The study investigated the carcass characteristics of castrated West African Dwarf bucks offered varying levels of brewer's dried grain with Ber ( Ziziphus jujube ) Leaves basal diet. Twelve West African Dwarf bucks with average age of Twelve months weighing 13 (+_0.7) Kg was used for the experiment. Each treatment was replicated three times. The experimental diets consisted of ber leaves ( Ziziphus jujube ) as basal diet, supplemented with local brewers' dried grain at 50g, 100 g, 150 g and 200 g levels designated as treatments T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 respectively. These diets were fed to the animals for a period of 63 days. At the end of the experiment, two animals from each treatment were selected, starved for a period of 24 hours and sacrificed for carcass analysis. Result of the research revealed that the weights of blood ranged from 485g (T 3 ) to 1.06 Kg (T 4 ). The values were statistically significant (p<0.01) across treatments. The Hides/skin, non carcass, digestive organs, fore and hind limbs weights were significantly (p<0.01) different across treatments. Effects of the diets on wholesale cuts of growing West African Dwarf goats showed that the weights for the breast, shoulder, legs, shanks, flanks, rack and loins with ranges of 195 – 290 g, 225 – 350g, 310 – 405g, 92.50 – 142.50g, 155 – 187.50g, 152.50 – 179.0g and 302.50 – 455.00 respectively were all significantly (p<0.01) different so also with the fat deposits. It is concluded that the experimental diets did not have harmful effects on the animals as indicated by the carcass qualities because of absence of excessive fat deposits. The feed ingredients could therefore be used at the rates used in the treatments for fattening of goats.


Abstract Research has shown that participation in extracurricular activities has a positive effect on adolescents' social behaviour and academic performance; however, the reciprocal influence of extracurricular activities and leisure on the development of adolescents' academic performance and social behaviour is unclear. In our study, we investigate the effect of school based and out-of-school leisure activities on adolescent's social and scholastic development. We also explore how students' gender, socioeconomic status and ethnicity influence their choice of, and engagement in activities. A sample of 5278 students (females 50%; migrant background 26%) filled in questionnaires in grade 5 and 7 and provided personal background information as well as evidence of their engagement in extracurricular and leisure activities, their social behaviour and academic performance. Using latent class analysis, we distinguished five identity-related patterns of engagement in extracurricular and leisure activities among 5th-graders. We found a connection between adolescents' gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity and their choice of, and engagement in, extracurricular and leisure activities, social behaviour and grades. We also identified a link between adolescents' patterns of engagement in extracurricular and leisure activities and developmental tendencies in their social behaviour and scholastic achievement between grades 5 and 7. Keywords: extracurricular activity, leisure, adolescent development, academic achievement, social behaviour ----- Bibl iography: Sauerwein, Markus/Theis, Desiree/Fischer, Natalie: How Youths' Profiles of Extracurricular and Leisure Activity Affect Their Social Development and Academic Achievement, IJREE, Vol. 4, Issue 1-2016, pp. 103-124. https://doi.org/10.3224/ijree.v4i1.24778


Place-based environmental education is a pedagogy that infuses environmental education across disciplines in a way that is relevant and meaningful to students. One collaborative approach to place-based environmental education, community mapping, explores and represents local knowledge, visions held by community members, and relationships between spatial, physical, personal, and cultural elements of place. This paper shares a community mapping project done by a British Columbian grade four class and, drawing from Knapp's (2005) ten ways of knowing nature, discusses how students came to know nature through observing, situated knowing, identifying, restoring, and transforming. Its findings encourage the inclusion of community mapping in place-based environmental education curriculum and instruction and illuminate the value of the products and process of community mapping.


Background and Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the ability of standard urinalysis (UA) and hemocytometer white blood cell (WBC) counts for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients with urinary symptoms. Materials and Methods: A total of 600 patients with symptoms of urinary tract infection were enrolled in this prospective study. Standard UA, hemocytometer WBC counts, and quantitative urine culture tests were performed on the specimens. The results of UA and hemocytometry were compared with urine culture findings to determine the accuracy of these two methods in the diagnosis of UTI. In this regard, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy, and likelihood ratios were determined for each of the screening tests. Results: There were 91 positive urine cultures with at least 105 bacteria per milliliter. Sixtyseven patients were female. The results of UA and hemocytometry were as follows: sensitivity 64.8% and 77%; specificity 89% and 90.3%; positive predictive value (PPV) 51.3% and 58.8%; negative predictive value (NPV) 93.4% and 95.6%; and accuracy 85.3% and 88.4% respectively. Conclusion: Although hemocytometer WBC counts have a higher sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value than standard UA, the differences are not statistically significant (p>0.05).


The Nomatic prototype system and communications ecosystem automatically infers users' place, activity, and availability from sensors on their handheld devices or laptop computers and then reports this information to their instant-messaging contacts.In our system, Nomatic (nomad and automatic), we explore a way to amplify and leverage this passive style of content creation by focusing on status messages. These short bits of text are usually created by users in the context of small communities of people who monitor each other for playor work-related distributed coordination. Status messages appear in instant-messaging (IM) clients as short customizable phrases such as "at lunch" or "out of the office." Commercial services also provide facilities for communicating status without IM (for example, Facebook, Twitter, and Jaiku). By simply attaching sensor data to the status information that users enter in IM, we can create a rich ecosystem of context-aware applications that benefit users. At the most basic level, keeping status content up to date helps mitigate the increasing problem of interruptions in mobile communications, but there are many other potential uses of such data. To be effective, we must keep this ecosystem in balance by supporting the user's ability to provide status information, supporting other users' ability to understand that data, and effectively motivating both types of users to keep their status information accurate.


Biodegradable core--shell structured nanoparticles with a poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE) core enveloped by a phospholipid bilayer shell were developed for in vivo mRNA delivery with a view toward delivery of mRNA-based vaccines. The pH-responsive PBAE component was chosen to promote endosome disruption, while the lipid surface layer was selected to minimize toxicity of the polycation core. Messenger RNA was efficiently adsorbed via electrostatic interactions onto the surface of these net positively charged nanoparticles. In vitro, mRNA-loaded particle uptake by dendritic cells led to mRNA delivery into the cytosol with low cytotoxicity, followed by translation of the encoded protein in these difficult-to-transfect cells at a frequency of ~30%. Particles loaded with mRNA administered intranasally (i.n.) in mice led to the expression of the reporter protein luciferase in vivo as soon as 6 h after administration, a time point when naked mRNA given i.n. showed no expression. At later time points, luciferase expression was detected in naked mRNA-treated mice, but this group showed a wide variation in levels of transfection, compared to particle-treated mice. This system may thus be promising for noninvasive delivery of mRNA-based vaccines.


Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is one of the most important crops in the worldwide. Damping-off caused by Pythium spp. are considered among the most devastating diseases and leads to product reduction in farms and greenhouses. Biological control compared to other management methods, is the best approach to reduce pathogenic agents in the greenhouse. Biological fertilizers arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae, nitroxin and vermicompost were used as biologic control factors, against Pythium aphanidermatum. Application of the fertilizers in the seed planting rhizosphere of cucumber cultivars ES-2862 performed in a completely randomized design with four replicates. Seedlings were inoculated with the pathogen in the trifoliate stage. Seedling resistance to the disease was assessed and seedling characteristics were measured. Analysis of data and comparison of mean characteristics were conducted by using SPSS software and LSD test at 5% level. The results have shown that there was a significant difference between the treatments and ehe control. To investigate the molecular mechanism of cucumber seedlings to disease resistance, changes in expression Cupi4 and Chitinase genes were measured using QRT-PCR. Data analysis was performed using PFFAFL and the expression levels of target genes were determined for all treatments. The results have shown that the expression of these genes, were affected by treatments where mycorrhizal treatments revealed more incremental effect on the expression of the genes. According to the results, biological fertilizers not only can be used as biocontrol agents, but also they can improve plant cultural characters.


Heterogeneous and versatile NiO–SiO2 NCs were synthesized by a sol–gel technique and used as a catalyst for the one-pot multicomponent synthesis of benzodiazepine derivatives (4a–u) from a mixture of o-phenylenediamine, aromatic aldehydes and dimedone under microwave irradiation. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was used as a source of SiO2 for the creation of the NiO–SiO2 NCs. This catalytic protocol has many advantages, such as simple work up, inexpensive precursors, short reaction time, high yield and high surface area. The structure and morphology of the prepared nanocatalyst was characterized by using elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS analyses were performed to confirm the synthesized compounds (4a–u). Moreover, the remarkable catalytic properties of the NiO–SiO2 NCs permit easy separation of the catalyst from the reaction mixture without significant loss of catalytic activity.


Objective: An increasing number of patients are cared for at home and the presence of next of kin is often a prerequisite for successful home care. The aim of this study was to describe and interpret the construct of meaningfulness in next of kin of cancer patients who are in advanced palliative home care. Methods: The perspective of Antonovsky's salutogenic framework of sense of coherence was applied in the analysis. Using a hermeneutic approach, 19 next of kin were interviewed (n = 30 interviews) during ongoing palliative home care. Results: Elements that facilitated meaningfulness included comfort, retaining everyday life, action, commitment, and hope, which were of great importance for creating a perception of self-transcendence and that the best possible was done. Significance of results: The findings are discussed in relation to the concepts of meaning-based coping, tragic optimism, and existentialism. Clinical implications are suggested.


Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) can revolutionize the seismic industry by using fiber-optic cables installed permanently to acquire on-demand vertical seismic profile (VSP) data at fine spatial sampling. With this, DAS can solve some of the issues associated with conventional seismic sensors. Studies have successfully demonstrated the use of DAS on cemented fibers for monitoring applications; however, such applications on tubing-deployed fibers are relatively uncommon. Application of tubing-deployed fibers is especially useful for preexisting wells, where there is no opportunity to install a fiber behind the casing. In the CO2CRC Otway Project, we acquired a 3D DAS VSP using a standard fiber-optic cable installed on the production tubing of the injector well. We aim to analyze the quality of the 3D DAS VSP on tubing, as well as discuss lessons learned from the current DAS deployment. We find the limitations associated with the DAS on tubing, as well as ways to improve the quality of the data sets for future surveys at Otway. Due to the reduced coupling and the long fiber length (approximately 20 km), the raw DAS records indicate a high level of noise relative to the signal. Despite the limitations, the migrated 3D DAS VSP data recorded by cable installed on tubing are able to image interfaces beyond the injection depth. Furthermore, we determine that the signal-to-noise ratio might be improved by reducing the fiber length.


Cancer is one of the commonest conditions among patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICU). However, little is known about how it affects likelihood of ICU admission and subsequent clinical progress. What literature does exist is often not generalisable to current UK practice.
The aims of the studies presented in this thesis are to determine the features that are associated with ICU admission in patients with solid tumours; to describe how the solid tumour population in ICU differs from the ICU population without cancer; how this impacts upon survival; and finally, to describe the long-term outcomes of solid tumour patients that have survived ICU and those features associated with mortality.
I undertook a detailed systematic review of the international literature relating to survival following ICU admission for patients with solid tumours. This revealed a paucity of high quality studies and led to recommendations for improving the conduct and reporting of future research in this field.
Using retrospective cohorts from prospectively collected databases, variables relating to patients in the West of Scotland diagnosed with a cancer between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2009 were analysed. The rate of ICU admission within two years following cancer incidence was investigated, and the factors associated with admission described. The Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group (SICSAG) database was used to detail information pertaining to critical illness and to provide data on patients without an underlying tumour that were admitted to ICU during the same study period. Three cohorts were defined: patients with a solid tumour that were admitted to ICU, patients with a solid tumour that were not admitted to ICU, and ICU patients without a cancer diagnosis.
One in twenty patients diagnosed with a solid tumour (5.2%) were admitted to ICU with the majority receiving organ support during their ICU stay. ICU admission tended to occur soon after cancer diagnosis and was therefore likely related to the cancer diagnosis or its treatment. The rate of ICU admission was greatest for bowel malignancies (16.5% of colorectal cancer patients) and for those tumours that require peri-operative ICU support for tumour resection surgery such as head and neck cancers (12.8%), stomach cancer (11.3%) and oesophageal cancer (10.2%). When compared with the ICU population without cancer, patients with solid tumours tended to be older (median age 68 years vs. 59 years, respectively), with a higher proportion of elective hospitalisations (52.7% vs. 10.0%) and were predominantly admitted to ICU with a surgical illness (89.3% vs. 55.0%).
Surgical ICU admissions have a favourable ICU and hospital mortality if they have an underlying cancer diagnosis compared with surgical ICU patients without cancer (hospital mortality 22.9% vs. 28.1%, respectively). A potential explanation for this would be a higher proportion of level 2 admissions, lower utilisation of multi-organ support and an opportunity for pre-operative optimisation within the cancer group. ICU cancer patients admitted with a medical diagnosis have poorer short-term survival than those without cancer (hospital mortality 49.1% vs. 41.7%, respectively) and this difference is even more pronounced in those that received organ support (62.5% vs. 46.2%).
In patients that survive an admission to ICU the presence of cancer has the largest impact upon mortality risk in the longer-term with a risk of death over three times greater than in the population of ICU survivors without cancer. Long-term survival varies considerably by underlying tumour type with four-year survival varying from 10.0% in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma to 73.3% in patients with testicular cancer. Cancer-related factors such as tumour stage have an important role in determining mortality risk in the longer term for survivors of ICU with cancer. In patients with colorectal cancer that had survived an ICU admission the risk of death after six-months was significantly higher in patients with Dukes D stage vs. Dukes A (HR 8.66).
The work presented in this thesis systematically reviews and summarises the current published outcomes of patients with solid tumours admitted to ICU, demonstrates that among the solid tumour population ICU admission is common and shows that short-term outcomes vary significantly by features associated with both the critical illness and the underlying tumour type. In patients that survive an ICU admission the presence, type and stage of cancer is important for determining on-going mortality risk. This information may be used when clinicians are discussing potential outcomes following admission to critical care with cancer patients. Future studies should focus on the administration of treatments for cancer after critical illness and whether they differ from those received by those patients without an ICU admission. Prospective studies are required to describe the pre-ICU deteriorations in physiology in cancer patients with critical illness including those considered, but not admitted, to ICU. Outcomes for this latter group are unknown and given the high burden of illness severity documented in ICUs within the UK, these studies may identify a group of patients for whom critical care would be beneficial but is not currently provided.


Development of various therapeutic approaches for the treatment of breast cancer is on the rise. Among them, chemotherapy has been widely practised for the treatment of breast cancer. However, the approach exposes the patient to various kinds of side effects caused by the drugs. Although gene therapy finds a decent approach but it is expensive and associated with delivery problems. In order to avoid the side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs and achieve a cheap and toxicity free therapeutics, the focus has been gradually shifting towards biomolecule-based therapeutics like gene, peptide and proteins as an alternate therapeutic strategy.
In our present investigation, we have developed protein-based various therapeutic strategies in breast cancer which includes two proteins, bovine α-lactalbumin (BLA) and hen egg white lysozyme (LYZ). Both of them are already reported to have antitumor and anticancer activity. However no detail investigation was performed in breast cancer. Moreover, it was also reported for BLA that the specific structural state is responsible for its antitumor or anticancer activity. Here both the proteins were transformed into their self-assembled nanostructure state using simple desolvation technique through the chemical crosslinking process. Both the nanoassembly were characterized in details and their anti-proliferative activity in breast cancer cells was evaluated.
The nanostructures were characterized using FESEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy), AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) and DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) analysis for size and shape, FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for bonds involved in nanoassembly), Circular dichroism and Fluorescence spectroscopy and conformational change of proteins. Microscopy and DLS analysis confirmed their average size as 300 nm. The stability of both the self-assembled nanostructures of lysozyme (snLYZ) and α-lactalbumin (snBLA) were examined against thermal, pH and protease stress and found to be highly stable. Moreover, both of them demonstrated excellent hemocompatibility in human erythrocytes as well as cytocompatibility in normal human cells like HaCaT and mouse cells like 3T3.
When the nanoassemblies were applied to breast cancer cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB231, they demonstrated high ( > 90% ) cell death at 24 h and almost complete cell death after 48 h of administration. The microscopic images confirmed that the internalization of protein assemblies by MCF-7 cancer cells was the major cause of such cell death. Further, the investigation also confirmed that such death was mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.The microscopic image and western blotting results confirmed that apoptosis had no role in cell death mechanism.
The cytotoxic behaviour of snBLA was compared with a well reported anti-cancer agent BAMLET (bovine α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells) in four different cancer cell lines including two breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Our synthesized snBLA demonstrated better cell killing potential than BAMLET with much higher hemocompatibility.
Both the nanoassembly demonstrated high Tamoxifen loading (124%) through chemical crosslinking process and release of drug efficiently in a pH-responsive manner. Furthermore the drug release process was completely regulated by conformational change of the protein in nanoassembly.
In our next step we attempted to develop Graphene oxide nanosheets (GOns) and Zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnONP) based therapeutic strategy in breast cancer to compare with our protein-based therapeutic approach.
Graphene oxide nanosheets (GOns) and Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP) are being developed as drug carriers, however, such an approach was plagued with problems such as hemotoxicity and cellular biocompatibility. Hence, we made an attempt to develop a therapeutic strategy based on ZnONP and GOns by functionalizing them with BLA protein. The surface functionalization with BLA improved their hemocompatibility in human erythrocytes and cytocompatibility in normal human cells. They also demonstrated high anti-proliferative activity in breast cancer cells via the ROS-based mechanism of cell death. However, considering the consequence like protein degradation in cells and subsequent exposure of GOns and ZnONP to cells may lead to their accumulation in normal cells and tissues that might limit their use as a rational approach.
Therefore, in our present study, we concluded that our developed stable self-assembled nanostructured lysozyme and α-lactalbumin can be used as a rational therapeutic strategy in breast cancer.


There is increasing concern within the scientific community about the underwater noise due to anthropogenic activity and its impact on marine life, with negative consequences on biodiversity and sea resources. In that context, the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive stated in 2008 that the anthropogenic noise due to shipping was to be mitigated. To address this issue, the European Union (EU) project "Achieve QUieter Oceans by shipping noise footprint reduction" (AQUO) (www.aquo.eu) started in October 2012 with a duration of four years. The project brought together experts from shipbuilding, underwater acoustics, and bioacoustics, with a multidisciplinary approach. In this paper, after giving a brief overview of the project structure, the methodology proposed by the AQUO project to set guidelines for controlling the underwater noise from commercial shipping is presented in more detail. Such a methodology is aimed at identifying the most promising strategies for the mitigation of the impact of shipping noise on marine fauna. Different technical as well as operational solutions are evaluated by taking into account the impact on marine life, the feasibility in terms of ship design, and the cost effectiveness, also considering fuel efficiency. While technical solutions are usually more effective at the design stage both in terms of costs and performance, operational solutions can potentially be adopted without any modification to the existing fleet. Furthermore, operational prescriptions can be set by national/local authorities who cannot directly intervene on ship configurations. The different solutions have been evaluated by means of numerical modeling carried out by using a Noise Footprint Assessment Model derived from the Quonops tool.


The pathophysiology of cervical spondylotic myelopathy and syringomyelia is incompletely understood. Only 50-60% of the former group of patients and only 30-40% of the latter group of patients show long-term improvement. One possible cause for this might be continued anterior compression of the spinal cord in the former and incomplete drainage of the fluid-filled cavities in the latter. Intraoperative ultrasound imaging can be done in the operating room (4-6, 16-18) and can identify whether an adequate decompression has been done in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy and whether there has been complete drainage in shunting of patients with syringomyelia. Intraoperative ultrasound imaging aids the neurosurgeon in checking to see if he did what he set out to do. It is useful in operative procedures for cervical spondylotic myelopathy and syringomyelia.


Psoroptes cuniculi, the ear mite of domestic rabbits, was collected from captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). This is the first report of rabbit ear mite infestations in white-tailed deer in Oklahoma or Texas (USA). In addition to moderate infestations in their ears, two 4-yr-old bucks, two 3-yr-old does, and seven 4-yr-old does showed patchy areas of alopecia along the sides and brisket. Both bucks also had patchy areas of alopecia around the base of antlers. Ear mites were eradicated from all deer except from one doe by providing ivermectintreated corn to the deer at a rate of 1,000 g (equivalent to 200 mcg/kg of ivermectin)/day/deer for several days. The ear mite infestation in the one doe was eradicated by intramuscularly injection with ivermectin at 400 mcg/kg. After treatment with the ivermectin and eradication of the mites, the alopecia improved and eventually was eliminated. The ivermectin-treated corn also controlled all internal nematode parasites in the deer.


While pre-training and fine-tuning, e.g., BERT~\citep{devlin2018bert}, GPT-2~\citep{radford2019language}, have achieved great success in language understanding and generation tasks, the pre-trained models are usually too big for online deployment in terms of both memory cost and inference speed, which hinders them from practical online usage. In this paper, we propose LightPAFF, a Lightweight Pre-training And Fine-tuning Framework that leverages two-stage knowledge distillation to transfer knowledge from a big teacher model to a lightweight student model in both pre-training and fine-tuning stages. In this way the lightweight model can achieve similar accuracy as the big teacher model, but with much fewer parameters and thus faster online inference speed. LightPAFF can support different pre-training methods (such as BERT, GPT-2 and MASS~\citep{song2019mass}) and be applied to many downstream tasks. Experiments on three language understanding tasks, three language modeling tasks and three sequence to sequence generation tasks demonstrate that while achieving similar accuracy with the big BERT, GPT-2 and MASS models, LightPAFF reduces the model size by nearly 5x and improves online inference speed by 5x-7x.


The paper considers the problem of developing approaches to building mathematical models based on digital data of real objects. The data are in text format and contains information about the behavior of the dynamic system. The information selected from the text data enables building of neural network and mathematical models of the dynamic system. The adequacy of the models is evaluated by analytical and numerical methods. The results are meaningfully interpreted. As a result of the study, it was confirmed that the algorithms and approaches for building mathematical models to solve the considered range of problems using digital data can be unified. The analysis of the obtained solutions showed that the con-clusions drawn on the basis of the built mathematical models and the conclusions drawn with the se-mantic neural network analysis of texts are consistent with each other. Therefore, one can talk about the positive results of the models developed. The models developed can be used in solving managerial tasks, planning and situation prediction.


Subtropical reefs are important habitats for many marine species and for tourism and recreation. Yet, subtropical reefs are understudied, and detailed habitat maps are seldom available. Citizen science can help fill this gap, while fostering community engagement and education. In this study, 44 trained volunteers conducted an ecological assessment of subtropical Flinders Reef using established Reef Check and CoralWatch protocols. In 2017, 10 sites were monitored to provide comprehensive information on reef communities and to estimate potential local drivers of coral community structure. A detailed habitat map was produced by integrating underwater photos, depth measurements, wave-exposure modelling and satellite imagery. Surveys showed that coral cover ranged from 14% to 67%. Site location and wave exposure explained 47% and 16% respectively, of the variability in coral community composition. Butterflyfishes were the most abundant fish group, with few invertebrates being observed during the surveys. Reef impacts were three times lower than on other nearby subtropical reefs. These findings can be used to provide local information to spatial management and Marine Park planning. To increase the conservation benefits and to maintain the health of Flinders Reef, we recommend expanding the current protection zone from 500- to a 1000-m radius.


Release and Uptake Functions in Adrenergic Nerve Granules (Sherrington Lectures XV) Vlf S von Euler .PP 88 £8 Liverpool University Press 1980 The published version of Professor von Euler's 1978 Sherrington Lecture is a worthy addition to this series commemorating Sherrington's distinguished physiological work while in Liverpool. Current interest in the nervous system has moved from reflex physiology to molecular biology and following the earlier lecture by Katz on cholinergic transmission, von Euler has now completed a similar task for aspects of adrenergic transmission. The adrenergic nerve granules constitute a unique subcellular organelle which takes up, binds, stores and releases noradrenaline in a complex manner regulated by ATP.dependent enzymatic reactions. Drugs such as tyramine can substitute for noradrenaline in a granule uptake site, leaving noradrenaline outside, reminding us as von Euler puts it, 'of the game of musical chairs'. Release and uptake, though interdependent, are separate processes and affected by a different range of drugs. The precise nature of the labile complex binding noradrenaline within the granule is not yet known. There is, however, increasing evidence for the direct action of the nerve excitatory wave leading to fusion of the granule with the axon plasma membrane with release of noradrenaline from the granule matrix into the synaptic interphase. This book reviews with clarity a complex but important field of modern transmitter function which has applications to a range of clinical disorders affecting autonomic nervous system and to the use of many common drugs which affect adrenergic transmission. ROGER BANNISTER Consultant Neurologist National Hospital for Nervous Diseases. London


Leading edge erosion (LEE) repairs of wind turbine blades (WTBs) involve infield application of leading edge protection (LEP) solutions. The industry is currently aiming to use factory based LEP coatings that can applied to the WTBs before they are shipped out for installation. However, one of the main challenges related to these solutions is the choice of a minimum LEP application length to be applied in the spanwise direction of the WTBs. Generally, coating suppliers apply 10–20 m of LEP onto the blades starting from the tip of the blade using the "rule of thumb", and no studies in the literature exist that stipulate how these LEP lengths can be calculated. In this study, we extend the scope of a recently developed long-term probabilistic framework to determine the minimum LEP application length required for WTBs to combat rain-induced erosion. A parametric study is performed where different wind turbines with varying power ratings of 2.1 MW to 15 MW at different Dutch sites ranging from inland to coastal are considered. The results of the study show that the LEP application length is sensitive to the choice of the site, as well as the turbine attributes. Further, LEP lengths for WTBs are found to be the highest for turbines installed at coastal sites and turbines with higher power ratings. A detailed investigation is further performed to check the sensitivity of the LEP application length with the wind turbine parameters. The results of the study are expected to provide guidelines to the industry for efficient repair strategies for WTBs.


Purpose To evaluate myocardial conductivity to understand cardiac involvement in patients with mitochondrial disease. Methods We performed retrospective study on fifty-seven nonspecific mitochondrial encephalopathy patients with no clinical cardiac manifestations. The patients were diagnosed with mitochondrial respiratory chain complex defects through biochemical enzyme assays of muscle tissue. We performed standard 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) on all patients. Results ECG abnormalities were observed in 30 patients (52.6%). Prolongation of the QTc interval (>440 ms) was seen in 19 patients (33.3%), widening of the corrected QRS interval in 15 (26.3%), and bundle branch block in four (7.0%). Atrioventricular block, premature atrial contraction and premature ventricular contraction were seen in two patients each (3.5%) and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in one patient (1.8%). Conclusion Given this finding, we recommend active screening with ECG in patients with mitochondrial disease even in patients without obvious cardiac manifestation.


After initially insisting on the peaceful reunification of Korea, Josif Stalin suddenly decided in early 1950 to give North Korean leader Kim Il Sung permission to invade South Korea. Documents from the Russian archives and materials published in China help explain this abrupt shift in Stalin's position. They show that Stalin carefully assessed the likely American reaction and mistakenly concluded that North Korean forces would quickly seize South Korea, giving the United States no opportunity to respond. The documents also reveal that Stalin's attitude toward Korea was strongly influenced by Sino-Soviet relations in 19491950, particularly his desire to maintain Soviet privileges on Chinese territory and his concern that Beijing would challenge Moscow's leadership of the international Communist movement. Stalin believed that a North Korean invasion of the South would greatly strengthen the Soviet Union's leverage vis-a-vis China.


The new generation of microprocessors has imposed more demanding design requirements for their power supplies, usually known as voltage regulator modules (VRM). The transient response of the converter is a critical design issue since tight output voltage regulation should be achieved at lower voltage values and higher current levels with faster transient slew rates. In order to meet the new specifications, multiphase interleaved synchronous buck converters are the most interesting solution from the VRM design viewpoint since this power topology allows increasing the current level minimizing the total equivalent inductance and the output capacitor. Regarding the converter control strategy, an existing control technique known as linear-nonlinear control improves the converter transient response with an easy saturation rule of the duty cycle since it is based on output voltage sensing. As a consequence, a reduction of the number of phases and the switching frequency of the multiphase VRM is obtained. This paper analyzes the impact of the reduction of the number of phases and switching frequency on the converter size in comparison with multiphase VRM with linear control strategy.


Implications of increasing labour cost and development of herbicide resistance for profitable weed management in Philippine rice farming systems are investigated. The study employs RIMPhil (Resistance and Integrated Management in the Philippines), a bioeconomic simulation model developed to provide a comprehensive assessment of integrated weed management programmes for the control of annual barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in rice crops. Results indicate that herbicide application will become increasingly economically attractive, relative to manual weeding, as labour cost increases. This is important since urban migration in the Philippines continues to increase the scarcity of rural labour. Results also show that the onset of herbicide resistance results in substantial losses in farm profit. It may be worthwhile for farmers to take management actions to prevent or delay the onset of herbicide resistance, provided that these changes are effective and not too costly. The study highlights the complexity of decision making about integrated weed management on rice farms in the Philippines.


We describe the histologic findings of 31 tissue samples from 21 cases in 19 different patients taken 1 to 48 months after revision arthroplasty and impaction grafting in the hip (Lubinus SP-II prosthesis Waldemar Link, Hamburg, Germany, or Charnley Elite prosthesis, Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ) and the knee (Link Rotation Knee Waldemar Link). One month after surgery, a fibrous stroma and some newly formed woven bone were found in the graft bed. After 4 months, many of the dead trabeculae in the graft bed had layers of living bone and osteoid in all samples. These layers, indicating a gradual ingrowth of living bone, increased over time. In the proximal end of the femur examined after 48 months, a significant proportion of the graft bone remained dead, whereas in the rest of the femur, the bone healing was complete. A similar but possibly less frequent bone formation was found in the 2 cases evaluated after a revision total knee arthroplasty combined with impaction grafting.


This thesis examines settings where multiple decision makers with conflicting interests
benefit from cooperation in joint combinatorial optimisation problems. It draws on cooperative game theory, polyhedral theory and graph theory to address cost sharing in
joint single-source shortest path problems and joint weighted minimum colouring problems.
The primary focus of the thesis are problems where each agent corresponds to a
vertex of an undirected complete graph, in which a special vertex represents the common supplier. The joint combinatorial optimisation problem consists of determining the
shortest paths from the supplier to all other vertices in the graph. The optimal solution
is a shortest path tree of the graph and the aim is to allocate the cost of this shortest
path tree amongst the agents. The thesis defines shortest path tree problems, proposes
allocation rules and analyses the properties of these allocation rules. It furthermore introduces shortest path tree games and studies the properties of these games. Various core
allocations for shortest path tree games are introduced and polyhedral properties of the
core are studied. Moreover, computational results on finding the core and the nucleolus
of shortest path tree games for the application of cost allocation in Wireless Multihop
Networks are presented.
The secondary focus of the thesis are problems where each agent is interested in
having access to a number of facilities but can be in conflict with other agents. If two
agents are in conflict, then they should have access to disjoint sets of facilities. The
aim is to allocate the cost of the minimum number of facilities required by the agents
amongst them. The thesis models these cost allocation problems as a class of cooperative
games called weighted minimum colouring games, and characterises total balancedness
and submodularity of this class of games using the properties of the underlying graph.


The use of origami principles to create 3-dimensional shapes has the potential to revolutionize active material structures and compliant mechanisms. Active origami structures can be applied to a broad range of areas such as reconfigurable aircraft and deployable space structures as well as instruments for minimally invasive surgery. Our current research is focused on dielectric elastomer (DE) and magneto active elastomer (MAE) materials to create multi-field responsive structures. Such multi-field responsive structures will integrate the DE and MAE materials to enable active structures that fold/unfold in different ways in response to electric and/or magnetic field. They can also unfold either as a result of eliminating the applied field or in response to the application of an opposite field. This concept is demonstrated in a folding cube shape and induced locomotion in the MAE material. Two finite element models are developed for both the DE and MAE materials and validated through physical testing of these materials. The models are then integrated to demonstrate multi-field responses of a bi-fold multi-field responsive structure. The bifold model is designed to fold about one axis in an electric field and a perpendicular axis in a magnetic field. Future modeling efforts and research directions are also discussed based on these preliminary results. NOMENCLATURE Si, S1, S2, S3 Shapes due to applied fields σ Maxwell stress V Applied voltage t Thickness r Relative dielectric permittivity ε0 Permittivity of free space H Magnetic field magnitude α1, α2, μ1, μ2  Ogden parameters G Shear modulus Gradient operator


Over two dozen spliceosome proteins are involved in human diseases, also referred to as spliceosomopathies. WBP4 (WW Domain Binding Protein 4) is part of the early spliceosomal complex, and was not described before in the context of human pathologies. Ascertained through GeneMatcher we identified eleven patients from eight families, with a severe neurodevelopmental syndrome with variable manifestations. Clinical manifestations included hypotonia, global developmental delay, severe intellectual disability, brain abnormalities, musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal abnormalities. Genetic analysis revealed overall five different homozygous loss-of-function variants in WBP4. Immunoblotting on fibroblasts from two affected individuals with different genetic variants demonstrated complete loss of protein, and RNA sequencing analysis uncovered shared abnormal splicing patterns, including enrichment for abnormalities of the nervous system and musculoskeletal system genes, suggesting that the overlapping differentially spliced genes are related to the common phenotypes of the probands. We conclude that biallelic variants in WBP4 cause a spliceosomopathy. Further functional studies are called for better understanding of the mechanism of pathogenicity.


Of the 3 strains of Escherichia coli used, only Milner A strain was found capable of modifying the virulence of Entamoeba histolytica. None out of twenty-four hamsters inoculated with either 5 X 10(5) of axenically-cultured E. histolytica of NIH: 200 strain, or 1 X 10(7) of Esch. coli (A, B or C strains), was found to have amebic liver abscess. Whereas one out of six hamsters inoculated with the same number of amebae preincubated for 12 hrs with Esch. coli of Milner A strain was found to have abscess. The role of bacterial associate seems to be nothing but provides a more suitable environment for amebae, thus enable them to survive longer and endow them more time to adapt themselves to the given new environment. From liver abscess E. histolytica was recovered and successfully reaxenized. These amebae were capable of producing liver abscess, therefore the virulence seemed to be inheritable.


This article focuses on the experiences of aging returnees who have moved back to Taiwan after retiring in the United States to illustrate how older return migrants develop a set of narratives about their membership in the homeland. Drawing on data collected from life history interviews with 58 aging return migrants, the author argues that the encounter between aging returnees and a drastically evolving home society demands that aging return migrants carefully negotiate insider-versus-outsider boundaries. These boundary-making practices represent the efforts and struggles of older migrants to justify their decision to resettle in their homeland and to construct social rights as returning migrants. On the one hand, the respondents engage with various forms of 'inclusionary boundary work' to explain why they wanted to move back and become part of Taiwan after spending decades overseas. On the other hand, returnees in this study sense striking differences between themselves and their co-ethnics in contemporary Taiwan. These findings point to the ways in which aging migrants grapple with traditions, modernity, and membership when trying to fulfill their right to seek an ideal life across borders.


This study compares results of the six major forms of marriage counseling: individual interview, individual group, concurrent interview, concurrent group, conjoint interview, and conjoint group. Data are from five different approaches in research methodology. The first, termed the Pilot Study, reviewed the outcome records of 773 former marriage counseling clients. The second, termed the Experimental Study, assigned 63 couples on a random basis, although balanced for severity, to the three most popular forms of marriage counseling: concurrent interview, conjoint interview, or conjoint group. It included a pre- to post-counseling test comparison involving the MMPI, CPI, Polyfactor Test for Marital Difficulties, and the Marital Adjustment Inventory. The third approach, the Quasi-Experimental Study, compared test results from two groups of couples with serious marital problems: the first group comprised seven couples who had been in three forms of counseling, while the second group included twenty-one couples who had been in only one form. The fourth approach, the Survey Study, used a questionnaire to measure reactions of 200 subjects who had just completed various forms of marriage counseling sessions. The fifth approach, the Poll Study, involved a mail survey of 209 former marriage counseling clients who had been terminated from varying forms of marriage counseling for from one to three years.


Fluorescence imaging has been shown to be a potential complement to visual inspection for demarcation of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which is the most common type of skin cancer. Earlier studies have shown promising results when combining autofluorescence with protoporphyrin IX (Pp IX) fluorescence, induced by application of delta-5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA). In this work, we have tried to further improve the ability of this technique to discriminate between areas of tumor and normal skin by implementing texture analysis and Fisher linear discrimination (FLD) on bispectral fluorescence data of BCCs located on the face. Classification maps of the lesions have been obtained from histopathologic mapping of the excised tumors. The contrast feature obtained from co-occurrence matrices was found to provide useful information, particularly for the ALA-induced Pp IX fluorescence data. Moreover, the neighborhood average features of both autofluorescence and Pp IX fluorescence were preferentially included in the analysis. The algorithm was trained by using a training set of images with good agreement with histopathology, which improved the discriminability of the validation set. In addition, cross validation of the training set showed good discriminability. Our results imply that FLD and texture analysis are preferential for correlation between bispectral fluorescence images and the histopathologic extension of the tumors.


In recent years, three-dimensional visualization technologies have been researched and applied for aiding the operations of design, planning, construction, etc. in construction engineering. A three-dimensional (3D) CAD model of a targeted facility or construction project is a requirement. Due to the uniqueness and custom features of construction products, their 3D models usually have to be built based on basic geometric modeling elements from scratch. Generally, this is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. In addition, the reusability of built 3D models is low. For improving efficiency in building 3D models and reusability of built 3D models, this research proposes a component-based approach for generation of 3D models using a construction model component database. A construction model component database is developed to store and provide 3D models of construction components, such as materials and equipments, to be queried and retrieved for generating global 3D models in construction engineering. A management interface of the database is developed for inserting and editing construction component models. A model building interface which utilizes the database for generating global 3D models based on search, selection, and then setting operation is also developed. The data format of 3D component models in the database is X3D for interoperability. Base on the proposed approach, 3D CAD models can be built more efficiently by instancing existing components in the database. In addition, built models can be decomposed into component models to be stored in the database for being reused.


Small and as Productive: Female‐headed households and the inverse relationship between land size and output in Kenya. Abstract Access to land and particularly its distribution has reemerged as an important part of both academic and policy discussions in the last decade, leading to the resuscitation of the debate on the relationship between size of holdings and output per land unit. Across the world, studies have suggested the existence of a decreasing relationship between land size and output per unit of land. The most-widely accepted explanation for this relationship is that households with smaller holdings tend to be labor rich relative to land, and therefore can achieve higher output through the increased application of labor. Despite the rich literature on this topic there has been little work on whether this relationship is valid for female-headed households, particularly in the case of African countries. Past African studies have found female-headed households to be smaller by close to one adult in comparison to male-headed households. Given this difference one would expect there to be a difference in the outcome of land redistribution for different types of households, ceteris paribus. Additionally, the aggregate impact in African countries could be substantial, as female-headed households comprise in several cases up to 30 percent of the rural households. In this paper we will examine empirically whether the inverse size and output relationship is different between female and male headed households in the case of Kenya, using the Kenya Integrated Household Budget and Expenditure Survey of 2006, which includes modules on agricultural holdings and agricultural output in addition to the standard demographic characteristics. By controlling for the endogeneity of crop choice and fertilizer use we are able to find that cash crop production and human capital, and not differences in household size, determines the differences in male and female headed land productivity. Hence, our study goes beyond the simple discussion of the inverse relationship between land size and output per unit and the potential impact of redistribution. Specifically we will be able to address the kind of broad rural development policies in addition to land redistribution that would allow female headed households to do at least as well as (if not better than) male headed households.


Purpose Vorinostat is a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi). Based on a confirmed partial response (PR) in an adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) patient treated with vorinostat in a prior phase 1 trial, we initiated this phase 2 trial. Methods: Vorinostat was administered orally 400 mg daily, 28 day cycles. The primary objective was to evaluate response rate (RR). Exploratory studies included whole exome sequencing (WES) of selected patients. Results Thirty patients were enrolled. Median age of patients was 53 years (range 21–73). Median number of cycles was 5 (range 1-66). Lymphopenia (n = 5), hypertension (n = 3), oral pain (n = 2), thromboembolic events (n = 2) and fatigue (n = 2) were the only grade 3 adverse events (AEs) that occurred in more than 1 patient. Eleven patients were dose reduced secondary to drug-related AEs. Two patients had a partial response (PR), with response durations of 53 and 7.2 months. One patient had a minor response with a decrease in ascites (for 19 cycles). Stable disease was the best response in 27 patients. Targeted and WES of 8 patients in this trial identified mutations in chromatin remodeling genes highlighting the role of the epigenome in ACC. Conclusion: Vorinostat demonstrated efficacy in patients with ACC supporting the inclusion of HDACi in future studies to treat ACC.


Second-harmonic generation in the Cerenkov configuration is investigated under conditions for which the use of a linear grating fabricated on top of the waveguide reproduces a photonic bandgap structure. The fundamental mode of the guide at the fundamental frequency is tuned at the photonic band-edge resonance, thus producing great confinement and enhancement of the electromagnetic field inside the structure. The conversion efficiency achieved in both the forward and the backward directions is at least 1 order of magnitude greater than that of a conventional Cerenkov emission in a waveguide of the same length. An analysis of the tolerances of the grating period on the conversion efficiency is presented.


The paper deals with creation of optical deflector for management of laser radiation in physiotherapeutic devices. Design features and operation principles of electro-optical, optical-acoustic and mechanical deflectors, giving the possibility to carry out continuous or discrete scanning of a laser beam are shown. Operation mechanism of the mechanical type deflector on the example of domestic laser therapeutic scanners is described in detail. Application possibility in clinical practice for heating technique of the acupuncture points by volumetric scanning of tissues by the radiation of semiconductor lasers on wave lengths equal to 0,67 and 0,85 µm is investigated. Creation justification of the new type deflector is given. Comparison between stable and labile techniques of radiation is carried out. It is shown that more intensive warming up of a skin surface in acupuncture point projection is observed at volumetric scanning, rather than at planar scanning by laser beams. Temperature increase on a skin surface in projection of acupuncture points is detected at radiation in both the visible spectrum range (0,67 µm) and the infrared range (0,85 µm). It gives the possibility to apply this scanning method to thermal photo-activation of the point and to extend an existing arsenal of laser reflexology methods. The optical deflector is offered for medical industry, making it possible to carry out volumetric scanning of a laser beam and to facilitate the medical personnel's work in laser therapy and reflexology consulting rooms.


We have examined the effect of in vivo vitamin A status on subsequent rat third molar formation and mineralization in an in vitro organ culture system. Vitamin A deficiency imposed during an eight-day in vitro period caused effects very similar to those of vitamin A deficiency imposed on rats in vivo. Analysis of the data also demonstrates that retinoic acid is capable of reversing the interference in mineralization of third molars induced by vitamin A deficiency in the organ culture system.


Population based studies have found that approximately 33% of children with cerebral palsy are at risk for progressive lateral hip displacement/subluxation during childhood. There is growing evidence supporting the practice of hip surveillance for children with cerebral palsy and many developed countries have established national and state surveillance programs. However, across POSNA there is a lack of consensus regarding a radiographic hip screening protocol for children with cerebral palsy. Therefore, the purpose of this quality initiative was to develop a POSNA-wide radiographic hip screening schedule using a Modified Delphi technique. A group of 24 pediatric orthopedic surgeons participated in the Modified Delphi technique to achieve consensus regarding a hip radiographic screening protocol. The development of a POSNA - wide radiographic hip screening protocol has the potential to standardize screening practices across our society, decrease practice variation and ultimately improve the quality of health care delivery for children with cerebral palsy and other neuromuscular conditions.


This study sought to examine the suitability of the continuous strip casting process as a new fabrication method for the Ag-Cu brazing alloy. Several continuous strip casting processes such as planar flow casting, melt dragging, and twin roll strip casting were applied to the manufacture of the Ag-32%Cu strip. In particular, twin roll strip casting was found to realize the best strip shaping ability and microstructural homogeneity. The effect of aging heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a Ag-Cu strip was also investigated through tensile test, hardness test, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations, and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Tensile results showed gradually decreasing strengths and simultaneously increasing elongation with longer aging time. An appropriate TS strength of 283 MPa and a significantly enhanced plasticity of 41% were realized with aging condition of 670oC/2hrs. Finally, twin-rolled strips 1 mm thick could be cold-rolled to a very thin strip (80~100 μm thickness). The microstructural evolution and crystalline morphologies of Ag-Cu metastable strips were also investigated and related to the mechanical properties.


Political campaigning on social media in Fiji was first witnessed in the 2014 national election. In the Fiji 2018 general election, social media political campaigning had evolved with greater complexity and a wider variety of implications. This research examines and highlights the use of social media by political parties and candidates in the 2018 national elections. This examination provides comparative social media discussions between the two elections; 2014 and 2018. The research uses digital ethnography as a methodology to examine and highlight social media use, by political parties and candidates in Fiji's 2018 national elections. The research found that FijiFirst, as the ruling government, had significant advantage in Fiji's social media landscape. However, opposition social media efforts and growing Facebook 'reactions' were beginning to challenge FijiFirst's social media dominance.


Presents a method for determining the cache performance of the loop nests in a program. The cache-miss data are produced by simulating the loop nest execution on an architecturally parameterized cache simulator. We show that the cache-miss rates are highly non-linear with respect to the ranges of the loops, and correlate well with the performance of the loop nests on actual target machines. The cache-miss ratio is used to guide program optimizations such as loop interchange and iteration-space blocking. It can also be used to provide an estimate for the runtime of a program. Both applications are important in scheduling programs for parallel execution. We present examples of program optimization for several popular processors, such as the IBM 9076 SP1, the SuperSPARC and the Intel i860.<<ETX>>


Modeling of the Vertical-Vertical Controled Source Electromagtic Method (VVCSEM) on COMSOL Multiphysics. The VVCSEM method is, strictly speaking, an MCSEM (Marine Controlled Source ElectroMagnetic) that uses a vertical electric dipole as source, vertically oriented receivers, and time domain acquisition mode. Its main application is reservoir monitoring, reducing ambiguities encountered by conventional seismic and minimizing exploration risks in fields with complex geology. The present study shows the results of three-dimensional (3D) VVCSEM modeling built in COMSOL Multiphysics, aiming to analyze the electromagnetic field responses in different models and configurations. The VVCSEM proved to be efficient in detecting the proposed resistive anomalies, as expected and described in the literature.


A procedure for the design of equiripple digital differentiators (DDs) and Hilbert transformers (HTs) using a weighted least-squares technique is described. This procedure involves an iterative algorithm in which the appropriate frequency-dependent weighting function that yields an equiripple design is determined. Our procedure is used in conjunction with prediction techniques for the DD and HT lengths to design DDs and HTs, respectively, satisfying prescribed specifications. >


Regardless of certain learning effects, the mechanical practice mode in traditional translation teaching is, to some extent, stimulated by behaviorism, and widely divergent from our learner-oriented as well as interaction-focused teaching ideal. To train well-rounded translation professionals with the spirit of innovation and exploration as well, it is necessary for us to establish both interactive and collaborative learning atmosphere, encourage self-examination in translation theory and translation skill practice also, and achieve the initial effects in real teaching practice by relying on associated theories of education, psychology, and linguistics, etc, combining the features of translation subject, and truly implementing the student-oriented, task-featured, and modern educational technology-based principle.


In this thesis we address the problem of fair and priority scheduling. We focus our attention on systems characterized by an infinite computation, a discrete decomposition of tasks into atomic operation and a known-a-priori set of precedence-constraints among the activities to be performed. We analyze two fairness and two priority specifications related to the frequency of occurrence of activities. We solve the scheduling problem both when the scheduler has complete control upon the system's execution and when the environment can influence the outcome of a scheduling plan.


BACKGROUND/AIM
The Student Practice Evaluation Form-Revised Edition (SPEF-R) is widely used in Australian universities to evaluate occupational therapy students' performance in practice education. Reliable completion of the SPEF-R by practice educators is critical for students and universities from a quality assurance perspective. This study used standardised video vignettes to examine the inter-rater and test-retest reliability of practice educators when completing the SPEF-R.

METHODS
Nine vignettes were developed with three levels of student performance (below expectations, adequate-to-proficient, and outstanding) for each of three scenarios which depicted a multidisciplinary team meeting, a supervision session, and a home visit respectively. Seventy-five occupational therapy practice educators viewed the vignettes and completed an online survey to rate student performance in each vignette using five selected SPEF-R items and using the five-point rating scale. Twenty of these practice educators completed the rating process twice for test-retest reliability purposes. Percentage agreement, t-tests and Rasch Measurement Model were used for analysis.

RESULTS
Practice educators exhibited consistent ratings on most of the SPEF-R items, except for rating adequate-to-proficient student performance on three items for inter-rater reliability and eight items for test-retest reliability. Rasch analysis found that the majority of practice educators (96-98.7%) exhibited consistency in their use of the SPEF-R rating scales. Practice educators also demonstrated satisfactory test-retest agreement of severity/leniency in rating student performance in the multidisciplinary team meeting scenario.

CONCLUSION
The study findings suggest that the SPEF-R could be used reliably and interpreted consistently by practice educators with diverse backgrounds and levels of experience.


For several years, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been the scene of strikes by the country's doctors. The strikers' demands are essentially financial and statutory and are intended to put pressure on the government. In this country, as is the case almost everywhere in the world, medical strikes are allowed. Every worker has the right to denounce by strike working conditions that are considered unacceptable. But are doctors just like any other workers? Do they not have particular moral obligations linked to the specificities of their profession? To shed light on these questions, the authors of this article propose three essential moral benchmarks that can be generalized to medical strike situations elsewhere in the world. The first concerns the recognition of the right to strike for doctors, including for strictly financial reasons. Health professionals cannot be asked to work in inhuman working conditions or without a salary to support their families. The second benchmark argues that it is unacceptable for this right to strike to be exercised if it sacrifices the most vulnerable patients and thus denies the very essence of the medical profession. A third benchmark complicates the reflection by reminding us that the extreme dilapidation of the Congolese health system makes it impossible to organise a minimum quality service in the event of a strike. To overcome these difficulties, we propose a national therapeutic alliance between doctors and citizens to put patients back at the centre of the health system's concerns.


New Zealand has high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancy when compared to other comparable countries. The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of how sexuality education in schools impacts young people's behaviour and to elicit their ideas for improving the curriculum. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with eleven women aged 18-25. The research utilised Heideggerian phenomenology as a framework as this approach allows the researcher and participants to co-construct a shared understanding of the event/s. The results outline a complex picture of young people's lives and their reasons for having both protected and unprotected casual sex. Three major themes were identified as increasing the likelihood of having casual sex: alcohol, biological factors and socio-cultural factors. However, none of these factors alone explain risky sexual behaviour. Rather, the factors interact within and between each other to increase or decrease the likelihood of someone having casual sex. This added complexity should be taken into account when consideration is being given to the way sexuality education in schools is taught. The results from this study add to the growing body of evidence that sexuality education in high schools need to change if it hopes to reduce the rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.


Piezoelectric Actuators: Vector Control Method: Base, Modeling and Mechatronic Design of Ultrasonic Devices guides researchers and engineers through the process of implementing the vector control method (VCM) in their systems. The book presents which measurements can be made, how to visualize a variable as a rotating vector, about the angular position of the rotating reference frame, how to calculate the parameters of the controllers, and how to observe key variables. Additionally, the book focuses on the modeling of PE ultrasonic transducers and investigates the energy conversion process in an ultrasonic transducer.• Presents the fundamentals of the VCM at a basic level for researchers and practitioners who are new to the field.• Simulates several MATLAB and Simulink examples for deeper learning of the subject.• Presents the application to several test cases, with actual measurements obtained on experimental test benches.• Describes practical implementations of the method.


In this paper, we first introduce intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFS) with n-parameters. This method of approach is different and singular in certain aspects. In this n-parameters method the relationship between membership values and hesitancy values and hesitancy values and non-membership values are studied to diagnosis the cause of diseases. The symptoms are checked once and even if there is slight variations in the symptoms the doctor can diagnoses the disease accurately, but this is not studied in other existing methods.


The transition towards a new, sustainable and affordable energy pattern is defined in the European Union document known as SET Plan (The European Strategic Energy Technology Plan). As the built environment accounts for over 40% of the total energy consumption, special attention should be devoted to the development and implementation of renewable energy systems (RES), able to cover in a large extent the thermal and electrical energy needs. Thus, the concept of Nearly Zero Energy Building was not only formulated but is also part of EU Directive 2010/31, entering in force by 2018. A Nearly Zero Energy Building is actually a Low Energy Building (thus highly efficient) that covers the energy demand in a large extent (more than 50%) by using renewables. Plenty of work is devoted to identifying solutions both for increasing the building's efficiency and for implementing the renewables in the built environment; related to the latest, a common consensus was reached, outlining the need to design renewable-based energy mixes, making use of the available potential in the implemented location. In a step forward, the community should be analysed, as besides the buildings, a community has common utilities consumptions that should need also follow the sustainability concept. The paper proposes a design concept that allows community to become sustainable, by a careful selection of systems implemented at building's level and systems providing utilities at centralized level. This concept well matches the European Union trend, stating that large photovoltaics and wind facilities should be implemented at community level, while the thermal energy need should be (partially) covered by heat pumps, solar-thermal and/or biomass systems installed on or near the buildings or group of buildings.


Purpose: The study aimed to construct narratives of journeys that cancer patients and their families experience and to investigate participants' perceptions of related interagency collaboration spanning any engagements with the National Health Service (NHS); social services; local authority; voluntary; private and independent sectors. Methods: Using a qualitative design and focus groups the key facets of integrated care were explored with clients from a charity that focussed on cancer care. The 'talking wall' approach was adapted for use in the focus groups. Framework analysis was used to extrapolate the key themes. Results: Focus groups with 44 volunteers were conducted. Data included visual representations; textual comments and researcher reflections. The findings highlighted that the care received by many of the volunteers was variable with reports of very satisfactory experiences and also poor experiences. Respondents expected collaborative care and only in its absence was there cognisance of its importance in streamlining services for their care journeys. The role for the voluntary and independent sectors was significant. Conclusions and Implications for cancer survivors: Effective interprofessional collaboration was perceived to ease the pain of the cancer journey. The different yet interlocking interventions and support from statutory and voluntary agencies is clearly a holistic approach that is appreciated by the patient. Care management for cancer patients is complex in its nature necessitating professionals to work across organisational boundaries and achieve the best outcomes for long term care management. When professionals do not do this effectively cancer survivors and their carers are often left to 'join up' the services themselves and there is greater reliance on voluntary organisations.


In this paper, we present the results of an experimental investigation aiming at understanding the interaction between near-wall coherent structures (or burst) and bedload transport in an open channel flow. This experiment associates Laser Doppler Anemometry measurements of the instantaneous velocity near the wall with real time measurement of sand particle trajectories on the smooth bed of a hydraulic flume. We will first give a description of the bursting phenomenon and we will present the experimental process. Then, we will give some details about the specific signal processing used in this work to detect coherent structures in the velocity signal. To conclude we will show that some characteristic scales of the particle motion are commensurate with those of the bursts.


The problem of call admission control (CAC) is considered for leaky bucket constrained sessions with deterministic service guarantees (zero loss and finite delay bound) served by a generalized processor sharing scheduler at a single node in the presence of best effort traffic. Based on an optimization process, a CAC algorithm capable of determining the (unique) optimal solution is derived. The derived algorithm is also applicable, under a slight modification, in a system where the best effort traffic is absent and is capable of guaranteeing that if it does not find a solution to the CAC problem, then a solution does not exist. The numerical results indicate that the CAC algorithm can achieve a significant improvement on bandwidth utilization as compared to a (deterministic) effective bandwidth-based CAC scheme.


In rats, gastrointestinal aluminum absorption and tissue distribution were altered by parathyroid hormone; the resultant tissue concentrations were similar to those observed in dialysis patients with a fatal encephalopathy. In dialysis patients, serum aluminum and endogenous parathyroid hormone concentrations are significantly correlated. These data suggest that aluminum toxicity in dialysis patients results from oral aluminum ingestion in the presence of hyperparathyroidism.


ABSTRACT Job-shop scheduling problems are complex and still well-studied manufacturing problems. Improvement heuristic algorithms have been proposed to solve the scheduling problems using makespan as their performance measure. All these heuristics iteratively perturb trial schedules by selecting a new schedule from a set of nearby schedules (neighbourhood); then, recalculate and compare the makespan until a sufficient schedule is determined. Unlike previous studies, we did not generate a new heuristic or a novel neighbourhood calculation. Instead, we proposed a theoretical framework, Algorithm to Visit Affected Node (AVAN), which can be incorporated in qualified heuristics while using their current neighbourhood structure to accelerate the recalculation of the makespan in each iteration. We modelled the system by Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) where the length of the longest path equals the makespan. The scheduling perturbations are represented by adding and deleting edges. AVAN investigates the configuration of scheduling perturbations (added/deleted edges) to find an appropriate starting point to traverse the graph. AVAN is mathematically more efficient than previous longest path algorithms for perturbed DAG. Its time complexity is , where is the number of affected nodes and is the number of incoming and outgoing edges of the affected nodes.


The high-stakes context of international radiotelephony (RT) communication, in which pilots and air traffic controllers (ATCO) use aviation English (AE) as a lingua franca, requires a robust testing policy that is clear and fair to all stakeholders. The International Civil Aviation Organization Language Proficiency Requirements have been criticized for their lack of fit with pilots' and ATCOs' real-life communicative needs, for both native and non-native speakers of English (Douglas, 2014; Kim, 2012). This dissertation investigates and specifies the proficiency construct (awareness, knowledge, skills, and attitudes) in pilot-ATCO intercultural RT, following Fulcher and Davidson's (2007) test development framework, and drawing on theoretical and empirical studies in the domains of Aviation English, English as a Lingua Franca, Intercultural awareness, and Interactional competence. It is guided by the following overarching research question: What are the communicative demands of pilots and ATCOs involved in intercultural RT communications; how can they be specified within a construct framework and operationalized as test tasks? In order to address this question, a multiphase mixed methods (MM) research design (Creswell, 2014) with three integrated phases is applied. In phase one, the intercultural RT context is explored (MM exploratory study). In phase two, models of language use relevant to this aviation workplace are proposed; and, key construct components are specified and validated by 128 aviation stakeholders (qualitative study). In the third/final phase, draft tasks that operationalize the identified RT construct are designed and pilot tested with AE testing experts (convergent parallel MM study). Integration of all findings allows for meta-inferences regarding the research question and underscores 1) the value of MM research designs in addressing such complex questions, and 2) the role of domain experts in: exploring a target testing context, specifying and validating a construct, and designing and pilot testing tasks to generate the evidence needed to make valid inferences about test-takers' specific purpose language ability. A broader view of professional communicative competence for intercultural RT suggests an encouraging perspective in a highly specialized occupational domain, has implications for aviation safety, and serves as an example of how non-linguistic competencies could be operationalized in contexts other than aviation.


This study demonstrates the development of the heart depolarization vector locus cardiogram (HPVLC, from limb leads and a modified Einthoven's triangle) as a diagnostic measure of the left ventricular depolarization strength. Our work involves the reconstruction of the "equivalent heart electrical-activity vector (HAV)" for the QRS complex from limb leads voltages of a sample ECG recording, and plotting the progression of the cardiac vector during the QRS complex. A realistic visualization of the progression of the equivalent-dipole HAV during the QRS complex is possible by staging the HPVLC of the QRS complex from the onset of the QRS till the end of the depolarization stage. This can enable the characterization of the HPVLC by means of an analytical function. By studying the HPVLC for various electro-cardiological disorders, it is possible to determine the ranges of the analytical function's parameters for normal and disordered electro-cardiological states, for diagnostic purpose. We have seen that the monitored ECG is theoretically derived from HAV components on the sides of the Einthoven triangle. Nevertheless, in cardiac practice, the monitored ECG is employed in diagnosis of heart diseases. From the ECG, we can obtain the heart rate, and therefrom the heart rate variability, which too has diagnostic applications. Many nonlinear methods have been proposed to analyze ECG and HRV for detection of cardiac abnormalities, using linear and nonlinear methods. Herein, we have shown how HRV signal can be analyzed in terms of four recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) features, which are then combined into an Integrated Index to enable better separation of normal and diabetic subjects.


OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE:Extradural cysts intimately associated with relatively normal lumbar discs have rarely been reported. Histologically nonspecific, most have been designated posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) or annulus fibrosus (AF) "ganglion cysts." Recently, "disc cysts" have been distinguished as a separate entity, mostly on the grounds of cyst-disc communication. CLINICAL PRESENTATION:Three young male patients presented with unilateral sciatica. In all cases, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated rounded, cystic lesions (i.e., hypointense on T1- but hyperintense on T2-weighted scans) adjacent to minimally dehydrated, nonherniated disc spaces. INTERVENTION:At surgery, each cyst was found intimately related to either the AF (Case 3) or the PLL (Cases 1 and 2) of the adjacent disc; and direct disc-space communication was evident in Case 3. After cystectomy, with or without discectomy, all patients achieved complete and long-lasting resolution of their sciatic symptoms. Histological appearances were typical of ganglion cysts in all three cases, with evidence of prior hemorrhage in Cases 1 and 3. CONCLUSION:Our results and those of others suggest that all such cysts are ganglion cysts that derive from either the AF or the PLL at the disc level. Although disc cysts might be AF ganglion cysts exhibiting disc communication, their separate distinction is probably unnecessary. Cystectomy alone affords complete symptomatic remission; discectomy is usually unnecessary. Although anticipated with ganglia in general, neither spontaneous resolution nor postoperative recurrences have been witnessed. Unlike ganglia in general or juxtafacet ganglion cysts, such cysts seem to be unusually restricted to young men.


Background and Objective: Host genetic factors such as cytokine gene polymorphisms as well as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection have been found to be associated with gastric cancer risk. Interleukin 1 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in H. pylori-induced gastric inflammation. Therefore, we analyzed the association between IL-1β and IL-1-RN polymorphisms and gastric cancer in Persian residents in north-eastern Iran. Methods: In a case-control study, the genotyping was carried out by PCR-RFLP in 109 gastric cancer patients and 101 randomly-selected healthy controls. The polymorphic sites include promoter region of IL-1β at 511 (C-T transition) position and IL-RN VNTR H. pylori infection was determined by ELISA assay in patients. Results: No significant differences were observed in the allele and genotype frequency of IL-1β-511 and IL-1RN VNTR between patients and control. Genotype frequencies in healthy controls were not significantly different from gastric cancer cases in separate histological types (intestinal or diffuse). IL1β-511 CT genotype frequency was significantly higher among healthy subjects than H. pylori positive gastric cancer patients (41.6% vs. 20%, p = 0.01, OR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.11-0.76). Meanwhile, relatively higher frequency of IL-1β-511 T genotype was observed among H. pylori positive cases as compared to healthy controls (42.9% vs. 26.7%, p = 0.06, OR 2.16, 95% CI: 0.96-4.8) Conclusion: Our results suggest the association between IL-1β-511 polymorphism and H. pylori infection and their contribution to the risk of gastric cancer. While IL-1β-511 CT genotype has a protective effect against H. pylori associated gastric carcinoma, IL-1β-511 TT may increase the risk.


G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) transduce extracellular signals into intracellular events. The waning responsiveness of GPCRs in the face of persistent agonist stimulation, or desensitization, is a necessary event that ensures physiological homeostasis. GPCR kinases (GRKs) are important regulators of GPCR desensitization. GRK5, one member of the GRK family, desensitizes central M(2) muscarinic receptors in mice. We questioned whether GRK5 might also be an important regulator of peripheral muscarinic receptor responsiveness in the cardiopulmonary system. Specifically, we wanted to determine the role of GRK5 in regulating muscarinic receptor-mediated control of airway smooth muscle tone or regulation of cholinergic-induced bradycardia. Tracheal pressure, heart rate, and tracheal smooth muscle tension were measured in mice having a targeted deletion of the GRK5 gene (GRK5(-/-)) and littermate wild-type (WT) control mice. Both in vivo and in vitro results showed that the airway contractile response to a muscarinic receptor agonist was not different between GRK5(-/-) and WT mice. However, the relaxation component of bilateral vagal stimulation and the airway smooth muscle relaxation resulting from beta(2)-adrenergic receptor activation were diminished in GRK5(-/-) mice. These data suggest that M(2) muscarinic receptor-mediated opposition of airway smooth muscle relaxation is regulated by GRK5 and is, therefore, excessive in GRK5(-/-) mice. In addition, this study shows that GRK5 regulates pulmonary responses in a tissue- and receptor-specific manner but does not regulate peripheral cardiac muscarinic receptors. GRK5 regulation of airway responses may have implications in obstructive airway diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.


Over the world, hospitals have suffered severe damage as a result of natural and anthropogenic disasters leading to the partial or total collapse of the structures and interruption of the health services urgently needed by the victims of the event. During the disaster strike, hospitals are confronted with a large number of casualties exceeding their capacity to cope. Despite the situation, many governments have paid less attention to disaster preparedness in health facilities. Hospitals from various parts of the world possess limited capital and staff time to spend on conducting comprehensive disaster response drills, emergency planning and preparedness. The main objective of this study was to find out whether members of staff at Kenyatta National Hospital are prepared for disasters. The study also looked into structures that the Kenyatta National Hospital has put in place to mitigate for disaster. This was a cross sectional descriptive study. Data collected in this study was both quantitative and qualitative. Data was collected using self -administered questionnaire containing both closed and open ended questions. The study involved 361 respondents sampled from 4646 being the total population of members of staff at Kenyatta National Hospital. The respondents were stratified according to departments of the hospital and then randomly selected based on the required sample size. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.2 and Microsoft office excel. The study established that terrorist attack is the leading potential threat followed by fire. Most members of staff of KNH were aware of the existence of a disaster management committee and the existence of a disaster plan in the hospital. Majority of the respondents felt that firefighting equipments and evacuation plans are inadequate. The results have been presented in tables and charts. Chi square was used to determine association and difference between responses. Terrorist attack and fire were identified as the main potential threats with 84% and 81% of the respondent identifying them as potential disasters respectively. The study found out that 58% of the respondents had no training on disaster management. Majority of the respondents indicated that there was no adequate infrastructure to manage disaster with 62.3 % indicating there was inadequate fire fighting equipments. The findings showed a significant association between age and disaster preparedness (Χ 2 =13.202, df=9, p=0.002); training on disaster management and disaster preparedness (Χ 2 =34.738, df=3, p=0.001); years of experience and disaster preparedness (Χ 2 =13.202, df=12, p=0.007); level of awareness and disaster preparedness (Χ 2 =8.477, df=1, p=0.004). The study will assist KNH and other health facilities in formulating policies on disaster preparedness. The study recommends that Kenyatta national Hospital improves on the training of staff on disaster management in order to respond to emergencies effectively and efficiently.


The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the counter-ion (cation) on the recovery of human skin impedance after iontophoresis in vivo. A series of metal chloride aqueous solutions (NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2) was investigated: first at the same concentration (133 mmol/L) and then at the same ionic strength as a NaCl solution at 133 mmol/L. The influence of hydration alone was also examined as a control. The recovery of human skin impedance was followed in the frequency range 1–1,000 Hz, over a 30-minute period after iontophoresis during which 3 impedance spectra were recorded. The results revealed that at t=30 minutes post-iontophoresis, skin impedance was approximately 3 times greater than the value immediately after the cessation of current passage. However, the results showed that the nature of the cation had no effect on recovery, regardless of whether the ions were at the same concentration or at an equivalent ionic strength. A simple parallel RC-equivalent circuit model for skin was used to determine the resistive (R) and capacitive (C) contributions to skin impedance. An analysis of variance on the calculated R and C values did not show any differences between the electrolytes used at the 2 different ionic strengths.


The best way to evaluate community health services remains the subject of much argument and debate. This paper explores difficulties encountered in the management of a randomized controlled trial of physiotherapy in a primary health care setting, and discusses conflicts which arose when carrying out a time limited commissioned evaluation of a carer support scheme. Although randomized controlled trials are still regarded as the gold standard in medical research, they can be difficult to coordinate, and often cannot be applied when patient problems are chronic or incurable and require multidisciplinary intervention. There are many cultural and organizational barriers that have to be overcome for evaluation to be successful and meaningful. If these barriers are underestimated or ignored, the quality of evaluation is compromised.


For the first time in the history of the planet, more than half the population - 3.3 billion people - are now living in cities. Two hundred years ago only 3 per cent of the world's population were urbanites, a figure that had remained fairly stable (give or take the occasional plague) for about 1000 years. By 2030, 60 per cent of us will be urban dwellers. City is the ultimate handbook for the archetypal city and contains main sections on 'History', 'Customs and Language', 'Districts', 'Transport', 'Money', 'Work', 'Tourist Sites', 'Shops and markets', 'Nightlife', etc., and mini-essays on anything and everything from Babel, Tenochtitlan and Ellis Island to Beijing, Mumbai and New York, and from boulevards, suburbs, shanty towns and favelas, to skylines, urban legends and the sacred. Drawing on a wide range of examples from cities across the world and throughout history, it explores the reasons why people first built cities and why urban populations are growing larger every year. City is illustrated throughout with a range of photographs, maps and other illustrations.


In Drosophila dosage compensation increases the rate of transcription of the male's X chromosome and depends on four autosomal male-specific lethal genes. We have cloned the msl-2 gene and shown that MSL-2 protein is co-localized with the other three MSL proteins at hundreds of sites along the male polytene X chromosome and that this binding requires the other three MSL proteins. msl-2 encodes a protein with a putative DNA-binding domain: the RING finger. MSL-2 protein is not produced in females and sequences in both the 5' and 3' UTRs are important for this sex-specific regulation. Furthermore, msl-2 pre-mRNA is alternatively spliced in a Sex-lethal-dependent fashion in its 5' UTR.


The crystal structures of the two compounds reported to be 4-aminofurazan-3-carboxylic acid have been determined. The compound reported by Sheremetev et al. (J Heterocycl Chem 2005, 42, 519) is the actual 4-aminofurazan-3-carboxylic acid. The compound reported by Meyer (Org Prep Proced Int 2004, 36, 361) is the interesting complex formed from a molecule of the acid and a molecule of the potassium salt of the acid.


The increasing urbanization with climate change, global warming issues and the related need to decarbonize the economy, is forcing urgency for identifying the alternate source for the global adoption and sustainable scalable solutions. The country's demographic and road patterns and its natural resources availability provide enormous scope for the electric bike industry. As per the "Navigant Research Report", it is predicted that by 2018, the sales of electric vehicles in India will shoot up by 17 percent. 1.1 million electric vehicles will be targeted within next five years. A recent study on the environment impact of e-bikes with other forms of transportation found that e-bikes are about 18 times more energy consumption than SUV, 13 times than a sedan, 6 times more than rail transit, and it is having considered as an innovated conventional bicycle. It is a frugal innovation strategy which provide safe carbon free environment, and moreover a part of health rehabilitation programmes. It is required that societal, economic and political and infrastructure systems integrate together to balance the energy environment. With this potential, the era of electric bike started its new avenues on the roads of India specifically focusing on Indian women. To develop this viewpoint, the present study focuses on the preference of e-bike among the women in Madurai city.


Abstract Background: Diabetes is a common chronic disease which has caused a great burden on families and society. The treatment of diabetes has always been a hotspot. This study aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of miR-30d-5pon inflammation of high glucose-impaired human keloid fibroblasts (HKF). Methods: Differently-expressed miRNAs were predicted by bioinformatics methods. Exosomes were observed by transmission electron microscope. Exosome particle sizes were measured by NanoSight. Western Blot was used to detect the expression of CD81, CD63, CD9, and Calnexin. QRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-30d-5p, IL-1β, TNF-α, VEGF, FGF21, NRF2, and HO-1. The levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-β were determined by ELISA. Cell apoptosis and CD86, CD206 positive cells were detected by flow cytometry. Results: Tori formula could promote the secretion of endothelial progenitor cell (EPCs) exosomes. EPCs exosomes and miR-30d-5p could stimulate the proliferation of HKF impaired by high glucose and the expression of IL-10 and TGF-β. MiR-30d-5p inhibited the proliferation of M1 macrophages and the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α. It could also promote the proliferation of M2 macrophages and the expression of CCL17 and CCL22. Moreover, miR-30d-5p stimulated the expression of VEGF, FGF21, NRF2, and HO-1, as well as suppressed the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. MiR-30d-5p also restrained the apoptosis of impaired HKF. Conclusion: This study confirmed that miR-30d-5p could promote the M1/M2 polarization and inhibit the inflammatory response of impaired HKF, which provided a certain idea and direction for treating diabetes.


A blood concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the low nanograms-per-milliliter range is often claimed to result from drug use more than 24-48 h previously. The present investigation determined concentrations of cannabinoids in blood collected at least 24 h from smoking in an in-patient setting. During sampling, distinctive effects due to drug use could not be observed. The randomly collected samples from heavy (n = 16, > 1 joint/day), moderate (n = 15, < or = 1 joint/day), and light (n = 6, < 1 joint/week) users of cannabis were analyzed for THC, 11-hydroxy-THC (OH-THC), and free 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (THCCOOH) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as well as for glucuronidated THCCOOH by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. THC was detectable in 9, 6, and 1 samples from heavy, moderate, and light users, respectively. Although cannabinoid concentrations were overlapping between groups, there was a trend towards higher concentrations of both conjugated and free THCCOOH in regular users compared to occasional users. The present findings appear to indicate that low levels of THC, or of THC along with OH-THC, may not unequivocally prove a very recent use of cannabis.