AstroGrid-D: Grid Technology for Astronomical Science

We present status and results of AstroGrid-D, a joint effort of astrophysicists and computer scientists to employ grid technology for scientific applications. AstroGrid-D provides access to a network of distributed machines with a set of commands as well as software interfaces. It allows simple use of computer and storage facilities and to schedule or monitor compute tasks and data management. It is based on the Globus Toolkit middleware (GT4). Chapter 1 describes the context which led to the demand for advanced software solutions in Astrophysics, and we state the goals of the project. We then present characteristic astrophysical applications that have been implemented on AstroGrid-D in chapter 2. We describe simulations of different complexity, compute-intensive calculations running on multiple sites, and advanced applications for specific scientific purposes, such as a connection to robotic telescopes. We can show from these examples how grid execution improves e.g. the scientific workflow. Chapter 3 explains the software tools and services that we adapted or newly developed. Section 3.1 is focused on the administrative aspects of the infrastructure, to manage users and monitor activity. Section 3.2 characterises the central components of our architecture: The AstroGrid-D information service to collect and store metadata, a file management system, the data management system, and a job manager for automatic submission of compute tasks. We summarise the successfully established infrastructure in chapter 4, concluding with our future plans to establish AstroGrid-D as a platform of modern e-Astronomy.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures Subjects: data analysis, image processing, robotic telescopes, simulations, grid. Accepted for publication in New Astronom

International Consensus Conference for Advanced Breast Cancer, Lisbon 2019: ABC5 Consensus – Assessment by a German Group of Experts

The 5th International Consensus Conference for Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC5) took place on November 14–16, 2019, in Lisbon, Portugal. Its aim is to standardize the treatment of advanced breast cancer based on the available evidence and to ensure that all breast cancer patients worldwide receive adequate treatment and access to new therapies. This year, the conference focused on developments and study results in the treatment of patients with hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer as well as precision medicine. As in previous years, patient advocates from around the world were integrated into the ABC conference and had seats on the ABC consensus panel. In the present paper, a working group of German breast cancer experts comments on the results of the on-site ABC5 consensus votes by ABC panelists regarding their applicability for routine treatment in Germany. These comments take the recommendations of the Breast Committee of the Gynecological Oncology Working Group (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie; AGO) into account. The report and assessment presented here pertain to the preliminary results of the ABC5 consensus. The final version of the statements will be published in Annals of Oncology and The Breast

Конкурентоспособность фирм в условиях рыночной экономики

Анализ эффективности организации коммерческой деятельности предприятия и оценка конкурентоспособности фирмы. Исследование и разработка системы повышения конкурентоспособности предприятия рынка рекламных услуг.Analysis of the effectiveness of the organization of commercial activities of the enterprise and evaluation of the firm's competitiveness. Research and development of a system for increasing the competitiveness of a service enterprise

Pleiotropy among common genetic loci identified for cardiometabolic disorders and C-reactive protein.

Pleiotropic genetic variants have independent effects on different phenotypes. C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with several cardiometabolic phenotypes. Shared genetic backgrounds may partially underlie these associations. We conducted a genome-wide analysis to identify the shared genetic background of inflammation and cardiometabolic phenotypes using published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We also evaluated whether the pleiotropic effects of such loci were biological or mediated in nature. First, we examined whether 283 common variants identified for 10 cardiometabolic phenotypes in GWAS are associated with CRP level. Second, we tested whether 18 variants identified for serum CRP are associated with 10 cardiometabolic phenotypes. We used a Bonferroni corrected p-value of 1.1×10-04 (0.05/463) as a threshold of significance. We evaluated the independent pleiotropic effect on both phenotypes using individual level data from the Women Genome Health Study. Evaluating the genetic overlap between inflammation and cardiometabolic phenotypes, we found 13 pleiotropic regions. Additional analyses showed that 6 regions (APOC1, HNF1A, IL6R, PPP1R3B, HNF4A and IL1F10) appeared to have a pleiotropic effect on CRP independent of the effects on the cardiometabolic phenotypes. These included loci where individuals carrying the risk allele for CRP encounter higher lipid levels and risk of type 2 diabetes. In addition, 5 regions (GCKR, PABPC4, BCL7B, FTO and TMEM18) had an effect on CRP largely mediated through the cardiometabolic phenotypes. In conclusion, our results show genetic pleiotropy among inflammation and cardiometabolic phenotypes. In addition to reverse causation, our data suggests that pleiotropic genetic variants partially underlie the association between CRP and cardiometabolic phenotypes

Middle East - North Africa and the millennium development goals : implications for German development cooperation

          Closed-loop controlled combustion is a promising technique to improve the overall performance of internal combustion engines and Diesel engines in particular. In order for this technique to be implemented some form of feedback from the combustion process is required. The feedback signal is processed and from it combustionrelated parameters are computed. These parameters are then fed to a control process which drives a series of outputs (e.g. injection timing in Diesel engines) to control their values. This paper’s focus lies on the processing and computation that is needed on the feedback signal before this is ready to be fed to the control process as well as on the electronics necessary to support it. A number of feedback alternatives are briefly discussed and for one of them, the in-cylinder pressure sensor, the CA50 (crank angle in which the integrated heat release curve reaches its 50% value) and the IMEP (Indicated Mean Effective Pressure) are identified as two potential control variables. The hardware architecture of a system capable of calculating both of them on-line is proposed and necessary feasibility size and speed considerations are made by implementing critical blocks in VHDL targeting a flash-based Actel ProASIC3 automotive-grade FPGA

Age-Dependent Changes in Cardiac Muscarinic Receptor Function in Healthy Volunteers

AbstractObjectives. This study was conducted to determine possible age-dependent changes in the responsiveness of human cardiac muscarinic receptors.Background. It is well known that the baroreflex activity decreases with aging. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not completely understood at present.Methods. In six healthy young (mean [±SEM] age 26 ± 2 years) and six healthy older volunteers (mean age 60 ± 2 years), we determined 1) the effects of graded doses of atropine (bolus application, six doses, each for 20 min, range 0.03 to 0.96 mg) and the M1-cholinoceptor selective antagonist pirenzepine (bolus application, eight doses, each for 20 min, range 0.04 to 10 mg) on heart rate, blood pressure and systolic time intervals (as measure of inotropism); and 2) the baroreflex activity by assessing the bradycardic response to phenylephrine.Results. Atropine and pirenzepine caused biphasic effects on heart rate: At lower doses (<0.12 mg for atropine, <5 mg for pirenzepine) they decreased heart rate, whereas at higher doses they increased heart rate. Heart rate decreases induced by both antimuscarinic drugs were significantly larger in the young volunteers than in the older volunteers, whereas heart rate increases were not significantly different for both drugs. Atropine and pirenzepine did not significantly affect blood pressure and systolic time intervals. Infusion of graded doses of phenylephrine (four doses ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 μg/kg body weight per min for 15 min each) caused a higher increase in systolic blood pressure and a smaller decrease in heart rate at each dose in the older volunteers than in the young volunteers. The slopes of the regression lines were 16 ± 2.3 ms/mm Hg for the young and 6 ± 0.5 ms/mm Hg for the older volunteers (p < 0.01).Conclusions. Human cardiac muscarinic receptor activity is diminished with increasing age; such decreased cardiac muscarinic receptor activity could contribute to the decrease in baroreflex activity with aging. In contrast, antimuscarinic drugs seem to have no effect on human cardiac contractility.(J Am Coll Cardiol 1997;29:187–93)