A dualistic model of primary anal canal adenocarcinoma with distinct cellular origins, etiologies, inflammatory microenvironments and mutational signatures: implications for personalised medicine.

Primary adenocarcinoma of the anal canal is a rare and aggressive gastrointestinal disease with unclear pathogenesis. Because of its rarity, no clear clinical practice guideline has been defined and a targeted therapeutic armamentarium has yet to be developed. The present article aimed at addressing this information gap by in-depth characterising the anal glandular neoplasms at the histologic, immunologic, genomic and epidemiologic levels. In this multi-institutional study, we first examined the histological features displayed by each collected tumour (n = 74) and analysed their etiological relationship with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The intratumoural immune cell subsets (CD4, CD8, Foxp3), the expression of immune checkpoints (PD-1, PD-L1), the defect in mismatch repair proteins and the mutation analysis of multiple clinically relevant genes in the gastrointestinal cancer setting were also determined. Finally, the prognostic significance of each clinicopathological variable was assessed. Phenotypic analysis revealed two region-specific subtypes of anal canal adenocarcinoma. The significant differences in the HPV status, density of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, expression of immune checkpoints and mutational profile of several targetable genes further supported the separation of these latter neoplasms into two distinct entities. Importantly, anal gland/transitional-type cancers, which poorly respond to standard treatments, displayed less mutations in downstream effectors of the EGFR signalling pathway (i.e., KRAS and NRAS) and demonstrated a significantly higher expression of the immune inhibitory ligand-receptor pair PD-1/PD-L1 compared to their counterparts arising from the colorectal mucosa. Taken together, the findings reported in the present article reveal, for the first time, that glandular neoplasms of the anal canal arise by HPV-dependent or independent pathways. These etiological differences leads to both individual immune profiles and mutational landscapes that can be targeted for therapeutic benefits

The Super-Basket: Incorporation of Conical Reinforcements in the CMS ECAL EB Support Structure

This document is based on information available at the end of 2001 and summarises the main steps of an important design revision initiated at the end of 1999. Early in 2002 the design was submitted to technical reviews that validated the structural concept. With some changes affecting the material and the screwed connections clearance was given to produce a Super Basket prototype delivered in July 2002. From the assembly tests results the review committee validated the computations. Some further detail changes to the Super-Basket front connection were suggested and implemented in tests until November 2002. The committee finally gave a full approval to the design and authorised the serial production of Super-Baskets in December 2002. Technical notes accompanying the design, test and review steps since the January 2002 review will be condensed in a single document to be published in 2003

Correlation law for SMD in high viscous liquids

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Applications de la micro-PIV dans des écoulements libre et confin

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The impact and retention of spray droplets on a horizontal hydrophobic surface

Spray retention, i.e. the overall capture of spray droplets by plants on initial or subsequent impact, and after loss due to run-off, is an important stage in the spray application process as droplet losses may result in reduced efficacy, economic loss, and environmental contamination. The aim of this exploratory study is to determine whether a new method based on calculating the volumetric proportions per impact type, i.e. adhesion, rebound and shatter, can be used to predict spray retention. These volumetric proportions are calculated based on logistic regression models, derived from vision-based droplet characteristics and impact assessments, and laser-based spray characteristics. The advantages and limitations of such a method are explored. The volumetric proportions per impact type on a horizontal, synthetic hydrophobic surface were determined for four different nozzles (XR 110 01 VS flat-fan nozzle, XR 110 04 VS flat-fan nozzle, XR 110 08 VS flat-fan nozzle and AI 110 08 VS air-induction nozzle) under controlled realistic conditions, and compared to the results of a retention test. The volumetric proportions of adhesion were much lower than the relative retentions, indicating that a considerable amount of rebound and shatter also contributed to final retention. The method should thus be improved by including the droplets retained after first impact and the retained proportions of partial droplet fragmentation but it is nevertheless considered a promising technique.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: The impact and retention of spray droplets on a horizontal hydrophobic surface journaltitle: Biosystems Engineering articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2014.07.013 content_type: article copyright: Copyright © 2014 IAgrE. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.status: publishe

Dynamics of a thin radial liquid flow

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. The present work proposes an extension of the existing analytical development on the radial spread of a liquid jet over a horizontal surface to the case of a thin radial flow. When the gap, H, between the jet nozzle and the plate is reduced the discharging area may be smaller than the inlet area leading to an increase of the main flow velocity downstream of the thin cylindrical opening. This increase of velocity, defined here as 1/α, can be related to the relative gap of the nozzle H/R with R the nozzle pipe radius. Numerical computations with a volume of fluid method were realised with for H/R ranging from 0.2 to 3 and with flow rates Q of 3 and 6 l min-1. The results of these computations allowed us to express α with respect to H/R. Taking in account the flow acceleration allowed us to extend the set of equation from the jet impacting flow to the thin cylindrical opening flow. The liquid layer thickness and the surface velocity differ with a maximum error of 4% between the flow predicted by the model and computations. Main discrepancies appear in the region close to the nozzle where the analytical model assumption of a constant velocity outside the boundary layer is not valid. However, further downstream the model and the computations are in good agreement.status: publishe

Measuring spore settling velocity for an improved assessment of dispersal rates in mosses

[Background and Aims] The settling velocity of diaspores is a key parameter for the measurement of dispersal ability in wind-dispersed plants and one of the most relevant parameters in explicit dispersal models, but remains largely undocumented in bryophytes. The settling velocities of moss spores were measured and it was determined whether settling velocities can be derived from spore diameter using Stokes' Law or if specific traits of spore ornamentation cause departures from theoretical expectations.[Methods] A fall tower design combined with a high-speed camera was used to document spore settling velocities in nine moss species selected to cover the range of spore diameters within the group. Linear mixed effect models were employed to determine whether settling velocity can be predicted from spore diameter, taking specific variation in shape and surface roughness into account.[Key Results] Average settling velocity of moss spores ranged from 0·49 to 8·52 cm s. There was a significant positive relationship between spore settling velocity and size, but the inclusion of variables of shape and texture of spores in the best-fit models provides evidence for their role in shaping spore settling velocities.[Conclusions] Settling velocities in mosses can significantly depart from expectations derived from Stokes' Law. We suggest that variation in spore shape and ornamentation affects the balance between density and drag, and results in different dispersal capacities, which may be correlated with different life-history traits or ecological requirements. Further studies on spore ultrastructure would be necessary to determine the role of complex spore ornamentation patterns in the drag-to-mass ratio and ultimately identify what is the still poorly understood function of the striking and highly variable ornamentation patterns of the perine layer on moss spores.Many thanks are due to two referees for their comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by the Belgian Industrial and Agricultural Research Funds (FRIA) [grant no. 21653026].Peer Reviewe

Image analysis of shatter and pinning events on hard-to-wet leaf surfaces by drops containing surfactant

BACKGROUND: A key challenge for developing computer models of spray retention by plants is to accurately predict how spray drops behave when impacting leaf surfaces. One poorly understood outcome occurs when drops bounce or shatter on impact but leave behind a proportion of the liquid on the surface (designated as pinning). This process is studied via impaction experiments with two hard-to-wet leaf surfaces (fat-hen: Chenopodium album and barnyard grass: Echinochloa crus-galli L. P. Beauv) and one hydrophobic artificial surface (Teflon) using three liquid formulations. RESULTS: Drops that impact upon Teflon underwent pinning shatter events via a well-known mechanism referred to as receding breakup. Drops impacting on leaf surfaces did not undergo receding breakup because the liquid rim was not in direct contact with the leaf surface when it broke into secondary droplets. However, pinning did occur on plant surfaces via a different mechanism, especially when using formulations containing a surfactant. CONCLUSION: Newly developed image analysis and methodology has allowed quantification of the volume fraction pinned to surfaces when drops shatter. The addition of surfactant can increase both the probability of pinning and the pinned volume when drops shatter on fat-hen or Teflon. However, the surfactants studied did not substantially improve the probability of pinning on barnyard grass. The difference in behaviour between the two leaf surfaces and the underlying mechanism is worth further study.</p

Smart Aquaponics: Development of a tool for education, decision support & monitoring for aquaponics

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