188 research outputs found
Automation and robotics for COLUMBUS: An implementation concept for the free flying laboratory (MTFF)
With nearly forty percent of the funding, Germany is the main contributor to the European COLUMBUS Programme, followed by Italy, France and further ESA member states. The COLUMBUS elements are the Attached Laboratory (APM) to be permanently attached to the Space Station FREEDOM, the polar platform (PPF) and the Man Tended Free Flyer (MTFF). The latter element is regarded to be of special interest for the German micro-g community. Until now the implementation of A&R Technologies has not been included as part of the system concept for the COLUMBUS laboratory modules. Yet especially for the Free Flyer, a high degree of A&R will be indispensible. An A&R system concept and implementation options for A&R are given to make the COLUMBUS labs 'intelligent' laboratories in orbit
Internal Transfers of Control Under Poison Pill Preferred Issuances to Shareholders: Toward a Shareholder Approval Rule
Upland boreal forest northwest of Thunder Bay, Ontario : ecology and applications to silviculture
Multivariate phytosociological methods were used
to investigate the ecology of upland boreal forest
stands. The ecological information was used to derive
silvicultural recommendations. The boreal forest stands
did not form tight associations. Species were distributed
individualistically; most species have broad, overlapping,
environmental tolerances. Most of the variability among
stands was attributed to the environment and to species
precedence on a site. Geomorphology and moisture regime
were related to community composition. Pinus banksiana
dominates sandy glaciofluvial deposits. Picea mariana
achieves moderate abundance on glaciofluvial deposits
which are moister due to finer soils or to topographic
position. picea mariana may also dominate shallow
moraines. Deeper moraines were dominated by mixedwoods
composed of all species common to uplands in the study
area. Succession is of minimal importance; other factors
override successional trends.
While plant communities were related to
the landforms are much more discrete than
communities. Therefore, landforms were used
silvicultural recommendations. Land types were
by combining or dividing simple features. The seven land types were
associated with trends of community composition and of productivity.
Silvicultural recommendations were derived for each of
these land types. These recommendations were primarily
determined by potential hardwood competition and
productivity
The ORFEUS II Echelle Spectrometer: Instrument description, performance and data reduction
During the second flight of the ORFEUS-SPAS mission in November/December
1996, the Echelle spectrometer was used extensively by the Principal and Guest
Investigator teams as one of the two focal plane instruments of the ORFEUS
telescope. We present the in-flight performance and the principles of the data
reduction for this instrument. The wavelength range is 90 nm to 140 nm, the
spectral resolution is significantly better than lambda/(Delta lambda) = 10000,
where Delta lambda is measured as FWHM of the instrumental profile. The
effective area peaks at 1.3 cm^2 near 110 nm. The background is dominated by
straylight from the Echelle grating and is about 15% in an extracted spectrum
for spectra with a rather flat continuum. The internal accuracy of the
wavelength calibration is better than +/- 0.005 nm.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure
PCV2-DNA in formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded lymph nodes of wild boar (Sus scrofa ssp. scrofa): one sampling approach for two laboratory techniques
Superficial inguinal lymph nodes from 72 wild boars examined in a previous immunohistochemical (IHC) study on porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) were selected for a PCV2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Four of these lymph nodes were PCV2-IHC strongly positive with PMWS histological lesions (outcome 1), 6 weak to mild PCV2-IHC positive without PMWS histological lesions (outcome 2) and 62 PCV2-IHC negative. Considering IHC the gold standard for diagnosis, the aims of the study were to evaluate the suitability of the PCV2-DNA extraction from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue and the sensitivity and specificity of PCR under two IHC interpretations criteria: (A) the sample was considered positive if the result was outcome 1; (B) the sample was considered positive if the result was outcome 1 or 2. Under (A) criteria, sensitivity and specificity of PCR were 100% and 89.7%, respectively; the Cohen's Kappa coefficient was 0.49. Under (B) criteria, sensitivity and specificity of PCR were 80.0% and 95.2%, respectively; the Cohen's Kappa coefficient was 0.72. The high Cohen's Kappa coefficient under the (B) interpretative criteria indicates good agreement between the two methods. In conclusion, 1) DNA extracted from FFPE specimens of wild boar is suitable for PCR and further represents a screening test for PCV2/PCVD (PCV2 Diseases) investigations in wild boar as well; 2) routine histological sampling can also be useful for PCV2 virological studies in wild boar
A first-in-human clinical study of a new SP-B and SP-C enriched synthetic surfactant (CHF5633) in preterm babies with respiratory distress syndrome
Objective CHF5633 (Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Parma, Italy) is the first fully synthetic surfactant enriched by peptide analogues of two human surfactant proteins. We planned to assess safety and tolerability of CHF5633 and explore preliminary efficacy. Design Multicentre cohort study. Patients Forty infants from 27+0 to 33+6 weeks gestation with respiratory distress syndrome requiring fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) â„0.35 were treated with a single dose of CHF5633 within 48âhours after birth. The first 20 received 100 mg/kg and the second 20 received 200âmg/kg. Outcome measures Adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were monitored with complications of prematurity considered AEs if occurring after dosing. Systemic absorption and immunogenicity were assessed. Efficacy was assessed by change in FiO2 after dosing and need for poractant-alfa rescue. Results Rapid and sustained improvements in FiO2 were observed in 39 (98%) infants. One responded neither to CHF5633 nor two poractant-alfa doses. A total of 79 AEs were experienced by 19 infants in the 100âmg/kg cohort and 53 AEs by 20 infants in the 200âmg/kg cohort. Most AEs were expected complications of prematurity. Two unrelated serious AEs occurred in the second cohort. One infant died of necrotising enterocolitis and another developed viral bronchiolitis after discharge. The single ADR was an episode of transient endotracheal tube obstruction following a 200âmg/kg dose. Neither systemic absorption, nor antibody development to either peptide was detected. Conclusions Both CHF5633 doses were well tolerated and showed promising clinical efficacy profile. These encouraging data provide a basis for ongoing randomised controlled trials
Pleural mesothelioma in a nine-month-old dog
This paper reports on an unusual case of pleural epitheloid mesothelioma in a nine-month-old male, mixed breed dog. The dog was presented in-extremis and, on post mortem examination, multiple, exophytic, frequently pedunculated, yellowish-red, soft to firm masses ranging from 3 mm to 6 cm in diameter were diffusely distributed over, and attached to, the pericardial and parietal pleural surfaces. Microscopically, these masses consisted of round to partially polygonalshaped, anaplastic cells with minimal cytoplasm and hyperchromatic nuclei covering papillomatous projections or as part of more densely cellular masses. A supporting fibrovascular stroma and mitotic figures were also evident. Constituent tumour cells were labeled positively with antibodies against both vimentin and cytokeratin. In contrast, the same cells exhibited equivocal labeling with an antibody directed against calretinin antigen and did not label with antibodies against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and milk fat globule-related antigen (MFGRA). Such tumours are rare in dogs, particularly in such a young animal
A first-in-human clinical study of a new SP-B and SP-C enriched synthetic surfactant (CHF5633) in preterm babies with respiratory distress syndrome: two-year outcomes
Objective: To assess at 24 months corrected age (CA) the neurological, respiratory, and general health status of children born prematurely from 27 +0 to 33 +6 weeksâ gestation who were treated in a first-in-human study with a new fully synthetic surfactant (CHF5633) enriched with SP-B and SP-C proteins. Outcome measures: Children were assessed using Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID), with a score below normal defined as BSID-II Mental Development Index score <70, or BSID-III cognitive composite score <85. In addition, a health status questionnaire was used to check for functional disability including respiratory problems and related treatments, sensory and neurodevelopment assessments, communication skills as well as the number of hospitalizations. Results: 35 of 39 survivors had a neurodevelopmental assessment, 24 infants being evaluated by Bayleyâs Scales and 11 by health status questionnaires only. 23 children had scores within normal limits and one had BSID-III <85. The remaining 11 were judged clinically to have normal development. Health status questionnaires detected only issues that would normally be expected in preterm-born children. Conclusions: This assessment offers reassurance that treatment with CHF5633 surfactant was not associated with adverse neurodevelopmental, respiratory, or health outcomes by two years corrected age
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