To thoroughly prepare the expected start of the European Visa Information System (VIS) in 2011, Germany has implemented and evaluated the biometric visa border control process in a dedicated pilot project. In addition to implementing all necessary software modules for the access to the VIS, the focus of the project was set on the new feature of fingerprint biometrics. Fingerprint verification i...

Nitrates, caffeine and alcohol can help relieve symptoms by relaxing lower oesophageal tone. Not all patients with GORD should undergo an OGD (should be considered if GI bleeding or symptoms of dysphagia occur). Oesophagitis is present in half of GORD patients. Oesophageal manometry or oesophageal motility study measures the strength of the lower oesophageal sphincter. This would rule out achal...

The nature of software engineering projects is rather complex. They involve people with different backgrounds, working in different phases and activities. Software engineering is a field where constant technology change takes place, rendering the work of involved people highly dynamic, in the sense that discovering solutions for new problems belongs to the daily tasks. Knowledge in software eng...

G protein-activated potassium channels (GIRKs), monitored with the temporal and molecular resolution of electrophysiology, play a key role in the study of signal transduction. GIRKs are activated primarily by the G(beta)(gamma) subunits, but a paper by Peleg et al. (2002 [this issue of Neuron]) demonstrates a role for G(alpha) subunits in suppressing basal activity and supports the idea of a ma...

We present an extension of the standard partition function approach to RNA secondary structures that computes the probabilities Pu[i, j] that a sequence interval [i, j] is unpaired. Comparison with experimental data shows that Pu[i, j] can be applied as a significant determinant of local target site accessibility for RNA interference (RNAi). Furthermore, these quantities can be used to rigorous...

The endoderm germ layer contributes to the respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) lineages during development, giving rise to an array of specialized epithelial cell types lining organs, including the thyroid, thymus, lungs, liver, biliary system, pancreas, and intestines. This SnapShot timelines and summarizes key stages following gastrulation, including endoderm patterning, organ specification...

LINEAR FOREIGN BODY Clinical presentation: Linear foreign bodies (e.g., string, plastic bags, tinsel, tape deck tape, yarn, thread) occur in the dog and cat. The classic presentation is a patient four years of age or less with persistent vomiting, anorexia, and depression. These signs are common with many gastrointestinal disturbances and linear foreign body should be included in your different...

Results: The mean GI was significantly higher in males (1.56 ± 0.31 mm) when compared to females (1.42 ± 0.34 mm). Hence the present sample was subjected to discriminant analysis with gender as a grouping variable, GI and GA as independent variables. Based on Wilk’s lambda values Gonial index (GI) was observed to provide better sex determination when compared to Gonial angle (GA). Hence 2 diffe...