Contribution of microlensing to X-ray variability of distant QSOs

We consider a contribution of microlensing to the X-ray variability of high-redshifted QSOs. Cosmologically distributed gravitational microlenses could be localized in galaxies (or even in bulge or halo of gravitational macrolenses) or could be distributed in a uniform way. We have analyzed both cases of such distributions. We found that the optical depth for gravitational microlensing caused by cosmologically distributed deflectors could be significant and could reach $10^{-2} - 0.1$ at $z\sim 2$. This means that cosmologically distributed deflectors may contribute significantlly to the X-ray variability of high-redshifted QSOs ($z>2$). Considering that the upper limit of the optical depth ($\tau\sim 0.1$) corresponds to the case where dark matter forms cosmologically distributed deflectors, observations of the X-ray variations of unlensed QSOs can be used for the estimation of the dark matter fraction of microlenses.Comment: 6 pages, to appear in "Impact of Gravitational Lensing on Cosmology", IAU Symposium 225, eds. Y. Mellier & G. Meyla

The Croatians in Sydney

Croatian settlement in Sydney has a dynamic history of arrivals, desertions, internment, collective departures, and a continuously rich social and political life although only several hundred Croatians lived in Sydney until 1949. At least 5,000 Croatians lived in Australia in 1947, mostly from the coastal region of Dalmatia, mainly from the Makarska area and the island of Korcula. They made up around 80 per cent of all migrants from what was then Yugoslavia and a majority among the approximately 425 ‘Yugoslavs’ who in lived in Sydney in that period. Many more arrived afterwards and at least 118,046 people in Australia, 33,930 in Sydney, were of Croatian ancestry in 2006.3 The experience of Croatians in Sydney is observed through two historical periods, linked by continuous market gardening in the northern suburbs of Mona Vale and Warriewood, and the western suburbs of Cabramatta and Blacktown. Inevitably, it must be understood against the background of the dramatic political and social events that Croatia and Croatians experienced over the twentieth century

Antibiotikaresistenzen gezielt überwinden

Neue Strategien zur Bekämpfung von Antibiotikaresistenzen zu finden, ist eine der grössten globalen Herausforderungen für die Gesundheitssysteme. In den letzten Jahrzehnten gab es eine drastische Zunahme an humanpathogenen Bakterien, die resistent gegen Antibiotika sind. Immer mehr Infektionen, die durch resistente Mikroorganismen verursacht werden, lassen sich nicht mehr mit konventionellen Behandlungen kurieren, und selbst Reserveantibiotika verlieren ihre Wirkung. Zusätzlich sind die Entwicklungsströme an neuen Antibiotika aus der pharmazeutischen Industrie in den letzten Jahrzehnten versiegt. Die Weltgesundheitsorganisation hat mit ihrem Aufruf „Combat drug resistance: no action today means no cure tomorrow“ eine Zunahme der Forschungsaktivitäten auf diesem Gebiet stimuliert, und mehrere neue,vielversprechende Strategien zur Wiederherstellung antibiotischer Behandlungsoptionen konnten seitdem entwickelt werden

Targeting antibiotic resistance

Finding strategies against the development of antibiotic resistance is a major global challenge for the life sciences community and for public health. The past decades have seen a dramatic worldwide increase in human-pathogenic bacteria that are resistant to one or multiple antibiotics. More and more infections caused by resistant microorganisms fail to respond to conventional treatment, and in some cases, even lastresort antibiotics have lost their power. In addition, industry pipelines for the development of novel antibiotics have run dry over the past decades. A recent world health day by the World Health Organization titled “Combat drug resistance: no action today means no cure tomorrow” triggered an increase in research activity, and several promising strategies have been developed to restore treatment options against infections by resistant bacterial pathogens

Improved CNN-based Learning of Interpolation Filters for Low-Complexity Inter Prediction in Video Coding

The versatility of recent machine learning approaches makes them ideal for improvement of next generation video compression solutions. Unfortunately, these approaches typically bring significant increases in computational complexity and are difficult to interpret into explainable models, affecting their potential for implementation within practical video coding applications. This paper introduces a novel explainable neural network-based inter-prediction scheme, to improve the interpolation of reference samples needed for fractional precision motion compensation. The approach requires a single neural network to be trained from which a full quarter-pixel interpolation filter set is derived, as the network is easily interpretable due to its linear structure. A novel training framework enables each network branch to resemble a specific fractional shift. This practical solution makes it very efficient to use alongside conventional video coding schemes. When implemented in the context of the state-of-the-art Versatile Video Coding (VVC) test model, 0.77%, 1.27% and 2.25% BD-rate savings can be achieved on average for lower resolution sequences under the random access, low-delay B and low-delay P configurations, respectively, while the complexity of the learned interpolation schemes is significantly reduced compared to the interpolation with full CNNs.Comment: IEEE Open Journal of Signal Processing Special Issue on Applied AI and Machine Learning for Video Coding and Streaming, June 202

Physical Parameters Of The Relativistic Shock Waves In GRBs: The Case Of 30 GRBs

Using the modified internal shock wave model we fit the gamma ray burst (GRB) light and spectral curves of 30 GRBs observed with BATSE. From the best fitting we obtain basic parameters of the relativistic shells which are in good agreement with predictions given earlier. We compare measured GRB parameters with those obtained from the model and discuss connections between them in the frame of the physical processes laying behind GRB events.Comment: 18 pages, 30 figures, 2 tables, Accepted for publication in IJMP

Antibodies against Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA) in multiple sclerosis CSF, and two pentapeptide sequence identities between EBNA and myelin basic protein.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes infectious mononucleosis and is linked to several disparate malignancies. Prior studies on patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) showed that 100% are EBV-seropositive and that their blood contains higher antibody titers than those of controls to both transformation and lytic cycle antigens. We performed three different assays for antibodies in CSF to three major EBV antigens from patients with MS and controls. Among 93 patients with MS, 79 (85%) had CSF that reacted with a 70 kD protein, shown to be the nuclear antigen, EBNA-1, whereas only 11 (13%) of 81 EBV-seropositive controls reacted, p less than 0.001. The CSF of all 14 MS patients, unreactive on immunoblots, contained oligoclonal bands on agarose electrophoresis. Together, the two techniques exhibit 100% sensitivity in the confirmatory diagnosis of MS. We also performed amino acid searches of the Protein Identification Resource sequence database for protein homologies to EBNA. Two pentapeptide identities were found between EBNA-1 and myelin basic protein: QKRPS and PRHRD. None of more than 32,000 other proteins in the database contained both pentapeptides. In healthy EBV-seropositive persons, the EBV-specific, MHC-restricted T lymphocytes keep the EBV-containing B lymphocytes locked in the transformed state. However, in the host genetically susceptible to MS, the same population of lymphocytes might recognize and interact with either of the two identified pentapeptides, inadvertently damaging MBP

Implementing Training and Skills Investment Policy for Effective Performance of Managerial Emergency Unit; Study in Sub-Saharan Africa

The healthcare system of every environment is critical and sensitive, therefore it is important to have healthcare personnels that are up to date in their knowedge of the field, being expert and professionals in this field is not enough due to the dynamic nature of the environment, having impementation policy to acquire often and updated skills and training can not be over emphasize. The challenges encountered during this research is the poor management system and lack of implementation of some important policy as such, hence this research finds the indepth of issues arising due to lack of skills and adequate training, in Nigeria there are challenges with the management of the emergency units of the healthcare organizations; which was observed from the high mortality rate encountered at the emergency unit, lack of skills and training to render best services, patients leaving before being attended to due to high traffic inflow into the emergency unit andhealthcare givers poor turn around time to address emergency situations. Implementing the skills and training policy for often participation in its activities is a situation tourgently address so as to lead to resolution of issues arising, hence it is not enough to have qualify healthcare givers in the hospital without frequent training and skills acquisation policy implemented, to enable healthcare givers to continuely update their learning and knowledge of the field and cope with new diseases and infections arising as seen in the results, concluding with recommendations and advise on further studies

Interpreting CNN for Low Complexity Learned Sub-pixel Motion Compensation in Video Coding

Deep learning has shown great potential in image and video compression tasks. However, it brings bit savings at the cost of significant increases in coding complexity, which limits its potential for implementation within practical applications. In this paper, a novel neural network-based tool is presented which improves the interpolation of reference samples needed for fractional precision motion compensation. Contrary to previous efforts, the proposed approach focuses on complexity reduction achieved by interpreting the interpolation filters learned by the networks. When the approach is implemented in the Versatile Video Coding (VVC) test model, up to 4.5% BD-rate saving for individual sequences is achieved compared with the baseline VVC, while the complexity of learned interpolation is significantly reduced compared to the application of full neural network.Comment: 27th IEEE International Conference on Image Processing, 25-28 Oct 2020, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate

Gallstone Ileus, Bouveret's Syndrome and Choledocholithiasis in a Patient with Billroth II Gastrectomy – A Case Report of Combined Endoscopic and Surgical Therapy

Intestinal obstruction due to gallstone is a rare, but quite severe gastrointestinal disorder, which always requires a rapid and correct diagnosis to achieve optimal therapy. Digestive endoscopy is an important method to determine the level of the bowel obstruction and to plan an optimal therapeutic strategy. Our present case demonstrates that in a high-risk patient, a combined endoscopic and surgical therapy is the best choice to solve the obstruction of the colon, of the stomach and of the common bile duct caused by multiple gallstones