On the singular planar Plateau problem

Given any $\Gamma=\gamma(\mathbb{S}^1)\subset\mathbb{R}^2$, image of a Lipschitz curve $\gamma:\mathbb{S}^1\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^2$, not necessarily injective, we provide an explicit formula for computing the value of $$\mathcal A(\gamma):=\inf\left\{\left. \int_{B_1(0)}|\mathrm{det}(\nabla u)| \mathrm{d} x \ \right| \ u=\gamma \text{ on }\mathbb{S}^1\right\},$$ where the infimum is evaluated among all Lipschitz maps $u:B_1(0)\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^2$ having boundary datum $\gamma$. This coincides with the area of a minimal disk spanning $\Gamma$, i.e., a solution of the Plateau problem of disk type for the oriented contour $\Gamma$. The novelty of the results relies in the fact that we do not assume the curve $\gamma$ to be injective and our formula allows for any kind of self-intersection

Using Networks To Understand Medical Data: The Case of Class III Malocclusions

A system of elements that interact or regulate each other can be represented by a mathematical object called a network. While network analysis has been successfully applied to high-throughput biological systems, less has been done regarding their application in more applied fields of medicine; here we show an application based on standard medical diagnostic data. We apply network analysis to Class III malocclusion, one of the most difficult to understand and treat orofacial anomaly. We hypothesize that different interactions of the skeletal components can contribute to pathological disequilibrium; in order to test this hypothesis, we apply network analysis to 532 Class III young female patients. The topology of the Class III malocclusion obtained by network analysis shows a strong co-occurrence of abnormal skeletal features. The pattern of these occurrences influences the vertical and horizontal balance of disharmony in skeletal form and position. Patients with more unbalanced orthodontic phenotypes show preponderance of the pathological skeletal nodes and minor relevance of adaptive dentoalveolar equilibrating nodes. Furthermore, by applying Power Graphs analysis we identify some functional modules among orthodontic nodes. These modules correspond to groups of tightly inter-related features and presumably constitute the key regulators of plasticity and the sites of unbalance of the growing dentofacial Class III system. The data of the present study show that, in their most basic abstraction level, the orofacial characteristics can be represented as graphs using nodes to represent orthodontic characteristics, and edges to represent their various types of interactions. The applications of this mathematical model could improve the interpretation of the quantitative, patient-specific information, and help to better targeting therapy. Last but not least, the methodology we have applied in analyzing orthodontic features can be applied easily to other fields of the medical science.</p

Distributed Online Load Sensitivity Identification by Smart Transformer and Industrial Metering

Load power sensitivity to voltage changes continuously in the distribution grid due to the increased variability of the load demand (e.g., electric vehicles charging) and generation production (e.g., photovoltaic). Classical sensitivity identification methods do not respect the fast dynamics of such changes: they require long data history and/or high computational power to update the load sensitivity. The proposed online load sensitivity identification (OLLI) approach is able to identify the load sensitivity in real time (e.g., every minute). This paper demonstrates that the OLLI can be achieved not only with the advanced smart transformer metering system but also with commercial industrial metering products. It is shown that OLLI is able to identify correctly the load sensitivity also in the presence of noise or fast stochastic variation of power consumption. The industrial metering-based OLLI application has been proven by means of a power-hardware-in-loop evaluation applied on an experimental microgrid

The aftermath of the Merck's HIV vaccine trial

The recently released results of the Merck's Phase IIb "test-of concept" vaccine trials have shown no protection from HIV-1 infection in the vaccinated group compared with a control group vaccinated with placebo. The study was designed to test the Merck's MRKAd5 trivalent candidate vaccine. The vaccine formulation was expected to stimulate a HIV-specific T cell immune response and to either prevent infection, or to reduce the levels of the viral load in vaccinated subjects. Upon the first evaluation of the interim data, the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) underscored no protection from HIV-1 infection in the vaccine-inoculated volunteers compared with the control group; accordingly, the vaccine trial was stopped. This disappointing outcome warrants a critical analysis of the current vaccine studies and calls for a renewed effort toward a rational design of novel immunogens to be tested in large primate trials

Menadione-induced oxidative stress re-shapes the oxylipin profile of Aspergillus flavus and its lifestyle

Aspergillus flavus is an efficient producer of mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxin B1, probably the most hepatocarcinogenic naturally-occurring compound. Although the inducing agents of toxin synthesis are not unanimously identified, there is evidence that oxidative stress is one of the main actors in play. In our study, we use menadione, a quinone extensively implemented in studies on ROS response in animal cells, for causing stress to A. flavus. For uncovering the molecular determinants that drive A. flavus in challenging oxidative stress conditions, we have evaluated a wide spectrum of several different parameters, ranging from metabolic (ROS and oxylipin profile) to transcriptional analysis (RNA-seq). There emerges a scenario in which A. flavus activates several metabolic processes under oxidative stress conditions for limiting the ROS-associated detrimental effects, as well as for triggering adaptive and escape strategies

Short-Term Association Between Ambient Air Pollution and Risk of Hospitalization for Acute Myocardial Infarction: Results of the Cardiovascular Risk and Air Pollution in Tuscany (RISCAT) Study

n/

Complex networks for data-driven medicine: the case of Class III dentoskeletal disharmony

In the last decade, the availability of innovative algorithms derived from complexity theory has inspired the development of highly detailed models in various fields, including physics, biology, ecology, economy, and medicine. Due to the availability of novel and ever more sophisticated diagnostic procedures, all biomedical disciplines face the problem of using the increasing amount of information concerning each patient to improve diagnosis and prevention. In particular, in the discipline of orthodontics the current diagnostic approach based on clinical and radiographic data is problematic due to the complexity of craniofacial features and to the numerous interacting co-dependent skeletal and dentoalveolar components. In this study, we demonstrate the capability of computational methods such as network analysis and module detection to extract organizing principles in 70 patients with excessive mandibular skeletal protrusion with underbite, a condition known in orthodontics as Class III malocclusion. Our results could possibly constitute a template framework for organising the increasing amount of medical data available for patients' diagnosis

Bowel obstruction from benign adnexal mass i an elderly patient

Bowel obstruction resulting from ovarian masses is a serious complication of these diseases. This may be caused by bulky masses filling the pelvis and the abdomen, and should be carefully worked out by pre-operative imaging because of their non-specific clinical signs that may be confused with those due to other conditions such as: volvulus, cancer or adhesions. We report the case of a 70 years old woman with a bulky pelvic-abdominal mass of 27 × 20 cm that was found to be an “ovarian serous cystadenoma” and clinical signs of intestinal obstruction, which was treated by uterus sparing surgery