Experimental user interface design toolkit for interaction research (IDTR).

The research reported and discussed in this thesis represents a novel approach to User Interface evaluation and optimisation through cognitive modelling. This is achieved through the development and testing of a toolkit or platform titled Toolkit for Optimisation of Interface System Evolution (TOISE). The research is conducted in two main phases. In phase 1, the Adaptive Control of Thought Rational (ACT-R) cognitive architecture is used to design Simulated Users (SU) models. This allows models of user interaction to be tested on a specific User Interface (UI). In phase 2, an evolutionary algorithm is added and used to evolve and test an optimised solution to User Interface layout based on the original interface design. The thesis presents a technical background, followed by an overview of some applications in their respective fields. The core concepts behind TOISE are introduced through a discussion of the Adaptive Control of Thought “ Rational (ACT-R) architecture with a focus on the ACT-R models that are used to simulate users. The notion of adding a Genetic Algorithm optimiser is introduced and discussed in terms of the feasibility of using simulated users as the basis for automated evaluation to optimise usability. The design and implementation of TOISE is presented and discussed followed by a series of experiments that evaluate the TOISE system. While the research had to address and solve a large number of technical problems the resulting system does demonstrate potential as a platform for automated evaluation and optimisation of user interface layouts. The limitations of the system and the approach are discussed and further work is presented. It is concluded that the research is novel and shows considerable promise in terms of feasibility and potential for optimising layout for enhanced usability

Aneurysm of the Ascending Aorta after Cardiac Transplantation

We report the case of a 57-year-old female cardiac transplant patient in whom an aneurysm of the recipient side of the ascending aorta developed 1 year after transplantation. Although a mycotic origin was the likely cause, histologic examination diagnosed an atherosclerotic aneurysm

European Monetary and Financial Integration: Evolution and Prospects

On October 24, 2003, SUERF celebrated its 40th anniversary in the Galerie Dorée of the Banque de France with an especially high level and rich seminar. The memorable occasion was further elevated by Jean Claude Trichet giving the tenth SUERF Annual Lecture in his last public speech as Governor of the Banque de France, prior to taking over as President of the European Central Bank. This study brings together in slightly edited form the four papers presented at the seminar and the Annual Lecture

Multiplex sorting of foodborne pathogens by on-chip free-flow magnetophoresis

This study reports multiplex sorting of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli 0157, from broth cultures and from pathogen-spiked skinned chicken breast enrichment broths by employing microfluidic free-flow magnetophoresis. Magnetic beads of different sizes and magnetite content, namely Dynabeads anti-salmonella and Hyglos-Streptavidin beads together with the corresponding pathogen-specific biotinylated recombinant phages, were utilised as affinity solid phases for the capture and concentration of viable S. typhimurium and E. coli 0157. Following optimisation, the protocol was used to demonstrate continuous magnetophoretic sorting of the two pathogen-bound magnetic bead populations from mixed cultures and from pathogen-spiked chicken pre-enrichment broths under the influence of a Halbach magnet array. For example, in the la tter case, a pure population of S. typhimurium-bound Dynabeads (72% recovery) was sorted from a 100 μL mixture containing E. coli 0157-bound Hyglos beads (67% recovery) within 1.2 min in the presence of 0.1% Tween 20. This proof-of-principle study demonstrates how more than one pathogen type can be simultaneously isolated/enriched from a single food pre-enrichment broth (e.g. Universal food enrichment broth)

On-chip acoustophoretic isolation of microflora including S. typhimurium from raw chicken, beef and blood samples

Pathogen analysis in food samples routinely involves lengthy growth-based pre-enrichment and selective enrichment of food matrices to increase the ratio of pathogen to background flora. Similarly, for blood culture analysis, pathogens must be isolated and enriched from large excess of blood cells to allow further analysis. Conventional techniques of centrifugation and filtration are cumbersome, suffer from low sample throughput, are not readily amenable to automation and carry a risk of damaging biological samples. We report on-chip acoustophoresis as a pre-analytical technique for the resolution of total microbial flora from food and blood samples. The resulting ‘clarified’ sample is expected to increase the performance of downstream systems for the specific detection of the pathogens. A microfluidic chip with three inlets, a central separation channel and three outlets was utilized. Samples were introduced through the side inlets, buffer through the central inlet. Upon ultrasound actuation, large debris particles (10–100 μm) from meat samples were continuously partitioned into the central buffer channel, leaving the “clarified” outer sample streams containing both, the pathogenic cells and the background flora (ca. 1 μm) to be collected over a 30 min operation cycle before further analysis. The system was successfully tested with Salmonella typhimurium-spiked (ca. 103 CFU mL⁻¹) samples of chicken and minced beef, demonstrating a high level of the pathogen recovery (60–90%). When applied to S. typhimurium contaminated blood samples (107 CFU mL⁻¹), acoustophoresis resulted in a high depletion of the red blood cells (99.8%) which partitioned in the buffer stream, whilst sufficient numbers of the viable S. typhimurium remained in the outer channels for further analysis. These results indicate that the technology may provide a generic approach for pre-analytical sample preparation prior to integrated and automated downstream detection of bacterial pathogens

Diagnostic changes as a reason for the increase in papillary thyroid cancer incidence in Geneva, Switzerland

Objective: Several studies have reported upward incidence trends of papillary thyroid cancer. It is unclear whether these trends reflect a real risk increase, by some attributed to iodine supplementation, or an artificial one, due to increased diagnostic activity or changed histological criteria. This study examines if these artificial factors explain the increased papillary thyroid cancer incidence in the Swiss canton of Geneva. Methods: All thyroid carcinomas (n = 436) recorded between 1970 and 1998 at the Geneva Cancer Registry were considered. European age-adjusted incidence trends were estimated using linear regression analysis. For papillary cancers we evaluated diagnostic modalities and way of presentation (in particular microcarcinoma < 1 cm or silent carcinoma). In addition, we reviewed the histological slides of follicular carcinomas. Results: Papillary thyroid cancer incidence increased significantly from 0.7 to 1.8/100,000 for men and from 3.1 to 4.3/100,000 for women between 1970-74 and 1995-98. The proportion of microcarcinomas and silent carcinomas increased from 17% to 24% between 1970-79 and 1990-98. At histological review, follicular cancers were more often reclassified as papillary cancer for cases diagnosed between 1970 and 1979 than for cases diagnosed between 1990 and 1998 (45% vs 25%, p = n.s.). Conclusions: The increasing papillary thyroid cancer incidence seems mainly due to changes in histological diagnostic criteria and, to a lesser extent, to increased diagnostic activity. If confirmed, the results of this study indicate that fears of increasing incidence rates of papillary thyroid cancer should not prevent implementation of adequate programs of iodine supplementation in the many areas where iodine deficiency still prevail

Angiotensin II receptors and renin release in rat glomerular afferent arterioles

Angiotensin II receptors and renin release in rat glomerular afferent arterioles. The purpose of recent studies was to investigate the expression of angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor sites in afferent arterioles freshly isolated from the rat kidney, and the role of Ang II on renin release by these vessels. The method of isolation and purification of renal microves-sels was based on iron oxide infusion into the kidneys and separation of the afferent arterioles from glomeruli and connective tissue with the aid of a magnetic field, successive passages through various sieves, and harvesting with collagenase. Ang II receptor characteristics were evaluated by radioligand binding studies using the non-peptide Ang II antagonists of AT1 (Dup-753 and -532) and AT2 (PD-123319 and CGP-42112) receptors. AT1 antagonists displaced up to 80% of the Ang II binding with high affinity (3 nM), whereas the remaining 20% showed low affinity for the Dup compounds and CGP-42112 (>10 µM), and intermediate affinity for PD-123319 (12 µM). These data suggest the existence of two Ang II receptor subtypes in the renal vasculature of the rat. In separate experiments, renin release by isolated afferent arterioles in vitro was 9 ng/hr/mg under control conditions. Ang II (0.1 µM) inhibited renin secretion by 20%, whereas the adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin (10 µM) stimulated renin secretion by 50%. In arterioles isolated from rats chronically treated with a converting enzyme inhibitor (perindoprilate) to reduce endogenous formation of Ang II, renin release increased 20-fold under control conditions in vitro and was further stimulated by forskolin. These results demonstrate that this preparation is a useful tool to study the functional role of Ang II and the control of renin release in the afferent arterioles

The effect of semi-natural habitats on aphids and their natural enemies across spatial and temporal scales

Semi-natural habitats in agricultural landscapes are generally assumed to enhance the biological control of insect pests based on native beneficial insects, by providing alternative prey and hosts, resources and refuges for overwintering. We hypothesized that natural enemies of winter wheat aphids should arrive sooner in fields near semi-natural habitats. We compared aphid, hoverfly (larvae and eggs) and parasitized aphid (mummies) abundances in 54 winter wheat fields located in southern France from 2003 to 2007. Six surveys were recorded each spring and were split into the early period (defined as the period before the peak of aphid growth) and the late period (after the peak). The wheat fields differed by their surrounding landscape composition measured as the proportion of semi-natural habitats (woods, hedges and grasslands), at three different spatial scales: 200 m, 500 m, and 1200 m. Despite great variability in abundance data between years, the abundance of hoverflies appeared more sensitive to landscape composition than aphid abundance was. Early abundance for both aphids and hoverflies was positively related to wood cover, but not late abundance in spring. The abundance of hoverflies was positively related to hedge and grassland cover at all spatial scales and both periods considered. Aphid parasitism was higher near hedges at the small spatial scale late in the spring. Our results confirmed that higher proportions of semi-natural habitats in agricultural landscapes enhance the biological control of pests, but this effect depends on the spatial scale, the time period in the spring and the natural enemies considered

Angiotensin II receptors and renin release in rat glomerular afferent arterioles

Angiotensin II receptors and renin release in rat glomerular afferent arterioles. The purpose of recent studies was to investigate the expression of angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor sites in afferent arterioles freshly isolated from the rat kidney, and the role of Ang II on renin release by these vessels. The method of isolation and purification of renal microves-sels was based on iron oxide infusion into the kidneys and separation of the afferent arterioles from glomeruli and connective tissue with the aid of a magnetic field, successive passages through various sieves, and harvesting with collagenase. Ang II receptor characteristics were evaluated by radioligand binding studies using the non-peptide Ang II antagonists of AT1 (Dup-753 and -532) and AT2 (PD-123319 and CGP-42112) receptors. AT1 antagonists displaced up to 80% of the Ang II binding with high affinity (3 nM), whereas the remaining 20% showed low affinity for the Dup compounds and CGP-42112 (>10 µM), and intermediate affinity for PD-123319 (12 µM). These data suggest the existence of two Ang II receptor subtypes in the renal vasculature of the rat. In separate experiments, renin release by isolated afferent arterioles in vitro was 9 ng/hr/mg under control conditions. Ang II (0.1 µM) inhibited renin secretion by 20%, whereas the adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin (10 µM) stimulated renin secretion by 50%. In arterioles isolated from rats chronically treated with a converting enzyme inhibitor (perindoprilate) to reduce endogenous formation of Ang II, renin release increased 20-fold under control conditions in vitro and was further stimulated by forskolin. These results demonstrate that this preparation is a useful tool to study the functional role of Ang II and the control of renin release in the afferent arterioles