Convergence and Complexity of an Adaptive Planewave Method for Eigenvalue Computations

In this paper, we study the adaptive planewave discretization for a cluster of eigenvalues of second-order elliptic partial differential equations. We first design an a posteriori error estimator and prove both the upper and lower bounds. Based on the a posteriori error estimator, we propose an adaptive planewave method. We then prove that the adaptive planewave approximations have the linear convergence rate and quasi-optimal complexity.Comment: 29 page

A 3-dimensional in vitro model of epithelioid granulomas induced by high aspect ratio nanomaterials

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The most common causes of granulomatous inflammation are persistent pathogens and poorly-degradable irritating materials. A characteristic pathological reaction to intratracheal instillation, pharyngeal aspiration, or inhalation of carbon nanotubes is formation of epithelioid granulomas accompanied by interstitial fibrosis in the lungs. In the mesothelium, a similar response is induced by high aspect ratio nanomaterials, including asbestos fibers, following intraperitoneal injection. This asbestos-like behaviour of some engineered nanomaterials is a concern for their potential adverse health effects in the lungs and mesothelium. We hypothesize that high aspect ratio nanomaterials will induce epithelioid granulomas in nonadherent macrophages in 3D cultures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Carbon black particles (Printex 90) and crocidolite asbestos fibers were used as well-characterized reference materials and compared with three commercial samples of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Doses were identified in 2D and 3D cultures in order to minimize acute toxicity and to reflect realistic occupational exposures in humans and in previous inhalation studies in rodents. Under serum-free conditions, exposure of nonadherent primary murine bone marrow-derived macrophages to 0.5 μg/ml (0.38 μg/cm²) of crocidolite asbestos fibers or MWCNTs, but not carbon black, induced macrophage differentiation into epithelioid cells and formation of stable aggregates with the characteristic morphology of granulomas. Formation of multinucleated giant cells was also induced by asbestos fibers or MWCNTs in this 3D <it>in vitro </it>model. After 7-14 days, macrophages exposed to high aspect ratio nanomaterials co-expressed proinflammatory (M1) as well as profibrotic (M2) phenotypic markers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Induction of epithelioid granulomas appears to correlate with high aspect ratio and complex 3D structure of carbon nanotubes, not with their iron content or surface area. This model offers a time- and cost-effective platform to evaluate the potential of engineered high aspect ratio nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, nanofibers, nanorods and metallic nanowires, to induce granulomas following inhalation.</p

Complete Genomic Characterization of a Pathogenic A.II Strain of Francisella tularensis Subspecies tularensis

Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of tularemia, which is a highly lethal disease from nature and potentially from a biological weapon. This species contains four recognized subspecies including the North American endemic F. tularensis subsp. tularensis (type A), whose genetic diversity is correlated with its geographic distribution including a major population subdivision referred to as A.I and A.II. The biological significance of the A.I – A.II genetic differentiation is unknown, though there are suggestive ecological and epidemiological correlations. In order to understand the differentiation at the genomic level, we have determined the complete sequence of an A.II strain (WY96-3418) and compared it to the genome of Schu S4 from the A.I population. We find that this A.II genome is 1,898,476 bp in size with 1,820 genes, 1,303 of which code for proteins. While extensive genomic variation exists between “WY96” and Schu S4, there is only one whole gene difference. This one gene difference is a hypothetical protein of unknown function. In contrast, there are numerous SNPs (3,367), small indels (1,015), IS element differences (7) and large chromosomal rearrangements (31), including both inversions and translocations. The rearrangement borders are frequently associated with IS elements, which would facilitate intragenomic recombination events. The pathogenicity island duplicated regions (DR1 and DR2) are essentially identical in WY96 but vary relative to Schu S4 at 60 nucleotide positions. Other potential virulence-associated genes (231) varied at 559 nucleotide positions, including 357 non-synonymous changes. Molecular clock estimates for the divergence time between A.I and A.II genomes for different chromosomal regions ranged from 866 to 2131 years before present. This paper is the first complete genomic characterization of a member of the A.II clade of Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis

The complete mitochondrial genome of Ripeacma umbellata Wang, 2009 (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae)

The mitogenome of Ripeacma umbellata Wang, 2009 was reported in this study. It was 15,486 bps long and strongly AT biased, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), and 1 non-coding control region (351 bp). Most PCGs used the conventional ATN start codon, except for cox1 and cox2. Four genes used single T residue as stop codon rather than the routinely used TAA or TAG. All tRNAs, except for TrnS1, could fold into the cloverleaf secondary structure. Bayesian inference phylogenetic tree built on 13 PCGs from R. umbellata and another 21 species in Gelechioidea demonstrated that genus Ripeacma was a member in Autostichidae, which was consistent with the latest phylogenetic study

Three new species of Meleonoma Meyrick from Yunnan, China (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Xyloryctidae)

Three new species of Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Gelechioidea, Xyloryctidae) from China, Yunnan Province, Meleonoma plicata sp. nov., M. scalprata sp. nov. and M. taeniata sp. nov., are described and illustrated. A key to Meleonoma species known from China is provided

Three new species of Meleonoma Meyrick from Yunnan, China (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Xyloryctidae)

Three new species of Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 (Gelechioidea, Xyloryctidae) from China, Yunnan Province, Meleonoma plicata sp. nov., M. scalprata sp. nov. and M. taeniata sp. nov., are described and illustrated. A key to Meleonoma species known from China is provided

Three new species of Meleonoma Meyrick from Yunnan, China (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Xyloryctidae)

Volume: 904Start Page: 23-3

Human-derived acellular dermal matrix may be an alternative to autologous grafts in tympanic membrane reconstruction: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Human-derived acellular dermal matrix (ADM) has been widely used as an effective alternative to autologous grafts in tympanoplasty. However, evidence of ADM as an alternative to autologous grafts in the repair of tympanic membrane (TM) perforation still lacks adequate empirical evidence. Objectives To determine the clinical safety and efficacy of human-derived ADM as TM graft material for tympanoplasty. Data sources The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, Ovid, Scopus, and Web of Science databases and reference lists of the retrieved articles were searched, with no language restriction. Selection criteria All randomized controlled trials and retrospective cohort studies that compared the use of human-derived ADM and autologous grafts in tympanoplasty for TM perforation were included. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently assessed risk of bias in the included studies and extracted data. The pooled results for continuous data were reported as a mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). For dichotomous data, odds risk (OR) with 95% CI was used. ChI2 statistic and Galbraith plots were used to assess the heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed with a funnel plot and Egger’s test. Main results Five retrospective cohort studies and four randomized controlled studies with a total of 610 participants were included in the meta-analysis. No significant differences in graft success (OR: 0.71 [0.39, 1.29], p = 0.26), air-bone gap (ABG) reduction (MD: − 0.59 [− 3.81, 1.19], p = 0.51), or complications (OR: 1.23 [0.07, 20.64], p = 0.89) were found between the ADM group and autologous graft group. The use of ADM significantly shortened tympanoplasty surgery time (MD: − 16.14 [− 21.22, − 11.07], p < 0.00001) and reduced postoperative pain (MD: − 2.57 [− 3.57, − 1.58], p < 0.00001) compared with the autologous graft group. Conclusion Human-derived ADM might be an effective alternative to autologous grafts for tympanoplasty. However, some of the studies that were included in the present meta-analysis had rather low methodological quality, and more adequately designed clinical trials should be performed in the future. Graphical abstrac

Pretreatment neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in determining the prognosis of head and neck cancer: a meta-analysis

Abstract Background Recent studies have reported a relationship between prognosis and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). As the results are still controversial, we conducted a meta-analysis of pretreatment NLR in peripheral blood and prognosis in HNC patients. Methods We retrieved articles from PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science. A comparative analysis was conducted for the effect of pretreatment NLR in peripheral blood on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival, disease-free survival (DFS), disease-specific survival, metastasis-free survival, and recurrence-free survival of HNC patients. The analysis applied the criteria for systematic reviews described in the Cochrane Handbook and was conducted using hazard ratios (HRs) to estimate effect size, and calculated by Stata/SE version 13.0. Results The meta-analysis included eligible cohort studies (5475 cases). The OS data indicated increased mortality risk in HNC patients with a high NLR (HR = 1.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.53–2.23; P < 0.001; heterogeneity, I2 = 37.2%, P = 0.074). Analysis of subgroups stratified by NLR cutoff values revealed increased mortality risk and significantly shorter DFS in patients with high NLR compared to those with low NLR (HR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.46–3.24; P < 0.001). Patients with high NLR had a higher probability of tumor recurrence after treatment than those with low NLR (HR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.09–2.45; P = 0.017; heterogeneity, I 2 = 68.7%; P = 0.022). The probability of distant metastasis following treatment was greater in patients with high compared with low NLR (HR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.36–2.72; P < 0.001; heterogeneity, I 2 = 0.0%; P = 0.614). Funnel plots of the meta-analysis results were stable, as shown by sensitivity analysis. No publication bias was detected by the Egger test (P = 0.135). Conclusions HNC patients with elevated pretreatment NLR in peripheral blood have poor prognosis and are prone to local invasion and distant metastasis. NLR values are easily obtained from routinely collected blood samples and could assist clinicians to determine prognosis of HNC patients