Acanthamoeba genotype T4 from the UK and Iran and isolation of the T2 genotype from clinical isolates

The majority of the keratitis-causing Acanthamoeba isolates are genotype T4. In an attempt to determine whether predominance of T4 isolates in Acanthamoeba keratitis is due to greater virulence or greater prevalence of this genotype, Acanthamoeba genotypes were determined for 13 keratitis isolates and 12 environmental isolates from Iran. Among 13 clinical isolates, eight (61.5 %) belonged to T4, two (15.3 %) belonged to T3 and three (23 %) belonged to the T2 genotype. In contrast, the majority of 12 environmental isolates tested in the present study belonged to T2 (7/12, 58.3 %), followed by 4/12 T4 isolates (33.3 %). In addition, the genotypes of six new Acanthamoeba isolates from UK keratitis cases were determined. Of these, five (83.3 %) belonged to T4 and one was T3 (16.6 %), supporting the expected high frequency of T4 in Acanthamoeba keratitis. In total, the genotypes of 24 Acanthamoeba keratitis isolates from the UK and Iran were determined. Of these, 17 belonged to T4 (70.8 %), three belonged to T2 (12.5 %), three belonged to T3 (12.5 %) and one belonged to T11 (4.1 %), confirming that T4 is the predominant genotype (S2 = 4.167; P = 0.0412) in Acanthamoeba keratitis

The 7 Evils of the World

The world is an interesting place. No destination is the same, yet society\u27s behavior has created many experiences common throughout the countries of this Earth. Many of us have forgotten our identities through crisis and stress. We must always remember that we are human first. With these seven poems, the forgotten problems that our brothers and sisters face every day are brought back to life. The challenges they face are also our own. I say with certainty that nobody\u27s life lacks struggle. Only a feeling of togetherness can help us overcome the toxicity that we ourselves have created in our division of the human race. Now is the time to come together

Critical role and therapeutic control of the lectin pathway of complement activation in an abortion-prone mouse mating

The abortion-prone mating combination CBA/J 7 DBA/2 has been recognized as a model of preeclampsia, and complement activation has been implicated in the high rate of pregnancy loss observed in CBA/J mice. We have analyzed the implantation sites collected from DBA/2-mated CBA/J mice for the deposition of the complement recognition molecules using CBA/J mated with BALB/c mice as a control group. MBL-A was observed in the implantation sites of CBA/J 7 DBA/2 combination in the absence of MBL-C and was undetectable in BALB/c-mated CBA/J mice. Conversely, C1q was present in both mating combinations. Searching for other complement components localized at the implantation sites of CBA/J 7 DBA/2, we found C4 and C3, but we failed to reveal C1r. These data suggest that complement is activated through the lectin pathway and proceeds to completion of the activation sequence as revealed by C9 deposition. MBL-A was detected as early as 3.5 d of pregnancy, and MBL-A deficiency prevented pregnancy loss in the abortion-prone mating combination. The contribution of the terminal complex to miscarriage was supported by the finding that pregnancy failure was largely inhibited by the administration of neutralizing Ab to C5. Treatment of DBA/2-mated CBA/J mice with Polyman2 that binds to MBL-A with high affinity proved to be highly effective in controlling the activation of the lectin pathway and in preventing fetal loss

Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of the ethanol extract of the seeds of buchholzia coriacea in experimental animals

The effects of the ethanol extract from Buchholzia coriacea seed on inflammatory response using fresh egg albumin- induced paw edema in rats were examined. Antinociceptive activity of the extract using writhing test with acetic acid-induced pain in mice and the antipyretic activity in yeast- induced fever in rats were also examined. Oral administration of the extract (at the dose of 400mg/kg and in a dose dependent manner) significantly (p< 0.05) decreased the paw oedema induced by fresh egg albumin in rats. The extract (at 400mg/kg) also significantly (p< 0.05) inhibited yeast-induced pyrexia in rats when compared to the control. The extract was also found to possess significant (p< 0.05) dose dependent antinociceptive response in mice at 800 mg /kg. The results support the use of Buchholzia extract for the treatment of inflammatory disorders

An Analysis on the First String Quartet of Krzystof Penderecki and an Original Composition, Symphony II.

What immediately comes to mind when looking at the First String Quartet (1960) of Kryzstof Penderecki is his creative method of notation and captivating visual aspect of the score. The composer introduces effective and unusual sounds which require new performance techniques. In addition to these devices he places the composition in a non-metered notation which gives the work an indeterminate aspect. All of these mechanisms sometimes overshadow the more detailed information of the work. However, when listening to this composition certain organizational aspects present themselves in the foreground. Intimate study of the work will reveal the importance of rhythm, pitch organization and formal considerations. In general, studying this piece will provide insight into Penderecki\u27s compositional development. The second part of the dissertation is an original composition, by the author, titled Symphony II. It is comprised of three separate movements, roughly ten minutes each. This work combines a variety of techniques, ranging from clusters, polychords, instrumental color effects, the whole tone scale, hints of tonality, chromatic passages, tertian applications, a quotation, the use of repetition, and various rhythmic aspects. The first and third movements are in ternary form and the opening ideas of both movements are stated and developed in the cello and double bass. A solo violin is introduced and appears three times during the course of the first movement. This solo violin returns and appears twice in the third movement. The similarities between the first and third movements create a cycle, thus giving the entire piece an arch form. The second movement is based on a theme proposed by Frederick the Great of Prussia, on which Johann Sebastian Bach improvised when he was visiting Potsdam in 1747

Patterns and processes in shorebird survival rates: a global review

Changes in demographic rates underpin changes in population size, and understanding demographic rates can greatly aid the design and development of strategies to maintain populations in the face of environmental changes. However, acquiring estimates of demographic parameters at relevant spatial scales is difficult. Measures of annual survival rates can be particularly challenging to obtain because large-scale, long-term tracking of individuals is difficult and the resulting data contain many inherent biases. In recent years, advances in both tracking and analytical techniques have meant that, for some taxonomic groups, sufficient numbers of survival estimates are available to allow variation within and among species to be explored. Here we review published estimates of annual adult survival rates in shorebird species across the globe, and construct models to explore the phylogenetic, geographical, seasonal and sex-based variation in survival rates. Models of 295 survival estimates from 56 species show that survival rates calculated from recoveries of dead individuals or from return rates of marked individuals are significantly lower than estimates from mark–recapture models. Survival rates also vary across flyways, largely as a consequence of differences in the genera that have been studied and the analytical methods used, with published estimates from the Americas and from smaller shorebirds (Actitis, Calidris and Charadrius spp.) tending to be underestimated. By incorporating the analytical method used to generate each estimate within a mixed model framework, we provide method-corrected species-specific and genus-specific adult annual survival estimates for 52 species of 15 genera

Ultra-Stable and Robust Response to X-Rays in 2D Layered Perovskite Micro-Crystalline Films Directly Deposited on Flexible Substrate

2D layered hybrid perovskites have recently attracted an increasing interest as active layers in LEDs and UV–Vis photodetectors. 2D perovskites crystallize in a natural self-assembled quantum well-like structure and possess several interesting features among which low-temperature (&lt;100 °C) synthesis and low defect density. Here are presented solid-state ionizing radiation direct detectors based on the 2D layered hybrid perovskite PEA2PbBr4 (PEA = C6H5C2H4NH3+) deposited from solution using scalable techniques and directly integrated onto a pre-patterned flexible substrate in the form of micro-crystalline films displaying crystal-like behavior, as evidenced by the ultra-fast (sub-microsecond) and good detection performances under UV light. The effective detection of X-rays (up to 150 kVp) is demonstrated with sensitivity values up to 806 µC Gy−1 cm−2 and Limit of Detection of 42 nGy s−1, thus combining the excellent performance for two relevant figures of merit for solid-state detectors. Additionally, the tested devices exhibit exceptionally stable response under constant irradiation and bias, assessing the material robustness and the intimate electrical contact with the electrodes. PEA2PbBr4 micro-crystalline films directly grown on flexible pre-patterned substrate open the way for large-area solid-state detectors working at low radiation flux for ultra-fast X-ray imaging and dosimetry

Modèle harmonique de surface déformable périodiquement application à l'échocardiographie

L'étude décrit une technique de reconstruction spatio-temporelle d'un objet périodiquement déformable à partir d'un ensemble de coupes planes. L'échantillonnage de la surface de l'objet est représentée par un ensemble de surfaces périodiques discrètes. Lorsque le capteur est en mouvement, les données sont localisées sur des droites particulières de ces surfaces. L'analyse harmonique conjointe des données 1D et des surfaces 2D a conduit à l'élaboration d'un modèle spatio-temporel (MHSDP). Les paramètres du modèle sont calculés de façon analytique et permettent la restitution complète des surfaces. Cette approche est notamment appliquée à la restitution du ventricule gauche (VG) du coeur en échocardiographie

Segmentation automatique d'images à faible résolution et faible contraste : Application à l'IRM cardiaque du petit animal

Nous proposons une nouvelle approche pour la segmentation automatique des contours myocardiques sur des IRM de rats afin de permettre dans un travail ultérieur la quantification de l'infarctus du myocarde chez le rongeur. Dans ce travail, nous adaptons à la qualité des images, un modèle de contours actifs classique dirigé par un champ de vecteurs gradient (gradient vector flow ou GVF). Un filtre gaussien, dont la variance est déterminée automatiquement, constitue l'étape de prétraitement. L'initialisation automatique du contour initial est basée sur la localisation des lignes de fond de vallées du GVF. Deux processus de contours actifs continus sont ensuite mis en oeuvre avec au départ de leur évolution, une force ballon négative pour diriger le premier vers l'endocarde et une positive pour celui dédié à l'épicarde. Ce double processus de segmentation est testé et évalué sur différents types d'acquisition en IRM cardiaque

MKLN1 splicing defect in dogs with lethal acrodermatitis

Lethal acrodermatitis (LAD) is a genodermatosis with monogenic autosomal recessive inheritance in Bull Terriers and Miniature Bull Terriers. The LAD phenotype is characterized by poor growth, immune deficiency, and skin lesions, especially at the paws. Utilizing a combination of genome wide association study and haplotype analysis, we mapped the LAD locus to a critical interval of similar to 1.11 Mb on chromosome 14. Whole genome sequencing of an LAD affected dog revealed a splice region variant in the MKLN1 gene that was not present in 191 control genomes (chr14:5,731,405T>G or MKLN/:c.400+3A>C). This variant showed perfect association in a larger combined Bull Terrier/Miniature Bull Terrier cohort of 46 cases and 294 controls. The variant was absent from 462 genetically diverse control dogs of 62 other dog breeds. RT-PCR analysis of skin RNA from an affected and a control dog demonstrated skipping of exon 4 in the MKLN1 transcripts of the LAD affected dog, which leads to a shift in the MKLN1 reading frame. MKLN1 encodes the widely expressed intracellular protein muskelin 1, for which diverse functions in cell adhesion, morphology, spreading, and intracellular transport processes are discussed. While the pathogenesis of LAD remains unclear, our data facilitate genetic testing of Bull Terriers and Miniature Bull Terriers to prevent the unintentional production of LAD affected dogs. This study may provide a starting point to further clarify the elusive physiological role of muskelin 1 in vivo.Peer reviewe