Streams Going Notts: The tidal debris finder comparison project

While various codes exist to systematically and robustly find haloes and subhaloes in cosmological simulations (Knebe et al., 2011, Onions et al., 2012), this is the first work to introduce and rigorously test codes that find tidal debris (streams and other unbound substructure) in fully cosmological simulations of structure formation. We use one tracking and three non-tracking codes to identify substructure (bound and unbound) in a Milky Way type simulation from the Aquarius suite (Springel et al., 2008) and post-process their output with a common pipeline to determine the properties of these substructures in a uniform way. By using output from a fully cosmological simulation, we also take a step beyond previous studies of tidal debris that have used simple toy models. We find that both tracking and non-tracking codes agree well on the identification of subhaloes and more importantly, the {\em unbound tidal features} associated with them. The distributions of basic properties of the total substructure distribution (mass, velocity dispersion, position) are recovered with a scatter of $\sim20$. Using the tracking code as our reference, we show that the non-tracking codes identify complex tidal debris with purities of $\sim40$. Analysing the results of the substructure finders, we find that the general distribution of {\em substructures} differ significantly from the distribution of bound {\em subhaloes}. Most importantly, both bound and unbound {\em substructures} together constitute $\sim18$ of the host halo mass, which is a factor of $\sim2$ higher than the fraction in self-bound {\em subhaloes}. However, this result is restricted by the remaining challenge to cleanly define when an unbound structure has become part of the host halo. Nevertheless, the more general substructure distribution provides a more complete picture of a halo's accretion history.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

In vitro effectiveness of Castellani solution including various ingredients against different microorganisms

Objective: As the external auditory canal is a moisturearea, it facilitates the growth of bacteria and fungi. Infectionsand inflammation due to Staphylococcus aureus,Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus spp. and Candidaalbicans can develop in this area. Classical Castellanisolution including boric acid, fenol, fucsin, resorcinol, acetone,and alcohol is used for external ear tract infectionsdue to fungi and bacteria, and also for the superficial dermatophytoses,and eczematous dermatitis of the externalear tract infections.The purpose of this study is to investigate of the in vitroeffectiveness of classical Castellani solution and its differentformulations with different dilutions against the standardyeast and bacteria strains.Methods: C. albicans ATCC 10231, C. krusei ATCC6258, C. dubliniensis CD 36, C. guilliermondii ATCC6260, C. parapsilosis ATCC22019, E. coli ATCC 25922,P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, MRSA ATCC 43300, Staphylococcusaureus ATCC 25923, and S. epidermidis ATCC12228 strains were included in the study. Broth microdilutionmethod was used for each microorganism and Castellaniformulation. The tests are repeated at least twice.Results: The inhibitory concentration of classical Castellanisolution against bacteria and fungi is 1/64-1/256,1/32-1/64 for fuchsin free solution, 1/32-1/128 for boricacid-free solution and, 1/64-1/128 for resorcinol-free solution.Conclusions: As a conclusion we think that the classicalCastellani solution and its different formulations at variousdilutions may be effective antimicrobial agents for differentpatient populations. J Clin Exp Invest 2013; 4 (3):302-305Key words: Castellani solution, antimicrobial activity, in vitr

Kodin ja koulun yhteistyön vaikutus opettajien työhyvinvointiin

Tiivistelmä. Pro gradu -tutkielmassamme tarkastelemme opettajien kokemuksia kodin ja koulun välisestä yhteistyöstä. Tutkimuksemme selvittää, onko opettajien myönteisillä ja kielteisillä yhteistyökokemuksilla yhteyttä heidän kokemaansa työhyvinvointiin. Lisäksi tarkastelemme keinoja, miten myönteinen toimintakulttuuri on mahdollista rakentaa kodin ja koulun välille opettajan näkökulmasta. Tutkielman teoreettisen viitekehyksen ensimmäisessä osassa käsittelemme kodin ja koulun välistä yhteistyötä. Keskiössä ovat kodin ja koulun yhteistyön lähtökohdat, haasteet, oppilasta tukeva yhteistyö sekä toimivan yhteistyön rakentuminen. Opettajien työhyvinvointi muodostaa teoreettisen viitekehyksen toisen osan, jossa perehdymme työhyvinvointiin ja työuupumukseen sekä siihen, miten ne näyttäytyvät opettajan työssä. Tutkimus on toteutettu kvalitatiivisesti ja aineistolähtöistä sisällönanalyysia mukaillen. Aineistonkeruu toteutettiin etäyhteyksien avulla ja siihen osallistui viisi peruskoulun luokanopettajaa, joilla oli työuraa takana 3–36 vuotta. Tutkielman tulosten perusteella opettajien kokemukset ovat pääsääntöisesti myönteisiä kodin ja koulun yhteistyöstä. Opettajilla oli myös yksittäisiä haastavia yhteistyökokemuksia, joiden koettiin vaikuttaneen työhyvinvointiin ainakin hetkellisesti. Osa opettajista koki yhteistyön olevan työhyvinvointinsa kannalta kannattelevaa ja osa ei pystynyt selkeästi määrittelemään sitä kannattelevaksi tai kuormittavaksi tekijäksi. Opettajat kokivat kodin ja koulun välisen yhteistyön merkittäväksi erityisesti oppilaiden tukemisen ja hyvinvoinnin kannalta. Opettajien näkökulmasta sujuvan toimintakulttuurin rakentuminen kodin ja koulun välille edellyttää muun muassa kasvatusyhteistyön toteuttamista yhteisenä projektina, aikaa vanhempien ja opettajien väliseen kohtaamiseen ja tutustumiseen sekä yhdessä yhteistyön periaatteista sopimista. Tuloksissa korostuivat molemminpuolinen avoimuus ja yhteistyön toteuttaminen aina matalalla kynnyksellä

Black holes in which the electrostatic or scalar equation is solvable in closed form

We show that the method used in the Schwarzschild black hole for finding the elementary solution of the electrostatic equation in closed form cannot extend in higher dimensions. By contrast, we prove the existence of static, spherically symmetric geometries with a non-degenerated horizon in which the static scalar equation can be solved in closed form. We give the explicit results in 6 dimensions. We determine moreover the expressions of the electrostatic potential and of the static scalar field for a point source in the extremal Reissner-Nordstrom black holes in higher dimensions.Comment: 20 pages, no figur

Laboratory Evaluation of a Manure Additive for Mitigating Gas and Odor Releases from Layer Hen Manure

Manure additives are widely used to mitigate gas and odor emissions from manure or improve manure properties. However, the reported effectiveness of some manure additive products has been mixed and most of the studies on poultry manure have been on chemical additives. A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate an enzyme-based commercial manure additive for its potential reductions of ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and odor releases from layer hen manure. Eight 122-cm tall and 38-cm diameter reactors, four treated with the additive and four control, were studied for 38 days with manure from commercial layer hen houses. The reactors were initially filled with 66-cm height manure followed by weekly additions of 5 cm each. Ventilation air was supplied to the reactor headspace to simulate winter ventilation rates in layer hen houses. Concentrations of NH3, CO2, and H2S in the reactor exhaust air were measured with gas analyzers for 10 minutes, six times daily. Odor intensity was assessed by a trained odor panel. Open-headspace tests were also conducted to corroborate the observations in the reactor study. Study results showed that the average 4-reactor group mean release rates ± standard deviations of NH3 were 17.5 ± 14.3 and 20.1 ± 12.6 µg s–1 from the control and treated groups, respectively. Those of CO2 were 1091 ± 149 µg s–1 from the control and 1143 ± 217 µg s–1 from the treated groups. Release of H2S from the reactors could not be detected. The odor intensities were 3.5 ± 0.3 and 3.4 ± 0.3 before and after the additive spray, respectively. Application of the additive onto the manure did not demonstrate an effect on the releases of NH3 (P = 0.41), CO2 (P \u3e 0.23), and odor (P \u3e 0.71)

Sussing merger trees: a proposed merger tree data format

We propose a common terminology for use in describing both temporal merger trees and spatial structure trees for dark-matter halos. We specify a unified data format in HDF5 and provide example I/O routines in C, FORTRAN and PYTHON

Local C-Reactive Protein Expression in Obliterative Lesions and the Bronchial Wall in Posttransplant Obliterative Bronchiolitis

The local immunoreactivity of C-reactive protein (CRP) was studied in a heterotopic porcine model of posttranplant obliterative bronchiolitis (OB). Bronchial allografts and control autografts were examined serially 2–28 days after subcutaneous transplantation. The autografts stayed patent. In the allografts, proliferation of inflammatory cells (P < .0001) and fibroblasts (P = .02) resulted in occlusion of the bronchial lumens (P < .01). Influx of CD4+ (P < .001) and CD8+ (P < .0001) cells demonstrated allograft immune response. CRP positivity simultaneously increased in the bronchial walls (P < .01), in macrophages, myofibroblasts, and endothelial cells. Local CRP was predictive of features characteristic of OB (R = 0.456–0.879, P < .05−P < .0001). Early obliterative lesions also showed CRP positivity, but not mature, collagen-rich obliterative plugs (P < .05). During OB development, CRP is localized in inflammatory cells, myofibroblasts and endothelial cells probably as a part of the local inflammatory response

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) among travellers to Africa : destination-specific data pooled from three European prospective studies

Abstract Background One third of travellers to low- and middle-income regions of the tropics and subtropics become colonized by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE). The risk varies by destination and, for each traveller, may be substantially further increased by travellers’ diarrhoea (TD) and antibiotic use. Despite the risk of TD in Africa, ESBL-PE acquisition rates in all studies are lower there than in Asia. Africa has become increasingly popular as a destination for international travellers, yet minimal data are available from the continent’s subregions and countries. Methods We analysed subregion- and country-specific data on carriage and risk factors for ESBL-PE colonization pooled from three prospective studies conducted between 2009 and 2013 among Finnish and Dutch travellers. The data were subjected to multivariable analysis of risk factors. In addition, we compared our data to two recent large investigations reporting data by subregion and country. Results Our joint analysis comprised data on 396 travellers. The ESBL-PE colonization rate was highest in Northern Africa, followed by Middle and Eastern Africa, and lowest in Southern and Western Africa. Of individual countries with more than 15 visitors, the highest rates were seen for Egypt (12/17; 70.6%), Ghana (6/23; 26.1%), and Tanzania (14/81; 17.3%); the rates among travellers to Egypt were comparable to those reported in South and Southeast Asia. In a pooled multivariable analysis, travel destination, age, overnight hospitalisation abroad, TD, and use of fluoroquinolones were independently associated with increased ESBL-PE colonization rates. Conlusions Even in areas with relatively low risk of colonization, antimicrobials clearly predispose to colonization with ESBL-PE. Travellers to Africa should be cautioned against unnecessary use of antibiotics

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) among travellers to Africa : destination-specific data pooled from three European prospective studies

Background: One third of travellers to low- and middle-income regions of the tropics and subtropics become colonized by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE). The risk varies by destination and, for each traveller, may be substantially further increased by travellers' diarrhoea (TD) and antibiotic use. Despite the risk of TD in Africa, ESBL-PE acquisition rates in all studies are lower there than in Asia. Africa has become increasingly popular as a destination for international travellers, yet minimal data are available from the continent's subregions and countries. Methods: We analysed subregion- and country-specific data on carriage and risk factors for ESBL-PE colonization pooled from three prospective studies conducted between 2009 and 2013 among Finnish and Dutch travellers. The data were subjected to multivariable analysis of risk factors. In addition, we compared our data to two recent large investigations reporting data by subregion and country. Results: Our joint analysis comprised data on 396 travellers. The ESBL-PE colonization rate was highest in Northern Africa, followed by Middle and Eastern Africa, and lowest in Southern and Western Africa. Of individual countries with more than 15 visitors, the highest rates were seen for Egypt (12/17; 70.6%), Ghana (6/23; 26.1%), and Tanzania (14/81; 17.3%); the rates among travellers to Egypt were comparable to those reported in South and Southeast Asia. In a pooled multivariable analysis, travel destination, age, overnight hospitalisation abroad, TD, and use of fluoroquinolones were independently associated with increased ESBL-PE colonization rates. Conlusions: Even in areas with relatively low risk of colonization, antimicrobials clearly predispose to colonization with ESBL-PE. Travellers to Africa should be cautioned against unnecessary use of antibiotics.Peer reviewe