The management of change logs is crucial in different areas of information systems like data replication, data warehousing, and process management. One barrier that hampers the (intelligent) use of respective change logs is the possibly large amount of unnecessary and redundant data provided by them. In particular, change logs often contain information about changes which actually have had no effect on the original data source (e.g., due to subsequently applied, overriding change operations). Typically, such inflated logs lead to difficulties with respect to system performance, data quality or change comparability. In order to deal with this we introduce the DeltaLayer algorithm. It takes arbitrary change log information as input and produces
a cleaned output which only contains the net change effects; i.e., the produced log only contains information about those changes which actually have had an effect on the original source. We formally prove the minimality of our algorithm, and we show how it can be applied in different domains; e.g., the post-processing of differential
snapshots in data warehouses or the analysis of conflicting changes in process management systems. Altogether the ability to purge change logs from unnecessary information provides the basis for a more intelligent handling of these logs.


Motor actions during flight are some of the most difficult, in certain sports athletes have to deal with them all the time, and in many sports flight is the main position during exercise. In flight actions the essential psychological factor is readiness for safe landing, avoiding the loss of balance and falling. This factor often hampers the effective execution of an exercise. The purpose of the present research was to study the physiological and biomechanical characteristics of the landing phase when making a standing long jump by athletes of different skill levels. The differences detected in moving of various parts of the body when landing are stipulated by the specificity of distribution of muscular activity. The findings suggest that technical skills are developed when performing standing long jumps thanks to the reorganization of the system of statokinetic reflexes of the athlete. Changes occur in the distribution of muscle tone in the flight phase, which leads to a change in the motion pattern in the cervical spine, as well as in the hip and knee joints. The result of such changes in athletes is the reduced horizontal component of the velocity of flight by the time of landing and putting the center of mass of the body to the support projection to ensure the equilibrium.


Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are the predominant oligodendrocyte‐lineage stage in the cerebral hemispheres of neonatal rat. Prior studies have shown that OPCs are highly vulnerable to hypoxic‐ischemic injury, yet the mechanisms are not well understood. P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is an ATP‐gated ion channel that has unusual properties and plays very complex roles in a variety of neuropathologic conditions. However, little is known about the involvement of P2X7R in OPCs development and injury. The present study was aimed at examining the presence of P2X7R in OPCs and evaluating the change of the receptor expression after hypoxia ischemia. Using Immunofluorescence, RT‐PCR, and western blot analysis, we demonstrated that OPCs expressed P2X7R in vitro and in vivo. Activation of P2X7R in OPCs in response to 3′‐O‐(4‐benzoyl) benzoyl‐ATP (BzATP) led to an increased mobilization of intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i, formation of large pores and cell death. These functional responses were sensitive to pretreatment of cells with the P2X7R antagonist, Brilliant Blue G (BBG, 100 nM), which was a selective antagonist for P2X7R in nanomole range. A decrease in P2X7R expression was observed in cultured OPCs after exposure to oxygen‐glucose deprivation (OGD) for 2 h in vitro. Using a neonatal hypoxic‐ischemic injury model in postnatal 3 rats, the similar downregulation was also detected in ischemic cerebral cortex, subcortical white matter and hippocampus compared with sham operation controls. In conclusion, the present data demonstrated that OPCs expressed functional P2X7R. The post‐ischemic downregulation of P2X7R suggested a role for this receptor in the pathophysiology of hypoxic‐ischemic brain injury. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Introduction To assess secondary metformin monotherapy (MM) failure in a real-world type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) cohort. Research design and methods Using the IQVIA Electronic Medical Record (formerly GE Centricity) database, adults with T2DM who initiated MM between January 1, 2012 and June 30, 2016 and achieved glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) <7% (53 mmol/mol); index date) were analyzed. Secondary MM failure was defined in two ways: loss of glycemic control (HbA1c ≥7% (53 mmol/mol)) and treatment change (addition or switch of antihyperglycemic agent). Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the association between secondary MM failure and sociodemographic and clinical factors. Results The analysis included 4775 patients initiating MM. 32.9% and 19.2% experienced secondary MM failure at 24 months measured as loss of glycemic control and treatment change, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression found that women (OR=1.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.5) compared with men, lower Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (OR=0.89, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.93), and lower baseline HbA1c (OR=0.93, 95% CI 0.88 to 0.98) were associated with increased likelihood of loss of glycemic control. Lower CCI was associated with increased likelihood of treatment change (OR=0.78, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.82). Conclusions The observed frequency of secondary MM failure underscores the importance of the American Diabetes Association's recommendation for glycemic monitoring of at least every 6 months so that timely therapeutic adjustments can be made.


Introduction: High-energy beams of protons offer significant advantages for the treatment of deepseated local tumors. Their physical depth-dose distribution in tissue is characterized by a small entrance dose and a distinct maximum -Bragg peak- near the end of range with a sharp fall-off at the distal edge. Alongside its advantages there are some point that they need to meticulous attention. Producing dose due to secondary particles is one of the important challenges in proton therapy.

Materials and Methods: In the first stage the head was simulated by a cylindrical water phantom with length of 19cm and diameter of 19cm with 0.5 cm thickness of plexiglass. Then proton characteristics such as depth-dose distribution were investigated. In the next stage to evaluate the effect of variation of target density on depth-dose distribution, density of phantom materials varied. Increasing tissue density by 5% proton dose was decreased. Then a spherical tumor with diameter of 1cm in the phantom was considered and calculation of dose performed in the tumor and phantom. We have applied the MCNPX version of 2.6.0 code for proton beam energies ranging from 150 to 160 MeV, with steps of 1MeV, to obtain the ionization values, which are related to the cell damage or dose, in the target. MCNPX code is a general purpose radiation transport simulation code which is capable to simulate proton beams. This code requires an input file data that defines the geometry, the physical parameters and the tallies of the simulated problem.

Results: results have good agreement with results of TRIM package. Protons with 160 MeV energy have bragg peak in 17.1 cm and it has value of 1.237e-11 Gy/ source particles . we found that, for each 5 MeV increase for energy of protons, dose increase about 4.28%. after calculating dose for 11 steps between 150 and 160 MeV, proton by 153 MeV energy have the best dose distribution because it has maximum dose in tumor area and minimum dose for healthy tissue. Again simulation with TRIM code confirm this result. And also we found secondary neutron dose was found to be 100 orders lower than primary proton dose. Further providing evidence that secondary dose is relatively small in proton therapy.

Conclusion: Energy of entranced protons has significant effect on production of neutrons so it is helpful to use optimum energy for proton therapy especially for sensitive part of the body like brain, because neutron dose during proton therapy may increase the risk of metastases cancer.


Purpose: Global ophthalmology educational activities often include the ability of ophthalmology residents to partake in low-resource clinical care at home and abroad. Low-resource surgical techniques have become a pillar of education during formalized global ophthalmology fellowships. A formal manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS) curriculum was started in the University of Colorado's residency training program to meet the growing demand for this surgical skill and to allow for more sustainable outreach work from our graduates. The survey was conducted to collect evaluations on the value of formal MSICS training within a United States–based residency program. Methods: This was a survey study in a US ophthalmology residency program. A formal MSICS curriculum was created that included didactic lectures on epidemiology of global blindness, MSICS technique, and how MISCS compared to phacoemulsification in terms of cost and sustainability in low-resource settings, followed by a formal wet lab experience. Residents were then exposed to MSICS procedures in the operating room (OR) under supervision of an experienced MSICS surgeon. An anonymous online survey was conducted on three consecutive cohorts of recently graduated senior ophthalmology residents from 2019 to 2021 with the aim of eliciting opinions about and outcomes from the new curriculum. Results: Fifteen graduating senior residents comprised the three cohorts with a 100% survey response rate. All residents agreed or strongly agreed that "MSICS is a valuable skill to have". Eighty percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that "exposure to MSICS has increased my likelihood of doing any type of outreach work in the future" and 86.67% agreed or strongly agreed that "exposure to MSICS increased my understanding about sustainable outreach work". The average number of cases assisted or performed per resident was 8.2 (SD 2.7, range 4–12). Conclusion: A formal MSICS curriculum for US-based ophthalmology residents was well-received by the trainees. The majority felt it increased their likelihood of pursuing and improved their understanding of sustainable outreach work. The curriculum, which included lectures, wet lab training, and formal teaching in the OR, could add value to a residency program's curriculum. Furthermore, a formal domestic program can avoid ethical pitfalls that can be seen with resident teaching during international mission work.


This paper describes a solution to extend the managed bandwidth service (MBS), which is provided on a backbone network using MPLS VPN, to non-MPLS domains and also evaluates it. It is based on the class based weighted fair queuing mechanism (CBWFQ) and describes the way it should be implemented to provide guaranteed bandwidth connections. In particular, CBWFQ can provide assured bandwidth connections when simultaneously leads to efficient bandwidth utilization. In addition, the proposed solution is being tested on simulation environment (using the network simulator) in order to evaluate its performance characteristics. On the simulation tests had been reserved specific amount of bandwidth for specific flows and their throughput was measured in order to understand if the proposed solution works well. Finally, the results are very well and prove that this method can guarantee bandwidth for every flow in all network conditions (congested or uncongested). At last, the paper presents a technical example of router configuration for implementing the MBS service according to the basic proposed solution.


Abstract This research note examines whether trade competition abets regulatory races in the environmental area. To analyze trade competition, we develop a new measure, structural equivalence, which assesses competitive threats that a country faces from other countries whose firms export the same products to the same destination countries. Employing this new measure, we analyze air pollution intensity (sulfur dioxide or SO2) and water pollution intensity (biochemical oxygen demand or BOD) for a panel of 140 countries for the time period 1980–2003. We find that trade competition is a significant predictor of water pollution intensity among structurally equivalent countries. We then test separately whether trade competition abets upward and downward regulatory races. We find that in the case of water pollution, countries respond symmetrically to downward and upward races, that is, they follow their structurally equivalent competitor countries both when they ratchet down their regulations and when they ratchet up regulations. In the case of air pollution, however, countries are responsive to downward policy changes only in competitor countries.


Amberlite XAD-4 is used for catching a very small amount of organic substances in the water. LIX84-I is indicated a good ability on the extraction of various metal elements, as known in the field of solvent extraction. In the present study, solvent impregnated resin (SIR) was devised by adsorbing LIX84-I to XAD-4, as a result, it would be having the metal extraction ability. The extraction properties of nickel, cobalt and copper were investigated by using the SIR. In the case of metal extraction by batch method, the extraction behavior of each metals using the SIR was similar to the solvent extraction using LIX84-I. Copper was selectively extracted at the pH of 3.0, nickel and cobalt were almost extracted at the pH of 9.0. As a result of using fine particle size of XAD-4 and high concentration of LIX84-I when the SIR was made, the nickel, cobalt and copper could be extracted at a more short time. In the case of column method, the SIR was enclosed in the column, metal solution was flowed from top of the column. The extraction curve of each metals were similar to the case of solvent extraction using LIX84-I and SIR batch method. As flow rate was rapid, the amount of saturated adsorption was increased. For giving back extracted metals to the water phase, stripping was carried out. In the solvent extraction using chemical reagents of LIX system, the stripping of cobalt was difficult, but in the solid-liquid extraction using the SIR, cobalt was stripped easier. It is considered that the cobalts in organic phase of SIR could not form stable Co-LIX complexes.


This paper reviews interventions for preventing the occurrence and recurrence of major types of child maltreatment. We begin with an overview of the challenges of establishing evidence-based interventions to prevent child abuse and neglect in many countries, and underscore the importance of this need with child maltreatment incidence rates in the USA, and how much each type and subtype contribute to child out-of-home placement. Next, we identify the well-supported, supported and promising interventions for each child maltreatment type and subtype, according to their level of research evidence using an evidence-based clearing house. The paper closes with a discussion of the implications for practice, evaluation, policy and agency management, including intervention knowledge gaps that showcase areas that need additional practice research.


G The article presents a review of latest researches related to various aspects of primary glaucoma and optic neuropathy etiology. The effect of somatic factors on glaucoma progression is described. Argu- ments in favor of the interrelation of glaucoma and neurodegenerative processes are presented. The genetic basis for the development of glaucoma and a variety of its conjoined syndromes is considered. Immunological mechanisms that initiate the programmed cell death are analyzed. The processes that influence the increase of trabecular meshwork retention are also described as well as its role in the glaucoma pathogenesis.


Design of Pulse Oxirrieters J.G. Webster (Editor), 1n:stitute of Physics Publishing, Bristol and Philadelphia, 1997, ISBN: 0-7503-0467-7,244 pages, $99. Noninvasive monitoring of arterial oxygen saturation by means of pulse oximeters (PO) is currently a routine procedure in a wide variety of medical disciplines. In the USA alone, clinicians use scores of different PO models. The effectiveness of PO medical applications requires from both users and biomedical engineers an extremely high level of understanding of such diverse fields of 1 knowledge as physiology. PO principles and design, and algorithms for the calculation of blood oxygen saturation. As one who has been involved in field of biomedical optics and engineering for more than 15 years, I can say that this book is a complete guide to understanding, using, and designing the PO. It is difficult to overestimate the value of this book for biomedical engineers and for all those who needs to know the technical workings of this instrument. Design of Pulse Oximeters provides complete coverage of the field-from basic principles (chapters 2-4) and techniques (chapters 5-8) to signal-processing algorithms and calibration (chapters 9-10). Supplemented with an abundance of figures, tables, and equations, the book is easy to read and clear in understanding. Well edited, it leaves the impression that it was written by one author, which is a rarity among multi-authored texts. There is no doubt that Design of Pulse Oximeters will be a valued source on pulse oximetry. It will be piwticularly useful for graduate students, biomedical technicians, and instrument designers as the essential reference that encompasses the entire field of pulse oximehy. Unfortunately, the theoretical chapters (4 and 9) are slightly weaker than the others. Spcnding a few pages to describe Beer's law, the authors then say almost nothing about the role of the scattering processes and the current state of research in this area. They bypass the diffusion lheory of blood particles (A. Ishimary, "Wave propagation and Scattering in Random Media," Academic Press, New York, 1978) and modern experimental results. There is nothing in these chapters about optical properties of tissues under compression that contain blood, which is very important for the understanding of motion artifact. This interference (noise) is a significant concern in the real-world use of pulse oximeters for patient monitoring. As a previous study has shown, the optomechanical effects of blood circulation can be used, in principle, to mitigate motion artifact (V. Grimblatov, "Optomechanical Effect of Tissue Blood Circulation Under Compression," Proc. SPIE, Vol. 3253, 1997). I believe that a wider theoretical description of the photoplethysmographic aspects of pulse oximetry would make the bookmore useful for scientists as well as instrument developers. Of course, this note does not affect the obvious advantages of the book. To my knowledge, this is the best book to date dedicated to pulse oximetry. It will remain an important reference for many years to come. -Valentin Grimblatov, Ph.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center


With interference alignment in the spatial domain, the achievable degrees of freedom (DoF) of a single-hop multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) interference channel (IC) are limited by the number of antennas at the sources and destinations. The use of relays introduces additional freedoms to manage the interference and can enhance the DoF performance. However, the characterization of the DoF regions with relays is much more complicated and is not available in the literature. In this paper, we shall investigate the DoF of the dual-hop MIMO IC via interference alignment. Based on the solvability of the alignment conditions, the upper bound for the maximum achievable DoF tuple is obtained. To evaluate the tightness of the derived bound, we further propose an iterative algorithm to determine the processing matrices at the sources, relays, and destinations for a given feasible DoF tuple. It is shown that the proposed algorithm can achieve the upper bound for the sum DoF in the low and high DoF regions, where the achievability indicates that the upper bound indeed gives the maximum sum DoF. It is also found that despite the DoF loss caused by the half-duplexity assumption, the dual-hop IC with sufficient number of relays can still outperform the conventional single-hop IC under most circumstances.


This research is motivated by the still weak learning outcomes of science students in grade V of SD Negeri 021 Tarai Bangun. The purpose of this study is to improve student science learning outcomes by implementing peer lessons learning strategies. This type of research uses classroom action research consisting of two cycles. Each cycle consists of 4 stages such as: 1) planning; 2) implementation; 3) observations / observations; and 4) reflection. The results of this study showed the average percentage of student learning outcomes before the action only reached an average of 54.3%. In the first cycle student learning outcomes increased to 66.6% or with a classification of moderate values, and in the second cycle again increased to 80.5% with a classification of good grades. With this result it can be concluded that by implementing the peer lessons learning strategy can improve the learning outcomes of science students of class V SD Negeri 021 Tarai Bangun.


Abstract The problems of shape, material, sizing and topology optimization are formulated and solved for thin orthotropic laminated bending plate structures subjected to the in-plane as well as out-of-plane loading. A simple laminated combined finite element that comprises known elements CST for membrane part and DKT for bending part was formulated in the present study. A special numerical-analytical method for structural matrices of the element and analytical sensitivity analysis is used to cope with huge required computer resources for topology optimization. The uniform distribution of deformation energy density over the area of structure is employed as the optimality criterion in all optimization problems. The original algorithms, which may be attributed to the ESO family of algorithms, are suggested for optimization of laminae thicknesses and topology optimization. A number of numerical examples are provided.


Me3Si-substituted indenes of type 1-SiMe3-3,4-(CH2)3C9H5 (9), 1-SiMe3-4-R-7-R′C9H5 (11a, R = R′ = Me; 11b, R = R′ = Ph; 11c, R = Me, R′′ = Ph) and 1,1′ -(SiMe3)2-4,7-Me2C9H4 (12) were synthesised as precursors for piano-stool type halfsandwich indenyl-titanium trichloride complexes.Treatment of 9, 11, and 12 with equimolar amounts of TiCl4 gives the complexes (η5-3,4-(CH2)3C9H5)TiCl3 (13), (η5-4-R-7-R′C9H5)TiCl3 (14a, R =R′ = Me; 14b, R =R′= Ph; 14c, R = Me, R′ = Ph), and (η5-1-SiMe3-4,7-Me2C9H4)TiCl3 (15), respectively, with liberation of Me3SiCl.Detailed UV/vis spectroscopic and cyclic voltammetric studies were carried out which allow a comparison of substituent effects in 13 - 15.


The present study describes the adjoint based shape optimization of sub-merged trapezoidal intake. Initially direct results on the baseline geometries are compared with published results which are found to be in good agreement. Thereafter study proceeds to shape optimization using as multiobjective optimization technique. The combined multi-objective objective function is employed, comprising of total pressure at AIP and lift of the aerodynamic body. The inherent shape of the sub-merged intake gives low drag but also low-pressure recovery, therefore lift as an additional objective can give advantage over other intake types. The study is performed using SU2 the flow solver together with the built-in adjoint solver and the FFD box which is the shape deformation tool in a parallel computing environment. A reduction in total pressure loss of 10% was achieved at AIP while CL/CD increased for the overall body.


Selenocysteine (Sec) is incorporated at UGA codons in mRNAs possessing a Sec insertion sequence (SECIS) element in their 3′-untranslated region. At least three additional factors are necessary for Sec incorporation: SECIS-binding protein 2 (SBP2), Sec-tRNASec, and a Sec-specific translation elongation factor (eEFSec). The C-terminal half of SBP2 is sufficient to promote Sec incorporation in vitro, which is carried out by the concerted action of a novel Sec incorporation domain and an L7Ae RNA-binding domain. Using alanine scanning mutagenesis, we show that two distinct regions of the Sec incorporation domain are required for Sec incorporation. Physical separation of the Sec incorporation and RNA-binding domains revealed that they are able to function in trans and established a novel role of the Sec incorporation domain in promoting SECIS and eEFSec binding to the SBP2 RNA-binding domain. We propose a model in which SECIS binding induces a conformational change in SBP2 that recruits eEFSec, which in concert with the Sec incorporation domain gains access to the ribosomal A site.


A novel approach is presented for assessing the quality of transmission systems, comprising quantized source signals and APP source decoders, via Monte-Carlo simulation. A-posteriori probabilities are exploited in order to obtain an unbiased estimate of both the symbol error probability and the expected distortion for the transmission system; knowledge of the transmitted source signal is not necessary. Compared to the conventional method this blind quality estimation has a smaller estimation variance


For sensing and imaging applications of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), one needs a substrate with the capability of generating a consistent and uniform response and increased signal enhancement. To this goal, we propose a photonic-crystal (PC) structure capable of supporting large field enhancement due to its high quality-factor resonance. Moreover, we demonstrate that the interaction of two modes of this all-dielectric PC can provide an almost uniform field enhancement across the unit cell of the PC. This is of practical importance for SERS applications. The designed structure can support a maximum field enhancement of 70 and 97 percent of uniformity.


Computer Networks face a constant struggle against intruders and attackers. Attacks on distributed systems grow stronger and more prevalent each and every day. Intrusion detection methods are a key to control and potentially eradicate attacks on a system. An Intrusion detection system pertains to the methods used to identify an attack on a computer or computer network. In cloud computing environment the applications are user-centric and the customers should be confident about their applications stored in the cloud server. Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) plays an important role in providing the network security. They provide a defence layer which monitors the network traffic for pre-defined suspicious activity or pattern. In this paper Snort, Tcpdump and Network Flight Recorder which are the most famous NIDS in cloud system are examined and contrasted.


In Reconstructing Marriage - The Legal Status of Relationships in a Changing Society Caroline Sorgjerd explores the essence of the institution of marriage: what is the meaning of marriage today, how has marriage been influenced by the legal recognition of new cohabitation models and what should be the role of the institution of marriage in the future? In order to understand what marriage actually is in the twenty-first century it is necessary to identify and analyze the formalities and function of marriage in society. With a focus on Sweden, the author examines the historical development of marriage - beginning as a 'gift from God' and now being a gender-neutral institution - from a legal and political perspective and taking into account the past and present role of the Church of Sweden. The author then makes comparative assessments concerning the legal and political developments leading toward the adoption of gender-neutral marriage concepts in the Netherlands and Spain despite different societal backgrounds. In addition, the significance of the marital status under European Union law is explored, under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and in the jurisprudence of the European Court of Justice. Also the relevant decisions based on the European Convention of Human Rights, as interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights, are examined. The author discovers that the key role that the institution of marriage has played in the past still influences the essence of marriage today and charges it with a special symbolic value.


Popular narratives blame bankers and other contemporary business elites for the Great Recession of 2007 for knowingly taking unsound risks or for corrupt insider trading, or financially illiterate consumers of loans and mortgages who took unwisely large debt and defaulted. This article argues that reality is far more complex and is a combination of unregulated systems of incentives and rewards for risky behaviors, conflicts of interests in rating and regulatory institutions, and collective folly across the spectrum of players, from the bankers to the consumers. This volatile combination led to a positive feedback, a bubble, of greater and riskier investments in complex deals and processes based on poorly understood or faulty mathematical models, resulting in the collapse of the system.


Summary Metabolic imaging with 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro- 2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) is actually considered as the best method to detect and quantitatively assess myocardial tissue viability. The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of FDG gamma camera positron emission tomography (GCPET) imaging equipped with one inch NaI crystals in comparison to FDG dedicated PET (dPET) imaging as a "gold standard" in phantom and clinical studies. Patients, methods: Nineteen patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent both imaging modalities. Phantom and clinical GCPET imaging were performed with a dual-headed, coincidence based gamma camera equipped with 1 inch thick NaI crystals and an x-ray tube (XCT) for attenuation correction (AC), as well as with a dedicated PET scanner with AC. 99mTc tetrofosmin single-photon emission tomography (SPET) studies were performed for assessment of myocardial perfusion, with AC. Results: Phantom studies showed a significant relation in segmental activity between FDG imaging with AC using GCPET and dPET (r = 0.91, p <0.001). In clinical studies with AC correlation coefficients of mean segmental FDG uptake and regional defect size were r = 0.87 (p <0.0001) and r = 0.83 (p <0.0001), respectively. In regional analysis close agreement was even found in the most attenuated regions of the heart if AC was used in GCPET imaging. The overall agreement for detection of viable myocardium was 81% between FDG-dPET (AC) and FDG-GCPET (AC) and 74% between FDG-dPET (AC) and FDG-GCPET (NC). Conclusion: This study suggests that the assessment of myocardial metabolism by means of FDG is feasible with a coincidence based gamma camera equipped with 1 inch thick NaI crystals if AC is performed. The results reveal a close concordance and agreement between FDG-dPET (AC) and FDG-GCPET (AC) as compared to FDG-GCPET (NC).


We report the synthesis of ternary bismuth ferrites Bi2Fe4O9 submicrocrystals with tunable morphologies from sheets, plates, to cubes under hydrothermal conditions. These Bi2Fe4O9 submicrocrystals were single crystal with dominating {001}, {110} and {10} facets. The crystal growth and the influence of hydroxide on the shape formation and morphology control of the Bi2Fe4O9 submicrocrystals are explored. Anisotropic growth on the (001) facets has been achieved by increasing the concentration of hydroxide, and an oriented attachment mechanism has been suggested for the formation of the Bi2Fe4O9 submicrocrystals. The photocatalytic activities of the Bi2Fe4O9 submicrocrystals have also been investigated. The results show that Bi2Fe4O9 submicrocrystals have promise as a novel material for photocatalytic applications.


This report reviews system safety analysis methods and examines their application to nuclear waste management systems. The safety analysis methods examined include expert opinion, maximum credible accident approach, design basis accidents approach, hazard indices, preliminary hazards analysis, failure modes and effects analysis, fault trees, event trees, cause-consequence diagrams, G0 methodology, Markov modeling, and a general category of consequence analysis models. Previous and ongoing studies on the safety of waste management systems are discussed along with their limitations and potential improvements. The major safety methods and waste management safety related studies are surveyed. This survey provides information on what safety methods are available, what waste management safety areas have been analyzed, and what are potential areas for future study.


Presumed consent is a legislative framework in which citizens must place their name on a national opt-out register, otherwise their consent for donating their organs will be presumed. The Welsh Assembly last year passed legislation to enable the introduction of presumed consent in Wales in 2015. The issue is currently being discussed in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. However, there is scant evidence that presumed consent will be effective. Rather than legislating for consent of donors, we should be addressing the misgivings and misunderstandings of families to improve their consent rate, as has been done so successfully in Spain. National improvements in infrastructure in the UK have resulted in an outstanding 63% increase in deceased donation since 2007. If, now, family consent rates could be improved from the current 57% to Spanish levels of 85%, the UK's donation rate would be one of the best in the world.


'More research is needed' is a most unhelpful conclusion for the clinician reader of a systematic review. Clinicians look to researchers for the 'research evidence' part of Professor Sackett's 'three circles' of evidence-based practice.1 The clinician can not ignore the patient in front of him or her just because there is no evidence from systematic reviews or randomised controlled trials (RCTs): 'Kindly forget about your shoulder problem, until we have better research to tell me what to do'? This will not do! In this editorial, we share three practical tips for authors synthesising lower level evidence in systematic reviews, when high-quality RCTs are absent. Our goal is to help authors help clinicians help patients.

Consider the patient who plays tennis and presents with shoulder pain. Right now, the clinician who is seeking RCT evidence on how to progress from impairment-focused tasks in neutral shoulder positions to high-level, sport-specific tasks will be disappointed. Being able to function in shoulder elevation positions above …


Data Mining have always been a field and combination of both computer science and statistical knowledge. From the beginning it is used to ascertain designs, patterns and arrangements which are formed in the information pool. The motive of the data mining development is to produce useful information from the pool of raw data and convert it into useful information which can be used for future arrangements. The tools which are used in data mining are helpful in predicting the future trends and predictions across the market, which also help in decision making and building the knowledge to make decisions. The "Healthcare Industry" is generally information rich. It has been collecting data to improve the continuing problems and help to identify the solutions for that problems. Data mining techniques can be used to predict heart conditions from the voluminous and complex data which are kept by the hospitals for decision making which are difficult to analyze by outmoded methods. Unfortunately, outmoded methods are less accurate in discovering hidden information from effective decision making. Data mining helps in altering the huge amount of data into knowledge driven which takes, as compared to others, less time and effort for the prediction and with greater accuracy. Our effort is to apply different data mining techniques that are used to solve the problem of biased forecasts and decision making and help in calculating the results with more accuracy.


This paper argues that the distinctive feature of African philosophising is a communitarian outlook expressed through various forms of narrative. The paper first illustrates the close relationship between narrative and community in the African
cultural milieu. It then goes on to examine the way in which African academics in various fields have employed the narrative technique in their works. Next, the paper urges that through migration to European and American institutions of higher
learning, African philosophers have had a significant impact on Western philosophy. Thereafter, the paper argues that while a communalistic outlook is part and parcel of African philosophising, it does not imply an insular approach to identity, but rather accommodates the fact of the dynamism of the sources of identity. Finally, the paper points out that one implication of the communalistic and narrativistic approach of
African philosophy is that the dichotomy between "analytic" and "continental" philosophy, so common in the West, is not applicable to it.


The establishment, dry matter production and feeding value of six perennial grasses were measured over two growing seasons in a field experiments. The experiments were conducted at the Agricultural and Veterinary Medicine Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2009 and 2010 seasons. The six perennial grasses were: Creeping bluegrass (Bothriochloa insculpta, cv Bisset), Digit grass (Digitaria smutsi), Jarra digit grass (Digitaria milanjiana), Panic (Panicum coloratum , cv Bambatsii), Sabi grass (Urochloa mosambicensis) and Setaria (Setaria sphacelata, cv Kazungula). The experimental design used was a completely randomized block design with four replications. The results revealed significant differences among plant species of all agronomic characters and quality traits in the first year, while in the second year, plant species were differed significantly for quality traits only. D. smutsi had a superior performance for all agronomic characters, however, it had the lowest values in protein content in the two years comparing with other genotypes. D. milanjiana and U. mosambicensis showed high values in dry matter yield and protein content in the first year, but showed a very poor performance in the second year because most of plants were die due to the low temperatures in the winter. These two species appear to be suitable for annual cultivation. The other species tolerate the cold winter and were a highly productive in the second year.


The Serpulidae are a large group of sedentary polychaetes inhabiting calcareous tubes. The relationships within the group are poorly understood and taxonomy of the group is very confused which is a major obstacle to accessing their phylogeny. This review provides up-to-date information on the current state of taxonomy of Serpulidae sensu lato (not including Spirorbinae). The morphology of the group is reviewed with special reference to the features that can provide characters for future phylogenetic analyses. Scanning electron micrographs illustrate the structure of the chaetae and uncini. The list of 46—in our opinion valid—genera is accompanied by detailed generic diagnoses, species composition and distribution (checklist), and remarks on major taxonomic literature. A taxonomic key to the genera and a list of invalid genera with synonymy is also provided.


The purpose of the study is to show the role of friendly patronage in the promotion of fellow students in the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20 th century. The career of Alexandr Vysokosov, a graduate of the Nikolaev Cavalry School, first a cornet of a dragoon regiment, then an official of Special Assignments in the Vladimir province and the Primorskii region is taken as an example.  Unpublished  documents  from  three  archives  were  used  as  sources. They are the attestation notebook and record of service – from the collection of  the  Russian  State  Military  Historical  Archive  (Moscow),  an  official  list – from the State Archive of the Vladimir Region (Vladimir), cases of recruitment and  dismissal –  from  the  Russian  State  Historical  Archive  of  the  Far  East (Vladivostok). The documents show that Vysokosov studied poorly and after graduation was unable to build either a military or a civilian career, and from 1903 to 1912 he was retired twice. Thanks  to  the  help  of  a  classmate  and  friend  Vladimir  Lodyzhenskii,  in 1913  he  was  able  to  get  a  position  in  the  Primorsk  regional  administration. But in Vladivostok he was remembered only for his bribery, drunkenness and inappropriate behavior. And even the support of a friend – the vice governor – did not save him from the third dismissal, under Article 788 of the Charter on Service.


In acute poisonings with chlorine derivatives of phenoxy acids, the myotonic period of poisoning is marked electromyographically by the manifestations specific and non-specific for myotonia. The characteristic signs involve multiple electrical responses of muscle fibers stimulated by a single excitation impulse--potential or myotonic discharges. Non-specific alterations are characterized by prolongation of the latent period, decreased amplitude and shortening of the length of evoked action potentials, which indicates the suppression of muscle excitability. Electromyographic changes are a consequence of deranged muscle rather than of synaptic processes.


Nuclear dysfunctions have been implicated in the pathology of polyglutamine diseases, while the details remain unclear. By employing various omics approaches, we have identified target molecules of mutant polyglutamine proteins in the nucleus. Proteome analysis of soluble nuclear proteins identified decreased HMGB1/2 in vulnerable neurons of Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1). Interactome analysis unraveled Ku70 as a direct binding partner of mutant huntingtin. DNA damage repair is significantly impaired by interaction of mutant polyglutamine proteins with HMGB or Ku70, and the functional rescue of these molecules alleviated symptoms and pathologies of HD and SCA1. These results strongly suggest that impairment of DNA damage repair is a common pathology shared by multiple polyglutamine diseases.


This paper reports benefits of Systems Thinking on a case study on project portfolio management in an Offshore Development Centre (ODC). This ODC had grown exponentially in the last few years and existing operating models were not scaling up to this growth. A set of consultants (authors of this paper) from the organization of Service Provider were commissioned to conduct an internal study to address this problem. Consultants used Systems Thinking approach to develop portfolio management framework for the ODC. Development of the framework, its deployment and results thereof are being reported in this paper.


Preface. About the Editors. Contributors. Assessment, Diagnosis, and Epidemiology. Cicchetti, Toth, A Developmental Psychopathology Approach on Adolescent Depression. Essau, Ollendick, Diagnosis and Assessment of Adolescent Depression. Merikangas, Knight, The Epidemiology of Depression in Adolescence. Allen, Astuto, Depression Among Racial, Ethnically and Culturally Diverse Adolescents. Hilt, Nolen-Hoeksema, The Emergence of Gender Differences in Depression in Adolescence. Related Conditions. Rohde, Comorbidities with Adolescent Depression. Taylor, Miklowitz, Bipolar Disorder in Childhood and Adolescence. Jacobson, Gould, Suicide and Non-suicidal Self-injurious Behaviors Among Youth: Risk and Protective Factors. Biological Factors. Goodyer, Early Onset Depression: Meanings, Mechanisms and Processes. Lau, Eley, The Genetics of Adolescent Depression. Wolfson, Armitage, Sleep and its Relationship to Adolescent Depression. Psychosocial Factors. Hammen, Stress Exposure and Stress Generation in Adolescent Depression. Abela, Hankin, Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression in Adolescents: A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective. Rudolph, The Interpersonal Context of Adolescent Depression. Compas, Jaser, Benson, Coping and Emotion Regulation: Implications for Understanding Depression During Adolescence. Joormann, Eugene, Gotlib, Parental Depression: Impact on Offspring and Mechanisms. Underlying Transmission of Risk. Treatment of Adolescent Depression. Stark, Krumholz, Ridley, Hamilton, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Youth Depression: The ACTION Treatment Program. Gunlicks, Mufson, Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents. Kaslow, Broth, Arnett, Collins, Family-Based Treatment for Adolescent Depression. Zalsman, Shoval, Rotstein, Pharmacotherapy for Adolescent Depression. Weersing, Gonzalez, Effectiveness of Interventions for Adolescent Depression: Reason for Hope or Cause for Concern? Prevention of Adolescent Depression. Garber, Webb, Horowitz, Prevention of Depression in Adolescents: A Review of Selective and Indicated Programs. McLaughlin, Universal Prevention for Adolescent Depression. Nolen-Hoeksema, Hilt, Integration and Remaining Questions.


We use a one‐dimensional model, forced with realistic meteorological measurements, to determine to first order the sensitivity of summer surface water temperature, heat content, and vertical stratification scale to three forcing variables: air temperature, wind speed, and previous winter ice cover, all three of which have exhibited long‐term trends over the last few decades. Summer‐averaged surface temperature increases with increased air temperature, decreased ice cover, and decreased wind speed. Differences in heat content between model runs with differing initial temperatures (a proxy for winter ice cover) decrease over the course of the season, but significant differences present in late spring persist through the summer season. Interannual variability in wind speed is the predominant driver of variability in the vertical stratification scale.


Price indexes in time and space is a most relevant topic in statistical analysis from both the methodological and the application side. In this paper a price index providing a novel and effective solution to price indexes over several periods and among several countries, that is in both a multi-period and a multilateral framework, is devised. The reference basket of the devised index is the union of the intersections of the baskets of all periods/countries in pairs. As such, it provides a broader coverage than usual indexes. Index closed-form expressions and updating formulas are provided and properties investigated. Last, applications with real and simulated data provide evidence of the performance of the index at stake.


While the relationship of SO 2 and NO x emissions to ambient air quality and deposition, and to surface water quality, are still matters for debate and clarification, it is generally recognised that fisheries do not thrive in acid waters. An international advisory commission (EIFAC) has reviewed much of the literature and concluded that below pH 5 progressively more severe effects on fish can be expected. Records of acid lakes in Scandinavia and America show that about 50% of lakes below pH 5 are fishless, compared with only one in seven of similar oligotrophic lakes with pH greater than 5. However, it is clear that the status of a fishery is not a simple function of the reported pH of a lake or river. Both field and laboratory studies provide evidence that other water quality factors (such as the levels of aluminium and calcium), biological factors (such as food supply, genetically determined tolerance, adaptation), and ecological factors (such as lake morphology, patterns of hydrological events) are also important. How else can we explain the continued presence of fish in some waters well below pH 5? The paper will present a review of current information from both field and laboratory investigations concerning the responses of fish and fish populations to natural acid conditions in Scandinavian and N. American lakes and rivers, identifying the factors which determine survival and mortality. The conclusions have some significance for remedial actions that may be proposed to alleviate acid conditions in Scandinavian and N. American waters.


PURPOSE
To demonstrate the feasibility of a three-plenoptic camera projection, scintillation-based dosimetry system for measuring three-dimensional (3D) dose distributions of static photon radiation fields.

METHODS
Static x-ray photon beams were delivered to a cubic plastic scintillator volume embedded within acrylic blocks. For each beam, three orthogonal projections of the scintillating light emission were recorded using a multifocus plenoptic camera. Experimental 3D reconstructions of the light distribution were obtained using an iterative maximum likelihood-expectation maximization (ML-EM) algorithm. For this purpose, the elements of the system matrix representing the contribution of the scintillator volume voxels to the camera sensor pixels were calculated using optical design software. A reconstruction-specific correction was applied to light reconstructions to account for scintillating light imaged by the camera but not directly resulting from dose deposition. Cross beam profiles (CBPs) and percentage depth dose (PDD) curves were compared to treatment planning system data for square fields. Three-dimensional and 3D gamma analyses were performed for concave-shaped dose distributions and the Pearson correlation coefficient and reconstruction error were employed to assess the quality of the measured relative 3D dose distributions.

RESULTS
A full and accurate model of the plenoptic camera-based scintillation dosimetry system was implemented using the light ray tracing capabilities of optical design software. With this model, light distributions were successfully reconstructed over a volume of 60 × 60 × 60 mm 3 at a resolution of 2 mm. For relative 3D measurements of square radiation fields of 2 × 2 cm 2 , 3 × 3 cm 2 and 4 × 4 cm 2 compared with treatment planning system reference distributions, the maximum root-mean-square error of the CBPs evaluated at two different depths was of 3.2%, 1.2%, and 1.1%, respectively; as for the corresponding linearly fitted PDDs of the square fields, the slopes of the reconstructed dose distributions overestimated those of the reference distributions by at most 0.2%/ cm. The 2D gamma passing rate with a criterion of 2%/2 mm for the concave-shaped photon field was of 61.6%, 66.1%, and 76.4% using one, two, and three plenoptic projections; the respective success rates become 77.1%, 87.5%, and 94.9% using a criterion of 3%/3 mm. The 3D correlation coefficient for the corresponding reconstructions was of 0.688, 0.905, and 0.976, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
Three-dimensional light distributions emitted from within a plastic scintillator volume were successfully recovered using optical design software to establish a complete tomographic model of a plenoptic camera-based prototype. The tomographic model can equivalently extend to dynamic dose delivery measurements, providing temporal resolution limited by the camera's exposure time. This feasibility study enables a simplified design-to-implementation process for volumetric scintillation dosimetry prototypes toward fully meeting the clinical needs of 3D dose measurements for static and dynamic delivery techniques.


The present paper describes the theoretical analyses, design and experimental verification of a magnetostrictive actuating device, the locomotion of which is inspired by the motion of the smooth impact drive mechanism reported previously by a number of researches of our group. The proposed device is different from the reported device driven by a piezoelectric actuator. The proposed device is actuated by a micro magnetostrictive actuator constructed using an iron-gallium alloy. The proposed magnetostrictive actuating device is an interesting linear-moving mechanism and takes advantage of impact forces coupled with friction forces to achieve a long stroke with fine position resolution. The results of experiments indicate that the maximum speed of the prototype is approximately 1.0 mm/s at a current of 300 mA with a frequency of 4 kHz.


This essay describes the emerging field of religion and media and outlines key issues at play in the field. The field focuses both on the media and their content and on the reception of media among various publics as ways to examine the location of religion, the nature of religious practice and the complexity of religious identity and authority. On the one hand, studies reveal how religious institutions and leaders use traditional and new media, and command of emerging media grants some institutions and leaders increased voice and authority. On the other, we find evidence that in the emerging media culture, authority shifts from traditional locations such as sacred writings, traditions and religious authorities to the individual internal authority of religious consumers involved in religious self-construction. Those in the field typically argue that religion has always been mediated and that studying the mediation of religion is necessary to the understanding of religion.


Summary The aim of the study was to demonstrate the diagnostic and prognostic value of SPECT/CT in sentinel lymph node mapping (SLNM) in patients with invasive breast cancer. Methods: 114 patients with invasive breast cancer with clinically negative lymph nodes were included in this retrospective study as they were referred for SLNM with 99mTc-nanocolloid. Planar image acquisition was accomplished in a one-day or two-day protocol depending on the schedule of the surgical procedure. Low dose SPECT/CT was performed after the planar images. The sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was considered false negative if a primary recurrence developed within 12 months after SLNB in the axilla from which a tumor-free SLN had been removed. Results: Between December 2009 and December 2011, 114 patients (pts.) underwent SLNM with additional SPECT/CT. Planar imaging identified in 109 pts. 139 SLNs, which were tumor-positive in 42 nodes (n = 41 pts.). SPECT/CT identified in 81 pts. 151 additional SLNs, of which 19 were tumor-positive and led to therapy change (axillary lymph node dissection) in 11 pts. (9.6 %). Of overall 61 tumor-positive SLNs (n = 52 pts.) SPECT/CT detected all, whereas planar imaging detected only 42 of 61 (P < 0.0001). No patient had lymph node metastasis within 12 months after SLNB in the axilla from which a tumor-free SLN had been removed resulting in a false-negative rate of 0 %. The local relapse rate was 1.8 % leading to a 4-year disease-free survival rate of 90 %. Conclusion: Among patients with breast cancer, the use of SPECT/CT-aided SLNM correlated due to a better anatomical localization and identification of planar not visible SLNs with a higher detection rate of SLNs. This led to therapeutic consequences and an excellent false-negative and 4-year disease-free survival rate.


In this paper, some properties of the multivariable mirrorimage and anti-mirror image polynomials will be studied when they are obtained by bilinear transformations from the corresponding even and odd parts of a multivariable polynomial.


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, related to Ovarian Cancer was obtained from the TCGA web site. The data comprised a total of 489 samples hybridized on 2-color oligo-arrays with 244K probes per array. Raw log-ratio data representing DNA copy number values relative to a DNA pool of normal samples were used in the analysis. The raw data was processed using Nexus Copy Number version 5 software (BioDiscovery, El Segundo CA) and regions of copy number change were identified using the built-in FASST algorithm with significance threshold of 5.0 E-6. After applying a QC filter to remove hybridizations with excessive noise, 463 samples remained for further analysis. Of these, there were 214 solid tumors and 242 normal samples (either surrounding tissue or blood from same patient). In our analysis we compared copy number differences from samples with Progressive disease (n=29) and those with Complete response to therapy (n=245). Using a Fisher's Exact test and a maximum p-value of 0.05 we identified significant regions of copy number change covering a genome area composed of a total of 1049 genes. Included were regions of significant increase in the number of DNA copy number gains in the for the Complete response samples as compared to Progressive cases. The most significant of these were in the 6p21.1 − 6p12.1 and 5p14.1 − 5p13.3 regions. Other regions include a number of well-know genes related to apoptosis, such as TNF (on 6p21.33) and RHOB (on 2p24.1) that were also significantly gained in Complete response but showed DNA loss in Progressive samples.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2141.


We reviewed the efficacy and effectiveness of home fortification of complementary foods with micronutrient powders (e.g. Sprinkles®), crushable tablets and lipid-based or soy-based products. Sixteen studies (5 anaemia treatment trials, 11 prevention trials) met the inclusion criteria. The treatment trials indicate that Sprinkles were as effective as iron drops, and were better accepted and had fewer side effects. In the prevention trials, the risk of anaemia was cut in half. The effect of home fortification with multiple micronutrients on plasma zinc and vitamin A levels was mixed. The impact on child growth of home fortification using only micronutrients was not significant. However, with products containing both micronutrients and a small amount of energy (including fat and protein), the pooled data from two efficacy trials in Africa suggest an effect size of ∼0.4 for both weight and height. Home fortification with products that include some energy also showed positive effects on indices of child development in two studies. There was a beneficial impact of home fortification on morbidity in high-risk populations in some studies, but most showed no significant impact. Acceptability of home fortification by caregivers and young children is high, and side effects are rare. The safety of home fortification using 'bolus' doses of iron, particularly in malarial areas, needs further investigation. In one study of Sprinkles in a low-income country, the estimates of cost per disability-adjusted life year regained compared favourably with other approaches, but more data on operational and cost considerations for the various home fortification products are needed.


In [1], [4] and [6] simple and intuitively obvious bounds were suggested for various overflow systems and claimed to be insensitive, that is to be valid also in the non-exponential case. This insensitivity was formalized in [4] and [6] when the service distributions have a monotone failure rate. This technical note provides another proof which for the case of a pure overflow system with one customer class extends the insensitivity to the general case.


Purpose In our study, we aimed to screen the risk factors that affect overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in adult glioma patients and to develop and evaluate nomograms. Methods Primary high-grade gliomas patients being retrieved from the surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER) database, between 2004 and 2015, then they randomly assigned to a training group and a validation group. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis models were used to choose the variables significantly correlated with the prognosis of high-grade glioma patients. And these variables were used to construct the nomograms. Next, concordance index (C-index), calibration plot and receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) curve were used to evaluate the accuracy of the nomogram model. In addition, the decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to analyze the benefit of nomogram and prognostic indicators commonly used in clinical practice. Results A total of 6395 confirmed glioma patients were selected from the SEER database, divided into training set (n =3166) and validation set (n =3229). Age at diagnosis, tumor grade, tumor size, histological type, surgical type, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were screened out by Cox analysis model. For OS nomogram, the C-index of the training set was 0.741 (95% CI: 0.751-0.731), and the validation set was 0.738 (95% CI: 0.748-0.728). For CSS nomogram, the C-index of the training set was 0.739 (95% CI: 0.749-0.729), and the validation set was 0.738 (95% CI: 0.748-0.728). The net benefit and net reduction in inverventions of nomograms in the decision curve analysis (DCA) was higher than histological type. Conclusions We developed nomograms to predict 3- and 5-year OS rates and 3- and 5-year CSS rates in adult high-grade glioma patients. Both the training set and the validation set showed good calibration and validation, indicating the clinical applicability of the nomogram and good predictive results.


Addressing youth issues is essential to promoting stability and preventing violence in fragile and conflict-affected states. However, there is little evidence that youth programming and policies have helped reduce violence in these settings. This can reflect the lack of understanding about youth issues and how problems affecting them encourage their participation in violence. This study set out to understand youth violence in Liberia and Sierra Leone, two countries in which there has historically been a great deal of youth participation in group violence, where the risk of youth mobilization into violence persists, and where interpersonal and gender-based violence are still a concern. In addition to having young populations, both countries have governments that have emphasized improving youths' lives by both reducing poverty and preventing violence. In turn, programming and policies in these (and many other conflict-affected) countries tend to be focused on employment generation due to the assumption that youth become prone to violent behavior as the result of economic exclusion (their inability to achieve a stable source of livelihood). The findings from this study will be useful to help governments (particularly of fragile and conflict-affected states) and donors better understand youth issues, design more effective interventions to address youth violence, and promote longer-term stability. The report begins with a review of literature on existing theories of youth exclusion and drivers of youth violence, with a greater focus on history of violence in West Africa. It proceeds with an outline of the study methodology for data collection, sample selection, and analysis. The analysis follows, highlighting key findings. The report concludes with recommendations for policies and youth programming.


This article attempts to draw attention to the interpersonal interactions of African migrants and to how the relational quality, namely, flexibility/rigidity, could potentially facilitate or limit their acculturation in South Africa. The study on which the article is based is part of a larger international research project on the commonalities and differences in the way that intergenerational relations, citizenship and belonging play out in three countries: The United Kingdom, France and South Africa. Ten families and 24 individual participants (men and women in the age range 18–59) from different African countries who had migrated to South Africa were selected through purposive sampling. The data were obtained through in-depth personal interviews that were thematically analysed using a secondary data analysis approach. Although more relational qualities would provide a comprehensive description of migrants' interpersonal styles, the relational quality of flexibility/rigidity of migrants who participated in this research, ranged on a continuum from being too flexible to being too close and some were in between. Migrants who were flexible could associate themselves with the new cultural and social environment and expand their behavioural repertoire. The migrants in the study, who were too flexible and too close, experienced discomfort. The study findings can be used as baseline for further research to support the adjustment of migrants in South Africa.


Iron oxide nanotubes (NTs) and zinc doped iron oxide NTs were prepared by sol-gel method. Obtained NTs have spinel structure represented by Zn_δFe_3-δO_4. Iron oxide NTs indicated a spectral sensitivity maximum at the wavelength of 500–550 nm and a long tail toward red light. These features were explained by a typical bandgap of iron oxide NTs to be ~2.3 eV and bandgap narrowing for a small diameter NT. Organometal perovskite solar cell was constructed by using these NTs and evaluated by measuring the spectral sensitivity between the wavelength of 390 and 710 nm. For the present perovskite solar cell, drastic increase of the spectral sensitivity was obtained when we adjusted penetration depth of organometal perovskite into the porous layer of NTs. However, deep penetration worsened the spectral sensitivity. A similar trend was obtained for the cell using Zn doped iron oxide NTs, but the magnitude of incident power conversion efficiency (IPCE) became almost a half. This was explained by worsening the electrical conductivity, even the bandgap became narrower by Zn dope.


This article clarifies the meaning of South Africa's Employment Equity Act, which includes HIV testing in the workplace. This historic piece of legislation is intended to promote equality and equal opportunity in the workplace. Among other things, the Act prohibits employers to conduct pre-employment HIV testing unless the Labor Court has given permission. Several interpretations have ensued which was seen as damaging to HIV prevention strategies in the workplace. Employers, likewise, have used these interpretations to justify a threat to withdraw from the Joint UN Program on the HIV/AIDS-Sponsored Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS program. Similarly, arguments for HIV testing followed which were based on a fancifully narrow and literal reading of the section. This resulted to the literal interpretation of the Act that eventually made the contested sections unconstitutional and deprived employees of their fundamental rights to freedom and security, and access to health care services. A non-literal interpretation of the Act, on the other hand, does require the prohibition as applying only to ¿employer-initiated¿ HIV testing. One immediate remedy to the confusion would be for the Employment Equity Commission to publish a code of good practice on HIV testing in the workplace.


Diabetes and cancer are common diseases and are frequently diagnosed in the same individual. These patients need to take antidiabetic drugs while receiving antitumor drugs therapy. Recently, immunotherapy offers significant advances for cancer treatment. However, it is unclear whether antidiabetic drugs affect immunotherapy. Here, by employing syngeneic mouse colon cancer model and melanoma model, we studied the effects of 6 common antidiabetic drugs on anti-PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitor in tumor treatment, including acarbose, sitagliptin, metformin, glimepiride, pioglitazone, and insulin. We found that acarbose and sitagliptin enhanced the tumor inhibition of anti-PD1, and metformin had no effect on the tumor inhibition of anti-PD1, whereas glimepiride, pioglitazone, and insulin weakened the tumor inhibition of anti-PD1. Our study suggests that cancer patients receiving anti-PD1 antibody therapy need serious consideration when choosing antidiabetic drugs. In particular, acarbose significantly inhibited tumor growth and further enhanced the therapeutic effect of anti-PD1, which can be widely used in tumor therapy. Based on this study, further clinical trials are expected.


The article presents current published data on 30 years of experience in applying of azelaic acid in dermatology. Data on pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety in the international practice; results of study and therapeutic efficacy of different dosage forms are presented.


A solid-state drawing and winding process was done to create thin aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets from CNT arrays. However, waviness and poor packing of CNTs in the sheets are two main weaknesses restricting their reinforcing efficiency in composites. This report proposes a simple press-drawing technique to reduce wavy CNTs and to enhance dense packing of CNTs in the sheets. Non-pressed and pressed CNT/epoxy composites were developed using prepreg processing with a vacuum-assisted system. Effects of pressing on the mechanical properties of the aligned CNT sheets and CNT/epoxy composites were examined. Pressing with distributed loads of 147, 221, and 294 N/m showed a substantial increase in the tensile strength and the elastic modulus of the aligned CNT sheets and their composites. The CNT sheets under a press load of 221 N/m exhibited the best mechanical properties found in this study. With a press load of 221 N/m, the pressed CNT sheet and its composite, respectively, enhanced the tensile strength by 139.1 and 141.9%, and the elastic modulus by 489 and 77.6% when compared with non-pressed ones. The pressed CNT/epoxy composites achieved high tensile strength (526.2 MPa) and elastic modulus (100.2 GPa). Results show that press-drawing is an important step to produce superior CNT sheets for development of high-performance CNT composites.


Jacques Derrida and Richard Rorty are often seen as forming a philosophical kinship, on account of their shared skepticism about the metaphysical tradition and the hegemony of positivist reason. It is all the more confounding, therefore, that in Rorty's readings of Derrida, we find a frequently recurring argument to the effect that Derrida had best withdraw from the critique of the metaphysical tradition. Metaphysical problems, Rorty explains, are obsolete, no longer relevant to the purposes of expedient inquiry, thus they ought to be circumvented rather than overcome. The statement is rather perplexing insofar as Rorty himself seems to be engaged in such critique throughout his oeuvre. In my paper, I attempt to explicate Rorty's apparently contradictory statement on rhetorical rather than conceptual grounds. I argue that the contradiction gets resolved once we assume that introducing the notion of circumvention is a rhetorical ploy on Rorty's part, which serves to dissociate Derrida from his (Rorty's) own critical project, and thereby appropriate his position.


The dogma that apoptosis and autophagy are the sole forms of Programmed Cell Death (PCD) is no longer accepted, due to the recent discovery of programmed necrosis, a non-apoptotic, non-autophagic form of PCD. Necroptosis, parthanatos, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis are all forms of programmed necrosis, as these types of cell death dismantle the cell in an ordered fashion that is distinctly different from apoptosis or autophagy. Several key cellular mediators and events in these types of PCD have been discovered. Here, we discuss the basic characteristics, molecular pathways, and possible implications of these lesser-known types of PCD in cancer treatment modalities such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Because resistance to apoptosis is often responsible for cancer treatment failures, novel therapeutic strategies that can activate alternative cell death programs have great appeal. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of these types of PCD may facilitate the development of diverse therapeutic strategies, particularly against apoptosis-resistant cancers.


ABSTRACT Amblyseis swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is the most abundant predatory mite in commercial citrus orchards in Adana province (Turkey), in spite of heavy acaricide and insecticide applications. In this study, the non-target effects of commonly used acaricides in those citrus orchards that follows abamectin, etoxazole, spirdiclofen, spirotetramat, and pyridaben against different developmental stages of A. swirskii were determined by laboratory-based bioassays. Among the acaricides, abamectin and pyridaben were found to be toxic to all developmental stages of the predator as their applications resulted in 36.00 and 27.5%, 84.00 and 86.66%, 21.66 and 95.00% mortalities in eggs, larvae, and adult females, respectively. Similarly fecundity was the highest in the control group (2.65 mean/female/day). In contrast, a dramatic decrease was observed following pyridaben application (0.35 mean/female/day), whereas abamectin has intermediate effects (1.24 mean/female/day), at 120 h. The rest three acaricides are neither toxic to all developmental stages nor fecundity of the predator, as they resulted in less than 10% mortality even for the larvae which was the most sensitive life stage to the other two acaricides. In conclusion, etoxazole, spirodiclofen, and spirotetramat may be compatible in citrus orchards or other agricultural systems where A. swirskii is an abundant predator.


Histochemical and cytochemical studies were done to further characterize the preneoplastic hepatocytes with extraperoxisomal catalase (EPC-cells) that were found in the livers of rats fed 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. Catalase activity was demonstrated cytochemically to be localized in nuclear matrices, hyaloplasm, and peroxisomal matrices of EPC-cells. It is suggested that an impairment of peroxisome formation is involved in the altered intracellular distribution of catalase. Administration of clofibrate increased the catalase activity in EPC-cells. To examine the preneoplastic nature of EPC-cells, activities of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were examined, since changes in the activities of these enzymes have been used as markers of putative preneoplastic cells. In the present study, neither weak G6Pase activity nor positive GGT activity was considered to be a consistent feature of EPC-cells. However, available evidence suggests that EPC-cells are one of the carcinogen-induced cell populations with altered phenotypes.


Clinicians face the daily challenge of assessing and treating patients with gait problems. Musculoskeletal models appear to show potential for assisting with the understanding of complex pathological movements, however they are also complex and reliant on multiple assumptions in order to maintain stability. This paper breaks down the process by which muscles produce movement into a series of steps. The contributions and limitations of modelling each separate step are then considered. The calf muscles serve as an illustration throughout the paper, as these muscles are frequently implicated in the development of pathological gait patterns. An argument is put forward for the development of a range of tools for use in clinical practice, leading to an enhanced appreciation of the importance of joint moments. Improved clinical understanding of the link between muscles and movement will allow clinicians to develop better treatment plans for their patients.


The spectrum of singly ionized oxygen, O II, emitted by a spark-generated, electrodeless discharge light source, has been investigated in the wavelength range 2100-11 700 A. About 740 lines, 359 of which have not been reported earlier, were measured. As a result the energies of about 50 new levels have been determined, and the O II term system now presented includes 254 levels. The quartet system is firmly connected to the doublet system by 56 identified intersystem lines. The ionization limits have been determined by applying the polarization formula to the 4f, 5f, 5g and 6g levels. The experimentally determined value for the lowest limit, 2s22p2 3P0, is 283 270.9 ± 0.5 cm−1 above the 2s22p3 4S3/2 ground state.


This study was designed to assess the dose-dependent effects of amrinone (1, 2 and 4 mg/kg i.v.) on hemodynamics, myocardial blood flow and myocardial oxygen consumption in anesthetised closed chest dogs (n = 8). Heart rate (HR), cardiac output, mean aortic pressure (MAP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), maximum dp/dt (dp/dtmax), myocardial blood flow (MBF) and aorto-coronary sinus oxygen difference (AVDO2 cor) were measured. Cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), ejection fraction (EF), total peripheral resistance (TPR), coronary vascular resistance (CVR) and myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) were calculated from standard formulas. Amrinone improved myocardial pump function by a direct positive inotropic effect on the myocardium. EF and SVI increased to a maximal degree with 1 mg/kg amrinone (28% resp. 30%). dp/dtmax increased dose dependent (46, 64, 71%). Following a systemic vasodilation due to amrinone, left ventricular filling pressure and TPR decreased significantly. With 1 and 2 mg/kg amrinone MAP remained unchanged. 4 mg/kg produced a distinct fall in MAP accompanied by an increase in HR. The improvement in myocardial contractility did not cause a comparable increase of myocardial oxygen consumption. Due to an unloading of the heart 1 and 2 mg/kg amrinone induced no significant and prolonged augmentation of the myocardial oxygen demand. In the coronary circulation a non energy dependent vasodilation occurred followed by a marked decrease of AVDO2 cor (10, 18, 28%).


My interest was particularly attracted by experience with the following cases: Case 1. —On Oct. 9, 1896, there appeared at my office a young man, 28 years of age, who came to consult me about a peculiar skin eruption which had caused him much annoyance, not because of any irritation at the site of the lesions, but rather because of the consequent disfiguration. He gave the following history: He was an American; had been practicing dentistry for four years; was married and the father of two children; had never suffered from any serious disease, and had never had a skin eruption before; there was no history of gonorrhea or chancre. The present eruption occurred about two weeks previously in the form of small red blotches, erythematous in appearance. It was accompanied with violent headache and a feeling of general debility. Since then small papules appeared on the chest, back, face,


Normal peripheral nerve and neoplastic lesions of peripheral nerve varied in their creatine kinase (CK; EC 18.104.22.168) isoenzyme pattern, as assessed both with electrophoresis and with column chromatography. All three isoenzymes were seen in normal peripheral nerve, but the peripheral nerve tumors, neurofibroma and neurilemmoma, demonstrated predominantly CK-1 isoenzyme activity, with a trace amount of CK-3. No CK-2 activity was demonstrated in these tumors. In contrast, malignant schwannoma tissue contained all three isoenzymes, but in a different proportion than in normal peripheral nerve.


Assessing the adequacy of anesthesia in the paralyzed patient is usually based on sympathetic and hemodynamic responses to noxious stimulation. Absence of such responses does not guarantee adequate anesthesia. A device monitoring the amplitude of provoked lower esophageal, contractility (PLEC) and the rate of spontaneous lower esophageal contractility (SLEC) has been developed as a potential monitor of the adequacy of anesthesia. This study determined the reliability of this device for monitoring anesthetic depth in 20 patients receiving fentanyl infusions who were undergoing coronary artery surgery and who were hemodynamically stable in the preoperative period. Premedication included midazolam 0.05 mg/kg i.m. and ranitidine 2 mg/kg p.o. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl 50 μg/kg administered over 10 min and maintained by a fentanyl infusion 0.2 μgkg‐1min‐1. Following endotracheal intubation, a disposable esophageal monitoring probe, equipped with provoking and measuring balloons, was inserted and both the amplitude of provoked (PLEC) and the rate of spontaneous lower esophageal contractions (SLEC) were displayed and recorded. Precisely defined clinical signs of inadequate anesthesia included both somatic and hemodynamic responses to noxious stimulations. The presence of these responses was correlated with PLEC and SLEC and with fentanyl concentrations in plasma at specific times of noxious stimulation during the period preceding initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass. A total of 208 episodes of noxious stimulation were recorded at insertion of the nasal temperature probe (n = 8), at penetration of the skin by towel clips (n = 25), at skin incision (n = 20), at sternotomy (n = 20) and during multiple episodes of electrocauterization (n = 135). These provoked 52 clinical responses. The rate of the spontaneous contractions at times of response (4.5 4.6 contractions per 3 min, mean s.d.) was significantly greater than that at times of no response (2.5 2.7 contractions per 3 min; P<0.01), whereas there was no significant difference in the amplitude of provoked contractions (17 7 mmHg vs 15 4 mmHg (2.3 0.9 vs 2.0 0.5 kPa); P>0.05). The most favorable cut‐off point was determined to be a rate of 3 contractions per 3‐min period. This produced a false positive rate of 41.7% and a sensitivity (true positive rate) of 59.6%. There was no clear relationship between plasma concentrations of fentanyl and the rate of spontaneous contractions, or hemodynamic or somatic response to stimulation. We conclude that monitoring lower esophageal contractility is not reliable for detection of inadequate opioid anesthesia.


There is no evidence of a consistent theoretical position of Aby Warburg regarding photography, but his scattered notes on the subject allow for a deductive evaluation. The considerable use of photographs that he made in his work suggests a wide range of methodological approaches, with significant implications for the disciplinary and methodological definition of art history and the development of photographic documentation at the turn of the 20th century. This essay provides examples of Warburg's early attention to photography, both as a research tool and a required piece of equipment for any research institute.


CAR (CARSKNKDC) is a wound-homing peptide that recognises angiogenic neovessels. Here we discover that systemically administered CAR peptide has an inherent ability to promote wound healing; wounds close and re-epithelialise faster in CAR-treated mice. CAR promotes keratinocyte migration in vitro. Syndecan-4 (SDC4) is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan that regulates cell migration and is crucial for wound healing. We report that SDC4 expression is restricted to epidermis and blood vessels in skin wounds. SDC4 regulates cell binding and internalisation of CAR peptide and CAR-mediated cytoskeletal remodelling. CAR induces SDC4-dependent activation of the small GTPase Arf6 (ARF6) and promotes SDC4-and ARF6-mediated keratinocyte migration. Finally, we show that genetic ablation of SDC4 in mice eliminates CAR-induced wound re-epithelialisation following systemic administration. We propose that CAR peptide activates SDC4 function to selectively promote re-epithelialisation. Thus, CAR peptide provides an entirely new therapeutic approach to enhance wound healing; systemic, yet target organ-and cell-specic.


We present a shear instability, which can be triggered in compressible fluids with density-dependent viscosity at shear rates above critical. The instability mechanism is generic: It is based on density-dependent viscosity, compressibility, as well as flow two-(three-)dimensionality that provides coupling between streamwise and transversal velocity components and density variations. The only factor stabilizing the instability is fluid elasticity. The corresponding eigenvalue problem for a plane Couette flow is solved analytically in the limiting cases of large and small wave numbers.


A novel method for classification of magnetic resonance brain images is presented in this paper. We construct a computational framework for discriminative image feature subspaces. Magnetic resonance images of patients in Alzheimer's disease and normal brain MR images are classified with support vector machines. The framework for the novel method bases on the extraction of gabor features from 2D-magnetic resonance images in different scales and orientations. Experiments show that Gabor wavelets can significantly improve classification performance with respect to other popular approaches reported recently in the literature. Combination of gabor features in 3 scales and 8 orientations give 100% classification performance. Experimental results with promising improvements and comparison to related studies are provided.


OBJECTIVE
A Phase II study was designed to test the safety and efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with a modified target volumes delineation method for inoperable oesophageal cancer patients.

METHODS
All eligible patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The method of delineating target volume is as follows: Planning gross target volume (PGTV) was defined as the primary gross tumour volume (GTV-t) plus a 3 cm margin longitudinally and a 0.5 cm margin circumferentially, and positive lymph nodes(GTV-n) plus a 0.5 cm margin in all directions. Clinical target volume (CTV) was defined as PGTV plus a 0.5 cm margin in all directions and elective nodal region. Planning target volume (PTV) was defined as CTV plus a 0.5 cm margin in all directions. The dose of PGTV is 54-60 Gy in 27-30 fractions(2Gy per fraction). The dose of PTV is 48.6-54 Gy in 27-30 fractions(1.8Gy per fraction). The regimen consists of paclitaxel135 mgm-2 on 1 day and DDP 25 mgm-2 on 3 days per 3 weeks. The patients received 2 cycles of chemotherapy during radiotherapy and 2-4 cycles of chemotherapy after radiotherapy.

RESULTS
34 patients were enrolled in this study. The median follow-up time was 20.9 months (range: 3.7-28.4 months) for all patients. The 1- and 2-year survival rates for all patients were 70.5 and 44.1%, respectively. Clinical complete response was observed in 21 patients(61.8%), cPR was observed in 9 patients(26.5%) and cSD was observed in 4 patients(11.7%).

CONCLUSION
This modified method with concurrent chemotherapy could achieve better locoregional control rate. The 1- and 2-year survival rates of this method were close to the survival rates of the current methods widely adopted. Advances in knowledge: The modified target volumes delineation method can enhance locoregional control rate of concurrent chemoradiotherapy.


In the past few decades, imaging technology has made great strides. From high resolution sensors for photography to 3D scanners in autonomous driving, imaging has become one of the key drivers of the modern society. However, there are still many scenarios where the traditional methods of imaging are woefully inadequate. Examples include high-resolution non-visible light imaging, 3D scanning in the presence of strong ambient light, and imaging through scattering media. In these scenarios, the two classical solutions of single-shot imaging using 2D sensors and point scanning using photodiodes have severe shortcomings in terms of cost, measurement rate and robustness to non-idealities in the imaging process. The goal of this dissertation is the design of computational imagers that work under traditionally difficult conditions by providing the robustness and economy of point scanning systems along with the speed and resolution of conventional cameras. In order to achieve this goal, we use line sensors or 1D sensors and make three contributions in this dissertation. The first contribution is the design of a line sensor based compressive camera (LiSens) which uses a line sensor and a spatial light modulator for 2D imaging. It can provide a measurement rate that is equal to that of a 2D sensor but with only a fraction of the number of pixels. The second contribution is the design of a dual structured light (DualSL) system which uses a 1D sensor and a 2D projector to achieve 3D scanning with same resolution and performance as traditional structured light system. The third contribution is the design of programmable triangulation light curtains (TriLC) for proximity detection by rotating a 1D sensor and a 1D light source in synchrony. This device detects the presence of objects that intersect a programmable virtual shell around itself. The shape of this virtual shell can be changed during operation and the device can perform under strong sunlight as well as in foggy and smoky environments. We believe that the camera architectures proposed in this dissertation can be used in a wide range of applications, such as autonomous driving cars, field robotics, and underwater exploration.


Recently natural ventilation rate is decreased due to the airtightness of apartment building. Therefore the use of heat recovery ventilator (HRV) has been greatly increased as an alternative method to supply fresh air and save energy in the building. In this research the experiment standard of HRV is compared between KS and JIS and the sensitivity analyses are experimented by both standards. Under cooling experiment condition indoor and outdoor wet-bulb temperature difference of JIS is 2 to 3 times higher than that of KS. It shows that the efficiency measurement of HRV by KS is expected to have greater sensitivity than by JIS and thus accurate measurement of web-bulb temperature is required. The experimental results provide that the efficiency of thermal exchange is resemblance to each others between KS and JIS. Under cooling experiment condition the efficiency of humidity exchange by KS presents higher than by JIS, however, under heating experiment condition the efficiency by KS shows lower than by JIS, reversely.


Fermi Cloud is a private cloud developed by the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory for scientific workflows. The Cloud Bursting module of the Fermi Cloud enables the Fermi Cloud, when more computational resources are needed, to automatically launch virtual machines to available resources such as public clouds. One of the main challenges in developing the cloud bursting module is to decide when and where to launch a VM so that all resources are most effectively and efficiently utilized and the system performance is optimized. However, based on Fermi Cloud's system operational data, the VM launching overhead is not a constant. It varies with physical resource (CPU, memory, I/O device) utilization at the time when a VM is launched. Hence, to make judicious decisions as to when and where a VM should be launched, a VM launch overhead reference model is needed. The paper is to develop a VM launch overhead reference model based on operational data we have obtained on Fermi Cloud and uses the reference model to guide the cloud bursting process.


The Plio-Pleistocene boundary has been located at the place where certain northern species of marine invertebrates first appear in the continuous Plio-Pleistocene sections of Italy. The section at Le Castella, near Crotone, southern Italy, consists of clays with diatomaceous layers and a few thin sand layers. The Plio-Pleistocene boundary there is clearly marked by the appearance of Anomalina baltica and other northern species of Foraminifera. Calabnan (lower Pleistocene) sediments 210m thick overlie the boundary, and upper Pliocene sediments 1405 m thick underlie it. The fossil fauna of the Plio-Pleistocene section consists essentially of abundant pelagic and benthonic Foraminifera, and diatoms. The benthonic microfauna indicates a depositional depth of about 500 m. There is no evidence of turbidity currents and submarine slumping. A section 167.80 m thick, including the paleontologically defined Plio-Pleistocene boundary, was logged and sampled at close stratigraphic intervals. Oxygen isotopic analyses of different species of pelagic and benthonic Foraminifera and of shell fragments of benthonic mollusks at successively higher stratigraphic positions in the section have revealed numerous temperature oscillations. Surface temperatures, probably representing summer averages, as indicated by Globigerinoides rubra and G. sacculifera, ranged from 21°C. to more than 30°C. in the late Pliocene, from 16°C. to more than 30°C. in the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene, and from 12° C. to 28° C. in the late Pleistocene. Temperatures at some depth and/or at a season other than the summer, as indicated by Globigerina bulloides and G. inflata, ranged from 20°C. to 28°C. in the late Pliocene, from 11°C. to 22°C. in the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene, and from 9°C. to 18°C. in the late Pleistocene. Temperatures given by benthonic Foraminifera ranged from 14°C. to 20°C. in the late Pliocene and from 11°C. to 22°C. in the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene (no data available for the late Pleistocene). Temperatures above 30°C. may be due, in part, to isotopic effects of the sea water. The above figures clearly indicate a major shift of the temperature ranges toward lower values from the late Pliocene to the late Pleistocene. No major temperature change seems to have occurred across the paleontologically defined Plio-Pleistocene boundary. Since the secular temperature minima of the late Pliocene are somewhat lower than present average summer temperature, an areal extension of the ice somewhat greater than that at present is suggested. Such extension probably increased at the times corresponding to the even lower temperature minima of the early Pleistocene. Major continental glaciations, however, may not have started until later, because none of the temperature minima in the section at Le Castella appear to have reached values as low as those obtaining during the glacial ages in the eastern Mediterranean. The temperature changes in the section at Le Castella are paralleled by important changes in the microfauna.


Context: Co-orbital systems are bodies that share the same mean orbit. They can be divided into different families according to the relative mass of the co-orbital partners and the particularities of their movement. Janus and Epimetheus are unique in that they are the only known co-orbital pair of comparable masses and thus the only known system in mutual horseshoe orbit.
Aims: We aim to establish whether the Janus-Epimetheus system might have formed by disruption of an object in the current orbit of Epimetheus.
Methods: We assumed that four large main fragments were formed and neglected smaller fragments. We used numerical integration of the full N-body problem to study the evolution of different fragment arrangements. Collisions were assumed to result in perfectly inelastic merging of bodies. We statistically analysed the outcome of these simulations to infer whether co-orbital systems might have formed from the chosen initial conditions.
Results: Depending on the range of initial conditions, up to 9% of the simulations evolve into co-orbital systems. Initial velocities around the escape velocity of Janus yield the highest formation probability. Analysis of the evolution shows that all co-orbital systems are produced via secondary collisions. The velocity of these collisions needs to be low enough that the fragments can merge and not be destroyed. Generally, collisions are found to be faster than an approximate cut-off velocity threshold. However, given a sufficiently low initial velocity, up to 15% of collisions is expected to result in merging. Hence, the results of this study show that the considered formation scenario is viable.


"Hooks" are an important part of tool integration in software engineering. They allow any development tool to broadcast a development event to some subscribing tools. Most of the existing software development tools have a rich catalog of well-defined events which can be exploited by third parties. This allows any tool to have a complete view of the development environment, without forcing the team to adopt a monolithic, all-encompassing tool. However, process-support tools have been rather weak as contributors to such integration strategy, giving preference to a style of integration where the process-support tool is the central orchestrator of the development environment. This study argues that not only do process support-tools have a rich catalog of events of interest to third party tool but the availability of such events can also significantly improve the overall level of development support. It thus proposed formalism for modeling process events, identified a set of process events of interest for other development tools and described an implementation of the approach in a process server.


The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a ubiquitously expressed receptor tyrosine kinase, is an important factor in carcinogenesis. Transcriptional intermediary factor 2 (TIF2), a member of the p160 nuclear receptor co-activator gene family, is linked to the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the direct interplay between the EGFR and the nuclear receptors remains unclear. Our previous study demonstrated that nuclear EGFR could directly bind to the cyclin D1 promoter under the regulation of the oncoprotein latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1), but it also indicated that other factors are involved in the activation of target genes. In this study, we found that LMP1 upregulated the expression of TIF2 and promoted the interaction of EGFR with TIF2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the intact complex was linked with cyclin D1 promoter activity in an LMP1-dependent manner. The physiological functions of the intact complex were associated with cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. These findings suggest that TIF2 is a novel binding partner for nuclear EGFR and is involved in regulating its target gene expression.