Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) comprises genetically distinct subtypes. However, 25% of cases still lack defined genetic hallmarks. To identify genomic aberrancies in childhood ALL patients nonclassifiable by conventional methods, we performed a single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) array‐based genomic analysis of leukemic cells from 29 cases. The vast majority of cases analyzed (19/24, 79%) showed genomic abnormalities; at least one of them affected either genes involved in cell cycle regulation or in B‐cell development. The most relevant abnormalities were CDKN2A/9p21 deletions (7/24, 29%), ETV6 (TEL)/12p13 deletions (3/24, 12%), and intrachromosomal amplifications of chromosome 21 (iAMP21) (3/24, 12%). To identify variation in expression of genes directly or indirectly affected by recurrent genomic alterations, we integrated genomic and gene expression data generated by microarray analyses of the same samples. SMAD1 emerged as a down‐regulated gene in CDKN2A homozygous deleted cases compared with nondeleted. The JAG1 gene, encoding the Jagged 1 ligand of the Notch receptor, was among a list of differentially expressed (up‐regulated) genes in ETV6‐deleted cases. Our findings demonstrate that integration of genomic analysis and gene expression profiling can identify genetic lesions undetected by routine methods and potential novel pathways involved in B‐progenitor ALL pathogenesis. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Abstract Three examples of cyclogenesis off the east toast of North America are studied using an 8‐level primitive equations model. The model includes input of sensible and latent heat from the sea surface, both parameterized convective and large‐scale precipitation and release of latent heat, surface frictional drag and orography. The grid size is 190 km. Twenty‐four‐hour prognoses were made for four time periods with similar results: orography and fluxes of sensible and latent heat from the ocean were of little consequence, while the effect of the land‐water roughness contrast was significant. The lack of appreciable orographic influences is attributable to the fact that the Lows studied crossed the Appalachians south of the highest terrain. The cyclones formed along well‐developed frontal systems where the difference between air or dew‐point temperature and sea temperature in the warm sector was small or negative. Consequently fluxes of both sensible and latent heat near the Low centres during cyclogen...


The phenomenon of disproportion about "cost and output" and "output lacking high-tech content" appearing in China is mainly caused by the development of less effective system in library data information and the reason for ineffective development is that we have not mastered the increment model thoroughly and have not carried it out effectively. The library data information of increment patterns may be classified into direct ones and indirect ones. The research and application of the increment model of library data information will not only help us strengthen management,down-cost and enhance efficiency,but also encourage the inner change of management and supervise the out-surrounding of a unit. The promotion of data net and higher inter function will surely bring a promising future to the whole society.


Dysarthria is a kind of speech disorder caused by difficulties in muscular control of the speech mechanism, owing to the impairment of the central or peripheral nervous systems. Dysarthria is a speaking impairment due to the weak muscles of the patient due to brain injury. Face, throat muscles, lips are important to generate intelligible speech in humans. The severity of the disorder decides the understandability of the dysarthric speech, as the speech can be slow and unclear. This affects dysarthric people's life. This creates a communication gap between the common people and dysarthric patients. This work proposes a prototype that will improve the intelligibility of dysarthric speech. The main objective of the prototype is to enhance the rehabilitation of dysarthric people's livelihood. From the severity assessment, the clinician and caretakers can provide an improved speech treatment for dysarthric patients. Audio features like MFCC (Mel Frequency Spectral Coefficients), ZCR (Zero Crossing Rate), Spectral centroid, spectral rolloff, Mel spectrogram are used for feature extraction process. The KNN (K-nearest neighbor) and SVM (Support Vector Machine) classifiers are used to categorize the severity level of dysarthria based upon the features obtained.


This paper deals mainly with methods and techniques for obtaining airplane frequency-response characteristics from transient flight measurements. After a review of the basic airplane equations of motion, the theoretical transfer function which defines the "short-period" pitch response to an elevator deflection is derived. A numerical example is used to illustrate the evaluation of an analytical transfer function from a graphical frequency response by a method which involves the use of graphical aids in conjunction with an analog computer. Finally, the effects of variations in flight speed and altitude on the airplane response are considered.


The CESR RF system consists of four 5-cell RF cavities. Each cell has a field probe sensitive to the voltage in the cell. We used a single bunch circulating in the ring as the driving current which gives a well known spectrum. The signals from the field probes were analyzed and we were able to identify the peaks seen in the spectra as higher-order modes (HOMs) that are excited by the beam in RF cavities. Analysis of the peak shapes and location gave us the Q factors of parasitic modes and their frequencies. The reliability of data was verified with direct measurement using a Network analyzer. The information about Qs and frequencies of the parasitic modes will be used for the multi-bunch beam stability analysis.


"Introduction and historical context The employee The independent contractor The office holder The agency worker The PSC worker The partner Particular occupations Working abroad Status disputes Summary of selected cases Selected Statutes Selected Statutory Instruments"


Background: The purpose of this study was to specify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pemphigus in the Department of Dermatology of the University Hospital of Dakar. Patients and Methodology: All medical records of patients seen for pemphigus in our department over a 11-year period were analyzed retrospectively. Results: We collected 105 cases of pemphigus, corresponding to a frequency of 10 cases/year and a hospital prevalence of 2.7%. Thus, pemphigus held the second rank of blistering autoimmune bullous diseases after bullous pemphigoid. The mean age of patients was 47.62 years and the age group [40-59 years] was predominantly affected (28 cases; 45 %). There were 41 femeles and 21 men (F/M ratio: 2). We did not find an endemic focus in our country. Clinical forms were dominated by pemphigus foliaceus (30 cases; 48.5 %), followed by pemphigus vulguaris (19 cases; 30.6 %) and finally by pemphigus erythematosus (13 cases; 21%). In 16 cases (25 %), the pemphigus had begun after the consumption of a traditional medicinal plant (8 cases). An associated toxidermia was found in12 cases. Pruritus was present in 43 patients (69.35%). Discussion: In Senegal, pemphigus are common diseases, but without however an endemic focuc. They occur in young women, with a predominance of superficial forms, especially pemphigus foliaceus. The presence of pruritus and associated toxidermia to traditional medicinal plants are common.


This paper outlines two parts of a study designed to evaluate the use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in channel-letter signs. The first part of the study evaluated the system performance of red LED signs and white LED signs against reference neon and cold-cathode signs. The results show a large difference between the actual performance and potential savings from red and white LEDs. Depending on the configuration, a red LED sign could use 20% to 60% less power than a neon sign at the same light output. The light output of the brightest white LED sign tested was 15% lower than the cold-cathode reference, but its power was 53% higher. It appears from this study that the most efficient white LED system is still 40% less efficient than the cold-cathode system tested. One area that offers a great potential for further energy savings is the acrylic diffuser of the signs. The acrylic diffusers measured absorb between 60% and 66% of the light output produced by the sign. Qualitative factors are also known to play an important role in signage systems. One of the largest issues with any new lighting technology is its acceptance by the end user. Consistency of light output and color among LEDs, even from the same manufacturing batch, and over time, are two of the major issues that also could affect the advantages of LEDs for signage applications. To evaluate different signage products and to identify the suitability of LEDs for this application, it is important to establish a criterion for brightness uniformity. Building upon this information, the second part of the study used human factors evaluations to determine a brightness-uniformity criterion for channel-letter signs. The results show that the contrast modulation between bright and dark areas within a sign seems to elicit the strongest effect on how people perceive uniformity. A strong monotonic relationship between modulation and acceptability was found in this evaluation. The effect of contrast seems to be stronger than that of spatial frequency or background luminance, particularly for contrast modulation values of less than 0.20 or greater than 0.60. A sign with luminance variations of less than 20% would be accepted by at least 80% of the population in any given context.


December 2019 marked the emergence of a deadly virus known as Covid-19. Since then, we have been battling the virus, which has infected more than 250 million people and killed 4.5 million globally. The pandemic has become the headline of almost every media outlet, local and international news agency. Hence, this article aims to examine the Arabic online news discourse of the event by focusing on the verbal processes strategically utilised in reporting the pandemic in Malaysia. This study's data consists of Modern Standard Arabic online news published by Aswaq (aswaqpress.com) news portal between January and July 2021. Aswaq provides Arabic news and information on Malaysia to the Arab world. Hence, the information provided by the portal is vital in portraying Malaysia to Arab audiences, particularly in framing the way Malaysia deals with the Covid-19. The study employs corpus linguistics analytical tools using corpus software AntConc 3.5.8 (2019). Then, the quantitative result will be analysed using a qualitative approach based on the textual-oriented Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of Fairclough (1992). It is shown that Aswaq has strategically utilised various verbal processes to report on the word said and articulated around the pandemic. The diversity of verbal processes usage indicates different connotations that hint at different strategic approaches in reporting the news. Hence, it may lead to uncovering the outlet stance of the event. Finally, the study will present suggestions for other related studies in the future.


Without using data to inform their actions at every step of the way, teachers and administrators will probably not reach their goals for school improvement. Ms. Heritage and Ms. Chen describe a CRESST initiative that helps educators develop the skills to collect, analyze, and be guided by data. PICTURE these two scenarios. Toward the end of the school year at Jefferson Elementary, the principal is sharing with his faculty members reports from the district that show the school's aggregated scores on statewide assessments in reading and math. He also has printouts of the school's results on the district's end-of-semester assessments. From these reports, the principal and faculty members can see that reading is a problem for the school's students. They conclude that they have to improve their students' reading skills and so commit to a school improvement goal of focusing on reading in the next school year. They leave for the summer believing that they will do their best next year and hoping that their efforts will result in improved test scores. At the same time, across the district at Adams Elementary, the principal begins a faculty meeting by reviewing the same state and district reports with the school's teachers. The school improvement goal for the past two years has been to increase the percentage of students reaching proficiency on the statewide math test from 55% to 75%, and the principal and the teachers are pleased to see from the students' scores that their efforts have paid off. Now it's time to turn their attention to reading, and the meeting becomes the first step in a new improvement effort. The principal and the teachers make a plan to investigate reading achievement, which includes collecting and analyzing data from multiple assessments, disaggregating scores by subscales and by subgroups, collecting data on a range of indicators and combining these with assessment data to explore factors that may be affecting achievement, and examining longitudinal and cross-sectional data on reading. The investigation will lead these practitioner researchers to establish goals for school improvement and to identify benchmarks to gauge their progress. This process mirrors the one the principal and teachers used to improve math achievement, and they leave for the summer knowing that they have much to do next school year but confident that their efforts will result in improved reading scores. The two schools share the same starting point of examining assessment reports and the same ending point of establishing the goal of improving their students' reading scores. However, the stories of these schools represent two very different approaches to setting the goal and two very different chances of achieving success. What accounts for the differences? A conversation with the principal and teachers at Jefferson Elementary would reveal that they look at assessment data once a year, when the reports come from the state and district, but beyond that they are pretty confused about what to do with all the information available to them. If the principal and teachers at Adams Elementary were asked about data use, they would reply that "using data is a way of life around here -- our investigations of data are continuous and inform the decisions we make about improving student learning." Simply stated, the educators at Adams Elementary have the necessary skills to use data effectively for school improvement, and they are comfortable with the process, whereas those at Jefferson Elementary don't and aren't. This difference will be a significant factor in the success of their respective school improvement efforts. Much research indicates that making good use of data is a common characteristic of effective schools and districts,1 and the underlying assumption of various accountability mandates, including those in the No Child Left Behind Act, is that using data will lead to school improvement. …


A telegraphist, aged 50. History.—In November 1953, this man developed typical psoriasis, involving mainly the limbs. In March 1954, there appeared on the fingers an eruption indistinguishable from dermatitis repens, accompanied by thickening of the nails and loss of some of them. This was followed a few weeks later by a crop of sterile pustules, beginning on the hands and eventually covering most of the body surface. During phases of acute activity there was pjrrexia. Treatment.—A short course of cortisone, averaging about 75 mg. daily, produced little effect, but later cortisone in a dosage of 200 mg. daily resulted in a dramatic improvement and the skin became almost clear. The condition relapsed on reducing the dose to 100 mg., but improved again rapidly on raising it to 200 mg. once more. After about one month, on a maintenance dose of 125-150 mg., a gradual worsening of the condition became apparent. This was reversed when the daily dose of cortisone was reduced to 37-5 mg. and 40 mg. of ACTH was given in addition. At present the skin is almost completely free from pustules on 50 mg. of cortisone and 40 me of ACTH daily. " ' ^


In this paper, cyclic c− injective modules are introduced and investigated. It is shown that a commutative Noetherian domain is Dedekind if and only if every simple module is cyclic c− injective. Finally, it is shown that injectivity, principal injectivity, mininjectivity, and simple injectivity are all equal to characterize right V-rings, right GV-rings, right pV-rings, and WV-rings.


Two different types of ejectors used for pumping gas, liquid and two-phase flows, as well as for evacuation of enclosed spaces have been analyzed. The results of CFD simulation of Dubinsky's Vortex ejector operation process are presented. The results of numerical simulation and experiment for different modes of ejector operation for passive flow and total back pressure are compared.


This article takes as its starting point a recognition of play as meaning-making, and the playground as a rich and dynamic 'meaning-makerspace' where children draw moment-to-moment, rapidly and readily on the multiple resources available to them to make signs of their interest evident. These resources are drawn from their own lifeworlds, folkloric and site-specific imagination, transmitted game forms from the past, and their pleasure and affective response to contemporary media. The playground is, therefore, a dynamic site for making and re-making, reflecting the concept of 'makerspace as mindset', where creative, collaborative meaning-making occurs ceaselessly in a range of modes. To illustrate this position, we share findings from 'Playing the Archive', an 'Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council' funded project exploring archives, spaces and technologies of play. Building upon the Iona and Peter Opie Archive of play from the 1950s–1960s, the project involved ethnographic research in two contemporary London primary school playgrounds, working with children aged 7–11 as co-researchers. A range of multimodal methods were used with the children to gain insights into their play, including iPads as filmmaking devices, chest-mounted GoPro cameras, voice recorders, drawings and mapping of playspaces. The research highlights that contemporary play exists not only in physical playgrounds, but increasingly in globalised 'virtual playgrounds' such as video games and social media. While these playworlds may at first appear separate, we identified ways in which virtual play intersects and inflects activity in the physical playground. We argue that play should therefore be seen as a series of 'laminates' drawing variously on media culture, folklore and the children's everyday lived experiences, re-mixed and re-mediated inventively in the playground.


The present paper deals with a "secondary text" as a specific characteristic of manuscripts, in this case, in the "Lives of Saints". Since the text has traces of work of several scribes, it is relevant to define and differentiate between a "primary" and a "secondary" text, i.e., the basic one and the one with various sorts of "intervention": omission, addition, and substitution. The changes made by the "secondary author" explicate his "otherness" in consciousness and language. Therefore, the paper analyzes the communicative and cognitive characteristics of the "secondary author" deduced from the text.


Appropriate dye molecules denoted photosensitizers are able to generate singlet oxygen (cytotoxic species) for PDT applications, should present several properties to kill tumour cells; low toxicity, selective accumulation on cancer cells, high absorption in the Visible/near-IR region to have the maximum light absorbed in the skin, and efficient intersystem crossing (ISC) to obtain high singlet oxygen quantum yield.


Routinely possible continued use, excellent safety, endogenous melatonin secretion rhythm disorders and circadian rhythm disorders, phase adjustment or amplitude of the endogenous melatonin secretion rhythm can effectively prevent or improved without ingesting exogenous melatonin enhancers, and circadian rhythm improving agent, to provide a functional food that can prevent or ameliorate various symptoms such as sleep disorder or sleep onset latency disorders using the same. Endogenous melatonin secretion rhythm phase adjustment or amplitude enhancer of the present invention, and circadian rhythm improving agent comprises whey as an active ingredient, endogenous melatonin secretion rhythm for improving functional food of the present invention, the endogenous melatonin It includes a phase adjustment or amplitude enhancer secretion rhythm, the circadian rhythm for improving functional food of the present invention, including the circadian rhythm improving agent.


During centerless cylindrical grinding care must be taken so that it is over a certain position between the workpiece 3, the grinding wheels (1), the adjustment wheel (2) and the support guide (4). Optimum location of the workpiece (3) initially can not be maintained to a change in diameter and the outer shape of the workpiece 3 by the progress of this process and the grinding process. The invention according to the purpose to allow the height and tilt position, or height or tilt position of the support guide in that the support guide (4) to provide a solution of the problem can be made optimum in-process control and grinding step of the grinding process, It is automatically corrected. The progress of the grinding process, for example using a measurement technique to measure the deviation from the diameter or the circular shape of the workpiece (3), and using the measurement value of the measurement techniques as an output variable for adjusting the support guide (4) It can be detected. Centerless grinding, grinding wheels, adjustable wheel support guide


– We consider the problem of the effectiveness of the delayed feedback in stochastic systems. Our motivation is the congestion control and scheduling of channels in communication networks via feedback. We conclude that regeneration length and correlation coefficient can provide information on the effectiveness of the delayed feedback. As a consequence the buffer length, the traffic intensity, and the burstiness of traffic influence the effectiveness of delayed feedback.


Objective: The aim of this project was to determine the level of oral health literacy of parents of pre-schoolers regarding their child's oral health. Methods: 117 participants (parents of children 2-5 years of age) completed a self-administered oral health literacy questionnaire. Data obtained from the study were analysed using SPSS software. The associations between oral health literacy and socio-demographic variables were identified and also the relationship between the parents' oral health literacy and their attitude towards water fluoridation in Christchurch was identified. Results: The results indicated that there were associations between parents' oral health literacy and socio-demographic variables such as ethnicity, education and family income. Reliability was good for the developed oral health literacy instrument. Conclusions: This study of parents' oral health literacy in Christchurch, New Zealand identified the association of oral health literacy and socio-demographic variables which provides a focus for future policy and health service delivery guidance to improving the oral health status of New Zealand children.


The subject innovation is Extended relates to a vehicle ceramic circular polarization patch antenna having bonded grounding source, Extended ground a vehicle ceramic circular polarization patch antenna, the substrate is formed a power supply circuit and the ground plane of the vehicle antenna comprising a according to the present invention in the automotive ceramic circular polarization patch antenna that is disposed on, the is provided is perforated first feeding hole edges facing each other for the dielectric, and a circular polarized wave is formed of a ceramic is formed into a partially cut square metal thin film of the dielectric and a radiator provided on a surface thereon, the first feed and a second feed hole at a position corresponding to the hole in which the first formation is relatively larger perforations than the first feeding hole size and formed of a thin metal film on the lower surface of the dielectric on the radiator and the substrate through the main ground, and the first feed hole and the second feed hole Before the patch antenna comprising a circuit with a feed portion connected to each other; And a ground plane wherein are provided is a perforated third feeder hole corresponding to the second feed holes has a constant thickness in a lower direction of the patch antenna is formed in appearance and the metal conductors of the same shape of the patch antenna formed on the substrate electrically connected to the Extended ground; comprises a. Thus, adjusting the thickness of the present design is provided having a constant thickness in a lower direction of the patch antenna is formed in appearance and the metal conductors of the same shape of the patch antenna portion electrically Extended ground connected to the ground plane formed on the substrate to, and to control the radiation efficiency of the vehicular ceramic patch antenna operating at a specific frequency band, and improve the directivity of the radiation pattern is formed in a direction parallel to the ground plane thereby reducing the null point of the field-effect vehicle ceramic patch by It has the effect of increasing the antenna gain of the antenna.


This study examined the bidirectional relations between authoritative parenting and adolescents' prosocial behavior over a 1-year time period. Data were taken from Time 2 and 3 of the Flourishing Families Project, and included reports from 319 two-parent families with an adolescent child (M age of child at Time 2 = 12.34, SD = 1.06, 52% girls). Cross-lag analyses supported bidirectional relations between parenting and prosocial behavior with particular emphasis on the role of the adolescents' prosocial behavior on subsequent parenting. Results also varied as a function of the reporter. Discussion focuses on the implications for understanding the multifaceted nature of prosocial development in adolescence.


Forensic anthropometry incorporates most of the techniques originating from the analysis of human skeletal material from archaeological sites .Hand index which is derived from hand dimensions can be used to estimate differences related to sex, age and race in forensic and legal sciences. This study estimated the sex of Nigerian student from hand measurements. Three hundred students (150 males and 150 females) from University of Port-Harcourt Nigerian with age ranges of 18-30 years were used .The hand breadth and length of these subjects were measured using an automatic sliding caliper. The hand index was calculated as percentage of hand breadth over the hand length .The statistical analysis of the data obtained showed that male hand dimension was significantly higher than those of the females at p < 0.05. In general the left hand length was obviously higher than the right hand length while in the breadth there was a reverse. The male data revealed a mean right hand length and breadth of 19.02 ± 0.08 and 8.58 ± 0.03, with a mean left hand length and breadth of 19.09 ± 0.07 and 8.43 ± 0.03. On the other hand, the female mean right hand length and breadth was 17.62 ± 0.07 and 7.69 ± 0.03 with a mean left hand length and breadth of 17.69 ± 0.07and 7.58 ± 0.03.The hand index obtained showed higher value for male than female with right and left mean value of 45.16 ± .19 and 44.21 ± .17 as compared to female mean right and left hand index of 43.68 ± 0.19 and 42.90 ± 0.19. The average hand indices of left and right hand for both male and female are 44.68 ± 0.13 and 43.29 ± 0.14, respectively. The results of the hand index suggest that the population studied belong to two groups of hand dimension, the dolichocheir and the mesocheir group.


Numerical simulation with high spatial resolution for the wind energy resources distributions in Guangdong province is conducted with Wind Energy Resource Assessment System(WERAS). The results show that:the areas rich in wind energy resources are distributed in coastal region and high mountains of northern and western Guangdong,where the annual mean wind speed at 70 m height is above 6.0m/s and the annual mean wind power density is above 300 W/m2 ;the wind energy resources in winter are richer than those in summer; wind energy is mainly produced from large wind process which happens in low frequency. The characteristics of temporal and spatial distribution of wind energy resources in Guangdong revealed by numerical simulation are consistent with local climate characteristics and topographic features,the simulation error of wind speed at 70m height is about 10%,and the simulation error of wind power density at 70 m height is about 30%.


This paper considers pilot-based (or training-based) channel matrix estimation in downlink multiuser multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication systems under Rician fading. The Bayesian approach is used to analyse and derive closed-form mathematical expressions for the minimum mean square estimator (MMSE) and the mean square error (MSE) in estimating the channel state information (CSI) where the long-term channel statistics are known a priori. It is shown how the pilot matrix can be designed to maximize the estimation performance. MATLAB simulation examples are used to evaluate the performance of the MMSE channel estimator for different training sequences and system statistics and to show how both the optimal length of the training sequence (number of columns of the pilot matrix) and the channel estimation error decreases with the spatial correlation.


Integrated ozonation-aerobic biodegradation of table olive wastewater (diluted 1:25 with synthetic urban wastewater) is presented as a suitable technology to purify this kind of effluent. Use of ozone is recommended as a pre-treatment step since it shows a high reactivity toward phenolic compounds (found in this type of wastewater) reducing, at the same time, the alkalinity of the media for further biological processing. An ozone dose of 45 mg L–1 (flow rate 20 L h–1) for a period of 35 min has been found to achieve the following goals: decrease pH, decrease phenolic content, and increase of biodegradability. The aerobic oxidation process followed first order kinetics as measured by COD depletion profiles versus time. The Arrhenius expression k = 183exp(–2214/T) was obtained for experiments of ozonated wastewater biodegradation completed at different temperatures and neutral pH.


QRS axes of electrocardiograms were measured in 984 Japanese males who visited the Hokkaido University Hospital. The average QRS axis in smokers was shifted to the left with age approximately 5 years earlier than in non-smokers. This seems to suggest that some individuals are "hypersensitive" to tobacco, among whom tobacco smoking advances the onset of atherosclerotic heart disease.


A pressure maintaining refrigeration system of evaporator is characterized in that: in a refrigerant circulation system which comprises a compressor, a condenser, a filter, a capillary of evaporator, a freezing evaporator and a refrigeration evaporator, the inlet end and the outlet end of the freezing evaporator are respectively provided with an inlet end check valve of the freezing evaporator and an outlet end check valve of the freezing evaporator. A reflux branch is provided between the outlet end of the compressor and the inlet end of the freezing evaporator. A reflux capillary is provided in the reflux branch. The pressure maintaining refrigeration system of evaporator can effectively reduce the loss of cold air quantity of refrigerator in shutdown and increases refrigeration efficiency.


Soluble guanlyl cyclase (sGC) produces the second messenger cyclic GMP (cGMP) in response to hormones or neurotransmitters that enhance the intracellular concentration of Ca2+, which is required for the formation of nitric oxide (NO), the endogenous activator of sGC.' The NO/cGMP pathway represents a wide-spread signal-transducing system and is involved in the regulation of different biologic processes, such as relaxation of vascular smooth muscle, inhibition of platelet aggregation, and platelet adhesion to the vessel wall, as well as synaptic transmission in the peripheral nervous system and perhaps also in the brain.2 In this synoptic overview on NO/cGMP-mediated signal transduction, the mechanisms and regulatory principles of NO biosynthesis are described first, followed by a brief discussion of sGC enzymology and the center-stage role of Ca2+/calmodulin in NO/cGMPmediated cellular signaling. The molecular targets of cGMP, including specific protein kinases, ion channels, and phosphodiesterases were reviewed r e ~ e n t l y ~ . ~ and will not be described here.


DESPITE THE FACT that considerable research has been devoted to the adult structure of sclereids in Olea, no study has been carried out on sclereids in 0. europaea L. applying present-day morphogenetic approaches. Such methods of investigation undoubtedly would lead to a better understanding of the mature elements. In the present study it was necessary to consider the nature of the shoot apex and course of leaf development in connection with the ontogeny of sclereids. The general pattern of apical structure and of leaf initiation was found to be in accordance with many other dicotyledons which have been recently investigated (Foster, 1949, p. 185-189). Although certain features of the maturing leaf have presented special interest, for example the ontogeny of the peltate hair, in this paper the writer will consider only the ontogeny of the sclereids in the leaf. The topography and morphology of the mature sclereids have already been described (Arzee, 1953). MATERIAL AND METHODS.-Material utilized in this investigation was obtained from a tree growing on the Berkeley Campus of the University of California. Material was killed, processed and stained by the methods outlined in the previous publication (Arzee, 1953). SCLEREID ONTOGENY.-In the process of scelereid ontogeny, the initials are not recognized until relatively late in leaf ontogeny. As is shown in fig. 1, they are first noticeable before the tissues of the mesophyll have reached maturity and the vascular system of the leaf has completed its differentiation. The lamina at this stage has attained a width of approximately 3-5 mm. and a length of 10 mm. The mesophyll consists of a single meristematic palisade layer and several layers of isodiametric cells which are destined to mature into the stellate cells of the spongy parenchyma. Air spaces are just becoming conspicuous. Division figures are still discernible among the mesophyll cells as well as in the epidermis. In the lower epidermis, differentiation into stomatal mother cells is evident. The main criteria by which the sclereid initial may be distinguished from the neighboring cells are the decrease in stain absorption by the protoplact, the large size of the nucleus, and the prominent, refractive nucleolus. These characteristic phenomena


Because of its simplicity and small control overhead AODV (OnDemand Distance Vector) protocol is suitable for the Ad hoc network, but it does not have any security mechanism. This paper presents a simple and effective method for security enhancements, and it can be integrated into the AODV protocol well. Using the Asymmetric Cryptographic System, we can authenticate and encrypt sensitive routing messages, and only source nodes which issue RREQ can validate messages. In one searching process, only the node which issues RREP and the source node deal with the public key computations, so this method is suitable for the ad hoc network without increasing the overhead too much.


N,O-Diacetyldeoxojervine, obtained by the Wolff-Kishner reduction of jervine followed by acetylation, has been catalytically hydrogenated to (22S,25S)-N,3-O-diacetyl-5α-veratranine-3β,3β-diol. Irradiation in benzene containing mercury(II) oxide and iodine afforded 20-formyl-17β-ethyl-12α-etiojervan-3β-ol 3-acetate which was converted into 17β-ethyl-3β-hydroxy-12α-etiojervan-20-one 3-acetate by dye-sensitized photo-oxygenation of the corresponding morpholine enamine. Reduction to 17β-ethyl-12α-etiojervane-3β,20β-diol 3-acetate with sodium borohydride followed by irradiation in benzene in the presence of mercury(II) oxide and iodine afforded an 18-functional C-nor-D-homosteroid, (20R)-18,20-epoxy-17β-ethyl-12α-etiojervane-3β,20β-diol. The configuration of the methyl group on the tetrahydrofuran ring has been shown to be α on the basis of the NMR spectrum, confirming a previous assignment.


The thesis is focused on the selection system and methodology for evaluation of suppliers. The introductory part is devoted to the theory of purchasing, which deals withthe processes, functions, phases and organizations. The main point of the theoreticalpart is the selection and evaluation of suppliers is given where the process of selecting, evaluating suppliers, the criteria in this process and provide methods by which they canevaluate suppliers. The practical part of the theoretical knowledge into practice. There is described the process of purchasing a system for selecting and evaluating suppliersand supplier assessment methodology in the company Jaroslav Vrastil - Metalworking.


Summary

A novel model of a variable-speed drive system, consisting of a three-phase induction machine fed by a matrix converter (MC) including its auxiliary circuits, is proposed in this paper. The main novelty of this model lies in the combination of a MC model created in the Matlab/Simulink environment with a finite element method model of an induction machine. The combined operation of these two components as an integrated model allows the detailed simulation of both the MC's and the induction machine's operation. The main advantage of this model is that the introduction of various manufacturing asymmetries and faults, both mechanical and electrical, in the induction machine structure is greatly facilitated. In that way, the created model can be used in order to examine in detail the consequences of these asymmetries or faults to the drive system's operational behavior. Additionally, it can be used for the development and/or evaluation of diagnosis methods for the detection of these faults under different operational conditions using motor current signature analysis, magnetic flux, speed or torque spectrum analysis and other methods. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


This paper reports observational data recorded on three journeys on London's public transport network in 2004. The data is reported as experience in an approach that attempts, in the phenomenological vein, to bring the incidents to life for the reader. The strong subjectivity in this approach to the write up of data is then tempered by a more objective analysis of the three events. In this, the paper explores a link between the highly subjective, micro-level data, and the structuring propensities of the market. The 'marketisation' of emotion is argued to have structuring effects on morality as it is constructed and manipulated at an individual level.


A correct exploitation of the contrast agent previously injected inside the human body and the measurement of nonlinear responses generated by the bubbles that composing it need to an acoustic beam pressure having a quasi-constant profile in a fixed range of depths. In order to obtain this objective, a synthesis stochastic method (based on simulated annealing) aimed to the optimization of the weight coefficients to be applied to the array sensors has been developed and performed. The results obtained in terms of pressure profile and simulated echographic images have been reported and discussed


Beta-cell replacement to eliminate the need for exogenous insulin in diabetic patients can be accomplished by either pancreas or islet allotransplantation (1). An obvious advantage of islet transplantation is that it is minimally invasive for the recipient, but logistically it is more difficult (2). Thus, pancreas transplantation is still more widely applied than islets, and advances in surgical techniques that have contributed to the everincreasing success rate of pancreas transplantation (3). With either a pancreas or islet transplantation, the recipients require immunosuppression, and the various regimens are in current use (4). Of course the ultimate objective of beta cell replacement is to mitigate the complications associated with diabetes and to improve quality of life in the recipients and a recent review documents the degree to which this objective is achieved (5). Another issue of importance is allocation of pancreases from deceased donors for either pancreas or islet transplantation. Even though pancreas transplantation has a high success rate, it is associated with surgical morbidity. Islet transplantation has a low morbidity but is inefficient because of the attrition during isolation and engraftment. This problem creates the need for more than one donor (re-transplantation) to achieve a sufficient beta-cell mass in many recipients, and limits the number of candidates that can benefit, given the number of donor pancreases available (less than the theoretical demand). Ideally, beta-cell replacement should be done by the least invasive way possible. However, if one is to maximize the number of recipients in the face of a scarce resource, deceased donor organ allocation for pancreas and islet allotransplantation has to be integrated in a way that balances the two objectives : treat as many as possible, and minimize morbidity (6). The decision as to whether a beta-cell replacement candidate should receive an immediately vascularized pancreas graft or an injection of isolated islets can be dictated by recipient characteristics (7). Exogenous insulin requirements is a rough guide to the number of beta cells required to induce insulin-independence ; the lower the requirement, the fewer islets that will be needed. Thus, beta-cell replacement candidates with high insulin requirements would be better suited for a pancreas transplant, while those with low insulin requirements might get by with a single-donor islet transplant. We also know that nondiabetic, obese individuals have more islets than lean individuals, because the betacell mass increases to cope with the increased insulin needs associated with obesity. Transplantation of a pancreas from an obese donor has an increased rate of technical complications. Thus, recipients of pancreata from obese donors experience morbidity more often than the recipients from lean donors. This means that pancreata from obese donors could be assigned preferentially to recipients suitable to receive islet transplants because of their low insulin requirements, while the pancreata from lean donors would be used for whole pancreas transplants to recipients with high insulin requirements. A deceased donor pancreas allocation policy for betacell replacement should be designed to foster efficiency and, thus, minimize the use of multiple islet donors (euphuism for retransplants) for a single recipient. A high insulin-requiring candidate could opt for an islet transplant, but if insulin-independence is not achieved with a primary graft, no priority should be given for a retransplant over those already queued (listed) for a primary graft. Exceptions could be made for medical reasons, such as candidates with vascular disease precluding a pancreas transplant or otherwise at high risk for major surgery. In the USA, organ allocation policies are set by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Pancreas allocation is complicated by the need for two lists : one for those only in need of beta-cell replacement, and one for those who also need a kidney. The priority varies according to the policies of local organ procurement organizations (OPO). In some OPOs, uremic diabetic patients waiting for a kidney-pancreas (KP) transplant have no priority over uremic patients waiting for a kidney alone ; a KP is allocated only when a uremic Beta-cell Replacement by Transplantation in Diabetes Mellitus : when Pancreas, when Islets ; how to Allocate Deceased Donor Pancreases in 2007 ?


The goal of our study was to evaluate the fallfrequency of hikers with or without use of hiking sticks. The behavior of 780 hikers concerning their use of hiking sticks was assessed during their climb up to the Mount Everest base camp. Slightly more than half the hikers used one or more walking sticks. There was no significant difference in the fallfrequency or the injury pattern between the group without and the group with one or two walking sticks. The assessed data show no indication to dissuade hikers from using walking sticks for fear of additional falls or their consequences.


Foamed ceramics with gradient pores used raw materials of clay A, talc and industry alumina were prepared by adjusting slurry viscosity and choosing precursor with different size pores at 1 270 ℃. Dipping method was adopted. The result showed that the products have gradient pores,and the material have high strength, low thermal expansion and high refractoriness.


Knowledge transfer in onshore information systems (IS) outsourcing projects in Africa is an important but under-researched phenomenon. This study focuses on the client-vendor perspective and examines the factors that influence knowledge transfer in onshore information systems outsourcing in Ethiopia. Conceptually, knowledge-based perspectives of IS outsourcing is used to identify an initial set of factors to frame the empirical study. This is followed by semi-structured interviews with ten project managers. The findings indicate that five key factors, namely mutual absorptive capacity, mutual learning intent, mutual trust, mutual disseminative capacity and project staff turnover influence knowledge transfer in outsourced IS projects. The results suggest that development and management of the resources, processes and behaviors implied by these factors are vital to ensure successful inter-organizational knowledge transfer and to reverse or minimize the failure rates of outsourced IS projects. The study concludes with implications for research and practice.


The advancement of sport, especially sport coaching in Indonesia, depends on the level of success of sport science and technology transfer process to sport community. This study aims (1) to describe patterns of sports science and technology transfer process to community, and (2) to analyze the level of accessibility and familiarity of the tools of technology-based physical ability test among coaches and sport community. This is a continuation of embryo research on modeling selection and utilization of technology-based devices through the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) at the research stage next year. The experiment was conducted by applying the combination method of various approaches. The approaches includes: Bibliographical Studies, Survey Descriptive, Nominal Groups Technique (NGT), as well as certain stages of a study on modeling the selection and use of hardware and software tools of modern physical ability test on sports community achievements in Surakarta. The results showed that basically the coaches have a tendency as follows: (1) 98.7% respondents felt that most coaches are ready to make improvements by training themselves in using sports science and technology, (2) 97.3% felt that a refreshing model of science and technology-based exercise planning process organized by the stakeholder group exercise can be followed periodically and coached evenly, (3) Respondents did not agree with the statement that community sports coach had appreciation for applied sports science and technology development, the lowest mean item score is the issue of "appreciation of science and technology development in sports". It is high time for coaches in Indonesia to increase their appreciation to sport science and technology, and sport community.


This paper deals with the feasibility study of using existing biomaterials like titanium alloy and the collagen-reinforced polymer matrix composite for ankle implant application through FEA analysis. The ankle joint is the important joint in the human body that experience maximum compressive stresses and undergoes maximum deformation. It must evaluate properties like stress concentration, deformation zone, and material behavior. The analysis was carried out in ANSYS Workbench with different loading conditions, for instance, normal walking and sprinting. The analysis showed that both the Ti-6Al-4V and the 30% collagen-reinforced PMC exhibited minimum stresses, but since the density of Ti-6Al-4V is more than 30% collagen-reinforced PMC. Even though the stress developed in Ti-6Al-4V is within the yield stress, the density is still not close enough to the density of bone. Collagen-reinforced PMC with a 30% density close to the bone is recommended as an implant material for better life and performance.


The phenoxyacetate anion of the title salt, C5H6BrN2+·C8H7O3−, is essentially planar, with a dihedral angle of 7.6 (5)° between the carboxylate group and the benzene ring. In the crystal, the cation and the anion are linked via N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a helical chain along a 21 screw axis. In the chain, a π–π stacking interaction between the pyridinium and benzene rings, with a centroid–centroid distance of 3.854 (2) A, and a C—H⋯O interaction are observed. The chains are further linked through another C—H⋯O hydrogen bond, forming a three-dimensional network.


New specimens of acanthothoracid placoderms and related forms (Romundina, Murrindalaspis, Brindabellaspis) are described, illustrating aspects of placoderm anatomy in the assumed basal branch according to a working hypothesis of placoderm interrelationships. It is proposed that two median dorsal plates may be primitive for placoderms, this being the defining difference to the osteichthyan shoulder girdle in creating a rigid ring of bones for the placoderm dermal neckjoint. One pectoral fin articulation, an anterior insertion for the internal rectus extra ocular muscle, and two abducens innervated eye muscles, may be primitive for placoderms, and for the Gnathostomata.


EDITOR—Several studies have shown that in small areas—such as across a local authority—a partial smoking ban would be likely to increase health inequalities. We present what we believe is the first evidence that this is indeed the case across England as a whole.

We generated a random sample of 500 pubs from a national commercial database of 36 586 English pubs, bars, and …


CONTRACT NO: DAMDL7-88-C-8125 TITLE: SPECTROSCOPY OF BURN WOUNDS PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Martin A. Afromowitz, Ph.D. James D. Callis, Ph.D. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: University of Washington Department of Electrical Engineering and Department of Chemistry Seattle, WA 98195 REPORT DATE: November 19, 1990 TYPE OF REPORT: Annual Report PREPARED FOR: U.S. ARMY MEDICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMAND Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland 21702-5012 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited


Some scholars see contemporary American politics as characterized by "strange bedfellows" on racial issues and by polarization driven by economic, not racial, views. The authors argue instead that on most issues with racial dimensions, political actors and institutions are aligned into two racial orders, one favoring "color-blind" policies and the other "race-conscious" measures. Coalitions on two issues—affirmative action in employment and majority-minority districting—are explored to support this "racial orders" thesis.


We and others have shown relationships between circulating levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and different measures of obesity in both cross‐sectional and prospective studies. Since viscerally located fat seems to be the most harmful type, we investigated whether plasma POP levels were more closely related to visceral adipose tissue (VAT) than to subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT).


For some time now, there has been considerable discussion among sociologists and educational researchers about adolescents' decision making in situations of risk. Of concern to researchers are drug abuse of various sorts, unprotected sex in the face of the HIV/ AIDS threat, deaths of young males in car accidents, sunbaking leading to high incidence of skin cancer, youth suicide and dietary habits which risk health problems in later life (e.g. Pfeffer, 1989; Plant and Plant, 1992). Research has shown that risktaking behaviour may be related to adolescent feelings of vulnerability or invulnerability, levels of self-esteem and perceptions of the locus-of-control for events in the adolescents' lives (Mann and Harmoni, 1989). Research also has shown, however, that in areas such as the threat of HIV/ AIDS, education programs which increase knowledge levels in students are not always accompanied by a reduction in risk-taking behaviour (Roscoe and Kruger, 1990). In the 1990s, curriculum designers have taken note of the warnings from research about risk. In 4 Statement on Health and Physical Education for Australian Schools (AEC, 1994), for example:


Reverse Time Migration(RTM) is a high precision imaging method of seismic wavefield at present,but low-frequency noises severely affect its imaging results.Thus one of most important aspect of RTM is to select the proper noise suppression method.The wavefield characteristics of the Poynting vector are analyzed and the upgoing,downgoing,leftgoing and rightgoing waves are decomposed using the Poynting vector of the acoustic wave equation.The normalized wavefield decomposition cross-correlation imaging condition is used to suppress low-frequency noises in RTM and improve the imaging precision.Numerical experiments using the Mamousi velocity model are performed and the results demonstrate that the upgoing,downgoing,leftgoing and rightgoing waves are well decomposed using the Poynting vector.Compared with the normalized cross-correlation imaging and Laplacian filtering method,the results indicate that the low-frequency noises are well suppressed by using the normalized wavefield decomposition cross-correlation imaging condition.


This paper studies a multi-attribute profit collecting vehicle routing problem, which arises in the collection operations of a charity organisation in the UK. The problem involves a heterogeneous fleet consisting of vehicles of different capacities, mandatory visits to a subset of vertices, time windows, rest requirements associated with maximum driving and working times, and partial collection. A mixed integer programming formulation of the problem is provided, along with three matheuristics based on Tabu Search and Large Neighbourhood Search. Computational results on instances derived from a case study are presented, as well as the results of the real-world implementation.


This paper proposes a phase coherent all-digital transmitter and receiver system for underwater communication, which allows the system to reduce complexity and increase robustness in time variant underwater environments. It is designed in the digital domain except for amplifiers and implemented by using a multiple digital signal processors (DSPs) system. For phase coherent reception, conventional systems employed phase-locked loop (PLL) and delay-locked loop (DLL) for synchronization, but this paper suggests a new frame synchronization scheme based on the quadrature receiver structure without using them. We show experimental results in the underwater anechoic basin at KRISO. The results indicate that the frame synchronization is performed without PLL. Also, we show that the adaptive equalizer can compensate frame synchronization error and the correction capability is dependent on the length of equalizer.


In this study; together with this to make a better estimation of the target, correlation score is also computed between the intensities of the target and the template pixels. In the application in order to handle the appearance changes, the templates of the target are taken from 12 different appearances. The matches taking a score over defined level are considered as real matches and bounded by a bounding box. Using the error signal, servomotors are controlled to change the point of view of the camera to centralize the target. In this way the target recognized and tracked near real time with a changing background.


The article discusses the status and problems of environmental supervision.It suggests that the environmental supervision should be an integral part of Construction Projects Environmental Management System as its legal position.Additionally it proposes some suggestions on how to build environmental supervision system.


A 61-year-old man presented with a dome-shaped tumor in the right eyelid. Histology revealed a cutaneous neoplasm with lobular growth pattern. It was composed of large basaloid cells, cells with sebaceous differentiation, and glandular structures with apocrine features. The immunohistochemical study revealed diffuse expression of CK7, EMA, and androgen receptors in the neoplastic cells. Gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 highlighted the luminal cells, consistent with apocrine differentiation. These findings fit with a sebaceous carcinoma with focal glandular apocrine differentiation ("sebo-apocrine" carcinoma). Metastasis to regional lymph nodes were diagnosed 12 months after the surgical procedure. After 3 years of follow-up, the patient is alive, with evidence of persistent locoregional metastasis, but no evidence of distant metastasis. Most cutaneous adnexal tumors present only one cell type of differentiation, but hybrid/combined tumors can occur. Despite "sebo-apocrine" tumors are not unexpected, due to their common origin in the follicular-sebaceous apocrine unit, they are very rarely reported.


Abstract : The Effects Based Assessment Support System (EBASS) is a distributed operational assessment tool based on the principles of Value Focused Thinking (VFT) developed jointly by the Operations Research Center of Excellence (ORCEN) and the Information Technology and Operations Center (ITOC) at the US Military Academy. Its genesis is work done in support of the military command in Afghanistan in 2002. Effects based assessment is utilized to determine the progress of organization to influence behaviors or the environment to achieve a specific end state. In order to facilitate this, decision makers need a data collection and information visualization tool flexible enough to utilize measures most appropriate for the domain, which 1) provides a qualitative value model which can account for the decision makers most important evaluation considerations & measures, and 2) provides quantitative scoring functions and weights to evaluate alternatives.


Decompression of both benign and malignant bihiary obstructions can be achieved nonsurgically by transhepatic insertion of endoprostheses [1 -4]. The method may be used for temporary drainage in resectable lesions or for permanent internal drainage in inoperative lesions [1 , 3, 4]. Dislocation of the endoprosthesis causing malfunction occurs in 4% [3, 4] to 40% [2] of the patients, mostly in those with short or angulated strictures high in the hihum of the liver. We have devised a new method for prevention of dislocation of endoprostheses. By a nylon suture sewn on the proximal end of the endoprosthesis and anchored to a subcutaneously-placed silicone button, the endoprosthesis is securely fixed.


This article challenges the conventional view that a colonial state did not exist in eighteenth-century Newfoundland. It rejects the traditional notion that the island's legal system was necessarily illegitimate or ineffective. It argues that despite the limited institutions allowed under statutory law and official imperial policy, an effective system of governance, based on local customs adopted under the rubric of English common law, developed to meet the needs of those in power. The Royal Navy was the engine of law and authority-in early Newfoundland. A series of major reforms undertaken in 1749 precipitated the rise of a "naval state", which formed the basis on which local government was administered. By exploring the operation of this legal system prior to the Judicature Act of 1791, this article points to the need for historians to rethink the chronology of politico-legal development in Canada. The case of Newfoundland demonstrates that pre-industrial state formation cannot be relegated to merely an ancillary role in the dominant narrative of the rise of the "colonial leviathan" in mid-nineteenth century Canada.


Contents: Introduction, Rainer Dietrich and Traci M. Childress. Part I: Seven Perspectives on Teamwork: Group interaction under threat and high workload, Robert L. Helmreich and J. Bryan Sexton Behavioral markers in analyzing team performance of cockpit crews, Ruth HAusler, Barbara Klampfer, Andrea Amacher and Werner Naef The effects of different forms of co-ordination on coping with workload, Gudela Grote, EnikA Zala-MezA and Patrick Grommes Communication in nuclear power plants (NPP), Ryoko Fukuda and Oliver StrAter Linguistic factors, Manfred Krifka, Silka Martens and Florian Schwarz Language processing, Rainer Dietrich, Patrick Grommes and Sascha Neuper Task load and the microstructure of cognition, Werner Sommer, Annette Hohlfeld and JA rg Sangals. Part II: Specific Issues: Setting the stage: characteristics of organizations, teams and tasks influencing team processes, Gudela Grote, Robert L. Helmreich, Oliver StrAter, Ruth HAusler, EnikA Zala-MezA and J. Bryan Sexton Structural features of language and language use, Manfred Krifka Leadership and co-ordination, J. Bryan Sexton, Patrick Grommes, EnikA Zala-MezA , Gudela Grote, Robert L. Helmreich and Ruth HAusler Determinants of effective communication, Rainer Dietrich Task load effects on language processing experimental approaches, Annette Hohlfeld, Ryoko Fukuda, Sascha Neuper, JA rg Sangals, Werner Sommer and Oliver StrAter, Appendices Bibliography Index.


The relationship between tropical environment and diseases is analysed. On the one hand, specific tropical diseases are related to the natural environment; on the other hand, socio-economic conditions have a large impact. Three examples of re-emerging diseases are examined (malaria, dengue, Chagas' disease). Environmental changes as a consequence of development schemes often lead to increased disease incidence. The urban environment has its own health hazards. The role of underdevelopment and poverty is stressed.


The field of eco-innovation is included in the area of sustainable development being closely related with ecological planning. In this context, this paper aims to evaluate Romanian eco-innovation performance during the period 2003–2013 by constructing a composite index and to also identify the main eco-innovation poles at the European level using multidimensional analysis techniques based on the eco-innovation specific indicators for the year 2013. This approach used the methodology of constructing composite indices proposed by Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2008. The index measured the eco-innovation dimensions in 27 countries over the period 2003–2013. The empirical analysis revealed the conclusion that in Romania, the eco-innovation level is low compared with other countries, thus Romania cannot emphasize its eco-innovation performance. The empirical results of the study highlighted that eco-innovation represents a phenomenon leading to significant progress in achieving the objective of sustainable development in Romania, and also at the European level, only if the importance of this area is awarded and eco-innovation measures are enforced through adequate policies, leading to economic growth.


In recent years, the emergence of social media had a profound impact to the informatics, especially information technology and information management. This paper summarized the background of social media and related concepts. Then the paper analyse the domestic literature of social media by bibliometric. Last, the paper using social network analysis to analyze social media research projects. This paper wanted to find the basic research theory, research perspectives and research topics of social media.. Index Terms - Social Media, Social Network, literature analysis, project analysis I. Introduction With the rapid development of web2.0 technology and network technology, the popularity and prevalence of Social Media has become a global information dissemination which is sharing of vital resources and become an indispensable part of life. Social media has changed the way of the life and co mmunication which people used to by a "visible" speed. Especially in recent years, various forms of social media present as a convergence trend which means all the social media integrated into the network application (1). From the Middle East Revolution to Obama's re-election (2), Social media demonstrate its strong strength and unparalleled charm in all over the world. And it is also popular in the current microblog anti-corruption storm in China. It is changing our world based on a variety of characteristics which social media brings from the emerging technologies. The social media research and using is deepen and promoted by the area of business, academia, politicians to make a better service of humanity. Social media research has penetrated into everywhere of our life. And it not only brought rare opportunities for enterprise development and social progress, but also accompanied with greater challenges and problems. This paper intends to study the drivers of social media, the concept of social media and the domestic research of social media to make a comprehensive study of social media, in order to promote the research and application of social media for future.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of the cellwall structure in Scots pine(Pinus sylvestris L.) samples to an isostatic compression. The annual ring orientation of thesamples was either radial or tangential. The compression set of the each samples wasdetermined during compression at a mean moisture content of 10 % and a temperature of 20°C. The structural changes were investigated in the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM).The samples were compressed between 50 to 70 % of their original thicknesses, which means the density of the samples was between 539 Kg/m3 to 1218 Kg/m3, according to composite mechanic, we can assume that the early and latewood are in parallel in the radial direction. This suggests that in the radial direction compared to the latewood the earlywood will be compressed significantly. The longitudinal compression was insignificant.The compressed wood retained up to 90 % of its original dimension when it was immersed in water. The swelling in the radial direction was four times greater than in the tangential direction.Cracks as a result of the compression deformation were observed both in the early-and late wood cellwalls.


"Bhaji on the Beach" (Gurinder Chadha, 1993) tells the story of a Group of British-Asian women on an ouling organised by a local women's center, to Blackpool an icon pf British popular culture, to see the city Light up. This multi-positioned group, their understanding of their place within their community, and their problems, allow the film to explore the issue of changing identities in women of colour in the nineties in Britain. In this paper, I propose to show how British-Asian women are depicted in Bhaji on the beach, and how the fluidity of the film itself, in both aesthetic and generic terms, helps to defend a possibility of fluid and hybrid identities for women in Britain in the nineties. I will argue that the film's motifs and style illustrate the views offered by identity-politics circulating in various cultural texts as unofficial knowledge in contemporary British society.


Characterization of an animal model may explain why not all patients with multiple sclerosis respond to interferon-β. Inflammasome Dependency Determines Therapy? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease in which the myelin sheath surrounding axons is destroyed by cells of the immune system. MS and experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE), an animal model of MS, can be ameliorated by interferon-β (IFN-β); however, IFN-β is not effective in all cases. Inoue et al. determined a mechanism by which IFN-β decreases the severity of EAE in mice by inhibiting the activity of the NLRP3 inflammasome. However, the authors also characterized a form of EAE that was independent of NLRP3 and was refractory to IFN-β. Given other reports that have suggested the involvement of inflammasomes in MS, it will be important to investigate whether patients who fail to respond to IFN-β have inflammasome-independent disease. Interferon-β (IFN-β) is widely used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), and its efficacy was demonstrated in the setting of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS; however, IFN-β is not effective in treating all cases of MS. Here, we demonstrate that signaling by IFNAR (the shared receptor for IFN-α and IFN-β) on macrophages inhibits activation of Rac1 and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1). The inhibition of Rac1 activation and ROS generation suppressed the activity of the Nod-like receptor (NLR) family, pyrin domain–containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which resulted in attenuated EAE pathogenicity. We further found that two subsets of EAE could be defined on the basis of their dependency on the NLRP3 inflammasome and that IFN-β was not an effective therapy when EAE was induced in an NLRP3 inflammasome–independent fashion. Thus, our study demonstrates a previously uncharacterized signaling pathway that is involved in the suppression of EAE by IFN-β and characterizes NLRP3-independent EAE, which cannot be treated with IFN-β.


The action of Mecholyl was tested in cats having lesions of the posterior sacral roots, of all the sacral roots, and of the spinal cord (either at lower lumbar or at upper thoracic levels).

Satisfactory contraction of the detrusor muscle, with evacuation of the bladder, occurred when only the sensory innervation of the bladder was interrupted, or when the animal had recovered from the stage of shock following motor lesions. Mecholyl failed to produce vesical contraction during the period of shock after neural injury.


A policy to develop an integrated learning environment of a mixed type of conventional and e-learning material available to the mechanical engineering students of the TEI of Patras is highlighted. The target was to increase the efficiency and effectivity in learning, offering students specially designed tools fitting their skills, interests and requirements, also cultivating their talents for searching.
Two types of e-tools were developed:
a. A platform eclass which hosts lectures, tests for students, links, curriculum details, even presentation under the PowerPoint, announcements, chatting, workings groups, exercise that the students can upload to the teacher, etc.
b. An e-library where voluminous information about other sites concerning the course(s), other e-books available, software developed and free to use, E.U. policy and management matters, Questions/Answers, web searching are stored in it.
The paper describes the two e-learning approaches and comments on their acceptability by staff and students, as well as the requirements that both of them pose.


Presents an introduction to the articles in "Theological perspectives in accounting", a special issue with the objectives of exploring whether a theological take on accounting is possible and if so, beginning an investigation into the insights that might be gained from a Judeo‐Christian reading of accounting in particular. Briefly outlines the initial motivations in undertaking the editorship of this special issue.


The effect of increasing trehalose concentrations on the kinetics of the plasma membrane H (cid:1) -ATPase from Kluyveromyces lactis was studied at different temperatures. At 20°C, increasing concentrations of trehalose (0.2 to 0.8 M) decreased V max and increased S 0.5 (substrate concentration when initial velocity equals 0.5 V max ), mainly at high trehalose concentrations (0.6 to 0.8 M). The quotient V max / S 0.5 decreased from 5.76 (cid:2) mol of ATP mg of protein (cid:3) 1 min (cid:3) 1 mM (cid:3) 1 in the absence of trehalose to 1.63 (cid:2) mol of ATP mg of protein (cid:3) 1 min (cid:3) 1 mM (cid:3) 1 in the presence of 0.8 M trehalose. The decrease in V max was linearly dependent on solution viscosity ( (cid:4) ), suggesting that inhibition was due to hindering of protein domain diffusional motion during catalysis and in accordance with Kramer's theory for reactions in solution. In this regard, two other viscosity-increasing agents, sucrose and glycerol, saturation kinetics of the H evaluated elsewhere for the not and, thus, specifically activity concentration of measurements. A falling-ball-type viscometer in a constant-temperature Trehalose


The Neuro-Ophthalmology Symposium of the 54th Annual Meeting of the Ophthalmological Society of Taiwan was held on November 30, 2013, at National Taiwan University Hospital International Convention Center (NTUH ICC), Taipei, Taiwan. About 80 participants, including fellows, residents, and practising ophthalmologists, were present. The symposium was divided into four sections. The topic of the first section was ''Optic Neuropathy''. Dr. Ta-Ching Chen, Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, discussed the relationship of myopia, optic disc, and peripapillary structures. High myopia leads to tilted disc, peripapillary atrophy, and peripapillary structural weakness. Intrachoroidal cavitation may subsequently develop in the peripapillary area. It is usually stable but may cause macular complications. Dr. Jieh-Ren Jou, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan, discussed neuroretinitis. Neuroretinitis is characterised by inflammation in the optic nerve and retina. There are numerous entities that can cause a picture similar to neuroretinitis, including vascular, infectious, autoimmune diseases, and idiopathic causes. A complete workup is needed in these patients with a thorough history and general medical evaluation. Dr. Rong-Kung Tsai, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan, discussed steroid treatment in non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION). Debate persists on the role of steroid treatment in patients with NA-AION. Dr. Tsai presented a case of NA-AION treated with intravitreal injection of triamcinolone (IVIT), who had visual improvement 1 week after injection. Dr. Tsai and his colleagues then investigated the influence of IVIT on a rat model of NA-AION (rAION). They reported that both systemic corticosteroid and IVIT have neuroprotective effects in rAION, as evidenced by retinal ganglion cell (RGC) morphometry and visual function assessment. Dr. Tsai concluded that intravitreal steroid treatment can decrease optic disc oedema and lessen damage, but further randomised studies are needed. The second section of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Symposium was ''Visual Loss''. Dr. Walter Jay, Loyola University, Maywood, Illinois, USA, began this section with the topic of visual loss in pregnancy. Dr. Jay first presented a case of a pregnant woman who was seen in an emergency department for sudden visual loss and then developed a seizure. The fundus examination was normal. Subcortical oedema without infarction in the occipital lobes was noted on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome was diagnosed and her vision recovered after delivery. The second case was a woman with eclampsia who developed bilateral visual loss after delivery. The fundus examination showed Purtscher's-like


A longitudinal field study in employee participation was conducted in the Westrail track maintenance gangs. Experimental groups, which employed the new participative work procedures, were compared with a control unit that continued to use the traditional system of supervisor assigned goals. All subjects completed questionnaires on eight separate occasions of six weekly intervals. It was observed that usage of the new work practices was significantly associated with perceived involvement in decision making, performance and job satisfaction. Following this study, data processing procedures were installed for the purpose of collating output from the gang work plans. Results of the study and the practical aspects of the computer system are discussed.


Objective
To explore the dosimetric effect of using a split of the gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation approach during intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment planning for advanced T-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with prevertebral space involvement(PSI).

Methods
Twenty NPC patients with T3-T4 tumors with prevertebral space involvement were studied. Two kinds of plans were generated based on the same protocol. The first plan was GTV-split consisting of organ at risk (including spine cord and brain stem) overlapping and non-overlapping subsegments. The subsegments were assigned independent dose constraint. The second plan was done based on a standard treatment planning protocol. The two plans were compared with respect to target coverage and organ at risk (OAR) sparing, and target conformity index.

Results
Two plans both met requirement of dose coverage of target and constraints on normal tissue. Regarding the planning gross target volume (PGTV), the doses of 110% volume of plan 1 and plan 2 were[(11.59 ± 7.01)%, and (12.71 ± 6.03)%, P=0.041]; the doses of >115% volume of plan 1 and plan 2 were[(2.05 ± 0.80)%, and (2.76 ± 1.14)%, P=0.049]; about OARs, the maximal dose of spine cord for plan 1 and plan 2 were (41.00 ± 4.52) Gy and (45.00±3.25) Gy (P=0.048); and the target coverage and target conformity index of plan 1 were better than those of plan 2, the p-values were 0.063, and 0.135, respectively. The difference between two plans was statistically significant (P<0.05).

Conclusions
A split-GTV delineation, independent dose constraint, and multi-course IMRT for advanced T-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma with prevertebral space involvement optimized IMRT treatment planning, improved target coverage and target conformity index, and decreased the maximal dose for the spine cord and brain stem. It is feasible and has advantage to decrease the dose to OARs. The approach deserves to be further studied.

Key words:
Nasopharyngeal neoplasms/RT; Radiotherapy, intensity-modulated


A study about the role of leadership and technology in successful and sustainable airline management was conducted to further the knowledge concerning the effects these factors have on the sustainability of airline business. The goal of the study was to identify suitable leadership approaches, core and enabling technologies that are of importance for airline executives in the context of the global nature of the industry and its challenging, competitive environment. Conducting interviews with former executives from Continental Airlines and Lufthansa German Airlines and with C-level managers from airlines unaffiliated with these carriers provided insights concerning adequate methods to lead airlines that experience operational, organizational, or financial crises. One of the findings of the study, which was conducted by evaluating successful crisis management programs of Lufthansa and Continental Airlines, is the need to integrate both core and enabling technologies with a leadership approach that allows organizations to outperform their competitors and, more importantly, maintain their leading position.


For the heat conduction properties of object and the restriction of infrared imaging systems,target in the infrared image has low contrast generally,its edge blur compared with background and the defects are difficult to be read directly,especially for heteromorphy components.In order to solve this problem,on the basis of the principle of heat conduction,first of all,the median and interframe filtering were used to minimize noise of infrared images.Second,the limited Laplace algorithm and high profile information filtering were used to strengthen image outline.Then,the highlight flaws were strengthened by gray-scale piecewise linear transform and the visual effect of the defects was improved,which were more suitable for human observation.Finally,the defect edge was obtained through edge extraction.Simulation experimental results show that the proposed method can be used to get clear,smooth contour image of the defect,and is a practical method of infrared defect test.


We report the first observation of stimulated electronic anti-Stokes Raman emission in quantum cascade lasers. The pump laser is monolithically integrated with the anti-Stokes nonlinear region in a 2-stack active waveguide core.


In the coming Industry 4.0 era, IoT (Internet of Things) technology plays a more and more critical role. Anomaly detection is one of the essential applications for ensuring safe manufacturing, living, etc. It equips the machine with intelligence for perceiving its situation in real-time to prevent disastrous breakdown. Such monitoring systems were usually based on commercial inertial measurement units (IMU) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that run on resource-rich, power-hungry servers, causing a certain amount of energy for sensing and data transmitting. In this paper, we introduce a novel self-powered sensing system with tiny machine learning (Tiny ML) technique for anomaly detection. A lightweight piezoelectric self-powered sensor (SPS) is utilized to substitute the IMU. The system runs on a low-cost embedded system, realizing the low-power in-situ inferring. A rich dataset has been collected on a vibration platform and analyzed by six well-known machine-learning models. A compressed deep neuron network (DNN) with three hidden layers achieves an accuracy of 97.6 % given only 8-point normalized SPS data. The TinyML model is then deployed on embedded systems for on-device inferring and condition-based monitoring. Power measurement is conducted to compare the systems based on an IMU and an SPS. It has shown that the proposed self-powered sensing approach can save up to 66.74% of energy. The system provides a valuable reference for realizing pervasive sensing and ubiquitous AI.


The pretreatment of continuous electrolytic with Bohai seawater was studied.The influences of parameters to effluent quality,such as conditions current density,water velocity,stirring speed,time of plate reversal under the condition of continuous inlet and outlet water were researched.By the single factor experiment,the effluent meet the requirements of the quality of reverse osmosis influent water when current density is 25.22 mA/cm2,water velocity is 8.4 L/min,stirring speed is 180r/min and time of plate reversal is 25 min.In addition,the mechanism of electrode reaction was discussed preliminarily on the basis of electrochemistry.


The variational iteration method (VIM) was used to find approximate numerical solutions of classical and fractional dynamical system equations. To the best of our knowledge, no work on the numerical treatment of q‐nonlinear dynamic systems NLDSs is done in the literature. This motivated us to study the numerical solutions of this problem. In this paper, the VIM is extended to find the numerical solutions of q‐NLDSs. The proof of the convergence theorem and the error bound analysis are presented. Exact and numerical solutions, by using the extended VIM, of the q‐logistic and Lotka–Volterra equations are found. And the comparison shows an excellent matching between the exact and numerical solutions. Approximate numerical solutions of the NLDS of predator–prey with and without self (or cross) difference between two patches are found. In the case of Lotka–Volterra equation, it cannot be solved exactly. Numerical solutions are obtained and a good accuracy is found via evaluating the residual error function. The results show an excellent error tolerance after few iteration steps.


It is self-evident that having good vision is a pre-requisite for holding a car driver's licence. Having sufficient visual acuity is an obvious starting point, but other visual attributes are equally important, such as adequate visual fields and colour vision. Optometrists are frequently called upon to assess visual function – measured against prescribed standards of acceptability – for individuals seeking a driver's licence, and of course those in control of other forms of transport, such as motorcycle, truck, tram and train drivers, and aeroplane pilots. It is also important that the road environment is engineered to optimise the ability of drivers to visualise other vehicles, signs, traffic lights, other warning lights, pedestrian and children's crossings, lane markings, roadside cones, road surface defects, and other potential obstacles. Drivers need to able to see others who may sharing the road environment, such as pedestrians, stray animals, cyclists, police and emergency service personnel. The ability to clearly see – and then interpret and react – to all of the above may also be impacted by ambient light conditions (day-time vs dusk vs night-time) and weather conditions (rain, hail, snow, fog, and dust). The knowledge base that underpins these considerations needs to be generated by researchers from a variety of disciplines. Using modern bibliometric search tools, it is possible to gain insights into the magnitude of this literature base, and the individuals, disciplines, institutions, and countries undertaking this work.


The effect on fusion process of coraline hydroxyapatite was evaluated and compared with autologous bone graft in a posterior spinal fusion procedure in rabbit model. Results demonstrated that coraline hydroxyapatite and autograft have equivalent effect in enchancing fusion mass formation in posterior spinal fusion. Coraline hydroxyapatite in combination with autogenous bone marrow has superior effect in enchancing fusion mass formation than hydroxyapatite alone or autograft.


The present invention relates to a novel dressing application system, said dressing comprises a thin film (1) coated on one side with an adhesive (2) responsive to pressure and said application system being constituted by a detachable association another thin film (4) and a frame (5) which thus prevents the weathering problems of the adhesive bond between the skin and the dressing.


According to the requirements of the welding ability of friction stir welding equipment for large complex work-piece and space curved surface,connect the parallel mechanism with traditional serial equipment together,a five-axis friction stir welding machine is successfully designed.The parallel motion mechanism is researched through the analysis of the effect of the 3-PRS parallel movement structure parameters on the performance of parallel mechanism.


For rights information contact the collector's institution: Bucknell University. Lewisburg, PA
23 year old female. Pennsylvania German, native of Reinholds, PA in northern Lancaster County. Hairdresser who owns her own business.
Talks about her work; the education necessary to become a hairdresser; and government regulations governing the hairdressing trade.


On the basis of the recent understanding of GRB050315 and GRB060218, we return to GRB970228, the first Gamma‐Ray Burst (GRB) with detected afterglow. We proposed it as the prototype for a new class of GRBs with "an occasional softer extended emission lasting tenths of seconds after an initial spikelike emission". Detailed theoretical computation of the GRB970228 light curves in selected energy bands for the prompt emission are presented and compared with observational BeppoSAX data. From our analysis we conclude that GRB970228 and likely the ones of the above mentioned new class of GRBs are "canonical GRBs" have only one peculiarity: they exploded in a galactic environment, possibly the halo, with a very low value of CBM density. Here we investigate how GRB970228 unveils another peculiarity of this class of GRBs: they do not fulfill the "Amati relation". We provide a theoretical explanation within the fireshell model for the apparent absence of such correlation for the GRBs belonging to this new class.


The photoacoustic analysis of fractured bone callus to different consolidation times in the presence of laser irradiation was performed. In this study we take into account the fractured tibias of sacrified Wistar rats. By using the photoacoustic spectroscopy technique it was possible to determine, for different doses of laser irradiation (doses of 25Jcm−2) the presence of characteristic absorption band of p-Nitrophenylphosphatase (p-Npp) in the fractured bone callus. The evolution of bone consolidation was accelerated by laser radiation when compared with nonirradiated fractured bones.


Calm Birth: New Method for Conscious Childbirth by Robert Bruce Newman. (2005). Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. 205 pp. ISBN 1-55643-612-2. Calm Birth CD: Empowering Preparation for Childbirth, produced by Medigrace. (2006). 57-minutes. 12 pp. booklet included. Available: www.NorthAtlanticBooks.com or from Medigrace, 305 NE 6th Street #21, Grants Pass, OR 97526 USA, (541) 488-2563. ISBN 1-55643-588-6. Famed Marin (California) philosopher Alan Watts dedicated his life to translating Eastern Buddhist writings and practices to Western culture. New Yorker Robert Bruce Newman has dedicated fifteen years of his life to bringing Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist meditation traditions and practices into contemporary Western medical systems. In Calm Birth, the idea of meditation in birthing comes alive. There may be some resistance on the part of readers who have difficulty reconciling the mystical Eastern concepts of meditation with the earthly practicalities of birth. Once this resistance is neutralized simply by observing the resistance and opening this book, an amazing transformation of consciousness can occur in the reader. In fact, there is an interesting section in Calm Birth about where consciousness comes from. Calm Birth opens with a comprehensive foreword by David B. Chamberlain, Ph.D. Meditation theory; methodology and breathing techniques are clearly presented. Calm Birth is even calming to read, with the exception of one section: The Historical Repression of the Natural Genius of Woman. Newman writes of the annihilation of European (and a few New England) midwives and healers between 1500 and 1650 (AD) and refers readers to Jean Achterberg's exposition of this era in her book, Imagery in Healing: Shamanism and Modern Medicine. Depending on who is doing the counting, estimates of the number of women murdered range from a few hundred thousand to as many as nine million, along with men who tried to protect them. Especially targeted were wise women who carried the accumulated panoply of human knowledge of birthing and herbal healing. Misogynist "Inquisitors" and male doctors protecting their turf, aided by the full force and structure of the Roman Catholic Church, justified torturing and burning women to death by accusing them of practicing medicine or "getting their wisdom from the devil." Thus, a terrible amount of wisdom was lost, and what remained was hidden away or found in other parts of the world. In Calm Birth, Newnian attempts to restore some of that wisdom. Calm Birth is a childbirth method derived from meditation science and mind/body medicine that also offers benefits for preconception and prenatal care. Newman states that semantically, both "medicine" and "meditation" are rooted in the Latin word mederi, meaning, "to cure." His mission is to bring traditional meditation into prenatal and perinatal care as a key to a needed revolution in childbirth science. There are three main parts of the Calm Birth method: 1. The Practice of Opening: Healing the Nervous System for Prenatal Development; 2. Womb Breathing: Expanded Childbirth Anatomy and Function; and 3. …


Visibility of bodies and actions in the classroom is a major feature of modern schooling as a disciplinary institution. The mere fact that children attended elementary schools in early modern times did not mean that effective work took place. Old techniques of schooling were challenged by new proposals at the beginning of the 19th century. Among them, monitorial schooling represented a crucial movement towards an increased standardisation of educational practices and institutions. This British model of schooling was based on a strict routine in the classroom, carried out by numerous children in the role of helpers, also called monitors. In this system of teaching, a hierarchical structure of monitors guaranteed continuous activity of a well-ordered mass of pupils. The worldwide spread of monitorial schooling was a first attempt to extend a disciplined daily life into the classrooms before group teaching techniques took the forefront. Evidently, the challenge of teaching 200-300 pupils in a room made demands on control and surveillance, in order to interrupt possible alliances between children. This contribution describes different versions of the control of big groups of children through visibility in German and Spanish schools. In both contexts, educationalists and schoolteachers reformed many aspects of the "British" system, which foresaw "pyramidal" structure of gazes. In the German states, a general concern about the position of the teacher arose. Germans criticised the teaching role of monitors and reinforced the role of the adult's gaze in ordering the classroom. In the Spanish case, educationists started copying the English original, but they reinforced later the stability of authority by giving a more substantive role to the "intermediate" gazes of the general monitors. Both developments are traced back to prevailing notions of teaching in each context. The different paths of reception and interpretation of this highly codified system of teaching display the existence of different "cultures of discipline".


Natural killer cells or NK cells are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system. The role NK cells play is analogous to that of cytotoxic T cells in the vertebrate adaptive immune response. NK cells provide rapid responses to viral-infected cells, acting at around 3 days after infection, and respond to tumor formation. They have the ability to recognize stressed cells in the absence of antibodies and MHC, allowing for a much faster immune reaction. They were named "natural killers" because of the initial notion that they do not require activation to kill cells that are missing "self" markers of MHC class 1. In addition to the knowledge that natural killer cells are effectors of innate immunity, recent research has uncovered information on both activating and inhibitory NK cell receptors which play important function roles including self tolerance and sustaining NK cell activity.

 In the present book, fourteen typical literatures about NK cells published on international authoritative journals were selected to introduce the worldwide newest progress, which contains reviews or original researches on medical science, cytology, immunology, virology, etc. We hope this book can demonstrate advances in NK cells as well as give references to the researchers, students and other related people.


Trends in recent development of steel spatial structures in Japan are reviewed. Starting from reviewing early development after the World War II, structural systems such as pyramidal roof, stress-adjusted structures and space frames which have recently been favorably adopted by Japanese engineers and architects are explained. Constructional considerations given not only in erection phase but also in design of structures are illustrated.


Protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte lysates in the presence of heme is inhibited by 50% by the addition of 4 mᴍ GSSG (oxidized glutathione). The incubation of the rabbit reticulocyte lysate with 4 mᴍ GSSG at 30 °C for 30 min will cause activation of an inhibitor of protein synthesis which could be purified from the lysates through a five-step procedure. The inhibitor results in a 70-80% inhibition after a 1 h incubation. The inhibitor consists of one polypeptide of 23 kDa apparent molecular weight and is 90% pure as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, in the presence of cAMP (10 mᴍ) or GEF (guanine nucleotide exchange factor) (0.3 μg), protein synthesis in the inhibited reticulocyte lysate will be already recovered.