a b s t r a c t IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP) is the second subunit required to form... more a b s t r a c t IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP) is the second subunit required to form a functional receptor complex for IL-1␣ and , IL-1F6, IL-1F8, IL1-F9 and IL-33. While it does not directly interact with the cytokines, IL-1RAcP is necessary to mediate signal transduction. We previously reported a monoclonal antibody with an unknown specificity, termed AY19, that was capable to induce a significant increase in the size of CFU-GM colonies when added to cultures of human cord blood CD34 + hematopoietic progenitors. Here we demonstrate that AY19 mAb recognizes IL1-RAcP. We show that this adaptor molecule is significantly present on peripheral blood monocytes and lymphocytes including CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes, B and NK cells. Interestingly, its expression is found increased on CD127 low CD4 + CD25 high T cells when compared to CD127 low CD4 + CD25 − T cell subset, suggesting that the level of IL-1RAcP membrane expression could allow to distinguish within CD127 low CD4 + T lymphocytes the CD25 high T regulatory subset from conventional CD25 − T lymphocytes. Functional studies reveal that addition of AY19 mAb enhances the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained with mitogenic concentrations of PMA. Interestingly, we found that although AY19 mAb does not increase the optimal PBMC proliferation induced by a mitogenic pair of anti-CD2 mAbs it prolongs their time of proliferation. Thus, these results indicate that the anti-IL-1RAcP mAb AY19 exhibits unique functional properties by triggering co-stimulatory signals in lymphocytes.
Equations for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are vital in caring for patients with r... more Equations for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are vital in caring for patients with renal disease and the current standard, the Schwartz formula, lacks precision. We evaluated several child serum creatinine-based GFR prediction equations. Subjects aged 2–21 years who underwent iothalamate GFR (IoGFR) testing between 1999 and 2004 were studied retrospectively. GFR was estimated using: (1) Schwartz formula (SchwartzGFR), using a local k value; (2) Schwartz model (SchwartzMod) using regression-derived coefficients; (3) Leger GFR (LegerGFR) using original coefficients; and (4) Leger model (LegerMod) using regression-derived coefficients. Bias, precision, and diagnostic characteristics were evaluated. There were 195 subjects [61% male; mean (SD) age 12.4 (4.5) years; mean (SD) IoGFR 78.9 (33.4) ml/min per 1.73 m2]. Only the LegerGFR overestimated IoGFR (5.5 ml/min per 1.73 m2). Precision for all formulae was poor (95% limits of agreement approximately −40 to 40 ml/min per 1.73 m2), but ≥72% of estimates were within 30% of IoGFR. Sensitivities for detecting IoGFR <30 and 90 ml/min per 1.73 m2 were highest using the SchwartzGFR (80%) and SchwartzMod (90%), respectively. The LegerGFR was most specific. Using local coefficients, the Schwartz and Leger models were imprecise estimates of GFR, but the Schwartz model was most unbiased and sensitive. Future research should derive more precise equations for GFR in children.
In the second year of this project, the main objective continues to be the formation of databases... more In the second year of this project, the main objective continues to be the formation of databases providing ground truth for regional seismic research conforming to the latest Center for Monitoring Research (CMR) schema. The effort focuses on events in the CMR Calibration Event Bulletin (CEB) from China, the former Soviet Union, and North America. Selected CEB events are re-analyzed
This paper presents an algorithm to generate an interpolated view between two camera viewpoints i... more This paper presents an algorithm to generate an interpolated view between two camera viewpoints in a fast and automatic way (6-7 fps on a PentIV @ 2.6 GHz, Geforce FX AGP 4). Nothing more than a desktop PC and a set of low end consumer grade cameras are needed to simulate the video stream of any intermediate camera. Parallel use
The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of genetic and non-genetic factors on prod... more The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of genetic and non-genetic factors on production of breeding bulls and semen quality parameters in Karan Fries crossbred male by fitting least squares analysis. Genetically, the animals were divided into three subclasses. The non-genetic factors were season of birth, period of birth, and age group with three subclasses each for season of birth and period of birth. Age group was classified into four subclasses. The traits generated in the study were number of males reaching semen donation stage (AFSC) and first freezing (AFSF), age at last semen collection (ALSC) and last freezing (ALSF), age at disposal (AD), and lifetime semen production traits (up to 1 year after first freezing). The effect of period of birth was significant for AFSC, AFSF, ALSC, and AD. It was also significant for total ejaculates produced in a year. The age group had significant effect on AFSF. Effect of genetic group was significant for freezable ejaculates produced in a year, for frozen semen doses produced in a year, and for number of ejaculates cryoprocessed in a year. Season had no statistically significant effect on any of the traits studied. The influence of period revealed that the most of the traits of breeding bulls improved after intermediate period, which could be due to better care, training, feeding, and other management practices in the latter years. However, no consistent trend could be established for the effects of genetic groups and other non-genetic causes on the traits considered.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2010
Retrospective studies suggest that adolescents with craniopharyngioma and hypothalamic obesity ha... more Retrospective studies suggest that adolescents with craniopharyngioma and hypothalamic obesity have increased sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). The objectives of this study were to compare the prevalence of SDB in adolescents with craniopharyngioma-related obesity compared with body mass index (BMI)-matched controls and to explore possible relationships between SDB, insulin resistance, and adipocytokines. This was a cross-sectional study of obese craniopharyngioma and obese control adolescents. Subjects were evaluated in the clinical investigation unit at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. Fifteen patients with craniopharyngioma-related obesity and 15 BMI-matched controls were recruited and tested. Each subject underwent fasting blood work, frequent sampled iv glucose tolerance test, polysomnography, and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging with calculation of visceral and sc adipose tissue. Main measures included insulin sensitivity, sleep efficiency, and fragmentation. Insulin sensitivity was lower in craniopharyngioma subjects compared with control subjects (0.96 +/- 0.34 vs. 1.67 +/- 0.7, P = 0.01). Sleep-onset latency (19.3 +/- 27.8 vs. 31.9 +/- 23.4, P = 0.03) and oxygen saturations (rapid eye movement sleep: 89.0 +/- 5.1 vs. 94.2 +/- 2.3, P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001; non-rapid eye movement sleep: 88.4 +/- 5.6 vs. 94.3 +/- 1.5, P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001) were lower in craniopharyngioma. Obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (OAHI) (7.5 +/- 9.0 vs. 1.5 +/- 1.5, P = 0.03) was higher in craniopharyngioma. Respiratory distress index and OAHI correlated negatively with adiponectin concentrations (r = -0.61, P = 0.03, r = -0.71, P = 0.006, respectively) in craniopharyngioma. On multiple regression, TNF-alpha and craniopharyngioma were independent positive predictors of sleep-onset latency and adiponectin and craniopharyngioma were significant predictors (negative and positive, respectively) of OAHI. SDB is increased in adolescents with craniopharyngioma-related obesity compared with BMI-matched controls. Routine polysomnography should be considered in obese patients with craniopharyngioma and appropriate treatment initiated.
Background: The unabated economic crisis has put more poor people away from ade- quate health car... more Background: The unabated economic crisis has put more poor people away from ade- quate health care services, including the basic health care. Public health problems such as malnutrition among infants and children, chronic energy deficiency among pregnant women, and several communicable diseases have reemeged as basic health care cov- erage shrinked. Public health care nursing and home visiting are options to improve access to basic health care, especially for maternal and child health. However these activities have not been optimally implementated due to resource constaints and other limitation. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the implementation of public health nursing through home visiting by identifying coverage of home visiting service for families with risk factors, policies of resources allocation (human resources, financial resources and other facilities) and evaluating how incentives and workload were dis- tributed to carry out the program and obstacles were overcome. Methods: The study was qualitative descriptive with cross sectional design. Analysis unit was the implementation of public health nursing program at Agam District with samples taken using purposive random sampling technique at three public health cen- ters of Biaro, Pakan Kamis and Lubuk Basung. Primary data were obtained through indepth interview with Head of the Health Office, Head of Sub Health Service Office, Head of Public Health Service and Health Service Facility Section, Head of Public Health Center and coordinator of Public Health Nursing Program at community health center. Result: The coverage of public health nursing service through home visiting was rela- tively low due to limited home visiting, small allocation of home visiting fund, absence of incentive and effective staff training and low mobilization of resources. Conclusion: The implementation of public health nursing through home visiting had not contributed significantly to the public health nursing program either quantitatively or qulitatively. Commitment of the management to the program was low as reflected from small allocation of fund, absence of incentive and staff training as well as map- ping of poor families so that the program did not run comprehensively.
Bioinformatics/computer Applications in The Biosciences, 2007
Web content syndication through standard formats such as RSS and ATOM has become an increasingly ... more Web content syndication through standard formats such as RSS and ATOM has become an increasingly popular mechanism for publishers, news sources and blogs to disseminate regularly updated content. These standardized syndication formats deliver content directly to the subscriber, allowing them to locally aggregate content from a variety of sources instead of having to find the information on multiple websites. The uBioRSS application is a 'taxonomically intelligent' service customized for the biological sciences. It aggregates syndicated content from academic publishers and science news feeds, and then uses a taxonomic Named Entity Recognition algorithm to identify and index taxonomic names within those data streams. The resulting name index is cross-referenced to current global taxonomic datasets to provide context for browsing the publications by taxonomic group. This process, called taxonomic indexing, draws upon services developed specifically for biological sciences, collectively referred to as 'taxonomic intelligence'. Such value-added enhancements can provide biologists with accelerated and improved access to current biological content. Availability: http://names.ubio.org/rss/
Abstract A flexible, model-based tool is presented for use in the analysis of telecommunication n... more Abstract A flexible, model-based tool is presented for use in the analysis of telecommunication networks. The tool was designed and implemented using object-oriented principles. Through the use of software models, which can be modified or added, NOVA ...
The foundations of modern plant biotechnology can be traced back to the Cell Theory of Schleiden ... more The foundations of modern plant biotechnology can be traced back to the Cell Theory of Schleiden (Arch Anat Physiol Wiss Med (J Müller) 1838:137–176, 1838) and Schwann (Mikroscopische Untersuchungen über die Übereinstimmung in der Struktur und dem Wachstum des Tiere und Pflanzen. W Engelmann: Leipzig No 176, 1839), which recognized the cell as the primary unit of all living organisms. The concept of cellular totipotency, which was inherent in the Cell Theory and forms the basis of plant biotechnology, was further elaborated by Haberlandt (Sitzungsber K Preuss Akad Wiss Wien, Math-Naturwiss 111:69–92, 1902), who predicted the production of somatic embryos from vegetative cells. This brief historical account traces the development of technologies for the culture, regeneration and transformation of plants that led to the production of transgenic crops which have become central to the many applications of plant biotechnology, and celebrates the pioneering men and women whose trend-setting contributions made it all possible.
Freeze-out properties of multifragmentation events produced in central 129Xe+natSn collisions at ... more Freeze-out properties of multifragmentation events produced in central 129Xe+natSn collisions at different beam energies (32, 39, 45 and 50 A MeV) were estimated by means of a simulation based on the experimental data collected by the 4π INDRA multidetector. A rapid increase (between 32 and 45 A MeV) of the fraction of particles emitted at freeze-out is deduced. The existence of a
A thermophilic, strictly anaerobic eubacterium which utilized an unusually limited range of subst... more A thermophilic, strictly anaerobic eubacterium which utilized an unusually limited range of substrates was isolated from a sludge and pulp sample from a paperpulp cooling tank at a paper-board factory in Finland. The organism grew only with beech wood or oat spelt xylan; no growth occurred with soluble sugars, other polysaccharides, peptone, or yeast extract. The organism was rod-shaped, long (up to 20 μm), thin (0.3 μm), gramnegative, and in late-exponential and stationary phase cultures formed “ball of yarn” like structures; endospores were not observed and the organism was not motile. The organism grew fastest (μ=0.08 – 0.09 h-1) at 65 to 75°C and pH 6.5 to 8.4, with a maximum growth temperature between 75 and 80°C and an upper pH limit near 9. During growth on beech xylan the isolate produced only acetate, H2, and CO2 as fermentation products. The guanine + cytosine (G+C) content of the isolates cellular DNA was 34%. The unusual morphology of the isolate is characteristic of the genus Dictyoglomus, and the limited substrate range, higher G+C ratio, and different fermentation products indicated that the isolate was a new species in that genus.
Recent important progress on the knowledge of multifragmentation and phase transition for hot nuc... more Recent important progress on the knowledge of multifragmentation and phase transition for hot nuclei, thanks to the high detection quality of the INDRA array, is reported. It concerns i) the radial collective energies involved in hot fragmenting nuclei/sources produced in central and semi-peripheral collisions and their influence on the observed fragment partitions, ii) a better knowledge of freeze-out properties obtained by means of a simulation based on all the available experimental information and iii) the quantitative study of the bimodal behaviour of the heaviest fragment distribution for fragmenting hot heavy quasi-projectiles which allows the extraction, for the first time, of an estimate of the latent heat of the phase transition.
We analyze a simple version of a protocol developed by Philips for the physical layer of an inter... more We analyze a simple version of a protocol developed by Philips for the physical layer of an interface bus that connects the various devices of some stereo equipment (tuner, CD player,...). The protocol, which uses Manchester encoding, has to deal with a significant uncertainty in the timing of events, due to both hardware and software constraints. We present a formal specification of the protocol, and a proof of correctness for the case where the tolerance of the clocks used within the system is less than 1/17. A counterexample shows that the protocol fails for tolerances greater than or equal to this value. The verification is carried out using a model of linear hybrid systems, which is similar to the phase transition system model of Manna and Pnueli, and the model of linear hybrid automata of Alur, Henzinger and Ho. The semantics of linear hybrid systems is defined via a translation to the timed I/O automata model of Lynch and Vaandrager.
The devastating (M, 6.2) Latur earthquake of September 29, 1993 in South India has claimed an est... more The devastating (M, 6.2) Latur earthquake of September 29, 1993 in South India has claimed an estimated 11,000 human lives. With an I,,, of VIII, the earthquake was felt to an average distance of 750 km. More than I25 shocks were reported to have been felt during August l992-March 1993. Out of these, during October-November 1992, several shocks of M > 2.0 were recorded at the NGRI seismic station at Hyderabad which is the closest (220 km) to the epicentre. No such shocks occurred for at least 8 months before the Latur earthquake. The aftershocks were monitored by a network of up to 21 stations between October 8, 1993 and January 31, 1994. A majority of the aftershocks occurred within a IO-km radius from the main shock. On the basis of the location of aftershocks in the first few days, a plane dipping at an angle of 45" towards the southwest and striking at 135" is inferred to be the fault plane which extends to a depth of 4.5 km and on projection meets the surface in the vicinity of the observed surface rupture. Assuming the aftershock zone to be the rupture zone, the stress drop is estimated to be 7 MPa with a maximum displacement of I .7 m for the main earthquake. A unique discovery is the high concentration of helium in the soil in the immediate vicinity of the surface rupture indicating that the rupture extends to the surface from a depth of a few km. A detailed broadband magnetotelluric (MT) investigation revealed the presence of an anomalously high conductive zone at a depth of 6-10 km. Observation of a PC phase, lagging behind the Pg phase by about 0.6 to 0.8 s in the seismograms of aftershocks, indicating a low-velocity zone at 7 to IO km depth, is consistent with the MT results. This highly conductive low-velocity layer is inferred to be fluid-filled. The main stress regime in Peninsular India is NE compressive stress due to plate tectonic movement. Erosion of the basalt cover in the Deccan Plateau may be adding additional compressive stress in the region. The existence of a low-velocity highly conductive fluid-filled layer will enhance stress concentrations in the uppermost brittle part of the crust causing the earthquake. 0 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Plant biotechnology is founded on the principles of cellular totipotency and genetic transformati... more Plant biotechnology is founded on the principles of cellular totipotency and genetic transformation, which can be traced back to the Cell Theory of Matthias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann, and the discovery of genetic transformation in bacteria by Frederick Griffith, respectively. On the 25th anniversary of the genetic transformation of plants, this review provides a historical account of the evolution of the theoretical concepts and experimental strategies that led to the production and commercialization of biotech (transformed or transgenic) plants expressing many useful genes, and emphasizes the beneficial effects of plant biotechnology on food security, human health, the environment, and conservation of biodiversity. In so doing, it celebrates and pays tribute to the contributions of scores of scientists who laid the foundation of modern plant biotechnology by their bold and unconventional thinking and experimentation. It highlights also the many important lessons to be learnt from the fascinating history of plant biotechnology, the significance of history in science teaching and research, and warns against the danger of the growing trends of ignoring history and historical illiteracy.
Recent important progress on the knowledge of multifragmentation and phase transition for hot nuc... more Recent important progress on the knowledge of multifragmentation and phase transition for hot nuclei, thanks to the high detection quality of the INDRA array, is reported. It concerns i) the radial collective energies involved in hot fragmenting nuclei/sources produced in central and semi- peripheral collisions and their influence on the observed fragment partitions, ii) a better knowledge of freeze-out properties obtained by means of a simulation based on all the available experimental information and iii) the quantitative study of the bimodal behaviour of the heaviest fragment distribution for fragmenting hot heavy quasi-projectiles which allows the extraction, for the first time, of an estimate of the latent heat of the phase transition.
Purpose/Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility to perform in the same tim... more Purpose/Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility to perform in the same time, staging and data acquisition for radiotherapy treatment planning (TP) for patients with HNSCC. The impact of PET was evaluated by comparing the Gross Tumour Volume (GTV) determined only on CT (GTVx) or on PET-CT (GTVb).
a b s t r a c t IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP) is the second subunit required to form... more a b s t r a c t IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP) is the second subunit required to form a functional receptor complex for IL-1␣ and , IL-1F6, IL-1F8, IL1-F9 and IL-33. While it does not directly interact with the cytokines, IL-1RAcP is necessary to mediate signal transduction. We previously reported a monoclonal antibody with an unknown specificity, termed AY19, that was capable to induce a significant increase in the size of CFU-GM colonies when added to cultures of human cord blood CD34 + hematopoietic progenitors. Here we demonstrate that AY19 mAb recognizes IL1-RAcP. We show that this adaptor molecule is significantly present on peripheral blood monocytes and lymphocytes including CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes, B and NK cells. Interestingly, its expression is found increased on CD127 low CD4 + CD25 high T cells when compared to CD127 low CD4 + CD25 − T cell subset, suggesting that the level of IL-1RAcP membrane expression could allow to distinguish within CD127 low CD4 + T lymphocytes the CD25 high T regulatory subset from conventional CD25 − T lymphocytes. Functional studies reveal that addition of AY19 mAb enhances the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained with mitogenic concentrations of PMA. Interestingly, we found that although AY19 mAb does not increase the optimal PBMC proliferation induced by a mitogenic pair of anti-CD2 mAbs it prolongs their time of proliferation. Thus, these results indicate that the anti-IL-1RAcP mAb AY19 exhibits unique functional properties by triggering co-stimulatory signals in lymphocytes.
Equations for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are vital in caring for patients with r... more Equations for estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are vital in caring for patients with renal disease and the current standard, the Schwartz formula, lacks precision. We evaluated several child serum creatinine-based GFR prediction equations. Subjects aged 2–21 years who underwent iothalamate GFR (IoGFR) testing between 1999 and 2004 were studied retrospectively. GFR was estimated using: (1) Schwartz formula (SchwartzGFR), using a local k value; (2) Schwartz model (SchwartzMod) using regression-derived coefficients; (3) Leger GFR (LegerGFR) using original coefficients; and (4) Leger model (LegerMod) using regression-derived coefficients. Bias, precision, and diagnostic characteristics were evaluated. There were 195 subjects [61% male; mean (SD) age 12.4 (4.5) years; mean (SD) IoGFR 78.9 (33.4) ml/min per 1.73 m2]. Only the LegerGFR overestimated IoGFR (5.5 ml/min per 1.73 m2). Precision for all formulae was poor (95% limits of agreement approximately −40 to 40 ml/min per 1.73 m2), but ≥72% of estimates were within 30% of IoGFR. Sensitivities for detecting IoGFR <30 and 90 ml/min per 1.73 m2 were highest using the SchwartzGFR (80%) and SchwartzMod (90%), respectively. The LegerGFR was most specific. Using local coefficients, the Schwartz and Leger models were imprecise estimates of GFR, but the Schwartz model was most unbiased and sensitive. Future research should derive more precise equations for GFR in children.
In the second year of this project, the main objective continues to be the formation of databases... more In the second year of this project, the main objective continues to be the formation of databases providing ground truth for regional seismic research conforming to the latest Center for Monitoring Research (CMR) schema. The effort focuses on events in the CMR Calibration Event Bulletin (CEB) from China, the former Soviet Union, and North America. Selected CEB events are re-analyzed
This paper presents an algorithm to generate an interpolated view between two camera viewpoints i... more This paper presents an algorithm to generate an interpolated view between two camera viewpoints in a fast and automatic way (6-7 fps on a PentIV @ 2.6 GHz, Geforce FX AGP 4). Nothing more than a desktop PC and a set of low end consumer grade cameras are needed to simulate the video stream of any intermediate camera. Parallel use
The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of genetic and non-genetic factors on prod... more The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of genetic and non-genetic factors on production of breeding bulls and semen quality parameters in Karan Fries crossbred male by fitting least squares analysis. Genetically, the animals were divided into three subclasses. The non-genetic factors were season of birth, period of birth, and age group with three subclasses each for season of birth and period of birth. Age group was classified into four subclasses. The traits generated in the study were number of males reaching semen donation stage (AFSC) and first freezing (AFSF), age at last semen collection (ALSC) and last freezing (ALSF), age at disposal (AD), and lifetime semen production traits (up to 1 year after first freezing). The effect of period of birth was significant for AFSC, AFSF, ALSC, and AD. It was also significant for total ejaculates produced in a year. The age group had significant effect on AFSF. Effect of genetic group was significant for freezable ejaculates produced in a year, for frozen semen doses produced in a year, and for number of ejaculates cryoprocessed in a year. Season had no statistically significant effect on any of the traits studied. The influence of period revealed that the most of the traits of breeding bulls improved after intermediate period, which could be due to better care, training, feeding, and other management practices in the latter years. However, no consistent trend could be established for the effects of genetic groups and other non-genetic causes on the traits considered.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2010
Retrospective studies suggest that adolescents with craniopharyngioma and hypothalamic obesity ha... more Retrospective studies suggest that adolescents with craniopharyngioma and hypothalamic obesity have increased sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). The objectives of this study were to compare the prevalence of SDB in adolescents with craniopharyngioma-related obesity compared with body mass index (BMI)-matched controls and to explore possible relationships between SDB, insulin resistance, and adipocytokines. This was a cross-sectional study of obese craniopharyngioma and obese control adolescents. Subjects were evaluated in the clinical investigation unit at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. Fifteen patients with craniopharyngioma-related obesity and 15 BMI-matched controls were recruited and tested. Each subject underwent fasting blood work, frequent sampled iv glucose tolerance test, polysomnography, and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging with calculation of visceral and sc adipose tissue. Main measures included insulin sensitivity, sleep efficiency, and fragmentation. Insulin sensitivity was lower in craniopharyngioma subjects compared with control subjects (0.96 +/- 0.34 vs. 1.67 +/- 0.7, P = 0.01). Sleep-onset latency (19.3 +/- 27.8 vs. 31.9 +/- 23.4, P = 0.03) and oxygen saturations (rapid eye movement sleep: 89.0 +/- 5.1 vs. 94.2 +/- 2.3, P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001; non-rapid eye movement sleep: 88.4 +/- 5.6 vs. 94.3 +/- 1.5, P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001) were lower in craniopharyngioma. Obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (OAHI) (7.5 +/- 9.0 vs. 1.5 +/- 1.5, P = 0.03) was higher in craniopharyngioma. Respiratory distress index and OAHI correlated negatively with adiponectin concentrations (r = -0.61, P = 0.03, r = -0.71, P = 0.006, respectively) in craniopharyngioma. On multiple regression, TNF-alpha and craniopharyngioma were independent positive predictors of sleep-onset latency and adiponectin and craniopharyngioma were significant predictors (negative and positive, respectively) of OAHI. SDB is increased in adolescents with craniopharyngioma-related obesity compared with BMI-matched controls. Routine polysomnography should be considered in obese patients with craniopharyngioma and appropriate treatment initiated.
Background: The unabated economic crisis has put more poor people away from ade- quate health car... more Background: The unabated economic crisis has put more poor people away from ade- quate health care services, including the basic health care. Public health problems such as malnutrition among infants and children, chronic energy deficiency among pregnant women, and several communicable diseases have reemeged as basic health care cov- erage shrinked. Public health care nursing and home visiting are options to improve access to basic health care, especially for maternal and child health. However these activities have not been optimally implementated due to resource constaints and other limitation. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the implementation of public health nursing through home visiting by identifying coverage of home visiting service for families with risk factors, policies of resources allocation (human resources, financial resources and other facilities) and evaluating how incentives and workload were dis- tributed to carry out the program and obstacles were overcome. Methods: The study was qualitative descriptive with cross sectional design. Analysis unit was the implementation of public health nursing program at Agam District with samples taken using purposive random sampling technique at three public health cen- ters of Biaro, Pakan Kamis and Lubuk Basung. Primary data were obtained through indepth interview with Head of the Health Office, Head of Sub Health Service Office, Head of Public Health Service and Health Service Facility Section, Head of Public Health Center and coordinator of Public Health Nursing Program at community health center. Result: The coverage of public health nursing service through home visiting was rela- tively low due to limited home visiting, small allocation of home visiting fund, absence of incentive and effective staff training and low mobilization of resources. Conclusion: The implementation of public health nursing through home visiting had not contributed significantly to the public health nursing program either quantitatively or qulitatively. Commitment of the management to the program was low as reflected from small allocation of fund, absence of incentive and staff training as well as map- ping of poor families so that the program did not run comprehensively.
Bioinformatics/computer Applications in The Biosciences, 2007
Web content syndication through standard formats such as RSS and ATOM has become an increasingly ... more Web content syndication through standard formats such as RSS and ATOM has become an increasingly popular mechanism for publishers, news sources and blogs to disseminate regularly updated content. These standardized syndication formats deliver content directly to the subscriber, allowing them to locally aggregate content from a variety of sources instead of having to find the information on multiple websites. The uBioRSS application is a 'taxonomically intelligent' service customized for the biological sciences. It aggregates syndicated content from academic publishers and science news feeds, and then uses a taxonomic Named Entity Recognition algorithm to identify and index taxonomic names within those data streams. The resulting name index is cross-referenced to current global taxonomic datasets to provide context for browsing the publications by taxonomic group. This process, called taxonomic indexing, draws upon services developed specifically for biological sciences, collectively referred to as 'taxonomic intelligence'. Such value-added enhancements can provide biologists with accelerated and improved access to current biological content. Availability: http://names.ubio.org/rss/
Abstract A flexible, model-based tool is presented for use in the analysis of telecommunication n... more Abstract A flexible, model-based tool is presented for use in the analysis of telecommunication networks. The tool was designed and implemented using object-oriented principles. Through the use of software models, which can be modified or added, NOVA ...
The foundations of modern plant biotechnology can be traced back to the Cell Theory of Schleiden ... more The foundations of modern plant biotechnology can be traced back to the Cell Theory of Schleiden (Arch Anat Physiol Wiss Med (J Müller) 1838:137–176, 1838) and Schwann (Mikroscopische Untersuchungen über die Übereinstimmung in der Struktur und dem Wachstum des Tiere und Pflanzen. W Engelmann: Leipzig No 176, 1839), which recognized the cell as the primary unit of all living organisms. The concept of cellular totipotency, which was inherent in the Cell Theory and forms the basis of plant biotechnology, was further elaborated by Haberlandt (Sitzungsber K Preuss Akad Wiss Wien, Math-Naturwiss 111:69–92, 1902), who predicted the production of somatic embryos from vegetative cells. This brief historical account traces the development of technologies for the culture, regeneration and transformation of plants that led to the production of transgenic crops which have become central to the many applications of plant biotechnology, and celebrates the pioneering men and women whose trend-setting contributions made it all possible.
Freeze-out properties of multifragmentation events produced in central 129Xe+natSn collisions at ... more Freeze-out properties of multifragmentation events produced in central 129Xe+natSn collisions at different beam energies (32, 39, 45 and 50 A MeV) were estimated by means of a simulation based on the experimental data collected by the 4π INDRA multidetector. A rapid increase (between 32 and 45 A MeV) of the fraction of particles emitted at freeze-out is deduced. The existence of a
A thermophilic, strictly anaerobic eubacterium which utilized an unusually limited range of subst... more A thermophilic, strictly anaerobic eubacterium which utilized an unusually limited range of substrates was isolated from a sludge and pulp sample from a paperpulp cooling tank at a paper-board factory in Finland. The organism grew only with beech wood or oat spelt xylan; no growth occurred with soluble sugars, other polysaccharides, peptone, or yeast extract. The organism was rod-shaped, long (up to 20 μm), thin (0.3 μm), gramnegative, and in late-exponential and stationary phase cultures formed “ball of yarn” like structures; endospores were not observed and the organism was not motile. The organism grew fastest (μ=0.08 – 0.09 h-1) at 65 to 75°C and pH 6.5 to 8.4, with a maximum growth temperature between 75 and 80°C and an upper pH limit near 9. During growth on beech xylan the isolate produced only acetate, H2, and CO2 as fermentation products. The guanine + cytosine (G+C) content of the isolates cellular DNA was 34%. The unusual morphology of the isolate is characteristic of the genus Dictyoglomus, and the limited substrate range, higher G+C ratio, and different fermentation products indicated that the isolate was a new species in that genus.
Recent important progress on the knowledge of multifragmentation and phase transition for hot nuc... more Recent important progress on the knowledge of multifragmentation and phase transition for hot nuclei, thanks to the high detection quality of the INDRA array, is reported. It concerns i) the radial collective energies involved in hot fragmenting nuclei/sources produced in central and semi-peripheral collisions and their influence on the observed fragment partitions, ii) a better knowledge of freeze-out properties obtained by means of a simulation based on all the available experimental information and iii) the quantitative study of the bimodal behaviour of the heaviest fragment distribution for fragmenting hot heavy quasi-projectiles which allows the extraction, for the first time, of an estimate of the latent heat of the phase transition.
We analyze a simple version of a protocol developed by Philips for the physical layer of an inter... more We analyze a simple version of a protocol developed by Philips for the physical layer of an interface bus that connects the various devices of some stereo equipment (tuner, CD player,...). The protocol, which uses Manchester encoding, has to deal with a significant uncertainty in the timing of events, due to both hardware and software constraints. We present a formal specification of the protocol, and a proof of correctness for the case where the tolerance of the clocks used within the system is less than 1/17. A counterexample shows that the protocol fails for tolerances greater than or equal to this value. The verification is carried out using a model of linear hybrid systems, which is similar to the phase transition system model of Manna and Pnueli, and the model of linear hybrid automata of Alur, Henzinger and Ho. The semantics of linear hybrid systems is defined via a translation to the timed I/O automata model of Lynch and Vaandrager.
The devastating (M, 6.2) Latur earthquake of September 29, 1993 in South India has claimed an est... more The devastating (M, 6.2) Latur earthquake of September 29, 1993 in South India has claimed an estimated 11,000 human lives. With an I,,, of VIII, the earthquake was felt to an average distance of 750 km. More than I25 shocks were reported to have been felt during August l992-March 1993. Out of these, during October-November 1992, several shocks of M > 2.0 were recorded at the NGRI seismic station at Hyderabad which is the closest (220 km) to the epicentre. No such shocks occurred for at least 8 months before the Latur earthquake. The aftershocks were monitored by a network of up to 21 stations between October 8, 1993 and January 31, 1994. A majority of the aftershocks occurred within a IO-km radius from the main shock. On the basis of the location of aftershocks in the first few days, a plane dipping at an angle of 45" towards the southwest and striking at 135" is inferred to be the fault plane which extends to a depth of 4.5 km and on projection meets the surface in the vicinity of the observed surface rupture. Assuming the aftershock zone to be the rupture zone, the stress drop is estimated to be 7 MPa with a maximum displacement of I .7 m for the main earthquake. A unique discovery is the high concentration of helium in the soil in the immediate vicinity of the surface rupture indicating that the rupture extends to the surface from a depth of a few km. A detailed broadband magnetotelluric (MT) investigation revealed the presence of an anomalously high conductive zone at a depth of 6-10 km. Observation of a PC phase, lagging behind the Pg phase by about 0.6 to 0.8 s in the seismograms of aftershocks, indicating a low-velocity zone at 7 to IO km depth, is consistent with the MT results. This highly conductive low-velocity layer is inferred to be fluid-filled. The main stress regime in Peninsular India is NE compressive stress due to plate tectonic movement. Erosion of the basalt cover in the Deccan Plateau may be adding additional compressive stress in the region. The existence of a low-velocity highly conductive fluid-filled layer will enhance stress concentrations in the uppermost brittle part of the crust causing the earthquake. 0 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Plant biotechnology is founded on the principles of cellular totipotency and genetic transformati... more Plant biotechnology is founded on the principles of cellular totipotency and genetic transformation, which can be traced back to the Cell Theory of Matthias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann, and the discovery of genetic transformation in bacteria by Frederick Griffith, respectively. On the 25th anniversary of the genetic transformation of plants, this review provides a historical account of the evolution of the theoretical concepts and experimental strategies that led to the production and commercialization of biotech (transformed or transgenic) plants expressing many useful genes, and emphasizes the beneficial effects of plant biotechnology on food security, human health, the environment, and conservation of biodiversity. In so doing, it celebrates and pays tribute to the contributions of scores of scientists who laid the foundation of modern plant biotechnology by their bold and unconventional thinking and experimentation. It highlights also the many important lessons to be learnt from the fascinating history of plant biotechnology, the significance of history in science teaching and research, and warns against the danger of the growing trends of ignoring history and historical illiteracy.
Recent important progress on the knowledge of multifragmentation and phase transition for hot nuc... more Recent important progress on the knowledge of multifragmentation and phase transition for hot nuclei, thanks to the high detection quality of the INDRA array, is reported. It concerns i) the radial collective energies involved in hot fragmenting nuclei/sources produced in central and semi- peripheral collisions and their influence on the observed fragment partitions, ii) a better knowledge of freeze-out properties obtained by means of a simulation based on all the available experimental information and iii) the quantitative study of the bimodal behaviour of the heaviest fragment distribution for fragmenting hot heavy quasi-projectiles which allows the extraction, for the first time, of an estimate of the latent heat of the phase transition.
Purpose/Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility to perform in the same tim... more Purpose/Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility to perform in the same time, staging and data acquisition for radiotherapy treatment planning (TP) for patients with HNSCC. The impact of PET was evaluated by comparing the Gross Tumour Volume (GTV) determined only on CT (GTVx) or on PET-CT (GTVb).
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