Tapered, tubular polyester fabric

A tapered tubular polyester sleeve is described to serve as the flexible foundation for a spacesuit limb covering. The tube has a large end and a small end with a length to be determined. The ratio of taper is also determined by scale factors. All the warp yarns extend to the large end. A requisite number of warp yarns extend the full length of the sleeve. Other warp yarns extend from the large end but are terminated along the length of the sleeve. It is then woven with a filling yarn which extends in a full circle along the full length of the sleeve to thereby define the tapered sleeve. The sleeve after fabrication is then placed on a mandrel, heated in an oven, and then attached to the arm or other limb of the spacesuit

Iron Sucrose: A Wealth of Experience in Treating Iron Deficiency

Iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in a wide range of conditions. In many patient populations, this can be treated effectively with oral iron supplementation; but in patients who are unable to take or who do not respond to oral iron therapy, intravenous iron administration is recommended. Furthermore, in certain conditions, such as end-stage kidney disease, chronic heart failure, and inflammatory bowel disease, intravenous iron administration has become first-line treatment. One of the first available intravenous iron preparations is iron sucrose (Venofer®), a nanomedicine that has been used clinically since 1949. Treatment with iron sucrose is particularly beneficial owing to its ability to rapidly increase hemoglobin, ferritin, and transferrin saturation levels, with an acceptable safety profile. Recently, important new data relating to the use of iron sucrose, including the findings from the landmark PIVOTAL trial in patients with end-stage kidney disease, have been reported. Several years ago, a number of iron sucrose similars became available, although there have been concerns about the clinical appropriateness of substituting the original iron sucrose with an iron sucrose similar because of differences in efficacy and safety. This is a result of the complex and unique physicochemical properties of nanomedicines such as iron sucrose, which make copying the molecule difficult and problematic. In this review, we summarize the evidence accumulated during 70 years of clinical experience with iron sucrose in terms of efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness

Relativistic simulations of rotational core collapse. I. Methods, initial models, and code tests

We describe an axisymmetric general relativistic code for rotational core collapse. The code evolves the coupled system of metric and fluid equations using the ADM 3+1 formalism and a conformally flat metric approximation of the Einstein equations. The relativistic hydrodynamics equations are formulated as a first-order flux-conservative hyperbolic system and are integrated using high-resolution shock-capturing schemes based on Riemann solvers. We assess the quality of the conformally flat metric approximation for relativistic core collapse and present a comprehensive set of tests which the code successfully passed. The tests include relativistic shock tubes, the preservation of the rotation profile and of the equilibrium of rapidly and differentially rotating neutron stars (approximated as rotating polytropes), spherical relativistic core collapse, and the conservation of rest-mass and angular momentum in dynamic spacetimes. The application of the code to relativistic rotational core collapse, with emphasis on the gravitational waveform signature, is presented in an accompanying paper.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figure

Determinantal Characterization of Canonical Curves and Combinatorial Theta Identities

We characterize genus g canonical curves by the vanishing of combinatorial products of g+1 determinants of Brill-Noether matrices. This also implies the characterization of canonical curves in terms of (g-2)(g-3)/2 theta identities. A remarkable mechanism, based on a basis of H^0(K_C) expressed in terms of Szego kernels, reduces such identities to a simple rank condition for matrices whose entries are logarithmic derivatives of theta functions. Such a basis, together with the Fay trisecant identity, also leads to the solution of the question of expressing the determinant of Brill-Noether matrices in terms of theta functions, without using the problematic Klein-Fay section sigma.Comment: 35 pages. New results, presentation improved, clarifications added. Accepted for publication in Math. An

Oral lichen planus. An evolutive clinical and histological study of 45 patients followed up on for five years

A study is made of 45 patients clinically and histologically diagnosed of oral lichen planus, and followed up on for 5 years. The course of the disease was monitored after three months and one, two and five years. The patients were classified in terms of lesion evolution (healed, improved, stationary or worse). Two evolutive groups were established for statistical purposes: (a) favorable (healed or improved lesions) and unfavorable cases (stationary or worsened oral lesions); and (b) healed and non-healed cases. Statistical correlations were established between these evolutive groups and different clinical and histological parameters, in an attempt to identify parameters of predictive value in the course of the disease. No statistically significant results were obtained, with the exception of inflammatory infiltrate. Thus, the depth of this infiltrate was found to be greater in patients with an unfavorable evolution (p = 0.02) than in those with a favorable course. Likewise, the inflammatory infiltrate was greater in non-healed than in healed cases.Dans ce travail, nous présentons une série de 45 patients, suivis pendant 5 ans, diagnostiqués cliniquement et histologiquement de lichen plan oral. Des contrôles évolutifs réalisés au bout de 3 mois, un an, deux ans et au bout de cinq ans ont classé les patients en fonction de l’évolution qu’ils présentaient en cas qui avaient guéri de leurs lésions, qui s’étaient améliorés, qui continuaient pareil et finalement ceux qui avaient empiré. Vis-à-vis des statistiques 2 groupes évolutifs se sont faits: 1) cas favorables (les guéris et ceux qui s’étaient améliorés), cas défavorables (ceux qui ne présentaient aucun changement ou ceux qui avaient empiré de leurs lésions intraorales) et 2) cas guéris, cas non-guéris. Diverses corrélations statistiques se sont établies entre ces groupes évolutifs et une série de variables cliniques et histologiques pour trouver un paramètre ayant une valeur de prédiction dans l’évolution de la maladie. Nous n’avons trouvé aucune donnée significativement statistique si l’on excepte une infiltration inflammatoire. Ainsi, nous démontrons une plus grande profondité moyenne de celle-ci dans les cas qui présentent une évolution défavorable (p = 0.02) que dans les cas favorables. De la même façon, nous trouvons une plus grande infiltration dans les cas non-guéris que dans les guéris

Austrian pharmacy students' views, experiences and attitudes on an elective clinical pharmacy teaching event delivered in the English language.

Introduction: The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) recommend emphasising clinical education within a balanced pharmacy curriculum. During the summer of 2016 the University of Graz (KFU), sponsored an elective English language teaching event on clinical pharmacy for undergraduate pharmacy students. This project aimed to evaluate the views, experiences and attitudes of Austrian students taking part in this clinical pharmacy teaching event. Methods: A mixed method study using a quantitative questionnaire survey followed by qualitative semi-structured, one-to-one telephone interviews. Results: The response rate to the questionnaire and telephone interview study was 67% (n=20) and 30% (n=6) respectively. Students were satisfied with the teaching event (very good: 90% (n=18); good: (10% (n=2). They felt inspired to learn more about clinical pharmacy in the future (100% (n=20)). Main themes included opportunity, relevance and the desire to shape their own future profession

Expression of Intermediate Filaments in the Developing Testis and Testicular Germ Cell Cancer

Cytokeratin and desmin expression have been associated with Sertoli cell maturity and the development of testicular germ cell cancer (TGCC). Thus, the present study aimed to characterize the expression of these intermediate filaments in normal testis development and TGCC. Cytokeratin and desmin were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence in human fetal, and adult testis and tissue from patients with pre-invasive germ cell neoplasia in-situ (GCNIS) or invasive TGCC. Desmin was expressed in Sertoli cells of the human fetal testis, and the proportion of desmin expressing Sertoli cells was significantly reduced in the second trimester, compared with the first trimester (31.14% vs. 6.74%, p = 0.0016). Additionally, Desmin was expressed in the majority of Sertoli cells in the adult testis and TGCC samples. Cytokeratin was detected in Sertoli cells of human fetal testis but was not expressed in Sertoli cells of human adult testis. In patients with TGCC, cytokeratin was not expressed in Sertoli cells in tubules with active spermatogenesis but was detected in Sertoli cells in tubules containing GCNIS cells in patients with both pre-invasive and invasive TGCC. In conclusion, desmin was not associated with Sertoli cell maturation or progression to TGCC. However, cytokeratin appeared to be an indicator of impaired Sertoli cell maturation

Numerical simulation of small perturbation on an accretion disk due to the collision of a star with the disk near the black hole

In this paper, perturbations of an accretion disk by a star orbiting around a black hole are studied. We report on a numerical experiment, which has been carried out by using a parallel-machine code originally developed by D\"{o}nmez (2004). An initially steady state accretion disk near a non-rotating (Schwarzschild) black hole interacts with a "star", modeled as an initially circular region of increased density. Part of the disk is affected by the interaction. In some cases, a gap develops and shock wave propagates through the disk. We follow the evolution for order of one dynamical period and we show how the non-axisymetric density perturbation further evolves and moves downwards where the material of the disk and the star become eventually accreted onto the central body. When the star perturbs the steady state accretion disk, the disk around the black hole is destroyed by the effect of perturbation. The perturbed accretion disk creates a shock wave during the evolution and it loses angular momentum when the gas hits on the shock waves. Colliding gas with the shock wave is the one of the basic mechanism of emitting the $X-$rays in the accretion disk. The series of supernovae occurring in the inner disk could entirely destroy the disk in that region which leaves a more massive black hole behind, at the center of galaxies.Comment: 20pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysics and Space Scienc

Wingless-related integration site (WNT) signaling is activated during the inflammatory response upon cardiac surgery: A translational study

ObjectiveCardiac surgery and the use of cardiopulmonary bypass initiate a systemic inflammatory response. Wingless-related integration site (WNT) signaling is part of the innate immunity and has been attributed a major role in the regulation of inflammation. In preclinical research, WNT-5a may sustain an inflammatory response and cause endothelial dysfunction. Our aim was to investigate WNT signaling after cardiac surgery and its association with postoperative inflammation (Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04058496).MethodsIn this prospective, single-center, observational study, 64 consecutive patients for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) ± valve surgery were assigned into three groups: off-pump CABG (n = 28), on-pump CABG (n = 16) and combined valve-CABG surgery (n = 20). Blood samples were acquired before surgery, at intensive care unit (ICU) admission and 4, 8, and 48 h thereafter. Plasma concentrations of WNT-5a and its antagonists Secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (sFRP-1), Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (sFRP-5), and WNT inhibitory factor 1 (WIF-1) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, plasma concentrations of six inflammatory cytokines were measured by multiplex immunoassay. Parameters were analyzed for evolution of plasma concentration over time, interactions, intergroup differences, and association with clinical outcome parameters.ResultsAt baseline, WNT-5a, sFRP-1, and WIF-1 were present in a minimal concentration, while sFRP-5 was elevated. A higher baseline value of WNT-5a, sFRP-5, and WIF-1 resulted in higher subsequent values of the respective parameter. At ICU admission, WNT-5a and sFRP-5 reached their maximum and minimum value, respectively. WIF-1 decreased over time and was lowest 8 h after surgery. sFRP-1 changed minimally over time. While WNT-5a returned to the baseline within 48 h, sFRP-5 and WIF-1 did not reach their baseline value at 48 h. Of the investigated WNT system components, only WIF-1 partially reflected the severity of surgery. WNT-5a and WIF-1 had an impact on postoperative fluid balance and noradrenaline requirement.ConclusionWNT-5a, sFRP-5, and WIF-1 are part of the systemic inflammatory response after cardiac surgery. WNT-5a peaks immediately after cardiac surgery and returns to baseline within 48 h, presumably modulated by its antagonist sFRP-5. Based on this translational study, WNT-5a antagonism may be further investigated to assess potentially beneficial effects in patients with a dysregulated inflammation after cardiac surgery