ALBERT

Beschreibung: With the increase in soft failures in deep submicron ICs, online testing is becoming an integral part of design for testability. Some techniques for online testing of asynchronous circuits are proposed in the literature, which involves development of a checker that verifies the correctness of the protocol. This checker involves Mutex blocks making its area overhead quite high. In this paper, we have adapted the Theory of Fault Detection and Diagnosis available in the literature on Discrete Event Systems to online testing of speed independent asynchronous circuits. The scheme involves development of a state based model of the circuit, under normal and various stuck-at fault conditions, and finally designing state estimators termed as detectors. The detectors monitor the circuit online and determine whether it is functioning in normal/failure mode. The main advantages are nonintrusiveness and low area overheads compared to similar schemes reported in the literature.

Beschreibung: A tragic disaster occurred on April 24, 2013, in Bangladesh, when a nine storied building in a suburban area collapsed and killed 1115 people and injured many more. The study describes the process of rescue operation and emergency management services provided in the event. Data were collected using qualitative methods including in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion with the involved medical students, doctors, volunteers, and local people. Immediately after the disaster, rescue teams came to the place from Bangladesh Armed Forces, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, and Dhaka Metropolitan and local Police and doctors, medical students, and nurses from nearby medical college hospitals and private hospitals and students from colleges and universities including local civil people. Doctors and medical students provided 24-hour services at the disaster place and in hospitals. Minor injured patients were treated at health camps and major injured patients were immediately carried to nearby hospital. Despite the limitations of a low resource setting, Bangladesh faced a tremendous challenge to manage the man-made disaster and experienced enormous support from different sectors of society to manage the disaster carefully and saved thousands of lives. This effort could help to develop a standard emergency management system applicable to Bangladesh and other counties with similar settings.

Beschreibung: Rubber wood sawdust was carbonized into charcoal by chemical treatment which was used for removal of lead ion from aqueous solution. The work involves batch experiments to investigate the pH effect, initial concentration of adsorbate, contact time, and adsorbent dose. Experimental data confirmed that the adsorption capacities increased with increasing inlet concentration and bed height and decreased with increasing flow rate. Adsorption results showed a maximum adsorption capacity of 37 mg/g at 308 K. Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin model adsorption isotherm models were applied to analyze the process where Temkin was found as a best fitted model for present study. Simultaneously kinetics of adsorption like pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models were investigated. Thermodynamic parameters were used to analyze the adsorption experiment. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the batch adsorption of lead ion onto chemically carbonized rubber wood sawdust.

Beschreibung: Hybrid rice varieties have higher yield potential over inbred varieties. This improvement is not always translated to the grain yield and its physiological causes are still unclear. In order to clarify it, two field experiments were conducted including two popular indica hybrids (BRRI hybrid dhan2 and Heera2) and one elite inbred (BRRI dhan45) rice varieties. Leaf area index, chlorophyll status, and photosynthetic rate of flag leaf, postheading crop growth rate, shoot reserve translocation, source-sink relation and yield, and its attributes of each variety were comprehensively analyzed. Both hybrid varieties outyielded the inbred. However, the hybrids and inbred varieties exhibited statistically identical yield in late planting. Both hybrids accumulated higher amount of biomass before heading and exhibited greater remobilization of assimilates to the grain in early plantings compared to the inbred variety. Filled grain (%) declined significantly at delayed planting in the hybrids compared to elite inbred due to increased temperature impaired-inefficient transport of assimilates. Flag leaf photosynthesis parameters were higher in the hybrid varieties than those of the inbred variety. Results suggest that greater remobilization of shoot reserves to the grain rendered higher yield of hybrid rice varieties.

Beschreibung: The efficiency of chemically carbonized rubber wood sawdust for the removal of lead ion from the aqueous stream was investigated by column process. Chemically carbonized rubber wood sawdust was prepared by treating the sawdust with H2SO4 and HNO3. Maximum removal of lead ion in column process was found as 38.56 mg/g. The effects of operating parameters such as flow rate, bed depth, concentration, and pH were studied in column mode. Experimental data confirmed that the adsorption capacity increased with the increasing inlet concentration and bed depth and decreased with increasing flow rate. Thomas, Yoon-Nelson, and Adams-Bohart models were used to analyze the column experimental data and the relationship between operating parameters. Chemically carbonized rubber wood sawdust was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscope was also utilized for morphological analysis of the adsorbent. Furthermore X-ray fluorescence spectrum analysis and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were also used for the confirmation of lead adsorption process.

Beschreibung: Calcium pretreated Hevea brasiliensis sawdust has been used as an effective and efficient adsorbent for the removal of copper ion from the contaminated water. Batch experiment was conducted to check the effect of pH, initial concentration, contact time, and adsorbent dose. The results conclude that adsorption capacity of adsorbent was influenced by operating parameters. Maximum adsorption capacity found from the batch adsorption process was 37.74 mg/g at pH of 5.6. Various isotherm models like Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin were used to compare the theoretical and experimental data, whereas the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models were applied to study the kinetics of the batch adsorption process. Dynamic studies were also conducted in packed-bed column using different bed depths and the maximum adsorption capacity of 34.29 was achieved. Characterizations of the adsorbent were done by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Beschreibung: Key Points Rapamycin and Flt3L are synergistic in Treg induction when coadministered with antigen, resulting in improved tolerance induction. pDCs are required for efficient Treg induction and selectively expanded with Flt3L/rapamycin because of high mTOR activity.

Beschreibung: Background: Congenital afibrinogenemia (OMIM #202400) is a rare coagulation disorder which was first described in 1920. It is transmitted as an autosomal recessive trait characterized by absent levels of fibrinogen (factor I) in plasma. Consanguinity in Pakistan and its neighboring countries has resulted in higher cases of congenital fibrinogen deficiency in their respective populations. Aims: This study focuses on the detection of mutations in the fibrinogen genes by DNA sequencing and molecular modeling of missense mutations in all three genes (Fibrinogen gene alpha (FGA), beta (FGB) and gamma (FGG) in Pakistani patients. Methods: This descriptive and cross sectional study was conducted in Karachi and Lahore and fully complied with the Declaration of Helsinki. Patients with fibrinogen deficiency (tested by Fibrinogen functional assay from Laboratoire Stago, Asnieres, France) were screened for mutations in the Fibrinogen gene alpha (FGA), beta (FGB) and gamma (FGG) genes by direct sequencing. Molecular modeling was performed to predict the putative structure functional impact of the missense mutations identified in this study Results: Ten patients had FGA mutations, four have FGB mutations and one mutation was detected in FGG. Thirteen of these mutations were novel. The missense mutations are predicted to result in loss of stability since they (a) break ordered regions (b) cause clashes in the hydrophobic core of the protein. Conclusion: Congenital afibrinogenemia is a rapid growing problem in countries such as Pakistan where consanguinity is frequently practiced. This study illustrates the fact that mutations in FGA are relatively more common in our population than those in FGB where as FGG mutations appear rarer. Disclosures Oldenburg: SOBI: Consultancy.

Beschreibung: INTRODUCTION While hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has become the standard of care for many patients in developed countries, the significant economic investment, infrastructure, and healthcare provider training that are required has prohibited it from being widely adapted. We describe our experience in developing a transplant program at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) in Bangladesh via a partnership with health care providers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). In 2011, the Minister of Health in Bangladesh became interested in establishing a transplant program at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). DMCH was established in 1946 and has 2300 beds located in two buildings (DMCH-1 with 1800 beds and DMCH-2 with 500 beds). The Bangladesh government and AK Khan Healthcare trust, an interested non-governmental organization (NGO), provided funding for the endeavor. Despite available funding, we faced significant challenges due to limitations in experienced healthcare personnel. METHODS The DMCH transplantation unit was built on the top floor of DMCH-2 and includes 5 patient rooms, an apheresis area, the hematopathology and general hematology labs, and also includes rooms for leukemia patients who are not currently undergoing transplantation. Three hematologists, two apheresis technicians, one lab technician, and 1 pharmacist from DMCH participated in an exchange program during which they each spent 2-3 months at MGH observing transplantation practices. Additionally, several physicians from MGH traveled to Bangladesh and spent several weeks training DMCH physicians in diagnostics, peripheral blood stem cell collection, transfusion medicine, and management of potential complications. The training of Bangladeshi nurses was an extensive undertaking. In brief, 25 nurses from DMCH were selected to take part in a novel enhanced specialized nurses training program (ESPNTP) run by nurses from MGH, which is described in detail in a separate report. This intensive 12-month program included 3 months of training in English language, 3 months of fundamental nursing training, and 6 months of specialized training in HSCT. Nurses continue to train on an ongoing basis via an advanced curriculum taught by MGH nursing staff. RESULTS The first transplant was performed on March 10, 2014. Since that time, DMCH has performed 14 autologous stem cell transplants (9 multiple myeloma, 2 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, acute myelogenous leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and peripheral T-cell lymphoma). Baseline characteristics, transplant protocol, and summary of results are shown in (Table 1). All patients engrafted successfully (range 9-16 days). Remission was achieved in all cases, and so far there has only been one case of relapsed disease in a patient with multiple myeloma. Significant complications include mucositis (grade II-IV: 12), febrile neutropenia (8), bacteremia (S. epi: 2; P. aeurginosa: 2, MRSA/K. pneumonia: 1), one case of acinetobacter pneumonia, and one case of cytomegalovirus reactivation. DISCUSSION We attribute a large part of the program's ability to successfully perform its first transplants within 3 years of conception due not only to available financial support but also logistical and personnel support from collaboration with an established transplant center. A major goal of the current program is to ultimately establish a transplant center capable of performing allogeneic stem cell transplantation, as this would enable treatment of patients with thalassemia, the most common genetic disorder in the country that carries a high burden on the economy. We hope that our experience will encourage more partnership and collaboration between transplant programs in developed countries and those countries who currently lack expertise but could benefit from having this therapeutic modality available. Figure 1. Transplant Characteristics Figure 1. Transplant Characteristics Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Beschreibung: Key Points Improved adaptive immune responses in humanized mice lacking murine MHC II and expressing human HLADR1. NOD.PrkdcscidIl2rγ−/−H2-Ab1−/− Tg(HLA-DR1) mice reconstituted with hematopoietic stem cells from an IPEX syndrome patient develop fatal autoimmunity.