The current research focuses on the designing of an intelligent controller for the Attitude Control System (ACS) of the Innovative Satellite (InnoSAT). The InnoSAT mission is to demonstrate local innovative space technology amongst the institutions of higher learning in the space sector. In this study, an Adaptive Neuro-controller (ANC) based on the Hybrid Multi Layered Perceptron (HMLP) network has been developed. The Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) system is used as a control scheme to control a time varying systems where the performance specifications are given in terms of a reference model. The Weighted Recursive Least Square (WRLS) algorithm will adjust the controller parameters to minimize error between the plant output and the model reference output. The objective of this paper is to analyse the time response and the tracking performance of the ANC based on the HMLP network and the ANC based on the standard MLP network for controlling an InnoSAT attitude. These controllers have been tested using an InnoSAT model with some variations in operating conditions such as varying gain, measurement noise and disturbance torques. The simulation results indicated that the the ANC based on the HMLP network is adequate to control satellite attitude and give better results than the ANC based on the MLP network. Journal of ICT, 10, pp: 45–65 46


▪ Abstract The modern study of a crowd as a flowing continuum is a recent development. Distinct from a classical fluid because of the property that a crowd has the capacity to think, interesting new physical ideas are involved in its study. An appealing property of a crowd in motion is that the nonlinear, time-dependent, simultaneous equations representing a crowd are conformably mappable. This property makes many interesting applications analytically tractable. In this review examples are given in which the theory has been used to provide possible assistance in the annual Muslim Hajj, to understand the Battle of Agincourt, and, surprisingly, to locate barriers that actually increase the flow of pedestrians above that when there are no barriers present. Modern developments may help prevent some of the approximately two thousand deaths that annually occur in accidents owing to crowding.The field of crowd motion, that is, the field of "thinking fluids," is an intriguing area of research with great promise.


Traceability is a key factor in the analysis of the changes that software undergoes throughout its evolution. The main purpose of analysis is to minimize the side effects of these changes and, when it is made to the source at a lower level of abstraction (methods) and in an integrated manner, it can provide more accurate data in order to support decision making. This article presents the GiveMe Trace tool, integrated with a multiple view interactive environment that, among other features, can generate information about the traceability between source code and artifacts its different versions. This information is based on software versions analysis from software repository. As a result, occurrences of changes in classes or methods are shown. A proof of concept was carried out through which repositories versions of two distinct real projects were analyzed. At the end, it was possible to obtain evidences on the feasibility of the use of GiveMe Trace to support traceability between the source code and versions.


The Euclidean shortest path problem (ESPP) is a well studied problem with many practical applications. Recently a new efficient online approach to this problem, RayScan, has been developed, based on ray shooting and polygon scanning. In this paper we show how we can improve RayScan by carefully reasoning about polygon scans. We also look into how RayScan could be applied in the single-source multi-target scenario, where logic during scanning is used to reduce the number of rays shots required. This improvement also helps in the single target case. We compare the improved RayScan+ against the state-of-the-art ESPP algorithm, illustrating the situations where it is better.


OBJECTIVE: Occult pulmonary foreign bodies are infrequently seen in adults. Patients present with cough, dyspnea and recurrent hemoptysis mimicking asthma, chronic bronchitis and lung cancer and usually reach the thoracic surgeon for diagnosis. MATERIAL: During the last 10 years 6 patients, 5 male and one female, ranging in age from 36 to 74 years, were admitted to our departments with the suspicion of lung cancer. None of our patients had a history of aspiration or psychiatric disease. All patients had recurrent pneumonitis for more than 4 years, additionally, 3 of them presented with hemoptysis and chronic cough. All of them were submitted to repeated bronchoscopies that did not turn out to be diagnostic. Also FNA under CT guidance did not solve the problem of preoperative diagnosis. RESULTS: All patients after a detailed staging were led to the operating room and were submitted to thoracotomy. The intraoperative histological diagnosis revealed fibrotic and necrotic tissue in the majority of cases without excluding the possibility of lung cancer and the pathologists demanded the whole lesion for definite diagnosis. The resection of the lesion was technically possible only with lobectomy in 8 cases, while in the rest atypical resection was performed. Different foreign bodies were found such as suture migrating from the abdomen, cloth, needle etc. The postoperative course was uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: Retained foreign bodies in the lung are a rare clinical entity undetectable preoperatively in the majority of cases. They can be asymptomatic for years and might mimick lung cancer. The differential diagnosis is very difficult and only the final histological diagnosis can be definitive.


In a dynamical system the input is to be recovered from finitely many measurements, blurred by random error, of the output of the system. As usual, the differential equation describing the system is reduced to multiplication with a polynomial after applying the Laplace transform. It appears that there exists a natural, unbiased, estimator for the Laplace transform of the output, from which an estimator of the input can be obtained by multiplication with the polynomial and subsequent application of a regularized inverse of the Laplace transform. It is possible, moreover, to balance the effect of this inverse so that ill-posedness remains restricted to its actual source: differentiation. The rate of convergence of the integrated mean-square error is a positive power of the number of data. The order of the differential equation has an adverse effect on the rate which, on the other hand, increases with the smoothness of the input as usual.


Normal haematological values and cholesterol values (total, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol) were determined in free-living Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, taking into account species, age and sex. These figures were then used as a basis of comparison with findings on birds with apparent clinical abnormalities (the birds were either oiled, emaciated, extensively infested with endoparasites, had external injuries or organic abnormalities). Species-specific differences were found only in cholesterol content; sex-specific differences were not found. There were statistical differences between older birds and nestlings in RBC, PCV, Hb, MCV, MCHC and MCH. An age-related increase between 3- and 6-month-old birds and adults concerning total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol was evident. The haematological values of healthy gulls showed statistical significant differences in RBC, Hb, MCV, MCHC, MCH, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol compared to the values obtained from sick gulls.


In this paper a new analytical model about the calculation of resonance frequencies and bandwidth of log-periodic planar antennas is proposed. The two previous known models and our novel model are compared to numerical simulations and experimental measurements. In the theoretical part analytical calculations are opposed to the results of reflection parameter simulations. Our model shows a very good coincidence according to the number and position of resonance frequencies. We show that this is not the case for the previous models. For the experimental validation of the novel model several devices with different geometries were fabricated and characterized in the 1-8 GHz frequency range. All considered antenna structures exhibit an excellent coincidence between calculations, simulations and measurements.


This paper presents a new design of augmented extended Kalman filter (AEKF) for real-time simulation of mobile robots. A Simulink® model is developed for simultaneous localization and odometry calibration of mobile robots in real time manner. Starting from the encoders readings, and assuming an absolute measurement available, the AEKF provides the local reconstruction of mobile robots position and orientation with an on-line odometry calibration. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method and suggest it as a promising way for real time implementations of augmented kalman filters.


The analyses presented here consider equatorial nighttime disturbance conditions as indicated by spread-F traces on ionograms, which record the presence of medium-scale structures (MSSs) created by the passage of atmospheric gravity waves. Relationships between these MSSs and geomagnetic activity (GA) have been examined statistically, particularly considering the ionospheric height (h′F) changes (increases and decreases) associated with the presence or absence of these MSSs. It is shown that for the postsunset height increases with spread-F present, the GA a few hours earlier has well-defined low levels. In contrast, if these height increases are not accompanied by spread-F, the GA a few hours earlier is high. When there are no height rises, similar inverse associations with GA are recorded for both (1) spread-F present and (2) spread-F absent. For the postsunset height decreases, when no spread-F occurs, high GA levels are well defined at times about 7 h earlier. Thus all these results indicate an inverse relationship between the MSSs and GA. The experimental evidence suggests that the presunrise height rises are produced by large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances generated in auroral-zone regions by substorm onsets.


The use of fauna- and flora-based symbolism in ancient lament literature is a well-attested phenomenon. This article focuses on this symbolism in Jonah 2, exploring nature's ritual agency in preparing Jonah for his entombment in the heart of the sea. In conclusion, the article considers how Jonah 2 can serve as an interpretive lens for Jonah 3 and 4, particularly their views on death and life.


Introduction: Blood Donation can save million lives. Voluntary blood donations are the cornerstone of a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood products. The safest blood donors are voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors from low-risk populations. Objectives: The present study was undertaken with an aim to understand the factors like knowledge, attitude and practices associated with voluntary blood donation among the medical students in a medical college. Materials & Methods : This is a cross sectional study with a sample size of 278. A pre-tested semi structured questionnaire was used to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practices regarding blood donation in the study subjects. The data was analyzed by applying suitable statistical methods. Results: The knowledge about the recommended age and interval of blood donation was 90 % & 48.9% respectively. Nearly 23% of students had ever donated blood and the majority of subjects (56.5%) did not have an opportunity to donate blood. 75.54 % of students were willing to donate blood at the time of study. Conclusion: Creating the opportunities regarding the blood donation may lead to the achievement of goal of 100% non-remunerated voluntary blood donation.


Importance
Surgeons make complex, high-stakes decisions under time constraints and uncertainty, with significant effect on patient outcomes. This review describes the weaknesses of traditional clinical decision-support systems and proposes that artificial intelligence should be used to augment surgical decision-making.

Observations
Surgical decision-making is dominated by hypothetical-deductive reasoning, individual judgment, and heuristics. These factors can lead to bias, error, and preventable harm. Traditional predictive analytics and clinical decision-support systems are intended to augment surgical decision-making, but their clinical utility is compromised by time-consuming manual data management and suboptimal accuracy. These challenges can be overcome by automated artificial intelligence models fed by livestreaming electronic health record data with mobile device outputs. This approach would require data standardization, advances in model interpretability, careful implementation and monitoring, attention to ethical challenges involving algorithm bias and accountability for errors, and preservation of bedside assessment and human intuition in the decision-making process.

Conclusions and Relevance
Integration of artificial intelligence with surgical decision-making has the potential to transform care by augmenting the decision to operate, informed consent process, identification and mitigation of modifiable risk factors, decisions regarding postoperative management, and shared decisions regarding resource use.


Fine needle aspiration of ovarian neoplasms is a relatively less frequented area of diagnostic aspiration cytology. Hence, an attempt has been made in the present study to evaluate the current status of Image-directed percutaneous needle aspiration in ovarian neoplasms and to assess its value and limitations in the diagnosis and management of ovarian neoplasms. The present study involves 105 cases of ovarian neoplasms, which were assessed by ultrasound-guided FNAC. Only those cases with adequate material on aspiration and availability of cellblock or biopsy material following FNAC for correlative histopathological study were included in the study. The diagnostic accuracy of ovarian neoplasms in the present study was 89.85%, with a false negative rate of 4.76%. Considering the rapidity and reliability of the procedure with its added advantages like cost-effectiveness and increased patient acceptability, it can be concluded that image-guided FNAC holds a key position in the diagnosis and management of ovarian neoplasms.


The present research investigated the magnetic field effect on the properties of tap water and the magnetic water effect on some properties of the concrete used for irrigation canal lining, so, for this purpose, the absorption and seepage features of concrete will be studied. The magnetic water was obtained by passing the tap water through magnetized devices with three different intensities (3000, 5000, and 7000) Gauss for 120 minutes. Some properties of magnetized water such as surface tension, viscosity, conductivity, TDS, and pH were studied. The results show that the surface tension, viscosity and electric conductivity of treated water with three different magnetization intensities were decreased about (19-22)%, (4-5)% and (6-8)% respectively as compared with results of the tap water. Also, the results show that pH was increased about (8-10)%. The magnetized water effect on the properties of concrete like compressive strength, slump, absorption, and seepage were studied. The results show that using the magnetized water (with three different intensities) instead of the tap water increased the compressive strength of concrete between (3-17)% for age of 28 days, and increased the slump between (5-13)mm. This leads to the possibility of increasing the water-cement ratio, which is, means decreasing the cost of concrete at a specified value of compressive strength. Also, the results show that the absorption and seepage were decreased about (1-9.5) % and (2-20)% respectively.


The aerial parts of Spergula fallax afforded four glycosides (1-4) based on two new triterpene aglycones (1a and 2a), along with the known hopane glycoside succulentoside A. Compound 1 was identified as belonging to the fernane class, unusual migrated hopane triterpenoids, mainly isolated from ferns and only rarely from higher plants. Compounds 2-4 were assigned as gammacerane glycosides, having as aglycone a hydroxylated derivative of tetrahymanol. The structures of the isolated compounds 1-4 and their aglycones 1a and 2a obtained by acid hydrolysis were elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation. The growth inhibitory activity of the isolated compounds and their aglycones was evaluated against the HeLa and DLD-1 cancer cell lines.


This paper analyzes the efficiency and determinants of local authority expenditure in England during 1989/90. The capitalization of local spending in house prices is used as a test of efficiency, and it is found that local services are in general excessive from this standpoint. The determinants of local government spending are then estimated and local incomes, the tax price faced by the electorate, and local party control are found to be significant. Application of the analysis to the recently introduced local government reforms suggest small effects on the overall level of spending.


Background: Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) provides interventions on increasing psychological flexibility. Within ACT, a process known as fusion, suggests that individuals attach to the
content of their thoughts. Limited research has assessed this process.

Aim: To assess whether people who fuse with their thoughts are more likely to experience psychological distress displayed through symptoms of depression, psychological inflexibility, and have difficulties with self-esteem. A secondary aim is to assess whether the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (I RAP) can help to account for more variance of severity of depression than self-report measures alone.

Method: Thirty-seven participants who were accessing mental health services for symptoms of depression, completed the study. Five self-report measures and one I RAP task that was designed to assess implicit repertoires of responding to co-ordination and containment statements were completed.

Results: Lower levels of self-esteem and psychological flexibility and greater fusion were associated with experiencing a higher level of depression as measured by the DASS-21. However, the I RAP was unable to account for more of the variance of depression than self-report measures alone.

Conclusion: By addressing the limitations highlighted, the IRAP may be enhanced to become a tool that can increase understanding about the functional processes underlying fusion.


A performance of Tibetan music and dance by the nuns of Khachoe Ghakyil Ling nunnery at the American Museum of Natural History invites a comparison between this event and a theatrical production about Tibet by the French theatre company Theatre du Soleil. Although the political plight of the Tibetan people shapes the daily lives of the nuns, it is not overtly addressed in their performance, which sets the viewer up as a removed observer of Tibetan culture. The Theatre du Soleil's production, by contrast, foregrounds the political issues and involves the audience on every level in a cultural exchange that is, nonetheless, fictional. The comparison addresses questions of cultural authenticity, the ability of performance to bring the spectator to political engagement, and the relative contributions of cultural performance on the one hand and theatre on the other.


Cuttings easily accumulate in the horizontal section during the process of horizontal well drilling, causing tripping difficulty, drillpipe sticking, or even breaking. Existing hole cleaners work while the drillpipe is rotating continuously. In this paper, we describe a vortex cuttings cleaner that combines mechanical cuttings removal with hydraulic cuttings transport without drillpipe rotation. First, a 3D numerical model of vortex cuttings cleaner is established. The flow field characteristics (e.g., velocity distribution and pressure distribution) and energy conversion efficiency of different structures of cuttings cleaner are compared to define an improved structure of cuttings cleaner. Then, the annulus flow field of the cuttings cleaner with improved structure is analyzed to identify the factors influencing the cuttings removal efficiency. Finally, by comparing and analyzing the simulation results and field test results, the influence on cuttings removal efficiency of the vortex cuttings cleaner is clarified. The results show that the energy conversion efficiency of the vortex cuttings cleaner can be improved by reducing the angle of inclined tube and the number of spiral strips or increasing the rotation angle of spiral strips. Moreover, compared with the number of spiral strips, the rotation angle of spiral strips has a more significant influence. The pressure drop of the tool is also investigated. The cuttings removal efficiency increases with the increase of turbine speed, drilling fluid displacement, and viscosity and decreases with the increase of cuttings particle size. Each of these influencing factors has a critical value. When the turbine speed and drilling fluid displacement are higher than the critical values and the cuttings particle size is smaller than its critical value, the cuttings removal efficiency does not increase significantly. After the vortex cuttings cleaner is run into the hole, the circulated cuttings volume increases significantly, and the friction reduces noticeably. The vortex cuttings cleaner has a long failure-free working time, and all parts tripped out of the well are in good condition for future use. This study provides reference for the design and process optimization of hole cleaners in horizontal wells.


Over the past three decades, certain clinical factors have been identified as either positive or negative predictors of response to treatment with the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and have been well reviewed in the psychopharmacology literature. The current report is an effort to focus attention on methodologic and clinical issues that have recently been given attention in this area and that may be useful to clinicians and researchers. The specific issues addressed are (a) the implications of the definitions of "response" in studies of predictive factors, (b) the importance of compliance with treatment, (c) the potentially confounding issues of severity of illness and psychoticism in depression, (d) the status of chronicity of illness as a factor in prediction of treatment response, and (e) the possible value of a definition of "atypical depression" for differential selection of treatment.


We examine whether US firms' M&A decisions influence the likelihood of voluntary adoption of clawback provisions in executive compensation contracts and whether clawback adoption improves subsequent M&A decisions. Because prior research finds that poor M&A decisions are associated with future earnings restatements, we predict that clawback adoption is more likely after these transactions. We further conjecture that M&A decisions will improve after clawback adoption, as its presence reduces executives' willingness to manipulate post‐acquisition earnings. Consistent with our expectations, we find that (1) firms with more negative M&A announcement returns are more likely to adopt clawbacks; (2) firms that acquire targets with relatively poor accounting quality are more likely to adopt clawbacks; (3) clawbacks improve investor perception of M&A quality; and (4) executives are more responsive to the market when completing M&A deals if their compensation contracts include clawbacks. These results suggest that boards take a pro‐active approach and consider factors that may lead to restatements when adopting clawbacks. Our results have implications for US policymakers, as the Dodd‐Frank Act of 2010 requires mandatory adoption of clawbacks. Our results also suggest that non‐US firms can reduce managerial incentives to manipulate post‐takeover earnings by using clawbacks.


I investigated the changes in total lipid, total fatty acids, and fatty acid composition of endoparasitoid Apanteles galleriae Wilkinson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared on Achroia grisella Fabr. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) that was exposed to various doses of 5-Aza-2´-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC), an epigenetically-effective agent. The combined effects of parasitism and 5-Aza-dC treatment on the total lipid and fatty acids of host larvae were also examined. 5-Aza-dC caused insignificant fluctuations in total lipid and fatty acid ratios of A. galleriae and parasitized host larvae (PHL). Total lipid and fatty acids reached considerably the highest values in PHL and the lowest ratios in parasitoid larvae for all of the control and experimental groups. All stages of A. galleriae and PHL contained the 14-24 carbon fatty acids. Palmitic acid was the most abundant fatty acid for PHL and parasitoid pupae in each testing group, while oleic acid for parasitoid larvae. 5-Aza-dC treatment caused significant changes in linolenic acid ratio for parasitoid pupa and in lignoceric acid ratio for PHL, while the percent of different fatty acid classes did not differ significantly for stages/PHL. However, eicosenoic acid could not be detected in both insect species at doses >0.1 mg/ml. There were significant differences among individual fatty acids and fatty acid classes (SFAs, UFAs, and PUFAs) for all stages/PHL. Besides, UFAs constituted the major proportion of fatty acids, whereas PUFAs were the smallest for all stages/PHL regardless of 5-Aza-dC treatment. 5-Aza-dC-induced changes for A. galleriae-A. grisella system seem to be considerable but the effect is reversible according to the result of fatty acid classes.


A Q-switched, frequency doubled, Nd:YAG laser coupled to an optical parametric oscillator generated 4.75-ns laser pulses at 726 nm to create subsurface acoustic waves in India ink solutions, India ink acrylamide gels, and in flat segments of elastin biomaterial stained with India ink. The acoustic waves traveled through the target and were detected by a piezoelectric transducer. The waveforms were converted to measurements of initial laser induced pressure and temperature as functions of depth in the material. An algorithm based on Beer's Law was developed and applied to the acoustic signals to extract information about the absorption coefficient as a function of depth in the samples.


111 synthesized using reagent-grade Bi2O3, TiO2 and NiCO3nH2O as starting materials. A mixture of the starting materials was calcined in air and then grounded to fine powder to fill up densely a highpressure reaction cell. The sample was initially compressed and successively heated on keeping constant pressure. Figrure 1 shows powder x-ray diffraction pattern of a recovered BNT ceramic synthesized at 6 GPa and 1000 °C. The single-phase perovskite structure was formed. P-E hysteresis loop shows that the BNT ceramic is ferroelectric (Fig. 2). A multi domain structure of the BNT ceramic was also measured by scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy.


A natural way to determine the knowledge embedded within connectionist models is to generate symbolic rules. Nevertheless, extracting rules from Multi Layer Perceptrons (MLPs) is NP-hard. With the advent of social networks, techniques applied to Sentiment Analysis show a growing interest, but rule extraction from connectionist models in this context has been rarely performed because of the very high dimensionality of the input space. To fill the gap we present a case study on rule extraction from ensembles of Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines (SVMs), the purpose being the characterization of the complexity of the rules on two particular Sentiment Analysis problems. Our rule extraction method is based on a special Multi Layer Perceptron architecture for which axis-parallel hyperplanes are precisely located. Two datasets representing movie reviews are transformed into Bag-of-Words vectors and learned by ensembles of neural networks and SVMs. Generated rules from ensembles of MLPs are less accurate and less complex than those extracted from SVMs. Moreover, a clear trade-off appears between rules' accuracy, complexity and covering. For instance, if rules are too complex, less complex rules can be re-extracted by sacrificing to some extent their accuracy. Finally, rules can be viewed as feature detectors in which very often only one word must be present and a longer list of words must be absent.


Beginning in 1985, the United States military has consistently maintained repositories of frozen human serum for force health protection reasons. The separate repositories created by the Army, Navy, and Air Force during the startup of their human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening programs were fully combined by 1996, along with the Defense Medical Surveillance System, to form the DoD Serum Repository (DoDSR). Currently comprised of 450,000 square feet of storage space at a constant -30 degrees Celsius, the DoDSR, operated by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC), receives approximately 2 million new serum specimens per year as a result of current HIV screening programs and pre- and post-deployment serum collection. Following initial testing for HIV when required, each specimen remains frozen until needed for clinical testing or a public health study, and its physical location is carefully tracked. Certain militarily-relevant research studies occur, though the serum from a specific individual is never allowed to be fully exhausted. AFHSC maintains careful control over the repository, utilizing a scientific review board to determine which requests for serum will be granted. As of 2012, only 0.42% of all of the frozen specimens in the DoDSR had been thawed for any type of use. The addition of new specimen processing capacity and significant changes to policy would be required if more of the specimens were to be used to answer relevant epidemiological, operational, or medical research questions.


Objective Comparison of active vs passive primary healthcare function in rural with urban setting at determine of delay to diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis and its outcomes in West Azerbaijan province, Iran, at 2004–2009. Material and Methods In this perspective study we used years TB new cases data that have been recorded by TB management center in West Azerbaijan province. Patient and health system delay were determined as number of days between onset of symptoms to diagnosis and diagnosis to start of treatment respectively. Results At comparison of domicile, both of patient and health delay mean days were more in urban patients (respectively 241 vs 133, p value=0.02 and 11 vs 7, p value=0.006). In rural patients, females at comparison of males had more mean total time delays (163 vs 115, p value=0.01). Despite of higher mean of total delays in extra pulmonary to pulmonary at both of domicile (respectively urban 278 vs 232 and rural 197 vs 97), there was significantly difference in rural regions (p value=0.0001). Default rate in rural regions was less than urban settings (respectively 3.53% vs 6.08%) and whereas success rate was more than it (respectively 81% vs 79%). Conclusion At regard to health system policy in Iran that primary healthcare for tuberculosis in rural regions is active whereas urban setting is passive, it seems there is urgent need to change of policy in case finding and case holding of patients in urban area to decrease time delays and increase positive outcomes.


Background Calprotectin (CP) is potentially more sensitive biomarker of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than conventional acute-phase reactants because it directly reflects inflammation in the synovium rather than systemic inflammation. Objectives to evaluate relationship between serum CP levels, disease activity, matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) concentration and response to Etanercept (ETN) therapy in RA patients. Methods 84 patients with moderate-to-severe RA despite stable doses of cDMARDs received ETN 50 mg weekly for 24 weeks. The mean age was 52±13,3 years; 85% (n=71) were females; the median disease duration was 9,3±8,3 years; RF+ and ACCP + were 81% (n=68) and 83% (n=70), extraarticular manifestations were found in 18% (n=15); 62% (n=52) used MTX, 26% (n=22)-LEF, 11% (n=9)-other DMARDs, 38% (n=32) -corticosteroids ≤10 mg/day. 60% (n=50) had used another biologics prior to start of ETN. Baseline disease characteristics (Me [Q25–75]): patient disease activity, VAS, mm: 63 [49-75]; TJC: 12 [9-16]; SJC: 9 [7-12]; CRP, mg/l: 23,7 [8,25-46,8]; ESR, mm/h: 46 [29-67]; RF, IU/ml: 122,5 [17,45-313,15]; ACCP, U/ml: 181,2 [43,6-300]; DAS28 6,35 [5,72-6,81]; CP, μg/ml 5,34 [2,12-10,98]; MMP-3, ng/ml 1,01 [0,64-1,67].Response was defined as achievement of good/moderate response according EULAR at weeks 12, 25. Serum CP and MMP-3 levels were evaluated with ELISA at weeks 0, 12, 25. Serum samples from 21 healthy subjects served as control. Results There wasn't significant difference in median CP level between patients with RA compared to healthy controls (5,34 vs 4,17, p=0,26) at baseline, possibly due to small size of control group. Highly significant correlations were found in RA patients between CP baseline level and ESR, CRP, MMP-3 and DAS28 at week 0: CRP (r=0,69,p<0,0001), ESR (r=0,41,p<0,0001), MMP-3 (r=0,47,p<0,0001), DAS28 (r=0,37,p<0,0001). The similar data were determined at weeks 12 and 25. We didn't find strong correlations between CP level and clinical parameters of disease activity. CP serum level decreased after 6 months of ETN treatment (p<0,0001). ROC analysis provided an AUCroc of 0.8±0,06 (95%CI 0,68-0,91) for the differentiation of RA patients and healthy control. A cut-off value of 0,67 μg/ml resulted in sensitivity and specifity values of 73 and 86% respectively.There wasn't found predictive value for CP baseline level and good/moderate EULAR response to ETN treatment (AUCroc=0,41±0,07; p=0,18; 95%CI 0,28-0,54). Conclusions CP level strongly correlates with laboratory parameters of joint inflammation and bone destruction (MMP-3) and significantly decreases in response to ETN treatment. There was not prognostic association between CP baseline level and response to ETN treatment. This result indicate that CP is a promising marker for assessment and monitoring of disease activity in RA patients. CP prognostic value is unclear, futher investigations are required to evaluate it. Disclosure of Interest None declared DOI 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.3484


This paper provides an overview of previous work that has explored issues of social, organizational and corporate identity. Differences in the form and focus of research into these three topics are noted. Social identity work generally examines issues of cognitive process and structure; organizational identity research tends to address the patterning of shared meanings; studies of corporate identity tend to focus on products that communicate a specific image. Nonetheless, across these areas there is general consensus that collective identities are (a) made viable by their positivity and distinctiveness, (b) fluid, (c) a basis for shared perceptions and action, (d) strategically created and managed, (e) qualitatively different from individual identities and (f) the basis for material outcomes and products. This paper calls for greater cross-fertilization of the three identity literatures and discusses requirements for the integration of micro- and macro-level analyses.


ABSTRACT We investigated the phenotypic level of albumin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. A specific reduction of albumin was identified by 2-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Decreased albumin content was also confirmed by immunoblotting and quantitative real-time PCR. Since albumin is a major and predominant antioxidant in plasma, the PBMC albumin may also contribute to their antioxidant activity. By measuring the amount of H2O2, lipid peroxidation and the redox form of glutathione, it was found that the production of the oxidative stress was elevated in STZ-diabetic rats compared to that of normal control. We suggest, therefore, that decreased albumin content may lead to the decreased antioxidant activity in the PBMC of type 1 diabetic rats.


Acute respiratory distress syndrome is characterized by non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, decreased pulmonary compliance, and abnormalities in gas exchange, especially hypoxemia. Patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who receive support with venovenous (V-V) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) usually have severe lung disease. Many patients with ARDS have associated pulmonary vascular injury which can result in elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and right heart dysfunction. Since V-V ECMO relies upon preserved cardiac function, right heart failure has important implications for patient evaluation, management, and outcomes. Worsening right heart function complicates ARDS and disease processes. Given the increasing use of ECMO to support patients with ARDS, an understanding of right ventricular-ECMO and cardiopulmonary interactions is essential for the clinician. A narrative review of the manifestations of right heart dysfunction, as well as diagnosis and management strategies for the patient with ARDS on ECMO, is provided.


U.S. academic centers using the SuperPulse Thulium Fiber laser to treat stones are finding it offers several advantages compared with holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy. But more research comparing the two is needed, according to a presentation at the 2019 World Congress of Endourology and SWL in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.


Additive mappings, which do not increase the minimal rank of alternate matrices, are completely classified. No condition is imposed on the underlying field.


The unsupervised method of growing hierarchical self-organizing map (GHSOM) was used to perform mental tasks classification. The GHSOM is an adaptive artificial neural network model with hierarchical architecture that is able to detect the hierarchical structure of data. The results indicate that GHSOM provides more detailed clustering information than SOM, and gives visual information about the separability of mental tasks in an intuitive way. The average classification accuracy across 130 task pairs by using GHSOM was up to 96.7%.


This paper discusses performance evaluation of mobile cellular telecommunication system that is related to the handoff process. We focus our discussion to the system with fixed channel assignment and homogeneous traffic. Performance parameters we discuss in this paper are the blocking probability and the dropping probability of handoff signals, and the blocking probability of new originating call signals. The operator of the system usually gives a service priority to handoff signals compare to new originating call signals. In this paper, the priority is given through channels reservation. A number of channels are reserved so that they can be used only for serving handoff signals. The remaining channels are used for serving new originating call signals and if there is an idle channel, it also can be used for serving handoff signals. With this priority, the arrival process and the service process of both types of signals can be modelled as a queueing network that consists of two queueing systems: one system for handoff signals and one system for both signals. The performance of the queueing network is analyzed by deriving the a two-dimensional Markov process. The system of balance equations of the process, which is needed for obtaining the stationary probability distribution of the process, is a large system. We solve this system by applying Matrix Analytic Technique to the two sub-systems simultaneously. The performance parameter values, which are expressed by the stationary probability distribution, are obtained from the solution.


In this paper, a 3-dimensional stiffened plate model for soil-metal box structures is proposed. 3-dimensional stiffened plate model is enable to model corrugated steel plates of soil metal box culverts considering section modulus and section properties of longitudinal and horizontal direction from a corrugated steel plate. Loading conditions which causes maximum displacement and maximum moment according to the step construction stages(a back filling to the top of the plate, a back filling to the maximum depth of cover, and loading of live loads) was applied and the behaviors of the soil metal box culverts was analyzed. Analysis results of 3-dimensional stiffened model were compared with those of 2-dimensional model, 3-dimensional equivalent plate model and 3-dimensional corrugated plate model. As results, the behaviors of 2-dimensional model and 3 dimensional equivalent model are different from 3-dimensional corrugated plate model but the result of 3-dimensional stiffened model has good agreement with that of 3-dimensional corrugated plate model.


Despite the complete determination of the genome sequence of several higher eukaryotes, their proteomes remain relatively poorly defined. Information about proteins identified by different experimental and computational methods is stored in different databases, meaning that no single resource offers full coverage of known and predicted proteins. IPI (the International Protein Index) has been developed to address these issues and offers complete nonredundant data sets representing the human, mouse and rat proteomes, built from the Swiss‐Prot, TrEMBL, Ensembl and RefSeq databases.


Introduction Tinnitus is the perception of sound without an external stimulus, often experienced as a ringing or buzzing sound. Subjective tinnitus is assumed to origin from changes in neural activity caused by reduced or lack of auditory input, for instance due to hearing loss. Since auditory deprivation is thought to be one of the causes of tinnitus, increasing the auditory input by cochlear implantation might be a possible treatment. In studies assessing cochlear implantation for patients with hearing loss, tinnitus relief was seen as a secondary outcome. Therefore, we will assess the effect of cochlear implantation in patients with primarily tinnitus complaints. Method and analysis In this randomised controlled trial starting in January 2021 at the ENT department of the UMC Utrecht (the Netherlands), patients with a primary complaint of tinnitus will be included. Fifty patients (Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) >32, Beck's Depression Index <19, pure tone average at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz: bilateral threshold between 50 and ≤75 dB) will be randomised towards cochlear implantation or no intervention. Primary outcome of the study is tinnitus burden as measured by the TFI. Outcomes of interest are tinnitus severity, hearing performances (tinnitus pitch and loudness, speech perception), quality of life, depression and patient-related changes. Outcomes will be evaluated prior to implantation and at 3 and 6 months after the surgery. The control group will receive questionnaires at 3 and 6 months after randomisation. We expect a significant difference between the cochlear implant recipients and the control group for tinnitus burden. Ethics and dissemination This research protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht (NL70319.041.19, V5.0, January 2021). The trial results will be made accessible to the public in a peer-review journal. Trial registration number Trial registration number NL8693; Pre-results.


This paper is designed to serve as an introduction and historical background to ethnomathematics as a program of study. The authors wants to show that ethnomathematics includes the mathematical ideas, perspectives and practices of individuals in different cultures as manifested and transmitted in diverse modes. Any study of the history of ethnomathematics and its proponents helps us to clarify the importance of this perspective in terms of mathematics education. The development of ethnomathematics is documented here, principally as a part of the study of the development of scientific and mathematical ideas and practices made by distinct cultural groups.


The method for determining rational technology of exchange of wagon groups in two-unit train at the maintenance station in operational conditions was developed. It is based on comparison of total costs caused by two-unit train servicing at the maintenance station, with possible technology versions. The method takes into account technical and technological features of the maintenance station, operational situation occurred at the time of two-unit train arrival, two-unit train stock and prognosis of wagons receipt. Moreover, the impact of extra wagons receipt on idle hours of wagons and amount of shunting operations was considered. The method will allow making economically reasonable decisions on the operational use of various technologies of two-unit train maintenance, allowing for the influencing factors. In turn, this will reduce station costs as a whole.


MRI-guided focal laser ablation (FLA) is a promising minimally-invasive therapy method for men with localized prostate cancer. We previously developed an MR-compatible mechatronic system capable of transperineal needle delivery within an in-bore 3T MRI environment. This work presents an improved multi-fiducial structure for robust registration of the mechatronic system for MRI-guided FLA needle delivery. Real-time MRI-guided needle delivery was performed in a tissue-mimicking prostate phantom to virtual targets simulating focal ablation zones. With the implementation of the improved multi-fiducial structure, mechatronics-assisted MRI-guided needle delivery enables a 1.44 mm ablation radius, showing potential utility for accurate FLA to small prostate lesions.


Objective: To investigate the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs) on patients with lung adenosquamous carcinoma, and to analyze relative factors. Methods: From August 2007 to July 2017, 40 patients who were pathologically diagnosed as lung adenosquamous carcinoma in our hospital and received EGFR TKIs treatment were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent EGFR mutation detection, resulted in 11 wild type, 13 19Del, 13 21L858R mutations, and 3 uncommon EGFR mutations in 20 exon and 19/21 complex mutation. A higher frequency of EGFR mutation was found in non-smokers and patients with adenocarcinoma components over 50.0%. Results: Twenty-six (65.0%) patients had disease progression after EGFR TKIs treatment, with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 5.5 months (95% CI 0.52-10.49 months). A total of 20 (50.0%) patients died with an median overall survival (OS) of 15 months (95% CI 11.03-18.97 months). Multivariate analysis showed that gender, age, smoking, histopathological subtypes, EGFR mutations, and brain metastasis had no influence on PFS (all P>0.05). Gender, age, smoking, histopathological subtypes, and the presence of brain metastasis during TKI treatment had no influence on OS (P>0.05), while EGFR mutation is the only influencing factor of OS (P<0.05) in the current study. Conclusions: EGFR TKIs had modest efficacy in lung adenosquamous carcinoma, especially in patients with EGFR mutation. Based on the pathological features, EGFR mutation and EGFR TKIs treatment should be introduced into the routine clinical practice to improve the survival of patients with lung adenosquamous carcinoma.


Abstract The ornamental horticultural industry continues to be one of the most rapidly expanding sectors in agriculture. This study examined a decision model for landscape plant production based on portfolio analysis. A quadratic programming model was developed to generate an optimal crop portfolio for a selected southeastern nursery. Empirical results indicate opportunities exist for modest diversification to offset income variability in landscape plant production and marketing.


We present NuSTAR X-ray observations of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) in NGC 7674. The source shows a flat X-ray spectrum, suggesting that it is obscured by Compton-thick gas columns. Based upon long-term flux dimming, previous work suggested the alternate possibility that the source is a recently switched-off AGN with the observed X-rays being the lagged echo from the torus. Our high-quality data show the source to be reflection-dominated in hard X-rays, but with a relatively weak neutral Fe K α emission line (equivalent width [EW] of ≈ 0.4 keV) and a strong Fe XXVI ionised line (EW ≈ 0.2 keV). We construct an updated long-term X-ray light curve of NGC 7674 and find that the observed 2–10 keV flux has remained constant for the past ≈ 20 years, following a high flux state probed by Ginga . Light travel time arguments constrain the minimum radius of the reflector to be ∼ 3.2 pc under the switched-off AGN scenario, ≈ 30 times larger than the expected dust sublimation radius, rendering this possibility unlikely. A patchy Compton-thick AGN (CTAGN) solution is plausible, requiring a minimum line-of-sight column density ( N H ) of 3 × 10 24 cm − 2 at present, and yields an intrinsic 2–10 keV luminosity of (3–5) × 10 43 erg s − 1 . Realistic uncertainties span the range of ≈ (1–13) × 10 43 erg s − 1 . The source has one of the weakest fluorescence lines amongst bona fide CTAGN, and is potentially a local analogue of bolometrically luminous systems showing complex neutral and ionised Fe emission. It exemplifies the difficulty of identification and proper characterisation of distant CTAGN based on the strength of the neutral Fe K α line.


Many impurity atoms sputtered from a limiter or divertor plate are ionized in the scrapeoff zone and return to the sputtering surface bacause of friction with incoming plasma ions. The final charge state attained by such impurities has been calculated for a variety of plasma edge conditions. The surface materials considered are tungsten, beryllium, beryllium oxide, and carbon. Estimates of the successive ionization cross sections for tungsten are developed. In all cases examined, returning impurity ions are found to be multiply ionized. This implies a significant energy gain in the sheath region, with important implications for self-sputtering of redeposited surface material.


5th World Congress of Pediatric Critical Care Societies Geneva, Switzerland 26–30 June Information: Email: firstname.lastname@example.com; Website: www.pcc2007.com Anatomy for Electrophysiologists London, United Kingdom 3–4 July 2006 Information: Dr S Yen Ho, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, Dovehouse Street, London SW3 6LY, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 20 7351 8751; Fax: +44 20 7351 8230; Email: firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com


The common technique to hermetically fill prepared root canals involves the use of "standardised" gutta-percha cones that are selected to fit the apical portion of the prepared canal space. These gutta-percha cones are manufactured to conform to a standard size and taper which should correspond to the size and taper of standard root canal instruments. Clinical observation of commercially available gutta-percha cones seemed to indicate that there is wide variation in the diameter and taper of "standardised" gutta-percha cones within the size range 25-35. The present study was undertaken to determine how closely current commercially available gutta-percha cones sizes 25, 30 and 35 conformed to the current ISO standard, and was initiated by the above clinical observation. It was not the purpose of this study to compare the results from different brands or manufacturers, but rather to establish whether commercially available gutta-percha cones collectively conformed to expected standardised sizes. One phial of cones for each of the sizes 25, 30 and 35 of eight different brands was selected for examination. The diameter of each of ten cones for each size from each brand was measured at two points, at 1 mm and at 6 mm from the tip of the cone. The results obtained for each size and each brand were tabulated and compared with ISO 6877:1995 for dental root canal obturating cones. This study demonstrated wide variability for cones from all brands, for all sizes, when individual cones of the same size were compared. While collectively the arithmetic means showed a closer correlation to the ISO Standard, irrespective of the brand size of the cone, or whether the cone was measured at 1 mm or 6 mm, many individual cones showed a great variation from the ideal. The need for less variability is discussed. It is concluded that ISO standard 6877:1995 is inappropriate- and allows for too much variation in the size of "standardised" gutta-percha cones.


The potential shortage of psychiatrists over the next 5 - 10 years has focused attention on the need to recruit more IMGs to fill the needs rather than use nurse practitioners or physician assistants. IMGs make up about 1/3 of first year psychiatry residents. These individuals have been found to provide services to the poor, the elderly and the psychotic. The quality of their medical work has been found to be satisfactory. The training needs of these physicians require an understanding on the part of their teachers that they come from cultures with different values that we have. The extended families of these primarily Asian residents clash with our strong commitment to individualism. It leads to a We-self rather than our I-Self. This difference coupled with the stress of leaving to come to a new culture is a great stress. Their exposure to psychiatry has been limited. They request and need more interview demonstration and practice, ore feedback and examinations. They should have help in accent reduction. They should be exposed to the working of the hospital by sitting on departmental and hospital committees. The faculty should extend their social opportunities and work as mentors on joint projects. Courses on the history of American culture should be taught. Psychotherapy for them should be encouraged as well as teaching medical ethics. They must become the major educational concern for the department that they are in.


Bronchiolitis is the most common lower respiratory infectious disease in infants presenting with cough and/or wheeze and occurs most frequently in the winter months. Treatment of bronchiolitis by means of nebulization with inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilator such as salbutamol or ipratropium bromide considered an effective method. Usually, 0.9% normal saline used together with the medications mentioned above. However, there are studies showing that 3% hypertonic saline might be a better choice compared with the normal saline. Objective: Our main aim of this study is to determine the improvement of patient's condition by comparing the length of hospital stay and improvement in clinical severity score (CS score) in infants with moderate bronchiolitis nebulized with 3% hypertonic saline or 0.9% saline. Methods: 124 patients were arranged randomly to nebulize either 3% hypertonic saline with salbutamol plus budesonide (Group 1) or 0.9% saline with salbutamol plus budesonide (Group 2) three times per day until conditions were stable enough for discharge (with a CS score below 3). We recorded the SC scores of each patient before and after the first nebulization every day. Outcomes, considered mainly as ①differences in the length of hospital stay from admission to time taken to reach CS score < 3; ②the change in CS score after the first nebulization every day. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: 124 patients of them completed the study. Their mean age was 6.92±0.24 months (range, 3 to 12 months). The cases were diagnosed as moderate bronchiolitis with CS scores varying from 6 to 9. The mean length of hospital stay from admission to time taken to reach CS score <3 was 4.83 ±0.077 days for the whole subjects investigated, and it differed significantly between the two groups: 4.27±0.90 days in Group 1 and 5.39±0.610 days in Group 2. On the first day of treatment, the mean CS scores at baseline were 7.34±0.1 and 7.39±0.99 for Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. After the first nebulization, the CS scores decreased to 5.94±0.89 (SD-0.698) and 6.50±0.094 (SD 0.741) of Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. The P value in both groups were less than 0.001, indicating statistically differences between CS scores before and after nebulization by both groups of solutions in the treatment of moderate bronchiolitis. However, the differences of the mean values and standard deviation (SD) results after nebulization in the two groups suggested a better treatment outcome of 3% hypertonic saline with salbutamol plus budesonide than 0.9% normal saline. There were no significant differences between the respiratory rate, heart rate, saturation and add-on therapy in the two groups. No adverse events noted in both groups. Conclusion: The curative effect of 3% hypertonic saline group was significant better in comparison with the 0.9% normal saline group in terms of the improvement of CS score and length of hospital stay. In conclusion, 3% hypertonic saline is safe and effective in infants with moderate bronchiolitis.


Since Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is a bridge which links the upper planning system of the enterprise and the control system of the shop floor, various kinds of the information with different characteristics flow through the system. The information environment of MES and its effect on MES scheduling are analyzed. A methodological proposal is given to address the problem of agile scheduling in a complex information environment, based on which a microeconomic market and game theoretic model-based scheduling approach is presented. The future development of this method is also discussed.


The mechanisms governing the stellar mass assembly and star formation history of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) are still being debated. By means of new and archival molecular gas observations we investigate the role of dense megaparsec-scale environments in regulating the fueling of star formation in distant BCGs, through cosmic time. We observed in CO with the IRAM 30 m telescope two star-forming BCGs belonging to SpARCS clusters, namely, 3C 244.1 (z = 0.4) and SDSS J161112.65+550823.5 (z = 0.9), and compared their molecular gas and star formation properties with those of a compilation of ∼100 distant cluster galaxies from the literature, including nine additional distant BCGs at z  ∼  0.4 − 3.5. We set robust upper limits of MH2 <  1.0 × 1010 M⊙ and < 2.8 × 1010 M⊙ to their molecular gas content, respectively, and to the ratio of molecular gas to stellar mass M(H2)/M⋆ ≲ 0.2 and depletion time τdep ≲ 40 Myr of the two targeted BCGs. They are thus among the distant cluster galaxies with the lowest gas fractions and shortest depletion times. The majority (64%±15% and 73%±18%) of the 11 BCGs with observations in CO have lower M(H2)/M⋆ values and τdep, respectively, than those estimated for main sequence galaxies. Statistical analysis also tentatively suggests that the values of M(H2)/M⋆ and τdep for the 11 BCGs deviates, with a significance of ∼2σ, from those of the comparison sample of cluster galaxies. A morphological analysis for a subsample of seven BCGs with archival HST observations reveals that 71%±17% of the BCGs are compact or show star-forming components or substructures. Our results suggest a scenario where distant star-forming BCGs assemble a significant fraction ∼16% of their stellar mass on the relatively short timescale ∼τdep, while environmental mechanisms might prevent the replenishment of gas feeding the star formation. We speculate that compact components also favor the rapid exhaustion of molecular gas and ultimately help to quench the BCGs. Distant star-forming BCGs are excellent targets for ALMA and for next-generation telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope.


The Canadian National Task Force on Suicide found that suicide rates in Canada, especially among youth, exceed those in other countries around the world, including the United States. Health care professionals and social service providers identify suicide as one of the most important areas in which they need information. Yet, there has been little change in public policies, and support for research is lacking. Compiled by Canada's leading experts on suicide, this collection provides long-awaited information that focuses specifically on Canada. It addresses suicide as a multi-dimensional problem with biological, psychological, cultural, sociological, personal, and philosophical aspects. The contributions integrate both critical analysis and personal experience. There are accounts from Inuit elders, from women who have survived the loss of a family member, and from workers at a crisis line. Among the topics covered are the development of suicide prevention; theory and research; First Nations and Inuit peoples; family, community, and government approaches; distress centres; survivors; and the debate over the right to die. Suicide in Canada does more than simply describe the recent developments in suicidology in Canada - it is a call for action that will save lives. It will be of immediate use to psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, crisis workers, and researchers.


Hepatitis B is endemic in Senegal. According to many data, the prevalence of this infection in adult population is up 85%. Young children are victims of the intensive circulation of this virus. Indeed, the risk of becoming chronic carrier which can further lead to Hepatocellular Carcinoma, is related to the age at which the infection had been contracted. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of HBV markers in children less than 5 years living in two regions of Senegal: Dakar and Thies. Using specific Elisa methods, HBV markers were determined in 2962 sera of newborns and children: AgHBs, antiHBc, antiHBs for all children; AgHBe and IgM antiHBc for AgHBs carriers. HBV markers were detected in 59.38% of sera; in 39.26% of the samples only one marker was detected: AgHBs (3.18%), antiHBc (36.08%), antiHBs (0.49%). In 20.12% of samples, markers were associated. So, the global prevalence of the infection is 59.38% with the predominance of chronic forms compared to acute one. The rate of chronic carriage is independent of the sex but is influenced by age and geographic area. The post- infection immunization rate is 7.11%. In Senegal Hepatitis B is contracted at the early childhood. The high prevalence of this infection in children under five years emphasize the need for a spread vaccination in this age bracket, since we well know that the risk for them to become chronic carriers is high.


Abstract. Curvilinear channels on the surface of an ice shelf indicate the presence of large channels at the base. Modelling studies have shown that where these surface expressions intersect the grounding line, they coincide with the likely outflow of subglacial water. An understanding of the initiation and the ice–ocean evolution of the basal channels is required to understand the present behaviour and future dynamics of ice sheets and ice shelves. Here, we present focused active seismic and radar surveys of a basal channel, ∼950 m wide and ∼200 m high, and its upstream continuation beneath Support Force Glacier, which feeds into the Filchner Ice Shelf, West Antarctica. Immediately seaward from the grounding line, below the basal channel, the seismic profiles show an ∼6.75 km long, 3.2  km wide and 200  m thick sedimentary sequence with chaotic to weakly stratified reflections we interpret as a grounding line fan deposited by a subglacial drainage channel directly upstream of the basal channel. Further downstream the seabed has a different character; it consists of harder, stratified consolidated sediments, deposited under different glaciological circumstances, or possibly bedrock. In contrast to the standard perception of a rapid change in ice shelf thickness just downstream of the grounding line, we find a flat topography of the ice shelf base with an almost constant ice thickness gradient along-flow, indicating only little basal melting, but an initial widening of the basal channel, which we ascribe to melting along its flanks. Our findings provide a detailed view of a more complex interaction between the ocean and subglacial hydrology to form basal channels in ice shelves.


This paper explores the 4-parameter lognormal distribution (or Johnson S(B) distribution) as a model for occupational exposures to airborne contaminants. This model can incorporate extreme values when they are known a priori, or alternatively, they can be estimated from the data. This additional flexibility may be of value in estimating background and/or maximum exposures, as well as improving the fitting process and subsequent estimation of mean exposures. In addition, the model is physically consistent with the definition of concentration and provides a basis for linking stochastic and deterministic exposure modeling approaches. There is some additional computational burden in estimating the mean and variance of exposure relative to the usual 2-parameter lognormal model.


The accessibility of electronic resources tempts users to satisfy their information needs beyond the four walls of the library. Hence the libraries are equipping themselves to the changes as per the needs of the users. Present paper based on Web 2.0 tools and applications in libraries.


The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether infusion of a beta-adrenergic agonist, prior to and during exercise, could compensate for reduced sympathetic stimulation and correct deficient acceleration of left ventricular relaxation, so preventing a rise in left ventricular filling pressures during exercise after cardiac transplantation. Abnormal left ventricular relaxation kinetics can contribute to exercise-induced diastolic dysfunction of the cardiac allograft. This was demonstrated in transplant recipients whose acceleration of left ventricular relaxation during exercise was almost negligible recently and whose elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was high. Decreased adrenergic tone due to denervation could be involved in deficient left ventricular lusitropic response to exercise, because acceleration of left ventricular relaxation during exercise depends on adequate sympathetic stimulation. Serial supine bicycle exercise was performed at an identical workload in eight transplant recipients while in the control state and during continuous infusion of dobutamine, titrated before exercise to achieve a heart rate matching the heart rate at peak exercise in the control state. During control exercise, heart rate rose from 87 +/- 8 to 104 +/- 12 beats.min-1 (P < 0.05), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure from 14 +/- 5 to 20 +/- 4 mmHg (P < 0.05), left ventricular dP/dtmax from 1374 +/- 172 to 1854 +/- 278 mmHg.s-1 (P < 0.05), and cardiac output from 5.8 +/- 0.9 to 8.5 +/- 1.1 l.min-1 P < 0.05). There was a small but significant decrease of the time constant of left ventricular pressure decay (T) from 42 +/- 6 to 38 +/- 6 ms (P < 0.05). During dobutamine infusion, exercise resulted in a further increase in heart rate from 108 +/- 11 to 122 +/- 17 mmHg (P < 0.05), in cardiac output from 7.4 +/- 0.9 to 10.3 +/- 2.5 l.min-1 (P < 0.05), and in left ventricular dP/dtmax from 2181 +/- 220 to 2620 +/- 214 mmHg.s-1 (P < 0.05). These values were higher than the measurements obtained at the end of the control exercise run (P < 0.05). T failed to change (29 +/- 4 vs 27 +/- 5 mmHg, P > 0.05) and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure increased from 5 +/- 3 to 11 +/- 5 mmHg (P < 0.05) but remained lower than at the end of the control exercise run (11 +/- 5 vs 20 +/- 4 mmHg, P < 0.05). Compensation for reduced sympathetic stimulation by administration of dobutamine improves exercise haemodynamics in cardiac transplant recipients, but cannot prevent the exercise-induced rise in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and correct deficient acceleration of left ventricular relaxation. Abnormal exercise haemodynamics after heart transplantation are therefore only partly related to deficient sympathetic stimulation.


Critical to the education of engineers is the conceptual understanding of how discipline specific requirements integrate into the design of an engineered building. This conceptualization of systems and interdisciplinary interactions can be particularly challenging with buildings and infrastructure environments due to their size, complexity, and unique instances of systems. To enhance student engagement and comprehension of conceptual knowledge, a pilot study is currently underway looking at deploying Virtual Facility Dissection. The pilot study is currently implemented into an introductory (sophomore) building systems and materials course within the Architectural Engineering Department for a single topic, structural systems. Students enrolled here have not selected a discipline specific focus and are just starting to be exposed to building projects. The focus of this course is to introduce the students to different building materials and their function in typical systems in the built environment. In the delivery of the pilot, first the traditional method is taught, then three weeks later the same topic is re-visited but leveraging virtual dissection and interaction components. The results presented here are a summary of findings through two offerings of the pilot utilizing a steel superstructure case study of an ongoing construction project. Pre and post-test assessment were conducted. Here a comparison between the traditional method and the virtual facility dissection method can be examined. Student interest and efficacy in structural systems and construction of the structure were evaluated. Their efficacy increased regarding their ability to identify factors influencing structural design, to describe the schematic design process, and recognition of systems. Student interest in how systems were selected was also increased. Similarly, there was positive feedback about the scenario and strong interest from the students. The developed scenario had positive results in career interests, scenario engagement and their understanding of the design process.


Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are a structurally diverse group of toxicologically relevant secondary plant metabolites. Currently, two analytical methods are used to determine PA content in honey. To achieve reasonably high sensitivity and selectivity, mass spectrometry detection is demanded. One method is an HPLC-ESI-MS-MS approach, the other a sum parameter method utilising HRGC-EI-MS operated in the selected ion monitoring mode (SIM). To date, no fully validated or standardised method exists to measure the PA content in honey. To establish an LC-MS method, several hundred standard pollen analysis results of raw honey were analysed. Possible PA plants were identified and typical commercially available marker PA-N-oxides (PANOs). Three distinct honey sets were analysed with both methods. Set A consisted of pure Echium honey (61–80% Echium pollen). Echium is an attractive bee plant. It is quite common in all temperate zones worldwide and is one of the major reasons for PA contamination in honey. Although only echimidine/echimidine-N-oxide were available as reference for the LC-MS target approach, the results for both analytical techniques matched very well (n = 8; PA content ranging from 311 to 520 µg kg−1). The second batch (B) consisted of a set of randomly picked raw honeys, mostly originating from Eupatorium spp. (0–15%), another common PA plant, usually characterised by the occurrence of lycopsamine-type PA. Again, the results showed good consistency in terms of PA-positive samples and quantification results (n = 8; ranging from 0 to 625 µg kg−1 retronecine equivalents). The last set (C) was obtained by consciously placing beehives in areas with a high abundance of Jacobaea vulgaris (ragwort) from the Veluwe region (the Netherlands). J. vulgaris increasingly invades countrysides in Central Europe, especially areas with reduced farming or sites with natural restorations. Honey from two seasons (2007 and 2008) was sampled. While only trace amounts of ragwort pollen were detected (0–6.3%), in some cases extremely high PA values were detected (n = 31; ranging from 0 to 13019 µg kg−1, average = 1261 or 76 µg kg−1 for GC-MS and LC-MS, respectively). Here the results showed significantly different quantification results. The GC-MS sum parameter showed in average higher values (on average differing by a factor 17). The main reason for the discrepancy is most likely the incomplete coverage of the J. vulgaris PA pattern. Major J. vulgaris PAs like jacobine-type PAs or erucifoline/acetylerucifoline were not available as reference compounds for the LC-MS target approach. Based on the direct comparison, both methods are considered from various perspectives and the respective individual strengths and weaknesses for each method are presented in detail.


In promoting literacy, English educators should be concerned with the whole range of cultural products, since simple texts can reveal as much about culture, power, society and identity as many other seemingly more "elevated" texts. It is clear that graphic texts, which include comics and other narratives, fall within this range. They have a widely accessible representational mode in which words and pictures are interdependent, conveying an idea that neither could convey alone. In the graphic adaptation of African short stories such as 'The Collector of Treasures', the oral mode of storytelling is reinvented and reinforced by visual and written modes of communication conveyed in the medium of a printed text. This type of graphic narrative promotes a functional fusion of visual, written, oral, cultural and critical literacies and advances a popular reading culture by facilitating a multiplicity of interactive responses. It may therefore serve as an authentic signpost for the feasibility of broadening the scope of literary studies in a wide variety of cultural and educational contexts.


The α-particle imaging of a compressed core of microtargets using a multi-pinhole regular diaphragm is proposed. The image reconstruction technique is described. The results of the α-particle imaging of a compressed core of microtargets obtained at the 'Iskra-4' laser facility are reported.


Adoptive immunotherapy with genetically modified natural killer (NK) cells is a promising approach for cancer treatment. Yet, optimization of highly efficient and clinically applicable gene transfer protocols for NK cells still presents a challenge. In this study, we aimed at identifying conditions under which optimum lentiviral gene transfer to NK cells can be achieved. Our results demonstrate that stimulation of NK cells with interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-21 supports efficient transduction using a VSV-G pseudotyped lentiviral vector. Moreover, we have identified that inhibition of innate immune receptor signaling greatly enhances transduction efficiency. We were able to boost the efficiency of lentiviral genetic modification on average 3.8-fold using BX795, an inhibitor of the TBK1/IKKɛ complex acting downstream of RIG-I, MDA-5, and TLR3. We have also observed that the use of BX795 enhances lentiviral transduction efficiency in a number of human and mouse cell lines, indicating a broadly applicable, practical, and safe approach that has the potential of being applicable to various gene therapy protocols.


Background: The 21-gene Recurrence Score® (RS) is a clinically validated assay that predicts the likelihood of chemotherapy benefit and the risk of distant recurrence for individual patients with estrogen receptor positive (ER+), early stage breast cancer (ESBC). The 21-gene RS is included in the published guidelines of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and American Society of Clinical Oncology as an adjuvant-treatment decision tool. Recently, university-led studies have reported approximately 17-27% decision impact of 21-gene RS in actual practice. We reviewed the published literature and conducted a meta-analysis of the impact of the 21-gene breast cancer RS on treatment recommendations and decisions in clinical practice. Method: Published cohort studies that reported the change in the recommendation or actual use of adjuvant chemotherapy (CTX) before and after the RS were included. Patients must be identified as ER+, LN-ESBC. Outcomes evaluated were: treatment decision change from 1) CTX plus hormone therapy to hormone therapy only or 2) hormone therapy-only to CTX plus hormone therapy. Actual treatment change was used when available. Reductions in the relative and absolute CTX use associated with the 21-gene breast cancer RS were computed with Review Manager 5 Version 5.0.24. (Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, the Cochrane Collaboration, 2008). Results: 7 published studies, with a total of 913 patients were included in the meta-analysis. 62% (566/913) of patients were recommended or received CTX prior to testing with the 21-gene RS. After RS testing, 29% percent (268/913) of patients were recommended or received CTX. The absolute reduction of CTX use associated with RS testing was 30% (95% CI [-40%, -21%]) The relative risk ratio is computed as a ratio, weighted by the sample size of each study, of (1) proportion of patients treated with CTX plus hormone therapy after 21-gene RS and (2) proportion of patients treated with CTX plus hormone therapy before 21-gene RS. The estimated relative ratio in CTX use before and after 21-gene assay is 49% (95% CI [41%, 58%]). One limitation of this analysis is the heterogeneity in the study designs of the published studies. Of the 7 available studies, 1 was a prospective physician survey; 6 were retrospective chart reviews. A second limitation of the study is in the consistency of reported outcomes. 4 studies reported the use of CTX after 21-gene breast cancer RS, whereas the remaining 3 reported the physicians' treatment recommendations. Lastly, the meta-analysis does not capture the important benefit of the RS for patients who switch from no CTX to CTX when a high RS is obtained. Conclusion: The meta-analysis shows consistent overall reduction in AC with the adoption of the 21-gene breast cancer RS. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-09-06.


ake La Thuile in the Massif des Bauges (874 m a.s.l. French Alps) provides a 18 meters sedimentary sequence.Due to its mid-altitude position, this lake is one of the first to be formed through the glacial retreat and documentsthe evolution of its catchment since the Late Glacial Maximum. The first 6 meters of the core cover the last 12000 years, and allowed to study human/climate/environment interactions in a carbonated environment. This studyis the first one to investigate a mid-altitude lake in the French Alps for paleoenvironment reconstruction fromlake sediment archive. Its altitudinal position presents the advantage to be very accessible to human activitiesand allows more developed agriculture than in higher altitude. This study aims to determined how and when isexpressed the erosive response of such an environment to human settlement.High resolution multiproxy analysis of the first 6 meters including sedimentological, palynological andgeochemical data associated to a well-constrained chronology over the Holocene period allows us to understandthe respective impacts of both climate and human on the evolution of Lake La Thuile environment.Five major phases of evolution have been highlighted over this period. From 12 000 to 10 000 yr cal. BP,the vegetation is developing with the onset of hardwood species and the disappearance of Pinus. From 10 000to 4500 yr cal. BP the warmer climatic conditions of the middle of the Holocene allows the forest to densifyand the very low sedimentation rate indicates that the forest stabilizes slopes and prevents from the erosionon the watershed. The climate cooling of the Neoglacial period triggers a first erosive phase with a decreasingof the forest around 3300 cal. BP. Human settlements are suggested at La Thuile from 2500 yr cal. BP bypalynological evidence of anthropic taxa. The triggered clearing is accompanied by a second erosive phase relatedto anthropic activities during the Roman period. Erosion intensified from 1600 cal. BP in a third erosive phase cor-responding to agriculture intensification during the Middle Ages. At the end of the Middle Ages, human footprintseems to decrease but the reason of this change is not resolved between social determination or/and climate forcing.These three erosive phases may have completely changed the catchment behavior until the agriculturalabandonment in the middle of the 20th century. Lake La Thuile sedimentary infill shows a landscape evolutionfirst controlled by climate and progressively, since 2500 years ago, human activities came to superimpose. Therole of human seems to be more important with abrupt and maybe irreversible modifications of the landscape


Analysis of rectangular plates resting on a Winkler-type, one-parameter foundation is studied. The finite element method is applied and a 12-degree-of-freedom, nonconforming rectangular plate element is adopted. Based on shape functions of the plate element, an energy approach is used to derive a closed-form, 12-by-12, consistent foundation stiffness matrix for a rectangular plate on an elastic subgrade. A commonly used method of modeling structural elements on an elastic foundation is the application of discrete springs at the element nodes. The model developed in this paper is compared with the discrete spring model and the convergence of both models is discussed. The convergence of the models is compared with the well-known classical solution of plates on elastic foundation developed in the 1950s. Both models show good convergence to the classical solution. The continuous subgrade response model converges in a manner more consistent with the flexibility of the plate element.


Seven years' experience with retroperitoneal thromboendarterectomy for ileofemoral obstruction has been reviewed. Eighty-five limbs in 75 patients were operated upon. Thirty-four limbs received simultaneous femoropopliteal bypass graft. Operative mortality (3.5%) and morbidity rates were low. The average postoperative hospital stay was 11 days. Only four ileofemoral segments thrombosed for cumulative 1-month and 5-year patency rates of 98.8% and 93.8%, respectively. In addition two femoropopliteal grafts became occluded, leaving, however, the proximal reconstructions patent. The safety, effectiveness, and smooth postoperative course of this operation in both good risk and poor risk patients suggest that it is a most satisfactory alternative to other reconstructive procedures. It is well suited for the treatment of both unilateral and-as a staged operation-bilateral ileofemoral occlusions, and it can ideally be combined with a femoropopliteal bypass. Advantages compared to conventional transabdominal operations and extra-anatomic bypass grafts are discussed.


A short PR interval, a delta wave, and attacks of paroxysmal tachycardia are the principal features of the WPW syndrome. A grossly irregular rhythm with bizzare QRS complexes at rates exceeding 180 per minute is one of the paroxysmal tachycardias characteristic of the WPW syndrome. This arrhythmia deserves special attention, because it is often misinterpretated as ventricular tachycardia. The interpretation is atrial fibrillation with varying degrees of ventricular fusion and phasic ventricular aberration. Prompt electrical cardioversion is indicated because, at times, ventricular fibrillation may result. Quinidine sulfate used prophylactically because of its negative dromotropic effect on the accessory pathway promotes A-V transmission via the A-V node.


AbstractA computationally efficient method is developed to analyze the vortex wind fields of radar-observed mesocyclones. The method has the following features. (i) The analysis is performed in a nested domain over the mesocyclone area on a selected tilt of radar low-elevation scan. (ii) The background error correlation function is formulated with a desired vortex-flow dependence in the cylindrical coordinates cocentered with the mesocyclone. (iii) The square root of the background error covariance matrix is derived analytically to precondition the cost function and thus enhance the computational efficiency. Using this method, the vortex wind analysis can be performed efficiently either in a stand-alone fashion or as an additional step of targeted finescale analysis in the existing radar wind analysis system developed for nowcast applications. The effectiveness and performance of the method are demonstrated by examples of analyzed wind fields for the tornadic mesocyclones observed by operational Doppler r...


Background/aim Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide problem, where liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are consequences of HCV-related chronic liver disease. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is a new imaging technology for the noninvasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis. The present work aimed to study the degree of hepatic stiffness in HCV-related liver diseases including chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and cirrhotic patients who developed HCC using ARFI. Patients and methods Ninety patients were included in the study; they were divided equally into three groups: chronic HCV patients who were candidate for standard antiviral therapy, cirrhotic patients, and cirrhotic patients with HCC. Also, the study included 60 healthy individuals as a control group. Evaluation of hepatic stiffness using ARFI was performed in all studied groups in correlation with liver biopsy (performed only in chronic HCV patients who were candidates to receive standard antiviral therapy in the form of pegylated interferon and ribavirin). Results A positive correlation was found between the different studied groups in hepatic stiffness. Also, a positive correlation was detected between cirrhotic and HCC patients, indicating the importance of ARFI as a predictor for transformation from the cirrhotic to the malignant state. Conclusion ARFI is a new reliable, noninvasive tool to assess hepatic stiffness, where increased stiffness is associated with increased ARFI readings. The ARFI value is statistically significantly higher in cirrhotic patients with HCC than in cirrhotic non-HCC patients; thus, ARFI can predict the development of HCC. ARFI at the best cutoff value of 1.48 m/s can differentiate between patients of F2 or less (F0, F1, F2) and those greater than F2.


A genetic analysis of thiamine metabolism has been carried out in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A collection of thiamine auxotrophic mutants were isolated following UV and Ty insertion mutagenesis. The mutations responsible for the auxotrophic phenotypes were characterised to different extents through complementation analysis, molecular cloning and enzyme assays. In total 171 mutants were analysed and all of these have been assigned to complementation groups, genes and/or functions. Some newly isolated mutations were found to be allelic with the known biosynthetic genes, THI4 and 777/6; others were in the regulatory genes, 777/2 and 777/3; two more defined a new function for the transcription factor, Pdc2p, namely thiamine gene activation. In addition the previously known mutations, thil, thi2, and thi3, were complemented and the sequences of the wild-type 777//, THI2 and THI3 genes were found. From the deduced amino acid sequences roles for the gene products were hypothesised. The Thi2p was found to be homologous with the Gal4p transcription factor due to the presence of a Zn-finger motif; therefore a DNA-binding transcription factor role was proposed for this protein. The Thi3p was found to be homologous to the structural proteins for the enzyme pyruvate decarboxylase. It contains a conserved sequence for TPP binding, the consensus motif having been found in all TPP-dependent enzymes. Therefore it is hypothesised here that Thi3p acts as a "TPP sensor" within the cell, such that deactivation of thiamine-regulated genes is exerted when TPP is bound to Thi3p. In the case of 7 7 ///, the complementing ORF was found to be a previously characterised gene, ILV2, which encodes the aceto-hydroxy acid synthase (AHAS) enzyme. AHAS catalyses the first step in the parallel biosyntheses of the branched-chain amino acids, isoleucine and valine, using TPP as a cofactor. It was hypothesised that thil encodes a functional AHAS which has a reduced affinity for TPP resulting in a thiamine auxotrophic phenotype, The thil allele was cloned and enzyme assays were carried out which supported this hypothesis. Sequencing analysis and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that die thil phenotype was produced as a result of a single point mutation which caused the conserved amino acid substitution D176E. Hence in this study an amino acid residue potentially important in the binding of TPP to the AHAS enzyme is identified.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to determine free sugar concentration and pH of paediatric syrup medicines. Setting Ten paediatric syrup medicines most frequently prescribed in urban centres in Brazil were randomly chosen to be tested.

OUTCOME MEASURES
Three different bottles from each type of syrup medicine were analysed (n = 30). Analysis of free sugars was performed using normal phase High-Performance Liquid Cromatography (HPLC). Quantification of free sugars was achieved by peak height comparison with standards of sucrose, fructose, glucose and sorbitol (Merck). The results were average of replicates from three bottles of each medicine. The pH of the three different bottles of each medicine was determined using a digital pHmeter (Analion - PM 600).

RESULTS
Sucrose and glucose were detected in seven of the ten types of paediatric syrup medicines, with concentrations varying from 3.7 to 49.4% (w/w) (Median 32.7%) and 2.1 to 23.2% (w/w) (Median = 6.1%), respectively. Only two medicines contained fructose, and three, sorbitol, with respective medians of 12.8% (3.1-22.4%) and 24.6% (22.8-27.4%). The median of pH values was 4.9 (2.6-6.1).

CONCLUSIONS
Most paediatric syrup medicines showed high concentration of free sugars and pH below the critical value (5.5), which can increase their cariogenic and erosive potentials.


Caveolin-1 is a cholesterol-binding scaffold protein, which is localized in detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) rafts and interacts with components of signal transduction systems, including visual cascade. Among these components are neuronal calcium sensors (NCSs), some of which are redox-sensitive proteins that respond to calcium signals by modulating the activity of multiple intracellular targets. Here, we report that the formation of the caveolin-1 complex with recoverin, a photoreceptor NCS serving as the membrane-binding regulator of rhodopsin kinase (GRK1), is a redox-dependent process. Biochemical and biophysical in vitro experiments revealed a two-fold decreased affinity of recoverin to caveolin-1 mutant Y14E mimicking its oxidative stress-induced phosphorylation of the scaffold protein. At the same time, wild-type caveolin-1 demonstrated a 5–10-fold increased affinity to disulfide dimer of recoverin (dRec) or its thiol oxidation mimicking the C39D mutant. The formation of dRec in vitro was not affected by caveolin-1 but was significantly potentiated by zinc, the well-known mediator of redox homeostasis. In the MDCK cell model, oxidative stress indeed triggered Y14 phosphorylation of caveolin-1 and disulfide dimerization of recoverin. Notably, oxidative conditions promoted the accumulation of phosphorylated caveolin-1 in the plasma membrane and the recruitment of recoverin to the same sites. Co-localization of these proteins was preserved upon depletion of intracellular calcium, i.e., under conditions reducing membrane affinity of recoverin but favoring its interaction with caveolin-1. Taken together, these data suggest redox regulation of the signaling complex between recoverin and caveolin-1. During oxidative stress, the high-affinity interaction of thiol-oxidized recoverin with caveolin-1/DRMs may disturb the light-induced translocation of the former within photoreceptors and affect rhodopsin desensitization.


Teaching in blended and online learning environments requires different pedagogical approaches than teaching in face-to-face learning environments.  How educators are prepared to teach potentially impacts the quality of instruction provided in blended and online learning courses. Teaching presence is essential to achieving student learning outcomes, yet previous research has focused on student perceptions of teaching presence.  Therefore, the purpose of this mixed methods convergent parallel study was to explore educators' preparation to teach, perceived teaching presence, and perceived teaching presence behaviors in blended and online learning environments.  The study was designed to examine the differences in educators' perceived teaching presence and preparation to teach in blended and online learning environments.  An adapted Community of Inquiry Survey Instrument was used to measure faculty perceptions of teaching presence.  Results indicated a statistically significant difference between perceived teaching presence of facilitation for faculty that completed certification courses in preparation to teach in blended and online learning environments, as compared to faculty that only received on-the-job training.  Qualitative responses to corresponding interview questions supported the findings.  The findings of this study provide information to university educators and administrators supporting the importance of faculty preparation specific to teaching in blended and online learning environments.


"Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is identified as the most frequent inborn viral contagion in people and an important matter of morbidity and destruction in immunocompromised owners". Cytomegalovirus is a typical herpes virus. Also distinguished as HCMV or human herpesvirus 5 (HHV-5). Once tainted, the human body holds the virus for life. CMV settles from person to person over body liquids, like blood, saliva, urine, semen and breast milk. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention organization" (CDC) predicted that around 50% of grown-ups in the United States have incurred the virus by forty years old. It afflicts men and women fairly, at any life and notwithstanding of ethnicity.
Fever, wetness, tiredness, restlessness, sore throat, enlarged glands, muscle strain, low desire and loss of weight are the obvious indications. But recurring and fundamental CMV have more dangerous symptoms and critical conditions like as jaundice, fever, pneumonia, cold, spots under the surface body, Purple color surface stains, a blemish, or all, developed liver, kidney, large spleen, low birth weight, breakdowns etc. Notwithstanding these debilitating maladies, no prescription to prevent them improvement or treatment is open till now.
That's why we proposed to express a multi-epitope vaccine upon CMV by employing an Immuno bioinformatics road. For this desire, we practised the Human CMV spike protein to ascertain the dominant. After study of the specification of these epitopes we selected only six epitopes to create the desire vaccine against the human Cytomegalovirus. All features of a perfect vaccine was present of our designed vaccine such as non-toxin, non-allergenic and highly soluble etc.
Moreover, our created vaccine showed the excellent score in all physiochemical and in lifetimein the host cell.


Abstract. Sulistyawati, Roeswitawati D, Ibrahim JT, Maftuchah. 2019. Genetic diversity of local sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) genotypes of East Java, Indonesia for agro-morphological and physiological traits. Biodiversitas 20: 2503-2510. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) has great potential to be cultivated because it has extensive adaptability, tolerant to drought and puddles, can produce on marginal land and relatively resistant to pests and diseases. To meet the food requirement, sorghum can be grown in Indonesia as an alternative food source other than rice. This study aims to obtain information on the agro-morphological and physiological characters of nine local sorghum genotypes in East Java, Indonesia so that they can be used as parents in improving the nature of varieties. The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Block Design, using nine local sorghum genotypes from East Java in three replications. The nine local sorghum genotypes are Sb.Pas, Sb.Lmg 1, Sb.Lmg 2, Sb.Tbn, Sb.Spg 1, Sb.Spg 2, Sb.Tag 1, Sb.Tag 2 and Sb.Jbg. The result showed that nine genotypes that are characterized have a variety of morphological (quantitative and qualitative), agronomic and physiological characters. According to the whole characters observed, there are five genotypes that are recommended for breeding programs, namely Sb.Lmg 1, Sb.Tbn, Sb.Spg 2, Sb.Tag1 and sb.Tag2. This can be proved by the morphological character, genotype Sb.Lmg 1, Sb.Tbn, Sb.Spg 2, Sb.Tag 1 and Sb.Tag2 have a high value of Agronomy character, genotype Sb.Tbn, Sb.Tag 1 and Sb.Tag 2 noted highest production acres-1 harvest age of genjah and medium; the Physiology character, high protein and carbohydrate substances reached by the Sb.Lmg 1 genotype, Sb.Tbn and Sb.Spg 2.


Abstract The lithostratigraphic characteristics of the iconic Blue Lias Formation of southern Britain are influenced by sedimentation rates and stratigraphic gaps. Evidence for regular sedimentary cycles is reassessed using logs of magnetic susceptibility from four sites as an inverse proxy for carbonate content. Standard spectral analysis, including allowing for false discovery rates, demonstrates several scales of regular cyclicity in depth. Bayesian probability spectra provide independent confirmation of at least one scale of regular cyclicity at all sites. The frequency ratios between the different scales of cyclicity are consistent with astronomical forcing of climate at the periods of the short eccentricity, obliquity and precession cycles. Using local tuned time scales, 62 ammonite biohorizons have minimum durations of 0.7 to 276 ka, with 94% of them <41 ka. The duration of the Hettangian Stage is ≥2.9 Ma according to data from the West Somerset and Devon/Dorset coasts individually, increasing to ≥3.7 Ma when combined with data from Glamorgan and Warwickshire. A composite time scale, constructed using the tuned time scales plus correlated biohorizon limits treated as time lines, allows for the integration of local stratigraphic gaps. This approach yields an improved duration for the Hettangian Stage of ≥4.1 Ma, a figure that is about twice that suggested in recent time scales.