The APSEL4D Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor and its Usage in a Single Electron Interference Experiment

We have realized a Data Acquisition chain for the use and characterization of APSEL4D, a 32 x 128 Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor, developed as a prototype for frontier experiments in high energy particle physics. In particular a transition board was realized for the conversion between the chip and the FPGA voltage levels and for the signal quality enhancing. A Xilinx Spartan-3 FPGA was used for real time data processing, for the chip control and the communication with a Personal Computer through a 2.0 USB port. For this purpose a firmware code, developed in VHDL language, was written. Finally a Graphical User Interface for the online system monitoring, hit display and chip control, based on windows and widgets, was realized developing a C++ code and using Qt and Qwt dedicated libraries. APSEL4D and the full acquisition chain were characterized for the first time with the electron beam of the transmission electron microscope and with 55Fe and 90Sr radioactive sources. In addition, a beam test was performed at the T9 station of the CERN PS, where hadrons of momentum of 12 GeV/c are available. The very high time resolution of APSEL4D (up to 2.5 Mfps, but used at 6 kfps) was fundamental in realizing a single electron Young experiment using nanometric double slits obtained by a FIB technique. On high statistical samples, it was possible to observe the interference and diffractions of single isolated electrons traveling inside a transmission electron microscope. For the first time, the information on the distribution of the arrival time of the single electrons has been extracted.

Waste management in Forlì-Cesena province: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Forlì incinerator

This work assesses the environmental impact of a municipal solid waste incinerator with energy recovery in Forlì-Cesena province (Emilia-Romagna region, Italy). The methodology used is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). As the plant already applies the best technologies available in waste treatment, this study focuses on the fate of the residues (bottom and fly ash) produced during combustion. Nine scenarios are made, based on different ash treatment disposing/recycling techniques. The functional unit is the amount of waste incinerated in 2011. Boundaries are set from waste arrival in the plant to the disposal/recovery of the residues produced, with energy recovery. Only the operative period is considered. Software used is GaBi 4 and the LCIA method used is CML2001. The impact categories analyzed are: abiotic depletion, acidification, eutrophication, freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity, global warming, human toxicity, ozone layer depletion, photochemical oxidant formation, terrestrial ecotoxicity and primary energy demand. Most of the data are taken from Herambiente. When primary data are not available, data from Ecoinvent and GaBi databases or literature data are used. The whole incineration process is sustainable, due to the relevant avoided impact given by co-generator. As far as regards bottom ash treatment, the most influential process is the impact savings from iron recovery. Bottom ash recycling in road construction or as building material are both valid alternatives, even if the first option faces legislative limits in Italy. Regarding fly ash inertization, the adding of cement and Ferrox treatment results the most feasible alternatives. However, this inertized fly ash can maintain its hazardous nature. The only method to ensure the stability of an inertized fly ash is to couple two different stabilization treatments. Ash stabilization technologies shall improve with the same rate of the flexibility of the national legislation about incineration residues recycling.

Las variaciones de la “serliana”: aspectos y motivos de la arquitectura del poder desde la Antigüedad al Renacimiento italiano y español

Principales aportaciones: Elenco actualizado y más completo de “serlianas” hasta el momento, incluyendo el más amplio repertorio numismático e iconográfico sobre el tema. Visión de conjunto crítica de la “serliana” y motivos afines en la Antigüedad, la Edad Media y el Renacimiento, atendiendo a una selección de ejemplos en todos los formatos posibles (arquitectura e iconografía). Inclusión y explicación de la “serliana” dentro de los avances de la arquitectura romana, con atención a las fuentes escritas. Identificación de las principales áreas de origen y desarrollo de la “serliana”. Explicación de las causas y resultados de los procesos de innovación arquitectónica. Demostración de la llegada de la “serliana” a Hispania mucho antes que el disco de Teodosio. Indagación en las funciones y posibles implicaciones simbólicas de ejemplos de “serliana”. Hipótesis sobre el papel desempeñado por las arquitecturas efímeras. Hipótesis sobre el papel de la arquitectura militar en época romana para la difusión de la “serliana”. Comentario crítico de la situación de la “serliana” en la Antigüedad Tardía y visión general de sus procesos de transferencia y metamorfosis. Demostración de la pervivencia de la “serliana” en la Edad Media. Análisis de la arcada triple como posible sustituto de la “serliana”. Comentario crítico de los dibujos tardomedievales y renacentistas sobre la “serliana” y su relación con el estudio contemporáneo de los monumentos antiguos. Identificación de ejemplos y comentario crítico de la situación de la “serliana” en la Italia del Quattrocento y del Cinquecento. Análisis de las confluencias de la “serliana” Italia-España y evolución del motivo en este último ámbito. Demostración de las novedades propias del ámbito hispano.

Entwicklung und Charakterisierung eines Drop-on-Demand-Aerosolgenerators für die Probenzuführung kleinster Flüssigkeitsmengen in der analytischen Atomspektroskopie

Die pneumatische Zerstäubung ist die häufigste Methode der Probenzuführung von Flüssigkeiten in der Plasmaspektrometrie. Trotz der bekannten Limitierungen dieser Systeme, wie die hohen Probenverluste, finden diese Zerstäuber aufgrund ihrer guten Robustheit eine breite Anwendung. Die flussratenabhängige Aerosolcharakteristik und pumpenbasierte Signalschwankungen limitieren bisher Weiterentwicklungen. Diese Probleme werden umso gravierender, je weiter die notwendige Miniaturisierung dieser Systeme fortschreitet. Der neuartige Ansatz dieser Arbeit basiert auf dem Einsatz modifizierter Inkjet-Druckerpatronen für die Dosierung von pL-Tropfen. Ein selbst entwickelter Mikrokontroller ermöglicht den Betrieb von matrixkodierten Patronen des Typs HP45 mit vollem Zugriff auf alle essentiellen Betriebsparameter. Durch die neuartige Aerosoltransportkammer gelang die effiziente Kopplung des Tropfenerzeugungssystems an ein ICP-MS. Das so aufgebaute drop-on-demand-System (DOD) zeigt im Vergleich zu herkömmlichen und miniaturisierten Zerstäubern eine deutlich gesteigerte Empfindlichkeit (8 - 18x, elementabhängig) bei leicht erhöhtem, aber im Grunde vergleichbarem Signalrauschen. Darüber hinaus ist die Flexibilität durch die große Zahl an Freiheitsgraden des Systems überragend. So ist die Flussrate über einen großen Bereich variabel (5 nL - 12,5 µL min-1), ohne dabei die primäre Aerosolcharakteristik zu beeinflussen, welche vom Nutzer durch Wahl der elektrischen Parameter bestimmt wird. Das entwickelte Probenzuführungssystem ist verglichen mit dem pneumatischen Referenzsystem weniger anfällig gegenüber Matrixeffekten beim Einsatz von realen Proben mit hohen Anteilen gelöster Substanzen. So gelingt die richtige Quantifizierung von fünf Metallen im Spurenkonzentrationsbereich (Li, Sr, Mo, Sb und Cs) in nur 12 µL Urin-Referenzmaterial mittels externer Kalibrierung ohne Matrixanpassung. Wohingegen beim pneumatischen Referenzsystem die aufwändigere Standardadditionsmethode sowie über 250 µL Probenvolumen für eine akkurate Bestimmung der Analyten nötig sind. Darüber hinaus wird basierend auf der Dosierfrequenz eines dualen DOD-Systems eine neuartige Kalibrierstrategie vorgestellt. Bei diesem Ansatz werden nur eine Standard- und eine Blindlösung anstelle einer Reihe unterschiedlich konzentrierter Standards benötigt, um eine lineare Kalibrierfunktion zu erzeugen. Zusätzlich wurde mittels selbst entwickelter, zeitlich aufgelöster ICP-MS umfangreiche Rauschspektren aufgenommen. Aus diesen gelang die Ermittlung der Ursache des erhöhten Signalrauschens des DOD, welches maßgeblich durch das zeitlich nicht äquidistante Eintreffen der Tropfen am Detektor verursacht wird. Diese Messtechnik erlaubt auch die Detektion einzeln zugeführter Tropfen, wodurch ein Vergleich der Volumenverteilung der mittels ICP-MS detektierten, gegenüber den generierten und auf optischem Wege charakterisierten Tropfen möglich wurde. Dieses Werkzeug ist für diagnostische Untersuchungen äußerst hilfreich. So konnte aus diesen Studien neben der Aufklärung von Aerosoltransportprozessen die Transporteffizienz des DOD ermittelt werden, welche bis zu 94 Vol.-% beträgt.

Legislazione della crisi e rinvio al contratto collettivo

La tesi analizza il mutamento in atto nelle fonti del diritto del lavoro, attraverso uno studio dei casi di rinvio dalla legge al contratto collettivo. Nella Parte I della tesi è affrontato il tema dei rapporti tra legge e contratto collettivo. In una prospettiva statica, i rapporti tra legge e contratto collettivo sono caratterizzati dall’operare dei principii di gerarchia e del favor: la legge prevede il trattamento minimo di tutela e il contratto collettivo può modificare tale trattamento in senso più favorevole al lavoratore. In una prospettiva dinamica, i rapporti tra legge e contratto collettivo sono più complessi: nell’ordinamento italiano, infatti, la disciplina del rapporto e del mercato del lavoro è caratterizzata da una valorizzazione degli apporti dell’autonomia collettiva. In particolare, il contratto collettivo è destinatario di una serie di rinvii, che lo autorizzano a completare la disciplina legale e a modificarla anche in senso meno favorevole al lavoratore, al fine di creare un mercato del lavoro maggiormente dinamico. Nella Parte II della tesi l’analisi si concentra sull’art. 8 della l. n. 148/2011. Tale disposizione è stata introdotta durante la crisi economico-finanziaria che ha colpito l’Italia tra il 2011 e il 2012, a seguito di trattative tra il Governo italiano e le istituzioni dell’UE, al fine di attribuire alle imprese uno strumento per incrementare la loro competitività e produttività. L’art. 8 autorizza il contratto collettivo a derogare in peius alla legge con riferimento a un arco tematico di materie e istituti che comprende l’intero profilo della disciplina del rapporto di lavoro, con alcune eccezioni. L’art. 8 rappresenta il punto di arrivo di una lunga evoluzione legislativa e consente di mettere in discussione la ricostruzione tradizionale dei rapporti tra legge e contratto collettivo basata sui principii di gerarchia e di favore.

La detenzione amministrativa degli stranieri. Nuove frontiere in materia di liberta' personale

La detenzione amministrativa degli stranieri, pur condividendo il carattere tipicamente afflittivo e stigmatizzante delle pene, non si fonda sulla commissione di un reato e non gode delle medesime garanzie previste dal sistema della giustizia penale. Nel nostro ordinamento l’inadeguatezza della legislazione, l’ampio margine di discrezionalità rimesso all’autorità di pubblica sicurezza, nonché il debole potere di sindacato giurisdizionale rimesso all’autorità giudiziaria, raggiungono il loro apice problematico nell’ambito delle pratiche di privazione della libertà personale che hanno per destinatari gli stranieri maggiormente vulnerabili, ossia quelli appena giunti sul territorio e il cui status giuridico non è ancora stato accertato (c.d. situazione di pre-admittance). E’ proprio sulla loro condizione che il presente lavoro si focalizza maggiormente. Le detenzioni de facto degli stranieri in condizione di pre-admittance sono analizzate, nel primo capitolo, a partire dal “caso Lampedusa”, descritto alla luce dell’indagine sul campo condotta dall’Autrice. Nel secondo capitolo viene ricostruito lo statuto della libertà personale dello straniero sulla base dei principi costituzionali e, nel terzo capitolo, sono analizzati i principi che informano il diritto alla libertà personale nell’ambito delle fonti sovranazionali, con particolare riferimento al diritto dell’Unione Europea e al sistema della Convenzione Europea dei Diritti dell’Uomo. Sulla scorta dei principi indagati, nel quarto capitolo è tracciata l’evoluzione legislativa in materia di detenzione amministrativa dello straniero in Italia e, nel quinto capitolo, è approfondito il tema dei Centri dell’immigrazione e delle regole che li disciplinano. Nelle conclusioni, infine, sono tirate le fila del percorso tracciato, attraverso la valutazione degli strumenti di tutela in grado di prevenire le pratiche di privazione della libertà informali e di garantire uno standard minimo nella tutela della libertà individuale, anche nelle zone di frontiera del nostro ordinamento.

Charakterisierung von optischen Partikelspektrometern und in-situ Messungen zur Mikrophysik der polaren Stratosphärenwolken

Polare Stratosphärenwolken (PSC), die unterhalb einer Temperatur von etwa -78 °C in polaren Regionen auftreten, üben einen starken Einfluss auf die stratosphärische Ozonschicht aus. Dieser Einfluss erfolgt größtenteils über heterogene chemische Reaktionen, die auf den Oberflächen von Wolkenpartikeln stattfinden. Chemische Reaktionen die dabei ablaufen sind eine Voraussetzung für den späteren Ozonabbau. Des Weiteren verändert die Sedimentation der Wolkenpartikel die chemische Zusammensetzung bzw. die vertikale Verteilung der Spurengase in der Stratosphäre. Für die Ozonchemie spielt dabei die Beseitigung von reaktivem Stickstoff durch Sedimentation Salpetersäure-haltiger Wolkenpartikeln (Denitrifizierung) eine wichtige Rolle. Durch gleichen Sedimentationsprozess von PSC Elementen wird der Stratosphäre des weiteren Wasserdampf entzogen (Dehydrierung). Beide Prozesse begünstigen einen länger andauernden stratosphärischen Ozonabbau im polaren Frühling.rnGerade im Hinblick auf die Denitrifikation durch Sedimentation größerer PSC-Partikel werden in dieser Arbeit neue Resultate von in-situ Messungen vorgestellt, die im Rahmen der RECONCILE-Kampagne im Winter des Jahres 2010 an Bord des Höhenforschungs-Flugzeugs M-55 Geophysica durchgeführt wurden. Dabei wurden in fünf Flügen Partikelgrößenverteilungen in einem Größenbereich zwischen 0,5 und 35 µm mittels auf der Lichtstreuung basierender Wolkenpartikel-Spektrometer gemessen. Da polare Stratosphärenwolken in Höhen zwischen 17 und 30 km auftreten, sind in-situ Messungen vergleichsweise selten, so dass noch einige offene Fragen bestehen bleiben. Gerade Partikel mit optischen Durchmessern von bis zu 35µm, die während der neuen Messungen detektiert wurden, müssen mit theoretischen Einschränkungen in Einklang gebracht werden. Die Größe der Partikel wird dabei durch die Verfügbarkeit der beteiligten Spurenstoffe (Wasserdampf und Salpetersäure), die Sedimentationsgeschwindigkeit, Zeit zum Anwachsen und von der Umgebungstemperatur begrenzt. Diese Faktoren werden in der vorliegenden Arbeit diskutiert. Aus dem gemessenen Partikelvolumen wird beispielsweise unter der Annahme der NAT-Zusammensetzung (Nitric Acid Trihydrate) die äquivalente Konzentration des HNO 3 der Gasphase berechnet. Im Ergebnis wird die verfügbare Konzentration von Salpetersäure der Stratosphäre überschritten. Anschließend werden Hypothesen diskutiert, wodurch das gemessene Partikelvolumen überschätzt worden sein könnte, was z.B. im Fall einer starken Asphärizität der Partikel möglich wäre. Weiterhin wurde eine Partikelmode unterhalb von 2-3µm im Durchmesser aufgrund des Temperaturverhaltens als STS (Supercooled Ternary Solution droplets) identifiziert.rnUm die Konzentration der Wolkenpartikel anhand der Messung möglichst genau berechnen zu können, muss das Messvolumen bzw. die effektive Messfläche der Instrumente bekannt sein. Zum Vermessen dieser Messfläche wurde ein Tröpfchengenerator aufgebaut und zum Kalibrieren von drei Instrumenten benutzt. Die Kalibration mittels des Tröpfchengenerators konzentrierte sich auf die Cloud Combination Probe (CCP). Neben der Messfläche und der Größenbestimmung der Partikel werden in der Arbeit unter Zuhilfenahme von Messungen in troposphärischen Wolken und an einer Wolkensimulationskammer auch weitere Fehlerquellen der Messung untersucht. Dazu wurde unter anderem die statistische Betrachtung von Intervallzeiten einzelner Messereignisse, die in neueren Sonden aufgezeichnet werden, herangezogen. Letzteres ermöglicht es, Messartefakte wie Rauschen, Koinzidenzfehler oder „Shattering“ zu identifizieren.rn

Integrating novel agents into multiple myeloma treatment - current status in Switzerland and treatment recommendations

The treatment of multiple myeloma has undergone significant changes in the recent past. The arrival of novel agents, especially thalidomide, bortezomib and lenalidomide, has expanded treatment options and patient outcomes are improving significantly. This article summarises the discussions of an expert meeting which was held to debate current treatment practices for multiple myeloma in Switzerland concerning the role of the novel agents and to provide recommendations for their use in different treatment stages based on currently available clinical data. Novel agent combinations for the treatment of newly diagnosed, as well as relapsed multiple myeloma are examined. In addition, the role of novel agents in patients with cytogenetic abnormalities and renal impairment, as well as the management of the most frequent side effects of the novel agents are discussed. The aim of this article is to assist in treatment decisions in daily clinical practice to achieve the best possible outcome for patients with multiple myeloma.

Chest pulse-wave velocity: a novel approach to assess arterial stiffness

Pulse-wave velocity (PWV) is considered as the gold-standard method to assess arterial stiffness, an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Current available devices that measure PWV need to be operated by skilled medical staff, thus, reducing the potential use of PWV in the ambulatory setting. In this paper, we present a new technique allowing continuous, unsupervised measurements of pulse transit times (PTT) in central arteries by means of a chest sensor. This technique relies on measuring the propagation time of pressure pulses from their genesis in the left ventricle to their later arrival at the cutaneous vasculature on the sternum. Combined thoracic impedance cardiography and phonocardiography are used to detect the opening of the aortic valve, from which a pre-ejection period (PEP) value is estimated. Multichannel reflective photoplethysmography at the sternum is used to detect the distal pulse-arrival time (PAT). A PTT value is then calculated as PTT = PAT - PEP. After optimizing the parameters of the chest PTT calculation algorithm on a nine-subject cohort, a prospective validation study involving 31 normo- and hypertensive subjects was performed. 1/chest PTT correlated very well with the COMPLIOR carotid to femoral PWV (r = 0.88, p < 10 (-9)). Finally, an empirical method to map chest PTT values onto chest PWV values is explored.

New insights in the pathogenesis of high-altitude pulmonary edema

High-altitude pulmonary edema is a life-threatening condition occurring in predisposed but otherwise healthy individuals. It therefore permits the study of underlying mechanisms of pulmonary edema in the absence of confounding factors such as coexisting cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, and/or drug therapy. There is evidence that some degree of asymptomatic alveolar fluid accumulation may represent a normal phenomenon in healthy humans shortly after arrival at high altitude. Two fundamental mechanisms then determine whether this fluid accumulation is cleared or whether it progresses to HAPE: the quantity of liquid escaping from the pulmonary vasculature and the rate of its clearance by the alveolar respiratory epithelium. The former is directly related to the degree of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension, whereas the latter is determined by the alveolar epithelial sodium transport. Here, we will review evidence that, in HAPE-prone subjects, impaired pulmonary endothelial and epithelial NO synthesis and/or bioavailability may represent a central underlying defect predisposing to exaggerated hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and, in turn, capillary stress failure and alveolar fluid flooding. We will then demonstrate that exaggerated pulmonary hypertension, although possibly a conditio sine qua non, may not always be sufficient to induce HAPE and how defective alveolar fluid clearance may represent a second important pathogenic mechanism.

The Alliance for Progress and Housing Policy in Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires in the 1960s

This article explores the construction of publicly financed low-income housing complexes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the 1960s. These housing developments were possible thanks to the arrival of foreign economic and technical assistance from the Alliance for Progress. Urban scholars, politicians, diplomats and urbanists of the Americas sought to promote middle-class habits, mass consumption and moderate political behaviour, especially among the poor, by expanding access to homeownership and ‘decent’ living conditions for a burgeoning urban population. As a result, the history of low-income housing should be understood within broader transnational discourses and practices about the ‘modernization’ and ‘development’ of the urban poor.

From Craton to Rift: Empirically Based Ground-Truth Criteria for Local Events Recorded on Regional Networks

Region-specific empirically based ground-truth (EBGT) criteria used to estimate the epicentral-location accuracy of seismic events have been developed for the Main Ethiopian Rift and the Tibetan plateau. Explosions recorded during the Ethiopia-Afar Geoscientific Lithospheric Experiment (EAGLE), the International Deep Profiling of Tibet, and the Himalaya (INDEPTH III) experiment provided the necessary GT0 reference events. In each case, the local crustal structure is well known and handpicked arrival times were available, facilitating the establishment of the location accuracy criteria through the stochastic forward modeling of arrival times for epicentral locations. In the vicinity of the Main Ethiopian Rift, a seismic event is required to be recorded on at least 8 stations within the local Pg/Pn crossover distance and to yield a network-quality metric of less than 0.43 in order to be classified as EBGT5(95%) (GT5 with 95% confidence). These criteria were subsequently used to identify 10 new GT5 events with magnitudes greater than 2.1 recorded on the Ethiopian Broadband Seismic Experiment (EBSE) network and 24 events with magnitudes greater than 2.4 recorded on the EAGLE broadband network. The criteria for the Tibetan plateau are similar to the Ethiopia criteria, yet slightly less restrictive as the network-quality metric needs to be less than 0.45. Twenty-seven seismic events with magnitudes greater than 2.5 recorded on the INDEPTH III network were identified as GT5 based on the derived criteria. When considered in conjunction with criteria developed previously for the Kaapvaal craton in southern Africa, it is apparent that increasing restrictions on the network-quality metric mirror increases in the complexity of geologic structure from craton to plateau to rift. Accession Number: WOS:000322569200012

Handlebar injuries in children

Introduction: Handlebar injuries in children may lead to severe organ lesions despite minimal initial signs and without visible skin bruise. We present our experiences applying a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for blunt abdominal trauma, and present the history of two selected cases. Materials and methods: We retrospectively assessed the charts of children below 16 years of age, only who were observed for 24 h or more in our institution due to a handlebar injury between 2004 and 2011. All children were treated according to an institutional algorithm. Results: 40 patients with a median age of 9.5 years were included. Diagnosed lesions were: ruptures of the liver (n = 6), spleen (n = 5), kidney (n = 1), and pancreas (n = 2), small bowel perforation (n = 3), and hernias of the abdominal (n = 2) or thoracic wall (n = 1). Surgical interventions were performed in 8 patients. The outcome was favorable in all the cases. Overall median hospitalization duration was 4.5 days (range 1–19 days). The overall duration between the accident and arrival at our emergency unit was 2.75 h (median, range 1–19 h). 20 children presented directly at our emergency unit after a median of 1.7 h (range 1–19.5 h). 20 children were referred by a family physician or a primary hospital after a median of 4.0 h (range 1–46 h). Conclusion: Handlebar injuries in children resulted in serious trunk lesions in half of the present patient series. The spectrum of injuries in handlebar accidents varies widely, especially injuries to the abdomen can unmask often only in the course. We advocate close observation of patients with thoracic and abdominal handlebar injuries which may be regarded as blunt stab wounds. An institutional algorithm for blunt abdominal trauma management is supportive for emergency care in patients with handlebar injuries.

Determinants of timely management of acute bacterial meningitis in the ED

PURPOSE: The purpose was to study the emergency management of patients with suspected meningitis to identify potential areas for improvement. METHODS: All patients who underwent cerebrospinal fluid puncture at the emergency department of the University Hospital of Bern from January 31, 2004, to October 30, 2008, were included. A total of 396 patients were included in the study. For each patient, we analyzed the sequence and timing for the following management steps: first contact with medical staff, administration of the first antibiotic dose, lumbar puncture (LP), head imaging, and blood cultures. The results were analyzed in relation to clinical characteristics and the referral diagnosis on admission. RESULTS: Of the 396 patient analyzed, 15 (3.7%) had a discharge diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, 119 (30%) had nonbacterial meningitis, and 262 (66.3%) had no evidence of meningitis. Suspicion of meningitis led to earlier antibiotic therapy than suspicion of an acute cerebral event or nonacute cerebral event (P < .0001). In patients with bacterial meningitis, the average time to antibiotics was 136 minutes, with a range of 0 to 340 minutes. Most patients (60.1%) had brain imaging studies performed before LP. On the other hand, half of the patients with a referral diagnosis of meningitis (50%) received antibiotics before performance of an LP. CONCLUSIONS: Few patients with suspected meningitis received antimicrobial therapy within the first 30 minutes after arrival, but most patients with pneumococcal meningitis and typical symptoms were treated early; patients with bacterial meningitis who received treatment late had complex medical histories or atypical presentations.

Evidence of Adaptive Evolutionary Divergence during Biological Invasion

Rapid phenotypic diversification during biological invasions can either arise by adaptation to alternative environments or by adaptive phenotypic plasticity. Where experimental evidence for adaptive plasticity is common, support for evolutionary diversification is rare. Here, we performed a controlled laboratory experiment using full-sib crosses between ecologically divergent threespine stickleback populations to test for a genetic basis of adaptation. Our populations are from two very different habitats, lake and stream, of a recently invaded range in Switzerland and differ in ecologically relevant morphological traits. We found that in a lake-like food treatment lake fish grow faster than stream fish, resembling the difference among wild type individuals. In contrast, in a stream-like food treatment individuals from both populations grow similarly. Our experimental data suggest that genetically determined diversification has occurred within less than 140 years after the arrival of stickleback in our studied region.