Diagnosis,Classification and Management of Mast Cell Activation Syndromes (MCAS) in the Era of Personalized Medicine

Mast cell activation (MCA) is seen in a variety of clinical contexts and pathologies, including IgE-dependent allergic inflammation, other immunologic and inflammatory reactions, primary mast cell (MC) disorders, and hereditary alpha tryptasemia (HAT). MCA-related symptoms range from mild to severe to life-threatening. The severity of MCA-related symptoms depends on a number of factors, including genetic predisposition, the number and releasability of MCs, organs affected, and the type and consequences of comorbid conditions. In severe systemic reactions, MCA is demonstrable by a substantial increase of basal serum tryptase levels above the individual’s baseline. When, in addition, the symptoms are recurrent, involve more than one organ system, and are responsive to therapy with MC-stabilizing or mediator-targeting drugs, the consensus criteria for the diagnosis of MCA syndrome (MCAS) are met. Based on the etiology of MCA, patients can further be classified as having i) primary MCAS where KIT-mutated, clonal, MCs are detected; ii) secondary MCAS where an underlying IgE-dependent allergy or other reactive MCA-triggering pathology is found; or iii) idiopathic MCAS, where neither a triggering reactive state nor KIT-mutated MCs are identified. Most severe MCA events occur in combined forms of MCAS, where KIT-mutated MCs, IgE-dependent allergies and sometimes HAT are detected. These patients may suffer from life-threatening anaphylaxis and are candidates for combined treatment with various types of drugs, including IgE-blocking antibodies, anti-mediator-type drugs and MC-targeting therapy. In conclusion, detailed knowledge about the etiology, underlying pathologies and co-morbidities is important to establish the diagnosis and develop an optimal management plan for MCAS, following the principles of personalized medicine.     

Correlating oriented grain number density of recrystallisation in particle-containing aluminium alloys

The recrystallized grain structure of Al–(Mn)–Fe–Si alloys after isothermal annealing was studied by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique. Statistical correlation suggests that the frequency of forming P-oriented ({011}«566») grains at a particle larger than the critical diameter (about 1.1 μm) is about 2% when the effect of fine dispersoids and concurrent precipitation is negligible. The overall grain number density is correlated linearly with the number densities of P and Cube ({001}«100») grains. The grain number densities of typical orientations (P, ND-rotated cube {001}«310» and Cube) and the overall recrystallized grains increase as rolling strain increases, following a similar exponential law.     

Pore structure of plain cement pastes hydrated at different temperatures

Concrete outside the laboratory cures at temperatures other than 20°C. This paper describes an investigation of the pore structure of plain cement pastes hydrated at 5°, 20°, and 50°C to reflect a range of temperatures encountered in practice. Parallel specimens of 0.50 water/cement ratio pastes were examined using mercury intrusion porosimetry and backscattered electron image analysis. Increases in curing temperature resulted in increased porosity, particularly for pores of radius 200–1000 as measured by mercury intrusion, or 2500–12,500 as measured in the backscattered electron images. The difference between the two results indicates the magnitude of the “ink bottle effect” inherent in the mercury intrusion technique. However, both methods suggest that elevated curing temperatures could have a deleterious effect on the durability of plain cement concretes.     

Literatur als Medium einer Kulturgeschichte der Mathematik

Throughout the ages writers have been concerned with contemporary problems. Their reflection became part of their literary works. By tracing and interpretating mathematical references in literature information can be obtained: on the attitude towards mathematics, on its prestige in society, its cultural recognition and its significance for education. This article analyses the implication of mathematics in some exemplary novels, essays and theoretical writings on literature of authors from the 17th to the 20th century.     

Biomonitoring using invasive species in a large Lake: Dreissena distribution maps hypoxic zones

Due to cultural eutrophication and global climate change, an exponential increase in the number and extent of hypoxic zones in marine and freshwater ecosystems has been observed in the last few decades. Hypoxia, or low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations, can produce strong negative ecological impacts and, therefore, is a management concern. We measured biomass and densities of Dreissena in Lake Erie, as well as bottom DO in 2014 using 19 high frequency data loggers distributed throughout the central basin to validate a three-dimensional hydrodynamic-ecological lake model. We found that a deep, offshore hypoxic zone was formed by early August, restricting the Dreissena population to shallow areas of the central basin. Deeper than 20 m, where bottom hypoxia routinely develops, only young of the year mussels were found in small numbers, indicating restricted recruitment and survival of young Dreissena. We suggest that monitoring Dreissena distribution can be an effective tool for mapping the extent and frequency of hypoxia in freshwater. In addition, our results suggest that an anticipated decrease in the spatial extent of hypoxia resulting from nutrient management has the potential to increase the spatial extent of profundal habitat in the central basin available for Dreissena expansion.     

Benthic video image analysis facilitates monitoring of Dreissena populations across spatial scales

In contrast to marine systems where remote sensing methods in studies of benthic organisms have been widely used for decades, these methods have experienced limited use in studies of freshwater benthos due to the general lack of large epifauna. The situation has changed with the introduction of dreissenid bivalves capable of creating visible aggregations on lake bottoms into North American freshwaters in the 1980s and 1990s. The need for assessment of Dreissena densities prompted exploration of videography as a potentially cost-effective tool. We developed a novel sampling method that analyzes video recorded using a GoPro camera mounted to a benthic sled to estimate Dreissena coverage, density, and biomass over relatively large areas of the lake bed in the Laurentian Great Lakes compared to traditional sampling methods. Using this method, we compared quagga mussel coverage, density, and biomass estimates based on three replicate Ponar grabs vs. 500?m-long video transects across 43 stations sampled in Lake Michigan in 2015. Our results showed that analysis of images from video transects dramatically increased the bottom area surveyed compared to Ponar grabs and increased the precision of Dreissena density and biomass estimations at monitoring stations. By substantially increasing the ability to detect relatively small (<20%) changes between years within a particular station, this method could be a useful and cost-effective addition for monitoring Dreissena populations in the Great Lakes and other freshwater systems where they occur.     

START-UP FLOW IN A PIPE FOLLOWING THE SUDDEN IMPOSITION OF A CONSTANT FLOW RATE

The transient flow in a long pipe following the sudden imposition of a constant flow rate is considered. An exact analytical solution of the axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations in terms of an infinite series of Bessel functions is derived. Time-dependent velocity profiles, as well as time histories of the axial pressure-gradient and the wall-friction, are presented. It is observed that the start-up time required to reach steady state is significantly shorter than if the start-up flow results from a suddenly imposed constant pressure gradient. The “Annular Jet Effect” observed experimentally by Kataoka et al. (1975) is not exhibited by the present solution.