For the original article see ibid., vol.35, no.7, p.629-35, 1987. D.B. Sillars and L.E. Davis showed that nonreciprocal effects are present in a homogeneous waveguiding structure containing a gyromagnetic medium biased in the direction of propagation. The commenter points out that E. Jansen and C. Schieblich (ibid., vol.35, no.4, p.470-1, 1987) have previously shown that any longitudinally biased structure showing reflection symmetry with respect to its midplane is reciprocal. The structure in the Sillars and Davis paper is considered to fall into this category, because a homogeneous structure is symmetrical with respect to any plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation. In a reply, D.B. Sillars and L.E. Davis point out that nonreciprocal effects have been observed experimentally on coupled image lines loaded with a ferrite slab which is magnetized longitudinally just above saturation. Since the applied magnetic field was small, the behavior has been analyzed using approximations. The possibilities of higher-order modes and mode conversion have deliberately been neglected. This approximate approach has yielded dimensions that are similar to those used experimentally. A full-wave analysis of the open coupled structure is required to obtain a more precise description of the behavior and design information. >


In this study, we aimed to identify the mechanisms underlying the different effects of palmitic acid and oleic acid on human pancreatic beta cell function. To address this problem, the oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, apoptosis and their mediator molecules have been investigated in the insulin releasing beta cells exposed to palmitic and/or oleic acid. Herein, we have demonstrated that in cultured 1.1B4 beta cells oleic acid promotes neutral lipid accumulation and insulin secretion, whereas palmitic acid is poorly incorporated into triglyceride and it does not stimulate insulin secretion from human pancreatic islets at physiologically glucose concentrations. In addition, palmitic acid caused: (1) oxidative stress through a mechanism involving increases in ROS production and MMP-2 protein expression/gelatinolytic activity associated with down-regulation of SOD2 protein; (2) endoplasmic reticulum stress by up-regulation of chaperone BiP protein and unfolded protein response (UPR) transcription factors (eIF2α, ATF6, XBP1u proteins) and by PTP-1B down-regulation in both mRNA and protein levels; (3) inflammation through enhanced synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines (IL6, IL8 proteins); and (4) apoptosis by enforced proteic expression of CHOP multifunctional transcription factor. Oleic acid alone had opposite effects due to its different capacity of controlling these metabolic pathways, in particular by reduction of the ROS levels and MMP-2 activity, down-regulation of BiP, eIF2α, ATF6, XBP1u, CHOP, IL6, IL8 and by SOD2 and PTP-1B overexpression. The supplementation of saturated palmitic acid with the monounsaturated oleic acid reversed the negative effects of palmitic acid alone regulating insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells through ROS, MMP-2, ATF6, XBP1u, IL8 reduction and SOD2, PTP-1B activation. Our findings have shown the protective action of oleic acid against palmitic acid on beta cell lipotoxicity through promotion of triglyceride accumulation and insulin secretion and regulation of some effector molecules involved in oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation and apoptosis.


Itudolf Bertie III a graduate student 10 o.otbropolo&,y at Gottingen Unlvf'rslty In West Germany. Be has kindly consented to bring to tbe attention of PA readers Blgnlflc&ot books published In German. Togo Singt ein Neues Lied, bei Erich , Viering, Erlangen: Verlag der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Mission, 1969. Erlanger Taschenbttcher Bd. 10, Paperback,' 8 Photos, pp. 270, 'DM.6. Peoples and Cultures of the PacificI An Anthropological Reader, by Andrew P. Vayda, editor. Garden City~ The Natural History Press for the American Museum of Natural History, 1968. pp. 557, $395 paper. Reviewed by PATRICIA K. TOWNSEND


Frequency of pregnancy among childbearing age women with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing long-term periodic dialysis ranges from 1% to 7%. Although pregnancy in dialysis women with ESRD is considered a largely high-risk pregnancy, occurrence of successful pregnancy is not impossible with success rates approaching 70%. Rates of successful pregnancy are greatly impacted by early pregnancy diagnosis and preserved residual renal functions. Herein, to the best of our knowledge, we report the first case of successful pregnancy (despite late diagnosis at 14 weeks of gestation) in a 31-year-old peritoneal dialysis patient with bilateral nephrectomy and no whatsoever preserved residual renal function. Moreover, a literature review on pregnancy in dialysis patients is presented.


Xanthine oxidase (XO) is the last enzyme of purine catabolism. XO was separately purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and affinity chromatography. The effect of some antibiotics which is commonly used in clinical on purified xanthine oxidase was determined in vitro. The name of antibiotics was gentamycin sulfate, sodium ampicillin, cefazolin sodium, chlarithromycin, rifamycin SV, clindamycin phosphate and kanamycin sulfate. XO was determined using xanthine as a substrate and IC 50 values of these antibiotics exhibiting inhibition effects were found from graphs of activity (%) by plotting concentration of the antibiotics. Macrolid group of antibiotics, the effects of gentamycin sulfate and kanamycin sulfate were determinated on xanthine oxidase. Gentamycin sulfate increased xanthine oxidase enzyme activity but kanamycin sulfate caused an inhibitory effect on xanthine oxidase enzyme activity. In addition, sodium ampicillin and rifamycin SV caused activation on enzyme activity. Cefazolin sodium, chlarithromycin and clindamicin phosphate indicated inhibitory effect on xanthine oxidase enzyme activity. Especially, cefazolin sodium is the most effective inhibitor in studied antibiotics with the value of 5.4 x 10–4 mg/mL. This value is close to the other values found for XO's classical inhibitors.


Abstract Criticality safety analyses rely on the availability of relevant benchmark experiments to determine justifiable margins of subcriticality. When a target application lacks neutronically similar benchmark experiments, validation studies must provide justification to the regulator that the impact of modeling and simulation limitations is well understood for the application and often must provide additional subcritical margin to ensure safe operating conditions. This study estimated the computational bias in the critical eigenvalue for several criticality safety applications supported by only a few relevant benchmark experiments. The accuracy of the following three methods for predicting computational biases was evaluated: the Upper Subcritical Limit STATisticS (USLSTATS) trending analysis method; the Whisper nonparametric method; and TSURFER, which is based on the generalized linear least-squares technique. These methods were also applied to estimate computational biases and recommended upper subcriticality limits for several critical experiments with known biases and for several cases from a blind benchmark study. The methods are evaluated based on both the accuracy of their predicted computation bias and upper subcriticality limit estimates, as well as on the consistency of the methods' estimates, as the model parameters, covariance data libraries, and set of available benchmark data were varied. Data assimilation methods typically have not been used for criticality safety licensing activities, and this study explores a methodology to address concerns regarding the reliability of such methods in criticality safety bias prediction applications.


Managing environments that are exposed to fast pace changes has become a challenge and a requirement to sustain business health, making organizational resilience an increasingly important characteristic for corporations. At the same time, personal resilience and adaptability became important abilities demanded for the market today. The objective of this study is to develop a framework based on literature to bring personal development classes to the curriculum while keeping a strong connection with the business scenario. The topic of resilience was chosen due to high demand from the market, as well as the variety of personal attributes involved which opens the opportunity to develop a strong skills set. The program allows the students to learn soft skills and at the same time apply them to business practices. This is an exploratory study to identify initial perceptions, difficulties, and the level of absorption of the content and receptivity by the students. The proposed course has a structure containing a set of concepts, mindsets and techniques divided in 4 modules: Clarity, Energy Management, Problem Solving and Connection. Overall, the course was well accepted and embraced by the students. The results indicated a self-perception of increased resilience among the participants, together with a good receptivity for personal development topics in the curriculum.


Processed fishery products produce unwanted materials, namely waste. Waste is generated in the form of heads, tails, fins, bones, and offal. Bone is one form of waste generated from the fish processing industry which has the highest calcium content in the fish body. Snakehead fish bone waste (Channa striata) is one of the potential food ingredients that is widely used in South Sumatra, especially in the city of Palembang as a raw material for processed Palembang specialties. Diversification of processed fishery products needs to be developed. In this study, the authors innovate processed products made from cork fish bones to increase the nutritional value of the community through protein and fish calcium in the form of processed products of cork fish bones chips. This research was conducted from April to June 2021. This study aims to determine the effect of using the addition of cork fish bones in the manufacture of fishbone chips with different compositions and to obtain the best chip products from the use of s cork fish bones. The method used was an experiment using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with 4 levels of treatment P0:0% (Without the addition of cork fish bones and 300 g of Wheat Flour) P1:20% (60 g Addition of cork fish bone and 240 g of Wheat Flour). ) P2: 25% (75 g cork fish bone and 225 g Wheat Flour), P3: 35% (105 g cork fish bone and 195 g Wheat Flour). The parameters measured in this study were organoleptic tests (appearance, aroma, taste, and texture) and proximate tests (moisture content, protein content, fat content, ash content, and carbohydrate content). The results showed that the best treatment on the P3 chips treatment: 35% (105 g Addition of Cork Fish Bone and 195 g Wheat Flour) including the best organoleptic average values obtained in color (58.0) Aroma (60) Taste (52.5), and Texture (59.5). Chips P3: 35% (Addition of Cork Fish Bone 105g and Wheat Flour 195g) including proximate test, average water content is 3.09%, protein content is 18.68%, fat content is 28.81%, ash content is 6.30 %, and carbohydrate content is 43.12%.


The objective of this study is to understand the weathervane performance and stability of FOWTs moored to SPM systems under wind and current coexisting field. Two types of FOWT systems, a semi-submersible and a spar (1/200 scale) are designed and manufactured based on Froude's scaling law. A series of scaled model experiments are conducted and compared during wind-current coexisting field in a circulating water tank at Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka, Japan. Weathervane performance is evaluated under various conditions of wind and current. It is found during experiments that the weathervane performance of the SPM-FOWT systems is acceptable in rated wind and slow current condition. However, in the rated wind and high speed current condition, the weathervane performance is found to be not acceptable and unstable oscillation is observed. A numerical program is also developed to understand the behavior using the maneuvering equations. Further, attempts are made to understand the stability of SPM-FOWT systems based on Eigenvalue analysis.


This article investigates the short run as well as long run underpricing of the Initial Public Offerings in the Indian Capital markets by looking at the different factors affecting them. As the underwriters do not have discretionary power in Indian IPOs, some of the theoretical models like Rock's (1986) and costly information acquisition hypothesis (1989), which involves the extent of informed as well as uninformed investors, can be tested more robustly in Indian Capital markets. Therefore, a model is proposed taking these oversubscription variables along with age and issue size to explain the underpricing. Since different sectors have different level of private and public information, it is interesting to perform industry-wise analysis and has been taken up here. The period for study was 22 months (January 2006 to October 2007) considering 116 IPOs. It was found that both short and long run return of IPOs are positive for this period. The short run underpricing was 18 percent and long run underpricing was 11.5 percent. Oversubscription variables, namely, total oversubscription, informed (institutional investors) and uninformed investors (retail investors) oversubscription, were found to be the main determinants of underpricing in the Indian IPOs. Higher subscription implied higher underpricing. However, informed investor's oversubscription was higher in companies giving more return in the long run. Further Indian Capital markets were found to follow industry specific waves. Upon doing sector-wise underpricing analysis, the high performing sectors were more underpriced in the short run as well as performing better in the long run than low performing sectors. Infrastructure, financial and entertainment sectors with positive long run return fell under this category for the period of study. On the contrary, IT sector gave higher initial return but negative return in the long run.


The aim of this article is to introduce a research-based work-integrated collaborative learning program that focuses on early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals' skills in co-regulation of emotions. The collaborative learning program draws on the theoretical framework that acknowledges the situated and socially shared nature of regulated learning and emotion regulation as well as years of research highlighting the importance of versatile and sensitive adults in supporting children's learning of regulation skills during their early years. The program aims to improve professionals' shared awareness of children's emotion regulation development and abilities to identify and develop practices that support children in learning these skills, so that professionals can provide conscious and consistent co-regulation of emotions for children in everyday interactions. The design of the program has been developed by considering the aspects of effective collaborative and professional learning. This paper focuses on describing the theoretical grounding and implementation of a 32-week long collaborative learning program for ECEC professionals in Northern Finland (N = 450). Also, the development of a video-stimulated questionnaire (VSQ) for assessment of professionals' learning during the program will be described. VSQ measures professionals' abilities to identify and interpret everyday ECEC interactions from the point of view of (co-)regulation of emotions. Developing research-based collaborative programs that increase systematic support for children to learn regulation skills is essential, as these skills affect children's lives well into adulthood. They set a basis for children's learning and social skills and general wellbeing.


Patients with primary immunodeficiency present an excellent opportunity to understand the role of specific molecules in the human immune system. Recently we had the chance to investigate a young girl with a complete CARD11 deficiency due to a homozygous deletion of exon 21. Clinically the child presented with increased susceptibility to respiratory tract infections at 6 months, before she was diagnosed at 13 months with Pneumocystis jirovecii revealing her combined immunodeficiency. The immunological characterization showed severe hypogammaglobulinemia, but normal T-, B- and NK-cell numbers. While there were only subtle changes in the T cell compartment, B-cell differentiation was blocked at the transitional stage. In the absence of CARD11 protein expression activation of the canonical NF-κB pathway after antigen receptor or PMA stimulation was abrogated, while CD40 signaling in B cells was preserved. CARD11 deficient T cells were severely impaired in the up-regulation of ICOS, OX40, cytokine production and proliferation after TCR stimulation. On B cells BAFF receptor expression was reduced and after activation ICAM1 and CD25 were not induced while CD86 induction was comparable to control cells. Immunoglobulin production was intact after anti-IL-21/CD40L stimulation, demonstrating that plasma cell differentiation was not dependent on intact CARD11. Thus CARD11 plays a crucial, non-redundant role in the antigen specific immune response in humans.


Introduction Antibody (Ab) mediated rejection of transplanted organs presents a formidable barrier to solid organ transplantation. We have previously shown that intravenous (i.v.) exposure to MHC-mismatched donor peripheral blood cells using a novel, mild conditioning protocol results in B-cell tolerance with transient T-cell unresponsiveness. Here we show that B-cell tolerance is stable and allo-Ab cannot be induced even after loss of chimerism and repeated exposure to donor cells without immunosuppression. Materials and Methods MGH miniature swine conditioned with CD3-immunotoxin, low-dose (100cGy) total body irradiation (TBI), and a short, 45 day course of cyclosporine A, received cells i.v. from a haplo- or fully MHC-mismatched donor. Weekly immunophenotyping of peripheral blood was performed. Hematopoietic cells from donor and third-party MHC-mismatched pigs were injected subcutaneously (s.c.) +/- complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) monthly, starting 60 days following conditioning. Control animals with and without conditioning, but without donor HCT, were challenged in the same manner. The draining lymph nodes were analyzed by Histology and bulk RNAseq. Allo-Ab was measured by flow cytometry and complement dependent Ab mediated cellular cytotoxicity assay. Results and Discussion Phenotypic analysis of recipient cells during conditioning revealed that most cell populations, including CD4+ Foxp3+ Treg cells, were only partially depleted and quickly recovered to baseline. Allo-Ab responses were not detected even after repeated s.c. injections of donor cells. The addition of CFA provoked a transient, weak IgM response suggestive of an extrafollicular B-cell response with no germinal center development. Control animals consistently developed Allo-Ab responses against donor cells. Histologic analysis of draining lymph nodes shows similar morphology and presence of active Germinal centers in both groups. However, preliminary analysis reveals an abundance of FoxP3+ cells in tolerant animals. This suggests that donor cells trigger a germinal center reaction in tolerant animals that may be controlled by memory T-follicular regulatory cells. Further histologic and transcriptome analysis of draining LN cells are currently underway and may yield additional insights into the mechanical underpinnings. Conclusion Stable B-cell tolerance to donor antigens across fully MHC-mismatched barriers can be induced by a novel, mild conditioning protocol that does not result in prolonged T-cell depletion. We are currently investigating the mechanism of this phenomenon. Understanding immunomodulatory mechanisms involved in controlling B-cell responses to transplantation antigens could lead to significant advances in improving transplantation outcomes.


This paper discusses the use of a small punch (SP) testing method to determine the elastic modulus and fracture strength of the material. Numerical analyses using the FEM were carried out to calibrate a SP specimen. Three loading modes were analysed to examine the punch tip effect on the deformation and fracture behaviour. Several ceramics and ceramics/metal composites were tested using the SP method, and their mechanical properties were determined using the results of FEM analyses. It is shown that the SP method provides a reliable means for measuring the elastic modulus. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the fracture strength determined by the SP method shows a good correlation with the bending strength obtained from the three-point bend specimen which is commonly used for the determination of the fracture strength of ceramics.


When evaluating any new medium or technology we often turn to the familiar as a point of reference. Podcasting was no different, drawing obvious comparisons with radio. While there are traits within all podcasts that are radiogenic, one must also consider whether such distinctions are beneficial to the medium. Indeed, one might argue that when one considers the manner in which podcasts are created and consumed then there is an increasing sense in which podcasting can present itself as a distinct medium. While it is true to suggest that as an adaptable medium radio has simply evolved and podcasting is its latest iteration. In doing so, we might fail to appreciate the unique values that exist. In this article, I suggest that by considering podcasts on their terms we might begin to uncover new truths about a medium in change.


Contains publicity flier for a party held at and sponsored by the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library on February 16th, 2010.


The main objective of the study is the formulation of proposals for improving the managerial activity of regional authorities under the crisis conditions. The article also proposes the structure of regional organizational-economic mechanism to manage regional economy and the model of regional public anti-crisis policy.


The aim of the paper is to bring new combinatorial analytical properties of the Farey diagrams of order $(m,n)$, which are associated to the $(m,n)$-cubes. The latter are the pieces of discrete planes occurring in discrete geometry, theoretical computer sciences, and combinatorial number theory. We give a new upper bound for the number of Farey vertices $FV(m,n)$ obtained as intersections points of Farey lines (\cite{khoshnoudiradfarey}): $$\exists C>0, \forall (m,n)\in\mathbb{N}^{*2},\quad \Big|FV(m,n)\Big| \leq C m^2 n^2 (m+n) \ln^2 (mn)$$ Using it, in particular, we show that the number of $(m,n)$-cubes $\mathcal{U}_{m,n}$ verifies: $$\exists C>0, \forall (m,n)\in\mathbb{N}^{*2},\quad \Big|\mathcal{U}_{m,n}\Big| \leq C m^3 n^3 (m+n) \ln^2 (mn)$$ which is an important improvement of the result previously obtained in ~\cite{daurat_tajine_zouaoui_afpdpare}, which was a polynomial of degree 8. This work uses combinatorics, graph theory, and elementary and analytical number theory.


A new type of high-sensitivity vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM) useful for measurements of soft and hard magnetic materials is described. This instrument differs from the Foner type in the vibration system, which is a bar vibrating at its resonance frequency. Additionally, the electronic control preserves a constant vibration amplitude and versions with parallel and/or perpendicular motion can be designed. Magnetic moments as small as 5*10-8 Am2 have been detected at room temperature and the overall accuracy is better than 0.5% using the simple prototype presented here. An instrument with this system is easy to construct, relatively inexpensive and, due to its versatility, it could be a useful tool for research, industry and teaching purposes.


Radiation therapy is efficiently employed for eliminating cancer cells and reducing tumor growth. To further improving its therapeutic application it is mandatory to unravel the molecular effects of ionizing irradiation and to understand whether they support or counteract tumor therapy. Here we examine the impact of X-ray irradiation on immune activation of human T cells with single doses typically employed in tumor therapy. We discover that exposing cells to radiation triggers in a population of leukemic Jurkat T cells and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) a canonical Ca2+ signaling cascade, which elicits immune activation of these cells. An early step in the signaling cascade is the initiation of sustained oscillations of the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration, an event mediated by store operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) via an X-ray induced clustering of the Calcium Release-Activated Calcium Modulator 1 with the stromal interaction molecule 1 (Oari1/STIM1). A functional consequence of the Ca2+ signaling cascade is the translocation of the transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) from the cytosol into the nucleus where it elicits the expression of genes required for immune activation. These data imply that a direct activation of blood immune cells by ionizing irradiation has an impact on toxicity and therapeutic effects of radiation therapy.


The measurement of mode-mixity dependent interfacial fracture toughness (/spl Gamma/) is necessary to predict the interface integrity and the component reliability of thin-film structures. A new approach, called the single-strip decohesion test (SSDT), eliminates shortcomings of the current testing methods. In this approach, a trilayer thin film structure is built to measure the interfacial fracture toughness. A highly stressed super layer, such as Cr, is used to drive the delamination and produces any mode mix at the crack tip. An isosceles triangle-shaped non-adhesive layer (10 to 50 nm thick) is sandwiched between the film of interest and the substrate to realize the contact area change along the crack direction. SSDT uses the change in crack surface area to vary the available energy per unit area for crack growth and thus to measure the interfacial fracture toughness. Common IC fabrication techniques are used to prepare the sample and execute the test, thereby making the test compatible with current microelectronic or MEMS facilities. The design, preparation, and execution of the SSDT are discussed. Finite element models of the SSDT sites are used to extract fracture parameters, and interfacial fracture toughness results are provided for a Ti/Si interface at several mode mixes.


Retno Wahyu Wulandari, S251108010. LONG DISTANCE CARING
PATTERN IN ADOLESCENT SELF-CONCEPT ESTABLISHMENT IN
SMA NEGERI 1 GIRIMARTO,Kabupaten Wonogiri. Thesis.Supervisor I :
Prof.Dr.RB.Soemanto,MA, II : Dr.Drajat Tri Kartono,M.Si. Sociology Study
Program. Postgraduate Program, Surakarta Sebelas Maret University.
This research aimed to find out: the description of long distance caring pattern
applied to the adolescents in SMA Negeri 1 Girimarto; the adolescent selfconcept
establishment in SMA Negeri 1 Girimarto and the relationship of long
distance care pattern applied to the adolescent with self-concept establishment in
SMA Negeri 1 Girimarto.
This study was a fenomenology research attempting to describe the condition of
informant as the way it is. This study used the adolescents studying at SMA
Negeri 1 Girimarto and cared using long distance pattern as the sample. The data
was collected using interview method for primary data and the existing data from
the school for secondary data. The data obtained was collected using flow model
of analysis encompassing data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing.
Considering the data obtained, it could be concluded that: Caring pattern applied
by parents was by trusting the family and establishing intensive communication;
there were two socialization forms in this research: controlled and bound
socializations. Parent applied reward in the form of valuable good or praise to the
achievement the adolescent had reached as the form of appreciation and
punishment in the form of pocket money reduction for the mistake or violation
committed. A dynamic self-concept establishment was established within the
adolescents having good relationship with parents or primary family, while closed
self-concept occurred within those having no good relationship with parents or
primary family. The primary family's attention contributed to the establishment of
adolescent self-concept as well, because the adolescents felt as being appreciated
and they needed a role model they can see directly, and the adolescents living
separately from the parents were accustomed to cope with their problems
themselves.
Keywords: Long distance, caring pattern, adolescent, self-concept.


The article widely covers theoretical generalization of features of the modern crisis state of the Ukrainian enterprises and distinguished types of crises, explores the meaning of the concept «crisis management» and proves the necessity of crisis management implementation at the enterprises with the aim of overcoming their unprofitableness as well as providing stable development for each of them.


Guided wave based systems are the most promising approach for Structural Health Monitoring of plate dominated components. A good understanding of wave propagation, which is required to design such a system, can be gained with numerical simulations. Models of complex structures still require enormous amounts of computational effort, despite the advancements in computing technology. This is due to the small wave lengths necessary for damage detection which in turn requires a fine discretization of geometry in standard Finite Element Methods. A lot of research groups focus on quite different approaches like spectral elements to overcome this problem, but none of these are ready for a wide use nor are they as flexible or well-proven as the conventional FEM. This paper will present ways to accelerate FEM simulation by reducing the model complexity.


Stretchable micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) with high power density and small size have been intensively researched in the recent years. However, to date, the stretchability of the overall device is still limited by the lack of a stretchable electrode material, which results in significant performance degradation, particularly in the highly stretched state. Herein, a new method for designing natively stretchable MSCs capable of maintaining high electrochemical performance in a highly (200%) stretched state is presented. The electrode is based on the novel incorporation of the bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonamide lithium salt (LiTFSI) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) into a PEDOT:PSS hydrogel. The resultant PEDOT:PSS-LiTFSI-PVA hydrogel is operated with a PVA/H2SO4 electrolyte to deliver an unprecedented level of combined performance such as a large areal capacitance of 44.5 mF cm−2, a power density of 0.04 mW cm−2 at an area energy density of 0.004 mW h cm−2, and an excellent stretchability of 200% while retaining 93% of the original capacitance. The MSCs deliver highly stable performance even under extensive stretching, showing a high 92% capacitance retention after 2000 cycles of 100%-strain stretching. The proposed MSC architecture is compatible with laser patterning, which enables rapid fabrication, and reflects a highly practical approach for realizing high performance, mechanically robust micro energy storage devices.


INTRODUCTION
Ligusticum chuanxiong ('chuanxiong') is a traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, which is often used to treat thrombotic diseases. However, its potential anticoagulant active ingredients have been unexplored.

OBJECTIVES
The study aims to establish an affinity ultrafiltration mass spectrometry (AUF-MS) method for rapid screening of anti-thrombin active components of chuanxiong and to verify it in vitro.

METHOD
In this study, the chemical constituents of different parts of chuanxiong were determined. A method for rapid screening of anticoagulant active ingredients by AUF-MS was established using thrombin as an affinity receptor target. Subsequently, the anticoagulant effect of such ligands was verified by in vitro anticoagulation experiments such as chromogenic substrate method and in vitro coagulation assay. Then the possible interaction mechanism between these ligands and thrombin was further studied by molecular docking.

RESULTS
Twenty-one components were detected from different parts of chuanxiong. And three potential anti-thrombin active components were screened: ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A by AUF coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MSn ). The in vitro activity experiments and molecular docking revealed that these potential ligands exhibited strong binding ability and inhibitory activities on thrombin.

CONCLUSION
The present study revealed that chuanxiong is a traditional Chinese medicine with excellent anticoagulation effects. Meanwhile, the integrated strategy based on AUF-MS, in vitro experiments and molecular docking also provided a powerful tool for further exploration of active ingredients responsible for the anticoagulant activity in chuanxiong.


The main aim of this paper is to examine the constitutive dimensions and parameters of the studied organizational culture, in the framework of a national model. The paper is based on a research, and the designed model for assessing organizational culture can be used in Iranian organizations. Theoretical principals, upstream documents, religious principals, and a comparative study based on interviews made with managers, has been used to design this model. Also, the model validated survey researches. Questionnaires were designed and theCronbach alpha test, resulted in 0.89. Using Cokran formula, a sample of 1480 persons were selected for this survey, and the results were analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Results show that there is a correlation between dimensions and parameters of designed organizational culture model.


This paper presents ScaPSM (i.e., Scalable Power-Saving Mode Scheduler), a design that enables scalable competing background traffic scheduling in crowd event 802.11 deployments with Power-Saving Mode (PSM) radio operation. ScaPSM prevents the packet delay proliferation of previous study, if applied in the crowd events scenario, by introducing a new strategy of adequate competition among multiple PSM clients to optimize overall energy saving without degrading packet delay performance. The key novelty behind ScaPSM is that it exploits delay-aware load balance to control judiciously the qualification and the number of competing PSM clients before every beacon frame's transmission, which helps to mitigate congestion at the peak period with increasing the number of PSM clients. With ScaPSM, the average packet delay is bounded and fairness among PSM clients is simultaneously achieved. ScaPSM is incrementally deployable due to only AP-side changes and does not require any modification to the 802.11 protocol or the clients. We theoretically analyze the performance of ScaPSM. Our experimental results show that the proposed design is practical, effective, and featuring with significantly improved scalability for crowd events.


Abstract Lilaeopsis masonii is a California state-listed rare species with a wide range of morphologies observed in the field throughout its range, and in herbaria collections. This extensive variation confounds reliable taxonomic identification, particularly for those specimens intermediate between L. masonii and its sister taxon, L. occidentalis. To investigate the genetic basis of this morphological variation, we examined two portions of the Lilaeopsis genome in seven species. Specifically we sought to determine whether L. masonii is sufficiently distinct from its closely related, widespread congener to continue to warrant specific status. DNA sequence analysis of ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 nuclear ribosomal DNA revealed no differences between L. occidentalis and L. masonii California collections, and minimal differences between these samples and L. occidentalis collected from the state of Washington, suggesting strongly that these two species form a single clade. A combination of fragment data from three AFLP primers yielded 274 fragments from 29 samples. Genetic Manhattan distance values calculated from the AFLP matrix within species ranged from a low of 1.4 to a high of 6.6, reflecting minor differences among all samples. UPGMA cluster phenograms support the results of the PCA analysis, illustrating a cluster of L. occidentalis + masonii samples distinct from other Lilaeopsis species. Because conservation dollars should protect unique evolutionary entities, we suggest that L. masonii be subsumed under L. occidentalis and therefore no longer receive formal state protection.


Gravity, magnetic, seismic refraction, electrical resistivity, and magnetotelluric measurements in northern Panamint Valley indicate that the alluvial and pluvial fill in the basin is thin and that basement under the valley floor lies at a shallow depth. Contours of the Bouguer gravity anomaly field do not define a low over the valley and do not mimic the mapped boundaries of alluvial fill. Electrical resistivity and seismic refraction measurements indicate that the playa in northern Panamint Valley is underlain by no more than about 200 m of sediment. This is consistent with the absence of any local lows in the Bouguer gravity anomaly field over the valley exceeding about 15 mGal in amplitude. There are no anomalies more than 50 nT in amplitude along an east-west magnetic profile across the valley floor. In contrast, upward continuations of magnetic profiles measured across basalt outcrops present at the valley margins still contain anomalies exceeding 75 nT in amplitude at heights of 300 m. Because the inferred thickness of sediment under a width between 5 and 9 km of the valley is less than 300 m, it is insufficient to conceal the signal expected from such magnitized basalt buried under the sediment. We interpret this finding as indicating that the valley is not underlain by basalt except at its margins, which implies that the west side of the valley has moved between 6 and 10 km away from the Panamint Range, in a direction parallel to the Hunter Mountain fault (-N55øW). A balanced cross section across the valley constrains the required low-angle normal fault to be between 0.5 and 3 km beneath the valley floor.


The article deals with the relevance of the spring waters study and presents the results of the springs' classification in Murmansk and outskirts of the town on geological and ecological characteristics. Spring Water is the main source of water for drinking, agricultural and industrial needs. The availability of water determines the location and activities of people in the area. Our growing population experiences great demands on natural freshwater resources. However they are under various forms of pollution such as agricultural, industrial and domestic. In this research spring water samples were taken from the springs of Murmansk and outskirts of the town. Physical and chemical parameters were analyzed. The characteristics of each parameter were compared with the standard data established in the Russian Federation for this indicator. The characteristics of each parameter were within safe limits.


Radioactive iodine (RAI) is widely used for remnant ablation in low/intermediate differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). However, the optimal effective dose that overweighs the benefits over unwanted side effects is a matter of controversy. This meta-analysis aimed to assess low versus high doses of RAI activity for DTC remnant ablation. Two authors independently searched PubMed and Cochrane Library using the keywords low dose radioactive iodine, high dose radioactive iodine, low-risk/intermediate risk, differentiated thyroid carcinoma, and remnant ablation. Two hundred and twenty references were identified when limiting the engine to controlled trials in English and during the period from January 2010 to December 2020. Nine trials (five from Europe and four from Asia) including 3137 patients fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were then entered in an extraction sheet detailing the trial information including the author's name, year of publication, country, and type of surgery, preparation for RAI, the patients and control number in the low and high-dose groups, follow-up period, and the results. Out of 220 articles retrieved, nine controlled trials were included (follow-up period range, six months to 12 years, 3137 patients, and low risk of bias). The analysis favored the high dose for remnants ablation, odd ratio, 0.73, 95% CI, 0.50-1.07; P-value for the overall effect was 0.10. However, the results were limited due to the significant heterogeneity observed (56%, P-value 0.03). High-dose RAI was better for DTC remnants ablation. Further studies focusing on intermediate-risk DTC and adjusting for preoperative and postoperative factors are recommended.


Background Random skin flaps are routinely placed during plastic and reconstructive surgery, but the distal areas often develop ischemia and necrosis. Baicalein, a major flavonoid extracted from the traditional Chinese herbal medicine huangqin, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, may improve flap viability. Materials and methods Rats were randomly divided into baicalein and control groups and they underwent placement of modified McFarlane flaps after intraperitoneal administration of baicalein or vehicle. Flap survival and water content were measured 7 days later, as were angiogenesis, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in ischemic flaps. Results Baicalein promoted flap survival, reduced edema, increased mean vessel density, and enhanced vascular endothelial growth factor production at both the translational and transcriptional levels. Baicalein reduced caspase 3 cleavage, increased superoxidase dismutase and glutathione levels, and decreased the malondialdehyde level. Conclusion Baicalein promoted flap viability by stimulating angiogenesis and inhibiting apoptosis and oxidation.


A single arm phase II trial of single-agent bortezomib (BZM) alone or combined with hormone blockade was conducted in patients with early PSA recurrence after definitive local therapy. The primary endpoint of this study was to determine the time to PSA relapse after BZM therapy alone or when BZM was combined with hormone blockade. The secondary endpoint was to determine the safety of combination therapy. Part A of the treatment schedule consisted of three cycles of BZM 1.3 mg/m2 IV given on days 1,4,8,11. If patients progressed on Part A, they were entered on Part B which consisted of a single dose of LH-RH antagonist, daily oral antiandrogen, and weekly BZM 1.3 mg/m2 for three out of four weeks for a total of three months. BZM treatment significantly decreased the slope of the log PSA (p=0.024) demonstrating that this agent alone was capable of slowing the rise of the PSA. Of eight patients treated with BZM alone five had stable disease, two progressed and 1 went off study secondary to toxicity. The major toxicity was neurotoxicity requiring discontinuation of therapy in three patients and treatment interruption in nine patients. Of those receiving Parts A and B or B only, there were 11 of 15 CRs with the average time to progression of 5.5 months. BZM treatment can change the slope of PSA rise and can be combined with hormone deprivation therapy without significant additional side effects; these agents are associated with a median time to CR of 42 days.


A self-consistent atomistic simulation method is established to investigate carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the charge sensing channels in nonvolatile memory and sensor applications. The theoretical simulation agrees with the experimental results, demonstrating that the sensor can achieve a high sensitivity down to a single electron charge at room temperature. The electrical response of the CNT charge sensor strongly depends on the position of discrete sensing charges even under low drain biases due to the near ballistic transport and quantum interference in a submicron meter CNT channel. This result differs from those for conventional complementary metal-oxide semiconductor charge-based sensors, in which the carrier transport is diffusive and the electrical response is expected to be insensitive to the position variation of the sensing charges. The high sensitivity and nonlinearity of CNT charge-based sensors are important features that need to be considered in the design of CNT memories and sensors.


Binding of programmed death-1 (PD-1) with its ligands (PD-L1/2) transmits a co-inhibitory signal in activated T-cells that promotes T-cell exhaustion, leading to tumor immune evasion. The efficacy of antibodies targeting PD-1 and PD-L1 has led to a paradigm shift in lung cancer treatment but the prognostic and predictive value of tumor PD-L1 expression remains controversial. Evaluating PD-1, PD-L1/2 expression in peripheral blood cells may serve as a potential biomarker for prognosis and response to therapy. In this prospective observational study, plasma cytokine levels and PD-1, PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression was evaluated in circulating CD3+, CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ cells from 70 treatment-naïve patients with advanced NSCLC (Stage IIIB and IV) and from 10 healthy donors. The primary objective was to assess OS according to PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2 expression status on PBMCs and lymphocyte subsets. Our results indicate that the percentage of PD-L1+CD3+, PD-L1+CD3+CD8+ PD-L2+PBMCs, PD-L2+CD3+, PD-L2+CD3+CD4+ cells was higher in patients than in healthy donors. Survival was decreased among patients with a high percentage of either PD-1+PBMCs, PD-1+CD3+, PD-L1+CD3+, PD-L1+CD3+CD8+, PD-L2+CD3+, PD-L2+CD3+CD4+, or PD-L2+CD3+CD8+ cells. IL-2 and TNF-α showed the strongest association with PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression on specific subsets of T-lymphocytes. Our findings suggest that increased PD-1/PD-L1/PDL-2 expression in PBMCs, particularly in T-cells, may be an additional mechanism leading to tumor escape from immune control. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02758314.


Weighted model integration (WMI) is a very appealing framework for probabilistic inference: it allows to express the complex dependencies of real-world problems where variables are both continuous and discrete, via the language of Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT), as well as to compute probabilistic queries with complex logical and arithmetic constraints. Yet, existing WMI solvers are not ready to scale to these problems. They either ignore the intrinsic dependency structure of the problem at all, or they are limited to too restrictive structures. To narrow this gap, we derive a factorized formalism of WMI enabling us to devise a scalable WMI solver based on message passing, MP-WMI. Namely, MP-WMI is the first WMI solver which allows to: 1) perform exact inference on the full class of tree-structured WMI problems; 2) compute all marginal densities in linear time; 3) amortize inference inter query. Experimental results show that our solver dramatically outperforms the existing WMI solvers on a large set of benchmarks.


A new whitefly genus and species, Acanthonavis deflexa gen. et sp. nov. are diagnosed and discussed with description of dimorphic puparia, third and second instars collected on the Nicobar Island, India. Puparia of the new genus differ from all other genera in demarcated subventral area and deflexed submargin, and from an allied genus Editaaleyrodes David in lacking polygonal markings in the thoracic tracheal furrows, and geminate pores, and in having subventral area demarcated from the submargin. The whitefly genus Editaaleyrodes is re-defined and diagnosed for puparial characters through examination of its type species, Editaaleyrodes indicus David. Several previously undescribed morphological characters of E. indicus are discussed and figured. Line drawings and microphotographs of habitus on leaf surface of the new species, are provided.


In this study, we develop an algorithm to predict swell-like significant waves in the east coast of Korea using the directional wave gauge which is installed near Sokcho. Using the numerical wave model SWAN, we estimate wave data in open sea from the wave data observed through the directional wave gauge. The, using the wave ray method with the open-sea wave data as offshore boundary conditions, we predict the swell-like significant waves at several points in the east coast of Korea. We verify the prediction methods with the SWAN and wave ray methods by comparing numerically predicted data against either target or measured data at the observation site. We can improve the prediction of the swell-like significant waves in the east sea of Korea using both the real-time wave measurement system and the present prediction algorithm.


Status of this Memo This document is an Internet-Draft and is in full conformance with all provisions of Section 10 of RFC 2026. Internet-Drafts are working documents of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), its areas, and its working groups. Note that other groups may also distribute working documents as Internet-Drafts. Internet-Drafts are draft documents valid for a maximum of six months and may be updated, replaced, or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to use Internet-Drafts as reference material or to cite them other than as "work in progress." Abstract This document supplements RFC 3279. It describes the conventions for using the RSASSA-PSS signature algorithm, the RSAES-OAEP key transport algorithm and additional one-way hash functions with the PKCS #1 version 1.5 signature algorithm in the Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Encoding formats, algorithm identifiers, and parameter formats are specified.


photographs and maps to illustrate what medieval Spanish cities were like. These concessions to popular taste, as they appear to be, scarcely contribute to the scientific value of the work. The information given by Dr. Ashtor adds up to much the best account we have of the Jews in Muslim Spain. He yields seldom if at all to the tendency, which must be difficult to escape, to write up this important part of the Jewish past. As far as the facts go there seems nothing of a significant character which calls to be added or altered. There are a number of misprints. On p. iv 'Abd Allah Muhammad b. 'Idhari should be Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad b. 'Idhari, or rather Abu'l-'Abbas Ahmad b. Muhammad b. 'Idhari (E. Levi-Provencal, al-Bayan al-Mughrib, III, Muqaddimah, 1). It is to be hoped that Dr. Ashtor will be able to complete the History which the present volume is conceived as a first part, and also to make the work available in a European language.


This study investigated the occurrence of alien plant species in Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), Zimbabwe. We focused on two main habitat types, namely riparian areas of the major rivers and dry land areas. Sampling was carried out from 42 sampling plots in both habitat types. Variables studied included the numbers of alien plant species per plot, density, frequency and diversity. A total of 15 alien plant species were identified in GNP. Our results indicate a high density of forbs and shrubs in riparian areas as compared to dry land areas. Similarly, riparian areas had higher species diversity than dry land areas. Our study represents the first step to monitor alien plants which includes the identification of alien plant species and basic information on their distribution in GNP. This is important for enabling effective monitoring of both new introductions and the distribution of species already present.


The democratic mapping is used for the calculation of low-lying states of nuclei in the sd and fp shells. In addition to demonstrating the applicability of the method in realistic cases where many non-degenerate levels are present, the method allows for the ranking of the various bosons according to their importance as building blocks of low-lying states. It is proven that the s and d bosons are the most important building blocks, followed by the d' and g bosons. Thus one of the basic assumptions of the interacting boson model (IBM) is proven to be correct. Very good agreement between the boson calculation and the shell-model results is obtained for A=20 nuclei when 12 bosons are taken into account, while an even larger number of bosons is required to reproduce the low-lying states of the A=44 nuclei. In order to obtain equally good results with a smaller number of bosons one needs to introduce effective boson Hamiltonians which correspond to truncated fermion spaces.


Why do living creatures die ? Part of the answer is clearly that they are constantly exposed to the fatal hazards of injury and infection. Wild animals rarely survive for long the naked eruelties of Nature. Only when shielded in captivity do they live on to show senescence. Man follows this general pattern. Two thousand years ago death was likely to overtake him before he reached his fourth decade; with the passage of the centuries his life expectancy slightly increased. But it is only in the past 60 years that the outlook has reached the prophet's span of three-score years and ten. With this increased longevity has come a marked change in the demographic pattern of the population and also a change in the causes of death. Infections no longer exact their earlier toll ; cardiovascular disease and cancer now take their places as Captains of the Men of Death. But this leads to another question. What would happen if all external hazards could be eliminated ? Would the organism be immortal, or is there an inevitable limit to its life span determined by inherent factors-a property which Gowers in the clinical field had named " biotrophy " ? In a sense the protozoon reproducing by fission may be immortal and, in the same sense also, the germ cells of higher organisms. But what of the organism as a whole and its intrinsic units ? The problem is of course complicated, but the "holism" of the organism, on which continuation of life depends, is based upon the symbiosis of a society of cells. The isolated chicken's heart, for instance, may be made to survive for extraordinary periods. This problem is the core of Professor Medawar's unsolved problem of biology. He uses the term " ageing " to indicate simply the passage of time; when he wishes to indicate those changes, both structural and functional, which ageing colloquially signifies, he uses the word " senescence." He discusses briefly the measurement of senescence, and shows that, when assessed in the individual by such tests as wound healing, hearing acuity, physical strength, endurance, and the accuracy of muscular coordination, several different answers must be given. Taking vulnerability to the mortal hazards of life as a measurement of vitality, it is simple statistically to construct a curve which measures the likelihood of dying within a selected age period, and from such a curve to compute the death rate at any age, the mean expectation of life at any age, and the likelihood of one age living to another. Any such curve, however, represents b-oth (a) "the accumulated sum of the effects of recurrent stress or injury or infection," and (b) " the innate or ingrained senescence" and to dissociate these is practically impossible. Professor Medawar is chiefly concerned with innate senescence, and to illuminate his theme he makes fascinating use of a model of test-tubes with a breakage rate of 10% per month, in which the breakages are made good by replacements mixed randomly with the pre-existing stock (analogous to reproduction). He is able to dispel two commonly held but mistaken views: the first is that a potentially immortal population, subject to the hazards of Nature, will be "numerically overwhelmed with dotards "; and the second, that senescence in higher animals is a consequence of their having a post-reproductive period of lifein fact, this post-reproductive period results from senescence. If after a certain age the test-tubes disintegrate (that is, are mortal), the consequences to the postulated race of test-tubes will depend upon the age at which dissolution occurs. Moreover, he shows that the force of natural selection weakens with increasing age, and that if a genetic abnormality appears late enouigh in life its consequences may be completely negligible; thus the postponement of the time of overt action of a noxious genetic factor is equivalent to its elimination. Other consequences, including clinical problems of heredity, are touched upon in this necessarily brief but most stimulating lecture. It should be read by all who are interested not only in the problem of senescence but also in the use of mechanical models, despite their manifest limitations, in the elucidation of biological problems. For Professor Medawar the origin and evolution of senescence are not insoluble genetical mysteries, but the theory he offers is, as he frankly recognizes, hardly self-sufficient. We may, however, look with confidence to Professor Medawar to bridge many of the existing gaps in our knowledge of this important topic. HENRY COHEN.


The Goliad Formation consists of four depositional systems--the Realitos and Mathis bed-load fluvial systems in the southwest and the Cuero and Eagle Lake mixed-load fluvial systems in the northeast. Detailed facies analysis indicates that Goliad bed-load and mixed-load fluvial systems represent two contrasting depositional environments. Five facies are recognized in the Realitos and Mathis bed-load fluvial systems: (1) primary channel-fill facies, (2) chaotic flood channel-fill facies, (3) complex splay facies, (4) flood plain facies, and (5) playa facies. Both channel-fill and splay deposits consist primarily of gravel, sandy gravel, and coarse to medium gravelly sand. Primary channel-fill deposits are characterized by large-scale accretionary foresets and trough cross-beds, localized scour-and-fill structures, and massive beds. Fining upward trends are crudely developed to absent, and no diagnostic vertical sequence of sedimentary textures and structures has been recognized. Chaotic flood channel-fill deposits are characterized by erratic interbedding of coarse and fine units, and of erosional and accretionary feat res. Individual beds have chaotic or poorly ordered textural profiles, and an absence of well-developed internal structures. Extensive flocks of stacked scour-and-fill structures are common. Complex splay deposits share characteristics of both crevasse and sheet splays. A model for Realitos-Mathis depositional environments shows arid-climate braided stream complexes with extremely coarse sediment load, highly variable discharge, and marked channel instability. Broad, shallow, straight to slightly sinuous primary channels were flanked by wide flood channels. These acted as part of the flood plain under most conditions, but as channels during high intensity flood flow. Flood channels passed laterally into broad, low-relief flood plains. Small playas occupied topographic lows near large channel axes. Three facies are recognized in the Cuero and Eagle Lake mixed-load fluvial systems: (1) channel-fill facies, (2) crevasse splay facies, and (3) flood plain facies. Channel-fill deposits consist of coarse to medium sand and gravelly sand, with a variety of large- and intermediate-scale sedimentary structures. Small-scale structures are common in finer grained beds. Fining-upward sequences are moderately well developed and commonly stacked. Crevasse splay deposits consist of medium to fine sand and silt, with abundant small-scale sedimentary structures. A model for Cuero-Eagle Lake depositional environments shows coarse-grained meander belts in a semi-arid climate. Slightly to moderately sinuous meandering streams were flanked by low, poorly developed natural levees. Crevasse splays were common, but tended to be broad and ill-defined. Extensive, low-relief flood plains occupied interaxial areas. While a number of models for coarse-grained meander belts exist in the literature, there are few models for arid-climate, gravel-rich braided stream complexes. These systems are likely to be characterized by extreme hydrodynamic complexity, which will be reflected in the resultant sedimentary package. The model proposed for the Realitos and Mathis fluvial systems may aid in recognition of analogous ancient depositional systems. In addition, since facies characteristics exercise broad controls on Goliad uranium mineralization, the proposed depositional models aid in defining target zones for Goliad uranium exploration. End_of_Article - Last_Page 484------------


Lacrimal ductal cysts are uncommon lesions that can occur everywhere in and around the eye. Ectopic location is very rare and can be misleading in the differential diagnosis of orbital masses. In this article we present the case of a 61-year-old-man with a medial intraconal ductal cyst of his right orbit. The patient was successfully treated with surgical excision.


Purpose Many studies show correlation between polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD),but the underlying pathogenic genes are not clear. This study by using the bioinformatics method aims to search the key genes involved in these 2 diseases.
Methods The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets coming from the GEO database GSE63067 -NAFLD patients and healthy controls, and GSE34526 -PCOS patients and normal controls, are downloaded. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of 2 diseases datasets and the common genes are obtained. After GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of common genes are performed. To find the key genes between NAFLD and PCOS, a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network is carried out. In addition, the diagnostic value of key genes in PCOS is analyzed.
Results According to NAFLD and PCOS downloaded datasets,34 common genes,21 key genes,15 GO terms and 4 KEGG pathways are obtained. Further,based on the top 6 key genes,the corresponding area under the curve (AUC) by constructing ROC curves in the PCOS is 0.909 (95% CI, 0.775–1.000).
Conclusions The study identify some key genes in the occurrence and progression between NAFLD and PCOS. In the future,to verify our results,it need experimental and clinical research.


The effects of whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) on animal tumors and on metastasis frequency were studied. The tumors were a chemically-induced fibrosarcoma, FSa-I, which is moderately immunogenic and a spontaneously arisen fibrosarcoma, FSa-II, which is very weakly immunogenic. The WBH was given at 42.5 degrees in an incubator which had an auxiliary heater for accurate temperature control. Animal core temperature reached 41.5 degrees in 30 min. The lung colony assay revealed that the WBH for 60 min given at 24 hr after i.v. injection of single cells gave no lethal damage to either FSa-I or -II tumor cells. A significant inhibition of tumor growth was found when large tumors were given three daily WBH treatments. The frequency of lung metastasis was enhanced when large weakly immunogenic FSa-II tumors were treated by WBH, although no increase in the frequency was observed for FSa-I tumors of any size. Local hyperthermia did not significantly increase the metastasis rate of both tumors. These results suggest that the WBH might be useful for a treatment of large immunogenic tumors. However, the WBH is not a choice of treatment for possible micro-metastases.


Fertilised mouse eggs develop the oolemma block to sperm penetration within 1 h. This block makes zona-free eggs at the pronuclear stage (zygotes) fully resistant to sperm penetration. In this study we investigated whether this block can spread – as a result of cell fusion – to the oolemma of eggs that are competent to be penetrated by spermatozoa. Preovulatory (GV) oocytes, ovulated oocytes in metaphase II (MII) and 1-cell parthenotes were fused with zygotes and the hybrid cells inseminated at various intervals after fusion. Sperm penetration was assessed on the basis of the presence of Giemsa-positive sperm heads in the air-dried preparations. The oolemma block to sperm penetration develops in all types of hybrids although at different speeds: it develops fast (2–3 h) in oolemma derived from MII oocytes and artificially activated eggs, and slowly in oolemma derived from GV oocytes. In the GV oocyte–zygote hybrids the time of formation of the block varied: while 50% of cells lost the ability to fuse with sperm by 2 h after fusion, in the remaining cells the block must have developed some time between 5 and 18 h after fusion. How these sperm-induced modifications of the oolemma of fertilised egg spread in the hybrid cell and render the 'virgin' part of oolemma resistant to sperm penetration remains unknown.


Recent advances in power electronic drive converters have led to an increased use of this technology for electric propulsion and other variable speed drive applications on marine vessels such as ships and offshore oil platforms. The current and voltage harmonics these devices introduce however have caused marine regulating bodies to introduce strict harmonic voltage limits to ensure that the reliability of equipment and the safety of crews are not compromised by their use. In order to meet these new standards, methods to control harmonics must be adopted. This paper will discuss some of these methods and present an application where a unique wide spectrum passive harmonic filter was used to meet harmonic limits on a cable laying ship that previously required the use of rented generators to allow operation of variable speed drives.


The work of this paper mainly includes two parts. The first part is to simplify the stress boundary equation of the complex Steigmann-Ogden surface model expressed by the surface gradient operator in spherical coordinates to the stress boundary equation expressed by the spatial gradient operator according to the surface projection tensor. This simplification can directly substitute the complex formula into the fingermark method and directly calculate it into the sizeable mathematical calculation software. In the second part, based on the Mori-Tanaka hole model, the displacement field is decoupled into a hydrostatic and partial displacement field. Based on the homogenization approach, the equivalent elastic modulus of nanoporous materials is solved by satisfying the displacement boundary equation on the boundary of the representative volume element (RVE). The hydrostatic displacement field corresponds to the macroscopic equivalent bulk modulus, while the offset displacement field corresponds to the macroscopic equivalent shear modulus. Finally, this paper conducted auspicious numerical experiments on various surface elastic parameters and explored their control mechanisms. The research in this paper can provide a theoretical basis for designing and manufacturing nanoporous materials.


Wherever there is electric power, 60-hertz (60-Hz) electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) are produced. Recently, conflicting reports have been published by government agencies about adverse health effects linked to EMFs. This paper seeks to identify the demographic and job-related factors that may explain differences among experts' perception of risk attributable to EMFs. Eighty-one participants at a bioelectromagnetics conference completed a survey on risk perceptions. Results indicated that education and employment sector were significant predictors of agreement with the statement that EMFs are not a problem. Future studies should look at the role of risk perception on environmental risk communication and determine the extent of message distortion, if any, based upon employment and demographic characteristics.


To the Editor: We thank Drs. Han and Smith for their thoughtful editorial1 that accompanied our 2 papers describing results of the WIN-R (WeightBased Dosing of Peginterferon alfa-2b and Ribavirin) trial,2,3 in which patients with chronic hepatitis C were treated with peginterferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2b 1.5 g/kg/week plus flat-dose (FD; 800 mg/day) or weight-based dose (WBD; 800-1400 mg/day) ribavirin (RBV). The authors appropriately focused on the importance and superiority of WBD RBV in hepatitis C virus genotype 1–infected patients and provided an excellent review of the treatment of African Americans. However, several points require correction or clarification. The authors state that before 2001, the accepted dose of RBV was 800 mg. Actually, RBV was approved for use with standard, unmodified interferon alfa-2b at doses of 1000-1200 mg in the late 1990s. Later, RBV was approved in the United States for use with PEG-IFN alfa-2b at a dose of 800 mg; currently, the approved dose is 800-1200 mg, based on body weight, in the rest of the world. When using PEG-IFN alfa-2a, the approved RBV dose is 1000-1200 mg in the United States and abroad. Therefore, the statement "currently approved therapies recommend 'standard' WBD RBV in combination with PEG-IFN alfa-2a or 2b" is inaccurate. In fact, there is no "standard" WBD of RBV. A main objective of the WIN-R trial was to evaluate whether the regimen approved in many countries—PEG-IFN alfa-2b 1.5 g/kg/week plus WBD RBV (800-1200 mg/day)—was superior to the U.S.-approved regimen of PEG-IFN alfa-2b 1.5 g/ kg/week plus RBV 800 mg/day. Further, because there are many heavy ( 105 kg) patients in the United States, WIN-R also evaluated a novel, 1400-mg/day RBV dosage, which is not approved anywhere. Although not mentioned in the editorial, we reported equivalent sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in patients weighing 105 kg and receiving RBV 1400 mg/day compared with patients weighing 105 kg and receiving RBV 800-1200 mg/day, as well as equivalent hematologic safety across weight categories. We regard this as an important additional finding of the study that should lead to consideration of RBV 1400 mg in heavy patients weighing 105 kg. The authors of the editorial ascribed to us a suggestion, which we did not make, that the WBD range of RBV used in our study was superior to that used in the study of Hadziyannis et al.,4 in which RBV 800 mg/day was compared with RBV 1000-1200 mg/day (both in combination with flat-dose PEG-IFN alfa-2a [180 g/week]), based on a greater relative difference in SVR rates between the FD and WBD groups in our study. We made this comparison only with regard to African Americans with genotype 1 infection in the WIN-R trial,3 in whom the increment in SVR with WBD RBV was greater than in the overall patient cohorts of either study.2-4 The intent in our primary paper2 in citing the study by Hadziyannis et al.4 was to underscore the demonstration in the WIN-R trial that a broad WBD range of RBV, combined with weight-based PEG-IFN alfa-2b, produces equivalent SVR rates across a broad range of patient body weights, an issue not addressed in the Hadziyannis et al.4 study. Because this study is the only other one to compare a PEG-IFN alfa with WBD versus flat-dose RBV, we believed it was reasonable to examine the results of this study compared with ours. Further, Hadziyannis et al.4 reached similar conclusions concerning the difference between FD and WBD in both genotype 1 and 2/3 patients. Lastly, in the pivotal trial by Fried et al.,5 which also used flat-dose PEG-IFN alfa-2a and WBD RBV 1000-1200 mg, SVR rates were significantly affected by body weight, favoring patients weighing 75 kg. Additional studies are needed to address the comparative efficacy of PEG-IFN alfa-2a–based and PEG-IFN alfa-2b–based regimens in patients with various body weights. A large, multicenter, U.S.-based study comparing such regimens is nearing completion and may yield further insights into this issue. The authors of the editorial suggested that use of erythropoiesisstimulating agents led to the comparable discontinuation rates seen in WIN-R and the pivotal trial by Manns et al.6 In WIN-R, these agents were not permitted in lieu of dose reduction/discontinuation, and although our database admittedly was incomplete, their reported usage (9% in the WBD group and 5% in the FD group) does not support a substantial effect on discontinuation rates. Finally, the authors of the editorial described the African American subanalysis as "post hoc." Although WIN-R was not prospectively powered for this subanalysis, it was a protocol-specified secondary efficacy analysis and was appropriate to perform when the primary efficacy end point was met. Secondary data analyses are often not hypothesis-driven and the result of data "dredging"; as such, they can be prone to type 2 error. This analysis of WIN-R was an a priori, hypothesis-driven question and deserved individual consideration. Given the analytic strategy, the concordance with prior data, and the P value of 0.0006, the likelihood of type 2 error is extremely low. We suspect that analyses of important subgroups such as African Americans will and should continue to be nested in large clinical trials, because individual trials in African American patients are unlikely to be feasible or cost-effective.


Among the interurban road pricing policies, the metropolitan road tolling policies need to be differently analyzed because of its specific characteristics. In fact, the urban and metropolitan areas intercept most of the daily journeys which contribute to congestion and which are very sensible to the toll because of their daily frequency. The mobility survey developed on the Madrid Metropolitan Area shows that from 1996 to 2004 the number of mechanized trips increased by 52%, whereas the population increased only by 14%. An efficient way to manage the increasing car travel demand could be the implementation of a metropolitan toll in the more congested road sections. One of the most popular "congestion pricing policies" is the toll-ring scheme used in Norwey (such as Trondheim and Bergen) and in Stockholm, where the vehicles are taxed when entering or exiting the city centre, especially during peak periods. In fact, a toll-ring scheme discourages orbital diversions, achieving higher efficiency and environmental benefits. A methodology to evaluate the implementation of a congestion pricing policy like a toll-ring scheme in a metropolitan area like Madrid during the peak hour will be defined. The main result of the paper is in terms of the equity effects. The comparison of two different road sections shows that in the wealthier metropolitan area, the north of the M40 ring, the burden of the toll is higher on the lower income users.


Global unemployment has now reached its highest level since the great depression of the 1930s. Technologies which have brought miraculous improvements in efficiency and productivity have also slashed the numbers employed in manufacturing and agriculture, while the service sector is quite unable to take up the slack. While a tiny elite of "knowledge workers" -scientists, entrepreneurs an consultants - will still be in demand, most jobs are disappearing fast, resulting in the creation of a morose "underclass", caught between apathy and criminal violence. Such, argues the author in this powerful polemic, is our true situation today. We can either bury our heads the sand or urgently rewrite the social contract by expanding the independent (non-profit) third sector, cutting the working week and sharing out the fruits of progress. The choice will determine the future of us all.


We present immunophysical modeling for VCP, SPICE, and three mutants using MD simulations and Poisson-Boltzmann-type electrostatic calculations. VCP and SPICE are homologous viral proteins that control the complement system by imitating, structurally and functionally, natural regulators of complement activation. VCP and SPICE consist of four CCP modules connected with short flexible loops. MD simulations demonstrate that the rather complex modules of VCP/SPICE and their mutants exhibit a high degree of intermodular spatial mobility, which is affected by surface mutations. Electrostatic calculations using snapshots from the MD trajectories demonstrate variable spatial distribution of the electrostatic potentials, which suggests dynamic binding properties. We use covariance analysis to identify correlated modular oscillations. We also use electrostatic similarity indices to cluster proteins with common electrostatic properties. Our results are compared with experimental data to form correlations between the overall positive electrostatic potential of VCP/SPICE with binding and activity. We show how these correlations can be used to predict binding and activity properties. This work is expected to be useful for understanding the function of native CCP-containing regulators of complement activation and receptors and for the design of antiviral therapeutics and complement inhibitors.


Abstract The effect of proximity to a transit system on property values has become a key issue of debate regarding public infrastructure and economic development. This article aims to examine the impact of selected stations along the Blue line of Delhi Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) on commercial property prices. The research analyzed 1,413 commercial property parcels sold before and after the commissioning of Blue line in 2005. Hedonic Price Analysis (HPA) was used to estimate the effects of proximity to the metro rail on commercial property values. The method was applied to two time periods, i.e., from 2000-2004 and 2005-2008, coinciding with planning and construction (pre-commissioning phase and the operation phase (post-commissioning phase) of metro rail using actual sale prices of commercial units. The results indicate that a station node shows a negative trend during the planning and construction period. However, the operation period has produced a significant price premium associated with commercial properties, connected with improved accessibility. The coefficients indicate that MRTS has induced an increase in prices from INR 732.80 to INR 246.19, and its radius of impact covers an area of approximately 1/2 km from the stations. The methodology and results provide insight with a specific focus on commercial real estate values in other metropolitan cities developing and expanding MRTSs.


ABSTRACT The Gospel of Thomas with its spiritual eschatology is a timeless Platonic interpretation of the Early Christian faith. Nevertheless in its inner structure this interpretation may have been an intentional attempt to restore and re-present the realized eschatology mediated by the Holy Spirit as it was at the beginning. This was an experience that did not yet acknowledge the splitting of the Christian eschatology into the first and second coming of Jesus as the Messiah. The Thomasine group considered this early experience to be the most authentic expression of faith and tried to express it by means of a Platonic project.


Locally resonant phononic crystals have excellent low-frequency characteristics and can result in a small size controlling a long wavelength. Based on the locally resonant phononic crystal theory, locally resonant pentamode metamaterials with composite materials are proposed and studied. The acoustic band frequencies of the locally resonant pentamode metamaterials were found to be two orders of magnitude smaller than those of conventional Bragg-Scattering pentamode metamaterials with the same lattice constant. Therefore, the single-mode frequency regions and locally resonant acoustic bandgaps which are under 110 Hz can be obtained by locally resonant pentamode metamaterials with a centimeter-scale lattice constant. The figure of merit can be increased by 60.78%–138.08%. This kind of locally resonant pentamode metamaterial opens a new path for applications in low-frequency acoustic cloaking and control of long wavelengths using small structure dimensions.


Firms entering an industry de novo (start-up) and firms entering de alio (diversification away from another industry) differ in the initial entry conditions. In this paper, I propose that the differences in resource endowment, previous experience, and structural flexibility between de novo and de alio firms at the time of entry have long-lasting imprinting effects on their innovation behavior. In particular, I predict that de novo firms exert greater efforts and achieve greater technological outcomes in product innovation than de alio firms. Furthermore, I argue that firm entry mode explains additional variance in firm innovative behavior, which is not explained by entrant-incumbent status alone. I find strong empirical support for these predictions when analyzing product innovation of all firms that ever participated in the worldwide optical disk drive industry, 1983-1999. I discuss the implications of my findings for the entrant-incumbent research in the management of innovation literature.


In this chapter, two applications of Monte Carlo method in medicine are described. The first application is development of a Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), in which the intrinsic spatial and energy resolutions were estimated by simulating scintillation lights. The adequacy of the simulation was verified by comparisons of experimental results from a high-resolution SPECT. In addition, we proposed a method related to improving the spatial resolution relative to the conventional method, (the Anger method). The usefulness of the method and the performance were estimated by the simulation. The second application is an evaluation of a quantification technique for Positron Emission Tomography (PET). In cardiac PET using the isotope O-15, scatter events originating from outside the field of view (FOV), especially from the liver, influence the quantification of myocardial blood flow. We evaluated this influence by simulating trajectories of gamma rays. In section 1, we briefly describe Monte Carlo simulation tools in medicine and principle of PET/SPECT imaging. In sections 2 and 3, respectively, we describe applications to SPECT and PET.


Despite frequent moves, low–income black families are more likely than any other group to churn among disadvantaged neighborhoods, and the least likely to escape them. Traditional explanations for neighborhood inequality invoke racial preferences and barriers to living in high–income neighborhoods, but recent work suggests that it is also involuntary mobility—such as eviction—which predicts the neighborhood destinations of poor African American families in urban areas. However, we know little about how individuals actually make residential decisions under such unplanned and constrained conditions. Using longitudinal interviews with low–income African–American families residing in Mobile, AL, and Baltimore, MD, we describe the array of factors that lead poor black families to move, and describe how families secure housing in the wake of unplanned mobility. We observe that moving among the poor is more reactive than it is voluntary: Approximately 70 percent of most recent moves are catalyzed by landlords, housing quality failures, and violence. We show how this reactive mobility both accelerates and hampers residential selection in ways that may reproduce neighborhood context and inequality. Where mobility is characterized by a greater degree of agency, we show that the strategies families use to make decisions often prohibit them from investigating a wider range of residential options.


Purpose Many preceptors fill out students' clerkship-performance forms with all items marked with the maximum value. Because items are usually designed to measure somewhat specific behaviors, the authors questioned the validity of straight-line five (SL5) responses, and conducted an empirical validity study to investigate the measurement properties of these SL5 forms. Method In 1999–00 the authors undertook a correlation study and a generalizability study to assess the measurement characteristics of the SL5 forms. For the correlation study, they calculated mean scores for each of 168 students across forms, excluding the SL5 forms, then correlated this mean with the proportion of straight-line forms the student received. They conducted a generalizability analysis with and without the straight-line forms to determine the impact on score reliability. Results The proportion of SL5 forms was significantly correlated (r = .48, p < .0001) with the mean student score. Inclusion of the SL5 forms did not negatively affect the reliability of the mean score. Conclusion The SL5 forms appear to be valid ratings of students' performances. An informal comparison of the comments on SL5 forms and those not displaying this format supported this conclusion.


Background Differentiating between malignant and normal cells within tissue samples is vital for molecular profiling of cancer using advances in genomics and transcriptomics. Cell-surface markers of tumour–normal discrimination have additional value in terms of translatability to diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. In gastric cancer (GC), previous studies have identified individual genes or proteins that are upregulated in cancer. However, a systematic analysis of cell-surface markers and development of a composite panel involving multiple candidates to differentiate tumour from normal has not been previously reported. Methods Whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS) of GC and matched normal samples from the Singapore Gastric Cancer Consortium (SGCC) was used as a discovery cohort to identify upregulated putative cell-surface proteins. Matched WTS data from the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used as a validation cohort. Promising candidates from this analysis were validated orthogonally using multispectral immunohistochemistry (mIHC) with automated quantitative analysis using the Vectra platform. mIHC was performed on a tissue microarray containing matched normal, marginal and tumour tissues. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were analysed to identify markers with the highest diagnostic validity independently and in combination. Results Analysis of putative membrane protein transcripts from the SGCC discovery cohort WTS data (n=15 matched tumour and normal pairs) identified several differentially and highly expressed candidates in tumour compared with normal tissues. After validation with TCGA data (n=29 matched tumour and normal pairs), the following proteins were selected for mIHC analysis: CEACAM5, CEACAM6, CLDN4, CLDN7, and EpCAM. These were compared with established glycoprotein markers in GC, namely CA19-9 and CA72-4. Individual ROC curves yielded the best performance for CEACAM5 (area under the ROC curve (AUC)=0.80), CEACAM6 (AUC=0.82), EpCAM (AUC=0.83), and CA72-4 (AUC=0.76). Combined multiplexed imaging of these four markers revealed improved specificity and sensitivity for detection of tumour from normal tissue (AUC of 4-plex=0.91). Conclusion CEAMCAM5, CEACAM6, EpCAM, and CA72-4 form a versatile set of markers for robust discrimination of GC from adjacent normal tissue. As cell-surface markers, they are compatible with both IHC and live imaging approaches. These candidates may be exploited to improve automated identification of tumour tissue in GC.


Aim. To evaluate the results of retrograde biliary stenting in patients with pancreatobiliary diseases. Methods. In 2008-2012, 85 retrograde biliary stenting procedures were performed in 65 patients (28 men and 37 women) with pancreatobiliary diseases aged 33 to 86 years. Obstructive jaundice was diagnosed in 44 of 65 patients (in 67% of cases), ascending cholangitis - in 14 (21%) patients. Endoscopic biliary stenting was performed in 47 patients with benign pancreatobiliary diseases (chronic and post-surgical pancreatitis, benign common bile duct stricture, Mirizzi syndrome, intradiverticular papilla, common bile duct bile stones) and in 18 patients with malignancies (cancers of pancreas head, bile ducts and papillary cancer). Plastic biliary stents with a (diameter 2.5 to 3.3 mm) were used for stenting. Results. Endoscopic biliary stenting allows to resolve the clinical manifestations of оbstructive jaundice and cholangitis, to eliminate pain, to prevent the development of pancreatitis, to prepare patients for surgery. Serious complications of biliary stenting (stent migration in common bile duct, acute cholangitis) were observed in 5 of 85 procedures (5.9% of cases), and all were resolved after repeated endoscopic intervention. Conclusion. Endoscopic retrograde biliary stenting is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with both benign and malignant pancreatobiliary diseases, it is characterized by low rate of specific complications (5.8%) and had reduced the risk of acute pancreatitis in patients with papillostenosis and stricture of the common bile duct terminal part down to 3%.


To the Editor.— In patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)- or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related disorders, mucocutaneous manifestations caused by herpesvirus are frequent,1and may present with unusual clinical features.2Chronic anogenital ulcers due to herpes simplex virus (HSV), severe dermatomal herpes zoster (HZ), and protracted forms of varicella and vesiculobullous eruptions due to cytomegalovirus have all been described.3-5The purpose of this article is to illustrate a peculiar form of disseminated ecthymatous varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection in two patients with AIDS, which was characterized by necrotic cutaneous lesions and a prolonged course. Report of Cases.—Case 1. —A 35-year-old bisexual man with a history of varicella during childhood and condylomata acuminata for one year was found to be seropositive to HIV in May 1986, when he was hospitalized forPneumocystis cariniipneumonia and oral candidiasis. He developed cerebral toxoplasmosis in June 1986, and noted


Penicillium citrinum was isolated from fruits of a packinghouse in San Pedro Lagunillas, Nayarit, Mexico and turned out to be an endemic pathogen against Persian lime. This is the first report that involves this strain as a pathogen for citrus. The yeast Debaryomyces hansenii was evaluated for its effectiveness against P. citrinum in Persian lime. Dextrose and Tween 80 were added to the D. hansenii suspension in order to enhance its establishment in the fruit carposphere. The control of Persian lime decay caused by P. citrinum in postharvest and yeast population dynamics were evaluated. A 100% decay inhibition was obtained by the sole application of Debaryomyces hansenii even if population counts were minimal (3.3x105 CFU/fruit) at the end of the storage period (25th day) at 25°C and 60-75% of relative humidity. On the other hand, treatments with dextrose and Tween 80 promoted a better establishment of the yeast (3.2x108 UFC/fruit - 25 days storage), but infection by P. citrinum on Persian lime was higher (20 to 60% of infected fruits).


Three inorganic-organic hybrid framework cadmium thiosulfate phases have been investigated for adsorption and photodegradation of organic dye molecules. Different classes of organic dyes, viz., triaryl methane, azo, xanthene, anthraquinone, have been studied. The anionic dyes with sulfonate groups appear to readily adsorb on the cadmium thiosulfate compounds in an aqueous medium. The adsorption of the dye molecules, however, does not create any structural changes on the cadmium thiosulfate compounds, though weak electronic interactions have been observed. The adsorbed dyes have been desorbed partially in an alcoholic medium, suggesting possible applications in scavenging specific anionic dyes from the aqueous solutions. Langmuir adsorption/desorption isotherms have been used to model this behavior. UV-assisted (lambda(max) = 365 nm) photocatalytic decomposition studies on the cationic dyes indicate reasonable activity comparable with that of Degussa P-25 (TiO(2)) catalyst. Sunlight assisted photocatalytic studies have been carried out in detail employing hybrid framework compounds. The Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetics model, employed to follow the degradation profile of the organic dyes, indicates that the photocatalytic degradation follows the order: triaryl methane > azo > xanthene.


Information is stored, retrieved and disseminated by information centres hence they rarely survive without the effective utilisation of professional personnel to actualise the set goals such; as the satisfaction of the users and development of the employees. Information centres, like other organisations today, are fast growing with complex operations and structures which are continually changing and thus require effective employees prepared for goal accomplishment. Studies have identified manpower development programmes through articulated managerial planning and control exercise as one of the critical factors that can enhance survival and improve the organisational and personnel's efficiency. In other word, information centres cannot survive without the use of competent and experienced employees, who must strive to tackle the challenges of a changing world. Investment in manpower development is justified when management is able to get a good return on its investment through staff effectiveness. It is for the above reasons that the paper examined the managerial ability on planning and control towards staff development programme and the resultant impacts on workers' effectiveness. In addition, this paper concludes that in order to achieve a high level workers' efficiency, a conscious and well articulated managerial planning and control programmes that will dissolve the issues and implication associated with staff development exercise and improved efficiency must be put in place. It is therefore recommended that managers should at all-time should develop and maintain a coherent and continuous staff development plans and control mechanism that will yield effectiveness starting from the recruitment to retirement period of the personnel.


Most people think of Fiji as one of the world's most pristine vacation destination – beautiful beaches, dense tropical rain forests and value for money. These same attributes that throngs of tourists have come to enjoy at locations throughout the republic's 300 islands are also attracting investors from afar despite massive upheaval the media industry has experienced in recent years. A 2006 military coup – its fourth in 25 years – ushered in a series of tighter controls over traditional print, television, radio and online media. But the country's film industry has remained unscathed and has seen more and more attention from the largest film producer – Bollywood – because of its cost-effective production facilities, exchange rate, and exotic shooting locations available in the world. But fascination with Fiji and the Pacific as the exotic 'Other' is not a new thing with attention from Australia, Hollywood and Europe stretching back almost a hundred years. Authors: Ian Weber, PhD is Coordinator, Journalism Programme at the University of the South Pacific and QUT alumni (1995, 2000). Anurag Subrimani is a lecturer in film within Literature at the University of the South Pacific.


Rapid, precise, and reproducible deposition of a broad variety of functional materials, including analytical assay reagents and biomolecules, has made inkjet printing an effective tool for the fabrication of microanalytical devices. A ubiquitous office device as simple as a standard desktop printer with its multiple ink cartridges can be used for this purpose. This Review discusses the combination of inkjet printing technology with paper as a printing substrate for the fabrication of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs), which have developed into a fast-growing new field in analytical chemistry. After introducing the fundamentals of μPADs and inkjet printing, it touches on topics such as the microfluidic patterning of paper, tailored arrangement of materials, and functionalities achievable exclusively by the inkjet deposition of analytical assay components, before concluding with an outlook on future perspectives.


This presentation was given as the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) University Library Outreach Lecture, 28 January 2021This lecture reviews the growth of open access in recent years, and considers the position of major publishers as they adjust their business models. Key developments at present include the impact of Plan S, the shift towards transformative read and publish agreements, and the impact of mergers and acquisitions on the commercial landscape. The lecture illustrates the opportunities and challenges for individual institutions by reviewing agreements established between Carnegie Mellon and leading commercial, society, university and open access publishers.


Background: Anthropometric studies in children and adolescents are important to screen changes in growth and puberty. Hence, standard percentiles and cutoffs are set by the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Iranian national criteria. This study aimed to examine and compare the prevalence of weight disorders in children and adolescents in Lorestan province according to different criteria.
Methods: Children and adolescents (6–18 years) were randomly selected from the urban and rural areas by the multistage stratified cluster sampling method. All Iranian citizens aged who resided in Lorestan province for at least one year were eligible to participate in this study. After obtaining consent forms, researchers gathered the accurate anthropometrics and body mass index (BMI) measurements.
Results: A total of 866 children and adolescents took part in the study, 447(51.6%) of whom were girls and 419 (48.4%) were boys. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 17% in boys and 12.5% in girls. The prevalence of underweight in girls was 5.8%; while in boys it was 4.5%. The total prevalence rate of underweight according to the national criteria was 5.2%. However, this rate increased to 12% and 12.6% by using WHO and CDC cut-off points, respectively. The highest prevalence of overweight was obtained by CDC (15.8%), followed by WHO (13%); while national cut-off points resulted in 9.7%. Furthermore, 9.2% of the studied population was found to be obese by WHO; while this rate was 4.2%, and 5% by CDC and national cut-off points.
Conclusion: This study indicated the coexisting prevalence of underweight and obesity and high prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents in Lorestan province. Furthermore, using the WHO and CDC criteria leads to overestimating the prevalence of weight disorder compared to the national cut-off points in Iran.