Hyperbolic dimension of Julia sets of meromorphic maps with logarithmic tracts

We prove that for meromorphic maps with logarithmic tracts (e.g. entire or meromorphic maps with a finite number of poles from class $\mathcal B$), the Julia set contains a compact invariant hyperbolic Cantor set of Hausdorff dimension greater than 1. Hence, the hyperbolic dimension of the Julia set is greater than 1.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

Service level agreements in spatial data infrastructures

Die vorliegende Arbeit entwickelt ein Konzept für die Integration von Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in Geodateninfrastrukturen (GDIs). Der ausgewählten mehrstufigen Ansatz beinhaltet die Entwicklung eines abstrakten SLA-Modells und einer web-basierten SLA-Management-Architektur. Das Ziel des abstrakten SLA-Modells ist die konzeptionelle Beschreibung der Struktur und des Inhaltes von SLAs speziell für die ausgewählten Anwendungsbereiche. Der Zweck der web-basierten SLA-Management-Architektur ist es, die (Online-) Aushandlung von SLAs in bereits existierenden GDIs zu ermöglichen, ohne dass eine vorherige (Offline-) Kommunikation zwischen Dienstanbieter und Dienstnutzer vonnöten ist. Der gewählte Policy-basierte Ansatz deckt nicht nur die Aushandlung von SLAs und die eigentliche Dienstnutzung ab, es wird der vollständige Lebenszyklus von SLAs unterstützt. Dazu gehört sowohl die permanente Überwachung der angebotenen Dienste als auch die permanente Evaluierung aller aktiven SLAs.This thesis develops a concept for the integration of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDIs). The selected multi-step approach involves the development of an abstract SLA model and a web-based SLA management architecture. The aim of the abstract SLA model is to describe the domain-specific structure and content of SLAs that can be applied in SDIs from a conceptual point of view. The purpose of the web-based SLA management architecture is to enable the on-demand and online negotiation of SLAs in established SDIs without the need of prior offline communication between service providers and service consumers. The selected policy-based approach covers not only agreement negotiation and service consumption, but also the complete agreement life cycle including service monitoring and agreement evaluation.<br/

Treatment of nephrotic syndrome with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) gel

Andrew S Bomback1, James A Tumlin2, Joel Baranski3, James E Bourdeau4, Anatole Besarab5, Alice S Appel1, Jai Radhakrishnan1, Gerald B Appel11Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, USA; 3Balboa Nephrology Medical Group, San Diego, CA, USA; 4Nephrology Specialists of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK, USA; 5Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USAPurpose: A synthetic adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) analog has shown efficacy in Europe as primary and secondary therapy for nephrotic syndrome, but there is no published experience using the natural, highly purified ACTH gel formulation, available in the United States, for nephrotic syndrome. We therefore investigated the use of ACTH gel for nephrotic syndrome in the United States.Patients and methods: Twenty-one patients with nephrotic syndrome treated with ACTH gel outside of research settings in the United States, with initiation of therapy by December 31, 2009, allowing a minimum 6 months follow-up. We defined complete remission as stable renal function with proteinuria falling to &amp;lt;500 mg/day, and partial remission as stable renal function with &amp;gt;50% reduction in proteinuria from 500 to 3500 mg/day.Results: Twenty-one patients with nephrotic syndrome were treated: 11 with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (iMN), 4 with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), 1 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), 1 with minimal change disease (MCD), 1 with immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy, 1 with class V systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) glomerulonephritis, 1 with monoclonal diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis, and 1 with unbiopsied nephrotic syndrome. ACTH was used as primary therapy for 3 patients; the remaining patients had previously failed a mean 2.3 immunosuppressive regimens. Eleven patients achieved a complete or partial remission, with 4 (19%) in complete remission. Of the 11 patients who achieved remission, 9 had iMN, 1 had FSGS, and 1 had IgA nephropathy. Of the 11 patients with iMN, 3 (27%) achieved complete remission and 6 (55%) achieved partial remission despite having previously failed a mean 2.4 therapies. Five patients reported steroid-like adverse effects, but there were no severe infections. The limitations were retrospective data analysis with short-term follow-up.Conclusion: ACTH gel may be a viable treatment option for resistant nephrotic syndrome due to membranous nephropathy. Short-term data suggest that remission rates may approach 80%.Keywords: nephrotic syndrome, membranous nephropathy, chronic kidney diseas

Quantitative trait loci and genes associated with salmonid alphavirus load in Atlantic salmon:implications for pancreas disease resistance and tolerance

publishedVersio

Pharmacological inhibition of Bcl-xL sensitizes osteosarcoma to doxorubicin

High-grade conventional osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor. Prognosis for osteosarcoma patients is poor and resistance to chemotherapy is common. We performed an siRNA screen targeting members of the Bcl-2 family in human osteosarcoma cell lines to identify critical regulators of osteosarcoma cell survival. Silencing the anti-apoptotic family member Bcl-xL but also the pro-apoptotic member Bak using a SMARTpool of siRNAs as well as 4/4 individual siRNAs caused loss of viability. Loss of Bak impaired cell cycle progression and triggered autophagy. Instead, silencing Bcl-xL induced apoptotic cell death. Bcl-xL was expressed in clinical osteosarcoma samples but mRNA or protein levels did not significantly correlate with therapy response or survival. Nevertheless, pharmacological inhibition of a range of Bcl-2 family members showed that inhibitors targeting Bcl-xL synergistically enhanced the response to the chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin. Indeed, in osteosarcoma cells strongly expressing Bcl-xL, the Bcl-xL-selective BH3 mimetic, WEHI-539 potently enhanced apoptosis in the presence of low doses of doxorubicin. Our results identify Bcl-xL as a candidate drug target for sensitization to chemotherapy in patients with osteosarcoma

Non-Intrusive Appliance Load Monitoring using Genetic Algorithms

Smart Meters provide detailed energy consumption data and rich contextual information which can be utilized to assist energy providers and consumers in understanding and managing energy use. Here, we present a novel approach using genetic algorithms to infer appliance level data from aggregate load curves without a-priori information. We introduce a theoretical framework to encode load data in a chromosomal representation, to reconstruct individual appliance loads and propose several fitness functions for the evaluation. Our results, using artificial and real world data, confirm the practical relevance and feasibility of our approach

Decision making around living and deceased donor kidney transplantation: a qualitative study exploring the importance of expected relationship changes

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist on the impact of living kidney donation on the donor-recipient relationship. Purpose of this study was to explore motivations to donate or accept a (living donor) kidney, whether expected relationship changes influence decision making and whether relationship changes are actually experienced. METHODS: We conducted 6 focus groups in 47 of 114 invited individuals (41%), asking retrospectively about motivations and decision making around transplantation. We used qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the focus group transcripts. RESULTS: Most deceased donor kidney recipients had a potential living donor available which they refused or did not want. They mostly waited for a deceased donor because of concern for the donor’s health (75%). They more often expected negative relationship changes than living donor kidney recipients (75% vs. 27%, p = 0.01) who also expected positive changes. Living donor kidney recipients mostly accepted the kidney to improve their own quality of life (47%). Donors mostly donated a kidney because transplantation would make the recipient less dependent (25%). After transplantation both positive and negative relationship changes are experienced. CONCLUSION: Expected relationship changes and concerns about the donor’s health lead some kidney patients to wait for a deceased donor, despite having a potential living donor available. Further research is needed to assess whether this concerns a selected group

Electrochemistry at nanoscale electrodes : individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and SWNT-templated metal nanowires

Individual nanowires (NWs) and native single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) can be readily used as well-defined nanoscale electrodes (NSEs) for voltammetric analysis. Here, the simple photolithography-free fabrication of submillimeter long Au, Pt, and Pd NWs, with sub-100 nm heights, by templated electrodeposition onto ultralong flow-aligned SWNTs is demonstrated. Both individual Au NWs and SWNTs are employed as NSEs for electron-transfer (ET) kinetic quantification, using cyclic voltammetry (CV), in conjunction with a microcapillary-based electrochemical method. A small capillary with internal diameter in the range 30–70 μm, filled with solution containing a redox-active mediator (FcTMA+ ((trimethylammonium)methylferrocene), Fe(CN)64–, or hydrazine) is positioned above the NSE, so that the solution meniscus completes an electrochemical cell. A 3D finite-element model, faithfully reproducing the experimental geometry, is used to both analyze the experimental CVs and derive the rate of heterogeneous ET, using Butler–Volmer kinetics. For a 70 nm height Au NW, intrinsic rate constants, k0, up to ca. 1 cm s–1 can be resolved. Using the same experimental configuration the electrochemistry of individual SWNTs can also be accessed. For FcTMA+/2+ electrolysis the simulated ET kinetic parameters yield very fast ET kinetics (k0 > 2 ± 1 cm s–1). Some deviation between the experimental voltammetry and the idealized model is noted, suggesting that double-layer effects may influence ET at the nanoscale

Limited Sampling Model for Advanced Mycophenolic Acid Therapeutic Drug Monitoring After Liver Transplantation

Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicolog