Modification of the Alfvén wave spectrum by pellet injection

International audienceAlfvén eigenmodes driven by energetic particles are routinely observed in tokamak plasmas. These modes consist of poloidal harmonics of shear Alfvén waves coupled by inhomogeneity in the magnetic field. Further coupling is introduced by 3D inhomogeneities in the ion density during the assimilation of injected pellets. This additional coupling modifies the Alfvén continuum and discrete eigenmode spectrum. The frequencies of Alfvén eigenmodes drop dramatically when a pellet is injected in JET. From these observations, information about the changes in the ion density caused by a pellet can be inferred. To use Alfvén eigenmodes for MHD spectroscopy of pellet injected plasmas, the 3D MHD codes Stellgap and AE3D were generalised to incorporate 3D density profiles. A model for the expansion of the ionised pellet plasmoid along a magnetic field line was derived from the fluid equations. Thereby, the time evolution of the Alfvén eigenfrequency is reproduced. By comparing the numerical frequency drop of a toroidal Alfvén eigenmode (TAE) to experimental observations, the initial ion density of a cigar-shaped ablation region of length 4cm is estimated to be n * = 6.8×10 22 m −3 at the TAE location (r/a ≈ 0.75). The frequency sweeping of an Alfvén eigenmode ends when the ion density homogenises poloidally. Modelling suggests that the time for poloidal homogenisation of the ion density at the TAE position is τ h = 18 ± 4 ms for inboard pellet injection, and τ h = 26 ± 2 ms for outboard pellet injection. By reproducing the frequency evolution of the elliptical Alfvén eigenmode (EAE), the initial ion density at the EAE location (r/a ≈ 0.9) can be estimated to be n * = 4.8 × 10 22 m −3. Poloidal homogenisation of the ion density takes 2.7 times longer at the EAE location than at the TAE location for both inboard and outboard pellet injection

DNA barcoding cannot discriminate between Sardinella tawilis and S. hualiensis (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae)

Sardinella tawilis, the only known freshwater sardinella in the world, is endemic to Taal Lake, Philippines. Previous studies found the Taiwan sardinella, S. hualiensis, to be morphologically very similar to S. tawilis and identified it as the marine sister species of S. tawilis. In this study, DNA barcoding using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene was carried out to analyze species demarcation in the Sardinella genus, focusing primarily on the relationship between S. tawilis and S. hualiensis. The neighbour-joining (NJ) tree that was constructed using Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) model showed a single clade for the two species with 100% bootstrap support. K2P interspecific genetic divergence ranged from 0% to 0.522%, which is clearly below the suggested 3–3.5% cutoff for species discrimination. Recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1), mitochondrial control region (CR), cytochrome b, 16S rRNA, and S7 markers were used to further validate the results. Sardinella tawilis and S. hualiensis clustered together with a bootstrap support of 99–100% in each of the NJ trees. Low interspecific genetic distances between S. tawilis and S. hualiensis for all the markers except CR could be attributed to incipient allopatric speciation

Aportes de la clínica forense para conceptuar en materia probatoria sobre el riesgo para la vida en el delito de tentativa de homicidio en Colombia

The establishment of attempted murder requires the judicial inquiry to provide different evidences. Forensic technical report of nonfatal injuries at the request of the authorities can provide valuable medical concepts on the magnitude, location and severity of the injuries. So far, there has been no objective evidence built from medical science for the assessment of the likelihood of a fatal injury. In this article, we review the forensic and medical-legal concepts, which allow providing percentages of probability of fatal injury from world-renowned medical scales.El establecimiento del tipo penal de tentativa de homicidio exige a la investigación judicial aportar diferentes elementos probatorios. En este sentido, el informe técnico médico-legal de lesiones no fatales, realizado a solicitud de las autoridades, puede aportar valiosos conceptos médicos sobre la gravedad de las mismas, su localización y severidad. Sin embargo, hasta el momento no se han incorporado elementos determinantemente objetivos a partir de la ciencia médica forense para la valoración de la probabilidad que tenga una lesión para causar la muerte. En este artículo se revisan conceptos médico-legales y médicos en el contexto jurídico, que permitirían aportar una ponderación más estructurada de la probabilidad de causar la muerte de una lesión, fundamentalmente a partir de escalas médicas mundialmente reconocidas

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Assessment of Pantawid pamilyang Pilipino program (4Ps) in District II, Makati City

The Philippines implemented Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) with a dual objective of providing cash grants to poor households in order to address their short-term needs – social assistance – and at the same time by developing the human capital of their children in order to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty – social development. This paper assessed the implementation of 4Ps in District II, Makati city based on how the DSWD implements the program from national to the local government down to the barangay level; in terms of household selection; and issues related to implementation. Focus-group discussion among beneficiaries and key-informant interviews with program implementers were undertaken. Findings suggest that although the DSWD have to coordinate first with the CBAPS the projects and programs that they have to implement, this added level of coordination makes the implementation of the program more effective and operational. However, the city’s implementation of the program needs to be reassessed in terms of selecting household beneficiaries and compliance verification. As these issues and problems in the implementation of the program are the impending factors in achieving the overall objectives of the program. The study provided policy recommendations to address the problems and to enhance the capacity of the DSWD to implement the program as well as establish policy changes that would accommodate the needs of 4Ps beneficiaries

Whole mitochondrial genome of a Geoffroy’s Rousette, Rousettus amplexicaudatus (Pteropodidae)

The whole mitochondrial genome assembly of Rousettus amplexicaudatus belonging to the Pteropodidae found in the Philippines was sequenced and characterised. De novo sequence assembly yielded a 16,509bp sequence with an overall base composition of 32.43% A, 25.39% T, 26.17% C, and 14.02% G. The mitochondrial genome is composed 22 tRNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes, and two rRNA genes. Molecular phylogeny of the order Chiroptera based on the maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference trees supports the classification of R. amplexicaudatus to genus Rousettus and family Pteropodidae. Furthermore, both trees support the modern division of order Chiroptera into the Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera clades

No-Crosslinking Scaffold of Collagen Support the Three-Dimensional Culture of Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cell

Introducción: La mayoría de los estudios que evalúan la activación endotelial se han realizado en placas de cultivo. Sin embargo, la evidencia experimental apoya que la composición química y la estructura de la superficie en la que se siembran las células endoteliales influyen en su respuesta. En este trabajo se estudió la influencia de los andamios -fabricados con colágeno I utilizando diferentes métodos de procesamiento- en el comportamiento de las células endoteliales primarias de la arteria coronaria humana (HCAEC) cultivadas en su superficie. Métodos: Se vertió una suspensión de colágeno sobre membranas de insertos transwell, se congeló (-20_C o -80_C) y se liofilizó para obtener andamios 3D- 20 y 3D-80. La misma suspensión complementada con la matriz de membrana basal Geltrex TM también se procesó para obtener andamios 3DG- 20 y 3DG-80. Los andamios 3D-20 y 3D-80 fueron reticulados (3DC-20; 3DC-80) o no con glutaraldehído, los 3DG no fueron reticulados. Se sembraron HCAEC en los andamios para obtener cultivos 3DCE-20, 3DCE-80, 3DE-20, 3DE-80, 3DCG-20 y 3DCG-80. A continuación se evaluó la formación de monocapas, la viabilidad celular y la secreción de citoquinas inflamatorias (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-a, IL-12 p70, IL-1b, IL-10). Resultados y discusión: Las HCAEC cultivadas en todos los andamios formaron monocapas independientemente de la metodología de fabricación del andamio utilizada. Todos los cultivos secretaron Il-6 e IL-8 pero no las demás citoquinas y la secreción de IL-6 e IL-8 fue significativamente menor en los cultivos 3DE-80 y 3DCG-80 que en los demás (p < 0,05). Conclusiones: Los datos indican que el 3DE-80 y el 3DCG-80 tienen una mejor biocompatibilidad con las HCAEC cultivadas y sugieren que los andamios 3D podrían tener un efecto diferencial sobre las células sembradas en su superficie.Introduction: Most studies assessing endothelial activation have been made in culture dishes. However, experimental evidence supports that chemical composition and structure of the surface in which endothelial cells are seeded influence their response. This work studied the influence of scaffolds -made with collagen I using different processing methods- on the behavior of primary human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) cultured on their surface. Methods: A collagen suspension was poured on membranes of transwell inserts, frozen (-20_Cor -80_C) and lyophilized to obtain 3D- 20 and 3D-80 scaffolds. The same suspension supplemented with Geltrex TM Basement Membrane Matrix also was processed to obtain 3DG- 20 and 3DG-80 scaffolds. The 3D-20 and 3D-80 scaffolds were crosslinked (3DC-20; 3DC-80) or not with glutaraldehyde, the 3DGs were not cross-linked. HCAECwere seeded on the scaffolds to obtain 3DCE- 20, 3DCE-80, 3DE-20, 3DE-80, 3DCG-20 and 3DCG-80 cultures. Monolayer formation, cell viability and inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-a, IL-12 p70, IL-1b, IL-10) secretion were then evaluated. Results and Discussion: HCAEC cultured on all the scaffolds formed monolayers independently of the scaffold manufacturing methodology used. All cultures secreted Il-6 and IL-8 but not the other cytokines and IL-6 and IL-8 secretion was significantly lower in the 3DE-80 and 3DCG-80 than in the other cultures (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Data indicate that 3DE-80 and 3DCG-80 have better biocompatibility with cultured HCAEC and suggest that 3D scaffolds might have differential effect on cells seeded on their surface