A Catalogue of Digital Editions

Since the earliest days of hypertext, textual scholars have produced, discussed and theorised upon critical digital editions of manuscripts, in order to investigate how digital technologies can provide another means to present and enable the interpretative study of text. This work has generally been done by looking at particular case studies or examples of critical digital editions, and, as a result, there is no overarching understanding of how digital technologies have been employed across the full range of textual interpretations. This chapter will describe the creation of a catalogue of digital editions that could collect information about extant digital editions and, in so doing, contribute to research in related disciplines. The resulting catalogue will provide a means of answering, in the form of a quantitative survey, the following research questions: What makes a good digital edition? What features do digital editions share? What is the state of the art in the field of digital editions? Why are there so few electronic editions of ancient texts, and so many of texts from other periods? By collecting data regarding existing digital editions, and corresponding directly with the projects in question, we provide a unique record of extant digital critical editions of text across a range of subject areas, and show how this collaboratively edited catalogue can benefit the Digital Humanities community

Beam diagnostics for charge and position measurements in ELI-NP GBS

The advanced source of Gamma-ray photons to be built in Bucharest (Romania), as part of the ELI-NP European Research Infrastructure, will generate photons by Compton back-scattering in the collision between a multi-bunch electron beam and a high intensity recirculated laser pulse. An S-Band photoinjector and the following C-band Linac at a maximum energy of 720MeV, under construction by an European consortium (EurogammaS) led by INFN, will operate at 100Hz repetition rate with trains of 32 electron bunches, separated by 16ns and a 250pC nominal charge. The different BPMs and current transformers used to measure transverse beam position and charge along the LINAC are described. Design criteria, production status and bench test results of the charge and position pickups are reported in the paper, together with the related data acquisition systems

A method for the ultrastructural preservation of tiny percutaneous needle biopsy material from skeletal muscle

Skeletal muscle biopsies require transecting the muscle fibers resulting, in structural damage near the cut ends. Classically, the optimal ultrastructural preservation has been obtained by the use of relatively large biopsies in which the tissue fibers are restrained by ligating to a suitable retaining support prior to excision, and by examining regions at some distance from the cut ends. However, these methods require invasive surgical procedures. In the present study, we present and substantiate an alternative approach that allows for the excellent ultrastructural preservation of needle biopsy samples, even the very small samples obtained through tiny percutaneous needle biopsy (TPNB). TPNB represents an advantage, relative to standard muscle biopsy techniques and to other needle biopsies currently in use, as in addition to not requiring a skin incision, it leaves no scars in the muscle and requires an extremely brief recovery period. It is most appropriate for obtaining repeated samples in horizontal studies, e.g., in order to follow changes with athletic training and/or aging in a single individual and for studies of sarcopenic muscles in elderly patients. Due to the small size of the sample, TPNB may present limited usefulness for classical pathology diagnostics. However, it offers the major advantage of allowing multiple samples within a single session and this may be useful under specific circumstances

Optical issues for the diagnostic stations for the ELI-NP compton gamma source

A high brightness electron Linac is being built in the Compton Gamma Source at the ELI Nuclear Physics facility in Romania. To achieve the design luminosity, a train of 32 bunches, 16 ns spaced, with a nominal charge of 250 pC will collide with the laser beam in the interaction point. Electron beam spot size is measured with optical transition radiation (OTR) profile monitors. In order to measure the beam properties, the optical radiation detecting system must have the necessary accuracy and resolution. This paper deals with the studies of different optic configurations to achieve the magnification, resolution and accuracy in order to measure very small beam (below 30 μm) or to study the angular distribution of the OTR and therefore the energy of the beam. Several configurations of the optical detection line will be studied both with simulation tools (e.g. Zemax) and experimentally. The paper will deal also with the sensibility of optic system (in terms of depth of field, magnification and resolution) to systematic error

Expression of Dihydropyridine and Ryanodine Receptors in Type IIA Fibers of Rat Skeletal Muscle

In this study, the fiber type specificity of dihydropyridine receptors (DHPRs) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in different rat limb muscles was investigated. Western blot and histochemical analyses provided for the first time evidence that the expression of both receptors correlates to a specific myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition. We observed a significant (p=0.01) correlation between DHP as well as Ry receptor density and the expression of MHC IIa (correlation factor r=0.674 and r=0.645, respectively) in one slow-twitch, postural muscle (m. soleus), one mixed, fast-twitch muscle (m. gastrocnemius) and two fast-twitch muscles (m. rectus femoris, m. extensor digitorum longus). The highest DHP and Ry receptor density was found in the white part of m. rectus femoris (0.058±0.0060 and 0.057±0.0158 ODu, respectively). As expected, the highest relative percentage of MHC IIa was also found in the white part of m. rectus femoris (70.0±7.77%). Furthermore, histochemical experiments revealed that the IIA fibers stained most strongly for the fluorophore-conjugated receptor blockers. Our data clearly suggest that the expression of DHPRs and RyRs follows a fiber type-specific pattern, indicating an important role for these proteins in the maintenance of an effective Ca2+ cycle in the fast contracting fiber type IIA

Commutability of calibration and control materials for serum lipase

Background: To effectively assess and correct for intermethod variability, calibration and control materials (CCMs) must show the same intermethod behavior as patient sera, i.e., they must be commutable. We describe the commutability of selected CCMs for lipase assays, the impact of noncommutability of CCMs in normalizing patient results, and characteristics of reagents that affect assay specificity and commutability. Methods: Lipase was measured in 98 patient sera and in 29 commercial CCMs, with 2 commercial methods using different substrates and with 4 experimental methods using 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid-(6\u2032-methylresorufin) ester as substrate and colipase as cofactor, but differing in the stabilizing proteins used and in the size of the substrate micelles. Results: The noncommutability rate, i.e., the frequency of aberrant intermethod behavior of CCMs in comparison with patient sera, was 27% for liquid CCMs and 47% for lyophilized CCMs. The normalized residuals, measuring the degree of noncommutability, were -2.3 to 2.4 for CCMs with "normal" lipase activity, and -3.5 to 21.7 for CCMs with higher lipase activity. Recalculation of patient results with CCMs as calibrators decreased or increased the original bias according to whether the CCMs were commutable. Conclusions: For the lipase methods in this study, the frequency of noncommutability of CCMs is affected by assay-specific characteristics, including size of substrate micelles and the presence or absence of added proteins

Precision tests of the Standard Model with leptonic and semileptonic kaon decays

We present a global analysis of leptonic and semileptonic kaon decays data, including all recent results by BNL-E865, KLOE, KTeV, ISTRA+, and NA48. Experimental results are critically reviewed and combined, taking into account theoretical (both analytical and numerical) constraints on the semileptonic kaon form factors. This analysis leads to a very accurate determination of Vus and allows us to perform several stringent tests of the Standard Model

Systematic differences between BNP immunoassays: comparison of methods using standard protocols and quality control materials

Background: Recent studies suggested that there are marked systematic differences among BNP immunoassays. In this study we compared the BNP data and clinical results obtained with different immunoassays, including a new method (ST-AIA-PACK, TOSOH Corporation). Methods: BNP was measured on plasma-EDTA samples of healthy subjects (HS, n = 126) and patients with heart failure (HF, n = 31 NYHA I, II; n = 46 NYHA III, IV) using the ST-AIA-PACK and the Triage Biosite (Beckman Coulter) methods. Control samples distributed in the CardioOrmoCheck external quality assessment were also measured with TOSOH and the most used BNP immunoassays in Italy. Results: TOSOH method showed a good correlation (R = 0.976; n = 327) but a mean bias (−46.9%) compared to Triage Biosite. On the base of the results obtained in 10 samples of the CardioOrmoCheck study, TOSOH method showed a strict agreementwith ADVIA Centaur, while it underestimated BNP in comparisonwith Triage (−52.5%) and ARCHITECT methods (−39.4%). The agreement of ST-AIA-PACK and Triage Biosite methods for classification of HF patients was tested using 100 ng/L of BNP; the positive agreement between methods was 65%, overall agreement was 73%. Conclusions: Our results confirm that there are marked differences in measured values among commercial methods for BNP assay