A new species of Liropus (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Caprellidae) from Le Danois bank (southern Bay of Biscay)

AbstractA new species of the genus Liropus (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Caprellidae) is described based on specimens collected from Le Danois bank (‘El Cachucho’ fishing grounds), Bay of Biscay. Liropus cachuchoensis n. sp. can be distinguished from all its congeners mainly by the absence of eyes and by the presence of a dorsal projection proximally on pereonites 3, 4 and 5 in males, on 3 and 5 in females. The new species has been found living on muddy bottoms on the southern flank of the bank and adjacent continental slope, between 619 and 1062m depth, with a maximum abundance (56.1ind./100m2) recorded at 1044–1062m. Morphological comparisons among the world's members of Liropus, a key to species, and data on their distribution are presented

Software engineering standards and guides for very small entities: implementation in two start-ups

Very small entities, enterprises, organizations, projects or departments with up to 25 people, are very important to the worldwide economy. However it has ben established that such entities often do not utilize existing standards and frameworks. To address the needs of Very Small Entities (VSEs), a set of international standards and guides known as ISO/IEC 29110 has been developed. In this paper we present the results of early trials of this standard in two IT start-ups VSEs. A Peruvian VSE was recently audited and issued an ISO/IEC 29110 certificate of conformity

Drug resistance and treatment failure in leishmaniasis: A 21st century challenge

Reevaluation of treatment guidelines for Old and New World leishmaniasis is urgently needed on a global basis because treatment failure is an increasing problem. Drug resistance is a fundamental determinant of treatment failure, although other factors also contribute to this phenomenon, including the global HIV/AIDS epidemic with its accompanying impact on the immune system. Pentavalent antimonials have been used successfully worldwide for the treatment of leishmaniasis since the first half of the 20th century, but the last 10 to 20 years have witnessed an increase in clinical resistance, e.g., in North Bihar in India. In this review, we discuss the meaning of “resistance” related to leishmaniasis and discuss its molecular epidemiology, particularly for Leishmania donovani that causes visceral leishmaniasis. We also discuss how resistance can affect drug combination therapies. Molecular mechanisms known to contribute to resistance to antimonials, amphotericin B, and miltefosine are also outlined

An innovative approach in developing standard professionals by involving software engineering students in implementing and improving international standards

Today, the ability of organizations to compete, adapt, and survive depends increasingly on software. Some cellular phones, for example, contain over twenty million lines of code, and top of the line automobiles may have up to 100 million lines of code.1 Manufacturers depend increasingly on the components produced by their suppliers. A manufacturing chain of large mass-market products often has a pyramidal structure, as illustrated in Figure 1, adapted from Shintani. For example, a large mass product manufacturer integrated into one of its products a part with an unknown software error that was produced by one of its 6,000 lower-level producers. This defective part resulted in a loss of over $200 million by the mass product manufacturer. A vast majority of these low level suppliers are very small entities

Ligand field density functional theory for the prediction of future domestic lighting

We deal with the computational determination of the electronic structure and properties of lanthanide ions in complexes and extended structures having open-shell f and d configurations. Particularly, we present conceptual and methodological issues based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) enabling the reliable calculation and description of the f → d transitions in lanthanide doped phosphors. We consider here the optical properties of the Pr³⁺ ion embedded into various solid state fluoride host lattices, for the prospection and understanding of the so-called quantum cutting process, being important in the further quest of warm-white light source in light emitting diodes (LED). We use the conceptual formulation of the revisited ligand field (LF) theory, fully compatibilized with the quantum chemistry tools: LFDFT. We present methodological advances for the calculations of the Slater–Condon parameters, the ligand field interaction and the spin–orbit coupling constants, important in the non-empirical parameterization of the effective Hamiltonian adjusted from the ligand field theory. The model shows simple procedure using less sophisticated computational tools, which is intended to contribute to the design of modern phosphors and to help to complement the understanding of the 4fⁿ → 4fⁿ⁻¹5d¹ transitions in any lanthanide system

Photon cascade emission in Pr³⁺ doped fluorides with CaF₂ structure: Application of a model for its prediction

In this work, we predict and measure the optical behaviour of Pr³⁺ in different binary and ternary fluorides. We use a validated model based on Ligand Field Theory and Density Functional Theory to calculate the multiplet energy levels arising from the ground [Xe]4f² and excited [Xe]4f¹5d¹ electron configurations of Pr³⁺ in its chemical environment. Moreover, the luminescence spectra of the considered materials were recorded. In overall the theoretical determination corroborates to the experimental findings. The phenomenon of the photon cascade emission is particularly stressed, being important for the design of modern phosphors with quantum efficiencies larger than 100

Geometrical position of the Large Hadron Collider main dipole inside the cryostat

The superconducting dipole of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a cylindrical structure made of a shrinking cylinder containing iron laminations and collared coils. This 15 m long structure, weighing about 28 t, is horizontally bent by 5 mrad. Its geometrical shape should be preserved, from the assembly phase to the operational condition at cryogenic temperature. When inserted in its cryostat, the dipole cold mass is supported by three posts also providing the thermal insulation. Sliding interfaces should minimize the interference between the dipole and the cryostat during cooling down and warming up. Indeed, a possible non-linear response of the sliding interface can detrimentally affect the final dipole shape. This paper presents the results of dedicated tests investigating interferences and of specific simulations with a 3D finite element model (FEM) describing the mechanical behaviour of the dipole inside the cryostat. Comparison between measurements and FEM simulations is also discussed

Evaluation of the New Lateral Flow Card MDmulticard® Basic Extended Phenotype in Routine Clinical Practice

Background: Transfusion emergencies and critical situations require specifically designed devices to simplify and optimize the standard procedures. In addition, matching antigens over and above ABO-Rh-K would be beneficial. Methods: Routine blood samples were collected in four immunohematology centers and tested with the new MDmulticard Basic Extended Phenotype for the simultaneous detection of the Duffy, Kidd, and Ss antigens, according to the principle of the lateral flow. Results were compared with those obtained using routine serology methods. Discrepancies were analyzed by molecular techniques/genotyping. Results: 310 samples were tested (167 donors; 75 patients; 28 subjects with positive direct antiglobulin test (DAT); 15 newborns; 25 previously transfused patients). The 285 samples with non-mixed-field reaction yielded 1,710 antigen results with 8 discrepancies (0.47%) six of which in DAT-positive subjects: three false-positive (Fy(a)) for MDmulticard, and two false-positive (Fy(a)) plus three false-negative (Fy(b)) for the reference methods (MDmulticard PPA for donors/patients/newborns: 99.82%; negative percent agreement: 100%; sensitivity: 100%; specificity: 99.39%, positive predictive value: 99.75%; negative predictive value: 100%). The MDmulticard detected mixed-field in 15 antigen reactions from 13 transfused patients, undetected by the comparative method, with the opposite result in 8 antigens (5 patients). Conclusion: The MDmulticard Basic Extended Phenotype met the criteria prescribed for the testing of donor, patient, DAT-positive, and newborn samples in transfusion laboratory routine

Categories and order systems : Claude Parent and the Serving Library. Intersections of architecture, art and editorial design

This paper discusses the work of Claude Parent and The Serving Library, considering the critiques generated by their intersecting of architecture, art and editorial design. Through focus on the ways in which hosting environment, architecture and forms of expanded publishing can serve to dissolve disciplinary boundaries and activities of production, spectatorship and reception, it draws on the lineage of 1960s/70s Conceptual Art in considering these practices as a means through which to escape medium specificity and spatial confinement. Relationships between actual and virtual space are then read against this broadening of aesthetic ideas and the theory of critical modernity

A ligand field theory-based methodology for the characterization of the Eu²⁺ [Xe]4f⁶5d¹ excited states in solid state compounds

The theoretical rationalization of the open-shell 4f and 5d configuration of Eu²⁺ is by far not trivial because it involves a non-standard version of ligand field theory, based on a two-shell Hamiltonian. Here we present our methodology based on ligand field theory, taking the system CsCaBr₃:Eu²⁺ as a case study with an octahedral coordination sphere of Eu²⁺. The ligand field, interelectronic and spin-orbit coupling parameters are deduced from experimental data. The assignment of the transitions to the corresponding irreducible representations of the double group was performed together with the intensity modelling resulting in an excellent match to the experimental spectra