Currently acknowledged as a rapidly emerging technology, high-brightness light-emitting diodes (HB-LEDs) are considered the true alternative to many mature technologies (i.e., incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent lamps, etc.) due to their high efficiency, low maintenance, and durability. It is evident that the HB-LED driver must be durable and efficient to achieve these advantages. Moreover, in the case of replacing incandescent bulbs, the ac-dc HB-LED driver needs to be low cost and to have a high enough power factor (PF) to comply with international regulations. This paper presents a new proposal to design a simple low-cost ac-dc HB-LED driver for retrofit bulb lamps. The proposed solution originates from a very simple concept: the use of a switching-mode power supply (SMPS) acting as a loss-free resistor (LFR) connected in series with the rectified mains to shape the line input current. For the proposed application, it is obvious that the LFR needs to have a very simple topology to be economical. However, efficiency cannot be ignored. This paper proposes the flyback converter working as an LFR connected in series with the rectified mains, operating in boundary conduction mode (BCM) in order to improve its efficiency. First, a static analysis of the proposed concept will be presented. A distortion analysis of the input current of the proposed ac-dc HB-LED driver will then be carried out to test compliance with international regulations. Finally, two 12-W experimental prototypes have been built and tested in order to validate the theoretical results presented in this paper. These results show the proposed ac-dc HB-LED driver to be a low-cost high-efficiency quasi-sinusoidal input current option for designing retrofit lamps.


Meiotic recombination within the proximal region of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the mouse is not random but occurs in clusters at certain restricted sites, so‐called recombinational hotspots. The wm7 haplotype of the MHC, derived from the wild mouse, enhances recombination specifically during female meiosis within a fragment of 1.3 kb of DNA located between the A beta 3 and A beta 2 genes in genetic crosses with laboratory haplotypes. Previous studies revealed no significant strain differences in nucleotide sequences around the hotspot, irrespective of the ability of the strain to enhance the recombination. It appeared that a distant genetic element might, therefore, control the rate of recombination. In the present study, original recombinants whose breakpoints were defined by direct sequencing of PCR‐amplified DNAs were tested for the rate of secondary recombination in the crosses with laboratory strains in order to determine the location of such a genetic element. The results clearly demonstrated that the chromosomal segment proximal to the hotspot is essential for enhancement of recombination. Moreover, the male recombination is suppressed by a segment distal to the hotspot.


said to have achieved. Essentials are dealt with from a modern point of view; if more extensive details of a particular surgical disease are desired by the reader he is given help by a bibliography which is placed at the end of each chapter and brings to his notice some of the more important monographs and recent papers on the subject with which the particular chapter is concerned. In an otherwise excellent survey of the field of modern surgical practice the most disappointing section is that dealing with fractures. We do not agree with the statement in the section on the treatment of Colles's fracture that " the best position [for the hand] is in slight dorsal flexion, etc.," and it is to be regretted that treatment by the direct application of plaster with the hand ventroflexed is not insisted upon. There are a few inaccuracies in the index-for example, Colles's fracture appears as coller fracture and collar fracture-but on the whole the subject-matter throughout is well put together. The illustrations are particularly good, and include shaded and line drawings, diagrams, and photographs. The inclusion of photographs showing the histology along with pictures of the gross lesion appears to us to be a useful plan and likely to help the student. An appendix entitled " The Surgical History and Physical Examination" is one of the most valuable and important parts of the book, and in a future edition we should like to see it placed at the beginning, where it would serve the student as an approach to the main part of the text. We believe that this book may be safely recommended to medical students and will make an appeal to them. It is likely to prove popular both in the United States and in this country, not only among students but also with those practitioners who wish to revise their outlook on the practice of general surgery.


This study is concerned with the factors that influence the cooperation among cluster-based firms. Theorists have consistently demonstrated the role and importance of economic externalities, such as knowledge spillovers, within industrial clusters. Less attention has been paid to the investigation of social based externalities, though it has been suggested that these may also accrue from geographical agglomeration. This study explores the development of cooperation between firms operating in a single industry sector and in close proximity. The results suggest that social networking has a greater influence than geographic proximity in facilitating inter-firm co-operation. A semi-structured questionnaire has been developed and the answers were analysed with a stepwise regression model.


The urban heat island (UHI) effect has been recognized as one of the most significant terrestrial surface climate-related consequences of urbanization. However, the traditional definition of the urban–rural (UR) division and the newly established local climate zone (LCZ) classification for UHI and urban climate studies do not adequately express the pattern and intensity of UHI. Moreover, these definitions of UHI find it hard to capture the human activity-induced anthropogenic heat that is highly correlated with urban functional zones (UFZ). Therefore, in this study, with a comparison (theory, technology, and application) of the previous definition (UR and LCZ) of UHI and integration of computer programming technology, social sensing, and remote sensing, we develop a new urban functional zone-based urban temperature zoning system (UFZC). The UFZC system is generally a social-based, planning-oriented, and data-driven classification system associated with the urban function and temperature; it can also be effectively used in city management (e.g., urban planning and energy saving). Moreover, in the Beijing case, we tested the UFZC system and preliminarily analyzed the land surface temperature (LST) difference patterns and causes of the 11 UFZC types. We found that, compared to other UFZCs, the PGZ (perseveration green zone)-UFZC has the lowest LST, while the CBZ (center business district zone)-UFZC and GCZ (general commercial zone)-UFZC contribute the most and stable heat sources. This implies that reducing the heat generated by the function of commercial (and industrial) activities is an effective measure to reduce the UHI effect. We also proposed that multi-source temperature datasets with a high spatiotemporal resolution are needed to obtain more accurate results; thus providing more accurate recommendations for mitigating UHI effects. In short, as a new and finer urban temperature zoning system, although UFZC is not intended to supplant the UR and LCZ classifications, it can facilitate more detailed and coupled urban climate studies.


An empirical investigation of stumpage price models and optimal harvest policies is conducted for loblolly pine plantations in the southeastern United States. The stationarity of monthly and quarterly series of sawtimber prices is analyzed using a unit root test. The statistical evidence supports stationary autoregressive models for the monthly series and for the quarterly series of opening month prices. In contrast, the evidence supports a non-stationary random walk model for the quarterly series of average prices. This conflicting result is likely an artifact of price averaging. The properties of these series significantly affect the forms of optimal price-dependent harvest rules and expected returns. Further, the results have implications for conclusions about market efficiency and the performance of a fixed rotation age.


- Even in well managed Large ISP networks, failures of links and routers are common. Due to these failures the routers update their routing tables. Transient loops can occur in the networks when the routers adapt their forwarding tables. In this paper, a new approach is proposed that lets the network converge to its optimal state without loops and the related packet lossless. The mechanism (OUTFC-Ordered Updating Technique with Fast Convergence) is based on an ordering of the updates of the forwarding tables of the routers and fast convergence. Typically we have chosen a Network consisting of routers and Link costs for simulation. Link failures are simulated. Avoiding transient loops in each case is demonstrated, by constructing a Reverse Shortest Path Tree (RSPT).


The determination of trace levels of mercury by flow injection cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry with gold amalgamation was evaluated for organic and inorganic mercury species. The effect of the sodium tetrahydroborate(III) and hydrochloric acid concentrations as well as various instrumental parameters on the analytical performance was studied. The influence of the blank as well as the laboratory procedure for reagent purification was evaluated. The procedure was applied to the determination of mercury in lake water, while focusing on the importance of the sampling protocols.


The stable fuzzy adaptive controller for trajectory tracking is developed for robot manipulators without velocity measurements, taking into account the actuator constraints. The controller is based on structural knowledge of the dynamics of the robot and measurements of link positions only. The gravity torque which may include payload variation etc. represents system uncertainty, which is estimated by a fuzzy logic system (FLS). The adaptive controller represents an amalgamation of a filtering technique to eliminate velocity measurements and the theory of function approximation using FLS to estimate the gravity torque. The proposed controller ensures the local asymptotic stability and the convergence of the position error to zero. The proposed controller is robust not only to structured uncertainty such as payload parameter variation but also to unstructured one such as disturbances. The validity of the control scheme is shown by simulations of a two link robot manipulator.


Malgorzata Bialas University of Science and Technology in Cracow EVOLUTION OF CAPITAL ADEQUACY RATIO Adrian Solek Cracow University of Economics ABSTRACT. The capital adequacy ratio (CAR) determines the ratio of a bank's core capital to the assets and off-balance liabilities weighted by the risk. The core capital of the bank is supposed to absorb the potential losses due to the risk of the banking activities. It has been specified that the value of this coefficient cannot be lower than 8%. Throughout the years the way of calculating the ratio has been changing, which is the subject of this paper. In the article the situation of Polish and Ukrainian banking sector has also been analyzed from the point of view of the coefficient in question. Received: May, 2010 1st Revision: September, 2010 Accepted: October, 2010


OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between the decline of age-related renal function and central arterial pressure (CAP) in Uygur healthy population.

METHODS
A total of 638 healthy Uygur inhabitants from Hetian region, Xinjiang province were enrolled. They were divided into 4 groups according to their ages. Their blood pressure, serum creatinine and other indicators were detected. eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) was calculated by the formula of Chinese-based MDRD (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease). CAP was measured by a pulse wave analyzer including central arterial systolic blood pressure (C-SBP), central arterial pulse pressure (C-PP), augmentation pressure (AP), augmentation index (AIX) and other components.

RESULTS
CAP and brachial arterial pressure tended to increase and renal function declined with age. There were gender differences in renal function. Both AP and AIX changed with age (P < 0.05). In each group, AP and AIX increased even more significantly in females (P < 0.01). The average age of subjects with a high AIX was 52 y ± 12 y. And it was elder than that of those with a low AIX (44 y ± 13 y, P = 0.000). The renal function of those with a high AIX was lower than those with a low AIX [(121 ± 25) ml.min. (1.73 m(2))(-1)] vs (131 ± 33) ml.min. (1.73 m(2))(-1), P = 0.000]. The levels of C-PP and AP were much higher in those with a high AIX (P = 0.00). The results of multivariate analysis showed that eGFR was negatively correlated with the level of AIX (P < 0.01). And it had no relationship with the brachial artery pressure (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION
Central arterial pressure is associated with the decline of age-related renal function. Monitoring of CAP may help to screen the high-risk patients in the elderly population. This study provides rationales for new therapeutics of protecting the aging of kidneys.


The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a major impact on transplant recipients, with mortality rates up to 20%. Therefore, the effect of established messenger RNA (mRNA)-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have to be evaluated for solid organ transplant patients (SOT) since they are known to have poor responses after vaccination. We investigated the SARS-CoV-2 immune response via SARS-CoV-2 IgG detection in 23 renal transplant recipients after two doses of the mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine BNT162b2 following the standard protocol. The antibody response was evaluated once with an anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG CLIA 15.8 +/− 3.0 days after the second dose. As a control, SARS-CoV-2 IgG was determined in 23 healthcare workers (HCW) and compared to the patient cohort. Only 5 of 23 (22%) renal transplant recipients were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies after the second dose of vaccine. In contrast, all 23 (100%) HCWs were tested positive for antibodies after the second dose. Thus, the humoral response of renal transplant recipients after two doses of the mRNA-based vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech, Kronach, Germany) is impaired and significantly lower compared to healthy controls (22% vs. 100%; p = 0.0001). Individual vaccination strategies might be beneficial in these vulnerable patients.


In this dissertation we investigate different factors controlling summertime surface ozone (O3) in the western U.S., including the impacts from increased wildre emissions, the modulation by North American summer monsoon as well as long-range transport of O3 and its precursors from outside of North America.We first analyze the surface ozone observations from the Clean Air Status and Trend Network (CASTNet) using a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to investigate the impact of biomass burning on surface O3 in the western U.S. (WUS) mountain ranges during the June-October fire season of 2007, one of the stronger fire years in the WUS in the past decade. GEOS-Chem O3 captures the observed seasonal, synoptic and daily variations. Model daily afternoon average surface O3 concentrations at the CASTNet sites are within 2 ppb of the observations, with correlation coefficients of 0.51-0.83 and Taylor scores of 0.64-0.92. Observed maximum daily 8-hour (MAD8) surface O3 concentrations are 37-58 ppb at the sites, while the corresponding model results are higher by 6 ppb on average. Model results show July-September maximum surface O3 enhancement of ~9 ppb on average because of biomass burning. Peaks in fire-contributed surface O3 correspond broadly with high levels of potassium (K), reaffirming a strong fire influence. We find a policy relevant background (PRB) O3 of 45.6 ppb on average during July-September. Fire-contributed O3 accounts for up to 30% of the PRB O3, highest in the intense fire region (Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming) with maxima in August and September.We also examine an unexpected summertime surface O3 minimum (30–45 ppb) in July–August 2007 observed throughout the Southwestern U.S. (SWUS) by interpreting observations of O3 and rainfall from the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet) with a global chemical transport model. The O3 minimum reflects competing chemical and dynamic factors as well as anthropogenic and natural influences. Its reoccurrence annually in 2000–11 corresponds to the seasonal rainfall maximum during the North American summer monsoon (NASM) (negative O3 and positive rainfall anomalies at the CASTNet sites, r = -0.5 to -0.7, p < 0.05). Relative to June 15–July 15, 2007 (pre-onset of the NASM), increased cloudiness in July 15–August 15 (post-onset) weakens photochemistry, reduces O3 production from anthropogenic emissions, thereby depresses O3 throughout the lower troposphere and at the surface (-5 ppb at Chiricahua, AZ and -3 ppb on average across the SWUS). The resulting changes are largest at rainfall maxima, particularly in the core of the Great Plains low-level jet. Enhanced lightning NOx emissions post-onset augments O3 production in the middle troposphere followed by downward mixing in convective downdrafts, thereby increases O3 significantly throughout the tropospheric column and non-negligibly at the surface (+2 ppb at Chiricahua and +1 ppb averaged over the SWUS). The resulting O3 changes is largest (+8 ppb) in the middle troposphere in the anti-cyclonic circulation associated with the reoccurring summertime high over the Southern U.S. Weaker photochemistry post-onset dominates the overall O3 change near the surface, while enhanced lightning dominates in much of the free troposphere. Additionally, we find that transport leads to a net export of O3 throughout the tropospheric column and the influence from stratospheric intrusion is vanishingly small. These competing effects suppress O3 in the lower troposphere (O3 change up to -5 ppb) while enhance O3 at higher altitudes (O3 change up to +7 ppb) across the SWUS during the monsoon. Better understanding of these effects is critical to estimate present and predict future background O3 in the U.S. Southwest as the NASM changes under a changing climate.Lastly we use the GEOS-Chem 3-D global tropospheric chemical transport model and its adjoint to quantify the source contributions to O3 pollution observed at Mt. bachelor Observatory (MBO) during the summer of 2008. The adjoint computes the sensitivity of O3 concentration at the receptor site to O3 production rates at 2?x2.5? resolution over the history of air parcels reaching the site. We found that MBO experienced distinct O3 pollution episodes from Siberia wildfire emissions. During the O3 pollution episode from June 30th to July 4th in year 2008, 7.5 ppb of MBO O3 is produced over Siberia, comparable to the amount of O3 (8ppb) produced over North America. A significant amount of O3 (18ppb) production took place over the North pacific, with maxima just off the west coast of the U.S. where subsidence of air masses causes decomposition of PAN (peroxyacetylnitrate, a thermo-unstable NOx reservoir species) and drives further ozone production. We also used the adjoint of GEOS-Chem to show the model O3 at MBO is largely sensitive to NOx emissions from biomass burning sources in Siberia and northern California, lightning sources over southwestern U.S. and Mexico, and anthropogenic sources in western U.S. and eastern Asia. For the CO emissions, the largest O3 sensitivity is to the biomass burning sources in northern California and Siberia. The peak sensitivity to biomass burning CO emissions is comparable to the peak O3 sensitivity to anthropogenic NOx emissions.


The settlement project is considered as the cornerstone of the Zionist Movement. It is one of the pillars of Israel's establishment of its entity after 1948 and 1967, following which Israel managed to control every part of the occupied lands. This study aims to understand the Zionist ideology, policies and goals, demonstrate the Palestinian and international positions on settlements, and recognize how serious those positions are. The researcher uses the descriptive and historic approaches, and addresses two main topics: The Settlement Projects, its concepts and practices, and the international position on the settlement project and means to resist it. The study also concludes that the Israeli occupation was based on two essentials cornerstones: Immigration and Settlements. After the Jewish immigration was reduced, the settlements became the most important element of the Jewish creed. Settlements are the heart of the Israeli existence; thus, the occupation believes that its presence is bound by the continuation of establishing settlements.


Under the impact of climate change, sediment transport in melting water draining from glacier basins and reservoir sedimentation tend to increase worldwide. As a consequence, three main problems arise: (1) the loss of reservoir storage volume for energy production, flood retention, water supply and irrigation; (2) increased hydro-abrasion at turbines and hydraulic structures; and (3) negative environmental impacts due to downstream sediment deficit. An effective countermeasure against reservoir sedimentation in small to medium-sized mountainous reservoirs is to route sediment around the dam by using a sediment bypass tunnel (SBT). A major problem affecting nearly all SBTs is severe hydro-abrasion on the tunnel invert due to high bed load transport rates in combination with high flow velocities. Depending on site-specific operating conditions and sediment properties, i.e. size, hardness and shape, invert abrasion can cause considerable refurbishment costs. For optimized operation of SBTs with respect to sustainable sediment management and cost efficiency, continuous real-time monitoring of bed load transport is necessary. Bed load transport can be monitored indirectly by using passive sensors like geophones or hydrophones. However, these techniques require a site-specific calibration depending on hydraulic conditions, particle-size and shape. This study deals with the field calibration of a so-called Swiss plate geophone system implemented at the outlet of Solis SBT located in Grisons in the Swiss Alps. The geophones with a sampling rate of 10 kHz are placed across the whole tunnel width and have an inclination of 10° against the invert slope. Three different particle size classes were tested 16-32 mm, 32-63 mm and 0-400 mm. The results indicate that calibration is independent from flow velocity due to the counter inclination of the geophones. However, a certain degree of signal saturation due to high bed load transport rate occurred and hence a further investigation is needed.


Tobacco addiction is most widespread addiction and it is the most important cause of death in the world. A cross sectional community based study was conducted in Buxar district of Bihar to assess knowledge, attitude and practice regarding Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) and tobacco related health problems in rural setting of Bihar, India. Data regarding awareness about tobacco control law in India, tobacco related health problems, attitude regarding tobacco control law and information on tobacco use were collected by interview method using a questionnaire. The study shows that awareness of COTPA is low, although knowledge and perception about certain components of the COTPA is relatively higher. Attitude and beliefs of participants regarding COTPA showed that at least half of the participants agreeing that provisions were successful in curbing the consumption of tobacco. The mean scores for knowledge, attitude and practice section did not show any statistically significant difference between tobacco users and non-tobacco users after adjusting for sex, age group, occupation. The data shows significant difference in mean score of attitude section between tobacco users and non-users after adjusting for the education status of the individual, no such difference in seen in knowledge and practice totals. The survey has pinpointed clear areas where a huge gap in knowledge exists; which could be fixed by effective public private partnership. The availability of adequate knowledge and information will lead to change in the attitude regarding consumption of tobacco products in rural India. A cross Sectional Study in rural population for knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act among population of Simri village of Simri Block in Buxar district of Bihar in India.


It was conjectured by H. Zassenhaus that a torsion unit of an integral group ring of a finite group is conjugate to a group element within the rational group algebra. The object of this note is the computational aspect of a method developed by I. S. Luthar and I. B. S. Passi which sometimes per- mits an answer to this conjecture. We illustrate the method on certain explicit examples. We prove with additional arguments that the conjecture is valid for any 3-dimensional crystallographic point group. Finally we apply the method to generic character tables and establish a p-variation of the conjecture for the simple groups PSL(2,p).


This article examines a project set up in 2004 to promote the health and wellbeing of people aged over 75 living in Caerphilly, south Wales. The multidisciplinary project offered holistic, nurse-led screening in people's homes. It resulted in reduced admissions to hospital for fractured femur, pneumonia and stroke during the period 2004 to 2006.


Some research shows that drug use is associated with personality. For example, Lester (1986) found that marihuana users were more extraverted and less judgmental than nonusers. To explore correlates of drug abuse among high school students, 73 male and 72 female Jamaican (West Indies) high school students aged 16 and 17 yr. (mean age 16.5 yr., SD = 0,5) were given the Carlson Psychology Survey (Carlson, 1982) which has scales to measure general drug use, thought disturbance, self-depreciation, and antisocial tendencies. They also completed the Rockliff (1969) Self-rating Questionnaire which measures depression. The students were enrolled in six classes frortl three high schools . The mean scores (and SDs) of the students on the scales were: drug use 12.8 (4.0), thought disturbance 29.1 (6.0), antisocial tendencies 32.9 (8.6), self-depreciation 19.0 (4.7) and validity 3.7 (1.3). Drug use was not related to age (Pearson r = 0.01) but was related to sel{ (r = 0.17, P = 0.02) and the validity scale of the Carlson Survey (r = 0.24, P = 0.002). Accordingly, partial correlation coefficients were calculated for each sex separately, controlling for validity scores. For both sexes, drug use was positively related to scores on the antisocial behavior scale (partial 1S of 0,51 and 0.49 for boys and girls, respectivelyl: For the girls, drug use was also associated with thought disturbance and selfdepreciation (partial 1S of 0.33 and 0.21, respectively) but not depression (partial r = 0.16). For the boys these three correlations were statistically nonsignificant (partial re of 0.07, 0.16, and 0.16, respectively). For these Jamaican high school students, male and female drug users appeared to be more antisocial, and girls appeared to be more emotionally disturbed.


The motion of a neutral particle with a magnetic moment in an inhomogeneous magnetic field is considered. This situation, occurring, for example, in a Stern-Gerlach experiment, is investigated from classical and semiclassical points of view. It is assumed that the magnetic field is strong or slowly varying in space, i.e., that adiabatic conditions hold. To the classical model, a systematic Lie-transform perturbation technique is applied up to second order in the adiabatic-expansion parameter. The averaged classical Hamiltonian contains not only terms representing fictitious electric and magnetic fields but also an additional velocity-dependent potential. The Hamiltonian of the quantum-mechanical system is diagonalized by means of a systematic WKB analysis for coupled wave equations up to second order in the adiabaticity parameter, which is coupled to Planck's constant. An exact term-by-term correspondence with the averaged classical Hamiltonian is established, thus confirming the relevance of the additional velocity-dependent second-order contribution.


A single‐wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) transparent conductive film (TCF) was fabricated using a simple inkjet printing method. The TCF could be selectively patterned by controlling the dot size to diameters as small as 34μm. In this repeatable and scalable process, we achieved 71% film transmittance and a resistance of 900 ohm/sq sheet with an excellent uniformity, about ± 5% deviation overall. Inkjet printing of SWNT is substrate friendly and the TCF is printed on a flexible substrate. This method of fabrication using direct printing permits mass production of TCF in a large area process, reducing processing steps and yielding low‐cost TCF fabrications on a designated area using simple printing.


The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) consists of two widely sepa-rated 4 km laser interferometers designed to detect gravitational waves from distant astrophysical sources in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 10 kHz. The first observation run of the Advanced LIGO detectors started in September 2015 and ended in January 2016. A strain sensitivity of better than 10 − 23 / √ Hz was achieved around 100 Hz. Understanding both the fundamental and the technical noise sources was critical for increasing the astrophsyical strain sensitivity. The average distance at which coalescing binary black hole systems with individual masses of 30 M (cid:12) could be detected above a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 8 was 1.3 Gpc, and the range for binary neutron star inspirals was about 75 Mpc. With respect to the initial detectors, the observable volume of the Universe increased by a factor 69 and 43, respectively. These improvements helped Advanced LIGO to detect the gravitational wave signal from the binary black hole coalescence, known as GW150914. local sensors on the individual suspensions. Quantum noise in the signal recycling cavity length is signiticantly affected by the differential arm offset below 10 Hz. In addition to coupling to the gravitational wave channel, auxiliary degrees of freedom also couple to each other. For example, beam splitter motion above 10 Hz is caused by the Michelson control loop and dominates the power and signal recycling cavity length fluctuations in the frequency range 10-50 Hz.


Non-standard distributions are a common feature of many tests for unit-roots and cointegration that are currently available. The main problem with non-standard distributions is that when the true data generating process is unknown, which is the case in general, it is not easy to engage in a specification search because the distribution changes as the specification changes, especially with respect to deterministic components. We use a mixed-frequency regression technique to develop a test for cointegration under the null of stationarity of the deviations from a long-run relationship. What is noteworthy about this MA unit root test, based on a variance-difference, is that, instead of having to deal with non-standard distributions, it takes testing back to the normal distribution and offers a way to increase power without having to increase the sample size substantially. Monte Carlo simulations show minimal size distortions even when the AR root is close to unity and that the test offers substantial gains in power against near-null alternatives in moderate size samples. Although the null of stationarity is the research line to be pursued, we also consider an extension of the procedure to cover the AR unit root case that provides a Gaussian test with more power. An empirical exercise illustrates the relative usefulness of the test further.


Author(s): Lau, Chang Shun | Advisor(s): DeFea, Kathryn A | Abstract: Research of G-protein coupled receptor signaling (GPCR) for therapeutic applications have historically been a hot topic of research. In the past, GPCR studies have been primarily focused on the molecular mechanism of its signaling pathway debunking the components of either traditional G-protein signaling or by other novel and more complex signaling pathways. However, recent GPCR studies have transitioned to examining distinct behaviors exhibited by and physiological responses that are triggered by cell- and localization-specific GPCRs. These responses include inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, cell migration and metastasis. Further, research of GPCR signaling have extended to the utilization of "biased agonists" where these modified agonists activates a specific GPCR and have the ability to trigger the activation of a specific pathway and inhibit other pathways that otherwise is propagated via activation by the non-modified agonist. In the first study, we focus on the two distinct pools of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) present in intestinal epithelial cells: an apical pool facing the lumen, and a basolateral pool facing the bloodstream. Studies have demonstrated that introduction of PAR-2 agonists such as 2-furoyl-LIGRL-O-NH2 (2fAP) to the lumen can activate apical PAR-2 while it has been predicted mast cells and recruited leukocytes release proteases that can activate basolateral PAR-2. However, whether both pools of PAR-2 are equally capable of signaling, and the possible distinction between apical and basolateral PAR-2 induced responses have yet been addressed. Here we identified the expression of both apical and basolateral PAR-2 in cultured CACO2-BBe monolayers, and in mouse proximal jejunum. We reveal apical and basolateral PAR-2 in the intestinal epithelium are accessible by PAR-2 agonist 2fAP, and have both temporally and mechanistically signaling distinctions. Further, we demonstrate the apical and basolateral pools of PAR-2 can trigger distinct physiological responses as well. Secondly, we illustrate that PAR-2 activation enhanced bacteria uptake in cultured colonocytes via a clathrin and phosphotidyl-inositol-3-kinase dependent manner. Moreover, we show that PAR-2 activation stimulated bacteria uptake in mice intestines. These results suggested that activation of the receptor plays a crucial role in gastrointestinal barrier dysfunction and is indeed a contributing factor to bacterial infection, further allowing for better understanding of PAR-2 and its physiological role in the gastrointestinal system. On the whole these studies attempts to provide clarification for the characterization of PAR-2 in the gastrointestinal system that can be used further in the research for the usage of PAR-2 as a therapeutic target. Lastly, findings for which I was a supporting author in a recent publication, we examined the differential effects of β-arrestins on internalization, desensitization and signaling of PAR-2. We demonstrate here that β-arrestin-1 and β-arrestins-2 have distinctive roles in PAR-2 signaling, including mechanistic and temporal distinctions in signaling, signal termination, cellular localization of signaling components and degradation.


SUMMARY Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate postoperative analgesic effectiveness of intraarticular (IA), intramuscular (IM) or intrathecal (IT) administration of morphine in arthroscopic knee surgery. Materials and Methods: Seventy-six patients with ASA physical status I-II, aged 18 to 65 years, undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery were included in the study. Morphine (10 mg) was given via IA and IM in groups IA (n:21) and IM (n:16), respectively, at the end of the surgical procedure. IT 0.1 mg morphine was administered together with the local anesthetic in Group IT (n:21). Morphine was not applied to 18 control patients (Group C). Visual analogue scale scores for pain were analyzed. Additional analgesic requirement, side effects of morphine and hemodynamic parameters were compared between the groups. Results: None of the patients in Group IT needed additional analgesic treatment in the first 24 hours, whereas 14.3 %, 25.0 % and 72.2 % of the patients needed additional analgesic administration in the groups IA, IM and C, respectively (p<0.001). There was no difference in nausea or vomiting between groups (p=0.07). Fifteen patients in Group IT and 3 patients in Group IA experienced itching. Conclusion: Morphine in three administration routes provides similar analgesic effect and better analgesia in comparison to the control group. Due to the higher incidence of side effects in the IT group, either IA or IM route may be chosen for an adequate postoperative analgesia at the dose used in the present study.


BACKGROUND
Human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common kidney malignancy with significant mortality. Human tumor xenograft models are important tools for cancer research.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We have established and characterized a new animal model for human RCC using Caki-2 cells implanted into the renal subcapsule (RSC) of nude mice. Histology, immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to analyze the tumors.

RESULTS
The implantations generated reproducible carcinomas which closely resemble human RCC. The tumors showed cystic-papillary structures, rich capillary network and fibro-septa formations. Proliferation varied from 0-5% and from 1-60% in cystic and solid areas, respectively. Apoptosis was less than 1%. Macrophages and other inflammatory cell infiltrations were detected in the tumors. VEGF-A and angiopoietin I were expressed in a small number of cells in large tumors. Tumors did not metastasize outside peritoneal cavity. Survival of the tumor bearing animals was 23 +/- 3 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that Caki-2 carcinomas implanted into renal subcapsule of nude mice resemble human RCC in several aspects and represent a good animal model for studies regarding the pathogenesis and treatment of human RCC.


Background Cost and drug toxicity frequently deter the long-term use of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Therefore, this study was conducted to observe long-term relief after the short-term administration of an anti-TNF agent. Methodology A one-year, prospective, interventional, uncontrolled, single-center trial was conducted. There were 50 patients with symptomatic active chronic AS who received rheumatology therapy and were anti-TNF naive. Every two weeks, 40 mg of standard biosimilar adalimumab (Bs-ADA, Exemptia™) was administered subcutaneously for six injections (10 weeks) or to continue with standard follow-up if they did not achieve an Assessment in Ankylosing Spondylitis Response Criteria (ASAS 20) index response by week 12. Standard indicators (Assessment Spondyloarthritis International Society/ASAS and Bath) were used to evaluate progress. In addition, TNF-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-17 were tested using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit from Bio Legend (Bengaluru, India). Results Patients experienced early and significant improvement in pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) requirement, function, and several indices (ASAS 20 and 40, ASAS partial remission, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score) after discontinuing injections. At weeks 12 and 48, 84% and 52% of patients showed ASAS 20 improvement, with 34% and 24% showing ASAS partial remission. Over half of the patients continued to improve and provided proof of concept. Conclusions In difficult-to-treat AS, a 10-week course of biosimilar adalimumab demonstrated significant early improvement that often lasted for 24 weeks. This unconventional method proved to be economically appealing. It merits further confirmation and acceptance, especially in resource-constrained contexts.


This study investigates the energy extraction mechanism by means of swing arm turbine. The swing arm turbines have a particular motion pattern. The pure translation motion in the conventional flapping turbine changes based on the swing arm rotation. The laminar flow around a NACA0015 is resolved using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The turbine blades are equipped with an oscillating gurney flap for trying to boost the system efficiency. The connected gurney flap oscillates with a given pitching angle. A user-defined function and the sliding dynamic mesh technique available in ansys fluent version 15 are used to adjust both the blade and the flap positions during the turbine flapping cycle. The effects of the swing factor and the flap length on the system performance are provided. It is shown that the suggested strategy of control is able to alter the pressure distribution during both the up stroke and down stroke phases, which changes the blade aerodynamic forces during all the flapping cycle portions and therefore improving the turbine efficiency.


Barracks on the beach and the buildings of the Southern Whale Fishery Company's settlement of Hardwicke, managed by Charles Enderby. A rata is in flower close to the beach. Hills in the background.
Possibly painted by Charles Enderby. The inscription on the verso could be interpreted as a statement of the artist's, although Enderby is not known to have been an artist. There is a similar work in the Rex Nan Kivell Collection, National Library of Australia, Canberra, called Port Ross, Auckland Isles, 1850 (NK 6974). This latter work is not attributed to any artist. Enderby was one of the few people to return to England after the break-up of the settlement, and the fact that this picture was earlier located in England may support the suggestion that Enderby was the artist.

The Southern Whale Fishery Company settlement of Hardwicke was the shortest-lived of all British colonies. Promoted in 1850 as a whaling base and agricultural colony, with Charles Enderby as its own resident Lieutenant Governor, the settlement grew to a population of 300, but was abandoned after 2 years when the fishery collapsed and the environment proved too inhospitable for vegetables & crops. See Dingwall, P. Castaways of the Auckland Islands in Landscape no. 8 (Nov 1980) pp 12-17, (especially p. 16)
Other Titles - Port Ross New Zealand C. Enderby Governor
Inscriptions: Verso - [in pencil] Port Ross, New Zealand, C. Enderby Governor.
Quantity: 1 watercolour(s).
Physical Description: Watercolour 176 x 260 mm
Provenance: From the Evening Post, 11 October 1961: "Unique Picture on Way to Dominion". London, October 8. - A picture of unique historical interest came to light recently when Mrs Dorothy McNutty [sic], of Staplehurst, Kent, took the back of[f] a small amateurish water-colour, which had long been in the possession of her family. In pencil on the back was written something that looked like "Port Boys, N. Zealand, C. Enderby, Governor." New Zealand House identified it as a painting, probably the only one in existence, of Port Ross in the Auckland Islands, which Charles Enderby attempted to colonise in 1850. Mrs McNulty said that her father, who was born more than 100 years ago, went to sea for one round-the-world voyage when he was 13, and she suggested that he must have acquired the picture during that time. The artist, who was obviously more interested in producing an exact picture of the scene than in painting a work of art, is unknown. The picture is on its way to the Turnbull Library, Wellington, to which Mrs McNulty has sold it." - "Post" Correspondent.


Introduction Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant suffered serious damage the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011. This study examines the association between mental health status and stress-related factors in the nuclear emergency workers 4–5 years after the disaster. Methods In total, 1572 workers completed a self-administered questionnaire by mail. Mental health status was measured by the K6. The stress-related factors we evaluated life events, stress coping, sense of coherence, self-esteem, self-efficacy, resilience, social support, life satisfaction, job satisfaction and slanderous defamation. Multiple regression analysis was performed with the K6 score as the explained valuable and stress-related factors as the explanation valuables. Result The K6 score was significantly high in the workers who had worked for a long period of time. It was also related to the scores of life events, stress coping, self-esteem, life satisfaction, work satisfaction and slanderous defamation. The slanderous defamation score most strongly related to the K6 score. Discussion Long term follow-up is for nuclear emergency workers who work for long period of time, and slanderous defamation is one of the most important measures support the mental health of these workers


A portion of the material in the above paper by Abraham Kandel and William J. Byatt, which appeared in the December 1978 issue (ibid., vol. 66, pp. 1619-1639, Dec 1978) was drawn from Thomas B. Sheridan and William R. Ferrek "Man-Machine Systems: Infomtion, Control and Decision Models of Humn Performance." Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1974, and is hereby acknowledged.


Summary Cultures of neuroblastoma were prepared from tumor cells that had metastasized to the lymph nodes of three young children and from an abdominal tumor of another child. The friable tissue was explanted as small clumps and as individual cells on the surface of collagen-coated coverslips in plastic Petri dishes. At varying intervals from 10 to 160 days in vitro, the cultures were fixed, and the tissue was prepared for electron microscopy. An electron microscopic study of the cultured neuroblastoma cells showed that annuli identical in structure with nuclear pores were seen in dense array in the cytoplasm of the cultured cells. The annuli were associated with lamellae, a series of undulating membranes, which were continuous with these annuli. The annulate lamellae were similar in morphology to the nuclear membrane. Their role during differentiation of neuroblastomas in vitro is discussed.


This report describes the use of magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of a patient with blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome, a rare entity consisting of multiple cutaneous and visceral hemangiomas. The bright signal obtained on T2-weighted images is probably the result of slow flow or thrombosis, typically present in these lesions, and allows for easy recognition.


Rare sugars are monosaccharides with tremendous potential for applications in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, nutraceutical, and flavors industries. The four rare sugars, including; gulose, allose, altrose and talose are stereoisomers that are different in the hydroxyl group orientation (axial or equatorial) on the C2-4 atoms. The DFT, AIM, and, NBO calculations were used to probe the probability of formation of internal H-bonds in four rare sugars. The AIM analysis identified that altrose and talose can form three predominantly intramolecular H-bonds, whereas gulose and allose revealed one and two H-bonds, respectively and these normal intramolecular H-bonds are mostly closed-shell interactions. The theoretical calculated O-H stretching FT-IR vibrational frequencies confirmed that the intramolecular H-bonds shifted toward low frequencies in comparison to the free hydroxyl group, which caused the red-shift. Also, the lowest IR frequency in each sugar was related to the structure with the highest stabilization energy and the most strongest intramolecular H-bonds.


Inflammation is a key element in the pathophysiology of Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases, irrespective of the etiology of such diseases. From inflammatory or infectious diseases to neurodegenerative, ischemic or traumatic diseases, inflammation plays a fundamental role both in controlling the ongoing pathological processes and in promoting neuroprotection or regeneration. Indeed, due to the complex architecture and activities in the brain, the side effects of brain inflammation are fundamental to the outcome of neurological diseases (for example bystander neuronal damage). The CNS differs from the other organs as it is partially isolated from the immune system by the restrictive blood-brain barrier and the presence of an immunosuppressive environment (brain immune privilege). Inappropriate immune responses are responsible for diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or for the increased disability after brain trauma or stroke. Inflammation also plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer (AD) or Parkinson diseases (PD). However, in certain circumstances immune responses in the brain might have a neuroprotective effect, possibly mediating the release of trophic factors by inflammatory or glial cells. Neurotrophic factors protect axons and myelin from inflammatory damage, and they have immunosuppressive properties that contribute to the maintenance of brain immune privilege. Thus, in addition to their neuroprotective activities, neurotrophic factors may offer new therapeutic perspectives by targeting inflammatory processes in brain disorders.


We present and demonstrate a novel imprint method, electrostatic force-assisted nanoimprint lithography (EFAN), where a voltage applied between a mold and a substrate generates an electrostatic force that presses the mold into a resist on the substrate. We have successfully used EFAN to pattern nanostructures in a photocurable resist spin-coated on a wafer, with high fidelity and excellent uniformity over the entire substrate, in ambient atmosphere without using a vacuum chamber. In initial tests without any process optimization, 100 nm half-pitch gratings with a residual layer thickness of 22+/-5 nm were imprinted across a 100 mm diameter wafer in about 2 s. Furthermore, numerical calculations show that the field magnitude experienced by the dielectric layers on the substrate is much less than their breakdown limit. Hence, EFAN is well suited for step-and-repeat nanoimprint lithography, and its simple operation can simplify and speed up multilayer alignment process.


UGT2A1 is a phase II enzyme highly expressed in the respiratory and aerodigestive tracts. In the present study, a novel exon 3 deletion splice variant for UGT2A1 (termed 'UGT2A1Δexon3') was characterized. As determined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, UGT2A1Δexon3 was shown to be co-expressed with wild-type UGT2A1 in various tissues including lung, trachea, larynx, tonsil, and colon. The mRNA expression ratio of UGT2A1Δexon3:wild-type UGT2A1 was highest in colon (0.79±0.08) and lung (0.42±0.12) as determined by real-time PCR; splice variant protein (termed 'UGT2A1_i2') to wild-type protein (termed 'UGT2A1_i1') ratios were in the range of 0.5-0.9 in these tissues as determined by Western blot analysis using an UGT2A1-specific antibody. In contrast to the UGT2A1 wild-type isoform, homogenates prepared from UGT2A1_i2-over-expressing HEK293 cells exhibited no glucuronidation activity against PAHs, including benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol (B(a)P-7,8-diol). An inducible in vitro system was created to determine the effect of UGT2A1_i2 expression on UGT2A1_i1 activity. Increasing UGT2A1_i2 levels resulted in a significant (p max against 1-hydroxy (OH)-pyrene, 3-OH-B(a)P and B(a)P-7,8-diol; no significant changes in K M were observed for any of the three substrates. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments suggested the formation of UGT2A1_i1 and UGT2A1_i2 hetero-oligomers and UGT2A1_i1 homo-oligomers; co-expression of UGT2A1_i1 or UGT2A1_i2 with other UGT1A or UGT2B enzymes caused no change in UGT1A or UGT2B glucuronidation activity. These data suggest that a novel UGT2A1 splice variant regulates UGT2A1-mediated glucuronidation activity via UGT2A1-specific protein-protein interactions, and that expression of this variant could play an important role in the detoxification of carcinogens within target tissues for tobacco carcinogenesis. Citation Format: Ryan T. Bushey, Gang Chen, Philip Lazarus. Identification and functional characterization of a novel UGT2A1 splice variant: Potential importance in tobacco-related cancer susceptibility . [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2563. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2563


This study is designed to evaluate two main hypotheses. The first hypothesis specifies that stressors that arise in roles that are highly important to older adults exert a more deleterious effects on feelings of life satisfaction than stressors that arise in roles that are less salient. The second hypothesis aims to contribute to the literature by evaluating whether stressors in salient social roles affect well-being by eroding feelings of personal control over the same roles in which the stressors emerged. Support for both hypotheses is provided by a recent nationwide survey of older adults. When coupled with a carefully devised theoretical rationale, these findings point to the insights that can be gained by utilizing role-specific measures of stress and personal control.


Adiabatic quantum pumping in noninteracting, phase coherent quantum dots is elegantly described by Brouwer's formula. Interactions within the dot, while suppressing phase coherence, make Brouwer's formalism inapplicable. In this Letter, we discuss the nature of the physical processes forcing a description of pumping beyond Brouwer's formula, and develop, using a controlled adiabatic expansion, a useful formalism to study the effect of interactions within a generic perturbative scheme. The pumped current consists of a first contribution, analogous to Brouwer's formula and accounting for the remanent coherence, and of interaction corrections describing inelastic scattering. We apply the formalism to study the effect of interaction with a bosonic bath on a resonant level pump and discuss the robustness of the quantization of the pumped charge in turnstile cycles.


Various parameters of fibrinolysis inhibition and the plasma concentration of fibronectin (alpha 2-surface binding glycoprotein, cold insoluble globulin) were measured in patients at risk of developing acute progressive respiratory sufficiency following trauma or sepsis - the delayed microembolism syndrome (DMS). Most parameters measuring fibrinolysis inhibition were significantly higher in the five patients with DMS than in five patients who did not develop the syndrome. Thus, the primary fibrinolysis inhibitor (alpha 2-antiplasmin) was enhanced and the alpha-form of this inhibitor, with affinity to plasminogen, showed the greatest increment and might be of major importance for the delayed elimination of fibrin from the lungs occurring in these patients. The fibronectin concentrations were not lower in patients with DMS than in those who did not develop the syndrome.


We evaluated the performance and determined the efficiency parameters of an automated subirrigation system in a commercial greenhouse facility for clonal eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.) seedling production to improve subirrigation management practices. A methodology based on the mass balance of the irrigation system was established to determine the volumes of nutrient solution (NS) applied, drained, stored, evapotranspirated, and leaked in each subirrigation bench. The application, drainage, and NS dwell time in the 55-cm conic containers (0.125 m height · 0.03 m diameter) and the depth of NS reached inside the bench were also assessed. The values of application efficiency, irrigation efficiency and system transport (supply and drainage), and disposal losses of NS were estimated for each bench and inferred for the entire subirrigation system. The benches had average application and irrigation efficiency values of 0.84% and 98.38%, respectively. The system showed irrigation efficiency values of 27.59% and the sum lost by transport, leakings, and disposal in the water treatment plant of 72.41%. The continuous return of NS because of the high irrigation frequency contributed to this loss, resulting in 10,070 L of NS consumed by the plants and 26,430 L lost after 15 days of cultivation. Our results demonstrated that the system presented an adequate irrigation efficiency, but a low application efficiency caused by the constant return of NS because of the high irrigation frequency and the excess of losses from leaking and disposal of NS after 15 days of cultivation. Nevertheless, the system operated like a hydroponic system, which kept the containers partially immersed in the NS and did not use the full substrate container capacity to provide adequate moisture. This reduced the overall system irrigation and the substrate storage efficiencies, which needs to be improved by proper equipment design, operation, water and nutrients use efficiency, and management to achieve all the benefits that subirrigation possess.


In recent years, multimedia content broadcasting via satellite has attracted increased attention. The satellite digital multimedia broadcasting (S-DMB) system has emerged as one of the most promising alternatives for the efficient delivery of multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS). The design of an efficient radio resource management (RRM) strategy, especially the packet scheduling scheme, becomes a key technique for provisioning multimedia services at required quality of service (QoS) in S-DMB. In this article, we propose a novel cross-layer packet scheduling scheme that consists of a combined delay and rate differentiation (CDRD) service prioritization algorithm and a dynamic rate matching (DRM)-based resource allocation algorithm. The proposed scheme considers multiple key factors that span from the application layer to the physical layer, aiming at simultaneously guaranteeing diverse QoS while utilizing radio resources efficiently under the system power and resource constraints. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed cross-layer scheme achieves significantly better performance than existing schemes in queuing delay, jitter, and channel utilization.


Background Medical informatization has initially demonstrated its advantages in improving the medical service industry. Over the past decade, the Chinese government have made a lot of effort to complete infrastructural information construction in the medical and health domain, and smart hospitals will be the next priority according to policies released by Chinese government in recent years. Objective To provide strategic support for further development of medical information construction in China, this study aimed to investigate the current situation of medical information construction in tertiary class-A public hospitals and analyze the existing problems and countermeasures. Methods This study surveyed 23 tertiary class-A public hospitals in China who voluntarily responded to a self-designed questionnaire distributed in April 2020 to investigate the current medical information construction status. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the current configurations of hospital information department, hospital information systems, hospital internet service and its application, and the satisfaction of hospital information construction. Interviews were also conducted with the respondents in this study for requirement analysis. Results The results show that hospital information construction has become one of the priorities of the hospitals' daily work, and the medical information infrastructural construction and internet service application of the hospitals are good; however, a remarkable gap among the different level of hospitals can be observed. Although most hospitals had built their own IT team to undertake information construction work, the actual utilization rate of big data collected and stored in the hospital information system was not satisfactory. Conclusions Support for the construction of information technology in primary care institutions should be increased to balance the level of development of medical informatization in medical institutions at all levels. The training of complex talents with both IT and medical backgrounds should be emphasized, and specialized disease information standards should be developed to lay a solid data foundation for data utilization and improve the utilization of medical big data.


The aim of the work is to investigate the clinical symptoms of thrombotic complications (TC) and the tendency of patients to increased thromb-formation in patients with beta-thalassemia (β-T). Female patients with β-T aged 18-40 years were studied: 130 beta-thalassemia major (β-TM), 95 patients beta-thalassemia intermediate (β-TI), 60 patients with beta-thalassemia minor (β-Tm). In patients with βT, the frequency of occurrence of TC was studied. In patients with βT who do not have TC and splenectomy, hemostasis parameters were studied; and also the risk factors were analyzed for the development of latent hypercoagulation. Conducted questionnaire included questions about the tendency to increased thrombosis (TIT), about various clinical signs, symptoms, extended medical history data. Clinical manifestations of TC (arterial and venous thrombosis, chronic venous insufficiency) were detected in 10.0±2.6% of patients with β-TM and 14.7±3.6% of patients with βTI; TC occurred more frequently in splenectomy patients compared to non-splenectomized patients, respectively, with β-TM 15.0±4.6% and 5.7±2.8% (p≥0.05); with β-TI 22.5±6.6% and 9.1±3.9% (p≥0.05). The level of D-dimer characterizes the activity of fibrinolysis and the intensity of intravascular hemocoagulation; an increase in this marker of thrombinemia >500 ng/ml was regarded as a predisposition to LH. It was found that 37.9% of patients with β-TM and 30,4±6,8% of patients with β-TI had pre-thrombotic readiness for hemostasis ̶ latent hypercoagulability. Questionnaire indicted that in βT patients with latent hypercoagulability, D-dimer and fibrinogen levels were increased, fibrinolytic activity, activated partial thromboplastin time were reduced, and antithrombin III activity was slightly reduced. Also, questionnaire indicated the validity, significant reliability and internal consistency of the developed propensity to increased thrombosis. The results of the TIT questionnaire indicate an increased propensity for hypercoagulability in a significant proportion of non-splenectomized β-T patients.


We have theoretically and experimentally studied the nonlinear dielectric response under large orientational fluctuations near the Sm-A-Sm-C(*)(alpha) phase transition point in a chiral smectic liquid crystal. The third-order nonlinear dielectric response due to the fluctuations was observed in the vicinity of the transition point. By using it, we have successfully observed the soft-mode condensation inducing the Sm-A-Sm-C(*)(alpha) phase transition.


Studies of well-being focus on physical attributes of the subject or subjects, and many focus on physical health. This article scrutinizes well-being from the standpoint of emotional contentedness. Rather than making claims about overall contentedness, my interest is in instantiating contentedness in ordinary situations based on 20 years of fieldwork. I suggest that we sometimes miss out on contentedness because we focus too much on a trying political or economic state. Because anthropologists tend to write about postsocialism as joyless and painful—owing to the collapse of communism and its replacement by authoritarianism—we also owe it to readers to document instances of the "good life." Using ethnographic narration, I offer portals to feasting, drinking, and field labors in villages to represent ordinary ways in which Uzbeks embody a joie de vivre. Dreary politics and economics aside, people do live their lives and take great pleasure in them.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) AK058003 in esophageal carcinoma (EC) tissues, and to analyze its intervention effect.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
The expression of lncRNA AK058003 in EC tissues and para-carcinoma tissues from 130 EC patients was detected via quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR). EC cell lines were selected for exogenous interference in lncRNA AK058003. Subsequently, the expression of lncRNA AK058003 in normal esophageal epithelial cell line (Het-1A) and EC cell lines (EC109, EC9706, KYSE-150, KYSE-30, and TE-1) was detected by qPCR. EC9706 cell lines with the highest expression of lncRNA AK058003 were selected and transfected with lncRNA AK058003 siRNA and lncRNA AK058003 control, respectively. After transfection, the expression of lncRNA AK058003 was determined using PCR. The changes in cell growth and proliferation were analyzed via cell growth curve and cell cycle assay. Meanwhile, the changes in cell migration and invasion were analyzed through wound healing assay. Protein expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1) and MMP2 were determined by Western blot. Clinical data were collected from EC patients, and the association between lncRNA AK058003 expression and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage was finally analyzed.

RESULTS
LncRNA AK058003 was highly expressed EC tissues compared with para-carcinoma tissues (p<0.01). Compared with Het-1A cells, the expression of lncRNA AK058003 was significantly higher in EC109, EC9706, KYSE-150, KYSE-30, and TE-1 cells, with highest level in EC9706 cells (p<0.05). The expression of lncRNA AK058003 remarkably declined in lncRNA AK058003 siRNA group compared with lncRNA AK058003 control group (p<0.001). Compared with lncRNA AK058003 control group, the proliferation of EC cells was significantly weakened in lncRNA AK058003 siRNA group, with the greatest difference at 3 d. Flow cytometry results revealed that cell cycle was arrested in G0/G1 phase in lncRNA AK058003 siRNA group. Wound healing assay indicated that the intercellular distance became large, and cell migration ability was evidently enhanced in lncRNA AK058003 siRNA group with time (p<0.05). Besides, the protein expressions of MMP1 and MMP2 were remarkably lower in lncRNA AK058003 siRNA group than those in lncRNA AK058003 control group. This indicated remarkably declined invasion and metastasis ability. In addition, the postoperative prognosis was significantly worse in patients with higher expression of lncRNA AK058003 (p<0.05). All these findings suggested that lncRNA AK058003 could serve as a biomarker for EC prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS
LncRNA AK058003 is highly expressed in EC patients, which promotes proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis of EC cells. In addition, the postoperative prognosis of EC patients with high expression of lncRNA AK058003 is relatively poor.


Angiogenesis, a key rate-limiting step in the growth and dissemination of malignant tumors, is regulated by the balance between positive and negative effectors. Recent studies indicate that the pleiotropic cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) may contribute to the vascularization of some tumors by disrupting the equilibrium between positive and negative angiogenic regulatory molecules. We determined whether IL-6 participates in the angiogenesis observed during the progression of ovarian carcinoma. We measured IL-6 production by human ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Not all cell lines secreted IL-6 in vitro; however, when the cell lines were implanted into the peritoneal cavity of female nude mice, every line secreted IL-6. Most human ovarian carcinoma cell lines tested secreted significant levels of the soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R). Endothelial cell lines established from the ovary and mesentery of female H-2K(b)-tsA58 mice were tested for response to IL-6. Both endothelial cell lines expressed the IL-6R and their stimulation with the exogenous ligand significantly enhanced cell migration and activated the downstream signaling molecule signal transducers and activators of transcription 3. Dual immunohistochemical staining for IL-6R and CD31 revealed IL-6R expression on human endothelial cells within normal ovary and carcinoma specimens. Gelfoam sponges containing 0.4% agarose and IL-6 or basic fibroblast growth factor and implanted into the subcutis of BALB/c mice were vascularized to the same extent. Collectively, the data indicate that ovarian tumor cells secreted IL-6, a highly angiogenic cytokine that supports progression of disease.


Abstract The Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test is frequently used to assess aerobic endurance performance in young soccer players but only the logical validity of the test has been shown to date. The main ai m of this study was to assess the criterion (i.e. association with maximal aerobic capacity, [Vdot]O2max) and construct validities of the test in young soccer players. A secondary aim was to examine possible shared variance of the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test with other physical capacities. Sixty-two soccer players (age 13.7±0.5 years) from an Under-14 team participated. All players performed a battery of fitness tests to assess [Vdot]O2max, aerobic endurance performance (Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test), soccer dribbling endurance performance (Hoff dribbling test), and power performance (maximal vertical jump, 30-m sprint with 10-m split time). Results showed that the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test was strongly correlated with [Vdot]O2max (r=0.63, P<0.001), thereby showing the test's criterion validity. Players with the best performance on the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test had significantly higher [Vdot]O2max (P<0.001, large effect), and significantly better soccer dribbling endurance (P<0.001, large effect) and 30-m sprint times (P<0.05, medium effect). Logistic regression (r=0.79, P=0.0001) showed that Hoff dribbling test performance (explained variance=50.4%), [Vdot]O2max (explained variance=39.7%), and 30-m sprint time (explained variance=14.4%) were significant independent parameters contributing to performance on the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test. Therefore, the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test is a valid on-field aerobic endurance performance test for young soccer players, which can also be used to differentiate the maximal aerobic capacity, soccer dribbling endurance, and 30-m sprint performance of these players.


Photographer Nickolas Muray's The Great Tribes of Africa collection consists of approximately seven thousand photographs, negatives and other photographic materials held in the archives of George Eastman House (GEH), International Museum of Photography & Film, Rochester, NY. The collection was created by Muray in 1957 as part of a larger project titled Peoples of The World (1955-60), which is also housed at GEH. Best known for his work as a celebrity portraitist and secondly as a commercial photographer employed by the best-known magazines of the time, Muray's ethnographic project, which he developed in his later years, was left unpublished and did not receive as much attention as his earlier works. This applied thesis project involved the creation of a finding aid for this significant but under-researched collection. It also includes an essay outlining the methodology and rationale for this work completed at GEH over an eleven-month period in 2011-12.


Animal feed is food constituted for breeding stock animals because it possesses vital nutrients for animal growth. Animal feed or their ingredients as constituted by cereal flour and are stored after formulation for ulterior breeds. These provender or cereal grains used are commonly attacked by storage insects principally of the genus Tribolium . Firstly, contact and ingestion test by two essential oils of aromatics plants Ocimum gratissimum L (Lamiaceae) and Xylopia aethiopica Dunal A. Rich (Annonaceae) were done firstly on adults and aged larvae of Tribolium castaneun . Secondly, the contact and inhalation test by three essential oils of the aromatic plants Annona senegalensis L. (Annonaceae), Lippia rugosa L. (Lamiaceae) and Hyptis spicigera Lam. (Verbenaceae) were done for the control larvae, young and aged adults of the red flour weevil Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera : Tenebrionidae) very resistant pest to chemical pesticides. Essential oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Xylopia aethiopica have no contact and ingestion effect on adults of Tribolium castaneum ; their insecticidal activity is characterized mostly by their inhibition of the nymphosis of aged larvae of the same species. On the other hand contact and inhalation tests with crude essential oils of Lippia rugosa and Hyptis spicigera are the most promising because of their efficacy on the other life stages. They are more efficient, with 100% mortality, on larvae at early stages and young adults. On resistant aged larvae and adults, the insecticidal efficacy decreases but remains significant. Since this insect, Tribolium castaneum is the major pest of stored flours and provender, the incorporation of these promising essential oils in flours or in storage formulations of these foods for animals could contribute to their better cereal food conservation. The important and indispensable element of cereals for storage, growth and reproduction animal feed could be preserved from insects attack by use of natural product and may contribute to diminish toxicity of feeder, environmental pollution and the resistance phenomenon of insects.


Blazars are the principal extragalactic sources of very high energy gamma-ray emission in the Universe. These objects constitute a sub-class of Active Galactic Nuclei whose
emission is dominated by Doppler boosted non-thermal radiation from plasma outflowing at relativistic speeds from the central engine. This plasma outflow happens in the
form of large-scale collimated structures called jets, which can extend for Mpc in length and transport energy from the central engine of the galaxy to the larger scale intergalac-
tic medium. Over thirty such sources have been discovered to date by ground-based gamma-ray telescopes such as H.E.S.S., and PKS 2155-304 is the prototypical southern-hemisphere representative of this population of objects.

In this thesis I have studied in detail some aspects of the temporal variability of the jet emission from PKS 2155-304, combining coordinated observations across the electromagnetic spectrum, from optical polarimetric measurements to X-ray and ground-based gamma-ray data. The temporal properties of the dataset allowed us to derive important physical information about the structure and emission mechanisms of the source and put constraints to the location of the sites of VHE emission and particle acceleration within the jet. We have also derived a sensitive statistical measure, called Kolmogorov distance,
which we applied to the large outburst observed from PKS 2155-304 in July 2006, to derive the most stringent constraints to date on limits for the violation of Lorentz invariance induced by quantum-gravity effects from AGN measurements.


In this paper, we derive a prewhitening-induced lowerbound on the Frobenius norm of the difference between the true mixing matrix and its estimate in independent component analysis. This bound applies to all algorithms that employ a prewhitening. Our analysis allows one to assess the contribution to the overall error of the partial estimation errors on the components of the singular value decomposition of the mixing matrix. The bound indicates the performance that can theoretically be achieved. It is actually reached for sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratios by good algorithms. This is illustrated by means of a numerical experiment. A small-error analysis allows to express the bound on the average precision in terms of the second-order statistics of the estimator of the signal covariance.


The effects of intravenous and epidural clonidine, 4 microg kg-1, combined with epidural morphine, 40 microg kg-1, on the neuro-endocrine and immune stress responses to thoracic surgery are reported. A control group received only epidural morphine. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol. Catecholamines, vasopressin, cortisol, beta-endorphin concentrations and leucocyte counts were measured before drug administration, immediately after intubation of the trachea, after thoracotomy and at the end of surgery. Catecholamines did not change in any of the groups. The other stress hormones increased during surgery, the pattern being similar in the three groups. Total leucocyte and neutrophil counts were increased in all groups at the end of surgery, but the increase was least in the epidural clonidine group. The number of lymphocytes was reduced at the end of surgery in the epidural and intravenous group, compared with the control group in which the number of lymphocytes did not change. The effects are more pronounced with epidural than with intravenous administration. We conclude that clonidine can modulate the immune stress response to thoracic surgery.


Imidoyl radicals, generated from imidoyl phenylselanide precursors, have been used for the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted indoles. A facile high yielding synthesis of imidoyl phenylselanides has been developed. The potential for neophyl rearrangement of 5-exo radical intermediates to 6-endo radical intermediates is discussed.


Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare, non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis characterized by the infiltration of foamy histiocytes into multiple organs. We herein report a case of ECD with central nervous system (CNS) involvement in a 63-year-old man who also presented a positive result for Toxoplasma gondii nested polymerase chain reaction testing of cerebrospinal fluid. Since anti-Toxoplasma treatment proved completely ineffective, we presumed latent infection of the CNS with T. gondii. This case suggests the difficulty of distinguishing ECD with CNS involvement from toxoplasmic encephalitis and the possibility of a relationship between the pathogeneses of ECD and infection with T. gondii.


Spectacular reaction textures in poikiloblastic scapolitite boudins, within marbles in the continental crust exposed in the Lützow–Holm Complex, East Antarctica, provide insights into the changing fluid composition and movement of fluid along grain boundaries and fractures. Petrographic and geochemical features indicate scapolite formation under contrasting fluid compositions. Core composition of scapolite poikiloblasts (ScpI) are marialitic (Cl = 0.7 apfu) whereas rims in contact with biotite or clinopyroxene are meionite rich. Fine‐grained recrystallized equigranular scapolite (ScpII) shows prominent chemical zoning, with a marialitic core and a meionitic rim (Cl = 0.36 apfu). Scapolite poikiloblasts are traversed by ScpIII reaction zones along fractures with compositional gradients. Pure CO2 fluid inclusions are observed in healed fractures in scapolite poikiloblasts. These negative crystal‐shaped fluid inclusions are moderately dense, and are believed to be coeval with ScpIII formation at temperatures >600 °C and a minimum pressure of c. 3.8 kbar. Grain‐scale LA‐ICPMS studies on trace and rare earth elements on different textural types of scaplolites and a traverse through scapolite reaction zone with compositional gradient suggest a multistage fluid evolution history. ScpI developed in the presence of an internally buffered, brine‐rich fluid derived probably from an evaporite source during prograde to peak metamorphism. Recrystallization and grain size reduction occurred in the presence of an externally sourced carbonate (CaCO3)‐bearing fluid, resulting in the leaching of Cl, K, Rb and Ba from ScpI along fractures and grain boundaries. Movement of fluids was enhanced by micro‐fracturing during the transformation of ScpI to ScpIII. Fractures in fluorapatite are altered to chlorapatite proving evidence for the pathways of escaping Cl‐bearing fluids released from ScpI. The present study thus provides evidence for the usefulness of scapolite in fingerprinting changing volatile composition and trace element contents of fluids that percolate within the continental crust.


Abstract Currently no research is available on muscle and functional performance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in China, even though both diseases have been reported to damage motor function. This single-center prospective study involves 55 males with COPD and T2DM and 46 males with COPD. Lung function, muscle strength and endurance of the upper limbs, and quadriceps strength of both legs were assessed using instruments. The 6-min walk (6MW) test was performed to evaluate physical performance. Between the two groups, respiratory function of COPD patients with T2DM was worse than in those without (P < .05). Mean handgrip strength and muscle endurance of upper limbs and mean quadriceps strength at both 60°/s and 120°/s in COPD males with T2DM was also significantly less (P < .05). Mean 6MW distances of COPD patients with T2DM were significantly worse (P < .05), and mean pulse rate (PR) increments of COPD patients with T2DM in 6MW test were significantly higher (P < .05). The combination of COPD and T2DM not only brings one more chronic disease to elderly patients but also significantly affects muscle strength and endurance as well as physical performance. Accordingly, in the management of chronic diseases, we recommend that clinicians as well as patients themselves actively control blood sugar and review them regularly with a view to reducing adverse effects on physical performance.


Tau is a neuron-specific microtubule-binding protein that stabilizes microtubules (Kolarova et al., 2012). When pathologically modified, tau dissociates from microtubules and becomes insoluble aggregates called neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). NFTs are accumulated in neuronal perikarya or dystrophic neurites in axons and dendrites, causing degeneration of tangle-bearing neurons. The NFT formation is one of the most significant pathological signatures in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and multiple neurodegenerative disorders classified as tauopathies. Accordingly, great efforts have been made to investigate the mechanism of tau aggregation and to identify the pathogenic tau species. Accumulating evidences suggest that soluble tau oligomers, rather than large insoluble aggregates, are the pathogenic forms responsible for neuronal degeneration and cognitive impairment. Formation of the fibrillary inclusions might serve as a neuronal defense mechanism to quarantine the toxic oligomers. In addition, tau oligomers propagate in neurons acting as a seed for native tau aggregation. Due to the pathological implication, tau oligomers become an important therapeutic target to cure tauopathies. However, progress has been slow due to the lack of understating tau aggregation mechanism. Tau is an intrinsically soluble protein. To become a neurotoxic aggregate, tau undergoes a number of harmful modifications. In this book chapter, we will look for


The symposium, held at San Diego State University, provided information about the Mediterranean-type ecosystems found throughout the world. In the papers, and in brief summeries of poster displays, both researchers and managers addressed concerns relating to vegetation, fauna, soils, hydrology, fire, and planning. A Review and Follow-up section presents general comments of selected participants.


This work addresses the problem of balancing the trade-off between the energy cost due to communication and the accuracy of the tracking-based trajectories' detection and representation in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) settings. We consider some of the approaches used by the Moving Objects Databases (MOD) and Computational Geometry (CG) communities, and we demonstrate that with appropriate adaptation, they can yield significant benefits in terms of energy savings and, consequently, lifetime of a given WSN. Towards that, we developed distributed variations of three approaches for spatio-temporal data reduction – two heuristics (Dead-Reckoning and the Douglas-Peuker algorithm), and a variant of a CG-based optimal algorithm for polyline reduction. In addition, we examine different policies for managing the buffer used by the individual tracking nodes for storing the partial trajectory data. Lastly, we investigated the potential benefits of combining the different data-reduction approaches into "hybrid" ones during tracking of a particular object's trajectory. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed methodologies can significantly reduce the network-wide energy expenses due to communication and increase the network lifetime.


Abstract We have determined accumulation histories by identifying annual-layer horizons in records obtained by three independent methods: (1) glaciochemical analysis on a core, (2) density profiling in the borehole from which the core was taken, using the neutron-probe (NP) technique, and (3) borehole optical stratigraphy (BOS), again in the same borehole. We also used three different techniques for determining density to convert annual-layer thickness to accumulation: (1) gravimetric measurements on core samples, (2) measurement of density using NP and (3) a simple empirical model based on regional climatology. The result is nine different accumulation time series, three of which are completely independent. The chemical-analysis- and NP-derived accumulation time series are correlated, and the ∼70 year means are in agreement. The BOS-derived accumulation ∼70 year mean is slightly lower, probably due to a combination of the empirical density model's underestimate of the density profile and the misidentification of sub-annual events in the shallow part of the borehole as annual horizons.


This guide describes the materials on exhibit in from the Remnant Trust's "Wisdom of the Ages" collection. We also provide information about handling materials and the history of written communication, books, printing, and publishing.


The objective of this study was to assess the effect of Punarnavine, an alkaloid isolated from Boerhaavia diffusa, on apoptosis in B16F-10 melanoma cells. Treatment of B16F-10 melanoma cells with nontoxic concentrations of Punarnvine resulted in the presence of apoptotic bodies and DNA fragmentation in a dose dependent manner. Cell cycle analysis and TUNEL assays also confirmed the observation. The apoptotic genes p53 and caspase-3 were found upregulated in Punarnavine treated cells, whereas the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2 was downregulated. The inhibited nuclear translocation of NF-kappaBp65, NF-kappaBp50, NF-kappaB-c-Rel, c-Fos, ATF-2 and CREB-1 in Punarnavine treated B16 F-10 cells pointed to suppression of NF-kappaB signaling by Punarnavine. All these results demonstrate that Punarnavine induces apoptosis via activation of p53 induced caspase-3 mediated pro-apoptotic signaling and suppression of NF-kappaB induced Bcl-2 mediated survival signaling.


The design of effective cancer vaccines must be able to activate dendritic cells (DCs) of the innate immune system in order to induce immunity to pathogens and cancer. DCs patrol the body and once they encounter antigens, they orchestrate a complex mechanism of events and signals that can alert the adaptive immune system to action. However, DC‐based vaccines remain a challenge in part because the source and quality of antigens, the DC targeting molecule, type of adjuvant, and delivery vehicle must be optimized to induce a robust immune response. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have now entered clinical trials as carriers due to their ease of functionalization with antigens, adjuvants, and targeting molecules. This progress report discusses how AuNPs can influence DC activation and maturation, as well as their potential impact on T helper (Th) differentiation. Ultimately, successful AuNP‐based DC vaccines are able to induce phagocytosis, activation/maturation, migration, T cell costimulation, and cytokine secretion, which is named AuNP‐induced DC tuning (AuNP‐DC tuning). Although at its infancy, understanding the processes of AuNP‐DC tuning will give a better understanding of how best to engineer AuNPs and will redefine the next generation of DC‐based vaccines.


In this study, three of satellite soil moisture datasets were inter-compared using Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) soil moisture over East Asia in summer (June, 2013) to evaluate soil moisture data for global-scale analysis. The applied satellite sensors are Microwave Imaging Radiometer with Aperture Synthesis (MIRAS) on Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS), Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) on GCOM-W, and Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) on MetOp-A. While the ASCAT soil moisture was found to be most correlated with GLDAS soil moisture in the non-desert parts of study area, SMOS-retrieved soil moisture data showed most reliable result in dry regions(desert and semi-desert). In the future study, soil moisture derived from SMOS will be uses for dust-outbreaks prediction research.


Automatic evaluation of tonal production plays an important role in a tonal language Computer-Assisted Pronunciation Training (CAPT) system. In this paper, we propose an automatic evaluation method for non-native Mandarin tones. The method applied multi-level confidence measures generated from Deep Neural Network (DNN). The confidence measures consisted of Log Posterior Ratios (LPR), Average Frame-level Log Posteriors (AFLP) and Segment-level Log Posteriors (SLP). The LPR was calculated between the correct tone model and competing tone models. The AFLP and LPR were obtained from frame-level scores. And the SLP was directly derived from segment-level scores. The multi-level confidence measures were modeled with a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. For comparison, three experiments were conducted according to different features: AFLP+LPR, SLP only and AFLP+LPR+SLP. The experimental results showed that the performance of the system which used multilevel confidence measures was the best, achieving a FRR of 5.63% and a DA of 82.45%, which demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed method.


Background and Objectives: Although Mississippi is making modest progress in childhood obesity prevention and reduction; most of the recent benefits are seen in white children. The purpose of Eating good and moving like we should (EGMLWS), a school-based intervention was to create a successful program to prevent and reduce childhood obesity in the Mississippi Delta, among mostly African American students.
Methods: The program worked with third grades in 7 schools. It provided curricula, started school gardens, and school menu consultation. BMI s-scores were calculated and Fitnessgram parameters were measured, including 20-m progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run (PACER) and back-saver sit-and-reach (BSSR). Demographic and beginning heights and weights were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pre- and post-intervention BMI z-scores and Fitnessgram scores for each school were compared using paired t-test.
Results: Mean BMI z-scores were significantly lowered in 2 schools, not changed in 4 schools and increased in 2, although all schools had individuals with decreased BMI z-scores. PACER scores increased in 5 of 7 schools while sit-and-reach left and right scores increased in 5 and 6 of the 7 schools, respectively. All schools improved in at least one PACER measure, and 3 schools improved across all measures.
Conclusions: After one school year in EGMLWS, north MS Delta third graders improved in both the PACER and sit-and-reach components of Fitnessgram assessment. BMI z-scores were lowered in 2 schools and remained the same in 4 schools. Also, BMI-z-scores did not rise over all schools and there was some lowering of BMI z-scores in every school, which was encouragement that school-based interventions can favorably impact BMI and fitness in primarily African American populations.


Human brain organoids, generated from pluripotent stem cells, have emerged as a promising technique for modeling early stages of human neurodevelopment in controlled laboratory conditions. Although the applications for disease modeling in a dish have become routine, the use of these brain organoids as evolutionary tools is only now getting momentum. Here, we will review the current state of the art on the use of brain organoids from different species and the molecular and cellular insights generated from these studies. Besides, we will discuss how this model might be beneficial for human health and the limitations and future perspectives of this technology.


INTRODUCTION
Rotovirus infection (RVI) caused by the dsRNA-containing virus from genus Rotavirus, Reoviridae family, belonging to group A (RVA), is the cause of severe diarrhea in human and other mammalian species. Vaccination is the most effective way to reduce the incidence of RVI. At present, the effectiveness of using gnotobiotic piglets as a universal model for reproducing human rotavirus infection and assessing the quality of RVI vaccine preparations has been experimentally proven.

OBJECTIVES
Evaluation of immunogenic activity of the cloned RVA Wa strain in the new-born Vietnamese potbellied piglets trial.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Development of viral preparations of the cloned human Wa strain PBA, development of human RVA rVP6, ELISA, polymerase chain reaction with reverse transcription, immunization and experimental infection of newborn piglets.

RESULTS
The article presents the results of the experiment on double immunization of newborn piglets with native virus preparations with the infection activity 5.5 lg TCID50/ml, 3 cm3 per dose, HRV with adjuvant 500 µg per dose and mock preparation (control group) followed with experimental inoculation of all animals with virulent virus strain Wa G1P[8] human RVA with infectious activity of 5.5 lg TCID50/ml in 5 cm3 dose. Development of clinical signs of disease and animal death were observed only in control group. RT-PCR system to detect RVA RNA in rectal swabs, samples of small intestine and peripheral lymph nodes was developed. ELISA based on obtained human RVA rVP6 was developed and results on RVA-specific IgG-antibodies in serum samples of experimental piglets are presented.

CONCLUSION
In the course of the research, a high immunogenic activity of the native and purified virus of the cloned Wa RVA strain Wa was established and the possibility of its use as the main component of the RVI vaccine was confirmed. The possibility of using conventional newborn pigs instead of gnotobiotic piglets as an experimental model was demonstrated.


These investigations were conducted to provide basic soil chemical, physical, and mineralogical data for an area of Saudi Arabia that had not been studied and for which greatly increased agricultural development is anticipated. Fourteen soils were collected from two arid interior basin areas of Saudi Arabia. The silt and clay mineralogy was studied using x-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, and electron microscopy. Quantitative estimation of clay-sized minerals was based on a combination of chemical and x-ray diffraction techniques. The calcareous soils of the central basins show minimal profile development. Particle-size classes range from sandy-skeletal to fine silty. Soils with shallow water tables are saline with large SAR values. The clay minerals in soils of the basins are primarily inherited. Soils developed in alluvium from mixed igneous rocks have clay fractions in which smectite > mica > kaolinite > chlorite, palygorskite, vermiculite. Soils formed from Permian sedimentary rocks have kaolinitic clay fractions. It is postulated that the central basins do not receive sufficient Si inputs for palygorskite neoformation and it is though that palygorskite is detrital, originating from easternregion Tertiary rocks. The soil clays of the central hasins have greater smectite contents than those of the kaolinitic western highland soils and palygorskite-rich eastern-region soils.


International students have contributed to the internationalization and diversification of U.S. higher education; yet, when COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus) struck, it became evident that this subset of the U.S. higher education student population was left unaccounted for and unprotected. This manuscript underscores the unimaginable damage and disruption that can occur when a global crisis of the highest magnitude meets under preparedness, pre-existing discrimination, and impulsive policy-making. It also highlights, for context, past crises and their impacts on international students, thus establishing a trend which places international students at the epicenter of the blow's concomitant with crises of different nature. Moreover, the manuscript provides considerations higher education stakeholders should reflect upon, as well as the following implications for higher education institutions: a) Establish support systems, b) create a sustainable emergency/crisis relief fund, c) seek and maintain non-local partnerships, d) get in good trouble, and e) develop intervention programs. In enacting these tangible solutions, institutions would be able to guide, serve, and support international students more effectively during and after crises.


This paper presents a multi-thread CORBA-based architecture for parallel applications. This architecture is hidden by a library of classes and allows the developer to make use of method invocations similar to the well known send () and receive () message passing calls. Our multi-thread architecture is built around the event nature of CORBA invocations. In order to show the pertinence and the efficiency of our architecture we present some experimental results based on an implementation of a typical parallel computation: a permuted variant of the Gaussian elimination (the WZ factorization). It appears that not only the development of parallel applications that are manageable at execution time is made easier but that in term of performances, CORBA implementation (ORBacus implementation) is comparable to the PVM one.


An improved cancer therapy for a rare blood cancer called acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) may be the result of a merger between traditional Chinese medicine and modern molecular biology. A team of researchers in Shanghai and Harbin, China, has found that arsenic trioxide, the active ingredient in a traditional Chinese remedy for a variety of ailments, can induce remissions in up to 70% of APL patients. It apparently achieves this by triggering apoptosis (programmed cell death) in APL cells. The results have excited Western oncologists, who recall that a decade ago the same team both developed the current clinical treatment for APL and helped to uncover how it functions within the cell.