Immunization of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) against Lactococcus garvieae Using Vaccine Mixtures

The effectiveness of vaccine mixtures against lactococcosis was tested in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The M1 strain of Lactococcus garvieae, isolated from a recent outbreak of lactococcosis at a rainbow trout farm in Turkey, was used in a trial comparing five immuniza- tion treatments: (a) formalin inactivated bacterin (vaccine), (b) the above bacterin together with Freund’s Incomplete Adjuvant (FIA), (c) the bacterin combined with β-glucan, (d) β-glucan only, and (e) phosphate buffered saline-PBS (control). Fish were given intrapritoneal injections and challenged by exposure to the bacteria 30, 75, or 125 days after vaccination. In fish exposed to the bacteria 30 days after injection, the relative percent survival (RPS) was 88.89% in the group that received only bacterin and 100% in the group that received the bacterin combined with FIA. Immunity remained high in the bacterin+FIA group, as the RPS in this group remained 100% in fish challenged at 75 days, significantly higher than in all other groups. In fish exposed to the bacteria 125 days after vaccination, the RPS was 54.55% in fish vaccinated with the bacterin only and 84.84% in fish vaccinated with bacterin+FIA. In the group that received only β-glucan, immunity did not improve after vaccination. Micro-agglutination tests of serums showed that immunized fish produced antibodies at high titers within 30 days. In short, the formalin-inacti- vated M1 strain provided longer lasting protection against Lactococcus garvieae in rainbow trout when combined with FIA than when administered alone or with β-glucan

Atmospheric nutrient inputs to the northern levantine basin from a long-term observation: sources and comparison with riverine inputs

Aerosol and rainwater samples have been collected at a rural site located on the coastline of the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdemli, Turkey between January 1999 and December 2007. Riverine sampling was carried out at five Rivers (Ceyhan, Seyhan, Göksu, Berdan and Lamas) draining into the Northeastern Levantine Basin (NLB) between March 2002 and July 2007. Samples have been analyzed for macronutrients of phosphate, silicate, nitrate and ammonium (PO<sub>4</sub><sup>3−</sup>, Si<sub>diss</sub>, NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> and NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>). Phosphate and silicate in aerosol and rainwater showed higher and larger variations during the transitional period when air flows predominantly originate from North Africa and Middle East/Arabian Peninsula. Deficiency of alkaline material have been found to be the main reason of the acidic rain events whilst high pH values (>7) have been associated with high Si<sub>diss</sub> concentrations due to sporadic dust events. In general, lowest nitrate and ammonium concentrations in aerosol and rainwater have been associated with air flow from the Mediterranean Sea. Comparison of atmospheric with riverine fluxes demonstrated that DIN and PO<sub>4</sub><sup>3−</sup> fluxes to NLB have been dominated by atmosphere (~90% and ~60% respectively) whereas the input of Si was mainly derived from riverine runoff (~90%). N/P ratios in the atmospheric deposition (233); riverine discharge (28) revealed that NLB receives excessive amounts of DIN and this unbalanced P and N inputs may provoke even more phosphorus deficiency. Observed molar Si/N ratio suggested Si limitation relative to nitrogen might cause a switch from diatom dominated communities to non-siliceous populations particularly at coastal NLB

Comparison of Infrared and Visible Imagery for Object Tracking: Toward Trackers with Superior IR Performance

The subject of this paper is the visual object tracking in infrared (IR) videos. Our contribution is twofold. First, the performance behaviour of the state-of-the-art trackers is investigated via a comparative study using IR-visible band video conjugates, i.e., video pairs captured observing the same scene simultaneously, to identify the IR specific challenges. Second, we propose a novel ensemble based tracking method that is tuned to IR data. The proposed algorithm sequentially constructs and maintains a dynamical ensemble of simple correlators and produces tracking decisions by switching among the ensemble correlators depending on the target appearance in a computationally highly efficient manner We empirically show that our algorithm significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art trackers in our extensive set of experiments with IR imagery

Social Exclusion and Ethnic Segregation in Schools: The Role of Teacher's Ethnic Prejudice

This is the author accepted manuscript. the final version is available from MIT Press via the DOI in this recordUsing data on primary school children and their teachers, we show that teachers who hold prejudicial attitudes towards an ethnic group create socially and spatially segregated classrooms. Leveraging a natural experiment where newly arrived refugee children are randomly assigned to teachers within schools, we find that teachers’ ethnic prejudice, measured by an implicit association test, significantly lowers the prevalence of inter-ethnic social links, increases homophilic ties among host children, and puts refugee children at a higher risk of peer violence. Our results highlight the role of teachers in achieving integrated schools in a world of increasing ethnic diversity.UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Offic

Geoteknik bakış açısı ile özgün bir deprem hasar görebilirlik yönteminin geliştirilmesi

Earthquake damage assessment methodologies are applied mainly for two purposes; as a damage assessment methodology in urban areas and as a land use study in undeveloped areas for the purpose of city planning. Satisfactory earthquake damage assessment methodologies should incorporate the information from geological and geophysical investigations, quantitative, qualitative analyses and expert interpretations. In today's state-of-the-art, despite the existence of numerous applications in this context, there is still a need for comprehensive and quantitative methodologies to ensure that all the damage-causing phenomena are well understood and included. Regarding these studies, data collection and quality are of primary importance because once spatial database is implemented; it is rarely scrutinized for its correctness, completeness or accuracy leaving behind serious data quality issues. In Turkey devastating earthquakes, which hit Kocaeli and Düzce area in 1999 have created an increasing awareness about the damaging potential of earthquakes. In the context of earthquake preparedness efforts, microzonation projects have been prepared for various districts in Istanbul and Marmara region. In this paper, an integrated earthquake damage assessment methodology is presented to fulfill the need for standardized and quantitative approaches in this area. The approach inherently carries a soil-structure interaction concept by combining the site specific geotechnical and structural properties in a quantitative manner. The basic merit of the proposed methodology is to include all the damage making phenomenon systematically and to evaluate their effects both individually and in combination. Earthquake damage assessment analyses with respect to primary and collateral effects were conducted. The primary damage-causing effect was accepted to be ground shaking and the collateral effects were accepted as liquefaction, seismic bearing capacity degradation and landslides. At the present state of the art, existing spatial earthquake damage assessment studies acknowledge the collateral effects due to liquefaction and landslides but fail to consider those due to seismic bearing capacity degradation of shallow foundations. This consideration is important, because while liquefaction is a threat for loose and granular soils, seismic bearing capacity degradation may occur in almost all types of foundation soils.  In this paper, a damage grade was assigned for each individual event and also an integrated damage grade for their combined effects. Assigned damage grades were based on an interpretation of a probabilistic "damage-damage causing event" relationship available in the literature and applicable for the region. The damage grades given in this paper reflect a rough probabilistic evaluation but their function is to define a single decision made over a set of probabilities. The proposed methodology was also applied to Bakirkoy district in Istanbul and the results indicate the effectiveness of the approach. In order to collect the necessary geological, geotechnical data for the spatial analysis 87 borings amounting to 2011 meters were made in an area of 6.1 km2. The study was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of Istanbul University (Istanbul University Report, 2000). An extensive laboratory-testing program was conducted to determine physical and mechanical properties of soil and rock samples recovered from the boreholes. Seismic wave refraction surveys were conducted at 125 locations and electrical resistivity measurements were made at 210 points All the data related to the location of boring logs. geophysical measurement points, three dimensional topography and geology of the region were displayed via GIS maps. The analyses have shown that the district carries a considerable risk of being significantly affected by future earthquakes and therefore damage and consequent economic losses from a great magnitude earthquake centered near the district would be severe. Although it has been applied in Turkey, the proposed methodology has the basic feature of being applicable to any earthquake-prone area. The methodology developed can be extended to add the effects of any other damage making phenomena that may affect the considered region. Keywords: Earthquake damage assessment, ground shaking, liquefaction, seismic bearing capacity degradation.Gerek kentleşmiş, gerekse kentleşmeye açılacak olan bölgelerde olası bir depremin sebep olacağı zararın en aza indirilebilmesi için deprem tehdidinin boyutlarının mevcut yerel ve yapısal koşullarla birlikte oldukça gerçekçi bir seviyede tanımlanması ve alınması gereken önlemlerin buna göre belirlenmesi gerekmektedir. Deprem gibi afetlere karşı hazırlıklı olma, can ve mal kaybını en aza indirme gayretleri insani boyutları sebebiyle küresel niteliktedir. Bu makalede bu kapsamda yapılmış olan detaylı ve özgün bir çalışma tanıtılmaktadır. Şehirleşmiş alanlarda hasar görülebilirlik seviyesinin tanımlanmasına yönelik olarak ve/veya yerleşime yeni açılacak alanlar ile ilgili çalışmalara yön göstermek üzere bir deprem hasar görebilirlik yöntemi geliştirilmiştir.  Birincil hasar etkeni olarak yer sarsıntısı, ikincil etkenler olarak sıvılaşma, dinamik yükler altında taşıma gücü kaybı ve heyelan tetiklenmesi göz önüne alınmıştır. Tüm bu etkenler için performans bazlı değerlendirme yapılmıştır. Dinamik yükler altında taşıma gücü kaybına bağlı oluşabilecek oturmalar literatürde ilk kez bu çalışma kapsamında hasar görebilirlik çalışmalarına dâhil edilmiştir. Her bir hasar verici etkenin yaratacağı hasar seviyesi önemsiz hasar seviyesi-çok yüksek hasar seviyesi aralığında puanlamıştır. Bu puanların oluşturulmasında literatürde yer alan önemli veritabanları ve yayınlar kullanılmıştır. Her bir hasar puanı için elde edilen puanlar uygun bir şekilde birleştirilmiş ve böylece her bir nokta için tek bir hasar puanı elde edilmiştir. Makalenin son kısmında geliştirilmiş olan yöntem Bakırköy İlçesi için uygulanmıştır. İlçe için yapılmış olan detaylı arazi çalışmalarına dayanan analizler neticesinde farklı tipteki yapılar için yer sarsıntısı sıvılaşma, taşıma gücü ve sıvılaşmaya bağlı hasar potansiyeli ve toplam hasar görebilirlik incelenmiştir. İlçede tasarım depremi için oluşması beklenen bu hasar seviyeleri CBS ortamında haritalanmıştır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Deprem hasar görebilirlik çalışmaları, yer sarsıntısı, sıvılaşma, taşıma gücü kaybı, heyelan, toplam hasar görebilirlik

Electrospun Polyurethane Fibers for Absorption of Volatile Organic Compounds from Air

Electrospun polyurethane fibers for removal of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from air with rapid VOC absorption and desorption have been developed. Polyurethanes based on 4,4-methylenebis(phenylisocyanate) (MDI) and aliphatic isophorone diisocyanate as the hard segments and butanediol and tetramethylene glycol as the soft segments were electrospun from their solutions in N,N-dimethylformamide to form micrometer-sized fibers. Although activated carbon possessed a many-fold higher surface area than the polyurethane fiber meshes, the sorption capacity of the polyurethane fibers was found to be similar to that of activated carbon specifically designed for vapor adsorption. Furthermore, in contrast to VOC sorption on activated carbon, where complete regeneration of the adsorbent was not possible, the polyurethane fibers demonstrated a completely reversible absorption and desorption, with desorption obtained by a simple purging with nitrogen at room temperature. The fibers possessed a high affinity toward toluene and chloroform, but aliphatic hexane lacked the necessary strong attractive interactions with the polyurethane chains and therefore was less strongly absorbed. The selectivity of the polyurethane fibers toward different vapors, along with the ease of regeneration, makes them attractive materials for VOC filtration.Boeing CompanyNetherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) (Talent Scholarship

Effect of Body Mass Index on work related musculoskeletal discomfort and occupational stress of computer workers in a developed ergonomic setup

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Work urgency, accuracy and demands compel the computer professionals to spend longer hours before computers without giving importance to their health, especially body weight. Increase of body weight leads to improper Body Mass Index (BMI) may aggravate work related musculoskeletal discomfort and occupational-psychosocial stress. The objective of the study was to find out the effect of BMI on work related musculoskeletal discomforts and occupational stress of computer workers in a developed ergonomic setup.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A descriptive inferential study has been taken to analyze the effect of BMI on work related musculoskeletal discomfort and occupational-psychosocial stress. A total of 100 computer workers, aged 25-35 years randomly selected on convenience from software and BPO companies in Bangalore city, India for the participation in this study. BMI was calculated by taking the ratio of the subject's height (in meter) and weight (in kilogram). Work related musculoskeletal discomfort and occupational stress of the subjects was assessed by Cornell University's musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire (CMDQ) and occupational stress index (OSI) respectively as well as a relationship was checked with their BMI.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A significant association (p < 0.001) was seen among high BMI subjects with their increase scores of musculoskeletal discomfort and occupational stress.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>From this study, it has been concluded that, there is a significant effect of BMI in increasing of work related musculoskeletal discomfort and occupational-psychosocial stress among computer workers in a developed ergonomic setup.</p

A Novel Multiplex Cell Viability Assay for High-Throughput RNAi Screening

Cell-based high-throughput RNAi screening has become a powerful research tool in addressing a variety of biological questions. In RNAi screening, one of the most commonly applied assay system is measuring the fitness of cells that is usually quantified using fluorescence, luminescence and absorption-based readouts. These methods, typically implemented and scaled to large-scale screening format, however often only yield limited information on the cell fitness phenotype due to evaluation of a single and indirect physiological indicator. To address this problem, we have established a cell fitness multiplexing assay which combines a biochemical approach and two fluorescence-based assaying methods. We applied this assay in a large-scale RNAi screening experiment with siRNA pools targeting the human kinome in different modified HEK293 cell lines. Subsequent analysis of ranked fitness phenotypes assessed by the different assaying methods revealed average phenotype intersections of 50.7±2.3%–58.7±14.4% when two indicators were combined and 40–48% when a third indicator was taken into account. From these observations we conclude that combination of multiple fitness measures may decrease false-positive rates and increases confidence for hit selection. Our robust experimental and analytical method improves the classical approach in terms of time, data comprehensiveness and cost