Abstract In order to investigate the effects of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer on essential oil composition of dill, this research was performed in 2010 at the Agricultural Research Farm of the University of Tabriz, Iran. The experiment was carried out as split plot on the basis of randomized complete block design with three replications. Irrigation treatments (irrigation after 70, 100 and 130 mm evaporation from class A pan) and nitrogen levels (0, 40, 80, 120 kgN/ha) were allocated to main and sub-plots, respectively. The essential oil from grains of dill was isolated by hydro distillation and analyzed by gas-chromatography (GC-MS). The main components of dill essential oil were found to be carvone (4.9 - 60.1 %), l-limonene (6.4 - 21.8 %), dillapiole (1.0-11.9 %), dihydrocarvone, apiole, l-phellandrene, hexacosane, octacosane, eicosane and anethole. The amount of cis-dihydrocarvone, trans- limonene oxide, limonene and dill ether were increased by water limitation. Nitrogen application increased carvone and dihydrocarvone in dill grains.


ABSTRACT Suppose that we observe X ∼Binomial(n, p). Inference on p is difficult if X = 0 or n. One way around this is to condition on these events not happening. We show that this has only an exponentially small effect on its cumulants. This is also true if we condition away other rare events. Our results are presented for exponential families, with applications to the binomial, multinomial and negative multinomial distributions.


In typical gas turbine applications, combustion gases that are discharged from the turbine are exhausted into the atmosphere in a direction that is sometimes different from that of the inlet. In such cases, the design of efficient exhaust ducts is a challenging task particularly when the exhaust gases are also swirling. Designers are in need for a tool today that can guide them in assessing qualitatively and quantitatively the different flow physics in these exhaust ducts so as to produce efficient designs. In this thesis, a parametric Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based study was carried out on non-symmetric gas turbine exhaust ducts where the effects of geometry and inlet aerodynamic conditions were examined. The results of the numerical analysis were used to develop a total pressure loss model. These exhaust ducts comprise an annular inlet, a flow splitter, an annular to rectangular transition region, and an exhaust stub. The duct geometry, which is a three-dimensional complex one, is approximated with a five-parameter model, which was coupled with a design of experiment method to generate a relatively small number of exhaust ducts. The flow in these ducts was simulated using CFD for different values of inlet swirl and aerodynamic blockage and the numerical results were reviewed so as to assess the effects of the geometric and aerodynamic parameters on the total pressure loss in the exhaust duct. These flow simulations were used as a data base to generate a total pressure loss model that designers can use as a tool to build more efficient non-symmetric gas turbine exhaust ducts. The resulting correlation has demonstrated satisfactory agreement with the CFD-based data


Under the new condition of the country,district and the people,the new requirements of civil service have been put forward.It is important to deepen the sense of"civil service mentality"of the civil service and vigorously develop their spirit of service.Secondly,it is necessary to improve their level of general education,expand the scope of their knowledge,making their knowledge structure reasonable.Thirdly,it is necessary to enhance their administrative capability,such as the ability to deal with the crisis,the ability to analyze and judge the situation.Among all the actions,we should make great efforts to improve the overall working of minority civil servants.


An approximation to the spin-flip extended configuration interaction singles method is developed using a second-order perturbation theory approach. In addition to providing significant efficiency advantages, the new framework is general for an arbitrary number of spin-flips, with the current implementation being applicable for up to around 4 spin-flips. Two new methods are introduced: one which is developed using non-degenerate perturbation theory, spin-flip complete active-space (SF-CAS(S)), and a second quasidegenerate perturbation theory method, SF-CAS(S)1. These two approaches take the SF-CAS wavefunction as the reference, and then perturbatively includes the effect of single excitations. For the quasidegenerate perturbation theory method, SF-CAS(S)1, the subscripted "1" in the acronym indicates that a truncated denominator expansion is used to obtain an energy-independent down-folded Hamiltonian. We also show how this can alternatively be formulated in terms of an extended Lagrangian, by introducing an orthonormality constraint on the first-order wavefunction. Several numerical examples are provided, which demonstrate the ability of SF-CAS(S) and SF-CAS(S)1 to describe bond dissociations, singlet-triplet gaps of organic molecules, and exchange coupling parameters for binuclear transition metal complexes.


Abstract A Σ = 11, {332} nickel bicrystal was grown by solidification. The aim of this paper is to show the evolution of the grain-boundary (GB) structure depending upon the position in the bicrystal of the extracted sample. Conventional transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations were used to characterize the GBs on microscopic and nanoscopic scales respectively. The detailed atomic structures of the exact {332} and the asymmetrical {111}‖{331} GBs were investigated by numerical calculations and compared with the HRTEM images. There is a perfect agreement between the calculated and the experimental image for the symmetrical {332} GB at the head of the bicrystal. The high GB defect density in the asymmetrical GBs at the end of the bicrystal makes the comparison less straightforward. It is, however, noteworthy that two complete periods of the calculated structure are actually observed in the experimental image. In order to approach the atomic description of the {111}1 ‖{hkl}2 asymmetrical tilt GBs, it is proposed to use for each side the structural units which appear in the corresponding symmetrical {111} and hkl tilt GBs respectively.


A tunable, stable, photonic microwave filter, using a linearly chirped grating in a double-pass configuration, is demonstrated to have a 45 dB notch rejection. This novel configuration overcomes chromatic dispersion and optical coherence interference.


AbstractThe aim of this paper is to investigate the performance of a multiple effect distillation (MED) unit potentially coupled to a concentrated solar power plant and validate the results with the predictions of a dynamic model that was developed for this purpose. A small-scale (10 kWthermal) four effect distillation system was designed and built to demonstrate proof of principle of the concentrating solar power–desalinating sea water system integration. In order to fully characterize this small-scale MED unit, an understanding of the performance for steady state and transient conditions is required. Initially experiments were performed in a steady state situation, various parameters were examined and the experimental findings have already been published. After the initial experimental findings of the steady state operation, the performance of this unit was also investigated for transient conditions. The experimental procedure followed was identical as in the steady state conditions, with the main diffe...


An improved spring-mass model and clothing formulation was presented by analysing the basic steps of clothing simulation.The dynamic system of modeling and simulation was derived using time differentiation method.Focusing on the two bottlenecks of clothing simulation,collision detection and mesh resolution,improvement was made on the old algorithm.Real time and realistic clothing deformation are achieved with the simulation system.


Secondary lymphedema of the leg is a chronic and progressive disease which cannot be healed. In the industrialized countries the most frequent course of secondary lymphedema of the leg is preceding tumor surgery with irradiation of the pelvis, groin or leg. The goal of this prospective study was to compare three different surgical treatments comprising autologous transplantation of lymph vessels, autologous transplantation of supraclavicular lymph nodes and lymphovenous anastomoses. The postoperative outcome was evaluated by determining leg circumference, tissue bioimpedance (expressed as L-Dex) and tissue water content. The data was compared with patients' quality of life as assessed through a questionnaire. In addition, we investigated the feasibility of using technical devices for examinations in an outpatient setting and their suitability for postsurgical follow-up.
Between May 2012 and May 2015 we included 16 patients (1 man, 15 women) during 12-month postsurgical follow-up. No significant changes in average leg circumference values were observed. The average L-Dex value and average tissue water content decreased, respectively and also the average questionnaire score dropped. In summary, the findings suggest that the above-mentioned surgical procedures are good methods for treating secondary lymphedema of the leg, although none of the procedures was clearly superior. Moreover, the data indicate that the postoperative outcome has a positive impact on the patient's quality of life.


The invention concerns thermoplastic moulding compounds containing a) 5-95 parts by wt. of polyolefin selected from the group comprising polyethylene and polypropylene; b) 5-65 parts by wt. of uncrosslinked ethylene/propylene copolymer rubber with an ethylene content of 45-80 % by wt. relative to the total amount of rubber and/or 5-65 parts by wt. of cycloolefin copolymer with an ethylene content of 20-50 % by wt. relative to the cycloolefin copolymer and/or 5-65 parts by wt. of polyolefin elastomer made of unsaturated ethylene/octene copolymer with a melt flow index of 0.5-18 g/10 min; c) 15-60 parts by wt. of an ionomeric copolymer of ethylene and an alpha , beta -unsaturated carboxylic acid or the anhydride of such a carboxylic acid, the ionomer containing carboxylic acid groups neutralized with metal ions selected from the group comprising sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc; d) 0-65 parts by wt. of an alpha , beta -unsaturated ethylenic carboxylic acid compound, or an ester thereof, selected from the group comprising acrylic acid and methacrylic acid; e) 0.01-5 parts by wt. of an epoxy compound of formula (I) in which n = 0 to 10, R1 = hydrogen or an alkyl, aralkyl or aryl group and R2 is an alkyl, aralkyl, alkylalkoxy, cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl group and R3 is a group of formula (II) when n NOTEQUAL 0 but R3 is hydrogen when n = 0, or mixtures of these compounds; f) 0.01-5 parts by wt. of a carboxylic acid of the formula (III) R4-CH=CH-COOH in which R4 is a phenyl, naphthyl, cyclohexyl or cyclohexenyl group, or C1-C4 alkyl and/or alkoxy derivatives of the compound of formula (III). The invention also concerns a method of producing a thermoplastic moulding compound of this kind and its use in the manufacture of mouldings.


Understanding the effect of the artery curvature on the pressure drop inside the arteries is of great importance due to the existence of several curved portions inside the coronary arterial system. In this paper, an experimental model is developed to account for the effect of the curvature of the coronary arteries on the pressure drop and Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR). FFR is an index for the evaluation of the functional significance of coronary stenosis and is defined as the ratio of the coronary pressure downstream of the stenosis to its upstream value. To measure the pressure drop and FFR across curved artery models, three-dimensional-printed curved artery models are fabricated and installed in the test section of the experimental rig. For ratios of curvature radius over the artery diameter ranging from 2 to 7, there are a minimum value for the pressure drop and, hence, a corresponding maximum value for FFR at a ratio of approximately 3. For the curved arteries with larger curvature radii, the pressure drop increases, and consequently, FFR decreases with an increase in the radius. The results showed that an accurate evaluation of the pressure drop and FFR inside a curved coronary artery can only be achieved by accounting for the effect of curvature parameters including the curvature angle and radius, such that neglecting the effect of the artery curvature results in an underestimation of the pressure drop by about 25%–35%. The developed equation is able to determine the pressure drop inside a curved coronary artery model noninvasively.


Disclosed is a polarizing plate having a structure does not include and exhibit improved flexibility and visibility of the organic light emitting display and a method of manufacturing the organic light emitting display includes a buffer layer and on the second face of the touch electrode of the organic light emitting diode array, the electrode array includes a first touch and a second touch electrodes cross each other and at least the external light shielding layer, adhesive layer, color filter layer is formed between the touch electrode and the organic light emitting diode array.


To improve the well-being of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), more insight is needed on the effects of dietary interventions on disease outcome. An stressful invasive endoscopy is needed to assess disease activity and this could be avoided if non-invasive biomarkers could determine the disease activity. In this thesis, we aimed to investigate the role of gut-microbe interactions in vitro and the modulating effects of nutritional riboflavin supplementation on the human gut microbiome composition, while simultaneously evaluating novel biomarkers (biomarkers of inflammation, intestinal permeability and systemic oxidative stress) for monitoring of disease activity. First, we give an overview of different in vitro co-culture models for studying host-microbe interactions and demonstrated mutualistic interactions between the intestinal epithelium and beneficial, commensal Faecalibacterium prausnitzii bacteria. Furthermore, we performed a prospective clinical intervention study with riboflavin (RISE-UP Study) in Crohn's disease, and showed an improvement on symptoms, reduced systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, but interestingly, no clear effects on the gut microbiota. In addition, we demonstrated that (combinations of) inflammatory biomarkers correlate well with gut inflammation (fecal calprotectin and endoscopy). Additionally, we found that oral 52Cr-EDTA could assess gut permeability and plasma free thiols can be used as novel biomarker for systemic oxidative stress in relation to gut inflammation. The findings presented in this thesis contribute to the development of novel biomarkers for IBD disease activity and to better understanding of the potential of dietary modulation of inflammation and host-microbe interactions as therapeutic strategy to improve disease outcome in patients with IBD.


Expressions for derivatives of isotropic tensor functions with respect to the deformation tensor F are derived. Each derivative has the first representation in terms of eigenvectors; then, for computational conveniences, also a basis-free expression, in terms of eigen projections, is reported. Further, in the same fashion, also the time derivatives are provided. In the paper, a short review of different approaches to the problem existing in literature is presented. In order to make the exposition self-contained, some backgrounds of tensor analysis are also given.


We continue our study of the representations of the supergroup Q(n) over a field of odd positive characteristic. The focus here is on the aspects of the theory that depend in some way on the interpretation of induction in terms of sheaf cohomology of certain equivariant vector bundles on the associated flag superschemes.


We describe the dynamics of a cosmological term in the spherically symmetric case by an r-dependent second rank symmetric tensor Λμν invariant under boosts in the radial direction. The cosmological tensor Λμν represents the extension of the Einstein cosmological term Λgμν which allows it to be variable. This possibility is based on the Petrov classification scheme and Einstein field equations in the spherically symmetric case. The inflationary equation of state p = −ρ is satisfied by the radial pressure, pr = −ρ . The tangential pressure pΛ⊥ is calculated from the conservation equation Λν;μ = 0. The solutions of Einstein equations with cosmological term Λμν describe several types of globally regular self-gravitating vacuum configurations including vacuum nonsingular black holes. In this case global structure of space-time contains an infinite set of black and white holes, whose past and future singularities are replaced with the value of cosmological constant Λ of the scale of symmetry restoration, at the background of asymptotically flat or asymptotically de Sitter (with λ < Λ) universes. Geodesics structure of space-time demonstrates possibility of travelling into other universes through the interior of a Λ black hole. In the course of Hawking evaporation of a ΛBH, a second-order phase transition occurs, and globally regular configuration evolves towards a self-gravitating particlelike structure (Λ particle) at the background of Minkowski or de Sitter space. PACS numbers: 04.70.Bw, 04.20.Dw


The Wunderkammer / Cabinet of Curiosities project is a web platform that provides an interactive research tool for landscape architecture and design-relevant tools to support the design process at the interface between teachers and students


Most of the oil rich nations are experiencing volatile economic conditions impacting financial stability and Saudi Arabia, as the largest contributor, is by no means an exception. This study investigates the sustainability of Saudi Arabia's budgetary deficits from the period 1969-2014. Using the ARDL technique, we find strong evidence of the existence of a cointegrating relationship between revenue and expenditure. Our results indicate that Saudi Arabia may face difficulty in managing its long-term debts because the size of the slope parameter is below unitary, signaling weak deficit sustainability. In particular, we provide evidence of both short and long-run Granger causality while supporting the fiscal synchronization hypothesis. Our findings highlight some key policy implications specifically relating to the sustainability of future deficits in the country.


This paper presents the results of research intensive cultivation repair Simmental heifers in key economies Podolsk region based on vypoytsi at least 500 liters of whole milk, selecting and balancing feed rations for essential nutrients, macro -, microelements and vitamins. It was established that the maintenance of heifers during the growing optimum live weight at 6 months of age is 187 kg, 12month 292 kg 18 month 399 kg at first insemination and 390 -410 lbs. The highest milk production 6793 kg cow had first-born, the average live weight of which at calving was 572 kg and ranged from 556 to 588 kg. Heritability of live weight at first calving cows accounted h2 = 0,34. Pattern of increasing yield with increasing live weight acts to a certain level, namely the 541-580 kg, and subsequently disappears, a factor that milk increases to the same level as that operates this pattern. Your average positive correlation between body weight of animals before calving and milk yield in the first lactation (r = 0,33-0,41).


s: Monday 9 September 9 Abstracts: Tuesday 10 September 13s: Tuesday 10 September 13 Abstracts: Posters 18s: Posters 18 Abstracts: Wednesday 11 September 24s: Wednesday 11 September 24


The enterprise of rhesus monkey infants was assessed at 3-6 weeks, in terms of the maximum distances to which they moved away from their mothers, and at 37-44 weeks, in terms of the number of raisins taken in a series of tests in test compartments accessible to the infants but not to their mothers. Between weeks 6 and 37, enterprise in infants changed from low to high, remained low, decreased from high to low, or remained high, and our data let us test hypotheses about the effects of early maternal restriction, early social experience, and exposure to risk on these changes. We were able to refute the view that high levels of early maternal restriction were associated with high levels of late enteprise, for infants changed from low to high levels of enterprise in spite of having been restricted at low rates, and in other cases high levels of enterprise were maintained in spite of low levels of maternal restriction. Levesl of early enterprise were unrelated to early levels of social involvement with companions other than mother, and changes in enterprise were not associated with social involvement. This study confirmed that experience of risk can enhance enterprise, for infants showing increases in enterprise were more at risk because their mothers were not top-ranking, or because they had highly aggressive mothers, or because they were in a group in which there was an aggressive adult male. In contrast, the enterprise of infants with top-ranking mothers which were not aggressive decreased. The value of the classification approach used in this study was discussed. When a high proportion of the subjects produces variable data, large numbers are needed to provide cases about whose scores we are confident. Given enough cases, however, hypothesis testing can become more specific than is possible with simple correlational approaches.


Experimental consideration is given to the problem of whether or not the spatial distortions evident in abstract illusion figures remain apparent when such figures are embodied within patterns which represent real-life scenes and concrete objects. Materials are prepared specially to allow comparison of the magnitudes of abstract versions of the Poggendorff illusion with those of otherwise similar but concrete forms. The results of two experiments suggest that the characteristic distortion seen in this figure remains present, unchanged in direction and undiminished in extent, irrespective of any concrete connotations which the illusory spatial element may be given. The conclusion drawn is that the arguments invoking the lack of relevance of illusions to the wider issues of visual perception are based upon mistaken evidence


A new design approach for adaptive fuzzy logic controller (AFLC) based on neural-net concept is presented in this work. The main ideas of our proposed strategy include: (1) connectionist implementation of fuzzy logic controller (FLC) using a simplified fuzzy inference network (SFIN); (2) initialisation of the AFLC using supervised learning control; and (3) online adaptation of the AFLC using GPC performance index. A nonlinear plant with nonminimum phase characteristics and uncertainties is employed in our simulations. The observed results demonstrate the effectiveness at the presented AFLC.


Objective To investigate the impact of glutamine on intestinal barrier function of patients with cirrhosis. Methods Forty cases of patients with liver cirrhosis in our hospital from June 2011 to June 2012 were selected, and randomly divided into study group and control group according to the admission time, 20 cases in each group. Patients in control group were treated with liver protection, nutrition support, complications conventional treatment, the patients of study group were given L-glutamine treatment for eight weeks on the basis of control group. Small intestinal mucosa permeability changes were observed before and after treatment, and the incidence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis were observed too. Results After the treatment, the small intestinal mucosa permeability (L/M) of study group was significantly lower than before, the difference was statistically significant (P 0.05), and the L/M was lower than that of control group (P 0.05); the incidence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis of study group was significantly lower than that of control group (P 0.05). Conclusion Glutamine can enhance intestinal barrier function in cirrhotic patients, reduce intestinal bacterial translocation, and reduce the occurrence of intra-abdominal infections and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.


Size controllable monodispersed polystyrene microspheres were prepared by a dispersion polymerization with styrene as monomer.The effects of stirring speed,water-ethanol ratio,amount of emulsion agent,initiator and monomer on particle size distribution were discussed.The obtained samples were characterized by SEM,AFM,FT-IR and PL.The results showed that the polystyrene microspheres prepared by the method were uniform and monodisperse.The monodispersed polystyrene microspheres with the size from 100 nm to 800 nm were obtained.The fluorescence spectra results showed that the exciter fluorescence in polystyrene is at 390 nm,which has no relationship with the diameter.The polystyrene microspheres were self-assembled by Langmuir-Blodgett(LB) technology.


DO CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN POVERTY HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION? ABSTRACT Growing up in poverty bears numerous risks for children which may have different consequences on their growth and development and affect their adult age. Education is one of key parameters of breaking the cycle of poverty, but educational and social policies still do not recognise to a sufficient extent the importance of investing in targeted measures and services which are directed towards overcoming the barriers these children are faced with. Although according to the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia education should be free and accessible to all, different research and status review of the accessibility of services and other aspects related to educational processes clearly indicate numerous aspects which require substantial material resources. In that sense children who live in poverty are extremely disadvantaged which puts them in an unequal position in comparison with their peers in the education system. The paper presents some obstacles that the children who live in poverty are faced with which additionally contribute to social differences in the education system. Introduction of accessible and universal services and measures into the system of education would contribute to a fairer position of the children of lower socio-economic status and enable their equal participation with other children. Key words: child poverty; right to education; educational inequalities; barriers to education


The present invention relates to a method of providing power for the compression-ignition engine method, containing a primary fuel of methanol and water, and comprising: an air flow of fumigant fumigation comprising ignition enhancer entry; introducing by air into the fumigation a combustion chamber of the engine; and said main fuel into said combustion chamber; and igniting said primary fuel / air mixture to drive the engine. Also provides a fuel used in the process for two parts of fuel for the process and the associated power generation system.


Objective:To evaluate the method of 320-slice CT with low radiation dose for CT coronary angiography.Methods:Using 320-slice CT,one hundred patients suspected of coronary artery diseases were collected and randomly divided into the study group(improved retrospective ECG-gating coronary artery imaging,50 patients) and the control group(conventional retrospective ECG-gating coronary artery imaging,50 patients).The imaging quality of coronary artery segments and radiation dose were recorded for statistics.Results:The percentage of assessable coronary artery segments was 94.03%(615/654) in the experimental group,whereas 94.68%(605/639) in the control group.There was no significant difference of imaging quality between the two groups(P0.05).The mean effective dosage(ED) in the experimental group was(2.90±0.37)mSv and(10.33±1.65)mSv in the control group.There was significant difference between radiation dose of the study group and that of the control group(P0.05).Conclusion:320 slice CT coronary angiography performed with improved retrospective ECG-gating imaging can substantially reduce radiation doses by 72% while preserving good diagnostic image quality.


Sets thrown at random in space contain, on average, a number of integer points equal to the measure of these sets. We determine the mean square error in the estimate of this number when the sets are homothetic to a domain with fractal boundary. This is related to the problem of approximating Lebesgue integrals by random Riemann sums.


Four groups of rats were alternately magazine trained and bar-press trained on successive days. Two incentive-contrast groups both received 64% sucrose on magazine-training days; one group was shifted to 32% and the other to 8% sucrose reinforcement on barpress days. One control group received 32% sucrose on both types of days and a second received 8% sucrose on both. All reinforcements were on a 1-min. fixed-interval schedule. Both of the shift groups barpressed at a higher rate than their respective controls during early acquisition trials, but at a lower rate during later trials, on which asymptotic performance was approached. Interpretation of this two-phase result was suggested in terms of an increasing discrimination in the experimental Ss between magazine and barpress incentives.


Eye tracking and brainwave are becoming parts of human machine interface. In automobiles are being integrated with advanced driver assistance systems to improve the safety and assists. To reduce car accidents, vehicles should be detected by other drivers or pedestrian in any situations. Nowadays, many countries use the function of daytime running light (DRL) as a safety measure to reduce car accidents by increasing the contrast between vehicles and the background. Third brake light (TBL) also significantly increases and being legal requirement on all vehicles around the world. Light emitting diodes (LED) and their bright lights offer unique design possibilities in lighting technology. This paper surveys the effectiveness of LED in eye recognition based on for vehicles.


Objective To investigate the clinical characteristic of acute myocardial infarction( AMI) in elderly patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease( AECOPD). Method Clinical symptom、laboratory examination、electrocardiogram of 22 elderly patients with AECOPD and AMI( Group A) were reviewed,Meanwhile,164 elderly AECOPD patients without AMl( Group B)were analyzed as control. Results Either Group A or Group B had cough、expectoration、dyspnea; The incidence of the case of sudden exacerbation of chest tightness and dyspnea was significantly higher in Group A than in B( 100% vs 3. 7%,P 0. 01),most of Group A accompanying cold sweat( 81. 8% vs 0,P 0. 01) 、syncope( 22. 7% vs 0,P 0. 01) 、gastrointestinal symptoms( 36. 4% vs 10. 4%,P 0. 01) and hypotension( 18. 2% vs 3. 7%,P 0. 05); the numerical of arterial partial pressure of oxygen / oxygen concentration( PaO2/FiO2) was significantly lower in Group A than in B( 313. 52 ±126. 68 vs 361. 86 ±120. 82,P 0. 05). Conclusion AMI should be alerted in the case of sudden exacerbation of chest tightness and dyspnea、cold sweat、syncope、hypotension in elderly patients with AECOPD,Tracking electrocardiogram and myocardial zymogram may help to make a definite diagnosis.


In the text the author analyzes the excerpt of the work of late republican lawyer Alfenus Varus on the responsibility of slaves for the actions taken on the owner's order. Text of Alfenus is preserved in D. 44.7.20. Its interpretation indicates that the discussed question was the private liability on the ground of lex Aquilia de damno and the perpetrator was manumitted after committing the wrongful act. The rule quoted by Alfenus, that the manumitted slaves should not be released from responsibility for the actions taken on the order of their masters, could refer to liability on the ground of the private and public law.


The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Carthami Flos on interstitial cells of Cajal in the gastrointestinal tract. Many regions of the tunica muscularis of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract display spontaneous contraction. These spontaneous contractions are mediated by periodic generation of electrical slow waves. Recent studies have shown that the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) act as pacemakers and conductors of electrical slow waves in gastrointestinal smooth muscles. We investigated the cytotoxicity activity, antioxidant activity, and pacemaking activity. The cytotoxicity activity was measured by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Antioxidant activities were determined by DPPH (1.1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging capacity assay and DCFH-DA (2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate) method. The effects of Carthami Flos on the pacemaker potentials in cultured ICCs from murine small intestine were investigated by using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques at 30℃. The addition of Carthami Flos (5, 10, 30 μg/ml) depolarized the resting membrane potentials in a concentration dependent manner. These results suggest that the GI tract can be targets for Carthami Flos, and their interaction can affect intestinal motility.


In this paper we argue that spatial voting games and power index models are not necessarily exclusive ways to analyse EU decision-making. We find that the two main criticisms pointed out by scholars of spatial voting games, namely that power indices do not take into account preferences or the role of the agenda-setter, are not fully valid as spatial voting games deal with complete whereas power indices deal with incomplete contracts. Ideas for combining the two so far very opposite views are then discussed.


Objective: To study the correlation between the different facial nerve dissection method and the functional injury of the nerve in parotidectomy.Methods: 120 cases of parotid tumor were randomly divided into 3 groups,anterograde dissection of facial nerve through the trunk,retrograde dissection through zygomatic branch and retrograde dissection through marginal mandibular branch were conducted in group A,B and C respectively.Then,the ratio of functional injury of facial nerve and functional recovery period were observed.Results: The ratios of functional injury of facial nerve and functional recovery period of the patients in A,B and C groups were 5% and 2.58 months,12.5% and 2.82 months,70% and 6.52 months respectively.There was no statistical significance between the group A and B,however,there were statistical significance in the ratio of factional injury(P0.01) and recovery period(P0.05) between group C and A or B.Conclusion: Combining anterograde and retrograde methods of dissecting facial nerve through the trunk and zygomatic branch of facial may be a better choice to reduce the functional damage of facial nerve in parotidectomy.


The problem of ensuring safety of electric and magnetic fields (EMF) of extremely low frequencies (ELF) is resulted from the development of the first low-frequency generators producing penetrating effect and causing negative biological outcomes. World power resources are doubling every 10 years, and ELF EMF are generated around by such sources. The number of sources on the scale of application, power and design diversity significantly exceeds those generating EMF in other frequency ranges. The population is exposed to 50 Hz ELF at work, in electric transport, in residential and public buildings, in residential areas. ELF EMF was found both to "pollute" the environment, be an environmental health risk factor, and affect negatively the health with potential long-term outcomes. Development of various methods and means of protection against the effect of ELF EMF remains relevant today. Limitation (regulation) of the effect of the factor both in terms of intensity and exposure is the most effective protection. Epidemiological studies to identify the relationship between exposure to ELF magnetic fields (MF) and carcinogenesis are on-going. A task panel group of research experts, established by WHO in 2005, conducted a routine procedure to assess health risks resulting from exposure to ELF MFs and, in particular, cancer and considered them to lack evidence. However, the significance of the data obtained was noted to be reduced due to procedural problems, potential systematic error of assessment. The problem remains unsolved. Research using various types of monitoring: social and hygienic, sanitary and epidemiological, is going on. Spatio-temporal monitoring of 50 Hz ELF MF in enclosed spaces of residential and public buildings, where a variety of equipment, devices, power supply systems, generating different MF levels, is an important area. The population is exposed to these conditions most of the day. Monitoring will allow assessing electromagnetic load at short-term and long-term exposures.


The influence of polymer-polymer interactions and ultrasonic parameters on the ultrasonic degradation of polycaproamide in aqueous 40% H2SO4 was investigated. It was found that the rate data for the concentrations studied could be represented well by Ovenall's rate equation. However values of the rate constant chosen to fit Ovenall's equation tend to decrease with increasing concentration of polycaproamide from 0.5 to 2.0 g/100 cm3. With increasing ultrasonic power, the degradation rate increases, but it decreases as frequency is increased. This suggests that cavitation has a dominant role.


eld theory is a dynamic model of dark energy. This model is unique in that it gives predictions which can be tested in terrestrial experiments. Here, we consider the prediction that the chameleon eld exacts a force on objects in vacuum. Due to symmetry of typical objects, this force is usually miniscule. However, the chameleon force on a single surface can be surprisingly large, which is why we investigate whether there exist geometries for which the net chameleon force on an object is large enough to be measured. Moreover, we consider multi-body systems, such as the setup of the high-frequency short-range gravity experiment at Indiana University (arXiv:hep-ph/0303057v2), which consists of three oscillating parallel plates.


The paper continues the author's research of genealogy of actor-network theory and its connection with social and political philosophy of Michel Foucault. Basing on general representation of "hereditary" relation of the two models of research and explanation of social reality, the hermeneutic exposition of understanding of the phenomenon of power through the conception of "assemblages" in ANT is made. The genetic connection of exten sions (referents) of Latour's and Foucault's ideas is demonstrated. Methodologically, the paper is based on the comparative analysis of social theories in the discourse of modern socio-humanitarian studies, as well as hermeneutic approach to the historical-philosophical ideas of ANT. It is claimed, that, in spite of intentions diversity (particularly, connected with the absence of the concept "assemblage" in Foucault's  philosophy), the genealogy and archaeology of power of Foucault genetically precedes epistemic, social and political implications of the intention of "assemblage", which is used in Latour's philosophy of social. The main thesis, which is common for both theories, postulates the idea, according to which, the power did not emerge "unexpectedly" and did not exist as a kind of transcendental reality, independent of individual. Contrary to such a way of interpretation of social reality, the gradual, "step-by-step" character of power formation on a crossing of social assemblages and their re-assembling, through the transgression of social formations and alteration of "social body" is justified.


A series of microporous carbons has been obtained through carbonization and KOH activation of a commercially available styrene divinylbenzene resin with sulfonate functional groups, Amberjet 1200 H. The resulting carbons featured very high specific surface areas: from 725 m2 g−1 to 3870 m2 g−1, large total pore volumes: from 0.44 cm3 g−1 to 2.07 cm3 g−1, and exceptionally developed microporosity: from 0.2 cm3 g−1 to 1.16 cm3 g−1. The controlled activation process afforded high amounts of ultramicropores (micropores < 0.75 nm) reaching 0.32 cm3 g−1. Physisorption measurements showed very high uptakes of CO2 and H2 reaching 356 mg g−1 of CO2 (0 °C, 800 mmHg), 209 mg g−1 of CO2 (25 °C, 850 mmHg), and 39 mg g−1 of H2 (−196 °C, 850 mmHg).


Crit Care Med 2012 Vol. 40, No. 12 The first human blood transfusion was given >300 yrs ago and since then many millions of patients worldwide have benefited from this procedure. Yet, the practice of blood transfusion has been beset with controversy, such that its popularity has waxed and waned over the years. In the relatively young specialty of critical care medicine, we have also witnessed this pendulum in transfusion practice. For many years, the transfusion threshold widely used in our intensive care units was a hemoglobin concentration of 10 g/dL and a hematocrit of 30%, the so-called "10/30" rule largely credited to Adams and Lundy (1). Anemia was considered as the enemy, to be corrected whenever possible. Then, in 1999, came the famous Canadian study by Hébert et al (2) showing that lower thresholds may, in fact, be acceptable and may even be beneficial in certain groups of patients, notably patients with lower disease severity and younger patients. These observations supported what many had believed for some time, and clinicians were keen to apply them. Thus, although implementing study results into clinical practice took (as always) some time, hemoglobin transfusion thresholds began to decrease steadily (Fig. 1) (3). Over the subsequent years, this more restrictive approach to transfusion was supported by several observational studies demonstrating that blood transfusion was associated with increased mortality rates (4, 5), encouraging us to decrease our transfusion thresholds even further. Blood transfusions were now the enemy, to be avoided whenever possible. But in the last 4 yrs, we have had three studies that suggest that transfusions may be associated with reduced mortality rates! In the Sepsis Occurrence in Acutely Ill Patients study (6), propensity score case matching showed higher 30-day survival rates in transfused patients than in other patients (p = .004). In surgical intensive care unit patients, Sakr et al (7) reported that blood transfusions were independently associated with a lower risk of in-hospital death (relative risk 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.92–0.99, p = .031), especially in patients aged from 66 to 80 yrs, in patients admitted to the intensive care unit after noncardiovascular surgery, in patients with higher severity scores, and in patients with severe sepsis. Finally, in a study from Korea reported in this issue of Critical Care Medicine, Park et al (8) used a Cox proportional hazard model and noted that red blood cell transfusions were associated with a lower risk of 28-day and in-hospital mortality in their population of 1,054 patients with sepsis due to community-acquired pneumonia. The authors suggest this effect may be particularly true in septic patients, but their observations could apply equally to all critically ill patients as was suggested in the two earlier studies (6, 7). Perhaps these recent findings are a reflection that we have taken our attempts to limit transfusions too far? Are our transfusion thresholds now so low that the benefit of transfusion exceeds the risk? Looking back at the Hébert study (2), only 13% of patients screened were actually enrolled—so that the results may not be as generalizable as they were widely taken to be. Furthermore, in a later analysis of the data, Deans and colleagues (9) confirmed that although 30-day mortality was indeed lower in the restrictive group than in the liberal group in patients without coronary artery disease, in patients with coronary artery disease, mortality rates were higher in the restrictive group. In addition, blood may be safer today: there has been considerable progress in blood banking strategies, including collection, storage, and infection screening, and leukoreduction, which may help reduce some of the adverse effects of blood transfusion, is now more widely used (10). So, should we repeat the study by Hébert et al to try and determine an ideal transfusion threshold in today's optimized blood bank environment? I don't think so... We tried to perform such a study with the Sepsis Occurrence in Acutely Ill Patients group, comparing hemoglobin transfusion thresholds of 7 g/dL vs. 9 g/dL, but stopped the trial early because the very idea of a fixed threshold for all intensive care unit patients actually makes little sense. Clearly a young, previously healthy trauma patient is unlikely to Transfusion triggers: Getting it right!*


This paper is a study about application of recently proposed Performance Based Mixture Design (PBMD) for design of high strength concrete (HSC) to obtain HSC mix proportion that satisfies required performances. The PBMD method which uses Satisfaction curve based on a Bayesian method is a performance oriented concrete mix proportion design procedure easily applicable to any condition and environment for a possible replacement to the current prescriptive design standards. Based on extensive experimental results obtained for various materials and performance parameters of HSC, the application feasibility of the developed PBMD procedure for HSC has been verified. Also, the proposed PBMD procedure has been used to perform application examples to obtain desired target performances of HSC with optimum concrete mixture proportions using locally available materials, local environmental conditions, and available concrete production technologies. The validity and precision of HSC mix proportion design obtained using the PBMD method is verified with the experimental and ACI presented results to check the feasibility for actual design usage.


Geographic differences in fin whale song that may be related to population structure have been documented in the Atlantic and Southern Oceans. However, information on the songs and population structure of fin whales in the North Pacific is limited. We analyzed fin whale songs recorded over 9 months by an Autonomous Underwater Recorder for Acoustic Listening device (AURAL, Multi-Electronique Inc.) deployed west of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (July 2010 to March 2011). Our analysis focused on internote intervals—the song characteristic that others have shown to display the most geographic variation. We found that beginning in mid-August and continuing to the end of our study, fin whales produced one stereotyped song consisting of alternating classic (C) and backbeat (B) notes. Internote interval evolved slightly over this time period, and small differences in interval length occurred among individual songs. However, all songs shared the same note arrangement (i.e., the interval between C and B notes ...


The genus Bovista Pers.:Pers. belongs to Lycoperdaceae and is characterized by globose to subglobose basidiomata, absence of subgleba and capillitium varying from Lycoperdan via intermediate to Bovista type. Though the North-westem Himalayan forests encompass a great variety of ecological habitats and climatic conditions suitable for the growth of rich macrofungal flora but only four species of this genus viz. B. plumbea Pers., B. bovistoides (Cke. & Mass.) Ahmad, B. fulva Mass. and B. limosa Rost. are known to occur in this region (Ahmad 1942, Thind & Thind 1982). During the macrofungal investigation in Western Himalaya, the authors came across some interesting specimens of this genus which after detailed study appeared as unrecorded from India.


The authors of the article describe the results of the investigation of efficiency and bearableness of combined therapy using replaceable hormonal therapy (HRT) and topical phytoestrogens for the treatment of face skin aging and climacteric syndrome at 48 women in menopause. HRT preparations were selected by the gynecologist-endocrinologist individually. Cosmetic creams with phytoestrogen complex Soyaglycon in concentration of 3% were used at home 2 times per day on the cleared face skin within 3 months. Expressed positive dynamics in 93,8% of patients is connected with synergetic action of HRT and phytoestrogens on structure and functioning of a skin


In the last decade of the fifteenth century the image of Ferdinand the Catholic acquired a European dimension, defined by his relations with the Papacy, his projects of expansion in the Mediterranean, and the dispute with France over the Kingdom of Naples. The present study reconstructs the trajectory of this political icon, which is not always upward, making use of the opinions of chroniclers, the rhetorical production and the propaganda literature that was generated during these years which were marked by international tension and prophetic expectancy: a period of convulsion, and at the same time decisive in the symbolic establishment of the monarchy of the Catholic Kings.


This thesis discusses the synthesis, structures and NMR studies of the compounds bearing benzene-1,4-dicarboxamide groups and their divalent metal complexes. NMR studies on N,N'-bis(2-pyridinyl)-1,4-benzenedicarboxamide (L1)、 N,N'-bis(3-pyridinyl)-1,4-benzenedicarboxamide (L2)、N,N'-bis(4-pyridinyl)-1,4-benzenedicarboxamide (L3) and N,N'-bis(2-pyrimidinyl)-1,4-benzenedicarboxamide (L4) show some of the informations for these ligands, but not the precise conformations. In the solid state these ligands show both the cis- and trans-conformations, which were verified by X-ray crystallography. Reactions of ZnI2 and Co(NO3)2 with N,N'-bis(3-pyridinyl)-1,4-benzenedicarboxamide(L2), afforded [Zn(HBDC)(BDC)0.5(L2)0.5].3DMF, 1 and [Co3(BDC)3(L2)], 2. Both complexes have been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. Complex 1 consists of dinuclear metal centers, which are linked by the BDC- and L2 ligands to form a 2D network, and the approximately accessible cavity is 17.078 × 10.936 A2. Complex 2 consists of trinuclear metal centers, which are linked by the BDC- and L2 ligands to form a 3D structure. All the L2 ligands in these two complexes show trans-conformation.


ABSTRACT This study seeks to explain the rise and performance of "segmented neocorporatism" in Uruguay in light of contemporary theories of wage coordination, largely framed by the Varieties of Capitalism school and its recent critics. First it argues that the legacy of a centralized labor law framework, and a unified union movement, combined with Frente Amplio's decisive labor empowerment from above to launch neocorporatist wage coordination in the period 2005–10. Second, it analyzes the stabilization of the coordinated model in 2013–19, in times of sluggish growth and labor tensions, evinced in the control of inflation pressures and social conflict. The article concludes that the macroeconomic combination of supply-side and Keynesian policies and the inclusion of precarious workers shaped an egalitarian version of corporatism with important challenges ahead.


The permanent magnet linear synchronous motor(PMLSM) position control system is sensitive to various disturbances such as the parameter perturbations,load disturbances and so on.An adaptive internal model controller(AIMC) is proposed to eliminate this trouble,integrating with internal model control and model reference adaptive control.Simulation results show that the adaptive internal model controller is superior to the conventional PI controller in dynamic stability performance and speed tracking power,and adaptive internal model controller has strong robustness to external disturbance.


The combustion disturbance analysis of power plant boiler flame detection signal was carried out by the filtering method.More information reflecting combustion characteristics were extracted except for reflecting the flame on and off.Through the filtering analysis of 24 coal flame detectors and 16 oil flame detectors output signals of a 600 MW coal-fired unit were analyzed through the filtering.Rusults show that obvious correlation exists between not only the intermediate frequency signal of single flame detector combustion intensity and the intermediate frequency signal of the layer fuel(amount,) but also the intermediate frequency signal of the flame detector average combustion intensity and the intermediate frequency signal of total fuel amount.Through the filtering,the flame detection signal can reflect the boiler combustion state quickly,and analysis results based on the flame information obtained by the CCD camera has been verified.The flame detection signal can be used for feed-forward control system and combustion fault diagnosis.


This study evaluated the effects of crystal size, CaCO3 and H2O2 simulated oxygenation doses on the kinetics of pyrite (FeS2) oxidation in order to better predict the potential behavior of pyrite in various mine backfill settings in Brazil. As expected, oxidation rate decreased with increasing crystal size and was slower at higher doses of CaCO3, except for the finest grains, where a liming effect was not evident. These results suggest microencapsulation via precipitation of Fe onto surfaces of the pyrite crystals leading to decreasing oxidation rates. Higher doses of CaCO3 were necessary to stabilize pyrite at the lowest oxygenation levels, but the reaction efficiency of CaCO3 was decreased at higher concentrations of H2O2. These data point out the importance of understanding the fundamental interactions of pyrite grain size, oxygenation, and the potential for Fe-oxide armoring when liming pyritic materials.


Recent work aimed at establishing a rational, objective basis for aesthetics and the arts repudiates the division between the 'two cultures' which is used politically to justify marginalization of the arts in education and society. Far from weakening this cultural division, however, such writing and research has reinforced it. With the aim of reversing this trend, it is argued that 'scientism' is a myth, that objectivity of knowledge in science is comparable but not superior to that in aesthetics and the arts, and that polarization of the 'two cultures' and marginalization of the arts is based on ideology, not reason. There is and always has been significant common ground between art and science, encompassing not only issues of mutual concern but also modes of enquiry, many of which are far more similar than seems commonly to be supposed. A consideration of some of the similarities and differences between art and science shows that there is no fundamental division between them: both are part of one culture, not paradigms of two. This observation leads to ideas on the possible re-integration of art and science in education, particularly through development of observation and common curriculum content.


This paper applies a two-stage banking model to analyze the operational efficiency of 137 Asian banks. Tobit regression model is also used to investigate the effect under the different operating environment and the characteristics of banks on banking efficiency. The empirical results show that technical inefficiency in the production stage for all the Asian banks is caused by pure technical inefficiency. In the intermediary stage, the banks' technical inefficiencies in China, Taiwan, and South Korea are mainly caused by pure technical inefficiency, whereas in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Philippines, it is caused by scale inefficiency. From the policy perspective, this study can help Asian banks recognize whether their competition edges lie in acting more as a producer or an intermediary. The findings can also provide important references for banks in Asian countries to deliberate upon the capacities and niche in order to improve their competitive position in the financial market.


The X-ray and mid-IR emission from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are strongly correlated. However, while various published parameterizations of this correlation are consistent with the low-redshift, local Seyfert galaxy population, extrapolations of these relations to high luminosity differ by an order of magnitude at &ngr; L &ngr; ?> (6 μm) ∼ 10 47 erg s − 1 ?> . Using data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, we determine the mid-IR luminosities of the most luminous quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and present a revised formulation of the X-ray to mid-IR relation of AGNs which is appropriate from the Seyfert regime to the powerful quasar regime.


The tendencies of deepening automation in solving managerial tasks are shown. The features of the use of ERP systems in various regions of the country, including in agriculture, are considered. Special attention is paid to the most popular software products in the field of integrated control automation. Dynamics and prospects of development of software products of complex automation of management in modern conditions are reflected. The main problems of the transition from foreign automation systems to domestic programs based on the 1C platform are highlighted. Further directions of development of information technologies in enterprise management are shown.


An empirical study between tax rebates and employment indicates that in the single-factor model export tax rebates have a negative effect on employment.However,according to the multi-factor model,the export tax rebates have a significantly positive effect on employment.Furthermore,export tax rebate has little impact on the state-owned enterprises but has a significantly positive impact on the private companies.The fact is our government interferes much in the stateowned enterprises,therefore our country must adjust the tax in relationship to the changes of the domestic and overseas market demands,and relieve the tax pressure on the private companies so that it can play a better role in promoting employment.


A systematic investigation into users' browsing behavior towards an EC Web site was made. A novel Markov chain-based way combining the Web log file information and the topology of an EC Web site was presented to rank a user's interest in a WebPage. Then a URL-USERID relevant matrix was set up, with URL taken as a row and USERID as column, and each element's value was the probability of a user to access a WebPage when time goes infinitely. Finally, using the URL-USERID relevant matrix, a clustering matrix was proposed to group similar users. The clustering results are fairly helpful to providing personalized service and implementation of customer relationship management


The utility model discloses an outdoor nude display screen comprising a light bar module, a distribution box for supplying power to the light bar module, and connecting strips which are used for fixedly connecting multiple light bars of the light bar module and for fixing the light bar module on a display screen installation position, wherein the light bar module comprises a plurality of light bars which are distributed in parallel; the distribution box is fixedly connected with the light bars of the light bar module. The outdoor display screen can integrally fix the light bar module components and a distribution box body through the connecting strips; compared with an existing outdoor display screen, the outdoor display screen has the advantage that an outer frame of the display screen does not need to be fixed because the distribution box body and the connecting strips jointly bear force of a display screen body; the outdoor nude display screen can be subjected to outdoor nude installation because of the simple and reliable waterproof structure process of the light bars and the distribution box body, the simple and reliable waterproof structure of connecting parts between the light bars and the distribution box and the excellent heat radiation of the distribution box.


Purpose – To provide an overview of the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) Task Force Meeting, held in Portland, Oregon, December 2004.Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive review of the main points from the meeting.Findings – Participants were offered a rich and diverse set of presentations that advanced and reported on CNI's programs, showcase projects and issues from Task Force member institutions, and highlighted key activities in the broader field of networked information.Originality/value – This paper is a useful summary of a conference of interest to library and information management professionals.


Introduction: Nowadays, one of the most important factors in employee's motivation and dynamism is learning. Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is also a discretionary and extra-role behavior that plays a vital role in the effective function of the organization. In this study, the relationship between learning organization and organizational citizenship behavior was examined. Methods: This analytical research was done through cross-sectional method in Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences of Yazd, Iran, 2013. The research population was comprised from the university employees. A total of 150 employees contributed in the study. The required data was gathered using 2 valid questionnaires including learning organization questionnaire and OCB questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the reliability of theses questionnaires were 0.974 and 0.89, respectively. Validity was confirmed by experts. Data analyzed through SPSS16. Results: Among dimensions of the learning organization, the question and dialogue achieved highest score and share learning achieved lowest score. There was not a significant positive relationship between learning organization and OCB. Gender, work experience and education level had no significant relationship with OCB. Conclusion: Among dimensions of the learning organization, only the question and dialogue had a significant positive correlation with OCB. It means that the improvement of OCB through education increase arguably the culture of question and dialogue in the organization.


BACKGROUND
The hypothesis that thrombin mediates the formation of neointimal vascular lesions at sites of mechanical vascular injury has been tested in baboons by measurement of the effects of hirudin delivered by retrovirus-transduced hirudin-secreting vascular endothelial cells (ECs) lining surgically implanted arterial vascular grafts (AVGs).

METHODS AND RESULTS
The antithrombotic efficacy of baboon ECs transduced with cDNA encoding hirudin was assessed in vitro and in vivo on thrombogenic segments in chronically exteriorized femoral arteriovenous (AV) shunts. Bilateral brachial AVGs lined with hirudin-transduced versus nonhirudin control ECs at confluent density were surgically implanted, and vascular lesion formations at distal graft-vessel anastomoses were compared after 30 days. Hirudin-transduced ECs secreted 20+/-6 ng x 10(6) cells(-1) x 24 h(-1) (range, 14 to 24 ng x 10(6) cells(-1) x 24 h(-1)) hirudin in supernatants of static cultures. Hirudin-secreting ECs on segments of collagen-coated graft interposed in chronic AV shunts decreased the accumulation of (111)In-labeled platelets to 0.52+/-0.34 x 10(9) platelets, compared with 0.82+/-0.49 x 10(9) platelets in controls (P = 0.03) and reduced platelet deposition in propagated thrombotic tails extending downstream from segments of vascular graft from 1.38+/-0.41 x 10(9) platelets in controls to 0.59+/-0.22 x 10(9) platelets (P = 0.04). ECs recovered from 30-day AVG implants generated 17+/-9 ng x 10(6) cells(-1) x 24 h(-1) (range, 9 to 25 ng x 10(6) cells(-1) x 24 h(-1)) hirudin. Hirudin-secreting ECs reduced neointimal lesion formation at distal graft-vessel anastomoses, ie, 1.02 mm(2) (range, 0.88 to 1.95 mm(2)) versus 1.82 mm(2) (range, 0.88 to 2.56 mm(2)) in contralateral AVGs bearing nonhirudin control ECs (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS
Viral vector-directed secretion of hirudin from ECs lining implanted AVGs significantly reduces the formation of thrombus and neointimal vascular lesions.


A lmost a quarter century ago (can it truly be that long?), Diagnostic Molecular Pathology (DMP) was created as the first forum for papers in diagnostic anatomic pathology that emphasized the use of molecular methods to enhance patient diagnosis and clinical management. I have had the privilege of serving as the Editorin-Chief of DMP for 14 of its 22 volumes. Over the last 15 years, but most especially in the last 5, the use of molecular methods in diagnostic anatomic pathology has witnessed remarkable growth and development. Today, molecular pathology laboratories are an integral part of most academic and many general practice departments. Coupled with the data derived from the human genome project and dramatic improvements in technology, the study of disease by means of molecular methods and the application of this knowledge for clinical diagnosis and prognostication are reshaping both biomedical research and general medical practice. This biomedical revolution is the field of molecular anatomic pathology and no one method dominates. Rather, all of the modern tools at the disposal of the pathologists, including tissue-based DNA and RNA extraction and amplification methods as well as morphology-based methods such as immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, routinely enhance the precision of our diagnostics and guide the selection of therapies for patient management. This dynamic evolution of molecular pathology continues to drive competition for the top-quality papers in our field. Indeed, molecular pathology topics are now the mainstream subject matter of virtually all pathology journals. Furthermore, the complementary nature of immunohistochemical and molecular methods in anatomic pathology diagnostics causes one to realize that emphasizing one class of methods to the potential exclusion of the other is no longer a good reflection of clinical practice. Thus, the time seems right to evolve and grow with the times to continue to bring our readers the very best and most relevant publications. How to do this was a bit complex and carefully considered. The strategy was to broaden the scope of articles and methods while also improving quality and importantly the frequency of publication to compete with journals publishing monthly in order to address the impact factor concerns of many of our authors. Working together with our publisher, the best overall solution became crystal clear. By merging the content of DMP with that of our sister journal, Applied Immunohistochemistry and Molecular Morphology (AIMM), the above goals could be achieved and expanded. The volume of manuscripts from both Journals will allow both expanded content and increased publication frequency while driving competitive quality and impact. Several months of behind-the-scenes work by the Publisher along with Dr Clive Taylor, the long-time Editor of AIMM and the Editor-in-Chief of the new improved AIMM, promises to provide the field with an outstanding platform for publications in our dynamic field. So, dear reader, thank you! It has been a true privilege to serve as DMP's editor and, through this Journal, help the field of molecular diagnostic evolve and mature. And now with AIMM, the field of molecular anatomic pathology will move to an even higher level. We appreciate your loyalty and, more importantly, welcome the contribution of your best work to Applied Immunohistochemistry and Molecular Morphology. So as you see it is not truly a farewell to DMP. Rather together, we are all AIMMing higher.


Chiang Kai-shek's attitude for the future of Anti-Japanese war before the July 7 Incident of 1937 wavered between two extremes of negative and positive.His motive lied in: dealing with the situation of rising emotion of anti-Japanese war;strengthening his dominant position;emphasizing the importance of his deployment for Anti-Japanese war.Chiang Kai-shek's contradictory attitude for the future of anti-Japanese war reflected the complexity of his thought about Japan,so we shouldn't superficially deny or affirm his anti-Japanese war position and national position based on his temporary speech about Japan.


In this study, the effect of the recently strengthened heavy taxation of capital gains tax and comprehensive real estate tax on the apartment market in the metropolitan area was analyzed using the vector error correction model. As a result of the shock response analysis, the volume of apartment sales transactions in the Seoul metropolitan area had the greatest impact on the apartment sales price index, followed by mortgage loans in the Seoul metropolitan area and GDP. On the other hand, it was found that there was no significant shock reaction to the heavy capital gains tax and the heavy comprehensive real estate tax. However, most parallaxes show negative (-) values, indicating that they negatively affect apartment sales prices in the Seoul metropolitan area. As a result, it can be seen that the apartment market in the metropolitan area is generally affected by changes in the housing tax system, such as heavy capital gains tax and heavy comprehensive real estate tax, along with housing finance, supply, and macroeconomic factors. As a result of this analysis, the housing-related tax strengthening policy can contribute to stabilizing the housing market by lowering housing prices during the rapid rise in housing prices. However, the tax strengthening policy during the period of falling housing prices due to the economic recession can cause a sharp downturn in the housing market.


Tuberculous osteomyelitis without joint involvement is a disease well described in the classic studies; its incidence was high during the "wild tuberculosis" era [Sorrel and Sorrel-Dejerine (1932) reported 649 cases in a series of 4660 chil dren with tuberculosis]. It was less frequent in adults during the same period. Sorrel and Sorrel-Dejerine (1932) reported only 40 cases of 1918 adults with tuber culosis (2%). The frequency of the disease in children has diminished considerably since the advent of chemotherapy in the treatment of tuberculosis. Twenty-five years ago, Gerard-Marchand pointed out the "extreme rarity" of the lesion in chil dren. In adults, tuberculous osteomyelitis still occurs, but it seems that this par ticular type of lesion has been more or less forgotten by modem authors - only a few isolated cases have been reported in the literature during the last 20 years (Lindahl 1952; O'Connor et al. 1970; Manzella et al. 1975; Lynder 1982). For this reason, we shall refer in this chapter to our personal experience with tuberculous osteomyelitis (Martini et al. 1981, 1986). This type of lesion occurs frequently in Algeria, involving 20% of cases of bone and joint tubercu losis and 25% of cases of chronic osteomyelitis of hematogenous origin. We have been able to observe 130 locations of the disease over a period of 17 years. These figures relate to 116 patients, of whom 105 were adult. We believe this high incidence is due not only to epidemiologic factors, but can also be ac counted for in part by the rigorous histologic and bacteriologic tests performed in order to confirm a diagnosis of tuberculosis in the face of any chronic he matogenous bone infection.


As the crucial means of the development of national education,national education policy and national education law are dialectical unity.However,in the case of the development of Chinese national education,emphasis should be laid on the function and the construction of national education,for the reason that,firstly,this is the historical experience and lesson from the tortuous process of the development of national education;secondly,this is determined by the backwards situation of the development of national education;thirdly,this is required by the goals of the development of national education.


that many accidents may be caused by improperly designed, mounted and adjusted bindirrgs.l 1 2 5 9 10 12 14 15 19 However, no studies have yet been designed which evaluate the equipment of the injured skier immediately upon sustaining injury. Much of the equipment in use today has theoretical efficacy as shown by vanous mechanical testing devices, yet the rates of ski injuries have changed little since the use of release bindings became popular about twenty years ago.1~ 1, 7, 1 It has never been conclusively demonstrated in a skiing population that bindings mounted, adjusted and set properly do improve the skiers chances of avoiding injury. In fact, several investigators state that no differences exist between the equipment used by injured and uninjured skiers 2, 6 7 is 19 In contrast, two papers recently read suggest the existence of such variations. Apparently injuries were reduced by twothirds when antifriction devices (AFD's)


We report the incidence of varicella zoster virus (VZV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in patients with multiple myeloma and colon cancer who were treated with arsenic trioxide for their disease. In this report, we discuss the effects of arsenic on immune system, and suggest arsenic compounds as a possible predisposing factor for viral reactivation in these patients.


School principals are leaders of educational systems (i .e . , schools) . A training program for this role needs a definition of the role it is training for. Debates about the essence of this role today can easily be found in the current l iterature on educational leadership : " Transac tional Leadership" vs "Transformational Leadership" (Bass, 1990 ; Gronn, 1995) and " Total Qual ity Leader ship" as a combination of ''Expert Thinking" and " Transformational Practices" (Leithwood and Stein bach , 1993) are some examples. One of the central assumptions underlying the Jerusalem Model presented here is that the educational system, l ike other systems, is undergoing rapid changes . One of these changes is a growing need for built-in mechanisms for renewal and growth in the school so that it can learn from its own mistakes and respond quickly to constantly changing contexts . In other words, it must have the capacity for "organisational learning ." Lakomski (1995) claims that "since whatever knowledge we do acquire is always in principle falli ble, the best strategy for us to adopt is one which max imizes our abil ity to learn rather than putting all our energy into the prevention of errors" (p. 221) ; for this, the organisation needs "firstly . . . the recognition that error is always possible ; secondly, to create structures inside the school , or other organisations, which facili tate the double-checking of decision making ; thirdly, to create structures which allow learning from error to flow back into the organisation . . ." (p. 221) . A learning organisation has several distinct charac teristics, which Senge (1990) call s "the new technolo gies" : 1 . Systemic thinking 2 . Shared visions 3 . Norms of personal competence and expertise 4 . Expl ication and reevaluation of latent mental models 5 . Group learning processes


Saussurea medusa, Saussurea hypsipeta and Saussurea obvallata are typical alpine snowline plants growing in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. They are characterized by a specialized morphology. S. medusa and S. hypsipeta have very dense trichomes on whole plant, whereas S. obvallata has transparent bracts covered inflorescences. The different forms reflect their adaptation to cold environments. To investigate the different mechanisms of adaptation of these species to cold temperatures, transcriptome sequencing was performed in three species of Saussurea DC. A total of 116394 137237 and 113879 Unigenes were identified from S. medusa, S. hypsipeta and S. obvallata, respectively. Of these, 55909 (48.03%), 65519 (47.74%) and 51889 (45.56%) Unigenes were matched in public databases. GO analysis identified that most of annotated Unigenes in the three species of plants were related to cellular, metabolic, and single−organism processes, and binding and catalytic activities. The differential expression of 37 genes related to environmental adaptation were discovered by pairwise comparisons. Of these, two candidate genes (Interaptin-like and CSLB3) related to trichome development were identified only in S. medusa and S. hypsipeta, which was consistent with their distinct morphology. Our data can provide a valuable resource for the further studies on the adaptive mechanisms of molecular and functional ecology in Saussurea DC.


Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been applied in patients with various solid tumors since they were approved by U.S. FDA in 2011. However, only less than 20% of patients benefit from ICIs including anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (aPD-1). Recently, many studies to improve the response of ICIs are in progress, and especially, vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR) pathway was emerged as major target. VEGFR inhibitors regulate the differentiation of tumor-associated macrophage, antigen presenting dendritic cell, and T cell infiltration, so they make a synergic antitumor effect with ICIs. In this study, we investigated the effect of lenvatinib combined with anti-mouse PD-1 in syngeneic murine cervical cancer models to show whether VEGFRi enhance the antitumor effect of ICIs. We established syngeneic mouse models of cervical cancer to confirm synergic effect by lenvatinib combined with aPD-1. 1x107 cells of U14 cells were injected subcutaneously into the flanks of BALB/c wild- type (immunocompetent) mice and BALB/c nude (immunocompromised) mice. They were treated with lenvatinib when the tumor volume reached at 200 mm3, subsequently, aPD-1 was administered in immunocompetent mice. We administrated lenvatinib (10 mg/kg, orally, daily) and aPD-1(200 µg per mouse, intraperitoneally (I.P), twice a week) for 3 weeks. Tumor volume was measured twice a week. After the end of the experiment, we harvested tumors and spleens, and performed histological analysis. All experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee (IACUC) in Asan Institute for Life Science.Although the tumor was increased despite lenvatinib treatment in immunocompromised model with BALB/c nude mice, on the 17th day after injection, the tumor growth was inhibited in lenvatinib group compared with vehicle group (2914 mm3 vs. 3663 mm3, respectively) (P=0.0014). On the other hand, the tumor volume was significantly reduced by lenvatinib in the immunocompetent model (278 mm3 in Len vs. 490 mm3 in Veh) (P=0.0347), particularly the tumor size was decreased since 2 weeks of injection. Subsequently, we investigated the synergistic effects of combination with lenvatinib and aPD-1 in immunocompetent model. Each single treatment group showed the reduction of tumor volume compared to vehicle group (278 mm3 in Len and 258 mm3 in aPD-1 vs. 490 mm3 in Veh). Furthermore, the lenvatinib plus aPD-1 combination group reduced tumor volume to 110mm3 on the 24th day after injection and it was significantly different compared to each single treatment group (P=0.13868 and P=0.27385, respectively).In this study, anti-tumor effect of aPD-1 was enhanced by the regulation of tumor microenvironment with lenvatinib in immunocompetent murine cervical cancer models. In conclusion, addition of lenvatinib is expected to increase the efficacy of ICIs in patients with cervical cancer who have the resistance or insensitivity to ICIs.
 Citation Format: Su-Bin Park, Ji-Sik Kang, Min-Je Kim, Shin-Wha Lee, Dong-Woo Kang, Yong-Man Kim. Anti-tumor effects of lenvatinib plus anti-PD-1 in syngeneic murine cervical cancer models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 6190.


Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease, KFD) is a benign self-limiting lesion that can self-heal when no severe symptoms are present. KFD resembles tuberculous lymphadenitis and malignant lymphoma. Thus, early differential diagnosis will minimize unnecessary evaluation and treatment. Histological examination of a lymph node biopsy or fine needle aspiration could be a reliable method for KFD diagnosis. This study reports a case of histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis of the right cervical lymph node in a 52-year-old female patient. According to the fine needle aspiration biopsy result, the patient was diagnosed with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease and treated with prednisolone (15 mg/day). After treatment, there was no recurrence or adverse event.


Most of the faulting seen on Svartenhuk Halvø took place after eruption of the Svartenhuk Formation lavas. However, the Cretaceous boundary fault system has a much longer and more complex history, as have also the faults on Itsaku. Unlike the younger faults on Svartenhuk Halvø, the Cretaceous boundary fault system has an irregular course across the peninsula, just as it has in its continuation to the south-south-east (Fig. 1; Chalmers et al. 1998, 1999). Nothing is known about its course in the Innerit area north-west of Umiiarfik fjord. Southeast of Umiiarfik the fault system runs south-east along the Simiuttap Kuua valley. In the inner part of this valley the fault turns abruptly to slightly north of east before turning again to follow a north–south valley until reaching the Qorlortup Kuua valley where it strikes NW–SE. In the outer part of the Qorlortup Kuua valley the position of the fault system is speculative because of the very extensive cover of fluvio-glacial sediments. It appears to split into four branches. One branch strikes approximately E–W and runs into the bay Kangiusap Imaa; this marks the northern boundary of outcrops of Cretaceous sediments and is the boundary fault proper. Two branches cross Itsaku, and another branch runs in 147° into Umiiviup Kangerlua. Not only do fluvioglacial deposits conceal the fault system here but also extensive dolerite sheets (Siuteqqut intrusions) obscure the faults in this area. Cross-sections across the Cretaceous boundary fault system are shown in Plate 1. Rifting in the Cretaceous basin probably started in Albian or earlier time (Chalmers et al. 1998, 1999), but it is not known whether the boundary fault system on Svartenhuk Halvø was initiated at this time or later. The Upper Albian – Lower Cenomanian deltaic deposits on the north side of Itsaku could be syn-rift sediments deposited by deltas prograding parallel to the boundary fault, but they could also represent part of a pre-rift delta complex that extended over the area north of the fault. The Turonian – lower Campanian marine mudstones and distal turbidites were deposited in a completely different environment, far from fluvial influence. At this time the depositional area almost certainly extended north-east of the fault zone (see p. 10), and it is suggested that these sediments were deposited during a marine transgression that accompanied a phase of thermal subsidence. Following Turonian–Campanian marine sedimentation there was a phase of uplift and erosion. If a parallel is drawn to developments on Nuussuaq (Dam & Sønderholm 1994; Dam et al. 1998a, 2000), this uplift could have taken place either during the Campanian or Maastrichtian, or perhaps not until early Paleocene. During this phase most if not all Cretaceous sediments were eroded off the basement area to the north-east, while conglomerates and other clastic sediments were deposited in erosional lows in the basin area (Fig. 7). Following this there was renewed uplift and erosion, so that any ?upper Campanian – Maastrichtian and lowermost Paleocene sediments that were present were removed everywhere except in the Itsaku block which must have remained a depressed fault block at this time. During this phase of erosion any surviving outliers of Cretaceous sediments in the basement area were also removed, and there was probably further removal of Upper Cretaceous sediments in the basin area. In mid-Paleocene time the tectonic regime changed to one of subsidence of the basin area along the boundary fault system. Following erosion of the fault plane, mudstones and very coarse conglomerates were deposited and the foot of the bevelled fault scarp. Subsidence was followed rapidly by the eruption of contaminated and picritic basalts of the Vaigat Formation in a subaqueous environment. While hyaloclastite breccias encroached into the area from the south and south-west, mudstones and siltstones, the time-equivalents of the lower hyaloclastites to the south-west and west, were deposited close to the scarp. As the basin became filled up with basalts and subsidence waned, the basalt pile periodically emerged above water level, so that in the south-east there is an interval of alternating subaerial lavas and hyaloclastite breccias. In due course the hyaloclastites and subaerial lavas overstepped the boundary fault zone to lie directly on the basement to the north-east (Fig. 2). The uppermost basalts of the Vaigat Formation are entirely subaerial, with strongly reduced thicknesses in the north and on Innerit. Evidence of continued tectonic activity prior to the eruption of the Svartenhuk Formation is provided by


Changes in community structure are frequently used in assessing the environmental impact of marine pollution. In contrast to rocky shores, which usually support a rich and varied sedentary macrofauna, sandy beaches seldom have an obvious macrofauna on which to base studies. Also, many members of the sandy beach macrofauna are mobile and capable of migrating away from unfavourable conditions. Most sandy beaches do, however, support well developed communities of interstitial meiofauna which have become adapted to life i,1 the interstices between sand grains. Although members of the meiofauna are mobile on a small scale within the sediments, the meiofaunal community, as a whole, forms a relatively discrete entity and appears well suited to pollution studies.


entomologists to support their journals in a more substantial manner, and one way of doing this is to subscribe for as many as one can afford. This is a duty which entomologists owe to their science. Moreover, the charges for such subscriptions are extremely low considering present-daj. prices, and each journal is well worth its price and more. I n one of the publications mentioned in the tables, whicli is also the official organ of an association of ento~~iologists, the statement is made that "there n.erc a co~isiderahlc number of both active ant1 associate niembers who did not subscribe for the publication." It is inconceivable that an active mem1)er of ;in association woultl refuse to support its journal. In some cases there might I) (> exlcnuati~ig circu~nstanccs, 11ut ii is I~elicvctl I hat no st ento~ilologisls can :iI~ortl thc srnall sums askctl for their pul~lications. 'I'hc fact that a jouri~al is 11ot tlevoietl exclt~sively to the ento~nological sul)ject ill which one is interestecl is not 21 valid excuse for failing to support it. 'The systematist, the economic worker, the insect ecologist, the insect biologist and t-he collector ;dI need each other, ant1 each should contril)utc to the other's support in order to atlvancc lllc science o f entomology.


Both the hypotension and the sedation elicited by centrally acting antihypertensive agents traditionally are ascribed to activation of α 2 -adrenergic receptors. However, second-generation centrally acting antihypertensive agents such as moxonidine and rilmenidine are less sedating but retain antihypertensive efficacy. The vasodepressor action of clonidine within its brainstem site of action in the ventrolateral medulla has been linked to a novel receptor that recognizes imidazoles and related compounds


Results from code clone detectors may contain plentiful useless code clones, and judging whether a code clone is useful varies from user to user based on different purposes of them. We are planing a system to study the judgment of each individual user by applying machine learning algorithms on code clones. We describe the reason why individual judgment should be respected and how in this paper.


External Posting Date: March 22, 2012 [Fulltext] Approved for External Publication  Action Bubble Metaphor for Gestural Interaction using Depth Camera in a Multi-user Scenario Guruprasad M Hegde, Anbumani Subramanian HP Laboratories HPL-2010-128 Gestural interaction, human computer interaction depth sensors In this report we propose a novel concept to enable efficient multi-user computer interaction. To demonstrate the concept we make use of a depth-sensor based computer system. The proposed concept is aimed at developing a quantitative measure to inform the computer when and with whom to interact. It works simultaneously for multiple users at different/same distance from the computer. We have tested the concept in various cases and results demonstrate the efficacy of our approach. Internal Posting Date: September 21, 2010 [Fulltext] Copyright 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Action Bubble Metaphor for Gestural Interaction using Depth Camera in a Multi-user Scenario Guruprasad M Hegde and Anbumani Subramanian Hewlett-Packard Research Labs, Bangalore, India Email: {guru.hegde,firstname.lastname@example.com


A discussion of the appropriate place of science, and especially of physics, in engineering education and in general education; and of a university education in our present technological society.


This paper summarises the policy roles of government as an introduction to one particular activity; a Local Multimodal ITS Inventory. This project surveyed all the agencies and companies involved in ITS in one jurisdiction, for all transport modes and all applications. The main components of the inventory are discussed: government agency involvement; current and planned ITS Systems; and ITS suppliers. This inventory identified a much wider variety of ITS applications and range of interests than generally expected. The survey provides essential information for government agencies involved in ITS strategy and policy. Summary results of the survey are reported.


Charles R. Epp, The Rights Revolution: Lawyers, Activists, and Supreme Courts in Comparative Perspective. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. Pp. xv + 326 pages. $17.00 paper. The American judiciary has dramatically increased its protection for individual rights since the 1950s, when the United States Supreme Court began deciding and supporting a host of new constitutional claims, including freedom of speech and the press; rights against discrimination on the basis of race and sex; privacy rights; and due process rights in criminal and administrative proceedings. Critics and defenders of this dramatic increase in judicially proclaimed individual rights often attribute this transformation in the law to activist judges. In The Rights Revolution, Charles Epp challenges the view that activist judges are primarily responsible for the expansion of judicially protected individual rights in the United States. He also rejects theories that our rights revolution is attributable to the existence of a constitutional bill of rights or to a culture of rights consciousness. Although Epp concedes that all of these factors may contribute to rights revolutions, he asserts that organizations, lawyers, and money are indispensable ingredients. He argues that judicial attention and approval for individual rights grows out of "deliberate, strategic organizing by rights advocates" (p. 2). Strategic rights advocacy succeeds, he says, only when there is a "support structure" for legal mobilization consisting of organizations dedicated to establishing rights, committed and able lawyers, and sources of financing. Epp also ties his argument about the causes of the rights revolution to debates about whether judicially protected rights illegitimately interfere with democratic processes. Epp asserts that the strong support structure for individual rights claims in the United States reflected widespread support (p. 5) for individual rights. Therefore, he concludes, the process that produced the expansion of judicially protected individual rights is not undemocratic. Epp probably is correct that the support structure for rights advocacy was integral to the rights revolution in the United States and that it is essential for mobilizing legal rights in other liberal democracies as well. He makes an important contribution by challenging the conventional emphasis on judicial leadership and by explaining in detail how each element of the support structure-organized groups, willing and competent legal counsel, and financial resources-significantly contributed to strategic rights advocacy. He also introduces a helpful comparative element to the analysis of legal mobilization. His case studies of India, England, and Canada strongly suggest that other favorable conditions-an activist judiciary, a strong bill of rights, and a culture that frames disputes in terms of rights-may not be sufficient to generate a rights revolution in the absence of a strong support structure for rights advocacy. However, several weaknesses detract from the significant achievements of this book. Although Epp marshals substantial evidence suggesting that support structures are crucial for legal mobilization, his definition of legal mobilization excludes a large realm of rights activism that occurs outside the Supreme Court and, indeed, outside the courts altogether. Moreover, he relies primarily on one measure of legal mobilization to reduce and quantify his claim about the relationship between support structures and legal mobilization in the courts. Epp, in trying to isolate support structures from other favorable conditions to prove his thesis, underestimates how these factors are likely to influence one another. Finally, he does not adequately support his intriguing claim that the rights revolution in the United States was not undemocratic because it grew out of a broad-based support structure. Despite these limitations, Epp's book is significant, not only for what it accomplishes directly but also for the new research it is likely to spawn. …


SUMMARY This study focuses on the possibility for income generation through carbon sequestration in land-use related projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto protocol. The carbon sequestration potential of agroforestry and forestry projects was studied in Nepal, Uganda and Tanzania. Carbon sequestration in biomass was 0.43 and 2.0 Mg C ha−1 year−1 in regeneration of natural forests in Tanzania and Nepal, respectively. Carbon sequestration rates in planted forests were 4.0 Mg C ha−1 year−1 for Eucalyptus woodlots in Uganda and 5.9 Mg C ha−1 year−1 for Pinus patula plantations in Tanzania. The economic profitability of these land-use systems was calculated using the Net Present Value (NPV). Based on a carbon price of US $10 per ton (Mg) and an annual interest rate of 10%, the NPV increased by between 4.9% and 6.5% for these systems when the carbon value was added to the timber value and value of non-wood products. This increase in value is probably too small to justify the cost in relation to project development, establishment of baseline, carbon monitoring costs, assessment of leakage and documentation of the effect on sustainable development.


The elastic constant B3 and the intrinsic twist D of a ferroelectric SmC* liquid crystal and their temperature dependences were measured by making use of the selective reflection in a homeotropically aligned cell, and the critical electric field Ec needed to unwind the helix was also estimated. Ec was much smaller than a critical electric field when the dechiralization lines disappear in a homogeneously aligned cell. The constants determined here are considered not to be influenced by the wall anchoring of the glass plate. When we apply a simple power law, α(1-T/Tc)γ, to the temperature dependences of B3, D and Ec, the exponents γ will be 0.44, 0.81 and 0.95, respectively, where Tc is the SmC*-SmA transition point.


Blood pressure (BP) control is poor in European countries. Team-based care (TBC) intervention involving different healthcare professionals has the potential to improve BP control. Within a patient-centered approach, we evaluated patients' and healthcare professionals' opinion about a TBC intervention involving nurses, pharmacists, and physicians (MD).

 As part of the TBC study, a pragmatic randomized controlled study to evaluate the impact of a TBC interprofessional intervention on BP control, we collected opinion of patients and team-based members (nurses, community pharmacists, and MD) at the end of study period using specific questionnaires. A mean TBC-satisfaction score was computed, assessing various aspects of the intervention, and ranged from 0 to 60, where a higher score represents a greater satisfaction.

 All patients (100%), pharmacists (100%), MD (92%) and nurses (80%) were satisfied with TBC intervention. Most patients considered that TBC can help improving BP control (92%), drug intake (71%), and lifestyle habits (84%). Furthermore, patients reported that TBC improved their relationship with nurses (66%), pharmacists (55%), and MD (50%). Patients also reported that their discussion with nurses (95%) and pharmacists (89%) helped improve medication intake. Healthcare professionals considered that TBC improve the quality of care (91%) and an added value for the management of chronic disease (79%). Mean TBC-satisfaction score was higher among MD [42 (SD: 9)] and pharmacists [45 (SD: 6)] compared with nurses [36 (SD: 9)].

 Overall, patients and healthcare professionals were highly satisfied regarding TBC engaging different healthcare professionals in a primary care setting.

 TBC intervention seem to be well appreciated by patients and healthcare professionals. Favourable patients' and healthcare professionals' perspectives will help implementing TBC intervention.


A differential mode sensing scheme for microsphere refractive index sensors, is proposed and demonstrated that can substantially suppress environmental noises to improve the detection limit about 30 times. This sensing scheme has high compatibility with any other microcavity sensors to get lower biosensing limit.