Spatially inhomogeneous evolutionary games

We introduce and study a mean-field model for a system of spatially distributed players interacting through an evolutionary game driven by a replicator dynamics. Strategies evolve by a replicator dynamics influenced by the position and the interaction between different players and return a feedback on the velocity field guiding their motion. One of the main novelties of our approach concerns the description of the whole system, which can be represent-dimensional state space (pairs (x, σ) of position and distribution of strategies). We provide a Lagrangian and a Eulerian description of the evolution, and we prove their equivalence, together with existence, uniqueness, and stability of the solution. As a byproduct of the stability result, we also obtain convergence of the finite agents model to our mean-field formulation, when the number N of the players goes to infinity, and the initial discrete distribution of positions and strategies converge. To this aim we develop some basic functional analytic tools to deal with interaction dynamics and continuity equations in Banach spaces that could be of independent interest. © 2021 The Authors. Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC

Report on the 2007 Proficiency Test for the Determination of Ochratoxin A in Capsicum ssp (Paprika Powder)

A proficiency test was conducted with 68 laboratories from 17 EU Member States and four Third Countries. Test materials were one naturally contaminated "Ochratoxin A positive" and one "Ochratoxin A blank" capsicum material. The majority of laboratories chose to determine the ochratoxin A content by reverse-phase high-performance liquid-chromatography (RP-HPLC) with fluorescence detection against their own standard solutions as reference. Applying the modified Horwitz equation according to Thompson as a basis for the target standard deviation (22% in the case of this proficiency test), 79% of the laboratories achieved z scores of less than ¦2¦. The results were evaluated further on the basis of the returned questionnaire that each participant received. The questions asked were focussed on the fact that future method development, if necessary, could be supported by comparison of the methodologies and method procedures applied.JRC.D.8-Food safety and qualit

Report on the 2007 Proficiency Test of the Community Reference Laboratory Network - Determination of Aflatoxins in a Peanut Product and a Test Solution

A proficiency test was conducted with 31 European National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) for mycotoxins and one Laboratory from a candidate country. Test materials were a mixed aflatoxin (Af) solution in acetonitrile and two candidate Certified Reference Materials (CRM) - one "aflatoxin positive" and one "blank" material - that have not yet been released. Laboratories determined the aflatoxin content by reverse-phase high-performance liquid-chromatography (RP-HPLC) with either fluorescence or mass-selective detection against their own standard solutions as reference. Applying the modified Horwitz equation according to Thompson as a basis for the target standard deviation (22% in the case of this proficiency test), 26 out of 32 laboratories achieved z scores of less than 2 and 17 laboratories reported values within the uncertainty range for both aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxins in the candidate CRM after correction for recovery in both cases.JRC.D.8-Food safety and qualit

Validation of an Analytical Method to Determine the Content of Ochratoxin A in Animal Feed

An inter-laboratory comparison was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of a method based on immunoaffinity column clean-up followed by high performance liquid chromatography using fluorimetric detection (HPLC-FL). The method was tested for the determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) in animal feed at concentration levels relevant to those proposed according to Commission Recommendation 2006/576/EC ( ). The test portion of the sample was extracted with methanol:water. The sample extract was filtered, diluted, passed over an immunoaffinity column for clean-up and then eluted with methanol. The separation and determination of the OTA was performed by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection with an excitation of 333 nm and emission of 467 nm. The animal feed samples, both spiked and naturally contaminated with OTA, were sent to 35 laboratories in 15 EU Member States, Colombia, Canada and Japan. Each laboratory received 6 duplicate samples ¿ 4 coded and 2 blanks for spiking with coded solutions. Blank marked test portions of the samples were spiked at levels of 76 µg/kg and 305 µg/kg OTA. The range of recovery values reported spanned from 47 % ¿ 124 % with an average value of 82 % and 79 % for each level respectively. Based on results for spiked samples (blind duplicates at two levels), as well as naturally contaminated samples (blind duplicates at three levels), the relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr) ranged from 3.1 % ¿ 4.7 %. The relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR) ranged from 13.5 % ¿ 14.6 %. After correction for recovery, the RSDR values improved significantly and ranged from 5.6 % ¿ 6.4 %for naturally contaminated test materials. This method therefore showed acceptable within-laboratory and between-laboratory precision for each matrix.JRC.D.8-Food safety and qualit

Il settore della produzione di motori aerei

Il lavoro si occupa del settore della produzione di motori per aeromobili. Viene trattata quindi solo una parte della realizzazione di un aereo, che e' ricompresa insieme alla produzione di missili e velivoli spaziali, nella piu' ampia categorizzazione di industria aerospazionale.\ud Indice:\ud Identificazione e segmentazione del business - Caratteri ed evoluzione della domanda - Caratteristiche strutturali del settore e fattori critici di successo - Analisi dell'offerta - Tendenze dei rapporti internazional

Evaluation of the Effect of Mycotoxin Binders in Animal Feed on the Analytical Performance of Standardised Methods for the Determination of Mycotoxins in Feed

The last few years have brought a vast amount of information about mycotoxin inactivation agents (mycotoxin binders) which are applied with the aim to reduce the toxic effects of mycotoxins in animals. The influence of the addition of mycotoxin binders to animal feed on the analytical performance of the methods for the determination of mycotoxins was studied and the results are presented in this report. Standardised methods already available or currently under consideration at the European Standardization Committee (CEN) have been applied for the analysis of mycotoxins in feed materials. Samples of 20 commercial mycotoxin inactivation agents were collected from various companies. The following mycotoxins were included in the study: aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, ochratoxin A, fumonisins B1 + B2, T2 and HT2 toxins. Naturally contaminated or spiked feed materials and the maximum recommended amounts of the mycotoxin detoxifying agents were used in the experiments. A binder (or binders combined in a group) was mixed with feed material containing the corresponding mycotoxin, and the feed material with and without binder was analysed using the appropriate method. For data evaluation, the obtained mean values were compared by Student¿s t test (independent two-sample t test with unequal sample sizes and equal variance). The repeatability standard deviation of each method based on collaborative trial data was used as an estimate of method variability. No significant differences (p = 0.05) in mycotoxin levels between binder free material and the material containing different binders have been found under the applied conditions.JRC.D.8-Food safety and qualit

917-97 Decreased Resistance Against Oxidation of LDL from Patients with Homozigous Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) was the first genetic disorder recognized to cause myocardial infarction. Homozigotes (H) inherit two mutant genes at the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor locus, and as a result of the increased levels and prolonged residence time of LDL in plasma, there is a strong tendency toward accumulation of LDL in the arterial wall, causing early atherogenesis. It has been shown that LDL might undergo oxidation before it can be taken up by macrophages and it become foam cells. Thus, one additional explanation for atherogenesis in FH may be the extent to which LDL is susceptible to oxidation. We selected 8 homozigous FH pts (mean total-cholesterol 825±70mg/dl) matched with 8 healthy subjects to investigate the LDL oxidizability. Skin fibroblast cultures showed that one patient was receptor negative, while others were receptor-defective. LDL were isolated from serum by ultracentrifugations in KBr. Purified LDL was exposed to oxygen radicals generated by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase reaction (2mM and 100mU, respectively for 18hs at 37°C). Malonildihaldehyde (MDAI content was evaluated by the thiobarbiturate method. LDL analysis was carried on polyacrylamide (PAGE; 5 to 16% gradient) and agarose gel electrophoresis (0.8% in Tris-HCL buffer). No significant increase was observed in the basal concentration of MDA between LDL from H and controls (0.8±0.12 and 0.9±0.15nmoles of MDAlmg of protein, respectively). Instead, afteroxidation MDAwas 35.1±4.5* nmoles/mg of protein LDL from H, and 23.5±4.1 in controls (*p<0.05). PAGE confirmed the purity of LDL, present as an intact apolipoprotein B100(apo-B100). When oxidized LDL was run on PAGE an extensive apo-B100fragmentation, replaced by lower fragments ranging from 97.400 to 205.000 m.w., was only observed in LDL from H but not in controls in our experimental conditions. MDA content after oxidation of LDL correlated well with the loss of intact apo-B100. Finally, the relative LDL mobility on agarose gel was evaluated. This assay allows to detect changes in electric charge induced by oxidation. Basal LDL from H and controls migrated as homogeneous bands to 1.2±0.2 and 1.1±0.2cm from the origin. In contrast, oxidized LDL from H migrated to 2.1±0.3*cm from the origin while those of controls migrated to 1.5±0.2 (*p<0.05). Thus, in FH LDL appear to be more susceptible to oxidationin vitro; the indices for LDL oxidizability were all significantly different from those of controls. This phenomenon may be an important additional mechanism of atherogenesis in homozigous FH

European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC): Plenary 2016

The European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer (ECIBC) Plenaries are an opportunity to inform representatives from the 28 EU Member States and 7 other countries participating in the ECIBC, as well as patients and other stakeholders, policymakers, and the scientific and health policy communities, about the aims, activities and achievements of the ECIBC. They also provide a platform for the exchange of ideas, feedback and input into the ECIBC. The 2016 ECIBC Plenary, entitled “When science and policy collaborate for health”, took place on 24-25 November in Varese, Italy. Its main focus was the implementation of both the voluntary European Quality Assurance scheme for Breast Cancer Services (European QA scheme) and the European guidelines for breast cancer screening and diagnosis (European Breast Guidelines). In this context, the first concrete results were presented, with the launch of the first four European Breast Guidelines recommendations on screening. The first day of the Plenary was dedicated to the JRC informing the audience about the various tools that ECIBC is developing. The second day instead, gave the floor to the audience, who informed the JRC of their views in terms of the challenges and opportunities related to implementing the ECIBC in the respective European countries. The event opened with welcome speeches from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), a moving presentation from a breast cancer survivor and reflections on how to ensure science makes its way into policy. The JRC and ECIBC working group members then brought the audience up to date with progress on the European QA scheme, the European Breast Guidelines, as well as the Guidelines Platform, the template for training on digital mammography, as well as about how ECIBC plans to monitor its impact. Participants also received in-depth explanations of the accreditation framework selected for the European QA scheme, as well as two countries’ experiences of using the ISO 15189 standard for accreditation, which is foreseen for the European QA scheme. The second day saw a focus on the individual countries represented at the Plenary. Presentations assessed how the European QA scheme could potentially fit into three different health systems (Scotland, the Netherlands, Romania), while a special breakout session gave national representatives from the 27 countries present (out of the 35 countries participating in the ECIBC) the chance to discuss implementation of the European Breast Guidelines and the European QA scheme themselves. The results, collected through questionnaires, fed into a roundtable debate on what needs to be done at European and national level to ensure ECIBC implementation. The meeting was closed by Member of the European Parliament and President of MEPs Against Cancer (MACs), Alojz Peterle. An evaluation of the event revealed that the third ECIBC Plenary met its aims to inform stakeholders: all responding participants felt that the event succeeded in providing a comprehensive overview of how the ECIBC is progressing, and what the challenges are. Discussions also provided the JRC with valuable information and feedback. The fourth ECIBC Plenary will take place once the results from piloting the European QA scheme are available.JRC.F.1-Health in Societ

On the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) of the AlSi10Mg Alloy: Process, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties

The aim of this review is to analyze and to summarize the state of the art of the processing of aluminum alloys, and in particular of the AlSi10Mg alloy, obtained by means of the Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique known as Selective Laser Melting (SLM). This process is gaining interest worldwide, thanks to the possibility of obtaining a freeform fabrication coupled with high mechanical properties related to a very fine microstructure. However, SLM is very complex, from a physical point of view, due to the interaction between a concentrated laser source and metallic powders, and to the extremely rapid melting and the subsequent fast solidification. The effects of the main process variables on the properties of the final parts are analyzed in this review: from the starting powder properties, such as shape and powder size distribution, to the main process parameters, such as laser power and speed, layer thickness, and scanning strategy. Furthermore, a detailed overview on the microstructure of the AlSi10Mg material, with the related tensile and fatigue properties of the final SLM parts, in some cases after different heat treatments, is presented