Spherical orbit closures in simple projective spaces and their normalizations

Let G be a simply connected semisimple algebraic group over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic 0 and let V be a rational simple G-module of finite dimension. If G/H \subset P(V) is a spherical orbit and if X is its closure, then we describe the orbits of X and those of its normalization. If moreover the wonderful completion of G/H is strict, then we give necessary and sufficient combinatorial conditions so that the normalization morphism is a homeomorphism. Such conditions are trivially fulfilled if G is simply laced or if H is a symmetric subgroup.Comment: 24 pages, LaTeX. v4: Final version, to appear in Transformation Groups. Simplified some proofs and corrected minor mistakes, added references. v3: major changes due to a mistake in previous version

INTER-OBSERVER AND INTRA-OBSERVER AGREEMENT IN THE ANALYSIS OF OESOPHAGEAL PH-IMPEDANCE TRACINGS.

AIM Information resulting from oesophageal 24h pH-impedance monitoring (pH-MII) may have important consequences for patients\u2019 management. Aims of this study were 1) to evaluate agreement for number of reflux episodes and symptom/reflux association indexes in MII-pH tracings analysis between and within three experienced observers working in different European Centers, 2) to evaluate the predictivity of a shorter manual analysis targeted to the two-minutes window periods before each symptomatic episode with regards to the traditional. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty consecutive pH-MII tracings of patients (23 women, median age 55 years) referred for suspected oesophageal (n=24) or extra-oesophageal (n=16) GORD symptoms in two Northern Italian Centers were included (20 tracings/Center). After automatic analysis (MMS, Enschede, The Nederlands), tracings were duplicated and anonymized. Three expert observers blindly performed the traditional manual analysis on the 40 duplicated tracings, erasing or adding reflux episodes according to their judgment based on the Oporto Criteria. The first manual analysis was performed in a sequential order, the second one in a randomly assigned order. Subsequently a short manual analysis was also blindly performed. Values of both symptom association indexes (Symptom Index=S.I. and Symptom Association Probability=S.A.P.) were transformed into binary response (i.e. positive or negative). Inter- and intra-observer agreement was calculated with Cohen\u2019s Coefficient (k) and/or with percentage of agreement. RESULTS Inter-observer agreement on acid reflux was excellent between the three observers for both S.I. and S.A.P. (K=1.0; 100%), whereas considering non-acid reflux it was high for S.I. (95%, 92.5% and 95% of concordance for observer 1,2 and 3 respectively) and moderate for S.A.P. (K=0.35; 85% between observer 1 and 2, K=0.36; 82.5% between observer 1 and 3, K=0.23; 87.5% between observer 2 and 3). Intra-observer agreement on acid reflux was good to excellent for both S.I. (K=0.77; 95% for observer 1 and 2 and K=1.0; 100% for observer 3), and S.A.P. (K=0.80; 95% , K=0.72; 92.5% and K=1.0; 100% for observer 1, 2 and 3 respectively). Intra-observer agreement on non-acid reflux was high for S.I. (97.5%, 95% and 97.5% of concordance for observer 1, 2 and 3 respectively) and moderate for S.A.P. (K=0.48; 85% and K=0.54; 90% for observer 1 and 3 and good for observer 2, K=0.79; 2.5%). Considering all the three observers the short analysis was predictive of the traditional one for both S.I., 88% and 98% of the tracings for acid and non-acid reflux, respectively and S.A.P., 99% and 97% of the tracings for acid and non-acid reflux, respectively. CONCLUSIONS We found a good inter- and intra-observer agreement for symptom/reflux association indexes, especially when considering acid reflux. Moreover we demonstrated that short analysis was highly predictive of the traditional manual analysis, suggesting that the short one could be used in routine clinical practice with considerable savings

Classification of Reductive Monoid Spaces Over an Arbitrary Field

In this semi-expository paper we review the notion of a spherical space. In particular we present some recent results of Wedhorn on the classification of spherical spaces over arbitrary fields. As an application, we introduce and classify reductive monoid spaces over an arbitrary field.Comment: This is the final versio

ANALISIS INTERDEPENDENSI FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI) DENGAN VARIABEL MAKRO EKONOMI

ABSTRAK Tujuan utama dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis interdependensi antara FDI dengan beberapa variabel yang lain, seperti PDB, Trade, Nilai Tukar, dan Tingkat bunga. Model VAR digunakan untuk menunjukkan pandangan yang komprehensif dari interdependensi ini. Hasil empiris menunjukkan bahwa melalui model VAR, interdependensi antara variabel FDI, PDB, Trade, Nilai Output Industri, Nilai Tukar dan Tingkat Suku Bunga telah diteliti dalam hubungan jangka panjang melalui kointegrasi vektor dan jangka pendek yang berdampak pada model VAR. Korelasi dinamis variabel telah diperoleh dengan analisis varian dan analisis respon impuls. Beberapa implikasi besar muncul dari hasil penelitian. Jika pemerintah Indonesia berkeinginan mendorong FDI dan pertumbuhan ekonomi, hal ini dapat dilakukan dengan output dan nilai tukar. Dalam jangka pendek maupun jangka panjang, keduanya sangat penting untuk stabilitas ekonomi. Kata Kunci : FDI, Pertumbuhan ekonomi, variabel makro dan model VARBanda Ace

Inibizione del TNFα in pazienti con anticorpi anti-Ro/SSA e artrite reumatoide: Analisi clinica e sierologica = TNF α inhibition in anti-Ro/SSA positive patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Clinical and immunological effects

Objective: to analyse efficacy and safety of anti-TNF \u3b1 treatment in 17 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (AR) and anti-Ro antibodies, in order to detect difference in clinical and immunological response. Methods: 322 patients, affected by RA and treated with anti-TNF \u3b1 drugs, were considered, searching every 6-12 months ANA, anti-dsDNA and anti-ENA antibodies. Seventeen were anti-Ro positive and 305 anti-Ro negative before starting treatment. Results: anti-Ro positive subjects showed active arthritis at baseline (mean DAS: 5), with frequent extra-articular features, such as ocular and oral sicca symptoms. They showed rapid and stable improvement during the treatment, without significant difference compared to anti-Ro negative group. A good clinical Eular response was shown in 46% of anti-Ro negative subjects, steady stable during time. On the contrary, fewer anti-Ro positive patients seem to be "good" responders. RA remission (DAS <1,6) was achieved in 9-25% of anti-Ro positive and 21-29% of anti-Ro negative, without significant difference. Antinuclear antibodies tend to increase in both groups, during the time. Anti-DNA increased to 40% of anti-Ro positive sera since 6thmonth, while they slightly increased in first 12 months in anti-Ro negative ones, then decreased to baseline value. No differences were shown about the frequency and reasons of anti-TNF \u3b1 withdrawal, except for cutaneous lupus-like disease, more detected in anti-Ro positive group. Conclusions: anti-TNF \u3b1 drugs are effective in anti-Ro positive RA as well as other RA patients. Anti-DNA positivity and lupus-like disease were more frequently observed in anti-Ro positive group

Efficacy and Drug Survival after Switching from Etanercept to the Biosimilar SB4: A Real-Life Long-Term Study

We evaluated the 3-year drug survival and efficacy of the biosimilar SB4/Benepali in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, pre-viously treated with etanercept (ETA). Drug survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan\u2013Meier method and Cox proportional hazard models were developed to examine predictors of SB4 discontin-uation. 236 patients (120 RA, 80 PsA and 36 AS), aged 60.7 \ub1 13.8 years and with an ETA duration of 4.1 \ub1 3.4 years were included. The 3-year retention rate for SB4 was 94.4%, 88% and 86% in AS, RA and PsA patients, respectively, with no difference between groups. Patients without comorbid disease had higher retention rates vs. patients with comorbid disease (90% vs. 60%, p < 0.0001). Disease activity, as measured by DAS28, DAPSA and BASDAI remained stable over the 3 years. Comorbid disease (hazard ratio; HR: 4.06, p < 0.0001) and HAQ at baseline (HR: 2.42, p = 0.0024) significantly increased the risk of SB4 discontinuation, while previous ETA duration was negatively associated with SB4 discontinuation (HR: 0.97, p = 0.0064). Forty-one (17.4%) patients left the study due to the interruption of the SB4 treatment, 31 (75.6%) discontinued due to inefficacy and 10 (24.4%) due to adverse events. This real-life study confirms the similar efficacy profile of ETA with long-term retention and a good safety profile in inflammatory arthritis patients

Fluid intake and incidence of renal cell carcinoma in UK women

Background:It has been suggested that the apparent protective effect of alcohol intake on renal cell carcinoma may be due to the diluting effect of carcinogens by a high total fluid intake. We assessed the association between intakes of total fluids and of specific beverages on the risk of renal cell carcinoma in a large prospective cohort of UK women.Methods:Information on beverage consumption was obtained from a questionnaire sent 3 years after recruitment into the Million Women Study. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for renal cell carcinoma associated with beverage consumption adjusted for age, region of residence, socioeconomic status, smoking, and body mass index.Results:After an average of 5.2 years of follow-up, 588 cases of renal cell carcinoma were identified among 779 369 women. While alcohol intake was associated with a reduced risk of renal cell carcinoma (RR for 2 vs 1 drink per day: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.61-0.96; P for trend0.02), there was no association with total fluid intake (RR for 12 vs 7 drinks per day: 1.15; 95% CI: 0.91-1.45; P for trend0.3) or with intakes of specific beverages.Conclusions:The apparent protective effect of alcohol on the risk of renal cell carcinoma is unlikely to be related to a high fluid intake. © 2011 Cancer Research UK All rights reserved

Effects of robotic upper limb treatment after stroke on cognitive patterns: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Robotic therapy (RT) has been internationally recognized for the motor rehabilitation of the upper limb. Although it seems that RT can stimulate and promote neuroplasticity, the effectiveness of robotics in restoring cognitive deficits has been considered only in a few recent studies. OBJECTIVE: To verify whether, in the current state of the literature, cognitive measures are used as inclusion or exclusion criteria and/or outcomes measures in robotic upper limb rehabilitation in stroke patients. METHODS: The systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies eligible were identified through PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science from inception to March 2021. RESULTS: Eighty-one studies were considered in this systematic review. Seventy-three studies have at least a cognitive inclusion or exclusion criteria, while only seven studies assessed cognitive outcomes. CONCLUSION: Despite the high presence of cognitive instruments used for inclusion/exclusion criteria their heterogeneity did not allow the identification of a guideline for the evaluation of patients in different stroke stages. Therefore, although the heterogeneity and the low percentage of studies that included cognitive outcomes, seemed that the latter were positively influenced by RT in post-stroke rehabilitation. Future larger RCTs are needed to outline which cognitive scales are most suitable and their cut-off, as well as what cognitive outcome measures to use in the various stages of post-stroke rehabilitation

Beringian Standstill and Spread of Native American Founders

Native Americans derive from a small number of Asian founders who likely arrived to the Americas via Beringia. However, additional details about the intial colonization of the Americas remain unclear. To investigate the pioneering phase in the Americas we analyzed a total of 623 complete mtDNAs from the Americas and Asia, including 20 new complete mtDNAs from the Americas and seven from Asia. This sequence data was used to direct high-resolution genotyping from 20 American and 26 Asian populations. Here we describe more genetic diversity within the founder population than was previously reported. The newly resolved phylogenetic structure suggests that ancestors of Native Americans paused when they reached Beringia, during which time New World founder lineages differentiated from their Asian sister-clades. This pause in movement was followed by a swift migration southward that distributed the founder types all the way to South America. The data also suggest more recent bi-directional gene flow between Siberia and the North American Arctic