We describe Dirofilaria immitis occurring in the peritoneal cavity of a dog from Korea. Two worms were found in the fat of the umbrical cord area during operation for an umbrical cord hernia in a dog (four year old, female, Maltese). In gross findings, the worms were slander white and measured 132 mm (female), 111 mm (male). The tail of the male was spirally coiled. In light microscopy, the ute...

DNA aptamers have potential for disease diagnosis and as therapeutics, particularly when interfaced with programmable molecular technology. Here we have combined DNA aptamers specific for the malaria biomarker Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) with a DNA origami scaffold. Twelve aptamers that recognise PfLDH were integrated into a rectangular DNA origami and atomic force micro...

To date, theoretical studies concerning the Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strengthening of RC beams with openings have been rather limited. In addition, various numerical analyses presented so far have effectively simulated the behaviour of solid beam strengthened by FRP material. In this paper, a two dimensional nonlinear finite element analysis is presented to validate against the la...

We predict the existence and dynamical stability of heptagraphene, a new graphitic structure formed of rings of 10 carbon atoms bridged by carbene groups yielding seven-membered rings. Despite the rectangular unit cell, the band structure is topologically equivalent to that of strongly distorted graphene. Density-functional-theory calculations demonstrate that heptagraphene has Dirac cones on s...

Collimator systems used in Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy can form different geometric aperture shapes depending on their physical capabilities. We compare the efficiency of using regular, rotating and dual multileaf collimator (MLC) systems under different combinations of consecutiveness, interdigitation and rectangular constraints. We also create a virtual freeform collimator, which ca...

This paper summarizes the experimental campaign carried out for development of new steel energy dissipative devices named Slit Dampers (SDs) designed earthquake protection structures. A total eighty-two shear plates with different openings and thicknesses are tested to investigate their behaviour under cyclic pseudo-static loading. Eight types studied, including SD narrow slits that divide plat...

yielding elements (ye) are among those devices that not only help control structural damages, but make better seismic behavior by concentrating the frames in some removable part of the structures. ye are located at the intersection of concentric braced frame (cbf) in a rectangular shape. in this paper, seismic behavior of the frames with ye will be investigated. for this reason, 5 braced steel ...

Recent information society policies have been paying much attention to the threat of a "digital divide". The gap between citizens from different socio-economic backgrounds with regard to their opportunities and abilities to access and use information and communication technologies is commonly regarded as a potential barrier for participation in the information society. This paper suggests a met...

We study the joint effect of thermal bath fluctuations and an external noise tuning activity of cytotoxic cells on the triggered immune response in a growing cancerous tissue. The immune response is assumed to be primarily mediated by effector cells that develop a cytotoxic activity against the abnormal tissue. The kinetics of such a reaction is represented by an enzymatic-like Michaelis-Menten...