30 year GBMSM presented to our sexual health service requesting PrEP. He was taking PEP after a sexual exposure and was keen to transition straight to PrEP. Baseline testing including HIV were negative before PEP was initiated. He was given a supply of PrEP and returned for HIV testing post PEP as per BASHH guidelines. He reported a recent Covid infection confirmed by PCR testing. We carried out a rapid Abbott Determine Early Detect HIV test which was reactive. The assay is a 4th generation test that detects both HIV-1/2 antibodies and free HIV-1 p24 antigen. The patient was advised of this test result and a repeat rapid test the same day remained reactive. He was advised that this could be as a result of recent Covid infection resulting in a cross reaction and that we would await confirmatory testing. He was advised to discontinue PrEP until the result was clarified. Laboratory testing was requested expeditiously and the sample tested on 2 different immunoassay analyzers for the detection of HIV Ab/Ag. Both results were confirmed negative and he was advised to restart the PrEP. A literature search showed that cross reaction with the HIV rapid test had been reported after recent Covid 19 infection in other centres but not in the UK. He was seen 4 weeks later for further screening and rapid HIV testing on this occasion was negative together with the virology HIV immunoassay test. The patient was tested for COVID at the same time and was PCR negative at this stage.


Design and management of the feeding area are important. High stocking densities at the feed bunk increase aggressive competition and keep subordinate cows away from feed. Physical barriers between cows, including head lockers and feed stalls, can help reduce this competition and increase feeding time. Cows like softer surfaces, for both lying down and for standing upon. Deep-bedded stalls work well for cow comfort, but require maintenance. When it comes to physical structures used to build freestalls, less is more the hardware we place in the stall is for our benefit, and not the cow's. The more restrictive we design stalls, the less attractive they become for the cow. Use of restrictive stall designs can help keep stalls clean, but to avoid problems with hoof health these designs need to be accompanied by better flooring options, such as softer and drier flooring.


Recent literature on self-supervised learning is based on the contrastive loss, where image instances which share the same semantic content ("positives") are contrasted with instances extracted from other images ("negatives"). However, in order for the learning to be effective, a lot of negatives should be compared with a positive pair. This is not only computationally demanding, but it also requires that the positive and the negative representations are kept consistent with each other over a long training period. In this paper we propose a different direction and a new loss function for self-supervised learning which is based on the whitening of the latent-space features. The whitening operation has a "scattering" effect on the batch samples, which compensates the lack of a large number of negatives, avoiding degenerate solutions where all the sample representations collapse to a single point. We empirically show that our loss accelerates self-supervised training and the learned representations are much more effective for downstream tasks than previously published work.


The release of the federal Coalition's Tightback!' package last November constituted a political event not seen in Australia for at least a decade, perhaps ever. Its integrated program of taxation changes, government spending cuts, and broader philosophical and political concerns has only one parallel: the release of the joint ALP-ACTU 'Statement of Accord' prior to the election of the Hawke government in 1983. In an uncanny parallel to the Accord, 'Fightback!' was released at a time of 10% unemployment, a deep recession, a government which had served for a long time and appeared bereft of new ideas, and a deep-seated feeling in the community that new economic and political directions are needed.


High content cellular screening assays are useful tools to investigate the interplay between signaling pathways and offer valuable platforms to determine the mode of action, potency, and selectivity of potential drug candidates in a biological setting. We describe a cell-based multiplex fluorescent imaging assay that permits concurrent detection and quantification of the distribution of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) p65/RelA and phosphorylated forms of p38 and c-Jun between the cytosol and nucleus. Cellular screening, data acquisition, and data interpretation were conducted on the ArrayScan HCS Reader (Cellomics Inc., Pittsburgh, PA). A significant window between untreated and interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) stimulated HeLa cells for all three targets was achieved with low variability. Staining specificity was confirmed with blocking peptides and pharmacological inhibition of p38, c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), and inhibitory kappaB kinase 2, and channel bleed-through was eliminated or counterbalanced by the use of fixed exposure times together with careful reporter channel selection. The JNK inhibitor SP600125 was used as a demonstration compound because in addition to inhibiting nuclear accumulation of phosphorylated c-Jun it reduced nuclear translocation of phosphorylated p38 and NFkappaB p65/RelA in a dose-dependent manner, indicating a lack of SP600125 selectivity. This was supported by RNA interference where co-transfection of small interfering RNA targeting both JNK1 and JNK2, to limit signaling redundancy, significantly inhibited IL-1alpha-stimulated translocation of phosphorylated c-Jun without altering phosphorylated p38 and NFkappaB p65/RelA redistribution. This image analysis application is a valuable and information-rich screening tool to investigate compound selectivity and/or cross-talk between key signaling pathways involved in the inflammatory response.


Conservation and sustainable exploitation of threatened endemic plants with medicinal and/or horticultural/ornamental value can be achieved through the development of effective propagation protocols. After unveiling the bioclimatic preferences of Carlina diae (Asteraceae) with geographic information systems (GIS), four propagation trials were conducted using seeds of this endangered local Cretan endemic for in vivo and in vitro germination, as well as seasonal vegetative propagation trials (softwood cuttings) and micropropagation (nodal explants). Seed germination was accomplished at a level of 77–90% in vivo (30 days) and 96% in vitro (10 days) using an MS medium with 2.9 μM gibberellic acid (GA3). The optimum treatments for cuttings' rooting were 1000 and 2000 ppm indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (11–16 roots, 2–3 cm long, 100% rooting) within 40 days in mist. In vitro shoot propagation exhibited a 2.8 proliferation rate after six successive subcultures on an MS medium with 2.9 μM GA3. Both ex vitro rooting and acclimatization were successful in 40 days, with 96% microshoot rooting and an equal survival rate. The GIS-facilitated effective species-specific propagation protocols developed in this study can consolidate the perspective of successful re-introduction of ex situ-raised material of C. diae into wild habitats and may serve its sustainable exploitation for high-added value ornamental products.


Foam aluminum is considered the most promising material in the energy absorbing systems. The article presents a comparative study of the influence of shock waves of varying intensity on a steel plate protected with aluminum foam and unprotected.


Table of Contents for Democracy in Immigrant America List of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. Studying the Newcomers 3. A Matter of Numbers: Immigrant Demographics and the Electoral Process 4. Are the Newcomers Exceptional? The Applicability of Traditional Models to Immigrant Political Participation 5. From Newcomers to Settlers: Immigrant Adaptation and Political Participation 6. Were They Pushed? Political Threat, Institutional Mobilization, and Immigrant Voting 7. Beyond the Ballot Box: Nonvoting Political Behavior Across Immigrant Generations 8. The Future of Immigrant Political Participation: Directions in Policy and Research Appendix Notes Bibliography Index


Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is changing the way we practice pathology, including fine needle aspiration (FNA) diagnostics. Although recommendations have been issued to prioritise patients at high oncological risk, postponing those with unsuspicious presentations, real world data have not been reported yet. Methods The percentages of the cytological sample types processed at the University of Naples Federico II, during the first 3 weeks of Italian national lockdown were compared with those of the same period in 2019. Results During the emergency, the percentage of cytology samples reported as malignant increased (p<0.001), reflecting higher percentages of breast (p=0.002) and lymph nodes FNAs (p=0.008), effusions (p<0.001) and urine (p=0.005). Conversely, thyroid FNAs (p<0.001) and Pap smears (p=0.003) were reduced. Conclusions Even in times of COVID-19 outbreak, cytological examination may be safely carried out in patients at high oncological risk, without the need to be postponed.


Readers accustomed to hefty Chacoan tomes should not be put off by Sebastian's slim volume. By succinctly summarizing much background information and citing major sources for additional data, she has managed to concentrate on an alternative to existing explanations for the growth and nature of the Chacoan cultural system and on analyzing the political processes of smallscale sedentary societies. Her original plan was to use the Chacoan data as a case study of evolving sociopolitical complexity, but as so often happens she found herself drawn more deeply into "things Chacoan," and the case study became the book. Several concerns structured Sebastian's analysis. She contends that most existing Chacoan models suffer from an overdependence on analogy with ethnographic Pueblos, too-frequent reliance on standard evolutionary typologies that straitjacket use of data, and what she identifies as the circularity of adaptationalist and functionalist thinking—in essence, Chacoan sociopolitical complexity is seen as an adaptive response to coping more effectively with a harsh environment. Sebastian argues that societies do not get complex to cope with problems. Instead, leaders deal with problems and as problems, population, or both become greater, leadership roles become less situational and more institutionalized. Thus, for Sebastian the means for explaining emerging sociopolitical complexity in the Chacoan region is to clarify the conditions under which leaders may emerge and persist and to identify those mechanisms that allow for increasing centralized decision making and social differentiation.


Triazole-functional cyclic carbonates are presented as a new class of functional monomers for ring-opening polymerisation. Starting from bromo-functional six-membered cyclic carbonates, a series of triazole-functional monomers was synthesised using click chemistry. This synthetic strategy allows for facile synthesis of a great number of structurally diverse monomers from just a few azide-functional precursors.


OBJECTIVE
There has been much interest in the use of atypical antipsychotics in anorexia nervosa (AN). However, newer, more weight-neutral medications have not been studied in AN, and there are no reports of the use of antipsychotics in bulimia nervosa (BN).

METHOD
We report on the treatment of eight patients (five with AN and three with BN) with aripiprazole for time periods of four months to more than three years.

RESULTS
All individuals had reduced distress around eating, fewer obsessional thoughts about food, weight and body image, significant lessening of eating-disordered behaviors, and gradual weight restoration where appropriate. Depression, generalized anxiety, and cognitive flexibility improved as well.

DISCUSSION
In summary, these findings support the need to perform controlled trials of aripiprazole in AN and BN.


Landscape change and habitat fragmentation is increasingly affecting forests worldwide. Assessments of patterns of spatial cover in forests over time can be critical as they reveal important information about landscape condition. In this study, we assessed landscape patterns across the Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) and Alpine Ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) forests in the Central Highlands of Victoria between 1999 and 2019. These forests have experienced major disturbance over the past 20 years through a major fire (in 2009) and extensive industrial logging. We found that around 70% and 65% of the Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash forest areas, respectively, were either disturbed or within 200 m of a disturbed area. Inclusion of planned logging increased these disturbance categories to 72% and 70%, respectively. We also found that the isolation of Mountain Ash core areas (patches of undisturbed forest >1000 ha) increased significantly (P < 0.05) over our study period, with the proximity between disturbed areas conversely increasing significantly (P < 0.05). This means that continued and planned disturbance through industrial logging will have an amplified adverse effect on remaining undisturbed ash forest patches, which will become smaller and more dispersed across the landscape.


A class of flexible manufacturing cells containing a robot is examined. The role of the robot is to load parts onto machines, to unload parts from machines, and to transport parts between machines. The problem of finding efficient robot schedules/tours is one of substantial economic significance. The authors devise a rule-based system to assist the cell supervisor in making good decisions by utilizing the available information during the production process. The rule-based system combines an algorithmic procedure to deal with a well-structured environment, and a flexible heuristic approach employed to deal with less structured environments. The algorithmic and heuristic procedures are applied separately, and then together, to control the robot movement in a simulation experiment. A predictable tradeoff is shown between the quality of the resulting schedule and the information content of the heuristics used.<<ETX>>


Every the first education year, it has problem of school phobia that gets on pra student. This case is emerged, because of inability for children are far from their parents. This research is done to know the roles of parents facing school phobila in pre age school in TK NURUL HUDA Jabon Mojokerto, their roles are as decision maker, social developer, giving safety, role mode, team member with teachers. The method of this research is used descriptive by simple random sampling technique. The amount of sampling is 37 respondents and the collecting data is by closed quistionnaire.the result from quistionnarie data is got tabulation and given score then intrepreted in table. This research is found that some respondents whose negative roler (59,45%) and positive roler (40,54%) are their background education of elementary and their job in ungovernmental. This research can be concluded that the role of parents in facing school phobia are negative  or missunderstanding about the problem of scholl phobia that get in pre student of school.however, they need information spared about the solving ways of school phobia to children with giving time intensively in facing some problems about children inside. Key words: the role of parents, school phobia, pre age school .


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Alcohol and drug dependent patients present a higher psychiatric comorbidity, which increases according to the number of drugs. Moreover, there are complications from the treatment and the prognosis is aggravated. We aimed to observe the differences regarding personality disorders (PD) and cognitive deterioration between alcohol dependent patients and patients who were benzodiazepine dependent as well.

PATIENTS AND METHOD
Transversal study. Comparison between benzodiazepine-abusers (BZD+) and non-abusers (BZD-) from a cohort of 401 alcoholic inpatients under detoxification treatment.

RESULTS
28.1% of patients had benzodiazepine abuse or dependence (n=113). There was a higher proportion of women and PD within the BZD+ group (50.4% and 25.7%) than in the BZD- group (20.1% and 15.6%). They were of similar age -mean (standard deviation): 48,2 (10) versus 47,4 (10) years- and presented a smaller frequency, although not significant, of neuropsychological deterioration (19% versus 26%). This difference was stronger in women (8.8% versus 36.2%) than in men (30.4% versus 23%).

CONCLUSIONS
Benzodiazepine consumption predominates in women and in patients with PD. In women it tends to occur before alcohol addiction and is related to a PD, decreasing alcohol consumption and the frequency of cognitive deterioration. This deterioration is more frequent in men because of higher alcohol consumption, since benzodiazepines are taken later when deterioration has already started, to diminish withdrawal symptoms.


A microfluidic bio-particle sorter has been developed utilizing a concept that a microchannel network acts as a resistive circuit when a Newtonian fluid is continuously introduced into the network. By hydrodynamically rectifying the particle positions inside the microfluidic circuit, particles suspended in liquid are perfectly aligned onto one sidewall inside the microchannel, and then concentrated and sorted according to size. We used particles with diameter of 1~ 3 μm; they were concentrated 30~ 80-fold, and separated even when the difference in particle diameter was smaller than 1 μm. In addition, it was demonstrated that the distributed flow rates well corresponded to the theoretical values.


This paper aims to assess the impact of population growth on GDP and environmental quality. For this, we use the generalized moments in system method (GMM) with dynamic panel data for ten countries over the period 19802013. The main results of this study are: (i) the population have a positive and significant impact on economic growth while the capital has a positive but no significant effect on economic growth. (ii) For the environment, population growth has a positive and significant effect on CO2 emissions, the urbanization is negatively and significantly contributed to CO2 emissions, but trade openness has no effect on CO2 emissions. What is concluded that the effect of the population depends on other factors such as aging, hierarchical structure and the economic level of the country?


A review of the literature on theological ethics and human sexuality over the past four years indicates a desire by theologians to host a variety of conversations on sexual ethics that uphold traditional claims yet promote responsible sexual ethics in a different key. Writers are particularly concerned by an overwhelming privatization of sexual relations and are seeking to explore ethical frameworks that can bring sexuality into a more responsible, social context.


On-line monitoring and fault diagnosis of a fed-batch penicillin fermentation process is presented using multi-way partial least squares method (MPLS). Since data from penicillin cultivation process are multidimensional, modeling and fault diagnosis based on the statistical data cannot be realized using traditional partial least squares (PLS) method. Multidimensional data will be cut along the variable axis, PLS model be built for every phase using MPLS method, and on-line monitoring and fault diagnosis of batch process be attained. The simulation is performed by means of statistical method such as Hotelling T2, Q and contribution plots. From the consistency of theoretical analysis and simulation results, the implementation of the methodology is illustrated.


This paper deals with changes in managerial practices in Catalonia in an age of nascent capitalism (1830-1925) and adaptive family strategies in order to face the absence of state welfare. During the 19th Century and in the absence of recorded labor contracts, human resources of the firm were organized by means of implicit contracts and informal labor markets. With the advent of scientific organization of labor, wage per hour worked began to be recorded. This is why in the 1920s the perfect competition model applies to our case. On the other hand, in the same period, and in the absence of state welfare, ideas stemming from cooperative game theory apply to the pattern of household income formation. Kin related networks were used to improve the living standards of the household. In this particular direction we also show that there was a demonstration effect by means of which migrants' living standards were higher than those of natives.


Cognitive radio is a highly promising answer to the complexity and heterogeneity characterizing the beyond 3G wireless scenario. In this context, this article advances from the field of interference sensing to the fields of (basic) reasoning and robust reasoning. Interference sensing is concerned with the acquisition of interference related measurements for frequency bands of interest. The article describes how a cognitive radio system can reason on these measurements to obtain estimations for the capabilities of alternate configurations, especially in terms of achievable transmission capacity and coverage. Subsequently, it focuses on robust reasoning, namely, on enhancing these estimations by employing machine learning, which constitutes an important aspect of cognitive radio. Several relevant solutions are sketched and explained, with a view to providing a complete picture.


The market leading GCSE Psychology textbook. An established best-seller, Psychology: An Introduction by leading author Nicky Hayes, gives a comprehensive, yet straightforward introduction to Psychology. Clear explanations of key themes and topics are supplemented by all the tools necessary to ensure the text is suitable for classroom work and self study: reviews of key ideas, self assessment and exam questions and reflective exercises. New features of this edition include: * A new chapter on 'What is Psychology?' * Additional chapters on child development, self and social cognition; * Updated case examples; <LI"A 'methods' section which includes questionnaires, interviews and case studies; * Content fully updated to reflect changes to the curriculum content of the major GCSE examination boards.


Since the first successful procedure in 1954 kidney transplantation has become a standard therapy of end stage renal disease. The knowledge of immunoregulation and immune response of the body has enabled people to recognize acute rejection of organs. HLA-testing and organ exchange on basis of HLA-compatibility are extremely important for a successful kidney transplantation. A shortage of organs is limiting the further increase of transplantations. Chronic rejection is in most cases the reason for late graft failure. Further investigations to develop new immunosuppressive drugs and to clarify immunological processes underlying chronic rejections are necessary in the future.


It has been shown recently [Go (1981) Nature (London) 291, 90-92; Blake (1983) Trends Biochem Sci. 8, 11-13] that the exonic regions of the genes of proteins haemoglobin, lysozyme and immunoglobin correspond closely to the compactly folded structural units. Despite the absence of classical domain structures in tRNA compared with those found in several proteins, close inspection of certain features in the distance maps obtained for yeast tRNAPhe using the conformationally equivalent heminucleotide scheme reveals that a similar situation might also be present in ribonucleic acids such as tRNA species and the exonic sequences of their genes. Also it seems possible that certain segments of yeast tRNAPhe may be characterized as possessing a domain-like character, and this seems to provide stereochemical support for possible conservation of L-shape structure for tRNA species lacking the entire dihydrouridine arm such as those found in mitochondria.


Islamic education has spawned two contradictory patterns of thought. Both have different forms, both in material aspects, the educational system, or in the form of institutional though. Two models are patterned traditionalist Islamic education, the which emphasizes the development of doctrine-normative aspects that growing niche to exclusive-apologetic. The second model of Islamic education is patterned modernist, Whose development is known to start losing fundamental spirits. The emergence of two educational models, the resulting in ambivalence orientation of Islamic education, the which one is the negative impact of dualism-dichotomoy paradigm in the education system in Indonesia, especially in the Islamic education system.


Eight chemical structures not previously reported to possess antifilarial activity have been identified. A total of 79 compounds with anticancer properties were evaluated for possible macrofilaricidal activity against Brugia pahangi and Acanthocheilonema viteae transplanted into male Mongolian jirds (Meriones unguiculatus). All eight active compounds were suppressive for the onchocerciasis type (Acanthocheilonema viteae) of the disease. None was macrofilaricidal for the lymphatic form (Brugia pahangi). These new structures may represent a nucleus around which effective drugs can be synthesized.


The pot
culture experiment was carried out to evaluate the influence of different
combinations of microbial inoculants (VAM + AZO + PSB) on soil
phosphatase activity andnutrients (N, P, K, Cu, Zn, Fe, Cu & Mn) of
Steviarebaudia plant rhizosphere on 20th, 40th and 60th day. The study revealed
that the combined application of microbial inoculants onsoil Alkaline and Acid
phosphatase activity has been found maximum at 60th day in triple inoculated
plants than dual inoculated and control. The results also showed that the soil
macronutrients (N, P & K) and micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu & Mn)
have been found to be maximum at 40th day and 60th day respectively in triple
inoculated plants than dual inoculated and control.


CONTEXT
Osteopontin (OPN) has been proposed to predict adverse cardiac events in patients with adult type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE
We investigated potential associations of circulating OPN and OPN expression in adipose tissue (AT) with obesity and early metabolic and cardiovascular dysfunction in children. Furthermore, we assessed the functional relevance of OPN on primary human endothelial cells.

DESIGN
Serum OPN was determined in healthy lean (n = 65) and obese (n = 100) children by ELISA. Expression levels were assessed in sc AT samples from healthy lean (n = 33) and overweight and obese (n = 31) children by qRT-PCR. Direct effects of recombinant (rh) OPN on adhesion molecule and ENOS expression were assessed in human coronary arterial endothelial cells.

RESULTS
OPN serum concentrations decreased with pubertal development in lean children. The degree of obesity was negatively associated with OPN serum levels. Multiple regression analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS), next to pubertal status, was the strongest independent predictor for OPN serum concentrations. Metabolically, the homeostasis model assessment index and circulating plasma insulin were negatively correlated with OPN serum levels secondary to obesity. In contrast, independent from BMI, OPN was positively related to VCAM-1 levels, intima media thickening, and negatively associated with endothelial function. Functionally, full-length rhOPN did not affect adhesion molecule and ENOS mRNA expression in primary human coronary arterial endothelial cells. In addition, OPN expression levels in AT positively correlated with BMI SDS, AT inflammation, and markers of metabolic dysfunction but were not related to OPN serum levels.

CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that OPN levels are BMI-independently related to markers of early endothelial dysfunction in children.


The authors examined the online construction of identity and sexuality in a large sample of conversations from monitored and unmonitored teen chat rooms. More than half of the 583 participants (identified by a distinct screen name) communicated identity information, most frequently gender. In this way, participants compensated for the text-based chat environment by providing information about themselves that would be visible and obvious in face-to-face communication. Sexual themes constituted 5% of all utterances (1 sexual comment per minute); bad or obscene language constituted 3% of the sample (1 obscenity every 2 minutes). Participants who self-identified as female produced more implicit sexual communication, participants who self-identified as male produced more explicit sexual communication. The protected environment of monitored chat (hosts who enforce basic behavioral rules) contained an environment with less explicit sexuality and fewer obscenities than the freer environment of unmonitored chat. These differences were attributable both to the monitoring process itself and to the differing populations attracted to each type of chat room (monitored: more participants self-identified as younger and female; unmonitored: more participants self-identified as older and male).


This special issue arose from a concern with the political logic of the foregrounding of collective cultures in the context of changing citizenship regimes. Its key focus is the conjuncture in which culture – claims of a collective distinction concerning heritage, location, moralities and values – has become the terrain of political struggles over the subject of rights in national and international politics, the re-allocation of entitlements, definitions of value, and new forms of political representation. This is linked to contemporary processes of neo-liberalization, the politics of which are often defined in terms of economic policies promoting private accumulation, entrepreneurship and free markets, but which typically also include a project of governance in which not only individuals, but also collective agents, as cultural entities, are charged with increasing responsibility for their own regulation, welfare and enterprise, but in a depoliticized and bureaucratized mode. Citizenship is central as the modern political and legal institution which links certain notions of personal rights and duties with the structures of governance and political agency, on the one hand, and with the national, and by extension, transnational economy, on the other.


In-beam positron emission tomography (in-beam PET) is currently the only method for an in situ monitoring of highly tumour-conformed charged hadron therapy. At the experimental carbon ion tumour therapy facility, running at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany, all treatments have been monitored by means of a specially adapted dual-head PET scanner. The positive clinical impact of this project triggered the construction of a hospital-based hadron therapy facility, with in-beam PET expected to monitor more delicate radiotherapeutic situations. Therefore, we have studied possible in-beam PET improvements by optimizing the arrangement of the γ-ray detectors. For this, a fully 3D, rebinning-free, maximum likelihood expectation maximization algorithm applicable to several closed-ring or dual-head tomographs has been developed. The analysis of β+-activity distributions simulated from real-treatment situations and detected with several detector arrangements allows us to conclude that a dual-head tomograph with narrow gaps yields in-beam PET images with sufficient quality for monitoring head and neck treatments. For monitoring larger irradiation fields, e.g. treatments in the pelvis region, a closed-ring tomograph was seen to be highly desirable. Finally, a study of the space availability for patient and bed, tomograph and beam portal proves the implementation of a closed-ring detector arrangement for in-beam PET to be feasible.


Materials selection is closely related to the objectives of failure analysis and prevention. This article briefly reviews the general aspects of materials selection as a concern in both proactive failure prevention during design and as a possible root cause of failed parts. Coverage is more conceptual, with general discussions on the following topics: design and failure prevention, materials selection in design, materials selection for failure prevention, and materials selection and failure analysis. Because materials selection is just one part of the design process, the overall concept of design is discussed. The article also describes the role of the materials engineer in the design and materials selection process. It provides information on the significance of materials selection in both the prevention and analysis of failures.


The failure of pavement near its surface (rutting and cracking) is a complex phenomenon affected by vehicular loading and pavement structure. This paper documents the investigation of near-surface failure in thick asphalt pavement by using a developed three-dimensional (3-D) finite element (FE) model and Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion. The FE model incorporates measured 3-D tire–pavement contact stresses, hot-mix asphalt (HMA) linear viscoelasticity, continuously moving load, and implicit dynamic analysis. The multiaxial stress states (normal and shear stress) near the pavement surface under measured stresses from tire contact and from moving wheel load are presented. The failure potential of pavement near the surface was evaluated by comparing the multiaxial stress states predicted from the FE model to the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion. The authors suggest that the cracking could start at the pavement's surface within the area between dual tires. This paper presents several conclusions about surface-initiated cracking potential: (a) it increases as the temperature increases; (b) at high temperatures, the shear-induced surface cracking could start from some distance below the pavement surface in conjunction with the distortional deformation; (c) compared with the 3-D tire contact stress, the uniform contact stress distribution underestimates the pavement failure potential near the surface, especially at high temperatures; (d) the negative temperature gradient in the HMA layer induces a greater failure potential at the pavement near-surface compared with the constant average temperature case; and (e) the debonding under the surface layer significantly increases the shear stress at relatively low normal stress and leads to premature failure around the interface compared with the full bonding case.


Primary malignant tumors of small bowel constitute only about 1-2% of all gastrointestinal neoplasms. Although neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are relatively rare, they still represent the second most common malignancy of the small bowel (after adenocarcinoma). Clinical manifestations include abdominal pain, bowel obstruction, diarrhea, weight loss and bleeding. The differential diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding can sometimes be challenging for endoscopy as well as for radiology methods. We present the case of an 80-year-old man suffering from severe hypochromic anemia. Routine endoscopic methods did not show any appropriate pathology. Finally, a single ulcerative infiltration of the ileum was diagnosed by capsule endoscopy (CE). CT enterography did not reveal any other lesions. In accordance with a positive chromogranin A, endoscopic and radiologic methods, a suspicion of NET was expressed. During the surgery, 7 lesions were found and a resection of 120 cm of ileum was performed. The histology confirmed a diagnosis of NET grade 1, with a total number of 15 NET lesions in the specimen. The following octreotide scan did not show any residual infiltration. We present a patient with 15 NET lesions in the ileum diagnosed by CE and successfully cured by surgical resection of the ileum. Key words: capsule endoscopy - carcinoid syndrome - gastrointestinal carcinoids - neuroendocrine tumor - obscure gastrointestinal bleeding - small bowel - surgery.


The demand for high Internet availability has increased. As a routing method to recover fast from a single network component (link or node) failure, a method using multiple routing tables has been proposed. In the method, when a component failure occurs, packets which are supposed to pass through the component in the failure free state are rerouted using a backup routing table (backup table: BT) which does not use the component. Thus, it is important to decrease the increased routing cost, and because the method uses multiple BTs, it is also important to decrease the numbers of entries in BTs. In this paper, we propose a new routing method to decrease the increased routing cost. In the conventional method, there are many components that do not fail but are not used for packet forwarding in a BT. In our proposed method, we use such components as much as possible to decrease the increased routing cost. About the decreasing of the numbers of entries in BTs, we simulate packet forwarding for every node-pair and find unnecessary entries which are not used in packet forwarding in any node-pair. Numerical examples show that our proposed method is superior to the conventional method.


In this study, diamond-copper composites were prepared with ZrC/Zr-coated diamond powders by spark plasma sintering. The magnetron sputtering technique was employed to coat the diamond particles with a zirconium layer. After heat treatment, most of the zirconium reacted with the surface of diamond and was transformed into zirconium carbide. The remaining zirconium on the zirconium carbide surface formed the outer layer. Owing to the method used to produce the ZrC/Zr-coated diamond in this study, the maximum thermal conductivity (TC) of 609 W·m−1·K−1 was obtained for 60 vol. % diamond-copper composites and the corresponding coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) reached as low as 6.75 × 10−6 K−1. The bending strength of 40 vol. % ZrC/Zr-coated diamond-copper composites reached 255.95 MPa. The thermal and mechanical properties of ZrC/Zr-coated diamond-copper composites were substantially superior to those of uncoated diamond particles. Excellent properties can be attributed to the strengthening of the interfacial combination and the decrease in the interfacial thermal resistance due to the improvement associated with the ZrC/Zr coating. Theoretical analysis was also proposed to compare the thermal conductivities and CTE of diamond-copper composites fabricated with these two kinds of diamond powders.


A real vessel structure has a complicated geometry that is difficult to define. In this study, we aim to model a vessel structure using the basic principles of the Lindenmayer system. The Lindenmayer system, also known as L-system presents an iterative formula to produce a set of rules for fractal structures requiring complicated and versatile rules. In this paper, we present how we have developed an agent based fractal vessel model using L-system. The geometry of fractal vessel structure is created by using the string rewriting technique. The alphabet symbol codes produced according to the rules of the L-system are visualized by using the turtle graphic algorithm. At the end of this study, we provide the simulation of turtle graphic algorithm in the Repast Simphony framework.


Regular expression signatures are most widely used in network traffic classification for trusted network management. These signatures are generated by the sequence alignment of the traffic payload. The most commonly used sequence alignment algorithm is Longest Common Subsequence (LCS) algorithm which computes the global similarity between two strings but it fails in consecutive character matches. This paper presents a new divide and conquer alignment algorithm for generating regular expression signature by rewarding contiguous character matches. The results indicate that the sequence alignment algorithm that used is the space efficient way and the algorithm outperforms LCS in terms of efficiency and accuracy.


ABSTRACT This works regards the design of an electric motorcycle for the annual Isle of Man TT Zero Challenge. Optimal control theory was used to perform lap time simulation and design optimisation. A bespoked model was developed, featuring 3D road topology, vehicle dynamics and electric power train, composed of a lithium battery pack, brushed DC motors and motor controller. The model runs simulations over the entire or of the Snaefell Mountain Course. The work is validated using experimental data from the BX chassis of the Brunel Racing team, which ran during the 2009 to 2015 TT Zero races. Optimal control is used to improve drive train and power train configurations. Findings demonstrate computational efficiency, good lap time prediction and design optimisation potential, achieving a 2 minutes reduction of the reference lap time through changes in final drive gear ratio, battery pack size and motor configuration.


In this study, RF-based un-doped and nitrogen-doped aerogels were produced by polymerisation reaction between resorcinol and formaldehyde with sodium carbonate as catalyst and melamine as the nitrogen source. Carbon/activated carbon aerogels were obtained by carbonisation of the gels under inert atmosphere (Ar) followed by activation of the carbons under CO2 at 800 °C. The BET analysis of the samples showed a more than two-fold increase in the specific Surf. area and pore volume of carbon from 537 to 1333 m2g−1 and 0.242 to 0.671 cm3g−1 respectively after nitrogen doping and activation. SEM and XRD analysis of the samples revealed highly porous amorphous nanostructures with denser inter-particle cross-linked pathways for the activated nitrogen-doped carbon. The X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the presence of nitrogen and oxygen heteroatoms on the Surf. and within the carbon matrix where improvement in wettability with the drop in the contact angle from 123° to 80° was witnessed after oxygen and nitrogen doping. A steady drop in the equivalent series (RS) and charge transfer (RCT) resistances was observed by electrochemical measurements after the introduction of nitrogen and oxygen heteroatoms. The highest specific capacitance of 289 Fg−1 with the lowest values of 0.11 Ω and 0.02 Ω for RS and RCT was achieved for nitrogen and oxygen dual-doped activated carbon in line with its improved Surf. chemistry and wettability, and its enhanced conductivity due to denser inter-particle cross-linked pathways.


Studio K, a relatively new quasi-public space in a gentrifying multi-ethnic neighborhood in Amsterdam East, is a prime example of the growing urban reinvestment within the area. The basic idea behind the by students managed Studio K is to create a cultural centre as an open place, including a cinema, restaurant, bar and club, where all visitors feel at home. It is the form and content that renders neighborhood relations relevant, not the physical proximity. Our paper involves a critical discussion of what can be understood as 'community commitment' and how the organizational identity of Studio K responded to the needs and expectations of the community in relation to the gentrification debate, and in particular studentification. Our analysis suggests that neighborhoods do not indicate the potential for social identification and shared community experience.


Currently, the determination of triglycerides (TG) uses an indirect method: the concentration of TG is assayed from the amount of free glycerol released by the hydrolysis of TG into fatty acids (FA) and glycerol. In general, the physiological glycerol before hydrolysis is very low. However, in some situations, glycerolaemia may be significantly elevated, due to the presence of exogenous or endogenous glycerol giving rise to (pseudo) hypertriglyceridemia. Here, we report a 48-year-old male patient with type 2 diabetes presenting with a pseudo-hypertriglyceridemia based on a pronounced hyperglycerolaemia. The hyperglycerolaemia was due to a deficiency of glycerol kinase (GKD). In conclusion, unexplained hypertriglyceridemia should raise the suspicion of hyperglycerolaemia, especially when it resists well-conducted fibrate treatment, with a non-lipemic serum and which is not associated with an increase in pre-beta lipoproteins or abnormal presence of chylomicrons.


Inorganic glasses normally exhibit a network of interconnected, covalent-bonded, structural elements that has no long-range order. In silicate glasses, the network formers are based on SiO4 tetrahedra interconnected through oxygen atoms at the corners. Conventional wisdom implies that alkaline and alkaline-earth orthosilicate materials cannot be vitrified, because they do not contain sufficient network-forming SiO2 to establish the needed interconnectivity. We studied a bulk magnesium orthosilicate glass obtained by containerless melting and cooling. We found that the role of network former was largely taken on by corner and edge sharing of highly distorted, ionic Mg-O species that adopt 4-, 5-, and 6-coordination with oxygen. The results suggest that similar glassy phases may be found in the containerless environment of interstellar space.


Functional Photoacoustic Tomography of Animal Brains. (August 2004) Xueding Wang, B.S., Nanjing University; M.S., Nanjing University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Lihong V. Wang This research is primarily focused on laser-based non-invasive photoacoustic tomography of small animal brains. Photoacoustic tomography, a novel imaging modality, was applied to visualize the distribution of optical absorptions in small-animal brains through the skin and skull. This technique combines the high-contrast advantage of optical imaging with the high-resolution advantage of ultrasonic imaging. Based on the intrinsic optical contrast, this imaging system successfully visualized three-dimensional tissue structures in intact brains, including lesions and tumors in brain cerebral cortex. Physiological changes and functional activities in brains, including cerebral blood volume and blood oxygenation in addition to anatomical information, were also satisfactorily monitored. This technique successfully imaged the dynamic distributions of exogenous contrast agents in small-animal brains. Photoacoustic angiography in smallanimal brains yielding high contrast and high spatial resolution was implemented noninvasively using intravenously injected absorbing dyes. In the appendix, the theory of Monte Carlo simulation of polarized light propagation in scattering media was briefly summarized.


I t is fascinating to learn that the analogy between gyroscopes and rotating shallow-water (RSW) dynamics extends so far. We were unaware of the original work on gyroscope–fluid dynamics analogies of Arnol'd or Obukhov or of the interesting recent developments by Gluhovsky, Tong, and their collaborators. Our focus was on the analogies between gyroscopic motion (precession and nutation) and linear RSW modes dominated by Coriolis forces (geostrophic flow and inertial oscillation, respectively). We were aware that close similarities exist between the nonlinear Euler equations for the gyroscope [(S19) and (S20) in our supplement] and for the nonlinear equations describing a frictionless particle sliding on a rotating sphere [(S32) and (S33)]. However, we had no idea that the equations for a system of coupled Volterra gyrostats provide a generic basis to construct nonlinear low-order models (LOMs) of fluid dynamics. Such LOMs with quadratic nonlinearity are very common in geophysical fluid dynamics. They apply to a vast range of phenomena because the ubiquitous convective acceleration is a quadratic nonlinearity. Some important oceanic and atmospheric processes involve other nonlinearities, however, like radiative transfer, phase changes, or the seawater equation of state. It is unclear if coupled Volterra gyrostats extend to include LOMs of these cases. Our initial suspicion that a link exists between RSW dynamics and gyroscopes was based on intuition and play. Perhaps the coupled Volterra gyrostat–fluids analogy can be exploited further to construct real physical machines that demonstrate other principles of ocean/atmosphere fluid dynamics—that would be a thought-provoking application of the important discoveries that Gluhovsky and Tong describe. DOI:10.1175/BAMS-D-13-00239.1


The importance of the endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) has been well established. Endothelium-derived nitric oxide has been shown to be essential for vascular homeostasis and modulation of eNOS has thus become a target in prevention of cardiovascular disease. The role of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in vascular biology, however, is less clear. Classically, iNOS has been regarded as an enzyme that produces nmolar amounts of the nitric oxide radical, thereby leading to cellular damage. More recent data, however, have shown that the iNOS can be a superoxide, peroxynitrite as well as a nitric oxide-producing enzyme, while the biological effects of iNOS probably depend upon the sort of radical species released by the enzyme as well as the anti-oxidant capacity of the cellular microenvironment of the enzyme. This brief review discusses these aspects in relation to renal transplantation.


Vasogenic edema after oxidative injury has been accompanied by intracellular accumulation of serum proteins and nuclear damage. This study sought to determine whether serum protein accumulation, along with other markers of brain injury, was present after exposure to intracerebral hemolysate, an oxidant model of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Saline (n = 24) or hemolysate (n = 30) was injected into the caudate-putamen of adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Compared with saline, hemolysate deposition was associated with intracellular accumulation of serum proteins as evidenced by Evans blue uptake in neurons and microglia at 4 and 24 hours. Intracellular Evans blue colocalized with DNA fragmentation detected by nick end-labeling and whose presence was confirmed by gel electrophoresis. Immunoblots of cytosolic fractions confirmed cytochrome c release. Immunostaining established colocalization of cytosolic cytochrome c and intracellular Evans blue at 4 hours. At 24 hours, cytosolic cytochrome c was evident in astrocytes surrounding Evans blue-positive cells. Immunoblot analysis and immunostaining revealed HSP70 induction at 24 hours in regions adjacent to intracellular serum accumulation. Neuronal accumulation of extravasated serum proteins in this model of ICH was associated with cytochrome c release, DNA fragmentation, and cell death. Stress protein induction in adjacent regions suggested that vasogenic edema might have exacerbated cellular dysfunction and cell death after ICH.


Advanced prostate cancer is difficult to treat owing to a lack of effective approaches for disrupting immune tolerance. C57BL/6 male and female mice implanted with viable RM-1 cells represent a novel murine model of advanced prostate cancer for studying antitumor effects following immunization with a granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-modified RM-1 cell vaccine, which has been described previously. In vitro cytotoxic activity and cytokine secretion experiments were conducted to investigate the antitumor response. The cytotoxicity profile of splenocytes from female mice immunized against RM-1 cells primarily involved cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) lysis and, to a lesser extent, natural killer (NK) cell lysis. NK cell lysis was also observed in males, which exhibited no evidence of CTL lysis. The secretion of interferon-γ in the GM-CSF-modified cell vaccine group was significantly increased compared with the other groups. The level of interleukin-4 was low. To investigate the antitumor immune response further, cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) T cells and CD8 T cells were analyzed in the spleens and tumors of female mice receiving the GM-CSF-modified RM-1 cell vaccine. Unlike female mice, males exhibited the highest proportion of NK cells in the spleen. NK cells were not detected in the tumor tissue in any of the groups. The difference between the sexes may explain the specificity of the immune response, as females are intolerant to prostate antigens whereas males are. This model is clinically relevant as it translates to human immunology and offers an effective and convenient method for studying immunotherapy for prostate cancer.


Sausage dog, Schnitzel von Krumm, is outraged when his family decides to replace his worn out, beaten up old basket. The new bed doesn't look right, feel right - or smell right! Something must be done...Bestselling author Lynley Dodd's tale will charm children and features one of the favourite characters first introduced in the "Hairy Maclary" series.


The effect of once daily sustained release verapamil (200-400 mg/day) and low dose hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg/day) on blood pressure and metabolic parameters was compared in a cross-over study. The treatment periods lasted 6 months. The antihypertensive efficacy of verapamil was comparable to that of low dose hydrochlorothiazide. Plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol or triglycerides did not change significantly from the values at the end of the drug free run-in period either on verapamil or on hydrochlorothiazide. Statistically, serum insulin decreased significantly with verapamil (13.4 +/- 4.3 U/ml, m +/- SD) when compared with both the wash-out (16.2 +/- 5.7 U/ml) and hydrochlorothiazide (17.1 +/- 6.5 ml) periods. There were no significant differences in fasting blood glucose between the treatment periods. Serum uric acid concentration increased significantly (from 266 +/- 64 mumol/l) after the wash-out period (to 307 +/- 92 mumol/l) after hydrochlorothiazide, but did not change on verapamil (270 +/- 75 mumol/l). Serum potassium decreased significantly from 3.96 +/- 0.39 mmol/l after the wash-out period to 3.67 +/- 0.37 mmol/l on hydrochlorothiazide, but did not change on verapamil (3.94 +/- 0.28 mmol/l).


6 This paper proposes a two-step design optimization method for roof-integrated two-stage solar 7 concentrators (TSSCs) as energy supply systems. The integration process of these systems with 8 buildings is complex as several conflicting and multi-disciplinary concerns need to be addressed. Thus, 9 the proposed approach is intended to be adaptable to informed decision-making processes in early 10 design stages, and yet to be collaborative where several key stakeholders are involved. The method 11 is an extension to our previously developed approach where the performance of roof-integrated TSSCs 12 in several design scenarios is accessed along with multiple performance indicators by developing a 13 parametric model and controlling a set of design inputs. In the current study, the proposed method is 14 combined with a multi-objective design optimization method, aiming to optimize, building and TSSCs 15 geometry. The method was validated in an illustrative case study of a single-family house (California) 16 for a number of conflicting objectives e.g., maximization of direct normal solar irradiance (DNI) and 17 annual average load match index (av.LMI), and minimization of covered roof area. The validation of 18 the method shows a number of interesting results. The method enables the generation of performance19 driven designs and searches for the most appropriate solutions, that can help to meaningfully support 20 the decision-making process. 21


We report the cloning and characterization of DANGER, a novel protein which physiologically binds to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3R). DANGER is a membrane-associated protein predicted to contain a partial MAB-21 domain. It is expressed in a wide variety of neuronal cell lineages where it localizes to membranes in the cell periphery together with IP3R. DANGER interacts with IP3R in vitro and co-immunoprecipitates with IP3R from cellular preparations. DANGER robustly enhances Ca2+-mediated inhibition of IP3 RCa2+ release without affecting IP3 binding in microsomal assays and inhibits gating in single-channel recordings of IP3R. DANGER appears to allosterically modulate the sensitivity of IP3 RtoCa2+ inhibition, which likely alters IP3R-mediated Ca2+ dynamics in cells where DANGER and IP3R are co-expressed.


AIMS
A more aggressive approach to unstable coronary syndromes has developed over the last decade. We set out to examine the long-term outcome among patients with acute coronary syndromes with respect to period of admission since 1988.

METHODS
3918 patients with unstable angina or a non-Q wave myocardial infarction who were admitted to the coronary care unit at Ostra Hospital in the period 1988-1997 were included. Standardized criteria were used to define a non-Q wave myocardial infarction and included fulfilment of the following: (1) typical enzyme changes (serial serum aspartate aminotransferase above 0.7 microkat x l(-1), serial creatine kinase above 3.3 microkat x l(-1) or serial creatine kinaseMB subunit mass concentration above 15 microg x l(-1)), and at least one of the following: (2) chest pain, shock, syncope or pulmonary oedema suggestive of a myocardial infarction, (3) development of electrocardiographic changes with serial ST-T changes without Q waves. The standardized criteria for unstable angina pectoris were fulfilment of at least one of the following: (1) a clear worsening of a previous stable pattern of angina pectoris, (2) chest pain at rest or minimal effort with transient ST-segment elevation or depression on electrocardiogram or elevation of cardiac enzymes not reaching the criteria for myocardial infarction. Information on vital status and cause of death after discharge was collected from the national cause-specific mortality register.

RESULTS
Two-year mortality decreased from 30% in 1988 to 19% in 1995 (relative risk per year 0.94 (0.90-0.97), 95% confidence interval). The improvement was consistent regardless of differences in age, prior myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, development of non-Q wave myocardial infarction, treatment with heparin or thrombolytics or performance of acute coronary angiograms. The cumulative survival at 10 years was 53% in the unstable angina group and 36% in the non-Q wave myocardial infarction group (P<0.0001).

CONCLUSION
Against a background of a more aggressive approach to acute coronary syndromes a decrease in long-term mortality is seen between 1988 and 1995.


Hypertensive patients who smoke are in particular need of lifestyle modification counseling because they are at increased risk for poorer outcomes. The authors examined whether hypertensive smokers were more or less likely than nonsmokers to report receiving recommendations for diet, salt intake, exercise, alcohol use, and medication and whether receipt of recommendations was differentially associated with lifestyle changes among smokers vs nonsmokers. In an analysis of data from the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System on a representative sample of hypertensive adults from 9 US states (N=23,093), smokers were less likely than nonsmokers to report being told by a provider to exercise (odds ratio [OR], 0.66; P<.001) and change their diet (OR, 0.83; P<.05). Receiving dietary recommendations was more strongly associated with self‐reported dietary improvements among smokers (OR, 7.08; P<.001) compared with nonsmokers (OR, 4.17; P<.001) P<.01. Delivery of counseling may vary by smoking status. When provided, lifestyle counseling may be equally or more effective for smokers compared with nonsmokers.


Some of the most vulnerable members of society the world over include the elderly, children, women and people with disabilities (PWDs). The latter group usually faces serious problems emanating from society's negative attitudes towards PWDs. According to African Decade 1 (2005) there are more than 600 million people with disabilities worldwide and 180 million are children, 400 million live in developing countries and 80 million in Africa. This paper examines the situation of people with disabilities in Lesotho. It argues that although Lesotho is a signatory to many international conventions and treaties such as the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights; United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women among others, it still does not have specific legislation on disability. This often results in the plight of PWDs not being adequately addressed in many spheres of their lives. The paper provides insights into the roles of social workers in dealing with PWDs in Lesotho.


We analyze dynamic incentives in pension systems created by the use of a small set of final years of earnings to compute benefits. Using social security records and household surveys from Uruguay, we show that self-employed workers and some employees of small firms respond to these incentives by increasing reported earnings in the benefit calculation window. We find evidence that suggests that these responses are explained by changes in earnings reporting and not in total earnings or labor supply. Backof-the-envelope calculations indicate that this behavior increases the cost of pensions by about 0.2% of the GDP.


We have studied the matrix photolysis of 2,4,6-triazido-1,3,5-triazine (cyanuric triazide, 1). Stepwise generation of the corresponding mononitrene, dinitrene, and trinitrene was observed by matrix IR and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The generated species were identified by comparison of their matrix IR spectra with density functional theory (DFT) computational results. The generation of 2,4,6-trinitreno-1,3,5-triazine with a septet ground state was confirmed for the first time by matrix EPR spectroscopy. The trinitrene readily decomposed into three NCN molecules upon further photoirradiation. This process was also confirmed by matrix EPR spectroscopy.


CLAUS WESTERMAN CARRIES impressive credentials as an Old Testament scholar. His approach to Old Testament theology contains much that is new, and as the author admits, "This demands a complete change in our way of thinking" (p. 10). We intend here to indicate the contents of the book and its distinctive approach. The book is divided into six parts. Part I focuses attention on the vexing problem of methodology. The remaining five parts delineate the basic two-fold principle of Westermann's approach, the activity of God and the response of men: Part II considers the saving action of God; Part III presents the blessing God and the creation; Part IV completes the activity of God in his judgment and compassion; Parts V and VI are concerned with man's response (V) and the Old Testament as it relates to Jesus Christ (VI). Given the uncertain state of biblical theology studies, Westermann's attempt to chart a new course is a welcome one. Old Testament theology must be concerned with what the whole Old Testament has to say about God (p. 9). This whole must not be considered as determined by any one concept (e.g., covenant, election, salvation) because these noun concepts are inadequate to express the myriad ways in which the Hebrew canon speaks about God. An Old Testament theology must be based on events rather than concepts. Old Testament theologians, says Westermann, must shift their emphasis from noun terms to verbal structures (p. 10). These verbal structures give us the constant element of the Old Testament: the interaction between God and man, with speaking and action found on both sides. Out of God's activity and his moving word there emerges man's response (p. 15). Westermann readily grants that in the course of its history God's people will experience variables as well as constants, but he claims that this simultaneity of constants and variables makes God's history with his people as a whole singular and unique (p. 12). This notion of God's acting and of man's responding is the key concept in Westermann's approach. The three-fold structure of the Hebrew canon (Torah, Prophets, and Writings) indicates how the Word of God as an action between a speaker and a listener determines the Old Testament narrative. In an impressive section on tthe Word of God in the Old Testament (pp. 15-25), Westermann spells out the functions of God's word: the instructing or directing word (in the Torah especially); the answering or p r o c l a i m i n g w o r d (especial ly in the prophets); and the liturgical word in the history of worship (p. 23). Not everything in the Old Testament can be fitted neatly into Westermann's structure (e.g., Wisdom cannot because it does not have as its object an occurrence between God and man). This reviewer has reservations regarding herem as a defensive war (p. 75) and the Book of Job as principally a lament (p. 171). These and other reservations in no way alter the judgment that this is a splendid study written by a highly competent Old Testament scholar and a man of great faith. We recommend it with enthusiasm.


Myeloid cells, including both macrophages and immature myeloid cells/myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), accumulate during the progression of pancreatic cancer. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of myeloid cell depletion on the onset and progression of pancreatic cancer, and to understand the relationship between myeloid cells and T cell-mediated immunity within the pancreatic cancer microenvironment. Primary mouse pancreatic cancer cells were transplanted into CD11b-DTR mice. Alternatively, the iKras* mouse model of pancreatic cancer was crossed into CD11b-DTR mice. CD11b+ cells were depleted by Diphtheria Toxin treatment during tumor initiation or in established tumors. Depletion of myeloid cells prevented KrasG12D driven pancreatic cancer initiation. Myeloid cells are required for sustained MAPK signaling in pancreatic epithelial cells during the onset of carcinogenesis, notwithstanding the expression of oncogenic Kras. In pre-established tumors, myeloid cell depletion arrested tumor growth and in some cases, induced tumor regressions that were dependent on CD8+ T cells. We found that myeloid cells inhibited CD8+ T cell anti-tumor activity by inducing the expression of Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in tumor cells in an EGFR/MAPK dependent manner. Treatment with MEK inhibitors lowers the intratumoral expression of PD-L1 and renders the tumor susceptible to PD-1 blockade. Our results show that myeloid cells support immune evasion in pancreatic cancer through EGFR/MAPK dependent regulation of PD-L1 expression on tumor cells. Derailing this cross-talk between myeloid cells and tumor cells is sufficient to restore anti-tumor immunity mediated by CD8+ T cells, a finding with implications for the design of immune therapies for pancreatic cancer. Note: This abstract was not presented at the conference. Citation Format: Yaqing Zhang, Ashley Velez-Delgado, Esha Mathew, Dongjun Li, Flor M. Mendez, Kevin Flannagan, Andrew D. Rhim, Diane M. Simeone, Gregory L. Beatty, Marina Pasca di Magliano. Myeloid cells are required for pancreatic carcinogenesis and PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint activation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A096.


The increasing of the use of land could potentially cause legal problem to several parties. Even some of them have certificate proving the ownership of land, but such of certificate still able to become an object of annulment. There was a case of such annulment in Pengasinan Village, Depok City, through Administrative Court. That annulment then reflected the weakness of law in protecting certain person's land, although he or she holds freehold title certificate. This study uses doctrinal research method. In this case study, there were hundreds of annulments of freehold certificates in Pengasinan Village, Depok City, through Administrative High Court of Jakarta's Decision Number 296/B/2013/PT.TUN.JKT jo. Administrative Court of Bandung's Decision Number 11/G/2013/PTUN-BDG as the result of the issuance of the Decree of Head of Agrarian Inspection Number 205.D/VIII/1964. The decree was issued to implement land reform program in Indonesia. Several factors could become the cause of such kind of legal problem in the land tenure context, among others, the inaccuracy from National Land Agency officer in issuance of certificates, the low-qualified judge's decision in land dispute settlement, and also the characteristic of land dispute which is not only public, but also private.


Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare but potentially lethal complication of pregnancy occurring in approximately 1 : 3,000 live births in the United States although some series report a much higher incidence. African-American women are particularly at risk. Diagnosis requires symptoms of heart failure in the last month of pregnancy or within five months of delivery in the absence of recognized cardiac disease prior to pregnancy as well as objective evidence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction. This paper provides an updated, comprehensive review of PPCM, including emerging insights into the etiology of this disorder as well as current treatment options.


Orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) has great potentials to combat malnutrition; especially vitamin A deficiency due to its high beta-carotene and other essential nutrients. The OFSP flour has the potentials to replace wheat flour in bakery foods production. This will reduce wheat flour importation and increase intake of essential nutrients in sub-Saharan Africa countries. The quality attributes and consumer acceptability of baked products may be affected by flour particle size and percentage of different flours in composite flour formulations. Thus, this study investigated the effect of sieve particle size on the physical, nutritional, antioxidant and sensory properties of peeled and unpeeled OFSP composite flour cookies. Peeled and unpeeled OFSP flours sieved through 250 μm or 500 μm mesh particle size were produced. OFSP and wheat composite flours were made and used to produce cookies baked at 170C for 11 minutes. The quality attributes and consumer acceptability tests were conducted in accordance with international standard methods. The 100% wheat flour cookie was used as control. The evaluations showed sieve particle size had no significant (p > 0.05) influence on the baking loss, thickness, diameter, spread ratio, water activity (aw) and CIE colour attributes (L*, a*, b*, chroma and hue angle) of cookies. However, both 100 % peeled and unpeeled OFSP and their composite flours cookies had significantly (p < 0.05) lower baking loss, high diameter and spread ratio than the control cookies. Similarly, proximate, mineral and bioactive compounds as well total antioxidant activity of cookies were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by sieve particle size. The unpeeled OFSP flours cookies had significantly (p < 0.05) lower crude protein but higher ß-carotene, total phenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity. The sensory assessment however showed that sieve particle size had significant (p < 0.05) influence on overall acceptability of cookies. The colour, aroma, crispiness and taste were not significantly affected by sieve particle size. Cookies prepared from OFSP flour sieved with 250 μm mesh particle size performed better in terms of overall acceptability. Generally, 10–50% peeled and 10–20 % unpeeled OFSP composite flours sieved through 250 μm mesh particle size and control cookies had the best overall acceptability.


This project aims to study the performance of isolation with DGS under PIN
Diode for SPST switch design. This project involves with the studies of the
background of Defected Grow1d Structure (DGS), PIN diode and the isolation issue
in RF switch. There has been an isolation issue occurs in RF switch. The PIN diode
with parasitic capacitance is causing degradation of isolation performance in RF
switch and DGS (Defected Ground Structure) has a potential to remove the parasitic
capacitance. Nowadays, there has been an increasing interest in studying microstrip
lines that prohibit wave propagation in certain frequency bands using defected
ground structure (DGS). DGS is implemented by modifying guided wave where it
changes the propagation characteristic. DGS is realized by etching only a few areas
on the ground plane under the microstrip line. Advanced Design Software (ADS)
software will be used for PIN Diode and DGS circuit and layout modeling and then
will be fabricated on the FR4 board. Once the prototype has been finish, the
measurement parameter will be tested which then measured the isolation
performance.


Background: There is a lack of uniformity with regard to the reporting terminology used in breast cytology by pathologists worldwide, resulting in miscommunication of results among health-care providers. Aim: The present study was aimed to assess the accuracy of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the evaluation of breast lesions using the National Cancer Institute (NCI) recommended terminology. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, a total number of 523 breast FNACs were categorized according to the NCI guidelines. Of these, 286 (54.7%) had histopathological follow-up, and their FNAC diagnoses were compared. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) along with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) and accuracy of FNAC were calculated. Results: Among 286 FNAC cases, 4 were unsatisfactory (C1), 188 were benign (C2), 11 were atypical, probably benign (C3), 21 were suspicious, favor malignancy (C4), and 62 were malignant (C5). On histopathological examination of categories C2 and C3 (total of 199 cases), 193 were confirmed as benign (true negative) and remaining 6 cases were turned out to malignant (false negative). Among categories C4 and C5 (total of 83 cases), 81 were confirmed as malignant (true positive) and remaining 2 were turned out to be benign (false positive). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of FNAC were 93.1% (95% CI, 88.2%–95%), 99% (95% CI, 96.8%–99.8%), 97.6% (95% CI, 92.5%–99.6%), 97% (95% CI, 94.9%–97.8%), and 97.2%, respectively. Conclusion: Our study concluded that FNAC reporting using NCI guidelines highly correlated with the histopathological diagnosis.


Adolescents who need both child welfare services and mental health interventions have usually experienced various traumatic events in their early lifespan. The purpose of this study is to identify the elements of communication that can either empower traumatized adolescents in their rehabilitation process or become an obstacle in their recovery. The data consist of interviews of 19 young adults with a substitute care background. Their experiences of communication with welfare professionals in child welfare and mental health services during adolescence are analysed using the method of content analysis in a framework of communication competence that is outlined with four elements: cognitive, affective, behavioural and ethical. The role of communication is crucial while helping the adolescents. The trauma-informed capabilities of welfare professionals should be strengthened. Future research is needed on the processes, enabling the voice of this vulnerable clientele to be heard, here and in previous stages of services.


A 79-year-old woman developed hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis after breast cancer surgery. She was suspected of having primary glucocorticoid resistance on the basis of high plasma ACTH and serum cortisol levels without the features of Cushing's syndrome. To clarify the end-organ resistance to cortisol, we characterized the glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in cultured skin fibroblasts from the patient. The GRs in whole cell assays decreased binding affinity (Kd = 11.1 +/- 0.6 nM) and the number of binding sites for [3H]dexamethasone (binding capacity was 15,600 +/- 1,255 sites per cell). These results strongly suggest that our patient had primary glucocorticoid resistance caused both by a decreased number of GRs and a reduction in the affinity of GRs to cortisol.


To evaluate the risk of acute and late side effects in children whose mothers received chemotherapy during pregnancy for hematological malignancies, we performed an analysis of 84 children with a long-term follow-up. The 84 children in our study were born to mothers with hematological malignancies (29 acute leukemia, 26 Hodgkin's disease, and 29 malignant lymphoma) who received chemotherapy during pregnancy, including 38 during the first trimester. These children were examined for physical health; growth; development; and hematological, cytogenetic, neurological, psychological, and learning disorders. The occurrence of cancer or acute leukemia in these children was also considered. Some of these patients have become parents, and their children were also considered in this analysis. In all of the children studied, including the 12 second-generation children, the birth weight was normal; learning and educational performance were normal; and no congenital, neurological, or psychological abnormalities were observed. With a median follow-up of 18.7 years (range, 6-29 years), no cancer or acute leukemia has been observed. These results confirm our previous reports, suggesting that if a pregnant patient has an aggressive hematological malignancy, chemotherapy at full doses can be safely administered, even during the first trimester, if cure of the hematological malignancy is considered reasonable.


Herein we describe an efficient construction of HCF2Se and HCF2S groups by tandem substitutions between alkyl bromides and a reagent system consisting of MSeCN (or MSCN) and Ph3P+CF2H Br-. The tandem process occurs via the first nucleophilic substitution of alkyl bromides by -SeCN (or -SCN) and the subsequent nucleophilic difluoromethylation.


We study how perturbations affect dynamics of integrable many-body quantum systems, causing transition from integrability to chaos. Looking at spin transport in the Heisenberg chain with impurities we find that in the thermodynamic limit transport gets diffusive already at an infinitesimal perturbation. Small extensive perturbations therefore cause an immediate transition from integrability to chaos. Nevertheless, there is a remnant of integrability encoded in the dependence of the diffusion constant on the impurity density, namely, at small densities it is proportional to the square root of the inverse density, instead of to the inverse density as would follow from Matthiessen's rule. We show that Matthiessen's rule has to be modified in nonballistic systems. Results also highlight a nontrivial role of interacting scattering on a single impurity, and that there is a regime where adding more impurities can actually increase transport.


Herbicide-resistant canola dominates the canola market in Canada. A multiyear field experiment was conducted at three locations to investigate the effect of time of weed removal (two-, four-, or six-leaf canola) and herbicide rate (50 or 100% recommended) in three herbicide-resistant canola systems. Weeds were controlled in glufosinate-resistant canola (GLU) with glufosinate, in glyphosate-resistant canola (GLY) with glyphosate, and in imidazolinone-resistant canola (IMI) with a 50:50 mixture of imazamox and imazethapyr. Canola yields were similar among the three canola cultivar–herbicide systems. Yields were not influenced by 50 vs. 100% herbicide rates. Timing of weed removal had the greatest effect on canola yield, with weed removal at the four-leaf stage giving the highest yields in most cases. Percent dockage was often greater for GLU and IMI than for GLY. In comparison with the other treatments, dockage levels doubled for GLU after application at 50% herbicide rates. The consistency of monocot weed control was usually greater for GLY than for GLU or IMI systems. However, weed biomass data revealed no differences in dicot weed control consistency between IMI and GLY systems. Greater dockage and weed biomass variability after weed removal at the six-leaf stage or after low herbicide rates suggests higher weed seed production, which could constrain the adoption of integrated weed management practices in subsequent years. Nomenclature: Glufosinate; glyphosate; imazamox; imazethapyr; canola, Brassica napus L. Additional index words: GMO, herbicide-tolerant canola, integrated weed management, time of weed removal. Abbreviations: GLU, glufosinate-resistant canola; GLY, glyphosate-resistant canola; IMI, imidazolinone-resistant canola; IWM, integrated weed management; POST, postemergence.


The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes to human life and habits. There is an increasing urgency to promote occupants' health and well-being in the built environment where they spend most of their lives, putting indoor air quality (IAQ) in the spotlight. This study fits into this context, aiming to provide useful information about the design, construction, and operation of an IAQ-resilient building in the post-pandemic era for it to ensure a good trade-off between energy- and health-related objectives. The PRISMA guidelines were adopted to conducting a systematic review obtaining 58 studies that offered relevant results on two main research areas: (i) the concept of resilience, focusing on its definition in relation to the built environment and to pandemic-related disruptions; and (ii) the building design strategies that are able to increase buildings' resilience, focusing on the preventive measures involving engineering control. In addition, the metrics and the decision-making tools able to make IAQ-resilient buildings attractive to the investors, focusing on the cost-benefit analysis (CBA) technique, were discussed. The research supported the transition of the building sector to a human-centered approach that is able to include IAQ resilience among the main priorities of future buildings to guarantee the occupants' health and well-being.


Because reduced Cr has been considered to be the stable form in soils, it was surprising to find that added trivalent Cr oxidizes readily to the hexavalent form under conditions prevalent in many field soils. The key to the oxidation appears to be the presence in the soil of oxidized Mn, which serves as the electron acceptor in the reaction. The relative ability of a soil to oxidize Cr may be predicted by measuring Mn reducible by hydroquinone, or it may be determined directly by means of a quick test in which Cr(III) is added to a fresh moist soil sample. Oxidation of Cr by soils was not discovered earlier because the importance of studying fresh field soils, rather than crushed, dried, stored samples, was not appreciated. Plants were severly damaged by Cr(VI) formed from Cr(III) added to fresh soil samples. Hexavalent Cr still was present in a soil stored moist at 25/sup 0/C for 5 mo.


1. Experiments have been made upon the oxygen consumption, CO2 content, and respiratory quotient of the eggs of Limnaea stagnalis , the common pond snail.

2. Throughout the period of development, during which accurate determinations are possible, the mean value of the R.Q. was 1.05. The significance of the observations is discussed in the text, the main conclusion being that fat is synthesised in the course of development. This was confirmed by extraction of the ether-soluble substances.

3. Preliminary experiments upon the nitrogenous metabolism show that uric acid is synthesised by the embryo during the latter part of development, but suggest that protein does not constitute the source of the synthetic fat.


RATIONALE
Stable isotope analysis is a valuable technique for dietary estimation in ecological and archaeological research, yet many variables can potentially affect tissue stable isotope signatures. Controlled feeding studies across a range of species have consistently demonstrated impacts of caloric restriction on tissue stable isotope ratios, but most have focused on juvenile, fasting, and/or starving individuals, and most have utilized soft tissues despite the importance of bone for paleodietary analyses. The goal of this study was to determine whether temporally defined, moderate food restriction could affect stable carbon and/or nitrogen isotope ratios in adult mammalian bone - a tissue that arguably reflects long-term dietary signals.

METHODS
Adult rats fed a standard laboratory diet were restricted to 45% of ad libitum intakes for 3 or 6 months. Relevant anatomical and physiological parameters were measured to confirm that the restriction protocol resulted in significant nutritional stress and to provide independent data to facilitate interpretation of stable isotope ratios. Femoral bone δ(13)Ccollagen, δ(15)Ncollagen, and δ(13)Capatite values were determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

RESULTS
Calorie-restricted animals exhibited a small, yet significant enrichment in (15)Ncollagen compared with control animals, reflecting protein-calorie stress. While the δ(13)Ccollagen values did not differ, the δ(13)Capatite values revealed less enrichment in (13)C than in controls, reflecting catabolism of body fat. Independent anatomical and physiological data from these same individuals support these interpretations.

CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that moderate caloric restriction does not appreciably undermine broad interpretations of dietary signals in adult mammalian bone. Significant variability among individuals or groups, however, is best explained by marked differences in energy intake over variable timescales. An inverse relationship between the δ(13)Capatite and δ(15)Ncollagen values observed in this study indicates that a more robust pattern is expected with more severe or prolonged restriction and suggests this pattern may have utility as a marker of food deprivation in archaeological populations.


Providing extended research on environmentalism and the NGOs' roles in promoting environmental accountability, the chapters present a comprehensive overview of the interaction between the two themes both regionally and internationally. Topics include the accountability of Environmental NGOs (ENGOs), impact of NGOs on environmental sustainability, NGOs and sustainable development goals, NGOs and social reporting quality, and the role of NGOs in urban and rural environmental governance. The authors present these insights within the context of developing economies, continental and global perspectives, as well as the transformational angle. This book provides readers with a truly comprehensive snapshot of the environmental accountability of NGOs.


Measurements of magnetic fields around power lines and distribution substations located in residential areas have increased in recent years because of public concern about the possible negative health effects of these fields. This paper presents the results of magnetic field measurements performed in and around a 400 kV gas insulated substation belonging to the Qatar power grid in order to face the requirements of the international guidelines regarding the human exposure to the magnetic fields. The measurements was covered the magnetic fields from the substation equipment, substation control room and from the incoming/outgoing overhead lines surrounding the substation. The measurement and calculation of magnetic field profile of 400 kV power lines are also carried out. The resulting levels of magnetic fields were presented in a variety of graphical formats including 3-D plots and contour maps in order to facilitate the location of high intensity magnetic field zones inside and outside the substation. The high intensity field zones are highlighted and the highest field values found is compared with the exposure limits given by the international standards and actual legislation of the Qatar Ministry of Environment. The results show that all measured values were well below the standard recommendations safety limits. The results and conclusions of this work are outlined in the paper.


High modulus of about 1 TPa, high thermal conductivity of over 3000 W/mK, very low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), high electrical conductivity, self-lubricating characteristics and low density have made CNTs one of the best reinforcing materials of nano composites for advanced structural, industrial, high strength and wear-prone applications. This is so because it has the capacity of improving the mechanical, tribological, electrical, thermal and physical properties of nanocomposites. So, this study is aimed at providing the latest discoveries on the tribological behavior of CNTs-reinforced composites. The composites reviewed included metal matrix composites (MMCs), polymer matrix composites (PMCs) and ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) reinforced with CNTs. Their tribological characteristics, uses, production challenges, conclusion and recommendations are presented. The work presented the best technique to disperse CNTs on matrices to avoid its agglomeration, since agglomeration is one of the major challenges in reinforcing with CNTs. It was discovered that ball milling destroys the outer walls of CNTs but recommended that ultrasonication and functionalization before ball milling eliminate this adverse effect of ball milling. In addition, it was discovered that addition of CNTs to composite matrices improved the wear resistance, reduced the wear volume, decreased the coefficient of friction (COF) and provided self-lubricating effect on MMCs, PMCs and CMCs.


Coal balls (exceptionally preserved calcareous permineralized peat), widely described from tropical Carboniferous Euramerian coal seams, have yielded diverse data on the biology, ontogeny and ecology of swamp plants and ecosystems. Probably over 75% of the swamp taxa may have been preserved, in contrast to probably less then 10% in other contemporaneous environments, but the assemblages are species-poor and represent an evolutionarily conservative assemblage. The in situ nature of coal ball peats allows ecological changes to be identified from vertical profiles. Major changes in plant communities both within individual seams and between seams appear to reflect both local and widespread climatic changes, particularly in rainfall. The preservation of cell contents, plant apices, gametophytes, etc., demonstrates the contemporaneous or early diagenetic formation of coal balls. Their common association with marine sediments has supported arguments for a marine source for the carbonate. Stable oxygen and carbon isotope studies suggest a meteoric origin for some carbonate. No current model for the formation of coal balls completely explains their occurrence and rarity outside the Upper Carboniferous of Eurameria.


Excessive influx and the subsequent rapid cytosolic elevation of Ca2+ in neurons is the major cause to induce hyperexcitability and irreversible cell damage although it is an essential ion for cellular signalings. Therefore, most neurons exhibit several cellular mechanisms to homeostatically regulate cytosolic Ca2+ level in normal as well as pathological conditions. Delayed rectifier K+ channels (IDR channels) play a role to suppress membrane excitability by inducing K+ outflow in various conditions, indicating their potential role in preventing pathogenic conditions and cell damage under Ca2+-mediated excitotoxic conditions. In the present study, we electrophysiologically evaluated the response of IDR channels to hyperexcitable conditions induced by high Ca2+ pretreatment (3.6 mM, for 24 hours) in cultured hippocampal neurons. In results, high Ca2+-treatment significantly increased the amplitude of IDR without changes of gating kinetics. Nimodipine but not APV blocked Ca2+-induced IDR enhancement, confirming that the change of IDR might be targeted by Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs) rather than NMDA receptors (NMDARs). The VDCC-mediated IDR enhancement was not affected by either Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) or small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (SK channels). Furthermore, PP2 but not H89 completely abolished IDR enhancement under high Ca2+ condition, indicating that the activation of Src family tyrosine kinases (SFKs) is required for Ca2+-mediated IDR enhancement. Thus, SFKs may be sensitive to excessive Ca2+ influx through VDCCs and enhance IDR to activate a neuroprotective mechanism against Ca2+-mediated hyperexcitability in neurons.


Four fatal cases of neonatal herpes simplex infection occurred during a two-month period in the perinatal intensive care unit of a hospital. Virus isolation or serologic studies, or both, implicated herpesvirus hominis type 2 in all four cases. Three of the infants developed symptoms in the first week of life and were probably infected in utero or at delivery. The fourth infant did not develop signs of illness until age 6 weeks, an interval much longer than that expected with disease acquired at birth. An epidemiologic investigation indicated that the most likely source of this fourth infant's herpes infection was by indirect contact with one of the other three infected neonates. Nosocomial spread of herpes simplex virus within a hospital nursery, although uncommon, may pose an added risk to the newborn infant if nursery techniques among infants are compromised.


Abstract This study aimed to investigate exposure adjusted injury incidence rates and profiles associated with training and competition in an elite taekwondo athlete population. 82 athletes were investigated for injuries over a period of 5 years. Individual fight time exposure for training and competition was recorded. The type and location of the injuries were classified and exposure-adjusted injury incidence rates (IIR) were calculated per 1000 h for training and competition. 66 athletes with a mean age of 19.3±4.2 years and 172 injuries were included in the final data assessment. The exposure adjusted IIR was significantly higher during competition (p<0.001) with a rate ratio of 6.33 (95% CI 4.58–8.69). Ankle and foot region as well as hand and wrist were most affected with significant higher IIR in competition (p<0.001). Joint injuries, fractures, and bruising occurred the most. Fractures occurred mainly to the hand and wrist region. Future investigations should focus on exposure adjusted injury data including analyses of the detailed mechanism leading to especially severe injuries to improve specific injury prevention in competition and promote evolution of protective gear.


Backgound: IVM has emerged as a safe and promising alternative procedure to conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) for minimizing the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in patients with PCOS. Despite the comparable obstetric and perinatal outcomes, there are no definite factors known to affect the outcomes of IVM.Methods: Retrospective analysis of a total of 313 women with PCOS undergoing 427 hCG-primed IVM cycles between January 2010 and February 2016 at the Fertility Center of CHA Gangnam Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. The number of retrieved oocytes and maturation, fertilization, and implantation rates were analyzed. Results: After transferring a mean of 2.4 ± 0.5 fresh embryos, the clinical pregnancy rate was 39.1% (n = 167), and the live birth rate was 30.7% (n = 131) with the implantation rate of 20.9%. The numbers of retrieved (18.1 ± 9.7 vs. 15.6 ± 8.7, p = 0.014), fertilized (8.6 ± 5.2 vs. 6.6 ± 3.8, p < 0.001) oocytes; good-quality embryos (1.3 ± 0.9 vs. 1.0 ± 0.9, p = 0.001); and blastocyst transfer cycles (22 vs. 15, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the live birth group than in the no live birth group. Among the factors associated with live births, retrieved oocytes had a slightly positive effect on live birth (RR = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00, 1.06; p = 0.021).Conclusions: It seems that the number of retrieved oocytes has a favorable effect in increasing the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate during hCG-primed IVM procedure in women with PCOS. Physicians' skills and cautious efforts may be required to retrieve a higher number of oocytes in IVM procedures.


A key assumption in all orthogonal space-time block coding (O-STBC) schemes is that the channel remains static over the length of the codeword. However, time selective fading channels do exist, and in such case the conventional O-STBC receiver will not function properly: even a relatively small variation in channel state can result in a large error floor. This paper presents an effective solution to this issue for the case of four transmit antennas. At the receiver, a simple zero forcing decoder is derived. To improve the performance of the decoder under certain channel conditions, the original O-STBC encoder is also modified accordingly. Computer simulations confirmed the effectiveness of the new procedure.