Nonlinear Ionic Conductivity of Thin Solid Electrolyte Samples: Comparison between Theory and Experiment

Nonlinear conductivity effects are studied experimentally and theoretically for thin samples of disordered ionic conductors. Following previous work in this field the {\it experimental nonlinear conductivity} of sodium ion conducting glasses is analyzed in terms of apparent hopping distances. Values up to 43 \AA are obtained. Due to higher-order harmonic current density detection, any undesired effects arising from Joule heating can be excluded. Additionally, the influence of temperature and sample thickness on the nonlinearity is explored. From the {\it theoretical side} the nonlinear conductivity in a disordered hopping model is analyzed numerically. For the 1D case the nonlinearity can be even handled analytically. Surprisingly, for this model the apparent hopping distance scales with the system size. This result shows that in general the nonlinear conductivity cannot be interpreted in terms of apparent hopping distances. Possible extensions of the model are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Biotyping and serotyping of Lactococcus garvieae isolates in affected farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in north Iran

The incidence of Lactococcosis caused by Lactococcus garvieae, in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum, 1792) farms is disquieting and increasing in recent years. Knowledge of biotypes and serotypes involved in disease incidence is essential to adopt disease prevention and control policies. Twelve isolates of L. garvieae from some rainbow trout farms were identified by phenotypic, biochemical, and molecular assays. Biotyping of the isolates was undertaken based on the acidification of carbohydrates including sucrose, tagatose, mannitol, and cyclodextrin as well as the presence of pyroglutamic acid arylamidase (Pyra) and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (β-Nag) enzymes. The Serotyping classification was carried out using slide agglutination assay. The obtained results showed that all isolates were identified as biotype II. Seven isolates (58.3%) were positive for capsule formation and were classified as KG- strain and 41.7 % were classified as KG+ strains (non-capsulated strains). Further works are required for a better understanding of the diversity of Lactococcus garvieae isolates in farmed rainbow trout in Iran

Robust 3D target localization using UAVs with state uncertainty

[no abstract available

Practical reasoning in political discourse: The UK government's response to the economic crisis in the 2008 Pre-Budget Report

This article focuses on practical reasoning in political discourse and argues for a better integration of argumentation theory with critical discourse analysis (CDA). Political discourse and its specific genres (for example, deliberation) primarily involve forms of practical reasoning, typically oriented towards finding solutions to problems and deciding on future courses of action. Practical reasoning is a form of inference from cognitive and motivational premises: from what we believe (about the situation or about means—end relations) and what we want or desire (our goals and values), leading to a normative judgement (and often a decision) concerning action. We offer an analysis of the main argument in the UK government’s 2008 Pre-Budget Report (HM Treasury, 2008) and suggest how a critical evaluation of the argument from the perspective of a normative theory of argumentation (particularly the informal logic developed by Douglas Walton) can provide the basis for an evaluation in terms of characteristic CDA concerns. We are advancing this analysis as a contribution to CDA, aimed at increasing the rigour and systematicity of its analyses of political discourse, and as a contribution to the normative concerns of critical social science

Functional responses in a lizard along a 3.5-km altitudinal gradient

Aim: Physiological and metabolic performance are key mediators of the functional response of species to environmental change. Few environments offer such a multifaceted array of stressors as high-altitude habitats, which differ markedly in temperature, water availability, UV radiation and oxygen pressure compared to low-altitude habitats. Species that inhabit large altitudinal gradients are thus excellent models to study how organisms respond to environmental variation. Location: Tenerife island, Canary Islands archipelago (Spain). Taxon: Tenerife lizard (Gallotia galloti, Lacertidae). Methods: We integrated data on age structure, thermal and hydric regulatory behaviour and four metabolic and stress-related biomarkers for an insular lizard that inhabits an extreme altitudinal range (sea level to 3700 m a.s.l.), to understand how an ectotherms' age, ecophysiology and metabolism can be affected by extreme environmental variation. Results: We found marked differences in metabolic stress markers associated with altitude (particularly in the abundance of carbonyl metabolites and relative telomere length), but without a linear pattern along the altitudinal cline. Contrary to expectations, longer telomeres and lower carbonyl content were detected at the highest altitude, suggesting reduced stress in these populations. Evaporative water loss differed between populations but did not follow a linear altitudinal gradient. Lizard age structure or thermal physiological performance did not markedly change across different altitudes. Mixed signals in life-history and thermal ecology across populations and altitude suggest complex responses to variable conditions across altitude in this species. Main Conclusions: Our integrative study of multiple functional traits demonstrated that adaptation to highly divergent environmental conditions in this lizard is potentially linked to an interplay between plasticity and local adaptation variably associated with different functional traits

artbin: Extended sample size for randomized trials with binary outcomes

We describe the command artbin, which offers various new facilities for the calculation of sample size for binary outcome variables that are not otherwise available in Stata. While artbin has been available since 2004, it has not been previously described in the Stata Journal. artbin has been recently updated to include new options for different statistical tests, methods and study designs, improved syntax, and better handling of noninferiority trials. In this article, we describe the updated version of artbin and detail the various formulas used within artbin in different settings

The management of early-stage and metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: A review

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) defined as lacking expression of the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2, comprises approximately 15% of incident breast cancers and is over-represented among those with metastatic disease. It is increasingly clear that TNBC is heterogeneous and that there are several biologically distinct subtypes within TNBC, in particular the basal-like subtype but also the claudin-low, among others. While the incidence of BRCA mutations across all subsets of breast cancer is quite low (~5%), BRCA mutations are more common among those with TNBC (~20%) and may have therapeutic implications. The general principles guiding the use of chemotherapy and radiation therapy do not differ dramatically between early stage TNBC and non-TNBC. There is a trend, however, to treat TNBC at a lower stage with chemotherapy as this is the only way to systemically reduce recurrence risk. In the metastatic setting, while cytotoxic chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for advanced TNBC, there are many promising targeted therapies in development in both the preclinical and early phase clinical trial settings. While the treatment of TNBC remains a challenge, coordinated efforts between clinician/scientist partnerships providing a comprehensive understanding of TNBC genomic, proteomic and other biologic processes may result in individualized therapy for TNBC faster than other subtypes -- driven by both the heterogeneity we know exists within this clinical entity and the intense need for improved treatment