A review of wildland fire spread modelling, 1990-present, 1: Physical and quasi-physical models

In recent years, advances in computational power and spatial data analysis (GIS, remote sensing, etc) have led to an increase in attempts to model the spread and behaviour of wildland fires across the landscape. This series of review papers endeavours to critically and comprehensively review all types of surface fire spread models developed since 1990. This paper reviews models of a physical or quasi-physical nature. These models are based on the fundamental chemistry and/or physics of combustion and fire spread. Other papers in the series review models of an empirical or quasi-empirical nature, and mathematical analogues and simulation models. Many models are extensions or refinements of models developed before 1990. Where this is the case, these models are also discussed but much less comprehensively.Comment: 31 pages + 8 pages references + 2 figures + 5 tables. Submitted to International Journal of Wildland Fir

Microtubule depolymerization affects endocytosis and exocytosis in the tip and influences endosome movement in tobacco pollen tubes

Polarized organization of the cytoplasm of growing pollen tubes is maintained by coordinated function of actin filaments (AFs) and microtubules (MTs). AFs convey post-Golgi secretory vesicles to the tip where some fuse with specific domains of the plasma membrane (PM). Secretory activity is balanced by PM retrieval that maintains cell membrane economy and regulates the polarized composition of the PM, by dividing lipids/proteins between the shank and the tip. Although AFs play a key role in PM internalization in the shank, the role of MTs in exoendocytosis needs to be characterized. The present results show that integrity of the MT cytoskeleton is necessary to control exoendocytosis events in the tip. MT polymerization plays a role in promoting PM invagination in the apex of tobacco pollen tubes since Nocodazole affected PM internalization in the tip and subsequent migration of endocytic vesicles from the apex for degradation. MT depolymerization in the apex and shank was associated with misallocation of a significantly greater amount of internalized PM to the Golgi apparatus and its early recycling to the secretory pathway. FRAP experiments also showed that MT depolymerization in the tip region influenced the rate of exocytosis in the central domain of the apical PM

Sustainable Triazine-Based Dehydro-Condensation Agents for Amide Synthesis

Conventional methods employed today for the synthesis of amides often lack of economic and environmental sustainability. Triazine-derived quaternary ammonium salts, e.g., 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium chloride (DMTMM(Cl)), emerged as promising dehydro-condensation agents for amide synthesis, although suffering of limited stability and high costs. In the present work, a simple protocol for the synthesis of amides mediated by 2-chloro-4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine (CDMT) and a tert-amine has been described and data are compared to DMTMM(Cl) and other CDMT-derived quaternary ammonium salts (DMT-Ams(X), X: Cl- or ClO4-). Different tert-amines (Ams) were tested for the synthesis of various DMT-Ams(Cl), but only DMTMM(Cl) could be isolated and employed for dehydro-condensation reactions, while all CDMT/tert-amine systems tested were efficient as dehydro-condensation agents. Interestingly, in best reaction conditions, CDMT and 1,4-dimethylpiperazine gave N-phenethyl benzamide in 93% yield in 15 min, with up to half the amount of tert-amine consumption. The efficiency of CDMT/tert-amine was further compared to more stable triazine quaternary ammonium salts having a perchlorate counter anion (DMT-Ams(ClO4)). Overall CDMT/tert-amine systems appear to be a viable and more economical alternative to most dehydro-condensation agents employed today

Anti-oxidant potential and gap junction-mediated intercellular communication as early biological markers of mercuric chloride toxicity in MDCK cell line.

In this study, the early nephrotoxic potential of mercuric chloride (HgCl(2)) has been evaluated in vitro, by exposing a renal-derived cell system, the tubular epithelial Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line, to the presence of increasing HgCl(2) concentrations (0.1-100 microM) for different periods of time (from 4 to 72 h). As possible biological markers of the tubular-specific toxicity of HgCl(2) in exposed-MDCK cultures we analysed: (i) critical biochemical parameters related to oxidative stress conditions and (ii) gap-junctional function (GJIC). HgCl(2) cytotoxicity was evaluated by cell-density assay. The biochemical analysis of the pro-oxidant properties of the mercuric ion (Hg(2+)) was performed by evaluating the effect of the metal salt on the antioxidant status of the MDCK cells. The cell glutathione (GSH) content and the activity of glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) and catalase (Cat), two enzymes engaged in the H(2)O(2) degradation, were quantified. HgCl(2) influence on MDCK GJIC was analysed by the microinjection/dye-transfer assay. HgCl(2)-induced morphological changes in MDCK cells were also taken into account. Our results, proving that subcytotoxic (0.1-10 microM) HgCl(2) concentrations affect either the antioxidant defences of MDCK cells or their GJIC, indicate these critical functions as suitable biological targets of early mercury-induced tubular cell injury

Ceriantharia (Cnidaria) of the World: An annotated catalogue and key to species

The diversity of Ceriantharia is known from studies formally describing species from the late 18th Century onwards. However, no nomenclators including a list and discussion of all valid species have been produced since a list discussed by Carlgren in 1912. The present nomenclator presents a complete list of adult species of Ceriantharia of the World, including a discussion on each species. It includes the three families (Arachnactidae, Botrucnidiferidae, Cerianthidae) and the currently accepted 54 species based on their adult form. This study serves as a presentation of the “state-of-the-art” list of species of Ceriantharia, and includes a species identification key to support taxonomic identification. Additional in-depth species-byspecies investigations for almost all cerianthid species is still needed, as the information available for most of these species is quite superficial.Fil: Stampar, Sergio. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Reimer, James D.. University of The Ryukyus; JapónFil: Maronna, Maximiliano. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Lopes, Celine S.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Ceriello, Helen. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Santos, Thais B.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Acuña, Fabian Horacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Morandini, André C.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Canakinumab as treatment for COVID-19-related pneumonia: A prospective case-control study

Objectives: Canakinumab is an IL-1? antibody that neutralises the activity of IL-1?. This study examined the efficacy and safety of canakinumab in patients with moderate COVID-19-related pneumonia. Design: This study aimed to evaluate the reduction in duration of hospitalisation with adequate oxygen status. Forty-eight patients with moderate COVID-19-related pneumonia were asked to participate in the prospective case-control study: 33 patients (cases) signed informed consent and received canakinumab (Cohort 1) and 15 patients (Controls) refused to receive the experimental drug and received institutional standard of care (Cohort 2). Results: Hospital discharge within 21 days was seen in 63% of patients in Cohort 1 vs. 0% in Cohort 2 (median 14 vs. 26 days, respectively; p < 0.001). There was significant clinical improvement in ventilation regimes following administration of canakinumab compared with Cohort 2 (Stuart-Maxwell test for paired data, p < 0.001). Patients treated with canakinumab experienced a significant increase in PaO2: FiO2 (p < 0.001) and reduction in lung damage by CT (p = 0.01), along with significant decreases in immune/inflammation markers that were not observed in Cohort 2. Only mild side-effects were seen in patients treated with canakinumab; survival at 60 days was 90.0% (95% CI 71.9?96.7) in patients treated with canakinumab and 73.3% (95% CI 43.6?89.1) for Cohort 2. Conclusions: Treatment with canakinumab in patients with COVID-19-related pneumonia rapidly restored normal oxygen status, decreased the need for invasive mechanical ventilation, and was associated with earlier hospital discharge and favourable prognosis versus standard of care. ? 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-n

Reduction of precocious peri-implant resorption cone

Aim: After implant-insertion, bone tissue, newly-formed on peri-implant crest, undergoes to a mild marginal osseous readjustment due to build-up of inflammatory cell tissue (ICT). The present study verifies the possibility to limit bone resorption by placing implant fixtures 0.5 mm outside cortical bone edge. Methods: A clinically-controlled randomized study on 100 implants has been performed to compare early resorption process of implant fixtures placed 0.5 mm outside cortical bone edge with implant-fixtures inserted according to juxtacortical bone conventional protocols. Results: After 6 months, bone implant level was higher with emersion approach (-1.01\ub10.54 mm, mean\ub1SD) than with submerged treatment (-1.56\ub10.5 mm) (P<0.001). Conclusion: Factors to achieve an excellent result at mean-long term seem to be very good, even though the latter have to be confirmed by follow-up

Lupus anticoagulant in patients without thrombotic or obstetric complications

El inhibidor lúpico (IL) es un criterio de laboratorio para síndrome antifosfolipídico (SAF); sin embargo, puede detectarse en individuos asintomáticos o estar asociado a otras situaciones clínicas. Presentamos un análisis retrospectivo de 2000 exámenes consecutivos para IL (TTPA, DRVVT), de los cuales 499 casos no presentaban criterios clínicos de SAF (trombosis o complicaciones obstétricas). Aplicando los criterios SSC-ISTH, hallamos IL+ en 27,3% (410/1501) y 43,3% (216/499) de los casos con y sin clínica de SAF respectivamente, analizándose en los casos no-SAF las características clínicas y de laboratorio. Contexto clínico de casos IL+ no-SAF: 18,0% asintomáticos, 34,3% sangrado (epistaxis, gingivorragia, equimosis, hematomas espontáneos) y 47,7% otras manifestaciones (infertilidad, insuficiencia renal crónica, desórdenes autoinmunes, cardiopatía isquémica, trombocitopenia inmune, entre otras). Otras alteraciones de laboratorio en casos IL+ no- SAF, con síntomas de sangrado: alteraciones plaquetarias, descenso de VWF:RCo y/o VWF:Ag, disthrombocytopeminución de FVIII, FII, FV, FVII, FXI o fibrinógeno (sólo o sumado a disminución de plaquetas o FX), inhibidor a-FV o hiperfibrinolisis fueron detectadas en el 55,4% de los casos. El análisis mostró IL+ en un número importante de estudios (216/2000) sin criterios de SAF (1,95% en individuos asintomáticos, 3,70% en pacientes con síntomas de sangrado y 5,15% en casos con otro contexto clínico). Los casos con IL+ y sangrado representan un desafío particular, al requerir evaluar otros posibles defectos subyacentes, que pudiesen justificar el comportamiento clínico. La detección e identificación de defectos combinados requiere de un análisis minucioso, a fin de alcanzar un diagnóstico correcto, esencial para tomar decisiones terapéuticas adecuadas.Despite lupus anticoagulant (LA) is a laboratory criterion for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), it can be present in asymptomatic subjects or it can be associated with other clinical settings. We present a retrospective analysis of 2000 consecutive LA assays (APTT, DRVVT), 499 of them were performed in patients without APS clinical criteria (thrombosis or obstetric complications). According to SSC-ISTH criteria, LA+ was found in 27.3% (410/1501) and 43.3% (216/499) of cases with or without APS criteria respectively; in no-APS group, the analysis of clinical background and laboratory features was done. Clinical background of LA+ cases no-APS: 18.0% asymptomatic, 34.3% bleeding symptoms (epistaxis, gingivorrhagia, bruising, spontaneous hematomas) and 47.7% other clinical settings (infertility, chronic kidney disease, autoimmune disorders, ischemic heart disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, among others). Other abnormal laboratory tests in LA+ cases no- APS with bleeding symptoms: platelet dysfunction; low VWF:RCo and/or VWF:Ag; decrease of FVIII, FII, FV, FVII, FXI or fibrinogen (alone or with low platelet count or low FX), a-FV inhibitor and hyperfibrinolysis were found in the 55.4% of the cases. The analysis showed LA+ in an important number of cases (216/2000) without APS criteria (1.95% in asymptomatic cases, 3.70% in patients with bleeding symptoms and 5.15% in cases with other clinical settings). Those LA+ cases with bleeding symptoms represent a particular challenge because other possible underlying defects have to be analysed in order to explain the clinical behaviour. The detection and identifications of combined defects required a careful analysis in order to achieve an accurate diagnosis, essential for therapeutic decisions.Fil: Remotti, L.. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Hematológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Grosso, S. H.. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Hematológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Ingratti, M. F.. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Hematológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Vera Morandini, Maria Paula. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Hematológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Woods, Adriana Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Bermejo, E. I.. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Hematológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez Luceros, Analía Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; Argentina. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Hematológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Meschengieser, S. S.. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Hematológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Lazzari, María Ángela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Blanco, A. N.. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Hematológicas ; Argentin

Low drug levels and thrombotic complications in high-risk atrial fibrillation patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants

Essentials Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) do not require laboratory monitoring currently. DOAC specific measurements were performed at trough in patients with atrial fibrillation. Patients who developed thromboembolic events showed lower DOAC plasma levels. This study supports the concept of measuring DOAC levels at steady state. Summary: Background Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are administered at fixed doses without the need for dose adjustment according to laboratory testing. High interindividual variability in drug blood levels has been shown with all DOACs. To evaluate a possible relationship between DOAC C-trough anticoagulant levels and thromboembolic events, 565 consecutive naive patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) were enrolled in this study performed within the START Laboratory Registry. Methods DOAC-specific measurements (diluted thrombin time or anti-activated factor II calibrated for dabigatran; anti-activated FX calibrated for rivaroxaban or apixaban) at C-trough were performed locally at steady state within 15–25 days after the start of treatment. For each DOAC, the interval of C-trough levels, from the limit of quantification to the highest value, was subdivided into four equal classes, and results were attributed to these classes; the median values of results were also calculated. Thromboembolic complications occurring during 1 year of follow-up were recorded. Results Thromboembolic events (1.8%) occurred in 10 patients who had baseline C-trough levels in the lowest class of drug levels. The incidence of thromboembolic events among patients with DOAC C-trough levels in the lowest level class was 2.4%, and that in the remaining groups was 0%. The patients with thrombotic complications also had a higher mean CHA2DS2-VASc score than that of the total patient population: 5.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.3–6.3 versus 3.0 (95% CI 2.9–3.1). Conclusion In this study cohort, thrombotic complications occurred only in DOAC-treated AF patients who had very low C-trough levels, with a relatively high CHA2DS2-VASc score. Larger studies are warranted to confirm these preliminary observations. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis