Experiences with deploying legacy code applications as grid services using GEMLCA

One of the biggest obstacles in the wide-spread industrial take-up of Grid technology is the existence of a large amount of legacy code programs that is not accessible as Grid Services. On top of that, Grid technology challenges the user in order to intuitively interconnect and utilize resources in a friendly environment. This paper describes how legacy code applications were transformed into Grid Services using GEMLCA providing a user-friendly high-level Grid environment for deployment, and running them through the P-GRADE Grid portal. GEMLCA enables the use of legacy code programs as Grid services without modifying the original code. Using the P-GRADE Grid portal with GEMLCA it is possible to deploy legacy code applications as Grid services and use them in the creation and execution of complex workflows. This environment is tested by deploying and executing several legacy code applications on different sites of the UK e-Science OGSA testbed. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005

The time-dependent expression of keratins 5 and 13 during the reepithelialization of human skin wounds

The time-dependent reepithelialization of 55 human surgical skin wounds with a wound age between 8h and more than 2 months was investigated by the immunohistochemical localization of cytokeratins 5 and 13. A complete, rebuilt epidermal layer over the wound area was first detectable in a 5-day-old wound, while all wounds of more than 18 days duration contained a completely reepithelialized wound area. Between 5 and 18 days the basal layer of keratinocytes showed — in contrast to normal skin — only some cells positive for cytokeratin 5. In some, but not all lesions with a wound age of 13 days or more, a basal cell layer completely staining for cytokeratin 5 was demonstrable. This staining pattern was found in all skin wounds with a wound age of more than 23 days. The immunohistochemical detection of cytokeratin 13 which can be observed regularly in non-cornifying squamous epithelia provides no information for the time-estimation of human skin wounds, since no significant temporary expression of this polypeptide seems to occur during the healing of human skin wounds

Centre of Mass Acceleration-Derived Variables Detects Differences between Runners of Different Abilities and Fatigue-Related Changes during a Long Distance Over ground Run

Background: Wireless accelerometers provide a method of performing running assessments in sports-specific environments. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in running movement using centre of mass acceleration-derived variables between runners of varying skill levels and examine fatigue-related changes during a long distance over ground run. Methods: Ninety-two runners performed a self-selected paced long distance over ground run, with a tri-axial accelerometer attached to their low back. Runners were divided into four groups (elite, advanced, intermediate and slow) based on their finishing run time. Spatiotemporal (contact time, flight time, step frequency), dynamic postural stability (ratio of root mean square of accelerations), dynamic loading (peak impact and braking accelerations) and variability (step and stride regularity), were derived from acceleration data. Speed and acceleration-derived variables were used to investigate between group differences and within group fatigue-related changes. Results: Faster runners (elite and advanced groups) exhibited significantly shorter contact times and higher step frequencies than the slow group. Fatigue-related changes throughout the run were only observed amongst the slower runners (intermediate and slow groups). The main changes in the intermediate group were an increase in ratio of root mean square in mediolateral acceleration, and a decrease in speed in the slow group. Conclusion: The shorter contact times and higher step frequencies and no fatigue-related changes exhibited by the faster runners indicate an efficient running movement pattern. Fatigue-related changes in the slower runners were a decrease in postural dynamic stability in mediolateral direction in the intermediate group and a decrease in speed in the slow group which impacted on performance. These runners would benefit from exercise interventions and pacing strategies to reduce these fatigue-related changes and improve performance

A Modified Kirchhoff Migration for Microwave Imaging in Superluminal Propagation Region

Microwave imaging has been developed recently and is used in many applications. Kirchhoff’s migration technique is one of the most popular methods to recover the geometric info of any inaccessible target from raw data. The conventional Kirchhoff’s migration assumes a uniform propagation velocity in the far-field region of the transceiver, i.e., the antenna. In the near-field region of the antenna, the pulse propagation happens at a significantly greater speed compared to the farfield region. The propagation speed of the pulse depends on the antenna dimensions and varies as a function of the distance and angle of the antenna in a non-linear manner. This non-linearity causes non-focused images. In this work, a modified Kirchhoff’s migration method is proposed to take into account the nonuniformity of the propagation speed. Then, the proposed method is verified through several simulations and experiments and it is shown that the modified Kirchhoff’s migration results in focused images in the near-field region

Quantitative cross-species extrapolation between humans and fish: The case of the anti-depressant fluoxetine

This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Fish are an important model for the pharmacological and toxicological characterization of human pharmaceuticals in drug discovery, drug safety assessment and environmental toxicology. However, do fish respond to pharmaceuticals as humans do? To address this question, we provide a novel quantitative cross-species extrapolation approach (qCSE) based on the hypothesis that similar plasma concentrations of pharmaceuticals cause comparable target-mediated effects in both humans and fish at similar level of biological organization (Read-Across Hypothesis). To validate this hypothesis, the behavioural effects of the anti-depressant drug fluoxetine on the fish model fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were used as test case. Fish were exposed for 28 days to a range of measured water concentrations of fluoxetine (0.1, 1.0, 8.0, 16, 32, 64 μg/L) to produce plasma concentrations below, equal and above the range of Human Therapeutic Plasma Concentrations (HTPCs). Fluoxetine and its metabolite, norfluoxetine, were quantified in the plasma of individual fish and linked to behavioural anxiety-related endpoints. The minimum drug plasma concentrations that elicited anxiolytic responses in fish were above the upper value of the HTPC range, whereas no effects were observed at plasma concentrations below the HTPCs. In vivo metabolism of fluoxetine in humans and fish was similar, and displayed bi-phasic concentration-dependent kinetics driven by the auto-inhibitory dynamics and saturation of the enzymes that convert fluoxetine into norfluoxetine. The sensitivity of fish to fluoxetine was not so dissimilar from that of patients affected by general anxiety disorders. These results represent the first direct evidence of measured internal dose response effect of a pharmaceutical in fish, hence validating the Read-Across hypothesis applied to fluoxetine. Overall, this study demonstrates that the qCSE approach, anchored to internal drug concentrations, is a powerful tool to guide the assessment of the sensitivity of fish to pharmaceuticals, and strengthens the translational power of the cross-species extrapolation

Understanding the theoretical underpinning of the exercise component in a fall prevention programme for older adults with mild dementia: a realist review protocol

Background Older adults with mild dementia are at an increased risk of falls. Preventing those at risk from falling requires complex interventions involving patient-tailored strength- and balance-challenging exercises, home hazard assessment, visual impairment correction, medical assessment and multifactorial combinations. Evidence for these interventions in older adults with mild cognitive problems is sparse and not as conclusive as the evidence for the general community-dwelling older population. The objectives of this realist review are (i) to identify the underlying programme theory of strength and balance exercise interventions targeted at those individuals that have been identified as falling and who have a mild dementia and (ii) to explore how and why that intervention reduces falls in that population, particularly in the context of a community setting. This protocol will explain the rationale for using a realist review approach and outline the method. Methods A realist review is a methodology that extends the scope of a traditional narrative or systematic evidence review. Increasingly used in the evaluation of complex interventions, a realist enquiry can look at the wider context of the intervention, seeking more to explain than judge if the intervention is effective by investigating why, what the underlying mechanism is and the necessary conditions for success. In this review, key rough programme theories were articulated and defined through discussion with a stakeholder group. The six rough programme theories outlined within this protocol will be tested against the literature found using the described comprehensive search strategy. The process of data extraction, appraisal and synthesis is outlined and will lead to the production of an explanatory programme theory. Discussion As far as the authors are aware, this is the first realist literature review within fall prevention research and adds to the growing use of this methodology within healthcare. This synthesis of evidence will provide a valuable addition to the evidence base surrounding the exercise component of a fall intervention programme for older adults with mild dementia and will ultimately provide clinically relevant recommendations for improving the care of people with dementia

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Search for direct pair production of the top squark in all-hadronic final states in proton-proton collisions at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for direct pair production of the scalar partner to the top quark using an integrated luminosity of 20.1fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at √s = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported. The top squark is assumed to decay via t˜→tχ˜01 or t˜→ bχ˜±1 →bW(∗)χ˜01 , where χ˜01 (χ˜±1 ) denotes the lightest neutralino (chargino) in supersymmetric models. The search targets a fully-hadronic final state in events with four or more jets and large missing transverse momentum. No significant excess over the Standard Model background prediction is observed, and exclusion limits are reported in terms of the top squark and neutralino masses and as a function of the branching fraction of t˜ → tχ˜01 . For a branching fraction of 100%, top squark masses in the range 270–645 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 30 GeV. For a branching fraction of 50% to either t˜ → tχ˜01 or t˜ → bχ˜±1 , and assuming the χ˜±1 mass to be twice the χ˜01 mass, top squark masses in the range 250–550 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 60 GeV

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente