Establishment and Growth of Cherrybark Oak Seedlings Underplanted Beneath a Partial Overstory in a Minor Bottom of Southwestern Arkansas: First Year Results

-Advance regeneration is frequently inadequate to sufficiently restock the oak component of many bottomland stands, especially on productive sites with high levels of competition. We initiated a study near Beirne, AR to examine the effects of pre-plant control of Japanese honeysuckle Thunberg) and seedling quality on establishment success and vigor of oak reproduction beneath a partial canopy. Nine, 2-acre plots were delineated in the stand that was harvested a residual stocking level of 30 percent in the fall of 1996. Honeysuckle pre-plant control treatments randomly applied to the nine were an Escort application in the spring of 1997, an Escort application in the summer of 1997, and a control (no herbicide application). In 1998, 1-O cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) seedlings were planted at a 12 ft x 12 ft spacing in each treatment plot. One-half of each treatment plot received seedlings with four or more roots 0.04 in. diameter, while the other half of each plot received seedlings with fewer than four lateral roots 0.04 in. The spring application of Escort provided effective control against Japanese honeysuckle, thereby producing potentially promising conditions for oak seedling growth and development. First-year seedling survival and growth did not respond to honeysuckle control treatments. Survival was not related seedling quality, and first-year differences in seedling size were attributed to initial size differences in stock types

Epidemiological aspects of surgical site infections in an income country. The case of regional hospital center, Borgou (Benin)

ABSTRACT Background: Surgical site infection is frustrating for the care team and depressing for the patient. Objective: To determine the epidemiological aspects of surgical site infections in regional hospital, Borgou. Methods: The study was crossed with prospective data collection. Recruitment was done for six months (from February 2013 to July 2013), each patient operated in both surgical services (general surgery and maternity) consents to be followed for one month or year. The surgical site infection was defined according to the CDC/NHSN 2009. Results: The frequency of surgical site infections was 7.3% (44/603). The mean age was 30.7 ± 15.8 years with minimum and maximum of 5 months and 70 years, respectively. They were significantly (p<0.05) more common in general surgery than that of maternity and visceral surgery and obstetrics were more concerned (14/44 each); the median time to SSI onset was 7.8 ± 3.8 days. The deep incisional infection was the most frequent (34/44). The most encountered organism was Escherichia coli (64.7%); multidrug resistance was 41.2%. The healing time averaged 30.5 ± 13.8 days with minimum and maximum of 20 and 92 days. Conclusion: Monitoring measures must be taken to reduce surgical site infection at the Regional Hospital Centre of Borgou.Background: Surgical site infection is frustrating for the care team and depressing for the patient. Objective: To determine the epidemiological aspects of surgical site infections in regional hospital, Borgou. Methods: The study was crossed with prospective data collection. Recruitment was done for six months (from February 2013 to July 2013), each patient operated in both surgical services (general surgery and maternity) consents to be followed for one month or year. The surgical site infection was defined according to the CDC/NHSN 2009. Results: The frequency of surgical site infections was 7.3% (44/603). The mean age was 30.7 ± 15.8 years with minimum and maximum of 5 months and 70 years, respectively. They were significantly (p<0.05) more common in general surgery than that of maternity and visceral surgery and obstetrics were more concerned (14/44 each); the median time to SSI onset was 7.8 ± 3.8 days. The deep incisional infection was the most frequent (34/44). The most encountered organism was Escherichia coli (64.7%); multidrug resistance was 41.2%. The healing time averaged 30.5 ± 13.8 days with minimum and maximum of 20 and 92 days. Conclusion: Monitoring measures must be taken to reduce surgical site infection at the Regional Hospital Centre of Borgou

A note on the integral equation for the Wilson loop in N = 2 D=4 superconformal Yang-Mills theory

We propose an alternative method to study the saddle point equation in the strong coupling limit for the Wilson loop in $\mathcal{N}=2$ D=4 super Yang-Mills with an SU(N) gauge group and 2N hypermultiplets. This method is based on an approximation of the integral equation kernel which allows to solve the simplified problem exactly. To determine the accuracy of this approximation, we compare our results to those obtained recently by Passerini and Zarembo. Although less precise, this simpler approach provides an explicit expression for the density of eigenvalues that is used to derive the planar free energy.Comment: 12 pages, v2: section 2.5 (Free Energy) amended and reference added, to appear in J. Phys.

Quantum Langevin theory of excess noise

In an earlier work [P. J. Bardroff and S. Stenholm], we have derived a fully quantum mechanical description of excess noise in strongly damped lasers. This theory is used here to derive the corresponding quantum Langevin equations. Taking the semi-classical limit of these we are able to regain the starting point of Siegman's treatment of excess noise [Phys. Rev. A 39, 1253 (1989)]. Our results essentially constitute a quantum derivation of his theory and allow some generalizations.Comment: 9 pages, 0 figures, revte

Andrew Melville, sacred chronology and world history: the Carmina Danielis 9 and the Antichristus

The accepted view of the ecclesiastical reformer Andrew Melville (1545–1622) as the dynamic leader of the Presbyterian movement in Jacobean Scotland has been severely eroded in recent years, with particular criticism of the actual importance of his contribution to the Kirk and to Scottish higher education. While this reductionism has been necessary, it has resulted in an inversion of the overwhelmingly positive traditional image of Melville, and does not give us a rounded assessment of his life and works. This article attempts to partially redress this balance by looking at a neglected aspect of Melville's Latin writings, which showcase his talents as a humanist intellectual and biblical commentator. It focuses on two long poems that are both commentaries and paraphrases of Daniel and Revelation: the Carmina Danielis and the Antichristus. Through these poems, we see how Melville engaged with two problems exercising reformed theologians across Europe: the dating of key biblical events and the historicised meaning of prophecies within these texts. We also find evidence that Melville read widely among both contemporary and ancient commentators on both these issues

High performance WR-1.5 corrugated horn based on stacked rings

We present the development and characterisation of a high frequency (500-750 GHz) corrugated horn based on stacked rings. A previous horn design, based on a Winston profile, has been adapted for the purpose of this manufacturing process without noticeable RF degradation. A subset of experimental results obtained using a vector network analyser are presented and compared to the predicted performance. These first results demonstrate that this technology is suitable for most commercial applications and also astronomical receivers in need of horn arrays at high frequencies.Comment: 9 page

Neurological, Cognitive, and Psychological Findings Among Survivors of Ebola Virus Disease From the 1995 Ebola Outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo: A Cross-sectional Study.

BackgroundClinical sequelae of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have not been described more than 3 years postoutbreak. We examined survivors and close contacts from the 1995 Ebola outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and determined prevalence of abnormal neurological, cognitive, and psychological findings and their association with EVD survivorship.MethodsFrom August to September 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional study in Kikwit, DRC. Over 2 decades after the EVD outbreak, we recruited EVD survivors and close contacts from the outbreak to undergo physical examination and culturally adapted versions of the Folstein mini-mental status exam (MMSE) and Goldberg anxiety and depression scale (GADS). We estimated the strength of relationships between EVD survivorship and health outcomes using linear regression models by comparing survivors versus close contacts, adjusting for age, sex, educational level, marital status, and healthcare worker status.ResultsWe enrolled 20 EVD survivors and 187 close contacts. Among the 20 EVD survivors, 4 (20%) reported at least 1 abnormal neurological symptom, and 3 (15%) had an abnormal neurological examination. Among the 187 close contacts, 14 (11%) reported at least 1 abnormal neurologic symptom, and 9 (5%) had an abnormal neurological examination. EVD survivors had lower mean MMSE and higher mean GADS scores as compared to close contacts (MMSE: adjusted coefficient: -1.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -3.63, -0.07; GADS: adjusted coefficient: 3.91; 95% CI: 1.76, 6.04).ConclusionsEVD survivors can have lower cognitive scores and more symptoms of depression and anxiety than close contacts more than 2 decades after Ebola virus outbreaks

Evolution of transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: From top to bottom

The gold standard for curative treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer involves radical resection with a total mesorectal excision (TME). TME is the most effective treatment strategy to reduce local recurrence and improve survival outcomes regardless of the surgical platform used. However, there are associated morbidities, functional consequences, and quality of life (QoL) issues associated with TME; these risks must be considered during the modern-day multidisciplinary treatment for rectal cancer. This has led to the development of new surgical techniques to improve patient, oncologic, and QoL outcomes. In this work, we review the evolution of TME to the transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) through more traditional minimally invasive platforms. The review the development, safety and feasibility, proposed benefits and risks of the procedure, implementation and education models, and future direction for research and implementation of the TaTME in colorectal surgery. While satisfactory short-term results have been reported, the procedure is in its infancy, and long term outcomes and definitive results from controlled trials are pending. As evidence for safety and feasibility accumulates, structured training programs to standardize teaching, training, and safe expansion will aid the safe spread of the TaTME