HEOSAT: A mean elements orbit propagator program for Highly Elliptical Orbits

The algorithms used in the construction of a semi-analytical propagator for the long-term propagation of Highly Elliptical Orbits (HEO) are described. The software propagates mean elements and include the main gravitational and non-gravitational effects that may affect common HEO orbits, as, for instance, geostationary transfer orbits or Molniya orbits. Comparisons with numerical integration show that it provides good results even in extreme orbital configurations, as the case of SymbolX.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure

Capital as a Factor of Production in OECD Agriculture: Measurement and Data

This paper provides a farm sector comparison of levels of capital input for fourteen OECD countries for the period 1973-2002. The starting point for construction of a measure of capital input is the measurement of capital stock. Estimates of depreciable capital are derived by representing capital stock at each point of time as a weighted sum of past investments. The weights correspond to the relative efficiencies of capital goods of different ages, so that the weighted components of capital stock have the same efficiency. Estimates of the stock of land are derived from balance sheet data. We convert estimates of capital stock into estimates of capital service flows by means of capital rental prices. Comparisons of levels of capital input among countries require data on relative prices of capital input. We obtain relative price levels for capital input via relative investment goods prices, taking into account the flow of capital input per unit of capital stock in each country.Financial Economics,

Age and organ damage correlate with poor survival in myeloma patients: meta-analysis of 1435 individual patient data from 4 randomized trials

This is an open-access paper.-- et al.Thalidomide and bortezomib are extensively used to treat elderly myeloma patients. In these patients, treatmentrelated side effects are frequent and full drug doses difficult to tolerate. We retrospectively analyzed data from 1435 elderly patients enrolled in 4 European phase III trials including thalidomide and/or bortezomib. After a median follow up of 33 months (95%CI: 10-56 months), 513 of 1435 patients (36%) died; median overall survival was 50 months (95%CI: 46-60 months). The risk of death was increased in patients aged 75 years or over (HR 1.44, 95%CI: 1.20-1.72; P<0.001), in patients with renal failure (HR 2.02, 95%CI: 1.51-2.70; P<0.001), in those who experienced grade 3-4 infections, cardiac or gastrointestinal adverse events during treatment (HR 2.53, 95%CI: 1.75-3.64; P<0.001) and in those who required drug discontinuation due to adverse events (HR 1.67, 95%CI; 1.12- 2.51; P=0.01). This increased risk was restricted to the first six months after occurrence of adverse events or drug discontinuation and declined over time. More intensive approaches, such as the combination of bortezomibthalidomide, negatively affected outcome. Bortezomib-based combinations may overcome the negative impact of renal failure. Age 75 years or over or renal failure at presentation, occurrence of infections, cardiac or gastrointestinal adverse events negatively affected survival. A detailed geriatric assessment, organ evaluation and less intense individualized approaches are suggested in elderly unfit subjects.Peer Reviewe

Novel effects of strains in graphene and other two dimensional materials

The analysis of the electronic properties of strained or lattice deformed graphene combines ideas from classical condensed matter physics, soft matter, and geometrical aspects of quantum field theory (QFT) in curved spaces. Recent theoretical and experimental work shows the influence of strains in many properties of graphene not considered before, such as electronic transport, spin-orbit coupling, the formation of Moir\'e patterns, optics, ... There is also significant evidence of anharmonic effects, which can modify the structural properties of graphene. These phenomena are not restricted to graphene, and they are being intensively studied in other two dimensional materials, such as the metallic dichalcogenides. We review here recent developments related to the role of strains in the structural and electronic properties of graphene and other two dimensional compounds.Comment: 75 pages, 15 figures, review articl

Design of Science Orbits About Planetary Satellites: Application to Europa

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76381/1/AIAA-19464-587.pd

Energy recovery from immobilised cells of Scenedesmus obliquus after wastewater treatment

Biomethane batch test of alginate beads and beads with algae at different stages of utilisation in the wastewater treatment plants showed that immobilised S. obliquus yield similar biogas and biomethane than freely suspended algae (between 60.51 ± 4.19 and 82.32 ± 2.17 mL g-1 VSadd) and that a pre-treatment stage was not necessary for the digestion process

Biological Degradation and Biostability of Nanocomposites Based on Polysulfone with Different Concentrations of Reduced Graphene Oxide

Increasing incorporation of rGO in the polysulfone polymer generates materials with improved chemical and mechanical stability and less prone to biodegradation at the end of the nanocomposite life cycle. The results of attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR?IR) and mechanical strength, after exposure to wastewater influent, show that the increasing concentrations of rGO into the polymer matrix reduce changes in the nanocomposite properties. The increasing incorporation of rGO also increases growth inhibition of the wastewater microbial population on the surface of nanocomposites. Highest biofilm inhibition and material stability are observed with nanocomposites containing 3 wt% rGO. These results suggest that reduction in the material biodegradation is linked to the inhibition of biofilm growth on the nanocomposite surface due to the antimicrobial properties of rGO. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that the amount of rGO incorporated in the nanocomposite impact the biodegradability and end of life of polysulfone nanocomposites

Intravenous busulfan and melphalan as a conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: a matched comparison to a melphalan-only approach

Under a Creative Commons license.-- et al.Melphalan 200 mg/m2 (MEL200) is the standard conditioning regimen administered to newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma (MM) undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Few alternatives have been explored in order to improve the antimyeloma activity of this conditioning. We compare i.v. busulfan (BU) 9.6 mg/kg and MEL 140 mg/m2 (MEL140) versus MEL200 mg/m2 as a conditioning regimen before ASCT for newly diagnosed patients with MM. For this purpose, 51 patients receiving i.v. BU plus MEL were compared to 102 patients receiving MEL200 mg/m2 in a 1:2 matched control analysis. Matching criteria included age, clinical stage at diagnosis, and response to induction therapy. No differences in the overall and complete response (CR) rates were observed after ASCT between both groups. After a median follow-up of 63 and 50 months in control and BU plus MEL groups, progression-free survival (PFS) was 24 and 33 months, respectively (P = .10). Most frequent toxicities included mucositis and febrile neutropenia in both groups. No case of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome was observed. Transplant-related mortality was 4% and 2% in BU plus MEL and control groups, respectively. ASCT conditioned with i.v. BU plus MEL may be considered an effective and well-tolerated alternative to a MEL-only approach as a conditioning regimen for patients with MM who are candidates for ASCT. (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00560053 and NCT00804947.).This study was supported in part by research funding from grants “Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Cancer”RD06/0020/0031 and RD06/0020/0005 and “Red de Biobancos Hospitalarios”RD09/0076/00021, research project PS09/01882 from the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III”, research grant CA08/00141, CM10/00321 and CM09/00038 from the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III”, and “Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación” grant BES2008-008053.Peer Reviewe

The epoxyketone-based proteasome inhibitors carfilzomib and orally bioavailable oprozomib have anti-resorptive and bone-anabolic activity in addition to anti-myeloma effects

PMCID: PMC3771507.-- et al.Proteasome inhibitors (PIs), namely bortezomib, have become a cornerstone therapy for multiple myeloma (MM), potently reducing tumor burden and inhibiting pathologic bone destruction. In clinical trials, carfilzomib, a next generation epoxyketone-based irreversible PI, has exhibited potent anti-myeloma efficacy and decreased side effects compared with bortezomib. Carfilzomib and its orally bioavailable analog oprozomib, effectively decreased MM cell viability following continual or transient treatment mimicking in vivo pharmacokinetics. Interactions between myeloma cells and the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment augment the number and activity of bone-resorbing osteoclasts (OCs) while inhibiting bone-forming osteoblasts (OBs), resulting in increased tumor growth and osteolytic lesions. At clinically relevant concentrations, carfilzomib and oprozomib directly inhibited OC formation and bone resorption in vitro, while enhancing osteogenic differentiation and matrix mineralization. Accordingly, carfilzomib and oprozomib increased trabecular bone volume, decreased bone resorption and enhanced bone formation in non-tumor bearing mice. Finally, in mouse models of disseminated MM, the epoxyketone-based PIs decreased murine 5TGM1 and human RPMI-8226 tumor burden and prevented bone loss. These data demonstrate that, in addition to anti-myeloma properties, carfilzomib and oprozomib effectively shift the bone microenvironment from a catabolic to an anabolic state and, similar to bortezomib, may decrease skeletal complications of MM.This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (T32CA113275:MAH; P01CA100730:KNW; P50CA94056:DP-W), the St Louis Men’s Group Against Cancer (KNW), the Holway Myeloma Fund (KNW), the Spanish MICINN-ISCIII (PI081825), the Fundación de Investigación Médica Mutua Madrileña (AP27262008), the Centro en Red de Medicina Regenerativa y Terapia Celular de Castilla y León, the Spanish Myeloma Network Program (RD06/0020/0006 and RD06/0020/0041) and Spanish FIS (PS09/01897).Peer Reviewe