Comparison of fungal spores concentrations measured with wideband integrated bioaerosol sensor and Hirst methodology

The aim of this work was to provide both a comparison of traditional and novel methodologies for airborne spores detection (i.e. the Hirst Burkard trap and WIBS-4) and the first quantitative study of airborne fungal concentrations in Payerne (Western Switzerland) as well as their relation to meteorological parameters. From the traditional method -Hirst trap and microscope analysis-, sixty-three propagule types (spores, sporangia and hyphae) were identified and the average spore concentrations measured over the full period amounted to 4145 ± 263.0 spores/m3. Maximum values were reached on July 19th and on August 6th. Twenty-six spore types reached average levels above 10 spores/m3. Airborne fungal propagules in Payerne showed a clear seasonal pattern, increasing from low values in early spring to maxima in summer. Daily average concentrations above 5000 spores/m3 were almost constant in summer from mid-June onwards. Weather parameters showed a relevant role for determining the observed spore concentrations. Coniferous forest, dominant in the surroundings, may be a relevant source for airborne fungal propagules as their distribution and predominant wind directions are consistent with the origin. The comparison between the two methodologies used in this campaign showed remarkably consistent patterns throughout the campaign. A correlation coefficient of 0.9 (CI 0.76–0.96) was seen between the two over the time period for daily resolutions (Hirst trap and WIBS-4). This apparent co-linearity was seen to fall away once increased resolution was employed. However at higher resolutions upon removal of Cladosporium species from the total fungal concentrations (Hirst trap), an increased correlation coefficient was again noted between the two instruments (R = 0.81 with confidence intervals of 0.74 and 0.86)

Pharmacokinetic (Pk) Activity of Cabazitaxel (Cbz) in Patients (Pts) with Renal Impairment (Ri)

n/

A phase I pharmacokinetic and safety study of cabazitaxel in adult cancer patients with normal and impaired renal function

$\textbf{PURPOSE}$ Limited data are available on cabazitaxel pharmacokinetics in patients with renal impairment. This open-label, multicenter study assessed cabazitaxel in patients with advanced solid tumors and normal or impaired renal function. $\textbf{METHODS}$ Cohorts A (normal renal function: creatinine clearance [CrCL] >80 mL/min/1.73 m$^{2}$), B (moderate renal impairment: CrCL 30 to <50 mL/min/1.73 m$^{2}$) and C (severe impairment: CrCL <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) received cabazitaxel 25 mg/m$^{2}$ (A, B) or 20 mg/m(2) (C, could be escalated to 25 mg/m$^{2}$), once every 3 weeks. Pharmacokinetic parameters and cabazitaxel unbound fraction (F$_{U}$) were assessed using linear regression and mixed models. Geometric mean (GM) and GM ratios (GMRs) were determined using mean CrCL intervals (moderate and severe renal impairment: 40 and 15 mL/min/1.73 m$^{2}$) versus a control (90 mL/min/1.73 m$^{2}$). $\textbf{RESULTS}$ Overall, 25 patients received cabazitaxel (median cycles: 3 [range 1-20]; Cohort A: 5 [2-13]; Cohort B: 3 [1-15]; and Cohort C: 5 [1-20]), of which 24 were eligible for pharmacokinetic analysis (eight in each cohort). For moderate and severe renal impairment versus normal renal function, GMR estimates were: clearance normalized to body surface area (CL/BSA) 0.95 (90% CI 0.80-1.13) and 0.89 (0.61-1.32); area under the curve normalized to dose (AUC/dose) 1.06 (0.88-1.27) and 1.14 (0.76-1.71); and F U 0.99 (0.94-1.04) and 0.97 (0.87-1.09), respectively. Estimated slopes of linear regression of log parameters versus log CrCL (renal impairment) were: CL/BSA 0.06 (-0.15 to 0.28); AUC/dose -0.07 (-0.30 to 0.16); and F U 0.02 (-0.05 to 0.08). Cabazitaxel safety profile was consistent with previous reports. $\textbf{CONCLUSIONS}$ Renal impairment had no clinically meaningful effect on cabazitaxel pharmacokinetics.This study was supported by Sanofi. Javier Garcia-Corbacho acknowledges clinical fellowship support from SEOM. Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) funding is also acknowledged for the Cambridge Cancer Centre

Meson-induced correlations of nucleons in nuclear Compton scattering

The non-resonant (seagull) contribution to the nuclear Compton amplitude at low energies is strongly influenced by nucleon correlations arising from meson exchange. We study this problem in a modified Fermi gas model, where nuclear correlation functions are obtained with the help of perturbation theory. The dependence of the mesonic seagull amplitude on the nuclear radius is investigated and the influence of a realistic nuclear density on this amplitude is dicussed. We found that different form factors appear for the static part (proportional to the enhancement constant $\kappa$) of the mesonic seagull amplitude and for the parts, which contain the contribution from electromagnetic polarizabilities.Comment: 15 pages, Latex, epsf.sty, 9 eps figures

Articulating practice through the interview to the double

The paper aims to realise the critical potential of the practice lens by contributing to the development of a coherent set of methodologies for investigating work and organisational activity. It does so by introducing and critically assessing the "interview to the double" as a method to articulate and represent practice. After briefly illustrating its history and usage, the paper analyses in depth the setting generated by this unusual interview method. It argues that the nature of the encounter produces narratives that are often morally connoted and idealised in character. As a consequence the method is especially useful to capture the going concerns which orient the conduct of the members and the normative and moral dimension of practice. The paper also shows that because it mimics familiar instruction-giving discursive practices, the method constitutes an effective textual device to convey this moral and normative dimension in a way which remains faithful to its situated and contingent nature of practice

Electromagnetic Polarizabilities of Nucleons bound in 40^{40}Ca, 16^{16}O and 4^4He

Differential cross sections for elastic scattering of photons have been measured for $^{40}$Ca at energies of 58 and 74 MeV and for $^{16}$O and $^4$He at 61 MeV, in the angular range from 45$^o$ to 150$^o$. Evidence is obtained that there are no significant in-medium modifications of the electromagnetic polarizabilities except for those originating from meson exchange currents.Comment: 20 pages including 5 Figure

Real-time pollen identification using holographic imaging and fluorescence measurements

Over the past few years, a diverse range of automatic real-time instruments has been developed to respond to the needs of end users in terms of information about atmospheric bioaerosols. One of them, the SwisensPoleno Jupiter, is an airflow cytometer used for operational automatic bioaerosol monitoring. The instrument records holographic images and fluorescence information for single aerosol particles, which can be used for identification of several aerosol types, in particular different pollen taxa. To improve the pollen identification algorithm applied to the SwisensPoleno Jupiter and currently based only on the holography data, we explore the impact of merging fluorescence spectra measurements with holographic images. We demonstrate, using measurements of aerosolised pollen, that combining information from these two sources results in a considerable improvement in the classification performance compared to using only a single source (balanced accuracy of 0.992 vs. 0.968 and 0.878). This increase in performance can be ascribed to the fact that often classes which are difficult to resolve using holography alone can be well identified using fluorescence and vice versa. We also present a detailed statistical analysis of the features of the pollen grains that are measured and provide a robust, physically based insight into the algorithm's identification process. The results are expected to have a direct impact on operational pollen identification models, particularly improving the recognition of taxa responsible for respiratory allergies.</p

Insight into genetic predisposition to chronic lymphocytic leukemia from integrative epigenomics.

Genome-wide association studies have provided evidence for inherited genetic predisposition to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). To gain insight into the mechanisms underlying CLL risk we analyze chromatin accessibility, active regulatory elements marked by H3K27ac, and DNA methylation at 42 risk loci in up to 486 primary CLLs. We identify that risk loci are significantly enriched for active chromatin in CLL with evidence of being CLL-specific or differentially regulated in normal B-cell development. We then use in situ promoter capture Hi-C, in conjunction with gene expression data to reveal likely target genes of the risk loci. Candidate target genes are enriched for pathways related to B-cell development such as MYC and BCL2 signalling. At 14 loci the analysis highlights 63 variants as the probable functional basis of CLL risk. By integrating genetic and epigenetic information our analysis reveals novel insights into the relationship between inherited predisposition and the regulatory chromatin landscape of CLL