The population density that continues to increase, especially in urban areas, like in the SouthMeruya, West Jakarta, affected the quality of the city, which was in producing waste and environmental pollution due to their actions. This was because people's lifestyles tend not to pay attention to the impact on the environment which would then threaten public health and environmental sustainability itself. In this case, community initiatives had emerged to improve the quality of the environment, ranging from changes in clean lifestyles, green villages, waste segregation, saving water use, and planting trees. Preserving the environment would affect environmental sustainability so that from this behavior the writer can identify the Environmental Care campaign in the communityof South Meruya, West Jakarta. Based on these explanations, the writerwas interested in studying and focusing this research on How to Identify the Environmental Care Campaigns in the Community of South Meruya, West Jakarta. The results of this study were substantially expected to be able to map what kind and how the Identification of Environmental Care Campaigns in the community of South Meruya, West Jakarta. The environmental identification which was conducted by the Department of the Environment in West Jakarta could be implemented on a local or national scale and for the development of environmental communication science. Environmental education and awareness campaigns Inventory and identification of awareness and development for all levels of society were about the importance of environmental campaigns such as for example involving community leaders in the area of South Meruya, Kembangan, West Jakarta. This was where the importance of repositioning the environment in the view of humans in the concept of environmental communication. Such repositioning could be realized in activities that are practical. The awareness and concern of the Meruya Selatan village community was being held by the Government in collaboration with the Department of the Environment to implement a Healthy Community Movement program. This mission was carried out to the South Meruya community by carrying out a healthy environmental information campaign/ campaign program, conducting seminars, workshops, counseling, talk shows and poster campaigns, leaflets, appeal boards, healthy environment stickers in the South Meruya neighborhood, Kembangan, West Jakarta .


The kinetics of the inversion of configuration of a family of chiral oxonium ions, that is, O-protonated 1-aryl-1-methoxyethanes [YMe+], were investigated in two different gaseous media (in CH3X with X=F and X=Cl) at 720 torr of pressure and in the temperature range: 25-140 degrees C. The activation parameters of the [YMe+] inversion reaction were found to obey two different isokinetic relationships (IKR), depending on the nature and the position of the substituents in the oxonium ions and on the nature of the bulk gas employed. The observation of two IKR for the same family of reactions was related to a switchover in the resonant vibrational energy exchange between the reactants' critical mode, active in the transition state (omega), and the discrete vibrational levels v of the bulk gas. In CH3F, this vibrational-vibrational coupling switchover concerns the out-of-plane C-F...H-O bending) the phi family) and the H3C-F stretching (the gamma family) modes in the proton-bound [CH3F.YMe+] complex. In CH3Cl, the coupling switchover concerns the out-of-plane C-Cl...H-O bending (the phi family) and the H3C-Cl methyl group rocking (the gamma family) modes in the proton-bound [CH3Cl.YMe+] complex. The [YMe+] activation dynamics also determine the inversion dynamics. The [YMe+]ret<==>[YMe+]inv isomerization for the phi family involves the same "thermodynamically most favorable" transition state in both the CH3F and the CH3Cl media, whereas the same process for the gamma family proceeds through different, dynamically favored transition states.


We have used recently published data from the Pierre Auger Observatory and the Telescope Array Project to conclude some inferences concerning the origin and composition of ultra high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR). We advocate for model the UHECR flux as a combination of the Galactic and Extragalactic components exchanging the dominant role at the famous feature of the energy spectrum called 'the ankle'. We put a special emphasis on the individual experiment energy resolution and possible biases it introduces. We have eventually combined the data from both big experiments to the one 'world average' UHECR spectrum and we used it, supported by the analysis of the distribution of the Extensive Air Shower (EAS) development maximum depth to find the UHECR mass composition of both: Galactic and Extragalactic components. We studied the dependence of the on mass composition on the cosmic ray source distribution in space. We present results for some models existing in the literature. We found the evidence of the deficit of Extragalactic sources in the vicinity of the Galaxy of the the UHECR, what is in concordance with the small scale anisotropy analysis results.


For precise localization of outdoor mobile robots, real-time kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK GPS) has obvious advantages: position data are given with centimeter-accuracy, and the required infrastructure is reduced to a sole fixed reference station. Yet, the use of this solution arises a number of issues, such as satellite maskings, or the existence of the so-called GPS latency, which delays the output of the localization data. This paper deals with the latter problem, and proposes a method to identify this parameter without using other external sensors. Experimental results carried out with the robot MELODY are presented so as to validate our solution.


In this thesis, an optical fiber-based biofilm sensor has been developed in order to dynamically detect biofilm formation of bacteria and unicellular microorganisms in their natural marine environment. The device is based on the detection of natural fluorescence utilizing the intrinsic amino acid tryptophan of microorganisms constituting the biofilm. Promising sensor head geometries were modeled and optimized in terms of the spatial
arrangement of the entire optical system and of the light emission and collection characteristics. In field experiments, biofilm formation dynamics has been quasi-continuously monitored by exposing the sensor to Baltic Sea and Pacific Ocean waters over a period of several weeks.


Crop residues contribute to the maintenance of soil organic carbon (SOC) stores, a key component of soil fertility and soil-based climate change mitigation strategies, such as the '4 per 1000' initiative. Residues are also in demand in sectors coupled to crop production, such as the supply chain of livestock and bioenergy production. Ongoing debate revolves around balancing these competing uses, but science-based assessments of the long-term sustainability of residue exploitation are rare. This work uses biophysical simulation modelling to explore the likely response of SOC to different management strategies, using the land area of North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) as a case study. Four strategies are tested: zero, one third and 100% removal of cereal residues, plus an approach proposed by the State farm advisory service. Simulations are carried out for the period 1971–2050 and 19 crop rotations coincident with land use throughout the study area. Uncertainty associated with the modelled SOC changes is explored by sampling values of relevant parameters for SOC turnover and running an ensemble of model configurations. Simulated SOC is used to trace time-dependent response functions following a change in residue management under different soil textures, initial SOC levels and crop rotations. Results highlight a general exponential decrease in SOC, with relative changes in 2050 distributed between +10% and −40% with respect to a reference period. SOC loss can be buffered or offset by returning all crop residues to the soil. Under such management, an SOC increase can be achieved on clayey soils characterized by a low initial SOC. Under moderate crop residue removal, positive SOC trends are limited to a few crop rotations. In this context, 4 per 1000 increase rate in SOC appears largely out of reach through residue management, calling for additional measures to meet the targets of land-based mitigation of anthropogenic emissions.


Bananas were chilled at 6°C and the appearance of brown spots when exposed to ambient air, a phenomenon known as chilling injury (CI), was detected using computer vision. The system consisted of a digital colour camera for acquiring images, an illumination set-up for uniform lighting, a computer for receiving, storing and displaying of images and software for analyzing the images. The RGB colour space values of the images were transformed into that of HSI colour space which is intuitive to human vision. Visual assessment of CI by means of a browning scale was used as a reference and correlation between this reference values and hue was investigated. Results of the computer vision study successfully demonstrate the potential of the system in substituting visual assessment in the evaluation of CI in bananas. The results indicate significant influence, at I±=0.05, of treatment days and temperature on hue. A strong correlation was also found between hue and visual assessment with R>0.85.


An innovative 3D model of the human bronchial mucosa, a result of a long- term collaboration with Prof. Davies from the University of Southampton, UK, will be used to study, on board the International Space Station (ISS), the chang- es occurring in lungs exposed to the adverse environmental conditions found in Space. Our research group has developed a tissue engineered human airway model, providing a viable alternative to the use of animal models. The bronchial outgrowth offers numerous advantages compared to traditional approaches that use human tissue, including: the morphological analogy with the bronchial mucosa; the possibility to study long-term exposure (several months) to environmental factors (cigarette smoke, respiratory viruses, etc.) being able to analyze eventual changes in the long term; the possibility to add cellular and humoral components of the immune system in order to evaluate their effects. Recently, our application to the ILSRA 2014 solicitation by NASA/ESA, in which we propose to study the effects of prolonged stay on board the ISS on the development and function of human airway cells in our model, was successful and our project was selected. This project will involve several international partners, including, in addition to the University of Palermo and Southampton, the Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST, Palermo), the University of Leiden (NL), the University of Galveston (Texas, USA), the Wyle Laboratories (Texas, USA) and NASA itself. The results obtained will be particularly useful in view of exploratory missions of our solar system planned in the near future. To verify the resilience of the model to the extreme environmental conditions on board the vectors that transport the samples to the ISS, and therefore collect essential data prior to the flight experiments, differentiated outgrowths obtained from healthy patients were exposed for up to 1 week to the following stress conditions: withdrawal of growth medium, reduced culture temperature (10 and 20°C), absence of CO2, intense rolling and shaking motions. TER values were measured 1 week prior to 1 week after the exposures to evaluate the effects of these stimuli. The data obtained show that even though the stimuli determined a slight degree of tissue alteration (reduction of TER) during exposure, the outgrowths promptly recovered their origi- nal structure and function.


The investigations, concerning detection of the hemostasis system activation, were done in 26 patients, suffering various critical morbid states (an acute pancreatitis). The contents of products of the enzymes lysis of coagulation system and fibrinolytic system constitute one of the most precise indices. Fibrinopeptid A (FpA) is considered one of the most secure indices, confirming intravascular thrombin formation, and D-dimer--of a fibrin formation. In the patients examined a trustworthy increase of a D-dimer and FpA contents was registered, witnessing the hemostasis system activation in an acute pancreatitis as well as an excessive formation and lysis of fibrin. D-dimer and FpA contents in a plasma constitutes an important diagnostic index, its determination secures the possibility of early diagnosis and control of a hemostasis system disorders.


Wind energy penetration into power networks is increasing very rapidly all over the world. The great concern about global warming and continued apprehensions about nuclear power around the world should drive most countries in Africa into strong demand for wind generation because of its advantages which include the absence of harmful emissions, very clean and almost infinite availability of wind that is converted into electricity. This paper shows the power available in the wind. It also gives an overview of the wind power potential and integration in some selected Africa countries like Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Nigeria and the challenges of wind power integration in Africa's continent are a lso discussed. The Northern part of Africa is known to be Africa's Wind pioneers having installed and connected the Wind Energy Converters (WEC) to the grid. About 97% of the continent's total wind installations are located in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. Research work should commence on the identified sites with high wind speeds in those selected Africa countries, so that those potential sites can be connected to the grid. This is because the ability of a site to sufficiently accommodate wind generation not only depends on wind speeds but on its ability to interconnect to the existing grid. If these wind energy potentials are tapped and connected to the grid, the erratic and epileptic power supply facing most countries in Africa will be reduced; thereby reducing rural-urban migration and more jobs will be created.


Hydroxymethyluracil (HMU) in a dose of 1.5-3 g/day produces a stimulant effect upon leukopoiesis and granulocytopoiesis in cases of toxic neutropenia caused by chemotherapy. In the same dose range, HMU produces immunostimulant action in patients with immune deficit caused by oncopathology and chemotherapy.


All currently marketed Factor VIII (FVIII) molecules are administered intravenously (IV) for the treatment of hemophilia A (HemA). Conventional FVIII prophylaxis requires a dosing interval of three times per week to every other day. This frequent dosing regimen necessitates repeated venous access and is associated with complications such as secondary infection in children with a venous port/catheter. More recently, extended half-life variants of FVIII have been shown in clinical trials to decrease the dosing interval to twice weekly or less frequent IV dosing, which reduces, but does not eliminate, the burden of treatment. A FVIII molecule with further prolonged half-life and subcutaneous (SQ) delivery potential could significantly relieve the treatment burden for HemA patients and improve the adherence rate to FVIII prophylaxis. Recombinant FVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN has been shown to not bind endogenous VWF, and is able to achieve a 4-fold extension of half-life in hemophilia A mice compared to conventional FVIII, well beyond the approximately 2-fold half-life extension limit demonstrated by other long-acting FVIII variants that bind endogenous VWF. It comprises of two polypeptide chains: 1) a single chain B-domain deleted FVIIIFc-XTEN chain with a XTEN polypeptide inserted at the B-domain region of native FVIII sequence, and 2) a VWF D9D3-XTEN-Fc chain xtend one that n TEN fragemnt o FVIII prophylaxis.ntial rity of the patients depending on the half-life of the FVIII molecule. with a second XTEN polypeptide inserted between D9D3 domain and Fc. The rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN protein was produced in HEK293 cells and affinity purified using VIIISelect resin. The pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of intravenously (IV) and subcutaneously (SQ) administered rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN were compared to those of rFVIII in HemA mice. The duration of the in vivo efficacy of rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN post-SQ delivery was assessed in a HemA mouse tail vein transection (TVT) bleeding model. After intravenous dosing in HemA mice, we observed a linear PK profile for rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN within the therapeutic dose range (25, 50, 100 IU/kg). The half-life of IV-administered rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN was about 37 h, which is more than 4-fold longer than that of rFVIII. In addition, animals that received 25 IU/kg of rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN treatment retained 5% of normal FVIII activity at 120 h post-dosing, which suggests the potential for full protection from spontaneous bleeding in this animal model. When delivered subcutaneously, the bioavailability of rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN was 20%, a significant increase compared to the bioavailability of rFVIII (less than 1%). Starting at 24 h post-dosing, subcutaneous administration of rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN achieved plasma FVIII levels that were equal to or greater than those attained with rFVIII delivered intravenously at the same dose. In addition, greater than 5% of normal circulating FVIII level was observed at 96 h post SQ administration of rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN with a 100 IU/kg dose, which provided 80% protection on survival in mice subjected to tail vein transection injury. These results suggest that rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN could enable less frequent FVIII replacement treatment compared to rFVIII even when administered subcutaneously. The VWF independence of rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN enables a 4-fold increase in circulating half-life compared to that of rFVIII. Also, the addition of D9D3 domains and the two XTEN insertions dramatically increases subcutaneous bioavailability to 20%, compared to less than 1% with conventional FVIII. These unique properties of rFVIIIFc-VWF-XTEN make it a potential candidate for both IV and SQ treatments for hemophilia A. Disclosures Drager:Biogen: Employment, Equity Ownership. Patarroyo-White:Biogen: Employment, Equity Ownership. Chao:Biogen: Employment, Equity Ownership. Ismail:Biogen: Employment. Liu:Biogen: Employment, Equity Ownership. Holthaus:Biogen: Employment. Chhabra:Biogen: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kulman:Biogen: Employment. Schellenberger:Amunix Operating Inc: Employment. Liu:Biogen: Employment, Equity Ownership. Peters:Biogen: Employment.


Objective: To understand the perceptions of health care providers about barriers to improved patient safety in the Indian state of Kerala. Materials and Methods: Five focus group discussions were held with 16 doctors and 20 nurses across three institutions (primary, secondary and tertiary care centers) in Kerala, India. Transcripts were analyzed by thematic analysis. Setting: One rural primary care clinic, one secondary care hospital and one tertiary care center in Kerala, India. Participants: 16 doctors and 20 nurses participated in five focus groups. Results: Overall, there were 129 unique mentions of barriers to patient safety; these barriers were categorized into five major themes. 'Limited resources' was the most prominent theme, followed by barriers related to health systems issues, the medical culture, provider training and patient education/awareness. Conclusions: Although inadequate resources are likely a substantial challenge to the improvement of patient safety in India, other patient safety barriers such as health systems changes, training, and education, could be addressed with fewer resources. While initial approaches to improving patient safety in India and other low- and middle-income countries have focused on implementing processes that represent best practices, this study suggests that multifaceted interventions to also address more structural problems (such as resource constraints, systems issues, and medical culture) may be important.


As online banking becomes the most popular mode of payment for both online as well as internet based Transaction, cases of fraud associated with it are also rising. In this paper We model the sequence of operations in internet banking transaction processing using a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) and showing how it can be used for the detection of frauds. If an incoming online banking transaction is not accepted by the trained HMM with sufficiently high probability, it is considered to be fraudulent. At the same time, we will try to ensure that genuine transactions are not rejected.


Background Several studies suggest that celecoxib has beneficial effects on degenerated cartilage (1, 2). Together with effects on synovial tissue and bone, celecoxib was postulated to have disease modifying osteoarthritic drug (DMOAD) activity. Objectives This study evaluated the DMOAD activity of celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitor compared to no treatment and naproxen, treating end-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA), after in vivo exposure using detailed ex vivo tissue analyses. Methods 172 patients with end-stage knee OA were randomized to 4 groups and treated for 4 weeks prior to knee replacement surgery: celecoxib 2dd200g, naproxen 3dd250mg, celecoxib 2dd200mg stopped 3 days prior to surgery, or no treatment. To determine if treatment had reached the joint, intra-articular COX-2 expression was determined by Western Blot analysis in the celecoxib until surgery and no treatment group, considering these as most extremes. Proteoglycan release, as primary outcome and content were determined by staining and precipitation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) with Alcian Blue. Release of newly formed proteogylcans, as a measure of proteoglycan retention, was determined by loss of 35SO42-labeled GAGs in culture medium by precipitation of GAGs and subsequent liquid scintillation analysis. Synovial tissue inflammation markers interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were determined by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbet Assay (ELISA) and nitric oxide (NO) production by standard Griess reaction. Western Ontario and McMaster University (WOMAC) questionnaire was used to evaluate clinical parameters. Results Intra-articular COX-2 expression was significantly decreased in both cartilage and synovial tissue (figure 1) indicating proper in vivo exposure of the treatment. Despite this reduction, no significant effect on proteoglycan release, retention or content was found for none of the treatment groups (table 1). Synovial tissue showed only a small decrease in nitric oxide levels in celecoxib treated patients. No clear clinical effects could be observed as indicated by the WOMAC scores. Conclusions No effect of a 4-week in vivo celecoxib treatment on joint tissue in knee OA patients could be detected, although decreased expression of COX-2 confirmed its intra-articular availability. Effects on synovial inflammatory mediators and clinical outcome were very limited. No adverse effects were found either. As such the previous reported disease modifying effects of celecoxib in in vitro and pilot clinical studies could not unambiguously be confirmed in this randomized trial. References de Boer TN, Huisman AM, Polak AA, Niehoff AG, van Rinsum AC, Saris D, et al. The chondroprotective effect of selective COX-2 inhibition in osteoarthritis: ex vivo evaluation of human cartilage tissue after in vivo treatment. Osteoarthritis and cartilage/OARS, Osteoarthritis Research Society. 2009;17(4):482–8. Mastbergen SC, Jansen NW, Bijlsma JW, Lafeber FP. Differential direct effects of cyclo-oxygenase-1/2 inhibition on proteoglycan turnover of human osteoarthritic cartilage: an in vitro study. Arthritis research & therapy. 2006;8(1):R2. Disclosure of Interest E. Van Helvoort: None declared, K. Coeleveld: None declared, T. de Boer: None declared, A. Huisman: None declared, A. Polak: None declared, J. Bijlsma Grant/research support from: J.W.J. Bijlsma received a consultancy fee from Pfizer (<5.000 US$). J. van Laar: None declared, F. Lafeber: None declared, S. Mastbergen: None declared


Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in physiological processes, but – when being in excess – ROS cause oxidative damage to molecules. Under physiological conditions, the production and detoxification of ROS are more-or-less balanced. Also in the thyroid, ROS and free radicals participate in physiological and pathological processes in the gland. For example, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is crucial for thyroid hormone biosynthesis, acting at different steps of the process. Additionally, H2O2 is believed to participate in the Wolff-Chaikoff's effect, undergoing in conditions of iodide excess in the thyroid. It is the purpose of this review to attempt a synthesis of what we currently know of thyroid hormones production and their relation to oxidative stress and selenium, a trace element. Biomedical Reviews 2009; 20: 17-29.


Cognitive radio networks (CRNs) have emerged as a promising solution to the ever-growing demand for additional spectrum resources and more efficient spectrum utilization. A large number of routing protocols for CRNs have been proposed recently, each based on different design goals, and evaluated in different scenarios, under different assumptions. However, little is known about the relative performance of all these protocols, let alone the tradeoffs among their different design goals. In this paper, we conduct the first detailed, empirical performance comparison of three representative routing protocols for CRNs, under the same realistic set of assumptions. Our extensive simulation study shows that the performance of routing protocols in CRNs is affected by a number of factors, in addition to PU activity, some of which have been largely ignored by the majority of previous works. We find that different protocols perform well under different scenarios, and investigate the causes of the observed performance. Furthermore, we present a generic software architecture for the experimental evaluation of CRN routing protocols on a test bed based on the USRP2 platform, and compare the performance of two protocols on a 6 node test bed. The test bed results confirm the findings of our simulation study.


Background: The role of the right hemisphere (RH) in the recovery of language is quite controversial. Aims: The aim of the present survey consisted in taking into account three main models advanced to explain the reconstitution of language systems: (1) the "perilesional hypothesis," which maintains that language recovery is mainly subsumed by left hemisphere (LH) tissue adjacent to the lesion; (2) the "right hemisphere hypothesis," which assumes that restitution of language entails an increased participation of the RH; and (3) the "disinhibition hypothesis," which maintains that recovery is facilitated by disruption of inhibitions exerted by RH regions over LH language areas. Methods & Procedures: The prognostic factors in poststroke aphasia are discussed first, focusing attention on factors that could subsume an increased participation of the RH to the recovery of language. Then results obtained with techniques of noninvasive brain stimulations of the RH are taken critically into account. Outcomes & Results: As for the prognostic factors, the following points are stressed: (1) the anatomical extension of the LH lesion plays an important role both on the degree and on the path of recovery; (2) the RH structures involved in the recovery of language are generally mirror structures of the damaged LH areas; and (3) the time elapsed since the onset of aphasia influences the contribution that contralateral and ipsilesional areas give to the recovery of language. As for results obtained with techniques of noninvasive brain stimulations of the RH, this point remains controversial, because most authors support the "disinhibition hypothesis," but theoretical and factual reasons suggest caution in the interpretation of these results. Conclusions: Since the meaning of the RH activations and of results obtained with techniques of noninvasive brain stimulations remain controversial, some tentative recommendations to clarify these issues are advanced.


Mismatch robustness and its effects on security of chaotic optical communication system based on injection-locking chaos synchronization are studied numerically by establishing the corresponding SIMULINK model. Unlike previous studies, we focus on the communication relating issues when parameter mismatches are considered. The mismatch robustness of generalized synchronization is discussed firstly in terms of cross-correlation coefficient and synchronization error. Decoding performances as well as the effects of message strength are examined for both with and without mismatch cases. Effects of injection strength on system decoding performances are also investigated by examining the chaos-pass filtering effect. Finally, a modified decoding scheme is brought forward to improve the system decoding capability. Results show that the system under consideration exhibits unconspicuous difference in both synchronization and decoding characteristics when large parameter mismatches are considered. The system based on injection-locking chaos synchronization is inappropriate for the applications where high transmission security is necessary


The DNAble Salmonella detection assay utilizes single overnight culture enrichment, user-friendly sample preparation, and isothermal DNA amplification for Salmonella detection. This report describes studies performed in support of AOAC Research Institute Performance Tested Method(SM) certification of the DNAble assay. Selectivity (inclusivity and exclusivity) studies were performed in the sponsor's laboratory. DNAble detected 119 out of 120 Salmonella isolates, representing 100 Salmonella serovars, in the inclusivity study while none of the 35 diverse non-Salmonella strains (32 species) tested was detected in the exclusivity study. Consistency (lot-to-lot and stability), instrument variation, and robustness studies were also conducted by the sponsor. Statistically equivalent assay performance was observed in these studies demonstrating robust assay manufacture and performance despite variation of multiple parameters in these challenges. Matrix studies, performed in an independent laboratory, evaluated DNAble assay performance in dry pet food, on stainless steel surfaces, and poultry environmental drag swab samples. Two sample sizes (25 and 375 g) and two culture volumes (9:1 and 3:1, v/w) were evaluated in separate matrix studies for dry pet food to provide multiple certified testing options for assay users. DNAble assay performance for dry pet food and stainless steel was compared to the procedures described in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual, Chapter 5, Salmonella. Assay performance for drag swabs was compared to protocols dictated in the FDA Environmental Sampling and Detection of Salmonella in Poultry Houses guidelines. Matrix study results demonstrated statistically equivalent DNAble assay performance compared to these reference methods, ensuring that the DNAble assay provides results comparable to those of the reference methods.


The Australian legal definition of terrorism and a brief history of terrorism in Australia set the context for national security intelligence laws. Recent national reforms are surveyed and critically examined here. It is concluded that they do not duplicate other powers and are subject to respectable, although not impeccable, safeguards. Some provisions need to be clarified to delimit their scope and others could be hampered in operation by the uncertainty of constitutionally implied limits.


As frequently happens the day after an issue of Pediatrics arrived we admitted a patient with a problem that had been presented in the journal. This 7-month-old infant had been referred to the department of radiology for a skull series because of a lump on the skull–an incidental finding was the presence of coins in the esophagus. He had no swallowing difficulty but did cough in the prone position. In view of Pediatrics, 50:475, we considered use of the method, but elected to do it under direct vision as we did not know the duration of the ingestion.


Purpose - The purpose of this study is to develop internationalization process theory by examining the relationship between small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) international experience and their degree of insidership in newly opened business networks. Design/methodology/approach - The study applies a quantitative approach. Data were collected on-site at 203 SMEs having entered the Baltic States, Poland, Russia and China. The data are analysed with structural equation modeling in SmartPLS. Findings - The paper reveals that international experience is positively associated with both the country and customer experience in the newly opened business network. Country experience, in turn, is strongly associated with a firm's degree of insidership in the business network. Conflicting with the hypothesized model, no support is found for the direct relationship between international experience and insidership. Nor does the analysis reveal any significant relationship between a firm's customer experience, in terms of variation, in the newly opened business network and the degree of insidership in the network. Research limitations/implications - The paper empirically discriminates different types of international experience derived from theory and examines their relationship with the degree of firm insidership in newly opened business networks. Originality/value - Theoretically this paper advances internationalization process theory by developing its network aspect as well as discriminating different experience types and their role in predicting network insidership in newly opened business networks.


The established antifungal moieties viz. 1,2,4-triazole, dithiocarbamate and phosphorous were brought in a single molecule to give a series of metal complexes ofcobalt, copper and iron. The synthesized derivatives were further improvised with an essence of nanotechnology for the better application of the non-soluble molecules to get nano-sized dispersion in water. The formulated target compounds were evaluated for their fungicidal potential against Fusarium oxysporum, by poisoned food technique. The overwhelming results were indicated by compound 5 (EC50 value 4.80 ppm).


Human annotations are an important source of information in the development of natural language understanding approaches. As under the pressure of productivity annotators can assign different labels to a given text, the quality of produced annotations frequently varies. This is especially the case if decisions are difficult, with high cognitive load, requires awareness of broader context, or careful consideration of background knowledge. To alleviate the problem, we propose two semi-supervised methods to guide the annotation process: a Bayesian deep learning model and a Bayesian ensemble method. Using a Bayesian deep learning method, we can discover annotations that cannot be trusted and might require reannotation. A recently proposed Bayesian ensemble method helps us to combine the annotators' labels with predictions of trained models. According to the results obtained from three hate speech detection experiments, the proposed Bayesian methods can improve the annotations and prediction performance of BERT models.


Infections with Listeria monocytogenes (LM) are very uncommon and severe especially in immunocompromised people. We report a continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis (CCPD) patient who presented initially disseminated listeriosis with peritonitis. He was successfully treated with intraperitoneal and intravenous ampicillin but died unfortunately from a cardiorespiratory arrest due to food inhalation. It is the 20th case of such peritonitis mentioned among PD patients and the first reported in Belgium. This case illustrates the importance of a systematic approach to get quick diagnosis and effective antibiotic readjustment. Empiric therapy is not effective on Listeria which is naturally resistant to cephalosporins and poorly sensitive to vancomycin. Ampicillin is the first-line antibiotic. In case of penicillin allergy, trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole or erythromycin can be used successfully. Identification of LM serotype has a prognostic value. PD educative programmes should recommend to avoid unpasteurized dairy products to prevent listeriosis.


Two methods are presented that were designed to circumvent the persistent problem of benzofuran formation and instead yield a spiroketal of the rubromycin family type. First, using an alternative disconnection, a hemiketal conjugate addition to a naphthaquinone electrophile was investigated. Synthesis of the requisite electrophile provided insight into the selective oxidation and functionalization of the naphthalene portion. Second, the electronic features of the isocoumarin ring system were adjusted, and the corresponding reactivity further supports the hypothesis that electron-rich isocoumarins are capable of spiroketalization. Robust, flexible syntheses from simple precursors were developed that allowed multiple reduced isocoumarins to be generated. Combined, the data presented herein give insight into the sensitivities of this family and illuminate other potential methods of spiroketalization. In addition, the convergent assembly of substrates containing different naphthaquinone and isocoumarin subunits highlights the utility of our 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition approach to generate analogs of these structures for SAR, as well as chemical reactivity studies.


The 1Malaysia concept (People First, Performance Now) is a vision introduced by the sixth Malaysian Prime Minister YAB. Datuk Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Abdul Razak on 3 of April 2009 soon after his sworn-in ceremony. The 1Malaysia concept protects the rights of all ethnic groups in the country and is able to bring Malaysia forward. The concept of 1Malaysia does not stray a single inch from the provisions of the Federal Constitution or the Rukun Negara (Five Pillars of the nation). The opposition parties claimed that they have introduced earlier the so called Middle Malaysia vision (originally from their Malaysian Malaysia slogan). Actually they were worried that the 1Malaysia concept has been accepted by most ethnic groups in Malaysia and there was a renewed spirit among the people to bring the country to greater heights. The government wants the Malaysian people to adopt the attitude of acceptance instead of tolerance. This is because tolerance carried a connotation that people were too much exposed to a painful or unpleasant condition because of their religious and ethnic differences whereas acceptance meant all Malaysians accepted and understood the diversity of Malaysian multiracial society which was a greatest source of strength. A very determined effort by the multiracial society will ensure that all citizens of Malaysia either the rich or poor will achieve real acceptance and integration. Malaysians should accept the reality and condition of its multiracial society and various faiths. The Malays should honour the non-Malays as equal to their rights in the constitution and to deal with them honestly. What is interesting however is that a lot of what Datuk Seri Mohd. Najib clarified was blended with Islamic teachings and religious ideas. This paper covers major elements of the 1Malaysia concept with its values and outlines the challenges faced by Malaysian multiracial society in adapting the 1Malaysia concept.


The production of wafer-scale transducer arrays using laser interconnection techniques and micromatching technology is discussed. The design of a wafer-scale thermal dynamic scene simulator that was implemented using the laser-linking redundancy technique is presented to illustrate typical design requirements. The simulator uses small arrays of thermal pixels and control circuitry in 3 mu m CMOS technology.<<ETX>>


In order to provide higher data rates in the UMTS (3G) downlink, the High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), was standardized in UMTS Release 5. However, to support high data rates in the WCDMA system smaller spreading factors are used to handle the shared access. Using higher modulation constellations data rates beyond 10Mbps are then achievable. On the other hand, by decreasing the spreading factor more intersymbol interference caused by the time-dispersive channel is introduced which can only be managed by advanced WCDMA receivers. This increase in complexity has initiated a reinspection of the physical layer. In particular it is known that Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) has the capability to resolve the inherent structure of time-invariant (or slowly fading) channels, i.e. converts the frequency-selective channel into flat fading channels on the corresponding subcarriers. From mathematical point of view the joint transmitter and receiver signaling (that includes a appropriate cyclic prefix) diagonalizes a complete class of linear time-invariant channels on a very low complexity level. Moreover with frequency-selective channel information available at the transmitter it is expected that OFDM with time-frequency scheduling is superior to WCDMA employing time scheduling only. It was already observed that twice the averaged throughput is achievable using multidimensional scheduling [1]. Therefore OFDM was proposed in the 3G Partnership Project (3GPP) as an alternative air interface [2]. The conventional OFDM scheme can be extended in several ways to match the requirements for more mobility and increased bandwidth efficiency. In particular an approach based on Offset QAM in conjunction with Gaussian-like pulse shapes (OQAM/IOTA) [3], also incorporated in the 3GPP OFDM study item, reflects a promising new direction. Due to the enhancement of the physical layer an improvement of the overall system performance is expected while the air interface is still very similar to OFDM. Hence, strategies on adaptive modulation, coding and time-frequency scheduling developed for OFDM can be applied without major modifications. The purpose of this paper is


The Computer Numeric Control (CNC) is a technology which aims to generate, parse and execute sequential actions that describes the behavior of the end effector. This article reports the development small sized prototype CNC machine, based on a modular system with the capability of communication through USB. It is also reported the development of the basic electronic devices to run a CNC machine and proposes, as well, a software developed in LabVIEW to establish the communication between the machine and the computer. The main objective of this work is the development of a machine which allows future researches on the process performance, on educational purposes, the demonstration the parts involved on the CNC machine.


This qualitative study focuses on the mothering experiences of women from the former Soviet Union (FSU) who were sex-trafficked to Israel. In-depth interviews were conducted with 8 women who gave birth either in the FSU or in Israel. The women's stories reflect 3 experiential spheres, those of "the good mother," "the sacrificing mother," and "the mother who wants for herself." These mothering spheres were found to exist against the backdrop of a life between 2 countries, where the women's mothering is split between "here" and "there." Furthermore, it was found that the women's sex-trafficking experience continually threatened to invade the 3 mothering spheres and destabilize the balance among them. The splits and conflicts among the mothering spheres are examined from a gendered perspective with emphasis on mother-daughter relationships and on the social constructions of mothering and prostitution.


Development of biological models is essential as it represents and predicts complex processes within microbial cells. These models are formed by mathematical formulations that depend heavily on a set of parameters whose accuracy is often influenced by noisy and incomplete experimental data. This study is aimed to design and develop new optimization methods that can effectively estimate these parameters by iteratively fitting the model outputs to the experimental data. To achieve this goal, two new hybrid optimization methods based on the Firefly Algorithm (FA) method are proposed. Firstly, a method using evolutionary operations from Differential Evolution (DE) method was developed to improve the estimation accuracy of the parameters. Then, a second method using Chemical Reaction Optimization (CRO) method was proposed to surmount the convergence speed problem during parameter estimation. The effectiveness of the proposed methods was evaluated using synthetic transcriptional oscillator and extracellular protease production models. Computational experiments showed that these methods were able to estimate plausible parameters which produced model outputs that closely fitted in the experimental data. Statistical validation confirmed that these methods are competent at estimating the identifiable parameters. These findings are crucial to ensure that the estimated parameters can generate predictive and sensitive model outputs. In conclusion, this study has presented new hybrid optimization methods, capable of estimating the model parameters effectively whilst taking into account noisy and incomplete experimental data.


The pivotal role of plaster of Paris (POP) cast as an immobilization tool to promote healing in complex and/or other types of fractures is irrefutable. We clearly know that Antonius Mathysen extensively applied plaster cast during Crimea and/or other wars and reportedly saved thousands of lives. However, the exact origin of using POP in orthopedic cast is yet to be clear. In his famous report from Bandar-e Rig, a city in Iran, William Eton paved the way for the conclusion that POP cast might have originated from the Persian Empire. In this paper, we provide more supporting evidences which make the aforementioned claim more probable.


Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) (MPB), can cause extensive ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) mortality in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming, USA. Lower tree densities have been associated with reduced MPB-caused tree mortality, but few studies have reported on large-scale thinning and most data come from small plots that may not be representative of a large area. We quantified MPB-caused tree mortality in 21 pairs of commercially thinned and unthinned stands across the Black Hills. Both preand postoutbreak, unthinned stands had higher ponderosa pine basal area, tree density, and stand density index. Quadratic mean diameter was larger in thinned stands, both preand postoutbreak. Percent ponderosa pine basal area and tree density killed by MPB in unthinned stands were 38.2 7.0 and 34.4 6.9% compared with 3.9 3.2 and 3.6 2.9% in thinned stands, respectively. All stands were thinned within 2 years of exposure to MPB, suggesting a rapid effect from thinning treatments in mitigating tree mortality attributed to MPB. Stand density reductions through silviculture across a large geographical area can abate MPB-caused tree mortality.


The hydrolysis rate of p-nitrophenyl ƒ¿-D-glucopyranoside was greatly enhanced in cationic micelles of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HTAC) by using phenylboronic acid (PBA) in pH 11.0 phosphate buffer. Stereospecific acceleration of hydrolysis toward the ƒ¿-anomer over the ƒÀanomer then increased to a high extent. The effect of the type of boronic acid in micelles of HTAC was examined in order to clarify the mechanism of the enhancement of the hydrolysis rate of the ƒ¿-glucoside and the ƒ¿/ƒÀ selectivity in the presence of HTAC by the addition of PBA. The more hydrophobic boronic acid afforded the higher ƒ¿/ƒÀ selectivity, p-Decyloxyphenylboronic acid (C10PBA) gave the highest selectivity (kƒ¿/kƒÀ=64) in the presence of cationic micelles. The enhancement of selectivity by the addition of 1mM C10PBA was comparable to that by 7mM methylboronic acid (MBA), which is the highest selectivity obtained in the absence of cationic micelles.


Low-power HF surface-wave radars fit well the role of long-range early-warning tools in maritime situational awareness applications, by virtue of their over-the-horizon coverage capability and continuous-time mode of operation. In fact, these sensors, developed for ocean remote sensing, can represent also a further low-cost source of information for ship detection and tracking. Unfortunately, many shortcomings, like poor range and azimuth resolution, high non-linearity and significant presence of clutter, may degrade their performance. In this paper, multi-target tracking and data fusion techniques are applied to experimental data collected during the NATO Battlespace Preparation 2009 HF-radar campaign, which took place between May and December 2009 in the Mediterranean Sea. The system performance is defined in terms of time-on-target, false alarm rate and accuracy. Experimental results are presented and discussed.


Till now pre-eclampsia is a disease of multiple theories. This case control study was carried out in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital and Dhaka Medical College Hospital, from January 2006 to December 2007 to determine the association of maternal serum triglyceride with pre-eclampsia. Ninety pregnant women were studied, among them 45 patients were pre-eclamptic and served as case and 45 normal healthy pregnant women served as control. Estimation of serum triglyceride levels of all study patients was done with the help of enzymatic method. The mean (± SD) systolic blood pressure was 152.4 ± 19.8 mmHg in study group and 112.0 ± 8.9 mmHg in control group (p<0.05). Similarly the mean (± SD) diastolic blood pressure was 103.1 ± 12.2 mmHg in case group and 75.5 ± 6.6 mmHg in control group (p<0.05). Serum triglyceride level was more than the normal reference value in pre-eclamptic group. The mean (± SD) serum triglyceride level was 242.9 ± 36.8 mg/dl in case group and 184.6 ± 12.5mg/dl in control group. Statistically the difference was significant (p<0.05). The level of serum triglyceride positively correlated with the rise of blood pressure and degree of albuminuria. Thus serum triglyceride level increase in pre-eclampsia and the level correlate with the severity of the disease.


WIWIK PRATIWI. 2008. The excellence of food and beverage service in
supporting Sahid Kusuma Hotel Solo reputation. English Diploma Program
Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts, Sebelas Maret University. Indonesia is a country of which most of the income is derived from
tourism section. Hotel business, one of the tourism sectors, plays an important
role in fulfilling and satisfying the tourist need. Food and beverage department is
one of the facilities in the hotel that support guest satisfaction. The objectives of this final project are to describe the guest responds and
the excellence of food and beverage service. The excellence service is one of the
supporting factors in hotel reputation. The good image can automatically attract
the guest from domestic tourist and foreign to stay. It can be drawn from the guest
card comments about the service given by food and beverage service department.
The researcher observed the excellence of food and beverage from work
observation directly and from documents to get the data. Based on the analysis of the data, it can be concluded that Sahid Kusuma
hotel has the excellence service. With these results, it is hoped that the hotel can
increase the quality of service especially for food and beverage, increase the
income and promote the menu to the development of Sahid Kusuma Hotel.


In 2012, The Philippine National Aquasilviculture Project (PNAP) was forged and formally launched by the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DABFAR). To implement the PNAP, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was executed by and between BFAR and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on December 16, 2011. The study was conducted to assess the status and development of the PNAP program implemented in Southern Negros, at four (4) Municipalities and two (2) Cities. The BFAR downloaded a total fund amounting Php 10,148,812.50 for the four (4) phases of the program wherein, the Php 6,422,762.5 was spent for resource rehabilitation (mangrove planting); Php 845,000.00 for Aquasilviculture; Php 1,140,000.00 for Multi-species hatchery and Php 1,741,050.00 for administrative costs. The total paid mangrove propagules planted in Southern Negros was 978,000 with 30% buffer with a total of 1,144,260 survived propagules planted in 130.4 hectares of coastal land in Southern Negros and commensurate 673 direct beneficiaries. The 274 fisherfolk beneficiaries augmented income from Aquasilviculture project while a total of 1,284 berried wild bluecrab which estimated to produce up to 2 million eggs have been reared in Multi-species hatchery. A conservative estimate of 1% survival in natural habitat under natural conditions represented the contribution of the project for the beleaguered bluecrab capture fisheries. The beneficiaries really appreciate the efforts made by CHMSC-Binalbagan as program implementer based on their responses on the given important factors of service delivery to the community.


The present Master dissertation focuses on EU competition policy in maritime markets, addressing the issue from both a historical and an institutional perspective within globalisation.
The aim of the present study is to first of all reveal the main institutional and organisational categories that discern EU competition policy in maritime markets. Moreover, the study uses those categories as analytical-interpretative tools, as well as potential policy measures that may deal with future challenges in the European maritime sector. In view of this, the study provides answers to the following fundamental questions: what is the historical evolution of EU competition policy in maritime markets? Are decisions taken on the basis of member states' collective (community) interest? What is the role of the EU institutions in designing competition policy in maritime markets? What is the new European strategy for the maritime sector in the new international economic context as this is shaped by the economic crisis?


Aims: To analyze the narratives of illness blogs created by parents of children with cancer. Background: The profound effects of the childhood cancer experience on family members and the turn to the Internet by parents for help in the process are gaining research attention. Design: The qualitative study design involved secondary narrative analysis of 14 illness blogs: 9 by the parents of children with neuroblastoma and 5 by the parents of children with leukemia. Daily blog entries were analyzed as individual units of illness experience expression and in relation to one another to identify thematic and linguistic similarities. Methods: The initial analysis of these illness blogs resulted in identification of the quest for balance as a primary theme. Narratives in parents' childhood cancer illness blogs illustrated themes of performance. During this initial analysis, however, the author repeatedly asked, "Why are they writing this? And why publish this?" A second analysis of the data answered these questions of why parents blog about the experience. Results: Narrative analysis resulted in the discovery of 6 main reasons that parents wrote and published the childhood cancer experience online: to report, explain, express, reflect, archive, and advocate. Conclusion: The analysis suggests that incorporation of parent writing may improve family-–provider communication, enhance the family-health care professional relationship, enhance safety by preventing medical errors, improve reporting of clinical trial data such as adverse events, and improve satisfaction.


In this research a laboratory characterization of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) made with recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) from construction and demolition waste (CDW) as base layer in road construction has been conducted. HMA containing 5%, 10%, 20% and 30% of RCA in place of virgin aggregate were evaluated. To improve water resistance of the mixtures, they were left in an oven for 4 hours at mixing temperature before compaction to allow the bitumen absorption and, in addition, obstructing the mortar pores, strengthening the attached mortar onto the RCA surface and thus, preventing water pathways. The tested mixtures complied with Spanish water resistance requirement and also showed a water resistance performance much higher than that of the mixtures that were not cured in the oven. Stiffness and resistance to permanent deformation were also studied showing satisfactory results.


A general strategy for the synthesis of 2N,4N′-disubstituted glycoluril enantiomers on a multigram scale using orthogonal protection is reported. The use of these glycolurils is demonstrated in the synthesis of enantiomerically pure bambus[6]uril macrocycles. Moreover, the deprotection of (S)-1-phenylethyl substituents on the macrocycle was achieved, opening access to various chiral bambus[6]urils via post-macrocyclization modification strategy.


Abstract Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic influences health care facilities world-wide. The flow rate, type, and severity of cases presented to emergency departments varied during the pandemic in comparison to the past years. However, this change has not been well-described among the cases of hospital admission due to toxic exposure. Study Objective: Recognition of the pattern of toxic exposure among the cases refereed to Tanta Poison Control Center (TPCC; Tanta, Egypt) during the past five years, and furthermore, exploration of the impact of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the pattern of presented cases. Methods: The current study is a five-year retrospective, comparative cross-sectional study carried out among acutely intoxicated patients admitted to TPCC during the spring months (March through May) of 2016-2020. A total of 1,916 patients with complete medical records were recruited. The type and manner of toxic exposure, demographic, clinical data, and outcomes were analyzed. Results: The current study noted that there were delays in time from toxic exposure to emergency services during the lockdown period. This was reflected in significant lower recovery rates (884.8/1,000 population; z = −3.0) and higher death rates (49.4/1,000 population; z = 2.1) despite the marked decrease in the total number of hospital admissions in comparison to the past four years. The lockdown period showed significantly higher phosphides (z = 3.5; χ2 = 34.295; P <.001) and antipsychotics exposure (z = 3.6; χ2 = 21.494; P <.001) than the previous years. However, predominance of female exposure and intentional self-poisoning was maintained over the past five years, including the lockdown. Conclusion: COVID-19-associated lockdown greatly reformed the usual intoxication pattern of the cases admitted to emergency room. Also, it played a role in delaying time of hospital arrival, which was reflected as lower recovery rates and higher death rates.


ABSTRACT Horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis (HGPPS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. The ROBO 3 gene mutation is responsible for the disease. We present a boy aged 12 years who was admitted for scoliosis surgery who had also had horizontal gaze palsy since birth. His brainstem abnormalities were compatible with the syndrome of HGPPS. HGPPS is one of the rare congenital diseases of childhood. Horizontal gaze palsy, ametropia, and progressive scoliosis are the main findings of the disease. This syndrome should be kept in mind for both ophthalmologists and orthopaedic surgeons in patients who present with gaze palsy and scoliosis. Early diagnosis of scoliosis makes it possible to treat the disease at an early stage, and early diagnosis of ametropia is important in the prevention of amblyopia.


Sixty-seven Insall-Burstein (Zimmer Inc, Warsaw, Indiana) posteriorly stabilized total knee replacements were implanted in knees with a preoperative alignment > 10 degrees of valgus (average: 19.5 degrees). An anteromedial approach with release of the lateral ligaments of the femur was used. A lateral patellar release was necessary in 49% of cases. Fifty-one knees (76%) were reviewed with an average follow-up of 6 years. Pain at follow-up was absent or mild in all of the knees except one with aseptic loosening of the tibial and patellar components. The average flexion was 105 degrees. The results according to the Knee Society Rating System were excellent in 53%, good in 39%, fair in 6%, and poor in 2%. A patellofemoral "clunk" was present in three knees (6%), and one knee required arthroscopic debridment. The mechanical axis was within 5 degrees of neutral in 88%. A survivorship analysis was performed using failure requiring reoperation as the end point. There were four failures due to aseptic loosening, symptomatic lateral ligamentous instability, deep infection, and recurrent patellar dislocation. The patellar component had not been implanted in the knee with recurrent patellar dislocation due to severe bony erosion. The cumulative success rate was 95% at 10 years. These results indicate that release of the contracted lateral structures and implantation of a posteriorly stabilized prosthesis achieve a stable and well-aligned knee in 66 out of 67 knees. Attention must be paid to patellar tracking and realignment of the extensor mechanism.


Irradiation may have a profound effect on reproductive function. The schedule of the delivered irradiation (total dose, number of fractions and duration) is an important determinant of the radiobiological effect on the tissues involved and varies between different tissues and organs. Direct irradiation to the testis will, in lower doses, affect the germinal epithelium: doses of irradiation greater than 0.35 Gy cause aspermia which may be reversible. The time taken for recovery increases with larger doses, however, with doses in excess of 2 Gy aspermia may be permanent. At high radiation doses (> 20 Gy) Leydig cell function will also be affected.


This study aims at determining the implementation of 5S programs at Muhammadiyah Elementary School Ambarbinangun Tirtonirmolo Bantul which include: General character education in general, teacher's understanding toward character education through 5S and principals and teachers efforts in building students character through 5S.               This research is a case study qualitative research. Data collection techniques used in this research were interviews and documentation. Data analysis techniques using data reduction, data presentation and conclusion. Data validity techniques used in this research was source and data triangulations.               The results of this study indicate that Muhammadiyah Elementary School, Ambarbinangun has carried out the formation of student character through habituation of the implementation of the 5S as follows: (1) the teacher has understood the nature of character education well, (2) the implementation of the 5S is based on self-development which includes routine school activities, spontaneous activities, exemplary and conditioning. 5S is also implemented in the learning activities through; school's curriculum, scoring and subjects. The school principal's roles are coordinating, mobilizing, and harmonizing the implementation of teaching and learning processes at the school. Meanwhile, teachers give the students motivation to have better characters. It can be seen from the students' routine activities to stay in lines in front of the class before entering each room then shaking hands with the teacher.Keywords: Character building, application of 5 S (senyum, sapa, salam , sopan santun)


Abstract After the 2008 financial panic, long-term compensation measures have gained favor as a way to limit managerial opportunism and excessive risk-taking. These measures, which may become mandatory for systemically important institutions, include restriction (i.e., deferral) of stock grants for a period of years, and, in the event of performance reversals, divestment of deferred stock and clawbacks of bonus compensation. These measures are considered uncontroversial enough that some have suggested that all public companies, not just systemically important firms, should adopt them. In this Article, I argue that the benefits of long-term compensation have been overstated while the potential downsides have been largely ignored. Restricted periods for equity grants must be large compared to the executive's tenure in order to have a significant effect upon behavior overall, and mandatory clawback provisions end up transferring what would have been bonus pay into salary. Furthermore, to the extent that long-term compensation does affect behavior, these consequences are not necessarily good. I show that given fairly reasonable assumptions of executive risk aversion, the information content of long-term and short-term price signals, and managerial control over the timing of project execution and disclosure, a long-term focus can have significant negative effects.


A clinical case of balantidiosis was investigated among a colony of four chimpanzees at the Sanda Kyarimi Park in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The chimpanzees were in apparently good health until the oldest female (aged about 26 years old) became weak,
dehydrated and passed bloody diarrheoeic faeces. The clinical signs were milder in the other colony mates that showed only mild diarrhoea. Faecal examination was negative for metazoan parasites but revealed large numbers of the cysts and trophozoites
of Balantidium coli . The cysts of B. coli were also recovered in large numbers from the soil samples within the primate cages and colony compound. The more severely affected female chimpanzee had lower packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and red blood cell values compared to the other colony mates. The parasites were introduced into the primate colony probably through new soil brought for flooring the compound or by the primate attendant or wild rodents within the zoo complex. Treatment with oral metronidazole was not rejected and cleared the parasites from the faeces 10 days post treatment. It is recommended that balantidiosis be considered in cases of enteritis in captive chimpanzees in Nigeria. Keywords : Balantidiosis, chimpanzees, Maiduguri, Nigeria Sahel Journal of Veterinary Sciences Vol. 5 (1) 2006 pp. 55-58


The Software Product Lines (SPL) approach requires specific testing tools that should help to manage reusable testing assets and automate the test execution. Despite of the increasing interest by the research community regarding software testing tools, SPL still need tools to support the testing process. This work presents briefly the results of a mapping study on software testing tool and defines the requirements, design and implementation of a software product lines system test case tool, aiming at the creation and management of test assets. A controlled experiment was also conducted to evaluate the tool effectiveness.


During the past two decades research on marine bacteria has highlighted the tremendous potential of symbiotic-microorganisms as a source of bioactive secondary. One of the potential of the bacterial symbionts is producing a natural pigment, and these organisms can be used as a sustainable source of natural pigments. Carotenoid is one of the most important pigments that has important roles in physiological and molecular processes of microorganisms, as well as for human health. The objective of this study is to analyze carotenoid pigments from marine bacterial symbionts from sponge and to identify bacterial symbionts that produce carotenoid pigments. Pigment analysis was performed by a UV-VIS spectrophotometer and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Molecular bacterial identification was performed based on 16S rDNA sequence. The isolation of bacterial symbionts from C. vaginalison Zobell 2216E medium resulted in one bacterium, CB-SP5, positively synthesized carotenoids. By reverse phase HPLC analysis, the carotenoid pigments in the bacterial symbionts were identified as diadinoxanthin, fucoxanthin, neoxanthin, dinoxanthin, anddiadinochrome. CB-SP5 shared the highest level of 16S rDNA gene sequence similarity with Psychrobacter celer (99%). Keywords : carotenoid, sponge, bacterial symbiont, 16S rDNA.


In recent times, loosening of joint prosthesis resulting in failure, is of grave concern to orthopedicians. It is estimated that 50% of total hip replacements become loose after 15 years, and most of them require either revision surgery or resection orthoplasty. Neither, newer operative techniques, change in design, use of novel materials, nor surface modifications have helped to circumvent the problem. It is in this context, that attention has been focussed on the role of tissue surrounding the implant, in the loosening of the prosthesis. Tissue response around prosthesis results in either formation of a fibrous layer around the implant, ingrowth into fenestrations on implant or direct bone apposition on prosthesis. Long-term implantation results in implant debris being released into surrounding tissue. These particles initiate a chronic granulonatous inflammation with a significant number of activated macrophages and foreign body type of giant cells, all engaged in attempts to get rid of the debris. These features have been found to be invariably associated with peri-prosthetic lysis of bone. Since such bone resorption is also observed around non-cemented prosthesis, possibly causes other than cement are responsible for the osteolysis. Retrospective studies on failed implants suggest that peri-prosthetic osteolysis is mediated by activated macrophages. Cytokines are capable of stimulating bone resorbing cells, the osteoclasts. Bone resorption results in further loosening of the prosthesis, changes in stress, frictional wear, release of more wear debris and recruitment of more macrophages. Bone death and proliferation of macrophages, thus appear to be the cause for pain and loosening of prosthesis.


Adopting deep approaches to learning can have a profound impact on learning outcomes. The extent of change in the learning approach could be attributed to the effect of contextual factors (e.g., instruction). After a substantive review, it was found that research interested in investigating the longitudinal effect of deep approaches to learning on learning outcomes were rarely directly concerned with the longitudinal state and trend of the approach itself. Moreover, the limitations of past analytical methods (e.g., using a single indicator to represent deep approaches to learning at each point in time), has not been appropriately acknowledged. This study examined deep approaches to learning in students from kindergarten to third grade using a multilevel structural equation modeling indicator-specific growth model (MSEM-ISGM). This was used to highlight the methodological issues (e.g., consider four indicators separately at each wave) to investigate the effect of context and the states, stability, and changes in deep approaches to learning over this developmental period. The current study comprised of a large-scale sample of 21,490 kindergarteners in kindergarten. Results showed: (1) there was a contextual effect on the longitudinal changes of deep approaches to learning; (2) deep approaches to learning was high but showed considerable individual differences; (3) most indicators relating to deep approaches to learning declined (however, one increased), whereas the trend were relatively stable over time. Corresponding suggestions were proposed at the end of this article.


Prolonged periods of muscular inactivity (e.g., limb immobilization) result in skeletal muscle atrophy. Although it is established that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a role in inactivity-induced skeletal muscle atrophy, the cellular pathway(s) responsible for inactivity-induced ROS production remain(s) unclear. To investigate this important issue, we tested the hypothesis that elevated mitochondrial ROS production contributes to immobilization-induced increases in oxidative stress, protease activation, and myofiber atrophy in skeletal muscle. Cause-and-effect was determined by administration of a novel mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant (SS-31) to prevent immobilization-induced mitochondrial ROS production in skeletal muscle fibers. Compared with ambulatory controls, 14 days of muscle immobilization resulted in significant muscle atrophy, along with increased mitochondrial ROS production, muscle oxidative damage, and protease activation. Importantly, treatment with a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant attenuated the inactivity-induced increase in mitochondrial ROS production and prevented oxidative stress, protease activation, and myofiber atrophy. These results support the hypothesis that redox disturbances contribute to immobilization-induced skeletal muscle atrophy and that mitochondria are an important source of ROS production in muscle fibers during prolonged periods of inactivity.


This clinical research study examined the music therapeutic process from sensorial play to musical form by psychotic patients. Based on the assumption that the psychic space has its origins in the transition from sensorial play to musical form, and that the capacity to make representations is severely affected by psychosis, there is a need to find out by which means this capacity can be re–established. Because of their pathology, they do not make use of a psychic space to reach symbolisation, which means in music–therapeutic terms that they are not able to create a musical form in which they could exist as a subject. Therefore the therapeutic transition from sensorial impression to musical form (i.e. proto–symbolisation) is a basic condition for the treatment of psychotic patients. In this contribution the author examines and describes the process from sensorial play to musical form. The phenomena sensorial play, moments of synchronicity and musical form are defined and the different characteristics are summarised. The specificity of the phenomena of silence, timbre and inter–subjectivity, which were essential to the therapeutic process, is discussed. The therapeutic interventions that are of central importance for the clinical music therapist are examined. Finally, the usefulness of the study for the clinical music therapist is made clear.


This paper considers demand side management in smart power grid systems containing significant numbers of thermostatically controlled loads such as air conditioning systems, heat pumps, etc. Recent studies have shown that the overall power consumption of such systems can be regulated up and down centrally by broadcasting small setpoint change commands without significantly impacting consumer comfort. However, sudden simultaneous setpoint changes induce undesirable power consumption oscillations due to sudden synchronization of the on/off cycles of the individual units. In this paper, we present a novel algorithm for counter-acting these unwanted oscillations, which requires neither central management of the individual units nor communication between units. We present a formal proof of convergence of homogeneous populations to desynchronized status, as well as simulations that indicate that the algorithm is able to effectively dampen power consumption oscillations for both homogeneous and heterogeneous populations of thermostatically controlled loads.


Appearance management includes "all activities and thought processes leading to the purchase and wear of clothing items as well as processes of body modification" (e.g., piercings, tattooing) (Kaiser, 1997, p. 5). We focused on investigating the processes of appearance socialization by uncovering the types of appearance management rules learned from or attributed to significant others as well as rules learned from other members of the socio-cultural environment experienced during childhood and adolescence. Within appearance management our focus was on rules related to body supplements (e.g., clothing, accessories) as well as rules concerning body modifications (e.g., tattoos, piercings). Our research questions were as follows: 1) What were the appearance management rules learned during childhood and adolescence? 2) From whom or what did these rules come from and how were individuals taught these rules? 3) What types of conflicts were experienced over rules of appearance management and how were these conflicts resolved? Data was collected from young adults (n = 43). Participants were asked to recall a specific time period during their childhood and adolescent years and to write about their experiences concerning what appearance "rules" they learned, how they learned them, and from whom. They were also asked to share any conflicts they experienced and how these conflicts were resolved. Many of the recollected rules centered on aesthetic concerns and contextual aspects of appearance management. Mothers were key socializing agents and at the center of conflicts over appearance. The most common resolution styles were compliance and problem solving.


The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of 14 weeks of regular exercise and mini tennis activities on the respiratory volumes of 8-12 year-old male children. The study group comprised of 14 healthy young male subjects with the average age of 9,9±1,2 years; the average height of 138,7±8,1cm; the average weight of 34,4±10,3kg and the BMI of 17,9±3,5 kg/m 2 . Upon permission by parents, the medical committee and Kafkas University Sarikamis School of Physical Education and Sports, each exercise was practised for 2 hours throughout 14 weeks (Saturday and Sunday). The respiratory volumes were measured with Pony spirometers. Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Maximal Voluntary Ventilation (MVV) and Vital Capacity (VC) of the subjects were tested. The measurements were conducted before and after 14 weeks of activities, in resting condition. Within the scope of the training programmes, there were 20 mins. of warm-up and gymnastics, 20 mins. of aerobic step with music to improve coordination and rhythmic skills, 20 mins. of educational games including various sports branches (basketball, football, volleyball, handball), and finally 60 mins. of mini tennis activities. Each week, avoiding routine exercises, the activities were conducted in different forms. The analysis of the data was performed by using SPSS for Windows 11.0 with Wilcoxon test at the level of 0.01 and 0.05. Consequently, as a result of the 14 weeks of regular training and mini tennis activities and of the comparison between the parameters of FVC, FEV1, VC and MVV before and after the programme, it has been established that there is a 0,01 level of significant difference.


The study present the results of an experimental investigation focused on the inflence of guard-ring on detector charge collection. The tested detector is based on semi-insulating (SI) GaAs substrate with a base thinkness of 250 um, where the depletion region is created by a PN-junction. The experiments were executed in vacuum using the 241 Am source emmitting 5,48 MeV alpha particles. Obtained results show noticeable increase of charges collected with higher collection efficiency in spectrum, when quard-ring was read out together with detector electrode.


The cost of municipal water treatment due to diminished water quality represents an important component of the societal costs of water pollution. Here the chemical costs of municipal water treatment are expressed as a function of raw surface water quality. Data are used for a 3‐year period for 12 water treatment plants in Texas. Results show that when regional raw water contamination is present, the chemical cost of water treatment is increased by $95 per million gallons (per 3785 m3) from a base of $75. A 1% increase in turbidity is shown to increase chemical costs by 0.25%.


A three-dimensional model for convection, di!usion, and reaction in a porous, heterogeneous system has been implemented. It is used to analyse the in#uence of hydrodynamics and structural heterogeneities on mass transfer and conversion processes of solutes in bio"lm systems. The mathematical model comprises the full incompressible Navier}Stokes equations and mass transfer with nonlinear reactions in the bio"lm. It is found that increased bio"lm surface roughness means decreased mass conversion in the solid bio"lm. Secondly, a correlation between bulk #ow Reynolds number and the Sherwood number for mass transfer across the irregular liquid/solid interface is formulated. In a further study the contribution of convective transport to overall mass transfer from bulk liquid into the bio"lm was analysed. The main result was that the experimental observation of high convective #ux of solutes in bio"lm channels not necessarily is coupled with an equally high net convective contribution to mass transfer from bulk liquid into bio"lm. ( 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


The impact of variations of the Walker cell on the ocean carbon cycle is assessed using a coupled climate model. Idealized wind perturbations are investigated, with the trade winds increased/decreased by 10%, 20%, and 30%. A global‐mean reduction in oceanic carbon storage is found for increased equatorial easterlies, while moderately decreased trade winds give increased uptake. There is a nonlinear response to weakened tropical winds due to Pacific Ocean biological pump changes; with reduced nutrient upwelling resulting in decreased biological activity and remineralization in the deep ocean. This partially offsets the increased carbon uptake due to weaker trade winds. The overall change in net carbon storage reaches −26.2 PgC (12 ppm) in the 30% increase case and 4.2 PgC (−2 ppm) in the 20% decrease cases. Regional dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) changes reach −3.3 mmol m−3 (2.1 mmol m−3) in the 10% decrease (increase) case. Gradually increasing wind perturbations give a similar pattern of DIC response to the full equilibrated solution.


Although local knowledge of their economic exploitation is still poor, a new look at vicuña may offer important economic possibilities for the inhabitants of the High Andes in Bolivia. This article investigates the possibilities for a change in vicuña production systems in Bolivia, which could result in increased economic benefits whilst guaranteeing the sustainability of the system. Its main conclusion is that future vicuña production systems can certainly be made more efficient and sustainable, but that more effort is needed to develop new marketing systems and technologies if the inhabitants are to take full advantage of the possibilities that vicuña production offers.


Neuromelanin is a dark brown pigment suspected of being involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. This pigment can be isolated from normal human substantia nigra by a procedure that includes an extensive proteolytic treatment. In this study we used such a procedure to extract the neuromelanin pigment from a pool of substantia nigra from patients affected by Parkinson's disease. 13C Cross polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy were used to characterize the solid residue obtained from the extraction procedure. We found that the pigment extracted from the substantia nigra of parkinsonian patients was mainly composed of highly cross‐linked, protease‐resistant, lipo‐proteic material, whereas the neuromelanin macromolecule appears to be only a minor component of this extract. A synthetic model of melanoprotein has been prepared by enzymatic oxidation of dopamine in the presence of albumin. Once it has undergone the same proteolytic treatment, this model system yields a 13C‐NMR spectrum which is similar to that observed for the parkinsonian midbrain extract. These results are consistent with the view that oxidative stress has a relevant role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.


An abundant and secure energy supply is critical to our country's prosperity, and energy supply is now a central issue in global stability and security. Unfortunately, the Unites States continues to steadily increase the fraction of energy it imports from foreign sources. In May 2001, the National Energy Policy noted that this imbalance, "if allowed to continue, will inevitably undermine our economy, our standard of living, and our national security." In addition to these serious impacts, growing concern about air pollution and atmospheric carbon levels hold the potential for global climate change. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth's surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades. The current energy supply situation clearly demands coordinated action. Nuclear energy is preeminent in its ability to deliver affordable energy today and meet the growing imperatives for clean air and energy supplies in the future.


Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults. GBM tumors universally develop resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy; thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel treatment strategies. In this study, we identify signaling pathways altered specifically in radioresistant glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) following radiation treatment, in order to identify mechanisms of radiation resistance. Protein phosphorylation is a highly regulated and dynamic post-translational modification that is the primary mechanism of signal transduction. We hypothesized that phosphoproteomic profiling of GSCs can be used to identify novel signaling pathways involved in GBM radioresistance. Phosphopeptides were isolated from three GSC lines and one differentiated GBM cell line before and after radiation treatment. Mass spectrometry-based global phosphoproteomic profiling was then utilized to quantify radiation-induced changes in protein phosphorylation. About 6,000 phosphopeptides mapping to about 2,300 phosphoproteins were quantified at two post-radiation timepoints (relative to untreated) across all four cell lines. Three biological replicates of each sample were analyzed by mass spectrometry to obtain statistical significance. Fold changes of phosphoproteins following radiation treatment were then mapped to canonical signaling pathways, and pathways altered specifically in radiation-resistant GSCs were identified. We conclude that different pathways are activated in GSCs compared to differentiated GBM cells following radiation treatment, and some of these pathways may mediate radioresistance. Future efforts will focus on validation of the mass spectrometry results in vivo, and cell-based assays to identify the role of specific phosphoproteins in radioresistance pathways. Results of this study will guide future efforts to develop radiosensitizing agents that, when used in combination with current treatments, may increase the survival of patients with this devastating disease. This study was supported by funds from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (to AC); NIH/NCI 1U10CA180850-01(to AC); NIH/NCI 1RC2CA148190 (to AC); NIH/NCI 2K12CA133250-06 (to AC); NIH/NCI/CTEP 1R01CA169368 (to AC); NIH/NCI 1R01CA11522358 (to AC), RTOG (to AC). Citation Format: Emily Bassett, Kamalakannan Palanichamy, Arnab Chakravarti. Phosphoproteomic profiling of glioblastoma stem cells to uncover mechanisms of radiation resistance. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3318. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3318


OBJECTIVE
To explore the application of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in combination with vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the identification of endometrial cancer stages.

METHODS
Clinical data of 84 patients with endometrial cancer who underwent surgery in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Before surgery, they were received inspection by CT and MRI and examination by VEGF-C and EGFR measurement. The pathological results after surgery were used as the gold standard, which was applied to compare the diagnostic accuracy of endometrial cancer stages by CT, MRI, and CT+MRI and to analyze how VEGF-C and EGFR expression and CT+MRI diagnosis correlated with relevant pathological parameters.

RESULTS
Using pathological results as the gold standard, the diagnostic accuracy of endometrial cancer stages via CT+MRI combined with VEGF-C+EGFR immunostaining was significantly higher (96.43%) compared with CT+MRI, CT, and MRI (91.67%, 70.24%, and 77.38%, respectively) (P<0.05). The positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression in patients with different endometrial cancer stages identified by CT+MRI were significantly different (P<0.05). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed that the positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression were both positively correlated with CT+MRI identified stages (r>0, P<0.05). The accuracy of CT+MRI diagnosed lymph node metastasis, myometrial infiltration, and interstitial infiltration was 90.48%, 92.86%, and 84.52%, respectively. The positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression were significantly higher by lymph node metastasis compared with non-metastasis; the positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression were significantly higher by deep myometrial infiltration compared with superficial infiltration; the positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression were significantly higher by interstitial infiltration compared with no interstitial infiltration (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION
CT and MRI combined with VEGF-C and EGFR can effectively identify endometrial cancer stages.


The evaluation of the absorption cross section of a massless scalar field propagating on a non-extremal black D3-brane smeared on a circle is considered. The solution to the scalar field equation of motion at high temperature is obtained in terms of the parameters λ = 3ω/4πT and k, which denote the frequency and the momentum along the circle respectively while T denotes the temperature of the black brane. Based on a perturbative scheme, higher order temperature corrections to the scalar absorption cross section are computed. Further, interesting analogies with the cross section of known black branes solutions are discussed.


SUMMARY Flail chest is anatomically defined as the presence of four consecutive, unilateral ribs each fractured in two or more places. Herein, we present a case who had no paradoxally movement of a chest wall segment but had flail chest pathophysiology between left thoracic cavity and gaint cavity in the chest wall occuring due to blast injury of a bullet. A 20-year-old man was admitted with bullet injury on the left chest. Chest x-ray revealed fractures in 4th and 5th ribs on the lateral side. The thorax computerized tomography revealed a giant cavity in the thoracic wall which was in combination with thoracic cavity. There was not significant contusion in lung parencyhma areas. However mechanical ventilation was performed for seven days, and then he was successfully extubated. The second thorax computerized tomography revealed obliteration of the cavity in the chest wall and parenchymal healing. We should consider in mind that a flail chest pathophysiology can occur when there is a giant cavity in the chest wall in combination with thoracic cavity occuring due to blast injury of a bullet.


Edited by M K Waldor, D I Friedman, S L Adhya. Washington DC: Published by ASM Press, 2005, $119-95 (hardcover), pp 468. ISBN 1-55581-307-0

Any book that contains the phrase "rolling global-scale orgy of bacteriophage sex" will grab my attention, but then again, I am a bacteriophage enthusiast. To be honest, I'm really only an amateur and this book is primarily for the professional enthusiast, and at $120, it is likely to be read only by those who work with bacteriophages regularly. This is a shame, as it contains some fascinating material. Did you know, for instance, that, with a total population estimated at any one time to be 1031, phages are the most numerous organisms on the planet? I didn't know until I read this book. Another amazing fact that had me firing off emails to my long-suffering colleagues was …


Treatment of recurrent trichiasis with argon laser photocoagulation is discussed. The laser cutting light is guided into the depths of the eyelid to cauterize the diseased follicles. Eight treated cases have been followed for over six months with satisfactory results.


Aqueous polymer nanotubes can be assembled by combining the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly and template technique under charge interaction. This method allows lots of species, especially in an aqueous system to form a tubular structure in the pores of the template. The tubes functions can be readily modified by introducing various functional components. Such assembled nanotubes are often mechanically stable and highly flexible. They have also numerous potential applications in delivering materials.


This epidemiological study of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was the first one of the type in Croatia. The aim of the study was to determine prevalence and association between IBS and gender, age, education and urban/rural living. Study design included a questionnaire based on Rome criteria, which was send to 500 study subjects by post. Study population matched the adult population of Croatia according last census. Study result showed a high prevalence of IBS: i.e. 28% (10% of males and 18% of females). Age, education and urban/rural type of living were not related to the prevalence of IBS. Logistic regression gave gender-body mass index (BMI) model for IBS determination: the relative risk for getting IBS in females was by 165% higher than in males and BMI increase of 5 kg/m2 increased the risk of IBS by 36%. BMI was indicated as a possible new factor of IBS prevalence.


At first sight, the East Asian financial crisis represents an instance of Japan failing the test of regional leadership - as evidenced by its abandonment of initial proposals for an Asian Monetary Fund (AMF) in the face of US and Chinese opposition in 1997. However, if a second look is taken, and one which is sensitised to the fundamental characteristics of its diplomacy, then Japan can be seen as far more effective in augmenting its regional leadership role than previously imagined. Indeed, this article demonstrates that Japanese policy-makers have resurrected, over the longer term and in different guises, AMF-like frameworks which provide a potential springboard for further regional cooperation. Hence, the aims of this article are twofold. The first is to demonstrate the overall efficacy of Japanese regional economic diplomacy, and its ability to control outcomes through steering East Asia towards enhanced monetary cooperation. The second is to explain the reasons behind Japan's distinctive policy approach towards the financial crisis and general lessons for understanding its foreign policy. The article seeks to do so by asking three fundamental questions about the 'what', 'why' and 'how' of Japan's regional role: 'what' in terms of the dominant behavioural patterns of Japan's economic diplomacy; 'why' in terms of the motivations for this behaviour; and 'how' in terms of Japan's instrumentalisation of its regional policy.


Man and woman distinction is necessary to strengthen security and when various statistics on the visitor are taken in commercial facilities and so on. The conventional method of distinguishing a man from a woman is currently determined by using the person's appearance, the person's dress and in such cases, the way a person walks, the foot pressure, the hair type. But, these characteristics can be intentionally changed by human intervention or design. The proposed method gets the difference in the man's and woman's characteristics by taking images of the heat distribution of the person's face by Thermography. This is a man and woman distinction based on a new concept and idea which this is used for. Consequently, this can be used to distinguish a man from a woman even if a man turns himself into the woman intentionally (and vice versa), because this method involves biometrics authentication.


Denoising diffusion probabilistic models (DDPMs) employ a sequence of white Gaussian noise samples to generate an image. In analogy with GANs, those noise maps could be considered as the latent code associated with the generated image. However, this native noise space does not possess a convenient structure, and is thus challenging to work with in editing tasks. Here, we propose an alternative latent noise space for DDPM that enables a wide range of editing operations via simple means, and present an inversion method for extracting these edit-friendly noise maps for any given image (real or synthetically generated). As opposed to the native DDPM noise space, the edit-friendly noise maps do not have a standard normal distribution and are not statistically independent across timesteps. However, they allow perfect reconstruction of any desired image, and simple transformations on them translate into meaningful manipulations of the output image (e.g., shifting, color edits). Moreover, in text-conditional models, fixing those noise maps while changing the text prompt, modifies semantics while retaining structure. We illustrate how this property enables text-based editing of real images via the diverse DDPM sampling scheme (in contrast to the popular non-diverse DDIM inversion). We also show how it can be used within existing diffusion-based editing methods to improve their quality and diversity.