•Stress relaxation tests were conducted on seven laminated glass interlayers.•The master curves were obtained by using the t-T-P shifting (CFS) algorithm.•The stiffness of all tested interlayers ...decreased over time and temperature.•An equation to fit each relaxation master curve was represented by a Prony series.•The storage and loss modulus were obtained by using interconversion methods.
The mechanical behaviour of laminated glass is strongly affected by the polymeric interlayer placed between glass layers. In general, this interlayer is a viscoelastic material, and therefore it may experience creep and stress relaxation when subjected for an extended period to a constant stress or strain respectively. In this study, seven different commercial interlayer materials (EVALAM, EVASAFE, PVB BG-R20, Saflex DG-41, PVB ES, SentryGlas, and TPU) were evaluated with relaxation tests at different temperatures, in order to build the relaxation master curves through the time-temperature superposition principle. A generalized Maxwell model was chosen to describe the viscoelastic behaviour of the tested materials. This paper includes the coefficients of the Prony series that fit better the experimental results. This paper has two main goals. First, to present the Prony coefficients (ei and τi), which can then be used to create numerical models that take into consideration the time and temperature-dependant behaviour of the interlayer. Second, to provide the two components of the complex modulus (E*(ω)) of each material, the storage modulus (E’(ω)) and the loss modulus (E’’(ω)), which can be obtained from the relaxation modulus (E(t)) by using analytical interconversions.
Tropical alpine ecosystems exhibit outstanding plant diversity and endemism while being particularly sensitive to the impacts of climate change. Although understanding spatiotemporal changes in plant ...species composition, richness and community structure along tropical alpine altitudinal gradients is of primary importance, both the functional and historical/biogeographic dimensions of vegetation diversity remain largely unexplored. We used Generalized Linear Models and multivariate analyses to assess changes in species, growth forms, and biogeographic groups richness and abundance, in response to habitat variables along an elevation gradient in seven summits (3800 to 4600 m asl) in the Venezuelan Andes, studied using the standardized approach of the GLORIA-Andes monitoring network. The habitat variables assessed were soil temperature (−10 cm), soil organic matter, slope inclination, and substrate cover. We found 113 species, representing 72 genera, 32 families, 13 growth forms, and seven biogeographic origins, that included 25% of endemic elements. We observed richer vegetation, both in terms of species and growth forms, in summits with higher soil temperatures and higher SOM content, as well as higher biogeographic origin richness with increasing soil temperatures. The presence of holarctic elements increased toward higher elevations, while the occurrence of austral antarctic elements increased toward lower elevations. Our results indicate that biogeographic and functional approaches to vegetation diversity capture well the effect of abiotic filtering on community structuring in these tropical alpine environments. These findings constitute an important baseline for monitoring vegetation dynamics linked to climate change in the Venezuelan Andes by highlighting the functional and historical perspective on vegetation analyses, in contrast with more traditional approaches, based only on taxonomic species diversity.
•An extensive rainfall-runoff-erosion database was compiled in the Mediterranean basin.•We analyzed the relationships between weather types, rainfall, runoff and sediment yield.•Most rainfall, ...runoff, and sediment yield occurred in a small number of weather types.•Four spatial classes driven by N-NW, E-NE, S-SE and W-SW flows dominated rainfall/runoff.•Three classes were identified for sediment yield, comprising N-NE, E and W-SW flows.
Soil degradation by water is a serious environmental problem worldwide, with specific climatic factors being the major causes. We investigated the relationships between synoptic atmospheric patterns (i.e. weather types, WTs) and runoff, erosion and sediment yield throughout the Mediterranean basin by analyzing a large database of natural rainfall events at 68 research sites in 9 countries. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify spatial relationships of the different WTs including three hydro-sedimentary variables: rainfall, runoff, and sediment yield (SY, used to refer to both soil erosion measured at plot scale and sediment yield registered at catchment scale). The results indicated 4 spatial classes of rainfall and runoff: (a) northern sites dependent on North (N) and North West (NW) flows; (b) eastern sites dependent on E and NE flows; (c) southern sites dependent on S and SE flows; and, finally, (d) western sites dependent on W and SW flows. Conversely, three spatial classes are identified for SY characterized by: (a) N and NE flows in northern sites (b) E flows in eastern sites, and (c) W and SW flows in western sites. Most of the rainfall, runoff and SY occurred during a small number of daily events, and just a few WTs accounted for large percentages of the total. Our results confirm that characterization by WT improves understanding of the general conditions under which runoff and SY occur, and provides useful information for understanding the spatial variability of runoff, and SY throughout the Mediterranean basin. The approach used here could be useful to aid of the design of regional water management and soil conservation measures.
The temporal and spatial distribution of Salmonella contamination in the coastal waters of Galicia (northwestern Spain) relative to contamination events with different environmental factors ...(temperature, wind, hours of sunlight, rainfall, and river flow) were investigated over a 4-year period. Salmonellae were isolated from 127 of 5,384 samples of molluscs and seawater (2.4%), and no significant differences (P < 0.05) between isolates obtained in different years were observed. The incidence of salmonellae was significantly higher in water column samples (2.9%) than in those taken from the marine benthos (0.7%). Of the 127 strains of Salmonella isolated, 20 different serovars were identified. Salmonella enterica serovar Senftenberg was the predominant serovar, being represented by 54 isolates (42.5%), followed by serovar Typhimurium (19 isolates 15%) and serovar Agona (12 isolates 9.4%). Serovar Senftenberg was detected at specific points on the coast and could not be related to any of the environmental parameters analyzed. All serovars except Salmonella serovar Senftenberg were found principally in the southern coastal areas close to the mouths of rivers, and their incidence was associated with high southwestern wind and rainfall. Using multiple logistic regression analysis models, the prevalence of salmonellae was best explained by environmental parameters on the day prior to sampling. Understanding this relationship may be useful for the control of molluscan shellfish harvests, with wind and rainfall serving as triggers for closure.
Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a genetic disorder caused by an abnormal expansion of GCN triplets within the
gene. Previous descriptions have focused on lower limb muscles in small ...cohorts of patients with OPMD, but larger imaging studies have not been performed. Previous imaging studies have been too small to be able to correlate imaging findings to genetic and clinical data.
We present cross-sectional, T1-weighted muscle MRI and CT-scan data from 168 patients with genetically confirmed OPMD. We have analysed the pattern of muscle involvement in the disease using hierarchical analysis and presented it as heatmaps. Results of the scans were correlated with genetic and clinical data.
Fatty replacement was identified in 96.7% of all symptomatic patients. The tongue, the
and the
were the most commonly affected muscles. Muscle pathology on MRI correlated positively with disease duration and functional impairment.
We have described a pattern that can be considered characteristic of OPMD. An early combination of fat replacement in the tongue,
and
can be helpful for differential diagnosis. The findings suggest the natural history of the disease from a radiological point of view. The information generated by this study is of high diagnostic value and important for clinical trial development.
Abstract
Background and Hypothesis
The existing developmental bond between fingerprint generation and growth of the central nervous system points to a potential use of fingerprints as risk markers in ...schizophrenia. However, the high complexity of fingerprints geometrical patterns may require flexible algorithms capable of characterizing such complexity.
Study Design
Based on an initial sample of scanned fingerprints from 612 patients with a diagnosis of non-affective psychosis and 844 healthy subjects, we have built deep learning classification algorithms based on convolutional neural networks. Previously, the general architecture of the network was chosen from exploratory fittings carried out with an independent fingerprint dataset from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The network architecture was then applied for building classification algorithms (patients vs controls) based on single fingers and multi-input models. Unbiased estimates of classification accuracy were obtained by applying a 5-fold cross-validation scheme.
Study Results
The highest level of accuracy from networks based on single fingers was achieved by the right thumb network (weighted validation accuracy = 68%), while the highest accuracy from the multi-input models was attained by the model that simultaneously used images from the left thumb, index and middle fingers (weighted validation accuracy = 70%).
Conclusion
Although fitted models were based on data from patients with a well established diagnosis, since fingerprints remain lifelong stable after birth, our results imply that fingerprints may be applied as early predictors of psychosis. Specially, if they are used in high prevalence subpopulations such as those of individuals at high risk for psychosis.
T cells recognize antigens via their cell surface TCR and are classified as either αβ or γδ depending on the variable chains in their TCR, α and β or γ and δ, respectively. Both αβ and γδ TCRs also ...contain several invariant chains, including CD3δ, which support surface TCR expression and transduce the TCR signal. Mutations in variable chains would be expected to affect a single T cell lineage, while mutations in the invariant chains would affect all T cells. Consistent with this, all CD3δ-deficient patients described to date showed a complete block in T cell development. However, CD3δ-KO mice have an αβ T cell-specific defect. Here, we report 2 unrelated cases of SCID with a selective block in αβ but not in γδ T cell development, associated with a new splicing mutation in the CD3D gene. The patients' T cells showed reduced CD3D transcripts, CD3δ proteins, surface TCR, and early TCR signaling. Their lymph nodes showed severe T cell depletion, recent thymus emigrants in peripheral blood were strongly decreased, and the scant αβ T cells were oligoclonal. T cell-dependent B cell functions were also impaired, despite the presence of normal B cell numbers. Strikingly, despite the specific loss of αβ T cells, surface TCR expression was more reduced in γδ than in αβ T cells. Analysis of individuals with this CD3D mutation thus demonstrates the contrasting CD3δ requirements for αβ versus γδ T cell development and TCR expression in humans and highlights the diagnostic and clinical relevance of studying both TCR isotypes when a T cell defect is suspected.
Objetivo: estudio sistemático de incremento de los niveles de transaminasas hepáticas inducidos por tocilizumab (TCZ) en pacientes con infección por SARS-CoV-2. Material y métodos: Se realizaron ...búsquedas en PubMed, EMBASE y Google Scholar, de estudios publicados entre enero 2020 y agosto 2021. Se incluyeron estudios que reportaban datos con niveles de transaminasas hepáticas (aspartato-aminotransferasa o AST y alanino- aminotransferasa o ALT) en pacientes infección por SARS-CoV-2 en tratamiento con TCZ, ya sea en estudios de casos y controles o cuando se median dichos niveles antes y después de terapia en un mismo paciente. La calidad de los artículos fue evaluada de acuerdo con la escala Newcastle Ottawa (NOS). Se extrajeron datos sobre el diseño del estudio, país, número de pacientes, edad y sexo. Se aplicó un modelo de efectos aleatorios para la construcción del diagrama de árbol en base a la delta de la media y desviación estándar de los niveles de ALT y GPT de los casos y controles, de cada uno de los reportes incluidos, con un intervalo de confianza (IC) del 95%. Resultados: Se identificaron 5 estudios de casos y controles para su inclusión, que totalizaron un total de 511 pacientes. La media de edad fue 62,3 + 5,0 años y el 78,8 % fueron varones. La puntuación media de NOS de los estudios incluidos fue 7,8 + 0,4. La dosis utilizada de TCZ fue de 8mg/kg/día. En el diagrama de árbol se observó que la delta de la media de variación de la ALT y AST fueron 0,33 (delta 95% intervalo de confianza: 0,17-0,5; I2 =73% p<0,05) y 0,34 (95% IC: 0,17-0,51; I2=84% p<0,05), respectivamente. En un estudio se reportó normalización de ALT y AST a la 3ra semana, y el resto de estudios no reportó datos de evolución. Conclusión: El uso de TCZ en la infección por SARS-CoV-2 está asociado con elevación de ALT y AST, sin embargo, sus niveles no cumplen criterios de injuria hepática inducida por medicamento y aparentemente es autolimitado. Se requieren más estudios para confirmar la naturaleza temporal de la elevación de las transaminasas asociada al TCZ.
In the following lines a description of the CALICE SDHCAL concept is presented, a proposal for a semi-digital hadronic calorimeter oriented to future collider experiments. The baseline option for its ...active medium (GRPCs) and its associated electronics is described in detail, together with the design and construction of the first technological prototype of 1 cubic meter using this technology.
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