X-Raying the Dark Side of Venus - Scatter from Venus Magnetotail?

This work analyzes the X-ray, EUV and UV emission apparently coming from the Earth-facing (dark) side of Venus as observed with Hinode/XRT and SDO/AIA during a transit across the solar disk occurred in 2012. We have measured significant X-Ray, EUV and UV flux from Venus dark side. As a check we have also analyzed a Mercury transit across the solar disk, observed with Hinode/XRT in 2006. We have used the latest version of the Hinode/XRT Point Spread Function (PSF) to deconvolve Venus and Mercury X-ray images, in order to remove possible instrumental scattering. Even after deconvolution, the flux from Venus shadow remains significant while in the case of Mercury it becomes negligible. Since stray-light contamination affects the XRT Ti-poly filter data from the Venus transit in 2012, we performed the same analysis with XRT Al-mesh filter data, which is not affected by the light leak. Even the Al-mesh filter data show residual flux. We have also found significant EUV (304 A, 193 A, 335 A) and UV (1700 A) flux in Venus shadow, as measured with SDO/AIA. The EUV emission from Venus dark side is reduced when appropriate deconvolution methods are applied; the emission remains significant, however. The light curves of the average flux of the shadow in the X-ray, EUV, and UV bands appear different as Venus crosses the solar disk, but in any of them the flux is, at any time, approximately proportional to the average flux in a ring surrounding Venus, and therefore proportional to the average flux of the solar regions around Venus obscuring disk line of sight. The proportionality factor depends on the band. This phenomenon has no clear origin; we suggest it may be due to scatter occurring in the very long magnetotail of Venus.Comment: This paper has been accepted in The Astrophysical Journa

Effect of mycorrhiza symbiosis on the Nacl salinity in Sorghum bicolor

In order to determine mycorrhizal symbiosis on the Nacl salinity tolerance in Sorghum bicolor (aspydfyd cultivar), an experiment with two factors was done in Damghan Islamic Azad University laboratory (Iran) in 2007. The first factor with two levels (mycorihizal and non-mycorihizal) and second factor with six levels Nacl concentration of (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 Mmol) were examined in a random design with three replication in sand environment for 15 weeks. The measurements were the absorption of K, Na, P, N, plant growth, tolerance for different salinity concentrations and traits such as stem and root dry weight and the length of stem. The results showed that the dry weight and stem height in M plants were higher than NM plants. The increase in Nacl concentration decreased the stem height in both groups. However, there was no significant different in root dry weight. The measurement of elements in different organs showed that with increase in Nacl concentration, there would be a significant decrease in N, P, K absorption. But Na absorption increase is more in lower Nacl concentration. Generally, the amount of N, P, K in M plant organs is more than NM plant organs. The result of the experiment showed that mycorrhizal symbiosis is not only effective on element absorption, but also in plant growth and to some extent on salinity tolerance of the plant. So it will be suggested that mycorrhizal be used in salty soils with high Nacl for Sorghum bicolor.Key words: Sorghum, mycorrhizal, salinity, symbiosis, tolerance

Modular Current Stimulation System for Pre-clinical Studies.

Electric stimulators with precise and reliable outputs are an indispensable part of electrophysiological research. From single cells to deep brain or neuromuscular tissue, there are diverse targets for electrical stimulation. Even though commercial systems are available, we state the need for a low-cost, high precision, functional, and modular (hardware, firmware, and software) current stimulation system with the capacity to generate stable and complex waveforms for pre-clinical research. The system presented in this study is a USB controlled 4-channel modular current stimulator that can be expanded and generate biphasic arbitrary waveforms with 16-bit resolution, high temporal precision (μs), and passive charge balancing: the NES STiM (Neuro Electronic Systems Stimulator). We present a detailed description of the system's structural design, the controlling software, reliability test, and the pre-clinical studies [deep brain stimulation (DBS) in hemi-PD rat model] in which it was utilized. The NES STiM has been tested with MacOS and Windows operating systems. Interfaces to MATLAB source codes are provided. The system is inexpensive, relatively easy to build and can be assembled quickly. We hope that the NES STiM will be used in a wide variety of neurological applications such as Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES), DBS and closed loop neurophysiological research

A comparison of global surgery tariffs and the actual cost of bills at Hazrate Rasoole Akram educational and medical center

Background: The health service tariff is an appropriate policymaking tool and the financial leverage of the health system control which affects quality, availability, cost, efficiency, equity and accountability of health services. Global surgeries include 91 common cases of general and specialized surgeries in hospitals; fixed tariffs are annually defined for these surgeries, and insurance companies must pay medical centers based on these tariffs. The aim of this study was to examine and compare hospital bills with global surgery tariffs at Hazrate Rasoole Akram Educational and Medical Center in 2017. Methods: This descriptive-Analytic study was conducted retrospectively and compared the global and actual costs of global surgeries performed in the third quarter of the year 2017 at Hazrate Rasoole Akram Educational and Medical Center. Required data on the actual costs of surgeries was collected through the Hospital Information System (HIS) and patients' records. Information on the global costs was obtained from the Annual Circulars of Insurance Council for the studied period about the cost of global surgeries. Linear regression (STATA13 software) was used to investigate the effect of items on tariff and invoice differences; concerning other calculations, EXCEL software was used. Results: The highest frequency of global surgeries was related to ophthalmic surgery which accounted for approximately half of total surgeries performed at Hazrate Rasoole Akram Hospital. The most significant difference between global tariff and invoice was also related to ophthalmic surgery (188709.3 Dollar a year).Overall, the actual hospital bills were much higher than the tariffs approved for global surgeries, and the total difference was 461805.5 Dollar. The results revealed that there was a significant relationship between some of the items such as the cost of operating rooms, anesthesia and other services. Conclusions: Referral hospitals which are at the level three of referral networks usually treat more complex patients; this should be taken into account when defining surgery tariffs of these centers. On the other hand, hospitals need to control the costs and reduce the end cost of these surgeries by improving clinical management and cost management. In addition, prospective and case-based payment methods can control health costs. © 2020 The Author(s)

A Case-Control Study of Association between Diarrhea in Newborn Calves and Infection with Rotavirus and Coronavirus in Some Industrial Dairy Herds of Mashhad Aarea, Iran in 2008

ABSTRACT A 1:1 matched case-control study of calves under 1 month of age was carried out by weekly visits to 7 dairy farms in Mashhad from May 2008 to October 2008. Fecal samples were collected from a total of 112 calves with clinical signs of diarrhea and from 112 matched animals without clinical signs of diarrhea as assessed by a scoring system. The samples were investigated for the presence of Rotavirus and Coronavirus by a commercial antigen capture ELISA test. Rotavirus antigen was detected in 29.5% and 17% of diarrheic and non-diarrheic calves, respectively and Coronavirus antigen was detected in 2.7% and 1.8% of diarrheic and non-diarrheic calves, respectively. Among diarrheic calves Rotavirus was the most common in the third week of life and Coronavirus was detected only in some cases of second week of life. The excretion of Rotavirus in the feces of scouring calves was significantly higher than in non-diarrheic calves (P value =0.03, odds ratio = 1.9 (1.05 -3.76)), but there was not any significant association between shedding of Coronavirus in the feces and diarrhea (P value =0.66, odds ratio = 1.4 (0.24 -9.05)). These results indicate that in these industrial dairy farms in Mashhad, infections by Rotavirus can be considered as an important cause for newborn calf diarrhea

Evidence of Hot Carrier Extraction in Metal Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

The presence of hot carriers is presented in the operational properties of an (FA,Cs)Pb(I, Br, Cl)3 solar cell at ambient temperatures and under practical solar concentration. At 100 K, clear evidence of hot carriers is observed in both the high energy tail of the photoluminescence spectra and from the appearance of a non-equilibrium photocurrent at higher fluence in light J-V measurements. At room temperature, however, the presence of hot carriers in the emission at elevated laser fluence are shown to compete with a gradual red shift in the PL peak energy as photo induced halide segregation begins to occur at higher lattice temperature. The effects of thermionic emission of hot carriers and the presence of a non-equilibrium carrier distribution are also shown to be distinct from simple lattice heating. This results in large unsaturated photocurrents at high powers as the Fermi distribution exceeds that of the heterointerface controlling carrier transport and rectification

An overview of Betacoronaviruses-associated severe respiratory syndromes, focusing on sex-type-specific immune responses

Emerging beta-coronaviruses (β-CoVs), including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV-1 (SARS-CoV-1), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-CoV (MERS-CoV), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID19) are responsible for acute respiratory illnesses in human. The epidemiological features of the SARS, MERS, and new COVID-19 have revealed sex-dependent variations in the infection, frequency, treatment, and fatality rates of these syndromes. Females are likely less susceptible to viral infections, perhaps due to their steroid hormone levels, the impact of X-linked genes, and the sex-based immune responses. Although mostly inactive, the X chromosome makes the female's immune system more robust. The extra immune-regulatory genes of the X chromosome are associated with lower levels of viral load and decreased infection rate. Moreover, a higher titer of the antibodies and their longer blood circulation half-life are involved in a more durable immune protection in females. The activation rate of the immune cells and the production of TLR7 and IFN are more prominent in females. Although the bi-allelic expression of the immune regulatory genes can sometimes lead to autoimmune reactions, the higher titer of TLR7 in females is further associated with a stronger anti-viral immune response. Considering these sex-related differences and the similarities between the SARS, MERS, and COVID-19, we will discuss them in immune responses against the β-CoVs-associated syndromes. We aim to provide information on sex-based disease susceptibility and response. A better understanding of the evasion strategies of pathogens and the host immune responses can provide worthful insights into immunotherapy, and vaccine development approaches. © 2021 Elsevier B.V