Cuscuton: A Causal Field Theory with an Infinite Speed of Sound

We introduce a model of scalar field dark energy, Cuscuton, which can be realized as the incompressible (or infinite speed of sound) limit of a scalar field theory with a non-canonical kinetic term (or k-essence). Even though perturbations of Cuscuton propagate superluminally, we show that they have a locally degenerate phase space volume (or zero entropy), implying that they cannot carry any microscopic information, and thus the theory is causal. Even coupling to ordinary scalar fields cannot lead to superluminal signal propagation. Furthermore, we show that the family of constant field hypersurfaces are the family of Constant Mean Curvature (CMC) hypersurfaces, which are the analogs of soap films (or soap bubbles) in a Euclidian space. This enables us to find the most general solution in 1+1 dimensions, whose properties motivate conjectures for global degeneracy of the phase space in higher dimensions. Finally, we show that the Cuscuton action can model the continuum limit of the evolution of a field with discrete degrees of freedom and argue why it is protected against quantum corrections at low energies. While this paper mainly focuses on interesting features of Cuscuton in a Minkowski spacetime, a companion paper (astro-ph/0702002) examines cosmology with Cuscuton dark energy.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, added discussion of "coupled cuscuton", matches the published version in PR

Total order in opportunistic networks

Opportunistic network applications are usually assumed to work only with unordered immutable messages, like photos, videos, or music files, while applications that depend on ordered or mutable messages, like chat or shared contents editing applications, are ignored. In this paper, we examine how total ordering can be achieved in an opportunistic network. By leveraging on existing dissemination and causal order algorithms, we propose a commutative replicated data type algorithm on the basis of Logoot for achieving total order without using tombstones in opportunistic networks where message delivery is not guaranteed by the routing layer. Our algorithm is designed to use the nature of the opportunistic network to reduce the metadata size compared to the original Logoot, and even to achieve in some cases higher hit rates compared to the dissemination algorithms when no order is enforced. Finally, we present the results of the experiments for the new algorithm by using an opportunistic network emulator, mobility traces, and Wikipedia pages.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

THE STUDY OF ACCLIMATIZATION OF GRAPES OF MEDITERRANEAN ORIGIN TO THE WEATHER CONDITIONS OF THE WINE-GROWING REGIONS OF SEGARCEA

This study was carried out during 2019-2020 on plots belonging to the wine-growing areas of Segarcea, famous wine areas in point of extracting red wine with remarkable qualities in the south of the country. The significance of the work consists in improving the useful climate of the wi ne area of Segarcea by introducing into the culture beside black grapes varieties, renowned varieties like Feteascăneagră, Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Pinot noir, etc., other grape varieties of Mediteranean origin, such as Syrah and Marselan. The aim is to rigorously monitor the weather conditions with a direct impact on the soils with a production potential, observing the dynamics of its establishment and maturation index for each variety during the period studied

Surgical itinerary in parathyroid hyperfunction: 63 cases operated on

Universitatea de Medicină și Farmacie ”Gr. T. Popa”, Iași, Clinica IV-a Chirurgie, Clinica V-a Pediatrie, Al XI-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” din Republica Moldova și cea de-a XXXIII-a Reuniune a Chirurgilor din Moldova „Iacomi-Răzeșu” 27-30 septembrie 2011Introducere: Multiplele aspecte etiopatogenice și anatomo-clinice ale hiperparatiroidismului (HP): pri-mar (HPP), renal (HPR), familial, din NEM etc. constituie o patologie care realizează o continuă provocare. În afara fenotipului și simptomatologiei polimorfe, a noilor achiziții diagnostice și terapeutice, frapează contrastul dintre incidența/prevalența sindromului în creștere în tările dezvoltate – mai ales pe seama observațiilor asimptomatice - și seriile limitate numeric sau cazurile izolate cu manifestări “istorice”, publicate în literatura națiunilor “în tranziție” sau subdezvoltate. Material și metoda: Din 1986 în clinica noastră au fost operate 63 observații de HP: 20 HPP – adenoame =17, carcinoame=2, paratiromatoza=1 și 43 HPR – HP secundar (HPS)=23 și tertiar=20. Am înregistrat 44 femei și 19 bărbati (raport 2,3/1) cu limite de vârstă 15 – 67 (medie 47) ani. Diagnosticul și indicația chirurgicală au fost stabilite clinic prin prezența suferinței renale – urolitiaza multipla sau recidivata în HPP – insuficiența renală cronică în regim de hemodializa în HPR, sindrom osos manifest – osteoporoza, dureri osoase, chisturi și fracturi, manifestări neuromusculare, psihonevrotice, digestive și cardiovasculare în ambele varietăți. Datele de laborator au obiectivat valori anormale ale calciului seric total și ionizat, fosforului și fosfatazei alcaline și în special ale iPTH iar explorarile localizatoare au inclus ultrasonografia – mai puțin concludentă în leziunile multiglandulare și mai recent scintigrafia cu 99mTc-tetrophosmin. Rezultate: Toate cazurile au fost operate practicându-se exereza simplă în 17 adenoame și “în bloc” cu lobul tiroidian ipsilateral în două cancere (unul fiind o recidivă la 4 ani după indepărtarea unui adenom), într-un adenom chistic intratiroidian ca și în cazul de paratiromatoza (de asemenea recidiva după exere-za extra muros a unui adenom). În observațiile de HPR au fost executate 24 paratiroidectomii subtotale (în 20 observatii reușindu-se exereza standard a 3 si ½ glande, în rest indepartandu-se 3 sau doar 2 paratiroide) si respectiv 19 paratiroidectomii totale (6 cu autotransplant glandular și 13 simple). Din considerente tactice sau pentru leziuni asociate explorarea/exereza chirurgicală a fost extinsă la tiroida (29 cazuri) sau timus (20 cazuri). Examenul anatomopatologic a precizat diagnosticul final în toate obser-vațiile. Rezultatele imediate și în timp au fost bune în special în HPP. Nu au fost hipocalcemii persistente chiar în cazul paratiroidectomiilor extinse dar am notat o paralizie recurentială, un hematom al lojei și recidiva în două cazuri de autotransplant antibrahial ca și cea a unui cancer la 4 ani după extirparea unui adenom (leziune noua ?). Concluzii: Paratiroidectomia – cu rafinamentele sale recente: minim invazivă, endoscopică sau asistată robotic – este singurul tratament eficace și definitiv în HPP și constituie o terapie simptomatică impor- tantă, deși suboptimal, în cazurile de HPR (a căror tratament ideal este transplantul renal). Exerezele paratiroidiene trebuie practicate doar de specialiști antrenați în această chirurgie.Background: Hyperparathyroidism (HP) is a constantly evolving entity with multiple clinical varieties i.e.: primary (HPP), renal (HPR), familial, in MEN etc., proteiform phenotype and symptomatology, continous modernizing diagnosis and therapeutic methods and striking differences in epidemiology between developed nations and the 3rd world’s or “in transition” countries. Material and methods: The study population comprised 63 patients with HP operated on from 1986 in our clinic. There were 20 cases with PHP (17 adenomas, 2 carcinomas and one parathyromatosis) and 43 cases with RHP (23 secondary and 20 tertiary). The series included 44 women and 19 men (ratio 2,3/1), aged 15-67 (range 47) years. As a rule the documentation of signs and symptoms as well as recording of the surgical indications were consistently thorough. The presence of multiple and recurrent urolithiasis in HPP and renal failure on hemodialysis in HPR as well as bone, muscular, neuropsychiatric, digestive and cardiovascular manifestation in both syndromes are constantly described. Laboratory data indicated abnormally levels of serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase but especially of the iPTH. Localisation procedures included ultrasonography less valuable for multiglandular lesions and recently 99mTc-tetrophosmin scan. Results: All the cases were operated on: 17 simple exeresis for adenomas and 4 “en bloc” resections to-gether with the thyroid lobe for two carcinomas, intrathyroid cystic adenoma and parathyromatosis one case each. In HPR 20 patients underwent standard subtotal parathyroidectomy (3 and ½ glands) but in 3 cases only 3 or even 2 glands were founded and 19 total parathyroidectomy respectively (6 with auto- transplantation). Thyroid (n=29) and thymus (20) resections were practiced for associated lesions or tac- tical reasons. Pathology established the final diagnosis. Immediate and late results were good especially in HPP. Persistent hypocalcemia was not encountered even in extended resections but we avow a cervi-cal hematoma,a recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, two antibrahial recurrences and a carcinoma developed four years after resection of an adenoma (new lesion ?). Conclusions: Parathyroidectomy with its recent refinements in minimally invasive, endoscopic, video- and robotic techniques constitutes the gold standard therapy for HPP and still remains the only permanently effective method offering an improved quality of life in HPR. These operations must be done by high-specialised surgeons

INGA 3D - creative transfer of competence in 3D footwear CAD to VET professionals

INGA 3D project - Creative Transfer of Competence in 3D Footwear CAD to VET Professionals aims to transfer and extend innovative software solutions and 3D technologies for Footwear Computer Aided Design. The project brings together universities, research and training centres, adult education providers and IT companies from Romania, Spain, Portugal, and UK. The project products introduce innovative solutions for e-learning in order to test and to validate new teaching methodologies and approaches suitable for vocational training. The INGA 3D training content, its supportive guide as well as the online learning platform was designed, developed, tested and evaluated in line with the best practices identified by partners in their institutions, countries and elsewhere in Europe. INGA 3D project contributes to developing skills and competencies of VET teachers, trainers, tutors, in order to face the future challenges raised by the necessity of adding to the current curricula in VET institutions ICT skill sets that will enable their graduates to work with highly specialized footwear CAD technologies

Choledocoscopy in the surgery of mechanical jaundice

Universitatea de medicina si farmacie “Gr. T. Popa”, Iasi, clinica a IV-a chirurgie, Al XI-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” din Republica Moldova și cea de-a XXXIII-a Reuniune a Chirurgilor din Moldova „Iacomi-Răzeșu” 27-30 septembrie 2011Scopul lucrării: Diversitatea etiopatogenică a icterului mecanic justifică explorarea coledocoscopică, necesară unui diagnostic de certitudine. Material şi metodă: Între anii 2002 - 2011 am utilizat coledocoscopul flexibil la 58 de pacienți internați cu icter mecanic. La 21 (36,2 %) dintre aceştia icterul s-au dovedit a fi de etiologie neoplazică: 5 (8,6 %) cazuri cu ampulom vaterian (care au beneficiat de duodenopancreatectomie cefalică), 14 (24,1 %) cazuri cu neoplasm al capului de pancreas şi două (3.4 %) cazuri cu colangiocarcinom). Ceilalți 37 (63,8 %) de pacienți au avut o etiologie litiazică, la care coledocolitotomia asistată coledocoscopic şi asociată colecistectomiei a permis vindecarea. Rezultate. Discuții: Dintre pacienții cu suspiciune de icter mecanic neoplazic, în două (3,4 %) cazuri a fost necesară coledocoscopia care a certificat diagnosticul de colangiocarcinom atât prin aspectul imagistic, dar mai ales datorită posibilității prelevării biopsiei şi examenului histopatologic. În explorarea icterului mecanic. cu etiologie litiazică examenul coledocoscopic permite vizualizarea calculilor în 16 (27,5 %) cazuri la care celelalte explorări imagistice erau neconcludente. În toate cazurile controlul coledocoscopic a certificat absența calculilor în calea biliarặ principalặ la finalul intervenției, oferind astfel siguranță privind acuratețea actului chirurgical. Concluzii: Coledocoscopia aduce siguranță în chirurgia căii biliare principale atât în ceea ce priveşte diagnosticul, permițând vizualizarea şi prelevarea biopsiei în leziunile tumorale ale căii biliare principale cât şi în tratamentul litiazei biliare, oferind posibilitatea controlului imediat (intraoperator) al căii biliare principale după coledocolitotomie.Abstract. Background. The diverse etiology of mechanical jaundice requires a choledocoscopy to allow a correct diagnosis. Methods: Between 2002 and 2011, we used flexible choledocoscope, in 58 patients with mechanical jaundice admitted in our clinic. 21 (36, 2 %) cases proved to be of neoplastic etiology: 5 (8, 6%) cases diagnosed with vaterian ampuloma (treated by cephalic duodenopancreatectomy), 14 (24, 1 %) cases with pancreatic head cancer and two (3, 4 %) cases with cholangiocarcinoma. The remaining 37 (63, 8 %) cases were caused by lithiasis, treated by choledocolhitotomy associated with choledocoscopy and cholecystectomy. Results. Discussion: Among patients with suspected neoplastic mechanical jaundice, in two (3.4 %) cases choledocoscopy was necessary, in order to sustained the diagnosis of colangiocarcinoma, by macroscopically appearance, and also by the biopsy sampling and histological examination. In mechanical jaundice of lithiasis etiology, the choledocoscopy permitted the visualization of stones in 16 (27, 5%) cases in which, other imagistic investigations were inconclusive. In all cases choledocoscopic control certified the absence of gallstones in the bile duct at the end of the surgical procedure, and thereby provides safety of the surgical act. Conclusions: Choledocoscopy adds certainty in the main bile duct surgery both in terms of correct diagnosis, allowing visualization and biopsy sampling of the main bile duct in tumor lesions and in treatment of gallstone disease, allowing immediate control of the main bile duct after choledocolithotomy

The employee as 'Dish of the Day’:human resource management and the ethics of consumption

This article examines the ethical implications of the growing integration of consumption into the heart of the employment relationship. Human resource management (HRM) practices increasingly draw upon the values and practices of consumption, constructing employees as the ‘consumers’ of ‘cafeteria-style’ benefits and development opportunities. However, at the same time employees are expected to market themselves as items to be consumed on a corporate menu. In relation to this simultaneous position of consumer/consumed, the employee is expected to actively engage in the commodification of themselves, performing an appropriate organizational identity as a necessary part of being a successful employee. This article argues that the relationship between HRM and the simultaneously consuming/consumed employee affects the conditions of possibility for ethical relations within organizational life. It is argued that the underlying ‘ethos’ for the integration of consumption values into HRM practices encourages a self-reflecting, self-absorbed subject, drawing upon a narrow view of individualised autonomy and choice. Referring to Levinas’ perspective that the primary ethical relation is that of responsibility and openness to the Other, it is concluded that these HRM practices affect the possibility for ethical being

Metagenomic analysis of gut microbial communities from a Central Asian population

OBJECTIVE: Changes in the gut microbiota are increasingly recognised to be involved in many diseases. This ecosystem is known to be shaped by many factors, including climate, geography, host nutrition, lifestyle and medication. Thus, knowledge of varying populations with different habits is important for a better understanding of the microbiome. DESIGN: We therefore conducted a metagenomic analysis of intestinal microbiota from Kazakh donors, recruiting 84 subjects, including male and female healthy subjects and metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients aged 25-75 years, from the Kazakh administrative centre, Astana. We characterise and describe these microbiomes, the first deep-sequencing cohort from Central Asia, in comparison with a global dataset (832 individuals from five countries on three continents), and explore correlations between microbiota, clinical and laboratory parameters as well as with nutritional data from Food Frequency Questionnaires. RESULTS: We observe that Kazakh microbiomes are relatively different from both European and East Asian counterparts, though similar to other Central Asian microbiomes, with the most striking difference being significantly more samples falling within the Prevotella-rich enterotype, potentially reflecting regional diet and lifestyle. We show that this enterotype designation remains stable within an individual over time in 82% of cases. We further observe gut microbiome features that distinguish MetS patients from controls (eg, significantly reduced Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, Bifidobacteria and Subdoligranulum, alongside increased Prevotella), though these overlap little with previously published reports and thus may reflect idiosyncrasies of the present cohort. CONCLUSION: Taken together, this exploratory study describes gut microbiome data from an understudied population, providing a starting point for further comparative work on biogeography and research on widespread diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN37346212; Post-results