Abstract:  Here we present a 40‐yr‐old male patient with an aggressive B‐cell lymphoma, who presented 2 yr earlier with polyarthritis, and was responsive to steroids and oral methotrexate. Thereafter he developed skin and lung lesions which on biopsy consisted of mixed 'inflammatory' infiltrates with granulomatous vasculitis. A diagnosis of seronegative Wegener's granulomatosis was made and the patient received a combination of prednisone and cyclophosphamide with clinical improvement and clearance of the radiological lesions in the lungs. The patient was now completely asymptomatic for 1 yr, but then generalized lymphadenopathy appeared, which was shown by histopathology to be large B‐cell lymphoma, also involving the bone marrow. Despite intensive chemotherapy, his disease could not be controlled because of primary chemoresistance, which was perhaps in some way related to exposure to the suboptimal doses of chemotherapy given during the 'inflammatory' period before the diagnosis of lymphoma was established. This case illustrates the occasional difficulty in distinguishing between extranodal lymphoproliferative diseases and autoimmune disorders especially when clonality cannot be proved. It also shows the possible risk of 'masking' a true lymphoma by treating non‐malignant diseases with immunosuppressive agents, which may eventually contribute to the development of chemoresistant lymphoma.


ABSTRACT This paper attempts to design statistical models to forecast annual precipitation in the Neuquen and Limay river basins in the Comahue region of Argentina. These forecasts are especially useful as they are used to better organize the operation of hydro-electric dams, the agriculture in irrigated valleys and the safety of the population. In this work, multiple linear regression statistical models are built to forecast mean annual rainfall over the two river basins. Since the maximum precipitation occurs in the winter (June–August), forecasting models have been developed for the beginning of March and for the beginning of June, just before the rainy season starts. The results show that the sea-surface temperatures of the Indian and Pacific oceans are good predictors for March models and explain 42.8% of the precipitation index variance. The efficiency of the models increases in June, adding more predictors related to the autumn circulation.


This project looks at the potential of blending ethanol with natural gasoline to produce Flex-Fuels (ASTM D5798-13a) and high-octane, mid-level ethanol blends. Eight natural gasoline samples were collected from pipeline companies or ethanol producers around the United States. Analysis of the natural gasoline shows that the samples are 80–95% paraffinic, 5–15% naphthenic, 3% or less aromatics, and the balance olefins. The paraffins were typically pentane and isopentanes. The benzene content ranged from approximately 0.1 to 1.2 wt % such that blends of E30 or more would meet United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) limits for the benzene content in gasoline. The sulfur content in the natural gasoline ranged between 4 and 146 ppm. Assuming the lowest ethanol content in Flex-Fuel of 51 volume percent (vol %), a natural gasoline blendstock would be required to have 20 ppm sulfur or less for the finished fuel to meet the upcoming U.S. EPA Tier 3 gasoline sulfur limit. The research octane number ...


New deep interference filter CCD images of the HH 34 complex have revealed several bow shocks in the blue lobe, testifying to the occurrence of multiple eruptions of the energy source. New faint knots in an expanding part of the jet suggest that it undergoes a helical motion. HH 34, which is the main working surface of the flow, has been resolved into a high excitation bow shock and a low excitation Mach Disk. A new group of HH knots, HH 134, has been found south of the HH 34 complex


Examining the sociodemographic determinants of psychological distress is important in identifying specific subgroups in need of further intervention. However, there are few studies focusing on older populations and on the role of gender or location of residence. To try to clarify characteristics of a population at high risk for mental illness, we examined the sociodemographic determinants of psychological distress in older adults living in three different locations.


Inter-harmonics/sub-harmonics is a kind of harmonics that are not an integer of the fundamental frequency component. The inter-harmonics/sub-harmonics has serious impacts on the design of harmonics compensation equipments and serious damage to the power system as same as the integer harmonics. So it is important to measure them accurately. The Fast-Fourier-Transform (FFT) has been widespread used in electric power harmonic analysis. But the asynchronous sampling will make harmonic analysis incorrect by use this algorithm. This paper will introduce a new method which is presented to reduce the leakage while interpolating. According to the FFT results, the phase angles of adjacent lines of side lodes could be against by phase rotation adjustment. Then use interpolation method to work out the frequency, amplitude and phase. Then removal every component that has being worked out in 100Hz from original sample, one can get the dc voltage directly. At the end of this paper, the data from a wind power station are calculated on Matrix Laboratory (Matlab).The results prove this method has a desirable accuracy.


An integrated energy system for regional buildings was proposed in this paper using a city in northern China as an example. A mathematical model was created to simulate various flexible loads during the cooling and heating seasons of buildings. The model's flexible energy use was then optimized with the goal of obtaining the best operation strategy for the building integrated energy system. To put it another way, in a variety of energy supply systems, the flexible energy load that must be met by the integrated energy system shall be satisfied first, and the total energy consumption (cold, heat, and electricity) is equal to the flexible energy consumption of the regional buildings at that time. When the integrated energy system's energy consumption is the goal of operation optimization, clean energy utilization rates should be higher during periods of high load demand and peak electricity price demand. At the same time, the cooling and heating capacity of the cogeneration system will be greater than the corresponding load demand in order to partially meet peak electricity price demand. At this point, the corresponding energy storage apparatus ought to be offered concurrently.


Objective To study the characteristics of ambulatory blood pressure(ABP) in hypertensive patients with carotid atherosclerosis and their clinical significance.Methods ABP was monitored in 111 hypertensive patients with carotid atherosclerosis.The patients were divided into plague group(n = 66) and non-plague group(n = 45) according to their carotid artery ultrasongraphic findings.The plague group was further divided into single plaque group(n= 24)and multiple plaque group(n= 42)and their ABP was compared.Results The average 24 h,day and night SBP,DBP,and arterial pressure,non-spoon type blood pressure were significantly higher in plague group and multiple plaque group than in non-plague group and single plague group(P0.05). Conclusion Continuous blood pressure elevation is an important factor for the occurrence of carotid atherosclerosis.Carotid artery plaque is easier to cause circadian rhythm disorders of blood pressure.


When applied in different papermaking process stages, to save the brightness of the pulp, and is enhanced, compositions and methods for improved pulp or paper color is disclosed. Compositions and methods, maintains the brightness, or to enhance, to prevent yellowing, enhance the performance of paper products. The composition can include a mixture of a reducing agent, and can include optical brighteners, chelating agents, polycarboxylates, or other additives to. Mixtures of the reducing agents are borohydrides, for example sodium borohydride, and any other reducing agents, for example, can include a sulfite or bisulfite.


PIN18 COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS OF OSELTAMIVIR FOR INFLUENZA IN JAPAN: MODELING INTHEVIRUS EMERGING RESISTANTTOTHE DRUG Nagase H, Kamae M, Moriwaki K,Yanagisawa S, Kamae I Kobe University school of medicine, Kobe, Hyogo-ken, Japan, Tufts-NEMC, U.S.A, Boston, MA, USA, Kobe University graduate school of medicine, Kobe, Hyogo-ken, Japan, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo-ken, Japan, Keio University graduate school of health management, Fujisawa, Kanagawa-ken, Japan OBJECTIVES: Oseltamivir has been stockpiled for emerging threat by new influenza pandemic. Recent studies report somewhat possibility of the virus emerging resistant to oseltamivir. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of oseltamivir for influenza in Japan with considering the complications and the emergence of oseltamivir-resistant virus. METHODS: A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed by decision tree using evidence from the Japanese clinical trial and the NICE, UK, systematic reviews. The decision tree models a patient presenting with influenza likely illness and facing the alternative treatments: rapid diagnostic testing followed by treatment with oseltamivir or a comparator which goes with conventional treatments. The decision tree visualized morbidity and mortality with complications such as ill states needed for antibiotics and hospitalization due to pneumonia. The analysis included assessment of not only direct medical costs but also productivity loss. Costs were derived from published literature and the statistics in DPC (Diagnosis Procedure Combination) system in Japan. RESULTS: Considering the productivity loss during influenza and complications, oseltamivir cost JPY150,703, and the comparator, JPY163,415 per QALY. When the prevalence was in the low range of 10% through 40%, the dominance of oseltamivir vanished. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of oseltamivir versus comparator was JPY398,571 per QALY. Considering the productivity loss, however, the ICER for oseltamivir turned to be negative, simple dominant, JPY-2,345,714 per QALY. Regarding the virus emerging resistant to the drug, we found the dominance of oseltamivir vanish if the emerging rate becomes more than 27%. Sensitivity analysis also suggested that the emerging rate of the drug-resistant virus was more sensitive in the influenza peri-season (prevalence: 40–60%). CONCLUSION: The use of oseltamivir for influenza was so far recommended as cost-effectiveness in Japan. However, the advantage of oseltamivir is affected by both the prevalence and emerging rate of the oseltamivir-resistant virus.


As of October 2020, eleven states and the District of Columbia have undergone a transition from medical to adult-use marijuana regimes navigating the creation of a new industry within a complex and incongruous legal framework. The collective experience of these states has created a wealth of lessons for other states that might legalize adult-use marijuana in the future. Yet not much has been written about the process of transition and how states managed the creation and implementation of the regulatory framework for an emerging industry. This report, which draws on interviews with current and former government officials, aims to fill this gap by documenting lessons learned and decision-making behind the policies that shaped the recreational landscape in four states: Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, and Oregon. The purpose of this research is to provide actionable and concrete advice to states that are transitioning, or are planning for a transition, from a medical marijuana regime to an adult-use or recreational framework. The report highlights major decision points states face in their transitions and the pros and cons of each choice, lessons learned gathered from the participants in our study, and a short discussion of major challenges each state had to face with their respective programs.


The waterways and catchments of the Moreton Bay Region, including the Brisbane River, have changed significantly since non-Indigenous settlers first arrived in the 1820s. The choice of a river bank location for the initial convict settlement reflected transport and security logistics of the time, and influenced subsequent economic and historical expansion. This focus on the river also changed and degraded the surrounding environment. Increased use of the Pine, Brisbane, Albert, Logan and Coomera rivers, and development of their catchments and floodplains, coupled with widespread clearing, resulted in the loss of many native species and natural resources. Colonial activities and industry, especially river dredging, together with the impact of droughts and floods, modified river depths and flows, and dramatically increased run-off and pollution. Changing uses of landscape, including for transport, development, fishing and recreation, are illustrated in archival records, newspapers and secondary books and articles about Moreton Bay, the adjacent hinterland and coastal rivers. This paper discusses such changes as revealed in documents and historical accounts.


The photochemical behavior of cobalt(III) and nickel(II) complexes on excitation in the charge-transfer bands is reviewed in this article with particular reference to the study of intermediates. Investigations on the photoredox reactions of cobalt(III) and nickel(II) complexes using flash kinetic spectroscopic methods reveal details on the characteristics of the intermediates produced from the charge-transfer excited states of these metal complexes. The reactive species produced on photolysis of cobalt(III)-amine complexes activate molecular oxygen, producing mononuclear and dinuclear dioxygen species coordinated as superoxo and peroxo forms. Cobalt(III)-amino-acid complexes on photolysis lead to the formation of cobalt(III)-alkyl complexes which are identified as transients. The spectra and the decay kinetics are described with the view to elucidate mechanistic details. Nickel(II) macrocyclic complexes on excitation in the charge-transfer bands lead to oxidation of the metal centre. Scavenging experiments using dioxygen, alcohols and acids were carried out to understand the mechanistic details.


The cross-linking chitosan modified by citric acid has been studied for sorption of U(VI) from aqueous solution in a bath system. The effects of parameters such as pH, initial U(VI) concentration, contact time and temperature on the sorption of U(VI) were analyzed using response surface methodology (RSM). The Minitab was used to conduct the regression analysis and the analysis of nvariance of the U(VI) adsorption by modified chitosan. The U(VI) concentration of 100 mg/L, pH 4.2, temperature of 313 K and contact time of 211 min were determined as optimum conditions for U(VI) adsorption by acid citric grafted chitosan (C-GCh). The maximum efficiency of U(VI) removal by CGCh was 97,35 % at the optimum sorption conditions. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG, ΔH, ΔS for U(VI) adsorption process in aqueous solution were also determined.


Objective:To establish a method using dual wavelength TLC-scanning for the determination of sulfame- thoxazole(SMZ) and trimethoprim(TMP) in compound sulfamethoxazole tablets.Method:Developer of selection was chloroform-methanol(9:1),wavelength of the SMZ was λ_S=271 nm,λ_R=335 nm;wavelength of the TMP was λ_S= 275 nm,λ_R=325 nm.The determination were carried out with the reflection zigzag scanning,SX=7,slit=0.4 mm× 0.4mm,sensitivity:X1,scan speed:12 mm·min~(-1).Result:The linear ranges of SMZ and TMP were 2.00-10.00 μg(r=0.9995 ) and 0.40-2.00μg (r=0.9996 ) respectively,the average recovery rates (n=6) of SMZ and TMP were 99.2% (RSD=0.46%)and 99.6%(RSD=0.80%) respectively.Conclution:The method was proved to be simple, rapid,accurate and reproducible.


The Fourth World,which is a social class of extreme poverty and marginalization and the formation of which is due to the globalization of capital and internal historic and realistic factors,such as the inappropriate strategies and policy choices which results in the intensification of the formation of the Fourth World,is a significant inspiriation for the development of China and spreads over vast areas of developing countries,especially the Africa South of the Sahala,as well as the poor areas of Metropolises forming the shape of Leopard spots.


ABSTRACT Climate variability can complicate efforts to interpret any long-term glacier mass-balance trends due to anthropogenic warming. Here we examine the impact of climate variability on the seasonal mass-balance records of 14 glaciers throughout Norway, Sweden and Svalbard using dynamical adjustment, a statistical method that removes orthogonal patterns of variability shared between each mass-balance record and sea-level pressure or sea-surface temperature predictor fields. For each glacier, the two leading predictor patterns explain 27–81% of the winter mass-balance variability and 24–69% of the summer mass-balance variability. The spatial and temporal structure of these patterns indicates that accumulation variability for all of the glaciers is strongly related to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) also modulating accumulation variability for the northernmost glaciers. Given this result, predicting glacier change in the region may depend on NAO and AMO predictability. In the raw mass-balance records, the glaciers throughout southern Norway have significantly negative summer trends, whereas the glaciers located closer to the Arctic have negative winter trends. Removing the effects of climate variability suggests it can bias trends in mass-balance records that span a few decades, but its effects on most of the longer-term mass-balance trends are minimal.


During its life cycle a building structure is exposed to many various external influences which could lead to changes, damages in different dimensions or signs of wear related to a decrease of functionality. Continuous monitoring and survey of the structure using conventional inspections by special trained engineers are supported by modern technology as sensor networks or laser scanning keep the costs for reconstructions as small as possible. The collected data and the applied analysis methods are able to allow a precise assessment of buildings. The integration of standard analysis processes could accelerate the evaluation process additionally. Combining the building model and the related or integrated survey data a complete basis for inspection documentation would be provided. In this article, a workflow for the modeling of data analyses, management and automated evaluation for building condition assessment linked to building information models is proposed. In a practical case study, the workflow is applied in order to obtain structural evaluations based on the processing of survey raw data. As test case an implementation shows the application of the developed concepts for a concrete beam during a three-point bending test.


Abstract Samples of commercially available Romanian wines were analyzed in order to determine total phenols content and the antioxidant activity. The content of total phenolics in the extracts was determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu method and calculated as gallic acid equivalents (mg GAE/100g). Antiradical activities of the extracts were evaluated by a micro assay using 1, 1¢-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl spectrophotometric method. Wine characteristics measurements were examined by multivariate data analysis, using principal component analysis (PCA). Total polyphenol content was correlated to the antioxidant activity of the studied wine samples. The values of the inhibition power of free radical, PI%, are ranging between 1.68 for white wine and 0.95 for red wine ("Bull blood" bottled by Tohani winery, Prahova, Romania).


The use of a 'jotter wallet' and its integration into a rural family practice residency program is described. 'Notes in the pocket' may not be a new concept to the truly reflective practitioner, but used as a ritual in the setting of a residency training program, it can be a helpful, unobtrusive, and practical tool for invoking in the learner reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action.


We propose a new approach to teaching an undergraduate level networking fundamentals course. Our proposal focuses on covering the basics of IP networking and encapsulation before looking at protocols at each layer in details. We take a holistic approach, instead of covering topics layer by layer. Our approach has shown an improvement of 4.3% in test scores compared to following the traditional layered approach in teaching networking. These findings reaffirm our initial thoughts that our proposed approach outperforms the layered based instruction framework.


The objectives of the project were to improve our understanding of trace element behaviour in biogenic minerals via Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) analysis. Indeed, it is well known that biogenic carbonates continuously record environmental conditions such as temperature, salinity and also pollutant level and thus represent potential archives of environmental changes that may have occurred during their lifetime. Focus was on carbonate secreting sponges from tropical seas and bivalves from coastal and deep-sea hydrothermal environments.


Introduction: Despite the great technological advance in today's world, including the Internet and social networks, it has also come with deadly and destructive disadvantages of humanity: recruitment of young people electronically to be used as living fuel for the bloody terrorism. Problem: The problem of the study has been the following questions: Do social networks have an active role in promoting terrorist groups? Would terrorist groups succeed in recruiting young people through electronic promotion of them through social networks? What are the means of terrorist groups to promote them and recruit young people through social networks? What are the means of combating terrorists' promotion of their websites? Methodology: The study used the descriptive approach. The study sample was the male and female students of Tabuk University. The study was based on open questions and on the Likert Scale to measure the variables. It also relied on the stepwise regression coefficient to test the hypotheses. Results: The electronic promotion of terrorism through social networks plays a key role in the recruitment of young people by terrorists. The means used in the electronic promotion of terrorism through social networks are a major factor in recruiting young people. The degree of recruitment varies according to these means. This increasing recruitment can be combated by some means, most of which are electronic. Recommendations: The main recommendations of the study have been the need for awareness and counterpromotion, penetration of these sites, exploitation of the gaps of these terrorist groups, implementation of strong international and domestic sanctions and development of a comprehensive national program to confront them.


This paper introduces,from the facts,the working principle of the safety data exchange of the software and hardware and the application of the relevant functions.It also proposes a series of feasible solutions to the problems in the data transfer between the internal and external audio broadcasting network after the digital reconstruction.


Fe-14Mn-4Si-8Ni-11Cr SMA (shape memory alloy) was designed as a smart material because of its specific properties, which can memorize the original shape, so it has the potential to dampen vibration in seismic structures. Memory effect is triggered by SIM (stress-induced martensitic) transformation from γ-austenite to ε-martensite (hexagonal close-packed / HCP) structure, and it is recovered by heating after unloading. This study investigated the effect of hot rolling and solution treatment on the microstructure and its relationship with hardness and SME (shape memory effect) properties. The as cast of Fe-14Mn-4Si-8Ni-11Cr was hot rolled (900 and 1000 ℃) and solution treated (1000 and 1100 ℃). After the thermomechanical process, all microstructures consist of γ-FCC (face-centered cubic), the annealing twins, and a fine band of ε-martensite. The grain size of the γ-phase is 29.43, 41.96, 42.44, and 45.57 μm for samples B, C, D, and E, respectively. The higher the temperature of hot rolling and solution treatment applied, the larger the grain size obtained, indirectly reducing the hardness to 299.93 BHN and 286.52 BHN for samples D and E. The coarsened austenite grain, a lower number of annealing twins, and the pre-existing line band of ε-martensite are favorable to obtain the enormous recovery strain, up to 8.26% for sample E.


representative of the gastrointestinal tract, especially where physiologically sensitive biopharmaceuticals are concerned. Conclusions BCG entrapped in alginate enhances viability in SGF for up to 2 hours compared with naked BCG. However, incubation in SIF resulted in large losses in viable BCG, possibly due to the cocktail of enzymes in the SIF. Ongoing in vivo studies will investigate the suitability of this approach to oral tuberculosis vaccination of wildlife and the efficacy of the vaccine.


Blunt chest contusion with rupture of bronchus is not common. Not all the patients will develop severe respiratory symptoms immediately after trauma until grannulation tissue appears in the later time. We had experienced one blunt chest contusion patient with left side main bronchus rupture without early respiratory symptom. The left side lung became collapse 7 days after trauma as the gannulation tissues appeared in the ruptured area gradually. After both ends of the ruptured bronchus were debrided and reanastomosed, the lung reexpanded again. Follow up for four years, she enjoyed her life as a normal person.


When considering the need for an intelligent transportation mode based upon the fact that car travel is still the consumer's first choice, we decided to explore the idea of collective taxis more fully. More precisely, we are seeking to provide an autonomous high quality door-to-door service, affordable by almost everyone, covering the entire urban area simply by allocating in an optimal way more than one passenger to each vehicle and using the latest available information regarding traffic condition etc. We intend to operate intensive discrete event simulations testing multiple policies, for both centralised and decentralised management, with a fine tuning of intelligent real-time decision algorithms all together with off-line resource optimisation. Thus we shall be able to learn the system behaviour and consequently to provide an optimised structure allowing an the best behaviour for every possible demand level and geometry as well as the associated costs.


In this chapter, we illustrate the general theory of random processes by considering a simple and intuitively trivial model of a service system. Quite surprisingly, a minor tuning of few system's parameters leads to different system's workload regimes – Wiener process, fractional Brownian motion, stable Lévy process, as well as to some less commonly known ones, called "Telecom processes". Therefore, we may highlight the different aspects of the theory with very few material at hand. Our subject comes from the remarkable work by I. Kaj and M.S. Taqqu [49] who handled the limit behavior of "teletraffic systems" by using the language of integral representations as a unifying technique. Their article brilliantly represents a wave of interest to the subject, see e.g. [8, 10, 13, 14, 24, 25, 34, 36, 39, 48, 54, 57, 69–71, 80, 82, 87, 101], [108–111], and the surveys with further references [44–47], to mention just a few. Simplicity of the dependence mechanism used in the model enables to get a clear understanding both of long range dependence in one case, and independent increments, in other cases. However, there is not too much stuff specifical for teletraffic in the model of a service system used in [49]. Not surprisingly, this approach, as a true good mathematics, found applications in other domains quite distant from telecommunication, e.g. in medicine (modelling of internal bone structure). In what concerns the mathematical problem setting and results, we basically follow [49]. However, for teaching and learning purposes, our proofs and the terminology used throughout the exposition are often different from the original ones.


Vortex tube is the device that can separate small particles from the compressed gas, as well as compressed gas into hot and cold flow. In this study, design parameters are orifice diameter and nozzle number. Orifice diameter is the critical design factor for a vortex generator because a orifice diameter divides cold and hot flow. The number of nozzle controls the intensity and uniformity of swirl flow. As a result, the vortex generator with orifice diameter 0.7D and 8 inlet nozzles shows the best energy separation effect.


The main objective of the paper is to measure the relationship between the market value disclosure of Egyptian Listed Companies, COVID-19 outbreak, and profitability. Multiple linear regressions, paired sample t-test, cross tabulations analysis and chi-square test are used to measure such a relationship, to analyze the effect of industry type on profitability and market value and to test for the significance of differences of market values and profitability before (for the period ended December 31, 2019) and after COVID-19 outbreak (for the period ended March 31, 2020). Results show that the market value and profitability of Egyptian Listed Companies before COVID19 outbreak differs significantly from the market value and profitability after COVID19 outbreak. Results also show that industry type has a significant impact on the market value and profitability of Egyptian Listed Companies. Detailed analysis for every sector in the Egyptian stock Market shows that there is a negative relationship between market value of all Egyptian listed companies and COVID-19 outbreak.


Based on the structure characteristic in interfacial zone of the recycled-aggaragate concrete,the percentage of calcium hydroxide,pore structure,apperarance of hydration product through the testing methods of XRD,MIP,SEM had beed studied and the interfacial zone strengthening methods function had been analyzed.


An increasing number of investigations have dealt with particular aspects of democratic consolidation in Latin America. The multitude of geographic, historical and social conditions underlying the process, however, have often constituted a formidable hurdle for comparative study and generalization. In this paper I undertake a preliminary screening of the existing data and present a summary of facts and theories on democratic consolidation in the region. After an extensive analysis of different sources, I compare the experiences of Latin American countries and define a series of factors that seem to facilitate the consolidation of new democratic regimes. These factors include the beneficial role of earlier democratic traditions, the negotiation of agreements among political elites, diffuse support for the regime, solid party systems, effective control over military participation in society and, to a lesser extent, a favorable economy, especially when accompanied by less unequal income distribution.


Correlations of the four Famous Sayings test scales with student GPRs indicate that only the Fear of Failure was related to the academic achievement. With academic ability partialled out, the Fear of Failure scale may be of value in predicting academic success, as measured by GPR, in a college setting.


Flavonoids are natural components which are present in many plants known to be constituents of animal and human food. These compounds have been shown to have different biological properties, such as anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic activities. 3-Hydroxyflavone (3HF) is a chemical compound that it is the backbone of all flavonols, a type of flavonoid [1]. Coordination and organometallic chemistry offers additional options for the design and synthesis of chemotherapeutics when compared to organic chemistry [2]. The success of cisplatin has triggered intensive work for discovery of new metal-based anticancer drugs [3]. Ruthenium compounds appear to penetrate tumors well and bind to cellular DNA [4]. In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxicity and apoptotic effects of ruthenium, copper, and cobalt complexes including 3-Hydroxyflavone against human cervix epithelial carcinoma (HeLa) cell line and using cisplatin as a comparative standard by MTT assay. Our results presented herein provide experimental evidence that these complexes induce apoptosis in cancer cell lines. Our flow cytometry results confirm that, these complexes showed a high population of apoptotic cell and could induce apoptosis of Hela cancer cells.


The following is a re-version of my theory of selectivity in remix, edited specifically as a contribution for the publication Radical Cut-Up – Nothing is Original. An earlier version of the section titled "The Elements of Meta" was published as part of the last chapter of my book Art, Media Design, and Postproduction: Open Guidelines on Appropriation and Remix (Routledge, 2018). The diagram and the updated text that follow include a new theory on transformation, The Loop of Selectivity and Appropriation


Discussing the social psychological factors of "the Great Leap Forward" Movement is especially important in interpreting the panorama of "the Great Leap Forward" movement and its historical implications.After rich resources are explored regarding studies on Socio-psychological factors of "The Great Leap Forward" Movement,which establishes the background of the research and its further exploration,conclusions can be reached that 1) the range and the spectra of the concerned researches need to be further widened and deepened,2) some scholars' sense of questioning in this area needs to be sharpened and their study subjects need to be amplified,3) new resources are yet to uncover,and 4) the research method needs to be diversified rather than monopolized,and intellectual history should resume its due position in a strict social psycho-analysis of the issue.


The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to identify motor and sensory fascicles. Using 12 adult Beagle dogs which were anesthetised generally and sacrificed, canalis vertebralis were opened and both anterior and posterior roots were harvested from the first lumbar vertebrae to the second sacral vertebrae (L1–S2). A total of 126 anterior roots and 126 posterior roots were collected. NIR diffuse reflectance spectra were measured using a Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectrometer fitted with a fibre-optic probe. The average spectrum of each sample was used for further analysis. There were no clear differences from the spectra between the anterior and posterior root samples. Original spectral data were transformed to second derivative spectral data. Soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) was employed to identify the anterior and posterior roots based upon differences in their spectral features. SIMCA models correctly classified 79–100% for the anterior and posterior roots and mean 83.7%. This study demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy in combination with pattern recognition methods (SIMCA) could be used to classify the anterior and posterior roots. This result suggests that NIR spectroscopy may provide a rapid, correct, non-destructive, low-cost means to quickly differentiate motor and sensory fascicles in mixed nerves.


Radar simulation involves the computation of a radar response based on the terrain's normalized radar cross section (RCS). In the past different models have been proposed for modeling the normalized RCS. While being accurate in most cases they lack intuitive handling. We present a novel approach for computing the mean normalized radar cross section for use in millimeter wave radar simulations based on Phong lighting. This allows us to model radar power return in an intuitive way using categories of diffuse and specular reflections. The model is computational more efficient than previous approaches while using only few parameters. Furthermore, we give example setups for different types of terrain. We show that our technique can accurately model data output from other approaches as well as real world data.


In the present study, we sought to identify the current health panorama of the Afro-Brazilian population in the period from 2007 to 2021, based on a systematic review study. The nineteen selected studies allowed the creation of two thematic groups: Epidemiological aspects of pathologies in the afro-brazilian people and Health epidemiological aspects of the afro-brazilian women. We identified that some common chronic pathologies are Metabolic Syndrome (Hypertension, DM 2, Obesity) and Chronic Renal Insufficiency; infectocontagious pathologies like HIV/AIDS, tooth decay and Chagas disease; and mental disorders. In addition, smoking during pregnancy and anemia seem to be more prevalent in black women.


nary heart disease (CHD) is to endorse and promulgate changes in the lifestyle of the public at large. Such is the force of the juggernaut set forth by these propagandists that little credence is given to genuine scientific scepticism. One result is that there are increasing numbers in the medical-scientific community who regard those of their number who dare to question whether health education has or is likely to reduce the incidence ofCHD as irresponsible. Much of the faith in the value of changing lifestyles is little more than wishful thinking, as I shall try to show. Many health professionals ignore or are ignorant of alternative approaches to the prevention of CHD. It is likely, therefore, that someone who has the temerity to write about this subject under the title of "Perspective" will be regarded as doing harm to their cause, a cynic, or a nihilist. But before all American citizens are made hypochrondriacs by health educators and the media, it might be worth examining the identifiable benefits of universal changes in lifestyle, continuing problems, alternative approaches to the prevention of CHD, and the prospects for success. All will agree that our aims should be to prevent coronary atherosclerosis and CHD. But these are not the same and, although associated, should not be equated. The strategies and economics of their prevention are different. Were convincing evidence to be forthcoming that the decrease in incidence of CHD is directly related to a measurable reduction in coronary atherosclerosis, then the strategies for prevention of coronary atherosclerosis and CHD might be similar.


Influence of internal mechanical tensions concentrators on deformation changes of cohesion and adhesion of surface coatings of details is examined


As the dynamic response of the traditional direct power control using space vector modulation (DPC-SVM) is slow, an improved DPC-SVM for the three-phase grid-connected inverter is proposed. The feed-forward reference powers are used to improve the dynamic response. The operating principles of the traditional and improved DPC-SVMs are illustrated. Experimental results of a 15-kVA three-phase grid-connected inverter with the traditional and improved control methods verify the theoretical analysis.


Academic rites of passage take many forms, from the liturgic to the orgiastic, but they almost always involve some braiding of nostalgia and celebration. Such was certainly the case with the tribute mounted last April for Neil Hertz on the occasion of his formal retirement. (Not by nature a formal or "retiring" soul, Neil will in fact be teaching a Hardy seminar during the coming term.) In addition to the ritual elements already noted, no academic event in which Hertz participated could have been without a saving measure of his own deflationary wit and well wrought irony. Several of the "friends and readers" who gathered last spring suggested that the papers might be printed in this journal. In addition to honoring Neil's constitutional, legendary resistance to premature publication, a number of the papers were already committed to other venues (some have already appeared), while others were works in progress destined for later publication. Not wanting to allow the occasion to pass without local record, the editors have chosen to publish the paper that most clearly charts the vector of Hertz's own development-Jonathan Culler's "The Hertzian Sublime." Professor Culler's essay traces the persistence of the honoree's paradoxical fascination with the sublime and its attendant moments of violence, even more specifically of domination, blockage, and dispossession,


PURPOSE: A mattress slope control device and a control method thereof are provided to form a slope by injecting liquid. CONSTITUTION: A mattress slope control device comprises: a mattress(10); and an inclination module(20) which is arranged in the lower part of the mattress and bends the mattress by pushing the mattress using the pressure of liquid. The inclination module includes: an expansion body(30) which is expanded or shrunk by injecting into a plurality of chambers; a pump supplying liquid to the expansion body; and a controller controlling the forward or reverse rotation of the pump. The expansion body includes: a support chamber supporting the mattress; a storage chamber storing liquid; and a slope chamber.


Abstract A clinical report illustrating hazards of the long-used lasso technique that is now being replaced by bonding and other less invasive methods for accelerating and guiding the eruption of impacted cuspids.


Two restrained back-seat taxi passengers suffered from sternal fracture as a result of head-on collision with another car. They were wearing shoulder-lap seat belts at the time of the collision. Both of them also complained of upper back pain one day after admission. Computed tomography of the thorax showed fracture of the thoracic spine in both of them. We performed literature search, analysing the mechanism of sternal fracture and its association with spinal fracture. A management guideline in the emergency department is proposed to handle this injury.


Kojic acid (5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethylgamma-pyrone; KA) is a major secondary metabolite produced from carbohydrates by a varietyof microorganisms, including A. oryzae, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus tamarii, as well as Penicillium species and certain bacteria (Hazzaa et al., 2013; Ana Paula et al.2011; Bentley, 2006). Kojic acid can be produced in ample amount by using different carbon and nitrogen sources, also using agriculture based waste under aerobic fermentation strategies. To date, glucose has been described as a high kojic acid yielding raw material. However, use of some mutated strains of A.flavus has shown good yield of kojic acid by using potato, sago and corn starch etc. (Chaudhary et al. 2014). Kojic acid has several economic uses in various fields. In medical, kojic acid is used as an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent. In chemical industries it has been successfully used to make azo-dyes and biodegradable compounds. In food industries, kojic acid is used as anti-speck and antimelanosis (blacking of product) agent for agricultural products. In addition, kojic acid is also used as a chelating agent and activator in insecticide production. Recently, a new application of kojic acid is ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 10 (2014) pp. 133-142 http://www.ijcmas.com


The Glen Canyon Dam, along the Colorado River in Page, Arizona, was completed in 1963, creating the Lake Powell reservoir which spans the Arizona-Utah border. The water levels of Lake Powell peaked in 1983 and have declined since, releasing overlying pressure on the underlying sediment. In general, water levels experience seasonal highs and lows, with punctuated periods of considerable and steady decreases (1987 to 1993, 1999 to 2005, and 2011 to 2014) and less dramatic recoveries (1993 to 1999 and 2005 to 2011). This release of overpressure coupled with increasing pore pressures due to biological methane production has created mud volcanoes, structures along the shoreline made of cavities that allow fluid and gas to rise to the surface and escape. Although these sedimentary structures have been assessed using geophysical techniques and excavation to characterize their morphologies and fracture propagation, limited chemical data has been reported on the inputs and products of these gas- and fluid-escape features. This research investigates the relative proportions of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and air (unseparated nitrogen [N2] and oxygen [O2]) gas released, the variability of these proportions through time, and how these gases formed in the subsurface. The field site is along the Lake Powell near Hite, Utah. Three gas samples were collected from mud volcanoes along the delta in July 2014, whereas 21 samples were collected in July 2015 and were analyzed via gas chromatography (GC). The GC analyses from 2014 and 2015 have a mean CH4 concentration of 81.47 ± 9.29 percent of volume (% v/v) and 32.40 ± 15.31% v/v, respectively. In May 2016, 50 samples from 25 vents were collected and analyzed via GC for bulk composition, and 11 of which were analyzed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) for carbon and hydrogen isotope content of CH4. The 2016 GC analysis detected average relative concentrations for CH4, CO2, and air of 74.51 ± 14.08% v/v, 2.82 ± 3.76% v/v, and 22.67 ± 14.28% v/v, respectively. Gas compositions from individual vents varied over the three-day sampling timeframe in the summer of 2016 including CH4 decreases of up to 66% v/v and increases of up to 38% v/v. IRMS signatures of samples collected in 2016 indicate the gasses are in part generated during microbial respiration through hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methane production.


The photoproduction of the bottomonium-like states and via scattering is studied within an effective Lagrangian approach and the vector-meson-dominance model. The Regge model is employed to calculate the photoproduction of states via the t-channel with exchange. The numerical results show that the values of the total cross-sections of and can reach 0.09 nb and 0.02 nb, respectively, near the center-of-mass energy of 22 GeV. Experimental measurements and studies of the photoproduction of states near the energy region around GeV are suggested. Moreover, with the help of eSTARlight and STARlight programs, we have obtained the cross-sections and numbers of events for production in electron-ion collisions (EIC) and ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs). The results show that a considerable number of events can be produced in the relevant experiments on EICs and UPCs. We have also calculated the rates and kinematic distributions for in and collisions via EICs and UPCs. The results will provide an important reference for the RHIC, LHC, EIC-US, LHeC, and FCC experiments in searching for bottomonium-like states.


The relevance of the problem is the need to highlight specific differences in the psychological portraits of a sociopath, sociophobe and introvert to distinguish clearly between seemingly similar concepts. The purpose of the research is to detail the specific features of human mental states, to establish the differential characteristics of a sociopath, sociophobe and introvert, and to distinguish each of these states as a separate independent component of the human psyche. Statistical and analytical methods were used to obtain the necessary results. The main markers of sociophobic behaviour are considered, and it is noted that they can manifest themselves with varying intensity depending on the severity of the symptoms of sociophobia. The author presents a psychological portrait of a sociopath and defines the typology of sociopathy. The main features of an introverted personality are identified, the advantages that introverts have in comparison with extroverts and the main forms of their maladjustment are considered. The specific framework of each concept examined is highlighted, and the differences between them are indicated. It is substantiated that introversion appears in humans from birth and is associated with the specific structure of the brain, while sociopathy and sociophobia are acquired throughout life as a result of psychological and physiological trauma. It is identified that a sociophobe and a sociopath differ in psychological characteristics, as a sociophobe is afraid of people, and a sociopath hates people. It is proved that, unlike sociophobia and sociopathy, introversion is not a mental disorder, but an element of a healthy psyche. The practical significance of the research is that the results will help to distinguish the psychological states of a person, to understand and differentiate the analysed concepts more clearly, to preliminarily determine one's psychological state, to establish a specific framework for a simplified psychologist's conclusion, and to identify important details and features of the manifestations of a sociopath, sociophobe and introvert.

https://pp-msu.com.ua/web/uploads/pdf/Scientific Bulletin of Mukachevo State University. Series “Pedagogy and Psychology”_2023_Vol. 9, No. 1_87-93.pdf


To display the spatiotemporal and treatment variations of the six exogenous factors over China by investigating distributing of daily wind speed,temperature,relative humidity and sunshine duration from 1955 to 2004 by common mathematical methods.The results showed humidity in the center region,coldness in the north,wind in the east,and dryness in the west.The spatter of the six exogenous factors in recent 50 years was in full accordance with The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic written 2000 ago.Moreover,the evolution of the six exogenous factors formed 7 characteristic regions,for instance,the six exogenous factors weakest in Sichuan basin;wind,dryness and fire are the most serious in Beijing region.Typical treatment for the six exogenous factors correspond to the characteristic region: the treatise of cold,fire theory and the spleen and stomach theory,epidemic febrile disease work in concert with central plains,Beijing region and south of Yangtze River.


In this work we present the application of confidence measures in automatic speech recognition in order to obtain a reliable measure of recognized words performed by a speech recognizer. This measure is then used to detect wrong words in order to accept or reject the whole utterance. The main goal of such techniques is to increase the reliability of automatic speech recognition systems. This work focus on the implementation of a word verification system based on scores which give truthful information in testing recognized words. Those scores are embedded inside a statistical classifier based on the maximum entropy paradigm. Maximum entropy models have the ability to combine different sources of information. This property is applied to combine mentioned scores with other words properties. As a consequence, significant improvement on the reliability of the verification system is obtained. Evaluation of the whole system is performed on a automatic voice driven hotel book system.


This chapter reviews the theoretical picture of the dressed photon by combining the concepts of quantum field theory, optical science, and condensedmatter physics. Based on the exchange of dressed photons, energy transfer to an electric dipole-forbidden energy level is described. Furthermore, the possibility of coupling a dressed photon with a coherent phonon is presented, revealing a novel phonon-assisted process in light–matter interactions in nanometric space. Applications to qualitatively innovative optical devices, fabrication techniques, energy conversion, and systems are exemplified.


Fully biodegradable and surface-functionalized poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA) nanoparticles have been prepared by a co-precipitation technique. Novel amphiphilic random copolyesters P(CL-co-γ XCL) were synthesized by controlled copolymerization of ε-caprolactone and ε-caprolactone substituted in the γ-position by a hydrophilic X group, where X is either a cationic pyridinium (γ PyCL) or a non-ionic hydroxyl (γ OHCL). Nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation of PLA with the P(CL-co-γ XCL) copolyester from a DMSO solution. Small amounts of cationic P(CL-co-γ PyCL) copolymers are needed to quantitatively form stable nanoparticles (ca. 10 mg/100 mg PLA), although larger amounts of non-ionic P(CL-co-γ OHCL) copolymers are needed (⩾12.5 mg/100 mg PLA). Copolymers with a low degree of polymerization (ca. 40) are more efficient stabilizers, probably because of faster migration towards the nanoparticle–water interface. The nanoparticle diameter decreases with the polymer concentration in DMSO, e.g. from ca. 160 nm (16 mg/ml) to ca. 100 nm (2 mg/ml) for PLA/P(CL-co-γ PyCL) nanoparticles. Migration of the P(CL-co-γ XCL) copolyesters to the nanoparticle surface was confirmed by measurement of the zeta potential, i.e. ca. +65 mV for P(CL-co-γ PyCL) and –7 mV for P(CL-co-γ OHCL). The polyamphiphilic copolyesters stabilize PLA nanoparticles by electrostatic or steric repulsions, depending on whether they are charged or not. They also impart functionality and reactivity to the surface, which opens up new opportunities for labelling and targeting purposes.


For the demand of the real-time global terrain visualization,a real-time rendering method of global terrain based on quad-tree is proposed.Firstly,an intersection area of scene culling cone and ideal sphere is computed.Secondly,the visible area is subdivided based on the projection area,and a visible set of multi-resolution terrain is obtained.Finally,the resampling of the normalized grids is implemented to eliminate the cranny,as well as to reduce the redundancy of the data.The results show that the algorithm can filter the mass data quickly,and get a multi-resolution terrain visible node set as small as possible,so as to maintain the amount of graphics data during drawing in each frame at a relatively constant degree,and it is basic for real-time display of the global terrain.


Relative age measurements were made for 14 light plains areas, using 30X enlargements of Apollo 16 metric camera photography. Results indicate that: (1) Crater morphology and frequency studies consistently indicate that the Fra Mauro Formation has received 2.5 to 3 times as much impact flux as the Cayley Formation. (2) Crater counts and relative age dating indicate that the Cayley Formation is only slightly older than the oldest mare units. (3) Assuming the rubidium-strontium ages of Apollo 14 basalt breccias give minimum age for Fra Mauro Formation, the Cayley Formation must have been generated throughout a period of less than 100 million years, approximately 3.8 to 3.9 billion years ago. (4) The Cayley Formation ages obtained on the near side and far side are the same, indicating a synchrony throughout the moon in these units. (5) The linear relationship as predicted by the small impact erosion model between net accumulated flux and the maximum diameter of a crater that could be eroded below recognition is confirmed.


This study aimed to analyse the frequency of genes encoding virulence factors and to characterize resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from raw milk. In total, 47 and 9 S. aureus isolates were recovered from 150 and 100 raw bovine and ovine milk samples, respectively, in Tunisia. The majority of isolates was resistant to penicillin, and no methicillin‐resistant S. aureus was detected. Eighteen and two isolates harboured etd and eta genes respectively. Sixteen enterotoxin‐encoding genes were detected (n, %): sed (25, 44·6%), sec (16, 28·6%), sei (16, 28·6%), seh (13, 23·2%), seln (13, 23·2%), sell (10, 17·8%), seg (9, 16%), selu (8, 14·3%), selq (7, 12·5%), selo (7, 12·5%), selm (7, 12·5%), seb (7, 12·5%), sea (6, 10·7%), selk (3, 5·4%), ser (1, 1·8%) and selp (1, 1·8%). Ten isolates carried the tsst1 gene. All isolates carried the haemolysin toxin (hla, hld and hlg). The immune evasion cluster system‐type B was predominant (20 isolates) followed by C (3 isolates), A and E (1 isolate each). The occurrence of enterotoxigenic S. aureus in raw milk constitutes a potential risk for human health.


Abstract— Two newly derived characterization models for a liquid‐crystal (LC) display have been tested for five LC‐based displays. Data measured from a series of test colors indicated that all LC‐based displays showed similar characteristics, including an S‐shaped tone curve and poor channel chromaticity constancy. Because they include a hyperbolic function in their definition, the models do not have analytical inverses, and so iterative mathematical techniques are applied. It was shown that a new characterization model based on a hyperbolic function fits the tone curve very accurately with only four coefficients per channel for any type of LCD. In addition, it was also shown that the first derivative of the function provides a means of accurate correction of the chromaticity variation.


Since China does not border on the Arctic, it has used alternative approaches to gain access to the region. This paper argues that China has gained a foothold and demonstrated its energy interests in the Arctic by using a strategic buyers approach. China's SOEs have purchased, invested in, and participated in joint ventures with Arctic-related companies such as Northern Cross and Rosneft. Chinese academics and officials are aware that the Arctic is melting and realize the region's potential wealth. They are also aware that tapping into the Arctic's resources, especially through Russia, may soon become the most efficient method for securing China's energy needs. China's Arctic approach can be summarized as having consisted of two phases: the rhetoric and culmination of ideas phase and the strategic buyer phase. Regarding the first phase, Chinese scholarly writings, media reports, diplomatic rhetoric, and PLA comments provided a spotlight on, and created an awareness of, China's interests in the Arctic. These groups fostered important Chinese ideas and debates on how China should approach Arctic issues. The second phase (which we are currently in) has shown that China has made Arctic purchases, investments, and joint ventures with Russia, Canada, and Iceland and also seems to be on the verge of obtaining something more concrete with Greenland in the not-too-distant future. This has made China's Arctic strategy more apparent and helped differentiate noise from true courses of action. China's current Arctic moves and approaches over the past several months have made the PRC's Arctic strategy much less opaque and increasingly more visible and coherent. Normal 0 false false false EN-CA X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */
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This article has discussed the influences of additives, such as coupling agents, modified bentonite, etc., and their amount on the conductibility and electromagnetic shield efficiency of the film in copper based conducting coatings. It has also discussed the improvement of the antioxidation and dispersion of copper filler by use of the additives in coatings.


After China acceding to WTO, a lot of foreign property management enterprisesenter Chinese property management market. Domestic property management enterprises must take brand strategy and build property management enterprise brand according to more and more violent market competition.


A study of 53 patients with eosinophilia of suspected parasitic origin was conducted, Investigations done for each case included, stool and urinc examinations, absolute eosinophilic count and countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis (ClE!') using crude antigens of Fasciola hepatica, Scilistosotrlalllansoni VVOrIns, Trichinella spmilis and Toxocara mnis l,u'vae, and hydatid fluid. Stool examination revealed six cases with Fasciola eggs, two with Ascaris Illtrlbricoides and one with S. I/lunsoni eggs. The


The micellization of a polysiloxane-ketimine has been studied in solvents of different polarity, i.e., dimethylformamide (DMF) and toluene. The critical micelle concentration was determined from surface tension measurements -in DMF-, and from viscosity variation with concentration. Metal complex nanoparticles have been synthesized from this macromolecular ligand in DMF and in toluene, using the formed micelles as templates. Spectroscopic data (IR and UV-vis) confirmed the metal complexation. TEM observations revealed the formation of nanoparticles with different morphologies, which were consistent with the assumed conformation of the ligand in solutions of the two selective solvents.


Prenatal follow-up plays a major role in preventing pregnancy- and delivery-related maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. In Morocco 228 women die per every 100000 live births in-hospital maternal mortality is 192/100000 live births and the level of neonatal mortality is 41.4 infant deaths per 1000 live births. Despite achieving modest improvements in recent years in managing maternal and child morbidity Morocco still suffers inadequate pregnancy follow-up health services utilization and identification of at-risk pregnancies. The authors assessed the quality and effectiveness of prenatal consultation provided at Bouhlal community clinic in Rabat from October 1997 through October 1998. Indirect and direct observation determined that despite measures taken within the framework of the Safe Motherhood Initiative maternal and infant health problems continue to result in considerable maternal and neonatal mortality in Morocco. Improving maternal-child health services could go far toward reducing related morbidity and mortality levels in the country. The study identified a number of important operational shortcomings potentially leading to service inefficiencies particularly regarding the management of pregnant women. Service shortfalls included poor client reception inadequate screening and referral of at-risk pregnancies inadequate time allotted to presenting women and a failure to adhere to the clinics operational guidelines. Recommendations for change are offered.


Abstract. Deep learning is widely used in remote sensing field of feature recognition. Symmetric encoder–decoder network, such as UNet, is one of the most commonly used image segmentation networks, but the accuracy is often low due to its simple structure. We combine two neural network models of convolutional neural network (CNN) and Swin Transformer called modified Swin Transformer using UNet structure (MST-UNet) to achieve accurate segmentation of water bodies from remote sensing data, with Xiamen City as study area. MST-UNet is based on symmetric encoder–decoder network. We use CNN and Swin Transformer blocks to extract features from input images and capture the interdependence among different pixels, respectively. More attention is paid to global information of images. By four times upsampling to obtain predictions, the results show that the accuracy of MST-UNet is better than UNet and its improved models. The Intersection of Union (IoU), mean IoU, and Dice score on test set reach 87.80%, 92.93%, 93.08%, respectively, which verifies the feasibility of the MST-UNet. This experiment has a reference value for related studies.


Since the introduction of intermittent peritoneal dialysis by Grollman et al.1 in 1951 a number of reports have appeared attesting to its efficacy in the removal of dialyzable substances in acute renal failure,2 3 4 5 hypercalcemia,4 barbiturate intoxication,4 salt poisoning,6 salicylism7 and hepatic coma.8 The toxic substances involved in these conditions are water soluble and freely dialyzable. Bilirubin, however, is poorly soluble in water and is almost entirely bound to protein in icteric serum.9 The present report of a case of an unusual combination of acute hepatitis, drug-induced hemolytic anemia and renal failure describes the accelerated removal of bilirubin induced by the . . .


The article analyzes the importance of the building of a clean and honest Party to the development of the enterprise and,the better way to make it a reality that is combined with the reality of the enterprise.


A dam is a complex and important water-retaining structure. Once the dam is broken, the flood will cause immeasurable damage to the lives and properties of the downstream people, so it is particularly important to have the dam risk management. Since the dam-break flood is a severe-consequence low-frequency event, the corresponding fatalities caused by it are difficult to estimate due to the lack of relevant data and poor data continuity. This paper analyzes the direct and indirect factors affecting the risk of life loss in dam failures and studies the characteristics, distribution rules, and membership functions of each factor. An adaptive differential evolution method is constructed through an optimization of the mutation factors and cross factors of the differential evolution method. This proposed evaluation method also combines with the fuzzy clustering iterative method that is capable of evaluating the similarity of life loss in dam accidents. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by 16 dam-break case studies.


We used an air-breathing catfish, Clarias gariepinus, to investigate the hypothesis that individual variation in metabolic rate, and the propensity to take risks to obtain a resource (oxygen from air), would be correlated with behavioural tendencies such as boldness, activity level and exploratory behaviour. The standard metabolic rate (SMR) of 58 juvenile catfish was positively correlated with their rates of aerial respiration in daylight when surfacing was inherently risky. SMR was positively correlated with boldness measured in two contexts, namely the time-lag to resume air-breathing in a potentially dangerous environment (T-res, measured in a respirometer), and the timelag to enter the centre of a novel environment (T-centre, measured in an open field test (OFT)). These two measures of boldness were very highly correlated. Thus, these data support the hypothesis that high SMR and an associated tendency to take risks to acquire resources are linked to increased boldness in animals. Individual SMR was positively correlated with the proportion of time the fish spent moving in the OFT, but was negatively correlated with movement speed. The data confirmed previous observations that these catfish may exhibit a bimodal distribution of T-res phenotypes, whereby individuals either resumed air-breathing relatively rapidly (< 85 min, bold n = 26) or more slowly (> 115 min, shy n = 31) after a startle stimulus. Bold T-res phenotypes had significantly higher SMR than shy; breathed more air during the day, and showed greater boldness but less activity and exploration in the OFT. No parallel bold/shy dichotomy was observed, however, in any measure of boldness in the OFT. Therefore, the data support propositions regarding how SMR and risk-taking should relate to boldness, but provide mixed results about how SMR relates to activity and exploration, and whether bold/shy is a dichotomy or spectrum.


Letter from Vietnam by Tran Thi Le Thuy and PhD students at Nagoya University, Japan discussing developments and application of the Vietnamese law on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Published in the Letter from … section of Amicus Curiae - Journal of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and its Society for Advanced Legal Studies. The Journal is produced by the Society for Advanced Legal Studies at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London.


Photosensitive atopic dermatitis (PhAD) is a scarcely reported entity characterized clinically by a photodistributed rash in patients who fulfil the criteria for atopic dermatitis (AD).


Our ricefish polyculture (6 species) results at two stocking densities (1 and 2 fish/m2) show that: The water quality in a ricefish polyculture system, such as water temperature (29.1 – 29.0 °C), water pH (6.6 – 6.7), water transparency (18.0 – 20.8 cm), dissolved O2 (4.7 – 4.6 ppm), CO2 (22.8 – 23.1 ppm), COD (11.9 – 12.7 ppm), are similar at both densities and acceptable for the 6 tropical fish species. Ammonium and phosphorus concentrations are statistically higher at 1 fish/m2 (0.4 and 0.2 ppm). The primary productivity is similar for both densities (6.5 – 6.8 g O2/m/day) and suitable for fish culture. The phytoplankton biodiversity is relatively high and at the same level for both treatments (74 – 63 taxa), but the densities of phytoplankton, of zooplankton, and the biomass of zoobenthos are lower at the highest density (2 fish/m2), probably due to a higher predation by fish.The fish yield (808 kg/ha) at 2 fish/m2 is higher than at 1 fish/m2 (482 kg/ha). The cost ratio benefit (1.84) and the cost ratio profit (1.81) for farm households at 1 fish/m2 are lower than those values at 2 fish/m2 (2.1 and 2.05 respectively). Regarding the aquaculture extension program, the model of the ricefish polyculture (6 species) system with the stocking density of 2 fish/m2 could be extended in the rice fields to improve farmer's income in the Mekong delta. Résumé


Using the geometry of geodesics, we discuss the global aspects of complete real hypersurfaces in hyperbolic spaces of constant holomorphic sectional curvature over any division algebra 𝕂. Our assumption is that the shape operator and the curvature transformation with respect to the normal unit have the same eigenspaces. Note that we do not assume constancy of the principal curvatures. Under this assumption, we give a complete global classification of such hypersurfaces. Since the argument is purely geometric, we need not vary the argument for different base algebras. The foliations of with totally geodesic leaves called 𝕂-lines play an important role.


Coronary angiography exposes patients to procedural risks and substantial radiation; most would agree that we should avoid the procedure in patients


The utility model relates to a seat with a fitness generator device, which comprises a sliding chassis, a lifting device, a seat body and a back board, and also comprises a pedal generator device, wherein the pedal generator device comprises a base, a generator, a driving mechanism and a transmission mechanism, the generator is fixed on the base, the transmission mechanism is in matching transmission with a shaft of the generator, the pedal generator device is arranged between the lifting device and the sliding chassis, and the transmission mechanism is in matching transmission with the driving mechanism. By adopting the structure, when people relax on the seat, people also can pedal stretchers to drive the generator to generate electricity, so as to achieve the purpose of fitness.


Based on finite element of B-spline wavelet on the interval (BSWI),the quantitative identification method of transverse crack for rotor systems is studied.The BSWI Ray- leigh beam element considering rotatory inertia effect is con- structed to solve the first three natural frequencies of the cracked rotor with high precision,and the first three frequen- cies solution curve surfaces of normalized crack location and size are obtained by using surface-fitting technique.Then the first three metrical natural frequencies are employed as inputs of the solution curve surfaces.The intersection of the three frequencies contour lines can predict the normalized crack lo- cation and size.The numerical and experimental examples are given to verify the validity of the beam element for crack quan- titative identification in rotor systems.The new method can be applied to prognosis and quantitative diagnosis of crack in rotor systems.


Resources for Australian and New Zealand studies in British libraries and institutions; passing reference to Aboriginal content in Australian studies and early recordings by anthropological expeditions in papers by Smith and Duran indexed separately.


Advanced battery technology evaluations are by the Department of Energy (DOE) in 1976, is a performed under simulated electric-vehicle facility for studying advanced battery systems, lt operating conditions at the Analysis & Diagnostic includes (1) a versatile computer-operated test Laboratory (ADL) of Argonne National Laboratory. laboratory to conduct battery evaluations under The ADL results provide insight Into those factors simulated applicationconditionsand (2) a post-test that limit battery performance and life. The ADl.. analysis laboratory to determine, in a protected facilities includea test laboratoryto conductbadery atmosphere if needed, component compositional experimental evaluations under simulated changes and failure mechanisms. The ADL application conditions and a post-test analysis evaluates battery systemsusing standardized tests laboratory to determine, ina protected atrnosphere and analyses on a common, unbiased basis. 'The if needed, component compositionalchanges and experimental data and their analyses, in failure mechanisms. Th;s paper summarizes, the combination with post-test examinations of these performance characterizations and life evaluations advance_,battery systems,help identify factors that conducted during 1991 1992 on both single cells limit system performance and life and the most. and multi-ceil modules that encompass eig=ht promising R&D approaches for overcoming these battery technologies [Na/S, Li/MS (M=metal), limitations. Ni/MH, Ni/Cd, Ni/Zn, Ni/Fe, Zn/Br, and Pb-acid]. The ADl. facilities have been used to evaluate These eval.uations were performed four the battery systems of various types and sizes for the Department of Energy, Office of Transportation OOE, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Technologies, Electrlc and Hybrid Propulsion and .private industry. Over 3000 ceils, ranging from Division, and the Electric Power Research Institute. individual 4-Wh cells to 360-ce11,22-kWh batteries The ADL provides a common basis for battery and representing 12 battery technologies from over performance characterization and life evaluations 18 developers, have undergone performance with unbiased application of tests and analyses, characterizations and life evaluations for electric The results help identify the most-promising R&D vehicle (EV) propulsion, utility load-leveling, and approaches for overcomingbattery limitations, and standby power applications. The results of provide battery users, developers, and program evaluations conducted during 1990 and the first managers with a measure of the progress being quarter of 1991 were reported in August 1991.1 made in battery R&D programs, a comparison of From January 1991 to May 1992, EV battery battery technologies,and basic data for modeling, evaluations were performed for the DOE Office of Transportation Technologies, Electric and Hybrid iNTRODUCTION Propulsion Division (OTT/EHP), and the EPRI Transportation Program. Performance The Analysis & DiaQnostic Laboratory (ADL), characterizations and/or life evaluq.tions were established at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) conducted on eight battery technolugies [Na/S, W. H. DeLuca .1..,_, Author Name Page ,, ,r, '11 =lr " II_I_II_R ..... =_ll_I 1,, II ' n ' _rll'r ........ =,' 111 IIIr_rl' _' ,r_, ,_,,,, ,_ ,, ,, ,, ,_, ,,, , ,,, _r.... _r_ ,


We present the results of QCD fits to global data on deep-inelastic polarized lepton-hadron scattering. We find that it is possible to fit the data with strongly broken SU(2) flavor for the polarized sea densities. This can be tested in W production at the polarized BNL RHIC. The data fail to pin down polarized singlet sea quark and gluon densities. We explore the uncertainties in detail and show that improvement in statistics, achievable at the polarized DESY HERA for measurement of A 1 at moderately low values of x, have large payoffs in terms of the improvement in measurement of gluon densities.


A child with a mitochondrial DNA deletion who presented with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is reported. Though she developed many other features of Pearson's syndrome, there was no bone marrow involvement. Syndromes associated with mitochondrial DNA defects are highly variable and absence of one feature should not inhibit investigation.


Extant literature confirms that the forward premium is a biased predictor of the future change in the spot rate. The existence of a bias is an indication of the possibility to predict the evolution of the future spot exchange rate. Drawing on about 25 years of research on the issue this paper makes two contributions. First it augments the standard models with several economic variables to examine if the forward exchange bias is maintained over the long run. Second, it uses the model to examine the predictability of the ex-post profits from uncovered interest parity (UPI) speculation. The paper finds that long term co-integrating relationships confirm that the forward rate is a biased predictor of the future spot rate in the long run. In addition, predictive models for the profit generated by the UPI speculation are successful for the majority of industrialized countries included in the analysis.


We consider the problem of multi-user dynamic spectrum access (DSA) in cognitive radio networks. The shared bandwidth is divided into K orthogonal channels, and M (secondary) users aim at accessing the spectrum, where K ≥ M. Each user is allowed to choose a single channel for transmission at each time slot. The state of each channel is modeled by a restless unknown Markovian process. By contrast to existing studies that analyzed a special case of this setting, in which each channel yields the same expected rate for all users, in this paper we consider the more general model, where each channel yields a different expected rate for each user. This general model adds a significant challenge of how to efficiently learn a channel allocation in a distributed manner so as to yield a global system wide objective. We adopt the stable matching utility as the system objective, which is known to yield strong performance in multichannel wireless networks, and develop a novel Distributed Stable Strategy Learning (DSSL) algorithm to achieve the objective. We prove theoretically that the DSSL algorithm converges to the stable matching allocation, and the regret, defined as the loss in total rate with respect to the stable matching solution, has a logarithmic order with time. Finally, we present numerical examples that support the theoretical results and demonstrate strong performance of the DSSL algorithm.


Objective: The heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) has decreased the incidence of pediatric invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in the United States. Few data exist on the changing IPD incidence in HIV-infected children. Methods: Diagnostic codes and clinical microbiology laboratory records identified cases of IPD from 1989 to 2006 in perinatally-infected children <18 years of age followed at an urban HIV clinic. IPD incidence was calculated and serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance were recorded. Results: Two-hundred fifty-six patients were followed for 1756 person-years (PY). The sample was 59% female, 76% black, 14% white, and 8% Hispanic. Of 21 episodes of IPD (1200/100,000 PY), 17 (81%) were female. IPD cases had a median age of 6.3 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 2.3–9.9 years), median CD4% of 17% (IQR: 11–28%), and median CD4 count of 415 cells/mm3 (range, 2–1699 cells/mm3). Bacteremia was the commonest form of IPD (19 episodes; 1080/100,000 PY). After HAART introduction in 1996, the incidence of IPD decreased 84% from 1862/100,000 PY in 1989–1995 to 292/100,000 PY in 1997–1999 (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.16, P = 0.03). After PCV7 introduction in 2000, IPD incidence showed a nonsignificant increase from 292 of 100,000 PY in 1997–1999 to 860 of 100,000 PY in 2001–2006 (IRR: 2.94; P = 0.16). The percentages of IPD isolates nonsusceptible to penicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were 19% and 33%, respectively. Vaccine serotypes accounted for 38% of isolates, vaccine-related 14%, nonvaccine 33%, and the serotype was unknown in 14%. Conclusions: The incidence of IPD among perinatally HIV-infected children decreased after the introduction of HAART. Ongoing monitoring is required to determine the effect of PCV7 on IPD in this vulnerable population.


One of the distinctive features of the West Siberian Plain is the wide distribution on its territory of cover sandy deposits, which act as parent rocks over a large area within the region for a wide range of climatic conditions. This feature of Western Siberia is due to geological and geomorphological conditions and the history of relief development in the Late Quaternary. Soils formed on sandy deposits play an important role in the sustainable functioning of the landscapes of the entire West Siberian region. This article discusses the issue of the protection of unique ancient aeolian landscapes on the example of the south of Western Siberia.


Abstract The concepts of adult literacy and adult education have been predominantly framed by the discourse of development in Nepal whereby literacy programmes are designed to combat illiteracy with the purpose of promoting the socio-economic and human development in the country. In this effort, certain groups of women and ethnic minorities have been homogenously categorised as 'illiterate' and constituted as target groups for such basic and functional literacy programmes. This process of subjectivation through literacy programme works to impose feelings of inadequacy among the participants of the literacy programme, which further invalidates their own experience and situated knowledge. This article illustrates this process of subjectivation and resistance to it while challenging the idea of a homogenous 'Thakali women' through the personal narratives of Thakali women and their experiences of engaging with the discursive practices of literacy. In doing so, the article argues that the decontextualised approach to literacy further erases the socio-cultural, economic and historical context within which the individuals form their experiences and knowledge and hence, the need for culturally contextualised literacy practices that account for lived experiences and knowledge.


The research focus of this paper is the result of collaborations between NC State University and Four Dimensions, Inc. As a result of this partnership, the challenge of probing a patterned wafer with a Hg-probe system that was engineered by Four Dimensions to probe unpatterned wafers emerged. To address this challenge, a novel mask was designed, fabricated, and used to obtain patterned arrays of field-oxide isolated gate oxides as well as so-called "L" strips of gate oxide. Mercury-gate capacitance-voltage measurements from three sites (i.e., unpatterned gate oxides and field oxides plus gate oxides as well as patterned field oxides/gate oxides) were used to validate a relatively simple algorithm for the extraction of oxide thickness. In addition, optical oxide thickness was extracted from the "L" strips, and excellent agreement with the electrical value is demonstrated. This "single wafer" methodology for extracting electrical and optical metrics will have a significant impact on process development of advanced gate dielectrics within the SRC/SEMATECH Center for Front End Processes.


The Pleistocene clays in Osaka Bay exhibit slight overconsolidation with OCR of 1.2 to 1.5 in average although they are geologically normally consolidated. Therefore, this seeming overconsolidation is thought not to arise from the mechanical reason but to be subjected to the effect of diagenesis, such as aging effect and/or development of cementation among clay particles. In the sense, the Pleistocene clay deposited in Osaka Bay is so-called "quasioverconsolidated clays" without definite mechanical overconsolidation history. A new concept is introduced to evaluate the time-dependent behavior of the quasi-overconsolidated Pleistocene clays. In the present study, the stress, pc derived from conventional step loading consolidation test is regarded as the one changing the phase of deformation due to fading the structural effect. Then, the behavior in the region less than pc is assumed no longer elastic but elastoviscoplastic. The compression curve in terms of e-logp is used but the viscoplastic deformation is assumed to occur even in the region less than pc with the coefficient of deformation, Cs. By implementing this concept into elastoviscoplastic finite element code, the experimental time-dependent compression behavior is found to be well described numerically. Furthermore, the proposed procedure is validated by analyzing the in-situ stress and deformation of one of the reclaimed islands in Osaka Port. The calculated performance can well describe the actual records of settlement for each Pleistocene clay layers monitored by the differential settlement gauges.


A set of Fe-based amorphous alloys, Fe93−x−yZr7BxCuy, with x=4, 6, 8, or 12, and y=0 or 2 has been systematically characterized in their ability to form nanocrystalline, magnetically soft material via annealing in the range of 430–600 °C. Conventional Mossbauer spectroscopy is used to follow the degree of bcc-Fe formation as well as changes in the hyperfine field distribution of the amorphous phase as a function of anneal temperature. Copper plays a strong role in the bcc-Fe formation for x=12 but less of a role for x=8 and 6. Unconventional Mossbauer studies utilizing radio frequency (rf) fields provide information on the soft magnetic nature of the alloys by observing the degree of rf-induced collapse of the hyperfine fields. The Mossbauer experiment in which the rf collapse and rf sideband effects are used allows the soft nanocrystalline bcc phase to be distinguished from magnetically harder microcrystalline α-Fe. The rf Mossbauer technique, being particularly sensitive to the magnetic anisotropy, prov...


The clinical microbiologist routinely uses laboratory screening tests to select the appropriate antibiotic for the treatment of a patient with bacterial infection. Can the oncologist apply the same...


The paper deals with parameterized modeling of processes in an induction heating system for high frequency longitudinal pipe welding. The investigation has been carried out in order to estimate factors influencing the welding process, required energy and system efficiency. Time harmonic electromagnetic and transient thermal fields have been studied and distribution of the magnetic flux density, eddy currents, power losses and temperature distribution have been obtained for a number of values of system parameters: applied current, welding frequency, welding speed, and dimensions of the heat affected zone, corresponding to the 'vee' angle. The presence and position of the ferrite impeder have been also taken into account. The problem was considered as coupled electromagnetic and temperature field problem taking into account real, 3D geometry of the system and has been solved using the finite element method and COMSOL 5.2 software package.


Cases concerning the meaning of 'carrying on business' for the purposes of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and 1997 date back to the introduction of the Federal Income Tax System yet its meaning is still the subject of contentious litigation today. Is there a case to mount for defining 'carrying on business' for the purposes of the Income Tax Assessment Act? This paper looks at that question. The meaning of 'business' is also an issue for the purposes of the GST legislation as the definition of enterprise for GST purposes includes a 'business' and we fall back to the income tax cases concerning the meaning of 'business' that is not absolute or clear. Currently the question as to whether an activity constitutes 'carrying on business' is determined by the application of a number of factors that have evolved from case law yet no particular factor is determinative. The recent decision of the High Court of Australia in Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Stone 2005 HCA 21 demonstrates the current approach to establishing the existence of a 'business' lacks certainty, a fundamental requirement of a good tax system. This paper looks at what options are available and the extent to which the recently introduced non-commercial loss provisions in Division 35 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 have dealt with the uncertainty associated with the meaning of 'carrying on business'.


Survival, developmental outcomes, and quality of life have been transformed over the past 30 years for infants suffering a wide range of previously devastating conditions. Children affected by prematurity, cystic fibrosis, and congenital heart disease now survive and indeed thrive into adulthood. Technical advances have proceeded alongside coordinated programs of multicenter registries and trials, driven by clinicians and researchers motivated to not only continually push the boundaries of postdiagnosis treatment but to show that children reap the benefits.

The past 30 years have also heralded astonishing advances for children born deaf and hard of hearing. The first pediatric cochlear implantation in 1985 was followed by the discovery of the first of many genes for nonsyndromic hearing impairment1,2 in the 1990s. Widespread implementation of universal newborn hearing screening programs in the early 2000s means that hearing impairment is now routinely diagnosed in the first 3 postnatal months. For the first time in history, we have the opportunity to learn how to prevent language delay, so that …

Address correspondence to Melissa Wake, MD, Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Rd, Parkville 3052, Australia. E-mail: melissa.wake{at}rch.org.au


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the influence of some variables (gender, age, alcohol intake and obesity) on the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) in patients with sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (SAHS).

PATIENTS AND METHOD
We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with SAHS in the Hospital General Universitario of Murcia. We assessed demographic variables, alcohol intake, Epworth's scale, obesity and cardiorespiratory polygraphy or polysomnography. A multivariate regression model was used to explain the AHI in relation with other variables.

RESULTS
We reviewed 127 medical records of patients with SAHS. Alcohol intake was the most powerful variable influencing the AHI, followed by the numeric value of the Epworth's Scale. No statistical significance was found with regard to the the rest of variables.

CONCLUSIONS
In patients with SAHS, the AHI can be related to the alcohol intake and the numeric value of Epworth's Scale.


In this paper, the design of sheet-beam Extended Interaction Klystron (SBEIK) is discussed. The SBEIK is initially designed by implementing the preliminary equations and then modelled using CST-Microwave Studio (MWS) to obtain the dispersion characteristics by the Eigen-mode solver. The coupler design is carried out with stepped impedance transformer approach and is optimised to get a return loss of −54 dB. Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation is carried out in CST-PIC solver indicated an RF output power of 7 kW and a gain of 28.4 dB.


India has a rich cultural heritage which affects the life of a person at all stages of life. Hinduism is one of the oldest world religions prevailing in Indian subcontinent. Hindu mythology describes various Sanskaras (sacraments/religious rites) outlined from birth to death of an individual. Out of the sixteen Sanskaras described, eight are for children. These are Jata Karma (birth rites), Namakaran (naming), Nishkraman (taking baby out of home), Annaprashan (starting solid feeding), Chudakarma (head shaving), Karnavedhana (piercing of the ear), Upanayan (thread ceremony) and Vedarambha (start of formal education). This article analyzed these Sanskaras in detail and gives a critical approach to their relevance in light of modern scientific knowledge. Though primarily considered as religious rites, they were significant in context of child health and provided opportunity for routine examination of child at regular intervals. Sanskara prepares one for the next stage of growth. A thorough review of childhood Sanskaras revealed that they were aimed at preparing the baby for extra uterine life successfully, developed proper feeding habits, ensured adequate nutrition, prevented diseases, adapted baby to environment for further survival, gave individual identity and educated the child. It took care of not only physical but also mental, social and spiritual development of child, thus made him a responsible youth of good character who proved to be an asset to the society. These sanskaras are apt till date and worth practicing in today`s era.


Plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are elevated during insulin resistance and are robust predictors of future onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Further, recent evidence points to a significant cross talk between BCAAs and lipid metabolism, which is disrupted during lipid metabolic disorders. Indeed, dysfunctional mitochondrial lipid metabolism is a central feature of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Considering the metabolic and molecular mechanisms of BCAA action on central metabolic pathways, we hypothesized that excess BCAAs during insulin resistance can interfere with mitochondrial function, by altering lipid oxidation, gluconeogenesis, and insulin signaling in the liver.

 Mice (C57BL/6) were either fed a control (10% kcal from fat) or high fat (HF; 60% kcal from fat) diet for 16 weeks. Mice were then overnight fasted and challenged with either a saline or BCAA infusion (15.59 µmole/hour) for 8-hrs. Glucose and ketone turnover rates were determined from the dilution of [13C6]glucose and [13C4]3-hydroxybutyrate tracers. Plasma and tissues were collected and stored for metabolic profiling and gene and protein expression analysis.

 Infusion of BCAAs in mice resulted in a 2-fold elevation of circulating BCAAs (Control 179 ± 7 µM vs. 375 ± 21 µM, P < 0.01, HF 119 ± 4 µM vs. 265 ± 13 µM, P < 0.01). Elevated levels of BCAAs in circulation were associated with an increase in blood glucose levels in control mice (108 ± 7 µM vs. 127 ± 7 µM, p = 0.09). However, this response was absent in HF-fed mice (152 ± 7 µM vs. 155 ± 10 µM, P = 0.85). Surprisingly, ketone turnover rates (µmoles/min) were significantly reduced with BCAA infusion in the control mice (2.5 ± 0.2 vs. 1.6 ± 0.1, P < 0.01), but remained unchanged with BCAA infusion in HF-fed mice (1.9 ± 0.3 vs. 2.0 ± 0.3). The infusion of BCAAs also induced the phosphorylation of Akt in control mice (P < 0.01), but this effect was blunted in HF-fed mice.

 Our results suggest that excess BCAAs can modulate hepatic mitochondrial function and insulin signaling. Chronic exposure to elevated levels of circulating BCAAs could exacerbate metabolic dysfunction during NAFLD by altering normal hepatic mitochondrial function.

 National Institutes of Health R01.


Abstract New ways have been recently opened by the chemists, on the basis of a chemical or structural expansion of the field of trichalcogenides or following the preparation of new series of derivatives. Polytypes can be found such as monoclinic-TaS3 which presents C.D.W. type transition with possible non linear effects under low electrical field. On the other hand, varying the composition either by performing substitutions in the slabs or fibers, or by intercalating between them gave the FeNb3Se10 series. However new materials are mainly represented by the blue bronzes K0 30Mo03 and Rb0.30Mo03, and by tetrachalcogenides of niobium and tantalum. The present paper will be essentially devoted to the last type of compounds. With a general formulation (MY4)nX where M = Nb, Ta; Y = S, Se; X = I, Br, CI and n = 3, 4, 2, 10/3 etc… they represent a large class of materials. The structure is based on (MY4) chains consisting of a metallic chain enclosed in a chalcogen framework built up by rectangular antiprisms of...


The accumulation of neurotransmitters within secretory vesicles (SVs) far exceeds the theoretical tonic concentrations in the cytosol, a phenomenon that has captivated the attention of scientists for decades. For instance, chromaffin granules can accumulate close to molar concentrations of catecholamines, along with many other products like ATP, calcium, peptides, chromogranins, ascorbate, and other nucleotides. In this short review, we will summarize the interactions that are currently believed to occur between the elements that make up the vesicular cocktail in the acidic environment of SVs, and how they permit the accumulation of such high concentrations of certain components. In addition, we will examine how the vesicular cocktail regulates the exocytosis of neurotransmitters.


TGF-β3 has been implicated in the pathology of ocular diseases, but its concentration in human aqueous humor has never been assessed. In this study, we established an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for TGF-β3 and quantitated it in aqueous humor collected from patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PE), primary open angle glaucoma, chronic angle closure glaucoma and cataract (as the control). To develop the TGF-β3 ELISA, we screened antibodies to identify the best combination, validated the assay for aqueous humor, and optimized the procedure for preparing activated TGF-β3. As a result, our ELISA was highly selective and reproducible. Using our ELISA, we discovered a significantly elevated concentration of TGF-β3 in PE eyes. We also developed new TGF-β1 and -β2 ELISAs, and were able, for the first time, to quantitate all the TGF-β isoforms in the aqueous humor from a single eye, to assess their proportional effects on the pathogenesis of ocular diseases.