On the relationship between residual zonal flows and bump-on tail saturated instabilities

A connection is established between two classical problems: the non linear saturation of a bump-on tail instability in collisionless regime, and the decay of a zonal flow towards a finite amplitude residual. Reasons for this connection are given and commented

OA01-06 LB. HIV-1 plasma RNA and risk of HIV-1 transmission

Background: Non-sterilizing HIV-1 vaccines may provide public health benefits if they significantly reduce plasma HIV-1 RNA, thus potentially reducing infectiousness. Quantification of reduction in plasma HIV-1 RNA needed to decrease HIV-1 transmission is useful for design of efficacy trials of candidate HIV-1 vaccines. We modeled the relationship between plasma HIV-1 RNA and HIV-1 transmission using data from a prospective study of African heterosexual HIV-1 serodiscordant couples. Methods: 3408 HIV-1-infected participants with CD4 counts ≥250 cells/mm3 enrolled in the Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study and their partners were followed for ≤24 months. HIV-1 transmission events were assessed for viral genetic linkage within the enrolled partnership by determining HIV-1 env and gag sequences from partners. The relationship between plasma HIV-1 RNA over time and risk of genetically linked HIV-1 transmission was evaluated with a Cox model with a natural cubic spline. Results: 84 post-enrollment linked HIV-1 transmissions were observed. HIV-1 incidence increased rapidly and non-linearly with higher plasma HIV-1: from 0.53 transmissions per 100 person-years for plasma HIV-1 RNA 1,000,000 copies/mL (p<0.0001). Baseline HIV-1 RNA in men was, on average, 0.4 log10 higher than in women; no significant difference in risk of transmission for a given HIV-1 level was observed between men and women (p = 0.17). Given the distribution of plasma HIV-1 RNA in this population of stable cohabiting couples, our modeling predicts that a 0.74 log10 reduction in average plasma HIV-1 RNA in the population would be required for a 50% reduction in HIV-1 transmission risk. Conclusion: This analysis provides a detailed description of the relationship between plasma HIV-1 RNA and risk of heterosexual HIV-1 transmission. These findings suggest targets for reduction in HIV-1 RNA for use in evaluating non-sterilizing HIV-1 vaccine candidates in HIV-1 infected persons to reduce risk of heterosexual HIV-1 transmission

Synergetic effects of collisions, turbulence and sawtooth crashes on impurity transport

This paper investigates the interplay of neoclassical, turbulent and MHD processes, which are simultaneously at play when contributing to impurity transport. It is shown that these contributions are not additive, as assumed sometimes. The interaction between turbulence and neoclassical effects leads to less effective thermal screening, i.e. lowers the outward flux due to temperature gradient. This behavior is attributed to poloidal asymmetries of the flow driven by turbulence. Moreover sawtooth crashes play an important role to determine fluxes across the q = 1 surface. It is found that the density profile of a heavy impurity differs significantly in sawtoothing plasmas from the one predicted by neoclassical theory when neglecting MHD events. Sawtooth crashes impede impurity accumulation, but also weaken the impurity outflux due to the temperature gradient when the latter is dominant

The PALM Technique: histological findings of masked phototherapeutic keratectomy on rabbit corneas

BACKGROUND: To compare the corneal healing response between conventional and phototherapeutic keratectomy through a masking agent, in rabbit corneas. METHODS: 24 adult rabbits underwent phototherapeutic keratectomy. Animals were divided in two groups: 12 received photoablation through a masking agent (PALM gel) and the remaining 12 received conventional phototherapeutic keratectomy of equal depth and served as control. Light and transmission electron microscopy was performed in specimens of both groups obtained: immediately after, four hours, one week, one, three and six months after treatment. RESULTS: Reepitheliazation was complete within five days in all eyes. Light and transmission electron microscopy did not reveal any differences of the healing process in the experimental eyes compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: Photoablation through the PALM technique did not result any evident alterations of the reepithelisation and stromal healing process

Exploring the Limits of Strategic Thought: Evaluating how Different Communication Modalities Affect the Nature of Strategic Decision-Making using Cognitive Hierarchy

This research examines and quantifies the degree to which both information communication modality and the situational complexity affect individuals\u27 ability to process the provided information and determine an effective strategy. Human subject testing herein consists of benign benevolent intervention involving the presentation of a series of strategic situations. For each situation, a participant attempts to identify their best response for a two-player, normal-form game with complete information. In each such game, players seek to maximize their own utility while considering their own actions, their opponent\u27s actions, and each player\u27s respective preferences over outcomes resulting from the possible combinations of actions. Dual channel theory directly informs our experiment\u27s design; it specifies both the manner in which humans process information and the existence of capacity limits to such cognitive mechanisms

Suspicious urinary cytology with negative evaluation for malignancy in the diagnostic investigation of haematuria: how to follow up?

Aims: To define the natural history of patients with suspicious urinary cytology and negative initial evaluation for malignancy in the investigation of haematuria. Patients and methods: Data from the hospital information support system on urinary cytology examinations carried out at one centre were audited over a period of 24 months. There were 102 patients who had suspicious urinary cytology for malignant cells with negative initial evaluation. Follow up investigations, treatment, and final outcome were noted. Results: There were 102 patients with suspicious urinary cytology and negative initial evaluation for malignancy in 24 months, with a mean follow up of 15.7 months. Seventy patients had no obvious pathology on initial investigations. Forty one patients were found to have urological malignancies (29 bladder, eight ureteric, and four prostate) on follow up. All patients diagnosed as having urothelial malignancies on follow up had either persistent suspicious cytology (29) or recurrent haematuria (eight). The mean duration for appearance of lesions was 5.6 months (range, 3–12 months). Three patients had suspicious digital rectal examination and biopsies confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate. One patient had urinary retention and transurethral resection of prostate showed prostatic adenocarcinoma. The presence of suspicious cells on repeat urine analysis was the only significant factor in predicting the presence of urothelial tumours (p  =  0.002). Conclusion: Patients with persistent suspicious/positive cytology or recurrent haematuria need further evaluation and follow up. Asymptomatic patients or patients with obvious benign pathology do not require repeat evaluation. Careful urological evaluation, including prostate, should be carried out in these patients

Geochemistry and Geothermometry of Breitenbush Hot Springs, Oregon, USA

The aqueous chemistry, isotopic composition (δ18O and δ2H), and geothermometry of the Breitenbush Hot Springs area in the central Oregon Cascades were examined. Water samples were collected from springs (5), wells (8), and the Breitenbush River (2). Geothermometry was interpreted using the Reservoir Temperature Estimator (RTEst) software package and constrained by the reported mineralogy. Reservoir temperature was calculated assuming equilibration with chalcedony, celadonite, laumontite, heulandite, and epidote. Because of its relatively rapid reaction rate, calcite was presumed to remain equilibrated during cooling of the ascending reservoir waters. CO2(g) degassing from the springs was accounted for by adjusting the carbon content and temperature to be consistent with a cooling curve passing through the chemical composition of the deep well waters. The average estimated reservoir temperature of is lower than the 174 to 180 °C reported in other multicomponent geothermometric studies. However, our new estimate is consistent with mineralogical, aqueous geochemical, and fluid inclusion data, and with geothermal borehole temperature measurements near the site. Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotope data indicate that the thermal waters at Breitenbush and Austin Hot Springs are a mixture of 4 to 8% andesitic water (Giggenbach, 1992) and local meteoric waters recharged at elevations of 1750 to 2200 m, along the crest of the Cascade Mountains. Br/Cl ratios, δ18O, and δD, and their correlation with Cl− concentrations from our study combined with data and analyses from other sources, suggests that Cl−, other halogens, and CO2 in the Breitenbush hot springs are primarily derived from degassing fluids rising from the serpentinized forearc mantle. The calculated reservoir temperature and average measured thermal water Cl− concentration were used with previously reported chloride-flux-based measurements by the USGS to estimate a hydrothermal discharge of L/s and an advective heat discharge of MW. This calculated hydrothermal heat loss is slightly less than Ingebritsen et al.\u27s (1992) previous estimate of 9 MW. However, it still represents a substantial transfer of heat from a relatively small, constant groundwater discharge