Analysis of some localized boundary-domain integral equations for transmission problems with variable coefficients

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be found at the links below - Copyright @ 2011 Birkhäuser Boston.Some segregated systems of direct localized boundary-domain integral equations (LBDIEs) associated with several transmission problems for scalar PDEs with variable coefficients are formulated and analyzed for a bounded domain composed of two subdomains with a coefficient jump over the interface. The main results established in the paper are the LBDIE equivalence to the original transmission problems and the invertibility of the corresponding localized boundary-domain integral operators in corresponding Sobolev spaces function spaces.This research was supported by the EPSRC grant EP/H020497/1: ”Mathematical analysis of Localized Boundary-Domain Integral Equations for Variable-Coefficient Boundary Value Problems” and partly by the Georgian Technical University grant in the case of the third author

Analysis of segregated boundary-domain integral equations for mixed variable-coefficient BVPs in exterior domains

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2011 Birkhäuser Boston.Some direct segregated systems of boundary–domain integral equations (LBDIEs) associated with the mixed boundary value problems for scalar PDEs with variable coefficients in exterior domains are formulated and analyzed in the paper. The LBDIE equivalence to the original boundary value problems and the invertibility of the corresponding boundary–domain integral operators are proved in weighted Sobolev spaces suitable for exterior domains. This extends the results obtained by the authors for interior domains in non-weighted Sobolev spaces.The work was supported by the grant EP/H020497/1 ”Mathematical analysis of localised boundary-domain integral equations for BVPs with variable coefficients” of the EPSRC, UK

Quantification of aflatoxin M1 carry-over rate from feed to soft cheese

From January to December 2016, samples of milk and feeds of dairy cattle were monthly collected. The concentration of mycotoxins in all matrices was determined using the enzymatic immunoassay technique. The average concentration of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) in feed was 3.01, 218.5 and 467 ug/kg, respectively. The average AFB1 carry-over rate was 0.84% with a variation between 0.05 to 5.93%. Particle size of the feed (P = 0.030) and individual milk production (P = 0.001) affected this rate. Mini-soft cheeses were produced using milk naturally contaminated with aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) as raw material to study its distribution both in whey and in cheese. The average level of AFM1 in milk was 0.014 μg/l. None of milk samples exceeded the maximum level accepted for AFB1 by the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) legislation (0.5 μg/l) and only 5.5% of samples exceeded the European Union (UE) regulations (0.05 μg/l). After the cheese elaboration, the concentration of AFM1 was determined in whey and in cheese. The greatest proportion (60%) was detected in whey while 40% AFM1 remained in the cheese. However, the concentration of AFM1 was higher in the cheese compared to the original milk.Fil: Costamagna, D.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Gaggiotti, M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Chiericatti, C. A.. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Costabel, L.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Audero, Gabriela María de Luján. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Taverna, Miguel Angel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Signorini Porchietto, Marcelo Lisandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentin

pirfenidone in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and more advanced lung function impairment

Abstract Background Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) demonstrate a range of lung function impairment. However, the efficacy of antifibrotics compared with placebo has not been assessed in patients with more advanced disease. This post-hoc analysis investigated the efficacy and safety of pirfenidone versus placebo in patients with IPF and more advanced lung function impairment, defined as percent predicted forced vital capacity (%FVC)  Methods Patients randomised to pirfenidone 2,403 mg/day or placebo in the ASCEND (NCT01366209) and CAPACITY (NCT00287716; NCT00287729) trials with more advanced baseline lung function impairment (pirfenidone, n = 90; placebo, n = 80) were included. Mortality, lung function, hospitalisation, exercise capacity and dyspnoea were investigated over 52 weeks. Results At Week 52 versus placebo, pirfenidone was associated with significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09–0.86; p=0.0180), ≥10% absolute %FVC decline or all-cause mortality (HR 0.40; 95% CI 0.23–0.69; p=0.0006) and ≥10% absolute %FVC decline or respiratory-related hospitalisation or all-cause mortality (HR 0.46; 95% CI 0.28–0.76; p=0.0018). At Week 52, median treatment differences favouring pirfenidone were 36.7 m for 6-min walk distance and −8.0 points for the University of California—San Diego Shortness of Breath Questionnaire total score. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) led to discontinuation in 14.4% and 21.3% of patients with pirfenidone and placebo, respectively. Conclusion Pirfenidone demonstrated clinically relevant benefits across multiple domains in patients with IPF and more advanced disease without an increased risk of discontinuation due to TEAEs. Clinical trials registration clinicaltrials. gov (ASCEND: NCT01366209; CAPACITY: NCT00287716; NCT00287729)

Localized boundary-domain singular integral equations based on harmonic parametrix for divergence-form elliptic PDEs with variable matrix coefficients

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official publised version can be accessed from the links below. Copyright @ 2013 Springer BaselEmploying the localized integral potentials associated with the Laplace operator, the Dirichlet, Neumann and Robin boundary value problems for general variable-coefficient divergence-form second-order elliptic partial differential equations are reduced to some systems of localized boundary-domain singular integral equations. Equivalence of the integral equations systems to the original boundary value problems is proved. It is established that the corresponding localized boundary-domain integral operators belong to the Boutet de Monvel algebra of pseudo-differential operators. Applying the Vishik-Eskin theory based on the factorization method, the Fredholm properties and invertibility of the operators are proved in appropriate Sobolev spaces.This research was supported by the grant EP/H020497/1: "Mathematical Analysis of Localized Boundary-Domain Integral Equations for Variable-Coefficient Boundary Value Problems" from the EPSRC, UK

A limit model for thermoelectric equations

We analyze the asymptotic behavior corresponding to the arbitrary high conductivity of the heat in the thermoelectric devices. This work deals with a steady-state multidimensional thermistor problem, considering the Joule effect and both spatial and temperature dependent transport coefficients under some real boundary conditions in accordance with the Seebeck-Peltier-Thomson cross-effects. Our first purpose is that the existence of a weak solution holds true under minimal assumptions on the data, as in particular nonsmooth domains. Two existence results are studied under different assumptions on the electrical conductivity. Their proofs are based on a fixed point argument, compactness methods, and existence and regularity theory for elliptic scalar equations. The second purpose is to show the existence of a limit model illustrating the asymptotic situation.Comment: 20 page

Role of estrogen related receptor beta (ESRRB) in DFN35B hearing impairment and dental decay

BACKGROUND: Congenital forms of hearing impairment can be caused by mutations in the estrogen related receptor beta (ESRRB) gene. Our initial linkage studies suggested the ESRRB locus is linked to high caries experience in humans. METHODS: We tested for association between the ESRRB locus and dental caries in 1,731 subjects, if ESRRB was expressed in whole saliva, if ESRRB was associated with the microhardness of the dental enamel, and if ESRRB was expressed during enamel development of mice. RESULTS: Two families with recessive ESRRB mutations and DFNB35 hearing impairment showed more extensive dental destruction by caries. Expression levels of ESRRB in whole saliva samples showed differences depending on sex and dental caries experience. CONCLUSIONS: The common etiology of dental caries and hearing impairment provides a venue to assist in the identification of individuals at risk to either condition and provides options for the development of new caries prevention strategies, if the associated ESRRB genetic variants are correlated with efficacy.Fil: Weber, Megan L.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Hsin, Hong Yuan. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Kalay, Ersan. Karadeniz Technical University; TurquíaFil: Brožková, Dana Š. Charles University; República Checa. University Hospital Motol; República ChecaFil: Shimizu, Takehiko. Nihon University. School of Dentistry; JapónFil: Bayram, Merve. Medipol Istanbul University; TurquíaFil: Deeley, Kathleen. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Küchler, Erika C.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Forella, Jessalyn. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Ruff, Timothy D.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Trombetta, Vanessa M.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Sencak, Regina C.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Hummel, Michael. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Briseño Ruiz, Jessica. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Revu, Shankar K.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Granjeiro, José M.. Universidade Federal Fluminense; BrasilFil: Antunes, Leonardo S.. Universidade Federal Fluminense; BrasilFil: Antunes, Livia A.. Universidade Federal Fluminense; BrasilFil: Abreu, Fernanda V.. Universidade Federal Fluminense; BrasilFil: Costabel, Marcelo C.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Tannure, Patricia N.. Veiga de Almeida University; Brasil. Salgado de Oliveira University; BrasilFil: Koruyucu, Mine. Istanbul University; TurquíaFil: Patir, Asli. Medipol Istanbul University; TurquíaFil: Poletta, Fernando Adrián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mereb, Juan C.. Estudio Colaborativo Latino Americano de Malformaciones Congénitas; ArgentinaFil: Castilla, Eduardo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Orioli, Iêda M.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Marazita, Mary L.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Ouyang, Hongjiao. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Jayaraman, Thottala. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Seymen, Figen. Istanbul University; TurquíaFil: Vieira, Alexandre R.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados Unido