The spatial variation of the rotational temperature of the 0-0 band of the A transition of SiH in radio frequency pure silane discharges is investigated by utilizing a method of improved accuracy for the simulation of the emission spectrum. Furthermore, the variation of the rotational temperature as a function of the pressure at the maximum intensity position of the interelectrode space is examined. The results are used to extract information about the relative variations of the electron energy distribution function and the effective electron density in the interelectrode space. Thus, it is considered that there is a sensitive relation of the observed high rotational temperatures to the mean electron energy, provided that the electron energy distribution function does not change. More specifically, a decrease of the rotational temperature is observed on moving away from the powered electrode sheath region and a similar decrease is also detected with increasing pressure. This behaviour is compared with the spatial emission intensity profiles. The variation of the space-integrated emission intensity under the various discharge conditions, related to the modification of the effective electron density, is also presented.


Abstract Meta-sediments in the Larsemann Hills that preserve a coherent stratigraphy, form a cover sequence deposited upon basement of mafic–felsic granulite. Their outcrop pattern defines a 10 kilometre wide east–west trending synclinal trough structure in which basement–cover contacts differ in the north and the south, suggesting tectonic interleaving during a prograde, D1 thickening event. Subsequent conditions reached low-medium pressure granulite grade, and structures can be divided into two groups, D2 and D3, each defined by a unique lineation direction and shear sense. D2 structures which are associated with the dominant gneissic foliation in much of the Larsemann Hills, contain a moderately east-plunging lineation indicative of west-directed thrusting. D2 comprises a colinear fold sequence that evolved from early intrafolial folds to late upright folds. D3 structures are associated with a high-strain zone, to the south of the Larsemann Hills, where S3 is the dominant gneissic layering and folds sequences resemble D2 folding. Outside the D3 high-strain zone occurs a low-strain D3 window, preserving low-strain D3 structures (minor shear bands and upright folds) that partly re-orient D2 structures. All structures are truncated by a series of planar pegmatites and parallel D4 mylonite zones, recording extensional dextral displacements. D2 assemblages include coexisting garnet–orthopyroxene pairs recording peak conditions of ∼ 7 kbar and ∼ 780°C. Subsequent retrograde decompression textures partly evolved during both D2 and D3 when conditions of ∼ 4–5 kbar and ∼ 750°C were attained. This is followed by D4 shear zones which formed around 3 kbar and ∼ 550°C. It is tempting to combine D2–4 structures in one tectonic cycle involving prograde thrusting and thickening followed by retrograde extension and uplift. The available geochronological data, however, present a number of interpretations. For example, D2 was possibly associated with a clockwise P–T path at medium pressures around ∼ 1000 Ma, by correlation with similar structures developed in the Rauer Group, whilst D3 and D4 events occurred in response to extension and heating at low pressures at ∼ 550 Ma, associated with the emplacement of numerous granitoid bodies. Thus, decompression textures typical for the Larsemann Hills granulites maybe the combined effect of two separate events.


Twenty samples of polluted water were collected from Damietta's canals and drainages located near the industrial area of New Damietta. Initial concentrations of heavy metals including (zinc, copper and lead) in the polluted water were determined. Fourty–five fungal species were isolated. Mucor racemosus, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, Trichoderma koningi and Rhizopus oryzae were isolated frequently. On the basis of its frequency, Mucor racemosus was chosen for biosorption studies. Free and immobilized biomass of Mucor racemosus sequestered ions in this decreasing sequence Cu > Zn > Pb. The effects of biomass concentration, pH and time of contact were investigated. The level of ion uptake rose with increasing biomass till 200 mg and then decreased with increasing biomass. The maximum uptake for Cu (60.13 mg/g), Zn (57.67 mg/g) and Pb (21.97 mg/g) respectively occurred at 200 mg/l biomass. The uptake rose with increasing pH up to 5 in the case of Zn and Cu and 4 in the case of Pb. Maximum uptake for all metals was achieved after 15 minutes. Ion uptake followed the Langmuir adsorption model, permitting the calculation of maximum uptake and affinity coefficients. Treatment of Mucor racemosus biomass with 0.1 M NaOH at 120°C for 6 h improved biosorbent capacity, as did immobilization with alginate. Immobilized biomass could be regenerated readily with treatment with dilute HCl. The biomassalginate complex efficiently removed Zn, Cu and Pb from polluted water samples. Therefore, Mucor racemosus could be employed either in free or immobilized form as a biosorbent of metal ions in waste water.


The purpose of this study is to suggest the basic data for the best suited design and the effective operation of C.R.(Clean Room) by quantifying the time required for cleanness. The air velocity of the C.R. used in this study was almost uniform and the laminar flow was proved. The class 10 of the cleanness was measured at about 17 seconds after the fan was operated when the number of air changewas 478.5 and the class 100 when the number of air change was 204 . The main reason for the differences between the measured results and the calculated particle concentration by the theory of perfect diffusion is considered that the uniformity of airflow was maintained. So, more accurate measurements and more close study of the theoretical formula are needed to verify the reason more radically.


Two cases of ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament (OALL) associated with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) presenting as dysphagia are reported. DISH has long been regarded as a radiological entity manifesting flowing ossification adjacent to the anterior and lateral borders of at least four contiguous vertebral bodies, maintenance of disc spaces, and a dearth of bony ankylosis and erosion of the apophyseal and sacroiliac joints. In the majority of cases, this entity shows an innocuous clinical course, but the dysphagia shown in our cases has also been documented in previous literature. Case 1 was a 63-year-old male developing progressive dysphagia and rhinolalia. Cervical X-rays and CT showed flowing OALL in the entire cervical spine. MRI demonstrated displacement of the trachea and esophagus by this mass. There was OALL in the thoracic and lumbar spine. Case 2 was a 62-year-old male who had undergone removal of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) from C2 to C5. He developed dysphagia and myelopathy. Cervical X-rays and CT demonstrated projection of OALL as well as posterior osteophytes at C5/6. MRI suggested that OALL had caused dysphagia, and osteophytes deteriorated myelopathy. Removal of OALL was carried out in these two cases. In case 2, removal of the osteophytes and herniated disc was carried out at the same time. Postoperative course was unremarkable with improvement of symptoms. Treatment of dysphagia due to OALL is considered to be conservative. However, surgical decompression should be considered in cases of marked projection of OALL obstructing the esophagus as shown in our cases.


The purpose of this paper is to analyze the sustainability of exchange rate nominal anchor. In order to follow through the process of establishing such an anchor, a model formulated by Cukierman, Kiguel & Liviatan (1992) is extended to capture both commitment and anti-inflationary reputation of monetary authorities. The main finding is that if the assumptions concerning complete information about the future level of exchange rate as well as perfect homogeneity of domestic and foreign government securities are overruled, the exchange rate nominal anchor can be sustained in the short-term. This is especially the case of emerging and developing economies which usually base their antiinflationary programs on exchange rate nominal anchor, due to lack of domestic monetary policy credibility. However, this policy is biased with a vicious circle: in order to build reputation, a tough commitment concerning exchange rate must be formulated, but fulfilling this commitment is extremely hard due to repeating disturbances, which can be offset only with the use of fiscal policy. In the long-term, as situation of public finances deteriorates, exchange rate nominal anchor is exposed to more and more severe shocks that eventually may lead to its breakdown. (original abstract)


This manuscript reviews the frequencies, symptoms, testing, and reporting of genotypes with the 5T polythymidine tract which reduces splicing efficiency in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene in congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) patients and in patients and fetuses with cystic fibrosis-like symptoms. The 5T sequence has not been included in the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) CFTR mutation panel recommended for screening pregnant women for an increased fetal risk of cystic fibrosis (CF; MIM 219700) because finding this allele would raise concern for possible CFTR gene-related symptoms in many fetuses, even though only a fraction inheriting 5T and another major CFTR mutation would develop CF-like symptoms. In contrast, 40-80% of the symptomatic patients with CBAVD (MIM 277180) are compound heterozygotes for the 5T sequence. This submission provides template report summaries for CBAVD patient results for the 5T allele when tested along with the 23 most common ACMG mutation panel. If CBAVD patients were also tested with the remaining 16 most common reported mutations in CBAVD, the derived proportion of patients with at least one CFTR mutant allele is predicted to increase from 63% to 97%. Testing for the 5T sequence in symptomatic patients and reflex 5T testing in fetuses found to carry a major CF allele are discussed because finding the 5T sequence in these patients lowers the risk of typical severe symptoms. Additional reflex testing for the number of TG repeats adjacent to a 5T allele further modifies the predicted long-term severity of disease symptoms in patients and fetuses that are compound heterozygotes for a major CF mutation and the 5T sequence. Even though patient advice can be modified currently based upon the adjacent TG-repeat number, the final most accurate risk frequencies with different 5T + TG-repeat alleles are likely to become available only after a statistically robust study of a substantially larger patient population is completed with multiple well-defined clinical and mutation categories.


Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers in the United States with 56,390 estimated new cases and 11,170 estimated deaths in 2014. The majority of deaths is due to metastatic spread. Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating bladder tumor cell invasion and progression toward metastases is essential for developing better therapies to treat bladder cancer patients. The growth factor progranulin plays an important role in cell proliferation, wound healing and transformation. We have recently established a critical role for progranulin in bladder cancer insofar as progranulin promotes urothelial cancer cell motility and contributes, as an autocrine growth factor, to the transformed phenotype by modulating invasion and anchorage-independent growth. In addition, progranulin expression is upregulated in invasive bladder cancer tissues compared to normal controls. However, the molecular mechanisms of progranulin action in bladder cancer have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we searched for novel progranulin-interacting proteins using pull-down assays with recombinant progranulin and proteomics. We discovered that drebrin, an F-actin binding protein, bound progranulin in urothelial cancer cells. We characterized drebrin function in various urothelial cancer cell lines and showed that drebrin is critical for progranulin-dependent activation of the Akt and MAPK pathways and modulates F-actin remodeling, motility, invasion and anchorage-independent growth. In addition, drebrin regulates tumor formation in vivo and its expression is upregulated in bladder cancer tissues compared to normal tissue controls. Our data are translationally relevant as indicate that drebrin exerts an essential functional role in the regulation of progranulin action and may constitute a novel target for therapeutic intervention in bladder tumors. In addition, drebrin may serve as novel biomarker for bladder cancer. This work was supported by the Benjamin Perkins Bladder Cancer Fund, National Institutes of Health Grants RO1 CA164462 (A.M., R.V.I.), and RO1 CA39481 and RO1 CA47282 (R.V.I.), Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC) (grant n. 10625/12), AIRC project Calabria 2014 and Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Calabria e Lucania PON01_01078 (A.B.). Alaide Morcavallo was supported in part by Fondazione Diabete Ricerca. Citation Format: Shi-Qiong Xu, Simone Buraschi, Alaide Morcavallo, Marco Genua, Tomoaki Shirao, Stephen C. Peiper, Leonard G. Gomella, Antonino Belfiore, Renato V. Iozzo, Andrea Morrione. A novel role for drebrin in regulating progranulin bioactivity in bladder cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4945. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4945


We studied the behavior of Ga+ secondary ion intensity in relation to oxygen matrix effect in gallium focused ion beam secondary ion mass spectrometry (Ga FIB SIMS). In two types of experiments, namely, ambient oxygen gas introduction and removal of native oxide film, the Ga+ intensity was found to behave in relation to the oxygen matrix effect in the same way as the matrix ion intensity. From the results, we proposed a way to cancel the oxygen matrix effect by using implanted Ga as an internal standard. Furthermore, the accumulation manner of Ga in a sample was examined by changing the Ga+ dose rate and the incident angle of the FIB in order to clarify the experimental conditions under which the use of Ga+ standard is applicable.


Abstract Andrographolide, a major bioactive compound isolated from Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F.) Nees, was evaluated for its effects on the hOAT1 membrane transporter. Substrate determination and inhibition of hOAT1-mediated uptake transport assay was carried out using recombinant CHO-hOAT1 cells. The results showed that the uptake ratio of andrographolide was less than 2.0 at all concentrations tested, indicating that andrographolide is not a hOAT1 substrate. Andrographolide has no significant effects on the p-aminohippuric acid uptake and on the mRNA and protein expression of hOAT1. In conclusion, andrographolide may not pose a drug–herb interaction risk related to hOAT1.


In the paper, a novel instance of the real-coding steady-state genetic algorithm, called the Mean-adaptive real-coding genetic algorithm, is put forward. In this instance, three novel implementations of evolution operators are incorporated. Those are a recombination and two mutation operators. All of the evolution operators are designed with the aim of possessing a big explorative power. Moreover, one of the mutation operators exhibits selfadaptive behavior and the other exhibits adaptive behavior, thereby allowing the algorithm to self-control its own mutability as the search advances. This algorithm also takes advantage of population-elitist selection, acting as a replacement policy, being adopted from evolution strategies. The purpose of this paper (i.e., the first part) is to provide theoretical foundations of a robust and advanced instance of the real-coding genetic algorithm having the big potential of being successfully applied to electromagnetic optimization.


The model of the ecology of information work (Huvila, 2006, 2009) describes the relation of knowledge organisation systems, or in broader sense, the relation of information infrastructures and human information work. The present paper discusses the social aspects of information work and their impact on the interplay of information infrastructures and hu- man activity. The theoretical underpinnings of the discussion build on the ecological approach of Gibson, infrastructural theory and social informa- tion theory. The concluding remarks summarise a reading of the earlier model that places a specific emphasis on foregrounding the social pro- cesses relating to the emergence of information infrastructures and their related information work patterns.


A brief review is given of recent high resolution measurements on fragments arising from the collision-induced dissociation of fast (MeV) molecular ions. For solid targets, strong wake effects are observed. For gaseous targets, excited electronic states of the projectile ions play an important role. Measurements of this type provide useful information on the charge states of fast ions traversing matter. The experimental techniques show promise as a unique method for determining the geometrical structures of the molecular-ion projectiles. 41 references.


Introduction: Hospital portals, as the first virtual entry, play an important role in connecting people with hospital and also presenting hospital virtual services. The main purpose of this article was to suggest a conceptual model to improve Tehran private hospital portals. The suggested model can be used by all the health portals that are in the same circumstances and all the health portals which are in progress.Method: This is a practical research, using evaluative survey research method. Research population includes all the private hospital portals in Tehran, 34 portals, and ten top international hospital portals. Data gathering tool used in this research was a researcher-made checklist including 14 criteria and 77 sub-criteria with their weight score. In fact, objective observation with the mentioned checklist was used to gather information. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data and tables and graphs were used to present the organized data. Also, data were analyzed using independent t-test. Conceptual modeling technique was used to design the model and demonstration method was used to evaluate the proposed model. In this regard, SPSS statistical software was used to perform the tests.Results:The comparative study between the two groups of portals, TPH and WTH, in the 14 main criteria showed that the value of t-test in contact information criteria was 0.862, portal page specification was -1.378, page design criteria -1.527, updating pages -0.322, general information and access roads -3.161, public services -7.302, patient services -4.154, patient data -8.703, research and education -9.155, public relationship -3.009, page technical specifications -4.726, telemedicine -7.488, pharmaceutical services -6.183, and financial services -2.782. Finally, the findings demonstrated that Tehran private hospital portals in criterion of contact information were favorable; page design criteria were relatively favorable; page technical specifications, portal page specification, public relationship, patient data, general information and access roads, and financial services were inappropriate. Also, patient services, updating pages, public services, pharmaceutical services, research and education, and telemedicine were in a poor condition.Conclusion: Results of this study suggests that an appropriate model should contain 2 levels with 4 layers.Keywords: Private hospitals, Portals, Gap analysis, Conceptual model, Tehran city


The Honam Climate Change Experience Center has recently been opened to publicize and experience the phenomenon of global warming and diverse types of environmental issues that are caused by climate changes. However, the finishing materials in the court yard within the building are reflexive ones, such as glass or wood, cause an acoustic defect of excessive reverberation within the court yard. So the need to improve acoustic performance has been suggested constantly since the initial stage of its opening. From this perspective, this study aimed to measure acoustic performance through field experiment in the glass-faced court yard, identify acoustic defects, and use acoustic simulation to suggest five plans for improving acoustic performance. On the basis of the fifth plan expected to secure the optimal acoustic performance, the inner side of the court yard was remodeled to determine the variation and improvement in acoustic performance after the improvement of the glass-faced court yard. When the finished materials and others were changed to improve absorbing power and room constant at the stage of remodeling, acoustic performance suitable for "multipurpose halls" was obtained with the improvement of SPL(A) from 82.4 dB(A) to 76.4 dB(A), SPL500Hz from 72.3 dB to 61.1 dB, RT500Hz from 4.27 sec to 1.2 sec, D50,500Hz from 24.3% to 55.8%, C80,500Hz from -3.4 dB to 3.8 dB, and RASTI from 39.2% ("Poor") to 61.3% ("Good"). Therefore, the glass-faced court yard, which had required urgent improvement due to acoustic defects, had acoustic performance improved for a multipurpose space that enables diverse types of performance, events, gatherings, and lectures.


The boundary between the Saxothuringian and the Tepla–Barrandian zones at the western margin of the Bohemian Massif represents an important tectonic suture of the Central European Variscides. However, most of this boundary is covered by Late Carboniferous and younger sedimentary and volcanic rocks, which prevent direct observation of particular geological units. We present a compilation of geological and depth measurement data from 12,134 exploration boreholes that reached the basement of the volcanic and sedimentary infill in the area of the Eger Graben in the north-western Bohemia, and correlate covered geological units with those exposed on the present-day surface. The resulting compilation reveals the relief of the sedimentary basins basement and interprets the real extent of the basement geological units in the western part of the Bohemian Massif. It also shows the position of the contact between units with the Saxothuringian and the Tepla–Barrandian affinities and suggests the boundary between rocks with Devonian metamorphic record and those metamorphosed during the Early Carboniferous period of the Variscan tectonometamorphic cycle.


delta-Aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D:porphobilinogen synthase, 5-aminolevulinate hydro-lyase, EC 220.127.116.11) activity was depressed markedly in red cells of rats exposed to 0.21 g/m3 styrene, a chemical widely used in commercial products. The depression was not restored in vitro after treatment with dithiothreitol and zinc. Consistent with this finding, radioimmunoassay of the enzyme protein demonstrated reduction in the enzyme concentration by styrene exposure. There was a good correlation between the decrease in enzyme activity and its concentration in the styrene-treated animals, suggesting that the depression of the enzyme activity was essentially due to the reduction in the enzyme content. Decrease in the enzyme content in bone marrow cells to almost the same extent as that in erythrocytes seems to indicate the decreased synthesis of ALA-D in the bone marrow. In vitro studies showed that styrene 7,8-oxide, the major intermediate of styrene metabolism, decreased the activity of purified ALA-D but that styrene, the parent compound itself, had no inhibitory effect. The activity and concentration of erythrocyte ALA-D in workers chronically exposed to styrene were also depressed significantly. These findings indicate that the styrene exposure-mediated decrease of ALA-D activity in erythrocytes was a reflection of reduction in the enzyme protein, which may have been the result of styrene 7,8-oxide action, and they suggest that a similar process may also be involved in the reduction of erythrocyte ALA-D in styrene-exposed workers.


Objective(s): Diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) is one of the main complications of diabetes, and more than half of diabetes cases are accompanied by gastroparesis. This study aims to explore the effect of Atractylodes chinensis volatile oil (ACVO) on DGP rats. Materials and Methods: The rats were injected with STZ combined with a high-sugar and high-fat diet in an irregular manner to establish the DGP model. ACVO at different doses (9.11 mg/kg, 18.23 mg/kg, and 36.45 mg/kg) were given by intragastric administration. A mixture of cisapride and metformin was used as the positive control. At the end of the experiment, gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion were determined. Then the tissue samples and blood were taken from each group for serum analysis, western blot and immunopathological examination. Results: After treatment with ACVO, body weight increased and blood glucose decreased when compared with rats in the DGP group. Gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion were accelerated, and gastric acid secretion increased. The serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) level was increased. Protein expressions and positive cells of IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), acetylcholine transferase (CHAT), and stem cell factors (SCF) in the stomach were significantly increased determined by western blot and immunofluorescence staining. The morphology and the number of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in the stomach were restored, determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Conclusion: ACVO effectively alleviated DGP in rats, and its mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling.


We show that large language models (LLMs) can be adapted to be generalizable policies for embodied visual tasks. Our approach, called Large LAnguage model Reinforcement Learning Policy (LLaRP), adapts a pre-trained frozen LLM to take as input text instructions and visual egocentric observations and output actions directly in the environment. Using reinforcement learning, we train LLaRP to see and act solely through environmental interactions. We show that LLaRP is robust to complex paraphrasings of task instructions and can generalize to new tasks that require novel optimal behavior. In particular, on 1,000 unseen tasks it achieves 42% success rate, 1.7x the success rate of other common learned baselines or zero-shot applications of LLMs. Finally, to aid the community in studying language conditioned, massively multi-task, embodied AI problems we release a novel benchmark, Language Rearrangement, consisting of 150,000 training and 1,000 testing tasks for language-conditioned rearrangement. Video examples of LLaRP in unseen Language Rearrangement instructions are at https://llm-rl.github.io.


An adaptive electronic throttle control strategy is proposed with the aim to provide robust and precise positioning of the throttle plate. The control strategy consists of a PID controller and a nonlinear compensator of friction and limp-home effects. The adaptation mechanism includes auto-tuning and self-tuning algorithms. The auto-tuner provides automatic adjustment of the key control strategy parameters without any a priori knowledge of the process parameters. The self-tuning algorithms are based on the permanent, on-line estimation of the DC motor armature resistance, battery voltage, and limp-home position. The control strategy and the adaptation algorithms are verified experimentally.


Foreword Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba.com. Acknowledgments. About the Authors. Preface. Part I Alibaba.com: The Opportunity. Chapter 1 Alibaba.com Opens the Door to Global Trade. First a Little History. Alibaba.com's Corporate Goals and Values. Alibaba.com's Six Core Values. Alibaba.com Today. Alibaba.com Corporate Structure. Alibaba.com's Programs, Tools, and Events. Alibaba.com's 2008 e-Business Champion of the Year: Gene Rumley. Chapter 2 International Sourcing: This Isn't Kansas Anymore. International Sourcing: Your Challenge and Promise. Your First Sourcing Decision. Let's Put First Things First. Get a Tax ID Number and Register Your Business. Develop Your Product Idea. Build Your Prototype. Create and Test-drive Your Business Plan. Create a Business Calendar. Product Sourcing Basics. Calculate Your Budget. Safety Checks for Sourcing Products. Sourcing Internationally: New Challenges and Rewards. Leaving Kansas: Alibaba.com Opens a World of Opportunity. Importing Your Products. Chapter 2 Checklist. Chapter 3 Keys to Successful Importing. Your Education Begins. Your Partner's Responsibilities and Your Own. Terms You Need to Know. Standards, Certifications, and Regulations. Partners Who Can Help You. Who Are the Major Players? Can You Keep It Simple? Chapter 3 Checklist. Part II Putting Alibaba.com to Work for You. Chapter 4 The Alibaba.com Web site. Let's Start at the Home Page. Trade with the World. Keep Scrolling. Inspirational Success Stories. Alibaba.com Partners. Don't Underestimate the Bottom of the Page. Let's Get You Registered. Download TradeManager. A Tour of Alibaba.com's Links. Buy. Sell. Community. My Alibaba. Help. Alibaba.com's Search Engine. Chapter 4 Checklist. Chapter 5 Finding Business Partners. You Are the Boss, So It's All Up to You. Education through Experience. Establish Realistic Expectations for Your Suppliers. Set Criteria for Your Products Themselves. Build In Your Own Safety Checks. Fraud: Forewarned Is Forearmed. Qualify and Identify. Qualify and Legitimize. Let's Find Some Manufacturers. Searching for Partners. Posting a Buying Lead. Those First Few E-mails. Vetting Prospective Partners. Do You Like Their Attitudes? Quantify Them to Qualify Them. Communication, Communication, Communication!. Should You Travel to China or Anywhere Else? Chapter 5 Checklist. Chapter 6 Working with Your Suppliers. A Two-sided Partnership. Alibaba.com Can Help You Learn. Getting Your Products Right. Get Graphic. Ask for Samples. What to Do When Things Go Wrong. Chapter 6 Checklist. Chapter 7 Closing the Deal. Getting the Details Right. Your Pro Forma Invoice. Payment Schedules and Options. Spread Out Your Payments. Wire Transfers. Escrow Services. Letters of Credit. Shipping Details. Forge Good Relationships. Bill of Lading: The Final Document. Chapter 7 Checklist. Chapter 8 Safe Trading. Educate Yourself. Alibaba.com's Safety & Security Center. Safe Trading Forums. Other Web-based Resources You Can Use. Keeping Your Computer Safe. Security Help Available through Alibaba.com. Create Your Own Alibaba.com Sign-in Seal. E-mail Fraud. Trojans and Viruses. Protecting Your Computer. Chapter 8 Checklist. Chapter 9 Keeping the Pipeline Full. Your Customers Will Change Your Business. Your Partnerships Will Change Your Business. When You Are Ready to Travel, Get In Touch. Your Expertise Will Change Your Business. What Will You Do with Your Expertise? Turn Those Tables and Sell to the World. Alibaba.com's Selling Links and My Alibaba Selling Tools. Now Is the Time to Consider a Paid Account. Your Uncle Sam Stands Ready to Help. Chapter 9 Checklist. Part III Alibaba.com Success Stories. Gene Rumley-Bell Performance, Inc. Valarie Moody-Fodeo.net. Allison Taylor-Jack Webster, Inc. Mary Miller Pembleton and Gregg Pembleton-Thumball by Answers In Motion, LLC. Joshua Crumbaugh-Platinum Mortgage, Inc. Valerie Johnson-Big Feet Pajama Company. Index.


This article offers objectification theory as a framework for understanding the experiential consequences of being female in a culture that sexually objectifies the female body. Objectification theory posits that girls and women are typically acculturated to internalize an observer's perspective as a primary view of their physical selves. This perspective on self can lead to habitual body monitoring, which, in turn, can increase women's opportunities for shame and anxiety, reduce opportunities for peak motivational states, and diminish awareness of internal bodily states. Accumulations of such experiences may help account for an array of mental health risks that disproportionately affect women: unipolar depression, sexual dysfunction, and eating disorders. Objectification theory also illuminates why changes in these mental health risks appear to occur in step with life-course changes in the female body.


INTRODUCTION
a healthy breakfast is the one that includes a balanced portion of every nutrient qualitatively and quantitatively. Although it should supply the 20-25% calories of the day, it is usually insufficient or even absent.

OBJECTIVES
to study the food habits of schoolchildren and to participate in a health educational intervention of a Pharmaceutical Care Program with them.

RESULTS
only the 36.6% of students have a healthy breakfast every day. The health education achieves favorable changes in the behavior and opinions of the schoolchildren participating.

DISCUSSION
the percentage of students that have C group food is higher than in other studies. We can consider the fact that the School is located in a rural area with many vegetable gardens, and that can help students to eat more fruits. Another remarkable data is that the percentage of alumni that achieve a healthy breakfast is also higher than in other researchers.

CONCLUSIONS
the breakfast of students of Fifth and Six Degree of Primary School is imbalanced. Health education by an educative and practical intervention benefits positive changes in the students' breakfast. It supports the effort of promoting Heath Education in Primary Schools.


This research presents a complete study of a new alternating vector filter for the removal of impulsive noise in colour images. The method is based on an impulsive noise detector for greyscale images that has been adapted in a localised manner using geometric information for processing colour images. Based on this statistic, a filtering scheme alternating between the identity and a non-linear vector filter is proposed. A geometric and experimental study was performed to obtain the optimal filter design. Experimental studies show that the proposed technique is simple, easy to implement, robust to noise, and outperforms the classic vector filters, as well as more recent filters.


We use industry data to determine whether crowding of the investment space is caused by portfolio construction processes typical to the investment community. In particular, this paper examines the extent that transaction cost models cause crowding of the investment space, even when the investment models are completely unrelated to one another. We find that as transaction costs become more significant in the portfolio creation process as portfolios increase in size from $500 million to $5 billion, crowding actually declines for long-only portfolios and mainly declines, but sometimes increases for market neutral portfolios. This research sheds more light on how crowding develops through actions by players within the financial system.


In many applications there is a need to keep shared or related information consistent. For example, in a CADrafting package it is necessary to keep views of an artefact from different perspectives consistent with one another. In software development environments there is a need to keep diagrammatic views, such as OO analysis diagrams, consistent with corresponding textual code. In this paper, we describe a number of techniques we have developed to solve consistency problems in a wide variety of application domains. These techniques include uniand bi-directional constraints, propagation of discrete change descriptions, and transaction based version merging.


Approximately 15.2% of all births in the United States end in low birth weight infants (less than 2,500 grams) resulting from prematurity (UVa Health.com, 2006). Nearly all of these babies will be sent to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where the level of maternal contact will vary depending on the different facility protocols. Kangaroo Care (KC), also known as skin-to-skin care, has been shown to have numerous positive results for both the mother and infant in the NICU setting. It has been shown through evidencedbased practice that KC is beneficial for a preterm infant's vitals and stability with improvements in thermoregulation, cardiovascular and respiratory health, weight gain, and quiet sleep time both during and after therapy. Mothers who have used KC have experienced increased attachment and bonding to their infants as well as fewer anxious and depressive symptoms and fewer instances of post-partum depression. The purpose of this case study is to gain greater understanding of KC by exploring the experience of KC with a preterm infant-mother couple.


Innovative engineering methods are needed to enhance the adaptability and agility of industrial control procedures and concurrently manage their rising complexity. Service-oriented Architecture (SOA) constitutes a promising paradigm to meet these challenges. To apply the rather abstract SOA principles to industrial automation, a model-driven engineering method is presented in this paper. Therefore, a reference architecture is introduced providing a framework to structure and define services for control tasks in a convenient way. The application of the engineering method is supported by an implementation concept. It uses SysML during the design phase and the process modeling and control language Grafchart for the execution of service-oriented control procedures.


Purpose: This study examines the phenomenon of donor fatigue and its implication on donor funding for local-NGOs. It further explores alternative ways of generating funds locally.
Research Methodology: Convenient sampling method was used for selecting the sample for the study. The design involves collecting data from five (5) selected International donors, thirty (30) partner organization staffs, twenty-two (22) direct beneficiaries and fifteen (15) team leaders/council members of the partner organizations.
Results: Donor funds have been on the decline due to donor fatigue, over dependency syndrome, poor proposal writing, improper management of donor funds, frequent changes in the interest areas of donors, changes in the policy direction of donor countries and the increasing number of local-NGOs competing for the same funds.
Limitation: The conclusion drawn may not be representative of all the NGOs in Ghana as theyn may not all have similar funding sources and challenges
Contribution: The finding will serve as a guide and logical framework for existing and potential local-NGOs on donor requirements for funding.
Keywords: Donor fatigue, Donors, Funding, Prospects, Local-NGOs, Dependency syndrome


Potatoes are an important staple food with high yield potential and great nutritional value. Potassium (K) fertilisation can increase both tuber yield and quality, but its effects differ depending on the K fertilisation form. Potatoes are known to be chloride sensitive, since chloride ions can influence, for example, the starch content. Therefore, fertilisations shortly before planting using potassium sulphate (K2SO4) are often recommended instead of potassium chloride (KCl). However, the use of different fertilisation forms is contradictory, and the chloride sensitivity of potatoes remains unclear. To examine this issue in more detail, a 2-year field experiment using two cultivars, "Laura" and "Marabel," was conducted. K fertilisation with 240 kg K2O as K2SO4 and KCl was applied, and the control remained unfertilised. Quality traits, including internal and external parameters, were analysed after harvest and after 5 months of storage at 6°C. The results revealed minor effects on yield, but the starch content and ascorbic acid concentration were reduced due to the KCl supply. Furthermore, the reducing sugar concentration in tubers increased during storage more after KCl compared to K2SO4 fertilisation. Moreover, volatile compounds were affected by the K fertilisation form, with higher levels of lipid-derived off-flavour compounds after KCl application. However, the effects of cultivation year, cultivar, and storage interacted with the influence of the fertilisation form. In summary, KCl fertilisation can disadvantageously influence several quality traits, but the use of potato cultivars should also be considered when recommending fertilisers.


The history of African American males in the entertain- ment industry begins with the African background and extends through the transatlantic slave trade and to the various aspects of the black presence in the Americas. African American males have contributed enormously to the American cultural wealth in dance, music, theater, and film. Minstrelsy, the cakewalk, the Charleston, the lindy hop, the twist, the break dance, rap, jazz, blues, spirituals, soul-these and many others have enriched the American cultural experience at various stages of American history. African American male performers, directors, producers, musicians, playwrights, danc- ers, choreographers, and filmmakers, working individually or as a group, have made an indelible mark both on the American stage and in the American collective memory. These entertainers, especially those who began their profession at a time of social inequality, preju- dice, and the ever present threat of physical violence, laid the founda- tion for African Americans of a later age to realize their potential and be called stars of Hollywood and Broadway. Their accomplishments have made it possible to look positively toward the future.


We estimated the AIDS survival by neighborhood socioeconomic status before (1993-1995) and after (1996-1997) the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy in Rome, Italy, in a retrospective cohort of persons with AIDS followed through July 31, 1998. Participants included 1,474 persons with AIDS residing in Rome who were diagnosed in 1993-1997. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) of death for two diagnostic periods (before and after highly active antiretroviral therapy was introduced) by neighborhood socioeconomic status categorized into four levels (level I = highest socioeconomic status), using the Cox model and adjusting for gender, age, intravenous drug use, CD4 cell count at diagnosis, AIDS-defining disease, and hospital of diagnosis. Thirty-four per cent of persons with AIDS (N = 503) had survived as of mid-1998. For persons with AIDS diagnosed in 1993-1995, we found little difference in the risk of death by neighborhood socioeconomic status. For 1996-1997, the risk of death was greater for persons with lower neighborhood socioeconomic status, especially for levels III and IV [HR = 2.81 (95% confidence interval = 1.38-5.76), and HR = 2.55 (95% confidence interval = 1.27-5.14), respectively, compared with level I]. Stratified analyses showed that the greatest difference was found for women and drug users. In conclusion, even in a country with universal health coverage that provides therapy at no cost, differences in survival of persons with AIDS have emerged by neighborhood socioeconomic status since highly active antiretroviral therapy was introduced. Inequalities in health-care access or in medical management, or poor adherence to treatment, could explain the observed heterogeneity.


The aim of this study was to ascertain if the beliefs of White British and Pakistani parents and social workers play a role in the under-representation of Pakistani children Looked After by Local Authorities. Semi-structured interviews with 8 parents (4 Pakistani and 4 White British) and 8 social workers (4 Pakistani and 4 White British) were conducted to explore their beliefs in regards to safeguarding vulnerable children and working with Pakistani families, respectively. Content analysis of the interview transcripts revealed more differences than similarities between the beliefs of both parents and social workers of each ethnicity. For the Parents' group the main differences in beliefs were in relation the Pakistani community's attitudes and attributes (for example, a fear of stigmatisation), the lack of Pakistani foster carers available, Pakistani children's unwillingness to disclose abuse or neglect and beliefs about whose responsibility it is to safeguard children. For the Social workers' group, the main differences in beliefs were in relation to the inadequate practice of Social Services with Pakistani families, the Pakistani community's lack of understanding of the role of Social Services, the attitudes and attributes of the Pakistani community (for example, different social norms), Pakistani children's coping ability in adverse circumstances and the hidden nature of domestic violence in the Pakistani community. The extent to which these differences in beliefs could play a role in the under-representation of Pakistani children Looked After was considered with reference to wider social psychology theories and relevant literature. Implications arising from the findings included a need for educating members of the Pakistani community, more effective training for social workers and recruiting more Pakistani foster families. The findings were considered to make a significant contribution to the literature given the lack of existing research in this area. The limitations of the study were discussed and recommendations for further research were made.


Copy of transcript for a letter from William Robinson to Stephen F. Austin, in which Robinson introduces Thomas Pierce, a successful Englishman with a small family that has immigrated to Texas. Robinson appeals to Austin to sell both Pierce and Capt. Bowen a tract of land, arguing that both men will be productive neighbors and ultimately raise the value of Austin's lands.


BACKGROUND
Uric acid (UA) has both antioxidative and pro-oxidative properties. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum UA and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

METHODS
The patients undergoing intravenous thrombolysis from two hospitals in China were retrospectively analyzed. HT was evaluated using computed tomography images reviewed within 24- 36h after thrombolysis. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) was defined as HT accompanied by worsening neurological function. Multivariate logistic regression and spline regression models were performed to explore the relationship between serum UA levels and the risk of HT and sICH.

RESULTS
Among 503 included patients, 60 (11.9%) were diagnosed with HT and 22 (4.4%) developed sICH. Patients with HT had significant lower serum UA levels than those without HT (245 [214-325 vs. 312 [256-370] µmol/L, p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that patients with higher serum UA levels had a lower risk of HT (OR per 10-µmol/L increase 0.96, 95%CI 0.92-0.99, p = 0.015). Furthermore, multiple-adjusted spline regression models showed a Ushaped association between serum UA levels and HT (p < 0.001 for non-linearity). Similar results were present between serum UA and sICH. Restricted cubic spline models predicted the lowest risk of HT and sICH when the serum UA levels were 386µmol/L.

CONCLUSION
The data show the U-shaped relationship between serum UA levels and the risk of HT and sICH after intravenous thrombolysis.


Calcium Hydroxyapatite [Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2] is the main inorganic constituent of human rigid tissues. It constitentes the major component of bone and enamel. In our present work, hydroxyapatite was synthesized by chemical co- precipitation method with the addition of different concentrations of calcium nitrate tetra hydrate [Ca(NO3)2.4H2O] and phosphoric acid [H3PO4] using micro wave irradiation. Experiments were conducted under controlled environment maintaining required pH, concentration of solution and temperature. The Present report emphasises on the synthesis and characterization of the nano hydroxyapatite. The result of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy [FTIR] showed the existence of the functional group present in hydroxyapatite. Scanning Electron Microscope [SEM] explains the surface morphology, size and dimensions of hydroxyl apatite. Thermo Gravimetric Analysis and Differential Thermal Analysis [TGA/DTA] analysis confirms that the high thermal stability of hydroxyapatite is due to the variation in concentration and its hardness is maximum.


Many Indigenous communities in Canada experience endemic tuberculosis with superimposed periodic epidemic outbreaks. Failures in outbreak management have resulted in the "seeding" of future infection and disease. In this paper we present a model that may be used in planning, implementation and review of tuberculosis outbreak management in Cree Indigenous communities in Canada, based on the Medicine Wheel, a paradigm for holistic living. In the context of tuberculosis management, the Medicine Wheel provides a path for the establishment of respectful cross-cultural relationships, the expression of values through action, true community engagement and partnership, and the establishment of culture-based processes of transparency, accountability and change.


A giant coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) associated with a coronary cameral fistula is an extremely rare finding. Most cases of CAAs are asymptomatic. The incidence of CAA varies between 0.3% to 5.3%. Due to advancements in diagnostic technologies, the incidence of CAA is on the rise. Even in the modern days of medical science, the clinical course of CAA is still unpredictable and the suitable timing for the treatment of CAA is still open to debate. We reported a case of a giant coronary artery aneurysm in a 38-year-old female, which was 9.4 x 9.7 x 9.2cm in size, arising from the left coronary artery, extending into the proximal circumflex, and draining into the right atrium, forming a fistula tract. The patient was diagnosed with the help of coronary computed tomography (CT) and cardiac catheterization after which surgery was performed to repair the aneurysm and fistula. Postoperatively, the patient recovered without any complication.


The diversity, abundance and spatial distribution of macro-epibionts colonizing the graceful crab, Cancer gracilis, the red rock crab, Cancer productus, and the Dungeness crab Cancer magister were examined. These three crab species were common in Barkley Sound, British Columbia, occurring sympatrically across much of their range. Twenty nine epibiont species, representing ten different phyla were found. Thirty three percent of Cancer gracilis, 49% of Cancer magister and 68% of Cancer productus possessed one or more epibiont species. Cancer gracilis was the least speciose, while Cancer productus exhibited the greatest diversity of epibiont species. Male crabs were larger than females and had a greater species richness and diversity of epibionts. Epibionts were largely absent on juvenile crabs; in adult crabs, occurrence increased with crab size. Barnacles were the most common epibiont; the majority were Balanus crenatus, which predominated on the dorsal surfaces of the cephalothorax of each crab species. Green, red and brown algae were also common, the majority of which (>80%) were found on the antennae of the crabs. Tube-dwelling polychaete worms were less abundant, showing a preference for the ventral surfaces of the crabs. Hydrozoan colonies were found on only 7% of all the crabs examined, mostly settling on the ventral surfaces and limbs. Bryozoans were only found on Cancer productus and Cancer magister. The majority were the encrusting Membranipora membranacea. Unlike the above taxa, bryozoans showed no clear preference for a specific area of the carapace. Organisms in the phyla Urochordata, Mollusca and Porifera were only found on a few individual Cancer magister and Cancer productus. The distribution of each epibiont species is discussed in relation to larval settlement patterns and ecological, morphological and behavioural differences among the three host species.


We have developed a cell-free assay that reproduces vesicular budding during exit from the Golgi complex. The starting preparation for the in vitro system was a rat liver stacked Golgi fraction immobilized on a magnetic solid support by means of an antibody against the cytoplasmic domain of the polymeric IgA receptor. Vesicular budding was ATP, cytosol, and temperature dependent and was inhibited by 1 mM N-ethylmaleimide. Budding was maximum within 10 min and originated preferentially from the trans-Golgi. Exocytic transport vesicles immunoisolated from the total budded population were enriched in the mature forms of secretory and membrane proteins destined to the basolateral plasma membrane and were depleted in lysosomal enzymes and galactosyl-transferase activity. The finding that a major proportion (greater than 70%) of newly synthesized, siaylated secretory and transmembrane proteins is contained in a single population of post-Golgi transport vesicles implies that, in a constitutively secreting cell, basolaterally destined proteins are sorted and packaged together into the same exocytic transport vesicles.


Degradation of human ascending thoracic aorta has been visualized with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). OCT images of the vessel wall exhibit structural degradation in the media layer of the artery, being this disorder the final trigger of the pathology. The degeneration in the vessel wall appears as low-reflectivity areas due to different optical properties of acidic polysaccharides and mucopolysaccharides in contrast with typical ordered structure of smooth muscle cells, elastin and collagen fibers. An OCT dimension indicator of wall degradation can be generated upon the spatial quantification of the extension of degraded areas in a similar way as conventional histopathology. This proposed OCT marker can offer in the future a real-time clinical perception of the vessel status to help cardiovascular surgeons in vessel repair interventions. However, the delineation of degraded areas on the B-scan image from OCT is sometimes difficult due to presence of speckle noise, variable signal to noise ratio (SNR) conditions on the measurement process, etc. Degraded areas can be delimited by basic thresholding techniques taking advantage of disorders evidences in B-scan images, but this delineation is not optimum in the aorta samples and requires complex additional processing stages. This work proposes an optimized delineation of degraded areas within the aorta wall, robust to noisy environments, based on the iterative application of Otsu's thresholding method. Results improve the delineation of wall anomalies compared with the simple application of the algorithm. Achievements could be also transferred to other clinical scenarios: carotid arteries, aorto-iliac or ilio-femoral sections, intracranial, etc.


An epidemic of 110 sudden sniffing deaths without plastic bag suffocation which occurred in American youths during the 1960's, appears to have originated on the West Coast. The incidence rate showed a sharp rise during the late 1960's. Volatile hydrocarbons most frequently involved were trichloroethane and fluorinated refrigerants. Sudden sniffing death occurred in all socioeconomic groups, with a preponderance in the suburban middle-income white family. Severe cardiac arrhythmia, resulting from light plane anesthesia, and intensified by hypercapnia or stress or activity or a combination of these, is the most likely explanation for sniffing death.


The Number of sidewalk vendors in Bandung has reached 11,000 with no decline in growth according to the survey conducted by Indonesian University of Education/ Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI) in collaboration with Badan Perencanaan dan Pembangunan Daerah (Bappeda or regional development planning agency) Bandung. Sidewalk vendor is one of the main contributors to the dirtiness and traffic congestion in Bandung. Bandung has passed a Regional Regulation Numbered 3 and 5 about Cleanliness, Orderliness and the Beauty to prevent and to build the  sidewalk vendors. However, lack of legal awareness and law enforcement may constrain the effectiveness of the regulation. Those regulations are particularly Bandung Regional Regulation Numbered 4/ 2011 concerning sidewalk vendors in which imposing high fine sanction not only for the seller but also for the buyer to prevent them from violating those regulations. To analyze the the compliance level of society and the effectiveness of fine sanction for the violation of regulations, this research used juridical normative approach and comparative method by comparing the regulation in Bandung with other Regional regulations related to sidewalk vendors in other cities in Indonesia such as in Surakarta and Surabaya. This research found that the law enforcement to the violation of sidewalk vendors regulation in Bandung city is not optimum due to lack of awareness to obey the law. The criminal sanction such as fine and forced fees are not able to prevent the violation of sidewalk vendors regulations. This research suggest that The Regional government of Bandung City: (1) needs to find a right model to keep sidewalk vendors in order by looking at the characteristics of the society and its social culture; (2) needs to search for a way to increase society's compliance to any policies made by the government; and (3) needs to revise the current regulation


We consider a Gaussian relay network, which has to protect the message from a powerful eavesdropper, which has the possibility of listening to the transmitted signals on orthogonal channels. The secrecy capacity of the Gaussian network is approximated by considering the corresponding network in the deterministic discrete superposition model. Upper and lower bounds on the secrecy capacity are found in terms of the deterministic model, which are potentially easier to evaluate. We perform this evaluation for the particular topology of the parallel relay network, where the relays form a parallel layer between the source and the destination. By analyzing the deterministic model, we approximate the secrecy capacity within a constant gap. The approximation can be expressed just in terms of the channel gains of the network. It is therefore possible to deduct that the simple scheme of hiding the transmitted signals in noise is approximately optimal.


A process for removing aluminum from tank waste simulants by adding lithium and precipitating Li-Al-dihydroxide (Lithiumhydrotalcite, [LiAl{sub 2}(OH){sub 6}]{sup +}X{sup -}) has been verified. The tests involved a double-shell tank (DST) simulant and a single-shell tank (SST) simulant. In the case of the DST simulant, the product was the anticipated Li-hydrotalcite. For the SST simulant, the product formed was primarily Li-phosphate. However, adding excess Li to the solution did result in the formation of traces of Li-hydrotalcite. The Li-hydrotalcite from the DST supernate was an easily filterable solid. After four water washes the filter cake was a fluffy white material made of < 100 {micro}m particles made of smaller spheres. These spheres are agglomerates of {approx} 5 {micro}m diameter platelets with < 1 {micro}m thickness. Chemical and mineralogical analyses of the filtrate, filter cake, and wash waters indicate a removal of 90+ wt% of the dissolved Al for the DST simulant. For the SST simulant, the main competing reaction to the formation of lithium hydrotalcite appears to be the formation of lithium phosphate. In case of the DST simulant, phosphorus co-precipitated with the hydrotalcite. This would imply the added benefit of the removal of phosphorus along with aluminum in the pre-treatment part of the waste treatment and immobilization plant (WTP). For this endeavor to be successful, a serious effort toward process parameter optimization is necessary. Among the major issues to be addressed are the dependency of the reaction yield on the solution chemistry, as well as residence times, temperatures, and an understanding of particle growth.


This study had two goals. The first goal was to see if church-based social relationships are associated with change in self-esteem. Emotional support from fellow church members and having a close personal relationship with God served as measures of church-based social ties. The second goal was to see whether emotional support from fellow church members is more strongly associated with self-esteem than emotional support from secular social network members. The data came from an ongoing nationwide survey of older adults. The findings revealed that having a close personal relationship with God is associated with a stronger sense of self-esteem at the baseline and follow-up interviews. In contrast, emotional support from fellow church members was not associated with self-esteem at either point in time. However, emotional support from secular social network members was related to self-esteem at the baseline but not the follow-up interview.


Conversion of oil palm biowaste namely Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Mesocarp Fibre (MF) into good compost by using decomposing fungus Trichoderma viride was carried out in the experimental fields of the Directorate of Oil Palm Research, India. Three applications of T. viride fungus, in the form of broth as well as powder formulation with talc powder (Hydrated magnesium silicate) as carrier material, to oil palm Empty Fruit Bunches and Mesocarp Fibre materials resulted into fast decomposition compared to normal process. The weight gain of the treated material in the initial periods of the fungus application was mainly due to absorption of water. The fungus showed its action on decomposing the material after 15 days of application resulting in the decrease of weights. Six applications of Trichoderma viride fungus (three each on Empty Fruit Bunches and on Mesocarp Fibre) at monthly intervals achieved good decomposition of the cellulose material. In the first phase of decomposition the treated material were broken into small pieces and dried. In the second phase, the colour of the material changed from light brown to black. The material lost their physical structures within three months as compared to 6 months in general. Reinoculation studies carried out using the decomposed material confirmed the results. Since the fungus Trichoderma viride has compatibility with other bioagents like Metarhizium anisopliae which causes green muscardine disease to Rhinoceros beetle, application of commercial formulations to the breeding sites enhances the decomposition of the material, thus makes faster and complete decomposition apart from controlling the rhinoceros beetle and other dreaded disease causing fungi Ganoderma spp. As the bioagents are environmental friendly and ecologically safe, their use for decomposition is advocated.


Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) are important biomarker tools used for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) given the expanding number of standard-of-care therapies that require companion diagnostic testing. We examined 9450 NSCLC real-world patient samples that underwent both CGP and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) IHC to understand the biomarker landscape in this patient cohort. By assessing National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)-recommended biomarkers including genomic alterations, tumor mutational burden (≥10 mutations/Mb cut-off), and PD-L1 expression (Tumor Proportion Score (TPS) ≥ 50% cut-off), we show that CGP + PD-L1 IHC yielded potentially actionable results for 70.5% of the 9,450 patients with NSCLC. Among the remaining 29.5% (2,789/9,450) of patients, 86.7% (2,419/2,789) were potentially eligible for another biomarker-associated therapy and/or clinical trial based on their genomic profile. In addition, in the PD-L1TPS≥50% disease subset, BRAF mutations, MET mutations, MET amplifications, and KRAS mutations were significantly enriched; and in the PD-L1TPS<50%, EGFR mutations, ERBB2 mutations, STK11 mutations, and KEAP1 mutations were enriched. These findings highlight the improved clinical utility of combining CGP with IHC to expand the biomarker-guided therapeutic options available for patients with NSCLC, relative to single biomarker testing alone.


The task of coordinating and controlling a group of small mobile robots may be decomposed into five subtasks: formation of geometric pattern, alignment of each robot's orientation, coordination of the robots in the group, motion realization and stability of the formation in motion. The technique of imposing constraint conditions is utilized to coordinate and control the formation. Group stability is presented in terms of the bound of the transient response of the formation system.<<ETX>>


Recently, cardiotonic steroids (CTS) have been shown to lead to the activation of Na,K‐ATPase at low concentrations in brain, promoting neuroprotection against ischemia. We report here the results of the use of digoxin and its semisynthetic derivatives BD‐14, BD‐15, and BD‐16 against partial chemical ischemic induction followed by reperfusion in murine neuroblastoma cells neuro‐2a (N2a). For chemical ischemic induction, sodium azide (5 mM) was used for 5 hours, and then reperfusion was induced for 24 hours. Na,K‐ATPase activity and protein levels were analyzed in membrane preparation of N2a cells pretreated with the compounds (150 nM), in the controls and in induced chemical ischemia. In the Na,K‐ATPase activity and protein levels assays, the steroids digoxin and BD‐15 demonstrated a capacity to modulate the activity of the enzyme directly, increasing its levels of expression and activity. Oxidative parameters, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH) levels, hydrogen peroxide content, and the amount of free radicals (reactive oxygen species) during induced chemical ischemia were also evaluated. Regarding the redox state, lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide content, and GPx activity, we have observed an increase in the chemical ischemic group, and a reduction in the groups treated with CTS. SOD activity increased in all treated groups when compared to control and GSH levels decreased when treated with sodium azide and did not change with CTS treatments. Regarding the lipid profile, we saw a decrease in the content of phospholipids and cholesterol in the chemical ischemic group, and an increase in the groups treated with CTS. In conclusion, the compounds used in this study demonstrate promising results, since they appear to promote neuroprotection in cells exposed to chemical ischemia.


BACKGROUND
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women worldwide. The extremely fast rate of metastasis and ability to develop resistance mechanism to all the conventional drugs make them very difficult to treat which are the causes of high morbidity and mortality of breast cancer patients. Scientists throughout the world have been focusing on the early detection of breast tumor so that treatment can be started at the very early stage. Moreover, conventional treatment processes such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and local surgery suffer from various limitations including toxicity, genetic mutation of normal cells, and spreading of cancer cells to healthy tissues. Therefore, new treatment regimens with minimum toxicity to normal cells need to be urgently developed.

METHODS
Iron oxide nanoparticles have been widely used for targeting hyperthermia and imaging of breast cancer cells. They can be conjugated with drugs, proteins, enzymes, antibodies or nucleotides to deliver them to target organs, tissues or tumors using external magnetic field.

RESULTS
Iron oxide nanoparticles have been successfully used as theranostic agents for breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, their functionalization with drugs or functional biomolecules enhance their drug delivery efficiency and reduces the systemic toxicity of drugs.

CONCLUSION
This review mainly focuses on the versatile applications of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on the diagnosis, treatment, and detecting progress of breast cancer treatment. Their wide application is because of their excellent superparamagnetic, biocompatible and biodegradable properties.


Two case histories are described, in which protracted courses of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) responded poorly to conservative treatment. Each patient underwent bilateral partial oophorectomy at 14 and 16 days respectively, post oocyte retrieval. Serum albumin levels returned to normal within three days of the operation in each case and the patients, one pregnant with twins, made a rapid recovery. This seemingly 'aggressive' procedure is proposed as a potentially useful treatment when faced with patients who are severely or critically affected with OHSS.


Traumatic brain injury (TBI) finite element (FE) analyses have evolved from crude geometric representations of the skull and brain system into sophisticated models which take into account distinct anatomical features. Two distinct FE modeling approaches have evolved to account for the relative motion that occurs between the skull and cerebral cortex during TBI. The first approach assumes that the relative motion can be estimated by representing the cerebrospinal fluid inside the subarachnoid space as a low shear modulus, virtually incompressible solid. The second approach assumes that the relative motion can be approximated by defining a frictional interface between the cerebral cortex and dura mater. This study presents data from an experimental model of TBI coupled with FE analyses to evaluate the modeling approach's ability to predict specific forms of TBI. Axial plane rotational accelerations produced prolonged traumatic coma in the miniature pig, axonal injury throughout regions of the white matter, and macroscopic hemorrhagic cortical contusions. Results from 2-dimensional FE analyses of the miniature pig showed that the manner in which the modeling approach accounts for the relative motions occurring between the skull and cerebral cortex can dramatically influence the outcome of an analysis. This study clearly demonstrated that the modeling approach which represented the relative motion between the skull and cerebral cortex as a frictional interface best predicted the resulting injury pattern in a 5th axial plane animal experiment.


Many researches have been done to investigate using raw materials in the production of geopolymer cements. The aim of this paper is the effect of dosage of alkali and silica modulus when using sodium metasilicate solution at different curing conditions on the geopolymerisation of ferrochrome slag (FS). As alkali activation for geopolymerization, NaOH and Na2SiO3 solution were used. Geopolymer cement was produced using FS and 3 different silica modulus (0.50, 0.60, and 0.70) and 4 different Na2O concentrations (4, 7, 10, and 12%). The setting time, heat of hydration and compressive strength of geopolymer paste samples and compressive strength of geopolymer mortar samples were obtained. The setting time varies between 120 and 870 min, it shows variability depending on content of Na2O. As a result of the highest 28 day strength of the geopolymer paste sample was obtained at Na2O concentration of 7% and at silica modulu of 0.70. Geopolymer mortars were prepared for the determination of compressive strength by adding FS:sand:alkali activator ratio 1:2:0.30, 0.35 and 0.40. The specimens were cured at 60°C, 80°C kept in 20 hours and the other mortars were stored under laboratory conditions. Compressive strength of the material decreases, when w/b ratio increases. The highest 28 day strength of the geopolymer mortar was obtained at 0.30 w/b ratio and at curing temperature laboratory conditions. The hydration heat of geopolymer paste samples was found to be less than normal Portland cements. Microstructural changes in the specimens were studied with SEM and XRD.


The main objective of this paper is to present the importance of hysteria on Babinski's oeuvre, and the conceptions of pithiatism from Babinski until the one of conversion disorder. Babinski gave a mental basis for hysteria in the place of Charcot's encephalopatic one, and several important semiotic tools to differentiate organic from hysterical manifestations based on studies from 1893-1917/8. His teachings were spread worldwide, and in Brazil they were also appreciated in the work on hysteria by Antonio Austregesilo, the first Brazilian neurology chairman. The neurobiological basis of hysteria conceived by Charcot is nowadays reappraised, and Babinski's neurosemiological contribution is everlasting. The patients believed to be hysterical, and the two outstanding neurologists, Charcot and Babinski, gave support for the development of the modern neurology.


Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL

Backgrounds: Menstrual, reproductive and hormonal factors have been related to ovarian cancer risk, but further quantification of their role in various populations is required. Patients and methods: Cases were 77 women, below age 79, with incident, histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer, and 117 women with, histologically confirmed benign ovarian tumor and controls 776 women, age matched controls The study was conducted from 2009 to 2010 in five hospitals in Seoul, South Korea. Data were obtained through in-person interviews and analysis was conducted using unconditional logistic regression Results: A statistically significant inverse association was observed between parity and ovarian cancer risk and between parity and benign ovarian tumor (Odds ratio [OR] = 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06-0.50, OR=0.08, CI (0.02-0.30))No consistent association was observed with time since first or last birth, nor with spontaneous or induced abortions Breastfeeding was associated with a significant reduction in risk of ovarian cancer and benign neoplasm. (OR=0.33, CI (0.17-0.68), OR=0.42 CI(0.34-0.94)) Conclusion: This uniquely asian study confirms and further quantities the relation between hormonal and reproductive factors and ovarian cancer.The pattern of risk observed cannot be totally explained by a role of ovulation in ovarian carcinogenesis.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 652. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-652


In this paper, a knowledge based genetic algorithm (GA) for path planning of a mobile robot is proposed, which uses problem-specific genetic algorithms for robot path planning instead of the standard GAs. The proposed knowledge based genetic algorithm incorporates the domain knowledge into its specialized operators, where some also combine a local search technique. The proposed genetic algorithm also features a unique and simple path representation and a simple but effective evaluation method. The knowledge based genetic algorithm is capable of finding an optimal or near-optimal robot path in both complex static and dynamic environments. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed genetic algorithm is demonstrated by simulation studies. The irreplaceable role of the specialized genetic operators in the proposed GA for solving robot path planning problem is demonstrated by a comparison study.


The fabrication of a novel electrooptic modulator with a transverse electrode geometry, formed by parallel electrodes on opposite faces of a thinned lithium niobate substrate straddling a strip waveguide, is reported. The device, referred to as a transverse electrooptic modulator (TEOM), has several advantages over standard electrooptic waveguide modulators using a coplanar electrode geometry. It is shown that it is possible to achieve a 30% reduction in the operating voltage for a given electrode spacing and a substantial reduction in the figure of merit, the power required per unit bandwidth, for electrooptic modulators with either lumped or traveling wave electrode structures. Moreover, a more accurate estimate of the electrooptic coefficients is possible than with modulators using strip waveguides and coplanar electrodes. >


In the annals of historical scholarship, the decline and fall of the Roman empire continues to be among the most vexing and controversial problems.' Although many explanations from drought to race mongralization have been proffered over the past several centuries for bringing about the end of classical civilization, the arguments made by Sir Edward Gibbon, focused on Christianity and barbarism, dominated for a long time. For more than a century and a half, many scholars, following Gibbon, have blamed Christianity, which supposedly turned men's minds and efforts from using their talents and resources to address pressing worldly matters toward attaining otherworldly salvation. No less frequently, scholars have blamed the Germanic invasions, which are credited with bringing about the massive destruction of the Roman empire's physical and institutional infrastructure.2 In more recent times, as social scientists, governments, and the population, in general, have come to give increased attention to the economic problems of the modern world, historians too have come to argue that the weaknesses of the Roman economy played an important or even the key role inbringingaboutthefalloftheempire.3 In this context, as Kingand Heni g observed, "inflation" during the later third and early fourth centuries "obviously had a debilitating effect on the economy."4 In light of what are thought to have been the empire's economic problems, very high rates of inflation during the later third and fourth centuries have been singled out as playing a key role in the fall of the Roman empire.5 Thus, for example, scholars such as Daniel Sperber have argued that "the whole fabric throughout the empire was radically and negatively impacted by the inflation of this period."6 In a similar vein, James Ermatinger has asserted, "The increase in prices during the third century, caused inflation [and] nearly destroyed the economic fabric of the empire."7 These views are a more moderate echo of Harold Mattingly's famous dictum that inflation caused unmitigated evil. His heartfelt observations regarding economic problems in the later third century were inspired directly by the Weimar hyperinflation that began in 1923 and its highly negative impact on the history of Europe." Not all scholars, however, have been carried along in considering economic weakness and especially inflation as a massive problem, which ultimately led to the decline and fall of the Roman empire. For example, Ramsey MacMullen has taken a less pessimistic view. He supposes that "all these events [mainly radical price rises] had some effect on people's lives.'"* Other scholars, including A. H. M. Jones, reject the notion that what some historians consider "inflation" in regard to this period had any demonstrable effect on the economy.1" In this context, there is a substantial body of scholarship that suggests that coinage debasement, the supposed type of inflation at issue here, does not necessarily reflect economic matters, and certainly cannot be classified a priori as an economic crisis or disaster.11 In this study, it is my intention to examine the "inflation question" as it relates to the later third and early fourth centuries in the hope of providing some clarity where now, as noted above, there is a considerable fog of conflicting perceptions. First, it is important to emphasize that the "inflation" of this period is usually seen by scholars as an empire-wide phenomenon. This view is conditioned by "The Edict on Prices" (Edictum de Pretiis) issued by Diocletian's government in 301. The emperor indicates in the preface to this legislation that it is intended to curb avaritia, i.e. inflation, throughout the entire Roman world ("universo orbi").12 In this study, however, when speci fie examples have been needed for purposes of illustration, I have tried to focus attention on the Gallic provinces. The value of examining economic matters in regional terms has much to recommend it in light of the great diversity of the various parts of the empire, as a whole, and particularly in terms of the economy, i. …


Appraisals are a key, but understudied part of the coping process. In the current study, the mediating role of threat appraisals in the relation between relational and physical victimization by peers and internalizing and externalizing problems was investigated in a sample of 155 Italian adolescents (52% female; M age = 12.2 years) using a cross-sectional design. Structural equation modeling revealed that appraisals of threat (negative self-evaluation, negative evaluation by others, loss of relationship) mediated associations between peer victimization and internalizing problems. Moreover, peer victimization affected externalizing behaviors, but this link was not mediated by threat appraisal. Implications for interventions with youth are discussed.


The tendency toward sphincter-preserving resection for distal rectal cancers has led in recent years to a revival of the technique of coloanal anastomosis (CAA). Our experience with intersphincteric resection in combination with CAA was reviewed with the aim of assessing morbidity, functional outcome, and cancer treatment results. A total of 119 patients treated for primary rectal cancer by CAA between 1978 and 1994 were studied retrospectively. Seventy-six percent of the tumors were located in the lower third of the rectum. There were 4 (3.3%) deaths. The most common postoperative complications were urinary retention (13.5%) and sexual dysfunction (17%). There were 10 patients (8.4%) with clinical anastomic leaks and 3 patients (2.5%) with symptomatic stricture. General complications occured in 33 patients (28%). The mean stool frequency was 2.2 per day. Twenty-three percent of patients reported 4 or more stools per day. Fecal continence was complete in 69%, incontinence to gas in 10%, minor leak in 17% and major soiling in 4%. Urgency occurred in 14% and incomplete evacuation was present in 27%. The cumulative local recurrence rate was 8.7%, 5-year survival was 71% (Dukes A 100%, Dukes B 89%, Dukes C 48%). Interspincteric resection combined with CAA provides excellent treatment for low rectal cancers with long-term preservation of sphincter function and satisfactory local and distant tumor control.


This study tests the relationships among employee perceptions of task attributes and long-term productivity and job and overall satisfaction. Measures of perceived task attributes, individual growth need strength, and job and overall satisfaction were obtained by questionnaire from 100 randomly selected employees of a manufacturing firm. Productivity was computed as the average daily output (quantity adjustedfor quality) of each employee for a one-year period of time. Strong positive correlations were found between certain task attributes and productivity and job satisfaction. Overall satisfaction was unrelated to task attributes. Further, growth need strength was found to moderate the task attribute-job satisfaction relationships. This moderating effect was demonstrated by both subgroup and moderated regression analyses. No moderating effects were detected for either of the other two relationships. Finally, implications for future task design research are discussed.


The authors of this article discuss the pharmacotherapy of pain control in patients with rheumatic diseases, and they describe the relevant groups of drugs available, including their adverse events. They focus on non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs, selectice cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (coxibs) in particular. They summarise the experience with use of coxibs so far, and also report on drugs soon to be marketed in our country.


Neuroinflammation is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and plays a fundamental role in mediating the onset and progression of disease. Microglia, which function as first-line immune guardians of the central nervous system (CNS), are the central drivers of neuroinflammation. Numerous human postmortem studies and in vivo imaging analyses have shown chronically activated microglia in patients with various acute and chronic neuropathological diseases. While microglial activation is a common feature of many NDs, the exact role of microglia in various pathological states is complex and often contradictory. However, there is a consensus that microglia play a biphasic role in pathological conditions, with detrimental and protective phenotypes, and the overall response of microglia and the activation of different phenotypes depends on the nature and duration of the inflammatory insult, as well as the stage of disease development. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current research on the various microglia phenotypes and inflammatory responses in health, aging, and NDs, with a special emphasis on the heterogeneous phenotypic response of microglia in acute and chronic diseases such as hemorrhagic stroke (HS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD). The primary focus is translational research in preclinical animal models and bulk/single-cell transcriptome studies in human postmortem samples. Additionally, this review covers key microglial receptors and signaling pathways that are potential therapeutic targets to regulate microglial inflammatory responses during aging and in NDs. Additionally, age-, sex-, and species-specific microglial differences will be briefly reviewed.


Iodination of intact foot-and-mouth disease virus results in the selective labeling of VP1, substantiating its exposed location on the virion. A comparison of tryptic peptides revealed that a single tyrosine-containing peptide was labeled with iodine on intact or protease-cleaved virus. The labeled peptide from intact and protease-cleaved virus was characterized by molecular weight sizing and sequence analysis. Carboxypeptidase digestion of intact VP1, limited trypsin-cleaved VP1, and VP1 purified from bacterially contaminated tissue cultures yielded carboxyterminal residues of leucine, valine-arginine, and serine-alanine, respectively. The correlation of these findings with previous data on the amino acid sequence derived from nucleotide sequencing of serotypes A12 and O1 of foot-and-mouth disease virus VP1 places the probable exposed antigenic region of VP1 in a serotype-variable region including residues 136 through 144.


Ngro/ genes are thought to have resulted from horizontal gene transfer from an Agrobacterium rhizogenes-like ancestor early in the evolution of the genus Nicotiana. Four Ngro/ genes (Ngro/B, Ngro/C, NgORF13 and NgORF14) have been found in the genome of N. glauca, but their functions are not yet known. We have investigated the properties of Ngro/ genes and shown that some of them are able to function in tobacco plants. Transgenic analysis revealed that NgORF13 promotes RirolB-me-diated adventitious root induction on tobacco leaf segments. NgORF14 also promoted the Riro/B-mediated root induction, but the intensity of this promoting effect was weak. These promoting functions of NgORF13 and NgORF14 have much the same efficiency as those of the corresponding genes of A. rhizogenes, RiORF13 and RiORF14, respectively. Overexpression of NgORF13, under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (P 35 s), provoked morphological abnormalities in transgenic tobacco plants. Transgenic plants that harbored the P 3 ss-NgORF13 had rounded leaves and stout flowers resulting from suppression of the longitudinal growth of leaf and floral leaves such as sepals, petals, stamens and carpels. These results suggest that NgORF13 and NgORF14 in the genome of N. glauca have conserved functional sequences since their original integration event by an A. rhizogenes-\ike ancestor.


Oxidative stress can induce apoptosis through activation of MstI, subsequent phosphorylation of FOXO and nuclear translocation. MstI is a common component of apoptosis initiated by various stresses. MstI kinase activation requires autophosphorylation and proteolytic degradation by caspases. The role of Akt in regulating MstI activity has not been previously examined. Here, we show that MstI is a physiological substrate of Akt. Akt phosphorylation of MstI diminishes its apoptotic cleavage by caspases and prevents its kinase activity on FOXO3. MstI directly binds to Akt, which is regulated Akt kinase activity. Akt phosphorylates MstI on the Thr387 residue and protects MstI from apoptotic cleavage in vitro and in apoptotic cells. Interestingly, Akt phosphorylation of MstI strongly inhibits its kinase activity on FOXO3. The phosphorylation mimetic mutant MST1 T387E blocks H2O2-triggered FOXO3 nuclear translocation and apoptosis. Thus, our findings support that Akt blocks MstI-triggered FOXO3 nuclear translocation by phosphorylating MstI, promoting cell survival.


The assessment of colonialism which Jane Eyre promises to make through its correspondence between forms of oppression finally collapses into a mere restlessness about the effects of empire on domestic social relations in England. That disquietude is the only leftover of Bronte's potentially deep-seated revision of the analogy between white women and colonized races, and it is the only unfinished constituent in the ideological closure of the novel. The unsavoury mist which suggests British colonial contact with the racial "other," diffused throughout the ending of the novel, betrays Bronte's persistent anxiety about British colonialism and about her own literary handling of the racial "other," about the technique in which, through repressive metaphorical strategy, she has tried to formulate the world of Jane Eyre "clean."


BACKGROUND
Virological suppression is the main goal of antiretroviral therapy. To achieve this goal, efficient interventions that promote treatment adherence are needed. This study was aimed at exploring the impact of peer-education on virological outcomes in Northern Nigeria.

METHODS
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) among patients receiving antiretroviral treatment was conducted in 2 phases between August 2006 and January 2008 in the "largely Muslim" Northern Nigeria. Participants were randomized into one of three intervention arms: standard of care arm, a second arm which included daily reminders via alarm and follow-up calls from peer-educators, and adherence support by a home-based treatment partner; and a third arm which included second arm activities, plus home visits by peer-educators. We evaluated sociodemographic factors and adherence levels, measured using self-report and pharmacy (Rx) refill rates, as risk factors for viral load (VL) suppression.

RESULTS
Of the 600 participants (43% males), 276 were observed till the end of the study. There were no significant differences in mean log 10 VL between the intervention groups. At the end of entire follow-up period, 83% (229/276) who were not lost to follow-up achieved undetectable VL (< 400 copies/ml). In the multivariable analysis, age between 30-34 years (vs 18-24 years) and both baseline CD4 ranges between 100-199 cells/mm(3) or 200-349 cells/mm(3) (vs CD4 <100 cells/mm(3)) as positively associated with VL suppression while poor self-reported adherence and <95% Rx refill rates were negatively associated with VL suppression.

CONCLUSION
High levels of viral suppression and low prevalence of drug resistance mutations (DRMs) were seen in this cohort participating in an ART adherence study in Northern Nigeria. Self-reported good adherence and optimal Rx refill rates were reported as significant predictors of VL suppression. Our findings indicate that ART adherence will improve significantly regardless of whether HIV-infected adults received peer-education-based medication adherence interventions or standard of care services.


A lower crankcase of the engine is connected to the end face of the cylinder block and the housing includes a first and second half in a plane perpendicular to the joint surface of the cylinder block and the crankcase are connected to each other. Defining a U-shaped sealing groove on the casing halves in a joint surface. A rod-shaped seal member, the large end is formed an effective head portion at its opposite end, the seal into the groove, so that the enlarged end of the enlarged head portion mount recess. Thus, it is possible to ensure precise positioning of the rod-shaped seal, and does not require high skills; Accordingly, the intersecting portion can be securely seal between the cylinder block and the joint surface of the two case halves of the crankcase and the joint surface of the crankcase.


This study aims to analyze the level and content of the existing sludge in the solid waste sludge of PDAM Bandarmasih. The data used in the study is that the data lab to analyze the level of content that is contained in the waste solid sludge. While that becomes the object of research is a sample waste solid   sludge taps Bandarmasih are contained in two places, namely the WWTP 1 in Jalan A. Yani Km.2 and WWTP 2 in Jalan Pramuka KM.6 Banjarmasin. The tools used to analysis the levels of waste solid sludge that is a tool of analysis Spectrophotometer Absorption Atomic (SSA) and Spectrophotometer UV-Vis. The parameters tested include measurement of sludge pH, determination of water content and sample. Testing levels are needed that level of content of Mg, Cu, Fe, K, P and Cd using methods spectrophotometry, while to establish the total N using the method of Kjeldahl. Based on the results of the study showed that the concentration of Mg in WWTP 1was0.47%whileinWWTP 2 it was 0.38%, for Fe content in WWTP 1 7.87% and WWTP 2 7.64%. And for the content of K and P the level difference is not too significant, K 0.85% and 0.88%, P 0.54% and 0.52%, while for N levels are quite far, 1.12% and 1.35%. Based on the results of the data analysis of content and the content of the mud have fill the value of the threshold limit of sludge that can be used. Keywords: mud, PDAM, grade DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-14-03 Publication date: July 31 st 2020


Pit location during atmospheric corrosion of Type 304L stainless steel under MgCl2 droplets depends on initial droplet concentration. Pits formed predominantly in the center of the droplet for concentrations ≥4 M, closer to the perimeter for 1.5 M to 3 M, and were randomly distributed for concentrations ≤1 M. Pits initiated only after the droplets had evaporated to a critical concentration >3 M, where droplets deposited with lower initial concentrations were thinner. The results can be explained in terms of "differential aeration" and IR drop effects, showing that corrosion in "splash zones" may differ from that under aerosol salt deposit layers that deliquesce forming initially saturated solutions.


Aim. To perform the comparative analysis of clinical and criminological characteristics of patients with organic mental disorders who had repeatedly committed socially dangerous acts. Methods. 79 patients with diagnosed organic mental disorders who had committed socially dangerous acts, declared insane by the court and underwent compulsory treatment determined by the court as out-patients or in general or specialized mental hospital. Patients who had repeated socially dangerous acts after treatment, were included in the group A (19 patients), patients who had not committed any socially dangerous act after treatment, were included in the group B (60 patients). Results. Patients with organic delusional disorder (21 vs 11.6%) and non-psychotic organic disorders (10.5 vs 5%) were more commonly seen in group A compared to group B. The share of patients with dementia was higher in group B (23.3 vs 5.2%). 8 (42.1%) patients of group A were never prosecuted before, compared to 40 (66.7%) patients from group B. Some crimes were registered only in patients who repeatedly committed crimes: sexual crimes - 1 (5.2%), crimes against administrative order - 2 (10.5%), crimes against public security 5.2% (patient was convicted in illicit firearms manufacturing). Psychopathy-like syndrome was the leading syndrome in patients who committed a socially dangerous act in both A and B groups: 11 (57.9%) and 33 (55%) cases respectively. Hallucinatory delusion was diagnosed in 7 (36.8%) of group A patients and in 17 (28.3%) of group B patients. Majority of the group A patients had further committed only one crime after treatment - 11 (57.9%), 5 (26.3%) committed 2-3 crimes, 3 (15.8%) patients - over 3 crimes. The time gap between the first and further compulsory treatment was between 1 and 3 years in most of the cases (11 patients, 57.9%). 4 (21%) patients were readmitted for repeated compulsory treatment within 1 year, 3 (15.8%) were readmitted from 3 to 5 years and 1 (5.3%) from 5 to 8 years after the initial treatment. Conclusion. There are a number of factors influencing the criminal behavior and re-committing socially dangerous acts in future. Despite the small sample size, it should be noted that patients with dementia do not repeat socially dangerous acts.


ABSTRACT Food insecurity and psychological distress in university students are public health concerns. However, little is known about their association. We conducted a cross-sectional study of undergraduate students at a Canadian university in October 2017 to measure the prevalence of food insecurity and its association with psychological distress in university students. Our web-based survey included the Household Food Security Survey Module to measure food insecurity, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 to measure psychological distress. We used multivariable logistic regression to measure the association between food insecurity and psychological distress. Twenty-seven percent (95% CI: 24.1–29.9) of participants (n = 882) reported food insecurity and 16.5% (95% CI: 14.1–19.1) reported psychological distress. Marginal/moderate (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.01–2.61) and severe (OR = 3.16, 95% CI: 1.37–5.30) food insecurity was significantly associated with psychological distress in some students. Further investigations are needed to determine whether food insecurity is a risk factor for psychological distress in this population.