Well-posedness for a class of nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations

In this paper we obtain well-posedness for a class of semilinear weakly degenerate reaction-diffusion systems with Robin boundary conditions. This result is obtained through a Gagliardo-Nirenberg interpolation inequality and some embedding results for weighted Sobolev spaces

Multiplicative controllability for nonlinear degenerate parabolic equations between sign-changing states

In this paper we study the global approximate multiplicative controllability for nonlinear degenerate parabolic Cauchy problems. In particular, we consider a one-dimensional semilinear degenerate reaction-diffusion equation in divergence form governed via the coefficient of the \-reaction term (bilinear or multiplicative control). The above one-dimensional equation is degenerate since the diffusion coefficient is positive on the interior of the spatial domain and vanishes at the boundary points. Furthermore, two different kinds of degenerate diffusion coefficient are distinguished and studied in this paper: the weakly degenerate case, that is, if the reciprocal of the diffusion coefficient is summable, and the strongly degenerate case, that is, if that reciprocal isn't summable. In our main result we show that the above systems can be steered from an initial continuous state that admits a finite number of points of sign change to a target state with the same number of changes of sign in the same order. Our method uses a recent technique introduced for uniformly parabolic equations employing the shifting of the points of sign change by making use of a finite sequence of initial-value pure diffusion pro\-blems. Our interest in degenerate reaction-diffusion equations is motivated by the study of some \-energy balance models in climatology (see, e.g., the Budyko-Sellers model) and some models in population genetics (see, e.g., the Fleming-Viot model).Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1510.0420

Exact controllability for quasi-linear perturbations of KdV

We prove that the KdV equation on the circle remains exactly controllable in arbitrary time with localized control, for sufficiently small data, also in presence of quasi-linear perturbations, namely nonlinearities containing up to three space derivatives, having a Hamiltonian structure at the highest orders. We use a procedure of reduction to constant coefficients up to order zero, classical Ingham inequality and HUM method to prove the controllability of the linearized operator. Then we prove and apply a modified version of the Nash-Moser implicit function theorems by H\"ormander.Comment: 39 page

Well-posedness of 2D and 3D swimming models in incompressible fluids governed by Navier--Stokes equations

We introduce and investigate the wellposedness of two models describing the self-propelled motion of a "small bio-mimetic swimmer" in the 2D and 3D incompressible fluids modeled by the Navier-Stokes equations. It is assumed that the swimmer's body consists of finitely many subsequently connected parts, identified with the fluid they occupy, linked by the rotational and elastic forces. The swimmer employs the change of its shape, inflicted by respective explicit internal forces, as the means for self-propulsion in a surrounding medium. Similar models were previously investigated in [15]-[19] where the fluid was modeled by the liner nonstationary Stokes equations. Such models are of interest in biological and engineering applications dealing with the study and design of propulsion systems in fluids and air.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures, Corresponding author: Alexandre Khapalov, Department of Mathematics, Washington State University, USA (email: [email protected]

TEACHING VOCABULARY BY USING PICTURES TO THE FIRST GRADE STUDENTS IN SDN DUWET 01 BAKI SUKOHARJO

ABSTRACT Linggar Floridia. 2013 .Teaching Vocabulary by Using Pictures to The First Grade Students In SDN Duwet 01 Baki Sukoharjo. English Diploma Program, Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts, Sebelas Maret University. This final project report was written based on the job training in SDN Duwet 01 Baki Sukoharjo on February 4th to April 2nd2013. The objectives of this report are to describe the process of teaching English vocabulary by using pictures for the first grade students of SDN Duwet 01, to find out the problems of teaching English vocabulary by using pictures and to provide the solution to the problems of teaching English vocabulary by using pictures. In the job training, I did some activities such as class observation and made a lesson plan. I use the pictures as media to teach the vocabulary to the students. The process of teaching vocabulary consists of building knowledge of the field, modeling of the text, joint construction, independent construction and closing. There were some problems in teaching vocabulary by using pictures to the first grade students in SDN Duwet 01 Baki. The problems were the size of pictures, the difficulty in pronouncing and memorizing English words, and the lack of teaching materials. The solution to solve the problems were giving clear pictures, telling the instruction of the way to answer relate to the pictures and bringing some pictures related to the topic. From the discussion in this final project, the readers would know that using picture is necessary and effective for teaching vocabularies especially to the first grade students of SDN Duwet 01 Baki Sukoharjo

Backbone switch to abacavir/lamivudine fixed-dose combination: implications for antiretroviral therapy optimization

Current guidelines recommend treatment optimization in virologically suppressed patients through switching/ simplification strategies to minimize long-term toxicities and improve adherence. The assessment of inflammation/ coagulation profiles may support therapeutic decisions. We undertook a prospective, non-randomized study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of switching to ABC/3TC from ZDV/3TC or TDF/FTC backbones, in 40 HIV-1 infected patients with HIV-RNA levels 24 months). Main endpoints were viral load levels, CD4+ T cells and toxicities after 48 weeks. Serum inflammation/coagulation markers (ESR, CRP, D-dimer and fibrinogen) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, adiponectin, resistin) were evaluated. Baseline characteristics were similar in the two arms, with significantly lower values of e-GFR in patients on TDF/FTC. Markers of inflammation/ coagulation and cytokine profile were also similar, except for higher values of resistin in patients on TDF/ FTC. During follow up, CD4+ T cells increased and viral load remained undetectable in both groups. Patient from ZDV/3TC had significantly greater changes in total cholesterol and serum creatinine. Markers of inflammation/ coagulation remained unchanged. Adiponectin significantly increased in patients from ZDV/3TC. Switching to ABC/3TC was effective and safe. Inflammatory markers remained low in both groups. Some changes in metabolic, kidney and cytokine profiles were apparently specific for baseline cART treatment

Recent records of spiders (Arachnida : Araneae) from Malta

Two spider species are recorded from Malta, one for the first time (Zora sp., Family Zoridae) and one for the second time (Aphantaulax cincta, Family Gnaphosidae). Observations and other information about the species together with photographs are provided.peer-reviewe

Usefulness of calcaneal quantitative ultrasound stiffness for the evaluation of bone health in HIV-1-infected subjects: Comparison with dual X-ray absorptiometry

Objectives: With the development of effective treatments and the resulting increase in life expectancy, bone mineral density (BMD) alteration has emerged as an important comorbidity in human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals. The potential contributors to the pathogenesis of osteopenia/osteoporosis include a higher prevalence of risk factors, combined antiretroviral therapy (cART)-exposure, HIV-1 itself and chronic immune activation/inflammation. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the “gold standard” technique for assessing bone status in HIV-1 population. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate bone mineral status in a group of 158 HIV-1-infected subjects. The primary endpoint was the feasibility of calcaneal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) as a screening tool for BMD. All subjects were receiving stable cART and were virologically suppressed (HIV-RNA <37 copies/mL) from at least 12 months. Calcaneal QUS parameters were analyzed to obtain information on bone mass and microarchitecture. The results were compared with those obtained by DXA. Results: No correlations were found between DXA/QUS parameters and demographic or HIV-1-specific characteristics, also including cART strategies. In the univariate analyses BMD, QUS indexes, and Fracture Risk Assessment Tool scores conversely showed significant associations with one or more demographic or HIV-1-related variables. Moreover, a significant relationship between calcaneal quantitative ultrasound index/stiffness and femoral/lumbar BMD values from DXA was described. The multivariate analysis showed an independent association between calcaneal quantitative ultrasound index/stiffness and body mass index, higher CD4+T-cell numbers and low 25-OH D2/D3 vitamin D levels <10 ng/mL (P-values: 0.004, 0.016, and 0.015, respectively). Conclusion: As an alternative and/or integrative examination to DXA, calcaneal QUS could be proposed as a useful screening in HIV-1-infected patients for assessing bone health impairment. In fact, the results obtained confirm that calcaneal QUS may be useful for monitoring bone status, being a noninvasive and inexpensive technique, especially in those subjects with the classical traditional risk factors for bone damage that were observed earlier in HIV-1 population

Interior degenerate/singular parabolic equations in nondivergence form: well-posedness and Carleman estimates

We consider non smooth general degenerate/singular parabolic equations in non divergence form with degeneracy and singularity occurring in the interior of the spatial domain, in presence of Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions. In particular, we consider well posedness of the problem and then we prove Carleman estimates for the associated adjoint problem.Comment: Accepted in Journal of Differential Equations. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1507.0778