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Fusion
Kinds of Fusion Terms modified by Fusion Selected AbstractsEARLY MEDIEVAL DAOIST TEXTS: STRATEGIES OF READING AND FUSION OF HORIZONSJOURNAL OF CHINESE PHILOSOPHY, Issue 3 2010FRIEDERIKE ASSANDRI First page of article [source] SIZE INCREMENTS DUE TO INTERINDIVIDUAL FUSIONS: HOW MUCH AND FOR HOW LONG?,JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Bernabé Santelices Size increments following interindividual fusions appear as a general benefit for organisms, such as coalescing seaweeds and modular invertebrates, with the capacity to fuse with conspecifics. Using sporelings of the red algae Gracilaria chilensis C. J. Bird, McLachlan et E. C. Oliveira and Mazzaella laminarioides (Bory) Fredericq, we measured the growth patterns of sporelings built with different numbers of spores, and the magnitude and persistence of the size increments gained by fusions. Then we studied three morphological processes that could help explain the observed growth patterns. Results indicate that in these algae, coalescence is followed by immediate increase in total size of the coalesced individual and that the increment is proportional to the number of individuals fusing. However, the size increments in sporelings of both species do not last >60 d. Increasing reductions of marginal meristematic cells and increasing abundance of necrotic cells in sporelings built with increasing numbers of initial spores are partial explanations for the above growth patterns. Since sporelings formed by many spores differentiate erect axes earlier and in larger quantities than sporelings formed by one or only a few spores, differentiation, emergence, and growth of erect axes appear as a more likely explanation for the slow radial growth of the multisporic sporelings. Erect axis differentiation involves significant morphological and physiological changes and a shift from radial to axial growth. It is concluded that the growth pattern exhibited by these macroalgae after fusion differs from equivalent processes described for other organisms with the capacity to fuse, such as modular invertebrates. [source] Exposure Fusion: A Simple and Practical Alternative to High Dynamic Range PhotographyCOMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 1 2009T. Mertens I.4.8 [Image Processing]: Scene Analysis , Photometry, Sensor Fusion Abstract We propose a technique for fusing a bracketed exposure sequence into a high quality image, without converting to High dynamic range (HDR) first. Skipping the physically based HDR assembly step simplifies the acquisition pipeline. This avoids camera response curve calibration and is computationally efficient. It also allows for including flash images in the sequence. Our technique blends multiple exposures, guided by simple quality measures like saturation and contrast. This is done in a multiresolution fashion to account for the brightness variation in the sequence. The resulting image quality is comparable to existing tone mapping operators. [source] Echocardiographic Diagnosis of Right Ventricular Inflow Compression Associated with Pectus Excavatum During Spinal Fusion in Prone PositionCONGENITAL HEART DISEASE, Issue 3 2009James M. Galas MD ABSTRACT Introduction., Pectus excavatum is commonly viewed as a benign condition. Associated alterations in hemodynamics are rare. We present an unusual case of right ventricular inflow obstruction and hemodynamic compromise as a consequence of pectus excavatum encountered during surgical intervention. Case., a 15-year-old male with pectus excavatum and thoracolumbar scoliosis developed severe hypotension after induction of general anesthesia and placement in the prone position for elective spinal fusion. A transesophageal echocardiogram revealed anterior compression of the right heart by the sternum with peak and mean right ventricular inflow gradients of 7 and 4 mm Hg, respectively. The gradient resolved with supine positioning and was reproduced with direct compression of the sternum. Conclusions., Although pectus excavatum is generally a benign condition, the cardiologist should be aware of the potential for serious hemodynamic compromise related to positioning in these patients. [source] Growth, structure and thermal properties of CuAlxGa1-xSe2 alloysCRYSTAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2006J. Castro Abstract Ingots of the CuAlxGa1-xSe2 (0 , x , 1) alloys system were prepared by direct fusion of the stoichiometric mixture of the elements. The analysis of X-ray Powder Diffraction data showed the presence of one single phase with chalcopyrite tetragonal structure at room temperature for all the studied compositions. The lattice parameters, a and c, and the bond lengths were calculated. The phase transition temperatures were obtained by the onset method from Differential Thermal Analysis measurements performed on samples sealed in evacuated quartz ampoules. Fusion or transition enthalpies were determined from the area of the corresponding DTA peak. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Tumour cell,dendritic cell fusion for cancer immunotherapy: comparison of therapeutic efficiency of polyethylen-glycol versus electro-fusion protocolsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 3 2002M. Lindner Abstract Background ,Fusion of tumour cells with dendritic cells (DC) is a powerful new technology to increase tumour vaccine immunogenicity. The aim of this study was to compare fusion protocols with syngenic DCs with respect to the efficiency of polyethylen-glycol-(PEG) and electric pulse-mediated fusions for induction of protective anti-tumour immune responses. As a model we chose a low immunogenic and metastatic murine mammary carcinoma cell line, which mimics clinically relevant tumour features. Methods FACS-staining, chromium release assay, therapeutic immunization, adoptive transfer. Results ,We show that the parental line with low cell surface expression of MHC molecules as well as a lacZ transfectant becomes highly immunogenic upon fusion with DCs. This was true for PEG- as well as for electro-fused cells. Immunization with products of DCs and tumour cells cocultivated for 16 h without the fusing agent PEG also caused induction of profound anti-tumour immunity, while this was not the case when using parental tumour cells or their lacZ transfectants as vaccines. Immune protection against the parental tumour cells after vaccination with fused cells was long-lasting and could be transferred via immune spleen cells into immuno-incompetent nude (nu/nu) mice. Conclusion ,Fusion products of DA3hi mammary carcinoma cells and DCs produced by an electric pulse were similar to those produced by PEG fusion with regard to vaccine potency in prophylactic antitumour immunization assays in vivo. Therefore, both techniques seem to be promising for clinical application. [source] A novel method of generating neuronal cell lines from gene-knockout mice to study prion protein membrane orientationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2003Andrea Holme Abstract The technology of gene knockout and transgenic mice has allowed the study of the role of genes and their proteins in animal physiology and metabolism. However, these techniques have often been found to be limited in that some genetic manipulations of mice led either to a fatal phenotype or to compensations that mask the loss of function of the target protein. The experimentation on neurons from transgenic mice is particularly critical in the study of key proteins that may be involved in neurodegeneration. The cell fusion technique has been implemented as a novel way to generate cell lines from prion protein knockout mice. Fusion between neonatal mouse neurons and a neuroblastoma cell line have led to a Prnp°/° cell line that facilitates the study of the knockout phenotype. These cells are readily transfectable and allowed us to study the expression of prion protein mutants on a PrP-knockout background. Using this cell line we have examined the effect of PrP mutations reported to alter PrPc to a transmembrane form. Our results suggest that these mutations do not create transmembrane forms of the protein, but block normal transport of PrP to the cell membrane. [source] Fusion of farnesyldiphosphate synthase and epi -aristolochene synthase, a sesquiterpene cyclase involved in capsidiol biosynthesis in Nicotiana tabacumFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 14 2002Maria Brodelius A clone encoding farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPS) was obtained by PCR from a cDNA library made from young leaves of Artemisia annua. A cDNA clone encoding the tobacco epi -aristolochene synthase (eAS) was kindly supplied by J. Chappell (University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA). Two fusions were constructed, i.e. FPPS/eAS and eAS/FPPS. The stop codon of the N-terminal enzyme was removed and replaced by a short peptide (Gly-Ser-Gly) to introduce a linker between the two ORFs. These two fusions and the two single cDNA clones were separately introduced into a bacterial expression vector (pET32). Escherichia coli was transformed with the expression vectors and enzymatically active soluble proteins were obtained after induction with isopropyl thio-,- d -thiogalactoside. The recombinant enzymes were purified using immobilized metal affinity chromatography on Co2+ columns. The fusion enzymes produced epi- aristolochene from isopentenyl diphosphate through a coupled reaction. The Km values of FPPS and eAS for isopentenyl diphosphate and farnesyl diphosphate, respectively, were essentially the same for the single and fused enzymes. The bifunctional enzymes showed a more efficient conversion of isopentenyl diphosphate to epi -aristolochene than the corresponding amount of single enzymes. [source] A GyrB-GyrA fusion protein expressed in yeast cells is able to remove DNA supercoils but cannot substitute eukaryotic topoisomerase IIGENES TO CELLS, Issue 3 2002Sonia Trigueros Background: Type II topoisomerases are a highly conserved class of enzymes which transport one double-stranded DNA segment through a transient break in another. Whereas the eukaryotic enzymes are homodimers of a single polypeptide, their bacterial homologues are homodimers of two independently coded protein subunits. Unlike eukaryotic topoisomerase II and bacterial topoisomerase IV, DNA gyrase is a bacterial type II topoisomerase which specializes in intramolecular DNA transport. Results: We have fused the Escherichia coli coding sequences for the proteins GyrB and GyrA, which comprise DNA gyrase. This fusion was expressed in yeast cells and yielded the expected full-length protein product. When it was expressed in ,top1- top2-4 yeast cells, the fusion protein compensated their slow growth and reverted their elevated chromosomal excision of ribosomal genes. Furthermore, it removed DNA positive supercoils. The fusion protein, however, was unable to complement the temperature-dependent lethality of top2-4 cells. Conclusion: Fusion of the E. coli GyrB and GyrA proteins leads to a catalytically active topoisomerase which compensates several phenotypic traits attributed to unconstrained DNA supercoiling in topoisomerase-deficient cells. However, since the fusion protein cannot substitute for topoisomerase II, it may be efficient in intramolecular but not intermolecular DNA passage, resembling the catalytic properties of DNA gyrase. [source] Fusion gene-mediated truncation of RUNX1 as a potential mechanism underlying disease progression in the 8p11 myeloproliferative syndromeGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 7 2007Helena Ågerstam The 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS) is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder molecularly characterized by fusion of various 5, partner genes to the 3, part of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) gene at 8p, resulting in constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinase activity contained within FGFR1. EMS is associated with a high risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but the mechanisms underlying the disease progression are unknown. In the present study, we have investigated a case of EMS harboring a t(8;22)(p11;q11)/BCR-FGFR1 rearrangement as well as a t(9;21)(q34;q22) at the time of AML transformation. FISH and RT-PCR analyses revealed that the t(9;21) leads to a fusion gene consisting of the 5, part of RUNX1 (exons 1,4) fused to repetitive sequences of a gene with unknown function on chromosome 9, adding 70 amino acids to RUNX1 exon 4. The t(9;21) hence results in a truncation of RUNX1. No point mutations were found in the other RUNX1 allele. The most likely functional outcome of the rearrangement was haploinsufficiency of RUNX1, which thus may be one mechanism by which EMS transforms to AML. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Fusion of ALK to the Ran-binding protein 2 (RANBP2) gene in inflammatory myofibroblastic tumorGENES, CHROMOSOMES AND CANCER, Issue 1 2003Zhigui Ma Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare mesenchymal proliferation of transformed myofibroblasts, with a prominent inflammatory cell component, that can mimic other spindle cell processes such as nodular fasciitis, desmoid tumor, and gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Genetic analyses have recently demonstrated rearrangements of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), located at 2p23, in a subset of IMTs. Molecular characterizations have identified ALK fusions involving tropomyosin-3 and -4 (TPM-3 and -4), the clathrin heavy chain (CLTC), and the cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (CARS) genes as fusion partners. Here we describe two IMTs with a novel ALK fusion that involves the Ran-binding protein 2 (RANBP2) gene at 2q13, which normally encodes a large (358-kDa) nucleopore protein localized at the cytoplasmic side of the nuclear pore complex. The N-terminal 867 residues of RANBP2 are fused to the cytoplasmic segment of ALK in the 1,430,amino acid RANBP2-ALK chimeric protein. Myofibroblasts that express RANBP2-ALK exhibit nuclear membrane-associated ALK staining that is unique compared to the subcellular localization observed with other ALK fusions in IMT, presumably attributable to heteroassociation of the fusion with normal RANBP2 at the nuclear pore. These findings expand the spectrum of ALK abnormalities observed in IMT and further confirm the clonal, neoplastic nature of these lesions. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Preparation of a Synthetic Titanite Glass Calibration Material for In Situ Microanalysis by Direct Fusion in Graphite Electrodes: A Preliminary Characterisation by EPMA and LA-ICP-MSGEOSTANDARDS & GEOANALYTICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2005Magne Ødegård matériaux de calibration; microanalyse; fusion directe; électrodes de graphite; verre de titanite This paper describes a technique for the preparation of a titanite (CaTiSiO5) glass calibration material for use in in situ microanalysis of major, minor, and trace elements in geological materials. The starting composition was a titanite matrix doped with minor and trace elements at , 200 ,g g -1. The elements Sc, Y, REEs, Th and U were added in the form of nitrates in solution, and the elements V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Nb, Hf and W were added as solid oxides. The synthetic titanite glass was produced by direct fusion by resistance heating in graphite electrodes at 1600-1700 °C, and quenched in air. Backscattered electron images indicate good homogeneity, with no signs of separate phases or vesicles, and analysis of the major elements Ca, Ti and Si by electron microprobe showed relative standard deviations between 0.5 and 0.7%, based on six independent measurements. Deviations from nominal concentrations for Ca, Si and Ti were measured to -1.2, -3.3 and -0.8%, respectively. The homogeneity of the trace elements in the glass was assessed by LA-ICP-MS analyses, using NIST SRM 610, 612 and 616 as external calibrators, and Ca as the internal standard element. Determinations were made both with a quadrupole mass spectrometer and a sector field instrument, and both raster and spot modes of analysis were used. For the majority of doped elements, precision was better than 10%, and relative deviations from nominal values were, with few exceptions, between 5 and 10%. Cet article décrit une technique de préparation d'un verre de composition CaTiSiO5 (titanite) pour l'utiliser comme matériau de calibration lors de microanalyses in situ des éléments majeurs, mineurs et en trace dans des matériaux géologiques. La composition de départ a une matrice de titanite, dopée avec des éléments mineurs et en trace à une concentration de , 200 ,g g-1. Les éléments Sc, Y, REE, Th et U ont été ajoutés sous forme de nitrates en solution et les éléments V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Nb, Hf et W sous forme d'oxydes solides. Le verre synthétique de titanite a été produit par fusion directe avec un chauffage par des résistances dans des électrodes de graphite à 1600-1700 °C suivi d'un refroidissement rapide à l'air. Les images obtenues par électrons rétrodiffusés montrent que le verre présente une bonne homogénéité, sans aucun signe de phases individualisées ou de vésicules, et l'analyse des éléments majeurs Ca, Ti et Si par microsonde électronique a des déviations standard relatives (RSD) entre 0.5 et 0.7% provenant de six mesures indépendantes. Les déviations par rapport aux concentrations calculées, pour Ca, Si et Ti, sont de -1.2, -3.3 et -0.8% respectivement. L'homogénéité de répartition des éléments en trace dans le verre a été vérifiée par des analyses LA-ICP-MS, en utilisant les matériaux de référence NIST SRM 610, 612 et 616 pour la calibration externe et Ca comme élément standard interne. Les déterminations ont été faites avec un spectromètre de masse de type quadrupôle et un autre de type secteur magnétique, par des analyses à la fois en mode balayage et en mode ponctuel. Pour la majorité des éléments dopés, la précision est meilleure que 10% et les déviations standard relatives par rapport aux valeurs calculées sont, à quelques exceptions près, entre 5 et 10%. [source] Bacteriorhodopsin-Monolayer-Based Planar Metal,Insulator,Metal Junctions via Biomimetic Vesicle Fusion: Preparation, Characterization, and Bio-optoelectronic Characteristics,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 8 2007D. Jin Abstract A reliable and reproducible method for preparing bacteriorhodopsin (bR)-containing metal,biomolecule,monolayer-metal planar junctions via vesicle fusion tactics and soft deposition of Au top electrodes is reported. Optimum monolayer and junction preparations, including contact effects, are discussed. The electron-transport characteristics of bR-containing membranes are studied systematically by incorporating native bR or artificial bR pigments derived from synthetic retinal analogues, into single solid-supported lipid bilayers. Current,voltage (I,V) measurements at ambient conditions show that a single layer of such bR-containing artificial lipid bilayers pass current in solid electrode/bilayer/solid electrode structures. The current is passed only if retinal or its analogue is present in the protein. Furthermore, the preparations show photoconductivity as long as the retinal can isomerize following light absorption. Optical characterization suggests that the junction photocurrents might be associated with a photochemically induced M-like intermediate of bR. I,V measurements along with theoretical estimates reveal that electron transfer through the protein is over four orders of magnitude more efficient than what would be estimated for direct tunneling through 5,nm of water-free peptides. Our results furthermore suggest that the light-driven proton-pumping activity of the sandwiched solid-state bR monolayer contributes negligibly to the steady-state light currents that are observed, and that the orientation of bR does not significantly affect the observed I,V characteristics. [source] The Psychological Basis of Historical Explanation: Reenactment, Simulation, and the Fusion of HorizonsHISTORY AND THEORY, Issue 1 2002Karsten R. Stueber In this article I will challenge a received orthodoxy in the philosophy of social science by showing that Collingwood was right in insisting that reenactment is epistemically central for historical explanations of individual agency. Situating Collingwood within the context of the debate between simulation theory and what has come to be called "theory theory" in contemporary philosophy of mind and psychology, I will develop two systematic arguments that attempt to show the essential importance of reenactment for our understanding of rational agency. I will furthermore show that Gadamer's influential critique of the reenactment model distinguishes insufficiently between the interpretation of certain types of texts and the explanation of individual actions. In providing an account of individual agency, we are committed to a realistic understanding of our ordinary scheme of action-explanations and have thus to recognize the centrality of reenactment. Nevertheless, Collingwood's emphasis on reenactment is certainly one-sided. I will demonstrate its limitations even for accounting for individual agency, and show how it has to be supplemented by various theoretical considerations, by analyzing the different explanatory strategies that Christopher Browning and Daniel Goldhagen use to explain the behavior of the ordinary men in Reserve Battalion 101 during World War II. [source] Atypical methylmalonic aciduria: frequency of mutations in the methylmalonyl CoA epimerase gene (MCEE),,HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 10 2007Abigail B. Gradinger Abstract Methylmalonic aciduria is known to result from defects in the enzyme methylmalonyl CoA mutase (MCM) (mut complementation group) and from defects in the synthesis of the MCM cofactor adenosylcobalamin (cblA, cblB, cblC, cblD, and cblF groups). Two patients who excrete methylmalonic acid have recently been shown to have a homozygous nonsense mutation in the gene coding for methylmalonyl CoA epimerase (MCEE). To further understand the cause of methylmalonic acid excretion, the MCEE gene was sequenced in 229 patients with elevations of methylmalonic acid excretion for which no cause was known. Mutations in MCEE were detected in five patients: two patients homozygous for c.139C>T, p.R47X, one patient homozygous for c.178A>C, p.K60Q, and two patients heterozygous for c.427C>T, p.R143C. Fusion of fibroblast lines from two patients homozygous for c.139C>T, p.R47X did not result in correction of [14C]propionate incorporation toward control values while the defect in these fibroblasts was complemented by mut, cblA, and cblB fibroblasts. Infection with wild-type MCEE cDNA resulted in correction of the biochemical phenotype in cells from both patients. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Comparing effects of methylphenidate, sertraline and placebo on neuropsychiatric sequelae in patients with traumatic brain injuryHUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue 2 2005Hoon Lee Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the effects of methylphenidate and sertraline compared with placebo on various neuropsychiatric sequelae associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods This was a 4 week, double-blind, parallel-group trial. Thirty patients with mild to moderate degrees of TBI were randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups (n,=,10 in each group) with matching age, gender and education, i.e. methylphenidate (starting at 5,mg/day and increasing to 20,mg/day in a week), sertraline (starting at 25,mg/day and increasing to 100,mg/day in a week) or placebo. At the baseline and at the 4 week endpoint, the following assessments were administered: subjective (Beck Depression Inventory) and objective (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) measures of depression; Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire for postconcussional symptoms; SmithKline Beecham Quality of Life Scale for quality of life; seven performance tests (Critical Flicker Fusion, Choice Reaction Time, Continuous Tracking, Mental Arithmetic, Short-Term memory, Digit Symbol Substitution and Mini-Mental State Examination); subjective measures of sleep (Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire) and daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale). All adverse events during the study period were recorded and their relationships to the drugs were assessed. Results Neuropsychiatric sequelae seemed to take a natural recovery course in patients with traumatic brain injury. Methylphenidate had significant effects on depressive symptoms compared with the placebo, without hindering the natural recovery process of cognitive function. Although sertraline also had significant effects on depressive symptoms compared with the placebo, it did not improve many tests on cognitive performances. Daytime sleepiness was reduced by methylphenidate, while it was not by sertraline. Conclusions Methylphenidate and sertraline had similar effects on depressive symptoms. However, methylphenidate seemed to be more beneficial in improving cognitive function and maintaining daytime alertness. Methylphenidate also offered a better tolerability than sertraline. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Miniaturization of a Laser Doppler Blood Flow Sensor by System-in-Package Technology: Fusion of an Optical Microelectromechanical Systems Chip and Integrated CircuitsIEEJ TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2010Wataru Iwasaki Member Abstract We have developed the first and the smallest blood flow sensor composed of integrated circuits (ICs) fused with an optical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) chip using system-in-package (SiP) technologies for application in a healthcare monitoring system. The probe of this blood flow sensor consists of three layers, and the optical MEMS chip is stacked as the top layer. Through silicon via (TSV), vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and cavities enable wafer-level packaging of the optical MEMS chip. The other two layers consisting of ICs are highly densified by SiP technology, and the volume of the probe is miniaturized to about one-sixth of our previously reported integrated laser Doppler blood flowmeter, an MEMS blood flow sensor to which SiP technology was not applied. Copyright © 2010 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] Low-Temperature Fusion of Polymeric Nanostructures Using Carbon Dioxide,ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 2 2007Y. Yang A low-temperature fusion method for preparing polymeric nanostructures based on low-pressure CO2 -enhanced chain mobility at the nanoscale is presented. Characterization of the structures reveals a pressure-tunable rubbery layer on the surface. The successful fusion of polymeric nanostructures (see figure) at temperatures below the bulk glass-transition temperature of the polymer is demonstrated. The technique has potential for the assembly of 3D micro/nanoscale polymeric devices for biomedical applications. [source] Fusion of dispatching centres into one entity: effects on performanceACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2010T. MÄÄTTÄ Background: Dispatching centres were fused into one of the 112 entity, which caused concerns regarding whether the medical calls could be processed effectively also in the new centre. We evaluated the effects of the reform on key performance criteria in medical calls. Methods: This observational study in the Helsinki Dispatching Centre consisted of two periods: Period I 2 years before the reform and Period II 2 years after. The main outcome measures were answering and call processing times, accuracy of risk assessment and appropriate use of ambulances. Results: In Period I (n=574,276), 92.2% of all incoming phone calls were answered within 10 s and in Period II (n=758,022) 82.8% (P<0.0001). Time to dispatch a first responding fire unit increased from 98 to 113 s (P<0.0001) and an advanced life support unit in category A calls increased from 73 to 84 s (P<0.0001). In Period I 47.7%, 34.8% and 17.5% of phone calls were completed in <3, 3,5 and >5 min and in Period II 29.8%, 36.1% and 34.1% (P<0.0001). The number of three studied non-transportation call types and unnecessary lights-and-siren responses increased significantly (P<0.0001 and 0.0001, respectively). Neither the accuracy of risk assessment in the three studied call types nor the rate of telephone-guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation changed. Conclusions: The reform increased the total number of ambulance dispatches, prolonged answering and call processing times and had a negative effect on the appropriate use of ambulances. The accuracy of risk assessment was not affected. Evidence-based data should be the basis for the future as dispatching centre processes are shown to be vulnerable during organisational reforms. [source] Fusion of digital television, broadband Internet and mobile communications,Part I: Enabling technologiesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 4 2007F. L. C. Ong Abstract The introduction of digital video broadcasting (DVB) satellite systems has become an important tool for future mobile communication and is currently a focus in several research areas such as the integration of DVB satellite systems with different wireless technologies. This tutorial consists of two parts, Enabling technologies and Future service scenarios, which aims to provide an introduction to the current state-of-the-art of DVB standards over satellite and its fusion with mobile and Internet technologies. This paper, Enabling technologies, focuses on providing an overview of the different technologies and issues that facilitates better understanding of the current and future operational scenarios, whereas the second paper, Future service scenarios will emphasize future research directions in this research area. In the first part, the paper will initially be focused on the introduction of different DVB satellite systems, i.e. DVB- via satellite (DVB-S), DVB return channel by satellite (DVB-RCS) and second-generation DVB system for broadband satellite services (DVB-S2). This is then followed by a description of the different Internet Protocol (IP) technologies used to support macro- and micro-mobility and the migration strategies from IP version 4 (IPv4) to IP version 6 (IPv6). Finally, the different security mechanisms for the DVB system and end-to-end satellite network are addressed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A method to establish the relationship between chronological age and stage of union from radiographic assessment of epiphyseal fusion at the knee: an Irish population studyJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 2 2008J. E. O'Connor Abstract Characteristic changes during epiphyseal union provide a skeletal age, which when compared with age-based standards provides an estimation of chronological age. Currently there are no data on epiphyseal union for the purposes of age estimation specific to an Irish population. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the relationship between stage of epiphyseal union at the knee joint and chronological age in a modern Irish population. A novel radiographic method that sub-divides the continuum of development into five specific stages of union is presented. Anteroposterior and lateral knee radiographs of 148 males and 86 females, aged 9,19 years, were examined. Fusion was scored as Stage 0, non-union; Stage 1, beginning union; Stage 2, active union; Stage 3, recent union; or Stage 4, complete union. Stage of epiphyseal union is correlated with chronological age in both males and females. Mean age gradually increases with each stage of union and also varies between male and female subjects. A statistically significant difference in mean age was recorded between stages when compared to the previous stage, for the three epiphyses. Irish children are comparable to those from previously published studies with epiphyseal union in females occurring earlier than males. A significant difference was noted between the mean age of union for males and females for each of Stages 1 and 2 for the femur and Stages 0, 1, 2 and 3 for the tibia and the fibula. The results also suggest that the stages of union occur at earlier ages in this Irish population. Implementation of standardized methodology is necessary to investigate if this is due to a secular or population variation in maturation or to a methodology which clearly identifies five stages of union. [source] The zebrafish (Danio rerio) caudal complex , a model to study vertebral body fusionJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 2 2010A. Bensimon-Brito Summary Impairment of segmentation during embryonic development leads to congenital fusion of vertebrae. Nevertheless, vertebral fusion can also occur during post-embryonic life. Fusion can cause reduction in mobility and may be pathological, but it can also be part of normal development and mechanically required, such as in the teleost caudal skeleton, or in the tetrapod sacrum. Using a series of closely spaced ontogenetic stages of zebrafish, stained for mineralized (Alizarin red) and cartilaginous (Alcian blue) structures, we have characterized all fusions occurring during the formation of the caudal skeleton. The urostyle results from the vertebral fusion of the compound centrum preural1-ural1 [PU1++U1] and ural2 [U2+]. Based on developmental and morphological characters: (i) number of vestigial haemal arches, (ii) occasional presence of a haemal arch rudiment, (iii) occasional individuals with separate centra rudiments or distinct mineralization time points, and (iv) evidence for internal separation, we propose that the urostyle forms as a fusion product of five, and not three vertebral centra, as previously described. The last fusion to occur in development, between the compound centrum [PU1++U1] and U2+, is a relatively slow process that typically occurs in Cypriniformes and Salmoniformes and is therefore considered reliable to monitor the fusion process. The vertebrae adjacent to the urostyle, preurals 2 and 3, are highly susceptible to fusion, and thus inadequate as a negative control to fusion, in contrast to trunk vertebrae, where fusion is never observed. With this we have established the basis for a new model to study vertebral fusion and to unravel cellular and molecular events underlying this process. [source] Estrogen Receptor-, Inhibits Skeletal Growth and Has the Capacity to Mediate Growth Plate Fusion in Female Mice,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2004AS Chagin Abstract To determine the long-term role of ER, in the regulation of longitudinal bone growth, appendicular and axial skeletal growth was followed and compared in female ER,,/,, ER,,/,, and ER,,/,,,/, mice. Our results show that ER, inhibits appendicular and axial skeletal growth and has the capacity to induce fusion of the growth plates. Introduction: Estrogen affects skeletal growth and promotes growth plate fusion in humans. In rodents, the growth plates do not fuse after sexual maturation, but prolonged treatment with supraphysiological levels of estradiol has the capacity to fuse the growth plates. It should be emphasized that the estrogen receptor (ER),,/, and the ER,,/,,,/,, but not the ER,,/,, mouse models have clearly increased serum levels of estradiol. Materials and Methods: The skeletal growth was monitored by X-ray and dynamic histomorphometry, and the growth plates were analyzed by quantitative histology, calcein double labeling, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, and TUNEL assay in 4- and 18-month-old female ER,,/,, ER,,/,, and ER,,/,,,/, mice. Results: Young adult (4-month-old) ER,,/, mice demonstrated an increased axial- and appendicular-skeletal growth, supporting the notion that ER, inhibits skeletal growth in young adult female mice. Interestingly, the growth plates were consistently fused in the appendicular skeleton of 18-month-old female ER,,/, mice. This fusion of growth plates, caused by a prolonged exposure to supraphysiological levels of estradiol in female ER,,/, mice, must be mediated through ER, because old ER,,/,,,/, mice displayed unchanged, unfused growth plates. Conclusions: Our results confirm that ER, is a physiological inhibitor of appendicular- and axial-skeletal growth in young adult female mice. Furthermore, we made the novel observation that ER,, after prolonged supraphysiological estradiol exposure, has the capacity to mediate growth plate fusion in old female mice. [source] Validation of Computed Tomography Image Integration into the EnSite NavX Mapping System to Perform Catheter Ablation of Atrial FibrillationJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 8 2008LAURA RICHMOND R.N., M.Sc. Introduction: The complex anatomy of the left atrium (LA) makes location of ablation catheters difficult using fluoroscopy alone, and therefore 3D mapping systems are now routinely used. We describe the integration of a CT image into the EnSite NavX System with Fusion and its validation in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation (AF) or left atrial tachycardia (AT) catheter ablation. Methods and Results: Twenty-three patients (61 ± 9.2 years, 16 male) with paroxysmal (14) and persistent (8) AF and persistent (1) AT underwent ablation using CT image integration into the EnSite NavX mapping system with the EnSite Fusion Dynamic Registration software module. In all cases, segmentation of the CT data was accomplished using the EnSite Verismo segmentation tool, although repeat segmentation attempts were required in seven cases. The CT was registered with the NavX-created geometry using an average of 24 user-defined fiducial pairs (range 9 to 48). The average distance from NavX-measured lesion positions to the CT surface was 3.2 ± 0.9 mm (median 2.4 mm). A large, automated, retrospective test using registrations with random subsets of each patient's fiducial pairs showed this average distance decreasing as the number of fiducial pairs increased, although the improvement ceased to be significant beyond 15 pairs. In confirmation, those studies which had used 16 or more pairs had a smaller average lesion-to-surface distance (2.9 ± 0.7 mm) than those using 15 or fewer (4.3 ± 0.8 mm, P < 0.02). Finally, for the 13 patients who underwent left atrial circumferential ablation (LACA), there was no significant difference between the circumference computed using NavX-measured positions and CT surface positions for either the left pulmonary veins (178 ± 64 vs. 177 ± 60 mm; P = 0.81) or the right pulmonary veins (218 ± 86 vs. 207 ± 81 mm; P = 0.08). Conclusion: CT image integration into the EnSite NavX Fusion system was successful in all patients undergoing catheter ablation. A learning curve exists for the Verismo segmentation tool; but once the 3D model was created, the registration process was easily accomplished, with a registration error that is comparable with registration errors using other mapping systems with CT image integration. All patients went on to have subsequent successful ablation procedures. Where LACA was performed (13 patients), only four patients required segmental ostial lesions to achieve electrical isolation. [source] A Flexible Software Architecture for Hybrid TrackingJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 2 2004Miguel Ribo Fusion of vision-based and inertial pose estimation has many high-potential applications in navigation, robotics, and augmented reality. Our research aims at the development of a fully mobile, completely self-contained tracking system, that is able to estimate sensor motion from known 3D scene structure. This requires a highly modular and scalable software architecture for algorithm design and testing. As the main contribution of this paper, we discuss the design of our hybrid tracker and emphasize important features: scalability, code reusability, and testing facilities. In addition, we present a mobile augmented reality application, and several first experiments with a fully mobile vision-inertial sensor head. Our hybrid tracking system is not only capable of real-time performance, but can also be used for offline analysis of tracker performance, comparison with ground truth, and evaluation of several pose estimation and information fusion algorithms. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Principles of Fusion of Inertial Navigation and Dynamic VisionJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 1 2004Stevica Graovac The possibility of fusion of navigation data obtained by two separate navigation systems (strap-down inertial one and dynamic vision based one) is considered in this paper. The attention is primarily focused on principles of validation of separate estimates before their use in a combined algorithm. The inertial navigation system (INS) based on sensors of medium level quality has been analyzed on one side, while a visual navigation method is based on the analysis of a sequence of images of ground landmarks produced by an on-board TV camera. The accuracy of INS estimations is being improved continuously by optimal estimation of a flying object's angular orientation while the visual navigation system offers discrete corrections during the intervals of presence of landmarks inside the camera's field of view. The concept is illustrated by dynamic simulation of a realistic flight scenario. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] FACTOR ANALYSIS OF THE PERSONAL AUTHORITY IN THE FAMILY SYSTEM QUESTIONNAIREJOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 4 2006Daniel F. Brossart The factor structure of the Personal Authority in the Family System Questionnaire (PAFS-Q) has been used in numerous studies, but the factor structure has not been examined since its development in 1984. This study examined the factor structure of the PAFS-Q. Findings suggest a six-factor solution with important differences from those reported when the PAFS-Q was developed. The main differences between this study and the original factor analysis are that this study found separate Mother and Father Intimacy factors instead of a single Intergenerational Intimacy factor and the original Spousal Fusion and Spousal Intimacy factors were not separate factors in the current study. Implications and future directions for research are also discussed. [source] Fusion of diphtheria toxin and urotensin II produces a neurotoxin selective for cholinergic neurons in the rat mesopontine tegmentumJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2007S. D. Clark Abstract Urotensin II is a neuropeptide first isolated from fish and later found in mammals: where it has potent cardiovascular, endocrine and behavioral effects. In rat brain the urotensin II receptor (UII-R) is predominately expressed in the cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine (PPTg) and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei. Typically, the function of the PPTg has been examined using excitotoxins, destroying both cholinergic and non-cholinergic neurons, which confounds interpretation. We took advantage of UII-R's unique expression profile, by combining UII with diphtheria toxin, to engineer a toxin specific for cholinergic neurons of the PPTg. In vitro, two different toxin constructs were shown to selectively activate UII-R (average EC50 , 30 nmol/L; calcium mobility assay) and to be 10 000-fold more toxic to UII-R expressing CHO cells, than wildtype cells (average LD50 , 2 nmol/L; cell viability). In vivo, pressure injection into the PPTg of rats, resulted in specific loss of choline transporter and NADPH diaphorase positive neurons known to express the UII-R. The lesions developed over time, resulting in the loss of over 80% of cholinergic neurons at 21 days, with little damage to surrounding neurons. This is the first highly selective molecular tool for the depletion of mesopontine cholinergic neurons. The toxin will help to functionally dissect the pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei, and advance the understanding of the functions of these structures. [source] Lumbar Dural Ectasia Secondary to Spinal Fusion: A Report of Two CasesJOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 4 2006Tom A. Hong MMS ABSTRACT Two cases of lumbar dural ectasia secondary to spinal fusion are presented. Background history of dural ectasia is discussed; computed tomography (CT) and MR imaging characteristics of dural ectasia are shown and possible causes are discussed. [source] Stem cell therapy of the liver, Fusion or fiction?LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2004Marc H. Dahlke Various stem cell populations have been described in distinct models of liver regeneration. This review provides an overview of these different stem cell populations aimed at unifying diverse views of liver stem cell biology. Embryonic stem cells, hemopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, liver-derived hepatic stem cells, bone marrow,derived hepatic stem cells, and mature hepatocytes (as cells with stemlike properties) are considered separately. In so doing, we seek to clarify the nomenclature of putative liver stem cell types. Experiments that address the question of cellular fusion versus transdifferentiation as explanations for observed liver regeneration are highlighted. This review concludes with a series of open questions that should be addressed in the context of clinical liver disease before attempts at human therapeutic interventions. (Liver Transpl 2004;10:471,479.) [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||