2,383 research outputs found
Autoclavable addition polyimides for 371 C composite applications
Studies were conducted to improve the thermo-oxidative stability (TOS) of PMR type polyimides by the substitution of para-aminostyrene (PAS) for the nadic ester endcap in second generation PMR polyimides (PMR-2). The nadic endcap which provides the PMR polyimides with their relative ease of fabrication, both by limiting the molecular weight of the prepolymer and by undergoing the final addition cure without volatiles, is also the weak link with regard to TOS. A polyimide formulated with PAS endcaps, called V-CAP, utilizes a two step reaction sequence similar to that of the PMR polyimides and can be easily autoclave molded into low void composite materials. Resin studies included two formulations of both PMR-2 and V-CAP, corresponding to n=9 and n=14 prepolymer stoichiometry. Unidirectional reinforced T40R graphite fiber laminates were fabricated from each of the resins was post-cured in either air at 385 C or nitrogen at 400 C. Composite specimens were aged in air at 371 C and mechanical properties were measured at 371 C before and after exposure
New Constraints on Dispersive Form Factor Parameterizations from the Timelike Region
We generalize a recent model-independent form factor parameterization derived
from rigorous dispersion relations to include constraints from data in the
timelike region. These constraints dictate the convergence properties of the
parameterization and appear as sum rules on the parameters. We further develop
a new parameterization that takes into account finiteness and asymptotic
conditions on the form factor, and use it to fit to the elastic \pi
electromagnetic form factor. We find that the existing world sample of timelike
data gives only loose bounds on the form factor in the spacelike region, but
explain how the acquisition of additional timelike data or fits to other form
factors are expected to give much better results. The same parameterization is
seen to fit spacelike data extremely well.Comment: 24 pages, latex (revtex), 3 eps figure
The Category of Node-and-Choice Forms, with Subcategories for Choice-Sequence Forms and Choice-Set Forms
The literature specifies extensive-form games in many styles, and eventually
I hope to formally translate games across those styles. Toward that end, this
paper defines , the category of node-and-choice forms. The
category's objects are extensive forms in essentially any style, and the
category's isomorphisms are made to accord with the literature's small handful
of ad hoc style equivalences.
Further, this paper develops two full subcategories: for
forms whose nodes are choice-sequences, and for forms whose
nodes are choice-sets. I show that is "isomorphically enclosed"
in in the sense that each form is isomorphic to
a form. Similarly, I show that is
isomorphically enclosed in in the sense that each
form with no-absentmindedness is isomorphic to a
form. The converses are found to be almost immediate, and the
resulting equivalences unify and simplify two ad hoc style equivalences in
Kline and Luckraz 2016 and Streufert 2019.
Aside from the larger agenda, this paper already makes three practical
contributions. Style equivalences are made easier to derive by [1] a natural
concept of isomorphic invariance and [2] the composability of isomorphic
enclosures. In addition, [3] some new consequences of equivalence are
systematically deduced.Comment: 43 pages, 9 figure
IL17A CRITICALLY SHAPES THE TRANSCRIPTIONAL PROGRAM OF FIBROBLASTS IN PANCREATIC CANCER AND SWITCHES ON THEIR PRO-TUMORIGENIC FUNCTIONS
Mineralogical, geochemical, and isotopic characteristics of the ejecta from the 5 April 2003 paroxysm at Stromboli, Itlay: Inferences on the Preeruptive Magma Dynamics
The 5 April 2003 explosive eruption at Stromboli emplaced typical basaltic scoria, pumice, and lithic blocks. This paper reports a detailed set of mineralogical, geochemical, and isotopic data on the juvenile ejecta and fresh subvolcanic blocks, including micro-Sr isotope analyses and major and dissolved volatile element contents in olivine-hosted melt inclusions. The juvenile ejecta have compositions similar to those of their analogs from previous paroxysms; the 2003 pumice, however, does not contain stable high-MgO olivine, usually typical of large-scale paroxysms and has lower compatible element contents. Texture, composition, and Sr isotope disequilibrium of crystals in pumice indicate that most of them are inherited from the shallow crystal-rich magma and/or crystal mush. The most primitive magma is recorded as rare melt inclusion in olivine Fo85â86. It has a typical S/Cl (1.1) and a total volatile content of 3.1 wt % from which the total fluid pressure was evaluated â„240 MPa. Hence, moderate pressure conditions can be envisaged for the mechanism triggering the April 2003 paroxysm. The subvolcanic blocks are shoshonitic basalts with 45â50 vol % of phenocrysts (plagioclase + clinopyroxene + olivine). The late-stage crystallization of the crystal-rich magma lead to the formation of Na-sanidine with plagioclase An60â25 + olivine Fo68â49 + Timagnetite ± apatite ± phlogopite ± ilmenite assemblage. Mineralogy, chemistry, and SrâNd isotopic signatures of the subvolcanic blocks indicate they represent the slowly cooled equivalents of batches of crystal-rich basaltic magma stored in the uppermost subvolcanic feeding system. Cooling might be facilitated by short breaks in the summit crater activity
Lung cancer surgery in octogenarians: a meta-analysis of predictors for postoperative complications
Background: Recently, several reports had focused on the feasibility of lung cancer surgery in octogenarians,
describing encouraging short and long-term survival. However, the postoperative complication rate remains
high. Some papers analyzed the role of potential predictors of post-operative complications, showing
discordant results. We aimed at systematically assessing the evidence on risk factors for post-operative
complications in octogenarians undergoing lung cancer surgery.
Methods: Literature search was performed through PubMed and MEDLINE using the terms âlung
cancerâ, ânon-small cell lung cancerâ or âlung cancer surgeryâ combined with âoctogenarianâ or â80 yearsâ.
Last search was performed on 03/2021. Inclusion criteria were: clinical studies involving octogenarians
undergoing lung cancer surgery between 1990 and 2020; studies explicitly appraising risk factors for postoperative
complications and providing adjusted risk effect estimates. Studies that did not explicitly investigate
predictors of postoperative complications and papers published in other language than English were not
included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Factor Studies (QUIPS) tool. More than
20 potential predictors were screened, finally limiting the inferential analysis to the six most frequently
reported: performance status (PS), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), type of resection, surgical
approach, history of tobacco abuse and male gender. Adjusted P values from individual studies were pooled
with the Fisher method. A pooled 2-tailed P value â€0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: A final set of 13 cohort studies, including 2,596 patients, was considered. Effect estimates were
reported for PS by 6 studies (46%), for FEV1 by 10 (77%), for type of resection by 11 (85%), for surgical
approach by 4 (31%), for history of tobacco abuse by 6 (46%), and for male gender by 8 (62%). After
inferential analysis with the Fisher method, a significant association with post-operative complications was
found for PS (P=0.004), major resections (P=0.002) and open approach (P=0.007); male gender showed only
a borderline trend (P=0.053). Preoperative FEV1 (P=0.109) and history of tobacco abuse (P=0.399) were not
associated with increased postoperative complications.
Conclusions: Lung cancer surgery in octogenarian patients represent a viable and useful treatment.
According to our analysis, patients should be carefully selected considering that a good preoperative PS is
associated with a lower rate of postoperative complications. Similarly, thoracoscopic approach and sublobar
resection should be preferred in octogenarian patients if technically and oncologically sound. Interestingly,
impaired lung function was not significantly associated to post-operative complications
Leptin-induced lipolysis opposes the tonic inhibition of endogenous adenosine in white adipocytes
The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the signaling pathway used
by leptin to stimulate lipolysis. The lipolytic rate of white adipocytes from
sex- and age-matched lean (+/+) and fa/fa rats was determined in the absence or
presence of leptin together with a number of agents acting at different levels of
the signaling cascade. Leptin did not modify FSK-, dbcAMP-, and IBMX-stimulated
lipolysis. Lipolysis can also be maximally stimulated by lowering media adenosine
levels with adenosine deaminase (ADA), i.e., in the ligand-free state. Although
ADA produced near maximal lipolysis in adipocytes of lean animals, only half of
the maximal lipolytic rate (50.9+/-3.2%) was achieved in fat cells from fa/fa
rats (P=0.0034). In adipocytes from lean animals preincubated with ADA, leptin
caused a concentration-related stimulation of lipolysis (P=0.0001). However,
leptin had no effect on the lipolytic activity of adipocytes in the ligand-free
state from fa/fa rats. The adenosine A1 receptor agonist CPA effectively
inhibited basal lipolysis in both lean and obese adipocytes (P=0.0001 and
P=0.0090, respectively). Leptin had no effect on the lipolytic rate of adipocytes
isolated from fa/fa rats and preincubated with CPA. When adipocytes were
incubated with the A1 receptor antagonist DPCPX, a significant increase in
glycerol release was observed in fa/fa fat cells (P=0.009), whereas cells
isolated from lean rats showed no differences to ADA-stimulated lipolysis. After
pretreatment with PTX, which inactivates receptor-mediated Gi function,
adipocytes of obese rats became as responsive to the stimulatory actions of ISO
as cells from lean rats (P=0.0090 vs. ISO in fa/fa rats; P=0.2416 vs. lean rats,
respectively). PTX treatment of lean cells, however, did not alter their response
to this lipolytic agent. It can be concluded that the lipolytic effect of leptin
is located at the adenylate cyclase/Gi proteins level and that leptin-induced
lipolysis opposes the tonic inhibition of endogenous adenosine in white
adipocytes
Beam Test Performance and Simulation of Prototypes for the ALICE Silicon Pixel Detector
The silicon pixel detector (SPD) of the ALICE experiment in preparation at
the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is designed to provide the precise
vertex reconstruction needed for measuring heavy flavor production in heavy ion
collisions at very high energies and high multiplicity. The SPD forms the
innermost part of the Inner Tracking System (ITS) which also includes silicon
drift and silicon strip detectors. Single assembly prototypes of the ALICE SPD
have been tested at the CERN SPS using high energy proton/pion beams in 2002
and 2003. We report on the experimental determination of the spatial precision.
We also report on the first combined beam test with prototypes of the other ITS
silicon detector technologies at the CERN SPS in November 2004. The issue of
SPD simulation is briefly discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, prepared for proceedings of 7th International
Position Sensitive Detectors Conference, Liverpool, Sept. 200
Sensitivities of Low Energy Reactor Neutrino Experiments
The low energy part of the reactor neutrino spectra has not been
experimentally measured. Its uncertainties limit the sensitivities in certain
reactor neutrino experiments. The origin of these uncertainties are discussed,
and the effects on measurements of neutrino interactions with electrons and
nuclei are studied. Comparisons are made with existing results. In particular,
the discrepancies between previous measurements with Standard Model
expectations can be explained by an under-estimation of the low energy reactor
neutrino spectra. To optimize the experimental sensitivities, measurements for
\nuebar-e cross-sections should focus on events with large (1.5 MeV)
recoil energy while those for neutrino magnetic moment searches should be based
on events 100 keV. The merits and attainable accuracies for
neutrino-electron scattering experiments using artificial neutrino sources are
discussed.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figure
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