Crystallographic complexity partition analysis

We present an illustrative analysis of the complexity of a crystal structure based on the application of Shannon’s entropy formula in the form of Krivovichev’s complexity measures and extended according to the contributions of distinct discrete probability distributions derived from the atomic numbers and the Wyckoff multiplicities and arities of the atoms and sites constituting the crystal structure, respectively. The results of a full crystallographic complexity partition analysis for the intermetallic phase Mo3Al2C, a compound of intermediate structural complexity, are presented, with all calculations performed in detail. In addition, a partial analysis is discussed for the crystal structures of α- and β-quartz.

Relationship Between ABO Blood group Phenotypes and nCOVID-19 Susceptibility – A Retrospective Observational Study

Background: Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease-19 research has been continued to explore multiple facets of the disease. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the relationship between blood group phenotypes and COVID-19 susceptibility.Methods: In this hospital based, retrospective observational study 132 COVID-19 patients were enrolled from SMS Medical Hospital in Jaipur, India after receiving approval from the institutional ethics committee. The ABO, Rh and Kell blood group phenotypes along with demographic data of the patients were recorded. The observed proportions of ‘A’ , ‘B’, ‘AB’, ‘O’, ‘Rh’, and ‘Kell’ blood groups in COVID-19 patients were compared against the expected proportions (the null hypothesis) of the general population using Pearson’s chi-squared test and partition analysis.Results: There were significant differences between observed and expected frequency for the ABO and Kell blood phenotypes. Further partition analysis of ABO phenotypes showed that the group ‘A’ phenotypes were more susceptible to COVID-19. The Kell negatives were also more susceptible. The blood groups ‘AB’, ‘B’, ‘O’, and ‘Rh’ showed no significant difference for susceptibility to COVID-19.Conclusion: The study shows a relationship between ABO, Rh, and Kell blood groups and COVID-19 susceptibility. The application of these relationships in clinics should be explored in future studies.

Reading Textural Functions, Instrumental Techniques, and Space Through Partition Complexes

Partitional complexes are sets of discrete textural configurations (called shortly of partitions in Partition Analysis) that successfully interact to construct a global textural structure. This textural mode is called the Textural Proposal of a piece, where referential partitions (those that represent the main features of textural configurations in the excerpt) stand out. This conceptual environment, developed in musical texture formalization through observation and musical repertoire analysis, is now applied to musical practice. In the present work, we highlight three of these situations. The first one deals with the creative flow (compositional process) and its relation with textural planning. The second observes how these same textural functions condition the body's physical coupling to the instrument (fingers, hands, pedals, instrumentation). Finally, just as an introduction, we envisage some spatial relations, involving instrument distribution on stage, emphasizing historical concert music.

Integrating Data from Multidisciplinary Management of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: A Cohort Study

Background. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive malignancy that most commonly affects the pleural lining of the lungs. MPM has a strong association with asbestos being at least 80% of cases caused by exposure to its biopersistent fibers. Individuals with a chronic exposure to asbestos might refer a 20-40-year latency with no or few symptoms. Such has been the case of Piedmont and Lombardy regions of Italy where industrial production of materials laden with asbestos, mainly cements, has created a large epidemic. Since 2018 in Pavia San Matteo hospital, a multidisciplinary team has been collecting data on over 100 patients with MPM. The main goal of this project is to define and describe an integrated profile for each MPM case at diagnosis by using data mining and partition analysis. Methods. Here we bring together exhaustive epidemiologic, histologic, radiologic data of 88 MPM patients that came to our observation to draw correlations with predictive and prognostic significance. Results. Overall, the median survival (OS) was of 15.6 months. Most patients presented with pleural effusion, irrespective of disease stage. Quite unexpectedly, no statistically significant association had been demonstrated between OS and TNM disease stage at diagnosis. Although average OS is similar in male and female patients, partition analysis of data underlined a significant differential hierarchy of predictor categories based on patient gender. In never smoker female patients, full chemotherapeutic regimens are associated to better outcomes. Moreover, within respect to second line treatments, vinorelbine emerged as the most advantageous choice but only in females, whereas in the male subgroup no statistically significant differences resulted between gemcitabine and vinorelbine. Conclusions. Multidisciplinary approach to MPM is thus mandatory to define better therapeutic approaches, personalize the management and improve patient outcomes.

Gene Expression Clustering and Selected Head and Neck Cancer Gene Signatures Highlight Risk Probability Differences in Oral Premalignant Lesions

Background: Oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) represent the most common oral precancerous conditions. One of the major challenges in this field is the identification of OPLs at higher risk for oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) development, by discovering molecular pathways deregulated in the early steps of malignant transformation. Analysis of deregulated levels of single genes and pathways has been successfully applied to head and neck squamous cell cancers (HNSCC) and OSCC with prognostic/predictive implications. Exploiting the availability of gene expression profile and clinical follow-up information of a well-characterized cohort of OPL patients, we aim to dissect tissue OPL gene expression to identify molecular clusters/signatures associated with oral cancer free survival (OCFS). Materials and methods: The gene expression data of 86 OPL patients were challenged with: an HNSCC specific 6 molecular subtypes model (Immune related: HPV related, Defense Response and Immunoreactive; Mesenchymal, Hypoxia and Classical); one OSCC-specific signature (13 genes); two metabolism-related signatures (3 genes and signatures raised from 6 metabolic pathways associated with prognosis in HNSCC and OSCC, respectively); a hypoxia gene signature. The molecular stratification and high versus low expression of the signatures were correlated with OCFS by Kaplan–Meier analyses. The association of gene expression profiles among the tested biological models and clinical covariates was tested through variance partition analysis. Results: Patients with Mesenchymal, Hypoxia and Classical clusters showed an higher risk of malignant transformation in comparison with immune-related ones (log-rank test, p = 0.0052) and they expressed four enriched hallmarks: “TGF beta signaling” “angiogenesis”, “unfolded protein response”, “apical junction”. Overall, 54 cases entered in the immune related clusters, while the remaining 32 cases belonged to the other clusters. No other signatures showed association with OCFS. Our variance partition analysis proved that clinical and molecular features are able to explain only 21% of gene expression data variability, while the remaining 79% refers to residuals independent of known parameters. Conclusions: Applying the existing signatures derived from HNSCC to OPL, we identified only a protective effect for immune-related signatures. Other gene expression profiles derived from overt cancers were not able to identify the risk of malignant transformation, possibly because they are linked to later stages of cancer progression. The availability of a new well-characterized set of OPL patients and further research is needed to improve the identification of adequate prognosticators in OPLs.

Relationship between blood group phenotypes (ABO, Rh and Kell) and nCOVID-19 susceptibility – A retrospective observational study.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease-19 research has been continued to explore multiple facets of the disease. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the relationship between blood group phenotypes and COVID-19 susceptibility. In this hospital based, retrospective observational study 132 COVID-19 patients were enrolled from SMS Medical College and attached Hospitals, Jaipur, India after the proper approval from the institutional ethics committee. The ABO, Rh and Kell blood group phenotypes and demographic data of the patients were recorded. The observed proportions of ‘A’ , ‘B’, ‘AB’, ‘O’, ‘Rh’, and ‘Kell’ blood groups phenotypes in COVID-19 patients were compared against the expected proportions (our null hypothesis) of the general population using multinomial tests and partition analysis. There were significant differences between observed and expected frequency in ABO and Kell blood group phenotypes. Further partition analysis of ABO blood phenotypes showed that the group ‘A’ phenotypes were more susceptible for COVID-19. The Kell negatives were also more susceptible. The blood groups ‘AB’, ‘B’, ‘O’, and ‘Rh’ phenotypes showed no significantly different susceptibility for COVID-19. The study shows relationship between ABO, Rh, and Kell blood group phenotypes and COVID-19 susceptibility. The application of these relationship in clinical practice requires more exploratory studies. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Screening Tool, Epidemiology, Patient Management, Medical Research.