8,639 research outputs found
Mesothelioma and thymic tumors: Treatment challenges in (outside) a network setting
The management of patients with mesothelioma and thymic malignancy requires continuous multidisciplinary expertise at any step of the disease. A dramatic improvement in our knowledge has occurred in the last few years, through the development of databases, translational research programs, and clinical trials. Access to innovative strategies represents a major challenge, as there is a lack of funding for clinical research in rare cancers and their rarity precludes the design of robust clinical trials that could lead to specific approval of drugs. In this context, patient-centered initiatives, such as the establishment of dedicated networks, are warranted. International societies, such as IMIG (International Mesothelioma Interest Group) and ITMIG (International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group) provide infrastructure for global collaboration, and there are many advantages to having strong regional groups working on the same issues. There may be regional differences in risk factors, susceptibility, management and outcomes. The ability to address questions both regionally as well as globally is ideal to develop a full understanding of mesothelioma and thymic malignancies. In Europe, through the integration of national networks with EURACAN, the collaboration with academic societies and international groups, the development of networks in thoracic oncology provides multiplex integration of clinical care and research, ultimately ensuring equal access to high quality care to all patients, with the opportunity of conducting high level clinical and translational research projects
Resource-driven Substructural Defeasible Logic
Linear Logic and Defeasible Logic have been adopted to formalise different
features relevant to agents: consumption of resources, and reasoning with
exceptions. We propose a framework to combine sub-structural features,
corresponding to the consumption of resources, with defeasibility aspects, and
we discuss the design choices for the framework
Central Proper-Motion Kinematics of NGC 6752
We present proper motions derived from WFPC2 imaging for stars in the core of
the peculiar globular cluster NGC 6752. The central velocity dispersion in both
components of the proper motion is 12 km/s. We discuss the implications of this
result as well as the intrinsic difficulties in making such measurements. We
also give an alternative correction for the 34-row problem in the WFPC2 CCDs.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figures, 1 table included. Accepted for publication in A
Evidence for a circumplanetary disk around protoplanet PDS 70 b
We present the first observational evidence for a circumplanetary disk around
the protoplanet PDS~70~b, based on a new spectrum in the band acquired with
VLT/SINFONI. We tested three hypotheses to explain the spectrum: Atmospheric
emission from the planet with either (1) a single value of extinction or (2)
variable extinction, and (3) a combined atmospheric and circumplanetary disk
model. Goodness-of-fit indicators favour the third option, suggesting
circumplanetary material contributing excess thermal emission --- most
prominent at m. Inferred accretion rates (-- yr) are compatible with observational
constraints based on the H and Br lines. For the planet, we
derive an effective temperature of 1500--1600 K, surface gravity , radius , mass , and possible thick clouds.
Models with variable extinction lead to slightly worse fits. However, the
amplitude (mag) and timescale of variation
(~years) required for the extinction would also suggest
circumplanetary material.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 1 table. This is a pre-copyedited,
author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in ApJL on 2019
May 1
Logic Programming and Logarithmic Space
We present an algebraic view on logic programming, related to proof theory
and more specifically linear logic and geometry of interaction. Within this
construction, a characterization of logspace (deterministic and
non-deterministic) computation is given via a synctactic restriction, using an
encoding of words that derives from proof theory.
We show that the acceptance of a word by an observation (the counterpart of a
program in the encoding) can be decided within logarithmic space, by reducing
this problem to the acyclicity of a graph. We show moreover that observations
are as expressive as two-ways multi-heads finite automata, a kind of pointer
machines that is a standard model of logarithmic space computation
Decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in sow’s lactation diet affects the milk composition and post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets
Hemicelluloses (HC) are polysaccharides constituents of the cell walls of plants. They are fermented in the gut to produce volatile fatty acids (VFA). The present study investigated the effects of decreasing HC level in a sow’s lactation diet on sow performances, offspring development and milk composition. From 110 days (d) of gestation until weaning (26 ± 0.4 d post-farrowing), 40 Swiss Large White sows were assigned to one of the four dietary treatments: (1) T13 (HC: 127 g/kg), (2) T11 (HC: 114 g/kg), (3) T9 (HC: 94 g/kg) and (4) T8 (HC: 80 g/kg). Milk was collected at 3 and 17d of lactation. At birth, piglets were divided into two groups according to their birthweight (BtW): normal (N-BtW; BtW >1.20 kg) or low (L-BtW; BtW ≤1.20 kg). Decreased HC levels in the maternal diet linearly increased (p ≤.05) the body weight of L-BtW piglets at two weeks post-weaning and linearly decreased (p ≤.05) diarrhoea incidence and duration in this category. The concentrations of copper, threonine and VFA, as well as the proportion of butyrate, in milk linearly increased (p ≤.05), whereas lactose content linearly decreased (p ≤.05) with decreased HC in the maternal diet. The present study provides evidence that decreasing HC level in a sow’s lactation diet can positively affect the composition and VFA profile of milk and ultimately favour the growth and health of L-BtW piglets.Highlights The results of this study showed that decreasing the level of hemicelluloses in a sow’s lactation diet modified milk composition and had positive effects on the post-weaning performance of low birthweight piglets. This study highlighted the role of dietary fibres in the maternal diet to alleviate body weight variations at two weeks post-weaning. Nevertheless, before advising pig producers, further research should elucidate the optimal level of hemicelluloses for lactating sows
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