Grape marc extract acts as elicitor of plant defence responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Goupil, Pascale; Benouaret, Razik; Charrier, Olivia; Ter Halle, Alexandra; Richard, Claire; Eyheraguibel, Boris; Thiery, Denis; Ledoigt, Gérard

2012-07-01

Plant protection based on novel alternative strategies is a major concern in agriculture to sustain pest management. The marc extract of red grape cultivars reveals plant defence inducer properties. Treatment with grape marc extract efficiently induced hypersensitive reaction-like lesions with cell death evidenced by Evans Blue staining of tobacco leaves. Examination of the infiltration zone and the surrounding areas under UV light revealed the accumulation of autofluorescent compounds. Both leaf infiltration and a foliar spray of the red grape extract on tobacco leaves induced defence gene expression. The PR1 and PR2 target genes were upregulated locally and systemically in tobacco plants following grape marc extract treatment. The grape extract elicited an array of plant defence responses making this natural compound a potential phytosanitary product with a challenging issue and a rather attractive option for sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly practices.

Neurons of self-defence: neuronal innervation of the exocrine defence glands in stick insects.

Science.gov (United States)

Stolz, Konrad; von Bredow, Christoph-Rüdiger; von Bredow, Yvette M; Lakes-Harlan, Reinhard; Trenczek, Tina E; Strauß, Johannes

2015-01-01

Stick insects (Phasmatodea) use repellent chemical substances (allomones) for defence which are released from so-called defence glands in the prothorax. These glands differ in size between species, and are under neuronal control from the CNS. The detailed neural innervation and possible differences between species are not studied so far. Using axonal tracing, the neuronal innervation is investigated comparing four species. The aim is to document the complexity of defence gland innervation in peripheral nerves and central motoneurons in stick insects. In the species studied here, the defence gland is innervated by the intersegmental nerve complex (ISN) which is formed by three nerves from the prothoracic (T1) and suboesophageal ganglion (SOG), as well as a distinct suboesophageal nerve (Nervus anterior of the suboesophageal ganglion). In Carausius morosus and Sipyloidea sipylus, axonal tracing confirmed an innervation of the defence glands by this N. anterior SOG as well as N. anterior T1 and N. posterior SOG from the intersegmental nerve complex. In Peruphasma schultei, which has rather large defence glands, only the innervation by the N. anterior SOG was documented by axonal tracing. In the central nervous system of all species, 3-4 neuron types are identified by axonal tracing which send axons in the N. anterior SOG likely innervating the defence gland as well as adjacent muscles. These neurons are mainly suboesophageal neurons with one intersegmental neuron located in the prothoracic ganglion. The neuron types are conserved in the species studied, but the combination of neuron types is not identical. In addition, the central nervous system in S. sipylus contains one suboesophageal and one prothoracic neuron type with axons in the intersegmental nerve complex contacting the defence gland. Axonal tracing shows a very complex innervation pattern of the defence glands of Phasmatodea which contains different neurons in different nerves from two adjacent body segments

Transgenerational effects alter plant defence and resistance in nature.

Science.gov (United States)

Colicchio, J

2017-04-01

Trichomes, or leaf hairs, are epidermal extensions that take a variety of forms and perform many functions in plants, including herbivore defence. In this study, I document genetically determined variation, within-generation plasticity, and a direct role of trichomes in herbivore defence for Mimulus guttatus. After establishing the relationship between trichomes and herbivory, I test for transgenerational effects of wounding on trichome density and herbivore resistance. Patterns of interannual variation in herbivore density and the high cost of plant defence makes plant-herbivore interactions a system in which transgenerational phenotypic plasticity (TPP) is apt to evolve. Here, I demonstrate that parental damage alters offspring trichome density and herbivore resistance in nature. Moreover, this response varies between populations. This is among the first studies to demonstrate that TPP contributes to variation in nature, and also suggests that selection can modify TPP in response to local conditions. © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Public Private Business Models for Defence Acquisition - A Multiple Case Study of Defence Acquisition Projects in the UK

OpenAIRE

Ekström, Thomas

2012-01-01

Since the ending of the Cold War, the defence sector, particularly the areas of military logistics and defence acquisition, has been undergoing a comprehensive transformation. There are several factors that explain this transformation: changes in defence and security policies for nations and organisations; reductions in defence expenditure; participation in Peace Support Operations; Lessons Learned from these operations, especially in the area of logistics; revolutionary development in the ar...

Deimatic Display in the European Swallowtail Butterfly as a Secondary Defence against Attacks from Great Tits

Science.gov (United States)

Olofsson, Martin; Eriksson, Stephan; Jakobsson, Sven; Wiklund, Christer

2012-01-01

Background Many animals reduce the risk of being attacked by a predator through crypsis, masquerade or, alternatively, by advertising unprofitability by means of aposematic signalling. Behavioural attributes in prey employed after discovery, however, signify the importance of also having an effective secondary defence if a predator uncovers, or is immune to, the prey’s primary defence. In butterflies, as in most animals, secondary defence generally consists of escape flights. However, some butterfly species have evolved other means of secondary defence such as deimatic displays/startle displays. The European swallowtail, Papilio machaon, employs what appears to be a startle display by exposing its brightly coloured dorsal wing surface upon disturbance and, if the disturbance continues, by intermittently protracting and relaxing its wing muscles generating a jerky motion of the wings. This display appears directed towards predators but whether it is effective in intimidating predators so that they refrain from attacks has never been tested experimentally. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study we staged encounters between a passerine predator, the great tit, Parus major, and live and dead swallowtail butterflies in a two-choice experiment. Results showed that the dead butterfly was virtually always attacked before the live butterfly, and that it took four times longer before a bird attacked the live butterfly. When the live butterfly was approached by a bird this generally elicited the butterfly’s startle display, which usually caused the approaching bird to flee. We also performed a palatability test of the butterflies and results show that the great tits seemed to find them palatable. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that the swallowtail’s startle display of conspicuous coloration and jerky movements is an efficient secondary defence against small passerines. We also discuss under what conditions predator-prey systems are likely to aid the

Deimatic display in the European swallowtail butterfly as a secondary defence against attacks from great tits.

Science.gov (United States)

Olofsson, Martin; Eriksson, Stephan; Jakobsson, Sven; Wiklund, Christer

2012-01-01

Many animals reduce the risk of being attacked by a predator through crypsis, masquerade or, alternatively, by advertising unprofitability by means of aposematic signalling. Behavioural attributes in prey employed after discovery, however, signify the importance of also having an effective secondary defence if a predator uncovers, or is immune to, the prey's primary defence. In butterflies, as in most animals, secondary defence generally consists of escape flights. However, some butterfly species have evolved other means of secondary defence such as deimatic displays/startle displays. The European swallowtail, Papilio machaon, employs what appears to be a startle display by exposing its brightly coloured dorsal wing surface upon disturbance and, if the disturbance continues, by intermittently protracting and relaxing its wing muscles generating a jerky motion of the wings. This display appears directed towards predators but whether it is effective in intimidating predators so that they refrain from attacks has never been tested experimentally. In this study we staged encounters between a passerine predator, the great tit, Parus major, and live and dead swallowtail butterflies in a two-choice experiment. Results showed that the dead butterfly was virtually always attacked before the live butterfly, and that it took four times longer before a bird attacked the live butterfly. When the live butterfly was approached by a bird this generally elicited the butterfly's startle display, which usually caused the approaching bird to flee. We also performed a palatability test of the butterflies and results show that the great tits seemed to find them palatable. We conclude that the swallowtail's startle display of conspicuous coloration and jerky movements is an efficient secondary defence against small passerines. We also discuss under what conditions predator-prey systems are likely to aid the evolution of deimatic behaviours in harmless and palatable prey.

Deimatic display in the European swallowtail butterfly as a secondary defence against attacks from great tits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Olofsson

Full Text Available Many animals reduce the risk of being attacked by a predator through crypsis, masquerade or, alternatively, by advertising unprofitability by means of aposematic signalling. Behavioural attributes in prey employed after discovery, however, signify the importance of also having an effective secondary defence if a predator uncovers, or is immune to, the prey's primary defence. In butterflies, as in most animals, secondary defence generally consists of escape flights. However, some butterfly species have evolved other means of secondary defence such as deimatic displays/startle displays. The European swallowtail, Papilio machaon, employs what appears to be a startle display by exposing its brightly coloured dorsal wing surface upon disturbance and, if the disturbance continues, by intermittently protracting and relaxing its wing muscles generating a jerky motion of the wings. This display appears directed towards predators but whether it is effective in intimidating predators so that they refrain from attacks has never been tested experimentally.In this study we staged encounters between a passerine predator, the great tit, Parus major, and live and dead swallowtail butterflies in a two-choice experiment. Results showed that the dead butterfly was virtually always attacked before the live butterfly, and that it took four times longer before a bird attacked the live butterfly. When the live butterfly was approached by a bird this generally elicited the butterfly's startle display, which usually caused the approaching bird to flee. We also performed a palatability test of the butterflies and results show that the great tits seemed to find them palatable.We conclude that the swallowtail's startle display of conspicuous coloration and jerky movements is an efficient secondary defence against small passerines. We also discuss under what conditions predator-prey systems are likely to aid the evolution of deimatic behaviours in harmless and palatable prey.

Identification of plant defence regulators through transcriptional ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2015-02-04

Feb 4, 2015 ... defence-related genes also supports constitutive activation of defence in cdd1. We screened T-DNA ..... identified through this work as novel plant defence regu- ... to drought stress than untransformed plants (Lee et al. 2012).

Defence and illustration of nuclear deterrence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tertrais, Bruno

2011-01-01

After having shown that nuclear deterrence has been efficient since 1945 (nuclear weapons prevented from war, nuclear deterrence contributed to the reduction of risks related to proliferation), the author discusses the amorality and illegality of nuclear deterrence (its ethics can indeed be a matter of discussion, as well as issues like self-defence and international humanitarian law). On another hand, he shows that deterrence costs remain acceptable and that substitutes to nuclear deterrence are not credible. He concludes that deterrence is therefore still useful and legitimate

Multi-directional program efficiency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asmild, Mette; Balezentis, Tomas; Hougaard, Jens Leth

2016-01-01

The present paper analyses both managerial and program efficiencies of Lithuanian family farms, in the tradition of Charnes et al. (Manag Sci 27(6):668–697, 1981) but with the important difference that multi-directional efficiency analysis rather than the traditional data envelopment analysis...... approach is used to estimate efficiency. This enables a consideration of input-specific efficiencies. The study shows clear differences between the efficiency scores on the different inputs as well as between the farm types of crop, livestock and mixed farms respectively. We furthermore find that crop...... farms have the highest program efficiency, but the lowest managerial efficiency and that the mixed farms have the lowest program efficiency (yet not the highest managerial efficiency)....

Driving Danish Defence Towards Political Goals

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-10

discuss the political agreement.90 The Defence Chief of Staff is interviewed in the same paper along the same lines, where he provides an in- depth ...DRIVING DANISH DEFENCE TOWARDS POLITICAL GOALS A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff...4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Driving Danish Defence Towards Political Goals 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6

Operational Analysis on Torpedo Defence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grootendorst, H.J.; Benders, F.P.A.; Fitski, H.J.; Veldhoven, E.R. van

2007-01-01

Since 1998, TNO Defence, Security and Safety has performed operational analysis with the Underwater Warfare Testbed, which provides an environment for evaluation and validation of systems, concepts, and tactics. On top of this testbed the Torpedo Defence System TestBed has been built to simulate

Civil defence abroad. Pt. 3: The Warsaw Pact countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schirrmeister, K.G.; Hofmann, H.

1988-01-01

Civil defence forms part of the national defence of the G.D.R., and belongs since 1976 to the responsibility of the Defence Ministry. Civil defence service is equal to military service. Civil defence services are organised on a territorial basis and a production-oriented basis: Double concept. Construction of shelters is propagated for 30 years now, maintenance of existing buildings is an obligation since 1965. Principles (triage) of military medical service are applied, and are valid for students and post-graduate medical training. Civil defence training is required in school and industry. Civil defence expenditure is increasing, although there is little acceptance by the population. The issue presents extensive documentation. - Civil defence in the Soviet Union covers services in times of peace and of war. Defence measures are prepared and held up to date in the entire territory. The civil defence service belongs to the responsibility of the Council of Ministers, and the deputy minister of defence is the head of services. The training schedules and principles are laid down by the Central Committee of the Communist Party, the government, and local party organisations and governmental authorities. Civil defence training is a general obligation for all citizens over 8 years of age. The main goal is: Protection of the population as the production force, of the economy, and resources. (orig.) [de

Piloting Snapchat for Finnish Defence Forces

OpenAIRE

Immonen, Helena

2016-01-01

This thesis is about piloting Snapchat for Finnish Defence Forces. The goals for the thesis are to find out how Snapchat can be used as part of Finnish Defence Forces’ social media communication and strategy. Conscripts are the most important target group for social media communication in the Defence Forces. Young conscripts are the main target group for Snapchat. This thesis is theoretically based on organizational communication, stakeholder communication and social media communicati...

From energy efficiency towards resource efficiency within the Ecodesign Directive

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bundgaard, Anja Marie; Mosgaard, Mette; Remmen, Arne

2017-01-01

on the most significant environmental impact has often resulted in a focus on energy efficiency in the use phase. Therefore, the Ecodesign Directive should continue to target resource efficiency aspects but also consider environ- mental aspects with a large improvement potential in addition to the most...... significant environmental impact. For the introduction of resource efficiency requirements into the Ecodesign Directive, these requirements have to be included in the preparatory study. It is therefore recommended to broaden the scope of the Methodology for the Ecodesign of Energy-related products and the Eco......The article examines the integration of resource efficiency into the European Ecodesign Directive. The purpose is to analyse the processes and stakeholder interactions, which formed the basis for integrating resource efficiency requirements into the implementing measure for vacuum cleaners...

The reconfiguration of the SA defence industry in the post-2015-defence review environment: prospects & challenges

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Khanyile, Moses

2017-10-01

Full Text Available IMPLICATIONS • Licence category (FSB) • Credit licence (NCR) • Forex Licence (SARB) Armscor & AMD Initiative: Establishment of the Defence Industry Fund (DIF) WAY FORWARD Finalisation of the Defence Industry Strategy Drafting...

CSIR eNews: Defence peace safety and security

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

CSIR

2009-08-01

Full Text Available , peace, safety and security. CSIR Defence, Peace, Safety and Security provides a national defence S&T capability: supplying knowledge, advice and solutions in defence and matters of national security....

European defence industry consolidation and domestic procurement bias

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kluth, Michael Friederich

2017-01-01

How have European cross-border defence industrial mergers and acquisitions affected domestic procurement bias among the major EU powers? This article departs from the findings of Andrew Moravcsik more than two decades ago suggesting that major West European states had no ingrained preferences...... for defence industrial autarchy. When cross-national armament projects were derailed, this could be attributed to political efforts of national defence industrial champions favouring purely domestic projects. As former national champions join pan-European defence groups, their preferences are likely modified......-border defence industry consolidation will be analysed. Procurement bias is assessed in two industry segments characterised by pervasive consolidation....

Altruistic defence behaviours in aphids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brodeur Jacques

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Altruistic anti-predatory behaviours pose an evolutionary problem because they are costly to the actor and beneficial to the recipients. Altruistic behaviours can evolve through indirect fitness benefits when directed toward kin. The altruistic nature of anti-predatory behaviours is often difficult to establish because the actor can obtain direct fitness benefits, or the behaviour could result from selfish coercion by others, especially in eusocial animals. Non-eusocial parthenogenetically reproducing aphids form colonies of clone-mates, which are ideal to test the altruistic nature of anti-predatory defence behaviours. Many aphids release cornicle secretions when attacked by natural enemies such as parasitoids. These secretions contain an alarm pheromone that alerts neighbours (clone-mates of danger, thereby providing indirect fitness benefits to the actor. However, contact with cornicle secretions also hampers an attacker and could provide direct fitness to the actor. Results We tested the hypothesis that cornicle secretions are altruistic by assessing direct and indirect fitness consequences of smearing cornicle secretions onto an attacker, and by manipulating the number of clone-mates that could benefit from the behaviour. We observed parasitoids, Aphidius rhopalosiphi, foraging singly in patches of the cereal aphid Sitobion avenae of varied patch size (2, 6, and 12 aphids. Aphids that smeared parasitoids did not benefit from a reduced probability of parasitism, or increase the parasitoids' handling time. Smeared parasitoids, however, spent proportionately more time grooming and less time foraging, which resulted in a decreased host-encounter and oviposition rate within the host patch. In addition, individual smearing rate increased with the number of clone-mates in the colony. Conclusions Cornicle secretions of aphids were altruistic against parasitoids, as they provided no direct fitness benefits to secretion

Mechanisms and ecological consequences of plant defence induction and suppression in herbivore communities

Science.gov (United States)

Kant, M. R.; Jonckheere, W.; Knegt, B.; Lemos, F.; Liu, J.; Schimmel, B. C. J.; Villarroel, C. A.; Ataide, L. M. S.; Dermauw, W.; Glas, J. J.; Egas, M.; Janssen, A.; Van Leeuwen, T.; Schuurink, R. C.; Sabelis, M. W.; Alba, J. M.

2015-01-01

give rise to exploitative competition and facilitation within ecological communities “inhabiting” a plant. Conclusions Herbivores have evolved diverse strategies, which are not mutually exclusive, to decrease the negative effects of plant defences in order to maximize the conversion of plant material into offspring. Numerous adaptations have been found in herbivores, enabling them to dismantle or bypass defensive barriers, to avoid tissues with relatively high levels of defensive chemicals or to metabolize these chemicals once ingested. In addition, some herbivores interfere with the onset or completion of induced plant defences, resulting in the plant’s resistance being partly or fully suppressed. The ability to suppress induced plant defences appears to occur across plant parasites from different kingdoms, including herbivorous arthropods, and there is remarkable diversity in suppression mechanisms. Suppression may strongly affect the structure of the food web, because the ability to suppress the activation of defences of a communal host may facilitate competitors, whereas the ability of a herbivore to cope with activated plant defences will not. Further characterization of the mechanisms and traits that give rise to suppression of plant defences will enable us to determine their role in shaping direct and indirect interactions in food webs and the extent to which these determine the coexistence and persistence of species. PMID:26019168

CSIR eNews: Defence peace safety and security

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

CSIR

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The CSIR Defence peace safety and security research unit aims to provide a defence evaluation and research institute capability for the Department of Defence. It also serves as the 'in-house' S&T capability of key government departments and agencies...

Can the failing firm defence rule be counterproductive?

OpenAIRE

Helder Vasconcelos

2013-01-01

The present paper investigates the role of the failing firm defence (FFD) concept in the merger control process within a Cournot setting where (i) endogenous mergers are motivated by prospective efficiency gains and (ii) mergers must be submitted to an antitrust authority that might demand partial divestiture for approval. The findings show that when the FFD concept is one of the tools available for controlling the merger process, firms can strategically embark on a merger that makes other fi...

New materials in defence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Sikandar S.; Khan, Shahid A.; Butt, N.M.

1992-01-01

National defence is very important and always needs new such materials which have technological and socio-economic development of human society. The types of materials used by a society reflect its level of sophistication. These modern materials are basically the same conventional materials but with a greater knowledge content which include superalloys, modern polymers, engineering ceramics and the advanced composite. The production and use of new materials is playing and important role in the recent development in the defence industry. (A.B.)

Defence counsel in international criminal law

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Temminck Tuinstra, J.P.W.

2009-01-01

The field of international criminal law is relatively new and rapidly developing. This dissertation examines whether international criminal courts enable defence counsel to conduct an effective defence. When the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda (the ad hoc

Mechanisms and ecological consequences of plant defence induction and suppression in herbivore communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Kant, M R; Jonckheere, W; Knegt, B; Lemos, F; Liu, J; Schimmel, B C J; Villarroel, C A; Ataide, L M S; Dermauw, W; Glas, J J; Egas, M; Janssen, A; Van Leeuwen, T; Schuurink, R C; Sabelis, M W; Alba, J M

2015-06-01

exploitative competition and facilitation within ecological communities "inhabiting" a plant. Herbivores have evolved diverse strategies, which are not mutually exclusive, to decrease the negative effects of plant defences in order to maximize the conversion of plant material into offspring. Numerous adaptations have been found in herbivores, enabling them to dismantle or bypass defensive barriers, to avoid tissues with relatively high levels of defensive chemicals or to metabolize these chemicals once ingested. In addition, some herbivores interfere with the onset or completion of induced plant defences, resulting in the plant's resistance being partly or fully suppressed. The ability to suppress induced plant defences appears to occur across plant parasites from different kingdoms, including herbivorous arthropods, and there is remarkable diversity in suppression mechanisms. Suppression may strongly affect the structure of the food web, because the ability to suppress the activation of defences of a communal host may facilitate competitors, whereas the ability of a herbivore to cope with activated plant defences will not. Further characterization of the mechanisms and traits that give rise to suppression of plant defences will enable us to determine their role in shaping direct and indirect interactions in food webs and the extent to which these determine the coexistence and persistence of species. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The South African National Defence Force

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mandrup, Thomas

2009-01-01

This research paper is an evaluation of The Souch African National Defence Force´s (SANDF) involvement in Peace Support Operations.......This research paper is an evaluation of The Souch African National Defence Force´s (SANDF) involvement in Peace Support Operations....

Networks and network analysis for defence and security

CERN Document Server

Masys, Anthony J

2014-01-01

Networks and Network Analysis for Defence and Security discusses relevant theoretical frameworks and applications of network analysis in support of the defence and security domains. This book details real world applications of network analysis to support defence and security. Shocks to regional, national and global systems stemming from natural hazards, acts of armed violence, terrorism and serious and organized crime have significant defence and security implications. Today, nations face an uncertain and complex security landscape in which threats impact/target the physical, social, economic

Assessment of defence in depth for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Defence in depth is a comprehensive approach to safety that has been developed by nuclear power experts to ensure with high confidence that the public and the environment are protected from any hazards posed by the use of nuclear power for the generation of electricity. The concepts of defence in depth and safety culture have served the nuclear power industry well as a basic philosophy for the safe design and operation of nuclear power plants. Properly applied, defence in depth ensures that no single human error or equipment failure at one level of defence, nor even a combination of failures at more than one level of defence, propagates to jeopardize defence in depth at the subsequent level or leads to harm to the public or the environment. The importance of the concept of defence in depth is underlined in IAEA Safety Standards, in particular in the requirements set forth in the Safety Standards: Safety of Nuclear Power Plants: Design (NS-R-1) and Safety Assessment and Verification for Nuclear Power Plants (NS-G-1.2). A specific report, Defence in Depth in Nuclear Safety (INSAG-10), describes the objectives, strategy, implementation and future development in the area of defence in depth in nuclear and radiation safety. In the report Basic Safety Principles for Nuclear Power Plants (INSAG-12), defence in depth is recognized as one of the fundamental safety principles that underlie the safety of nuclear power plants. In consonance with those high level publications, this Safety Report provides more specific technical information on the implementation of this concept in the siting, design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants. It describes a method for comprehensive and balanced review of the provisions required for implementing defence in depth in existing plants. This publication is intended to provide guidance primarily for the self-assessment by plant operators of the comprehensiveness and quality of defence in depth provisions. It can be used

Magnetic blocking direct-recovery efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whealton, J.H.; Wooten, J.H.; McGaffey, R.W.

1981-10-01

The ion recovery efficiency of a transverse magnetic field monochromatic direct recovery device intended for intense neutral beams is examined theoretically by solving a Poisson-Vlasov equation. An optimum in recovery efficiency is obtained for finite ion current density and excess initial speed

Time-dependent reliability analysis of flood defences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buijs, F.A.; Hall, J.W.; Sayers, P.B.; Gelder, P.H.A.J.M. van

2009-01-01

This paper describes the underlying theory and a practical process for establishing time-dependent reliability models for components in a realistic and complex flood defence system. Though time-dependent reliability models have been applied frequently in, for example, the offshore, structural safety and nuclear industry, application in the safety-critical field of flood defence has to date been limited. The modelling methodology involves identifying relevant variables and processes, characterisation of those processes in appropriate mathematical terms, numerical implementation, parameter estimation and prediction. A combination of stochastic, hierarchical and parametric processes is employed. The approach is demonstrated for selected deterioration mechanisms in the context of a flood defence system. The paper demonstrates that this structured methodology enables the definition of credible statistical models for time-dependence of flood defences in data scarce situations. In the application of those models one of the main findings is that the time variability in the deterioration process tends to be governed the time-dependence of one or a small number of critical attributes. It is demonstrated how the need for further data collection depends upon the relevance of the time-dependence in the performance of the flood defence system.

Shaping Baltic States Defence Strategy: Host Nation Support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Otzulis Valdis

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The presence of NATO troops in the Baltic states has increased in the last years due to changing international environment, increased level of potential risks and threats, and necessity to enhance deterrence in the region. As a result of NATO’s Wales and Warsaw summits decisions, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are entitled to host a battalion size battle group. The article aims at investigating how host nation support (HNS can contribute to the national defence and, additionally, to the self-defence capabilities of the Baltic states. The concept of HNS is present in the national defence concepts of all three countries. However, its active application and utilization started in the last two years. The article argues that more intensive incorporation of an HNS system in national defence policies serve the capability development in fields like national military logistics, infrastructure, and civil-military cooperation. Those capabilities can serve as an extension of the national defence.

A saponin-detoxifying enzyme mediates suppression of plant defences

Science.gov (United States)

Bouarab, K.; Melton, R.; Peart, J.; Baulcombe, D.; Osbourn, A.

2002-08-01

Plant disease resistance can be conferred by constitutive features such as structural barriers or preformed antimicrobial secondary metabolites. Additional defence mechanisms are activated in response to pathogen attack and include localized cell death (the hypersensitive response). Pathogens use different strategies to counter constitutive and induced plant defences, including degradation of preformed antimicrobial compounds and the production of molecules that suppress induced plant defences. Here we present evidence for a two-component process in which a fungal pathogen subverts the preformed antimicrobial compounds of its host and uses them to interfere with induced defence responses. Antimicrobial saponins are first hydrolysed by a fungal saponin-detoxifying enzyme. The degradation product of this hydrolysis then suppresses induced defence responses by interfering with fundamental signal transduction processes leading to disease resistance.

Energie Efficiency Directive. Article 7. Dutch implementation; Energie Efficiency Directive. Artikel 7. Nederlandse invulling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daniels, B.; Gerdes, J.; Boonekamp, P.; Kroon, P.; Stutvoet-Mulder, K.; Tigchelaar, C.; Wetzels, W. [ECN Beleidsstudies, Petten (Netherlands)

2013-12-15

Article 7 of the recently adopted Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) obliges the EU member states to achieve 1.5% yearly efficiency improvements during the period 2014-2020, culminating in a cumulative savings target. This report describes the way the Netherlands intends to meet the article 7 obligations, as requested by the European Commission. The EED offers the member states various degrees of freedom with regard to the definition of the target and the way it is met. Hence, this report addresses the choices of the Netherlands and their consequences for the Dutch target and the realised energy savings. A broad-lined description of the choices and overall results is complemented by extensive annexes that offer technical descriptions and detailed numbers [Dutch] Dit rapport beschrijft de manier waarop Nederland aan haar doelstelling voor artikel 7 van de Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) denkt te voldoen. Het is gebaseerd op de interpretaties en keuzes die de Nederlandse overheid heeft gemaakt. Artikel 7 van de Energy Efficiency Directive verplicht Nederland tot het realiseren van een efficiencyverbetering van 1,5% per jaar in de periode 2014-2020, als cumulatieve doelstelling. Voor Nederland betekent dit - rekening houdend met de vrijheidsgraden van de EED - een doelstelling van minimaal 482 PJ besparing op het finaal energiegebruik. Nederland verwacht een cumulatieve besparing te bereiken tussen de 387 en 562 PJ in finale termen, waarvan 87 tot 186 PJ door nieuw beleid. Dit nieuwe beleid bestaat uit de overeengekomen beleidsmaatregelen uit het recente Energieakkoord dat onder regie van de Sociaal Economische Raad (SER) is gesloten. Het kabinet heeft dit akkoord mede ondertekend.

Thrips advisor: exploiting thrips-induced defences to combat pests on crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Steenbergen, Merel; Abd-El-Haliem, Ahmed; Bleeker, Petra; Dicke, Marcel; Escobar-Bravo, Rocio; Cheng, Gang; Haring, Michel A; Kant, Merijn R; Kappers, Iris; Klinkhamer, Peter G L; Leiss, Kirsten A; Legarrea, Saioa; Macel, Mirka; Mouden, Sanae; Pieterse, Corné M J; Sarde, Sandeep J; Schuurink, Robert C; De Vos, Martin; Van Wees, Saskia C M; Broekgaarden, Colette

2018-04-09

Plants have developed diverse defence mechanisms to ward off herbivorous pests. However, agriculture still faces estimated crop yield losses ranging from 25% to 40% annually. These losses arise not only because of direct feeding damage, but also because many pests serve as vectors of plant viruses. Herbivorous thrips (Thysanoptera) are important pests of vegetable and ornamental crops worldwide, and encompass virtually all general problems of pests: they are highly polyphagous, hard to control because of their complex lifestyle, and they are vectors of destructive viruses. Currently, control management of thrips mainly relies on the use of chemical pesticides. However, thrips rapidly develop resistance to these pesticides. With the rising demand for more sustainable, safer, and healthier food production systems, we urgently need to pinpoint the gaps in knowledge of plant defences against thrips to enable the future development of novel control methods. In this review, we summarize the current, rather scarce, knowledge of thrips-induced plant responses and the role of phytohormonal signalling and chemical defences in these responses. We describe concrete opportunities for breeding resistance against pests such as thrips as a prototype approach for next-generation resistance breeding.

The long road of antimissile defence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gere, Francois

2001-01-01

The author proposes a discussion of the elaboration of the National Missile Defence (NMD) by the new US administration in 2001. He first reports the evolution of this concept which resulted in 1999 with the National Missile Defence Act, produced by a commission chaired by Rumsfeld and aimed at the assessment of the threat of ballistic missiles in the world. Before that, in the 1960, the USA already tried to protect themselves by designing two type of missiles: long range interceptors (Nike Zeus), and short range missiles (Sprint). Later, Reagan launched the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI). By the end of Cold War, the SDI was downgraded into smaller programmes. In a second part, the author discusses some elements of the NMD content: definition of objectives over 20 years, technical and strategic obstacles, definition of Rogue States. In a third part, he proposes an overview of the relationships between antimissile defence and nuclear deterrence, notably through the ABM Treaty, and with problem raised by Arms of Mass Destruction (AMD). In the last part, he comments reactions (mainly opposition) of different countries (Russia, China, European countries and particularly Germany), and proposes some possible true motivations for the creation of the NMD

Host defence peptides in human burns.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaus, Aljoscha; Jacobsen, Frank; Sorkin, Michael; Rittig, Andrea; Voss, Bruno; Daigeler, Adrien; Sudhoff, Holger; Steinau, Hans-Ulrich; Steinstraesser, Lars

2008-02-01

The goal of this study was to analyse expression profiles of human epithelial host defence peptides in burned and unburned skin tissue, samples of which were obtained during debridements and snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Total RNA was isolated, and cDNA of epithelial host defence peptides and proteins (hCAP-18/LL-37, hBD1-hBD4, dermcidin, S100A7/psoriasin and RNAse7) was quantified by qRT-PCR. In situ hybridisation and immunohistochemical staining localised gene expression of hCAP-18/LL-37, hBD2 and hBD3 in histological sections. Most of the analysed host defence peptides and proteins showed higher mRNA levels in partial-thickness burns than in unburned tissue. In situ hybridisation revealed expression of hCAP-18/LL-37, hBD2 and hBD3 at the surface of burns that was independent of burn depth. However, the finding of higher host defence peptide gene expression rates does not correlate with the incidence of wound infection in burns. We hypothesise that the epithelial innate immune response in burns is complex.

Jamali lauds PAEC contribution to scientific development defence needs of country

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

"The Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has appreciated role of Pakistan Atomic Energy Council (PAEC) for its contribution to the scientific development and defence needs of the country. He directed that all resources and energy be devoted to the development of human resource and infrastructure for socio-economic uplift of the nation" (1 page).

How Strong Is Europeanisation, Really? The Danish Defence Administration and the Opt-Out from the European Security and Defence Policy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Gorm Rye

2011-01-01

The article questions how strong Europeanisation is as an explanation of administrative changes in EU member states. Denmark has an opt-out from the European cooperation on defence, and, therefore, its defence administration represents a critical or a less likely case to test the Europeanisation...... thesis. The article shows that in spite of the opt-out, the administrative structures and the policy processes in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) have adapted to the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and the European security and defence policy (ESDP). Surprisingly, the administrative...... structures and the decision-making processes in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have also adapted to the ESDP. The latter example emphasises the strength of top-down Europeanisation as a possible explanation of domestic administrative changes in member states. It is argued that Europeanisation per se...

Prevention is Better than Prosecution: Deepening the Defence against Cyber Crime

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacqueline Fick

2009-12-01

Full Text Available In the paper the author proposes that effectively and efficiently addressing cyber crime requires a shift in paradigm. For businesses and government departments alike the focus should be on prevention, rather than the prosecution of cyber criminals. The Defence in Depth strategy poses a practical solution for achieving Information Assurance in today’s highly networked environments. In a world where “absolute security” is an unachievable goal, the concept of Information Assurance poses significant benefits to securing one of an organization’s most valuable assets: Information. It will be argued that the approach of achieving Information Assurance within an organisation, coupled with the implementation of a Defence in Depth strategy can ensure that information is kept secure and readily available and provides a competitive advantage to those willing to invest and maintain such a strategy.

Rosatom Corporation at the All-Russian civil defence training exercise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glukhikh, E.N.; Glazunov, A.V.; Tyurin, R.L.

2012-01-01

The 80th anniversary of civil defence in Russia was marked by the All-Russian civil defence exercise attended by representatives of federal executive authorities, regional and local executive authorities. During the exercise performance of the following activities was verified: introduction of increased preparedness mode for local air-defence emergency-response forces, activities of emergency-response and fire safety commissions, information collection and exchange during implementation of top-priority civil defence measures, etc. The paper describes the activities carried out during the exercise [ru

Impact of antimissile defence on nuclear strategies in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delory, Stephane

2015-01-01

As antimissile defence has become a mean to compensate the limitations of nuclear deterrence in Asia, notably within the frame of the US-North Korea relationship, but has also influence on the relationships between countries which do not possess an actual operational antimissile defence like Pakistan and India, the author proposes an assessment of the consequences antimissile defence may have on deterrence logics in Asia. He also notices that various issues must be taken into account: arsenal sizes, the slow rate of ballistic modernisation processes, the weaknesses of C4ISR systems and advanced alarm systems. He recalls the peculiarities of antimissile defence, and then addresses the cases of North Korea, India and Pakistan, and China. For each country, he analyses and discusses the influence of a choice or of the existence of an antimissile defence on the nuclear strategy and doctrine, but also on the posture of other countries like the USA

Uncovering the defence responses of Eucalyptus to pests and pathogens in the genomics age.

Science.gov (United States)

Naidoo, Sanushka; Külheim, Carsten; Zwart, Lizahn; Mangwanda, Ronishree; Oates, Caryn N; Visser, Erik A; Wilken, Febé E; Mamni, Thandekile B; Myburg, Alexander A

2014-09-01

Long-lived tree species are subject to attack by various pests and pathogens during their lifetime. This problem is exacerbated by climate change, which may increase the host range for pathogens and extend the period of infestation by pests. Plant defences may involve preformed barriers or induced resistance mechanisms based on recognition of the invader, complex signalling cascades, hormone signalling, activation of transcription factors and production of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins with direct antimicrobial or anti-insect activity. Trees have evolved some unique defence mechanisms compared with well-studied model plants, which are mostly herbaceous annuals. The genome sequence of Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden has recently become available and provides a resource to extend our understanding of defence in large woody perennials. This review synthesizes existing knowledge of defence mechanisms in model plants and tree species and features mechanisms that may be important for defence in Eucalyptus, such as anatomical variants and the role of chemicals and proteins. Based on the E. grandis genome sequence, we have identified putative PR proteins based on sequence identity to the previously described plant PR proteins. Putative orthologues for PR-1, PR-2, PR-4, PR-5, PR-6, PR-7, PR-8, PR-9, PR-10, PR-12, PR-14, PR-15 and PR-17 have been identified and compared with their orthologues in Populus trichocarpa Torr. & A. Gray ex Hook and Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. The survey of PR genes in Eucalyptus provides a first step in identifying defence gene targets that may be employed for protection of the species in future. Genomic resources available for Eucalyptus are discussed and approaches for improving resistance in these hardwood trees, earmarked as a bioenergy source in future, are considered. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Probiotics: beneficial factors of the defence system.

Science.gov (United States)

Antoine, Jean Michel

2010-08-01

Probiotics, defined as living micro-organisms that provide a health benefit to the host when ingested in adequate amounts, have been used traditionally as food components to help the body to recover from diarrhoea. They are commonly ingested as part of fermented foods, mostly in fresh fermented dairy products. They can interact with the host through different components of the gut defence systems. There is mounting clinical evidence that some probiotics, but not all, help the defence of the host as demonstrated by either a shorter duration of infections or a decrease in the host's susceptibility to pathogens. Different components of the gut barrier can be involved in the strengthening of the body's defences: the gut microbiota, the gut epithelial barrier and the immune system. Many studies have been conducted in normal free-living subjects or in subjects during common infections like the common cold and show that some probiotic-containing foods can improve the functioning of or strengthen the body's defence. Specific probiotic foods can be included in the usual balanced diet of consumers to help them to better cope with the daily challenges of their environment.

From Defence To Development

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

From this perspective, high defence expenditure has been compared to dismantling ...... availability exceed evaporative demand and a state of permanent drought ...... In October 1993, South African authorities seized a container on a plot near ...

Costs and benefits of chemical defence in the Red Alga Bonnemaisonia hamifera.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Göran M Nylund

Full Text Available A number of studies have shown that the production of chemical defences is costly in terrestrial vascular plants. However, these studies do not necessarily reflect the costs of defence production in macroalgae, due to structural and functional differences between vascular plants and macroalgae. Using a specific culturing technique, we experimentally manipulated the defence production in the red alga Bonnemaisonia hamifera to examine if the defence is costly in terms of growth. Furthermore, we tested if the defence provides fitness benefits by reducing harmful bacterial colonisation of the alga. Costly defences should provide benefits to the producer in order to be maintained in natural populations, but such benefits through protection against harmful bacterial colonisation have rarely been documented in macroalgae. We found that algae with experimentally impaired defence production, but with an externally controlled epibacterial load, grew significantly better than algae with normal defence production. We also found that undefended algae exposed to a natural epibacterial load experienced a substantial reduction in growth and a 6-fold increase in cell bleaching, compared to controls. Thus, this study provides experimental evidence that chemical defence production in macroalgae is costly, but that the cost is outweighed by fitness benefits provided through protection against harmful bacterial colonisation.

Methodology to detect gaps in a soccer defence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Nikolas Sten; Andersen, Thomas Bull

2015-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to create a methodology which can provide information about gaps in an opposing team’s defence. To illustrate the methodology, a defence was tracked during a game in the danish Superliga using ZXY radio tracking and analysed using the methodology. Results show...

Diverse opportunities in defence

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Gareth

2016-08-01

Working at the UK's defence laboratory gives Gareth Brown the ability to apply his physics and mathematics knowledge to real-world applications - and not necessarily in the ways you might expect. This article is Crown copyright

The Defence Medical Library Service and military medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, S B

2005-01-01

The Defence Medical Library Service (DMLS) supports the clinical practice and career development of military health professionals across the world. Clinical governance and the need for medical knowledge to be evidence-based means the DMLS has a central role to play in support of defence medicine. The DMLS is important for enabling health professionals to make sense of the evidence-based pyramid and the hierarchy of medical knowledge. The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) in Birmingham is recognised as an international centre of excellence. The information, knowledge and research requirements of the RCDM will provide opportunities for the DMLS to support and engage with the academic community.

Defence in depth in nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayakumar, J.S.

2016-01-01

Nuclear energy is clean and can prevent global warming and hence it has a lot of importance in the current world. In order for the safe and reliable operation of the NPP, a defence in depth concept has been practised, so that even one level of protection fails the subsequent one will contain the hazardous situation. Various levels, both from consideration of the physical barriers and implementation are described in this paper. Three major accidents happened in nuclear reactors are analysed from the defence in depth concept and shortcomings are discussed. (author)

Bacteriophages use hypermodified nucleosides to evade host's defence systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kot, Witold; Olsen, Nikoline S.; Carstens, Alexander Byth

developed several strategies to evade these defence mechanisms. Ultimately, this led to the oldest and still running arms race - microorganisms vs. their molecular parasites. We here describe a remarkable new strategy used by the recently isolated Escherichia coli phage CAjan belonging to...... to investigate this mechanism in detail we have used several methods including direct plaque sequencing, restriction endonuclease analysis and CRISPR-Cas genome editing. Through generation of specific mutants, we were able to introduce a restriction sensitive phenotype in the CAjan bacteriophage providing new...

Ecological mechanisms for the coevolution of mating systems and defence.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Stuart A

2015-02-01

The diversity of flowering plants is evident in two seemingly unrelated aspects of life history: sexual reproduction, exemplified by the stunning variation in flower form and function, and defence, often in the form of an impressive arsenal of secondary chemistry. Researchers are beginning to appreciate that plant defence and reproduction do not evolve independently, but, instead, may have reciprocal and interactive (coevolutionary) effects on each other. Understanding the mechanisms for mating-defence interactions promises to broaden our understanding of how ecological processes can generate these two rich sources of angiosperm diversity. Here, I review current research on the role of herbivory as a driver of mating system evolution, and the role of mating systems in the evolution of defence strategies. I outline different ecological mechanisms and processes that could generate these coevolutionary patterns, and summarize theoretical and empirical support for each. I provide a conceptual framework for linking plant defence with mating system theory to better integrate these two research fields.

EU Defence Industry Integration between Spillover and High Politics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kluth, Michael Friederich

on an intergovernmental base. In the past 10 years, however, the defence industries of the major EU powers have instigated a move from cross national collaboration to cross national consolidation. Cross border mergers and acquisitions has been carried out and pressures for regulatory mainstreaming is mounting....... This raises the question: are we witnessing an incursion of spillover mechanisms into the ‘High Politics' domain of the defence industry? What are the drivers eroding the ‘High Politics' character of defence industry integration? Are market forces at play? Does it reflect pressures for institutional...

Alternative approach for Article 5. Energie Efficiency Directive; Alternatieve aanpak artikel 5. Energy Efficiency Directive

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menkveld, M.; Jablonska, B. [ECN Beleidsstudies, Petten (Netherlands)

2013-05-15

Article 5 of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) is an annual obligation to renovate 3% of the building stock of central government. After renovation the buildings will meet the minimum energy performance requirements laid down in Article 4 of the EPBD. The Directive gives room to an alternative approach to achieve the same savings. The Ministry of Interior Affairs has asked ECN to assist with this alternative approach. ECN calculated what saving are achieved with the 3% renovation obligation under the directive. Then ECN looked for the possibilities for an alternative approach to achieve the same savings [Dutch] In artikel 5 van de Energie Efficiency Directive (EED) staat een verplichting om jaarlijks 3% van de gebouwvoorraad van de centrale overheid te renoveren. Die 3% van de gebouwvoorraad moet na renovatie voldoen aan de minimum eisen inzake energieprestatie die door het betreffende lidstaat zijn vastgelegd op grond van artikel 4 in de EPBD. De verplichting betreft gebouwen die in bezit en in gebruik zijn van de rijksoverheid met een gebruiksoppervlakte groter dan 500 m{sup 2}, vanaf juli 2015 groter dan 250 m{sup 2}. De gebouwen die eigendom zijn van de Rijksgebouwendienst betreft kantoren van rijksdiensten, gerechtsgebouwen, gebouwen van douane en politie en gevangenissen. Van de gebouwen van Defensie hoeven alleen kantoren en legeringsgebouwen aan de verplichting te voldoen.

Collective defence portfolios of ant hosts shift with social parasite pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Jongepier, Evelien; Kleeberg, Isabelle; Job, Sylwester; Foitzik, Susanne

2014-09-22

Host defences become increasingly costly as parasites breach successive lines of defence. Because selection favours hosts that successfully resist parasitism at the lowest possible cost, escalating coevolutionary arms races are likely to drive host defence portfolios towards ever more expensive strategies. We investigated the interplay between host defence portfolios and social parasite pressure by comparing 17 populations of two Temnothorax ant species. When successful, collective aggression not only prevents parasitation but also spares host colonies the cost of searching for and moving to a new nest site. However, once parasites breach the host's nest defence, host colonies should resort to flight as the more beneficial resistance strategy. We show that under low parasite pressure, host colonies more likely responded to an intruding Protomognathus americanus slavemaker with collective aggression, which prevented the slavemaker from escaping and potentially recruiting nest-mates. However, as parasite pressure increased, ant colonies of both host species became more likely to flee rather than to fight. We conclude that host defence portfolios shift consistently with social parasite pressure, which is in accordance with the degeneration of frontline defences and the evolution of subsequent anti-parasite strategies often invoked in hosts of brood parasites. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Cross Border EU Defence Industry Consolidation between Globalization and Europeanization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kluth, Michael Friederich

as it constitute a rendezvous of traditional market-based efficiency logics and concerns over sovereignty. Moreover, the defence industry has been an institutional island still exhibiting all the national protectionist mechanisms that European integration mostly has done away with in other sectors. The paper...... will depart from these institutional peculiarities drawing on the varieties of capitalism literature. Different patterns in ownership, public-private R&D links and business promotion policies are a key constraint in cross-border mergers. This is compounded by sovereignty concerns hosted by the national...

Maximally efficient protocols for direct secure quantum communication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banerjee, Anindita [Department of Physics and Materials Science Engineering, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, A-10, Sector-62, Noida, UP-201307 (India); Department of Physics and Center for Astroparticle Physics and Space Science, Bose Institute, Block EN, Sector V, Kolkata 700091 (India); Pathak, Anirban, E-mail: anirban.pathak@jiit.ac.in [Department of Physics and Materials Science Engineering, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, A-10, Sector-62, Noida, UP-201307 (India); RCPTM, Joint Laboratory of Optics of Palacky University and Institute of Physics of Academy of Science of the Czech Republic, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, 17. Listopadu 12, 77146 Olomouc (Czech Republic)

2012-10-01

Two protocols for deterministic secure quantum communication (DSQC) using GHZ-like states have been proposed. It is shown that one of these protocols is maximally efficient and that can be modified to an equivalent protocol of quantum secure direct communication (QSDC). Security and efficiency of the proposed protocols are analyzed and compared. It is shown that dense coding is sufficient but not essential for DSQC and QSDC protocols. Maximally efficient QSDC protocols are shown to be more efficient than their DSQC counterparts. This additional efficiency arises at the cost of message transmission rate. -- Highlights: ► Two protocols for deterministic secure quantum communication (DSQC) are proposed. ► One of the above protocols is maximally efficient. ► It is modified to an equivalent protocol of quantum secure direct communication (QSDC). ► It is shown that dense coding is sufficient but not essential for DSQC and QSDC protocols. ► Efficient QSDC protocols are always more efficient than their DSQC counterparts.

Successive Evolutions of the Defence in Depth Concept

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poulat, B., E-mail: B.Poulat@iaea.org [International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 100, 1400 Vienna (Austria)

2014-10-15

Following Fukushima Daiichi accident, the Defence-in-depth concept, which is usually defined as a combination of a number of consecutive and independent levels of protection that would have to fail before harmful effects could be caused, has been confirmed as an essential element to be applied in the design of a nuclear facility to protect people and the environment. However, and although the implementation of the defence in depth concept had been required for long, the Fukushima Daiichi accident and the “stress tests” conducted in different countries have revealed deficiencies in its implementation. Consequently within the review of the IAEA safety requirements requested by Member states, it was important to check whether this concept was appropriately defined in order to be properly understood and fully implemented by vendors and operating organizations. By screening the successive definitions of the defence in depth principle and concept, this paper emphasizes the few issues which have been gradually clarified and enhanced to ensure effectiveness of the defence in depth as expressed from its original statement. (author)

Dematerialization in the defence sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hedberg, L.; During Aahs, C.; Eriksson, Bjoern; Jungmar, M. [Stockholm Univ. and Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) (Sweden). Environmental Strategies Research Group

2001-07-01

The goal of dematerialization is to reduce flows of resources from the biosphere and the lithosphere to the technosphere, and to increase the efficiency within the technosphere. Dematerialization can be obtained in many different ways, for example through product design and changed or reduced use of products. Recycling and reuse of material or products are two ways to achieve more efficient use of resources and reduced exploitation of raw material. Substantial amounts of material are stored within the armed forces. An assessment of the total weight of the defence materiel has been made and the result amounts to about 230 000 tons, mainly different metals. The calculation is not complete and excludes for example munitions. The scrapping of the Bofors S-tank is studied as an example of a MIPS-analysis. The MIPS-analysis is a kind of material flow analysis where the weight of all material affected by human activity related to the life-cycle of a product or service utility is estimated. Each tank is assumed to give 20 tons of recycled steel. Recycling will also lead to avoidance of waste rock and slag from extraction, the 'rucksack'. Comparing recycling of an S-tank with landfilling a material flow of roughly 160 tons from the lithosphere to the technosphere is avoided.

The correlated evolution of antipredator defences and brain size in mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Stankowich, Theodore; Romero, Ashly N

2017-01-11

Mammals that possess elaborate antipredator defences such as body armour, spines and quills are usually well protected, intermediate in size, primarily insectivorous and live in simple open environments. The benefits of such defences seem clear and may relax selection on maintaining cognitive abilities that aid in vigilance and predator recognition, and their bearers may accrue extensive production and maintenance costs. Here, in this comparative phylogenetic analysis of measurements of encephalization quotient and morphological defence scores of 647 mammal species representing nearly every order, we found that as lineages evolve stronger defences, they suffer a correlated reduction in encephalization. The only exceptions were those that live in trees-a complex three-dimensional world probably requiring greater cognitive abilities. At the proximate level, because brain tissue is extremely energetically expensive to build, mammals may be trading off spending more on elaborate defences and saving by building less powerful brains. At the ultimate level, having greater defences may also reduce the need for advanced cognitive abilities for constant assessment of environmental predation risk, especially in simple open environments. © 2017 The Author(s).

The correlated evolution of antipredator defences and brain size in mammals

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Ashly N.

2017-01-01

Mammals that possess elaborate antipredator defences such as body armour, spines and quills are usually well protected, intermediate in size, primarily insectivorous and live in simple open environments. The benefits of such defences seem clear and may relax selection on maintaining cognitive abilities that aid in vigilance and predator recognition, and their bearers may accrue extensive production and maintenance costs. Here, in this comparative phylogenetic analysis of measurements of encephalization quotient and morphological defence scores of 647 mammal species representing nearly every order, we found that as lineages evolve stronger defences, they suffer a correlated reduction in encephalization. The only exceptions were those that live in trees—a complex three-dimensional world probably requiring greater cognitive abilities. At the proximate level, because brain tissue is extremely energetically expensive to build, mammals may be trading off spending more on elaborate defences and saving by building less powerful brains. At the ultimate level, having greater defences may also reduce the need for advanced cognitive abilities for constant assessment of environmental predation risk, especially in simple open environments. PMID:28077771

How to address patients' defences: a pilot study of the accuracy of defence interpretations and alliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Junod, Olivier; de Roten, Yves; Martinez, Elena; Drapeau, Martin; Despland, Jean-Nicolas

2005-12-01

This pilot study examined the accuracy of therapist defence interpretations (TAD) in high-alliance patients (N = 7) and low-alliance patients (N = 8). TAD accuracy was assessed in the two subgroups by comparing for each case the patient's most frequent defensive level with the most frequent defensive level addressed by the therapist when making defence interpretations. Results show that in high-alliance patient-therapist dyads, the therapists tend to address accurate or higher (more mature) defensive level than patients most frequent level. On the other hand, the therapists address lower (more immature) defensive level in low-alliance dyads. These results are discussed along with possible ways to better assess TAD accuracy.

Quantitative Verification and Synthesis of Attack-Defence Scenarios Conference

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aslanyan, Zaruhi; Nielson, Flemming; Parker, David

Attack-defence trees are a powerful technique for formally evaluating attack-defence scenarios. They represent in an intuitive, graphical way the interaction between an attacker and a defender who compete in order to achieve conflicting objectives. We propose a novel framework for the formal

Cyclic lipopeptides from Bacillus subtilis activate distinct patterns of defence responses in grapevine.

Science.gov (United States)

Farace, Giovanni; Fernandez, Olivier; Jacquens, Lucile; Coutte, François; Krier, François; Jacques, Philippe; Clément, Christophe; Barka, Essaid Ait; Jacquard, Cédric; Dorey, Stéphan

2015-02-01

Non-self-recognition of microorganisms partly relies on the perception of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) and leads to the activation of an innate immune response. Bacillus subtilis produces three main families of cyclic lipopeptides (LPs), namely surfactins, iturins and fengycins. Although LPs are involved in induced systemic resistance (ISR) activation, little is known about defence responses induced by these molecules and their involvement in local resistance to fungi. Here, we showed that purified surfactin, mycosubtilin (iturin family) and plipastatin (fengycin family) are perceived by grapevine plant cells. Although surfactin and mycosubtilin stimulated grapevine innate immune responses, they differentially activated early signalling pathways and defence gene expression. By contrast, plipastatin perception by grapevine cells only resulted in early signalling activation. Gene expression analysis suggested that mycosubtilin activated salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signalling pathways, whereas surfactin mainly induced an SA-regulated response. Although mycosubtilin and plipastatin displayed direct antifungal activity, only surfactin and mycosubtilin treatments resulted in a local long-lasting enhanced tolerance to the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea in grapevine leaves. Moreover, challenge with specific strains overproducing surfactin and mycosubtilin led to a slightly enhanced stimulation of the defence response compared with the LP-non-producing strain of B. subtilis. Altogether, our results provide the first comprehensive view of the involvement of LPs from B. subtilis in grapevine plant defence and local resistance against the necrotrophic pathogen Bo. cinerea. Moreover, this work is the first to highlight the ability of mycosubtilin to trigger an immune response in plants. © 2014 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Computed Tomography Technology: Development and Applications for Defence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baheti, G. L.; Saxena, Nisheet; Tripathi, D. K.; Songara, K. C.; Meghwal, L. R.; Meena, V. L.

2008-01-01

Computed Tomography(CT) has revolutionized the field of Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT and E). Tomography for industrial applications warrants design and development of customized solutions catering to specific visualization requirements. Present paper highlights Tomography Technology Solutions implemented at Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur (DLJ). Details on the technological developments carried out and their utilization for various Defence applications has been covered.

Strengthening the Three Lines of Defence in Terms of More Efficient Operational Risk Management in Central Banks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luburić Radoica

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is the result of the author`s many years of multidisciplinary research in the areas of quality management and operational risk management. The main focus of the research is aimed at strengthening the model of the “three lines of defence” in terms of more efficient management of operational risks - those that arise as a result of inadequate and unsuccessful processes and systems, human factors, as well as those that can appear as a result of external events. The strengthening of the three lines of defence model is brought about through the synergy of quality management principles, the principles of risk management, and the total quality management approach. In essence, the term strengthening may be interpreted as a process of continual improvement. Business operations based on the principles of quality management and risk management allow central banks to be able to continuously improve their overall business performance. The principles of quality management contain properly aligned and matched best solutions from current management theory and practice. Designed to work together - and this essentially means in a consistent, synchronized and synergistic manner, the principles are translated into a series of requirements and guidelines of international standards suitable for implementation. Through their synergy, the principles of quality management and risk management, as well as approaches to total quality management form a clear, applicable and sustainable paradigm of successful management of central banks. Incorporation of the principles of quality management in central bank systems and processes would significantly strengthen the three lines of defence, in terms of efficient operational risk management, which this paper aims to show in a clear and comprehensive manner. Although any central bank is a specific institution, all the principles of quality management and risk management can be applied to its operations. In addition to

TNO and CBRN defence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2015-01-01

Within the Defence, Safety & Security branch of TNO a dedicated department focuses on Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Protection. This is a world class research department consisting of about 50 people and a High Tox laboratory that is the only facility in The Netherlands that

How insects overcome two-component plant chemical defence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pentzold, Stefan; Zagrobelny, Mika; Rook, Frederik

2014-01-01

Insect herbivory is often restricted by glucosylated plant chemical defence compounds that are activated by plant β-glucosidases to release toxic aglucones upon plant tissue damage. Such two-component plant defences are widespread in the plant kingdom and examples of these classes of compounds...... are alkaloid, benzoxazinoid, cyanogenic and iridoid glucosides as well as glucosinolates and salicinoids. Conversely, many insects have evolved a diversity of counteradaptations to overcome this type of constitutive chemical defence. Here we discuss that such counter-adaptations occur at different time points......, before and during feeding as well as during digestion, and at several levels such as the insects’ feeding behaviour, physiology and metabolism. Insect adaptations frequently circumvent or counteract the activity of the plant β-glucosidases, bioactivating enzymes that are a key element in the plant’s two...

The role of thionins in rice defence against root pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Hongli; Gheysen, Godelieve; Ullah, Chhana; Verbeek, Ruben; Shang, Chenjing; De Vleesschauwer, David; Höfte, Monica; Kyndt, Tina

2015-10-01

Thionins are antimicrobial peptides that are involved in plant defence. Here, we present an in-depth analysis of the role of rice thionin genes in defence responses against two root pathogens: the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola and the oomycete Pythium graminicola. The expression of rice thionin genes was observed to be differentially regulated by defence-related hormones, whereas all analysed genes were consistently down-regulated in M. graminicola-induced galls, at least until 7 days post-inoculation (dpi). Transgenic lines of Oryza sativa cv. Nipponbare overproducing OsTHI7 revealed decreased susceptibility to M. graminicola infection and P. graminicola colonization. Taken together, these results demonstrate the role of rice thionin genes in defence against two of the most damaging root pathogens attacking rice. © 2015 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Metabolic Engineering of Chemical Defence Pathways in Plant Disease Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rook, Frederik

2016-01-01

on each topic. The chapter reviews the some of the scientific and technical challenges in metabolic engineering and the new possibilities emerging from recent technological developments. It concludes by discussing the outlook for bioengineered chemical defences as part of crop protection strategies, also...... with antimicrobial properties for use in crop protection. It presents an overview of the metabolic engineering efforts made in the area of plant chemical defence. For in-depth information on the characteristics of a specific class of chemical defence compounds, the reader is referred to the specialized reviews...

Inducible indirect defence of plants : from mechanisms to ecological functions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dicke, M.; Poecke, van R.M.P.; Boer, de J.G.

2003-01-01

Inducible defences allow plants to be phenotypically plastic. Inducible indirect defence of plants by attracting carnivorous enemies of herbivorous arthropods can vary with plant species and genotype, with herbivore species or instar and potentially with other environmental conditions. So far,

Radiation protection in civil defence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahlborn, K.

The brochure contains the information given to the participants of an advanced training course in civil defence, on the subject of radiation protection. The course was held by teachers of Bundesverband fuer den Selbstschutz (BVS). (orig.) [de

Infection biology and defence responses in sorghum against Colletotrichum sublineolum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Puttalingaiah, Basavaraju; Shetty, Nandini Prasad; Shetty, H. S.

2009-01-01

Aims: To investigate the infection biology of Colletotrichum sublineolum (isolate CP2126) and defence responses in leaves of resistant (SC146), intermediately resistant (SC326) and susceptible (BTx623) sorghum genotypes. Methods and Results: Infection biology and defence responses were studied...

4th International Conference in Software Engineering for Defence Applications

CERN Document Server

Sillitti, Alberto; Succi, Giancarlo; Messina, Angelo

2016-01-01

This book presents high-quality original contributions on new software engineering models, approaches, methods, and tools and their evaluation in the context of defence and security applications. In addition, important business and economic aspects are discussed, with a particular focus on cost/benefit analysis, new business models, organizational evolution, and business intelligence systems. The contents are based on presentations delivered at SEDA 2015, the 4th International Conference in Software Engineering for Defence Applications, which was held in Rome, Italy, in May 2015. This conference series represents a targeted response to the growing need for research that reports and debates the practical implications of software engineering within the defence environment and also for software performance evaluation in real settings through controlled experiments as well as case and field studies. The book will appeal to all with an interest in modeling, managing, and implementing defence-related software devel...

Radiation protection and safety in the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenks, G.J.; O'Donovan, E.J.B.

1995-01-01

Very few organisations have to address such a diverse and complex range of radiation safety matters as the Australian Defence Organisation. The Australian Defence Force and the Department of Defence (its military and civilian branches) have to comply with strict regulations in normal peace time activities. The Surgeon-General, to whom responsibility for policy in radiation protection and safety falls, has established a Defence Radiation Safety Committee, which in turn oversees four specialist subcommittees. Their tasks include recommending policy and doctrine in relation to radiation safety, overseeing the implementation of appropriate regulations, monitoring their compliance. generating the relevant documentation (particularly on procedures to be followed), developing and improving any necessary training courses, and providing sound technical advice whenever and to whomever required. The internal Defence regulations do not permit radiation doses to exceed those limits recommended by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and precautions are taken to ensure during normal peace time duties that these levels are not exceeded. At times of national emergency, the Surgeon-General provides guidance and advice to military commanders on the consequences of receiving dose levels that would not be permitted during normal peace time activities. The paper describes the methods adopted to implement such arrangements

The failing firm defence: merger policy and entry

OpenAIRE

Mason, Robin; Weeds, Helen

2003-01-01

This Paper considers the 'failing firm defence'. Under this principle, found in most antitrust jurisdictions, a merger that would otherwise be blocked due to its adverse effect on competition is permitted when the firm to be acquired is a failing firm, and an alternative, less detrimental merger is unavailable. Competition authorities have shown considerable reluctance to accept the failing firm defence, and it has been successfully used in just a handful of cases. The Paper considers the def...

Fallout: the defence, industrial and technological benefits of nuclear deterrence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tertrais, Bruno

2015-01-01

In the current climate of budgetary restrictions, it is fair to question the weight of military nuclear defence spending. Upon examination, however, nuclear deterrence has numerous military, industrial, and technological benefits. It is, in fact, totally intertwined with the other elements of our defence system. (author)

Life-history constraints in grassland plant species: a growth-defence trade-off is the norm

Science.gov (United States)

E.M. Lind; E.T. Borer; E.W. Seabloom; P.B. Adler; J.D. Bakker; D.M. Blumenthal; M. Crawley; K.F. Davies; J. Firn; D.S. Gruner; S. Harpole; Y. Hautier; H. Hillebrand; J.M.H. Knops; B.A. Melbourne; B. Mortensen; A.C. Risch; M. Schuetz; C.J. Stevens; P.D. Wragg

2013-01-01

Plant growth can be limited by resource acquisition and defence against consumers, leading to contrasting trade-off possibilities. The competition-defence hypothesis posits a trade-off between competitive ability and defence against enemies (e.g. herbivores and pathogens). The growth-defence hypothesis suggests that strong competitors for nutrients are also defended...

Interdepartmental Cooperation in Defence Issues and Strategic Intelligence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nebojsa Nikolic

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The motivation for this paper comes from one successfully conducted empirical research about motivation of potential candidates to serve in the active reserve as a kind of military service which is recently introduced in the Serbian Army. The research team was faced with a set of problems related to the deadlines, resources and mandate issues. A solution was found in agile interdepartmental cooperation. Firstly, we started with identification of missing resources and mandates of our research team. Then, we investigated where we could find the missing issues. After that, we established lines for cooperation with other departments in the MoD. The clarity of interdepartmental communication and concretisation of demands and expectations were crucial for success. In the end we realized the full potential of interdepartmental cooperation and started to think about that phenomenon in the wider context of defence and security issues. We found some other examples of interdepartmental cooperation in earlier efforts of the defence sector reform, as well as some results in other armies. The paper presents strengths and opportunities of interdepartmental cooperation through temporary engaged working groups in the specific defence sector environment, as well as potential obstacles. In a wider aspect, interdepartmental cooperation in defence and security issues becomes more and more important because of new security challenges we are facing today.

Defence in Depth - Applied to the Nuclear System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weightman, M., E-mail: mike_weightman@hotmail.com

2014-10-15

Full text: Normally, the Defence in Depth concept is applied to the technical barriers that provide protection to the public and workers from nuclear accidents. This allows designers, operators and regulators to challenge (along with using other design principles such as independence, redundancy, diversity, single point failure, etc) the technical systems provided to see whether more needs to be done to provide adequate defence in depth to ensure risks are reduced so far as is reasonably practical. Post Fukushima, much thought has gone into reconsidering whether the effectiveness of the defence in depth concept can be enhanced by, for example, rebalancing the attention between prevention and mitigation or enhancing the independence of protective measures such as providing extremely robust standalone emergency cooling capability. This presentation argues that Fukushima teaches us a more fundamental lesson - that the defence in depth concept (along with other design principles') should be applied to the nuclear system to see whether more should be done to enhance the institutional barriers in any particular nuclear system. These barriers are at three main levels: industry, regulators and stakeholders each with sub-barriers. It reinforces the need for industry and regulators to be independent, open and transparent so that the nuclear system can work effectively. Examples are given where the application of the model identifies areas for improvement in existing systems. (author)

Post-secretory fate of host defence components in mucus.

Science.gov (United States)

Salathe, Matthias; Forteza, Rosanna; Conner, Gregory E

2002-01-01

Airway mucus is a complex mixture of secretory products that provide a multifaceted defence against infection. Among many antimicrobial substances, mucus contains a peroxidase identical to milk lactoperoxidase (LPO) that is produced by goblet cells and submucosal glands. Airway secretions contain the substrates for LPO, namely thiocyanate and hydrogen peroxide, at concentrations sufficient for production of the biocidal compound hypothiocyanite, a fact confirmed by us in vitro. In vivo, inhibition of airway LPO in sheep significantly inhibits bacterial clearance, suggesting that the LPO system is a major contributor to host defences. Since secretory products including LPO are believed to be steadily removed by mucociliary clearance, their amount and availability on the surface is thought to be controlled solely by secretion. In contrast to this paradigm, new data suggest that LPO and other substances are retained at the ciliary border of the airway epithelium by binding to surface-associated hyaluronan, thereby providing an apical, fully active enzyme pool. Thus, hyaluronan, secreted from submucosal gland cells, plays a previously unrecognized pivotal role in mucosal host defence by retaining LPO and possibly other substances important for first line host defence at the apical surface 'ready for use' and protected from ciliary clearance.

The directive on energy efficiency: review in progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Signoret, Stephane

2016-01-01

Whereas it has not been entirely transposed for all counties yet, the European directive on energy efficiency is to be reviewed to match objectives defined for 2030. Therefore, the European Commission is elaborating an analysis and a consultation on this issue. This article indicates some available data published in the Energy Efficiency Progress Report related to the evolution of final energy consumption and to its objective for 2020, to the evolution of energy consumption in the main sectors, and to the evolution of heat production by co-generation between 2005 and 2013. It also comments the main articles of the directive which address problematic and general objectives, public purchases, energy efficiency obligation schemes (EEOS, which are the main matter of questions), counting and billing, financing, and monitoring

Cancer susceptibility and reproductive trade-offs: a model of the evolution of cancer defences.

Science.gov (United States)

Boddy, Amy M; Kokko, Hanna; Breden, Felix; Wilkinson, Gerald S; Aktipis, C Athena

2015-07-19

The factors influencing cancer susceptibility and why it varies across species are major open questions in the field of cancer biology. One underexplored source of variation in cancer susceptibility may arise from trade-offs between reproductive competitiveness (e.g. sexually selected traits, earlier reproduction and higher fertility) and cancer defence. We build a model that contrasts the probabilistic onset of cancer with other, extrinsic causes of mortality and use it to predict that intense reproductive competition will lower cancer defences and increase cancer incidence. We explore the trade-off between cancer defences and intraspecific competition across different extrinsic mortality conditions and different levels of trade-off intensity, and find the largest effect of competition on cancer in species where low extrinsic mortality combines with strong trade-offs. In such species, selection to delay cancer and selection to outcompete conspecifics are both strong, and the latter conflicts with the former. We discuss evidence for the assumed trade-off between reproductive competitiveness and cancer susceptibility. Sexually selected traits such as ornaments or large body size require high levels of cell proliferation and appear to be associated with greater cancer susceptibility. Similar associations exist for female traits such as continuous egg-laying in domestic hens and earlier reproductive maturity. Trade-offs between reproduction and cancer defences may be instantiated by a variety of mechanisms, including higher levels of growth factors and hormones, less efficient cell-cycle control and less DNA repair, or simply a larger number of cell divisions (relevant when reproductive success requires large body size or rapid reproductive cycles). These mechanisms can affect intra- and interspecific variation in cancer susceptibility arising from rapid cell proliferation during reproductive maturation, intrasexual competition and reproduction. © 2015 The Author

United Kingdom's defence procurement: a period of smart enlightenment or halting culture

OpenAIRE

O Callaghan, D. M.

2001-01-01

The aim of this thesis is to map predominant cultures and examine their compatibility with the Smart Procurement Initiative. An initiative that was identified in the Strategic Defence Review to address the limitations of UK's defence procurement process that had previously failed to deliver defence equipment to cost, time and specification. The introduction reviews those factors, which influenced procurement since World War 11. The background to UK's current procurement process...

Considerations on Defence Thinking in Post-1994 South Africa with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... analyse and discuss the new comprehensive guidelines for defence force design in the Draft Defence Review 2012 and reflects on some of the most important policy implications for the SANDF in this regard – specifically given the demands placed on the SANDF in the field of post-conflict reconstruction and development.

Improvement interventions: To what extent are they manifestations of social defences?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremias J. de Klerk

2012-02-01

Research purpose: The aim is to provide an explanation to the lure behind interventions and to contribute to building a theory on plausible systems psychodynamic drivers and mechanisms of recurrent change interventions. Motivation for the study: This study provides insights into social defences in ways that did not receive much attention previously; specifically how defence mechanisms act as drivers for new change and improvement interventions. Research design, approach and method: A literature study, consisting of a literature review and a phenomenological analysis. The study was conducted from the systems psychodynamic approach. Main findings: Improvement interventions often represent defences that serve to contain anxieties or maintain fantasies. Four specific themes emerged: interventions defend the perception of being in control, they maintain the fantasy that one is busy with worthy actions to overcome challenges, they are defences against boredom or contain anxieties about incompetence, and they maintain the fantasy of being heroic leaders. Practical/managerial implications: The findings can assist leaders to understand their own defences in order to avoid embarking on non-essential interventions. This can free up much time, energy and effort to spend on other priorities, assisting organisations to achieve better results. Contribution/value-add: The study refutes the notion that improvement interventions are always rational coping mechanisms and highlights the role of improvement interventions as defences to reduce anxiety, even though they may contribute little to organisational survival in real terms.

Operational Analysis on Torpedo Defence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grootendordt, H.J.; Benders, F.P.A.; Fitski, H.J.; Veldhoven, E.R. van

2008-01-01

Surface vessels and submarines must be able to defend themselves against a torpedo attack. Self-defence can be approached as a modular concept. The first module involves 'Detection, Classification and Localisation (DCL)'. DCL triggers the second module: the 'evaluator'. This module starts the last

Evaluating arguments during instigations of defence motivation and accuracy motivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Cheng-Hong

2017-05-01

When people evaluate the strength of an argument, their motivations are likely to influence the evaluation. However, few studies have specifically investigated the influences of motivational factors on argument evaluation. This study examined the effects of defence and accuracy motivations on argument evaluation. According to the compatibility between the advocated positions of arguments and participants' prior beliefs and the objective strength of arguments, participants evaluated four types of arguments: compatible-strong, compatible-weak, incompatible-strong, and incompatible-weak arguments. Experiment 1 revealed that participants possessing a high defence motivation rated compatible-weak arguments as stronger and incompatible-strong ones as weaker than participants possessing a low defence motivation. However, the strength ratings between the high and low defence groups regarding both compatible-strong and incompatible-weak arguments were similar. Experiment 2 revealed that when participants possessed a high accuracy motivation, they rated compatible-weak arguments as weaker and incompatible-strong ones as stronger than when they possessed a low accuracy motivation. However, participants' ratings on both compatible-strong and incompatible-weak arguments were similar when comparing high and low accuracy conditions. The results suggest that defence and accuracy motivations are two major motives influencing argument evaluation. However, they primarily influence the evaluation results for compatible-weak and incompatible-strong arguments, but not for compatible-strong and incompatible-weak arguments. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Defence White Paper 2013

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

nurtured, particularly in Australia’s highly competitive labour market. The Government recognises that Defence’s approach to its people must be... satisfaction , increase attraction and retention, improve cost-effectiveness and support the contemporary Total Force employment model. Defence White...improve job satisfaction and thereby increase attraction and retention in areas of critical skill. Recruiting 10.13 To ensure that we have the high

Testing phenotypic trade-offs in the chemical defence strategy of Scots pine under growth-limiting field conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Villari, Caterina; Faccoli, Massimo; Battisti, Andrea; Bonello, Pierluigi; Marini, Lorenzo

2014-09-01

Plants protect themselves from pathogens and herbivores through fine-tuned resource allocation, including trade-offs among resource investments to support constitutive and inducible defences. However, empirical research, especially concerning conifers growing under natural conditions, is still scarce. We investigated the complexity of constitutive and induced defences in a natural Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stand under growth-limiting conditions typical of alpine environments. Phenotypic trade-offs at three hierarchical levels were tested by investigating the behaviour of phenolic compounds and terpenoids of outer bark and phloem. We tested resource-derived phenotypic correlations between (i) constitutive and inducible defences vs tree ring growth, (ii) different constitutive defence metabolites and (iii) constitutive concentration and inducible variation of individual metabolites. Tree ring growth was positively correlated only with constitutive concentration of total terpenoids, and no overall phenotypic trade-offs between different constitutive defensive metabolites were found. At the lowest hierarchical level tested, i.e., at the level of relationship between constitutive and inducible variation of individual metabolites, we found that different compounds displayed different behaviours; we identified five different defensive metabolite response types, based on direction and strength of the response, regardless of tree age and growth rate. Therefore, under growth-limiting field conditions, Scots pine appears to utilize varied and complex outer bark and phloem defence chemistry, in which only part of the constitutive specialized metabolism is influenced by tree growth, and individual components do not appear to be expressed in a mutually exclusive manner in either constitutive or inducible metabolism. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Aerodynamic Test Facility Requirements for Defence R&D to 2000 and Beyond.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-09-01

Defence Force. Following its review of science and technology, the Australian Science and Technology Council ( ASTEC ) reported I that the present pattern...Organisation (DSTO) within the Department of Defence. Accordingly, ASTEC recommended to the Prime Minister that the Department of Defence be asked to develop...DSTO2 as well as by ASTEC 1 . An additional reason for choosing aerodynamics for early consideration in response to ASTEC’s recommendation is that wind

Accident management-defence in depth in Indian PHWRS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jagannad, V.B.L.; Reddy, V.V.; Hajela, Sameer; Bhatia, C.M.; Nair, Suma

2015-01-01

Defence in Depth (DiD) is the established safety principle for the design of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). Accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi had highlighted the importance of provisions at Level-4 and 5 of DiD. Post Fukushima accident, on-site measures have been strengthened for Indian Nuclear Power Plants. On procedural front, Accident Management Guidelines have been introduced to handle events more severe than design basis accidents. This paper elaborates enhancement of Defence in Depth provisions for Indian Nuclear Power Plants. (author)

The role of strategic missile defence in the global architecture de ballistic non proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hautecouverture, Benjamin

2007-01-01

Whereas some think that missile defence is a proliferation agent by nature and therefore undermines the already fragile regime of ballistic non proliferation, some others think that missile defence could underpin the non proliferation regime. The author thus discusses these issues and both points of view by commenting the ambiguous discursive relationships between missile defence and arms control, and by highlighting the various roles and missions given to missile defence, notably in treaties (like the ABM treaty) and postures adopted by concerned countries

Nuclear power reactors: reactor safety and military and civil defence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hvinden, T.

1976-01-01

The formation of fission products and plutonium in reactors is briefly described, followed by a short general discussion of reactor safety. The interaction of reactor safety and radioactive release considerations with military and civil defence is thereafter discussed. Reactors and other nuclear plants are factors which must be taken into account in the defence of the district around the site, and as potential targets of both conventional and guerilla attacks and sabotage, requiring special defence. The radiological hazards arising from serious damage to a power reactor by conventional weapons are briefly discussed, and the benefits of underground siting evaluated. Finally the author discusses the significance of the IAEA safeguards work as a preventive factor. (JIW)

A cellular backline: specialization of host membranes for defence.

Science.gov (United States)

Faulkner, Christine

2015-03-01

In plant-pathogen interactions, the host plasma membrane serves as a defence front for pathogens that invade from the extracellular environment. As such, the lipid bilayer acts as a scaffold that targets and delivers defence responses to the site of attack. During pathogen infection, numerous changes in plasma membrane composition, organization, and structure occur. There is increasing evidence that this facilitates the execution of a variety of responses, highlighting the regulatory role membranes play in cellular responses. Membrane microdomains such as lipid rafts are hypothesized to create signalling platforms for receptor signalling in response to pathogen perception and for callose synthesis. Further, the genesis of pathogen-associated structures such as papillae and the extra-haustorial membrane necessitates polarization of membranes and membrane trafficking pathways. Unlocking the mechanisms by which this occurs will enable greater understanding of how targeted defences, some of which result in resistance, are executed. This review will survey some of the changes that occur in host membranes during pathogen attack and how these are associated with the generation of defence responses. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Defence and illustration of nuclear deterrence; Defense et illustration de la dissuasion nucleaire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tertrais, Bruno

2011-07-01

After having shown that nuclear deterrence has been efficient since 1945 (nuclear weapons prevented from war, nuclear deterrence contributed to the reduction of risks related to proliferation), the author discusses the amorality and illegality of nuclear deterrence (its ethics can indeed be a matter of discussion, as well as issues like self-defence and international humanitarian law). On another hand, he shows that deterrence costs remain acceptable and that substitutes to nuclear deterrence are not credible. He concludes that deterrence is therefore still useful and legitimate

Quantitative Verification and Synthesis of Attack-Defence Scenarios

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aslanyan, Zaruhi; Nielson, Flemming; Parker, David

2016-01-01

analysis of quantitative properties of complex attack-defence scenarios, using an extension of attack-defence trees which models temporal ordering of actions and allows explicit dependencies in the strategies adopted by attackers and defenders. We adopt a game-theoretic approach, translating attack...... which guarantee or optimise some quantitative property, such as the probability of a successful attack, the expected cost incurred, or some multi-objective trade-off between the two. We implement our approach, building upon the PRISM-games model checker, and apply it to a case study of an RFID goods...

Parental risk management in relation to offspring defence: bad news for kids.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahr, Katharina; Riegler, Georg; Hoi, Herbert

2015-01-07

Do parents defend their offspring whenever necessary, and do self-sacrificing parents really exist? Studies recognized that parent defence is dynamic, mainly depending on the threat predators pose. In this context, parental risk management should consider the threat to themselves and to their offspring. Consequently, the observed defence should be a composite of both risk components. Surprisingly, no study so far has determined the influence of these two threat components on parental decision rules. In a field experiment, we investigated parental risk taking in relation to the threat posed to themselves and their offspring. To disentangle the two threat components, we examined defence behaviours of parent blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus towards three different predators and during different nestling developmental stages. Nest defence strategies in terms of alarm call intensity and nearest predator approach differed between the three predators. Defence intensity was only partly explained by threat level. Most importantly, parental risk management varied in relation to their own, but not offspring risk. Parent defence investment was independent of nestling risk when parents followed a high-risk strategy. However, parents considered nestling as well as parental risk when following a low-risk strategy. Our findings could have general implications for the economy of risk management and decision-making strategies in living beings, including humans. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Review of Defence Plans in Europe: Current Status, Strengths and Opportunities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Boeck, Steven; Van Hertem, Dirk; Das, Kaushik

2016-01-01

interconnected, a contingency in one area can affect the whole power system and possibly lead to a wide area black out. Therefore adequate defence plans need to be designed and in place to handle these situations. This paper starts with an overview of the terminology used in defence plans. Subsequently...... the current status of defence plans in Europe and the preferred sequence of actions to mitigate contingencies, is given based on a survey conducted among several European TSOs. Furthermore his paper gives an overview of how the ongoing changes with renewables, phasor measurement units (PMUs), power flow...

Efficiency analysis of Chinese industry: A directional distance function approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Michio; Tanaka, Katsuya

2007-01-01

Two efficiency measures of Chinese industry were estimated at the provincial level from 1994 to 2002, using a directional output distance function. One is a traditional efficiency measure that considers only desirable output, while the other considers both desirable and undesirable outputs simultaneously. A comparison of the two measures revealed that efficiency levels are biased only if desirable output is considered. Five coastal provinces/municipalities that have attracted a large amount of foreign direct investment are found to be the most efficient when only desirable output is considered, and also when both desirable and undesirable outputs are considered. However, omitting undesirable output tends to lead to an overestimate of industrial efficiency levels in Shandong, Sichuan, and Hebei provinces. We also found that a province's industrial structure has significant effects on its efficiency levels

A laws of war review of contemporary land-based missile defence ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Automated precise guided missile defence has been around for some years, and is a modern-day mechanism used frequently since 2011 to defend against rocket attacks penetrating national airspace. Israel's automated Iron Dome Missile Defence System has intercepted over 1 000 rockets during two recent military ...

The Kassel concept for river flood defence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toensmann, F. [Kassel Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Hydraulic and Water-Resources Engineering

2000-07-01

Following an introduction referring to the history, the regulation of ''interference and compensation'' and the ''sustainable development'' as the foundation of future-oriented flood defence concepts are dealt with. The position of science and technology with respect to the employed planning methods: Models for the determination of spatial and temporal distribution of maximum precipitation, river basin models, methods for water level computation, benefit/cost analysis and environmental assessment are described and evaluated. Thereafter the Kassel Concept for River Flood Defence is presented. The basic principle is a mosaic of de-central, semi-central and central measures with reference to the specific project which are economically eligible and environment-compatible. (orig.)

Multi-Directional Non-Parametric Analysis of Agricultural Efficiency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balezentis, Tomas

This thesis seeks to develop methodologies for assessment of agricultural efficiency and employ them to Lithuanian family farms. In particular, we focus on three particular objectives throughout the research: (i) to perform a fully non-parametric analysis of efficiency effects, (ii) to extend...... to the Multi-Directional Efficiency Analysis approach when the proposed models were employed to analyse empirical data of Lithuanian family farm performance, we saw substantial differences in efficiencies associated with different inputs. In particular, assets appeared to be the least efficiently used input...... relative to labour, intermediate consumption and land (in some cases land was not treated as a discretionary input). These findings call for further research on relationships among financial structure, investment decisions, and efficiency in Lithuanian family farms. Application of different techniques...

Defence in front of challenges related to climate disruption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alex, Bastien

2015-03-01

As the Pentagon already noticed a relationship between security and climate change in a report published more than ten years ago, climate change is now considered as a threat multiplier, and is therefore a major stake for industrial, institutional and military actors of defence. The author first describes the relationship between national security and climatic security, how risks related to global warming have also an actual potential of destabilisation. He describes how this issue is increasingly addressed by defence actors, notably with a strategic approach initiated by the USA, a still holding back France, discussions about the impact of operational capabilities, and a trend for a carbon print decrease for the defence sector. In the next part, the author examines whether policies of adaptation to climate change could involve threats, evokes the development of geo-engineering, and briefly outlines that a failed adaptation could increase vulnerability

The European Security and Defence Policy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adler-Nissen, Rebecca

2009-01-01

The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), which is the operational military and civilian dimension of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), is today one of the most dynamic areas of the European Union. However, it is only recently that the EU has acquired explicit military decision....... The Union is thus gradually emerging as an important player on the international scene, with a strategic vision, as well as diplomatic, civilian and military crisis-management instruments that complement the existing economic, commercial, humanitarian and development policies on which the EU has hitherto...... built its reputation as a ‘soft power'. Despite its rapid development, many still regard the EU as weak and ineffi cient when it comes to security and defence policy. Moreover, the EU struggles with internal divisions and has a strained relationship with NATO. Nonetheless, there are good reasons...

The cytoskeleton in cell-autonomous immunity: structural determinants of host defence

Science.gov (United States)

Mostowy, Serge; Shenoy, Avinash R.

2016-01-01

Host cells use antimicrobial proteins, pathogen-restrictive compartmentalization and cell death in their defence against intracellular pathogens. Recent work has revealed that four components of the cytoskeleton — actin, microtubules, intermediate filaments and septins, which are well known for their roles in cell division, shape and movement — have important functions in innate immunity and cellular self-defence. Investigations using cellular and animal models have shown that these cytoskeletal proteins are crucial for sensing bacteria and for mobilizing effector mechanisms to eliminate them. In this Review, we highlight the emerging roles of the cytoskeleton as a structural determinant of cell-autonomous host defence. PMID:26292640

Environmental Effects on Constitutive and Inducible Resin Defences of Pinus taeda

Science.gov (United States)

Maria L. Lombardero; Matthew P. Ayres; Peter L. Lorio; Jonathan J. Ruel

2000-01-01

The ecological literature abounds with studies of environmental effects on plant antiherbivore defences. While various models have been proposed (e.g. plant stress, optimal allocation, growth-differentiation balance), each has met with mixed support. One possible explanation for the mixed results is that constitutive and induced defences are differentialiy affected by...

the role of the south african national defence force in policing

African Journals Online (AJOL)

mosesm

the history and socioeconomic realities of our society. For ... White Paper on National Defence for the Republic of South Africa of 19962 and ... Reading the 1998 Defence Review,5 it was clearly assumed, without any ... year regarding the crime situation in South Africa. ..... approaches need to be augmented by the SANDF.

Introducing 'The Diverse Nature of Defence Healthcare' university module for DMS personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Chris; Blake, L

2015-12-01

Over the past 10 years the UK Defence Medical Services has deployed healthcare personnel to a variety of operational areas in support of UK Operations. The unique nature of every operational deployment, in conjunction with the wide variety of roles which healthcare staff undertake, necessitates bespoke educational preparation of the military healthcare force. This paper explores the creation and development of one of the four modules which comprise the BSc (Hons) in Defence Health Care studies, entitled 'The Diverse Nature of Defence Healthcare'. It demonstrates the unique contribution that the Defence School of Healthcare Education makes towards Generation and Preparation of the Force for deployment. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Salicylic acid-independent plant defence pathways

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pieterse, C.M.J.; Loon, L.C. van

1999-01-01

Salicylic acid is an important signalling molecule involved in both locally and systemically induced disease resistance responses. Recent advances in our understanding of plant defence signalling have revealed that plants employ a network of signal transduction pathways, some of which are

Phyllosticta musarum Infection-Induced Defences Suppress Anthracnose Disease Caused by Colletotrichum musae in Banana Fruits cv 'Embul'.

Science.gov (United States)

Abayasekara, C L; Adikaram, N K B; Wanigasekara, U W N P; Bandara, B M R

2013-03-01

Anthracnose development by Colletotrichum musae was observed to be significantly less in the fruits of the banana cultivar 'Embul' (Mysore, AAB) infected with Phyllosticta musarum than in fruits without such infections. Anthracnose disease originates from quiescent C. musae infections in the immature fruit. P. musarum incites minute, scattered spots, referred to as freckles, in the superficial tissues of immature banana peel which do not expand during maturation or ripening. P. musarum does not appear to have a direct suppressive effect on C. musae as conidia of C. musae germinate on both freckled and non-freckled fruit forming quiescent infections. Our investigations have shown that P. musarum infection induced several defence responses in fruit including the accumulation of five phytoalexins, upregulation of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity and cell wall lignification. (1)H and (13)C NMR spectral data of one purified phytoalexin compared closely with 4'-hydroxyanigorufone. Some of the P. musarum-induced defences that retained during ripening, restrict C. musae development at the ripe stage. This paper examines the potential of P. musarum-induced defences, in the control of anthracnose, the most destructive postharvest disease in banana.

Negative phenotypic and genetic correlation between natal dispersal propensity and nest-defence behaviour in a wild bird.

Science.gov (United States)

Bize, Pierre; Daniel, Grégory; Viblanc, Vincent A; Martin, Julien G A; Doligez, Blandine

2017-07-01

Natural selection is expected to favour the integration of dispersal and phenotypic traits allowing individuals to reduce dispersal costs. Accordingly, associations have been found between dispersal and personality traits such as aggressiveness and exploration, which may facilitate settlement in a novel environment. However, the determinism of these associations has only rarely been explored. Here, we highlight the functional integration of individual personality in nest-defence behaviour and natal dispersal propensity in a long-lived colonial bird, the Alpine swift ( Apus melba ), providing insights into genetic constraints shaping the coevolution of these two traits. We report a negative association between natal dispersal and nest-defence (i.e. risk taking) behaviour at both the phenotypic and genetic level. This negative association may result from direct selection if risk-averseness benefits natal dispersers by reducing the costs of settlement in an unfamiliar environment, or from indirect selection if individuals with lower levels of nest defence also show lower levels of aggressiveness, reducing costs of settlement among unfamiliar neighbours in a colony. In both cases, these results highlight that risk taking is an important behavioural trait to consider in the study of dispersal evolution. © 2017 The Author(s).

Instar-specific sensitivity of specialist Manduca sexta larvae to induced defences in their host plant Nicotiana attenuata

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Dam, N.M.; Hermenau, U.; Baldwin, I.T.

2001-01-01

1. The time delay associated with the activation of induced defences is thought to be a liability for this type of defence because it allows herbivores to remove biomass before the defence is fully induced. When defences are costly and plants grow with competitors, however, it may be more

The Cooperative Ballistic Missile Defence Game

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Evers, L.; Barros, A.I.; Monsuur, H.

2013-01-01

The increasing proliferation of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction poses new risks worldwide. For a threatened nation and given the characteristics of this threat a layered ballistic missile defence system strategy appears to be the preferred solution. However, such a strategy

Civil defence and disaster control services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolb, P.W.

1986-01-01

Today's systems of civil defence and disaster control services are the result of a long process of development, which is outlined for the Federal Republic of Germany. The present organisational and legal systems are explained, together with the institutions concerned. (DG) [de

System of Budget Planning, Programming, Development and Execution and the Defence Resources Management Model (DRMM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davor Čutić

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The system of budget planning, programming, development and execution of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia (henceforth: the Croatian acronym SPPIIP is the basic system for the strategic management of defence resources through which an effective and rational distribution of available resources is conducted, based on the goals of national security of the Republic of Croatia. This system sets the principles of transparency and democratic management of defence resources while respecting the specificities of the defence system. The SPPIIP allows for decision making based on complete information about alternatives and the choice of the most economical and most efficient way to reach the goal. It unites the strategic plan, program and budget. It consists of four continuous, independent and interconnected phases: planning, programming, development and the execution of the budget. The processes of the phases are dynamic and cyclic. In addition to the SPPIIP, the Defence Resources Management Model (DRMM, Croatian acronym: MURO has also been developed. This is an analytic tool which serves as a decision support system in the SPPIIP. The DRMM is a complex computer model showing graph and tabular overviews in a multi-year period. The model examines three areas: the strength of the forces, expenses and defence programs. The purpose of the model is cost and strength analysis and the analysis of compromise and feasibility, i.e. how sensitive the programs are to fiscal movements in the sphere of the MoD budget in the course of a multiyear cycle, until a certain project ends. The analysis results are an easily understandable basis for decision making. The SPPIIP and the DRMM are mutually independent systems, but they complement each other well. The SPPIIP uses the DRMM in designing and resource allocation based on the goals set. The quality of the DRMM depends on the amount and quality of data in its database. The DRMM can be used as a basis for

Addressing resource efficiency through the Ecodesign Directive

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalhammar, Carl Johan; Machacek, Erika; Bundgaard, Anja

related to energy efficiency, but there is potential for setting legal standards that increase product durability and promote the future re-use and recycling of components and materials. This paper examines the potential benefits and disadvantages in applying the Directive for this purpose, and analyzes...

Direct determination of quantum efficiency of semiconducting films

Science.gov (United States)

Faughnan, B.W.; Hanak, J.J.

Photovoltaic quantum efficiency of semiconductor samples is determined directly, without requiring that a built-in photovoltage be generated by the sample. Electrodes are attached to the sample so as to form at least one Schottky barrier therewith. When illuminated, the generated photocurrent carriers are collected by an external bias voltage impressed across the electrodes. The generated photocurrent is measured, and photovoltaic quantum efficiency is calculated therefrom.

The bile acid deoxycholate elicits defences in Arabidopsis and reduces bacterial infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarattini, Marco; Launay, Alban; Farjad, Mahsa; Wénès, Estelle; Taconnat, Ludivine; Boutet, Stéphanie; Bernacchia, Giovanni; Fagard, Mathilde

2017-05-01

Disease has an effect on crop yields, causing significant losses. As the worldwide demand for agricultural products increases, there is a need to pursue the development of new methods to protect crops from disease. One mechanism of plant protection is through the activation of the plant immune system. By exogenous application, 'plant activator molecules' with elicitor properties can be used to activate the plant immune system. These defence-inducing molecules represent a powerful and often environmentally friendly tool to fight pathogens. We show that the secondary bile acid deoxycholic acid (DCA) induces defence in Arabidopsis and reduces the proliferation of two bacterial phytopathogens: Erwinia amylovora and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. We describe the global defence response triggered by this new plant activator in Arabidopsis at the transcriptional level. Several induced genes were selected for further analysis by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. We describe the kinetics of their induction and show that abiotic stress, such as moderate drought or nitrogen limitation, does not impede DCA induction of defence. Finally, we investigate the role in the activation of defence by this bile acid of the salicylic acid biosynthesis gene SID2, of the receptor-like kinase family genes WAK1-3 and of the NADPH oxidase-encoding RbohD gene. Altogether, we show that DCA constitutes a promising molecule for plant protection which can induce complementary lines of defence, such as callose deposition, reactive oxygen species accumulation and the jasmonic acid and salicylic acid signalling pathways. © 2016 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

PM2.5, oxidant defence and cardiorespiratory health: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Weichenthal, Scott A; Godri-Pollitt, Krystal; Villeneuve, Paul J

2013-05-04

Airborne fine particle mass concentrations (PM2.5) are used for ambient air quality management worldwide based in part on known cardiorespiratory health effects. While oxidative stress is generally thought to be an important mechanism in determining these effects, relatively few studies have specifically examined how oxidant defence may impact susceptibility to particulate air pollution. Here we review studies that explore the impact of polymorphisms in anti-oxidant related genes or anti-oxidant supplementation on PM2.5-induced cardiorespiratory outcomes in an effort to summarize existing evidence related to oxidative stress defence and the health effects of PM2.5. Recent studies of PM-oxidative burden were also examined. In total, nine studies were identified and reviewed and existing evidence generally suggests that oxidant defence may modify the impact of PM2.5 exposure on various health outcomes, particularly heart rate variability (a measure of autonomic function) which was the most common outcome examined in the studies reviewed. Few studies examined interactions between PM2.5 and oxidant defence for respiratory outcomes, and in general studies focused primarily on acute health effects. Therefore, further evaluation of the potential modifying role of oxidant defence in PM2.5-induced health effects is required, particularly for chronic outcomes. Similarly, while an exposure metric that captures the ability of PM2.5 to cause oxidative stress may offer advantages over traditional mass concentration measurements, little epidemiological evidence is currently available to evaluate the potential benefits of such an approach. Therefore, further evaluation is required to determine how this metric may be incorporated in ambient air quality management.

Defence Output Measures: An Economics Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

positive or negative impact of defence spending on growth and there is evidence supporting both impacts! The divergent results reflect the need for a...It also protects national interests, including independence and ‘appropriate sovereignty’ (e.g. protecting a nation’s interests in a globalised

The Immune System and Bodily Defence

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 2; Issue 2. The Immune System and Bodily Defence How Do Parasites and the Immune System Choose their Dances? Vineeta Bal Satyajit Rath. Series Article Volume 2 Issue 2 February 1997 pp 17-24 ...

The Immune System and Bodily Defence

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 2; Issue 9. The Immune System and Bodily Defence How Does the Immune System Recognize Everything Under the Sun? Vineeta Bal Satyajit Rath. Series Article Volume 2 Issue 9 September 1997 pp 6-10 ...

Defence in Depth: Assessment of Comprehensiveness and Further Strengthening of the Concept

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Misak, J., E-mail: Jozef.Misak@ujv.cz

2014-10-15

Full text: Defence in depth concept based on multiple levels of protection of the workers, public and the environment against radiation harm is and should remain an essential strategy for ensuring safety of nuclear power plants. This strategy should be comprehensively implemented through all stages of the plant lifetime, from the siting through construction and operation up to decommissioning. First part of the presentation will introduce a screening method developed by the IAEA as a tool facilitating the assessment of the comprehensiveness of defence in depth and will indicate further possibilities for using and updating the approach by taking into account recent lessons learned. Although it is clear that it is not possible for any industrial facility including nuclear power plants to fully eliminate the risk, further strengthening the defence in depth in particular at level 4 dealing with design extension conditions gives very high confidence in prevention and effective mitigation of severe accidents so that they are either practically eliminated or their consequences are limited in area and time. Second part of the presentation will discuss several issues associated with current efforts for strengthening the defence in depth, including the issues of practical elimination, independence and diversity of safety provisions at different levels of defence. (author)

Defence Industrial Policies and Their Impact on Acquisition Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis of the United Kingdom and Australia

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-01

average costs for firms in that industry but nonetheless support a positive (or non- negative ) level of profit. Defence industrial policies & their...prompted by increasing pressure on defence budgets; consolidation of the UK defence industry; “ globalisation ” of UK defence companies & threat of exit

Crowd-out of defence and health spending: is Israel different from other industrialised nations?

Science.gov (United States)

Reeves, Aaron; Stuckler, David

2013-04-22

Does high defence spending limit the growth of public health investment? Using comparative data from 31 OECD countries between 1980 and 2010, we find little evidence that defence crowds out public health spending. Whether measured in terms of long-term levels or short-term changes, per capita defence and health spending positively and significantly correlate. To investigate the possibility that countries with high security needs such as Israel exhibit differing patterns, we also compare crowd-out among countries experiencing violent conflicts as well as current high military-spending countries. We observed a greater positive correlation between changes in health and defence spending among conflict-countries (r = 0.65, p military spending countries, Israel's politicians reduced defence spending while increasing health expenditure during its recent recession. These analyses reveal that while Israel's politicians have chronically underinvested in public health, there are modest steps being taken to rectify the country's unique and avoidable crowding out of public health from its high military spending.

"New Sport" in the street: self-defence, security and space in belle epoque Paris.

Science.gov (United States)

Freundschuh, Aaron

2006-01-01

Near the turn of the twentieth century, traditional self-defence methods (for example, jiu-jitsu) were revamped into a more accessible and practical set of techniques and tactics for everyday use in urban public space. Framed as a "new sport" with broad public utility, early urban self-defence developed against the backdrop of heightening fears of violent crime and a burgeoning politics of security, as well as tensions provoked by the increasingly common appearance of unchaperoned, middle-class women in public. Self-defence masters pitched their innovations in an inclusive rhetoric, always with separate lessons for men and women and their respective spaces of risk. This article places modern self-defence practices in tension with historical transformations in the urban landscape, arguing that urban self-defence posited a certain subjective relation to the city that tapped simultaneously into the desire for empowerment, fantasies of criminal danger and a law-and-order tone that shaded into urban vigilantism.

Phyllosticta musarum Infection-Induced Defences Suppress Anthracnose Disease Caused by Colletotrichum musae in Banana Fruits cv ‘Embul’

Science.gov (United States)

Abayasekara, C. L.; Adikaram, N. K. B.; Wanigasekara, U. W. N. P.; Bandara, B. M. R.

2013-01-01

Anthracnose development by Colletotrichum musae was observed to be significantly less in the fruits of the banana cultivar ‘Embul’ (Mysore, AAB) infected with Phyllosticta musarum than in fruits without such infections. Anthracnose disease originates from quiescent C. musae infections in the immature fruit. P. musarum incites minute, scattered spots, referred to as freckles, in the superficial tissues of immature banana peel which do not expand during maturation or ripening. P. musarum does not appear to have a direct suppressive effect on C. musae as conidia of C. musae germinate on both freckled and non-freckled fruit forming quiescent infections. Our investigations have shown that P. musarum infection induced several defence responses in fruit including the accumulation of five phytoalexins, upregulation of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity and cell wall lignification. 1H and 13C NMR spectral data of one purified phytoalexin compared closely with 4′-hydroxyanigorufone. Some of the P. musarum-induced defences that retained during ripening, restrict C. musae development at the ripe stage. This paper examines the potential of P. musarum-induced defences, in the control of anthracnose, the most destructive postharvest disease in banana. PMID:25288931

Efficient Radiation Shielding Through Direct Metal Laser Sintering

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We have developed a method for efficient component-level radiation shielding that can be printed by direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) from files generated by the...

Simple growth patterns can create complex trajectories for the ontogeny of constitutive chemical defences in seaweeds.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas A Paul

Full Text Available All of the theory and most of the data on the ecology and evolution of chemical defences derive from terrestrial plants, which have considerable capacity for internal movement of resources. In contrast, most macroalgae--seaweeds--have no or very limited capacity for resource translocation, meaning that trade-offs between growth and defence, for example, should be localised rather than systemic. This may change the predictions of chemical defence theories for seaweeds. We developed a model that mimicked the simple growth pattern of the red seaweed Asparagopsis armata which is composed of repeating clusters of somatic cells and cells which contain deterrent secondary chemicals (gland cells. To do this we created a distinct growth curve for the somatic cells and another for the gland cells using empirical data. The somatic growth function was linked to the growth function for defence via differential equations modelling, which effectively generated a trade-off between growth and defence as these neighbouring cells develop. By treating growth and defence as separate functions we were also able to model a trade-off in growth of 2-3% under most circumstances. However, we found contrasting evidence for this trade-off in the empirical relationships between growth and defence, depending on the light level under which the alga was cultured. After developing a model that incorporated both branching and cell division rates, we formally demonstrated that positive correlations between growth and defence are predicted in many circumstances and also that allocation costs, if they exist, will be constrained by the intrinsic growth patterns of the seaweed. Growth patterns could therefore explain contrasting evidence for cost of constitutive chemical defence in many studies, highlighting the need to consider the fundamental biology and ontogeny of organisms when assessing the allocation theories for defence.

Civil Defence Commission at the Federal German Ministry of the Interior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The work of the Civil Defence Commission comprises also interdisciplinary questions of civil defence and disaster relief. The lectures are concerned with the causes and effects of radioactivity, medical practice in the event of disaster, toxicology and pathology, including even psychology in disaster as well as risk management and dosimetry. The subjects chemical accidents and disaster relief are marginally dealt with. (DG) [de

De Nederlandse missile defence capaciteit: Strategisch onmisbaar

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weimar, P.W.L.

2013-01-01

Surface based air & missile defence behelst enerzijds de verdediging tegen conventionele luchtdreigingen, zoals vliegtuigen, helikopters en onbemande vliegtuigen (luchtverdediging). Aan de andere kant houdt het de verdediging tegen ballistische raketten en kruisraketten in (raketverdediging). De

Signalling network construction for modelling plant defence response.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dragana Miljkovic

Full Text Available Plant defence signalling response against various pathogens, including viruses, is a complex phenomenon. In resistant interaction a plant cell perceives the pathogen signal, transduces it within the cell and performs a reprogramming of the cell metabolism leading to the pathogen replication arrest. This work focuses on signalling pathways crucial for the plant defence response, i.e., the salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and ethylene signal transduction pathways, in the Arabidopsis thaliana model plant. The initial signalling network topology was constructed manually by defining the representation formalism, encoding the information from public databases and literature, and composing a pathway diagram. The manually constructed network structure consists of 175 components and 387 reactions. In order to complement the network topology with possibly missing relations, a new approach to automated information extraction from biological literature was developed. This approach, named Bio3graph, allows for automated extraction of biological relations from the literature, resulting in a set of (component1, reaction, component2 triplets and composing a graph structure which can be visualised, compared to the manually constructed topology and examined by the experts. Using a plant defence response vocabulary of components and reaction types, Bio3graph was applied to a set of 9,586 relevant full text articles, resulting in 137 newly detected reactions between the components. Finally, the manually constructed topology and the new reactions were merged to form a network structure consisting of 175 components and 524 reactions. The resulting pathway diagram of plant defence signalling represents a valuable source for further computational modelling and interpretation of omics data. The developed Bio3graph approach, implemented as an executable language processing and graph visualisation workflow, is publically available at http://ropot.ijs.si/bio3graph/and can be

2015 Status Report on Major Defence Equipment Procurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Perry

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Federal elections may be good for democracy, but the campaigns — particularly the lengthy one recently held in Canada — can be crippling for plans to better arm our military. Just before the election was called, there were public signs of important progress being made in what has long been a frustratingly slow and bureaucratically complex procurement process. But then the campaign left the Department of National Defence and other federal departments unable to secure approvals from either a defence minister or the Treasury Board, until the election ended and the new prime minister appointed the current cabinet. There had already been upheaval prior to that: In the first seven months of 2015, the three senior leaders at the Canadian Forces and the Defence Department (including the minister had been replaced, along with many other people critical to the procurement process. In addition, there had been changes in the Public Works Department and the Defence Procurement Strategy Secretariat. Frustrating and disappointing delays have long been a matter of course in Canada’s defence procurement process. In 2014/15, the number of ministerial or Treasury Board approvals to allow projects to proceed was half of that in 2009/10. Yet the demand for approvals has not abated. In addition to the turnover of key figures involved in the procurement and approval process, delays have come from a number of major steps added to the process, making an already lengthy and complex system even more so. To be sure, these steps were added in the pursuit of improved financial management and project management, with the aim of addressing longstanding problems. But it will take years to see if those objectives have been realized. An irony here is that the budget for military procurement has increased. Between 2004 and 2009, the Defence Department’s procurement budget nearly doubled. But the funding was never matched by the capacity to manage it. In 2003, the Material

Getting prepared for future attack : induction of plant defences by herbivore egg deposition and consequences for the insect community

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pashalidou, F.G.

2015-01-01

Plants have evolved intriguing defences against insect herbivores. Compared to constitutive Plants have evolved intriguing defences against insect herbivores. Compared to constitutive defences that are always present, plants can respond with inducible defences when they are attacked. Insect

Tritrophic interactions in wild and cultivated brassicaceous plant species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gols, R.

2008-01-01

Plants have evolved a range of defence traits that prevent or reduce attack by insect herbivores. Direct defence traits hamper or reduce the performance and behaviour of the herbivores, whereas indirect defence promote the efficiency of natural enemies to attack the herbivores. Here, I focused on

Necessity, private defence and the killing of Mary.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, J

2001-07-01

This article examines the reasons used by the Court of Appeal in Re A (Children) to authorise and justify an operation which would inevitably kill the weaker of a pair of conjoined twins in order to offer the stronger twin a good chance of a long and happy life. The crux of the judgment was that a utilitarian theory of necessity could justify this operation. This article seeks to define the criminal law defences at issue in the case and to argue that utilitarian necessity is such a dangerous doctrine that it should never be employed if there is any other defence which can be made to serve the same purpose--as there was in the present case.

A SNARE-protein has opposing functions in penetration resistance and defence signalling pathways

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Ziguo; Feechan, Angela; Pedersen, Carsten

2007-01-01

Penetration resistance is often the first line of defence against fungal pathogens. Subsequently induced defences are mediated by the programmed cell death (PCD) reaction pathway and the salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET) signalling pathways. We previously demonstrated...

Geometric and frequency EMI sounding of estuarine earthen flood defence embankments in Ireland using 1D inversion models

Science.gov (United States)

Viganotti, Matteo; Jackson, Ruth; Krahn, Hartmut; Dyer, Mark

2013-05-01

Earthen flood defence embankments are linear structures, raised above the flood plain, that are commonly used as flood defences in rural settings; these are often relatively old structures constructed using locally garnered material and of which little is known in terms of design and construction. Alarmingly, it is generally reported that a number of urban developments have expanded to previously rural areas; hence, acquiring knowledge about the flood defences protecting these areas has risen significantly in the agendas of basin and asset managers. This paper focusses, by reporting two case studies, on electromagnetic induction (EMI) methods that would efficiently complement routine visual inspections and would represent a first step to more detailed investigations. Evaluation of the results is presented by comparison with ERT profiles and intrusive investigation data. The EM data, acquired using a GEM-2 apparatus for frequency sounding and an EM-31 apparatus for geometrical sounding, has been handled using the prototype eGMS software tool, being developed by the eGMS international research consortium; the depth sounding data interpretation was assisted by 1D inversions obtained with the EM1DFM software developed by the University of British Columbia. Although both sounding methods showed some limitations, the models obtained were consistent with ERT models and the techniques were useful screening methods for the identification of areas of interest, such as material interfaces or potential seepage areas, within the embankment structure: 1D modelling improved the rapid assessment of earthen flood defence embankments in an estuarine environment; evidence that EMI sounding could play an important role as a monitoring tool or as a first step towards more detailed investigations.

Anosognosia as motivated unawareness: the 'defence' hypothesis revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Turnbull, Oliver H; Fotopoulou, Aikaterini; Solms, Mark

2014-12-01

Anosognosia for hemiplegia has seen a century of almost continuous research, yet a definitive understanding of its mechanism remains elusive. Essentially, anosognosic patients hold quasi-delusional beliefs about their paralysed limbs, in spite of all the contrary evidence, repeated questioning, and logical argument. We review a range of findings suggesting that emotion and motivation play an important role in anosognosia. We conclude that anosognosia involves (amongst other things) a process of psychological defence. This conclusion stems from a wide variety of clinical and experimental investigations, including data on implicit awareness of deficit, fluctuations in awareness over time, and dramatic effects upon awareness of psychological interventions such as psychotherapy, reframing of the emotional consequences of the paralysis, and first versus third person perspectival manipulations. In addition, we review and refute the (eight) arguments historically raised against the 'defence' hypothesis, including the claim that a defence-based account cannot explain the lateralised nature of the disorder. We argue that damage to a well-established right-lateralised emotion regulation system, with links to psychological processes that appear to underpin allocentric spatial cognition, plays a key role in anosognosia (at least in some patients). We conclude with a discussion of implications for clinical practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Immune System and Bodily Defence

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 2; Issue 6. The Immune System and Bodily Defence How Does the Immune System Organize Itself so as to Connect Target Recognition to Expected Functions? Vineeta Bal Satyajit Rath. Series Article Volume 2 Issue 6 June 1997 pp 25-38 ...

Foreign Direct Investment and its Spillover Efficiency in China

OpenAIRE

劉, 黄金

2004-01-01

In this paper, we review the development process and its characteristics of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) in China. Using the latest data of Jiangsu province, we test the spillover efficiency of FDI. We find that FDI has spillover efficiency in Jiangsu's economy, but the smaller the technology gap between domestic and foreign enterprises, the larger the spillovers.

Defence Chemistry Modulation by Light and Temperature Shifts and the Resulting Effects on Associated Epibacteria of Fucus vesiculosus

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Mahasweta; Rempt, Martin; Stratil, Stephanie B.; Wahl, Martin; Pohnert, Georg; Weinberger, Florian

2014-01-01

The goals of this study were (1) to investigate whether Fucus vesiculosus regulates the production of its antifouling defence chemicals against epibacteria in response to light limitation and temperature shifts and (2) to investigate if different surface concentrations of defence compounds shape epibacterial communities. F. vesiculosus was incubated in indoor mesocosms at five different temperature conditions (5 to 25°C) and in outdoor mesocosms under six differently reduced sunlight conditions (0 to 100%), respectively. Algal surface concentrations of previously identified antifouling compounds - dimethylsulphopropionate (DMSP), fucoxanthin and proline – were determined and the bacterial community composition was characterized by in-depth sequencing of the 16S-rRNA gene. Altogether, the effect of different treatment levels upon defence compound concentrations was limited. Under all conditions DMSP alone appeared to be sufficiently concentrated to warrant for at least a partial inhibitory action against epibiotic bacteria of F. vesiculosus. In contrast, proline and fucoxanthin rarely reached the necessary concentration ranges for self-contained inhibition. Nonetheless, in both experiments along with the direct influence of temperature and light, all three compounds apparently affected the overall bacterial community composition associated with F. vesiculosus since tendencies for insensitivity towards all three compounds were observed among bacterial taxa that typically dominate those communities. Given that the concentrations of at least one of the compounds (in most cases DMSP) were always high enough to inhibit bacterial settlement, we conclude that the capacity of F. vesiculosus for such defence will hardly be compromised by shading or warming to temperatures up to 25°C. PMID:25360717

Defence chemistry modulation by light and temperature shifts and the resulting effects on associated epibacteria of Fucus vesiculosus.

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Mahasweta; Rempt, Martin; Stratil, Stephanie B; Wahl, Martin; Pohnert, Georg; Weinberger, Florian

2014-01-01

The goals of this study were (1) to investigate whether Fucus vesiculosus regulates the production of its antifouling defence chemicals against epibacteria in response to light limitation and temperature shifts and (2) to investigate if different surface concentrations of defence compounds shape epibacterial communities. F. vesiculosus was incubated in indoor mesocosms at five different temperature conditions (5 to 25°C) and in outdoor mesocosms under six differently reduced sunlight conditions (0 to 100%), respectively. Algal surface concentrations of previously identified antifouling compounds--dimethylsulphopropionate (DMSP), fucoxanthin and proline--were determined and the bacterial community composition was characterized by in-depth sequencing of the 16S-rRNA gene. Altogether, the effect of different treatment levels upon defence compound concentrations was limited. Under all conditions DMSP alone appeared to be sufficiently concentrated to warrant for at least a partial inhibitory action against epibiotic bacteria of F. vesiculosus. In contrast, proline and fucoxanthin rarely reached the necessary concentration ranges for self-contained inhibition. Nonetheless, in both experiments along with the direct influence of temperature and light, all three compounds apparently affected the overall bacterial community composition associated with F. vesiculosus since tendencies for insensitivity towards all three compounds were observed among bacterial taxa that typically dominate those communities. Given that the concentrations of at least one of the compounds (in most cases DMSP) were always high enough to inhibit bacterial settlement, we conclude that the capacity of F. vesiculosus for such defence will hardly be compromised by shading or warming to temperatures up to 25°C.

Defence chemistry modulation by light and temperature shifts and the resulting effects on associated epibacteria of Fucus vesiculosus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahasweta Saha

Full Text Available The goals of this study were (1 to investigate whether Fucus vesiculosus regulates the production of its antifouling defence chemicals against epibacteria in response to light limitation and temperature shifts and (2 to investigate if different surface concentrations of defence compounds shape epibacterial communities. F. vesiculosus was incubated in indoor mesocosms at five different temperature conditions (5 to 25°C and in outdoor mesocosms under six differently reduced sunlight conditions (0 to 100%, respectively. Algal surface concentrations of previously identified antifouling compounds--dimethylsulphopropionate (DMSP, fucoxanthin and proline--were determined and the bacterial community composition was characterized by in-depth sequencing of the 16S-rRNA gene. Altogether, the effect of different treatment levels upon defence compound concentrations was limited. Under all conditions DMSP alone appeared to be sufficiently concentrated to warrant for at least a partial inhibitory action against epibiotic bacteria of F. vesiculosus. In contrast, proline and fucoxanthin rarely reached the necessary concentration ranges for self-contained inhibition. Nonetheless, in both experiments along with the direct influence of temperature and light, all three compounds apparently affected the overall bacterial community composition associated with F. vesiculosus since tendencies for insensitivity towards all three compounds were observed among bacterial taxa that typically dominate those communities. Given that the concentrations of at least one of the compounds (in most cases DMSP were always high enough to inhibit bacterial settlement, we conclude that the capacity of F. vesiculosus for such defence will hardly be compromised by shading or warming to temperatures up to 25°C.

Current strategies in the farm practices and post-harvest pesticidal defence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciano Suss

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Today, people often talk about biologic agriculture and Integrated Production (IP, even if the real meaning of these terms is altered. In both cases, they deal with production methods characterized by a particular attention to the reduction of the environmental impact of all the farm practices used, especially for defence from adversities, being the element of major concern for environment and consumers’ health.Farm practice evolution, especially those about pest defence, is based on important conceptual change, accurate scientific analysis and organization of technical assistance, rationalization of agri-pharmaceutical product use is one of the main objective of Integrated Production Specifications (IPS. The quantitative reduction is the first objective, obtained by various means such as the use of efficient equipment and the qualitative selection based on the priority use of minor impact means, effectiveness being equal. At post-harvest, the anti-parasitary defence is undergoing deep changes in our country. Once, pesticides very toxic and persistent were used; however, in the last years the availability of active principles (a.p. usable on foodstuffs or in productive environments; for instance, methyl bromide use has been progressively reduced till its banishment because it is recognized to damage the ozone layer. Thus, on the whole we can talk about “integrated pest management” even for the post-harvest sector. However, substantial differences exist between agriculture and post-harvest, thus the integrated pest management in food production environment has to be designed in a different way. The fundamental element of this technique is to identify a tolerance threshold to pest attack but for the defence of food industries and stored foodstuffs is very difficult, if not impossible, to fix a limit to insect presence after which intervening is compulsory. Monitoring of pest attacks and the implementation of prevention practices is

The correlated evolution of antipredator defences and brain size in mammals

OpenAIRE

Stankowich, Theodore; Romero, Ashly N.

2017-01-01

Mammals that possess elaborate antipredator defences such as body armour, spines and quills are usually well protected, intermediate in size, primarily insectivorous and live in simple open environments. The benefits of such defences seem clear and may relax selection on maintaining cognitive abilities that aid in vigilance and predator recognition, and their bearers may accrue extensive production and maintenance costs. Here, in this comparative phylogenetic analysis of measurements of encep...

Assessment methodology for air defence control systems

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Oosthuizen, R

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In Command and Control, humans have to make sense of the situation to support decision making on the required action. Development of an Air Defence Control system through a Systems Engineering process starts with assessment of existing systems...

The evolution of plant chemical defence - new roles for hydroxynitrile glucosides in Lotus japonicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Camilla

Plants are sessile organisms well-known to produce a vast array of chemical compounds of which many are used in chemical defence against herbivores and pathogens. The biosynthesis of these plant chemical defence compounds poses a considerable risk of self-toxicity for the plant itself. Several...... on hydroxynitrile glucoside metabolism in the legume model plant Lotus japonicus. Lotus japonicus produces both cyanogenic and non-cyanogenic hydroxynitrile glucosides as chemical defence compounds. The cyanogenic glucosides linamarin and lotaustralin are stored in the cell vacuole as inactive glycosides and, upon...... function and evolution. Further, it contributes to our understanding of the formation and role of biosynthetic gene clusters in plant chemical defence. The bifurcation in hydroxynitrile glucoside biosynthesis and catabolism observed in Lotus japonicus makes it a very suitable model system to study...

Antioxidant defences of Norway spruce bark against bark beetles and its associated blue-stain fungus

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Felicijan Mateja

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Bark beetles and their fungal associates are integral parts of forest ecosystems, the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus Linnaeus, 1758 and the associated pathogenic blue stain fungus Ceratocystis polonica (SIEM. C. MOREAU, are the most devastating pests regarding Norway spruce [Picea abies (L. H. KARST.]. Bark beetles commonly inhabit weakened and felled trees as well as vital trees. They cause physiological disorders in trees by destroying a phloem and cambium or interrupt the transpiration -ow in the xylem. Conifers have a wide range of effective defence mechanisms that are based on the inner bark anatomy and physiological state of the tree. The basic function of bark defences is to protect the nutrient-and energy-rich phloem, the vital meristematic region of the vascular cambium, and the transpiration -ow in the sapwood. The main area of defence mechanisms is secondary phloem, which is physically and chemically protected by polyphenolic parenchyma (PP cells, sclerenchyma, calcium oxalate crystals and resin ducts. Conifer trunk pest resistance includes constitutive, inducible defences and acquired resistance. Both constitutive and inducible defences may deter beetle invasion, impede fungal growth and close entrance wounds. During a successful attack, systemic acquired resistance (SAR becomes effective and represents a third defence strategy. It gradually develops throughout the plant and provides a systemic change within the whole tree’s metabolism, which is maintained over a longer period of time. The broad range of defence mechanisms that contribute to the activation and utilisation of SAR, includes antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes, which are generally linked to the actions of reactive oxygen species (ROS. The presented review discusses the current knowledge on the antioxidant defence strategies of spruce inner bark against the bark beetle (Ips typographus and associated blue stain fungus (Ceratocystis polonica.

Nelson Mandela's defence: A psychological capital documentary analysis

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Rene van Wyk

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This qualitative documentary analysis examines Nelson Mandela�s defence statement at the Rivonia Trial, Pretoria Supreme Court, on 20 April 1964. The defence document is analysed through the psychological capital lens, depicting themes that support the constructs of hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism. Psychological capital characteristics played a major role in the initial non-violent policies of negotiation. The inevitable establishment of Umkhonto we Sizwe followed, as a result of the increased restrictions and unwillingness of government to negotiate and collaborate. Mandela showed a determined spirit to unite the country. The discussion gives insight into Mandela�s authentic psychological capital leadership under difficult political and personal circumstances. Some implications are indicated in adopting Mandela�s psychological characteristics for personal reform.

NATO Guide for Judgement-Based Operational Analysis in Defence Decision Making : Executive Leaflet

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijnmalen, D.J.D.; et al

2012-01-01

Judgment plays an important role in all Operational Analysis (OA). NATO practitioners have determined that approaches in OA that are based on human judgement are increasingly critical to defence decision making. The purpose of the NATO Guide for Judgement-Based OA in Defence Decision Making is to

Multi-modal defences in aphids offer redundant protection and increased costs likely impeding a protective mutualism.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, Adam J; Doremus, Matthew R; Kraft, Laura J; Kim, Kyungsun L; Oliver, Kerry M

2018-03-01

The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, maintains extreme variation in resistance to its most common parasitoid wasp enemy, Aphidius ervi, which is sourced from two known mechanisms: protective bacterial symbionts, most commonly Hamiltonella defensa, or endogenously encoded defences. We have recently found that individual aphids may employ each defence individually, occasionally both defences together, or neither. In field populations, Hamiltonella-infected aphids are found at low to moderate frequencies and while less is known about the frequency of resistant genotypes, they show up less often than susceptible genotypes in field collections. To better understand these patterns, we sought to compare the strengths and costs of both types of defence, individually and together, in order to elucidate the selective pressures that maintain multi-modal defence mechanisms or that may favour one over the other. We experimentally infected five aphid genotypes (two lowly and three highly resistant), each with two symbiont strains, Hamiltonella-APSE8 (moderate protection) and Hamiltonella-APSE3 (high protection). This resulted in three sublines per genotype: uninfected, +APSE8 and +APSE3. Each of the 15 total sublines was first subjected to a parasitism assay to determine its resistance phenotype and in a second experiment, a subset was chosen to compare fitness (fecundity and survivorship) in the presence and absence of parasitism. In susceptible aphid genotypes, parasitized sublines infected with Hamiltonella generally showed increased protection with direct fitness benefits, but clear infection costs to fitness in the absence of parasitism. In resistant genotypes, Hamiltonella infection rarely conferred additional protection, often further reduced fecundity and survivorship when enemy challenged, and resulted in constitutive fitness costs in the absence of parasitism. We also identified strong aphid genotype × symbiont-strain interactions, such that the best defensive

Phytoplankton defence mechanisms: traits and trade-offs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pančić, Marina; Kiørboe, Thomas

2018-01-01

mechanisms in phytoplankton are diverse and include physiological (e.g. toxicity, bioluminescence), morphological (e.g. silica shell, colony formation), and behavioural (e.g. escape response) traits. However, the function of many of the proposed defence mechanisms remains elusive, and the costs and benefits...

The Effectiveness, Costs and Coastal Protection Benefits of Natural and Nature-Based Defences.

Science.gov (United States)

Narayan, Siddharth; Beck, Michael W; Reguero, Borja G; Losada, Iñigo J; van Wesenbeeck, Bregje; Pontee, Nigel; Sanchirico, James N; Ingram, Jane Carter; Lange, Glenn-Marie; Burks-Copes, Kelly A

2016-01-01

There is great interest in the restoration and conservation of coastal habitats for protection from flooding and erosion. This is evidenced by the growing number of analyses and reviews of the effectiveness of habitats as natural defences and increasing funding world-wide for nature-based defences-i.e. restoration projects aimed at coastal protection; yet, there is no synthetic information on what kinds of projects are effective and cost effective for this purpose. This paper addresses two issues critical for designing restoration projects for coastal protection: (i) a synthesis of the costs and benefits of projects designed for coastal protection (nature-based defences) and (ii) analyses of the effectiveness of coastal habitats (natural defences) in reducing wave heights and the biophysical parameters that influence this effectiveness. We (i) analyse data from sixty-nine field measurements in coastal habitats globally and examine measures of effectiveness of mangroves, salt-marshes, coral reefs and seagrass/kelp beds for wave height reduction; (ii) synthesise the costs and coastal protection benefits of fifty-two nature-based defence projects and; (iii) estimate the benefits of each restoration project by combining information on restoration costs with data from nearby field measurements. The analyses of field measurements show that coastal habitats have significant potential for reducing wave heights that varies by habitat and site. In general, coral reefs and salt-marshes have the highest overall potential. Habitat effectiveness is influenced by: a) the ratios of wave height-to-water depth and habitat width-to-wavelength in coral reefs; and b) the ratio of vegetation height-to-water depth in salt-marshes. The comparison of costs of nature-based defence projects and engineering structures show that salt-marshes and mangroves can be two to five times cheaper than a submerged breakwater for wave heights up to half a metre and, within their limits, become more cost

The Effectiveness, Costs and Coastal Protection Benefits of Natural and Nature-Based Defences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siddharth Narayan

Full Text Available There is great interest in the restoration and conservation of coastal habitats for protection from flooding and erosion. This is evidenced by the growing number of analyses and reviews of the effectiveness of habitats as natural defences and increasing funding world-wide for nature-based defences-i.e. restoration projects aimed at coastal protection; yet, there is no synthetic information on what kinds of projects are effective and cost effective for this purpose. This paper addresses two issues critical for designing restoration projects for coastal protection: (i a synthesis of the costs and benefits of projects designed for coastal protection (nature-based defences and (ii analyses of the effectiveness of coastal habitats (natural defences in reducing wave heights and the biophysical parameters that influence this effectiveness. We (i analyse data from sixty-nine field measurements in coastal habitats globally and examine measures of effectiveness of mangroves, salt-marshes, coral reefs and seagrass/kelp beds for wave height reduction; (ii synthesise the costs and coastal protection benefits of fifty-two nature-based defence projects and; (iii estimate the benefits of each restoration project by combining information on restoration costs with data from nearby field measurements. The analyses of field measurements show that coastal habitats have significant potential for reducing wave heights that varies by habitat and site. In general, coral reefs and salt-marshes have the highest overall potential. Habitat effectiveness is influenced by: a the ratios of wave height-to-water depth and habitat width-to-wavelength in coral reefs; and b the ratio of vegetation height-to-water depth in salt-marshes. The comparison of costs of nature-based defence projects and engineering structures show that salt-marshes and mangroves can be two to five times cheaper than a submerged breakwater for wave heights up to half a metre and, within their limits, become

Communal range defence in primates as a public goods dilemma.

Science.gov (United States)

Willems, Erik P; Arseneau, T Jean M; Schleuning, Xenia; van Schaik, Carel P

2015-12-05

Classic socio-ecological theory holds that the occurrence of aggressive range defence is primarily driven by ecological incentives, most notably by the economic defendability of an area or the resources it contains. While this ecological cost-benefit framework has great explanatory power in solitary or pair-living species, comparative work on group-living primates has always found economic defendability to be a necessary, but not sufficient condition to account for the distribution of effective range defence across the taxon. This mismatch between theory and observation has recently been ascribed to a collective action problem among group members in, what is more informatively viewed as, a public goods dilemma: mounting effective defence of a communal range against intrusions by outgroup conspecifics. We here further develop this framework, and report on analyses at three levels of biological organization: across species, across populations within a single lineage and across groups and individuals within a single population. We find that communal range defence in primates very rarely involves collective action sensu stricto and that it is best interpreted as the outcome of opportunistic and strategic individual-level decisions. Whether the public good of a defended communal range is produced by solitary, joint or collective action is thus the outcome of the interplay between the unique characteristics of each individual, local and current socio-ecological conditions, and fundamental life-history traits of the species. © 2015 The Author(s).

Cathelicidin host defence peptide augments clearance of pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection by its influence on neutrophil function in vivo.

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Paula E Beaumont

Full Text Available Cathelicidins are multifunctional cationic host-defence peptides (CHDP; also known as antimicrobial peptides and an important component of innate host defence against infection. In addition to microbicidal potential, these peptides have properties with the capacity to modulate inflammation and immunity. However, the extent to which such properties play a significant role during infection in vivo has remained unclear. A murine model of acute P. aeruginosa lung infection was utilised, demonstrating cathelicidin-mediated enhancement of bacterial clearance in vivo. The delivery of exogenous synthetic human cathelicidin LL-37 was found to enhance a protective pro-inflammatory response to infection, effectively promoting bacterial clearance from the lung in the absence of direct microbicidal activity, with an enhanced early neutrophil response that required both infection and peptide exposure and was independent of native cathelicidin production. Furthermore, although cathelicidin-deficient mice had an intact early cellular inflammatory response, later phase neutrophil response to infection was absent in these animals, with significantly impaired clearance of P. aeruginosa. These findings demonstrate the importance of the modulatory properties of cathelicidins in pulmonary infection in vivo and highlight a key role for cathelicidins in the induction of protective pulmonary neutrophil responses, specific to the infectious milieu. In additional to their physiological roles, CHDP have been proposed as future antimicrobial therapeutics. Elucidating and utilising the modulatory properties of cathelicidins has the potential to inform the development of synthetic peptide analogues and novel therapeutic approaches based on enhancing innate host defence against infection with or without direct microbicidal targeting of pathogens.

Phyllosticta musarum Infection-Induced Defences Suppress Anthracnose Disease Caused by Colletotrichum musae in Banana Fruits cv ‘Embul’

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C. L. Abayasekara

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Anthracnose development by Colletotrichum musae was observed to be significantly less in the fruits of the banana cultivar ‘Embul’ (Mysore, AAB infected with Phyllosticta musarum than in fruits without such infections. Anthracnose disease originates from quiescent C. musae infections in the immature fruit. P. musarum incites minute, scattered spots, referred to as freckles, in the superficial tissues of immature banana peel which do not expand during maturation or ripening. P. musarum does not appear to have a direct suppressive effect on C. musae as conidia of C. musae germinate on both freckled and non-freckled fruit forming quiescent infections. Our investigations have shown that P. musarum infection induced several defence responses in fruit including the accumulation of five phytoalexins, upregulation of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL activity and cell wall lignification. ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectral data of one purified phytoalexin compared closely with 4′-hydroxyanigorufone. Some of the P. musarum-induced defences that retained during ripening, restrict C. musae development at the ripe stage. This paper examines the potential of P. musarum-induced defences, in the control of anthracnose, the most destructive postharvest disease in banana.

Bruce NGS a loss of flow analysis for effectiveness of level 2 defence-in-depth provisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, W.; Jiang, Y.; Kwee, M.; Xue, J.

2014-01-01

The concept of defence-in-depth is applied to CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium) reactor designs and operations to provide series of levels of defence to prevent accidents progressing and to provide protection for reactor and public safety. The level 2 defence-in-depth provisions are designed to detect and intercept deviation from normal operation in order to prevent anticipated operating occurrences (AOOs) from escalating to accident conditions, and to return the plant to a state of normal operations, according to the Canada Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulatory document RD-337. Historically, safety analysis has focused on the effectiveness of level 3 defence-in-depth provisions in accident conditions, and the effectiveness of level 2 defence-in-depth has not been assessed. In this study, the effectiveness of Level 2 defence-in-depth is assessed for loss of flow (LOF) events for Bruce Nuclear Generating Station (NGS) A reactors. The level 2 defence-in-depth in Bruce NGS A design is identified to be the stepback function of reactor regulating system (RRS). The behavior of RRS stepback following the initiation of loss of flow event is simulated using RFSP/TUF/RRS - em coupled code. The behavior of full system and single channel is simulated and assessed against the acceptance criteria - fitness for service of systems, structures and components (SSCs). (author)

Bruce NGS a loss of flow analysis for effectiveness of level 2 defence-in-depth provisions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Won, W. [AMEC NSS, Toronto, ON (Canada); Jiang, Y.; Kwee, M.; Xue, J. [Bruce Power, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2014-07-01

The concept of defence-in-depth is applied to CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium) reactor designs and operations to provide series of levels of defence to prevent accidents progressing and to provide protection for reactor and public safety. The level 2 defence-in-depth provisions are designed to detect and intercept deviation from normal operation in order to prevent anticipated operating occurrences (AOOs) from escalating to accident conditions, and to return the plant to a state of normal operations, according to the Canada Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulatory document RD-337. Historically, safety analysis has focused on the effectiveness of level 3 defence-in-depth provisions in accident conditions, and the effectiveness of level 2 defence-in-depth has not been assessed. In this study, the effectiveness of Level 2 defence-in-depth is assessed for loss of flow (LOF) events for Bruce Nuclear Generating Station (NGS) A reactors. The level 2 defence-in-depth in Bruce NGS A design is identified to be the stepback function of reactor regulating system (RRS). The behavior of RRS stepback following the initiation of loss of flow event is simulated using RFSP/TUF/RRS{sub -}em coupled code. The behavior of full system and single channel is simulated and assessed against the acceptance criteria - fitness for service of systems, structures and components (SSCs). (author)

Defence nuclear waste disposal in Russia. International perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenhouse, M.J.; Kirko, V.I.

1998-01-01

Significant amounts of liquid and solid radioactive waste have been generated in Russia during the production of nuclear weapons, and there is an urgent need to find suitable ways to manage these wastes in a way that protects both the current population and future generations. This book contains contributions from pure and applied scientists and other representatives from Europe, North America, and Russia, who are, or have been, actively involved in the field of radioactive waste management and disposal. First-hand experience of specific problems associated with defence-related wastes in the USA and the Russian Federation is presented, and current plans are described for the disposal of solid wastes arising from civilian nuclear power production programmes in other countries, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Germany and the UK. The book provides a good insight into ongoing research at local and national level within Russia, devoted to the safe disposal of defence-related radioactive waste. It also demonstrates how existing expertise and technology from civilian nuclear waste management programmes can be applied to solving the problems created by nuclear defence programmes. Contributions address methods of immobilisation, site selection methodology, site characterisation techniques and data interpretation, the key elements of safety/performance assessments of planned deep (geological) repositories for radioactive waste, and radionuclide transport modelling. Concerns associated with certain specific nuclear waste disposal concepts and repository sites are also presented. refs

The possibilities to develop the logistics of electrical and electronic waste in the military defence system of the Republic of Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dragutin V. Jovanović

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The military defence system of the Republic of Serbia (the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Army represents a complex organisational and technical-technological system. The nature of its operations imposes it to be equipped with a considerable amount of electrical and electronic equipment and devices. Such equipment and devices during operation, over time, lose their primary function, become useless and turn into electrical and electronic equipment waste; therefore, they must be handled properly. This article discusses the problems and possible directions of the logistics of development and implementation of electrical and electronic waste generated in the defence as the logistics of waste and reverse waste logistics, which is, in a narrower sense, a part of waste materials management. For the purpose of this paper, the logistics of electrical and electronic waste in the defence is regarded as the process of planning, implementation, control and realisation of flows, processes and activities of electrical and electronic waste materials from their place of origin to their place of disposal, through collecting and transportation to the final destination (places of  treatment, reuse, disposal and destruction in order to meet the requirements of all stakeholders at minimal cost. The legislation and European initiatives in the area of electrical and electronic waste In 2003, the European Union, stimulated by the rapid emergence and amount of e-waste, as well as its hazardous influence on the environment, adopted two directives: Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and the European Council on 27.01.2003 on the management of electrical and electronic waste (WEEE - Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe 27.01.2003 on the restrictions on the use of hazardous substances in electronic and electrical equipment (RoHS - Restriction of the use of hazardous

The association between self-image and defence mechanisms in a group of adolescent patients receiving psychiatric treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Treger, Bartosz; Matusiak, Feliks; Pilecki, Maciej; Rogoż, Monika

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between various areas of self-image and defence mechanisms in adolescents. The study included a division into groups according to whether or not they were receiving psychiatric treatment. Data were obtained from two groups: a clinical group (30 persons), consisting of adolescent patients of the Adolescent Inpatient Ward of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic and a control group (40 persons), adolescents attending upper secondary school. The Defence Style Questionnaire DSQ-40 and the Offer Self Image Questionnaire were used in the study. Results showed no differences, in the maturity levels of the defence mechanisms, between the two groups. Subjects from the clinical group had a significantly lower self-image of themselves than subjects from the control group.. In both groups, the use of mature defence mechanisms was accompanied by a positive self-image, while the use of less mature defence mechanisms was associated with a lower self-image. Comparison of the groups revealed different relationships between the aspects of self-image and used defence mechanisms, in particular the mechanism of projection. Number of significant correlations was greater in the clinical group. In the context of lower self-image, the study revealed the importance of such defence mechanisms as projection, acting out, somatization or schizoid fantasies. The obtained results seem to confirm a hypothesis that the assessment of the maturity of defence mechanisms in the period of adolescence is less clear and clinically useful.

Variation in maternal solitary bee nest defence related to nest state

OpenAIRE

Peterson , Jason H.; Hoffmeister , Thomas S.; Roitberg , Bernard D.

2016-01-01

International audience; AbstractParental protection of offspring is found in numerous animal species. Protection provides offspring with a greater chance of surviving to be able to reproduce, while at the same time, often posing a cost to the parent. Therefore, the net value of defence for the parent can vary depending on the developmental stage of the offspring and their ability to defend themselves. For example, in commonly studied organisms (e.g. birds), defence level increases over time u...

From Defence to Development: Redirecting Military Resources in ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Book cover From Defence to Development: Redirecting Military Resources in ... of the IDRC-funded project "Militarization and the Ecology of Southern Africa." ... Congratulations to the first cohort of Women in Climate Change Science Fellows!

Families of returned defence force personnel: a changing landscape of challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Berle, David; Steel, Zachary

2015-08-01

This paper aims to identify the key challenges experienced by the families of defence force personnel following deployment. We undertook a selective review of four post-deployment challenges to the families of defence force personnel: (1) changes to relationships; (2) changes to family member roles and responsibilities; (3) adjustment of children and parenting challenges; and (4) anger, family conflict and violence. Emerging issues in the area of post-deployment adjustment are also discussed. Empirical studies of post-deployment family adjustment are lacking. Each of the reviewed challenges can contribute to psychological difficulties and precipitate contact with mental health services. The challenges faced by defence force personnel when returning from deployment arise within a family context. Clinicians should thoroughly assess these factors in families following deployment, but also recognise family strengths and resilience to these challenges. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Modelling the effects of a CBRN defence system using a Bayesian Belief Model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Phillipson, F.; Bastings, I.C.L.; Vink, N.

2015-01-01

In this paper a Bayes model to quantify the effects of a passive CBRN defence system is presented. The model gives insight in the way of the mutual influence of all the elements of passive CBRN defence, by the use of detailed scenario analysis, sensitivity analysis and root cause analysis. This can

Preconscious defence analysis, memory and structural change.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, John Munder

2003-02-01

Beginning with the ways in which the use of the couch lends 'depth to the surface' (Erikson, 1954), I explore the topography of the inter- and intrasubjective psychoanalytic situation and process. I suggest that defences are not by definition unconscious but rather can be observed operating at conscious and preconscious levels, particularly under these conditions. A focus on preconscious disavowal provides a window on what has become unconscious repression. As a result of eliciting and then verbalising the operation of such defences with regard to anxieties in the here-and-now transference, declarative memories of increasingly specific childhood fantasies and events begin to hold sway over unmanageable procedural remnants from the analysand's past. With this may even come the possibility of neuronal regeneration, the more generalisable enhancement of declarative and symbolic functions and the sense of identity with which these are associated. Herein may lie one enduring therapeutic effect of the 'talking cure' - putting feelings into words - as one among a variety of psychotherapeutic modalities.

Male Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) Nest Defence Correlates with Female Ornament Size

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Griggio, Matteo; Matessi, Giuliano; Pilastro, Andrea

2003-01-01

We investigated the relationship between male nest defence and female breast patch size in an alpine population of rock sparrow (Petronia petronia) in northern Italy. We presented a mounted weasel (Mustela nivalis), a common nest predator, to 28 pairs breeding in nest boxes, with 12-13-d-old nest......We investigated the relationship between male nest defence and female breast patch size in an alpine population of rock sparrow (Petronia petronia) in northern Italy. We presented a mounted weasel (Mustela nivalis), a common nest predator, to 28 pairs breeding in nest boxes, with 12-13-d...... defence factor was significantly related only to female breast patch size. We argue that male rock sparrows apparently make parental investment decisions according to their mate's quality, and examine possible alternative hypotheses....

Are bacteriophage defence and virulence two sides of the same coin in Campylobacter jejuni?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.P.L. Louwen (Rogier); P. van Baarlen (Peter)

2013-01-01

textabstractThe continuous battle for survival in the environment has led to the development or acquisition of sophisticated defence systems in bacteria. These defence systems have contributed to the survival of the bacterial species in the environment for millions of years. Some systems appear to

South Africa's Defence Industrial Participation in Perspective

African Journals Online (AJOL)

jvdyk

2014-03-31

Mar 31, 2014 ... product and improved the economy through the retention of some ... and maintaining a defence industrial base (DIB) in those countries ... by the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) that focuses primarily ... work share on the purchased equipment (co-production), ..... These upgrades are now an integral.

Status of services, overexposure and QAC in TLD PMS to defence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rathore, A.S.; Gupta, D.K.; Samaria, H.C.; Chouhan, R.L.; Mishra, M.; Goyal, J.K.; Gautam, M.; Kalla, R.

2008-01-01

Individual monitoring has always played an important role in radiological protection. There is continuous development in the field of dosimetry systems and many changes have taken place in last many years. The use of radiation for peaceful purposes is increasing with advancement of technological growth in the country. Thermo luminescence dosimeters (TLDs) have emerged as one of the best alternatives for personal monitoring. Defence sector has nearly 2100 persons, who are working in various Military Hospitals, Military Colleges, DRDO Labs, Defence Ordinance factories and many others CPMFs like CISF, BSF, who are likely to receive radiation doses. Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur is providing the TLD personal monitoring service since Jan 1999 as per the guideline by B.A.R.C. to all the institutions mentioned above. This paper brings out salient features of this service in terms of facility available, procedures fulfilling the requirement of accreditation, over exposure reported, quality measures adopted and quality assurance results conducted by BARC, utility and suggestions for such type of services. (author)

Crosstalk between autophagy and inflammatory signalling pathways: balancing defence and homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cadwell, Ken

2016-11-01

Autophagy has broad functions in immunity, ranging from cell-autonomous defence to coordination of complex multicellular immune responses. The successful resolution of infection and avoidance of autoimmunity necessitates efficient and timely communication between autophagy and pathways that sense the immune environment. The recent literature indicates that a variety of immune mediators induce or repress autophagy. It is also becoming increasingly clear that immune signalling cascades are subject to regulation by autophagy, and that a return to homeostasis following a robust immune response is critically dependent on this pathway. Importantly, examples of non-canonical forms of autophagy in mediating immunity are pervasive. In this article, the progress in elucidating mechanisms of crosstalk between autophagy and inflammatory signalling cascades is reviewed. Improved mechanistic understanding of the autophagy machinery offers hope for treating infectious and inflammatory diseases.

Civil defence information for every home

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joutsi, L.

1995-01-01

In Finland, the local authorities and the central government are responsible for the general planning of civil defence and for joint protection measures, while individual citizens and corporations are responsible for individual protection measures. In practice, housing companies and employers are required to carry out the statutory preparations needed for civil defence. Preparation for accidents can be improved, for instance, by awareness of correct actions in each situation. The most important individual protection measures are first aid, basic fire extinguishing skills, provision of shelter, and acquisition of a reserve stock of provisions at home. A reserve stock means that there is a sufficient supply of non-perishable foodstuffs, medication and water vessels for a couple of days' needs at home. A warning of imminent danger is usually given by sounding a general alarm signal. Even slight changes in radiation are reported immediately. Shelter should primarily be sought indoors. Instructions may be given on the radio, on TV and by means of loudspeakers. If there is a radiation risk, the thyroid may be protected against radioactive iodine by taking iodine tablets, but they should not be taken until so instructed by the authorities. (2 figs.)

NATO Guide for Judgement-Based Operational Analysis in Defence Decision Making : Client-Oriented Volume

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijnmalen, D.J.D.; et al

2012-01-01

Judgment plays an important role in all Operational Analysis (OA). NATO practitioners have determined that approaches in OA that are based on human judgement are increasingly critical to defence decision making. The purpose of the NATO Guide for Judgement-Based OA in Defence Decision Making is to

People's Front in Defence of Land, San Salvador Atenco: A testimony

OpenAIRE

Martha Pérez Pineda

2011-01-01

Martha Pérez Pineda gives her statement of the Peoples Front in Defence of the Land (The Peoples Front in Defence of Land (Frente del Pueblo en Defensa de la Tierra, FPDT) was formed in 2002, by residents of San Salvador Atenco, to resist their forced displacement by the federal government of Mexico and Estado de Mexico. The government planned to displace them to make way for the new Mexico City Airport. The people of San Salvador Atenco refused and battled, the most common fights were disput...

Competition Efficiency Analysis of Croatian Junior Wrestlers in European Championship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristijan Slacanac

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Croatian junior wrestler won a bronze medal at the European Championship 2016 year. Considering the potential of our wrestlers there is an obvious need of technical and tactical analysis so our juniors and seniors U23 wrestlers would be able to achieve even better results. Match analysis were conducted by LongoMatch 0.20.1. Seven matches of Croatian wrestlers were analysed. Time parameters, score efficiency, technical efficiency and tactical structure were observed and analysed from the aspect of attack and defence phase and successful/unsuccessful techniques. This paper shows descriptive parameters and competitor efficiency were calculated. The results show a great number of positive score in a standing position in relation to parterre position. The parameters of competitive efficiency (0.49 points per minute show better attacking efficiency (1.32 points per minute in relation to defence efficiency (0.83 points per minute. Croatian wrestlers achieve less score per minute in relation with elite wrestlers, but it is visible a significant progress in technical and tactical efficiency in relation in the past three year. According to place realization of technique, Croatian wrestlers realized more technique in the center, while opponents realized technique in the zone and moving to the zone. Further analysis of efficiency and individualisation training will improve efficiency of Croatian national wrestlers.

The Audit of Explosives Storage and Transport Within the Australian Defence Force

Science.gov (United States)

1994-08-01

Headquarters Australian Defence Force Australian Ordnance Council THE AUDIT OF EXPLOSIVES STORAGE AND TRANSPORT WITHIN THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE...control number. 1. REPORT DATE AUG 1994 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-1994 to 00-00-1994 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Audit of Explosives...8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 THE AUDIT OF EXPLOSIVES STORAGE AND TRANSPORT WITHIN THE AUSTRALIAN DFFENCE FORCE - by R.W. Johnson and M.J

Impacts of foreign direct investment on efficiency in Swedish manufacturing.

Science.gov (United States)

Svedin, Dick; Stage, Jesper

2016-01-01

A number of studies have found that foreign direct investment (FDI) can have positive impacts on productivity. However, while FDI has clearly positive impacts on technology transfers, its effects on resource use within firms is less clear and, in principle, efficiency losses might offset some of the productivity gains associated with improved technologies. In this paper, we study the impacts of FDI on efficiency in Swedish manufacturing. We find that foreign ownership has positive impacts on efficiency, supporting the earlier findings on productivity.

Chemicals on plant surfaces as a heretofore unrecognized, but ecologically informative, class for investigations into plant defence.

Science.gov (United States)

LoPresti, Eric F

2016-11-01

Plants produce and utilize a great diversity of chemicals for a variety of physiological and ecological purposes. Many of these chemicals defend plants against herbivores, pathogens and competitors. The location of these chemicals varies within the plant, some are located entirely within plant tissues, others exist in the air- (or water-) space around plants, and still others are secreted onto plant surfaces as exudates. I argue herein that the location of a given defensive chemical has profound implications for its ecological function; specifically, I focus on the characteristics of chemical defences secreted onto plant surfaces. Drawing from a broad literature encompassing ecology, evolution, taxonomy and physiology, I found that these external chemical defences (ECDs) are common and widespread in plants and algae; hundreds of examples have been detailed, yet they are not delineated as a separate class from internal chemical defences (ICDs). I propose a novel typology for ECDs and, using existing literature, explore the ecological consequences of the hypothesized unique characteristics of ECDs. The axis of total or proportional investment in ECDs versus ICDs should be considered as one axis of investment by a plant, in the same way as quantitative versus qualitative chemical defences or induced versus constitutive defences is considered. The ease of manipulating ECDs in many plant systems presents a powerful tool to help test plant defence theory (e.g. optimal defence). The framework outlined here integrates various disciplines of botany and ecology and suggests a need for further examinations of exudates in a variety of contexts, as well as recognition of the effects of within-plant localization of defences. © 2015 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

South Africa's Defence Industrial Participation in Perspective

African Journals Online (AJOL)

jvdyk

2014-03-31

Mar 31, 2014 ... product and improved the economy through the retention of some 58 000 jobs. ... and maintaining a defence industrial base (DIB) in those countries that have the ... by the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) that focuses primarily on civil industry ... work share on the purchased equipment (co-production), ...

Nuclear Belief Systems and Individual Policy-Makers: Duncan Sandys, Unmanned Weaponry, and the Impossibility of Defence

OpenAIRE

Betts, Lewis

2014-01-01

This thesis attempts to explore the influence that Duncan Sandys' experiences of the Second World War had on his policy preferences, and policy-making, in relation to British defence policy during his years in government. This is a significant period in British nuclear policy which began with thermonuclear weaponry being placed ostentatiously at the centre of British defence planning in the 1957 Defence White Paper, and ended with the British acquiring the latest American nuclear weapon techn...

Radiation accidents and defence of population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Memmedov, A.M.

2002-01-01

Full text: Development of nuclear physics, the fundamental and the applied researches in the field of radioactive insured wide possibility for application of radionuclides and ionizing radiation source in the different fields of national economy. Application of radionuclides in chemical, metallurgical, food industry, in agriculture and etc. Fields provide a large economic profit. It's hard to apprise significance of ionizing radiation source using in medicine for diagnostics and treatment of different disease. Nuclear power engineering and nuclear industry are developing intensively. At same time nuclear power, ionizing radiation sources incur potential treat for surroundings and health of population. As even that stage of protective measure development: there is no possibility of that happening of radiation accidents. A radiation accident qualifies as loss of ionizing radiation sources direction, which provoked by disrepair equipment, natural calamity or other causes which could bring to unplanned irradiation of population or radioactive pollution of surroundings. At present some following typical cases connected with radiation accident have been chosen: Contentious using or keeping of ionizing radiation source with breach of established requires; Loss, theft of ionizing radiation sources or radiation plants, instruments; Leaving the sources of ionizing radiation in the holes; Refusal radiation technic exploited in industry, medicine, SRI and etc; Disrepair in nuclear transport means of conveyance; Crashes and accidents at NPP and at other enterprises of nuclear industry. The radiation accidents according to character, degree and scales have been divided into two groups: Radiation accidents not connected with NPP; Accidents in the nuclear engineering and industry; The radiation accidents not connected with NPP according their consequence divide into 5 groups; accidents which do not come to irradiation of personal, persons from population (more PN-permissible norm

CSIR eNews: Defence peace safety and security

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

CSIR

2008-03-01

Full Text Available At the CSIR, science and technology (S&T) is hard at work for a peaceful, safe and prosperous South Africa. The organisation has developed strong S&T capabilities through its associations with key players in defence, safety and security...

CSIR eNews: Defence, peace, safety and security

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

CSIR

2007-12-01

Full Text Available At the CSIR, science and technology (S&T) is hard at work for a peaceful, safe and prosperous South Africa. The organisation has developed strong S&T capabilities through its associations with key players in defence, safety and security...

Defence in depth by 'Leittechnique' systems with graded intelligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleite, W.

1983-01-01

In the past, only two types of nuclear power plant instrumentation and control systems were in use in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG): safety systems and operational systems. Present nuclear power plant 'Leittechnique' systems in the FRG have been expanded from this 'black-and-white' status to multiple-grade systems with respect to safety, qualification requirements and intelligence. The extensive experience of the past has encouraged the rule-making committees - representing all parties working in the nuclear field - to differentiate between the protection limitations and condition limitations of the reactor protection system on one hand and the information systems (including the accident monitoring and alarm system) of different safety importance on the other, assuming additional extensive application of non-safety-grade operational Leittechnique systems. These definitions of categories are in accordance with international practice and enable designers to apply 'echelons of defence', composed of equipment of all categories, in accordance with 'defence-in-depth' concepts. They also simplify the introduction of computerized equipment, especially in the lower safety categories. Status, background and reasons of the introduction, as well as typical defence-in-depth modes, of the first running Leittechnique system of this kind (in the Grafenrheinfeld nuclear power plant) and especially their different tasks in disturbance handling are described. The international situation and future developments are briefly characterized. (author)

Effects of fudioxonil on Botrytis cinerea and on grapevine defence response

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne-Noëlle PETIT

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 14 false false false IT ZH-TW X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Botrytis bunch rot of grapes is mainly controlled by applying fungicides at three crop stages: the end of flowering (BBCH 68, bunch closure (BBCH 77 and the beginning of veraison (BBCH 81. The phenylpyrroles derivative fudioxonil is among the most effective fungicides registered to control Botrytis cinerea. Its effectiveness was investigated in relation to spray timing, fungicide resistance and defence responses of grapevine. Frequencies of B. cinerea strains which were resistant to fungicides were evaluated at harvest. The frequencies of resistant phenotypes were similar in all treatments except for a class of multidrug resistant strains (MDR 1 whose frequency increased after fudioxonil applications. None of the treatments tested induced defence responses in flowers/berries after fungicide application, suggesting that fudioxonil effectiveness was not related to a stimulation of plant defence processes. The standard program of three fungicide applications provided the best control of B. cinerea  in the Champagne region in comparison with a single treatment of fudioxonil at any of the crop stages tested.

Probabilistic Design of Coastal Flood Defences in Vietnam

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mai Van, C.

2010-01-01

This study further develops the method of probabilistic design and to address a knowledge gap in its application regarding safety and reliability, risk assessment and risk evaluation to the fields of flood defences. The thesis discusses: - a generic probabilistic design framework for assessing flood

Efficient and Anisotropic Fog Harvesting on a Hybrid and Directional Surface

KAUST Repository

Wu, Jinbo

2016-12-05

A straight throughout superhydrophilic track that contains high contrast and directional wettability on a superhydrophobic surface is designed. Despite droplets that tend to slide more easily along a direction parallel to the track, it is found that such hybrid strip-pattern surfaces have higher fog harvesting efficiency along a direction perpendicular to the tracks due to the larger accumulation area for droplet removal.

Integration of Renewable Generation in Power System Defence Plans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Das, Kaushik

Increasing levels of penetration of wind power and other renewable generations in European power systems pose challenges to power system security. The power system operators are continuously challenged especially when generations from renewables are high thereby reducing online capacity of conven......Increasing levels of penetration of wind power and other renewable generations in European power systems pose challenges to power system security. The power system operators are continuously challenged especially when generations from renewables are high thereby reducing online capacity......, one of them being the North East area with high share of wind power generation.The aim of this study is to investigate how renewable generations like wind power can contribute to the power system defence plans. This PhD project “Integration of Renewable Generation in Power System Defence Plans...

A Primer on Recent Canadian Defence Budgeting Trends and Implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Perry

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Faced with a dangerous world, the federal government has made recapitalizing and updating Canada’s armed forces a priority. Unfortunately, fiscal pressures obliged the government to deviate from its Canada First Defence Strategy, cutting staff and delaying military hardware acquisitions. However, the introduction this year of the Defence Procurement Strategy should allow Ottawa to use improved approaches to buy equipment that would otherwise have been purchased already under the DND’s opaque capital expenditure system. At present, DND capital funds are mostly subject to accrual accounting. Capital costs are charged against the defence budget as annual amortization expenses over equipment lifecycles. While this enables multiple capital projects to go ahead simultaneously, not all of the money covering capital costs is treated this way. Traditional A-Base Vote 5 expenses are still charged to the budget the year the expenditure is made — and the DND consistently underspends the Vote 5 funds available by as much as 28 percent. Since 2007/8, an estimated $6.42 billion wasn’t used as intended. While some of this can be carried forward, there are limits. Leftover funds exceeding them are returned to the Treasury and are thereby lost. It’s up to the DND to make up losses out of future funding. Just as bad, the accrual method doesn’t fully account for inflation, so when schedules slip, project purchasing power diminishes by hundreds of millions of dollars. Ambitious initiatives like the Joint Support Ship and (likely the Canadian Surface Combatant end up taking hits to reflect harsh budgetary realities; the capabilities of Canada’s soldiers suffer. This policy brief draws on research and confidential interviews to highlight the pressing need for reform in Canadian defence procurement.

Ventral medullary neurones excited from the hypothalamic and mid-brain defence areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilton, S M; Smith, P R

1984-07-01

In cats anaesthetised with chloralose, the ventral medulla was explored in and around the strip previously identified as the location of the efferent pathway from the hypothalamic and mid-brain defence areas to the spinal cord, in a search for neurones excited by electrical stimulation of the defence areas. Such units were found mostly in the caudal part of this strip, at a depth of not more than 500 microns from the surface. Nearly all were located in the ventral part of nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis (PGL) at the level of the rostral pole of the inferior olive. There was evidence of temporal and spatial facilitation, indicating a convergent excitatory input from the defence areas onto neurones in PGL. This is consistent with earlier evidence of a synaptic relay in the efferent pathway at this site. When the pathway is blocked at this site, arterial blood pressure falls profoundly, so activity in these neurones may be essential for the normal level of sympathetic nerve activity.

Salicylic acid-independent plant defence pathways

OpenAIRE

Pieterse, C.M.J.; Loon, L.C. van

1999-01-01

Salicylic acid is an important signalling molecule involved in both locally and systemically induced disease resistance responses. Recent advances in our understanding of plant defence signalling have revealed that plants employ a network of signal transduction pathways, some of which are independent of salicylic acid. Evidence is emerging that jasmonic acid and ethylene play key roles in these salicylic acid-independent pathways. Cross-talk between the salicylic acid-dependent and the salicy...

Radiation Protection and Civil defence Department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomaa, M.A.; Elshinawy, R.M.K.; Abdelfattah, A.T.

1991-01-01

This conference involves subjects of radiation protection, programming of civil defence, on the implementation of 1990 ICRP recommendation, thermoluminescence properties of bone equivalent calcium phosphate ceramics, potassium body burdens in occupational users of egyptian nuclear research centre, transport of radionuclides in fresh water stream, water treatment process for nuclear reactor, research activities related to internal contamination and bioassay and experience and environmental radiation monitoring in inshass. it contains of figures and tables

The Man-in-the-Middle Defence

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Ross; Bond, Mike

Eliminating middlemen from security protocols helps less than one would think. EMV electronic payments, for example, can be made fairer by adding an electronic attorney - a middleman which mediates access to a customer’s card. We compare middlemen in crypto protocols and APIs with those in the real world, and show that a man-in-the-middle defence is helpful in many circumstances. We suggest that the middleman has been unfairly demonised.

Revised Mechanism and Improved Efficiency of the QuikChange Site-Directed Mutagenesis Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Yongzhen; Xun, Luying

2017-01-01

Site-directed mutagenesis has been widely used for the substitution, addition or deletion of nucleotide residues in a defined DNA sequence. QuikChange™ site-directed mutagenesis and its related protocols have been widely used for this purpose because of convenience and efficiency. We have recently demonstrated that the mechanism of the QuikChange™ site-directed mutagenesis process is different from that being proposed. The new mechanism promotes the use of partially overlapping primers and commercial PCR enzymes for efficient PCR and mutagenesis.

NEA’S Plans for Strengthening International Implementation of the Application of Defence in Depth Philosophies in Nuclear Power Countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blundell, N., E-mail: Neil.BLUNDELL@oecd.org [Nuclear Safety Division, OECD NEA, Paris (France)

2014-10-15

Full text: Following the Fukushima Daiichi Accident the OECD NEA established and delivered three tasks related to Defence in Depth for its member states. These consisted of: • A review of member state and NEA activities directly related to the accident by the Fukushima Senior Task Group set up by the OECD NEA Committee for Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA). • An international expert review of the NEA’s wide ranging joint nuclear safety research portfolio. • A joint workshop on ‘Challenges and Enhancements to Defence in Depth (DiD) in light of the Fukushima Daiichi Accident’ on 5th June 2013 by both the OECD NEA Committee for Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) and Committee for the Safety of Nuclear Installations (CSNI). These tasks encompassed firstly, how the NEA member states understand the concept of DiD and its value within Nuclear Safety. Secondly, how DiD is implemented at present, focussing on how it is implemented to deal with external events, and finally what future areas the NEA members considered NEA as a whole should be carrying forward to enhance the understanding and implementation of Defence-in-Depth. Such areas included: • Exploring what the DiD safety goal concept ”practically eliminate large and early offsite releases” means and how is it implemented. • Independence and margins in the implementation of DiD. • Human interventions considering catastrophic external events effects on emergency response and recovery. • Detailed identification of additional safety research after Fukushima. This presentation provides a summary of those tasks and NEA’s international programme of activities to bring its members together in those areas they highlighted to deliver enhancement in the understanding and implementation of defence in depth. (author)

The Strategic Failure of UK Defence Reform and What Still Needs to Be Done

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-04

from the previous Labour Government, see HM Government, “Defence Secretary Balances MoD Budget,” https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defence-secretary...conceptualize the different levels of strategy required in a modern environment, inclusive of grand strategy...Learning Under Fire: Military Change in Wartime. Lecture to selected JAWS students , Norfolk, VA, March 2015. HM Government. A Strong Britain in an Age

Security Policy at Road’s End? The Roles of Sweden and Finland in the Nordic-Baltic Defence Cooperation Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Winnerstig Mike

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article addresses a number of questions related to Nordic and to an extent also Nordic-Baltic defence cooperation. First of all, how far has Nordic and Nordic-Baltic defence cooperation come today? Secondly, what are the differences in the approaches of Sweden and Finland when it comes to defence cooperation, especially regarding NATO, in the Nordic-Baltic area? As a first analytical result, it is apparent that the rhetorical standing of the Nordic and Nordic-Baltic defence cooperation process is greater than its real achievements, especially in terms of defence integration. Secondly, it seems also to be clear that the defence and security policy debates of Sweden and Finland are quite different. Some problems identified in the debates within the two countries, respectively, are very similar although the suggested solutions vary very remarkably. Regarding the key issue of NATO membership, the developments of the last few years suggest that the Swedish political establishment, as well as the general public, might be closer to a substantial discussion of NATO membership than their Finnish equivalents.

Self-Defence as a Circumstance Precluding the Wrongfulness of the Use of Force

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cliff Farhang

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Roberto Ago, the International Law Commission’s second Special Rapporteur on the topic of state responsibility for internationally wrongful acts, defined self-defence as a faculté of a state to use force in response to an act of another state through which a breach of the principal obligation under Article 2(4 Charter is committed. On this basis, he then inserted a provision in Chapter V to Part One of the Draft Articles on State Responsibility expressing self-defence as a specific factual circumstance precluding the wrongfulness of the use of force which constitutes a response to state aggression. This conception of self-defence, although misunderstood from the onset, remained in the backdrop of the study of the law of state responsibility for a considerable period. It was only dismantled during the reign of the last Special Rapporteur on the topic of state responsibility, James Crawford. The last Rapporteur, at the onset, submitted that it is not the function of the Draft Articles to specify the content of the primary rules, including that referred to in Article 51 Charter. He then redefined the function of the circumstance of self-defence as that of precluding the wrongfulness of non-performance of certain obligations other than the general prohibition insofar as such non-performance is connected with the exercise of the right under Article 51 Charter.This contribution first scrutinises this paradigmatic shift and finds it to be symptomatic of the conviction on the part of Crawford that the notion of self-defence could also encompass the use of force against speculative threats of state origin as well as actual threats that emanate from individuals or groups which are disconnected from the organisation of any state. It then uses this finding as a springboard towards the examination of the controversy surrounding the notion of self-defence under international law. In that connection, it first outlines the findings of the World Court on the

Effects of reflex-based self-defence training on police performance in simulated high-pressure arrest situations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Renden, Peter G.; Savelsbergh, Geert J. P.; Oudejans, Raoul R. D.

2017-01-01

We investigated the effects of reflex-based self-defence training on police performance in simulated high-pressure arrest situations. Police officers received this training as well as a regular police arrest and self-defence skills training (control training) in a crossover design. Officers’

Immune Defence Factors In Human Milk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kumar Sanjeev

1985-01-01

Full Text Available Scientific evidence is accumulating to prove the nutritional, anti-infective, anti-fertility, psychosomal and economic advantages of breast-feeding. A number of studies have shown that breast milk protects against diarrheal, respiratory and other infections. Its value in protecting against allergy has also been established. This article reviews the studies on various immune defence factors present in the human milk. The available scientific knowledge makes a very strong case in favour of promoting breast-feeding.

The role of moulting in parasite defence.

Science.gov (United States)

Duneau, David; Ebert, Dieter

2012-08-07

Parasitic infections consist of a succession of steps during which hosts and parasites interact in specific manners. At each step, hosts can use diverse defence mechanisms to counteract the parasite's attempts to invade and exploit them. Of these steps, the penetration of parasites into the host is a key step for a successful infection and the epithelium is the first line of host defence. The shedding of this protective layer (moulting) is a crucial feature in the life cycle of several invertebrate and vertebrate taxa, and is generally considered to make hosts vulnerable to parasites and predators. Here, we used the crustacean Daphnia magna to test whether moulting influences the likelihood of infection by the castrating bacterium Pasteuria ramosa. This parasite is known to attach to the host cuticula before penetrating into its body. We found that the likelihood of successful parasite infection is greatly reduced if the host moults within 12 h after parasite exposure. Thus, moulting is beneficial for the host being exposed to this parasite. We further show that exposure to the parasite does not induce hosts to moult earlier. We discuss the implications of our findings for host and parasite evolution and epidemiology.

Oh sister, where art thou? Spatial population structure and the evolution of an altruistic defence trait.

Science.gov (United States)

Pamminger, T; Foitzik, S; Metzler, D; Pennings, P S

2014-11-01

The evolution of parasite virulence and host defences is affected by population structure. This effect has been confirmed in studies focusing on large spatial scales, whereas the importance of local structure is not well understood. Slavemaking ants are social parasites that exploit workers of another species to rear their offspring. Enslaved workers of the host species Temnothorax longispinosus have been found to exhibit an effective post-enslavement defence behaviour: enslaved workers were observed killing a large proportion of the parasites' offspring. As enslaved workers do not reproduce, they gain no direct fitness benefit from this 'rebellion' behaviour. However, there may be an indirect benefit: neighbouring host nests that are related to 'rebel' nests can benefit from a reduced raiding pressure, as a result of the reduction in parasite nest size due to the enslaved workers' killing behaviour. We use a simple mathematical model to examine whether the small-scale population structure of the host species could explain the evolution of this potentially altruistic defence trait against slavemaking ants. We find that this is the case if enslaved host workers are related to nearby host nests. In a population genetic study, we confirm that enslaved workers are, indeed, more closely related to host nests within the raiding range of their resident slavemaker nest, than to host nests outside the raiding range. This small-scale population structure seems to be a result of polydomy (e.g. the occupation of several nests in close proximity by a single colony) and could have enabled the evolution of 'rebellion' by kin selection. © 2014 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2014 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Between a rock and a hard place: Environmental and engineering considerations when designing coastal defence structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Firth, L.B.; Thompson, R.C.; Bohn, K.; Abbiati, M.; Airoldi, L.; Bouma, T.J.; Bozzeda, F.; Ceccherelli, V.U.; Colangelo, M.A.; Evans, A.; Ferrario, F.; Hanley, M.E.; Hinz, H.; Hoggart, S.P.G.; Jackson, J.E.; Moore, P.; Morgan, E.H.; Perkol-Finkel, S.; Skov, M.W.; Strain, E.M.; van Belzen, J.; Hawkins, S.J.

2014-01-01

Coastal defence structures are proliferating as a result of rising sea levels and stormier seas. With the realisation that most coastal infrastructure cannot be lost or removed, research is required into ways that coastal defence structures can be built to meet engineering requirements, whilst also

Managing the trade-public health linkage in defence of trade ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Managing the trade-public health linkage in defence of trade liberalisation and ... of United States-measures affecting the production and sale of clove cigarettes. ... Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal/Potchefstroomse Elektroniese Regsblad.

Defence-in-depth and development of safety requirements for advanced nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carnino, A.; Gasparini, M.

2002-01-01

The paper addresses a general approach for the preparation of the design safety requirements using the IAEA Safety Objectives and the strategy of defence-in-depth. It proposes a general method (top-down approach) to prepare safety requirements for a given kind of reactor using the IAEA requirements for nuclear power plants as a starting point through a critical interpretation and application of the strategy of defence-in-depth. The IAEA has recently developed a general methodology for screening the defence-in-depth of nuclear power plants starting from the fundamental safety objectives as proposed in the IAEA Safety Fundamentals. This methodology may provide a useful tool for the preparation of safety requirements for the design and operation of any kind of reactor. Currently the IAEA is preparing the technical basis for the development of safety requirements for Modular High Temperature Gas Reactors, with the aim of showing the viability of the method. A draft TECDOC has been prepared and circulated among several experts for comments. This paper is largely based on the content of the draft TECDOC. (authors)

Host ploidy, parasitism and immune defence in a coevolutionary snail-trematode system.

Science.gov (United States)

Osnas, E E; Lively, C M

2006-01-01

We studied the role of host ploidy and parasite exposure on immune defence allocation in a snail-trematode system (Potamopyrgus antipodarum-Microphallus sp.). In the field, haemocyte (the defence cell) concentration was lowest in deep-water habitats where infection is relatively low and highest in shallow-water habitats where infection is common. Because the frequency of asexual triploid snails is positively correlated with depth, we also experimentally studied the role of ploidy by exposing both diploid sexual and triploid asexual snails to Microphallus eggs. We found that triploid snails had lower haemocyte concentrations than did diploids in both parasite-addition and parasite-free treatments. We also found that both triploids and diploids increased their numbers of large granular haemocytes at similar rates after parasite exposure. Because triploid P. antipodarum have been shown to be more resistant to allopatric parasites than diploids, the current results suggest that the increased resistance of triploids is because of intrinsic genetic properties rather than to greater allocation to defence cells. This finding is consistent with recent theory on the advantages of increased ploidy for hosts combating coevolving parasites.

Some practical examples of defence in depth analysis for category IV gamma irradiators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues Junior, Ary de Araujo

2014-01-01

The Defence in Depth concept provides a major contribution to the safety philosophy of irradiation facilities. But problems occur when somebody tries to understand or analyse a safety system or develop a new one because there is a lack of practical examples in Safety Series 107 or other IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) publications for irradiation facilities. This paper tries to fill this lack of information by providing a series of practical examples and explanations about Defence in Depth concepts. (author)

Some practical examples of defence in depth analysis for category IV gamma irradiators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues Junior, Ary de Araujo, E-mail: aryarj@ig.com.br [Universidade Estadual de Maringa (UEM), Maringa, PR (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica

2014-07-01

The Defence in Depth concept provides a major contribution to the safety philosophy of irradiation facilities. But problems occur when somebody tries to understand or analyse a safety system or develop a new one because there is a lack of practical examples in Safety Series 107 or other IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) publications for irradiation facilities. This paper tries to fill this lack of information by providing a series of practical examples and explanations about Defence in Depth concepts. (author)

Defence in depth perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veneau, Tania; Ferrier, Agnes; Barbaud, Jean

2017-01-01

The Defence in Depth (DiD) concept was introduced to the field of nuclear safety in the sixties and early seventies. Even though it was not well developed at the beginning, the principles rapidly became close to those currently used. The concept was then composed of 3 levels, and was already associated with operating conditions. These principles have progressed over time and now there are five levels, including progressively situations issued from design extension conditions, to cope with severe accidents and dealing with accident management off-site. Indeed, human and organizational features are considered as a part of the safety provisions at all levels in an integrated approach that is not just related to reactor design. That's the current vision from IAEA, addressed first in INSAG 3 then in INSAG 10, and in the IAEA standards requirements currently addressed by SSR-2/1 superseding NS-R-1). These five levels of DiD are also referred to in other texts including WENRA documents in Europe, but also in the national requirements from different countries. Thus, the application of DiD principle has become a recognized international practice. The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accidents, even if they raised many questions on nuclear safety issues, confirmed the merits of the DiD concept. Indeed, lessons learned from the accidents have reinforced the use of the DiD concept to ensure adequate safety. The discussions focused more on the implementation of the concept (how it has been or can be used in practice) than the concept itself, and in particular on the following subjects: the notion of level robustness, generally addressed separately from the levels definition, but playing an important role for the efficiency of the concept; the notion of levels independence and the need for strengthening them; the role of diversity to achieve levels independence. However, a prescription of additional diversity and independence across all safety levels could result in inappropriately

Food supplementation mitigates dispersal-dependent differences in nest defence in a passerine bird.

Science.gov (United States)

Récapet, Charlotte; Daniel, Grégory; Taroni, Joëlle; Bize, Pierre; Doligez, Blandine

2016-05-01

Dispersing and non-dispersing individuals often differ in phenotypic traits (e.g. physiology, behaviour), but to what extent these differences are fixed or driven by external conditions remains elusive. We experimentally tested whether differences in nest-defence behaviour between dispersing and non-dispersing individuals changed with local habitat quality in collared flycatchers, by providing additional food during the nestling rearing period. In control (non-food-supplemented) nests, dispersers were less prone to defend their brood compared with non-dispersers, whereas in food-supplemented nests, dispersing and non-dispersing individuals showed equally strong nest defence. We discuss the importance of dispersal costs versus adaptive flexibility in reproductive investment in shaping these differences in nest-defence behaviour between dispersing and non-dispersing individuals. Irrespective of the underlying mechanisms, our study emphasizes the importance of accounting for environmental effects when comparing traits between dispersing and non-dispersing individuals, and in turn assessing the costs and benefits of dispersal. © 2016 The Author(s).

A defence in depth approach to safety assessment of existing nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butcher, P.; Holloway, N.J.

1998-01-01

The safety assessment of plant built to earlier standards requires an approach to prioritisation of upgrades that is based on sound engineering and safety principles. The principles of defence in depth are universally accepted and can form the basis of a prioritisation scheme for safety issues, and hence for the upgrading required to address them. The described scheme includes criteria for acceptability and issue prioritisation that are based on the number of lines of defence and the consequences of their failure. They are thus equivalent in concept to risk criteria, but are based on deterministic principles. This scheme has been applied successfully to the RBMK plant at Ignalina in Lithuania, for which a Western-style Safety Analysis Report has recently been produced and reviewed by joint Western and Eastern teams. An extended Safety Improvement Programme (SIP2) has been developed and agreed, based on prioritisations from the defence in depth assessment. (author)

Evolution of host innate defence: insights from Caenorhabditis elegans and primitive invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Irazoqui, Javier E; Urbach, Jonathan M; Ausubel, Frederick M

2010-01-01

The genetically tractable model organism Caenorhabditis elegans was first used to model bacterial virulence in vivo a decade ago. Since then, great strides have been made in identifying the host response pathways that are involved in its defence against infection. Strikingly, C. elegans seems to detect, and respond to, infection without the involvement of its homologue of Toll-like receptors, in contrast to the well-established role for these proteins in innate immunity in mammals. What, therefore, do we know about host defence mechanisms in C. elegans and what can they tell us about innate immunity in higher organisms?

Evolution of host innate defence: insights from C. elegans and primitive invertebrates

Science.gov (United States)

Irazoqui, Javier E.; Urbach, Jonathan M.; Ausubel, Frederick M.

2010-01-01

Preface The genetically tractable model organism Caenorhabditis elegans was first used to model bacterial virulence in vivo a decade ago. Since then, great strides have been made in the identification of host response pathways that are involved in the defence against infection. Strikingly, C. elegans seems to detect and respond to infection without the involvement of its Toll-like receptor homologue, in contrast to the well-established role for these proteins in innate immunity in mammals. What, therefore, do we know about host defence mechanisms in C. elegans, and what can they tell us about innate immunity in higher organisms? PMID:20029447

Exploiting Modelling and Simulation in Support of Cyber Defence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klaver, M.H.A.; Boltjes, B.; Croom-Jonson, S.; Jonat, F.; Çankaya, Y.

2014-01-01

The rapidly evolving environment of Cyber threats against the NATO Alliance has necessitated a renewed focus on the development of Cyber Defence policy and capabilities. The NATO Modelling and Simulation Group is looking for ways to leverage Modelling and Simulation experience in research, analysis

The Threat from European Missile Defence System to Russian National Security

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexey I. Podberezkin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyses the political and military aspects of progress in the dialogue between Russia and the U.S./NATO on cooperation in missile defense; investigates the past experiences and current state of cooperation between Russia and the Alliance on missile defense issues; examines the technical features of American missile defence systems today; finds a solution to question whether or not the European Missile Defence Program actually threatens Russia's nuclear deterrent and strategic stability in general; identifies both potential benefits and possible losses for Russia stemming from the development of cooperation with the United States and NATO in countering ballistic missile threats, or from refusal to have such cooperation. Evidently, the initiative of creation of a missile defense in Europe surely belongs to the USA. Washington has enormous technological, financial, economic, military and institutional capabilities in the field of a missile defense, exceeding by far other NATO member-states. In February 2010, the President of the United States B. Obama adopted a project "European Phased Adaptive Approach" (EPAA as an alternative to G. Bush's global strategic missile defense plan. The first two stages of the Phased Adaptive Approach are focused on creating a system capable of intercepting small, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The possibility of intercepting long-range missiles is postponed to the third (2018 and forth phases (2020. Moscow finds especially troublesome the third and the fourth phases of Washington's project of creating a European segment of the global antiballistic missile system, considering prospective capabilities of the U.S. interceptor missiles 61 and the envisioned areas of their deployment. The U.S. counter-evidence is that phase four interceptors do not exist yet. Russia insists on getting the political and legal guarantees from the U.S. and NATO that their missile defense systems will not slash

suicide prevention and management in the sa national defence force

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rene

DEFENCE FORCE: A PSYCHOLOGICAL. DISCUSSION ... military, among British veterans of the Falkland war and during the recent Iraq conflict.1 In the United ... Nye reported in her research on Vietnam combat veterans, that posttraumatic ...

The Failing Firm Defence in EU Merger Control and the Effects of the Economic Crisis on its Development

OpenAIRE

Ranta, Pontus

2016-01-01

In the fall of 2013 the European Commission cleared two mergers, Nynas/Shell/Harburg Refinery and Aegean/Olympic II, on the basis of the failing firm defence. Since the European Commission had only twice before accepted a concentration on the basis of this defence these clearances raised the question whether the Commission’s interpretation of the failing firm defence had become more lenient. Such a change of practice would have been welcomed both by those who believed that the Commission’s fa...

Analysis of directional radiative behavior and heating efficiency for a gas-fired radiant burner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, B.X.; Lu, Y.P.; Liu, L.H.; Kudo, K.; Tan, H.P.

2005-01-01

For the purpose of energy conservation and uniform heating of object surface, a gas-fired porous radiant burner with a bundle of reflecting tubes is developed. A physical model is developed to simulate the directional radiative behavior of this heating device, in which the Monte Carlo method based on the concept of radiation distribution factor is used to compute the directional radiative behavior. The effects of relating parameters on the directional behavior of radiative heating and the heating efficiency are analyzed. With the increase of the length-to-radius ratio of tube, the radiation heating efficiency decreases, but the radiation energy incident on the object surface is more collimated. The radiation heating efficiency increases with the specular reflectivity. With the increase in length of tube segment with specular reflective surface, the radiation heating efficiency increases, but the extent of concentration and collimation of radiative energy decreases. For real design of the heating device, some trade-offs are needed to balance the radiation heating efficiency and the uniformity of radiative heating of object surface

Polymorphism at selected defence gene analogs (DGAs) of Musa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

One of the major diseases affecting banana is Sigatoka or leaf spot disease that comprises three species, Mycosphaerella fijiensis, Mycosphaerella musicola and Mycosphaerella eumusae. Plants have a large number of defence related genes which trigger a cascade of defense responses that halt the spread of pathogens.

Psychiatric, Psychological and “Witchcraft” Defences to Murder in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Expert psychiatric testimony may be relevant in certain instances of homicide especially murder. However, the exposure of most psychiatric trainees may be inadequate in relation to the range of psychological defences available to an offender accused of homicide. Aim: To describe the psychiatric and ...

The Morality and Economics of Safety in Defence Procurement

Science.gov (United States)

Clement, Tim

Ministry of Defence policy is to conform as closely as possible to UK health and safety legislation in all its operations. We consider the implications of the law and the guidance provided by the Health and Safety Executive for the arguments we need to make for the safety of defence procurements, and extract four general principles to help in answering the questions that arise when considering the safety of systems with complex behaviour. One of these principles is analysed further to identify how case law and the guidance interpret the requirement for risks to be reduced so far as is reasonably practicable. We then apply the principles to answer some questions that have arisen in our work as Independent Safety Auditors, including the limits to the tolerability of risk to armed forces personnel and civilians in wartime, and the acceptability of the transfer of risk from one group to another when controls on risk are introduced.

The Trojan Horse of the microbiological arms race: phage-encoded toxins as a defence against eukaryotic predators.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Jason W; Koudelka, Gerald B

2014-02-01

Phage-encoded Shiga toxin (Stx) acts as a bacterial defence against the eukaryotic predator Tetrahymena. To function as an effective bacterial anti-predator defence, Stx must kill a broad spectrum of predators. Consistent with that assertion, we show here that bacterially encoded Stx efficiently kills the bacteriovore Acanthamoeba castellanii in co-culture. We also show that, in addition to Stx, the phage-encoded exotoxin, diphtheria toxin (Dtx) expressed by Corynebacterium diphtheriae also can function as part of an anti-predator strategy; it kills Acanthamoeba in co-culture. Interestingly, only exotoxins produced by bacteria internalized by the Acanthamoeba predator are cytolethal; the presence of purified Dtx or Stx in culture medium has no effect on predator viability. This finding is consistent with our results indicating that intoxication of Acanthamoeba by these exotoxins does not require a receptor. Thus bacteria, in the disguise of a food source, function as a 'Trojan Horse', carrying genes encoding an exotoxin into target organisms. This 'Trojan Horse' mechanism of exotoxin delivery into predator cells allows intoxication of predators that lack a cell surface receptor for the particular toxin, allowing bacteria-bearing exotoxins to kill a broader spectrum of predators, increasing the fitness of the otherwise 'defenceless' prey bacteria. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

SPECIAL TRAITS OF MANIFESTATION OF DEFENCIVE MECHANISMS DURING DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-ATTITUDE OF TEENAGERS FROM FULL AND SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. E. Melojan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to one of the problems of personality development of today’s teenagers pertaining to their self-attitude and psychological defence. It presents the results of a comparative analysis of self-attitude development specifics and manifestation of defence mechanisms in teenagers from full and single-parent families as well as special traits of interconnection of self-attitude main components and some types of psychological defence that are typical for them. Better well-being and greater disposition to approve of themselves has been revealed among those raised in full families as against a tendency to self-disparagement, besides the more intensive use of psychological defence, of their peers from single-parent families. It has been established that family structure defined by the principle “full” - “single-parent” is an important factor of self-attitude development and manifestation of psychological defence in teenagers.

NRT/PTR transporters are essential for translocation of glucosinolate defence compounds to seeds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nour-Eldin, Hussam Hassan; Andersen, Tonni Grube; Burow, Meike

2012-01-01

glucosinolates in seeds and had more than tenfold over-accumulation in source tissues such as leaves and silique walls, indicating that both plasma membrane-localized transporters are essential for long-distance transport of glucosinolates. We propose that GTR1 and GTR2 control the loading of glucosinolates from......In plants, transport processes are important for the reallocation of defence compounds to protect tissues of high value, as demonstrated in the plant model Arabidopsis, in which the major defence compounds, glucosinolates, are translocated to seeds on maturation. The molecular basis for long...

The mirror has two faces: dissociative identity disorder and the defence of pathological criminal incapacity--a South African criminal law perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Philip

2013-03-01

Dissociative identity disorder poses numerous medico legal issues whenever the insanity defence emerges. Within the context of the South African criminal law, the impact of dissociative identity disorder on criminal responsibility has only been addressed very briefly in one decided case. Various questions arise as to the impact that the distinctive diagnostic features of dissociative identity disorder could possibly have on the defence of pathological criminal incapacity, or better known as the insanity defence, within the ambit of the South African criminal law. In this contribution the author reflects on the mental disorder known as dissociative identity disorder or multiple personality disorder, against the backdrop of the defence of pathological criminal incapacity. Reflections are also provided pertaining to the various medico legal issues at stake whenever this defence has to be adjudicated upon.

Developmental Trends of the Defence of Superior Order: Acritical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Developmental Trends of the Defence of Superior Order: Acritical Appraisal of the Statute of the International Criminal Court. Eni E Alobo. Abstract. No Abstract. LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research, 9(3), 107-125, 2012. Full Text: EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL ...

How insects overcome two-component plant chemical defence: plant β-glucosidases as the main target for herbivore adaptation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pentzold, Stefan; Zagrobelny, Mika; Rook, Fred; Bak, Søren

2014-08-01

Insect herbivory is often restricted by glucosylated plant chemical defence compounds that are activated by plant β-glucosidases to release toxic aglucones upon plant tissue damage. Such two-component plant defences are widespread in the plant kingdom and examples of these classes of compounds are alkaloid, benzoxazinoid, cyanogenic and iridoid glucosides as well as glucosinolates and salicinoids. Conversely, many insects have evolved a diversity of counteradaptations to overcome this type of constitutive chemical defence. Here we discuss that such counter-adaptations occur at different time points, before and during feeding as well as during digestion, and at several levels such as the insects’ feeding behaviour, physiology and metabolism. Insect adaptations frequently circumvent or counteract the activity of the plant β-glucosidases, bioactivating enzymes that are a key element in the plant’s two-component chemical defence. These adaptations include host plant choice, non-disruptive feeding guilds and various physiological adaptations as well as metabolic enzymatic strategies of the insect’s digestive system. Furthermore, insect adaptations often act in combination, may exist in both generalists and specialists, and can act on different classes of defence compounds. We discuss how generalist and specialist insects appear to differ in their ability to use these different types of adaptations: in generalists, adaptations are often inducible, whereas in specialists they are often constitutive. Future studies are suggested to investigate in detail how insect adaptations act in combination to overcome plant chemical defences and to allow ecologically relevant conclusions.

An Overview of Seasonal Changes in Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Defence Parameters in Some Invertebrate and Vertebrate Species.

Science.gov (United States)

Chainy, Gagan Bihari Nityananda; Paital, Biswaranjan; Dandapat, Jagneswar

2016-01-01

Antioxidant defence system, a highly conserved biochemical mechanism, protects organisms from harmful effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a by-product of metabolism. Both invertebrates and vertebrates are unable to modify environmental physical factors such as photoperiod, temperature, salinity, humidity, oxygen content, and food availability as per their requirement. Therefore, they have evolved mechanisms to modulate their metabolic pathways to cope their physiology with changing environmental challenges for survival. Antioxidant defences are one of such biochemical mechanisms. At low concentration, ROS regulates several physiological processes, whereas at higher concentration they are toxic to organisms because they impair cellular functions by oxidizing biomolecules. Seasonal changes in antioxidant defences make species able to maintain their correct ROS titre to take various physiological functions such as hibernation, aestivation, migration, and reproduction against changing environmental physical parameters. In this paper, we have compiled information available in the literature on seasonal variation in antioxidant defence system in various species of invertebrates and vertebrates. The primary objective was to understand the relationship between varied biological phenomena seen in different animal species and conserved antioxidant defence system with respect to seasons.

An Overview of Seasonal Changes in Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Defence Parameters in Some Invertebrate and Vertebrate Species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gagan Bihari Nityananda Chainy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Antioxidant defence system, a highly conserved biochemical mechanism, protects organisms from harmful effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS, a by-product of metabolism. Both invertebrates and vertebrates are unable to modify environmental physical factors such as photoperiod, temperature, salinity, humidity, oxygen content, and food availability as per their requirement. Therefore, they have evolved mechanisms to modulate their metabolic pathways to cope their physiology with changing environmental challenges for survival. Antioxidant defences are one of such biochemical mechanisms. At low concentration, ROS regulates several physiological processes, whereas at higher concentration they are toxic to organisms because they impair cellular functions by oxidizing biomolecules. Seasonal changes in antioxidant defences make species able to maintain their correct ROS titre to take various physiological functions such as hibernation, aestivation, migration, and reproduction against changing environmental physical parameters. In this paper, we have compiled information available in the literature on seasonal variation in antioxidant defence system in various species of invertebrates and vertebrates. The primary objective was to understand the relationship between varied biological phenomena seen in different animal species and conserved antioxidant defence system with respect to seasons.

Interactions between nutritional approaches and defences against microbial diseases in small ruminants.

Science.gov (United States)

Caroprese, M; Giannenas, I; Fthenakis, G C

2015-12-14

Objective of this review is to discuss the role of small ruminant diet in the defence of these animals against microbial diseases, in relation to different experimental approaches and various stressors acting on animals. The effects of various diets in immune reactions and animal defences are presented. Also, effects in relation to the species studied and the type of stressors acting on animals are discussed. Evidence is provided about the significance of the diet in enhancing immune responses of small ruminants during specific conditions, e.g., around parturition, during lactation, as well as in growing lambs or kids. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a Wind Directly Forced Heat Pump and Its Efficiency Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching-Song Jwo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The requirements of providing electric energy through the wind-forced generator to the heat pump for water cooling and hot water heating grow significantly by now. This study proposes a new technique to directly adopt the wind force to drive heat pump systems, which can effectively reduce the energy conversion losses during the processes of wind force energy converting to electric energy and electric energy converting to kinetic energy. The operation of heat pump system transfers between chiller and heat that are controlled by a four-way valve. The theoretical efficiency of the traditional method, whose heat pump is directly forced by wind, is 42.19%. The experimental results indicated average value for cool water producing efficiency of 54.38% in the outdoor temperature of 35°C and the indoor temperature of 25°C and the hot water producing efficiency of 52.25% in the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature both of 10°C. We proposed a method which can improve the efficiency over 10% in both cooling and heating.

Understanding plant defence responses against herbivore attacks: an essential first step towards the development of sustainable resistance against pests.

Science.gov (United States)

Santamaria, M Estrella; Martínez, Manuel; Cambra, Inés; Grbic, Vojislava; Diaz, Isabel

2013-08-01

Plant-herbivore relationships are complex interactions encompassing elaborate networks of molecules, signals and strategies used to overcome defences developed by each other. Herbivores use multiple feeding strategies to obtain nutrients from host plants. In turn, plants respond by triggering defence mechanisms to inhibit, block or modify the metabolism of the pest. As part of these defences, herbivore-challenged plants emit volatiles to attract natural enemies and warn neighbouring plants of the imminent threat. In response, herbivores develop a variety of strategies to suppress plant-induced protection. Our understanding of the plant-herbivore interphase is limited, although recent molecular approaches have revealed the participation of a battery of genes, proteins and volatile metabolites in attack-defence processes. This review describes the intricate and dynamic defence systems governing plant-herbivore interactions by examining the diverse strategies plants employ to deny phytophagous arthropods the ability to breach newly developed mechanisms of plant resistance. A cornerstone of this understanding is the use of transgenic tools to unravel the complex networks that control these interactions.

An uncertain future: South Africa’s National Defence Force caught between foreign-policy ambitions and domestic development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mandrup, Thomas

2017-01-01

In June 2015, the South African Parliament passed the long-awaited defence review (DR2015). The aim of the review was to stop the decline of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and to create an economical and sustainable force structure capable of continuing to fulfil its constitutio...

Can genetically based clines in plant defence explain greater herbivory at higher latitudes?

Science.gov (United States)

Anstett, Daniel N; Ahern, Jeffrey R; Glinos, Julia; Nawar, Nabanita; Salminen, Juha-Pekka; Johnson, Marc T J

2015-12-01

Greater plant defence is predicted to evolve at lower latitudes in response to increased herbivore pressure. However, recent studies question the generality of this pattern. In this study, we tested for genetically based latitudinal clines in resistance to herbivores and underlying defence traits of Oenothera biennis. We grew plants from 137 populations from across the entire native range of O. biennis. Populations from lower latitudes showed greater resistance to multiple specialist and generalist herbivores. These patterns were associated with an increase in total phenolics at lower latitudes. A significant proportion of the phenolics were driven by the concentrations of two major ellagitannins, which exhibited opposing latitudinal clines. Our analyses suggest that these findings are unlikely to be explained by local adaptation of herbivore populations or genetic variation in phenology. Rather greater herbivory at high latitudes can be explained by latitudinal clines in the evolution of plant defences. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Dopamine is a key regulator in the signalling pathway underlying predator-induced defences in Daphnia

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Linda C.; Leese, Florian; Laforsch, Christian; Tollrian, Ralph

2015-01-01

The waterflea Daphnia is a model to investigate the genetic basis of phenotypic plasticity resulting from one differentially expressed genome. Daphnia develops adaptive phenotypes (e.g. morphological defences) thwarting predators, based on chemical predator cue perception. To understand the genomic basis of phenotypic plasticity, the description of the precedent cellular and neuronal mechanisms is fundamental. However, key regulators remain unknown. All neuronal and endocrine stimulants were able to modulate but not induce defences, indicating a pathway of interlinked steps. A candidate able to link neuronal with endocrine responses is the multi-functional amine dopamine. We here tested its involvement in trait formation in Daphnia pulex and Daphnia longicephala using an induction assay composed of predator cues combined with dopaminergic and cholinergic stimulants. The mere application of both stimulants was sufficient to induce morphological defences. We determined dopamine localization in cells found in close association with the defensive trait. These cells serve as centres controlling divergent morphologies. As a mitogen and sclerotization agent, we anticipate that dopamine is involved in proliferation and structural formation of morphological defences. Furthermore, dopamine pathways appear to be interconnected with endocrine pathways, and control juvenile hormone and ecdysone levels. In conclusion, dopamine is suggested as a key regulator of phenotypic plasticity. PMID:26423840

The combined use of Pochonia chlamydosporia and plant defence activators - a potential sustainable control strategy for Meloidogyne chitwoodi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Clara VIEIRA DOS SANTOS

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Sustainable strategies are required for control of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne chitwoodi to reduce dependence on toxic chemical pesticides. The efficacy of the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia in biocontrol could be enhanced by integration with control measures that reduce initial nematode infestations. The use of foliar sprays with plant defence activators can reduce the susceptibility of potato plants to M. chitwoodi. This study assessed effects of combined soil application of P. chlamydosporia with foliar sprays of benzothiadiazole (BTH or cis-jasmone on infection of potatoes by M. chitwoodi. Solanum tuberosum, cv. Désirée plants were grown in soil mixed with 5000 chlamydospores g-1 of soil, sprayed twice with BTH or cis-jasmone and inoculated with 300 M. chitwoodi second-stage juveniles. Forty-five days after inoculation, nematode reproduction, numbers of colony-forming units of the fungus g-1 of soil and g-1 of root, and egg parasitism were assessed by standard techniques. Foliar sprays of BTH or cis-jasmone combined with the fungus reduced nematode reproduction (P<0.05, LSD. The presence of the fungus slightly increased the efficacy of cis-jasmone, as the number of eggs per egg mass was less in plants treated both with cis-jasmone and the fungus than in the plants treated only with the defence activator. The proportion of parasitized eggs was greater in the cis-jasmone treatment where rhizosphere colonisation was less, suggesting that P. chlamydosporia became a poorer rhizosphere coloniser but a more efficient nematode parasite. The addition of P. chlamydosporia to soil in combination with application of inducers of plant defence could be an alternative control strategy to be used against M. chitwoodi in potato.

Armed rollers: does nestling's vomit function as a defence against predators?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deseada Parejo

Full Text Available Chemical defences against predators are widespread in the animal kingdom although have been seldom reported in birds. Here, we investigate the possibility that the orange liquid that nestlings of an insectivorous bird, the Eurasian roller (Coracias garrulus, expel when scared at their nests acts as a chemical defence against predators. We studied the diet of nestling rollers and vomit origin, its chemical composition and deterrent effect on a mammal generalist predator. We also hypothesized that nestling rollers, as their main prey (i.e. grasshoppers do from plants, could sequester chemicals from their prey for their use. Grasshoppers, that also regurgitate when facing to a threat, store the harmful substances used by plants to defend themselves against herbivores. We found that nestling rollers only vomit after being grasped and moved. The production of vomit depended on food consumption and the vomit contained two deterrent chemicals (hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids stored by grasshoppers and used by plants to diminish herbivory, suggesting that they originate from the rollers' prey. Finally, we showed for the first time that the oral secretion of a vertebrate had a deterrent effect on a model predator because vomit of nestling rollers made meat distasteful to dogs. These results support the idea that the vomit of nestling rollers is a chemical defence against predators.

"Contributory intent" as a defence limiting delictual liability | Ahmed ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In terms of delictual liability, the term "fault" generally refers to the defendant's conduct, whereas "contributory fault" refers to the plaintiff's conduct. "Contributory intent" is a form of "contributory fault" and may apply as a defence limiting delictual liability within the ambit of the Apportionment of Damages Act 34 of 1956 ...

Torpedo and countermeasures modelling in the Torpedo Defence System Testbed

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benders, F.P.A.; Witberg, R.R.; H.J. Grootendorst, H.J.

2002-01-01

Several years ago, TNO-FEL started the development of the Torpedo Defence System Testbed (TDSTB) based on the TORpedo SIMulation (TORSIM) model and the Maritime Operations Simulation and Evaluation System (MOSES). MOSES provides the simulation and modelling environment for the evaluation and

Growth and Transformation of the South African defence industry: A state owned enterprise perspective

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Kleynhans, Theo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available % localisation • R&D and intellectual property development investment of R550m to R800m annually • 62% of our employees are black and about 30% of our local procurement spend were to black suppliers. • Knowledge-based value added advanced manufacturing A... Confidential Shift In Defence Investments & Smart Layer Add-ons Smart Layer / Add-ons Smart Defence Products + = Critical Focus Area Good Progress On-going SECURE Up- Smarting of Products • Shift in R&D Investments towards Disruptive Technologies...

Leaf Colour as a Signal of Chemical Defence to Insect Herbivores in Wild Cabbage (Brassica oleracea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan P Green

Full Text Available Leaf colour has been proposed to signal levels of host defence to insect herbivores, but we lack data on herbivory, leaf colour and levels of defence for wild host populations necessary to test this hypothesis. Such a test requires measurements of leaf spectra as they would be sensed by herbivore visual systems, as well as simultaneous measurements of chemical defences and herbivore responses to leaf colour in natural host-herbivore populations. In a large-scale field survey of wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea populations, we show that variation in leaf colour and brightness, measured according to herbivore spectral sensitivities, predicts both levels of chemical defences (glucosinolates and abundance of specialist lepidopteran (Pieris rapae and hemipteran (Brevicoryne brassicae herbivores. In subsequent experiments, P. rapae larvae achieved faster growth and greater pupal mass when feeding on plants with bluer leaves, which contained lower levels of aliphatic glucosinolates. Glucosinolate-mediated effects on larval performance may thus contribute to the association between P. rapae herbivory and leaf colour observed in the field. However, preference tests found no evidence that adult butterflies selected host plants based on leaf coloration. In the field, B. brassicae abundance varied with leaf brightness but greenhouse experiments were unable to identify any effects of brightness on aphid preference or performance. Our findings suggest that although leaf colour reflects both levels of host defences and herbivore abundance in the field, the ability of herbivores to respond to colour signals may be limited, even in species where performance is correlated with leaf colour.

Drought-induced trans-generational tradeoff between stress tolerance and defence: consequences for range limits?

Science.gov (United States)

Alsdurf, Jacob D; Ripley, Tayler J; Matzner, Steven L; Siemens, David H

2013-01-01

Areas just across species range boundaries are often stressful, but even with ample genetic variation within and among range-margin populations, adaptation towards stress tolerance across range boundaries often does not occur. Adaptive trans-generational plasticity should allow organisms to circumvent these problems for temporary range expansion; however, range boundaries often persist. To investigate this dilemma, we drought stressed a parent generation of Boechera stricta (A.Gray) A. Löve & D. Löve, a perennial wild relative of Arabidopsis, representing genetic variation within and among several low-elevation range margin populations. Boechera stricta is restricted to higher, moister elevations in temperate regions where generalist herbivores are often less common. Previous reports indicate a negative genetic correlation (genetic tradeoff) between chemical defence allocation and abiotic stress tolerance that may prevent the simultaneous evolution of defence and drought tolerance that would be needed for range expansion. In growth chamber experiments, the genetic tradeoff became undetectable among offspring sib-families whose parents had been drought treated, suggesting that the stress-induced trans-generational plasticity may circumvent the genetic tradeoff and thus enable range expansion. However, the trans-generational effects also included a conflict between plastic responses (environmental tradeoff); offspring whose parents were drought treated were more drought tolerant, but had lower levels of glucosinolate toxins that function in defence against generalist herbivores. We suggest that either the genetic or environmental tradeoff between defence allocation and stress tolerance has the potential to contribute to range limit development in upland mustards.

‘His home is his castle. And mine is a cage’: a new partial defence for primary victims who kill

OpenAIRE

Wake, Nicola

2015-01-01

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the Crimes Amendment (Abolition of Defensive Homicide) Act 2014 which had the effect of repealing Victoria’s only general ‘partial defence’ of defensive homicide, and replaced the existing statutory self-defence in murder/manslaughter provisions and general common law self- defence rules with a single test. The abolition of defensive homicide means there is now no general ‘partial defence’ to accommodate cases falling short of self-defence. The ch...

Western European Nuclear Regulators’ Association (WENRA) Views on Defence-in-Depth for New Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiman, L.; Routamo, T. [STUK, Helsinki (Finland); Féron, F., E-mail: lasse.reiman@stuk.fi [ASN (France)

2014-10-15

WENRA published in 2010 a statement on safety objectives for new NPPs. Based on these objectives, WENRA decided to develop common positions, compiled in a booklet (available on www.wenra.org), on selected key safety issues for the design of new NPPs. One position presents WENRA’s Defence-in-Depth approach, describing WENRA’s expectation that multiple failure events and core melt accidents are considered in the original design of new nuclear power plants; another position presents expectations on the independence between different levels of Defence-in-Depth. (author)

Radioisotope implantation with a new facility at the Australian Defence Force Academy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shrestha, S.K.; Chaplin, D.H.; Edge, A.V.J.; Hutchison, W.D.; Timmers, H.; Byrne, A.P.

2003-01-01

A 50 - 155 keV ion implanter is being developed on the campus of the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy for the implantation of radioisotopes as part of a UNSW/ANU collaboration. The facility employs a versatile SNICS II negative ion source. Commissioning tests have shown the facility to efficiently produce, mass-select, and transport negative ion beams of various stable isotopes. The mass resolution has been demonstrated to be better than 1 amu and the implantation of stable isotopes was verified with Elastic Recoil Detection (ERD) analysis. Recently, the first implantation of radioactive 111 In has been performed successfully. The routine implantation of this and other radioisotopes is envisaged to support analytical techniques in the material sciences, such as Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC) spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Oriented Nuclei (NMRON), and to possibly study the controlled activation of medical implants and the diffusion of radioisotopes in materials

Efficient visibility encoding for dynamic illumination in direct volume rendering.

Science.gov (United States)

Kronander, Joel; Jönsson, Daniel; Löw, Joakim; Ljung, Patric; Ynnerman, Anders; Unger, Jonas

2012-03-01

We present an algorithm that enables real-time dynamic shading in direct volume rendering using general lighting, including directional lights, point lights, and environment maps. Real-time performance is achieved by encoding local and global volumetric visibility using spherical harmonic (SH) basis functions stored in an efficient multiresolution grid over the extent of the volume. Our method enables high-frequency shadows in the spatial domain, but is limited to a low-frequency approximation of visibility and illumination in the angular domain. In a first pass, level of detail (LOD) selection in the grid is based on the current transfer function setting. This enables rapid online computation and SH projection of the local spherical distribution of visibility information. Using a piecewise integration of the SH coefficients over the local regions, the global visibility within the volume is then computed. By representing the light sources using their SH projections, the integral over lighting, visibility, and isotropic phase functions can be efficiently computed during rendering. The utility of our method is demonstrated in several examples showing the generality and interactive performance of the approach.

Reconceptualing social defence theory for the purpose of organisational-level change: causes, consequences and the contribution of grid-group cultural theory

OpenAIRE

Papadopoulos, Nikolaos

2015-01-01

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University London. Despite repeated demonstrations of the dysfunctional effects of social defences in organisations, social defence theory's (SDT) problem of organisational change (Long, 2006) remains. Why? Can this be avoided? The research centres on a four-year coaching and consulting project within a multinational manufacturing company. Social defences appeared but a careful Tavistock action-resear...

The South African Defence Force and Horse Mounted Infantry ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Jacques

2003-03-26

Mar 26, 2003 ... Department of Defence in Pretoria, and oral history interviews with military .... were created almost from scratch and 'refined on the hoof' in the first three ... would culminate in a three or four day, thirty five or forty five kilometre .... organisation of 202 Bn. to be adjusted so as to accommodate horse and dog.

Military milk: breastfeeding rates among Australian Defence Force women who return to military service following maternity leave.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Kelley

2015-02-01

The breastfeeding behaviors among Australian Defence Force women have not previously been examined. Studies have shown that breastfeeding prevalence and duration are affected by maternity leave entitlements and returning to work. This study aimed to benchmark breastfeeding initiation, prevalence, and duration among a cohort of Australian Defence Force women and to compare these findings against Australian population norms. A cross-sectional survey was conducted via email in 2008 for Australian Defence Force women who had taken maternity leave in the Australian financial year of 2006/2007. Analysis of breastfeeding indicators was undertaken. Ninety-eight percent of Australian Defence Force women in this cohort initiated breastfeeding and breastfed for a median duration of 8 months, returning to work when the mean age of the child was 8.4 months. Breastfeeding prevalence did not meet 2003 Australian National Health and Medical Research Council targets by 6 months postpartum but compared favorably to the Australian population norms. Sixty-six percent of the respondents returned to work full-time, with a median breastfeeding duration of 7 months. Women who returned to work part-time had a longer median duration of 10 months. Breastfeeding rates among this cohort of Australian Defence Force women compare favorably with the general Australian population until 9 months, coinciding with returning to work after a period of maternity leave. The results support recent Australian population studies on breastfeeding and employment. © The Author(s) 2014.

Knowing your friends and foes--plant receptor-like kinases as initiators of symbiosis or defence.

Science.gov (United States)

Antolín-Llovera, Meritxell; Petutsching, Elena Kristin; Ried, Martina Katharina; Lipka, Volker; Nürnberger, Thorsten; Robatzek, Silke; Parniske, Martin

2014-12-01

The decision between defence and symbiosis signalling in plants involves alternative and modular plasma membrane-localized receptor complexes. A critical step in their activation is ligand-induced homo- or hetero-oligomerization of leucine-rich repeat (LRR)- and/or lysin motif (LysM) receptor-like kinases (RLKs). In defence signalling, receptor complexes form upon binding of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), including the bacterial flagellin-derived peptide flg22, or chitin. Similar mechanisms are likely to operate during the perception of microbial symbiont-derived (lipo)-chitooligosaccharides. The structurally related chitin-oligomer ligands chitooctaose and chitotetraose trigger defence and symbiosis signalling, respectively, and their discrimination involves closely related, if not identical, LysM-RLKs. This illustrates the demand for and the challenges imposed on decision mechanisms that ensure appropriate signal initiation. Appropriate signalling critically depends on abundance and localization of RLKs at the cell surface. This is regulated by internalization, which also provides a mechanism for the removal of activated signalling RLKs. Abundance of the malectin-like domain (MLD)-LRR-RLK Symbiosis Receptor-like Kinase (SYMRK) is additionally controlled by cleavage of its modular ectodomain, which generates a truncated and rapidly degraded RLK fragment. This review explores LRR- and LysM-mediated signalling, the involvement of MLD-LRR-RLKs in symbiosis and defence, and the role of endocytosis in RLK function. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Design features to achieve defence-in-depth in small and medium sized reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznetsov, Vladimir

2009-01-01

Broader incorporation of inherent and passive safety design features has become a 'trademark' of many advanced reactor concepts, including several evolutionary designs and nearly all innovative small and medium sized design concepts. Ensuring adequate defence-in-depth is important for reactors of smaller output because many of them are being designed to allow more proximity to the user, specifically, when non-electrical energy products are targeted. Based on the activities recently performed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the paper provides a summary description of the design features used to achieve defence in depth in the eleven representative concepts of small and medium sized reactors. (author)

Priming, induction and modulation of plant defence responses by bacterial lipopolysaccharides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Newman, Mari-Anne; Dow, J. Maxwell; Molinaro, Antonio

2007-01-01

Bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) have multiple roles in plant-microbe interactions. LPS contributes to the low permeability of the outer membrane, which acts as a barrier to protect bacteria from plant-derived antimicrobial substances. Conversely, perception of LPS by plant cells can lead...... to the triggering of defence responses or to the priming of the plant to respond more rapidly and/or to a greater degree to subsequent pathogen challenge. LPS from symbiotic bacteria can have quite different effects on plants to those of pathogens. Some details are emerging of the structures within LPS...... that are responsible for induction of these different plant responses. The lipid A moiety is not solely responsible for all of the effects of LPS in plants; core oligosaccharide and O-antigen components can elicit specific responses. Here, we review the effects of LPS in induction of defence-related responses...

Currency crises with the threat of an interest rate defence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daniels, T.R.; Jager, H.; Klaassen, F.

2011-01-01

While virtually all currency crisis models recognise that the decision to abandon a peg depends on how tenaciously policy makers defend it, this is seldom modelled explicitly. We add the threat of an interest rate defence to the global game model of Morris and Shin (American Economic Review 88,

Energy efficiency of a direct-injection internal combustion engine with high-pressure methanol steam reforming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poran, Arnon; Tartakovsky, Leonid

2015-01-01

This article discusses the concept of a direct-injection ICE (internal combustion engine) with thermo-chemical recuperation realized through SRM (steam reforming of methanol). It is shown that the energy required to compress the reformate gas prior to its injection into the cylinder is substantial and has to be accounted for. Results of the analysis prove that the method of reformate direct-injection is unviable when the reforming is carried-out under atmospheric pressure. To reduce the energy penalty resulted from the gas compression, it is suggested to implement a high-pressure reforming process. Effects of the injection timing and the injector's flow area on the ICE-SRM system's fuel conversion efficiency are studied. The significance of cooling the reforming products prior to their injection into the engine-cylinder is demonstrated. We show that a direct-injection ICE with high-pressure SRM is feasible and provides a potential for significant efficiency improvement. Development of injectors with greater flow area shall contribute to further efficiency improvements. - Highlights: • Energy needed to compress the reformate is substantial and has to be accounted for. • Reformate direct-injection is unviable if reforming is done at atmospheric pressure. • Direct-injection engine with high-pressure methanol reforming is feasible. • Efficiency improvement by 12–14% compared with a gasoline-fed engine was shown

BUILDING HIGH PERFORMANCE STRATEGY OF MILITARY EXPENDITURES: THE UTILITY FUNCTION IN THE MIDDLE OF DEFENCE BUDGETING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MARITANA SEDYSHEVA

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The present paper proposes tasks and methods which can be used in process of discovering the most expedient variants of the perspective and effective strategy development process of the defence spending in the Republic of Estonia.The author offers a part of strategy model named “Financial Perspective” as one of the improvement tools for the system of planning military expenditures and effective utilization of budgetary funds. The Balanced Scorecard application by using the “utility function” will allow the Estonian Defence Forces to overcome important barriers to strategy implementation by interrelation of military planning and budgeting processes. The Balanced Scorecard might be used as a very strong practical application. It will improve the calculations of long-term perspective plans and the development of the military budgetary policy by taking into account the features of national defence expenses.

The influence of space and time on the evolution of altruistic defence: the case of ant slave rebellion.

Science.gov (United States)

Metzler, D; Jordan, F; Pamminger, T; Foitzik, S

2016-05-01

How can antiparasite defence traits evolve even if they do not directly benefit their carriers? An example of such an indirect defence is rebellion of enslaved Temnothorax longispinosus ant workers against their social parasite Temnothorax americanus, a slavemaking ant. Ant slaves have been observed to kill their oppressors' offspring, a behaviour from which the sterile slaves cannot profit directly. Parasite brood killing could, however, reduce raiding pressure on related host colonies nearby. We analyse with extensive computer simulations for the Temnothorax slavemaker system under what conditions a hypothetical rebel allele could invade a host population, and in particular, how host-parasite dynamics and population structure influence the rebel allele's success. Exploring a wide range of model parameters, we only found a small number of parameter combinations for which kin selection or multilevel selection could allow a slave rebellion allele to spread in the host population. Furthermore, we did not detect any cases in which the reduction of raiding pressure in the close vicinity of the slavemaker nest would substantially contribute to the inclusive fitness of rebels. This suggests that slave rebellion is not costly and perhaps a side-effect of some other beneficial trait. In some of our simulations, however, even a costly rebellion allele could spread in the population. This was possible when host-parasite interactions led to a metapopulation dynamic with frequent local extinctions and recolonizations of demes by the offspring of few immigrants. © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Role of stress-related hormones in plant defence during early infection of the cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii in Arabidopsis

Science.gov (United States)

Kammerhofer, Nina; Radakovic, Zoran; Regis, Jully M A; Dobrev, Petre; Vankova, Radomira; Grundler, Florian M W; Siddique, Shahid; Hofmann, Julia; Wieczorek, Krzysztof

2015-01-01

Heterodera schachtii, a plant-parasitic cyst nematode, invades host roots and induces a specific syncytial feeding structure, from which it withdraws all required nutrients, causing severe yield losses. The system H. schachtii–Arabidopsis is an excellent research model for investigating plant defence mechanisms. Such responses are suppressed in well-established syncytia, whereas they are induced during early parasitism. However, the mechanisms by which the defence responses are modulated and the role of phytohormones are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of hormone-based defence responses at the onset of nematode infection. First, concentrations of main phytohormones were quantified and the expression of several hormone-related genes was analysed using quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR or GeneChip. Further, the effects of individual hormones were evaluated via nematode attraction and infection assays using plants with altered endogenous hormone concentrations. Our results suggest a pivotal and positive role for ethylene during nematode attraction, whereas jasmonic acid triggers early defence responses against H. schachtii. Salicylic acid seems to be a negative regulator during later syncytium and female development. We conclude that nematodes are able to impose specific changes in hormone pools, thus modulating hormone-based defence and signal transduction in strict dependence on their parasitism stage. PMID:25825039

KYPO – A Platform for Cyber Defence Exercises

OpenAIRE

Čeleda Pavel; Čegan Jakub; Vykopal Jan; Tovarňák Daniel

2015-01-01

Correct and timely responses to cyber attacks are crucial for the effective implementation of cyber defence strategies and policies. The number of threats and ingenuity of attackers is ever growing, as is the need for more advanced detection tools, techniques and skilled cyber security professionals. KYPO – Cyber Exercise & Research Platform is focused on modelling and simulating complex computer systems and networks in a virtualized and separated environment. The platform enables realist...

European Defence Community: origins of integration in the defence sphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Іван Васильович Яковюк

2017-12-01

Full Text Available There is a tendency among non-historians to force «practioners» of the discipline to justify why the study of a particular episode of the past is so important and to articulate the lessons to be learned from the experience. The fate of international constitutions and treaties is particularly prone to demands of this kind. After all, «constitutional borrowing» has long been a common feature of international law and politics. This article will address one such Treaty from the past. But it does not aspire to preserving its historical integrity; rather to awaken interest in it in the first place.          The European Defence Community (EDC was an ambitious initiative in the first years of the 1950s. Leading European countries had different foreign policy agendas towards it. The EDC. could have been a crucial milestone on the long path towards European integration. European Defense Community (EDC, an abortive attempt by western European powers, with United States support, to counterbalance the overwhelming conventional military ascendancy of the Soviet Union in Europe by the formation of a supranational European army and, in the process, to subsume West German forces into a European force, avoiding the tendentious problem of West German rearmament. One can trace the U.S. influence from the very first stages of the EDC. negotiations. Even in the agreement of the EDC., the footprints of U.S. policies can be observed, bringing the NATO Alliance to the forefront. The EDC. is also interrelated with the Marshall Plan, which leads us to think that the EDC. was not solely a European dream as has been widely argued, but rather an instrument of U.S. foreign policy, which could be resorted to as and when needed.          Influenced by the Korean War, the French politician René Pleven evolved a plan that later was put forward by the French foreign minister Robert Schuman at a meeting of the Council of Europe in 1951. Though the weaker

Maritime defence and the South African Navy to the cancellation of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Union of South Africa's declaration of war against Germany on 6. September 1939 ... available only address the history of the British Royal Navy, imperial defence ..... The effect of British naval mastery was also illustrated by the fact that the.

Ebola expert says building up health systems is best defence | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2018-05-22

May 22, 2018 ... Ebola expert says building up health systems is best defence ... community of public health experts to control viral epidemics in several countries. ... says the problem of infectious diseases has grown in the past 30 years, but ...

Alcohol misuse in patients attending a defence force general ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results: Of the 658 patients approached, 40 (6%) declined to fill in the questionnaire. 42% of the 618 patients surveyed were ... 38,1% of male apprentices at the technical college and 40,0% of male current defence force members staying on the base scored 8 or more on the AUDIT. In the group scoring less than 8 on the ...

Efficiency of energy recovery from waste incineration, in the light of the new Waste Framework Directive.

Science.gov (United States)

Grosso, Mario; Motta, Astrid; Rigamonti, Lucia

2010-07-01

This paper deals with a key issue related to municipal waste incineration, which is the efficiency of energy recovery. A strong driver for improving the energy performances of waste-to-energy plants is the recent Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives), which allows high efficiency installations to benefit from a status of "recovery" rather than "disposal". The change in designation means a step up in the waste hierarchy, where the lowest level of priority is now restricted to landfilling and low efficiency wastes incineration. The so-called "R1 formula" reported in the Directive, which counts for both production of power and heat, is critically analyzed and correlated to the more scientific-based approach of exergy efficiency. The results obtained for waste-to-energy plants currently operating in Europe reveal some significant differences in their performance, mainly related to the average size and to the availability of a heat market (district heating). Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spectrally efficient polarization multiplexed direct-detection OFDM system without frequency gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Chia-Chien; Zeng, Wei-Siang; Lin, Chun-Ting

2016-01-25

We experimentally demonstrate a spectrally efficient direct-detection orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (DD-OFDM) system. In addition to polarization-division multiplexing, removing the frequency gap further improves the spectral efficiency of the OFDM system. The frequency gap between a reference carrier and OFDM subcarriers avoids subcarrier-to-subcarrier beating interference (SSBI) in traditional DD-OFDM systems. Without dynamic polarization control, the resulting interference after square-law direct detection in the proposed gap-less system is polarization-dependent and composed of linear inter-carrier interference (ICI) and nonlinear SSBI. Thus, this work proposes an iterative multiple-input multiple-output detection scheme to remove the mixed polarization-dependent interference. Compared to the previous scheme, which only removes ICI, the proposed scheme can further eliminate SSBI to achieve the improvement of ∼ 7 dB in signal-to-noise ratio. Without the need for polarization control, we successfully utilize 7-GHz bandwidth to transmit a 39.5-Gbps polarization multiplexed OFDM signal over 100 km.

Economic analysis of the influence of milk market concentration on procurement efficiency in the defense system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihajlović Milan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Increasing efficiency during realization of procurements in the defence system imposes the requirement to analyze the market, in order to detect all of its characteristics and to make conclusions which would benefit during planning of budgetary assets by one comprehensive process. Procuring milk and milk products represents a significant part of defence system's procurements which represents that a significant segment of the consumer standard of the Serbian Army, which implies the interest of authors to point to the significance of the concentration of the supply branch on the realization of procurements on the example of this market. The aim of this paper is to display the state and actual trends on the market of production and processing of milk, define methodological framework and point to the intensity and terms of competition and their influence on procurement criteria, especially price in the defence system of the Republic of Serbia.

EST sequencing and gene expression profiling of defence-related genes from Persea americana infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahomed Waheed

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Avocado (Persea americana belongs to the Lauraceae family and is an important commercial fruit crop in over 50 countries. The most serious pathogen affecting avocado production is Phytophthora cinnamomi which causes Phytophthora root rot (PRR. Root pathogens such as P. cinnamomi and their interactions with hosts are poorly understood and despite the importance of both the avocado crop and the effect Phytophthora has on its cultivation, there is a lack of molecular knowledge underpinning our understanding of defence strategies against the pathogen. In order to initiate a better understanding of host-specific defence we have generated EST data using 454 pyrosequencing and profiled nine defence-related genes from Pc-infected avocado roots. Results 2.0 Mb of data was generated consisting of ~10,000 reads on a single lane of the GS FLX platform. Using the Newbler assembler 371 contigs were assembled, of which 367 are novel for Persea americana. Genes were classified according to Gene Ontology terms. In addition to identifying root-specific ESTs we were also able to identify and quantify the expression of nine defence-related genes that were differentially regulated in response to P. cinnamomi. Genes such as metallothionein, thaumatin and the pathogenesis related PsemI, mlo and profilin were found to be differentially regulated. Conclusions This is the first study in elucidating the avocado root transcriptome as well as identifying defence responses of avocado roots to the root pathogen P. cinnamomi. Our data is currently the only EST data that has been generated for avocado rootstocks, and the ESTs identified in this study have already been useful in identifying defence-related genes as well as providing gene information for other studies looking at processes such as ROS regulation as well as hypoxia in avocado roots. Our EST data will aid in the elucidation of the avocado transcriptome and identification of markers for improved

ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 96 positively regulates Arabidopsis resistance to necrotrophic pathogens by direct binding to GCC elements of jasmonate - and ethylene-responsive defence genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Catinot, Jérémy; Huang, Jing-Bo; Huang, Pin-Yao; Tseng, Min-Yuan; Chen, Ying-Lan; Gu, Shin-Yuan; Lo, Wan-Sheng; Wang, Long-Chi; Chen, Yet-Ran; Zimmerli, Laurent

2015-12-01

The ERF (ethylene responsive factor) family is composed of transcription factors (TFs) that are critical for appropriate Arabidopsis thaliana responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here we identified and characterized a member of the ERF TF group IX, namely ERF96, that when overexpressed enhances Arabidopsis resistance to necrotrophic pathogens such as the fungus Botrytis cinerea and the bacterium Pectobacterium carotovorum. ERF96 is jasmonate (JA) and ethylene (ET) responsive and ERF96 transcripts accumulation was abolished in JA-insensitive coi1-16 and in ET-insensitive ein2-1 mutants. Protoplast transactivation and electrophoresis mobility shift analyses revealed that ERF96 is an activator of transcription that binds to GCC elements. In addition, ERF96 mainly localized to the nucleus. Microarray analysis coupled to chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR of Arabidopsis overexpressing ERF96 revealed that ERF96 enhances the expression of the JA/ET defence genes PDF1.2a, PR-3 and PR-4 as well as the TF ORA59 by direct binding to GCC elements present in their promoters. While ERF96-RNAi plants demonstrated wild-type resistance to necrotrophic pathogens, basal PDF1.2 expression levels were reduced in ERF96-silenced plants. This work revealed ERF96 as a key player of the ERF network that positively regulates the Arabidopsis resistance response to necrotrophic pathogens. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improving the efficiency of single and multiple teleportation protocols based on the direct use of partially entangled states

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fortes, Raphael; Rigolin, Gustavo, E-mail: rigolin@ifi.unicamp.br

2013-09-15

We push the limits of the direct use of partially pure entangled states to perform quantum teleportation by presenting several protocols in many different scenarios that achieve the optimal efficiency possible. We review and put in a single formalism the three major strategies known to date that allow one to use partially entangled states for direct quantum teleportation (no distillation strategies permitted) and compare their efficiencies in real world implementations. We show how one can improve the efficiency of many direct teleportation protocols by combining these techniques. We then develop new teleportation protocols employing multipartite partially entangled states. The three techniques are also used here in order to achieve the highest efficiency possible. Finally, we prove the upper bound for the optimal success rate for protocols based on partially entangled Bell states and show that some of the protocols here developed achieve such a bound. -- Highlights: •Optimal direct teleportation protocols using directly partially entangled states. •We put in a single formalism all strategies of direct teleportation. •We extend these techniques for multipartite partially entangle states. •We give upper bounds for the optimal efficiency of these protocols.

Artificial intelligence and finite element modelling for monitoring flood defence structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pyayt, A.L.; Mokhov, I.I.; Kozionov, A.; Kusherbaeva, V.; Melnikova, N.B.; Krzhizhanovskaya, V.V.; Meijer, R.J.

2011-01-01

We present a hybrid approach to monitoring the stability of flood defence structures equipped with sensors. This approach combines the finite element modelling with the artificial intelligence for real-time signal processing and anomaly detection. This combined method has been developed for the

Chemical defence in chrysomelid eggs and neonate larvae

OpenAIRE

Pasteels, Jacques M.; Daloze, D.; Rowell-Rahier, Martine

2009-01-01

Eggs and neonate larvae of chrysomelid beetles (sub-tribes Chrysomelina and Phyllodectina) were investigated for the presence of defensive substances. The two isoxazolinone glucosides (compounds 1 and 2), characteristic of the adult defence secretion, were detected in the eggs of all studied species. Compound 2, containing a nitropropionate, is always present in concentrations (above 10-2 M), which are highly deterrent to the ant Myrmica rubra. This compound is not at all or only slightly to...

76 FR 63211 - Energy Efficiency Program: Test Procedures for Residential Water Heaters, Direct Heating...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-12

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 10 CFR Part 430 [Docket Number EERE-2011-BT-TP-0042] RIN 1904-AC53 Energy Efficiency Program: Test Procedures for Residential Water Heaters, Direct Heating Equipment, and Pool Heaters AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. ACTION: Request for...

Implementation of defence in depth for next generation light water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-12-01

The publication of this IAEA technical document represents the conclusion of a task, initiated in 1995, devoted to defence in depth in future reactors. It focuses mainly on the next generation of LWRs, although many general considerations may also apply to other types of reactors

Passive maternal exposure to environmental microbes selectively modulates the innate defences of chicken egg white by increasing some of its antibacterial activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedrani, Larbi; Helloin, Emmanuelle; Guyot, Nicolas; Réhault-Godbert, Sophie; Nys, Yves

2013-06-07

Egg defence against bacterial contamination relies on immunoglobulins (IgY) concentrated in the yolk and antimicrobial peptides/proteins predominantly localized in the egg white (EW). Hens contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms export specific IgYs to the egg (adaptative immunity). No evidence of such regulation has been reported for the antimicrobial peptides/proteins (innate immunity) which are preventively secreted by the hen oviduct and are active against a large range of microbes. We investigated whether the egg innate defences can be stimulated by the environmental microbial contamination by comparing the antimicrobial activity of EW of hens raised in three extreme breeding conditions: Germ-free (GF), Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) and Conventional (C) hens. The difference in the immunological status of GF, SPF and C hens was confirmed by the high stimulation of IL-1β, IL-8 and TLR4 genes in the intestine of C and SPF groups. EW from C and SPF groups demonstrated higher inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus (13 to 18%) and against Streptococcus uberis (31 to 35%) as compared to GF but showed similar activity against Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Gallinarum, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. To further investigate these results, we explored putative changes amongst the three main mechanisms of egg antimicrobial defence: the sequestration of bacterial nutrients, the inactivation of exogenous proteases and the direct lytic action on microorganisms. Lysozyme activity, chymotrypsin-, trypsin- and papain-inhibiting potential of EW and the expression of numerous antimicrobial genes were not stimulated suggesting that these are not responsible for the change in anti-S. aureus and anti-S. uberis activity. Moreover, whereas the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-8 and TLR4 genes were modified by the breeding conditions in the intestine of C and SPF groups they were not modified in the magnum where egg white is formed. Altogether, these data

Highly efficient reprogramming to pluripotency and directed differentiation of human cells with synthetic modified mRNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Luigi; Manos, Philip D; Ahfeldt, Tim; Loh, Yuin-Han; Li, Hu; Lau, Frank; Ebina, Wataru; Mandal, Pankaj K; Smith, Zachary D; Meissner, Alexander; Daley, George Q; Brack, Andrew S; Collins, James J; Cowan, Chad; Schlaeger, Thorsten M; Rossi, Derrick J

2010-11-05

Clinical application of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is limited by the low efficiency of iPSC derivation and the fact that most protocols modify the genome to effect cellular reprogramming. Moreover, safe and effective means of directing the fate of patient-specific iPSCs toward clinically useful cell types are lacking. Here we describe a simple, nonintegrating strategy for reprogramming cell fate based on administration of synthetic mRNA modified to overcome innate antiviral responses. We show that this approach can reprogram multiple human cell types to pluripotency with efficiencies that greatly surpass established protocols. We further show that the same technology can be used to efficiently direct the differentiation of RNA-induced pluripotent stem cells (RiPSCs) into terminally differentiated myogenic cells. This technology represents a safe, efficient strategy for somatic cell reprogramming and directing cell fate that has broad applicability for basic research, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modelling joint air defence doctrinal issues with a LinkZA-based integration of two C2 simulators – a case study

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nel, JJ

2007-07-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the integration between two command and control simulators in order to clarify doctrinal issues surrounding Joint Air Defence using as example the uncertainty of roles and responsibilities between the Air Defence Cell...

2015 Status Report on Major Defence Equipment Procurements

OpenAIRE

David Perry

2015-01-01

Federal elections may be good for democracy, but the campaigns — particularly the lengthy one recently held in Canada — can be crippling for plans to better arm our military. Just before the election was called, there were public signs of important progress being made in what has long been a frustratingly slow and bureaucratically complex procurement process. But then the campaign left the Department of National Defence and other federal departments unable to secure approvals from either a de...

Harnessing ant defence at fruits reduces bruchid seed predation in a symbiotic ant–plant mutualism

Science.gov (United States)

Pringle, Elizabeth G.

2014-01-01

In horizontally transmitted mutualisms, mutualists disperse separately and reassemble in each generation with partners genetically unrelated to those in the previous generation. Because of this, there should be no selection on either partner to enhance the other's reproductive output directly. In symbiotic ant–plant mutualisms, myrmecophytic plants host defensive ant colonies, and ants defend the plants from herbivores. Plants and ants disperse separately, and, although ant defence can indirectly increase plant reproduction by reducing folivory, it is unclear whether ants can also directly increase plant reproduction by defending seeds. The neotropical tree Cordia alliodora hosts colonies of Azteca pittieri ants. The trees produce domatia where ants nest at stem nodes and also at the node between the peduncle and the rachides of the infloresence. Unlike the stem domatia, these reproductive domatia senesce after the tree fruits each year. In this study, I show that the tree's resident ant colony moves into these ephemeral reproductive domatia, where they tend honeydew-producing scale insects and patrol the nearby developing fruits. The presence of ants significantly reduced pre-dispersal seed predation by Amblycerus bruchid beetles, thereby directly increasing plant reproductive output. PMID:24807259

Harnessing ant defence at fruits reduces bruchid seed predation in a symbiotic ant-plant mutualism.

Science.gov (United States)

Pringle, Elizabeth G

2014-06-22

In horizontally transmitted mutualisms, mutualists disperse separately and reassemble in each generation with partners genetically unrelated to those in the previous generation. Because of this, there should be no selection on either partner to enhance the other's reproductive output directly. In symbiotic ant-plant mutualisms, myrmecophytic plants host defensive ant colonies, and ants defend the plants from herbivores. Plants and ants disperse separately, and, although ant defence can indirectly increase plant reproduction by reducing folivory, it is unclear whether ants can also directly increase plant reproduction by defending seeds. The neotropical tree Cordia alliodora hosts colonies of Azteca pittieri ants. The trees produce domatia where ants nest at stem nodes and also at the node between the peduncle and the rachides of the infloresence. Unlike the stem domatia, these reproductive domatia senesce after the tree fruits each year. In this study, I show that the tree's resident ant colony moves into these ephemeral reproductive domatia, where they tend honeydew-producing scale insects and patrol the nearby developing fruits. The presence of ants significantly reduced pre-dispersal seed predation by Amblycerus bruchid beetles, thereby directly increasing plant reproductive output.

Partial demethylation of oligogalacturonides by pectin methyl esterase 1 is required for eliciting defence responses in wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca).

Science.gov (United States)

Osorio, Sonia; Castillejo, Cristina; Quesada, Miguel A; Medina-Escobar, Nieves; Brownsey, Geoff J; Suau, Rafael; Heredia, Antonio; Botella, Miguel A; Valpuesta, Victoriano

2008-04-01

In addition to the role of the cell wall as a physical barrier against pathogens, some of its constituents, such as pectin-derived oligogalacturonides (OGA), are essential components for elicitation of defence responses. To investigate how modifications of pectin alter defence responses, we expressed the fruit-specific Fragaria x ananassa pectin methyl esterase FaPE1 in the wild strawberry Fragaria vesca. Pectin from transgenic ripe fruits differed from the wild-type with regard to the degree and pattern of methyl esterification, as well as the average size of pectin polymers. Purified oligogalacturonides from the transgenic fruits showed a reduced degree of esterification compared to oligogalacturonides from wild-type fruits. This reduced esterification is necessary to elicit defence responses in strawberry. The transgenic F. vesca lines had constitutively activated pathogen defence responses, resulting in higher resistance to the necrotropic fungus Botrytis cinerea. Further studies in F. vesca and Nicotiana benthamiana leaves showed that the elicitation capacity of the oligogalacturonides is more specific than previously envisaged.

Lepidopteran defence droplets - A composite physical and chemical weapon against potential predators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pentzold, S.; Zagrobelny, Mika; Khakimov, Bekzod

2016-01-01

Insects often release noxious substances for their defence. Larvae of Zygaena filipendulae (Lepidoptera) secrete viscous and cyanogenic glucoside-containing droplets, whose effectiveness was associated with their physical and chemical properties. The droplets glued mandibles and legs of potential...

Shifting from priming of salicylic acid- to jasmonic acid-regulated defences by Trichoderma protects tomato against the root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Medina, Ainhoa; Fernandez, Ivan; Lok, Gerrit B; Pozo, María J; Pieterse, Corné M J; Van Wees, Saskia C M

2017-02-01

Beneficial root endophytes such as Trichoderma spp. can reduce infections by parasitic nematodes through triggering host defences. Little is currently known about the complex hormone signalling underlying the induction of resistance. In this study, we investigated whether Trichoderma modulates the hormone signalling network in the host to induce resistance to nematodes. We investigated the role and the timing of the jasmonic acid (JA)- and salicylic acid (SA)-regulated defensive pathways in Trichoderma-induced resistance to the root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. A split-root system of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) was used to study local and systemic induced defences by analysing nematode performance, defence gene expression, responsiveness to exogenous hormone application, and dependence on SA and JA signalling of Trichoderma-induced resistance. Root colonization by Trichoderma impeded nematode performance both locally and systemically at multiple stages of the parasitism, that is, invasion, galling and reproduction. First, Trichoderma primed SA-regulated defences, which limited nematode root invasion. Then, Trichoderma enhanced JA-regulated defences, thereby antagonizing the deregulation of JA-dependent immunity by the nematodes, which compromised galling and fecundity. Our results show that Trichoderma primes SA- and JA-dependent defences in roots, and that the priming of responsiveness to these hormones upon nematode attack is plastic and adaptive to the parasitism stage. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Efficient direct coal liquefaction of a premium brown coal catalyzed by cobalt-promoted fumed oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trautmann, M.; Loewe, A.; Traa, Y. [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Chemical Technology

2013-11-01

The search for alternatives in the fuel sector is an important technological challenge. An interim solution could be provided by direct coal liquefaction. Hydrogen economy and the lack of an efficient catalyst are the main obstacles for this process. We used a premium German brown coal with a high H/C molar ratio of 1.25 and nanostructured cobalt catalysts to improve the efficiency of direct coal liquefaction. We were able to recover and recycle the catalyst efficiently and reached good brown coal conversions and oil yields with single-stage coal liquefaction. The oil quality observed almost reached that of a conventional crude oil considering higher heating value (HHV), H/C molar ratio and aliphatic content. (orig.)

Five Key Changes for the Management of UK Defence - An Agenda for Research?

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Tatham, Peter; Taylor, Trevor

2008-01-01

.... Given the paucity of academic research into the general area of defence management, it is suggested that there is considerable potential for focused application of ideas and concepts from a broad...

Direct calculation of current drive efficiency in FISIC code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, J.C.; Phillips, C.K.; Bonoli, P.T.

1996-01-01

Two-dimensional RF modeling codes use a parameterization (1) of current drive efficiencies to calculate fast wave driven currents. This parameterization assumes a uniform quasi-linear diffusion coefficient and requires a priori knowledge of the wave polarizations. These difficulties may be avoided by a direct calculation of the quasilinear diffusion coefficient from the Kennel-Englemann form with the field polarizations calculated by the full wave code, FISIC (2). Current profiles are calculated using the adjoint formulation (3). Comparisons between the two formulations are presented. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

ENERGY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PRESENT CHALLENGES TO THE EUROPEAN COMMON SECURITY AND DEFENCE POLICY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel ANDRUSEAC

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The Common Security and Defence Policy is a part of the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP and establishes the policy framework for the institutional structures and military instruments which have to deal with the security challenges in Europe’s geopolitical neighborhood. The article aims to identify and analyze the role of energy as one of the present challenges to the European Common Security and Defence Policy in the context of the recent events in the world economy.

The defence architecture of the superficial cells of the oral mucosa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Asikainen, P.; Ruotsalainen, T.J.; Mikkonen, J.J.W.; Koistinen, A.; ten Bruggenkate, C.M.; Kullaa, A.M.

2012-01-01

The oral epithelium together with the saliva and its components forms a complex structure which is the first line of defence in the oral cavity. The surface of superficial cells of the oral epithelium contains ridge-like folds, microplicae (MPL), which are typical of the surfaces of areas covered

union defence forces : statistics of the wounded and prisoners of war ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

UNION DEFENCE FORCES : STATISTICS OF THE. WOUNDED AND PRISONERS OF WAR DURING. THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1939-1945. Compiled by Captain J.E. Loraine-Grews. In 1943, after active service as ROMS of Die Middellandse Regiment in the Western Desert during which he escaped capture at Tobruk ...

Phospholipase D and phosphatidic acid in plant defence response: from protein–protein and lipid–protein interactions to hormone signalling

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jian

2015-01-01

Phospholipase Ds (PLDs) and PLD-derived phosphatidic acids (PAs) play vital roles in plant hormonal and environmental responses and various cellular dynamics. Recent studies have further expanded the functions of PLDs and PAs into plant–microbe interaction. The molecular diversities and redundant functions make PLD–PA an important signalling complex regulating lipid metabolism, cytoskeleton dynamics, vesicle trafficking, and hormonal signalling in plant defence through protein–protein and protein–lipid interactions or hormone signalling. Different PLD–PA signalling complexes and their targets have emerged as fast-growing research topics for understanding their numerous but not yet established roles in modifying pathogen perception, signal transduction, and downstream defence responses. Meanwhile, advanced lipidomics tools have allowed researchers to reveal further the mechanisms of PLD–PA signalling complexes in regulating lipid metabolism and signalling, and their impacts on jasmonic acid/oxylipins, salicylic acid, and other hormone signalling pathways that essentially mediate plant defence responses. This review attempts to summarize the progress made in spatial and temporal PLD/PA signalling as well as PLD/PA-mediated modification of plant defence. It presents an in-depth discussion on the functions and potential mechanisms of PLD–PA complexes in regulating actin filament/microtubule cytoskeleton, vesicle trafficking, and hormonal signalling, and in influencing lipid metabolism-derived metabolites as critical signalling components in plant defence responses. The discussion puts PLD–PA in a broader context in order to guide future research. PMID:25680793

Parasitism by Cuscuta pentagona sequentially induces JA and SA defence pathways in tomato.

Science.gov (United States)

Runyon, Justin B; Mescher, Mark C; Felton, Gary W; De Moraes, Consuelo M

2010-02-01

While plant responses to herbivores and pathogens are well characterized, responses to attack by other plants remain largely unexplored. We measured phytohormones and C(18) fatty acids in tomato attacked by the parasitic plant Cuscuta pentagona, and used transgenic and mutant plants to explore the roles of the defence-related phytohormones salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA). Parasite attachment to 10-day-old tomato plants elicited few biochemical changes, but a second attachment 10 d later elicited a 60-fold increase in JA, a 30-fold increase in SA and a hypersensitive-like response (HLR). Host age also influenced the response: neither Cuscuta seedlings nor established vines elicited a HLR in 10-day-old hosts, but both did in 20-day-old hosts. Parasites grew larger on hosts deficient in SA (NahG) or insensitive to JA [jasmonic acid-insensitive1 (jai1)], suggesting that both phytohormones mediate effective defences. Moreover, amounts of JA peaked 12 h before SA, indicating that defences may be coordinated via sequential induction of these hormones. Parasitism also induced increases in free linolenic and linoleic acids and abscisic acid. These findings provide the first documentation of plant hormonal signalling induced by a parasitic plant and show that tomato responses to C. pentagona display characteristics similar to both herbivore- and pathogen-induced responses.

Antagonism between salicylic and abscisic acid reflects early host-pathogen conflict and moulds plant defence responses.

Science.gov (United States)

de Torres Zabala, Marta; Bennett, Mark H; Truman, William H; Grant, Murray R

2009-08-01

The importance of phytohormone balance is increasingly recognized as central to the outcome of plant-pathogen interactions. Recently it has been demonstrated that abscisic acid signalling pathways are utilized by the bacterial phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae to promote pathogenesis. In this study, we examined the dynamics, inter-relationship and impact of three key acidic phytohormones, salicylic acid, abscisic acid and jasmonic acid, and the bacterial virulence factor, coronatine, during progression of P. syringae infection of Arabidopsis thaliana. We show that levels of SA and ABA, but not JA, appear to play important early roles in determining the outcome of the infection process. SA is required in order to mount a full innate immune responses, while bacterial effectors act rapidly to activate ABA biosynthesis. ABA suppresses inducible innate immune responses by down-regulating SA biosynthesis and SA-mediated defences. Mutant analyses indicated that endogenous ABA levels represent an important reservoir that is necessary for effector suppression of plant-inducible innate defence responses and SA synthesis prior to subsequent pathogen-induced increases in ABA. Enhanced susceptibility due to loss of SA-mediated basal resistance is epistatically dominant over acquired resistance due to ABA deficiency, although ABA also contributes to symptom development. We conclude that pathogen-modulated ABA signalling rapidly antagonizes SA-mediated defences. We predict that hormonal perturbations, either induced or as a result of environmental stress, have a marked impact on pathological outcomes, and we provide a mechanistic basis for understanding priming events in plant defence.

What Canada could learn from U.S. defence procurement: Issues, best practices and recommendations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anessa L. Kimball

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Despite differences in scale, Canada and the U.S. face common challenges in military procurement and there is much Canada can learn as both countries pursue reforms. The U.S. employs a system of systems approach, based on requirements, resource allocation and acquisition. The process begins with the Joint Capabilities and Development System, focused on identifying and prioritizing needs and assessing alternatives. This is followed by the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution System, which leads to the creation of a budget and provides guidance for the project’s execution. The third and final step is the Defense Acquisition System, which oversees the development and purchase of the new equipment. While deceptively simple in summary, U.S. defence procurement is dogged by problems — particularly cost overruns, a surfeit of key players and delayed schedules which degrade troops’ performance in the field. Additionally, the defence products market is restricted, inevitably limiting competition, encouraging misbehaviour on the part of business and driving up prices. The DoD is in the midst of consultations with contractors and Congress is undertaking an effort to rewrite acquisition laws. But the most pressing questions remain: Does a best procurement practice exist? If so, what criteria define it? In light of Canada’s new Defence Procurement Strategy (DPS, some lessons are clear. Further analysis is needed to figure out whether reforms can succeed in so narrow a marketplace. More attention must be paid to shaping contracts and clarifying expectations about sticking to schedules. And Ottawa must think carefully about the military’s needs, as it pushes ahead with the DPS. In surveying change at the DoD, this brief draws pointed conclusions to which Canada’s defence planners must pay heed, if they’re to leave the military stronger than they found it.

Coordination between antioxidant defences might be partially modulated by magnesium status.

Science.gov (United States)

Monteiro, Cristina Paula; Matias, Catarina Nunes; Bicho, Manuel; Santa-Clara, Helena; Laires, Maria José

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to compare the redox balance in competitive adult swimmers against recreational practitioners, controlling for Mg intake. Fifteen, competitive swimmers and 16 recreational practitioners, all male and aged 18-25years, were recruited into the study. Oxidative and muscle damage markers, and antioxidant enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidants were evaluated by photometry (except for thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS), which was assessed by fluorimetry). Controlling for the level of exercise, inverse correlations were observed for uric acid and glutathione reductase (GR) or susceptibility of red blood cells to peroxidation (RBCPx); plasma adrenaline oxidase activity (AdOx) and carotenoids; TBARS and GR or Vit E; and direct correlations were observed between AdOx and creatine kinase (CK) or TBARS; CK and superoxide dismutase activity; GR and RBCPx. Controlling for Mg intake in addition to exercise level revealed new inverse correlations: between carotenoids and TBARS or lactate, and new direct correlations between lactate and AdOx or TBARS; cortisol and AdOx, CK, lactate dehydrogenase, or methemoglobin reductase. The associations between uric acid and RBCPx; AdOx and CK or TBARS; and GR and RBCPx lost their significance. All others remained significant. These outcomes suggest that the coordination between antioxidant defences may be partially modulated by Mg, which may be the result of its ability to stabilize cell membranes and oxidation targets, such as adrenaline.

The efficiency of direct torque control for electric vehicle behavior improvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gasbaoui Brahim

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays the electric vehicle motorization control takes a great interest of industrials for commercialized electric vehicles. This paper is one example of the proposed control methods that ensure both safety and stability the electric vehicle by the means of Direct Torque Control (DTC. For motion of the vehicle the electric drive consists of four wheels: two front ones for steering and two rear ones for propulsion equipped with two induction motors, due to their lightweight simplicity and high performance. Acceleration and steering are ensured by the electronic differential, permitting safe and reliable steering at any curve. The direct torque control ensures efficiently controlled vehicle. Electric vehicle direct torque control is simulated in MATLAB SIMULINK environment. Electric vehicle (EV demonstrated satisfactory results in all type of roads constraints: straight, ramp, downhill and bends.

The health and cost implications of high body mass index in Australian defence force personnel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peake Jonathan

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Frequent illness and injury among workers with high body mass index (BMI can raise the costs of employee healthcare and reduce workforce maintenance and productivity. These issues are particularly important in vocational settings such as the military, which require good physical health, regular attendance and teamwork to operate efficiently. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of injury and illness, absenteeism, productivity, healthcare usage and administrative outcomes among Australian Defence Force personnel with varying BMI. Methods Personnel were grouped into cohorts according to the following ranges for (BMI: normal (18.5 − 24.9 kg/m2; n = 197, overweight (25–29.9 kg/m2; n = 154 and obese (≥30 kg/m2 with restricted body fat (≤28% for females, ≤24% for males (n = 148 and with no restriction on body fat (n = 180. Medical records for each individual were audited retrospectively to record the incidence of injury and illness, absenteeism, productivity, healthcare usage (i.e., consultation with medical specialists, hospital stays, medical investigations, prescriptions and administrative outcomes (e.g., discharge from service over one year. These data were then grouped and compared between the cohorts. Results The prevalence of injury and illness, cost of medical specialist consultations and cost of medical scans were all higher (p  Conclusions High BMI in the military increases healthcare usage, but does not disrupt workforce maintenance. The greater prevalence of injury and illness, greater healthcare usage and lower productivity in obese Australian Defence Force personnel is not related to higher levels of body fat.

The vaginal microbiota, host defence and reproductive physiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Steven B; Ravel, Jacques

2017-01-15

The interaction between the human host and the vaginal microbiota is highly dynamic. Major changes in the vaginal physiology and microbiota over a woman's lifetime are largely shaped by transitional periods such as puberty, menopause and pregnancy, while daily fluctuations in microbial composition observed through culture-independent studies are more likely to be the results of daily life activities and behaviours. The vaginal microbiota of reproductive-aged women is largely made up of at least five different community state types. Four of these community state types are dominated by lactic-acid producing Lactobacillus spp. while the fifth is commonly composed of anaerobes and strict anaerobes and is sometimes associated with vaginal symptoms. The production of lactic acid has been associated with contributing to the overall health of the vagina due to its direct and indirect effects on pathogens and host defence. Some species associated with non-Lactobacillus vaginal microbiota may trigger immune responses as well as degrade the host mucosa, processes that ultimately increase susceptibility to infections and contribute to negative reproductive outcomes such as infertility and preterm birth. Further studies are needed to better understand the functional underpinnings of how the vaginal microbiota affect host physiology but also how host physiology affects the vaginal microbiota. Understanding this fine-tuned interaction is key to maintaining women's reproductive health. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

The vaginal microbiota, host defence and reproductive physiology

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Steven B

2016-01-01

Abstract The interaction between the human host and the vaginal microbiota is highly dynamic. Major changes in the vaginal physiology and microbiota over a woman's lifetime are largely shaped by transitional periods such as puberty, menopause and pregnancy, while daily fluctuations in microbial composition observed through culture‐independent studies are more likely to be the results of daily life activities and behaviours. The vaginal microbiota of reproductive‐aged women is largely made up of at least five different community state types. Four of these community state types are dominated by lactic‐acid producing Lactobacillus spp. while the fifth is commonly composed of anaerobes and strict anaerobes and is sometimes associated with vaginal symptoms. The production of lactic acid has been associated with contributing to the overall health of the vagina due to its direct and indirect effects on pathogens and host defence. Some species associated with non‐Lactobacillus vaginal microbiota may trigger immune responses as well as degrade the host mucosa, processes that ultimately increase susceptibility to infections and contribute to negative reproductive outcomes such as infertility and preterm birth. Further studies are needed to better understand the functional underpinnings of how the vaginal microbiota affect host physiology but also how host physiology affects the vaginal microbiota. Understanding this fine‐tuned interaction is key to maintaining women's reproductive health. PMID:27373840

Anticipatory action in self-defence: essence and limits under international law

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tibori Szabó, K.

2011-01-01

The legality of preemptive strikes is one of the most controversial questions of contemporary international law. At the core of this controversy stands the temporal dimension of self-defence: when and for how long can a state defend itself against an armed attack? Can it resort to armed force before

240 THE RELEVANCE OF THE DEFENCE OF ALIBI IN CRIMINAL ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fr. Ikenga

It is this unique defence that we seek to analyse in this work. ... been guilty'3 According to the Supreme Court in Eke v State4 alibi means ... 3 E. Jowitt, Dictionary of English Law Vol 1 (London, Sweet and Maxwell 1959) pg 156 ... (a) Every person who actually does the act or makes the omission which constitutes the offence ...

Conditions for the lawful exercise of the right of self-defence in international law

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Upeniece V.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The Charter of the United Nations wasthought to establish a normative order, maintain international peace and security. According to the Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations “Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs”[1]. However the Article 51 doesnot propose a legal definition of the conduct which is considered as an armed attack or the commencement of such an attack. It does not propose strict criterions for the use of force for self-defence. As a result different interpretations of this norm have been arising and continuing to change in response to new situations and threats.

Scenario-based energy efficiency and productivity in China: A non-radial directional distance function analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, H.; Zhou, P.; Zhou, D.Q.

2013-01-01

Improving energy efficiency and productivity is one of the most cost-effective ways for achieving the sustainable development target in China. This paper employs non-radial directional distance function approach to empirically investigate energy efficiency and energy productivity by including CO 2 emissions as an undesirable output. Three production scenarios, namely energy conservation (EC), energy conservation and emission reduction (ECER), and energy conservation, emission reduction and economic growth (ECEREG), are specified to assess China's energy efficiency and productivity growth during the period of Eleventh Five-Year Plan. Our empirical results show that there exist substantial differences in China's total-factor energy efficiency and productivity under different scenarios. Under the ECEREG scenario, the national average total-factor energy efficiency score was 0.6306 in 2005–2010, while the national average total-factor energy productivity increased by 0.27% annually during the period. The main driving force for energy productivity growth in China was energy technological change rather than energy efficiency change. - Highlights: • China's regional energy efficiency and productivity in 2005–2010 are evaluated. • Three production scenarios are considered. • Non-radial directional distance function with CO 2 emissions is employed. • Technological change is the main driver for China's energy productivity growth

Aerial Refueling For NATO’s Smart Defence Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-01

Rome: NATO Defense College, 2012, 148. 40 David A. Brown , "NATO Studying Development of Dedicated Refueling Unit Similar to Early Warning Force...accessed March 1, 2012). Brown , David A. "NATO Studying Development of Dedicated Refueling Unit Similar to Early Warning Force." Aviation Week...Aircraft. Coulsdon, Surrey: IHS Global Limited, 2011. Jennings, Gareth . "Nations Pool for NATO C-17A Fleet." Jane’s Defence Weekly, October 2008

Mapping a product-service-system delivering defence avionics availability

OpenAIRE

Settanni, E.; Thenent, N.; Newnes, L.; Parry, G.; Goh, Y. M.

2017-01-01

Long-term support agreements such as availability-based contracts are often associated with the servitization of business models in such sectors as defence aerospace. In practice, there is no unambiguous way of linking availability and service outcomes from an operational perspective; rather, the focus tends to be placed almost exclusively on product-related metrics. To address this gap, this paper outlines a conceptual model of how advanced service outcomes should be delivered under an avail...

Mechanisms involved in the evasion of the host defence by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kharazmi, A

1991-01-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an extracellular opportunistic pathogen, utilizes two major mechanisms to evade the host defence system. One of these mechanisms is the production of a large number of extracellular products, such as proteases, toxins, and lipases. The two proteases, alkaline protease and ...

The state and the defence committees in the Ghanaian revolution, 1981-1984

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Konings, P.J.J.; Hesseling, G.S.C.M.; Binsbergen, van W.M.J.; Reyntjens, F.

1986-01-01

In an attempt to overcome some of the shortcomings of the theory of the postcolonial state, this study analyses the relationship between the 'revolutionary' leadership in Ghana and the 'revolutionary' mass organizations established by the new regime, the Defence Committees. The contradictions

Manic Defences in Contemporary Society. The Psychocultural Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudan, Dusko; Jakovljevic, Miro; Marcinko, Darko

2016-12-01

The article discusses the impact of contemporary culture on the individual's personality. We used the "psychocultural" approach whose key feature is the amalgamation of theories and methods belonging to psychodynamic and psychosocial studies, as well as those used in the field of media and cultural studies. The idea of a potentially therapeutic effect of culture (therapy culture) can already been seen in Freud's and Lacan's texts, and it is often used in critical analyses of contemporary corporate culture, which is more or less developed in some parts of the world. In their criticisms, many contemporary authors emphasize that modern societies have a tendency towards the weakening of basic commitment, or lack thereof, to a social equivalent of Winnicott's concept of environmental provisions as an inalienable democratic right essential for human emotional and mental progress or emotional well-being. The article describes frequent resorting to the so-called manic defences that defensively distort, deny and obscure the awareness that a human being is not the omnipotent source of life, but instead depends on other human beings, and often tries to compensate for loss through various activities. The article describes excessive shopping as an activity that often serves as an attempt to find what was lost, i.e. to fill an emotional void. This solution (resorting to manic defences) is encouraged by contemporary culture, especially through promotional material (e.g. advertising). The main theses of this article are supported by quotations and data from world literature.

Methodology for energy audits in the framework of the energy efficiency directive

OpenAIRE

Méchaussie, Elfie; Maréchal, François; Van Eetvelde, Greet

2015-01-01

The Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU (EED) was released in October 2012 and transposed in June 2014 by Member States. The Directive requires large companies to carry out an energy audit before December 2015, which has to be repeated every 4 years. A possibility for companies to be exempted from regular energy audits is to be or become certified by an approved energy management system (EnMS), most likely the international standard ISO 50001. In both cases it means that companies have to ...

Defence intelligence in the UK: an agenda for inquiry within and beyond the ‘3 Mile Limit’

OpenAIRE

Davies, PHJ; Varouhakis, M; Abdalla, N

2016-01-01

When reflecting on UK defence intelligence, one is reminded of a mahogany bookshelf with a single book on it. At first glance, it may appear there is not much to the story, but when you pull the book, the entire bookshelf slides to reveal a labyrinth of history that spans decades in breadth and a surprising depth of other, sometimes additional and sometimes subordinate, but no less significant and even less scrutinised additional organisations, entities and processes that have made up defence...

Was It Really Worth Pain? Refurbishment of Mercedes-Benz Trucks by Botswana Defence Force

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rangobana, Samuel A; Alkebaisi, Hussain K

2005-01-01

.... Logistics statistics, for refurbished trucks returned to user units, are also gathered from the asset management software database, Mincom Ellipse, in use by the Botswana Defence Force Mechanical...

Application of Defence of Insanity in Nigerian Courts: The Missing Link

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aim: This paper is aimed at appraising the import of forensic psychology to the legal trials of mentally ill people. Method: Nigeria laws are replete with Criminal Codes and Criminal Procedure Acts but there are numerous failed cases of insanity defences in Nigeria. The research technique of content analysis of insanity ...

Pathogenesis and host defence against Mucorales: the role of cytokines and interaction with antifungal drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Roilides, Emmanuel; Antachopoulos, Charalampos; Simitsopoulou, Maria

2014-12-01

Innate immune response, including macrophages, neutrophils and dendritic cells and their respective receptors, plays an important role in host defences against Mucorales with differential activity against specific fungal species, while adaptive immunity is not the first line of defence. A number of endogenous and exogenous factors, such as cytokines and growth factors as well as certain antifungal agents have been found that they influence innate immune response to these organisms. Used alone or especially in combination have been shown to exert antifungal effects against Mucorales species. These findings suggest novel ways of adjunctive therapy for patients with invasive mucormycosis. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The Party Politics of Legislative-Executive Relations in Security and Defence Policy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wagner, W.M.; Herranz-Surralles, A.; Kaarbo, J.; Ostermann, F.

2017-01-01

The move from territorial defence to ‘wars of choice’ has influenced the domestic politics of military interventions. This paper examines the extent to which both the substance and the procedure of military interventions are contested among political parties. Regarding the substance, our analysis of

Did fleshy fruit pulp evolve as a defence against seed loss rather ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

dispersers. Most seed dispersal studies are ecological and examine the role of fruit pulp in promoting seed dispersal. ... Introduction. Endozoochory, the interaction between fleshy-fruited plants ... adaptations for seed defence may have led to the evolution ..... Eriksson O and Bremer B 1992 Pollination systems, dispersal.

Fitness consequences of indirect plant defence in the annual weed, Sinapis arvensis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gols, R.; Wagenaar, R.; Poelman, E.H.; Kruidhof, H.M.; van Loon, J.J.A.; Harvey, J.A.

2015-01-01

Plant traits that enhance the attraction of the natural enemies of their herbivores have been postulated to function as an 'indirect defence'. An important underlying assumption is that this enhanced attraction results in increased plant fitness due to reduced herbivory. This assumption has been

Phospholipase D and phosphatidic acid in plant defence response: from protein-protein and lipid-protein interactions to hormone signalling.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jian

2015-04-01

Phospholipase Ds (PLDs) and PLD-derived phosphatidic acids (PAs) play vital roles in plant hormonal and environmental responses and various cellular dynamics. Recent studies have further expanded the functions of PLDs and PAs into plant-microbe interaction. The molecular diversities and redundant functions make PLD-PA an important signalling complex regulating lipid metabolism, cytoskeleton dynamics, vesicle trafficking, and hormonal signalling in plant defence through protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions or hormone signalling. Different PLD-PA signalling complexes and their targets have emerged as fast-growing research topics for understanding their numerous but not yet established roles in modifying pathogen perception, signal transduction, and downstream defence responses. Meanwhile, advanced lipidomics tools have allowed researchers to reveal further the mechanisms of PLD-PA signalling complexes in regulating lipid metabolism and signalling, and their impacts on jasmonic acid/oxylipins, salicylic acid, and other hormone signalling pathways that essentially mediate plant defence responses. This review attempts to summarize the progress made in spatial and temporal PLD/PA signalling as well as PLD/PA-mediated modification of plant defence. It presents an in-depth discussion on the functions and potential mechanisms of PLD-PA complexes in regulating actin filament/microtubule cytoskeleton, vesicle trafficking, and hormonal signalling, and in influencing lipid metabolism-derived metabolites as critical signalling components in plant defence responses. The discussion puts PLD-PA in a broader context in order to guide future research. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparing Presidents and Their Actions "To Provide for the Common Defence"

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Joe; Hood, Jack

2009-01-01

As noted by Onosko, the nature of the social studies curriculum typically results in superficial and disconnected coverage of the content with few opportunities for in-depth investigation and discussion of that content. Engaging students in a comparative study of U.S. Presidents and actions they took "to provide for the common defence"…

Politics, pleasure, violence: Swedish defence propaganda in social media

OpenAIRE

Rodrigo Ferrada Stoehrel

2013-01-01

In recent years, the Swedish Armed Forces have produced and distributed highly edited video clips on YouTube that show moving images of military activity. Alongside this development, mobile phone apps have emerged as an important channel through which the user can experience and take an interactive part in the staging of contemporary armed conflict. This article examines the way in which the aesthetic and affective experience of Swedish defence and security policy is socially and (media-)cult...

Trade-off among different anti-herbivore defence strategies along an altitudinal gradient

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dostálek, T.; Rokaya, Maan Bahadur; Maršík, P.; Rezek, J.; Skuhrovec, J.; Pavela, R.; Münzbergová, Z.

2016-01-01

Roč. 8, Jul 11 (2016), č. článku plw026. ISSN 2041-2851 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : Climate change * Lamiaceae * VOCs * defence strategies * elevation * greenhouse experiment * insect herbivory * plant–animal interactions Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 2.238, year: 2016

Development of a single logistic process for the South African National Defence Force

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Schmitz, Peter MU

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) contracted the CSIR to investigate and propose methods to improve its logistics and inventory accounting capabilities. The CSIR proposed that a supply chain management approach should be followed...

Identification and characterization of novel defence and PCD signalling components in Arabidopsis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xie, Wenjun

rescued syp121 syp122 ssdx (suppressor of syntaxin-related death) lines were collected. SSD genes are typically required for pathogen defence. In this PhD project, using some of these triple mutant lines, SSD6 and SSD12 were identified to be novel genes by Mutmap and complementation test. SSD6 encode...... a large protein with at least six domains with predicted functions, and mutations in five of these showed that they are important for the lesion mimic phenotype of syp121 syp122. Subcellular localization showed SSD6 to function on the ER. In the project, a split-GFP Gateway vector system was developed...... for topology studies of membrane proteins, and SSD6 was found to be an ER membrane-anchored cytosolic protein. The position of SSD6 in the defence signalling network was studied using syp121 syp122 ssd6 ssdy quadruple mutants, which suggested that SSD6 is not involved in any known signalling pathway. All...

Efficient Placement of Directional Antennas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, Feng [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kasiviswanathan, Shiva [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2010-09-20

Directional antenna is an technology for the proliferation of wireless networks. In centralized wireless network, wireless devices communicate through base stations. Directed antennas are placed on base stations and form a backbone of communication. The communication between base stations and wireless devices can be interfered due to a large number of wireless device. Methodically positioning and orienting directed antennas can help to reduce the interference while saving energy. An integer linear programming is developed for siting and directing antennas on multiple base stations, and this formulation can be extended to model non-overlapping channels. Through the integer programming formulation, optimal antenna positions can be used to analyze the performance of directed antennas with different parameters like the number base stations and the number of non-overlapping channels.

NATO Guide for Judgement-Based Operational Analysis in Defence Decision Making : Analyst-Oriented Volume - Code of Best Practice for Soft Operational Analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijnmalen, D.J.D.; et al

2012-01-01

Judgment plays an important role in all Operational Analysis (OA). NATO practitioners have determined that approaches in OA that are based on human judgement are increasingly critical to defence decision making. The purpose of the NATO Guide for Judgement-Based OA in Defence Decision Making is to

The Australian Defence Force Mental Health Prevalence and Wellbeing Study: design and methods.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hooff, M.V.; McFarlane, A.C.; Davies, C.E.; Searle, A.K.; Fairweather-Schmidt, A.K.; Verhagen, A.F.; Benassi, H.; Hodson, S.E.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: The Australian Defence Force (ADF) Mental Health Prevalence and Wellbeing Study (MHPWS) is the first study of mental disorder prevalence in an entire military population. OBJECTIVE: The MHPWS aims to establish mental disorder prevalence, refine current ADF mental health screening

Post-translational modification of host proteins in pathogen-triggered defence signalling in plants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stulemeijer, I.J.E.; Joosten, M.H.A.J.

2008-01-01

Microbial plant pathogens impose a continuous threat to global food production. Similar to animals, an innate immune system allows plants to recognize pathogens and swiftly activate defence. To activate a rapid response, receptor-mediated pathogen perception and subsequent downstream signalling

The Canadian Defence Input-Output Model DIO Version 4.41

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

Request to develop DND tailored Input/Output Model. Electronic communication from AllenWeldon to Team Leader, Defence Economics Team onMarch 12, 2011...and similar contain- ers 166 1440 Handbags, wallets and similar personal articles such as eyeglass and cigar cases and coin purses 167 1450 Cotton yarn...408 3600 Radar and radio navigation equipment 409 3619 Semi-conductors 410 3621 Printed circuits 411 3622 Integrated circuits 412 3623 Other electronic

The wheat NB-LRR gene TaRCR1 is required for host defence response to the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xiuliang; Lu, Chungui; Du, Lipu; Ye, Xingguo; Liu, Xin; Coules, Anne; Zhang, Zengyan

2017-06-01

The necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis is the major pathogen causing sharp eyespot disease in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) proteins often mediate plant disease resistance to biotrophic pathogens. Little is known about the role of NB-LRR genes involved in wheat response to R. cerealis. In this study, a wheat NB-LRR gene, named TaRCR1, was identified in response to R. cerealis infection using Artificial Neural Network analysis based on comparative transcriptomics and its defence role was characterized. The transcriptional level of TaRCR1 was enhanced after R. cerealis inoculation and associated with the resistance level of wheat. TaRCR1 was located on wheat chromosome 3BS and encoded an NB-LRR protein that was consisting of a coiled-coil domain, an NB-ARC domain and 13 imperfect leucine-rich repeats. TaRCR1 was localized in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Silencing of TaRCR1 impaired wheat resistance to R. cerealis, whereas TaRCR1 overexpression significantly increased the resistance in transgenic wheat. TaRCR1 regulated certain reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging and production, and defence-related genes, and peroxidase activity. Furthermore, H 2 O 2 pretreatment for 12-h elevated expression levels of TaRCR1 and the above defence-related genes, whereas treatment with a peroxidase inhibitor for 12 h reduced the resistance of TaRCR1-overexpressing transgenic plants and expression levels of these defence-related genes. Taken together, TaRCR1 positively contributes to defence response to R. cerealis through maintaining ROS homoeostasis and regulating the expression of defence-related genes. © 2016 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

IAEA safety fundamentals: the safety of nuclear installations and the defence in depth concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aro, I.

2005-01-01

This presentation is a replica of the similar presentation provided by the IAEA Basic Professional Training Course on Nuclear Safety. The presentation utilizes the IAEA Safety Series document No. 110, Safety Fundamentals: the Safety of Nuclear Installations. The objective of the presentation is to provide the basic rationale for actions in provision of nuclear safety. The presentation also provides basis to understand national nuclear safety requirements. There are three Safety Fundamentals documents in the IAEA Safety Series: one for nuclear safety, one for radiation safety and one for waste safety. The IAEA is currently revising its Safety Fundamentals by combining them into one general Safety Fundamentals document. The IAEA Safety Fundamentals are not binding requirements to the Member States. But, a very similar text has been provided in the Convention on Nuclear Safety which is legally binding for the Member State after ratification by the Parliament. This presentation concentrates on nuclear safety. The Safety Fundamentals documents are the 'policy documents' of the IAEA Safety Standards Series. They state the basic objectives, concepts and principles involved in ensuring protection and safety in the development and application of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. They will state - without providing technical details and without going into the application of principles - the rationale for actions necessary in meeting Safety Requirements. Chapter 7 of this presentation describes the basic features of defence in depth concept which is referred to in the Safety Fundamentals document. The defence in depth concept is a key issue in reaching high level of safety specifically at the design stage but as the reader can see the extended concept also refers to the operational stage. The appendix has been taken directly from the IAEA Basic Professional Training Course on Nuclear Safety and applied to the Finnish conditions. The text originates from the references

The genetic architecture of defence as resistance to and tolerance of bacterial infection in Drosophila melanogaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Howick, Virginia M; Lazzaro, Brian P

2017-03-01

Defence against pathogenic infection can take two forms: resistance and tolerance. Resistance is the ability of the host to limit a pathogen burden, whereas tolerance is the ability to limit the negative consequences of infection at a given level of infection intensity. Evolutionarily, a tolerance strategy that is independent of resistance could allow the host to avoid mounting a costly immune response and, theoretically, to avoid a co-evolutionary arms race between pathogen virulence and host resistance. Biomedically, understanding the mechanisms of tolerance and how they relate to resistance could potentially yield treatment strategies that focus on health improvement instead of pathogen elimination. To understand the impact of tolerance on host defence and identify genetic variants that determine host tolerance, we defined genetic variation in tolerance as the residual deviation from a binomial regression of fitness under infection against infection intensity. We then performed a genomewide association study to map the genetic basis of variation in resistance to and tolerance of infection by the bacterium Providencia rettgeri. We found a positive genetic correlation between resistance and tolerance, and we demonstrated that the level of resistance is highly predictive of tolerance. We identified 30 loci that predict tolerance, many of which are in genes involved in the regulation of immunity and metabolism. We used RNAi to confirm that a subset of mapped genes have a role in defence, including putative wound repair genes grainy head and debris buster. Our results indicate that tolerance is not an independent strategy from resistance, but that defence arises from a collection of physiological processes intertwined with canonical immunity and resistance. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Role of the Regulatory Body in Implementing Defence in Depth in Nuclear Installations - Regulatory Oversight in Egypt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Sheikh, B. M., E-mail: badawymel@yahoo.com [Egyptian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority Cairo (Egypt)

2014-10-15

The fundamental objective of all nuclear safety regulatory bodies is to ensure that nuclear facilities are operated at all times in an acceptably safe manner including the safe conduct of decommissioning activities. Defence in depth is recognized as one of the fundamental safety principles that underlie the safety of nuclear power plants. Defence in depth is implemented to provide a graded protection against a wide variety of transients, incidents and accidents, including equipment failures and human errors within nuclear power plants and events initiated outside plants. The Regulator Body plays an important role in implementing defence in depth in nuclear installations in the context of a clear allocation of responsibilities with an operating organization. This role starting with setting safety objectives and by its own independent review and technical assessment of the safety justifications provided by the operating organization in addition to safety culture investigating within relevant organizations. This paper briefly reviews this role in normal operation and post accidents, and its effects on overall nuclear safety in nuclear installations with reference to Egyptian regulatory oversight. (author)

Leaf habit does not determine the investment in both physical and chemical defences and pair-wise correlations between these defensive traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, X; Pearse, I S

2017-05-01

Plant life-history strategies associated with resource acquisition and economics (e.g. leaf habit) are thought to be fundamental determinants of the traits and mechanisms that drive herbivore pressure, resource allocation to plant defensive traits, and the simultaneous expression (positive correlations) or trade-offs (negative correlations) between these defensive traits. In particular, it is expected that evergreen species - which usually grow slower and support constant herbivore pressure in comparison with deciduous species - will exhibit higher levels of both physical and chemical defences and a higher predisposition to the simultaneous expression of physical and chemical defensive traits. Here, by using a dataset which included 56 oak species (Quercus genus), we investigated whether leaf habit of plant species governs the investment in both physical and chemical defences and pair-wise correlations between these defensive traits. Our results showed that leaf habit does not determine the production of most leaf physical and chemical defences. Although evergreen oak species had higher levels of leaf toughness and specific leaf mass (physical defences) than deciduous oak species, both traits are essentially prerequisites for evergreenness. Similarly, our results also showed that leaf habit does not determine pair-wise correlations between defensive traits because most physical and chemical defensive traits were simultaneously expressed in both evergreen and deciduous oak species. Our findings indicate that leaf habit does not substantially contribute to oak species differences in plant defence investment. © 2017 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Expression profiles of defence related cDNAs in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) inoculated with mycorrhizae and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai T32.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Yung-Chie; Wong, Mui-Yun; Ho, Chai-Ling

2015-11-01

Basal stem rot is one of the major diseases of oil palm (Elaies guineensis Jacq.) caused by pathogenic Ganoderma species. Trichoderma and mycorrhizae were proposed to be able to reduce the disease severity. However, their roles in improving oil palm defence system by possibly inducing defence-related genes in the host are not well characterized. To better understand that, transcript profiles of eleven putative defence-related cDNAs in the roots of oil palm inoculated with Trichoderma harzianum T32 and mycorrhizae at different time points were studied. Transcripts encoding putative Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor (EgBBI2) and defensin (EgDFS) increased more than 2 fold in mycorrhizae-treated roots at 6 weeks post inoculation (wpi) compared to those in controls. Transcripts encoding putative dehydrin (EgDHN), glycine-rich RNA binding protein (EgGRRBP), isoflavone reductase (EgIFR), type 2 ribosome inactivating protein (EgT2RIP), and EgDFS increased in the oil palm roots treated with T. harzianum at 6 and/or 12 wpi compared to those in the controls. Some of these genes were also expressed in oil palm roots treated with Ganoderma boninense. This study provides an insight of some defence-related genes induced by Trichoderma and mycorrhizae, and their roles as potential agents to boost the plant defence system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Advent of Representative Associations in the Irish Defence Forces

Science.gov (United States)

1992-06-05

year period from 1975 to 1988. The Submission Group had difficulty finding appropriate groups in the Irish labour market against which to compare the...in the Irish Labour market , the average male industrial worker was chosen. In choosing the male industrial worker, it was not suggested that this...Defence Forces to have all young officers attend University College Galway ( UCG ) or a similar third level institute for the purpose of acquiring a

Training directionally selective motion pathways can significantly improve reading efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, Teri

2004-06-01

This study examined whether perceptual learning at early levels of visual processing would facilitate learning at higher levels of processing. This was examined by determining whether training the motion pathways by practicing leftright movement discrimination, as found previously, would improve the reading skills of inefficient readers significantly more than another computer game, a word discrimination game, or the reading program offered by the school. This controlled validation study found that practicing left-right movement discrimination 5-10 minutes twice a week (rapidly) for 15 weeks doubled reading fluency, and significantly improved all reading skills by more than one grade level, whereas inefficient readers in the control groups barely improved on these reading skills. In contrast to previous studies of perceptual learning, these experiments show that perceptual learning of direction discrimination significantly improved reading skills determined at higher levels of cognitive processing, thereby being generalized to a new task. The deficits in reading performance and attentional focus experienced by the person who struggles when reading are suggested to result from an information overload, resulting from timing deficits in the direction-selectivity network proposed by Russell De Valois et al. (2000), that following practice on direction discrimination goes away. This study found that practicing direction discrimination rapidly transitions the inefficient 7-year-old reader to an efficient reader.

Transgenic expression of a functional fragment of harpin protein Hpa1 in wheat induces the phloem-based defence against English grain aphid

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Maoqiang; Xu, Manyu; Zhang, Chunling

2014-01-01

The harpin protein Hpa1 has multiple beneficial effects in plants, promoting plant growth and development, increasing crop yield, and inducing resistance to pathogens and insect pests. For these effects, the 10–40 residue fragment (Hpa110–42) isolated from the Hpa1 sequence is 1.3- to 7.5-fold more effective than the full-length protein. Here it is reported that the expression of Hpa110–42 under the direction of an insect-induced promoter induces the phloem-based defence to English grain aphid, a dominant species of wheat aphids. The expression of Hpa110–42 was found to compromise the colonization preference of aphids on the plant and further inhibit aphid reproduction in leaf colonies. In Hpa110–42-expressing wheat lines, moreover, aphid feeding from the phloem was repressed in correlation with the phloem-based defence. This defensive mechanism was shown as enhanced expression of wheat genes encoding phloem lectin proteins (PP2-A1 and PP2-A2) and β-1,3-glucan synthase-like enzymes (GSL2, GSL10, and GSL12). Both PP2-A and β-1,3-glucan formed high molecular mass polymers to block phloem sieve plate pores and therefore impede aphid feeding from the phloem. However, the phloem-based defence was impaired by treating plants with ethylene signalling inhibitors, suggesting the requirement for the ethylene signalling pathway. In addition, if Hpa110–42-expressing plants were subjected to attack by a small number of aphids, they newly acquired agriculturally beneficial characters, such as enhanced vegetative growth and increased tiller numbers and grain output values. These results suggest that the defensive and developmental roles of Hpa110–42 can be integrated into the germplasm of this agriculturally significant crop. PMID:24676030

Establishment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection: Translational evasion of oxidative defence

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Shiu-Wan

2014-01-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes a clinically important disease affecting 3% of the world population. HCV is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the genus Hepacivirus within the Flaviviridae family. The virus establishes a chronic infection in the face of an active host oxidative defence, thus adaptation to oxidative stress is key to virus survival. Being a small RNA virus with a limited genomic capacity, we speculate that HCV deploys a different strategy to evade host oxidative defence. Instead of counteracting oxidative stress, it utilizes oxidative stress to facilitate its own survival. Translation is the first step in the replication of a plus strand RNA virus so it would make sense if the virus can exploit the host oxidative defence in facilitating this very first step. This is particularly true when HCV utilizes an internal ribosome entry site element in translation, which is distinctive from that of cap-dependent translation of the vast majority of cellular genes, thus allowing selective translation of genes under conditions when global protein synthesis is compromised. Indeed, we were the first to show that HCV translation was stimulated by an important pro-oxidant-hydrogen peroxide in hepatocytes, suggesting that HCV is able to adapt to and utilize the host anti-viral response to facilitate its own translation thus allowing the virus to thrive under oxidative stress condition to establish chronicity. Understanding how HCV translation is regulated under oxidative stress condition will advance our knowledge on how HCV establishes chronicity. As chronicity is the initiator step in disease progression this will eventually lead to a better understanding of pathogenicity, which is particularly relevant to the development of anti-virals and improved treatments of HCV patients using anti-oxidants. PMID:24659872

Establishment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection: translational evasion of oxidative defence.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Shiu-Wan

2014-03-21

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes a clinically important disease affecting 3% of the world population. HCV is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the genus Hepacivirus within the Flaviviridae family. The virus establishes a chronic infection in the face of an active host oxidative defence, thus adaptation to oxidative stress is key to virus survival. Being a small RNA virus with a limited genomic capacity, we speculate that HCV deploys a different strategy to evade host oxidative defence. Instead of counteracting oxidative stress, it utilizes oxidative stress to facilitate its own survival. Translation is the first step in the replication of a plus strand RNA virus so it would make sense if the virus can exploit the host oxidative defence in facilitating this very first step. This is particularly true when HCV utilizes an internal ribosome entry site element in translation, which is distinctive from that of cap-dependent translation of the vast majority of cellular genes, thus allowing selective translation of genes under conditions when global protein synthesis is compromised. Indeed, we were the first to show that HCV translation was stimulated by an important pro-oxidant-hydrogen peroxide in hepatocytes, suggesting that HCV is able to adapt to and utilize the host anti-viral response to facilitate its own translation thus allowing the virus to thrive under oxidative stress condition to establish chronicity. Understanding how HCV translation is regulated under oxidative stress condition will advance our knowledge on how HCV establishes chronicity. As chronicity is the initiator step in disease progression this will eventually lead to a better understanding of pathogenicity, which is particularly relevant to the development of anti-virals and improved treatments of HCV patients using anti-oxidants.

Trade-off among different anti-herbivore defence strategies along an altitudinal gradient

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dostálek, Tomáš; Rokaya, Maan Bahadur; Maršík, Petr; Rezek, Jan; Skuhrovec, J.; Pavela, R.; Münzbergová, Zuzana

2016-01-01

Roč. 8, Jul 11 (2016), č. článku plw026. ISSN 2041-2851 R&D Projects: GA ČR GP13-10850P Institutional support: RVO:67985939 ; RVO:61389030 Keywords : climate change * plant–animal interactions * defence strategies Subject RIV: EF - Botanics; EF - Botanics (UEB-Q) Impact factor: 2.238, year: 2016

43. and 44. annual meeting of the Civil Defence Commission of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

Changes in the conditions governing international safety call for a re-orientation in civil defence policy. The 23 papers presented to the meetings address aspects such as external hazards, including illicit trafficking with nuclear materials, novel risks emanating from the population growth rates, the international refugee problem, environmental issues, and new approaches in civil defence policy also encompassing emergency preparedness under the responsibility of the Laender. Futher topics discussed are proposals for improvement of first-aid medical care, or new approaches in concepts for risk identification and management as well as preventive action. (DG) [de

Efficient direct yaw moment control: tyre slip power loss minimisation for four-independent wheel drive vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Takao; Katsuyama, Etsuo; Sugiura, Hideki; Ono, Eiichi; Yamamoto, Masaki

2018-05-01

This paper proposes an efficient direct yaw moment control (DYC) capable of minimising tyre slip power loss on contact patches for a four-independent wheel drive vehicle. Simulations identified a significant power loss reduction with a direct yaw moment due to a change in steer characteristics during acceleration or deceleration while turning. Simultaneously, the vehicle motion can be stabilised. As a result, the proposed control method can ensure compatibility between vehicle dynamics performance and energy efficiency. This paper also describes the results of a full-vehicle simulation that was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the proposed DYC.

Audit of annual medical appraisal and revalidation activity across the UK Defence Medical Services 2013-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Louisa E; Withnall, Rdj

2017-02-01

To provide the first annual audit of Defence Medical Services (DMS) medical appraisal and revalidation activity. A questionnaire-based survey of appraisal and revalidation activity within the 2013-2014 appraisal year (1 April 2013 - 1 March 2014) across the Royal Navy (RN), Army, Royal Air Force (RAF) and Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Defence Postgraduate Medical Deanery (DPMD) Designated Bodies (DBs). Mandatory annual medical appraisal of all DMS doctors was introduced in 2002. The General Medical Council (GMC) introduced licences to practise in November 2011. Revalidation went live in December 2012. In the 2013-2014 appraisal year, there were 1379 DMS doctors. The Responsible Officers (ROs) of the RN, Army, RAF, MOD and Defence Postgraduate Medical Deanery (DPMD) provide appraisal and revalidation services for doctors within their DBs. In the 2013-2014 appraisal year, 82% of DMS doctors completed an annual appraisal. ROs provided positive revalidation recommendations for 90% of DMS doctors without the need for additional supporting information. Additional supporting evidence was required for 10% of DMS trained doctors, but ultimately 100% of DMS doctors due revalidation in the 2013-2014 appraisal year received a positive recommendation. To assist DMS compliance with GMC quality assurance requirements, HQ Surgeon General now maintains a central database of appraisal and revalidation data across the five DMS DBs. Appropriately targeted appraiser training and 'revalidation ready top-up' training should be provided to ensure the demand for military appraisers is met, and that DMS appraisers appropriately maintain their skills. MOD now maintains a central live database for ongoing appraisal and revalidation monitoring. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Trichoderma harzianum T-78 supplementation of compost stimulates the antioxidant defence system in melon plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernal-Vicente, Agustina; Pascual, José A; Tittarelli, Fabio; Hernández, José A; Diaz-Vivancos, Pedro

2015-08-30

Compost is emerging as an alternative plant growing medium in efforts to achieve more sustainable agriculture. The addition of specific microorganisms such as Trichoderma harzianum to plant growth substrates increases yields and reduces plant diseases, but the mechanisms of such biostimulants and the biocontrol effects are not yet fully understood. In this work we investigated how the addition of citrus and vineyard composts, either alone or in combination with T. harzianum T-78, affects the antioxidant defence system in melon plants under nursery conditions. Compost application and/or Trichoderma inoculation modulated the antioxidant defence system in melon plants. The combination of citrus compost and Trichoderma showed a biostimulant effect that correlated with an increase in ascorbate recycling enzymes (monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase) and peroxidase. Moreover, the inoculation of both composts with Trichoderma increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, especially those involved in ascorbate recycling. Based on the long-established relationship between ascorbic acid and plant defence responses as well as plant growth and development, it can be suggested that ascorbate recycling activities play a major role in the protection provided by Trichoderma and its biostimulant effect and that these outcomes are linked to increases in antioxidant enzymes. We can conclude that the combination of citrus compost and T. harzianum T-78 constitutes a viable, environmentally friendly strategy for improving melon plant production. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

An Analysis of SE and MBSE Concepts to Support Defence Capability Acquisition

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-01

Architecture Review Meeting ATM Automatic Teller Machine AUSDAF Australian Defence Architecture Framework (also known as DAF) BOK Body of Knowledge BPMN ...behaviour trees, • business process modelling notation ( BPMN ™), • flowcharts, • IDEFx™ family of diagrams, and • Architecture Description...model diagraming of the ilk of BPMN , UML and SysML33 is heavily rules- 32 Architecture

Efficient Parallel Algorithm For Direct Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Moitra, Stuti; Gatski, Thomas B.

1997-01-01

A distributed algorithm for a high-order-accurate finite-difference approach to the direct numerical simulation (DNS) of transition and turbulence in compressible flows is described. This work has two major objectives. The first objective is to demonstrate that parallel and distributed-memory machines can be successfully and efficiently used to solve computationally intensive and input/output intensive algorithms of the DNS class. The second objective is to show that the computational complexity involved in solving the tridiagonal systems inherent in the DNS algorithm can be reduced by algorithm innovations that obviate the need to use a parallelized tridiagonal solver.

Protect and Survive: "Whiteness" and the Middle-Class Family in Civil Defence Pedagogies

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, John

2008-01-01

"Civil defence pedagogies" normalise continuous emergency through educational channels such as school, community and adult education. Using critical whiteness studies, and critiques of white supremacy from critical race theory, as a conceptual base, the protection of whiteness, and particularly the white middle-class family, is considered to be…

Relationship of Teaching Efficiency with Academic Self-Efficacy and Self-Directed Learning among English Language Students: University Students’ Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maryam Shohoudi

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Self-directed learning is originated from adult education which has currently gained a special place in educational systems and is influenced by many variables such as teaching self-efficacy and self-directed learning. This research investigated the relationship of teachers’ teaching with academic self-efficacy and self-directed learning from English language students' perspectives. Methods: The study population comprised of all bachelor, master and Ph.D. English language students of Allameh Tabataba’i University (2014-2015 who had passed at least one semester. A total of 159 students were selected as study sample using Cochran formula and proportional stratified sampling. The data were collected through three standard questionnaires with confirmed validity and reliability. Data were analyzed by one-sample t-test, Pearson correlation and multiple regression. Results: With regard to teaching efficiency, content presentation, learning evaluation and class management skills were higher than average and lesson planning and control over content skills were at an average level. Also, all dimensions of academic self-efficacy and self-directed learning were significantly higher than average. The correlation between teaching efficiency and self-efficacy (r=0.367 and self-directed learning (r=0.571, and between self-efficacy and self-directed learning (r=0.523 was statistically significant (P<0.01. Moreover, a combination of teaching efficiency dimensions could predict different dimensions of self-efficacy and all components of self-directed learning. Furthermore, self-efficacy dimensions were good predictors of self-directed learning. Conclusion: Success in the realm of academia and organizational learning depends on the learners’ updated knowledge and skills and self-directed learning. Also, it seems teachers’ efficient teaching affects students’ academic self-efficacy, orienting them toward self-directed learning.

Energetic consequences of an inducible morphological defence in crucian carp.

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Pettersson, Lars B; Brönmark, Christer

1999-10-01

Crucian carp (Carassius carassius) increases in body depth in response to chemical cues from piscivores and the deeper body constitutes a morphological defence against gape-limited piscivores. In the field, deep-bodied individuals suffer a density-dependent cost when competing with shallow-bodied conspecifics. Here, we use hydrodynamic theory and swimming respirometry to investigate the proposed mechanism underlying this effect, high drag caused by the deep-bodied morphology. Our study confirms that drag is higher for deep-bodied crucian carp, both in terms of estimated theoretical drag and power curve steepness. However, deep-bodied fish swimming at the velocity associated with minimum cost of transport, U mc , did not experience higher costs of transport than shallow-bodied fish. Deep-bodied crucian carp had significantly lower standard metabolic rates, i.e. metabolic rates at rest, and also lower U mc , and the resulting costs of transport were similar for the two morphs. Nevertheless, when deep-bodied individuals deviate from U mc , e.g. when increasing foraging effort under competition, their steeper power curves will cause substantial energy costs relative to shallow-bodied conspecifics. Furthermore, there is evidence that reductions in standard metabolic rate incur costs in terms of lower stress tolerance, reduced growth rate, and life history changes. Thus, this work provides links between hydrodynamics, a cost-reducing mechanism, and a density-dependent fitness cost associated with an inducible defence.

Behavioural profiles in the mouse defence test battery suggest anxiolytic potential of 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonists.

Science.gov (United States)

Griebel, G; Rodgers, R J; Perrault, G; Sanger, D J

1999-05-01

Compounds varying in selectivity as 5-HT1A receptor antagonists have recently been reported to produce anxiolytic-like effects comparable to those of benzodiazepines in the mouse elevated plus-maze procedure. In view of the potential clinical significance of these findings, the present experiments compared the behavioural effects of diazepam (0.5-3.0 mg/kg) with those of several non-selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonists [NAN-190, 0.1-3.0 mg/kg, MM-77, 0.03-1.0 mg/kg, (S)-UH-301, 0.3-3.0 mg/kg and pindobind-5-HT1A, 0.03-1.0 mg/kg], and three selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonists (WAY100635, 0.01-3.0 mg/kg, p-MPPI, 0.1-3.0 mg/kg and SL88.0338, 0.3-3.0 mg/kg) in the mouse defence test battery (MDTB). In this well-validated anxiolytic screening test, Swiss mice are directly confronted with a natural threat (a rat) as well as situations associated with this threat. Primary measures taken during and after rat confrontation were flight, risk assessment (RA), defensive threat/attack and escape attempts. Diazepam significantly decreased flight reactions after the rat was introduced into the runway, reduced RA activities of mice chased by the rat, increased RA responses displayed when subjects were constrained in a straight alley and reduced defensive upright postures and biting upon forced contact. All the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonists and NAN-190 also reduced flight, RA in the chase test, and defensive threat and attack behaviours. (S)-UH-301 and pindobind-5-HT1A reduced RA in the chase test, but only partially modified defensive threat and attack. Unlike the other drugs tested, MM-77 produced significant effects only at doses which also markedly reduced spontaneous locomotor activity, suggesting a behaviourally non-specific action. In contrast to diazepam, the 5-HT1A receptor ligands failed to affect RA in the straight alley test. Following removal of the rat from the test area, only diazepam and (S)-UH-301 reduced escape behaviour (contextual defence) at doses

Study The Validity of The Direct Mathematical Method For Calculation The Total Efficiency Using Point And Disk Sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagag, O.M.; Nafee, S.S.; Naeem, M.A.; El Khatib, A.M.

2011-01-01

The direct mathematical method has been developed for calculating the total efficiency of many cylindrical gamma detectors, especially HPGe and NaI detector. Different source geometries are considered (point and disk). Further into account is taken of gamma attenuation from detector window or any interfacing absorbing layer. Results are compared with published experimental data to study the validity of the direct mathematical method to calculate total efficiency for any gamma detector size.

Expression profiling of marker genes responsive to the defence-associated phytohormones salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and ethylene in Brachypodium distachyon.

Science.gov (United States)

Kouzai, Yusuke; Kimura, Mamiko; Yamanaka, Yurie; Watanabe, Megumi; Matsui, Hidenori; Yamamoto, Mikihiro; Ichinose, Yuki; Toyoda, Kazuhiro; Onda, Yoshihiko; Mochida, Keiichi; Noutoshi, Yoshiteru

2016-03-02

Brachypodium distachyon is a promising model plants for grasses. Infections of Brachypodium by various pathogens that severely impair crop production have been reported, and the species accordingly provides an alternative platform for investigating molecular mechanisms of pathogen virulence and plant disease resistance. To date, we have a broad picture of plant immunity only in Arabidopsis and rice; therefore, Brachypodium may constitute a counterpart that displays the commonality and uniqueness of defence systems among plant species. Phytohormones play key roles in plant biotic stress responses, and hormone-responsive genes are used to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate disease resistance responses during pathogen infection. For these purposes, defence-related phytohormone marker genes expressed at time points suitable for defence-response monitoring are needed. Information about their expression profiles over time as well as their response specificity is also helpful. However, useful marker genes are still rare in Brachypodium. We selected 34 candidates for Brachypodium marker genes on the basis of protein-sequence similarity to known marker genes used in Arabidopsis and rice. Brachypodium plants were treated with the defence-related phytohormones salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and ethylene, and their transcription levels were measured 24 and 48 h after treatment. Two genes for salicylic acid, 7 for jasmonic acid and 2 for ethylene were significantly induced at either or both time points. We then focused on 11 genes encoding pathogenesis-related (PR) 1 protein and compared their expression patterns with those of Arabidopsis and rice. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Brachypodium contains several PR1-family genes similar to rice genes. Our expression profiling revealed that regulation patterns of some PR1 genes as well as of markers identified for defence-related phytohormones are closely related to those in rice. We propose that the Brachypodium immune

Assessing eco-efficiency: A metafrontier directional distance function approach using life cycle analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beltrán-Esteve, Mercedes; Reig-Martínez, Ernest; Estruch-Guitart, Vicent

2017-01-01

Sustainability analysis requires a joint assessment of environmental, social and economic aspects of production processes. Here we propose the use of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), a metafrontier (MF) directional distance function (DDF) approach, and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), to assess technological and managerial differences in eco-efficiency between production systems. We use LCA to compute six environmental and health impacts associated with the production processes of nearly 200 Spanish citrus farms belonging to organic and conventional farming systems. DEA is then employed to obtain joint economic-environmental farm's scores that we refer to as eco-efficiency. DDF allows us to determine farms' global eco-efficiency scores, as well as eco-efficiency scores with respect to specific environmental impacts. Furthermore, the use of an MF helps us to disentangle technological and managerial eco-inefficiencies by comparing the eco-efficiency of both farming systems with regards to a common benchmark. Our core results suggest that the shift from conventional to organic farming technology would allow a potential reduction in environmental impacts of 80% without resulting in any decline in economic performance. In contrast, as regards farmers' managerial capacities, both systems display quite similar mean scores.

Assessing eco-efficiency: A metafrontier directional distance function approach using life cycle analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beltrán-Esteve, Mercedes, E-mail: mercedes.beltran@uv.es [Department of Applied Economics II, University of Valencia (Spain); Reig-Martínez, Ernest [Department of Applied Economics II, University of Valencia, Ivie (Spain); Estruch-Guitart, Vicent [Department of Economy and Social Sciences, Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain)

2017-03-15

Sustainability analysis requires a joint assessment of environmental, social and economic aspects of production processes. Here we propose the use of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), a metafrontier (MF) directional distance function (DDF) approach, and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), to assess technological and managerial differences in eco-efficiency between production systems. We use LCA to compute six environmental and health impacts associated with the production processes of nearly 200 Spanish citrus farms belonging to organic and conventional farming systems. DEA is then employed to obtain joint economic-environmental farm's scores that we refer to as eco-efficiency. DDF allows us to determine farms' global eco-efficiency scores, as well as eco-efficiency scores with respect to specific environmental impacts. Furthermore, the use of an MF helps us to disentangle technological and managerial eco-inefficiencies by comparing the eco-efficiency of both farming systems with regards to a common benchmark. Our core results suggest that the shift from conventional to organic farming technology would allow a potential reduction in environmental impacts of 80% without resulting in any decline in economic performance. In contrast, as regards farmers' managerial capacities, both systems display quite similar mean scores.

An efficient implicit direct forcing immersed boundary method for incompressible flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai, S-G; Ouahsine, A; Smaoui, H; Favier, J; Hoarau, Y

2015-01-01

A novel efficient implicit direct forcing immersed boundary method for incompressible flows with complex boundaries is presented. In the previous work [1], the calculation is performed on the Cartesian grid regardless of the immersed object, with a fictitious force evaluated on the Lagrangian points to mimic the presence of the physical boundaries. However the explicit direct forcing method [1] fails to accurately impose the non-slip boundary condition on the immersed interface. In the present work, the calculation is based on the implicit treatment of the artificial force while in an effective way of system iteration. The accuracy is also improved by solving the Navier-Stokes equation with the rotational incremental pressure- correction projection method of Guermond and Shen [2]. Numerical simulations performed with the proposed method are in good agreement with those in the literature

Improving the efficiency and directivity of THz photoconductive antennas by using a defective photonic crystal substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmati, Ehsan; Ahmadi-Boroujeni, Mehdi

2018-04-01

One of the shortcomings of photoconductive (PC) antennas in terahertz (THz) generation is low effective radiated power in the desirable direction. In this paper, we propose a defective photonic crystal (DPC) substrate consisting of a customized 2D array of air holes drilled into a solid substrate in order to improve the radiation characteristics of THz PC antennas. The effect of the proposed structure on the performance of a conventional THz PC antenna has been examined from several aspects including radiation efficiency, directivity, and field distribution. By comparing the radiation performance of the THz antenna on the proposed DPC substrate to that of the conventional solid substrate, it is shown that the proposed technique can significantly improve the efficiency and directivity of the THz PC antenna over a wide frequency range. It is achieved by reducing the amount of power coupled to the substrate surface waves and limiting the radiation in undesirable directions. In addition, it is found that the sensitivity of directivity to the substrate thickness is considerably decreased and the adverse Fabry-Perot effects of the thick substrate are reduced by the application of the proposed DPC substrate.

Prioritizing Defence Industry Capabilities: Lessons for Canada from Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Craig Stone

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A number of Canadian acquisition announcements over the past few years have generated significant debate about a variety of issues like whether or not Canada should have a separate procurement agency, whether or not industrial and regional benefits are appropriate and whether or not Canadian companies should be given preference over international companies. In discussions about improving our procurement process Australia is often used as an example because the nations are generally considered to be similar in size with respect to GDP, population and military. This study examines Australia’s approach to establishing a defence industry policy with a set of Priority Industry Capabilities and how that policy connects with military procurement in order to identify those lessons that might be useful for Canada as it seeks to improve its own procurement process and its relationship with the defence industry. The study looks at some important background information on the Australian experience and then looks more specifically at the most recent articulation of policies in Australia. Although Australia is not without its own challenges, there are a number of lessons that stand out for Canada. This study discusses the lessons for Canada and recommends that government spends the time and effort required to connect a series of related policy documents that provides industry and others with an articulation of what the government of the day intends to do and what their priorities are moving forward. It also recommends a holistic review of the entire procurement process to determine what is working well and what actually needs fixing would be useful.

Independently recruited oxidases from the glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase family enabled chemical defences in leaf beetle larvae (subtribe Chrysomelina) to evolve

Science.gov (United States)

Rahfeld, Peter; Kirsch, Roy; Kugel, Susann; Wielsch, Natalie; Stock, Magdalena; Groth, Marco; Boland, Wilhelm; Burse, Antje

2014-01-01

Larvae of the leaf beetle subtribe Chrysomelina sensu stricto repel their enemies by displaying glandular secretions that contain defensive compounds. These repellents can be produced either de novo (iridoids) or by using plant-derived precursors (e.g. salicylaldehyde). The autonomous production of iridoids, as in Phaedon cochleariae, is the ancestral chrysomeline chemical defence and predates the evolution of salicylaldehyde-based defence. Both biosynthesis strategies include an oxidative step of an alcohol intermediate. In salicylaldehyde-producing species, this step is catalysed by salicyl alcohol oxidases (SAOs) of the glucose-methanol-choline (GMC) oxidoreductase superfamily, but the enzyme oxidizing the iridoid precursor is unknown. Here, we show by in vitro as well as in vivo experiments that P. cochleariae also uses an oxidase from the GMC superfamily for defensive purposes. However, our phylogenetic analysis of chrysomeline GMC oxidoreductases revealed that the oxidase of the iridoid pathway originated from a GMC clade different from that of the SAOs. Thus, the evolution of a host-independent chemical defence followed by a shift to a host-dependent chemical defence in chrysomeline beetles coincided with the utilization of genes from different GMC subfamilies. These findings illustrate the importance of the GMC multi-gene family for adaptive processes in plant–insect interactions. PMID:24943369

Interculturalism in the post-multicultural debate: a defence.

Science.gov (United States)

Zapata-Barrero, Ricard

2017-01-01

The main purpose of this article is to formulate a defence of the emerging intercultural policy paradigm for the benefit of those who are still somewhat reluctant to accept its proper place within the current migration-related diversity policy debate. My defence will take two main lines of argumentation: Firstly, I will state that the increasing intensity of the intercultural policy paradigm must be placed in the present-day post-multicultural period, which recognizes the strengths ​​of the multicultural policy paradigm but also the limits to its process for recognizing differences. The role played by the emerging national civic policy paradigm (a renovated version of assimilation), prioritizing duties before rights, will also be considered crucial to better contextualize interculturalism. Secondly, I will try to identify the main distinctive features of interculturalism, which legitimize its proper place within the diversity debate today. Without rejecting rights-based and duties-based policy approaches, interculturalism places more emphasis on a contacts-based policy approach, aimed at fostering communication and relationships among people from different backgrounds, including national citizens. This approach focuses on common bonds rather than differences. It also views diversity as an advantage and a resource, and centres its policy goals on community cohesion and reframing a common public culture that places diversity within rather than outside the so-called Unity. In reviewing the current literature and the origins of the intercultural policy paradigm, I restate its contribution towards resolving current trends in transnationalism, changing identities, superdiversity and the rise of populist anti-immigrant parties. These are issues the old multicultural project has struggled to deal with, which has provoked the current disillusionment. Lastly, I will propose a research avenue to further consolidate interculturalism as a distinctive and legitimate policy

Cytokinins as key regulators in plant–microbe–insect interactions: connecting plant growth and defence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Giron, D.; Frago, E.; Glevarec, G.; Pieterse, C.M.J.; Dicke, M.

2013-01-01

1. Plant hormones play important roles in regulating plant growth and defence by mediating developmental processes and signalling networks involved in plant responses to a wide range of parasitic and mutualistic biotic interactions. 2. Plants are known to rapidly respond to pathogen and herbivore

On combining coastal defence and aquaculture: opportunities in the Southwest Delta of the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sluis, van C.J.; Ysebaert, T.

2012-01-01

In reaction to an extreme flooding event in 1953 in the south-western part of the Netherlands, the Dutch shortened and strengthened their estuarine coastline with dams, dikes and land reclamation. In retrospect, the construction of these large scale artificial coastal defence structures and the

Parasitism by Cuscuta pentagona sequentially induces JA and SA defence pathways in tomato

Science.gov (United States)

Justin B. Runyon; Mark C. Mescher; Gary W. Felton; Consuelo M. De Moraes

2010-01-01

While plant responses to herbivores and pathogens are well characterized, responses to attack by other plants remain largely unexplored. We measured phytohormones and C18 fatty acids in tomato attacked by the parasitic plant Cuscuta pentagona, and used transgenic and mutant plants to explore the roles of the defence-related phytohormones salicylic...

The defence technique in Tai Chi Push Hands: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hui-Chuan; Cheng, Kuang-You B; Liu, Yu-Jen; Chiu, Hung-Ta; Cheng, Kuang-Yu

2010-12-01

Developed from traditional Chinese martial arts, Tai Chi exercise includes different forms and interactive Push Hands but biomechanical analyses have focused on the former only. To analyse the techniques of Push Hands, an experienced master was asked to defend pushing by four opponents. Movements were videotaped and digitized using a motion analysis system. Surface electrodes were used to record the electromyographic activity of ten muscle groups. Two force plates were used to measure the ground reaction force on each foot. Inexperienced individuals performed the same procedure to serve as the control group. The results indicate that the master adopted a postural adjustment to maintain balance. A clear shift of body weight from the front to the rear foot and mediolateral displacement of the centre of gravity was observed. Low electromyographic activity was observed in the upper body muscle groups, while high electromyographic activity was observed in the right rectus femoris and very high activity in the left rectus femoris during the defence. All inexperienced participants lost their balance in resisting pushing. It is concluded that the Tai Chi defensive technique includes a subtle postural adjustment that slightly changes the pushing force direction, and allows the rear leg to resist the incoming force.

An interpretation of the settlement and defences of the Otatara-Hikurangi pa complex, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, K.L.; Walton, T.

2005-01-01

Despite the amorphous appearance of Hikurangi, one of New Zealand's largest pa, it is possible to draw conclusions about the defensive character of the place and its neighbour Otatara. Detailed study of vertical aerial photographs reveals potential defensive lines, which have to be interpreted in the light of the overall topography of the place. The defence of Otatara-Hikurangi relied largely on natural features, on controlling high ground, and on the speedy interior movement by defenders from one area to another as required. Fixed defences, including scarps, were a small part of the mix. Otatara-Hikurangi was an important centre in late prehistory and could probably muster large numbers of defenders. (author). 25 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs

Variation in the effectiveness of biotic defence: the case of an opportunistic ant-plant protection mutualism.

Science.gov (United States)

Giusto, Bruno; Anstett, Marie-Charlotte; Dounias, Edmond; McKey, Doyle B

2001-11-01

Benefits to plants in facultative ant protection mutualisms are highly variable. This allows examination of the sources of this variation and the mechanisms by which ants protect plants. We studied opportunistic interactions between ants and an extrafloral nectary-bearing vine, Dioscorea praehensilis, during 3 different years. Variation in plant protection among years was striking. Several factors affected the effectiveness of the biotic defence. Stems recently emerged from the underground tuber were self-supporting, contacting no other plants and encountering few foraging ants. Stems then became lianescent, and contact with supporting plants greatly increased ant recruitment. Both species and number of ant workers influenced the effect of ants on the major herbivore, the chrysomelid beetle Lilioceris latipennis. Protective actions included limitation of oviposition (reduction in the number of eggs laid on the plant) and predation, leading to increased larval mortality. The probability of successful predation was strongly dependent on larval size. If temporarily low ant-patrolling activity allows larvae to grow beyond a critical size, their mechanical (thick integument) or chemical (plant-derived compounds in a fecal shield) defences become more effective against ants. Secondary metabolites derived from the host plant thus appear to be important for the anti-predator mechanisms of this beetle, being necessary for its survival and reproduction on a host plant that actively recruits ants as a biotic defence against herbivores.

Effect of operating conditions on energy efficiency for a small passive direct methanol fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu Deryn; Jiang Rongzhong

2006-01-01

Energy conversion efficiency was studied in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with an air-breathing cathode using Nafion 117 as electrolyte membrane. The effect of operating conditions, such as methanol concentration, discharge voltage and temperature, on Faradic and energy conversion efficiencies was analyzed under constant voltage discharge with quantitative amount of fuel. Both of Faradic and energy conversion efficiencies decrease significantly with increasing methanol concentration and environmental temperature. The Faradic conversion efficiency can be as high as 94.8%, and the energy conversion efficiency can be as high as 23.9% if the environmental temperature is low enough (10 deg. C) under constant voltage discharge at 0.6 V with 3 M methanol for a DMFC bi-cell. Although higher temperature and higher methanol concentration can achieve higher discharge power, it will result in considerable losses of Faradic and energy conversion efficiencies for using Nafion electrolyte membrane. Development of alternative highly conductive membranes with significantly lower methanol crossover is necessary to avoid loss of Faradic conversion efficiency with temperature and with fuel concentration

Towards a transformed defence industry that contributes to the growth of the South African economy. Based on research performed by Johan Strydom

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Pienaar, Erlank

2017-10-01

Full Text Available IfM Education and Consultancy Services 13 Why public investment in RTOs is justified MARKET FAILURES ADDRESSED BY RTOs Source: Introduction to Technology & Innovation Management Strategy and Policy University of Cambridge... vision for the RSA defence industry • A proposed strategy for realising the vision • Exciting opportunites and initiatives • The way forward 3 Defence budget Source: Briefing on Draft Def Ind Strategy Helmoed Römer Heitman...

On extracting design principles from biology: II. Case study—the effect of knee direction on bipedal robot running efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haberland, M; Kim, S

2015-01-01

Comparing the leg of an ostrich to that of a human suggests an important question to legged robot designers: should a robot's leg joint bend in the direction of running (‘forwards’) or opposite (‘backwards’)? Biological studies cannot answer this question for engineers due to significant differences between the biological and engineering domains. Instead, we investigated the inherent effect of joint bending direction on bipedal robot running efficiency by comparing energetically optimal gaits of a wide variety of robot designs sampled at random from a design space. We found that the great majority of robot designs have several locally optimal gaits with the knee bending backwards that are more efficient than the most efficient gait with the knee bending forwards. The most efficient backwards gaits do not exhibit lower touchdown losses than the most efficient forward gaits; rather, the improved efficiency of backwards gaits stems from lower torque and reduced motion at the hip. The reduced hip use of backwards gaits is enabled by the ability of the backwards knee, acting alone, to (1) propel the robot upwards and forwards simultaneously and (2) lift and protract the foot simultaneously. In the absence of other information, designers interested in building efficient bipedal robots with two-segment legs driven by electric motors should design the knee to bend backwards rather than forwards. Compared to common practices for choosing robot knee direction, application of this principle would have a strong tendency to improve robot efficiency and save design resources. (paper)

Efficient direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion by in situ interface transformation of a tandem structure

Science.gov (United States)

May, Matthias M.; Lewerenz, Hans-Joachim; Lackner, David; Dimroth, Frank; Hannappel, Thomas

2015-09-01

Photosynthesis is nature's route to convert intermittent solar irradiation into storable energy, while its use for an industrial energy supply is impaired by low efficiency. Artificial photosynthesis provides a promising alternative for efficient robust carbon-neutral renewable energy generation. The approach of direct hydrogen generation by photoelectrochemical water splitting utilizes customized tandem absorber structures to mimic the Z-scheme of natural photosynthesis. Here a combined chemical surface transformation of a tandem structure and catalyst deposition at ambient temperature yields photocurrents approaching the theoretical limit of the absorber and results in a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 14%. The potentiostatically assisted photoelectrode efficiency is 17%. Present benchmarks for integrated systems are clearly exceeded. Details of the in situ interface transformation, the electronic improvement and chemical passivation are presented. The surface functionalization procedure is widely applicable and can be precisely controlled, allowing further developments of high-efficiency robust hydrogen generators.

Efficient parallel and out of core algorithms for constructing large bi-directed de Bruijn graphs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vaughn Matthew

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Assembling genomic sequences from a set of overlapping reads is one of the most fundamental problems in computational biology. Algorithms addressing the assembly problem fall into two broad categories - based on the data structures which they employ. The first class uses an overlap/string graph and the second type uses a de Bruijn graph. However with the recent advances in short read sequencing technology, de Bruijn graph based algorithms seem to play a vital role in practice. Efficient algorithms for building these massive de Bruijn graphs are very essential in large sequencing projects based on short reads. In an earlier work, an O(n/p time parallel algorithm has been given for this problem. Here n is the size of the input and p is the number of processors. This algorithm enumerates all possible bi-directed edges which can overlap with a node and ends up generating Θ(nΣ messages (Σ being the size of the alphabet. Results In this paper we present a Θ(n/p time parallel algorithm with a communication complexity that is equal to that of parallel sorting and is not sensitive to Σ. The generality of our algorithm makes it very easy to extend it even to the out-of-core model and in this case it has an optimal I/O complexity of Θ(nlog(n/BBlog(M/B (M being the main memory size and B being the size of the disk block. We demonstrate the scalability of our parallel algorithm on a SGI/Altix computer. A comparison of our algorithm with the previous approaches reveals that our algorithm is faster - both asymptotically and practically. We demonstrate the scalability of our sequential out-of-core algorithm by comparing it with the algorithm used by VELVET to build the bi-directed de Bruijn graph. Our experiments reveal that our algorithm can build the graph with a constant amount of memory, which clearly outperforms VELVET. We also provide efficient algorithms for the bi-directed chain compaction problem. Conclusions The bi-directed

Efficient parallel and out of core algorithms for constructing large bi-directed de Bruijn graphs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kundeti, Vamsi K; Rajasekaran, Sanguthevar; Dinh, Hieu; Vaughn, Matthew; Thapar, Vishal

2010-11-15

Assembling genomic sequences from a set of overlapping reads is one of the most fundamental problems in computational biology. Algorithms addressing the assembly problem fall into two broad categories - based on the data structures which they employ. The first class uses an overlap/string graph and the second type uses a de Bruijn graph. However with the recent advances in short read sequencing technology, de Bruijn graph based algorithms seem to play a vital role in practice. Efficient algorithms for building these massive de Bruijn graphs are very essential in large sequencing projects based on short reads. In an earlier work, an O(n/p) time parallel algorithm has been given for this problem. Here n is the size of the input and p is the number of processors. This algorithm enumerates all possible bi-directed edges which can overlap with a node and ends up generating Θ(nΣ) messages (Σ being the size of the alphabet). In this paper we present a Θ(n/p) time parallel algorithm with a communication complexity that is equal to that of parallel sorting and is not sensitive to Σ. The generality of our algorithm makes it very easy to extend it even to the out-of-core model and in this case it has an optimal I/O complexity of Θ(nlog(n/B)Blog(M/B)) (M being the main memory size and B being the size of the disk block). We demonstrate the scalability of our parallel algorithm on a SGI/Altix computer. A comparison of our algorithm with the previous approaches reveals that our algorithm is faster--both asymptotically and practically. We demonstrate the scalability of our sequential out-of-core algorithm by comparing it with the algorithm used by VELVET to build the bi-directed de Bruijn graph. Our experiments reveal that our algorithm can build the graph with a constant amount of memory, which clearly outperforms VELVET. We also provide efficient algorithms for the bi-directed chain compaction problem. The bi-directed de Bruijn graph is a fundamental data structure for

Highly efficient power system based on direct fission fragment energy conversion utilizing magnetic collimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsvetkov, Pavel V.; Hart, Ron R.; Parish, Theodore A.

2003-01-01

The present study was focused on developing a technologically feasible power system that is based on direct fission fragment energy conversion utilizing magnetic collimation. The new concept is an attempt to combine several advantageous design solutions, which have been proposed for application in both fission and fusion reactors, into one innovative system that can offer exceptional energy conversion efficiency. The analysis takes into consideration a wide range of operational aspects including fission fragment escape from the fuel, collimation, collection, criticality, long-term performance, energy conversion efficiency, heat removal, and safety characteristics. Specific characteristics of the individual system components and the entire system are evaluated. Consistent analysis and evaluation of the technological feasibility of the concept were achieved using state-of-the-art computer codes that allowed realistic and consistent modeling. The calculated energy conversion efficiencies for the presented designs without a thermodynamic cycle and with the heavy water cycle are 52% and 62%, respectively. The analysis indicates that efficiencies up to 90% are potentially achievable. (author)

Interactive effects of above- and belowground herbivory and plant competition on plant growth and defence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jing, Y.; Raaijmakers, C.; Kostenko, O.; Kos, M.; Mulder, P.P.J.; Bezemer, T.M.

2015-01-01

Competition and herbivory are two major factors that can influence plant growth and plant defence. Although these two factors are often studied separately, they do not operate independently. We examined how aboveground herbivory by beet armyworm larvae (Spodoptera exigua) and belowground herbivory

Eales′ disease: Oxidant stress and weak antioxidant defence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramakrishnan S

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Eales′ disease (ED is an idiopathic retinal periphlebitis characterized by capillary non-perfusion and neovascularization. In addition to the existing system, a new staging system has been proposed by Saxena et al . Immunological, molecular biological and biochemical studies have indicated the role of human leucocyte antigen, retinal S antigen autoimmunity, Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome, free radical damage and possibly hyperhomocysteinemia in its etiopathogenesis, which appears multifactorial. Oxidant stress has been shown by increase in the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (lipid oxidation in the vitreous, erythrocytes, platelets, and monocytes. A decrease in vitamins E and C both in active and healed vasculitis, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase showed a weakened antioxidant defence. Epiretinal membrane from patients of ED who underwent surgery showed, by immunolocalization, presence of carboxy methyl lysine, an advanced glycation end product formed by glycoxidation and is involved in angiogenesis. OH· free radical accumulation in monocytes has been directly shown by electron spin resonance spectrometry. Free radical damage to DNA and of protein was shown by the accumulation of 8 hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine (in leucocytes and nitrotyrosine (in monocytes, respectively. Nitrosative stress was shown by increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in monocytes in which levels of iron and copper were increased while those of zinc decreased. A novel 88 kDa protein was found in serum and vitreous in inflammatory condition and had antioxidant function. Platelet fluidity was also affected. Oral, methotrexate in low dosage (12.5 mg/week for 12 weeks as well as oral vitamin E (400 IU and C (500 mg daily for 8 weeks are reported to have beneficial effects.

Energy efficient routing protocols for wireless sensor networks: comparison and future directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Loganathan Murukesan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Wireless sensor network consists of nodes with limited resources. Hence, it is important to design protocols or algorithms which increases energy efficiency in order to improve the network lifetime. In this paper, techniques used in the network layer (routing of the internet protocol stack to achieve energy efficiency are reviewed. Usually, the routing protocols are classified into four main schemes: (1 Network Structure, (2 Communication Model, (3 Topology Based, and (4 Reliable Routing. In this work, only network structure based routing protocols are reviewed due to the page constraint. Besides, this type of protocols are much popular among the researchers since they are fairly simple to implement and produce good results as presented in this paper. Also, the pros and cons of each protocols are presented. Finally, the paper concludes with possible further research directions.

Consequences of climate disruption for the Ministry of Defence - EPS 2013-55 - Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alex, Bastien; Coldefy, Alain; Kempf, Herve

2014-06-01

After having recalled some important results of the fifth IPCC report, this report aims at providing a mapping of biases by which climate disruption impacts the different activities, functions, and missions of the French Ministry of Defence. This disruption results in new risks and threats, but could also be the background of new legal and administrative standards and constraints which may affect military capacities. The authors first study how climate disruption is addressed by American and British allies, analyse direct and indirect risks and threats which are created or strengthened by climate disruption, identify the impact of climate disruption on operational capacities as a whole, at the industrial level (in product elaboration), and also in the use of hardware on locations which could be modified under the action of climate change. They also propose crisis scenarios on the near and on the long term, in relationship with climate disruption but also with other issues. They state a set of operational recommendations for the Ministry for a better anticipation of impact on the short, medium and long term

Involvement of the ABC transporter BcAtrB and the laccase BcLCC2 in defence of Botrytis cinerea against the broad-spectrum antibiotic 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, A.; Maksimova, O.; Cuesta Arenas, Y.; Berg, van den G.; Raaijmakers, J.M.

2008-01-01

The genetic and biochemical basis of defence mechanisms in plant pathogenic fungi against antifungal compounds produced by antagonistic microorganisms is largely unknown. The results of this study show that both degradative and non-degradative defence mechanisms enable the plant pathogenic fungus

Preparation of a Natural Product Extract Library for Investigation Against Disease States Specific to Defence Health: A Mini Long Range Research Project

Science.gov (United States)

2009-02-01

drug leads from Australian biota. He joined DSTO in 2006 as a Defence Scientist in Analysis and Verification, where he is applying his background in...a Forensic Science degree at Deakin University (Waurn Ponds) in 2006. She joined DSTO in 2007 where she works as a Defence Scientist in Analysis and...the polyphenolic compounds (such as tannins ), which are interference compounds in certain biological assays and lead to false positive results. The

Canadian Defence Commitments: Overview and Status of Selected Acquisitions and Initiatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elinor Sloan

2013-12-01

Full Text Available For years, successive Canadian governments have been overpromising and under-delivering on defence procurement. Timetables have slipped even as repair and maintenance costs for aging equipment have soared, while elaborate rules have obscured the acquisition process in a bureaucratic fog. This paper assembles information from a wide range of official sources and cuts through the confusion. It surveys 15 Canadian defence acquisitions and initiatives, each anticipated to cost more than $100 million, to account for the delays. Final replacements for the ancient Sea King helicopters are no closer to arriving — after almost 30 years — because the DND failed to recognize that it asked for technology that is still in development. The Joint Support Ship project is years behind schedule because, as originally conceived, it sought to integrate so many capabilities that it was unbuildable. The Integrated Soldier System Project is almost as far behind because Ottawa’s procurement rules are so complex and niggling that no bidder could fulfill every single one. Canada faces evolving threats, but efforts to equip the Canadian Forces to meet them have been marked by a long litany of failures — failures of communication, of organization and of vision. This paper sets out the military procurement process, and concisely explains the most egregious flaws, making it essential reading for anyone interested in the future of Canada’s military.

A plant EPF-type zinc-finger protein, CaPIF1, involved in defence against pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Sang-Keun; Park, Jeong Mee; Joung, Young Hee; Lee, Sanghyeob; Chung, Eunsook; Kim, Soo-Yong; Yu, Seung Hun; Choi, Doil

2005-05-01

SUMMARY To understand better the defence responses of plants to pathogen attack, we challenged hot pepper plants with bacterial pathogens and identified transcription factor-encoding genes whose expression patterns were altered during the subsequent hypersensitive response. One of these genes, CaPIF1 (Capsicum annuum Pathogen-Induced Factor 1), was characterized further. This gene encodes a plant-specific EPF-type protein that contains two Cys(2)/His(2) zinc fingers. CaPIF1 expression was rapidly and specifically induced when pepper plants were challenged with bacterial pathogens to which they are resistant. In contrast, challenge with a pathogen to which the plants are susceptible only generated weak CaPIF1 expression. CaPIF1 expression was also strongly induced in pepper leaves by the exogenous application of ethephon, an ethylene-releasing compound, and salicylic acid, whereas methyl jasmonate had only moderate effects. CaPIF1 localized to the nuclei of onion epidermis when expressed as a CaPIF1-smGFP fusion protein. Transgenic tobacco plants over-expressing CaPIF1 driven by the CaMV 35S promoter showed increased resistance to challenge with a tobacco-specific pathogen or non-host bacterial pathogens. These plants also showed constitutive up-regulation of multiple defence-related genes. Moreover, virus-induced silencing of the CaPIF1 orthologue in Nicotiana benthamiana enhanced susceptibility to the same host or non-host bacterial pathogens. These observations provide evidence that an EPF-type Cys(2)/His(2) zinc-finger protein plays a crucial role in the activation of the pathogen defence response in plants.

Transgenic expression of a functional fragment of harpin protein Hpa1 in wheat induces the phloem-based defence against English grain aphid.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Maoqiang; Xu, Manyu; Zhou, Ting; Wang, Defu; Tian, Shan; Han, Liping; Dong, Hansong; Zhang, Chunling

2014-04-01

The harpin protein Hpa1 has multiple beneficial effects in plants, promoting plant growth and development, increasing crop yield, and inducing resistance to pathogens and insect pests. For these effects, the 10-40 residue fragment (Hpa1₁₀₋₄₂) isolated from the Hpa1 sequence is 1.3- to 7.5-fold more effective than the full-length protein. Here it is reported that the expression of Hpa1₁₀₋₄₂ under the direction of an insect-induced promoter induces the phloem-based defence to English grain aphid, a dominant species of wheat aphids. The expression of Hpa1₁₀₋₄₂ was found to compromise the colonization preference of aphids on the plant and further inhibit aphid reproduction in leaf colonies. In Hpa1₁₀₋₄₂-expressing wheat lines, moreover, aphid feeding from the phloem was repressed in correlation with the phloem-based defence. This defensive mechanism was shown as enhanced expression of wheat genes encoding phloem lectin proteins (PP2-A1 and PP2-A2) and β-1,3-glucan synthase-like enzymes (GSL2, GSL10, and GSL12). Both PP2-A and β-1,3-glucan formed high molecular mass polymers to block phloem sieve plate pores and therefore impede aphid feeding from the phloem. However, the phloem-based defence was impaired by treating plants with ethylene signalling inhibitors, suggesting the requirement for the ethylene signalling pathway. In addition, if Hpa1₁₀₋₄₂-expressing plants were subjected to attack by a small number of aphids, they newly acquired agriculturally beneficial characters, such as enhanced vegetative growth and increased tiller numbers and grain output values. These results suggest that the defensive and developmental roles of Hpa1₁₀₋₄₂ can be integrated into the germplasm of this agriculturally significant crop.

Christina Isajiw. Negotiating Human Rights: In Defence of Dissidents during the Soviet Era. A Memoir.

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Barbara Martin

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Christina Isajiw. Negotiating Human Rights: In Defence of Dissidents during the Soviet Era. A Memoir. Edmonton and Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, 2014. xxx, 407 pp. Foreword by Bohdan Nahaylo. Introduction. Illustrations. Appendices on separate CD-Rom. Index. Paper.

Towards 40% efficiency with BMEP exceeding 30 bar in directly injected, turbocharged, spark ignition ethanol engines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boretti, Alberto

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The main advantages of ethanol vs. gasoline are higher knock resistance and heat of vaporization. ► Direct injection and turbo charging are the key features of high efficiency and high power density ethanol engines. ► Advanced ethanol engines are enablers of vehicle fuel energy economy similar to Diesel engines. ► Waste bio mass ethanol may cut the nonrenewable energy costs of fossil fuels passenger cars by almost 90%. - Abstract: Current flexi fuel gasoline and ethanol engines have efficiencies generally lower than dedicated gasoline engines. Considering ethanol has a few advantages with reference to gasoline, namely the higher octane number and the larger heat of vaporization, the paper explores the potentials of dedicated pure ethanol engines using the most advanced techniques available for gasoline engines, specifically direct injection, turbo charging and variable valve actuation. Computations are performed with state-of-the-art, well validated, engine and vehicle performance simulations packages, generally accepted to produce accurate results when targeting major trends in engine developments. The higher compression ratio and the higher boost permitted by ethanol allows larger than gasoline top engine brake thermal efficiencies and peak power and torque, while the variable valve actuation produces smaller penalties in efficiency changing the load than in conventional throttle controlled engines.

Defence responses of arabidopsis thaliana to infection by pseudomonas syringae are regulated by the circadian clock

KAUST Repository

Bhardwaj, Vaibhav; Meier, Stuart; Petersen, Lindsay N.; Ingle, Robert A.; Roden, Laura C.

2011-01-01

of Arabidopsis defence-related genes showed both diurnal- and circadian-regulation, including genes involved in the perception of the PAMP flagellin which exhibit a peak in expression in the morning. Accordingly, we observed that PAMP-triggered callose deposition

Integration of direct carbon and hydrogen fuel cells for highly efficient power generation from hydrocarbon fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muradov, Nazim; Choi, Pyoungho; Smith, Franklyn; Bokerman, Gary [Florida Solar Energy Center, University of Central Florida, 1679 Clearlake Road, Cocoa, FL 32922-5703 (United States)

2010-02-15

In view of impending depletion of hydrocarbon fuel resources and their negative environmental impact, it is imperative to significantly increase the energy conversion efficiency of hydrocarbon-based power generation systems. The combination of a hydrocarbon decomposition reactor with a direct carbon and hydrogen fuel cells (FC) as a means for a significant increase in chemical-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency is discussed in this paper. The data on development and operation of a thermocatalytic hydrocarbon decomposition reactor and its coupling with a proton exchange membrane FC are presented. The analysis of the integrated power generating system including a hydrocarbon decomposition reactor, direct carbon and hydrogen FC using natural gas and propane as fuels is conducted. It was estimated that overall chemical-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency of the integrated system varied in the range of 49.4-82.5%, depending on the type of fuel and FC used, and CO{sub 2} emission per kW{sub el}h produced is less than half of that from conventional power generation sources. (author)

Direct determination of recoil ion detection efficiency for coincidence time-of-flight studies of molecular fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben-Itzhak, I.; Carnes, K.D.; Ginther, S.G.; Johnson, D.T.; Norris, P.J.; Weaver, O.L.

1993-01-01

Molecular fragmentation of diatomic and small polyatomic molecules caused by fast ion impact has been studied. The evaluation of the cross sections of the different fragmentation channels depends strongly on the recoil ion detection efficiency, ε r (single ions proportional to ε r , and ion pairs to ε 2 r , etc.). A method is suggested for the direct determination of this detection efficiency. This method is based on the fact that fast H + + CH 4 collisions produce C 2+ fragments only in coincidence with H + and H + 2 fragments, that is, there is a negligible number of C 2+ singles, if any. The measured yield of C 2+ singles is therefore due to events in which the H + m of the H + m + C 2+ ion pair was not detected and thus is proportional to 1 - ε r . Methane fragmentation caused by 1 MeV proton impact is used to evaluate directly the recoil ion detection efficiency and to demonstrate the method of deriving the cross sections of all breakup channels. (orig.)

Point Climat no. 23 'The new European Energy Efficiency Directive: France is on track'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berghmans, Nicolas; Alberola, Emilie

2012-01-01

Among the publications of CDC Climat Research, 'Climate Briefs' presents, in a few pages, hot topics in climate change policy. This issue addresses the following points: On October 4 2012, the European Union adopted a new Directive in order to help reach the common target of a 20% improvement in energy efficiency in 2020. At a time when a major national debate on energy transition is set to take place in France, this new directive will need to be taken into account when defining future energy policy. The measures specified in the European Directive, which focus on buildings and energy suppliers, will enable part of France's goal to be met. The transposition of the Directive into French law will result in the setting of a national target for 2020, and will primarily reinforce an existing requirement that applies to energy suppliers, as well as adding measures aimed at informing energy consumers

Reduction efficiency prediction of CENIBRA's recovery boiler by direct minimization of gibbs free energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. L. Silva

2008-09-01

Full Text Available The reduction efficiency is an important variable during the black liquor burning process in the Kraft recovery boiler. This variable value is obtained by slow experimental routines and the delay of this measure disturbs the pulp and paper industry customary control. This paper describes an optimization approach for the reduction efficiency determination in the furnace bottom of the recovery boiler based on the minimization of the Gibbs free energy. The industrial data used in this study were directly obtained from CENIBRA's data acquisition system. The resulting approach is able to predict the steady state behavior of the chemical composition of the furnace recovery boiler, - especially the reduction efficiency when different operational conditions are used. This result confirms the potential of this approach in the analysis of the daily operation of the recovery boiler.

Evading plant defence: Infestation of poisonous milkweed fruits (Asclepiadaceae) by the fruit fly Dacus siliqualactis (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Michael; Wunder, Cora; Reuss, Esther; Toennes, Stefan W; Mebs, Dietrich

2017-12-01

To cope with toxic metabolites plants use for defence, herbivorous insects employ various adaptive strategies. For oviposition, the fruit fly Dacus siliqualactis (Tephritidae) uses milkweed plants of the genus Gomphocarpus (Asclepiadaceae) by circumventing the plant's physical (gluey latex) and chemical (toxic cadenolides) defence. With its long, telescope-like ovipositor, the fly penetrates the exo- and endocarp of the fruit and places the eggs on the unripe seeds located in the centre of the fruit. Whereas most plant parts contain high concentrations of cardenolides such as gomphoside, calotropin/calacatin and gomphogenin, only the seeds exhibit low cardenolide levels. By surmounting physical barriers (fruit membranes, latex), the fly secures a safe environment and a latex-free food source of low toxicity for the developing larvae. One amino acid substitution (Q111V) at the cardenolide binding site of the fly's Na + , K + -ATPase was detected, but the significance of that substitution: reducing cardenolide sensitivity or not, is unclear. However, poisoning of the larvae by low levels of cardenolides is assumed to be prevented by non-resorption and excretion of the polar cardenolides, which cannot passively permeate the midgut membrane. This example of an insect-plant interaction demonstrates that by morphological and behavioural adaptation, a fruit fly manages to overcome even highly effective defence mechanisms of its host plant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analyzing wind turbine directional behavior: SCADA data mining techniques for efficiency and power assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castellani, Francesco; Astolfi, Davide; Sdringola, Paolo; Proietti, Stefania; Terzi, Ludovico

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The directional behavior of four turbines of an onshore wind farm is investigated. • The positions of the nacelles are discretized to highlight clusterization effects. • The recurrent alignment patterns of the cluster are individuated and analyzed. • The patterns are studied by the point of view of efficiency and power output. • Significative performance deviations arise among the most frequent configurations. - Abstract: SCADA control systems are the keystone for reliable performance optimization of wind farms. Processing into knowledge the amount of information they spread is a challenging task, involving engineering, physics, statistics and computer science skills. This work deals with SCADA data analysis methods for assessing the importance of how wind turbines align in patterns to the wind direction. In particular it deals with the most common collective phenomenon causing clusters of turbines behaving as a whole, rather than as a collection of individuality: wake effects. The approach is based on the discretization of nacelle position measurements and subsequent post-processing through simple statistical methods. A cluster, severely affected by wakes, from an onshore wind farm, is selected as test case. The dominant alignment patterns of the cluster are identified and analyzed by the point of view of power output and efficiency. It is shown that non-trivial alignments with respect to the wind direction arise and important performance deviations occur among the most frequent configurations.

CHIRAC'S GAULLISM - WHY FRANCE HAS BECOME THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE EFFORT TO BUILD AN AUTONOMOUS EUROPEAN DEFENCE?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcel H. Van Herpen

2004-05-01

Full Text Available The author analyses Chirac’s European defence policy and how it fits into the Gaullist tradition. He starts by sketching the original Gaullism of General De Gaulle which is based on four pillars: a national industrial policy, an independent foreign policy, the possession of a French nuclear deterrent and the ambition to build an independent European defence. His efforts in the last realm, however, are blocked by the US and its European NATO allies. In the Non-Gaullist Interregnum between 1974-1995 President Giscard d’Estaing jeopardised the Gaullist legacy, but President François Mitterrand became – against all expectations – a ‘Socialist Gaullist’ and it was he who realised one of De Gaulle’s objectives by creating the Eurocorps. His successor, Jacques Chirac has conducted a highly volatile European policy. The author distinguishes no less than six different and often contradictory phases in Chirac’s European defence policy. Despite the failures, some successes, however, have been booked, especially after the Saint-Malo Summit with Tony Blair. But much will depend in the coming years on how Chirac will succeed his balancing act between the EU-25, the French-German tandem and the ‘Big Three’.

Ionising radiation safety training in the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenks, G.J.; O'Donovan, E.J.B.; Wood, W.B.

1998-01-01

Training personnel in ionising radiation safety within the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) requires addressing some unique features of an organisation employing both military and civilian personnel. Activities may include those of a civil nature (such as industrial and medical radiography), specific military requirements (for training and emergency response) and scientific research and development. Some personnel may be assigned to full-time duties associated with radiation. However, most are designated as radiation protection officers as a secondary duty. A further complication is that most military personnel are subjected to postings at regular intervals. The ADO's Directorate of Defence Occupational Health and Safety has established an Ionising Radiation Safety Subcommittee to monitor not only the adequacy of the internal Ionising Radiation Safety Manual but also the training requirements. A Training Course, responding to these requirements, has been developed to emphasize, basic radiation theory and protection, operation of radiation monitors available in the ADO, an understanding of the Ionising Radiation Safety Manual, day-to-day radiation safety in units and establishments, and appropriate responses to radiation accidents and emergencies. In addition, students are briefed on a limited number of peripheral topics and participate in some site visits. Currently, two Courses are held annually, each with about twenty students. Most of the material is presented by ADO personnel with external contractor support. The three Courses held to date have proved successful, both for the students and the ADO generally. To seek national accreditation of the course through the Australian National Training Authority, as a first step, competency standards have been proposed. (authors)

In Defence of Culture? Racialised Sexual Violence and Agency in Legal and Judicial Narratives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Selda Dagistanli

2015-10-01

Full Text Available There is a rich body of work in critical race and feminist theories that have criticised as Euro/Anglo-centric, and hence exclusionary, the liberal foundations of Western democratic legal systems. The basis of such critiques is that legal personhood is premised on an atomistic individual agent that purports to be neutral but in actuality reflects and maintains the hegemonic gendered and raced status quo privileging the white, middle to upper-class man to the exclusion of women and all racial and cultural Others. Some approaches, such as cultural defences in criminal law, have sought to address this via a recognition and incorporation of the difference of Other groups and their different moral norms, proclivities and circumstances. To illustrate, this discussion will draw on a cultural defence that was advanced in a series of group sexual violence cases that involved four Pakistani, Muslim brothers. While concluding that culture permeates the actions of all individuals, this article seeks to show how cultural recognition approaches in law often overlook the individual agency of those differentiated through their racial, ethnic and religious visibility. Instead of asserting the primacy of individual free will and a rational agent as the main driver of criminal behaviour cultural defences, in particular, appear to attribute criminal action to the morally aberrant traditions and practices of non-Western cultures. At the same time, such approaches to cultural recognition fail to acknowledge that culture, and not just the culture of Others, is necessarily the backdrop for all (group sexual violence. With these points in mind, the paper ends with some suggestions for accommodating alternative narratives that seek to avoid the reductive scripts that currently appear to characterise legal and judicial musings on culture

Ecology shapes the evolutionary trade-off between predator avoidance and defence in coral reef butterflyfishes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodge, Jennifer R; Alim, Chidera; Bertrand, Nick G; Lee, Wesley; Price, Samantha A; Tran, Binh; Wainwright, Peter C

2018-07-01

Antipredator defensive traits are thought to trade-off evolutionarily with traits that facilitate predator avoidance. However, complexity and scale have precluded tests of this prediction in many groups, including fishes. Using a macroevolutionary approach, we test this prediction in butterflyfishes, an iconic group of coral reef inhabitants with diverse social behaviours, foraging strategies and antipredator adaptations. We find that several antipredator traits have evolved adaptively, dependent primarily on foraging strategy. We identify a previously unrecognised axis of diversity in butterflyfishes where species with robust morphological defences have riskier foraging strategies and lack sociality, while species with reduced morphological defences feed in familiar territories, have adaptations for quick escapes and benefit from the vigilance provided by sociality. Furthermore, we find evidence for the constrained evolution of fin spines among species that graze solely on corals, highlighting the importance of corals, as both prey and structural refuge, in shaping fish morphology. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Effects of antimony on redox activities and antioxidant defence systems in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. plants.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfonso Ortega

Full Text Available The alterations induced by the toxicity of antimony (Sb in the roots and leaves of sunflower plants were determined. The plants were grown hydroponically with different concentrations of Sb, a heavy metal which reduces biomass production and growth. There was preferential accumulation of Sb in the tissues of the roots, with the concentrations in the leaves being much lower. The accumulation of other mineral elements was also altered, especially that of Fe and Zn. Chlorophyll content declined, as also did the photosynthetic efficiency, but the carotenoid content remained unaltered. The total content of phenolics, flavonoids, and phenylpropanoid glycosides rose, evidence of their participation in the defence response. Increases were observed in the amount of superoxide anion in both roots and leaves, and in lipid peroxidation levels, especially with the highest Sb concentration of 1.0 mM. The induced oxidative stress leads to a strong increase in the SOD, POX and APX antioxidant activities, while the GR activity was only increased in the leaves and at the 1.0 mM Sb concentration. In contrast, the DHAR activity increased considerably in both organs. The GSNOR activity increased only in roots, and the total RSNOs increased. The total amount of AsA + DHA increased in roots and remained unaltered in leaves, whereas that of GSH + GSSG decreased considerably in all cases. As a whole, these results are evidence for the development of a strong oxidative stress induced by Sb, with there being a clear imbalance in the content of the compounds that constitute the AsA/GSH cycle. 0.5 mM Sb enhances GST expression, especially in leaves. This, together with the increase that was observed in the amount of GSH, may play an important part in detoxification. This oxidative stress affects both the phenolic and the ROS/RNS metabolic processes, which seems to implicate their involvement in the plant's defence and response to the stress.

Prioritizing plant defence over growth through WRKY regulation facilitates infestation by non-target herbivores

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ran; Zhang, Jin; Li, Jiancai; Zhou, Guoxin; Wang, Qi; Bian, Wenbo; Erb, Matthias; Lou, Yonggen

2015-01-01

Plants generally respond to herbivore attack by increasing resistance and decreasing growth. This prioritization is achieved through the regulation of phytohormonal signaling networks. However, it remains unknown how this prioritization affects resistance against non-target herbivores. In this study, we identify WRKY70 as a specific herbivore-induced, mitogen-activated protein kinase-regulated rice transcription factor that physically interacts with W-box motifs and prioritizes defence over growth by positively regulating jasmonic acid (JA) and negatively regulating gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis upon attack by the chewing herbivore Chilo suppressalis. WRKY70-dependent JA biosynthesis is required for proteinase inhibitor activation and resistance against C. suppressalis. In contrast, WRKY70 induction increases plant susceptibility against the rice brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens. Experiments with GA-deficient rice lines identify WRKY70-dependent GA signaling as the causal factor in N. lugens susceptibility. Our study shows that prioritizing defence over growth leads to a significant resistance trade-off with important implications for the evolution and agricultural exploitation of plant immunity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04805.001 PMID:26083713

The role of space in the security and defence policy of Turkey. A change in outlook: Security in space versus security from space

OpenAIRE

Ercan, C.; Kale, I.

2017-01-01

Space and security domains are strongly related with each other. Nowadays, space is an indispensable part of security and defence policy, and it is increasingly becoming a critical infrastructure for strategic Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. However, space is vulnerable itself to the new space threats. This study reviews the current and near future space role in Turkey's security and defence policy and aims to address...

Brothers in arms or peace? The media representation of Swedish and Norwegian defence- and military co-operation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stig Arne Nohrstedt

2010-10-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the relevance of Johan Galtung's model for peace journalism and critical discourse analysis (CDA in light of the media coverage of Swedish and Norwegian defence cooperation. By analysing the proposal for closer military cooperation between the Nato-member Norway and the non-aligned Sweden the article emphasises the paradox that the fact that both Sweden and Norway have forces fighting in Afghanistan was not mentioned when the heads of the Norwegian and Swedish Defence in a joint article justified the need for a closer cooperation between the two countries. Thus this analysis illustrates some limitations of the peace journalism perspective and the necessity to take a contextual approach in which also the possibility of "peace talk" being part of a war discourse is considered.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MORPHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF WATER POLO PLAYERS AND PLAY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dragan Milanović

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The goal of the paper is to determine relevance of certain morphological parameters, understood as the dimensions of morphological status of water polo players, in relation to their game performance in the phases of defence and attack. The sample of subjects embraced 104 (aged 17–19 yrs top-quality water polo players, members of junior selections from eight water polo clubs, who participated in the Adriatic League competition. The total variable sample consisted of the predictor variables (10 and two criterion variables based on the expert evaluations of the subjects' play in attack and defence. The associations between the predictor variables and play performance grades were established using regression analysis. The obtained results suggest the quantity of subcutaneous fat directly affects quality of playing in the phase of defence, meaning that the players with larger quantities of subcutaneous fat perform poorly in polyvalent defensive actions and demonstrate a low level of agility, both resulting in less effective play in defence. Although the quantity of subcutaneous fat has been recognized as the factor affecting play quality in attack as well, we obtained that it has smaller effect than in the case of defence. The probable cause of the afore-mentioned may be found in water polo players with a relatively greater amount of fatty tissue (hole sets, who are still highly efficient in attack tasks performance. Their situation-related efficiency is manifested in better positioning and position keeping, as well as in larger number of forced exclusions of the opponents, which contributes comprehen¬sively to attack efficiency.

Economic potentials of CHP connected to district heat systems in Germany. Implementation of the EU Efficiency Directive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eikmeier, Bernd

2015-01-01

The EU Efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU) is requiring all member states to carry out an evaluation of the potential for highly efficient CHP and the efficient use of district heating and cooling by December 2015. The German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy appointed this task to the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing and Advanced Materials, division for Energy Systems Analysis (formerly Bremer Energie Institut) in conjunction with other partners. The results for the sector district- and communal heating with CHP, sub-sectors private households, trade and services industry, are presented in this article.

Grapevine fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase generates actin-disrupting volatiles and promotes defence-related cell death

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hao; Claudel, Patricia; Riemann, Michael; Hause, Bettina; Hugueney, Philippe; Nick, Peter

2018-01-01

Abstract Fatty acid hydroperoxides can generate short-chained volatile aldehydes that may participate in plant defence. A grapevine hydroperoxide lyase (VvHPL1) clustering to the CYP74B class was functionally characterized with respect to a role in defence. In grapevine leaves, transcripts of this gene accumulated rapidly to high abundance in response to wounding. Cellular functions of VvHPL1 were investigated upon heterologous expression in tobacco BY-2 cells. A C-terminal green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion of VvHPL1 was located in plastids. The overexpression lines were found to respond to salinity stress or the bacterial elicitor harpin by increasing cell death. This signal-dependent mortality response was mitigated either by addition of exogenous jasmonic acid or by treatment with diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), an inhibitor of NADPH oxidases. By feeding different substrates to recombinantly expressed enzyme, VvHPL1 could also be functionally classified as true 13-HPL. The cognate products generated by this 13-HPL were cis-3-hexenal and trans-2-hexenal. Using a GFP-tagged actin marker line, one of these isomeric products, cis-3-hexenal, was found specifically to elicit a rapid disintegration of actin filaments. This response was not only observed in the heterologous system (tobacco BY-2), but also in a grapevine cell strain expressing this marker, as well as in leaf discs from an actin marker grape used as a homologous system. These results are discussed in the context of a role for VvHPL1 in a lipoxygenase-dependent signalling pathway triggering cell death-related defence that bifurcates from jasmonate-dependent basal immunity. PMID:29659985

Role of Arginine decarboxylase (ADC) in Arabidopsis thaliana defence against the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas viridiflava.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, F R; Marina, M; Pieckenstain, F L

2015-07-01

Polyamine biosynthesis starts with putrescine production through the decarboxylation of arginine or ornithine. In Arabidopsis thaliana, putrescine is synthesised exclusively by arginine decarboxylase (ADC), which exists as two isoforms (ADC1 and 2) that are differentially regulated by abiotic stimuli, but their role in defence against pathogens has not been studied in depth. This work analysed the participation of ADC in Arabidopsis defence against Pseudomonas viridiflava. ADC activity and expression, polyamine levels and bacterial resistance were analysed in null mutants of each ADC isoform. In non-infected wild-type (WT) plants, ADC2 expression was much higher than ADC1. Analysis of adc mutants demonstrated that ADC2 contributes to a much higher extent than ADC1 to basal ADC activity and putrescine biosynthesis. In addition, adc2 mutants showed increased basal expression of salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid-dependent PR genes. Bacterial infection induced putrescine accumulation and ADC1 expression in WT plants, but pathogen-induced putrescine accumulation was blocked in adc1 mutants. Results suggest a specific participation of ADC1 in defence, although basal resistance was not decreased by dysfunction of either of the two ADC genes. In addition, and as opposed to WT plants, bacterial infection increased ADC2 expression and ADC activity in adc1 mutants, which could counterbalance the lack of ADC1. Results demonstrate a major contribution of ADC2 to total ADC activity and the specific induction of ADC1 in response to infection. A certain degree of functional redundancy between the two isoforms in relation to their contribution to basal resistance is also evident. © 2015 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

In Vitro Activities against Cystic Fibrosis Pathogens of Synthetic Host Defence Propeptides Processed by Neutrophil Elastase.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Desgranges, Stephane

2011-02-22

The antimicrobial and haemolytic activities of a host defence peptide can be controlled by modification as a propeptide of reduced net charge which can be processed by neutrophil elastase, a serine protease involved in chronic airway inflammation and infections associated with cystic fibrosis.

Condom Use Behaviors and Correlates of Use in the Botswana Defence Force

OpenAIRE

Tran, Bonnie Robin; Thomas, Anne Goldzier; Ditsela, Mooketsi; Vaida, Florin; Phetogo, Robert; Kelapile, David; Chambers, Christina; Haubrich, Richard; Shaffer, Richard

2013-01-01

Preventing HIV infection is a priority for militaries. HIV prevention research is needed to monitor existing programs, identify areas for modification, and develop new interventions. Correct and consistent condom use is highly effective against HIV. However, use among soldiers is lower than ideal. This study describes condom use behaviors and examines correlates of use in the Botswana Defence Force (BDF). Analyses were based on 211 male personnel, aged 18–30, who completed a cross-sectional s...

Raise your defence: a baseline for security

CERN Multimedia

Computer Security Team

2011-01-01

It is an unfair imbalance: the (computer) security of a system/service is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain of protection. This provides attackers with an incredible advantage: they can choose when to attack, where and with which means. The defence side is permanently under pressure: they must defend at all times all assets against all eventualities. For computer security, this means that every computer system, every account, every web site and every service must be properly protected --- always.   In particular, at CERN, those services visible to the Internet are permanently probed. Web sites and servers are permanently scanned by adversaries for vulnerabilities; attackers repeatedly try to guess user passwords on our remote access gateways like LXPLUS or CERNTS; computing services, e.g. for Grid computing, are analysed again and again by malicious attackers for weaknesses which can be exploited. Thanks to the vigilance of the corresponding system and service experts, these atta...

The Right to Self-Defence in International Law as a Justification for Crossing Borders: The Turkey-PKK Case within the Borders of Iraq

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Rebaz Khdir

2016-01-01

Full Text Available International law grants states an inherent right to self-defence. States can exercise this right whenever they face armed attack. However, any country wishing to exercise its right to self-defence must fully consider all the restrictions on this right. The right to self-defence can permit the use of force within the borders of the victim state or on the territory of another state from where the attack is carried out. Accordingly, states may respond to any attack by the armed forces of another state or irregular armed groups that use the territory of other states for their attacks. Turkey is a country with a huge population of Kurdish inhabitants. The Kurds possess distinct origins, history, language, culture and a historical link to their land. Thus, they qualify as a people. For much of their history they have peacefully sought to assert their rights; however, Turkey denied those rights to the extent that the formation of the PKK in 1978 became amove of last resort. When the PKK started demanding Kurdish right to self-determination, Turkey launched military operations against it in self-defence. During the 1980s and 1990s, the PKK established camps in Iraq. On several occasions it withdrew its forces there as part of peace negotiations with the Turkish government. Turkey crossed the Iraqi borders and attacked the camps as part of a state policy to fight the PKK outside its borders. The PKK subsequently handed over the camps to other groups, which never posed any military threat to Turkey, but Turkish forces continued to cross the border into Iraq. This article examines the right of Turkey to use force within the borders of Iraq under the justification of self-defence.

Provoking misunderstanding: a comment on Black's defence of value-free sociology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammersley, Martyn

2014-09-01

This paper is a response to a recent article dealing with the concept of value-free sociology by Donald Black. It argues that while a defence of Weber's position on the role of values in sociological research is necessary and important, what is offered by Black is counter-productive in important respects. This is because it encourages some of the misunderstandings that it is aimed at remedying and, even more importantly, offers a simplistic discussion of what are complex issues. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2014.

Giant honeybees ( Apis dorsata) mob wasps away from the nest by directed visual patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Kastberger, Gerald; Weihmann, Frank; Zierler, Martina; Hötzl, Thomas

2014-11-01

The open nesting behaviour of giant honeybees ( Apis dorsata) accounts for the evolution of a series of defence strategies to protect the colonies from predation. In particular, the concerted action of shimmering behaviour is known to effectively confuse and repel predators. In shimmering, bees on the nest surface flip their abdomens in a highly coordinated manner to generate Mexican wave-like patterns. The paper documents a further-going capacity of this kind of collective defence: the visual patterns of shimmering waves align regarding their directional characteristics with the projected flight manoeuvres of the wasps when preying in front of the bees' nest. The honeybees take here advantage of a threefold asymmetry intrinsic to the prey-predator interaction: (a) the visual patterns of shimmering turn faster than the wasps on their flight path, (b) they "follow" the wasps more persistently (up to 100 ms) than the wasps "follow" the shimmering patterns (up to 40 ms) and (c) the shimmering patterns align with the wasps' flight in all directions at the same strength, whereas the wasps have some preference for horizontal correspondence. The findings give evidence that shimmering honeybees utilize directional alignment to enforce their repelling power against preying wasps. This phenomenon can be identified as predator driving which is generally associated with mobbing behaviour (particularly known in selfish herds of vertebrate species), which is, until now, not reported in insects.

The Xanthomonas campestris type III effector XopJ targets the host cell proteasome to suppress salicylic-acid mediated plant defence.

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Suayib Üstün

Full Text Available The phytopathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv requires type III effector proteins (T3Es for virulence. After translocation into the host cell, T3Es are thought to interact with components of host immunity to suppress defence responses. XopJ is a T3E protein from Xcv that interferes with plant immune responses; however, its host cellular target is unknown. Here we show that XopJ interacts with the proteasomal subunit RPT6 in yeast and in planta to inhibit proteasome activity. A C235A mutation within the catalytic triad of XopJ as well as a G2A exchange within the N-terminal myristoylation motif abolishes the ability of XopJ to inhibit the proteasome. Xcv ΔxopJ mutants are impaired in growth and display accelerated symptom development including tissue necrosis on susceptible pepper leaves. Application of the proteasome inhibitor MG132 restored the ability of the Xcv ΔxopJ to attenuate the development of leaf necrosis. The XopJ dependent delay of tissue degeneration correlates with reduced levels of salicylic acid (SA and changes in defence- and senescence-associated gene expression. Necrosis upon infection with Xcv ΔxopJ was greatly reduced in pepper plants with reduced expression of NPR1, a central regulator of SA responses, demonstrating the involvement of SA-signalling in the development of XopJ dependent phenotypes. Our results suggest that XopJ-mediated inhibition of the proteasome interferes with SA-dependent defence response to attenuate onset of necrosis and to alter host transcription. A central role of the proteasome in plant defence is discussed.

Dutch police officers' preparation and performance of their arrest and self-defence skills: A questionnaire study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Renden, P.G.; Nieuwenhuys, A.; Savelsbergh, G.J.P.; Oudejans, R.R.D.

2015-01-01

We investigated how Dutch police officers perceive their preparation for arrest and self-defence skills (ASDS) and their ability to manage violence on duty. Furthermore, we assessed whether additional experience (i.e., by having encountered violence on duty or by practicing martial arts) and

Dutch police officers’ preparation and performance of their arrest and self-defence skills: A questionnaire study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Renden, P.G.; Nieuwenhuys, A.; Savelsbergh, G.J.P.; Oudejans, R.R.D.

2015-01-01

We investigated how Dutch police officers perceive their preparation for arrest and self-defence skills (ASDS) and their ability to manage violence on duty. Furthermore, we assessed whether additional experience (i.e., by having encountered violence on duty or by practicing martial arts) and

Ionising radiation safety training in the Australian defence organisation (ADO)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenks, G.J.; O'Donovan, E.J.B.; Wood, W.B.

1996-01-01

Full text: Training personnel in ionising radiation safety within the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) requires addressing some unique features of an organisation employing both military and civilian personnel. Activities may include those of a civil nature (such as industrial and medical radiography), specific military requirements (for training and emergency response) and scientific research and development. Some personnel may be assigned to full-time duties associated with radiation, while others may be designated as radiation protection officers in remote units with few duties to perform in this role. A further complication is that most military personnel are subjected to postings at regular intervals. The ADO's Directorate of Defence Occupational Health and Safety has established an Ionising Radiation Safety Subcommittee to monitor not only the adequacy of the internal Ionising Radiation Safety Manual but also the training requirements. A training course, responding to these requirements, has been developed to emphasise: basic radiation theory and protection; operation of radiation monitors available in the ADO; an understanding of the Safety Manual; day-to-day radiation safety in units and establishments; and appropriate responses to radiation accidents and emergencies. In addition, students are briefed on a limited number of peripheral topics and participate in some site visits. Currently, two Courses are held annually, each with about twenty students. Most of the material is presented by ADO personnel with external contractor support. The three Courses held to date have proved sufficiently successful, both for the students and the ADO generally, to seek national accreditation through the Australian National Training Authority and, as a first step, competency standards have been identified

Application of glycerol as a foliar spray activates the defence response and enhances disease resistance of Theobroma cacao.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yufan; Smith, Philip; Maximova, Siela N; Guiltinan, Mark J

2015-01-01

Previous work has implicated glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) as a mobile inducer of systemic immunity in plants. We tested the hypothesis that the exogenous application of glycerol as a foliar spray might enhance the disease resistance of Theobroma cacao through the modulation of endogenous G3P levels. We found that exogenous application of glycerol to cacao leaves over a period of 4 days increased the endogenous level of G3P and decreased the level of oleic acid (18:1). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were produced (a marker of defence activation) and the expression of many pathogenesis-related genes was induced. Notably, the effects of glycerol application on G3P and 18:1 fatty acid content, and gene expression levels, in cacao leaves were dosage dependent. A 100 mm glycerol spray application was sufficient to stimulate the defence response without causing any observable damage, and resulted in a significantly decreased lesion formation by the cacao pathogen Phytophthora capsici; however, a 500 mm glycerol treatment led to chlorosis and cell death. The effects of glycerol treatment on the level of 18:1 and ROS were constrained to the locally treated leaves without affecting distal tissues. The mechanism of the glycerol-mediated defence response in cacao and its potential use as part of a sustainable farming system are discussed. © 2014 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Police arrest and self-defence skills: performance under anxiety of officers with and without additional experience in martial arts.

Science.gov (United States)

Renden, Peter G; Landman, Annemarie; Savelsbergh, Geert J P; Oudejans, Raôul R D

2015-01-01

We investigated whether officers with additional martial arts training experience performed better in arrest and self-defence scenarios under low and high anxiety and were better able to maintain performance under high anxiety than officers who just rely on regular police training. We were especially interested to find out whether training once a week would already lead to better performance under high anxiety. Officers with additional experience in kickboxing or karate/jiu-jitsu (training several times per week), or krav maga (training once a week) and officers with no additional experience performed several arrest and self-defence skills under low and high anxiety. Results showed that officers with additional experience (also those who trained once a week) performed better under high anxiety than officers with no additional experience. Still, the additional experience did not prevent these participants from performing worse under high anxiety compared to low anxiety. Implications for training are discussed. Practitioner summary: Dutch police officers train their arrest and self-defence skills only four to six hours per year. Our results indicate that doing an additional martial arts training once a week may lead to better performance under anxiety, although it cannot prevent that performance decreases under high anxiety compared to low anxiety.

Can Plant Defence Mechanisms Provide New Approaches for the Sustainable Control of the Two-Spotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blas Agut

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Tetranychus urticae (T. urticae Koch is a cosmopolitan, polyphagous mite which causes economic losses in both agricultural and ornamental plants. Some traits of T. urticae hamper its management, including a short life cycle, arrhenotokous parthenogenesis, its haplodiploid sex determination system, and its extraordinary ability to adapt to different hosts and environmental conditions. Currently, the use of chemical and biological control are the major control methods used against this mite. In recent years, some studies have focused on plant defence mechanisms against herbivores. Various families of plant compounds (such as flavonoids, glucosinolates, or acyl sugars have been shown to behave as acaricides. Plants can be induced upon appropriate stimuli to increase their resistance against spider mites. This knowledge, together with the understanding of mechanisms by which T. urticae detoxifies and adapts to pesticides, may complement the control of this pest. Herein, we describe plant volatile compounds (VOCs with repellent activity, and new findings about defence priming against spider mites, which interfere with the T. urticae performance. The use of VOCs and defence priming can be integrated into current management practices and reduce the damage caused by T. urticae in the field by implementing new, more sustainable crop management tools.

Interpreting the impact of flood forecasts by combining policy analysis studies and flood defence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slomp Robert

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Flood forecasting is necessary to save lives and reduce damages. Reducing damages is important to save livelihoods and to reduce the recovery time. Flood alerts should contain expected time of the event, location and extent of the event. A flood alert is not only one message but part of a rehearsed flow of information using multiple canals. First people have to accept the fact that there might be a threat and what the threat is about. People need a reference to understand the situation and be aware of possible measures they can take to assure their own safety and reduce damages. Information to the general public has to be consistent with the information used by emergency services and has to be very clear about consequences and context of possible measures (as shelter in place or preventive evacuation. Emergency services should monitor how the public is responding to adapt their communication en operation during a crisis. Flood warnings and emergency services are often coordinated by different government organisations. This is an extra handicap for having consistent information out on time for people to use. In an information based society, where everyone has twitter, email and a camera, public organisations may have to trust the public more and send out the correct information as it comes in. In the Netherlands Rijkswaterstaat, the National Water Authority and the National Public Works Department, is responsible for or involved in forecasting in case of floods, policy studies on flood risk, policy studies on maintenance, assessment and design of flood defences, elaborating rules and regulations for flood defences, advice on crisis management to the national government and for maintaining the main infrastructure in the Netherlands (high ways and water ways. The Water Management Center in the Netherlands (WMCN has developed a number of models to provide flood forecasts. WMCN is run for and by all managers of flood defences and is hosted by

Analogical Arguments in Ethics and Law: A Defence of Deductivism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio Perin Shecaira

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The paper provides a qualified defence of Bruce Waller’s deductivist schema for a priori analogical arguments in ethics and law. One crucial qualification is that the schema represents analogical arguments as complexes composed of one deductive inference (hence “deductivism” but also of one non-deductive subargument. Another important qualification is that the schema is informed by normative assumptions regarding the conditions that an analogical argument must satisfy in order for it to count as an optimal instance of its kind. Waller’s schema (in qualified form is defended from criticisms formulated by Trudy Govier, Marcello Guarini and Lilian Bermejo-Luque.

Impacts of low doses of pesticide mixtures on liver cell defence systems

OpenAIRE

Zucchini-Pascal, Nathalie; Dupont, Gwendoline; Razpotnik, Andrej; Fouche, Edwin; De Sousa, Georges; Rahmani, Roger

2012-01-01

Low amounts of residual pesticides are present in the environment, often as mixtures of chemicals which contaminate drinking water and food, being a source of chronic exposure for humans and a growing matter of concern in public health policy. Despite of the needs and growing investigation, little is known about the impact of low doses and mixtures of these chemicals on human health. The purpose of this study was to enlighten if modifications of liver cell metabolic- and/or defence-related ca...

Plasma membrane order and fluidity are diversely triggered by elicitors of plant defence.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandor, Roman; Der, Christophe; Grosjean, Kevin; Anca, Iulia; Noirot, Elodie; Leborgne-Castel, Nathalie; Lochman, Jan; Simon-Plas, Françoise; Gerbeau-Pissot, Patricia

2016-09-01

Although plants are exposed to a great number of pathogens, they usually defend themselves by triggering mechanisms able to limit disease development. Alongside signalling events common to most such incompatible interactions, modifications of plasma membrane (PM) physical properties could be new players in the cell transduction cascade. Different pairs of elicitors (cryptogein, oligogalacturonides, and flagellin) and plant cells (tobacco and Arabidopsis) were used to address the issue of possible modifications of plant PM biophysical properties induced by elicitors and their links to other events of the defence signalling cascade. We observed an increase of PM order whatever the elicitor/plant cell pair used, provided that a signalling cascade was induced. Such membrane modification is dependent on the NADPH oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species production. Moreover, cryptogein, which is the sole elicitor able to trap sterols, is also the only one able to trigger an increase in PM fluidity. The use of cryptogein variants with altered sterol-binding properties confirms the strong correlation between sterol removal from the PM and PM fluidity enhancement. These results propose PM dynamics as a player in early signalling processes triggered by elicitors of plant defence. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Deterrence Dilemma in Latvia and Estonia: Finding the Balance between External Military Solidarity and Territorial Defence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andžāns Māris

2017-12-01

Full Text Available While potential threats from Russia and NATO collective defence commitments are similar for Latvia and Estonia, both countries have adopted different approaches in the balancing exercise between territorial defence and military solidarity. Notwithstanding their differences, both are by their nature fully non-aggressive – without room for pre-emptive initiatives, extra territoriality or asymmetrical tools. Given that in a case of a hypothetical large-scale conventional attack both countries would almost entirely have to rest on the allies, external military solidarity is essential. Until the Ukraine crisis, both offered more military solidarity towards their NATO allies than the latter offered to them. As the result of the Ukrainian crisis, allies became more military-solidary with the Baltic nations, especially having established the Enhanced Forward Presence, while Estonian and especially Latvian contributions to international missions and operations dropped. Therefore, it is suggested that both countries increase their efforts to the allied international endeavours.

Damage-associated responses of the host contribute to defence against cyst nematodes but not root-knot nematodes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shah, Syed Jehangir; Anjam, Muhammad Shahzad; Mendy, Badou; Anwer, Muhammad Arslan; Habash, Samer S.; Lozano-Torres, Jose L.; Grundler, Florian M.W.; Siddique, Shahid

2017-01-01

When nematodes invade and subsequently migrate within plant roots, they generate cell wall fragments (in the form of oligogalacturonides; OGs) that can act as damage-associated molecular patterns and activate host defence responses. However, the molecular mechanisms mediating damage responses in

Assessment of nature-based flood defences' implementation potential : development and application of a game theory based method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janssen, S.K.H.; Hermans, L.M.

2017-01-01

Nature-based flood defence (NBFD) by means of vegetated foreshores is an innovative flood protection strategy. In contrasts with traditional hard structures it combines nature and flood protection functions and employs natural dynamics. Introducing such an innovation into actual flood protection

Enhanced Adsorption Efficiency through Materials Design for Direct Air Capture over Supported Polyethylenimine.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayari, Abdelhamid; Liu, Qing; Mishra, Prashant

2016-10-06

Until recently, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) was regarded as the most promising technology to address the alarming increase in the concentration of anthropogenic CO 2 in the atmosphere. There is now an increasing interest in carbon capture and utilization (CCU). In this context, the capture of CO 2 from air is an ideal solution to supply pure CO 2 wherever it is needed. Here, we describe innovative materials for direct air capture (DAC) with unprecedented efficiency. Polyethylenimine (PEI) was supported on PME, which is an extra-large-pore silica (pore-expanded MCM-41) with its internal surfaces fully covered by a uniform layer of readily accessible C 16 chains from cetyltrimethylammonium (CTMA + ) cations. The CTMA + layer plays a key role in enhancing the amine efficiency toward dry or humid ultradilute CO 2 (400 ppm CO 2 /N 2 ) to unprecedented levels. At the same PEI content, the amine efficiency of PEI/PME was two to four times higher than that of the corresponding calcined mesoporous silica loaded with PEI or with different combinations of C 16 chains and PEI. Under humid conditions, the amine efficiency of 40 wt % PEI/PME reached 7.31 mmolCO2 /g PEI , the highest ever reported for any supported PEI in the presence of 400 ppm CO 2 . Thus, amine accessibility, which reflects both the state of PEI dispersion and the adsorption efficiency, is intimately associated with the molecular design of the adsorbent. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Multi-channel, passive, short-range anti-aircraft defence system

Science.gov (United States)

Gapiński, Daniel; Krzysztofik, Izabela; Koruba, Zbigniew

2018-01-01

The paper presents a novel method for tracking several air targets simultaneously. The developed concept concerns a multi-channel, passive, short-range anti-aircraft defence system based on the programmed selection of air targets and an algorithm of simultaneous synchronisation of several modified optical scanning seekers. The above system is supposed to facilitate simultaneous firing of several self-guided infrared rocket missiles at many different air targets. From the available information, it appears that, currently, there are no passive self-guided seekers that fulfil such tasks. This paper contains theoretical discussions and simulations of simultaneous detection and tracking of many air targets by mutually integrated seekers of several rocket missiles. The results of computer simulation research have been presented in a graphical form.

Prostate specific antigen enhances the innate defence of prostatic epithelium against Escherichia coli infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Townes, Claire L; Ali, Ased; Gross, Naomi; Pal, Deepali; Williamson, Stuart; Heer, Rakesh; Robson, Craig N; Pickard, Robert S; Hall, Judith

2013-10-01

This study investigated whether the increase in serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) typically seen during male urinary tract infection (UTI) is incidental or reflects an innate defence mechanism of the prostate. The protective roles of the whey-acid-motif-4-disulphide core (WFDC) proteins, secretory leukoproteinase inhibitor (SLPI) and WFDC2, in the prostate were also examined. UTI recurrence was assessed retrospectively in men following initial UTI by patient interview. PSA, SLPI, and WFDC2 gene expression were assessed using biopsy samples. LNCaP and DU145 in vitro prostate cell models were utilized to assess the effects of an Escherichia coli challenge on PSA and WFDC gene expression, and bacterial invasion of the prostate epithelium. The effects of PSA on WFDC antimicrobial properties were studied using recombinant peptides and time-kill assays. Men presenting with PSA >4 ng/ml at initial UTI were less likely to have recurrent (r) UTI than those with PSA prostatic epithelium, and the PSA and SLPI proteins co-localized in vivo. Challenging LNCaP (PSA-positive) cells with E. coli increased PSA, SLPI, and WFDC2 gene expression (P prostate innate defences. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Study on direct determination of uranium and efficient equilibrium factor by gamma-ray spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Chunkui

1990-01-01

The test principle, test set and surveying methods for conducting gamma-ray spectrometry on conveyer are presented. The conversion coefficient of the spectrometer has been found by using duallinear regression analysis of uranium and radon and their higher and lower bands of gamma-ray spectra. The efficient equilibrium factor can be quickly determined, and the direct determination of uranium in the non-equilibrium condition of uranium and radium can be made

Cathelicidin-like helminth defence molecules (HDMs: absence of cytotoxic, anti-microbial and anti-protozoan activities imply a specific adaptation to immune modulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karine Thivierge

Full Text Available Host defence peptides (HDPs are expressed throughout the animal and plant kingdoms. They have multifunctional roles in the defence against infectious agents of mammals, possessing both bactericidal and immune-modulatory activities. We have identified a novel family of molecules secreted by helminth parasites (helminth defence molecules; HDMs that exhibit similar structural and biochemical characteristics to the HDPs. Here, we have analyzed the functional activities of four HDMs derived from Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola hepatica and compared them to human, mouse, bovine and sheep HDPs. Unlike the mammalian HDPs the helminth-derived HDMs show no antimicrobial activity and are non-cytotoxic to mammalian cells (macrophages and red blood cells. However, both the mammalian- and helminth-derived peptides suppress the activation of macrophages by microbial stimuli and alter the response of B cells to cytokine stimulation. Therefore, we hypothesise that HDMs represent a novel family of HDPs that evolved to regulate the immune responses of their mammalian hosts by retaining potent immune modulatory properties without causing deleterious cytotoxic effects.

Enhancement of Cellular Antioxidant-Defence Preserves Diastolic Dysfunction via Regulation of Both Diastolic Zn2+ and Ca2+ and Prevention of RyR2-Leak in Hyperglycemic Cardiomyocytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erkan Tuncay

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We examined whether cellular antioxidant-defence enhancement preserves diastolic dysfunction via regulation of both diastolic intracellular free Zn2+ and Ca2+ levels (Zn2+i and Ca2+i levels N-acetyl cysteine (NAC treatment (4 weeks of diabetic rats preserved altered cellular redox state and also prevented diabetes-induced tissue damage and diastolic dysfunction with marked normalizations in the resting Zn2+i and Ca2+i. The kinetic parameters of transient changes in Zn2+ and Ca2+ under electrical stimulation and the spatiotemporal properties of Zn2+ and Ca2+ sparks in resting cells are found to be normal in the treated diabetic group. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that the NAC treatment also antagonized hyperphosphorylation of cardiac ryanodine receptors (RyR2 and significantly restored depleted protein levels of both RyR2 and calstabin2. Incubation of cardiomyocytes with 10 µM ZnCl2 exerted hyperphosphorylation in RyR2 as well as higher phosphorphorylations in both PKA and CaMKII in a concentration-dependent manner, similar to hyperglycemia. Our present data also showed that a subcellular oxidative stress marker, NF-κB, can be activated if the cells are exposed directly to Zn2+. We thus for the first time report that an enhancement of antioxidant defence in diabetics via directly targeting heart seems to prevent diastolic dysfunction due to modulation of RyR2 macromolecular-complex thereby leading to normalized Ca2+i and Zn2+i in cardiomyocytes.

Efficient continuous-wave 1112 nm Nd:YAG laser operation under direct diode pumping at 885 nm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, J; Dai, X J; Zhang, L; Wu, X D

2013-01-01

We report compact diode-end-pumped continuous-wave laser operation at 1112 nm under 885 nm diode-direct pumping for the first time. On the basis of the R 2 →Y 6 transition in a conventional Nd:YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) single crystal, the maximum output power of 12.5 W is achieved, with an optical to optical efficiency of 46.6% and a slope efficiency of 52.9%. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest output at 1112 nm generated by a diode-end-pumped Nd:YAG laser. Furthermore, it is the highest optical to optical efficiency ever reported for 1112 nm Nd:YAG lasers. The short term power stability is ∼0.32% at 12.0 W output. (letter)

A novel Meloidogyne graminicola effector, MgMO237, interacts with multiple host defence-related proteins to manipulate plant basal immunity and promote parasitism.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jiansong; Hu, Lili; Sun, Longhua; Lin, Borong; Huang, Kun; Zhuo, Kan; Liao, Jinling

2018-02-27

Plant-parasitic nematodes can secrete effector proteins into the host tissue to facilitate their parasitism. In this study, we report a novel effector protein, MgMO237, from Meloidogyne graminicola, which is exclusively expressed within the dorsal oesophageal gland cell and markedly up-regulated in parasitic third-/fourth-stage juveniles of M. graminicola. Transient expression of MgMO237 in protoplasts from rice roots showed that MgMO237 was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus of the host cells. Rice plants overexpressing MgMO237 showed an increased susceptibility to M. graminicola. In contrast, rice plants expressing RNA interference vectors targeting MgMO237 showed an increased resistance to M. graminicola. In addition, yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation assays showed that MgMO237 interacted specifically with three rice endogenous proteins, i.e. 1,3-β-glucan synthase component (OsGSC), cysteine-rich repeat secretory protein 55 (OsCRRSP55) and pathogenesis-related BetvI family protein (OsBetvI), which are all related to host defences. Moreover, MgMO237 can suppress host defence responses, including the expression of host defence-related genes, cell wall callose deposition and the burst of reactive oxygen species. These results demonstrate that the effector MgMO237 probably promotes the parasitism of M. graminicola by interacting with multiple host defence-related proteins and suppressing plant basal immunity in the later parasitic stages of nematodes. © 2018 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

An Indirect Defence Trait Mediated through Egg-Induced Maize Volatiles from Neighbouring Plants.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel M Mutyambai

Full Text Available Attack of plants by herbivorous arthropods may result in considerable changes to the plant's chemical phenotype with respect to emission of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs. These HIPVs have been shown to act as repellents to the attacking insects as well as attractants for the insects antagonistic to these herbivores. Plants can also respond to HIPV signals from other plants that warn them of impending attack. Recent investigations have shown that certain maize varieties are able to emit volatiles following stemborer egg deposition. These volatiles attract the herbivore's parasitoids and directly deter further oviposition. However, it was not known whether these oviposition-induced maize (Zea mays, L. volatiles can mediate chemical phenotypic changes in neighbouring unattacked maize plants. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the effect of oviposition-induced maize volatiles on intact neighbouring maize plants in 'Nyamula', a landrace known to respond to oviposition, and a standard commercial hybrid, HB515, that did not. Headspace volatile samples were collected from maize plants exposed to Chilo partellus (Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Crambidae egg deposition and unoviposited neighbouring plants as well as from control plants kept away from the volatile emitting ones. Behavioural bioassays were carried out in a four-arm olfactometer using egg (Trichogramma bournieri Pintureau & Babault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae and larval (Cotesia sesamiae Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae parasitoids. Coupled Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS was used for volatile analysis. For the 'Nyamula' landrace, GC-MS analysis revealed HIPV production not only in the oviposited plants but also in neighbouring plants not exposed to insect eggs. Higher amounts of EAG-active biogenic volatiles such as (E-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene were emitted from these plants compared to control plants. Subsequent behavioural assays with female T. bournieri and

Direct heat transfer considerations for improving energy efficiency in pulp and paper Kraft mills

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savulescu, Luciana Elena; Alva-Argaez, Alberto

2008-01-01

The success of any process improvement study depends on the quality of the available data and the way in which the plant-specific characteristics are incorporated in the applied conceptual models; in the context of process integration studies these issues are directly related to the rules followed during the data extraction stage. Improving energy efficiency in a pulp and paper Kraft mill requires the identification of the most promising heat recovery network retrofit projects. In a retrofit analysis using pinch technology/process integration methods, only the process streams associated to the existing heat exchangers and some outlet streams (such as wastewater/effluent streams and vents) with high potential for heat recovery are usually included, while the energy exchanged through non-isothermal stream mixing (NIM) or direct heat transfer (DHT) is often assumed fixed and is not considered in the analysis. Relaxing this assumption requires extracting more data to represent the DHT design configuration that exists in the plant. However, different data extraction options can be considered to represent the DHT configuration depending on the associated process/operation constraints. This work describes a systematic procedure to extract and analyse the impacts of DHT on the overall energy efficiency of a Kraft process with a specific focus on mixing along the pulp line and in water tanks

Modernization of motivation as a major direction of management efficiency increase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pakulina Alevtyna

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Modernization of motivation system as the priority direction of increasing management efficiency is necessary for the sustainable growth of the national economy of Ukraine. The article substantiates the recommendations for the modernization of human resources policy and universal scale of motivation levels in organizations. The authors define the relation of motivational patterns of employees to the productivity of their labor as a factor of increasing the safety of the specific work of locomotive crews. Classification of emergency preconditions with considering identified causes of errors in the locomotive crew work has been developed and grounded. The article scientifically substantiates the mechanism of motivation and stimulation of workers of locomotive crews, which aims at improving personnel policies and ensuring a high level of safety of trains.

State Aid as a Defence for Public Authorities?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ølykke, Grith Skovgaard

2016-01-01

court’s perception. As the contracts had been declared to be in force by a declaratory judgment that was res judicata, the dispute before the CJEU concerned the national interpretation of the principle of res judicata and its application in a State aid context. The CJEU first turned to the principle......In the annotated judgment a public authority uses the existence of State aid as a defence in a legal action, where its contractual partner aimed to achieve damages and fulfilment of the contracts. The public authority claimed that the contracts were not on market terms, which also was the national...... of consistent interpretation, which it considered could provide various solutions for the national court to draw all the necessary consequences of the possible breach of the duty to notify State aid. In the alternative, the CJEU considered the principle of effectiveness and found that due to the fundamental...

Yersinia virulence factors - a sophisticated arsenal for combating host defences [version 1; referees: 2 approved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steve Atkinson

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The human pathogens Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia enterocolitica cause enterocolitis, while Yersinia pestis is responsible for pneumonic, bubonic, and septicaemic plague. All three share an infection strategy that relies on a virulence factor arsenal to enable them to enter, adhere to, and colonise the host while evading host defences to avoid untimely clearance. Their arsenal includes a number of adhesins that allow the invading pathogens to establish a foothold in the host and to adhere to specific tissues later during infection. When the host innate immune system has been activated, all three pathogens produce a structure analogous to a hypodermic needle. In conjunction with the translocon, which forms a pore in the host membrane, the channel that is formed enables the transfer of six ‘effector’ proteins into the host cell cytoplasm. These proteins mimic host cell proteins but are more efficient than their native counterparts at modifying the host cell cytoskeleton, triggering the host cell suicide response. Such a sophisticated arsenal ensures that yersiniae maintain the upper hand despite the best efforts of the host to counteract the infecting pathogen.

Interaction between the moss Physcomitrella patens and Phytophthora: a novel pathosystem for live-cell imaging of subcellular defence.

Science.gov (United States)

Overdijk, Elysa J R; DE Keijzer, Jeroen; DE Groot, Deborah; Schoina, Charikleia; Bouwmeester, Klaas; Ketelaar, Tijs; Govers, Francine

2016-08-01

Live-cell imaging of plant-pathogen interactions is often hampered by the tissue complexity and multicell layered nature of the host. Here, we established a novel pathosystem with the moss Physcomitrella patens as host for Phytophthora. The tip-growing protonema cells of this moss are ideal for visualizing interactions with the pathogen over time using high-resolution microscopy. We tested four Phytophthora species for their ability to infect P. patens and showed that P. sojae and P. palmivora were only rarely capable to infect P. patens. In contrast, P. infestans and P. capsici frequently and successfully penetrated moss protonemal cells, showed intracellular hyphal growth and formed sporangia. Next to these successful invasions, many penetration attempts failed. Here the pathogen was blocked by a barrier of cell wall material deposited in papilla-like structures, a defence response that is common in higher plants. Another common response is the upregulation of defence-related genes upon infection and also in moss we observed this upregulation in tissues infected with Phytophthora. For more advanced analyses of the novel pathosystem we developed a special set-up that allowed live-cell imaging of subcellular defence processes by high-resolution microscopy. With this set-up, we revealed that Phytophthora infection of moss induces repositioning of the nucleus, accumulation of cytoplasm and rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton, but not of microtubules. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

A defence-related Olea europaea β-glucosidase hydrolyses and activates oleuropein into a potent protein cross-linking agent.

Science.gov (United States)

Koudounas, Konstantinos; Banilas, Georgios; Michaelidis, Christos; Demoliou, Catherine; Rigas, Stamatis; Hatzopoulos, Polydefkis

2015-04-01

Oleuropein, the major secoiridoid compound in olive, is involved in a sophisticated two-component defence system comprising a β-glucosidase enzyme that activates oleuropein into a toxic glutaraldehyde-like structure. Although oleuropein deglycosylation studies have been monitored extensively, an oleuropein β-glucosidase gene has not been characterized as yet. Here, we report the isolation of OeGLU cDNA from olive encoding a β-glucosidase belonging to the defence-related group of terpenoid-specific glucosidases. In planta recombinant protein expression assays showed that OeGLU deglycosylated and activated oleuropein into a strong protein cross-linker. Homology and docking modelling predicted that OeGLU has a characteristic (β/α)8 TIM barrel conformation and a typical construction of a pocket-shaped substrate recognition domain composed of conserved amino acids supporting the β-glucosidase activity and non-conserved residues associated with aglycon specificity. Transcriptional analysis in various olive organs revealed that the gene was developmentally regulated, with its transcript levels coinciding well with the spatiotemporal patterns of oleuropein degradation and aglycon accumulation in drupes. OeGLU upregulation in young organs reflects its prominent role in oleuropein-mediated defence system. High gene expression during drupe maturation implies an additional role in olive secondary metabolism, through the degradation of oleuropein and reutilization of hydrolysis products. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Disruption of the ammonium transporter AMT1.1 alters basal defences generating resistance against Pseudomonas syringae and Plectosphaerella cucumerina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria ePastor

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Disruption of the high-affinity nitrate transporter NRT2.1 activates the priming defence against Pseudomonas syringae, resulting in enhanced resistance. In this study, it is demonstrated that the high-affinity ammonium transporter AMT1.1 is a negative regulator of Arabidopsis defence responses. The T-DNA knockout mutant amt1.1 displays enhanced resistance against Plectosphaerella cucumerina and reduced susceptibility to P. syringae. The impairment of AMT1.1 induces significant metabolic changes in the absence of challenge, suggesting that amt1.1 retains constitutive defence responses. Interestingly, amt1.1 combats pathogens differently depending on the lifestyle of the pathogen. In addition, N starvation enhances the susceptibility of wild type plants and the mutant amt1.1 to P. syringae whereas it has no effect on P. cucumerina resistance. The metabolic changes of amt1.1 against P. syringae are subtler and are restricted to the phenylpropanoid pathway, which correlates with its reduced susceptibility. By contrast, the amt1.1 mutant responds by activating higher levels of camalexin and callose against P. cucumerina. In addition, amt1.1 shows altered levels of aliphatic and indolic glucosinolates and other Trp-related compounds following infection by the necrotroph. These observations indicate that AMT1.1 may play additional roles that affect N uptake and plant immune responses.

In Defence of Pashukanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Koen

2011-07-01

Full Text Available This essay presents an extended defence of the general theory of law formulated by the Bolshevik jurist, Evgeny Pashukanis, and published in his Law and Marxism: A General Theory in 1924. The general theory is a theory of the legal form. Although Pashukanis did not name his theory, it has become known as the commodity form theory of law because of its theorising the legal form as a homologue of the commodity form. However, despite having weighty Marxist and revolutionary Bolshevik credentials, the general theory has been subjected to sustained attack, especially from new left and neo-Marxist circles. This essay identifies and explicates six major objections to Pashukanism from its left critics. These are that the general theory is too abstract to comprehend the reality of legal relations; that it is infused with economic reductionism; that it derives the legal form wrongly from commodity exchange; that it classifies the legal form incorrectly as an attribute of capitalism only; that it lacks the generality required of a general theory of law; and that it is imbricated in the growth of anarchism and Stalinism. Following a brief exegetical exercise, the bulk of the essay is devoted to demonstrating in detail that each of the six objections to the general theory is without merit, and that none makes any serious incursion into its integrity as a theory of the legal form. The central submission of the essay is that the Pashukanist general theory of law is rooted in the first principles of classical Marxism and hence may lay claim legitimately to being the Marxist theory of law.

Early season herbivore differentially affects plant defence responses to subsequently colonizing herbivores and their abundance in the field

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poelman, E.H.; Broekgaarden, C.; Loon, van J.J.A.; Dicke, M.

2008-01-01

Induction of plant defences by early season herbivores can mediate interspecific herbivore competition. We have investigated plant-mediated competition between three herbivorous insects through studies at different levels of biological integration. We have addressed (i) gene expression; (ii) insect

Increasing Fuel Efficiency of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Systems with Feedforward Control of the Operating Concentration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Youngseung Na

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Most of the R&D on fuel cells for portable applications concentrates on increasing efficiencies and energy densities to compete with other energy storage devices, especially batteries. To improve the efficiency of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC systems, several modifications to system layouts and operating strategies are considered in this paper, rather than modifications to the fuel cell itself. Two modified DMFC systems are presented, one with an additional inline mixer and a further modification of it with a separate tank to recover condensed water. The set point for methanol concentration control in the solution is determined by fuel efficiency and varies with the current and other process variables. Feedforward concentration control enables variable concentration for dynamic loads. Simulation results were validated experimentally with fuel cell systems.

How to Reinforce the “Defence-in-Depth” in NPP by Taking into Account Natural Hazards?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lavarenne, C.; Herviou, K.; Picot, C.; Dupuy, P., E-mail: caroline.lavarenne@irsn.fr, E-mail: karine.herviou@irsn.fr [Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), Pôle Sûreté Nucléaire, Fontenay aux Roses (France)

2014-10-15

The “defence-in-depth” (DiD) principle is the fundamental safety principle for the design and operation of nuclear power plants. This principle aims to prevent as far as possible initiating events and managing their consequences if preventive provisions failed. It has to be applied to the protection against hazards so as to limit their likelihood and/or their consequences by the implementation of prevention, control and mitigation provisions in NPPs consistently with provisions for internal events. So far, the protection of nuclear power plants against external hazards follows a “load-cases” approach, which differs from the approach used for internal events. In 2011, the Fukushima accident showed that, for a beyond design hazard or a combination of hazards not considered at the design stage, all levels of defence may be swept away simultaneously and may lead to a disaster. Natural hazards can therefore be considered as a potential common cause of failure affecting at the same time all levels of the “defence-in-depth”. In France, the definition and the implementation of a post-Fukushima “Hardened Safety Core” for operating NPPs should compensate for some weaknesses in the current approach and improve significantly the robustness of the installations against natural hazards. For future reactors, a new approach based on the definition of two domains, “design basis” and “design extension” for natural hazards, is examined in order to fulfil ambitious general plant safety objectives. It turns out that safety assessments related to natural hazards raise some challenges and difficulties, especially to characterize events with very low frequencies in a context of limited data, to define combinations of hazards (eventually with internal events) and to consider events that go beyond the design basis. For these issues, international guidance and discussions may be fruitful. (author)

The role of chemical antifouling defence in the invasion success of Sargassum muticum: A comparison of native and invasive brown algae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole Schwartz

Full Text Available Competition and fouling defence are important traits that may facilitate invasions by non-indigenous species. The 'novel weapons hypothesis' (NWH predicts that the invasive success of exotic species is closely linked to the possession of chemical defence compounds that the recipient community in the new range is not adapted to. In order to assess whether chemical defence traits contribute to invasion success, anti-bacterial, anti-quorum sensing, anti-diatom, anti-larval and anti-algal properties were investigated for the following algae: a the invasive brown alga Sargassum muticum from both, its native (Japan and invasive (Germany range, b the two non- or weak invasive species Sargassum fusiforme and Sargassum horneri from Japan, and c Fucus vesiculosus, a native brown alga from Germany. Crude and surface extracts and lipid fractions of active extracts were tested against common fouling organisms and zygotes of a dominant competing brown alga. Extracts of the native brown alga F. vesiculosus inhibited more bacterial strains (75% than any of the Sargassum spp. (17 to 29%. However, Sargassum spp. from Japan exhibited the strongest settlement inhibition against the diatom Cylindrotheca closterium, larvae of the bryozoan Bugula neritina and zygotes of the brown alga F. vesiculosus. Overall, extracts of S. muticum from the invasive range were less active compared to those of the native range suggesting an adaptation to lower fouling pressure and competition in the new range resulting in a shift of resource allocation from costly chemical defence to reproduction and growth. Non-invasive Sargassum spp. from Japan was equally defended against fouling and competitors like S. muticum from Japan indicating a necessity to include these species in European monitoring programs. The variable antifouling activity of surface and crude extracts highlights the importance to use both for an initial screening for antifouling activity.

The multiple strategies of an insect herbivore to overcome plant cyanogenic glucoside defence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pentzold, Stefan; Zagrobelny, Mika; Roelsgaard, Pernille Sølvhøj

2014-01-01

Cyanogenic glucosides (CNglcs) are widespread plant defence compounds that release toxic hydrogen cyanide by plant bglucosidase activity after tissue damage. Specialised insect herbivores have evolved counter strategies and some sequester CNglcs, but the underlying mechanisms to keep CNglcs intact...... during feeding and digestion are unknown. We show that CNglc-sequestering Zygaena filipendulae larvae combine behavioural, morphological, physiological and biochemical strategies at different time points during feeding and digestion to avoid toxic hydrolysis of the CNglcs present in their Lotus food...

China's nuclear arsenal and missile defence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rappai, M.V.

2002-01-01

Over the last few years, major focus of the nuclear debate has been turned towards the United States' proposal to erect a National Missile Defence (NMD) shield for itself. Of the existing nuclear weapon powers, China has been the most vociferous critic of this proposal. As and when this shield does become a reality, China will be the first to lose credibility as a deterrent against USA's existing nuclear arsenal. Therefore taking countermeasures against such a proposal is quite natural. China's approach towards non-proliferation mechanisms is steeped in realpolitik and its ability to manoeuvre them in its favour as a P5 and N5 power. Further, the Chinese leadership have been clear about the capabilities and limitations of nuclear weapons and treated them as diplomatic and political tools. The underlying aim is to preserve China's status as a dominant player in the international system while checkmating other possible challengers. Such a pragmatic approach is of far-reaching significance to all nations, especially those that possess nuclear weapons themselves. It will also be in India's long-term strategic interest to assess and take necessary corrective measures in its national security strategy, and make the composition of Indian nuclear strategy meet the desired goal. (author)

Defence in Depth and Ageing Management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fabbri, S.; Vega, G.; Diluch, A.; Versaci, R., E-mail: versaci@cnea.gov.ar [Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2014-10-15

Accident prevention is the first safety priority of both designers and operators. It is achieved through the use of reliable structures, components, systems and procedures in a plant operated by personnel who are committed to a strong safety culture. For future nuclear power plants, consideration of multiple failures and severe accidents will be achieved in a more systematic and complete way from the design stage. Defence in depth (DID) consists of a hierarchical deployment of different levels of equipment and procedures in order to maintain the effectiveness of physical barriers placed between radioactive materials and workers, the public or the environment, in normal operation, anticipated operational occurrences and, for some barriers, in accidents at the plant. The primary way of preventing accidents is to achieve a high quality in design, construction and operation of the plant, and thereby to ensure that deviations from normal operation are infrequent. The best way to meet these premises of effectiveness of the barriers and the Systems, Structures and Components (SSCs) is to develop an ageing management programme to prevent potential failures and accidents. In this work we will refer to the ageing management programme for Atucha I and Atucha II power plants and to the Atucha I spent fuel storage. (author)

The effects of electrode materials on the conversion efficiency of a direct converter used in neutral beam injection systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noda, Shunichi; Nagae, Hiroshi; Yano, Hidenobu; Masuda, Mitsuharu; Akazaki, Masanori

1986-01-01

The injection of fast neutral beams into plasmas is thought to be the most promising way for the fusion plasma heating. Fast neutral beams are obtained by injecting fast ions into a neutralizer cell, in which ions are neutralized through charge exchange collisions with the ambient gas. However, the neutralization efficiency in the neutralizer cell is so low that the net power may not be extracted from a fusion reactor unless the energy of the ions being not neutralized in the cell is recovered. The present paper describes some problems associated with the electrostatic direct energy recovery of fast ion beams for this purpose. The titanium and molybdenum were tested as the direct converter electrode materials, and it was found that the conversion efficiency and the conditioning process of the converter electrode depended strongly on the electrode material. The effect of secondary electrons emitted from the electron repeller on the conversion efficiency was also made clear in the present experiments. (author)

Defence-in-depth concept for the EU-ABWR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamazaki, Hiroshi; Fuchs, Steffen; Takada, Toshiaki; Kataoka, Kazuyoshi [Toshiba International Limited (Japan)

2013-07-01

The current defence-in-depth (DiD) concept has been established by the Reactor Harmonization Working Group (RHWG) of Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA). Principally the DiD concept was already part of the very early power reactor designs. However, additional considerations have been done in order to take plant conditions into account which are beyond the original design basis. The most recent advancements have been done based on major lessons learned from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi accident. Especially for new nuclear reactors it has to be demonstrated that DiD aspects have been considered in their design. Currently Toshiba is adapting its Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) for the European market, at first in Finland. This presentation aims to describe how the new DiD concept has been applied to achieve the safety goals for a modern reactor type and to ensure a design that can be licensed in Western Europe. (orig.)

NATO Advanced Study Institute on Advanced Nanotechnologies for Detection and Defence

CERN Document Server

Tsiulyanu, Dumitru; Popov, Cyril; Kulisch, Wilhelm; Advanced nanotechnologies for detection and defence against CBRN agents

2018-01-01

This volume gives a broad overview of advanced technologies for detection and defence against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) agents. It provides chapters addressing the preparation and characterization of different nanoscale materials (metals, oxides, glasses, polymers, carbon-based, etc.) and their applications in fields related to security and safety. In addition, it presents an interdisciplinary approach as the contributors come from different areas of research, such as physics, chemistry, engineering, materials science and biology. A major feature of the book is the combination of longer chapters introducing the basic knowledge on a certain topic, and shorter contributions highlighting specific applications in different security areas.

Direct heat transfer considerations for improving energy efficiency in pulp and paper Kraft mills

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savulescu, Luciana Elena; Alva-Argaez, Alberto [Natural Resources (Canada)

2008-10-15

The success of any process improvement study depends on the quality of the available data and the way in which the plant-specific characteristics are incorporated in the applied conceptual models; in the context of process integration studies these issues are directly related to the rules followed during the data extraction stage. Improving energy efficiency in a pulp and paper Kraft mill requires the identification of the most promising heat recovery network retrofit projects. In a retrofit analysis using pinch technology/process integration methods, only the process streams associated to the existing heat exchangers and some outlet streams (such as wastewater/effluent streams and vents) with high potential for heat recovery are usually included, while the energy exchanged through non-isothermal stream mixing (NIM) or direct heat transfer (DHT) is often assumed fixed and is not considered in the analysis. Relaxing this assumption requires extracting more data to represent the DHT design configuration that exists in the plant. However, different data extraction options can be considered to represent the DHT configuration depending on the associated process/operation constraints. This work describes a systematic procedure to extract and analyse the impacts of DHT on the overall energy efficiency of a Kraft process with a specific focus on mixing along the pulp line and in water tanks. (author)

An Optimal Control Method for Maximizing the Efficiency of Direct Drive Ocean Wave Energy Extraction System

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhongxian; Yu, Haitao; Wen, Cheng

2014-01-01

The goal of direct drive ocean wave energy extraction system is to convert ocean wave energy into electricity. The problem explored in this paper is the design and optimal control for the direct drive ocean wave energy extraction system. An optimal control method based on internal model proportion integration differentiation (IM-PID) is proposed in this paper though most of ocean wave energy extraction systems are optimized by the structure, weight, and material. With this control method, the heavy speed of outer heavy buoy of the energy extraction system is in resonance with incident wave, and the system efficiency is largely improved. Validity of the proposed optimal control method is verified in both regular and irregular ocean waves, and it is shown that IM-PID control method is optimal in that it maximizes the energy conversion efficiency. In addition, the anti-interference ability of IM-PID control method has been assessed, and the results show that the IM-PID control method has good robustness, high precision, and strong anti-interference ability. PMID:25152913

An optimal control method for maximizing the efficiency of direct drive ocean wave energy extraction system.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhongxian; Yu, Haitao; Wen, Cheng

2014-01-01

The goal of direct drive ocean wave energy extraction system is to convert ocean wave energy into electricity. The problem explored in this paper is the design and optimal control for the direct drive ocean wave energy extraction system. An optimal control method based on internal model proportion integration differentiation (IM-PID) is proposed in this paper though most of ocean wave energy extraction systems are optimized by the structure, weight, and material. With this control method, the heavy speed of outer heavy buoy of the energy extraction system is in resonance with incident wave, and the system efficiency is largely improved. Validity of the proposed optimal control method is verified in both regular and irregular ocean waves, and it is shown that IM-PID control method is optimal in that it maximizes the energy conversion efficiency. In addition, the anti-interference ability of IM-PID control method has been assessed, and the results show that the IM-PID control method has good robustness, high precision, and strong anti-interference ability.

Alteration in expression of defence genes in Pisum sativum after exposure to supplementary ultraviolet-B radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strid, A.

1993-01-01

Alterations in the amounts of mRNA for different types of defence genes after exposure of peas to supplementary ultraviolet-B radiation are demonstrated. The expression of the genes which encode the chalcone synthase of the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway and glutathione reductase was induced, while a decrease was found for the chloroplastic radical-scavenging enzyme, superoxide dismutase. (author)

Efficient small molecule bulk heterojunction solar cells with high fill factors via pyrene-directed molecular self-assembly

KAUST Repository

Lee, Olivia P.; Yiu, Alan T.; Beaujuge, Pierre; Woo, Claire; Holcombe, Thomas W.; Millstone, Jill E.; Douglas, Jessica D.; Chen, Mark S.; Frechet, Jean

2011-01-01

Efficient organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials are constructed by attaching completely planar, symmetric end-groups to donor-acceptor electroactive small molecules. Appending C2-pyrene as the small molecule end-group to a diketopyrrolopyrrole core leads to materials with a tight, aligned crystal packing and favorable morphology dictated by π-π interactions, resulting in high power conversion efficiencies and high fill factors. The use of end-groups to direct molecular self-assembly is an effective strategy for designing high-performance small molecule OPV devices. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Efficient small molecule bulk heterojunction solar cells with high fill factors via pyrene-directed molecular self-assembly

KAUST Repository

Lee, Olivia P.

2011-10-21

Efficient organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials are constructed by attaching completely planar, symmetric end-groups to donor-acceptor electroactive small molecules. Appending C2-pyrene as the small molecule end-group to a diketopyrrolopyrrole core leads to materials with a tight, aligned crystal packing and favorable morphology dictated by π-π interactions, resulting in high power conversion efficiencies and high fill factors. The use of end-groups to direct molecular self-assembly is an effective strategy for designing high-performance small molecule OPV devices. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Early perception of stink bug damage in developing seeds of field-grown soybean induces chemical defences and reduces bug attack.

Science.gov (United States)

Giacometti, Romina; Barneto, Jesica; Barriga, Lucia G; Sardoy, Pedro M; Balestrasse, Karina; Andrade, Andrea M; Pagano, Eduardo A; Alemano, Sergio G; Zavala, Jorge A

2016-08-01

Southern green stink bugs (Nezara viridula L.) invade field-grown soybean crops, where they feed on developing seeds and inject phytotoxic saliva, which causes yield reduction. Although leaf responses to herbivory are well studied, no information is available about the regulation of defences in seeds. This study demonstrated that mitogen-activated protein kinases MPK3, MPK4 and MPK6 are expressed and activated in developing seeds of field-grown soybean and regulate a defensive response after stink bug damage. Although 10-20 min after stink bug feeding on seeds induced the expression of MPK3, MPK6 and MPK4, only MPK6 was phosphorylated after damage. Herbivory induced an early peak of jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation and ethylene (ET) emission after 3 h in developing seeds, whereas salicylic acid (SA) was also induced early, and at increasing levels up to 72 h after damage. Damaged seeds upregulated defensive genes typically modulated by JA/ET or SA, which in turn reduced the activity of digestive enzymes in the gut of stink bugs. Induced seeds were less preferred by stink bugs. This study shows that stink bug damage induces seed defences, which is perceived early by MPKs that may activate defence metabolic pathways in developing seeds of field-grown soybean. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Separating defence and civilian radioactive waste programs in Nevada: can the public navigate the maze?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, R.A.

1999-01-01

Nevada is at the centre of public policy debate with regards to high and low level radioactive waste disposal. Nevada's Yucca Mountain is the only site under consideration for a US geologic repository for commercial spent nuclear fuel and defence high level waste. The Nevada Test Site (NTS) has long been a low level waste (LLW) disposal facility for the Department of Energy (DOE) defence waste and is now expected to take even more LLW as the preferred site for a regional or centralised disposal facility. Furthermore, the primary mission at NTS, defence, continues to add more contamination to the site. Combined, these facts present a public policy enigma, confused further by the intentional separation of the programs by DOE, even though all are essentially conducted at the same site. Involving the public in policy decisions for these programs is a dilemma because the public does not make the same artificial distinctions between them as DOE, DOE credibility suffers from past public involvement efforts conducted during an era of Cold War secrecy and because DOE public involvement programs are operated independently, with little or no co-operation between programs. The public does not know where it fits into the DOE decision-making process or if it impacts the policy decisions being made that affect it. This paper examines the complex maze of radioactive policy and bureaucracy in order to unveil the enigma Nevada residents face. Are they able to navigate this maze to effectively participate in government policy and decision-making? Or, will they remain confused by the government bureaucracy which deliberately makes a mess of the situation and seeks to exploit a politically weak state with large tracts of federally controlled land? lt further evaluates the effect this enigma has in producing acceptable public policy for radioactive waste disposal in the US, the role of public participation in that policy, and the reason the public is disillusioned and disengaged in the

Something Has to Give: Why Delays Are the New Reality of Canada’s Defence Procurement Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elinor Sloan

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Recent waves of political controversy over military procurement programs, most notably the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project, are symptoms of an ongoing and increasingly strategic choice Canada is making in the way it equips its military. From the failure to settle on a design for the Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ship (which had an originally planned delivery date of 2013, to the un-awarded contracts for new fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft (initially anticipated nearly a decade ago and the incomplete Integrated Soldier-System Project (once expected to be active by this year; to the delay in cutting the steel for the Joint Support Ship (initial delivery planned for 2012 needed to replace vessels that are now being decommissioned, Canadians are witnessing the results of a new philosophy behind the government’s procurement process. Canadian governments have always insisted on industrial and regional benefits for Canada when buying military equipment. But the massive defence spending promised under the 2008 Canada First Defence Strategy exacerbated this approach. The emphasis has now formally been placed on favouring industrial benefits for Canada in defence acquisitions, while heightened political cautiousness has placed a higher priority on ensuring maximum value for taxpayer money with a zero tolerance for mistakes environment. A relatively small Canadian defence budget has put pressure on military officials to be creative about ordering new equipment — in some cases, perhaps too creative. Officials have taken to commissioning vehicles and equipment that are more versatile and are capable of carrying out more than their traditional functions. In certain instances, this has meant wish lists that cannot be fulfilled in the expected time frame, or even at all. This is the case, for example, with the Joint Support Ship, which went from a plan for new refuelling and replenishment ships to one for vessels that could also provide a command and

Evaluating and Directions for Improving the Efficiency of Use of the Main Production Assets of Enterprise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chumak Larysa F.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at studying the existing approaches to evaluation, as well as analyzing and determining the relevant directions for improving the efficiency of use of the enterprise’s main production assets. The article explores the issues such as development of the theoretical-methodical approaches to evaluating and improving the efficiency of use, finding practical ways and forms to implement innovations and upgrade the main production assets. It has been found that ensuring the efficient use of the main production assets goes along with application of technical, organizational-productive and organizational-administrative activities that are not only related to the technical side of the use, but also require the involvement and training of highly qualified professionals capable of providing with the appropriate productivity a high level of all the types of the work needed. The introduction of modern achievements in the sphere of management automation, production, advanced technologies, and the development of an optimal structure of the main assets would improve the efficiency of use of the main production assets.

Condom Use Behaviors and Correlates of Condom Use in the Botswana Defence Force

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-10

may engage in risky sexual behaviours, such as having unprotected sex with sex workers .4 Furthermore, studies have found high HIV risk- taking...did not use a condom the last time they had sex with a sex worker . 11 And in the 1Naval Health Research Center, Department of Defense HIV /AIDS...only found in 16-20% of participants,7 and 41% did not use a condom the last time they had sex with a sex worker .4 In the Rwanda Defence Forces, 24

The almost invisible league: crypsis and association between minute fishes and shrimps as a possible defence against visually hunting predators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucélia Nobre Carvalho

Full Text Available Camouflage is one of the most widespread defence modes used by substrate-dwelling animals, whereas transparency is generally found in open-water organisms. Both these defence types are regarded as effective against visually guided predators. We present here three assemblages of similarly-sized freshwater fish and shrimp species which apparently rely on camouflage and transparency to evade some of their potential predators. In one of the associations, there is a transition from cryptic colours and translucency to transparency of the component species according to the position each of them occupies in the habitat. The likeness between the fishes and the shrimps is here regarded as a type of protective association similar to numerical or social mimicry. Additionally, we suggest that the assemblage may contain Batesian-like mimicry components.

On the computational efficiency of isogeometric methods for smooth elliptic problems using direct solvers

KAUST Repository

Collier, Nathan; Dalcin, Lisandro; Calo, Victor M.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY: We compare the computational efficiency of isogeometric Galerkin and collocation methods for partial differential equations in the asymptotic regime. We define a metric to identify when numerical experiments have reached this regime. We then apply these ideas to analyze the performance of different isogeometric discretizations, which encompass C0 finite element spaces and higher-continuous spaces. We derive convergence and cost estimates in terms of the total number of degrees of freedom and then perform an asymptotic numerical comparison of the efficiency of these methods applied to an elliptic problem. These estimates are derived assuming that the underlying solution is smooth, the full Gauss quadrature is used in each non-zero knot span and the numerical solution of the discrete system is found using a direct multi-frontal solver. We conclude that under the assumptions detailed in this paper, higher-continuous basis functions provide marginal benefits.

On the computational efficiency of isogeometric methods for smooth elliptic problems using direct solvers

KAUST Repository

Collier, Nathan

2014-09-17

SUMMARY: We compare the computational efficiency of isogeometric Galerkin and collocation methods for partial differential equations in the asymptotic regime. We define a metric to identify when numerical experiments have reached this regime. We then apply these ideas to analyze the performance of different isogeometric discretizations, which encompass C0 finite element spaces and higher-continuous spaces. We derive convergence and cost estimates in terms of the total number of degrees of freedom and then perform an asymptotic numerical comparison of the efficiency of these methods applied to an elliptic problem. These estimates are derived assuming that the underlying solution is smooth, the full Gauss quadrature is used in each non-zero knot span and the numerical solution of the discrete system is found using a direct multi-frontal solver. We conclude that under the assumptions detailed in this paper, higher-continuous basis functions provide marginal benefits.

Role of stress-related hormones in plant defence during early infection of the cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii in Arabidopsis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kammerhofer, N.; Radakovic, Z.; Regis, J.M.A.; Dobrev, Petre; Vaňková, Radomíra; Grundler, F.M.W.; Siddique, S.; Hofmann, J.; Wieczorek, K.

2015-01-01

Roč. 207, č. 3 (2015), s. 778-789 ISSN 0028-646X R&D Projects: GA MŠk LD14120 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : defence responses * early infection * ethylene Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 7.210, year: 2015

Functional analysis of Arabidopsis immune-related MAPKs uncovers a role for MPK3 as negative regulator of inducible defences

KAUST Repository

Frei dit Frey, Nicolas; Garcia, Ana; Bigeard, Jean; Zaag, Rim; Bueso, Eduardo; Garmier, Marie; Pateyron, Sté phanie; de Tauzia-Moreau, Marie-Ludivine; Brunaud, Vé ronique; Balzergue, Sandrine; Colcombet, Jean; Aubourg, Sé bastien; Martin-Magniette, Marie-Laure; Hirt, Heribert

2014-01-01

-induced genes and we identify a negative role for MPK3 in regulating defence gene expression, flg22-induced salicylic acid accumulation and disease resistance to Pseudomonas syringae. Among the MAPK-dependent genes, 27% of flg22-upregulated genes and 76

Combined Sector and Channel Hopping Schemes for Efficient Rendezvous in Directional Antenna Cognitive Radio Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AbdulMajid M. Al-Mqdashi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Rendezvous is a prerequisite and important process for secondary users (SUs to establish data communications in cognitive radio networks (CRNs. Recently, there has been a proliferation of different channel hopping- (CH- based schemes that can provide rendezvous without relying on any predetermined common control channel. However, the existing CH schemes were designed with omnidirectional antennas which can degrade their rendezvous performance when applied in CRNs that are highly crowded with primary users (PUs. In such networks, the large number of PUs may lead to the inexistence of any common available channel between neighboring SUs which result in a failure of their rendezvous process. In this paper, we consider the utilization of directional antennas in CRNs for tackling the issue. Firstly, we propose two coprimality-based sector hopping (SH schemes that can provide efficient pairwise sector rendezvous in directional antenna CRNs (DIR-CRNs. Then, we propose an efficient CH scheme that can be combined within the SH schemes for providing a simultaneous sector and channel rendezvous. The guaranteed rendezvous of our schemes are proven by deriving the theoretical upper bounds of their rendezvous delay metrics. Furthermore, extensive simulation comparisons with other related rendezvous schemes are conducted to illustrate the significant outperformance of our schemes.

Computational Properties of the Hippocampus Increase the Efficiency of Goal-Directed Foraging through Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Chalmers

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The mammalian brain is thought to use a version of Model-based Reinforcement Learning (MBRL to guide goal-directed behavior, wherein animals consider goals and make plans to acquire desired outcomes. However, conventional MBRL algorithms do not fully explain animals’ ability to rapidly adapt to environmental changes, or learn multiple complex tasks. They also require extensive computation, suggesting that goal-directed behavior is cognitively expensive. We propose here that key features of processing in the hippocampus support a flexible MBRL mechanism for spatial navigation that is computationally efficient and can adapt quickly to change. We investigate this idea by implementing a computational MBRL framework that incorporates features inspired by computational properties of the hippocampus: a hierarchical representation of space, forward sweeps through future spatial trajectories, and context-driven remapping of place cells. We find that a hierarchical abstraction of space greatly reduces the computational load (mental effort required for adaptation to changing environmental conditions, and allows efficient scaling to large problems. It also allows abstract knowledge gained at high levels to guide adaptation to new obstacles. Moreover, a context-driven remapping mechanism allows learning and memory of multiple tasks. Simulating dorsal or ventral hippocampal lesions in our computational framework qualitatively reproduces behavioral deficits observed in rodents with analogous lesions. The framework may thus embody key features of how the brain organizes model-based RL to efficiently solve navigation and other difficult tasks.

Efficient gene targeting by homology-directed repair in rat zygotes using TALE nucleases.

Science.gov (United States)

Remy, Séverine; Tesson, Laurent; Menoret, Séverine; Usal, Claire; De Cian, Anne; Thepenier, Virginie; Thinard, Reynald; Baron, Daniel; Charpentier, Marine; Renaud, Jean-Baptiste; Buelow, Roland; Cost, Gregory J; Giovannangeli, Carine; Fraichard, Alexandre; Concordet, Jean-Paul; Anegon, Ignacio

2014-08-01

The generation of genetically modified animals is important for both research and commercial purposes. The rat is an important model organism that until recently lacked efficient genetic engineering tools. Sequence-specific nucleases, such as ZFNs, TALE nucleases, and CRISPR/Cas9 have allowed the creation of rat knockout models. Genetic engineering by homology-directed repair (HDR) is utilized to create animals expressing transgenes in a controlled way and to introduce precise genetic modifications. We applied TALE nucleases and donor DNA microinjection into zygotes to generate HDR-modified rats with large new sequences introduced into three different loci with high efficiency (0.62%-5.13% of microinjected zygotes). Two of these loci (Rosa26 and Hprt1) are known to allow robust and reproducible transgene expression and were targeted for integration of a GFP expression cassette driven by the CAG promoter. GFP-expressing embryos and four Rosa26 GFP rat lines analyzed showed strong and widespread GFP expression in most cells of all analyzed tissues. The third targeted locus was Ighm, where we performed successful exon exchange of rat exon 2 for the human one. At all three loci we observed HDR only when using linear and not circular donor DNA. Mild hypothermic (30°C) culture of zygotes after microinjection increased HDR efficiency for some loci. Our study demonstrates that TALE nuclease and donor DNA microinjection into rat zygotes results in efficient and reproducible targeted donor integration by HDR. This allowed creation of genetically modified rats in a work-, cost-, and time-effective manner. © 2014 Remy et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Determinants of injuries and Road Traffic Accidents amongst service personnel in a large Defence station.

Science.gov (United States)

Neelakantan, Anand; Kotwal, Brig Atul; Ilankumaran, Mookkiah

2017-07-01

Injuries are assuming epidemic proportions globally; and in India. Also, previous decade witnessed carnage on Indian roads, with nearly 12 lakh people killed and 55 lakhs disabled in road crashes. The trend in Armed Forces is reflective of the aforesaid patterns. Behaviour and socio-demographic background of the victims are significant determinants of injuries and road accidents. Community-based epidemiological information on these aspects is envisaged to contribute in their preventive strategy. Towards this direction, the present study was conducted with aim to generate socio-behavioural profile of injuries and Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) amongst service personnel in a large defence station; and to evaluate their determinants. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out among 796 Naval personnel onboard warships in large Naval station. Data on socio-behavioural aspects and determinants of injuries and road accidents was collected using a pre-validated questionnaire; and by scrutiny of relevant records. Data was analysed using MSExcel, Epi-info and SPSS 17. Young and middle-aged persons were predominantly involved in injuries and road accidents. Two-wheeler users sustained maximum road accidents. Human factor was a significant determinant in RTAs and injuries. A majority of victims admitted that human factors were the predominant cause of road accidents; and opined that the events were preventable. Age-specific Behavioural Change Communication strategies aimed at refining user outlook are imperative; tailored to sociodemographic milieu of user/victim. Incorporation of a dynamic feedback/reporting mechanism, creation of 'armed forces-specific road safety and injury prevention policy' and safety audits on injuries and road crashes are measures in this direction.

Direct effects of fermented cow's milk product with Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 on human enterocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Paparo, L; Aitoro, R; Nocerino, R; Fierro, C; Bruno, C; Canani, R Berni

2018-01-29

Cow's milk fermented with Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 (FM-CBAL74) exerts a preventive effect against infectious diseases in children. We evaluated if this effect is at least in part related to a direct modulation of non-immune and immune defence mechanisms in human enterocytes. Human enterocytes (Caco-2) were stimulated for 48 h with FM-CBAL74 at different concentrations. Cell growth was assessed by colorimetric assay; cell differentiation (assessed by lactase expression), tight junction proteins (zonula occludens1 and occludin), mucin 2, and toll-like receptor (TRL) pathways were analysed by real-time PCR; innate immunity peptide synthesis, beta-defensin-2 (HBD-2) and cathelicidin (LL-37) were evaluated by ELISA. Mucus layer thickness was analysed by histochemistry. FMCBA L74 stimulated cell growth and differentiation, tight junction proteins and mucin 2 expression, and mucus layer thickness in a dose-dependent fashion. A significant stimulation of HBD-2 and LL-37 synthesis, associated with a modulation of TLR pathway, was also observed. FM-CBAL74 regulates non-immune and immune defence mechanisms through a direct interaction with the enterocytes. These effects could be involved in the preventive action against infectious diseases demonstrated by this fermented product in children.

Systems analysis approach to the design of efficient water pricing policies under the EU water framework directive

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riegels, Niels; Pulido-Velazquez, Manuel; Doulgeris, Charalampos

2013-01-01

management objectives. However, the design and implementation of economic instruments for water management, including water pricing, has emerged as a challenging aspect of WFD implementation. This study demonstrates the use of a systems analysis approach to designing and comparing two economic approaches......Economic theory suggests that water pricing can contribute to efficient management of water scarcity. The European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD) is a major legislative effort to introduce the use of economic instruments to encourage efficient water use and achieve environmental...... to efficient management of groundwater and surface water given EU WFD ecological flow requirements. Under the first approach, all wholesale water users in a river basin face the same volumetric price for water. This water price does not vary in space or in time, and surface water and groundwater are priced...

Improving quantum efficiency and spectral resolution of a CCD through direct manipulation of the depletion region

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Craig; Ambrosi, Richard M.; Abbey, Tony; Godet, Olivier; O'Brien, R.; Turner, M. J. L.; Holland, Andrew; Pool, Peter J.; Burt, David; Vernon, David

2008-07-01

Future generations of X-ray astronomy instruments will require position sensitive detectors in the form of charge-coupled devices (CCDs) for X-ray spectroscopy and imaging with the ability to probe the X-ray universe with greater efficiency. This will require the development of CCDs with structures that will improve their quantum efficiency over the current state of the art. The quantum efficiency improvements would have to span a broad energy range (0.2 keV to >15 keV). These devices will also have to be designed to withstand the harsh radiation environments associated with orbits that extend beyond the Earth's magnetosphere. This study outlines the most recent work carried out at the University of Leicester focused on improving the quantum efficiency of an X-ray sensitive CCD through direct manipulation of the device depletion region. It is also shown that increased spectral resolution is achieved using this method due to a decrease in the number of multi-pixel events. A Monte Carlo and analytical models of the CCD have been developed and used to determine the depletion depths achieved through variation of the device substrate voltage, Vss. The models are also used to investigate multi-pixel event distributions and quantum efficiency as a function of depletion depth.

Laser Direct Writing of Tree-Shaped Hierarchical Cones on a Superhydrophobic Film for High-Efficiency Water Collection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meng; Liu, Qian; Zhang, Haoran; Wang, Chuang; Wang, Lei; Xiang, Bingxi; Fan, Yongtao; Guo, Chuan Fei; Ruan, Shuangchen

2017-08-30

Directional water collection has stimulated a great deal of interest because of its potential applications in the field of microfluidics, liquid transportation, fog harvesting, and so forth. There have been some bio or bioinspired structures for directional water collection, from one-dimensional spider silk to two-dimensional star-like patterns to three-dimensional Nepenthes alata. Here we present a simple way for the accurate design and highly controllable driving of tiny droplets: by laser direct writing of hierarchical patterns with modified wettability and desired geometry on a superhydrophobic film, the patterned film can precisely and directionally drive tiny water droplets and dramatically improve the efficiency of water collection with a factor of ∼36 compared with the original superhydrophobic film. Such a patterned film might be an ideal platform for water collection from humid air and for planar microfluidics without tunnels.

A change in temperature modulates defence to yellow (stripe) rust in wheat line UC1041 independently of resistance gene Yr36.

Science.gov (United States)

Bryant, Ruth R M; McGrann, Graham R D; Mitchell, Alice R; Schoonbeek, Henk-Jan; Boyd, Lesley A; Uauy, Cristobal; Dorling, Steve; Ridout, Christopher J

2014-01-08

Rust diseases are of major importance in wheat production worldwide. With the constant evolution of new rust strains and their adaptation to higher temperatures, consistent and durable disease resistance is a key challenge. Environmental conditions affect resistance gene performance, but the basis for this is poorly understood. Here we show that a change in day temperature affects wheat resistance to Puccinia striiformis f. sp tritici (Pst), the causal agent of yellow (or stripe) rust. Using adult plants of near-isogenic lines UC1041 +/- Yr36, there was no significant difference between Pst percentage uredia coverage in plants grown at day temperatures of 18°C or 25°C in adult UC1041 + Yr36 plants. However, when plants were transferred to the lower day temperature at the time of Pst inoculation, infection increased up to two fold. Interestingly, this response was independent of Yr36, which has previously been reported as a temperature-responsive resistance gene as Pst development in adult UC1041 -Yr36 plants was similarly affected by the plants experiencing a temperature reduction. In addition, UC1041 -Yr36 plants grown at the lower temperature then transferred to the higher temperature were effectively resistant and a temperature change in either direction was shown to affect Pst development up to 8 days prior to inoculation. Results for seedlings were similar, but more variable compared to adult plants. Enhanced resistance to Pst was observed in seedlings of UC1041 and the cultivar Shamrock when transferred to the higher temperature. Resistance was not affected in seedlings of cultivar Solstice by a temperature change in either direction. Yr36 is effective at 18°C, refining the lower range of temperature at which resistance against Pst is conferred compared to previous studies. Results reveal previously uncharacterised defence temperature sensitivity in the UC1041 background which is caused by a change in temperature and independently of Yr36. This novel

Quorum-Sensing Blockade As A Strategy for Enhancing Host Defences Against Bacterial Pathogens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Givskov, Michael Christian

2007-01-01

Conventional antibiotics target the growth and the basal life processes of bacteria leading to growth arrest and cell death. The selective force that is inherently linked to this mode of action eventually selects out antibiotic-resistant variants. The most obvious alternative to antibiotic...... rise to a new 'drug target rush'. Recently, QS has been shown to be involved in the development of tolerance to various antimicrobial treatments and immune modulation. The regulation of virulence via QS confers a strategic advantage over host defences. Consequently, a drug capable of blocking QS...

Quorum-sensing blockade as a strategy for enhancing host defences against bacterial pathogens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Givskov, Michael Christian

2007-01-01

Conventional antibiotics target the growth and the basal life processes of bacteria leading to growth arrest and cell death. The selective force that is inherently linked to this mode of action eventually selects out antibiotic-resistant variants. The most obvious alternative to antibiotic...... rise to a new 'drug target rush'. Recently, QS has been shown to be involved in the development of tolerance to various antimicrobial treatments and immune modulation. The regulation of virulence via QS confers a strategic advantage over host defences. Consequently, a drug capable of blocking QS...

Femtosecond laser direct writing of gratings and waveguides in high quantum efficiency erbium-doped Baccarat glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vishnubhatla, K C; Kumar, R Sai Santosh; Rao, D Narayana; Rao, S Venugopal; Osellame, R; Ramponi, R; Bhaktha, S N B; Mattarelli, M; Montagna, M; Turrell, S; Chiappini, A; Chiasera, A; Ferrari, M; Righini, G C

2009-01-01

The femtosecond laser direct writing technique was employed to inscribe gratings and waveguides in high quantum efficiency erbium-doped Baccarat glass. Using the butt coupling technique, a systematic study of waveguide loss with respect to input pulse energy and writing speed was performed to achieve the best waveguide with low propagation loss (PL). By pumping at 980 nm, we observed signal enhancement in these active waveguides in the telecom spectral region. The refractive index change was smooth and we estimated it to be ∼10 -3 . The high quantum efficiency (∼80%) and a best PL of ∼0.9 dB cm -1 combined with signal enhancement makes Baccarat glass a potential candidate for application in photonics.

Maternally derived chemical defences are an effective deterrent against some predators of poison frog tadpoles (Oophaga pumilio).

Science.gov (United States)

Stynoski, Jennifer L; Shelton, Georgia; Stynoski, Peter

2014-05-01

Parents defend their young in many ways, including provisioning chemical defences. Recent work in a poison frog system offers the first example of an animal that provisions its young with alkaloids after hatching or birth rather than before. But it is not yet known whether maternally derived alkaloids are an effective defence against offspring predators. We identified the predators of Oophaga pumilio tadpoles and conducted laboratory and field choice tests to determine whether predators are deterred by alkaloids in tadpoles. We found that snakes, spiders and beetle larvae are common predators of O. pumilio tadpoles. Snakes were not deterred by alkaloids in tadpoles. However, spiders were less likely to consume mother-fed O. pumilio tadpoles than either alkaloid-free tadpoles of the red-eyed treefrog, Agalychnis callidryas, or alkaloid-free O. pumilio tadpoles that had been hand-fed with A. callidryas eggs. Thus, maternally derived alkaloids reduce the risk of predation for tadpoles, but only against some predators. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Convergent evolution of plant and animal embryo defences by hyperstable non-digestible storage proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasquevich, María Yanina; Dreon, Marcos Sebastián; Qiu, Jian-Wen; Mu, Huawei; Heras, Horacio

2017-11-20

Plants have evolved sophisticated embryo defences by kinetically-stable non-digestible storage proteins that lower the nutritional value of seeds, a strategy that have not been reported in animals. To further understand antinutritive defences in animals, we analysed PmPV1, massively accumulated in the eggs of the gastropod Pomacea maculata, focusing on how its structure and structural stability features affected its capacity to withstand passage through predator guts. The native protein withstands >50 min boiling and resists the denaturing detergent sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), indicating an unusually high structural stability (i.e., kinetic stability). PmPV1 is highly resistant to in vitro proteinase digestion and displays structural stability between pH 2.0-12.0 and 25-85 °C. Furthermore, PmPV1 withstands in vitro and mice digestion and is recovered unchanged in faeces, supporting an antinutritive defensive function. Subunit sequence similarities suggest a common origin and tolerance to mutations. This is the first known animal genus that, like plant seeds, lowers the nutritional value of eggs by kinetically-stable non-digestible storage proteins that survive the gut of predators unaffected. The selective pressure of the harsh gastrointestinal environment would have favoured their appearance, extending by convergent evolution the presence of plant-like hyperstable antinutritive proteins to unattended reproductive stages in animals.

The EU as black widow; Devouring the WEU to give birth to a European Security and Defence Policy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wessel, Ramses A.; Kronenberger, Vincent

2001-01-01

The Treaty of Nice will finally turn the European Union into a security and defence organisation. Alongside its tasks in all other areas the Union will be given the competence to strengthen its contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security in accordance with the UN Charter.

Gas Market deverticalization and liberalization: simulate the effect of different attack and defence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drusiani, Renato; Fazioli, Roberto; Matino, Paola

2005-01-01

The Autorita' per l'Energia Elettrica e il Gas (Aeeg-Italian Electricity Regulator) and The Autorita' Garante per la Concorrenza e il Mercato (Agcm - Italian Competition and Market Regulator) have pointed out that, despite the process of deverticalization and liberalization started with the 'Decreto Letta', oligopolistic blocks still exist in the up stream segment of the natural gas supply chain. Such a liberalization process apparently did not bring about those expected, outstanding benefits for the final users, to such extent that it took action from the Aeeg itself to regulate the final prices, thus dramatically hampering the complete opening of the market and ultimately undermining its expected results. Furthermore, the natural gas industry operators are all aware that competition in the down stream segment (distribution) will be, as it is righi now, limited only to the more attractive industrial use. This parer analyzes and simulates, based on empirical data, the effect of different attack and defence strategies between incumbents and competitors, whose identification is based more on the financial solidity they show in developing competition strategies than their management efficiency level. Il is our intent to add a contribution to the national debate in terms of simulation of a price competition between incumbent and competitor, in order to evaluate how likely it is far oligopolistic blocks to occur. As a second step, a simplified competition analysis, applied to a real-life situation, has been carried out. The questions tackled in this simulation, which is based on the game theory, concern, first and foremost, the demonstration that an oligopolistic block in the up stream affects the down stream, and how such effects bear on the various categories of users. As a final corollary, a question of industrial policy: are the effects of an asymmetric liberalization such as to induce a supply side concentration which is rather based on the exploitation of the up

Efficient processing of fluorescence images using directional multiscale representations.

Science.gov (United States)

Labate, D; Laezza, F; Negi, P; Ozcan, B; Papadakis, M

2014-01-01

Recent advances in high-resolution fluorescence microscopy have enabled the systematic study of morphological changes in large populations of cells induced by chemical and genetic perturbations, facilitating the discovery of signaling pathways underlying diseases and the development of new pharmacological treatments. In these studies, though, due to the complexity of the data, quantification and analysis of morphological features are for the vast majority handled manually, slowing significantly data processing and limiting often the information gained to a descriptive level. Thus, there is an urgent need for developing highly efficient automated analysis and processing tools for fluorescent images. In this paper, we present the application of a method based on the shearlet representation for confocal image analysis of neurons. The shearlet representation is a newly emerged method designed to combine multiscale data analysis with superior directional sensitivity, making this approach particularly effective for the representation of objects defined over a wide range of scales and with highly anisotropic features. Here, we apply the shearlet representation to problems of soma detection of neurons in culture and extraction of geometrical features of neuronal processes in brain tissue, and propose it as a new framework for large-scale fluorescent image analysis of biomedical data.