Prudent female allocation by modular hermaphrodites: female investment is promoted by the opportunity to outcross in cyclostome bryozoans

Many sessile, suspension-feeding marine invertebrates mate by spermcasting: aquatic sperm are spawned and gathered by conspecific individuals to fertilize eggs that are generally retained during development. In two phylogenetically distant examples, a cheilostome bryozoan and an aplousobranch ascidian, the receipt of allosperm has previously been shown to alter sex allocation by triggering female investment in eggs and brooding. Here we report experiments demonstrating that two species of cyclostome bryozoan also show restrained female investment in the absence of mating opportunity. In Tubulipora plumosa, the production of female zooids and progeny is much reduced in reproductive isolation. In Filicrisia geniculata, development of distinctive female zooids (gonozooids) begins but halts in the absence of mating opportunity, and no completed gonozooids or progeny result. Reduced female investment in the absence of a mate thus occurs in at least two orders of Bryozoa, but significant differences in detail exist and the evolutionary history within the phylum of the mechanism(s) by which female investment is initiated might be complex. The broadening taxonomic spectrum of examples where female investment appears restrained until allosperm becomes available may signify a general adaptive strategy among outcrossing modular animals, analogous to similarly adaptive sex allocation typical of many flowering plants.

Functional management of ankle sprains: what volume and intensity of walking is undertaken in the first week

BACKGROUND:
Acute ankle sprains are usually managed functionally, with advice to undertake progressive weight-bearing and walking. Mechanical loading is an important modular of tissue repair; therefore, the clinical effectiveness of walking after ankle sprain may be dose dependent. The intensity, magnitude and duration of load associated with current functional treatments for ankle sprain are unclear.
AIM:
To describe physical activity (PA) in the first week after ankle sprain and to compare results with a healthy control group.
METHODS:
Participants (16-65 years) with an acute ankle sprain were randomised into two groups (standard or exercise). Both groups were advised to apply ice and compression, and walk within the limits of pain. The exercise group undertook additional therapeutic exercises. PA was measured using an activPAL accelerometer, worn for 7 days after injury. Comparisons were made with a non-injured control group.
RESULTS:
The standard group were significantly less active (1.2 ± 0.4 h activity/day; 5621 ± 2294 steps/day) than the exercise (1.7 ± 0 .7 h/day, p=0.04; 7886 ± 3075 steps/day, p=0.03) and non-injured control groups (1.7 ± 0.4 h/day, p=0.02; 8844 ± 2185 steps/day, p=0.002). Also, compared with the non-injured control group, the standard and exercise groups spent less time in moderate (38.3 ± 12.7 min/day vs 14.5 ± 11.4 min/day, p=0.001 and 22.5 ± 15.9 min/day, p=0.003) and high-intensity activity (4.1 ± 6.9 min/day vs 0.1 ± 0.1 min/day, p=0.001 and 0.62 ± 1.0 min/day p=0.005).
CONCLUSION:
PA patterns are reduced in the first week after ankle sprain, which is partly ameliorated with addition of therapeutic exercises. This study represents the first step towards developing evidence-based walking prescription after acute ankle sprain.

Cost-effectiveness of zoledronic acid and strontium-89 as bone protecting treatments in addition to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic castrate-refractory prostate cancer: results from the TRAPEZE trial (ISRCTN 12808747)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of adding zoledronic acid or strontium-89 to standard docetaxel chemotherapy for patients with castrate-refractory prostate cancer (CRPC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data on resource use and quality of life for 707 patients collected prospectively in the TRAPEZE 2 × 2 factorial randomised trial (ISRCTN 12808747) were used to assess the cost-effectiveness of i) zoledronic acid versus no zoledronic acid (ZA vs. no ZA), and ii) strontium-89 versus no strontium-89 (Sr89 vs. no Sr89). Costs were estimated from the perspective of the National Health Service in the UK and included expenditures for trial treatments, concomitant medications, and use of related hospital and primary care services. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were calculated according to patients' responses to the generic EuroQol EQ-5D-3L instrument, which evaluates health status. Results are expressed as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves.

RESULTS: The per-patient cost for ZA was £12 667, £251 higher than the equivalent cost in the no ZA group. Patients in the ZA group had on average 0.03 QALYs more than their counterparts in no ZA group. The ICER for this comparison was £8 005. Sr89 was associated with a cost of £13 230, £1365 higher than no Sr89, and a gain of 0.08 QALYs compared to no Sr89. The ICER for Sr89 was £16 884. The probabilities of ZA and Sr89 being cost-effective were 0.64 and 0.60, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The addition of bone-targeting treatments to standard chemotherapy led to a small improvement in QALYs for a modest increase in cost (or cost-savings). ZA and Sr89 resulted in ICERs below conventional willingness-to-pay per QALY thresholds, suggesting that their addition to chemotherapy may represent a cost-effective use of resources.

Modular approach to select bacteriophages targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa for their application to children suffering with cystic fibrosis

This review discusses the potential application of bacterial viruses (phage therapy) towards the eradication of antibiotic resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). In this regard, several potential relationships between bacteria and their bacteriophages are considered. The most important aspect that must be addressed with respect to phage therapy of bacterial infections in the lungs of CF patients is in ensuring the continuity of treatment in light of the continual occurrence of resistant bacteria. This depends on the ability to rapidly select phages exhibiting an enhanced spectrum of lytic activity among several well-studied phage groups of proven safety. We propose a modular based approach, utilizing both mono-species and hetero-species phage mixtures. With an approach involving the visual recognition of characteristics exhibited by phages of well studied phage groups on lawns of the standard P. aeruginosa PAO1 strain, the simple and rapid enhancement of the lytic spectrum of cocktails is permitted, allowing the development of tailored preparations for patients capable of circumventing problems associated with phage resistant bacterial mutants.

Layoutgenerierung und Geometrieberechnung für die systematische Planung manuell bedienter Lagersysteme

Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Modell für die Beschreibung und Berechnung der Geometrie manuell bedienter Lagersysteme entwickelt und validiert, welches die Grundlage für eine rechnergestützte Planungssystematik bildet. Der modulare Aufbau des Modells ermöglicht durch entsprechende Erweiterungen die Berechnung des Lagerplatzbedarfs unter Berücksichtigung von Lagerstrategien. Auch die Betrachtung von Speziallösungen wie der Verwendung unterschiedlich hoher Lagerplätze ist möglich. Abschließend wird das vorgestellte Modell auf seine Anwendbarkeit zur systematischen Erzeugung verschiedener Layouts als Lösungsalternativen untersucht.

Mathematical methods for the configuration of transportation systems with a focus on continuous and modular matrix conveyors

The lack of flexibility in logistic systems currently on the market leads to the development of new innovative transportation systems. In order to find the optimal configuration of such a system depending on the current goal functions, for example minimization of transport times and maximization of the throughput, various mathematical methods of multi-criteria optimization are applicable. In this work, the concept of a complex transportation system is presented. Furthermore, the question of finding the optimal configuration of such a system through mathematical methods of optimization is considered.

"Jag tänkte bara 15 + 7 –6" : En empiriskstudie omelevers tolkning av likhetstecknetoch sambandet mellan addition och subtraktion

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka elevers förståelseav likhetstecknet och sambandet mellan addition och subtraktioni årskurs 3 samt deras klassläraresuppfattning av den egna matematikundervisningen, som behandlar addition, subtraktion och likhetstecknet.Studiens syfte besvaras genom följande frågeställningar: Vad kan specifikt utformade matematikuppgifter ge för information om elevers förståelse av likhetstecknet och sambandet mellan addition och subtraktioni årskurs 3?samtVad tänker en lärare om de resultat som framkommit av elevernas matematikuppgifter? Den empiriska undersökningen har genomförts med en kvantitativ metod, i form av en enkät där elever i årskurs 3 fått lösa speciellt utformade matematikuppgifter och en kvalitativ metod, i form av semi-struktureradintervju med elevernas lärare. Det resultat som framkommit i undersökningen har analyserats med hjälp av en innehållsanalys. Resultatet visar att alla elever intehar kunskapom att likhetstecknet indikerar ekvivalens mellan höger sida och vänster sida om likhetstecknet, men en majoritetav eleverna har den förståelsen. Det var inte väntat från lärarens sida att fyra eleverhelthade missförstått likhetstecknetsbetydelse. Läraren är medveten om att likhetstecknet kan vara svårt attförstå, men hade förväntat att alla elever skulle klara av att lösa minst matematikuppgifterna med delägsta talen.Resultatet visar även att nio av sexton elever har förstått sambandet mellan addition och subtraktion.Läraren menar att det sambandet återkommer under hela lågstadiet och därför hade förväntat sig att fler elever sett sambandet. Men samtidigt anser läraren att det är positivt att lite mer än halva gruppen har förstått sambandet mellan addition och subtraktion. Slutligen visar resultatet av studien att missförståelse av likhetstecknet har inverkan på elevers resultat vid uppgifter med öppna utsagor, men inte vid uppgifter där talen på vänster sida om likhetstecknet är likamed ett tal på höger sida om likhetstecknet.

Nucleophilic addition of Nitrones to Electron deficient acetylenes and related studies

Nitrones or azomethine-N-oxides are important precursors for the synthesis of several heterocyclic systems. They belong to the allyl anion type 1,3-dipoles and possess unique structural features which make them extraordinarily useful synthons. They behave as 1,3-dipoles in 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions and as electrophiles in reactions with organometallic reagents. These are the two basic reactions given by nitrones. Nitrones also act as ‘spin traps’ in which they react with short-lived radicals to furnish stable nitroxide radicals which can be detected and identified by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Recently SmI2 catalysed reductive cross-coupling reactions of nitrones have gained significant interest in which the reactions are initiated by single electron transfer (SET) to nitrones. Apart from these reactions, nitrones are also known to participate in reactions which are initiated by the nucleophilic attack of nitrone-oxygen. In our group, we have also explored the nucleophilic character of nitrones through various reactions. The results obtained enabled us to develop a novel two-step one-pot strategy for quinolines and indoles - the heterocycles renowned for their pharmacological applications, from nitrones and electron deficient acetylenes. Using dibenzoylacetylene and phenylbenzoylacetylene as dipolarophiles, we could introduce a desired functional group at a predetermined position of the quinolines or indoles to be synthesised. In this context, the thesis entitled “NUCLEOPHILIC ADDITION OF NITRONES TO ELECTRON DEFICIENT ACETYLENES AND RELATED STUDIES” portrays our attempt to expand the scope of our x novel synthetic protocol using ester functionalised acetylenes: dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) and methyl propiolate. The thesis is organised in to five chapters. The first chapter briefly describes the different classes of reactions that nitrone functionality can tolerate. The research problem is defined at the end of this chapter. The second chapter describes the synthesis of different nitrones used for the present study. The optimisation and expansion of scope of the novel strategy towards quinoline synthesis is discussed in the third chapter. The fourth chapter portrays the synthesis of indole-3-carboxylates using the novel strategy. In the fifth chapter, the reaction of N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl) and N-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)nitrones are discussed. Here we also discuss the mechanistic reinvestigation of Baldwin’s proposal in the isoxazoline-oxazoline rearrangement. The major outcome of the work is given at the end of the thesis. The structural formulae, schemes, tables and figures are numbered chapter-wise since each chapter of the thesis is organized as an independent unit. All new compounds (except two compounds reported in fourth chapter) are fully characterised on the basis of spectral and analytical data and single crystal X-ray analysis on representative examples. Relevant references are included at the end of individual chapters.

Maude Object-Oriented Action Tool

MAIDL, André Murbach; CARVILHE, Claudio; MUSICANTE, Martin A. Maude Object-Oriented Action Tool. Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science. [S.l:s.n], 2008.

Modular catalyst: from the tiling of a water plane to the design of a floating structure

La tesi nasce dalla volontà di agire sull’area della Darsena di Ravenna, strategica in quanto via d’acqua navigabile che congiunge il mare con il centro città ma dal potenziale ancora poco sfruttato. Il progetto è studiato per essere inserito come catalizzatore urbano, creando spazi di interazione attraverso elementi modulari galleggianti e riconfigurabili per adattarsi a programmi d’uso flessibili; tali elementi si aggregano formando un sistema che ristruttura lo spazio dell’attuale banchina, cambiandone la percezione da barriera a waterfront urbano. La necessità di ottenere una struttura con capacità di crescita e flessibilità programmatica sfocia in un approccio modulare seguendo il principio massima variazione/minimo numero di elementi i cui principi aggregativi si basano sulla tassellazione “Cairo”. Vengono studiate le possibilità di incorporare variazione ed eterogeneità all’interno del sistema senza comprometterne la modularità fino ad integrare percorsi multilivello. La definizione delle morfologie delle parti che compongono i moduli si basano sullo studio dei principi di galleggiamento, stabilità e yacht design: a partire dalla forma dello scafo adatta ai principi di tiling definiti in precedenza, tutte le parti che compongono le varie tipologie di modulo sono progettate cercando continuità e integrazione tettonica (geometrica, strutturale, funzionale e percettiva). Vengono proposte soluzioni integrate sia per le problematiche tipiche delle strutture galleggianti sia per l’inserimento di attività all’interno della soluzione architettonica. Vengono prototipati di una serie di moduli, scelti in modo da dimostrare i principi di ricombinazione, continuità, modularità e tiling.

AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE ADDITION OF BEVACIZUMAB TO STANDARD CHEMOTHERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Mannich-Type reactions in the Gas-Phase: the addition of Enol Silanes to cyclic N-Acyliminium Ions

The intrinsic gas-phase reactivity of cyclic N-acyliminium ions in Mannich-type reactions with the parent enol silane, vinyloxytrimethylsilane, has been investigated by double- and triple-stage pentaquadrupole mass spectrometric experiments. Remarkably distinct reactivities are observed for cyclic N-acyliminium ions bearing either endocyclic or exocyclic carbonyl groups. NH-Acyliminium ions with endocyclic carbonyl groups locked in s-trans forms participate in a novel tandem N-acyliminium ion reaction:  the nascent adduct formed by simple addition is unstable and rearranges by intramolecular trimethylsilyl cation shift to the ring nitrogen, and an acetaldehyde enol molecule is eliminated. An NSi(CH3)3-acyliminium ion is formed, and this intermediate ion reacts with a second molecule of vinyloxytrimethylsilane by simple addition to form a stable acyclic adduct. N-Acyl and N,N-diacyliminium ions with endocyclic carbonyl groups, for which the s-cis conformation is favored, react distinctively by mono polar [4+ + 2] cycloaddition yielding stable, ressonance-stabilized cycloadducts. Product ions were isolated via mass-selection and structurally characterized by triple-stage mass spectrometric experiments. B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) calculations corroborate the proposed reaction mechanisms.

The Addition of Allyltrimethylsilane to Cyclic N-Acyliminium Ions Derived from (S)-(+)-Mandelic Acid and Cyclohexyl-Based Chiral Auxiliaries

A adição de aliltrimetilsilano, promovida por TiCl4, a íons N-aciliminios cíclicos de 5- e 6-membros derivados do ácido (S)-(+)-mandélico, (1R,2S)-trans-2-fenil-1-cicloexanol e (1R,2S,5R)-8-fenilmentol ocorreu com baixas a moderadas razões diastereoisoméricas (1:1-6:1) e forneceu as respectivas amidas e carbamatos em bons rendimentos. A melhor diastereosseleção facial foi observada com o uso de (1R,2S,5R)-8-fenilmentol como auxiliar quiral. As amidas e carbamatos 2-substituídos foram convertidos nos alcalóides (S)- e (R)-propil pirrolidina e coniina com eficiente recuperação dos auxiliares quirais.