Proximal-sensing-powered modelling of energy-water fluxes in a vineyard: A spatial resolution analysis

Spatial resolution is a key parameter in energy–water surface flux modelling. In this research, scale effects are analyzed on fluxes modelled with the FEST-EWB model, by upscaling both its inputs and outputs separately. The main questions are: (a) if high-resolution remote sensing images are necessary to accurately model a heterogeneous area; and (b) whether and to what extent low-resolution modelling provides worse/better results than the upscaled results of high-resolution modelling. The study area is an experimental vineyard field where proximal sensing images were obtained by an airborne platform and verification fluxes were measured via a flux tower. Modelled fluxes are in line with those from alternative energy-balance models, and quite accurate (NSE = 0.78) with respect to those measured in situ. Field-scale evapotranspiration has resulted in both the tested upscaling approaches (with relative error within ±30%), although fewer pixels available for low-resolution calibration may produce some differences. When working at low resolutions, the model has produced higher relative errors (20% on average), but is still within acceptable bounds. This means that the model can produce high-quality results, partially compensating for the loss in spatial heterogeneity associated with low-resolution images

The win/profit maximization debate: Strategic adaptations as the answer?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to highlight the heterogeneity of the organizational aims within the professional football teams in Ligue 1. Second, to understand why some teams swing from a win orientation towards a soft budget constraint from year to year, and vice versa. Design/methodology/approach Financial data from annual reports for the period 2005/2015 was collected for the 35 Ligue 1 clubs. To define the degree of compliance with the intended strategy for those clubs, an efficiency analysis was conducted thanks to the data envelopment analysis method. This measure of performance was supplemented with the identification of productivity and demand shocks to identify whether clubs suffered from such shock or changed their strategy. It enables to precise the nature of the evolution in the utility function, with regards to the gap between expectation and actual performance. Findings The paper suggests that a team can switch from one orientation to another from year to year due to the uncertain nature of the sports industry. The club director’s utility function could also be maximized under inter temporal budget function in order to adjust the weight between win and profit according to the opportunities in the environment. Originality/value The paper sheds new light on the win/profit maximization. The theoretical model provides an assessment of the weight between win and profit in Ligue 1 and then identifies a new explanation for persistent losses in the sports industry

Novel USH1G homozygous variant underlying USH2-like phenotype of Usher syndrome

PURPOSE: Usher syndrome (USH) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by congenital sensorineural hearing impairment and retinitis pigmentosa. Classification distinguishes three clinical types of which type I (USH1) is the most severe, with vestibular dysfunction as an added feature. To date, 15 genes and 3 loci have been identified with the USH1G gene being an uncommon cause of USH. We describe an atypical USH1G-related phenotype caused by a novel homozygous missense variation in a patient with profound hearing impairment and relatively mild retinitis pigmentosa, but no vestibular dysfunction. METHODS: A 26-year-old female patient with profound congenital sensorineural hearing loss, nyctalopia and retinitis pigmentosa was studied. Audiometric, vestibular and ophthalmologic examination was performed. A panel of 13 genes was tested by next-generation sequencing (NGS). RESULTS: While the hearing loss was confirmed to be profound, the vestibular function resulted normal. Although typical retinitis pigmentosa was present, the age at onset was unusually late for USH1 syndrome. A novel homozygous missense variation (c.1187T>A, p.Leu396Gln) in the USH1G gene has been identified as causing the disease in our patient. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity are very common in both isolated and syndromic retinal dystrophies and sensorineural hearing loss. Our findings widen the spectrum of USH allelic disorders and strength the concept that variants in genes that are classically known as underlying one specific clinical USH subtype might result in unexpected phenotypes

COLORECTAL CANCER IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM AN ONGOING CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Background and Aim:Understanding the risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC) is crucial to the development of effective strategies for its prevention. meta-analysis and epidemiological studies have already shown that type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased risk of CRC and have provided data to support a positive relationship between these diseases. Material and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 741 consecutive caucasian patients with type 2 DM who underewnt colonoscopic screening cof CRC and followed in our tertiary referrral center in 200-208 for incidence of CRC. Patients were stratified based on gender, age, body mass index (MBI), alchool and NSAIDS assumption, family history for cancer blood glycated hemoglobin levels, hypertension, hypertrigliceridemia, age at diabetes onset and duration, treatment with insulin or other hypoglicemic drugs. A total of 257 consecutive control patients were selected from a cohort of patients followed as outpatients for thyroid diseases. Results: At a median follow-up of 132,5 months (range 33,3-175,7) 56 cases of cancer (prevalence 7,56%) occurred; among these, 14 cases of CRC were reported (prevalence 18,8%) among the diabetic patients, while only one case (prevalence 0,004%) occurred in the control group, although this difference is not statistically significant (chi-square 2,9, P=0,08). Median duration of DM to CRC diagnosis was 156 months (range 1-768). At the univariate analysis older age (p=0,001), and diabetes duration (p=0,001) were related to higher risk of cancer, while metformin seems to be protective towards cancer (p=0,058). in the subset of patients with CRC, older age (p=0,001) and diabetes duration (p=0,001) were related to higher risk of CRC, such as treatment with sulphonylureas (p=0,01). Conclusions: Our preliminbar data show that the prevalence of CRC in the cohort of patients with type 2 DM was higher compared to that from our control group, and to that from the National Tumor Register up 2010 (0,5%). Furthermore we could interestingly hypotize that sulphonylureas may play a role in CRC carcinogenesis altering the physiological insulin secretion

Trabectedin triggers direct and NK-mediated cytotoxicity in multiple myeloma

Background: Genomic instability is a feature of multiple myeloma (MM), and impairment in DNA damaging response (DDR) has an established role in disease pathobiology. Indeed, a deregulation of DNA repair pathways may contribute to genomic instability, to the establishment of drug resistance to genotoxic agents, and to the escape from immune surveillance. On these bases, we evaluated the role of different DDR pathways in MM and investigated, for the first time, the direct and immune-mediated anti-MM activity of the nucleotide excision repair (NER)-dependent agent trabectedin. Methods: Gene-expression profiling (GEP) was carried out with HTA2.0 Affymetrix array. Evaluation of apoptosis, cell cycle, and changes in cytokine production and release have been performed in 2D and 3D Matrigel-spheroid models through flow cytometry on MM cell lines and patients-derived primary MM cells exposed to increasing nanomolar concentrations of trabectedin. DNA-damage response has been evaluated through Western blot, immunofluorescence, and DNA fragmentation assay. Trabectedin-induced activation of NK has been assessed by CD107a degranulation. miRNAs quantification has been done through RT-PCR. Results: By comparing GEP meta-analysis of normal and MM plasma cells (PCs), we observed an enrichment in DNA NER genes in poor prognosis MM. Trabectedin triggered apoptosis in primary MM cells and MM cell lines in both 2D and 3D in vitro assays. Moreover, trabectedin induced DDR activation, cellular stress with ROS production, and cell cycle arrest. Additionally, a significant reduction of MCP1 cytokine and VEGF-A in U266-monocytes co-cultures was observed, confirming the impairment of MM-promoting milieu. Drug-induced cell stress in MM cells led to upregulation of NK activating receptors ligands (i.e., NKG2D), which translated into increased NK activation and degranulation. Mechanistically, this effect was linked to trabectedin-induced inhibition of NKG2D-ligands negative regulators IRF4 and IKZF1, as well as to miR-17 family downregulation in MM cells. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings indicate a pleiotropic activity of NER-targeting agent trabectedin, which appears a promising candidate for novel anti-MM therapeutic strategies

Insights from Engineering a Community-Family Partnership Project

The objective of this three-year National Science Foundation’s Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (NSF-ITEST) project is to develop, implement, and refine a program for integrating engineering design practices with an emphasis on emerging technologies (i.e., making, DIY electronics) into home environments of families with a child in grade 3-6 from under-resourced communities. This project has two components. Each family (1) defines a home- or community-based problem and creates a prototype to improve the lives of self or others; and (2) engages in low-cost engineering design kits in their home environments. This paper presents findings from two years of interview data, as well video data collected in project sessions and home environments from 21 families. Results are presented as highlights of finding from on-going analyses to address three research aims