Marinobacterium sp. strain DMS-S1 is a unique marine bacterium that can use dimethyl sulphide (DMS) as a sulphur source only in the presence of light. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses of the culture supernatant revealed that excreted factors, which could transform DMS to dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) under light, are FAD and riboflavin. In addition, FAD appeared to catalyse the photolysis of DMS to not only DMSO but also methanesulphonate (MSA), formate, formaldehyde and sulphate. As strain DMS-S1 can use sulphate and MSA as a sole sulphur source independently of light, the excretion of flavins appeared to support the growth on DMS under light. Furthermore, three out of 12 marine bacteria from IAM culture collection were found to be able to grow on DMS with the aid of photolysis by the flavins excreted. This is the first report that bacteria can use light to assimilate oceanic organic sulphur compounds outside the cells by excreting flavins as photosensitizers.


As the capital region of Korea has been developed rapidly, vegetation has changed significantly over the last few decades. Fungal diversity of the capital region has also altered because fungal diversity significantly is related with vegetation. To reveal biodiversity and distribution of indigenous basidiomycetous fungi, fungal biodiversity was investigated in Mt. Yeonin Provincial Park, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, June to August 2016. A total of 79 species were identified based on morphological and molecular biological methods. Among them, five species: Ceriporia alachuana, Fibricium subceraceum, Hyphodontia niemelaei, Phanerochaete stereoides, and Schizophyllum radiatum have not been reported in Korea.


OBJECTIVE
Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) have great potential for cell-based transplantation therapy in treating neurological disease. However, the best combination of various trophic factors to produce full neural differentiation of BMSCs was still unclear. In our study, we aimed to investigate the neural differentiation capacity of rat BMSCs induced by growth factors including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, BrdU cell proliferation assay and flow cytometry were implemented to evaluate whether GDNF and HGF had positive effects on the proliferation of BMSCs. Moreover, the expression of neural specific markers in BMSCs was identified using immunofluorescence and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at various time points (1, 7, 14 and 21-day post-induction).

RESULTS
CCK-8 and BrdU proliferation analyses demonstrated that only HGF treatment had positive effects on the proliferation of BMSCs on the day 14 and 21 after incubation. RT-PCR and immunofluorescence analyses showed that GDNF and HGF elevated the expression of nestin and NCAM, and the combined application of GDNF and HGF has the most significant effect on day 7 after induction. However, at the day of 14 and 21 post-induction, the expression level of nestin and NCAM in GDNF-treatment group was significantly higher than the other three groups.

CONCLUSIONS
HGF, not GDNF plays a positive role in BMSCs proliferation, whereas GDNF and HGF are capable of promoting BMSCs to differentiate into neuron-like cells.


A computational study of some logarithmic barrier decomposition algorithms for semi{innnite programming is presented in this paper. The conceptual algorithm is a straightforward adaptation of the logarithmic barrier cutting plane algorithm which was presented recently by den Hertog et al., to solve semi-innnite programming problems. Usually decomposition (cutting plane methods) use cutting planes to improve the localization of the given problem. In this paper we propose an extension which uses linear cuts to solve large scale, diicult real world problems. This algorithm uses both static and (doubly) dynamic enumeration of the parameter space and allows for multiple cuts to be simultaneously added for larger/diicult problems. The algorithm is implemented both on sequential and parallel computers. Implementation issues and parallelization strategies are discussed and encouraging computational results are presented.


This guide will help you with your neuropsychiatric disorder project. You will be introduced to relevant databases and other sources as you focus on the role of brain plasticity in the development of or remediation of the disorder you have chosen.


Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced Ras activation is required for G1 progression in Chinese hamster embryo fibroblasts (IIC9 cells). Ras stimulates both extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) activation and RhoA activation in response to PDGF stimulation. Inhibition of either of these Ras-stimulated pathways results in growth arrest. We have shown previously that Ras-stimulated ERK activation is essential for the induction and continued G1 expression of cyclin D1. In this study we examine the role of Ras-induced RhoA activity in G1 progression. Unstimulated IIC9 cells expressed high levels of the G1 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27KIP1. Stimulation with PDGF resulted in a dramatic decrease in p27KIP1 protein expression. This decrease was attributed to increased p27KIP1 protein degradation. Overexpression of dominant-negative forms of Ras or RhoA completely blocked PDGF-induced p27KIP1 degradation, but only dominant-negative Ras inhibited cyclin D1 protein expression. C3 transferase also inhibited PDGF-induced p27KIP1degradation, thus further implicating RhoA in p27KIP1regulation. Overexpression of dominant-negative ERK resulted in inhibition of PDGF-induced cyclin D1 expression but had no effect on PDGF-induced p27KIP1 degradation. These data suggest that Ras coordinates the independent regulation of cyclin D1 and p27KIP1 expression by the respective activation of ERK and RhoA and that these pathways converge to determine the activation state of complexes of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase in response to mitogen.


Financial innovations are a common explanation of the rise in consumer credit and bankruptcies. To evaluate this story, we develop a simple model that incorporates two key frictions: asymmetric information about borrowers' risk of default and a fixed cost to create each contract offered by lenders. Innovations which reduce the fixed cost or ameliorate asymmetric information have large extensive margin effects via the entry of new lending contracts targeted at riskier borrowers. This results in more defaults and borrowing, as well as increased dispersion of interest rates. Using the Survey of Consumer Finance and interest rate data collected by the Board of Governors, we find evidence supporting these predictions, as the dispersion of credit card interest rates nearly tripled, and the share of credit card debt of lower income households nearly doubled.


Cooling is one of the critical technologies for efficient design of exhaust nozzles, especially for the developing technology of nonaxisymmetric (2D) nozzles for future aircraft applications. Several promising 2D nozzle designs have external expansion surfaces which need to be cooled. Engine data are scarce, however, on nozzle cooling effec- tiveness in the supersonic flow environment (with shocks) that exists along external expansion sur- faces. This paper will present experimental film cooling data obtained during exploratory testing with an axisymmetric plug nozzle having external expansion and installed on an afterburning turbojet engine in an altitude test facility. The data obtained shows that the shocks and local hot gas stream conditions have a marked effect on film cooling effectiveness. An existing film cooling corre- lation is adequate at some operating conditions but inadequate at other conditions such as in separated flow regions resulting from shock-boundary-layer interactions. Cooling is one of the critical technologies for efficient design of exhaust nozzles, especially for the developing technology of nonaxisymmetric (2D) nozzles for future aircraft applications. Several promising 2D nozzle designs have external expansion surfaces which need to be cooled. testing an axisymmetric plug nozzle having external expansion installed on an afterburning turbojet engine in an altitude test facility. data obtained shows that the shocks and local hot gas stream conditions have a marked effect on film cooling effectiveness.


Summary In a previous study it was reported that transformed tissue of horseradish (Armoracia lapathifolia Gilib.), obtained by infection of leaf explants with A. tumefaciens, developed two tumour lines with different morphology. One line grew as a completely unorganized tissue (TN – tumour tissue), while the other line grew as a partially organized teratogenous tumour with malformed hyperhydric shoots (TM – teratoma tissue), but did not regenerate the whole plant of normal morphology. The factor responsible for this problem could be the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, in this study a possible involvement of activated oxygen metabolism in dedifferentiation and hyperhydricity in TM and TN tissues is investigated. Elevated values of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl contents found in TM and TN, in comparison with plantlet leaf, confirm the presence of oxidative stress. However, lower H2O2 content was measured in TM and TN. Lipoxygenase (LOX) activity was more pronounced in TM and especially in TN compared to leaf, which suggests that the LOX-dependent peroxidation of fatty acids might be one of the causes of oxidative damage. Moreover, significantly higher peroxidase (PRX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity as well as the increased number of their isoforms was found in transformed TM and TN in comparison with leaf. On the other hand, significantly lower superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was found in TM and TN, which correlates with lower H2O2 content. High catalase (CAT) activity measured in leaf and partially organized TM is consistent with the role of CAT in growth and differentiation. In conclusion, in horseradish transformed tissues that underwent dedifferentiation and hyperhydricity, prominent oxidative damage was found. This result suggests that oxidative stress could be associated with the inability of partially organized teratogenous TM to regenerate plantlets with normal morphology.


The study assessed the Contribution of cassava farming in promoting socio-economic activities at Mkamba ward in Mkuranga district council. The specific objectives were to assess economic activity is the most reasonable to the local people at Mkamba Ward, examining economic activity promote social economic wellbeing of Mkamba community, to identify the challenges face the prioritized economic activity of Mkamba community as well as to establish the means by which such challenges can be alleviated by the community. The participatory community assessment conducted at the Mkamba ward using participatory methods and tools include Focus Group Discussions (FGD), semi-structured Interviews and Field visit survey came out with five major community needs which needed to be urgently addressed. Among the needs identified, sustainable source of income ranked as need number one, immediately, after further assessment of the causes of the need, Cassava production was identified as a project that will enable them increase their income through sale of it and at the same time increase their production hence improved livelihoods. Due to the fact that, it will contribute to the food security status of its producing and consuming households, also it will contribute to the economic development of processing communities and well-being of numerous disadvantaged individuals in Mkamba ward. The study concludes that the communities can use their production and based farm activities as sustainable sources of income provided that they agree to plan and implement them are a means that poverty is reduced. The study recommends that deliberate efforts should be taken to involve different stakeholders in implementation of community economic development projects to ensure sustainability and reduce poverty that is threatening the nation in wide.


In August 1984 a 28-year-old woman presented with a history of secondary infertility. She had been trying unsuccessfully for 1 year to become pregnant. The patient reported intermittent passage of firm material from her vagina. She stated that these pieces were bone. The patient had a history of anxiety and depression. She had had a therapeutic abortion by dilation, suction evacuation and curettage at 16 weeks' gestation 21/2 years earlier. She had continued to have bleeding and cramps, so ultrasonography was performed 4 months later; it showed retained products of conception. Dilation and curettage was scheduled, but the entire episode had upset her so much that she refused the procedure. Her menses had subsequently returned to normal, and she had otherwise been healthy, but she complained that she occasionally passed pieces of bone. Once a sharp piece of bone had caused a small laceration in her partner during intercourse. It was difficult to believe this story, but one day


This article describes a collaborative interagency multidisciplinary outreach team, designed to house individuals who are absolutely homeless (living outdoors), have not successfully responded to other programs, and who have either a severe and persistent mental illness, personality disorder, developmental challenge, or untreated medical needs. The collaborative care model was adapted for an urban Canadian setting from the U.S. Housing First model to meet the housing and treatment needs of chronically homeless persons and to address the unique characteristics and service needs of those living outdoors. Preliminary outcomes and implications for service delivery to this vulnerable group are discussed.


P16/INK4A is tumor suppressor protein that plays a critical role in cell cycle regulation. Loss of P16 protein expression has been implicated in pathogenesis of many cancers, including lymphoma. Therefore, we sought to investigate if loss of P16 protein expression is associated with lymphoma and/or any specific lymphoma subtypes (Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and nonHodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)). Fifty-five lymphoma cases consisted of 30 cases of HL and 25 cases of NHL, with an age range of 3 to 78 years, were examined for loss of P16 by immunohistochemical technique using a specific antibody reacting against P16. In total, P16 loss was seen in 33% of all lymphoma cases. P16 loss was identified in 47.7% of HL cases. In contrast, only 16% of NHL showed loss of P16. Loss of P16 was seen in 67% of HL patients with 50 years of age or older, whereas P16 loss was found in only 42% of HL patients with less than 50 years of age. P16 loss in HL is somewhat higher in male (55%) than in female (30%). In subtypes of HL, P16 loss was found exclusively in all cases of lymphocyte depletion, lymphocyte predominance and unclassified cases, whereas P16 loss was seen in 39% of mixed cellularity and 29% of nodular sclerosis cases. In low grade NHL patients, P16 loss was seen in approximately one-third of cases, whereas no or very rare of P16 loss was found in intermediate and high grade cases. P16 loss did not show any correlation with age or gender of NHL patients. In conclusion, the high rate of P16 loss seen in our study suggests that loss of P16 expression plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of lymphoma, particularly with HL. Keywords—B-cells, immunostaining, P16 protein, ReedSternberg cells, tumors.


There are over 1,000 community colleges (CC) in the U.S.; they enroll more than 13 million students--nearly half of all undergraduates-- and over half of CC students are non-white (American Association of Community Colleges). However, efforts to broaden participation in computing have been directed disproportionately to 4-year institutions. The focus of this panel is on research and strategies for increasing the retention of students from groups that are underrepresented in computing--female, Latinx, and African American students. It includes experts from across the US--from CC's and a research organization. The panelists will describe curriculum and programs that are designed to support students, and include the perspectives of students on what helps and hinders them from persisting. The intended audience for this panel is researchers, educators, and administrators from both community colleges and 4-year institutions.


BACKGROUND: The discrepancy between policy makers decisions, current research and clinical practice is of huge significance to the health industry and the Australian community.
AIM: Evaluate of translational research frameworks and policy formulation within the Australian oral health context.
METHODS: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a focused systematic search was conducted using an electronic search of the CINAHL database, including Medline, Cochrane and Scopus. A combination of key terms including "oral health", "prevention'', 'translational research', "public policy", were used for the searches.
RESULTS: The initial literature search found 561 abstracts in CINAHL database. Review against the inclusion criteria and removal of duplicates yielded 129 abstracts; further reviewed against the inclusion criteria resulted in 35 included in the review of translational research models. Across the 35 papers 8 different frameworks for translation of research evidence into policy and practice were utilised across the literature. The results reported in this studies show that the PARiHS framework depicts successful translation as a function of the relationship between evidence, context and facilitation. These interplays of elements are particularly of relevance to oral health due to the complexity of the sector. Context (current and historical) and facilitation (including governance/regulation) are the foundational drivers of successful implantation of evidence into practice.
CONCLUSION: The PARiHS framework for implementing research into practice is an appropriate model for oral health. Universal access is a feasible step in addressing the current inequities of access to oral health care.


One-year-old selectively parathyroidectomized rats showed, on a normal dietary intake of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D, a reduction in plasma calcium to below 4.1 mEq./1 in 86 per cent and on restricted calcium intake in 100 per cent. On the normal level of dietary calcium, normalization of plasma calcium occurred 17 per cent within 8 weeks and in another 40 per cent between the 8th and 27th week of observation while on the low level only 10 per cent of the animals normalized their plasma calcium and first after the long-term period of observation. This was most probably accomplished by successively restored parathyroid activity from aberrant parathyroid tissue as deducted from data regarding the metabolism of calcium, magnesium and inorganic phosphate. Adaptation, viz. normalization of plasma calcium, was brought about by mobilization of skeletal calcium with resulting osteoporosis, as reported in our previous study on the same animals. Intestinal net absorption of calcium showed no significant difference between normocalcemic normophosphatemic intact and hypocalcemic hyperphosphatemic parathyroidectomized animals at the respective level of dietary calcium. Thus, parathyroidectomized animals with persistently reduced plasma calcium showed a normal adaptory increase in intestinal calcium absorption upon chronically restricted calcium intake. In the discussion of the regulation of this adaptory system the possible effects of the plasma concentrations of both calcium and inorganic phosphate upon the intracellular Ca22+concentration in the kidney tubules must be considered. Plasma magnesium did not appear to have a primary influence. Intestinal absorption of inorganic phosphate was not dependent upon the presence of the parathyroids but followed that of calcium suggesting a regulation by the action of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.


2812-Pos Board B242 Promotion of Coalescence in Bicellar Mixtures by an SP-B Fragment Chris Miranda, Valerie Booth, Michael R. Morrow. Physics and Physical Oceanography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada. Maintenance of a functional surfactant layer requires the transfer of material between bilayer reservoirs and the surface-active layer. It is believed that SP-B facilitates the interlayer contact and mixing implicit in such activity. SP-B's role in promoting these contacts was investigated though the use of bilayered micelle mixtures containing shortand long-chain lipids. Upon warming, these bicellar mixtures progressively coalesce into more extended structures and are thus an interesting system in which to study the capacity of polypeptides to promote interactions between lipid structures. H NMR was used to identify the capacity of perturbation by an SP-B fragment (SPB63-78) upon bicellar mixtures of DMPC-d54/DMPG/DHPC and DMPC-d54/ DMPC/DHPC in nominal 3:1:1 molar ratios. In the presence of mixtures containing anionic lipids (DMPC-d54/DMPG/DHPC), SP-B63-78 (concentration approximately 10% of lipid weight) was found to lower the temperature at which coalescence to extended lamellar structures occurred. Conversely, when anionic lipids were replaced with zwitterionic lipids (DMPC-d54/ DMPC/DHPC), SP-B63-78 did not perturb the temperature at which the transition to extended lamellar structures occurred. These results indicate that the interaction of SP-B63-78 with model membranes is dependent upon the presence of anionic lipids and further suggest a mechanism by which full length SP-B may interact with membranes.


Background: Cancer is considered clinically heterogeneous. Some cancers are indolent and localized, while others are aggressive and easily spread to other parts of the body with metastasis. Whether diagnosis methods or therapy selection has moved towards combination, personalization and diversity. Therefore, it is important to standardize clinical file management, biospecimen collection and translational research of cancer.Methods: Data were retrieved from the Clinical Study Project on Cancer in XXXX, an ongoing longitudinal study including more than 1500 genitourinary cancer people.Results: The standard clinical diagnosis, treatment and translational research workflow was built based on current medical administration technology, molecular research method and triangle coordination relationship among doctor, patient and researcher. Raised awareness of warning signs and improved healthy styles showed high-quality follow-up and clinical outcome. At last, the system helps research ability improvement based on the skills proficiency and achieve medicine-research-education integration. Conclusion: Our analysis will help ensure patient health, enhance doctor-patient relationship, improve research efficiency and support continuing education. The goal of sustainable work participation in cancer survivors can be improved by the delivery of a personalised clinical management and education intervention. Furthermore, successful work outcomes often involve the cooperation of doctors, cancer survivors and clinical researchers.


An efficient gold-catalyzed formation of indenylidene-derived 1H-isochromene-4-carbaldehydes from substituted 1,5,10-triyne-O-silanes was developed under mild reaction conditions. In this reaction, gold-catalyzed selective oxidation, 1,2-migration, nucleophilic addition and then 5-endo-dig cyclization took place regioselectively. The indenylidene-derived isochromene-4-carbaldehydes were synthesized in moderate to very good yields via the formation of new C-C and C-O bonds in one pot.


Predicting the properties of complex polymeric materials based on monomer chemistry requires modeling physical interactions that bridge molecular, interchain, microstructure, and bulk length scales. For polyurethanes, a polymer class with global commercial and industrial significance, these multiscale challenges are intrinsic due to the thermodynamic incompatibility of the urethane and polyol-rich domains, resulting in heterogeneities from molecular to microstructural length scales. Machine learning can model patterns in data to establish a relationship between the monomer chemistry and bulk material properties, but this is made difficult by small data sets and a diverse set of monomers. Using a data set of 63 industrially relevant and complex elastomers, we demonstrate that accurate machine learning predictions are possible when monomer chemistry is used to estimate interactions at interchain length scales. Here, these features were used to accurately (r2 = 0.91) predict the Young's modulus of polyurethane and polyurethane-urea elastomers. Furthermore, by a query of the trained model for compositions that yield a target modulus within the range of accessible values, the capabilities of using this methodology as a design tool are demonstrated. The presented methodology could become increasingly useful in building models for materials with small data sets and may guide the interpretation of the underlying physicochemical forces.


An amphiphilic block copolymer poly(e-caprolactone)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) terminated with a pyrene group (Py-PCL-b-P(NIPAM-co-DMAEMA)) was synthesised by the combination of ring-opening polymerisation (ROP), DCC reaction and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerisation (RAFT). The micelles self-assembled from the copolymer and showed switchable CO2-temperature dual responses. The copolymerisation incorporating DMAEMA was used as a CO2-responsive trigger into NIPAM, and the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) value could be switched by the gas. The fluorescence intensities and the controlled drug release properties could be adjusted and achieved by altering the temperature of the micelle solution and bubbling CO2/Ar into the micelle solution.


IntroductionAs well known, to this day, the figure of school doctor is absent and much less physical activity is carried out in primary schools. For this reason, the Italian National Fair Play Committee, a meritorious association legally recognized, founded in 1994, in full synergy with Sport and Health, with CONI, Federations and Sports Promotion Bodies, aware of its vocational role, since 2010 had proceeded to establish "Medici Fair Play", as a not just conceptual defense, to integrate the precious action carried out by sports medicine with the verification of suitability for the practice. Aim of the studyThrough a screening project focused on postural problems, named "IOCHIRON, POSTURE IS HEALTH", we prepared a real cornerstone for health prevention and for charitable and useful purposes for the Higher Institute of Health. The initiative provides for a national screening activity in the three-year period 2022-2024, through an assessment with non-invasive tests, to study the structural level posture of over 7 million children and adolescents. This educational path aims to prevent wrong postures in children and adolescents, between 6 and 15 years of age, who are at the peak of growth, with a huge benefit on possible pathologies that could be found when adult, thus saving high costs to the SSN (or NHS).MethodsThe presented observational study represents the first experience carried out by the CeFiRR Structure (Center for Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation) at Gemelli Molise S.p.A. 120 school-age subjects were evaluated through a BioPostural questionnaire and an observational form which provided for the evaluation of the asymmetries of: shoulders, scapula, pelvis, knees, hindfoot, trunk rotation (through a scoliosometer), posterior overhang (through the plumb line) and the plantar vault (through static barodopometry).The outcome measures were calculated on the basis of the number of "YES" responses of the BioPostural questionnaire, and on the basis of the number of "YES" evaluations of the observational form.From the interdisciplinary communication and the interpretation of the outcome measures, Posture was classified the in: Asymmetrical, Dysfunctional and Pathological.ResultsThe 42% of the examined subjects presented a shoulder asymmetry (bisacromial line) and a pelvis asymmetry (bisiliac line); the 33% presented a scapulae asymmetry (lower angle of the scapula); and the 9% of the examined subjects presented a flattening of the plantar vault.The BioPostural Questionnaire reflected what was subsequently observed with the observational form and in particular for the number of affirmative answers recorded, it did not suggest further insights into any subject through a Digitalized Biometric analysis, but it highlighted an important number of subjects in the sample who reported: low back pain (85), neck-pain while studying or reading (68). Conclusions The retrospective observational study showed the possibility of observing the adolescent subject in a very short time and with inexpensive instruments (e.g. plumb bob, Bunner's scoliometer, and stabulometric platform) with the collaboration of various health professionals.This experience allowed us to create a classification, in three degrees, of posture which encloses the objective and subjective characteristics of the subject evaluated for a better interpretation of the data, at a territorial and multi-specialist level.The points of weaknesses of the study are represented by the exiguity of the sample examined, and by the difficulty in exposing and finalizing the data collected at a multidisciplinary level, in a field that is still not so much known.For future experiences, it would be necessary to increase the number of subjects examined and standardize the finalization of the data so that they can be ready for use and vision by a greater number of health professionals and medical specialists


Six images of IRC+10216 taken by the Hubble Space Telescope at three epochs in 2001, 2011, and 2016 are compared in the rest frame of the central carbon star. An accurate astrometry has been achieved with the help of Gaia Data Release 2. The positions of the carbon star in the individual epochs are determined using its known proper motion, defining the rest frame of the star. In 2016, a local brightness peak with compact and red nature is detected at the stellar position. A comparison of the color maps between 2016 and 2011 epochs reveals that the reddest spot moved along with the star, suggesting a possibility of it being the dusty material surrounding the carbon star. The relatively red, ambient region is distributed in an Ω shape and corresponds well to the dusty disk previously suggested based on near-infrared polarization observations. In a larger scale, differential proper motion of multiple ring-like patterns in the rest frame of the star is used to derive the average expansion velocity of transverse wind components, resulting in ∼12.5 km s−1(d/123 pc), where d is the distance to IRC+10216. Three-dimensional geometry is implied from its comparison with the line-of-sight wind velocity determined from half widths of submillimeter emission line profiles of abundant molecules. Uneven temporal variations in brightness for different searchlight beams and anisotropic distribution of the extended halo are revisited in the context of the stellar light illumination through a porous envelope with postulated longer-term variations for a period of ≲10 yr.


Here we present results from a survey on anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in healthy blood donors from a low incidence COVID-19 area (Apulia region, South Eastern Italy). Among 904 subjects tested, only in 9 cases (0.99%) antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were demonstrated. All the 9 seropositive patients were negative for the research of viral RNA by RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swab. These data, along with those recently reported from other countries, clearly show that we are very far from herd immunity and that the containment measures are at the moment the only realistic instrument we have to slow the spread of the pandemic.


AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 18-22, 2009; Denver, CO

Aberrant activation of NF-\#954;B is an important therapeutic target in cancer; therefore quantitative measurement of its activity is an important parameter of response. The intracellular distribution of NF-\#954;B, indicative of its activity, can be differentially and quantitatively analyzed in heterogeneous cell populations with the ImageStream platform, which combines the high throughput power of flow cytometry and the imaging information of microscopy. To demonstrate its clinical application, the sensitivity and specificity of ImageStream analysis to determine NF-\#954;B activation was determined and compared with visual analysis by microscopy. Furthermore, effects of anticoagulants and nucleated cell enrichment techniques on NF-\#954;B activation state were investigated. The ML-1 cell line (human myeloid leukemia) with and without in vitro exposure to TNF\#945; was used as a controllable source of baseline and activated NF-\#954;B activity. TNF\#945; reproducibly induced nuclear NF-\#954;B translocation in both a dose- and time-dependent manner. Nuclear translocation of NF-\#954;B in individual cells was assessed using a similarity score: a log-transformed Pearson\#8217;s correlation coefficient between the digitized images of immunostained p65 and a nuclear stain (DRAQ5). Shifts in the population (n=5,000) distributions of this similarity score were assessed by a resolution metric ( R d). Visual image interpretation of NF-\#954;B translocation using 3 categories (untranslocated, in-transition, translocated) correlated well with the ImageStream analysis for the two extremes with significantly different mean similarity scores for each ( p <.05). For the transitional category, the similarity score distribution showed a large variation with a mean skewed towards the untranslocated category distributions. Sensitivity of detection was assessed by titering activated cells into a non-activated cell population (n=10,000). A strong linear correlation was found between decreasing R d values and decreasing numbers of activated cells for dilutions from 100%-10% (r2=0.9766) and 10%-1% (r2=0.8654). Of commonly used anticoagulants, heparin did not affect the NF-\#954;B activation state. Both NH4Cl lysis and density gradient centrifugation were found to affect NF-\#954;B activation. Immediate exposure to a commercial lysing/fixation reagent preserved the NF-\#954;B activity state the best. Thus, ImageStream technology has been found to quantify NF-\#954;B activation in heterogenous samples with high specificity and sensitivity and more quantitative compared to microscopy. Sample preparation conditions have been optimized to ensure preservation of NF-\#954;B location at the time of sample collection. For clinical studies targeting NF-\#954;B, this method should prove to be extremely useful to determine NF-\#954;B activity as a parameter of response in (immunophenotypically definable) target cells. Supported by NIH 1R21CA126667 (HM), 1S10RR022335 (PKW), 2P30CA016056-32 (RPCI).

Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 2764.


This paper suggests the structure of patent data integration and analysis based on business intelligence (BI) to help enterprises make the effective decisions about patent strategy and orientation of technological development by extracting effective information from mass data. Firstly, the patent data is acquired from heterogeneous data sources into the local database. Then, we can load the business data into the data warehouse after fulfilling the data extraction, transformation, and cleaning through extraction-transformation-loading (ETL) tools. Thirdly, the patent analysis based on key performance indicators (KPI) is performed with data mining models. Finally, the patent graphs drawn by KPI analysis can be published on the Microsoft Office Share point Server (MOSS) platform to realize information sharing and centralized management.


We investigated wolf feeding habits in relation to the abundance of wild and domestic ungulates to test the hypothesis that large prey are preferred and that their abundance affects the use of other food categories and diet breadth. We determined diet composition by scat analysis from December 1987 to December 1992. The research was carried out in three study areas located in northern Italy and characterised by marked differences in wild and domestic ungulate abundance. In study area A (low wild and domestic ungulate availability) fruits, livestock, other vertebrates and wild ungulates made up the bulk of the diet (71% in volume). In area B (high availability of livestock) wolf diet was mainly based on sheep and wild boars (80% in volume). In study area C (high availability of wild ungulates) wild ungulates were the main food of wolves (90% in volume). Significant differences were found among study areas in the mean percentage volume of all food categories and in particular for wild ungulates, livestock, other vertebrates and fruits (p < 0.0001 in all cases). Diet breadth decreased in areas with high availability of large wild and domestic herbivores. The use of livestock species was lower where there was high abundance, richness and diversity of the wild ungulate guild. Selection for wild ungulate species was partially alfected by their abundance; however other factors as prey social behaviour, adaptability to the habitat (for introduced species), and body size could have an important role in species selection by wolves. In particular in area C wild boars were selected for, roc and red deers avoided. and fallow deers and mouflons used as available. Livestock species were used in relation to their abundance and accessibility, in particular sheep were selected for and cattle avoided: but if calves born in the pastures were considered as the only available cattle, they were selected for and sheep were used as available. Large and in particular wild herbivores were found to be of great importance for the wolf population maintenance in northern Italy, one of the most important recovery areas of Mediterranean wolves.


Islam, a religion embraced by hundreds of millions of Muslims in the world, is a way of life that guarantees the happiness of life for its adherents in this world and in the hereafter. It has one essential joint which functions to guide the straight path. Where the instructions are globally covered in the Qur'an. The formulation of the problem that the author examines is how is the pattern of human personality in the Qur'an Surah Al Baqarah verses 2-14 and how is the character of each human personality in the Qur'an Surah Al Baqarah verses 2-14. While the purpose of this research is to to know, the patterns of human personality according to the Qur'an Surah Al Baqarah verses 2 – 14 and to understand the character of each pattern of human personality according to the Qur'an Surah Al Baqarah verses 2 – 14. While the use of research is to make a contribution thoughts about personality and character that are appropriate and not in accordance with Islamic teachings, and are used as an effort for self-understanding which is expected to foster a noble personality and change a despicable personality. The research method used by the author is a data source, divided into two, namely primary data sources and secondary data sources. Methods of data collection, in this case to obtain data obtained by way of literature study which is pursued by the method of reading source books and analyzing and comparing for further identification and grouping and classified according to their respective characteristics in the form of chapters per chapters to facilitate data analysis. The results showed that the patterns of human personality in the perspective of the Qur'an (Study of Surah Al Baqarah verses 2 – 14) are personality classifications, humans are based on the aspect of aqidah, namely their willingness or rejection of the Qur'an as a way of life. The patterns of human personality in this verse are divided into three forms, namely the personality of the believer, the personality of the disbeliever and the personality of the hypocrite. Each has a different character. A believer is always obedient to Allah and willing to accept the Qur'an as his guide in life, an unbeliever is a person who denies Allah and the existence of the Qur'an. Meanwhile, a hypocrite person is a person who is difficult to identify. Outwardly, he appears to be a believer but inwardly he is a disbeliever.


Mapping a shape to some parametric domain is a fundamental tool in graphics and scientific computing. In practice, a map between two shapes is commonly represented by two meshes with same connectivity and different embedding. The standard approach is to input a meshing of one of the two domains plus a function that projects its boundary to the other domain, and then solve for the position of the interior vertices. Inspired by basic principles in mesh generation, in this paper we present the reader a novel point of view on mesh parameterization: we consider connectivity as an additional unknown, and assume that our inputs are just two boundaries that enclose the domains we want to connect. We compute the map by simultaneously growing the same mesh inside both shapes.This change in perspective allows us to recast the parameterization problem as a mesh generation problem, granting access to a wide set of mature tools that are typically not used in this setting. Our practical outcome is a provably robust yet trivial to implement algorithm that maps any planar shape with simple topology to a homotopic domain that is weakly visible from an inner convex kernel. Furthermore, we speculate on a possible extension of the proposed ideas to volumetric maps, listing the major challenges that arise. Differently from prior methods, for which we show that a volumetric extension is not possible, our analysis leaves us reasoneable hopes that the robust generation of volumetric maps via compatible mesh generation could be obtained in the future.


Objectives. We aim to explore the relationship between the role of social capital and entrepreneurial learning by investigating the entrepreneurial journey of student and graduate entrepreneurs.
Prior Work. It is widely acknowledged that the most powerful resource of an entrepreneur is their network: individuals, groups or organisations that support, advice and even finance an entrepreneur's growth. Because of this, entrepreneurship education programmes have been using entrepreneurs to connect students to the 'real world', providing them an initial network of entrepreneurs and the skills to develop their own network. Nonetheless, the real impact of networking on students learning has not yet been fully explored.
Approach. This qualitative study uses unstructured interviews with three student and graduate entrepreneurs at both the University of Leeds and Chalmers University of Technology. Interviews focused on understanding the six entrepreneurs' journey through entrepreneurial activities (critical incidents) and how social networks influenced these activities; interviewees were asked to reflect on their entrepreneurial journey, covering secondary school, university, post-university and expectations for the immediate future.
Results. Main findings evidenced that the UK three entrepreneurs started to show some kind of entrepreneurial behaviour during secondary school education. All respondents though increased their network awareness through their entrepreneurial journey: from "don't know" to "know" to "need". Moreover, at the beginning the network was mostly informal (family and friends), becoming more formal according to the increased complexity of the entrepreneurial activity. During their entrepreneurial journey, interviewees agreed that at the beginning nobody taught them how to be entrepreneur or even the skills they needed to carry on the entrepreneurial activity. But once their journey became more complex and serious, they needed skills and knowledge that they were not able to develop by their own; in that moment entrepreneurs realised that their network could provide them with people from who learn new capabilities, using informal learning processes to close the gap between their scarcities and needs.
Implications. The study exposes that networks facilitate entrepreneurial learning through informal learning processes which need to be translated into entrepreneurship education in a higher education context. One way is to legitimise social networking activities within the university environment, while another is embedding social networking into formal and non-formal entrepreneurship education.
Value. Social networking is not simply building a contact list; it is part of the social capital needed to help the entrepreneurial journey. This study exposes the previously missing value of social networking and encourages educators to embed activities within the curriculum that facilitate students' informal learning.


Alkoxyl radicals have a wide range of applications in organic synthesis due to their remarkable chemical properties in molecular transformation. The present study shows two types of alkoxyl radicals (primary vs tertiary) to selectively undergo dehydrogenation and beta-scission to give rise to key structural elements of (-)-CP-263,114 (1). By alkoxyl radical transformation followed by installation of the C19-C25 (CP numbering) side chain and the bridged bisacetal unit, the functionalized CP precursor 2 was obtained.


In this work, thermodynamically consistent, non-associative and fully anisotropic elastoplastic constitutive equations strongly coupled with ductile anisotropic damage developed in previous work are used to study the responses of the proposed model under various simple and complex loading paths. First, the complete set of the fully coupled non-associative constitutive equations based on the rotated frame formulation (RFF) for finite strains is summarized and shortly discussed. Then, the effect of the rotating frame in the model response is analyzed on the light of typical loading paths. The influence of the induced plastic anisotropies on the evolution of the anisotropic ductile damage is investigated. Finally, the responses of the model for non-proportional loading paths are studied, compared and discussed with respect to the initial and induced anisotropies of the plastic flow and the ductile damage evolution as well as with respect to the rotating frame choice.


Background Developmental delay is a major health problem throughout the world causing significant individual disability. Even though physical examination and patient history are the most important and basic evaluations of patients with developmental delay, additional investigations are usually required in supporting or reaching a diagnosis among which is neuroimaging. This study aims to assess brain Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patterns in patients presented with developmental delay. Method A retrospective analysis of 164 patients who had undergone brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) evaluation for the developmental delay was done. The study was conducted between March to November 2021 G.C at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH). The patients' clinical history and magnetic resonance imaging reports were reviewed from their medical records. All patients with developmental delay who had brain MRI evaluation at TASH and at one private diagnostic center in Addis Ababa were included in the study. Results A total of 164 patients were included in this study of which 95(57.9%) were male and 69(42.1%) female patients were seen. A total of 120 patients (73.2%) showed abnormal brain MRI studies. Previous neurovascular insults were the most common abnormalities seen in 75(45.7%) patients followed by imaging findings of congenital and developmental abnormalities seen in 20(12.2%) patients. Conclusion Brain MRI is an important input in the evaluation of patients with developmental delay. It can give evidence for the cause of developmental delay, especially in the diagnosis of perinatal/hypoxic-ischemic insults, and congenital and developmental malformations.


The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes in health care. The status quo has been upended. We have been challenged in many ways to maintain our ability to meet the needs of our clients while keeping them safe. The Center for Perinatal Education and Lactation at NYU Langone Hospitals, in one of the initial epicenters of the pandemic in New York City, had to abruptly transition the childbirth education program to a virtual format in March of 2020. The goal for this change was to continue to provide evidence-based support and guidance our to our expectant and new families through this crisis. This report focuses on the process and challenges of transitioning to and implementation of the virtual format in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. We discuss the rapidly evolving programmatic changes to our approach and reflect on the themes and changing landscape of our newly structured model. Questions and answers live discussion webinars "Ask the Educator" on various topics were a valuable tool in connecting with families and allaying anxiety and fear.


This brief addresses the optimal-stabilization problem for networked control systems (NCSs) with time delays and packet losses. The closed-loop NCS is modeled as a discrete-time switched system, and the stability conditions are derived in terms of linear matrix inequality. A controller design method with both system stability and control performance taken into account is proposed, and estimation of distribution algorithm is used to select the optimal stabilizing gain. The proposed method can be easily implemented to various applications, since it has simple structure and has no assumptions on time-delay and packet-loss models. Simulation and experimental results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


Bovine tuberculosis is a zoonotic disease which should be emphasized in our country as in many countries. A large number of genotypes have been revealed by spoligotyping method of M. bovis in the world. M. bovis SIT 482. BOV is one of these genotypes and it is also M. bovis genotype in which BCG vaccine is administered in humans. The BCG vaccine is obtained through multiple passages of this genotype. However, this genotype, like other genotypes, can cause serious infections in humans and animals. There are data on the isolation of M. bovis SIT 482 BOV from animal and human tuberculosis cases in the world. In our country, the isolation of this genotype has been reported only in humans and no data have been found in the animals. In this study, M. bovis SIT 482. BOV was isolated from the samples of six cattle with internal organ samples obtained from licensed slaughterhouses in Aksaray. While isolation is carried out with BACTEC MGIT 960 liquid media, spoligotyping was carried out according to the manufacturer's  with kit (Isogen LifeScience, The Netherlands). This study aims to report M. bovis SIT 482 BOV from cattle in Turkey for the first time, to draw attention a very limited number reported in M. bovis cases in Turkey, highlight the importance of genotyping of tuberculosis factors and contribute to epidemiological studies. These and similar studies will contribute to the creation of genetic maps for eradication of M. bovis from cattle in our country. The study was also conducted to investigate whether M. bovis SIT 482. BOV isolated from cattle in Aksaray province is BCG strain or another strain giving the same pattern.


Total cross sections for the production of He+(2p) in collisions of H+ and e- with He at energies from 75 to 800 keV and from 0.8 to 7 keV respectively were measured. The ratio of the cross sections for He+(2p) production and for single ionization is discussed to investigate the contribution of electron correlations in the two-electron transition leading to He+(2p). For the first time the impact of H2+ and H3+ ions in comparison with H+ impact has also been studied for the energy range mentioned above.


The composition of the cores in massive neutron stars is analyzed using the pseudoconformal model (PCM) proposed by us. We find that, in massive neutron stars there are cores made of matter in which the sound velocity approaches $v_s/c = 1/\sqrt{3}$ -- the conformal limit -- and the polytropic index is $\gamma \leq 1.75$, near 1, but the conformal symmetry is not restored and the chiral symmetry is in the Nambu-Golstone mode. The constituents are fractionally (baryon-)charged and not deconfined. With the help of the Cheshire-Cat principle, the matter in the cores can be interpreted as quasi-quarks resulting at $n\gtrsim 2.5 n_0$ from quark-hadron duality.


Knowledge issues are central to governance choice. Organization structure influences knowledge flows and costs of knowledge creation and exchange inside the firm. Yet the question of how a firm's internal structure affects its governance choice for new activities has received scant empirical attention. We examine the role of internal structure, specifically unit autonomy and lateral coordination, in a firm's governance decision for new, knowledge-intensive activities. The findings show that internal structure is a 'shift parameter' that affects governance choice by moderating the relationship between task complexity and degree of integration. The empirical setting is the U.S. banking industry and its adoption of Internet banking. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The structural and optical properties of lattice-matched InAs0.911Sb0.089 bulk layers and strain-balanced InAs/InAs1−xSbx (x ∼ 0.1–0.4) superlattices grown on (100)-oriented GaSb substrates by molecular beam epitaxy are examined using X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and temperature dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photoluminescence and ellipsometry measurements determine the ground state bandgap energy and the X-ray diffraction measurements determine the layer thickness and mole fraction of the structures studied. Detailed modeling of the X-ray diffraction data is employed to quantify unintentional incorporation of approximately 1% Sb into the InAs layers of the superlattices. A Kronig-Penney model of the superlattice miniband structure is used to analyze the valence band offset between InAs and InAsSb, and hence the InAsSb band edge positions at each mole fraction. The resulting composition dependence of the bandgap energy and band edge positions of InAsSb are described using the bandgap bowing model; the respective low and room temperature bowing parameters for bulk InAsSb are 938 and 750 meV for the bandgap, 558 and 383 meV for the conduction band, and −380 and −367 meV for the valence band.


Using outdoor time-series I–V curves, the analytic Isc–Voc method was applied to glass/backsheet and glass/glass crystalline silicon module constructions with ventilated and insulated mounting configurations in order to explore contributing factors to degradation in the power performance. The rates of power loss modes; namely uniform current, recombination, series resistance, and current mismatch, were assessed for each module and configuration. The effect of thermal insulation was evident in the glass/backsheet module with an ethylene-vinyl acetate type encapsulant: the observed loss in the performance was chiefly originated from the resistive loss. The cell and metallization defects induced by thermo-mechanical stresses were believed to be main reasons. However, the double glass module with a polyvinyl-butyral type encapsulant was more resistant to thermal effects: a large increase in the uniform current, compensated by the resistive loss, was the main driver for the observed gain in the performance. For all modules and configurations, the calculated power loss mode rates were compared with the reported performance loss rates and they were found to be in close agreement. This analytic technique was found to be a powerful method in order to determine and quantify the individual contributions from specific power loss modes to overall module performance.


Although post-acute cognitive dysfunction and neuroimaging abnormalities have been reported after hospital discharge in patients recovered from COVID-19, little is known about persistent, long-term alterations in people without hospitalization. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 87 non-hospitalized recovered individuals 54 days after the laboratory confirmation of COVID-19. We performed structured interviews, neurological examination, 3T-MRI scans with diffusion tensor images (DTI) and functional resting-state images (fMRI). Also, we investigated fatigue, anxiety, depression, somnolence, language, memory, and cognitive flexibility, using validated instruments. Individuals self-reported a high frequency of headache (40%) and memory difficulties (33%). The quantitative analyses confirmed symptoms of fatigue (68%), excessive somnolence (35%), anxiety (29%), impaired cognitive flexibility (40%) and language impairment (33%). There were widespread cerebral white matter alterations (mainly characterized by increased fractional anisotropy), which correlated with abnormal attention and cognitive flexibility. The resting-state fMRI networks analysis showed severely disrupted brain hyperconnectivity and loss of resting-state networks specificity.


Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an emerging wireless technology with many potential applications, including supply chain management, personnel tracking and point of sale checkout. Its wide spread adoption raises concerns about known security and privacy vulnerabilities, including the ability of rogue RFID readers to access the unique identifier and data of RFID tags. To prevent the eavesdropping of tag through communication channel, methods like one-way hashing, cryptography and one-time pads have been used; however they do not prevent the clandestine tracking of tags using their unique identifier.We describe a novel scheme to protect the identity of tags, and prevent them from being clandestinely tracked and inventoried. Our approach uses inexpensive passive RFID tags, an RFID reader, an authenticating agent, and a local entity that can dynamically reprogram tags to protect their identity. We ensure visibility of goods to authorized RFID readers at any point in the transit of RFID tagged goods from one location to another, while denying information to unauthorized readers. The approach protects the identity of the RFID tags without significant changes to the existing infrastructure and obviates the need for expensive active RFID tags. We present our scheme in the context of a transit vehicle like a truck which carries RFID tagged goods from one place to another.


Nano mint waste (NMW) was used as a low-cost nano biosorbent and efficient Pb(II) remover. pH, contact time, biosorbent dose, and concentration of metal ion were optimized using batch technique to optimize maximum capacity of this new biosorbent. NMW was characterized using FT-IR, SEM, TEM, and XRD analyses. The experimental Pb(II) adsorption data by NMW were agreed with both Freundlich and Langmuir models with maximum boisorption capacity of 2.13 mmolg-1 (441.336 mgg-1). In addition, values of lead uptake at different time vaues was best fitted with the kinetic pseudo-second order model. It will be notable that, good data resulted from the kinetic experiments study confirmed a fast accessibility of the Pb(II) to the biosorbent surface, get to equilibrium within 30 seconds. On the other hand, it was observed that, the developed method, was investigated for measuring of Pb(II) with a certain spiked amounts in natural water samples as ground water (GW), sea water (SW), drinking tap water (DTW), natural drinking water (NDW), Nile River water (NRW) and waste water (WW). The good results obtained with high recovered quantitatively using batch experiments, without matrix interferences. Considering its cheap source, environmentally friendly, economic and fast uptake process, NMW can be used as benign nano biosorbent for lead removal from real water samples.


Networks of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs), where all extractive activities are prohibited, are the most effective tool to directly protect marine ecosystems from destructive and unsustainable human activities. No-take MPAs and MPA networks have been globally implemented in coastal seas, and their success has been significantly enhanced where science-based biophysical guidelines have informed their design. Increasingly, as human pressure on marine ecosystems is expanding further offshore, governments are establishing offshore MPAs—some very large—or MPA networks. Globally, there are growing calls from scientists, non-government organisations, and national governments to set global conservation targets upwards of 30%. Given that most of the ocean is found either in the high seas or offshore within national Exclusive Economic Zones, large offshore MPAs or networks of MPAs must be a major component of these global targets for ocean protection. However, without adequate design, these offshore MPAs risk being placed to minimise conflict with economic interests, rather than to maximise biodiversity protection. This paper describes detailed biophysical guidelines that managers can use to design effective networks of no-take MPAs in offshore environments. We conducted a systematic review of existing biophysical design guidelines for networks of MPAs in coastal seas, and found consistent elements relating to size, shape, connectivity, timeframes, and representation of biophysical features. However, few of the guidelines are tailored to offshore environments, and few of the large offshore MPAs currently in place were designed systematically. We discuss how the common inshore design guidelines should be revised to be responsive to the characteristics of offshore ecosystems, including giving consideration of issues of scale, data availability, and uncertainty. We propose 10 biophysical guidelines that can be used to systematically design offshore networks of MPAs which will also contribute to the global goal of at least 30% protection globally. Finally, we offer three priority guidelines that reflect the unique conservation needs of offshore ecosystems: emphasising the need for larger MPAs; maximising the inclusion of special features that are known and mapped; and representing minimum percentages of habitats, or, where mapped, bioregions. Ultimately, MPA guidelines need to be embedded within an adaptive management framework, and have the flexibility to respond to emerging knowledge and new challenges.


3693 Clinical studies have shown that circulating tumor cells (CTC) accurately predict progression free and overall survival in patients with metastatic breast, colon, or prostate cancer. The CellTracks™ system is an FDA-cleared, automated system to enumerate CTC based on immunomagnetic separation and immunofluorescent characterization of recovered cells. To enable pre-clinical studies of CTC in metastasis and response to therapy, CellTracks™ was modified to permit serial detection of CTC in whole blood of mice bearing xenografts of human breast cancer cell lines or primary tumor biopsy specimens. Initial studies involved xenografts of rapidly growing human breast cancer cell lines (SKBr3 and Sum159), which prohibited long-term analysis of CTC due to animal death. This report presents data from serial CTC analyses in mice bearing xenografts from a slower-growing cell line, allowing more detailed temporal correlations between CTC kinetics and tumor size.
 Materials and methods:
 Mice: SCID/NOD mice were injected bilaterally in the 4th mammary fat pad with 106 MDA MB-231 cells. Tumor size was monitored weekly. 100 µl of blood was collected weekly via cardiac puncture for CTC analysis using CellTracks™ (Immunicon Corporation). CTC were considered present if ≥2 events were recorded on CellTracks™.
 Results:
 Palpable tumors were detected between 21 and 35 days in 10 of 14 mice injected with MDA MB-231 cells. CTC (range, 2 - 45 CTC/100µl) were detected at some time point in 13 of 14 mice. In 7 of 10 mice that developed a palpable tumor (volume ≥ 400mm3), CTC were observed to rise > 5/100µl and then become undetectable at least 7-14 days before the xenograft reached 400 mm3. A second detectable peak of CTC occurred in 8 of these mice between 30 and 45 days later.
 Conclusions:
 These data further validate that CellTracks™ can be used in preclinical studies to serially measure CTC in mice inoculated with a third, more indolent type of human breast cancer cell line. Furthermore, mice bearing xenografts from this cell line showed an unexpected, but reproducible "spike" in CTC levels that preceded appearance of a palpable tumor. We speculate that this pattern may be a consequence of pulsatile invasion and metastatic processes that result in intermittent shedding of CTC into the circulation.


In recent years a growing amount of interest has been dedicated to collections as data. A collections as data paradigm seeks to foster an expanded set of research, pedagogical, and artistic potential predicated on the computational use of cultural heritage collections. Collections as data raises the question of what it might mean to treat digitized and born digital collections as data rather than simple surrogates of physical objects or static representations of digital experience.


The coherent population trapping phenomenon (CPT) has created interesting avenues in the practical realization of atomic frequency standards using laser optical pumping. In practice two different types of standards can be implemented: a passive clock based on the dark state created in the ensemble by the CPT phenomenon and a maser based on the ground state oscillating magnetization induced by the same phenomenon. The paper describes the basic physics involved in the approach and summarizes the progress made thus far in the practical implementation of such frequency standards.


This paper presents the application of particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm for the simple assembly line balancing problem, SALBP-I. A new indirect encoding method for the solution of SALBP-I is developed to keep the feasibility of operation sequence. The particle that represents a feasible operation sequence (FOS) is based on a smallest position value rule. Given the FOS defined by a particle, the optimal assignment of the operations to the workstations is identified by an optimumseeking procedure with polynomial-time complexity. Then PSO is employed to find the optimum efficiently in the search space comprising the optimal assignments associated with all FOSs. The PSO algorithm is tested on a set of problems taken from the literature and compared with other approaches. The computation results show the effectiveness of the algorithm.


This is a selective, somewhat editorialized assessment, based on a literature survey, of computer simulation as it exists today in magnetospheric physics. Both large (MHD) and small scale dynamical simulations are described and considered from the perspective of what they are trying to do and with what success. Several specific problem areas where simulations are being carried out are called our for commentary: global magnetospheric structure, magnetotail and magnetopause reconnection, Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, hydro dynamic expansion of ionospheric ions, electric double layers, heavy ion heating, and auroral kilometric radiation. It is concluded that simulation is a necessary tool for understanding magnetospheric physics and that significant progress has been made in simulation development. However, results should be evaluated knowing that many factors, some real and physical, others structural, may contribute to such output. A plea is made for greater intercalibration among different simulators working in parallel areas, so that facts can be distinguished from artifacts.


Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived cytokine that is abundantly present in human plasma.1 2 Adiponectin levels are highest in lean subjects, but levels decline as body mass increases. Work in experimental models has shown that adiponectin mediates beneficial actions in cardiovascular and metabolic-associated diseases. For example, in mouse models, adiponectin modulates hypertrophic signals in the heart and exhibits direct anti-hypertrophic properties; in addition to improving vascular function and pathological remodelling.3 4 Despite the agreement and consistency of experimental studies on adiponectin, a number of clinical findings have questioned the utility of this adipokine as a biomarker for human diseases. On one hand, depressed adiponectin levels have been associated with greater cardiovascular risk and inflammation since hypoadiponectinaemia occurs in coronary artery disease, hypertension and insulin resistance.5–8 On the other hand, high adiponectin levels are present in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease independently of adiposity.9 In addition, chronic systolic heart failure is associated with elevated adiponectin levels.10–13 Now, Unno and colleagues report that adiponectin levels are elevated in non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with diastolic dysfunction ( see page 357 ).14

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), …


BACKGROUND
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most impairing anxiety disorder, a high percentage of patients remain undiagnosed at the primary care level. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical features of newly diagnosed GAD patients.

METHOD
Multicentre, cross-sectional observational study conducted in primary care settings. GAD patients were diagnosed according to the MINI psychiatric interview, and were included in the study if their score for GAD-7 was ≥10. Anxiety and depression levels, and sleep disturbances were determined by HADS and MOS-sleep scales, respectively. Data regarding pharmacological treatment and healthcare resources in the previous 3 months were collected.

RESULTS
2,232 patients were recruited; average GAD-7 score was 14.1 ± 2.7 (mean symptom duration 32.3 ± 43.3 months). 96.9% of patients had a comorbid medical illness, with 83.9% patients suffering from pain. Psychiatric comorbidities were present in 66.4% of patients (social anxiety 37%, major depression 19.1%). HADS-depression scores rendered 28.4% and 55.9% of patients as probable and depressive cases, respectively. Patients' sleep rated 6.2 ± 1.9 on average in a 1 to 10 visual analogue scale. Only 34.9% of patients were following non-pharmacological treatment and 86.5%, 69.4% and 49.7% were treated with benzodiazepines, antidepressants and antiepileptics, respectively. The mean number of visits to the primary care physician in the previous 3 months was 5 times.

LIMITATIONS
Cross-sectional design; does not allow to infer causality.


In light of research indicating that individual behavior may violate standard assumptions of rationality, we modify the standard model of preference aggregation to study the case in which neither individual nor collective preferences are required to satisfy transitivity or other coherence conditions. We introduce the concept of an ordinal rationality measure which can be used to compare preference relations in terms of their level of coherence. Using this measure, we introduce a monotonicity axiom which requires that the collective preference become more rational when the individual preferences become more rational. We show that for any ordinal rationality measure, it is impossible to nd a collective choice rule which satises the monotonicity axiom and the other standard assumptions introduced by Arrow (1963): unrestricted domain, weak Pareto, independence of irrelevant alternatives, and nondictatorship.


The data deluge is defined by increasing amounts of large data with increasing degree of uncertainty. In a recent response, probabilistic databases are receiving a great deal of interest from research and industry. One popular approach to probabilistic databases is to extend traditional relational database technology to handle uncertainty. In this approach probabilistic databases are probability distributions over a collection of possible worlds of relational databases. On the one hand, research has seen various efforts to extend query evaluation from relational to probabilistic databases. On the other hand, updates have not received much attention at all. In this paper we show that well-known syntactic normal form conditions capture probabilistic databases with desirable update behavior. Such behavior includes the absence of data redundancy, insertion, deletion, and modification anomalies. We further show that standard normalization procedures can be applied to standard representations of probabilistic databases to obtain database schemata that satisfy the normal form condition, and can thus be updated efficiently.


In this paper, we explore text classification with extremely weak supervision, i.e., only relying on the surface text of class names. This is a more challenging setting than the seed-driven weak supervision, which allows a few seed words per class. We opt to attack this problem from a representation learning perspective—ideal document representations should lead to nearly the same results between clustering and the desired classification. In particular, one can classify the same corpus differently (e.g., based on topics and locations), so document representations should be adaptive to the given class names. We propose a novel framework X-Class to realize the adaptive representations. Specifically, we first estimate class representations by incrementally adding the most similar word to each class until inconsistency arises. Following a tailored mixture of class attention mechanisms, we obtain the document representation via a weighted average of contextualized word representations. With the prior of each document assigned to its nearest class, we then cluster and align the documents to classes. Finally, we pick the most confident documents from each cluster to train a text classifier. Extensive experiments demonstrate that X-Class can rival and even outperform seed-driven weakly supervised methods on 7 benchmark datasets.


Concentration-effect relationship. With TOPFIT (6) we correlated the effect with concentration according to the equation: y = E max * CH/IC,,H + CH, resulting in a sigmoid curve, typical for drug receptor interactions. There will certainly be a minimum drug concentration to induce a measurable neuromuscular block. Such a threshold concentration may vary with the method and sensitivity of recording such as twitch tension, electromyography, and different stimulating patterns (e.g., single twitch, train-of-four ratio, tetanic stimulation). Bearing this limited precision of clinical neuromuscular monitoring in mind, we refrained from further increasing the complexity of the data without significant gain in the validity of the model.


The discourse of Korea's failed history has been mostly a production of Japanese colonial scholarship, but the early texts that American authors produced were what guided the Western understanding of Korean history during the long 20th Century. Despite the importance of these texts that left significant imprints on later academic works and policy decisions, scholars have not as yet examined properly the American discourse of failure in Korean history. This article analyzes the representative American books on Korean history of authors William E. Griffis and Homer B. Hulbert to describe the emergence of the American discourse of Korea's failed history in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries. It argues that early American authors of accounts of Korean history wrote them in a specific narrative structure that depicted Korea's past as a story of gradual decline that ended with failure. These works identify three major themes – isolation, victimization, and dependency – as explanations for why Korea failed. Then, the article examines the doctoral dissertations of Harold J. Noble and George M. McCune to show how this early narrative framework during the 1930s and the 1940s continued thereafter to shape U.S. understanding of Korea even into the 1950s, informing both policymakers and scholars.


Parallel corpora available for building machine translation (MT) models for dialectal Arabic (DA) are rather limited. The scarcity of resources has prompted the use of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) abundant resources to complement the limited dialectal resource. However, dialectal clitics often differ between MSA and DA. This paper compares morphology-aware DA word segmentation to other word segmentation approaches like Byte Pair Encoding (BPE) and Sub-word Regularization (SR). A set of experiments conducted on Egyptian Arabic (EA), Levantine Arabic (LA), and Gulf Arabic (GA) show that a sufficiently accurate morphology-aware segmentation used in conjunction with BPE outperforms the other word segmentation approaches.


A clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit with a novel two-mode phase comparator is proposed. The 10-Gb/s CDR integrated circuit (IC) operates both for consecutive identical digits (CID) and data transition density variations. This advance is achieved through the use of our novel two-mode phase comparator, which enables us to determine an optimal phase-locked loop parameter for various data patterns. Experimental results show that the jitter generation of the CDR IC is less than 7 pspp for a 2/sup 7/-1 pseudorandom bit sequence with up to 1024 CIDs. The results also show that the jitter transfer and jitter tolerance are unaffected by data transition density factors of between 1/8 and 1/2.


This paper investigated the uncertainty cascade in storylines of landslide susceptibility emerging from climate change and parametric landslide model uncertainty. In general, this paper is interesting and rich in content. However, there are many mistakes in the basic concept of landslide susceptibility, hazard and risk assessment. In terms of landslide susceptibility prediction modeling process, the writing of this paper is rather rough. In terms of organizational structure, the thesis is difficult to understand. Therefore, it is recommended to reject the paper.


Objective: To identify optimal sowing ratios, validation of production technology and seed quality in maize hybrids.
Design/methodology/approach: Sowing ratios of 4:2 and 6:2 were studied to observe their effect on the genotypes, as well as their quality and response in seed production; this was done by evaluating the following variables: days to male and female flowering, plant and ear height, percentage of ear and seed in cobs, commercial seed yield, thousand seed weight, number of seeds per kilogram, standard germination and hectoliter weight of the seed. An analysis of variance was carried out using a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement and four replications, the experimental unit being furrows of 20 linear meters.
Results: Significant differences were detected in the hybrids with respect to the variables and sowing ratios, which specifically influences the weight, size and number of seeds; the hybrid H-386A had the best response to the environment and ratios, exceeding the rest of the hybrids evaluated by 72.92 %.
Limitations on study/implications: The interaction of genotype and environment are factors that limit seed production; however, performing evaluations in different environments allows finding stable hybrids with high yields.
Findings/conclusions: The generation of knowledge allows us to make decisions regarding crop establishment and quality in seed production lots, being a recommended environment in CIRPAC's area of influence


Cross-strike structural discontinuities (CSDs) are zones of structural disruption several kilometers wide in the Appalachian and other overthrust belts. CSDs are not faults or fault zones. They typically contain about 1,000 cu km of unusually fractured rock. For example, in eastern West Virginia, one CSD (Parsons lineament) trends west-northwest at least from the Appalachian front to the Intraplateau structural front, with no evidence of basement involvement. The Parsons lineament has double to triple the normal joint intensity in exposed Upper Devonian siltstones. Another CSD (Petersburg lineament) trends west-southwest from the western Valley and Ridge province, and crosses the Appalachian structural front. The Petersburg lineament aligns with Arkle's hinge line, a prob ble basement flexure under the western and central Plateau province, and has twice-normal joint intensity in exposed Lower Pennsylvanian sandstones. The two CSDs appear to intersect in southern Tucker and northern Randolph Counties, West Virginia. CSDs and their intersections, particularly beneath intersections of short air-photo lineaments, may comprise highly permeable fractured reservoirs. If the seal is preserved, CSDs can provide a tool for extending exploration into the little-tested eastern Plateau province of West Virginia and adjacent states, where organic-rich Devonian shales are thick and thermally mature. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1591------------


the nonlinear optical properties of aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTS) are studied. Measured photoluminescence spectrum of MWCNTs film reveals that there are two emission peaks at 450 nm and 470 nm while MWCNTs are excited by 675 nm photons and 704 nm photons respectively. The MWCNTs absorption spectrum indicated that there are a peak point at 450 nm and a valley bottom at 470 nm. An energy model was proposed to explain the MWCNT multi-photon absorption reasonably: Three-photon absorption of 675 nm photons would lead to 450 nm photons emission while two-photon absorption of 704 nm would excite 470 nm photons. Keywords-MWCNTs; photoluminescence spectrum; absorption spectrum; energy model; multi-photon absorption


Only a few studies have been performed comparing subjective symptom improvements with objective improvement in esophageal emptying after pneumatic dilation (PD), and discrepancy existed. We evaluated whether esophagogram measurements adds to the traditional subjective symptoms scores in assessing achalasia patients after PD. We enrolled 32 new patients with achalasia who received endoscope-guided PD treatment between January 1998 and June 2004. Postdilation investigations were performed by using esophageal emptying on esophagogram prospectively in a blinded manner, along with symptom scores before and after PD at the initial investigation, 6 weeks later, and every 1 year thereafter. Our results showed that seven patients who noted complete relief showed less than 50% improvement in barium column height and esophageal diameter. There was no linear correlation between the degree of patient symptom improvement and esophageal emptying measured by esophagogram (r = 0.181, P = 0.322). A trend of association existed in the relationship between clinical remissions and initial post-PD esophageal emptying improvement (P = 0.067). In summary, the association between the post-PD symptom score improvement and degrees of esophageal emptying may be hampered by the small sample size in the current study. An additional objective parameter like esophagogram to the subjective symptom scores may be more optimal in assessing clinical remissions.


The authors performed retrospective investigations and evaluated the influence of the period of time between the onset of the first symptoms of the disease and the enucleation on the life expectations; the groups of patients treated by enucleation and non-treated were compared. Various opinions on the influence of enucleation on the prognosis in patients with uveal melanoma were discussed.


We introduce a set of time series analysis indicators under an event based framework of directional changes (DC) and overshoots. Our aim is to map continuous financial market price data into the so-called DC Framework - A state based discretization of basically dissected price time series. The DC framework analysis relied on understanding the price time series as an event-based process, as an alternative of focusing on their stochastic character. Defining a scheme for state reduction of DC Framework, we show that it has a dependable hierarchical structure that permits for analysis of financial data. We show empirical examples within the Saudi Stock Market. The new DC indicators represent the foundation of a completely new generation of financial tools for studying volatility, risk measurement, and building advanced forecasting and automated trading models


Abstract The paper sets forth the discussion of the occurrence of mobbing in Slovene elementary school. The study is based on empirical facts collected at three different schools. There are some differences between organizations in occurrence, victims' characteristics, the reasons and consequences of mobbing. The results of the empirical research of the psychosocial conditions in the analysed working places show that more and more teachers as employees are becoming mobbing victims. Mobbing is defined as a very strong social stress factor. Each individual or social group experiences mobbing at work as a conflict situation and communication. An attacked individual as a victim of the conflict is exposed to permanent and long-term attacks by one or more people at work. The intention of these attacks is to oust the individual from the organization or to harm him/her in other ways. A lot of pressure is being imposed on the person and also intimidation, humiliation, molestation or other negative influences appear. Because of the psychic burden the victim usually becomes ill and often leaves the working position. Mobbing can affect the individual in a way that s/he is no longer capable of fitting into any new working environment. The most frequent consequences named by the victims are: stress, insomnia, concentration problems and family problems.


This article aims to identify barriers to implementing waste management practices in construction projects and their interrelationship, based on the particular context of Australia. Interviews and a questionnaire survey were conducted as the primary data collection methods supported by the findings of a charrette. The findings reveal twenty critical barriers to implementing waste management practices in Australian construction projects. Four underlying factors that impede waste management practices are extracted based on results of an exploratory factor analysis. These include rigidity of construction practices, construction project characteristics, awareness, experience and commitment, and the nascent nature of waste management. The study also finds that while both human factors and technical factors act as barriers to implementing waste management practices in Australian construction projects, human factors are more dominant. Thus, it is essential to address all these barriers in the early stage of construction projects for reducing waste generation.


Vitamin D Deficiency (VDD) is a major health problem in both the developed and developing countries across the globe. In India, despite of ample sunlight (required for the synthesis of vitamin D endogenously), VDD prevalence has been documented to be in range of 50-90% among all the age groups. Scientific evidence reveals that, in addition to skeletal disorders, Vitamin D is also associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, hypertension and diabetes mellitus etc. The factors responsible for VDD can be skin complexion, poor sunlight exposure, vegetarian food habits and lower intake of Vitamin D fortified foods. Adequate sunlight exposure and intake of foods rich in vitamin D along with fortification of foods with vitamin D can prove helpful to prevent VDD.


Neither biochemical markers nor a qualitative assessment of medical images are reliable to differentiate mild from moderate stages of liver fibrosis. The main purpose of this study is to develop a machine learning model to classify mild and moderate liver fibrosis based on radiomic features extracted from MRI images (T1-w, T2*-map & ADC-map). Nu-SVC classifier was employed as the classification technique, trained by the extracted data from image series of 29 patients with histopathology-confirmed mild and moderate liver fibrosis. Results demonstrate that radiomic analysis of T2*-map and ADC-map has high potential in classifying different stages of liver fibrosis.


A new method for capacitance increase is proposed, thus allowing for capacitance standards with a sixfold higher value than those currently found in the market. The method can be used for capacitance increase in any standard and provides a solution for calibration problems of high-capacitance four-terminal meters. The increase in capacitance is based on the introduction of inductive coupling between the current and potential circuits in devices with four electrodes. The output capacitance is created by the summation of the capacitive and inductive parameters that were formed in various channels. The operating frequency range resides at the left of the resonant frequency and is separated from the resonance by a range of frequencies called ¿protective band¿. The limitations on the width of this band and the quality factor are considered in this paper and are discussed in depth. It is shown that standards should be calibrated on each operating frequency when using the proposed method. The uncertainties of the method are also analyzed, and the factors that affect the uncertainty increase are clearly indicated. Simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the proposed method and demonstrate its feasibility.


SUMMARY

Ambient noise correlation is now widely used in seismology to obtain the surface waves part of Green's function. More difficult is the extraction of body waves from noise correlations. Using 42 temporary broad-band three components stations located on the northern part of the fennoscandian region, we identify high-frequency (0.5–2 Hz) body waves emerging from noise correlations for inter-station distances up to 550 km. The comparison of the noise correlations with earthquake data confirms that the observed waves can be interpreted as P and S waves reflected from the Moho. Because the crustal model of the area is well known, we also compared the noise correlations with synthetic seismograms, and found an excellent agreement between the travel times of all the observed phases. Polarization analysis provides a further argument to confirm the observation of body waves.


Objectives Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduce neointimal hyperplasia after balloon denudation, but the mechanisms are not completely understood. It has been demonstrated that nuclear oncogenes are induced in the vascular wall in the hours immediately after injury, and that the same genes are induced by angiotensin II in vascular smooth muscle cells. It has therefore been suggested that the effects of ACE inhibitors on the response of the vessel wall could be mediated by an inhibition of proto-oncogene expression. Methods and results Sixteen New Zealand White rabbits were randomly assigned for histologic analysis to receive placebo (n = 9) or 1 mg/kg per day perindopril (n = 7). After treatment for 7 days balloon aortic injury was performed. The treatment was continued and the rabbits were killed 28 days after injury. In the perindopril group the neointimal cross-sectional area was significantly smaller than in the control group. Six untreated rabbits were used to assess the time course of proto-oncogene expression in the aortic wall after injury in the present model. After extraction, total aortic RNA was hybridized with myc, fos and jun probes. Based on the results, the effects of ACE inhibition on proto-oncogene expression were tested 1 h after balloon denudation. Accordingly, 24 rabbits were randomly assigned to pretreatment for 7 days with placebo or with 1 or 10 mg/kg per day perindopril (n = 8, for each group) and were killed 1 h after injury. Expression of c-myc was not altered by pretreatment. However, 1 mg/kg per day perindopril induced significant reductions of 50% in c-jun and 45% in c-fos expression compared with control. No additional effect was obtained with the higher dose. Conclusion The effect of ACE inhibition on intimal hyperplasia is associated with a reduction in early cellular events such as c-fos and c-jun expression. These results suggest that potent ACE inhibition at the time of vascular injury may be required to limit the hyperplastic response of the vessel wall.


Physicians and healthcare networks have been slow to adopt electronic medical records and to integrate medical data with the ubiquitous mobile device. Mobile and wearable systems for continuous health monitoring constitute a key technology in helping the transition of health care to a more proactive and affordable healthcare. Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) includes dysfunctional conditions of the heart, arteries, and veins that supply oxygen to vital life-sustaining areas/organs of the body. CVD singly accounts for about 40% of all deaths worldwide. Over 80 per cent of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries. An estimated 17.5 million people died from cardiovascular disease in 2005, and expected to top 20 million per year by 2015. By 2030, more than 23 million people will die annually from CVDs. CVDs' patients face risks of recurrent acute cardiovascular events, hospital readmission, and unfavourable quality of life. Heart Failure, (HF), leads to death if not properly managed and supervised. Current treatments for Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) provide a limited palliative outcome. New technologies are now pertinent to generate high-dimensional data that provide unprecedented opportunities for unbiased identification of biomarkers that can be used to optimize pre-operative planning, with the goal of avoiding costly post-operative complications and prolonged hospitalization. Due to the crucial role of remote monitoring for CVD patients, significant efforts from research communities and industry to propose and design a variety of CVD monitoring devices have become imperative. This paper builds a proof-of-concept and presents a cardiovascular monitoring system, Cardiovascular Disease Management System (CVDMS), for real-time information on patient's heart health status with respect to his/her heart beat in hemodynamics computation towards reducing re-admission incidence problem. Administered 485 questionnaires and interviewed 12 cardiologists, 45 physicians, and 23 pharmacists to gather details on vital CVD parameters. 469 of 485 questionnaires (96.70%) were validly completed and returned, while 16 (3.30%) were not. Searched internet databases and cognate texts for literature. A mobile CVDMS for HF was developed using UML, MySQL Server 5.0, Java servlets, Apache Tomcat 6.0 server, microcontroller, and Ozeki sms server. Patient completes a questionnaire on a J2ME platform-based computing device that measures the heartbeat rate. Biological signals acquired by CVDMS are processed by microcontroller. Pulses are counted within a space of one minute to know heartbeat rate per minute. The CVDMS application gets the heartbeat reading, and if the heart rate is abnormal, a trigger is set enabling the Ozeki SMS Gateway to send an alert to patient's next-of-kin and cardiologist. CVDMS guarantees individual patient's direct involvement to closely monitor changes in his/her vital signs and provide feedback to maintain an optimal health status. Medical personnel get alerted when life-threatening changes occur in establishing proper communication between patient and cardiologist via sms. Hemodynamics computation could be performed with the parameters obtained from the data supplied by CVDMS as a cardiovascular intervention to save many lives and improve quality of life. Keywords: artery stiffness; blood pressure; cardiologist; cardiovascular disease; heart attack; heart failure; hemodynamic volumetric parameters; hospital readmission; hypertension; risk-factor.


White spot disease (WSD) is one of the most devastating viral infections of crustaceans caused by the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). A conserved sequence WSSV131 in the DNA genome of WSSV was found to fold into a polymorphic G‐quadruplex structure. Supported by two mutant sequences with single G→T substitutions in the third G4 tract of WSSV131, circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopic analyses demonstrate folding of the wild‐type sequence into a three‐tetrad parallel topology comprising three propeller loops with a major 1 : 3 : 1 and a minor 1 : 2 : 2 loop length arrangement. A thermodynamic analysis of quadruplex formation by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicates a thermodynamically more stable 1 : 3 : 1 loop isomer. DSC also revealed the formation of additional highly stable multimeric species with populations depending on potassium ion concentration.


Most studies on local scouring at grade control structures have principally focused on the analysis of the primary flow field, predicting the equilibrium scour depth. Despite the numerous studies on scouring processes, secondary currents were not often considered. Based on comprehensive measurements of flow velocities in clear water scours downstream of a grade control structure in a channel with non-cohesive sediments, in this study, we attempted to investigate the generation and turbulence properties of secondary currents across a scour hole at equilibrium condition. The flow velocity distributions through the cross-sectional planes at the downstream location of the maximum equilibrium scour depth clearly show the development of secondary current cells. The secondary currents form a sort of helical-like motion, occurring in both halves of the cross-section in an axisymmetric fashion. A detailed analysis of the turbulence intensities and Reynolds shear stresses was carried out and compared with previous studies. The results highlight considerable spatial heterogeneities of flow turbulence. The anisotropy term of normal stresses dominates the secondary shear stress, giving the impression of its crucial role in generating secondary flow motion across the scour hole. The anisotropy term shows maximum values near both the scour mouth and the scour bed, caused, respectively, by the grade control structure and the sediment ridge formation, which play fundamental roles in maintaining and enhancing the secondary flow motion.