Genetic rearrangements involving the KMT2A gene (KMT2A-R) are seen in around 10% of acute leukemia overall. KMT2A-R occurs in all ages and usually correlates with high-risk clinical features, in particular in infants aged 0-12 months of age with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). To uncover age- and leukemia-subtype specific molecular patterns in KMT2A-R ALL and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we performed whole genome (WGS), whole exome (WES), and RNA-sequencing on a well-annotated Nordic KMT2A-R cohort of 104 patients, including infant ALL (n=33), childhood ALL (n=18), adult ALL (n=15), and pediatric AML (n=38) patients. For 77 patients, we performed WGS (40x) at diagnosis and remission as well as WES (140x) on the diagnostic sample, and remaining patients underwent WES only (n=27). RNA-sequencing was performed on 58 cases with available RNA.
 Twenty-two genes were recurrently altered and remarkably, NRAS, KRAS, FLT3, PAX5, TP53, CDKN2A/B and IKZF1 accounted for 70% of mutations. The landscape of mutations suggested the presence of leukemia and age-specific associations with MYST4, PTPN11, and SETD2 uniquely altered in AML and PIK3CD, DNAH11, NOTCH1, CSMD3 and CDKN2A/B in ALL. Some genes were mutated in both KMT2A-R ALL and AML, but were more common in one disease, such as FLT3 and KRAS in AML and PAX5, TP53 and IKZF1 in ALL. Moreover, age-associated patterns were seen in ALL with NRAS more frequently mutated than KRAS in infant ALL (26% vs 15%), and KRAS more frequently mutated than NRAS in childhood ALL (24% vs 18%), with adult ALL having fewer such mutations (NRAS 13%; KRAS 7%). Alterations of CDKN2A/B and TP53 were absent in infant ALL, detected in childhood and adult ALL only. PAX5 alterations were primarily detected in childhood ALL (22%, 9% infant ALL, 7% adult ALL), with all three PAX5-altered infant cases having the KMT2A-MLLT3 fusion gene. Finally, KMT2A-R pediatric AML had the highest fraction of FLT3 mutations (24%, 9% infant ALL, 11% childhood ALL, 0% adult ALL) and all but one mutation occurred in KMT2A-MLLT3 rearranged cases and most were kinase domain point mutations.
 We next expanded our analysis to include non-recurrent alterations. PI3K/RAS pathway alterations were detected across ages and subtypes with the highest fraction in pediatric AML (63%) and the lowest in adult ALL (27%, 43% infant ALL, 41% childhood ALL). Further, cell cycle related genes were primarily mutated in childhood (39%) and adult ALL cases (33%) and rarer in infant ALL (12%) and pediatric AML (16%) and genes within the B-cell pathway were more commonly altered in childhood ALL (29%) than in infant ALL (9%). Finally, in line with our previous study (Andersson et al, Nat Genet 2015) epigenetic mutations were absent in infant ALL, but present in 20-35% of the other patients.
 RNA-sequencing identified the KMT2A-fusion in 56/58 cases, with low exonic coverage preventing detection of the fusion in two cases. The reciprocal KMT2A fusion was only expressed in 13/39 cases where it was predicted to be expressed based on karyotype or whole genome sequencing data with 11/13 cases having the KMT2A-AFF1 fusion gene. In addition, RNA-sequencing identified 6 in-frame and 12 out-of-frame fusion genes that had formed either as part of the KMT2A-R itself or that were independent genetic events. Further, a novel in-frame KMT2A-ACIN1 fusion was identified in a child aged 1 year with B-precursor ALL. ACIN1 encodes Apoptotic Chromatin Condensation Inducer 1 and the fusion was formed through an insertion of 14q11 into 11q23. ACIN1 is also rearranged as part of the ACIN1-NUTM1 that we identified in an infant with ins(15;14)(q22;q11.2q32.1) (Andersson et al Nat Genet 2015). To study the ability of KMT2A-ACIN1 to induce leukemia in mice, we injected retrovirally transduced mouse bone marrow cells containing the fusion into syngeneic mice and KMT2A-MLLT3 was used as control. All mice succumbed to disease at an average of 112 days for KMT2A-ACIN1 (n=12) and 63 days for KMT2A-MLLT3 (n=5) and mice displayed splenomegaly and leukocytosis with an immunophenotype indicative of AML. Primary leukemia cells isolated from moribund mice gave rise to leukemia in sublethally irradiated recipients with reduced disease latency. In conclusion, these results highlight the differential molecular patterns in KMT2A-R leukemia across infancy to adulthood thereby providing novel pathogenetic insight.

 No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Presents a multi-hued collection of interiors that range from Dutch colonial to traditional wood and thatched-roof houses, townships, modern city apartments, and funky artist homes, reflecting the country's tumultuous political history, while celebrating its rich culture.


disease that results in tooth decay and cavities if left untreated. It is one of the most common diseases around the world. >> The USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) funded a team of scientists in New York to examine a group of compounds, called polyphenols, in grapes that could potentially fight the onset of tooth decay. Streptococcus mutans, one of the primary microbial agents involved with tooth decay and cavity formation, produces a biofilm that covers the teeth. The biofilm allows acidic environments to form that breaks down the mineral structure of the tooth, producing points of weakness where the onset of disease can occur. Hyun Koo and colleagues at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and the Agricultural Experimental Station at Cornell University focused their analyses on red wine grapes and wine-derived byproducts due to their rich and diverse content of polyphenols and availability of the products for research. Previous studies show that polyphenolic compounds in the extracts of grape, apple, cranberry and cocoa act as a natural biological agent against the ability of S. mutans to cause the disease.


The oil of amaranth grain (Amaranthus spp.) is a rich source of poly-unsaturated fatty acids. In this study, we tested 10 amaranth samples representing two species (Amaranthus cruentus and Amaranthus hypochondriacus) in two consecutive years (2010, 2011). Grain oils were analysed by gas chromatography for their fatty acids profile. In 2010, oil content ranged from 6.4–8.2% for A. cruentus and 6.3–7.9% for A. hypochondriacus. In 2011, the level was 7.1–8.2% and 6.6–8.7% for A. cruentus and A. hypochondriacus, respectively. Linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids were dominant fatty acids in all of the oil samples. The essential linoleic acid level was 33.3–38.7% (A. cruentus) and 31.7–47.5% (A. hypochondriacus) in 2010 and 34.6–39.9% (A. cruentus) and 34–44.5% (A. hypochondriacus) in 2011. The minority fatty acids, i.e. stearic, α-linolenic, and arachidic acids were also observed. Eicosenoic and behenic acids were present in the grain in trace amounts. Statistical evaluation showed a significant effect of year and species of amaranth on the levels of certain fatty acids. There was a strong positive correlation between oil content and oleic acid, and a negative correlation between oleic acid and either of the other two fatty acids, linoleic and α-linolenic ones.


The neurodegenerative process of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) includes both selective degeneration of motor neurons and one or more syndromes of frontotemporal dysfunction (e.g., behavioural (ALSbi) or cognitive(ALSci) syndromes, a frontotemporal dementia(ALS-FTD)) .There is widespread degeneration of the frontal, temporal and to a lesser extent parietal lobes in association with TDP-43 immunoreactive pathology. We have shown that tau protein metabolism is also altered in ALSci and now describe the topographic distribution of tau pathology in ALS.


The given work focused on solving the fundamental problem of environmental geochemistry and material science related to developing a new environmentally safe technology for AMD remediation and extraction of strategically important metals. A new peat-humic agent (PHA) using mechanical, chemical, and thermobaric treatment of peat from the Krugloe deposit (Novosibirsk Region, Russia). The PHA effectively removed potential pollutants (e.g., Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni, Co, Hg, Al, Fe, etc.) forming metal–organic residues, and neutralized moderately acidic acid mine drainage (AMD). The amount of the PHA to be added depended on the AMD composition. For instance, an AMD/PHA ratio of 500-1000 was effective for the Karabashmed tailings AMD, while an AMD/PHA ratio of 100-500 was effective for the Belovo sludge pond water. The metal concentrations of these treated AMDs met water quality standards. From 1 to 10 L of PHA would be needed to treat 1,000 L of moderately acidic and contaminated AMDs. Moreover, PHA would be a low cost material for contaminant removal considering the production cost and the anticipated price. The PHA can be used to modify kaolinite clay in order to create an organic-mineral complex and to intensify sorption properties of clay. The modified materials (PHA and organic-mineral complex) can be considered for developing an artificial complex organic-mineral barrier in sludge pond base. The PHA can be used to prevent sulfide tailings dusting. A novel, alternative method for AMD remediation and element removal using a PHA with subsequent thermal treatment of the metal–organic residue to minimize waste sludge production was proposed.


The paper presents an experience in teaching object oriented programming at under-graduate level, especially an experience in teaching Java. The goal is to provide students a solid basics of programming in Java and to allow them a practical experience in the implementation of the defined and measured personal process. Curriculum in teaching object-oriented programming is described with the emphasis on Java as well as the implementation of the adopted method of Personal Software Process. The results of the method implementation are presented for the nongraduated students programming in Java.


The shift to electric vehicles (EV) is drawing attention globally. Widespread adoption of alternative-fuel vehicles (AFV) may contribute to the alleviation of climate change and air pollution (Liao et al. 2017). In China, strong public policies have been implemented to promote new-energy vehicles to mitigate air pollution in urban areas. In Japan, although Nissan has sold a globally bestselling electric car called LEAF, the yearly sales of new 100% battery EVs were 0.4% in 2016. By contrast, the yearly sales of hybrid vehicles (HEV) such as the PRIUS were 30.8% in the same year. Japanese consumers remain hesitant about purchasing EVs even though central and local governments offer subsidies and tax-exemption schemes to achieve AFV goals by 2030.


The Hβ line dip shift was measured and compared with experimental and theoretical results of the other authors. Our results are in a good agreement with the experimental results but in a disagreement or even discrepancy with GRIEM'S theory. Plasmas were produced in the wall stsbilized arc.


【Objective】 To reduce misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis rate of pulmonary embolism,the prediction of the revised Geneva score and Wells score for pulmonary embolism were compared and analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curves.【Methods】 Sixty-five cases with suspected pulmonary embolism(PE) were collected in the Third Affiliated Hospital of SUN Yatsen University from January 1998 to October 2008.Of which 44 cases with PE were clinically confirmed.Relevant clinical data were recorded,summarized and the analysis variables were input to SPSS11.0 for statistical analysis.ROC curves was used to evaluate the probability of PE predicted by the Wells and the revised Geneva scores.【Results】 Twenty-four patients had a low clinical probability of PE(Wells score 2 points),of which 8(33.3%) had proven PE.The prevalence of PE was 87.2% in the 39 patients with intermediate probability(2-6 points) and 100% in the 2 patients with high probability( 6 points)(P = 0.000).The confirmed PE was 22.2% in the 18 patients with a low probability(Geneva score 0-3 points),82.1%(32/39) in intermediate probability(4-10 points),100%(8/8) in high probability(score ≥11 points)(P = 0.000).The area under curve(AUC) of the ROC curve in the Wells and Geneva scores was 0.785 ± 0.060 and 0.900 ± 0.038,respectively(P = 0.000).The optimal cutoff value was 2 points in the Wells score and 6.5 points in the Geneva score.The Wells score more than 2 points predicted PE with a sensitivity of 81.8% and specificity of 76.2%.The Geneva score more than 6 points predicted PE with a sensitivity of 72.7% and specificity of 100%.The comparison of the area under curve between the Wells and the Geneva score had a significant difference statistically(P 0.05).【Conclusion】 The Wells score and the revised Geneva score are beneficial to predict pulmonary embolism.The revised Geneva score is roughly superior to the Wells score both in sensitivity and specificity.


Motivated by a host of empirical evidences revealing the bursty character of human dynamics, we develop a model of human activity based on successive switching between an hesitation state and a decision-realization state, with residency times in the hesitation state distributed according to a heavy-tailed Pareto distribution. This model is particularly reminiscent of an individual strolling through a randomly distributed human crowd. Using a stochastic model based on the concept of anomalous and non-Markovian L\'evy walk, we show exactly that successive decision-making processes drastically slow down the progression of an individual faced with randomly distributed obstacles. Specifically, we prove exactly that the average displacement exhibits a sublinear scaling with time that finds its origins in: (i) the intrinsically non-Markovian character of human activity, and (ii) the power law distribution of hesitation times.


The invention provides an aluminum profile conveying rack, and relates to the technical field of aluminum profile production equipment. The aluminum profile conveying rack comprises a roll rack, and is characterized by also comprising guide wheel devices symmetrically arranged at two ends of the roll rack. Each guide wheel device comprises a fixed plate, guide wheels and an adjusting device, wherein the fixed plate is arranged on the roll rack; the guide wheels are symmetrically arranged on the fixed plate; the adjusting device is arranged under the fixed plate and is connected with the guide wheels; slot holes are formed in the fixed plate; each guide wheel comprises a rotating shaft; and the rotating shafts pass through the slot holes. The two adjustable guide wheel devices are respectively arranged at two ends of the roll rack, and the aluminum profile conveying rack is reasonable in structure, conveys aluminum profiles reliably, avoids the phenomenon that the aluminum profiles are oblique when conveyed, is convenient and practical, and is beneficial to improvement of product quality.


Purpose and Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the presence and regulation of vending machines in Louisiana high schools, type of foods in the machines, and the relationship between the number of vending machines and student participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Methods Foodservice directors of the Louisiana high school that participate in the NSLP were interviewed by telephone to obtain information about the number of vending machines in their respective schools, the types of foods offered in vending machines, times of operation, who profits from vending sales, and demographic data. The 90 high schools that participated (76% participation rate) were divided into two groups, large urban and small rural, based on student enrollment. Results All the urban schools and all but six of the rural schools offered vending services to students. The number of vending machines for student use in the schools ranged from 1 to 25. Urban schools had more vending machines than rural schools (7±5 vs. 3±2, p < 0.05). The larger urban schools also had a greater variety of vending items and less participation in the NSLP than the smaller rural schools (65+13% vs. 77+12%, p < 0.05). The most popular items offered in the vending machines included carbonated beverages, water, candy, and chips, all of which are considered low nutrient-density foods. A majority of the schools deposited the funds raised from vending operations into a general fund. Applications to Child Nutrition Professionals Strict federal guidelines are needed for vending machines in school systems. Federal nutrition standards, which limit fat and sugar content, should be established for food items sold in school vending machines. Foodservice directors should advocate for policies that offer more nutritious foods in vending operations.


Early recognition of emerging complications in utero, coupled with timely and safe delivery, is estimated to have the potential to reduce the number of stillborn babies by half. Yet progress to reduce stillbirth remains stubbornly slow. In sub-Saharan Africa headway in reducing stillbirth rates has been outpaced by growth in the total number of births, so stillbirth numbers are actually rising.i In the USA stillbirth rates have been static for more than a decade, which amounts to a total of 12,000 stillborn babies each year.iv Every child's death is heartbreaking, and this number of stillbirths is ten times higher than the annual number of deaths from childhood cancer.v


Development of high-speed railways set up challenges for new communication technologies. With the increase in speed, new requirements for communication systems have emerged that HSR requires greater reliability, capacity and shorter response time for efficient and safe operations. Mobile communication systems are crucial for the competitiveness of the railway industry and therefore have become one of the priorities addressed by the participants in the railway system to take advantage of technological opportunities to improve operational processes and the quality of provided transport services. The European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) uses the Global System for Mobile Communications for Railways (GSM-R) for voice and data communication to communicate between trains and control centers. The International Railway Union is exploring new ways of communicating for high-speed railways because as speed increases this system becomes unreliable in information transmission. This paperwork presents an analysis of the evolution of communications on European railways since the usage of GSM-R. In addition, an overview of the various alternative solutions proposed during the time (LTE-R, Future Railway Mobile Communication System) as possible successors to GSM-R technology is given.


Since the start of the 21st century the terms identity theft and identity fraud have been
used to describe a variety of crimes which appear both new and unique to the 21st
century. So much so, that the government is in the process of re-introducing a National
Identity Card Scheme to tackle the problem. But are identity theft and identity fraud
uniquely 21st century problems, and is a new Identity Card Scheme going to prevent
these crimes?
The study seeks to examine identity theft and identity fraud and determine what these
crimes are, and to distinguish between the two. In order to do this, the study will
examine the different definitions used in America, Australia and the U. K. as well as the
history of identity related crime. The use of identity theft and identity fraud by organised
crime, illegal immigration and terrorism will also be discussed.This examinationo of
identity theft and identity fraud includes an explanation of the differences between
modem and traditional identity related crimes and the various methods used to gather
information on people's identities.
The study also looks at ways of researching identity related crime. As part of the
research process, simulated identity theft was developed as a research approach. The use
of this researchm ethod and the ethical and legal considerationa ssociatedw ith it are
discussed at length as is the use of the internet as a source of information.
The study concludes with an analysis of the role of the National Identity Card Scheme in
preventing identity related crime, and the potential benefits and drawbacks of
reintroducing a National Identity Card Scheme.


According to the comparison and correction between latest and old seismic data,this paper presents the whole structural interpretation and evolution of Heshituoluogai basin using basin analysis theory,basin-mountain coupling idea and balanced cross section technique.it is concluded that: 1) Heshituoluogai basin originated from the collision and dip offset among Siberia plate,Kazakhstan micro-plate and Junggar micro-plate is a secondary compresso-shear basin situated on the hanging wall of major thrust belt;2) the evolution of Heshituoluogai basin is subject to Junggar terrain,the double tectonic activities of its basement should be earlier than Late Triassic before which it was connected with Junggar basin as a boundary of it,and 3) the basin cover development can be divided into 4 stages: initial development stage(T3--J1b),quick deposition stage(J1s-J2t),whole subsidence stage(K) and boundary faulting revival stage(E-Q),of which Jurassic is the main basin-formed period associated with largest structural deformation.


Preoperative computed tomography in a 68-year-old man with T1N0M0 lung adenocarcinoma originating in the right upper lobe showed a cord-like shadow behind the posterior wall of the bronchus intermedius (Figure 1). Three-dimensional computed tomography angiography determined it to be an aberrant segmental vein for the posterior segment of the right upper lobe, draining directly into the left atrium (Figure 2). The anomalous vein was identified, divided without injury, and a right upper lobectomy was successfully performed. This is a very rare type of anomalous vein.


Volume 60, no. 12, p. 4553: a present address for S. J. Wells should be given, as follows: (dag) Present address: Cadbury Beverages North America, Trumbull, CT 06611. [This corrects the article on p. 4553 in vol. 60.].


This research is aimed at developing a supplementary reading material to fulfill students' need in one of the multimedia study program at Mangelang, Indonesia, for learning reading. The design of this research is Research and Development. This research was oriented to the product development, and it was conducted in two main stages; (1) exploration stage and (2) product development stage. The exploration stage includes (1) literature review, (2) field study, and (3) need analysis. Meanwhile, the product development stage describes (1) the prototype development, (2) experts' judgment, and (3) pilot. This research was conducted in a vocational secondary school involving an English teacher, two material experts, and students. The findings show that the existing textbook used to teach reading contains general English material and it is less specific to be used for the students at the program. Therefore, it implies that there should be supplementary reading materials for the teacher to develop reading to meet the needs of these students.


This study compares auditors' and chief financial officers' pre-negotiation judgments and considers the potential differential impact the end of the audit (deadline pressure) has on each party. General negotiation literature suggests that individuals change their behaviors as deadline pressure increases (i.e., when there is less time in which to conduct a negotiation) in order to increase the probability of reaching an agreement. In an audit context, the end-of-engagement deadline is often based on regulatory filing deadlines (e.g., SEC filings for public companies), which are not determined by either negotiating party. The audit context is also unique in that there are asymmetric consequences for each party (the auditor and client management) for failing to reach an agreement and different negotiation tactics used by the two parties potentially leading to differing levels of concessions. We predict that auditors, who are in a stronger negotiation position, will generally concede less than client management when determining their pre-negotiation position and will tend to use more contentious strategies. However, such contentious strategies require time. Thus, we expect, based on negotiation theory, that as deadline pressure increases, auditors' concessionary behavior will be more affected than that of client management. Consistent with expectations, results of our experiment suggest that CFOs concede more than auditors in general; however, auditors are more reactive to deadline pressure and increase concessions when faced with high deadline pressure, while CFOs do not. We also measure planned strategy use and find results to be consistent with theory: when deadline pressure is high, auditors are less likely to use contentious tactics, while CFOs' strategy choices are unaffected by deadline pressure. These results suggest that characteristics of the unique auditor–client negotiation environment, such as deadline pressures, have potentially differential effects on both parties due to the differing negotiation strategies employed by these parties.


Abstract This paper aims to positively engage with the religious character of many development contexts through an exploration of my own fieldwork in Mindanao. Through problematising a secular development industry and building on the momentum of the religious turn some scholars have identified, I share my initial explorations of how a postsecular framing might offer an alternative approach to development and peacebuilding. Through a deconstructive framing of the religious-secular binary I analyse the practices of one small non-governmental organisation (NGO) and suggest that a practice of 'journeying with' – Muslims and Christians on the shared philosophical/theological project to nourish each other's faiths – can contribute to material and spiritual benefit, and the conditions to enable this.


We present a new analysis tool for studying texture changes in the quantitative phase maps of live cells acquired by wide-field interferometry. The sensitivity of wide-field interferometry systems to small changes in refractive index enables visualizing cells and inner cell organelles without the using fluorescent dyes or other cell-invasive approaches, which may affect the measurement and require external labeling. Our label-free texture-analysis tool is based directly on the optical path delay profile of the sample and does not necessitate decoupling refractive index and thickness in the cell quantitative phase profile; thus, relevant parameters can be calculated using a single-frame acquisition. Our experimental system includes low-coherence wide-field interferometer, combined with simultaneous florescence microscopy system for validation. We used this system and analysis tool for studying lipid droplets formation in adipocytes. The latter demonstration is relevant for various cellular functions such as lipid metabolism, protein storage and degradation to viral replication. These processes are functionally linked to several physiological and pathological conditions, including obesity and metabolic diseases. Quantification of these biological phenomena based on the texture changes in the cell phase map has a potential as a new cellular diagnosis tool.


A systematic study is presented of the heteroepitaxial growth of B 12 As 2 on m-plane 15R-SiC. In contrast to previous studies of B 12 As 2 on other substrates, including (100) Si, (110) Si, (111) Si and (0001) 6H-SiC, single crystalline and untwinned B 12 As 2 was achieved on m-plane 15R-SiC. Observations of IBA on m-plane ( 1 1 00 )15R-SiC by synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) confirm the good quality of the films on the 15R-SiC substrates. The growth mechanism of IBA on m-plane 15R-SiC is discussed. This work demonstrates that m-plane 15R-SiC is potentially a good substrate choice to grow high quality B 12 As 2 epilayers.


The utility model relates to an electric heating control system and particularly relates to an electric heating interlocking control system for a central air conditioner. The electric heating interlocking control system comprises an electric control cabinet of a draught fan, an electric heating control cabinet, a shunt release and a circuit breaker, wherein the shunt release is arranged inside the electric heating control cabinet; the output signal end of the electric control cabinet of the draught fan is connected with the circuit breaker in the shunt release; and the circuit breaker is connected with a contactor and a thermal relay in series and then is connected with an electric heating element in the electric heating control cabinet. The electric heating control system provided by the utility model is convenient to operate, and can be used for effectively controlling an electric heating working process and protecting the normal operation of an electric heating system.


Transgender individuals in the United States face significant threats to interpersonal safety; however, there has as yet been relatively little research in the HCI and CSCW communities to document transgender individuals' experiences of technology-mediated safety and harm. In this study, we interviewed 12 transgender and non-binary individuals to understand how they find, create, and navigate safe spaces using technology. Managing safety was a universal concern for our transgender participants, and they experienced complex manifestations of harm through technology. We found that harmful experiences for trans users could arise as targeted or incidental affronts, as sourced from outsiders or insiders, and as directed against individuals or entire communities.. Notably, some violations implicated technology design, while others tapped broader social dynamics. Reading our findings through the notions of 'space" and 'place," we unpack challenges and opportunities for building safer futures with transfolk, other vulnerable users, and their allies.


The change of the shareholding structure of the TNC in China includes two sectors.One is the sole-invested tendency in the general change,while the other is the change of the inner ownership structure in the joint ventures.Analyzing from the three angles of the number of investment projects,the amount of the agreement investment and that of the actual investment,the turning points on the changing curves of the ownership structure diverge from each other.The solely-owned tendency of the agreement investment is slower than that of the project number,and the tendency of the actual investment is slower than that of the agreement investment.Therefore there exists the rational lagging period among the three sectors.The foreigners have obvious intention to be shareholders when they want to add the investment,but the tendency is very weak.That indicates not only the foreigners also keep the joint preference,but also the Chinese sectors have enough capital and some degree of the game capacity.Although the joint ventures are unstable,but it is impossible for all of them to develop into the proprietors.There is a beneficial equilibrium in the inner of the joint ventures.For the foreigners,whether to solely invest or not is decided by the performance of that venture.While for the Chinese sectors,it may resist the tendency of the sole investment by adding their investment simultaneously.


Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): This research was funded by "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dept. of Cardiology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, grant number 1529/66/18.01.2019.

 In addition to promoting coronary artery disease, obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular complications. The obesity paradox, however, refers to the observation that a high body mass index (BMI) may be protective of outcomes following an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In patients with AMI, both NT-proBNP and novel echocardiographic markers (global longitudinal strain - GLS) provide additional information; nevertheless, there is limited research on the association between these parameters and obesity in this clinical setting.

 This was a prospective study that included 55 patients admitted with AMI and preserved or mildly reduced LVEF (>40%), which all underwent successful percutaneous revascularization. At 48 hours after PCI, echocardiography was performed using a Vivid E95 scanner and the automated function-imaging (AFI) tool was used to determine GLS. NT-proBNP was measured using ELISA. All patients were divided into two groups according to their BMI (group 1 included 18 patients with normal BMI<25 kg/m2, and group 2 included 37 obese patients, with a BMI>30 kg/m2).

 The mean age of the patients was of 66±14 years, 58% were male and 65.5% had STEMI. Other than obesity, there was no difference between groups in the other cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes, age, gender). In both groups, the anterior descending coronary artery was the most frequent culprit vessel (44% vs. 40%, p=0.9). The majority of the patients had single- or two- vessel coronary artery disease (72% vs. 73%), but there were no differences between groups (p=0.74). The values of NT-proBNP were significantly lower in the obese group (300 [117-713] vs. 756 [450-1800] pg/mL, p=0.02). However, regarding the echocardiographic evaluation of myocardial function, there was no difference between the values of GLS (-10.5% vs. -10.8%, p=0.77) or LVEF (56.7% vs. 49.2%, p=0.27) among groups. GLS showed a stronger correlation to NT-proBNP values in the normal weight group (r=0.63) than in the obese group (r=0.27).

 Despite the fact that increased BMI is linked to lower values of NT-proBNP following AMI, non-obese patients do not demonstrate more impaired myocardial longitudinal function. These findings might offer more insights on the perspectives of obese AMI patients.


Background: Axillary lymph node (ALN) involvement in breast cancer (BC) is considered to be a significant factor in determining the diseases' extent at the moment. The spreading capacity of cancerous cells may linearly correlate with its activity level, which in turn alter the coagulation function as commonly represented by fibrin degradation biomarker i.e., D-dimer. Although ALN metastatic status is eventually should be perceptible in physical examinations or other diagnostic modalities, an additional marker to estimate the lymph node extent should be considered in the pre-operative sessions. Objective: To provide the correlation between elevated D-dimer level and ALN metastatic status positivity among BC patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Teaching Hospital of Universitas Sumatera Utara by retrieving outpatients' medical records from June 2018 to January 2019, encompassing 111 female patients. The ALN involvement status was recorded along with plasma D-dimer level in which the value of 500 ng/mL was considered to be elevated. Results: From the 102 eligible participants, 47.1% and 70.6% were confirmed with elevated D-dimer level and ALN involved respectively. Further analysis of those variables demonstrated a considerable diagnostic performance for sensitivity (64.4%), specificity (79.1%), PPV (80.9%), NPV (61.8%), accuracy (70.6%) and statistically significant results (P = .001). Conclusion: Elevated D-dimer level may be influenced by cancerous spread capacity in the lymphatic system, as it also eventually correlated with coagulation system dysregulation. Therefore, it is suggested that the role of D-dimer measurement is recommended to be explored further in BC diagnostic workup.


Print reporters long for the luxury of researching a story uninterrupted by the necessity of writing constant updates to their Web articles. Web editors obsessively reorganize the structure of the homepage even though many users never visit it. The audience is still a mystery in the age of Web analytics: Journalists know what readers click through, but they do not know what their readers expect from them. Nikki Usher's Making News at The New York Times reveals in meticulous detail the contradictions inherent in contemporary newsrooms. Instead of conducting a representative survey of hundreds of journalists, the author opted for the thick depiction and analytical insights offered by ethnography, focusing on one of the most influential media companies in the world. The fact that the Times has greater resources for innovative development than most other newsrooms means that its struggles with digital publishing are to be taken as a serious wake-up call for the whole industry.


A study has been made of the flow and pressure-drop characteristics of the KER Loops. This was needed for the redesign of these loops to permit them to serve as a suitable test facility for proposed studies in an expanded range of operation. The report serves to indicate the magnitude of redesign required to achieve the desired goals of 80,000 lbs. per hour tube flow, and 4,000 kw heat exchanger capacity. 4 figs., 5 tabs.


Metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors are very attractive for optical fiber communication systems and future high-speed chip-to-chip connections. MSM photodetectors not only have high-speed, but also their fabrication technology is compatible with the technology of large scale FET integrated circuits. Generally, the recombination time of carriers in a semiconductor is a key factor that limits the speed of a MSM photodetector. However, as the finger-spacing of a MSM detector is reduced into submicron range, the transit time of photon-generated carriers between two interdigitated metal fingers can be much smaller than the recombination time, and therefore the speed of the photodetector is not limited by the recombination time but the transit time. Thus, high speed MSM photodetectors can be fabricated on a thin layer of high-quality semiconductor which has very long recombination time and high mobility. Moreover, carrier velocity-overshoot effect due to the ultra-small fingerspacing can be utilized to further increase the speed of the detector. We have fabricated highspeed MSM photodetectors with sub-100 nm finger-width and finger-spacing in GaAs. The smallest finger-width and finger-spacing of these MSM photodetectors are 30nm respectively and are, we believe, the smallest ever reported in literature. A 400nm thick p-type GaAs layer was grown on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate. The thickness of the GaAs layer was kept thin for increasing operation speeds of the MSM detectors. Ti/Au Schottky interdigitated gate fingers of sub-100 nm width and spacing were defined using a high resolution electron beam lithography system and a lift-off process. The following figure shows a scanning electron micrograph of a GaAs MSM photodetector of a 40nm finger-width and a 160nm finger-spacing. The MSM photodetectors were characterized by a laser system of a pulse width of 70ps and a wavelength of 800nm. Preliminary results show that the FWHM of pulse response of the MSM photodetectors of sub-100nm finger-width and finger-spacing are well below 25ps, limited by our measuring system (25ps is the resolution of sampling oscilloscope). The actual response time of the detector should be a few picoseconds or less, since the electron transit time between the 30nm finger spacing is less than 0.2ps.


In order to understand the r-process nucleosynthesis, we sug- gest precision required for mass and �-decay half-life measurements planned at future RI-beam facilities. To satisfy a simple requirement that we put on nuclear model predictions, it is concluded that the de- tectors for the mass measurements must have a precision of 1� < 250 keV, and that the detectors for the half-life measurements demand a precision of 1� < 0.15 ms. Both the above precisions are required at the neutron richness of A/Z = 3.0 at the N=82 shell closure and A/Z = 2.9 at the N=50 shell closure. For the doubly magic nuclide 78 Ni, a precision of 1� < 300 keV and 1� < 5 ms are required, respectively, for mass and half-life measurements. This analysis aims to provide a first rough guide for ongoing detector developments.


Free probability of type B was invented by Biane--Goodman--Nica, and then it was generalized by Belinschi--Shlyakhtenko and F\'evrier--Nica to infinitesimal free probability. The latter found its applications to eigenvalues of perturbed random matrices in the work of Shlyakhtenko and C\'ebron--Dahlqvist--Gabriel. This paper offers a new framework, called ``free probability of type B${}^\prime$'', which appears in the large size limit of independent unitarily invariant random matrices with perturbations. Our framework is related to boolean, free, (anti)monotone, cyclic-(anti)monotone and conditionally free independences. We then apply the new framework to the principal minor of unitarily invariant random matrices, which leads to the definition of a multivariate inverse Markov--Krein transform.


While large parts of the cultural sector have come to a grinding halt due to the pandemic, K-pop – the South Korean music genre that's become a global phenomenon – has continued to flourish.


~!~i~! ~ii iiiiii ~I~+I~ i ! i !ii i i Columnist Note The distance learning column in this issue compares and contrasts two applications of internet-based distance learning in computing. It also attempts to determine the general direction of distance learning and the global effects. The author has the perspective of teaching using two diistance learning approaches originating from two continents. ---Gordon Davies Computing Department Faculty of Mathematics and Computing The Open University Milton Keynes MK7 6AA UK <firstname.lastname@example.com>


Enterobacter asburiae strain RS83 having the capacity of promoting plant growth and yield of various vegetable crops was isolated from the rhizosphere of cassava in Phitsanulok province. The objective of this study was to investigate possible bacterial determinants of strain RS83 involved with plant growth enhancement. Different methods such as using specific media, biochemical tests and high performance liquid chromatography technique were used to analyze bacterial determinants of interest relevant to plant growth promotion. Results revealed several bacterial determinants of strain RS83 implicated in plant growth improvement. These determinants released from strain RS83 included indole-3 acetic acid (IAA; plant-hormone like), catechol siderophore enterobactin (iron-chelating agent), and gluconic acid relating to phosphate solubilization. Moreover, the presence of pellicles in a semi-solid nitrogen-free medium inoculated with strain RS83 indicated possible nitrogen-fixing capacity of the bacterium. In conclusion, strain RS83 possesses several bacterial determinants involved with plant growth promotion.


Background and Aims : Puberty in the most important evaluation during adolescence. This evolutionary change is referred to as a turning point of an adolescence. The present study was aimed to determine puberty heath behaviour and its affecting factor among girl students of khamir city at their first year of high-school in 2015 -2016. Materials and methods : During this cross sectional study, totally 260 secondary school students were sampled in Khamir city. The sampling was done in full. The data were collected through questionnaires and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 16 software through independent t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results : The mean and standard deviation of respondent's age were 13.8 and 0.8 years, respectively. The first menstrual period (menarche) happened around an average (±standard deviation) age of 12.42 (±0.8). About 65% of students were moderately aware about puberty health . Also, the majority of students (81.9%) produced a moderate performance in their adulthood. The results further showed a statistically significant relationship between knowledge and behavior of students with regard to adolescent health (P<0/001). Conclusion : It seems that students' performance in the first menstrual period was influenced by factors such as lack of proper awareness about menstrual hygiene. This study revealed that adolescent health behaviour of students was at the intermediate level. Thus the implementation of health education programs is suggested to modify the health behaviour of girls during puberty. Keywords: Knowledge, pubertal health behavior, female students For downloading the full text please click here .


The utility model relates to an O shape oil seal with abnormal section which is positioned in the ring groove of the inner wall of the hollow pipe. The utility model is characterized in that the section of the oil seal is a * shape and the protruding point and the core axis are mini contacted; the utility model can form a sealing assisting lip effect when repeatedly moving in beeline in the pipe, can dispatch the twist force of the oil seal in repeatedly displacement to reduce the breaking situation of the oil seal caused by deformation and lengthen the service life of the oil seal.


According to the practice of foundation treatment in Wu-Guang passenger dedicated line,the treatment process and quality inspection of CFG pile foundation were analysed in Yueyang section.The analysis results show: the measurement for treating the soft foundation is reasonable with long spiral dill to pump the mixture and the toe of pile,which can reach the necessary depth.In the course of pile formation,the quality of pile could be guaranted.And after the treatment,the bearing capacity and settlement of the foundation can meet the requirements of ballastless track foundation.


Basement-slices are frequent components in the lower nappes of the central Scandinavian Caledonides. New geochronological and geochemical data provide evidence that three of these basement-slices in the Middle Allochthon are derived from the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt. Dated samples in this study comprise a quartz monzonite from the Stalon Nappe Complex and a quartz monzodiorite and a monzonite from the Ammarnäs Nappe Complex. A Ce/Yb-Ta/Yb-plot of the mafic rocks from the Ammarnäs Nappe Complex suggests a calc-alkaline to shoshonitic geochemical character. Low Ni- and Cr-contents and low Mg# indicate that the mafic rocks originated from an already evolved magma. Enrichment of Fe-Ti oxides and V>200 ppm indicate presence of cumulus phases to various degrees. These basement-derived rocks in the Middle Allochthon yielded concordant U-Pb zircon SIMS ages of 1799 ± 10 Ma, 1787 ± 6 Ma and 1797 ± 5 Ma. They are therefore interpreted to represent rocks detached from the Palaeoproterozoic Transscandinavian Igneous Belt and incorporated in the Middle Allochthon during Scandian orogeny.


Based on interview and open questionnaire,overviews of former studies,counseling of experts and a test of one small sample,the authors brought up a theoretical hypothesis about job-burnout for miners.Job burnout questionnaire for miners was constructed according to the hypothesis.Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of data from a sample of 1800 miners showed support the theoretical frame.The representation of miners' burnout mainly included physical fatigue,emotional exhaustion and disengagement from work.Our theoretical construction of job-burnout is rational.The reliability and validity of the scale are good.The questionnaire needs to be revised,and it could be used as the basis of the future researches about the job burnout of china's miners.


Thirty years has passed since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC in 1978 opened up the new era of reform and opening up in China. Reflecting on, studying, and summarizing the accomplishments of literary creation, literary theories and practice over the 30 years has become a significant subject of study. Modern Chinese literature, starting from May 4th New Culture and New Literature Movement, has undergone 90 years of development, during which MAO Ze-dong Thought and the Marxist theory of literature and art in China have taken shape and have been constantly enriched. By looking back at and examining the ninety years of development with the spread and application of Marxism in China, especially by dividing the 90 years into three interconnected 30-year periods with distinct historical features and focusing on the 30 years of reform and opening up, new insights into the accomplishments of literary creation, literary theories and practice over the past years are obtained. This is also an essential component of the socialist and Marxist theoretical system with Chinese characteristics.


The marine diesel engine propulsion system is a nonlinear system with time delay. In order to realize the accurate and real-time control of the marine diesel engine speed, a new method based on state-compensate extended state observer, backstepping method and beetle antennae search algorithm, that is, adaptive state-compensate extended state observer-backstepping, is proposed. First of all, the response relationship model between the engine speed and the fuel injection is established on the basis of the mean value model of diesel engine. Then, to deal with the load disturbances and model parameter perturbation of diesel engine, a state-compensate extended state observer is used to estimate lumped disturbances and states of the diesel engine, and a backstepping method combined with the state-compensate extended state observer, namely state-compensate extended state observer-backstepping, is used to control the marine diesel engine speed. Then, an adaptive state-compensate extended state observer-backstepping controller is proposed by introducing the beetle antennae search algorithm for online optimization of the control parameters. Finally, simulation experiments based on the model of the 12K98ME marine diesel engine are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed controller under conditions of random disturbances, sudden dumping load and parameter perturbation. The experiment results show that the proposed adaptive state-compensate extended state observer-backstepping control method has a better control effect and stronger disturbance rejection ability in comparison of the standard linear active disturbance rejection control.


It is generally accepted that the units of writing systems represent categories found in spoken language; in phonographic writing,
 these categories traditionally include the syllable and segment, which correspond to syllabic and alphabetic systems. But it has
 been claimed that some or most "syllabaries" are actually based on moras, well known from phonological theory as units of syllable
 weight. I argue that apparent moraic systems are in fact built on signs that stand for core CV syllables, and consequently that
 moras do not appear to play a central role in any writing system.


Witch hunts were common in many European countries in the modern period. The period of the greatest persecution on the German area was between the second half of the 16th and the first half of the 17th century. Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld was one of the most determined opponents of witchcraft trials. This German Jesuit, professor, and poet was a staunch opponent of the trials involving torture. As a confessor to the women sent to the stake during executions, he wrote Cautio Criminalis – a work depicting not only the cruelty of the trials but also condemning all those responsible for the judgments and sentences handed down.


Definite surface topography of ice provides fundamental information for most glaciologists to study climate change. However, the topography at the marginal region of ice sheets exhibits noticeable dynamical changes from fast flow velocity and large thinning rates; thus, it is difficult to determine instantaneous topography. In this study, the surface topography of the marginal region of Thwaites Glacier in the Amundsen Sector of West Antarctica, where ice melting and thinning are prevailing, is extracted using TanDEM-X interferometry in combination with data from the near-coincident CryoSat-2 radar altimeter. The absolute height offset, which has been a persistent problem in applying the interferometry technique for generating DEMs, is determined by linear least-squares fitting between the uncorrected TanDEM-X heights and reliable reference heights from CryoSat-2. The reliable heights are rigorously selected at locations of high normalized cross-correlation and low RMS heights between segments of data points. The generated digital elevation model with the resolved absolute height offset is assessed with airborne laser altimeter data from the Operation IceBridge that were acquired five months after TanDEM-X and show high correlation with biases of 3.19 m and −4.31 m at the grounding zone and over the ice sheet surface, respectively. For practical application of the generated DEM, grounding line estimation assuming hydrostatic equilibrium was carried out, and the feasibility was seen through comparison with the previous grounding line. Finally, it is expected that the combination of interferometry and altimetery with similar datasets can be applied at regions even with a lack of ground control points.


The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in perceptions and interests of physics education students, FKIP Jambi University towards the FISMAT e-module which was reviewed based on gender differences. This study uses a quantitative type, namely survey research. The instrument used is a perception questionnaire and the data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, namely the assumption test (normality test and homogeneity test) and hypothesis testing (one-way ANOVA test) and continued with Scheffe's further test. Sampling was carried out using a total sampling technique, namely as many as 91 physics education students, FKIP Jambi University. The results of this study are that there are differences in perceptions and interests in the FISMAT e-module, namely the average student perception of the FISMAT e-module which is best owned by women in class B and for the average student interest the highest is owned by women in class A.


Objectives To evaluate the effect of a beverage containing isomaltodextrin(IMD) on bowel movements in healthy subjects with a tendency toward constipation. Methods A randomized, placebo︱controlled, double︱blind, crossover study was conducted. Twenty subjects ingested a beverage once per day with(test beverage)or without(placebo beverage)5 g IMD for 2 weeks. The defecation frequency, defecation days, and stool volume were investigated as the main evaluation items. Seventeen subjects were included in the analysis because 3 subjects were withdrawn from the study. Results Defecation days and stool volume during the period of test beverage intake were significantly higher than that during placebo beverage intake. Conclusions The intake of IMD improves bowel movement of healthy people with a tendency toward constipation.


The paper has introduced the technology of detecting flammable gases with double infrared wavelength lights. A logarithmic amplifier is needed for the detection. Considering the heavy influence of environment temperature on a logarithmic amplifier, a new circuit without logarithmic amplifier was developed. As a result, the reliability and sensitivity of the circuit are improved, and it is applicable to practice.


This paper deals with the state and fault estimation for non linear systems modeled using the Takagi Sugeno approach. An artificial neural network with unknown inputs is used in the objective of estimate state and faults affecting the system. Firstly, the problem of state estimation is considered. In second step, the proposed approach is extended to the actuator fault estimations. The proposed method is applied to an academic example to show its efficiency.


Process for preparing magnesium nitrate hexahydrate without the need for filtering aids. A process for prepar ing magnesium nitrate hexahydrate essentially com prises: (a) forming a magnesium oxide or magnesium carbonate suspension in melted magnesium nitrate hexa hydrate at a suspension temperature in excess of 90° C.; (b) adding a nitric acid solution to the suspension while stirring thereby forming a reaction mixture containing additional magnesium nitrate hexahydrate; (c) filtering the liquid reaction mixture to obtain a clear magnesium nitrate hexahydrate filtrate; (d) discharging as product a part, corresponding to the amount of magnesium oxide or magnesium carbonate introduced, of the liquid mag nesium nitrate hexahydrate obtained as clear filtrate; (e) utilizing the remaining part as liquid medium for the conversion of magnesium oxide or magnesium carbon ate with nitric acid. Thermally stabilized ammonium nitrate containing granules may also be prepared con taining magnesium nitrate hexahydrate according to the above process.


In the north Indian state of Uttarakhand, the god Nagaraja, associated with the pan--Indian god Krishna, is an extremely popular deity. However, there exist key disjunctures in how Nagaraja is known, experienced and worshiped in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand by jāgar performers—low--caste ritual specialists, storytellers, and musicians—on the one hand, and high--caste temple priests, on the other. Temple priests were generally dismissive of the practices of the jāgar performers, often re--directing my interest in regional narratives of Nagaraja to the Sanskrit--language Bhagavadgita and Bhagavata Purana (the Gita--Bhagavat), which they saw as authoritative and 'original' sources of oral and vernacular traditions. This interpretation, however, was highly contested by jāgar performers who articulated a non--essentialist, ritually efficacious, rhetorical, oral and vernacular 'textual ontology.' Jāgar performers not only critiqued Brahminical notions of textual purity and essentialism but also assumptions within the academic study of Hinduism about the relationship between vernacular religious practices and textual Hinduism, or the so--called Great and Little traditions of Hinduism. By 'textual ontology,' I describe how different relations to textual authority and knowledge in turn reveal distinctive ways of creating, knowing, and interacting with deities and the world. In challenging priestly and western scholarly notions of text, this article offers a radically different view of textual production, transmission, and authority.


Lime-soil cushion is a common method to deal with collapsible loess.Through the test section construction,each kind of construction condition which possibly appears to the construction in carries on the simulation test,can provide each kind of engineering data and the best machinery disposition for the big area roadbed operation,guarantees the construction quality and the construction progress,with instructs construction of all sections.


Purpose:To investigate the value of the combination of CT and MRI in diagnosis of cerebral infarction.Materials and Methods:237 cases susptected cerebral infarction was imaged with CT,in whom 92 patients took MRI after CT.and their results were compared with clinical symptom.Results:CT scans showed prime cerebral infarction in 21 cases(n=188),MRI scans showed it in 57 cases (n=65).sensitivity of CT/MRI is 61.2%/100% after 24 hour.Conclusion:The routine CT and MRI scans are complementary in the diagnosis of cerebral infarction and MRI scan is necessary in detectionof the vessel position of cerebral infarction when cerebral infarction has been detected by CT.It is useful for correct management in time.


The invention discloses five-cereal health-care nutrient food, comprising the following components: black fungus, white fungus, ginseng, Chinese date, Chinese wolfberry, walnut, fig, longan, lotus seed, peanut, sesame, lily, gomphrena globosa, chrysanthemum, rose, cordyceps sinensis, apple, smoked plum, grape, dried apricot slices, radish, pumpkin, wax gourd, sweet potato, Chinese yam, corn, black rice, black soya bean, red bean, green bean and yellow bean. The five-cereal health-care nutrient food is prepared by high-temperature drying, baking and cooking and mixing with magnetized water. The five-cereal health-care nutrient food is prepared by the following steps of: drying five cereals, melons and fruits, and flowers and plants together at low temperature; 35-50 minutes later, when the temperature is reduced to room temperature, carrying out rough grinding; soaking the dried five cereals, flowers and plants in the magnetized water for 1.5 hours, then boiling by strong fire, and then continuing to heat by slow fire, wherein the ratio of the dried five cereals, flowers and plants to the magnetized water is 1:5 and the total of heating time is not more than 3 hours and not less than 2 hours; and then carrying out solid-liquid separation and filling solution prepared from five cereals and flowers and plants in sterile condition so as to obtain five-cereal health-care nutrient solution finally; or crushing dried solid matters and bagging to obtain the five-cereal health-care nutrient food disclosed by the invention. The five-cereal health-care nutrient food has the effects of building the body, improving the intelligence, nourishing the heart and the lung, and beautifying the skin.


In the last few years we demonstrated the utility of the phthalimidesulfenyl chloride (PhthNSCl, Phth = Phthaloyl) mediated generation of α,α'-dioxothiones and several related thiocarbonyl species. These reactive thione derivatives can be used as efficient electron-poor dienes in inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reactions with a plethora of electron rich alkenes, giving rise to interesting synthetic applications. Among the several features required for a successful synthetic protocol, the possibility of its exploitation on solid phase is nowadays particularly appreciated. In this communication we report our preliminary attempts on the possibility to generate from a β-ketoester functionalised resin a solid supported α,α'-dioxothione, and to trap it by a [4+2] cycloaddition reaction.


This paper considers a linguoculturological approach to teaching a foreign language, a method of projects as one of the most effective methods in the process of developing a linguocultural competence among secondary school students. The authors consider the stages of work on short-term projects or lesson projects. The authors propose to comply with four stages: preparation, planning, research, presentation and assessment of the results of project activities. The analysis of the Spotlight 8 educational and methodological complex allowed the authors to propose a transformation of the tasks of the sections marked Project from tasks for the written skills development into full-fledged lesson projects, having developed all necessary stages, assessment criteria, options for implementation and development of the project. The paper proposes a development of short-term projects for the modules of the Spotlight 8 textbook. The development includes a full-fledged lesson scenario for a lesson project in a specific module, assessment criteria that can be useful to the teacher both for assessing an individual, and a paired, group project. The paper may be of interest to teachers of a foreign language, methodologists, teachers of educational organizations of additional education, teachers supervising project activities. The developed evaluation scheme, detailed stages of work on a lesson project will be interesting and useful for an English teacher.


An outage of DC transmission lines or converters occurs in bipolar multi-terminal HVDC grid (MTDC) may result in security violation. Corrective control strategies are therefore needed to ensure the operational security of the system. For MTDC grid following N−1 contingencies, a power shift-based optimal corrective control method is presented in this paper. Certain power are shifted from the faulty pole to the normal pole or among different converter stations within a pole, so that the amount of renewable energy accommodation of the MTDC is maximized. The method is intensively studied on a modified New England 10-machine 39-bus test system with inclusion of a four-terminal bipolar DC grid.


We studied the comparative effects of retrobulbar cyclosporin A (Cy-A) and topical prednisolone acetate 1% in prolonging graft survival in a single set, in vivo rabbit model of corneal graft rejection. Forty animals received corneal allografts and were treated with either topical 1% prednisolone acetate, varying doses of retrobulbar Cy-A, or no immunosuppressives. Graft survival time was analyzed both from the day of operation as well as from the day of suture removal. Steroid-treated grafts vascularized more slowly than untreated grafts and grafts treated with Cy-A. When measured from the day of surgery, steroid-treated grafts survived longest. When compared, beginning with the day of suture removal, topical steroids and cyclosporin A (10 mg/kg) appeared equally effective in prolonging graft survival.


A new list of marine fishes from Ecuador is presented and 619 species are reported, both from the literature and from collected specimens. A new species and 14 new record s are included. When known, a local common name is given


Based on the field survey and comprehensive analysis on the spatial characteristics of social housing in Beijing,Changsha,and Kunming,this paper points out that there are many problems as to the spatial location of social housing in China,including remote location,concentrated and scaled layout,and deficiency in infrastructures.Then the paper divides the whole spatial location selection process into two stages,namely spatial planning and site location,while stating that the "missing attributes" of urban planning in those two stages are the causes of the location problems.Further discussion shows that the "missing attributes" and related location problems could be attributed to the characteristics of current location selection process,i.e.,"government-led location selection," "location in space shortage," and "location with emergent demand." At last,suggestions are proposed to improve the location selection process from the perspectives of urban planning,legislation,housing security policy,with references on planning and location selection of affordable housing in the UK and the US.


The application of rapid and accurate diagnostic methods can improve colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates dramatically. Here, we used a non-targeted metabolic analysis strategy based on internal extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (iEESI-MS) to detect metabolite ions associated with the progression of CRC from 172 tissues (45 stage I/II CRC, 41 stage III/IV CRC, and 86 well-matched normal tissues). A support vector machine (SVM) model based on 10 differential metabolite ions for differentiating early-stage CRC from normal tissues was built with a good prediction accuracy of 92.6%. The biomarker panel consisting of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) (18:0) has good diagnostic potential in differentiating early-stage CRC from advanced-stage CRC. We showed that the down-regulation of LPC (18:0) in tumor tissues is associated with CRC progression and related to the regulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor. Pathway analysis showed that metabolic pathways in CRC are related to glycerophospholipid metabolism and purine metabolism. In conclusion, we built an SVM model with good performance to distinguish between early-stage CRC and normal groups based on iEESI-MS and found that LPC (18:0) is associated with the progression of CRC.


The entropy concept as a measure of uncertainty of a probability field is used to measure the homogeneity of statistic series which describe certain mechanical characteristics of some materials, peculiarly the concrete and steel ones. By means of this concept the notion of homogeneity degree of a material characteristic is introduced. This homogeneity degree is correlated to the refining of the statistic intervals. In case of the analyse of the material qualities, which is defined by means of some physical- mechanical characteristics, the entropy may be interpreted as an information and the homogeneity degree gets the character of a quality indicator which is proportional to the information quantity. In the same time one could appreciate that the indicator calculated on the basis of the laboratory results may be also considered as a measure of the reliability degree. Subsequent studies would show if the homogeneity degree defined in this paper could be considered as a standard indicator of homogeneity of some material characteristics (a).


The parameterization problem of the reliable nonlinear H ∞ state feedback controllers for nonlinear systems with strictly redundant actuators is dealt with. Based on Hamilton Jacobi inequality, a family of controllers are presented such that the resulting closed loop systems are asymptotically stable and their L 2 gain is limited not only when all actuators are operational but also when any one (but only one) of actuators experiences an outage. The results provide a deeper insight into the synthesis of the reliable nonlinear H ∞ state feedback.


Abstract SBR compounds were filled with 17 carbon blacks covering the whole range of rubber grades and tested for bound-rubber content. It was found that the bound-rubber content of a polymer at hi...


Fred j. Fleitz and Walter Piskorski both got new jobs in October 2010—Fleitz with a contract manufacturer of pharmaceutical chemicals and Piskorski with a start-up drug company. Less than 18 months later, the two men had successfully collaborated to produce the active ingredient for a promising antidepressant drug candidate under the exacting conditions required by the Food & Drug Administration. The speed with which they carried out the project is a testimony to the experience they brought to their new jobs. It's also a sign of the urgency felt by biotech firms and their manufacturing partners to advance drug candidates as far as they can before the funding runs out. Fleitz is a synthetic organic chemist who earned a Ph.D. at Stanford University under Barry Trost. After graduating in 1996, Fleitz joined Merck & Co.'s process research group in Rahway, N.J., where he was schooled in industrial process chemistry by ...


The purpose of the work is to determine the state of study and the prospects for further research on the vertebrate animals remains from the Mesozoic deposits of the Lugansk region. To achieve this goal, collection and generalization of information on the locations of vertebral remains among the Mesozoic deposits of Lugansk region were made. Despite the considerable amount of findings of various groups of Mesozoic vertebrates remains in the Donets Basin territories adjoining them, their systematic and purposeful study, unfortunately, was not conducted in Lugansk region, although indications of the findings of the Mesozoic vertebrates remains in the Luhansk region occur quite often.

As a result of the processing of published materials and preliminary interpretation of field observations, a list of 20 sites located mainly on the right bank of the Siversky Donets within the Lugansk region is compiled. Almost all the places are confined to the Upper Cretaceous deposits, much less – to the basal layers of the Paleogene and only one to the Triassic.

The vast majority of the locations of the Upper Cretaceous are confined to the area in contact with an array of coal deposits (the so-called "open Carboniferous"). Outwards from it, the rocks are more open-sea and they drastically reduce the diversity of the fossil fauna. Therefore, outlining the range of promising areas regarding finding vertebrate animals remains one should be aware of the above-mentioned pattern of their placement. Triassic deposits of the Donbas are not at all investigated for finding the remains of vertebrates, although their potential is very significant. Nevertheless, due to the small area of the Triassic deposits outcrop in the Lugansk region, searches need to be directed to the west – in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions.The problem of solving the ecological and geological issues which arise as the result of working off in natural resources (in particular the deposits of potassium salts) is actual at this time. Specificity is in easy solubility of salts and therefore the creation of artificial cavities and karstic phenomena. The article examines the ways to solve the problems of mapping the salt karst and forecasting creation of dips and subsidence of the earth's surface by the example of Kalush-Holyn potassium salt deposit which is located in Ukrainian Precarpathians. As the basis of the research, the complex geophysical methods were considered. It was proved that the method of natural pulsed electromagnetic field of the Earth (NPEMFE) can be selected as a reliable evaluation method of stress-strain state of rocks and prediction of karst processes and deformations which is associated with the presence of extracting chambers. The article describes the physical preconditions for applying the method, sets out the basic postulates of field intensity anomalies classification and proposes the methodology for depth evaluation. Using the real examples - the profile and planar research of potassium salt deposit - the succes of the NPEMFE method is shown, along with its effectiveness to solve some ecological and geological problems, as well as feasibility of using the method in other areas.


Here we present a brief description of Paleolithic archaeological sites in Tunka rift valley in Baikal region, Siberia, Russia. Among ten sites of Paleolithic age currently known in the Tunka valley only 5 sites are stratified while all the others are represented by picking archaeological material. The most representative sections with rich archaeological complexes in the Tunka rift are the sections of the subaerial deposits of Tuyana and Bol'shoi Zangisan. The industry of Tuyana site contains products and technologies that can be identified as Aurignacoid.


The logging data communication plans between the downhole system and the surface system are discussed.A logging data transmission system based on CAN bus is put forward.The software and hardware design and the implementation of the CAN bus data transmission system are presented.


This paper outlines a method where a brachistochrone is developed for the hyperbolic plane. This technique is then used to calculate the Fubini-Study metric and consequent Laplacian operator. We discuss the various systems of eigenfunctions on the Poincare disk, including Mehler-Fock, Macdonald and Whittaker functions. The relationship between these systems of differential equations is exploited using an Laplace transform method on the hyperbolic plane, which allows us to transform the solutions to the Helmholz equation from one space to another. Discussion of further applications of this technique is given with particular reference to diffusion systems on alternate forms of hyperbolic and projective geometry.


INTRODUCTION: To describe the perinatal outcomes in triplet pregnancies in a contemporary cohort. Our hypothesis is that triplet pregnancies that have either poor obstetrical history or maternal medical conditions will have increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Triplet pregnancies were identified from searches in multiple hospital, during the time period of 2007 to 2014. We identified 91 triplet pregnancies and excluded of 9 (due to reduction or fetal loss). Numerous maternal variables were assessed including maternal medical and obstetric history as were neonatal outcomes. The indications for delivery were evaluated and classified as maternal, placental, or fetal. Correlation and univariate regression were used to evaluate relationships. RESULTS: 82 triplet pregnancies were identified with 246 babies. Median gestational age was 33.57 (3.54) weeks and average birth weight was 1726 g. There were 12 perinatal deaths. Prior preterm birth and nulliparity did have a negative impact on the gestational age at delivery (P=.016). Pregnancy complications included preterm labor (64.6%), hypertension (46.3%), diabetes (29%), post-partum hemorrhage (9.7%), and blood transfusion (8.5%). Maternal medical history did not impact gestational age at birth. The NICU admission rate was 78%. 47 triplets were diagnosed with a congenital anomaly. Respiratory distress syndrome occurred in 40.7%. Indication for delivery was 60% maternal, 11% fetal, 11% placental with 18% scheduled deliveries. CONCLUSION: This large retrospective study describes the morbidity and mortality for both triplets and their mothers. It shows that prior obstetric history and nulliparity are pertinent to pregnancy outcome. This cohort study provides valuable information in preconception counseling for patients considering ART.


Background β-Crystallins are structural proteins maintaining eye lens transparency and opacification. Previous work demonstrated that dimerization of both βA3 and βB2 crystallins (βA3 and βB2) involves endothermic enthalpy of association (∼8 kcal/mol) mediated by hydrophobic interactions. Methodology/Principal Findings Thermodynamic profiles of the associations of dimeric βA3 and βB1 and tetrameric βB1/βA3 were measured using sedimentation equilibrium. The homo- and heteromolecular associations of βB1 crystallin are dominated by exothermic enthalpy (−13.3 and −24.5 kcal/mol, respectively). Conclusions/Significance Global thermodynamics of βB1 interactions suggest a role in the formation of stable protein complexes in the lens via specific van der Waals contacts, hydrogen bonds and salt bridges whereas those β-crystallins which associate by predominately hydrophobic forces participate in a weaker protein associations.


The effect of serum and plasma pseudoglobulins on the prolonged thrombin and prothrombin time of heparinized plasma was studied. It was found that pseudoglobulins are able to shorten thrombin time and to a lesser degree prothrombin time. Experiments suggest that the following mechanism is involved: Pseudoglobulins replace heparin cofactor from heparin – heparin cofactor complex and, because the new complex acts as a weak antithrombin, the pseudoglobulins seem to possess antiheparin activity. Since euglobulins too have a weak antiheparin effect, no specificity can be ascribed to this phenomenon. Serum pseudoglobulins shorten also the prolonged thrombin time of incubated plasma, but not the prolonged prothrombin time. Plasma pseudoglobulins, however, because of their content in labile factor shorten both thrombin and prothrombin time.


CREATIVITY has been studied as talent or giftedness since Galton who, more than anybody else, gave it the conceptual status of a characteristic or trait. It has remained so in the large number of studies that suddenly came upon the American scene in the fifties of this century. Like many other human characteristics, creativity is considered to be a joint product of heredity and environment. Galton had looked into the heredity aspect. Terman, in his classic studies, had enquired into both heredity and environment. But environment, in the literature on this subject, means generally the pas't horb~ and social background in which the creative individual was brought up. One rarely comes across studies on the influence of the present environment.


THE CORRELATION OF COFFEE DRINKING HABITS, PHYSICAL FITNESS AND WORK PRODUCTIVITY OF WORKERS
IN ELBA TAILOR & TEXTILE SERVICE COMPANY

A.A. Istri Sukma Hitarini

Study Program of Diploma IV, Department Of Nutrition Health Polytechnic, Ministry of Health, Denpasar

ABSTRACK

These days society has many ways to overcome drowsiness and fatigue, because this is considered to interfere with daily activities and hamper work productivity. One that makes addiction is to consume coffee because it is believed to improve physical fitness and work performance. This study aims to know the correlation between coffee drinking habits and physical fitness with work productivity of workers in Elba Tailor & Textile Service Company. The design of this research was cross sectional. The number of samples in this study is 30 people. Data of coffee drinking habits is obtained by interview using the questionnaire tool. Data of physical fitness is obtained by measuring the volume of oxygen that can be consumed during exercise at maximum capacity. Maximum oxygen volume (VO2max) was measured by a 12-minute walk/run test method. Data of work productivity is obtained by interview using questionnaire tool. Data analysis using Chi Square correlation test where α = 0,05. According to bivariate analysis, there is a correlation between coffee drinking habits with work productivity (p = 0,032), there is no correlation between physical fitness with work productivity (p = 0.076), and there is no correlation between coffee drinking habits and physical fitness (p = 0,649). There is a correlation between coffee drinking habits with work productivity of tailors at Elba Tailor & Textile Service Company, there is no correlation between physical fitness with work productivity of tailors at Elba Tailor & Textile Service Company, and there is no correlation between coffee drinking habits and physical fitness of tailors at Elba Tailor & Textile Service Company.

Keywords: Coffee, physical fitness, work productivity.


Fruit of Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra (Lour ) Sieb et Zucc) 'Biqi' culture were used in this study The fruits were stored at the temperature of (21±1)℃, (11±1)℃ or (1±1)℃ By investigating the respiratory rate, ethylene production, POD, PG, soluble pectin and cellulose during the storage, the conclusion was as following:During the storage at (21±1)℃, the fruit soon showed some physiological characters of respiratory climacteric, such as reach the top of respiration and ethylene The POD and PG activity is close relative with the senescence of Chinese bayberry fruits, but the cellulase may be not the major factor that result in the senescence of Chinese bayberry fruits


Provided is an optical film laminate with cutting lines for increasing the precision and speed in the manufacture of liquid crystal elements and drastically improving the yield. The optical film laminate with a continuous web of cutting lines is assumed to be used in an apparatus which continuously manufactures liquid crystal display elements affixed with a sheet of optical functional film. The optical film laminate is divided in the lengthwise direction based on the positions of detected defects and is composed of regions which do not include defects having the specified lengths corresponding to the dimensions of the liquid crystal panel and regions which include defects having different specified lengths than the region not including defects. In the optical film laminate which includes an optical functional film including an adhesive layer and a carrier film which can be peeled off and is deposited on the adhesive layer, a normal sheet which does not include defects in the carrier film and a bad sheet which includes defects are formed by forming cutting lines corresponding to each of the above regions along the width direction of the optical film laminate.


In spite of the efforts made over the past several decades to bring to the fore the important contributions of the Italian public finance tradition - La Scienza delle finanze - this body of analysis remains relatively unknown outside of Italy. The same cannot be said of the seminal work of Knut Wicksell, whose work in his Finanztheoretische Untersuchungen provided a springboard for modern public choice analysis as developed in the hands of James Buchanan, Gordon Tullock, and others - although even Wicksell's work in the area of public finance was all but ignored within the evolving neoclassical literature on this subject until the 1960s. This paper will show how the Italian approach hinged on the developments of the marginal revolution and how the precision thereby engendered raised critical issues regarding the ability of actual governments to provide public goods and services in accordance with the dictates of optimality. It is suggested that the problematic nature of these claims is resolved by Wicksell, who, through a more explicit incorporation of the political process as linked up with individual voter desires, demonstrated the conditions under which the claims made by the disparate element of the Italian tradition would hold true.


Salmon are an important natural, economic, and cultural resource for many people across the northern Pacific Rim, including all five North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) member nations. Monitoring and understanding the status of salmon stocks is critical to the management and conservation of this shared resource, especially within the context of a changing and increasingly variable environment that these stocks interact in (e.g., ocean warming and ocean acidification). It is unclear what the future holds for our salmon populations, but we need to think about, and prepare for, the inevitable changes.


Passage of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and its subsequent 1976 amendments set in motion a new mechanism for federal, state, and local governments to collaborate on the wise use and conservation of the nation's coastal resources. The authors present a study of the conflicts over use of coastal resources, how coastal management programs deal with port development problems, and how people are working together to plan the use of these resources.


The purpose of this study was to determine which factors most influence instrument choice. Secondary purposes were to determine the degree to which instrument choices corresponded to timbre preferences and to investigate the timbre preferences and subsequent instrument choices of students who selected their instruments based on the sound. Fourth-grade beginning instrumental students (N = 226) rated "fun and easy" and "sound of the instrument" as factors most influencing instrument choice. Instrument choices did not correspond to demonstrated timbre preference as measured by the Instrument Timbre Preference Test: 19% chose the instrument for which they demonstrated a timbre preference, whereas 43% demonstrated a timbre preference for a different instrument. The body of research literature examining factors that influence students' music instrument choices consists of very few studies conducted over a period of several decades. However, despite the paucity of research over an extended period of time, the studies reveal general agreement among researchers regarding the factors that influence students' choices of band instruments. The factors fall into one of two categories: (1) the influence of individuals on students, or (2) characteristics of the instrument such as size, timbre, and perceived ease of playing. According to the research literature, students reported that significant individuals influenced their instrument choices including (a) friends (Bayley, 2000; Delzell &. Leppla, 1992; Fortney, Boyle, & DeCarbo, 1993; Katzenmoyer, 2003; LeBlanc, 1982); (b) relatives (Fortney, Boyle, & DeCarbo, 1993; Katzenmoyer, 2003; LeBlanc, 1982); (c) teachers (Fortney, Boyle, & DeCarbo, 1993; Katzenmoyer, 2003; LeBlanc, 1982); and (d) media figures (Fortney, Boyle, & DeCarbo, 1993; Katzenmoyer, 2003; LeBlanc, 1982). In addition to significant individuals, students also reported that physical characteristics of the instruments including the size and the sound of the instruments influenced their instrument choices (Gordon, 1984; Delzell & Leppla, 1992; Fortney, Boyle, & DeCarbo, 1993; Katzenmoyer, 2003). The research also indicates that students reported choosing band instruments based on their perceptions of the attributes of the instruments, characterizing them as fun and easy to play (Delzell & Leppla, 1992; Fortney, Boyle, & DeCarbo, 1993). While some researchers have agreed upon the factors that influence students' instrument choices, a review of the literature reveals a lack of consensus regarding the extent to which these variables influence students' choices. In his discussion concerning the influence of significant individuals on band instrument selection, Bayley (2000) maintained that friends are most influential in determining a student's instrument choice. Delzell and Leppla (1992) disagreed, reporting that only 8.7% of the 526 fourth-grade instrumentalists in their study identified friends as an important factor on their instrument choices. Similarly, Fortney, Boyle, and DeCarbo (1993) reported that a low percentage (14%) of 990 middle school band students identified friends as strongly influencing their choices of instruments. However, Fortney et al. reported that family members were more important than friends in the instrument selection process, with 21% of respondents indicating that relatives were very influential on their choices of instruments. Surpassing both friends and relatives was the reported influence of instrumental music teachers: 31% of students identified elementary and middle school instrumental music teachers as influential figures (Fortney, Boyle, & DeCarbo, 1993). LeBlanc (1982) purported that the media (radio and television) are largely responsible for influencing students' instrument choices, yet Fortney, Boyle, and DeCarbo (1993) found that only 15% of students indicated that the media influenced them a great deal. In cases in which the media were a significant factor in shaping preferences, male students, more than female, were affected by the media's image. …


<abstract>
As a continuation to our results in [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="b1">1</xref>], we study the dual ruled surface defined on the set of dual numbers. The idea of the dual part are defined similar to quaternion space. The dual part of this represents a ruled dual submanifold. The geometric properties of their dual parts are investigated. Some examples are given and plotted.
</abstract>


—With the technological revolution in digital networking and connectivity over the past two decades, the healthcare sector is at the beginning of a dramatic overhaul. These technologies have already made their way into our everyday lives and thus changing the way we do things. The healthcare industry with its resistance to change has started considering, evaluating, and embracing the way connectivity can change medical treatment and personal health. In this paper, we review the state-of-the-art in medical device connectivity with a focus on wireless solutions. Throughout the paper, the discussion separately studies the three major care delivery settings: clinical, office, and home. Based on the challenges and requirements that each of these settings present, we discuss the key aspects needed for medical device connectivity to succeed from both a technological and financial perspective. Cellular connectivity can satisfy many of these key aspects. Therefore, we have proposed and operated a testbed for cellular connectivity into Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, which we present and report on here for the first time. The paper concludes with a longer term outlook on the adoption of digital networking and connectivity in the healthcare sector.


This research is aimed at determining the influence ofeconomic growth, local revenue and general fund allocation toward appropriation of capital budget In Districts/City in South Sumatera Province. The samples used in this study were 11 districts/cities in South Sumatera Province in line with the source of Realization Report Budget (APBD) which was accessed from www.djpk.depkeu.go.id and Economic Growth which was obtained from the Central Statistics Agency of South Sumatera Province. The data used in this research was secondary data. The technique of analyzing the data was using multiple regression test.
Simulataneously, the results showed that Economic Growth, Local Revenue and General Fund Allocation had positive significant influence toward capital expenditures. While, partially, the results showed that Economic Growth had no positive significant influence toward toward Capital Expenditure, regional revenue had no positive significant influence toward Capital Expenditure, General Fund Allocation had positive significant toward Capital Expenditure.


This article deals with the understanding of the response of faith from three symbolic images and biblical imagery, namely, road, listening and vision. The importance of educating and think faith in these three moments, which are intertwined, favors a holistic understanding of the current problems of believing. Through a pastoral-teaching of Scripture and Church Tradition, we want to reflect our work under the light of Revelation, beginning of saving dialogue, so as to respond to it through our teaching and prophetic vocation.


Integrating a geographic information system (GIS) with an existing pavement management system such as the Texas Department of Transportation Pavement Management Information System is not as simple as merely installing a new piece of software into the existing pavement management system and then operating it. A successful GIS implementation involves not only the information technologies themselves but also other elements, such as personnel and their GIS skills, the organizational structure within which they work, and the institutional relationships that govern the management of information flow. All of these elements need to be managed in an interactive manner. GIS can serve as a platform for integrating various types of data, systems, and technologies. Because of the nature of rapid changes in GIS and related information technology, a well-developed GIS implementation plan is essential. The development of a comprehensive and practical implementation plan using GIS to enhance the pavement management practice in the Texas Department of Transportation is presented. As the basis of the implementation plan, a "three-stage implementation" concept was used to assess the current practice, define the visionary system, and identify the intermediate solutions. Also presented are several key issues and aspects important to the successful implementation of GIS for pavement management.


Dear Dr. Bedrossian: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide in both men and women. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the major type of lung cancer and is classified into three histological types: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. The majority of patients with NSCLC are in an advanced stage at the time of clinical and/or histological diagnosis, and less than 30% of patients undergo surgical resection. Activation of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) has been described as a primary oncogenic event in a number of different human cancers. Recently, echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 and ALK (EML4-ALK) have been newly identified as transforming fusion oncogenes causing NSCLC. EML4-ALK gene fusion positive lung adenocarcinomas comprised 4–11% of NSCLC in an Asian population, and present at a high frequency in patients with adenocarcinomas, never-smokers, and adenocarcinomas lacking epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and v-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations. EML4-ALK-positive lung adenocarcinomas also histologically tended to be characterized by growth with predominant signet-ring cells and an acinar/solid or cribriform structure. We report a case of primary EML4-ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma in which intracytoplasmic pinkish mucin was characteristic in cytology. An abnormal mass was discovered in the right lung of a 71-year-old woman never smoker during a medical checkup. A chest-computed tomography (CT) scan showed a solitary pulmonary nodule with irregular margin in the right upper lobe measuring 3.5 cm in size and a second nodule in the right middle lobe measuring 0.3 cm in size. She was clinically diagnosed with primary NSCLC, and bronchial brushing cytology was performed to determine the histological types. Bronchial brushing cytology samples showed a large number of tumor cell clusters in a dirty background. The clusters were arranged in tightly cohesive, overlapping gland-like structures, with, isolated or irregular clusters of signet-ring cells (Fig. 1). The intracytoplasmic mucin of the signet-ring cells was granular and pinkish in color. The nuclei were irregular and hyperchromatic with inconspicuous nucleoli. No mitosis was observed. The tumor was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma with signet-ring cells, and a right upper and middle lobectomy was performed. On histology, the tumor showed an acinar/solid, cribriform, signet-ring cell growth pattern. The tumor cells showed irregular nuclei and abundant intracytoplasmic mucin (Fig. 2). There were no mucin pools of mucinous carcinoma distending the mucinous epithelia. The tumor was examined by immunohisto/cytochemistry using ALK protein (clone 5A4, 1:50, Novo Castra, Newcastle, UK) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis using ALK break-apart probe (Vysis LSI ALK Dual Color, break-apart rearrangement probe; Abbott Molecular, Abbott Park, IL, USA). The tumor was strongly reactive for ALK antibody (Figs. 3A and B), and ALK rearrangement was detected by FISH analysis (Figs. 3C and D). As a result, the tumor was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma with mucinous cribriform and solid signetring cell patterns with EML4-ALK rearrangement. Several series have reported the clinicopathological factors of EML4-ALK gene fusion positive lung cancer patients. However, this is the first report of diagnosis by cytology. EML4-ALK gene fusion positive lung cancer shows a variety of histological features, including signetring cells, and acinar/solid, cribriform and papillary growth patterns. There is also EML4-ALK gene fusion positive signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma mimicking mucinous (colloid) adenocarcinoma. In the present case, cytological findings resembled signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of the lung, which is considered rare and unusual. We suggest that lung cancer with signet-ring cell features, such as peripherally placed nuclei and abundant intracytoplasmic pinkish mucin has a high possibility of being ALK-positive, and recommend that immunocytochemistry for ALK antibody should be carried out simultaneously with the cytological diagnosis when these *Correspondence to: Akihiko Kawahara, Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kurume University Hospital, Kurume, Japan. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Received 11 March 2012; Revision 23 July 2012; Accepted 24 September 2012 DOI 10.1002/dc.22936