Modeling Kelvin wave cascades in superfluid helium

We study two different types of simplified models for Kelvin wave turbulence on quantized vortex lines in superfluids near zero temperature. Our first model is obtained from a truncated expansion of the Local Induction Approximation (Truncated-LIA) and it is shown to possess the same scalings and the essential behaviour as the full Biot-Savart model, being much simpler than the later and, therefore, more amenable to theoretical and numerical investigations. The Truncated-LIA model supports six-wave interactions and dual cascades, which are clearly demonstrated via the direct numerical simulation of this model in the present paper. In particular, our simulations confirm presence of the weak turbulence regime and the theoretically predicted spectra for the direct energy cascade and the inverse wave action cascade. The second type of model we study, the Differential Approximation Model (DAM), takes a further drastic simplification by assuming locality of interactions in k-space via using a differential closure that preserves the main scalings of the Kelvin wave dynamics. DAMs are even more amenable to study and they form a useful tool by providing simple analytical solutions in the cases when extra physical effects are present, e.g. forcing by reconnections, friction dissipation and phonon radiation. We study these models numerically and test their theoretical predictions, in particular the formation of the stationary spectra, and closeness of numerics for the higher-order DAM to the analytical predictions for the lower-order DAM

How winding is the coast of Britain ? Conformal invariance of rocky shorelines

We show that rocky shorelines with fractal dimension 4/3 are conformally invariant curves by measuring the statistics of their winding angles from global high-resolution data. Such coastlines are thus statistically equivalent to the outer boundary of the random walk and of percolation clusters. A simple model of coastal erosion gives an explanation for these results. Conformal invariance allows also to predict the highly intermittent spatial distribution of the flux of pollutant diffusing ashore

Prospective Observational Study of Pazopanib in Patients with Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (PRINCIPAL Study)

Background: Real-world data are essential to accurately assessing efficacy and toxicity of approved agents in everyday practice. PRINCIPAL, a prospective, observational study, was designed to confirm the real-world safety and efficacy of pazopanib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Subjects, Materials, and Methods: Patients with clear cell advanced/metastatic RCC and a clinical decision to initiate pazopanib treatment within 30 days of enrollment were eligible. Primary objectives included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), relative dose intensity (RDI) and its effect on treatment outcomes, change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and safety. We also compared characteristics and outcomes of clinical-trial-eligible (CTE) patients, defined using COMPARZ trial eligibility criteria, with those of non-clinical-trial-eligible (NCTE) patients. Secondary study objectives were to evaluate clinical efficacy, safety, and RDI in patient subgroups. Results: Six hundred fifty-seven patients were enrolled and received ≥1 dose of pazopanib. Median PFS and OS were 10.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.2–12.0) and 29.9 months (95% CI, 24.7 to not reached), respectively, and the ORR was 30.3%. HRQoL showed no or little deterioration over time. Treatment-related serious adverse events (AEs) and AEs of special interest occurred in 64 (9.7%), and 399 (60.7%) patients, respectively. More patients were classified NCTE than CTE (85.2% vs. 14.8%). Efficacy of pazopanib was similar between the two groups. Conclusion: PRINCIPAL confirms the efficacy and safety of pazopanib in patients with advanced/metastatic RCC in a real-world clinical setting. Implications for Practice: PRINCIPAL is the largest (n = 657) prospective, observational study of pazopanib in patients with advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma, to the authors’ knowledge. Consistent with clinical trial results that often contain specific patient types, the PRINCIPAL study demonstrated that the effectiveness and safety of pazopanib is similarly safe and effective in patients with advanced kidney cancer in a real-world clinical setting. The PRINCIPAL study showed that patients with advanced kidney cancer who are treated with first-line pazopanib generally do not show disease progression for approximately 10 months and generally survive for nearly 30 months

Il Chip Off nella Mobile Forensics, metodologie e cenni normativi nella normativa italiana

Negli ultimi anni, anche sulla scia della sempre più larga diffusione della computer forensics, è nata la disciplina che si occupa di identificare, preservare, acquisire, analizzare e presentare le evidenze relative a dispositivi mobili, chiamata appunto mobile forensics. In base alla tipologia di dispositivo e alla complessità dell’interfacciamento con la sua memoria, sono disponibili diverse modalità di estrazione dei dati. Si parte dall’acquisizione logica, seguita dall’acquisizione del filesystem e poi dall’acquisizione physical che si possono eseguire tramite connessione software con il dispositivo, per arrivare all’accesso via JTAG o Flasher Box e infine all’estrazione fisica del chip dalla scheda madre e lettura/interpretazione dei dati. Quest’ultima soluzione, drastica ma molto potente, è chiamata chip-off. È naturale che la diffusione della strumentazione mobile sia proporzionata in ogni categoria sociale, compresa quella malavitosa. Le tecniche classiche di analisi logica o fisica, attraverso l’uso di apposita strumentazione hardware e/o software, prevede la necessità di accesso al dispositivo che, di conseguenza, deve risultare perfettamente funzionante. È altrettanto noto che il panorama delle possibili analisi dipende esclusivamente dalla lista di compatibilità dello strumento impiegato. La frontiera del chip-off nasce per permettere l’estensione di tale limite strumentale ai telefoni, soprattutto, non funzionanti. In questo modo di apre la possibilità di analisi agli strumenti volontariamente danneggiati o cui per cui non è possibile l’accesso al sistema, ad esempio protetti . Tramite la tecnica del chip-off si potrà accedere alla memoria di quei telefoni privi di porte di comunicazione o non previsti nella lista di compatibilità degli strumenti disponibili sul mercato

Safety and efficacy of Pazopanib in advanced soft tissue sarcoma: PALETTE (EORTC 62072) subgroup analyses

BACKGROUND: PALETTE is a phase 3 trial that demonstrated single-agent activity of pazopanib in advanced soft tissue sarcomas (aSTS). We performed retrospective subgroup analyses to explore potential relationships between patient characteristics, prior lines of therapy, dose intensity, and dose modifications on safety and efficacy of pazopanib in aSTS. METHODS: PALETTE compared pazopanib with placebo in patients with aSTS (age ≥ 18 years) whose disease had progressed during or following prior chemotherapy. In these subgroup analyses, median progression-free survival (mPFS) among patients receiving pazopanib was the efficacy outcome of interest. Adverse events (AEs) were also compared within subgroups. All analyses were descriptive and exploratory. RESULTS: A total of 246 patients received pazopanib in the PALETTE study. The mPFS was longer in patients who had only 1 prior line versus 2+ prior lines of therapy (24.7 vs 18.9 weeks, respectively); AE rates were similar regardless of number of prior lines of therapy. The mPFS was similar in patients aged < 65 and ≥ 65 y (20.0 and 20.1 weeks, respectively). Although AEs leading to study discontinuation were higher in older patients (≥65 y, 30%; < 65 y, 17%), rates of dose reductions, dose interruptions, and serious AEs were similar between the 2 age groups. No reduction in mPFS was noted in patients requiring dose reductions or dose interruptions to manage toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: Longer mPFS was observed in patients receiving pazopanib following only 1 line of therapy. Additionally, mPFS with pazopanib was maintained regardless of patient age or dose modifications used to manage toxicity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00753688 , first posted September 16, 2008 (registered prospectively).status: publishe

Experimental investigation of stationary concepts in cyclic duopoly games

Cyclic game duopoly experiment, Impulse-balance equilibrium, Payoff-sampling equilibrium, C73, D43, C90,