Probability Distribution of the Quality Factor of a Mode-Stirred Reverberation Chamber

We derive a probability distribution, confidence intervals and statistics of the quality (Q) factor of an arbitrarily shaped mode-stirred reverberation chamber, based on ensemble distributions of the idealized random cavity field with assumed perfect stir efficiency. It is shown that Q exhibits a Fisher-Snedecor F-distribution whose degrees of freedom are governed by the number of simultaneously excited cavity modes per stir state. The most probable value of Q is between a fraction 2/9 and 1 of its mean value, and between a fraction 4/9 and 1 of its asymptotic (composite Q) value. The arithmetic mean value is found to always exceed the values of all other theoretical metrics for centrality of Q. For a rectangular cavity, we retrieve the known asymptotic Q in the limit of highly overmoded regime.Comment: accepted for publication in IEEE Trans. Electromagn. Compat., 201

Isolated Meningitis and Lacrimal Gland Abscess due to Odontogenic Sinusitis: Case Report

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Propagation of rays in 2D and 3D waveguides: A stability analysis with Lyapunov and reversibility fast indicators

Propagation of rays in 2D and 3D corrugated waveguides is performed in the general framework of stability indicators. The analysis of stability is based on the Lyapunov and Reversibility error. It is found that the error growth follows a power law for regular orbits and an exponential law for chaotic orbits. A relation with the Shannon channel capacity is devised and an approximate scaling law found for the capacity increase with the corrugation depth.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Chao

Prediction of Elevated Temperature Flexural Strength of Lightweight Foamed Concrete Strengthened with Polypropylene Fibre and Fly Ash

This paper focuses on an experimental investigation and statistical analysis of elevated temperature flexural strengths of lightweight foamed concrete (LFC) strengthened with polypropylene fiber (PF) and fly ash (FA) up to 600°C. Five mixes of LFC with 600, 800, 1000, 1200 and 1400 kg/m³ densities were made and tested in current exploration. Two mixes were casted by substituting 15% and 30% of cement content with FA and in other two series; PF was added to LFC mix, correspondingly by 0.2% and 0.4% of binder volume, one controlled mixture without additives was also fabricated. From the experimental results, it can be concluded that the lessening of LFC flexural strength exposed to elevated temperature may be mainly due to the formation of micro cracks at temperature exceeding 93°C since the flexural strength is unfavourably influenced by formation of cracks so that a rigorous strength loss was experiential at 600°C and the flexural strength was only about 40% of its original value. In order to predict the flexural strength of LFC at high temperatures, some existing models applied for normal strength concrete have been considered. The most consistent model for predicting flexural strength of LFC strengthened with PF and FA and also LFC made by ordinary Portland Cement CEM1 at elevated temperature is Li and Guo prediction model. Keywords: foamed concrete, flexural strength, bending strength, elevated temperature, polypropylene fiber, fly as

Active veterinary and entomological surveillance to assess emerging vector-borne disease risk in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (Italy)

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Friedlander-Keller ray expansions in electromagnetism: Monochromatic radiation from arbitrary surfaces in three dimensions

The standard approach to applying ray theory to solving Maxwell’s equations in the large wave-number limit involves seeking solutions that have (i) an oscillatory exponential with a phase term that is linear in the wave-number and (ii) has an amplitude profile expressed in terms of inverse powers of that wave-number. The Friedlander–Keller modification includes an additional power of this wave-number in the phase of the wave structure, and this additional term is crucial when analysing certain wave phenomena such as creeping and whispering gallery wave propagation. However, other wave phenomena necessitate a generalisation of this theory. The purposes of this paper are to provide a ‘generalised’ Friedlander–Keller ray ansatz for Maxwell’s equations to obtain a new set of field equations for the various phase terms and amplitude of the wave structure; these are then solved subject to boundary data conforming to wave-fronts that are either specified or general. These examples specifically require this generalisation as they are not amenable to classic ray theory

Monitoring campaign over an edible dormouse population (Glis glis; rodentia: Gliridae) in Sicily: First report of mesocestodiasis

This study reports on the health status of the edible dormouse (Glis glis) living in Nebrodi Park (Sicily, Italy), responsible for nut crop damage in the area. In the frame of a monitoring campaign for potential zoonotic risk involving 30 dormice, rectal and conjunctival swabs and fur and nest content were collected for bacteriological and parasitological examinations, respectively. A large presence of fleas belonging to Monopsyllus sciurorum was found. Necropsy of a dead dormouse revealed an infection of Mesocestoides lineatus, whose cysts were found in the abdomen cavity and on the liver; this is the first report of this in this species. Further studies are necessary to identify their role in the environment, considering the limited knowledge of this species in Italy

Isolation of a Wickerhamomyces anomalus yeast strain from the sandfly Phlebotomus perniciosus, displaying the killer phenotype

The yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus has been studied for its wide biotechnological potential, mainly for applications in the food industry. Different strains of W. anomalus have been isolated from diverse habitats and recently from insects, including mosquitoes of medical importance. This paper reports the isolation and phylogenetic characterization of W. anomalus from laboratory-reared adults and larvae of Phlebotomus perniciosus (Diptera: Psychodidae), a main phlebotomine vector of human and canine leishmaniasis. Of 65 yeast strains isolated from P. perniciosus, 15 strains were identified as W. anomalus; one of these was tested for the killer phenotype and demonstrated inhibitory activity against four yeast sensitive strains, as reported for mosquito-isolated strains. The association between P. perniciosus and W. anomalus deserves further investigation in order to explore the possibility that this yeast may exert inhibitory/killing activity against Leishmania spp

An investigation of polymorphisms in innate and adaptive immune response genes in canine leishmaniosis

The outcome of infection with Leishmania infantum in dogs is variable, which is thought to be due to the nature of the immune response mounted by the host. As a consequence, the clinical signs and severity of canine leishmaniosis vary between individual dogs. Host immunogenetic factors might play an important role in determining the outcome of infection. The aim of this study was to examine polymorphisms in innate and adaptive immune response genes, to determine whether any of these were associated with susceptibility or resistance to L. infantum infection. Genomic DNA was obtained from two groups: pet dogs in endemic regions of Europe and a group of Beagles exposed to sand fly infection as part of a vaccine study. Genotyping was performed using a SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) array for selected immune response genes. The first part of the study compared 62 clinical cases with 101 clinically unaffected dogs that were seronegative for Leishmania antibodies. One SNP in the CIITA gene demonstrated a significantly higher minor allele frequency in the case group, compared with the control group at the individual SNP level after permutation, but was not significant after correction for multiple testing. The second part of the study examined 48 Beagle dogs exposed to L. infantum over two transmission seasons. Twenty-seven dogs with a resistant phenotype (no evidence of clinical disease, seronegative at the end of the study period, negative on lymph node culture and only transiently PCR positive in bone marrow) were compared with 21 dogs demonstrating a susceptible phenotype (clinical disease, seropositive, positive lymph node culture and consistently PCR positive in bone marrow). Three SNPs in TLR3, two SNPs in PTPN22 and one SNP in TLR4 and IL1A were associated with the susceptible phenotype in the Beagle group at the individual SNP level after permutation analysis, but were not significant after correction for multiple testing. Further validation of these SNPs is required in a larger cohort of dogs, ideally with extreme phenotypes to confirm an association with the outcome of L. infantum infection