Accurately predicting phenology in crop simulation models is critical for correctly simulating crop production. While extensive work in modeling phenology has focused on the temperature response function (resulting in robust phenology models), limited work on quantifying the phenological responses to varying water deficits has been done, particularly for the various versions of the EPICbased plant growth component used in many agroecosystem models (e.g., EPIC, SWAT, WEPS, WEPP, GPFARM). Further, these EPIC-based plant growth components simulate few if any developmental events. The primary impetus for developing the Unified Plant Growth Model (UPGM) was to incorporate the various FORTRAN versions of the EPIC-based plant growth component into one model and to enhance various sub-models. The modified version of the EPIC-based plant growth component in the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) model was chosen as the platform used in building UPGM for many reasons including: 1) the WEPS adaptation of the EPIC crop growth component simulates plant growth dynamics in much greater detail (shoot number, shoot diameter, leaf mass, stem mass, reproductive mass, stem area index, and plant height), among other enhancements required for simulating plant effects on wind erosion; and 2) adding these changes into the other EPIC-based plant growth models would be more difficult than vice versa. New phenology, seedling emergence, and canopy height sub-models derived from the Phenology Modular Modeling System (PhenologyMMS V1.3) that respond to varying water deficits were incorporated into the standalone UPGM model. UPGM has been linked to the AgroEcoSystem-Watershed (AgES-W) model, which is a modular, Java-based spatially distributed model that implements hydrologic and water quality (H/WQ) simulation components under the Java Connection Framework (JCF) and the Object Modeling System (OMS) environmental modeling framework. The primary objective of this research study is to evaluate winter wheat phenological responses to varying water deficits using the UPGM component integrated within the AgES-W model. Existing data sets with up to 299 genotypes grown under variable irrigation practices in northeastern Colorado, USA will be used in the evaluation. Genotype data were assembled or generated through sequencing or other genotyping technology for all genotypes, including important genes/alleles influencing the phenology of different genotypes and maturity classes. Preliminary results suggest that spatial modeling of phenological responses to varying water deficits within 58 hydrologic response units (HRUs) on the Scott Field watershed near Ault, Colorado and plot data at Greeley, Colorado more accurately simulated winter wheat phenology than the standard model using only temperature.


ABSTRACT Introduction: Congenital malformations have emerged as a major cause of stillbirths and neonatal mortality. It is a common cause of morbidity and mortality not only in the newborn but also in childhood and beyond. The objective of this study was to find the prevalence of congenital malformation at birth. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 2456 live births in Kathmandu Medical College and Teaching Hospital from April 2017 to March 2018 after obtaining ethical approval from the institutional review committee (Ref no. 08052017). A convenient sampling method was applied. All the live-born babies delivered in this hospital during the study period were clinically examined for the presence of congenital anomalies. All malformations were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases-10 classification. The mothers of the newborns with congenital malformations were interviewed in a predesigned proforma. Statistical analysis was done using statistical package for the social sciences version 20. Results: Out of 2456 examined live births, congenital malformations were observed in 66 cases. The prevalence of congenital malformation was 66 (2.6%) at 95% confidence interval (4.19-1.98) of total live births. The genitourinary system was the most common system involved with congenital malformations being 16 (24.2%), followed by musculoskeletal system 14 (21.2%), and cardiovascular system 12 (18.2%). Conclusions: Congenital malformation plays a major role in the mortality and morbidity of neonates as well as children. The genitourinary system was the most common system involved.


In this article, synthesis and properties of novel dimethacrylic resin (ISETDMA) based on human friendly, biobased isosorbide was described. Its potential as a possible diluting monomer for medical applications, mainly dental restorative systems was assessed. The resin was obtained in two-step synthesis including ethoxylation of isosorbide and subsequent methacrylation with methacryloyl chloride. 1HNMR, FTIR, and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS) techniques were used to identify products. ISETDMA as well as composition with 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane were polymerized using UV initiator IRGACURE 651. Double bond conversion, polymerization shrinkage, water sorption, and sol fraction of resulting polymers were determined. Selected mechanical (flexural strength and modulus, Brinell hardness) and thermomechanical (dynamic mechanical analysis) properties were also investigated. Triethylene glycol dimethacrylate and 2,2-bis(4-(2-methacryloxyethyl-1-oxy)phenyl)propane based homopolymers and copolymers were prepared as reference for comparison of particular properties. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2514–2522, 2013


Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composites are biocompatible materials that may overcome the esthetic and allergic problems of titanium dental implants. However, their potential for osseointegration with a subsequent survival rate is still questionable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surface roughness and wettability of different surface-treated filled and unfilled PEEK specimens, which may be indicative of the osseointegration behavior and potential use of PEEK as an implant material. Unfilled, ceramic-filled (CFP) and carbon fiber-reinforced (CFRP) PEEK discs were prepared and left untreated or were surface treated with 50 μ, 110 μ, or 250 μ aluminum oxide particles. The roughness average (Ra) value of each disc was evaluated using a contact stylus profilometer. Their contact angles were measured to evaluate their wettability, which was compared among PEEK discs using ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni test for pairwise comparisons ( P ≤ .05). Regarding the surface roughness, a significant difference was found between unfilled and filled PEEK when untreated and bombarded with 50 or 110 microns of aluminum oxide particles. For the contact angle, a significant difference was found only among the untreated PEEK materials. Among the evaluated PEEK materials, CFRP50, CFRP110 and CFP110 showed the most favorable Ra values with good wettability properties, thus being potential substrates for dental implants.


Registration between tactile and visual image for remote-control robot is a critical technology in these two image fusion. The thesis raised a new method of image registration on the basis of OCD-ICP. Making use of graphic fundamentals, the method advanced the four filter rules in image edge curve to get the optimal group progressively. Moreover, the most optical registration references could be gained on the above-obtained point group. Experiment proves the method could detect the correct curve point group, and the ICP with this points group is quite accurate and speedy in registration.


Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) can progress to cirrhosis which is one of the important clinical consequences. Recently antiviral therapy is known to reduce hepatic inflammation and prevent progression to cirrhosis and/or decompensation/hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). When to start and stop, how to minimize antiviral resistance are major issues to be solved in antiviral therapy. To prevent HBV viral resistance, potent antiviral therapy with high genetic barriers is recommended. However we are not free from national insurance coverage in clinical practice, and there are limitations in imbursement coverage in clinical practice. Recently, guidelines of imbursement has been amended with extended coverage that goes with KASL and other guidelines. Major changes include the extension of duration of drugs beyond 3 years and approval of antiviral therapy in cirrhotic/HCC patients even with mild elevation of AST/ALT. This article reviews recent advance in management of chronic hepatitis B focusing on changes of imbursement regulation. (Korean J Med 79:635-640, 2010)


We study the existence of unstable classical solutions of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability problem (abbr. RT problem) of an inhomogeneous incompressible viscous fluid in a bounded domain. We find that, by using an existence theory of (steady) Stokes problem and an iterative technique, the initial data of classical solutions of the linearized RT problem can be modified to new initial data, which can generate local-in-time classical solutions of the RT problem, and are close to the original initial data. Thus, we can use a classical bootstrap instability method to further obtain classical solutions of (nonlinear) RT instability based on the ones of linear RT instability.


Hydrometrocolpos (HMC) and post-axial polydactyly (PAP) are common to both McKusick-Kaufman syndrome (MKS) and Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS). We review reported cases of MKS and BBS presenting with HMC and PAP early in life to determine if there are clinical features that allow discrimination between the two syndromes as the primary features of retinitis pigmentosa, obesity, learning disability in BBS are age-dependent. We did not find any phenotypic features that allowed reliable differentiation between the two syndromes in the neonatal period. However, uterine, ovarian, and fallopian tube anomalies are more common in BBS patients, and it may be that these clinical features prove to be useful discriminating features. We conclude that sporadic female infants with HMC and PAP cannot be diagnosed with MKS until at least age 5 years and that monitoring for the complications of BBS should be performed in these patients.


The author first notes that in France, as in most other countries that have completed the demographic transition, fertility has stabilized at a level below that necessary to replace the population. A consequence of this is a continuing process of demographic aging, leading to increasing allocations of the nation's resources to meet the needs of the elderly at the expense of the young, which in turn leads to even lower levels of fertility. The author argues for policies to redistribute wealth toward families with children, pointing out that the longer the initiation of such policies is delayed, the more unpopular they are likely to prove politically. He concludes that unless such policies are adopted, the population will not only age, but will begin an inexorable process of decline in total size.


A medication-focused review of older patients in the emergency department is important in identifying medication-related problems, differential diagnoses, and associated complications. With rapid triage, assessment, and diagnosis, the emergency department is inherently an area of empirical prescribing. Emergency department pharmacists are uniquely placed to review patients on presentation with a focus on both acute problem management and identifying and addressing long-standing medication issues.


More than 100 calculations of vibrational frequencies for cis-[Pt(NH3)2X2] (X = Cl-, Br-) and trans-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2] have been published over the past 25 years. The high-quality Raman spectra presented here have sufficient resolution in the crucial region of metal-ligand modes to permit an assessment of frequency calculations. The peaks for symmetric and antisymmetric Pt-Cl stretching modes νs and νa are resolved in the 312-333 cm-1 region. Frequency variations due to 35Cl and 37Cl isotopes are shown to be comparable in size to the differences between νs and νa. Peaks corresponding to the two Pt-Br stretching frequencies are observed at 213 and 218 cm-1 and Pt-N stretching frequencies for all compounds between 485 and 540 cm-1. The crystal structures of trans-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2] and cis-[Pt(NH3)2Br2] at 300 and 120 K are reported and complement the variable-temperature vibrational frequencies.


The authors studied prevalence of bone congenital malformations including congenital vertebral canal stenosis, of acquired vertebral canal stenosis due to intervertebral disc prolapse, yellow ligament hypertrophy, and combinations of those two in patients with occupational and general vertebral diseases.


This paper describes a wideband high-linearity ¿¿ ADC. It uses noise coupling combined with time interleaving. Two versions of a two-channel time-interleaved noise-coupled ¿¿ ADC were realized in a 0.18-¿m CMOS technology. Noise coupling between the channels increases the effective order of the noise-shaping loops, provides dithering, and prevents tone generation in all loops. Time interleaving enhances the effects of noise coupling. Using a 1.5 V supply, the device achieved excellent linearity (SFDR>100 dB, THD=-98 dB) and an SNDR of 79 dB in a 4.2 MHz signal band.


To investigate whether lung stretch reflex modulates heart rate (HR) responses during hypoxia in humans, we measured ventilatory and HR responses to isocapnic progressive hypoxia and subsequent sustained hypoxia (arterial O2 saturation (SaO2); 80%, 20 min) in 22 healthy young adults. Moreover, to examine the role of endogenous adenosine in hypoxic ventilatory and HR responses in 9 of 22 subjects, a hypoxic challenge with or without dipyridamole pretreatment, an adenosine uptake blocker, was performed in a double-blind crossover fashion. Heart rate showed a biphasic change during the hypoxic challenge similar to that of ventilation. Values of HR response to isocapnic progressive hypoxia (delta HR/delta SaO2) did not correlate with those of ventilatory response (delta VE/delta SaO2) (r = 0.38, NS). HR declines (the difference between 0-2 min and 18-20 min period of sustained hypoxia) also did not show any correlation with ventilatory decline (r = 0.31, NS). delta HR/delta SaO2 with dipyridamole was smaller than that of control in 7 of 9 subjects, though not reached a statistical significance as whole data. On the other hand, delta VE/delta SaO2 was significantly enhanced from -0.35 +/- 0.13 L/min/% to -0.70 +/- 0.25 L/min/% with dipyridamole (p < 0.05). As well as ventilatory decline during sustained hypoxia, which was completed earlier with dipyridamole than with control, HR decline was significantly affected with dipyridamole. There were no changes in blood pressure during hypoxic exposure except for a slight decrease in diastolic pressure at the end of sustained hypoxia in the control study. Accordingly we concluded that there was little effect of pulmonary stretch reflex on heart rate modulation during mild hypoxia in humans and that endogenous adenosine plays a modulating role more in ventilatory change during not only acute but also sustained hypoxia than in HR change.


A counterflow diffusion flame for supercritical CO2 combustion is investigated at various CO2 dilution levels and pressures by accounting for real gas effects into both thermal and transport properties. The UCF 1.1 24-species mechanism is used to account the chemistry. The nature of important nonpremixed combustion characteristics such as Prandtl number, thermal diffusivity, Lewis number, stoichiometric scalar dissipation rate, flame thickness, and Damköhler number are investigated with respect to CO2 dilution and pressure. The results show that the aforementioned parameters are influenced by both dilution and pressure; the dilution effect is more dominant. Further, the result shows that Prandtl number increases with CO2 dilution and at 90% CO2 dilution, the difference between the Prandtl number of the inlet jets and the flame is minimal. Also, the common assumption of unity Lewis number in the theory and modeling of nonpremixed combustion does not hold reasonable for sCO2 applications due to large difference of Lewis number across the flame and the Lewis number on the flame drop significantly with an increase in the CO2 dilution. An interesting relation between Lewis number and CO2 dilution is observed. The Lewis number of species drops by 15% when increasing the CO2 dilution by 30%. Increasing the CO2 dilution increases both the flow and chemical timescales; however, chemical timescale increases faster than the flow timescales. The magnitudes of the Damköhler number signify the need to consider finite rate chemistry for sCO2 applications. Further, the Damköhler numbers at 90% sCO2 dilution are very small; hence, laminar flamelet assumptions in turbulent combustion simulations are not physically correct for this application. Also, it is observed that the Damköhler number drops nonlinearly with increasing CO2 dilution in the oxidizer stream. This is a very important observation for the operation of sCO2 combustors. Further, the flame thickness is found to increase with CO2 dilution and reduce with pressure.


Introduction/Background We aimed to evaluate the consistency of the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative pathology of endometrial cancer. Methodology This was a retrospective study on 134 women (mean age 59.2±11.7 years) operated for endometrial cancer. Results Preoperative pathologic diagnosis was endometrioid carcinoma in 85.1% of patients. Frozen section evaluation revealed endometrioid adenocarcinoma in 75.7%, and final pathology in 83.6% of patients. Myometrial invasion was 50% or over in 23.5% in frozen section and 27.1% in final pathology. The corpus-cervix border was involved in 25.9% intraoperatively and 18.9% postoperatively. The rate of consistency between preoperative and final assessment was 76.1% for histology. The rate of consistency between frozen section and final pathology was 68.5% for histology, 61.9% for myometrial invasion and 93% for the involvement of corpus-cervix border. Conclusion Frozen section pathology results are not consistent with final pathology; thus unreliable in predicting the surgical stage of endometrial cancer. Disclosure Nothing to disclose.


Waqf is one of the instruments that must be empowered productively and to the maximum extent possible, one of which is the insurance policy waqf imposed by the MUI DSN in October 2016 which is expected to help the government in its efforts to alleviate poverty and prosper the people. With that PT.Asuransi Jiwa Generali Indonesia formed an institution, namely the Indonesian Waqf Movement (GWI) to expand the network and knowledge of the public regarding sharia insurance policy waqf products through outreach and training to the public. The purpose of this study is to describe (1) the strategy of implementing waqf as an insurance policy through IPLAN Syari'ah Generali, (2) supporting and inhibiting factors in managing waqf as an insurance policy through IPLAN Syari'ah Generali, (3) developing strategies for waqf as an insurance policy. through IPLAN Syari'ah Generali. This research method uses a qualitative approach method. Data collection techniques with observation, interviews and documentation. Data analysis techniques in this study include (1) data reduction (2) data presentation (3) conclusions. The results of the research are as follows: (1) management of productive waqf with cash waqf through insurance waqf products (2) when the policyholder dies 45% of the funds will be donated and the rest is given to the heirs (3) first, supporting factors, establishing the Indonesian Waqf Movement institution to help promote waqf in Indonesia by inviting and socializing the community for waqf. Second, the inhibiting factor, namely the lack of public understanding of cash waqf. (4) the waqf funds from the policy holder will be donated to the waqf management institution which will be developed professionally, namely the Dhuafa Wallet Institute.


Violence has a heavy impact on the physical and mental health of women in developed and developing countries; however, most of the violence victims would suffer in silence and never leave their relationship. The aim of the present study was to identify the barriers to leaving a relationship from the perspective of married abused Iranian women. The present study was a secondary analysis of the interviews conducted in a primary study. The primary study that was conducted using the grounded theory approach has assessed the coping process with domestic violence in 24 married abused Iranian women. These women were selected from local parks, health centers, and universities of Tehran city using a purposive sampling method. Qualitative secondary analysis of the interviews was conducted, in accordance with the goal of this study, using content analysis. Four categories emerged through the analysis of the data including "fear," "lack of resources," "beliefs and attitudes," and "dependence" and the common theme between these categories was "deterrents to leaving an abusive relationship." Results indicated that contextual factors such as fear, lack of resources, attitudes and beliefs, and dependence were the reason for not leaving a relationship. Interventions for enriching women's resources (improving the condition of education and employment, and improvement of the formal and informal support systems), education about domestic violence and its management methods, and modification of the existing attitudes and beliefs in this regard could keep abused women from experiencing more violence.


This study focuses on the predictors of women academics' perceived research productivity during the pandemic in Türkiye, by taking the changes in paid and unpaid workload alongside the felt pressure concerning productivity into consideration. Predicting the odds to report an above the mean level of decrease in perceived research productivity, unlike expected, increased housework time and administrative workload presented no statistically significant effect. On the other hand, extended care responsibilities (including but not limited to childcare) and felt pressure concerning research performance during the pandemic strongly predicted a high level of reported decrease in research productivity. Findings highlight that institutional care support mechanisms should be among the primary concerns since the pandemic has made the already existing gender inequalities in academia more visible in terms of the challenges women face in balancing paid and unpaid work. In addition, as excess pressure felt by women academics regarding research performance is linked to a decline in reported productivity, creating a compassionate environment in academia not only in unprecedented circumstances but at all times needs to be priority.


The booming development of the Internet has brought about many notable industries, such as webcasts. The mutual influence between webcasters and game players is important, yet overlooked. This study explored whether or not the personality traits of webcasters and the involvement of online game had any influence on the loyalty and satisfaction of online game players. The results of our questionnaire survey of online game players revealed that the personality traits of webcasters had a significant and positive influence on their loyalty and satisfaction; hence, the involvement of game players influenced their satisfaction and loyalty to the game.


The basic knowledgement are nor easy to be interrelated and comprehended detailedly and integratedly so that it would effect application of these theory knowledges in industrial practices,which include Matter Conservation Law,Energy Conservation Law and Momentum Conservation Law,in Middle School,Continuity Equation,Bernoulli Equation and Newtonian Viscous Law in Chemical Engineering Basis,and First Law and Second Law in Chemical Thermodynamics in Physical Chemistry,in colleges.As an example of designing the fluid heat-transfer equipments in an industrial production,they will be discussed in this paper.


An important issue for transport policy is whether more investment should be devoted
to rail schemes and less to road schemes and vice versa. This raises the problem of
comparing the returns from investments in the two modes currently assessed on a
different basis
- road schemes are appraised on a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) basis,
whereas rail schemes are assessed on a Financial Analysis (FA).
This study is a step in the direction of identifying the difference between the two
techniques (CBA and FA) of appraisal in general and in case of rail investment in
particular, and examining the implications of the use of the two different techniques in
assessing the investment in road and rail. In addition, the study develops a
methodology for assessing rail investment schemes that could be consistent with the
cost benefit analysis being used in assessing road investment projects.
The differences between CBA and FA are identified. The current practice of assessing
road and rail investment schemes is examined and the weaknesses are outlined. The
potential implications of assessing road and rail investment on different criteria are
explored. Previous rail investment studies where both CBA and FA were undertaken
are reviewed and discussed to explore how the task of CBA were carried out to rail
schemes and to show the difference with the current study approach.
The study framework of rail scheme appraisal is identified to include four elements of
impacts. These are; financial impacts to the rail operator (producer surplus), rail user
benefits (consumer surplus), non-user benefits, and other impacts on other bodies in
the society (tax adjustments). Non-user benefits concerned by the study are road
congestion time, noise, air pollution, accidents, and vehicle operating costs. Road
congestion time, noise and air pollution are identified as externalities, while accidents
and vehicle operating costs are dealt with as cases of cost misperception.
The five items of non-user benefits are measured at the margin in a process to identify
the Marginal Social Cost (MSC) of travel as a function of the road type alternative.
Eight types of road are identified for the study to represent the entire UK road
network. The measurement process of non-user benefits incorporates the variation in
traffic over time and place. This is carried out by incorporating four traffic
distributions in the calculation process. The distributions of traffic reflect traffic
variations from hour to another (24 hours) throughout the day, from day to another (7
days) throughout the week, from month to another (12 months) throughout the year
and from location to another throughout the UK entire road network.
The implications of the study findings are explored. Three undesirable implications
are identified. These are welfare losses to the society, lower share for rail travel, and
investment bias towards roads. Three policy options are put as a solution. These are,
pricing road and rail services according to the MSC, subsidising public transport, and
applying a consistent…


Complicated factors in urban areas have been reported to impact the density, biomass, and diversity of earthworm fauna. Urban parks provide essential habitats for earthworm fauna. However, how earthworm fauna are impacted by park traits, such as construction age, distance to city center, visitor volumes, sizes of greenspaces/parks, and attractiveness, etc., still remains unknown. These traits are well characterized by the impacts of urbanization intensity and administration quality of parks in megacities. Therefore, 16 parks with gradients of construction ages and geographical locations in Beijing city were selected for investigation. Furthermore, an earthworm synthetic and simple index (ESI) for characterizing earthworm community has been developed to compensate for the lack of robustness by using single ecological indexes. The results showed that earthworm population density (38.6 ind/m2) and biomass (34.0 g/m2) in parks were comparable to those in other land use types in Beijing. Ecological groupings were dominated by disturbance-tolerant endogeic and deep soil-inhabiting anecic groups, and most of them were adults. The earthworm population was influenced by urbanization intensity, while the earthworm community composition, species biodiversity, and ESI were affected by administration quality of parks. The soil moisture and microbial biomass carbon were the key factors in shaping earthworm assemblages. ESI could be employed as an effective indicator in depicting character of earthworm fauna. This study highlighted the impacts of park traits on earthworms in urban parks. The variation in park traits that influence earthworm fauna was probably attributed to soil properties.


The syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) occurred during an excerbation of multiple sclerosis (MS). Rapid symptomatic improvement occurred with correction of the hyponatremia. Although the pathophysiology responsible for development of the SIADH in this patient is unknown, CNS involvement by MS is a likely explanation.


Describes a windowing scheme for optimizing large networks. Instead of actually breaking up a network into smaller, disjoint subnetworks, optimizing them separately, and then splicing them back together afterwards, the authors partition the network into overlapping regions and use a varying size window to sweep through these regions, each time making only the gates within a region visible to the logic optimizing algorithm, SYLON-REDUCE. To enhance opportunities for optimization, some partial don't care information is considered for the outputs of each region. Using this scheme, considerable reduction in network size was achieved for several large multilevel benchmarks within a reasonable amount of time. The results were better than or comparable to existing logic optimizers such as MIS. The windowing scheme also allows effective timing optimization to be performed on large networks.<<ETX>>


The gas-phase conversion of glycerol into ethanol in a "green" one-step synthesis over a cesium metal-promoted zeolite catalyst has been reported for the first time. To our knowledge, the CsZSM-5 based catalyst presented in this work showed one of the best yields of ethanol in the gas-phase glycerol conversion. The catalyst sample's structure, texture, and acid–base properties were characterized using numerous materials characterization techniques. The catalytic evaluation was carried out in a packed-bed continuous flow reactor. The highest ethanol yield achieved was 99.6 mol% over a 20 wt% CsZSM-5 catalyst with SiO2/Al2O3 = 1500, 10 wt% glycerol feed concentration, 350 °C reaction temperature, and GHSVtotal = 625 h−1. It was demonstrated that the best catalytic performance was related to the ample amount of surface basic sites, synergistic interaction between Cs species and the HZSM-5 zeolite and to its smaller crystallite size obtained from XRD analysis. The achieved results exhibit great potential of utilizing the alkali-treated CsZSM-5 catalyst for the gas-phase conversion of glycerol into bio-based ethanol. The possible reaction route from glycerol to renewable ethanol was proposed based on direct glycerol conversion to ethanol via the thermal monodehydration, radical fragmentation, methylation and transfer hydrogenation reactions. Finally, for the first time, methanol was directly converted into ethanol in the gas-phase continuous flow packed-bed reactor over a 20 wt% CsZSM-5 catalyst.


The modulational instability of a cw optical signal in a glass fiber combined with an externally applied amplitude modulation can be utilized to produce a train of optical solitons with a wide range of pulse width (50-1 psec) and repetition period ( less, similar250 psec).


As an alternative to state-of-the-art laser frequency stabilization using ultrastable cavities, it has been proposed to exploit the nonlinear effects from coupling of atoms with a narrow transition to an optical cavity. Here, we have constructed such a system and observed nonlinear phase shifts of a narrow optical line by a strong coupling of a sample of strontium-88 atoms to an optical cavity. The sample temperature of a few mK provides a domain where the Doppler energy scale is several orders of magnitude larger than the narrow linewidth of the optical transition. This makes the system sensitive to velocity dependent multiphoton scattering events (Dopplerons) that affect the cavity field transmission and phase. By varying the number of atoms and the intracavity power, we systematically study this nonlinear phase signature which displays roughly the same features as for much lower temperature samples. This demonstration in a relatively simple system opens new possibilities for alternative routes to laser stabilization at the sub-100 mHz level and superradiant laser sources involving narrow-line atoms. The understanding of relevant motional effects obtained here has direct implications for other atomic clocks when used in relation to ultranarrow clock transitions.


The authors describe the multiple benefits a university selling center offers to students, faculty members, administrators, and the general business community. The seven essential steps in first establishing a university selling center are addressed: find a champion, obtain the support of administration, find a white knight, establish a board of advisors, develop a mission, develop a facilities and technology plan, and develop the sales curriculum. In discussing these steps, the authors present both their experiences and discuss the literature in these areas. The authors also discuss what one should do after the selling center is established and future needs that a selling center might address.


The study was carried out to quantify the genotype × environment interaction (G × E) and to estimate the phenotypic stability by genotype genotype × environment (GGE) biplot of nine cassava clones comprising 5 hybrids, 3 parent checks and 1 improved variety. The study was planted across three different environments; Fumesua, Pokuase and Ejura representing forest, coastal savanna and forest transition zones, respectively. Genotype main effect was significant (P < 0.001) for fresh root yield and dry matter content, G × E interaction effect was significant (P < 0.001) for fresh root yield only and environment main effect was significant (P < 0.01) for only fresh root yield. The most stable clone for fresh root yield with above average performance was La02/026 (hybrid). The high genotype and low environment effects, and the relatively low interaction on dry matter content imply that evaluation and selection can be effectively done in fewer environments to select clones with high performance for the trait whiles fresh root yield requires multiple environments to identify clones with broad and specific adaptation.


ABSTRACT Millions of children worldwide are born with rare and debilitating developmental disorders each year. Although an increasing number of these conditions are being recognized at the molecular level, the characterization of the underlying pathophysiology remains a grand challenge. This is often due to the lack of appropriate patient material or relevant animal models. Dogs are coming to the rescue as physiologically relevant large animal models. Hundreds of spontaneous genetic conditions have been described in dogs, most with close counterparts to human rare disorders. Our recent examples include the canine models of human Caffey (SLC37A2), van den Ende-Gupta (SCARF2) and Raine (FAM20C) syndromes. These studies demonstrate the pathophysiological similarity of human and canine syndromes, and suggest that joint efforts to characterize both human and canine rare diseases could provide additional benefits to the advancement of the field of rare diseases. Besides revealing new candidate genes, canine models allow access to experimental resources such as cells, tissues and even live animals for research and intervention purposes.


In the developing Xenopus tadpole visual system, the targeting and branching of optic axons in the brain is a dynamic process that is closely intertwined with the morphological differentiation and maturation of their postsynaptic neurons and with the formation, stabilization, and elimination of functional synapses. The coordinated addition and retraction of axonal and dendritic branches guides the gradual recognition between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal partners, which subsequently allows synaptic connections to be formed. Axon and dendrite branching and selective synapse formation and stabilization are developmental mechanisms largely orchestrated by an array of signaling molecules that interact in vivo for the proper formation of functional visual circuits. In vivo real-time imaging of individual fluorophore-labeled neurons in living Xenopus tadpoles has allowed investigation of molecular and cellular mechanisms mediating circuit assembly at a cellular level in the intact organism. In this protocol, we describe the use of bulk and single-cell electroporation to rapidly and efficiently transfect individual retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with different reagents and to simultaneously visualize optic axon arbor morphology and presynaptic sites in real time. Similar techniques for labeling and visualizing RGC axons can be combined with the use of morpholino antisense oligonucleotides, as we describe here, to alter gene expression cell autonomously.


Background: This study aimed to determine the serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes (LDH1, LDH2, LDH3, LDH4, and LDH5) and their contribution to the total lactate dehydrogenase enzyme elevation observed in COVID-19 patients. Design of study: This study was conducted in collaboration between Al-Nahrain University/College of Medicine/Chemistry and Biochemistry Department and Al- Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. The study included 90 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection: 45 with severe symptoms, and 45 with mild symptoms during the period from February 2021 to June 2021. The different LDH isoenzymes (LDH1, LDH2, LDH3, LDH4, and LDH5) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Results: This study showed high correlation between total lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme and disease progression and severity in patients with COVID-19. The study also showed significantly higher levels of the lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes (LDH1, LDH3, and LDH4) in patients with severe symptoms. Conclusion: This study suggests that elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in patients with COVID-19 may be associated with the release of more than one of LDH isoenzymes into the bloodstream, therefore the use of total LDH as a specific biomarker for lung affectation in patients with COVID-19 is not specific, but the assay of all LDH isoenzymes could give a better understanding of the tissues most affected by the virus.


64 women clients of Planned Parenthood of Evansville (Indiana) used Enovid (5 mg norethynodrel and .075 mg mestranol combined) for 2 1/2 to 6 years. A "25-Month Club" card and free pills were given to encourage continuation in the study and 33 women (52%) remained until study termination. The group ranged in age from 18-40 years mean 27 years and in parity 0 to 12 mean 4. No pregnancies cancer of reproductive organs or thromboembolism occurred. Side effects recorded by interview according to a standard form included: cervicitis 48% vaginal discharge 42%; dysmenorrhea 61% pretreatment 42% improved 11% new symptoms; breast complaints 33%; 2-15 lb weight gain 19%. 12% reported no side effects although the author commented that the 25-Month Club policy might have discouraged reporting of side effects.


Many of the current tests that evaluate information problem-solving skills suffer from ecological validity weakness and from library-bias. The Procedural Information Problem-Solving Knowledge Evaluation in Education test (PIKE-E) aims to assess information problem-solving skills of college students in relation to an academic literature review task in educational sciences. It entails a confirmatory analysis of the PIKE-P test in which it is based. The PIKE-E was completed by 700 students from three different Spanish-speaking countries. In our research, we do not assume that information problem solving skills at the international and cultural level are equal, but Internet access is practically the same in higher education. Results show the existence of five first-order factors, Defining the research question, Search strategies planning, Searching and locating sources, Selecting and processing information and Organizing and presenting information, and a general single second-order factor, Information problem-solving, which coincide with contemporary theoretical models on information literacy. The PIKE-E can be used to tackle in which specific areas concerning information skills development, students entering education degrees need to improve to succeed in their studies.


Plasmodium falciparum is one of the most lethal parasite responsible for human malaria. Until now, the only one solution to counter malaria is the use of antimalarial drugs. Unfortunately, the extensively use of drugs, such as quinolines (i.e. chloroquine, quinine or mefloquine), have led to the emergence of drug resistance. Chloroquine and probably other quinolines act in interfering in the detoxification of hematin in the digestive vacuole. Quinolines are accumulated in P. falciparum digestive vacuole and the accumulation varies from a susceptible strain to a resistant one. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of quinoline resistance are still investigating. Genetic polymorphisms in some strains have been linked to drug resistance. The modifications observed are mutations on genes that encode transport proteins localized in the membrane of digestive vacuole. Three transporters were involved in quinoline resistance: PfCRT (Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter), Pgh1 (P-glycoprotein homologue 1) and PfMRP (Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance protein). They could be involved in accumulation or efflux mechanisms of drugs. In order to understand their role in resistance, localization, encoding gene structure, protein structure and endogenous function of these three transporters are reported. Some molecules that have no intrinsic antimalarial effect have been shown to reverse drug resistance when they are combined to chloroquine, quinine or mefloquine. These molecules are a solution to counter resistance but also they are precious tools to elucidate the resistance mechanisms. The molecules that have already shown a capacity to reverse chloroquine, quinine or mefloquine resistances were reported. Some of them could act on one of the three transporters involved in drug resistance, by confirming their role in quinoline resistance. Here we summarize the main elements of quinoline resistance and reversion of quinoline resistance related to malaria.


Motivated by cloud security concerns, there is an increasing interest in database systems that can store and support queries over encrypted data. A common architecture for such systems is to use a trusted component such as a cryptographic co-processor for query processing that is used to securely decrypt data and perform computations in plaintext. The trusted component has limited memory, so most of the (input and intermediate) data is kept encrypted in an untrusted storage and moved to the trusted component on ``demand.''
In this setting, even with strong encryption, the data access pattern from untrusted storage has the potential to reveal sensitive information; indeed, all existing systems that use a trusted component for query processing over encrypted data have this vulnerability. In this paper, we undertake the first formal study of secure query processing, where an adversary having full knowledge of the query (text) and observing the query execution learns nothing about the underlying database other than the result size of the query on the database. We introduce a simpler notion, oblivious query processing, and show formally that a query admits secure query processing iff it admits oblivious query processing. We present oblivious query processing algorithms for a rich class of database queries involving selections, joins, grouping and aggregation. For queries not handled by our algorithms, we provide some initial evidence that designing oblivious (and therefore secure) algorithms would be hard via reductions from two simple, well-studied problems that are generally believed to be hard. Our study of oblivious query processing also reveals interesting connections to database join theory.


The maintenance of building facades is responsible for ensuring that their components remain functional for the intended lifespan. It also helps to preserve the indoor space, thus ensuring the comfort of its occupants. Maintenance processes are often overlooked and it's even more alarming when it comes to tall buildings and those with complex geometry, especially as they involve unusual problems, usually related to their shape. Thereby, the inaccuracy problems of the data generated for refurbishmets is increasing and, with the increase of the proportions of the buildings, verified in the last decades, the challenge becomes even more pertinent. Conventional means of monitoring the state of these buildings are mostly person-guided visual inspections, which are time consuming and inaccurate. Therefore, this research has the main objective of developing strategies for inspection of façades using RPA and Laser Scanner, bringing greater agility, precision and time reduction in the exploratory inspection process, seeking to make the simplest and most correct technique to the point that preventive maintenance is carried out at the right time and in the best possible way. RPAs and laser scanners are considered of recent use in research in Brazil. Because these are new processes, together with them comes the lack of published studies. The adopted methodology comprises the case study of the building of the Department of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal University of Santa Catarina: the case studies were conducted through interviews with companies and professionals working in the building maintenance and restoration segment in Florianópolis metropolitan area, field data survey using RPA and Laser Scanner, processing and digitizing the data collected for each of the equipment in order to generate three-dimensional reconstructions, determination of the best results, generation of orthoimages and finally the data analysis through the process of segmentation and classification of pixels. As a result, the survey found that the companies' level of maturity for adopting new strategies and the correct exploitation of their full potential is still far from ideal, even though some companies are already working with technology inspection equipment. In addition, inspections related to the RPAs and laser scanner proved to be effective techniques, mainly due to the possibility of analyzing larger areas instead of specific points, reaching with great precision, without the need of large spaces for equipment rental and also having the advantage of having access to different areas quickly, when using RPAs. The presented techniques were able to identify the visually detected pathologies, demonstrating that they can be used in the mapping conservation state in facades, significantly improving the understanding of the damage.


In this paper, we present a probabilistic framework for goal-driven spoken dialog systems. A new dynamic stochastic state (DS-state) is then defined to characterize the goal set of a dialog state at different stages of the dialog process. Furthermore, an entropy minimization dialog management (EMDM) strategy is also proposed to combine with the DS-states to facilitate a robust and efficient solution in reaching a user's goals. A song-on-demand task, with a total of 38 117 songs and 12 attributes corresponding to each song, is used to test the performance of the proposed approach. In an ideal simulation, assuming no errors, the EMDM strategy is the most efficient goal-seeking method among all tested approaches, returning the correct song within 3.3 dialog turns on average. Furthermore, in a practical scenario, with top five candidates to handle the unavoidable automatic speech recognition (ASR) and natural language understanding (NLU) errors, the results show that only 61.7% of the dialog goals can be successfully obtained in 6.23 dialog turns on average when random questions are asked by the system, whereas if the proposed DS-states are updated with the top five candidates from the SLU output using the proposed EMDM strategy executed at every DS-state, then a 86.7% dialog success rate can be accomplished effectively within 5.17 dialog turns on average. We also demonstrate that entropy-based DM strategies are more efficient than non-entropy based DM. Moreover, using the goal set distributions in EMDM, the results are better than those without them, such as in sate-of-the-art database summary DM.


Non-stochastic and stochastic 2D linear indices have been generalized to codify chemical structure information for chiral drugs, making use of a trigonometric 3D-chirality correction factor. These descriptors circumvent the inability of conventional 2D non-stochastic linear indices to distinguish s-stereoisomers. In order to test the potential of this novel approach in drug design we have modelled the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity of perindoprilate's s-stereoisomers combinatorial library. Two linear discriminant analysis models, using non-stochastic and stochastic linear indices, were obtained. The models shown an accuracy of 100% and 96.65% for the training set; and 88.88% and 100% in the external test set, respectively. Canonical regression analysis corroborated the statistical quality of these models(Rcan of 0.78 and of 0.77) and was also used to compute biology activity canonical scores for each compound. After that, the prediction of the s-receptor antagonists of chiral 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidines by linear multiple regression analysis was carried out. Two statistically significant QSAR models were obtained when non-stochastic (R2 = 0.982 and s = 0.157) and stochastic (R2 = 0.941 and s = 0.267) 3D-chiral linear indices were used. The predictive power was assessed by the leave-one-out cross-validation experiment, yielding values of q2 = 0.982 (scv = 0.186) and q2 = 0.90 (scv = 0.319), respectively. Finally, the prediction of the corticosteroid-binding globulin binding affinity of steroids set was performed. The best results obtained in the cross-validation procedure with non-stochastic (q2 = 0.904) and stochastic (q2 = 0.88) 3D-chiral linear indices are rather similar to most of the 3D-QSAR approaches reported so far. The validation of this method was achieved by comparison with previous reports applied to the same data set. The non-stochastic and stochastic 3D-chiral linear indices provide a powerful alternative to 3D-QSAR.


Sex determination in reptiles is important for implementing appropriate husbandry, successful pairing for breeding programs, and reproductive medical care. In reptile species that are not sexually dimorphic, accuracy in sex determination is dependent upon methods other than physical observation. Preferred sexing techniques should be quick, noninvasive, and reliable, and they should be able to be performed by veterinarians with a broad range of reptile experience. Vast anatomical differences among reptiles make the efficacy of these techniques highly variable between species. This study evaluated hemipenis contrast radiography and computed tomography techniques, previously described in other Heloderma species, to determine reliability in sexing 23 Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum). The results were compared to the sex determined by coelomic ultrasound, which indicated that there were 8 females and 15 males. Identification of hemipenes in males was shown in 1/15 (7%) by contrast radiography and 9/15 (60%) by hemipenis contrast computed tomography. Outline of the cloacal rim in females was seen in 100% (8/8) by contrast radiography and 100% (8/8) by contrast computed tomography. Our findings suggest that contrast radiography and computed tomography are not reliable methods for sex determination in Gila monsters, and that coelomic ultrasound is currently the most reliable, noninvasive technique for this species.


In an attempt to provide some guidance for eoptimali gearing levels, a stylized study was conducted to examine the trade-off between asset return, risk and gearing. The study made use of historical property returns sourced from the PCA/IPD investment index. The study highlights that risk rises with rising gearing levels. A variation in geared returns is caused by the leverage effect on ungeared returns and changes in the cost of debt (or interest rates). The study suggests that current gearing levels in LPTs and unlisted wholesale property funds are relatively conservative. This implies that current gearing could be increased, in particular for wholesale funds, without taking-on substantially more risk whilst enhancing returns. This is further supported when one overlays a benign medium-term outlook on interest rates..


Two well-known types of geometric transformations are the isometry and the similarity. A similarity with factor k, k > 0, is defined as a bijective transformation f of the plane onto the plane such that for every segment XY the distance between f (X) and f (Y ) is k times the distance between X and Y . An isometry is a similarity with k = 1. For isometries, we have a well-known classification. Any isometry is one of the following transformations: a translation, a rotation, a reflection or a glide reflection. For similarities this classification is extended as follows: any similarity transformation that is not an isometry is either a dilative rotation or a dilative reflection. The former transformation preserves orientations and is called a direct transformation, whereas the latter changes orientations and is called an opposite transformation. The classification of similarities is not fully proved in most of geometry textbooks. To our knowledge, only [1] Chapter 5 and [2] give a satisfactory proof of the above classification of similarities. In this paper, an alternative proof is presented based upon Apollonius circles. For completeness, we recall some definitions. A central dilatation or stretch with center C and factor k, k = 0, is a bijective transformation f of the plane onto the plane with C as a fixed point and the property −−−→ C f (X) = k · −→ C X for any point X . A dilative rotation is the composition of a rotation around a center C through an angle α and a stretch with the same center C and a factor k. A dilative reflection is the composition of a reflection in line and a stretch with center C , where C is on . The length of a segment XY is denoted by |XY |.


We calculated the elasticity of (Mg,Fe)SiO3‐perovskite, using the plane‐wave pseudopotential method for a pressure range that encompasses the earth's lower mantle. Adding 25 mol% FeSiO3 to the Mg endmember decreases the shear modulus by 6% at zero pressure and by 8% at core mantle boundary pressures. The bulk modulus is less affected by iron, increasing by 2% at zero pressure and by 1% at the base of the mantle. For the isotropically averaged wave velocities we find that the compressional wave velocity decreases by 4% independent of pressure and the shear wave velocity decreases by 6% and 7% at zero pressure and at 136 GPa, repectively. For the relative variation of shear to compressional velocities at constant pressure due to variations in Fe‐content we find R = 1.6 at 136 GPa and for the relative variation of shear to bulk sound velocities we find ξ = 2.6 at 136 GPa.


ABSTRACT In response to consumer demand for dietary supplements as well a lack of official oversight into the quality and safety of such supplements, ConsumerLab.com provides independent testing and reviews of more than 4,000 dietary supplements and vitamins by brand name. This database of thorough and unbiased reports is available for a modest site license fee to libraries as well as a very reasonable individual membership rate.


In this paper, we discuss the challenges of conduct ing a direct replication of a series of mobile device usa bility studies that were originally conducted with adults and older children (ages 7 to 17). The original studies were designed to investigate differences in how adults a nd children use mobile devices to touch targets and cr eate surface gestures. In this paper, we report on a replication we conducted with young children (ages 5 to 7). We discuss several methodological changes that were needed to elicit the same quality of data from the replication with young children as had been obtaine d from the older children and adults. The insights we present are relevant to the extension of empirical studies in HCI in general to younger children.


The topic of this article is the link between research on the neurocognition of the teaching–acquisition interface and research on second language teaching. This recent scientific enterprise investigates whether and how different aspects of second language instruction may change both the anatomy and the functioning of an adult learner's brain even in a short period of time. In this article, I analyse how neurolinguists have operationalized three aspects specifically related to second language teaching: (1) learners' proficiency; (2) the between-groups experimental design; (3) the implicit vs. explicit teaching dichotomy. I suggest that the degree of replicability of such neurolinguistics studies can be increased by adopting non-circular operational definitions. Such definitions should not be based on psycholinguistic or neurolinguistic metrics, but on standards that are commonly discussed in the literature on instructed second language acquisition, second language teaching, and assessment. Finally, I suggest that for future research neurolinguists should consider the advantages of welcoming on board more developmental linguists and teachers.


BACKGROUND
Refractory celiac disease is defined by persisting malabsorptive symptoms in spite of a strict gluten free diet for at least 6 to 12 months. Alternatives to gluten free diet seem to be still controversial.

AIM
To describe the clinical and epidemiologic aspects of refractory celiac disease, and to identify therapeutic options in this condition.

METHODS
Systematic review and critical analysis of observational studies, clinical trials and case reports that focused on diagnosis and management of refractory celiac disease.

RESULTS
Refractory celiac disease can be classified as type 1 or type 2 according to the phenotype of intraepithelial lymphocytes. Great complications such as enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma may occur in a subgroup of these patients mainly in refractory celiac disease type 2. Curative therapies are still lacking.

CONCLUSION
Refractory celiac disease remains a diagnosis of exclusion. Its prognosis remains still dismal by the absence yet of curative therapies. However, some new treatments seem to hold promise during few cohort-studies.


E1, an ATP-dependent DNA helicase, is the only enzyme encoded by papillomaviruses (PVs). It is essential for replication and amplification of the viral episome in the nucleus of infected cells. To do so, E1 assembles into a double-hexamer at the viral origin, unwinds DNA at the origin and ahead of the replication fork and interacts with cellular DNA replication factors. Biochemical and structural studies have revealed the assembly pathway of E1 at the origin and how the enzyme unwinds DNA using a spiral escalator mechanism. E1 is tightly regulated in vivo, in particular by post-translational modifications that restrict its accumulation in the nucleus. Here we review how different functional domains of E1 orchestrate viral DNA replication, with an emphasis on their interactions with substrate DNA, host DNA replication factors and modifying enzymes. These studies have made E1 one of the best characterized helicases and provided unique insights on how PVs usurp different host-cell machineries to replicate and amplify their genome in a tightly controlled manner. & 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


The main purpose of this paper is to estimate the relationship between governance, economic growth, inequality and poverty for 81 countries for the period 2000-2016. We divided the countries into three groups, low-income countries, lower-middle-income countries and upper-middle-income countries. To answer our research question, we use a structural model with simultaneous equations on Panel data. Our results show that the positive or negative impact of governance on the growth-inequality-poverty triangle changes depending on the dimension of governance taken into account and the sample being studied. Given the negative relationship between inequality and growth, democracy should a second time positively affect economic growth through the reduction of inequalities.


ABSTRACT In this study, the quality of surface water in the headwaters of São Lourenço River in Mato Grosso, Brazil, was evaluated in relation to contamination by pesticides. For this purpose, samples were collected between December 2015 and June 2016 by grab sampling and by passive sampling using an integrative polar organic compound sampler installed in the field during four 14-day cycles between March and June 2016. The analyses were performed by gas chromatography (CG/MS) and by liquid chromatography (UPLC-MS/MS). The results showed the detection of two pesticides (atrazine and pyraclostrobin) of the five analyzed by passive sampling and eight active principles among the 20 analyzed (malathion, diuron, carbofuran, carbendazim, trifluralin, imidacloprid, metolachlor, and acetamiprid) by grab sampling. The detection of 10 pesticides, even almost a decade after the beginning of a recovery process of the ciliary forest, confirms the headwaters' vulnerability to these contaminants and passive sampling proved to be an important tool in capturing small concentrations of pesticides constituting an interesting complement to grab sampling.


Family properties bequeathed by deceased parents are to be found in considerable numbers within the core and central business district (CBD) of most Nigerian older cities. A number of these properties are old and derelict having suffered considerable physical deterioration and functional obsolescence. Such properties are therefore not making the highest and best use of their respective sites while they possess considerable latent values waiting to be released by injecting capital into their redevelopment. However, given their ownership structure and title deficiency among others, this category of properties hardly qualifies for funding through the conventional methods. More often than not, 'developer-finance' happens to provide the only pliable method of financing their redevelopment. Regretfully, this mode of financing often runs into trouble with the project either poorly executed or abandoned midway. This paper examines the manner in which 'developerfinance' is currently practiced in Lagos Metropolis with a view to identifying grey areas and making recommendations for needful improvement. The study revealed, among others, that the use of 'developer finance' in the study area is limited in scope - limited to certain geographical areas, certain categories of properties, and also limited in terms of the scale of development. The study also revealed a number of fundamental but avoidable pitfalls which tend to endanger the practice and aggravate the associated risks. Remedies are suggested to forestall abuses and eliminate observed lapses.


INTRODUCTION: The link between obesity and elevated breast cancer mortality is well known, however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a pleiotropic bioactive lipid mediator produced by sphingosine kinases (SphKs) that plays critical roles in inflammation and cancer progression. Previously, we found that obesity increases levels of S1P not only in breast tumors, but also in the lung. "Metastatic niches" are specialized microenvironments in distant organs primed by factors from cancer cells. We hypothesized that S1P secreted from the primary tumor could promote formation of a "metastatic niche" in the lung, which assists circulating cancer cells to form metastatic lesions. Further, HFD-induced obesity increases S1P secretion from the primary tumor, which could promote the formation of "metastatic niches" in the lung and lung metastasis. The aim of this study is to test these hypotheses. METHODS: A mouse model utilizing tail vein injection of E0771 syngeneic breast cancer cells was used. Prior to tail vein injections of naive E0771 cells, mice were treated with conditioned media from E0771 breast cancer cells overexpressing SphK1 (K1-CM) or that from E0771 cells cultured with the vector control (CT-CM). Histological analysis, RT-qPCR, and western blot were used. RESULTS: The lungs after K1-CM treatment demonstrated much more infiltration of macrophages with greater IL-6 secretion than lungs from CT-CM mice in areas without metastasis. Furthermore, SphK1, S1P receptor 1 and IL-6 expression were all significantly higher in the lungs of mice treated with K1-CM than with CT-CM, suggesting that S1P secreted from the primary tumor promotes formation of a metastatic niche in the lung. Next, mice were fed with HFD or ND for 12 weeks before treatment with SphK1-CM, and lungs were examined 7 days after intravenous injection of E0771 cells. Histological analysis demonstrated that there were significantly more lung metastases in mice on HFD than in mice on ND. Importantly, treatment with FTY720, a functional antagonist of S1P receptor 1, significantly reduced the lung metastases in HFD fed animals. Immunofluorescent staining revealed higher expression of IL-6 and greater number of F4/80 positive macrophages in mice fed with HFD compared with mice fed with ND, whereas FTY720 dramatically suppressed both IL-6 and macrophage infiltration in the lung of HFD-fed mice. HFD-induced obesity also increased pERK, pAKT, pStat3, and pp65 in the lung, and FTY720 suppressed these signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that S1P plays a role in the formation of "metastatic niches" in the lung and lung metastasis of breast cancer, and obesity promotes this process. S1P will be a promising target for treatment of breast cancer metastasis, especially in condition with obesity. This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant Number 15H05676 and 15K15471 for M.N and 15H04927 for W.T. M.N. is supported by the Uehara Memorial Foundation, Nakayama Cancer Research Institute, and Tsukada Medical Foundation. K.T. is supported by NIH/NCI grant R01CA160688 and Susan G. Komen Investigator Initiated Research Grant IIR12222224. Citation Format: Nagahashi M, Tsuchida J, Moro K, Tatsuda K, Koyama Y, Takabe K, Wakai T. Sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling promotes metastatic niches and lung metastasis in obesity-related breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-05-11.


Background: Activated Clotting Time (ACT) guided heparinization is the gold standard for titrating unfractionated heparin (UFH) administration during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures. The current ACT target (300 s) is based on studies in patients receiving a vitamin K antagonist (VKA). Several studies have shown that in patients receiving Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs), the correlation between ACT values and UFH delivered dose is weak. Objective: To assess the relationship between ACT and real heparin anticoagulant effect measured by anti-Xa activity in patients receiving different anticoagulant treatments. Methods: Patients referred for AF catheter ablation in our centre were prospectively included depending on their anticoagulant type. Results: 113 patients were included, receiving rivaroxaban (n = 30), apixaban (n = 30), dabigatran (n = 30), and VKA (n = 23). To meet target ACT, a higher UFH dose was required in DOAC than VKA patients (14,077.8 IU vs. 9565.2 IU, p < 0.001), leading to a longer time to achieve target ACT (46.5 min vs. 27.3 min, p = 0.001). The correlation of ACT and anti-Xa activity was tighter in the VKA group (Spearman correlation ρ = 0.53), compared to the DOAC group (ρ = 0.19). Despite lower ACT values in the DOAC group, this group demonstrated a higher mean anti-Xa activity compared to the VKA group (1.56 ± 0.39 vs. 1.14 ± 0.36; p = 0.002). Conclusion: Use of a conventional ACT threshold at 300 s during AF ablation procedures leads to a significant increase in UFH administration in patients treated with DOACs. This increase corresponds more likely to an overdosing than a real increase in UFH requirement.


A new variant of multi-ocular stereo vision has been developed. The system involves a single camera and two orthogonal planar mirrors. The resulting device is a low-cost, compact sensor, particularly suitable for depth determination in robot vision applications. The motivation for the work is the need for a sensor determining spatial coordinates of a robot tool and the object to be processed. The system inherently possess fewer calibration parameters and provides a higher accuracy in the depth determination than traditional two-camera stereo systems. A prototype of the new device was built, and test results are presented.


Abstract International peace building in post-conflict societies has helped to bring armed conflicts to an end and reduced the recurrence of war. According to some scholars, peace building has therefore contributed to the apparent downward trend of major intra-state conflict in recent years. However, the liberal institutionalist values which underpin international peace building—emphasising democracy, free market economics and the liberal state—have raised a range of criticisms and challenges from scholars as well as local stakeholders in the societies in which peace-building programmes are deployed. In particular, the prevailing approaches to peace-building give insufficient attention to basic and everyday human needs, and promote externally conceived models of state institutions which are not always appropriate. This article explores the problems of contemporary peace building and argues that an alternative vision which draws upon the concept of human security and gives greater emphasis to welfare, livelihoods and local engagement can make peace building more legitimate and sustainable.


Rh-bound trimethylenemethane variants generated from the interaction of a Rh-carbenoid with an allene have been applied to the synthesis of substituted 3,4-fused pyrroles. The pyrrole products are useful starting points for the syntheses of various dipyrromethene ligands. Furthermore, the methodology has been applied to a synthesis of the natural product cycloprodigiosin, which demonstrates antitumor and immunosuppressor activity.


BACKGROUND The interaction between leucocytes and vascular endothelial cells is essential for leucocyte migration into inflammatory sites. AIMS To study the local expression of the pairs of complementary molecules, α4β7/mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule (MAdCAM-1) and OX40/OX40 ligand in the lamina propria of the colon and jejunum of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS Ten patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC), nine with active Crohn's disease (CD), and seven irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) controls were submitted to endoscopic and peroral jejunal biopsies. Specimens were immunostained by indirect alkaline phosphatase using antibodies against CD3, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) 1, α4β7, MAdCAM-1, and OX40. An OX40-mouse-IgG fusion protein was used to detect OX40 ligand on frozen sections. Immunohistological analysis was carried out by optical microscopy using a computer assisted image analyser. RESULTS Colonic lamina propria of patients with CD and UC showed increased density of CD3+, α4β7+, and OX40+ cells compared with IBS controls. ICAM-1, MAdCAM-1, and OX40 ligand positive vessels were also increased compared with IBS controls. No significant difference was found in the density of any of these cells in the jejunal mucosa of patients compared with IBS controls. CONCLUSIONS The expression of MAdCAM-1 and OX40 ligand on gut endothelial and OX40+ cells is increased in sites of mucosal inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. No evidence was found for increased lamina propria T cells or increased vascular adhesion molecule expression in the proximal intestine of patients with distal inflammatory bowel disease.


Uniparentally inherited genetic elements are under strong selection to manipulate sex determination in their host and shift the host sex ratio towards the transmitting sex. For any sex‐ratio trait, lineage analysis and quantitative genetics are important tools for characterizing the mode of inheritance (biparental vs. maternal vs. paternal) thereby narrowing the field of possible sex‐determining mechanisms (e.g. polygenic, sex chromosomes with meiotic drive, cytoplasmic microorganisms). The primary sex ratio of the harpacticoid copepod, Tigriopus californicus is often male‐biased and is highly variable among full sib families. We found that this extra‐binomial variation for the primary sex ratio is paternally but not maternally transmitted in T. californicus. Paternal transmission of the primary sex ratio has been well documented in the haplo–diploid hymenoptera but is relatively rare in diplo–diploid organisms. If the sex‐ratio trait is paternally transmitted in other closely related harpacticoid copepods it would explain why male biased primary sex ratios are so common in this group.


This paper describes the implementation of a strategy to develop identification of Lupinus cultivars with fatty acid methyl esters relation about alkaloids. The genus Lupinus is abundant in Mexico, Lupinus uncinatus is an endemic plant of Mexico, and this has not been studied in terms of chemical composition and information about length, width and weight from seeds. This work is focused on analyzing the content of fatty acids methyl esters from L. uncinatus seeds. Where it was determined percentage oil as well as the concentration of twenty two fatty acid methyl esters and their corresponding equivalence TUFA (Total Saturated Fatty Acid), MUFA (Monounsaturated Fatty Acids) and PUFA (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid). As a result of the analysis of lupine seeds, it was observed that the behavior of sweet spices versus bitter species has an ongoing relationship, with a higher content of PUFA (bitter) to higher MUFA (sweet) and measures of seeds.


BACKGROUND
Elevated serum anticholinergic activity levels have been associated with delirium in cross-sectional studies of ill older persons. This study used serial measures of serum anticholinergic activity levels to determine whether these levels change following illness resolution, and if such changes are specific to those with delirium.

METHODS
Twenty-two nursing home residents with a febrile illness had serum specimens drawn and were evaluated for the presence of delirium during the acute illness and at 1-month follow-up. Delirium was diagnosed using the Confusion Assessment Method. Serum anticholinergic activity was determined using a previously described radionuclide competitive-binding assay.

RESULTS
Delirium was present during illness in 8 of 22 subjects (36%), and had resolved by 1-month follow-up in all but one resident. Serum anticholinergic activity levels were significantly higher during illness than at 1-month follow-up in both the delirious (0.69 +/- 0.85 nM atropine equivalents/200 microL sample versus 0.10 +/- 0.16; p = .06) and non-delirious (0.65 +/- 0.51 nM atropine equivalents/200 microL sample versus 0.08 +/- 0.12; p < .001) groups. Medication changes did not seem to be related to changes in serum anticholinergic activity.

CONCLUSIONS
In older nursing home residents with a fever, serum anticholinergic activity appears to be elevated during illness, and declines following recovery from illness. This effect does not seem to be specific to those residents with delirium, nor does it seem related to medication changes.


The purpose of this work was to assess the re-arrangement of RAR-alpha and pml genes in a group of patients with acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) in different stages of the disease. Twenty-two patients with APL were studied. Of them, 17 were at the onset and 5 had achieved already complete haematological remission (CR). Evolutive post-remission studies were performed in 8 cases. The cytogenetic analysis was carried out at diagnosis by means of the G-band technique in 14 patients. The molecular study of RAR-alpha and pml genes was made with the Southern method. The common anomaly, t(15;17) was present in 7 of the 9 cases with evaluable metaphases (78%), in one case a 17q+ was the only cytogenetic alteration and another patient had normal karyotype. The molecular study showed re-arrangement of one or both genes involved in the translocation in the 17 patients studied at the onset of the APL. Those patients studied only in CR showed a germinal configuration. Rearrangement bands reappeared in 3 of the 8 patients evaluated along their clinical course. These results are in concordance with previous studies, in which re-arrangement of RAR-alpha and pml genes had been found in APL, despite there are instances in which no cytogenetic anomalies are found; this confirms the interest of molecular studies in the diagnosis and follow-up of APL patients.


The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different management systems on nitrogen absorption by corn in an Oxisol in the Cerrado. Total nitrogen (Ntotal), soil and mineral fertilizer derived nitrogen (Ndsolo and Ndfm, respectively), and N-fertilizer recovery efficiency (ERNF) taken by corn were determined. Eight management systems comprised by different implements and crop residues incorporation times were studied. The sampling plan was accomplished by simple random sampling. The soil was the main N source. Under no-till or minimum tillage, corn grains showed greater N content (Ntotal, Ndfm, and Ndsolo), as well as ERNF, than under moldboard plow with crop residues incorporated after harvesting treatment. The disk and moldboard's action plows on soil properties as well as crop residues incorporation time, before planting and after harvesting, did not affect the N content in the corn grains (Ntotal and Ndfm), although they presented differences in the absorption dynamics related to N fertilizer broadcasting periods .


Objective: Primitive Thyroid Lymphomas (PTL) are rare tumors. Women in the sixth or seventh decade of life are more commonly affected. In the present study, we report a case of primitive thyroid lymphoma and we review the epidemiology, the clinical presentation, the diagnosis, and the treatment of this rare disorder. Case Report: A 47-year-old woman presented to our department reporting a recent-onset neck mass since 3 months. Clinical examination revealed an enlargement of the thyroid gland with a 2.5 cm-firm left nodule. Cervical ultrasound was done. The patient had a thyroidectomy associated with bilateral Central Lymph Node Dissection (CLND). The diagnosis was a transformation of a Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma into an aggressive Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). Conclusion: The most common type of primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which behaves in a more aggressive manner than mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Treatment and prognosis of PTL depend upon the histology and stage of the tumor at diagnosis.


Choline/phosphatidylcholine concentrations are tightly regulated in all organs and secretions. During rapid organ growth in the third trimester, choline requirement is particularly high. Adequate choline intake is 17–18 mg/kg/day in term infants, whereas ~50–60 mg/kg/day is required to achieve fetal plasma concentrations in preterm infants. Whereas free choline is supplied via the placenta, other choline carriers characterize enteral feeding. We therefore quantified the concentrations and types of choline carriers and choline-related components in various infant formulae and fortifiers compared to breast milk, and calculated the supply at full feeds (150 mL/kg/day) using tandem mass spectrometry. Choline concentration in formula ranged from values below to far above that of breastmilk. Humana 0-VLB (2015: 60.7 mg/150 mL; 2020: 27.3 mg/150 mL), Aptamil-Prematil (2020: 34.7 mg/150 mL), Aptamil-Prematil HA (2020: 37.6 mg/150 mL) for preterm infants with weights < 1800 g, and Humana 0 (2020: 41.6 mg/150 mL) for those > 1800 g, comprised the highest values in formulae studied. Formulae mostly were rich in free choline or phosphatidylcholine rather than glycerophosphocholine and phosphocholine (predominating in human milk). Most formulae (150 mL/kg/day) do not supply the amounts and physiologic components of choline required to achieve fetal plasma choline concentrations. A revision of choline content in formulae and breast milk fortifiers and a clear declaration of the choline components in formulae is required to enable informed choices.


A generalized functional variation theory of nematics is presented to take account of the local short range correlations between molecules. This theory is used to study nematic liquid crystal films. The nematic-isotropic transition temperature is determined. The orientational order parameter in each molecular layer and the internal energy per molecule associated with each layer are calculated. The numerical results are compared with those of the Monte Carlo simulation and of the mean field theory.


Medical artificial general intelligence (AGI) is an emerging field that aims to develop systems specifically designed for medical applications that possess the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide range of tasks and domains. Large language models (LLMs) represent a significant step towards AGI. However, training cross-domain LLMs in the medical field poses significant challenges primarily attributed to the requirement of collecting data from diverse domains. This task becomes particularly difficult due to privacy restrictions and the scarcity of publicly available medical datasets. Here, we propose Medical AGI (MedAGI), a paradigm to unify domain-specific medical LLMs with the lowest cost, and suggest a possible path to achieve medical AGI. With an increasing number of domain-specific professional multimodal LLMs in the medical field being developed, MedAGI is designed to automatically select appropriate medical models by analyzing users' questions with our novel adaptive expert selection algorithm. It offers a unified approach to existing LLMs in the medical field, eliminating the need for retraining regardless of the introduction of new models. This characteristic renders it a future-proof solution in the dynamically advancing medical domain. To showcase the resilience of MedAGI, we conducted an evaluation across three distinct medical domains: dermatology diagnosis, X-ray diagnosis, and analysis of pathology pictures. The results demonstrated that MedAGI exhibited remarkable versatility and scalability, delivering exceptional performance across diverse domains. Our code is publicly available to facilitate further research at https://github.com/JoshuaChou2018/MedAGI.


In this paper we explore trajectory clustering as a means for representing the normal behavior of vessels in a coastal surveillance scenario. Trajectory clustering however suffers from some drawbacks in this type of setting and we therefore propose a new approach, spline-based clustering, with a potential for solving the task of representing the normal course of events.


Governing and managing the allocation and use of freshwater has always been a complex and fraught undertaking. The challenges to effective and equitable management have been exacerbated by rising pressures on supplies caused by such drivers as population growth, urbanization and climate change. Moreover, vast quantities of water straddle international and other boundaries—four-fifths of the world's largest river basins and hundreds of aquifers span such borders. This further complicates management and governance, which is subject to disparate legal, political, administrative, financial, cultural and diplomatic conditions. Recognition in the literature and in practice of 'transboundariness' dates to the 1970s and has grown since. The authors trace the evolution of transboundary water scholarship and identify five framings used in transboundary water governance and management: conflict and cooperation; hydropolitics; hydrodiplomacy; scale; and disciplinary approaches. Transboundary water management initiatives can be viewed through three broad strands: interventions, advancements in governance strategies and democratization of data and information for strengthening science–policy interaction. The authors close with a discussion of future directions for transboundary water governance and management, emphasizing the need for additional research on how to deal with climate-related and other mounting challenges.


In Hungary, sports do not appropriately act as a social and economic catalyst in the key market segments—leisure sports and spectator sports. To date, despite the media's increasing role in sports sponsorships, no coherent model has been presented to improve Hungary's chronically underfunded sport industry by raising extra funds. The reviewed international literature fails to provide a consistent and uniform model. The first part of the study describes the history of Hungary's sport industry in the past 20 years. An examination of the background of sports funding is followed by a description of key directions in funding practices. The focus is on providing a high-level introduction to the various funding systems. The conclusion is that with the necessary communication and media support, a new gambling-related, government-controlled sport-marketing program can provide extra funds for Olympic sports federations and the sport industry in general.


AIM
Diagnostic values of soluble SR-PSOX/CXCL16 (sSR-PSOX/CXCL16), a receptor for atherogenic oxidized LDL and a membrane-anchored chemokine for CXCR6-positive lymphocytes, for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were evaluated..

METHODS
We examined 106 patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG); 17 patients with ACS and 89 patients without ACS (non-ACS) including stable angina. Circulating sSR-SPOX/CXCL16 was measured in peripheral venous blood by sandwich ELISA.

RESULTS
Age, gender, prevalence of diabetes or hypertension, and serum lipid profiles were not significantly different between ACS and non-ACS. Presence or absence of risk factors, such as diabetes, smoking and hypertension, did not significantly affect circulating sSR-PSOX/CXCL16 levels. Circulating sSR-PSOX/CXCL16 levels were significantly lower in ACS than non-ACS (median: 3.05 versus 3.36 ng/mL, p<0.02). Lipid profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), cardiac troponin T (TnT), and soluble LOX-1 (sLOX-1) showed no significant correlation with sSR-PSOX/CXCL16. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves for ACS detection indicate higher sensitivity and specificity for sSR-PSOX/CXCL16 than hs-CRP. In the TnT-negative and sLOX-1-negative subpopulation, sSR-PSOX/CXCL16 showed similar sensitivity and specificity for ACS; however, hs-CRP showed less sensitivity and specificity for ACS when compared with the whole population.

CONCLUSION
sSR-PSOX/CXCL16 is a biomarker for ACS, which would provide additional diagnostic information besides TnT and sLOX-1.


A. actinomycetemcomitans is a facultative Gram-negative coccobacillus which has been implicated in the etiology and pathogenesis of localized juvenile periodontitis and has also been recognized for its potential to cause serious extraoral infections, particularly endocarditis. The polymorphonuclear neutrophil has been suggested to play a key role in host resistance to periodontopathic organisms, as indicated by the association between defective production or function of these phagocytic cells and severe periodontal disease. This association has engendered interest in the study of the interaction between neutrophils and A. actinomycetemcomitans, as well as the role of immunoglobulin and complement in facilitating this interaction. The objective of this review is to summarize current knowledge of the nature and consequences of the interaction between A. actinomycetemcomitans and the host defense triad consisting of neutrophils, complement and immunoglobulin.


Metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1) is a prognostic indicator for metastasis formation and metastasis-free survival of colon cancer patients. Patients with low MACC1 expressing primary tumors had a 5-year-survival of 80%, whereas subjects with high MACC1 expressing tumors had a 5-year-survival of only 15%. Correlations of MACC1 expression levels with tumor progression, recurrence and metastasis have meanwhile been reported for e.g. gastric, lung and hepatocellular cancer. However, no data are available concerning MACC1 expression in human astrocytic tumors. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are the most prevalent brain tumors of adults either developing de novo without known precursor-lesion (primary GBM), or progressing from low grade astrocytomas (secondary GBM). Patients suffering from GBM have a very disadvantageous prognosis. Although these tumors rarely metastasize, they are characterized by rapid growth, and their invasive and migratory behavior is similar to those of metastatic cells of tumors with different origin. Therefore we tested our hypothesis on MACC1 involvement in progression of human gliomas. MACC1 mRNA expression increased concomitantly with increasing WHO grading, as demonstrated by semi-quantitative and quantitative RT-PCR of biopsies from human low grade astrocytomas and GBM. MACC1 protein expression allowed discrimination of dormant and recurrent LGA and of primary and secondary GBM, as shown by immunohistochemistry of an independent patients' cohort. Furthermore, strong MACC1 expression was associated with reduced median patients' survival. Finally, we performed real-time measurements of migration and proliferation in the MACC1-transfected GBM cell line U138/MACC1 and found promoted proliferation and migration. Therefore, MACC1 may be a new biomarker for progression and for prognosis of human malignant gliomas and might represent a new potential therapeutic target for inhibition of their proliferation and migration. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 444. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-444


OBJECTIVES
Ischemia-reperfusion injury affects posttransplant renal function, directly increases the probability of acute rejection, and is associated with chronic rejection and impaired long-term function. Animal studies suggest that ischemic preconditioning enhances resistance to ischemia and may be augmented by treating donors using immunosuppressant agents. This study sought to confirm the hypothesis that a combination of ischemic training and immunosuppression prior to renal harvest would maximize a transplanted kidney's resistance to ischemia-reperfusion injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Landrace pigs underwent either preharvest immunosuppression plus left kidney ischemic training (group 1, n=6) or ischemic training alone (group 2, n=6). Immunosuppression was composed of mycophenolate mofetil (20 mg/kg) and tacrolimus (0.1 mg/kg) administered intravenously 30 minutes before training. Training comprised 2 cycles of left renal pedicle occlusion for 5 minutes followed by release (reperfusion) for 10 minutes. Warm renal ischemia was then induced by clamping the left renal pedicle for 30 minutes, followed by heterotopic left kidney transplantation. Blood from the transplanted kidney renal vein was sampled directly at 0, 10, 20, 40, and 60 minutes posttransplantation for malondialdehyde (a reactive oxygen species marker), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukins 6 and 8 (inflammatory cytokines), and erythrocyte-reduced glutathione (an antioxidant). Renal histology was graded on a 3-point scale.

RESULTS
Reperfusion levels of malondialdehyde, TNF-alpha, and interleukin 6 were significantly lower in group 1 at both 40 and 60 minutes. None of the animals in group 1 (0/6) that received preharvest immunosuppression showed severe interstitial inflammation, compared with 4 of 6 animals in group 2 that did (P<.03).

CONCLUSIONS
Preharvest immunosuppression with mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus significantly decreases immediate posttransplant reactive oxygen species and inflammatory cytokine production, enhances the protective effect of ischemic training, and should not only reduce ischemiareperfusion injury in transplanted kidneys but also should enhance immediate and long-term graft function while preventing acute rejection.


Introduction: Recent large independent studies show no clear difference between the thoughtful use of older generation drugs and the new atypicals for people with schizophrenia. Objective: Along with well-conducted systematic reviews of all available evidence, these studies assist clinicians to make informed treatment choices. Results and conclusions: These choices should be less directed by guilt generated by the pecuniary interest of industry, and more based on the judicious use of the best evidence.


A variety of radiological methods are available for examination of the pharynx and they are reviewed in this presentation. The method should be chosen based on the specific clinical situation. To screen patients with swallowing complaints, a functional analysis is necessary with video or cinetechniques. For delineation of tumour growth, double-contrast radiograms, CT, ultrasound and MR should be considered the methods of choice. Angiography can occasionally be used for intra-arterial infusion in tumour treatment.


OBJECTIVE
This study was to develop a new method that can improve flap survival.

METHODS
A long skin flap spanning the full length of the rat dorsum was used to make a bilateral skin tube, which was based on the lateral thoracic artery proximally, and the deep circumflex iliac artery distally. The animals were randomly divided into 3 groups of 8 rats in each group: the control and two experimental groups with elevation of the tube (the proximal pedicle divided) immediately or 24 hours following ischemic preconditioning. All tube flaps were observed for 3 days postoperatively and the surviving flap area was measured as a percentage of the whole flap using the paper template technique. Heat shock protein 70 in the three groups was examined by means of immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS
There was an overall statistical significance in comparison of flap survival of the preconditioned flaps with that of the controls. There was no statistical significance between the two preconditioned groups. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was demonstrated immunohistochemically in the preconditioned skin flap but not in the control skin flap.

CONCLUSION
Ischemic preconditioning can improve skin flap survival and the contents of HSP70. It is suggest that the mechanism be related to the function of HSP70.


This paper treats the usefulness of 3D visual component based approach for development of immersive collaborative virtual environments. The research group of the author has already proposed a 3D software development system called IntelligentBox. IntelligentBox has provided various software components called boxes, which are 3D visible, reactive objects. IntelligentBox allows the user to develop 3D graphics applications by combining already existing boxes through direct manipulations on a computer screen without writing any text-based program. This is the main feature of IntelligentBox, which is a difference from other conventional systems. IntelligentBox also provided a particular box called RoomBox, which enables to build distributed 3D graphics applications. However, RoomBox supported only a mouse device. To develop immersive collaborative virtual environments, IntelligentBox has to support various input and output devices. Then, the author developed such functionalities as new boxes and introduced them into IntelligentBox. The author also extended the functionality of RoomBox in order to treat those new boxes. With these boxes, IntelligentBox came to have the aspects of a development system for immersive collaborative virtual environments.