ANALYTICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE SOLUTION OF THE SPACE KINETIC DIFFUSION EQUATION IN A ONE-DIMENSIONAL AND HOMOGENEOUS DOMAIN

In this work we solve the space kinetic diffusion equation in a one-dimensional geometry considering a homogeneous domain, for two energy groups and six groups of delayed neutron precursors. The proposed methodology makes use of a Taylor expansion in the space variable of the scalar neutron ux (fast and thermal) and the concentration of delayed neutron precursors, allocating the time dependence to the coefficients. Upon truncating the Taylor series at quadratic order, one obtains a set of recursive systems of ordinary differential equations, where a modi ed decomposition method is applied. The coefficient matrix is split into two, one constant diagonal matrix and the second one with the remaining time dependent and off-diagonal terms. Moreover, the equation system is reorganized such that the terms containing the latter matrix are treated as source terms. Note, that the homogeneous equation system has a well known solution, since the matrix is diagonal and constant. This solution plays the role of the recursion initialization of the decomposition method. The recursion scheme is set up in a fashion where the solutions of the previous recursion steps determine the source terms of the subsequent steps. A second feature of the method is the choice of the initial and boundary conditions, which are satis ed by the recursion initialization, while from the rst recursion step onward the initial and boundary conditions are homogeneous. The recursion depth is then governed by a prescribed accuracy for the solution

Spin Transfer from a Ferromagnet into a Semiconductor through an Oxide barrier

We present results on the magnetoresistance of the system Ni/Al203/n-doped Si/Al2O3/Ni in fabricated nanostructures. The results at temperature of 14K reveal a 75% magnetoresistance that decreases in value up to approximately 30K where the effect disappears. We observe minimum resistance in the antiparallel configurations of the source and drain of Ni. As a possibility, it seems to indicate the existence of a magnetic state at the Si/oxide interface. The average spin diffusion length obtained is of 650 nm approximately. Results are compared to the window of resistances that seems to exist between the tunnel barrier resistance and two threshold resistances but the spin transfer seems to work in the range and outside the two thresholds

Dinâmica da interação Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus vs Passiflora edulis (maracujá), Vigna unguiculata (Feijão-caupi) e Canavalia ensiformis (Feijão-de-Porco).

O Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV), é o agente causal do endurecimento dos frutos do maracujá, uma doença de grande importância para a cultura, e elevada incidência em regiões produtoras no Estado da Bahia, que é o maior produtor dessa cultura no país. Esse vírus pode ser transmitido aos pomares por meio de inoculação mecânica, ou por meio de insetos vetores como o pulgão, tornando a doença de difícil controle

Carbono organico, biomassa microbiana e nitrogenio em um solo cultivado com videira irrigada, sob sistema de manejo organico e convencional.

Compararam-se as concentracoes de carbono organico, biomassa microbiana de carbono e nitrog?nio em um solo arenoso sob cultivo organico e convencional de uva, em condicoes irrigadas do semi-arido do Nordeste do Brasil. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos (manejo organico com cobertura morta de pseudocaule de bananeira; manejo organico com cobertura morta de bagaco de cana-de-acucar; manejo convencional, area de coleta 1; manejo convencional, area de coleta 2) e cinco repeticoes. Observou-se a influencia significativa do manejo organico sobre o teor de C organico e biomassa microbiana de C do solo, principalmente quando a cobertura morta foi o pseudocaule de bananeira. A relacao entre a biomassa microbiana de C e o C organico mostrou que a quantidade de C imobilizado como biomassa microbiana foi menor nas areas sob cultivo convencional. As concentracoes de N mineral (N-~+ e N-NO3-) na camada de O a 10 cm de profundidade do solo nao diferiram estatisticamente entre os dois sistemas de cultivo analisados, diferindo, no entanto, na concentracao de N organico. O estoque de N-~+ quase sempre excedeu o de N-NO3- nos dois sistemas de cultivo

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)

Improved risk stratification of patients with atrial fibrillation: an integrated GARFIELD-AF tool for the prediction of mortality, stroke and bleed in patients with and without anticoagulation.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an accurate, web-based tool for stratifying patients with atrial fibrillation to facilitate decisions on the potential benefits/risks of anticoagulation, based on mortality, stroke and bleeding risks. DESIGN: The new tool was developed, using stepwise regression, for all and then applied to lower risk patients. C-statistics were compared with CHA2DS2-VASc using 30-fold cross-validation to control for overfitting. External validation was undertaken in an independent dataset, Outcome Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (ORBIT-AF). PARTICIPANTS: Data from 39 898 patients enrolled in the prospective GARFIELD-AF registry provided the basis for deriving and validating an integrated risk tool to predict stroke risk, mortality and bleeding risk. RESULTS: The discriminatory value of the GARFIELD-AF risk model was superior to CHA2DS2-VASc for patients with or without anticoagulation. C-statistics (95% CI) for all-cause mortality, ischaemic stroke/systemic embolism and haemorrhagic stroke/major bleeding (treated patients) were: 0.77 (0.76 to 0.78), 0.69 (0.67 to 0.71) and 0.66 (0.62 to 0.69), respectively, for the GARFIELD-AF risk models, and 0.66 (0.64-0.67), 0.64 (0.61-0.66) and 0.64 (0.61-0.68), respectively, for CHA2DS2-VASc (or HAS-BLED for bleeding). In very low to low risk patients (CHA2DS2-VASc 0 or 1 (men) and 1 or 2 (women)), the CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED (for bleeding) scores offered weak discriminatory value for mortality, stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding. C-statistics for the GARFIELD-AF risk tool were 0.69 (0.64 to 0.75), 0.65 (0.56 to 0.73) and 0.60 (0.47 to 0.73) for each end point, respectively, versus 0.50 (0.45 to 0.55), 0.59 (0.50 to 0.67) and 0.55 (0.53 to 0.56) for CHA2DS2-VASc (or HAS-BLED for bleeding). Upon validation in the ORBIT-AF population, C-statistics showed that the GARFIELD-AF risk tool was effective for predicting 1-year all-cause mortality using the full and simplified model for all-cause mortality: C-statistics 0.75 (0.73 to 0.77) and 0.75 (0.73 to 0.77), respectively, and for predicting for any stroke or systemic embolism over 1 year, C-statistics 0.68 (0.62 to 0.74). CONCLUSIONS: Performance of the GARFIELD-AF risk tool was superior to CHA2DS2-VASc in predicting stroke and mortality and superior to HAS-BLED for bleeding, overall and in lower risk patients. The GARFIELD-AF tool has the potential for incorporation in routine electronic systems, and for the first time, permits simultaneous evaluation of ischaemic stroke, mortality and bleeding risks. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362) and for ORBIT-AF (NCT01165710)

Two-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation: results from GARFIELD-AF.

AIMS: The relationship between outcomes and time after diagnosis for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is poorly defined, especially beyond the first year. METHODS AND RESULTS: GARFIELD-AF is an ongoing, global observational study of adults with newly diagnosed NVAF. Two-year outcomes of 17 162 patients prospectively enrolled in GARFIELD-AF were analysed in light of baseline characteristics, risk profiles for stroke/systemic embolism (SE), and antithrombotic therapy. The mean (standard deviation) age was 69.8 (11.4) years, 43.8% were women, and the mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 3.3 (1.6); 60.8% of patients were prescribed anticoagulant therapy with/without antiplatelet (AP) therapy, 27.4% AP monotherapy, and 11.8% no antithrombotic therapy. At 2-year follow-up, all-cause mortality, stroke/SE, and major bleeding had occurred at a rate (95% confidence interval) of 3.83 (3.62; 4.05), 1.25 (1.13; 1.38), and 0.70 (0.62; 0.81) per 100 person-years, respectively. Rates for all three major events were highest during the first 4 months. Congestive heart failure, acute coronary syndromes, sudden/unwitnessed death, malignancy, respiratory failure, and infection/sepsis accounted for 65% of all known causes of death and strokes for <10%. Anticoagulant treatment was associated with a 35% lower risk of death. CONCLUSION: The most frequent of the three major outcome measures was death, whose most common causes are not known to be significantly influenced by anticoagulation. This suggests that a more comprehensive approach to the management of NVAF may be needed to improve outcome. This could include, in addition to anticoagulation, interventions targeting modifiable, cause-specific risk factors for death. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Quelle due o tre tazze di t\ue8 verde: caso clinico.

Una signora si reca in Pronto soccorso per dolore epi-mesogastrico associato a nausea di cui soffre da qualche mese. Si riscontra un incremento delle ALT e un lieve aumento della bilirubina totale. La donna nega l\u2019assunzione recente e/o continua di farmaci, ma dichiara l\u2019assunzione quotidiana di due o tre tazze di infusi di t\ue8 verde. Gli esami sierologici risultano negativi e l\u2019analisi istologica documenta un danno \u201ctossico\u201d da farmaci. Alla sospensione dell\u2019assunzione del t\ue8 verde, i parametrici epatici rientrano