The Karyology of Tisbe Reluctans (Copepoda, Harpacticoida)

SUMMARYThe diploid chromosome number, 2 n = 24, has been established, in both sexes of the harpacticoid copepod Tisbe reluctans. The chromosomes are metacentric or submetacentric and differentiated sex chromosomes are not present. In the male chiasmatic bivalents form at metaphase I. In the female, during the first meiotic division and before the diffuse stage, homologous chromosomes are closely associated so that chiasmata may occur. After the diffuse stage, the homologues separate but remain parallel and juxtaposed to each other till metaphase I. The chromosomes seem to have doubled into two chromatids during the post-diffuse stage

Experimental performance evaluation of a multi-diaphragm pump of a micro-ORC system

Abstract The performance of micro-scale ORC systems strongly depends on the performance of their key components. While the heat exchangers and expander have been extensively investigated, the pump has only received limited attention. The main purpose of this work is the experimental characterization of a multi-diaphragm positive displacement pump, integrated in an experimental ORC system with a rated power output of 4kWel. The study focuses on the experimental evaluation of the pump performance and on cavitation phenomena. A detailed presentation of the experimental procedure and results is supplied. A great effort has been spent in calculating the global and volumetric pump efficiencies for a wide range of operational conditions, which reach maximum values around 45-48% and 95%, respectively. With regards to cavitation issues, the effect of the available Net Positive Suction Head at the pump inlet has been deeply investigated both at partial and full load to obtain guidelines for stable operation. Finally, an extensive dataset of steady-state operating points has been used to calibrate an improved version of a semi-empirical model previously developed for positive displacement ORC pumps. Special attention has been given to the ability of the model to accurately predict the behaviour and performance of the pump at different, properly chosen, steady-state conditions. Relative errors in between 0.5%, for the outlet temperature, and 10%, for the electric power consumption, are achieved

Quizartinib, an FLT3 inhibitor, as monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia: an open-label, multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial

BACKGROUND: Old age and FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) mutations in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia are associated with early relapse and poor survival. Quizartinib is an oral, highly potent, and selective next-generation FLT3 inhibitor with clinical antileukaemic activity in relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of single-agent quizartinib in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia. METHODS: We did an open-label, multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial at 76 hospitals and cancer centres in the USA, Europe, and Canada. We enrolled patients with morphologically documented primary acute myeloid leukaemia or acute myeloid leukaemia secondary to myelodysplastic syndromes and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2 into two predefined, independent cohorts: patients who were aged 60 years or older with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia within 1 year after first-line therapy (cohort 1), and those who were 18 years or older with relapsed or refractory disease following salvage chemotherapy or haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (cohort 2). Patients with an FLT3-ITD allelic frequency of more than 10% were considered as FLT3-ITD positive, whereas all other patients were considered as FLT3-ITD negative. Patients received quizartinib once daily as an oral solution; the initial 17 patients received 200 mg per day but the QTcF interval was prolonged for more than 60 ms above baseline in some of these patients. Subsequently, doses were amended for all patients to 135 mg per day for men and 90 mg per day for women. The co-primary endpoints were the proportion of patients who achieved a composite complete remission (defined as complete remission + complete remission with incomplete platelet recovery + complete remission with incomplete haematological recovery) and the proportion of patients who achieved a complete remission. Efficacy and safety analyses included all patients who received at least one dose of quizartinib (ie, the intention-to-treat population). Patients with a locally assessed post-treatment bone marrow aspirate or biopsy were included in efficacy analyses by response; all other patients were considered to have an unknown response. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00989261, and with the European Clinical Trials Database, EudraCT 2009-013093-41, and is completed. FINDINGS: Between Nov 19, 2009, and Oct 31, 2011, a total of 333 patients were enrolled (157 in cohort 1 and 176 in cohort 2). In cohort 1, 63 (56%) of 112 FLT3-ITD-positive patients and 16 (36%) of 44 FLT3-ITD-negative patients achieved composite complete remission, with three (3%) FLT3-ITD-positive patients and two (5%) FLT3-ITD-negative patients achieving complete remission. In cohort 2, 62 (46%) of 136 FLT3-ITD-positive patients achieved composite complete remission with five (4%) achieving complete remission, whereas 12 (30%) of 40 FLT3-ITD-negative patients achieved composite complete remission with one (3%) achieving complete remission. Across both cohorts (ie, the intention-to-treat population of 333 patients), grade 3 or worse treatment-related treatment-emergent adverse events in 5% or more of patients were febrile neutropenia (76 [23%] of 333), anaemia (75 [23%]), thrombocytopenia (39 [12%]), QT interval corrected using Fridericia\u27s formula (QTcF) prolongation (33 [10%]), neutropenia (31 [9%]), leucopenia (22 [7%]), decreased platelet count (20 [6%]), and pneumonia (17 [5%]). Serious adverse events occurring in 5% or more of patients were febrile neutropenia (126 [38%] of 333; 76 treatment related), acute myeloid leukaemia progression (73 [22%]), pneumonia (40 [12%]; 14 treatment related), QTcF prolongation (33 [10%]; 32 treatment related), sepsis (25 [8%]; eight treatment related), and pyrexia (18 [5%]; nine treatment related). Notable serious adverse events occurring in less than 5% of patients were torsades de pointes (one [<1%]) and hepatic failure (two [1%]). In total, 125 (38%) of 333 patients died within the study treatment period, including the 30-day follow-up. 18 (5%) patients died because of an adverse event considered by the investigator to be treatment related (ten [6%] of 157 patients in cohort 1 and eight [5%] of 176 in cohort 2. INTERPRETATION: Single-agent quizartinib was shown to be highly active and generally well tolerated in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia, particularly those with FLT3-ITD mutations. These findings confirm that targeting the FLT3-ITD driver mutation with a highly potent and selective FLT3 inhibitor is a promising clinical strategy to help improve clinical outcomes in patients with very few options. Phase 3 studies (NCT02039726; NCT02668653) will examine quizartinib at lower starting doses. FUNDING: Ambit Biosciences/Daiichi Sankyo

Ricerca e Sperimentazione sui Ventilatori a Flusso Tangenziale. Parte II: Sperimentazione di un Modello

april

Ricerca e sperimentazione sui ventilatori a flusso trasversale. Parte II: sperimentazione di un modello

Al fine di verificare le indicazioni progettuali e di funzionamento ricavate in [Macor, et al., 1995] e chiarirne i punti oscuri, in questa seconda parte del lavoro vengono presentati i risultati ottenuti dalla sperimentazione di un modello di ventilatore a deflusso trasversale. L'oggetto di studio e' l'influenza della forma della cassa sulle prestazioni della macchina. Le prove eseguite sono finalizzate prevalentemente ad un'analisi comparativa dei valori dei coefficienti di pressione e di flusso e dei rendimenti al variare della forma e posizione delle pareti stabilizzatrici del vortice e posteriore della cassa stessa. I risultati ottenuti confermano alcune delle tendenze individuate da molti degli autori in bibliografia, suggerendo per altri apsetti la necessita' di ulteriori indagini. Scopo ultimo del lavoro e' la definizione delle caratteristiche dimensionali e funzionali di una nuova macchina prototipo che sara' oggetto di prossime sperimentazioni

A User's Guide to the UNI 10351 Standard on Performance Testing of Industrial Fans

ISO/TC 11

A Systematic Experimental Approach to Cross-Flow Fan Design

A systematic investigation of cross-flow fan performances is presented according to an original criterion for the parameterization of fan geometry. Test facility and procedures are set up following ISO standards. The aim is to find which are the parameters most affecting fan performances and the effects of their design choice. Indications are found to design fans according to the desired objectives, such as maximum total pressure, total efficiency, and flow rate. DOI: 10.1115/1.159371

Ricerca e sperimentazione sui ventilatori a flusso trasversale. Parte I : considerazioni teoriche e linee di sviluppo

I ventilatori a flusso trasversale, molto meno diffusi dei centrifughi ed assiali, hanno comunque un ruolo importante in tutte quelle applicazioni nelle quali l'ambiente in cui la macchina deve essere inserita presenta limitazioni di spazio, soprattutto in senso radiale. Tuttavia la conoscenza della teoria di funzionamento e dell'influenza dei vari parametri geometrici e funzionali sulle prestazioni presenta ancora numerose lacune. In questo contesto si inserisce il presente lavoro che ha per oggetto un confronto critico-comparativo delle teorie di funzionamento e delle analisi sperimentali reperibili nella letteratura tecnica mondiale (stato dell'arte) per giungere ad una valutazione piu' approfondita delle prestazioni e per caratterizzare meglio i campi di impiego di questi ventilatori. Si individuano quindi gli aspetti per i quali sono necessarie ulteriori indagini teorico-sperimentali e se ne indicano le linee di programma