Limited language experience in childhood is common among deaf individuals, which prior research has shown to lead to low levels of language processing. Although basic structures such as word order have been found to be resilient to conditions of sparse language input in early life, whether they are robust to conditions of extreme language delay is unknown. The sentence comprehension strategies of post-childhood, first-language (L1) learners of American Sign Language (ASL) with at least 9 years of language experience were investigated, in comparison to two control groups of learners with full access to language from birth (deaf native signers and hearing L2 learners who were native English speakers). The results of a sentence-to-picture matching experiment show that event knowledge overrides word order for post-childhood L1 learners, regardless of the animacy of the subject, while both deaf native signers and hearing L2 signers consistently rely on word order to comprehend sentences. Language inaccessibility throughout early childhood impedes the acquisition of even basic word order. Similar to the strategies used by very young children prior to the development of basic sentence structure, post-childhood L1 learners rely more on context and event knowledge to comprehend sentences. Language experience during childhood is critical to the development of basic sentence structure.


This case report presents the clinical evaluation and management of a female patient from a rural background who presented with leg pain, headache, weakness and irritability. Initial investigations revealed iron deficiency anaemia accompanied by a significantly elevated platelet count, prompting suspicion of an underlying myeloproliferative neoplastic disorder. However, subsequent genetic testing ruled out these mutations, suggesting a reactive response to iron deficiency anaemia rather than an independent neoplastic process. Treatment was focused on addressing the underlying iron deficiency anaemia, resulting in significant improvement in the patient's blood profile and resolution of symptoms. Follow-up assessments demonstrated a complete normalisation of the blood profile and platelet counts, further supporting the efficacy of the treatment. This case highlights the importance of considering reactive thrombocytosis in the context of iron deficiency anaemia and emphasises the favourable response achieved through appropriate management strategies.


This study was designed to identify the effects of bisphosphonate (BP) administration on structure and functions of osteoclasts in alveolar bone resorption during relapse after orthodontic movement of rat molars.Twenty four male rats were used in this study.ToProduce orthodontic force,elastic band was inserted between the upper first and second molars for 21 days. at one day befor elastic band removal, bisphosphonate was administered intraperitoneally. After elastic band removal, the rats were further maintained fpr 0.5 and 10 days. the distal relaose movement of the first molars was examined by means of light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy.In disphosphonate-administred rate, there was adecrease in the distal relapse movement in comparison to the control group and the histological observations revealed reduction in osteoclasts aggregation along the alveolar bone sufaces opposite the pressure side of the periodontal ligament with degenerative structural changes especially at the fifth day. it was concluded that relaps in experimentally moved rat molars through a mechanism involving impairment of the structure and resorptive functions of osteoclasts.


The SWR1C chromatin remodeling enzyme catalyzes an ATP-dependent replacement of nucleosomal H2A with the H2A.Z variant, regulating key DNA-mediated processes, such as transcription and DNA repair. Here we investigate the transient kinetic mechanism of the histone exchange reaction employing ensemble FRET, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), and the steady state kinetics of ATP hydrolysis. Our studies indicate that SWR1C modulates nucleosome dynamics on both the millisecond and microsecond timescales, poising the nucleosome for the dimer exchange reaction. The transient kinetic analysis of the remodeling reaction performed under single turnover conditions unraveled a striking asymmetry in the ATP-dependent replacement of nucleosomal dimers, promoted by localized DNA translocation. Taken together, our transient kinetic studies identify new intermediates and provide crucial insights into the SWR1C-catalyzed dimer exchange reaction, as well as shedding light on how the mechanics of H2A.Z deposition might contribute to transcriptional regulation in vivo.


Historically, public health surveillance for Lyme disease has required clinical follow‐up on positive laboratory reports for the purpose of case classification. In areas with sustained high incidence of the disease, this resource‐intensive activity yields a limited benefit to public health practice. A range of burden‐reducing strategies have been implemented in many states, creating inconsistencies that limit the ability to decipher trends. Laboratory‐based surveillance, or surveillance based solely on positive laboratory reports without follow‐up for clinical information on positive laboratory reports, emerged as a feasible alternative to improve standardization in already high‐incidence areas. To inform expectations of a laboratory‐based surveillance model, we conducted a retrospective analysis of Lyme disease data collected during 2012–2018 from 10 high‐incidence states. The number of individuals with laboratory evidence of infection ranged from 1302 to 20,994 per state and year. On average, 55% of those were ultimately classified as confirmed or probable cases (range: 29%–86%). Among all individuals with positive laboratory evidence, 18% (range: 2%–37%) were determined to be 'not a case' upon investigation and 23% (range: 2%–52%) were classified as suspect cases due to lack of associated clinical information and thus were not reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The number of reported cases under a laboratory‐based approach to surveillance in high‐incidence states using recommended two‐tier testing algorithms is likely to be, on average, 1.2 times higher (range: 0.6–1.8 times) than what was reported to CDC during 2012–2018. A laboratory‐based surveillance approach for high‐incidence states will improve standardization and reduce burden on public health systems, allowing public health resources to focus on prevention messaging, exploration of novel prevention strategies and alternative data sources to yield information on the epidemiology of Lyme disease.


Disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow (DCBM) in colorectal cancer is an extremely rare complication with a poor prognosis. Here, we report a case of DCBM due to rectal cancer successfully treated with a combination of FOLFOX and an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agent. The patient was a 38-year-old man diagnosed with rectal cancer with multiple bone and para-aortic lymph node metastases complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). He first recovered from DIC following cotreatment with FOLOX plus cetuximab; subsequently, the second attack was successfully treated with FOLFOX plus panitumumab. His initial condition was extremely poor, but he survived with two FOLFOX plus anti-EGFR regimens and died 333 days after introduction of chemotherapy.


: It is now commonly held that values play a role in scientific judgment, but many arguments for that conclusion are limited. First, many arguments do not show that values are, strictly speaking, indispensable. The role of values could in principle be filled by a random or arbitrary decision. Second, many arguments concern scientific theories and concepts which have obvious practical consequences, thus suggesting or at least leaving open the possibility that abstruse sciences without such a connection could be value-free. Third, many arguments concern the role values play in inferring from evidence, thus taking evidence as given. This paper argues that these limitations do not hold in general. There are values involved in every scientific judgment. They cannot even conceivably be replaced by a coin toss, they arise as much for exotic as for practical sciences, and they are at issue as much for observation as for explicit inference.


We evaluated the acute and chronic effects of prazosin treatment in 11 patients with chronic congestive heart failure, NYHA functional class III and IV. Before treatment mean arterial pressure averaged 100 +/- 15 mmHg, left ventricular filling pressure 29 +/- 11 mmHg, and systemic vascular resistance 2372 +/- 1121 dynes s cm-5. Prazosin administration resulted in haemodynamic improvement in all but one patient with significant lowering of the mean arterial pressure, left ventricular filling pressure, and systemic vascular resistance. Nine patients completed a 10-week course of ambulatory treatment. Five patients remained improved while four developed significant fluid retention; two of these had transient exacerbation of congestive heart failure. This was controlled by increasing diuretic and/or prazosin treatment. After 10 weeks all nine patients had advanced to NYHA functional class II. Repeat haemodynamic measurements disclosed complete haemodynamic tolerance in one patient while three other patients showed partial tolerance with a lower cardiac output (CO) response to prazosin. The nine patients, however, still showed significant lowering of the mean arterial pressure, left ventricular filling pressure, as well as the systemic vascular resistance. Though pharmacodynamic tolerance was noted in four out of nine patients, beneficial clinical and haemodynamic effects could be demonstrated after 10 weeks of prazosin treatment in most patients. Further evaluation of the long-term effects of prazosin in chronic congestive heart failure is warranted.


Polyurethane reaction between a new polyol and TDI under isothermal conditions was investigated. The progress of the reaction was monitored by following the viscosity as well as the monomer conversion. Viscosity variations were measured by means of a cone-and-plate viscometer while conversion was estimated by IR technique. An already reported empirical relationship between these two was verified. Stockmayer's formula for weight average molecular weight of a linearly polycondensing system was used to find molecular weights at every stage of the reaction. The interdependence of viscosity and weight average molecular \ weight was confirmed, and the value of the index rn was obtained.


We consider different axiomatizations of network theory with emphasis of Kirchhoff networks. Following a tradition founded by Kirchhoff the topological structure of this class of networks is characterized by means of oriented graphs. Multipole and multiport networks are introduced as alternative variants. A consequent enforcement of the multiport approach leads directly to the class of Paynter networks for which bond graphs deliver an adequate representation. Additionally, Minty networks are discussed briefly as a generalization of Kirchhoff networks. They are based on oriented graphoids instead of oriented graphs. Keywords. networks, multipoles, multiports, graphs, graphoids.


The topic of the Social and Solidarity Economy, from its own emergence, has been approached by diverse authors, closely associated to this debate divergent points of view have arisen, become the theoretical and methodological references of this definition, as a basis for its practical realization, in a context in which neoliberal globalization has conditioned the search for viable alternatives to alleviate the contradictions it generates. Although, generally speaking, the Social and Solidarity Economy is understood as the interrelation of companies and participative associative organizations, constituted by cooperatives, mutuals, savings banks, employee funds, community enterprises, associations, dedicated to production, distribution and consumption of goods and services, non-profit and in solidarity. The different places and contexts in which it develops, gives this sector particularities and, therefore, the need for a broad and divergent analysis. The present work proposes an evaluation of different criteria about the Social and Solidarity Economy in the current international context.


A worker's utility may increase in his own income, but envy can make his utility decline with his employer's income. Such behavior may call for high-powered incentives, so that increased effort by the worker little increases the income of his employer. This paper employs a principal-agent model to study optimal incentive contracts for envious workers under various assumptions about the object and generality of envy. Envy amplifies the effect of incentives on effort and, therefore, increases optimal incentive pay. Moreover, envy can make profit-sharing optimal, even when the worker's effort is fully contractible. We discuss several applications of our theoretical work. For example, envy can explain why lower-level workers are awarded stock options, why incentive pay is usually lower in non-profit organizations, and higher in larger firms. Envy may also make governmental production of a good more efficient than private production.


Resilience against major disasters is the most essential characteristic of future electrical distribution systems (EDS). A multi-agent-based rolling optimization method for EDS restoration scheduling is proposed in this paper. When a blackout occurs, considering the risk of losing the centralized authority due to the failure of the common core communication network, the agents available after disasters or cyber-attacks identify the communication-connected parts (CCPs) in the EDS with distributed communication. A multi-time interval optimization model is formulated and solved by the agents for the restoration scheduling of a CCP. A rolling optimization process for the entire EDS restoration is proposed. During the scheduling/rescheduling in the rolling process, the CCPs in the EDS are reidentified and the restoration schedules for the CCPs are updated. Through decentralized decision-making and rolling optimization, EDS restoration scheduling can automatically start and periodically update itself, providing effective solutions for EDS restoration scheduling in a blackout event. A modified IEEE 123-bus EDS is utilized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


The evolution of a small but finite three-dimensional disturbance on a flat uniform vortex sheet is analysed on the basis of a Lagrangian representation of the motion. The sheet at time t is expanded in a double periodic Fourier series: R(λ1, λ2, t) = (λ1, λ2, 0) + Σn,m An,m exp[i(nλ1 + δmλ2)], where λ1 and λ2 are Lagrangian parameters in the streamwise and spanwise directions, respectively, and δ is the aspect ratio of the periodic domain of the disturbance. By generalizing Moore's analysis for two-dimensional motion to three dimensions, we derive evolution equations for the Fourier coefficients An,m. The behaviour of An,m is investigated by both numerical integration of a set of truncated equations and a leading-order asymptotic analysis valid at large t. Both the numerical integration and the asymptotic analysis show that a singularity appears at a finite time tc = O(lnε−1) where ε is the amplitude of the initial disturbance. The singularity is such that An,0 = O(tc−1) behaves like n−5/2, while An,±1 = O(εtc) behaves like n−3/2 for large n. The evolution of A0,m(spanwise mode) is also studied by an asymptotic analysis valid at large t. The analysis shows that a singularity appears at a finite time t = O(ε−1) and the singularity is characterized by A0,2k ∝ k−5/2 for large k.


Diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common form of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) diagnosed in the USA, consists of at least two distinct subtypes: germinal centre B (GCB) and activated B‐cell (ABC). Decreased MHC class II (MHCII) expression on the tumours in both DLBCL subtypes directly correlates with significant decreases in patient survival. One common mechanism accounting for MHCII down‐regulation in DLBCL is reduced expression of the MHC class II transactivator (CIITA), the master regulator of MHCII transcription. Furthermore, reduced CIITA expression in ABC DLBCL correlates with the presence of the transcriptional repressor positive regulatory domain‐I‐binding factor‐1 (PRDI‐BF1). However, the mechanisms underlying down‐regulation of CIITA in GCB DLBCL are currently unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that neither PRDI‐BF1 nor CpG hypermethylation at the CIITA promoters are responsible for decreased CIITA in GCB DLBCL. In contrast, histone modifications associated with an open chromatin conformation and active transcription were significantly lower at the CIITA promoters in CIITA− GCB cells compared with CIITA+ B cells, which suggests that epigenetic mechanisms contribute to repression of CIITA transcription. Treatment of CIITA− or CIITAlow GCB cells with several different histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) activated modest CIITA and MHCII expression. However, CIITA and MHCII levels were significantly higher in these cells after exposure to the HDAC‐1‐specific inhibitor MS‐275. These results suggest that CIITA transcription is repressed in GCB DLBCL cells through epigenetic mechanisms involving HDACs, and that HDACi treatment can alleviate repression. These observations may have important implications for patient therapy.


Completed June 2004: Drawing in the Built Form: commissioned permanent work in the central atrium of Osborne School. 24 glass panels spanning 36 metres. The art work is presented as pages from a book marking the route to the library and providing access to the interior construction of the building. The piece is a celebration of the broad authorship of the redevelopment, in which over 400 people participated. The commissioned work represents research into the role of drawing during the construction of a building which was carried out during the construction of Osborne School (April 2002- June 2004). Undertaken through collaboration with Hampshire County Council, Llewellyn's Building Construction and Osborne School. Osborne School was awarded a RIBA prize in June 2004.


We study the fidelity susceptibility in an antiferromagnetic spin-1 XXZ chain numerically. By using the density-matrix renormalization group method, the effects of the alternating single-site anisotropy D on fidelity susceptibility are investigated. Its relation with the quantum phase transition is analyzed. It is found that the quantum phase transition from the Haldane spin liquid to periodic Néel spin solid can be well characterized by the fidelity. Finite size scaling of fidelity susceptibility shows a power-law divergence at criticality, which indicates the quantum phase transition is of second order. The results are confirmed by the second derivative of the ground-state energy. We also study the relationship between the entanglement entropy, the Schmidt gap and quantum phase transitions. Conclusions drawn from these quantum information observables agree well with each other.


Disposable diaper waste is consisted of plastic, fiber, and SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer). They are valuable to be used as raw materials of other products including plastic blocks and pulp mold. Nevertheless, disposable diaper waste have been disposed by landfill and incineration without recycling. Due to strict environmental regulations it is necessary to develop fractionation technique to recycle the disposable diaper waste. In this study the fractionation technique using pilot-scale stock preparation units was investigated. Process for separation of plastic and fibers from disposable diaper waste was composed by the combination of pilot-scale pulper, drum screen, screen and cleaner. Recovery rate of plastics and fiber was checked according to the various operating conditions. In drum screen, recovery rate of plastic was high when the cut size of disposable diaper waste was . The highest recovery rate of fiber was achieved with 0.3 mm slot screen. It is important to control the neutral state of SAP for improvement of recovery rate of fiber since SAP can be swelled easily in water. Therefore SAP can be controlled efficiently by the addition of calcium chloride into the pulper. Consequently recovery rates of plastics and fibers were over 90 and 80% under the optimum pilot operating conditions.


We tested the accuracy of the relaxation times T1 and T2 of MAGiC magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by using a synthetic technique and comparing them with those obtained from conventional spin echo MRI. A phantom using a gadolinium contrast agent was produced and utilized to increase the accuracy of the measurement by minimizing the susceptibility effects that occurred in in-vivo experiments. This study showed that T2 mapping of MAGiC MRI has an error by comparing T1 and T2 of MAGiC MRI with those of conventional spin echo MRI, which provides the most accurate mapping value.


Accurately rendering reverberation is critical to produce realistic binaural audio, particularly in augmented reality applications where virtual objects must blend in seamlessly with real ones. However, rigorously simulating sound waves interacting with the auralised space can be computationally costly, sometimes to the point of being unfeasible in real time applications on resource-limited mobile platforms. Luckily, knowledge of auditory perception can be leveraged to make computational savings without compromising quality. This chapter reviews different approaches and methods for rendering binaural reverberation efficiently, focusing specifically on Ambisonics-based techniques aimed at reducing the spatial resolution of late reverberation components. Potential future research directions in this area are also discussed.


Third generation wireless systems typically employ adaptive coding and modulation, scheduling, and Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) techniques to provide high-speed packet data service on the downlink. Two main considerations in designing such a system are algorithms for the selection of coding and modulation schemes based on the channel quality of the link and algorithms for the selection of the user to whom a particular slot is assigned. We propose a systematic approach to optimize the mapping between signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) and modulation and coding scheme (MCS) to maximize the throughput by taking into account the type of HARQ scheme employed. We also propose to incorporate frame error rate (FER) and retransmission information as a part of the scheduling decision. The proposed scheduler ranking methods based on using an effective rate rather than the instantaneous rate provide natural priority to retransmissions over new transmissions, and priority to users with better channel quality. Extensive simulation results comparing performance of the proposed methods to conventional methods are presented.


Our understanding and treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) has progressed since 1960 in parallel with work on cancer in general. CML provided the first evidence of a specific genetic change associated with a human cancer (the Philadelphia chromosome) and the clonal nature of these disorders. With improved cytogenetic and molecular techniques over subsequent decades, the specific genetic rearrangements of CML and many other tumors were defined and the complex mechanisms of carcinogenesis gradually unraveled. During this period, improved treatments for CML (chemotherapy, interferon, bone marrow transplantation) were implemented, and therapy targeted to the specific genetic change in the leukemic cells has recently been brought to promising clinical trials. Similar efforts are under way for other human cancers, and although the problem is enormously complex, there is real hope for major improvements in controlling these disorders.


The study was conducted to appraise the perceived benefits of third national fadama development project III among rural farmers in Kwara state, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was employed in selecting 225 Fadama III users as respondents. Data were collected by well trained fadama community facilitators through the use of structured questionnaire and was analyzed through the use of descriptive and inferential statistical tools. The result of the findings indicates that majority (36.9%) of the respondents were aged between 46-55 years. Also 63.6% were males, 87.1% were married and only 16.9% had no formal education. Results further showed that maize and Cassava crops were the common crops grown. Advisory services (31%), assets acquisition (32%) and capacity building (25%) were the major were perceived benefits by respondents. Over 33% of respondents, who benefitted directly from Fadama III Project supported activities, have increased their average annual income ranging from N201, 000.00 to N250, 000.00 representing about 62.5% achievement. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) revealed that there is a significant positive correlation at 2-tailed level (p<0.01 and p<0.05) between age, education and the benefit derived from fadama III project. Serious problems to project were poor leadership/management of FCAs/FUGs officers and late release of government counterpart contribution fund. Majority (43.6%) indicated that adequate funding and prompt payment of counterpart fund by government are way out of the problems facing them. Keywords : Fadama III project, Fadama Community Association, Users Group, Kwara State


Impulse Radio-Ultra-Wideband (IR-UWB) is gaining popularity for a variety of short-range Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) applications. In-body to outside-body communication is one of the possible applications of IR-UWB signals. This paper analyses various aspects related to implant communication of IR-UWB signals, antenna gain characteristics, propagation loss, and Bit Error Rate (BER) variation. The development of an implantable IR-UWB antenna that operates in the frequency range of 3.5-4.5 GHz is discussed. Its operation within the implant environment is described in terms of simulated and measured antenna gain. Experiments that evaluate the path loss and BER characteristics of IR-UWB communication are carried out using pork, which is used as the human tissue simulating material. Experimental results show a path loss variation of more than 90 dB for an in-body propagation distance of 100 mm. The BER experiments show that this IR-UWB system can operate at a BER of 10−3 for an in-body propagation distance of 100mm when it is operating at a data rate of 1Mbps.


Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune disorder that results in significant pain, disability and excess mortality if untreated or inadequately treated. As the current treatment neither prevents nor cures rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the main management aim is to reduce the impact of the disease on patients' lives by improving quality of life and reducing disability. Increasingly, patients are turning to internet, websites and chat rooms for advice, and some of these may be of poor quality. A need based patient education can help them adjust their treatment regimens and attain the self-care management skills necessary for dealing with the consequences of the disease. Methods: This descriptive study estimated the educational need on knowledge of Rheumatoid arthritis in the course of their own disease and its self-care in a view to develop a self-care module. A total of 60subjects were selected by purposive sampling technique in a selected tertiary care hospital, Bangalore. A self-prepared questionnaire was administered to estimate the educational need on knowledge of Rheumatoid arthritis in the course of their own disease and its self-care. Results: The results showed the knowledge on course of Rheumatoid arthritis, and its self-care. The mean and standard deviation of the knowledge score was 13.12 +3.728. It reflected the extreme need for information on course of disease and it's self-care. Out of the ten demographic variables there were three variables ie educational status (0.008), income (.014) and duration of illness (.018) had significant association at < 0.05 level of significance with the knowledge. Conclusion: Receiving a health information on management of Rheumatoid arthritis is highly important in day to day management of this chronic illness.


An enhanced 3-D alternating-direction implicit finite-difference time-domain method for the systematic analysis of double negative metamaterial-based waveguide and antenna devices is presented in this paper. Being fully frequency-dependent, the new scheme introduces a set of generalized multidirectional operators which incorporate the suitable Lorentz-Drude model and subdue inherent lattice deficiencies for broad spectra. So dispersion errors, as time-steps exceed the Courant limit, are drastically minimized yielding fast and accurate solutions for propagating and evanescent waves. The technique is applied in the design of microwave structures, realized via the prior model or networks of thin wires and split-ring resonators. Numerical results certify its merits, without requiring elongated simulations and excessive overheads


'The Family Art Project' consists of four artists, Vorsanger, Bob & Roberta Smith, and their children Etta (age 11) and Fergal (age 6). They have, working as a collaborative team, created art events in Germany, England, Finland and China, often using the process of an interactive workshop environment within a gallery space creating collaborative pieces with the visitors, exploring subject areas that relate to their individual areas of research.

In the 'Family Art Project in China, Artists Links' Residency the boundaries of interactive family projects, their previous practice together and the contribution of children's input was explored in ways unorchestrated by adult agendas. Funded by the British Council and the Arts Council England the residency (including stipend, flat and studio) collaborative drawings/paintings and films were shown in the exhibition 'Forward/Backward & Reloading' at Island6 Arts Center in Shanghai in August 2006.

The project explored the relationship of 'children and the state', examining areas such as 'the one child policy' and the rights of migrant workers' children. Through a daylong event at Island 6 Arts Space they initiated the process of linking an independently run school for the children of migrant workers in Pudong, a suburb of Shanghai, and an intercity school in East London. There were several areas of commonality for the children i.e. location within the suburbs, large numbers of immigrants within the student body, assortments of dialects and languages spoken and the forthcoming Olympics. Voorsanger was one of four speakers presenting projects to the delegates of the conference 'Artist Links in China & Brazil' in October 2006 at the Barbican Centre. There were over 60 artists who created artworks from their Artist Links residencies and the project was documented in both the catalogue for the exhibition and the Artists Links 2002-06 book published by the British Council.


The development of high tensile strength steels with higher levels of alloying elements needs the implementation of operating means in the continuous casting machine to master slabs internal soundness and surface quality. In order to define optimal process parameters according to the characteristics of the different continuous casting machines and to optimize the revamping of older equipment, thermomechanical modelling of the steel slab behaviour during casting has been carried out. This paper presents the results of simulations performed to check the potential of this modelling.


Drought monitoring is critical for early warning of drought hazard. This study attempted to develop an integrated remote sensing drought monitoring index (IRSDI), based on meteorological data for 2003–2013 from 40 meteorological stations and soil moisture data from 16 observatory stations, as well as Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data using a linear trend detection method, and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index. The objective was to investigate drought conditions across the Huai River basin in both space and time. Results indicate that (1) the proposed IRSDI monitors and describes drought conditions across the Huai River basin reasonably well in both space and time; (2) frequency of drought and severe drought are observed during April–May and July–September. The northeastern and eastern parts of Huai River basin are dominated by frequent droughts and intensified drought events. These regions are dominated by dry croplands, grasslands, and highly dense population and are hence more sensitive to drought hazards; (3) intensified droughts are detected during almost all months except January, August, October, and December. Besides, significant intensification of droughts is discerned mainly in eastern and western Huai River basin. The duration and regions dominated by intensified drought events would be a challenge for water resources management in view of agricultural and other activities in these regions in a changing climate.


Representationalism, the original driving theory behind artificial intelligence and cognitive science, has fallen upon hard times. Representationalism identifies cognitive processes with the manipulation of explicit symbolic structures according to well-defined rules. Rocha and Hordijk put forward three requirements for something to qualify as a representation: dynamically incoherent memory, construction code, and self-organization; they also forsake the traditional idea of representation as a "standing-in" relationship between a representation and its content. While we note that Rocha and Hordijk's three requirements are an improvement over the definition of representation as a style of explanation, we argue that this "standing-in" relationship is the defining characteristic of representations. We define representations as physically implemented structures that can create local effects that are effective by virtue of their correspondence with non-local parts of the world, and argue that this definition, while being perfectly natural, does present a difficult, although not insurmountable, challenge for artificial life.


Excessive phosphorylation of the Retinoblastoma protein (Rb) is found in most cancer tumor types. Several cyclin dependent kinase (cdk) inhibitors are in development or in clinical trials at the present time. Our previous studies have focused on the regulation of Rb phosphorylation by the phosphatase, PP1. In proliferating cells, PP1 is regulated by a protein called PNUTS (Phosphatase Nuclear Targeting Subunit). PNUTS is a competitive inhibitor of Rb binding to PP1 and siRNA mediated knockdown of PNUTS in several cancer cell types (breast, colon, ovarian) leads to an increase in Rb directed PP1 activity, Rb dephosphorylation on several sites, and a dramatic induction of apoptosis. In this study we have used MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells grown in Matrigel. By lentiviral-mediated doxycycline inducible expression of PNUTS siRNA, expression of PNUTS protein is blocked and phosphorylation of Rb cells is reduced. Cells become less invasive and expression of mesenchymal markers N-cadherin, Zeb and Slug is lost. A reversion to the epithelial phenotype is suggested by an increase in E-cadherin expression. PNUTS knockdown has no effect on cells that do not contain highly phosphorylated Rb such as non-transformed MCF-10A cells or Rb-negative MDA-MB-468 cells. Further experiments using highly invasive HT-1080 cells show that reduction of Rb phosphorylation appears to reduce invasiveness in this cell model, supporting the idea that Rb phosphorylation plays a critical role in the regulation of invasion. Citation Format: Jacklynn Egger, Maria Lane, Brixhilda Dedi, Nancy A. Krucher. Activation of phosphatase toward the retinoblastoma protein inhibits invasion in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1675.


Redox noninnocent ligands enhance the reactivity of the metal they complex, a strategy used by metalloenzymes and in catalysis. Herein, we report a series of copper complexes with the same ligand framework, but with a pendant nitrogen group that spans five different redox states between nitro and amine. Of particular interest is the synthesis of a unprecedented copper(I)-arylhydroxylamine complex. While hydroxylamines typically disproportionate or decompose in the presence of transition metal ions, the reactivity of this metastable species is arrested by the presence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond. Two-electron oxidation yields a copper(II)-(arylnitrosyl radical) complex that can dissociate to a copper(I) species with uncoordinated arylnitroso. This combination of ligand redox noninnocence and hemilability provides opportunities in catalysis for two-electron chemistry via a one-electron copper(I/II) shuttle, as exemplified with an aerobic alcohol oxidation.


Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is considered an effective technique in high speed digital transmission because of its spectral efficiency, robustness in different multipath propagation, and capability to fight with inter-symbol interference (ISI). On the other hand, as the speed of the mobile terminal increases, the channel becomes time-selective and variations of the channel within a multicarrier symbol lead to a loss of subchannel orthogonality, resulting in interchannel interference (ICI). Conventional channel estimators assume a time-invariant model for the channel during one OFDM symbol and do not take ICI into account caused by the high mobility. In order to get optimum performance from OFDM system over fast fadinf channels, very efficient channel estimators are required. Pilot-aided channel estimation for OFDM systems mostly need an interpolation method to estimate the channel response on non-pilot subcarriers. Selection of interpolation method effects the performance and complexity of the system. In this paper, we propose a two-dimensional (2D) pilot-symbol assisted channel estimation for wireless OFDM systems by using low-pass interpolation which is applied in both time and frequency domains. The proposed method has the advantage of minimising the system complexity and processing delay, providing a good approximation to the real mobile channel.


Background:Drug addiction is now prevalent everywhere in Bangladesh; in the house, streets, in the workplace, parks, slums, markets and even in educational institutions both in rural and urban areas. Although there is no precise figure of the drug dependant people, it is estimated that around 4.0 million people, mostly youth are dependant to some form of drugs, and increased trend among all kinds of people is alarming.

 Objective:This study was conducted to explore nutritional status and dietary intake pattern of male drug addicts undergoing rehabilitation.

 Methodology:This was a cross sectional descriptive study carried out among male drug addicts who were admitted for detoxification and rehabilitation therapy, counseling and motivation. A total of 100 samples were collected randomly with face to face interview by using pre-tested semi structured questionnaire.

 Result:Mean age of respondents was 34.02±7.12 years. The prevalence of malnutrition among the respondents was assessed by body mass index. Fifty four percent of the drug addicts were suffering from varying degrees of Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) of which 16%, 09%, and 29% were in CED-111, CED-11 and CED-1 respectively whereas 46% of the addicts were normal. It was observed that more than half of the respondents (56%) were irregular to take three meals in a day and 44% were taking their meal regularly. Mean energy intake of below 30 years of age was 2179 kilocalorie and it met 78.9% of recommended dietary allowances. Mean energy intake of 30 and above years of age was 2420 kilocalorie and it met 86.19% of recommended dietary allowances.

 Conclusion:Nutritional status of drug addicts was not satisfactory. Further large scale study may be recommended.


GRENACHER'S RESEARCHES ON THE EYES OF ARTHROPODS.' This is the most elaborate and detailed work on the eyes of insects and crustacea which has yet appeared. For the first time we have very full information given us as to the nature of the simple eyes (ocelli or stemmata) of larval insects and of Arachnida, and we are here taught that they are much more complicated than was before suspected; so that they are not exactly a simple, elementary eye, as it were, a primitive form of eye,,but, as the author claims, the simple and compound eyes stand in the relation of sisters, rather than of child and parent. A long chapter on the physiology of the compound eyes lends additional value to the anatomical portion. The author concludes that perception in the compound eye of Arthropods is effected in accordance with the theory first proposed by Muller, and that this applies to the compound eye of the horse-shoe crab (Limulus) although morphologically the eye of this animal is totally unlike that of any insect or crustacean. Grenacher does not describe the eyes of the myriopods, though he observes that the compound eyes of Cermatia are entirely unlike those of the spiders or insects, and that they seem to show some analogy to those of Limulus. The illustrations are abundant and simply exquisite, and worthy of the text.


This paper discusses an approach to the design and implementation of web-based labs to teach software engineering and related courses focused on real-time embedded systems. The labs include not only data acquisition and control access to remote devices but also a capability of remote software development and uploading. Several platforms have been created for this purpose, including: micro-controllers, FPGA boards, computer game devices, and real-time kernels. First experiences are very positive and plans are being made for significant expansion and making the lab permanent.


Summary

Fresh-cut 'Big Top' nectarines were dipped in 2% (w/v) ascorbic acid–1% (w/v) calcium lactate and stored at 4 °C for up to 12 days in 10 kPa O2- and 10 kPa CO2-modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The used microperforated plastic film allowed O2 and CO2 concentrations to reach steady values from the fifth day in storage onwards. Samples stored in MAP after chemical dipping showed the highest visual quality score, slight browning symptoms, increment in firmness and very low ethanol and acetaldehyde content. The chemical dipping also increased antioxidant capacity, probably due to the effect of ascorbic acid. The results suggested that the control of yeasts was mainly exerted by MAP, whereas only a slight effect was achieved by the chemical dipping. Therefore, MAP plus ascorbic acid/calcium lactate dipping was the best combination to preserve phytochemical content, antioxidant capacity and microbiological safety of fresh-cut nectarines during storage.


The problem and the solution. The article uses three broad historical eras, preindustrial, industrial, and postindustrial, to investigate similarities and differences in the meaning of working in three countries: Germany, South Korea, and the United States of America. Based on the proposition of meaning as created in an interplay between the individual and the social environment, attention is paid to work as a social institution, and the characteristics of work processes, technologies, and organizations are described. The conclusion identifies common and divergent themes and argues for the importance of historical perspectives for the education and training of human resource development practitioners and the utility of a historical and comparative approach to understanding the meaning of working. Directions for further research are offered at the conclusion of the article.


The present literature review summarizes current knowledge on successful responses to cyberbullying. We differentiate between three different response domains: reducing risks, combatting the problem, and buffering negative impact. A systematic literature search was conducted yielding 36 relevant studies. Most of these report findings regarding general prevention strategies (e.g., anti-bullying policies or cybersafety strategies) and the use of coping strategies such as seeking support, reactions towards cyberbullies (retaliation or confronting), technical solutions and avoidant and emotion-focused strategies. Whilst a few studies reported on perceived success, very few studies measure the success of the strategies in relation to cyberbullying, its risks and outcomes. In summary, although there are a number of studies investigating responses to cyberbullying, there is a clear lack of evidence concerning the question " what are successful responses " ?.


Doxorubicin possesses high affinity for binding to cardiolipin. We have utilized these properties in preparing stable liposomes of doxorubicin and cardiolipin with a net positive charge. Doxorubicin liposomes were formed by using 11.2 mumol of drug, 5.6 mumol of cardiolipin, 28.5 mumol of phosphatidylcholine, 19.5 mumol of cholesterol, and 11.1 mumol of stearylamine. These liposomes were sonicated for 90 min at 37 degrees followed by extensive dialysis against buffer. The pharmacological, toxicological, and therapeutic effects of doxorubicin entrapped in cardiolipin liposomes were compared with those of free doxorubicin in mice. At a dose of 4 mg/kg i.v., the peak cardiac concentration was achieved in 30 min following free doxorubicin administration, the value being 8.1 micrograms/g. The peak cardiac concentration with doxorubicin in cardiolipin liposomes was obtained at 5 min with a value of 2.8 micrograms/g of tissue. The cardiac concentration X time values for free doxorubicin for the 24-hr period of observation were 55.1 micrograms X hr/g, whereas it was only 7.8 micrograms X hr/g with the drug entrapped in cardiolipin liposomes. Compared to free drug, the liposomal entrapped doxorubicin significantly reduced the histopathological lesions in cardiac tissue of mice at a dose of 15 mg/kg as determined by electron microscopy. The nadir of peripheral white blood cell counts in mice with free drug, 6 mg/kg, was observed on Day 3 which was 50% of control, whereas with liposomal encapsulated drug it was reduced only 23% on Day 7. Doxorubicin in cardiolipin liposomes demonstrated enhanced chemotherapeutic potential against murine ascitic P388 leukemia with a 144% increased life span compared to 55% increased life span with free drug at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg on Days 1, 3, and 7. We conclude that doxorubicin liposomes developed in these studies possess improved therapeutic action as demonstrated by their ability to reduce the toxicity of the drug substantially.


Salen ligands are ubiquitous ligands because they can be readily prepared by condensation of a diamine with two equivalents of salicylaldehyde. They form stable complexes with a great variety of metal ions and find applications in various fields, especially catalysis. The introduction of chirality at the bridge and the adjunction of sterically demanding tert-butyl groups in ortho and para positions of the phenols allow for efficient enantioselective catalysis. On the other hand, early investigations on the oxidation chemistry of phenols highlighted that the incorporation of tert-butyl groups in ortho and para positions can stabilize enormously the one-electron oxidized product e.g. the phenoxyl radical. The redox-activity of sterically hindered salen ligands will be discussed in this perspective article. We will focus our attention on nickel salen complexes since both the metal and the ligand are potentially redox-active, while the oxidized products are stable enough to be characterized by EPR and NIR spectroscopies. Additionally, the one-electron oxidized species could be isolated as single crystals in some instances, giving detailed pictures of their electronic structure. Both the Ni(ii)-radical and Ni(iii) bis(phenolate) valence tautomers are accessible upon one-electron oxidation. The substituents, metal coordination sphere, solvent and temperature are crucial factors that dictate the electronic structure of these one-electron oxidized salen complexes.


Central neuropathic pain (CNP) is considered as a complicated sensory dis turbance which many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients suffer from. Although monophasic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model is a gold s tandard model in preclinical research of MS, severe movement deficit could confound pain behaviors evaluation over the disease course. In this s tudy, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) was subs tituted with an acylated triterpene glycoside saponin adjuvant named quillaja saponin-21 (QS-21) to es tablish EAE model for CNP development. Twentyfour, 5-7 weeks old female C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups. Two groups immunized with MOG35-55 peptide emulsified with CFA and QS-21 adjuvant. The las t group received PBS as negative control group. Thermal hyperalgesia as a CNP clinical manifes tation through hot plate tes t and clinical signs were assessed for 60 days' pos t immunization (p.i). On days 21 and 60 p.i mice were sacrificed and TCD4+, TCD8+, IL-17+ cells in total splenocytes population by flow cytometry and lymphocyte infiltration and demyelination of brain samples by his topathological s taining were evaluated. EAE was es tablished in MOG+QS-21 and MOG+CFA groups as mild relapsing-remitting and monophasic models, respectively. Thermal hyperalgesia developed in the bilateral hindpaws on the onset of clinical symptoms in MOG+CFA and MOG+QS-21 groups and it was maintained until s tudy completion in MOG+QS-21 group. TCD4+, TCD8+ and IL-17+ cells population in MOG+QS-21 and MOG+CFA groups increased significantly (P<0.05) on days 21 and 60 p.i compared to PBS group. Although, inflammatory cells infiltration were increased significantly on days 21 and 60 in MOG+QS-21 and MOG+CFA groups, however demyelination was seen on days 21 and 60 only in MOG+CFA group compared to PBS group (P<0.05). QS-21 adjuvant is capable of es tablishing mild relapsing-remitting EAE model for CNP development with severe neuro-inflammation and no significant demyelination in white matter.


This paper discusses the roles played by Lord Frederick Lugard in the crea tion of provincial administration in Northern Nigeria. During his tenure as the High Com missioner from 1900 to 1906, the provinces he created were more or less "paper'" provinces. This was so as the British colonial government had just been established in Northern Nigeria and thus exercised little or no control over most of the provinces. As the creation of the pro vinces was not preceded by a thorough study, and understanding of the customs and the in digenous administrative system of the people, Lugard's policies created serious problems. For instance. some ethnic groups were placed in provinces where they should not be. This provoked reactions from the people. Some colonial officials also reacted unfavourably to the creation of the provincial administration because of the huge expenditure involved. During his period as Governor-General of Nigeria, 1912-1918, Lugard embarked on the amalgamation of some provinces in Northem Nigeria. Like his previous etTorts. this failed to materialize. The failure could be blamed on the character of Lugard and the style of his administration, as well as the peculiar circumstances of the governed. In spite of these pro blems. the provincial structure created by Frederick Lugard formed the bedrock of the British administration in Northern Nigeria in particular, and Nigeria in general.


The common civil military program for navigational aids for use on and off the airways is based on a polar co-ordinate system from which a pilot may obtain his position relative to a known ground location. This navigational information is supplied in the form of azimuth and distance measurement from any preselected ground facility. Under this program, azimuth information is supplied by the vhf omnnirange which is now being installed on a country-wide basis. Development work on the final version of the other parameter of the navigation system, namely, the distance-measuring equipment, is nearly completed and plans are being made to add that equipment to the vhf omnirange facilities in the near future. Addition of the distance-measuring equipment to the instrument landing system (ILS) to provide continuous distance information to the runway touchdown point also is contemplated. The distance-measuring equipment, commonly referred to as DME, employs pulse techniques and the interrogator-transpondor or challenge-reply principle so widely used in identification equipment during World War II. A portion of the frequency band, 960 to 1,215 mc, assigned to aids to air navigation, is being used for DME implementation. This report outlines the history and development of the present nationally adopted 100-channel DME, and describes the modifications necessary to convert earlier 50-channel equipment into equipment suitable for operating within a 100-channel system. In operation, the aircraft unit of the DME, commonly called the interrogator, continuously transmits a train of short duration rf pulses.


We present results of a study of the Chiral Separation Effect (CSE) in quenched finite-density QCD. Using a recently developed numerical method we calculate the conserved axial current for exactly chiral overlap fermions at finite density for the first time. We compute the anomalous transport coeffcient for the CSE in the confining and deconfining phase and investigate possible deviations from the universal value. In both phases we find that non-perturbative corrections to the CSE are absent and we reproduce the universal value for the transport coeffcient within small statistical errors. Our results suggest that the CSE can be used to determine the renormalisation factor of the axial current.


Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is the most reliable and accurate technique for analyses of gene expression. Endogenous reference genes are being used to normalize qPCR data even though their expression may vary under different conditions and in different tissues. Nonetheless, verification of expression of reference genes in selected studied tissue is essential in order to accurately assess the level of expression of target genes of interest. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to examine six commonly used reference genes in order to identify the gene being expressed most constantly under the influence of testosterone in the kidneys and hypothalamus. The reference genes include glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), actin beta (ACTB), beta-2 microglobulin (B2m), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT), peptidylprolylisomerase A (Ppia) and hydroxymethylbilane synthase (Hmbs). The cycle threshold (Ct) value for each gene was determined and data obtained were analyzed using the software programs NormFinder, geNorm, BestKeeper, and rank aggregation. Results showed that Hmbs and Ppia genes were the most stably expressed in the hypothalamus. Meanwhile, in kidneys, Hmbs and GAPDH appeared to be the most constant genes. In conclusion, variations in expression levels of reference genes occur in kidneys and hypothalamus under similar conditions; thus, it is important to verify reference gene levels in these tissues prior to commencing any studies.


In this paper, we develop a new spatial preprocessing strategy which can be applied prior to a spectral-based endmember extraction process for unmixing of hyperspectral data. Our proposed approach directs the endmember searching process to regions which are both spectrally pure and spatially homogeneous in the scene. Our experimental results, conducted using simulated hyperspectral data sets with known endmembers and fractional abundances, reveal that the proposed approach can successfully integrate the spatial and spectral information in the search for more relevant endmembers.


Predictive value is a critical consideration when one is deciding whether to order a specific test on an individual patient in whom the disease status is unknown. Positive tests are most useful when prevalence is high; negative tests are most useful when prevalence is low. Falls from bed, comprising 36% of these accidents, chiefly occurred in the evening or at night, often while the patient was attempting to get in or out of bed, or was sleeping. All these accidents occurred with the bedrails up.


Reinforcement Learning is an essential ability for robots to learn new motor skills. Nevertheless, few methods scale into the domain of anthropomorphic robotics. In order to improve in terms of efficiency, the problem is reduced onto reward-weighted imitation. By doing so, we are able to generate a framework for policy learning which both unifies previous reinforcement learning approaches and allows the derivation of novel algorithms. We show our two most relevant applications both for motor primitive learning (e.g., a complex Ball-in-a-Cup task using a real Barrett WAM robot arm) and learning task-space control.


Pharmaceutical excipients are essential components of most modern dosage forms. Although defined as pharmacologically inert, excipients can be thought of as the true enablers of drug product performance. Unintentional variability in the properties of the excipients may be unavoidable, albeit minimizable. The variability may originate from the source, the excipient-manufacturing process, or during the manufacturing of dosage forms. Excipient variability may have a range of influences on their functionality and performance in the dosage form. A better understanding of these influences on the critical quality attributes of the final product is of prime importance. Modern analytical tools provide a significant assistance in characterizing excipient variability to achieve this understanding. The principles and concepts of Quality-by-Design, process analytical technology, and design space, provide a holistic risk-based approach toward manufacture and application of excipients in pharmaceutical formulations. The International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council (IPEC) has developed guidelines for proper selection, use, and evaluation of excipients in pharmaceutical products.


This paper describes a kernel scheduling algorithm that is based on co-scheduling principles and that is intended for parallel applications running on 1000 cores or more where inter-node scalability is key. Experimental results for a Linux implementation on a Cray XT5 machine are presented. The results indicate that Linux is a suitable operating system for this new scheduling scheme, and that this design provides a dramatic improvement in scaling performance for synchronizing collective operations at scale.


The general finite difference schemes with intrinsic parallelism for the boundary value problem of the semilinear parabolic system of divergence type with bounded measurable coefficients is studied. By the approach of the discrete functional analysis,the existence and uniqueness of the discrete vector solutions of the nonlinear difference system with intrinsic parallelism are proved. Moreover the unconditional stability of the general difference schemes with intrinsic parallelism justified in the sense of the continuous dependence of the discrete vector solution of the difference schemes on the discrete initial data of the original problems in the discrete W(2,1)2(Q△) norms.Finally the convergence of the discrete vector solutions of the certain difference schemes with intrinsic parallelism to the unique generalized solution of the original semilinear parabolic problem is proved.


This chapter gives an overview of recent achievements concerning thermometry in micro and nanofluidics. As temperature variations can play a key role in confined volumes, inferring temperature from the physical or chemical properties of a reacting medium is a critical issue especially at a reduced scale. Heat can be intentionally generated to induce strong thermal gradients and fast temperature cycling. On the other hand, unexpected localized temperature variations are likely to impact the overall properties of the sample under study. Non-contact methods, both semi-invasive and non-invasive ones, are usually preferred to determine local temperatures. Here, different approaches are described to facilitate the choice of an appropriate one for a given application on the basis of parameters such as the sensitivity, the spatial and temporal resolution and the temperature range.


Androgen levels in blood and the behaviour of male camels were determined during 1 year. In the months January to April large amounts of androgens were found in blood serum (approximately 30 ng/ml compared with approximately 2 ng/ml throughout the remaining months) as well as in a secretion from glands on the back of the neck (36 ng/ml). During this period when hormone levels were high the behaviour of the camels changed: they became unmanageable, blew-out a palatal flap from the mouth, vocalized, and spread urine over their backs with the aid of their tails. The changes in the sexual cycle of the male camels corresponded with the oestrous period in female camels.


The rate at which primary physicians refer patients to consultants varies considerably, not only within different regions, but also among practices within defined areas. Differences also have been identified between doctors within the same practice. This variation in referral rates is a source of concern because of the costs generated and implications for quality and quantity of care. Many studies that tried to identify the sources for this variation explained only part of it; however, these studies were based on small numbers.


We revisit the classical problem of a liquid film falling along a vertical wall due to the action of gravity, i.e. the Kapitza paradigm (Kapitza, Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz., vol. 18, 1948, pp. 3–28). The free surface of such a flow is typically deformed into a train of solitary pulses that consists of large asymmetric wave humps preceded by small precursory ripples, designated as 'capillary waves'. We set out to answer four fundamental questions. (i) By what mechanism do the precursory ripples form? (ii) How can they travel at the same celerity as the large-amplitude main humps? (iii) Why are they designated as 'capillary waves'? (iv) What determines their wavelength and number and why do they attenuate in space? Asymptotic expansion as well as direct numerical simulations and calculations with a low-dimensional integral boundary-layer model have yielded the following conclusions. (i) Precursory ripples form due to an inertia-based mechanism at the foot of the leading front of the main humps, where the local free-surface curvature is large. (ii) The celerity of capillary waves is matched to that of the large humps due to the action of surface tension, which speeds up the former and slows down the latter. (iii) They are justly designated as 'capillary waves' because their wavelength is systematically shorter than the visco-capillary cutoff wavelength of the Kapitza instability. Due to a nonlinear effect, namely that their celerity decreases with decreasing amplitude, they nonetheless attain/maintain a finite amplitude because of being continuously compressed by the pursuing large humps. (iv) The number and degree of compression of capillary waves is governed by the amplitude of the main wave humps as well as the Kapitza number. Large-amplitude main humps travel fast and strongly compress the capillary waves in order for these to speed up sufficiently. Also, the more pronounced the first capillary wave becomes, the more (spatially attenuating) capillary waves are needed to allow a smooth transition to the back of the next main hump. These effects are amplified by decreasing the Kapitza number, whereby, at very small values, streamwise viscous diffusion increasingly attenuates the amplitude of the capillary waves.


ABSTRACT The roles of lncRNA TSLNC8 and its synergetic effects with osimertinib remain unknown in lung cancer. qRT-PCR or western blotting was performed to determine the expression levels of TSLNC8, EGFR and STAT3. Colony formation and MTT assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation. Transwell and wound healing assays were performed to assess migration and invasion abilities. Flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI staining was used to detect changes in cell apoptosis. Nude mice subcutaneous tumor model was constructed and used for validating the effects of TSLNC8 and osimertinib in vivo. Expression of TSLNC8 was down-regulated in clinical lung cancer tissues and cell lines. TSLNC8 overexpression or osimertinib administration led to promotion of apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as deactivation of the EGFR-STAT3 pathway, whereas TSLNC8 knockdown had opposite effects. Moreover, the above effects of osimertinib were remarkably enhanced by TSLNC8 overexpression and inhibited by TSLNC8 knockdown, respectively. Meanwhile, the effects of TSLNC8 overexpression were reversed by STAT3 activation or EGFR overexpression. In the animal model, combination of TSLNC8 overexpression and osimertinib administration resulted in efficient suppression of tumor growth. In this study, we revealed a TSLNC8-EGFR-STAT3 signaling axis in lung cancer, and TSLNC8 overexpression significantly enhanced the anti-tumor effects of osimertinib via inhibiting EGFR-STAT3 signaling.


ABSTRACT There is substantial evidence that stool culture and parasitological examinations are of minimal to no value after 3 days of hospitalization. We implemented and studied the impact of a clinical decision support tool (CDST) to decrease the number of unnecessary stool cultures (STCUL), ova/parasite (O&P) examinations, and Giardia/Cryptosporidium enzyme immunoassay screens (GC-EIA) performed for patients hospitalized >3 days. We studied the frequency of stool studies ordered before or on day 3 and after day 3 of hospitalization (i.e., categorical orders/total number of orders) before and after this intervention and denoted the numbers and types of microorganisms detected within those time frames. This intervention, which corresponded to a custom-programmed hard-stop alert tool in the Epic hospital information system, allowed providers to override the intervention by calling the laboratory, if testing was deemed medically necessary. Comparative statistics were employed to determine significance, and cost savings were estimated based on our internal costs. Before the intervention, 129/670 (19.25%) O&P examinations, 47/204 (23.04%) GC-EIA, and 249/1,229 (20.26%) STCUL were ordered after 3 days of hospitalization. After the intervention, 46/521 (8.83%) O&P examinations, 27/157 (17.20%) GC-EIA, and 106/1,028 (10.31%) STCUL were ordered after 3 days of hospitalization. The proportions of reductions in the number of tests performed after 3 days and the associated P values were 54.1% for O&P examinations (P < 0.0001), 22.58% for GC-EIA (P = 0.2807), and 49.1% for STCUL (P < 0.0001). This was estimated to have resulted in $8,108.84 of cost savings. The electronic CDST resulted in a substantial reduction in the number of evaluations of stool cultures and the number of parasitological examinations for patients hospitalized for more than 3 days and in a cost savings while retaining the ability of the clinician to obtain these tests if clinically indicated.


INTRODUCTION
In low-level laser therapy (LLLT), applications are generally performed in repetitive sessions using wavelengths of around 800 nm, at which the depth of penetration of laser is greater. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of LLLT with a 940 nm diode laser, which was performed extraorally on all the primarily and secondarily affected areas immediately after surgery in a single session, on pain, swelling, and trismus that occurred after impacted tooth extraction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty-five outpatients with similarly impacted lower third molars on both sides were selected. The teeth of patients were removed in two separate operations. Postoperatively, the patients received laser therapy with energy of 4 J/cm(2) on one side and no laser energy was applied to the other side (placebo side). Swelling, trismus, and subjective assessment of pain on a visual analog scale were evaluated and compared between the laser-treated and placebo sides.

RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference in pain, swelling, or trismus between the sides (Mann-Whitney U test p > 0.05). However, according to the clinical outcomes, swelling and trismus were less in the laser-treated side than in the placebo side.

CONCLUSIONS
A single-session LLLT that would be applied with a diode laser immediately after impacted tooth extraction might help patients to be less affected by postoperative trismus and swelling.


This accessible guide to obesity and its clinical management provides clear, didactic, clinically focused guidance for all healthcare professionals involved in the treatment and management of patients with obesity, thus acting as a repository of essential practical knowledge. It is an ideal practical guide for registrars and residents in endocrinology and metabolic disease, as well as all other health professionals who regularly manage obese patients, such as specialist obesity and diabetes nurses, dietitians, and general practitioners with an interest in obesity management.


The pharmaceutical industry has been criticized for not availing more innovative medicines for treatment of emerging and changing diseases. The sharp decline in the number of new drug approvals in the last decade can be attributed particularly to attrition of the small organic molecules during origination and development. Constraints to traditional drug discovery are compounded by among others drug candidates for central nervous system (CNS) disorders facing additional barriers than those intended for other therapeutic application. Additionally, the antineoplastic agents precipitate severe toxic effects. Currently, the prohibitive cost of biopharmaceuticals limits their availability and use. It is therefore becoming imperative that alternative approaches, like biopharming, be considered as avenues for availing medicines for such illnesses. Moreover, increasingly, attention is also shifting to larger and more complex protein molecules as therapeutic agents. Through an extensive review of published literature on recent studies, this paper presents fundamental intuitions that continue to be recognized as advances and precincts. The solution seems to be in more use of biotechnologically plant-derived biopharmaceuticals and humanized substances. The contemporary biopharmaceutical production systems involves transfecting cells using bacteria and virus or by biolistic delivery method; exploration of Genetically Modified Drugs (GMD); and Plant Made Pharmaceuticals (PMP). All these have presented advantages like low costs and an already available technology for harnessing. However, uncertainties range from competing platforms, unresolved technical problems, patent and regulatory issues, potential risks to human health, issues of gene spread, and animal-welfare concerns. Cultivating plants to manufacture drugs would involve many controls and regulations that differ from region to region across the globe in respect to the regulatory authorities. Meanwhile African perspectives on genetically modified organisms need to focus on the science and learning for formulation of policies and agreements to harmonize national and regional bio-safety policies. In conclusion, Pharmacists need to appreciate the huge responsibility that comes with biopharming and, especially, the need for stringent professional, ethical and regulatory controls. Keywords: Biologics, Biopharmaceuticals, Biopharming, Genetically Modified Drugs, Plant Made Pharmaceuticals


Objective To investigate whether there is an increased risk of cardiovascular events in people who exhibit iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome during treatment with glucocorticoids. Design Cohort study. Setting 424 UK general practices contributing to The Health Improvement Network database. Participants People prescribed systemic glucocorticoids and with a diagnosis of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome (n=547) and two comparison groups: those prescribed glucocorticoids and with no diagnosis of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome (n=3231) and those not prescribed systemic glucocorticoids (n=3282). Main outcome measures Incidence of cardiovascular events within a year after diagnosis of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome or after a randomly selected date, and association between iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome and risk of cardiovascular events. Results 417 cardiovascular events occurred in 341 patients. Taking into account only the first event by patient (coronary heart disease n=177, heart failure n=101, ischaemic stroke n=63), the incidence rates of cardiovascular events per 100 person years at risk were 15.1 (95% confidence interval 11.8 to 18.4) in those prescribed glucocorticoids and with a diagnosis of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome, 6.4 (5.5 to 7.3) in those prescribed glucocorticoids without a diagnosis of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome, and 4.1 (3.4 to 4.8) in those not prescribed glucocorticoids. In multivariate analyses adjusted for sex, age, intensity of glucocorticoid use, underlying disease, smoking status, and use of aspirin, diabetes drugs, antihypertensive drugs, lipid lowering drugs, or oral anticoagulant drugs, the relation between iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome and cardiovascular events was strong (adjusted hazard ratios 2.27 (95% confidence interval 1.48 to 3.47) for coronary heart disease, 3.77 (2.41 to 5.90) for heart failure, and 2.23 (0.96 to 5.17) for ischaemic cerebrovascular events). The adjusted hazard ratio for any cardiovascular event was 4.16 (2.98 to 5.82) when the group prescribed glucocorticoids and with iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome was compared with the group not prescribed glucocorticoids. Conclusion People who use glucocorticoids and exhibit iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome should be aggressively targeted for early screening and management of cardiovascular risk factors.


Gas sensitive silicon carbide field effect transistors with nanostructured Ir gate layers have been used for the first time for sensitive detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at part per billion level for indoor air quality applications. Formaldehyde, naphthalene, and benzene have been used as typical VOCs in dry air and under 10% and 20% relative humidity. A single VOC was used at a time to study long-term stability, repeatability, temperature dependence, effect of relative humidity, sensitivity, response and recovery times of the sensors.


Components of the Stokes vector have been measured using an electron-photon coincidence technique for radiation emitted normal to the scattering plane in the electron excitation of the 32P state in sodium at several energies from 5.1 to 30 eV. The coherence of the excitation process is probed through the concept of the reduced polarisation. The data are compared with those derived from optical pumping experiments, which are the time-reversed equivalent of the present experiments. In general, very good agreement is found with the data from the two techniques. Scattering amplitudes derived from the components of the Stokes vector are compared with theoretical predictions. It is observed that there is only moderate agreement between theory and experiment.


Metal-respiring bacteria are microorganisms capable of oxidizing organic pollutants present in wastewater and transferring the liberated electrons to an electrode. This ability has led to their application as catalysts in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), a sustainable technology coupling bioremediation to electricity production. Crucial for the functioning of these BESs is a complex protein architecture consisting of several surface-exposed multiheme proteins, called outer membrane cytochromes, wiring the cell metabolism to the electrode. Although the role of these proteins has been increasingly understood, little is known about the protein-electrode interactions and their impact on the performance of BESs. In this study, we used surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy in combination with electrochemical techniques to unravel the nature of the protein-electrode interaction for the outer membrane cytochrome OmcB from Desulfuromonas acetoxidans (Dace). Comparing the spectroelectrochemical properties of OmcB bound directly to the electrode surface with those of the same protein embedded inside an electroactive biofilm, we have shown that the surface-exposed cytochromes of Dace biofilms are in direct contact with the electrode surface. Even if direct binding causes protein denaturation, the biofilm possesses the ability to minimize the extent of the damage maximizing the amount of cells in direct electrical communication with the electrode.


Abstract Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that ophthalmology residents participate in scholarly activity during residency. However, residents lack protected time for research. Objective This article aims to determine the impact of a dedicated research rotation on scholarly productivity and research experience during residency. Methods This cohort study compared two groups of ophthalmology residents. Residents who graduated between 2004 and 2009 did not have dedicated research time and served as control residents (CR), while residents who graduated between 2010 and 2015 had a dedicated research rotation and served as the intervention group (research residents, RR). Primary outcomes included publications and presentations recorded over a 4-year period, spanning the 3 years of residency and the first year after graduation. These were analyzed by linear regression and t-tests. Residents also took surveys regarding research experience and chi-squared tests and logistic regression were used to compare these results. Results The RR had 0.97 more publications and 1.3 more presentations compared with the CR after adjusting for PhD status, pre-residency publications and presentations, age at graduation, gender, and race (p = 0.09 and p = 0.02, respectively). RR had higher odds of reporting adequate time to complete research (odds ratio [OR] = 13.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.58–48.03, p < 0.001) and satisfaction with their research experience (OR = 6.96, 95% CI = 2.104–23.053, p = 0.002). Conclusion Residents with a research rotation had more time to complete research, were more satisfied with their research experience, and generated more publications and presentations compared with residents without the research rotation. A research rotation can help meet ACGME requirements and help residents achieve greater scholarly activity.


To violate Kirchhoff's law is very important in the areas of thermal radiation. However, due to the weak nonreciprocity in natural materials, it is necessary to engineer novel structures to break the balance between emission and absorption. In this work, we introduce magneto-optical material into Fibonacci photonic crystals. Assisted by the nonreciprocity of the magneto-optical material and the excitation of Tamm plasmon polaritons, strong nonreciprocal thermal radiation can be realized. The difference between absorption and emission at wavelength of 16 μm can reach 0.9 at the incident angle of 60 o . The distributions of the magnetic field are also calculated to verify the underlying physical origin. By engineering the parameters of the structure, it is found that strong nonreciprocal thermal radiation can be achieved at shorter wavelength and smaller incident angle. The results indicate that the Fibonacci magnetophotonic crystals are the promising candidate to engineer the nonreciprocal emission for various requirements.


The invention discloses a polymer light emitting diode including an electron transport layer. The polymer light emitting diode sequentially comprises a substrate, an anode, a hole transport layer, a polymer light emitting layer, an electron transport layer and a cathode, wherein the material of the polymer light emitting layer is a conjugated polymer, with a general formula (I) structure, of benzothiadiazole. By adopting the polymer light emitting layer as an efficient light-emitting polymer, the polymer light emitting diode has high energy conversion efficiency and high carrier mobility.


The disappearance rates of the biologic activity of synthetic LRH have been measured in normal and hypogonadal men before and during estrogen treatment. Biologic activity was assayed by the change in radioimmunoassayable rat LH levels induced by injection of human plasma into ovariectomized rats pretreated with estrogen and progesterone, and compared with a dose-response curve using synthetic LRH. Following rapid iv injection of 100 micrograms synthetic LRH, peripheral blood peak levels of biologic activity occurred in less than 2-6 minutes, and the disappearance curve contained 2 exponential components. In 3 normal men the initial component had a t1/2 of 2 minutes and the second component a t1/2 of 10 minutes. Six hypogonadal men had first and second components of disappearance no different from normals whether or not they responded to LRH injection with increased endogenous hLH. While diethylstilbestrol 2 mg orally for 7 days suppressed pituitary hLH response to exogenous synthetic LRH (mean max.deltahLH 236 VS 46 NG/ml), it did not alter the disappearance rates in normal or hypogonadal men. These studies show that the biologic activity of synthetic LRH disappears from the blood after iv administration at rates similar to radioimmunoassayable and radioactive-labeled LRH. They further suggest that the lack of pituitary responsiveness to LRH in hypogonadal and estrogen-treated men is not due to more rapid clearance of the releasing hormone.


Epidemiologic evidence provides some support for a causal association between maternal secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure during pregnancy and reduction in infant birth weight. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to examine the magnitude of this association in China, where both prevalence and dose of SHS exposure are thought to be higher than in U.S. populations. Women who gave birth in Beijing and Changchun September 2000–November 2001 were interviewed to quantify self-reported prenatal SHS exposure. Their medical records were reviewed for data on pregnancy complications and birth outcomes. Non-smoking women who delivered term babies (≥37 weeks gestation) were included in the study (N = 2,770). Nearly a quarter of the women (24%) reported daily SHS exposure, 47% reported no prenatal exposure, and 75% denied any SHS exposure from the husband smoking at home. Overall, no deficit in mean birth weight was observed with exposure from all sources of SHS combined (+11 grams, 95% CI: +2, +21). Infants had higher mean birth weights among the exposed than the unexposed for all measures of SHS exposure. Future studies on SHS exposure and infant birth weight in China should emphasize more objective measures of exposure to quantify and account for any exposure misclassification.


The effects of the newly synthesized compound 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine 5'-triphosphate (ara-GTP) on the activity of DNA polymerases from mouse cells and oncornavirus were compared with those of 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine 5'-triphosphate. Ara-GTP did not replace deoxyguanosine 5'- triphosphate as substrate for these DNA polymerases but inhibited the activities of DNA polymerase alpha, beta, and gamma and viral DNA polymerase. DNA polymerase alpha was more sensitive than DNA polymerases beta and gamma and viral DNA polymerase to inhibition by ara-GTP. The inhibitions by ara-GTP and 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine 5'-triphosphate were due to competition or partial competition 5'-triphosphate were due to competition or partial competition with deoxynucleoside triphosphate with the same base. The inhibition constant (Ki) and the mode of inhibition of nucleotide incorporation varied depending on the combination of inhibitor, substrate(s), and enzyme species.


The methylenecyclopropanes (MCPs) react with various metal chlorides or bromides to give the corresponding homoallylic chlorides or bromides in good yields.


Background: Increasing numbers of Acinetobacter spp. resistant to multiple drugs, including carbape- nem, has been a serious problem. The aims of this study were to determine carbapenem resistance pat- terns and mechanisms, as well as to study the mo- lecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter spp. Methods: Clinical isolates of Acinetobacter spp. were collected from May to November in 2006. Antimicro- bial susceptibility testing was performed using CLSI disk diffusion and agar dilution methods. Metallo-β- lactamase- and OXA carbapenemase-producing iso- lates were detected by PCR. Carbapenem resistance and hydrolytic activities were compared according to OXA type and presence of ISAba1. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed to determine the epidemiologic features. Results: The imipenem non-susceptible rates were variable from 10% to 67%. Among 151 isolates car- rying blaOXA-51-like, 75 isolates carried both blaOXA-51-like and ISAba1, and 25 isolates had both blaOXA-51-like, blaOXA-23-like, and ISAba1. Carbapenem MICs of both blaOXA-51-like and ISAba1-carrying isolates were higher than those with blaOXA-51-like only. Carbapenem MICs of blaOXA-23-like-carrying isolates were higher than those with both blaOXA-51-like and ISAba1. Both blaOXA-51-like and ISAba1-carrying isolates and blaOXA-51-like, blaOXA-23-like, and ISAba1-carrying isolates demonstrated higher hydrolysis activities in oxacillin and carbapenems. Most of the tested isolates were susceptible to tige- cycline, and all of them were susceptible to colistin. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis suggested that there had been several outbreaks of blaOXA-23-like and blaOXA-51-like-positive strains. Conclusion: Carbapenem non-susceptible Acineto- bacter isolates and OXA carbapenemase-producing isolates were prevalent. Dissemination of blaOXA-har- boring isolates may make it difficult to treat infections due to carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. Further surveillance studies are required to prevent the spread of carbapenem resistance. (Korean J Clin Microbiol 2010;13:27-33)


The turbulent flows through a plane channel and a channel with a constriction (2-D hill) are numerically simulated using DNS and RANS calculations. The Navier-Stokes equations in the DNS are solved using a higher order kinetic energy preserving central schemes and a fifth order accurate upwind biased WENO scheme for the space discretization. RANS calculations are performed using the NASA code CFL3D with the komega SST two-equation model and a full Reynolds stress model. Using DNS, the magnitudes of different terms that appear in the enstrophy equation are evaluated. The results show that the dissipation and the diffusion terms reach large values at the wall. All the vortex stretching terms have similar magnitudes within the buffer region. Beyond that the triple correlation among the vorticity and strain rate fluctuations becomes the important kinematic term in the enstrophy equation. This term is balanced by the viscous dissipation. In the separated flow, the triple correlation term and the viscous dissipation term peak locally and balance each other near the separated shear layer region. These findings concur with the analysis of Tennekes and Lumley, confirming that the energy transfer terms associated with the small-scale dissipation and the fluctuations of the vortex stretching essentially cancel each other, leaving an equation for the dissipation that is governed by the large-scale motion.


Background Pre-gestational diabetes is associated with a range of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including an increased risk of major congenital anomalies. The impact on normally-formed offspring, however, is less well defined. This study utilised data from a long-running population-based survey of women with pre-gestational diabetes to explore the risks of foetal and infant death and examine which factors modify these risks. Methods All normally-formed singleton pregnancies delivered at ≥20 weeks of gestation in the North of England during 1996-2008 were identified from the population-based Northern Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality Survey. Pregnancies affected by pre-gestational diabetes were identified from the Northern Diabetes in Pregnancy Survey, which also collects data on a range of clinical and sociodemographic variables. Relative risks (RRs) of foetal death (≥20 weeks gestation) and infant death were estimated by comparing the prevalence among women with and without pre-gestational diabetes. Predictors of foetal and infant death in women with pre-gestational diabetes were examined by logistic regression. Glycated haemoglobin concentrations (HbA1c) within three months peri-conception and in the third trimester (as markers of blood glucose concentration) were analysed by piecewise regression due to curvilinear associations. Results There were 46 foetal deaths and 10 infant deaths among 1548 deliveries in women with pre-gestational diabetes. The prevalence of foetal death in women with diabetes was over four times greater than among those without (RR 4.54 [3.41, 6.05], p<0.0001), while the infant mortality rate was nearly two times greater, although the effect did not reach the conventional level for statistical significance (1.82 [0.98, 3.38], p=0.06). Increasing peri-conception HbA1c above 45mmol/mol (AOR 1.02 [1.01, 1.03], p=0.006), pre-pregnancy retinopathy (AOR 2.02 [1.05, 3.89], p=0.03), and lack of pre-pregnancy folate supplement use (AOR 2.44 [1.12, 5.25], p=0.03) were all independently associated with increased risks of fetal or infant death. In deliveries after 28 weeks only, increasing third-trimester HbA1c above 36mmol/mol was associated with an increased risk of fetal or infant death (AOR 1.05 [1.02, 1.08], p=0.001), with no apparent additional contribution from peri-conception HbA1c. Conclusion Pre-gestational diabetes is associated with a substantially increased risk of fetal death in normally-formed offspring, the effect of which appears to be largely moderated by glycaemia control. Greater vigilance in the control of blood glucose, both before and throughout pregnancy, is needed if the risks of serious adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with pre-gestational diabetes are to be reduced towards the levels in healthy women.


International reference materials representing a diverse suite of sulfide ores and related lithologies have been analyzed for major and trace element concentrations by XRF, solution ICP–MS, and laser-ablation ICP–MS (LA–ICP–MS) after fusion of the sample to a lithium borate glass. Reference materials analyzed for this study include a wide variety of bulk compositions, incl uding ores of Pb–Zn sulfides, Fe sulfides, Cu–Mo sulfides, and silicate matrices. Concentrations of 33 elements were determined, including lithophile and chalcophile elements of particular interest to economic geochemistry and ore deposit studies. The resu lts of LA–ICP–MS analyses were calibrated using a fused glass standard prepared specifically for the analysis of sulfides. Accuracy of the LA–ICP–MS technique is established by comparison with results obtained by the other methods for abundance variations over several orders of magnitude. Replicate analyses demonstrate a precision of 2–8% (1 RSD) for the LA–ICP–MS data at rock-equivalent concentrations >1 ppm. Matrix effects were not a significant problem at the scale of compositional variation represented by these samples, and no significant differences in the results were produced with the laser operating in either fi xedspot or line-scan mode. LA–ICP–MS analysis of fused glasses effectively overcomes problems related to insoluble phases such as cassiterite that are resistant to acid dissolution. Whole-rock analysis of sulfide ores by XRF and LA–ICP–MS provides a fast and convenient approach for determinations of major- and trace-element concentrations in a variety of ores and related material s without the need for wet-chemical dissolutions.


The addition of 0.05-0.20 mM CaCl2 to the isolated guinea pig ileum immersed in a depolarizing (excess potassium), and calcium-free Tyrode solution produces a dose-related contraction, which is reversibly blocked by aliphatic alcohols of low molecular weight. The inhibitory potency of the alcohols increases with the length of their carbon chain, and may be due to an interference with the movement of calcium across the smooth muscle cell membrane.


In Deliberative Environmental Politics, Walter Baber and Robert Bartlett link political theory with the practice of environmental politics, arguing that the "deliberative turn" in democratic theory presents an opportunity to move beyond the policy stalemates of interest-group liberalism and offers a foundation for reconciling rationality, strong democracy, and demanding environmentalism. Deliberative democracy, which presumes that the essence of democracy is deliberation -- thoughtful and discursive public participation in decision making -- rather than voting, interest aggregation, or rights, has the potential to produce more environmentally sound policy decisions and a more ecologically rational form of environmental governance.Baber and Bartlett defend deliberative democracy's relevance to environmental politics in the twenty-first century against criticisms from other theorists. They critically examine three major models for deliberative democracy -- those of John Rawls, Jurgen Habermas, and advocates of full liberalism such as Amy Gutmann, Dennis Thompson, and James Bohman -- and analyze the implications of each of these approaches for ecologically rational environmental politics as well as for institutions, citizens, experts, and social movements. In order to establish that democracy is ecologically sustainable and that environmental protection can (and must) become a norm of culture rather than a mere fact of government, they argue, new models of ecological deliberation and deliberative environmentalism are required.


In this paper, the instrumentation of a riderless bicycle prototype for control purposes is addressed. The proposed instrumentation is based on the mathematical model of a bicycle, in which the dynamical variables correspond to the translational velocity, the angular position of the handlebar and the velocity of the roll angle of its general framework. Throughout the paper, a convenient and simple way to measure these variables is detailed explained, in order to provide an instrumented prototype ready to be used for testing automatic control laws. This corresponds to the main contribution of the present paper. The dynamical model from which the proposed instrumentation has been designed, corresponds to a Linear Parameter Varying system, considering the translational velocity as time-varying parameter. The results of the instrumentation and its effectiveness are shown from experimental tests.


In the wake of Pakistan's military crackdown on East Pakistan and the consequent crisis situation in the subcontinent, the American Congress demanded an immediate policy response from the White House. But the Nixon Administration's .massive inaction. towards the East Pakistan situation failed to satisfy Congressional concern. Congress reacted by suspending American military and economic aid to Pakistan until the conflict was resolved by Pakistan's military regime and international relief work was allowed in the affected areas. The US government's continued shipping of arms to Pakistan, despite suspension, angered the Congress and India. Unconvinced by the Administration's explanation, the Congress undertook the unusual step of touring the subcontinent and visiting refugee relief camps both in East Pakistan and India. The East Pakistan crisis exemplified both the strength and limitations of the US Congress in playing a role, along with the executive, in foreign policy matters.


This essay argues that the prominent Elizabethan pedagogue Richard Mulcaster exerted a considerable influence on the narrative strategies of his pupil Edmund Spenser, especially as seen in Book I of The Faerie Queene. Where recent scholars such as Jeff Dolven and Andrew Wallace have maintained that Spenser was critical of many of the humanist practices they deem prevalent in the Elizabethan classroom, this study shows that such critique of humanism was already a basic part of the reformed curriculum at Merchant Taylors' School, where Spenser received his early training under Mulcaster. The essay first provides a reading of Mulcaster's main pedagogical text, Positions (1581), and then applies its key concepts to a reading of Book I of Spenser's poem with a double emphasis on the hero of the poem, Redcrosse, and on the reader's interaction with the text. The most important of these concepts is the seemingly innocuous term "circumstance." Aside from being a key concept within forensic oratory, to "maister the circumstance" is for Mulcaster a shorthand for a cautious approach to the classical text studied in his classroom. The same strategy, this essay argues, is implemented in the poem. The reader must pay attention to the circumstances, with their rhetorical, pedagogical, and theological connotations, triggered in large part by the apparent inability of Redcrosse, the putative hero of the book, to do so. Additionally, as a subcategory of the rhetorical connotations, there is also the need to assess the use of names in the poem.


Summary Thirty-seven samples of Upper Chalk from a borehole in the unsaturated zone near Manston in Kent were analysed for major elements and the mineralogy was determined. Porewaters were extracted and analysed for major cations and anions. Changes due to infiltrating water were not detected in the whole-rock analyses, but the porewater analyses generally show a decrease in concentration with increasing depth. The cause of the variations and the origin of the elements are discussed.