Trees and Tradition in Early Ireland

Old and Middle Irish nature poetry has long been appreciated for the vividness of its description of the natural world. In this paper, we will show that the inventory of trees and bushes upon which poets drew was based less upon direct observation of nature than upon a traditional taxonomy found in a completely different genre, the law tracts dating back to the seventh century, notably the tree list edited by Fergus Kelly in 1976 from Bretha Comaithchesa ‘Judgments Concerning Neighborhood Law’. Thus, the economic and aesthetic value of trees and bushes as discussed in law tracts and nature poetry were part of a single continuous tradition of taxonomy and silviculture stretching over at least 500 years. We will end by discussing the relationship between this tradition and the Ogam letter names (McManus 1997).

Management of Student Records: Data Access Right Matrix and Data Sharing

AbstractThis work proposes a procedure to implement a Data Access Policy to ensure the protection of privacy rights of students’ records within higher educational systems. First it reviews the general legal constraints applicable to higher Institutional Data management. Second it reviews the principles of a Coordinated Model. The procedure is based on an Access Right Matrix that assigns data access privileges to Data Users. The first purpose is to handle the common and regular access by rightful users to data needed in their daily routine job through operational interface. The main purpose of the procedure is to handle ad-hoc requests that come from outside the university or from some services which do not have formal access to the data. Data access right matrix is used to grant or reject ad hoc requests based on the following criteria: the degree of sensitivity of the data requested, the number of records requested the purpose of the usage, and finally the privileges and trustworthiness of the requester

A framework for embedding simulation.

Although exemplars of successful outcomes from using simulation are readily available, little has been published outlining how simulation can be implemented in an organisation.This study examines on an experimental approach on how discrete event simulation (DES) can be implemented in an organisation and the various success and failure factors associated with it. The importance of factors like organisational culture, information management, and human resource management was investigated. To understand the general challenges faced by organisations in implementing simulation and other business process improvement techniques, various case studies were discussed. A questionnaire was also formulated to invite some of the well-known organisations that use simulation technology to evaluate the current methods and strategies in implementing simulation.The primary outcome was to create a framework for embedding simulation based on the research from the successful case studies and the findings and outcomes from the literature survey and questionnaire. The framework was validated using examples of various cases during the research experience in the collaborating organisation. The importance of creating a structural framework and its collaboration and co-existence with the current organisational framework and required project outcome(s) were highlighted. In creating a relevant and workable framework and validating the same, this study has contributed significantly to the research gap established within the existing simulation integration studies

Information flow in a kinetic ising model peaks in the disordered phase

There is growing evidence that for a range of dynamical systems featuring complex interactions between large ensembles of interacting elements, mutual information peaks at order-disorder phase transitions. We conjecture that, by contrast, information flow in such systems will generally peak strictly on the disordered side of a phase transition. This conjecture is verified for a ferromagnetic 2D lattice Ising model with Glauber dynamics and a transfer entropy-based measure of systemwide information flow. Implications of the conjecture are considered, in particular, that for a complex dynamical system in the process of transitioning from disordered to ordered dynamics (a mechanism implicated, for example, in financial market crashes and the onset of some types of epileptic seizures); information dynamics may be able to predict an imminent transition

A Phase 1b Study of Humanized Ks-Interleukin-2 (Huks-Il2) Immunocytokine with Cyclophosphamide in Patients with Epcam-Positive Advanced Solid Tumors

BackgroundHumanized KS-interleukin-2 (huKS-IL2), an immunocytokine with specificity for epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), has demonstrated favorable tolerability and immunologic activity as a single agent.MethodsPhase 1b study in patients with EpCAM-positive advanced solid tumors to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and safety profile of huKS-IL2 in combination with low-dose cyclophosphamide. Treatment consisted of cyclophosphamide (300mg/m2 on day 1), and escalating doses of

Case Report: Successful Management of Refractory Keratomycosis in an Alpaca Using Penetrating Keratoplasty and Combination Antifungal Therapy (Caspofungin 0.5% and Terbinafine 1%)

Fungal keratitis is a common disease in certain parts of the world and affects several species, including equids, camelids, and homo sapiens, leading to blindness or loss of the eye if the infection is not adequately controlled. Reports of clinical use of antifungals caspofungin and terbinafine are limited across both veterinary and human medical literature. The alpaca presented in this case demonstrates that deep keratomycosis can be caused by Scopulariopsis brevicaulis and Fusarium verticillioides, two previously unreported fungi to cause keratomycosis in camelids. This report demonstrates successful management with a combination of surgery and topical ophthalmic treatment with caspofungin 0.5% solution and terbinafine 1% dermatologic cream, after initially failing treatment with topical voriconazole 1% solution. Combination therapy appears more effective than monotherapy with some fungal organisms, and synergy between antifungal agents is thought to play a role in the success of combination therapy. Surgery to remove the bulk of the fungal infection is especially helpful in cases that fail initial medical therapy

Respiratory Quotients of Intact Egg, Isolated Embryo and Embryo Homogenate

The problem of the nature and type of chemical compounds utilized during the embryonic development of an organism has been studied for many biological forms and considerable data exist concerning the basic details of such phenomena (Needham, 1942; Spratt, 1952; Cleland and Rothschild, 1952). The terrestrial, cleidoic or closed system egg seems to be rather favorable material for study of this problem since the exchanges of materials from the outside to the inside of the egg and vice versa appear to be at a minimum. The egg of the grasshopper, Melanoplus differentialis, is unusually favorable material for investigating the problem since water, oxygen and carbon dioxide seem to be the only substances passing into and out of the egg during its entire course of development. The fact that the embryo can be completely isolated from the yolk for experimental purposes makes possible detailed quantitative studies of its metabolic activities during various phases of its development. During the normal course of embryonic development there occur periods of mitotic activity (pre-and postdiapause) and block (diapause), thus making possible studies on these phases of the cellular behavior of both the egg and embryo (Bodine and Boell, 1934). Food for the developing embryo is contained within the egg (yolk) and consists largely of lipids and lipid compounds (Slifer, 1930). Previous metabolic studies on the changes of food during the development of this form have indicated that respiratory quotients (R.Q.) are relatively low and suggest that fat conversions or transformations are largely responsible for the chief energy sources of the embryo during its entire developmental cycle (Boell, 1935; Hill, 1945)

Effect of long-term exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to morphine: a whole cell proteomic analysis

BACKGROUND: Opiate addiction reflects plastic changes that endurably alter synaptic transmission within relevant neuronal circuits. The biochemical mechanisms of these adaptations remain largely unknown and proteomics-based approaches could lead to a broad characterization of the molecular events underlying adaptations to chronic drug exposure. RESULTS: Thus, we have started proteomic analyses of the effects of chronic morphine exposure in a recombinant human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y clone that stably overexpresses the μ-opioid receptor. Cells were treated with morphine for 6, 24 and 72 hours, the proteins were separated by 2-D gel electrophoresis and stained with Coomassie blue, and the protein map was compared with that obtained from untreated cells. Spots showing a statistically significant variation were selected for identification using mass spectrometric analyses. CONCLUSION: A total of 45 proteins were identified, including proteins involved in cellular metabolism, cytoskeleton organization, vesicular trafficking, transcriptional and translational regulation, and cell signaling

Sulindac Enhances the Killing of Cancer Cells Exposed to Oxidative Stress

BACKGROUND:Sulindac is an FDA-approved non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that affects prostaglandin production by inhibiting cyclooxygenases (COX) 1 and 2. Sulindac has also been of interest for more than decade as a chemopreventive for adenomatous colorectal polyps and colon cancer. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Pretreatment of human colon and lung cancer cells with sulindac enhances killing by an oxidizing agent such as tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) or hydrogen peroxide. This effect does not involve cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition. However, under the conditions used, there is a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the cancer cells and a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting that cell death is due to apoptosis, which was confirmed by Tunel assay. In contrast, this enhanced killing was not observed with normal lung or colon cells. SIGNIFICANCE:These results indicate that normal and cancer cells handle oxidative stress in different ways and sulindac can enhance this difference. The combination of sulindac and an oxidizing agent could have therapeutic value

Determination of the myocardial area at risk after reperfused acute myocardial infarction with different imaging techniques: cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, multidetector computed tomography and histopathological validation

International audiencen.