Morphological, anatomical, and physiological leaf traits of Corylus avellana plants growing in different light conditions within the natural reserve “Siro Negri” (Italy) were analyzed. The results ...highlighted the capability of C. avellana to grow both in sun and shade conditions throughout several adaptations at leaf level. In particular, the more than 100% higher specific leaf area in shade is associated to a 44% lower palisade to spongy parenchyma thickness ratio compared with that in sun. Moreover, the chlorophyll (Chl) a to Chl b ratio decreased in response to the 97% decrease in photosynthetic photon flux density. The results highlighted the decrease in the ratio of Chl to carotenoid content, the maximum PSII photochemical efficiency, and the actual PSII photochemical efficiency (ΦPSII) associated with the increase in the ratio of photorespiration to net photosynthesis (PN) in sun. Chl a/b ratio was the most significant variable explaining PNvariations in shade. In sun, PNwas most influenced by the ratio between the fraction of electron transport rate (ETR) used for CO₂assimilation and ETR used for photorespiration, by ΦPSII, nitrogen content per leaf area, and by total Chl content per leaf area. The high phenotypic plasticity of C. avellana (PI = 0.33) shows its responsiveness to light variations. In particular, a greater plasticity of morphological (PIₘ= 0.41) than of physiological (PIₚ= 0.36) and anatomical traits (PIₐ= 0.24) attests to the shade tolerance of the species.
•SPIDER Beam started operation in spring 2018.•SPIDER is the first ITER relevant beam source operating completely in vacuum.•Discharges on back of the source occurred due to high H2 pressure in the ...vessel.•A “mask” installed onto Plasma Grid, reduces nr. of accelerator apertures to 80.•Thanks to this mask, it was possible to operate SPIDER strongly reducing discharges.
SPIDER experiment is operating at the PRIMA site in Padova (I) since June 2018, with the aim of testing and optimizing the negative ion source prototype for ITER Heating Neutral Beam Injectors. In the first operational phase it was discovered that, as the in-vessel hydrogen pressure exceeds the design requirements, discharges occur on the back of the radio frequency source. A specific operational campaign allowed defining a threshold below which the discharge probability is strongly reduced. In order to extend the operational range of the source pressure above the nominal value, while a significant upgrade of the vacuum pumping system is designed and realized, it was decided to proceed with the SPIDER operations by applying a temporary solution. A mask was installed on the beam source plasma grid, closing most of its apertures, in order to reduce the gas conductance between the inside of the radio frequency source and the surrounding volume. At first only 80 over 1280 apertures are left open, with a specific layout properly arranged so as to guarantee the possibility to diagnose the beam characteristics and to evaluate its uniformity. In the paper the plasma grid masking system is described. Finally, an overview of the behavior of plasma grid mask during SPIDER operations is given.
The present study determined whether there are sex differences in the pressor response to angiotensin II (Ang II) when the endogenous renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is blocked by enalapril (ACEI), ...and whether this pressor response is changed in the presence of high salt (HS). Telemetry BP was measured in rats treated with ACEI (250 mg/L drinking water) (n=6 to 7/grp), or with ACEI and Ang II (150 ng/kg/min, sc; n=5 to 6/grp), for 3 wk. For the last 2 wk of the study, rats received HS (4% NaCl). MAP was lower in females during baseline (100.8+/-1.1 versus 105.2+/-1.3; P<0.05), and with ACEI the last 3 days on normal salt diet (78.8+/-1.2 versus 88.5+/-0.9; P<0.05), but increased to higher levels than in males on day 6 of Ang II (129.0+/-2.2 versus 117.3+/-2.9; P<0.05). One week of Ang II increased albuminuria in males, but not females, and urinary 8-iso-PGF2alpha (F2-isoP) was not increased in either males or females. MAP was salt-sensitive in both sexes receiving ACEI, but was only salt-sensitive in males with Ang II (129.3+/-3.7 versus 145.1+/-5.7; P<0.05). Albuminuria continued to increase with HS and Ang II in males, but not in females. F2-isoP excretion increased with MAP during the last week of HS and Ang II in males but was independent of MAP in females. With ACEI, MAP in females on normal salt is more responsive to Ang II but is independent of oxidative stress or renal injury. MAP in males is salt-sensitive with Ang II, which may be mediated by oxidative stress and renal injury.
: media-1vid110.1542/5840460609001PEDS-VA_2018-1879
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the Rochester and modified Philadelphia criteria for the risk stratification of febrile infants with invasive bacterial ...infection (IBI) who do not appear ill without routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing.
We performed a case-control study of febrile infants ≤60 days old presenting to 1 of 9 emergency departments from 2011 to 2016. For each infant with IBI (defined as a blood bacteremia and/or CSF bacterial meningitis culture with growth of a pathogen), controls without IBI were matched by site and date of visit. Infants were excluded if they appeared ill or had a complex chronic condition or if data for any component of the Rochester or modified Philadelphia criteria were missing.
Overall, 135 infants with IBI (118 87.4% with bacteremia without meningitis and 17 12.6% with bacterial meningitis) and 249 controls were included. The sensitivity of the modified Philadelphia criteria was higher than that of the Rochester criteria (91.9% vs 81.5%;
= .01), but the specificity was lower (34.5% vs 59.8%;
< .001). Among 67 infants >28 days old with IBI, the sensitivity of both criteria was 83.6%; none of the 11 low-risk infants had bacterial meningitis. Of 68 infants ≤28 days old with IBI, 14 (20.6%) were low risk per the Rochester criteria, and 2 had meningitis.
The modified Philadelphia criteria had high sensitivity for IBI without routine CSF testing, and all infants >28 days old with bacterial meningitis were classified as high risk. Because some infants with bacteremia were classified as low risk, infants discharged from the emergency department without CSF testing require close follow-up.
Background: Pretest clinical probability with the Wells rule and D‐dimer have been widely investigated for the diagnosis of symptomatic proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limbs, but ...they have not been formally tested for symptomatic isolated distal DVT diagnosis.
Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Wells rule and D‐dimer for isolated distal DVT.
Design, Setting, and Patients: This was a single‐center, cross‐sectional study including 873 consecutive outpatients with suspected DVT, in whom pretest clinical probability determination, D‐dimer determination (STA Liatest; cut‐off of < 500 ng mL−1) and complete compression ultrasonography of both lower limbs were performed.
Results: The isolated distal DVT prevalence was 12.4% (90/725). The sensitivity of the Wells rule for isolated distal DVT was 47% (95% confidence interval CI 36–57%), the specificity was 74% (95% CI 70–77%), and the negative and positive predictive values were 91% (95% CI 88–93%) and 20% (95% CI 15–26%), respectively. Patients with isolated distal DVT had higher D‐dimer levels than patients without DVT (1759 ± 1576 vs. 862 ± 1079 ng mL−1, P = 0.0001). D‐dimer was negative in 13 patients with isolated distal DVT. D‐dimer sensitivity and specificity for isolated distal DVT were 84% (95% CI 75–91%) and 50% (95% CI 46–54%), respectively, with a negative predictive value of 96% (95% CI 93–98%). In patients with low pretest clinical probability, the D‐dimer negative predictive value was 99% (95% CI 95–100%).
Conclusion: In clinically suspected DVT with negative proximal compression ultrasonography, pretest clinical probability with the Wells rule has a low diagnostic accuracy for isolated distal DVT. D‐dimer has a better negative predictive value, but alone it does not exclude isolated distal DVT. In patients with low pretest clinical probability, D‐dimer had a negative predictive value of > 95% for isolated distal DVT.
The electrocardiogram (ECG) reveals that heart chamber activation and repolarization are much faster in mammals and birds compared to ectothermic vertebrates of similar size. Temperature, however, ...affects electrophysiology of the heart and most data from ectotherms are determined at body temperatures lower than those of mammals and birds. The present manuscript is a review of the effects of temperature on intervals in the ECG of ectothermic and endothermic vertebrates rather than a hypothesis-testing original research article. However, the conclusions are supported by the inclusion of original data (Iguana iguana, N = 4; Python regius, N = 5; Alligator mississippiensis, N = 4). Most comparisons were of animals of approximately 1 kg. Compared to mammals and birds, the reptiles at 35–37 °C had 4 fold lower heart rates, 2 fold slower atrial and ventricular conduction (longer P- and QRS-wave durations), and 4 fold longer PR intervals (atrioventricular delay) and QT intervals (total ventricular repolarization). We conclude that the faster chamber activation in endotherms cannot be explained by temperature alone. Based on histology, we show that endotherms have a more compact myocardial architecture. In mammals, disorganization of the compact wall by fibrosis associates with conduction slowing and we suggest the compact tissue architecture allows for faster chamber activation. The short cardiac cycle that characterizes mammals and birds, however, is predominantly accommodated by shortening of the atrioventricular delay and the QT interval, which is so long in a 1 kg iguana that it compares to that of an elephant.
The aim of this study was to compare plasma progesterone (P4) concentrations in nonlactating, multiparous Holstein cows (n = 24) treated with 2 types of intravaginal implants containing either 1.0 or ...1.9 g of P4 either at the first use or during reuse of the implants after sanitizing the implant by autoclave or chemical disinfection. In a completely randomized design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement and 2 replicates, every cow underwent 2 of 6 treatments. Two sources of P4 controlled internal drug release (1.9 g of P4) from Zoetis (São Paulo, Brazil), and Sincrogest (1.0 g of P4) from Ourofino (Cravinhos, Brazil) and 3 types of processing, new (N), reused after autoclave (RA), and reused after chemical disinfection (RC), were used. After inducing luteolysis to avoid endogenous circulating P4, the cows were randomized in 1 of 6 treatments (1.9 g of N, 1.9 g of RA, 1.9 g of RC, 1.0 g of N, 1.0 g of RA, and 1.0 g RC). Cows were treated with the implants for 8 d and during this period blood samples were collected at 0, 2, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, and 192 h. Statistical analyses were performed using Proc-Mixed and the mean ± standard error of the mean P4 concentrations were calculated using the Proc-Means procedures of SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). No interaction between treatments was observed. Comparing types of implant, average P4 concentrations during treatments were greater for 1.9 g than 1.0 g (1.46 vs. 1.14 ± 0.04 ng/mL). When types of processing were compared, average P4 concentrations did not differ between autoclaved and new inserts (1.46 vs. 1.37 ± 0.05 ng/mL; respectively), but both were greater than chemically disinfected implants (1.09 ± 0.04 ng/mL). Within 1.9-g P4 inserts, P4 concentrations from autoclaved implants were greater than new, which were greater than chemically disinfected (1.67 ± 0.06 vs. 1.49 ± 0.07 vs. 1.21 ± 0.05 ng/mL; respectively). For 1.0-g P4 implants, P4 concentrations from autoclaved did not differ from new, but both were greater than chemically disinfected (1.20 ± 0.08 vs. 1.24 ± 0.06 vs. 0.97 ± 0.05 ng/mL; respectively). In conclusion, the mean plasma P4 concentration in nonlactating Holstein cows was greater for 1.9 than 1.0 g of P4 and regardless of the type of implant, the autoclaving process provided greater circulating P4 in relation to chemical disinfection, and similar or greater P4 concentrations compared with a new implant.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are part of the solution to achieve global carbon emissions reduction targets, and the number of EVs is increasing worldwide. Increased demand for EV charging can challenge ...the grid capacity of power distribution systems. Smart charging is therefore becoming an increasingly important topic, and availability of high-grade EV charging data is needed for analysing and modelling of EV charging and related energy flexibility. This study provides a set of methodologies for transforming real-world and commonly available EV charging data into easy-to-use EV charging datasets necessary for conducting a range of different EV studies. More than 35,000 residential charging sessions are analysed. The datasets include realistic predictions of battery capacities, charging power, and plug-in State-of-Charge (SoC) for each of the EVs, along with plug-in/plug-out times, and energy charged. Finally, we analyse how residential charging behaviour is affected by EV battery capacity and charging power. The results show a considerable potential for shifting residential EV charging in time, especially from afternoon/evenings to night-time. Such shifting of charging loads can reduce the grid burden resulting from residential EV charging. The potential for a single EV user to shift EV charging in time increases with higher EV charging power, more frequent connections, and longer connection times. The proposed methods provide the basis for assessing current and future EV charging behaviour, data-driven energy flexibility characterization, analysis, and modelling of EV charging loads and EV integration into power grids.
Progress of DTT ECRH system design Garavaglia, S; Baiocchi, B; Bruschi, A ...
Fusion engineering and design,
July 2021, 2021-07-00, 20210701, Letnik:
168
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT) facility 1, whose construction is starting, will study a suitable solution for the power exhaust in conditions relevant for the future fusion device DEMO. DTT can ...achieve the value of 15 MW/m for the divertor figure of merit PSEP/R by employing 45 MW of auxiliary heating power to the plasma. To achieve this goal, the selected heating systems are Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH), Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ICRH) and Negative (ion based) Neutral Beam Injector (NNBI).
The ECRH system relies on up to 32 gyrotrons (operating each at 170 GHz to supply from a minimum of 1MW to a maximum of 1.2 MW for 100 s), a Quasi Optical (QO) transmission line (TL), consisting of multi-beam mirrors installed under vacuum to reduce the overall transmission losses below the target of 10% and independent (single-beam) front-steering mirrors capable to direct the beams individually in real-time for assisted plasma breakdown, control of neoclassical tearing modes and sawtooth, ECCD and main electron heating. Although the ECRH system design presented here will be based mainly on existing and assessed technologies, like the 170 GHz gyrotron type developed for ITER and the QO TL installed at W7-X, challenging adaptations to the DTT case have to be made. In particular, the design of a QO TL under vacuum is novel and needs detailed analysis of the stray radiation along the line in order to set the requirements for the mirror dimensions and/or the cooling of the vacuum chamber that encloses the mirrors. A further relevant question is the reliability of the ECRH system: the development of automatic algorithms to control such a large number of gyrotrons is foreseen to provide the required amount and distribution of power into the plasma.
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