and macro elements in a way that may be applicable to explaining the social construction of cultural objects more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the impact of a daily oral iron supplementation on hematological status, cell-mediated immunity and susceptibility to infections in children living in an environment where iron deficiency, malaria and other infections are frequent.Design: Randomized, double-blind iron supplementation including a placebo group.Setting: A village in Togo, West Africa.Subjects: Of the 229 6-36-month-old children of both sexes recruited, 197 with hemoglobin concentration >/=80 g/l were included and 163 completed the study.Intervention: Children received daily a placebo (n=79) or a dose of 2-3 mg of elemental iron per kg of body weight (n=84) for 3 months. Hematological, nutritional and immune status were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the supplementation period, and 6 months later. Morbidity was recorded throughout the study.Results: Iron supplementation had a significant and positive effect on iron status of children and no impact on the incidence of infections, especially malaria. Its probable effect on immune status was masked by interference of infections and their treatment, which contributed to improve hematological and immune status in both groups.Conclusion: According to the negative consequences of anemia and iron deficiency on global child development, control of iron deficiency by oral iron supplementation in young children has to be conducted, associated with prophylaxis and treatment of malaria and repeated deworming.Sponsorship: Program supported by IRD. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2000) 54, 29-35 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which assessed the impact of a daily oral iron supplementation on hematological status, cell-mediated immunity and susceptibility to infections in children. Subjects and methods; Results and discussion.

Focuses on a study which examined default Bayes factors such as the fractional Bayes factor, the median intrinsic Bayes factor, and the expected Bayes factors using Bayesian hypothesis testing for nonnested hypothesis. Reason for considering the default Bayesian methods in one-sided testing; Overview of default Bayes factors; Comparison of various Bayes factors.

Presents a study for electric field measurements using compact and nonperturbing integrated optical E-field sensors. Reference to sensitivity improvement due to a balanced detection scheme; Information on the principle function and the potential of the balanced detection scheme; Experimental setup and results.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of a daily and a weekly iron supplementation on the hematological status of anemic children living at high altitude.Design: Double blind iron supplementation trial including a placebo control group.Setting: A socioeconomically disadvantaged district of La Paz, Bolivia (altitude of 4000 m).Subjects: Anemic (hemoglobin concentration < or = 144 g/L), 3.3-8.3 y old children of both sexes.Intervention: Children received a placebo (n = 57) or a dose of 3-4 mg of elemental iron per kg body weight (FeSO4 tablets) 1 d per week (n = 58) or 5 d per week (n = 58) for 16 weeks.Results: Hemoglobin and zinc erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentrations improved significantly in supplemented groups but not in the placebo group. Changes in hemoglobin during the study were not significantly different between supplemented groups (weekly group: 15.2 +/- 6.9 g/L and daily group: 18.6 +/- 11.1 g/L) but were different from the placebo group (0.5 +/- 7.1 g/L, P < 0.001). At the end of the supplementation period, the hemoglobin distribution was Gaussian, and similar in both supplemented groups. Adjusting for the initial hemoglobin concentration, final hemoglobin and its changes were similar in both supplemented groups.Conclusion: Weekly iron supplementation is as efficacious as daily iron supplementation in improving iron status and correcting moderate iron deficiency anemia in Bolivian school children living at high altitude.Sponsorship: Program supported in part by ORSTROM, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Secretary's Office of Health, Bolivia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on the study of efficacy of a daily and weekly iron supplementation on the hematological status of anemic children living in Bolivia. Information on iron deficiency anemia and its problems; Background information on the study conducted in Bolivia; Information on the subjects and the methods conducted; What was concluded from the study.

In this paper, reference priors are derived for three cases where partial information is available. If a subjective conditional prior is given, two reasonable methods are proposed for finding the marginal reference prior. If, instead, a subjective marginal prior is available, a method for defining the conditional reference prior is proposed. A sufficient condition is then given under which this conditional reference prior agrees with the conditional reference prior derived in the first stage of the reference prior algorithm of Berger & Bernardo (1989, 1992). Finally, under the assumption of independence, a method for finding marginal reference priors is also proposed. Various examples are given to illustrate the methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines ecological and behavioral strategies that reduce predation in North American porcupines by testing two hypotheses: 1) habitat use varies with activity level and age class of animals, and 2) with increasing nutritional stress, individuals accept increased predation risk to avoid starvation. Method; Results; Discussion.

Presents a new hypothesis on the facilitation of reproductive synchrony by gestation adjustment in gregarious mammals. Methods; Results; Discussion.

The author comments on the use a transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block in postoperative analgesia, which involves injection of a local anaesthetic solution into a plane between internal oblique (IO) and transversus abdominis (TA) muscles. The results of prospective randomized trials have shown the analgesic efficacy of the block compared with placebo. The author recommends assessing the value of the TAP block in plastic surgery of the abdominal wall and parietal abdominal wall repair procedures.

This article presents a response to several commentaries regarding a study which proposed computations for Bayesian p values in composite null models. In the double use of data and conditioning, Michael Evans and Hal S. Stern both discussed what constitutes double use of the data in computing a p value. They take opposite perspectives on this issue. Evans argues that the only way to avoid double use of the data is to separate the data into two independent subsets, using one subset to fit the model and the other to assess the validity of the model. Because the procedures that we recommend do not formally split the data into two parts, Evans suggests that they can be guilty double use of the data. In contrast, Stern does not feel that it is necessary to worry about double use of the data the extent that we worry, he does not feel that even the posterior predictive p value involves double use of the data. These contrasting positions perfectly highlight what we view to be the main motivation for our paper. We feel that it is very important to avoid a double use of the data, but that separating the data into two independent subsets is a too drastic solution that can lose considerable power. We consider each of these issues in turn.

Focuses on discharging of personal liability for withheld taxes in bankruptcy in the United States. Provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954; Bankruptcy of responsible person.

Background: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a potentially life-saving procedure for bleeding trauma patients. Being a rare and complex procedure performed in extreme situations, repetitive training of REBOA teams is critical. Evidence-based guidelines on how to train REBOA are missing, although simulation-based training has been shown to be effective but can be costly and complex. We aimed to determine the feasibility and acceptance of REBOA training using a fully immersive virtual reality (VR) REBOA simulation, as well as assess the confidence in conducting the REBOA procedure before and after the training. Methods: Prospective feasibility pilot study of prehospital emergency physicians and paramedics in Bern, Switzerland, from November 2020 until March 2021. Baseline characteristics of trainees, prior training and experience in REBOA and with VR, variables of media use (usability: system usability scale, immersion/presence: Slater-Usoh-Steed, workload: NASA-TLX, user satisfaction: USEQ) as well as confidence prior and after VR training were accessed. Results: REBOA training in VR was found to be feasible without relevant VR-specific side-effects. Usability (SUS median 77.5, IQR 71.3–85) and sense of presence and immersion (Slater-Usoh-Steed median 4.8, IQR 3.8–5.5) were good, the workload without under-nor overstraining (NASA-TLX median 39, IQR 32.8–50.2) and user satisfaction high (USEQ median 26, IQR 23–29). Confidence of trainees in conducting REBOA increased significantly after training (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Procedural training of the REBOA procedure in immersive virtual reality is possible with a good acceptance and high usability. REBOA VR training can be an important part of a training curriculum, with the virtual reality-specific advantages of a time- and instructor-independent learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motion of S2, one of the stars closest to the Galactic Centre, has been measured accurately and used to study the compact object at the centre of the Milky Way. It is commonly accepted that this object is a supermassive black hole, but the nature of its environment is open to discussion. Here, we investigate the possibility that dark matter in the form of an ultralight scalar field 'cloud' clusters around Sgr A*. We use the available data for S2 to perform a Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis and find the best-fit estimates for a scalar cloud structure. Our results show no substantial evidence for such structures. When the cloud size is on the order of the size of the orbit of S2, we are able to constrain its mass to be smaller than 0.1 % of the central mass, setting a strong bound on the presence of new fields in the galactic centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents papers on epidemiology and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)virology and blood-brain barrier, which were presented at the Fourth International Symposium on NeuroVirology and at the Tenth Conference on Neuroscience of HIV Infection. Epidemiology of HIV-associated neurological disease in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy; CSF markers in AIDS dementia complex. CSF studies on HIV-1 associated opportunistic infections.

Presents papers on molecular biology of HIV-induced central nervous system (CNS) disease and HIV disease, which were presented at the Fourth International Symposium on NeuroVirology and at the Tenth Conference on Neuroscience of HIV Infection. Cellular and viral factors involved in HIV-1 CNS disease progression; Molecular analysis of viral RNA in multinucleated giant cells; HIV-1 associated encephalopathy; Antiretroviral therapies.

Presents papers on HIV dementia, which were presented at the Fourth International Symposium on NeuroVirology and at the Tenth Conference on Neuroscience of HIV Infection. Coinfection of hepatitis and HIV; Central nervous system invasion by CD14+ and CD16+ peripheral blood-derived monocytes in HIV dementia; Predictors of HIV dementia; Relationship between viral load response to highly active antiretroviral therapy and psychomotor speed performance in HIV+ homosexual men.

Presents a study which examined the prevalence of I179S mutation in patients with late-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). Description of the arylsulfatase A enzyme mutation I179S; Methodology; Results and discussion.

The ICARUS collaboration employed the 760-ton T600 detector in a successful 3-year physics run at the underground LNGS laboratory, performing a sensitive search for LSND-like anomalous ν e appearance in the CERN Neutrino to Gran Sasso beam, which contributed to the constraints on the allowed neutrino oscillation parameters to a narrow region around 1 eV 2 . After a significant overhaul at CERN, the T600 detector has been installed at Fermilab. In 2020 the cryogenic commissioning began with detector cool down, liquid argon filling and recirculation. ICARUS then started its operations collecting the first neutrino events from the booster neutrino beam (BNB) and the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam off-axis, which were used to test the ICARUS event selection, reconstruction and analysis algorithms. ICARUS successfully completed its commissioning phase in June 2022. The first goal of the ICARUS data taking will be a study to either confirm or refute the claim by Neutrino-4 short-baseline reactor experiment. ICARUS will also perform measurement of neutrino cross sections with the NuMI beam and several Beyond Standard Model searches. After the first year of operations, ICARUS will search for evidence of sterile neutrinos jointly with the Short-Baseline Near Detector, within the Short-Baseline Neutrino program. In this paper, the main activities carried out during the overhauling and installation phases are highlighted. Preliminary technical results from the ICARUS commissioning data with the BNB and NuMI beams are presented both in terms of performance of all ICARUS subsystems and of capability to select and reconstruct neutrino events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. In the Milky Way the central massive black hole, SgrA, coexists with a compact nuclear star cluster that contains a sub-parsec concentration of fast-moving young stars called S-stars. Their location and age are not easily explained by current star formation models, and in several scenarios the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) has been invoked. Aims. We use GRAVITY astrometric and SINFONI, KECK, and GNIRS spectroscopic data of S2, the best known S-star, to investigate whether a second massive object could be present deep in the Galactic Centre (GC) in the form of an IMBH binary companion to SgrA. Methods. To solve the three-body problem, we used a post-Newtonian framework and consider two types of settings: (i) a hierarchical set-up where the star S2 orbits the SgrA-IMBH binary and (ii) a non-hierarchical set-up where the IMBH trajectory lies outside the S2 orbit. In both cases we explore the full 20-dimensional parameter space by employing a Bayesian dynamic nested sampling method. Results. For the hierarchical case we find the strongest constraints: IMBH masses >2000 M on orbits with smaller semi-major axes than S2 are largely excluded. For the non-hierarchical case, the chaotic nature of the problem becomes significant: the parameter space contains several pockets of valid IMBH solutions. However, a closer analysis of their impact on the resident stars reveals that IMBHs on semi-major axes larger than S2 tend to disrupt the S-star cluster in less than a million years. This makes the existence of an IMBH among the S-stars highly unlikely. Conclusions. The current S2 data do not formally require the presence of an IMBH. If an IMBH hides in the GC, it has to be either a low-mass IMBH inside the S2 orbit that moves on a short and significantly inclined trajectory or an IMBH with a semi-major axis >100. We provide the parameter maps of valid IMBH solutions in the GC and discuss the general structure of our results and how future observations can help to put even stronger constraints on the properties of IMBHs in the GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Preferential sensitivity of hematopoietic (HPs) and mesenchymal (MPs) progenitors to fludarabine suggests impaired bone marrow niche and HP mobilization" that was published in a previous issue is presented.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are nuclear receptor isoforms with key roles in the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism. Synthetic ligands for PPAR? (and PPARa) have effects of promoting insulin sensitization in the context of obesity. Recent evidence suggests that activation of PPARd might produce similar effects. Both PPAR? and PPARa have also been shown to produce selected anti-inflammatory effects and to reduce the progression of atherosclerosis in animals (a and ?) or in humans (a). Mechanisms underlying insulin-sensitizing effects are complex. For PPAR?, direct effects on adipose tissue lipid metabolism with secondary benefits in liver and/or muscle (lipid levels and insulin signaling) have been implicated. For PPARa, accelerated lipid catabolism may contribute to reduced muscle or liver 'steatosis'. Anti-inflammatory mechanisms as contributors to the beneficial metabolic effects of PPAR activation are also worth considering for the following reasons: (1) obesity and insulin resistance are associated with a proinflammatory milieu. (2) PPAR? has clear effects to oppose the effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa) in adipocytes. (3) effects of PPAR ligands on cytokine-mediated signaling (eg via NF-?B) may be expected to enhance insulin action. (4) Adipose production of several molecules that are implicated as markers or mediators of inflammation is reduced. (5) In humans, treatment with either PPARa or PPAR? agonists has been shown to reduce circulating levels of proteins that serve as markers of inflammation. (6) Adiponectin, a fat-derived circulating factor that has been implicated as having anti-inflammatory activity, is induced by PPAR? agonism.International Journal of Obesity (2003) 27, S17-S21. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802494 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fingolimod is associated with an increased risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML); however, its discontinuation may cause severe immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). As both of these conditions (especially fingolimod induced PML) are rarely described in medical case reports distinguishing between PML-IRIS and MS-IRIS may be diagnostically challenging.Case Presentation: We report a patient with severe clinical decline (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) increasing from 3.5 to 7.5) and multiple, large, contrast-enhancing lesions on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) a few months after fingolimod withdrawal. The diagnostic possibilities included IRIS due to fingolimod withdrawal versus PML-IRIS. The JC virus (JCV) antibody index was positive (2.56); however, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) JCV real-time polymerase chain reaction (JCV-PCR) was negative and brain biopsy was not performed. After a long course of aggressive treatment (several pulsed methylprednisolone infusions, plasmapheresis, intravenous dexamethasone, oral mirtazapine) the patient gradually recovered (EDSS 2.5) and MRI lesions decreased.Conclusions: This case report demonstrates the importance of monitoring patients carefully after the discontinuation of fingolimod for PML-IRIS and rebound MS with IRIS as these conditions may manifest similarly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atypical EGFR mutations occur in 10%-30% of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations and their sensitivity to classical epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) is highly heterogeneous. Patients harboring one group of uncommon, recurrent EGFR mutations (G719X, S768I, L861Q) respond to EGFR-TKI. Exon 20 insertions are mostly insensitive to EGFR-TKI but display sensitivity to exon 20 inhibitors. Clinical outcome data of patients with very rare point and compound mutations upon systemic treatments are still sparse to date. In this retrospective, multicenter study of the national Network Genomic Medicine (nNGM) in Germany, 856 NSCLC cases with atypical EGFR mutations including co-occurring mutations were reported from 12 centers. Clinical follow-up data after treatment with different EGFR-TKIs, chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors were available from 260 patients. Response to treatment was analyzed in three major groups: (i) uncommon mutations (G719X, S7681, L861Q and combinations), (ii) exon 20 insertions and (iii) very rare EGFR mutations (very rare single point mutations, compound mutations, exon 18 deletions, exon 19 insertions). Our study comprises the largest thus far reported real-world cohort of very rare EGFR single point and compound mutations treated with different systemic treatments. We validated higher efficacy of EGFR-TKI in comparison to chemotherapy in group 1 (uncommon), while most exon 20 insertions (group 2) were not EGFR-TKI responsive. In addition, we found TKI sensitivity of very rare point mutations (group 3) and of complex EGFR mutations containing exon 19 deletions or L858R mutations independent of the combination partner. Notably, treatment responses in group 3 (very rare) were highly heterogeneous. Co-occurring TP53 mutations exerted a non-significant trend for a detrimental effect on outcome in EGFR-TKI-treated patients in groups 2 and 3 but not in group 1. Based on our findings, we propose a novel nNGM classification of atypical EGFR mutations. • The EGFR-TKI efficacy of in uncommon EGFR mutations generally considered TKI sensitive was validated. • Complex EGFR mutations containing exon19del or L858R were EGFR-TKI sensitive, independent of the combination partner. • Very rare single and complex mutations, comprising 40% of atypical mutations, show a high heterogeneity of TKI sensitivity. • TP53 co-mutations may confer a detrimental outcome in TKI-treated patients with very rare EGFR mutations and exon20ins. • We propose a novel nNGM classification for atypical EGFR mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The emergence of optical interferometers with three and more telescopes allows image reconstruction of astronomical objects at the milliarcsecond scale. However, some objects contain components with very different spectral energy distributions (SED; i.e. different temperatures), which produces strong chromatic effects on the interferograms that have to be managed with care by image reconstruction algorithms. For example, the gray approximation for the image reconstruction process results in a degraded image if the total (u; v)-coverage given by the spectral supersynthesis is used. Aims. The relative flux contribution of the central object and an extended structure changes with wavelength for different temperatures. For young stellar objects, the known characteristics of the central object (i.e., stellar SED), or even the fit of the spectral index and the relative flux ratio, can be used to model the central star while reconstructing the image of the extended structure separately. Methods. We present a new method, called SPARCO (semi-parametric algorithm for the image reconstruction of chromatic objects), which describes the spectral characteristics of both the central object and the extended structure to consider them properly when reconstructing the image of the surrounding environment. We adapted two image-reconstruction codes (Macim, Squeeze, and MiRA) to implement this new prescription. Results. SPARCO is applied using Macim, Squeeze, and MiRA on a young stellar object model and also on literature data on HR 5999 in the near-infrared with the VLTI. We obtain smoother images of the modeled circumstellar emission and improve the X2 by a factor 9. Conclusions. This method paves the way to improved aperture-synthesis imaging of several young stellar objects with existing datasets. More generally, the approach can be used on astrophysical sources with similar features, such as active galactic nuclei, planetary nebulae, and asymptotic giant branch stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We aim to refine the dynamical masses of the individual component of the low-mass pre-main sequence binary Haro 1-14C. Methods: We combine the data of the preliminary orbit presented previously with new interferometric observations obtained with the four 8 m telescopes of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer. Results: The derived masses are Ma = 0.905 ± 0.043 Mʘ and Mb = 0.308 ± 0.011 Mʘ for the primary and secondary components, respectively. This is about five times better than the uncertainties of the preliminary orbit. Moreover, the possibility of larger masses is now securely discarded. The new dynamical distance, d = 96 ± 9 pc, is smaller than the distance to the Ophiuchus core with a significance of 2.6s. Fitting the spectral energy distribution yields apparent diameters of fa = 0.13 ± 0.01 mas and fb = 0.10 ± 0.01 mas (corresponding to Ra = 1.50 Rʘ and Rb = 1.13 ʘ) and a visual extinction of Av 1.75. Although the revised orbit has a nearly edge-on geometry, the system is unlikely to be a long-period eclipsing binary. Conclusions. The secondary in Haro 1-14C is one of the few low-mass, pre-main sequence stars with an accurately determined dynamical mass and distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]