Study of rhizosphere microflora in relation to varietal resistance or susceptibility of tomato to Fusarium oxysporum (Schlecht) f. sp. lycopersici (Saccardo) Snyder and Hansen

The relationship of soil microflora (fungi, actinomycetes, and bacteria) isolated from the rhizosphere of four different tomato varieties on the resistance and susceptibility of these varieties to Fusarium oxysporum lycopersici was studied under laboratory conditions. Four tomato varieties chosen for their resistant and susceptible qualities to Fusarium oxysporum lycopersici were used: Better Boy, Manapal, Bonny Best, and Ponderosa. The density of fungi, actinomycetes and bacteria in the rhizospheres and their antagonistic effect on F. oxysporum f. lycopersici were determined. The numbers of actinomycetes and bacteria were higher in the rhizospheres of the resistant varieties. Better Boy and Manapal, than in the susceptible ones. Bonny Best and Ponderosa. The numbers of fungi did not differ appreciably among varieties. The quantity of antagonism of actinomycetes and bacteria was significantly greater (P \u3c .05) in the rhizospheres of the resistant varieties. Better Boy and Manapal than in the susceptible ones. Bonny Best and Ponderosa

The XMM-Newton EPIC X-ray Light Curve Analysis of WR 6

We obtained four pointings of over 100 ks each of the well-studied Wolf-Rayet star WR 6 with the XMM-Newton satellite. With a first paper emphasizing the results of spectral analysis, this follow-up highlights the X-ray variability clearly detected in all four pointings. However, phased light curves fail to confirm obvious cyclic behavior on the well-established 3.766 d period widely found at longer wavelengths. The data are of such quality that we were able to conduct a search for "event clustering" in the arrival times of X-ray photons. However, we fail to detect any such clustering. One possibility is that X-rays are generated in a stationary shock structure. In this context we favor a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) and present a phenomenological model for X-rays from a CIR structure. We show that a CIR has the potential to account simultaneously for the X-ray variability and constraints provided by the spectral analysis. Ultimately, the viability of the CIR model will require both intermittent long-term X-ray monitoring of WR 6 and better physical models of CIR X-ray production at large radii in stellar winds.Comment: to appear in Ap

A software process improvement lifecycle framework for the medical device industry

This paper describes a software process improvement framework to ensure regulatory compliance for the software developed in medical devices. Software is becoming an increasingly important aspect of medical devices and medical device regulation. Medical devices can only be marketed if compliance and approval from the appropriate regulatory bodies of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) [1] (US requirement), and the European Commission under its Medical Device Directives (MDD) [2] (CE marking requirement) is achieved. Integrated into the design process of medical devices, is the requirement of the production and maintenance of a device technical file, incorporating a design history file. Design history illustrates the well documented, defined and controlled processes and outputs, undertaken in the development of medical devices and for our particular consideration with this framework - the software components

Development of a high-speed, reciprocating electrostatic probe system for Hall thruster interrogation

The use of electrostatic probes to measure local plasma parameters inside the discharge chamber of a Hall thruster presents significant difficulties. The high-temperature, dense plasma, and Hall current in the accelerating channel heat the probe rapidly causing ablation of probe material, which perturbs thruster operation and reduces probe lifetime. Results are presented which show the extent of perturbation to discharge current, cathode potential, and thrust for the case where probe material is ablated. A simple thermal model of probe material heating is developed and ablation times for a typical probe configuration are presented. Using the results of the thermal model, a high-speed axial reciprocating probe (HARP) system was developed to enable probe survival and reduce thruster perturbations during interrogation of the discharge chamber of a Hall thruster. Results using the HARP system are presented showing a significant reduction in thruster perturbation. The results also indicate that a mechanism other than material ablation is contributing to perturbation of the thruster. Based on emissive probe data, the tungsten conductor appears to provide a low impedance path between magnetic field lines, enhancing electron transport to the anode. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70820/2/RSINAK-71-11-4131-1.pd

Cross-sectional survey research investigating how medical students use clinical photographs to support their learning

This study explored students’ use of clinical photographs within seven medical schools in England. The design used was cross-sectional survey research. The data collection method was a self-completion online survey. A total of 283 students participated in the study. The proportion of students using clinical photographs was 87%, p = .217. The medical subject discipline in which clinical photographs were considered by students as most useful were dermatology (71%). The proportion for those ‘Very’ or ‘Quite’ likely to access an image library made available through their medical school was 92%. The main barrier to using existing photographic resources was awareness

New Easter Tide Prayers of the Mass in the Typal Edition of the Roman Missal of 2002.

Autor obrađuje četrnaest novih molitava vazmenoga vremena, koje se nalaze u novom tipskom izdanju Rimskoga misala iz 2002. godine. U prvom dijelu istražio je i naznačio izvore tih molitava, od kojih su tri novosastavljene, a ostalih jedanaest preuzeto je iz drevnih sakramentara. U drugom dijelu razlaže se nauk o Kristovom vazmenom otajstvu po kojem se vjernici spašavaju. Naglašava se "pozitivni" vid vazmenog otajstva: Kristovo uskrsnuće i proslava, a osobito se ističe Kristova velikosvećenička uloga, što u odnosu na prethodni misal predstavlja novinu. Vjernici se spašavaju po tome da uzimaju udjela u Kristovu vazmenom otajstvu. Oni su već zajedno s njime proslavljeni, što će se u potpunosti očitovati u blaženoj vječnosti. Ističe se također otajstvena snaga bogoslužnog slavlja. Ono ima tu moć da Kristovo spasenje učini stvarnim i djelatnim među vjernicima koji u tome slavlju sudjeluju.The author elaborates on fourteen new prayers of the Easter tide that can be found in the new typal edition of the Roman missal from 2002. In the first section the author explores and discovers the sources of the prayers. Three of them have been recently composed, while thirteen have been taken from the old books of sacraments. The second section of the paper explains the doctrine of Christ’s Easter Mystery by which the faithful are saved. The “positive aspect” of the Mystery is emphasised: Christ’s resurrection and His role of the Great High Priest. This is a novelty compared to the previous edition of the missal. The salvation of the faithful is presented in their participation in Christ’s Easter Mystery. His glory is their glory too, which becomes completely obvious in the blessed eternity. The emphasis is also given to the sacramental power of the Eucharist where there is the power which makes Christ’s salvation real and efficient for the faithful who participate in this celebration

The radioprotectant nano-genistein enhances radiotherapy efficacy of lung tumors in mice

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be dose-limiting due to treatment-related toxicities. Genistein has been shown to be a robust radioprotective agent in preclinical models. A novel genistein oral nanosuspension formulation (nano-genistein) has demonstrated efficacy in mitigating radiation-induced lung damage in preclinical animal models. However, while those studies have confirmed that nano-genistein can protect normal lung tissue from radiation-induced toxicities, no studies have assessed the effect of nano-genistein on lung tumors. Here, we evaluated the impact of nano-genistein on the efficacy of radiation treatment of lung tumors in a mouse xenograft model. METHODS: Two separate studies were conducted utilizing human A549 cells implanted either dorsally within the upper torso or in the flank. Daily oral administration of nano-genistein (200 or 400 mg/kg/day) occurred prior to and after exposure to a single dose of thoracic or abdominal 12.5 Gy radiation. Tumor growth was monitored twice weekly, nano-genistein treatment continued for up to 20 weeks and histopathology of tissues was completed post euthanasia. RESULTS: Continuous nano-genistein dosing was safe across all study groups in both studies. Animals receiving nano-genistein better maintained body weight following irradiation compared to corresponding vehicle treated animals. Animals that received nano-genistein also had reduced tumor growth and improved normal lung histopathology compared to those receiving vehicle suggesting that nano-genistein does not protect tumors from radiotherapy but is radioprotective of the lungs. There were no treatment-related histopathological findings noted in the skin adjacent to the tumor, esophagus, or uterus. CONCLUSIONS: These results, including the safety following extended dosing, support the continued evaluation of nano-genistein as an adjunctive treatment for patients with NSCLC undergoing radiotherapy and serve as the basis of a phase 1b/2a multicenter clinical trial

Vision and Foraging in Cormorants: More like Herons than Hawks?

Background Great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo L.) show the highest known foraging yield for a marine predator and they are often perceived to be in conflict with human economic interests. They are generally regarded as visually-guided, pursuit-dive foragers, so it would be expected that cormorants have excellent vision much like aerial predators, such as hawks which detect and pursue prey from a distance. Indeed cormorant eyes appear to show some specific adaptations to the amphibious life style. They are reported to have a highly pliable lens and powerful intraocular muscles which are thought to accommodate for the loss of corneal refractive power that accompanies immersion and ensures a well focussed image on the retina. However, nothing is known of the visual performance of these birds and how this might influence their prey capture technique. Methodology/Principal Findings We measured the aquatic visual acuity of great cormorants under a range of viewing conditions (illuminance, target contrast, viewing distance) and found it to be unexpectedly poor. Cormorant visual acuity under a range of viewing conditions is in fact comparable to unaided humans under water, and very inferior to that of aerial predators. We present a prey detectability model based upon the known acuity of cormorants at different illuminances, target contrasts and viewing distances. This shows that cormorants are able to detect individual prey only at close range (less than 1 m). Conclusions/Significance We conclude that cormorants are not the aquatic equivalent of hawks. Their efficient hunting involves the use of specialised foraging techniques which employ brief short-distance pursuit and/or rapid neck extension to capture prey that is visually detected or flushed only at short range. This technique appears to be driven proximately by the cormorant's limited visual capacities, and is analogous to the foraging techniques employed by herons

Status of U.S. testing of the High Performance Hall System SPT-140 Hall thruster

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77315/1/AIAA-2000-1053-280.pd

Altered extracellular vesicle microrna expression in ischemic stroke and small vessel disease

Active transport of microRNAs (miRNA) in extracellular vesicles (EV) occurs in disease. Circulating EV-packaged miRNAs in the serum of stroke patients were compared to stroke mimics with matched cardio- and cerebrovascular risk factors, with corroboration of results in a pre-clinical model. An unbiased miRNA microarray was performed in stroke vs stroke mimic patients (n=39). Results were validated (n=173 patients) by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. miRNA expression was quantified in total serum/EV (n=5-7) of naïve adult spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats (SHRSP), their normotensive reference strain (Wistar Kyoto, WKY) and in circulating EV (n=3), peri-infarct brain (n=6) or EV derived from this region (n=3) in SHRSP following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Circulating EV concentration did not differ between stroke and stroke mimic patients. The microarray identified many altered EV-packaged miRNAs: levels of miRNA-17-5p, -20b-5p and -93-5p (miRNA-17 family members) and miRNA-27b-3p were significantly (p≤0.05) increased in stroke vs stroke mimic patients. Patients with small vessel disease (SVD) consistently had the highest miRNA levels. Circulating EV concentration was unaltered between naïve SHRSP and WKY but levels of miRNA-17-5p and -93-5p were significantly increased in SHRSP. tMCAO in SHRSP did not further alter circulating EV miRNA-17 family member expression and nor did it change total miRNA-17 family levels in peri-infarct brain tissue or in EV isolated from this region at 24hrs post-tMCAO. Changes in EV packaged miRNA expression was validated in patients with stroke, particularly those with SVD, and corroborated pre-clinically. Together, altered circulating EV levels of miRNA-17 family members may reflect the chronic sequelae underlying cerebrovascular SVD rather than the acute ischemic stroke itself