State fragility in Chad has been narrowly associated with insecurity due to a long cycle of violent conflict and recurrent droughts, leading to low social development. In this paper, we have investigated the impact of women's empowerment on household social expenditures using data from the Chadian household consumption and informal sector survey carried out in 2011, and Propensity Score Matching as empirical model. The social expenditures used as outcome variables are education, health and food. We find that social expenditures are higher when a household is headed by a woman than when it is headed by a man with similar observed characteristics. In particular, differences between female-headed households and male-headed households are higher in food expenditures after controlling for observed characteristics (covariates). The results also show that there is a composition effect in household expenditure. While female-headed households spend their incomes in social sectors (health, food and education), those headed by men spend for temptation goods (alcohol and leisure). These results hold when we control both model specification and common support hypothesis. Our findings provide decision makers with economic policy tools to promote the social development focusing on women's empowerment.


An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is one of the most common injuries seen by orthopaedic surgeons and is the most common complete ligamentous injury in the knee. Recent reports indicate that over 250,000 ACL reconstructions are performed each year in United States. Recent studies have emphasized the importance of anatomic tunnel placement during ACL reconstruction in an effort to restore normal knee kinematics, stability, and improve outcomes. ACL reconstruction was first described as an open technique, followed shortly by the outside-in, two-incision techniques, both of which provided relatively anatomic reconstruction methods. The transtibial technique became popular with the advent of offset guides early in the 1990s. The current trend appears to be shifting back towards anatomic reconstruction of the ACL through outside-in drilling or anteromedial-portal drilling. The objective of anatomic single- or double-bundle reconstruction is to restore a maximal percentage of the native ACL footprint attachment on the femur and tibia and thereby stability of the knee. This article discusses the most up-to-date literature on the anatomic considerations in ACL reconstruction, with a primary emphasis on restoring the anatomic footprint.


An extensive suite of sills occurring in the eastern and western Transvaal Supergroup has been termed the Marico Diabase Suite. As a result of their overall geographic proximity to the Bushveld Complex and occurrence in the Transvaal Supergroup they have been assumed to be related to the Bushveld Complex. Previous studies have identified two different types of rocks within this suite, namely the Maruleng and Lydenburg types, based on geochemical and metamorphic characteristics. The Maruleng type has mineralogical (orthopyroxene-bearing) and geochemical affinities with the mafic rocks of the Bushveld Complex, and rocks belonging to this type are much more closely spatially related to the Bushveld Complex. The Lydenburg type, on the other hand, is much more extensive spatially and was emplaced at variable depths within the Transvaal Supergroup. The latter type of rock is variably metamorphosed, far beyond the likely thermal effects arising from emplacement of the Bushveld Complex. Using LA-SF-ICPMS and LA-MC-ICMS for U-Pb-Hf isotope ratio and REE+Ti concentration analysis, we demonstrate that zircon grains from this latter type were subjected to hydrothermal alteration, which caused the introduction of common lead. Despite compositional and isotopic overprinting, an age of 2 083 ± 18 Ma (MSWD = 12, n = 16) is obtained, suggesting a pre-Bushveld in age.
 We suggest that the original term Marico Diabase Suite encompasses two different events. The Maruleng Suite should be grouped as part of the Bushveld Complex, whereas the Lydenburg Suite should be given a status that is independent from the Bushveld event.


Background Cell-based therapies are emerging as a viable modality to treat challenging diseases, resulting in an increasing demand for their large-scale, high-quality production. Production facilities face the issue of batch-to-batch consistency while producing a safe and efficient cell-based product. Controlling culture conditions and particularly media composition is a key factor of success in this challenge. Serum and Xeno-Free Media (SXFM) represent an interesting option to achieve this goal. By reducing batch to batch variability, they increase Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-compliance and safety regarding xenogenic transmission, as compared to fetal bovine serum (FBS) supplemented-media or human platelet lysate supplemented medium. Methods In this study, the isolation, expansion and characteristics including the anti-inflammatory function of human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are compared after culture in MEMα supplemented with human Concentrate Platelet Lysate (hCPL, reference medium) or in MSC-Brew GMP Medium. The latter is a GMP SXFM manufactured in bags under strictly controlled conditions in volumes suitable for expansion to a clinical scale and does not require neither pre-coating of the cell culture units nor the addition of blood derivatives at the isolation step. Results We showed that MSC derived from human bone-marrow and adipose tissue can be successfully isolated and expanded in this SXFM. Number and size of Colony-Forming Unit fibroblast (CFU-F) is increased compared to cells cultivated in hCPL medium. All cells retained a CD90+, CD73+, CD105+, HLADR−, CD34−, CD45− phenotype. Furthermore, the osteogenic and adipocyte potentials as well as the anti-inflammatory activity were comparable between culture conditions. All cells reached the release criteria established in our production facility to treat inflammatory pathologies. Conclusions The use of MSC-Brew GMP Medium can therefore be considered for clinical bioprocesses as a safe and efficient substitute for hCPL media.


This study was conducted to evaluate performance and body composition of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed diets containing byproducts aerial parts of cassava meal (Manihot esculenta), mesquite pod meal (Prosopis juliflora), cocoa meal (Theobroma cacao) and palm kernel cake (Elaeis guineensis) and to analyze the economic viability of the feed. A total of 1,350 juvenile males (100 g) were distributed in 15 cages (1 m3) in completely randomized design with five treatments (basal diet and four test diets) and three replicates. The following aspects were evaluated: final weight, total feed intake, total weight gain, feed conversion, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio and survival rate, dry matter, crude protein, fat and ash body, the average cost of feed per kilogram of weight gain and economic efficiency rate. No differences were observed for total consumption of food or survival rate. For other variables, the inclusion of cocoa and cassava meal impaired fish performance. No differences were observed for dry matter, crude protein and body ash. The lower body fat accumulation was recorded for the tilapia fed palm kernel cake. The best economic indicators were found to diets containing palm kernel cake. The byproducts evaluated can be used up to 150 g/kg in feed formulation, providing good performance and economic rate for Nile tilapia.


Many diseases have large seasonal variations in which winter overall mortality rates are about 25% higher than in summer in mid-latitude countries, with cardiovascular diseases and respiratory infections and conditions accounting for most of the variation. Cancers, by contrast, do not usually have pronounced seasonal variations in incidence or mortality rates. This narrative review examines the epidemiological evidence for seasonal variations in blood pressure, cardiovascular disease rates and respiratory viral infections in relation to atmospheric temperature and humidity, and solar UV exposure through vitamin D production and increased blood concentrations of nitric oxide. However, additional mechanisms most likely exist by which solar radiation reduces the risk of seasonally varying diseases. Some studies have been reported with respect to temperature without considering solar UV doses, although studies regarding solar UV doses, such as for respiratory infections, often consider whether temperature can affect the findings. More research is indicated to evaluate the relative effects of temperature and sun exposure on the seasonality of mortality rates for several diseases. Since solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) doses decrease to vanishingly small values at higher latitudes in winter, the use of safe UVB lamps for indoor use in winter may warrant consideration.


The Tayoltita mine, located in the states of Durango and Sinaloa, Mexico, is a major example of a Tertiary volcanic-hosted silver-gold epithermal vein deposit. Significant silver and gold values and base metal sulfides as well as most of the vein quartz and accompanying chlorite, calcite, rhodonite, and adularia are restricted to a vertical interval in the veins between approximately 500 and 1,000 m beneath the original surface. Fluid inclusion studies indicate that ore deposition was from fluids averaging approximately 260 degrees C and was accompanied by some boiling. The salinity of the fluid inclusions is estimated at 0.1 m NaCl equivalent; greater apparent salinities indicated by lower freezing temperatures probably reflect some dissolved CO 2 . Correlation of Ag/Au values with the apparent salinities and with vein mineral paragenesis shows that during ore deposition the fluids evolved in time and space from relatively concentrated to dilute conditions owing to gas loss, and possibly, some fluid mixing. Ag/Au ratio zoning, orebody distribution, and vein mineral zoning patterns are all consistent with vein formation from fluids flowing predominantly in horizontal flow patterns.


To date, 241 individual molecular species, composed of 19 different elements, have been detected in the interstellar and circumstellar medium by astronomical observations. These molecules range in size from two atoms to 70 and have been detected across the electromagnetic spectrum from centimeter wavelengths to the ultraviolet. This census presents a summary of the first detection of each molecular species, including the observational facility, wavelength range, transitions, and enabling laboratory spectroscopic work, as well as listing tentative and disputed detections. Tables of molecules detected in interstellar ices, external galaxies, protoplanetary disks, and exoplanetary atmospheres are provided. A number of visual representations of these aggregate data are presented and briefly discussed in context.


A variety of reducing substances is demonstrable under varying conditions in the human urine. In view of the danger of hypoglycemic shock as a result of nonindicated doses of insulin, it becomes a matter of more than theoretical importance to determine the nature of the substance present in the urine of a patient suspected of having diabetes. It need hardly be emphasized that a reduction of copper solutions is not sufficient for a diagnosis of diabetes. Even a blood sugar higher than normal, as in the case to be presented, may lead one astray. A frequent source of error is the presence of fructose in the urine. Occasionally, as in the present case, one is dealing with pentosuria. While essential pentosuria is probably of more frequent occurrence than is generally recognized, the reported cases are not numerous, and the following case is that of the youngest patient on record. Pentose


This paper focuses on a concrete, non-mainstream example of bringing ICTs to rural agricultural areas. In elaborating on this example of 'ICT for Development' (ICT4D), it tries to provide insights into the integration of the natural sciences, the technical communication sciences and the social sciences in a project called: Open Source Simple Computer for Agriculture in Rural Areas (OSCAR). The objective of the OSCAR project is to initiate cooperation between European and South Asian Institutions with the view to learn about appropriate applications of ICTs in rural agricultural areas. More specific the project is envisioned to the development of a decision making tool for weed identification and control that will address the issue of the declining agricultural productivity in South Asia. In the end, the long-term objective is to contribute to the betterment of rice and wheat productivity in the Indo-Gangetic Plains by improving decision-making capacities in crop management with an emphasis on weed management and control. The Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) form an important region for South Asia as it provides the natural resources for rice-wheat cropping systems. The partners in OSCAR are: Centre Coopération Internationale Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) from France, French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP) from India, Rice-Wheat Consortium for the Indo-Gangetic Plains (RWC) from India, and Wageningen University (WU) from The Netherlands. The project is co-funded by the European Commission under the ASIA@IT&C programme.


The current understanding of the biology and molecular biology of lung cancer pathogenesis and progression is reviewed. Awareness of the influence of growth factors, oncogenes, and tumor suppressor genes as well as signal transduction and angiogenesis pathways on the natural history of cancer cells has led to attempts to develop new therapeutic strategies directed at interrupting tumor cell growth. Treatments utilizing monoclonal antibodies, matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, and gene transfer and alteration are currently being investigated. The rationale and effectiveness of these treatments in early trials are explored, and recommendations for future directions in cell biology research are presented. Interest in the biology and molecular biology of tumor cells has led to some important findings that may provide opportunities for new treatments. Several of these new directions for anticancer therapy are already being examined in phase I clinical trials.


Abstract One of the fastest-growing subpopulations of nontraditional college students is military veterans who enroll in institutions of higher education following their returns from deployment. Although much research has been conducted on veteran-students, much of that work has focused on issues such as veterans' finances or academic achievement, rather than the individuals' transitions from deployment to student life. Prior to the 2008 passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, only 22% of institutions offered transition assistance to veteran-students; four years later, that figure has dramatically grown to 37%. Due to the rapidly increasing interest in transition assistance among student-veteran service providers, it is clear that more research is needed on these transitions. Six veteran-students at a large research university in the Midwest were interviewed using a qualitative case study approach. Subjects' responses were then analyzed within the framework provided by Schlossberg's Transition Theory. The influences that most strongly impacted the participants' transitions were assets and deficits that were financial, physical, emotional, psychological, and, most significantly, social in nature.


1.1. If a group satisfies the maximal condition for normal subgroups, then all its central factors are necessarily finitely generated. In [2], Hall asked whether there exist finitely generated soluble groups which do not satisfy the maximal condition for normal subgroups but all of whose central factors are finitely generated. We shall answer this question in the affirmative. We shall also construct a finitely generated group all of whose subnormal subgroups are perfect (and which therefore has no non-trivial central factors), but which does not satisfy the maximal condition for normal subgroups. Related to these examples is the question of which classes of finitely generated groups satisfy the maximal condition for normal subgroups. A characterization of such classes has been obtained by Hall, and we shall include his result as our first theorem. This, in turn, is related to our second theorem, which gives examples of classes of groups having unique maximal i^-closed subclasses. Before we can state either of these results, we must define R0.


An initial home assessment was carried out with two heart failure and one palliative care nurse specialists. Each nurse identified the patientTs problems and devised a management plan that was discussed and the differences in care needs were identified following the visit. Concurrently the assessment tool was reviewed and modified and the new version used for the subsequent patients. Results: Initially, the heart failure nurses focussed more on the management of the condition, specifically education, titration of medication and physical symptoms such as oedema and breathlessness. In contrast, the palliative care nurse identified other symptoms such as nausea, constipation and pain and also paid more attention to their social, spiritual and psychological needs. As the study progressed, the heart failure nurses identified more palliative care needs for their patients and through discussion with the palliative care nurse felt more confident in medication advice and suggesting nonpharmacological input such as hospice day care and psychological review. Conclusion: This research identified that there are differences in the assessment of supportive and palliative care needs of heart failure patients between heart failure and palliative care nurse specialists. With education, training and an effective assessment tool, we have demonstrated that heart failure nurses can learn to identify palliative care issues and confidently provide appropriate management plans. Collaboration between palliative care and heart failure is essential to provide holistic assessment and care for heart failure patients. 1480 Why do heart failure patients not comply with diet, fluid restriction and daily weighing? Martje H.L. van der Wal, Tiny Jaarsma, Dirk J. van Veldhuisen on behalf of the COACH investigators. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Groningen Corresponding author. Martje van der Wal, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Cardiology, PO 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) has a poor prognosis and requires early diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the difference between microRNA-21 (miRNA-21) expression in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with PCNSL, and to discuss the importance of miRNA-21 in its diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation. The research subjects were confirmed as patients with PCNSL with histopathological lesions at The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University (Harbin, China) between December 2011 and 2017. Comparisons were drawn between the PCNSL, glioblastoma and the healthy control groups. CSF and plasma specimens were obtained from patients with PCNSL prior to chemotherapy, and CSF specimens were also obtained following chemotherapy. Plasma specimens were taken from patients with glioblastoma and the healthy control group. Using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, it was revealed that plasma miRNA-21 expression level had a notable diagnostic value in distinguishing PCNSL from glioblastoma, another common neurological tumor. Moreover, miRNA-21 expression levels in the plasma correlated positively with those in the CSF. Therefore, miRNA-21 in the plasma may be used as a novel diagnostic biomarker to distinguish patients with PCNSL from those with glioblastoma, whereas miRNA-21 in the CSF may have potential as a predictor of chemotherapeutic effect in PCNSL.


Of 24 published clinical reports of periodic chronic myelogenous leukaemia (PCML), 21 had sufficient data to analyse for periodicity, and 12 showed significant periodicity ( p  0.05) using the Lomb periodogram. Leucocyte oscillations had periods T ranging from 37 to 83 d. When data were also reported for platelets and reticulocytes there was no significant difference between their periods and those of the leucocytes. These data and their analysis provide strong circumstantial evidence for a haemopoietic stem cell origin of PCML. Namely, the known chromosomal changes in CML patients may, on occasion, also be accompanied by a destabilization resulting in an oscillatory efflux into the leucocyte, platelet and erythrocytic pathways.


At various points throughout Earth's history, the planet's solid exterior has drifted about in relation to the planetary rotation axis. This solid body drift, which is known as "true polar wander," results in a wholesale shift in the orientation of Earth's landmasses and is different from the motion of individual tectonic plates ("tectonic drift") or of the magnetic pole ("apparent polar wander"). Sorting out when, in which direction, and at what rate the Earth's solid exterior has rotated in this way depends on having a stable frame of reference to which observations of relative motion can be compared. To develop such a frame, researchers rely on hot spots, regions of recurrent volcanism that are known to produce long, largely linear island chains—such as the Hawaiian islands—as an overlying tectonic plate passes overhead. Hot spots are fed by magma plumes from the deep mantle and hence tend to be long-lived and relatively stable. Hot spots have long been used to understand the motion of tectonic plates.


Chalcogenide seChalcogenide semiconductors and semimetals are a historical fertile class of materials for discovering novel compounds for energy conversion applications, such as photovoltaic cells or thermoelectric devices. Here, we report on a detailed investigation of the low-temperature transport properties (5 – 300 K) of the n-type series Bi8-xSbxSe7 (0  x  2.4), the thermoelectric performances of which can be optimized around 300 K. The complex layered crystal structure, built up by Bi bilayers and quintuple Bi-Se layers stacked perpendicular to the c axis of the trigonal unit cell, gives rise to very low lattice thermal conductivity κ_L values on the order of 0.6 W m-1 K-1 at 300 K. Upon cooling, κ_L (T) exhibits a crystalline-like behavior with a well-defined dielectric maximum. Despite Sb and Bi are isovalent, both the thermopower α and the electrical resistivity ρ vary upon increasing the Sb content, possibly due to variations in the nature and concentration of native defects. Our results indicate the existence of two substitutional ranges, in which the evolution of the electronic properties with x are not equivalent. Combined with the poor ability of these materials to conduct heat, the high power factors, optimized for x = 1.6, result in a maximum dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT as high as 0.40 at 300 K, making these compounds competitive among n-type thermoelectric chalcogenides for near-room-temperature thermoelectric applications.


Multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (MRT-PCR) is a method of choice for efficient and simultaneous analysis of gene expression at the transcript level with limited amounts of tissues; however, it is less common than other methods due to certain limitations. Here, we describe the protocol for MRT-PCR-based semiquantitative analysis of all AQP4 transcripts simultaneously in Dalton's lymphoma (DL) using transcript-specific primers and outline the critical parameters. Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels are associated with edema of tissues due to various diseases. The AQP4 transcript possesses alternative transcription initiation sites and produces three isoforms, AQP4.M1, AQP4.M23, and AQP4.M23X, which constitute heterotetrameric orthogonal arrays of particles (OAPs) in the plasma membrane. In order to validate the MRT-PCR technique, the AQP4 transcripts were also analyzed in various tissues of mice with DL. AŸ-Actin transcript was simultaneously amplified as a reference to monitor the possible intra- and interassay variations during MRT-PCR reactions and for relative quantification of target mRNAs. Our data suggest that the MRT-PCR technique is suitable for simultaneous detection and semiquantitative analysis of AQP4 transcripts, and can also be used as a routine tool for simultaneous analysis of multiple transcripts in other tissues.


Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) analysis has presented a formidable computational challenge in the last several years. Accurate prediction of automobile frequency response at higher frequencies requires FE models which have millions of DOF. For obtaining frequency response over a broad frequency range, only the modal frequency response approach has been practical, and only vector supercomputers have been capable of solving for natural frequencies and modes in an acceptable amount of time. However, these machines are very expensive, and their future availability is uncertain. In the automated multi-level substructuring (AMLS) method, a large FE model is automatically divided into many substructures, and the model is transformed so that response is represented in terms of substructure eigenvectors. The numerical example demonstrates that the frequency response of a 2.9 million DOF FE car body model can be obtained more quickly using a single workstation processor with AMLS than it can be obtained using a supercomputer and the modal frequency response approach.


The knowledge of the upper bounds of mobile data traffic predictors provides not only valuable insights on human behavior but also new
opportunities to reshape mobile network management and services as well as provides researchers with insights into the design of effective prediction algorithms. In this paper, we leverage two large-scale real-world datasets collected by a major mobile carrier in a Latin American country to investigate the limits of predictability of cellular data traffic demands generated by individual users. Using information theory tools, we measure the maximum predictability that any algorithm has potential to achieve. We first focus on the predictability of mobile traffic consumption patterns in isolation. Our results show that it is theoretically possible to anticipate the individual demand with a typical accuracy of 85% and reveal that this percentage is consistent across all user types. Despite the heterogeneity of users, we also find no significant variability in predictability when considering demographic factors or different mobility or mobile service usage. Then, we analyze the joint predictability of the traffic demands and mobility patterns. We find that the two dimensions are correlated, which improves the predictability upper bound to 90% on average.


Doubly fed Induction Generators (DFIGs) are quite common in wind energy conversion systems because of their variable speed nature and the lower rating of converters. Magnetic flux saturation in the DFIG significantly affect its behavior during transient conditions such as voltage sag, sudden change in input power and short circuit. The effect of including saturation in the DFIG modeling is significant in determining the transient performance of the generator after a disturbance. To include magnetic saturation in DFIG model, an accurate representation of the magnetization characteristics is inevitable. This paper presents a qualitative modeling for magnetization characteristics of doubly fed induction generator using neuro-fuzzy systems. Neuro-fuzzy systems with one hidden layer of Gaussian nodes are capable of approximating continuous functions with arbitrary precision. The results obtained are compared with magnetization characteristics obtained using discrete fourier transform, polynomial and exponential curve fitting. The error analysis is also done to show the effectiveness of the neuro fuzzy modeling of magnetizing characteristics. By neuro-fuzzy algorithm, fast learning convergence is observed and great performance in accuracy is achieved.


The vitamin D receptor gene encodes the nuclear hormone receptor for vitamin D3 and belongs to the family of trans-acting transcriptional regulatory factors and shows sequence similarity to the steroid and thyroid hormone receptors. Downstream targets of this nuclear hormone receptor are principally involved in mineral metabolism though the receptor regulates a variety of other metabolic pathways, such as those involved in the immune response and cancer. In light of evidence for promoter methylation of the vitamin D receptor in the control of the expression of this gene, we have designed methylation assays that cover many regions of this gene in order to determine its methylation profile in normal individuals, ovarian tumors and ovarian cell lines. We have isolated the DNA from ten tumor tissues and their adjacent normal tissue from four different tumor types; ovarian, breast, colon and cervical. By utilizing a combination of bisulfite sequencing, SNP genotyping, and expression analysis, we show that there are distinct patterns of methylation levels between different regions of the VDR gene in each of the cancers observed. We have also analyzed a number of SNPs within these genes and show a possible correlation with the methylation and /or expression of the genes and the SNP genotypes. These data may provide information that could lead to the development of biomarkers for different cancers. Citation Format: Matthew L. Poulin, Ann Meyer, Gregory Gonzalez, Kevin Bi, Liying Yan. Methylation, SNP and expression analysis of the Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene in different tumor tissues. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4242. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4242


Initially approached as a chapter for a Master's Thesis, the theme of this article concerns the human dimension which Rousseau's educational project seeks to develop. While aiming at the formation of the citizen (an argument developed in the thesis), Rousseau's political and pedagogical plan attempts to include the development of natural talents as proper to the human nature. The article has as its basic source the Geneva-born philosopher's Emile: or, on Education. Also based on his other works compiled under his Oeuvres Completes, the text seeks to recover the current importance of this theme for education, as well as the relevance of Rousseau's thought for the discussion of the objectives of the formation of modern man and of the principles underlying the formation processes. It emphasizes that the humanization project present in Rousseau's work is of a political nature and, therefore, that it contributes to rethink in our days the educational process and the modes of insertion and participation of man in the social sphere. However, the political action, as well as the pedagogical, must be carried out with the purpose of redimensioning man's natural potentials so that the human nature is not degenerated, ignored, or even "thingified". In this sense, to construct meanings for human existence and to think the best way of participation in the social sphere should be the main concerns of each and every political-educational project.


Giono was not a regional novelist, nor even principally a nature or countryside one. Although, like his pathfinder Walt Whitman, whom Giono called the 'American Pan', he sang the body electric, he also lived and learned enough to slim down that corporeal estate which had sustained his writing for so long. Afflicted by heart trouble in later life, Giono was allowed only a daily speck of salt. He made, typically, a creative meal out of his medico's veto. Above all, he was a natural hyperbolist: so many of his fictions are sublime codology. In his lengthy, monothematic analysis, Alain Romestaing has to go one or several better. Like other amateur psychoanalysts, he cannot mention a topic such as absence without immediately transmuting this state into castration; and a stress on plenitude signifies (what else?) a desire to snuggle back into the womb. Such critical angels harp endlessly. Like most agelastic critics, Romestaing does not pick up on Giono's own brand of vigorous humour. He is, however, alert to the later comic sense as it veers into the drier, more disenchanted mode of irony. He does spot, of course, that (with 1938-ish as the watershed), Giono's earlier characters possessed bodies largely permeable to the outer world in all its richness, whereas the later breed, in Giono's wicked avatar as a narrative allumeuse withholding information as well as favours, tease the reader but remain mainly impenetrable. In a seismic revelation, a goodly number of academic critics have recently discovered that we all, fictional or otherwise, have bodies. Giono's are in the main imagined but are infused with great presence: young, ripe or ageing bodies; super-healthy or desperately sick bodies; (as in Le Hussard sur le toit) self-gratifying or postponing bodies. All are in the superlative mode. Giono wrote with lavish plausibility of physical activities or conditions he had no experience of: swimming (Le Chant du monde), horse-riding, fencing, wrestling (Deux Cavaliers de l'orage),–even blindness. This book is a kind of catalogue raisonné, as its author slaves to conjugate Giono in his umpteen takes on the body, human or animal. At times, Romestaing seems to regret Giono's failure to be systematic, which makes life hard for us critics, whom Giono called fleas on a lion. It takes a French exponent to compose so abstract a gloss about the body, which Giono for his part always deeply respected as a major part of personality, even to the extent of celebrating its potential, when dead, as humus for new life. This study is a good example of critical overkill. Romestaing has turned the most delectable of subjects into doctoral sludge. He does, it is true, and this is the real role of the critic, send the reader back to Giono, but principally out of sheer relief. His book is far more useful to others by reason of its prolific quotations from Giono's works than by Romestaing's copious glosses on them. Of course, Giono himself coined images so plentifully that he made readers punch-drunk.


A study was made of faunistic and ecological composition and of the vertical distribution of the litter and soil nematodes of a holm·oak woodland on Etna. Sampling was made at two stations (A and B), which differed in the structure of the wood. Among the 64 species found, 38 were present in both stations and most of them were common, eurytopic species. The population density, higher in the litter than in the soil, was similar at both stations, but for the upper layers of soil, whose density was lower at station B. The number of species and variety index were higher at station B, where the floristic composition of the wood was richer. Some of the species were present only or mainly in the litter and others only or mainly in the soil; the trend in the vertical distribution of the species was similar at the two stations. The analysis of the ecological composition showed a large number of bacterial, miscellaneous and fungal feeders. Bacterial feeders were more abundant in litter than in soil and relatively more abundant at station B than A, probably relating to the different degree of decomposition of the litter. The structure of the wood and the thickness of the litter seem to affect the distribution, density and ecological composition of nematodes in the soil.


Abstract With the improving survival of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and the advent of highly effective cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) therapy, the clinical spectrum of this complex multisystem disease continues to evolve. One of the most important clinical events for patients with CF in the course of this disease is acute pulmonary exacerbation (PEx). Clinical and microbial epidemiology studies of CF PEx continue to provide important insight into the disease course, prognosis, and complications. This work has now led to several large-scale clinical trials designed to clarify the treatment paradigm for CF PEx. The primary goal of this review is to provide a summary and update of the pathophysiology, clinical and microbial epidemiology, outcome and treatment of CF PEx, biomarkers for exacerbation, and the impact of highly effective modulator therapy on these events moving forward.


We investigate the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based techniques in learning to play a 2-player, real-time strategy (RTS) game called Hunting-of-the-Plark. The game is challenging to play for both humans and AI-based techniques because players cannot observe each other's moves while playing the game and one player is at a disadvantage due to the asymmetric nature of the game rules. We analyze the performance of different deep reinforcement learning algorithms to train software agents that can play the game. Existing reinforcement learning techniques for RTS games enable players to converge towards an equilibrium outcome of the game but usually do not facilitate further exploration of techniques to exploit and defeat the opponent. To address this shortcoming, we investigate techniques including self-play and strategy diversity that can be used by players to improve their performance beyond the equilibrium outcome. We observe that when players use self-play, their number of wins begins to cycle around an equilibrium value as each player quickly learns to outwit and defeat its opponent and vice-versa. Finally, we show that strategy diversity could be used as an effective means to alleviate the performance of the disadvantaged player caused by the asymmetric nature of the game.


The development of vaccines against hepatitis B has proceeded along four main lines. (i) Human plasma-derived vaccines are safe, effective, and in general use. (ii) Subunit polypeptide vaccines formulated in micelles have reached the stage of clinical trials. (iii) Recombinant DNA vaccines have been produced in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, notably in yeast. The yeast-derived recombinant vaccine has proved safe and effective in extensive clinical trials, eliciting antibodies of equal quantity and quality of specificity to those elicited by plasma-derived vaccine. DNA recombination has also been applied to the development of hybrid vaccinia virus vaccines which are capable of immunological 'priming'. (iv) Finally, chemical synthesis has succeeded in producing small peptides which include specific epitopes eliciting antibody responses in experimental animals.


Review of Noise Suppression in Package Generators is reported. Shortfall in power generation, distribution and availability to the populace in developing economies has compelled the populace to embrace the usage of package generators in their domestic and commercial activities. The attendant noise pollution associated with the package generator usage has become a menace. The Review has identified materials and methods/procedures for evaluating the Noise level, Design and application of Noise Suppression Units (also known as mufflers) and evaluating the optimal noise reduction achieved. The contribution to body of knowledge hopefully stands to minimize the noise pollution of the environment which is detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the society.


We report on the experimental observation of period-doubling bifurcation of dissipative-soliton-resonance (DSR) pulses in a fiber laser passively mode-locked by using the nonlinear optical loop mirror. Increasing the pump power of the fiber laser, we show that temporally a stable, uniform DSR pulse train could be transformed into a period-doubling state, exhibiting two sets of pulse parameters between the adjacent cavity roundtrip. It is found that DSR pulses in the period-doubling state could maintain the typical feature of DSR pulse: fixed pulse peak power and linear variation in pulse width with respect to the pump power change. The mechanism for achieving period-doubling of DSR pulses is discussed.


BACKGROUND
Lutein is a hydroxy-carotenoid constituting the macular pigment of the human retina. Increasing lutein intake from foods could increase the density of this pigment and decrease the risk of developing macular degeneration. Yellow carrots are a novel food source that could increase lutein consumption.

OBJECTIVE
We evaluated and compared lutein uptake and clearance in humans from genetically selected lutein-containing yellow carrots fed chronically and from a lutein supplement.

DESIGN
Four women and 5 men aged 23-28 y participated in this randomized, blinded, 3 x 3 crossover intervention. Treatments consisted of yellow carrots (YC treatment, 1.7 mg lutein/d), white carrots as a negative control (WC treatment, 0 mg lutein/d), and a lutein supplement in oil as a positive control (LS treatment, 1.7 mg lutein/d). Each treatment lasted 7 d and was followed by a 7-d washout period.

RESULTS
Mean (+/- SD) peak changes in serum lutein concentration from baseline were 0.31 +/- 0.08, 0.19 +/- 0.08, and -0.04 +/- 0.04 micromol/L for the LS, YC, and WC treatments, respectively. The areas under the curve for 0-14 d (AUC(0-14d)) differed significantly (P < 0.0001) between treatments. Lutein from the YC treatment was 65% as bioavailable as that from the LS treatment. The AUC(0-14d) for beta-carotene (-0.01 +/- 0.28 micromol.d/L) also showed that the YC treatment maintained peak serum beta-carotene concentrations at 0.35 +/- 0.30 micromol/L, whereas the LS treatment did not (AUC(0-14d) = -0.71 +/- 0.59 micromol.d/L).

CONCLUSION
Lutein from this novel food source significantly increases serum lutein concentrations and does not result in the decrease in beta-carotene concentrations that accompanies administration of lutein supplements.


We investigate the problem of the existence of degenerations of surfaces in with ordinary singularities into plane arrangements in general position. Bibliography: 14 titles.


Brazilians are a rapidly increasing Latino immigrant group in the United States (US), yet little research has examined factors influencing physical activity (PA) levels and behaviors of children growing up in Brazilian immigrant families. This information is needed to develop culturally sensitive interventions tailored to this population. Therefore, this qualitative study explored PA parenting practices used by Brazilian immigrant mothers living in the US. Thirty-seven Brazilian immigrant mothers with at least one child between the ages of 2 and 5 years participated in 1of 7 focus group discussions. Thematic analysis identified seven parenting practices that mothers employ that may encourage or facilitate physical activity their preschool-aged children's PA including: 1) modeling PA; 2) engaging and being physically active with child; 3) providing logistic support; 4) encouraging, praising, and offering motivational support; 5) watching, supervising, and teaching children how to engage in PA; 6) monitoring and setting limits to child's screen time; and 7) prompting child to be physically active. In addition, analysis identified four parenting practices that may discourage or inhibit children's PA including: 1) modeling of sedentary behaviors; 2) having rules and restrictions due to safety- and weather-related concerns; 3) limiting child's outdoor time due to parental time constraints; and 4) restricting child's outdoor and play time as punishment. Furthermore, analyses demonstrated that social contextual factors (e.g., income, housing, neighborhood safety, etc.) influence mothers' PA parenting practices and consequently, their children's PA. This is the first qualitative study, to our knowledge, to explore PA parenting practices of Brazilian-born immigrant mothers living in the US. Future research should further explore PA parenting practices of Brazilian immigrant parents including quantifying PA parenting practices that encourage and discourage PA, as well as examining the influence of fathers' PA parenting practices on young children's PA.


Questions connected with the statistics of field quantities are considered. The model is a system of uncorrelated random sources, the field quantities being linear and instantaneous functions of the source coordinates. General properties of the C function, non-uniform particle density, the evaluation of the C function for binary field correlations are studied. Polynomial expansion in terms of the Fourier-component of the non-uniformity and the distance and inverse distance between the correlation points are given. (auth)


SUMMARY 1. The specific effects of three types of anthropogenic forcing (nutrient concentrations, climate change and fisheries management practices) on the benthic invertebrate community over the last 150 years in a re-oligotrophicated large, deep subalpine lake were investigated using chironomid remains. The structural changes in the chironomid assemblages in different habitats were assessed based on subfossil remains retrieved from sediment cores sampled along a depth gradient (30, 56 and 65 m) and analysed at a high temporal resolution (2–5 years). 2. Until the 1940s, the chironomid assemblages were strongly depth specific and were characterised by oxyphilous taxa at all studied depths. Subsequently, the assemblages drifted towards domination by common hypoxia-tolerant taxa. The scores of the first axis of principal component analyses for each studied depth were used as a proxy for community structure, and the influence of anthropogenic forcings on axis scores was assessed using general additive models. The temporal variability of the contribution of each covariate to our model estimates allowed their specific effects to be clarified. 3. The sensitivity of the chironomid assemblages to the considered forcings was depth dependent. Profundal chironomid assemblages (65 m) responded mainly to nutrient enrichment, whereas assemblages at shallower depths (56 and 30 m) were mainly affected by top-down effects of the fish community on the pelagic food web, triggering increasing losses of organic matter from the pelagic to the benthic zone. Since the late 1980s, increased air temperatures have probably been responsible for changes in assemblages at all sampled depths, potentially through their effect on the strength and duration of thermal stratification, possibly coupled with changes in mixing efficiency during winter. 4. Our results highlight linkages between the pelagic and benthic food webs and identify possible temporal substitutions among anthropogenic forcings that successively drive the chironomid assemblages. These findings provide additional evidence of the multiple environmental controls structuring chironomid assemblages and highlight the associated difficulties in predicting chironomid assemblage trajectories following mitigation efforts.


We present results of resonant tunneling diode operation achieved from a particle-based quantum ensemble Monte Carlo (EMC) simulation that is based on the Wigner distribution function (WDF). Methods of including the Wigner potential into the EMC, to incorporate natural quantum phenomena, via a particle property we call the affinity are discussed. Dissipation is included via normal Monte Carlo procedures and the solution is coupled to a Poisson solver to achieve fully selfconsistent results.


It is well established that under a wide range of conditions when a sparse collection of texture elements varies smoothly in depth, the spaces between the elements are assigned depth values. This disparity interpolation process has been studied in an effort to define some of its fundamental spatial and temporal constraints. To assess disparity interpolation we employed two tasks: a novel task that relies on the bisection of illusory boundaries created when subjective stereoscopic surfaces intersect, and one that relies on a 3-D shape discrimination. The results of both experiments show that there is no improvement in performance when texture density is increased from near 0.20 to 0.85 or when exposure duration is increased from 50–100 to 1000 ms. This lack of dependence on the addition of features that define the interpolated surface, along with the abrupt decline in performance below a critical value, is consistent with the view that surface interpolation is an important function of human stereoscopic vision.


SUMMARY In Greece the public health surveillance for most infectious diseases, including shigellosis, is not well developed. However, four waterborne outbreaks of shigellosis have been recorded in Greece in the last three decades, in different areas of the country, under different environmental and socioeconomic conditions. This study presents the epidemiological characteristics of these four outbreaks in order to examine common points and differences and to investigate their possible association with environmental and socioeconomic conditions. All four outbreaks were caused by Shigella sonnei and related to drinking water. Epidemic curves, distribution of cases by age and gender, hospitalization rates, environmental conditions and laboratory results were compared. The outbreaks seemed to correspond to two different 'models' presenting two characteristic types of epidemic waves related to specific environmental conditions. The attack rates for the general population varied from about 9 to 13% and were similar for both sexes. Children were affected mostly. In these outbreaks there was a strong suspicion of contamination of the water distribution system from the sewage network, highlighting the importance of environmental health control measures.


Existing hardware design methodologies provide limited methods to detect security flaws or derive a measure on how well a mitigation technique protects the system. Information flow analysis provides a powerful method to test and verify a design against security properties that are typically expressed using the notion of noninterference. While this is useful in many scenarios, it does have drawbacks primarily related to its strict enforcement of limiting all information flows - even those that could only occur in rare circumstances. Quantitative metrics based upon information theoretic measures provide an approach to loosen such restrictions. Furthermore, they are useful in understanding the effectiveness of security mitigations techniques. In this work, we discuss information flow analysis using noninterference and qualitative metrics. We describe how to use them in a synergistic manner to perform joint information flow analysis. And we use this novel technique to analyze security properties across several different hardware cryptographic cores.


Background Gliomas are the most common intracranial tumors and are classified as I–IV. Among them, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common invasive glioma with a poor prognosis. New molecular biomarkers that can predict clinical outcomes in GBM patients must be identified, which will help comprehend their pathogenesis and supply personalized treatment. Our research revealed four powerful survival indicators in GBM by reanalyzing microarray data and genetic sequencing data in public databases. Moreover, it unraveled new potential therapeutic targets which could help improve the survival time and quality of life of GBM patients. Materials and Methods: To identify prognostic signatures in GBMs, we analyzed the gene profiling data of GBM and standard brain samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus, including four datasets and RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) containing 152 glioblastoma tissues. We performed the differential analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and Cox regression analysis. Results After differential analysis in GSE12657, GSE15824, GSE42656 and GSE50161, overlapping differentially expressed genes were identified. We identified 110 up-regulated DEGs and 75 down-regulated DEGs in the GBM samples. Significantly enriched subclasses of the GO classification of these genes included mitotic sister chromatid separation, mitotic nuclear division and so on. In KEGG pathway analysis, the most abundant terms were ECM-receptor interaction and protein digestion and absorption. WGCNA analysis was performed on these 185 DEGs in 152 glioblastoma samples obtained from TCGA, and gene co-expression networks were constructed. We then performed a multivariate Cox analysis and established a Cox proportional hazards regression model using the top 20 genes significantly correlated with survival time. We identified a four-protein prognostic signature that could divide patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Increased expression of SLC12A5, CCL2, IGFBP2, and PDPN was associated with increased risk scores. Finally, the K-M curves confirmed that these genes could be used as independent predictors of survival in patients with glioblastoma. Conclusion Our analytical study identified a set of potential biomarkers that could predict survival and may contribute to successful treatment of GBM patients.


Most recent work in Element Theory assumes that nasality and true voicing are represented by the same element, where the headed element encodes voicing and the dependent element nasality (Backley, 2011; Nasukawa, 1999, 2000, 2005, et alii). This assumption is questioned here and it is proposed that the voicing–nasality contrast may be encoded the other way around. It is argued that this hypothesis is in better agreement with the means by which headedness may encode additional information at phonetic interpretation. Under the assumption of an L/H-Parameter, it is shown how, in line with Lombardi (1991) and Botma (2005), only H-systems can possibly encode voiceless (or more properly aspirated) nasals and how the hypothesis that headed |L| encodes nasality provides a better fit for these systems.


BACKGROUND
Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status has been used since the mid-1970s in the management of breast cancer as an indicator of endocrine responsiveness and as a prognostic factor for early recurrence.

AIM
To study the steroid receptor profile and its clinico-pathological correlation in post-menopausal breast cancer patients.

SETTING AND DESIGN
A retrospective and prospective analysis of 80 and 68 patients, respectively, was undertaken to study the prevalence of ER and PR in post-menopausal breast cancer patients. The result of collective observations was analyzed statistically.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
In this study, retrospective data on hormonal receptor status of 80 post-menopausal breast cancer patients and prospective data of 68 patients were collected and analyzed.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED
Student "t" test, Chi-square test.

RESULTS
Receptor positivity was high in higher age group but unlike earlier studies the receptor positivity was lower in incidence. The study showed an incidence of 37.83% receptor positive tumors in post-menopausal women. ER was positive in 27.03% patients of whom 16.2% were also PR positive, while the remaining patients were ER/PR negative. ER was negative in 72.47% patients of whom PR was positive in 10.8% and negative in the remaining. Out of 148 cases, 128 (86.48%) had palpable axillary lymph nodes. Out of 148 patients, 36 (24.34%) had supraclavicular lymph node involvement (Chi-square = 1.70, P = 0.193). Out of 148 cases, 144 (92.29%) were infiltration ductal carcinomas. Grade I tumors were more common in receptor positive tumors while grade II and III tumors were more common in receptor negative tumors. Receptor negative tumors were more aggressive in terms of peau de' orange, ulceration, fungation and chest wall invasion. Metastases and axillary lymph node involvement was observed more in receptor negative tumors; however, supraclavicular lymph node involvement was equal in both the groups. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the most common type of carcinoma in both the groups.

CONCLUSION
The receptor positivity of steroid receptors was more in higher age groups, but the incidence of receptor positivity was lower than that reported in earlier studies. No statistically significant association was found between receptor status and clinical presentation of breast cancer, histopathological status of tumor and metastases.


This is a qualitative study with a focus on aging in the healthy
living process, through the Thematic Oral History. Eight interviews were conducted with elderly people, four of them belonging to the UNIVIDA extension project at UNIVALI and the other to the SESC elderly group-Florianopolis (SC). The spiritual dimensions, of gender, work, esthetics and the art of aging emerged from the narratives, allowing to contextualize the healthy aging process. This group of elderly people managed to break stereotypes or prejudices existing in our society, becoming agents of the changing mentality process.


The recent expansion of Portuguese exports can not only promote post crisis recovery but also accelerate economic growth if the theoretical predictions on the relationship between exports and growth are correct. The export-led growth hypothesis advocates that export expansion is key in promoting long run performance. However, controversies remain on the causal relationship between the variables. We investigate this nexus for Portugal over the period 1970-2012 by estimating a bivariate VAR model with output and exports and applying cointegration, Granger causality and impulse response analysis. The results show a long-run equilibrium relationship between exports and output supporting the export-led-growth hypothesis. We also investigated the growth impact of exports of manufactured and non-manufactured products. The findings point to the existence of a positive impact of manufactured exports on output and a "limiting" effect of non-manufactured exports supporting in this way the view that what a country exports matters for growth.


We studied both the clinical features and CT findings in 24 children who had acute head trauma as a result of child abuse. Twenty-three of them were less than 1 year of age. The diagnosis of whiplash shaken infant syndrome was made in 17. Serial CT, done in 50% of the cases, was useful in managing the medical, legal, and social aspects of the cases and in predicting the neurologic outcome. Three children died and 12 others suffered serious neurologic sequelae. The other five children has lesser degrees of deficit; one was lost to follow-up. Three were neurologically normal on follow-up visits. Two siblings of these children died of child abuse, indicating the necessity for continuing intervention in the abused child's family to prevent further abuse.


The implementation of time-domain radar modules for imaging of subsurface targets will be addressed in this work. The radar modules have been used originally in process industry for fill level measurements. In this contribution we will show that these industry radar modules for C-Band and K- Band frequencies, can be adapted in order to apply them for sensing buried objects. The measurement of the reflected pulse unveils information about buried objects and the structure of the ground surface. The radar signal is evaluated by subsampling the carrier modulated Gaussian pulses. The envelope of the consecutive samples, that represents a stretched replica of the high frequency radar signal, is digitized and transferred to a post processing computer. Post processing techniques have been applied on the measured data in order to increase the image resolution. Experiments carried out with the radar modules underline their capability for detection and remote sensing of subsurface objects. Index Terms—ground penetrating radar, image processing, sampling methods, time domain reflectometry


: The schedule of estulic administration for stage I-II essential hypertension in more effective at lower doses and better tolerance when adjusted to circadian variations in arterial pressure. Six-month continuous estulic treatment results in regression of left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy.


Tissue transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a multifunctional protein primarily known for its calcium-dependent enzymatic protein cross-linking activity via isopeptide bond formation between glutamine and lysine residues. TG2 overexpression and activity have been found to be associated with Huntington's disease (HD); specifically, TG2 is up-regulated in the brains of HD patients and in animal models of the disease. Interestingly, genetic deletion of TG2 in two different HD mouse models, R6/1 and R6/2, results in improved phenotypes including a reduction in neuronal death and prolonged survival. Starting with phenylacrylamide screening hit 7d, we describe the SAR of this series leading to potent and selective TG2 inhibitors. The suitability of the compounds as in vitro tools to elucidate the biology of TG2 was demonstrated through mode of inhibition studies, characterization of druglike properties, and inhibition profiles in a cell lysate assay.


The nucleation of dislocations at controlled indents in silicon during rapid thermal annealing has been studied by in situ X-ray diffraction imaging (topography). Concentric loops extending over pairs of inclined {111} planes were formed, the velocities of the inclined and parallel segments being almost equal. Following loss of the screw segment from the wafer, the velocity of the inclined segments almost doubled, owing to removal of the line tension of the screw segments. The loops acted as obstacles to slip band propagation.


We investigate angular and energy distributions of medium-induced gluon emission off a quark-antiquark antenna in the framework of perturbative QCD as an attempt toward understanding, from first principles, jet evolution inside the quark-gluon plasma. In-medium color coherence between emitters, neglected in all previous calculations, leads to a novel mechanism of soft-gluon radiation. The structure of the corresponding spectrum, in contrast with known medium-induced radiation, i.e., off a single emitter, retains some properties of the vacuum case; in particular, it exhibits a soft divergence. However, as opposed to the vacuum, the collinear singularity is regulated by the pair opening angle, leading to a strict angular separation between vacuum and medium-induced radiation, denoted as antiangular ordering. We comment on the possible consequences of this new contribution for jet observables in heavy-ion collisions.


NaCl stress adversely affects plant growth. Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb (T. ramosissima), a halophyte, thrives in saline-alkali areas. Myo-inositol, a lipid-soluble compound, is crucial for stress response, but its role in mitigating NaCl damage remains underexplored. We analyzed transcriptome sequencing and metabolites in T. ramosissima roots under NaCl stress at various intervals (0 h, 48 h, and 168 h). We identified ten Myo-inositol oxygenase-related genes. Nine of these genes, linked to metabolic pathways involving Myo-inositol, showed differential expression. Myo-inositol accumulation increased over time, suggesting its role as an osmotic regulator and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger. This accumulation likely shields T. ramosissima from NaCl-induced osmotic and oxidative damage. Notably, Unigene0002140 and Unigene0095980, associated with Myo-inositol oxygenase, appear to regulate Myo-inositol accumulation and correlate significantly with its levels. We hypothesize they are key genes in controlling Myo-inositol levels, warranting further study. This research illuminates the role of Myo-inositol oxygenase-related genes in T. ramosissima roots combating NaCl stress, offering insights for selecting salt-tolerant tree species.


ObjectivesAlzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by reduced acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the post-mortem tissues of AD patients. Therefore, AChE has been an attractive target for the diagnosis of AD. In the present study, 5,7-dihydro-3-[2-(1-(phenylmethyl)-4-piperidinyl)ethyl]-6H-pyrrolo[3,2-f]-1,2-benzisoxazol-6-one (CP-118,954), a potent AChE inhibitor, was labelled with radioiodine and evaluated as an AChE imaging agent for SPECT. MethodsRadioiodine-labelled CP-118,954 was prepared from CP-144,885 and [125I]iodobenzyl bromide, and anti-AChE activities of iodine-substituted CP-118,954 were measured. Metabolism studies were carried out in samples of blood and whole brain of mice injected with 2-[123I]iodo-CP-118,954 (123I-1). Tissue distribution studies were also performed in mice injected with 125I-1, and samples of blood, thyroid, stomach, and brain tissue (cerebellum, striatum and cortex) were removed, weighed and counted. ResultsOf the ligands, 2-iodo-CP-118,954 exhibited higher binding affinity for AChE (IC50=24 nM) than the other positional isomers. 2-[125I]Iodo-CP-118,954 was found to have a lipophilicity (log P=2.1) favouring brain permeability and metabolic stability in mouse brain, but a marginal target (striatum) to non-target (cerebellum) uptake ratio (1.1) in mouse brain. ConclusionThis result demonstrates that 2-[125I]iodo-CP-118,954 may be unsuitable for AChE imaging. These findings suggest that radioligands suitable for AChE imaging should have not only a specific structure but also a sub-nanomolar to low nanomolar IC50.


Borderline personality disorder (BPD) often goes unrecognized, and therefore a short but accurate screening tool is desired. The present study investigated the psychometric properties of the 10-item McLean Screening Instrument for BPD (MSI-BPD) in 159 well-diagnosed female participants. The MSI-BPD showed excellent internal consistency (α = .90). When compared to BPD diagnoses based on a structured clinical interview (SCID-II), the MSI-BPD showed substantial congruent validity (receiver operating characteristic area under the curve = 0.96). The cutoff point proposed by the developers of the MSI-BPD (7 or more) showed high specificity (.96) and good sensitivity (.71). The optimal cutoff point in the present study (5 or more) showed somewhat lower specificity (.86), but importantly better sensitivity (.94). Taken together, the Dutch version of the MSI-BPD demonstrated good psychometric properties for a screening tool.


This paper considers the possibilities and limits of anticolonial resistance alongside the transmedial artworks of Tuareg poet and artist Mahmoudan Hawad, setting what he calls his "furigraphies" in a radioactive historical and geographical context that presently extends from Taourirt Tan Afela (Algeria) to Arlit (Niger) because of indelible—and currently unfolding—French nuclear imperialism that includes both nuclear bomb and uranium extraction infrastructures.


G. H. Hofstede (1980) Culture's Consequences is a result of an extensive research on the international comparison of corporate culture in 40 countries through 1967 to 1973. Hofstede identified four dimensions of culture from the investigation data of IBM's 40 subsidiaries. He developed four indices, but did not explicitly present the exact computation formulas for Individualism index and Masculinity index. This paper reproduces the formulas and proves how to conduct a factor analysis that Hofstede employed for development of these indices. Hereafter, supplementary analysis could be done using all four indices of Hofstede. Also a factor analysis could be done in Hofstede's method.


This research was conducted with the aim of obtaining empirical evidence regarding the factors that influence the performance of manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). This study took data from annual reports for three periods, namely from 2015 to 2017 with total sampleas 65 companies. The sampling technique in this study was using purposive sampling and processed through program called Eviews version 9.5. The results obtained in this study indicate that capital employed efficiency has a positive effect on company performance, human capital efficiency has a negative effect on company performance, structural capital efficiency has no influence on company performance, capital structure has a negative influence on company performance, and firm size has an positive influence for company performance. Recommendation for the next studies is to add more independent variable such as audit committe, independent board of commissioners, and corporate social responsibility (CSR).


I was honoured when asked to curate this collection, but accepted with some trepidation. As the tagline states, Microbiology (Journal of General Microbiology prior to 1994) has been 'publishing high-quality research since 1947': capturing the breadth and depth of the journal's contribution to microbiology in this short opinion piece is nigh impossible. I chose to steer a personal course through the journal archive and highlight some personal favourites here. Such an approach is by its nature highly selective and a function of my own predilections; I apologize upfront for the many outstanding contributions that I could not mention due to space limitations. I hope, however, to remind readers of the seminal work published in Microbiology over the years and perhaps to shine a light on some forgotten gems.


Introduction: Breast Cancer is the most common form of cancer in women worldwide, impacting nearly 2.1 million women each year. In 2018, nearly 627,000 women died of breast cancer, which accounts for 15% of all cancer deaths. Identification of new biomarkers could be key for early diagnosis and therefore, increase the survival.  Vitronectin, a glycoprotein that is abundantly found in serum, extracellular matrix, and bone, binds to integrin alpha V beta 3, and promotes cell adhesion and migration. Current studies indicate that patients with amplified Vitronectin copy-number have lower survival rates than patients without amplified Vitronectin. In this study, we focused on the role of vitronectin in breast cancer survival and its functional role as a non-invasive biomarker for early stage and stage specific breast cancer detection. Materials and Methods: To confirm that the expression of vitronectin is amplified in breast cancer, a total of 240 serum samples (n=240) from breast cancer patients were analyzed using the Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) technique. Of the 240 samples, 120 samples were of African American descent, while the other 120 were of Caucasian American descent.


Assume a forwarding cost function which depends on the sender receiver separation, and assume further that noncooperative relaying is applied. What is the minimum total forwarding cost required for sending a message from source to one or more destinations when multicasting along optimal placed relaying nodes is applied? In this paper, I define and analyze cost function properties from which I derive general lower bound expressions on multicasting costs. I consider an MAC layer model which does not exploit the broadcast property of wireless communication and an MAC layer model which exploits it. For specific cost functions, I show further that in case of optimal relay positions, multicasts can be constructed whose cost always stays below the derived lower bound expression plus an additive constant depending on the number of destinations. For both, lower and upper bounds, I define a general procedure to check if-and if yes how-my findings can be used to derive the specific lower and upper bound expressions for a given cost function. I explain the procedure with three cost function examples: the euclidean distance, energy cost function, and the expected number of retransmissions under Rayleigh fading.


The effectiveness of jigging operation for the beneficiation of low-grade iron ore
deposits of Orissa, India has been investigated. Iron ore sample obtained from Barbil
region of Orissa containing very high amount of silica and alumina was crushed using
the laboratory jaw crusher and roll crusher to prepare different particle sizes. The sink
and float tests were carried out to evaluate the possible response of the sample by gravity
concentration technique. The samples were subjected to jigging in a laboratory Denver
mineral jig and Harz jig. The operating variables used to determine the effectiveness of
jigging include, particle size, velocity of water and amplitude. Recovery of iron values
and the separation efficiency were assessed by determining mineralogy and the
percentages of Fe in the jig concentrate and tailings by wet chemical and X-ray
floroscence (XRF) techniques. Optimum iron ore recovery of 78.6% was achieved with
63.7% Fe in concentrate when the jig was operated at medium stroke, with an average
water velocity and at a particle size of below 5 mm. The results are very close to
theoretical results obtained by sink and float studies.


To be efficient, logistics operations in e-commerce require warehousing and transportation resources to be aligned with sales. Customer orders must be fulfilled with short lead times to ensure high customer satisfaction, and the costly under-utilization of workers must be avoided. To approach this ideal, forecasting order quantities with high accuracy is essential. Many drivers of online sales, including seasonality, special promotions and public holidays, are well known, and they have been frequently incorporated into forecasting approaches. However, the impact of weather on e-commerce operations has not been rigorously analyzed. In this paper, we integrate weather data into the sales forecasting of the largest European online fashion retailer. We find that sunshine, temperature, and rain have a significant impact on daily sales, particularly in the summer, on weekends, and on days with extreme weather. Using weather forecasts, we have significantly improved sales forecast accuracy. We find that including weather data in the sales forecast model can lead to fewer sales forecast errors, reducing them by, on average, 8.6% to 12.2% and up to 50.6% on summer weekends. In turn, the improvement in sales forecast accuracy has a measurable impact on logistics and warehousing operations. We quantify the value of incorporating weather forecasts in the planning process for the order fulfillment center workforce and show how their incorporation can be leveraged to reduce costs and increase performance. With a perfect information planning scenario, excess costs can be reduced by 11.6% compared with the cost reduction attainable with a baseline model that ignores weather information in workforce planning.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


Metacogonitive strategies are in connection with the reading process. It is essential for language learners to master a series of metacogonitive strategies. Teachers should conduct metacognitive training among students. Thus, students are sure to improve their reading proficiency with some metacognitive knowledge during the reading process.


OBJECTIVE
Circulating GH-binding protein (GHBP) is produced by proteolytical cleavage of the extracellular part of the GH receptor (GHR) and is positively correlated to the amount of body fat. To test the hypothesis that adipose tissue may contribute to the production of circulating GHBP, we compared gene expression of two GHR isoforms in adipose tissue with serum GHBP concentrations in healthy females.

DESIGN
Twenty-two healthy females undergoing surgery for benign gynecological conditions were included in the study.

METHODS
During surgery, s.c. and intraabdominal fat biopsy samples were taken. Gene expression of the full-length GHR and a truncated GHR (GHRtr) was assessed by RT-PCR relative to the expression of beta-actin.

RESULTS
The full-length GHR was expressed to a much higher level than GHRtr in both tissues. The levels of both GHR and GHRtr mRNA were similar in intraabdominal and s.c. adipose tissues. Surprisingly, concentrations of circulating GHBP were negatively correlated to the levels of mRNA transcripts of both the full-length GHR and GHRtr in intraabdominal fat. Whole body resistance (as a measure of lean body mass) was positively correlated to mRNA levels for both GHRs in intraabdominal fat.

CONCLUSIONS
(i) The full-length GHR is expressed to a much higher level than GHRtr in s.c. as well as visceral abdominal fat; (ii) the observation of a significant correlation between GHR expression and GHBP levels further emphasizes the link between adipose tissue and GHBP; (iii) it remains, however, to be demonstrated whether circulating GHBP is produced to a significant degree by adipose tissue.


McVetty, P. B. E., Duncan, R. W., Fernando, W. G. D., Li, G. and Zelmer, C. D. 2012. Red River 1861 Roundup Ready™ high erucic acid, low glucosinolate summer rape. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1407–1409. Red River 1861 summer rape (Brassica napus L.) is the world's fourth Roundup Ready™ high erucic acid, low glucosinolate cultivar. On average, Red River 1861 yielded 19% more seed, 7 g kg−1 more seed oil and 7 g kg −1 more meal protein than MillenniUM 03 high erucic acid, low glucosinolate summer rape. Red River 1861 has an erucic acid content of 52.6% in isolated field trials of HEAR lines and is adapted to the southern B. napus growing regions of western Canada.


Techniques are provided for reducing the amount of power required to activate a piezoelectric actuator of a microelectromechanical structure. An insulating layer is deposited on a piezoelectric layer. The insulating layer is etched to remove a portion of the layer and expose the piezoelectric layer in the etched areas. An electrode layer is deposited on the piezoelectric layer and insulating layer.


Although periodicity simplifies design and analysis in control theory, it is no more adapted for embedded and networked cyber-physical systems because it results in a conservative usage of resources. Indeed, the control signal is computed and updated at the same rate regardless whether is really required or not, and is periodically sent on the communication link. On the other hand, event-driven sampling calls for resources whenever they are indeed necessary. An event-based controller is proposed in this paper as a solution to reduce the updates from the controller to the plant. An event-based corrector is also added to reduce the communications from the plant to the controller. The approach is tested for controlling the position of a real-time mini quadrotor helicopter using a motion capture system with deported controller. A reduction of the computing/communication resources utilization is highly demonstrated for similar final performance.


The European Court of Justice has been celebrated as a central force in the creation and deepening of the EU internal market. Yet, it has also been criticized for engaging in judicial activism, restricting national regulatory autonomy, and taking away the powers of Member State institutions. In recent years, the Court appears to afford greater deference to domestic actors in free movement cases. Europe's Passive Virtues explores the scope of and reasons for this phenomenon. It enquires into the decision-making latitude given to the Member States through two doctrines: the margin of appreciation and decentralized judicial review. At the heart of the book lies an original empirical study of the European Court's free movement jurisprudence from 1974 to 2013. The analysis examines how frequently and under which circumstances the Court defers to national authorities. The results suggest that free movement law has substantially changed over the past four decades. The Court is leaving a growing range of decisions in the hands of national law-makers and judges, a trend that affects the level of scrutiny applied to Member State action, the division of powers between the European and national judiciary, and ultimately the nature of the internal market. The book argues that these new-found 'passive virtues' are linked to a series of broader political, constitutional, and institutional developments that have taken place in the EU


Position emission tomography (PET) is widely used in clinics and research due to its quantitative merits and high sensitivity, but suffers from low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Recently convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been widely used to improve PET image quality. Though successful and efficient in local feature extraction, CNN cannot capture long-range dependencies well due to its limited receptive field. Global multi-head self-attention (MSA) is a popular approach to capture long-range information. However, the calculation of global MSA for 3D images has high computational costs. In this work, we proposed an efficient spatial and channel-wise encoder-decoder transformer, Spach Transformer, that can leverage spatial and channel information based on local and global MSAs. Experiments based on datasets of different PET tracers, i.e., $^{18}$F-FDG, $^{18}$F-ACBC, $^{18}$F-DCFPyL, and $^{68}$Ga-DOTATATE, were conducted to evaluate the proposed framework. Quantitative results show that the proposed Spach Transformer can achieve better performance than other reference methods.


Native language identification from acoustic signals of L2 speakers can be useful in a range of applications such as informing automatic speech recognition (ASR), speaker recognition, and speech biometrics. In this paper we follow a multistream and multi-rate approach, for native language identification, in feature extraction, classification, and fusion. On the feature front we employ acoustic features such as MFCC and PLP features, at different time scales and different transformations; we evaluate speaker normalization as a feature and as a transform; investigate phonemic confusability and its interplay with paralinguistic cues at both the frame and phone-level temporal scales; and automatically extract lexical features; in addition to baseline features. On the classification side we employ SVM, iVector, DNN and bottleneck features, and maximum-likelihood models. Finally we employ fusion for system combination and analyze the complementarity of the individual systems. Our proposed system significantly outperforms the baseline system on both development and test sets.


Ranging from the denial of direct effect to WTO law by the Court of Justice to a WTO-friendly legislative culture currently booming in the EU's political institutions, different approaches towards WTO law have been adopted within the EU. This article classifies the different approaches into reactive, coactive, and proactive by drawing on their common characteristics. The principal aim is to explore the considerations shaping the development of the different approaches and to argue that these stem from the interaction between the judiciary and the legislature. In doing so, this article purports to provide a comprehensive view of the application of WTO law within the Community legal order.


Transcriptional expression of CXCR3 and CCR5 cognate chemokines correlate with CD8+ T-cell infiltration and prolonged survival in colorectal cancer (CRC). These findings were derived mainly from paraffin embedded tissues; thus little is known about the secretion pattern of CD8+ T-cell targeting chemokines from CRCs. Therefore, we developed and introduced a novel platform that assesses the immune mediators that are secreted from live excised tissues. Transcriptional profiling and unsupervised hierarchical clustering of 43 CRCs based on expression of genes that represent the adaptive immune response were used to predict tumors that are strong secretors of T-cell targeting chemokines. Secretion of these mediators were corroborated using flow cytometric analysis of T-cell lineage markers: CD4, CD8, IFN-γ, and GzmB. We demonstrate that stronger secretion of CXCL10 (CXCR3 ligand) and CCL5 (CCR5 ligand) and infiltration of GzmB+CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) and IFN-γ+CD4+ helper T-cells can be predicted by transcriptional profiling, and that CRCs with stronger T-cell immunity were proportionally skewed towards early TNM stages and lacked distant organ metastasis. Our study represents the first functional analysis of secreted immune mediators from CRCs beyond immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR, and observed active physiological interactions between the tumor cells and the immune cells in the tumor microenvironment.


Abstract Feedback is one of the core components of teaching in the clinical setting. Traditionally, this activity has emphasized observations made by senior physicians and delivered to medical trainees. However, the optimal approach to feedback remains uncertain, and the literature abounds with trainee-perceived inadequacies in feedback content, quality, and impact. Moreover, given the multiplicity of demands on trainees and their physician mentors, we propose that medical trainees themselves—specifically, medical residents—are poised to serve as unique adjunct effectors of feedback. We propose a model of "clinical coaching" for residents as teachers, with emphasis on the active roles of both the feedback "giver" and "recipient". We define "clinical coaching" as "a helping longitudinal relationship between coach and apprentice that provides continuing feedback on and assistance with improving performance." Here, "coach" is the more experienced trainee (e.g. supervising resident), and "apprentice" is the less experienced trainee (e.g. intern or medical student). By working to better recognize and prepare residents for this vital role, we propose to encourage efforts to optimize the structure, execution, and impact of feedback in the contemporary climate of medical education.


Competition between the mobile operators is becoming more based on subscriber's behavior. In order to improve mobile operator's competitiveness and customer value, several data mining technologies can be used. One of the most important data mining technologies is customer clustering and segmentation. This targeting practice has been proven manageable and effective for mobile telecommunications industry. Most telecommunications carriers cluster their mobile customers by billing system data. This paper discusses how to cluster mobile customers based on their call detail records and analyze their consumer behaviors. Finally, the subscribers categorized in four loyal groups and the strategy to apply has been suggested in a specific life cycle.


Kaolin (china clay) is a rock material that is very rich in kaolinite. A kaolin ore from Debre Tabor, Ethiopia containing 59.2 wt% SiO2, 24.9 wt% Al2O3, 2.4 wt% Fe2O3, and 8.22 wt% loss on ignition (LOI) was physically beneficiated, chemically leached, and thermally treated for possible industrial use, especially for ceramic membrane fabrication. The leaching experiments were carried out using oxalic acid solutions as leaching reagents for the iron extraction process. The effect of acid concentration, reaction temperature, and contact time on iron leaching was investigated. It was determined that the rate of iron extraction increased with the oxalic acid concentration, leaching temperature, and contact time. A substantial reduction of iron oxide (2.4 to 0.36 wt%) from the raw kaolin was observed at operating conditions of 2.0 M oxalic acid, the temperature of 120 °C, and contact time of 120 min. A maximum kaolin whiteness index of 81.4% was achieved through this leaching process. Finally, the physically beneficiated, chemically leached, and thermally treated kaolin raw material was used to fabricate a low-cost kaolin-based ceramic membrane. After firing at 1100 °C the ceramic membrane was found to have a mass loss of 11.04 ± 0.05%, water absorption of 8.9 ± 0.4%, linear shrinkage of 14.5 ± 0.05%. It was demonstrated to be chemically stable, having less than 3% mass loss in acid solution, and less than 1% mass loss in alkali solution. The newly developed membranes have thus properties comparable to commercial ceramic membranes.


CONTEXT.—
The tumor-host interaction in the tumor microenvironment (TME) affects the prognosis of patients with malignant tumors. TME assessed via tumor budding (BD) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) had a prognostic impact in patients with nonampullary small intestinal and colorectal carcinomas. In ampullary carcinoma (AC), MUC5AC was recently revealed as a significant prognosticator, but studies about the TME have not been conducted.

OBJECTIVE.—
To assess TME-based prognostic risk in AC.

DESIGN.—
We generated a collective TME risk index based on high-grade BD at the invasive front (BD3) and high density of stromal-TIL (>5%) in 64 surgically resected ACs. We evaluated its predictive values for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). We also investigated the relationship of TME to MUC5AC expression.

RESULTS.—
TME prognostic risk index was classified into low-risk (BDLow/TILHigh; 26 of 64; 41%), intermediate-risk (BDLow/TILLow or BDHigh/TILHigh; 23; 36%), and high-risk (BDHigh/TILLow; 15; 23%) groups. Higher TME prognostic risk was associated with higher tumor grade (P = .03), lymphovascular invasion (P = .05), and MUC5AC immunopositivity (P = .02). TME prognostic risk index displayed better predictive ability for both OS (53.9 versus 46.1 versus 42.2) and RFS (24.8 versus 16.9 versus 15.3) than BD or TIL alone. In multivariate analysis, TME prognostic risk index was an independent prognosticator for OS (P = .003) and RFS (P = .03).

CONCLUSIONS.—
TME risk index in combination with BD and TIL was a stronger predictor of prognostic risk stratification than either BD or TIL alone for both OS and RFS in patients with AC. MUC5AC may modulate the interaction between tumor cells and immunity toward enhancing invasiveness in TME.


Two treatment plants - in the drainage area of Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland (Wulkatal, Eisbachtal)-with nitrification-denitrification and simultaneous precipitation of P were operated with an anoxic -anaerobic aeration tank to obtain biological P-removal. The results indicated that a complete denitrification is essential in the first tank to obtain release and biological uptake of phosphorus. Low loading in the Wulkatal-Plant resulted in incomplete denitrification and a biological P-removal of only 60 %. The dosage of a reduced amount of precipitant indicated a combined action of chemical and biological P-removal. In the Eisbachtal Treatment Plant with the same mode of operation - two aeration tanks of which the first was kept anoxic-anaerobic - a biological P-removal of more than 90 % was obtained under optimal process conditions. At low temperatures the removal efficiency was reduced. This could, however, be compensated by a reduced amount of precipitant. An average addition of about 1 g Fe/gP which is far below the theoretical amount for precipitation resulted in effluent concentrations below 1 mg P/1 over a period of two and half years. At the high loaded Main Treatment Plant of Vienna (F/M ratio about 1 ky/kg.d) which has plug flow conditions in the aeration tanks and ferrous sulfate addition for the control of bulking, a significant biological P-removal has been observed. According to measurements at the 400.000 m3/d plant about 50 % of the P is removed by additional biological uptake.


This technical note investigates the closed-loop properties of the differential coding scheme known as Delta Modulation (Δ - M) when used in feedback loops within the context of linear systems controlled through a communication network. We propose a new adaptive scheme with variable quantization step Δ, by defining an adaptation law exclusively in terms of information available at both the transmitter and receiver. With this approach, global asymptotic stability of the networked control system is achieved for a class of controllable (possibly unstable) linear plants. Moreover, thanks to the globally defined switching policy, this architecture enjoys a disturbance rejection property that allows the system to recover from any finite-time unbounded disturbance or communication loss.


Whereas the study of the Cotton's quadruple bonding between two metal atoms has been mature, exploration of bonding, potential applications and reactivity in linear oligonuclear metal complexes and quintuple bonded dinuclear compounds is currently underway. Stabilized by four long-chain organic ligands containing various numbers (3-13) of nitrogen donors, many metal string complexes featuring a linear metal framework have been recognized. These novel linear oligonuclear metal complexes not only have interesting metal-metal bonding, but also display potential applications as metal wires for electron conductance. In the relatively young metal-to-metal quintuple bonding, the thus far structurally characterized examples are limited to univalent chromium and molybdenum ions supported by sterically encumbered bidentate ligands. These low-coordinate quintuple bonded dinuclear compounds display ultrashort metal-metal bond lengths, and interesting reactivity towards inorganic small molecules and unsaturated organics, including complexation, reductive cleavage, and cycloaddition.


BACKGROUND: The H1N1 pandemic in 2009 required a systematic coordinated response, which in Australia included a monovalent (H1N1/09) vaccine (Panvax?). SAEFVIC (Surveillance of Adverse Events Following Vaccination In the Community) is the Victorian, Australia state-based vaccine safety unit. The aim of the study was to review SAEFVIC reports of adverse events following immunisations (AEFI) temporally associated with H1N1/09 vaccines [monovalent and Trivalent Influenza Vaccines (TIV)]. METHODS: 1) Analysis of AEFI related to H1N1/09 vaccines reported to SAEFVIC from September 2009 to December 2010; 2) Review of febrile convulsions (ICD-10 code R56.0), in children under 5 years of age presenting to the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) Melbourne, Emergency Department between 1 March-30 April 2010. The presentation details and immunisation history were clarified by a telephone interview. RESULTS: 1) There were 659 reports of 749 adverse events following H1N1 vaccines. Among the TIV group, Fluvax had the most AEFI reported, with 77 per 100,000 doses distributed. Serious AEFI temporally associated with H1N1/09 vaccines included: 3 deaths, 2 anaphylactic reactions, and 3 GuillainBarre Syndrome. There were 7 reports of drug administration error; 2) There were 179 presentations with fever and 67 reported febrile convulsions out of 11025 presentations (0.61%), 11 following H1N1 vaccines. Fluvax? was associated with 55% (6/11) reports. The mean onset time of AEFI was 13.2 hours post vaccination, and there was complete resolution of symptoms in allcases with no significant morbidity. CONCLUSION: Consistent with other Australian states in 2010, there was a TIV brand specific [Fluvax?] increase in febrile convulsions post vaccination. As a result this vaccine is no longer licensed for children <5 years of age. Comprehensive passive and active surveillance for AEFI needs to be incorporated into future pandemic planning.


Background Specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) to Ara h 2 is described as a potential factor for diagnosing peanut allergy in children. However for the Dutch children, limited data are available. In this study the diagnostic value of sIgE to Ara h2 for children in a general non-university hospital is evaluated and compared with the existing data. Methods Data from 137 peanut sensitised children were collected retrospectively. The primary outcome was peanut allergy or tolerance confirmed by food challenges. Different possible predictors, including sIgE to Ara h 2 (n = 52), were identified by multivariate backward stepwise logistic regression analysis. All significant predictors were combined in a formula for prediction of peanut allergy. Different essential cut-off points were obtained by an ROC curve. Results Multivariate analysis resulted in sIgE to Ara h 2 as only predictor for peanut allergy, with a discriminative ability of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.77–0.97). Sensitivity and specificity values of respectively 55% and 95% were found at a sIgE to Ara h 2 cut-off value of 4.25 kU/L. Hundred percent specificity was reached at a cut-off point of 5.61 kU/L. The mean (SD) sIgE to Ara h 2 level for allergic children was 21.49 kU/L (SD 30.65) compared to 1.07 kU/L (1.56) for tolerant children (p = 0.001). Conclusions Specific IgE to Ara h 2 is the best predictor for peanut allergy in sensitised children in a non-university hospital, comparable to previously published data. These results are a step forward to a generalisation to the Dutch children population.


The article investigates the resistance of memory as a typical narration technique in Dostoevsky's works, especially in confessional texts. The attention is focused on a fragment of the unpublished chapter "At Tikhon's" from an unrealized version of the novel The Possessed: Stavrogin bought a photograph of "one girl", which he perceives as a photograph of Matryosha herself. The article attempts to explain how Stavrogin organizes memories in his "confession" and why the cases of memory aberrations become both the constructive elements of the genre of literary confession and an original "tool" for the protagonist's self-knowledge. The illustrative memory aberration is considered here in connection with the problems of narration, the psychology of the protagonist, and the visual forms of representation.