Extra Leg Research Articles

Translating Pascal Rambert

The translation you are about to read is unfinished. A translation for the stage does not find its final form until it has been spoken by actors and through them is transformed. This is particularly true with Pascal Rambert's plays, most of which eschew punctuation to invite the actors to create their own rhythms and find the meanings within them. Though the many references in his dense texts are absolutely specific, Rambert loves to allow for ambiguity about where a thought ends and the next one starts. Let the actor decide, or the audience. And let the translator try his best to honor those ambiguities, while being as precise as Rambert is in putting down every word of texts that at first glance appear like torrents, words spewing onto the page from a generous source. This makes particular sense in the apocalyptic context of 3 Annunciations: time is running out, and there remains so much to say. The play suggests that Rambert's prognosis for the human race is not optimistic, but we never lose sight in his work that there is much to cherish in being alive. There is loving another person, of course, and always, making theatre.Rambert has been writing and directing plays for several decades. I have translated ten or eleven of the plays to date, though primarily my translations have been used by international programmers who don't speak French to keep up with his prodigious output. Below the title of each of Rambert's scripts, one finds a list of the cities where the play was composed. In cities as far-flung as Tallin and Tokyo, Rambert writes every morning, regardless of jetlag or rehearsal glitches. I didn't set out to emulate him, but I’ve translated many of his plays on trains and planes. My destinations are less colorful than his, but I’ve found that the Acela from Washington to New York or an economy seat with extra leg room from New York to Paris was a perfect place to surrender to the flow of his language. I say flow because my job is the opposite of the actors’: I need to leave every option open.In that sense, the first draft is deceptively easy, with few of the structural headaches French-to-English translators encounter in adapting the language of Proust into the language of Hemingway. Once back at my desk revising, I need to weigh every word, and the illusion of ease vanishes. That's when I start asking Rambert questions. We often laugh about the problems that recur with every play, and in every language of translation, like how to convey the many shades of the French jouissance in a language that gave us neither the Marquis de Sade nor Jacques Lacan. There is no jouissance in 3 Annunciations, but I struggled mightily with the frequent use of the word parole. “Speech” is the obvious translation, but in a play consisting of three monologues, I worried that “speech” in the sense of the expression of thoughts through language, which is what I think Rambert intends, might be confused with “speech” in the sense of a formal address to an audience. I opted for the less natural “words spoken.” I hope we’ll have the opportunity to one day stage this translation, so an actor can tell me whether I did well.

THE ROLE OF SELECTED HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (HEIS) AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS ON INTEGRATING FOOD HERITAGE RESEARCH INTO POLITICAL PRIORITIES: A PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS OF LUZON ISLAND, PHILIPPINES

The purpose of this study is to show how food heritage, specifically Filipino Pancit, define the culture oftheir citizens, investigate the efforts of Local Government Units (LGUs), and examine the role of a selectedHigher Educational Institution (HEI) as a partner of LGUs in safeguarding food heritage. The researcher
 used frameworks from international and national cultural agencies and researchers. Observation and in-depth interviews were also used for the documentation process through case study technique, which
 examined the aspects of statutory control and safeguarding mechanisms to determine the political prioritiesof involved LGUs and the selected HEI’s role in safeguarding food heritage in the islands of Luzon,Philippines. Findings suggest that LGUs’ sheer political will, knowledge, and awareness on issues onheritage conservation, openness, sustainable practices, and multi-stakeholder participation are essential inrobust protection vis-à-vis culture and heritage conservation. This comes with the active participation ofstakeholders, especially academic institutions, which provide expertise and extra leg work on researchbacked by their advocacy rooted on Filipino identity and sustainability to support policies of the government.Ultimately, research-based policymaking is key to open opportunities not just on intangible cultural heritagelike Filipino Pancit but on culture and heritage conservation in general.

Double anus in an Ixodes scapularis nymph, a medically important tick vector

BackgroundIxodes scapularis ticks are medically important arthropod vectors that transmit several pathogens to humans. The observations of morphological abnormalities, including nanism, missing leg, extra leg, and gynandromorphism, have been reported in these ticks. In this study, we report the presence of two anuses in a laboratory-reared I. scapularis nymph.ResultsLarval ticks were allowed to feed on mice and to molt to nymphs. Two anuses were observed in one of the freshly molted nymphs. Stereo and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of two anuses in one nymph within a single anal groove.ConclusionsThis report confirms the rare occurrence of double anus in I. scapularis.Graphical

Predictive Factors for Failure of Limb Salvage in Blunt Leg Trauma Associated with Vascular Injuries

Introduction:Blunt leg trauma is common; however, it is rarely associated with significant vascular injury. This study was undertaken to determine the risk factors attributed to failure of limb salvage in acute postoperative period in blunt leg trauma with vascular injuries after revascularization.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted of all patients with blunt leg trauma involving bone and soft tissue associated with vascular injuries. They were studied in terms of demographic data, associated comorbidities, mechanism of trauma, associated extra leg injuries, type and nature of bone fractures, soft-tissue injuries, nerve injuries, time of ischemia, Injury Severity Score (ISS), Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS), injured vascular segments, modality of vascular repair, modality of bone fixation, thrombosis at the site of vascular repair, complications, limb salvage failure, and mortality.Results:Vascular injuries were identified in 45 arterial segments and 9 popliteal veins among 31 patients. The patients were 93% male, with a mean age of 31 years. The MESS ranged from 6 to 11, and the ISS ranged from 9 to 41. The main pathology of the injured vessels was contusion/thrombosis in 28 legs, which were repaired by interposition-reversed long saphenous vein graft. Seven patients developed postoperative thrombosis and underwent thrombectomy/embolectomy. Failure of limb salvage occurred in seven limbs with no mortality.Conclusions:Severe multi-segmental bone fractures, prolong ischemic time of >10 h, and MESS of ≥9 are significant predictors of limb loss in patients with blunt leg trauma in association with vascular injuries.

Double-Row Fixation for Avulsion of Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Avulsion fractures of the tibial spine (also called “tibial eminence fractures” or “ACL avulsion fractures”), leading to discontinuity of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) fibers, have been well described in the literature in both the pediatric and adult populations. To ensure the stability of the knee joint and good range of motion with minimal to no laxity, surgical reduction of the fracture and fixation are necessary to restore ACL length. Several arthroscopic techniques have been described to reduce and fix these fractures. We describe a technique using 2 anchors to fix the fractured tibial spine with no need to make any tibial tunnels or any extra leg wounds for the sutures.

A REVIEW OF RECENT TRENDS IN AIRLINE ANCILLARY REVENUES

Airline ancillary revenue which refers to non-ticket revenue sold directly to passengers or indirectly as part of their travel experience, has become a mandatory component for the revenue mix of all airlines as well as a key reason for the improved financial performance of the airline industry in the recent years. It is generated by a large amount of activities that include „a la carte” services such as fees for checked bags, frequent flying miles to airline partners, miscellaneous sources like advertising and commission-based products such as inflight retail, and car rentals - virtually any service added to the core transportation service. Contribution of ancillary services to the total revenue streams of airlines has been increasing substantially over the past decade. In 2007, the top ten airlines, as rated by total ancillary revenue, generated $2.1 billion, while ten years later, the top ten airline total has reached $29.7 billion. The paper explores the recent growth and trends in ancillary revenue in the airline industry, particularly within in the last ten years and identifies significant differences in ancillary sources with regard to carrier type. Low-cost carriers pioneered the practice of charging for supplementary services that were previously provided free of charge by seeking revenue from checked bags, assigned seats and extra leg room seating. Traditional airlines moved from all-inclusive booking arrangement and started to adopt add-on bundling practice when selling flight tickets taking advantage of low headline price. Their ancillary revenue mostly comes from the use of frequent flyer program, a mix of baggage fees and premium seats. Top airlines in overall ancillary revenue performance measured as total revenue, a percent of revenue, or on a per passenger basis are determined in the paper and new trends in creating ancillaries are elaborated. In order to improve profit performance, the airline revenue management and distribution systems should consider total revenue from each passenger, by linking his ticket value and his ancillary revenue potential.

"Airplane ear"-A neglected yet preventable problem.

Airplane ear or ear discomfort during flight is common irrespective of ticket price we pay for our flights according to class. Whether we get extra leg space or extra facilities during flying in business class, air travelers often face this problem of airplane ear (Figure 1). Airplane ear is also known as ear barotrauma, barotitis media or aerotitis media [1]–[5]. Severe earache affects individuals of varying levels of social determinants of health as it is entirely a physiological phenomenon [3]. Airplane ear is commonly experienced when the airplane is ascending or descending, which makes it one of the commonest health problems for people travelling in air routes. Open in a separate window Figure 1. Airplane ear. 2. Etiology Generally, airplane ear occurs due to quick changes in altitude and quick changes in air pressure [4]. In normal physiological conditions, the air pressure in our middle ear cavity is nearly equivalent to that of the external ear canal. This equalization of air pressure is maintained physiologically and contributes to regular auditory function and maintenance of normal balance among individuals. However, the eustachian tube dysfunction may occur with any changes in pressure and failure to ventilate through the middle ear space. This may result in outward bulging of the tympanic membrane causing moderate to severe earache. This phenomenon can be compared with a bread expanding while baking [3],[5]. Conversely, due to the vacuum effect, if the air pressure inside the middle ear space reduces rapidly compared to the external ear pressure, the tympanic membrane may be pulled inside due to the pressure gradient. The eustachian tube becomes flattened during the pressure changes and it necessitates bringing air into the middle ear (Figure 2). During sudden ascend or descend of an aeroplane, ear cavity pressure is often decreased complemented by an increase in the cabin compared to the outside air pressure. In such a scenario, the unusual stretching of the eardrum or tympanic membrane may precipitate pain in the ear. At the same time, individuals may also experience decreased hearing abilities and muffled sounds as the eardrum as it becomes unable to vibrate normally [2]–[4]. Open in a separate window Figure 2. Imbalance of air pressure in the middle ear. The pathophysiology remains the same in cases of scuba diving, in hyperbaric oxygen chambers, and during explosions happening nearby [2].

Ultrabithorax and abdominal-A specify the abdominal appendage in a dosage-dependent manner in silkworm, Bombyx mori.

In insects, there is a considerable diversity in leg distribution on the body, including number, segmental arrangement, morphological identity and consequent function, but the genetic basis for these differences is not well understood. Here by positional cloning, we showed that a ~355 kb region, including Bombyx mori Ultrabithorax (BmUbx) and abdominal-A (Bmabd-A), was responsible for the silkworm mutant Kh-extra-crescents-like (EKh-l) that displayed additional thoracic limb-like legs on the first abdominal segment (A1) and occasionally on the second abdominal segment (A2). We found that BmUbx gene was downregulated at both messenger RNA level and protein level in EKh-l embryo, while its expression domain in the EKh-l embryo was almost the same as that in the wild type. Whereas Bmabd-A was upregulated at both levels and was ectopically overexpressed on the supernumerary leg-bearing segments in EKh-l. Compared with the previously reported Ecs-l mutant in which increased expression of both BmUbx and Bmabd-A gave rise to ectopic proleg-like appendages on the same segments, we propose that overexpressed Bmabd-A gene is capable to promote the outgrowth of extra leg appendages on A1 and A2 segments, whereas BmUbx gene is required to specify accurate morphologies of the ectopic legs in a dosage-dependent manner in silkworm. These results provide insights into how these hox genes regulate the leg morphologic diversity on the same segments.

Teratological Nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) From Wisconsin.

Abnormalities of physiological development (teratological forms) in ticks are rare. The occurrence of gigantism, dwarfism, gynandromorphs, missing legs, extra legs, and asymmetries is most often reported from lab-reared specimens, but has been observed in field-collected specimens. All morphologically anomalous ticks (besides gynandromorphy) described to date are from species other than Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae). Here we describe four teratological I. scapularis nymphs collected while dragging vegetation in Wisconsin in 2015, including two asymmetrical ticks, one with a missing leg, and one with an extra leg.

Leg regeneration is epigenetically regulated by histone H3K27 methylation in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus.

Hemimetabolous insects such as the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus regenerate lost tissue parts using blastemal cells, a population of dedifferentiated proliferating cells. The expression of several factors that control epigenetic modification is upregulated in the blastema compared with differentiated tissue, suggesting that epigenetic changes in gene expression might control the differentiation status of blastema cells during regeneration. To clarify the molecular basis of epigenetic regulation during regeneration, we focused on the function of the Gryllus Enhancer of zeste [Gb'E(z)] and Ubiquitously transcribed tetratricopeptide repeat gene on the X chromosome (Gb'Utx) homologues, which regulate methylation and demethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27), respectively. Methylated histone H3K27 in the regenerating leg was diminished by Gb'E(z)(RNAi) and was increased by Gb'Utx(RNAi). Regenerated Gb'E(z)(RNAi) cricket legs exhibited extra leg segment formation between the tibia and tarsus, and regenerated Gb'Utx(RNAi) cricket legs showed leg joint formation defects in the tarsus. In the Gb'E(z)(RNAi) regenerating leg, the Gb'dac expression domain expanded in the tarsus. By contrast, in the Gb'Utx(RNAi) regenerating leg, Gb'Egfr expression in the middle of the tarsus was diminished. These results suggest that regulation of the histone H3K27 methylation state is involved in the repatterning process during leg regeneration among cricket species via the epigenetic regulation of leg patterning gene expression.

Fault Tolerant Bio-Inspired System Controlled Modular Switched Reluctance Machine

Fault tolerance is an obligatory feature in safety critical applications (aeronautical, aerospace, medical and military applications, power plants, etc.), where loss of life, environmental disasters, equipment destructions or unplanned downtimes must be avoided. For such applications, a novel bio-inspired motion control system is proposed. All its three components (the switched reluctance machine, the power converter and the control system) are designed to be as fault tolerant as possible. This paper describes all these three fault tolerant components: the bio-inspired control system having self-healing capabilities, the power converter with an extra leg and the fault tolerant modular machine. The theoretical expectations and simulation results are validated by means of laboratory experiments.

An environmental impact comparison of single-use and reusable thermally controlled shipping containers

PurposePharmaceutical and biological materials require thermally controlled environments when being transported between manufacturers, clinics, and hospitals. It is the purpose of this report to compare the life cycle impacts of two distinct logistical approaches to packaging commonly used in cold chain logistics and to identify the method of least environmental burden. The approaches of interest are single-use packaging utilizing containers insulated with either polyurethane or polystyrene and reusable packaging utilizing containers with vacuum-insulated panels.MethodsThis study has taken a cradle-to-grave perspective, which covers material extraction, manufacture, assembly, usage, transportation, and end-of-life realities. The functional unit of comparison is a 2-year clinical trial consisting of 30,000 individual package shipments able to maintain roughly 12 L of payload at a controlled 2–8 °C temperature range for approximately 96 h. Published life-cycle inventory data were used for process and material emissions. A population-centered averaging method was used to estimate transportation distances to and from clinical sites during container use. Environmental impacts of the study include global warming potential, eutrophication potential, acidification potential, photochemical oxidation potential, human toxicity potential, and postconsumer waste.Results and discussionThe average single-use approach emits 1,122 tonnes of CO2e compared with 241 tonnes with the reusable approach over the functional unit. This is roughly a 75 % difference in global warming potential between the two approaches. Similar differences exist in other impact categories with the reusable approach showing 60 % less acidification potential, 65 % less eutrophication potential, 85 % less photochemical ozone potential, 85 % less human toxicity potential, and 95 % less postconsumer waste. The cradle-to-gate emissions of the single-use container were the overwhelming cause of its high environmental burden as 30,000 units were required to satisfy the functional unit rather than 772 for the reusable approach. The reusable container was about half the mass of the average single-use container, which lowered its transportation emissions below the single-use approach despite an extra leg of travel.ConclusionsThe reusable logistical approach has shown to impose a significantly smaller environmental burden in all impact categories of interest. A sensitivity analysis has shown some leeway in the degree of the environmental advantage of the reusable approach, but it confirms the conclusion as no case proved otherwise.

TNFα signals through specialized factories where responsive coding and miRNA genes are transcribed.

Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is a potent cytokine that signals through nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) to activate a subset of human genes. It is usually assumed that this involves RNA polymerases transcribing responsive genes wherever they might be in the nucleus. Using primary human endothelial cells, variants of chromosome conformation capture (including 4C and chromatin interaction analysis with paired-end tag sequencing), and fluorescence in situ hybridization to detect single nascent transcripts, we show that TNFα induces responsive genes to congregate in discrete 'NFκB factories'. Some factories further specialize in transcribing responsive genes encoding micro-RNAs that target downregulated mRNAs. We expect all signalling pathways to contain this extra leg, where responding genes are transcribed in analogous specialized factories.

Direct Slip Linear Control of Three-Phase Induction Motor with One Phase Open-Circuit Fault Based on Three-Level Inverter

In order to realize high power and reliability of speed control system, fault-tolerant induction motor control system based on three-level inverter is studied in this paper. Based on three-level inverter, a fault-tolerant inverter topology with an extra leg providing the current path during the post-fault operation is proposed. A corresponding control strategy is investigated to avoid voltage drift of the dc link midpoint. In this paper, an induction motor direct slip linear control (DSLC) is employed and investigated to reduce torque ripple and flux magnitude deviation in three-level system. Both simulation and experimental system have been set up to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

Duplicated lower intestinal tract in a commercial broiler chicken with polypodia

Developmental anomalies in domestic fowl are rare, and few reports are present in veterinary literature. This study describes polypodia and lower intestinal duplication in a commercial broiler chicken. Apparently, the chicken had a short extra leg with two digits. In necropsy, below the Meckle’s diverticulum, the ileum was divided to the normal and abnormal branches. A unilateral cecum was attached to abnormal part of ileum, and the rectum was as a dilated blind sac without connection to the exterior end or abdominal wall of the chicken. Histological findings showed that the basic organization of intestinal wall was similar to that in other parts of the normal intestine. No other abnormality was observed in this case.

A Proportional ${\bm +}$ Multiresonant Controller for Three-Phase Four-Wire High-Frequency Link Inverter

A new solution for unbalanced and nonlinear loads in terms of power circuit topology and controller structure is proposed in this paper. A three-phase four-wire high-frequency ac-link inverter is adopted to cater to such loads. Use of high-frequency transformer results in compact and light-weight systems. The fourth wire is taken out from the midpoint of the isolation transformer in order to avoid the necessity of an extra leg. This makes the converter suitable for unbalanced loads and eliminates the requirements of bulky capacitor in half-bridge inverter. The closed-loop control is carried out in stationary reference frame using proportional + multiresonant controller (three separate resonant controller for fundamental, fifth and seventh harmonic components). The limitations on improving steady-state response of harmonic resonance controllers is investigated and mitigated using a lead-lag compensator. The proposed voltage controller is used along with an inner current loop to ensure excellent performance of the power converter. Simulation studies and experimental results with 1 kVA prototype under nonlinear and unbalanced loading conditions validate the proposed scheme.

Article Lende et al. “A girl with spina bifida, an extra leg, and ectopic intestinal loops – a “fetus in fetu” or a whim of the neural crest?” – a response to the comments made by Dr. Demetriades et al.

Article Lende et al. “A girl with spina bifida, an extra leg, and ectopic intestinal loops – a “fetus in fetu” or a whim of the neural crest?” – a response to the comments made by Dr. Demetriades et al.

A girl with spina bifida, an extra leg, and ectopic intestinal loops – a “foetus in foetu” or a whim of the neural crest?

This article describes a girl with an extra leg attached to her lower back, combined with a spina bifida and a myelomeningocele. Despite lacking sensory or motor functions, the leg grew proportionately with the rest of the body. The bony structures were almost normal. A cross section showed fat tissue with some centrally situated blood vessels, nerve bundles, and muscular fragments. Proximally, an isolated colon loop was found. The extra leg and intestine respected the dorsal fascia, without connection with the peritoneal or retroperitoneal compartments. The finding is discussed with reference to existing hypotheses for limb formation.

Calibration of a hexapod machine tool using a redundant leg

Parallel configurations are recently being applied to the machine tool with the hopes of greater rigidity, stability, and accuracy than conventional multi-axis structures allow. However, the many calibration methods presently available for serial machine tools are not applicable to hexapod type structures. A calibration method is presented that uses a ball–bar or other simple length measuring device to act as an ‘extra leg,’ allowing calibration of the hexapod's true kinematic parameters. This method utilizes a total least squares minimization, does not require any special hexapod configuration or difficult six degree of freedom pose measurements, and is effective with as few as one additional length sensor. Selection of calibration pose sets is briefly discussed, as well as the influence of measurement noise on calibration accuracy. Simulations show the potential for this algorithm to significantly reduce errors to the point where machining errors are within 5–10 times the measurement errors.

Extent and properties of the regeneration field in the larval legs of cockroaches (Leucophaea maderae): I. Extirpation experiments

ABSTRACT Extirpation experiments have been performed on the larvae of cockroaches (Leucophaea maderae) to determine the extent and properties of the regeneration field of the legs of these insects. The distal segments, including the coxa, may all be removed without loss of regenerative capability; but regenerative capability eventually disappears if more proximal parts are removed. There are two regions adjoining the coxa anteriorly and posteriorly which are both important for leg regeneration. The anterior region consists of the sclerotized basal parts of the leg mainly formed by the trochantin and the praecoxa. The posterior region is an unsclerotized membranous area extending from the posterior border of the coxa to the anterior border of the next segment. This membrane is called ‘leg-inducing membrane’. If only one of these two regions is present, no leg regeneration will occur. The interaction of both parts is necessary to allow the formation of a complete leg. An extra leg with reversed anterior-posterior polarity is formed when the Teg-inducing membrane’ of one segment is brought into contact with the sclerites of the following segment after extirpation of the membranous area which normally separates them. This membranous area, which represents the most anterior part of a segment, is called ‘sclerite-inducing membrane’, for if the basal sclerites or part of them are combined with this membrane only sclerites are formed, either in normal or reversed polarity depending on the experimental conditions.