On the Effects of an Installed Propeller Slipstream on Wing Aerodynamic Characteristics

This work presents an experimental study of the effect of an installed propeller slipstream on a wing boundary layer. The main objective was to analyse through wind tunnel experiments the effect of the propeller slipstream on the wing boundary layer characteristics such as: laminar flow extension and transition, laminar separation bubbles and reattachment and turbulent separation. Two propeller/wing configurations were studied: pusher and tractor. Experimental work was performed using two different models: a two-dimensional wing with a central cylindrical nacelle for the tractor configuration, and a simple two-dimensional wing with a downstream propeller for the pusher tests. The relative position between propeller and wing could be changed in the pusher model, and a total of 7 positions were analysed. For the tractor tests the relative propeller/wing was fixed, but three different propellers: two, three and four bladed were tested. Measurements included pressure distribution, hot wire anemometry and boundary layer characteristics by flow visualisation. The results showed that the pusher propeller inflow affects the wing characteristics by changing the lift, drag, and also delays the boundary layer transition and separation. These effects are highly dependent on the relative position of the wing/propeller. On the other hand, the tractor propeller slipstream induces transition and its effect is dependent on the number of blades

Uniform non-stoichiometric titanium nitride thin films for improved kinetic inductance detector array

We describe the fabrication of homogeneous sub-stoichiometric titanium nitride films for microwave kinetic inductance detector (mKID) arrays. Using a 6 inch sputtering target and a homogeneous nitrogen inlet, the variation of the critical temperature over a 2 inch wafer was reduced to <25 %. Measurements of a 132-pixel mKID array from these films reveal a sensitivity of 16 kHz/pW in the 100 GHz band, comparable to the best aluminium mKIDs. We measured a noise equivalent power of NEP = 3.6e-15 W/Hz^(1/2). Finally, we describe possible routes to further improve the performance of these TiN mKID arrays.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Journal of low temperature physics, Proceedings of LTD-1

Magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) of bone metastases: from primary pain palliation to local tumor control

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical performance of MRgFUS in primary pain palliation of painful bone metastases and in local tumor control. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 26 consecutive patients (female/male 12/14; age: 64.7±7.5yrs) with painful bone metastases. Before and 3 months after MRgFUS treatment pain severity and pain interference scores were assessed according to Brief Pain Inventory-Quality of Life (BPI-QoL) criteria and patients underwent both CT and MRI. Local tumor control was evaluated according to lesion size, density and perfusion at CT, dynamic contrast enhancement at MRI (Discovery 750HD, GE; Gd-Bopta, Bracco) and metabolic activity at PET or scintigraphy. Patients were classified as responders or non-responders. Results: No treatment-related adverse events were recorded during the study. As statistically significant difference between baseline and follow-up values for both pain severity and pain interference scores was observed (p&lt;0.05). Increased bone density was observed in 9/26 (34.6%) patients. Non-Perfused Volume values ranged between 20% and 92%. There was no difference in NPV values between responders and non-responders (46.7±24.2% [25 - 90 %] vs. 45±24.9% [20 - 93 %]; p=0.7). In 6 patients (5 prostate and 1 breast primary cancer) there was nearly absence of metabolic activity after treatment (mean SUV=1.2). Conclusion: MRgFUS can be safely and effectively used as the primary treatment for pain palliation in patients with painful bone metastases; moreover our experience demonstrated also a potential role for the MRgFUS in local tumor control

Preterm birth after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). how cone features and microbiota could influence the pregnancy outcome

OBJECTIVE: In the last years, the mean age of women who underwent cervical treatment for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2-3) is similar to the age of women having their first pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2013 to January 2016 the study identified a total of 1435 women, nulliparous, who underwent LEEP for CIN 2-3, and who wished to have their first pregnancy. Before surgery, the lengths of the cervix were calculated by transvaginal sonography. After the treatment, the dimension of the removed tissue was evaluated. During the pregnancy, all women carried out periodic transvaginal sonography and vaginal-cervical swabs. RESULTS: The average age of patients was 31.96±5.24 years; the interval between the surgical procedure and pregnancy was 12.04±4.67 months; the gestational age at births was 37.53±2.91 weeks. The first vaginal and cervical swab performed during pregnancy was negative in 81.8% of patients. The most prevalent infections were related to C. Albicans, G. Vaginalis, and Group B Streptococcus (GBS). The rate of preterm delivery was significantly higher in women with a minor cervical length. CONCLUSIONS: The length and the volume of cervical tissue excised have been shown to be directly related to the risk for preterm birth. Furthermore, vaginal infections and their persistence during pregnancy in women with a history of LEEP may be associated with an increased risk for preterm birth, compared with women with no history of LEEP

Influence of Culture Conditions on In Vitro Asymbiotic Germination of Anacamptis longicornu and Ophrys panormitana (Orchidaceae)

This study is the first approach to in vitro asymbiotic germination of two species of Sicilian threatened terrestrial orchids, Anacamptis longicornu and Ophrys panormitana. Seeds were collected in the wild and cultured in two different media—Orchimax medium (OM) and Murashige and Skoog (MS)—and exposed to different photoperiods and temperatures to evaluate the best conditions for the specific stages of development. The germination of A. longicornu was very high on OM (95.5%) and lower on MS medium (21.4%), whereas O. panormitana germinated only on OM medium, with significantly lower percentages (12.0%), compared with A. longicornu. This difference is caused by variation in quality and quantity of nutrients used, primarily by nitrogen source. The results show that temperature and photoperiod widely affect seed germination and development. Although further investigations on asymbiotic and symbiotic germination are needed for the improvement of conservation of Mediterranean terrestrial orchids, our results contribute to the conservation of this group of plants

Diagnostic accuracy of sonohysterography vs hysteroscopy in benign uterine endocavitary findings

OBJECTIVE: To compare diagnostic accuracy of sonohysterography vs hysteroscopy in patients with benign uterine endocavitary findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated 202 patients submitted to sonohysterography after transvaginal ultrasound examination suspicious for uterine endocavitary findings. Cytological sample was taken and analyzed from the fluid used to distend the uterine cavity. Of 202 patients enrolled for this study, 86 patients underwent gynaecological surgery, of whom 77 were treated with operative hysteroscopy and 9 with other gynaecological surgical techniques. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate diagnostic agreement between sonohysterography vs hysteroscopy and cytology vs histology. RESULTS: Diagnostic concordance between sonohysterography and hysteroscopy was significant (k value 0.87). The correlation between cytological and histological findings had a moderate level of concordance (k value 0.49).CONCLUSIONS: Sonohysterography provides a diagnostic accuracy as well as hysteroscopy, therefore, it could be considered an alternative procedure in the diagnosis of benign uterine endocavitary findings

Polyethylene Glycol Epirubicin-Loaded Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization Procedures Utilizing a Combined Approach with 100 and 200 μm Microspheres: A Promising Alternative to Current Standards

PURPOSE:To report clinical effectiveness, toxicity profile, and prognostic factors of combined 100 μm ± 25 and 200 μm ± 50 epirubicin-loaded polyethylene glycol (PEG) microsphere drug-eluting embolic transcatheter arterial chemoembolization protocol in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective, single-center, single-arm study with 18 months of follow-up, 36 consecutive patients (mean age 69.9 y ± 10.8; 26 men, 10 women; 54 naïve lesions) were treated. Embolization was initiated with 100 μm ± 25 microspheres, and if stasis (10 heart beats) was not achieved, 200 μm ± 50 microspheres were administered. Each syringe (2 mL) of PEG microsphere was loaded with 50 mg of epirubicin. Results were evaluated using Modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors with multidetector computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging at 1, 3-6, 9-12, and 15-18 months. Toxicity profile was assessed by laboratory testing before and after the procedure. Complications were recorded. Postembolization syndrome (PES) was defined as onset of fever/nausea/pain after the procedure. Patient/lesion characteristics and treatment results were correlated with predicted outcome using regression analysis. Child-Pugh score was A in 86.1% of patients (31/36) and B in 13.9% (5/36). RESULTS: In 10 of 21 lesions, &lt; 2 cm in diameter (47.5%) stasis was achieved with 100 μm ± 25 microspheres only, whereas all other lesions required adjunctive treatment with 200 μm ± 50 microspheres. Reported adverse events were grade 1 acute liver bile duct injury (3/39 cases, 7.7%) and PES (grade 2; 3/39 cases, 7.7%). Complete response (CR) at 1, 3-6, 9-12, and 15-18 months was 61.1%, 65.5%, 63.63%, and 62.5%. Objective response (CR + partial response) at 1, 3-6, 9-12, and 15-18 months was 83.3%, 65.85%, 63.63%, and 62.5%. No single factor (laboratory testing, etiology, patient status, hepatic status, tumor characteristics, administration protocol) predicted outcomes except for albumin level at baseline for CR (P &lt; .05, odds ratio = 1.09). CONCLUSIONS: The combined microsphere sizing strategy was technically feasible and yielded promising results in terms of effectiveness and toxicity

Studying the heterogeneity of European higher education institutions

The heterogeneity of the Higher Education (HE) Institutions is one of the main critical issues in the assessment of their performance. This paper adopts a multi-level and multi-dimensional perspective, combining national (macro) and institution (micro) level data, and measuring both research and teaching activity, using performance indicators derived from the European Tertiary Education Register, CWTS Leiden Ranking, and PATSTAT patent database. Clustering and efficiency analysis are combined to characterize the heterogeneity of national HE systems in European countries, and reveal the potential of using micro level data to characterize national level performance. Large differences are observed between the European countries, partially due to the fact that they are in different phases of their scientific (and economic) development and of the re-structuring of their HE systems. Evidence is found that universities specializing either in teaching or in research tend to have a higher efficiency than those institutions balancing research and teaching. Tradeoffs are observed between undergraduate and post-graduate activities, and a “Matthew cumulative effect” seems in place on the European institutions analysed: high quality research is able to attract external funds that stimulate innovative and patenting activities that in turn are self-reinforcing to the scientific activities. The results reveal once more the limits and dangers of one-dimensional approaches to the performance of HEIs

A novel human aquaporin-4 splice variant exhibits a dominant-negative activity: a new mechanism to regulate water permeability.

Two major isoforms of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) have been described in human tissue. Here we report the identification and functional analysis of an alternatively spliced transcript of human AQP4, AQP4-Δ4, that lacks exon 4. In transfected cells AQP4-Δ4 is mainly retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and shows no water transport properties. When AQP4-Δ4 is transfected into cells stably expressing functional AQP4, the surface expression of the full-length protein is reduced. Furthermore, the water transport activity of the cotransfectants is diminished in comparison to transfectants expressing only AQP4. The observed down-regulation of both the expression and water channel activity of AQP4 is likely to originate from a dominant-negative effect caused by heterodimerization between AQP4 and AQP4-Δ4, which was detected in coimmunoprecipitation studies. In skeletal muscles, AQP4-Δ4 mRNA expression inversely correlates with the level of AQP4 protein and is physiologically associated with different types of skeletal muscles. The expression of AQP4-Δ4 may represent a new regulatory mechanism through which the cell-surface expression and therefore the activity of AQP4 can be physiologically modulated