Nurses are faced with everyday demands to improve practices, yet using research to develop and apply theory, knowledge, and practices is a task fraught with challenges to the nursing profession. McDonnell and McNiff (2016) offer a practical guide for novice nursing practitioners and researchers to understand and conduct action research. Keywords: Nursing, Action Research, Practice, Critical In my daily encounter with educational and medical professionals, I often hear stories about practitioners getting swamped by their overwhelming amount of workloads and competing demands. In particular, despite the fact that nurses always strive to provide quality care to their patients, they struggle with how to improve their daily practices. How can nurses use theory and research to improve services? How can their practices contribute to the advancement of nursing theory and knowledge? McDonnell and McNiff's (2016) Action Research for Nurses may provide some hints for nurses to reclaim their profession and restore their practices. McDonnell and McNiff (2016) open the book with an eight-page introduction that one must not miss. It guides you through a thorough reflection on the formulation, acquisition, and usage of knowledge in nursing research. It also offers some critical analyses on the political issues faced in nursing practice and research in the contemporary United Kingdom. Against the backdrop of systemic failure and political dilemmas found in the medical field, McDonnell and McNiff encourage nurses to engage in action research to "investigate their practices as reflective practitioners" (p. 6) and "appreciate that developing themselves as researchers is perfectly achievable and beneficial" (p. 7). The main body of the book is divided into three parts, which describe the theory, processes, and significance of action research, respectively. Part I provides the theoretical background and rationales for conducting action research. Chapters 1 and 2 provide a review of the epistemological bases of knowledge, the socio-historical development of the profession, and a critical reflection of contemporary practices that gives strong rationales for engaging in action research for practical, social, and emancipatory purposes. Not explicitly stated, action research described in the book is certainly influenced by critical paradigms. Throughout the book, McDonnell and McNiff (2016) emphasize the political intents of conducting research and using findings to make changes. They also advocate for an acute awareness to interrogate the social, historical, and political contexts where research and knowledge situate. Chapter 3 delineates the nature of ethics in action research as local, situated, and lived, which demands critical reflections of researcher positionality. Part II describes strategies for planning and designing an action research project, offering hands-on advice on research issues commonly found in real-life settings. Chapter 4 explains how researchers should be prepared to deal with different organizational issues and academic demands. Chapter 5 describes guiding questions that help researchers to design and implement action plans. Chapter 6 elucidates the needs to gather data on the learning and actions of researchers and other participants. Chapter 7 describes considerations of how to generate evidence and evaluate research. Part III is focused on organizing, representing, and disseminating research findings. …


A standardized definition for serious opioid overdose has not been clearly established for disease surveillance or assessing the impact of risk mitigation strategies. The purpose of this study was to use medical chart review to clinically validate a claims‐based algorithm to identify serious opioid overdose events.


The aim of this research was to know the effect salinity on metabolism of mud crab (Scylla olivacea). The research was carried out in circular plastic tanks consist of water at amount 16 l in closed system. The expriments were done using complete randomized design with 4 treatments and 3 replication. The salinity treatments were: (A) 5, (B) 15, (C) 25 and (D) 35‰. The Test animal used were female mud crab with average body weight was 20 ± 0,5 g that stocked by three individuals per tank. Analysis variance and Tukey test were used to reveal the effect of treatments. The result showed that salinity was significantly (p < 0,01) affect to basal, feeding, routine metabolism and SDA (Spesific Dynamic Action). The highest value of mud crab basal metabolism rate was 0.17 kJ/g body weight/day produced at salinity 5‰ and the lowest was 0.14 kJ/g body weight/day. The highest value for feeding, routine metabolism rate and SDA of mud crab produced at 25‰ with 0.49; 0.42 dan 0.35 kJ/g body weight/day, respectively, and the lowest were 0.47; 0.37 dan 0.30 kJ/g body weight/day that resulted by salinity of 5‰. For culture purpose of mud cab, it is recommended to use the salinity level of 25‰.


BACKGROUND
Cellular differentiation occurs in a complicated microenvironment containing multiple components including soluble factors and physical cues. In addition to biochemical composition, physical cues are also crucial in determining cellular behaviors.

OBJECTIVE
To better understand the interaction between physical signals and cells, we discuss the effects of physical cues on cellular behaviors, especially chondrogenic differentiation in vitro. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which these physical signals are transmitted from the extracellular matrix into the cell are also considered.

RESULTS
Physical cues can dramatically regulate specific cellular functions in cartilage tissue engineering. Integrin and FAs act as mechano-sensors to transmit physical cues from the ECM into cytoskeleton- signaling network. Meanwhile, the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway and YAP/TAZ play indispensable roles in cell and ECM linkages.

CONCLUSION
The investigation of physical cues clarifies cellular behaviors. This information can be applied to tissue engineering scaffold and biological material production in the future.


Electro-optic shutter devices employing lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) ceramics and linear dichroic polarizers have been adapted for viewing stereoscopic displays generated both by NTSC compatible video techniques and by computer driven displays. Numerous recent improvements have been made in the fabrication and operating characteristics of PLZT electro-optic shutters. Integration of the PLZT electro-optic shutters into human engineered systems has also evolved. Significant engineering advances relating to PLZT electro-optic shutters are presented and are discussed in terms of their impact on the design and operation of current and future stereoscopic display systems.


Mutants which are generated in mutation testing have the same complexity as of the original source code. Thus if the space complexity of the original source code is large, then the cost of mutation testing will also increase due to generation of large number of mutants. In this research paper we have presented the approach to reduce the complexity of mutation testing using metadata versioning. Metadata versioning states that instead of creating a new mutant for the corresponding statement change, we can maintain a copy of original source code and change is incorporated in this copy of source code. Thus we don't need to maintain all copies of mutants, we only need a copy of original source code and a version table that contains the information regarding which statement has to be changed in the copy of source code and what was the previous changed values in that copy. Thus for every mutant, we can change the statements in the copy of original source code and test this against the test cases.


This paper examines the welfare effects of intellectual property protection, accounting for firms' optimal responses to legal environments. I examine firms' use of indirect price discrimination in response to U. S. copyright law preventing direct price discrimination. Using data covering VHS and DVD movie distribution, I explain studios' optimal pricing strategies under U. S. copyright law, and determine optimal pricing strategies under E. U. copyright law, which allows for direct price discrimination. I find that studios' use of indirect price discrimination benefits consumers and harms retailers. Optimal pricing under E. U. copyright law further benefits studios and consumers. I also reanalyze these issues assuming continued DVD adoption.


In recent years considerable empirical and legislative effort has been made to ensure that identification procedures by witnesses are both sensitive and fair. High sensitivity increases the likelihood of offender identification, whereas a fair method reduces the likelihood of an innocent suspect identification. In the UK, the preferred method of lineup presentation requires the witness to sequentially view the suspect and eight foils in 15-sec video clips. The entire sequence of videos is viewed twice. A first experiment was designed to examine whether viewing the second video 'lap' induces a response bias by comparing outcomes when the sequence was shown twice with those when it was shown once. A second experiment was designed to contribute to the debate in the literature as to the relative fairness and sensitivity of sequential and simultaneous lineups in which all members are displayed at the same time. This research has primarily employed photographs. However, videos should provide more identity cues than photographs and this issue was examined by comparing outcomes of simultaneous photo and sequential photo and video lineups, as well as what is believed to be the first empirical test of simultaneous video lineups. The theoretical implications are discussed in terms of best practice for real identification procedures.


The present invention is stitch forming tool (needle, a gripper and pressure receiving) a housing for accommodating the driving unit for housing for accommodating means for transmitting the movement generated by the drive unit to the stitch forming tool the endoscope suturing device having a shaft, a housing shaft (3) and transmission means (9, 12, 13), but in the interior surface extending respectively transversely to their longitudinal direction, the two the shaft portion (14, 15) or in the lower transmission means and the upper transmission means (9a, 12a, 13a or 9b, 12b, 13b,) is divided into, also these lower transmission means and the upper transmission means, each one linking of by piece (26), is capable of releasably connected to each other, the connecting piece (26),-out corresponding notches of the lower transmission means or the upper transmission means (9a, 12a, 13a or 9b,, 12b, 13b) (32 , 33 inside the) parallel movable relative cross section, also among housed securely coupled to the transmission means in a direction extending to the longitudinal direction of the transmission means (9, 12, 13) on endoscopic suturing device.


Objective Observes two method treatment pylorus spiral bacillary ulcer patient's clinical curative effect.Methods This sample review analyzes in January,2009~2009 during year December in-patient Hp masculine gender digestive ulcer patient 112 example clinical care material. Results The treatment group ulcer recovery rate 92.86%,the control group ulcer recovery rate 78.57%,two group of comparison differences have the significance(P0.05),Treatment group Hp eradication rate is 80.36%,but the control group is 55.36%,two group of comparison differences have the significance(P0.05).Condusions The Austria US pulls zuo eradicates the Hp digestive ulcer's function superiorly in Leinitiding,is worth clinical further promoting the application.


In a previous paper, we showed how entanglement of formation can be defined as a minimum of the quantum conditional mutual information (a.k.a. quantum conditional information transmission). In classical information theory, the Arimoto-Blahut method is one of the preferred methods for calculating extrema of mutual information. We present a new method akin to the Arimoto-Blahut method for calculating entanglement of formation. We also present several examples computed with a computer program called Causa Común that implements the ideas of this paper.


This article examines the neglected role of religious ideas and vocabulary in expressions of English national sentiment in the fourteenth century, particularly in official rhetoric. Many official uses of religious language followed well-established literary conventions. However, documents requesting nationwide prayers during national crises suggest that the government encouraged the concept of a special relationship between God and England, modelled on Old Testament Israel, well before the Protestant Reformation. National misfortunes were explained as divine punishment for national sins, with England presented as a collective moral community. Parallels with Israel were then drawn out more explicitly in public preaching, bringing this interplay between religion and politics to a wider audience.


AbstractThe procedure of calculation of the spectral line shape in optical spectra of rare-earth ions in crystals with the inclusion of random deformations of an elastically anisotropic crystal lattice caused by point defects is developed. The distribution function of components of the random strain tensor in the case of a low defect concentration is obtained as the generalized six-dimensional Lorentz distribution. The distribution function parameters are represented by the integral functional of the strain tensor components on a sphere of unit radius containing an isotropic point defect in its center. The numerical calculations of the strain tensors induced by point defects and the parameters of the distribution functions of random strains in LiLuF_4 and LaAlO_3 crystals have been performed. The calculated envelope with the doublet structure corresponding to the Γ_2(^3 H _4) → Γ_34(^3 H _5) singlet–doublet transition in the absorption spectrum of Pr^3+ ions in the LiLuF_4 crystal agrees well with the data of the measurements.


The surface specificity of vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy allows one to characterize adsorbed and reacting molecules on catalyst surfaces while the catalyst functions at high pressure and high temperature. VSFG spectroscopy can be carried out in different modes, including scanning, broadband, time-resolved, and polarization-dependent, and has been applied to various active surfaces. Single-crystal and nanoparticle model catalysts have mostly been used, which are typically prepared under ultrahigh vacuum, but applications to powder materials have been reported recently. In this article, the fundamentals and technical aspects of VSFG are summarized, and its benefits are illustrated by case studies of elementary processes of heterogeneous catalysis.


Recent studies have implicated non-fibrillar oligomers of the amyloid ! (A!) peptide as the primary toxic species in Alzheimer's disease. Detailed structural and kinetic characterization of these states, however, has been difficult. Here we use NMR relaxation measurements to address the kinetics of exchange between monomeric and large, polymorphic oligomeric species of A!(1-40). 15N and HN R2 data at multiple magnetic fields were recorded for several peptide concentrations subsequent to the establishment of a stable pseudo-equilibrium between monomeric and NMR-invisible soluble oligomeric species. The increase in 15N and HN R2 rates as a function of protein concentration is independent of nucleus and magnetic field and shows only a small degree of variation along the peptide chain. This phenomenon is due to a lifetime broadening effect arising from the unidirectional conversion of monomer to the NMRinvisible oligomeric species ("dark" state). At a total A!(1-40) concentration of 300 μM, the apparent first-order rate constant for this process is ∼3 s-1. Fitting the McConnell equations for two dipolar-coupled spins in two-site exchange to transfer-ofsaturation profiles at two radiofrequency field strengths gives an estimate for koff of 73 s-1 and transiently bound monomer HN R2 rates of up to 42 000 s-1 in the tightly bound central hydrophobic region and ∼300 s-1 in the disordered regions, such as the first nine residues. The fraction of peptide within the "dark" oligomeric state undergoing exchange with free monomer is calculated to be ∼3%. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by plaques of amyloid ! (A!) fibrils. The link, however, between the fibrils and the etiology of the disease is not well understood. Recent evidence suggests that smaller, less ordered oligomers of A! (ranging from 40 to 200 kDa) may be primarily responsible for neurotoxicity, and their presence in cerebrospinal fluid correlates with AD. Elucidating the mechanism of conversion of non-toxic monomers to toxic oligomers or fibrils may be critical to the design of therapeutic interventions that steer the equilibrium away from the buildup of toxic species. While A! fibrils have been studied at the atomic level by fiber diffraction, solid-state NMR, electron microscopy (EM), and H/D exchange combined with mutagenesis, characterization of the non-fibrillar oligomeric states has proven difficult due to their heterogeneous nature. Recent work has provided some information on A! oligomers, but the chemical cross-linking reagents, ionization conditions, organic solvents, and detergents used in these studies make comparison with oligomers formed in their absence difficult. Several fundamental questions concerning the nature of A! oligomers remain to be answered, including whether the oligomers are permanently stable or if they are constantly forming from and dissociating back into monomers in a dynamic equilibrium preceding the formation of the extremely stable amyloid fibrils. In this study, we make use of solution NMR relaxation measurements to directly observe rapid exchange under pseudo-equilibrium conditions between monomeric A! peptide and non-fibrillar oligomers formed spontaneously in a standard buffer without organic solvents or detergents. These data provide significant details concerning the pre-fibrillar equilibrium that are difficult to probe by other biophysical techniques. Samples of uniformly 15N-labeled A!(1-40) peptide were prepared from NaOH-treated stocks to remove fibril seeds. NMR samples comprised 60, 150, and 300 μM A!(1-40) in 50 mM HEPES, pH 6.8, and 90% H2O/10% D2O. All solutions were prefiltered in the presence of the chelating agent Chelex 100 (SigmaAldrich) to remove any potential trace metal contamination. Samples were prepared and maintained between 4 and 10 °C, and all NMR experiments were conducted at 10 °C. Under these conditions, A!(1-40) at a concentration of 60 μM remains stable for many weeks, as monitored by following the HN/N cross-peak intensities in 1H-15N HSQC correlation spectra (Figures 1A,B) over time. At peptide concentrations of 150 and 300 μM, however, the signal intensities decay uniformly across the peptide over a period of about 1 week, after which a pseudo-equilibrium is established with integrated intensities for the backbone amide (HN) envelope (measured from the first t1 increment of an HSQC spectrum) of 70 and 40% of their original values, corresponding to monomer concentrations of 105 and 130 μM, respectively (Figure 1B). Since the HN/N observed cross-peaks arise solely from monomeric peptide and no new cross-peaks appear, the decrease in signal intensity must arise from the conversion of monomer to a species whose NMR signals are broadened beyond detection due to large oligomer size and correspondingly long rotational correlation times. These large species remain in solution, as the samples are clear. Once equilibrated, the presence of large polydisperse aggregates was confirmed by dynamic light scattering, and transmision EM revealed the presence of elongated, morphologically disordered nonfibrillar aggregates with possibly some small, needle-like fibrils present (Figure 2), similar to those observed for other proteins. 15N and HN transverse relaxation (R2) rates (Figure 1C) were measured for the equilibrated A!(1-40) samples using 2D 1H-15N HSQC-based experiments. The R2 rates increase as a function of total peptide concentration (Figure 3). The difference in R2 rates, ∆R2, between high (150 or 300 μM) and low (60 μM) concentration samples is independent of nucleus or magnetic field (Figure 3B,C), as evidenced by the linear ∆R2 correlation plots with a slope of ∼1 (Figure 4). In addition, the variation in ∆R2 across the peptide chain is small, with average ∆R2(150 60 μM) and ∆R2(300 60 μM) values of 0.7 ( 0.3 and 2.4 ( 0.5 s-1, respectively. The ∆R2 values are slightly higher for the hydrophobic (green lettering) segments spanning Leu17 to Ala21 and Ala30 to Val40, with the former being systematically elevated relative to the latter. These two regions correspond to the exterior and interior in-register parallel !-strands, respectively, of the cross-! core of A!(1-40) amyloid fibrils. Published on Web 07/06/2010 10.1021/ja1048253 This article not subject to U.S. Copyright. Published 2010 by the American Chemical Society 9948 9 J. AM. CHEM. SOC. 2010, 132, 9948–9951 The observation that the R2 rate enhancements as a function of total A!(1-40) concentration are independent of nucleus and magnetic field and, in addition, vary only slightly along the peptide indicates that the R2 rate increases cannot be due to exchange line broadening on the fast/intermediate chemical shift time scale. The latter is dependent on the difference in the resonance frequencies of the spins involved and therefore strongly affected by the nucleus' chemical environment and the external magnetic field used in the measurements. It is also important to stress that the observed resonances arise only from the monomeric A!(1-40) peptide and not from any aggregates present. Indeed, intermolecular paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) measurements, which provide a highly sensitive probe for the presence of low populations of selfassociated species in fast (microsecond to millisecond) exchange with monomer, showed no transverse PRE rate enhancements above a reliable detection limit of ∼5 s-1 for mixtures of 15N-labeled Figure 1. (A) 900 MHz 1H-15N HSQC correlation spectrum of 60 μM A!(1-40) at 10 °C. (B) Time dependence of the integrated intensity of the HN envelope (measured from the first t1 increment of a 1H-15N HSQC spectrum) for 60 (black), 150 (red), and 300 (blue) μM A!(1-40) samples. The solid lines represent singleor double-exponential fits to the 150 or 300 μM A!(1-40) data, respectively. The double-exponential fitting function is given by I(t)/I0 ) A1 e-t/τ1 + A2 e-t/τ2 + (1 A1 A2), where τ1 and τ2 are characteristic time constants, and A1 and A2 are the associated amplitudes. The parameter A2 is set to 0 for the single-exponential fit. For the 150 μM sample, τ1 ) 51 h and A1 ) 0.31; for the 300 μM sample, τ1 ) 6 h, τ2 ) 93 h, A1 ) 0.36, and A2 ) 0.21. At both 150 and 300 μM total concentrations, the samples reach pseudo-equilibrium after about 100 h, after which the signal intensity does not change more than a few percent on the time scale of a complete NMR experiment (4-12 h). (C) 15N (top) and HN (bottom) R2 relaxation data for the 60 μM A!(1-40) sample recorded at 900 MHz. The solid lines are single-exponential best fits. Figure 2. Transmission EM images of negatively stained (A) 150 and (B) 300 μM A!(1-40) NMR samples after >3 weeks of equilibration. Figure 3. Transverse relaxation rates (R2) measured on equilibrated samples of A!(1-40). (A) 15N R2 at 900 MHz for 60 μM A!(1-40). Cross-peaks for Ala2, His6, and His14 are not sufficiently resolved to permit accurate determination of R2 rates. The difference in R2 relaxation rates, ∆R2, between 300 (blue) or 150 (red) μM samples and the 60 μM sample for (B) 15N (top, 900 MHz; bottom, 600 MHz) and (C) HN (top, 900 MHz; bottom, 600 MHz). Large R2 rates and uncertainties in their values preclude reliable determination of ∆R2 for His13, Gln15, and Asn27 (A, open circles) and hence are excluded in (B) and (C). The peptide sequence, with hydrophobic residues colored in green, is presented at the top of the figure. (Error bars, 1 SD.) Figure 4. ∆R2 is independent of nucleus and magnetic field. Correlation plots of N-∆R2 at 900 MHz vs HN-∆R2 at 900 MHz (left panel) and N-∆R2 at 600 MHz (right panel). The ∆R2(300 μM 60 μM) and ∆R2(150 μM 60 μM) rates are colored in blue and red, respectively. A line with slope of unity is displayed for comparison. A histogram of the distribution of N-∆R2 rates is shown as an inset. J. AM. CHEM. SOC. 9 VOL. 132, NO. 29, 2010 9949 C O M M U N I C A T I O N S


The basic principles of the methodology for automating the formation of matrices of the numerical-analytical method of boundary elements (BEM) for the calculation of spatial frame structures are presented.


Miller, GL, and Nichols, AW. Exertional rhabdomyolysis in an adolescent athlete during preseason conditioning: a perfect storm. J Strength Cond Res 25(12): 3506–3513, 2011—The purpose of this brief review is to present a case of a healthy, male adolescent athlete (age = 16 years, body mass = 67.9 kg, height = 165.5 cm) who participated in a 3-day preseason wrestling camp which resulted in hospitalization for exertional rhabdomyolysis. As part of the preseason conditioning program directed by the coaches, the athlete completed 60 minutes of short, intense intervals of wall-sits, squats, sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, and plyometric jumps. The following day, the athlete continued his vigorous training consisting of running drills. That night he noticed voiding dark brown urine the color of cola. The day after the camp ended, the athlete reported to his Athletic Trainers with the chief complaint of severe bilateral leg pain in his quadriceps. Two days after the initial assessment, he was admitted to the hospital where he was diagnosed with exertional rhabdomyolysis based on creatine kinase (CK) levels that peaked at 146,000 IU (cid:2) L


Abstract : Police and fire departments today are challenged with an increasing frequency of complex emergencies and a continuing cultural divide. Devoted people from both agencies are actively working to improve their response capability. Rather than solving the problem solely in house, other disciplines may be able to help. This thesis investigated what the aviation industry could teach the emergency services field about how to approach complex life-sensitive problems. A structured focused comparison model was used to evaluate aviation's use of Crew Resource Management, the pre-flight briefing, and the concept of airmanship in relation to how they may benefit the response capability of police and fire commanders at a combined emergency response. The research concludes that police and fire departments in the United States would immediately benefit from instituting joint pre-shift briefings and discipline training. It is recommended that FEMA amend its ICS procedures to reflect the benefit of instituting a pre-shift briefing. By building relationships with a police or fire counterpart during briefings and showing discipline on an emergency scene, the public at large will immediately benefit.


Chronic kidney failure and acute pancreatitis Thesis N°83/17 Mme. Amrani idrissi meryeme 86 Abstract The association of acute pancreatitis (PA) and acute kidney failure is widely known .but the link between the AP and chronic kidney failure (CKF) is rarely studied by scientists. The goal of our study is to estimate the frequency and severity of AP when it s associated to CKF and also to study the link between those two entity. Our study involved 334 patients admitted for an episode of AP in either general surgery or nephrology service in the university hospital Hassan II between 1st of January 2013 and 31st December 2015 17 of them had a chronic kidney failure undergoing dialysis for more than 3 months (group A) ; 317 patients without CKD used as control group (GROUP B) . AP was diagnosed by the elevation of lipasemia (higher than 3 times the normal limit), the confirmation by CT scan was the rule for all our patients. The incidence of AP in GROUP A (CKD patients) was 1.2/1000 persons ,versus 27.56/100 000 persons in group B ( general population). Severe acute attacks (according to Atlanta classification) was 27.41% in group B Chronic kidney failure and acute pancreatitis Thesis N°83/17 Mme. Amrani idrissi meryeme 87 versus only 5.88% in group A . For CT Scan ( Balthazar classification) , PA was much severe in the group B were necrotizing pancreatitis (stage D; E) dominated with 40% versus only 17% of those stage in study group (p=0.1) CKD patients had less need to intensive care 11.76% versus 21.14% (p=0.015) 14patients from the control group had pancreas necrosis, 7 of them were treated by drainage . in the study group ,none of our patients presented pancreas necrosis (p=0.04) Death rate was 1.26% in the control group, versus 5.88% in the study group (p=0.3)


The e-H2O collisional rate for exciting rotational transitions in cometary water is evaluated for conditions found in comet Halley during the Giotto spacecraft encounter. In the case of the O(sub 00) yields 1(sub 11) rotational transition, the e-H2O collisional rate exceeds that for excitation by neutral-neutral collisions at distances exceeding 3000 km from the cometary nucleus. Thus, the rotational temperature of the water molecule in the intermediate coma may be controlled by collisions with electrons rather than with neutral collisions, and the rotational temperature retrieved from high resolution infrared spectra of water in comet Halley may reflect electron temperatures rather than neutral gas temperature in the intermediate coma.


A novel late transitional metal catalyst-(2-Me-3-ClPh) 2PBIMe 2FeCl 2——has been synthesized having a high oligomerization activity up to 1.0×107g oligomer/(mol Fe·h).Using this oligomerization catalyst and metallocene catalyst—rac-C-2H-4(Ind) 2ZrCl 2—as a dual functional catalyst system,MAO as the only cocatalyst,Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) has been prepared by in situ copolymerization of ethylene having a high activity [106g PE/(mol cat·h)]. 13C-NMR shows that the LLDPE is obtained.In addition,the presence of unreacted α-olefin was not detected since there is no evident resonance signal at 29.29 and 29.42,which proves that this dual functional catalyst system has a good match during in situcopolymerization.With increasing the Fe/Zr ratio,the densities of polymers and the melting points of polymers obtained from DSC are in a descending trend.Meanwhile,the similar phenomenon is also found when the reaction temperature decreases.


The division of tasks is a series of activities carried out in order to determine what should be done or what the work is and who should do it. Competence is an ability to carry out or do a job that is based on skills and is supported by the work attitude demanded by the job. Competence denotes skills and knowledge characterized by professionalism.
in this study, namely the formulation of whether the division of tasks and competencies jointly affect the performance of employees in the Sibolga Kota District Government? This study aims to determine how much influence the division of tasks and competencies has on employee performance in the Sibolga Kota District Government. The provisional hypothesis is that the division of tasks and competencies has a joint effect on the performance of employees in the Sibolga Kota District Government. The population is 85 people and used as a sample. Data collection techniques using library research and field research. The results of the research show that the division of labor and competency variables can influence the performance variables of employees in the Sibolga Kota District Government by 54.2%. The division of tasks and competencies jointly or simultaneously has a positive and significant effect on the performance of employees in the Sibolga Kota District Government. Where the Fcount value is greater than the Ftable value (38.510 > 3.11). Partially the division of labor and competence has a positive and significant effect on employee performance in the Sibolga Kota District Government. Where the value of tcount = (2.373) is greater than the value of ttable (1.992), Partially the most dominant division of labor affects employee performance, meaning that the variable of division of labor is more decisive in improving employee performance compared to work involvement. Where the value of tcount = (4.453) is greater than the value of ttable (1.995).


Generally most of Tewang Rangkang area, Tewang Sangalang Garing District, Katingan Regency of Central Kalimantan Province is covered by clay soil with considerable development (high plasticity), the volume will change (expand) when the water content increases (changes). The volume will increase in wet conditions and will shrink when in dry conditions. It is this trait that causes damage to the construction of buildings. The purpose of this study is to know the addition of limestone to the strong value of shear and the carrying capacity of clay soil. This test was done by mixing limestone with soil in a mixture variation of 0%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5%. Based on the results of direct shear testing against the strong value of shear and carrying capacity in the original soil obtained a strong value of shear (τ) = 0.184 kg / cm2, qult = 3.36 kg / cm2, after the addition of limestone 12.5% curing 7 days obtained strong shear value (τ) = 0.219 kg / cm2, qult = 26.04 kg / cm2, so that with the addition of limestone gives an influence on the increase in the strong value of shear and the carrying capacity of clay soil.


At present,lots of English Speech contests are springing up.As far as the current contests concerned,the contestants rang over the students from different age.Thereupon,the research in English Speech begins to warm up.During the past decade,great progress in the research in this field has already achieved.This thesis does an analysis based on the classification of the academic thesis published during the past decade,and attaches much importance to the problems disclosed in the current research,and thereafter proposes the corresponding suggestions in this research field which could play a positive part in the English teaching in the future.


Genetic diversity is one of the useful tools to select
appropriate lines for hybridization. Twenty short-statured maize inbred lines were taken for present study, which were collected from CIMMYT India and Mexico through Plant Breeding
Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur. This experiment was conducted from November 2015 to April 2016 to identify parental lines to produce single cross
short statured maize hybrids. From the genetic diversity studies, the importance of both additive and non-additive gene actions for the expression of yield and yield contributing
characters were found. Values of vector I and II revealed that both the vectors
had positive values for date of silking, plant height, rows/cob, grains/row and
yield. These results indicated that these five characters had highest
contribution towards divergence. Based on the relative magnitude of D2 values; 20
inbred lines were grouped into five clusters. Seven inbred lines were selected
on the basis of genetic diversity and per
se performance which will be crossed separately in a half-diallel fashion to develop
hybrids.


The RFID based vehicle toll collection system (VTS) is designed to assist in the management of toll operations through technology that aids in streamlining traffic movement. This work is an attempt to design and implement a VTS which enables the toll authority to ease and automate their duty. The VTS present in this paper performs automatic identification of vehicles and collection of toll from vehicles travelling along the toll lane by machine-readable information. This information instigates by a mobile vehicle identification-sending unit adapted and mounted at least on one of the vehicles. As the vehicle approaches the identification site, the computerised control unit placed near toll lane receives the identifier signal and calculates the toll to be debited and electronically debits the toll on the account of the particular vehicle. This system allows a vehicle to persist past the scan point without stopping, thus offering maximum convenience to motorists, speeding up the flow of traffic, and reducing the number of human resources required at highway toll plazas.


VDSL is the technology for a very high bit rate DSL.In fact,it is the fast edition of ADSL. This paper introduces the system structure of VDSL, and then analyses the key technology of VDSL access , such as line code technology and its correlative technology, and finally ponits out its development status and future.


1 Effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) microinjected into the supraoptic (SON) and the ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus (VMH) on urine outflow were studied in rats anaesthetized with ethanol. 2 PGE2 injected into the SON caused antidiuresis and increased the excretion rate of Na+. These effects of PGE2 were prevented by pretreatment with phentolamine but not propranolol, suggesting that they are mediated by α‐adrenoceptors in the SON. 3 PGE2 injected into the VMH caused diuresis and increased the excretion rate of Na+. These effects were prevented by pretreatment with propranolol but not phentolamine, suggesting that they are mediated through β‐adrenoceptors in the VMH.


Background: Anxiety among teenagers may disturb their life, and it is no controlling results in severe problems. Therefore, the present research was designed and conducted by the aim of investigating the effectiveness of group counseling training based on metacognitive therapy & dialectic behavior therapy on reducing anxiety in boy adolescent of divorce. Methods: The present research conducted by quasi-experimental method and used a pretest-posttest with control group design. The statistical population of the current research included all boy students of divorced parents in Karaj in 2017-2018. Among them, 36 persons selected by convenience sampling method, and they were assigned into experimental and control groups (12 individuals per group) randomly. Before the intervention, the Beck Anxiety Inventory executed on participants. Group counseling therapy based on metacognitive therapy and dialectic behavior therapy provided for the experimental group subjects in sixteen 90-minute sessions, while the participants of the control group received no intervention. Posttest executed for all three groups after completing the training. The research data were analyzed by covariance analysis and by SPSS-22 software. Results: Covariance analysis findings indicated that metacognitive therapy and dialectic behavior therapy groups had significant decreasing than the control group after interventional (P>0.05). Also, results indicated than there was no significant difference between the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy and dialectic behavior therapy on anxiety decreasing among boy teenagers of divorced teenagers (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results of the present research, we can state that dialectic behavior therapy and metacognitive therapy by changing negative cognitions reduce anxiety among divorced children.


In order to explore the erosion regularity of downhill farmland in the condition of runoff, it took different flow rate for 10 ° and15 ° slope of cropland for runoff scouring experiment, to analyze the amount of runoff and sediment from each slope, the conclusion shows: Slope soil runoff and sediment yield were increased with the flow and slope, but the increments are different. Smaller flow and slope reduced the runoff and sediment of the slope more obvious. Under the same flow and slope, runoff, as time changes, was increased first, then leveled off, and the sediment yield was increased first, reduced later, then leveled off in the end.


Objective To investigate the expression of stem cell gene Oct4 and Bcl-2 in cervical cancer and precancerous tissues, and to analyze the clinical significance. Methods HE, immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the levels of Oct4 and Bcl-2 protein in normal cervical tissue, and the tissue of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN Ⅰ, CIN Ⅱ, CIN Ⅲ), cervical carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma (well differentiated, moderately differentiated, poorly differentiated). The results were statistically analyzed. Results The expression of Oct4 gradually increased in normal cervical tissue, CIN, and cervical carcinoma, with the expression rates of 20% (2/10), 50% (15/30), 90% (18/20), respectively. The expression rate of Bcl-2 was 10% (1/10) in normal cervical tissue, 40% (12/30) in CIN, and up to 70% (14/20) in cervical carcinoma, which was higher in CIN Ⅲ than CIN Ⅰ and CIN Ⅱ. The expression of Oct4 and Bcl-2 protein showed statistically significant difference between normal cervical tissue, CIN and cervical carcinoma (P0.05), but has nothing to do with the pathological type. Conclusion Oct4 and Bcl-2 may take part in the occurrence and development of cervical carcinoma. Combined detection of Oct4 and Bcl-2 provides useful information for the early diagnosis and treatment of cervical carcinoma.


A rapid and stereodefined synthesis of MIDA-boryl vinylsilanes has been achieved through the hydrosilylation of an alkynylboronic ester. The E products which contain a silyl and boryl group can be selectively cross-coupled in a two-step bidirectional sequence to provide a rapid and high-yielding synthesis of complex styrenes.


The invention relates to a rotor of an electromotive valve actuator, wherein the rotor consists of two bell (2) is formed, which with their bottom walls (2a) facing each other, wherein a plurality of permanent magnets (8) on cylindrical wall sections of the bells (2) are arranged one forming the first portion of the circumference of the rotor, wherein the rotor has a drive plate (1), which is rotatably mounted in the housing of the valve drive and the surface normal is parallel to the rotational axis of the rotor, to the drive plate (1), the bottom walls (2a) of the bells (2) and a bearing (9) are arranged to the valve coupling.


Income of investors can be considered as one of the most important factors that has influence on investment decision. In economics, the fluctuations in income can affect demand in the market as it directly influence purchasing power and investible surplus of investors. The study was undertaken to understand the possible effect of income of investors on various investment avenues. A sample of 974 individual investors was surveyed through a self designed questionnaire having six investment avenues i.e., variable income, fixed income securities, deposits, tax sheltered, mutual fund, insurance and real asset. One-way Anova was applied to check statistical differences among various income levels regarding investment avenues. The result found that income levels differed with respect to variable income securities, fixed income securities, deposits, tax sheltered investment alternatives, insurance and real asset. Only mutual fund was not found significant with respect to income levels because investors were found almost similar their views as far as mutual fund is concerned. Hence, it can be concluded that, at different level income investors have different choices of investment alternatives.


Abstract Excavations at Cayonu Tepesi in southeastern Turkey have taken place since 1964. The main phase of occupation belongs to the aceramic neolithic and is dated between about 7250 and 6750 be. The architecture of the site ‐ the long sequence of building types as well as the outstanding special buildings ‐ is of considerable importance, since we know of no other site from such an early period that yields as much architectural information, concerning both the invention of building techniques and the shift from constructional into decorative features.


The invention discloses a method and a device for coordinating the downlink interference of a long term evolution (LTE) system. The method comprises the following steps of: acquiring the quantity demand of a high-power-frequency-band physical resource block (PRB) of a cell group; dynamically setting the high-power-frequency-band PRB of adjacent cells according to the acquired quantity demand of the high-power-frequency-band PRB and pre-configured static high-power-frequency-band PRB of the cell group; and coordinating downlink power, load or switching of an edge user of the current cell according to the quantity demand of the high-power-frequency-band PRB of the cell group, the high-power-frequency-band PRB which is required by normal running of a system, the dynamically set high-power-frequency-band PRB of the current cell, the static high-power-frequency-band PRB which is distributed to the current cell in advance, and the load balancing degree of the edge user of the current cell and the edge user of the adjacent cell. By the method and the device, the downlink interference can be reduced, the adjusting frequency of the high-power-frequency-band PRB can be reduced and the stability of an LTE system can be improved.


Referring to the permanent magnet synchronous motor(PMSM) driving system with only Hall sensors,we analyzed the key technique to get the exact rotor position under the condition of constant speed,speed up or down for space vector control.The timer module of Infineon was used to calculate more position signals,helping PMSMs run with high speed and lower cost.


Objective: The purposes of this study were (1) to investigate and (2) to compare effects of isometric exercises and electrical stimulation on isokinetic strength for healthy quadriceps femoris muscle. Methodology: Twenty healthy volunteers (range, 20-25; mean age, 20.9±1.1 yr) participated in the study. All participants were divided into two groups (Group I and Group II). Each group consisted of 10 subjects. While Group I received electrical stimulation with Russian current, Group II trained with maximal volunteer isometric exercises (10s contraction and 50 s relaxing periods with 10 repetitions) for three days per week for six weeks. Before and after the training program, each subject was evaluated using the following tests; anthropometrical measurements, fixed weight repetition, step-up, decline squat, single leg hop, and isokinetic assessments (peak torque, work per repetition, initial peak torque, fatigue index, total work done, %BW). Results: After a 6-week training program, significant differences in terms of physical functioning and isokinetic parameters in the two groups were found (p 0.05). Quadriceps femoris hypertrophy was only found in electrical stimulation group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results obtained from this study show that the two strengthening techniques just used in the study can be used to improve muscle strength, performance and isokinetic parameters in healthy quadriceps femoris muscle (p<0.05). But, there is no superiority on each other. In conclusion, these results indicate that electrical stimulation and maximal volunteer isometric exercises can be used to increase isokinetic strength as an alternative for isokinetic dynamometer in clinical setting.


This work compares the literary development of Ezra 7-10 and Nehemiah 8-10 with that of the Pentateuch. It provides a commentary on the text, with introductory discussions and detailed comparisons between individual verses and numerous passages in the Pentateuch.


Aiming at the existing problems in the current basic farmland construction project management,the significance of establishing the regional basic farmland construction projects GIS facing the project management was expounded.The design and development of the basic farmland construction project GIS in Zhuhai City was discussed.


The logic BKc1 is the basic constructive logic in the ternary relational semantics (without a set of designated points) adequate to consistency understood as the absence of the negation of any theorem. Negation is introduced in BKc1 with a negation connective. The aim of this paper is to define the logic BKc1F. In this logic negation is introduced via a propositional falsity constant. We prove that BKc1 and BKc1F are definitionally equivalent.


The firm-specific human capital theory implies that large firms prefer to hire younger workers because they invest more in workers than small firms do and because those investments are fixed costs. In this paper, I use data from the Benefits Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to demonstrate that large firms indeed hire younger workers than small firms, especially for white-collar occupations. I present a simple model of firm cost minimization within an employee search framework, which is consistent with large firms' propensity to hire younger workers, and has additional testable implications regarding large firms' compensation structures. First, since young workers are more valuable to large firms than to small firms, large firms ofier higher starting wages to attract them. This implies flatter starting wage-age profiles among the new hires in large firms. Second, since large firms invest more in workers, they continue to pay higher wages to retain the trained employees. This implies steeper wage-tenure profiles in large firms. Both predictions are borne out by the CPS data. Most strikingly, for the newly hired white-collar workers, not only are the starting wage-age profiles flatter in large finns, but also the size-wage premium disappears for workers hired at age 35 or older. Furthermore, by exploiting cost variations in dimensions other than firm size, such as occupation and industry, this model has additional testable implications. More specifically, an extension of the simple model would imply that, for high training occupations, workers displaced at older ages suffer greater wage losses than younger workers because they have a harder time finding a new good job that requires high investments. But there should be no systematic difference in wage loss by age for occupations that require little training. This prediction is supported by the data from the Displaced Worker Surveys. Finally, limited evidence from the BLS Survey of Employer Provided Training 1995 and the CPS suggests that industries that train more also appear to hire younger workers.


The distribution of linear combinations of independent Gumbel random variables arises explicitly in many applied areas, including economics, electrical and electronic engineering, and hydrological sciences. However, the exact distribution has not been known in its most general form. In this paper, the exact distribution of the linear combination Z=α1 X 1+···+α p X p is derived when X j are independent Gumbel random variables. A computer program is provided for the associated percentile points.


At the time that the spherical aberration in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) primary mirror was discovered, the optics for the second generation Wide Field and Planetary Cameras (WF/PC II) had been completed. Like the first generation cameras, the second generation camera optics, shown in Fig. 1, which were designed at Jet Propulsion Laboratories (JPL), were each Ritchey-Chretien telescopes (with a MgFl field flattening lens) operating at f/12.9 and f/30 respectively. The planned upgrade in the second generation cameras was the incorporation of higher performance detectors. It was quickly realized at JPL that the primary mirror of the HST is imaged at or near the secondary mirrors in the WF/PC cameras and that by replacing only the secondaries the imagery at the camera focal planes could be restored. The aspheric departure of compensating secondaries is less than 2 fringes P-V. Fig. 2 shows the geometrical ray caustic in the region of the HST Cassegrain focus in the as-designed and on-orbit configurations.


The performance of a low-speed axial compressor rotor for different tip clearance gap sizes, with stationary or rotating casing wall is investigated by a numerical simulation. The numerical result indicates that there is an optimal tip clearance size. Compared to no tip clearance the loss caused by the suction boundary layer in the tip region is decreased due to the tip clearance flow, even though a leakage loss is introduced. The secondary flow and the loss in the tip region are very different for the case of rotating and still shroud. So some experimental and numerical results acquired from a linear cascade without end-wall motion need to be modified when used in the rotor.


Objective To assess the effects of the Zhongfeng Qihong Lishui capsule(QHLSC) on excitatory amino acid(EAA) and water content in brain tissue of rats following acute brain ischemia.Methods The left middle cerebral artery occlusion(LLMCAO) model was employed.Seventy two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the sham-operation group,model group,control group(Buchang Naoxin Tong group) and high dose,middle dose,low dose groups of QHLSC.Drugs and saline were administered respectively,twice a day,for 3 consecutive days before LMCAO and once 2 hours after LMCAO.The rats were sacrificed twelve hours after LMCAO.Glu(glutamate),Asp(aspartate) were measured through the method of HPLC(high performance liquid chromatography).Water content was assessed by comparison of the wet weight against the dry weight.Results The contents of Glu,Asp and water in the brain tissues of ischemia group increased greatly compared with that of the sham operation group(P0.01).(2) The content of Glu in the brain tissues of rats in the groups treated with QHLSC decreased significantly compared with that of the ischemia group(P0.05);the level of Asp in the brain tissues of rats in the high dose group,middle dose group,low dose group treated with QHLSC decreased significantly compared with that of the ischemia group(P=0.000,P=0.031,P=0.05 respectively).The content of water in the brain tissue of rats in the groups treated with QHLSC decreased significantly compared with that of the ischemia group(P0.01).Conclusion QHLSC has beneficial effects on acute ischemic brain injury.Its mechanism related to that QHLSC can reduce the contents of glutamate,aspartate and water.


(Abridged) Cosmology faces three distinct challenges in the next decade. (1) The dark sector, both dark matter and dark energy, dominates the Universe. Key questions include determining the nature of both. Improved observational probes are crucial. (2) Galaxy formation was initiated at around the epoch of reionization: we need to understand how and when as well as to develop probes of earlier epochs. (3) Our simple dark matter-driven picture of galaxy assembly is seemingly at odds with several observational results, including the presence of ULIRGS at high z, the `downsizing' signature, chemical signatures of alpha-element ratios and suggestions that merging may not be important in defining the Hubble sequence. Understanding the physical implications is a major challenge for theorists and refiniing the observational uncertainties a major goal for observers.


The Garden City Utopia: A Critical Biography of Ebenezer Howard by Robert Beevers, London: Macmillan, 1988, 206 pp., 10 b. & w. illus., £29.50

The Architectural and Social History of Cooperative Living by Lynn F. Pearson, London: Macmillan, 1988, 274 pp., 24 b. & w. illus., 14 figs., £35.00

Welwyn Garden City: A Town Designed for Healthy Living by Maurice de Soissons, Cambridge: Publications for Companies, 1988, 258 pp., 43 colour plates, 151 b. & w. illus., 7 figs., £19.95


Objective: To assess and increase the digestive clinical skills.Methods: 32 residents rotating in digestive department received special training on the abdominal physical examination and Sengstaken-Blakemore tube operation.Their skills were evaluated by a scoring-system before and after the training.Results: After the training,there was a significant increase of the abdominal physical examination(t=-7.768,P0.01) and Sengstaken-Blakemore tube operation skills(t=-7.142,P0.01).Conclusion: The special training could increase the residents' digestive clinical skills significantly.


When painting complex surfaces, such as large-curvature surfaces, poor coating quality is often obtained, which may be caused by lack of an appropriate atomization model, insufficient understanding of atomization mechanisms and laws, and improper painting parameters. This paper presents a numerical model of paint atomization of air spraying using the volume-of-fluid method and large eddy simulation. The interface capture and the turbulent flow were mainly considered in the model: the former was tracked by the volume-of-fluid method and the latter was predicted by the large eddy simulation. After the computational domain being meshed by the staggered-grid method, the governing equations were discretized by the finite volume method and were solved by the SIMPLE (Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equations) Consistent algorithm. The results of numerical simulations show that the characteristics of atomization flow field, such as velocity variation, pressure distribution, and paint volume fraction are in agreement with the regularities of atomization. Moreover, the primary and secondary atomization phenomena can be clearly observed: as soon as the paint issues from the nozzle, the paint flow begins to distort and the paint fragments continuously eject from the main paint flow and then these paint fragments distort and disintegrate into smaller elements. A comparison with the experimental data from the literature proves that the model of the whole atomization process of air spray is effective. The model is suitable for simulating the whole atomization process and easy to obtain initial conditions, which can be applied to set the appropriate painting parameters and study paint atomization mechanisms and laws in depth.


In this article we present the idea of short-term load cross-forecasting. This approach combines forecasts generated by two models which learn on input data defined in different ways: as daily and weekly patterns. Pattern definitions described in this work simplify the forecasting problem by filtering out the trend and seasonal variations. The nonstationarity in mean and variance is also eliminated. Simplified relationships between predictors and output variables are modeled locally using one-neuron models. A simulation study on the sample of real data showed better performance of cross-forecasting than individual neural models.


In the last sixty years, innovation has become the emblem of the modern society, a panacea for resolving many problems and a catchword. However, for over 2,500 years, innovation was essentially negative. The innovator was a heretic, a revolutionary, a cheater. How did a concept that had been pejorative for so long come to be a term of honour and a central category of Western thought? This paper discusses the representations and uses of innovation over time and their development according to four historical " moments " : innovation as political, innovation as polemical, innovation as instrumental and innovation as theoretical. The main thesis of the paper is that innovation is a political, and essentially a contested, concept. It got de-contested in the twentieth century, by those who had previously made it into a contested concept, governments. 4 Innovation means a bad change, presenting to the mind, besides the idea of a change, the proposition, either that change in general is a bad thing, or at least that the sort of change in question is a bad change (…). [But] to say all new things are bad is as much as to say all things are bad, or, at any event, at their commencement: for of all the old things ever seen or heard of, there is not one that was not once new. Whatever is now established was once innovation (…). The idea of novelty was the only idea originally attached to the term innovation, and the only one which is directly expressed in the etymology (


The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of an imbibition during bulk seed conductivity test on maize seed germinability and to establish the relations among maize (Zea mays L.) seed conductivity and other vigour parameters in different germination conditions. Large and medium seed size of ten maize hybrids harvested in two subsequent years were tested by standard germination test (SG), cold test (CT) and electrical conductivity test (EC), as well as by germination test after EC evaluation. The effects of seed size, seed age, hybrid and their interactions were strongly expressed in the majority of analysed seed and seedling vigour parameters. Mean seed germinability evaluated after EC test was 91.7%, which was slightly lower than mean SG value (%), implying no significant imbibitional damage especially in hybrids with high seed vigour. EC value under 10 µS cm -1 g -1 was obtained with seed showing high germination and seedling vigour for both SG and CT. EC values higher than 12 µS cm -1 g -1 were recorded with seed samples showing low germinability after EC test, which germinated less than 50% in CT conditions as well. EC test value showed strong negative correlations with the most of the maize seed and seedling vigour parameters in the applied germination tests, such as germinability, germination rate, root and coleoptile length and seedling mass. The presented results may help in the standardization of this very applicable test for maize seed, and its adoption as a routine vigour test in maize seed production and quality control is suggested.


Medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (Mcl-PHAs) share physical and material properties that are considered as an alternative to nonbiodegradable plastics. In this report, a new method was developed for detection of Mcl-PHA-producing bacteria. The procedure was composed of, first staining with Nile red and screen under fluorescence microscope at a wavelength of 565 nm, then further confirmation by amplifying the partial nucleic acid sequence of the PHA synthase gene pha with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The stained positive Mcl-PHA-producing bacteria were also detected while subjected to transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This new method should therefore be useful for screening Mcl-PHA-producing bacteria from large numbers of microbial cultures time-efficiently.

 Key words: Fluorescence spectroscopy, polyhydroxyalkanoates, Pseudomonas sp., polymerase chain reaction.


This paper analyzes and compares the performance test methods of new mixed concrete in Chinese and American standards from the perspectives of standard setting, concrete density, air content of concrete and mortar. The comparison results show that when dispose experimental results, the Chinese and American standards toward concrete density test are different. The American standard requires the test results accurate to 1kg/m 3 , but the Chinese standards require the test results accurate to 10 kg/m 3 . When measuring the air content of concrete and mortar, American standard has correspond measuring method for different kinds of concrete. However, the Chinese standard only recommends use gas cylinder in the measurement of air content. It is suggested to improve the specialty of instrument selection, the rigor of experimental procedures and the accuracy of experimental results in the future revision of Chinese regulations. To promote our industry standards more advanced, standardized and scientific, we hope this new standard can promote the progress of industry. 1


e15500 Background: Mucosal melanoma of the vagina (MMV) is a very rare entity. Optimal treatment is still controversial. We report clinical presentation, treatment modalities and outcome profiles of 31 patients with MMV. Methods: This is the first large retrospective study of 31 patients with a nonmetastatic mucosal melanoma of the vagina treated in curative intent between 1990 and 2007 within 9 institutes. Data analyzed included age, tumor stage, type of treatment, type of recurrence and status at the end of the follow-up. Results: Median age was 65 years. Tumor stage distribution according to the TNM classification was: T1 (73.1%), T2 (15.4%) and T3/4 (11.5%). Nodal status at diagnosis was available for 20 patients, most of them were N0 (n=15). Twenty-nine patients had surgical resection (nonconservative surgery: n = 16 including 2 pelvic exenterations, atypical resection : n = 12 and lymph node expertise n = 13). Eight patients received adjuvant treatment (radiation therapy n = 4; chemotherapy n = 5; b...


Chlorinated polyethylene and chloroprene rubber(CM/CR) blends were filled with different particle size carbon black.The effects of particle size of carbon black on its dispersity in the blend and the curing characteristics,mechanical properties,dynamic mechanical properties and oil resistance of the blends were investigated.The results showed that the Mooney viscosity of CM/CR blends declined,but optimum cure time prolonged with the increase of particle size of carbon black.Too large or too small particle size of carbon black was unfavorable to its dispersion.The Payne effect was observed for the blends filled with different particle size carbon black.The smaller the particle size of carbon black,the better the reinforcement effect and the oil resistance of the blends,but the Payne effect was more obvious compared to that of other blends filled with larger partide size carbon black.


A method and system for communicating information in a cooperative relay network of wireless nodes. The wireless nodes including a source, a set of relays, and a destination. Channel state information for each channel between a particular relay of the set of relays and the destination is estimated. A subset of the relays is selected based on the channel state information. The channel state information is fed back to the subset of relays. The source node can then broadcasting data packets from the source to the subset of relays, and the subset of relays forward coherently the data packets from the subset of relays to the destination using beamforming based on the channel state information, while adjusting power to minimize a total energy consumption in the network.


In this study, the author used the Flipped Classroom (FC) approach in one Mandarin teaching module with three types of self-produced videos as pre-class learning material. These videos covered grammar rules, usage of vocabulary, and explanation of texts. The paper first briefly explains the rationale of using such teaching videos. To investigate students' perceptions of using those teaching videos in FC, their feedback and video-viewing records were collected and discussed. The findings reveal that, although not every student used video materials, those who used them favoured grammar videos. To improve student engagement and interactivity of pre-class activities in FC, the author suggests that some pedagogical interventions could be applied in future FC approaches.


An extensive simulation study was performed to determine and compare the spatial awareness of commercial airline pilots on simulated landing approaches using conventional flight displays with their awareness using advanced pictorial ``pathway in the sky'''' displays. Sixteen commercial airline pilots repeatedly made simulated complex microwave landing system approaches to closely spaced parallel runways with an extremely short final segment. Scenarios involving conflicting traffic situation assessments and recoveries from flight path offset conditions were used to assess spatial awareness (own ship position relative to the desired flight route, the runway, and other traffic) with the various display formats. The situation assessment tools are presented, as well as the experimental designs and the results. The results demonstrate that the integrated pictorial displays substantially increase spatial awareness over conventional electronic flight information systems display formats.


Citation for published version (APA): Wood, A. M., Nordestgaard, B. G., Dahm, C. C., Linneberg, A., Overvad, K., Tjønneland, A., & Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration/EPIC-CVD/UK Biobank Alcohol Study Group (2018). Risk thresholds for alcohol consumption: combined analysis of individual-participant data for 599912 current drinkers in 83 prospective studies. The Lancet, 391(10129), 1513-1523. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30134-X


The crystallization and melting transitions for tetracontane in propane, measured in this work at pressures up to about 1200 bar, are found to exhibit a temperature minimum, which implies crystallization upon decompression (retrograde crystallization). The supercooling effect, which is the difference between the crystallization and melting temperature, is found to decrease with increasing tetracontane concentration. The transitions induced by varying temperature at constant pressure are found to fall near the same curve as those induced by varying pressure at constant temperature. The difference between the crystallization and melting pressure represents the super-compression effect.


The particle-size-conversion efficiency (log food consumption/production divided by log predator prey size ratio) is shown to be directly related to the relationship between the concentration of persistent contaminants accumulated primarily through the food chain and body size for organisms in pelagic ecosystems. The difference between particle-size-conversion efficiency for biomass and that for the contaminant gives the slope of the relationship between log contaminant concentration and log body size. This provides a useful theoretical framework for analyzing contaminant concentrations in aquatic biota without the need for specifying trophic level but still incorporating the idea of food chain accumulation. Concentrations of PCB, DDT, and mercury were examined in aquatic organisms from Lake Ontario, ranging in size from zooplankton to large salmonids (a 108 -fold range in dry weight). The slope of the double log plot of concentration versus weight varied from 0.20 to 0.22 for PCB and DDT and was approxim...


In this article, it was used a simple Geometry and some basic concepts in Physics to estimate, in a total eclipse, the maximum time interval in which the Moon remains in the interior of the shadow cone projected by the Earth. The initial hypothesis was that the Moon describes a circular and uniform motion around the Earth and this one describes a uniform circular motion around the Sun, resulting in a maximum time that the Moon remains in the umbra: Δt = 1h 45min 54s


This chapter presents recent topology modifications to the current-fed Z-source inverter/quasi-Z-source inverter (CF-ZSI/qZSI), its operation principles, modulation, modeling and control, passive components design guidelines, and applications. There are two types of three-phase inverters: voltage source inverter (VSI) and a current source inverter (CSI). The open-circuit state of the CF-ZSI can be used to boost the output current (voltage-buck operation) without the unwanted interruption of source current. There are many topology modifications either to overcome the drawbacks of the basic voltage-fed Z-source inverter (VF-ZSI) topology or to increase its voltage gain. Most of these topology modifications can be adjusted for the CF-ZSI. The CF-ZSI/CF-qZSI has an additional zero vector: an open-circuit switching state, which is forbidden in traditional CSI. The current stress and voltage stress of the Z-source network passive components and input inductor also need to be analyzed in order to properly design the capacitor and inductor in the circuit.


This book examines the German church cantatas of Johann David Heinichen (1683-1729), a typically progressive contemporary of J.S. Bach. It explores the cantata's significance and development in Germany during the eighteenth century by clarifying its aesthetic basis, illuminating its range of musical styles, and placing these in the context of contemporaneous culture and society. Since Heinichen is best remembered today for his treatise on the thoroughbass, a book that includes a detailed explanation of musical rhetoric, special attention is given to Heinichen's own text structures and treatment. Because this book represents the first scholarly study of Heinichen's German choral works, it also discusses the authenticity, accuracy, chronology, and revisions of the manuscript sources.


The numerical treatment of nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic instabilities in pinches, laser-induced gas breakdown, submillimetre lasers and scattering from ionospheric plasma at 70° North were among the diverse topics which illustrated the multidisciplinary character of plasma physics at the third annual meeting of the Plasma Physics Group of The Institute of Physics held in Swansea last July. Successful 3D computations of various topical problems in controlled fusion were mentioned by Dr J A Wesson, Culham Laboratory.


Introduction In this chapter, we will present the theory and mathematical modeling of the single-quadrature optical modulator, consisting of two optically coupled Mach–Zehnder modulators, as analyzed in Chapter 11. Section 12.2 reviews the model of the Mach–Zehnder modulator (MZM), introducing new notation for the quadrature architecture. We will use the conventional terminology of "child" and "parent" MZMs, respectively for the inner and outer shell devices. Section 12.3 reports an original contribution to the field inversion method (FIM) used to calculate individual extinction ratios of child and parent MZMs, in the form of a non-destructive measuring procedure. The FIM is then verified by means of simulations of the SQMO under the required operating conditions. Section 12.4 develops an analytical model for the SQMO structure, providing the optical transfer function of each child versus the differential phase shift variable. Each child is characterized by the optical and electrical imbalances and the insertion loss at the optical carrier frequency. Expressions for the child phases at the SQMO outputs are derived and the quadrature condition is analyzed. Section 12.5 is devoted to the derivation of equations for the amplitudes and intensities of the child field phasors at the SQMO output ports, together with several useful functional parameters. Section 12.6 deals with the optical phases of both children and how they combine at the output port to generate the optical phase of the resulting field phasor. A general equation for the output phase is derived, requiring no conditions on the child fields. The new concepts of the twin-child MZM and the symmetric phase lattice are exploited, providing bias phase shift constraints on the quadrature phase condition.


The invention relates to a heat exchanger tubular block (1) comprising a plurality of block units arranged one behind the other in a direction of the block depth. Said block units each comprise a plurality of heat exchanger tubular units (2) which are successively arranged in a direction of the block height, which comprise tubular channels running in a transversal direction of the block, and which have laterally arranged collection channels (8a-11b) belonging thereto that run in a direction of the block height. According to the invention, at least one collection channel connection (13a, 13b, 13c) is provided between at least two adjacent block units (1). Said collection channel connection directly connects a collection channel of one block unit to a collection channel of the other block unit.


Being one of the world's oldest crops with significant economic and medicinal importance, Cannabis Sativa L. (cannabis) has attracted an enormous amount of attention and become one of the most popularly cultivated plants worldwide (Gao et al., 2020). The content of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) determines the legal status of the cannabis varieties. Uncontrolled varieties called hemp are defined as those that have 0.3% or less THC, while marijuana is defined as varieties with higher than 3% (4%-35%).


OBJECTIVE: To review the mechanism and research progress on l-amlodipine besylate for hypertension so as to provide references for clinician in rational drug use.METHODS: Recent pertinent literature both at home and abroad was reviewed and analyzed.RESULTS CONCLUSION: The clinical efficacy and safety of lamlodipine besylate have been confirmed by considerable clinical researches,and it has already become one of the basic drugs for the treatment of hypertension.


Dot is the smallest structural unit of image printing. Micro-characteristic of each printing dot such as spreading area, dot shape and three-dimensional shape which are formed on the surface of substrates affect the image replication quality directly. It is significant to accurately extract and analyze dot microstructure in the process of image transfer for evaluating the quality of image replication .Different shapes of printing dots from the standard offset proof are extracted through microscopic test system. The optimal threshold segmentation algorithm was determined by experiment which gets accurate microscopic quantitative value of the dot, the obtained two-dimensional and three-dimensional shape of printing dot became the basis to evaluate the quality of image replication. The between-cluster variance method is used for dot image segmentation. The research was carried on to track image edge after image threshold and to extract the characteristic parameters to accurately characterize the two-dimensional shape, thus characterizing the image replication quality of dot plane form accordingly; on the basis of collected dot two-dimensional data, the experiment was conducted to combine with gray value differences of single dot caused from ink accumulation within its shape areas. Besides, dot density contour and three-dimensional data were quantized by programming in order to restore three-dimensional shape of printing dot on the surface of substrates quantitatively and intuitively. It shows that quality of dot micro-morphology is the fundamental guarantee of image replication quality. The changes of dot shape, area as well as three-dimensional shape in the process of image replication affect the printing quality. Extraction and analysis dot microstructure can detect dot replication quality intuitively which becomes new method to evaluate image replication quality.


Axial-flux permanent magnet (AFPM) machines are one of the potential candidates for the future higher performance drives due to their compact structure, high power/torque density, and lower losses. Nevertheless, one of the problems with these machines is the high harmonic components in their back electromotive force (EMF), which is needed to be reduced in the design process so as to compete with other electric machines. In addition, in order to easy startup and also less noisy performance, the torque ripple of the AFPM machine should be reduced. Both the back-EMF and torque ripple are relevant to rotor magnetic flux distribution, which is manipulated by the shapes of magnets. In this regard, coreless double rotor AFPM machines with different magnet shapes are designed and analyzed in this study using 3D finite element analysis (FEA). According to the investigations, magnets with sector-like shapes offer better performance indices compared with other types of magnets. Thus, the machine designed with the best magnet shape is then selected to evaluate the proposed design performances in terms of different air-gap and magnet thicknesses.


The objective of this work was to characterize phenotypically and genotypically isolates of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) maintained in pure culture and to evaluate the applicability of PCR‑DGGE analysis, developed for Gigaspora, for molecular identification of AMF species belonging to other genres. The species phenotypic characterization was done according to morphological criteria, as described by taxonomy, and according to original descriptions of species published in the specialized literature. The genotypic analysis was made through specific discrimination of the V9 region in the 18S rDNA, which allowed the distinction of species and showed no difference among geographical isolates of Glomus clarum, and among those of Glomus etunicatum. This indicates the applicability of this technique for assessment of genetic purity and discrimination of AMF species.


A new hybrid process involving the extraction of butyric acid (BA) into ionic liquid impregnated microparticles and the microfiltration (extraction-microfiltration, EMF) process has been proposed and its feasibility examined by simulation. Diafiltration of the regenerated suspension of the solvent impregnated resin (SIR) with water is important to decrease the amount of BA in the recycled regenerated suspension, BA concentration in the lean fermentation broth, consumption of chemicals and to increase the yield of the BA in concentrates. Improvement of these parameters is significant (decrease of chemicals' consumption and BA concentration in the lean fermentation broth by over 80% and increase of the BA yield from 56 to 91% for a three stage EMF process) for diafiltration with the volumetric flowrate of washing water being twice the volumetric flowrate of the diafiltered suspension. Above this ratio, the gain in the BA yield and consumption of chemicals is not high. At the same time, concentration factor ...


AN ATTEMPT WILL BE MADE HERE to show whv initiation and/or puberty rites occur in so many societies and why they take the shape they do. To do this I shall use concepts derived from social and physical anthropology and from psychoanalysis. I shall try to show both what causes societies to develop rites and what effects these rites have. The study of initiation rites fascinated early anthropologists like Frazer, and their apparently bizarre and often bloody features served to instil a sense of comforting superiority in the breasts of scholars in the technologically developed countries. Perhaps the pendulum swung back toward a greater sense of human universality with Van Gennep's emphasis on rites of passage as characteristic of all societies, though it could hardly be denied that these rites "tend to reach their maximal expression in small-scale, relatively stable, and cyclical societies" (Turner 1973:1). However, attempts to establish universal human laws became unfashionable in anthropology (see, e.g., Beattie 1964:44-47 and Nadel 1957:189-90), and, except for a few people like Murdock (1945), following Malinowski, it was left to the psychologists2 to continue to attempt to discern some order in the apparent chaos of variation in cultural patterns (e.g., Ellis 1941; Roheim 1950; Reik 1931, 1951, 1963; Bettelheim 1954; Whiting, Kluckhohn, and Anthony 1957). These attempts have generally evoked scorn among anthropologists for three reasons. Two of these seem justifiable to me; the other does not. First, like Freud and Durkheim, some latterday psychologists have persisted in seeing a precise equivalence between the behavior of modern primitive peoples, such as the Australians, and that of early humans, despite the fact that it is generally accepted that all humans are of the same antiquity. Secondly, some psychoanalysts have persisted in equating infantile Western behavior with that of "savages" (as Douglas 1966:115-21 and La Fontaine 1972:185, for instance, have noted). What seems quite unjustifiable is the argument that psychology "turns its face away from society, and back towards the individual" (Douglas 1966:115). It seems to me that if we fail to consider society as a sum of individuals we are in the very danger of reifying it denounced by Beattie (1964:56-64). If, despite all kinds of exceptions, we find similar patterns of behavior in societies totally separate geographically, linguistically, and ethnically, then we have essentially two alternatives. The first is to postulate that these patterns arose at such an early period of human existence that either they are genetically transmitted or they were diffused from the aboriginal human group. The second is to postulate that particular ecological and environmental circumstances generate particular cultural responses.3 A possible third alternative would be a combination of the two. Fox (1975:275) has recently attacked social anthropologists for failing to understand the importance of primate studies and developments in physical anthropology. He denounces an obsession with behaviorist notions that has resulted, he claims, in a denial that there is any connection between nature and culture. The reality we should grasp, he suggests, is that "the potential for culture lies in the biology of the species. Man has the kinds of cultures and societies he has because he is the kind of species he is." It is not very long since we have generally accepted the idea that the ability to acquire language and speech is a genetically inherited trait. At a recent conference on the origins and evolution of language,4 Chomsky observed that we should think of language as part of the human physiological makeup in the same way as eyes and ears. Fox (p. 276) goes much further in a manner with which I find myself largely in agreement. If one were able to rear children in total isolation from all cultural influences (impossible of course, but a useful model), not only would they develop, 1 I am indebted to Jean La Fontaine for reading and commenting on the paper, and I have incorporated some of her suggestions. 2 I here use the term to embrace psychoanalysts.


Purpose Complete epithelial wound healing is a milestone in the early post‐operative care after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). It reduces the infectious risk, allows safe instillation of steroids, and conditions discharge from hospitalization. We assessed a new matrix therapy agent, mimicking heparan sulfates, for the management of post PKP epithelial defects


Background: The correlation between depression and pain is reported in several chronic diseases including osteoarthritis (OA). This depression could lead to more pain perception and is considered as one of the confounding factors of the association between radiographic symptoms and the pain level in patients with OA. Objectives: Assessment of comorbid depression and its predictors could significantly improve assessment and management of the OA. The current study aimed to evaluate the association between depression and pain in patients with OA and explore the determi- nants of this depression in Iranian population with OA, as well. Methods: The study evaluated the clinico-socio-demographic predictors of depression in 100 patients with OA. Depression was recorded using Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II) and pain was measured by self-reporting visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: Depression score was significantly higher in younger (P = 0.04), unmarried (P = 0.01), physically inactive (P = 0.03) and patients with higher grade of OA (P = 0.02). In addition, a significant correlation was observed between comorbid depression and pain (r = 0.381, P = 0.008, 95% confidence interval), OA grade (r = 0.332, P = 0.009, 95% CI) and age (r = -0.259, P = 0.024, 95% CI). Conclusions: Given the confounding role of comorbid depression in the assessment and management of OA, and the high preva- lence of depression in patients with OA, the predictors of comorbid depression in these patients should be considered to improve the outcome of therapeutic interventions.


Presentation of Case First admission. A fifty-five-year-old man entered the hospital because of a mass in the thigh. One year previously he noticed a painless swelling in the left thigh. It gradually increased slightly in size, and one month before admission an aching pain developed in the lateral aspect of the left thigh and knee. X-ray films of the leg taken at another hospital revealed destruction of bone, and a biopsy disclosed a malignant mesenchymal tumor. He had worked as a pipe fitter for more than twenty years. Physical examination revealed an apparently healthy man. The lungs were clear, . . .


A signal processor is provided for high-rate digital communications over band-limited noisy channels. There is a combined system comprising a single feed-forward filter 40, a plurality of decision devices and feedback filters 42, 43 and an, error detection decoder means, which operate on a serial sequence of received channel symbols. Cyclic redundancy check coding is used. The decision devices select the closest and next closest symbols, and corresponding metrics, and the controller/decoder checks the paths and selects the most reliable output.


ine two entries of cotton viz., JK 260 and Sharada were studied for biochemical and physical components to identify the bases of resistance. The balls of JK 260 had high rind thickness compared to the bolts of Sharada, in all ages of observation; Total phenols decreased with an increase in boll ade in both entries which varied from 0.98 mg/g to 042 mg/g in JK 260 and from 0.80 mg/g to 0 31 mg/g in Sharada. Total sugars and nitrogen content decreased with increasing age in both entries. The crude fibre content was 29,40 and 25 60 per cent in JK 269 and Sharada respectively when the bolls were 40 Jays 'old.


Cyclohexadienyl ruthenium(II) complexes incorporating an azaspirocyclic ring system have been prepared from (η6-N-benzyl acetoacetamide)CpRu(II) precursors via an intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic addition/enolate trapping reaction sequence. The spirocyclization process was found to be applicable to a variety of alkyl-, alkoxy-, and chloro-substituted N-benzyl acetoacetamide ligands, and isolated yields of the cyclohexadienyl products ranged from 44% to 86%. In contrast, related arene ruthenium complexes prepared from benzyl acetoacetate and phenethyl acetoacetamide failed to undergo spirocyclization, but were found to participate in intramolecular SNAr reactions (leading to formation of tetralone and benzazepinone ring systems, respectively). Thus, the conformational mobility of the side chain linking the nucleophilic center to the coordinated arene ring appears to be important in governing the regioselectivity of aromatic addition in these reactions. Several spirolactam complexes were reduced with Li...


Introduction: Baby sign language is gaining in popularity. However, research has indicated a lack of empirical research supporting its use. In addition, research suggests that baby sign training may increase stress levels in parents. Methods: Nine families with children ranging in age from six months to two years; five months participated in a baby sign workshop. Survey data were analysed to determine parental stress levels as a result of the workshop or using signs with their children. Additionally, information from parents regarding parent–child interactions was recorded. Results: The data suggests that the use of baby signs enhanced parent–child communication, strengthened the parent–child bond, and reduced frustration. Furthermore, the data indicated that the use of baby signs with infants did not cause increased stress on parents. Key aspects of baby sign training that seem to reduce and inhibit stress in parents are discussed.


SYNTHESIS 2007, No. 20, pp 3171–3178xx.xx.2007 Advanced online publication: 21.09.2007 DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-990794; Art ID: P07707SS © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York Abstract: 2-(Propa-1,2-dienyl)-, 2-(buta-1,2-dienyl)-, and 2-(3methylbuta-1,2-dienyl)-substituted 5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinane 2-oxides 1a–c react readily upon heating with thiols under catalyst-free, base-free, and solvent-free conditions to give sulfanyl-substituted phosphonates. The reaction undergoes to essential completion within 15 minutes under microwave radiation. While 1a,b react with 4-chlorothiophenol to afford both 2-[2-(4-chlorophenylsulfanyl)prop-1-enyl]12 and 2-[2-(4-chlorophenylsulfanyl)prop-2-enyl]-5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinane 2-oxides 13, 1c gives 2-[2-(4-chlorophenylsulfanyl)-3-methylbut-2-enyl]5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinane 2-oxide (13d) regioselectively. Molecular oxygen undergoes a novel reaction with the allene 1c to give propargylic alcohol 2-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbut-1-ynyl)-5,5dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinane 2-oxide (16) via the corresponding hydroperoxide; the structures of these were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The synthetic utility of the sulfanyl-substituted allyphosphonate 13d in the Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction to afford synthetically valuable sulfanyl-substituted buta-1,3-dienes and a conjugated triene is demonstrated.


Objective: Assess seizure intractability in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutated and wild-type low-grade gliomas (LGG). Background: Many LGG harbor IDH mutations which correlate with better prognosis. IDH mutation is associated with tumor associated epilepsy as the mutant IDH reduces α-ketoglutarate to 2-hydroxyglutarate, which is structurally similar to glutamate. Tumor directed therapy can improve seizure control in LGG patients. Design/Methods: Retrospective review of patients ≥ 18 years old, histologic proven LGG with known IDH mutation status, seizures, and ≥ 2 encounters in neurology clinic at Memorial Sloan Kettering from 10/2005-6/2015. Seizure history was followed until histological high-grade transformation or death. Seizures requiring ≥ 2 changes in anti-epileptic drugs were considered intractable. Incidence rates of intractable seizures were calculated using competing risk survival. Results: We reviewed 62 patients (48% women), median age 38 years with low-grade oligodendroglioma (n=25), astrocytoma (n=26), oligoastrocytoma (n=9), and indeterminate glioma (n=2). Sixteen patients did not harbor IDH mutations. IDH mutations observed were IDH1 R132H (n=44) and IDH2 R172K (n=2). Fifty-six patients (90%) had surgical resection. Twenty-nine (47%) patients received chemotherapy and 21 (34%) received radiotherapy: 16 (26%) received both. The 4-year cumulative incidences of intractable seizures were 13.9% (95%CI: 13.3–14.5) in IDH mutated and 8.6% (95%CI: 7.0–10.1) in IDH wild-type groups. At the time of analysis, 91% (42/46) IDH mutated and 50% (8/16) wild-type patients were alive. The overall survival significantly differed (p Conclusions: Patients with IDH mutated LGGs are more likely to have intractable seizures compared to patients with IDH wild-type LGGs. IDH wild-type tumors are often treated as high-grade gliomas due to known association with poor prognosis. Given the epileptogenicity of IDH mutation, more aggressive tumor directed therapy may be considered if seizures are intractable. Disclosure: Dr. Avila has received royalty payments from Up-To-Date. Dr. Reiner has nothing to disclose. Dr. Umemura has nothing to disclose.


Proximity-induced fine features and spin-textures of the electronic bands in graphene-based van der Waals heterostructures can be explored from the point of tailoring a twist angle. Here we study spin–orbit coupling and exchange coupling engineering of graphene states in the proximity of 1T-TaS2 not triggering the twist, but a charge density wave (CDW) in 1T-TaS2—a realistic low-temperature phase. Using density functional theory and effective model we found that the emergence of the CDW in 1T-TaS2 significantly enhances Rashba spin–orbit splitting in graphene and tilts the spin texture by a significant Rashba angle—in a very similar way as in the conventional twist-angle scenarios. Moreover, the partially filled Ta d-band in the CDW phase leads to the spontaneous emergence of the in-plane magnetic order that transgresses via proximity from 1T-TaS2 to graphene, hence, simultaneously superimposing along the spin–orbit also the exchange coupling proximity effect. To describe this intricate proximity landscape we have developed an effective model Hamiltonian and provided a minimal set of parameters that excellently reproduces all the spectral features predicted by the first-principles calculations. Conceptually, the CDW provides a highly interesting knob to control the fine features of electronic states and to tailor the superimposed proximity effects—a sort of twistronics without twist.


Ventricular septal aneurysm is a congenital defect found frequently in association with ventricular septal defects. Its detection has been increasing particularly in the era of non-invasive imaging. The clinical relevance of an incidentally detected aneurysm of the membranous ventricular septum (


Stability analysis and stabilization synthesis problems of the singularly perturbed switched systems (SPSSs) are investigated in this paper. First, stability of the SPSS with stable subsystems is discussed by using an average dwell time approach with a full-order piecewise Lyapunov function. Then, the result is extended to the situation that not all the subsystems are Hurwitz stable. Furthermore, state feedback controllers are designed when all subsystems are stabilizable, and the design method is extended to the situation that not all subsystems are stabilizable. Finally, two examples are given to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed methods.


Objective
To analyze the clinical features of children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP).

Methods
The clinical data of 280 children with ITP between July 2012 to June 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical features of children were collected, and the clinical effect of the three different strategies of therapy (hormone alone, hormone combined with gamma globulin and gamma globulin alone) were analyzed.

Results
①Among the 280 ITP children, newly diagnosed ITP, persistent ITP and chronic ITP accounted for 63.93%, 24.64% and 11.43% respectively. The ratio of male to female was 1.5∶1. ②Among all cases, 164 cases(58.57%)had clear causes, the peak seasons were spring and winter.It occurred more commonly in infants and young children, the sex ratio showed no significant difference in these age periods (P>0.05). ③The platelet of 280 children with ITP decreased to varying degrees, the platelet of new diagnostic, persistent were mainly severe; very severe, the platelet of chronic were mainly moderate, severe reduction. There was significant difference in the degree of platelet (P<0.01). ④For newly diagnosed ITP, the efficiency of combination group was 90.70%, but it was lower in combination group in persistent ITP(72.72%) and chronic ITP(66.67%). And there was significant difference among the three groups (P<0.05).

Conclusions
①Newly diagnosed ITP is the most common type in pediatric ITP, while the chronic type is rare. The main onset age is in infancy. ② More than half cases has prodromal infection histories. ③Three treatment methods are effective, hormone combined with gamma globulin can obtain the best effect in the treatment of newly diagnosed ITP.

Key words:
Immune thrombocytopenia; Child; Clinical feature; Hormone; Gamma globulin