Spatiotemporal evolution of radio wave pump-induced ionospheric phenomena near the fourth electron gyroharmonic

On 12 November 2001, the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) high-frequency (HF) radio wave transmitter facility, operating in O-mode at 5.423 MHz with 550 MW effective radiated power, produced artificial optical rings which appeared immediately at transmitter turn-on and collapsed into blobs after ∼60 s while descending in altitude. A similar descent in altitude was observed in the EISCAT ultra high frequency (UHF) ion line enhancements. Likewise, the stimulated electromagnetic emission (SEE) spectra changed as the pump frequency approached the fourth electron gyroharmonic due to pump-induced variations in electron concentration. Optical recordings were made from Skibotn at 630.0 and 557.7 nm and from Ramfjord in white light. The altitude of the initial optical ring and steady state blob has been estimated by triangulation. The evolution in altitude of the optical emissions, ion line enhancements, and SEE spectra all show a similar morphology but are generally not at exactly the same height. Typically, the optical height is close to and a few kilometers below that of the radar backscatter but sometimes above it, both of which are above the SEE generation altitude. There is evidence that upper hybrid (UH) waves, which propagate perpendicular to the magnetic field line, and Langmuir (L) waves, which propagate parallel to the magnetic field line, act simultaneously to accelerate electrons even in the steady state

Strongyloides stercoralis: The Most Prevalent Parasitic Cause of Eosinophilia in Gilan Province, Northern Iran

Background: Eosinophilia occurs in a wide variety of situations such as parasitic infections, aller­gic disorders, and malignancies. Most cases of eosinophilia of parasitic origin, especially those with a tissue migration life cycles consists of human infections by helminth parasites. The aim of present study was to determine the parasitic causes of eosinophilia in patients in a major endemic area of human fascioliasis in Gilan Province, northern part of Iran.Methods: One hundred and fifty patients presenting with an elevated eosinophilia attending infec­tious disease clinics with or without clinical symptoms, were examined. After clinical his­tory evaluation and physical examination, coprological examinations were performed using the formalin-ether and the Kato-Katz techniques for detection of Fasciola sp. and intestinal parasites.Results: Forty two percent of patients were infected with S. stercoralis, nine (6%) were found to be infected with Fasciola sp. while only a single patient (0.7%) were infected by Ttrichostrongy­lus sp.Conclusion: Local clinicians in Gilan may consider eosinophilia as a suggestive indication for diagnosis of human fascioliasis, especially when microscopic stool and/or serological tests are negative. Based on the results, local physicians should consider S. stercoralis as the potential causes of eosinophilia in patients with elevated eosinophilia

Strain effects in ZnO layers deposited on 6H-SiC

Correlation in crystallite sizes and defects of epitaxialZnO layers deposited on 6H-SiC substrates has been addressed. The biaxial strain governs the ZnO crystallites for the layer thickness of ∼400nm. The misfit dislocations were observed in nucleation and theater is the columnar growth mode diffracted in transmission electron microscopy. The columnar growth mode is a symbol of stacking faults that appear due to imbalanced interface chemistry in the II-VI/IV materials system, together with the complex impurity matrix. These defects are the main source of nonradiative recombination centers in ZnOepitaxy resulting in shorter exciton lifetimes examined in time-resolved photoluminescence measurements

Engineering design of the EURISOL multi-MW spallation target

The European Isotope Separation On-Line Radioactive Ion Beam project (EURISOL) is set to design the 'next-generation' European Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) facility. It will extend and amplify current research on nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics and fundamental interactions beyond the year 2010. In EURISOL, four target stations are foreseen, three direct targets of approximately 100 kW of beam power and one multi-MW target assembly, all driven by a high-power particle accelerator. In this high power target station, high-intensity RIBs of neutron-rich isotopes will be obtained by inducing fission in several actinide targets surrounding a liquid metal spallation neutron source. This article summarises the work carried out within Task 2 of the EURISOL Design Study, with special attention to the coupled neutronics of the mercury proton-to-neutron converter and the fission targets. The overall performance of the facility, which will sustain fast neutron fluxes of the order of 1014 n/cm2/s, is evaluated, together with the production of radionuclides in the actinide targets, showing that the targeted 1015 fissions/s can be achieved. Some of the greatest challenges in the design of high power spallation sources are the high power densities, entailing large structural stresses, and the heat removal, requiring detailed thermo-hydraulic calculations. The use of a thin martensitic steel beam-window and a well-controlled mercury flow has been shown to reduce the von-Misses stress in the former below the 200 MPa limit, with reasonable maximum flow rates of ~6 m/s. Alternatively, a windowless target configuration has been proposed, based on a liquid mercury transverse film. With this design, higher power densities and fission rates may be achieved, avoiding the technical difficulties related to the beam window. Experimentally, several tests have been performed at IPUL (Riga, Latvia) in order to study the stability of the liquid metal flow and validate the mercury loop design

Exponentially Increasing Incidences of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma in Europe Correlate with Low Personal Annual UV Doses and Suggests 2 Major Risk Factors

For several decades the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) steadily increased in fair-skinned, indoor-working people around the world. Scientists think poor tanning ability resulting in sunburns initiate CMM, but they do not understand why the incidence continues to increase despite the increased use of sunscreens and formulations offering more protection. This paradox, along with lower incidences of CMM in outdoor workers, although they have significantly higher annual UV doses than indoor workers have, perplexes scientists. We found a temporal exponential increase in the CMM incidence indicating second-order reaction kinetics revealing the existence of 2 major risk factors. From epidemiology studies, we know one major risk factor for getting CMM is poor tanning ability and we now propose the other major risk factor may be the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) because clinicians find β HPVs in over half the biopsies. Moreover, we uncovered yet another paradox; the increasing CMM incidences significantly correlate with decreasing personal annual UV dose, a proxy for low vitamin D3 levels. We also discovered the incidence of CMM significantly increased with decreasing personal annual UV dose from 1960, when it was almost insignificant, to 2000. UV and other DNA-damaging agents can activate viruses, and UV-induced cytokines can hide HPV from immune surveillance, which may explain why CMM also occurs in anatomical locations where the sun does not shine. Thus, we propose the 2 major risk factors for getting CMM are intermittent UV exposures that result in low cutaneous levels of vitamin D3 and possibly viral infection

Two new root endophyte and nematode cyst parasite species of the widely distributed genus Laburnicola

Fungal root endophytes, including the common form group of dark septate endophytes (DSEs), represent different taxonomic groups with potentially diverse life strategies. During surveys of DSE communities and of nematode cysts colonizing fungi, isolates representing Laburnicola ( Didymosphaeriaceae , Pleosporales ) lineages were discovered. Here we carried out a comprehensive study of the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of fungi collected from plant roots in Hungary, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan and from eggs of the cereal cyst nematode Heterodera filipjevi in Turkey. In addition to the study of the morphology and culture characteristics of the strains, four loci (internal transcribed spacer, partial large and small subunit regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA and partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha) were used to infer the molecular phylogenetic relationships of the strains within Laburnicola . The isolates were found to represent two distinct lineages, which are described here as novel species, Laburnicola nematophila and L. radiciphila . The interaction of the strains with plants and nematodes was examined using in vitro bioassays, which revealed endophytic interactions with the plant roots and parasitic interactions with the nematode eggs. Analyses of similar ITS sequences found in public databases revealed that members of the genus Laburnicola are widely distributed characteristic members of the plant microbiome, and they are reported as parasites of plant parasitic cyst nematodes here for the first time

Human sperm DNA damage has an effect on immunological interaction between spermatozoa and fallopian tube

Background: Toll-like receptors play a crucial role in the immunological interaction between the spermatozoa and fallopian tube and contribute to the ovulation, sperm capacitation, fertilization, and pregnancy. Objectives: To investigate the expression of toll-like receptors and their adaptor molecules and cytokines under the effect of spermatozoa with high DNA fragmentation (high DF) in human fallopian tube cell line (OE-E6/E7) and compare to those in normal spermatozoa. Materials and methods: Fresh semen samples were obtained from 10 unexplained infertile males with high DF (more than 20) and from 10 healthy donors with a DF less than 3. After sperm preparation, samples were co-cultured with OE-E6/E7. Toll-like receptors, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), TIR domain-containing adapter protein (TIRAP), TIR domain-containing adapter-inducing IFN-b (TRIF), TRIF-related adapter molecule as well as IL-6, IL-8, IFN-�, and TNFa mRNA expression were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR. Protein levels of these cytokines and chemokines were measured using ELISA method. Results: TLR 1-6 mRNA expression in OE-E6/E7 was significantly higher under the effect of spermatozoa with high DF compared to the spermatozoa with low DF. Furthermore, significantly increased mRNA expression of MyD88, TIRAP, and TRIF was observed in the high DF group compared to the low DF group, except TRIF-related adapter molecule. Moreover, the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in the high DF group was significantly higher than low DF group, although there was no significant difference in IFN-� and TNFa expression between the groups. Discussion and conclusion: Damage-associated molecular patterns from DNA damage activate TLR signaling pathway in human fallopian tubes and result in the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. This situation may provide pathologic environment for capacitation, fertilization, embryo development, and implantation in female reproductive tract and can be one of the mechanisms of infertility in men with high DF. © 2019 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Androlog

The effect of quince leaf (Cydonia oblonga miller) decoction on testes in hypercholesterolemic rabbits: A pilot study

Current medical literature lacks any evidence of the protective effects of quince leaf on testes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the effect of quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) leaf decoction on testicular injury and impaired spermatogenesis induced by hypercholesterolemia in rabbits. Eleven mature New Zealand white male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: group 1 (hypercholesterolemia, n=3), group 2 (hypercholesterolemia plus quince treatment, n=6), and group 3 (control, n=2). Groups 1 and 2 received a cholesterol-enriched diet for six weeks. Group 2 received C. oblongaleaf decoction as drinking supplement as well. After six weeks, a normal diet was substituted in groups 1 and 2 for another six weeks. Group 3 (control group) was maintained throughout the study on a regular diet. At the end of the 12th week, the left testes of the animals were resected for light microscopic study with particular attention to the maturity of germ cells in seminiferous tubules using Johnsen’s score. Increase in intertubular connective tissue and diameter of vessels, abundant spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes along the reduced germinal epithelium were noted in all rabbits of the group 1. The remaining animals in groups 2 and 3 had no significant changes in their testicular sections. The mean Johnsen’s score of group 1 (4.20±1.92) was significantly lower than that of group 2 (7.33±0.52) and group 3 (7.05±0.07). (P=0.01). Inconclusion, quince leaf decoction (C. oblonga Miller) protected rabbit testes and spermatogenesis from damage induced by hypercholesterolemia

Development of Sensitive Detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia from Surface Water in Iran

Background: The protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia are known to occur widely in both raw and drinking waters. They are two of the causative agents of waterborne out-breaks of gastroenteritis throughout the world. In the present study, a PCR assay and FA were developed for detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cyst in environmental samples. Methods: We have detected Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts and Giardia cysts in seeded and un-seeded environmental water samples by PCR method. Water samples were spiked with oocysts (50, 100,300,500) and filtrated with a 1.2-µm pore size cellulose nitrate and follow by DNA extrac¬tion and purification by QIAamp DNA mini kit. Nested-PCR assay amplified an 850 bp fragment of 18s rRNA gene specific for Cryptosporidium and 435 bp fragment of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) target gene for Giardia. Also many river water from north of Iran, be checked by these methods. Results: Cryptosporidium and Giardia DNAs were detected in seeded water sample and Giardia was detected in all 5 water samples from river in north of Iran by nested- PCR and FA. Also in one river water sample, Cryptosporidium was detected.Conclusion: This protocol is effective for detection of these waterborne parasites in treated and untreated water samples. This study can also serve as a platform for further investigations and research water source in Iran