This exploratory study discusses how in-game marriage can affect (and effect) Multiplayer Online Game (MOG) players' collaborative behaviors through an analysis of $2 , a dance battle game released in South Korea in 2004. $2 is a non-violent, non-fantasy MOG which mediates and facilitates couple-related collaborative behaviors. On the basis of a sample of couple-related snapshots (including in-game chat logs, dance battle scenarios, and couple behaviors) collected from an out-game public game forum (n=304) and in-game participant observation (n=126), three types of couple-mediated collaboration in $2 are identified and discussed. This study points to the importance of taking gender (and sexual orientation) into account when analyzing participation in, and the dynamics of, MOG play. In a broader sense, the study of the connection between collaboration and intimacy in MOGs sheds light on the role of digital media in shaping personal relationships.


We present a new surrogate modeling technique for efficient approximation of input-output maps governed by parametrized PDEs. The model is hierarchical as it is built on a full order model (FOM), reduced order model (ROM) and machine-learning (ML) model chain. The model is adaptive in the sense that the ROM and ML model are adapted on-the-fly during a sequence of parametric requests to the model. To allow for a certification of the model hierarchy, as well as to control the adaptation process, we employ rigorous a posteriori error estimates for the ROM and ML models. In particular, we provide an example of an ML-based model that allows for rigorous analytical quality statements. We demonstrate the efficiency of the modeling chain on a Monte Carlo and a parameter-optimization example. Here, the ROM is instantiated by Reduced Basis Methods and the ML model is given by a neural network or a VKOGA kernel model.


Background: Dietary phytochemicals consist of a wide variety of biologically active compounds that are ubiquitous in plants, many of which have been reported to have anti-tumor as well as anti-inflammatory properties. Objective: In the present study, we aimed to validate these findings by using docking protocols and explicate the possible mechanism of action for a dataset of nine phytochemicals namely boswellic acid, 1-caffeoylquinic acid, ellagic acid, emodin, genistein, guggulsterone, quercetin, resveratrol, and sylibinin from different plants against the nuclear factor- kappaB (NF-κB) precursor protein p105, an important transcription factor reported to be overexpressed in breast cancer. Materials and Methods: 2-D structures of all phytochemicals were retrieved from PubChem Compound database and their subsequent conversion into 3-D structures was performed by using online software system CORINA. The X-ray crystallographic structure of the NF-κB precursor p105 was extracted from Brookhaven Protein Data Bank. Molecular docking simulation study was carried out by using AutoDock Tools 4.0. Results: Our results showed significant binding affinity of different phytochemicals with the Rel homology domain of the NF-κB precursor protein p105. Quercetin and 1-caffeoylquinic acid were found to be very effective inhibitors against target molecule as they showed binding energy of −12.11 and −11.50 Kcal/mol, respectively. The order of affinity of other ligands with p105 was found as follows: guggulsterone > sylibinin > emodin > resveratrol > genistein > boswellic acid > ellagic acid. Conclusion: Our in silico study has explored the possible chemopreventive mechanism of these phytochemicals against the NF-κB precursor protein p105 and deciphered that quercetin, 1-caffeoylquinic acid and guggulsterone were the potent inhibitors against target molecule. In addition, large scale preclinical and clinical trials are needed to explore the role of these chemotherapeutic molecules against the NF-κB precursor protein p105 in cure and prevention of breast cancer.


It is in general recognized that IP multicast routing protocols are fairly complex and non-scalable and its property to make it work ideally requires additional maintenance cost to network administrators and operators. Hence although the Internet community has been doing a significant amount of research works on IP multicast over the last decade and most router vendors already support basic IP multicast routing protocols, there are still deployment problems in the Internet. In this document, we analyze the difficulties of traditional many-to-many communication and the benefit of one-to-many or few-to-many communication. While the former communication model called Any-Source Multicast (ASM) does not require the source address specification, the later communication model called Source-Specific Multicast (SSM) requires the source address specification, when an application joins to the group. We mainly study the difference of the routing protocols between these models.


Foreword James M. Buchanan 1. Constitutional issues in modern democracies Ram Mudambi, Pietro Navarra and Giuseppe Sobbrio 2. On writing a constitution Dennis C. Mueller 3. Constitutional order and economic evolution: competitive and protectionist interests in democratic societies Viktor Vanberg 4. The efficacy of arbitrary rules James M. Buchanan and Yong J. Yoon 5. Constitutional political economy and civil society Charles K. Rowley 6. The constitutional conflict between protecting expectations and moral evolution Nicolaus Tiseman 7. Ideological competition and institutions: why cultural explanations of development patterns are not nonsense Michael J. Ensley and Michael C. Munger 8. Electoral systems and the art of constitutional engineering: an inventory of the main findings Bernard N. Grofman and Andrew Reynolds 9. Ordinary elections and constitutional arrangements Pierre Salmon 10. The cost imposed on political coalitions by constituent parties: the case of Italian National Elections Ram Mudambi, Peitro Navarra and Giuseppe Sobbrio 11. A model of two-party campaigns in pluralistic elections and evidence Chris W. Paul II and Allen W. Wilhite 12. Ensuring a stable Federal State: economics or political institutional design Mikhail Filippov, Peter C. Ordeshokk and Olga V. Shevetsova 13. A proposal for dynamic European Federalism: FOCJ Bruno S. Frey and Reiner Eichenberger 14. The Maastricht 'excessive deficit' rules and creative accounting Francesco Forte 15. Subsidiarity, federalism, and direct democracy as basic elements of a Federal European Constitution Friedrich Schneider and Alexander F. Wagner.


Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) help increase programmer productivity by automating much clerical and administrative work. Thus, it is of great research and practical interest to learn about the characteristics on how IDE features change and mature. To this end, we have conducted an empirical study, analyzing a total of 645 "What's New" release note entries in 7 releases of the Eclipse IDE both quantitatively and qualitatively. It is found that majority of the changes are refinements or incremental additions to the feature architecture set up in early releases (1.0 and 2.0). Motivated by this, a further analysis on usability is performed to characterize how these changes impact programmers effectiveness in using the IDE. We summarize our study methodology and lessons learned.


Insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) has been widely used in diverse power electronics systems. As IGBT is one of the most vulnerable components in power electronics converter, remaining useful life (RUL) estimation of this switch has become highlight of the research in recent years. This RUL estimation helps in schedule maintenance based on health status of IGBT to avoid the unexpected failure of converters. However, there has been commonly a large variance in RUL estimation due to presence of random noise, which leads to erroneous result in IGBT prognosis. To reduce this variance in RUL estimation, particle filter methods including sequential importance sampling and sequential importance resampling have been employed recently. Still, these methods lead to nonnegligible estimation variance due to degeneracy and impoverishment of samples. In this paper, RUL estimation approach based on auxiliary particle filter (APF) is proposed. The proposed method will sufficiently reduce estimation variance by increasing dimensionality of samples as well as by sustaining diversity in samples. In addition, a simple slope-based method is proposed to identify the region when the degradation is evident in IGBT. An APF method is applied when the IGBTs under test enter this region. This step is able to reduce variation in RUL estimation and computation cost. The performance of the proposed RUL estimation method is theoretically and experimentally verified.


Optimizing the output power of any PV module involves a number of factors, including the setting of the tilt angle. The purpose of this paper is to present empirical evidence validating the optimum tilt angle for PV module installations in semi-arid regions of South Africa for the winter season. The experimental setup includes three identical PV systems where the PV modules where set to different tilt angles as stipulated in the literature. Data was recorded from May to July 2015 using an Arduino board and LabVIEW software. Two power measurements were used to validate the optimum tilt angle as being Latitude plus 10° for the winter season.


OBJECTIVE
To research on the main pattern of hepatic cells death during hepatic ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injury in cirrhotic rat.

METHODS
Cirrhotic rat model was established by carbon tetrachloride replication. These rats were randomly divided into sham operation group and I/R group. In the I/R group, 70% i/R injury model was established and then the liver samples were taken 0, 1, 6, 24, and 48 hours after reperfusion. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, Na+ - K+ ATPase, and Ca2+ ATPase were compared. the percentage of apoptotic/oncotic hepatic cells was measured with flow cytometry, and the changes in hepatic cellular structures were observed under transmission electron microscope.

RESULTS
Compared with the sham operation group, the levels of serum AST and ALT significantly increased in the I/R group (P < 0.05), reaching their peak levels at the 6th hour. The activities of Na+ - K+ ATPase and Ca2+ ATPase dramatically decreased one hour after reperfusion and then gradually recovered (P < 0.05). Hepatic cells mainly suffered oncosis at the early stage after reperfusion (within 6 hours); at the late stage (around 24 hours after reperfusion), apoptosis became the main death pattern.

CONCLUSION
Oncosis is the main pattern of hepatic cells death during I/R injury in cirrhotic rat, and the severity of hepatic injury correlates with the oncosis.


Abstract Many people groan when they hear the term BRAC—Base Realignment and Closure—associating it with base closures, unemployment, and environmental remediation. Congress, meanwhile, is taking an interest in the growing pains created by the most recent BRAC decisions. Twenty military installations will experience significant population increases as a result of BRAC 2005, receiving more than $7 billion for growth-related construction projects between 2006 and 2008.


In this paper, we present a cloud-based live video streaming and advertising platform solution that enables internet-based live broadcasts for TV channels. The platform supports server-side dynamic ad insertion with automated ad detection and personalized ad placement. A unique feature of our solution is an interactive personalized single ad that can be inserted at desired locations in the live stream independent of broadcaster's commercial break period, which increases ad viewability up to 95% and completion rate up to 97% on average. The platform also provides management interfaces both for the broadcaster as well as for the advertisement agencies enabling fully automated programmatic TV ads.


Chemically pure Na2WO4.2H20, analytically pure Na~HPO4, chemically pure HsPO 4 (85% aqueous solution), and the cation exchanger K U 2 8 ( H +) were used without further purification. The synthesis of PW12 was monitored by chemical analysis and alp and naturally abundant 1SaW NMR. The Na concentration was determined by flame photometry. The W concentration was found by precipitation with 8-hydroxyquinoline [3]. The Na salt of PWx2 (I) was synthesized by the method of [2]. Thus, 50 g Na2WO4-2H20 were dissolved in 150 ml water and 5.4 g NazHPO 4 were added (W/P = 4). The solution was evaporated until a dense crystalline film formed on the surface. Then 38 ml conc. HCI were poured over 1.5 h into the evaporated solution. After cooling to ~20~ the precipitate formed (I) was separated by decantation and washed with 10 ml water. Two methods were used to separate HsPW1204o from the solution of its salt. The first method has also been used to prepare H4SiMo1204o [4]. Thus, (I) was dissolved in the minimal amount of water, 94 g K U 2 8 (calculated for 1 g dry resin per 4 mg-equiv Na) were added, and the mixture was stirred for 20 min. The cation exchanger was filtered off. The treatment with cation exchanger was repeated three times. The solution was then evaporated. The compound HaPW1204o was isolated by crystallization. During this, the HC1 partially vaporizes and is partially released during crystallization. The yield of desired product is 60%. Using the second method, Na + and C1were separated f rom the solution of (I) using a th ree-compar tment dialyzer. A gasketed injection-electrodialyzer [5] with selective cationand anion-exchange membranes MK-40 I and MA-40 was used. The membrane and electrode areas were 15 cm 2. The cathode was stainless steel. The anode was platinized titanium. The flow rate in the compartments was 18 ml/min. The thickness of the layer was 3 mm. The current density was 100 mA/cm 2. The solution of (I) was placed into the central compartment. A 0.1 M NaOH solution circulated in the cathodic compartment; 0.1 M HC1, in the anodic. After dialysis for 17 h, the Na + and C1concentrations in the solution were reduced f rom 3.00 to 0.01 M. The solution of heteropolyacid was evaporated and crystallized. The yield of HaPW1204o was 80%. Direct synthesis of HsPW1204o from Na2WO4.2H20 and Na2HPO 4 or HsPO 4 without using HCl or separating (I) was performed in the presence of K U 2 8 cation exchanger or electrochemically. For the synthesis in the presence of K U 2 8 , tungstate and disodium phosphate were dissolved in the minimal amount of water and treated three times with cation exchanger (1 g dry resin per 4 mg-equiv Na). For the electrochemical synthesis, a two-compar tment dialyzer was used. It had the parameters of the three-compar tment dialyzer described above. A 1.0 M H2WO 4 solution circulated through the anodic compartment; 0.1 M NaOH, through the cathodic. The compartments were separated by


This study examines the effects of project approach to promote social development of children with and without disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Participants in this study were 22 children with disabilities and 86 children without disabilities enrolled in 4 classes at two inclusive daycare centers. The experimental group implemented the project approach and the control group followed a traditional early childhood curriculum. An ANCOVA was conducted with mean difference scores in pre- and posttests between experimental and control groups. Significant differences between control and treatment groups existed in social development of children without disabilities, but no significant changes were found in children with disabilities. From the findings, we inferred that the project approach is an effective curriculum model for inclusion. Implications for classroom practices and recommendations for future research were suggested.


For efficient balance of complete feeds for rabbits is essential to research the nutritional value of alternative ingredients as well as the substitution capacity of the traditional ingredients. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing alfalfa hay by corn hulls (pericarp) and to determine the nutritional value of this ingredient for growing rabbits. For the performance evaluation, we used 30 new zealand white animals. The considered period was of 35 to 72 days of age. The treatments consisted of five diets, being one reference and four with increasing levels of substitution of alfalfa hay bay the corn hulls (25, 50, 75 and 100%). To determine the nutritional value a digestibility assay was carried using 18 new zealand white rabbits distributed in a reference diet and other test diet, where the corn hulls replaced 20% of the reference diet being determined the values of digestible energy (DE) and digestible protein (DP). No significant differences were observed for final weight, average daily gain and feed intake. Feed conversion was improved by the inclusion of the corn hulls, with a decreasing linear effect (P <0.01). The best value for feed conversion was observed at 100% inclusion of corn hulls. It was found that this alternative ingredient presents 1832.9 kcal DE / kg and 2.32% of PD, being these values were expressed on a dry basis. The cone hulls can replace alfalfa hay in diets for growing rabbits.


We examined the hypothesis that proton-potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (H-K-ATPase) mediates K absorption and acidification in the inner stripe of the outer medullary collecting duct (OMCDi). Rabbits were fed a low-K diet (0.55% K) for 7-14 d because we have demonstrated previously that this low-K diet stimulates K-absorptive flux by the OMCDi. Proton secretion was measured as net total CO2 flux (JTCO2) by microcalorimetry. After basal collections, either vehicle or an inhibitor of gastric H-K-ATPase, omeprazole (0.1 mM), was added to the perfusate during the second period. Addition of vehicle to the perfusate changed neither the transepithelial voltage (VT, in millivolts) nor the JTCO2. In contrast, the addition of omeprazole (0.1 mM) to the perfusate abolished JTCO2 (from 14.5 +/- 5.6 to -0.1 +/- 3.1 pmol.mm-1.min-1) without significantly affecting VT. In additional experiments, in 16 tubules there was significant net K absorption (JK) of 5.0 +/- 1.0 pmol.mm-1.min-1 during the basal period, which exceeded the rate of K absorption that could be attributed to a paracellular voltage-mediated pathway (JKP = 1.0 +/- 0.4 pmol.mm-1.min-1, P less than 0.01). Administration of vehicle did not significantly affect either VT or JK. However, omeprazole abolished JK (from 5.1 +/- 1.0 to 0.1 +/- 2.5 pmol.mm-1.min-1) without affecting VT or JNa. The present results demonstrate that the OMCDi possesses an active, omeprazole-sensitive acidification and K-absorptive mechanism. These findings are consistent with the presence of H-K-ATPase activity in this nephron segment.


A kinetic theory model describing physisorption and chemisorption of gas particles on a crystal surface is introduced. A single kinetic equation is used to model gas and physisorbed particles interacting with a crystal potential and colliding with phonons. The phonons are assumed to be at equilibrium and the physisorbate-gas equation is coupled to similar kinetic equations describing chemisorbed particles and crystal atoms on the surface. A kinetic entropy is introduced for the coupled system and the H theorem is established. Using the Chapman-Enskog method with a fluid scaling, the asymptotic structure of the adsorbate is investigated and fluid boundary conditions are derived from the kinetic model.


The HiÞ filter technique, which was developed in signal processing and control field in recent years, is introduced into data fusion method. Based on the principle of particles of forward model, a new sequential data fusion method called "particle HiÞ filter" is introduced into this paper by integrating HiÞ filter technique and Monte Carlo method. This method can be used for nonlinear systems lacking the statistical properties of observational errors. To find the smallest level factor that could bring optimal estimations, bisection search method is embedded in the arithmetic of particle HiÞ filter and their calculation steps are also given. The numerical results also show that particle HiÞ filter data fusion method is effective and suitable to nonlinear systems in that it does not rely on the statistical properties of observational errors and has better robustness.


Today's blockchain applications have been inherently created by and for users who understand the blockchain technology. To improve mass adoption of blockchain solutions, the user experience must improve, and the attention must move to users not familiar with the underlying technology. This dissertation starts with reviewing the main concepts of blockchain technology and examining the UX of different Ethereum wallets with the aim to deliver a more user-friendly wallet based on user feedback. It then delivers a wallet design that enables even the most non-technical users to securely and safely use a cryptocurrency wallet with a decreased risk of content loss. The developed solution is then compared to the existing main stream token wallets.


In this paper, a 3-D model based on the Green's function for analyzing wave propagation in 2-D guided-wave photonic crystals (PhCs) is proposed. The model allows analysis all the physical effects occurring when a source field propagates in a multilayered structure with a periodic arrangement of scatterers, by taking into account both physical and geometrical parameters. Numerical results for PhC waveguides are compared with those obtained using the well-known finite-difference time-domain algorithm and the 3-D multiple-scattering technique already proposed in the literature, showing a very good agreement and some remarkable advantages, in terms of faster determination of electromagnetic field distributions and band diagrams and capability to analyze both in-plane and out-of-plane scattering losses.


Over the next year, the author has several goals for our society. First and foremost, we are all working hard to make ISTAS '13 in Toronto another great event. The theme this year is Wearable Computing ? a wide ranging topic with implications in Biotechnology, digital privacy, and many other fields. We are also planning to expand our web presence even further ? readers will be hearing a lot more about this over the next year. She hopes readers will join us as we investigate new platforms and discuss the social implications of technology.


Coulomb Displacement Energies in mirror nuclei 25Mg, 25Al have been calculated using shell model code OXBASH [1] and compared with experimental results. The code calculations were done in the USD model space with the W Hamiltonian [2]. The OXBASH code which is based on famous nuclear model, the shell model, deals with evaluating energy levels in nuclei. A comparison had been made between our results and the available experimental data [3] to test theoretical shell model description of nuclear structure in mirror nuclei. The energy states of mirror nuclei are almost identical, except for the small effects due to Coulomb interaction where the symmetry in being broken.  Energy spectrum calculated with this code was in good agreement with the published experimental data [3].


Medically underserved patients in rural areas are more vulnerable to poor health outcomes, including the risks associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals are working together to implement new, innovative ways to deliver the same standard of care during the COVID-19 pandemic to these vulnerable patients. These services include telehealth with virtual and telephone medication therapy management sessions led by ambulatory care pharmacists and student pharmacists. Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals should continue to adapt to these new technologies to improve health outcomes for their patients during the pandemic.


Among the biological assays used for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the detection of anti-double strand DNA antibodies (dsDNA Ab) is regarded as highly specific. However this biological parameter is negative among 20 to 40% of patients. Recent studies have revealed potential interest of the anti-nucleosome antibodies in the diagnosis of the lupus, in particular when any anti-dsDNA antibody activity could be detected. We selected 80 sera in order to evaluate four commercial anti-nucleosome enzyme-based immunoassays (EIA) kits. Their sensitivity and specificity values were compared with those obtained by the detection of anti-dsDNA Ab, carried out with both a Farr assay and two EIA kits. No anti-nucleosome EIA kits reached performances of the Farr assay for the diagnosis of lupus. On the other hand, our results show an higher diagnostic value for some anti-nucleosome EIA kits compared with 2 anti-dsDNA EIA kits. Apart from SLE, anti-nucleosome antibodies can be observed in others auto-immune diseases, in particular Sjögren's syndromes, the primary antiphospholipid syndrome, the systemic sclerosis and the mixed connective tissue disease. Compared results of the four anti-nucleosome EIA kits highlight many discordances. These variations, testifying to the absence of standardization for this new parameter, must encourage with a careful interpretation of results, according to the clinical context.


Heamatologic manifestations of pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus at Queen Rania hospital for children
Abu-shukair mohammed MD
Abstract
Aim:
The aim of this retrospective study was to highlight the spectrum of heamatological manifestations in PSLE at Queen Rania Hospital for children( QRHC).
Methods:
 This is a retrospective study that included 25 pediatric patients ,diagnosed with PSLE over a period of 11 years from January 2000 till December 2010 at QRHC at King Hussein Medical center ,Amman Jordan.
Medical records were reviewed for heamatological findings including complete blood count,coombs test ,antiphospholipid antibodies ,anticardiolipin antibodies,Anti-neuclear anti bodies 7and Anti ds-DNA.
Results:
Heamatological abnormities ,that include abnormalities in complete blood count were detected in 48%at the time of diagnosis,which included leucopenia ,hemolytic anemia in 24%and 20% respectively and thrombocytopenia and lymphopenia in 16% for each. Positive ANA,and anti ds DNA were found in 100% and 88% respectively.
Normal platelets were found in 74% while high platelets just in 10%.High erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was found in 84%(21). Anti cardiolipin and lupus anticoagulant in 40%(10)and 16%(4) respectively.

Conclusion:
heamatologic manifestation in pediatric SLE was found In almost 50% of cases ,but when high ESR is added that will increase the percentage to more than 80%of cases.
hematologic finding including leucopenia,anemia,lymphopenia,and high ESR could correlate with the activity of the SLE.


The behaviour pattern of ostriches (Struthio camelus) kept in captivity were studied by using six birds, age between five to seven years. The study was conducted at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Bachok Campus between July to September 2014. The ostriches were observed for 45 days for 11 hours daily in three different periods (in the morning, at noon and afternoon) started from 0700 until 1800 by following the focal sampling technique. The order of the behavioural observation was carried out every thirty minutes. Seven categories of behaviours were observed including resting (sitting, standing, sleeping), locomotive (walking, running and trembling), ingestive (tolerance, pecking or drinking), comfort behaviour (grooming), aggression (threat), thermoregulatory and eliminative (defecation). The result of the study showed a significant difference of behavioural pattern of captive ostriches between different observational periods. Walking behaviour was the highest occurrence observed with total 764 frequencies compared to other behaviours while the least behaviour observed was the running behaviour with only 12 frequencies. The main purpose of the study was to determine the behaviour of ostriches (Struthio camelus) that kept in captivity and provide the useful information for better welfare management. The finding of the study showed that ostriches reared in captivity assume similar behavioural patterns to those remaining in the wild, although some captive circumstances impose minor differences.


Proliferating trichilemmal tumor (PTT) is a benign tumor arising from the isthmic portion of the hair follicle. Malignant transformation in PPT is very rare and unusual. Indeed, only about sixty well-documented cases have been found in the English literature. We present here the case of a 72-year-old patient with an exceptional combination of malignant trichilemmal carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, occurring on actinic keratosis lesions. The aim of this work is to describe the diagnostic and therapeutic modalities of this association which is exceptional.


This paper describes the main inverter topologies intended to connect the renewable energy resources to the grid utility. It shows the circuit configuration of the fullbridge three-phase inverter, flyback inverter, Z-Source inverter and neutral point clamped inverter, and it also discusses their advantages and disadvantages for each application. At last, a list of non-common topologies that handle specific issues of renewable resources is presented.


Barium strontium titanate (Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 TiO 3 , BST) ceramics prepared by a reaction-sintering process were investigated. The mixture of raw materials of stoichiometric Ba 0.7 Sr 0.3 TiO 3 was pressed and sintered into ceramics without any calcination stage involved. Perovskite BST ceramics were obtained after sintered at 1330–1370°C for 2–6 h. For 6 h soak time, a density value 5.68g/cm 3 (99.8% of the theoretic value) was obtained at 1350°C sintering. Grains of sizes between 2μm and 15μm were formed after 1330–1370°C sintering for 2–6 h. A diffused ferroelectric-paraelectric transition was observed in pellets sintered at 1330°C for 2 h and disappeared at a longer soak time or a higher sintering temperature.


. We study CPT and Lorentz violation in the electroweak gauge sector of the Standard Model in the context of the Standard-Model Extension (SME). In particular, we show that any non-zero value of a certain relevant Lorentz violation parameter that is thus far unbounded by experiment would imply that for sufficiently large energies one of the helicity modes of the Z boson should propagate with spacelike four-momentum and become stable against decay in vacuum. In this scenario, Cherenkov-like radiation of Z bosons by ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray protons becomes possible. We deduce a bound on the Lorentz violation parameter from the observational data on ultra-high energy cosmic rays.


The pre-warning of enterprise financial crisis is a hot studying spot in current theoretical field. This paper firstly overviews the present research conditions of enterprise financial crisis pre-warning, sets up a more perfect pre-warning indicators system. Then accomplishes dynamic pre-warning for the financial risk based on the great nonlinear function approaching capability of artificial nerve network(ANN). To simplify the space dimension of input information and reduce the complexity of network structure, the information entropy reduction theory is brought in. At the same time, aim at the main shortage of ANN (the converging speed is often slow and the network is easily involved in local optimum), this paper introduces the Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO). Thus establishing a pre-warning system to enterprise financial crisis based on the information entropy and the PSO-ANN, making the information reduction, the dynamic study and induction of ANN, the particle swarm optimization, the forecast and evaluation of enterprise financial crisis organically combined. At last, an actual example is given to justify the validity and efficiency of this model. The study can supplies a new means for the dynamic pre-warning of enterprise financial crisis.


Monitoring the success of colleges and universities can be useful to many interested parties and for many purposes. For example, it can assist administrations to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their institutions and take corrective actions. It can enlighten the decisions of funding authorities, as transparency and accountability in public life are becoming subjects of wide social concern. And of course it can provide prospective university students and their parents with the data they need to make informed educational decisions. In this paper we propose a flexible analytical framework for ranking institutions of higher learning and apply it to date from 19 Department of Economics, Business Administration, and European International and Economic Studies that operated in Greece in 1998. Our results suggest that the proposed model is robust with respect to several criteria. In particular, the rankings in each category remain unchanged for a wide range of the weights employed to sum the contributions of research, teaching and other activities of the faculties. The top departments retain their relative positions in their categories irrespective of whether the rating criterion is research or teaching, thus ascertaining the finding that good teaching goes hand in hand with good research. And last, but not least, it is found that market ratings of the various departments, as represented by the evaluations of graduates their employers, and other interested parties, are consistent with the rankings based on academic criteria.


A multi-epitope Trojan antigen (TA) construct vaccine consisting of human melanoma antigen A3 (MAGE-A3) and human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 peptide epitopes linked by the furin-sensitive linker peptide RVKR (arginine-serine-lysine-arginine) with immunostimulatory and antitumor activities. The TA construct enters the cytoplasm of antigen-presenting cells (APC) and is processed by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the trans-Golgi network (TGN), where the endopeptidase furin releases the epitopes from the RVKR linker peptide and, together with various exopeptidases, generates MHC class I-binding peptides. Expressed on the cell surfaces of APC, these MHC class I-binding peptides stimulate a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against tumor cells that display the same peptide epitopes on their cell surfaces.


INTRODUCTION
Electronic cigarette (eCig) use is increasing in popularity, and thousands of flavors are available. Adolescent vaping rates in the United States have nearly doubled in the past year. Unlike combustible tobacco, added flavors are not currently regulated for electronic cigarette products. Here, we investigated the role of flavor in eCig liking and acute intake.

METHODS
Men (n=39) aged 18-45 vaped in a controlled laboratory setting after being randomized to one of four e-liquids: 6mg nicotine/ml Cherry, 18mg/ml Cherry, 6mg/ml Chocolate, or 18mg/ml Chocolate. They completed several questionnaires, and vaped ad libitum for 10 minutes. After the first puff, participants rated sensations (sweetness, bitterness, coolness, harshness/irritation) on general labeled magnitude scales (gLMS) and rated overall liking on a generalized hedonic scale. Once the 10-minute session ended, participants made another set of ratings.

RESULTS
Liking was generally stable across the vaping session and liking varied substantially across the 4 conditions. Across all conditions, sensory ratings predicted liking: harshness/irritation was negatively associated with first puff liking while perceived sweetness was positively associated with first puff liking. First puff liking associated with increased amount of e-liquid vaped, but not total nicotine intake. Participants appeared to titrate their nicotine intake regardless of assigned condition.

CONCLUSION
Flavored eLiquids affect acute rated liking, but not acute nicotine intake.

IMPLICATIONS
These data suggest individuals who regularly vape may titrate their nicotine intake, regardless of flavor, and contrary to expectations, acute liking did not predict total intake. However, more-liked flavors may potentially make higher nicotine levels more tolerable by adding pleasant sensations directly, rather than by perceptual masking that reduce aversive sensations.


Background: Adolescents are often involved in risky sexual behaviour. It has been reported that most male adolescents have multiple sexual partners, and most female adolescents use condoms inconsistently. This study assessed sexual behaviour, information sources on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), knowledge of SRH, and utilization of RH services among senior secondary school students in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 424 students randomly selected from six public secondary schools in Ile-Ife. The instrument was a pretested, self-administered questionnaire. The median score was used to categorise SRH knowledge into good and poor. Respondents who did not use condoms consistently, or had multiple sexual partners, or engaged in transactional sex were categorized as having engaged in risky sexual behaviour. Respondents who sought any RH service in a health facility were categorized as having utilized SRH services. Chi-Square was used for associations between categorical variables, while binary logistic regression was used to test for the predictors of utilization of SRH services. Results: Over a quarter (26.9%) of the respondents had experienced a sexual debut, with 52.6% doing so before 14 years. Teachers were the most reported information source on pubertal changes (65.1%) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (71.7%). About 60.8% of respondents had good knowledge of SRH; 55.3% of respondents had multiple sexual partners and 55.9% of respondents had utilized RH services. Conclusion: A good proportion of the respondents had good SRH knowledge; however, the prevalence of risky sexual behaviour was high. Adolescents need adequate SRH education and promotion.


The fat content as well as fatty acids in baltic herring, mackerel and salmon from Norway has been determined. The fat content was 7%, 11.6% and 13.2% respectively. Both fat extracted from mackerel and salmon contained much more of polyunsaturated fatty acids in comparison to that extracted from herring. PUFA content in herring fat was 15% whereas mackerel and salmon 29% and 25% respectively. PUFA represented mostly of omega-3 family.


We previously discovered a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlu5) termed 4 N-{4-chloro-2-[(1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-2H-isoindol-2-yl)methyl]phenyl}-2-hydroxybenzamide (CPPHA) that elicits receptor activation through a novel allosteric site on mGlu5, distinct from the classical mGlu5 negative allosteric modulator (NAM) MPEP allosteric site. However, a shallow structure−activity relationship (SAR), poor physiochemical properties, and weak PAM activity at rat mGlu5 limited the utility of CPPHA to explore allosteric activation of mGlu5 at a non-MPEP site. Thus, we performed a functional high-throughput screen (HTS) and identified a novel mGlu5 PAM benzamide scaffold, exemplified by VU0001850 (EC50 = 1.3 μM, 106% Glumax) and VU0040237 (EC50 = 350 nM, 84% Glu Max). An iterative parallel synthesis approach delivered 22 analogues, optimized mGlu5 PAM activity to afford VU0357121 (EC50 = 33 nM, 92% Glumax), and also revealed the first non-MPEP site neutral allosteric ligand (VU0365396). Like CPPHA, PAMs within this class do not appear to bind at the MPEP allosteric site based on radioligand binding studies. Moreover, mutagenesis studies indicate that VU0357121 and related analogues bind to a yet uncharacterized allosteric site on mGlu5, distinct from CPPHA, yet share a functional interaction with the MPEP site.


Thailand currently relies largely on natural gas, coal & lignite, fuel oil, and less portion in renewable energy for electricity production. Due to the cheap fuel costs, fossil fuels dominate in energy supply. However, utilization of more fossil fuels results in increasing CO2 emissions. The introduction of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) for the future thermal power plant in Thailand is modeled in the multi-period linear programming MARKAL (MARKet ALlocation) model. The increasing share of renewable energy is introduced in this study to influence the adoption of technologies. Comparing with possible introduction of nuclear power plants and increasing share of renewable energy policy up to 20% are considered for long term CO2 mitigation option. The differences in marginal costs are analyses in terms of CO2 mitigation in the business-as-usual (BAU), nuclear (NUC) and renewable (RE) cases up to 20% share: RE05, RE10, RE15 and RE20. The marginal costs are calculated as the ratio between the difference in total system costs and emission mitigation between the baseline and CO2 mitigation options. This analysis is performed in the scope of complete energy system, from supply side to technologies for energy transformation, and to sectors for energy consumption. The results show options are better from the optimality side of CO2 mitigation strategies, associated costs compared with utilizing Carbon Credit Mechanism (CDM) program and possible future technologies for investment in Thailand.


This paper reflects on the author's experience of an education foundation's developing a robust and nationally recognized futures studies practice over a period of 14 years. In so doing, this paper aims to inform other futures studies practitioners about the kinds of considerations that can be encountered, and which must be managed, in starting, developing and maintaining a futures studies practice.,Organized around KnowledgeWorks' triennial forecasts on the future of learning, the paper takes a narrative approach to describe the organization's and the author's future studies journeys, examining ways in which organizational learning and dynamics, as well as audience reception, affected the relative success of the study.,The paper begins by describing KnowledgeWorks' excitement when publishing its first forecast on the future of education as a client of the institute for the future put KnowledgeWorks on the national map. It goes on to examine the organization's capacity development in learning how to engage education audiences in exploring the future of learning, situating the study in the field of futures studies and developing internal capacity and thought leadership in the field. The paper concludes by reflecting on key aspects of KnowledgeWorks' organizational learning; the organization's leadership, moment and culture; and the author's professional development journey.,The paper will help other future studies practitioners, along with organizations interested in considering investing in futures studies, anticipate considerations that could help them strengthen their practice or set up their organizational investment for success.


The optic tract of the goldfish splits into two brachia just before it reaches the tectum, normal optic axons being distributed systematically between the two according to their retinal origins. The orderliness of this division, like that of the retinotectal projection itself, is conventionally attributed to a system of specific axonal guidance cues. However, the brachial distribution of regenerated axons is much less orderly; and, since there is evidence that these axons have many collateral branches in the nerve and tract, the gross order that remains after regeneration could potentially arise secondarily, in parallel with refinement of the retinotectal map, by a preferential loss of collaterals from the inappropriate brachium. The brachial paths of normal axons, and axons regenerated after optic nerve cut for periods ranging from 19 days to 5 years, were therefore studied by anterograde labelling with horseradish peroxidase from discrete retinal lesions or retrograde labelling of ganglion cells from a cut brachium. From 19 to 28 days, regenerating axons showed little or no preference for their normal brachium. During this period (which includes the first week of tectal synaptogenesis) an average of 46a3% of cells retrogradely labelled from a cut medial brachium were in dorsal retina, compared with only 1a45% in normal fish. Some preference for the normal brachium was evident at 35 days and significant order had returned by 42–70 days, when the average proportion of labelled cells in dorsal retina had fallen to 25a4% though the average number in the whole retina was unchanged. Thus a brachial refinement had occurred in parallel with refinement of the retinotectal map. These results support the idea of a selective loss of axon collaterals from the inappropriate brachium, though they do not exclude the possibility of some concurrent gain in the appropriate one. We suggest that refinement may depend on a process we term 'sibling rivalry': competition between different collaterals of the same axon to form a critical number of stable tectal synapses, in which the most- normally-routed branches have the best chance of succeeding and surviving. Developing normal axons might also make use of collateral formation and 'sibling rivalry' to generate and refine the complex interwoven patterns of the normal optic tract.


The survey methods of observe directly,netting,flapping,ensnaring and suction trap were used to find out species and distribution of pests of coconut palm in Hainan,Guangdong,Guangxi,Yunnan and Fujian provinces.The results showed that there were 64 species pests of coconut palm in China;they belong to 7 orders and 25 families in Insecta.There were 31 species pests to discover new in coconut plantation of China.


Dermatomyositis (DM) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting primarily the skeletal muscle and the skin. Although the diagnosis is usually based upon clinical and laboratory findings, histopathology is helpful for confirmation purposes and is mandatory in amiopathic DM where there is only skin involvement. Histologically, the typical cases are characterized by subtle vacuolar interface alterations with epidermal atrophy, mild capillary ectasia and sparse perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate; these findings are similar to those seen in other connective tissue diseases, especially lupus erythematosus. This review deals with the specific histological findings that can be found in the different presentations of the disease and discuss the most common differential diagnoses. As for many other inflammatory skin diseases, the diagnosis of DM is based on a strict interaction between the dermatologist and the dermatopathologist.


The virtual tour of human body is a systemwhich is able to generate a three - dimensional image of a human body based on the human dataset. Virtual human body systems prepare an environment for medical practitioners to treat certain medical conditions especially those which require surgery, precision and planning according to individual patients. Current virtual human body systems have some drawbacks and shortages especially as a study aid system, so the proposed system in this research tries to fulfill the shortages as a proper study aid system. The objective of this research is to develop a system that can simulate fly - through of a specific human organ which enables 3D views of the human body in the form of Computed Tomography (CT) scan, Magnetic re sonance Imaging (MRI) scan as well as the actual anatomical images. The proposed system also provides cross section view of a particular organ or the whole body which are sectioned either horizontally or vertically and allows selection of organ view or cro ss section view. Two different methods have been implemented in this research, namely surface rendering and volume rendering to achievebetter quality for 3D images. As a conclusion, advantages of proposed system like manipulating the organs, simplicity and low cost makes it suitable to use by medical students for in-depth study of the human anatomy or being used by biology teachers in high schools as part of the teaching guide.


In the near future, rigid plastic optical components will replace parts made from glass whenever improved properties and/or lower costs can be achieved. However, the properties of polymers have to be improved in order to match the enhancement in the materials' quality to meet the future demand of industries. This can be achieved by providing the material with a self-cleaning superhydrophilic and photocatalytically active surface layer. From a technical point of view, a good self-cleaning coating exhibits a high photocatalytic activity, excellent wettability by water, strong adhesion of the active film to the surface of the substrate, and stability against exfoliation, stability against abrasion, and optical properties sufficient for the intended application.


Shallow flows can play a significant role in sediment management for dam reservoirs (e.g. sedimentation in shallow reservoirs and free-flow flushing operation). When shallow flow emerges with symmetric or asymmetric patterns, the flow domain exhibits complex three-dimensional (3D) features (e.g. helical flows). This study focuses on the numerical modelling of the velocity field in shallow reservoirs with varying geometries and also varying bed conditions (i.e. flat and misshaped beds). A fully 3D numerical model using the finite-volume method was utilised to reproduce the 3D flow velocity field. The experimentally measured surface velocity in all cases and velocity profiles in one case were used to validate the model. The numerical results showed that a slight disturbance in the inflow boundary condition results in a steady asymmetric flow pattern in reservoirs with a higher defined shape factor, but does not affect the flow pattern in reservoirs with a lower defined shape factor. Nonetheless, the simulat...


To optimize the ventilation system in Xuzhuang mine scientifically,an experiment on the distribution of ventilation resistance and the stability of ventilation system has conducted.According to the actuality of this mine,we selected 3 ventilation routes,measured with precise barometer by means of point-by-point method.Through the analysis of the result,some problems were discovered;some rational suggestions on the optimization of ventilation system in Xuzhuang mine were presented.


Objective:The purpose of the present study was to examine the posture deformity in bike riders.Study Design: Observational study conductedamong student and physiotherapist of Karachi.Sample Size: 30 Participant were included.Sample population: Male Undergraduates of Ziauddin College of physical therapy and physiotherapist of Ziauddin hospital in Karachi.Method: Every partaker was asked to stand in a quiet room with air condition and proper lightening. We informed the participant about full procedure and distribute the consent form among all participants. Participant attended an experiment on different stations to measure different deformitiesEach session consisted for 15-20 minutes. Participant voluntarily responded the pre survey questionnaire before experiment. Afterward physical examination is done i.e. height and weights of participants are taken. During session scoliosis, kyphosis, bilateral shoulder shift and lumber lordosis are measured at each station and then participants are allowed to rest there for 5 minutes.Result: Study concluded that there is a significant effect on posture while riding a bike for prolong period.Conclusion:Due to prolong bike riding time there is a significant effect on cervical, lumber and thoracic spine in bike rider which having discomfort while riding, extend riding period and faulty sitting posture.


Current therapies against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not curative in the majority of patients. In the past, immunotherapy approaches aimed to non-specifically stimulate immune response were quite ineffective. New treatments based on stimulation of specific anti-tumor immune response are currently proposed and appear more promising. Tumor-specific antigens identified in HCC demonstrated immunogenicity both in preclinical and clinical trials. Effectiveness in animal studies raised interest in the clinical applicability of non-specific adoptive immunotherapy that prevented disease recurrence after tumor resection. Dendritic cell (DC)-based tumor vaccines achieved encouraging results, and cellular vaccines based on DCs have already entered clinical trials. Preventive and therapeutic DNA vaccination have been proposed, all based on tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), either modified or not, an example being alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). The concomitant expression of co-stimulatory molecules and cytokines was used to increase tumor immunogenicity. Syngeneic or nude mice models indicated that immunotherapy for HCC could stimulate an anti-tumor T-cell response leading to clinical benefit devoid of significant toxicity. The use of DNA-based vaccination raises exciting possibilities in preventing HCC in high-risk individuals such as those with cirrhosis. Novel immunotherapy strategies may contribute in the future to prevention and treatment of HCC.


Women are often regarded as being inferior to men. However, since nineteenth century, the feminists have been trying to change contemporary life by redefining women's sense of themselves and their role in the socie-ty. This search for equality is often reflected in the literary works. Cranford written in 1853 by Elizabeth Gaskell is said to be one of those works that reflect the ideas of feminism. Therefore, this thesis analyses some ideas of feminism in marriage, education and job through the characters : Miss Jenkyns, Miss Matilda, Miss Mary Smith and Lady Glenmire and their conflicts. Those characters and the conflicts which they undergo reveals the ideas of feminism. Miss Jenkyns dares choose to remain single. Miss Matilda is a spinster who finds that although she does not get married, she can enjoy her life to the full because she is surrounded by her kind friends. Lady Glenmire, a high ranked woman, opposes the traditional convention which forbide women to marry below her rank. In education, the inadequacy of female educa- tion is reflected through Miss Matilda. Miss Matilda is incapable of doing things that require her intellectual skills because her only education is only an education of ladylike behavior. On the other hand, Miss Jenkyns is a woman whose knowledge is not merely about ettiquetes, but she does not get her education from formal school. She gets it from her father. So from the character, it implies women's lack of education opportunities like men. At last, through Miss Smith and Miss Matilda, the idea that women should have an equal right to find job as men without losing their gentility is revealed. On the whole, all the ideas of feminism in marriage, education and job that the characters and their conflicts reveal, basically, are the search of equality between men and women.


Background: Poor management of diabetes mellitus gives rise to complications such as diabetic foot (DF), which pose a host of medical and socioeconomic problems, especially in low-income countries where resources, capacity and awareness are limited. Aim: This study purposed to identify local factors influencing poor management of diabetes and, therefore, increasing risk of DF in Zimbabwe. Method: This study utilised a descriptive qualitative design with a purposive sample of 30 nurses from 14 polyclinics and 2 major referral hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe. Four focus-group discussions were conducted following a semi-structured interview guide with sections addressing commonly encountered socio-economic, cultural and behavioural factors, which potentially increase the risk of DF complications among diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetic individuals. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Four major themes were identified including poor socioeconomic status, poor self-care, religious and cultural factors, and health-system-related factors. Lack of awareness results in poor health-seeking behaviour, and use of unconventional treatment methods, which may increase DF risk among people living with diabetes, both diagnosed and undiagnosed. Conclusion: Appropriately tailored education and awareness interventions taking into account local socio-economic and cultural factors are key to the prevention of DF and promotion of self-management activities.


Summary The in vivo distribution of various 57Co-labelled compounds has been studied. 57Co-citrate is concentrated by pancreas and when injected together with ferric citrate the pancreas uptake is increased while it decreases in liver and kidney.


Summary 1.Runt disease was produced in newborn mice of certain inbred strains and their hybrids by the intraperitoneal injection of various organ and tissue preparations rich in viable lymphoid cells. 2.The incidence of runting among mice of various inbred strain donor-recipient combinations was found to differ markedly and was highest in mice of those combinations differing at the H-2 locus. Among mice of combinations compatible at the H-2 locus but differing at other loci, runting could be produced only by immunization of the donors prior to cell transfer. 3.In certain donor-recipient combinations of inbred strains and their hybrids the incidence of runting produced in the hybrid was inversely proportional to the degree of "foreignness" of the hybrid for the donor9s cells. 4.In certain strain combinations, the susceptibility of hybrid mice to runting with the cells of one parent was greater than with the cells of the other parent. 5.Induction of immunological tolerance in newborn mice of parent strains with the cells of their respective hybrids markedly increased their susceptibility to subsequent runting with spleen cells of the homologous parent. Contrariwise, the spleen cells of such "tolerant" donors had a lowered capacity to produce runt disease in hybrid mice or mice of the homologous parent strain. 6.When immune peritoneal cells from C57BL/K mice, which had recently rejected Sarcoma I ascites tumor, were injected into 5-day-old A/Jax mice, they produced an acute form of homologous disease terminating in death within 5 days. Immune spleen cells from the same animals produced a more chronic form of the disease, terminating in death in 3 to 5 weeks. 7.Whereas immune spleen cells from A/Jax mice produced a "chronic" form of homologous disease in adult (C57BL/K × A/Jax) hybrid mice, immune spleen cells from C57BL/K mice failed to produce homologous disease in the adult hybrid. 8.A mild form of runt disease was produced in newborn male mice of the C57BL/K and A/Jax strains with immune spleen cells obtained from isologous adult female mice that had recently rejected skin grafts from male mice of the same strain. 9.Attempts to serially transfer runt disease in newborn A/Jax and (C57BL/K × A/Jax) hybrid mice with large doses of spleen cells were not successful beyond the first or second passage. 10.The significance of the results is discussed.


This paper examines diversification as a source of value creation and destruction in private equity. The literature has focused on the 'diversification discount' in corporations. It has not analyzed diversification in PE-funds, where diversification might increase value by ameliorating managerial risk aversion and by facilitating knowledge sharing. Thus, I examine a sample of 1505 PE-funds to show that industry and geographic diversification increases PE-fund returns on average, this is likely due to knowledge-sharing/learning, and is not due to mere risk-reduction or endogeneity. Diversification can also destroy value if it spreads staff too thinly across industries/regions or is motivated by risk-aversion over performance bonuses.


Emerging data suggest that inflammation may play a role in the etiology of diabetes mellitus. Because few prospective studies have addressed this issue, the author examined the relation between leukocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate and diabetes incidence using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (from 1971-1975 to 1992-1993). Of 8,352 participants included in the analysis, 878 developed incident diabetes during the approximately 20-year follow-up. After adjustment for age, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol concentration, use of antihypertensive medication, recreational exercise, non-recreational activity, alcohol use, and body mass index, the hazard ratios from proportional hazards for participants with a leukocyte count of > or = 9.1 x 10(9)/liter compared with participants with a leukocyte count of < or = 5.7 x 10(9)/liter were 1.33 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81, 2.19) for men and 1.68 (95% CI: 1.21, 2.34) for women. The adjusted hazard ratios for participants with an erythrocyte sedimentation rate of > or = 26 mm/hour compared with participants with an erythrocyte sedimentation rate of < or = 5 mm/hour were 1.85 (95% CI: 0.97, 3.54) for men and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.47, 1.44) for women. These results provide limited support to the hypothesis that inflammation is an etiologic factor for diabetes.


Introduction: TVOC are present in the atmosphere mainly as gases, and usually emitted from certain solids or liquids. TVOC are emitted from many types of product and usually use in daily activities and also in occupational activities. The exposure of some TVOC may cause short and long-term adverse health effects. Hence, the study had been conducted in two different library located in UiTM Puncak Alam and UiTM Shah Alam, The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) and Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) in two different libraries (old and new). Methodology: This is a cross-sectional comparative study conducted on 40 office workers have worked for at least four months, including males and females from both new and old buildings. A straight forward questionnaire had been used and the question taken from the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality 2010, Questionnaires for Building Occupants is used. The data collected were analyzed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.0. Result: According to this study, it is clearly show that 71.4% respondents in new building exposed to TVOC were in age of 25 to 39 while for old building is 76.9 %. The results showed that there was statistically significant difference for association between exposure toward TVOC and the appearance of all symptoms which are headache, fatigue, drowsiness, nausea/vomiting, cough stuffy nose and horse dry throat since the p-value is less than 0.05 (<0.05). For the prevalence of SBS in PTAR Shah Alam, there are of 86 % librarian having sick building syndrome compared to 42.9% librarian in PTAR Puncak Alam and the different was statistically significant since p-value 0.000 (<0.05). Conclusion: There are association between old and new library with all of the symptoms. All of these associated symptoms have significant value.


This research is motivated by problems that are often encountered in the learning process related to how to present material to students effectively and efficiently regarding the development of the religious spirit of children, especially when learning the practice of ablution to early childhood. To be able to develop the ability to perform ablution in early childhood, appropriate and interesting methods are needed, one of which is the singing method. This method seeks to improve the accuracy, enthusiasm, and memory of children in performing ablution movements; and based on the results of observations at RA An-Najwan Bandar Lama Labuhan Batu Utara related to the love of children singing when performing ablution, it is one of the discussions that needs to be studied more deeply as a research material. Mansur (2005) said that the spirit of religion in early childhood can arise in two ways. First, a sense of dependence. Babies who are born are always dependent on others to meet their needs (protection, new experiences, getting feedback, and being known). Therefore, children's religion will be formed through various experiences received from the environment. Second, religious instincts. Every baby born already has religious instincts, but the child's religious behavior has not been seen. Therefore, educators should stimulate the religious development of children. Both the relationship between humans and God, as well as between humans and humans. This type of research is qualitative which is intended to describe and analyze phenomena, events, social activities, attitudes, perceptions, thoughts of people individually or in groups. The data collection procedure is by using the method of interview, observation, and documentation. To analyze the data, the researcher used three stages, namely, data reduction, data display and drawing conclusions. The results of research related to the development of early childhood ablution skills at RA An-Najwan Bandar Lama with the singing method were able to develop children's ablution skills effectively because children can see and do it directly through the singing method by demonstrating ablution activities.
 Keywords: Ability to perform ablution for early childhood, Singing method


Autofocusing is a fundamental procedure towards automated microscopic evaluation of blood smear and pap smear samples for clinical diagnosis. This paper presents comparison results of 16 selected focus algorithms based on 8000 static bright‐field images and 1600 dynamic autofocusing trials using 10 blood smear and pap smear samples. Besides static behaviour, dynamic autofocusing performance is introduced for ranking the 16 focus algorithms. The Fibonacci search algorithm is employed for controlling the z‐motor of the microscope to reach the focus position that is determined by focus objective functions. Experimental results demonstrate that the variance algorithm provides the best overall performance. Together with our previously reported findings, it is demonstrated that the variance algorithm or the normalized variance algorithm is the optimal focus algorithm for non‐fluorescence microscopy applications including pap smear and blood smear imaging.


There are many different species of cannabis plants, but their psychoactive properties mainly depend on the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which may vary according to genetic factors and environmental influences. On the basis of the THC content all cannabis plants are divided into fibre-type and drug-type plants. The fibre-type plant does not exceed 0.4 per cent of THC while the drug-type plant usually contains up to 5 per cent of THC, though higher percentages (up to 10 per cent) have been reported. A study of the characteristics of cannabis seeds and the influence of environmental conditions on the content of THC in cannabis plants grown in northern, southern and insular Italy has shown that the fibre-type plants contain mean values of THC in a range from 0.058 to 0.299 per cent. The content of THC in the drug-type plants grown in Sicily and Tuscany ranged from 0.82 to 1.31 per cent +/- 0.49 per cent. In 1984, the Commission of the European Communities prepared a regulation to prevent diffusion of the drug-type cannabis, providing that raw material could not be imported if its THC content exceeded 0.5 per cent from 1984 to 1987 and after that period the maximum limit would be set up to 0.3 per cent.


We examine the empirical determinants of debt-maturity structure of 266 firms listed on the KSE over the period 2000 to 2004 using several variants of dynamic panel data models. We find mixed support for the agency cost hypothesis as our results show that debt-maturity increases with the size of the firm; however, growth options do not have any significant influence on debt-maturity structure. Our results lend unambiguous support to the maturity matching hypothesis because debt-maturity varies inversely with operating activities and directly with the maturity of long-lived assets. Finally, we find evidence that supports the tax-based hypothesis but no evidence to support the signaling hypothesis. Moreover, the results demonstrate that there is a significant dynamic component in the determination of optimal debt-maturity structure of the sampled firms.


Assessment in music therapy is a vital part for both the therapist and client in the
process of therapy. Based on what is assessed, objectives are identified to formulate specific
action procedures and strategies. The existing assessment tools involve lists of skills and
behaviors in developmental domains without the music assessment protocol. In this study,
the authors attempted to develop an assessment protocol using rhythm production for
assessing skills in cognitive and emotional-behavior domain, namely Music Therapy
Assessment for Cognitive and Emotional Behaviors (MACEB). The test items of the
MACEB-Rhythm were developed using rhythmic patterns varying in terms of item
difficulty, which are based on the various degree of clarity in the grouping/gestalt, saliency
in part-whole relationship, and complexity in repetition vs. variability. Also the developed
tool purported to examine one's level of emotional behavior trait by analyzing performance
of musical parameters such as tempo, pacing, and loudness in the reproduced output. In
order to verify the logical sequencing of test items, firstly 61 subjects participated in
verifying the item difficulty for the selected 15 pilot items. The test items were revised and
re-sequenced based on the gathered scores of item difficulty. In the second procedure,
seven experts in the fields of music education, music therapy and music psychology whose
research interest lie in music cognition revised the developed rhythm protocol items
focusing on learning sequence, cognitive process and feasibility for skills assessment. The
study attempted to provide foundations for using rhythm as an assessment protocol prior
to its verification of assessment validity and reliability.


This paper designs an embedded displacement measuring device based on error separating technique of multi-circle overlapping three-probe method. Considering the requirement of high precision and high speed of modern CNC machine, high accuracy CCD laser displacement sensor is used in the system to measure the rotating spindle, and then the device send the result to PC for further analysis by error separating software. According to the experiment, the roundness errors separated by such method are totally similar, rotation accuracy increase as rotation speed accelerated in a certain speed. All of these are realistic.


Introduction/Background En bloc pelvic resection including hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and rectosigmoid colon resection and anastomosis is often performed to achieve optimal cytoreduction in ovarian cancer patients with extensive pelvic carcinomatosis. We presented specific surgical details of total pelvic peritonectomy avoiding rectosigmoid colon resection in a well-selected patient. Methodology A 41 year-old women with good performance status (ECOG 0) presented with disseminated disease in abdominal and pelvic cavity. The patient underwent primary debulking surgery including total pelvic peritonectomy. The procedure is initiated by accessing the retroperitoneum by incision of the anterior and lateral peritoneum. After retroperitoneum exposure, the round ligament, infundibulo-pelvic ligament, medial umbilical ligament, and umbilical artery are dissected and ligated. The bladder is mobilized caudally and the vesico-vaginal space is exposed after completely dissecting off the prevesical peritoneum. In the next step, the ureter is isolated and mobilized laterally. Then, uterine vessels and parametria are divided and ligated, which is followed by colpotomy to access the recto-vaginal septum. By retracting the total specimen cranially, the Douglas pouch is dissected from the anterior side of rectum. The mesorectum is further divided and dissected in the extraperitoneal space. The specimen is removed en bloc with the uterus, adnexa, pelvic peritoneum, and tumor nodules, leaving a tumor-invisible pelvis (figure 1). The sigmoid is also deperitonized. Abstract EP1334 Figure 1 Results Complete removal of the disseminated tumors in two layers of peritoneum (parietal and visceral) was achieved by the method introduced in our video. Conclusion Total pelvic peritonectomy is effective for complete cytoreduction in selected ovarian cancer patients with extensive peritoneal carcinomatosis sparing rectosigmoid resection. Disclosure Nothing to disclose


Factor VII (FVII) deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder with a highly variable hemorrhagic predisposition. It is transmitted as an autosomal recessive and plays an important role in the initiation of blood coagulation forming a complex with tissue factor which activates FIX, FX and FVII zymogen. Prolonged prothrombin time with normal partial thromboplastin time indicates FVII deficiency. For the definitive diagnosis, the specific plasma FVII level should be investigated. FVII deficiency is expressed in different ways and leads to various clinical pictures. I reported two siblings with hereditary factor VII deficiency whose clinical presentations were different.


Abstract In this paper, we document the early stage of fault-zone development based on detailed observations of mesocale faults in layered rocks. The vertical propagation of the studied faults is stopped by layer-parallel faults contained in a weak layer. This restriction involves a flat-topped throw profile along the fault plane and modifications of the fault structures near the restricted tips, with geometries ranging from planar structures to fault zones characterized by abundant parallel fault segments. The 'far-field' displacement (i.e. the sum of the displacement accumulated by all the fault segments and the folding) measured along the restricted faults exhibiting this segmentation may have flat-topped shapes or triangular shapes when fault-related folding is observed above the layer-parallel faults. We develop a model from the observations. In this model, during the course of restriction, a fault forms as a simple isolated planar structure, then parallel fault segments successively initiate to accommodate the increasing displacement. We assume that, eventually, the fault propagates beyond the layer-parallel fault. This model implies first that fault widening is controlled by the fault capacity to propagate vertically in the layered section. Likewise, owing to restriction, fault growth occurs with non-linear increases in maximum displacement, length and thickness.


Ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) has been used to deposit thick films (up to 5 micron) of YBa2Cu3O7-x in situ on single-crystal oxide substrates, and single-crystal and textured polycrystalline Ag foil of different orientations. Epitaxial films grow with a strong level of in-plane texture on the single crystal oxide substrates (<3° full width at half maximum) and on (100) and (110) oriented Ag. Films grown under optimized conditions have onset Tc of 91 K with transition widths of ~ 6 K. The films are fully connected and Jc are ~ 1.0×104A cm-2 at 77 K and ~ 5×105A cm-2 at 20 K.


This article proposes a theoretical framework for elucidating how organizational culture evolves as an organization goes through its life cycle. This framework reveals that as the organization goes through its life stages of start-up, growth, maturity, and revival, organizational culture evolves through corresponding mechanisms of inspiration, implantation, negotiation, and transformation. This framework contributes to the literature on the dynamic view of culture. This article suggests that human resource development professionals need to be perceptive of the life stages of their organizations and intentionally leverage different cultural mechanisms to respond to critical organizational needs.


The paper introduces the concept of institutional repository(IR),expounds in detail how to construct of the institutional in Inner Mongolia Agricultural University.The authors analyze the problems that lie in construction of institutional repositories development.


Phages, or viruses that infect bacteria and archaea, are ubiquitous and abundant members of Earth's ecosystems that impact the flow of nutrients, evolution of microbes, and food web dynamics by selectively infecting and killing their prokaryotic hosts. Because phages can only replicate through their hosts, they are inherently linked to processes impacting their hosts' distribution and susceptibility to infection. Despite these links, phages can also be affected by environmental parameters independent of their hosts, such as pH or salinity which impact cell adsorption or virion degradation. To understand these complex links, in this study, we leverage the unique ecological context of the Isthmus of Panama, which narrowly disconnects the productive Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) and Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA) provinces and compare factors that shape active marine phage and prokaryotic communities. Metagenomic sequencing of seawater from mangroves and reefs of both the TEP and TWA coasts of Panama suggest that pronounced environmental gradients, such as along the TEP mangrove rivers, result in common dispersal and physicochemical parameters shaping both prokaryotic and phage community composition and diversity. Conversely, we find that when environmental conditions are relatively similar across adjacent habitats, such as between the mangroves and reefs in the TWA, prokaryotic communities are more influenced by local abiotic conditions while phage communities are shaped more by dispersal. Collectively, this work provides a framework for addressing the co-variability between viruses and their hosts in marine systems and for identifying the different factors that drive consistent versus disparate trends in community shifts, which is essential to inform models of these interactions in biogeochemical cycling.


This paper conceptually critiques the progressivity of the current personal income tax in Nigeria by drawing on the equity concept of taxation vis-a-visincome redistributionandtaxpayers' ability to pay tax. Whilst the study acknowledges the presumed progressivity and income redistribution notions embedded within the personal income tax regime, it provides conceptual analysis that consequently contradicts such notions in practice. Overall, the analysis suggests that the current personal income tax regime is more pro-rich than it is pro-poor, thus requiring the factoring in of the economic realities of the non-rich when amending the tax law in the future.


Background: Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. Elevated free fatty acids (FFAs) , as seen in obesity and T2D, can act as damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) activating the innate immune system. Recent studies have identified nucleotide binding oligomerization domain 1 (NOD1) , an intracellular pattern recognition receptor, can be activated by saturated fatty acids (sFA) . NOD1 activates inflammatory kinase RIPK2, leading to increased cytokine production by the innate immune system. Our study aimed to determine whether wild type mice treated with GSK583, a RIPK2 inhibitor, are protected against FFA-induced glucose intolerance.
 Material and Methods: C57Bl/6J mice were surgically cannulated in their jugular veins and were infused with ethylpalmitate (EtP) for 48h, which results in increased plasma palmitate levels and mimics the elevated FFA levels seen in vivo. Furthermore, mice were also infused with EtP and GSK583 for 48h. After infusion, the mice were subjected to a hyperglycemic clamp and the glucose infusion rate was measured to assess glucose tolerance that under hyperglycemic clamp conditions, is mainly determined by the beta cell ability to compensate for FFA-induced insulin resistance.
 Results: Preliminary data revealed that mice infused with EtP and GSK583 had a higher glucose infusion rate (GIR; mg/kgmin) (83+20, mean+SEM) than mice infused with EtP alone (57+4) . The EtP and GSK583 was comparable to the GIR of control (EtP vehicle infused) mice (84+7) .
 Conclusions: Our data indicate that pharmacological inhibition of NOD1 signaling protects against FFA-induced glucose intolerance in mice. Targeting NOD1 may be an effective strategy for treating beta cell dysfunction in T2D.

 N.Tsakiridis: None. A.Ivovic: None. S.Rahman: None. Y.Tan: None. A.Giacca: None.


In the March issue of the Journal in 2012, we reported on a girl with Langer‐Giedion syndrome (LGS) phenotype and a 7.5 Mb interstitial deletion at 8q23.3q24.13, encompassing the EXT1, but not the TRPS1 gene. Recent discoveries have shown that heterozygous intragenic mutations or contiguous gene deletions including the RAD21 gene, which is located downstream of the TRPS1 gene, are the cause of Cornelia de Lange syndrome‐4. Considering that the interstitial deletion in our patient included the RAD21 and 30 other RefSeq genes, we would like to suggest a revision of the diagnosis reported in our previous paper and compare our patient to other reported patients with Cornelia de Lange syndrome‐4 caused by heterozygous deletions of chromosome 8q24. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Constructing the Self analyzes the narrative conception of self, filling a serious gap in philosophy and grounding discussion in other disciplines. It answers the questions: • What are the connections between our interpretations, selfhood, and conscious phenomenal experience? • Why do we believe that our interpretations of our life-defining events are narrative in nature? • From the myriad of thoughts, actions, and emotions which constitute our experiences, how do we choose what is interpretively important, the tiny subset that composes the self? By synthesizing the different approaches to understanding the self from philosophy of mind, developmental psychology, psychopathology, and cognitive science, this monograph gives us deeper insight into what being minded, being a person, and having a self are, as well as clarifies the difference and relation between conscious and unconscious mental states and normal and abnormal minds. The explication also affords new perspectives on human development and human emotion. (Series A)


Objective: The use and adverse effect of alcohol-based hand sanitizers as a preventive measure in combating the spread of COVID-19.
Materials and Methods: A literature search of the electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Research gate and Embase was conducted to retrieve articles investigating the protective effect of alcohol-based sanitizers against the spread of COVID-19 as well as its possible adverse effects. The search timeframe ranged from the inception of each database to August 2020.
Results: From an initial search of 456 articles, and after the removal of duplicates as well as applying the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 74 articles were finally included for this systematic review. Results showed promising protective effect of alcohol-based hand sanitizers against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, no adverse effect was observed after the use of alcohol-based sanitizers though there are certain possible adverse effect identified which includes skin toxicity, risk of skin burn due flammability etc.
Conclusion: Alcohol based hand sanitizers are effective against lipophilic viruses which means they are effective against coronaviruses. To ensure efficacy of the product, the recommended ethanol concentrates should be strictly adhered to and regulated. Alcohol based hand sanitizers has few adverse effects ranging from skin toxicity when ethanol concentrates is relatively high and not regulated courtesy of proliferation of fake products in the market. They are known to be flammable in nature and can cause skin burn if the safety and precautionary instructions are not strictly adhered to. Hand hygiene and the use of alcohol based hand sanitizers are effective in preventing direct and indirect spread of COVID-19.


The dynamic response of a unidirectional non-crimp carbon fiber/epoxy composite subjected to tension along the transverse and 45° off-axis directions was studied at different strain rates. Intermediate strain rate tests were conducted using a hydraulic intermediate strain rate test frame at approximate strain rates of 0.2/s and 5/s. High strain rate tests were performed with the Split-Hopkinson tensile bar technique at approximate strain rates of 70/s and 180/s. Pulse shaping was developed to achieve dynamic equilibrium during the Split-Hopkinson tensile bar tests, in which pure lead wire was found to be a good pulse shaper for the material tested. The results demonstrated that the applied strain rate had a significant effect on the stress-strain response for the 45° off-axis test specimens, while the transverse test specimens exhibited less strain rate dependence for the rates considered in this study.


Technetium-99m (99mTc) labelled polyclonal human immunoglobulin (HIG) is a new agent for the localization of active inflammatory diseases. The results obtained with HIG in 29 AIDS patients referred for suspected lung infections are reported (Table I). The patients also underwent Gallium-67 citrate scanning (GS), chest radiography (Rx), high-resolution thin-layer computed tomography (HRCT) and broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL). The study population was classified as follows: 12 patients (Table II) were studied before treatment for suspected Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), 7 patients (Table III) had known PCP and were studied during medical therapy, and 10 patients (Table IV) had lung infections other than PCP. In all PCP patients studied before treatment, positive agreement was observed between HIG, Rx and HRCT findings. In 4 patients with final clinical diagnosis of no lung conditions, both nuclear and radiologic imaging were negative. 99mTc-HIG results in the PCP patients studied during therapy were consistent with clinical and radiologic improvement; there was disagreement with 67Ga findings in one case (no. 9). In lung infections other than PCP, HIG studies were often negative (always negative in mycobacteriosis), while they were positive in 3 pyogenic abscesses. In conclusion, as for PCP and abscesses, the results obtained with 99mTc-HIG are usually in agreement with GS findings, while HIG scans seem to be negative in mycobacterial infections. Moreover, HIG scintigraphy seems to be suitable for the evaluation of treatment results in PCP (this subject deserves further research). To assess respiratory impairment a semiquantitative index (ISQ) of 99mTc-HIG lung uptake is suggested, which showed a significant linear correlation with arterial pO2.


Introduction: Mononuclear cell (MNC) migration is a key element in atherogenesis. LDL-C has been found to facilitate MNC migration via LDL-R related upreguation of CCR2. PCSK9 regulates serum LDL-C via degradation of hepatic LDL-R′s. Recently, PCSK9-expression, lacking in MNCs, has been demonstrated in VSMCs of the vessel wall. Thus, the present study was done to explore the regulation of PCSK9 in VSMCs by inflammation and the impact of VSMC-derived PCSK9 on MNC function. Methods and Results: PCSK9 mRNA and protein levels were upregulated by the TLR4-ligand lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100 ng/ml), whereas TGF-β or angiotensin II had no effect. LPS increased PCSK9 mRNA and protein Levels time- and concentration dependently. This was selectively inhibited by TLR4 Blockade with CLI-059 and further downstream with the JNK-inhibitor SP600125, whereas inhibitors of ERK1/2, p38 or PI3-kinase pathways had no effect. ELISA-based analyses demonstrated that LPS significantly increased PCSK9 releases from VSMCs, which was further augmented by atorvastatin (10 μM). Incubation of human monocytic THP-1 cells in conditioned media from LPS-stimulated VSMCs resulted in a significant reduction of LDL-R levels in MNCs, comparable to the effects of recombinant PCSK9. In contrast, stimulation of MNCs with LPS alone did not affect MNC LDL-R levels. However, LDL (100 μg/mL) stimulation of MNCs increased their CCR2 expression, which augmented MNC migration towards MCP-1. This LDL-dependent MNC migration was inhibited by supernatants from LPS-stimulated VSMCs, comparable to the effects of recombinant PCSK9 or a functional LDL-R blocking antibody. Conclusion: PCSK9 is upregulated in VSMCs by TLR4/JNK signaling, a pathway important in inflammation and metabolism. VSMC-derived PCSK9 lessens MNC LDL-R expression, effecting LDL-C/LDL-R-mediated CCR2-expression on MNCs, crucial to MNC motility. In conclusion our data suggests PCSK9 as a key regulator in VSMCs / MNC interaction fundamental to CVD genesis.


In this article, the formation of a transnational network of intellectuals, that of the "Ateneistas" - a group which was originally constituted in Mexico through the double experience of the "Ateneo de la Juventud" and of participation in the various cultural initiatives promoted by the Revolutionary governments of Mexico (and especially in the creation of the Universidad Nacional de Mexico) -, is analyzed; as is its role in the origins of the cultural history of Latin America. The intellectual trajectories of two of its most prominent members - which, through their agency, contributed to the formation of an intellectual network linking the national intellectual fields of Mexico, Argentina, Spain and Brasil - are examined in some detail: those of Pedro Henriquez Urena and Alfonso Reyes. The purpose of this study is dual. It proposes an exploration, on the one hand, of the relationship between the international circulation of ideas and the conditions for the emergence of new cultural formations within national intellectual fields. It seeks, on the other hand, to analyze the specific process whereby a historiographical discourse with novel characteristics took shape in the region - through the agency of a confluence of specific works, publishing projects, cultural institutions, and cultural contacts among the different countries of Iberoamerica. The period covered is roughly that which stretches from 1906 to 1960.


Abstract Variation in foliar trichomes in Croton (Euphorbiaceae) is reviewed, and the terminology clarified by redefinitions and illustrations of terms. Evolution of trichome types appears to proceed from branched (stellate or fasciculate) hairs to simple and dendritic ones. A systematic enumeration characterizes the trichome morphology in 36 of the 40 sections, with citation of the 120 species examined.


PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to mainly review the state-of-the-art developments in the field of hydrodynamics of offshore pipelines, identifying the key tools for analysis of pipeline free spans, their applications, their qualifying characteristics and capabilities and limitations.Design/methodology/approachThese different analytical, numerical and semi-empirical tools available for predicting such hydrodynamic loads and their effects include VIVANA, PIPESIN, VIVSIM, SIMULATOR, FATFREE, amongst others. Inherent in these models are current effects, wave effects and/ or pipe–soil interactions.FindingsAmongst these models, the most attention was given to the new VIVANA model because this model take into account the vortex-induced effects with respect to free-spanning pipelines (which have dominant effect in the span analysis in deep water) better than other semi-empirical models (such as Shear 7). Recent improvements in VIVANA include its ability to have arbitrary variation in speed and direction of current, as well as the ability for calculation of pure IL and combined IL-CF response. Improvements in fatigue assessments at free spans, i.e. pipe–soil interaction have been achieved through the combined frequency domain and non-linear time domain analysis methodology adopted. Semi-empirical models are still the de facto currently used in the design of free-spanning pipelines. However, there is need for further research on free-span hydrodynamic coefficients and on how in-line and cross-flow vibrations interact. Again, there is still the challenge due to VIV complexity in fully understanding the fluid structure interaction problem, as there is no consolidated procedure for its analysis. It has been observed that there is large scatter between the different codes adopted in the prediction of fatigue damage, as there lacks full-scale test data devoted to determination/validation of the coefficients used in the semi-empirical models. A case study of the preliminary design of a typical 48 in. pipeline has been presented in this study to demonstrate the use of the free-span analysis tool, DNV RP F105. Excel spreadsheet has been applied in the execution of formulas.Originality/valueThis review paper is the first of its kind to study the state-of-the-art development in pipeline free-span analysis models and demonstrate the use of analysis tool, DNV for MAFSL calculation. Hence, information obtained from this paper would be invaluable in assisting designers both in the industry and academia.


The woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) and its natural host, the Eastern woodchuck (Marmota monax), have been established as a model of hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐induced disease. Several published studies have used this experimental animal model system to demonstrate potential antiviral therapies for chronic HBV infections. However, there has been little comparative information available on compounds used in clinical anti‐HBV studies in WHV‐infected woodchucks, thereby making interpretations of the potential relative effectiveness of new antiviral agents in humans more difficult. In this report, using a series of placebo‐controlled studies, we compared the relative effectiveness of several nucleoside analogues that have been used in clinical trials for the treatment of chronic HBV infection against WHV replication in chronically infected woodchucks. Adenine‐5′‐arabinoside monophosphate (Ara‐AMP [vidarabine]), ribavirin, (−)β‐L ‐2′,3′‐dideoxy‐3′‐thiacytidine (3TC [lamivudine]), and famciclovir (oral prodrug of penciclovir) induced depressions in viremia and intrahepatic WHV‐DNA replication that were consistent with their relative effectiveness in anti‐HBV human clinical trials. As observed in HBV‐infected patients, 3′ azido‐3′‐deoxythymidine (AZT [zidovudine]) had no effect on WHV replication in these studies. These experimental results more firmly establish chronic WHV infection in woodchucks as an accurate and predictive model for antiviral therapies against chronic HBV infection in humans and provide a baseline for comparative antiviral effects of other experimental antiviral agents in the WHV/woodchuck model system.


BACKGROUND
The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) is commonly used to assess dimensions of emotion dysregulation, including emotion nonacceptance, limited strategies, and difficulty with goal-directed behavior, impulse control, and emotional clarity. Despite considerable work examining the DERS' factor structure, reliability, and validity, there is limited psychometric support for its use with Black women.

OBJECTIVES
(1) Examine the factor structure of the DERS; (2) Compare fit of short-form versions; and (3) Assess whether scores differ based on diagnoses.

METHOD
Sample consisted of Black women (n = 667) recruited in urban, community hospital setting.

RESULTS
The DERS-18 correlated traits model without awareness demonstrated the best fit, χ2  (80) = 261.09, root mean square error of approximation = 0.06 [0.05, 0.07], comparative fit index = 0.99, Tucker Lewis Index = 0.98, weighted root mean square residual = 0.89. Additionally, those with current diagnoses of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depressive disorder (MDD) reported higher dysregulation (vs. lifetime/no diagnoses). Further, women with comorbid PTSD/MDD reported greater dysregulation (vs. single disorder/no diagnoses).

CONCLUSIONS
This study provides evidence supporting the model fit, reliability, and validity of the DERS-18 for Black women.


Aberrant DNA methylation leads to abnormal gene expression, making it a significant regulator in the progression of cancer and leading to the requirement for integration of gene expression with DNA methylation. Here, we identified 120 genes demonstrating an inverse correlation between DNA methylation and mRNA expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Sixteen key genes, such as SIX4, CRABP2, and EHD3, were obtained by filtering 10 datasets and verified in paired ESCC samples by qRT-PCR. 5-Aza-dC as a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor could recover their expression and inhibit clonal growth of cancer cells in seven ESCC cell lines. Furthermore, 11 of the 16 genes were correlated with OS (overall survival) and DFS (disease-free survival) in 125 ESCC patients. ChIP-Seq data and WGBS data showed that DNA methylation and H3K27ac histone modification of these key genes displayed inverse trends, suggesting that there was collaboration between DNA methylation and histone modification in ESCC. Our findings illustrate that the integrated multi-omics data (transcriptome and epigenomics) can accurately obtain potential prognostic biomarkers, which may provide important insight for the effective treatment of cancers.


The ore and waste rock at Kemess Mine are highly variable and range from having high acid generation potential to high neutralization potential and some of the materials may also leach metals, notably selenium, at neutral pH. The potential environmental impact caused by the storage of ore and waste rock has been reduced to acceptable levels by the integrated materials management program. Management techniques include the ongoing sampling and classification of all rock types on site into 11 categories and the segregation of potentially problematic materials. This segregation requires a considerable effort on the part of mining operations to schedule and monitor waste placement. The materials management program has been successful largely due to the cooperation between the relevant departments at the mine, including Environment, Engineering and Geology, and the level of awareness of operating personnel. This paper provides details on the procedures developed at the Kemess Mine to control impacts. Included are details on the Acid Rock Drainage and metal leaching prediction methods employed and the material handling and segregation procedures use to achieve the required objectives.