Equilibrium and stability properties of a coupled two-component Bose-Einstein condensate

The equilibrium and stability properties of a coupled two-component BEC is studied using a variational method and the one-dimensional model of Williams and collaborators. The variational parameters are the population fraction, translation and scaling transformation of the condensate densities, assumed to have a Gaussian shape. We study the equilibrium and stability properties as a function of the strength of the laser field and the traps displacement. We find many branches of equilibrium configurations, with a host of critical points. In all cases, the signature of the onset of criticality is the collapse of a normal mode which is a linear combination of the out of phase translation and an in phase breathing oscillation of the condensate densities. Our calculations also indicate that we have symmetry breaking effects when the traps are not displacedComment: 13 pages,3 figure

Presumptive self-diagnosis of malaria and other febrile illnesses in Sierra Leone

Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-diagnosis of malaria and other febrile illnesses in Bo, Sierra Leone. Methods: All households in two neighboring sections of Bo were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Results: A total of 882 households (an 85% participation rate) that were home to 5410 individuals participated in the study. Of the 910 individuals reported to have had what the household considered to be malaria in the past month, only 41% were diagnosed by a healthcare professional or a laboratory test. Of the 1402 individuals reported to have had any type of febrile illness within the past six months, only 34% had sought a clinical or laboratory diagnosis. Self-diagnosis of influenza, yellow fever, typhoid, and pneumonia was also common. Conclusion: Self-diagnosis and presumptive treatment with antimalarial drugs and other antibiotic medications that are readily available without a prescription may compromise health outcomes for febrile adults and children.Key words: Malaria, fevers, self-care, health services accessibility, community pharmacy services, West Afric

The Use of Mobile Electronic Devices for Public Health Data Collection and Syndromic Surveillance at the Republic Of Sierra Leone Armed Forces

Public health data collection methods in Sierra Leone were compared. First, a household health census was conducted with some interviewers using paper-based forms requiring later data entry and others using tablet computers for immediate electronic data inputting. Electronic data-entry surveys were more time-efficient and accurate than paper-based surveys. In a second evaluation, military Medical Inspection rooms (MIRs) sent syndromic surveillance reports to a central communications hub via cell phone or paper-based forms. The report compliance rate was 89% for daily SMS and 100% for weekly SMS versus 76% for weekly paper reports. Electronic data collection and reporting is feasible and cost-efficient in low-resource settings.Keywords: mobile phones, text messaging, database management systems, census methods, sentinelsurveillanc

Inheritance of common bean resistance to wilt caused by Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a herança da resistência à murcha de Curtobacterium em feijoeiro. Foram realizados dois experimentos: no primeiro, cinco genótipos de feijoeiro, com diferentes reações de resistência à murcha de Curtobacterium, foram cruzados em arranjo dialélico; e no segundo, dois cruzamentos entre genótipos resistentes e suscetíveis – IAC Carioca Aruã x SCS Guará e IAC Carioca Pyatã x Pérola – foram realizados para dar origem às gerações P1, P2, F1, F2, RC1 e RC2. Em ambos os experimentos, a resistência do feijoeiro à murcha bacteriana foi avaliada por meio da inoculação do isolado Cff 2634. A análise dialélica mostrou que, embora efeitos aditivos e não aditivos estejam envolvidos, houve maior participação de genes com efeito aditivo no controle genético da resistência à murcha bacteriana, o que mostra a possibilidade de se obter sucesso com a seleção. A herança da resistência à murcha de Curtobacterium é complexa, com mais de três genes envolvidos, e herdabilidade no sentido restrito de 29%, para o cruzamento 'IAC Carioca Aruã' x 'SCS Guará', e de 44%, para o cruzamento 'IAC Carioca Pyatã' x 'Pérola'.The objective of this work was to determine the inheritance of resistance in common bean to wilt of Curtobacterium. Two experiments were carried out: in the first one, five common bean genotypes with different resistance reactions to wilt of Curtobacterium were crossed in diallel arrangement; and in the second one two crosses between resistant and susceptible genotypes – IAC Carioca Aruã x SCS Guará and IAC Carioca Pyatã x Pérola – were carried out in order to give rise to the generations P1, P2, F1, F2, RC1 and RC2. In both experiments, the common bean resistance to bacterial wilt was evaluated through the inoculation of the Cff 2634 isolate. The diallel analysis showed that although non-additive and additive effects are involved, there was a greater participation of the genes with additive effect on the genetic control of the inheritance of resistance to bacterial wilt, which shows the possibility of improvement through selection. The inheritance of resistance to wilt of Curtobacterium is complex, with more than three genes involved and a narrow-sense heritability of 29% for 'IAC Carioca Aruã' x 'SCS Guará' cross and 44% for 'IAC Carioca Pyatã' x 'Pérola' cross

Способы перевода аббревиатур и сокращений в области компьютерных технологий (на примере русского и немецкого языков)

Выпускная квалификационная работа 75 с., 2 главы, 42 источника. Предмет исследования: способы перевода аббревиатур и сокращений в области компьютерных технологий с немецкого языка на русский язык. Объектом исследования: аббревиатуры и сокращения, относящиеся к области компьютерных технологий. Цель работы: выявить эффективные способы перевода аббревиатур и сокращений в области компьютерных технологий с немецкого языка на русский. Результаты исследования: были сформулированы особенности перевода аббревиатур и сокращений в области компьютерных технологий Степень внедрения/апробация работы: Было опубликовано две статьи Область применения: лингвистика, языкознание, переводоведение.Graduation thesis: 75 pg., 2 chapters, 42 resources. Subject of research: translation methods of acronyms and reductions in the field of computer technology from German into Russian. Object of research: Acronyms and reductions in the field of computer technology. Purpose of research: : to identify the translation methods of acronyms and reductions in the field of computer technology from German into Russian. Results of research: The features of the translation of acronyms and reductions in the area of computer technology has been revealed. Degree of implementation /work approbation: two articles were published. Field of application: Linguistic, theory of translatio

Increased concentration of two different advanced glycation end-products detected by enzyme immunoassays with new monoclonal antibodies in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Levels of pentosidine (representative of advanced glycation end-products) in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis are increased when compared with sera of other diagnoses or healthy controls. These levels have been reported to correlate with clinical indices of rheumatoid arthritis activity and with laboratory markers of inflammation. The purpose of this study was to find out if these findings pertain to other advanced glycation end-products.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We have developed two immunoassays based on new monoclonal antibodies to advanced glycation end-products. Antibody 103-E3 reacts with an unidentified antigen, formed in the reaction of proteins with ribose, while antibody 8-C1 responds to N^ε-(carboxyethyl)lysine. We have used these monoclonal antibodies to measure levels of advanced glycation end-products in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, and healthy controls. We calculated the correlations between advanced glycation end-product levels in rheumatoid arthritis sera and the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), age, disease duration, CRP, anti-CCP, rheumatoid factor and treatment with corticosteroids, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Levels of both glycation products were significantly higher in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis when compared with sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, or the healthy controls. Neither the level of N^ε-(carboxyethyl)lysine nor the level of the 103-E3 antigen in rheumatoid arthritis sera correlated with the DAS28-scored rheumatoid arthritis activity. The levels of both antigens in rheumatoid arthritis sera did not correlate with age, gender, corticosteroid treatment, or levels of CRP, anti-CCP antibodies, and rheumatoid factor in sera.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We report highly specific increases in the levels of two advanced glycation end-products in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This increase could be explained neither by rheumatoid arthritis activity nor by inflammation. We propose a working hypothesis that presumes the existence of a link between advanced glycation end-product formation and induction of autoimmunity.</p

Estimating genomic instability mediated by Alu retroelements in breast cancer

Alu-PCR is a relatively simple technique that can be used to investigate genomic instability in cancer. This technique allows identification of the loss, gain or amplification of gene sequences based on the analysis of segments between two Alu elements coupled with quantitative and qualitative analyses of the profiles obtained from tumor samples, surgical margins and blood. In this work, we used Alu-PCR to identify gene alterations in ten patients with invasive ductal breast cancer. Several deletions and insertions were identified, indicating genomic instability in the tumor and adjacent normal tissue. Although not associated with specific genes, the alterations, which involved chromosomal bands 1p36.23, 1q41, 11q14.3, 13q14.2, occurred in areas of well-known genomic instability in breast and other types of cancer. These results indicate the potential usefulness of Alu-PCR in identifying altered gene sequences in breast cancer. However, caution is required in its application since the Alu primer can produce non-specific amplification

Tactics of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis for intracellular survival in mononuclear phagocytes

Johne's disease is a condition that refers to chronic granulomatous enteritis in ruminants. It is believed that survival and replication of Mycobacterium (M.) paratuberculosis in mononuclear phagocytes plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Johne's disease. However, it is not clear how M. paratuberculosis survives for long time periods in mononuclear phagocytes, nor is it clear which factors trigger multiplication of these bacilli and result in the development of Johne's disease. Investigating the intracellular fate of M. paratuberculosis is challenging because of its very slow growth (more than two months to form visible colonies on media). Existing animal models also have limitations. Despite those obstacles, there has been progress in understanding the intracellular survival tactics of M. paratuberculosis and the host response against them. In this review, we compare known aspects of the intracellular survival tactics of M. paratuberculosis with those of other mycobacterial species, and consider possible mycobactericidal mechanisms of mononuclear phagocytes