No description available.

Introduction: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been a successful assisted reproductive technique for men with severe male-factor infertility. However, ICSI requires the subjective selection of normal looking sperm, which does not preclude the transmission of genetically abnormal sperm. Correlation between abnormal sperm morphology and chromosomal abnormalities has been suggested but not been conclusive and less is known about the connection between sperm morphology and DNA integrity. Sperm morphology will be evaluated on its ability to identify the level of chromosomal abnormalities or fragmented DNA in sperm. To further focus this investigation on sperm morphology, men with infertility isolated to abnormal sperm morphology (isolated teratozoopsermia) are examined. Materials and Methods: Sperm from isolated teratozoopsermic men (n=10) were analysed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and terminal dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assays to determine the level of aneuploidy and DNA fragmentation, respectively. These results were also compared to that of sperm from control men (n=9) of proven fertility and normal seminal parameters. Results: Sperm from teratozoospermic men, compared to control men, had higher rates of total chromosomal abnormality (5.90±3.74% vs. 2.35±0.87%, P=0.0128), total aneuploidy (4.90±2.82% vs. 1.99±0.65%, P=0.0087), and chromosome 13 disomy (0.77±0.50% vs. 0.20±0.14%, P=0.0046). In control samples, incidence of tapered heads associated with supernumerary chromosomal abnormalities (rs=0.9747, P=0.0167). In teratozoospermic samples, incidence of amorphous heads associated to chromosome 13 disomy and sex chromosome aneuploidy (rs=0.6391, P= 0.0466; rs=0.8049, P=0.0050, respectively). Tail abnormalities were associated with chromosomal abnormalities (bent tail-disomy 13: rs=0.7939, P=0.0061; 2-tailed-disomy 13: rs=0.8193, P=0.0037; 2-tailed-supernumerary chromosomal abnormalities: rs=0.7534, P=0.0119). Levels of DNA fragmented sperm were higher in teratozoospermic men than control men (60.28±21.40% vs. 32.40±17.20%, P=0.0121). DNA fragmentation in sperm positively correlated with the incidence of sperm with bent necks in control samples (rs=0.8571, P=0.0238) and round headed sperm in teratozoospermic samples (rs=0.6727, P=0.0390). Conclusions: Sperm of isolated teratozoospermic men have elevated rates of chromosomal abnormalities and DNA fragmentation compared to that of fertile controls. Specific abnormal sperm morphology can be correlated wiht chromosomal abnormalities and level of DNA fragmentation in sperm and this may prove useful in sperm selection for ICSI when applied to isolated teratozoospermic patients.

In Nepal, the harsh mountainous topography hinders a viable transport infrastructure, including roads, making trails and mule tracks the only available option for a majority of the population. This isolates communities and compels them to face an exhausting, time consuming and often dangerous journey to get their agricultural products to the nearest markets. This study investigates the potential of gravity goods ropeway as a viable means of transportation to serve these isolated communities. This research looks at Hiklung village to explore the significance of gravity good ropeways in linking farmers to markets, its socio-economic impact, and its effectiveness in improving food security and livelihoods of project beneficiaries. The findings of this study, based on participant observation and interactions with project beneficiaries, suggest that an alternative means of transportation like gravity goods ropeway can be a sustainable transport solution to these isolated communities and increase their participation in the local economy.

Introduction: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been a successful assisted reproductive technique for men with severe male-factor infertility. However, ICSI requires the subjective selection of normal looking sperm, which does not preclude the transmission of genetically abnormal sperm. Correlation between abnormal sperm morphology and chromosomal abnormalities has been suggested but not been conclusive and less is known about the connection between sperm morphology and DNA integrity. Sperm morphology will be evaluated on its ability to identify the level of chromosomal abnormalities or fragmented DNA in sperm. To further focus this investigation on sperm morphology, men with infertility isolated to abnormal sperm morphology (isolated teratozoopsermia) are examined. Materials and Methods: Sperm from isolated teratozoopsermic men (n=10) were analysed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and terminal dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assays to determine the level of aneuploidy and DNA fragmentation, respectively. These results were also compared to that of sperm from control men (n=9) of proven fertility and normal seminal parameters. Results: Sperm from teratozoospermic men, compared to control men, had higher rates of total chromosomal abnormality (5.90±3.74% vs. 2.35±0.87%, P=0.0128), total aneuploidy (4.90±2.82% vs. 1.99±0.65%, P=0.0087), and chromosome 13 disomy (0.77±0.50% vs. 0.20±0.14%, P=0.0046). In control samples, incidence of tapered heads associated with supernumerary chromosomal abnormalities (rs=0.9747, P=0.0167). In teratozoospermic samples, incidence of amorphous heads associated to chromosome 13 disomy and sex chromosome aneuploidy (rs=0.6391, P= 0.0466; rs=0.8049, P=0.0050, respectively). Tail abnormalities were associated with chromosomal abnormalities (bent tail-disomy 13: rs=0.7939, P=0.0061; 2-tailed-disomy 13: rs=0.8193, P=0.0037; 2-tailed-supernumerary chromosomal abnormalities: rs=0.7534, P=0.0119). Levels of DNA fragmented sperm were higher in teratozoospermic men than control men (60.28±21.40% vs. 32.40±17.20%, P=0.0121). DNA fragmentation in sperm positively correlated with the incidence of sperm with bent necks in control samples (rs=0.8571, P=0.0238) and round headed sperm in teratozoospermic samples (rs=0.6727, P=0.0390). Conclusions: Sperm of isolated teratozoospermic men have elevated rates of chromosomal abnormalities and DNA fragmentation compared to that of fertile controls. Specific abnormal sperm morphology can be correlated wiht chromosomal abnormalities and level of DNA fragmentation in sperm and this may prove useful in sperm selection for ICSI when applied to isolated teratozoospermic patients. / Medicine, Faculty of / Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of / Graduate

The reptilian clade Squamata is defined primarily by osteological synapomorphies, few of which are entirely unambiguous. Studies of developing squamate eggs have revealed a uniquely specialized feature not known to occur in any other amniotes. This feature—the yolk cleft/isolated yolk mass complex—lines the ventral hemisphere of the egg. During its formation, extraembryonic mesoderm penetrates the yolk and an exocoelom (the yolk cleft [YC]) forms in association with it, cutting off a thin segment of yolk (the “isolated yolk mass” [IYM]) from the main body of the yolk. The YC–IYM complex has been observed and described in more than 65 squamate species in 12 families. In viviparous species, it contributes to the “omphaloplacenta,” a type of yolk sac placenta unique to squamates. The only squamates known to lack the IYM are a few highly placentotrophic skinks with minuscule eggs, viviparous species in which it clearly has been lost. Given its absence in mammals, chelonians, crocodylians, and birds, the YC–IYM complex warrants recognition as a developmental synapomorphy of the squamate clade. As in extant viviparous lizards and snakes, the YC–IYM complex presumably contributed to the placenta of extinct viviparous squamates.

Today large software systems (i.e., giants) thrive in commodity markets, but are untrustworthy due to their numerous and inevitable software bugs that can be exploited by the adversary. Thus, the best hope of security is that some small, simple, and trustworthy software components (i.e., wimps) can be protected from attacks launched by adversary-controlled giants. However, wimps in isolation typically give up a variety of basic services (e.g., file system, networking, device I/O), trading usefulness and viability with security. Among these basic services, isolated I/O channels remained an unmet challenge over the past three decades. Isolated I/O is a critical security primitive for a myriad of applications (e.g., secure user interface, remote device control). With this primitive, isolated wimps can transfer I/O data to commodity peripheral devices and the data secrecy and authenticity are protected from the co-existing giants. This thesis addresses this challenge by proposing a new security architecture to provide services to isolated wimps. Instead of restructuring the giants or bloating the Trusted Computing Base that underpins wimp-giant isolation (dubbed underlying TCB), this thesis presents a unique on-demand I/O isolation model and a trusted add-on component called wimpy kernel to instantiate this model. In our model, the wimpy kernel dynamically takes control of the devices managed by a commodity OS, connects them to the isolated wimps, and relinquishes controls to the OS when done. This model creates ample opportunities for the wimpy kernel to outsource I/O subsystem functions to the untrusted OS and verify their results. The wimpy kernel further exports device drivers and I/O subsystem code to wimps and mediates the operations of the exported code. These two methodologies help to significantly reduce the size and complexity of the wimpy kernel for high security assurance. Using the popular and complex USB subsystem as a case study, this thesis illustrates the dramatic reduction of the wimpy kernel; i.e., over 99% of the Linux USB code base is removed. In addition, the wimpy kernel also composes with the underlying TCB, by retaining its code size, complexity and security properties.

Accumulating evidence reveals that albuminuria may exacerbate uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients. However, racial differences in the associations of albuminuria with uncontrolled BP among diagnosed hypertensives have not been evaluated. A total of 6147 diagnosed hypertensive subjects aged ≥18 years were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2008 with stratified multistage sampling designs. Odds ratios (ORs), relative ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in uncontrolled BP, and the different effects of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria on continuous BP were estimated using weighted logistic models and linear regression models. Hypertensive subjects with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria were more likely to have uncontrolled BP and higher average systolic BP (SBP) in all individual racial groups. Microalbuminuria was associated with isolated uncontrolled SBP in non-Hispanic blacks and whites, and macroalbuminuria was associated with isolated uncontrolled SBP and diastolic BP (DBP) and high average DBP only in non-Hispanic blacks. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks and Mexicans had lower associations of microalbuminuria with uncontrolled BP (relative OR=0.68, 95% CI=0.48-0.97 for blacks vs whites; relative OR=0.62, 95% CI=0.42-0.93 for Mexicans vs. whites) and isolated uncontrolled SBP (relative OR=0.62, 95% CI=0.43-0.90 for blacks vs. whites; relative OR=0.45, 95% CI=0.29-0.71 for Mexicans vs. whites). The association of microalbuminuria with uncontrolled BP was lower in non-Hispanic blacks and Mexicans than in non-Hispanic whites. Health providers need to improve care for mildly elevated albumin excretion rates in non-Hispanic white hypertensive patients while maintaining the quality of care in non-Hispanic blacks and Mexicans.

Accumulating evidence reveals that albuminuria may exacerbate uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients. However, racial differences in the associations of albuminuria with uncontrolled BP among diagnosed hypertensives have not been evaluated. A total of 6147 diagnosed hypertensive subjects aged ≥18 years were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2008 with stratified multistage sampling designs. Odds ratios (ORs), relative ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in uncontrolled BP, and the different effects of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria on continuous BP were estimated using weighted logistic models and linear regression models. Hypertensive subjects with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria were more likely to have uncontrolled BP and higher average systolic BP (SBP) in all individual racial groups. Microalbuminuria was associated with isolated uncontrolled SBP in non-Hispanic blacks and whites, and macroalbuminuria was associated with isolated uncontrolled SBP and diastolic BP (DBP) and high average DBP only in non-Hispanic blacks. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks and Mexicans had lower associations of microalbuminuria with uncontrolled BP (relative OR=0.68, 95% CI=0.48-0.97 for blacks vs whites; relative OR=0.62, 95% CI=0.42-0.93 for Mexicans vs. whites) and isolated uncontrolled SBP (relative OR=0.62, 95% CI=0.43-0.90 for blacks vs. whites; relative OR=0.45, 95% CI=0.29-0.71 for Mexicans vs. whites). The association of microalbuminuria with uncontrolled BP was lower in non-Hispanic blacks and Mexicans than in non-Hispanic whites. Health providers need to improve care for mildly elevated albumin excretion rates in non-Hispanic white hypertensive patients while maintaining the quality of care in non-Hispanic blacks and Mexicans.

No description available.

L’Ouest français, en général, et la Bretagne, en particulier, sont réputés pour la grande dispersion de l’habitat (fermes isolées et hameaux) et la modestie de leurs agglomérations (bourgs, villages, villes). Notre recherche s’est donnée comme objectifs de comprendre l’essor, le développement et la hiérarchisation du peuplement en Haute-Bretagne au cours des XI e–XIII e siècles. Pour se faire, nous avons emprunté des modèles et des théories à la géographie (réseaux, lieux centraux et centralité), adaptés à la période étudiée, et appliqués à l’ensemble du peuplement. En effet, afin de dépasser les clivages entre l’histoire urbaine et l’histoire rurale, peu pertinents pour la Haute-Bretagne, notamment au XIe siècle, le parti a été pris d’envisager l’ensemble du peuplement, depuis la cité jusqu’à l’habitat isolé, puis d’analyser les rapports établis entre tous les lieux de peuplement afin de dresser une hiérarchie des centres et comprendre de quelle manière se sont établis les réseaux de peuplement. Dans la mesure du possible, à partir des sources textuelles et archéologiques et d’analyses morphologiques, nous avons tenté d’établir les dynamiques permettant à certaines localités d’émerger et nous avons essayé de les replacer dans leur contexte socio-économique. Souvent décrits comme la période de la naissance du second réseau urbain, les XIe–XIII e siècles se révèlent bien plus complexes quand on intègrel’ensemble du peuplement. À toutes les échelles (comté, diocèse, seigneuries, paroisses) les centres se fixent et des réseaux s’élaborent progressivement. Le maillage aux alentours de 1300 a rompu par rapport à celui de l’an mil, mais a maintenu par la suite une très forte stabilité / Western France, and particularly Brittany, are reputed for the great dispersion of their inhabitations (such as isolated farms and hamlets) and the modesty of their agglomerations (market towns, villages and towns). Our research aims to improve the understanding of the expansion, development and hierarchical organization of the latter in Upper-Brittany during 11th–13th centuries. For this purpose, we have taken some geographical models and theories (networks, central places and centrality), put them in perspective to the studied period, and applied them to the entire inhabitation system. In order to surpass the division between urban and rural history - not very relevant for Upper-Brittany, especially in the 11th century - we have biased our study so as to comprise settlements of all sorts, cities as well as isolated homes, thus allowing us to analyze the connections between them all. Following this, we have established a hierarchy of the centres, enabling us to understand how all the settlements interacted. As far as possible - relying on textual and archaeological sources as well asmorphological analysis - we have tried to assess the dynamics which allowed certain localities to emerge, before putting them back into their socio-economic context. Often described as the period in which the second citynetwork was born, the 11th-13th centuries proved to be more complex once all settlements were taken into account. On all levels (county, diocese, manors, parishes), centres were embedded and networks gradually emanated. Circa 1300 the networking broke in comparison with that of the year one thousand, however it maintained a very strong stability thereafter