Search

We present a framework for characterizing injectivity of classes of maps (on cosets of a linear subspace) by injectivity of classes of matrices. Using our formalism, we characterize injectivity of several classes of maps, including generalized monomial and monotonic (not necessarily continuous) maps. In fact, monotonic maps are special cases of component-wise affine maps. Further, we study compositions of maps with a matrix and other composed maps, in particular, rational functions. Our framework covers classical injectivity criteria based on mean value theorems for vector-valued maps and recent results obtained in the study of chemical reaction networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study focusing on the differences in the expression of CD5 and CD10 antigens, based on the anatomic site. Topics discussed include the diagnosis and characterization of B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (B-LPD), the analysis of the intensity of surface immunoglobulin (sIg), and the use of lymphocyte gate, T cells and granulocytes in the study.

Cities are gaining prominence committing to respond to the threat of climate change, e.g., by developing local climate plans or strategies. However, little is known regarding the approaches and processes of plan development and implementation, or the success and effectiveness of proposed measures. Mainstreaming is regarded as one approach associated with (implementation) success, but the extent of integration of local climate policies and plans in ongoing sectoral and/or development planning is unclear. This paper analyses 885 cities across the 28 European countries to create a first reference baseline on the degree of climate mainstreaming in local climate plans. This will help to compare the benefits of mainstreaming versus dedicated climate plans, looking at policy effectiveness and ultimately delivery of much needed climate change efforts at the city level. All core cities of the European Urban Audit sample were analyzed, and their local climate plans classified as dedicated or mainstreamed in other local policy initiatives. It was found that the degree of mainstreaming is low for mitigation (9% of reviewed cities; 12% of the identified plans) and somewhat higher for adaptation (10% of cities; 29% of plans). In particular horizontal mainstreaming is a major effort for local authorities; an effort that does not necessarily pay off in terms of success of action implementation. This study concludes that climate change issues in local municipalities are best tackled by either, developing a dedicated local climate plan in parallel to a mainstreamed plan or by subsequently developing first the dedicated and later a mainstreaming plan (joint or subsequent "dual track approach"). Cities that currently provide dedicated local climate plans (66% of cities for mitigation; 26% of cities for adaptation) may follow-up with a mainstreaming approach. This promises effective implementation of tangible climate actions as well as subsequent diffusion of climate issues into other local sector policies. The development of only broad sustainability or resilience strategies is seen as critical. • Trends in mainstreaming climate change issues were analyzed for 885 cities EU-28. • EU cities provide numerous local mitigation (#664) and/or adaptation (#321) plans. • Mainstreaming was investigated as vertical and horizontal approach. • 9% of cities have mainstreamed mitigation LCP; 12% of mitigation LCPs mainstreamed. • 10% of cities have mainstreamed adaptation LCP; 29% of adaptation LCPs mainstreamed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: evaluate the effectiveness of vacuum aspiration biopsy (gauge 9G), guided by vertical stereotaxis or echography and compare it with core needle (gauge 14G) and harpoon biopsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: a retrospective, analytical, observational study of 997 breast biopsies divided in three groups depending on technique: vacuum aspiration biopsy (181), core needle biopsy (626) and harpoon biopsy (190). We evaluated the anatomopathological results of radiological and surgical biopsies, percentage of correct diagnoses, false negatives, underestimation and complications with each technique. We conducted descriptive and inferential analysis of the variables. RESULTS: there were no significant differences in sensitivity (p = 0.061), specificity (p = 0.732), positive predictive value (p = 1), or negative predictive value (p = 0.898) between vacuum aspiration biopsy, core needle biopsy and harpoon biopsy. There were no significant differences between the percentage of false negatives in core needle biopsy (3.2%) and vacuum aspiration biopsy (0.7%). The percentage of underestimated lesions with vacuum aspiration biopsy (9.7%) was greater than those underestimated with core needle biopsy (4.3%) (p = 0.0297). We had more complications with vacuum aspiration biopsy (2.7%) than with core needle biopsy (0.4%), although all were mild. CONCLUSIONS: there are no significant differences between the results of the three biopsy techniques guided by vertical stereotaxis or echography. Although neither core needle biopsy nor vacuum aspiration biopsy completely eliminate false negatives or diagnostic underestimation, they should be used first for mammary lesions because they obtain a percentage of diagnoses similar to surgical biopsy, with very few complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: evaluate the effectiveness of vacuum aspiration biopsy (gauge 9G), guided by vertical stereotaxis or echography, and compare it with core needle (gauge 14G) and harpoon biopsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: a retrospective, analytical, observational study of 997 breast biopsies divided in three groups depending on technique: vacuum aspiration biopsy (181), core needle biopsy (626), and harpoon biopsy (190). We evaluated the anatomopathological results of radiological and surgical biopsies, percentage of correct diagnoses, false negatives, underestimation, and complications with each technique. We conducted descriptive and inferential analysis of the variables. RESULTS: there were no significant differences in sensitivity (p = 0.061), specificity (p = 0.732), positive predictive value (p = 1), or negative predictive value (p = 0.898) between vacuum aspiration biopsy, core needle biopsy, and harpoon biopsy. There were no significant differences between the percentage of false negatives in core needle biopsy (3.2%) and vacuum aspiration biopsy (0.7%). The percentage of underestimated lesions with vacuum aspiration biopsy (9.7%) was greater than those underestimated with core needle biopsy (4.3%) (p = 0.0297). We had more complications with vacuum aspiration biopsy (2.7%) than with core needle biopsy (0.4%), although all were mild. CONCLUSIONS: there are no significant differences between the results of the three biopsy techniques guided by vertical stereotaxis or echography. Although neither core needle biopsy nor vacuum aspiration biopsy completely eliminate false negatives or diagnostic underestimation, they should be used first for mammary lesions because they obtain a percentage of diagnoses similar to surgical biopsy, with very few complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, efforts are underway to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change impacts at the local level. However, there is a poor understanding of the relationship between city strategies on climate change mitigation and adaptation and the relevant policies at national and European level. This paper describes a comparative study and evaluation of cross-national policy. It reports the findings of studying the climate change strategies or plans from 200 European cities from Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. The study highlights the shared responsibility of global, European, national, regional and city policies. An interpretation and illustration of the influences from international and national networks and policy makers in stimulating the development of local strategies and actions is proposed. It was found that there is no archetypical way of planning for climate change, and multiple interests and motivations are inevitable. Our research warrants the need for a multi-scale approach to climate policy in the future, mainly ensuring sufficient capacity and resource to enable local authorities to plan and respond to their specific climate change agenda for maximising the management potentials for translating environmental challenges into opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis. HCM is an autosomal-dominant disease caused by more than 400 mutations in sarcomeric genes. Changes in nonsarcomeric genes contribute to its phenotypic heterogeneity. Cardiac fibrosis can be studied using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. We evaluated the potential role of two polymorphisms in nonsarcomeric genes on interstitial fibrosis in HCM.Materials and Methods: Two polymorphisms in nonsarcomeric genes [ACE (deletion of 287 bp in the 16th intron) and RETN (-420C>G)] were analysed in 146 HCM patients. Cardiac fibrosis was assessed using LGE to determine the number of affected segments.Results: Allelic frequencies in ACE and RETN polymorphisms were consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (both P > 0.05). We found that the presence of the polymorphic allele in the -420C>G RETN polymorphism was independently associated with the number of affected segments of LGE (P = 0.038). Increased circulating resistin concentration, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, was associated with a higher degree of cardiac fibrosis. Myocardial fibrosis, assessed by Masson's trichrome staining, was associated with the -420C>G RETN polymorphism in 46 tissue samples obtained by septal myectomy (P = 0.044).Conclusions: The -420C>G RETN polymorphism was independently associated with the degree of cardiac fibrosis, assessed by LGE, in patients with HCM. In addition, there was an association between the polymorphism and the circulating resistin levels as well as with myocardial fibrosis in tissues obtained by myectomy. Investigating the physiological implication of the RETN polymorphism in HCM in combination with the use of imaging technologies might help to establish the severity of disease in patients with HCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ( HCM) is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis. HCM is an autosomal-dominant disease caused by more than 400 mutations in sarcomeric genes. Changes in nonsarcomeric genes contribute to its phenotypic heterogeneity. Cardiac fibrosis can be studied using late gadolinium enhancement ( LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. We evaluated the potential role of two polymorphisms in nonsarcomeric genes on interstitial fibrosis in HCM. Materials and methods Two polymorphisms in nonsarcomeric genes [ ACE (deletion of 287 bp in the 16th intron) and RETN (−420C>G)] were analysed in 146 HCM patients. Cardiac fibrosis was assessed using LGE to determine the number of affected segments. Results Allelic frequencies in ACE and RETN polymorphisms were consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (both P > 0.05). We found that the presence of the polymorphic allele in the −420C>G RETN polymorphism was independently associated with the number of affected segments of LGE ( P = 0.038). Increased circulating resistin concentration, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, was associated with a higher degree of cardiac fibrosis. Myocardial fibrosis, assessed by Masson's trichrome staining, was associated with the −420C>G RETN polymorphism in 46 tissue samples obtained by septal myectomy ( P = 0.044). Conclusions The −420C>G RETN polymorphism was independently associated with the degree of cardiac fibrosis, assessed by LGE, in patients with HCM. In addition, there was an association between the polymorphism and the circulating resistin levels as well as with myocardial fibrosis in tissues obtained by myectomy. Investigating the physiological implication of the RETN polymorphism in HCM in combination with the use of imaging technologies might help to establish the severity of disease in patients with HCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop climate resilient urban areas and reduce emissions, several opportunities exist starting from conscious planning and design of green (and blue) spaces in these landscapes. Green urban infrastructure has been regarded as beneficial, e.g. by balancing water flows, providing thermal comfort. This article explores the existing evidence on the contribution of green spaces to climate change mitigation and adaptation services. We suggest a framework of ecosystem services for systematizing the evidence on the provision of bio-physical benefits (e.g. CO 2 sequestration) as well as social and psychological benefits (e.g. improved health) that enable coping with (adaptation) or reducing the adverse effects (mitigation) of climate change. The multi-functional and multi-scale nature of green urban infrastructure complicates the categorization of services and benefits, since in reality the interactions between various benefits are manifold and appear on different scales. We will show the relevance of the benefits from green urban infrastructures on three spatial scales (i.e. city, neighborhood and site specific scales). We will further report on co-benefits and trade-offs between the various services indicating that a benefit could in turn be detrimental in relation to other functions. The manuscript identifies avenues for further research on the role of green urban infrastructure, in different types of cities, climates and social contexts. Our systematic understanding of the bio-physical and social processes defining various services allows targeting stressors that may hamper the provision of green urban infrastructure services in individual behavior as well as in wider planning and environmental management in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several non-sarcomeric genes have been postulated to act as modifiers in the phenotypic manifestations of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The development of atrial fibrillation (AF) in HCM has adverse prognostic implications with increased thromboembolism and functional class impairment.Aim: We tested the hypothesis that 2 non-sarcomeric genes [CYP11B2 (−344T>C) and COL1A1 (2046G>T)] are associated with the development of AF.Design: Prospective study.Methods: Two polymorphisms in non-sarcomeric genes [CYP11B2 (−344T>C) and COL1A1 (2046G>T)] were analysed in 159 HCM patients (49.3 ± 14.9 years, 70.6% male) and 136 controls. All subjects were clinically stable and in sinus rhythm at entry in the study, without ischemic heart disease or other significant co-morbidities that could mask the effect of the analysed polymorphisms (i.e. previous AF). Thirty-nine patients (24.4%) developed AF during a median follow-up of 49.5 months.Results: Patients with the −344T>C polymorphism in CYP11B2 gene had a higher risk for AF development [HR: 3.31 (95% CI 1.29–8.50); P = 0.008]. In a multivariate analysis, the presence of the C allele in CYP11B2 gene [HR: 3.02 (1.01–8.99); P = 0.047], previous AF [HR: 2.81 (1.09–7.23); P = 0.033] and a left atrial diameter of ≥42 mm [HR: 2.69 (1.01–7.18); P = 0.048] were independent predictors of AF development. The presence of the polymorphic allele was associated with higher aldosterone serum levels.Conclusion: We have shown for the first time that the CYP11B2 polymorphism is an independent predictor for AF development in HCM patients. This highlights the importance of non-sarcomeric genes in the phenotypic heterogeneity of HCM. The association with higher aldosterone serum levels could relate to greater fibrosis and cardiac remodelling. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: This work presents a complete and automatic software application to aid radiologists in breast cancer diagnosis. The application is a fully automated method that performs a complete registration of magnetic resonance (MR) images and x-ray (XR) images in both directions (from MR to XR and from XR to MR) and for both x-ray mammograms, craniocaudal (CC), and mediolateral oblique (MLO). This new approximation allows radiologists to mark points in the MR images and, without any manual intervention, it provides their corresponding points in both types of XR mammograms and vice versa. Methods: The application automatically segments magnetic resonance images and x-ray images using the C-Means method and the Otsu method, respectively. It compresses the magnetic resonance images in both directions, CC and MLO, using a biomechanical model of the breast that distinguishes the specific biomechanical behavior of each one of its three tissues (skin, fat, and glandular tissue) separately. It makes a projection of both compressions and registers them with the original XR images using affine transformations and nonrigid registration methods. Results: The application has been validated by two expert radiologists. This was carried out through a quantitative validation on 14 data sets in which the Euclidean distance between points marked by the radiologists and the corresponding points obtained by the application were measured. The results showed a mean error of 4.2 ± 1.9 mm for the MRI to CC registration, 4.8 ± 1.3 mm for the MRI to MLO registration, and 4.1 ± 1.3 mm for the CC and MLO to MRI registration. Conclusions: A complete software application that automatically registers XR and MR images of the breast has been implemented. The application permits radiologists to estimate the position of a lesion that is suspected of being a tumor in an imaging modality based on its position in another different modality with a clinically acceptable error. The results show that the application can accelerate the mammographic screening process for high risk populations or for dense breasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which looked at H-RAS 1 minisatellite rare alleles as an prognostic factor for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Relationship between the presence of rare alleles and clinical parameters; What were the statistical comparison between the survival curves based on; Association between prognostic factors; How was the prognostic value of rare alleles determined.

Two cases of graft-vs-host reaction (GVHR) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation were studied by transmission electron microscopy. One was observed only in the acute phase and the other, after a mild acute reaction, showed a chronic lichen planus-like pattern. All types of skin damage described in experimental GVHR have been confirmed in both cases. Our findings indicate an involvement of aggressor lymphocytes against keratinocytes as the chief pathogenetic mechanism of the disease, even in its chronic form, although the participation of humoral factors in some phases of the disorder cannot be excluded. The participation of Langerhans cells and macrophages in the reaction could not be demonstrated in these cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AML-M0 is an infrequent form of acute myeloblastic leukemia characterized by negative reaction with myeloperoxidase (MPO), Sudan Black and lymphoid antigens and positivity for CD13 or CD33. In the present study we describe the immunophenotypical and ultrastructural characteristics of a group of AML-M0 in adult patients. Nine out 218 AML leukemias (4.1%) fulfilled the AML-M0 criteria. CD13 or CD33 were positive in eight out nine cases, with two or more positive myeloid antigens being present in 82% of the cases. Immunological MPO was positive in 57% of the cases and CD68 in 33%. In no case megakaryocytic and erythroid markers present. Four cases (44%) expressed CD7 and TdT but only two coexpressed both antigens. In none of the cases was CD3 or CD22 cytoplasmic expression found. Ultrastructurally, a low number of granules was seen in all cases whereas ferritin particles or rhopheocytosis were not observed. Ultrastructural MPO was positive in one out of five cases and platelet peroxidase (PPO) was negative in the four cases studied. Two out of six cases showed karyotypic abnormalities (hypotetraploidy and a complex karyotype, respectively). In two out three cases a rearranged pattern for JH gene was observed. TCR (Cbeta and Jgamma) rearrangements were not detected in any case. AML-M0 is an infrequent form of acute myeloblastic leukemia. A large panel of myeloid monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) and the study of the cytoplasmic expression of myeloid antigens is necessary to diagnose this form of leukemia. AML-M0 usually coexpress lymphoid markers. Ultrastructural studies may be of help to discard an immature erythroid proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented concerning the quality management plan (QMP) by accredited stem cell transplant centers' professionals in Spain.

Focuses on the acute promyelocytic leukemia in a patient with idiopathic myelofibrosis. Complications associated with isopathic myelofibrosis; Case study of the patient; Several treatments applied on the patient; Other health problems faced by the patient.