Observation of An Evolving Magnetic Flux Rope Prior To and During A Solar Eruption

Explosive energy release is a common phenomenon occurring in magnetized plasma systems ranging from laboratories, Earth's magnetosphere, the solar corona and astrophysical environments. Its physical explanation is usually attributed to magnetic reconnection in a thin current sheet. Here we report the important role of magnetic flux rope structure, a volumetric current channel, in producing explosive events. The flux rope is observed as a hot channel prior to and during a solar eruption from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) telescope on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO). It initially appears as a twisted and writhed sigmoidal structure with a temperature as high as 10 MK and then transforms toward a semi-circular shape during a slow rise phase, which is followed by fast acceleration and onset of a flare. The observations suggest that the instability of the magnetic flux rope trigger the eruption, thus making a major addition to the traditional magnetic-reconnection paradigm.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

A Comprehensive Workflow for General-Purpose Neural Modeling with Highly Configurable Neuromorphic Hardware Systems

In this paper we present a methodological framework that meets novel requirements emerging from upcoming types of accelerated and highly configurable neuromorphic hardware systems. We describe in detail a device with 45 million programmable and dynamic synapses that is currently under development, and we sketch the conceptual challenges that arise from taking this platform into operation. More specifically, we aim at the establishment of this neuromorphic system as a flexible and neuroscientifically valuable modeling tool that can be used by non-hardware-experts. We consider various functional aspects to be crucial for this purpose, and we introduce a consistent workflow with detailed descriptions of all involved modules that implement the suggested steps: The integration of the hardware interface into the simulator-independent model description language PyNN; a fully automated translation between the PyNN domain and appropriate hardware configurations; an executable specification of the future neuromorphic system that can be seamlessly integrated into this biology-to-hardware mapping process as a test bench for all software layers and possible hardware design modifications; an evaluation scheme that deploys models from a dedicated benchmark library, compares the results generated by virtual or prototype hardware devices with reference software simulations and analyzes the differences. The integration of these components into one hardware-software workflow provides an ecosystem for ongoing preparative studies that support the hardware design process and represents the basis for the maturity of the model-to-hardware mapping software. The functionality and flexibility of the latter is proven with a variety of experimental results

Investigating the impact of poverty on colonization and infection with drug-resistant organisms in humans: a systematic review

Background Poverty increases the risk of contracting infectious diseases and therefore exposure to antibiotics. Yet there is lacking evidence on the relationship between income and non-income dimensions of poverty and antimicrobial resistance. Investigating such relationship would strengthen antimicrobial stewardship interventions. Methods A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Ovid, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsychINFO, EBSCO, HMIC, and Web of Science databases were searched in October 2016. Prospective and retrospective studies reporting on income or non-income dimensions of poverty and their influence on colonisation or infection with antimicrobial-resistant organisms were retrieved. Study quality was assessed with the Integrated quality criteria for review of multiple study designs (ICROMS) tool. Results Nineteen articles were reviewed. Crowding and homelessness were associated with antimicrobial resistance in community and hospital patients. In high-income countries, low income was associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii resistance and a seven-fold higher infection rate. In low-income countries the findings on this relation were contradictory. Lack of education was linked to resistant S. pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Two papers explored the relation between water and sanitation and antimicrobial resistance in low-income settings. Conclusions Despite methodological limitations, the results suggest that addressing social determinants of poverty worldwide remains a crucial yet neglected step towards preventing antimicrobial resistance

Prevalence of cognitive impairment and depression among elderly patients attending the medicine outpatient of a tertiary care hospital in South India

Background:Cognitive impairment is an important clinical issue among elderly patients with depression and has a more complex etiology. The aim of the present work was to examine the prevalence of cognitive impairment and depression in elderly subjects above 60 years.Methods: A cross-sectional study on the prevalence of cognitive impairment and depression on elderly people (n=525) attending the General Medicine OPD of Sri Venkateswara Ram Narain Ruia Government General Hospital, Tirupati. Cognitive function and depression were assessed by applying standardized Mini-Mental State Examination of Folstein (MMSE) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), respectively.Results:Prevalence of cognitive impairment was 31.0% (34.7% women, 23.4% men); there were significant differences observed with reference to age, gender, literacy and economic status. Prevalence of depression was 44.8% (51.0% women, 39.6% men); with relation to age, gender, literacy and economic status, there were significant differences observed.Conclusion:Cognitive impairment and depression were present in elderly people and these disorders are more prevalent in the females than in the males. Hence, psychiatrist should pay special attention for early detection and treatment of depressive symptoms in elderly people with cognitive impairment

Combined In Silico, In Vivo, and In Vitro Studies Shed Insights into the Acute Inflammatory Response in Middle-Aged Mice

We combined in silico, in vivo, and in vitro studies to gain insights into age-dependent changes in acute inflammation in response to bacterial endotoxin (LPS). Time-course cytokine, chemokine, and NO2-/NO3- data from "middle-aged" (6-8 months old) C57BL/6 mice were used to re-parameterize a mechanistic mathematical model of acute inflammation originally calibrated for "young" (2-3 months old) mice. These studies suggested that macrophages from middle-aged mice are more susceptible to cell death, as well as producing higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, vs. macrophages from young mice. In support of the in silico-derived hypotheses, resident peritoneal cells from endotoxemic middle-aged mice exhibited reduced viability and produced elevated levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and KC/CXCL1 as compared to cells from young mice. Our studies demonstrate the utility of a combined in silico, in vivo, and in vitro approach to the study of acute inflammation in shock states, and suggest hypotheses with regard to the changes in the cytokine milieu that accompany aging. © 2013 Namas et al

Determination of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), Potassium (K), pH and Electrical Conductivity of Jeevamrutham Samples Collected from Different Places of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

This investigation was carried out to investigate the nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium levels of the jeevamrutham samples collected from different regions of the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In continuation, the collected samples are also evaluated for pH and Electrical Conductivity. Estimation of nitrogen was conducted by the Kjeldahl method. For acid soils, the Bray's method is used to measure the amount of accessible phosphorus, whereas the Olsen's method is used for neutral, alkaline, and calcareous soils. Determination of potassium was carried out using ammonium acetate at pH 7. The nitrogen percentage of the samples collected from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh was ranged from 3.0% to 5.8% and 3.5% to 6.5% respectively. The results revealed that the samples collected from Andhra Pradesh was found to exhibit highest nitrogen percentage comparing to the nitrogen percentage of the samples collected from Telangana. The concentration of phosphorus in the samples collected from Telengana is ranged from 77 ppm to 256 ppm. Whereas the concentration of phosphorus in the samples collected from Andhra Pradesh is ranged from 132 ppm to 312 ppm. The potassium levels were ranged from 66 ppm to 84 ppm and 63 ppm to 81 ppm of the samples collected from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively. The pH 5.4 to 6.7 and 5.6 to 6.3 are ranged from the samples collected from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively. The EC 0.19 ds m- to 0.25 ds m- and 0.21 ds m- to 0.28 ds m- are ranged from the samples collected from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively. In conclusion, all collected samples contain the sufficient concentrations of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium levels in the collected jeevamrutham samples from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, the values of pH and EC of the samples tested found good

Effect of Fermentation Parameters for the Mass Cultivation of Trichoderma viride via Submerged and Solid-State Fermentation Studies On Cellulase Production

The present investigation was carried out to evaluate different fermentation parameters and to optimize the fermentation parameters to cultivate Trichoderma viride (T. viride) via submerged and solid-state fermentations. The different parameters such as, effect of pH, temperature, inoculum size, media volume, incubation period and different nitrogen sources.  The highest growth yield noticed was 14.221g L-1 at 15 g L-1, 0.15 g L-1, 40 oC, 2.0, 7.0 and 200 carbon, nitrogen, temperature, volume of the medium, pH, RPM respectively. Following, 12.187 g L-1 yield of T. viride was achieved with 15 g L-1, 0.15 g L-1, 40 oC, 2.0, 7.0, 200 carbon, nitrogen, temperature, volume of the medium, pH, RPM respectively. the effect of different incubation period on the cellulase activity was ranged from 0.76U/mL/min to 3.02 U/mL/min. The effect of different incubation period on the cellulase activity was ranged from 0.63 U/mL/min to 2.88 U/mL/min. The effect of different pH on the cellulase activity was ranged from 0.436 U/mL/min to 2.481 U/mL/min. the highest cellulase activity was noticed at pH 5.5 with 2.481 Nitrogen sources, five (5) namely, NH4Cl, NH4, CH3COO, (NH4)2SO4, NH4H2PO4, NH4NO3 are identified as significant sources for cultivation of T. viride and subsequent production and activity of cellulase.  In accordance to results obtained, the inoculum size of 4mL found significant with 2.321 U/mL/min Out of Seven (7), three (3) media volumes such as 30mL, 40mL, and 50mL produced highest cellulase production with 2.964 U/mL/min, 2.331 U/mL/min

Display of probability densities for data from a continuous distribution

Based on cumulative distribution functions, Fourier series expansion and Kolmogorov tests, we present a simple method to display probability densities for data drawn from a continuous distribution. It is often more efficient than using histograms.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, presented at Computer Simulation Studies XXIV, Athens, GA, 201