Dynamic impact of a water and sediments surge against a rigid wall

The paper addresses the dynamic impact of channel flows of water and mixtures of water and sediments on a test wall. Two types of impact may occur: the first characterized by the formation of a complete reflected wave moving upstream; the second type consisting in the vertical deviation of the flow along the wall with a jet-like behaviour. The paper deepens this second type of impact. During the impact of the flow against the wall, the pressure distribution along the wall and the impact force were measured. In order to explain the phenomenon, a rational approach based on the conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy was adopted; from this approach some simplified solutions were derived. We discuss the possible effects of the impact of single gravel particles and the influence of the dimensionless groups that govern the phenomenon. A good agreement between the experimental data and the results of the theoretical approach was obtained

Dynamics and interaction of vortex lines in an elongated Bose-Einstein condensate

We study the real-time dynamics of vortex lines in a large elongated Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of sodium atoms using a stroboscopic technique. Vortices are spontaneously produced via the Kibble-Zurek mechanism in a quench across the BEC transition and then they slowly precess keeping their orientation perpendicular to the long axis of the trap as expected for solitonic vortices in a highly anisotropic condensate. Good agreement with theoretical predictions is found for the precession period as a function of the orbit amplitude and the number of condensed atoms. In configurations with two or more vortex lines, we see signatures of vortex-vortex interaction in the shape and visibility of the orbits. In addition, when more than two vortices are present, their decay is faster than the thermal decay observed for one or two vortices. The possible role of vortex reconnection processes is discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Simultaneous yeast–bacteria inoculum. A feasible solution for the management of oenological fermentation in red must with low nitrogen content

The simultaneous inoculum of yeasts and bacteria is a feasible solution for improving fermentation in wines with a harsh chemical composition, capable of inhibiting microbial activity. Considering the risk of wine spoilage due to lactic bacteria, co-inoculum is suggested in white wines with a low pH. However, climate change has also caused problems in achieving malolactic fermentation in red wines, due to the high concentration of ethanol and the low nutrient content. In this work, 5 pairs of commercial oenological starters were tested in simultaneous fermentation, using 4 red musts with a low nitrogen content, and compared with a traditional winemaking process. The simultaneous inoculum caused a slowdown in the activity of yeasts, although no problems in the accomplishment of alcoholic fermentations were observed. More reliable malolactic fermentation was performed in the co-inoculum trials, while, in traditional winemaking, some failures in the degradation of malic acid were observed. Microbiological analyses agreed with these observations. No differences were found in yeast density during alcoholic fermentation, demonstrating the absence of negative interaction between the yeast and the bacteria. However, simultaneous fermentation is not without risks; the highest increases of acetic acid were noted in the co-inoculum trials. The addition of yeast and bacteria to must with a serious lack of nutrients would appear to be a promising alternative to traditional fermentation; however, careful control of the chemical composition of must is mandatory to obtain reliable microbiological activity in the first stages of winemaking

Rheological effects of a gas fluidized bed emulsion on falling and rising spheres

To enable the mechanistic description of the mixing of larger particles in gas-fluidized beds in models (e.g. fuel particles in combustors), knowledge about the rheology of the bed emulsion is required. Here, it is crucial to determine the drag on large fuel-alike particles. This work presents the experimental work on the fate of 13 different solid spheres falling or rising through a bed of air and glass beads at minimum fluidization. The trajectories of the tracer are highly resolved (sampling rate of 200 Hz) by means of magnetic particle tracking, this previously unmet accuracy allows disclosing the complex rheological behavior of gas-solids fluidized bed emulsions in terms of drag on immersed objects. The trajectories reveal that none of the tracers reach terminal velocity during their fall and rise through the bed. The shear stress is obtained through the drag force by solving the equation of motion for the tracer. The data reveal particularities of the bed rheology and clear differences of its effect on rising and falling particles. When studying the shear stress over the characteristic shear rate of each tracer, it can be seen that the stress of the bed on the tracers is dominated by a yield stress, with a somewhat smaller contribution of the shear stress. For rising tracers this last contribution is almost negligible. The falling tracers show strong interaction with the bed emulsion, resulting in a fluctuating shear stress, which increases with tracer size and density. The stagnation of some tracers at low shear rates reveals a viscoplastic behavior of the bed emulsion, exhibiting a typical yield stress that showing a clear dependence on the tracer diameter and buoyant density. The concept of yield gravity is used in order to introduce a normalized shear stress which provides additional verification of the experimental observations in relation to the influence of tracer size and relative density on the shear stress

811. Correction of Laminin-5 β3 Chain Deficiency in Human Epidermal Stem Cells by Transcriptionally Targeted Lentiviral Vectors

Mutations in any of the genes encoding the laminin 5 heterotrimer (|[alpha]|3, |[beta]|3 and |[gamma]|2) cause junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB), a severe and often fatal skin adhesion defect. We and others have shown that expression of a retrovirally transferred |[beta]|3-chain cDNA in keratinocytes from affected patients reconstitutes normal synthesis, assembly and secretion of laminin 5, and corrects the adhesion defect in vitro and in vivo. We have recently started a phase-I clinical trial of gene therapy of JEB based on transplantation of cultured skin derived from autologous epidermal stem cells transduced with a MLV-derived retroviral vector. Since gamma- retroviral vectors have raised safety concerns for the genotoxic risk associated with the insertion of LTR elements into the human genome, we developed an alternative gene transfer strategy based on LTR- modified, HIV-derived lentiviral vectors. Two self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral vectors were built, in which expression of either GFP or a LAMB3 cDNA is under the control of either a constitutive promoter (PGK) or the keratinocyte-specific, 2.2-kb promoter-enhancer of keratin 14 (K14). In a third construct, expression of the transgene is under the control of the viral LTR, modified by replacing the U3 region with two K14 enhancer elements. Analysis in human keratinocyte cultures and in full-thickness human skin equivalents reconstituted onto immunodeficient mice showed that GFP expression directed by the K14 elements is tissue-specific and restricted to the basal layer of the epidermis. Expression of laminin5 from the three alternative vectors was evaluated in keratinocyte cultures derived from skin biopsies of JEB patients. Biochemical and cell kinetics assays demonstrated transduction of epidermal clonogenic stem/progenitor cells and full phenotypic correction of JEB keratinocytes with all vectors. Southern blot analysis of individual cell clones showed that LTR-modified lentiviral vectors are genetically stable and integrate in multiple copies in the human genome. This study shows that the use of lentiviral vectors transcriptionally targeted to the basal keratinocytes by the insertion of restricted enhancer elements is an effective, and potentially safer, alternative for gene therapy of JEB

Growth hormone-releasing hormone attenuates cardiac hypertrophy and improves heart function in pressure overload-induced heart failure

It has been shown that growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) reduces cardiomyocyte (CM) apoptosis, prevents ischemia/reperfusion injury, and improves cardiac function in ischemic rat hearts. However, it is still not known whether GHRH would be beneficial for life-threatening pathological conditions, like cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure (HF). Thus, we tested the myocardial therapeutic potential of GHRH stimulation in vitro and in vivo, using GHRH or its agonistic analog MR-409. We show that in vitro, GHRH(1-44)NH2attenuates phenylephrine-induced hypertrophy in H9c2 cardiac cells, adult rat ventricular myocytes, and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CMs, decreasing expression of hypertrophic genes and regulating hypertrophic pathways. Underlying mechanisms included blockade of Gq signaling and its downstream components phospholipase Cβ, protein kinase Ce, calcineurin, and phospholamban. The receptor-dependent effects of GHRH also involved activation of Gαsand cAMP/PKA, and inhibition of increase in exchange protein directly activated by cAMP1 (Epac1). In vivo, MR-409 mitigated cardiac hypertrophy in mice subjected to transverse aortic constriction and improved cardiac function. Moreover, CMs isolated from transverse aortic constriction mice treated with MR-409 showed improved contractility and reversal of sarcolemmal structure. Overall, these results identify GHRH as an antihypertrophic regulator, underlying its therapeutic potential for HF, and suggest possible beneficial use of its analogs for treatment of pathological cardiac hypertrophy

Renal Function Assessment Gap in Clinical Practice: An Awkward Truth.

Introduction: An accurate assessment of renal function is needed in the majority of clinical settings. Unfortunately, the most used estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) formulas are affected by significant errors in comparison to gold standards methods of measured GFR (mGFR). Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the extent of the error of eGFR formulas compared to the mGFR in different specific clinical settings. Methods: A total retrospectively consecutive cohort of 1,320 patients (pts) enrolled in 2 different European Hospitals (Center 1: 470 pts; Center 2: 850 pts) was collected in order to compare the most common eGFR formulas used by physicians with the most widespread mGFR methods in daily clinical practice (Iohexol Plasma Clearance -Center 1 [mGFR-iox] and Renal Scintigraphy -Center 2 [mGFR-scnt]). The study cohort was composed by urological, oncological, and nephrological pts. The agreement between eGFR and mGFR was evaluated using bias (as median of difference), precision (as interquartile range of difference) accuracy (as P30), and total deviation index. Results: The most accurate eGFR formula in the comparison with gold standard method (Iohexol plasma clearance) in Center 1 was represented by s-creatinine and cystatin C combined Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration-cr-cy, even though the P30 is reduced (84%) under the threshold of 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Similar results were found in Center 2, with a wider discrepancy between mGFR-scnt and eGFR formulas due to the minor accuracy of the nuclear tool in respect to the mGFR-iox. Conclusions: The loss of accuracy observed for the formulas at lower values of GFR suggests the mandatory use of gold standards methods as Iohexol Plasma Clearance to assess the correct status of renal function for critical cases. The center 2 showed lower levels of agreement between mGFR and eGFR suggesting that the errors are partially accounted for the Renal Scintigraphy technique too. In particular, we suggest the use of mGFR-iox in oncological urological and nephrological pts with an eGFR lower than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2

THEORY OF THE SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS IN THE SCOPE OF THE AGING: ANINTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Objetivo: Através de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, propõe-se analisar as características e particularidades das publicações envolvendo a Teoria das Representações Sociais no âmbito do envelhecimento. Métodos: Após análise das publicações do período de 2003 à 2009, a amostra final foi constituída de 23 das publicações, 11 na base de dados Scielo e 12 na Lilacs. Resultados: Observou-se a ausência de informações relevantes para que os estudos pudessem ser desenvolvidos, dentre estas podemos citar: a não especificação da formação do autor, do local e tipo de estudo e da abordagem empregada, bem como, a escassez de publicações de algumas temáticas como da visão que os idosos têm do cuidado a eles dispensado. Conclusão: Propõe-se que novos estudos sejam desenvolvidos para avaliar o envelhecimento sob a própria percepção daquele que o vive - o idoso- bem como a especificação de autoria e uma maior riqueza de procedimentos metodológicos

Rates and Predictors of Perioperative Complications in Cytoreductive Nephrectomy: Analysis of the Registry for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background: Cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) plays an important role in the treatment of a subgroup of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients. Objective: We aimed to evaluate morbidity associated with this procedure and identify potential predictors thereof to aid patient selection for this procedure and potentially improve patient outcomes. Design, setting, and participants: Data from 736 mRCC patients undergoing CN at 14 institutions were retrospectively recorded in the Registry for Metastatic RCC (REMARCC). Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors for intraoperative, any-grade (AGCs), low-grade, and high-grade (HGCs) postoperative complications (according to the Clavien-Dindo classification) as well as 30-d readmission rates. Results and limitations: Intraoperative complications were observed in 69 patients (10.9%). Thrombectomy (odds ratio [OR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.75, p = 0.009) and adjacent organ removal (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.38-5.30) were significant predictors of intraoperative complications at multivariable analysis. Two hundred seventeen patients (29.5%) encountered AGCs, while 45 (6.1%) encountered an HGC, of whom 10 (1.4%) died. Twenty-four (3.3%) patients had multiple postoperative complications. Estimated blood loss (EBL; OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.08-2.05, p = 0.01) was a significant predictor of AGCs at multivariable analysis. CN case load (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.03-0.59, p = 0.009) and EBL (OR 2.93, 95% CI 1.20-7.15, p = 0.02) were significant predictors solely for HGCs at multivariable analysis. Forty-one patients (11.5%) were readmitted within 30 d of surgery. No significant predictors were identified. Results were confirmed in a subanalysis focusing solely on patients treated in the contemporary targeted therapy era. Conclusions: Morbidity associated with CN is not negligible. Predictors of high-grade postoperative morbidity are predominantly indicators of complex surgery. EBL is a strong predictor of postoperative complications. CN case load correlates with lower high-grade morbidity and highlights the benefit of centralization of complex surgery. However, risks and benefits should be balanced when considering CN in mRCC patients. Patient summary: We studied patients with metastatic renal cancer to evaluate the outcomes associated with the surgical removal of the primary kidney tumor. We found that this procedure is often complex and adverse events are not uncommon. High intraoperative blood loss and a small number of cases performed at the treating center are associated with a higher rate of postoperative complications