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While Jupiter's massive gas envelope consists mainly of hydrogen and helium, the key to understanding Jupiter's formation and evolution lies in the distribution of the remaining (heavy) elements. Before the Juno mission, the lack of high-precision gravity harmonics precluded the use of statistical analyses in a robust determination of the heavy-elements distribution in Jupiter's envelope. In this paper, we assemble the most comprehensive and diverse collection of Jupiter interior models to date and use it to study the distribution of heavy elements in the planet's envelope. We apply a Bayesian statistical approach to our interior model calculations, reproducing the Juno gravitational and atmospheric measurements and constraints from the deep zonal flows. Our results show that the gravity constraints lead to a deep entropy of Jupiter corresponding to a 1 bar temperature 5-15 K higher than traditionally assumed. We also find that uncertainties in the equation of state are crucial when determining the amount of heavy elements in Jupiter's interior. Our models put an upper limit to the inner compact core of Jupiter of 7 Earth masses, independently on the structure model (with or without dilute core) and the equation of state considered. Furthermore, we robustly demonstrate that Jupiter's envelope is inhomogenous, with a heavy-element enrichment in the interior relative to the outer envelope. This implies that heavy element enrichment continued through the gas accretion phase, with important implications for the formation of giant planets in our solar system and beyond., Accepted for publication in A&A

Deciphering the genesis and evolution of the Martian polar caps can provide crucial understanding of Mars' climate system. The growing scientific interest for the exploration of Mars at high latitudes, and the need of minimizing the resources onboard landers and rovers, motivates the need for adequate navigation support from orbit. We propose a novel concept based on a constellation that can support autonomous navigation of different kind of users devoted to scientific investigations of those regions. We study two constellations, that differ mainly for the semi-major axis, composed of 5 small satellites (based on the SmallSats design being developed in Argotec), offering dedicated coverage of the Mars polar regions. We focus on the architecture of the inter-satellite links (ISL), the key elements providing both ephemerides and time synchronization for the broadcasting of the navigation message. Our concept is based on suitably configured coherent links, able to suppress the adverse effects of on-board clock instabilities and to provide excellent range-rate accuracies between the constellation's nodes. The data quality allows attaining good positioning performance for both constellations with a largely autonomous system. Indeed, we show that ground support can be heavily reduced by employing an ISL communication architecture.

The European H2020 project SLOWD is aimed to investigate the fuel sloshing damping effect to reduce the design loads on aircraft wings. Wings house the fuel tanks and are highly flexible structures that can significantly deform under gust loads. In the recent experiment by Martinez-Carrascal and González-Gutiérrez [“Experimental study of the liquid damping effects on a SDOF vertical sloshing tank,” J. Fluids Struct. 100, 103172 (2021)], the complex problem of the fuel sloshing inside a flexible wing structure was significantly simplified by considering a partially filled vertically heaving tank attached to a system of springs. In the present research, a smoothed particle hydrodynamic model was adopted to evaluate the energy dissipated in the three-dimensional sloshing flow obtained using the same tank motions. From a numerical point of view, the simulation of such a violent flow is rather challenging, the involved vertical accelerations being as large as 10 g. The resulting flow is extremely complex because of the severe turbulence developed, the violent impacts, and the considerable fragmentation of the air–liquid interface. The role of the viscosity is investigated by taking into account two different liquids. Finally, some comparisons between three-dimensional results and previous two-dimensional studies are also discussed.

Background. We evaluated whether carbapenem-colistin combination therapy reduces the emergence of colistin resistance, compared to colistin monotherapy, when given to patients with infections due to carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative organisms. Methods. This is a pre-planned analysis of a secondary outcome from a randomized, controlled trial comparing colistin monotherapy with colistin-meropenem combination for the treatment of severe infections caused by carbapenem-resistant, colistin-susceptible Gram-negative bacteria. We evaluated rectal swabs taken on Day 7 or later for the presence of new colistin-resistant (ColR) isolates. We evaluated the emergence of any ColR isolate and the emergence of ColR Enterobacteriaceae (ColR-E). Results. Data were available for 214 patients for the primary analysis; emergent ColR organisms were detected in 22 (10.3%). No difference was observed between patients randomized to treatment with colistin monotherapy (10/106, 9.4%) versus patients randomized to colistin-meropenem combination therapy (12/108, 11.1%; P = .669). ColR-E organisms were detected in 18/249 (7.2%) patients available for analysis. No difference was observed between the 2 treatment arms (colistin monotherapy 6/128 [4.7%] vs combination therapy 12/121 [9.9%]; P = .111). Enterobacteriaceae, as the index isolate, was found to be associated with development of ColR-E (hazard ratio, 3.875; 95% confidence interval, 1.475–10.184; P = .006). Conclusions. Carbapenem-colistin combination therapy did not reduce the incidence of colistin resistance emergence in patients with infections due to carbapenem-resistant organisms. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the development of colistin resistance and methods for its prevention. © The Author(s) 2019.

Closed-loop flow control is aimed at altering a natural flow state into a more desirable state, which is chosen depending on control objectives. The control input is usually an electric signal, which has to be converted to a physical quantity by means of an actuator. A new and original technology using non-thermal surface plasmas has witnessed a significant growth in interest in recent years, as they: have no moving parts; exhibit an extremely fast time-response; are characterised by low mass and low input power. These surface dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) actuators are used to accelerate the near-wall flow, thus modifying the velocity profile within the boundary layer. In this paper, we focus on the robust feedback control of the flow separation using plasma actuators. Our objective is to solve the problem of directly controlling the unsteady flow separation using real-time velocity measurements, which are available in realistic applications. We propose this flow separation problem as a practical application of the new theoretical results in Marino and Tomei, Automatica, 60(8):2213–2218, 2015, [4]. The aim of this paper is to show how, despite the high complexity of the system, a simple robust output regulator is sufficient to effectively suppress the flow separation along an aerofoil, using two actuator/sensor pairs. Accurate two-dimensional (laminar flow) and three-dimensional (turbulent flow) numerical simulations of incompressible flows on a NACA0012 at Reynolds \(Re=20{,}000\) are performed in order to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. In the two-dimensional case a robust, fast flow reattachment is achieved, along with both stabilisation and increase/reduction of the lift/drag, respectively. The control system shows good dynamic performances, as the angle of attack is varied. For the three-dimensional test, a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach has been chosen for the modelling of the turbulence dynamics, whereas the eddy viscosity is calculated according to the well established classical Smagorinsky model.

Background In recent years Europe has experienced a dramatic increase in migration flows. Nevertheless, limited data is available about the occurrence of neglected parasitic diseases among migrant population. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal and urinary parasites in newly arrived asylum seekers. Methods A total of 364 newly arrived migrants hosted at the Asylum Seekers Centre of Castelnuovo di Porto (Italy) were screened during 8 months period for intestinal and urinary parasites. Each enrolled subject was interviewed using a standardized questionnaire, with focus on socio-demographical data and risk factors of parasitic infections. Results Stool analysis showed a prevalence of intestinal parasites of 20.6%. The travel route did not affect the prevalence of intestinal parasites (p = 0.096), while a significant negative correlation was found between the length of travel and the prevalence of parasite infection (p = 0.019). No statistically significant correlation between gastrointestinal symptoms and the presence of intestinal parasites was detected. Conclusion The prevalence of intestinal parasitosis reported in asylum seekers does not necessarily reflect the prevalence of the parasitosis in the motherland. An anamnestic and syndromic approach may not be sufficient to highlight the problem of intestinal parasitic infestations in a screening setting.

The constitutive properties of the SPH bulk viscosity are discussed in this paper. To this aim, a continuum macroscopic fluid domain is initially modeled as a Hamiltonian system of discrete particles, for which the inter-particle dissipative forces are required to be radial in order to conserve the angular momentum. The resulting system of particles is then reconverted to the continuum domain via the framework of the SPH model. Since a SPH consistent approximation of the Newtonian viscous term in the momentum equation incorporates both inter-particle radial as well as non-radial terms, it is postulated that the latter must be null. In the present work it is shown that this constraint implies that first and second viscosities are equal, resulting in a positive value for the bulk viscosity, in contradiction with the Stokes' hypothesis, i.e., the zeroing of the bulk viscosity. Moreover, it is found that this postulate leads to bulk viscosity coefficients close to values found in the experimental literature for monoatomic gases and common liquids such as water.

In the present paper a stability analysis of the porpoising problem for a luxury yacht is proposed. The approach is based on a linearization of the sink and pitch motions of the boat around the center of gravity (CG. The stability coefficients, usually calculated by means of simplified approaches, are now evaluated through unsteady RANS simulations, in order to perform a deeper and more close to reality investigation of this problem. Two in-house numerical codes have been employed, both based on a finite volume method with a level set approach, in order to cross-check the results for the lowest speed. A total number of four speeds, spanning from 18 to 34 knots, has been studied and an encouraging porpoising analysis is finally discussed.

The advent of next-generation sequencing tools has made it possible to conduct fine-scale surveys of population differentiation and genome-wide scans for signatures of selection in non-model organisms. Such surveys are of particular importance in sharply declining coral species, since knowledge of population boundaries and signs of local adaptation can inform restoration and conservation efforts. Here, genome-wide surveys of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the threatened Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, reveal fine-scale population structure and place the major barrier to gene flow that separates the eastern and western Caribbean populations between the Bahamas and Puerto Rico. The exact location of this break had been subject to discussion because two previous studies based on microsatellite data had come to differing conclusions. We investigate this contradiction by analyzing an extended set of 12 microsatellite markers including the five previously employed and discovered that one of the original microsatellite loci is apparently under selection. Exclusion of this locus reconciles the results from the SNP and the microsatellite datasets. Scans for outlier loci in the SNP data detected 12 candidate loci under positive selection. Together, these results suggest that restoration of populations should use local sources and utilize existing functional variation among populations in ex situ crossing experiments to improve stress resistance of this species.

We address the problem of controlling the unsteady flow separation over an aerofoil, using plasma actuators. Despite the complexity of the dynamics of interest, we show how the problem of controlling flow separation can be formulated as a simple output regulation problem, so that a simple control strategy may be used. Different configurations are tested, in order to identify optimal positions of the actuator/sensor pairs along the aerofoil, as well as the corresponding references for the available real-time velocity measurements. A multi-objective deterministic particle swarm optimization algorithm is applied to identify the set of non dominated configurations considering as objectives the time-averaged input signal and the drag-to-lift ratio. Accurate numerical simulations of incompressible flows around a NACA0012 profile at Reynolds $Re=20,000$ and angle of attack 15° illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, in the presence of complex nonlinear dynamics, which are neglected in the control design. Fast flow reattachment is achieved, along with both stabilisation and increase/reduction of the lift/drag, respectively. A major advantage of the presented method is that the chosen controlled outputs can be easily measured in realistic applications.

Grazie alla disponibilità di architetture HPC, l'utilizzo di tecniche CFD per l'analisi fluidodinamica in ambiente navale è diventata di uso quasi comune. Al CNR-INSEAN nel corso degli ultimi decenni si è sviluppato un codice di calcolo parallelo per simulazioni RANS non stazionarie che viene quotidianamente utilizzato sia per scopi di ricerca che scopi commerciali. Il codice è utilizzato per analisi di problematiche quali, ad esempi, la manovrabilità, la tenuta a mare e studi fluidodinamici su propulsori; inoltre il codice è stato accoppiato ad algoritmi di ottimizzazione e a solutori per la predizione del rumore acustico. L'intervento fornirà una visione globale delle applicazioni più importanti, non solo in ambito navale, oltre ad una descrizione delle tecniche numerico/matematico ed algoritmiche sviluppate nel codice di calcolo.

Flow past a circular cylinder close to a free surface at a Reynolds number of 180 is numerically investigated in this paper. While the fully submerged conditions for such flow are well established, adding a free surface, and setting the submergence ratio and the Froude number in specific ranges, it induces a challenging free-surface dynamics with wave breaking phenomena. In literature reference solutions obtained with a Volume of Fluid (VOF) approach are available. Those reference data, for specific conditions, show classical vortex shedding which are related to oscillations of the lift force, accompanied with intriguing low frequency subharmonic modes called metastable. The latter are related to the onset of alternating states in the cylinder wake. In the present work, the metastable mode is investigated with two SPH variants and two mesh-based solvers. These solvers are themselves representatives of various numerical models, namely Finite Volume Method with VOF and level set free-surface capturing/tracking techniques, and ?-SPH, with and without shifting and multi-resolution capabilities. The solutions provided are affected by large discrepancies. Those one are documented and some explanations hinted. The case is here proposed as a benchmark for SPH solvers characterized by the presence of inlet/outlet boundary conditions and an unsteady free surface.

Simulation based design methodologies are replacing the costly and time-consuming build-and-test paradigm for the design of naval vehicles. On the one hand, accurate high-fidelity simulations are required to guarantee the accuracy of the solution and ensure adequate design decisions. On the other hand, high-quality experiments are needed to validate high-fidelity simulations, ensuring the reliability of the computational tools. In real-world applications, all the relevant parameters are affected by uncertainty and its assessment is necessary to provide the required confidence intervals of all relevant variables used for validation. Here a high-fidelity uncertainty quantification (UQ) of a high-speed catamaran is presented, with focus on (a) the validation methods for ship response in irregular waves and (b) the validation of a stochastic regular wave UQ method. The approach includes a priori CFD simulations by URANS, followed by the ex post facto EFD campaign. The validation variables are the wave elevation, x-force, heave and pitch motions, vertical acceleration of the bridge and vertical velocity of the flight deck. Time series value is addressed as primary variable, whereas the mean-crossing wave height is indicated as secondary variable. Bootstrap methods are applied to estimate validation values and 95% confidence intervals for expected value (EV), standard deviation (SD), mode, and quantiles. Additionally, validation values and confidence intervals for time series EV and SD are evaluated by classical time series theory, based on the sample variance, size, and autocovariance function. The regular wave UQ method evaluates EV of force and SD of pitch, acceleration, and velocity, as relevant merit factors for design optimization. The present work extends the EFD and CFD studies presented in earlier work with the aim of achieving high-quality rigorous statistical validation. Both EFD and CFD data are provided with a larger run length and a larger number of encounter waves. New EFD data address the dynamic part of the force, which was one of the limitations of earlier work. The CFD simulations include a larger number of runs without significant self-repetition, which was also a limitation of earlier studies.

The flow field generated by the towing of a semidisplacement hull, free to heave and pitch, is numerically investigated in the velocity range 18 - 34 Kn. The effect of an imposed roll angle have been studied for 4o , 6o and 8o and for three velocities (namely: 20, 24 and 28 Kn). The numerical code adopted is the in-house developed Xnavis, which is a general purpose unsteady RANS based solver; the solver is based on a Finite Volume approach together with a Chimera technique for overlapping grids and a Level Set approach to handle the air/water interface. The generated wave pattern shows many interesting features with an evident wave plunging near the hull bow, while the stern remains completely dry for velocities over 30 Kn. The numerical outcomes are discussed in terms of forces and attitudes.

The behaviour of three different laccase-based graphite biosensors was studied in view of their use in agricultural or industrial waters polluted by phenolic compounds. Catechol was used as a substrate model. Laccase from Trametes versicolor was immobilized on one biosensor (type A electrode) by adsorption while, on the other two biosensor types, laccase was covalently bound through the carboxylic groups created on the graphite by means of treatment with an electric potential difference (type B electrode) or with nitric acid (type C electrode). In the latter two cases, hexamethylenediamine and glutaraldehyde were used as the spacer and the coupling agent, respectively. The extension of linear response range and the sensitivity and time stability of each biosensor type were investigated. The type C biosensor gave the best results and its electrochemical properties proved comparable to those reported by other authors.

Obiettivo: Descrivere le caratteristiche fisiche, architettoniche ed i dati di attività delle 11 Unità Operative di Neuropsichiatria dell’Infanzia e dell’Adolescenza (UONPIA) della Regione Emilia-Romagna, che annovera 633.725 abitanti di età compresa tra 0 e 17 anni. Metodi: I responsabili di tutte le singole unità che compongono le UONPIA hanno compilato un’apposita “Scheda Struttura”. Sui dati raccolti è stato effettuato un dettagliato controllo di qualità, che ha consentito di eliminare gli errori e giungere ad una quota di dati mancanti inferiore al 5%. Risultati: In Emilia-Romagna vi sono complessivamente 43 Centri di Neuropsichiatra dell'Infanzia e dell'Adolescenza (CNPIA) e 67 Unità erogative ambulatoriali semplici. Nelle 11 UONPIA lavorano 699 figure professionali full-time equivalenti; vi sono circa 20 neuropsichiatri infantili e 23 psicologi ogni 100.000 abitanti di età compresa tra 0 e 17 anni. Tutte le strutture sono ben equipaggiate ed organizzate dal punto di vista logistico e strutturale ed ovunque è garantito l’accesso gratuito agli utenti. Nell’anno 2008, in maniera omogenea su tutto il territorio regionale, circa il 6% della popolazione 0-17 anni era in contatto con le UONPIA. La maggior parte degli utenti venuti in contatto per la prima volta nel 2008 ha ricevuto una diagnosi di disturbo del linguaggio o dell’apprendimento (41%). In maniera altrettanto uniforme, le prime visite corrispondono al 30% delle visite annuali effettuate in ciascuna UONPIA. Conclusioni: La proporzione di bambini ed adolescenti in contatto con le UONPIA dell’Emilia-Romagna per un disturbo mentale è in linea con i precedenti studi epidemiologici. In Italia i servizi di neuropsichiatria infantile si occupano sia di disturbi della sfera comportamentale che di disturbi neurologici: tenendo a mente questa caratteristica, che differenzia le UONPIA italiane dai servizi di salute mentale infantili degli altri paesi europei, emerge che il numero di neuropsichiatri per 100.000 abitanti in età pediatrica è uno dei più elevati d’Europa (secondo i dati disponibili), ed è comparabile a quello riscontrato nelle aree meglio equipaggiate degli Stati Uniti. Le criticità rilevate riguardano la non uniformità delle procedure di valutazione diagnostica e la limitata disponibilità di protocolli per gli interventi da attuare in casi di emergenza fuori dall’orario diurno abituale.

The hydrodynamic flow around three given profiles has been studied with a series of two-dimensional simulations performed at three advancing speeds, namely 5, 10 and 12 kn. Particular attention has been paid in capturing the vortex shedding phenomenon. The hydrodynamic performances in terms of drag and lift coefficients, as well as the Strouhal number, have been computed through numerical simulations of the turbulent flow around the profiles, using an unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (uRaNS) numerical code, developed at CNR-INSEAN. The Chimera approach has allowed to exploit the overlapping grid approach, which ensures a correct evaluation of the near field, as well as of the wake evolution. The validation of the approach has been carried out through the study of the turbulent flow around a circular cylinder and the comparisons with experiments and other available numerical simulations.

Laccase from Rhus vernicifera was immobilised on a nylon membrane chemically grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). Hexamethylenediamine (HMDA) and glutaraldehyde (GLU) were used as spacer and bifunctional coupling agent, respectively. Quinol was used as substrate. To know how the immobilisation procedures affected the enzyme reaction rate the catalytic behaviour of soluble and insoluble laccase was studied under isothermal conditions as a function of pH, temperature and substrate concentration. From these studies, two main singularities emerged from the experimental data: (i) the narrower pH-activity profile of the insoluble enzyme in comparison to that of the soluble counterpart; (ii) the increase of the affinity of the immobilised enzyme for its substrate. The behaviour of the catalytic membrane was also studied in a non-isothermal bioreactor as a function of substrate concentration and size of the applied transmembrane temperature difference. It was found that, under non-isothermal conditions and keeping constant the average temperature of the bioreactor, the enzyme reaction rate linearly increases with the increase of the temperature difference. These results have been discussed in the frame of reference of the process of thermodialysis driving thermodiffusive transmembrane substrate fluxes, which add to the diffusive ones. The advantages of the catalytic process carried out under non-isothermal conditions have been thrown in relief through the evaluation of the reduction of the production times and of the percentage increases of the enzyme activity.

The turning circle maneuver of a self-propelled tanker like ship model is numerically simulated by means of the unsteady RANS solver Xnavis developed at CNR-INSEAN. The focus is on the analysis of the maneuvering behavior of the ship with two different stern appendages configurations; a twin screw with a single rudder and a twin screw, twin rudder with a central skeg. Validation of the predicted trajectory and the kinematical parameters is provided by comparison with experimental data from free running tests. Maneuvering abilities of the two configurations are discussed.

The turning circle maneuver of a self-propelled tanker like ship model is numerically simulated through the integration of the unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (uRaNS) equations coupled with the equations of the motion of a rigid body. The solution is achieved by means of the unsteady RANS solver Xnavis developed at CNR-INSEAN. The focus here is on the analysis of the maneuvering behavior of the ship with two different stern appendages configurations; namely, a twin screw with a single rudder and a twin screw, twin rudder with a central skeg. Each propeller is taken into account by a model based on the actuator disk concept; anyhow, in order to correctly capture the turning maneuvering behavior of the model, a suitable model which takes into account for oblique flow effects has to be considered. Results from a preliminary verification assessment are discussed; validation of the predicted trajectory and the kinematical parameters is provided by comparison with experimental data from free running tests. Maneuvering abilities of the two configurations are discussed; in order to better understand the different behavior of the two configurations, an in depth analysis of the force and moments on the hull and on the individual appendages is provided.

The turning circle manoeuvre of a self-propelled tanker like ship model induced by the rotation of the rudder is numerically simulated through the integration of the Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) equations coupled with the equations of the motion of a rigid body; all the 6 degrees of freedom are left free and therefore predicted by the numerical simulation. To this purpose, the unsteady RANS solver developed at INSEAN is used. The ship model is in its fully appended configuration, and is characterized by the presence of two propellers and one rudder. Each propeller is taken into account by a simple model based on the actuator disk concept. The results are compared with experimental data from free running tests carried out at the Nemi lake close to Rome. An analysis of the flow field, in terms of wave pattern, surface pressure and velocity field is also presented.

In the present report a numerical study of a propeller in open water conditions is carried out. The ideal model of Hough and Ordway is compared with a RANS/BEM coupled model; in both models the distribution of thrust and torque is prescribed over an actuator disk. The main differences between the two models reside in the fact that in the first the radial distribution of the body forces is prescribed regardless the real shape of the propeller blades, whereas in the second model the shape of the blades, as well as the presence of a propeller hub are taken into account. Moreover, in the RANS/BEM model the effective wake can be considered (interactive model), while in the Hough and Ordway model not (non interactive model). The main advantage for the non interactive model is the easy implementation and the negligible CPU time required. The numerical simulations have been performed at different advance ratios and inflow; in the last section simulations with an inflow with an angle of incidence are shown as a test case where the lost of symmetry occurs. The computations are conducted on a sequence of grids in order to perform an accurate analysis of the grid convergence property of the solver. The results appear to be in fairly good agreement with the computational data given in the report [2], at least at advance ratios around maximum efficiency.

The thesis deals with the aerodynamic and the structural analysis of the X-40 tree of a sailing boat

The influence of an extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field (50 Hz and 1 mT, EMF) on the activity of a soluble and insoluble horseradish peroxidase (E.C. 1.11.17) has been studied as a function of time. Insoluble derivatives were obtained by enzyme entrapment into two different gelatin membranes or by covalent attachment of the enzyme on two nylon membranes, differently preactivated. Results have shown that the field affects the inactivation rate of the soluble enzyme, while no effects are observed with insoluble derivatives. Since in vivo enzymes are immobilised into the biomembrane bilayer or entrapped into the cytoplasmic mixture, one might speculate that our experimental conditions do not reflect the catalytic activity of the enzymes in vivo.

Fifty-three renal specimens from 48 patients with SLE were examined for the presence of RTE in the glomeruli. Glomerular RTE, presumably in immune complex form was detected in 60% of the tissues. The deposition of these complexes was related to the severity of histologic changes and activity of SLE. In addition, glomerular localization of RTE was associated with decreased renal function and increased proteinuria. The association between the presence of glomerular RTE antigen, the severity of renal histologic changes and the decreased renal function suggested a possible role for this antigen in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.

A novel immunoadsorbent is described in which soluble canine glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antigen was immobilized in collodion membranes adherent to small charcoal particles. As much as 80% of the added GBM antigen was retained in the collodion–charcoal. The binding of GBM antibody to immobilized GBM antigen in vitro and in vivo was demonstrated. For in vivo studies, an extracorporeal circulation system was established, and mongrel dogs were then injected intravenously with GBM antibodies. Whole blood was circulated at 100 ml/min over GBM collodion–charcoal for 4 h. Renal tissue was examined by fluorescence and light microscopy for the deposition of heterologous gamma globulin and glomerular inflammation before and after the extracorporeal procedure. Results showed less deposition of heterologous IgG and less inflammation in experimental dog kidneys than in control kidneys. There was no evidence of release of 131I-labeled GBM from the immunoadsorbent at the conclusion of perfusion experiments and no significant biochemical or hematologic alterations. Finally, extracorporeal immunoadsorbent treatment was capable of attenuating the early heterologous phase of passive canine nephrotoxic nephritis and may have a potential role in the therapy of anti-GBM-mediated nephropathy.

2 patients developed the nephrotic syndrome several years after diagnoses of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In both cases light microscopy showed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Electron microscopy and immunofluorescent staining revealed electron-dense deposits and deposition of immunoglobulins and C3. Both patients had single-component IgG cryoglobulinemia. The eluted glomerular-bound protein contained IgG only. IgG in patients' sera, cryoglobulins, and kidney eluate had kappa light chains only. Immune complexes were detected in the sera and in the cryoglobulins by the Clq binding test. Immunoadsorption studies revealed anti-IgG antibodies in the patients' sera, cryoglobulin, and kidney eluate. Direct immunofluorescent studies using the patients' sera, cryoglobulins, and kidney eluate on frozen sections of patients' kidneys were positive, providing additional evidence for the immune complex nature of the glomerulonephritis. The immunohistochemical studies of our patients are suggestive of the presence of circulating IgG-anti-IgG immune complexes and their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of the glomerulonephritis and the nephrotic syndrome in these 2 cases.

This paper describes a simplified method to evaluate the optical errors in a high accuracy pointing system. The described method is for a structure excited by random disturbances, such as those created by atmospheric turbulence and cooling systems. The method has been developed specifically for an optical train that includes active control elements to attenuate jitter errors.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Clinicopathologic studies of four patients with juvenile diabetes mellitus and renal disease demonstrated the pathogenetic variability of nephropathy in diabetic patients. Only in one patient was the clinical nephropathy associated with the typical diabetic glomerulosclerosis. Another patient had steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome superimposed on minimal diabetic glomerulosclerosis. A third patient had steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome associated with mild diabetic glomerulosclerosis and with later appearance of Grave's disease. The fourth patient, in addition to moderate diabetic glomerulosclerosis had prominent tubulointerstitial nephritis, the latter probably being responsible for the rapidly declining renal function. The poor prognosis associated with diabetic nephropathy warrants a careful search for other potentially treatable causes of nephropathy in patients with juvenile diabetes mellitus.

Summary The oil-rich North-West flank of Majella Mountain was investigated by drilling about 200 wells, for exploitation purposes during 1942/43. We digitalized the dataset of Lettomanoppello-Fonte di Papa-Fonticelle area including average bitumen percentage property logs derived along the vertical profile of the wells (43). We were able to build a base case that represents the almost real distribution of bitumen in the subsurface, thanks to the data density in respect of reservoir variability. We tested different modeling tools using the Petrel software, to assess the best approach to model such reservoir. We conducted several blind well tests, in order to find the best approach to replicate the well toggled off. The best approach at the whole reservoir scale resulted to be the SGS algorithms with a variogram since it seems to be the best in mirroring the variability of the property of bitumen percentage. This solution can be used in the first step of exploration phase for similar reservoir, to estimate the percentage of hydrocarbons as we have done for the Cigno Oilfield. SGS algorithm with Trend Model, limited to the vertical mean trend built from the upscaled logs, resulted to be the best approach in the blind well test.