Comments on "Limits on Dark Matter Using Ancient Mica"

To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett. together with the author's Reply.Comment: Compressed PostScript (filename.ps.Z), 3 pages, no figure

Investigation of the Carbon Monoxide Gas Sensing Characteristics of Tin Oxide Mixed Cerium Oxide Thin Films

Thin films of tin oxide mixed cerium oxide were grown on unheated substrates by physical vapor deposition. The films were annealed in air at 500 °C for two hours, and were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and optical spectrophotometry. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy results reveal that the films were highly porous and porosity of our films was found to be in the range of 11.6–21.7%. The films were investigated for the detection of carbon monoxide, and were found to be highly sensitive. We found that 430 °C was the optimum operating temperature for sensing CO gas at concentrations as low as 5 ppm. Our sensors exhibited fast response and recovery times of 26 s and 30 s, respectively

The utility of CT angiography in planning perineal flap reconstruction following radical pelvic surgery

AbstractIntroductionClosure of the perineum following radical excision of pelvic tumours can prove to be a complex surgical problem. A number of pedicled flaps have been used for perineal reconstruction in order to reduce post-operative complications such as infection and abscess formation. The aim of this case series was to analyse the use of pre-operative computer tomography (CT) angiography to guide flap selection for perineal reconstruction following radical excision of pelvic tumours.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review to identify all patients who underwent CT angiography prior to radical excision of pelvic tumours and planned flap reconstruction over an 18 month period. Six patients were identified and are presented in this case series. Patients' medical records, histology reports, pre-operative investigations and CT angiograms, complications and follow-up were reviewed.ResultsThe mean patient age was 58.3 years, with a male to female ratio of 1:2. Four out of six patients (66.6%) underwent pre-operative radiotherapy. The deep inferior epigastric arteries (DIEA) were visualised in all six cases (100%) and the pre-operative CT angiography helped guide flap choice in all cases (100%). In one case, narrowing of the DIEA vessels was noted precluding the use of a DIEA-based flap. One patient had a minor superficial wound dehiscence.ConclusionPre-operative CT angiography allows accurate visualisation of the DIEA system including perforator vessels. CT angiography is a useful tool, providing the surgical team with significant additional information to aid pre-operative planning and optimise reconstructive choice and outcome

Forage yield of berseem (Trifolium alaxandrium) as affected by phosphorus and potassium fertilization

This research was conducted with the aim to quantify the effect of phosphorus and potassium fertilization on forage yield of berseem (Trifolium alaxandrium). The experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Agricultural University Peshawar, Pakistan during the cropping season of 2004 to 2005. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) having four replications was used for the experiment. Significant differences were found among the treatments for number of branches per plant, fresh forage yield and dry forage yield. The highest number of branches per plant (9.15), fresh forage yield (6077 kg ha-1) and dry forage yield (156.83 kg ha-1) were recorded in plots with 60 kg P ha-1 x 30 kg K ha-1 treatments, while the lowest values of 6.93, 5430 kg ha-1 and 153.80 kg ha-1 for branches per plant, fresh forage yield and dry forage yield, respectively were recorded in the plots with no fertilizer (control). Emergence (m-2) and plant height of berseem were non-significantly affected by phosphorus and potassium fertilization. So, it was concluded that berseem showed better performance in terms of higher forage yield under 60 kg P ha-1 x 30 kg K ha-1 levels in Peshawar valley.Key words: Phosphorus, potassium, forage yield, berseem

Efficacy of live attenuated seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine in school-age children: a randomized controlled trial

Poster Presentation: SPA5 - How to Evaluate Vaccine Effectiveness and Efficacy?: abstract no. A508PBACKGROUND: A novel pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus emerged in North America in early 2009 and rapidly spread worldwide. Monovalent pH1N1 vaccines were licensed later in 2009 based on preliminary studies demonstrating their immunogenicity and safety. In this study we report the efficacy of live attenuated monovalent pH1N1 vacc...postprin

A bovine lymphosarcoma cell line infected with theileria annulata exhibits an irreversible reconfiguration of host cell gene expression

Theileria annulata, an intracellular parasite of bovine lymphoid cells, induces substantial phenotypic alterations to its host cell including continuous proliferation, cytoskeletal changes and resistance to apoptosis. While parasite induced modulation of host cell signal transduction pathways and NFκB activation are established, there remains considerable speculation on the complexities of the parasite directed control mechanisms that govern these radical changes to the host cell. Our objectives in this study were to provide a comprehensive analysis of the global changes to host cell gene expression with emphasis on those that result from direct intervention by the parasite. By using comparative microarray analysis of an uninfected bovine cell line and its Theileria infected counterpart, in conjunction with use of the specific parasitacidal agent, buparvaquone, we have identified a large number of host cell gene expression changes that result from parasite infection. Our results indicate that the viable parasite can irreversibly modify the transformed phenotype of a bovine cell line. Fifty percent of genes with altered expression failed to show a reversible response to parasite death, a possible contributing factor to initiation of host cell apoptosis. The genes that did show an early predicted response to loss of parasite viability highlighted a sub-group of genes that are likely to be under direct control by parasite infection. Network and pathway analysis demonstrated that this sub-group is significantly enriched for genes involved in regulation of chromatin modification and gene expression. The results provide evidence that the Theileria parasite has the regulatory capacity to generate widespread change to host cell gene expression in a complex and largely irreversible manner

Late post-operative paraparesis after rib penetration of the spinal canal in a patient with neurofibromatous scoliosis

Rib displacement into the spinal canal is a rare cause of paraplegia or paraparesis in patients affected by neurofibromatous scoliosis. We describe a case of paraparesis in a 14-year-old child affected by neurofibromatous dystrophic kyphoscoliosis, treated with combined posterior and anterior spinal arthrodesis. Seventeen days after the surgical treatment the patient developed clinical signs and symptoms of paraparesis. A CT scan showed the head of the fifth rib protruding into the spinal canal with cord compression. Rib resection and posterior cord decompression were carried out following complete neurological recovery

Field-dependant hopping conduction in silicon nanocrystal films

We investigate the electric field dependence of hopping conduction in 300 nm thick films of similar to 8 nm diameter silicon nanocrystals. The hopping conductivity sigma follows a ln(sigma)proportional to 1/T-1/2 dependence with temperature T, explained by a percolation hopping conduction model. At high fields F>similar to 1x10(5) V/cm, the hopping conductivity follows a ln(sigma)proportional to F-1/2 dependence. This dependence is investigated using the concept of "effective temperature," introduced originally by Shklovskii for hopping conduction in disordered materials