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Degradation modeling: A key to understanding effects of aging and maintenance
Component degradation modeling is the analysis of component degradations for the purpose of developing models of the degradation process and its implications. Degradation modeling can encompass many different areas, from the microscopic modeling of material degradation processes to macroscopic modeling of times of occurrences of degradations. In this paper, we present basic concepts, approaches, and applications of degradation modeling using times of occurrences of component degradations and failures. Specific applications of the modeling approaches, performed for ``active`` components, are presented
Structural cloud audits that protect private information
As organizations and individuals have begun to rely more and more heavily on cloud-service providers for critical tasks, cloud-service reliability has become a top priority. It is natural for cloud-service providers to use redundancy to achieve reliability. For example, a provider may replicate critical state in two data centers. If the two data centers use the same power supply, however, then a power out-age will cause them to fail simultaneously; replication per se does not, therefore, enable the cloud-service provider to make strong reliability guarantees to its users. Zhai et al. [28] present a sys-tem, which they refer to as a structural-reliability auditor (SRA), that uncovers common dependencies in seemingly disjoint cloud-infrastructural components (such as the power supply in the exam-ple above) and quantifies the risks that they pose. In this paper, we focus on the need for structural-reliability auditing to be done in a privacy-preserving manner. We present a privacy-preserving structural-reliability auditor (P-SRA), discuss its privacy proper-ties, and evaluate a prototype implementation built on the Share-mind SecreC platform [6]. P-SRA is an interesting application of secure multi-party computation (SMPC), which has not often been used for graph problems. It can achieve acceptable running times even on large cloud structures by using a novel data-partitioning technique that may be useful in other applications of SMPC
Self-Consistent Separable Rpa Approach for Skyrme Forces: Axial Nuclei
The self-consistent separable RPA (random phase approximation) method is
formulated for Skyrme forces with pairing. The method is based on a general
self-consistent procedure for factorization of the two-body interaction. It is
relevant for various density- and current-dependent functionals. The
contributions of the time-even and time-odd Skyrme terms as well as of the
Coulomb and pairing terms to the residual interaction are taken
self-consistently into account. Most of the expression have a transparent
analytical form, which makes the method convenient for the treatment and
analysis. The separable character of the residual interaction allows to avoid
diagonalization of high-rank RPA matrices and thus to minimize the calculation
effort. The previous studies have demonstrated high numerical accuracy and
efficiency of the method for spherical nuclei. In this contribution, the method
is specified for axial nuclei. We provide systematic and detailed presentation
of formalism and discuss different aspects of the model.Comment: 42 page
Mycotoxins and Other Secondary Metabolites Produced in vitro by Penicillium paneum Frisvad and Penicillium roqueforti Thom Isolated from Baled Grass Silage in Ireland
Loss of adipose triglyceride lipase is associated with human cancer and induces mouse pulmonary neoplasia
Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer. Understanding cancer metabolism is instrumental to devise innovative therapeutic approaches. Anabolic metabolism, including the induction of lipogenic enzymes, is a key feature of proliferating cells. Here, we report a novel tumor suppressive function for adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), the rate limiting enzyme in the triglyceride hydrolysis cascade. In immunohistochemical analysis, non-small cell lung cancers, pancreatic adenocarcinoma as well as leiomyosarcoma showed significantly reduced levels of ATGL protein compared to corresponding normal tissues. The ATGL gene was frequently deleted in various forms of cancers. Low levels of ATGL mRNA correlated with significantly reduced survival in patients with ovarian, breast, gastric and non-small cell lung cancers. Remarkably, pulmonary neoplasia including invasive adenocarcinoma developed spontaneously in mice lacking ATGL pointing to an important role for this lipase in controlling tumor development. Loss of ATGL, as detected in several forms of human cancer, induces spontaneous development of pulmonary neoplasia in a mouse model. Our results, therefore, suggest a novel tumor suppressor function for ATGL and contribute to the understanding of cancer metabolism. We propose to evaluate loss of ATGL protein expression for the diagnosis of malignant tumors. Finally, modulation of the lipolytic pathway may represent a novel therapeutic approach in the treatment of human cancer
Properties of odd nuclei and the impact of time-odd mean fields: A systematic Skyrme-Hartree-Fock analysis
We present a systematic analysis of the description of odd nuclei by the
Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approach augmented with pairing in BCS approximation and
blocking of the odd nucleon. Current and spin densities in the Skyrme
functional produce time-odd mean fields (TOMF) for odd nuclei. Their effect on
basic properties (binding energies, odd-even staggering, separation energies
and spectra) is investigated for the three Skyrme parameterizations SkI3, SLy6,
and SV-bas. About 1300 spherical and axially-deformed odd nuclei with 16 < Z <
92 are considered. The calculations demonstrate that the TOMF effect is
generally small, although not fully negligible. The influence of the Skyrme
parameterization and the consistency of the calculations are much more
important. With a proper choice of the parameterization, a good description of
binding energies and their differences is obtained, comparable to that for even
nuclei. The description of low-energy excitation spectra of odd nuclei is of
varying quality depending on the nucleus
Skyrme-Rpa Description of Dipole Giant Resonance in Heavy and Superheavy Nuclei
The E1(T=1) isovector dipole giant resonance (GDR) in heavy and super-heavy
deformed nuclei is analyzed over a sample of 18 rare-earth nuclei, 4 actinides
and three chains of super-heavy elements (Z=102, 114 and 120). Basis of the
description is self-consistent separable RPA (SRPA) using the Skyrme force
SLy6. The self-consistent model well reproduces the experimental data (energies
and widths) in the rare-earth and actinide region. The trend of the resonance
peak energies follows the estimates from collective models, showing a bias to
the volume mode for the rare-earths isotopes and a mix of volume and surface
modes for actinides and super-heavy elements. The widths of the GDR are mainly
determined by the Landau fragmentation which in turn is found to be strongly
influenced by deformation. A deformation splitting of the GDR can contribute
about one third to the width and about 1 MeV further broadening can be
associated to mechanism beyond the mean-field description (escape, coupling
with complex configurations).Comment: 9 pages, 12 figures, 2 table
Multi-site investigation of strategies for the implementation of CYP2C19 genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy
CYP2C19 genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy following percutaneous coronary intervention is increasingly implemented in clinical practice. However, challenges such as selecting a testing platform, communicating test results, building clinical decision support processes, providing patient and provider education, and integrating methods to support the translation of emerging evidence to clinical practice are barriers to broad adoption. In this report, we compare and contrast implementation strategies of 12 early adopters, describing solutions to common problems and initial performance metrics for each program. Key differences between programs included the test result turnaround time and timing of therapy changes which are both related to CYP2C19 testing model and platform used. Sites reported the need for new informatics infrastructure, expert clinicians such as pharmacists to interpret results, physician champions, and ongoing education. Consensus lessons learned are presented to provide a path forward for those seeking to implement similar clinical pharmacogenomics programs within their institutions. This article is protected by copyright
Remodelling of the angular collagen fiber distribution in cardiovascular tissues
Understanding collagen fiber remodelling is desired to optimize the mechanical conditioning protocols in tissue-engineering of load-bearing cardiovascular structures. Mathematical models offer strong possibilities to gain insight into the mechanisms and mechanical stimuli involved in these remodelling processes. In this study, a framework is proposed to investigate remodelling of angular collagen fiber distribution in cardiovascular tissues. A structurally based model for collagenous cardiovascular tissues is extended with remodelling laws for the collagen architecture, and the model is subsequently applied to the arterial wall and aortic valve. For the arterial wall, the model predicts the presence of two helically arranged families of collagen fibers. A branching, diverging hammock-type fiber architecture is predicted for the aortic valve. It is expected that the proposed model may be of great potential for the design of improved tissue engineering protocols and may give further insight into the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases
Multisite Investigation of Outcomes With Implementation of CYP2C19 Genotype-Guided Antiplatelet Therapy After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
OBJECTIVES:
This multicenter pragmatic investigation assessed outcomes following clinical implementation of CYP2C19 genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
BACKGROUND:
CYP2C19 loss-of-function alleles impair clopidogrel effectiveness after PCI.
METHODS:
After clinical genotyping, each institution recommended alternative antiplatelet therapy (prasugrel, ticagrelor) in PCI patients with a loss-of-function allele. Major adverse cardiovascular events (defined as myocardial infarction, stroke, or death) within 12 months of PCI were compared between patients with a loss-of-function allele prescribed clopidogrel versus alternative therapy. Risk was also compared between patients without a loss-of-function allele and loss-of-function allele carriers prescribed alternative therapy. Cox regression was performed, adjusting for group differences with inverse probability of treatment weights.
RESULTS:
Among 1,815 patients, 572 (31.5%) had a loss-of-function allele. The risk for major adverse cardiovascular events was significantly higher in patients with a loss-of-function allele prescribed clopidogrel versus alternative therapy (23.4 vs. 8.7 per 100 patient-years; adjusted hazard ratio: 2.26; 95% confidence interval: 1.18 to 4.32; p = 0.013). Similar results were observed among 1,210 patients with acute coronary syndromes at the time of PCI (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.87; 95% confidence interval: 1.35 to 6.09; p = 0.013). There was no difference in major adverse cardiovascular events between patients without a loss-of-function allele and loss-of-function allele carriers prescribed alternative therapy (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.14; 95% confidence interval: 0.69 to 1.88; p = 0.60).
CONCLUSIONS:
These data from real-world observations demonstrate a higher risk for cardiovascular events in patients with a CYP2C19 loss-of-function allele if clopidogrel versus alternative therapy is prescribed. A future randomized study of genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy may be of value
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