LITOS: a versatile LED illumination tool for optogenetic stimulation.

Optogenetics has become a key tool to manipulate biological processes with high spatio-temporal resolution. Recently, a number of commercial and open-source multi-well illumination devices have been developed to provide throughput in optogenetics experiments. However, available commercial devices remain expensive and lack flexibility, while open-source solutions require programming knowledge and/or include complex assembly processes. We present a LED Illumination Tool for Optogenetic Stimulation (LITOS) based on an assembled printed circuit board controlling a commercially available 32 × 64 LED matrix as illumination source. LITOS can be quickly assembled without any soldering, and includes an easy-to-use interface, accessible via a website hosted on the device itself. Complex light stimulation patterns can easily be programmed without coding expertise. LITOS can be used with different formats of multi-well plates, petri dishes, and flasks. We validated LITOS by measuring the activity of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in response to different dynamic light stimulation regimes using FGFR1 and Raf optogenetic actuators. LITOS can uniformly stimulate all the cells in a well and allows for flexible temporal stimulation schemes. LITOS's affordability and ease of use aims at democratizing optogenetics in any laboratory

A Java-Based Approach to Active Collaborative Filtering

In this paper, we present an collaborative filtering approach to webpage filtering. The system supports users in exchanging recommendations and exploits the social relation between recommenders and recipients of recommendations instead of computing a degree of interest. In order to help users estimate the potential interestingness of a recommended webpage, the system augments the recommendation object with additional data indicating how previous recipients of the recommendation have dealt with the corresponding webpage. The system has been implemented as a collection of personal user agents exchanging recommendations with a central recommendation server. The user agents are implemented as Java applets and the recommendation server is a Java remote object realized as object factory. Keywords Situatedness, collaborative filtering, WWW, Java INTRODUCTION The overall amount of information available online exceeds human cognitive capabilities by far. If computers are used to support user..

Souvenir der anderen Art: Helmintheninfektionen bei Reisenden

A case history after a trip to a tropical country documents the diagnostic tools (parasitology, PCR, serology) to detect a tissue helminth infection. Anhand einer Krankengeschichte nach einer Tropenreise wird die Abklärung einer Gewebshelminthiase präsentiert. Für die zuverlässige Diagnose einer Parasiteninfektion stehen neben der klassischen Mikroskopie oder der PCR auch serologische Untersuchungen zur Verfügung, welche – richtig interpretiert – die Nützlichkeit solcher Abklärungen demonstrieren

Testing the "Sexually Abused-Abuser Hypothesis" in Adolescents: A Population-Based Study

A long-standing belief in the literature on sex offenders is that sexually victimized youths are at increased risk of becoming sex offenders themselves. The present study tested the link between past sexual abuse, either with or without contact, and sexually offending behavior in a representative sample of male and female adolescents while controlling for other types of abuse, mental health problems, substance use, and non-sexual violent behaviors. Self-reported data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 6,628 students attending 9th grade public school in Switzerland (3,434 males, 3,194 females, mean age = 15.50 years, SD = 0.66 years). Exposure to contact and non-contact types of sexual abuse was assessed using the Child Sexual Abuse Questionnaire and sexually offending behavior by the presence of any of three behaviors indicating sexual coercion. Two-hundred-forty-five males (7.1 %) and 40 females (1.2 %) reported having sexually coerced another person. After controlling for non-sexual abuse, low parent education, urban versus rural living, mental health problems, substance use, and non-sexual violent behavior, male adolescents who were victims of contact sexual abuse and non-contact sexual abuse were significantly more likely to report coercive sexual behaviors. Females who experienced contact or non-contact sexual abuse were also found at increased risk of committing sexual coercion after controlling for covariates. The present findings demonstrate a strong relationship between past sexual abuse, with and without physical contact, and sexual-offending behavior in male and female adolescents. Reducing exposure to non-contact sexual abuse (like Internet-based sexual exploitation) should become a new area of sexual violence prevention in youths

Blade tip vortex detection in maneuvering flight using the Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) technique

The background oriented Schlieren (BOS) technique was used to visualize the blade tip vortices of a Eurocopter AS532UL Cougar helicopter in maneuvering flight. The test program included a wide range of maneuvers covering a large part of the flight envelope such as hover, fast forward flight, flare maneuvers and high speed turns. For selected flight conditions, the aerodynamic results are presented here. It is shown that with the reference-free BOS method, the detection of vortex filaments up to vortex ages of 540° is possible. The visualization of the vortex system is used to detect aerodynamic phenomena like blade vortex interactions (BVI), vortex airframe interactions and the occurrence of smooth sinuous disturbances. A detailed description of the applied reference-free BOS setup is given and the suitability of different natural backgrounds for the BOS method is analyzed

A Prospective Controlled Study on Long-Term Outcomes of Facial Lacerations in Children

Background: Although skin adhesives have been used for decades to treat skin lacerations, uncertainty remains about long-term results, and complications. Methods: In this prospective, controlled, single-blinded, observational cohort study, outcomes were assessed by five plastic surgeons with standardized photographs at 6-12 months using a modified Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) and Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS); additionally, the POSAS was performed by the patients/caregivers and the physician; pain, requirement of anesthesia, treatment time, costs, complications, and quality of live (QoL) were assessed. Results: A total of 367 patients were enrolled; 230 were included in the main analysis; 96 wounds were closed using tissue adhesives (group 1); 134 were sutured (group 2). Assessment by the independent observers revealed an improved mean modified overall POSAS score in group 1 in comparison with group 2 [2.1, 95% CI [1.97-2.25] vs. 2.5, 95% CI [2.39-2.63]; p < 0.001, d = 0.58] and mean VSS score [1.2, 95% CI [0.981-1.34] vs. 1.6, 95% CI [1.49-1.79], p < 0.001, d = 0.53]. At the early follow-up, dehiscence rate was 12.5% in group 1 and 3.7% in group 2 (p < 0.001); later on, one dehiscence remained per group. Mild impairment of QoL was found at the early follow-up in both groups, with no impairment remaining later on. Duration of treatment and treatment costs were lower in group 1. Conclusion: Both modalities of wound closure yield favorable esthetic results, and complications are rare. Adhesives are more cost-effective, and its application is less time-consuming; therefore, tissue adhesives offer considerable advantages when used appropriately. Trial Registration: Public trial registration was performed at www.ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03080467)