Preliminary space mission design under uncertainty

This paper proposes a way to model uncertainties and to introduce them explicitly in the design process of a preliminary space mission. Traditionally, a system margin approach is used in order to take them into account. In this paper, Evidence Theory is proposed to crystallise the inherent uncertainties. The design process is then formulated as an Optimisation Under Uncertainties (OUU). Three techniques are proposed to solve the OUU problem: (a) an evolutionary multi-objective approach, (b) a step technique consisting of maximising the belief for different levels of performance, and (c) a clustering method that firstly identifes feasible regions. The three methods are applied to the BepiColombo mission and their effectiveness at solving the OUU problem are compared

The synergistic effect of prebiotics, probiotics and antioxidants on dogs with chronic kidney disease

The use of probiotics, prebiotics and antioxidants could be found beneficial for dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of our case-control study is to evaluate the synergistic effect of a diet integrated with a supplement containing probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus), prebiotics (fructoligosaccharides) and antioxidants (Olea Europaea extract) on the nutritional status and on serum and urinary parameters of dogs with CKD. A total of 30 dogs classified with IRIS CKD stage 3 were enrolled and randomly assigned to a control (CG, n = 15) and a treated (TG n = 15) group. The trial consisted in a 7-days adaptation period, followed by 90 days where animals in the TR group received the supplement, while in the CG group the placebo. No significant changes in body weight and body condition score were recorded. We recorded a significant improvement of the protein plasmatic level and a decrease in blood phosphorus, systolic pressure, BUN, proteinuria and urine protein-to-creatinine ratio throughout the trial in the TG compared to the CG group. Furthermore, the parameters related to inflammation and oxidative stress (C-reactive protein and Reactive Oxygen Metabolite- derived compound, respectively) were lower in the TG than in the CG group throughout the study. Our results showed that the supplement allows to maintain the correct nutritional status and to improve blood and kidney parameters in dogs with advance stage of CKD. This supplement could be considered as a new nutritional approach for treating this condition.HIGHLIGHTS Diet supplemented with prebiotics, probiotics and antioxidants is safe for dogs with CKD. The synergic effect of prebiotics, probiotics and antioxidants included in the supplement under study shows the maintenance of a good nutritional status and the improvement of blood and urinary parameters in dogs with CKD

Caracterización Físico-Química de diversos frutos subutilizados de Argentina para su valoración como alimentos funcionales

Argentina es un país con una importante diversidad biológica, en donde su gran variedad de climas permite obtener una flora muy bien diversificada, contando con alrededor de 10 mil especies de plantas. La búsqueda de nuevas alternativas productivas, de nuevos productos con valor nutracéutico destacado, de antioxidantes naturales obtenidos de frutos no tradicionales y subutilizados es de interés a nivel mundial, teniendo una demanda creciente de los consumidores los que están dispuestos a pagar precios superiores con respecto a las frutas tradicionales.En Argentina existen frutos subutilizados nativos del tipo de los berries, como los de calafate (Berberis microphylla G. Forst.), maqui (Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz, parrilla (Ribes magellanicum L.), chaura (Gaultheria mucronata L. f. Hook), sauco (Sambucus spp.) entre otros y frutos del tipo de las drupas como el mango (Mangifera indica), pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.) y durazno del monte o ubujay (Hexachlamys edulis O. Berg Kausel & D. Legrand) entre otros. Si bien algunos de estos frutos han sido referidos con destacado valor funcional por nuestro grupo de trabajo, en otros como el sauco, ubujay y pitanga se encuentran escasos antecedentes sobre el tema, siendo ésta una nueva propuesta de estudio en la UM. El Objetivo General es la caracterización físico-química de algunos frutos subutilizados de la Argentina de pitanga, sauco y ubujay para su valoración como alimentos funcionales y su posterior uso sustentable para la diversificación de la actividad agropecuaria. Los Objetivos Particulares son la caracterización de los frutos en diferentes estados de madurez de parámetro físicos como tamaño, peso, contenido de humedad, número y peso de las semillas, y la caracterización química como sólidos solubles, acidez total titulable, fenoles totales, flavonoides, antocianinas, carotenoides, actividad antioxidante para la valoración nutracéutica de los frutos

Assessing the relationship between markers of glycemic control through flexible copula regression models

Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) is a sensitive marker of blood glucose in patients with diabetes. However, levels can vary considerably, even amongst individuals with similar mean blood glucose concentrations. Other glycated proteins, such as fructosamine, can also act as blood sugar markers, but estimating HbA1c and fructosamine via independent models may lead to errors of interpretation regarding disease severity. From a clinical standpoint, it would be of great interest to know the factors that affect the mean concentration of both HbA1c and fructosamine, which influence the variability in the concentrations of these glycated markers and cause HbA1c/fructosamine discordance. Flexible models are required to illustrate the behaviour of these variables as well as the association between them. This work reviews existing models that might serve in this regard. Flexible copula regression models using splines were used to provide a better understanding of the behaviour of both glycated proteins and the relationship between them under the possible influence of different covariates. This work shows the usefulness of this type of models in practise and provides a basis for their clinical interpretation by means of an understandable case study. Ultimately, to better understand the effects of each continuous covariate, they are represented at the true scale of the response variables

Assessing the relationship between markers of glycemic control through flexible copula regression models

Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) is a sensitive marker of blood glucose in patientswith diabetes. However, levels can vary considerably, even among individualswith similar mean blood glucose concentrations. Other glycated proteins, such asfructosamine, can also act as blood sugar markers, but estimating HbA1c and fruc-tosamine via independent models may lead to errors of interpretation regardingdisease severity. From a clinical standpoint, it would be of great interest to knowthe factors that affect the mean concentration of both HbA1c and fructosamine,that influence the variability in the concentrations of these glycated markers, andthat cause HbA1c/fructosamine discordance. Flexible models are required that illus-trate the behaviour of these variables as well as the association between them. Thepresent work reviews existing models that might serve in this regard. Flexible cop-ula regression models using P-splines, were used to provide a better understandingof the behaviour of both glycated proteins, and the relationship between them underthe possible influence of different covariates. This work shows the usefulness ofthis type of models in practice, and provides a basis for its clinical interpretation bymeans of an understandable case study. Ultimately, to better understand the effectsof each continuous covariate, they were represented at the true scale of the response variables

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

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Increased frequency of disease-causing MYH mutations in colon cancer families

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