Abstract Background: Fahr syndrome is a condition characterized by the presence of abnormal calcifications in the basal ganglia and cerebral cortex, and has been linked with parathyroid disorders. We report a case of pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) type 1b in an adolescent presenting with recurrent seizures and intracranial calcifications. Clinical Case: A 15-year old boy presented with recurrent seizures that were uncontrolled despite treatment with anti-epileptic medications. He was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 9 overseas and had also been started on levothyroxine 25 mcg daily for hypothyroidism. He arrived in the US for further evaluation and management. He was initially seen by pediatric neurology wherein lab work-up showed hypocalcemia with a total calcium of 6.6 mg/dL (n 8.5-10.5). CT scan of the brain showed disseminated intracranial cortical and basal ganglia calcifications, consistent with Fahr syndrome. EEG showed generalized background slowing compatible with mild diffuse cerebral dysfunction. He was referred to pediatric endocrinology. At his endocrine visit, growth parameters were normal with height at 81st percentile, weight at 88th percentile, and BMI at 84th percentile. Family history was negative of seizures, thyroid or calcium disorders. He does not have intellectual disability. Physical exam did not reveal any features of Albright hereditary osteodystrophy. Additional lab testing showed ionized calcium 0.79 mmol/L (n 1.1-1.35), phosphorus 8.7 mg/dL (n 2.9-5.1), PTH 439 pg/mL (n 10.0-65.0), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 308 U/L (n 60-270) and 25-hydroxy vitamin D 25.8 ng/mL (n 30-83). Renal function was normal. Findings were suggestive of PTH resistance. Thyroid function showed TSH 4.74 uU/mL (n 0.4-4.6), free T4 1.15 ng/dL (n 0.8-1.7) and negative thyroid antibodies (TPO, TG), suggestive of partial TSH resistance. He was treated with calcium carbonate, calcitriol and ergocalciferol. Levothyroxine was continued. Genetic testing was done which showed a partial loss of methylation in the GNAS exon 1A locus (patient 28%, [normal methylation ≥44%, complete loss of methylation ≤ 12%]), confirming the diagnosis of PHP type 1b. Calcium, phosphorus and ALP levels subsequently normalized with calcium and vitamin D supplementation. PTH improved though remains to be elevated (PTH 67.9 pg/mL). Anti-epileptic medications were weaned off after being seizure-free for more than 2 years. Conclusion: In this case, our patient presented with a distinct triad of epileptic seizure, extensive brain calcification, and hypocalcemia. This clinical scenario should prompt diagnostic evaluation for PHP as a treatable cause of epileptic seizures in children. Genetic testing for PHP type 1b showed partial loss of methylation in the GNAS locus, which was sufficient to cause disease.


The objective of the present work is to produce algae biodiesel with base heterogeneous catalyst K2CO3 /ZnO. This catalyst is prepared by wet impregnation method calcined at a high temperature of 600 o C. 30% doping of K2CO3on ZnO calcined at 600 o C was studied for biodiesel yield. Transesterification reaction parameters like catalyst concentration, temperature, stirring speed, the molar ratio of methanol to oil on biodiesel yield were investigated. The produced algae biodiesel was characterized by various techniques such as thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA-DSC), Gas Chromatography analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Gas chromatography (GC) shows the presence of higher Oleic acid content of 90.8% and Linolenic acid of 0.1% in the synthesized algae biodiesel. Differential scanning calorimetric analysis shows that the boiling point off fatty acid methyl esters is 269.5 0 C. Thermogravimetric analysis reveals that oil decomposition starts at360 o Cand maximum weighty loss is observed at 422.5 o C.


The paper analyzes the structure of data-sampling system and discusses the design project of refrigerator temperature data-sampling and processing system,including two parts,namely,hardware and software.Taking single-chip microprocessor(AT89C51) as the design core,it uses temperature tester(DS1820) to measure temperature value in each box of refrigerator,then,processes the data through a single-chip microprocessor.In addition,in order to improve the accuracy of system and make system meet the design needs.We also apply Delphi software to analyze and process data.


A recent experimental study found the phase transition from cubic to tetragonal phase at 17.2 GPa in BaZrO3. In this paper, we investigate the structural, electronic, elastic, and optical properties of BaZrO3 in the cubic and tetragonal structures under pressure by using first-principle density-functional theory. The main results are summarized as follows: (1) An indirect band structure is displayed for both cubic and tetragonal phases. The band gap increases by ≈ 1 eV as a result of the phase transition. (2) The elastic constants Cij 's indicate that the cubic and tetragonal phases are mechanically stable. The easiest deformation mechanism in both phases is the shear along the (100) plane. (3) The real and imaginary parts of dielectric function for the cubic and tetragonal phases shift towards higher energies with pressure. Our results are in agreement with the available experimental and prior theoretical data.


This paper describes energy consumption analysis on the hydraulics of the injection moulding machine,based on the analysing energy-saving features of the injection moulding machine,and presents energy-saving measures of the hydraulic system.


Based on environmental-friendly building materials, this paper analyzes the cause of pollution by building materials, puts forward some relevant suggestions, including the necessity, rational selection and the usage of such materials, in order that sustainable development can be realized.


Shaft drilling can offer a rapid solution to problems of insufficient ventilation or long travelling distances to production faces. It can also provide flexibility in mine planning. Equipment for shaft drilling is described. Experience in drilling four shafts at a liquefied natural gas storage site at Immingham is recounted.


Critical analysis of humanitarian emergencies and responses since the 1990s has led to an evolution in the understanding of 'humanitarianism,' extending it beyond the goal of saving lives to include peacebuilding, a continuum towards development, and a rights-based approach. Traditional humanitarians continue to be contrasted with new humanitarians in highly polarised debates. In the midst of these debates, the concept of harm has emerged as an acknowledgement that humanitarian assistance can have negative impacts on human welfare. The concept of harm is interpreted in a number of ways —harm is inevitable, thus actors should either do nothing or should attempt to minimise harm; doing no harm is not enough and the emphasis should be on doing some good; not doing harm is possible; and doing no harm is but one of a number of stances an organisation can take. This paper demonstrates that the concept of do no harm as it had been intended by the 'Do No Harm' project and its origins in medical ethics has been misinterpreted by some, limiting its usefulness in humanitarian assistance. This paper argues that 'do no har'm should be considered as an overarching principle of humanitarian action, rather than a specific strategic position at odds with other approaches.


Changes in carbohydrate and nitrogen fractions during seed germination of fenugreek under water stress and GA3 treatment were investigated. The germination percentage was reduced with the decrease in the osmotic potential of seed media, reaching its lower value at -0.8 MPa. Sucrose was accumulated considerably which could have had a major contribution in the total carbohydrate, while monosaccharides showed a substantial reduction and polysaccharides demonstrated no consistent pattern of changes due to water stress. The response of total nitrogen was variable; it increased considerably in -0. I and -0.3 MPa osmotic potential, then dropped sharply at -0.5 and -0.8 MPa. Similar behavior was found in TSN(Total Soluble Nitrogen), whereas protein-N changed only slightly and proline was accumulated substantially by decreasing the osmotic potential of the seed media. Although GA3 application had no any promotive influence on seed germination under water stress, it caused considerable changes in carbohydrate fractions in the growing seedlings. For example, monosaccharides were reduced, sucrose was accumulated and polysaccharides were degraded in hormone treatment as compared to water treatment. Nitrogen constituents, on the other hand, showed no clear responses to GA3 treatment. The possible metabolic roles of all these fractions in the growing seedlings due to water stress were discussed. • The present address; Depanment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.


According to the present status of the vehicle cross passing difficulty in the driving of the mine middle and small section rock roadway,a ZZ2-8/100 mode drilling loader was designed and manufactured.The drilling loader was organically combined with the mechanical structure and hydraulic system of the rock drilling jumbo and the gathering loader and became a rapid driving equipment of the mine middle and small rock roadway.The drilling loader consisted with the gathering unit,drill unit,electric control system and hydraulic system,including the designs of the 11 components.With the excavation loading method,the hydraulic system of the drilling loader would have a preset pipeline of the rushing hammer.A design was made for the drill rod holder and automatic drawing device of the drill rod.The trial showed that the drilling loader could be applied to the operation in the 8 m2 rock roadway.The transportation capacity of the loader could be over 100 m3/h.


Cupiennin 1a is an antimicrobial peptide found in the venom of the spider Cupiennius salei. A highly cationic peptide, its cell lysis activity has been found to vary between neutral and charged membranes. In this study, Hamiltonian replica-exchange molecular dynamics (HREMD) was used to determine the conformational ensemble of the peptide in both charged (pH 3) and neutral (pH 11) states. The obtained free energy landscapes demonstrated the conformational diversity of the neutral peptide. At high pH, the peptide was found to adopt helix–hinge–helix and disordered structures. At pH 3, the peptide is structured with a high propensity toward α-helices. The presence of these α-helices seems to assist the peptide in recognizing membrane surfaces. These results highlight the importance of the charged residues in the stabilization of the peptide structure and the subsequent effects of pH on the peptide's conformational diversity and membrane activity. These findings may provide insights into the antimicrobial activity of Cupiennin 1a and other amphipathic linear peptides toward different cell membranes.


Within the past decade, academic libraries have seen a shift in purchasing from mostly print to mostly electronic. Although Carleton University Library (Ottawa, Canada) has experienced this shift, it had continued until recently to work within the confines of an organizational structure based on a print purchasing model. This paper will describe in detail the restructuring of the Library's collections and technical services departments to better meet growing electronic demands. Changes included dedicating more staff from print resources to e-resources, changing a librarian position to focus specifically on collections assessment, and shifting budgets to manage growing e-resources more efficiently.


Aims Paediatrics as a specialty requires the interprofessional team to maintain competence and confidence in a variety of clinical skills and procedures. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in reduced accessibility to teaching courses and also observation of clinical skills and procedures. Previous studies have suggested that the quality of content of freely available online clinical skills videos are variable.1 Authors found a lack of a trustworthy source for instructional videos for paediatric clinical skills and procedures. The project aimed to create an accessible online series of videos to enable the paediatric interprofessional team to revise important clinical skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A list of essential paediatrics clinical skills was collated, through discussion with paediatric medical and nursing staff, in line with the RCPCH curriculum. Using freely available video editing software and mobile smart phones, instructional videos were recorded and edited. The videos were then peer-reviewed by paediatric consultants and senior nurses in order to ensure accuracy of information. The videos were then uploaded onto the Health Board's medical education website, using Vimeo as a platform, unto a webpage entitled 'The Paediatric Toolkit'. The toolkit was freely accessible outwith the local intranet and using Vimeo as a host ensured the videos were of high quality and were easily watched on a smartphone. Results This project has resulted in the projection of fourteen instructional videos of between 2 minutes and 13 minutes in length which are freely available online for use by the paediatric interprofessional team. (figure 1, figure 2.) The project has demonstrated that a high-quality revision resource can be created using smartphones/iPads to record and produce instructional videos. It is anticipated that paediatric staff will use the resource as a revision aid for 'just-in-time'2 revision of clinical skills/procedures they may have not undertaken for a period of time. Additionally, new trainees, staff and students are directed to the resource as an introduction to paediatric clinical skills prior to exposure in clinical practice. The project has been praised by nurses and doctors at varying stages of experience. Formal evaluation of the Paediatric Toolkit is currently ongoing via an online survey. Unanswered questions include the frequency to which the resource is currently being accessed and if the resource has improved competence or confidence in paediatric clinical skills. Challenges experienced with this project included the timeconsuming nature of video editing and the frequency with which videos may need updated in line with most recent clinical guidelines. Conclusion This online resource has provided a method for consolidation of clinical skills away from the clinical environment. Theory cannot replace real life experience however there may be an important role for just-in-time revision aids in every day paediatric practice.


Severe malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for nearly one million deaths per year. New drugs are urgently needed to treat malaria, due to widespread resistance to many antimalarial therapies and emerging resistance to artemisinin. P. falciparum parasites contain an essential metabolic pathway to produce a class of compounds known as isoprenoids. This pathway proceeds through the key metabolite methylerythritol phosphate (MEP). The MEP pathway is an enticing antimicrobial drug target, since it is essential in other important pathogens, including Gram negative bacteria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but is not found in humans. Isoprenoids comprise a large and complex set of metabolites that are used for diverse functions in other biological systems, particularly plants. We have begun to address which isoprenoids are made by malaria parasites, and why this class of compounds is essential in P. falciparum. We have initiated a variety of metabolomics methods to identify the isoprenoids produced by cultured intraerythrocytic P. falciparum. These studies have revealed a large number of organic compounds, including plant‐like terpenes, that are specific to P. falciparum and not present in cultured erythrocytes alone. Ongoing studies examine the biological roles of these compounds in intraerythrocytic parasite development and odorant reception by the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae.


Abstract Motivated by the increasing need for observational resources for the study of time varying astronomy, the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope (LCOGT) is a private foundation, whose goal is to build a global network of robotic telescopes for scientific research and education. Once completed, the network will become a unique tool, capable of continuous monitoring from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The network currently includes 2 × 2.0 m telescopes, already making an impact in the field of exoplanet research. In the next few years they will be joined by at least 12 × 1.0 m and 20 × 0.4 m telescopes. The increasing amount of LCOGT observational resources in the coming years will be of great service to the astronomical community in general, and the exoplanet community in particular.


This paper problematizes the privatization of water rights in Chile in historical perspective. Analyzes the configuration of the hegemonic role of the Asociacion de Canalistas del Maipo on the management of irrigation water, as a paradigmatic case that conditioned the structuring of hydrosocial networks in Chile within the process of incorporating the country into world markets. We maintain that the Asociacion de Canalistas del Maipo managed, from a particular historical eventuality (downpours of 1827 on the San Carlos channel), to seize a common good without any counterweight, exercising a despotic power over the irrigation that ended, in the long term, deeply conditioning the relationship between society and water in Chile. We analyze different conflicts around the different strategies of control, administration and access to water used by the association, in order to elucidate the mechanisms that it adopted with the objective of legitimizing and perpetuating its predominance and power.


Ischemic stroke is a common clinical feature of neurosyphilis, but its accompanying cognitive decline is often overlooked. The mechanisms of cognitive impairment in neurosyphilis presenting with ischemic stroke are not fully understood. Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) was recently shown to predict post‐stroke cognitive decline. Therefore, this study aims to validate the correlation between CSVD and cognitive impairment in neurosyphilis presenting with ischemic stroke.


Femoral fractures as well as the entire lower limb are a cause of disability and reduced ability to work. Long periods of immobilization, on the other hand, open the door to complications that come from hypokinesia and reduced circulation. To deal with these problems, early rehabilitation protocols have been developed in practice, in the first few days depending on the patient's characteristics. The constant optimization of the therapeutic agents as well as their combination will remain a field of interest for everyone involved in these processes. This research is our contribution. In the period March-December 2019 of the Department of Physical Therapy - Strumica we conducted a survey on the number of patients treated in this department as a result of a femoral fracture. In addition, we conducted a study to assess the impact of increasing the strength of early application of proprioceptive neuromuscular relief - PNMO. The study included 27 patients with an average age of 61.23 ± 8.46 years. Patients were divided into two groups. Group K (control) (n = 13) and Group E (experimental) (n = 14). All patients underwent a therapeutic course of 21 therapies. The program of Group K contains electrotherapy and analytical gymnastics, and in Group E: magnet, ultrasound and PNMO. To assess the effects, we made measurements of the level of subjective pain after (VAS) and assessed the strength of the muscles of the hip and knee. The results show a total of 70 patients for the period 2018-2019. As patients, women in the city center at the age of 60 are more common. The results of the therapy show more pronounced strengthening in Group E. The application of PNMO in the early stages of rehabilitation, effectively helps to reduce muscle imbalance, pain and normalize physiological processes as a prerequisite for strength training.


Wavelength-routed optical networks-on-chip (WR-ONoCs) are well-known for supporting high-bandwidth communications with low power and latency. Among all WRONoC routers, optical ring routers have attracted great research interest thanks to their simple structure, which looks like concentric cycles formed by waveguides. Current ring routers are designed manually. When the number of network nodes increases or the position of network nodes changes, it can be difficult to manually determine the optimal design options. Besides, current ring routers face two problems. First, some signal paths in the routers can be very long and suffer high insertion loss; second, to connect the network nodes to off-chip lasers, waveguides in the power distribution network (PDN) have to intersect with the ring waveguides, which causes additional insertion loss and crosstalk noise. In this work, we propose XRing, which is the first design automation method to automatically synthesize optical ring routers based on the number and position of network nodes. In particular, XRing optimizes the waveguide connections between the network nodes with a mathematical modelling method. To reduce insertion loss and crosstalk noise, XRing constructs efficient shortcuts between the network nodes that suffer long signal paths and creates openings on ring waveguides so that the PDN can easily access the network nodes without causing waveguide crossings. The experimental results show that XRing outperforms other WRONoC routers in reducing insertion loss and crosstalk noise. In particular, more than 98% of signals in XRing do not suffer first-order crosstalk noise, which significantly enhances the signal quality.


Dynamic analyses are made for the structural characteristics of bionic crablike robots, and a simulation model is established using ADAMS, and the dynamic characteristics of the system are then observed using the simulation model established. Simulation results show that the dynamic characteristics of the system are closely related to the length of stride and track. The system has good dynamic characteristics when it has little little length of stride and track.


In this paper, we investigate the impact of compression on stochastic gradient algorithms for machine learning, a technique widely used in distributed and federated learning. We underline differences in terms of convergence rates between several unbiased compression operators, that all satisfy the same condition on their variance, thus going beyond the classical worst-case analysis. To do so, we focus on the case of least-squares regression (LSR) and analyze a general stochastic approximation algorithm for minimizing quadratic functions relying on a random field. We consider weak assumptions on the random field, tailored to the analysis (specifically, expected H\"older regularity), and on the noise covariance, enabling the analysis of various randomizing mechanisms, including compression. We then extend our results to the case of federated learning. More formally, we highlight the impact on the convergence of the covariance $\mathfrak{C}_{\mathrm{ania}}$ of the additive noise induced by the algorithm. We demonstrate despite the non-regularity of the stochastic field, that the limit variance term scales with $\mathrm{Tr}(\mathfrak{C}_{\mathrm{ania}} H^{-1})/K$ (where $H$ is the Hessian of the optimization problem and $K$ the number of iterations) generalizing the rate for the vanilla LSR case where it is $\sigma^2 \mathrm{Tr}(H H^{-1}) / K = \sigma^2 d / K$ (Bach and Moulines, 2013). Then, we analyze the dependency of $\mathfrak{C}_{\mathrm{ania}}$ on the compression strategy and ultimately its impact on convergence, first in the centralized case, then in two heterogeneous FL frameworks.


A resin composition having easy-to-open property, which consists of an ethylene polymer composition (D) comprising 5 to 65 wt% of a propylene polymer (A), 1 to 35 wt% of an ethylene/alpha-olefin random copolymer (B) having a density of less than 895 kg/m3, and 10 to 85 wt% of an ethylene polymer (C) having a density of 895 kg/m3 or above (in a total amount of 100 wt%); and films made from the resin composition. The resin composition is useful particularly as lid material for propylene polymer containers and exhibits not only excellent sealing properties and easy-to-open property but also excellent resistances to heat and oil.


Coastal terrace was developed at 8.3m height near Waon village in Suncheon-si. Due to the sandgravel layer deposited in a different today's environments, rounded gravel(4.3m, 5.8m, 6.3m) sequentially in a cross-section of coastal terrace, so it provides a good example which understand Holocene sea level changes to determine the effect on the various climatic-environments traits. For the purpose of identifying the morphogenetic process, Profile description, Grain size, XRD, Thin section analysis was attempted. As a result, coastal terrace are more likely to have been formed by the more recent period rather than the last interglacial(MIS 5 period), and at that time, various pedological features are considered to be formed.


This study tested the effect of vividness of language in letters of recommendation on the informational value of information in letters and job applicants' recommendations. 120 personnel administrators read either a favorable-vivid, unfavorable-vivid, favorable-pallid, or unfavorable-pallid letter of reference concerning a fictitious job applicant for a management position. Analysis showed that vividness of language influenced perceived favorableness of information but failed to affect recommendations for a candidate.


Given a lower semicontinuous function f : Rh → R ∪ {+∞}, we prove that the points of Rh, where the lower Dini subdifferential contains more than one element, lie in a countable union of sets which are isomorphic to graphs of some Lipschitzian functions defined on Rh−1. Consequently, the set of all these points has a null Lebesgue measure.


The work of Alberto Torres is, undoubtedly, one of the best clues to understand the intent of the conservative thought in proposing a form of analysis of the Brazilian society which would undertake an essentially pragmatic character. His writings are proposals of reformation which, according to himself, would have to pass through a vast process of knowledge of our singularities as a people and as a nation, and through the organization and coordination of the diverse areas of the social life by the state and by the government, which would undertake such task based on the actuation of people capable of making an interpretation of the real needs of the country.


511 Background: Treatment landscape in advanced/unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) has been rapidly changing. In June 2020, the first immuno-oncologic (I/O) + IV anti-angiogenic regimen for uHCC was approved as first line (1L) treatment in the US. As with any new therapy, it is key to understand the prevalence of medical conditions listed in patient medical history/comorbidities that could potentially influence physician choice of 1L therapy in uHCC patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review study using Cardinal Health's Oncology Provider Extended Network (OPEN). US medical oncologists identified newly diagnosed adult uHCC patients initiating 1L systemic therapy from June 2020 to April 2022. Based on the warnings and precautions section of the US FDA labels, medical conditions reported as part of patient medical history or comorbidities [including gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding risk, chronic kidney disease, autoimmune disorders, thromboembolic events] were identified from patient medical records. Less suitable was defined as the occurrence of ≥ 1 medical condition/comorbidity reported in the medical record. All patient data were deidentified. Proportions of patients with the above medical conditions or with physician-reported record of an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) procedure to assess risk of bleeding were calculated. Results: In the cohort of 433 uHCC patients initiating 1L systemic therapy, majority were male 287 (66%), Caucasian 244 (56%) with average age of 64 years. At 1L initiation, majority of the patients were 333 BCLC Stage C (77%) and 316 (73%) had ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. Approximately 160 (37%) were Child-Pugh B, 99 (23%) had non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), 176 (41%) had Hep-C etiology (among those tested), and 294 (68%) had liver cirrhosis. Prior to therapy initiation, 254 (59%) received EGD within 3 months. In the overall cohort, 221 (51%) patients were reported to have at least one condition listed as medical history/comorbidity that could make them less suitable to receive I/O + IV anti-angiogenic regimen. Upper/lower GI bleeding risk and chronic kidney disease were reported in 164 (38%) and 64 (15%) patients, respectively. History of thromboembolic events and autoimmune disorders were reported in 50 (12%) and 22 (5%) of patients, respectively. Conclusions: A significant proportion of the newly diagnosed uHCC patients were found to have at least one condition listed as medical history/comorbidity that would make them potentially less suitable for I/O + IV anti-angiogenic regimen. Our findings reinforce the importance of medical history and co-morbidity assessment in uHCC patients prior to therapy selection to optimize benefit-risk ratio for each patient.


Methanol-coal slurries are known to behave as homogeneous non-Newtonian suspensions. Darby has shown that the Casson and Bingham models reasonably describe the rheology of methanol-lignite slurries. Theoretical methods are available for predicting critical velocities for Bingham model slurries, but none exist for Casson model slurries. Theoretical equations and design curves are derived and presented for Casson model slurries. These are based upon a proven general theory for transition critical velocities. These results are the essential first phase of a coordinated theory-based design method for transitional and turbulent flow of methanol-coal slurries and any other slurries having Casson-model rheology. 24 refs.


Graft copolymers comprising poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) as the backbone and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) as the grafts were prepared and characterized. These copolymers with the AAc residues in the negatively charged state underwent self-assembling into large polymeric aggregates in water in the range 32−35 °C due to the formation of the multicore structure (comprising several solidlike hydrophobic PNIPAAm cores surrounded by the liquidlike interfacial layers) and the intercore PEG connections. These rather labile intercore PEG connections were partially destroyed due to the continual dehydration and solidification of the liquidlike interfacial layers with increasing temperature, thereby leading to fragmentation of the original aggregates into smaller particles with the more distinct core/shell structure. The final particle size was virtually governed by the structure of the hydrophobic PNIPAAm microdomains in response to the effects of the PNIPAAm conce...


Introduction Effective primary strategies are expected to be a costefficient approach to reduce attributable morbidity caused by sagittal spino-pelvic misalignment. For such strategies to emerge we need to synthesized what is known on the causes of sagittal misalignment. This review aims to critically summarize published evidence on the determinants of non-neutral sagittal standing posture. Discussion Age is directly correlated with positive sagittal imbalance, but spino-pelvic age-related changes do not seem to cause relevant modifications to overall sagittal alignment. Gender differences are likely to exist, but only regarding postural patterns: men more often present an overall flat spine than women. Environmental circumstances of early life seem to have an important role in defining the organization of sagittal posture in adulthood. Increased body mass index gathers the strongest evidence supporting its role in determining non-neutral sagittal standing posture. However, the mechanisms by which central obesity may influence sagittal spino-pelvic alignment remain largely unknown. Despite hazardous behavioural characteristics have the most potential to be prevented, they have been less frequently studied and results are still controversial. Conclusion Evidence is scarce and dominated by cross-sectional evaluations and crude correlations between characteristics and isolated parameters. Future prospective studies, focused on overall postural patterns and accounting for plausible confounders are necessary in order to sustain judgement about causation of potential risk factors for sagittal misalignment.


BACKGROUND:The role microbes play in shaping host immune system and intestinal health has been increasingly appreciated. However, the majority of the evidences are from epidemiological studies with only limited insights on molecular mechanisms. We have previously uncovered that symbiotic microbes regulate the host invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell homeostasis and experimental colitis phenotypes via the CXCL16-CXCR6 mediated pathway. Here we provide evidence that a separate mechanism exists, in which glycosphingolipids produced by symbionts are important mediators for host iNKT cell biology and host susceptibility to iNKT cell-mediated, human ulcerative colitis-like disease. METHODS:Bacteroides fragilis was used as a model system to study bacterial sphingolipids. An isogenic B. fragilis mutant was constructed, which did not produce any sphingolipids. Both the wild-type and the mutant B. fragilis strains were used to monocolonize the germ-free mice. Together with the germ-free and the specific pathogen-free mice, we performed a series of in vitro and in vivo immunological studies and oxazolone colitis experiments. Glycosphingolipids were also purified from the wild-type bacteria and subjected to chemical analysis and identification. Finally, the identified active &agr;-galactosylceramide molecules were applied to the mutant mono-associated mice to test whether these molecules alone can mediate regulation on host iNKT cell homeostasis and colitis phenotypes. RESULTS:We discovered that B. fragilis produces immunomodulatory &agr;-galactosylceramide molecules. These molecules modulate iNKT cell proliferation by competing for limited agonist-binding space on the antigen-presenting CD1d protein. As a result, if the host is exposed to the wild-type B. fragilis or its &agr;-galactosylceramide molecules early in life when iNKT cells actively proliferate, the expansion of colonic iNKT cells in response to endogenous antigens is modulated, resulting in a lower homeostatic colonic iNKT cell level in adult life. Consequently, the host becomes more resistant to the iNKT cell-dependent colitis challenge. CONCLUSIONS:These results suggest an unexpected mechanism by which symbionts can help the host attain immune balance by supplementing the endogenous lipid antigen milieu with unique inhibitory &agr;-galactosylceramide molecules in early life. These Bacteroides glycosphingolipids provide the second known example of immunomodulatory molecules produced by a symbiont (the first being a zwitterionic polysaccharide also produced by B. fragilis). Our results suggest that the distinctive inhibitory power of these lipids may be useful in treating autoimmune and allergic disorders in which iNKT cell activation is destructive.


While modern trends emphasise the need to educate and train the retarded child and adult, many aspects of mental retardation remain in the medical realm. There is therefore much that can be done by the medical and paramedical worker to assist the retarded child and its family; not only from the point of view of health but even to achieve some degree of education an d /o r tra in  ing. The emphasis here is on the Black retarded child. From figures provided by the S.A. National Council for M ental Health there are upward o f 50 000 Black mentally retarded children in South Africa. Facilities for these children are few and far between. H alf a dozen or so day care centres run by the Mental Health Society throughout the country constitute the only real facility which these children enjoy. Each centre, however, can only cater for a handful. M ainly the children are kept at home, abandoned by their families in institutions or sent to ordinary schools. While the latter course o f action seems designed to impose hardships on both the child and the teacher, the experiences o f an o c c u p a tio n a l th e ra p is t at Baragwanath H ospital indicate that this need not be the case. The nurse can be of great assistance to both the child and the teacher. Provision for the education and training of the Black retarded child was included for the first time in legisla tion recently passed (Education and Training Act 1979) as was the provision o f medical, paramedical and therapeutic treatm ent. It is extremely likely, therefore, that more contact than ever will be being made by members of the nursing profession with mentally retard ed children. Exam ination o f some of the points made by Miss Y vonne K auril, an o ccu p a tio n a l th e ra p is t at Baragwanath H ospital, in an address to a symposium in Johannesburg, points the way to how members o f the medical profession and nurses in particular can p ar ticipate in improving the quality of life for the retarded child. The symposium, entitled " The Plight O f The Black Retarded C hild" was attended by some 200 teachers, nurses, social workers and school principals. It was organised by the Self-Development Communities o f the Retarded, a group operating in Johannesburg, D urban and Cape Town. There are two main types o f retardation. Both are found in varying degree — mild to severe. The inherent type results from slow or term inated neurological m aturation i.e. the rate at which the brain develops, is retarded, or has stopped. The second, or acquired type, means the potential for norm al development was there at birth. At some time during the child's life, adverse factors or circumstances occurred which prevented him from following the norm al pattern o f development and realising his full potential. It is the function o f the medical and rehabilitation team to assess the nature o f the retardation. Based on this, the team then assists the family to direct the course o f the child's life. In the handling of the acquired type o f retardation the teacher must know (1) exactly what the child's disability is and (2) exactly what the child's ability is. As experience revealed that many children were strug gling with a handicap underlying their academic d if ficulty it is here that the medical or param edical worker can be o f trem endous assistance to the teacher, either directly or through the parent. By being advised as to points (1) and (2) above the teacher can adjust the teaching approach to suit the needs o f the child. The dem ands placed upon a child by schooling make it im portant that he is functioning as an integrated whole. A brief look is taken at some o f these dem ands:


S-Adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (AdoHcyase) catalyzes the hydrolysis ofS-adenosylhomocysteine to form adenosine and homocysteine. On the bases of crystal structures of the wild type enzyme and the D244E mutated enzyme complexed with 3′-keto-adenosine (D244E·Ado*), we have identified the important amino acid residues, Asp-130, Lys-185, Asp-189, and Asn-190, for the catalytic reaction and have proposed a catalytic mechanism (Komoto, J., Huang, Y., Gomi, T., Ogawa, H., Takata, Y., Fujioka, M., and Takusagawa, F. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 32147–32156). To confirm the proposed catalytic mechanism, we have made the D130N, K185N, D189N, and N190S mutated enzymes and measured the catalytic activities. The catalytic rates (k cat) of D130N, K185N, D189N, and N190S mutated enzymes are reduced to 0.7%, 0.5%, 0.1%, and 0.5%, respectively, in comparison with the wild type enzyme, indicating that Asp-130, Lys-185, Asp-189, and Asn-190 are involved in the catalytic reaction. K m values of the mutated enzymes are increased significantly, except for the N190S mutation, suggesting that Asp-130, Lys-185, and Asp-189 participate in the substrate binding. To interpret the kinetic data, the oxidation states of the bound NAD molecules of the wild type and mutated enzymes were measured during the catalytic reaction by monitoring the absorbance at 340 nm. The crystal structures of the WT and D244E·Ado*, containing four subunits in the crystallographic asymmetric unit, were re-refined to have the same subunit structures. A detailed catalytic mechanism of AdoHcyase has been revealed based on the oxidation states of the bound NAD and the re-refined crystal structures of WT and D244E·Ado*. Lys-185 and Asp-130 abstract hydrogen atoms from 3′-OH and 4′-CH, respectively. Asp-189 removes a proton from Lys-185 and produces the neutral Nζ (–NH2), and Asn-190 facilitates formation of the neutral Lys-185. His-54 and His-300 hold and polarize a water molecule, which nucleophilically attacks the C5′- of 3′-keto-4′,5′-dehydroadenosine to produce 3′-keto-Ado.


There are still many cases of bacterial meningitis in Indonesia. The highest morbidity rate are between 2 months until 2 years of age. The important factors that influence the success of treatment are early diagnosis and detection of the cause. C-reactive protein (=CRP) could be found in the spinal fluid of meningitis patients. The aim of this study is to judge the ability of CRP as a tool in making diagnosis as soon as possible whether there is a bacterial infection of the central nervous system and to compare it with the result of the spinal fluid culture. Also to compare the ability of it a conventional or routine examination of the spinal fluid was done.
This was a prospective study on 30 children that were admitted in the child ward of Kariadi Hospital, Semarang during the first of April until the and of july 1990. The ages of the children were between one month until 14 years, with clinical symptoms such as fever, seizure and neurological disorders. CRP examination was done with Latex Agglutination method. The result of CRP examination on spinal fluid showed that the sensitivity was 91.6% , the specificity 94.4% , the positive prediction value 91.6% and the negative prediction value 94.4%.
As a conclusion, CRP examination of spinal fluid gives better results than the conventional or routine examination in distinguishing bacterial meningitis from non bacterial meningitis.


Abstract : In 2007, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) began blocking social networking sites, such as YouTube and MySpace, from its computer networks based on concerns for bandwidth, network security, and posting of personal and operational information. In February 2010, the Department issued a memorandum that set a new policy allowing access to social-networking services (SNS) from its networks. The policy allows all users of unclassified computers in the .mil domain access to some of the more popular SNSs, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube. The Army issued its own policy immediately afterwards, requiring all Army Commands to configure their networks to allow for the full range of social networking capabilities. This paper briefly defines social networking, studies the history of social networking, speaks to how social networking can serve as a change agent within the Army, analyzes the risks and challenges of lifting the ban on SNSs, and finally, states the benefits of leveraging social networking within the Army. Leveraging social networking is a good idea. Social networking will continue to provide an indisputable influence on the Army's organizational beliefs and values, and will have a positive effect on soldier moral, unit climates, information sharing, collaboration, and crisis and strategic communications.


The "restrictedness" of a hexapod robot's legs is the degree to which their free movement is restricted in some way. Using the restrictedness to decide when to lift the legs has previously been shown to allow omnidirectional walking using a free gait as well as a tripod gait during straight-ahead walking. In this paper, we develop the previous system to improve the range of forward walking gaits exhibited by the restrictedness controller to include a range of "wave gaits." A simplified robot model was used for an off-line search for the optimal restrictedness components for forward walking. Experimental results from the small hexapod "Hamlet" are presented to show the worth of the restrictedness concept and the modeling process.


Overweight or Obesity, defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. Years pass, but obesity still remains as major health problem or condition starting from infant to old age individuals. Back to the past if we analyze the reasons for obesity the reasons include intake of more calories, Sedentary Lifestyle, insufficient sleep and rarely obesity gene. People with obesity have the probability of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and some cancers. Present work shows the various paths of obesity from the past, recent advances in the present and future challenges. Youth stoutness has dramatically multiplied in kids and quadrupled in teenagers in the previous 30 years.


Cotton, the king of fibre, is one of the momentous and an important cash crop exercising profound influence on economics and social affairs of the world. Any other fibre crop cannot compare with cotton for its fibre quality. It is also called as "White Gold".Cotton is grown in 75 countries across the world out of which United States, China and India contribute 80% of total yield in the world. India ranks first in area and second in production of cotton in the world. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the major cotton growing states in India.Bt cotton varieties are high yielding, fertilizer and irrigation responsive and hence famers are attempting to grow more and more cotton in this region. Cotton is the most important non-food cash crop in Gujarat, covering more than 27 lakh hectares area with production of about 110 lakh bales of lint. Area under cotton in Saurashtra is about 18 lakh hectares and contributes around 65 per cent total production in the state.Water and nitrogen are the key input for improving cotton productivity, which must be used in most efficient manner to sustain the cotton productivity at higher level.Nitrogen play very important role in crop productivity and is an important determinant of the growth and yield of irrigated cotton (Gadhiyaet al., 2009; Reddy and Kumar, 2010). Nitrogen, an integral component of many plant compounds such as aminoacids, that are the building blocks of proteins, is a vital nutrient for the growth anddevelopment of cotton. As N is a mobile element, its deficiency during the early andmid season results in the chlorosis of older leaves. Its deficiency also leads to reducedplant height, fruiting branches and increased boll shed (Hodges, 1995). The yieldresponse of Btcotton (Pettigrew and Adamczyk, 2006) and increases in Btprotein content with N fertilization (Yang Chang Qin et al., 2005) demands adequateN fertilization. Since, both irrigation and nitrogen are costly inputs, efficient utilization of these resources through optimum synergistic combination is essential for higher productivity and input-use efficiency of Bt cotton. Hence, the study was taken up to find out optimum water and nitrogen requirement for Bt cotton.


The high prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among Syrian refugees in Lebanon required a shift in the humanitarian response, from direct care provided through mobile medical clinics to community-based primary health care and health promotion provided through trained refugee outreach volunteers (ROVs). During the first 2 months after training, these ROVs conducted 753 blood pressure monitoring visits and 657 blood glucose checks; monitored medication adherence among 387 patients with NCDs; referred 293 refugees to the local primary health care facility for additional care; and provided 346 targeted health education messages. The high prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among Syrian refugees in Lebanon required a shift in the humanitarian response, from direct care provided through mobile medical clinics to community-based primary health care and health promotion provided through trained refugee outreach volunteers (ROVs). During the first 2 months after training, these ROVs conducted 753 blood pressure monitoring visits and 657 blood glucose checks; monitored medication adherence among 387 patients with NCDs; referred 293 refugees to the local primary health care facility for additional care; and provided 346 targeted health education messages. ABSTRACT In the sixth year of the Syrian conflict, 11 million people have been displaced, including more than 1.1 million seeking refuge in Lebanon. Prior to the crisis, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for 80% of all deaths in Syria, and the underlying health behaviors such as tobacco use, obesity, and physical inactivity are still prevalent among Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Humanitarian agencies initially responded to the acute health care needs of refugees by delivering services to informal settlements via mobile medical clinics. As the crisis has become more protracted, humanitarian response plans have shifted their focus to strengthening local health systems in order to better address the needs of both the host and refugee populations. To that end, we identified gaps in care for NCDs and launched a program to deliver chronic disease care for refugees. Based on a participatory needs assessment and community surveys, and building on the success of community health programs in other contexts, we developed a network of 500 refugee outreach volunteers who are supported with training, supervision, and materials to facilitate health promotion and disease control for community members, target NCDs and other priority conditions, and make referrals to a primary health care center for subsidized care. This model demonstrates that volunteer refugee health workers can implement community-based primary health activities in a complex humanitarian emergency.


Abstract : White and Negro experimenters administered digitsymbol tasks of three levels of difficulty to Southern male Negro college students. The task was described as a test of eye-hand coordination. On the most difficult task Ss worked more efficiently when tested by a white than when tested by a Negro. On the two easier codes the skin color of the administrator had no effect. Next, two additional groups of Negro Ss were tested by the same Negro and white experimenters on the most difficult task only, but now the task was described as a test of intelligence, rather than as a test of motor coordination. The effect of the I.Q. instructions was to elevate slightly performance with a Negro tester and to lower scores markedly in the white-tester group. (Author)


Ordovician volcanic rocks are widely distributed in Arou area of north Qilian mountain. It is developed in early Ordovician Yingou group and late Ordovician Koumenzi group. Distribution characteristics and petrological characteristics of Ordovician volcanic rocks in Arou area of north Qilian mountain have been studied. Three types of volcanic lithofacies have been divided,they are eruption facies,eruption facies and eruption-sedimentary facies,and two volcanic eruption cycles as Yingour cycle and Koumenzi cycle have been divided as well. Qilian oceanic( rift) evolution characteristics in Arou area of north Qilian mountain has been revealed. It has certain significance for guiding the contrast between volcanic region of north Qilian mountain and recovery of volcanic body.


Le traité d'anatomie Testut-Latarjet (The human anatomy Testut-Latarjet treatise) published in 1887, is considered one of the most complete on human anatomy, with detailed descriptions of the human body and anthropological concepts, accompanied by philosophical and anthropological concepts. This anatomy treatise is still a very useful teaching tool in many Latin American and European Medical Faculties. In 1902, this anatomical treatise won the Saintour Prize, awarded by the French Academy of Medicine and since 1910 it has been translated into Spanish, Italian, German and other languages. The Testut-Latarjet treatise on human anatomy consists of four volumes with a total of 4,935 pages in its 1960 Spanish edition, as well as 4,144 highly detailed illustrations in color. The 1960 Spanish edition of Testut-Latarjet treatise in its volume IV included a citing of the doctoral thesis: El elemento nervioso en el apendice libre. Sus aplicaciones quirurgicas (External innervation of the cecal appendix: its surgical applications) written in 1943 by Rubén Rodríguez Escovar, M. D., a Venezuelan anatomist and surgeon, who held the Department of Human Anatomy at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, distinguishing himself as teacher and researcher over a period of 40 years. Certainly, Rubén Rodriguez Escovar is not in the greatest group of prominent anatomists mentioned in the Treatise. Nevertheless, on merit alone for his research about meso-appendicular region's innervations, he was cited into Testut-Latarjet's treatise. As far as the present author knows, Rubén Rodriguez Escovar is the sole Non-European anatomist to be mentioned in the outstanding Testut-Latarjet Human Anatomy Treatise.


The notion of a classical particle is inferred from Dirac quantum fields on a curved space-time, by an eikonal approximation and a localization hypothesis for amplitudes. This procedure allows to define a semi-classical version of the spin-tensor from internal quantum degrees of freedom, which has a Papapetrou-like coupling with the curvature.


Purpose
This paper aims to propose an efficient model for analysis of power electronic circuits with integrated magnetic components.

Design/methodology/approach
The inductance modeling technique is used as the traditional method for analyzing magnetic components. This model is simple and enough to generate for individual components, that is, an inductor and a transformer. However, it becomes difficult to realize this model for the integrated magnetic structures. This paper shows an appropriate model for individual magnetic components as well as integrated magnetic components and its application to magnetically coupled DC–DC converters. Gyrator–capacitor (G–C) modeling offers a unified, reasonable way of understanding the magnetic components commonly met with in power electronics and the other disciplines.

Findings
G–C model allows any electrical and magnetic circuit to be simultaneously simulated with circuit simulators. In this regard, this paper gives a complete simulation model and analysis as an illustrative example. There is no limitation of this paper or future works. The proposed G–C model can be applied to all power electronic circuits having integrated magnetic components.

Originality/value
In the proposed model, the magnetic circuit is converted to a pure electric circuit with capacitors and controlled sources; every winding is replaced with a pair of current controlled voltage sources, namely, a gyrator.


The purpose of the passage is to discuss and analyse the objecticve and subjective causes of subjectivity differences between the earliest and modern persons, and make a further study of the subjeetivity from one side. In the writer's opinion, the effective objective factors on the differences mainly are; Natural environment for subjective activities,conditions of the social economy development,social systems;social relationship,etc,the subjective factors mainly are: Culture and intelligence factors, thinking and morality factors and so on,the "earliest"in the present passage refers to primitive society and "Modern" refers to the period after the great industry revolution.


The paper aims to explore the historical aspects of the novel The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. The novel deals with six days motoring trip in the life of the protagonist Mr. Stevens, an English butler from Darlington Hall, England to Cornwall for business purposes in 1956. The study traces how the physical journey leads him to recognize his past issues through a mental journey of a loyal butler. This helps him to identify his true self. The remembrance of his personal history, loss, historical events, places, historical figures, and political situation in Europe shape his existence. The novel & historical background is First World War and Second World War, which play a major role in this novel. The paper explains the problem statements as how Kazuo Ishiguro mentions the intermixing of Steven's personal and historical incidents in the novel. It analyses how strong emotion of suppression, suffering, regrets, and pain leads the protagonist to the emotionless condition in his life. The aim of the paper is to bring out the historical traces of the Nazi party, the Treaty of Versailles, the Hayes Society - an elite society of butlers in the 1920s and 1930s and the Suez Canal crisis in the novel. The paper also suggests ideas and the scope of further research.


Objective:To predict the HLA-A2/A24 restricted CTL epitopes of antigen AFP, associated with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),so as to provide appropriate CTL epitope for hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods: HLA-A/A24-restricted CTL epitopes of antigen AFP were predicted with NetCTL1.2 Server on web,COMB1.0.Results: Eight HLA-A2 and thirteen HLA-A24 restricted CTL epitope candidates(nonamers ) derived from the tumor antigen AFP associated with HCC were predicted.Conclusion: NetCTL 1.2 Server prediction method improve the prediction efficiency and accuracy.These nonamers,after identified by experiment will be useful to develop promising antigen peptide tumor vaccines for HCC.


In this paper, a method which provides thermal endurance characterization in significantly shorter duration than that required by IEC 216 Standard is presented. The method proposed resorts to measurements of oxidative stability to estimate the activation energy of the degradation process which is deemed to prevail in the range of test and service temperatures, as well as to a conventional thermal life test of suitable length. By this way, slope and location of the thermal endurance line are determined. Comparisons between the results provided by the proposed method and characterizations made according to IEC 216 are presented, referring to the most common insulating materials for HV cables, that is, crosslinked polyethylene and ethylene-propylene rubber. It is shown that, considering different diagnostic properties, both temperature index and halving interval obtained by the proposed method are very close to the values derived by applying IEC 216.


In analysis of factors what effect on construction project management,expound four aspects include cost,progress,quality and security,put forward initiative solutions and basic requirements of four control aspects,provide foundations for doing well of construction project management.


Clinicians are urged to ask parents about their preferences and goals for their child's treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a practice that is followed inconsistently.


Four potato cultivars Christian, Roclas, Ostara and Désirée , were studied for in vitro tuberization. Cultivar Christian was the most receptive to in vitro tuber induction. The best results were obtained on culture media to which kinetin(0.5 mg/l) or benzyladenine (1mg/l and 0.5mg/l), plus α-naphtylacetic acide (0.5 mg/l) were added. The December/February period was found to be the most favorable time for in vitro tuberization. Of the four cultivars studied: Christian, Roclas, Ostara and Désirée, cultivar Christian was the most receptive to charcoal and phytohormones added to the culture media (C2, C3 and C5).


Variation in colour/pattern morph frequencies in Eupteryx urticae and E. cyclops is described for various field populations. Eupteryx urticae populations in S Wales exhibit a steep morph-ratio cline, such that black morph frequencies are positively correlated with altitude. High melanic frequencies at high-altitude sites, and the absence of the two darker morphs in lowland populations, suggest a similar trend in E. cyclops, but the data are insufficient to confirm this statistically. No differences in morph frequencies were detected on different parts of the primary host plant or on alternative host species. Similarly, there were no consistent trends within or between the two annual generations of either species, although melanic morph frequencies in one E. urticae population were heterogeneous over 10 generations. It is suggested that the polymorphism in E. urticae is strongly influenced by climate selection, darker morphs being at an advantage in cooler environments where their coloration enhances absorption of solar radiation. The advantage gained through thermal melanism is probably balanced by visual selection against black morphs by entomophagous parasitoids.


The utility model belongs to the field of a building, and particularly relates to a self-tapping screw protection device. The self-tapping screw protection device comprises a self-tapping screw protection clamping part and a self-tapping screw protection buckle; the self-tapping screw protection clamping part comprises laterally symmetrical clamp plates; the lower ends of the clamp plates are inclined outwards; inverted U-shaped bulges are respectively arranged at the upper ends of the clamp plates; a cross plate is arranged between the two bulges; a self-tapping screw hole is formed in the middle part of the cross plate; the self-tapping screw protection buckle covers the self-tapping screw protection clamping part; the self-tapping screw protection buckle comprises laterally symmetrical protection plates and a horizontal protection cover for connecting the two protection plates; the bottom ends of the protection plates are bent inwards. The self-tapping screw protection device is reasonable in structural design, adopts a simple and convenient production process, is convenient to assemble and has high practicality; water seepage and corrosion of water vapor to a self-tapping screw can be effectively prevented; building cost is reduced; safety of a building roof is improved; great convenience is brought to life of people.


Crowdsourcing is an increasingly used model to outsource certain tasks to be carried out by external experts on the Web. Especially when lacking experience or expertise with certain task types, crowdsourcing offers a convenient way to receive instant support. In this paper, we introduce an in-house enterprise crowdsourcing model, which leverages the crowdsourcing concept and transfers it to traditional organizations. Here, a company's staff is considered a crowd that — besides its regularly assigned tasks — can also receive tasks from colleagues from other departments and across hierarchical structures. The aim is to offer instant support and utilize free capacities throughout a large organization more efficiently. In our work, we describe this concept and supporting mechanisms in context of an agile software development use case. However, in contrast to usually crowdsourced microtasks, complex software architectures usually consist of tens and hundreds of connected modules that can be potentially crowdso...


Central Plains Culture is the origin and trunk of the traditional Chinese culture and has played much important role in the development history of Chinese nation and culture,whose social function exactly expresses in:cognation function;orientation function;overall coordination function and coherence function.


Geological Data Library is an important component of Land and Environmental Resources Department of Hainan Province, which is responsible for the collection and management of Hainan province's regional geological data, such as geological survey data, solid mineral geology data, petroleum geology data, marine geology data, physical and chemical exploration data, hydrogeology data, engineering geology data and geological research data etc. Firstly, the author analyzes the hidden problems of Hainan Geological Data Library, and then simply introduces the characteristics of distributed measurement and control system, finally elaborates the design of security monitoring system of Geological Data Library. Situation Analysis of Geological Data Library Protection degree of collection geology data is low. In recent years, each city geological team has transferred less information to the Provincial Geological Data Library. Although the received data of city geological team contains a certain proportion Class B data that needn't to be transmitted to Provincial Geological Data Library, the data gap is not so large. The number of data that is transmitted from individual city geological team to the Provincial Geological Data Library is zero for three consecutive years. Submission situation of marine geology data that should be directly submitted to Provincial Geological Data Library is not ideal; some provincial large special work data hasn't been submitted. Library users complain no new substantial material in multiple user survey. Many issues are reflected from the survey, for example, poor quality in few submission data, and inconsistent contents between electronic documents and paper information. The progress of comprehensive research and excavation work of collection geology data is slow. The workload of provincial library staff was added more than doubled due to parallel double-track running mode between the paper archives of traditional manual management and digital modern archives. In addition, the constraints of the traditional thinking mode, low initiative on the development of collection geology data and weak awareness in turning geology data into service products also affected depth and breadth of service work. Storage conditions of collection data and basic services work needs to be strengthened. As data processing conditions cannot meet the work requirements in Provincial Library, storage conditions improvement must be on the agenda. Due to the lack of management and top-level design of business technology of national geological data, each test paper referred to inconsistencies, divided in different security classification, different cleanup scales, different classification methods, non-standard acceptance of digital geological data, Repeated low-level information system construction, etc. The Characteristics of Distributed Measurement and Control System Based on Ethernet Ethernet distributed measure and control system complies with TCP/IP protocol and uses Ethernet/Internet as the command and data transmission network. Its structure is no longer like the traditional three-tier structure of the fieldbus measurement and control network: communication computer fieldbus – measurement and control equipment; but two-tier structure: management International Industrial Informatics and Computer Engineering Conference (IIICEC 2015) © 2015. The authors Published by Atlantis Press 1 network – measurement and control network. Its characteristics are listed as follows: Real-Time. Real-time requirement of distributed measurement and control system is very strict, it requires the system to reliably respond within the specified time. Theoretically Ethernet is not a real-time system, which is the Achilles heel for automatic control. However, in actual use, take 10Mbps bandwidth as an example, if the transmission data volume is not a large number of video graphics data like in OA environment, the actual collision probability is very low. Even a collision, it can still spread the data very quickly to each other, not to mention the recent growing popularity of switching HUB, you can set the elasticity 10M / 100M dedicated bandwidth to the user. It's like on the highway, it not only has more than 10 lanes for choosing to speed up, but you can specify a dedicated lane to enjoy the president's tour of inspection and unimpeded courtesy. Reliability. Ethernet cable from the coaxial cable, to twisted pair (UTP), until the optical fiber. Especially fiber-optic network has been gradually extended from telecom's backbone network to the terminal device, it stressed similar RJ-45 phone Jack flexible fiber-optic connectors and high flexibility fiber and low-cost, the site is easy for construction. The optical fiber is not affected by noise interference, it is suitable for real-time monitoring in the high noise environment of the scene. On the other hand, a standard SNMP network management tools can be used to effectively manage the network. Compatability. TCP / IP communication protocol is an international common standard, both Intranet and Internet are using this standard, various brands of computers and field devices have the same communications infrastructure. Field device which has a TCP/IP interface can connect directly to Internet, it realizes remote control or remote diagnostics function. Resource Sharing. Because communication packet matches TCP/IP standard, it can pass through the INTERNET switch or router. TCP/IP communication protocol is a global uniform standard, easily linked into large control network without geographical restrictions. Ethernet measurement and control uses Ethernet (Internet) which is the most extensive resources, it make Ethernet measurement and control system has the infinite region and number of measure and control nodes. Cost Effective. There are the largest vendors and cheapest price of hardware and software for Ethernet. If we use dedicated Field Bus as automation network architecture, all the hardware procurement, wiring construction, software development and maintenance etc. are subject to this architecture, the cost is high. Future Trend. Development trend of Internet/Intranet has being from OA ->FA ->BA, right now, the trend is actively extended to HA home automation field. One of the most difficult is wiring, so telephone line Home PNA and wireless RF etc. wiring technology are developing now. And due to the vast number of market forces, these techniques is upgrading rapidly, the cost is relative decline, the future is bound in the reverse drive to BA, FA, OA field. Implementation of Security Monitoring System of Geological Data Library Security monitoring system of Hainan Geological Library is made up of various city geological data monitoring subsystem, private network of provincial geological resources, provincial geological data library security monitoring host. Its function is to monitor, upload information and alarm automatically according to the safety of various City Geological Data Library (such as high temperature, humidity, drastic changes in temperature and humidity, power outages and water in typhoon season etc.). In addition, it also can receive the operation control signal of the upper machine, such as alarm threshold, sampling time, reset, etc. Due to private IP network of Hainan Province Geological Resource has been constructed, and combining the characteristics of the Ethernet control system, the distributed Ethernet control system is adopted to build. Each city geological database monitoring subsystem is as a generated point of information flow in, its essence is to complete the security data collection for various cities geological data library, send messages to PC of city own database monitoring center through private IP network after a certain processing, and the city local geological information will be reported to the Provincial Geological Data Library using geological resources dedicated network by monitoring center host.


INTRODUCTION: The majority of children will experience pain in their childhood. Nurses play a crucial role in caring for children in pain. Pain assessment tools aid nurses in providing effective care for these children. This study aimed to assess the use of pain assessment tools and associated factors among nurses caring for hospitalized children at a selected district hospital in Rwanda. METHOD: This descriptive cross-sectional study occurred at Kabgayi District Hospital in Southern Province, Rwanda. 153 nurses caring for children below 15 years were sampled. Pretested and validated questionnaires, in addition to patients' files, were used as data collection tools. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.
RESULTS: At Kabgayi District Hospital, the majority (60.4%) of nurses used pain assessment tools, mostly the verbal pain rating scale. More than eighty percent (83.8%) cited inadequate resources hindering tool utilization. A high workload for nurses made performing appropriate pain assessment procedures difficult. The use of pain assessment tools was associated with the nurses' working shifts (p=0.022). Day-shift nurses implemented tools more than their night-shift counterparts.
CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that there are still barriers to the use of pain assessment tools among nurses caring for hospitalized children at Kabgayi District Hospital. Reducing a high workload for nurses will improve the effective use of pain assessment tools. Training for nurses in the form of continuing professional development (CPD) using other appropriate types of pain assessment tools, such as Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC), and Wong-Baker Faces pain rating scale, should be enhanced.


We are going to celebrate a little Halloween and learn about Creative Commons licenses with zombies by visiting : https://thimbleprojects.org/jgmac1106/112687/ . Then check out the types of


PurposeA lack of research has reported how playful gamification is applied to adult learners as an idea of andragogical instruction. Thus, this study aims to identify how the concept of gamification was used for adult learners in an online class during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on learning performance and motivation with the guidance of Knowles' andragogical principle.Design/methodology/approachThe study applied an explanatory sequential mixed method in collecting the data. Assessments' scores during the experimental research and questionnaires were used as the quantitative data. For the qualitative data, personal semi-structured interviews were employed.FindingsThe findings indicate that gamification raises student enthusiasm and interest and improves learning outcomes. Students who previously lacked attentiveness to the online class are now waiting for game quiz activities during the class meeting. Furthermore, the experimental groups reported statistically improved assessments compared to their counterparts. Indeed, some recommended other courses with whole activities of gamification and discussion rather than listening to talks.Originality/valueFor its implications, this study has enriched the literature on gamification implementation for adult learners. Regarding its originality, it has discussed an old issue of Knowles' andragogical principle from the novelty angle of gamification.


Received: 06/9/2021 Increasingly asserting in terms of transmission speed, transmission distance, transmission capacity, optical communication network is being the first choice not only for inter-provincial and intra-provincial backbone transmission routes, but also for used in access networks, fiber optic cables, etc. in Vietnam's telecommunications network. This advancement is due to the application of the technologies of time division multiplexing (TDM), wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and optical code division multiplexing (OCDMA). This paper focuses on studying SAC spectrum amplitude encoding technique in OCDMA system. The system is designed, surveyed and simulated on OptiSystem software with experiments on: distance, number of system users. This study contributes to solving the problem of improving performance for multi-wavelength optical access networks using OCDMA optical code division multiple access technology. Revised: 05/11/2021


Although not directly linked in time and space, the low savings in an economy will pose a huge challenge on the growth prospect of the country as both private and public savings remain catalytic to economic growth. The classical and neo-classical growth theories have placed emphasis on the critical role of savings in the economy and indeed the need for high savings cannot be overemphasised. This study sought to examine microeconomic determinants of household savings in Zambia using cross sectional data obtained from the Central Statistics Office 2015 Living Condition Monitoring Survey comprising 12251 households. The study conducted an analysis of factors using a Logistic regression model. The results of the study found that income and employment status of the households had a positive and significant influence on the probability of a household to save. On the other hand, household size, age and region (living in urban areas) negatively influenced household savings and was significant at all critical levels. The marginal effects which measures the magnitude of the impact of the independent variable on the independent variable was analyzed and it was found that for income ceteris paribus, a 1% increase in income was found to increase the probability of a household to save by 0.01percentage point while an improvement in employment of household heads increases the probability of a household to save by5.6 percentage point ceteris paribus. Furthermore, ceteris paribus, an additional year of the household head age reduces the likelihood to save by 1.4 percentage point. On the basis of household size, the study found that ceteris paribus, adding an extra person to a given household reduces the likelihood of a household to save by 1.14 percentage point. For the region variable, the study used rural region as a benchmark region to distinguish between urban and rural household propensity to save. It was found that households that were located in urban areas were 9.8% less likely to save compared to households located in rural areas. Given the findings above, it was concluded that low levels of savings in Zambia are attributed to; low household incomes, overgrowing informal sector and overpopulated households. It was recommended that the government should increase its funding towards economic empowerment to boost job creation which would enhance household income and reduce over dependency of household members.


Hinode is Japan's third solar mission following Hinotori (1981–1982) and Yohkoh (1991–2001): it was launched on 2006 September 22 and is in operation currently. Hinode carries three instruments: the Solar Optical Telescope, the X-Ray Telescope, and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer. These instruments were built under international collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, and its operation has been contributed to by the European Space Agency and the Norwegian Space Center. After describing the satellite operations and giving a performance evaluation of the three instruments, reviews are presented on major scientific discoveries by Hinode in the first eleven years (one solar cycle long) of its operation. This review article concludes with future prospects for solar physics research based on the achievements of Hinode.


Griffin D, Parsons N, Shaw E, Kulikov Y, Hutchinson C, Thorogood M, Lamb SE; UK Heel Fracture Trial Investigators. Operative Versus Non-Operative Treatment for Closed, Displaced, Intra-Articular Fractures of the Calcaneus: Randomised Controlled Trial. BMJ. 2014 Jul 24;349:g4483.

### Question:

In patients with closed, displaced, intra-articular calcaneal fractures, is operative care better than nonoperative care?

### Design:

Randomized (allocation concealed), blinded (outcome assessor), controlled trial with two years of follow-up (U.K. Heel Fracture Trial [U.K. HeFT]).

### Setting:

Twenty-two hospitals in the United Kingdom.

### Patients:

151 patients who were ≥18 years of age (mean age, 46.5 years; 84% men) and had a closed, intra-articular, displaced (subtalar joint posterior facet displacement ≥2 mm) calcaneal fracture within the past three weeks. Exclusion criteria included gross deformity of the hindfoot (fibular impingement), other serious leg injuries that would affect outcome at two years, and peripheral vascular disease. 143 patients (95%) completed follow-up.

### Intervention:

Patients were allocated to operative (n = 73) or nonoperative (n = 78) treatment. Operative treatment involved open reduction and internal fixation within 3 weeks after the injury using an extensile lateral approach with interfragmentary screws and …


Seeds of grain legumes are currently discussed as N fertilizer in organic vegetable production. They can be produced by the farmers themselves and applied in well controlled amounts flexibly in time and space. Most research investigating the N mineralization of grain legume seeds was carried out using coarsely milled seeds. We hypothesized that seed germination alters the chemical composition leading to a higher N release compared to seed meal. In a pot experiment the C:N ratio of lupine seeds was shown to decrease noticeably within the first two weeks after sowing. After an incubation period of 1300°Cd net N mineralization was significantly higher for the lupine seedlings compared to the seed meal and close relationships between N mineralization and C:N ratio were found. In field experiments with white cabbage, carried out in 2005 and 2006, similar relationships were found but sowing followed by an early incorporation of seedlings after 12 and 13 days showed an N supply similar to the seed meal treatment only. Strong priming effects, mainly caused by the lupine seed meal, are discussed to be a possible reason. Late incorporation after 42 and 37 days resulted in significantly lower N supply and cabbage yield.


The authors welcome the discussion by Samani on our paper and appreciate his cautionary statements regarding the assumption of constancy of KRS in the original Eq. (6), especially in humid or equatorial climates. Samani's findings, based on the prediction of monthly solar radiation from Knapp et al. (1980) using temperature range (TR) (daily maximum temperature minus daily minimum temperature), indicate the need for KRS larger than the 0.17 constant implicit to the original Eq. (8) when the TR is relatively small (less than about 7°C). It is worthwhile to note that in Samani's Fig. 1, KRS appears to only be statistically different from 0.17 in the 8–16°C range. TR does tend to be smaller in humid and subhumid climates than in semiarid and arid climates. Samani's findings differ from KRS–TR relationships found using daily solar radiation and air temperature data from some of the more humid stations evaluated by the ASCE-EWRI Task Committee on Standardization of Reference Evapotranspiration Calculation (EWRI 2001; Itenfisu et al. 2003). For example, for three agricultural weather stations near Wellsboro, Valatie, and Ithaca, New York, computed KRS averaged only about 0.14 throughout the range in TR of 5–14°C. Monthly values for KRS ranged from 0.11–0.17 and averaged 0.14. In a study on variation in KRS, Allen (1997) found KRS to reside within the range 0.16–0.175 for his two most humid stations, Gainesville, Fla. and North Baltimore, Ohio. Thus, it appears that more study is needed to determine a general relationship between KRS and TR or other parameters. What is important in terms of predicting evapotranspiration sETod, however, is not the deviation of KRS from 0.17, but in how well the integrated form of Eq. (8) performs in predicting ETo. In the ASCE-EWRI study, Eq. (8) overpredicted ETo as computed using the ASCE standardized Penman-Monteith equation (Itenfisu et al. 2003) by more than 15% for the relatively humid eastern United States weather stations of Wellsboro, Valatie, and Ithaca, N.Y., and Blairsville and Attapulgus, Ga. Eq. (8) predicted about 10% higher than the ASCE standardized Penman-Monteith equation at the other eastern or midwestern United States locations of Fort Pierce and Lake Alfred, Fla.; Griffen, Ga.; Bondville and Belleville, Ill.,; and Mead and Clay Center, Neb. This overestimation in humid climates might imply the need for a smaller KRS rather than a larger one. In comparisons between Eq. (8) and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Penman-Monteith (FAO-PM) equation based on the World Water and Climate Atlas of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Droogers and


Malabsorption and malnutrition, which occur after insufficient synthesis or release of digestive enzymes in the pancreas, are referred to as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). Besides the nonspecific symptoms such as abdominal pain, flatulence, weight loss, and steatorrhea, more specific symptoms and findings may reveal albumin malabsorption and lack of fat-soluble (A, D, E, K) vitamins. EPI can be seen in many local or systemic diseases and conditions which affect either structure or function of the pancreas but is most commonly found in chronic pancreatitis (1). Today, the general diagnosis is based on the determination of fecal elastase-1 (FE-1) levels. Patients having FE1 levels > 200 μg/g are assumed to be normal, between 100-200 μg/g are diagnosed as mild/moderate pancreas insufficiency, and <100 μg/g are diagnosed as severe pancreas insufficiency (2). Endocrine and exocrine disorders observed together or one leads to the other in diabetes mellitus (DM). The hypotheses about occurrence of EPI in diabetes can be summarized with changes in the stimulant-inhibitory islet cell hormone balance, development of pancreatic acinar atrophy due to insulin deficiency, decreased enteropancreatic reflex as well as impaired exocrine functions stemming from autonomic neuropathy and consequent gastroparesis, autoimmunity and blood supply disorder in the pancreas due to microvascular complications and fibrosis (2). The frequency of EPI that is not considered much in routine diabetic patient evaluation has been reported as 40% in patients with type 1 DM and 27% in patients with type 2 DM (3). The causes of underestimation of EPI which is actually not rarely existing may be the patients' assumption that the gastrointestinal symptoms are normal and thus unworthy of considering and telling the doctor about them. Furthermore, the physician may not be able to allocate enough time for a detailed symptomatic interrogation in countries, as in our country, where diabetes is frequent and the number of patients is very high. Moreover, there is a dearth of clear data on which symptoms or findings should be based while investigating the EPI. For example, Cummings et al. reported that approximately one-fourth of diabetic patients had at least one gastrointestinal symptom of EPI, and half of them had low levels of FE-1 (4). In this study, steatorrhea and weight loss were found to be insufficient in proving EPD, and a detailed investigation for gas, diarrhea and abdominal pain was highlighted. A recently published multicenter study (5) reported that the symptoms associated with diarrhea or digestion in patients with normal FE-1 levels were as likely as those with low FE-1 levels. In one study, we found that weight loss and abdominal distention were significantly more in diabetic patients than in the control group (6). We also found that the only predictors of the presence of EPD in patients with diabetes


Adaptive antenna arrays have been widely studied to reduce multiuser interference by spatial suppression. The lattice algorithm, based on least square estimation, is investigated to realize adaptive antenna beamforming. Both analytical and simulation results show that this algorithm not only has fast convergence, but also good multiuser interference suppression performance. Furthermore, the antenna weights iteration processes are discussed in different multiuser interference conditions.


Genes encoding the m l muscarinic (ml mAChR) and &adrenergic  receptors (&AR) were  stably co-expressed into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to study receptor regulation and cross-talk. Persistent activation of the &AR/adenylate cyclase pathway by isoproterenol leads to heterologous desensitization, internalization, and down-regulation of the m l mAChR which is comparable, but smaller in magnitude, with that seen with persistent activation of the m l mAChR by carbachol. This heterologous effect was mimicked by dibutyryl cAMP and forskolin and antagonized by the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H-8. A potential consensus equence for  phosphorylation by PKA ( L y ~ ~ ~ ' A r g L y s T h r ~ ~ ~ ) exists on the third intracellular loop of the m l mAChR, suggesting that receptor phosphorylation by PKA may be involved in heterologous regulation. The loss of m l mAChRs induced by carbachol was not reversed by H-8, indicating that homologous regulation is not dependent on PKA. Recent evidence suggests that muscarinic agonistmediated internalization of the m l mAChR involves the third intracellular loop (i3) (Maeda, S . , Lameh, J., Mallet, W. G., Philip, M., Ramachandran, J., and Sadee, w. (1990) FEBS Lett. 269,386-388). Three deletion mutant receptors were constructed in which the majority, or small regions, of i3 were eliminated but the membrane proximal portions of the loop were left intact. Each of the mutants was co-expressed with the BaAR in CHO cells. A small region in i3 was identified which is crucial for carbacholand isoproterenol-promoted internalization and down-regulation. This region contains a series of 6 serine residues within an 8amino acid stretch. A similar domain has been identified in the carboxyl tail of the BzAR and has been proposed to participate in receptor internalization (Hausdorff, W. P., Campbell, P. T., Ostrowski, J., Yu, S . S., Caron, M. G., and Lefkowitz, R. J. (1991) Proc. Ncttl. A C U ~ Sei. U. S. A. 88,2979-2983).


Late in 2019 a small group of Pākehā staff at Unitec School of Architecture organised an initiative to review the course structure after relocating to a different building on campus. Gifted a name, Tau-utuutu, by Kaihautū Kimoro Taiepa, they facilitated a series of staff engagement workshops, and from this extensive staff feedback developed a draft Living Vision document that identified the interconnected issues of the climate emergency and colonisation. However, it became evident that the process to that point had lacked genuine partnership with tangata whenua. Subsequent, kōrero with Ngā Ia Vai, the Māori and Pacific caucus within the school, resulted in a collaborative presentation to the Unitec Research Symposium in December 2021. This paper records the process of getting to this presentation phase and suggests that a deeper understanding of the responses might be gained through the twin languages of drawing and kōrero. The paper acknowledges the significance of Te Noho Kotahitanga, an existing partnership document at Unitec, and calls for action to implement the ideals and values of te Tiriti o Waitangi in order to decarbonise and decolonise the Unitec Architecture programme.


Decomposition is a technique commonly used to break complex models into sub-models that are easier to handle. Convex decomposition, which partitions the model into convex components, is interesting because many algorithms perform more efficiently on convex objects than on non-convex objects. One issue with convex decompositions, however, is that they can be costly to construct and can result in representations with an unmanageable number of components. In many applications, the detailed features of the model are not crucial and in fact considering them only serves to obscure important structural features and adds to the processing cost. In such cases, an approximate representation of the model that captures the key structural features would be preferable.


Problem- and inquiry-based learning show promise as effective teaching methods designed to prepare future professionals in special education and related services to develop team skills and to work collaboratively with families. Person-focused learning (PFL), which is based on problem- and inquiry-based methods, was developed by the authors as a means of preparing future AAC professionals to work directly with family members and individuals with disabilities in collaborative teams, using augmentative and alternative communication systems. The authors applied and evaluated PFL across three different courses and university settings, using a common teaching process to implement and to evaluate PFL. The effectiveness of PFL was evaluated based on the perceptions of the participants, and included perspectives of students, family members, and individuals. The faculty who implemented the courses employed qualitative measures to explore student, family, and individual experiences. Thematic analysis showed that students in all three courses reported positive changes in their attitudes towards individuals with disabilities, as well as their knowledge about problem solving in collaborative groups, working with families and individuals, and the development of appropriate AAC systems to meet individual needs. Although the qualitative methodology limited the generalizability of the findings, person-focused learning was found to have potential as an effective method for assisting AAC professionals to develop team-based and family-based collaborative skills. Several areas for further study of PFL were identified, including the need for controlled studies, demonstration of efficient methods for family and individual involvement, and evaluation of AAC technical skills.


Cyclin‐dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is an established target protein for therapeutic intervention in various diseases, including cancer. Reported inhibitors of CDK2 target the ATP‐binding pocket to inhibit the kinase activity. Many small molecule CDK2 inhibitors have been discovered, and their crystal structure with CDK2 or CDK2–cyclin A complex has been published. NU6140 is a CDK2 inhibitor with moderate potency and selectivity. Herein, we report the cocrystal structure determination of NU6140 in complex with CDK2 and confirmation of the binding using various biophysical methods. Our data show that NU6140 binds to CDK2 with a Kd of 800 nM as determined by SPR and stabilizes the protein against thermal denaturation (ΔTm—5°C). The cocrystal structure determined in our study shows that NU6140 binds in the ATP‐binding pocket as expected for this class of compounds and interacts with Leu83 and Glu81 with regular hydrogen bonds and with Asp145 via water‐mediated H‐bond. Based on these data, we propose structural modifications of NU6140 to introduce new interactions with CDK2 that can improve its potency while retaining the selectivity.


We present the design and implementation of a framework for inspection, visualization, and modification of tcpdump packet trace files. The system is modularized into components for distinct application purposes, readily extensible, accessible through programmatic and graphical interfaces, and capable of handling trace files of arbitrary size and content. We include experiences of using the system in several real-world scenarios.


In this paper, we present a spatial domain Image hiding scheme that embeds secret data in a gray-level image. Our scheme is inspired from Wu and Tsai's scheme that embeds secret bits in the difference values of consecutive pixels. To improve the hiding capacity of their scheme, the overlapping concept is proposed to produce more difference values from the cover image in this paper. Experimental results show that our scheme provides an average hiding capacity gain of 84.16% over Wu and Tsai's scheme while maintaining satisfactory image quality.


Aim: Serious digital flexion contracture frequent-ly occur in children and greatly reduce hand function. Herewe show 28 cases treated with digital dorsum flap. Meth-ods: After excising and relaxing digital palmar scar. We de-signed an axial digital dorsum flap based on corsal vascularbundle. The remote extremity of the flap reached distalis in-terphalangeal joint and the extent reached contralateral mid-line. From the superficial layer of aponeuresis of extensordigitorum. The flap was lifted and revolved 45 to 90 degreeto cover palmar wound. Results: Using this method, wetreated 28 patients with 59 suffering fingers. Among 59fiaps, 56 flaps covered wound completely. Partial necrosisappearred in 3 flaps because of atrophie scar on digital dorsum. Conclusion: The blood supply of the flap is reliable,and the flap area is large enough. After repairing, the ap-pearance of the suffering fingers is satisfactory and its long-term effect is stable.


As electricity markets undergo deregulation all over the world, the approach to the unit commitment problem (UCP) changes significantly. The independent system operator (ISO) relies on bid prices from the various generation companies (GENCOs) to make commitment decisions – a situation that is significantly different from the traditional regulated environment. Each GENCO sets up their own independent unit commitment strategies with the aim of maximizing profit based on the cost characteristics of their generators and revenues from predicted prices of energy and reserve in what is known as the Profit Based Unit Commitment (PBUC). This paper reviews the state of the art in the solution of the PBUC problem in deregulated environments. Various solution methodologies available in literature are discussed and some of the research needs on the topic are highlighted.


In-situ observation and exploration of the deep-sea environment presents considerable challenges and hazards. Teleoperation of remotely piloted vehicles (RPV) provides an opportunity for continuous telepresence, however, such missions are energy intensive both for propulsion and illumination. Tethered vehicles are limited in range and the need for a weather-dependent surface support ship. An approach is presented which utilizes a shore-based power line/fiber optic cable connected to a deep-sea recharge site. Free flying RPVs periodically recharge batteries and send video and data back to the surface. The recharge site can be relocated to expand the exploration area, and the entire mission remains underwater for the mission duration. The Hudson submarine canyon provides an ideal test site due to its proximity to a large user population area (New York City) and its geological and biological diversity. Alternate test sites and vehicle design issues are detailed. An access fee structure over the Internet for general public participation is discussed, and the possibility of an economically self-supporting venture when conducted on a sufficiently large scale is also considered.