The Smartphoners: Consumer Segmentation by Smartphone Usage.

Smartphone usage is becoming an integral part of consumers\u2019 lifestyle. Over 50% of the worldwide population own at least one smartphone and the adoption of mobile technologies have reshaped the boundaries between online and offline. This study aims to segment consumers by means of activities they perform on personal mobile phones. By analysing 264 online questionnaires and using ten smartphones\u2019 functionalities, we identify five main Smartphoners\u2019 profiles: Utility Users, Gamers, Unfriendly Users, Moderator Users and Supersmartphoners. Differences between smartphone users in terms of age, gender and area of residence, as well as brand of the smartphone owned, hours of usage and reasons to use have been investigated. Managerial and academic implications have been discussed

Analytical interference by monoclonal immunoglobulins on the direct bilirubin AU Beckman Coulter assay: The benefit of unsuspected diagnosis from spurious results

Background: Monoclonal (M) components can interfere with the direct bilirubin (D-Bil) assay on the AU Beckman Coulter instrumentation and produce spurious results, such as D-Bil values greater than total bilirubin (T-Bil) or very low/negative D-Bil values. If properly detected, this interference may uncover undiagnosed patients with monoclonal gammopathy (MG).Methods: We investigated the interference rate on the D-Bil AU assay in serum samples known to contain M proteins along with their isotype and described the protocol set up in our laboratory to help with the diagnosis of MG based on D-Bil spurious results as first indication.Results: During a period of 4 years, 15.4% (345 of 2235) of serum samples containing M immunoglobulins produced erroneous D-Bil results, although no clear relationship between the magnitude or isotype of the M component and interference could be found. In total 22 new patients were diagnosed with MG based on the analytical artefact with the D-Bil as first indication.Conclusions: The D-Bil interference from MG on the Beckman AU analysers needs to be made known to laboratories in order to prevent clinical confusion and/or additional workup to explain the origin of anomalous results. Although this information may not add to the management of existing patients with serum paraproteins, it can benefit patients that have not been diagnosed with MG by triggering follow up testing to determine if M components are present

Living in a transient world: ICP-MS reinvented via time-resolved analysis for monitoring single events

After 40 years of development, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can hardly be considered as a novel technique anymore. ICP-MS has become the reference when it comes to multi-element bulk analysis at (ultra)trace levels, as well as to isotope ratio determination for metal(loid)s. However, over the last decade, this technique has managed to uncover an entirely new application field, providing information in a variety of contexts related to the individual analysis of single entities (e.g., nanoparticles, cells, or micro/nanoplastics), thus addressing new societal challenges. And this profound expansion of its application range becomes even more remarkable when considering that it has been made possible in an a priori simple way: by providing faster data acquisition and developing the corresponding theoretical substrate to relate the time-resolved signals thus obtained with the elemental composition of the target entities. This review presents the underlying concepts behind single event-ICP-MS, which are needed to fully understand its potential, highlighting key areas of application (e.g., single particle-ICP-MS or single cell-ICP-MS) as well as of future development (e.g., micro/nanoplastics)

Overview of the techniques used for the study of non-terrestrial bodies: Proposition of novel non-destructive methodology

Meteorites and impact glasses have been largely analysed using different techniques, but most studies have been focused on their geologicalemineralogical characterization and isotopic ratios, mainly of a destructive nature. However, much more information can be gained by applying novel non-destructive analytical procedures and techniques that have been scarcely used to analyse these materials. This overview presents some new methodologies to study these materials and compares these new approaches with the commonly used ones. Techniques such as X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), for elemental characterization, the hyphenated Raman spectroscopy- SEM/EDS and the combination of them, allow extracting simultaneous information from elemental, molecular and structural data of the studied sample; furthermore, the spectroscopic image capabilities of such techniques allow a better understanding of the mineralogical distribution. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (project ESP2014-56138-C3-2-R

The effect of low temperature on the Raman spectra of calcium-rich sulfates on Mars

Raman spectra (532 nm diode laser) of gypsum, syngenite and görgeyite powders were studied from 273 to 83 K every −10 K. Although it was found that not all the Raman peaks are temperature-sensitive, the effect of temperature on the Raman signal of some bands was modelled. It was observed that the main bands of the three sulfates shift toward higher wavenumbers as temperature decreases. The strengthening of the bonds causes an increase in energy and, consequently, higher wavenumbers. However, –OH bands shift depending on the crystal structure they acquire as the temperature decreases, so not all –OH bands behave in the same way. Finally, the gypsum –OH bands change to more ordered crystalline structures with decreasing temperature, so their bandwidths become narrower and sharper

A single prior course of BCNU-cisplatin chemotherapy has a significant deleterious effect on mobilization kinetics of otherwise untreated patients

Extensive prior treatment with cytotoxic agents is associated with impaired mobilization of hematopoietic cells. To assess the effect of a single course of standarddose chemotherapy (CT), we compared the results of filgrastim-induced mobilization among two sequential groups of grade III–IV malignant glioma patients included in a hematopoietic transplantation program. The first group (21 patients) had never been treated with CT until 2 days after surgery, when they received a course of 100 mg/m2 BCNU (IV) and 100 mg intracarotid cisplatin for cytoreduction (not for mobilization). At 1 month after this CT, they were mobilized with 12 lg/kg filgrastim. The second group (22 patients) was mobilized with the same dose of filgrastim directly after the surgery, without having ever received any prior CT. The blood level of CD34þ cells was significantly lower in the CT-treated patients, both on the fourth day of filgrastim (15 vs 36 cells 106/l; P¼0.01) and on the fifth (25 vs 58 cells 106/l; P¼0.003), as it was the number of CD34þ cells collected per apheresis (1.3 vs 3.5 106/l; Po0.0005). The toxic effect of a single course of BCNUcisplatin CT led to significant impairment of the filgrastim-induced mobilization response. Bone Marrow Transplantation advance onlin

A novel mutation in BRCA1 linked to breast and ovarian cancer and a genotype-phenotype correlation

We report a novel BRCA1 germline 4156delAA mutation detected in a 41-year-old woman with breast and ovarian cancer. Genomic DNA was obtained from peripheral blood. Standard polymerase chain reactions and direct sequencing were performed. This mutation originates a premature stop at codon 1354 of BRCA1 protein and has not been documented in any published report to the best of our knowledge. The mutation was not observed in any other family studied. Since this novel mutation was associated with both breast and ovarian cancer, the genotype-phenotype correlation was investigated in a patient base of 30 families

Intraoperative radiotherapy electron boost followed by moderate doses of external beam radiotherapy in resected soft-tissue sarcoma of the extremities

To analyze the patterns of failure and the toxicity profile of intraoperative electron beam radiotherapy (IOERT) after resection of soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities (STS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-five patients with extremity STS were treated with IOERT and moderate-dose postoperative radiotherapy (45-50 Gy). Twenty-six patients were treated for primary disease (PD) and 19 patients for an isolated recurrence (ILR). Tumor size was >5 cm (maximum diameter) in 36 patients (80%), and high-grade histology in PD patients was present in 14 patients (54%). In nine patients, IOERT was used alone, due to previous irradiation or patient refusal. Chemotherapy (neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant) was mainly given to high-grade tumors. RESULTS: Nine patients relapsed in the extremity (20%), and 12 patients in distant sites (28%). Actuarial local control at 5 years was 88% for patients with negative/close margins and 57% for patients presenting positive margins (P=0.04). Five patients (11%) developed neuropathy associated with the treatment. Extremity preservation was achieved in 40 patients (88%). With a median follow-up of 93 months (range: 27-143 months) for the patients at risk, 25 patients remain alive (a 7-year actuarial survival rate of 75% for PD and 47% for ILR; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: IOERT combined with moderate doses of external beam irradiation yields high local control and extremity preservation rates in resected extremity STS. Peripheral nerves in the IOERT field are dose-limiting structures requiring a dose compromise in the IOERT component to avoid severe neurological damage

Strategy revision opportunities and collusion

This paper studies whether and how strategy revision opportunities affect levels of collusion in indefinitely repeated two-player games. Consistent with standard theory, we find that such opportunities do not affect strategy choices, or collusion levels, if the game is of strategic substitutes. In games of strategic complements, by contrast, revision opportunities lead to more collusion. We discuss alternative explanations for this result