First record of Permian conodont "Jinogondolella" cf. altaduensis from the Midhnab Member, Khuff Formation, Saudi Arabia

A single specimen of conodont is described for the first time from outcrops of the Khuff Formation in central Saudi Arabia. The specimen was recovered from 22 samples that were located in the maximum flooding intervals of the Khuff Formation and specifically processed for conodont research. The sample originated from the maximum flooding interval located at the lower part of the Midhnab Member of the Khuff Formation, at Jabal al Murayrah in the Ad Darma' quadrangle. The conodont occurs in reworked lithoclastic and bioclastic calcarenites, secondary sparitized, as a single broken and corroded specimen, which belongs to the genus Mesogondolella (Jinogondolella) and is tentatively conferred to the species "Jhiogondolella " cf. altaduetisis. The conodont is associated with broken pieces of fauna including bivalves, gastropods, echinoids, brachiopods and bryozoans, as well as foraminifers and dasycladacean algae. This genus is rarely encountered in the open-marine deposits of the Tethyan platforms, where it appeared preferentially in semi-restrictive (saline) basins. A Late Capitanian age is interpreted for some species of the genus Jinogondolella in America (Texas), China and Oman, but this age interpretation is not firmly established for the Midhnab Member of the Khuff Formation. Also due to the reworked nature of the horizon that yielded this condont, the specimen is not considered to be age-indicative

Electromagnetic Transients on Power Plant Connection Caused by Lightning Event

Lightning events can seriously damage the power systems and they represent one of the most dangerous causes of faults in the transmission lines. Usually, when one want to analyze such effects it is necessary to rely on approximate models or to simplify in some ways the power system. As a consequence, an overall analysis taking into account the complexity of the power system is difficult to find. This paper presents the study of the electromagnetic transients caused by lightning events in a point of connection between a real power plant and a large power grid. The analysis is achieved with a high level of details of the power system and the simulations are obtained through an EMT-type software (PSCAD-EMTDC). Different simulations are analyzed, showing how the cables and the transformers are affected by the electromagnetic transients

The effects of robotic assistance on upper limb spatial muscle synergies in healthy people during planar upper-limb training

Background Robotic rehabilitation is a commonly adopted technique used to restore motor functionality of neurological patients. However, despite promising results were achieved, the effects of human-robot interaction on human motor control and the recovery mechanisms induced with robot assistance can be further investigated even on healthy subjects before translating to clinical practice. In this study, we adopt a standard paradigm for upper-limb rehabilitation (a planar device with assistive control) with linear and challenging curvilinear trajectories to investigate the effect of the assistance in human-robot interaction in healthy people. Methods Ten healthy subjects were instructed to perform a large set of radial and curvilinear movements in two interaction modes: 1) free movement (subjects hold the robot handle with no assistance) and 2) assisted movement (with a force tunnel assistance paradigm). Kinematics and EMGs from representative upper-limb muscles were recorded to extract phasic muscle synergies. The free and assisted interaction modes were compared assessing the level of assistance, error, and muscle synergy comparison between the two interaction modes. Results It was found that in free movement error magnitude is higher than with assistance, proving that task complexity required assistance also on healthy controls. Moreover, curvilinear tasks require more assistance than standard radial paths and error is higher. Interestingly, while assistance improved task performance, we found only a slight modification of phasic synergies when comparing assisted and free movement. Conclusions We found that on healthy people, the effect of assistance was significant on task performance, but limited on muscle synergies. The findings of this study can find applications for assessing human-robot interaction and to design training to maximize motor recovery

Participação em uma pesquisa para avaliar os ciudados primários da saúde entre filiados e filiadas de um plano médico universitário na Argentina

Objetivo: Describir la proporción de localización, participación y respuesta en una encuesta para valorar la atención primaria de la salud de afiliados de una obra social universitaria. Métodos: Estudio piloto descriptivo transversal. Muestreo aleatorio simple de 500 personas adultas de la base de datos de afiliaciones. Se calcularon proporciones de localización, participación, respuesta y respuesta total, luego se analizaron por sexo, edad, tipo de afiliación y modo de administración. Resultados: El 61,8% de afiliados fue localizado, el 84,5% de las personas localizadas aceptó participar y el 64,4% de ellas respondió el cuestionario, alcanzando una proporción de respuesta total del 54,4%. Las personas jóvenes fueron relativamente menos localizadas (52,2%; p<0,01) y la mayor proporción de respuesta total se consiguió en las mayores de 65 años (68,2%; p<0,05). Conclusiones: La localización fue dificultosa pero hubo una buena aceptación del estudio. Los medios informatizados de administración fueron preferidos pero tuvieron una baja respuesta.Aim: To describe the location, participation and response to a survey to assess primary health care in members of a University Health Insurance. Materials and methods: Pilot cross-sectional descriptive study. Simple random sample of 500 adults from members’ database. Proportions of location, participation, response and total response were calculated and analyzed according to sex, age, and type of membership and administration. Results: 61.8% of members were found, 84.5% agreed to participate and 64.4% answered the questionnaire, reaching a total response rate of 54.4%. Young people were less likely to be localized (52.2%, P <0.01) and higher total response rate was achieved in people over 65 (68.2%, P <0.05). Conclusions: Finding the members was difficult but there was a good level of study acceptance. The computerized questionnaire showed strong preference but low response.Objetivo: Descrever a proporção de localização, participação e resposta em uma enquete para avaliar os cuidados de saúde primários dos filiados de um plano médico universitário. Métodos: Estudo piloto descritivo transversal. Amostragem aleatória simples de 500 adultos do banco de dados das filiações. Proporções de localização, a participação, a resposta e a resposta global foram apurados; a seguir foram analisados por sexo, idade, tipo de filiação e modo de administração. Resultados: 61,8 % dos filiados foi localizado, 84,5 % daqueles localizados aceitaram participar e 64,4% deles responderam o questionário, atingindo uma taxa de resposta total de 54,4%. Os jovens foram relativamente menos localizados (52,2%; p <0,01 ) e a maior proporção de resposta completa foi atingida em pessoas com mais de 65 anos (68,2% , p <0,05). Conclusões: A localização foi difícil, mas houve uma boa aceitação da pesquisa. Os meios de administração informatizados foram os preferidos, mas tiveram uma resposta fraca.Fil: Villalba, A.. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Derecho y Cs.sociales. Escuela de Trabajo Social; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Escuela de Salud Pública; ArgentinaFil: Falá Giroldi, C.. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Derecho y Cs.sociales. Escuela de Trabajo Social; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Escuela de Salud Pública; ArgentinaFil: Nicora, V.. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Derecho y Cs.sociales. Escuela de Trabajo Social; ArgentinaFil: Mántaras, J.. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Derecho y Cs.sociales. Escuela de Trabajo Social; ArgentinaFil: Berra, Silvina del Valle. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Escuela de Salud Pública; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Volcanic alert system by lightning detection using the WWLLN - ash cloud monitor

Electrical discharges are observed in many volcanic eruptions and they have often been used as indicators of such eruptions. Volcanic lightning is remarkably similar to those produced during thunderstorms and is called analogous to thunderstorm-like plume lightning. The WWLLN developed a program called "Ash Cloud Monitor" (ACM), in which alerts are issued for possible volcanic eruptions when lightning strokes are detected around a volcano. The ACM tool has demonstrated to be a very effective technique to be aware of volcanic eruptions. However, most of the alerts released by ACM belong to false alarms of volcanic activity, because, in general, the detected lightning is produced by thunderstorms near the volcano. In order to assess and improve the ACM to detect volcanic eruptions, reducing false alert emissions and improving the quick interpretation of them, we develop a web platform called GeorayosVolcanoAr with a new structure and a modified algorithm, with respect to the algorithm used by ACM, for the classification of alerts. The new algorithm considers an alert system with 3 levels: Red - Yellow - Green, with the Red alert being the highest level and decreasing towards Green. The Red alert was assigned to those volcanoes where only recorded lightning within a radius of 20 km or the lightning detected within a radius of 20 km is at least twice as much as that detected up to 100 km from the vent. The study focused on 32 volcanoes located in the Andes, close to the Argentine-Chilean border, and analyzed the results reported by the ACM network in terms of a climatological study of the lightning activity, thunderstorm days and predominant winds in that region. This analysis serves as a basis for a general recognition of the study zone in order to improve the interpretation of the distribution and generation of false alerts; as well as to help decision makers, among others, to have a reference that allows them to issue the warning.Fil: Baissac, Daiana Marlene. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa. Ministerio de Defensa. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa; Argentina. Ministerio de Defensa; ArgentinaFil: Nicora, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa. Ministerio de Defensa. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa; Argentina. Ministerio de Defensa; ArgentinaFil: Bali, Juan Lucas. Ministerio de Defensa. Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas para la Defensa; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Badi, Gabriela A.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaFil: Avila, Eldo Edgardo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Anatomy of carbonate mounds from the Middle Anisian of Nakhlak (Central Iran): architecture and age of a subtidal microbial-bioclastic carbonate factory

The Anisian succession of Nakhlak (in Central Iran) is characterized by a siliciclastic succession with minor carbonate units, with massive carbonate mounds up to 50 m thick in its upper part. The mounds, constrained in age to the late Bithynian (Ismidicus Zone) by ammonoids and conodonts, are characterized by a flat top and a lateral pinch-out marked by clinostratified slopes (about 15A degrees in dip). Stratigraphic and microfacies analyses document an inner part of the mound characterized by massive microbial carbonates with open-space structures (stromatactis) filled with fine-grained internal sediments and marine cements. Isolated sponges (up to 5 cm), serpulids and bryozoans are present, which grew on the calcimicrobial limestone. A narrow bioclastic margin (mainly with crinoids and brachiopods) produces most of the slope facies (consisting of bioclastic grainstone and packstone, with intraclasts from the inner part of the mounds) which interfinger basinward with volcaniclastic sandstones. The demise of carbonate productivity is marked on the top of the carbonate mounds by a condensed surface, rich in ammonoids, glaucony grains, and articulated crinoids, documenting a rapid drowning. Paleolatitude data support deposition in a tropical setting, and sedimentological constraints indicate deposition close to the fair-weather wave base, within the photic zone. The late Bithynian Nakhlak carbonate mounds developed before the appearance (documented since the Pelsonian in different parts of the world) of scleractinians which, despite the favorable environmental conditions, are absent at Nakhlak. The Nakhlak mounds thus represent one of the last occurrences of the microbial factories (which developed after the Permo-Triassic extinction event and persisted for most of the Middle Triassic, but with a gradually increasing role played by scleractinians) before the first appearance of the Mesozoic corals

Cuscuta microstyla Engelm. var. bicolor (Hunz.) Hunz.

Valle del SosneadopublishedVersio

Pain in cancer. An outcome research project to evaluate the epidemiology, the quality and the effects of pain treatment in cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Management of pain related to advanced or metastatic cancer, although the availability of several pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions and the existence of well-known guidelines and protocols, is often difficult and inadequate. Evidence of the relative effectiveness of current options for treating cancer pain from comparative randomized studies is scanty. METHODS: In the context of a wider project, a multicenter, open label, prospective Outcome Research study will be launched in Italy in 2006 to investigate the epidemiology of cancer pain and of its treatments, the quality of analgesic-drug therapy and the effectiveness of alternative analgesic strategies in a large, prospective, unselected cohort of cancer patients using the state-of-the art of patient-reported-outcomes. About 100 Italian centers will recruit 2500 patients with advanced/progressive/metastatic cancer with pain (related to the cancer disease) requiring analgesic treatments. Each center is expected to recruit 25 consecutive and eligible patients during the study inception period. Approximately two months will be allowed for subject recruitment and enrollment. Subject evaluation and follow-up will be for 3 months. The effect on outcomes of various therapeutic analgesic options administered by physicians, given the observational approach where patients are not assigned at random to different treatments, will be compared using the propensity score approach, allowing the adjustment for treatment selection bias. Later, after the launch of the observational study and on the basis of results, in specific subsamples of patients and in select centers of the network, a Randomized Controlled Trial will be carried out to formally compare the efficacy of alternative analgesic strategies, with particular emphasis on oral morphine (as comparator) and buprenorphine patch (as experimental arm). Results from the outcome (cohort) and experimental (Randomized Controlled Trial) studies will ensure both the external and internal validity

Evidence supporting dissimilatory and assimilatory lignin degradation in Enterobacter lignolyticus SCF1

Lignocellulosic biofuels are promising as sustainable alternative fuels, but lignin inhibits access of enzymes to cellulose, and by-products of lignin degradation can be toxic to cells. The fast growth, high efficiency and specificity of enzymes employed in the anaerobic litter deconstruction carried out by tropical soil bacteria make these organisms useful templates for improving biofuel production. The facultative anaerobe Enterobacter lignolyticus SCF1 was initially cultivated from Cloud Forest soils in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico, based on anaerobic growth on lignin as sole carbon source. The source of the isolate was tropical forest soils that decompose litter rapidly with low and fluctuating redox potentials, where bacteria using oxygen-independent enzymes likely play an important role in decomposition. We have used transcriptomics and proteomics to examine the observed increased growth of SCF1 grown on media amended with lignin compared to unamended growth. Proteomics suggested accelerated xylose uptake and metabolism under lignin-amended growth, with up-regulation of proteins involved in lignin degradation via the 4-hydroxyphenylacetate degradation pathway, catalase/peroxidase enzymes, and the glutathione biosynthesis and glutathione S-transferase (GST) proteins. We also observed increased production of NADH-quinone oxidoreductase, other electron transport chain proteins, and ATP synthase and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. This suggested the use of lignin as terminal electron acceptor. We detected significant lignin degradation over time by absorbance, and also used metabolomics to demonstrate moderately significant decreased xylose concentrations as well as increased metabolic products acetate and formate in stationary phase in lignin-amended compared to unamended growth conditions. Our data show the advantages of a multi-omics approach toward providing insights as to how lignin may be used in nature by microorganisms coping with poor carbon availability