Why Does an Obligate Autogamous Orchid Produce Insect Attractants in Nectar? – A Case Study on Epipactis Albensis (Orchidaceae)

Background The flowers of some species of orchids produce nectar as a reward for pollination, the process of transferring pollen from flower to flower. Epipactis albensis is an obligatory autogamous species, does not require the presence of insects for pollination, nevertheless, it has not lost the ability to produce nectar, the chemical composition of which we examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for identification of potential insect attractants. Results During five years of field research, we did not observe any true pollinating insects visiting the flowers of this species, only accidental insects as ants and aphids. As a result of our studies we find that this self-pollinating orchid produces in nectar inter alia aliphatic saturated and unsaturated aldehydes such as i.e. nonanal (pelargonal) and 2-pentenal as well as aromatic ones (i.e. syringaldehyde, hyacinthin). The nectar is low in alkenes, which may explain the absence of pollinating insects. Moreover, vanillin and eugenol derivatives, well-known as important scent compounds were also identified, but the list of chemical compounds is much poorer compared with a closely related species, insect-pollinating E. helleborine. Conclusion Autogamy is a reproductive mechanism employed by many flowering plants, including the orchid genus Epipactis, as adaptation to grow in habitats where pollinating insects are rare observed due to the lack of nectar-producing plants they feed on. The production of numerous chemical attractants by self-pollinated E. albensis confirms the evolutionary secondary process, i.e. transition from ancestral insect-pollinating species to obligatory autogamous.

Chemically modified polystyrene co-loaded with antimicrobial agents

A recent study showed that at least 50% of nosocomial infections are due to medical indwelling devices like surgical guides and prosthetics. This amounts to about 2 million patients affected a year. The reason for such statistics is the growth of microorganisms on the surfaces of the medical devices. There have been many attempts to create antimicrobial materials but most materials are unable to hold more than one antimicrobial agent without a secondary process. The study related to antimicrobial material with more than one type of agent is rarely found in literature. Hence, the objective of this project is to produce an antimicrobial material that can hold more than one antimicrobial agent without the need for a secondary process. The material is produced by sulfonating high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and attaching copper and silver ions. The optimum time of sulfonation of the HIPS was determined by the degree of sulfonation and ion exchange capacity. Then, the sulfonated HIPS were loaded with both copper and silver ions at different ratios. The 6-hour sample yielded the highest degree of sulfonation and ionic exchange capacity of 33.7% and 2.57 meq/g, respectively. In future work, the characterization of the 6-hour sulfonated HIPS sample loaded with copper and silver ions at different concentration ratios will be performed using TGA, DSC and FTIR spectroscopy. Lastly, the efficacy of the antimicrobial properties of the sulfonated HIPS will be tested using different bacterial strains.

From Translating for the World to Translation as the World

Grounded in the heterogenous linguistic and cultural landscape of Hong Kong, this article proposes a translational approach to the practice of world cinema, focusing on director Wong Kar-wai, via World Literature and the poetry of Leung Ping-kwan. Wong is a lyrical cinematic stylist, while Leung had a strong scholarly interest in cinema and produced many collaborations with visual artists. Both are highly attuned to the distinctiveness of daily life in Hong Kong despite its infusion of international influences. Moving beyond a model which sees translation as a secondary process carrying a work beyond its local context, I use Sakai Naoki’s concept of the “heterolingual address” to trace how translation becomes foundational to these artists’ engagement with the multilayered space and uneven temporality of Hong Kong.

Panniculitis in Children

Panniculitides form a heterogenous group of inflammatory diseases that involve the subcutaneous adipose tissue. These disorders are rare in children and have many aetiologies. As in adults, the panniculitis can be the primary process in a systemic disorder or a secondary process that results from infection, trauma or exposure to medication. Some types of panniculitis are seen more commonly or exclusively in children, and several new entities have been described in recent years. Most types of panniculitis have the same clinical presentation (regardless of the aetiology), with tender, erythematous subcutaneous nodules. Although the patient’s age and the lesion site provide information, a histopathological assessment is sometimes required for a definitive diagnosis and classification of the disorder. In children, most panniculitides are lobular. At present, autoimmune inflammatory diseases and primary immunodeficiencies have been better characterised; panniculitis can be the presenting symptom in some of these settings. Unexplained panniculitis in a young child should prompt a detailed screen for monogenic immune disorders because the latter usually manifest themselves early in life. Here, we review forms of panniculitis that occur primarily in children, with a focus on newly described entities.

Priv.-Assoc. Preobrazhensky. About acute encephalitis. Honey. review 1910, no. 21.

In modern works, either the existence of acute (non-hemorrhagic) encephalitis is not mentioned at all, or it is mentioned in passing, as something little-known, dubious, and sometimes as a secondary process with various kinds of inflammation of the soft membrane.

Improving Manufacturing Applications of Machine Learning by Understanding Defect Classification and the Critical Error Threshold

Machine learning (ML) is unlocking patterns and insight into data to provide financial value and knowledge for organizations. Use of machine learning in manufacturing environments is increasing, yet sometimes these applications fail to produce meaningful results. A critical review of how defects are classified is needed to appropriately apply machine learning in a production foundry and other manufacturing processes. Four elements associated with defect classification are proposed: Binary Acceptance Specifications, Stochastic Formation of Defects, Secondary Process Variation, and Visual Defect Inspection. These four elements create data space overlap, which influences the bias associated with training supervised machine learning algorithms. If this influence is significant enough, the predicted error of the model exceeds a critical error threshold (CET). There is no financial motivation to implement the ML model in the manufacturing environment if its error is greater than the CET. The goal is to bring awareness to these four elements, define the critical error threshold, and offer guidance and future study recommendations on data collection and machine learning that will increase the success of ML within manufacturing.

Dimensional Analysis and Surface Characterization of Ground Alumina Sintered Guide Pin

Alumina (Al2O3) has been considered as satisfactory material used for ceramic guide pin in mechanical engineering applications owing to its excellent properties particularly high strength, good wear and corrosion resistance and extremely low thermal conductivity. However, there is still a major concern with regard to the manufacturing process of the ceramic guide pin, especially in controlling dimensional consistency after the sintering process, leading to part rejection. In this work, the manufacturing of alumina guide pin using powder processing is presented. The focus of this paper is to evaluate dimensional changes and surface analysis of the ground sintered guide pin using an upgraded grinding system. Alumina ceramic guide pin samples were fabricated by a Cold Isostatic Pressure (CIP) technique with four different range of diameters known as M6, M8, M10 and M12. All samples underwent sintering process at 1600°C, followed by secondary process by a micro-grinder to remove excessive diameter after sintering. Dimensional measurement was taken using a Vernier calliper, before and after the grinding process for evaluation. The surface roughness of the guide pin was then analysed by a surface roughness analyser followed by morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). From the result obtained, it clearly showed that, the proposed method of post-processing using of micro-grinding has worked successfully in reducing numbers of part rejection by the company owing to the inconsistency of dimensional changes after the sintering process. Diameter reduction of about 20 – 50 μm was done for all guide pin models corresponded to the improved surface roughness of Ra, Ry and Rz by 1.3 to 2.0 μm, 8.5 to 11.0 μm and 5.0 to 7.0 μm, respectively. From the SEM analysis, better surface morphology was observed corresponded to surface roughness improvement.

Macular fibrosis in Coats’ disease demonstrated by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography – new data toward pathophysiology

Purpose: To analyze if Segmented Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (SS OCT-A) can provide additional information on morphology and pathophysiology of macular fibrosis in Coats’ patients. Methods: A consecutive case series of three male patients (5, 7 and 15 years old), with Coats’ disease-related macular fibrosis (stage 2b-2 patients, 3b-1 patient). SS OCT-A 3×3 mm macular scans of affected eyes were performed. Results: In all three cases the inner portion of macular fibrosis displayed a dense network of vessels, continuing into deeper layers. This structure was similar to that observed in retinal angiomatous proliferations (RAP). There was associated loss of the foveal avascular zone. In one case we observed evolution of the lesion. Conclusion: SS-OCT imaging of macular fibrosis in Coats’ disease reveals a distinct intralesional vascular structure with elements resembling RAP, probably developing as a secondary process.

Emissions Performance of Staged Premixed and Diffusion Combustor Concepts for an NH3/AIR Flame with and Without Reactant Humidification

Renewably generated ammonia offers a form of carbon-free chemical energy storage to meet the differences between uncertain supply and fluctuating demand and has the potential to support future energy requirements. The storage/transportation characteristics of NH3 are favourable compared with H2, however there are combustion research challenges to enhance fuel reactivity whilst reducing harmful emissions production. The purpose of this work was to evaluate different fuel delivery concepts for a representative GT combustor. An experimental and numerical comparison was made between swirl-stabilized premixed and diffusion NH3-air flames at elevated inlet temperature (473K). The exhaust NOx and NH3 emissions generated from each concept were quantified to optimize combustor performance. High-speed OH* and NH2* chemiluminescence was employed to characterize the change in flame topology with variation in fuel-air equivalence ratio, and the resultant influence on measured emission concentrations. Chemiluminescence intensities were shown to elucidate changes in sampled exhaust emissions, enabling detailed analysis of intermediate chemistry. A comparison was made between experimental data and kinetic simulations, demonstrating the sensitivity of NOx emissions to premixed fuel-air equivalence ratio. A comparison was also made between exclusive primary airflow, and the staged introduction of secondary air, to quantify the change in NOx production between each configuration and improve fuel burnout. Secondary air loadings were incrementally increased through the combustor. Finally, reactant humidification was employed as a secondary process for NOx reduction, having shown favourable performance with NH3-H2 mixtures, with the efficacy compared for both premixed and diffusion configurations.

Characteristics and Follow-Up of Organizing Pneumonia Associated with Hematologic Malignancies

Background: Organizing pneumonia (OP) is a secondary process in many diseases. Due to low incidence and indistinct symptoms, there is limited information about OP associated with hematologic malignancies. To discuss the characteristics and prognosis of OP associated with hematologic malignancies, we conducted this study.Methods: We observed and analyzed pathologically confirmed OP cases associated with hematologic malignancies in hospital records database, and excluded OP cases with other related reasons, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, transplantation and infection. Result: There were 5 patients with OP underlying only hematologic malignancies, including one case of myelodysplastic syndrome, one case of acute myelogenous leukemia, one case of multiple myeloma case, one case of aplastic anemia, and one T cell lymphoma. Radiological findings did not show a distinct pattern, and two cases mimicked pulmonary aspergillosis. The diagnosis of OP was confirmed by minimally invasive biopsy. Although all patients developed into severe cases, steroids produced favorable outcomes. Conclusion: This study supports that hematologic malignancies might be a cause of OP and that minimally biopsy may be an effective and safe method to confirm the diagnosis. Although OP associated with hematologic malignancies might more frequently develop into severe cases, the OP lesions were steroid-responsive during follow-up.