433 research outputs found
Laboratory investigation of lateral dispersion within dense arrays of randomly distributed cylinders at transitional Reynolds number
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The AFHSC-Division of GEIS Operations Predictive Surveillance Program: a multidisciplinary approach for the early detection and response to disease outbreaks
The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Division of Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System Operations (AFHSC-GEIS) initiated a coordinated, multidisciplinary program to link data sets and information derived from eco-climatic remote sensing activities, ecologic niche modeling, arthropod vector, animal disease-host/reservoir, and human disease surveillance for febrile illnesses, into a predictive surveillance program that generates advisories and alerts on emerging infectious disease outbreaks. The program’s ultimate goal is pro-active public health practice through pre-event preparedness, prevention and control, and response decision-making and prioritization. This multidisciplinary program is rooted in over 10 years experience in predictive surveillance for Rift Valley fever outbreaks in Eastern Africa. The AFHSC-GEIS Rift Valley fever project is based on the identification and use of disease-emergence critical detection points as reliable signals for increased outbreak risk. The AFHSC-GEIS predictive surveillance program has formalized the Rift Valley fever project into a structured template for extending predictive surveillance capability to other Department of Defense (DoD)-priority vector- and water-borne, and zoonotic diseases and geographic areas. These include leishmaniasis, malaria, and Crimea-Congo and other viral hemorrhagic fevers in Central Asia and Africa, dengue fever in Asia and the Americas, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and chikungunya fever in Asia, and rickettsial and other tick-borne infections in the U.S., Africa and Asia
Comparative study of plasma-deposited fluorocarbon coatings on different substrates
International audienceThe deposition of hydrophobic fluorocarbon coatings from C 2 F 6 and C 2 F 6 -H 2 rf discharges on different substrates was examined. Polyester textile, glass and two different ceramic compounds were used as substrates. The effect of the total gas pressure, the rf power dissipation and the deposition time on the hydrophobic character of the samples was investigated. Films deposited on polyester textiles at low pressure (0.03 mbar) and power consumption (16 mW/cm 2) using pure C 2 F 6 presented the highest water contact angles (~150 o). On the other hand, the addition of hydrogen was necessary in order to deposit stable hydrophobic coatings on glass and ceramic substrates. Coatings deposited on glass at intermediate deposition rates (~100 Å/min) and pressures presented the highest angles (~105 o). Concerning the heavy clay ceramics, samples treated in low pressure (0.05 mbar) and low power (16 mW/cm 2) discharges showed the highest contact angles The deposition time was found to play an important role on the hydrophobicity and long term behavior of porous and rough substrates
The development of political science in Central and Eastern Europe : bibliometric perspective, 1996–2013
This research aims to develop a deeper insight into the development of political science from the bibliometric perspective by analysing peer-reviewed journal articles (n = 1117) indexed in the Scopus database and published by authors from fifteen Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in the period 1996–2013. Results indicate that the majority of articles (84%) by CEE authors have been published in international journals and in the English language. The visibility of these articles in international journals, measured by the mean number of citations, is 5.2 per paper, while the same indicator for CEE journal articles amounts to 0.2. Authorship analysis indicates a gradual but continuous increase in co-authorships. Additionally, there are significant differences in citations between single-authored and co-authored articles, both in international and CEE journals. Co-authorship among CEE authors is present in only 1% of the analysed articles, confirming weak collaboration between political scientists in CEE countries
First application of mass measurement with the Rare-RI Ring reveals the solar r-process abundance trend at A=122 and A=123
The Rare-RI Ring (R3) is a recently commissioned cyclotron-like storage ring
mass spectrometer dedicated to mass measurements of exotic nuclei far from
stability at Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory (RIBF) in RIKEN. The first
application of mass measurement using the R3 mass spectrometer at RIBF is
reported. Rare isotopes produced at RIBF, Sn, In, Cd,
Ag, Pd, were injected in R3. Masses of In, Cd,
and Pd were measured whereby the mass uncertainty of Pd was
improved. This is the first reported measurement with a new storage ring mass
spectrometery technique realized at a heavy-ion cyclotron and employing
individual injection of the pre-identified rare nuclei. The latter is essential
for the future mass measurements of the rarest isotopes produced at RIBF. The
impact of the new Pd result on the solar -process abundances in a
neutron star merger event is investigated by performing reaction network
calculations of 20 trajectories with varying electron fraction . It is
found that the neutron capture cross section on Pd increases by a
factor of 2.2 and -delayed neutron emission probability,
, of Rh increases by 14\%. The neutron capture cross
section on Pd decreases by a factor of 2.6 leading to pileup of
material at , thus reproducing the trend of the solar -process
abundances. The trend of the two-neutron separation energies (S)
was investigated for the Pd isotopic chain. The new mass measurement with
improved uncertainty excludes large changes of the S value at
. Such large increase of the S values before was
proposed as an alternative to the quenching of the shell gap to
reproduce -process abundances in the mass region of
Distribution of Triatoma dimidiata sensu lato (Reduviidae: Triatominae) and risk factors associated with household invasion in Northern Belize, Central America
To date, Triatoma dimidiata sensu lato [Reduviidae: Triatominae (Latreille 1811)] remains the sole vector species associated with Chagas disease transmission reported from Belize. Human infection data are limited for Belize and the disease transmission dynamics have not been thoroughly investigated, yet the likelihood of autochthonous transmission is supported by the widespread collection of infected vectors from within local households. Here, we report updated infection rates of the vector population and infestation rates for villages in north and central Belize. Overall, 275 households were enrolled in an ongoing vector surveillance program. Of the 41 insects collected, 25 were PCR positive for T. cruzi, indicating an infection rate as high as 60%. To further characterize the epidemiological risk of human-vector contact, determinants of household invasion were modeled. Local households were surveyed and characterized with respect to over 25 key factors that may be associated with household infestation by T. dimidiata s.l. While final models were not strongly predictive with respect to the risk factors that were surveyed, likely due to the low number of collection observations, the presence of domestic/peri-domestic dogs, nearby light sources, and household structure materials could be the focus of continued risk assessments. In northern Belize, this vector survey lends support to T. dimidiata s.l. inhabiting sylvatic settings as opposed to the classical paradigm of domiciliated vector populations. This designation has strong implications for the local level of human exposure risk which can help guide vector surveillance and control resources
Acatalasemic mice are mildly susceptible to adriamycin nephropathy and exhibit increased albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis
Background: Catalase is an important antioxidant enzyme that regulates the level of intracellular hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals. The effects of catalase deficiency on albuminuria and progressive glomerulosclerosis have not yet been fully elucidated. The adriamycin (ADR) nephropathy model is considered to be an experimental model of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. A functional catalase deficiency was hypothesized to exacerbate albuminuria and the progression of glomerulosclerosis in this model.
Methods: ADR was intravenously administered to both homozygous acatalasemic mutant mice (C3H/AnLCs(b)Cs(b)) and control wild-type mice (C3H/AnLCs(a)Cs(a)). The functional and morphological alterations of the kidneys, including albuminuria, renal function, podocytic, glomerular and tubulointerstitial injuries, and the activities of catalase were then compared between the two groups up to 8 weeks after disease induction. Moreover, the presence of a mutation of the toll-like receptor 4 (tlr4) gene, which was previously reported in the C3H/HeJ strain, was investigated in both groups.
Results: The ADR-treated mice developed significant albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis, and the degree of these conditions in the ADR-treated acatalasemic mice was higher than that in the wild-type mice. ADR induced progressive renal fibrosis, renal atrophy and lipid peroxide accumulation only in the acatalasemic mice. In addition, the level of catalase activity was significantly lower in the kidneys of the acatalasemic mice than in the wild-type mice during the experimental period. The catalase activity increased after ADR injection in wild-type mice, but the acatalasemic mice did not have the ability to increase their catalase activity under oxidative stress. The C3H/AnL strain was found to be negative for the tlr4 gene mutation.
Conclusions: These data indicate that catalase deficiency plays an important role in the progression of renal injury in the ADR nephropathy model
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