The Conformal Willmore Functional: a Perturbative Approach

The conformal Willmore functional (which is conformal invariant in general Riemannian manifold $(M,g)$) is studied with a perturbative method: the Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction. Existence of critical points is shown in ambient manifolds $(\mathbb{R}^3, g_\epsilon)$ -where $g_\epsilon$ is a metric close and asymptotic to the euclidean one. With the same technique a non existence result is proved in general Riemannian manifolds $(M,g)$ of dimension three.Comment: 34 pages; Journal of Geometric Analysis, on line first 23 September 201

The Tuning System for the HIE-ISOLDE High-Beta Quarter Wave Resonator

A new linac using superconducting quarter-wave resonators (QWR) is under construction at CERN in the framework of the HIE-ISOLDE project. The QWRs are made of niobium sputtered on a bulk copper substrate. The working frequency at 4.5 K is 101.28 MHz and they will provide 6 MV/m accelerating gradient on the beam axis with a total maximum power dissipation of 10 W on cavity walls. A tuning system is required in order to both minimize the forward power variation in beam operation and to compensate the unavoidable uncertainties in the frequency shift during the cool-down process. The tuning system has to fulfil a complex combination of RF, structural and thermal requirements. The paper presents the functional specifications and details the tuning system RF and mechanical design and simulations. The results of the tests performed on a prototype system are discussed and the industrialization strategy is presented in view of final production.Comment: 5 pages, The 16th International Conference on RF Superconductivity (SRF2013), Paris, France, Sep 23-27, 201

Patient controlled pressure support ventilation

Introduction Pressure support ventilation is mostly used in weaning from mechanical ventilaton in acute respiratory failure. There are no data regarding the optimal level of assistance for each patient in different clinical conditions. We approach a new method that allows patients to set their own PSV level by a remote control connected to the ventilator. Materials and methods In 9 awake intubated patients (age 57 \ub1 17 years, BMI 24 \ub1 3 kg/m2, PaO2/FiO2 283 \ub1 51, Ramsey 1.9 \ub1 0.4) we measured the breathing pattern (VT, RR), the work of breathing (WOB J/min, estimated from a modified Campbell diagram [1]) and the dyspnea sensation using the Borg visual scale [2]. Patients were studied at three fixed levels of PSV (5-15-25 cmH2O). At the end of each step we gave the patient the possibility to change the level of PSV using the remote control. Patients were previously instructed by attendant physician about the use of the remote control. Results See Table and Figure. It appears that increasing the pressure support level, the patient work of breathing decreases while the Borg dyspnea scale shows no significant differences. Figure. The dyspnea sensation when patient is allowed to set the pressure support level. Conclusions Patient controlled PSV could be a useful technique in ventilatory management of critically ill awake patients

First Report of Diplodia seriata, Diplodia mutila, and Dothiorella omnivora Associated with Apple Cankers and Dieback in Rio Negro, Argentina

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is an important fruit crop in Río Negro, Argentina. In recent years, the frequency of canker and dieback symptoms have increased affecting different apple cultivars. In September 2014, a higher occurrence of cankers (29%) and dieback (9%) was observed in a commercial orchard of 10-year-old apple trees (n=210) cv ʻItal Redʼ in General Roca, Río Negro, Argentina (39°2´36.73"S ? 67°32´44.55"W). Symptoms initially appeared as necrotic bark lesions on tree trunks and branches often associated with pruning wounds. Superficially, papyrus detachment of the bark and cracked bark were observed on the affected area. When the bark was removed, the diseased wood showed dark brown color. Cross sections of diseased branches revealed necrotic lesions that progress to branch death. Samples were collected from different symptomatic trees (n=30) and were superficially disinfected with 70% ethanol. Internal tissues (0.5 cm2) were excised from the advance margin of the necrotic lesions, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 22°C. Pycnidia were induced on sterilised pine needles overlaid on 2% water agar under near-UV light. Optimum temperature of culture growth on PDA was studied. According to their morpho-cultural characteristics, three different morphotypes were identified. The first, showed optimum growth at 30°C, had moderately dense white aerial mycelia and turned dark gray after 7 d. Conidia were ovoid, mostly aseptate, 20.8-25.6 × 8-11.4 µm (n=50) and hyaline to brown. The second, exhibited optimum growth from 25 to 30°C, was white to gray, with sparse to moderate aerial mycelium that turned dark olive green. Conidia were ovoid, 1-septate, 17.6-22.4 × 8.1-11.2 µm (n=50) and brown. Finally, the third showed optimum growth at 25°C, mycelium was grey to dark olive green. Conidia were oblong to ovoid with both ends rounded, aseptate and 1-septate at maturity, 20.8-24 × 11.2-14.4 µm (n=50), hyaline turned brown. Genomic DNA was extracted from one representative isolate of each morphotype and the ITS and EF1-α loci were amplified with the primer sets ITS1/ITS4 (White et al., 1990) and EF1-728F/EF1-986R (Carbone and Kohn, 1999), respectively. The nucleotide sequences indicated ≥99% identity to D. seriata (CBS 114796 and CBS 112555), D. mutila (CBS 302.36 and CBS 112553), and D. juglandis (CBS 188.87), reclassified as Dothiorella omnivora (Linaldeddu et al., 2016), for both DNA regions. The sequences were deposited in the GenBank database (MW596418, MW598375; MH665432, MK955889; MH665413, MK937229). To confirm pathogenicity, healthy 1-year-old twigs of adult apple trees were pruned and wounds of attached twigs immediately inoculated with 20 μL of conidial suspension (103 conidia.mL-1, n=9 per isolate) or sterile distilled water (control, n=9), and wrapped with Parafilm. The experimental design was randomized, and the experiment was repeated once. After 90 d, the area of lesion on all twigs inoculated was determined. D. mutila and Do. omnivora produced mean canker areas (65 and 73 mm2, respectively) significantly larger (p < 0.005) than D. seriata (48 mm2). No lesion occurred in the negative controls. Fulfilling Koch?s postulates, fungi were reisolated from all inoculated twigs and no fungus was recovered from controls. To our knowledge, this is the first report of D. seriata, D. mutila, and Do. omnivora associated with apple canker and dieback in Argentina, which shows the need of study the role of these fungi in orchard health.Fil: Lódolo, X. V.. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Lutz, M. C.. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria del Comahue; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue. Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria del Comahue | Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue. Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Mondino, P.. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Oussett, J.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue. Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria del Comahue | Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue. Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Sosa, María Cristina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Cs.agrarias. Departamento de Biología Aplicada. Cátedra de Fitopatologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue. Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria del Comahue | Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue. Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria del Comahue; Argentin

Evaluation of early and late presentation of patients with ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid to two major tertiary referral hospitals in the United Kingdom

PURPOSE: Ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid (OcMMP) is a sight-threatening autoimmune disease in which referral to specialists units for further management is a common practise. This study aims to describe referral patterns, disease phenotype and management strategies in patients who present with either early or established disease to two large tertiary care hospitals in the United Kingdom.\ud \ud PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 54 consecutive patients with a documented history of OcMMP were followed for 24 months. Two groups were defined: (i) early-onset disease (EOD:<3 years, n=26, 51 eyes) and (ii) established disease (EstD:>5 years, n=24, 48 eyes). Data were captured at first clinic visit, and at 12 and 24 months follow-up. Information regarding duration, activity and stage of disease, visual acuity (VA), therapeutic strategies and clinical outcome were analysed.\ud \ud RESULTS: Patients with EOD were younger and had more severe conjunctival inflammation (76% of inflamed eyes) than the EstD group, who had poorer VA (26.7%=VA<3/60, P<0.01) and more advanced disease. Although 40% of patients were on existing immunosuppression, 48% required initiation or switch to more potent immunotherapy. In all, 28% (14) were referred back to the originating hospitals for continued care. Although inflammation had resolved in 78% (60/77) at 12 months, persistence of inflammation and progression did not differ between the two phenotypes. Importantly, 42% demonstrated disease progression in the absence of clinically detectable inflammation.\ud \ud CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight that irrespective of OcMMP phenotype, initiation or escalation of potent immunosuppression is required at tertiary hospitals. Moreover, the conjunctival scarring progresses even when the eye remains clinically quiescent. Early referral to tertiary centres is recommended to optimise immunosuppression and limit long-term ocular damage.\ud \u

The role of complement in ocular pathology

Functionally active complement system and complement regulatory proteins are present in the normal human and rodent eye. Complement activation and its regulation by ocular complement regulatory proteins contribute to the pathology of various ocular diseases including keratitis, uveitis and age-related macular degeneration. Furthermore, a strong relationship between age-related macular degeneration and polymorphism in the genes of certain complement components/complement regulatory proteins is now well established. Recombinant forms of the naturally occurring complement regulatory proteins have been exploited in the animal models for treatment of these ocular diseases. It is hoped that in the future recombinant complement regulatory proteins will be used as novel therapeutic agents in the clinic for the treatment of keratitis, uveitis, and age-related macular degeneration

Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of exhaled leukotriene B(4 )in asthmatic children

BACKGROUND: The role of leukotriene (LT) B(4), a potent inflammatory mediator, in atopic asthmatic and atopic nonasthmatic children is largely unknown. The lack of a gold standard technique for measuring LTB(4 )in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) has hampered its quantitative assessment in this biological fluid. We sought to measure LTB(4 )in EBC in atopic asthmatic children and atopic nonasthmatic children. Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) was measured as an independent marker of airway inflammation. METHODS: Fifteen healthy children, 20 atopic nonasthmatic children, 25 steroid-naïve atopic asthmatic children, and 22 atopic asthmatic children receiving inhaled corticosteroids were studied. The study design was of cross-sectional type. Exhaled LTB(4 )concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Exhaled NO was measured by chemiluminescence with a single breath on-line method. LTB(4 )values were expressed as the total amount (in pg) of eicosanoid expired in the 15-minute breath test. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare groups. RESULTS: Compared with healthy children [87.5 (82.5–102.5) pg, median and interquartile range], exhaled LTB(4 )was increased in steroid-naïve atopic asthmatic [255.1 (175.0–314.7) pg, p < 0.001], but not in atopic nonasthmatic children [96.5 (87.3–102.5) pg, p = 0.59)]. Asthmatic children who were receiving inhaled corticosteroids had lower concentrations of exhaled LTB(4 )than steroid-naïve asthmatics [125.0 (25.0–245.0) pg vs 255.1 (175.0–314.7) pg, p < 0.01, respectively]. Exhaled NO was higher in atopic nonasthmatic children [16.2 (13.5–22.4) ppb, p < 0.05] and, to a greater extent, in atopic steroid-naïve asthmatic children [37.0 (31.7–57.6) ppb, p < 0.001] than in healthy children [8.3 (6.1–9.9) ppb]. Compared with steroid-naïve asthmatic children, exhaled NO levels were reduced in asthmatic children who were receiving inhaled corticosteroids [15.9 (11.5–31.7) ppb, p < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: In contrast to exhaled NO concentrations, exhaled LTB(4 )values are selectively elevated in steroid-naïve atopic asthmatic children, but not in atopic nonasthmatic children. Although placebo control studies are warranted, inhaled corticosteroids seem to reduce exhaled LTB(4 )in asthmatic children. LC/MS/MS analysis of exhaled LTB(4 )might provide a non-invasive, sensitive, and quantitative method for airway inflammation assessment in asthmatic children