River herring, the collective name given to North American populations of Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and Blueback Herring (A. aestivalis), are iteroparous, anadromous members of the family Clupeidae, with similar morphology, ecological roles, and overlapping distributions. Once abundant in coastal rivers of New Hampshire, many factors including commercial fishing, habitat degradation, and dam construction resulted in a precipitous decline of the species along the entire coast. Successful efforts to restore populations have included the construction of fish ladders at dams. However, fish ladders require constant operation and maintenance to efficiently pass river herring, and only provide access to spawning habitat up to the next barrier, all too often, man-made. Alewife passage efficiency in fish ladders of all designs has received little attention historically, but is important to understand how to interpret annual counts, that for many rivers are the only index used in current stock assessments. In this study, passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags were used to assess the passage efficiency of a Denil fish ladder on the Lamprey River in Newmarket, New Hampshire. The data collected allow for a better understanding of the movements and diel behavior of river herring in fishways, as well as insight into how the selectivity of fish ladders my shape the population demographics within a river system. A breached dam located at Wadleigh Falls on the Lamprey River in Lee, New Hampshire was examined to determine if river herring were able to pass the existing structure or if it should be considered the upper extent of their annual spawning migration. Telemetry data indicated that Alewives were unable to pass the breached Wadleigh Falls Dam site and that it should be considered the uppermost extent of their migratory access. Results also show that migrating fish arriving at the location had a strong preference for the river-right channel when migrating upriver and exhibited very little exploratory behavior to seek alternate pathways upriver before emigrating back downriver, approximately two weeks after river entry. These in-river residence times were very similar to those found in other telemetry studies of anadromous Alewives. Successful management and effective stock assessment for any species requires an understanding of its reproduction and recruitment. Fecundity is one measure of the reproductive potential of a species and was assessed in this study. Mature adult Alewives were collected at the head-of-tide dam on the Lamprey River in Newmarket, New Hampshire during the vernal spawning migration in 2012. A gonadosomatic index was used to determine that fish were sampled before spawning occurred, and egg diameters were quantified to examine distribution of eggs throughout the ovary. Fecundity was estimated gravimetrically using two techniques for comparison, and no difference between the methods was found. These findings show that image analysis is a fast and reliable method for fecundity estimation that does not require the use of a commonly used, toxic solution for ovary preservation. Fecundity estimates using image analysis ranged from 147,400 eggs at 24 cm to 332,500 eggs at 34 cm and aligns with previous findings of a clinal trend along the Atlantic Coast. Fecundity increased with total length, somatic weight, and age. Simple linear regressions exhibited good fits for fecundity-total length and fecundity-somatic weight, with age being the best predictor.


The pharmacokinetics of cefepime (20 mg/kg) were studied following intramuscular administration of cefepime alone, co-administered with ketoprofen (3 mg/kg) and in a febrile state (Escherichia coli LPS induced) in sheep. The concentration of cefepime in the serum was detected by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Following single dose intravenous administration of cefepime, elimination half life (2.50 ± 0.05 h), the area under the curve (143.48± 7.36 μg.h/mL), body clearance (0.14 ± 0.01 L/h/kg) and volume of distribution (0.51 ± 0.03 L/kg) were determined. Following a single dose intramuscular administration of cefepime alone, peak serum concentration (28.76 ± 0.54 μg/mL) was obtained at 0.75 h. The absorption half life (t 1/2Kα ), volume of distribution (Vd area ), total body clearance (Cl B ) and elimination half life (t 1/2β ) of cefepime were 0.16 ± 0.01 h, 1.02 ± 0.08 L/kg, 0.13 ± 0.01 L/h/kg and 5.31 ± 0.23 h, respectively. Following co-administration of ketoprofen (30.74 ± 1.22 μg/mL) and in a febrile condition, a higher peak serum concentration of cefepime (39.68 ± 1.13 μg/mL) was observed at 0.75 h and 1 h, respectively. However, no signifi cant changes were reported in other pharmacokinetic parameters following co-administration of cefepime with ketoprofen. In a febrile state, absorption half life, area under the curve and bioavailability were signifi cantly increased while the volume of distribution and clearance of cefepime were signifi cantly decreased following intramuscular administration. Cefepime pharmacokinetic data (20 mg/kg) generated from the present study suggest that the drug may be administered with ketoprofen, and in febrile conditions in sheep, the drug may be given intramuscularly at 24 h intervals to combat susceptible bacterial infections.


The effect of subdiaphragmatic vagotomy on food intake and defecation was studied in guinea pigs. Weights of food and feces were measured for at least three weeks after vagotomy. The weight of daily food intake and feces evacuated increased about 15 and 30% after vagotomy compared with controls whereas it did not change in sham operated animals. The weight of scybalum decreased after vagotomy although the number increased markedly. It was considered that an increase in food intake after vagotomy may result from blocking of satiety signals mediated by the vagus; moreover, that the increase in feces may depend on the enhancement of scybalum formation in the proximal colon resulting from increasing food intake and transportation of the larger amount of the contents after vagotomy.


A computer study of mode conversion in thin-film optical waveguides using magnetooptic GdIG as a substrate is reported. The efficiency of the mode-converting structure is analyzed and compared to other structures in order to gain design insight. It is shown that 100-percent mode conversion (TE \rightleftarrow TM) is possible if both modes satisfy the phase condition required of mode propagation.


Currently, Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) increasingly rely on information stored in vehicle on board digital maps. The vehicle position is projected onto the map to establish oncoming road context. However, errors might exist in the road geometry stored in the maps. The integrity of this map-matched estimate must be monitored in real-time to avoid errors that can lead to hazardous situations. This paper presents a monitoring system and fault detection, isolation and adaptation formalism which benefits of multiple vehicle journeys (e.g. commuting). We demonstrate that it is possible to assert correct navigation information within the first journey to a new area and to isolate areas where the road geometry is erroneous after the second journey. The approach takes into account errors that might occur on the estimation of the global vehicle position. The proposed formalism was experimentally validated using a passenger vehicle driven in different map and GNSS conditions.


Background The role of caffeine in cardiovascular disease is controversial. Most of its pharmacologic actions are attributed to its role as an adenosine antagonist. Adenosine is one of the most important endogenous vasodilatative substances and is released under ischemic conditions, for example, in the skeletal muscle of patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. We aimed to investigate the influence of caffeine on peripheral vascular resistance and on the beneficial vasodilatory effect of adenosine in isolated perfused guinea pig hind limbs. Materials and Methods (1) Caffeine was administered at 0.5, 5, and 50 &mgr;mol/L under normoxic conditions. (2) The vasculature of the perfused guinea pig hind limb was precontracted with noradrenaline (3 &mgr;mol/L), followed by adenosine (10 &mgr;mol/L) under normoxic conditions. When vascular resistance (VR) had reached a steady state, caffeine was administered additionally at dosages of 0.5, 5, and 50 &mgr;mol/L. (3) This protocol was repeated using iloprost 0.1 &mgr;mol/L instead of adenosine as vasodilatory substance. (4) Under hypoxia, caffeine was again administered at the above dosages. (5) Under hypoxia, experiments with adenosine A2-receptor antagonists (alloxazine 10 &mgr;mol/L and ZM 241385 100 nmol/L) were done. Results Under normoxic conditions, 0.5 and 5 &mgr;mol/L caffeine had nearly no effect on vascular resistance compared with baseline conditions. A slight, but statistically not significant decrease in VR was achieved with 50 &mgr;mol/L caffeine. In the presence of noradrenaline, the vasodilatory effect of adenosine was reduced by 7.6 ± 1.6% after the addition of 0.5 &mgr;mol/L caffeine, and by 37.3 ± 3.8% at a dosage of 5 &mgr;mol/L caffeine. A dosage of 50 &mgr;mol/L caffeine completely abolished the vasodilatative effect of adenosine. In the presence of iloprost, only a slight but statistically insignificant inhibitory influence (0.9%) of caffeine at a dosage of 50 &mgr;mol/L could be seen. Hypoxia significantly reduced VR. Caffeine at 0.5 &mgr;mol/L diminished this effect by about 53.2 ± 4.6% and abolished it at 5 and 50 &mgr;mol/L. The hypoxia-induced adenosine-mediated vasodilatation seems to be an adenosine A2A-receptor-mediated effect. Conclusions The observed effect of hypoxia-induced vasodilatation in peripheral arteries may be the result of the vasodilatory effect of elevated endogenous adenosine during hypoxia. For patients with peripheral arterial disease, drinking of caffeine-containing beverages may reduce the beneficial vasodilatory effect of elevated endogenous adenosine levels.


The aim of this study was to determine the optimum points of salinity and pH on BG-11 medium to produce maximum yields of biomass of marine microalgae Tetraselmis chuii. The optimization was performed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), and Central Composite Design (CCD) was used to study the effects of the optimum salinity and pH on biomass of Tetraselmis chuii. The results showed that the optimum points of initial salinity and pH on BG-11 medium to produce maximum yields of biomass of 2.42 x 10 6 cell/mL were 42.06‰ and 8.23, respectively. The optimization obtained a regression model of Z = -1.039 + 0.045X – 0.0004X 2 + 0.614Y – 0.034 Y 2 – 0.001XY + 0, with coefficient determination of 0.97005. The validation using T test showed there were no difference between the actual and regression model based score, with p score of 0.14 for biomass concentration of marine microalgae Tetraselmis chuii.


It is frequently stated that land-use planning in Portugal has not only been unable to prevent environmental problems but that it has, itself, contributed to other ones. These include urban sprawl and the destruction of natural areas. Environmental problems related to land-use planning constitute an emerging concern in Portuguese society and explain part of the relevance attributed to planning by the Constitution and by an important body of legislation. This article analyses two main sides of such evolution. Firstly, the recent legislation establishing the Portuguese planning system and its weaknesses regarding the integration of environmental concerns. Secondly, the main features of current planning practice and development control as well as the way environmental problems have been dealt with. The article argues that, despite consolidation of the planning system, land-use plans still remain, practically, a series of regulations dominated by geometric and volumetric issues, legitimising a mechanized decision-making process, and leaving aside issues weakly dealt with in plans such as environmental matters. The analysis showed that the evolution of the planning system has not resulted from an internal process of critical assessment about the experience gathered. On the contrary, it has resulted from external pressures, which have led, mainly, to the mere addition of new types of plans to the system. In spite of approaches and tutelage, they do not necessarily represent a real modernization of the planning system and practice able to promote full and systematic integration of land-use, development control and environmental concerns.


S UMMARY . Problem-based learning has become a popular pedagogical strategy for teaching problem-solving skills as well as subject content. However, implementation of this strategy is time-consuming. Use of the Internet and computer software could aide the creation, use, and maintenance of these teaching tools, encouraging more educators to use them. This study focused on 45 Iowa State University students enrolled in Horticulture 342, Landscape Installation and Maintenance. Students were assigned a series of four online, ill-structured case study problems based in a realistic residential landscape. Results indicated students understood the need for developing problem-solving skills, especially as they relate to future employment opportunities. However, students were concerned with obtaining the right answer, not with developing a strategy for solving problems. Students rated the statement about determining the best solution highest in importance (4.75 in 2007, 4.90 in 2008). Conversely, they rated a statement about determining what standards and judgment criteria should be used to evaluate possible solutions of least importance (3.75 in 2007, 4.20 in 2008). Students identified the value of the solution to the customer/client (4.63 in 2007, 4.80 in 2008), how well the cause of the problem was addressed by the solution (4.46 in 2007, 4.30 in 2008), and any potential negative consequences (4.33 in 2007, 4.40 in 2008) as the important factors that influence decision-making on the job. Students rated the online learning environment as adequate and they rated the overall experience as 3.94. Frustrations were primarily technical, including problems connecting to the system. Students liked the variety of resources available and that case information was consolidated in a single location.


This project aims to establish the relationship of forest fire behavior with ecological /environmental factors, such as forest structure and weather. We analyze records of forest fires during the fire season (May to September) in 1992 from the Forest Fire Management Branch of Ontario Ministry of Natural Resource (OMNR). We start with a preliminary analysis of the data, which includes a descriptive summary and an ordinary linear regression analysis with fire duration as the response. The preliminary analysis indicates that the fire weather index (FWI) used by Natural Resource of Canada is the most relevant together with fire location and starting time. We apply semi-variogram and Moran's I, the conventional methods for exploring spatial patterns, and extend them to investigate spatiotemporal patterns with the fire data. Evaluations of the extended Morans I statistic with the residuals of the ordinary linear regression analysis reveal a large departure from the independence and constant variance assumption on the random errors. It motivates two sets of partially linear regression models to accommodate possible nonlinear spatial/temporal patterns of the forest fires. We integrate univariate and bivariate Kernel smoothing procedures with the least squares procedure for estimating the model parameters. Residual analysis indicates satisfactory fittings in both sets of regression analysis. The partially linear regression analyses find that the association of fire duration with FWI varies across different fire management zones, and depends on the fire starting time.


The UNICORE grid technology provides a seamless, secure, and intuitive access to distributed grid resources. UNICORE is a full-grown and well-tested grid middleware system that is used in daily production and research projects worldwide. The success of the UNICORE technology can at least partially be explained by the fact that UNICORE consists of a three-tier architecture. In this paper, we present the evolution of one of its tiers that is mainly used for job and resource management. This evolution integrates the distributed resource management application API (DRMAA) of the Global Grid Forum providing UNICORE with a standardized interface to underlying resource management systems and other grid systems


Reflects on three years′ experience of Annual Reports on the Public Health. Argues that the material benefits do not warrant an overly substantial amount of dedicated time – a five‐year strategic public health programme, supported by a periodic cross‐sectional analysis, is more appropriate and would exploit much wider sources of data than those generally appearing in Annual Reports, Considers the value of the Decennial Census of Population, as a data source. Suggests that it must be used in conjunction with other sources of "hard" data. Also argues that methods for collecting and incorporating qualitative data must be developed, together with a framework for informed policy analysis, which would facilitate a participative dialogue compatible with the aims of the "new" public health.


: The increasing work using fish as a model organism calls for a better understanding of their sentience. While growing evidence suggests that pain and emotionality exist in zebrafish, many deniers continue to ignore the evidence. Here we revisit the main conceptual breakthroughs in the field that argue clearly for pain and emotionality. We call for an end to denial and a focus on studying the mechanisms of fish pain and emotionality, and their translational relevance to human conditions.


The paper considers the role of B-group vitamins in nervous system performance and the possibilities of their use in the treatment of nervous system diseases as solo drugs in monoand polyneuropathies of varying genesis and in pain syndromes. The prospects for using the vitamin complex Neurobin are discussed.


Chattering phenomenon around sliding surface and Sliding Mode Control (SMC) law makes some drawbacks for control problems while using sliding mode controller. In practice, some actuators are unable to satisfy from the phenomenon. Therefore, the paper presents a new method using sliding mode controller based on indirect stator-flux-oriented for induction machine with Magnetic Saturation. This controller only requires knowledge of the stator current, and stator resistance combined with a cascaded inverter level seven, common-mode voltage (CM) reduced algorithm. Simulation and experiment results on a 1-hp, 150-rad/sec squirrel-rotor induction machine show smooth operation of the control scheme with the 1.5 times increase of the stator resistor and rotor resistor values under condition of noise.


Abstract:  We reassessed the taxonomic status of an Asian genus of arboreal bufonids, Pedostibes, based on examination of preserved material of the two species currently attributed to this genus. Analysis of their morphological, morphometric, and geographic distribution data revealed that Pedostibes tuberculosus, the type species of this genus from the Western Ghats, southwestern India, is morphologically distinct from the geographically separated member, P. kempi, which is distributed in northeastern India. Hence, the generic nomen Pedostibes is restricted to the type species, rendering it a monotypic genus from the Western Ghats of peninsular India. A re-examination and detailed comparisons of the types of P. kempi with other bufonid genera revealed morphological similarities with another geographically proximate toad, Bufoides meghalayanus, from northeastern India. Hence, this taxon is formally transferred herein to Bufoides with a redescription. The composition of the recently described Southeast Asian toad genus Rentapia is reevaluated and the name-bearing type specimens of the currently ascribed taxa are redescribed. A detailed examination of the types of Rentapia everetti and R. rugosa revealed morphological congruence coupled with geographic sympatry. Hence, the latter nomen is synonymized with R. everetti in accordance with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature principle of priority.


Drawing on research carried out about male European heterosexual sex tourists and young, low income local women, this paper explores the intersections of gender, sexuality, nationality, class and colour in the context of a modality of international sex tourism in Fortaleza, the state capital of Ceara in Northeastern Brazil. Focusing on relationships that include prostitution and romance, it argues that for understanding the dynamics of transnational encounters attention is recquired on how those differences are set in motion amid foreigners' and local people's reciprocal perceptions.


Abstract Ferlaviruses (FV, previously referred to as ophidian paramyxoviruses, OPMV), are enveloped viruses with a negative-strand RNA genome, affecting snakes in captivity worldwide. Infection is characterized by respiratory and nervous clinical signs and carries high mortality rates, but no specific treatment or vaccine is currently available. Costa Rica has 16 species of vipers, found in captivity in collections essential for antivenom production, reintroduction, and public education. FV circulation in these populations was previously unknown, and the risk of introducing the viruses into naïve collections or free-ranging populations exists if the virus's presence is confirmed. The objective of this study was to determine seroprevalence and FV shedding in 150 samples from captive vipers in nine collections across Costa Rica. A hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay was performed to determine the antibody titer against two Ferlavirus strains, Bush viper virus (BV) and Neotropical virus (NT), and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequencing to determine virus secretion in cloacal swabs. Ferlavirus strains were replicated in Vero cells, and chicken anti-FV polyclonal antibodies were produced and used as a positive control serum for the HI. Results demonstrate that seroprevalence of anti-FV antibodies in viper serum was 26.6% (n = 40) for the BV strain and 30% (n = 45) for the NT strain in the population tested. Furthermore, molecular characterization of FV group A was possible by sequencing the virus recovered from three cloacal swabs, demonstrating circulation of FV in one collection. This study demonstrates for the first time serological evidence of FV exposure and infection in vipers in captivity in Costa Rica, and suggests cross reactivity between antibodies against both strains. Appropriate biosafety measures could prevent the spread of FV between and within collections of reptiles in the country.


For pregnant women with HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ART) plays a key role in prevention of perinatal transmission. Newer antiretroviral regimens now contain integrase strand transfer inhibitors, which have been found to rapidly suppress HIV viral load in nonpregnant women; however, there are limited data for use in pregnancy. Here, we present the case of a pregnant woman with well-controlled HIV on a well-tolerated prepregnancy regimen of bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide. As there are limited safety data on bictegravir in pregnancy, this ART regimen was changed to a preferred regimen for pregnancy. In the second trimester, because of adverse effects from the new ART regimen and after a risk-benefit discussion, the patient restarted the original regimen. She was able to maintain viral suppression until giving birth.


Condensation of cyanothioacetamide or cyanoacetamide with sodium salts of 2-formyl-1-cycloalkanones afforded the corresponding cycloalkane ring fused pyridine-2(1H)-thiones and -2-pyridones. The latter compounds served as a key intermediates for the synthesis of a new class of cycloalkane ring fused pyridine glycosides.


The outcomes of varicocele repair in non-obstructive azoospermic men remain the subject of controversy. Until now, small studies with small number of patients performed make it difficult to assess the efficacy of varicocele surgery in men with non-obstructive azoospermia. This review is performed to evaluate quality of the sperm among non-obstructive azoospermic men after varicocele repair.


Psychological tests that assess the construct integrity are widely used in the United States with the aim of preventing the occurrence of counter-productive behaviors in the workplace, such as delays, thefts and chemical substances abuse. The present study aimed to investigate the relation between integrity and externalizing (personality factor that reflects proneness to an array of impulse-control problems) considering that both constructs are conceptually related. A total of 209 Psychology students from two universities in Minas Gerais participated in the present study. They were submitted to a translated and adapted version of the test of integrity Personnel Reaction Blank (PRB) and to the Externalization Inventory-100. The investigation of the relation between integrity and externalizing indicated a negative moderate correlation (r =-0,59). There was, however, an association between bigger honesty trends and smaller antisocial/impulsive tendencies. Suggestions for future studies are pointed in this study.


Rising levels of arsenic in ground water posing threats to millions of people residing in Indus plains whereas the magnitude of the risk is alarming need to control arsenic from leaching down into ground water becomes essential. The study was designed to assess the potential of three native tree seedlings to reclaim the arsenic affected soils in Pakistan.  The study aimed at determining the impact of arsenic application on growth parameters of tree seedlings and accumulation of arsenic in plant parts. The laboratory experiment conducted at the Botanical Garden, University of the Punjab, Lahore revealed that E. camaldulensis, T. arjuna and S. tetrasperma have demonstrated varying adaptability to survive under the arsenic stress environment, establishing them as strong candidates to be exploited for arsenic remediation process.  Arsenic treated plants showed reduced growth in terms of stem height, stem diameter, number of branches, number of leaves, root length, total plant length and biomass production as compared to plants grown without arsenic treatment. Arsenic accumulated in all vegetative parts of the plants, however, maximum arsenic accumulation was recorded in roots of E. camaldulensis (37.25 µg kg-1) followed by S. tetrasperma (35.76 µg kg-1) and T. arjuna (24.13 µg kg-1) when arsenic was applied @ 4.0 mg L-1. The study has shown that these trees can be grown on arsenic contaminated fields to reclaim the soil from arsenic content resulting in its substantial reduction leaching in groundwater.


Given the large number of Australians who speak English as a second language one would expect there to be significant use of interpreters in Australian courts. However there is a marked difference in the use of interpreters between different courts and tribunals, and overall usage appears to be very low. The reasons for the low level of usage in some jurisdictions appears to relate nor only to the law on whether to allow access to interpreters, bur also to the beliefs and attitudes of participants in the legal process, particularly the belief that a court will find it more difficult to assess the credibility of witnesses and to ascertain the truth if an interpreter is used. Greater attention is needed to ensure that witnesses can understand and be understood when giving evidence in Court.


STUDY OBJECTIVE
To determine whether recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is effective in increasing neutrophil counts in patients with hairy cell leukemia and neutropenia.

DESIGN
Open label, phase I/II study of G-CSF, given by daily subcutaneous injection for up to 7 weeks.

SETTING
Outpatient oncology clinic of a university medical center.

PATIENTS
A consecutive sample of four patients with hairy cell leukemia complicated by severe neutropenia. Three patients completed the study; one patient was removed after 2 weeks of therapy.

INTERVENTIONS
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was given by daily subcutaneous injection. Each patient began therapy with 1 microgram/kg body weight.d; after 1 week the dose was increased to 3 micrograms/kg.d, and 1 week later to 6 micrograms/kg.d. Therapy was continued for 5 to 6 weeks. Patients were taught self-injection, and administered treatment at home.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
In three patients, an increase in absolute neutrophil counts from less than 0.9 X 10(9)/L to greater than 4.0 X 10(9)/L was noted within 2 weeks of beginning G-CSF therapy. In two patients, infections resolved during therapy. One patient developed acute neutrophilic dermatosis (the Sweet syndrome) while receiving 3 micrograms/kg.d of G-CSF, and drug therapy was discontinued.

CONCLUSIONS
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor may increase neutrophil counts within 2 weeks in patients with hairy cell leukemia and neutropenia. This therapy may be a useful adjunct to definitive treatment of hairy cell leukemia with interferon or pentostatin.


Background: Procalcitonin (PCT) is a biomarker that can help identify bacterial infections but can be difficult to interpret in the presence of renal dysfunction, which can elevate PCT even in the absence of infection. Objective: To determine the optimal PCT threshold to identify infection in patients with renal dysfunction and pneumonia or sepsis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for inpatients with creatinine clearance of ≤60 mL/min and PCT level from 2018 to 2019. A pharmacist blinded to study outcomes classified patients as infected or noninfected based on predetermined criteria. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to establish the optimal PCT threshold overall, as well as in subgroups of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury (AKI), and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Institutional review board approval was obtained. Results: A total of 198 patients were included in the study (99 infected, 99 noninfected). The optimal threshold in the AKI, CKD, and ESRD subgroups was determined to be 1.5 ng/mL, 0.1 ng/mL, and 1.75 ng/mL, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study show that PCT thresholds were specific to type of renal dysfunction. These results differ from the traditionally accepted PCT threshold of 0.5 ng/mL for sepsis and 0.25 mg/mL for pneumonia. Future studies should confirm the appropriate PCT threshold in ESRD and CKD patient populations.


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

With over 8500 deaths each year in the USA, malignant melanoma is the deadliest of all skin cancers. Constitutive activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is common in melanoma, promoting tumor growth, survival and metastasis. In light of its role in tumorigenesis, targeting of the NF-κB pathway has been considered a possible therapeutic option for the treatment of melanoma. However, NF- αB activation is critical for the development, survival, migration and function of immune cells. We hypothesized that systemic inhibition of the activation of NF-κB might have a deleterious effect on the tumor immune response. Melanoma bearing C57BL/6 mice received 50 mg/kg of BMS-345541, a selective inhibitor of the inhibitor of αB kinase (IKKα), twice daily. Tumors, spleens and bone marrow were harvested at different time points and analyzed by flow cytometry for leukocyte composition and cytokine production. Intracellular cytokine staining revealed an early induction of Interleukin-4 (IL-4) within the myeloid and B cell components of the tumor, as a result of BMS-345541 treatment. The production of IL-4 by these cells suggests an early switch to a tumor promoting T helper 2 (Th2) and M2 driven immune response, which may counteract the anti-tumor effect of IKKα inhibition by generating a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment. These results, in part, explain the modest delay in tumor growth demonstrated. IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) expression on human melanoma cells has been previously documented; however the effects of IL-4 on these cells have generated contradictory reports. IL-4R signaling has been shown to either inhibit growth of tumor cells in vitro or to promote survival of tumor cells. In C57Bl/6 mice bearing a murine melanoma, BMS345541 (75 mg/kg bid) was given in combination with 100 µg of IL-4R blocking antibody on day 4 and day 12 of treatment. This combination significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to BMS345541 treatment alone. These data suggest an important role for IL-4 in promoting melanoma growth in vivo. Dual targeting of IL-4R and NF-κB signaling pathways neutralizes the tumor promoting immune component. Currently, IL-4R antagonists are in clinical trials for the treatment of asthma, which makes the translational prospects of this study extraordinarily viable. We are grateful for support from the NCI (CA116021-07, 5T32CA119925-03) and the Department of Veterans Affairs for these studies.

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 4403. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4403


The potential of the World Wide Web for the presentation of chemical information has been developed and extended to a considerable degree, yet not fully exploited for educational purposes. Some of the reasons for this are the uneven coverage of all degree level topics, the difficulty of finding relevant material and doubts about the quality of some material. Three distinct strategies have started to emerge for the effective use of the World Wide Web in the study of chemistry at university level. The assessment of the use of home written courses in terms of their educational value and cost effectiveness has been determined by means of a questionnaire distributed to the authors of a number of stand-alone chemistry courses. The effectiveness of the use of peer reviewed chemistry resources on the Web has been assessed through personal experience of setting up one such review site through the Web Reviews project. A number of web site "evaluation tools" have been developed, and one of these has been evaluated by applying it to several periodic table sites. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. Eur.: 2000, 1, 129-133]


Though methods of somatic education such as the Feldenkrais Method are becoming more widely recognized as complementary approaches in vocal and choral pedagogy, there is little research that examines the experiences of singers who participate in such mind–body approaches. With the intent of exploring pedagogical implications of somatic education in music education, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of undergraduate vocal music education majors enrolled in an elective, 7-week Feldenkrais course. Specifically, how do singers describe in their participation in Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lessons, and how do these experiences inform their understanding of how they sing? Data were gathered from questionnaires, weekly journals, and semi-structured interviews. Phenomenological data analysis following Moustakas's approach revealed three themes reported as textural and structural descriptions: (a) improved quality of movement, (b) heightened awareness of singing, and (c) enhanced practice. The overall essence of participants' experience may be summarized as a process of self-discovery that provided individualized benefits for singing. Discussion includes pedagogical implications of somatic teaching and learning in PreK through university contexts as well as suggestions for future research.


Around India coral formations are found in the Gulf of Kutch, in the Laccadive sea, in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar sides of Mandapam and Rameswaram Island, and encircling the various small islands lying between Rameswaram and Tuticorin, at the northern and southern ends of Ceylon and around Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Corals are extensively used at present as building blocks and a substitute for granite chips to mettle roads and in the preparation of lime, cement and Calcium carbids. It was felt desirable to study the coral fauna of the region and lies between the Maldivian and the Malaysian coral formations and to fill the gap in our knowledge of the distribution of these marine animals in the great Indo Pacific.


We study the classical electronic motion of the hydrogen atom near a plane metal surface, using the Hamiltonian with exact form of the atom - surface potential. The case is considered. The phase space of the system is separated into the regions of vibrational and rotational motion. Although the system is nonintegrable, for large values of nucleus - surface distance ( at E = -1 au) the motion is close to regular in the whole of phase space. However, at smaller distances chaotic trajectories appear. Instability of some trajectories at smaller distances is such that the electron can be captured onto the surface.


The practice of FGM is still widespread among some communities in Kenya, especially the Kisii (96%) despite communication efforts aimed at eradicating the practice. This study sought to assess the reasons for these high prevalence levels despite widespread awareness of the consequences. Communication efforts aimed at fighting FGM have largely succeeded in raising awareness regarding the dangers of the practice, but failed to effect attitude change essential in abandoning the practice. This is attributable to the tendency by communication experts to disregard beliefs and practices of communities in such campaigns. The lack of community involvement and ownership is also a main reason for failure of the campaigns to persuade people into abandoning FGM. The use of both mass media and interpersonal channels of communication is essential in eradicating female circumcision. While mass media channels (radio, television, newspapers) are important in sensitising the community about the dangers of FGM, interpersonal channels (elders, chiefs and religious leaders) are important in persuading the communities to abandon the practice and embrace other rites of passage. Community involvement in the campaigns is also important. Empowering communities to find solutions that respond to their circumstances without antagonising their cultural norms, standards and values is at the core of this. In essence, this study argues that communication campaigns aimed at eradicating FGM have largely succeeded in raising awareness of its dangers but failed to translate this widespread awareness into massive abandonment of the practice. This study suggests that other methods of communicating the message are necessary, and the use of interpersonal channels is vital to the eradication of FGM in Kenya.


The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted unprecedented global disruption. For medical schools, this has manifested as examination and curricular restructuring as well as significant changes to clinical attachments. With the available evidence suggesting that medical students' mental health status is already poorer than that of the general population, with academic stress being a chief predictor, such changes are likely to have a significant effect on these students. In addition, there is an assumption that these students are an available resource in terms of volunteerism during a crisis. This conjecture should be questioned; however, as those engaging in such work without sufficient preparation are susceptible to moral trauma and adverse health outcomes. This, in conjunction with the likelihood of future pandemics, highlights the need for 'pandemic preparedness' to be embedded in the medical curriculum.


The material presented in this paper represents a careful clinico-pathological study of the 54 cases of thyroid malignancy which have been reported by the pathological laboratory of the New York Hospital during the past thirteen years, supplementing a previous report (9). During this period a total of approximately 100,000 admissions to the hospital have been made. Of this number, slightly over 28,000 have had surgical specimens diagnosed pathologically. Among these 28,000 surgical specimens, some 1,600 have been thyroid glands; 855 of which have represented thyroid tumors, an incidence of a little more than 50 per cent. In this group of tumors 42 have been histologically and clinically malignant and are included in this report. The other 12 cases have come from outside sources, chiefly through the kindness of Dr. John Rogers, to whom we are indebted both for the material and for the clinical histories. One case, of particular interest as representing an intermediate phase between adenoma and subsequent pseudo-sarcomatous malignant degeneration, was sent us through Dr. John Scott of Louisville, Kentucky.

Analyzing these figures, we see that the incidence of thyroid malignancy in the New York Hospital series represents almost exactly 2.5 per cent of all thyroid specimens, and about 4.7 per cent of all thyroid tumors. These percentages are quite comparable to those of other observers. In 1929, one of us (LWS) reported another series of 67 cases of thyroid malignancy from the Lahey Clinic, in which the incidence was 1.68 per cent. In the Mayo Clinic, the figure runs about the same: 1.6 per cent of all thyroid specimens from 1910 to 1916. Graham in Cleveland reports a similar figure, as do Craver (4) and Haagensen (7) from the Memorial Hospital in New York.


Introduction Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) is a well established treatment for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) with acidotic type 2 respiratory failure (T 2 RF). Many patients have recurrent AECOPD requiring repeated NIV. Objective To assess whether patients with prior history of NIV for AECOPD receive higher inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) than those that receive NIV for the first time. Methods Data was collected prospectively from 28 patients admitted to the NIV unit at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. 14 patients had received NIV at least once before and 14 had not received NIV prior to this episode. Results See Table 1. There were 3 in-patient deaths in each group. Mean (SD) length of stay (LOS) was 13.2 (10.6) days for those that had previously received NIV and 13.9 (19.5) days for those that had not. Conclusions Patients that had received NIV on prior admissions had higher initial and 12-hour IPAP but this did not lead to a greater improvement in pCO 2 or pH at 12 hours into NIV. The mean time to normalisation of pH and LOS were, however, shorter. None of the differences between the two groups reached statistical significance. This may be due to these patients having a poorer functional status or more severe disease. There was, perhaps surprisingly, no difference in survival between the two groups.


This thesis describes and assesses the impact of a participatory learning and
experimentation process based on the livestock Farmer Field Schools (FFS) approach in
Central America. Several organizations have devoted efforts to generating technological
improvements for livestock production, such as the implementation of silvopastoral
systems (SPS) and intensive livestock practices including silage and hay. However,
despite material investments in research and extension for promoting their use, the
adoption of those technologies remains limited. In consequence, the livelihoods of
farmers and the environmental sustainability of cattle production are compromised,
causing negative effects such as contamination of water, degradation of pastures and
soils, and poverty. From 2003 to 2008 farmers, local organizations related to livestock
production and CATIE formed an alliance and participated in a regional Degraded
Pastures Programme (DEPAPRO). The aim of DEPAPRO was to strengthen livestock
stakeholders' capacities for implementing environmentally beneficial livestock
production. Mixed methods (quantitative, qualitative and participatory) were combined
in three main research stages during fieldwork: (i) FFS documentation; (ii) participatory
technology analysis; and (iii) FFS impact assessment. Most of results were structured
using the Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA); and Community Capitals
Framework (CCF). The main effect of DEPAPRO for the stakeholders that participated
in the FFS was the strengthening of human capital. Specifically, the stakeholders
displayed greater technical knowledge about some intensive and silvopastoral
technologies; and methodological skills for organizing FFS. Farmers preferred practices
such as improved pastures and live fences because they provided several beneficial
impacts, require simple management and were more adaptable to their livelihoods.
Analyses showed that further efforts for facilitating the implementation of sustainable
livestock production systems are needed. The latter should include the strengthening of
assets that have not usually been addressed in agroforestry and rural development
projects: namely social and political capitals. Moreover, a search of strategies for
creating a supportive policy environment; and mechanisms for funding FFS and the
establishment of better practices are also necessary.


In the late 19809s Washoe County, Nevada, entered into an agreement with a private water development company to develop and export ground water from the Nevada portion of the arid Honey Lake Valley to the rapidly growing Reno-Sparks area. The proposed project is known as the Truckee Meadows Project (TMP). Honey Lake Valley is 35 mi north of Reno, Nevada; but is located predominantly in California. Computer groundwater models of the valley were prepared by the USGS and the TMP proponents and presented to the Nevada State Engineer to evaluate the impacts of the proposed exportation of 15,000 ac-ft annually from eastern Honey Lake Valley. By using assumptions, numbers, and data which are not justified by the scientific data, both models place unreasonable and, in some instances, artificial constraints on the geology and hydrogeology of the ground-water system rather than allowing the geology and hydrogeology to constrain the models. Neither model is useful as a predictive tool. However, the major problems with the two models fall into two fundamentally different classes. The USGS model exceeded the technical limitations of the model code and made large, inappropriate adjustments to the water budget to compensate for these undetected errors. The TMP model used a water budget that was not technically justified or explained and placed the spatial distribution of ground-water recharge and discharge beyond the realm of hydrogeologic reality.


Quenching of O2(1g) molecules both in the gas phase and on a reactor surface has been investigated in binary mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen by using the fast-flow quartz reactor and infrared emission spectroscopy. Rate constants of the O2(1g) deactivation by H2 and O2 at room temperature have been determined to be (1.5±0.5) 10-18 cm3 s-1 and (1.6±0.2) 10-18 cm3 s-1, respectively. Heterogeneous quenching of O2(1g) on quartz walls has been studied both in pure oxygen and in H2:O2 mixtures. A model of O2(1g) heterogeneous quenching in binary mixtures has been developed and has allowed us to describe all observed features of singlet oxygen kinetics. Active surface complexes formed by `chemisorbed' atomic oxygen and `physadsorbed' molecules of O2 and H2 are assumed to be responsible for the O2(1g) heterogeneous deactivation. It has been shown that the higher rate of O2(1g) quenching in pure oxygen is connected with a quasi-resonant transfer of the O2(1g) electronic excitation to physadsorbed oxygen molecules. The observed effect of the wall passivation by hydrogen is conditioned both by the absence of the similar resonance in the hydrogen surface complex and by the higher bond energy of H2 in this complex. Bond energies of O2 (3750±450 K) and H2 (4050±450 K) in the surface complexes have been determined from the model parameters by fitting calculations to experimental results.


Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have become increasingly available for data-intensive applications such as micro-climate monitoring, precision agriculture, and audio/video surveillance. A key challenge faced by data-intensive WSNs is to transmit the sheer amount of data generated within an application's lifetime to the base station despite the fact that sensor nodes have limited power supplies such as batteries or small solar panels. The availability of numerous low-cost robotic units (e.g. Robomote, and Khepera) has made it possible to construct sensor networks consisting of mobile sensor nodes. It has been shown that the controlled mobility offered by mobile sensors can be exploited to improve the energy efficiency of a network. In this thesis, we propose schemes that use mobile sensor nodes to reduce the energy consumption of data-intensive WSNs. Our approaches differ from previous work in two main aspects. First, our approaches do not require complex motion planning of mobile nodes, and hence can be implemented on a number of low-cost mobile sensor platforms. Second, we integrate the energy consumption due to both mobility and wireless communications into a holistic optimization framework. We consider three problems arising from the limited energy in the sensor nodes. In the first problem, the network consists of mostly static nodes and contains only a few mobile nodes. In the second and third problems, we assume essentially that all nodes in the WSN are mobile. We first study a new problem called max-data mobile relay configuration (MMRC) that finds the positions of a set of mobile sensors, referred to as relays, that maximize the total amount of data gathered by the network during its lifetime. We show that the MMRC problem is surprisingly complex even for a trivial network topology due to the joint consideration of the energy consumption of both wireless communication and mechanical locomotion. We present optimal MMRC algorithms and practical distributed implementations for several important network topologies and applications. Second, we consider the problem of minimizing the total energy consumption of a network. We design an iterative algorithm that improves a given configuration by relocating nodes to new positions. We show that this algorithm converges to the optimal configuration for the given transmission routes. Moreover, we propose an efficient distributed implementation that does not require explicit synchronization. Finally, we consider the problem of maximizing the lifetime of the network. We propose an approach that exploits the mobility of the nodes to balance the energy …


In magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT), we measure the induced magnetic flux density inside an imaging object subject to an external injection current. The magnetic flux density is contaminated with noise and this ultimately limits the quality of reconstructed conductivity and current density images. By using two methods to analyze amounts of noise in 3T and 11T MREIT systems, we found that a carefully designed MREIT study will be able to reduce the noise level below 0.1 nT


Within the context of investigating possible differences between the mechanisms at play in Radio Loud AGN and those in Radio Quiet ones, we study the spectral characteristics of a selected sample of Intermediate-Luminosity Broad-Line Radio Galaxies in X-rays, optical, IR and radio. Here, we present the radio spectra acquired with the 100-m radio telescope in Effelsberg between 2.6 and 32 GHz. These measurements reveal a large variety of spectral shapes urging for radio imaging that would disclose the source morphology. Such studies could potentially discriminate between different mechanisms.


Forthcoming projects such as the Dark Energy Survey, Joint Dark Energy Mission, and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, aim to measure weak lensing shear correlations with unprecedented accuracy. Weak lensing observables are sensitive to both the distance-redshift relation and the growth of structure in the Universe. If the cause of accelerated cosmic expansion is dark energy within general relativity, both cosmic distances and structure growth are governed by the properties of dark energy. Consequently, one may use lensing to check for this consistency and test general relativity. After reviewing the phenomenology of such tests, we address a major challenge to such a program. The evolution of the baryonic component of the Universe is highly uncertain and can influence lensing observables, manifesting as modified structure growth for a fixed cosmic distance scale. Using two proposed methods, we show that one could be led to reject the null hypothesis of general relativity when it is the true theory if this uncertainty in baryonic processes is neglected. Recent simulations suggest that we can correct for baryonic effects using a parameterized model in which the halo mass-concentration relation is modified. The correction suffices to render biases small compared to statistical uncertainties. We study the ability of future weak lensing surveys to constrain the internal structures of halos and test the null hypothesis of general relativity simultaneously. Compared to alternative methods which null information from small-scales to mitigate sensitivity to baryonic physics, this internal calibration program should provide limits on deviations from general relativity that are several times more constraining. Specifically, we find that limits on general relativity in the case of internal calibration are degraded by only ~ 30% or less compared to the case of perfect knowledge of nonlinear structure.


Characterization and calibration measurements of two Cherenkov probes have been performed in ENEA Frascati's laboratories. Different kinds of radiation have been used, from visible light to x-rays, in order to evaluate possible spurious responses of the probes. Moreover, a preliminary calibration is presented, as well as a first evaluation of the minimum single probe's detectable flux performed through an electron beam of 2.3 MeV. Additional results have been obtained thanks to spectrometry analysis, which gave deeper insights of the phenomena occurring inside the probes. In particular, a continuous emission spectrum, associated to cathodoluminescence, has been observed to dominate in the Cherenkov range, showing that scintillating phenomena are not negligible in this kind of probes. Results on non-thermal electron losses from recent FTU experimental campaigns are also presented. The signals acquired are compared to those from other diagnostics like x-rays, neutron and gamma detectors or plasma magnetic activity, showing good correlation between them. The analysis focuses on the capability and sensitivity of the probes to measure runaway electrons losses with energy discrimination in presence of perturbations due to kinetic and magnetic reconnection phenomena.


The water deficiency is one of the serious problems in the arid zones. In order to investigate the effect of Cycocel on different growth aspects of two olive cultivars (Mary and Mission), a greenhouse experiment was conducted using three factors of: cycocel at three levels (0, 500 and 1000 mg L-1), irrigation of three levels (irrigated at 5, 10 and 15 days intervals) and tow olive cultivars (Mary and Mission) in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design of three replicates for the lasted four months. The results showed that both cycocel treatments decreased plant height, increased root length and number of lateral shoots; but no significant difference in stem diameter, leaf numbers, total lengths of lateral shoots, fresh weight of stem and root, chlorophyll b and carotenoid content was observed compared with control. High cycocel level (1000mgL-1) increased fresh weight of leaf and chlorophyll a content than the control. Also, results showed that increased periods of drought have reduced the plant height, stem diameter, leaf numbers, number of lateral shoots and total lengths of lateral shoots, root length, fresh weight of leaf, stem and root, increased chlorophyll a+b and carotenoid content in both cultivars. In above-mentioned parameters Mission cultivar showed higher resistance to drought stress than the Mary cultivar. Results suggested that Cycocel treatment can alleviate some negative effects of drought stress in Mary and Mission cultivars of olive.


The 3-way tray technique is popular as it provides master and opposing arch impressions and an interocclusal record at the same time. Excellent clinical results can be achieved with appropriate case selection, use of rigid tray and impression materials, attention to tray positioning and other details throughout the process, and clear understanding of the limitations of the technique by the operator and dental technician.


This article aims to discuss the scope and limits of jurisdiction in the creative function of the Brazilian legal system, especially in the public policy domain, so that if possible the realization of fundamental rights in its highest degree, fl exible precedents when necessary and without neglecting to impose certain limits on the Judiciary, in order that the freedom that has this power does not lead to arbitrary decisions and that this power does not overlap the others. Th us, assuming that the law is a social phenomenon, it is demonstrated that there is freedom in judicial activity, but this is conditioned by objective limits (rational foundation of the decisions, fundamental rights, and observance of the case). Th en don't exist "creation" of the right arbitrarily by the judge, but a judicial discretion as the needs of the substantive law and constitutional principles, possessing the legal argument to legitimize the role judicial decisions


A one-step leapfrog alternating-direction-implicit finite-difference time-domain (ADI-FDTD) method including lumped elements is presented. The method is originated from the conventional ADI-FDTD method, but without mid-time-step computations. Its unconditional stability is analytically proven by combining the von Neumann method with the Jury criterion. In addition, its unconditional stability and high computational efficiency are verified through numerical experiments.


Defects in AgCl tabular grains with {111} surfaces are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and their influence on the growth process is discussed. In the tabular crystals, twins parallel to the tabular face as well as dislocations along different directions are observed. The twins induce the tabular growth, while the dislocations do not influence the morphology. In 10 to 30% of the crystals that have been characterized, thickness growth is observed and it is shown that in all cases twins on other planes than the tabular ones are present. Two configurations occur more frequently and are analyzed in detail. For the first group, twins parallel to the tabular face as well as a microtwin along a non-parallel {111} plane that ends inside the crystal are present. In the crystals of the second group, only one extra non-parallel twin occurs giving rise to a bicrystal built up by a tetrahedral shaped part and a flat triangular or trapezoidal part. More complex twin configurations give rise to various, less characteristic morphologies. From these observations, it appears that the thickness growth is related to the presence of the twins on planes other than on the tabular ones.


In order to examine the regional disparities in access to health care in Hungary we analysed all data on cataracta surgery financed by public sources in 2008. Cataracta surgery is one of the most frequent surgeries performed and is typically provided in an outpatient surgery setting. We used this type of treatment as an example to analyse inequalities in access to health care services in Hungary. The main goal was to develop a method to provide a decision-making basis for an informed health-care policy. We show that patients often cross administrative borders in order to find the surgery they preferred, and that there is a Budapestcentred typical pattern of such patient movements. Travel distance and time between the home address of the patient and the health care provider were analysed both for all surgeries and for out-patient surgeries separately. Rates of migration over the boundaries of regions, counties, and micro-regions as well as utilisation rates of the closest providers were evaluated. For a deeper understanding, two micro-regions were examined in detail. Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients were used to measure inequalities. In all, 62,938 cataracta surgeries were performed in Hungary in the year 2008. 36% of the surgeries were provided for patients from Hungary's Central Region. Half of the total number of surgeries was performed by 18 providers out of 73 where this treatment would have been also available. At the level of the micro-regions examined, the Gini coefficient was 0.15, showing only a moderate level of inequality. 50 out of 73 providers were able to offer an outpatient surgery option. The total ratio of outpatient surgery was 22%. Inequality in access to outpatient surgery was, however, much higher: At county level, the Gini coefficient was 0.38. Our study shows that the availability of a higher-quality health care depends on the place of residence. There was a huge inequality of the length of travel to the preferred surgery provider. This may be partly explained by the referral system. The study offers proposals for improving the regional health care organisation. Opportunities for economising on resources include eliminating unnecessary travel and increasing the rate of outpatient surgery: At present, the Hungarian ratio of 22% is well below the 50% of the OECD average. Increasing the role of outpatient surgery (ambulatory care) would lead to a marked decrease in the hospital beds required. In order to prevent unwanted negative effects, capacity adjustment in hospital beds should, however, not be accompanied by a lower budget for cataracta surgery. Optimising patient travel, improving efficiency of health care and improving health-care infrastructure require further scientific research in the field of health system analysis and modelling, based on patient migration data.


A 17-year-old previously healthy male was admitted to the hospital for intractable and persistent vomiting, fever, cough, abdominal pain, and intermittent diarrhea and dehydration. He presented with severe chest pain and O2 desaturations up to 80% on room air. An infectious (including a nasopharyngeal swab), GI, and cardiac workup was completed and was negative except for elevated inflammatory markers with a C-reactive protein (CRP) level of 261 mg/L, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 53 mm/hr, and a D-dimer level of 0.93 mcg/ml. Chest X-ray showed diffuse multifocal infiltrates. The patient was treated with ceftriaxone and azithromycin initially for a suspected pneumonia. He was also started on 4L of nasal cannula O2 supplementation. Due to persistent hypoxic respiratory failure, worsening respiratory distress clinically, with tachypnea and retractions, and lab findings of elevated D-dimer, a chest CT was performed to rule out a pulmonary embolism (PE). Computed tomography (CT) findings were negative for PE but notable for diffuse airspace opacities, primarily within the lower lobes, with a ground-glass appearance concerning for ARDS. Upon further investigation of the social history, the patient admitted to vaping nicotine products for the past 4 years and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products within the last several months. He was immediately started on prednisone 30 mg BID for a diagnosis of e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and started showing clinical improvement. The patient was able to be weaned off of supplemental oxygen to room air, and clinical symptoms of respiratory distress began to improve over the next 24 hours.


Background: According to the important role of Health Care Apprentice Program on medical students' performance, especially in relation with Social Accountability of Medical Education, it is attempted to assess efficacy of Health Care Apprentice Program on the level of medical students' knowledge and skills in the context of Primary Health Care at Babol University of Medial Sciences Methods: In this interventional study, the level of medical students' theoretical and practical knowledge was evaluated in the context of primary health care before and after Health Care Apprentice Program. The study   population includes 80 medical students attending two consecutive semesters that were introduced to Department of Social Medicine. The data were collected via a questionnaire designed by the researcher including 38 questions in the following fields: health education, controlling communicable and indigenous diseases, vaccination, maternal and child health, health food, environmental sanitation, safe drinking water supply, and occupational health.   Results: students' mean score was 2.1 ± 2.4 and 26.7 ± 5.3 in pre-test and post-test, respectively (p>0.01). In post-test, the female students' mean score was 27.5 ± 5.3, and the male students was 25.7 ± 5.2. Among male students, average rating of practical skills in sound  level measurement and measuring chlorine in water was 86.3 & 81.3%  which was higher than female students (64.3 & 75.7%). However, the female students' skills in communication and health systems management were slightly higher than male students.  Conclusions: The influence of Health Care Apprentice Program on increasing the level of medical students' knowledge and skill in the context of primary health care was noteworthy. However, it appears that emphasis on increasing practical skills is essential due to future professional needs of medical graduates.


Comparing the year ends of the last three triennia, 11728 journal pages were published in 2004, compared with 9215 in 2001 and 7937 in 1998. This increase in the number of pages has been accompanied by a major reduction in publication times for all sections of Acta Cryst., J. Appl. Cryst. and J. Synchrotron Rad. In the most recent triennium, an electronic submission system was introduced and has been very popular with Co-editors and authors. The journals continued to be the most cited in crystallography; Acta Cryst. B currently has the highest impact factor (3.643). The overall withdrawal plus rejection rate for Acta Cryst. was 26% in 2004, up compared with 2002 (18%). For Acta Cryst. A, special issues based on workshop 'hot topics' have been introduced, similar to the strategy in recent years for J. Synchrotron Rad. An open-access option was introduced for authors in 2004; grants have allowed all UK papers to be published open access in 2004/2005. Acta Cryst. E has been very successful in attracting ever increasing numbers of electronic structure reports. Acta Cryst. C is increasingly the home of the most important and highquality crystal structure communications; its impact factor rising from 0.571 in 2001 to 0.828 in 2003. In 2004 we launched Acta Cryst. F: Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications (Editors H. Einspahr and M. Guss); extensive work with the PDB has been made by H. Einspahr on the streamlining of deposition-to-publication methodologies. Finally, a review is currently being made of Education papers within IUCr Journals.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-21 on rats with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through the Wnt signaling pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 30 rats were divided into three groups: control group (healthy rats, n=10), model group (rat model of RA, n=10), and MiR group (rat model of RA injected with miR-21 lentivirus, n=10). The paw volume, arthritis indexes, and protein expression level in each group were analyzed by means of paw volume and arthritis index measurement, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, and fluorescent Western blotting.

RESULTS
The expression levels of inflammatory factors declined in MiR group compared with those in model group, while they were higher in model group than those in control group and MiR group (p<0.05). At 15 d after transfection with lentivirus, the paw volume in MiR group was smaller than that in model group, which was decreased markedly with the extended time of transfection (p<0.05). On the 30th d, MiR group had a remarkably smaller paw volume than model group. In comparison with that in control group, the paw volume in model group was increased notably from the 7th d and displayed a significant difference in the 30th d (p<0.05). The arthritis indexes in MiR group were lower than those in model group; however, there were no apparent inflammations at the joints at 15 d after drug administration. Moreover, the longer the time of drug administration was, the less apparent the inflammations at the joints will be. The inflammations at the joints were ameliorated evidently on the 30th d in MiR group (p<0.05). Compared with those in control group, the inflammations in model group were increased significantly from the 7th d, with significant differences in the 30th d (p<0.05). The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, and Wnt in MiR group were higher than those in control group, but lower than those in model group (p<0.05), while they were higher in model group than those in control group (p<0.05). The expression level of Wnt protein was decreased in MiR group compared with that in model group (p<0.05), and model group had a prominently elevated expression level of Wnt protein in comparison with control group (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
MiR-21 overexpression can repress the expressions of IL-6 and IL-8 and relieve the symptoms of RA by down-regulating the Wnt signal.


The lymphocyte cell surface antigen CD38, which was originally described as a differentiation marker, has emerged as an important multifunctional protein. Its most intriguing and well characterized function is its ability to catalyze the synthesis of cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) from NAD. cADPR serves as an important second messenger in controlling the release of intracellular calcium from ryanodine-sensitive intracellular pools. By virtue of its ability to synthesize cADPR as well as to act as an adhesion and signal transduction molecule, CD38 may play a role in such diverse physiological processes as cell growth, apoptosis, differentiation, and inflammation. Equally interesting is the pattern of CD38 expression in hematopoietic cells. In the bone marrow, early precursor cells predominantly express CD38 antigen, whereas mature circulating blood cells lack or express very low levels. The expression is also high on malignant hematopoietic cells and thus may be of prognostic relevance in certain leukemias. Presently, there is little information available on the factors that regulate the expression of CD38 antigen in hematopoietic cells. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the regulation of CD38 antigen by retinoids (vitamin A and related compounds). At least in the myeloid cell lineage, retinoids appear to be exquisitely potent and specific inducers of CD38 antigen expression, and retinoid-induced expression of CD38 is mediated via activation of the retinoic acid-alpha (RAR alpha) nuclear receptor.


Triangulation and topology optimization methods are proposed for optimal matching of the two-dimensional elements which are obtained from the complicated three-dimensional structure. To improve the matching performance in constructing the three-dimensional elements, the topology optimal transformation method among the triangulated elements has been proposed. The probability of optimal matching between two cross sections is increased by the topology transformation. The construction of three-dimensional elements obtained by these methods can make it possible to analyze the structure variously.


Oncogenic mutations in the KRAS gene are well-established drivers of cancer. While the recently developed KRASG12C inhibitors offer a targeted KRAS therapy and have shown success in the clinic, KRASG12C represents only 11% of all KRAS mutations. Current therapeutic approaches for all other KRAS mutations are both indirect and non-mutant-selective, largely focusing on inhibition of downstream KRAS effectors such as MAP kinases. Inhibition of KRAS downstream signaling results in a system-wide down-modulation of the respective targets, raising concerns about systemic cell toxicity. Here, we describe a custom short interfering RNA (siRNA) oligonucleotide (EFTX-D1) designed to preferentially bind mRNA of the most commonly occurring KRAS missense mutations in codons 12 and 13. We determined that EFTX-D1 preferentially reduced the mutant KRAS sequence versus wild-type at the levels of both transcription and translation, and reversed oncogenic KRAS-induced morphologic and growth transformation. Furthermore, EFTX-D1 significantly impaired the proliferation of several KRAS mutant cancer cell lines in 2-D as well as 3-D assays. Taken together, our data indicate a novel use of RNA interference (RNAi) to target oncogenic KRAS-driven cancers specifically.


AIM
The environmental scan aimed to deepen our understanding of the aged care work culture and to ascertain the readiness of the workers to advance towards team-based quality care provision.

BACKGROUND
The workplace context was a high-care unit within a large residential aged care facility.

METHODS
We used the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARiHS) framework to assess workplace readiness via interviews, individual surveys and observation of practice.

RESULTS
A profile of current culture emerged as mutually supportive and task focused, but at the same time lacking corporate team features of shared decision-making and feedback for practice improvement. However, latent within the frontline leaders and personal care staff, there was evidence of some embedded knowledge and capacity for corporate team performance.

CONCLUSIONS
This study has validated an evidence-based method for conducting environmental scanning in aged care, recommended before any major change is introduced.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT
Environmental scanning helps gauge workforce capacity and limitations; this information can enable managers to capitalize on identified cultural strengths to fortify change and avoid pitfalls of personal and collective vulnerabilities.


We report a rare case of interstitial lung disease as the first clinical manifestation of primary SjA¶gren's syndrome. A 49-year-old woman was assessed, complaining of dyspnea, dry cough, dry mouth, inflamed right cheek, dry skin, bilateral gastrocnemius pain, multiple peripheral arthralgia, and generalized weakness for the previous 2 months. Serology examination was positive for SjA¶gren's syndrome antibodies. Thorax CT demonstrated Crazy Paving appearance. Glucocorticoid alone did not improve the respiratory symptoms, hence azathioprine was given. Subsequent dyspnea regression and disease control obtained after 5 months of therapy. This case demonstrated that ILD could be the first clinical manifestation in pSS, and azathioprine could be used as the first line therapy for SjA¶gren's syndrome-related lung disease.


Contrary to the accepted view, the authors have found that platelet turnover is not always increased in ITP if the mean platelet survival time (PS) is measured with In-AP. The authors investigated the possible cause of the discrepancy by comparing kinetics of In-AP with those of Cr-HP in 10 patients with ITP. PS was estimated with the multiple hit model. The equilibrium and final in vivo distribution of In-AP was quantitated with the geometrical mean method. The patients could be divided into either those with splenic or diffuse RES platelet destruction. The authors conclude that in ITP platelet survival of In-AP is significantly (P < .05) longer than that of Cr-HP. Platelet turnover measured with In-AP is only normal in patients with mainly splenic platelet sequestration. Results with Cr-HP give a false impression of PS. It seems that in ITP those patients with severe disease also have a platelet production defect.


Conclusions. Antibiotic treatment does not absolutely prevent the development of otogenic intracranial complications (ICC); however, their incidence is relatively low (0.36%).Various pathogens can be isolated in cultures of patients with these complications, but combinations of third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins with chloramphenicol, vancomycin, metronidazole or aminoglycosides can provide good results. Underlying cholesteatoma is common and is usually associated with intracranial abscess or sinus thrombosis. High morbidity rates warrant long-term follow-up. Objective. To evaluate the cause and nature of otogenic ICC in patients treated at 1 medical center over an 18-year period. Material and methods. This was a retrospective chart review of 28 patients admitted to Sheba Medical Center, Israel with otogenic ICC between 1984 and 2002. Results. Meningitis was the commonest complication (46.4%), followed by brain abscess, epidural abscess, sigmoid sinus thrombosis, subdural empyema, perisinus abscess and transverse and cavernous sinus thrombosis. Twelve patients (42.9%) had received antibiotic treatment prior to admission. Chronic otitis media, cholesteatoma and brain abscess were diagnosed mainly in adults, while acute otitis media and epidural abscess were more frequent in children. Twenty-one patients underwent mastoidectomy to eradicate the source of infection. The commonest finding at surgery was granulations (81%). Cholesteatoma was seen in 38.1% of cases. Cholesteatoma and brain abscess were usually associated with Gram-negative bacterial infection. Meningitis, however, was caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in 40% of cases. CT showed a sensitivity of 92.75% for diagnosing otogenic ICC. There was no mortality. The morbidity rate was high (71.4%) and included hearing impairment, hemiparesis, hydrocephalus, mental retardation, polyneuropathy and epilepsy.


This paper presents an ongoing schema to develop virtual models of physical setup equipment and their integration into the corresponding remote laboratory. For this task, we use Easy Java Simulations (Ejs), a tool that allows us to make a complete simulation model based on the physical laws of the setup. Ejs is also able to produce virtual views that are necessary for model user interaction. These virtual views can be used with the simulation or real plant data. Accordingly, a communication model between Ejs and real equipment has to be defined in order to work with the same view in virtual mode (simulation) or remote mode (real setup). An example of a servomotor setup will be presented showing the virtual views and the way of working in both modes. Copyright © 2005 IFAC


Most past studies on students' entrepreneurial intention tend to focus on the phenomenon in developed countries.There is limited research on entrepreneurial intention of university students from developing nations. This article intends to close this gap by providing some insights into students℉ entrepreneurial inclination in a developing country, Malaysia. A total of 234 students from three faculties at both graduate and undergraduate levels were surveyed to examine their entrepreneurial inclination and also to examine the relationship between their demographic and social characteristics with entrepreneurial inclination.The study found strong entrepreneurial inclination among the students. Significant difference was found between students studying part time and full time and their entrepreneurial inclination. Significant difference was also found between the type of program enrolled in and students℉ entrepreneurial inclination. Further analysis and other findings were reported and recommendation for future research are been put forth in this article.


The article deals with the analysis of Russia's politics towards other nations, which can be classified as genocide politics. A consistent and purposeful strategy is being followed to capture the territorial, resource and cultural heritage of Veliky Novgorod and Ukraine. In both cases, actions, which were brought to the autochthonous population, was classified as genocide by UN documents. These actions were occurred more than once and were carried out against the Slovenes in the XV-XVII centuries, and against the Ukrainians — in the XVI-XXI. The purpose of Russia is to enhance its geopolitical and civilizational status, by means of violence and appropriation, by objects — of any ethnic group, which hinder its imperial ambitions.
The scientific search was conducted by the methods of historical reconstruction, political analysis and demographic approaches. The historical reconstruction avoids the one-sided, distorted interpretation of the events of the past, and uses all existing completeness of actual material to restore the true course of events. The methods of political analysis relate, first of all, to the definition of the role and importance of administrative decisions in determining the strategic priorities of state development. Demographic approaches allow us to see the historical dynamics of changes in the quantity of a particular ethnic group, including the possibility of detecting negative fluctuating factors in this process.
It has been demonstrated that the ethno-cultural community, known as the «Russian people», fulfil the criteria that Lev Gumilev proposed to define as «bizarre ethnicities» that parasitize on someone else's resource — both human and natural. That is why the fate of the conquered land and its inhabitants-autochthonous interests them only from the consumer point of view. The negative consequences for the subjugated side are obvious: humanity is doomed to extinction or either depreciation, and the natural environment to systematic degradation and irreversible changes. It is easy to be convinced by remembering the unhappy history — not life, but animal life — hundreds of people in Russia, their disapperance and extinction, and the acquisition — by those, who survive — humiliating status of «small» nations of Siberia, the Far East and the North. However, the invader himself is defeated in the strategic perspective, because constant parasitism discourage any stimulus for his own socio-economic evolution.
It is summarized that the strategic priority in Moscow's politics towards the true creators and heirs of the heritage of ancient Russia was and will always be the practice of genocide — the systematic and consistent destruction of Slovenes and Ukrainians. These actions were performed to capture the territorial, resource and cultural achievements of these nations with their complete destruction or degradation (of surviving remains), elimination of their identities. These actions are completely fall under the description of the genocide definiton in UN documents as actions which are intended to destroy a particular ethnic group. The current hybrid war, implemented by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, is a manifestation and continuation of its centuries-old strategy against Ukrainian nation in order to deprive them of their physical and civilizational existence.


Early B-cell factor 2 (Ebf2) is one of four mammalian members of the helix-loophelix
transcription factor family Collier/Olf/Ebf (COE). COE proteins EBF1, EBF2
and EBF3 have been implicated in various aspects of neural development including
neurogenesis, cell differentiation, neuronal migration and axonal fasciculation. Here,
I examined the role of one of these proteins, EBF2, on the development of the
cerebral cortex.
Ebf2 mRNA, detected by in situ hybridisation, was transiently expressed in the
developing mouse cerebral cortex. In particular, it was found in the cortical hem,
septum and preplate/marginal zone, which are known sites of origin and migration
for Cajal-Retzius cells, respectively. In order to permanently label Ebf2 positive cells
even after the downregulation of the gene expression, the transgenic line Ebf2GFPiCre
was crossed with the reporter line Rosa26RYFP. It was found that the expression of
Ebf2 matched the expression of markers for Cajal-Retzius cells, subplate cells and a
subpopulation of layer V pyramidal neurons. Although Ebf2-/- mice showed a delay
in the migration of Cajal-Retzius cells at early stages of development, which was
rescued by the end of gestation, they did not present any other gross defect in cortical
topography and cellular organisation. In vivo and in vitro studies have suggested that
Ebf1 and Ebf3, also expressed in the cortical hem and septum, may be involved in
complementing the lack of Ebf2 function. These results suggest a role for the EBF
family in controlling Cajal-Retzius cell development.


Rhynchocephalians are a group of lizard-like diapsid reptiles that were very diverse during the Mesozoic but are now restricted to a single extant genus in New Zealand. Recent cladistic analyses have revealed two major clades, Eusphenodontia and the more crownward Neosphenodontia, but relationships of individual taxa have remained difficult to determine because of missing data and an unrevised data matrix. Here we drastically revise the established data matrix on rhynchocephalians by reassessing, evaluating, and adding new characters and operational taxonomic units, differing from any previous analyses in our goal to consider all known rhynchocephalians. In addition, we describe a new genus and species of an early eusphenodontian taxon from the Norian of southern Brazil, with a unique mosaic of plesiomorphic and apomorphic traits, and we re-examine the craniodental anatomy of the eusphenodontian Clevosaurus brasiliensis with µCT imaging, revealing a unique form of acrodonty amongst rhynchocephalians. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A9211C5A-D4F9-472A-B8AB-877D13ABFDD5


Co-crystallization is a method in formulation of drug products which is believed to improve drugs solubility, stability and dissolution rate while maintaining the biological functions of its chemical properties. The recent advances in this area have brought this research possible in order to produce pharmaceutical material by crystallization design of carbamazepine (CBZ) using saccharin (SAC) as its co-crystal. This research is conducted to examine formation of carbamazepine-saccharin (CBZ-SAC) co-crystal screening approaches that uses different solvent based crystallization technique in varies solvent system (ethyl acetate solvent and formic acid solvent). In this method, to prepare the co-crystal product CBZ-SAC four crystallization technique are used which are cooling crystallization, solvent crystallization, slurry and stirring in varies solvent of ethyl acetate and formic acid. Different mol ratio of CBZ and SAC are being tested, in order to study CBZ-SAC co-crystal formation. Physical characterization of the co-crystal is being characterized by x-ray powder diffraction (XPRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) and optical microscopic. The XPRD analysis had confirmed that only CBZ-SAC co-crystal in ethyl acetate solvent were successfully formed while in formic acid solvent the crystal formed were only SAC. The XRPD pattern profile analysis shown that CBZ-SAC Form I and Form II was produced from different ratios and different methods and it have their own melting point based from the DSC analysis which are 170-172°C and173-177°C respectively. The morphology of the crystal are mostly plate like and needle like shape which indicate Form I and Form II respectively for the polymorphic characterisation. Since two type of polymorph were successfully produced, it is shown that solvent, methods and ratios plays an important role to CBZ-SAC co-crystal formation. Further study in screening is needed for co-crystal formation assessment since there were already many factors proven in affecting the polymorphic formation of the co-crystal such as different methods, solvent and mole ratio. Besides that varies solvent type should be implemented to investigate if the solvent yield CBZ-SAC co-crystal formation and its polymorph.


Various inorganic and organic fluorescent films are excited using a newly developed ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UV-LED), and their optical properties are measured and discussed. The three pure primary colors are realized by the UV-LED irradiation and sufficient luminance for application to full-color displays in a room-lighting environment, is obtained. Film thickness dependence of the luminance is investigated, and UV irradiation on the frontside of the fluorescent films is preferred to realize high-efficiency devices.


57 ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a process for preparing a calcium-phosphorus-apatite, essentially characterized by admixing a single solvent of water or an organic solvent compatible with water or a mixed solvent of water with an organic solvent compatible with water with calcium and phosphorus compounds soluble in said single or mixed solvent to prepare a raw material solution, and atomizing the raw material solution into a flame or a heating zone for effecting a thermal decom position reaction thereof to form a calcium-phosphorus apatite; a calcium-phosphorus-apatite obtained by the process and having novel characteristics; and the use of the calcium-phosphorus-apatite as a chromatographic packing material.


Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a devastating lung disorder characterized by sustained airway flow restriction that is not fully reversible. The precise pathogenic mechanisms are unknown, but it is clear that cigarette smoking and chronic inflammatory stimulation are the major causes of COPD. Lung inflammation associated with COPD involves multiple cytokines, aggregation, and activation of neutrophils in the airway and lung tissue, and release of proteases and oxygen free radicals. In this study, a rat model of COPD was established by daily cigarette smoke exposure plus endotoxin treatment (the experimental group). Respiratory curves were recorded by the BL-420 biological signal collecting and processing system. Furthermore, the contents of inflammatory mediators, intercellular adhesion molecular (ICAM)-1 and interleukin (IL)-1β, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for experimental, smoke-exposed only (control), and untreated (blank) rat groups. Protein expression levels of ICAM-1 and IL-1β in the lung tissue were also compared among groups by the immunohistochemical streptavidin-peroxidase method. The COPD model rats exhibited severe dyspnea and lung inflammation as evidenced by significantly prolonged expiratory duration, higher respiratory rate, elevated ICAM-1 and IL-1β in BALF, and higher ICAM-1 and IL-1β protein expression in lung tissue compared to control and blank group rats. Chronic cigarette smoke exposure plus endotoxin is a feasible and reliable model of COPD that recapitulates many clinical signs and pathogenic responses. ICAM-1 and IL-1β upregulation are possible early contributors to COPD-associated inflammatory lung injury.


OBJECTIVE
A prospective observational study was conducted to test the agreement between 2 commercially available automated cardiac troponin-I immunoassay systems (Opus Plus, Behring Diagnostics UK Ltd, Hounslow, UK; AxSYM, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL) and to determine a normal reference range and threshold value indicative of perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI) after elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery for the Opus Plus system.

DESIGN
Prospective, observational study. Setting : Single institution, cardiothoracic specialty hospital.

PARTICIPANTS
Seventy patients undergoing elective CABG surgery.

INTERVENTIONS
After institutional review board approval, patients received standardized anesthetic, surgical, and myocardial preservation techniques. Serial electrocardiographs, creatine kinase-MB, troponin-I, and perioperative outcome data were collected. Correlation between the immunoassay systems was tested using 124 duplicate samples from the first 18 patients. The normal reference range and threshold value indicative of PMI were tested for the Opus Plus system using duplicate samples from all 70 patients.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
Peak troponin-I concentrations (median [interquartile range]) differed significantly when measured by the Opus Plus and AxSYM immunoassay systems (5.61 [3.20-22.35] microg/L v 46.50 [14.55-70.95] microg/L, respectively; p < 0.001). There was clear proportional bias that was corrected with log transformation of the raw data. By using confidence interval and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the authors showed that a value > or =15 mug/L was indicative of PMI (Opus Plus system) and accordingly report a 35.7% (2.9% Q-wave) overall incidence of PMI in this study population (n = 70).

CONCLUSIONS
These data highlight differences between commercially available troponin-I assay systems. The authors recommend that each institution establish a local reference range and threshold indicative of perioperative myocardial infarction for its specific patient population and assay system and provide sample methodology.


Primary carcinoma of the vermiform appendix is a rare disease with few clinical symptoms. Accordingly, preoperative diagnosis of appendiceal cancer is challenging because of the lack of specific symptoms. We herein report a case of appendicular adenocarcinoma found unexpectedly during laparoscopic surgery in a 69-year-old Japanese female patient diagnosed with serous papillary adenocarcinoma, in order to determine whether optimal cytoreduction could successfully be achieved at the time of primary surgery. We performed diagnostic laparoscopic surgery in order to make a correct diagnosis based on the histological tissue. The vermiform appendix was found to contain a tumor measuring 1.5 cm wide and 4.5 cm long. Laparoscopic appendectomy, partial omentectomy, and partial resection of the lesion in the peritoneum were performed. The histological diagnosis was mucinous adenocarcinoma of the vermiform appendix, and the stage was T4NxM1. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy with mFOLFOX 6 (5FU, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin). She achieved stable disease and was alive with disease eleven months after surgery. We therefore recommend that gynecologists should not rule out the possibility of appendiceal cancer, even in cases with preoperative findings similar to those of serous papillary adenocarcinoma of the peritoneum with peritoneal disseminated tumors.


Left ventricular assist device outflow graft stenosis is a rare but life-threatening complication of mechanical cirulatory support therapy. Current treatment modalities (pump exchange or systemic thrombolytic therapy) are associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Implantation of bare metal stents within the stenosed outflow graft is an alternative. Herein, we describe a series of three cases with successful stent placement. This seems to be safe and successful; however, correct and early diagnosis of outflow stenosis can be challenging. Information provided by the HeartWare ventricular assist device (HVAD) logfiles is extremely helpful for diagnosis.


Directors of 471 outpatient mental health settings in New York State (82.1 percent of 574 settings located in counties with intermediate to high AIDS case rates) completed a survey about HIV and AIDS services, training needs, and barriers to care. Most of the sites served one to ten persons with HIV infection annually and had staff members who were trained in providing at least one HIV-related service. Nonetheless, 84 percent of the respondents reported unmet needs for training. The likelihood of providing certain services was significantly increased in sites that were in urban locations, primarily served clients with comorbid alcohol or other drug use disorders, lacked funds for providing condoms, had staff members who were trained in HIV and AIDS services, identified particular HIV training needs, believed clients needed condoms, and viewed HIV-related services as very important.


The slipped upper femoral epiphysis (SUFE) is a condition also known as 'coxa vara' of the adolescent, in which lesions of the growth plate are responsible for the development of sudden or gradual displacement of the femoral head. The disease is most frequent in the 10-15 years' age group, usually in boys who also have endocrine disorders. Both acute and chronic presentations are described. The clinical symptoms and especially the X-Ray features are diagnostic. Treatment options include orthopedic (conservative) measures or surgery, depending on several conditions, such as: the clinical picture, the degree of the femoral displacement, and the age of the patient. The chronic, long-lasting cases are generally associated with poor results. The paper presents our experience in using the Dunn's procedure in 7 chronic cases of slipped upper femoral epiphysis in children. It appears that surgery by using Dunn's procedure is an effective treatment in patients with SUFE.


We report on an investigation of superconductivity and magnetism in the series of compounds M Pd 2 Pb (cid:126) M (cid:53) rare earth, Th, U (cid:33) through measurements of electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, and lattice parameters. Both single crystals and polycrystalline samples were studied. The compound UPd 2 Pb was examined for possible heavy-fermion behavior, and found to exhibit antiferromagnetic order below T (cid:53) 35 K.


We prove that for every $n\geq 2$ the class of all finite $n$-partite tournaments (orientations of complete $n$-partite graphs) has the extension property for partial automorphisms, that is, for every finite $n$-partite tournament $G$ there is a finite $n$-partite tournament $H$ such that every isomorphism of induced subgraphs of $G$ extends to an automorphism of $H$. Our constructions are purely combinatorial (whereas many earlier EPPA results use deep results from group theory) and extend to other classes such as the class of all finite semi-generic tournaments.