The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between apoptosis induced by radiation of electromagnetic pulses (EMP) and the expression of Smad4 in mouse spermatogenic cells. 40 adult Balb/c mice were used, and 20 were irradiated with whole-body 400kV/m EMP. The mice were sacrificed and specimens were harvested at 1, 7, 14, 21and 28 days after the irradiation. Histological changes were observed through Hematoxylin-Eosin staining (H-E staining), the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end labeling method (TUNEL method) and the Smad4 expression was observed using immunohistochemistry SABC methods. Severe injuries were observed 1day after the radiation and seminiferous epithelium was mostly recovered 28d after the radiation. The localization of smad4 was significantly different in EMP group compared to the control group, and the expression densities of smad4 decreased significantly at 7, 14and 21d after irradiation (p0.05). TUNEL assays demonstrated that there was a significant increase in the mean apoptotic index (AI) in irradiation groups than that of control groups (p0.01). The results suggested that Smad4 and TGF-β/Smad signal pathway might play an important role in spermatogenic cells apoptosis induced by radiation of EMP.


Genetic diversity was found at high frequency downstream of the emm1 gene among T1M1 group A streptococci (GAS) isolated in Scandinavia during a recent epidemic. Clonal variation was also seen in the speA and speB genes but at much lower frequency; no variation was detected in the speC gene. Erythrogenic toxin A was found to be expressed at low levels in all strains; erythrogenic toxins B and C were produced in high amounts. All strains were found to harbor the speA, speB, and speC genes, regardless of the amount of toxin produced. No correlation was found between one specific T1M1 clone and the more serious infections when isolates from bacteremic patients (fatalities or survivors), those with uncomplicated infections, and healthy carriers were compared. Similar results were obtained in a family study in which 3 family members were found to be asymptomatic carriers of the same GAS T1M1 clone as in the bacteremic patient, defined by genotypic and phenotypic experiments.


BACKGROUND: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for multiple myeloma (MM) entails sudden life changes including acute symptom burden, changes in physical function, and shifting caregiver dynamics. Several studies have shown that anxiety, insomnia, and distress rise in the initial weeks following ASCT before slowly recovering. Long-term consequences of these acute exacerbations include persistent quality of life (QOL) impairments (El-Jawahri 2016), post-traumatic stress disorder (Griffith 2020), and the usage of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) for symptom management (Banerjee 2021).
 We have recently completed a pilot study of digital life coaching (DLC), whereby life coaches work with patients via phone calls and text messages to provide longitudinal support, education, and accountability to meet wellbeing-related goals. Our pilot study of 15 patients demonstrated the feasibility of DLC during this period, with bidirectional patient-coach engagement occurring every 5-7 days even during index hospitalizations for ASCT (Banerjee 2021). Based on these positive results, we have now launched a randomized Phase 2 study of DLC versus usual care among patients with MM undergoing ASCT.
 STUDY DESIGN: Our study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04589286. We plan to enroll 60 adult patients with MM undergoing first ASCT at our institution. Inclusion criteria include English language proficiency and ownership of a personal cellphone. However, neither smartphones nor specific mobile apps are required for study participation.
 All patients, including those in the control arm, receive brief wellness-related tips with each request for PRO data as outlined below. As shown in the Figure, patients in the DLC arm are paired with a trained life coach beginning at Day -10 before ASCT. Coaches use structured frameworks to assist patients longitudinally with identifying and accomplishing wellbeing-related goals. Specific coaching topics can vary from week to week and are set by each patient. In addition to weekly coach-led phone calls, patients are encouraged to maintain bidirectional communication via phone/text/email as often as desired. Patients in the control arm do not receive access to DLC.
 Our primary endpoint is the total usage of sedative-class PIMs - including lorazepam, temazepam, zolpidem, and other similar medications - prescribed for anxiety or insomnia during each of 4 four-week study subperiods identified in the Figure. Secondary endpoints include patient-reported outcome (PRO) assessments of QOL (PROMIS Global Health), distress (NCCN Distress Thermometer), and insomnia (PROMIS Sleep Disturbances 4A). PRO assessments are collected exclusively using automated REDCap emails every 1-2 weeks as shown in the Figure.
 PROGRESS TO DATE: As of the data cutoff (7/31/21), 19 patients have enrolled onto our study and 5 have completed all follow-up. The median age of enrolled patients is 62 (range: 31-77), with 26% of patients aged 70 or older. As shown in our pilot study (Banerjee 2021), PRO collection via automated REDCap emails is feasible. Specifically, of 93 email-based requests for PRO assessments as of the data cutoff, 92 (99%) have been completed. Analyses of PRO assessment responses and PIM usage will be conducted after study completion.
 DISCUSSION: Improving patient wellbeing during the acute peri-ASCT period is an unmet need in multiple myeloma. Published supportive strategies during this time include music therapy (Bates 2017), acupuncture (Deng 2018), palliative care (El-Jawahri 2017), and programmed hospital room lighting (Valdimarsdottir 2018). DLC may offer unique advantages given its easy accessibility and unified patient-facing interface across hospital/clinic/home transitions. These strengths may be particularly relevant in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, where home-based follow-up after ASCT has become more common. That being said, broadening the accessibility of DLC to include patients with limited English proficiency or patients without personal cell phones are important priorities for future studies.
 In summary, our randomized Phase 2 study of DLC versus usual care is ongoing. If shown to reduce PIM prescription rates while improving wellbeing-related PRO trajectories longitudinally, DLC may become a standard of care for patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing ASCT.
 Figure 1 Figure 1.

 Banerjee: Pack Health: Research Funding; SparkCures: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy. Knoche: Amgen: Honoraria. Brassil: Abbvie: Research Funding; Astellas: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; GSK: Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding; Pack Health: Current Employment. Jackson: Pack Health: Current Employment. Patel: Pack Health: Current Employment. Lo: Oncopeptides: Consultancy; EUSA Pharma: Consultancy. Chung: Caelum: Research Funding. Wong: Amgen: Consultancy; Genentech: Research Funding; Fortis: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; GloxoSmithKlein: Research Funding; Dren Biosciences: Consultancy; Caelum: Research Funding; BMS: Research Funding; Sanofi: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Wolf: Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Teneobio: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy. Martin: Oncopeptides: Consultancy; Sanofi: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy. Shah: Bluebird Bio: Research Funding; GSK: Consultancy; Janssen: Research Funding; Indapta Therapeutics: Consultancy; BMS/Celgene: Research Funding; CareDx: Consultancy; CSL Behring: Consultancy; Kite: Consultancy; Nektar: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Amgen: Consultancy; Oncopeptides: Consultancy; Poseida: Research Funding; Precision Biosciences: Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy; Sutro Biopharma: Research Funding; Teneobio: Research Funding.


The non-government organization Bees Abroad aims to alleviate poverty by training local community groups in honeybee husbandry worldwide. The benefits extend well beyond just honey. Studies have shown that pollination is greatly improved, and bee husbandry can be partnered with tree planting and growing more diverse crops. Wax, which is often lost through selling buckets of raw honeycomb, can be the basis for value-added products, providing additional income for basic needs. There is good evidence that honey has nutritional and probiotic constituents, and can be used for both food and drink. An example from Kenya describes how mobile phone-based banking facilitates trading in semi-refined and refined honey, and other hive products, even in isolated communities.


Why do good teams fail? Very often, argue Deborah Ancona and Henrik Bresman, it is because they are looking inward instead of outward. Based on years of research examining teams across many industries, Ancona and Bresman show that traditional team models are falling short, and that what's needed--and what works--is a new brand of team that emphasizes external outreach to stakeholders, extensive ties, expandable tiers, and flexible membership. The authors highlight that X-teams not only are able to adapt in ways that traditional teams aren't, but that they actually improve an organization's ability to produce creative ideas and execute them--increasing the entrepreneurial and innovative capacity within the firm. What's more, the new environment demands what the authors call "distributed leadership," and the book highlights how X-teams powerfully embody this idea.


Quantifying bird song variation can be an important tool for ensuring accurate species identification and can provide a significant basis for understanding the evolutionary processes that shape phenotypic diversity. This study describes variation in the songs of rattling cisticolas Cisticola chiniana across sub-Saharan Africa. For many cisticola species, learned songs are the most obvious phenotypic indicators of species affiliation and may also function to indicate individual quality. We examined 957 songs recorded from 61 individuals and archived in sound libraries. To assess the diversity of syllable and song types, we examined patterns of syllable use. We also measured vocalization frequency and time parameters and assessed how they vary through space. Results indicated that rattling cisticola songs are highly variable, but also have features that are species-specific. Examined songs had a relatively fixed structure containing one of three characteristic introductory note types, followed by an end phrase. Two of the introductory note types were sung across the species' range (some 4500 km), whereas the third was only recorded in south-western Africa. End phrases generated most of the diversity in songs and appeared to have an unlimited number of forms. End-phrase characteristics showed a strong geographic variation, but did not vary with elevation. Song features varied individually and geographically in ways that are consistent with evolution due to multiple selective pressures, including stabilizing selection for species recognition on the introductory notes and diversifying selection on the end phrases. This pattern of lability in some song features coupled with stability in others may be a common feature of cisticola songs as it has also been found in Cisticola erythrops, a congener with a similarly broad range.


It is generally accepted that the endocannabinoid system plays important roles in spinal pain processing. Although it is documented that cannabinoid‐1 receptors are strongly expressed in the superficial spinal dorsal horn, the cellular distribution of enzymes that can synthesize endocannabinoid ligands is less well studied. Thus, using immunocytochemical methods at the light and electron microscopic levels, we investigated the distribution of diacylglycerol lipase‐alpha (DGL‐α) and N‐acylphosphatidylethanolamine‐specific phospholipase D (NAPE‐PLD), enzymes synthesizing the endocannabinoid ligands, 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG) and anandamide, respectively. Positive labeling was revealed only occasionally in axon terminals, but dendrites displayed strong immunoreactivity for both enzymes. However, the dendritic localization of DGL‐α and NAPE‐PLD showed a remarkably different distribution. DGL‐α immunolabeling in dentrites was always revealed at membrane compartments in close vicinity to synapses. In contrast to this, dendritic NAPE‐PLD labeling was never observed in association with synaptic contacts. In addition to dendrites, a substantial proportion of astrocytic (immunoreactive for GFAP) and microglial (immunoreactive for CD11b) profiles were also immunolabeled for both DGL‐α and NAPE‐PLD. Glial processes immunostained for DGL‐α were frequently found near to synapses in which the postsynaptic dendrite was immunoreactive for DGL‐α, whereas NAPE‐PLD immunoreactivity on glial profiles at the vicinity of synapses was only occasionally observed. Our results suggest that both neurons and glial cells can synthesize and release 2‐AG and anandamide in the superficial spinal dorsal horn. The 2‐AG can primarily be released by postsynaptic dendrites and glial processes adjacent to synapses, whereas anandamide can predominantly be released from nonsynaptic dendritic and glial compartments. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


KM 2210, a combination product of 17 beta-estradiol and chlorambucil, was administered to 15 patients with advanced (stage C and D) prostatic carcinoma. We studied the clinical efficacy and the drug concentration in the blood and prostatic tissues. The administered doses were 100 mg or 150 mg p.o., in 2 or 3 divided doses/day (or every other day in a few cases) for periods ranging from 30 to 369 days; the maximum total dose was 42.5 g. Objective clinical responses, according to the criteria by Shida et al., were observed in 6 (40%) patients. Side effects included gastrointestinal symptoms, e.g. loss of appetite or nausea, anemia and leukopenia. No obvious hepatic disorder was observed.


Studies in Caucasian populations have shown that a significant percentage of childhood extremity fractures occur at the playground. There are no comparable studies in Asian populations. Thus this study sets out to determine the pattern of playground related extremity fractures in Asian populations and to suggest modifications to prevent or reduce these injuries. This study involved a retrospective review of 390 patients with these fractures who visited our Department from May 1997 to December 1998. This accounted for 19.5% of all fractures seen in the same period. The largest age group affected were the five through 12-year-old patients with a male to female ratio of 2:1. Monkey bars or upper body devices were the most common cause (66%). The most common fracture was supracondylar fractures (43%). Further studies to determine the actual dimensions of playground equipment will be carried to ascertain with greater certainty the safety of these equipment in our playgrounds.


Recently, we proposed that singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) plays an essential role in microsomal cytochrome P450 (P450)-dependent p-hydroxylation of aniline and O-deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin. We then examined whether the role of (1)O(2) is general in the P450-dependent substrate oxidations. In the present study, we examined omega- and (omega-1)-hydroxylations of lauric acid, O-demethylation of p-nitroanisole, and N-demethylation of aminopyrine in rat liver microsomes. The addition of beta-carotene and NaN(3) significantly suppressed these reactions in a concentration-dependent manner, and (1)O(2) during the reactions was detected by ESR spin-trapping using 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone (TMPD) as a (1)O(2)-spin trapping reagent, where the addition of (1)O(2) quenchers, SKF-525A as a P450 inhibitor, or p-nitroanisole decreased ESR signal intensities due to TMPD-(1)O(2) adduct. Next, we examined the effect of (1)O(2) quenchers on P450-dependent reactions in the human liver microsomes, and (1)O(2) was also indicated to be an active species in substrate hydroxylations and dealkylations such as nifedipine oxidation by CYP3A4. On the basis of the results, we concluded that (1)O(2) is an essentially important active oxygen species in both rat and human P450-dependent substrate oxidations.


Abstract : Various modes of hydrogen storage are considered: compressed gas, liquid and solid (Hydride). Preliminary analysis of energy-storage densities and costs dictated more detailed consideration of hydrogen storage as a cryogenic liquid or metal hydride for (1) small-scale mobile storage and (2) large-scale stationary storage. Concentration was on these two modes in gathering and evaluating sufficient quantitative information to allow assessment of engineering problems and overall practicality. Liquid-hydrogen liquefaction, transfer and storage, and safety were explored. Liquid-cryogen pumping technology is reviewed with particular concern for application to airborne pumping of liquid-hydrogen. Pump types and performance are examined and technical problems identified. An examination of the state-of-the-art of metallic-hydride hydrogen storage is examined.


In the Australian case of Bywater Investments Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation; Hua Wang Bank Berhad v Commissioner of Taxation (the Bywater case) the Australian High Court dealt with the question of whether certain companies were resident in Australia for income tax purposes. The majority answered this question by applying Australian domestic law. In a separate but concurring judgement, Gordon J also discussed the interpretation and application of the relevant double taxation treaty. This contribution analyses Gordon J's judgment to extract guidance from it for the South African courts on their interpretation of double taxation treaties.
It is submitted that South African courts should also follow the "first step" proposed by Gordon J when interpreting double taxation treaties. South African courts may find Gordon J's judgment "instructive" when dealing with the interpretation of the "place of effective management" concept in both domestic law and double taxation treaties. In his judgment Gordon J favours the goal of common interpretation and it is argued that South African courts should follow this example and explicitly support this notion in applicable cases. From Gordon J's judgment and the judgement in Krok v Commissioner, South African Revenue Service, it is deduced that the positions in South Africa and Australia are similar in that the courts in both countries will be bound by the principles of Articles 31 and 32 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties when interpreting double taxation treaties. Moreover, Gordon J's judgment indicates that the domestic principles of interpretation should not be used in the interpretation of double taxation treaties. Recent South African cases have suggested that there are no differences between the South African domestic principles of interpretation and those contained in Articles 31 and 32 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. This contribution submits that there are many similarities between the two, but that the rules are not exactly the same. South African courts should be aware of these differences and rather apply the rules of public international law, including those contained in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, when they interpret double taxation treaties. Gordon J specifically identifies the category of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties in which he places the Commentary on the OECD Model Tax Convention, to rely on it for his interpretation of the relevant double taxation treaty. South African courts may well learn from this approach, to create more certainty in the process of interpreting a double taxation treaty.


Statistical associating fluid theory coupled with the restricted primitive model (SAFT1-RPM), previously proposed for representing single-salt solutions in water, is extended to multiple-salt solutions using a mixing rule for the hydrated diameter. A binary adjustable parameter in this mixing rule, for a pair of salts, is obtained from experimental osmotic coefficients of the corresponding ternary system. The ternary systems considered contain water and all pairs of NaCl, KCl, NaBr, and KBr. LiCl + NaCl and LiCl + KCl pairs are also correlated. The adjustable parameters are used to predict the density of the ternary systems with or without common ions, the solubility of two ternary systems, and the osmotic coefficient of a quaternary NaCl−KCl−LiCl−H2O solution.


Biological membranes consist of lipid bilayers. The lipid compositions between the two leaflets of the plasma membrane differ, generating lipid asymmetry. Maintenance of proper lipid asymmetry is physiologically quite important, and its collapse induces several cellular responses including apoptosis and platelet coagulation. Thus, a change in lipid asymmetry must be restored to maintain "lipid asymmetry homeostasis." However, to date no lipid asymmetry-sensing proteins or any related downstream signaling pathways have been identified. We recently demonstrated that expression of the putative yeast sphingoid long-chain base transporter/translocase Rsb1 is induced when glycerophospholipid asymmetry is altered. Using mutant screening, we determined that the pH-responsive Rim101 pathway, the protein kinase Mck1, and the transcription factor Mot3 all act in lipid asymmetry signaling, and that the Rim101 pathway was activated in response to a change in lipid asymmetry. The activated transcription factor Rim101 induces Rsb1 expression via repression of another transcription repressor, Nrg1. Changes in lipid asymmetry are accompanied by cell surface exposure of negatively charged phospholipids; we speculate that the Rim101 pathway recognizes the surface charges.


The kinase inhibitor ceritinib synergizes with PARPi to induce tumor regression in ovarian cancer models, suggesting that ceritinib combined with PARPi may be an effective strategy for treating ovarian cancer. PARP inhibitors (PARPi) have activity in homologous recombination (HR) repair-deficient, high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSOC). However, even responsive tumors develop PARPi resistance, highlighting the need to delay or prevent the appearance of PARPi resistance. Here, we showed that the ALK kinase inhibitor ceritinib synergizes with PARPis by inhibiting complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, which increases production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent induction of oxidative DNA damage that is repaired in a PARP-dependent manner. In addition, combined treatment with ceritinib and PARPi synergized in HGSOC cell lines irrespective of HR status, and a combination of ceritinib with the PARPi olaparib induced tumor regression more effectively than olaparib alone in HGSOC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Notably, the ceritinib and olaparib combination was most effective in PDX models with preexisting PARPi sensitivity and was well tolerated. These findings unveil suppression of mitochondrial respiration, accumulation of ROS, and subsequent induction of DNA damage as novel effects of ceritinib. They also suggest that the ceritinib and PARPi combination warrants further investigation as a means to enhance PARPi activity in HGSOC, particularly in tumors with preexisting HR defects. Significance: The kinase inhibitor ceritinib synergizes with PARPi to induce tumor regression in ovarian cancer models, suggesting that ceritinib combined with PARPi may be an effective strategy for treating ovarian cancer.


We show that congruent electric, magnetic and non-resonant optical fields acting concurrently on a polar paramagnetic (and polarizable) molecule offer possibilities to both amplify and control the directionality of the ensuing molecular states that surpass those available in double-field combinations or in single fields alone. At the core of these triple-field effects is the lifting of the degeneracy of the projection quantum number M by the magnetic field superimposed on the optical field and a subsequent coupling of the members of the 'doubled' (for states with M ≠ 0 ?> ) tunneling doublets due to the optical field by even a weak electrostatic field.


We consider a hitherto unexplored setting of stacked multilayer (N ) Lieb lattice which undergoes an unusual topological transition in the presence of intra-layer spin-orbit coupling (SOC). The specific stacking configuration induces an effective non-symmorphic 2D lattice structure, even though the constituent monolayer Lieb lattice is characterized by a symmorphic space group. This emergent non-symmorphicity leads to multiple doubly-degenerate bands extending over the edge of the Brillouin zone (i.e. Quadratic Band Crossing Lines). In the presence of intra-layer SOC, these doubly-degenerate bands typically form three N -band subspaces, mutually separated by two band gaps. We analyze the topological properties of these multi-band subspaces, using specially devised Wilson loop operators to compute non-abelian Berry phases, in order to show that they carry a higher Chern number N .


Crown ether-based cryptands have attracted much attention not only because of their 3D spatial architectures but also due to their good application prospects. In recent years, our group has prepared a series of supramolecular assemblies containing bis(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10-based cryptands. Firstly, by attaching a bisthiotetrathiafulvalene (STTFS) unit to the third arm of the cryptand, a redox-switchable cryptand was synthesized successfully. It was found that the dethread- ing-rethreading processes between this cryptand and the guests could be well-controlled in different redox states owing to the specific redox-active properties of the STTFS unit. Secondly, two types of cryptand-based host-guest complexes were also constructed successfully, in which P=O functional groups were located at the different positions of the third arms. These two new cryptands were capable of forming (2)pseudorotaxanes with the paraquat guest both in solution and in the solid state. Moreover, the generated (2)pseudorotaxanes could further self-assemble into supramolecular poly(2)pseudorotaxanes in the solid state. Interestingly, it was found that two different types of supramolecular poly(2)pseudorotaxanes were formed in al- most linear and zigzag shapes in the solid state. Thirdly, a pillar(5)arene-fused cryptand with two different cavities was also synthesized successfully. The cavity of BMP32C10-based cryptand in this tricyclic host molecule could selectively interact with the paraquat guest. The complexation behaviours between host and two different guest species were selective, and more importantly, in an orthogonal fashion. And based on this orthogonal self-assembly of two host-guest interactions, a novel type of supramolecular polymer was constructed easily and conveniently. These above researches of cryptands will provide the diverse motifs for the constructions of molecular devices and supramolecular materials. Keywords cryptand; molecular switch; pseudorotaxane; orthogonal self-assembly; supramolecular polymer


Pollution is an age – long problem which has become wide spread due to increase in human population, expanding human settlement and advances in production technologies. Similarly, aquaculture is also on the increase but as a result of increase in the demand of cheap, high quality protein necessitated by high population growth rate. Common water-polluting substances induced by population growth, urbanisation and industrialization and their effects on the aquatic ecosystem were reviewed. The consequences of continuous presence of these pollutants on the development of aquaculture in Nigeria were discussed based on literature reviewed with the inclusion of few relevant to the subject matter. Suggestions were made on how best to achieve sustainable aquacultural development with regards to water quality management. Journal of Environmental Extension Vol.4 2003: 59-62


As we reported before, exoglycosidase treatment of human serum IgA1 changed it to a sticky molecule. In order to examine the presence of the specific binding protein to the sticky IgA1 in human serum, IgA1, asialo-IgA1 (IgA1-S) and asialo-, agalacto-IgA1 (IgA1-SG)/Sepharose column chromatography of normal human serum was carried out. Purified hinge glycopeptide (HGP33) prepared from IgA1 was used for the preparation of HGP/Sepharose. A portion of the serum protein was bound to those columns and eluted with the buffer containing 1.0 M NaCl. About four times the amount of protein was eluted from the IgA1-SG/Sepharose column than that from IgA1/Sepharose. Most of the eluted protein was IgG, and the IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses but neither IgG2 nor IgG4 was dominant. Under the lower salt concentration, a portion of IgG was also bound to the HGP-SG/Sepharose column. The obtained results coincide well with the previous report of the co-present of IgG1 and IgG3 with deposited IgA1 in IgA nephropathy patients (Aucouturier, P., et al. (1989) Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol. 51, 338-347). Thus, the results solved the question of why the IgG3 was co-present with deposited IgA1 in IgA nephropathy patients.


The emergence of the extremely aggressive influenza recently has highlighted the urgent need for new effective treatments. The influenza RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) heterotrimer including PA, PB1 and PB2 has crucial roles in viral RNA replication and transcription. The highly conserved PB1 binding site on PA can be considered as a novel potential drug target site. The interaction between PB1 binding site and PA is crucial to many functions of the virus. In this study, to understand the detailed interaction profile and to characterize the binding hot spots in the interactions of the PA-PB1 complex, an 8 ns molecular dynamics simulation of the subunit PA-PB1 combined with MM-PBSA (molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area), MM-GBSA (molecular mechanics generalized Born surface area) computations and virtual alanine scanning were performed. The results from the free energy decomposition indicate that the intermolecular van der Waals interaction and the nonpolar solvation term provide the driving force for binding process. Through the pair interaction analysis and virtual alanine scanning, we identified the binding hot spots of PA and the basic binding motif of PB1. This information can provide some insights for the structure-based RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitors design. The identified binding motif can be used as the starting point for the rational design of small molecules or peptide mimics. This study will also lead to new opportunities toward the development of new generation therapeutic agents exhibiting specificity and low resistance to influenza virus.


Case-based surveillance of meningitis was implemented in Khartoum State in February 2013 but its implementation has not been evaluated. This study assessed some core (case confirmation) and support (case reporting and investigation resources) functions of case-based surveillance of meningitis at hospital level in Khartoum State, Sudan, from January to March 2015. An interview questionnaire and checklist were used to collect data from 31 hospitals. A poster containing the case definition of meningitis was fixed to the wall in 18% of the hospitals. Bacteriological culture of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and antibiotic sensitivity testing of the cultured bacteria were available in one-third of the hospitals. Laboratory personnel trained in CSF examination were present in 29% of the hospitals, while trained reporting unit personnel were present in 52%. A telephone for reporting was present in 74% of the hospitals. The system for casebased surveillance of meningitis needs to be strengthened, particularly the functions related to case confirmation.


Objective: Naturally occurring strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) have demonstrated the potential to kill cancer cells in both preclinical and clinical studies. Previous studies showed that apoptin, the VP3 protein of chicken infectious anemia virus, is a p53-independent, Bcl-2-insensitive apoptotic protein with the ability to specifically induce apoptosis in transformed cells. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that apoptin enhances NDV-mediated tumor cell death. Methods: Reverse genetics was used to engineer an oncolytic NDV strain, FMW, to express apoptin. The antitumor effects of the recombinant virus (rFMW/AP) were also evaluated in the tumor cell lines and tumor-bearing mice. Results: Compared to the parental strain FMW, rFMW/AP was more potent in killing A459 and SMMC7721 tumor cells. Recombinant NDV also exhibited higher efficacy in suppressing tumor growth in mice bearing A549-induced tumors. Furthermore, rFMW/AP did not display apparent toxic effects in either normal cells or control mice. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the recombinant NDV expressing apoptin is a promising novel antitumor agent.


An aged gray stallion was examined because of fullminating posterior paresis, bladder paralysis, and perineal anesthesia. Lower motor neuron dysfunction was detected at the lumbosacral level of the spinal cord, and cerebrospinal fluid was yellow. After brief supportive treatment, the horse died. Necropsy revealed a single epidural melanoma at L5-6. The absence of cutaneous melanotic growth, absence of organ involvement, and extensive vertebral remodeling indicated the neoplasm to have been primary and to have been present for an extended period. Neurologic dysfunction was acute and progressive, as a result of spinal cord compression by the neoplasm.


In-flight monitoring of the optical response of GOME revealed a number of instrumental features that drift or change with time. Some of these observed features are related to outgassing of the instrument in space. In particular outgassing of optical coatings, e.g. the dichroic mirror in GOME, can result in a change of the optical characteristics and thereby changing the response of the GOME instrument. Another feature is related to the etalon effect which results in a spectral modulation of the GOME spectra. This modulation varies in time due to a varying contamination layer, most likely ice, on the cooled detectors. Through the GOBELIN project the GOME breadboard model has been made available to us by ESA. The GOME breadboard model has been fully upgraded to represent the GOME flight mode and therefore offers a unique opportunity to study the above phenomenon under controlled laboratory conditions. First results are presented addressing in particular the effect of outgassing on instrument optical response, including the polarization response, and the etalon effect.


The aim of this review was to discuss early intervention options for clinical high-risk states of psychosis, the limitations of the high-risk concept, and the importance of population-based approaches in preventing psychosis. Interventions for individuals at high risk of psychosis can be classified into two main categories: pharmacological and non-pharmacological. When selecting any of these intervention options, it should be taken into account that only a small proportion of individuals in the high-risk group will have a transition to clinical psychosis. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid aggressive interventions. Pharmacotherapies, particularly antipsychotics, are generally not considered as a treatment of choice for individuals at high risk of psychosis due to their potential side-effect profiles, whereas cognitive behavioral therapies and family-oriented therapies are the leading alternatives with virtually no side effects. However, meta-analyses have shown that none of the interventions are specifically more effective than needs-based treatment (including placebo) in preventing transition to psychosis. These interventions might not be effective in preventing transition to psychosis; however, they may improve the outcomes of psychosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the targeted prevention approaches focusing on the clinical high risk of psychosis concept have major limitations in terms of the impact on reducing psychosis incidence in the general population compared to the population-based approaches. Recently, psychosis-focused prevention approaches have been replaced by easily accessible youth mental health centers that provide services for transdiagnostic conditions. Future studies on the efficacy of these community-based youth mental health services may provide guidance on how to prevent psychosis.


The main goal of this paper is to study Image Aesthetic Assessment (IAA) indicating images as high or low aesthetic. The main contributions concern three points. Firstly, following the idea that photos in different categories (human, flower, animal, landscape, …) are taken with different photographic rules, image aesthetic should be evaluated in a different way for each image category. Large field images and close-up images are two typical categories of images with opposite photographic rules so we want to investigate the intuition that prior Large field/Close-up Image Classification (LCIC) might improve the performance of IAA. Secondly, when a viewer looks at a photo, some regions receive more attention than other regions. Those regions are defined as Regions Of Interest (ROI) and it might be worthy to identify those regions before IAA. The question "Is it worthy to extract some ROIs before IAA?" is considered by studying Region Of Interest Extraction (ROIE) before investigating IAA based on each feature set (global image features, ROI features and background features). Based on the answers, a new IAA model is proposed. The last point is about a comparison between the efficiency of handcrafted and learned features for the purpose of IAA.


The question of sawtooth stabilization at very high fast-ion energy contents has been addressed in discharges carried out in the JET tokamak with ion cyclotron resonance frequency (ICRF) heating and varying plasma density, controlled by deuterium gas puffs. In these experiments dramatic differences in the sawtooth behaviour have been observed. When the plasma density ne decreases below a certain threshold, the sawtooth frequency and the crash duration time increase by a factor of five. Since the fast-ion energy content increases with decreasing ne due to the inverse proportionality of the fast-ion slowing-down time on ne, the threshold in ne corresponds to a threshold in the fast-ion energy content. In the present experiments, this threshold is reached when the fast-ion energy contribution to the total plasma diamagnetic energy content becomes larger than 45%. The sawtooth activity with short sawtooth free period is accompanied by MHD activity, with a toroidal mode number n = 1 at frequencies between 55 and 65 kHz. This activity is interpreted as an energetic particle fishbone mode that is resonant with the ICRF-driven fast ions. The experimental results appear to be consistent with the stability diagram for sawtooth and fishbone modes (White 1989 Theory of Tokamak Plasmas (Amsterdam: North-Holland)), exploring the part of the diagram with a very large fast-ion population.


BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
Foveal hypoplasia is associated with low vision in a variety of conditions. We report and show imaging studies for a series of five patients with foveal hypoplasia who had visual acuity ranging from 20/25 to 20/60.

METHODS
Observational case series.

PATIENTS
This series includes five patients aged 5 to 18 years who presented to the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Hoover Low Vision Clinic. All patients showed a partial or complete absence of the fovea in both eyes on examination.

RESULTS
Eight eyes exhibited absence of foveal depression on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (Cirrus high-definition OCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec). Four eyes exhibited Grade 3 foveal hypoplasia, two eyes exhibited Grade 4 foveal hypoplasia, and two eyes exhibited Grade 1 foveal hypoplasia. For two eyes (one patient), the optical coherence tomography was no longer available for grading, but was interpreted as foveal hypoplasia in both eyes in the chart. Visual acuities ranged from 20/25 to 20/60. Only two of five patients showed signs of albinism.

CONCLUSION
Despite the presence of foveal hypoplasia, patients can retain a high level of visual acuity, which suggests that a foveal depression is not essential for the development of good visual acuity.


The classical problem of testing goodness-of-fit of a parametric family is reconsidered. A new test for this problem is proposed and investigated. The new test statistic is a combination of the smooth test statistic and Schwarz's selection rule. More precisely, as the sample size increases, an increasing family of exponential models describing departures from the null model is introduced and Schwarz's selection rule is presented to select among them. Schwarz's rule provides the "right" dimension given by the data, while the smooth test in the "right" dimension finishes the job. Theoretical properties of the selection rules are derived under null and alternative hypotheses. They imply consistency of data driven smooth tests for composite hypotheses at essentially any alternative.


Energy and environmental concerns accelerate the interest in passive solar heating in buildings, which utilizes solar energy through natural heat transfer. Moreover concerns about environmentally friendly materials were also increased. This study aims to evaluate the thermal performance of a Trombe wall built with earth. The thermal performance of the Trombe walls was analysed with results from computer simulations with TRNSYS 15. The thermal performance of the three types of Trombe wall was compared. ; concrete, rammed earth, adobe. It was found that Trombe wall with the thermal storage wall of earth performed better than that of concrete. Rammed earth and adobe Trombe walls gained 4.7% and 12.8% more solar energy, respectively, than the concrete Trombe wall. In earth-applied Trombe walls, the energy gain by natural convection released from the airspace was about 75% of the total solar gains, that took 15% more than concrete Trombe wall. Rammed earth and adobe Trombe walls seem to be more suitable for buildings that use mostly in daytime, such as school, office and so on.


BACKGROUND
Complementing infant diets with lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNSs) has been suggested to improve growth and reduce morbidity, but the daily quantity and the milk content of LNSs affect their cost.

OBJECTIVE
We tested the hypotheses that the change in mean length-for-age z score (LAZ) for infants provided with 10-40 g LNSs/d from ages 6 to 18 mo would be greater than that for infants receiving no dietary intervention at the same age and that provision of LNSs that did not contain milk would be as good as milk-containing LNSs in promoting linear growth.

METHODS
We enrolled in a randomized single-blind trial 6-mo-old infants who were allocated to 1 of 6 groups to receive 10, 20, or 40 g LNSs/d containing milk powder; 20 or 40 g milk-free LNSs/d; or no supplement until 18 mo of age. The primary outcome was change in LAZ.

RESULTS
Of the 1932 enrolled infants, 78 (4.0%) died and 319 (16.5%) dropped out during the trial. The overall reported supplement consumption was 71.6% of days, with no difference between the groups (P = 0.26). The overall mean ± SD length and LAZ changes were 13.0 ± 2.1 cm and -0.45 ± 0.77 z score units, respectively, which did not differ between the groups (P = 0.66 for length and P = 0.74 for LAZ). The difference in mean LAZ change in the no-milk LNS group compared with the milk LNS group was -0.02 (95% CI: -0.10, 0.06; P = 0.72).

CONCLUSION
Our results do not support the hypothesis that LNS supplementation during infancy and childhood promotes length gain or prevents stunting between 6 and 18 mo of age in Malawi. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00945698.


Different variants of surgical tactics at suppuration of the vascular prosthesis are described in the review. Basic variants of surgical tactics such as extraanatomic bypass, vascular prosthesis regrafting, appliance of allograft and femoral vein are proposed. Pros and cons of each method are shown. Comparative analysis of the performed techniques was performed. Indications and contraindications for each method are determined. Situations suitable for attempt of conservative treatment of infected prosthesis and regrafting by vascular prosthesis are described. Possible ways of prevention of the vascular prosthesis contamination are described in details. Different approaches to the antibiotics prevention of the infectious complications are listed. Step-by-step development of the prevention of the infectious complications is carried out.


Part of the organised session "URB-Net PhD workshop on Urban Resilience and transition" Research context My research is focussed on governance for resilience, in particular how urban planning and governance can enable adaptation and transformation in the face of slow urban stresses such as urban densification, and how learning arises from such processes. Presentation City-regions are subject to complex social-ecological stresses endogenous to the urban system and open to external influences. I investigate what resilience means for planning and governance in responding to such stresses, specifically in relation to urban densification. Contrary to disasters and climate change, densification is neither a discrete event in time nor led by external factors. In addition, while it desired by most cities, densification presents a complex set of linked social-ecological stresses (the economic, political and infrastructural being strongly embedded in the social in this case) to be dealt with by urban planning and governance, frequently on a reactive basis. Resilience entails building capacity for adaptive governance in the face of uncertain stresses in social-ecological urban systems. The focus of this research is on the metropolitan scale, a point of mediation between national and regional policy and local initiatives. It is also potentially an interface where diverse actors and knowledges come together to enable transformative change. While the aim of this transformation may be sustainability or transition, this research does not question how sustainable the outcome will be or what future state is aimed for. Rather, it highlights the processes and structures that enable learning and knowledge to be embedded in governance structures and how such embeddedness may enhance the ability of urban authorities to manage foreseeable but uncertain urban stresses, such as those arising from urban densification. Hence, this short talk provides a perspective on what governing for resilience may mean in urban areas and what building resilience may entail.


Large powerful liquid natural gas carriers may soon ply Arctic waters year round. Concern has been expressed over the impact the resulting noise will have on Arctic marine life. This study includes estimates of LNG carrier‐radiated noise source levels and resulting sound levels at a given distance from the ship for a number of operating conditions. Measurements of sound propagation and ambient noise conditions in Baffin Bay are used to estimate the ship noise levels in relation to the summertime noise background.


BACKGROUND
Right-sided retroperitoneoscopic living donor nephrectomy (LDN) has been shown to be safe for the donor but it is unknown whether the short renal vein is associated with complications or an impaired long-term outcome in the recipient.

METHODS
In this retrospective cohort study, consecutive transplant recipients after retroperitoneoscopic LDN were enrolled. Complications occurring within 1 year were classified according to the Clavien-Dindo Classification for Surgical Complications and analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Predictors of 1-year creatinine clearance were analysed with multivariable linear regression. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyse graft survival.

RESULTS
Of the 251 recipients, 193 (77%) received a left kidney and 58 (23%) a right kidney. Surgical complications of Clavien-Dindo grade 3 or higher were comparable in recipients of right and left kidneys (33% vs 29%, odds ratio 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50, 1.94). The occurrence of a surgical complication had a significant impact on creatinine clearance at 1 year (decrease of 6 ml/min/m2, p = 0.016). Vascular complications in right kidneys were more common but were all corrected without impact on graft survival. One-year graft-survival was similar in recipients of right (98.3%) and left (96.9%) kidneys, as was creatinine clearance one year after transplantation (mean difference 3.3 ml/min/m2, 95% CI -1.5, 8.1; p = 0.175). After a median follow-up of 5 years, neither the side (hazard ratio 1.56, 95% CI 0.67, 3.63) nor surgical complications (hazard ratio 1.44, 95% CI 0.65, 3.19) were associated with graft failure.

CONCLUSION
Right retroperitoneoscopic LDN does not compromise the outcome of transplantation. Surgical complications, long-term graft function and graft survival were comparable in right and left kidneys.


This report presents my guidelines for surgeon training and development of skills in the art of elbow arthroscopy. As elbow arthroscopy becomes more common, it is important to achieve greater levels of experience that will minimize the risk of complications because indications and techniques are growing in number and complexity. Indications for elbow arthroscopy that require diagnosis before open surgery include evaluation of instability; removal of loose bodies, spurs, and plica; irrigation and debridement of infection or open joints; evaluation for arthrofibrosis (with open nerve protection), lateral epicondylitis, arthritis, osteochondritis dissecans, fracture, bursectomy, synovectomy, stabilization, tendon repair, and nerve release or decompression. Key Words: Elbow arthroscopy—Elbow arthritis—Lateral epicondylitis.


Social pedagogy, still an unfamiliar concept in Britain, is concerned with education in its widest sense, encompassing but going much beyond formal school-based learning. Pat Petrie reports on studies of social pedagogy in four countries conducted at the Thomas Coram Research Unit and discusses potential benefits of the social pedagogic approach for fostering in England. She argues that this would fit well with developing English policy towards children and children in care and can bridge the tensions inherent in foster care, combining a personal, relational approach with an insistence on reflection.


With epigenetic therapy emerging as a potential therapy for solid tumors and recent reports that indicate an influence of hypomethylating agents on the PD-1/PD-L1 expression in tumor tissue, epigenetic therapy in combination with immune-modulatory compounds might open-up new avenues for cancer treatment. To investigate the influence of hypomethylating agents on the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling cascade in breast cancer and its implication on possible treatment options, we determined the effect of 5-Azacytidine (5-AZA), decitabine (DAC) and anti-PD1 in mono- and combined therapy on the mouse breast cancer model 4T1 in vitro and in vivo. In a life cell imaging based 2D system we evaluated the influence of the different treatment arms on tumor growth, methylation status and PD-L1 expression. Furthermore, we determined the effect of 5-AZA and DAC on autologous T cells in the presence and absence of 4T1 cancer cells. The combination of 5-AZA and anti-PD1 treatment was further evaluated in an in vivo setting. 24 4T1 bearing balb/c mice were treated with either an isotype control, 5-AZA, anti-PD1 or a combination of the latter. Tumor growth was monitored by caliper measurement. At the end of the experiment tumor and hematopoietic organs were analyzed by flow cytometry. A panel of 36 murine cytokines was determined in the murine serum at different time points. Low dose 5-AZA (IC10) and DAC (IC2.5) induced a down regulation of PD-L1 on 4T1 cells in vitro. Interestingly, this effect was most prominent at the dose level and time point when the hypomethylation effect of the respective compound was most pronounced (day 7). 5-AZA and DAC induced an upregulation of PD-1 on autologous CD4+ as well as CD8+ T cells. Of note, 4T1 cells reduced the expression of PD-1 on autologous CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Antitumoral activity in vitro was determined in all treatment arms. An additive effect of the combination was specifically determined when combining 5-AZA and anti PD-1. Hence, 5-AZA and anti PD-1 were investigated in vivo more in detail. 4T1 is characterized by an immune suppressive tumor microenvironment as indicated by the in vitro results: we determined a reduced CD4/CD8 ratio and a high percentage of MDSC. These features were reverted by the applied treatments. Along the same line, 5-AZA in mono- and in combination therapy with anti-PDL1 specifically increased the G-CSF levels in murine serum. In addition, the PDL-1 downregulation on the tumor cells was reproduced in vivo. Finally, the combination arm displayed the most prominent antitumoral activity. In summary, we have strong evidence that low dose hypomethylating agents influence the immune landscape of breast cancer via the modulation of PD-1/PD-L1 signaling. The combination with checkpoint inhibitors was superior to the monotherapy and might lead to new treatment options for breast cancer patients.
 Citation Format: Julia Schüler, Agon Kolica, Hung Ngyuen, Anna Edinger, Kanstantsin Lashuk, Eva Oswald. Hypomethylating agents modulate the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling in a murine breast cancer model and show additive effects in the combination with PD-1 blockage in vitro and in vivo [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1349.


This paper presents a three-dimensional continuous autonomous chaotic system is called Shimizu Morioka system (SMS) with four terms and two quadratic nonlinearities. The new system contains five variational parameters and exhibits Lorenz and Rossler like attractors in numerical simulations. The basic dynamical properties of the new system are analyzed by means of equilibrium points, eigenvalue structures. Some of the basic dynamic behavior of the system is explored further investigation in the Lyapunov exponent, and we show that Shimizu Morioka system is almost linear system. Finally, a numerical example is given to support the analytic results.


Hypertensive emergencies (HTNe) primarily focus on decreasing the blood pressure to specific targets. However, there are emerging data surrounding the potential clinical effects of blood pressure variability (BPV) in patients with HTNe. This narrative review highlights the various definitions of BPV, the emerging role of BPV, and the clinical data surrounding BPV in the HTNe setting. Clinical studies were obtained from a PubMed search through October 2018 utilizing PICO methodology. Original research articles, systematic reviews, and meta‐analyses were considered for inclusion. Articles were selected for inclusion based on the relevancy of the article investigating BPV in the HTNe setting. There is currently no accepted standard to express BPV in the acute care setting of HTNe, and various parameters have been reported. There are very limited data regarding BPV outside of the neurologic HTNe setting. In the acute treatment phase of neurologic HTNe, BPV is consistently associated with increased risk of unfavorable outcomes. In the HTNe setting, continuous infusion of calcium channel blockers may optimize BPV compared to other agents. Based on current data, BPV should be investigated in a prospective systemic fashion. Efforts should be taken to ensure that BPV is minimized in the acute phase of HTNe, especially for those patients with intracranial hemorrhage. This reduced BPV is associated with improved favorable outcomes, but further study investigating specific pharmacologic agents is needed.


A new full Earth's field dynamic feedback fluxgate magnetometer is described. It is based entirely on digital signal processing and digital feedback control, thereby replacing the classical second harmonic tuned analogue electronics by processor algorithms. Discrete mathematical cross-correlation routines and substantial oversampling reduce the noise to 71 pT root-mean-square in a 0.25 - 10 Hz bandwidth for a full Earth's field range instrument.


Transverse component bodywave ground displacements from deep focus earthquakes exhibit complexities which are not accounted for by standard radially symmetric Earth models. This anomalous behavior is examined using 123 broadband teleseismic SH displacement recordings, reconstituted from shortand long-period or broadband seismograms for 11 events in the Kurile subduction zone. The greatest complexity, involving an extra arrival between the S and ScS phases at epicentral distances greater than 72 ø, has a strong distance dependence and little azimuthal variation with respect to the source region, favoring an interpretation as a deep mantle triplication rather than a near-source slab diffraction.


There are features of burnout peculiar to certain professions, such as the nature of the work performed, the amount of communication in professional activities, the specific subject of employment, etc. This article discusses the specifics of the acting profession, stress factors of professional activities that may contribute to professional burnout actors. These include lack of demand for professional, complex organizational structures and multi-level communication in the process of working on the role. You can also identify personality traits that cause burnout, such as demonstrative, neuroticism, increased anxiety, etc. All the above features of the acting profession are stress factors profession. In case of insufficient personal and professional resources for coping with these difficulties, the actor, as the subject of labor, subject to professional burnout.


Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning process. The characterizations of the adsorbent were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The obtained nanofibers could be used as adsorbents for the removal of Uranium (VI). The maximum adsorption occurred at pH 6, the equilibrium adsorption amount was about 90mg/g, and the equilibrium time was 120min.


Large eddy simulation of wake turbulence was performed by integrating the lidar measurements. Four-dimensional variational method was applied to integrate lidar measurements with the three-dimensional large eddy simulation. In addition, a bogus vortex technique was adopted to ensure the existence of wake vortices in the flow field. The validation of the method was performed by idealized test cases using virtual lidar measurement which is produced by the reference simulation of a vortex pair. The results of the validation cases showed the convergence of vortex parameters such as a circulation to that of reference simulation case. It is also confirmed that the velocity distribution on a measurement plane agrees with reference one.


This article examines the eureka factor in science based development and underscores the increasing concern that Africa lags behind in science and technology (S&T) due to political and social instability coupled by low investments in technologies. ('Eureka!' is an exclamation of triumph on discovering something or solving a scientific problem.) The articles emphasizes that African science should come up with a decisive policy for investment in new style education and capacity building for S&T that is relevant to the African experience and addresses problems of real concern to the community. The Zimbabwe Science News Volume 33(1) January-March 1999, pp. 5-11


43 patients with acute bleeding oesophageal varices were treated by means of endoscopic sclerotherapy using a modified fiber-endoscopic technic by either intravasal or combined intra- and paravasal injections. The results obtained in this group were compared with a group of 30 patients who had been treated conservatively--above all using a Sengstaken tube. According to previous experiences the method proved sufficient. In the sclerotherapy group there were by far less recurrent variceal haemorrhages (22 episodes of haemorrhages in 35 per cent of the patients) than in the control group, and during an average observation time of 16 months 18 per cent of the patients died. On the other hand, in the group treated conservatively, there were 44 episodes of haemorrhages in 60 per cent of the patients and 66.6 per cent of the patients died within 13 months. The results are compared with the results in literature and they suggest that, apart from the decrease of the frequency of haemorrhagic recidivations the sclerotherapy may have a favourable influence on the survival time of patients with liver cirrhosis. These findings, however, must still be confirmed by long-term results.


A novel fibre Bragg grating displacement sensor is presented. Using a uniform density and thickness overlapped dual-isosceles triangular cantilever beam as a strain agent, it is demonstrated both experimentally and theoretically that this sensor is able to automatically compensate for wavelength shifts induced by temperature. The measured sensitivity of this sensor is 0.1051 nm/mm within the working range of –18 – 18 mm.


BACKGROUND
Asthma morbidity and mortality is increased in blacks.

OBJECTIVE
The primary objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine if blacks, asthmatic or nonasthmatic, displayed diminished T-lymphocyte response to glucocorticoids in vitro compared to their white counterparts. If differences were noted, this would suggest a racial predisposition to decreased glucocorticoid responsiveness among blacks.

METHODS
Asthmatic (n = 395, 27% blacks) and control (n = 202, 52% blacks) subjects recruited from National Jewish Medical and Research Center and from the surrounding community participated in the study. In vitro glucocorticoid responsiveness was determined by assessing the log-transformed concentration of dexamethasone required to suppress phytohemagglutinin-induced T-lymphocyte proliferation by 50% (log(10) IC(50)). Asthma medication history, atopic status, and spirometric lung function measures corrected for race were collected.

RESULTS
Black and white asthmatic subjects had similar FEV(1) percentage of predicted values and inhaled and oral glucocorticoid requirements. Black asthmatic subjects displayed significantly diminished glucocorticoid responsiveness compared to white asthmatic subjects, as follows: median (first, third quartile) log(10) IC(50) values of 1.00 nmol (0.48, 1.83) vs 0.78 nmol (0.29, 1.45) [p = 0.028]. Similar results were found between black and white control subjects, as follows: median, 1.26 nmol (0.70, 2.14) vs 0.95 nmol (0.55, 1.48) [p = 0.01]. Age, race, and basal T-lymphocyte activity were significantly positively correlated to the log(10) IC(50) values.

CONCLUSION
Our observation that black asthmatic subjects and non-asthmatic control subjects require greater concentrations of glucocorticoid in vitro to suppress T-lymphocyte activation suggests that blacks have a racial predisposition to diminished glucocorticoid responsiveness, which may contribute to their heightened asthma morbidity.


An integrated remote sensing/field ecology project was carried out to link the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and other remotely sensed data to studies of landscape spatial heterogeneity and bird community ecology as a first step toward applications in predicting biodiversity. P-, L-, and C-band SAR data were collected over a section of the South Alligator River in Kakadu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory as part of the Joint NASA/Australia DC-8 AIRSAR data acquisition campaign in 1993 and the NASA/PACRIM AIRSAR deployment in 1996. The SAR data were analyzed with field data integrating vegetation structure and floristics with bird abundances across a heterogeneous study site that spanned several abrupt habitat edges. Results indicate that SAR data are able to discern structural differences relevant to bird habitat quality within floristically homogeneous stands, while multispectral sensors successfully identified floristic differences among habitat types.


Arbitration as a means of settling disputes is not commonly used in the NHS. Its greatest use has probably been in general practice to settle partnership disputes. In 1991 the Department of Health issued a consultative paper on the use of arbitration to settle cases of medical negligence,1 but ministers have so far taken this no further. Now at least one health authority has used arbitration to settle a dispute arising from the workings of the internal market in the NHS.2

As part of their job of managing the market, regional health authorities have played an important part in arbitrating - or, more accurately, mediating - in disputes that arise between purchasers and providers. On p 177 Scott and Stokoe describe how North West Hertfordshire Health Authority opted for arbitration in such a dispute - in this case between a resident and the authority over whether to fund continuing treatment at a non-NHS institution.2 The paper raises several important lessons for those who might want to use arbitration.

Arbitration is described by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators as the only means of resolving a dispute that offers an alternative to litigation because an arbitrator's award is final, binding, and enforceable summarily in the courts.3 Supporters of arbitration claim that it is quicker, more flexible, and consequently cheaper than going to law. The arbitrator, agreed on by both parties, may or may not be an expert in …


Estimating position and velocity of a moving source requires at least an ownship maneuver when performing bearing-only tracking (BOT). By concurrently processing bearing and Dopplerized radiated frequencies a unique target motion analysis (TMA) solution is available without any maneuver. A simple, fast, non-time-recursive estimator, working on several unknown measured spectral lines, is presented. The statistical efficiency of such a Doppler and bearing tracking (DBT) is proved by computer simulation. Simulation results show that DBT can yield proper estimates of source trajectory: range accuracy better than 10% within at most 10 min for a source at 20 km and nine sinusoids.<<ETX>>


[reaction: see text]. A novel convergent approach to fully functionalized ring C allocolchicinoids is developed which is based on the benzannulation reaction of Fischer carbene complexes with alkynes. The efficacy of this strategy was established with the conversion of bromide 1a (R1 = Me, R2 = H) to the biaryl phenol 3a (R = Me, R(L) = Pr, R(S) = H) via the carbene complex 2a. Bromide 1b (R1 = t-Bu, R2 = OMe) was then used for the analogous preparation of the diastereomeric allocolchicinoids 3b (R = Me, R(L) = Pr, R(S) = H).


There is a significant gap between advances in medication for mental disorders and the present static situation concerning diagnosis and monitoring treatments in these disorders. Although significant morbidity is associated with depression, failure to appropriately diagnose individuals remains the primary obstacle to the effective management of this disorder. Heterotrimeric G proteins are a crucial point of convergence in the transmission of signals from a variety of primary messengers and their membrane receptors to their intracellular effectors. The increasing interest in the clinical perspective of altered G protein function has yielded important findings concerning the involvement of G proteins in the pathophysiology of mood disorders and in the biochemical mechanisms underlying the treatment of these disorders: 1) Lithium inhibition of β‐adrenergic and muscarinic receptor‐coupled G protein function was suggested as a single molecular site for both its antimanic and antidepressant therapeutic effects. Other antibipolar treatments were found to exert similar effects on G protein function. 2) Increased G protein functional and immunoreactive measures were detected in peripheral blood elements of patients with mania and in postmortem cerebral cortices of bipolar patients. 3) Reduced measures of G proteins were found in large‐scale studies of lymphocytes from patients with depression and of SAD patients during winter depression. 4) Alterations in function and in quantity of both Gs and Gi are significantly correlated with the severity of depressive symptomatology. 5) Normalization of G protein measures in mood‐disordered patients occurred under lithium, antidepressants, and ECT, as well as light therapy. 6) No structural or regulatory abnormalities in the gene for the Gsα subunit were found in patients with bipolar disorder. As a state‐dependent marker, G protein measures might be potentially used as an aid in the biochemical diagnosis of mood disorders and for the biochemical monitoring of the response to a specific treatment. Drug Dev. Res. 50:316–323, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Conventional tracking approaches assume proximity in space, time and appearance of objects in successive observations. However, observations of objects are often widely separated in time and space when viewed from multiple non-overlapping cameras. To address this problem, we present a novel approach for establishing object correspondence across non-overlapping cameras. Our multicamera tracking algorithm exploits the redundance in paths that people and cars tend to follow, e.g. roads, walk-ways or corridors, by using motion trends and appearance of objects, to establish correspondence. Our system does not require any inter-camera calibration, instead the system learns the camera topology and path probabilities of objects using Parzen windows, during a training phase. Once the training is complete, correspondences are assigned using the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation framework. The learned parameters are updated with changing trajectory patterns. Experiments with real world videos are reported, which validate the proposed approach.


. We show that certain graphs of groups with cyclic edge groups are aTmenable. In particular, this holds when each vertex group is either virtually special or acts properly and semisimply on H n .


Continuing the theme of this issue on J J Thomson's electron, this interview has been constructed from the references given at the end.


perennial wheatgrasses ( Thinopyrum spp.) are recognized sources of genetic variation for annual wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) improvement. Amphiploid lines made by crossing Thinopyrum spp. and T. aestivum (common wheat) can increase resilience of wheat to pathogens and abiotic stress. However, lack of pairing between chromosomes of Thinopyrum and Triticum species reduces genome stability, seed set, and perenniality. Fifty-two wheat-wheatgrass amphiploids from the perennials Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D. r . Dewey, Thinopyrum ponticum (podp.) Barkworth & D. r. Dewey, and Thinopyrum junceum (L.) A. Love crossed with the annuals T. aestivum , Triticum turgidum L. subsp. carthlicum (Nevski) A. Love & D. Love (syn. Triticum carthlicum Nevski), and Triticum turgidum subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn, were screened for wheat stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis) and Fusarium head blight (FHB) (caused by Fusarium graminearum) reaction and evaluated for winter hardiness and perenniality. Twenty-four of 48 amphiploid lines were resistant to all stem rust races screened, including TTKSK (syn. Ug99), TrTTF, and common U.S. races. o30 amphiploid lines point inoculated with F. graminearum, 21 were resistant based on the percentage of infected spikelets and the percent of visually scabby kernels. Three sources each of potentially novel stem rust and uncharacterized FHB resistance were identified and may be useful for wheat improvement. Two lines showed perenniality in Minnesota and may be valuable as cold- tolerant perennial wheat germplasm. Seven lines representing two families showed potential genetic stability based on chromosome counts and seed production.


A methanol–water mixed solvent was used as a reaction medium for the preparation of Eu3+-doped YVO4 phosphor materials. These were synthesized by a solvothermal method at 150°–300°C using a 10 vol% solution of water in methanol as the reaction medium followed by calcination at 1000°–1200°C. The phase composition and optical properties of the products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The powders obtained were composed of spherical particles ∼0.5 μm in size, with an internal structure that was different for samples prepared under subcritical and supercritical conditions of methanol. After the calcination, the powders obtained at 240°–300°C retained the initial raspberry-like morphology, whereas the morphology of samples prepared at 150°–210°C changed significantly due to noticeable sintering. The fluorescence intensity exhibited by the prepared samples was higher than the fluorescence intensity shown by one of the best commercial YVO4:Eu phosphors having a large particle size.


This investigation was undertaken to understand recent nutrient levels of Westhampton Lake and determine the implications of its water quality relative to the sustenance of aquatic life on campus at the University of Richmond. Nutrient data was obtained from the documentation of ongoing monthly sampling by a research team from Virginia Commonwealth University and consisted in the evaluation of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, chlorides, and the bacteria, Escherichia coli between November 20, 2018, and December 9, 2021. Analysis of each individual nutrient included the comparison of its minimum, maximum, and mean level relative to recommended criteria provided by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and local experts, with healthy levels being defined as those that support aquatic life. In addition, nutrients were analyzed spatially and temporally, applying recommended criteria to the sample site and sample date of a nutrient. Apart from total nitrogen, all average nutrient levels surpassed criteria; however, chlorides were unable to be evaluated due to nonexistent criteria. Findings indicated the need for the adoption of standardized criteria for all nutrients sampled, modification of sites being used for sampling to discern on-campus from off-campus sources, and consideration of additional features that could be added to the lake to combat excess nutrients.


ABSTRACT Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term therapeutic outcome of intersphincteric resection (ISR) as the treatment of ultra-low rectal cancer. Methods: During January 2004 and October 2010, ISR was performed in 60 patients with ultra-low rectal cancer and their survival, local recurrence, and functional outcome were evaluated retrospectively. Results: A total of 60 patients with tumors at a median distance of 42 (range 30–50) mm from the anal verge underwent ISR. Three cases developed anastomotic leakage and two cases developed anastomotic stenosis postoperatively. After a median follow-up of 49 (range 18–90) months, local and distant recurrence occurred in six and four patients, respectively. Five-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 90.0% and 83.3%. Among them, the functional results of 53 patients suggested the mean stool frequency were 3.8 ± 1.3 (range 3–10) per 24 hr. According to Kirwan classification, good continence was shown in 73.6% of the patients. Conclusion: This preliminary study indicated that ISR might be a candidate technique in treating patients with ultra-low rectal cancer and achieved satisfactory long-term results in functional and oncologic respects.


This article addresses the role of man in operating on orbit a large pointing system such as the IPS currently under development in Europe. After a brief introduction and project overview, the main areas for manned interaction are described followed by an illustration of the key operational features of the IPS and the crew involvement in each of these functions. The paper highlights the man-machine interfaces and concludes with an example description of a typical IPS operation.


This paper is a submission to the Sessional Select Committee on Human Resources and Social Development by the Medical Association of Jamaica on September 25, 2011, and presented orally by both authors on October 20, 2011. It explores the impact of the no-user-fee policy on the quality of patient care/service delivery in Jamaica and makes recommendations for reform.


Mineral or vitamin E was incorporated into chitosan-based films: 10-200% (w/w chitosan) Gluconal Cal (GC), a mixture of calcium gluconate and lactate; 5-20% zinc lactate (ZL); and 5-20% alpha-tocopheryl acetate (VE) with acetylated monoglyceride (AM). The functionality of film-forming solutions and dried films was analyzed with standard procedures, and mathematical equations were developed to coordinate selected film functionality with the type and concentration of incorporated mineral or vitamin E. GC incorporation significantly increased pH and decreased viscosity of film-forming solutions, but not the addition of ZL or VE. The water barrier property of the films was improved by increasing the concentration of mineral or vitamin E in the film matrix. The tensile strength of the films was more significantly affected by GC or VE addition than film elongation, puncture strength, and puncture deformation. While a major endothermic peak around 200 degrees C was observed in DSC thermograms of chitosan-based films, only 200% GC incorporation altered this endothermic peak. This study demonstrated the capability of chitosan-based film matrix to carry a high concentration of mineral or vitamin E. Such films may be used for wrapping or coating to enhance the nutritional value of foods.


The fluorescence and low-temperature phosphorescence of short ragweed pollen allergen Ra5 have been examined. Both the fluorescence of Ra5 in aqueous solution at room temperature and the phosphorescence of Ra5 in rigid glycol-water solvents at low temperature result entirely from the tryptophan residues in the molecule. The heterogeneity in the low-temperature phosphorescence spectra indicates that the two tryptophans in Ra5 are located in distinct environments and can be studied independently. The fluorescence wave-length maximum and large solvent-relaxation shift in the fluorescence of the allergen in 1:1 ethylene glycol-water reveal that at least one of the residues is exposed to the polar solvent. Studies of the iodide and cesium ion quenching of the fluorescence of Ra5 are consistent with this assignment but suggest that one of the tryptophans may be shielded by a negative charge in the protein. Phosphorescence data obtained in the presence of iodide and with increasing temperature confirm that both aromatic residues are readily subject to perturbation but identify the more susceptible one with one of the two spectral components that manifest themselves in the phosphorescence of Ra5. The phosphorescence wavelength maxima and the triplet-state lifetimes of the distinct tryptophans reveal that both residues lie in unusual local environment at the protein surface. While one aromatic side chain appears to be stabilized by an intramolecular interaction with a polar function, the other is perturbed quite possibly through an interaction with a disulfide linkage in the molecule.


This thesis argues for the significance of worry in Mark Haddon's A Spot of Bother (2006) and The Red House (2012). All of Haddon's novels can be said to be a study of the human consciousness, containing a variety of worried characters, but it is notable that worry is most predominantly present in the two novels that centre around complex family dynamics. For this reason, these two novels will be the focus of the analysis. The thesis contains a background chapter which traces the etymology of worry, locates the incipience of worry in literature during the Modernist period, and places worry in the framework of gender theory. The text analysis starts with a focus on worry in relation to possibility through a methodological examination of the novels using Mieke Bal's narratological theory. Next, the worry that is present in the text is contextualised in a gendered framework, in which it is argued that a correlation exists between the represented worry in the novels to the boundaries of gender and the family as a gendered construction. The findings of the thesis are that the way a narrative is constructed is influential in the way worry is both present and represented in a literary text. The contextualisation of worry with a gender perspective explores the idea that the object of worry and the way characters respond to worry is largely determined by notions of femininity and masculinity, both in an individual sense and through the expectations of the way mothers, fathers, sons and daughters are expected to behave. (Less)


Few research studies have investigated UK LIS practitioners' motivation for publication, the barriers they perceive and which supports they think would help, and there is a particular lack of research on publication by practitioners who do not work in academic libraries. This investigation drew evidence from - a small scale quantitative survey to assess variation in the extent of practitioner publishing in 12 LIS publications, including peer reviewed journals and practitioner magazines,
-an online survey of self-perceived motivations, barriers, and writing support wishes, undertaken by 100 LIS practitioners in September 2009.
Key motivations included sharing ideas, professional development and raising the personal profile. Lack of time was the most reported barrier to participation, while protected time to write, peer encouragement and organisational support via appraisal objectives were most commonly requested supports. The findings will be of interest to those who wish to participate in or promote LIS practitioner publishing and research.


We present HST spectroscopy and imaging, along with new ground-based spectroscopy and ROSAT HRI imaging, of the He II emitting nebula N44C and its ionizing star. A GHRS spectrogram of the ionizing star yields a spectral type of about O7 for the star. The lack of P Cygni profiles for Si IV and C IV indicates that the star is not a supergiant. The nebular abundances in the ionized gas are consistent with average abundances for LMC H II regions, with the possible exception that nitrogen may be enhanced. Enrichment by a former evolved companion star is not evident. A long-slit echelle spectrogram in Hα + [N II] shows no evidence for high-velocity gas in N44C. This rules out high-velocity shocks as the source of the nebular He II emission. A 108 ks ROSAT HRI image of N44C shows no X-ray point source to a 3 σ upper limit LX < 1034 ergs s-1 in the 0.1-2.0 keV band. Based on new measurements of the electron density in the He II emitting region, we derive recombination timescales of ≈20 yr for He+2 and ≈4 yr for Ne+4. If N44C is a fossil X-ray ionized nebula, this places severe constraints on when the putative X-ray source could have turned off. The presence of strong [Ne IV] emission in the nebula is puzzling if the ionizing source has turned off. It is possible the system is related to the Be X-ray binaries, although the O star in N44C does not show Be characteristics at the present time. Monitoring of X-rays and He II emission from the nebula, as well as a radial velocity study of the ionizing star, are needed to fully understand the emission line spectrum of N44C.


We hypothesized that substituting a corn hybrid with high cell-wall content and high neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility (HCW) for a hybrid with lower cell-wall content and lower NDF digestibility (LCW) would improve feed intake and milk production in lactating Holstein cows. There was a 3.6 percentage unit difference in NDF content and a 4.1 percentage unit difference in 30-h in vitro NDF digestion between the 2 corn hybrids. In trial 1, 40 cows (12 primiparous) ranging in milk production from 24.1 to 44.0 kg/d, following a 2-wk preliminary period, were used in a crossover design with 2-wk periods. Diets consisted of 45% corn silage (HCW or LCW), 10% alfalfa hay, and 45% concentrates. The DMI (25.4 vs. 24.2 kg/d) and 4% FCM yield (34.3 vs. 31.7 kg/d) were higher for cows fed the HCW diet compared with the LCW diet. When HCW was substituted for LCW on a DM basis, there was no relationship between pretrial milk yield (preliminary period) and subsequent response to HCW silage. In trial 2, 40 cows (8 primiparous) ranging in milk production from 20.6 to 49.0 kg/d, following a 2-wk preliminary period, were used in a crossover design with 2-wk periods. Diets consisted of the same LCW diet as trial 1 and a diet containing HCW at a concentration (40% of DM) that resulted in equal NDF content (30.8%) between the 2 diets (HCWN). The DMI (26.8 kg/d) was unaffected by diet, although there was a trend for greater DMI (% of BW) for cows fed the HCWN diet compared with LCW silage (4.24 vs. 4.12). Milk fat (3.91 vs. 3.79%) and 4% FCM yield (34.9 vs. 33.4 kg/d) were greater for cows fed HCWN vs. LCW diet. When HCW was substituted for LCW silage on an NDF basis, cows with greater milk production during the preliminary period had a greater milk response to HCW than lower-producing cows. Results of these trials supported our hypothesis that HCW corn silage results in greater DMI and milk yield than LCW silage, whether substitution occurs on a DM or NDF basis.


Because the Bd ->J/psi Ks asymmetry determines only sin(2 beta), a discrete ambiguity in the true value of beta remains. This note reviews how the ambiguity can be removed. Extractions of the CKM angle alpha are discussed next. Some of the methods require very large data samples and will not be feasible in the near future. In the near future, semi-inclusive CP-violating searches could be undertaken, which are reviewed last.


Straighthead is a physiological disorder in rice (Oryza sativa L.) resulting in sterile florets, poorly developed panicles and yield loss. Because of its sporadic nature and unidentified causes for the disorder, molecular marker assisted selection is essential for resistance improvement in breeding programmes. To take advantage of recent advances in gene-mapping technology, we executed a genome-wide association mapping to identify genetic regions associated with straighthead disorder using 547 accessions of germplasm from the USDA rice core collection. Straighthead was evaluated in arsenic treated soil and genotyping was conducted with 75 molecular markers covering the entire rice genome about every 25 cM. A mixed-linear model approach combining the principal component assignments with kinship estimates proved to be particularly promising for association mapping. The extent of linkage disequilibrium was described among the markers. Six markers were found to be significantly associated with straighthead, explaining 35% of the total phenotypic variation. However, only two SSR markers, RM413 and RM277 on chromosome 5 and 12, respectively, have a significant association with low rating indicating straighthead resistance. Confirmation of the marker-straighthead association using segregating populations is necessary before marker-assisted selection can be applied.


A new concept for a hybrid structure gaseous detector module with ion backflow suppression for the time projection chamber in a future circular collider is presented. It is a hybrid structure cascaded Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) with a Micromegas detector. Both Micromegas and GEM have the capability to naturally reduce most of the ions produced in the amplification region. The GEM also acts as the preamplifer device and increases gas gain together with the Micromegas. Feasibility tests of the hybrid detector are performed using an Fe-55 X-ray source. The energy resolution is better than 27% for 5.9 keV X-rays. It is demonstrated that a backflow ratio better than 0.2% can be reached in the hybrid readout structure at a gain of 5000.


Benjamin Rush's twin 1786 letters on the different species of phobia and mania sit at an extended historical juncture at which an early modern quasi-medical troping of mental disorder in American social commentary sobered up to mental medicine. The letters' satirical drive hinged on a perennial problem still occupying George Beard almost a century onward: which idiosyncratic trepidation or ill-grounded idea warranted the nomination of national and epochal ill? Rush's mania letter exemplified an established genre identifying popular and especially political crazes; at the same time, it foreshadowed the early 19th-century rise and mid-century fall of monomania as forensic-nosological stopgap. The phobia text established the term's dictionary (OED) sense of specific morbid fears, but did so in the form of a mobilisation of nosological jargon for social diagnostics purposes: an ambivalent prelude to Rush's later formal engagement with unreasonable fears and follies. Both letters draw attention to a pervasive duality in early modern and Enlightenment conceptions of hydrophobia, aerophobia, syphilophobia and lyssophobia, between public-health and mental-hygienic follies.


In 2006, Peru's government awarded an intellectual property (IP) title known as a denomination of origin to the traditional ceramics made by artisans in the northern town of Chulucanas. The move was celebrated by the state as a culturally sensitive strategy for regional development that promised to preserve cultural tradition and heritage and to provide a model for future economic development strategies among other native populations across the country. This study explores the means by which rural and native communities – once framed as economically marginal actors and potential liabilities for the nation-state – are selectively transformed into new agents of cultural innovation under contemporary IP-based development plans. Based on interviews with participants and planners of Chulucanas' IP-based development initiative, this research highlights how local accounts question the state's claims to use IP to pursue a national "export culture" and promote rural producers' global "competitivity" while simultaneously protecting local, collectively held production techniques.


In this paper, the performances of four improved analytical methods (backward stepwise selection of peak intensities, sum of characteristic peaks of a component, moving window partial least squares, and genetic algorithms) using wavelength selection for the analysis of xylene mixtures by Raman spectroscopy are tested for further use on the new "digital micromirror device associated with a photomultiplier tube" Raman spectrometer. It is shown that the errors of prediction using only a few selected points (from 4 to 49 depending on the method) are almost the same as when using the whole spectral range (1050 points). Compared to the last two methods, the "backward stepwise selection of peak intensities" and "sum of characteristic peaks of a component" methods are robust under industrial conditions and appear to be well suited for chemical quantitative analysis with the new Raman spectrometer, which allows the measurements of the total intensity to be made simultaneously for a number of pre-selected frequencies. Results show that the errors of prediction can be near to or even lower than 2%.


This paper provides a non-technical introduction to a procedure to find Perfect Bayesian equilibria (PBEs) in incomplete information games. Despite the rapidly expanding literature on industrial organization that uses PBE as its main solution concept, most undergraduate and graduate textbooks still present a relatively theoretical introduction to PBEs. This paper offers a systematic five-step procedure that helps students find all pure-strategy PBEs in incomplete information games. Furthermore, it illustrates a step-by-step application of this procedure to a signaling game, using a worked-out example.


A 27-year-old female presented with repeated seizures. As the left frontal lobe volume was enlarged in comparison with the right frontal lobe, hemimegalencephaly was suggested. Abnormal white matter fiber tracts running from the left frontal lobe to the fornix and hippocampus were found on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We performed quantitative measurements of brain volume and confirmed hemimegalencephaly. DTI and MRI-based volumetry techniques could be useful to objectively diagnose hemimegalencephaly.


Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) has been recognized as the binding receptor for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that infects host cells, causing the development of the new coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19). To better understand the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and build up the host anti-viral immunity, we examined the levels of ACE2 expression on different types of immune cells including tissue macrophages. Flow cytometry demonstrated that there was little to no expression of ACE2 on most of the human peripheral blood-derived immune cells including CD4+ T, CD8+ T, activated CD4+ T, activated CD8+ T, CD4+CD25+CD127low/− regulatory T cells (Tregs), Th17 cells, NKT cells, B cells, NK cells, monocytes, dendritic cells (DCs), and granulocytes. Additionally, there was no ACE2 expression (< 1%) found on platelets. Compared with interleukin-4-treated type 2 macrophages (M2), the ACE2 expression was markedly increased on the activated type 1 macrophages (M1) after the stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that high expressions of ACE2 were colocalized with tissue macrophages, such as alveolar macrophages found within the lungs and Kupffer cells within livers of mice. Flow cytometry confirmed the very low level of ACE2 expression on human primary pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells. These data indicate that alveolar macrophages, as the frontline immune cells, may be directly targeted by the SARS-CoV-2 infection and therefore need to be considered for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.


Measuring the dynamic parameters of liquid fragments generated in the near-field
 of atomizing sprays poses a significant challenge due to the random nature of
 the fragments, the instability of the spray, and the limitations of current
 measuring technology. Precise determination of these parameters can aid in
 improving the control of the atomization process, which is necessary for
 providing suitable spray structures with appropriate flow rates and droplet size
 distributions for various applications such as those used in heat engines. In
 piston and gas turbine engines, controlling spray characteristics such as
 penetration, cone angle, particle size, and droplet size distribution is crucial
 to improve combustion efficiency and decrease exhaust emissions. This can be
 accomplished by adjusting the structural and/or operating parameters of the fuel
 supply system. This article aims to measure the breakup length, spray cone
 angle, axial velocity, breakup time, and liquid sheet film thickness for a swirl
 air-blast atomizer used in a gas-steam engine. The measurement was conducted
 using a shadowgraph imaging system developed specifically for this study,
 consisting of a high-speed camera, a lens, and a light source. While lasers are
 commonly used as light sources in the literature, this study utilized a special
 LED high-speed pulse light generator, which is cheaper, easier to handle, and
 provides a more uniform background. Images were processed using a MATLAB code
 developed for this study. Although the breakup zone is naturally random and the
 breakup location significantly varies with time, the novel method developed in
 this study helps quantify critical parameters under different operating
 conditions.


We examined the effects of human whole salivary supernatant and parotid fluid on glucose uptake by Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mitis, Actinomyces viscosus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. The following three effects of saliva were observed: (i) inhibition of glucose uptake (S. mutans, S. sanguis), (ii) promotion of a transient, rapid (0 to 30 s) burst of glucose uptake (S. mutans, S. sanguis), and (iii) enhancement of glucose uptake (S. mitis, A. viscosus, S. aureus, E. coli). We observed no differences between the effects of whole salivary supernatant and the effects of parotid fluid. Heat treatment (80°C, 10 min) of saliva or the addition of dithiothreitol abolished inhibition of glucose uptake. Supplementation of saliva with H2O2 potentiated inhibition of glucose uptake. S. mitis and A. viscosus, which were stimulated by saliva alone, were inhibited by H2O2-supplemented saliva; 50% inhibition of glucose uptake by S. mutans and S. mitis required ca. 10 μM H2O2 in 50% (vol/vol) saliva. Loss of the inhibitory action of saliva occurred at about 5% (vol/vol) saliva. Supplementation of saliva dilutions with SCN− and H2O2 extended the inhibitory activity to solutions containing ca. 0.2% (vol/vol) saliva. We suggest that the salivary lactoperoxidase-SCN−-H2O2 system is responsible for the inhibitory activity of saliva reported here. Furthermore, we concluded that lactoperoxidase and SCN− are present in saliva specimens in concentrations that exceed minimal inhibitory levels by factors of ca. 500 and 10 to 20, respectively. The resistance of A. viscosus, S. aureus, and E. coli to the inhibitory potential of saliva alone was probably due to the production of catalase by these organisms. The resistance of S. mitis may have been due to special effects of saliva on H2O2 accumulation by this organism compared with S. mutans and S. sanguis. The basis of saliva-dependent enhancement of glucose uptake and the basis of promotion of a transient, rapid burst of glucose uptake are unknown. The role of the salivary lactoperoxidase-SCN−-H2O2 system in the oral microbial ecosystem is discussed.