Caucasus Seismic Information Network: Data and Analysis Final Report

The geology and tectonics of the Caucasus region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia) are highly variable. Consequently, generating a structural model and characterizing seismic wave propagation in the region require data from local seismic networks. As of eight years ago, there was only one broadband digital station operating in the region – an IRIS station at Garni, Armenia – and few analog stations. The Caucasus Seismic Information Network (CauSIN) project is part of a nulti-national effort to build a knowledge base of seismicity and tectonics in the region. During this project, three major tasks were completed: 1) collection of seismic data, both in event catalogus and phase arrival time picks; 2) development of a 3-D P-wave velocity model of the region obtained through crustal tomography; 3) advances in geological and tectonic models of the region. The first two tasks are interrelated. A large suite of historical and recent seismic data were collected for the Caucasus. These data were mainly analog prior to 2000, and more recently, in Georgia and Azerbaijan, the data are digital. Based on the most reliable data from regional networks, a crustal model was developed using 3-D tomographic inversion. The results of the inversion are presented, and the supporting seismic data are reported. The third task was carried out on several fronts. Geologically, the goal of obtaining an integrated geological map of the Caucasus on a scale of 1:500,000 was initiated. The map for Georgia has been completed. This map serves as a guide for the final incorporation of the data from Armenia and Azerbaijan. Description of the geological units across borders has been worked out and formation boundaries across borders have been agreed upon. Currently, Armenia and Azerbaijan are working with scientists in Georgia to complete this task. The successful integration of the geologic data also required addressing and mapping active faults throughout the greater Caucasus. Each of the major faults in the region were identified and the probability of motion were assessed. Using field data and seismicity, the relative activity on each of these faults was determined. Furthermore, the sense of motion along the faults was refined using GPS, fault plane solutions, and detailed field studies. During the course of the integration of the active fault data, the existence of the proposed strike slip Borjomi-Kazbeki fault was brought into question. Although it had been incorporated in many active tectonic models over the past decade, field geologists and geophysicists in Georgia questioned its existence. Detailed field studies were carried out to determine the existence of the fault and estimate the slip along it; and it was found that the fault zone did not exist. Therefore, the convergence rate in the greater Caucasus must be reinterpreted in terms of thrust mechanisms, instead of strike-slip on the Borjomi-Kazbeki fault zone

A Deep Learning based Pipeline for Efficient Oral Cancer Screening on Whole Slide Images

Oral cancer incidence is rapidly increasing worldwide. The most important determinant factor in cancer survival is early diagnosis. To facilitate large scale screening, we propose a fully automated pipeline for oral cancer detection on whole slide cytology images. The pipeline consists of fully convolutional regression-based nucleus detection, followed by per-cell focus selection, and CNN based classification. Our novel focus selection step provides fast per-cell focus decisions at human-level accuracy. We demonstrate that the pipeline provides efficient cancer classification of whole slide cytology images, improving over previous results both in terms of accuracy and feasibility. The complete source code is available at https://github.com/MIDA-group/OralScreen.Comment: Accepted to ICIAR 202

Features of the opportunistic behaviour of the marine bacterium marinobacter algicola in the microalga ostreococcus tauri phycosphere

Although interactions between microalgae and bacteria are observed in both natural environment and the laboratory, the modalities of coexistence of bacteria inside microalgae phycospheres in laboratory cultures are mostly unknown. Here, we focused on well-controlled cultures of the model green picoalga Ostreococcus tauri and the most abundant member of its phycosphere, Marinobacter algicola. The prevalence of M. algicola in O. tauri cultures raises questions about how this bacterium maintains itself under laboratory conditions in the microalga culture. The results showed that M. algicola did not promote O. tauri growth in the absence of vitamin B12 while M. algicola depended on O. tauri to grow in synthetic medium, most likely to obtain organic carbon sources provided by the microalgae. M. algicola grew on a range of lipids, including triacylglycerols that are known to be produced by O. tauri in culture during abiotic stress. Genomic screening revealed the absence of genes of two particular modes of quorum-sensing in Marinobacter genomes which refutes the idea that these bacterial communication systems operate in this genus. To date, the ‘opportunistic’ behaviour of M. algicola in the laboratory is limited to several phytoplanktonic species including Chlorophyta such as O. tauri. This would indicate a preferential occurrence of M. algicola in association with these specific microalgae under optimum laboratory conditions

Cathepsins B, L and cystatin C in cyst fluid of ovarian tumors

Contains fulltext : 88032.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)INTRODUCTION: In cancer, an extracellular and membrane bound localization of cathepsins contribute to the invasion of tumor cells at the basement membrane. METHODS: This is the first study that explored levels of cathepsins B (CatB), L (CatL) and their inhibitor cystatin C (CysC) in the cystic fluid (CF) of ovarian tumors (n = 110). RESULTS: CF contained considerable amounts of CatB, CatL and CysC. Remarkable differences in CatB and CatL and CysC CF levels were found between different histopathological tumor subtypes. Levels of CatB and CysC were significantly higher in CF of malignant serous tumors compared to those found in benign serous tumors (p = 0.010 and p = 0.001 respectively), whereas levels of CatL were significantly higher in CF of malignant mucinous tumors compared to those found in benign mucinous tumors (p = 0.035). CatB and CysC showed a strong correlation in the group of patients with malignant serous tumors (p < 0.001; R = 0.921) suggesting that the increase in CatB might be balanced by a corresponding increase in CysC. CONCLUSION: Further studies are warranted to investigate cathepsins as possible prognostic biomarkers for the aggressiveness of ovarian cancer.1 mei 201

Development and pretesting of an information, education and communication (IEC) focused antenatal care handbook in Pakistan

BACKGROUND: Improvement of maternal morbidity and mortality indicators remains a major challenge for developing countries. Antenatal care is one of the key strategies in maintaining safe motherhood. The objective of this study was to develop and pretest a culturally relevant Antenatal Care Handbook (ANC handbook) utilizing the principles of information, education, and communication (IEC). We developed the ANC handbook after an extensive review of existing literature, available instruments (for keeping track of pregnancy and informing pregnant women), and seeking expert opinion. To pretest the ANC handbook, a cross-sectional approach was adopted, and information was collected from 300 expectant women, 150 women each from the community and from the health facility arm. Trained field workers conducted the pretesting from May 2004 to June 2004. Feedback on messages for pregnant mothers contained in the handbook was also assessed. At the same time, the ANC handbook was reviewed by 25 health care providers (including community health workers, physicians, nurses, and other health staff working at various kinds of health care facilities). Data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. FINDINGS: Twenty-three percent of the interviewed women were primigravida, 50% were multigravida and 27% were grandmultipara. The mean age of the women in the community sample was 25.8 SD: 4.9 years and in the hospital sample it was 25.7 SD: 5.2 years. No significant differences were observed between women interviewed at community or health facilities related to their understanding of ANC messages, and the majority of messages were well understood. Similarly, health care providers found all of the instruments useful and workable in the health system. Finally, feedback from pregnant women and health care staff regarding different components of the handbook were incorporated and later verified by them. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of pretesting reveal that a majority of pregnant women have an understanding of the culturally relevant ANC handbook. The handbook was found to be practical by healthcare paraprofessionals and community workers for use in different tiers of the health care system in Pakistan. The ANC handbook can be applied in the health service sector of Pakistan and can be adopted with relevant cultural modifications by countries with a similar context

The effect of implanted yttrium on the oxidation behaviour of Fe-20Cr-5Al alloy at 1373 K in air

The influence of implanted yttrium on the oxidation behaviour of an Fe-20Cr-5Al alloy was studied at 1373 K in air under isothermal and thermal cycling conditions in order to verify previous results obtained at 1473 K which indicated no beneficial effect of this addition. The implanted yttrium substantially improved the scale resistance to spalling, only slightly affected the scale growth rate, and altered the scale morphology. On unimplanted material developed ridged scales, while yttrium promoted the formation of buckled oxide layers, the higher the dose the more buckled the scale. After spalling of the scale from yttrium implanted material due to prolonged thermal cycling ridges were growing instead of buckles. These and previous results showed that the efficiency of the implanted yttrium depends on its amount in the substrate and on the reaction temperature as well and that there is no simple correlation between the scale thickness and its resistance to spalling

Il Disegno della Storia

The team is actually working in Visoko\u2019s area, a city of the central Bosnia I Herzegovina, approximately 30 km far from Sarajevo. The research aims to locate, to list and to broadcast the ste\u107ak, burial-ritual objects about the medieval era, as a requirement for to conserve and re-design in an innovative way the urban shape and the natural landscape. The survey and the graphic description of the ste\u107ak will introduce to a dynamic data processing archives, that is very helpful for to understand the history of the place, the typological and morphological frame of the settlement and itslandscape, the connections between content and form. At the same time, the research will focus on similar stone handmade discovered in the Nord-West Sardinia, especially on the Tomba della scacchiera, a Neolithic burial-ritual sites at the Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga. On account of the shape and decorations on them, it could be possible to find out new information about the ancient European and local history