NanoSPECT/MRI: a “new generation” high performance tool in pre-clinical imaging

Abstract Body: PreClinical Imaging it is an each-day evolving field, getting more and more important at distinct areas. The Biotechnology field is between those that taken the biggest benefit. With so much interest, it is not surprising that investment consented on Research and Development is also evolving at the same time that this specific branch of business into the Imaging Industry is getting more and more attention and growing in importance. Hybrid Imaging is also getting more and more interest in the last decade and actually there are different vendors proposing interesting technical solutions, making things easier for one that has the possibilities – and the knowledge about each will be the most adequate for the specific purpose on each situation! – to choose one (or more) of those solutions. This paper relates with the public presentation of images produced from the world first model of a new pre-clinical imaging system, an new equipment that mixes Nuclear Medicine and MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging techniques, using as base the sub-millimeter Nano-SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography), so an high-level performance system – the world reference, produced by MEDISO Company, in Hungary - from Nuclear Medicine and a new MRI component, optimized for Neurosciences, but able to perform adequately on other critical biological fields. As practical example from the possibilities being introduced, images from mice, which are being enrolled on a Neuroscience project, will be showed and will be discussed, but also will be compared with other images being produced on other, actually more current, technical solutions, in order to try to demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of this specific new approach. Since this small – quick and unpretentious – comparison will be done, it is meant to make possible understanding the place and the real possibilities of this equipment, which it is expected to become available on the world market between the end of this year and the 1st Quarter from next year

Dispatchable High-Power Wind Turbine Based on a Multilevel Converter with Modular Structure and Hybrid Energy Storage Integration

This paper presents a new multilevel converter solution with modular structure and hybrid energy-storage integration suitable to drive modern/future high-power medium-voltage wind turbines. The hybrid energy-storage integration means that part of the converter submodules are built with batteries and part of them with conventional capacitors. Since traditional wind turbines are non-dispatchable generators, the integration of an energy storage system could be beneficial in multiple ways as the wind power plant could provide stability support to the grid, improvement of the unit commitment and economic dispatch, and the power plant owner could increase his revenues in the electricity market. The capacitors of the proposed converter are responsible to transfer the power produced by the wind turbine to the grid, and the batteries are only charged/discharged with the mismatch between the power produced by the turbine and the power to be injected into the grid, considering a dispatchable operation where the power injected into the grid is different from the power generated by the turbine. The medium-voltage structure could be an interesting option to overcome problems related to high currents in modern/future high-power wind turbines resulting in more efficient, more compact and lighter solutions. Modular multilevel converters are suitable to handle medium-voltage levels and they allow for a straightforward integration of energy storage systems in a decentralized manner

ASTM G86: Energy Vs. Momentum

No abstract availabl

Fast DNA translocation through a solid-state nanopore

We report translocation experiments on double-strand DNA through a silicon oxide nanopore. Samples containing DNA fragments with seven different lengths between 2000 to 96000 basepairs have been electrophoretically driven through a 10 nm pore. We find a power-law scaling of the translocation time versus length, with an exponent of 1.26 $\pm$ 0.07. This behavior is qualitatively different from the linear behavior observed in similar experiments performed with protein pores. We address the observed nonlinear scaling in a theoretical model that describes experiments where hydrodynamic drag on the section of the polymer outside the pore is the dominant force counteracting the driving. We show that this is the case in our experiments and derive a power-law scaling with an exponent of 1.18, in excellent agreement with our data.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Submitted to PR

Aprendizaje Móvil: La nueva generación en Educación a Distancia

Desde sus orígenes, la Educación a Distancia (EaD) constituyó una herramienta de inclusión social y educativa, que facilitó el acceso a la educación de segmentos de población que no pueden asistir regularmente a clases o que residen en zonas donde la oferta educativa es inexistente o insuficiente. Las nuevas tecnologías de información y comunicación (TIC) se fueron incorporando para mejorar el accesoy la interactividad, así como la variedad y la calidad de los materiales. Actualmente, están surgiendo nuevas necesidades de inclusión impulsadas por la rápida erosión del conocimiento y la modificación en las condiciones de trabajo favorecidas por las nuevas tecnologías- que llevan a una gran proporción de la población económicamente activa a realizar estudios a distancia para mantener su empleabilidad, aprender las normas y procedimientos de la organización que los emplea, y/o acceder al trabajo flexible. Las TIC- particularmente, los dispositivos móviles permitenque la EaD nos acompañe adonde vayamos y esté disponible cuando y donde tengamos tiempo para estudiar. Pero son tecnologías disruptoras que están acompañadas de nuevas pautas culturales que cambiarán la EaD, no solo en la forma operativa de proveer el servicio, sino también en la forma de enseñar y aprender. En esta ponencia proponemos un nuevo modelo educativo de EaD basado en el aprendizaje móvil -el cual estamos desarrollando actualmente en el marco de un proyecto de investigación y desarrollo- que se enmarca dentro de una nueva generación de opciones de EaD. Se identificarán también algunos obstáculos en este camino y posibles formas de resolverlos

Rationale, design and conduct of a randomised controlled trial evaluating a primary care-based complex intervention to improve the quality of life of heart failure patients: HICMan (Heidelberg Integrated Case Management) : study protocol

Background: Chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) is a complex disease with rising prevalence, compromised quality of life (QoL), unplanned hospital admissions, high mortality and therefore high burden of illness. The delivery of care for these patients has been criticized and new strategies addressing crucial domains of care have been shown to be effective on patients' health outcomes, although these trials were conducted in secondary care or in highly organised Health Maintenance Organisations. It remains unclear whether a comprehensive primary care-based case management for the treating general practitioner (GP) can improve patients' QoL. Methods/Design: HICMan is a randomised controlled trial with patients as the unit of randomisation. Aim is to evaluate a structured, standardized and comprehensive complex intervention for patients with CHF in a 12-months follow-up trial. Patients from intervention group receive specific patient leaflets and documentation booklets as well as regular monitoring and screening by a prior trained practice nurse, who gives feedback to the GP upon urgency. Monitoring and screening address aspects of disease-specific selfmanagement, (non)pharmacological adherence and psychosomatic and geriatric comorbidity. GPs are invited to provide a tailored structured counselling 4 times during the trial and receive an additional feedback on pharmacotherapy relevant to prognosis (data of baseline documentation). Patients from control group receive usual care by their GPs, who were introduced to guidelineoriented management and a tailored health counselling concept. Main outcome measurement for patients' QoL is the scale physical functioning of the SF-36 health questionnaire in a 12-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes are the disease specific QoL measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy questionnaire (KCCQ), depression and anxiety disorders (PHQ-9, GAD-7), adherence (EHFScBS and SANA), quality of care measured by an adapted version of the Patient Chronic Illness Assessment of Care questionnaire (PACIC) and NTproBNP. In addition, comprehensive clinical data are collected about health status, comorbidity, medication and health care utilisation. Discussion: As the targeted patient group is mostly cared for and treated by GPs, a comprehensive primary care-based guideline implementation including somatic, psychosomatic and organisational aspects of the delivery of care (HICMAn) is a promising intervention applying proven strategies for optimal care. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN30822978

Genomic variation in baboons from central Mozambique unveils complex evolutionary relationships with other Papio species

Background: Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique hosts a large population of baboons, numbering over 200 troops. Gorongosa baboons have been tentatively identified as part of Papio ursinus on the basis of previous limited morphological analysis and a handful of mitochondrial DNA sequences. However, a recent morphological and morphometric analysis of Gorongosa baboons pinpointed the occurrence of several traits intermediate between P. ursinus and P. cynocephalus, leaving open the possibility of past and/or ongoing gene flow in the baboon population of Gorongosa National Park. In order to investigate the evolutionary history of baboons in Gorongosa, we generated high and low coverage whole genome sequence data of Gorongosa baboons and compared it to available Papio genomes. Results: We confirmed that P. ursinus is the species closest to Gorongosa baboons. However, the Gorongosa baboon genomes share more derived alleles with P. cynocephalus than P. ursinus does, but no recent gene flow between P. ursinus and P. cynocephalus was detected when available Papio genomes were analyzed. Our results, based on the analysis of autosomal, mitochondrial and Y chromosome data, suggest complex, possibly male-biased, gene flow between Gorongosa baboons and P. cynocephalus, hinting to direct or indirect contributions from baboons belonging to the “northern” Papio clade, and signal the presence of population structure within P. ursinus. Conclusions: The analysis of genome data generated from baboon samples collected in central Mozambique highlighted a complex set of evolutionary relationships with other baboons. Our results provided new insights in the population dynamics that have shaped baboon diversity