1,110 research outputs found
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
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
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
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
Effects of Exercise Programs on Psychoemotional and Quality-of-Life Factors in Adult Patients with Cancer and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation or Bone Marrow Transplantation: A Systematic Review.
post-print840 K
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
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