2,929 research outputs found
Aleurocanthus ceracroceus Martin
No full textAleurocanthus ceracroceus Martin (Figs 19– 21) Aleurocanthus ceracroceus Martin 1999: 26. Holotype Qld, 3km N Cape Tribulation on Neolitsea sp. 16.xii. 1996, J.H. Martin (ANIC). Distribution. Qld, NSW. Hosts. CUNONIACEAE: Ceratopetalum apetalum. ELAEOCARPACEAE: Sloanea woollsii (ASCU, ANIC). EPACRIDACEAE: Trochocarpa laurina (ASCU, ANIC). LAURACEAE: Neolitsea sp. (Martin 1999). ATHEROSPERMATACEAE: Doryphora sassafras (Martin, 1999, ASCU, ANIC). MYRTACEAE: Austromyrtus sp. (Martin 1999); Waterhousea floribunda (ASCU, ANIC). PROTEACEAE: Orites excelsa (ASCU, ANIC). Comments. This species is widespread in tropical, subtropical and temperate rainforests and is now known to occur in both dark and light forms. It is likely that this species will be found in suitable rainforest habitats south to Victoria. The type series collected from far north Queensland is the only sample seen by the author showing sexual dimorphism. Populations sampled by the author from subtropical and temperate areas do not show dimorphism. As pointed out by Martin (1999), the yellow wax of this species is distinctive. This species may be superficially confused with A. coombsi sp. n., a species also with yellow wax, but can be separated by the characters in the key.Published as part of Gillespie, Peter S., 2012, A review of the whitefly genus Aleurocanthus Quaintance & Baker (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Australia, pp. 1-42 in Zootaxa 3252 on pages 12-13, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.24642
Hemozoin-detection by Laser-Flowcytometry in malaria patients in Lambaréné, Gabun: Sensitivity, specificity and prognostic value
No full textMalaria ist weltweit eine der bedeutendsten Infektionskrankheiten. Jährlich erkranken bis zu 500 Millionen Menschen an einer Malariainfektion, etwa zwei Millionen Menschen versterben an einer durch Plasmodium falciparum hervorgerufenen Malaria tropica. Besonders gefährdet durch Malaria sind Kleinkinder, die noch keine ausreichende Immunität besitzen.
Neben umfassender Prävention und adäquater Behandlung der Infektion mit Chemotherapeutika hat vor allem die rechtzeitige Diagnose große Bedeutung im Management der Malaria.
In den letzten Jahren wurde der Nachweis von hämozoinhaltigen Leukozyten als Marker für eine akute Malariainfektion wiederentdeckt. Hämozoin, ein Abbauprodukt des Malariaerregers, wird von Monozyten und neutrophilen Granulozyten phagozytiert und ist mikroskopisch an seiner doppelbrechenden optischen Eigenschaft erkennbar. Der Nachweis von pigmenthaltigen Leukozyten wurde nicht nur als diagnostisches Kriterium beschrieben, sondern auch als prognostischer Marker mit der Schwere der Erkrankung in Verbindung gebracht.
Laser-Durchflusszytometer vom Typ des Blutanalysegerätes Cell-Dyn 3000® sind in der Lage, hämozoinhaltige Leukozyten anhand der optischen Eigenschaften des Hämozoin-Kristalles als fehlklassifizierte Punktsignale zu identifizieren. In verschiedenen Studien wurden bereits sog. atypische violette Punktsignale zur Malariadiagnostik genutzt. Unklar war bisher die Bedeutung von atypischen grünen Punktsignale geblieben, welche hämozoinhaltige neutrophile Granulozyten repräsentieren.
In der vorliegenden Studie wurden die durchflusszytometrischen Daten von Kindern und schwangeren Frauen in Lambaréné, Gabun, untersucht, um Sensitivität, Spezifität und prognostischen Wert des Cell-Dyn 3000®-Gerätes in Bezug auf Malariainfektion zu prüfen.
Es stellte sich heraus, dass bei Kindern das Auftreten von atypischen violetten und grünen Punktsignalen hoch sensitiv und spezifisch für eine Malariainfektion (AVPs: 95,4% respektive 95,4%; AGPs: 82,9% respektive 96,3%) ist. Erstaunlicherweise sind Sensitivität und Spezifität bei Erwachsenen deutlich niedriger (AVPs: 81,3% respektive 83,6%; AGPs: 68,8% respektive 95,2%), hohe Raten an falsch positiven Fällen wurden beobachtet. Ursächlich für diese Ergebnisse sind neben der noch nicht vollständig ausgereiften Identifizierungsmethode von atypischen Punktsignalen auch die unterschiedliche Immunitätslage von Kindern und Erwachsenen, insbesondere schwangeren Frauen. In holoendemischen Gebieten wie Lambaréné scheint die Durchflusszytometrie als Screeningmethode durchaus sinnvoll zu sein. Die Ergebnisse in der Gruppe der schwangeren Frauen jedoch müssen durch zukünftige Studien genauer evaluiert werden.
Des weiteren wurden bei Kindern atypische Punktsignale auf ihr Potential zur Diagnose der Schwere der Malaria untersucht. Es zeigten sich signifikante Unterschiede in den Mengen der atypischen violetten und grünen Punktsignale zwischen unkomplizierter und komplizierter Malaria (21 AVPs vs. 33 AVPs [p=0,026] respektive sechs AGPs vs. 15 AGPs [p<0,001]). Allerdings scheiterten Versuche, einen Schwellenwert zu finden, welcher dem Kliniker eine Klassifikation in komplizierte und unkomplizierte Malaria allein anhand der Anzahl der Punktsignale ermöglichen sollte. Die Signale sind in beiden Gruppen zu gleichmäßig verteilt, als dass eine klare Unterscheidung möglich ist. Weitere Studien sind notwendig, um die Schwellenwerte der Cell-Dyn 3000® für atypische Signale zu verbessern und genauere Aussagen über die Verlaufsprognose von malariakranken Patienten zu ermöglichen.Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases worldwide. Every year Plasmodium spp. causes 500 million acute illnesses and an estimated two million deaths predominantly due to Plasmodium falciparum malaria (malaria tropica). The main burden of morbidity and mortality is found in children, as immunity to Plasmodium spp. is not yet sufficiently developed.
Besides extensive prevention and adequate treatment with chemotherapeutics opportune diagnosis of malaria infection is of utmost importance in disease management.
In the last years detection of hemozoin containing leukocytes as a marker for acute plasmodium falciparum infection has been rediscovered. Hemozoin, a side product of parasite metabolism, is phagocytosed by monocytes and neutrophile granolocytes and can by detected microscopically by its birefringent nature. Detection of hemozoin containing leukocytes was not only described as a diagnostic tool but was also found to be a prognostic marker for disease severity.
Laser-Flowcytometry as used by the cell-counter Cell-Dyn 3000® displays hemozoin containing leukocytes as misclassified signals in the machine’s scatter blots due to the optical properties of the hemozoin crystal. Various studies already used atypically distributed purple dots (representing hemozoin containing monocytes) for diagnosis of malaria infection. Yet the relevance of atypical distributed green dots which seem to represent hemozoin containing neutrophile granolocytes remained unclear.
The present study evaluates flowcytometric data of children and pregnant women in Lambaréné, Gabun, to assess sensitivity, specificity and prognostic value of the Cell-Dyn 3000® in patients with malaria infection.
In children, detection of atypically distributed purple (AVPs) and green dots (AGPs) was found to be highly sensitive and specific for malaria infection (AVPs: 95.4% and 95.4%, respectively; AGPs: 82.9% and 96.3%, respectively), whereas in adults results were lower (AVPs: 81.3% and 83.6%, respectively; AGPs: 68.8% and 95.2%, respectively) and high rates of false positive cases were observed.
These findings could be explained as follows: (i) the identification process of atypically distributed signals is still experimental and not yet developed to its full potential and (ii) the immune status is different in children and adults, in particular in pregnant women. In holoendemic regions like Lambaréné flowcytometry seems to be helpful as a screening method. Nevertheless, the results concerning pregnant women should be reassessed in further studies.
In children atypically distributed signals were investigated to determine their diagnostic potential regarding the severity of disease. In uncomplicated and complicated malaria the amount of atypical distributed purple and green dots differed significantly (21 AVPs vs. 33 AVPs [p=0,026] and six AGPs vs. 15 AGPs [p<0,001]). Although, attempts to create a threshold allowing a classification of complicated and uncomplicated malaria according to signal counts failed. Signals within both groups were almost evenly distributed making a clear differentiation impossible. Further studies are therefore necessary to improve threshold values for atypically distributed signals of the Cell-Dyn 3000®, thus providing a more accurate prognosis in the course of malaria infection
Assessing the Consequences of Stigma for Tuberculosis Patients in Urban Zambia
No full textAssessing the consequences of stigma for tuberculosis patients in urban zambia Cremers, A.L.; de Laat, M.M.; Kapata, N.; Gerrets, R.P.M.; Klipstein-Grobusch, K.; Grobusch, M.P. Published in: PLoS ONE DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0119861 Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Cremers, A. L., de Laat, M. M., Kapata, N., Gerrets, R., Klipstein-Grobusch, K., & Grobusch, M. P. (2015). Assessing the consequences of stigma for tuberculosis patients in urban zambia. PLoS ONE, 10(3), [e0119861]. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119861 General rights It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. Abstract Background Stigma is one of the many factors hindering tuberculosis (TB) control by negatively affecting hospital delay and treatment compliance. In Zambia, the morbidity and mortality due to TB remains high, despite extended public health attempts to control the epidemic and to diminish stigma. Study Aim To enhance understanding of TB-related stigmatizing perceptions and to describe TB patients' experiences of stigma in order to point out recommendations to improve TB policy. Methods We conducted a mixed method study at Kanyama clinic and surrounding areas, in Lusaka, Zambia; structured interviews with 300 TB patients, multiple in-depth interviews with 30 TB patients and 10 biomedical health workers, 3 focus group discussions with TB patients and treatment supporters, complemented by participant observation and policy analysis of the TB control program. Predictors of stigma were identified by use of multivariate regression analyses; qualitative analysis of the in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation was used for triangulation of the study findings. Results We focused on the 138/300 patients that described TB-related perceptions and attitudes, of whom 113 (82%) reported stigma. Data Availability Statement: All relevant data from the TBAC study are contained within the paper. Additional data will be made available by our first author. The original data contain information which may lead to the identification of study subjects and in order to protect their privacy, a request to gain access to the original data is needed. Funding: No specific funding was received for this study other than the personal grants for ALC specified below. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. both among children and adults and included low self-esteem, insults, ridicule, discrimination, social exclusion, and isolation leading to a decreased quality of life and social status, non-disclosure, and/or difficulties with treatment compliance and adherence. Women had significantly more stigma-related problems than men. Conclusions The findings illustrate that many TB patients faced stigma-related issues, often hindering effective TB control and suggesting that current efforts to reduce stigma are not yet optimal. The content and implementation of sensitization programs should be improved and more emphasis needs to be placed on women and children. Introduction Alongside biological, economic, and cultural barriers to effective tuberculosis (TB) control, stigma constitutes one of the major social factors causing hospital delay and hindering compliance among TB patients The importance of addressing stigma related to TB is illustrated by the fact that this disease is one of the major causes of death worldwide. Zambia ranks 29 th among the world's top TB countries identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) having 427/100.000 incident TB cases in the year 2012. HIV co-infection rate is 61% and MDR-TB prevails in 0.3% of new Consequences of Stigma for Tuberculosis Patients in Urban Zambia PLOS ONE
Zechariah 9-14 as the substructure of 1 Peter’s eschatological program
No full textThe principal aim of this study is to discern what has shaped the author of 1 Peter to regard Christian suffering as a necessary (1.6) and to-be-expected (4.12) component of faithful allegiance to Jesus Christ. Most research regarding suffering in 1 Peter has limited the scope of inquiry to two particular aspects—its cause and nature, and the strategies that the author of 1 Peter employs in order to enable his addressees to respond in faithfulness. There remains, however, the need for a comprehensive explanation for the source that has generated 1 Peter’s theology of Christian suffering. If Jesus truly is the Christ, God’s chosen redemptive agent who has come to restore God’s people, then how can it be that Christian suffering is a necessary part of discipleship after his coming, death and resurrection? What led the author of 1 Peter to such a startling conclusion, which seems to runs against the grain of the eschatological hopes and expectations of Jewish restoration ideology?
This thesis analyzes the appropriation of shepherd and fiery trials imagery,
and argues that the author of 1 Peter is dependent upon Zechariah 9-14 for his
theology of Christian suffering. Said in another way, the eschatological program of
Zechariah 9-14, read through the lens of the Gospel, functions as the substructure
for 1 Peter’s eschatology and thus its theology of Christian suffering.
In support of this hypothesis, this study highlights the fact that Zechariah 9-
14 was available and appropriated in early Christianity, in particular in the Passion
Narrative tradition; that the shepherd imagery of 1 Pet 2.25 is best understood
within the milieu of the Passion Narrative tradition, and that it alludes to the
eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14; that the fiery trials imagery found in 1
Peter 1.6-7 and 1 Pet 4.12 is distinct from that which we find in Greco-Roman and OT
wisdom sources, and that it shares exclusive parallels with some unique features of
the eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14; that Zechariah 9-14 offers a more
satisfying explanation for the modification of Isa 11.2 in 1 Pet 4.14, the transition
from 4.12-19 to 5.1-4, why Peter has oriented his letter with the term διασπορά,
and why he has described his addresses as οἶκος τοῦ θεοῦ; and finally that 1 Peter
contains an implicit foundational narrative that shares distinct parallels with the
eschatological program of Zechariah 9-14.
We can conclude that 1 Peter offers a unique vista into the way in which at
least one early Christian witness came to understand and to communicate the fact
that Christian suffering was a necessary feature of faithful allegiance to Jesus Christ
Muriel Spark as auto-biographer in <i>Curriculum</i> <i>Vitae</i>
No full textExamining Muriel Spark's main aims as an auto-biographer in her work Curriculum Vitae brings important resources in the exploration of the genre of autobiographical writing. This with the theoretical engagement, allows consideration of the critical issues surrounding the roles of author and reader in the construction of the literary self. Spark demands the reader participate in the constructon of textual meaning; overturning the conventions of autobiography, satirising its claims to omniscience and highlighting the impossibility of an authentic voice with regard to the self
Hvad er forfatterskolelitteratur?
No full textPeter Stein Larsen, Martin Gregersen and Tobias SkiverenHvad er forfatterskolelitteratur? (What is literature from author schools?). The article offers an initial characterization of critical attitudes to and conceptions of literature from author schools, which it finds erroneous and prejudiced. It continues to present the three most notable traditions based on a survey of 44 author school débuts. The three traditions are: avant-garde, prose lyricism, and prose realism, and in this connection more specifically a selection of the techniques each tradition utilizes, i.e. conceptualism, unceremonious attitudes and the plausible character portrait. 
Universal Constraint Language
No full textTitle: Universal Constraint Language Author: Peter Piják Department / Institute: Department of Software Engineering Supervisor of the master thesis: Mgr. Martin Nečaský, Ph.D. Abstract: Today's software applications are typically compound of system of more application components. By modeling of software, various integrity constraint languages are used for particular parts of model (e.g. OCL for UML class diagrams, Schematron for XML or SQL triggers for relational databases). Constraint expressions need to be converted to expressions over different meta-models. These tasks are non-trivial. In this thesis, a new common language Universal Constraint Language (UCL) for expressing integrity constraints over various data meta-models is introduced. It is formally defined and also its parser is implemented. We also present semi-automatic translating between constraints over various meta-models; and deriving constraints from the introduced language to constraints in specific constraint languages. Keywords: constraint language, model-driven architecture, universal formalis
Economic evaluation of a stratified transport method for Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) juveniles
No full textThe objective of this study was to evaluate a convenient, low-cost modification to conventional transfer methods for Atlantic halibut juveniles. A series of wire mesh cages were stacked within transport tanks creating a stratified transport system (STS), increasing the surface area for settlement and facilitating a more homogeneous distribution of halibut throughout the tank compared with the conventional insulated box (Unstructured, UTS). A stochastic cost-benefit analysis determined investment into a STS to be cost-effective, generating a mean benefit-cost ratio of 1.31 (95% CI, 0.68–2.00) after 2 years and a mean 5-year net present value of 85,176(9546,906–$125,630). The implementation of a STS was found to be technically feasible and economically efficient method to improve Atlantic halibut transport.Peter J. Sykes, Carol A. McClure, Debbie J. Martin-Robichaud, Charles G. Caraguel, K. Larry Hammel
Peter Bach : Sein Leben, sein Tod.
No full textThe story describes Pater Bach’s courtship and marriage, his insanity, and his death in Nazi occupied Holland.Also included is the story “Nina und Jascha : Ein Bericht aus der Hitlerzeit und dem Krieg” about a couple’s engagement, their separation during the war and their reunion.The poet and composer Peter Bach was born in 1896. He became insane under the Nazi regime in Berlin, escaped to Holland, but was arrested by the Gestapo and killed in 1940. Peter Bach, who as an artist took on his mother’s maiden name, was the son of the cardiologist Martin Mendelssohn, the author of "Das Herz, ein sekundaeres Organ," 1928.Professions and occupations; musiciansGestap
Extrakcia štruktúrovaných dát z neštruktúrovaného textu
No full textNázev práce: Extrakcia štruktúrovaných dát z neštruktúrovaného textu Autor: Bc. Peter Kóša Katedra: Katedra softwarového inženýrství Vedoucí diplomové práce: Mgr. Martin Nečaský Ph.D., Katedra softwarového inženýrství Abstrakt: Posledných 20 rokov sa stále zvyšuje množstvo informácií na internete a v publikovaných textoch. Tieto informácie sú ale často v neštruktúrovanej podobe, čo spôsobuje rozličné problémy, ako napríklad nemožnosť efektívne vyhľadávať v rozsiahlych kolekciách textov (lekárske správy, inzeráty, atď.). Na prekonanie týchto problémov potrebujeme efektívne nástroje schopné texty počítačovo spracovať, vyextrahovať z nich dôležité informácie a následne ich v určitej podobe uchovať pre ďalšie použitie. Cieľom tejto práce je porovnať existujúce riešenia medzi sebou ako aj porovnať ich s riešením, ktoré vzniklo v rámci softwareového projektu SemJob. Projekt SemJob je zároveň podrobne predstavený a čitateľ tak získa informácie o jeho vnútornej štruktúre a použitých algoritmoch. Klíčová slova: extrakcia štruktúrovaných dát, extrakčné pravidlá, ontológie, (semi)automatická indukcia wrapperovTitle: Structured Data Extraction from Unstructured Text Author: Bc. Peter Kóša Department: Department of Software Engineering Supervisor: Mgr. Martin Nečaský, Ph.D., Department of Software Engineering Abstract: In the last 20 years, there has been an ever-growing amount of information present on the Internet and in published texts. However, this information is often in a non-structured format and this causes various problems such as the inability to efficiently search in diverse collections of texts (medical reports, ads, etc.). To overcome these problems, we need efficient tools capable of automatic processing, extracting the important information and storing of these results in some form for later reuse. The purpose of this thesis is to compare existing solutions as well as to compare them with our solution, which was created in the scope of software project SemJob. The SemJob project is introduced and the reader can therefore obtain knowledge about its inner structure and workings. Keywords: structured data extraction, extraction rules, ontologies, (semi)automatic wrapper inductionDepartment of Software EngineeringKatedra softwarového inženýrstvíFaculty of Mathematics and PhysicsMatematicko-fyzikální fakult
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