Linear resolutions of powers and products

The goal of this paper is to present examples of families of homogeneous ideals in the polynomial ring over a field that satisfy the following condition: every product of ideals of the family has a linear free resolution. As we will see, this condition is strongly correlated to good primary decompositions of the products and good homological and arithmetical properties of the associated multi-Rees algebras. The following families will be discussed in detail: polymatroidal ideals, ideals generated by linear forms and Borel fixed ideals of maximal minors. The main tools are Gr\"obner bases and Sagbi deformation

Ptychographic X-ray computed tomography of extended colloidal networks in food emulsions

As a main structural level in colloidal food materials, extended colloidal networks are important for texture and rheology. By obtaining the 3D microstructure of the network, macroscopic mechanical properties of the material can be inferred. However, this approach is hampered by the lack of suitable non-destructive 3D imaging techniques with submicron resolution. We present results of quantitative ptychographic X-ray computed tomography applied to a palm kernel oil based oil-in-water emulsion. The measurements were carried out at ambient pressure and temperature. The 3D structure of the extended colloidal network of fat globules was obtained with a resolution of around 300 nm. Through image analysis of the network structure, the fat globule size distribution was computed and compared to previous findings. In further support, the reconstructed electron density values were within 4% of reference values.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Food Structur

Robotic Surgery may Not “Make the Cut” in Pediatrics

Since the introduction of robotic surgery in children in 2001, it has been employed by select pediatric laparoscopic surgeons but not to the degree of adult surgical specialists. It has been suggested that the technical capabilities of the robot may be ideal for complex pediatric surgical cases that require intricate dissection. However, due to the size constraints of the robot for small pediatric patients, the tight financial margins that pediatric hospitals face, and the lack of high level data displaying patient benefit when compared to conventional laparoscopic surgery, it may be some time before the robotic surgical platform is widely embraced in pediatric surgical practice

How present aerosol pollution from North America impacts North Atlantic climate

This paper describes the potential effects of present-day aerosol pollution from North America (USA, Canada) on the climate of the North Atlantic region. The study has been performed by applying the comprehensive atmospheric general circulation model ECHAM5-HAM, which is coupled to a mixed-layer ocean with an embedded thermodynamic sea ice module. The model includes a microphysical aerosol model (HAM), which allows for the assessment of aerosol impacts on climate. Sulphate, black and organic carbon, sea salt and mineral dust are considered as aerosol species. Two equilibrium simulations with two different aerosol pollutant scenarios are compared for each season. We investigate the effect on radiation, temperature, hydrological quantities and dynamics, when human-induced aerosol emissions from North America were omitted. The decrease of both direct and indirect aerosol effects induces a positive change in top of the atmosphere (TOA) radiative fluxes resulting in an overall warming in the whole region. Our results demonstrate the vulnerability especially of the Arctic to the reduction in aerosol load. For fall we find an increase in precipitation over the North Atlantic, associated with a tendency to a larger number of cyclones with high-pressure gradients and a higher frequency in storm days

Reliability analysis of dynamic systems by translating temporal fault trees into Bayesian networks

Classical combinatorial fault trees can be used to assess combinations of failures but are unable to capture sequences of faults, which are important in complex dynamic systems. A number of proposed techniques extend fault tree analysis for dynamic systems. One of such technique, Pandora, introduces temporal gates to capture the sequencing of events and allows qualitative analysis of temporal fault trees. Pandora can be easily integrated in model-based design and analysis techniques. It is, therefore, useful to explore the possible avenues for quantitative analysis of Pandora temporal fault trees, and we identify Bayesian Networks as a possible framework for such analysis. We describe how Pandora fault trees can be translated to Bayesian Networks for dynamic dependability analysis and demonstrate the process on a simplified fuel system model. The conversion facilitates predictive reliability analysis of Pandora fault trees, but also opens the way for post-hoc diagnostic analysis of failures

Crystal and magnetic structure of La_{1-x}Sr_{1+x}MnO_{4} : role of the orbital degree of freedom

The crystal and magnetic structure of La_{1-x}Sr_{1+x}MnO_4 (0<x<0.7) has been studied by diffraction techniques and high resolution capacitance dilatometry. There is no evidence for a structural phase transition like those found in isostructural cuprates or nickelates, but there are significant structural changes induced by the variation of temperature and doping which we attribute to a rearrangement of the orbital occupation.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PR

Autologous point‐of‐care stromal vascular fraction transplantation in dogs with advanced osteoarthritis of the knee and hip joints

Objective The aim of the study was to assess lameness in dogs with advanced osteoarthritis of the hip and knee joints after a single autologous point-of-care transplantation of the Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) into the affected joint. Materials and methods During a minilaparotomy, 10 g of falciform fat was removed from each patient for each joint to be treated. A modern and time-saving procedure (ARC TM System, InGeneron GmbH, Houston, USA) was used for the in-house preparation of the SVF, so that the isolated cells could be applied to the respective joint within 2 h after fat removal. In total, five knee joints of five patients and seven hip joints of four patients were treated. Results Improvement in lameness according to owner questionnaires was seen in 3 of 5 patients with knee joint arthritis and 2 of 4 patients with hip joint arthritis. Based on gait analysis, only one dog with gonarthrosis and one dog with coxarthrosis showed improvement up to a maximum of 3 months after surgery. Conclusion This is the first case series on the treatment of osteoarthrosis of the knee or hip joint using point-of-care transplantation of the SVF. In individual cases, this method may represent a therapeutic approach for the treatment in dogs with advanced cox- or gonarthrosis, although only a short-term effect can be expected, which calls into question the effort and costs involved

Invariants of pseudogroup actions: Homological methods and Finiteness theorem

We study the equivalence problem of submanifolds with respect to a transitive pseudogroup action. The corresponding differential invariants are determined via formal theory and lead to the notions of k-variants and k-covariants, even in the case of non-integrable pseudogroup. Their calculation is based on the cohomological machinery: We introduce a complex for covariants, define their cohomology and prove the finiteness theorem. This implies the well-known Lie-Tresse theorem about differential invariants. We also generalize this theorem to the case of pseudogroup action on differential equations.Comment: v2: some remarks and references addee

Identification, physiological actions, and distribution of TPSGFLGMRamide: A novel tachykinin-related peptide from the midgut and stomatogastric nervous system of Cancer crabs

In most invertebrates, multiple species-specific isoforms of tachykinin-related peptide (TRP) are common. In contrast, only a single conserved TRP isoform, APSGFLGMRamide, has been documented in decapod crustaceans, leading to the hypothesis that it is the sole TRP present in this arthropod order. Previous studies of crustacean TRPs have focused on neuronal tissue, but the recent demonstration of TRPs in midgut epithelial cells in Cancer species led us to question whether other TRPs are present in the gut, as is the case in insects. Using direct tissue matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry, in combination with sustained off-resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation, we found that at least one additional TRP is present in Cancer irroratus, Cancer borealis, Cancer magister, and Cancer productus. The novel TRP isoform, TPSGFLGMRamide, was present not only in the midgut, but also in the stomatogastric nervous system (STNS). In addition, we identified an unprocessed TRP precursor APSGFLGMRG, which was detected in midgut tissues only. TRP immunohistochemistry, in combination with preadsorption studies, suggests that APSGFLGMRamide and TPSGFLGMRamide are co-localized in the stomatogastric ganglion (STG), which is contained within the STNS. Exogenous application of TPSGFLGMRamide to the STG elicited a pyloric motor pattern that was identical to that elicited by APSGFLGMRamide, whereas APSGFLGMRG did not alter the pyloric motor pattern. © 2007 The Authors