Research on cognitive ability measures consistently concludes that they are predictive of employee performance. While accounting for only about 9% of the variance in performance, however, cognitive ability measures are not sufficient. Alternative measures, such as measures of personality constructs, must be included to fully predict employee performance. The research on personality measures suggests that they are marginally predictive of employee performance. Research also suggests that predicative accuracy of personality measures can be enhanced when the measure is specific to the situation (i.e., stress measure are more predictive of performance in high stress situations compared to moderate or low stress situations). The current study compares a specific measure of a personality construct, the Seligman Attributional Style Questionnaire (a measure of optimism), with a broad, general measure of personality, the Gordon Personal Profile-Inventory, comparing jobs specifically requiring higher levels of optimism versus jobs that do not require high levels of optimism. The results suggest that the use of the SASQ under situationally specific conditions does not result in greater predictive accuracy that the more generic GPPI. In addition, neither measure resulted in significant correlations with employee performance. The study generally confirmed the literature on the limited utility of personality measures in predicting performance. It also raised questions about how situational specificity is operationized.


The 9-mesityl-10-methylacidinium cation (Acr+-Mes) was incorporated into Na+-exchanged mesoporous aluminosilicate (AlMCM-41) by cation exchange. Incorporation of Acr+-Mes into AlMCM-41 has made the lifetime of the electron-transfer (ET) state (Acr•-Mes•+) produced upon photoexcitation of Acr+-Mes extremely long (e.g., 10 s) even at high temperatures (e.g., 373 K). The formation and decay of the ET state can be repeated by on–off photoirradiation cycles. Both intra- and intermolecular back electron-transfer processes of the ET state of Acr+-Mes were observed by electron spin resonance (ESR) and time-resolved nanosecond diffuse reflectance absorption spectra, respectively. The ET state has both strong oxidizing and reducing abilities to be able to oxidize neighboring 1-pyrenemethylammonium and reduce the hexyl viologen dication incorporated into AlMCM-41 by cation exchange, respectively.


This article examines the mechanisms that transmit isolation into productivity. In particular, we study the effect of isolation and transport infrastructure on welfare and agricultural productivity in the case of Madagascar. Madagascar is a good case study given the bad shape of its infrastructure and therefore the significant variation in isolation. Based on comprehensive household survey data combined with a census of communes, we discover a strong poverty-isolation relationship. Further we find the inverse relationship between agricultural productivity and isolation to be surprisingly strong. We isolate the following reasons why productivity might decline with isolation: (i) transportation-induced transaction costs, (ii) the inverse relationship between plot size and productivity, (iii) increasing price variability and extensification onto less fertile land, and (iv) insecurity. Copyright (c) 2008 International Association of Agricultural Economists.


ABSTRACT This article offers a short history of the pedagogy of public speaking. Beginning with the Greek's creation of the field of rhetoric, the article follows the development of the teaching of public speaking in the Roman era, the European Middle Ages, and Renaissance, and then the article focuses on public speaking in America through to the present day. This article traces the development of public speaking from its more formal and declamatory roots in rhetoric and oratory to the more personal, conversational style used in the wake of the introduction of radio and television. The teaching of public speaking has also necessarily shifted over time in terms of where speaking skills have been taught (within formal educational systems or without), how accessible speaking training was and to whom, and how formalized the rules of correct performance have been. The article ends with a discussion of current trends in public speaking and whether there may be more space in public speaking pedagogy for the robust civic dialogue so strong in nineteenth century America.


The legal and scientific doctrine on government systems applied to tourism organizations lacks research. These systems, internationally designated as corporate governance, are important for analyzing the robustness and efficiency of organizations. The Portuguese legal system of Regional Tourism Entities, created by Law 33/2013 of 16 May is here studied in the light of the principles and standards of corporate governance. We conclude that the Law emphasizes constitutional bindings of technical rationality and administrative unit, but devalues the principles of decentralization, participatory democracy and financial autonomy, which may affect the viability of corporate governance in tourism organizations


Background: Post partum hemorrhage is one of the common causes in maternal morbidity and mortality and its outcome depends on accurate estimation of blood loss which needs acquiring skills. In this study, we decided to evaluate the effect of education on visual blood volume estimation by using simulation. Method: This prospective study was done in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences and 40 obstetrics and gynecology residents who had inclusion criteria and signed consent forms participated in it. The study was designed to include three stages; namely, pretest, education-based simulation, and post-test. At first, six stations were simulated, along with, Post partum hemorrhage in different volumes (500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3000 cc). Then, participants were requested to fill their personal details in forms and view different simulated stations and estimate correct blood volume as pre-test. In the following stage, the researcher educated participants about correct volume in each station. In the final stage, six stations with the same volumes were simulated and the post-test was performed like the pretest. After data collection, it was statistically analyzed by SPSS software (version 11.5) and Chi-Square and McNemar Tests. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Findings: Participants were 40 people of obstetrics and gynecology residents. The comparison between the results of preand posttests, illustrated that the accuracy visual estimation in different blood volumes (500, 1000,1500,2000,2500, and 3000cc) had significantly differed (P= 0.008, P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.001, P<0.021, P=0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Education via simulation had a significant effect on the accuracy of visual estimation of blood volume.


We have demonstrated the laser deposition of polymer micro- and nanoassemblies from a solution onto a glass substrate. The size and shape of the deposited dot-like assembly can be controlled by the laser power (P) and the concentration of the solution (C). For an example, a nanoassembly of a π-conjugated polymer, whose width and height are 280 and 23 nm, respectively, is deposited at the conditions of C=1.0×10-5 mg/ml and P=700 mW. This laser deposition can be attributed to the optical trapping and the surface deformation of the solution layer using a focused laser beam. It is also demonstrated that the molecular orientation in the assembly can be aligned in the direction of the laser polarization. The present laser deposition is applicable to the micropatterning of various polymers dissolved in an organic solvent.


The electromagnetic fields and dyadic Green's functions in a circular chirowaveguide with ideally conducting boundary are formulated. The calculated dispersion curves are depicted and the effects of chirality are shown as well. The first several hybrid modes including the dominant mode propagating in the circular chirowaveguide are plotted to compare with their counterparts in the circular isotropic waveguide. As the application of the dyadic Green's functions, numerical results of the modes excited by an infinitesimal dipole are presented.


The uptake of anthracycline derivatives into large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) in response to a driven force provided by DNA encapsulated inside the LUV has been investigated. Four anthracyclines have been used: adriamycin, 4'-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (THP-ADR), daunorubicin (DNR), and carminomycin. No quenching of the drug fluorescence is observed through interaction of the drugs with the lipidic bilayer. Rapid quenching of drug fluorescence occurs when drugs intercalate between the base pairs of DNA. The kinetics of the decay of anthracycline fluorescence in the presence of DNA-containing liposomes can thus be used to follow the diffusion of the drug through the membrane. The initial rates of uptake, as a function of pH, and lipid bilayer permeability coefficients have been calculated for the neutral forms of THP-ADR and DNR. This system suggests that anthracycline may gain access to cells by passive diffusion of the neutral form of the drug under the action of a driven force provided by DNA in the nucleus.


An unambiguous synthesis of 1-(2-diethylaminoethyl)-3,4-pentamethylenepyrazole (III) by acid cyclization of 2-(2-cycloheptanonyl)-1,3-dioxolane 2-diethylaminoethylhydrazone, and of N2-methyl and N2-(2-diethylaminoethyl)bornylenepyrazole (VIII) and (IX), by heating the hydrazones from 3-hydroxymethylene-2-bornanone and methylhydrazine or 2-diethylaminoethylhydrazine respectively, is described. (III) showed antiinflammatory activity and (VIII) an anticonvulsant action.


Distance education has gained significance recently. However, its application to robotics education presents challenges as physical access to hardware is typically required. While educational robotics simulation platforms exist, most are limited in scope or do not facilitate remote collaboration well. This paper proposes a novel networked robotics simulator for education, where students are able to collaborate in a shared 3D virtual space their robots inhabit. The framework combines these simulated worlds with a block-based programming environment to enable distance robotics education for a wider audience. The users' programs run in a web browser on their computers and they issue commands to the virtual robots through a network protocol abstracted to simple-to-use blocks. Robots send back acknowledgements and sensor values through the same protocol. Interactive environments provide students with a more immersive educational experience, and allow for automatically evaluating student performance. In addition to sharing the virtual worlds remotely, students can also develop their programs together since the block-based environment supports both synchronous and asynchronous remote collaboration. The paper presents two scenarios showing a robotics challenge and an extension of the concept to a smart city scenario controlling traffic lights. Reduced barriers to entry for both robotics education and curriculum creation will allow for a more diverse set of students and course materials.


Editor's Message Announcing Bench PressWe are delighted to announce that Circulation is now receiving manuscripts and reviews electronically. We had attempted to availour readers and supporters of an online system more than two years ago, but the existing systems were not sufficient to handlethe large volume of manuscripts that we were receiving and reviewing at Circulation. We are pleased that with the advancementof technology, we can now make available to our readership the ease of electronic submission of manuscripts via Bench Press.Manuscripts will be reviewed and decisions communicated to authors electronically as well. We believe that this represents a stepforward in expediting Circulation's workflow as we receive and review manuscripts and communicate with authors. We hope thatthe system will be widely used. Please let us know your suggestions for improving our efforts.James T. Willerson, MDEditor-in-Chief


19th International Conference of Hong Kong Society for Transportation Studies: Transportation and Infrastructure, HKSTS 2014, Hong Kong, 13-15 December 2014


: Work has three stages. In the first stage was examined pull-out process for steel fiber was embedded into a concrete by one end and was pulled out of concrete under the angle to pulling out force direction. Angle was varied. Length of steel fiber was 26 mm, diameter 0.5 mm. On the obtained force- displacement diagrams were observed jumps. For such mechanical behavior explanation, fiber channel in concrete surface microscopical experimental investigation, using microscope KEYENCE VHX2000, was performed. Surface of fiber channel in concrete matrix after pull-out test (fiber angle to pulling out force direction 70°). At the second stage were obtained diagrams for load- crack opening displacement for breaking homogeneously reinforced and layered fiber concrete prisms (with dimensions 10x10x40 cm) subjected to 4-point bending. After testing was analyzed main crack. On the main crack's both surfaces were recognized all pulled out fibers their locations, angles to crack surface and lengths of pull-out fibers parts. At the third stage elaborated prediction model for the fiberconcrete beam, failure under bending, using the following data: a) diagrams for fibers pulling out at different angles; b) experimental data about steel-straight fibers locations in the main crack.


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

Introduction & Objectives: For patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted therapy represents a promising first-line therapy after tumour nephrectomy. For patients who progress during first-line therapy, inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) represent an option for second-line therapy. Within the framework of the MARC-2 clinical trial, the aim of our study is the identification and validation of marker proteins associated with second-line therapy (Everolimus) response.

Material & Methods: We included blood plasma samples from 19 mRCC patients receiving Everolimus. Therapy response was defined as stable disease and partial remission. We analysed the samples by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) using CM10 and Q10 arrays. For the identification of potential marker proteins, 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and antibody array screening are on-going.

Results: We identified 20 mass peaks by SELDI-TOF MS with Q10 and 16 with CM10 chips for the discrimination between responders (defined as stable disease or partial remission after two month of therapy) and non-responders (defined as progressive disease after 2 month of therapy). With the Q10, but not with the CM10 chip, we obtained five peaks for the discrimination between both patient groups before the first drug application. These peaks could be useable to preselect patients for the second-line therapy with Everolimus. For therapy monitoring, we found seven mass peaks (four with Q10 and three with CM10 chips) after two weeks and 24 mass peaks (11 with Q10 and 13 with CM10 chips) after four weeks of therapy to differentiate between responders and non-responders. These mass peaks could be useful to estimate the therapy response for the patients.

Conclusion/Outlook: Our preliminary results argue for the presence of blood plasma proteins which potentially predict therapy response to Everolimus before as well as during therapy. The confirmation and identification of the SELDI-TOF MS outcomes by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF MS is on-going as well as the antibody array screening for angiogenesis related proteins.

Sponsored by: iOMEDICO AG

Citation Format: Sebastian Holters, Lothar Bergmann, Viktor Grunwald, Ulrich Keilholz, Carsten Ohlmann, Michael Staehler, Diana Schmerler, Kerstin Junker. Plasma proteins characterize second-line therapy response in progressive renal cell carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 901. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-901


Background: recently, a novel subgroups of adult-onset diabetic patients has been reported. Their work implied that type 2 diabetic patients can be classified into four groups. However, the utility of this classification method in Tibet populations and the clinical character of each cluster of Tibetan patients is unknown.
 Methods: this is a cross-sectional study, patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes was analyzed. Data was collected from hospital information system (HIS) , and homoeostasis model assessment 2 of β-cell function (HOMA2-B) and insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) was calculated using fasting glucose and fasting C-peptide by HOMA calculator. The age at onset of diabetes, Hba1c, BMI, HOMA2-B and HOMA2-IR was used for clustering. K-means cluster method was used with k value of 4. The stability of each cluster was assessed by resampling the dataset and computing Jaccard similarities. All statistical analysis was performed on R and fpc package.
 Result: A total of 581 patients was enrolled, the four clusters with similar clinical aspect is observed in Tibetan population and the average jaccard similarities is over 0.7. The same as Ji's result, the largest subgroup is mild age-related diabetes cluster (MARD) 255 out of 581 (44.3%) patients is classified into this cluster. And 147 (25.6%) patients is classified into mild obesity related diabetes (MOD) . The proportion of severe insulin- resistant related diabetes (SIRD) (1.4%) is lower and those of severe insulin-deficient related diabetes (SIDD) (28.7%) is higher compared to Ji's study. This result implies that there may be more severe insulin-deficient patients and less severe insulin-resistant patients in Tibet plateau.
 Discussion: in this study, we found out that the cluster method developed by Emma Ahlqvist is suitable for Tibetan population, compared to the rest Chinese population, there're more severe insulin-deficient patient, and less severe insulin-resistance patients.

 W.Suyuan: None. C.Zhang: None.


This paper reviews Participatory Action Research as a methodology. It maps the origins of Participatory Action Research (PAR) and discusses the benefits and challenges that have been identified by other researchers in utilizing PAR approaches in conducting research. A Review of the Literature on the Benefits and Drawbacks of Participatory Action Research


"Culturally, socially, and politically, the Philippines and Thailand are completely different, but in the economic sphere until the end of the 1970s, the two exhibited such similarity that they could have been called twins. During the 1980s, however, the difference in the economic progress of the two countries widened greatly.... Relying on field surveys, this study will try to further clarify the differences in the social structures of the two countries through an analysis of the effects that urbanization has had on the urban informal labor market. Essentially it seeks to comprehend the urban labor market by approaching from another angle Hara's argument that the labor market in the Philippines is extremely segmented while that in Thailand is one of free movement between sectors with educational attainment effectively acting as a signal of labor quality."


OBJECTIVE--To assess the frequency of early remodelling of coronary stenosis morphology after thrombolytic treatment in patients with acute myocardial infarction. DESIGN--Coronary angiograms were analysed by a computerised edge detection analysis system. Coronary stenosis severity was measured and morphology classified as smooth or complex. PATIENTS--Coronary arteriograms were obtained approximately 90 min and 24 h after thrombolytic treatment from 40 patients with acute myocardial infarction. MAIN RESULTS--Stenosis morphology was complex in 22 patients (65%) and smooth in 11 (32%) 90 min after thrombolysis. The morphology of 11 (50%) complex coronary stenoses and three (27%) smooth stenoses had changed at 24 h (P < 0.05). The transition from complex to smooth was associated with a reduction in stenosis severity from 65 (4)% to 51 (5)% (P < 0.05). The stenosis severity was 63 (4)% and 60 (5)% in those with persistently complex morphology, and 56 (7)% and 50 (5)% in those with persistently smooth morphology at 90 min and 24 h respectively (NS). CONCLUSIONS--Transition of morphology from complex to smooth within 24 h is common. This transition is associated with a reduction in stenosis severity of a degree greater than that found in persistently smooth stenoses over the same interval. 50% of stenoses are smooth at 24 h.


The aim of this study is to investigate experimentally the microstructural properties and welding strengths of the friction welded joints using austenitic stainless steel (AISI 304) base metal. The experiments were carried out using a beforehand designed and constructed experimental friction welding set-up. Firstly, the welding experiments were under different friction pressure (1,38-4,14 MPa) and upsetting pressure (6,90-8,27 MPa). Later, the strengths of the joints were examined by tension test and the results were compared with those of the base metals. Microstructures in the interfaces of the joints were also obtained and examined. The results show that porosities were observed in bondline zone for all specimens. As the friction pressure increased, the fully plastically deformed zone becomes increased.  Tensile test results indicated that, generally the joint strength is increased with an increase of the friction pressure and the upsetting pressure. The friction welded joint strenght were found to be lower than that of the base metal. The detailed fractographic observation confirmed that the brittle rupture occurred at the joint zone.


INTRODUCTION
Surgical manipulation of the lower lateral cartilages of nasal tip could cause subtle but significant responses to the manipulation. The suture-techniques almost always offer a reliable and dramatic method of tip reshaping without a need to break or interrupt the alar rim strip or even adding tip graft.

AIM
The aim of this study was to describe and assess outcomes of a new suture technique in rhinoplasty by using cephalic dome septal rotation suture for better tip definition.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
All consecutive women (62 women) who attended our centre with nasal tip drooping and some degree of columellar retraction, underwent this technique from January 2005 to September 2009. Their ages ranged from 17 to 32 years old. Fifty one primary open and 11 secondary open rhinoplasties were performed using the conventional techniques and then the new suture technique was applied before closing the incisions on each patient.

RESULTS
The patients were followed-up from 22 to 72 months (mean = 52.3). The projection and rotation was satisfactory in all patients and the final results persisted with only minimal changes over time.

CONCLUSION
It is important to say that this new suture is different from 'tip rotation suture' that was described by Tebbets. Our suture maintains the favorite tip definition with slight dorsal tip inclination. Indeed, it causes a two-point definition as the columellar lobular angle and the supra tip break definition. In addition, long-term follow-up has shown that this new suture (i.e., cephalic dome-septal rotation suture) is able to maintain optimal position of the nasal tip projection and definition.


A long-standing proposition is that by emulating the operation of the brain's neocortex, a spiking neural network (SNN) can achieve similar desirable features: flexible learning, speed, and efficiency. Temporal neural networks (TNNs) are SNNs that communicate and process information encoded as relative spike times (in contrast to spike rates). A TNN architecture is proposed, and, as a proof-of-concept, TNN operation is demonstrated within the larger context of online supervised classification. First, through unsupervised learning, a TNN partitions input patterns into clusters based on similarity. The TNN then passes a cluster identifier to a simple online supervised decoder which finishes the classification task. The TNN learning process adjusts synaptic weights by using only signals local to each synapse, and clustering behavior emerges globally. The system architecture is described at an abstraction level analogous to the gate and register transfer levels in conventional digital design. Besides features of the overall architecture, several TNN components are new to this work. Although not addressed directly, the overall research objective is a direct hardware implementation of TNNs. Consequently, all the architecture elements are simple, and processing is done at very low precision. Importantly, low precision leads to very fast learning times. Simulation results using the time-honored MNIST dataset demonstrate learning times at least an order of magnitude faster than other online approaches while providing similar error rates.


Natural products are a vast source of potential compounds that can be developed as an anti-obesity agent. One of the mechanisms of anti-obesity agents is inhibition of pancreatic lipase. Orlistat is the only commercial pancreatic lipase inhibitor with FDA approval, but it is derived synthetically and has side effects. Hence, there is a need to find for alternative from natural resources. It is postulated that lipase inhibitor from local plants could change pancreatic lipase structure conformation and impair it function. Therefore, this study aims to screen selected plants for pancreatic lipase-inhibitory activity, to identify the lipase-inhibitory compound and to analyse the lipase-inhibitor complex interaction. Screening of 24 crude extracts for their in vitro activity against porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) detected four extracts demonstrating high (>70%) inhibition, while seven extracts had medium (30-70%) inhibition and the remaining 13 extracts exhibited low (<30%) inhibition when incubated with PPL at a final concentration of 500 μg/ml for 10 min at 37°C. P. niruri extract displayed the most potent PPL inhibitor, followed by O. stamineus, M. paniculata and A. bilimbi with the IC50 value of 27.7<34.7<41.5<55.2 μg/ml,respectively. The best two extracts, namely P. niruri and O. stamineus, showed
 noncompetitive and uncompetitive inhibition,respectively. P. niruri and O.stamineus showed total phenolic content of 431.0 ± 0.01 and 103.0 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g dry extract, while total flavonoid content of 14.8 ± 0.07 and 21.6 ± 0.03mg QE/g dry extract, respectively. Both P. niruri and O. stamineus extracts showed high antioxidant activity, with EC50 values of 8.4 and 26.3 μg/ml,respectively. Isolation of lipase-inhibitory compound from P. niruri and O.stamineus was performed via chromatographic approaches. However, the isolation process later came to focus on O. stamineus active fractions due to difficulty separating the P. niruri active fraction. A combined fraction of MK38 and MK39 from O. stamineus extract demonstrated the highest inhibitory activity with 50% PPL inhibition. Fractionation of combined fraction MK38 and MK39 by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) yielded an active compound designated as sub-fraction P5 with 45% PPL inhibition. Sub-fraction P5 was authenticated as rosmarinic acid by spectroscopic analyses, namely liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (MS-MS),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Rosmarinic acid inhibited PPL in a non-competitive manner with an IC50 value of 19.5 μg/ml. Circular dichroism analysis showed a conformational change of the PPL secondary structure upon binding of rosmarinic acid towards PPL. However, no diffraction data were acquired from X-ray crystallography technique. Molecular docking predicted the potential binding site of rosmarinic acid was positioned far from the active site, whereas a molecular dynamic simulation projected that the flexibility of PPL structure would be affected upon binding of rosmarinic acid towards PPL. Hence, the In silico results were in agreement with the inhibition mode analysis. These results have suggested that rosmarinic acid from O. stamineus may play a complimentary role in obesity treatment, acting as a non-competitive pancreatic
 lipase inhibitor.


A structural gene which codes for an extracellular protease in Aeromonas hydrophilia SO2/2 and D13 was cloned in Escherichia coli C600-1 by using pBR322 as a vector. The gene codes for a temperature-stable protease with a molecular mass of approximately 38,000 daltons. The protein was secreted to the periplasm of E. coli C600-1 and purified by osmotic shock. Cloned protease (P3) was identical in molecular mass and properties to the one purified from A. hydrophila SO2/2 culture supernatant as an extracellular product.


In all applications of the gigahertz transverse electromagnetic (GTEM) cell, there is an interplay between the equipment under test (EUT) and the cell reflecting metal walls, as represented by images of the EUT. Moreover, owing to the multiple reflections within the cell and to its tapering structure, the phenomenon of illumination and reillumination of the EUT can hardly be avoided. These problems, known as reactive effects of the cell, are investigated in this paper. A simple new approach for an efficient investigation of the interactions between the EUT and the cell is provided. Closed-form expressions for the reflection coefficient, the relative deviation in field, and the relative error in the induced current caused by the reactive effect of the cell are derived. Each of these expressions encompasses both the mutual influence of the EUT's radar cross section (RCS) and the reactive effects of the cell. It is shown that depending on the frequency-dependent phase factor ejpsi, strong and weak test conditions may occur since the overall incident field will exhibit maxima and minima. Hence, evidence showing that the total incident field impinging on the EUT generally deviates from the primary excited TEM field is provided. Moreover, the relative deviation in the field and the relative error in the induced current are quantified. Finally, the frequency dependence of the well-known one-third-rule of thumb is demonstrated.


Hardware security techniques are validated using fixed in-house methods. However, the effectiveness of such techniques in the field cannot be the same as the attacks are dynamic. A red team blue team approach mimics dynamic attack scenarios and thus can be used to validate such techniques by determining the effectiveness of a defense and identifying vulnerabilities in it. By following a red team blue team approach, we validated two trojan detection techniques namely, path delay measurement and ring oscillator frequency monitoring, in the Embedded Systems Challenge (ESC) 2010. In ESC, one team performed the blue team activities and eight other teams performed red team activities. The path delay measurement technique detected all the trojans. The ESC exposed a vulnerability in the RO-based technique which was exploited by the red teams causing some trojans to be undetected. Post ESC, we developed a technique to fix this vulnerability.


The United States is, not are. The Civil War was fought over a verb. (Carl Sandburg cited in Walker-Read, 1974: 12) The article aims to find out whether verbal concord with collective nouns (e.g. committee) in British English is indeed governed by the commonly accepted principle that a focus on the individuals that belong to the group results in the use of a plural verb, whereas a focus on the group as a unit leads to the use of a singular verb. This is a quantitative study: data extracted from the British English sections of the Collins Cobuild corpus have been subjected to statistical tests. The investigation reveals that, with a few exceptions, the preference for a singular verb of the so-called 'verb-number-variable' collectives (i.e. collective nouns that occur with both singular and plural verbs) is significant, which suggests that semantic and pragmatic factors do not play the crucial role they are commonly thought to play in the verb number assignment process. The article also includes taxonomic observations: in the first part, in which collectives are defined, a survey is given of their semantic and morphosyntactic characteristics.


The use of appropriate features to represent an output class or object is critical for all classification problems. In this letter, we propose a biologically inspired object descriptor to represent the spectral-texture patterns of images or objects. The proposed feature descriptor is generated from the pulse spectral frequencies (PSFs) of a pulse-coupled neural network, which is invariant to rotation, translation, and small scale changes. The proposed method is first evaluated in a rotation- and scale-invariant texture classification using the University of Southern California Signal and Image Processing Institute texture database. It is further evaluated in an application of vegetation species classification in power-line corridor monitoring using airborne multispectral aerial imagery. The results from the two experiments demonstrate that the PSF feature is effective in representing the spectral-texture patterns of objects, and it shows better results than classic color histogram and texture features.


Representative negotiation affords a unique opportunity to regulate intergroup competition and conflict. Although past research has identified factors that shape representative negotiations, little is known about how such interpersonal representative negotiations influence broader intergroup relations. Here we investigate how the representative negotiation process can affect intergroup relations, irrespective of negotiation outcomes. In Experiment 1, competitive (as opposed to cooperative or neutral) communication by the outgroup representative decreased satisfaction with the outcome and increased outgroup derogation. In Experiment 2, the timing of the competitive behavior of the outgroup representative was shown to affect ensuing intergroup relations, such that early rather than late competition led to higher outcome satisfaction because of reduced outcome expectations, but also decreased trust in and perceived closeness of the outgroup. Together, these findings show that competitive behavior, especially early rather than late in the representative negotiation process increases outcome satisfaction, but hurts intergroup relations, regardless of the actual negotiation outcome.


Over the last decade, members of the public have complained of "high-pitched" sounds in public places causing adverse effects (e.g., headaches). Their reports were dismissed by colleagues, family, and friends, who could hear nothing, and by health care professionals and experts for a range of reasons, including assertions that airborne ultrasound could not affect humans because it mostly reflects off the skin and because the ultrasonic intensities in air are low. Those complaining were told that even if such sounds existed, the sounds could not be ultrasonic because "humans cannot hear above 20 kHz." Faced with universal dismissals, in 2015, the concerned individuals consulted one of the authors, Professor Leighton. He published evidence that such tones existed (Leighton, 2016a), provided methods for the public to detect them (Leighton, 2016a,b), identified a range of commercially available sources and others in development, outlined why the regulatory framework needed revisiting (Leighton, 2016a), and cast doubt on assertions that these high-frequency sources cannot cause adverse effects (Leighton 2017). Fletcher et al. (2018a,b) conducted human trials and interest grew around the world, including in a special issue in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (Leighton, 2018). International interest in this topic further increased with claims of ultrasonic attacks on the Cuban embassy (Leighton, 2018). A scheme by which the public can distinguish such tones from, say, tinnitus was provided, as illustrated in the following case study.


Abstract Objective: Considerable evidence indicates that medical conditions prevalent among older individuals lead to impairments in visual, cognitive, or psychomotor functions needed to drive safely. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors determining driving difficulties as seen from the viewpoint of 30 older drivers with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 30 age-matched controls without cognitive impairment. Methods: Perceptions of driving difficulties from both groups were examined using data from an extensive questionnaire. Samples of drivers diagnosed with MCI and age-matched controls were asked to report the frequency with which they experienced driving difficulties due to functional deficits and knowledge of new traffic rules and traffic signs. Results: The analysis revealed that 2 factors underlie MCI perceptions of driving difficulties, representing (1) difficulties associated with late detection combined with slowed response to relevant targets in the peripheral field of view and (2) difficulties associated with divided attention between tasks requiring switching from automatic to conscious processing particularly of long duration. The analysis for healthy controls revealed 3 factors representing (1) difficulties in estimating speed and distance of approaching vehicles in complex (attention-dividing) high-information-load conditions; (2) difficulties in moving head, neck, and feet; and (3) difficulties in switching from automatic responses to needing to use cognitive processing in new or unexpected situations. Conclusions: Though both group analyses show difficulties with switching from automatic to decision making, the difficulties are different. For the control group, the difficulty in switching involves switching in new or unexpected situations associated with high-information-load conditions, whereas this switching difficulty for the MCI group is associated with divided attention between easier tasks requiring switching. These findings underline the ability of older drivers (with MCI and without cognitive impairment) to indicate probable impairments in various driving skills. The patterns of difficulties perceived by the MCI group and the age-matched healthy control group are indicative of demanding driving situations that may merit special attention for road designers and road safety engineers. They may also be considered in the design of older drivers' fitness to drive evaluations, training programs, and/or vehicle technologies that provide for older driver assistance.


The use of computer and information technology is on escalation. There is little contemporary literature outlining the knowledge, views and attitudes of dental students regarding the use of the internet in dentistry especially in our country, India. Hence, it was decided to conduct a pilot questionnaire study regarding the internet and its use in dentistry among dental undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students. A prospective, cross-sectional, self-designed questionnaire with questions on various aspects of usage of the internet by the dental students was circulated among the UG and PG students at two dental institutes of Belgaum, Karnataka, India: KLE VK Institute of Dental Sciences (KLE VKIDS) and Maratha Mandal's NGH Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre (MMDC). Completed questionnaires were received from 284 out of 335 UG students and 112 out of 196 PG students, with a response rate of 84.8% and 57.14%, respectively. 82.04% of UG and 87.5% of PG students had personal laptops with access to the internet, indicating easy accessibility to technology. E-mail/surfing was the most common purpose of the internet usage among all the students. tient relationship. Our study highlights that the internet technology is regularly used for entertainment than for academic purposes. Hence each graduating dentist should not only have a thorough knowledge of the internet but should also be trained for literature search and this can only be accomplished by proper and compulsory training of these students for various applications of the internet in dentistry as practicing evidence-based health care might come in huge way tomorrow.


Donor additives greatly enhance the rates of initiation of free-radical polymerization by transition metal acetylacetonates. Increases by factors exceeding 103 have been observed, and some systems containing these components are effective initiators at room temperatures. A kinetic study has been made of the polymerization of several monomers initiated by Mn(acac)3 + Me2SO and Mn(acac)3 + H2NCHMeCH2NH2. In the presence of the additives initiation by Mn(acac)3 becomes monomer-selective, occurring most rapidly with monomers carrying electron-attracting groups. Radiochemical investigations show that each propagating chain carries one acetylacetonate residue, but that fragments derived from the additives are incorporated in the polymer only to a minor extent. Kinetic and spectral observations are consistent with initial complex-formation between the chelate and the additive, followed by reaction of the complex by two possible routes: (i) a non-selective decomposition into an MnII -derivative and an acetylacetonyl radical, and (ii) a selective anionic monomer addition (or monomer insertion) with subsequent (or simultaneous) internal electron-transfer. Equilibrium and rate constants at 25 °C have been evaluated.


Little is known about the ecology of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) inhabiting the coastal waters of tropical north-western Australia. We used photo-identification data collected between 2013 and 2015, site fidelity indexes and capture-recapture models to estimate the abundance and site fidelity patterns of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (T. aduncus) inhabiting the coastal waters off the North West Cape (NWC), Western Australia. A standardized site fidelity index (SSFI) indicated low site fidelity (SSFI = 0.019) at the population level to the 130 km2 study area. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) of individual re-sight rates classified 58% of individuals as "non-residents." Open POPAN modeling estimated a super-population size of 311 (95% CI: 249–373) individuals over the study period. A maximum likelihood transient model which considers both resident and non-resident individuals in a population, estimated a resident population of 141 (95% CI: 121–161) individuals and a super-population of 370 (95% CI: 333–407) individuals. These models indicate that a large population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins of relatively high density (an average of 2.4–2.8 bottlenose dolphins per km2) inhabits the waters off the NWC. The large number of both resident and non-resident bottlenose dolphins found throughout the coastal waters off the NWC suggest this area, as well as neighboring waters outside our study area, are of high importance to this species.


Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL

The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is the most frequently mutated pathway in breast cancer. Signaling through the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) strongly activates PI3K. Six YXXM PI3K binding motifs in ErbB3 make this RTK a strong upstream activator of PI3K. Mutations in PIK3CA, the gene encoding the p110α catalytic subunit of PI3K, are associated with increased PI3K activity, enhanced transformation, and drug resistance. We hypothesized that upstream receptors, such as ErbB3, are still required to localize PI3K to the plasma membrane and maximally drive tumor formation induced by mutant PI3K. To test this hypothesis, we generated a doxycycline (Dox)-inducible system in triple transgenic mice (MMTV-rtTA, Tet-Op-HA-PIK3CAH1047R-IRES-Luc and Tet-Op-Cre) which are homozygous or heterozygous for floxed ErbB3 alleles. In this model, referred to as iPI3K.iCre.ErbB3FL/FL, Dox induces the expression of PIK3CAH1047R and Cre recombinase. This results in Cre-mediated deletion of floxed ErbB3 alleles in mammary cells expressing PIK3CAH1047R. Loss of ErbB3 delayed mammary hyperplasias induced by PIK3CAH1047R in 12-week old animals. The mean mammary tumor latency of iPI3K.iCre.ErbB3FL/+ animals was 398 days compared to 419 days in iPI3K.iCre.ErbB3FL/FL animals (p=0.93). Both ErbB3FL/Fl and ErbB3+ tumors showed mixed pathologies of solid, papillary or cribiform adenocarcinomas (with and without squamous metaplasia). The heterogeneity of PI3K mutant tumors was also shown by the mixed expression of cytokeratin 8-positive (luminal-like) and cytokeratin 5-positive (basal-like) epithelial cells, which was not altered by loss of ErbB3. Microarray analysis of tumors revealed similar gene expression patterns in tumors with or without ErbB3. Immunoblot analysis of tumor lysates confirmed the absence of ErbB3 protein in iPI3K.iCre.ErbB3FL/FL tumors. However, downstream effectors of PI3K such as Akt, PDK1, SGK1, GSK3, 4EBP1 and S6 were similarly phosphorylated in tumors with and without ErbB3 expression. RTKs other than ErbB3, such as ErbB2, PDGFR, EGFR and MSPR, were phosphorylated in both tumor types. In ErbB3+ tumors, P-ErbB3 associated with p85, the regulatory subunit of PI3K, and coprecipitated with p85 antibodies. In ErbB3-deficient tumors and in breast cancer cell lines where ErbB3 was knocked down with RNAi, several P-Tyr proteins remained bound to p85, including the adaptor molecules IRS-1 and Gab2. We speculate these molecules circumvent a potential requirement for ErbB3 in cancers induced and driven by mutant PIK3CA. However, ErbB3 is required for the early mouse mammary hyperplasias induced by mutant PI3K.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-103. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-103


In recent times, the use of herbal products has increased tremendously in the western world as well as in developed countries. Lately, one of the outstandingly important medicinal plants, widely used therapeutically in the orient and becoming increasingly popular in the west is Bacopa monniera, a well-known nootropic. The present review summarizes our current knowledge of pharmacological actions, preclinical and clinical studies, major bioactives, reported mechanisms of actions, clinical efficacy, safety and the possibility of interactions of the herb with the conventional drugs. Simultaneously, research updates as well as avenues for further research are also mentioned concerning the plant. Key words: Bacopa monniera, neurotonics, clinical studies, herb-drug interactions, preclinical studies


Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is one of the most widely employed remote sensing modalities for large-scale monitoring of maritime activity. Ship detection in SAR images is a challenging task due to inherent speckle, discernible sea clutter, and the little exploitable shape information the targets present. Constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detectors, utilizing various sea clutter statistical models and thresholding schemes, are near ubiquitous in the literature. Very few of the proposed CFAR variants deviate from the classical CFAR topology; this letter proposes a modified topology, utilizing superpixels (SPs) in lieu of rectangular sliding windows to define CFAR guardbands and background. The aim is to achieve better target exclusion from the background band and reduced false detections. The performance of this modified SP-CFAR algorithm is demonstrated on TerraSAR-X and SENTINEL-1 images, achieving superior results in comparison to classical CFAR for various background distributions.


Compiler compilers are in widespread use, but decompiler compilers are a more novel concept. This paper sets out a technique for the decompilation of object code back to source code, and describes a working decompiler generator. Existing and potential applications include reverse engineering, quality assessment, debugging and safety-critical code validation or veri cation.


Multisource web news portals provide various advantages such as richness in news content and an opportunity to follow developments from different perspectives. However, in such environments, news variety and quantity can have an overwhelming effect. New-event detection and topic-tracking studies address this problem. They examine news streams and organize stories according to their events; however, several tracking stories of an event/topic may contain no new information (i.e., no novelty). We study the novelty detection (ND) problem on the tracking news of a particular topic. For this purpose, we build a Turkish ND test collection called BilNov-2005 and propose the usage of three ND methods: a cosine-similarity (CS)-based method, a language-model (LM)-based method, and a cover-coefficient (CC)-based method. For the LM-based ND method, we show that a simpler smoothing approach, Dirichlet smoothing, can have similar performance to a more complex smoothing approach, Shrinkage smoothing. We introduce a baseline that shows the performance of a system with random novelty decisions. In addition, a category-based threshold learning method is used for the first time in ND literature. The experimental results show that the LM-based ND method significantly outperforms the CS- and CC-based methods, and category-based threshold learning achieves promising results when compared to general threshold learning.


Contingent liabilities create management problems for governments. They have a cost, but judging what the cost is and whether it is worth incurring is difficult. Except in the case of contingent liabilities created by simple guarantees of debt, governments usually can incur contingent liabilities without budgetary approval or recognition in the government's accounts. So governments may prefer contingent liabilities to other obligations. (The uncertainty surrounding contingent liabilities can work differently. It is well known that PPPs create contingent liabilities, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and others often warn of the risks. The initial reaction of a cautious Ministry of Finance may be to seek to avoid all contingent liabilities.) Management problems also arise once a government has incurred a contingent liability. Projects need to be monitored to reduce risks if possible. Spending on contingent liabilities must sometimes be forecast, despite the difficulty.


Introduction The placenta, or afterbirth, plays a vital role in supplying nutrients and oxygen via the umbilical cord. Western medicine sees the placenta as a medical waste and discards it after delivery. Meanwhile, indigenous groups observe rituals or ceremonies prior to their disposal since it bears sacred importance. Aim The aim of the literature review is to review the current literature on indigenous methods of disposing placenta. Methods Through the EBSCOhost search engine, the authors had access to the following databases: CINAHL; MEDLINE; E-Journals; Health Sources: Nursing/Academic Edition; Scopus; and African Journals Online. A manual search of the grey literature through Google Scholar and Google Search engines, as well as citation searching using reference lists, was also used. The following keyword searches came up: placental disposal, placental waste, placental release, indigenous placental disposal, traditional placental disposal, cultural placenta, and placental rituals. The authors followed the inclusion criteria of qualitative, quantitative, or mixed research articles or reports from experts and different organisations published between 2013 and 2022 in English. Findings. The following three themes with subthemes emerged in the context of this review paper: (1) placental consumption (increases milk production, prevents postpartum depression, and prevents postpartum bleeding); (2) placental burial (burial site determines the child's fate, protection of the child, and fertility); and 3). artifacts (memorabilia). Conclusion Indigenous placental disposal methods have a significant value to Indigenous women globally. The rituals performed have a special meaning attached to them. It is important for Western medicine to respect and support indigenous placental disposal methods and ensure safe handling from the healthcare facilities to their homes.


This study focuses on the inter-seasonal distribution and variability of thirteen native PAHs adsorbed onto respirable PM2.5 fraction collected in a coastal-urban region of northern Poland, in 2019. The backward trajectory analysis and several diagnostic ratios were applied to determine seasonal profiles of PAH congeners and their major sources in airborne samples. The annual cumulative mean value of total PAHs in PM2.5 was 6.92 ± 10.1 ng m-3, varying in the following range: 0.32 ng m-3 (May) - 68.57 ng m-3 (January). Seasonal mass concentrations of total particulate PAHs were ranked as follows: summer (1.27 ng m-3) < spring (4.83 ng m-3) < autumn (6.16 ng m-3) < winter (18.5 ng m-3). Clear seasonal differences in PAH concentrations can be explained by direct impact of local and regional urban/industrial activities, with priority winter contribution of coal combustion in residential and commercial sectors. In addition, for summer measurements the diagnostic ratios indicated that high molecular weight PAHs were mainly derived from vehicle emission and petrochemical industry, while relatively low mass contribution of 4-ring congeners to the total sum of PAHs was attributed to photochemical processing. The analysis of meteorological parameters (temperature, relative humidity) and gaseous precursors (SO2, NO2, NOx, O3 and CO) exhibits their statistically significant correlations with PAHs, indicating local/regional primary emission. The incremental lifetime cancer risk was 1.23 × 10-5, suggesting potential toxicity and carcinogenicity for adult females and males. This study highlights the importance of the implementation of health risk assessment model in urbanized coastal zones.


Abstract The development of polymeric materials offers new perspectives of science and technology due to their outstanding properties. These properties are obtained either due to the effect of dispersion polymers and their polymerization either due to their intervention in structure formation. They were prepared epoxy resin polymer concrete, Portland cement, coarse and fine aggregate and to evaluate the influence of resin dosage on microstructures and density of such structures reinforced concrete mixtures. The paper detailing the raw materials used in experimental works and structural properties of concrete studied.


Summary

Antioxidant capacities of energy drinks (ED) and energy gels (EG) were evaluated by means of Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC), Ferric-ion Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. Values obtained by the four methods linearly correlated and a ranking scale of their antioxidant contributes was drawn. The ORAC values per serving of ED and EG ranged between 100–7610 and 26–404 μmol Trolox Equivalents (TE), respectively, and correlated linearly with the total phenols (TP). TP and ORAC values of ED and EG were compared with a number of coffee, tea and sport drinks (SDR) samples. In coffees and teas, ORAC values ranged from 603 to 2954 and from 594 to 2587 μmol TE per serving, respectively. In SDR, ORAC values ranged between 420 and 1445 μmol TE per serving. The ORAC/TP and ORAC/Kcal ratios were also used to compare antioxidant capacities of the beverages and an optimal range for these ratios was discussed and proposed. Overall, our results supply new information to producers for a better formulation of antioxidant mixtures in ED and EG and also suggest advice to consumers concerning the choice of energy beverages.


Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation and pain in joints and, hence, may lead to posture and movement modifications and muscular imbalance with reduced range of motion in the affected joints. In order to support diagnosis and selection of adequate therapy, certain features of the gait of patients are recorded, based on several markers attached to their legs. In our work, we attempt a model-based solution to the diagnostic interpretation of the recorded gait parameters. The model is a compositional one, with bones, joints, muscles, and the "control" of the muscles (the central nervous system) as the building blocks, and captures deviations of parameters from the nominal range. We present a first version of the model library under certain simplifications and restrictions, esp. the limitation to 2d.


Parenting interventions are effective for preventing psychological difficulties in children. However, their active ingredients have not been comprehensively explored. How do they work? What are the mechanisms operating behind changes? In 2012, a randomized controlled trial of a parenting intervention was conducted in low-resource communities of Panama. Effects on child behavioral difficulties, parental stress, and parenting practices were large in the short and long term. This was an ideal opportunity to explore potential mechanisms operating behind effects found in this low-resource setting. Twenty-five parents were interviewed. Data were analyzed through an inductive semantic thematic analysis. Three themes emerged from the data: (a) psychological mechanisms behind changes, (b) behavioral changes in parent, and (c) changes in the children. Parents described that the intervention triggered changes in emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and problem solving. Parents also reported behavioral changes such as praising their children more often, who in turn seemed more responsible and better at following instructions. The study offers participant-driven insight into potential pathways of change after participation in this parenting intervention, pathways that are often overlooked in quantitative studies. Future studies should further explore these pathways, through mediator and moderator analyses, and determine how much is shared across interventions and across different cultural settings.


Plastic-coated paper is shown to possess reflectivity characteristics quite similar to those of the surface of water. This correspondence has been used with a conversion factor to model a sea surface by means of plastic-coated paper. Such a paper model is then suitably illuminated and photographed, yielding physically simulated daylight imagery of the sea surface under controlled conditions. A simple example of sinusoidal surface simulation is described. >


With the release of the new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), pavement design has taken a "quantum" leap forward. The current 1993 design guide is solidly based on the empirical interpretation of the results of the 1960 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Road Test. This report seeks to outline the technical aspects of the new MEPDG. Full detail is essentially impossible and impractical, since the release of the MEPDG was accompanied by eighteen volumes of technical justification and background. Consequently, this report seeks only to provide a potential user with a practical understanding of the workings of the new guide, with only sufficient technical depth to aid in understanding.


The late Stephen Jay Kline (1922–1997) was a distinguished American engineer, who made a number of signiŽ cant contributions in the Ž eld of  uid dynamics. He was a member of the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University for 40 years, initially working on design methods for internal  ow devices (particularly unravellingthe characteristic regime map for diffusers [1]) and taking a structure-based view of wall turbulence in boundary layers (represented, for example, by a classic paper in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics on what are now often described as coherent structures [2]). Experimental, methods and scaling arguments were at the heart of Kline's insight into  ow behaviour. This led him to produce a wonderful Ž lm on  ow visualization [3] for the US National Committee for Fluid Dynamic Films that this reviewer made good use of in teaching post-graduate and post-experience students at CranŽ eld in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. He also wrote a book on dimensional analysis [4], extending the work of the Nobel-Prize-winning physicist P. W. Bridgman, which appeared in two editions. Even as a post-graduate student at MIT, Kline co-authored a now standard work on estimating uncertainty in single-sample experiments [5], which became the basis for data uncertainty analysis that is required for papers published by the ASME Journal of Fluids Engineering. However, Kline saw the need for an interaction between computations and experiments in the modern age, and this led him to organize (with the help of an international team) two 'Turbulence Olympics' at Stanford that pitched calculation methods against reliable measurements, Ž rst for boundary layers in the late 1960s [6] and then for more complex  ows at the beginning of the 1980s [7]. These major contributions, highlighted out of material reported in a lifetime output of over 150 technical papers and books, led to scientiŽ c prizes being awarded in six countries and to Stephen Kline's election to the US National Academy of Engineering in 1981. Many academic engineers would be more than happy with a technical record such as that indicated above. However, Stephen Kline had other 'strings to his bow'. He was concerned that science and technology should be studied within their wider social context. This led to discussions with three colleagues from other disciplines that resulted, in the early 1970s, in the creation of the Stanford Programme on Values, Technology and Society (subsequently renamed Science, Technology and Society). Kline's own contribution to this multidisciplinary discourse was distilled in his book Conceptual Foundations of Multidisciplinary Thinking [8], published after his formal retirement, and designated as CFMT in what follows. The ideas embraced there also permeate his last work on the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which is the primary subject of this review: The Low-Down on Entropy and Interpretive Thermodynamics (hereafter denoted as LEIT). The text of this book was completed before Kline's death in October 1997 (indeed an earlier, internal Stanford report covering much the same material is dated January 1997), although it was eventually publishedposthumouslywith the generous assistance of his colleagues, friends, and family members. It draws on ideas that he developed while collaborating with the biologist Dr. Peter A. Corning (of the Institute for the Study of Complex Systems, Palo Alto, CA) on the misapplication of thermodynamic ideas in biology and informatics [9, 10]. Stephen Kline's interest in thermodynamics is less well known than were his contributions in  uid dynamics, but he seems to have 'topped and tailed' his academic life with pieces in this area. His early in uences in the Ž eld were his mentors at MIT: Joseph H. Keenan and Ascher H. Shapiro (his doctoral thesis supervisor). Indeed Kline is said to have greatly in uenced the rigorous teaching of the subject during his early tenure of his post at Stanford. He advocated the control mass and control volume approaches developed by these mentors, while he collaborated on research into the thermodynamic 'state principle' with a colleague in the Ž eld of Chemistry, Professor F. O. Koenig [11]. The present work builds on the foundations laid by Keenan in his Ž rst book [12] and related papers largely from the period 1930–1950 (particularly one on what Keenan termed 'availability' and 'irreversibility' [13]). These in turn derive from the ideas of the 19th-century American engineer and physical chemist J. Willard Gibbs, who Ž rst set down an expression for 'available energy' (what is now more often called 'exergy' [14–19], following Rant [20]). A touching feature of this book is the way that Kline strives to defend the reputation of Keenan's early work [12, 13], which he regards as having been subverted into an attempt to reconcile thermodynamics with quantum theory by later collaborators at MIT. He need not perhaps have been so concerned, as the Gibbs–Keenan development of availability and related ideas are now clearly recognized as a 'pillar' of exergy analysis by many of those in what is now a thriving community of scholars on both sides of the Atlantic [15, 17–19]. The author describes the simple relationship between exergy losses (irreversibilities) and entropy generation as 'Keenan's equation'. It is rather 337


Road safety is an issue of global importance, receiving both national and international attention. According to the World Health Organization, road traffic injuries are extrapolated to become the fifth leading cause of death in the world by 2030. Studies conducted to gain better insight into how countries can improve their road safety performance levels often use one single variable – the number of fatalities per million inhabitants – and focus predominantly on European countries. This thesis looks to develop and analyze models incorporating a wider range of countries as well as a wider range of road safety performance indicators using data envelopment analysis and accident prediction models. The first method, initially calculate the efficiency scores using three input variables (percentage of seatbelt use in front seat, road density, and total health expenditure as percentage of GDP) and two output variables (number of fatalities per million inhabitants and fatalities per million passenger cars). It was found that the addition of the percentage of seatbelt use in rear seats (fourth input variable) and the percentage of roads paved (fifth input variable) improved the efficiency scores and rankings. Overall, the percentage of seat belt use in front seats and the total health expenditure variables had the greatest importance. The second method developed three accident prediction models using the generalized linear modeling approach with the negative binomial error structure. The elasticity analysis revealed that, for Model 1 and Model 2, the health expenditure variable had the greatest impact on the number of fatalities. For Model 3, the seatbelt wearing rate in front seats and the seatbelt wearing rate in rear seats had the greatest effect on the number of fatalities.


Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and confocal Raman microscopy (CRM) are combined to analyze the chemical composition of cultured Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms, providing complementary chemical information for multiple analytes within the sample. Precise spatial correlation between SIMS and CRM images is achieved by applying a chemical microdroplet array to the sample surface which is used to navigate the sample, relocate regions of interest, and align image data. CRM is then employed to nondestructively detect broad molecular constituent classes—including proteins, carbohydrates, and, for the first time, quinolone signaling molecules—in Pseudomonas-derived biofilms. Subsequent SIMS imaging at the same location detects quinolone distributions in excellent agreement with the CRM, discerns multiple quinolone species which differ slightly in mass, resolves subtle differences in their distributions, and resolves ambiguous compound assignments from CRM by determining specific molecular identities via in situ tandem MS.


This paper proposes that fairness in wireless networks should be measured using one of the following new measures: the deterministic unfairness bound called the wireless absolute fairness bound (WAFB) or the statistical unfairness bound called the 99-percentile wireless absolute fairness bound (WAFB/sub 99/). Compared with previous fairness definitions, the new fairness measures are better suited for measuring fairness of scheduling disciplines that exploit multiuser diversity. A new scheduling discipline called opportunistic proportional fair scheduling is defined. Numerical results show that the new scheduling discipline has slightly higher throughput and slightly better fairness than proportional fair scheduling.


Short wave diathermy has introduced problems that are similar to those which confronted us when so-called conventional diathermy was first used. With conventional diathermy it was a slow tedious process to eliminate the many unwarranted claims. As a result of many investigations, the therapeutic possibilities as well as the therapeutic limitations became better understood. Many illusions were dispelled, but this field of therapy was placed on a more solid foundation. A new impetus has been given to diathermy as a therapeutic agent since the introduction of short wave diathermy generators, and again the worker in this field is confronted with many confusing claims. He is told that short wave diathermy has specific biologic effects independent of the heat generated by the current, that it has specific bactericidal effects and that it has special selective thermal action, as well as a greater and more uniform generation of heat into the tissues.


Background

Modulations on gut microbiota by traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and their active components are emerging as potential therapeutic agents on diabetes. Litsea glutinosa is a TCM used in clinic to treat diabetes with alkaloids as the active constituents, and the Laurolitsine is the richest one.
Purpose

Based on that, this study was designed to identify the potential capability of Laurolitsine on alleviating Type 2 diabetes and the changes of the composition of intestinal flora related to this disease.
Methods

In present study, Laurolitsine was administered to diabetic mice (db/db) by daily oral gavage at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. The body weight, fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT), lipid metabolism of serum and liver and liver function were measured to assess the anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of Laurolitsine. The liver pathological changes were observed by HE staining. Meanwhile, the effects of Laurolitsine on the changes of the composition of gut microbiota in mice were investigated via metagenomic analysis.
Results

Experimental results show that different doses of Laurolitsine have varying degrees of hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. Among them, the treatment effect of 200mg·Kg-1 is the most obvious. In addition, Laurolitsine changes the structure of intestinal microflora significantly at various taxonomical levels in the diabetic db/db mice.
Conclusions

These results demonstrate that Laurolitsine may regulate glucose and lipid metabolism and improve diabetes through modulating intestinal microflora of Parabacteroides and Mucispirillum, which may be acknowledged as the iconic bacteria of diabetes.


In a communication-based train control system, one of the most important aspects is ensuring that a mobile station is connected continuously to the zone controller to ensure continuous and precise transmission of the train's location, speed and other relevant information. Due to the continuous motion of the train handoffs between different APs is necessary to remain connected. This work aims to propose a location-based handoff method which will minimise handoff latency and provide better connections. The location-based handoff mechanism uses the concept of placing RFID tags at predetermined locations. Handoff is triggered at the location where the RFID tag is present and a connection is made to the new AP based on the channel information obtained. The architecture used in the scenario is a WiMAX architecture and connections are maintained with the help of routers contained within the mobile stations. The proposed handoff method provides better handoff latency and error free transmission in a system where precise information transmission is necessary.


Purpose
This study aims to examine the mediating role of internationalization in the relationship between the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and performance, empirical study of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in a developing nation.

Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a sample of 158 exporting SMEs based in the sub-Saharan developing economy, Ghana. The use of hierarchical regression (ordinary least square analysis) was used by the researcher to assess the suggested model of the study.

Findings
Largely supporting the conjectural predictions, the study indicates that EO positively and significantly influences performance; internationalization fully mediates the relationship between innovativeness and performance of export firms; internationalization fully mediates the relationship between risk-taking and performance of export firms; and finally, internationalization partially mediates the relationship between competitive aggressiveness and performance of export firms. Managers are, therefore, encouraged to strategically develop both their EO and internationalization, as the study has confirmed that EO has both a direct and indirect relationship with performance.

Originality/value
This study integrated a resource-based view of the firm and international entrepreneurship theory as a theoretical foundation. Theoretically, internationalization's mediating role reveals the relevance of this construct in the linkage between entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance. Furthermore, the study extends the entrepreneurial orientation concept to the international business literature by estimating and testing models of the mediating link between entrepreneurial orientation and performance. Moreover, the study seeks to broaden the knowledge of entrepreneurial orientation and its relationship with performance in small and medium businesses. The study further extends the limited studies on performance, driven by entrepreneurial orientation and internationalization in a developing nation (Ghanaian) context. This paper besides seeks to highlight the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on performance when channeled through internationalization. The study also reveals the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation to be important antecedents of internationalization, in attempts at unearthing the critical predictors of firm performance, especially those of international characteristics.


Three strains of Proteus vulgaris and two Streptomyces species were screened for inducible uricase formation. P. vulgaris (1753 and B-317-C), Streptomyces graminofaciens and S. albidoflavus showed inducible uricase activity, but P. vulgaris U7 did not show activity under the experimental conditions tested. Different amounts of constitutive and induced uricase were obtained by the four organisms using different culture media. The enzyme was induced in the producing organisms by different concentrations of different inducers, and uric acid was the most potent inducer. Using the optimal concentration of uric acid as inducer, the conditions of uricase induction in the test organisms were optimized. In P. vulgaris strains (1753 and B-317-C), the incubation temperature of 37 oC, initial pH of culture media of 7 and agitation rate of 180 rpm, showed the highest level of uricase induction. In the two Streptomyces species, the uricase induction was optimized at 28 oC incubation temperature and pH 7. The agitation rate of 200 and 220 rpm showed the highest induction activity in Streptomyces graminofaciens and S. albidoflavus, respectively. The highest levels of induced uricase were obtained at induction times of 140 min, 140 min, 42 h and 36 h in P. vulgaris 1753, B-317-C, Streptomyces graminofaciens and S. albidoflavus, respectively. The uricase was present as cell-bound enzyme in the producing organisms and no activity was recorded in the culture supernatants. KEYWARDS: Uric acid, P. vulgaris, Streptomyces species, concentration dependence, time course


Purpose:In order to evaluate the time of disappearance of cytomegalovirus(CMV) IgG antibodies from mothers, and the alteration of the positive rate of CMV IgG antibodies among preschool period children, we investigated the positive rate of CMV antibodies among preschool children. Methods:We studied 391 children who visited the Department of Pediatrics from March, 2001 to February, 2004. We measured the serum CMV IgG of 217 children and the serum CMV IgM of 358 children. Results:The positive rate of CMV IgG antibodies is 83.9 percent(the number of positive IgG children is 182 out of 217). The alteration of the positive rate is 92.9 percent in 0-3 months, 75.0 percent in 4-6 months and the nadir was 20.0 percent in 7-9 months. Then, the positive rate increased to 83.9 percent in 22-24 months. After 22 months, the positive rate was 92.1 percent(the number of positive IgG children was 105 out of 114). The positive rate of CMV IgM antibody by age is 3.3 percent in 0-1 months, 3.6 percent in 1-2 months, 10.5 percent in 2-3 months, 14.3 percent in 3-4 months, 14.3 percent in 4-5 months, and then the results of five children among 148 children were positive. The distribution was one in 22-23 months, one in 25-26 months, one in 27-28 months, one in 28-29 months, one in 40-41 months. We discovered IgM positive children succesively from birth to 5 months, but sporadically after 5 months. Conclusion:The CMV IgG from mothers has decreased since birth and the time of nadir is 7-9 months. But it increases to a mean value of 83.9 percent at 22-24 months because of perinatal or postnatal infections.


Somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) is frequently overexpressed on several types of solid tumors, including neuroendocrine tumors and small-cell lung cancer. Peptide agonists of SSTR2 are rapidly internalized upon binding to the receptor and linking a toxic payload to an SSTR2 agonist is a potential method to kill SSTR2-expressing tumor cells. Herein, we describe our efforts towards an efficacious SSTR2-targeting cytotoxic conjugate; examination of different SSTR2-targeting ligands, conjugation sites, and payloads led to the discovery of 22 (PEN-221), a conjugate consisting of microtubule-targeting agent DM1 linked to the C-terminal side chain of Tyr3-octreotate. PEN-221 demonstrates in vitro activity which is both potent (IC50 = 10 nM) and receptor-dependent (IC50 shifts 90-fold upon receptor blockade). PEN-221 targets high levels of DM1 to SSTR2-expressing xenograft tumors, which has led to tumor regressions in several SSTR2-expressing xenograft mouse models. The safety and efficacy of PEN-221 is currently under evaluation in human clinical trials.


BackgroundAgrochemicals are widely used in many parts of the world posing direct and indirect threats to organisms. Xenobiotic-related disease susceptibility is a common phenomenon and a proposed cause of amphibian declines and malformations. For example, parasitic infections combined with pesticides generally pose greater risk to both tadpoles and adult frogs than either factor alone. Here, we report on experimental effects of lone and combined exposures to cercariae of the digenetic trematode Acanthostomum burminis and ecologically relevant concentrations of (0.5 ppm) four pesticides (insecticides: chlorpyrifos, dimethoate; herbicides: glyphosate, propanil) on the tadpoles and metamorphs of the Asian common toad, Duttaphrynus melanostictus.ResultsAll 48 cercaraie successfully penetrated each host suggesting that the pesticides had no short-term detrimental effect on cercarial penetration abilities. When the two treatments were provided separately, both cercariae and pesticides significantly decreased the survival of tadpoles and metamorphs and induced developmental malformations, such as scoliosis, kyphosis, and skin ulcers. Exposure to cercariae and the two insecticides additively reduced host survival. In contrast, mortality associated with the combination of cercariae and herbicides was less than additive. The effect of cercariae on malformation incidence depended on the pesticide treatment; dimethoate, glyphosate, and propanil reduced the number of cercarial-induced malformations relative to both the control and chlorpyrifos treatments.ConclusionsThese results show that ecologically relevant concentrations of the tested agrochemicals had minimal effects on trematode infections, in contrast to others studies which showed that these same treatments increased the adverse effects of these infections on tadpoles and metamorphs of the Asian common toad. These findings reinforce the importance of elucidating the complex interactions among xenobiotics and pathogens on sentinel organisms that may be indicators of risk to other biota.


Abstract The Southern Region of Europe is economically well-developed with highly industrialized urban areas and with great agricultural potential. The empirical analysis is based on an econometric assessment that measures the impact of the VAT on the rate of economic growth for years between 1996 and 2017. The empirical evidence highlighted a significant positive impact of VAT on economic growth, but a poor and ineffective use of the tax revenues during the period under review. Moreover, evidence revealed relatively high rates of VAT in the countries analyzed, with negative impact on the aggregate consumption and a diminishing effect of the consumer's income.


Introduction: The p120-catenin protein (p120ctn) is a regulator of E-cadherin and also RhoGTPase and Rac therefore playing a major role in cell adhesion and motility. p120ctn is down regulated at the protein and mRNA levels in a number of malignancies including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here we investigated transcriptional regulation of p120ctn in NSCLC. Methods: We cloned a 1400 bp amplicon of chromosome 11 from position -1082 to +320 relative to the transcription start site into a firefly luciferase reporter vector. In addition, we prepared multiple serial deletion constructs in order to pinpoint the cis -acting elements involved in regulation of p120ctn. We transfected NSCLC cell lines A549, H157, Rh2 and H358 as well as immortalized normal human respiratory epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) with the above mentioned constructs. Results: Our experiments show that p120ctn promoter activity and p120ctn mRNA message are reduced in lung cancer cell lines compared to non-cancerous immortalized lung epithelial cells. This finding suggests that differential transcriptional regulation of p120ctn in malignant versus non-malignant lung epithelial cells contributes to heightened metastatic potential of malignant lung epithelium. Serial deletion analysis of p120ctn promoter identified a region between positions +267 and +282 that potentially mediates transcriptional repression of p120ctn. Computer based sequence analysis of this region predicted putative binding sites for the transcription factors FOXC1 and FOXL1. Both FOXC1 and FOXL1 are mesenchymal forkhead related proteins, which are involved in specifying mesenchymal cell fate during embryogenesis. FOXC2 is known to play a role in breast cancer metastasis. Since FOXC1 is not expressed in our non-small cell lung cancer cell lines we focused on FOXC2 and FOXL1 in the transcriptional regulation of the p120ctn promoter. Silencing both FOXC2 and FOXL1 in NSCLC cell lines with siRNA resulted in 2-2.5-fold enhancement of p120ctn promoter activity and mRNA message. Consistent with this finding, stable downregulation of FOXL1 by shRNA expressed from a lentivirus resulted in increased p120ctn mRNA levels. In addition, these lentivirally transduced cells show decreased cell invasion compared to control in Matrigel invasion assay. Experiments for creating stable NSCLC cell lines with low levels of FOXC2 are currently underway. Electromobility shift assay (EMSA) showed binding of nuclear extract from A549 cells with DNA sequence between positions +267 and +282 relative to transcription initiation site of p120ctn , which supports the notion that certain FOX family proteins are mediating transcriptional repression of p120ctn. Conclusion: These findings suggest that FOXL1 and FOXC2 transcription factors control cell adhesion and motility through transcriptional repression of p120ctn. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 2223.


We investigate the isoperimetric deficit upper bound, that is, the reverse Bonnesen style inequality for the convex domain in a surface X2∈ of constant curvature via the containment measure of a convex domain to contain another convex domain in integral geometry. We obtain some reverse Bonnesen style inequalities that extend the known Bottema's result in the Euclidean plane IE2.


Self-assembly of rare earth salts, Cu(NO3)2 and 3,4-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (3,4-pdcH2) resulted in the formation of two series of 3 d–4f heterometallic coordination polymers: [Ln2Cu3(3,4-pdc)6(H2O)12]·mH2O·nCH3OH (Ln = Eu (1, m = 22, n = 0), Gd (2, m = 22, n = 0) and Tb (3, m = 15.5, n = 5)) and [LnCu(3,4-pdc)2(OAc)(H2O)3]·8H2O (Ln = Ho (4), Er (5)). Their structures have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and further characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra, PXRD and TGA. The structures of isomorphous complexes 1–3 (Form I) are constructed with irregular (4,4)-connected 2D [Cu3(3,4-pdc)6(H2O)3]n sheets pillared by Ln(H2O)4, showing an intriguing 3D 36·418·53·6 framework with the treatment of the Ln2Cu3 unit as an 8-connected node. Complexes 4 and 5 (Form II) are constructed with (4,4)-connected 2D [Cu(3,4-pdc)2(H2O)]n sheets pillared by bimetallic units Ln2(OAc)2(H2O)4, exhibiting a fascinating 3D architecture with (4,8)-connected fluorite (412·612·84)(46)2 topology. There exist different 1D channels in the polymers of Form I and Form II, in which solvent molecules are accommodated. Moreover, their luminescence and magnetic properties have been investigated.


In Malaysia lagoon systems have been successfully adopted by the natural rubber (NR) and oil palm industries to treat their effluents. The possibility of using Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) in the lagoons to further improve the treatment system was investigated. Good removal of pollutants from the block rubber effluent was achieved using a hydraulic retention of 10 - 15 days. The resulting effluent discharge was of acceptable quality. Water hyacinth also markedly improved the quality of the effluent from the remilling rubber factories. Consequently propagation of water hyacinth in the lagoons has been recommended. Pilot plant trials with palm oil mill effluent (POME) have shown that water hyacinth can be successfully grown in anaerobically digested liquor removing 96% BOD, 87% COD, 96% suspended solids, 83% ammoniacal nitrogen and 97% oil and grease. It also removed more than 99% of the indicative bacteria such as coliforms, E.coli and Streptococci. Under the Malaysian conditions, water hyacinth grew profusely yielding about 500 kg of dry matter per ha per day. The average dry weight was about 5.0% and it contained about 24% protein, 21% fibre and 14% ash.


1. Diatoms are one of the most important phytoplankton groups. As they grow, diatoms use silicon to produce a siliceous frustule, which protects the cell. During April–November 2011, at 1–3 week intervals, we estimated diatom silicification rates at two distinct sites along the longitudinal profile of the canyon-shaped eutrophic Římov Reservoir (Czech Republic): (i) a nutrient-depleted lacustrine zone near the dam and (ii) a nutrient-rich transition zone upstream near the river inflow. 2. Diatom silicification was estimated using the 24-h in situ incubation of natural phytoplankton assemblage with a fluorophore 2-(4-pyridyl)-5{[4-(2-dimethylaminoethyl-aminocarbamoyl)methoxy] phenyl}oxazole (PDMPO) which fluorescently stains the newly synthesised diatom frustules. 3. Diatoms contributed an average c. 40% to the total phytoplankton biovolume in the lacustrine zone, but only c. 20% in the transition zone where a cyanobacterial bloom developed during summer. Asterionella formosa and Fragilaria crotonensis were the most abundant diatom species, while Aulacoseira italica, Nitzschia acicularis, Synedra acus and Stephanodiscus sp. were less important. Silicification rates of all diatom species were significantly higher in the transition zone than at the dam. 4. The intensity of PDMPO fluorescence per diatom cell was tightly related to the growth rates of three diatom species calculated from changes in cell counts during the incubation. The PDMPO technique can thus be used as a proxy for diatom growth. 5. Growth rates of the two most abundant diatom species were positively correlated with daily light exposure but not with nutrient concentrations.


Proposed and justified a screening algorithm to monitor the cardiovascular risk inpatients with biliary dysfunction. Defines the basic steps of monitoring these patients in the primary care level in terms of its development on the principles of general practice--family medicine.


Summary

Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) skin and muscle were hydrolysed, respectively, and then used as part of an edible coating to preserve fish. The effects of muscle and skin hydrolysates as edible coatings for shelf life extension of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were evaluated over 18 days at 4 °C, by comparing these two treatments, a chitosan coating with muscle hydrolysate, chitosan alone, and an untreated control. All coatings were made up with 5% glycerol. The quality of the carp was assessed by using total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), total viable counts (TVC), thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and K value. Compared with the control group, the rate of increase in TVB-N, TVC, TBA and K value of carp coated with fish skin hydrolysates, fish muscle hydrolysates and chitosan added to fish muscle hydrolysates were lower. According to the total viable counts, the storage life of fish with fish skin hydrolysates coatings and chitosan added fish muscle hydrolysates coatings were 16 days, 2 days longer than those with the chitosan coatings and twice as long as the control group.


Dozens of drugs have been studied in an attempt to mitigate the adverse cerebral consequences of cardiac surgery. The targets for these drugs have focused on pathways identified through the cascade of events that occurs once cerebral ischemia is initiated. In addition, inflammatory targets specific to cardiopulmonary bypass have also been addressed. Although no drugs are yet approved as specific neuroprotective agents, trials continue of increasingly unique targets, with fewer unwanted side effects and acting through novel mechanisms of action. This review summarizes the past, present, and future of pharmacologic neuroprotection for cardiac surgery.


Bird Flight
Frigate birds are among the highest fliers in the avian world. Wiermirskirch et al. show that great frigate birds stay aloft for months at a time, using a variety of strategies that take advantage of atmospheric conditions (see the Perspective by Huey and Deutsch). Locally, they exploit uplift and favorable winds, but for long-distance transoceanic travel, frigate birds fly up to 4000 m to exploit low-pressure conditions within clouds for gliding. Understanding the strategies of these impressive voyagers increases our understanding of long-distance migration and our appreciation for the extremes that flight adaptations can reach.

Science , this issue p. [74][1] see also p. [26][2]

 [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaf4374
 [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aag1865


Lacunary polyoxometalates (LPOMs) are key precursors for the synthesis of functional POMs. To date, reviews dedicated to behavioral studies of LPOMs often comprise the role of metal ions, including transition metal (TM) and rare earth (RE) ions, in extending and stability of high-nuclearity clusters. In contrast, the role of organic ligands in the structures and properties of lacunary-based hybrids has remained less explored. In this review, we focus on the role of organic fragments in the self-assembling process of POM-based architectures and discuss relationships between the nature and structure of organic ligand and properties such as the topology of hybrid inorganic–organic material in RE and TM-RE heterometallic derivatives of lacunary Keggin-type POMs. The effects of organic fragment in mixed ligand hybrids are also briefly reviewed.


After Nilakanta Sastri's monumental work on the ancient and medieval Tamil kingdoms of South India, there was a long hiatus before Burton Stein reopened the study of this area with distinction. Subsequently Noboru Karashima's meticulous and precise microstudies have given a fresh impetus to scholarship and suggested new avenues of detailed inquiry in this field. Karashima is the first historian of South India to make extensive use of computers and statistical methods. The present essays were all previously published separately, but together in this form they better illustrate the author's themes of inquiry. Karashima attempts through an analysis of inscriptions of the Chola, Pandya, and Vijayanagar periods to gauge the extent of social and economic change in Tamil-speaking areas. He also investigates the nature of the Chola state synthesis by looking at landholding patterns and by extracting from the inscriptions evidence on the Chola administration and on the Chola and Pandya revenue systems. In looking for social change, Karashima has demonstrated that, in contrast to earlier times, in the later Chola period there was a marked increase in large-scale ownership of land in what he describes as the "'non-brahmadeya villages." This new class of landowners appeared to exercise some local authority, judging by the titles they acquired. Karashima makes a good case for the existence of a group of officials who were appointed by or had links with the king, drawn from this group as well as from the bmhmadeya. However, Karashima falters when he looks for the causes of these social changes. His assertion that the Chola wars and improved irrigation and agriculture were responsible for the rise in power of the landowning classes is by no means proven. Moreover, he fails to link these changes with similar changes taking place in other parts of the South Indian peninsula. Buttressing Karashima's belief that the Chola state possessed the rudiments at least of a centralized administration is the analysis of the revenue system in Chola and Pandya times. He links the variations in the terms used in revenue surveys to differences in agricultural productivity. He is the first to bring some semblance of logic and order into the complexities of revenue assessment and collection. Finally, Karashima leads us into an examination of landholding in Vijayanagar times and contributes some unusual ideas on the growth of the influence of the ndyakas. He also ventures into the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to look at mirdst rights, which he feels derived ultimately from landholding practices of later Chola times. Karashima is at his best and surest in dealing with the Cholas. His foray into early British times is speculative, and the methods he uses differ from those used in earlier essays where computers and statistics carried the day. His strength lies in the use of'these tools and in his understanding of the Chola period; they are what make his work of special value to historians of medieval South India.


Background Forkhead Box Protein 3 (FOXP3), as an essential marker of regulatory T cell (Treg) development, is reportedly overexpressed in invasive breast carcinoma (BRCA) and could be a potential prognostic factor for BRCA. However, the biological function of FOXP3 in BRCA is still unclear. In this study, we comprehensively explored the expression landscape of FOXP3 and its prognostic value in BRCA. Methods FOXP3 transcriptomic expression data were mainly obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The Kaplan-Meier plotter and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess the prognostic and diagnostic value of FOXP3 in BRCA. UALCAN, cBio-Portal, and MethSurv were used to evaluate the genomic variation of FOXP3. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore the FOXP3 pathways involved in BRCA. Morover, we detected the expression of FOXP3 in 123 BRCA specimens and 5 BRCA cell lines to verify the biological value of FOXP3 in BRCA. The Kaplan-Meier method was adopted for the overall survival (OS) analysis, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for OS. Results FOXP3 was more highly expressed in BRCA than in normal tissues (2.808±1.020 vs. 1.409±0.656, P<0.001), and overexpressed FOXP3 was associated with a better prognosis. The ROC curve demonstrated a significant diagnostic value of FOXP3 in BRCA (area under the ROC curve, AUC: 0.877). Genomic analysis revealed that promoter hypomethylation of FOXP3 may be the underlying mechanism of FOXP3's upregulation in BRCA. GSEA found that FOXP3 coexpressed genes were mainly involved in the Toll-like receptor pathway, JAK/STAT pathway, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Moreover, high FOXP3 expression was an independent protective factor for OS in our 123 BRCA tissues (HR: 0.367; P=0.036). In vitro, we found that FOXP3 knockdown with siRNA promoted migration and invasion in MCF-7 cells. Conclusions This study demonstrated that FOXP3 shows prognostic and diagnostic value for BRCA. We provided evidence that promoter hypomethylation and a high expression of FOXP3 were both related to a favorable prognosis in BRCA, which maybe associated with the Toll-like receptor pathway, JAK/STAT pathway, cell cycle, and apoptosis.


The present investigation reports on the effects of a program of comprehensive care for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Five dependent variables representing indices of disease activity were employed in assessing the merit of comprehensive, continuing management when compared with conventional management, often episodic, provided in arthritis clinics. Over the short duration of the project, this controlled study suggests greater benefits for patients in the comprehensive program. Greater insight into the relative benefits of different management modalities may be provided for future projects of this type in which a longer period of observation is possible.