Solar and biomass hybridization through hydrothermal carbonization

Hydrothermal carbonization process can transform wet bio-wastes into value-added products. This work aims to hybridize a concentrating solar technology and a biomass reactor for the continuous and sustainable valorization of biomass. The novel technology proposed integrates a linear beam-down solar field with a twin-screw reactor for continuous HTC process. The solar field consists of two reflections that concentrate linearly the sun energy on the ground, where the twin-screw reactor is placed. A mathematical model is proposed to solve both the heat transfer and HTC kinetics for a co-rotating twin-screw reactor. The incoming heat flux from the solar field (8-20 kW/m(2)), the reactor length (L/D = 30-60 where D is the diameter) and the rotating velocity of the screw (25-100 rpm) are the main variables used to process the biomass up to the desired severity factor. The simulation results of different lignocellulosic biomasses (loblolly pine, sugarcane bagasse, corn stover and rice husk) are validated against literature data. The developed model shows good agreement with experimental results shown in the literature. The proposed technology foresees hydrochar yields of 64-78% for severity factors of 4.2 and 5.3, respectively, in agreement to the experimental results of 63-70% shown in literature. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

TP53, ATRX alterations, and low tumor mutation load feature IDH-wildtype giant cell glioblastoma despite exceptional ultra-mutated tumors

Background: Giant cell glioblastoma (gcGBM) is a rare morphological variant of IDH-wildtype (IDHwt) GBM that occurs in young adults and have a slightly better prognosis than "classic" IDHwt GBM. Methods: We studied 36 GBMs, 14 with a histopathological diagnosis of gcGBM and 22 with a giant cell component. We analyzed the genetic profile of the most frequently mutated genes in gliomas and assessed the tumor mutation load (TML) by gene-targeted next-generation sequencing. We validated our findings using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. Results: p53 was altered by gene mutation or protein overexpression in all cases, while driver IDH1, IDH2, BRAF, or H3F3A mutations were infrequent or absent. Compared to IDHwt GBMs, gcGBMs had a significant higher frequency of TP53, ATRX, RB1, and NF1 mutations, while lower frequency of EGFR amplification, CDKN2A deletion, and TERT promoter mutation. Almost all tumors had low TML values. The high TML observed in only 2 tumors was consistent with POLE and MSH2 mutations. In the histopathological review of TCGA IDHwt, TP53-mutant tumors identified giant cells in 37% of the cases. Considering our series and that of the TCGA, patients with TP53-mutant gcGBMs had better overall survival than those with TP53wt GBMs (log-rank test, P < .002). Conclusions: gcGBMs have molecular features that contrast to "classic" IDHwt GBMs: unusually frequent ATRX mutations and few EGFR amplifications and CDKN2A deletions, especially in tumors with a high number of giant cells. TML is frequently low, although exceptional high TML suggests a potential for immune checkpoint therapy in some cases, which may be relevant for personalized medicine

Reassessing the Fighting Performance of Conscript Soldiers During the Malvinas/Falklands War (1982)

While the idea is controversial, it is quite possible that, at least under certain circumstances, the fighting effectiveness of a conscript army can equal that of a professional army. For any army, fighting effectiveness is not only influenced by the degree of psychological cohesion among soldiers and officers, but also by the organizational culture of each particular service unit towards the preparation for war and the waging of the conflict itself. The Malvinas (Falklands) War of 1982 demonstrates this very well. In this war, two different types of armies confronted one another: the British army, a professional and all volunteer force, and the Argentine army constituted principally of conscripted soldiers. In this regard, some analysts assert that the British concept was vindicated when a force of British professional soldiers defeated an opposing Argentine force of draftees twice as numerous. Analysts in general have rated the capabilities of the Argentine land forces as poor, although there were exceptions and some units performed very well. These cases deserve to be studied. Notably, the most effective Argentine effort came from some small Army units and one Navy unit, the 5th Marine Battalion. For these units, two primary reasons account for the differences in fighting performance. First, small Army groups fought well because there was cohesion among their components, conscripts, noncommissioned officers, and junior officers, especially by the attitude of the latter. Secondly, in the case of the Marine battalion, its performance was the product not only of good training, but also of the different institutional approach to waging war that the Argentine Navy employed. These, in turn, improved cohesion. By focusing upon these units and their effectiveness, a rather new picture of the Malvinas War comes to light that differs quite substantially from those drawn in the immediate aftermath of the war itself. It should also make us rethink the lessons of the war, including those that surround the professionals versus conscripts controversy

Fluctuations of wave functions about their classical average

Quantum-classical correspondence for the average shape of eigenfunctions and the local spectral density of states are well-known facts. In this paper, the fluctuations that quantum mechanical wave functions present around the classical value are discussed. A simple random matrix model leads to a Gaussian distribution of the amplitudes. We compare this prediction with numerical calculations in chaotic models of coupled quartic oscillators. The expectation is broadly confirmed, but deviations due to scars are observed.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures. Sent to J. Phys.

High rate of uncovered struts in latest generation drug-eluting stents with durable, biodegradable polymer or lack of it 1 month after implantation

Introduction and objectives: Delayed vascular healing may induce late stent thrombosis. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is useful to evaluate endothelial coverage. The objective of this study was to compare stent coverage and apposition in non-complex coronary artery lesions treated with durable polymer-coated everolimus-eluting stents (durable-polymer EES) vs biodegradable polymer-coated everolimus-eluting stents ( biodegradable-polymer EES) vs polymer-free biolimus-eluting stents (BES) 1 and 6 months after stent implantation. Methods: Prospective, multicenter, non-randomized study that compared the 3 types of DES. Follow-up angiography and OCT were performed 1 and 6 months later. The primary endpoint was the rate of uncovered struts as assessed by the OCT at 1 month. Results: A total of 104 patients with de novo non-complex coronary artery lesions were enrolled. A total of 44 patients were treated with polymer-free BES, 35 with biodegradable-polymer EES, and 25 with durable-polymer EES. A high rate of uncovered struts was found at 1 month with no significant differences reported among the stents (80.2%, polymer-free BES; 88.1%, biodegradable-polymer EES; 82.5%, durable-polymer EES; P =.209). Coverage improved after 6 months in the 3 groups without significant differences being reported (97%, 95%, and 93.7%, respectively; P =.172). Conclusions: In patients with de novo non-complex coronary artery lesions treated with durable vs biodegradable vs polymer-free DES, strut coverage and apposition were suboptimal at 1 month with significant improvement at 6 months

Increased Th17-Related Cytokine Serum Levels in Patients With Multiple Polyps of Unexplained Origin

OBJECTIVES: Most patients with multiple colonic polyps do not have a known genetic or hereditary origin. Our aim was to analyze the presence of inflammatory cytokines and levels of glucose, insulin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with multiple colonic polyps. METHODS: Eighty-three patients with 10 or more adenomatous or serrated polyps and 53 control people with normal colonoscopy were included. Smoking habits were registered, and glucose, CRP, and basal insulin in the serum/blood were measured. Quantification of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-11, IL-17A, and IL-23 cytokine levels in the serum was performed by a high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Smoking and diabetes were more prevalent in those with colonic polyps than in the control people (67% vs 16%, P = 0.001; 11% vs 2%, P = 0.048). In addition, the cytokine serum levels were higher, i.e., IL-2 (P = 0.001), IL-4 (P = 0.001), IL-6 (P = 0.001), IL-17A (P = 0.001), IL-23 (P = 0.014), and CRP (P = 0.003). Adjusting for sex, smoking, and diabetes in a multivariate analysis, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-23 remained independently elevated in cases with multiple polyps. DISCUSSION: These results indicate that immune responses mediated by Th17 cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple colonic polyps

El g?nero literario una estrategia pedag?gica para fortalecer el proceso de ense?anza en primaria y secundaria del departamento del Tolima tomando como referencia los trabajos de Lengua Castellana de la Universidad del Tolima

47 p. Recurso Electr?nicoEste trabajo investigativo se desarroll? tomando 106 tesis de grado de la licenciatura en b?sica con ?nfasis en lengua castellana de los diferentes CREAD de la Universidad del Tolima. Este an?lisis se realiz? con base en tres tablas, la primera ten?a como objetivo conocer la l?nea y la subl?nea a la que correspond?an los trabajos de grado, la segunda tabla se diligencio con datos concretos de cada tesis, por ?ltimo, una tercera que nos permiti? recopilar mayor informaci?n para dar inicio a un an?lisis m?s profundo de estos trabajos. La literatura fue base fundamental para el an?lisis concienzudo desarrollado, ya que nos permiti? observar cada uno de los trabajos y conocer aspectos importantes tales como ?a qu? g?nero literario pertenec?a?, ?Qu? los motivo a desarrollar estas investigaciones? (la expresi?n oral, dislexia, disgraf?a, muletillas, p?nico esc?nico, entre otras), encontrando que los g?neros narrativos, lirico y dram?tico estuvieron siempre presentes en la ejecuci?n de cada una de las investigaciones. Concluyendo as?, que dentro del g?nero narrativo se trabajaron los siguientes subg?neros: el cuento 67%, mitos y leyendas 19%, la f?bula 7%, la novela 5% y el relato 2%, evidenciamos que el cuento fue el subg?nero m?s trabajado, puesto que este les permiti? hallar m?s estrategias para el desarrollo del proceso investigativo, dentro del g?nero lirico la poes?a en un 100% y para finalizar el g?nero dram?tico as?: el teatro 94% y el drama con un 6%. Cabe resaltar que la mayor parte de estas investigaciones logr? el objetivo propuesto.This research work was developed by taking 106 undergraduate theses of the degree in basic with emphasis in Spanish language of the different CREAD of the University of Tolima. This analysis was based on three tables, the first one was to know the line and the subline to which the degree works corresponded, the second table was diluted with specific data of each thesis, finally, a third one that allowed us to gather more information to initiate a deeper analysis of these works. Literature was a fundamental basis for the conscientious analysis developed, since it allowed us to observe each one of the works and to know important aspects such as to which literary genre it belonged? What reasons to develop these investigations? (The oral expression, dyslexia, Dysgraphia, muletillas, scenic panic, among others), finding that the narrative, lyrical and dramatic genres were always present in the execution of each of the investigations. Thus, the following subgenres were worked within the narrative genre: the story 67%, myths and legends 19%, the fable 7%, the novel 5% and the story 2%, we show that the story was the subgenre most worked, Since it allowed them to find more strategies for the development of the investigative process, within the lyrical genre, poetry 100% and to complete the dramatic genre in this way: theater 94% and drama with 6%. It should be noted that most of these investigations achieved the proposed objective. Keywords: Literature, literary genres: narrative, lyric and dramatic

Holonomy from wrapped branes

Compactifications of M-theory on manifolds with reduced holonomy arise as the local eleven-dimensional description of D6-branes wrapped on supersymmetric cycles in manifolds of lower dimension with a different holonomy group. Whenever the isometry group SU(2) is present, eight-dimensional gauged supergravity is a natural arena for such investigations. In this paper we use this approach and review the eleven dimensional description of D6-branes wrapped on coassociative 4-cycles, on deformed 3-cycles inside Calabi-Yau threefolds and on Kahler 4-cycles.Comment: 1+8 pages, Latex. Proceedings of the Leuven workshop, 2002. v2: Corrected typos in equations (4)-(8