Perforated small intestine in a patient with T-cell lymphoma; a rare cause of peritonitis

The nontraumatic perforations of the small intestine are pathological entities with particular aspects in respect to diagnosis and treatment. These peculiarities derive from the nonspecific clinical expression of the peritonitis syndrome, and from the multitude of causes that might be the primary sources of the perforation: foreign bodies, inflammatory diseases, tumors, infectious diseases, etc. Accordingly, in most cases intestinal perforation is discovered only by laparotomy and the definitive diagnosis is available only after histopathologic examination. Small bowel malignancies are rare; among them, lymphomas rank third in frequency, being mostly B-cell non Hodgkin lymphomas. Only 10% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas are with T-cell. We report the case of a 57 years’ old woman with intestinal T-cell lymphoma, whose first clinical symptomatology was related to a complication represented by perforation of the small intestine. Laparotomy performed in emergency identified an ulcerative lesion with perforation in the jejunum, which required segmental enterectomy with anastomosis. The nonspecific clinical manifestations of intestinal lymphomas make from diagnosis a difficult procedure. Due to the fact that surgery does not have a definite place in the treatment of the small intestinal lymphomas (for cases complicated with perforation), and beyond the morbidity associated with the surgery performed in emergency conditions, prognosis of these patients is finally given by the possibility to control the systemic disease through adjuvant therapy

Post-socialist urban growth of Bucharest, Romania – a change detection analysis on Landsat imagery (1984–2010)

In this study, Bucharest, the capital city of Romania was selected as a case study. Based on time series of Landsat TM imagery and statistical data, an analysis on urban growth from 1984 to 2010 was performed, using an integrated approach of remote sensing and GIS techniques. The land cover data were validated by CORINE Land Cover maps. The results revealed that rapid urban growth of the Bucharest region led to accelerated land use conversion from cropland to built-up land. The processes of deindustrialization in the core city and industrialization to the ring road represent other driving factors for spatiotemporal pattern of built-up land. The paper will discuss these processes and their impact on economic growth and residential suburbanization of the studied region

New approaches to anti-multipactor coatings for space applications

Tesis Doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Física Aplicada. Fecha de lectura: 08 de febrero de 2016El efecto Multipactor es un fenómeno perjudicial en dispositivos de alta potencia de RF en vacío de gran importancia tecnológica, industrial y económica. Es un viejo problema en la industria espacial, en los aceleradores de partículas de gran energía, en dispositivos toroidales de energía termo-nuclear, en generadores de potencia de RF, y muchas tecnologías electrónicas avanzadas. El efecto o descarga Multipactor se genera y alimenta por la Emisión de Electrones Secundarios (SEE) en las superficies del dispositivo. Por eso siempre su solución o mitigación pasa por reducir esta SEE de los materiales usados en las partes críticas del dispositivo. Los laboratorios de los aceleradores SLAC, CERN, KEK,… y ESTEC y VSC de ESA han dedicado un gran esfuerzo a este problema. Nuestro grupo colabora con los grupos en SLAC, CERN y ESA. El objetivo final y global del trabajo de esta tesis doctoral era el desarrollo y aplicación de recubrimientos anti-multipactor para aplicaciones espaciales de alta potencia de RF, para mitigar o suprimir la descarga multipactor con recubrimientos de baja SEE, estables en el aire y con baja resistencia superficial en la banda Ku (alrededor de 12 GHz). La búsqueda de materiales con baja SEE entra en conflicto con otras propiedades requeridas estrictamente para su aplicación en el espacio. Estas son principalmente muy buena conductividad eléctrica y gran estabilidad en el aire. Esta última está claramente en conflicto con la baja SEE y la alta conductividad. Este enfoque basado en las propiedades físico-químicas de las superficies se ha agotado sin encontrar una buena solución al Multipactor. A partir de en algunas observaciones tanto de nuestro laboratorio como de otros y que no habían sido consideradas en toda sus implicaciones, esta tesis doctoral se basa en varias hipótesis de trabajo importantes y novedosas: i) los diferentes requerimientos que no se pueden cumplir con un solo material se pueden satisfacer por capas de diferentes materiales haciendo uso de las diferentes escalas y penetraciones de las diferentes propiedades requeridas (modelo de capas del recubrimiento). ii) la rugosidad superficial de gran relación de aspecto es muy eficiente en reducir fuertemente la SEE aparente o eficaz y esta propiedad es de la forma y no del tamaño. iii) la rugosidad superficial de gran relación de aspecto aumenta la resistencia superficial de RF pero esto es una propiedad de la forma y del tamaño. Reduciendo suficientemente el tamaño puede hacerse compatible (ii) y (iii). Para la obtención de dicho tipo de rugosidad superficial en el material mejor conductor y de referencia en la industria espacial, Ag electrodepositada, se propuso realizar una amplia y concienzuda investigación en técnicas de micro y nano-estructuración de superficies. Otros objetivos eran desarrollar los recubrimientos y sus aplicaciones en dispositivos prácticos en estrecha colaboración con la industria espacial para satisfacer toda una serie de requerimientos industriales y económicos para su aplicación. Desarrollo del trabajo y metodología Este trabajo de investigación se ha desarrollado en dos grandes proyectos. Cada uno formado por un proyecto del Plan Nacional de I+D+i y otro paralelo de ESA. En ellos han colaborado el grupo de la UAM, el grupo de I. Montero en el ICMM del CSIC, la empresa Tesat Spacecom y ESTEC y VSC de ESA. En esta tesis se presenta el trabajo realizado por el doctorando en la UAM. El trabajo en el primer gran proyecto y tema principal de esta Tesis, tuvo varias etapas: Definición de las capas (materiales, tamaños, estructura, ..) del recubrimiento. Desarrollo de técnicas de preparación y caracterización de los procedimientos y los recubrimientos. Se investigaron más de diez técnicas de micro estructuración de superficies. Para la más prometedora se estudiaron nueve variantes, se prepararon unas cien muestras para estudiar más de cinco propiedades, además se prepararon nueve muestras preindustriales. La investigación fue tecnológica: el objetivo era alcanzar los resultados buscados en menos tiempo. El estudio científico de procesos y mecanismos estaba subordinado al método de la bisección o de ensayo y error. Definición de la técnica y procedimiento óptimo: grabado químico poroso y posterior mentalización con Au. Aplicación a cinco dispositivos industriales. Caracterización científica de los resultados. Caracterización tecnológica e industrial de los dispositivos tratados. Discusión y valoración de los resultados y propuestas para nuevas investigaciones. Los excelentes y novedosos resultados de este primer gran proyecto han permitido la realización de los proyectos siguientes. Estas propuestas dieron lugar al segundo gran proyecto también formado por dos proyectos paralelos realizados por los mismos grupos y centros. En este segundo gran proyecto se ha logrado mantener la práctica supresión del Multipactor alcanzada en el primero pero ahora con recubrimientos de conductividad óptima, la máxima posible, la de los recubrimientos de Ag lisos estándar de la industria. Para ello se han obtenido rugosidades superficiales especiales de escala 100 nm. En este proyecto se desarrolló una de las técnicas “descubiertas” en el proyecto anterior pero para la que no hubo suficiente recursos ni tiempo: grabado auto-organizado con haces de iones asistido por deposición de máscara-surfactante por sputtering

Photogrammetric modelling for urban medieval site mapping. A case study from Curtea de Argeş, Romania

Detailed mapping of urban historical sites superposed on natural landforms within built-up areas is a real challenge. Digital photogrammetric techniques meet the requirements for mapping archaeological sites within dense built-up areas. The objectives are to reveal the landform value in medieval site development and to analyse its impact on the landforms. The aim of the present study is to highlight the contribution of geomatics technologies for the evaluation and preservation of historical sites using UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) imagery and field photos for 3D modelling. Curtea de Argeş medieval site, established on Argeş River terraces and attested since the 13th century, represents the town core for which the specific methodology was applied

Androgenic alopecia; the risk–benefit ratio of Finasteride

Finasteride is currently approved and largely used as a therapeutic option for androgenetic alopecia. Apparently a safe drug and effective at the onset of its application, several concerns have since appeared over the years regarding the frequency and magnitude of finasteride adverse effects, which in some cases appear irreversible even after drug termination. This paper discusses the use of finasteride for androgenic alopecia from two distinct perspectives. On the one hand, androgenic alopecia is a condition that especially affects a person’s self-image and esteem, aspects that are subjectively-constructed and thus relative and changeable. On the other hand, this condition involves a multifactorial etiology, with androgens being only partly responsible. Because androgens have important and unique physiological roles within the body, any procedure that results in androgenic suppression should be advised with caution. Furthermore, adverse effects induced by finasteride are neither fully documented nor easily treated. Finally, as alternative therapeutic approaches (such as topical finasteride) become available, the oral administration of finasteride for androgenic alopecia should, in our opinion, be reevaluated. Due to such concerns, a detailed and informed discussion should take place with patients considering therapy with finasteride for androgenic alopecia

The impact of large dams on fluvial sedimentation: The Iron Gates Reservoir on the Danube River

Dam construction is one of the major human pressures impacting fluvial processes, including topography and hydro-sedimentary flows, as a result of the change in flow regime from fluvial to fluvial-lacustrine. This article investigates geomorphic changes at Iron Gates I, the largest reservoir on the Danube River, completed in 1972 for hydropower and navigation. The study focuses on a gulf area that emerged at the mouth of the Cerna River into the reservoir, highlighting spatial changes in topography and sediment distribution, based on a diachronic analysis of two datasets before and after the dam was built: one extracted from historical topographic maps and the other obtained from a bathymetric echo sounding survey, integrated within a GIS analysis. The results reveal the dominance of the sedimentation process, with an alluvium layer thickness up to 14 m. The current sediment pattern has changed the submerged morphology, leading to the formation of an alluvial fan at the mouth of the Cerna River and of a sedimentary bar between the Cerna Gulf and the Danube River’s channel. The siltation process together with the current underwater morphology limits ship traffic and the storage capacity of the reservoir

Androgenic alopecia; the risk–benefit ratio of Finasteride

Finasteride is currently approved and largely used as a therapeutic option for androgenetic alopecia. Apparently a safe drug and effective at the onset of its application, several concerns have since appeared over the years regarding the frequency and magnitude of finasteride adverse effects, which in some cases appear irreversible even after drug termination. This paper discusses the use of finasteride for androgenic alopecia from two distinct perspectives. On the one hand, androgenic alopecia is a condition that especially affects a person’s self-image and esteem, aspects that are subjectively-constructed and thus relative and changeable. On the other hand, this condition involves a multifactorial etiology, with androgens being only partly responsible. Because androgens have important and unique physiological roles within the body, any procedure that results in androgenic suppression should be advised with caution. Furthermore, adverse effects induced by finasteride are neither fully documented nor easily treated. Finally, as alternative therapeutic approaches (such as topical finasteride) become available, the oral administration of finasteride for androgenic alopecia should, in our opinion, be reevaluated. Due to such concerns, a detailed and informed discussion should take place with patients considering therapy with finasteride for androgenic alopecia

A spatially explicit database of wind disturbances in European forests over the period 2000-2018

Strong winds may uproot and break trees and represent a major natural disturbance for European forests. Wind disturbances have intensified over the last decades globally and are expected to further rise in view of the effects of climate change. Despite the importance of such natural disturbances, there are currently no spatially explicit databases of wind-related impact at a pan-European scale. Here, we present a new database of wind disturbances in European forests (FORWIND). FORWIND is comprised of more than 80 000 spatially delineated areas in Europe that were disturbed by wind in the period 2000-2018 and describes them in a harmonized and consistent geographical vector format. The database includes all major windstorms that occurred over the observational period (e.g. Gudrun, Kyrill, Klaus, Xynthia and Vaia) and represents approximately 30% of the reported damaging wind events in Europe. Correlation analyses between the areas in FORWIND and land cover changes retrieved from the Landsat-based Global Forest Change dataset and the MODIS Global Disturbance Index corroborate the robustness of FORWIND. Spearman rank coefficients range between 0.27 and 0.48 (p value < 0.05). When recorded forest areas are rescaled based on their damage degree, correlation increases to 0.54. Wind-damaged growing stock volumes reported in national inventories (FORESTORM dataset) are generally higher than analogous metrics provided by FORWIND in combination with satellite-based biomass and country-scale statistics of growing stock volume. The potential of FORWIND is explored for a range of challenging topics and scientific fields, including scaling relations of wind damage, forest vulnerability modelling, remote sensing monitoring of forest disturbance, representation of uprooting and breakage of trees in large-scale land surface models, and hydrogeological risks following wind damage. Overall, FORWIND represents an essential and open-access spatial source that can be used to improve the understanding, detection and prediction of wind disturbances and the consequent impacts on forest ecosystems and the land-atmosphere system. Data sharing is encouraged in order to continuously update and improve FORWIND