Utilizing semantic networks to database and retrieve generalized stochastic colored Petri nets

Previous work has introduced the Planning Coordinator (PCOORD), a coordinator functioning within the hierarchy of the Intelligent Machine Mode. Within the structure of the Planning Coordinator resides the Primitive Structure Database (PSDB) functioning to provide the primitive structures utilized by the Planning Coordinator in the establishing of error recovery or on-line path plans. This report further explores the Primitive Structure Database and establishes the potential of utilizing semantic networks as a means of efficiently storing and retrieving the Generalized Stochastic Colored Petri Nets from which the error recovery plans are derived

Relative commutants of strongly self-absorbing C*-algebras

The relative commutant $A'\cap A^{\mathcal{U}}$ of a strongly self-absorbing algebra $A$ is indistinguishable from its ultrapower $A^{\mathcal{U}}$. This applies both to the case when $A$ is the hyperfinite II$_1$ factor and to the case when it is a strongly self-absorbing C*-algebra. In the latter case we prove analogous results for $\ell_\infty(A)/c_0(A)$ and reduced powers corresponding to other filters on $\bf N$. Examples of algebras with approximately inner flip and approximately inner half-flip are provided, showing the optimality of our results. We also prove that strongly self-absorbing algebras are smoothly classifiable, unlike the algebras with approximately inner half-flip.Comment: Some minor correction

A macroprolactinoma becoming resistant to cabergoline and developing atypical pathology

Pituitary adenomas are a common intracranial neoplasm, usually demonstrating a benign phenotype. They can be classified according to pathological, radiological or clinical behaviour as typical, atypical or carcinomas, invasive or noninvasive, and aggressive or nonaggressive. Prolactinomas account for 40-60% of all pituitary adenomas, with dopamine agonists representing the first-line treatment and surgery/radiotherapy reserved for drug intolerance/resistance or in neuro-ophthalmological emergencies. We present the case of a 62-year-old man with an apparently indolent prolactin-secreting macroadenoma managed with partial resection and initially showing a biochemical response to cabergoline. Five years later, the tumour became resistant to cabergoline, despite a substantial increase in dosage, showing rapid growth and causing worsening of vision. The patient then underwent two further transsphenoidal operations and continued on high-dose cabergoline; despite these interventions, the tumour continued enlarging and prolactin increased to 107 269 U/L. Histology of the third surgical specimen demonstrated features of aggressive behaviour (atypical adenoma with a high cell proliferation index) not present in the tumour removed at the first operation. Subsequently, he was referred for radiotherapy aiming to control tumour growth

Hubungan Paparan Debu Kayu dengan Kejadian Dermatitis Kontak Iritan pada Pekerja Mebel PT X Jepara

Wood dust is an irritant substance and if it directly contact with the skin for a long time, it can cause workers exposed to the risk of irritant contact dermatitis. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between irritant substances exposure with irritant contact dermatitis to sanding workers in PT X Jepara. The type and design of this study was an observational study using cross sectional approach. The instruments of this research are clinical examination by medical personnel, Personal Dust Sampler, questionnaires and observation.The population which used in this study were 139 with a sample of 60 sanding workers. The sampling technique that was use is proportionate stratified random sampling, and the data were analyzed using Chi Square test. The measurement results of respirable wood dust level showed the wood dust level exceed the Threshold Limit Value (TLV), which is 5 mg/m3. The result of this study indicates there are 21,7% of workers who had irritant contact dermatitis. Based on correlation test, researcher concluded that age is not associated with iritant contact dermatitis (p-value = 0,368), there is no correlation between years of service with the occurrence of irritant contact dermatitis (p-value = 0,182), there is no correlation between personal hygiene with the occurrence of irritant contact dermatitis (p-value = 0,689), and wood dust exposure is associated with iritant contact dermatitis (p-value = 0,005). Researcher suggested that workers need to wash their hands before and after working with hand soap, and the company need to educate workers the effect of wood dust exposure related to the occurrence of irritant contact dermatitis

Sumberdaya Perikanan Bentos: Terebralia SP. di Ekosistem Hutan Mangrove (Studi Kasus di Kawasan Mangrove Desa Bedono, Kec. Sayung, Kab. Demak)

Terebralia sp. merupakan salah satu jenis gastropoda yang menjadi indikator kestabilan dari ekosistem mangrove Keberadaan struktur dan distribusi populasi bentos Terebralia sp. dapat melihat seberapa jauh keberhasilan penghijauan yang ada di kawasan hutan mangrove Desa Bedono, Kecamatan Sayung, Kabupaten Demak. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui struktur dan distribusi populasi serta pola pertumbuhan bentos Terebralia sp. di kawasan mangrove, dan mengetahui hubungan kerapatan mangrove dengan kepadatan populasi bentos Terebralia sp. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah dengan melakukan pengambilan sampel siput Terebralia sp. menggunakan metode plot sampling yang terdiri dari 3 stasiun. Setiap stasiun terdiri dari line transek sepanjang 100 m yang dibentangkan tegak lurus dari garis pantai memotong hutan mangrove yang kemudian dibagi menjadi 20 plot dan dilakukan pemeriksaan siput Terebralia sp. dengan kuadran 0,5x0,5m. Sampel yang diperiksa dicatat panjang cangkang dan berat basah. Distribusi dan pola persebaran siput Terebralia sp. dianalisis dengan Indeks Morisita. Pola dan sifat pertumbuhan dianalisis dengan analisis panjang berat dan faktor kondisi. Analisis komunitas vegetasi mangrove dianalisis dengan metode inventarisasi. Analisis hubungan kerapatan mangrove dengan kepadatan Terebralia sp. dilakukan dengan uji statistik korelasi non paramterik. Hasil penelitian didapatkan struktur populasi Terebralia sp. terdiri dari kepadatan populasi tertinggi sebanyak 152 individu/m2, pola sebaran populasi Terebralia sp. ketiga stasiun adalah dengan pola mengelompok, distribusi frekuensi panjang paling banyak adalah pada kelas interval 25-28 mm yaitu sebanyak 74 individu, pola pertumbuhan siput Terebralia sp. berdasarkan hubungan panjang dan berat adalah allometrik negatif dan nilai faktor kondisi Stasiun 1, 2, dan 3 berkisar antara 4,54 – 5,12 . Hubungan kerapatan mangrove dengan kepadatan populasi Terebralia sp. ditemukan memiliki korelasi sangat lemah (r = 0,118). Terebralia sp. is one type of gastropods as indicators of the mangrove ecosystem stability. The existence of the population structure and distribution of Terebralia sp. could determined how much the success of reforestation in the area of mangrove forests in Bedono village, District Sayung, Demak. This research was conducted in order to know the population structure and distribution and growth patterns of Terebralia sp. in mangrove areas, and determining the relationship between mangrove density and Terebralia sp density. The methods that used in this research is using sampling plot methods that consist of 3 stasions. Each stations are consist of 100 metres transect line whixh was stretched perpendicular to the shoreline and cut off the mangrove forest area. The transect line was divided to 20 plots. The examination of lenght and weight of Terebralia sp. was did with 0,5x0,5 metres quadrant at each plots. The distribution pattern of Terebralia sp. was analyzed by Morisita Index. The growth pattern of Terebralia sp. was analyzed by weight and lenght analysis and condition factor analysis. The mangrove comunity analysis was analyzed by Inventarisation method. The relationship between mangrove density and Terebralia sp. density is performed using a statistical test of non-parametric correlation. The results showed that a population structure Terebralia sp. consists of the highest population density as much as 152 individuals/m2, the pattern of population distribution Terebralia sp. at all station showed a clustered pattern, the length frequency distribution at the most is as many as 74 individuals on the 25-28 mm class intervals, the pattern of growth Terebralia sp. based on the length and weight relationship is negative allometric, and the value of condition factors of Station 1, 2, and 3 is about 4.54 - 5.12. The relationship between mangrove density and Terebralia sp. density found that they have a very weak correlation (r = 0.118)

The influence of predation on community resilience to disease

1. Outbreaks of generalist pathogens are influenced by host community structure, including population density and species diversity. Within host communities predation can influence pathogen transmission rates, prevalence and impacts. However, the influence of predation on community resilience to outbreaks of generalist pathogens are not fully understood. 2. The role of predation on host community resilience to disease was assessed using an epidemiological multi-host Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) model. Sphaerothecum destruens, an emerging fungal-like generalist pathogen, was used as a model pathogen. Six cyprinid and salmonid fishes, including an asymptomatic carrier, were selected as model hosts that are known to be impacted by S. destruens, and they were used within a model host community. 3. Pathogen release into the host community was via introduction of the asymptomatic carrier. Mortality from infection, pathogen incubation rate, and host recovery rate were set to a range of evidence-based values in each species and were varied in secondary consumers to predict top-down effects of infection on the resilience of a host community. Predation pressure within the fish community was varied to test its effects on infection prevalence and host survival in the community. 4. Model predictions suggested that predation of the asymptomatic hosts by fishes in the host community was insufficient to eliminate S. destruens. S. destruens persisted in the community due to its rapid transmission from the asymptomatic host to susceptible host fishes. Following transmission, pathogen prevalence in the community was driven by transmission within and between susceptible host fishes, indicating low host community resilience. However, introducing low densities of a highly specific piscivorous fish into the community to predate asymptomatic hosts could limit pathogen prevalence in the host community, thus increasing resilience. 5. The model predictions indicate that whilst resilience to this generalist pathogen in the host community was low, this could be increased using management interventions. The results suggest that this model has high utility for predicting community resilience to disease and thus can be applied to other generalist parasites to determine risks of disease emergence

Isolates of Candida albicans that differ in virulence for mice elicit strain-specific antibody-mediated protective responses

Three distinct isolates of Candida albicans were used to establish systemic and oral infections in inbred mice that are genetically resistant or susceptible to tissue damage. Patterns of infection differed significantly between both yeasts and mouse strains. Systemic infection conferred significant protection against re-challenge with the homologous, but not the heterologous yeast; however, the protective effect was more evident in the tissue-susceptible CBA/CaH mice than in the resistant BALB/c strain. In contrast, oral infection induced protection against both homologous and heterologous oral challenge, although this was significant only in the CBA/CaH mice. CBA/CaH mice produced antibodies of both IgG1 and IgG2a subclasses, whereas BALB/c mice produced predominantly IgG1. Western blotting demonstrated considerable differences between epitopes recognised by serum antibodies from mice of both strains after immunisation with each of the three yeasts. Thus, different strains of yeast show considerable specificity in antibody responses elicited by either systemic or oral infection. (c) 2005 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved

Alterações microvasculares retinianas de aparecimento tardio e persistente após transplante de medula: seguimento de 3 anos

Purpose: To describe a case of persistent retinopathy after bone marrow transplantation in the absence of radiation therapy. Methods: Case Report. Results: A 42 year-old man developed bilateral visual loss 15 months after receiving a bone marrow transplant for acute leukemia. The patient was treated with a high dose of cyclosporin A and oral corticosteroids. No radiation therapy was given. Late-onset, multiple, bilateral cotton-wool spots developed 15 months after the bone marrow transplantation and still persist. After three years other cotton-wool spots arose in the absence of any immunosuppressive therapy. Conclusions: Bone marrow transplantation microvasculopathy of the retina may be related to certain combinations of chemotherapy drugs or immunosuppression itself and may persist in the absence of these immunosuppressive drugs.Objetivo: Descrever um caso de retinopatia persistente em transplante de medula na ausência de radioterapia prévia. Métodos: Relato de caso. Resultados: Paciente de 42 anos, sexo masculino, que apresentava diminuição bilateral da acuidade visual 15 meses após ser submetido a transplante de medula para tratamento de leucemia aguda. O paciente foi tratado com alta dose de ciclosporina A e corticosteróide oral. Nenhum tratamento adicional de radioterapia foi utilizado. Quinze meses após o transplante de medula o paciente apresentava exsudatos algodonosos múltiplos em ambos os olhos que persistem (3 anos após o transplante). Conclusão: Os exsudatos algodonosos podem ocorrer em pacientes submetidos a tratamento com combinações de quimioterapia ou imunossupressores e podem persistir na ausência de tratamento imunossupressor.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de OftalmologiaUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Medicina Setor de RetinaUniversidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Faculdade de Medicina Setor de RetinaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de OftalmologiaSciEL