Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF) is well known for being a major risk factor of thromboembolic stroke. We could recently demonstrate an association of monocyte–platelet aggregates (MPAs) with the degree of thrombogenicity in patients with AF. This study investigated platelet activation markers, as potential biomarkers for the presence of left atrial (LA) thrombus in patients with AF. One hundred and eight patients with symptomatic AF underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) before scheduled cardioversion or pulmonary vein isolation. In order to determine the content of MPAs by flow-cytometric quantification analyses, blood was drawn on the day of TEE. The soluble CD40 Ligand (sCD40L) and soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) were obtained by Cytometric Bead Arrays (CBA). D-dimer levels were detected by quantitative immunological determination of fibrin degradation products. Clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic standard parameters were obtained from all patients, including the determination of the flow in the left atrial appendage (LAA). Patients with detected LA thrombus (n = 28) compared with patients without thrombus (n = 80) showed an increased number of common risk factors, such as age, diabetes, heart failure, and coronary artery disease (CAD). The presence of LA thrombus was associated with significantly increased levels of MPAs (147 ± 12 vs. 304 ± 29 per µl; p < 0.00), sCD40L (106.3 ± 31.0 vs. 33.5 ± 2.1 pg/ml, p = 0.027), and D-dimer (0.13 ± 0.02 vs. 0.69 ± 0.21 mg FEU/l, p = 0.015). In contrast, sP-selectin showed no association with LA thrombus. A multivariate regression analysis showed that MPAs, sCD40L as well as D-dimers were independent indicators for the existence of LA thrombus. MPAs above 170 cells/µl indicated LA thrombus with a high sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 73% (OR 62, 95% CI. 6.9–557.2, p < 0.001) in patients with AF, whereas the D-dimer lost their quality as independent indicator by using the conventional cut-off of 0.5 mg/l within the regression analysis. MPAs, as well as the D-dimer, correlated significantly negatively with the flow in the LAA measured during TEE. The content of MPAs, sCD40L, and D-dimer, but not sP-selectin showed an increased dependence on LA thrombus in patients with AF. In our study group, MPAs showed the best diagnostic test accuracy of the compared platelet markers. The different results of the examined platelet activation markers could be an indication of diverse mechanisms of LA thrombus in AF. Further studies should evaluate whether determination of MPAs in clinical routine may suffice to indicate the presence of LA thrombus in patients with AF.


The paper presents a methodology of transmitting voice in SMS (Short Message Service) over GSM network. Usually SMS contents are text based and limited to 140 bytes. It supports national and international roaming, but also supported by other telecommunication such as TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) as well. It can sent/ receive simultaneously with other services. Such features make it favorable for this methodology. For this an application is developed using J2ME platform which is supported by all mobile phones in the world. This algorithm's test is conducted on N95 having Symbian Operating System (OS).


ABSTRACT Fan, A.; Yan, X., and Yin, Q., 2016. A multisource information system for monitoring and improving ship energy efficiency. Global climate change has attracted an increasing amount of attention by the public. The shipping industry is being scrutinized with regard to improving efficiency and reducing emissions. This paper explores the monitoring technology and efficiency enhancement method for a ship. First, the internal and external factors that affect a ship's energy efficiency are determined and examined. Second, an inland river ship is selected as a research target on which a multisource information system is constructed via the selection and installation of the corresponding sensors on the ship. A series of system tests have also been performed when the ship is in operation. The field tests prove that the established system is adequate for the voyage and that all of the sensors can normally monitor the parameters. In addition, a massive quantity of data for the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are obtained. A grey correlation analysis and regional difference analysis are conducted using these data. The analysis results suggest that the main engine speed has the greatest effect on a ship's fuel consumption and that the voyage environment of the Yangtze River affects a ship's fuel consumption. Finally, a novel ship speed-optimization method that considers the impact of voyage environment is proposed as an energy efficiency enhancement example. This study not only aids shipping companies and ship officers in monitoring a ship's operations but also provides a high-energy efficiency strategy for a ship's operation.


A small high-grade occurrence of palladium, platinum, gold, silver, selenium and mercury at Copper Hills in the East Pilbara region of Western Australia exhibits a remarkable diversity of minerals and textures. Most of the mineralization occurs within a malachite–quartz host, with particularly high concentrations in malachite nodules. The primary minerals include a number of selenides, including oosterboschite, naumannite, chrisstanleyite, berzelianite, umangite, luberoite (?) and tiemannite, as well as some unidentified minerals. Other ore minerals include native gold, native silver and potarite. Oxidation of the Pd and Pt selenides has produced a range of fine-grained oxide mixtures. The Pd and Pt selenides and their oxidized products occur as fine-grained dispersions, commonly as arborescent fronds, and as larger inclusions in the malachite nodules. The native silver has been partially replaced by bromian chlorargyrite. The source of the mineralization is believed to have been acid, saline hydrothermal solutions charged with the precious metals, mercury, selenium and copper. Interaction of these solutions with dolomitic carbonate probably caused the precipitation of the minerals of economic interest.


There is an increasing awareness that participatory processes should take place at an early phase of science and technology developments. However, involving the relevant publics at an early phase is challenging as concrete applications are absent and societal attention is rather weak. In this paper we reflect on a participatory process that aimed to facilitate groups of potential future users to reflect on developments in the emerging scientific field of ecological genomics. We explicate how we defined relevant publics, recruited participants, and facilitated them to reflect on technologies which did not yet exist. The results show different ways of framing developments in ecological genomics, and provide crucial contextualization for involving a broader range of publics and organizing a frame-reflective dialogue as a next step. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.


This article considers the main aspects of the discussion about the concept of open-mindedness in modern English-speaking philosophy of education. It emphasizes the importance of the topic for national pedagogy, which is currently in composite dialogue with world traditions of understanding the educational process. Open-mindedness is considered as an element of an extensive terminological system. The need to clarify the meaning of the concept is associated with its role in determining the criteria for the distinction between education and indoctrination. The article presents the most significant definitions of open-mindedness and indicates that the external obviousness of the concept contrasts with the difficulty of finding its consistent definition. It finds that the key feature of the experience in interpreting open-mindedness is the increase in educational requirements. It summarizes the main objections raised to various aspects of a theoretical understanding of the concept. The author considers it logical to abandon attempts to implement the ideal of absolute rational open-mindedness in teaching. In general, the discourse on open-mindedness shows the impossibility of avoiding discussion about the development of a subject in any attempt to determine the meaning of education. The article presents the research prospects in rethinking the role of rationality in the process of making a man and the world.


The importance of smolt size and early ocean growth to the marine survival of chinook salmon was investigated over a 10 year period for Robertson Creek hatchery Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Comparisons of marine survival were made with smolt lengths and growth rates back-calculated from the scales of age 0.3 female chinook entering the ocean between 1982 and 1991. Marine survival was not correlated with smolt length (r* = 0.29; P = 0.139). Marine survival was significantly positively correlated with growth rates estimated for the first 12 marine circuli (r: 0.88 to 0.93; P < 0.01). These circuli formed in July and August as estimated from the number of days taken for marine scale growth to begin following hatchery release (34 d) and the rate of deposition of marine circuli (6.8 d per circulus). During this time the majority of juvenile chinook were found to reside in Barkley Sound adjacent to the northernmost portion of the temporally dynamic Coastal Upwelling Domain. The period of high correlation was found to occur within the summer upwelling season, when predominantly north-westerly winds result in the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters and a peak in zooplankton biomass. Marine growth rates are suggested to be a linear function of the summer plankton productivity -a dome-shaped relationship was found between July-August growth rates and the magnitude of summer upwelling (Bakun Index averaged over June, July and August; r = 0.68; P = 0.06) and Cury and Roy (1989) found that the productivity of Ekman-type upwelling systems is a dome-shaped function of the magnitude of the upwelling favourable winds. The strong relationship between growth and survival is suggested to result from the benefits of fast growth to survival as well as from changes in predation intensity varying concurrently with oceanographic conditions indicative of productivity. In years when large numbers of Pacific mackerel {Scomber japonicus) migrated into the upwelling region, marine survival was low independent of the conditions for growth.


Acute alcohol intoxication in rats with alloxan diabetes is accompanied by the increase of urea and uric acid and by the decrease in free fatty acids in serum. In the liver of experimental animals the increase of activity of glutamate dehydrogenase, AMP deaminase, and tyrosine transaminase was found.


PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS HAZARDS TO HUMANS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS CAUTION Keep gel away from foods and food contact surfaces. Harmful if absorbed through skin. Causes moderate eye irritation. Avoid contact with skin, eyes, and clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL HAZARDS Do not use this product in or on electrical equipment where a possibility of shock hazard exists. DIRECTIONS FOR USE It is a violation of Federal Law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. MAXFORCE® FC Professional Insect Control Roach Killer Bait Gel may be used as a spot or crack and crevice treatment for the indoor and outdoor (adjacent to homes & structures) control of cockroaches in residential areas and the non-food/non-feed areas of institutional, warehousing, and commercial establishments, including warehouses, restaurants, food processing plants, supermarkets, hospitals, nursing homes, motels, hotels, apartment buildings, bakeries, beverage plants, breweries, bottling facilities, candy plants, canneries, cereal processing and manufacturing plants, dairies and dairy product processing plants, frozen food plants, schools, laboratories, computer facilities, sewers, "aircraft," buses, boats/ships, trains, homes, houses, industrial buildings, office buildings, kennels, kitchens, manufacturing facilities, spice plants, stores, wineries, mausoleums, meat processing and packaging plants, meat and vegetable canneries, pet shops, and zoos. Non-food/non-feed areas include bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, closets, media rooms, garbage rooms, lavatories, entries, vestibules, offices, locker rooms, machine rooms, boiler rooms, garages, mop closets, and storage (after canning or bottling). This product may also be used in food/feed areas of food/feed handling establishments as outlined below. USE RESTRICTIONS Do not treat food preparation surfaces. Do not apply bait gel to areas which have been recently sprayed with insecticide, and do not spray insecticide over gel as it may cause the bait to become repellent. USE ONLY IN AREAS NOT EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN AND PETS. In zoos, apply only in areas inaccessible to zoo animals. APPLICATION DIRECTIONS For roach gel: Application rate is dependent on level of infestation and species to be controlled (see application rate table). Apply bait as a spot or as a bead in cracks and crevices. The lower application rate should be used for low to moderate infestations or re-treatments, and the higher rate for more severe infestations or where the population occurs in inaccessible areas. Gel placements should be at or near harborages or aggregation areas such as corners or cracks and crevices. Numerous smaller placements will provide faster control than fewer larger spots, especially for German cockroach control. Place bait under baseboards, sinks, countertops, seats, around water pipes, water heaters, dishwasher equipment, in crack and crevices as well as voids where insects harbor. For outdoor use (adjacent to home -orstructure): Place bait in areas adjacent to structures where roaches may nest or breed. Apply bait to potential points of insect entry, such as eaves, sills, and expansion joints. Apply bait in protected areas whenever possible. Environmental stresses such as direct sunlight and water will reduce the residual effectiveness. Priority treatment areas may be identified by visual inspection of such areas listed above or aided by trapping techniques or spot flushing. Refillable stations: This product may be used in the Maxforce Refillable Bait Station or B&G Perimeter Patrol Station. Refillable stations should be placed every 20 to 30 feet around the perimeter of a structure. Use approximately 2 stations per side of a typical single family home. The quantity of Maxforce FC Professional Insect Control Roach Killer Bait Gel bait added to the bait station will vary depending on the severity of infestations, see the application rate table. Do not exceed 2 4 spots per station (3" 6" bead). For best results, place stations near air conditioning units, water faucets, foundation vents and weep holes, decks, utility entryways (e.g. electrical, cable TV), and wherever cockroaches are frequently found. Regularly inspect all stations and replace bait as needed for continual control. Position Refillable Bait Stations adjacent to structure in areas where they will not be damaged by lawn equipment such as mowers and trimmers. When placing the station in turf, remove sod layer and place station base plate against the soil. Applicator should not exceed one teaspoon of gel in refillable bait stations. INDOOR USE: Applications in Food/Feed Handling Establishments: Application within food/feed areas of food/feed handling establishments is limited to crack and crevice treatment only. If gel contacts an exposed surface where food is handled, remove gel, and wash exposed surface with an effective cleaning compound followed by a potable water rinse prior to use. Apply with Maxforce Bait Injector directly into cracks and crevices. Place applicator tip 1/2 inch into cracks, crevices, holes, and other small openings where roaches may be a problem. Apply small amounts of gel per spot. Do not apply bait to areas where food/feed, utensils or processing surfaces may become contaminated. Do not apply bait to areas that are routinely washed, such as cracks and crevices in tops of tables food/feed preparation and prepared food holding surfaces, as bait may be removed by washing. Do not apply bait to surfaces where the temperature exceeds 130°F as bait may run; examples include, but are not limited to, portions of stoves, ovens, grills, fume hoods, heat lamps, coffee urns, steam tables, toasters, fryers, dishwashers, and hot water pipes. Care should be taken to avoid depositing gel onto exposed surfaces. If gel contacts an exposed surface, remove gel and wash exposed surface. Food/feed areas include areas for receiving, storage, packing (canning, bottling, wrapping, boxing), preparing edible waste storage, and enclosed processing systems (mills, dairies, edible oils, syrups). Serving areas are also considered a food/feed area when food is exposed and facility is in operation. Apply bait in small amounts between different elements of construction, between equipment and floors, openings leading into voids and hollow spaces in floors, walls, ceilings, equipment legs and bases, around plumbing pipes, doors and windows, behind and under refrigerators, cabinets, sinks, closets, stoves, and other equipment where cockroaches hide. During follow-up visits, inspect bait placements and reapply when necessary. Application of this product in food/feed areas of food/feed handling establishments, other than as a crack and crevice treatment, is not permitted. Break-tip Reservoir: Prior to use, break the snip-tip closed end of the gel reservoir at the scored line. After use, the reservoir may be resealed with the enclosed black outlet cap. The black outlet cap is reusable. Directions for changing reservoirs: With the arrow on the drive rod pointing up, pull the drive rod out as far as it will go. Remove the empty reservoir. Do not reuse empty reservoirs; place in trash. Reservoirs that still contain gel can be sealed with the end cap and outlet cap for future use. To attach a new reservoir follow the above directions. PROFESSIONAL INSECT CONTROL ROACH KILLER BAIT GEL


This essay researches current workings of medicine in relation to contested, female diagnoses. This is made by looking at the construction of the new psychological diagnosis Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) in Swedish media, and relating it to a current trend seen in medicine; to medicalize women's underperformance. A qualitative content analysis of 19 articles is conducted, showing that PMDD is constructed as; a biomedical fact and individual problem; a serious disease owned by the sufferers; and as something written out of the women's self-image as a "not me". These constructions are analysed with a theoretical framework built around the concept biomedicalisation, which we conceptualise as an exertion of biopower that shapes subjects in line with neoliberal ideals. Biopower is a concept from the Foucauldian notion of Governmentality, and describes power working on micro levels, through for example truth discourses, to make individuals understand and work on themselves as biological subjects. Our analysis shows that biopower can be seen to work through the different constructions of PMDD to shape self-managing, healthy subjects that are willing to biomedically change themselves in accordance with an ideological normal, but that this normal differs from that seen in research on other contested female diagnoses. To conclude we suggest that it would be more fruitful to look at biomedicalisation to understand current workings on female contested diagnoses, than to look at the trend on medicalisation of underperformance.


Human skin fibroblasts (HSF), from normal donors and donors carrying the Mediterranean variant of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, grown in vitro in the presence of 0.25-5 microM benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), produced the following organic-soluble metabolites: 9,10-diol, 7,8-diol, quinones, 3- and 9-hydroxide and a more polar fraction, and the following water-soluble metabolites: more polar, 3- and 9-hydroxide and 9,10-diol. Single organic- and water-soluble metabolites increased with BaP concentration in both types of HSF, but the ratio normal/variant increased with BaP concentration. NADPH level and NADPH/NADP+ ratio underwent a slight decrease in normal HSF incubated with 2.5 microM BaP, while a greater fall occurred in the deficient HSF at 0.25 and 2.5 microM BaP. NADPH content seems to be rate-limiting for BaP metabolism in the deficient cells.


We present explicit examples of generalizations in relativistic quantum mechanics. First of all, we discuss the generalized spin-1/2 equations for neutrinos. They have been obtained by means of the Gersten-Sakurai method for derivations of arbitrary-spin relativistic equations. Possible physical consequences are discussed. Next, it is easy to check that both Dirac algebraic equations Det(ˆp − m) = 0 and Det(ˆp + m) = 0 for u− and v− 4-spinors have solutions with p0 = ±Ep = ± p p2 + m2. The same is true for higher-spin equations. Meanwhile, every book considers the equality p0 = Ep for both u− and v− spinors of the (1/2, 0) ⊕ (0, 1/2) representation, thus applying the DiracFeynman-Stueckelberg procedure for elimination of the negative-energy solutions. The recent Ziino works (and, independently, the articles of several others) show that the Fock space can be doubled. We re-consider this possibility on the quantum field level for both S = 1/2 and higher spin particles. The third example is: we postulate the non-commutativity of 4-momenta, and we derive the mass splitting in the Dirac equation. The applications are discussed.


BIJKER and others (2015) make some interesting contributions to existing knowledge on the relationship between subclinical mastitis and reproductive performance (specifically pregnancy rate) in dairy cows. As mentioned in the article, our group has previously published work in this field (Hudson and others 2012), based on a study using data from 105 English and Welsh dairy herds. Our work found, on average, a smaller size of …


INTRODUCTION In this chapter, I explore how an economic theorist might explain or model a concept such as corporate culture. While the theoretical construction that is given is far from inclusive (which is to say that many aspects of corporate culture are not covered), I conclude that economic theory is moving in the direction of what seems a reasonable story. But before that story can be considered told, we must employ tools that are currently missing from the economist's tool kit. In particular, we require a framework for dealing with the unforeseen. I can give two explanations for why I present this topic. The first concerns how economists (and those weaned on the economic paradigm) deal with the topic of business strategy. If we take Porter (or Caves or Spence) as the prototype, business strategy could roughly be called applied industrial organization. The firm and its capabilities are more or less taken as givens, and one looks at the tangible characteristics of an industry to explain profitability. It sometimes seems, in this approach, that there are good industries (or segments of industries) and bad: Find yourself in a bad industry (low entry barriers, many substitutes, powerful customers and suppliers, many and surly competitors), and you can do nothing except get out at the first opportunity. Now, this is assuredly a caricature of the Porter approach. The size of entry barriers, relations with suppliers/customers, and, especially, competitive discipline within an industry are all at least partially endogenous.


To investigate the biological activity of peritoneal macrophages, cells isolated from dialysate of 30 patients with end-stage kidney disease treated by intermittent peritoneal dialysis and from ascites of 6 patients with cardiac insufficiency (relative control group) were added to autologous, phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocyte cultures. Macrophages of dialyzed patients induced a dose-dependent increase in autologous lymphocyte proliferation, whereas macrophages obtained from control subjects exerted a suppressive effect on those cultures. The enhanced lymphocyte proliferation by macrophages from dialyzed patients was corroborated by the increased metabolic activity of macrophages as evaluated by the increased nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction test and increased functional expression of Fc receptors (FcR). The subpopulation of macrophages from patients with HLA -DR antigens as determined by HB55 monoclonal antibody, inhibited Iymphoproliferation in vitro. We conclude that peritoneal macrophages from dialyzed patients represent a heterogenous population of cells with different phenotypic and functional characteristics.


We present recent results from an EPSRC funded project VirTex (Virtual Textile Catalogues). The goal of this project is to develop graphics and image‐processing software for the capture, storage, search, retrieval and visualisation of 3D textile samples. The ultimate objective is to develop a web‐based application that allows the user to search a database for suitable textiles and to visualize selected samples using real‐time photorealistic 3D animation. The main novelty of this work is in the combined use of photometric stereo and real‐time per‐pixel‐rendering for the capture and visualisation of textile samples. Photometric stereo is a simple method that allows both bump map and colour map of a surface texture to be captured digitally. It uses a single fixed camera to obtain three images under three different illumination conditions. The colour map is the image that would be obtained under diffuse lighting. The bump map describes the small undulations of the surface relief. When imported into a standard graphics program these images can be used to texture 3D models. The appearance is particularly photorealistic, especially under changing illumination and viewpoints. The viewer can manipulate both viewpoint and lighting to gain a deeper perception of the properties of the textile sample. In addition, these images can be used with 3D models of products to provide extremely accurate visualisations for the customer. Until recently, these images could only be rendered using ray‐tracing software. However, recent consumer‐level graphics cards from companies such as Nvidia, ATI and 3Dlabs provide real‐time per‐pixel shading. We have developed software that takes advantage of the advanced rendering features of these cards to render images in real‐time. It uses photometrically acquired bump and colour maps of textiles to provide real‐time visualisation of a textile sample, under user‐controlled illumination, pose and flex.


Analysis of the existing methods for fault line selection and the characteristics of zero-sequence transient current in small current grounding system, a novel fault line selection method based on grey relation analysis is proposed. The difference between fault line and normal lines is distinguished by the relation degree of the zero-sequence transient current of fault line and normal lines'. Besides, an improved algorithm is proposed to enlarge the difference. The simulation results using PSCAD show that the method proposed can be applied to any distribution system with different grounding patterns and has large difference between fault line and normal lines. So the method has high accuracy and high ability of anti-disturbance.


The paper deals with the control of an industrial robot on a local area network using an industrial fieldbus: the PROFIBUS DP. The main goal is to explain the use of this architecture in order to make available a distributed control and to open the control scheme. Next, we present different advanced control schemes and their implementation with an industrial robot. With this new control system, different kinds of controllers and/or reference generators can be obtained in a very easy way.


Traffic speed meters are important legal measuring instruments specially used for traffic speed enforcement and must be tested and verified in the field every year using a vehicular mobile standard speed-measuring instrument to ensure speed-measuring performances. The non-contact optical speed sensor and the GPS speed sensor are the two most common types of standard speed-measuring instruments. The non-contact optical speed sensor requires extremely high installation accuracy, and its speed-measuring error is nonlinear and uncorrectable. The speed-measuring accuracy of the GPS speed sensor is rapidly reduced if the amount of received satellites is insufficient enough, which often occurs in urban high-rise regions, tunnels, and mountainous regions. In this paper, a new standard speed-measuring instrument using a dual-antenna Doppler radar sensor is proposed based on a tradeoff between the installation accuracy requirement and the usage region limitation, which has no specified requirements for its mounting distance and no limitation on usage regions and can automatically compensate for the effect of an inclined installation angle on its speed-measuring accuracy. Theoretical model analysis, simulated speed measurement results, and field experimental results compared with a GPS speed sensor with high accuracy showed that the dual-antenna Doppler radar sensor is effective and reliable as a new standard speed-measuring instrument.


In this paper a comparative study of MIMO systems performance is presented by investigating a bodyworn antenna system and a handheld terminal system, taking into account the presence of the user's body. The effects of the correlation coefficient, the radiation efficiency and the number of receiving antennas on MIMO channel capacity are addressed. Extensive study is carried out to examine how these three parameters influence the performance of the two MIMO systems under study, in order to be able to select between a handheld multiple antennas terminal and a bodyworn multiple antennas system for a MIMO system implementation.


We consider the summation equation, for $t\in[\mu-2,\mu+b]_{\mathbb{N}_{\mu-2}}$, \begin{align*} y(t)=\gamma_1(t)H_1\left(\sum_{i=1}^{n}a_iy\left(\xi_i\right)\right) & + \gamma_2(t)H_2\left(\sum_{i=1}^{m}b_iy\left(\zeta_i\right)\right) &+ \lambda\sum_{s=0}^{b}G(t,s)f(s+\mu-1,y(s+\mu-1)) \end{align*} in the case where the map $(t,s)\mapsto G(t,s)$ may change sign; here $\mu\in(1,2]$ is a parameter, which may be understood as the order of an associated discrete fractional boundary value problem. In spite of the fact that $G$ is allowed to change sign, by introducing a new cone we are able to establish the existence of at least one positive solution to this problem by imposing some growth conditions on the functions $H_1$ and $H_2$. Finally, as an application of the abstract existence result, we demonstrate that by choosing the maps $t\mapsto\gamma_1(t)$, $\gamma_2(t)$ in particular ways, we can recover the existence of at least one positive solution to various discrete fractional- or integer-order boundary value problems possessing Green's functions that change sign.


What is it about vampires that fascinates the human imagination? Blood Obsession closely scrutinizes theories of Sigmund Freud and Tzvetan Todorov and arrives at a model of the vampire as the perfect representative of genre for a variety of reasons - the vampire figure appeals to its audience because of an interdependency of looplike mental and narrative structures that lure both reader and writer incessantly back to the genre. At the same time, this book provides the reader with a thorough survey of literary and filmic vampires in both adult and juvenile fictions. Lastly, it blends the realms of legal and literary history by highlighting the changes the image of the serial killer, a close relative of the vampire, underwent at the end of the twentieth century. Blood Obsession is a highly enlightening study for the general reader as well as for students of film, literature, and popular culture.


To investigate possible effects of adrenergic stimulation on G protein–activated inwardly rectifying K+ channels (GIRK), acetylcholine (ACh)-evoked K+ current, IKACh, was recorded from adult rat atrial cardiomyocytes using the whole cell patch clamp method and a fast perfusion system. The rise time of IKACh was 0.4 ± 0.1 s. When isoproterenol (Iso) was applied simultaneously with ACh, an additional slow component (11.4 ± 3.0 s) appeared, and the amplitude of the elicited IKACh was increased by 22.9 ± 5.4%. Both the slow component of activation and the current increase caused by Iso were abolished by preincubation in 50 μM H89 {N-[2-((p -bromocinnamyl)amino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide, a potent inhibitor of PKA}. This heterologous facilitation of GIRK current by β-adrenergic stimulation was further studied in Xenopus laevis oocytes coexpressing β2-adrenergic receptors, m2 -receptors, and GIRK1/GIRK4 subunits. Both Iso and ACh elicited GIRK currents in these oocytes. Furthermore, Iso facilitated ACh currents in a way, similar to atrial cells. Cytosolic injection of 30–60 pmol cAMP, but not of Rp-cAMPS (a cAMP analogue that is inhibitory to PKA) mimicked the β2-adrenergic effect. The possibility that the potentiation of GIRK currents was a result of the phosphorylation of the β-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) by PKA was excluded by using a mutant β2AR in which the residues for PKA-mediated modulation were mutated. Overexpression of the α subunit of G proteins (Gαs) led to an increase in basal as well as agonist-induced GIRK1/GIRK4 currents (inhibited by H89). At higher levels of expressed Gαs, GIRK currents were inhibited, presumably due to sequestration of the β/γ subunit dimer of G protein. GIRK1/GIRK5, GIRK1/GIRK2, and homomeric GIRK2 channels were also regulated by cAMP injections. Mutant GIRK1/GIRK4 channels in which the 40 COOH-terminal amino acids (which contain a strong PKA phosphorylation consensus site) were deleted were also modulated by cAMP injections. Hence, the structural determinant responsible is not located within this region. We conclude that, both in atrial myocytes and in Xenopus oocytes, β-adrenergic stimulation potentiates the ACh-evoked GIRK channels via a pathway that involves PKA-catalyzed phosphorylation downstream from β2AR.


When data are expensive to collect, it can be cost-efficient to sample in two or more stages. In the first stage a simple random sample is drawn and then stratified according to some easily measured attribute. In each subsequent stage a random subset of previously selected units is sampled for more detailed observation, with a unit's sampling probability determined by its attributes as observed in the previous stages. These designs are useful in many medical studies; here we use them in genetic epidemiology. Two genetic studies illustrate the strengths and limitations of the approach. The first study evaluates nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in U.S. blacks. The goal is to estimate the relative contributions of white male genes and white female genes to the gene pool of African-Americans. This example shows that the Horvitz-Thompson estimators proposed for multi-stage designs can be inefficient, particularly when used with unnecessary stratification. The second example is a multi-stage study of familial prostate cancer. The goal is to gather pedigrees, blood samples and archived tissue for segregation and linkage analysis of familial prostate cancer data by first obtaining crude family data from prostate cancer cases and cancer-free controls. This second example shows the gains in efficiency from multi-stage sampling when the individual likelihood or quasilikelihood scores vary substantially across strata.


This paper introduces the concept of Strategic Fintech, an implications led approach to evaluate the changes that financial technology brings to financial services. It details the changing nature of financial mediation in a digital world. Strategic Fintech provides a framework from which to manage disruption at both a business and a societal level. It is the basis of Fintech as taught at business schools. It encompasses disruptive business models, new financial service delivery methods, distributed ledgers, change management, regulatory challenges, and changing financial skill-sets. It provides senior management and entrepreneurs with the insights needed to navigate the reshaping of financial markets. Its contribution is in defining the strategic approach to Fintech.


The environments surrounding today`s manufacturing industry are more repidly changing then ever in the past. So long-term plans rather than short-term ones can keep up each company`s unique competitive edge. That is, raising production capacity will lead to the ultimate obtainment of a strategic value. For the desirable strategic value, therefore, each manufacturing company should secure its distinctive product-core competence above anything else, Inaddition, it is required to construct a systematic performance evaluation system for the individual goals accompanying the strategic value. This study, then, aims to reveal the influence of constructing product-core competence (such as supplier management, product/process improvement, and human resources management) upon cost, flexibility, quality, and delivery period. The present research also tries to examine the effects of such production-reated goals upon companis` strategic value as well as BSCs(Balanced score Cards.) With these purposes, this paper used both literary and experimental research. The following results can be summed up: 1. As companis` performance factors, four BSCs were used. But the factor analysis brought about three structures. 2. The production goals like MA cost price and flexibility on financial performance; and price marker performance. In conclusin, these results clearly show the proper directions for improving each company`s performance and strategic value through the construction of the so-called product-core competence. More synthetic research will have to be followed in the future.


The alr Is Io.een; the heavy laden trees Bpnd to the f;&I'th beneath their weight of snOW'. And througb the woods tb,e brook has eessed to how., Held linn and fast by Winter's stern d8!ll'88. No sound Is heard. eave w~~e Icy breeze Across the frorun ",sste to blow. For birds and bP.asts all fear the hidden foe Who locks the gates of Spring with frost,' keys. Bnt now one spot of brlghtn~eers the day,AgalDst the sno,," In prb 0 glowing red,~ I see the bird whcse nature not· fear. Hark! Hear you not the cardlna 8 1J1erry lay? ,Take courage, friend. Ail Nature Is not dead; The ~prlng wlII come. "Cheer up! Cheer up! I'm here!" ......... THE TEACHER'S DIPLOIIA.-(II.)


Escherichia coli is the leading cause of various infectious diseases such as pneumonia, urinary tract and blood stream infections. Furthermore the emergenc e of multidrug - resistant Escherichia coli has been focused worldwide. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics of multidrug - resistant Escherichia coli at a tertiary care university hospital in the central region of Japan. We determined the in vitro susceptibilities of 10 antimicrobial agents for 530 multidrug - resistant Escherichia coli in Japan. From antimicrobial susceptible results, these results indicated the over 60% of multidrug - resistant Escherichia coli had beta lactamase and fluoroquinolone resistant ability. Our results also revealed that the risk factors of multidrug resistant Esc herichiacoli were over 60 years, and department of urology. The emergence of multi drug resistant Escherichia coli suggests that further aggressive surveillance is needed for providing useful information on the trends in antimicrobial resistance


Within the last decade or so there has been a growing recognition among sociologists of the role played by emotions in various aspects of human behaviour (witness, for example, the range of articles appearing in Sociology alone, e.g. Jackson 1993; Craib 1995; Burkitt 1997, and the formation of a BSA study group devoted to the sociology of emotion). This burgeoning focus on emotions has challenged sociology to rethink its dominant conception of the human subject as governed by rational and conscious thought alone. In so doing it has raised a question mark both against the adequacy of the (theoretical) tools used for analysing emotions which have developed from these premises and the ability of sociology in general to provide answers to such questions.


This article focuses on the empirical effects of cognitive differentiation and persuasive skills on transformational, transaction, and laissez-faire leadership. Subjects (N = 294) completed measures of independent and dependent variables. Findings confirmed prior findings, however findings some reflected differences. Cognitive differentiation was positively related to transformation leadership (r = .16, p = .038), unrelated to transactional leadership (r = -.02, ns), and negatively related to laissez-faire leadership (r = -.22, p = .002). Findings were nearly identical for the persuasive skills variable showing a positive relationship with transformational leadership (r = .19, p = .021), no relationship with transactional leadership (r = -.007, ns), and negatively related to laissez-faire leadership (r = .27, p = .001). In a regression analysis cognitive differentiation and persuasive skills accounted for 5.4% of the unique variance of transformation leadership (F = 4.02, df = 2,139, p = .02). Implications to leadership educators were discussed.


Sources of electricity in Malaysia are highly depending on fuel, natural gas and coal and desalination plant as for brackish water consume high electricity to produce freshwater. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) and the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant is one of the mediums that will reduce these problems. This paper presents a simulation of the OTEC plant, LTTD plant and the Integrated OTEC plant using temperature and topographic characteristic information in Malaysia. The design optimization was also preferable in this study which affected and influenced the maximum output of power generation and freshwater production at maximum net power generation based on tropical data in Malaysia. A model for calculation and optimization is presented in this paper.


BACKGROUND:
Periodontal disease is a microbially induced chronic inflammatory disease resulting in the destruction of the attachment apparatus of the tooth and is one of the most common causes of tooth loss. The microbiota in the periodontal environment initiates the disease process, but is the host response which eventually does the damage. Dental calculus is nothing but mineralized dental plaque which serves as a primary plaque retentive factor and is always covered with a layer of unmineralized plaque. The study hypothesizes that the plaque covering the supragingival calculus could have an influence on the subgingival microbiota which is seen as a characteristic pattern of periodontal disease that which is associated with gingival recession in our population.
AIM OF THE STUDY:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiome of plaque covering supragingival calculus and to compare it with that of periodontally healthy individuals using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Technology.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A total of 8 supragingival plaque samples were collected from 4 periodontally healthy subjects and 4 patients with plaque covering supragingival calculuswho reported to the outpatient department of Periodontics at Ragas Dental College and Hospital, Chennai. It was then subjected to 16s rRNA sequencing using the NGS technology in an Illumina Solexa sequencer. V3– V4 regions were sequenced and for each of the 8 plaque samples, bacterial phyla, genera and species were identified and their relative abundance was quantified via taxonomic assignment against reference database.
RESULTS
A total of 7 phyla, 30 genera and 54 species were found in the healthy samples and 9 phyla, 30 genera and 52 species were found in the plaque covering the calculus samples. At the phyla level, there was a similar microbial profile in both the groups. At the genus level, increased presence of newer periodontal pathogens viz. Dialister and Aggregatibacter was observed in the plaque that covered supragingival calculus, which points to a microbial shift. Veillonella tobetsuensis along with the unclassified were the most abundant species in both the groups. There was an increase in Dialister invisus and Aggregatibacter segnis in the calculus group. At phylum, genus and species level, the comparison of overall abundance in between the disease/calculus and periodontal health group was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSION
As determined by NGS, the microbiome of the plaque that covers the supragingival calculus did not present a distinct microbial profile when compared to that of periodontal health, but points to a microbial shift that could contribute to the disease process. Further studies with a larger sample size and a longitudinal study design would help to draw meaningful clinical implications.


We focus on two great narratives: unlimited growth and green growth. The problem of the compatibility between the increase of human economic activities and the ecosystem seems to be solved by each of the two narratives. After recalling the thermodynamic unfoundedness of the first paradigm, we ask ourselves why it remains central in orienting political choices. Our answer explores the nature of "public religion" that economics has been taking on: by shaping our mental models and our actions, today's dominant economic theory is capable of converting us, contributing to the affirmation of even indefensible beliefs. With regard to the green growth paradigm, it is based on the idea of an absolute decoupling between the trend of growth and the negative impact on the environment, as well as on the related idea that forms of full circularity of economic processes are practicable. Against this conception theoretical arguments and empirical evidence have been advanced, none of which is in itself negatively conclusive, but whose complex makes it highly implausible.


An intelligent interactive map recognition method using the case learning ability of neural networks as proposed. It effectively uses operator judgements about local segmentations of map figures as neural network learning data. With this method, the recognition accuracy can be improved and the number of interactive operations needed in the recognition process can be decreased through the operation processes. The method is implemented with a single recognition algorithm which has no dependence on the kind of map figure. Experiment results of applying this method to the recognition of contour lines, longitudinal/latitudinal lines and sidewalks in a mapdraw show improved accuracy and a decreased number of interactions.<<ETX>>


Summary Congenital posteromedial bowing of the tibia (CPMBT) is a rare congenital anomaly of the lower limbs. The aim of the present study was to analyze our experience in the treatment of CPMBT. A retrospective study of patients treated for CPMBT in the period January 2000 – June 2016 was performed. In the observed period, six patients were treated (five girls and one boy), with predominance of the right tibia involvement (5:1). The initial treatment included a series of corrective casts (4-9) applied in all patients, followed by removable splints and physiotherapy. Four children with residual angulation of tibia after walking age were prescribed ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) as a prevention of pathological fractures. Both posterior and medial angulation correct over time. Mean initial shortening was 11 mm. At the last follow-up visit, mean shortening was 23.33mm. Three patients had lower limb shortening of more than 2 cm. In two of them, with shortening of 27 mm and 35 mm, Ilizarov lengthening was performed. In one girl, we performed lengthening over titanium elastic nails. In the other girl, after lengthening, circular frame was exchanged with a locking plate to reduce fixator wearing time. There were no major complications of treatment. Patients were followed up for 2-12 years (mean 6.83 years). None of them reached skeletal maturity yet. Primary manifestation of CPMBT – angulation of tibia and fibula as well as calcaneovalgus deformity usually correct spontaneously or with conservative measures. However, limb length inequality, as a consequence of CPMBT, progresses with growth and may require surgical correction in some children. Therefore, all children with CPMBT should be followed up until skeletal maturity.


The growth in computer-mediated communication has created real challenges for society; in particular, the internet has become an important resource for "convincing" or persuading a person to make a decision. From a cybersecurity perspective, online attempts to persuade someone to make a decision has implications for the radicalisation of individuals. This chapter reviews multiple definitions and theories relating to decision making to consider the applicability of these to online decision making in areas such as buying behaviour, social engineering, and radicalisation. Research investigating online decision making is outlined and the point is made that research examining online research has a different focus than research exploring online decision making. The chapter concludes with some key questions for scholars and practitioners. In particular, it is noted that online decision making cannot be explained by one single model, as none is sufficient in its own capacity to underpin all forms of online behaviour.


Four barbiturates (barbital, allobarbital, phenobarbital and butalbital) were analysed using high-speed analytical countercurrent chromatography (HSACCC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) interfaced with mass spectrometry, using negative mode atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI). The polar biphasic solvent system of butyronitrile/acetonitrile/water (1:1:1) was used, in the upper-stationary, lower-mobile mode of operation, at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and a rotational speed of 1200 rpm, equating to an applied "g"-field of 177 g. The fractional stationary phase retention (S(F)) was 0.58. Representative mass spectral data are presented from the HPLC and the HSACCC analyses. Structural information was obtained using source-induced fragmentation at increased source block voltages. The effect of increasing g-field on chromatographic resolution is illustrated using the binary base system of butyronitrile/water (1:1), under electrospray ionisation.


Previous work has demonstrated the feasibility of using process-oriented programming to implement simple subsumption architectures for robot control. However, the utility and scalability of process-based subsumption architectures for more complex tasks and those involving multiple robots has not been proven. We report our experience of applying these techniques to the implementation of a standard foraging problem in swarm robotics, using occam-π to implement a subsumption control system. Through building a system with a realistic level of complexity, we have discovered both advantages and disadvantages to the process-oriented subsumption approach for larger robot control systems.


Abstract : The most recent research conducted at the Air Force Institute of Technology involved studying a large volume of lightning data without coupling radar imagery (Parsons 2000). Parsons finding could not be acted on because no individual storms were studied. The primary goal of this research is to determine whether the techniques used by Parsons can be applied to storms by examining the radar imagery and lightning data. This research used the methodology applied to lightning data by Parsons and radar imagery to determine whether the location of lightning clusters were located near storms. A composite reflectivity radar image was generated and the lightning data for the corresponding time was plotted to determine if lightning clusters corresponded to storm coverage area. After a visual analysis of the radar and lightning cluster plots was conducted, the percentage of lightning clusters found in each radar image was calculated. Caution needs to be applied when calculating the distance to the flashes isolated from nearby clusters since the clusters were found to be near the edge of the storms studied and not under the convective core of the storm. This research was successful in proving that the DBSF method may be applied, however more research must be done to determine what location of the storm provides the best distance criteria measurements.


desire to be picked up and cuddled, and to see what is going on. The differentiation of hunger from colic is difficult, and space will not permit of a discussion of this matter here. The difficulty is that in both cases the baby does not stop crying, except momentarily, when picked up. The baby, however, who is merely crying for company stops crying when taken into his mother's arms. Failure to discuss these matters with the mother will lead to difficulties in self-demand feeding and tend to bring the method into disrepute. The authors say, " It is noteworthy that Illingworth et al. found the services of two registrars to be necessary at the Jessop Hospital for Women at Sheffield." This is not true. For the particular experiment which we were carrying out, a senior registrar from the children's hospital was made responsible for the collection of data, and for nothing else. The resident registrar is responsible for the normal day-to-day supervision of the babies and their feeding. Two registrars were not, therefore, required for the supervision of self-demand feeding. As explained in our paper, self-demand feeding had been used in the hospital long before the particular controlled experiment which we described. I do not understand the statement that ". . . it is, of course, especially necessary that all concerned should appreciate that with self-demand feeding there will be fluctuations in the rate of weight gain owing to the variable times of feeding and the varying quantity of milk taken at each feed." Most normal babies vary in the quantity which they take at various feeds, on whatever schedule they are fed. There are no greater variations on a self-demand schedule than on a rigid one, and there are no reasons why there should be. They say that " Illingworth et al. . . . make no reference to the possible difficulties of such a regime and how they were overcome." That is true. Our paper did nothing more than present the results of a carefully controlled investigation to determine the effect of the feeding schedule on the establishment of lactation. A reasonable discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of self-demand feeding would require a full-length paper on its own, and we deliberately confined our paper to the report of the facts of the experiment, only making such comments as were strictly germane to those-facts.


Compressed gas insulated coaxial transmission lines are being developed which withstand 1200-kV rms phase-to-phase voltage and carry 3000 A continuous current. As a method of instrumenting the voltage on a single-phase of coaxial line, an isolated capacitive section approximately one meter in length is inserted between the conductors. The resulting displacement current due to line voltage is detected with low voltage electronics. In the present work, misalignment of the coaxial conductors is investigated theoretically and experimentally to determine the effect of small relative displacements on the amount of capacitance of the isolated section. Capacitance change due only to conductor misalignment is found not to restrict severely the metering accuracy of the isolated section, provided reasonable tolerances for the position of the isolated section are maintained. Forces due to imbalance of surface charge when the conductors are slightly misaligned are calculated and shown to be small, suggesting that a "voltage coefficient" of capacitance also should not severely restrict the metering accuracy of the isolated section.


Chemoprevention is a promising anti-cancer approach often described as the use of natural or synthetic chemicals allowing suppression, retardation or inversion of carcinogenesis. Molecular targets for cancer chemo preven -tive agents are diverse and includes induction of apoptosis,inhibition of metastasis and angiogenisis. Apoptosis phenomenon is absent in cancer cells which leads to uncontrolled division. Telomerase activity is not observed in normal healthy cells, whereas in cancerous cells telomerase expression is high. Therefore Telomerase represents a promising cancer therapeutic target. Apoptosis is regulated by telomerase enzyme. hTERT is major regulatory gene of telomerase. c-MYC is known down stream regulator of hTERT. RESVERATROL and LENTINAN act as chemopreventive agents by inducing apoptosis through inhibiting TELOMERASE (hTERT) gene via c-myc gene inhibition.


This paper presents power to grid with different use of controllers for renewable sources to operate photovoltaic (PV) system. This paper gives more power to grid with different use of controllers in MPPT. The suggested controllers are been used to show and get faster response when compared with two different controllers. It showed high precision during current and irradiation variation and retains the voltage without any changes in the system. The proposed controller based system makes sure that the favorable use of PV system and demonstrates its intended results in different irradiation functions at the output part. The main purpose of this paper is to supply power to grid with different units of controller where the power varies with different controller. The result of this work is mainly the power generation from one controller to other controller. The FLC has improved its efficiency in this work which has more power generation compare to PI based controller. A study is done with two controllers to know the diffence with each other. In this paper the Simulink model is been built in MATLAB 2013a Version is used to get the result.


Abstract Thirty-five mostly dry-fleshed sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. (Convolvulaceae), genotypes from the USDA–ARS/Clemson University sweetpotato breeding program were evaluated in nine field experiments at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC, from 1998 to 2004. There were highly significant entry effects for percentage of uninjured roots; wireworm, Diabrotica, and Systena (WDS) index; percentage of roots damaged by sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summers); percentage of roots damaged by sweetpotato flea beetle, Chaetocnema confinis Crotch); and percentage of roots damaged by white grub larvae (primarily Plectris aliena Chapin). The susceptible control, 'SC1149-19', had a significantly lower percentage of uninjured roots, a significantly higher WDS rating, and higher percentage infestations of flea beetle, grubs, and sweetpotato weevils than all other sweetpotato entries in this study. Twenty-seven genotypes had significantly less insect damage than 'Beauregard', the leading commercial orange-fleshed cultivar in the United States. In addition, 11 genotypes had significantly less insect injury than 'Picadito', a commercial boniato-type sweetpotato grown extensively in southern Florida. Overall, no genotypes were more resistant to soil insect pests than the resistant checks 'Sumor' and 'Regal'. Many of the advanced dry-flesh sweetpotato genotypes had high levels of resistance to soil insect pests, and they represent a useful source of advanced germplasm for use in sweetpotato breeding programs.


The role of T-cell activation in alcoholic liver disease was investigated in rats fed alcohol and subsequently exposed to concanavalin A (Con A). Following Con A injection (20 mg/kg body weight), greater increases in liver-to-body weight ratio and ALT levels were observed at 12 and 24 hr in rats fed ethanol, compared with control rats fed sucrose. Furthermore, increases in serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were noted in ethanol-fed rats, with maximal levels detected at 4 hr declining thereafter, but remaining above control levels at 24 hr. Analysis of T-cell subpopulations showed an increased percentage of CD4+, CD5+, and CD8+ T cells in blood from all groups, but not in liver perfusate. In contrast, a significant increase in the percentage of activated CD25+ T cells was detected in both blood and liver perfusate from rats fed ethanol even 24 hr after Con A injection. When CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from liver perfusate were cultured in the absence or presence of Con A, an increase in interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in supernatants was observed in ethanol-fed rats. In cultures stimulated with Con A, a 2- to 8-fold increase in cytokine production was detected, with intrahepatic CD4+ T cells being the major source. Immunohistological analysis revealed infiltration of CD4+ T cells around portal vein and central vein areas associated with fatty liver and severe hepatic necrosis. The results suggest that alcohol consumption induced a dysregulated T-cell population that mediated hepatic necrosis following polyclonal activation with Con A.


Purpose of reviewThe spectrum of IgG4-related systemic disease (IgG4-RSD) continues to widen. At most of the sites involved by this condition, the clinical presentation can mimic neoplasm. Pathologic assessment of small biopsies can be critical to proper management. This review summarizes the histologic features of IgG4-RSD and the role of immunohistochemistry of IgG4 in the diagnosis. Recent findingsThe review period saw further expansion of the list of sites putatively involved by IgG4-RSD, with new, or more detailed, entries related to lung, lymph nodes, stomach, and thyroid. A tentative consensus was reached on the issue of subtypes of autoimmune pancreatitis. The role of immunohistochemistry for IgG4 as an adjunct to the diagnosis of IgG4-RSD was further clarified. SummarySclerosing lymphoplasmacytic inflammation at almost any site can represent a manifestation of IgG4-RSD. There are several histologic features that can suggest the diagnosis. Immunohistochemistry for IgG4 is a useful diagnostic test to further support the diagnosis.


AIMS
Carry-over effects or the hangover hypothesis postulates that alcohol continues to impair performance the morning after drinking, even after low or moderate doses. Performance deficits have been attributed to the residual effects of recent drinking. The present study examined evidence for residual alcohol consumption on human performance when blood alcohol level has declined to zero.

DESIGN
A within-subjects, repeated measures, placebo controlled experiment was conducted with double-blind alcohol administration to investigate the effects of alcohol the morning after ingestion.

SETTING
All subjects were studied in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

PARTICIPANTS
Forty healthy male moderate to heavy social drinkers between 18 and 45 years of age.

MEASUREMENTS
Psychomotor performance, subjective state and quality of sleep were examined under alcohol and placebo with a 1-week interval between test sessions. Enough alcohol was given to place subjects above the legal limit for driving at peak blood alcohol.

FINDINGS
There was no evidence for impaired performance the morning after ingestion. Effects were found for subjective state and sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that after a 100 mg/100 ml dose of alcohol people who: (a) have no alcohol left in their blood and; (b) do not feel hung over will generally be fit to drive.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of hypercholsterolemia induced by a high-lipid diet on glomerulosclerosis.

METHODS
Twenty nephrotic syndrome (NS) Wistar rats administrated adriamycin (ADR) with a single intravenous dose of 5 mg/kg body weight, were divided into the standard and high-lipid chow groups. Another 20 weight-matched non-NS rats that received a vehicle alone were grouped as control. Urinary protein excretion and serum cholesterol were assayed; image analysis and techniques of pathology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular biology were used to determine morphological changes in glomeruli and the production of glomerular mesangial matrices in different groups.

RESULTS
The serum total cholesterol level was significantly higher in rats with high-lipid chow in both non-NS [(2.2 +/- 0.3) g/L vs. (0.9 +/- 0.1) g/L, P < 0.01] and NS [(9.5 +/- 0.2) g/L vs. (2.3 +/- 0.3) g/L, P < 0.01]. The urinary protein excretion was significantly higher in the high-lipid diet rats than in standard chow rats [(76.2 +/- 24.2) mg/24h vs. (44.8 +/- 13.6) mg/24h, P < 0.05] in NS rats. Although increases in the mesangial matrix and mesangial cells were observed in rats with high-lipid diet in both NS and non-NS group, more obvious pathological changes were found in NS group, such as lipid deposits and foam cell formation in mesangial areas, and progressing to focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis in some glomeruli. The immunohistochemical asay showed that the production of 3 major components (collagen IV, fibronectin, and laminin) was increased in NS group, especially in the rats with high-lipid chow. The increased expression of laminin mRNA was also detected with slot blotting in both NS and non-NS rats with high-lipid chow, and it was more obvious in the rats with NS.

CONCLUSION
Our findings indicated that diet-induced hyperlipidemia can lead to over-production of mesangial matrix components, and further aggravate glomerulosclerosis in ADR-induced nephrosis.


While developing a method for reasoning about programs, Pitts defined the [top ][top ]-closed relations as an alternative to the standard admissible relations. This paper reformulates and studies Pitts's operational concept of [top ][top ]-closure in a semantic framework. It investigates the non-trivial connection between [top ][top ]-closure and admissibility, showing that [top ][top ]-closure is strictly stronger than admissibility and that every [top ][top ]-closed relation corresponds to an admissible preorder.


The clinical management and outcome of a case of caprine papillomatosis in a 2-week-old kid goat was reported. Based on the PCR result, contagious ecthyma (CE) was ruled out. Based on the history and physical examination findings, the case was diagnosed as severe clinical case of papillomatosis in a goat's kid. The treatment procedure was administrated with flunixin meglumine (5%) 1.1 mg/kg, 0.5 ml, IM, SID, 3 days, and Penstrep (procaine penicillin, dihydrostreptomycin sulphate) 2 ml and a topical preparation for 5 days to prevent secondary bacterial infection. Also, Vitavet (multivitamin–vitamins A, D3, and B12), 1 ml/10 kg, 1 ml, IM, SID, was administered for 3 days to boost the immune system.


This paper is concerned with the dynamic response of a general class of linear time invariant differential systems, the right parameter of which undergoes step perturbations. We solve both systems using the complex Weierstrass canonical form (powerful tool of matrix pencil theory). After that, we calculate and compare the relationship between the two solutions. This comparison is of considerable importance in numerical analysis since it has a direct bearing upon the accuracy of any particular method used to construct the solution of the base system. A numerical example is also provided.


The aim of this study is to evaluate the interaction of car passengers in side collisions. In 12 side impact tests, our newly developed side impact dummies (APROD 82, HSRI, MIRA, ONSER) were positioned at the impact side of the car, with the interacting dummy - a hybrid II dummy - on the offside. The velocity of the impacting rigid barrier was 45 km/h. Each test configuration with each side impact dummy was repeated three times. They are compared with tests of the same configuration but without an interacting hybrid II dummy. The kinematics of the side impact dummies are more humanlike in side impacts than those of the hybrid II dummy which was used in a previous test program on the impact side. Each side impact dummy showed interaction effects and loads in different measuring parameters. For the covering abstract of the conference see HS-036 716. (Author/TRRL)


The noise-shaping (NS) SAR is an emerging hybrid architecture that aims to combine the benefits of both SAR and $\Delta \Sigma$ ADCs [1– 8]. The key in an NS SAR is the NS filter. As shown in Fig. 27.1.1, prior NS filter techniques can be classified into two types. The first way is to use a closed-loop amplifier-based integrator [1– 3]. With sufficient gain of the amplifier, this type of integrator can realize a sharp noise transfer function (NTF). However, the high-gain multi-stage amplifier produces large noise, is power-consuming and unfriendly to technology scaling [2, 3]. The second way is to use passive charge sharing to perform error feedback [4– 6] or integration [7, 8]. The fully passive filter avoids using closed-loop amplifiers, but it has signal attenuation issue and the resulting NTF is mild [4]. Also, due to the lack of effective gain, it suffers from large comparator noise. To improve the NTF and noise suppression capability, some works place an open-loop amplifier before the passive filter [5– 7], or implement a passive gain after it [8]. However, the gain of an open-loop amplifier is sensitive to PVT variations, and the passive gain method suffers from severe parasitic effects when a large gain is required.


Purpose: To describe diabetic macular edema (DME) in patients who developed fluid retention as a consequence of glitazone use. Methods: A chart review identified 30 patients who used pioglitazone or rosiglitazone and had both lower extremity edema and macular edema. Clinical reports, photographs, and fluorescein angiograms were reviewed. Patients followed for >3 months were analyzed separately. Results: Seventeen patients took oral pioglitazone, 11 took rosiglitazone, and 2 took both drugs at different times. Eleven patients were observed for >3 months after cessation of glitazones. Mean weight gain during drug administration in this group was 30 lb, and mean weight loss after drug discontinuation was 19 lb. Rapid reduction in macular edema off drug occurred in only 4 of 11 patients, but 8 of 11 had reduced edema over 2 years. Mean visual acuity in this group at the initial visit was 20/60, and at the final visit, it was 20/85. Four eyes of three patients had resolution of diffuse macular edema with improved vision after cessation of glitazones without laser treatment. Conclusions: Fluid retention occurs in 5% to 15% of patients taking glitazones. In some of these patients, glitazone use appears to be a cause of macular edema, and drug cessation appears to result in rapid resolution of both peripheral and macular edema. Fluid retention associated with glitazone use should be considered when assessing treatment options for patients with DME, especially those with concomitant peripheral edema.


We develop an accurate analytic model to predict the send rate of the SQRT binomial congestion control protocol, under the assumption that the protocol operates in an environment where the packet loss rate is relatively high. Based on this model, a study of its TCP-friendliness is performed, remarking on the non-negligible effects on fairness that different queue managements have.


The medical records of 114 infants with abdominal wall defects, including 35 infants examined at autopsy, were reviewed to determine if giant (liver-containing) defects are associated with a narrow thoracic cage deformity and pulmonary hypoplasia. The study included 48 infants with gastroschisis, 60 with omphalocele, two with a lower midline syndrome (cloacal exstrophy) and four with an upper midline syndrome (Cantrell's pentalogy). A giant abdominal wall defect was present in 33 infants, including one with gastroschisis, 27 with omphalocele, two with a lower midline syndrome, and three with an upper midline syndrome. A thoracic cage deformity, characterized by a narrow chest and down-slanting ribs, was identified radiographically in 42% (14 of 33) of infants with giant abdominal wall defects. Among the 35 infants examined at autopsy, 14 infants with giant omphaloceles had mean chest circumference to occipital frontal circumference ratio and lung weight to body weight ratios that were significantly below the means for infants with gastroschisis or small omphalocele. Lung weight to body weight ratios indicated marked pulmonary hypoplasia in three of 12 (25%) of infants who had a narrow thoracic cage deformity, and radial alveolar counts indicated mild pulmonary hypoplasia in four additional infants. Prematurity (four infants), diaphragmatic abnormalities (seven infants), and congenital heart disease (four infants) potentially contributed to the respiratory distress experienced by these 12 infants. Infants with giant abdominal wall defects and narrow thoracic cages are at increased risk for pulmonary hypoplasia and respiratory distress.


Development and implementation of therapeutic protocols based on stem cells or tissue-engineered products relies on methods that enable the production of substantial numbers of cells while complying with stringent quality and safety demands. In the current study, we aimed to assess the benefits of maintaining cultures of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in a defined culture system devoid of xenogeneic components (xeno-free) and hypoxia over a 49-day growth period. Our data provide evidence that conditions involving StemPro mesenchymal stem cells serum-free medium (SFM) Xeno-Free and hypoxia (5% oxygen concentration) in the culture atmosphere provide a superior proliferation rate compared to a standard growth environment comprised of alpha-modified Eagle medium (A-MEM) supplemented with fetal calf serum (FCS) and ambient air (20% oxygen concentration) or that of A-MEM supplemented with FCS and hypoxia. Furthermore, a flow cytometric analysis and in vitro differentiation assays confirmed the immunophenotype stability and maintained multipotency of ASCs when expanded under xeno-free conditions and hypoxia. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that growth conditions utilizing a xeno-free and hypoxic environment not only provide an improved environment for the expansion of ASCs, but also set the stage as a culture system with the potential broad spectrum utility for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications.


INTRODUCTION :
The acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) caused by
a retrovirus variously termed Human Immuno Deficiency Virus – 1 (HIV-1) Human T-Lymphocytic Virus III or Lymphadenopathy associated virus is no longer a rare or exotic disease.
Since its first description in June 1981 it is now a Worldwide Pandemic. In the early years of epidemic, nervous system involvement was not widely recognized. It is now recognized that were level of neuraxis can be involved and at least one third of patients with advanced HIV infection will develop neurological complications during the course of their illness and 10% of cases neurological problems may be first sign of development of AIDS. But at autopsy, more than 80% of patients show evidence of cerebral pathology ranging from HIV encephalitis, opportunistic infections or lymphomas and some evidence of peripheral neuropathy.
Neurological manifestations of HIV consists of CNS
complications caused directly by HIV, and include cognitive disorders and other CNS disease such as myelopathy and the demyelinating neuropathies, and the secondary disorders caused by opportunistic infections, neoplasm, cerebrovascular events, as also the effects of metabolic derangements and medications.
Considering the protean manifestations of neurological illness in HIV infected, an analysis of neurological manifestations in this subset of Patients was made.
AIM OF THE STUDY :
To study the spectrum of neurological manifestations in HIV infected subjects at various level.
To study the correlation of neurological manifestations with CD4 count in these subjects.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
PLACE OF THE STUDY:
This study was conducted at the Government Mohan
Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital, Salem. Patients
admitted to the wards of the internal medicine and Infectious Disease
wards were subjects of the study.
PERIOD OF STUDY: January 2006 to July 2007.
DESIGN: Prospective Randomised cross sectional study.
METHODOLOGY:
HIV patients admitted at G.M.K.M.C. Hospital were chosen for the study. Random selection of patients were made in whom a detailed history and clinical evaluation which included the mini mental score (MMSE) was done, after an informed consent from the patient or relative.
The following investigation were done to all patients studied (i.e), when tested positive for HIV.
1. Complete blood count,
2. Renal function test (Sugar, Urea, Creatinine and
Electrolytes),
3. Liver Function Test (Bilirubin, AST, ALT, SAP, Albumin),
4. Chest X-ray - P.A View,
5. VCTC,
6. CD4 count,
7. VDRL.
All patients with neurological systems were individualised and
were subjected to the investigation listed based on clinical findings.
1. C.S.F,
2. CT Brain,
3. MRI Brain,
4. Creatinine Phosphokinase.
METHODOLOGY OF INVESTIGATION:
HTV testing and CD4 count were done by microbiology
department in our hospital as per NACO Guidelines.
CD4 count was done with Facs Count (Automated Counter).
Tests were done in a single laboratory by the same person, no
intrapersonal error was possible.
Exclusion Criteria:
Immuno Compromised state due to any other cause.
Limitations :
Culture and PCR for mycobacterium could not be done.
Viral Serology was done only in selected patients.
RESULTS :
Incidence :
31 Patients had neurological manifestations among the 100
Patients studied. The incidence of neurological manifestations in HIV infection, in this study is 31%.
Sex Distribution :
Of the 100 Patients studied 80 were male and 20 were Female.
Among the 80 males, 28 had neurological manifestations and of the 20 Females, 3 had neurological Symptoms.
Majority of the patients in our study were between 31-40 yrs of age. Of the 60 Patients, who were in the age group of 31-40, 19 (31.6%) had neurological symptoms.
SUMMARY :
We study 100 consecutive HIV sero positive patients from January 2006 to July 2007 of them 31 had neurological manifestations. Out of which TB meningitis constituted major part. The following were the details of neurological manifestations. Tuberculous meningitis (35.4%), cerebrovascular complications (9.67%), Guillian barre syndrome (3.22%), pyogenic meningitis (6.44%), peripheral neuropathy (6.44%), seizure disorders (6.44%), acute flaccid paralysis (3.22%), AIDS dementia complex (3.22%), cerebellar syndrome (3.22%), cryptococcal meningitis (3.22%), Toxoplasmosis (3.22%), HIV myelopathy (3.22%), meningoencephalitis - cause not determined (3.22%), multiple granulomata (3.22%), myopathy (3.22%), Tuberculoma (3.22%). Mortality increased most with coexisting meningitis and with decreased CD4 counts. Commonest neurological condition associated was neurotuberculosis.
CONCLUSION :
1. Incidence of neurological illness in HIV infection in our study was 31%.
2. All patients in our study had heterosexual transmission of disease.
3. CNS manifestations in men were more common than in women.
4. Headache and altered mentation were the two common symptoms observed in this study.
5. Tuberculous meningitis was the most commonest opportunistic infection in our study.
6. No significant CD4 count correlation was found between the patients with neurological manifestations and those without neurological manifestations.
7. CD4 count when less was associated with increased mortality.
8. Patients with coexisting tuberculous meningitis and HIV infection had significantly lower CD4 counts.
9. Tuberculous meningitis was associated with good outcome and pyogenic meningitis had high mortality.
10. Patients with neurological manifestations had good outcome and low mortality.


This article focuses on reducing the particulate matter from the diesel engines. In modern era there is sharp escalation in the number of vehicles, due to that particulate matter emission is also increasing significantly which results in the growth of human diseases like chronic cough, bronchitis, chest illness, sinusitis, asthma, allergy, changes in vision, memory, cancer etc. The new device has been implanted in existing catalytic converter of heavy duty truck and passenger diesel engine car to reduce particulate matter. The experimental method indicates that particulate matter quantity reduced significantly by applying suggested device and varying magnitude of electric and magnetic field.


Abstract:  While concepts of "enclosure" and the "commons" are becoming increasingly popular in critical geography, there have been few attempts to think them together. This paper sets out a dialectic of enclosure–commons as a means for thinking through contemporary processes of exclusion, violence and alterity. We examine what is at stake through a geographical reading of enclosure, that is, the processes through which neoliberalism works through—and summons into existence—certain forms of spatiality and subjectivity. In doing so we confront the spatialities of enclosure's "other": strategies and practices of commoning which assemble more inclusive, just and sustainable spaces. We examine the materiality of enclosure across a range of sites, from processes of walling to a more substantial assessment of the diverse assemblage of materials and subjectivities drawn into modalities of enclosure. We go on to explore the inscription of enclosure on the human body through an examination of, first, law, and second, biopolitics. In conclusion, we explore the implications of this argument for critical geographical scholarship.


This paper is concerned with developing novel algorithms for multicast routing in packet switched communication networks when there is no available exact information about the link states in the network. In these cases probabilistic models can be used and the goal of the route selection procedure is to find an admissible route with maximal probability. The multicast probabilistic routing model with bandwidth and cost requirement in the case of incomplete information is reduced to a deterministic Steiner tree problem. The multicast routing concerning the end-to-end delay requirement can be transformed in some cases to finding shortest paths between the multicast nodes based on equivalent deterministic link measures.


Ectopic gallbladder, followed by other abnormalities in the anatomy of liver, biliary-pancreatic system, and portal vein is very rare congenital defect. The patient with left-sided gallbladder, complicated chronic calculous cholecystitis and hypoplasia of the right lobe of liver was presented. The diagnosis of this abnormality was confirmed intraoperatively. After cholecystectomy, postoperative course in the patient was uneventful.


Seven insecticides were applied to a lawn maintained at ca. 2.5 inch on 6 Aug. Granular formulations were applied by hand shaking from a glass jar with a perforated lid. Liquid formulations were applied with 3 qt of water in a watering can. All applications were made in 2 (perpendicular) directions within each 8-ft by 8-ft plot. All tests were replicated 4 times in a CRB design. The test area received 0.75 inch irrigation (pH 6.8) immediately after application and 2.5 inch rainfall within 24 h after application. Plots were sampled 25 Sep. Two 1 sq ft sections of sod, ca 4 inch deep, were removed from the center of each plot, inspected on the spot, and the number of healthy grubs recorded.


The aim of this study is to shed light on essentials of Suprematist artists focusing on Malevich and their works in relation to modem design, and to examine their roles in the modem design industry compared to those of modem designers. The study obtains the following result on Suprematist artists and their works in Russian avant-garde in terms of modem design. Firstly, Suprematist artists had a great deal of interest in practical design although it seemed Suprematist were replaced by utilitarianism in avant-garde during the Russian revolution. Secondly, Suprematist artists were the first artists to bring the birth of modem design trends by applying their art in geometric forms to clothing and fabric design as well as ornaments and handicraft. Thirdly, the artists' attempt to work with needle workers made it possible to set achievements in design and modem decorative art exhibitions in various fields of art-life. As for the role of modem designers, Suprematist artists including Malevich have significant meanings as follows: Firstly, Malevich was a creative, future-oriented artistic designer who realized zaum of painting on the stage and created suprematistic mode in a cosmic point of view in order to agree with the environment. Secondly, Suprematist artists knew the importance of works that were produced by craftsmen and worked together with them. Therefore, the designers could maintain fabric decoration in difficult conditions knowing the importance of the high value-added industry. Thirdly, they were artists in real life who embodied the ideas and theories of Suprematist in sample works by recognizing the need of changes in life environment: they planned to set a new visual world in art but did not confine the idea only to painting.


A novel ultrahigh vacuum system for the fabrication and measurement of nanostructures has been developed, which consists of a preparation chamber, a precise mask deposition facility, a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) for nanofabrication, and a low temperature four-contact-probe apparatus. Using the field-induced atom transfer from a gold STM tip, it has been demonstrated that nanometer-scale gold structures can be fabricated not only on an atomically clean - surface but also in a gap region among four macroscopic electrodes on a sputter-cleaned Si(111) surface. The overall findings clearly suggest that the STM atom-transfer technique has proved itself to be a very promising candidate for fabricating nanometer-scale single electron devices.


The variation of meter factor with path position and fluid velocity profile has been used to select path positions for a three-path ultrasonic flowmeter. This selection was made so that measurements are sensitive to velocity profile. A technique has been developed which allows the form of the velocity profile to be deduced from the separate flow rate determinations obtained using the three paths over a wide range of axisymmetric flow conditions. From the measured velocity profile an accurate value of flow rate can be derived. In nearly all conditions for which the flow is non-axisymmetric, the meter can detect the form of asymmetry and produce a warning that an accurate flow rate cannot be calculated. Analysis of measurements obtained with non-axisymmetric flow conditions shows that no empirical weighting of the flow rates indicated by the three paths can reliably estimate the true flow rate.


The objective of this research was to determine the effect of cooking using two different methods of preparing okra soup in Ondo state on nutrient, mineral content including zinc bioavailability of okra, Abelmoschus esculentus. The okra fruits were grated and divided into four lots; two lots were cooked with other ingredients of soup for 3minutes and 5minutes with oil. The protein content of okra soup cooked for 3minutes (5.48g/100g with oil OWO & 7.18g/100g without oil OWTO) was significantly higher (P . 0.05) than the protein content of okra soup cooked for 5minutes (4.01g/100g OWO & 5.40g/100g OWTO). Also the protein content of the okra cooked without oil OWTO was significantly higher (P . 0.05) than when it was cooked with oil OWO in the two ways of preparing okra soup. The fat content of the okra cooked with oil OWO increased significantly (P . 0.05) while the one cooked without oil OWTO decreased significantly (P . 0.05). The mineral Fe (2.91ppm 3mins & 3.92ppm 5mins) at OWTO were significantly higher (P . 0.05) than Fe (2.26ppm 3mins & 1.78ppm 5mins) at OWO. While the mineral Ca (2.95ppm 3mins & 5.08ppm 5mins) at OWTO were significantly lower (P . 0.05) than Ca (7.59ppm 3mins & 6.11ppm 5mins) at OWO. The Zn content at OWTO was not significantly different (P . 0.05) from OWO at the respective cooking time. The calculated [Ca][Phytate]/[Zn] molar ratio of the cooked okra soups were below 0.5mol/Kg. Cooking made the Zn to be more bio-available because the values become lower after cooking. Nutritionally, preparing okra soups without oil guaranteed more protein and zinc bioavailability.


The acute effects of 4 different brands of the most popular Brazilian alcoholic beverage, the so called "cachaças" (distilled product of sugar cane), were measured through the loss of the righting reflex and the rotarod test. The effects induced by the cachaças were greater than it could be predicted through the ethanol content alone.


The two papers set out Canadian law on the proof of factual causation in negligence as of early 2005. The first half of 'Causative Snark' examines the but-for test. The second half examines a material contribution to injury test which officially existed in Canadian jurisprudence, and was regularly used, as an alternative to the but-for test for proof of factual causation on the balance of probability between late 1996 and early 2007. The material contribution to injury test was supposedly restricted to instances where it was impossible to validly use the but-for test to prove or disprove factual causation on the balance of probability for reasons not related to the mere failure of a plaintiff to adduce evidence which could have been adduced. 'Materially Increasing Risk', written in late 2004, examines the possibility of that Canadian negligence law would adopt Fairchild v. Glenhaven Funeral Services Ltd., [2003] 1 A.C. 32, [2002] UKHL 22.These two papers, together with David Cheifetz 'Tales of Sound and Fury: Factual Causation in Tort after Resurfice' (also available on SSRN) provide a picture of the Canadian law as it was immediately before and after Resurfice Corp v. Hanke, 2007 SCC 7.


A sensitive and accurate liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the determination of dryocrassin ABBA, a potential active component isolated from Dryopteris crassirhizoma, in rat plasma. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax SB-C18 column (50 × 2.1 mm, 1.8 µm), with elution consisting of eluent (A) 10 mm ammonium acetate in methanol containing 0.1% formic acid and (B) 10 mm ammonium acetate in water containing 0.1% formic acid (A:B = 99:1, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Multiple reaction monitoring mode was used to monitor the precursor-product ion transitions of m/z 819.3 → 403.4 for dryocrassin ABBA and m/z 426.2 → 409.2 for internal standard. This assay exhibited a good linearity with a correlation coefficient >0.99 and showed no endogenous interference with the analyte and internal standard. The lower limit of quantification of dryocrassin ABBA was 4 ng/mL in 50 μL of rat plasma. The method was successfully applied in the pharmacokinetic study of dryocrassin ABBA in rats after intravenous (2.35 mg/kg) and oral (23.5 mg/kg) doses of dryocrassin ABBA. The oral bioavailability (F) of dryocrassin ABBA was estimated to be 50.1%. Our study is the first to clarify the pharmacokinetic behaviors of dryocrassin ABBA in animals.


The increased integration of wind power into the electric grid, as it occurs today in Portugal, poses new challenges due to its intermittency and volatility. Wind power forecasting plays a key role in tackling these challenges. A novel hybrid approach, combining wavelet transform, particle swarm optimization, and an adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system, is proposed in this paper for short-term wind power forecasting in Portugal. A thorough comparison is carried out, taking into account the results obtained with seven other approaches. Finally, conclusions are duly drawn.


Personal care (PC) products containing commercial silicone elastomer (SE) blends offer superior sensory, due to their silky and non-greasy characteristics. These products contain functional organic actives; namely sunscreens, antibacterial agents and dyes. The functional performance of the PC products is determined by the extent of deposition of the actives on the skin or hair. However, this performance is limited due to incompatibility of organic actives with the silicone elastomer (SE) blend. This review described recent development of organomodified silicone elastomers (OMSE) for enhanced compatibility and superior deposition of actives on the skin or hair. OMSEs contain covalently linked functional actives to the cross-polymeric silicone backbone. OMSE were synthesized by reacting alkenyl functional derivatives of avobenzone, benzylidene malonate, curcumin or hydroxyanthraquinone, suitable crosslinker, solubilizing (e.g. C n H 2n i.e. alkyl) / emulsifying agents (e.g. polyether) with the poly(dimethyl)-co-(methylhydrogen)siloxane copolymer in the presence of platinum catalyst. OMSE showed superior functional performance due to uniform molecular distribution of sunscreen / dye molecules on the substrate surface. Covalently attached sunscreen / dye molecules on the cross-polymeric silicone backbone would show enhanced safety profile due to negligible possibility of penetration through skin.


Introduction. Chlorfenapyr is commonly used for food crops in Korea. However, chlorfenapyr toxicity in humans has not yet been studied. Case. A 74-year-old man was admitted to the emergency room after he intra-abdominally injected 20 mL of chlorfenapyr in an attempt to commit suicide. Emergency surgery was performed and accumulation of approximately 500 mL of reactive fluid in the abdomen was observed. The entire small intestine showed congestion. After surgery, additional surgery to drain the fluid was performed on POD 12. But immediately after administration of general anesthesia, flat rhythm was observed by electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring, requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Discussion. The color of the bowel was purple, indicating ischemic injury. This could be attributed to direct absorption of the substance through the peritoneum, leading to chemical injury to the small intestine serosa, unlike in the case of oral ingestion. This resulted in an ischemic change in the small intestine, eventually leading to sepsis. Conclusion. Only a few cases of chlorfenapyr toxicity have been reported in the literature, and death occurred in all cases, including our case. Therefore, careful and aggressive treatments are necessary. This is the first reported case of intra-abdominal injection of chlorfenapyr.


Ongoing information on snow water equivalent (SWE) is a crucial issue for Hydro-Quebec in terms of reservoir management late in the winter or in the early months of spring. Three algorithms that use passive microwave data have been evaluated over the La Grande River Watershed in northeastern Quebec (Canada). The first and second algorithms that were tested consisted of a simple linear regression (LR) and piecewise linear regression (PLR) between a brightness temperature gradient (GTV) and SWE. The third was a multilayer feedforward artificial neural network (ANN). A self-organizing feature map (SOFM) was used to optimize the division of the input data into training, validation and testing subsets. The first simulation results show that it is possible to evaluate SWE with an acceptable accuracy in a taiga environment, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 25% for the ANN algorithm and about 20% for the linear regression approach and piecewise linear algorithm.


Purpose
The purpose of this study is to address the main reasons that limit Jordanian women from undertaking expatriation, based on the assumption that Arab women's opportunities for international engagement may be compromised by local cultural and institutional issues.

Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectoral survey with 60 Jordanian expatriates (30 women and 20 men) located in EU countries and the UK is used to better explore Eastern women perceptions.

Findings
Company's resistance, a lack of support mechanisms, safety in the destination country and family commitments play a major role in hindering Jordanian women opportunities to be assigned abroad, echoing the commonly recognized barriers identified in previous research. Additionally, the culture of the home country and prejudice toward foreigners act as an additional barrier for women professional development.

Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of this study lies in the data collection instrument, that is, the survey. Larger samples are needed to extend these results. The second limitation is that the potential effects of gender differences cannot be examined because the number of men in the sample was small.

Practical implications
The findings bring evidence that could be used by organizations to understand the barriers Jordanian expatriate women face and take informed action to tackle them. Meanwhile, more research on Middle Eastern female roles and views is needed to reduce stereotyping against them. Similarly, regional studies can be an opportunity for future development to identify the impact of the regional context.

Social implications
This research highlights the intertwining of religious and cultural values in influencing Arabic women's experience in international assignments and thus, would enhance readers' understanding of women's career progression in a new context.

Originality/value
This research shows that socio-cultural and political realities need more space in discussions about expatriation. Specifically, the expatriation literature needs more scrutiny and problematizing of the lived experiences of women expatriates from the Global South.