Compactness in Banach space theory - selected problems

We list a number of problems in several topics related to compactness in nonseparable Banach spaces. Namely, about the Hilbertian ball in its weak topology, spaces of continuous functions on Eberlein compacta, WCG Banach spaces, Valdivia compacta and Radon-Nikod\'{y}m compacta

LOCATING ASPERITIES BY MEANS OF STOCHASTIC ANALYSIS OF SEISMIC CATALOGS

Στη μελέτη αυτή προτείνεται μια μέθοδος χωροθέτησης περιοχών συγκέντρωσης υψηλών τάσεων (asperities) κατά μήκος ενεργών ρηγμάτων. Η προτεινόμενη μέθοδος βασίζεται στην υπόθεση ότι κατά μήκος των περιοχών υψηλών τάσεων οι παρατηρούμενες τιμές της σταθεράς b του αντίστοιχου σεισμικού καταλόγου εμφανίζουν τοπικά ελάχιστα ενώ παράλληλα τοπικά ελάχιστα παρατηρούνται επίσης στην αντίστοιχη χωρική πυκνότητα των σεισμικών γεγονότων. Η μέθοδος αυτή εφαρμόστηκε στην περιοχή του Κορινθιακού κόλπου. Τα δεδομένα που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν προέρχονται από σεισμικό κατάλογο του Αριστοτελείου Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλονίκης, και αφορούν την περίοδο 1970 - 2015. Με το χωρικό υπολογισμό της τιμής του b και της πυκνότητας της αντίστοιχης σεισμικής δραστηριότητας, οι περιοχές που προσδιορίστηκαν ως περιοχές υψηλών τάσεων (asperities) έρχονται σε συμφωνία με προηγούμενες μελέτες για την υπό μελέτη περιοχή.In this study it is proposed that spatially detecting low b values in certain segment faults in conjunction to the spatial earthquake density of the corresponding areas, can be used in order to locate faults asperities. This hypothesis is tested in the area of Corinth Gulf where we have processed data from the earthquake catalog of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, during a significant period of 45 years, from 1970 until 2015. From the calculations of b values and earthquake density in certain regions asperity patterns have been observed: asperity located by small b values and low densities coincide with proposition of possible asperity found in literature. Based on these facts we reproduce the hypothesis of an Asperity in the south area of Corinth Gulf between the Helike and Xilokastro faults

Building the capacity to solve complex health challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa : CARTA’s multidisciplinary PhD training

Objectives: To develop a curriculum (Joint Advanced Seminars- JAS) that produced PhD fellows who understood that health is an outcome of multiple determinants within complex environments and that approaches from a range of disciplines is required to address health and development within the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa. We sought to attract PhD fellows, supervisors and teaching faculty from a range of disciplines into the program. Methods: Multidisciplinary teams developed the JAS curriculum. CARTA PhD fellowships were open to academics in consortium member institutions, irrespective of primary discipline, interested in doing a PhD in public and population health. Supervisors and JAS faculty were recruited from CARTA institutions. We use routine JAS evaluation data (closed and open ended questions) collected from PhD fellows at every JAS, a survey of one CARTA cohort and an external evaluation of CARTA to assess the impact of the JAS curriculum on learning. Results: We describe our pedagogic approach arguing its centrality to an appreciation of multiple disciplines and illustrate how it promotes working in multidisciplinary ways. CARTA has attracted PhD fellows, supervisors and JAS teaching faculty from across a range of disciplines. Evaluations indicate PhD fellows have a greater appreciation of how disciplines other than their own are important to understand health and its determinants and an appreciation and capacity to employ mixed methods research. Conclusions: In the short-term, we have been effective in promoting an understanding of multidisciplinarity resulting in fellows using methods from beyond their discipline of origin. This curriculum has international application

Cerebral microinfarcts: the invisible lesions

The association between small but still visible lacunar infarcts and cognitive decline has been established by multiple population-based radiological and pathological studies. Microscopic examination of brain sections reveals even smaller but substantially more numerous microinfarcts, the focus of the current review. These lesions often result from small vessel pathologies such as arteriolosclerosis or cerebral amyloid angiopathy. They typically go undetected in clinical-radiological correlation studies that rely on conventional structural MRI, though the largest acute microinfarcts may be detectable by diffusion-weighted imaging. Given their high numbers and widespread distribution, microinfarcts may directly disrupt important cognitive networks and thus account for some of the neurologic dysfunction seen in association with lesions visible on conventional MRI such as lacunar infarcts and white matter hyperintensities. Standardized neuropathological assessment criteria and development of non-invasive means of detection during life would be major steps towards understanding the causes and consequences of the otherwise macroscopically invisible microinfarct

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia: distinct and overlapping changes in eating behaviour and metabolism.

Metabolic changes incorporating fluctuations in weight, insulin resistance, and cholesterol concentrations have been identified in several neurodegenerative disorders. Whether these changes result from the neurodegenerative process affecting brain regions necessary for metabolic regulation or whether they drive the degenerative process is unknown. Emerging evidence from epidemiological, clinical, pathological, and experimental studies emphasises a range of changes in eating behaviours and metabolism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In ALS, metabolic changes have been linked to disease progression and prognosis. Furthermore, changes in eating behaviour that affect metabolism have been incorporated into the diagnostic criteria for FTD, which has some clinical and pathological overlap with ALS. Whether the distinct and shared metabolic and eating changes represent a component of the proposed spectrum of the two diseases is an intriguing possibility. Moreover, future research should aim to unravel the complex connections between eating, metabolism, and neurodegeneration in ALS and FTD, and aim to understand the potential for targeting modifiable risk factors in disease development and progression.This work was supported by funding to Forefront, a collaborative research group dedicated to the study of frontotemporal dementia and motor neurone disease, from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) program grant (#1037746 to GH, MK and JH) and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders Memory Node (#CE110001021 to OP and JH) and other grants/sources (NHMRC project grant #1003139). We are grateful to the research participants involved with the ForeFront research studies. RA is a Royal Australasian College of Physicians PhD scholar and MND Australia PhD scholar. MI is an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award Fellow (#DE130100463). OP is an NHMRC Career Development Research Fellow (#1022684). GH is a NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow (#1079679). L.M.I. is a NHMRC Senior Research Fellow (#1003083).This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(15)00380-4

LOCATING ASPERITIES BY MEANS OF STOCHASTIC ANALYSIS OF SEISMIC CATALOGS

Στη μελέτη αυτή προτείνεται μια μέθοδος χωροθέτησης περιοχών συγκέντρωσης υψηλών τάσεων (asperities) κατά μήκος ενεργών ρηγμάτων. Η προτεινόμενη μέθοδος βασίζεται στην υπόθεση ότι κατά μήκος των περιοχών υψηλών τάσεων οι παρατηρούμενες τιμές της σταθεράς b του αντίστοιχου σεισμικού καταλόγου εμφανίζουν τοπικά ελάχιστα ενώ παράλληλα τοπικά ελάχιστα παρατηρούνται επίσης στην αντίστοιχη χωρική πυκνότητα των σεισμικών γεγονότων. Η μέθοδος αυτή εφαρμόστηκε στην περιοχή του Κορινθιακού κόλπου. Τα δεδομένα που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν προέρχονται από σεισμικό κατάλογο του Αριστοτελείου Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλονίκης, και αφορούν την περίοδο 1970 - 2015. Με το χωρικό υπολογισμό της τιμής του b και της πυκνότητας της αντίστοιχης σεισμικής δραστηριότητας, οι περιοχές που προσδιορίστηκαν ως περιοχές υψηλών τάσεων (asperities) έρχονται σε συμφωνία με προηγούμενες μελέτες για την υπό μελέτη περιοχή.In this study it is proposed that spatially detecting low b values in certain segment faults in conjunction to the spatial earthquake density of the corresponding areas, can be used in order to locate faults asperities. This hypothesis is tested in the area of Corinth Gulf where we have processed data from the earthquake catalog of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, during a significant period of 45 years, from 1970 until 2015. From the calculations of b values and earthquake density in certain regions asperity patterns have been observed: asperity located by small b values and low densities coincide with proposition of possible asperity found in literature. Based on these facts we reproduce the hypothesis of an Asperity in the south area of Corinth Gulf between the Helike and Xilokastro faults

Systematic review of factors influencing patient and practitioner delay in diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal cancer

As knowledge on the causation of cancers advances and new treatments are developed, early recognition and accurate diagnosis becomes increasingly important. This review focused on identifying factors influencing patient and primary care practitioner delay for upper gastrointestinal cancer. A systematic methodology was applied, including extensive searches of the literature published from 1970 to 2003, systematic data extraction, quality assessment and narrative data synthesis. Included studies were those evaluating factors associated with the time interval between a patient first noticing a cancer symptom and presenting to primary care, between a patient first presenting to primary care and being referred to secondary care, or describing an intervention designed to reduce those intervals. Twenty-five studies were included in the review. Studies reporting delay intervals demonstrated that the patient phase of delay was greater than the practitioner phase, whilst patient-related research suggests that recognition of symptom seriousness is more important than recognition of the presence of the symptom. The main factors related to practitioner delay were misdiagnosis, application and interpretation of tests, and the confounding effect of existing disease. Greater understanding of patient factors is required, along with evaluation of interventions to ensure appropriate diagnosis, examination and investigation

Modulation of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase as a strategy to reduce vascular inflammation

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease in which initial vascular damage leads to extensive macrophage and lymphocyte infiltration. Although acutely glucocorticoids suppress inflammation, chronic glucocorticoid excess worsens atherosclerosis, possibly by exacerbating systemic cardiovascular risk factors. However, glucocorticoid action within the lesion may reduce neointimal proliferation and inflammation. Glucocorticoid levels within cells do not necessarily reflect circulating levels due to pre-receptor metabolism by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (11β-HSDs). 11β-HSD2 converts active glucocorticoids into inert 11-keto forms. 11β-HSD1 catalyses the reverse reaction, regenerating active glucocorticoids. 11β-HSD2-deficiency/ inhibition causes hypertension, whereas deficiency/ inhibition of 11β-HSD1 generates a cardioprotective lipid profile and improves glycemic control. Importantly, 11β-HSD1-deficiency/ inhibition is atheroprotective, whereas 11β-HSD2-deficiency accelerates atherosclerosis. These effects are largely independent of systemic risk factors, reflecting modulation of glucocorticoid action and inflammation within the vasculature. Here, we consider whether evidence linking the 11β-HSDs to vascular inflammation suggests these isozymes are potential therapeutic targets in vascular injury and atherosclerosis

State of the Science on Brain Insulin Resistance and Cognitive Decline Due to Alzheimer\u27s Disease

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is common and increasing in prevalence worldwide, with devastating public health consequences. While peripheral insulin resistance is a key feature of most forms of T2DM and has been investigated for over a century, research on brain insulin resistance (BIR) has more recently been developed, including in the context of T2DM and non-diabetes states. Recent data support the presence of BIR in the aging brain, even in non-diabetes states, and found that BIR may be a feature in Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) and contributes to cognitive impairment. Further, therapies used to treat T2DM are now being investigated in the context of AD treatment and prevention, including insulin. In this review, we offer a definition of BIR, and present evidence for BIR in AD; we discuss the expression, function, and activation of the insulin receptor (INSR) in the brain; how BIR could develop; tools to study BIR; how BIR correlates with current AD hallmarks; and regional/cellular involvement of BIR. We close with a discussion on resilience to both BIR and AD, how current tools can be improved to better understand BIR, and future avenues for research. Overall, this review and position paper highlights BIR as a plausible therapeutic target for the prevention of cognitive decline and dementia due to AD