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Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoid neoplasms characterized by aggressive clinical behavior and dismal prognosis. Hepatosplenic γδ T-cell lymphoma (γδ-HSTL) is a particular form of PTCL that arises from a small subset of γ/δ T-cell receptor-expressing lymphocytes. γδ-HSTL has a rapidly progressive course and poor outcome due also to its refractoriness to conventional chemotherapy regimens. The very low incidence of γδ-HSTL, along with its propensity to mimic different pathological entities, makes this lymphoma a true diagnostic challenge. In this review, we highlight the biological and clinical features of γδ-HSTL that contribute to making this lymphoma a mostly incurable disease. Moreover, we provide a new insight into the crosstalk between HSTL clones and the bone marrow, liver and spleen vascular microenvironment, in which neoplastic cells reside and proliferate. We further discuss γδ-HSTL associated molecules that might be proposed as potential targets for novel therapeutic approaches.

There is mounting evidence that the quality of organs from cadaver donors may be influenced by events occurring around the time of brain death. Aim of this present study was to analyze the correlation of DGF with brain-dead donor variables in a single-center pediatric population and to evaluate DGF influence on patients- and grafts outcome. End-points of the study were DGF prevalence, DGF donor-related risk factors, graft function, patient- and graft survival rate, respectively, at six, 12, and 24 months FU. The univariate analysis showed that donor age above 15 yr and vascular cause of donor brain death represented risk factors for DGF. The multivariate analysis confirmed as independent risk factors for DGF donor age >15 yr. At six months FU, DGF showed a negative impact on graft function. In conclusion, among all considered brain-dead donor resuscitation parameters, just non-traumatic cause of death turned out to be of impact for DGF. Donor age >15 yr represented the only independent risk factor for prolonged DGF in our series of children. At two-yr FU, DGF showed a transient negative impact on six-month graft function.

Transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS) is an increasingly recognised cause of post-transplant hypertension.We retrospectively analysed 216 paediatric renal recipients transplanted between 2001 and 2011 to assess TRAS prevalence and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) efficacy. To assess risk factors, we compared children with TRAS with a propensity score-matched cohort of recipients without TRAS.Of the 216 paediatric patients who were transplanted in the study period, 44 were hypertensive (prevalence 20.3 %) and ten presented with TRAS (prevalence 4.6 %, median age at transplantation 14 years, range 6.78-17.36 years). Hypertensive patients without TRAS were prescribed one to two anti-hypertensive agents, whereas patients with TRAS required one to five medications. In the TRAS group, one recipient presented with vascular complications during surgery, and in three patients the graft had vascular abnormalities. TRAS was detected by Doppler ultrasonography (US) performed due to hypertension in nine of the patients with TRAS, but in the tenth case the TRAS was clinically silent and detected by routine Doppler-US screening. TRAS diagnosis was refined using angio-computed tomography or angio-magnetic resonance imaging. All patients underwent PTA without complications. Significant improvement after PTA was observed in the standard deviation scores for blood pressure [3.2 ± 1.4 (pre-PTA) vs. 1.04 ± 0.8 (post-PTA); p = 0.0006) and graft function [creatinine clearance: 69 ± 17.08 (pre-PTA) vs. 80.7 ± 21.5 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (post-PTA); p = 0.006] We observed no significant differences between the two cohorts for cold ischaemia time, recipient/donor weight ratio, delayed graft function, cytomegalovirus infections and acute rejection episodes.Our study reports a low but significant TRAS prevalence among the paediatric patients who were transplanted at our centre in the study period and confirms that PTA is an effective and safe therapeutic option in paediatric renal transplant recipients. Known risk factors do not appear to be related to the development of TRAS.

The objective of the present study was to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a dermal replacement for cutaneous wounds of diverse origin. Autologous fibroblasts were cultured in fleece scaffolds made from benzyl esters of hyaluronic acid and applied onto cutaneous lesions. The cases presented are (1) skin removal for multiple epithelioma and (2) chronic deep decubitus ulcer. Dermal-like tissue applied by the surgeon elicited no adverse reactions, and was fully integrated and well-vascularized by 1-3 weeks. In Case 1, the material was fully integrated after 1 week, and after 3 weeks an epidermal autograft was overlaid which showed good take with excellent integration observed after 4 weeks. At 12 months, skin demonstrated visual normo-elastic properties and no signs of excessive scarring. In Case 2, 2-3 weeks after the dermal implant was applied, the wound was invaded with granulation tissue and healing occurred by secondary intention. The ulcer was healed by 8 weeks, with the biomaterial completely resorbed and a complete re-epithelialization over the dermal-like tissue. These results suggest that autologous fibroblast culture in hyaluronan-derived scaffolds may be successfully grafted in diverse cutaneous pathologies and constitute a suitable bed for further epidermal implantation.

Ciliated hepatic foregut cyst is the only ciliated cystic lesion known to occur in the liver. It is an extremely rare, benign and solitary cyst that probably arises from remnants of the embryonic foregut in the liver. We report a 16-month-old girl who underwent surgical excision of a hepatic cyst discovered during antenatal ultrasonography. Surgical exploration and excision were performed because of the uncertain aetiology of the cyst and because on postnatal follow-up US the size of the mass had increased causing extrinsic biliary obstruction. Pathology revealed a ciliated hepatic foregut cyst. This is the fourth child affected by this lesion reported in the literature, the second undergoing surgical excision, and the second with antenatal diagnosis.

The elastic scattering of the mass-less (${\mit\omega}^2 = c^2 k^2$) complex scalar field by a potential, $q[.]$, of bounded support is a prototype model which finds applications to acoustics and electromagnetics in a classical (i.e., non quantum mechanical) setting. Of particular interest are the symmetries of the scattered wave, $u[.]$ and of the quantities derived therefrom ($A[.]$, $|A[.]|^2$) caused by symmetry operations on $q[.]$, such as translation, rotation, reflection, and scaling. This investigation is motivated by the analysis of scattering patterns of environmental interest.

TAOS (two-dimensional angle-resolved optical scattering) is an experimental method to detect single, micrometer-sized airborne material particles, illuminate them by a single pulse of laser (${\mit\lambda} = 532$nm, pulse duration = 30ns) and record their scattered light intensity patterns over the angular sector $\{75^\circ\le{\mit\theta}\le 135^\circ\}\times\{0^\circ\le{\mit\varphi}\le 360^\circ\}$ at high resolution (one pattern $\doteq1024^2$ pixels). Particles of reference materials and from outdoor environmental sampling have been analyzed and thousands of scattering patterns (TAOS patterns, hereinafter) have been stored . One of the goals of classification is the discrimination of bacterial spore patterns ($Bq$). A typical result is: a set of 957 $K5$ (outdoor dust) patterns is analysed; 98 patterns (10\%) are falsely recognised as $Bq$ (lower halfplane), whereas the remainder is assigned to the other two training classes, $Fq$ (top) and $Pq$ (middle).

En el presente trabajo se muestra una metodología para la implementación del algoritmo de optimización de Lerchs - Grossmann en un depósito de carbón bajo incertidumbre del precio en el mercado. La metodología consiste en realizar diferentes simulaciones con el algoritmo de optimización de Lerchs - Grossmann, variando el precio del mineral en cada una de estas simulaciones, escogiendo los precios necesarios para realizar las simulaciones en el ciclo económico anterior al actual. Se realizó un análisis económico para cada una de las simulaciones con el objetivo de encontrar las reservas explotables y el valor presente neto (VPN). This paper shows a methodology for implementing the optimization algorithm Lerchs - Grossmann in a coal deposit under uncertainty in the price in the market. The methodology consists in make different simulations with optimization algorithm Lerchs - Grossmann, varied ore price in each of these simulations, choosing the price needed to perform the simulations in the current cycle before. Economic analysis was performed for each of the simulations with the aim of finding exploitable reserves and the net present value (NPV).

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive technique designed to study regional oxygenation (rSO(2)) by measuring the absorption of chromophores. This study investigated the role of NIRS in the real-time monitoring of kidney graft perfusion for 72 h post-transplantation.Consecutive children undergoing living related donor (LRD) or deceased donor (DD) kidney transplantation (KTP) were prospectively enrolled between April 2010 and August 2011. Renal rSO(2) values were registered continuously for 3 days and correlated with hourly urine output, serum creatinine, and urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (u-NGAL).Twenty-four children were included, 6 underwent LRD and 18 DD KTP. Median age was 12.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] 3.5-16.6) and median body weight was 37 kg (IQR 13-49.7). Four patients experienced delayed graft function (DGF). Renal Doppler ultrasound showed normal vascularization patterns in all children. Median basal renal rSO(2) value was 68.8 % (IQR 59.3-76.2), significantly lower than the end-of-period result (83.6 %; IQR 79.2-90.4; p 0.0001). Renal rSO(2) values showed significant correlation with serum creatinine (rs = -0.62; p 0.05) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (rs = 0.64; p 0.05). No correlation was shown between rSO(2) and diuresis. Increased rSO(2) was also found in patients who experienced DGF. u-NGAL exhibited a trend toward a decrease from baseline in both DD and LRD KTPs, with a strong negative correlation with rSO(2).rSO(2) assessed by NIRS strongly correlates with common markers of kidney graft function and perfusion, allowing continuous real-time monitoring of blood flow in renal grafts.

Measurement of two-dimensional angle-resolved optical scattering (TAOS) patterns is an attractive technique for detecting and characterizing micron-sized airborne particles. In general, the interpretation of these patterns and the retrieval of the particle refractive index, shape or size alone, are difficult problems. By reformulating the problem in statistical learning terms, a solution is proposed herewith: rather than identifying airborne particles from their scattering patterns, TAOS patterns themselves are classified through a learning machine, where feature extraction interacts with multivariate statistical analysis.Feature extraction relies on spectrum enhancement, which includes the discrete cosine Fourier transform and non-linear operations. Multivariate statistical analysis includes computation of the principal components and supervised training, based on the maximization of a suitable figure of merit. All algorithms have been combined together to analyze TAOS patterns, organize feature vectors, design classification experiments, carry out supervised training, assign unknown patterns to classes, and fuse information from different training and recognition experiments. The algorithms have been tested on a data set with more than 3000 TAOS patterns. The parameters that control the algorithms at different stages have been allowed to vary within suitable bounds and are optimized to some extent.Classification has been targeted at discriminating aerosolized Bacillus subtilis particles, a simulant of anthrax, from atmospheric aerosol particles and interfering particles, like diesel soot. By assuming that all training and recognition patterns come from the respective reference materials only, the most satisfactory classification result corresponds to 20% false negatives from B. subtilis particles and

Recognizing negative emotions is impaired in Huntington’s disease (HD), while the subjective emotional involvement in affective pictures images is not completely known in these patients. We aimed to further evaluate emotional reaction in early HD patients, by means of subjective arousal and valence rating and EEG changes induced by International Affective Pictures (IAPS). We recruited 16 consecutive genetically confirmed HD outpatients, and 16 sex and age matched controls. Eighty-four color slides, 28 pleasant, 28 unpleasant and 28 neutral images, in random presentation, were chosen from the International Affective Picture System. EEG was recorded by 32 scalp electrodes. HD patients judged negative and positive affective images respectively more unpleasant and pleasant than controls. They also exhibited higher arousal for pictures, independently from their affective content. However, in HD patients we observed a reduced positivity in the 400-700 m.sec intervals during unpleasant pictures viewing. Present findings may suggest that emotional impact related to affective images is preserved in HD, but it coexists with impairment of late cortical processing following unpleasant stimuli.

The effect of temperature and atmosphere during the crystallization process on electrical and reliability characteristics of ferroelectric capacitors, obtained by sol-gel deposition of lead zirconate titanate films, have been examined for non-volatile memory applications. Films with good ferroelectric properties were achieved after 600 and 650 °C, 1 hour crystallization in a O2 atmosphere: a remanent polarization of about 20 μC/cm2 and a coercive field of 125 kV/cm was obtained with a durability factor better than 108 cycles. The results point out that in 5/48 lead zirconate/titanate films, where a morphotropic phase boundary exists, fatigue more likely results from a stress relief process than from charge migration.

Mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver (MHL) is an uncommon benign hepatic tumor typically affecting children under 2 years of age. Only 5% of MHL occur after 5 years and are very rarely observed in adults. According to age, MHL may differ in their morphologic features. We report a case of an 11-year-old boy with MHL, resembling a malignant lesion from a clinical point of view, characterized by unusual histologic features: a prominent myxoid stroma, with a minimal ductular component, and absent cystic spaces. The present case and others reported in older children or adults demonstrate that these lesions may represent a potential diagnostic pitfall when occurring outside their classic clinical context especially because of their peculiar histologic findings. Moreover, it may be hypothesized that variation in morphology might be related to different evolutive stages of the cell of origin. To support this hypothesis, we therefore studied the presence of components of the Notch pathway inside and outside the lesion. Their absence inside the tumor and, in contrast, the expression of Notch2 and HES1 evident in overrepresented bile ducts present at the periphery might explain not only the lack of bile ducts, but also indicate a more adult phenotype compared with classic pediatric MHL, which show more bile ducts and liver trabeculae embedded in the mesenchymal matrix.

Mutations in the survival of motor neuron gene (SMN1) are responsible for spinal muscular atrophy, a fatal neuromuscular disorder. Mice carrying a homozygous deletion of Smn exon 7 directed to skeletal muscle (HSA-Cre, Smn(F7/F7) mice) present clinical features of human muscular dystrophies for which new therapeutic approaches are highly warranted. Herein we demonstrate that tail vein transplantation of mouse amniotic fluid stem (AFS) cells enhances the muscle strength and improves the survival rate of the affected animals. Second, after cardiotoxin injury of the Tibialis Anterior, only AFS-transplanted mice efficiently regenerate. Most importantly, secondary transplants of satellite cells (SCs) derived from treated mice show that AFS cells integrate into the muscle stem cell compartment and have long-term muscle regeneration capacity indistinguishable from that of wild-type-derived SC. This is the first study demonstrating the functional and stable integration of AFS cells into the skeletal muscle, highlighting their value as cell source for the treatment of muscular dystrophies.

Breast diseases are rare in childhood and adolescence, most lesions being fibroadenomas and papillomas. We report the case of an 11-year old girl with a complex breast lesion with hybrid features of fibroadenoma and intraductal papilloma with an early recurrence. Microscopically, the lesion was composed of dilated ducts showing intraluminal papillary projections with small to broad fibrovascular stalks. The typical leaf-like appearance of fibroadenoma was determined by the presence at the periphery of ducts compressed and distorted by the prominent stromal component. Despite its florid epithelial hyperplasia and mild cytological atypia (more evident in the relapse), immunohistochemical staining for p63 and smooth muscle actin highlighted a continuum outer myoepithelial layer, confirming the non-invasive appearance of the lesion. Two pathogenetic links have been hypothesized: one is based on the morphological continuum between these two entities, which may represent different evolutive stages in the same lesion; the other is based on epithelial/mesenchymal interactions. The possible malignant transformation of such complex lesion is also discussed, along with its differential diagnoses. The relevance of this case lies in its rarity, as well as in the therapeutic strategies related to its biological potential and to the necessity of a conservative treatment, due to the young age of the patient.

Serum levels of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) may be considered a useful marker of neuronal functioning. We aimed to measure serum NAA in cohorts of migraine and tension-type headache patients versus controls, performing correlations with main clinical features. A total of 147 migraine patients (including migraine without aura, with aura and chronic migraine), 65 tension-type headache (including chronic and frequent episodic tension-type headache) and 34 sex- and age-matched controls were selected. Serum was stored at −80 °C. Quantification of NAA was achieved by the standard addition approach and analysis was performed with liquid-chromatography–mass-spectrometry (LC/MS) technique. The NAA levels were significantly decreased in migraine group (0.065 ± 0.019 mol/L), compared with both tension-type headache patients (0.078 ± 0.016 mol/L) and controls (0.085 ± 0.013 mol/L). Control subjects were significantly different from migraine with and without aura and chronic migraine, who differed significantly from episodic and chronic tension-type headache. Migraine with aura patients showed lower NAA levels when compared to all the other headache subtypes, including migraine without aura and chronic migraine. In the migraine group, no significant correlation was found between NAA serum levels, and headache frequency, allodynia and interval from the last and the next attack. The low NAA in the serum may be a sign of neuronal dysfunction predisposing to migraine, probably based on reduced mitochondria function.

Background The surgical approach to masses located in the cervicothoracic juncton represents a challenge for surgeons. Many techniques have been described with good results. Methods We analyzed and compared the results obtained in 2 Italian pediatric surgery centers using 2 different techniques in patients with tumors of the thoracic inlet: center 1, using anterior cervical transsternal approach on 7 patients, and center 2, applying "trap-door" technique on 5 patients. Results Excision was incomplete in 5 patients and complete in 7 patients. Histologic examination revealed 5 patients with neuroblastoma; 3, ganglioneuroblastoma; 1, mixoid liposarcoma; 1, desmoid fibromatosis; 1, Castleman disease; and 1, Schwann cell tumor. The median duration of the procedure was 345 minutes in center 1 and 245 minutes in center 2. The median blood loss was 200 mL in both centers. The median hospital stay was 11 days in center 1 and 9 days in center 2. Globally, 5 patients developed postoperative complications. No significant differences were encountered comparing the main surgical outcome parameters between the 2 approaches. Conclusions Both techniques resulted in valid options to achieve a safe excision of thoracic inlet masses with a manageable complication rate and acceptable hospital stay. Surgical risk factors should be carefully investigated preoperatively. Postoperative pain control is important to guarantee early recovery.

Cauchy partial data imply the uniqueness of the potential. Complex geometrical optics solutions are needed to prove the claim.

Belief and expectation are part of placebo effect. Migraine patients are characterized by a dysfunctional modulation of pain processing, though a clear placebo effect emerges in clinical trials. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of visual and verbal suggestion on subjective pain sensation and cortical responses evoked by CO2 painful laser stimuli in migraine without aura patients vs healthy controls. Twenty-six patients were recorded during the inter-ictal phase and compared to 26 sex and age-matched controls. The right hand and the right supraorbital zone were stimulated during a not conditioned and a conditioned task, where laser stimuli were delivered after a verbal and visual cues of decreased (D), increased (I) or basal (B) intensity, which was left unmodified during the entire task. In control subjects pain rating changed, according to the announced intensity, while in migraine patients the basal hyper-algesia remained unmodified. The N1 and N2 amplitudes tended to change coherently with the stimulus cue in controls, while an opposite paradoxical increase in decreasing condition emerged in migraine. The P2 amplitude modulation was also reduced in migraine, differently from controls. The altered pattern of pain rating and N2 amplitude modulation concurred with frequency of migraine, disability and allodynia. In controls suggestion influenced cortical pain processing and subjective pain rating, while in migraine a peculiar pattern of cortical activation contrasted external cues in order to maintain the basal hyper-algesia. This scarce influence of induced suggestion on pain experience seemed to characterize patients with more severe migraine and central sensitization.

El objetivo de este trabajo es definir un modelo de bloques de un yacimiento hipotético de sulfuros masivos utilizando MineSight®, basado en la interpretación geológica, la viabilidad, planificación estratégica y la programación de los procesos a largo y corto plazo de las alternativas de producción y la capacidad requerida de la mina. Primero se presentan una descripción de los software minero más representativos del mercado en cuanto a la planeación minera, después se presentan las generalidades de MineSight®, por medio de un flujo básico de procesos y programación del MineSight®, seguidamente se muestran los datos de valoración económica para el caso de aplicación por medio de una descripción del secuenciamiento en este software y finalmente se presenta el modelo de bloques del yacimiento hipotético de sulfuros masivos, además el diseño del pit final con la disposición de botaderos y la planta de beneficio. Como conclusión se presenta una tabla resumen de las variables estadísticas que arroja MineSight®, con esta información crear un programa a largo plazo para el análisis financiero del proyecto y optimización de la planeación minera del yacimiento de interés. The aim of this work is to define a block model of a hypothetical massive sulphurs deposit using MineSight®, based on geological interpretation, feasibility, strategic planning and programming processes short and term long alternatives for production and the required capacity of the mine. First present a description of the mining software market more representative in terms of mine planning, then presented the generalities of MineSight®, through a basic process flow and programming MineSight®, then shows the valuation data economic in the case of application by a description of the sequencing in this software and finally presents the block model of hypothetical massive sulphurs deposit, plus the final pit design with the provision of dump and processing plant. As a conclusion, a summary table of statistical variables resulting in MineSight® with this information to create a long-term program for the financial analysis of the project and optimization of mine planning the deposit of interest.

The state of primary motor cortex (M1) excitability is crucial for the processing of voluntary movement. We aimed to test the modulation induced by 1 Hz and 5 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of M1 on both early and late components of the contingent negative variation (CNV) and on the motor reaction in normal subjects. The CNV was evaluated in basal, and after 15 min of real or sham 1 Hz and 5 Hz stimulation of the left motor cortex in 7 right handed volunteers. Inhibition of motor cortex, due to rTMS stimulation, resulted in an amplitude increase of early and late components of CNV, and a slight reducing effect on motor reaction times, while 5 Hz stimulation did not change CNV amplitude. In normal subjects transient inhibition of motor cortex causes an increase of cortical events preceding external-cued voluntary movements, as a probable compensatory phenomena able to maintain an efficient motor performance.

The evaluation of chest pain patients in the emergency department remains a costly and difficult challenge, even though a large proportion of them do not suffer from an acute coronary syndrome. We adopted a clinical decision model, modified from the ANMCO-SIMEU recommendations, and tested its clinical usefulness by assessing: a) the rate of unnecessary hospital admissions, b) the rate of inappropriate discharges based on coronary events (unstable angina, myocardial infarction, death) at 6 months.Our population included 511 consecutive patients with chest pain for a period of 6 months. On the basis of the chest pain score and individual risk factors, 383 patients with normal ECG and negative troponin were classified into four categories according to the probability of acute coronary syndrome, resulting in different lengths of hospital stay and planning of further diagnostic tests. Stress testing was mandatory within 72 h if 22 risk factors and typical angina were observed.Inappropriate discharges and unnecessary admissions were 1% and 9.5%, respectively. The clinical decision model based on the four categories of probability was correctly applied in 83% of cases. One hundred patients were diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome. After discharge, 6 patients underwent stress testing with subsequent revascularization (mean 34 days later) without experiencing new cardiac events. One patient was readmitted with unstable angina before completing non-invasive diagnostic tests. None of 297 patients with atypical chest pain, discharged without additional testing, had adverse cardiac events.Our clinical decision model resulted in a low rate of inappropriate discharges with a low risk of adverse events and a standard rate of unnecessary admissions. Although clinical judgment remains of paramount importance, a clinical decision model and the risk stratification of patients with chest pain lead to an improvement of quality of care.

To retrospectively assess the efficacy of bendamustine alone and with rituximab (R-B), 109 patients with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) were enrolled in 24 Italian centres. The median age was 66 years (range 39-85). Forty-three percent of patients had relapsed and 57% were resistant (median previous therapies = 3; range 1-8). Twenty-two patients received bendamustine alone and 87 patients received R-B (median B dosage: 100 mg/m(2) per day, range 90-130 mg/m(2) per day). The overall response rate was 69·6% (complete response 28·6%; partial response 41%), and was significantly higher in patients treated with R-B (P = 0·014) and in those responsive to the previous treatment (P=0·04). After a median follow-up of 7·9 months (range 1-148), the median progression-free survival was 16 months and the median duration of response was 13 months. Median overall survival (OS) was 16·8 months for the whole cohort; patients not responding to the treatment had a significantly worse outcome than those who attained a response (P = 0·0001). In multivariate analysis, only resistant disease status at start of bendamustine treatment (HR 3·2, 95% CI 1·4-7·3, P = 0·006) had an independent prognostic value for OS. Toxicity was manageable and mostly haematological. In conclusion, in our experience R-B was an effective and well-tolerated treatment for relapsed/refractory CLL patients, producing a remarkable high CR rate and mild toxicity.

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The fluid dynamic model under investigation stems from the tropical climate model [D. M. W. Frierson, A. J. Majda and O. M. Pauluis, Commun. Math. Sci. 2 (2004), no. 4, 591--626; MR2119930 (2006a:86015)] written, under suitable approximations, for the three observables: baroclinic velocity u⃗ , temperature deviation T, and moisture q, all made dimensionless. The interested reader should also look at the references, [D. M. W. Frierson, A. J. Majda and O. M. Pauluis, op. cit.] in particular, in order to fully appreciate the breadth of this paper.

The boundary value problems addressed in the paper physically correspond to electromagnetic scattering by a smooth, open surface S in R3∖S− and include the magnetic-magnetic crack type, the electric-electric screen type, the magnetic-electric and the mixed-mixed types.

We assessed LUTS at least 12 months after RTx in patients without evidence of lower urinary tract dysfunction (non-urologic) that had been anuric for at least six months before RTx. No bladder recycling was performed before RTx. LUTS were evaluated using a questionnaire. Clinical records were also reviewed. LUTS in anuric patients were compared with those in non-anuric patients. Fourteen anuric patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Median age at RTx was 11 (5-21) yr, median duration of anuria before RTx 24 (7-46) months, and median post-RTx follow-up 2.7 (1.9-10.2) yr. Daytime symptoms were exceptional. Nocturia was the most common symptom (10 patients). Only one patient reported symptoms to affect her quality of life. One patient experienced a febrile UTI and none graft failure. LUTS (nocturia) proved unrelated to duration of anuria, length of follow-up, and presence of (nocturnal) polyuria. LUTS were not statistically different in patients anuric and non-anuric before RTx. Non-urologic patients suffer from long-term storage symptoms, particularly nocturia. LUTS, however, do not seem to increase the risks of urinary infections or graft failure and appear to occur irrespective of the presence of anuria before RTx. Bladder recycling before RTx seems unnecessary.

Experimental: TAOS (two-angle optical scattering) instruments record the intensity patterns of laser light scattered by single airborne particles over a wide range of the scattering angles {θ,ϕ} [1]. Large data sets are available, which consist of scattering patterns from a variety of known materials and from environmental sampling. Data analysis: Due to the lack of methods which exactly solve the inverse obstacle scattering problem, artificial intelligence techniques can be used. A classifier has been developed that is based on the spectrum enhancement algorithm [2]. This classifier extracts vectors of morphological descriptors from TAOS patterns and submits them to principal components analysis. Supervised training of the classifier occurs by processing hundreds of patterns from known materials and maximizing a suitable figure of merit. The trained and validated classifier is applied to patterns from new materials for the purpose of recognition. A typical recent classification result is shown by Figure 1 below. The purpose of ongoing work is to design classification experiments with patterns from new materials (NaCl crystals, soot, outdoor dust, . . .) and apply the above outlined method to particle recognition and scoring

Motivation: Fractal models apply to radiation patterns from the so-called fractal antennas and to the description of wave propagation through a complicated environment. In antenna design the prototype antenna array factor has been provided by Weierstraß functions and their band- limited approximations. In antenna characterization one may want to assign a given (synthesized or measured) radiation pattern to a fractal class. Fractal Pattern Synthesis: Array antenna factors are synthesized by means of Weierstraß functions [1]. Two- dimensional fractal radiation patterns can be synthesized by separation of variables. Classification of Synthesized Fractal Patterns: The spectrum enhancement (ση) algorithm, introduced a few years ago [2 and references quoted therein] operates on the Fourier transform of a function of two variables. It evaluates derivatives of integer [3] or of fractional order [4], followed by some non-linear operations. By applying ση to a synthesized fractal pattern one obtains a vector of morphological descriptors, which are submitted to a trainable classifier. A typical classification result is displayed by Figure 1 where the center panel shows the fractal pattern class centroids on the plane of the first two principal components z1 and z2 . Each of the five classes (labelled 1, 3, 5, 6, 9) is composed of patterns such that b = 14 and 16. Moreover, in class 1, D = 1.1; in class 3, D = 1.3 (sample pattern on the right panel); in class 5, D = 1.5; in class 6, D = 1.6 and in class 9, D = 1.9 (sample on the left panel). Problem to be Addressed: There are critical values of the wavenumber [5] at which the nu- merical estimation of dimB [graph[f ]] is affected by relevant errors. The goal of this investigation is to determine whether or not the same wavenumber values are critical for the ση algorithm as well and, in case they are, provide an explanation.

Reports focusing on the immunological microenvironment of peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) are rare. Here we studied the reciprocal contribution of regulatory (Treg) and interleukin-17-producing (Th17) T-cells to the composition of the lymphoma-associated microenvironment of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) and PTCL not otherwise specified on tissue microarrays from 30 PTCLs not otherwise specified and 37 AITLs. We found that Th17 but not Treg cells were differently represented in the two lymphomas and correlated with the amount of mast cells (MCs) and granulocytes, which preferentially occurred in the cellular milieu of AITL cases. We observed that MCs directly synthesized interleukin-6 and thus contribute to the establishment of a proinflammatory, Th17 permissive environment in AITL. We further hypothesized that the AITL clone itself could be responsible for the preferential accumulation of MCs at sites of infiltration through the synthesis of CXCL-13 and its interaction with the CXCR3 and CXCR5 receptors expressed on MCs. Consistent with this hypothesis, we observed MCs efficiently migrating in response to CXCL-13. On these bases, we conclude that MCs have a role in molding the immunological microenvironment of AITL toward the maintenance of pro-inflammatory conditions prone to Th17 generation and autoimmunity. Copyright © American Society for Investigative Pathology.

The parabolic integro-differential equation under investigation, $$ {\beta}\partial_t u = Au - m * Au + {\chi}\tag1 $$(1) subject to suitable initial and boundary conditions (BC), represents linear, non-homogeneous diffusion with memory kernel $m = m[t]$, in the space-time domain $Q$.

Diagnostic images at all biological scales benefit from quantitative morphological analysis which can lead to their classification and recognition. With reference to an image from an optical microscope, quantitative morphology consists of extracting from the raw image, by a suitable algorithm, some numerical indicators or "descriptors". The latter replace the image and represent it for subsequent analysis by algorithms capable of: classification, recognition, feature extraction and other higher level functions. Herewith the extraction of morphological descriptors relies on the "spectrum enhancement" algorithm: the discrete Fourier transform of the image undergoes some nonlinear operatons and comparison with a model power spectral density. As a result the graph of a function of wavenumber, the enhanced spectrum, is obtained, which carries information about the structure and texture of the image. Enhanced spectra are submitted to a classifier based on multivariate statistics, which can be trained, validated and applied to recognize new images. The whole procedure will be illustrated by applications at different scales: a) (sub-cell) cytoskeletal structures altered by xenobiotics; b) (colony) cell colonies ("foci") from in vitro neoplastic transformation assays; c) (tissue) cross sections of reconstituted human corneal epithelia. The results of diagnostic and pathological interest, which will be presented, include the quantitative estimation of morphological alterations, dose-response relationships and recovery from damage. The same paradigm can apply to images acquired by different (optical) instruments and is intended for integration with other methods, the eventual goal being the high content analysis of biological data.

The steady state scattering and absorption of light intensity within a two- or three-dimensional bounded domain $B$ with piacewise smooth boundary $\partial B$ are described by the equation $$-\nabla \cdot (a \nabla u) + cu =0$$.

An apparently "innocuous'' problem derived from the heat equation, namely the determination of the boundary values $u(1,t)$ of the function $u(\cdot,\cdot)$ which satisfies $$ \partial_t u(x,t) =\partial^2_{xx}u(x,t)+a(x)u(x,t),\quad x\in (0,1),\ t\ge 0,\tag1 $$,(1) $$ \gathered u(x,0) = 0,\ x\in [0,1],\quad u(0,t) = 0,\ t\ge 0,\\ u(x_0,t) = f(t),\ 0< x_0 < 1,\ t\ge 0,\endgathered \tag2$$,(2) from knowledge of $a(\cdot)\in {\scr C}^2 ([0,1])$ and $f(\cdot)$, gives rise to a logarithmic estimate for an "approximate solution'' $u_{\delta}(1,t)$, $t\ge 0$.

A numerical method is proposed to simultaneously reconstruct a piecewise constant conductivity ${\mit\sigma}$ and a permittivity ${\mit\epsilon}$ in a one-dimensional layered medium. In addition to the surface current density, the layer stack geometry has to be known.