Fan blade protection system

In one type of aircraft propulsion system, propeller blades are mounted on a ring which surrounds a turbine. An annular space exists between the turbine and the ring. If a propeller blade should break free, the unbalanced centrifugal load tends to deform the ring. The invention reduces the deformation, as by locating spacers between the turbine and the ring

Concomitant CIS on TURBT does not impact oncological outcomes in patients treated with neoadjuvant or induction chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy

© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018Background: Cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for muscle invasive bladder cancer improves all-cause and cancer specific survival. We aimed to evaluate whether the detection of carcinoma in situ (CIS) at the time of initial transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) has an oncological impact on the response to NAC prior to radical cystectomy. Patients and methods: Patients were identified retrospectively from 19 centers who received at least three cycles of NAC or induction chemotherapy for cT2-T4aN0-3M0 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder followed by radical cystectomy between 2000 and 2013. The primary and secondary outcomes were pathological response and overall survival, respectively. Multivariable analysis was performed to determine the independent predictive value of CIS on these outcomes. Results: Of 1213 patients included in the analysis, 21.8% had concomitant CIS. Baseline clinical and pathologic characteristics of the ‘CIS’ versus ‘no-CIS’ groups were similar. The pathological response did not differ between the two arms when response was defined as pT0N0 (17.9% with CIS vs 21.9% without CIS; p = 0.16) which may indicate that patients with CIS may be less sensitive to NAC or ≤ pT1N0 (42.8% with CIS vs 37.8% without CIS; p = 0.15). On Cox regression model for overall survival for the cN0 cohort, the presence of CIS was not associated with survival (HR 0.86 (95% CI 0.63–1.18; p = 0.35). The presence of LVI (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.01–1.96; p = 0.04), hydronephrosis (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.23–2.16; p = 0.001) and use of chemotherapy other than ddMVAC (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.34–0.94; p = 0.03) were associated with shorter overall survival. For the whole cohort, the presence of CIS was also not associated with survival (HR 1.05 (95% CI 0.82–1.35; p = 0.70). Conclusion: In this multicenter, real-world cohort, CIS status at TURBT did not affect pathologic response to neoadjuvant or induction chemotherapy. This study is limited by its retrospective nature as well as variability in chemotherapy regimens and surveillance regimens.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Methods for the extraction, storage, amplification and sequencing of DNA from environmental samples

Advances in the sequencing of DNA extracted from media such as soil and water offer huge opportunities for biodiversity monitoring and assessment, particularly where the collection or identification of whole organisms is impractical. However, there are myriad methods for the extraction, storage, amplification and sequencing of DNA from environmental samples. To help overcome potential biases that may impede the effective comparison of biodiversity data collected by different researchers, we propose a standardised set of procedures for use on different taxa and sample media, largely based on recent trends in their use. Our recommendations describe important steps for sample pre-processing and include the use of (a) Qiagen DNeasy PowerSoil® and PowerMax® kits for extraction of DNA from soil, sediment, faeces and leaf litter; (b) DNeasy PowerSoil® for extraction of DNA from plant tissue; (c) DNeasy Blood and Tissue kits for extraction of DNA from animal tissue; (d) DNeasy Blood and Tissue kits for extraction of DNA from macroorganisms in water and ice; and (e) DNeasy PowerWater® kits for extraction of DNA from microorganisms in water and ice. Based on key parameters, including the specificity and inclusivity of the primers for the target sequence, we recommend the use of the following primer pairs to amplify DNA for analysis by Illumina MiSeq DNA sequencing: (a) 515f and 806RB to target bacterial 16S rRNA genes (including regions V3 and V4); (b) #3 and #5RC to target eukaryote 18S rRNA genes (including regions V7 and V8); (c) #3 and #5RC are also recommended for the routine analysis of protist community DNA; (d) ITS6F and ITS7R to target the chromistan ITS1 internal transcribed spacer region; (e) S2F and S3R to target the ITS2 internal transcribed spacer in terrestrial plants; (f) fITS7 or gITS7, and ITS4 to target the fungal ITS2 region; (g) NS31 and AML2 to target glomeromycota 18S rRNA genes; and (h) mICOIintF and jgHCO2198 to target cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) genes in animals. More research is currently required to confirm primers suitable for the selective amplification of DNA from specific vertebrate taxa such as fish. Combined, these recommendations represent a framework for efficient, comprehensive and robust DNA-based investigations of biodiversity, applicable to most taxa and ecosystems. The adoption of standardised protocols for biodiversity assessment and monitoring using DNA extracted from environmental samples will enable more informative comparisons among datasets, generating significant benefits for ecological science and biosecurity applications

Advancing measurements and representations of subsurface heterogeneity and dynamic processes: towards 4D hydrogeology

Essentially all hydrogeological processes are strongly influenced by the subsurface spatial heterogeneity and the temporal variation of environmental conditions, hydraulic properties, and solute concentrations. This spatial and temporal variability generally leads to effective behaviors and emerging phenomena that cannot be predicted from conventional approaches based on homogeneous assumptions and models. However, it is not always clear when, why, how, and at what scale the 4D (3D + time) nature of the subsurface needs to be considered in hydrogeological monitoring, modeling, and applications. In this paper, we discuss the interest and potential for the monitoring and characterization of spatial and temporal variability, including 4D imaging, in a series of hydrogeological processes: (1) groundwater fluxes, (2) solute transport and reaction, (3) vadose zone dynamics, and (4) surface–subsurface water interactions. We first identify the main challenges related to the coupling of spatial and temporal fluctuations for these processes. We then highlight recent innovations that have led to significant breakthroughs in high-resolution space–time imaging and modeling the characterization, monitoring, and modeling of these spatial and temporal fluctuations. We finally propose a classification of processes and applications at different scales according to their need and potential for high-resolution space–time imaging. We thus advocate a more systematic characterization of the dynamic and 3D nature of the subsurface for a series of critical processes and emerging applications. This calls for the validation of 4D imaging techniques at highly instrumented observatories and the harmonization of open databases to share hydrogeological data sets in their 4D components

Film remakes, the black sheep of translation

Film remakes have often been neglected by translation studies in favour of other forms of audiovisual translation such as subtitling and dubbing. Yet, as this article will argue, remakes are also a form of cinematic translation. Beginning with a survey of previous, ambivalent approaches to the status of remakes, it proposes that remakes are multimodal, adaptive translations: they translate the many modes of the film being remade and offer a reworking of that source text. The multimodal nature of remakes is explored through a reading of Breathless, Jim McBride's 1983 remake of Jean-Luc Godard's À bout de souffle (1959), which shows how remade films may repeat the narrative of, but differ on multiple levels from, their source films. Due to the collaborative nature of film production, remakes involve multiple agents of translation. As such, remakes offer an expanded understanding of audiovisual translation

Serum markers in interstitial pneumonia with and without Pneumocystis jirovecii colonization: a prospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In patients with chronic respiratory disease, <it>Pneumocystis jirovecii (P. jirovecii) </it>colonization is observed, and may influence disease progression and systemic inflammation. <it>Pneumocystis </it>pneumonia causes interstitial changes, so making a diagnosis of PCP in patients who have interstitial pneumonia (IP) with <it>P. jirovecii </it>colonization is sometimes difficult based on radiography.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study investigated the prevalence of <it>P. jirovecii </it>colonization in IP patients and assessed pulmonary injury due to <it>P. jirovecii </it>colonization by measurement of serum markers (KL-6, SP-A, SP-D, and (1→3) β-D-glucan (β-D-glucan)) and the peripheral lymphocyte counts, prospectively. A total of 75 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (n = 29), collagen vascular-related interstitial pneumonia (n = 19), chronic bronchitis or pneumonia (n = 20), and <it>Pneumocystis </it>pneumonia (n = 7) were enrolled in this prospective study. <it>P. jirovecii </it>DNA was detected in sputum samples, while serum markers and the lymphocyte count were measured in the peripheral blood.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>IP patients (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and collagen vascular-related IP) who received oral corticosteroids had a high prevalence of <it>P. jirovecii </it>colonization (23.3%). In IP patients, oral corticosteroid therapy was a significant risk factor for <it>P. jirovecii </it>colonization (<it>P </it>< 0.05). Serum markers did not show differences between IP patients with and without <it>P. jirovecii </it>colonization. The β-D-glucan level and lymphocyte count differed between patients with <it>Pneumocystis </it>pneumonia or <it>P. jirovecii </it>colonization.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Serum levels of KL-6, SP-A, SP-D, and β-D-glucan were not useful for detecting <it>P. jirovecii </it>colonization in IP patients. However, the serum β-D-glucan level and lymphocyte count were useful for distinguishing <it>P. jirovecii </it>colonization from <it>pneumocystis </it>pneumonia in IP patients.</p

Deep RNA sequencing analysis of readthrough gene fusions in human prostate adenocarcinoma and reference samples

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Readthrough fusions across adjacent genes in the genome, or transcription-induced chimeras (TICs), have been estimated using expressed sequence tag (EST) libraries to involve 4-6% of all genes. Deep transcriptional sequencing (RNA-Seq) now makes it possible to study the occurrence and expression levels of TICs in individual samples across the genome.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed single-end RNA-Seq on three human prostate adenocarcinoma samples and their corresponding normal tissues, as well as brain and universal reference samples. We developed two bioinformatics methods to specifically identify TIC events: a targeted alignment method using artificial exon-exon junctions within 200,000 bp from adjacent genes, and genomic alignment allowing splicing within individual reads. We performed further experimental verification and characterization of selected TIC and fusion events using quantitative RT-PCR and comparative genomic hybridization microarrays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Targeted alignment against artificial exon-exon junctions yielded 339 distinct TIC events, including 32 gene pairs with multiple isoforms. The false discovery rate was estimated to be 1.5%. Spliced alignment to the genome was less sensitive, finding only 18% of those found by targeted alignment in 33-nt reads and 59% of those in 50-nt reads. However, spliced alignment revealed 30 cases of TICs with intervening exons, in addition to distant inversions, scrambled genes, and translocations. Our findings increase the catalog of observed TIC gene pairs by 66%.</p> <p>We verified 6 of 6 predicted TICs in all prostate samples, and 2 of 5 predicted novel distant gene fusions, both private events among 54 prostate tumor samples tested. Expression of TICs correlates with that of the upstream gene, which can explain the prostate-specific pattern of some TIC events and the restriction of the <it>SLC45A3-ELK4 </it>e4-e2 TIC to <it>ERG</it>-negative prostate samples, as confirmed in 20 matched prostate tumor and normal samples and 9 lung cancer cell lines.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Deep transcriptional sequencing and analysis with targeted and spliced alignment methods can effectively identify TIC events across the genome in individual tissues. Prostate and reference samples exhibit a wide range of TIC events, involving more genes than estimated previously using ESTs. Tissue specificity of TIC events is correlated with expression patterns of the upstream gene. Some TIC events, such as <it>MSMB-NCOA4</it>, may play functional roles in cancer.</p

Treatment strategies and clinical outcomes in consecutive patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer:A multicenter prospective cohort

Introduction: Since current studies on locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) mainly report from single, high-volume centers, it is unclear if outcomes can be translated to daily clinical practice. This study provides treatment strategies and clinical outcomes within a multicenter cohort of unselected patients with LAPC. Materials and methods: Consecutive patients with LAPC according to Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group criteria, were prospectively included in 14 centers from April 2015 until December 2017. A centralized expert panel reviewed response according to RECIST v1.1 and potential surgical resectability. Primary outcome was median overall survival (mOS), stratified for primary treatment strategy. Results: Overall, 422 patients were included, of whom 77% (n = 326) received chemotherapy. The majority started with FOLFIRINOX (77%, 252/326) with a median of six cycles (IQR 4-10). Gemcitabine monotherapy was given to 13% (41/326) of patients and nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine to 10% (33/326), with a median of two (IQR 3-5) and three (IQR 3-5) cycles respectively. The mOS of the entire cohort was 10 months (95%CI 9-11). In patients treated with FOLFIRINOX, gemcitabine monotherapy, or nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine, mOS was 14 (95%CI 13-15), 9 (95%CI 8-10), and 9 months (95%CI 8-10), respectively. A resection was performed in 13% (32/252) of patients after FOLFIRINOX, resulting in a mOS of 23 months (95%CI 12-34). Conclusion: This multicenter unselected cohort of patients with LAPC resulted in a 14 month mOS and a 13% resection rate after FOLFIRINOX. These data put previous results in perspective, enable us to inform patients with more accurate survival numbers and will support decision-making in clinical practice. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

Large effects on body mass index and insulin resistance of fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) variants in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

BACKGROUND: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common endocrine disorder in women of child-bearing age, mainly characterised by chronic anovulation and hyperandrogenism, is often associated with insulin resistance (IR) and obesity. Its etiology and the role of IR and obesity in PCOS are not fully understood. We examined the influence of validated genetic variants conferring susceptibility to obesity and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on metabolic and PCOS-specific traits in patients with PCOS. METHODS: We conducted an association study in 386 patients with PCOS (defined by the Rotterdam-criteria) using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in or in proximity to the fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO), insulin-induced gene-2 (INSIG2), transcription factor 7-like 2 gene (TCF7L2) and melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R). To compare the effect of FTO obesity risk alleles on BMI in patients with PCOS to unselected females of the same age range we genotyped 1,971 females from the population-based KORA-S4 study (Kooperative Gesundheitsforschung im Raum Augsburg, Survey 4). RESULTS: The FTO risk allele was associated with IR traits and measures of increased body weight. In addition, the TCF7L2 SNP was associated with body weight traits. For the SNPs in the vicinity of INSIG2 and MC4R and for the other examined phenotypes there was no evidence for an association. In PCOS the observed per risk allele effect of FTO intron 1 SNP rs9939609 on BMI was +1.56 kg/m2, whereas it was +0.46 kg/m2 in females of the same age range from the general population as shown previously. CONCLUSION: The stronger effect on body weight of the FTO SNP in PCOS might well have implications for the etiology of the disease