Firebird Database Backup by Serialized Database Table Dump

This paper presents a simple data dump and load utility for Firebird databases which mimics mysqldump in MySQL. This utility, fb_dump and fb_load, for dumping and loading respectively, retrieves each database table using kinterbasdb and serializes the data using marshal module. This utility has two advantages over the standard Firebird database backup utility, gbak. Firstly, it is able to backup and restore single database tables which might help to recover corrupted databases. Secondly, the output is in text-coded format (from marshal module) making it more resilient than a compressed text backup, as in the case of using gbak.Comment: 5 page

Changes in epithelial secretory cells and potentiation of neurogenic inflammation in the trachea of rats with respiratory tract infections.

In rats respiratory tract infections due to Sendai virus and coronavirus usually are transient, but they can have long-lasting consequences when accompanied by Mycoplasma pulmonis infections. Morphological alterations in the tracheal epithelium and a potentiation of the inflammatory response evoked by sensory nerve stimulation ("neurogenic inflammation") are evident nine weeks after the infections begin, but the extent to which these changes are present at earlier times is not known. In the present study we characterized these abnormalities in the epithelium and determined the extent to which they are present 3 and 6 weeks after the infections begin. We also determined the magnitude of the potentiation of neurogenic inflammation at these times, whether the potentiation can be reversed by glucocorticoids, and whether a proliferation of blood vessels contributes to the abnormally large amount of plasma extravasation associated with this potentiation. To this end, we studied Long-Evans rats that acquired these viral and mycoplasmal infections from other rats. We found that the tracheal epithelium of the infected rats had ten times as many Alcian blue-PAS positive mucous cells as did that of pathogen-free rats; but it contained none of the serous cells typical of pathogen-free rats, so the total number of secretory cells was not increased. In addition, the epithelium of the infected rats had three times the number of ciliated cells and had only a third of the number of globule leukocytes. In response to an injection of capsaicin (150 micrograms/kg i.v.), the tracheas of the infected rats developed an abnormally large amount of extravasation of two tracers, Evans blue dye and Monastral blue pigment, and had an abnormally large number of Monastral blue-labeled venules, particularly in regions of mucosa overlying the cartilaginous rings. This abnormally large amount of extravasation was blocked by dexamethasone (1 mg/day i.p. for 5 days). We conclude that M. pulmonis infections, exacerbated at the outset by viral infections, result within three weeks in the transformation of epithelial serous cells into mucous cells, the proliferation of ciliated cells, and the depletion of globule leukocytes. They also cause a proliferation of mediator-sensitive blood vessels in the airway mucosa, which is likely to contribute to the potentiation of neurogenic inflammation that accompanies these infections

Not-so-minor injuries: delayed diagnosis of a large splinter

Introduction: In contrast with victims of major trauma, patients who suffer minor injuries receive little specialist input. In most cases, this causes no difficulty, but there are situations where minor trauma results in persistent disability affecting the quality of life. Case Presentation: A young man sustained a perineal puncture wound resulting from a fall onto a bush. Following an initial delay, he sought medical advice for a continual pain in his right leg, and a discharging perineal wound. A computed tomography (CT) scan and flexible sigmoidoscopy failed to identify the cause, and he was subsequently discharged from hospital. One year after his initial presentation, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan identified a retained foreign body consistent with a fragment of wood. Conclusions: Penetrating trauma from wooden fragments provides a diagnostic challenge. A stubborn discharge from a wound must always raise the suspicion of retained fragment. Early and appropriate surgical exploration is imperative

Kihívások a népegészségügyi intervenciók közgazdasági értékelésében

The full version of the article can be viewed at the link below.Economists face challenges when trying to apply the standard methods of economic evaluation to the area of public health. These challenges have to be tackled because there is a vast need to extend the experiences gained in health technology assessment to public health. This review aims to summarise the findings of the main publications which made an attempt to name and discuss these challenges. As long as solutions are not to be found in the literature, decision-makers and economists have to work on these challenges.Medical Research Council, U

Neutrino-driven Explosions

The question why and how core-collapse supernovae (SNe) explode is one of the central and most long-standing riddles of stellar astrophysics. A solution is crucial for deciphering the SN phenomenon, for predicting observable signals such as light curves and spectra, nucleosynthesis, neutrinos, and gravitational waves, for defining the role of SNe in the evolution of galaxies, and for explaining the birth conditions and properties of neutron stars (NSs) and stellar-mass black holes. Since the formation of such compact remnants releases over hundred times more energy in neutrinos than the SN in the explosion, neutrinos can be the decisive agents for powering the SN outburst. According to the standard paradigm of the neutrino-driven mechanism, the energy transfer by the intense neutrino flux to the medium behind the stagnating core-bounce shock, assisted by violent hydrodynamic mass motions (sometimes subsumed by the term "turbulence"), revives the outward shock motion and thus initiates the SN blast. Because of the weak coupling of neutrinos in the region of this energy deposition, detailed, multidimensional hydrodynamic models including neutrino transport and a wide variety of physics are needed to assess the viability of the mechanism. Owing to advanced numerical codes and increasing supercomputer power, considerable progress has been achieved in our understanding of the physical processes that have to act in concert for the success of neutrino-driven explosions. First studies begin to reveal observational implications and avenues to test the theoretical picture by data from individual SNe and SN remnants but also from population-integrated observables. While models will be further refined, a real breakthrough is expected through the next Galactic core-collapse SN, when neutrinos and gravitational waves can be used to probe the conditions deep inside the dying star. (abridged)Comment: Author version of chapter for 'Handbook of Supernovae,' edited by A. Alsabti and P. Murdin, Springer. 54 pages, 13 figure

Shared control strategies for obstacle avoidance tasks in an intelligent wheelchair.

In this paper we present a method of shared control strategy for an intelligent wheelchair to assist a disable user in performing obstacle avoidance tasks. The system detects obstacles in front of the wheelchair using a laser range finder sensor. As the wheelchair moves the information from the laser range finder is combined with data from the encoders mounted in its driving wheels to build a 360 degrees real-time map. The accuracy of the map is improved by eliminating the systematic error that would result from both the uncertainty of effective wheelbase and unequal driving wheel diameters. The usable wheelchair accessible space is determined by including the actual wheelchair dimensions in producing the real-time map. In making a decision the shared control method considers the user's intentions via the head-movement interface, accessible space of the environment and user safety. The experiments show promising results in the intelligent wheelchair system

Colorectal cancer implant in an external hemorrhoidal skin tag.

External hemorrhoidal skin tags are generally benign. Colorectal cancer metastases to the squamous epithelium of perianal skin tags without other evidence of disseminated disease is a very rare finding. We present the case of a 61-year-old man with metastasis to an external hemorrhoidal skin tag from a midrectal primary adenocarcinoma. This case report highlights the importance of close examination of the anus during surgical planning for colorectal cancers. Abnormal findings of the perianal skin suggesting an implant or metastatic disease warrant biopsy, as distal spread and seeding can occur. In our patient, this finding appropriately changed surgical management

Advanced obstacle avoidance for a laser based wheelchair using optimised Bayesian neural networks.

In this paper we present an advanced method of obstacle avoidance for a laser based intelligent wheelchair using optimized Bayesian neural networks. Three neural networks are designed for three separate sub-tasks: passing through a door way, corridor and wall following and general obstacle avoidance. The accurate usable accessible space is determined by including the actual wheelchair dimensions in a real-time map used as inputs to each networks. Data acquisitions are performed separately to collect the patterns required for specified sub-tasks. Bayesian frame work is used to determine the optimal neural network structure in each case. Then these networks are trained under the supervision of Bayesian rule. Experiment results showed that compare to the VFH algorithm our neural networks navigated a smoother path following a near optimum trajectory

Cardiac transplantation with cyclosporin A and prednisone

Influenced by continuing improvement in results from Stanford, cardiac transplantation was resumed at the University Health Center of Pittsburgh in June 1980. Cyclosporin A (CyA) became available to the authors early in 1981. This report describes the preliminary experience with 21 patients who were treated between March 1981 and April 10, 1982 with cyclosporin A and low-dose steroids. Ages ranged from eight to 53 years, median 46 years. Median age of ten patients disabled because of idiopathic myocardiopathy was 33 years; it was 45 years in the 11 suffering from ischemic heart disease. Sixteen of the 21 patients survived. Eleven have survived for three months, of which six have survived for six months, giving a cumulative survival of 74 and 66%, respectively. Four died perioperatively; one died at six weeks and one at four months. Hyperacute rejection resulted in one death at 12 hours even though the warm and cold lymphocytotoxic crossmatch for T and B cells was negative as evaluated by trypan blue. The two late deaths were related to infection. No late death has occurred because of rejection, and a unique feature is that three recipients with a lymphocytotoxic mismatch did not develop hyperacute rejection. The number of infectious episodes and nonviral infections appears to be less than that associated with the use of azathiaprine and larger doses of steroids. Cyclosporin A (5-10 mg/kg/d) and low-dose prednisone (rapidly tapered in seven days from 200 mg to 15-20 mg/d) is effective in preventing early morbid rejection of the transplanted heart