Multiple congenital ocular abnormalities including microphthalmia, microphakia and aphakia in a Simmental cross bull

A 20-month-old Simmental cross bull presented to the Scottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, in April 2015 with multiple congenital ocular abnormalities including bilateral microphthalmia. We present this case as an interesting presentation of idiopathic multiple congenital ocular abnormalities in the absence of congenital abnormalities affecting other body systems. This case highlights an unusual ocular presentation and illustrates the importance of a thorough clinical examination. The prognosis for cases of multiple congenital ocular abnormalities including microphthalmia is poor as no treatment is available and welfare is often compromised. It is therefore important that cases are accurately diagnosed so appropriate management decisions can be made regarding the individual and any herd investigations that are required can be instigated

Acoustic emission method for defect detection and identification in carbon steel welded joints.

Detecting welding defects in industrial equipment (welded joints and built-up structures) is a key aspect in evaluating the probability of failure in different situations. Acoustic emission (AE) is an effective non-destructive detecting technique, and can be a promising application for welding defect detection. This work presents a systematic experimental investigation on using AE technique for detecting and classifying different weld defects in carbon steel joint material. Four certified carbon steel samples were used in this study. A defect free control sample was used as the reference and three samples with induced defects, namely slag, porosity and crack. A pencil lead break (PLB) test was used to generate simulated AE sources on one side of the joint whereas the AE sensor was mounted on the other side to capture AE signals. A total of four experimental arrangements were used to investigate the effect of propagating distance (sensor to source distance) on the ability of AE to detect and identify defects in welds. For each of these arrangements, AE features such as peak amplitude, rise time, decay time, duration, and count numbers along with statistical features such as AE energy, root mean square (RMS) were extracted and analysed. Also, frequency analysis using FFT and wavelet transform were investigated for each weld test specimen for all arrangements. The results show that AE energy, peak amplitude and RMS value can be used to automatically detect and identify the presence of a defect in carbon steel welds. It is concluded that AE has a considerable potential in use in welding inspection to assess the overall structural health and identify defects that can significantly reduce the strength and reliability of welded material and consequently reduce the risk of component's failure

The nk model and population genetics

The nk model of fitness interactions is examined. This model has been used by previous authors to investigate the effects of fitness epistasis on substitution dynamics in molecular evolution, and to make broader claims about the importance of epistasis. To examine these claims, an infinite-allele approximation is introduced. In this limit, it is shown that the nk model is, at an appropriate level of description, formally identical to the non-epistatic House-of-Cards model--a well-studied model in theoretical population genetics. It is further shown that in many parameter regimes, the analytical results obtained from this infinite-allele approximation are very close to results from the full nk model (with a finite number of alleles per locus). The findings presented shed light on a number of previous results

Securing publisher-subscriber in smart grid infrastructure

The security of communication protocols in the smart grid system is a crucial concern. An adversary can exploit the lack of confidentiality and authentication mechanism to cause damaging consequences. In the substation automation systems that rely on multicast communication between various intelligent electronic devices, the lack of security features in the standard IEC61850 and IEC62351 can invite attackers to manipulate the integrity of the employed publisher–subscriber communication paradigm to their advantage. Consequently, many researchers have introduced various approaches offering authenticity and confidentiality. However, such schemes and methods for the aforesaid standards have computational limitations in compliance with the stringent timing requirements of specific applications in the smart grid. In this paper, we propose an approach that can fully secure the publisher–subscriber communication against confidentiality attacks. In this direction, we develop a demo tool to validate the performance of our proposed security approach for potential factors such as timing requirements and the size of the messages. Finally, we evaluate our scheme considering the requirements of the GOOSE, SMV, and MMS protocols in the substation automation systems

Development of calcium phosphate cement for the augmentation of traumatically fractured porcine specimens using vertebroplasty

AbstractThe study aim was to develop and apply an experimental technique to determine the biomechanical effect of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and calcium phosphate (CaP) cement on the stiffness and strength of augmented vertebrae following traumatic fracture. Twelve burst type fractures were generated in porcine three-vertebra segments. The specimens were randomly split into two groups (n=6), imaged using microCT and tested under axial loading. The two groups of fractured specimens underwent a vertebroplasty procedure, one group was augmented with CaP cement designed and developed at Queen's University Belfast. The other group was augmented with PMMA cement (WHW Plastics, Hull, UK). The specimens were imaged and re-tested . An intact single vertebra specimen group (n=12) was also imaged and tested under axial loading. A significant decrease (p<0.01) was found between the stiffness of the fractured and intact groups, demonstrating that the fractures generated were sufficiently severe, to adversely affect mechanical behaviour. Significant increase (p<0.01) in failure load was found for the specimen group augmented with the PMMA cement compared to the pre-augmentation group, conversely, no significant increase (p<0.01) was found in the failure load of the specimens augmented with CaP cement, this is attributed to the significantly (p<0.05) lower volume of CaP cement that was successfully injected into the fracture, compared to the PMMA cement. The effect of the percentage of cement fracture fill, cement modulus on the specimen stiffness and ultimate failure load could be investigated further by using the methods developed within this study to test a more injectable CaP cement

Phenotypic robustness can increase phenotypic variability after non-genetic perturbations in gene regulatory circuits

Non-genetic perturbations, such as environmental change or developmental noise, can induce novel phenotypes. If an induced phenotype confers a fitness advantage, selection may promote its genetic stabilization. Non-genetic perturbations can thus initiate evolutionary innovation. Genetic variation that is not usually phenotypically visible may play an important role in this process. Populations under stabilizing selection on a phenotype that is robust to mutations can accumulate such variation. After non-genetic perturbations, this variation can become a source of new phenotypes. We here study the relationship between a phenotype's robustness to mutations and a population's potential to generate novel phenotypic variation. To this end, we use a well-studied model of transcriptional regulation circuits. Such circuits are important in many evolutionary innovations. We find that phenotypic robustness promotes phenotypic variability in response to non-genetic perturbations, but not in response to mutation. Our work suggests that non-genetic perturbations may initiate innovation more frequently in mutationally robust gene expression traits.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Designing programs for eliminating canine rabies from islands: Bali, Indonesia as a case study

&lt;p&gt;Background: Canine rabies is one of the most important and feared zoonotic diseases in the world. In some regions rabies elimination is being successfully coordinated, whereas in others rabies is endemic and continues to spread to uninfected areas. As epidemics emerge, both accepted and contentious control methods are used, as questions remain over the most effective strategy to eliminate rabies. The Indonesian island of Bali was rabies-free until 2008 when an epidemic in domestic dogs began, resulting in the deaths of over 100 people. Here we analyze data from the epidemic and compare the effectiveness of control methods at eliminating rabies.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Methodology/Principal Findings: Using data from Bali, we estimated the basic reproductive number, R0, of rabies in dogs, to be ~1·2, almost identical to that obtained in ten–fold less dense dog populations and suggesting rabies will not be effectively controlled by reducing dog density. We then developed a model to compare options for mass dog vaccination. Comprehensive high coverage was the single most important factor for achieving elimination, with omission of even small areas (&#60;0.5% of the dog population) jeopardizing success. Parameterizing the model with data from the 2010 and 2011 vaccination campaigns, we show that a comprehensive high coverage campaign in 2012 would likely result in elimination, saving ~550 human lives and ~$15 million in prophylaxis costs over the next ten years.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Conclusions/Significance: The elimination of rabies from Bali will not be achieved through achievable reductions in dog density. To ensure elimination, concerted high coverage, repeated, mass dog vaccination campaigns are necessary and the cooperation of all regions of the island is critical. Momentum is building towards development of a strategy for the global elimination of canine rabies, and this study offers valuable new insights about the dynamics and control of this disease, with immediate practical relevance.&lt;/p&gt