Two new different integral equation methods for the study of axisymmetric harmonic electromagnetic problems are presented. Both proposed formulations allow the modeling of conductive and magnetic ...media, and inhomogeneous media can be considered as well. Thanks to the use of low-rank approximation techniques, a drastic reduction in the required memory and computational cost is achieved with a truly negligible loss of accuracy. The numerical features of the two proposed integral methods are widely discussed and compared. Moreover, most of the considerations hold for the case of 3-D integral methods. Sample implementations of the two formulations are made publicly available.
Information regarding dew precipitation is scarce, both because it is considered a minor component of the water balance and because it is difficult to measure. Nevertheless, although yielding ...relatively low amounts of water, dew can be of great importance for the local water balance in semiarid and arid environments. The aim of this study was to explore the adequacy of the Eddy Covariance technique, combined with qualitative methods (such as wetness sensors), as a tool to measure actual dew in semiarid conditions. This technique was used to assess the relative contribution of dew to the local water balance in a dry river bed representative of semiarid environments (Rambla Honda, Tabernas) located in the Almería province (SE Spain). Results show that an accurate filtering and management of data from Eddy Covariance (EC) combined with the records of the wetness sensors (WS), allowed us to generate a data base which can be used to develop and parameterize theoretical or empirical dew deposition models. We found that a simple equation for potential dew predicted adequately actual dew for the study area, and permitted us to estimate a dew contribution of 13
mm from February to June 2003, which accounts for 12% of the rainfall for the same period. Dew deposition was higher in late winter and early spring, when vegetation starts to grow actively. In consequence, this additional input of water can be of great relevance to the local water balance especially during dry years.
Objectives
The aim of the study was to compare prospectively indicator‐condition (IC)‐guided testing versus testing of those with non‐indicator conditions (NICs) in four primary care centres (PCCs) ...in Barcelona, Spain.
Methods
From October 2009 to February 2011, patients aged from 18 to 65 years old who attended a PCC for a new herpes zoster infection, seborrhoeic eczema, mononucleosis syndrome or leucopenia/thrombopenia were included in the IC group, and one in every 10 randomly selected patients consulting for other reasons were included in the NIC group. A proportion of patients in each group were offered an HIV test; those who agreed to be tested were given a rapid finger‐stick HIV test (€6 per test). Epidemiological and clinical data were collected and analysed.
Results
During the study period, 775 patients attended with one of the four selected ICs, while 66 043 patients presented with an NIC. HIV screening was offered to 89 patients with ICs (offer rate 11.5%), of whom 85 agreed to and completed testing (94.4 and 100% acceptance and completion rates, respectively). In the NIC group, an HIV test was offered to 344 persons (offer rate 5.2%), of whom 313 accepted (90.9%) and 304 completed (97.1%) testing. HIV tests were positive in four persons prevalence 4.7%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3–11.6% in the IC group and in one person in the NIC group (prevalence 0.3%; 95% CI 0.01–1.82%; P < 0.009). If every eligible person had taken an HIV test, we would have spent €4650 in the IC group and €396 258 in the NIC group, and an estimated 36 (95% CI 25–49) and 198 persons (95% CI 171–227), respectively, would have been diagnosed with HIV infection. The estimated cost per new HIV diagnosis would have been €129 (95% CI €107–153) in the IC group and €2001 (95% CI €1913–2088) in the NIC group.
Conclusions
Although the number of patients included in the study was small and the results should be treated with caution, IC‐guided HIV testing, based on four selected ICs, in PCCs seems to be a more feasible and less expensive strategy to improve diagnosis of HIV infection in Spain than a nontargeted HIV testing strategy.
Abstract Chronic impairment of forelimb and digit movement is a common problem after stroke that is resistant to therapy. Although in the last years some studies have been performed to increase the ...efficacy of rehabilitative experience and training, the pharmacological approaches in this context remain poorly developed. We decided to study the effect of a chronic treatment with CDP-choline, a safe and well-tolerated drug that is known to stabilize membranes, on functional outcome and neuromorphological changes after stroke. To assess the functional recovery we have performed the staircase reaching test and the elevated body swing test (EBST), for studying sensorimotor integration and asymmetrical motor function respectively. The treatment with CDP-choline, initiated 24 h after the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and maintained during 28 days, improved the functional outcome in both the staircase test (MCAO + CDP = 87.0 ± 6.6% pellets eaten vs. MCAO + SAL = 40.0 ± 4.5%; p < 0.05) and the EBST (MCAO + CDP = 70.0 ± 6.8% vs. MCAO + SAL = 88.0 ± 5.4%; contralateral swing p < 0.05). In addition, to study potential neuronal substrates of the improved function, we examined the dendritic morphology of layer V pyramidal cells in the undamaged motor cortex using a Golgi–Cox procedure. The animals treated with CDP-choline showed enhanced dendritic complexity and spine density compared with saline group. Our results suggest that a chronic treatment with CDP-choline initiated 24 h after the insult is able to increase the neuronal plasticity within noninjured and functionally connected brain regions as well as to promote functional recovery.
To cite this article: Schouten B, Van Esch BCAM, Kormelink TG, Moro GE, Arslanoglu S, Boehm G, Knippels LMJ, Redegeld FA, Willemsen LEM, Garssen J. Non‐digestible oligosaccharides reduce ...immunoglobulin free light‐chain concentrations in infants at risk for allergy. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2011; 22: 537–542.
Prebiotic oligosaccharides influence the intestinal microbiota and can positively modulate the infant’s immune system. It was demonstrated that a special prebiotic mixture (Immunofortis®) of short‐chain galacto‐oligosaccharides (scGOS) and long‐chain fructo‐oligosaccharides (lcFOS) can reduce the cumulative incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants at risk for allergy as determined using the AD symptom score (SCORAD). Additionally, it was shown very recently that immunoglobulin free light‐chain (Ig‐fLC) might be involved in the pathophysiology of allergic disease. Increased Ig‐fLC concentrations were found in patients suffering from AD, cow’s milk allergy, allergic rhinitis, or asthma. In this study, the effect of supplementation of scGOS/lcFOS on the Ig‐fLC plasma concentrations in infants at risk for allergy was assessed. The plasma kappa and lambda Ig‐fLC concentrations were measured in a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized trial, in which infants at risk for developing allergic disease received a hypoallergenic whey formula containing 8 g/l of the scGOS/lcFOS mixture (n = 34) or maltodextrin as a placebo (n = 40) for 6 months. After intervention, plasma samples were collected, and total plasma concentrations of lambda and kappa Ig‐fLC were analyzed using ELISA. Total kappa and lambda Ig‐fLC plasma concentrations were higher in infants suffering from AD when compared to infants without any sign of AD. In infants receiving the prebiotic mixture, the Ig‐fLC levels were significantly lower compared to the placebo‐fed infants (p < 0.001). Interestingly, lambda Ig‐fLC concentrations were positively correlated with total IgE (p < 0.05). These data demonstrate for the first time that the specific scGOS/lcFOS mixture lowered kappa and lambda Ig‐fLC plasma concentrations in infants at high risk for allergies when compared to infants receiving placebo formula. Because Ig‐fLC concentrations were increased in infants suffering from AD, this may have contributed, at least in part, to the reduced incidence in AD as described previously. This suggests a possible role for Ig‐fLC in the pathophysiology of AD in infants at risk for allergy development.
The dineutron correlation is systematically studied in three different Borromean nuclei near the neutron dripline, 11Li, 14Be and 17B, via the (p,pn) knockout reaction measured at the RIBF facility ...in RIKEN. For the three nuclei, the correlation angle between the valence neutrons is found to be largest in the same range of intrinsic momenta, which can be associated to the nuclear surface. This result reinforces the prediction that the formation of the dineutron is universal in environments with low neutron density, such as the surface of neutron-rich Borromean nuclei.
Background
Laparoscopic liver resections (LLR) have been increasingly performed in recent years. Most of the available evidence, however, comes from specialized centers in Asia, Europe and USA. Data ...from South America are limited and based on single-center experiences. To date, no multicenter studies evaluated the results of LLR in South America. The aim of this study was to evaluate the experience and results with LLR in South American centers.
Methods
From February to November 2019, a survey about LLR was conducted in 61 hepatobiliary centers in South America, composed by 20 questions concerning demographic characteristics, surgical data, and perioperative results.
Results
Fifty-one (83.6%) centers from seven different countries answered the survey. A total of 2887 LLR were performed, as follows: Argentina (928), Brazil (1326), Chile (322), Colombia (210), Paraguay (9), Peru (75), and Uruguay (8). The first program began in 1997; however, the majority (60.7%) started after 2010. The percentage of LLR over open resections was 28.4% (4.4–84%). Of the total, 76.5% were minor hepatectomies and 23.5% major, including 266 right hepatectomies and 343 left hepatectomies. The conversion rate was 9.7%, overall morbidity 13%, and mortality 0.7%.
Conclusions
This is the largest study assessing the dissemination and results of LLR in South America. It showed an increasing number of centers performing LLR with the promising perioperative results, aligned with other worldwide excellence centers.
We present data obtained with the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope (Spitzer) for a sample of 74 young (t < 30 Myr old) Sun-like (0.7 < M sub(*)/M sub( )< 1.5) stars. ...These are a subset of the observations that comprise the Spitzer Legacy science program entitled the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems (FEPS). Using IRAC, we study the fraction of young stars that exhibit 3.6-8.0 km infrared emission in excess of that expected from the stellar photosphere, as a function of age from 3 to 30 Myr. The most straightforward interpretation of such excess emission is the presence of hot (300-1000 K) dust in the inner regions (<3 AU) of a circumstellar disk. Five out of the 74 young stars show a strong infrared excess, four of which have estimated ages of 3-10 Myr. While we detect excesses from five optically thick disks and photospheric emission from the remainder of our sample, we do not detect any excess emission from optically thin disks at these wavelengths. We compare our results with accretion disk fractions detected in previous studies and use the ensemble results to place additional constraints on the dissipation timescales for optically thick, primordial disks.
The main objective of this work is to discuss planning and scheduling applications for refinery operations. Firstly, the development of a nonlinear planning model for refinery production is ...presented. The model is able to represent a general refinery topology and allows the implementation of nonlinear process models as well as blending relations. Considering the market limitations for each oil derivative usually supplied by the refinery, the optimization model is able to define new operating points, thus increasing the production of more valuable products, while satisfying all specification constraints. Real-world applications are developed for the planning of diesel production in the RPBC refinery in Cubatão (SP, Brazil) among others. The optimization results were compared to the current situation, where no computer algorithm is used and the stream allocation is made based on experience, with the aid of manual calculations. The new operating point represents an increase of several million dollars in annual profitability. The second part of the work addresses scheduling problems in oil refineries that are formulated as mixed integer optimization models and rely on both continuous and discrete time representations. The problem of crude oil inventory management that involves the optimal operation of crude oil unloading from pipelines, transfer to storage tanks and the charging schedule for each crude oil distillation unit will be discussed. Furthermore, the paper will consider the development and solution of optimization models for short-term scheduling of a set of operations that includes: product receiving from processing units, storage and inventory management in intermediate tanks, blending in order to attend oil specifications and demands, and transport sequencing in oil pipelines. Important real-world examples on refinery production and distribution are reported: the diesel distribution problem at RPBC refinery and the production problems related to the fuel oil/asphalt and LPG areas of the REVAP refinery in São José dos Campos (SP, Brazil), which produces approximately 80% of the national consumption.
Numerous guidelines have been published by consensus groups worldwide regarding optimal skin antisepsis prior to surgical incision or insertion of intravascular catheters 1-3. However, in the opinion ...of the authors, current guidelines fail to address a key element: the method of application of the antiseptic agent. References
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