Statistical properties of acoustic emission signals from metal cutting processes

Acoustic Emission (AE) data from single point turning machining are analysed in this paper in order to gain a greater insight of the signal statistical properties for Tool Condition Monitoring (TCM) applications. A statistical analysis of the time series data amplitude and root mean square (RMS) value at various tool wear levels are performed, �nding that ageing features can be revealed in all cases from the observed experimental histograms. In particular, AE data amplitudes are shown to be distributed with a power-law behaviour above a cross-over value. An analytic model for the RMS values probability density function (pdf) is obtained resorting to the Jaynes' maximum entropy principle (MEp); novel technique of constraining the modelling function under few fractional moments, instead of a greater amount of ordinary moments, leads to well-tailored functions for experimental histograms.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure

Modeling functional network topology following stroke through graph theory:functional reorganization and motor recovery prediction

The study of functional reorganization following stroke has been steadily growing supported by advances in neuroimaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Concomitantly, graph theory has been increasingly employed in neuroscience to model the brain's functional connectivity (FC) and to investigate it in a variety of contexts. The aims of this study were: 1) to investigate the reorganization of network topology in the ipsilesional (IL) and contralesional (CL) hemispheres of stroke patients with (motor stroke group) and without (control stroke group) motor impairment, and 2) to predict motor recovery through the relationship between local topological variations of the functional network and increased motor function. We modeled the brain's FC as a graph using fMRI data, and we characterized its interactions with the following graph metrics: degree, clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, and betweenness centrality (BC). For both patient groups, BC yielded the largest variations between the two analyzed time points, especially in the motor stroke group. This group presented significant correlations (P<0.05) between average BC changes and the improvements in upper-extremity Fugl-Meyer (UE-FM) scores at the primary sensorimotor cortex and the supplementary motor area for the CL hemisphere. These regions participate in processes related to the selection, planning, and execution of movement. Generally, higher increases in average BC over these areas were related to larger improvements in UE-FM assessment. Although the sample was small, these results suggest the possibility of using BC as an indication of brain plasticity mechanisms following stroke

A qualitative risk assessment for visual-only post-mortem meat inspection of cattle, sheep, goats and farmed/wild deer

The UK Food Standards Agency is currently funding research to build the evidence base for the modernisation of meat inspection. This includes an assessment of the risks to public health and animal health/welfare of moving to a visual-only post-mortem meat inspection (PMMI), where routine mandatory palpation and incision procedures are omitted. In this paper we present the results of a risk assessment for a change from current to visual-only PMMI for cattle, sheep/goats and farmed/wild deer. A large list of hazard/species pairings were assessed and prioritised by a process of hazard identification. Twelve hazard/species pairings were selected for full consideration within the final risk assessment. The results of the public health risk assessment indicated that all hazard/species pairings were Negligible with the exception of Cysticercus bovis in cattle, which was judged to be of low-medium increased risk for systems not conforming to criteria as laid down by EC Regulation 1244/2007, compared to systems that do conform to Regulations for visual-only PMMI. Most hazard/species pairings were concluded to pose a potential increased risk to animal health/welfare, including Mycobacterium bovis (very low – low increase in risk, but with considerable uncertainty), Fasciola hepatica (negligible – very low) and Cysticercus bovis (very low – low). Due to low feedback rates to farmers, the real risk to animal health/welfare for F. hepatica and C. bovis, including animals in non-conforming systems under visual-only PMMI, is probably negligible. That then leaves M. bovis as the only confirmed non-negligible animal health and welfare risk

Association between hemodynamic activity and motor performance in six-month-old full-term and preterm infants: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

FAPEMIG - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAISFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOThis study aimed to assess task-induced activation in motor cortex and its association with motor performance in full-term and preterm born infants at six months old. A cross-sectional study of 73 sixmonth- old infants was conducted (35 full-term and 38 preterm infants). Motor performance was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development third edition-Bayley-III. Brain hemodynamic activity during motor task was measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Motor performance was similar in full-term and preterm infants. However, differences in hemodynamic response were identified. Full terms showed a more homogeneous unilateral and contralateral activated area, whereas in preterm-born the activation response was predominantly bilateral. The full-term group also exhibited a shorter latency for the hemodynamic response than the preterm group. Hemodynamic activity in the left sensorimotor region was positively associated with motor performance measured by Bayley-III. The results highlight the adequacy of fNIRS to assess differences in task-induced activation in sensorimotor cortex between groups. The association between motor performance and the hemodynamic activity require further investigation and suggest that fNIRS can become a suitable auxiliary tool to investigate aspects of neural basis on early development of motor abilities.5118FAPEMIG - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAISFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOFAPEMIG - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAISFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO215502012/02500-82013/07559-

Formalin Fixation at Low Temperature Better Preserves Nucleic Acid Integrity

Fixation with formalin, a widely adopted procedure to preserve tissue samples, leads to extensive degradation of nucleic acids and thereby compromises procedures like microarray-based gene expression profiling. We hypothesized that RNA fragmentation is caused by activation of RNAses during the interval between formalin penetration and tissue fixation. To prevent RNAse activation, a series of tissue samples were kept under-vacuum at 4°C until fixation and then fixed at 4°C, for 24 hours, in formalin followed by 4 hours in ethanol 95%. This cold-fixation (CF) procedure preserved DNA and RNA, so that RNA segments up to 660 bp were efficiently amplified. Histological and immunohistochemical features were fully comparable with those of standard fixation. Microarray-based gene expression profiles were comparable with those obtained on matched frozen samples for probes hybridizing within 700 bases from the reverse transcription start site. In conclusion, CF preserves tissues and nucleic acids, enabling reliable gene expression profiling of fixed tissues

COVID-19 vaccine-readiness for anti-CD20-depleting therapy in autoimmune diseases

Although most autoimmune diseases are considered to be CD4 T cell- or antibody-mediated, many respond to CD20-depleting antibodies that have limited influence on CD4 and plasma cells. This includes rituximab, oblinutuzumab and ofatumumab that are used in cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and off-label in a large number of other autoimmunities and ocrelizumab in multiple sclerosis. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic created concerns about immunosuppression in autoimmunity, leading to cessation or a delay in immunotherapy treatments. However, based on the known and emerging biology of autoimmunity and COVID-19, it was hypothesised that while B cell depletion should not necessarily expose people to severe SARS-CoV-2-related issues, it may inhibit protective immunity following infection and vaccination. As such, drug-induced B cell subset inhibition, that controls at least some autoimmunities, would not influence innate and CD8 T cell responses, which are central to SARS-CoV-2 elimination, nor the hypercoagulation and innate inflammation causing severe morbidity. This is supported clinically, as the majority of SARS-CoV-2-infected, CD20-depleted people with autoimmunity have recovered. However, protective neutralizing antibody and vaccination responses are predicted to be blunted until naive B cells repopulate, based on B cell repopulation kinetics and vaccination responses, from published rituximab and unpublished ocrelizumab (NCT00676715, NCT02545868) trial data, shown here. This suggests that it may be possible to undertake dose interruption to maintain inflammatory disease control, while allowing effective vaccination against SARS-CoV-29, if and when an effective vaccine is available

Optical imaging and spectroscopy for the study of the human brain: status report

This report is the second part of a comprehensive two-part series aimed at reviewing an extensive and diverse toolkit of novel methods to explore brain health and function. While the first report focused on neurophotonic tools mostly applicable to animal studies, here, we highlight optical spectroscopy and imaging methods relevant to noninvasive human brain studies. We outline current state-of-the-art technologies and software advances, explore the most recent impact of these technologies on neuroscience and clinical applications, identify the areas where innovation is needed, and provide an outlook for the future directions

Complete response for advanced liver cancer during sorafenib therapy: Case Report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common neoplasia in the world. In the past, treatment of advanced HCC with conventional antineoplastic drugs did not result in satisfactory outcomes: recently, in this patient population the oral multikinase inhibitor sorafenib has been able to induce a statistically significant improvement of overall survival. Similarly to other anti-angiogenic drugs employed in other tumour types, also sorafenib seldom induces the dimensional tumour shrinking usually observed with conventional cytotoxic drugs: data gathered from studies carried out with sorafenib and other competitors under development do not report any complete response in HCV-induced HCC.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>An 84-year old man with a long-lasting history of chronic HCV hepatitis was referred to our Institution for an ultrasonography investigation of a focal hepatic lesion. To better characterize the liver disease and clearly define the diagnosis of the focal hepatic lesion, the patient was hospitalized in our department. Laboratory and instrumental investigations confirmed the clinical picture of HCV-related liver cirrhosis and identified a hepatic lesion of about 6 cm featuring infiltrating HCC with thrombosis of the portal trunk. Due to the advanced stage of the disease, therapy with sorafenib 400 mg bid was started. Right from one month after the treatment was started, a reduction of alpha-fetoprotein level was observed which, by the third month, turned down within the normal limits. In addition the CT scan showed 50% reduction of the neoplastic lesion along with canalization of the portal trunk. At the sixth month the normalization of the alpha-fetoprotein level at the lower limit of normality was confirmed and the MRI showed complete disappearance of the neoplasia. In addition a reduction of a metallo-proteinase serum level was obserdved. At the twelfth month a further MRI confirmed complete response had been maintained. At present the patient is in a follow-up program to evaluate the duration of the complete response.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This case is worth mentioning since, to the best of our knowledge, it represents the first evidence of complete response to sorafenib in an elderly patient with advanced HCV-related HCC.</p

Optical imaging and spectroscopy for the study of the human brain: status report.

This report is the second part of a comprehensive two-part series aimed at reviewing an extensive and diverse toolkit of novel methods to explore brain health and function. While the first report focused on neurophotonic tools mostly applicable to animal studies, here, we highlight optical spectroscopy and imaging methods relevant to noninvasive human brain studies. We outline current state-of-the-art technologies and software advances, explore the most recent impact of these technologies on neuroscience and clinical applications, identify the areas where innovation is needed, and provide an outlook for the future directions