Children from high- and low-risk areas of Italy have incidence rates of T1D that are closer to those of their native regions than to those of German children, indicating that genetic factors play a predominant role in the pathogenesis of T1D.

Treatment with CD19-directed CAR T cells has evolved as a standard of care for multiply relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (r/r LBCL). A common side effect of this treatment is the immune-effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Severe ICANS can occur in up to 30-40% of patients treated with axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), usually within the first 4 weeks post dosing, and usually responding well to steroids. Here, we describe a case of progressive central neurotoxicity occurring 9 months post axi-cel in a patient with r/r LBCL having undergone a prior alloHCT. Despite extensive systemic and intrathecal immunosuppression neurological deterioration was inexorable and eventually fatal within 5 months. High CAR T cell DNA copy numbers and higly elevated levels of IL-1 and IL-6 were found in the CSF as clinical symptoms emerged, and CAR T cell brain infiltration was observed on autopsy, suggesting that CAR T cells played a major pathogenetic role. This case of unexpected devastating late neurotoxicity warrants intensified investigation of neurological off-target effects of CD19-directed CAR T cells and highlights the need for continuous monitoring for late toxicities in this vulnerable patient population.

Abstract. The evaluation and enhancement of business processes in any organization in an uncertain environment presents one of the main requirements of ISO 9000:2008 and has a key effect on competitive advantage and long-term sustainability. The aim of this paper can be defined as the identification and discussion of some of the most important business processes of seaports and the performances of business processes and their key performance indicators (KPIs). The complexity and importance of the treated problem call for analytic methods rather than intuitive decisions. The existing decision variables of the considered problem are described by linguistic expressions which are modelled by triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs). In this paper, the modified fuzzy extended analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) is proposed. The assessment of the relative importance of each pair of performances and their key performance indicators are stated as a fuzzy group decision-making problem. By using the modified fuzzy extended analytic hierarchy process, the fuzzy rank of business processes of a seaport is obtained. The model is tested through an illustrative example with real-life data, where the obtained data suggest measures which should enhance business strategy and improve key performance indicators. The future improvement is based on benchmark and knowledge sharing.

The difference between the production cost and selling price of the products may be viewed as a criterion that determines an organization's competitiveness and market success. In such circumstances, it is necessary to impact these criteria in order to maximize this difference. The selling products' price, in modern market conditions, is a category which may not be significantly affected. So organizations have one option, which is the production cost reduction. This is the motive for business organizations and the imperative of each organization. The key parameters that influence the costs of production and therefore influence the competitiveness of organizations are the parameters of production machines and processes used to create products. To define optimal parameter values for production machines and processes that will reduce production costs and increase competitiveness of production organizations, the authors have developed a new mathematical model. The model is based on application of the ABC classification method to classify production line processes based on their costs and an application of a genetic algorithm to find the optimal values of production machine parameters used in these processes. It has been applied in three different modern production line processes; the costs obtained by the model application have been compared with the real production costs.

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Using suitable simplifying approximations inside the particular regions of a p-i a-Si/n c-Si heterojunction solar cell, the analytical expressions for the solar cell current-voltage characteristics are derived showing clearly the dominating first-order effects on solar cell performance. The derived closed form solutions indicate that in the useful forward voltage range the largest dark current component of this cell is the interface recombination current and that the main contribution to the photocurrent comes from the light generated holes in the c-Si substrate layer. The transfer of holes across the intrinsic layer and over the ΔEv barrier is strongly suppressed resulting in an attenuation of solar cell dark and photocurrent.

Effective densities of states in conduction and valence band, Nc and Nv, are usually set to a fixed value of 1019 to 1020 cm−3 in all computer simulations of a-Si structures. In this contribution the densities Nc and Nv are analytically expressed for different selected extended states distributions. The derivatives d(lnNc)/dx and d(lnNv)/dx, representing specific terms in transport equations, are expressed as function of position dependent band structure. The effect of an increased disorder in heterojunction is simulated by Gaussian distribution of states in a linearly graded heterojunction region.

Using our program, TRansient Amorphous DEvice Simulator (TRADES), for the simulation of transient phenomena in amorphous silicon devices, the transient response after turning the light off is numerically calculated. Parameters for the numerical analysis are obtained by fitting the two families of the measured steady-state characteristics: light-intensity and temperature dependence of the secondary photocurrent. Using these parameters, both temperature and light-intensity dependence of the transients are calculated. It is shown that the transient is faster at higher temperatures and at higher illumination levels. Results are compared with measured transients at different temperatures.