HB Setif [A94(Gi)Asp+Tyr] in Malta

Since testing of newborn infants for abnormal hemoglobins (Hbs) was reinitiated in Malta in 1989, about 20,000 cord blood samples have been studied with an isoelectrofocusing (IEF) technique (1). Among these, 2% have an abnormal Hb, i.e. 1.8% have a y-globin variant, and 0.2% have an a-globin variant (2). P-Globin variants have been noted only sporadically. In a further survey for hemoglobinopathies in elderly members of the Maltese population, the presence of two a-globin variants that differed in amount and electrophoretic mobility, was noted (Fig. 1). One had a pl and peptide map consistent with that of Hb St. Luke’s [a95(G2)Pro+Arg] which occurs at levels of around 10% of total Hb in heterozygotes from Malta (3,4). The other had a slower electrophoretic mobility and was more abundant in the red cell lysate. It was present in the proband, a healthy 88-year-old male, and in his healthy 91 -year-old sister.peer-reviewe

Is Monotonicity in an IV and RD design testable? No, but you can still check it

Whenever treatment effects are heterogeneous and there is sorting into treatment based on the gain, monotonicity is a condition that both Instrumental Variable and fuzzy Regression Discontinuity designs have to satisfy for their estimand to be interpretable as a LATE. Angrist and Imbens (1995) argue that the monotonicity assumption is testable whenever the treatment is multivalued. We show that their test is informative if counterfactuals are observed. Yet applying the test without observing counterfactuals, as it is generally done, is not. Nevertheless, we argue that monotonicity can and should be investigated using a mix of economic intuition and data patterns, just like other untestable assumptions in an IV or RD design. We provide examples in a variety of settings as a guide to practice

Una aproximación a la exploración americana del Siglo XVIII mediante el análisis automático de correspondencia

The relationship between America and Europe has been characterized by asymmetry. Towards the end of the 18th century, in the face of the English boom, the Spanish crown began a series of reforms, including sponsoring scientific expeditions. Among them is the one directed by José Celestino Mutis. This work, which mainly uses text mining techniques and analysis of social networks, addresses the understanding of this exploratory project, its motives, difficulties, and consequences, through the automated study of the epistolary file of the aforementioned scientist during the period 1760- 1808. The results of the processing and interpretation were put in relation to the known antecedents, regarding the author's interests, type of relationships, and resources that he implemented to carry out his project and how this was expressed in the correspondence.La relación entre América y Europa se ha caracterizado por la asimetría. Hacia fines del Siglo XVIII, frente al auge inglés, la corona española inicia una serie de reformas dentro de las cuales se incluye patrocinar expediciones científicas. Entre ellas, se encuentra la dirigida por José Celestino Mutis. Este trabajo, en el que se utilizan principalmente técnicas de text mining y análisis de redes sociales, aborda la comprensión de dicho proyecto exploratorio, sus motivos, dificultades y consecuencias, por medio del estudio automatizado del archivo epistolar del mencionado científico durante el período 1760-1808. Los resultados del procesamiento e interpretación fueron puestos en relación con los antecedentes conocidos, en cuanto a intereses del autor, tipo de relaciones y recursos que implementó para llevar adelante su proyecto y cómo esto se expresó en la correspondencia

Experimental flight testing of night vision imaging systems in military fighter aircraft

This paper describes the research and experimental flight test activities conducted by the Italian Air Force Official Test Centre (RSV), in collaboration with Alenia Aermacchi and Cranfield University, in order to confer night vision imaging systems (NVIS) capability to the Italian TORNADO Interdiction and Strike and Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance aircraft. The activities included design, development, test, and evaluation activities, including night vision goggle (NVG) integration, cockpit instruments, and external lighting modifications, as well as various ground test sessions and a total of 18 flight test sorties. RSV and Litton Precision Products were responsible for coordinating and conducting the installation of the internal and external lights. Particularly, an iterative process was established allowing in-site rapid correction of the major deficiencies encountered during the ground and flight test sessions. Both single-ship (day/night) and formation (night) flights were performed, with testing activities shared among the test crews involved, allowing for a redundant examination of the various test items by all participants. An innovative test matrix was developed and implemented by RSV for assessing the operational suitability and effectiveness of the various modifications implemented. Also important was the definition of test criteria for Pilot and Weapon Systems Officer workload assessment during the accomplishment of various operational tasks during NVG missions. Furthermore, the specific technical and operational elements required for evaluating the modified helmets were identified, allowing an exhaustive comparative evaluation of the two proposed solutions (i.e., HGU-55P and HGU-55G modified helmets). The initial compatibility problems encountered were progressively mitigated by incorporating modifications in both front and rear cockpits at various stages of the test campaign. This process allowed considerable enhancement of the TORNADO NVIS configuration, giving good medium- to high-level NVG operational capability to the aircraft. Further developments also include the internal/external lighting for the Italian TORNADO “Mid-Life Update” and other programs such as AMX aircraft internal/external light modification/testing and the activities addressing low-altitude NVG operations with fast jets (e.g., TORNADO, AMX, MB-339CD), with a major issue being the safe ejection of aircrew with NVG and NVG modified helmets. Two options have been identified for solving this problem, namely, the modification of the current Gentex HGU-55 helmets and the design of a new helmet incorporating a reliable NVG connection/disconnection device (i.e., a mechanical system fully integrated in the helmet frame) with embedded automatic disconnection capability in case of ejection. Other relevant issues to be accounted for in these new developments are the helmet dimensions and weight, the NVG usable field of view as a function of eye-relief distance, and the helmet's center of gravity (moment arms) with and without NVG (effect on aircrew fatigue during training and real operational missions

Draft Whole-Genome Sequence of the Biocontrol Agent Trichoderma harzianum T6776

Trichoderma harzianum T6776 is a promising beneficial isolate whose effects consist of growth promotion, positive response of photosynthetic activity, hormonal signaling, and carbon partitioning in tomato, coupled with biocontrol of plant pathogens. Here, we present the first genome assembly of T6776, providing a useful platform for the scientific community

Increased membrane heterogeneity in stimulated human granulocytes

AbstractTMA-DPH fluorescence decay in human PMN before and after stimulation with FMLP was studied using frequency domain fluorometry. Membrane heterogeneity was assessed by the width of the continuous distributions of lifetime values of Lorentzian shape used to describe the fluorescence decay. In non-stimulated granulocytes TMA-DPH fluorescence decay is characterized by two distributions of lifetime values centered at 6.5 and 1.0 ns and full width at half maximum of 0.3 and 1.2 ns, respectively. Within 15 min after stimulation, the center values of the two distribution components were 5.1 and 0.8 ns and the distribution width was 0.8 and 0.6 ns, respectively. These results indicate changes of membrane domain organization which can be ascribed to compositional changes redistribution of membrane components

L'ecocardiografia e il nefrologo: seconda e ultima puntata della "pocket guide"

Abstract non disponibile (Cardionephrology

JAK/Stat5-mediated subtype-specific lymphocyte antigen 6 complex, locus G6D (LY6G6D) expression drives mismatch repair proficient colorectal cancer

Human microsatellite-stable (MSS) colorectal cancers (CRCs) are immunologically "cold" tumour subtypes characterized by reduced immune cytotoxicity. The molecular linkages between immune-resistance and human MSS CRC is not clear