Purpose To evaluate the colposcopic accuracy of the detection of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN) according to the colposcopic terminology for the vagina from the 2011 International Federation of Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy (IFCPC). Methods A total of 467 women who were suspected of having VaIN and underwent colposcopy at Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University from January to December 2018 were included in this retrospective cohort study. The 2011 IFCPC revised terminology for the vagina was applied, and the agreement between colposcopic diagnosis and vaginal biopsy pathology was analysed. Results Agreement between colposcopy and pathology was 69.16% (kappa=0.437, p<0.001), with 23.34% overestimated and 7.49% underestimated diagnosis for colposcopy. The agreement was the lowest (35.71%) in the high-grade VaIN group, which was significantly different from that of other lesion grade groups (p<0.01). Among grade 1 findings, thin acetowhite epithelium was the most frequent (80.51%). Grade 2 findings and vascular patterns were rare. The positive predictive values of the micropapillary pattern were 55.98% for low-grade VaIN and 5.98% for high-grade VaIN. The specificity of iodine negativity was 10.92% for low-grade VaIN and 8.30% for high-grade VaIN. There were significant differences in the maximum size of single lesions and in the number of lesions among different grade lesion groups. Conclusion The agreement between colposcopy findings utilizing the 2011 IFCPC terminology and vaginal pathology is moderate, and more definite findings for high-grade VaIN may be needed. The micropapillary pattern can be considered an alternative low-grade finding, while iodine staining is nonspecific for all lesions. Scattered and spotty lesions suggest low-grade VaIN, while large single lesions suggest high-grade VaIN.


Previous studies from our group have shown that the expression levels of Orc6 were highly elevated in colorectal cancer patient specimens and the induction of Orc6 was associated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment. The goal of this study was to investigate the molecular and cellular impact of Orc6 in colon cancer. In this study, we use HCT116 (wt-p53) and HCT116 (null-p53) colon cancer cell lines as a model system to investigate the impact of Orc6 on cell proliferation, chemosensitivity and pathways involved with Orc6. We demonstrated that the down regulation of Orc6 sensitizes colon cancer cells to both 5-FU and cisplatin (cis-pt) treatment. Decreased Orc6 expression in HCT-116 (wt-p53) cells by RNA interference triggered cell cycle arrest at G1 phase. Prolonged inhibition of Orc6 expression resulted in multinucleated cells in HCT-116 (wt-p53) cell line. Western immunoblot analysis showed that down regulation of Orc6 induced p21 expression in HCT-116 (wt-p53) cells. The induction of p21 was mediated by increased level of phosphorylated p53 at ser-15. By contrast, there is no elevated expression of p21 in HCT-116 (null-p53) cells. Orc6 down regulation also increased the expression of DNA damaging repair protein GADD45β and reduced the expression level of JNK1. Orc6 may be a potential novel target for future anti cancer therapeutic development in colon cancer.


We present size measurements of 78 high-redshift (z ≥ 5.5) galaxy candidates from the Reionisation Lensing Cluster Survey (RELICS). These distant galaxies are well-resolved due to the gravitational lensing power of foreground galaxy clusters, imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the Spitzer Space Telescope. We compute sizes using the forward-modeling code Lenstruction and account for magnification using public lens models. The resulting size-magnitude measurements confirm the existence of many small galaxies with effective radii Reff < 200 pc in the early universe, in agreement with previous studies. In addition, we highlight compact and highly star-forming sources with star formation rate surface densities ΣSFR > 10M⊙yr−1kpc−2 as possible Lyman continuum leaking candidates that could be major contributors to the process of reionisation. Future spectroscopic follow-up of these compact galaxies (e.g., with the James Webb Space Telescope) will further clarify their role in reionisation and the physics of early star formation.


Objective To assess the growth using anthropometric measurements and determine the prevalence of obesity, short stature, and hypertension among primary school children. Background Healthy growth for children is of great importance in the development of their physical and mental growth. Growth is influenced by many factors that act to modify a child's genetic growth. Patients and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1050 children aged 6 to less than 12 years, including 515 (49%) boys and 535 (51%) girls, who were recruited from primary schools in Zefta city, Gharbeya Governorate. All children were assessed for anthropometric measurements such as weight (kg), height (cm), BMI (kg/m2), and arm span (cm). Moreover, blood pressure (BP) was measurement. Results The mean age was 8.50 + 1.70 years. The overall anthropometric values for boys were as follows: mean height was 134.55 ± 11.75 cm, mean weight was 32.38 ± 9.24 kg, and mean BMI was 17.47 ± 2.68 kg/m2. The corresponding measurements for girls were 133.55 ± 12.38 cm for height, 32.68 ± 10.73 kg for weight, and 17.84 ± 3.096 kg/m2 for BMI. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in boys were 4.9 and 6.8% and in girls were 11.2 and 7.5%, respectively. Mean BP for male children was 102.53 and 61.59 mmHg for systolic BP and diastolic BP, respectively, and for girls was 102.42 and 61.48 mmHg for systolic BP and diastolic BP, respectively. Prevalence of prehypertension in boys was 7.7% and in girls was 11.2%. No cases of short stature were seen. Conclusion Most children have normal growth patterns. Obesity was positively associated with higher BP.


-For the improvement of reliability, safety and efficiency advanced methods of supervision, fault detection and fault diagnosis become increasingly important for many technical processes. This holds especially for safety related processes like aircraft, trains, automobiles, power plants and chemical plants. The fault detection based upon multivariate statistical projection method such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has attracted more and more interest in academic research and engineering practice. The PCA is an appropriate method for the control of the process based on selection of an optimal number of principal components. In this paper we present the design and a comparative study of offline fault detection indices based on PCA method and adaptive fault detection techniques which used the PCA method. These indices are Squared Prediction Error (SPE), Hotelling's Statistic (T), Filtred Squared Prediction Error (Filtred SPE) and i D Index. These indices and the adaptive detection methods are evaluated by handling a numerical example and a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) benchmark. KeywordsPCA, SPE, T, Di , onlie fault detection, PCA conventional, SWPCA, RPCA-FOP


The pituitary transcription factor (Pit-1) gene is one of the considered genes that responsible to growth in cattle. A specific Pit-1|HinfI gene polymorphism located within exon 6(g.1256G>A) has been shown to be associated with growth and milk traits in cattle. This study aimed to identify the Pit-1|Hinf1 gene polymorphism in Grati-Ongole Grade cattle (Grati-OG cattle). A total of 107 genomic DNA of Grati-OG cattle were used in this study. The detection of polymorphism was performed by PCR-RFLP method. Only AB and BB genotypes were succesfully identified with the frequency of 0.009 and 0.991, respectively. Whereas, the frequency of A and B alleles were 0.005 and 0.995, respectively. The observed genotype frequencies in this population do not deviated from HWE. The value of Ho, He and PIC were 0.009, 0.009 and 0.009, respectively.In conclusion, the Pit-1|HinfI gene polymorphism in Grati-OG cattle is monomorphic and hence it should not be used in further association studies.


Generalized linear models (GLM) include many useful models. This paper studies simultaneous confidence regions for the mean response function in these models. The coverage probabilities of these regions are related to tail probabilities of maxima of Gaussian random fields, asymptotically, and hence, the so-called tube formula is applicable without any modification. However, in the generalized linear models, the errors are often non-additive and non-Gaussian and may be discrete. This poses a challenge to the accuracy of the approximation by the tube formula in the moderate sample situation. Here two alternative approaches are considered. These approaches are based on an Edgeworth expansion for the distribution of a maximum likelihood estimator and a version of Skorohod's representation theorem, which are used to convert an error term (which is of order n -1/2 in one-sided confidence regions and of n -1 in two-sided confidence regions) from the Edgeworth expansion to a bias term. The bias is then estimated and corrected in two ways to adjust the approximation formula. Examples and simulations show that our methods are viable and complementary to existing methods. An application to insect data is provided. Code for implementing our procedures is available via the software parfit.


Periodontitis is a multifactorial disease that, if untreated, may cause teeth loss. Clinicians and researchers have reported that genetic factors influence the clinical manifestations of periodontal disease (PD), modulating both inflammation of the mucous membranes and loss of alveolar bone. The acquisition of new nowledge about genetic susceptibility of PD, would directly impact on prognosis and treatment of the disease. In addition, a better understanding of PD pathogenesis could improve the diagnostic tools for the prevention and therapies for modulation of immune responses and treatment of PD. In this study, we evaluated genetic polymorphisms of VRD, IL6 and IL10 and amounts of periodontal pathogens in Italian adults affected by PD. We included 326 cases classified according the criteria of the American Academy of Periodontology. No significant differences in bacterial load were found in patients carrying PD susceptibility alleles of IL6, IL10 and VDR genes. In conclusion, no interaction between genetic factors and amount of periodontal pathogens in periodontal pockets were found in PD patients.


Abstract Numerical and experimental studies of end-notched flexure (ENF) fracture tests were performed to obtain mode II R curves for maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) wood in the radial-longitudinal (RL) crack propagation system. Three- (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) finite element analyses were conducted to determine the mode II release rate of the critical strain energy (G IIc). The 3D analysis revealed that a small spurious mode III component did not affect G IIc measurements and that the 2D model was very accurate. A new scheme for data reduction based on the equivalent crack concept is proposed to overcome the difficulties related to accurate crack length measurement during propagation. This method does not require previous experimental tests to obtain the elastic modulus, which varies markedly for different wood specimens. Experimental ENF tests were performed to verify the numerical results. The results demonstrate the accuracy of the data reduction method proposed.


Employing implicit discount rates (derived from subjects' cash-flow responses) previous experimental studies find that the order of magnitude of the implicit rates is higher than actual capital-market rates, and that the impact of time (t) and (S) of the cash-flow on discount rates (R) is negative. To circumvent the problem of possible misvaluation of the exponential function documented in the literature, this experimental study uses direct rather than implicit rates. The results demonstrate that the effect of t and S on R is positive. It is therefore suggested that in addition to implicit discount rates, direct rates too should be used in future research.


Kimura's disease is an uncommon inflammatory disorder of unclear aetiology, mainly affecting young Asian descent males among their second and fourth decades of life. The disease typically emerges as a long-standing and painless subcutaneous mass lesion in the head and neck region, frequently associated with swelling of major salivary glands, particularly the parotid gland, and regional lymphadenopathy. Peripheral eosinophilia and high serum immunoglobulin E are also characteristic findings. We report a case and describe the imaging and pathological features of the disease in a 19-year-old Caucasian male, with review of the literature.


Flood is the most frequently and devastating natural disaster that kills people in thousands. Its consequences are profound, particularly on people in the less developed countries as in Nigeria. Emerging evidence shows that women suffer disproportionately in all disasters as they are made more vulnerable because of their reduced access to sources of emergency intervention as well as their lack of decision-making power in disaster prevention and preparedness programs. The gender discrimination in climate change response activities is an impediment to the adoption of effective strategy, mitigation programs, and to the empowerment of victims to build their own resilience. Recognizing these differences is a necessary and important component of any prospective attempts to address the gendered health consequences of flood. Because women make more emotional investments in the home than men, it is most likely that women experience more posttraumatic stress disorders associated with flooding experience, and consequently become more devastated emotionally and psychologically. The mental health problems of the victims of flood remain an area that successive governments have paid limited attention to. The paper therefore recommends that the application of the principles of cognitive- behavioural therapy on the victims, irrespective of sex, will remove the ugly memories of the trauma, extinguish the fears associated with the stressful events, especially as it pertains to re-location, re-equip the victims' capacities such that they can appraise positively the vicissitudes of life challenges, and consequently develop resilience. The author concludes that an integrative approach, which involves experts from diverse fields of human endeavours, is required in pulling out the victims of flood disaster from the implosive anxiety and depression that are associated with flood-provoking trauma.


The results of the anatomical study of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and its tributaries on 27 fresh cadavers were analysed. It was established that in past hepatic part of IVC fall from 7 to 23 veins. The diameter of the main hepatic veins on average 12.3 mm, and back — 4.8 mm. In 63% of cases between the main and back hepatic veins have a free box of length 10 — 18 mm. Lumbar vein 2 — 8 pairs of branches in 92.6% of cases merge and flow into the IVC by one trunk, often closer to her left hemi circle. The diameter of the joint lumbar vein average 5.2 mm. Upper joint lumbar vein falls into the IVC at a distance of 13 — 23 mm from the confluence of the right renal vein. Back hepatic and joint lumbar vein may be a source of intraoperative bleeding, that is difficult to control. Identified anatomical features tributaries of IVC below the diaphragm should be
borne in mind when removing blood clots from the IVC.


Ebstein's anomaly is a rare congenital heart disease characterized by downward displacement of the tricuspid valve, atrialization of right ventricle, enlarged right atrium with tricuspid regurgitation, or stenosis. It is often associated with atrial septal defect (ASD) or patent foramen ovale with right to left shunt. It has a varied clinical presentation and can manifest as cyanosis, ventricular, or supraventricular arrhythmias and recurrent episodes of congestive heart failure. We describe the anesthetic management of a female patient with Ebstein's anomaly who had right frontal lobe abscess due to paradoxical embolism for decompressive craniotomy.


In this paper, we explore the use of motion for robot-to-human communication on three robotic platforms: the 5 degrees-of-freedom (DOF) Aqua autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), a 3-DOF camera gimbal mounted on a Matrice 100 drone, and a 3-DOF Turtlebot2 terrestrial robot. While we previously explored the use of body language-like motion (called kinemes) versus other methods of communication for the Aqua AUV, we now extend those concepts to robots in two new and different domains. We evaluate all three platforms using a small interaction study where participants use gestures to communicate with the robot, receive information from the robot via kinemes, and then take actions based on the information. To compare the three domains we consider the accuracy of these interactions, the time it takes to complete them, and how confident users feel in the success of their interactions. The kineme systems perform with reasonable accuracy for all robots and experience gained in this study is used to form a set of prescriptions for further development of kineme systems.


This paper aims to review the slow tourism literature using a bibliometric analysis approach. In the current study parameters such as the annual number of publications, the most contributing countries, the most contributing organizations, the most cited studies in Web of Science (WoS), the most productive authors, and the most productive journals were examined. Furthermore, keywords were used to identify the field structure. VOSviewer software was used to find out the leading trends in this slow tourism literature. Thirty-eight studies were found with the help of the WoS database, over the period from 1975- June 2020. Results indicated that: the literature on slow tourism is growing remarkably; four studies accounted for more than 30 citations; Conwey, D and Timms, B.F were the most prolific authors; in terms of documents, the USA was the leading country in the topic of slow tourism; Indiana University (System and Bloomington Campus) was the most productive institution with a total of 5 papers. The journal, Tourism Recreation Research was the top contributor to the related literature. According to a keywords analysis the most recently studied concepts were related to tourist experiences and place attachments (2018-2020), while the older concepts were linked to alternative tourism and leisure (2014-2016).


Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies capricolum (Mcc) is one of the causative agents of contagious agalactia (CA), which is an important disease in sheep and goats in the Mediterranean and Middle East countries. Mycoplasma agalactiae is the classic agent of CA in sheep and goats. Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies Capri (Mmc), Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies capricolum (Mcc), and Mycoplasma putrefaciens (Mp) produce a clinically similar disease, more often in goats. The aim of the present study was to detect Mcc in sheep flocks in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran. Milk, ear canal, and eye swab samples were collected from 49 sheep flocks with clinical signs of CA or a history of a disease. All the samples were examined using both culture and molecular methods. In the molecular method,positive samples for the Mycoplasma genus were tested for M. mycoides cluster and Mcc. From 272 samples, 67, 87, and 62 samples were shown to be positive using the culture method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, and both culture and PCR methods, respectively. Mcc was detected in all the four M. mycoides cluster positive samples, including milk, ear canal, and eye swab samples. This is the first report of Mcc detection from East Azerbaijan. Our results showed that eye, milk, and ear canal samples could be suitable sources for Mcc detection in sheep flocks.


UNLABELLED
BACKGROUND AND QUESTION: A retrospective study was performed. To check the hypothesis whether there is an inverse connection between age and prognosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
We investigated a total group of 1000 cases with breast cancer primarily and consecutively treated between 1968 and 1986. After grouping the patients by tumor stage and median age various life table analyses were performed to calculate and compare the overall survival. Entry date was the date at diagnosis of a first breast cancer or date at first diagnosis of distant metastasis.

RESULTS
Young patients with a tumor size T1 and T2 had a significantly better prognosis than older patients with the same tumor stage. Influence of age became significantly weaker in patients with a T3 and T4 tumor. At least in the patients with a primarily M1 stage hardy any more dependence of age could be demonstrated. Similar results were obtained for the 198 patients which presented a distant recurrence.

CONCLUSION
Better general life expectancy of young patients is the cause of substantially better overall survival in curable stages. Advanced breast cancer is a strongly life-threatening factor. The fatal influence of large tumor mass is independent of age.


In this article, we propose an alternative approach for pricing bond options and swaptions under the two-factor Hull-White model that differs from existing models used to evaluate these instruments. Assuming that the forward price of a coupon bond is a martingale under the forward risk-neutral measure, the proposed model involves deriving the volatility of the coupon bond as a function of the stochastic durations calculated with respect to the model's two factors. Once the volatility function is defined, the price of options on coupon bonds can be derived by simply applying standard no-arbitrage pricing theory. Given the equivalence between the price of a coupon bond and the price of the corresponding swaptions, our approach can be adopted to calibrate the parameters of the two-factor Hull-White model using swaptions quoted in the market. The new solution we propose for the calibration can be considered as an alternative with respect to the existing approaches proposed in the literature and currently used by practitioners. Numerical results are provided in order to analyze the features of the proposed model for calibration purposes.


A FAULT of lipid metabolism has been implicated in the genesis of atherosclerosis in man and in experimental animals. Since the production of atherosclerotic lesions in rabbits with hypercholesteremia induced by cholesterol feeding, 1 this substance has been considered of prime significance in atherogenesis. More recently, variations in the ratios of lipid fractions such as the cholesterol: phospholipid and the alpha: beta lipoprotein ratios have been advanced as possible determining factors. 2 At the present time, study of the physical and physicochemical state of serum lipids is receiving considerable emphasis. In several reports Gofman and his co-workers 3 have related certain lipoproteins of specific densities, as differentiated in the ultracentrifuge, to the atherosclerotic process. In addition, a difference has also been reported in the clearing effect of heparin on the blood serum of men with atherosclerosis as compared with normal subjects. 4 Other workers impute a relationship between large fat particles (chylomicrons) and atherogenesis. 5


In this study, thermophilic biohydrogen production by a mixed culture, obtained from a continuous acidogenic reactor treating palm oil mill effluent, was improved by using granular activated carbon (GAC) as the support material. Batch experiments were carried out at 60 °C by feeding the anaerobic sludge bacteria with a sucrose-containing synthetic medium at an initial pH of 5.5 under anoxic conditions. The physico-chemical characteristics of the attached biofilm were evaluated after extraction of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) of the biofilm using the formaldehyde–NaOH method. The main component of the biofilm was protein (60%), while the carbohydrate content accounted for 40% of the EPS. Two major absorption bands at approximately 3400 cm−1 and 1650 cm−1, characteristics of the stretching vibrations of hydroxyl and amino groups, respectively, were identified in the FT-IR spectra, confirming the composition of the EPS. Observations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) illustrated the attachment of rod-shaped bacterial cells on the GAC at 60 °C. A maximum hydrogen production rate of 4.3 mmol L−1 h−1 and a hydrogen yield of 5.6 mol H2 per mol sucrose were obtained from this attached biofilm system. The major soluble metabolites of fermentation were acetic acid and butyric acid. The results showed that the granular activated carbon enhanced the biohydrogen production by stabilizing the pH and microbial metabolites and therefore could be used as a support material for fermentative hydrogen production under thermophilic conditions on a large scale.


AIMS
This study aims to know whether poor oral health increases the risk of acute rejection and hospitalization in kidney allograft recipients.

METHODS AND RESULTS
This is a prospective cohort study. The same dentist followed participants for 2 months after renal transplant for monitoring oral health (clinical evaluation, DTMF index, and CPITN index), signs of graft rejection, infection, and hospitalization. We compiled rates and reasons for hospital readmission or extended hospital stay. The CPITN had a mean score of 0.38 ± 0.71, increasing to 0.90 ± 0.84, 60 days after transplant (P < .001). No one rejected the graft in the period of study. Patients with older age (P = .009; OR: 1.07; CI 95% 1.01-1.12) were at higher risk of hospitalization at each year of age and patients presenting pretransplant dental focus (P = .001; OR: 7.23; CI 95% 2.13-24.56) had 7.23 times more chance to be hospitalized in the first 2 months after the transplant. One participant was hospitalized due to acute foci of dental infection.

CONCLUSION
There was an association between dental focus and hospital readmission/stay. However, our methods do not provide conclusive proof of causality. Hospitalization due to acute dental infection was rare.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the trial was to determine the efficacy of the proven anticalculus active system (zinc citrate trihydrate [ZCT] and triclosan), when the ZCT is delivered from microgranules incorporated in a silica-based toothpaste containing 1450 ppm F as sodium fluoride.

DESIGN
A monadic, single-blind, two phase design clinical trial was used to compare the effect of the test and a negative control fluoridated toothpaste on the formation of supragingival calculus.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Male and female calculus-forming volunteers, aged 18 or over, were recruited for the study following a 2-week screening phase. All subjects were given a scale and polish of their eight lower anterior teeth at the start of both the pre-test and test phases. Subjects were supplied with a silica-based 1450 F ppm fluoridated toothpaste with no anti-calculus active for use during an 8-week pre-test phase. Calculus was assessed at the end of the pre-test and test phases using the Volpe-Manhold index (VMI). Subjects were stratified according to their pre-test VMI score (8-10, 10.5-12, > 12) and gender and then allocated at random to test or negative control toothpaste groups. Subjects with < 8 mm of calculus were excluded from further participation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
The outcome variable was the mean VMI score for the test and negative control groups.

RESULTS
The test toothpaste caused a statistically significant 30% reduction in calculus compared with the control paste after a 13-week use. No adverse events were reported during the study.

CONCLUSION
The incorporation of the ZCT in microgranules did not adversely affect the anticalculus activity of the new formulation.


During the growing seasons of 2018 to 2020, a field experiment in broad bean (Vicia faba L.) was conducted at the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. The objective of the study was to explore the effects of the timing of insecticide application on the abundance, damage, and control of the broad bean weevil (Bruchus rufimanus Boh.). The experiment included four spray regimes and an untreated control. Yellow water traps were utilized to monitor the broad bean weevil from germination to senescence. Results indicate that broad bean weevil infestation occurred in all study years, with the highest density of adults observed during the flowering stage. Damage to seeds ranged from 23% to 59.62%. The data suggest that B. rufimanus infestation can result in a 19.1% reduction in seed yield. However, spraying when the daily temperature exceeded the threshold for adult activity for 3 days and at the end of flowering produced a significant increase in yield of 13.3% and 6.6%, respectively. Additionally, the spray at the end of flowering reduced damaged seeds by 21.4–48%.


SYNOPSIS. An understanding of the ecology of a species depends upon knowing the eifects of an array of biotic and abiotic environmental variations on individuals. Population patterns are determined by the collective responses of individuals to environmental variation. Moreover, each individual, age class, size class, and both sexes may have a unique array of abilities. Therefore, it should be an imperative to focus on autecologyas a mechanistic foundation of population and community ecology and conservation biology. The autecology of the western whiptail lizard, Cnemidophoru tigris (Teiidae)—an abundant and tractable species—was examined in the Sonoran desert of southern California for eight years. Spring-to-summer changes in the spatial and temporal patterns of foraging in adult C. tigris were related to arthropod distribution and abundance. Moreover, year-to-year variation in rainfall and plant productivity influenced (1) arthropod abundance and (2) the patterns of behavior, growth, and reproduction of C. tigris . Changes in the population size of C. tigris also were closely related to environmental variation. The perspective of a multi-year study may provide enough knowledge of a species to enable one to anticipate and perhaps, obviate the consequences of impending anthropogenic disturbance for that species, other members of the biological community, and its congeners in other biological communities


Let X be an arbitrary compact subset of the plane. It is proved that if L is a homogeneous elliptic operator with constant coefficients and locally bounded fundamental solution, then each function f that is continuous on X and satisfies the equation at all interior points of X can be uniformly approximated on X by solutions of the same equation having singularities outside X. A theorem on uniform piecemeal approximation of a function is also established under weaker constraints than in the standard Vitushkin scheme. Bibliography: 24 titles.


Osteoporosis remains a major health concern due to high incidence of fragility fractures followed by higher mortality and morbidity. Implementation of guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis is critically discussed internationally. Aim of this study was to evaluate implementation of these guidelines regarding diagnosis and therapy of osteoporosis in a developed western country. We hypothesized that (a) prior diagnosis of osteoporosis in patients with low-energy fractures is higher than the estimated incidence and (b) diagnosis and therapy of osteoporosis in patients with prior low-energy fractures is higher than in patients without prior low-energy fractures. 399 patients >60 years suffering low-energy-fractures of their spine, femur, humerus or forearm between 03/2014 and 04/2015 were recruited in a German trauma center. All received a standardized interview. In 21% (84/399) of all patients, osteoporosis was diagnosed prior to current admission. 34% (136/399) suffered a prior risk-fracture after age of 50. Of these, only 54% (73/136) reported about following dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to test for decreased bone-marrow-density with positive results in 68% (50/73). 38% (19/50) of these patients with fragility fractures and prior osteoporosis diagnosis received anti-osteoporotic medication. 66% (263/399) of all patients had no prior risk-fracture and were tested for osteoporosis by DXA in 36% (95/263), leading to positive results in 34% (32/95). 44% (14/32) of these patients received anti-osteoporotic medication. Applying FRAX, 33% of all patients showed a calculated 10-year-risk >20% for suffering a major osteoporotic fracture. 61% (83/136) of patients with a prior fracture had a 10-year-risk >20% of which 47% (39/83) patients received no prior DXA. Although guidelines recommend diagnosis and treatment of patients with low-energy fractures, opportunity for early treatment following risk fractures seems rarely used. Expedient risk assessment is necessary to indicate further diagnostics and therapy of osteoporosis to ensure adequate and efficient treatment for osteoporotic fractures.


INTRODUCTION
Food Allergy is a public health problem because of its increasingly prevalence, its severity and the difficulty of diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE
to describe the responsible food allergens and the clinical features of food allergy in a large group of Belgian children.

METHOD
156 cases of food allergy observed between May 2002 and May 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients have specific IgE. Unequivocal history, response to elimination diet, labial or oral food challenge confirmed the diagnostic.

RESULTS
Median age is 26 months (range 1 months-14 years) and male to female ratio is 1.6. Fifty-nine percent of the cases are younger than 3 years. Family history of atopic disease is found in 80.3%. Foods most commonly involved are: eggs (31%), tree nuts (18.1% including hazelnuts 12.3%), cow's milk (16.1%), peanuts (13.2%), fish (4.5%), latex fruits (4.5%).The clinical manifestations are: atopic dermatitis (44.2%), urticaria (40.4%), angioedema (36.5%), gastrointestinal symptoms (21.8%), laryngeal edema (11.5%), asthma (9%), oral allergy syndrome (7.7%), systemic reactions (7.7%) and anaphylactic shock (3.8%). Multiple food allergies are rare: 78.9% of our population have one or two food allergies.

CONCLUSION
This study confirms the usual distribution of food allergens in children. It shows that only four allergens (egg, tree nut, cow's milk, peanut) are responsible for 78.4% of the reactions and highlights the emergence of tree nuts allergy, particularly hazelnuts, in Belgium.


Platelet signatures indicating differential dysfunction, hyperactivation, aggregation or adhesion are capable of expressing their characters during the journey of a disease process, and can be utilized as cost effective biomarkers with immense clinical value. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major lifestyle disease of contemporary world with progression to diabetes associated cardiovascular diseases (DM-CVD). We identified a few potential biomarkers in platelets of T2DM to analyze the thrombotic risk in diabetes subjects by utilizing flow cytometric quantification with different flurochrome conjugated monoclonal antibodies. Our study describes interesting correlations (p<0.0001) for different clinical parameters of concurrent threat for vessel occlusion and the status of indices like reactive oxygen species, von Willebrand factor and mitochondrial membrane potential using western blotting and fluorescence techniques. Our study involved 32 T2DM, and 31 T2DM-CVD subjects compared to 29 healthy controls without any history of T2DM or CVD. An altered expression of platelet surface markers P-selectin (CD62p) and GpIIb/IIIa (CD 41/61, PAC1) along with changes in the platelet size due to agonist induced activation contributed to the enhanced thrombotic potential in the patients. This work elucidates the prospect of platelet biomarkers as diagnostic tool to predict cardiovascular risk in DM subjects.


Compound real options are combinations of real options, where an exercise of a real option opens another real option. Compound real options are commonly found in a number of industrial projects, but are especially relevant in, e.g., research and development (R&D) where the R&D projects give the real option to research further, or to start the implementation of the results. Valuation of compound options with the most commonly used option valuation methods is often very complex and the methods suffer from a number of problems when used for valuation of real options. This paper discusses the valuation of compound real options with the fuzzy pay-off method for real option valuation and shows that the method reduces complexity of the valuation of compound real options.


Presents the effects of the predictive filtering of waveform data in multiple passes as the first stage of a two-stage lossless compression algorithm. Predictive compression has a proven track record when applied to high dynamic range waveform data, wherein the waveform data are input to a linear predictor or perhaps an adaptive predictor for decorrelation, and the resultant residue is then subjected to an entropy coder to (ideally) represent the signal with a minimum number of bits. This compression is commonly applied with no loss of information. In this work, an adaptive filter is used for prediction, but instead of a single run through the predictor, the residue is continually passed back through the predictor in an attempt to further decorrelate the residue. Multiple passes of a gradient adaptive lattice filter has given the best decorrelation, yielding improved compression ratios. We run the compression technique on a seismic database, then provide some comparative lossless compression results using several coding schemes and show that using multiple-pass predictive filtering can improve the compression rates attainable.


Background Palliative care (PC) has a positive effect on symptom burden, quality of life, psychosocial communication, prognostic understanding, mood, and quality of care at the end of life of patients with advanced cancer. Objectives To investigate the timing of the first palliative consultation and referral of advanced cancer patients to the palliative care service and their determinants at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Subjects and methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted at KFSHRC. It included advanced cancer patients who died between January 1, 2019 and Jun 30, 2020. The dependent variable of primary interest is the timing of PC consultation and the timing of PC referral. The independent variables included age, sex, marital status, nationality, date of death, types of cancer, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), palliative performance status (PPS), palliative prognostic index (PPI), code status (do not resuscitate [DNR]), the severity of symptoms (assessed by the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System - Revised [ESAS-r]), referral to home health care (HHC), referral to long-term care (LTC), referral to interdisciplinary team (IDT), length of survival after the first PC consultation, length of survival after the referral to the PC service, length of hospital stay, frequency of emergency room (ER) visits and hospital admission in the last year before death, and involvement in bereavement with advanced care planning (ACP) services. Results Of the 210 advanced cancer patients, 109 (51.9%) were male, and their ages ranged between 18 and 90 years. More than half of patients (56.7%) had a history of PC consultation. Among them, PC consultation was described as late in 60.5% of patients. Concerning the timing of palliative care referral among advanced cancer patients, it was too late and much too late among 25.7% and 58.1% of them, respectively. Patients who visited ER more frequently (≥3 times) (p=0.014) and those who referred to HHC (p=0.005) were more likely to consult PC early compared to their counterparts. Length of survival was significantly higher among patients who reported early PC consultation compared to those without PC consultation and those with late PC consultation, p<0.001. Referral to PC for both transfer of care and symptom management was associated with earlier PC consultation, p=0.021. Patients who were admitted to the hospital three times or more were less likely to be much too late referred to PC services, p=0.046. Also, patients who were not referred to long-term care or home health care were more likely to be referred to PC services much too late, p<0.001. Among 28.8% of patients whose PPS ranged between 30% and 50% compared to 14.9% of those whose PPS ranged between 10% and 20% expressed too late referral time to PC, p=0.040. Conclusion In a considerable proportion of terminal cancer patients, palliative care was consulted late, and the timing of palliative care referral was too late/much too late among most of those consulted palliative care. Length of survival was higher among patients who reported early PC consultation and who with ideal referral time to PC services than others. Therefore, future considerations to facilitate early integration of palliative care in cancer patients are highly recommended through mainly improving staff education in communication skills and palliative care approach.


Three Nb-A10x-Nb SIS mixers tuned to operate in the 400-550, 550-700 and 600-750 GHz frequency bands have been investigated by modeling and experimentally by employing Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) technique and mixer measurements. The mixers were of quasioptical type with spiral antennas and twin junction tuning circuits integrated onto the apex area of the antenna arms. Modeling was employed for optimizing the tuning circuits and evaluating its performance. The comprehensive model for the SIS mixer bases on Tucker-Feldman theory of quasiparticle SIS mixer and Mattis-Bardeen theory of anomalous skin-effect. Very good agreement between modeling, FTS measurements and mixer experiment results was achieved. Accuracy in prediction of the tuning band and the coupling efficiency for the tuning circuits is better or about 15% within 400-1000 GHz band. Introduction The SIS mixer optimum performance can be reached when the intrinsic capacitance of the SIS junction is tuned out. Different integrated on chip tuning circuits have been developed for waveguide and open structure (quasioptical) Nb-A10x-Nb SIS mixers for 100-820 GHz band [16] providing broadband low-noise operation of the receivers [7-11]. These tuning circuits mainly utilize different microstrip lines, made from Nb with SiO or Si02 insulator, to resonate out SIS junction capacitance. The focus of this work is theoretical (by modeling) and experimental investigation of twin junction tuning circuit [4-6] for frequency band about 400-1000 GHz. Mattis-Bardeen theory was employed for the tuning circuit modeling. Fourier Transformer Spectrometer technique as well as mixer measurements of developed SIS mixers were used to determine tuning circuits performance, to compare experimental data and results of modeling. At the first step of the tuning circuit development simplified free-of-loss model has been employed for evaluating of the tuning circuit behavior and its optimization [11,191 The coupling efficiency of the spiral antenna output and the tuning circuit input was used as a quality parameter for loss-free circuitry (Fig. 1). However Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) measurements of the tuning circuits [19] have shown noticeable discrepancy between tuning circuit coupling efficiency at above the gap frequency and model predicted performance. This associated with loss in Nb microstrip tuning circuitry. Near the gap frequency of Nb material (-690 GHz for film) the Nb based microstrip lines become dispersing [12, 13] and above this frequency having increasing losses [14, 15]. Mattis– Bardeen theory [16] of skin anomalous effect describes behavior of a superconductor at these frequencies in teillis of complex conductivity a: cr= G–ja2 , (1) where real a l and imaginary 32 components translate directly into the normal-electron and cooperpare currents in a superconductor. Following fundamental paper of R.L. Kautz [14] these components above can be presented in integral form: zo (7) Page 88 Sixth International Symposium on Space Terahertz Technology 2 E2±2 + E j = de[f (s)— f (e + hco)} O 7: ha) 2 2 1/2 2 2 "— A h + 1 ' er dep. 2f(hco hw i, 21 — A2 — A2} 112 (s2 _2 ) / (11(0 _ e) ha)


This study deals with two important and contemporary phenomena at the heart of the financial markets and the policymaking process i.e. (i) the policymaker's role on the critical features of the intermediated holding infrastructure that exacerbate securities shortfall; and (ii) the purposeless effect of policymaking. The main aims of this study are to contribute to the deficient awareness on the former and provide a long-needed framework of analysis for the latter, which represent also the originality and the significance of this study.
The intermediated securities holding system is a financial market infrastructure: (i) operated by intermediaries (banks and other financial firms and market infrastructures), and (ii) where the securities are acquired, held and disposed of in book-entry (electronic) form with the intermediation of such a party. This is a fundamental but technical and silent aspect of the financial markets understood by a few people who are experts on the subject. The modern shape of the intermediated holding infrastructure has been determined not only by its private players but also substantially by the policymaker. We have observed several characteristics of the system, reinforced by the policymaker, that deserve continuous scrutiny in terms of investor protection such as the infrastructure complexity, lack of system transparency, asymmetric advantage of intermediaries, risky proliferation of the asset reuse chain and complex investor protection regimes to name a few. We argue that these critical characteristics contribute to a system difficult to be understood and disciplined by the investor and which is vulnerable to securities shortfall. The shortfall is ultimately born by the investor directly or as a taxpayer indirectly, in the case of severe shortfalls in the system that require bailout or bail-in intervention, an outcome that defies the primary purpose of the policymaker's intervention in the infrastructure i.e. investor protection.
The main result stemming from the above observation is that we may be dealing with a typical case of the purposeless effect of policymaking on the infrastructure i.e. consequences that defy the very purpose of the acts that influenced such consequences. To our dissatisfaction, however, the existing literature suffers from the lack of a proper framework for analysing the purposeless consequences of policymaking and the inherent factors that lead to such consequences (the "usual suspects"). In the second part of this study we fill this gap by developing such a framework. For this purpose we have borrowed R.K. Merton's framework for analysing the problematic consequences of social action (1936) and whose traces can be found unacknowledged though deeply embedded in the more contemporary theories. This framework consists in a typology of the inherent factors that produce unanticipated consequences such as lack of information, error, imperious immediacy of interest, basic values and self-fulfilling and self-defeating prophecy. We have extended this framework to include the intentional aspect of the action and have enriched it with persuasive insights from various disciplines, such as information asymmetry, behavioural biases, capture theory, laissez-fare and paternalistic ideologies of policymaking and performativity to name a few. As a result we offer a comprehensive, balanced, strong, contemporary, multidisciplinary and promising framework for analysing the purposeless consequences of policymaking in general, including on the intermediated holding infrastructure in particular. Ultimately, due to its general applicability, the framework provides a common theoretical and practical ground for the hypothesis, debates and applications on various actors' behaviour to take place, the suitability and the review of the policymaking process being only one of them.


The Chicxulub crater (Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico) is considered exceptional in many scientific aspects; morphologically it is the only known impact structure on Earth with a well-preserved peak ring. Recent drilling (International Ocean Discovery Program–International Continental Scientific Drilling Program Expedition 364) into this topographic feature provides insights into the structural properties and complex formation of a peak ring. By means of U-stage microscopy on shocked quartz grains from the granitic section of the recovered drill core, orientations of feather features (FFs) were determined and local principal axis of stress (σ1) orientations of the shock wave were derived. The FF orientations are strongly confined to a radially outward trend (WNW) relative to the crater center, which emphasizes a link between FF formation and the direction of shock-wave propagation. Thus, FFs represent an excellent tool as a stress-orientation indicator for the shock wave. Our microstructural data set shows that the granitic basement of the peak ring between ∼750 and ∼1200 m below seafloor behaved as a semi-coherent block above an imbricate thrust zone, and underwent both rotation and local folding during cratering. This validates the block sizes of acoustic fluidization employed in most Chicxulub-scale impact simulations. The folding of the upper part of the granitic basement may have developed by either (1) compression of the crater wall at the transient cavity and/or (2) dragging by the centripetal flow of the overlying crater material.


The G-CSF receptor transduces signals that regulate the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of myeloid cells. A subgroup of patients with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) has been shown to harbor mutations in the G-CSF receptor gene that resulted in the truncation of the receptor's carboxyl-terminal region. SCN patients with mutations in the G-CSF receptor gene are predisposed to acute myeloid leukemia. The truncated receptors from SCN/acute myeloid leukemia patients mediate augmented and sustained activation of Stat transcription factors and are accordingly hyperactive in inducing cell proliferation and survival but are defective in inducing differentiation. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the negative role of the receptor's carboxyl terminus in the regulation of Stat activation and cell proliferation/survival. In this study, we provide evidence that SH2-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1) plays a negative regulatory role in G-CSF-induced Stat activation. We also demonstrate that the carboxyl terminus of the G-CSF receptor is required for SHP-1 down-regulation of Stat activation induced by G-CSF. Our results indicate further that this regulation is highly specific because SHP-1 has no effect on the activation of Akt and extracellular signal-related kinase1/2 by G-CSF. The data together strongly suggest that SHP-1 may represent an important mechanism by which the carboxyl terminus of the G-CSF receptor down-regulates G-CSF-induced Stat activation and thereby inhibits cell proliferation and survival in response to G-CSF.


Overviews are provided for traditional and phylogenetic nomenclature. In traditional nomenclature, a name is provided with a type and a rank. In the rankless phylogenetic nomenclature, a taxon name is provided with an explicit phylogenetic definition, which attaches the name to a clade. Linnaeus's approach to nomenclature is also reviewed, and it is shown that, although the current system of nomenclature does use some Linnaean conventions (e.g., certain rank-denoting terms, binary nomenclature), it is actually quite different from Linnaean nomenclature.The primary differences between traditional and phylogenetic nomenclature are reviewed. In phylogenetic nomenclature, names are provided with explicit phylogenetic definitions, whereas in traditional nomenclature names are not explicitly defined. In phylogenetic nomenclature, a name remains attached to a clade regardless of how future changes in phylogeny alter the clade's content; in traditional nomenclature a name is not "married" to any particular clade. In traditional nomenclature, names must be assigned ranks (an admittedly arbitrary process), whereas in phylogenetic nomenclature there are no formal ranks. Therefore, in phylogenetic nomenclature, the name itself conveys no hierarchical information, and the name conveys nothing regarding set exclusivity.It is concluded that the current system is better able to handle new and unexpected changes in ideas about taxonomic relationships. This greater flexibility, coupled with the greater information content that the names themselves (i.e., when used outside the context of a given taxonomy or phytogeny) provide, makes the current system better designed for use by all users of taxon names.


To elucidate the role of EGF in human placental development, effects of EGF on the proliferation and differentiation of trophoblasts were investigated. Explants of trophoblastic tissues obtained from 4-5 week or 6-12 week placentas were, respectively, cultured with or without EGF, in the presence or absence of triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) in a serum-free condition. The proliferative activity was examined by immunocytochemical staining with an antibody Ki-67, and the differentiated function was assessed by the ability to secrete human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and human placental lactogen (hPL). In 4-5 week placentas, EGF and EGF receptor were localized in cytotrophoblast (C-cell), and EGF augmented the proliferation of C-cell without affecting the ability to secrete hCG and hPL. In contrast, in 6-12 week placentas, EGF and EGF receptor were localized in syncytiotrophoblast (S-cell), and EGF stimulated the secretion of hCG and hPL without affecting the proliferation of C-cell. In situ hybridization with c-erb B probe revealed that c-erb B mRNA is expressed in the S-cell after 6 weeks' gestation. Column chromatography of the serum-free media obtained by 5-day culture of early placental tissues resulted in the elution of immunoreactive EGF. The addition of T3 (10(-8) mol L(-1)) resulted in increased secretion of immunoreactive EGF by placental explants. These findings suggest that EGF acts as an autocrine factor in regulating early placental growth and function in synergy with thyroid hormone.


Background Interleukin (IL)-32 is known to exert adujvant effects on innate immune response and has an important role in inflammatory disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis [1]. However, receptors and downstream signaling pathways remain to be clarified, except for a role of proteinase 3 (PR3)-binding protein [2]. Although it was also speculated that protease activated receptor-2 (PAR2) mediated the activity of IL-32 through PR3 [3], there is a paucity of reports dealing with the relationship between IL-32 and PAR2. Objectives We have investigated about the potential signaling pathway of IL-32-TNFα or type I interferon axis was analyzed in vitro. Methods Using THP-1 cells, in vitro effect of exogenous IL-32γ on TNFα or IFN-β, one of the type I interferon, production was assessed with or without PMSF, inhibitor for serine proteases. And it was also assessed with or without siRNA against PR3 or PAR2. In another experiments, siRNA against TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-beta (TRIF), downstream signaling of PAR2 [4], or TRIF-related adaptor molecule (TRAM), which was the molecule recruited by TLR4 to bind TRIF [5], was administered to THP-1 with IL-32γ and TNFα or IFN-β production was assessed. Results In human monocyte cell line, THP-1 cells, exogenous IL-32γ alone was capable of stimulating TNFα and IFN-β production, which was markedly diminished by either addition of PMSF or siRNA against PR3 or PAR2. Furthermore, siRNA against TRIF, but not TRAM, also hampered IL-32γ-induced TNFα or IFN-β production. Collectively, IL-32-PR3 interaction may be profoundly bound to PAR2-TRIF axis, not TLR4-TRAM-TRIF axis, followed by robust TNFα and IFN-β production, since PAR2 reportedly sensed serine proteases such as PR3. Conclusions IL-32 induces TNFα and type I interferon via PR3-PAR2-TRIF axis and may play an important role in inflammatory disease. References Kim SH, et al. Interleukin-32: a cytokine and inducer of TNF-alpha. Immunity, 22, 131-142 (2005). Novick D, et al. Proteinase 3 is an IL-32 binding protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 103, 3316-3321 (2006). Dinarello CA, et al. IL-32, a novel cytokine with a possible role in disease. Ann Rheum Dis. 65 Suppl 3:iii61- iii64 (2006). Rallabhandi P, et al. Analysis of proteinase-activated receptor 2 and TLR4 signal transduction: a novel paradigm for receptor cooperativity. J Biol Chem 283:24314-24325 (2008). Yamamoto M, et al. TRAM is specifically involved in the Toll-like receptor 4-mediated MyD88-independent signaling pathway. Nat Immunol 4: 1144-1150 (2003). Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Summary

Mass transfer kinetics and optimisation of osmotic dehydration (OD) of fruits and vegetables with diverse structures were studied. Different concentrations of sucrose (20–60 °Brix) and process times (0–24 h) were used. Magee's model was appropriate for predicting water loss (WL), while Azuara's model fitted well solids gain (SG) data and represented more accurately the evolution of the complete process close to equilibrium. Polynomial equations for each kinetic variable [WL, SG and weight reduction (WR) – for pumpkin, kiwi and pear] using multiple linear regression were fitted for a selected range of experimental data (30–240 min, 20–60 °Brix). A complete solution algorithm for desirability function was coded in Matlab® 7.2 (Mathworks, Natick, MA, USA) with the aim to optimise osmotic dehydration process in terms of WL, SG and WR; optimal conditions were found for each fruit. Besides, an optimal common zone was identified for OD corresponding to process time from 114 to 240 min and sucrose concentration from 54 to 60 °Brix.


Primordial follicles act as stores of ovarian follicles and are potential sources of oocytes for medical, agricultural, and zoological purposes. Ovarian xenografting seems to be advantageous for maturing the oocytes in primordial follicles (primordial oocytes) and useful for the conservation and reproduction of domestic or endangered animals. We have generated viable embryos from porcine primordial oocytes xenografted into nude mice (Kaneko et al. 2006 Reproduction). Xenografting of ovarian tissues after cryopreservation would be a very powerful tool for this purpose. Recently, Moniruzzaman et al. 2009 Theriogenology) reported that follicles were able to develop to the pre-antral stage in ovarian tissues after cryopreservation and xenografting, but that oocytes were not obtainable from them. In the present study, we vitrified the tissue after different immersion periods in a cryoprotectant, ethylene glycol (EG), and evaluated the possibility of oocyte collection, and also their maturation and fertilization abilities. Ovarian tissue from piglets approximately 20 days old was minced into cubes of about 1.0 to 2.0 mm. After equilibration in 4% EG in IVC-PyrLac (Kikuchi et al. 2002 Biol. Reprod.) as a base solution (BS) for 15 min, they were immersed in vitrification solution (35% EG, 5% polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and 0.3 M trehalose in BS) for 45 s or 7 min (45-s and 7-min immersion groups, respectively), then dropped with about 4 μL of vitrification solution into liquid nitrogen (LN2). After storage in LN2, microdroplets were transferred in warming solution (0.4 M trehalose in BS) at 37°C for 2 min, then consecutively transferred for 2-min periods into 0.2 M, 0.1 M, or 0.05 M trehalose in BS.As described previously (Kaneko et al. 2006 Reproduction), 20 to 30 pieces of tissue were grafted into kidney capsules of ovariectomized nude mice. The host mice were treated with porcine FSH (62.5 U mL-1 in osmotic pomp) for 12 days before assessment of the survival of the ovarian grafts. When antral follicles were evident in the grafts, oocytes were collected using a surgical blade. They were then matured and fertilized in vitro (Kikuchi et al. 2002 Biol. Reprod.). Ovaries containing antral follicles were obtained between 62 and 125 days after grafting from 6 out of 12 mice in the both 45-s and 7-min groups. When a total of 39 and 49 fully grown oocytes, respectively, had been collected from these groups and cultured, the maturation rates calculated on the basis of 1st polar body extrusion were 18% (7/39) and 33% (16/49), respectively. The corresponding rates for sperm-penetrated oocytes were 83% (5/6) and 88% (14/16), respectively. All the oocytes formed male and female pronuclei at 10 h after insemination. The rates in the 2 immersion groups did not differ significantly by chi-square test, with or without Yates' correction. In conclusion, fully grown porcine oocytes can be collected from primordial follicles that have been cryopreserved and xenografted into nude mice. The period of immersion before vitrification may not affect oocyte maturation or fertilization ability.


The swimming behaviour of Paramecium was analyzed under natural and experimental hypergravity conditions. Paramecium that swam upwards (in the opposite direction to the gravitational force) along a straight path (straight swimmers) swam more slowly than those swimming downwards. This dependence of the swimming velocity on its direction relative to gravity can be partly interpreted as the consequence of sinking due to gravity if the propulsive force does not vary. The effect was different for Paramecium swimming along a circular path (curved swimmers). The difference in velocity between those swimming upwards and those swimming downwards was substantially smaller than would have been expected from sinking effects with invariant propulsion even after correcting for maximal hydrodynamic wall effects, indicating that Paramecium compensate for sinking caused by gravity by controlling their propulsion. The propulsive velocity evaluated by vector calculus increased both as Paramecium swam more sharply upwards and as the experimental gravitational force was increased. The dependence of propulsion on the swimming direction and on gravity was reduced in a high-density medium of nearly neutral buoyancy, suggesting that the site of gravireception is unlikely to be in the interior of the cell. The differences between straight and curved swimmers are discussed in terms of rapid adaptation of gravireceptors in the cell membrane, desensitization of mechanosensory channels and hyperactivation of ciliary activity in straight swimmers.


This paper considers the nature and role of axioms from the point of view of the current debates about the status of category theory and, in particular, in relation to the "algebraic" approach to mathematical structuralism. My aim is to show that category theory has as much to say about an algebraic consideration of meta-mathematical analyses of logical structure as it does about mathematical analyses of mathematical structure, without either requiring an assertory mathematical or meta-mathematical background theory as a "foundation", or turning meta-mathematical analyses of logical concepts into "philosophical" ones. Thus, we can use category theory to frame an interpretation of mathematics according to which we can be algebraic structuralists all the way down.


Ultrasound imaging is an incontestable vital tool for diagnosis, it provides in non-invasive manner the internal structure of the body to detect eventually diseases or abnormalities tissues. Unfortunately, the presence of speckle noise in these images affects edges and fine details which limit the contrast resolution and make diagnostic more difficult. In this paper, we propose a denoising approach which combines logarithmic transformation and a non linear diffusion tensor. Since speckle noise is multiplicative and nonwhite process, the logarithmic transformation is a reasonable choice to convert signaldependent or pure multiplicative noise to an additive one. The key idea from using diffusion tensor is to adapt the flow diffusion towards the local orientation by applying anisotropic diffusion along the coherent structure direction of interesting features in the image. To illustrate the effective performance of our algorithm, we present some experimental results on synthetically and real echographic images.


The processing and canning quality of the sweetpotato varieties U.P.R. 3 and Rico was studied. Unprocessed roots of the Rico variety were found higher in moisture and sugar than the U.P.R. 3, but the U.P.R. 3 was found to contain more B carotene. Processing losses for the Rico were 6 percent higher than for the U.P.R. 3. The higher processing losses for the Rico are caused by a higher loss during lye-peeling. There was very little difference in the quality of the sirup-packed potatoes of the two varieties. Tasters were unable to establish preference in regard to over-all quality of either.


In this paper, an Artificial Immune System based on Hollandâs Classifier is proposed as a new method for network intrusion detection. This paper is not aimed to provide a comparative study but to give more understanding on the feasibility of combining Artificial Immune System and Hollandâs Classifier to detect network intrusion. This new Artificial Immune System, named AIS-CS, can attain higher than 90% intrusion detection with a false negative percentage below 10% and a fairly low false positive rate on a network composed of 50 regular nodes and 50 intruders. The experiments appear to suggest that the best performance can be found by setting the tolerization and the simulation parameters differently. Since there are numerous parameters involved, more experiments need to be performed to further measure this Holland classifier based Artificial Immune System.


Glaciers' runoff in the Qilian Mountains serves as a critical water resource in the northern sections of the Gansu province, the northeastern sections of the Qinghai province, and the northeastern fringe of the Tibetan Plateau. Changes in the glacial area and volume around the highest peak of the Qilian Mountains, i.e., Tuanjiefeng Peak, were estimated using multi-temporal remote-sensing images and digital elevation models, and all possible sources of uncertainty were considered in detail. The total glacier area decreased by 16.1±6.34 km2 (9.9±3.9%) during 1966 to 2010. The average annual glacier shrinkage was −0.15% a−1 from 1966 to 1995, −0.61% a−1 from 1995 to 2000, −0.20% a−1 from 2000 to 2006, and −0.45% a−1 from 2006 to 2010. A comparison of glacier surface elevations using digital elevation models derived from topographic maps in 1966 and from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission in 1999 suggests that 65% of the grid cells has decreased, thereby indicating that the glacier thickness has declined. The average change in glacier thickness was −7.3±1.5 m (−0.21±0.04 m·a−1) from 1966 to 1999. Glaciers with northeastern aspects thinned by 8.3±1.4 m from 1966 to 1999, i.e., almost twice as much as those with southwestern aspects (4.3±1.3 m). The ice volume decreased by 11.72±2.38×108 m3 from 1966 to 1999, which was about 17.4% more than the value calculated from the statistical relationship between glacier area and volume. The relationship between glacier area change and elevation zone indicates that glacier change is not only dominated by climate change but also affected by glacier dynamics, which are related to local topography. The varied response of a single glacier to climate change indicates that the glacier area change scheme used in some models must be improved.


We present an approach to the problem of differentially constrained mobile robot motion planning in arbitrary cost fields. The approach is based on deterministic search in a specially discretized state space. We compute a set of elementary motions that connects each discrete state value to a set of its reachable neighbors via feasible motions. Thus, this set of motions induces a connected search graph. The motions are carefully designed to terminate at discrete states, whose dimensions include relevant state variables (e.g., position, heading, curvature, and velocity). The discrete states, and thus the motions, repeat at regular intervals, forming a lattice. We ensure that all paths in the graph encode feasible motions via the imposition of continuity constraints on state variables at graph vertices and compliance of the graph edges with a differential equation comprising the vehicle model. The resulting state lattice permits fast full configuration space cost evaluation and collision detection. Experimental results with research prototype rovers demonstrate that the planner allows us to exploit the entire envelope of vehicle maneuverability in rough terrain, while featuring real-time performance. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


A method is developed that can be used to calculate the stationary response of randomly excited nonlinear systems. The method iterates to obtain the fast Fourier transform of the system response, returning to the time domain at each iteration to take advantage of the ease in evaluating nonlinearities there. The updated estimates of the nonlinear terms are transformed back into the frequency domain in order to continue iterating on the frequency spectrum of the staionary response.This approach is used to calculate the response of a one degree of freedom system with friction damping that is subjected to random excitation. The one degree of freedom system provides a single mode approximation of systems (e.g. turbine blades) with friction damping. This study investigates various strategies that can be used to optimize the friction load so as to minimize the response of the system.Copyright © 1989 by ASME


The paper presents results of minimal budget projects construction taking into consideration restrictions on the critical path way time. The peculiarities of mathematical models of life-cycle are formulated. The network life-cycle model is presented in the form of the special chain-like type graph or network model with ordered events. Taking into consideration specific features of life-cycle, models of parametrical analysis tasks are chosen primarily for network models with two sequential and parallel operations. As the method of parametrical linear tasks solving the visual analysis method is selected , based on geometrical construction of feasible solutions. The article considers also operational complexes which include three life-cycle stages of sequential or parallel activities. On the examples of life-cycle network models particular results of parametrical analysis tasks are obtained using time-cost criteria and then the specific solution results are generalized. As a goal function of linear program task the cumulative value of direct costs on the project work execution was assumed. The results obtained in this paper can be applied in the practice of project management tasks solving, production management, operations research and analysis of life-cycle product's stages at industrial enterprises.


The article aims to analyse causes of flight delays in Czech Republic and to assess their financial consequences for airlines. Methods of multidimensional statistics were used for data processing, specifically independence tests in contingency tables and correspondence analysis. We see the biggest savings in assurance of excellence technical condition of aircraft. We would recommend idea of alternative aircraft (without flight plan) especially in case of long delays, of which the monitored airline has a large number and has to pay high financial amounts due to financial compensations for passengers. It is also possible according to our analysis to prevent longer delays by cooperation with flexible suppliers and appropriate form of penalties. Other causes of long delays were defined, but they can be hardly influenced, for example weather in destinations, transport of disabled people, necessity of treatment of passenger with healthy problems etc., these are delay reasons that doesn't mean necessity of paying out financial compensation, but they cause chaining of delays.


This paper studies the online energy scheduling problem in a hybrid model where the cost of energy is proportional to both the volume and peak usage, and where energy can be either locally generated or drawn from the grid. Inspired by recent advances in online algorithms with Machine Learned (ML) advice, we develop parameterized deterministic and randomized algorithms for this problem such that the level of reliance on the advice can be adjusted by a trust parameter. We then analyze the performance of the proposed algorithms using two performance metrics: robustness that measures the competitive ratio as a function of the trust parameter when the advice is inaccurate, and consistency for competitive ratio when the advice is accurate. Since the competitive ratio is analyzed in two different regimes, we further investigate the Pareto optimality of the proposed algorithms. Our results show that the proposed deterministic algorithm is Pareto-optimal, in the sense that no other online deterministic algorithms can dominate the robustness and consistency of our algorithm. Furthermore, we show that the proposed randomized algorithm dominates the Pareto-optimal deterministic algorithm. Our large-scale empirical evaluations using real traces of energy demand, energy prices, and renewable energy generations highlight that the proposed algorithms outperform worst-case optimized algorithms and fully data-driven algorithms.


Changes in cAMP content of tissues of lung, heart and aorta and in blood plasma of rats during chronic hypoxia and administration of verapamil were determined and investigated. The results showed that chronic hypoxia (15 days) obviously increased cAMP content of blood plasma, lung and myocardiac tissues. Verapamil, a calcium agonist, attenuated the increase of cAMP content in blood plasma and lung but did not affect cAMP content of the myocardium. It is suggested that a calcium influx is responsible for the increase in cAMP content.


Wall painting plays an important role in the culture relics of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, P.R. China. A novel approach of generating a high-resolution orthoimage of the wall painting is proposed. Since the photographic object is nearly flat and also the forward overlap between adjacent images is smaller than 60 percent, the main difficulty to be resolved is the high correlation problem among the unknowns. Improved models of relative orientation and bundle adjustment with virtual constraints have been developed to resolve the high correlation problem. A Voronoi diagram of projective footprints is applied to automatically determine the mosaic lines of ortho-rectified images. The color quality of the generated orthoimage is improved through global minimization of the color differences among overlapped images. The experimental results show that the proposed approach has great potential for conservation of wall paintings with sub-millimeter to millimeter precision.


Rodlike polymers with precisely defined architectures are ideal building blocks for self-assembled structures leading to novel nanometer-scale devices. We found that the living polymerization of a single isocyanide enantiomer bearing an l-alanine pendant with a long n-decyl chain simultaneously produced diastereomeric right- and left-handed helices with different molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions. Each single-handed, rodlike helical polymer with a controlled length and handedness isolated by a facile solvent fractionation method with acetone self-assembled to form well-defined two- and three-dimensional smectic ordering on the nanometer scale on a substrate and in a liquid crystalline state as evidenced by direct atomic force microscopic observations and X-ray diffraction measurements, respectively.


One of the main sources of energy waste in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) is idle listening, i.e., nodes consuming energy to sample an idle channel. In this paper, we present a dynamic sleep time control method exploiting known traffic statistics to sample the channel more frequently when it is likely to have traffic and less frequently when it is not. When such information is not a priori available, we present an iterative algorithm to learn the statistics and adapt the sleep time control policy as time evolves. Simulation results are included to compare fixed sleep times to a dynamic control policy.


This paper investigates the role of green innovations aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions as a factor that compensates for growth and population effects. It has been shown from tests that the positive effect of green innovations on carbon emissions exists within a STIRPAT framework from a local perspective. The panel data is derived from China Statistical Yearbook and China Intellectual Property Office covered from 1999 to 2013. In addition,the static panel model was run to estimate the diversity among three typical regions of China. The main result shows that the green technology change has not played a dominant role yet in promoting environmental protection, while a scale effect (Affluence and Population)still prevails, although green patents show positive influences on the CO2 emission reduction inthe whole country as well as the East and West regions, except the Central region. Moreover, it turns out that the classical EKC hypothesis does stand in China, referring to the three regions with the inverted "U" shape. The analysis gives suggestions to the policy makers, which would support enlarging the investment scale on green patents and encourage international corporation with environmental related innovations.


Oocytes spend the majority of their lifetime in a primordial state. The cellular and molecular biology of primordial oocytes is largely unexplored; yet, studying these is necessary to understand the mechanisms through which oocytes maintain cellular fitness for decades, and why they eventually fail with age. Here, we develop enabling methods for live-imaging based comparative characterization of Xenopus, mouse and human primordial oocytes. We show that primordial oocytes in all three vertebrate species contain active mitochondria, Golgi apparatus and lysosomes. We further demonstrate that human and Xenopus oocytes have a Balbiani body characterized by a dense accumulation of mitochondria in their cytoplasm. However, despite previous reports, we did not find a Balbiani body in mouse oocytes. Instead, we demonstrate what was previously used as a marker for the Balbiani body in mouse primordial oocytes is in fact a ring-shaped Golgi apparatus that is not functionally associated with oocyte dormancy. Our work provides the first insights into the organisation of the cytoplasm in mammalian primordial oocytes, and clarifies relative advantages and limitations of choosing different model organisms for studying oocyte dormancy.


The nuclear DNA amount varies threefold among species of acridid grass hoppers. DNA amount is correlated with the total chromosome volume, as measured at metaphase of mitosis. Despite the large-scale variation in DNA amount and in the total volume of chromosome material there is a striking uniformity in respect of the relative sizes of chromosomes within complements. Males from the northern race of Cryptobothrus chrysophorus contain about 20% more nuclear DNA than males from the southern race. The DNA difference may be explained by supernumerary segments within chromosomes in the northern populations. The magnitude of the DNA variation between these races is indicative of substantial genetic divergence. It may well be that the two races merit separate specific ranking.


Piezoelectric polymers have aroused tremendous attention in self-powered flexible wearable electronics. However, conventional plate-like piezoelectric devices demonstrated insufficient output power and monotonous piezoelectric energy harvesting performance only in one direction, failing to accommodate the complex multi-dimensional stress field. In this study, a poly(vinylidene fluoride) tube featuring all-directional piezoelectric energy harvesting performance with excellent rebound resilience was prepared via a fast industrial extrusion. Benefitting from the isotropic hollow tubular structure, the piezoelectric tube experienced large deformation at a small external load and thus exhibited a strong load-amplifying function to generate the optimized output power at multi-stresses from any direction, with sensitive piezoelectric performance, quick response and mechanical robustness. Finally, the practical potential as a robust energy harvester was evaluated by harvesting small energy from irregular human motions. This study provides a facile structure designing strategy for the preparation of functional piezoelectric devices for multi-directional mechanical energy harvesting applications.


We introduce FSL-DIVE, an interactive visualisation software for diffusion microstructure modelling. This software allows the user to (i) flexibly set up a multi-compartment microstructure model, including fibre orientation modelling and restricted diffusion, (ii) choose different acquisition parameters, (iii) change the model parameters and analyse the model behaviour through multiple bespoke plots, (iv) save the predicted data (including noise) for any specified acquisition scheme. We hope this tool may be useful for teaching diffusion microstructure modelling, for developing new models, or for getting a better understanding of existing models.


A Love mode transducer equivalent circuit is presented in order to overcome limitations of previous models, which have been developed for devices with piezoelectric substrates. The model presented has the advantage of including the effect of electrical and mechanical fields in both the non-piezoelectric substrate and piezoelectric layers. Also, it can be used for various layer thicknesses, which are comparable to wavelength. Parameters of the model are calculated by a wave propagation simulator package. Admittance and transfer function of the Love mode transducer have been calculated for various material combinations for the substrate and top layers. This allows an evaluation of the device performance prior to fabrication as well as optimisation of the transducer, particularly in the cases which thickness of the layers and the choice of layer materials have substantial effect on the performance of the device.


In this work a new approach is presented for evaluating the nonlinear coupling relations of monitoring multi-points on bridge health monitoring. Two different information-theoretic (IT) measures, the time-delayed mutual information and the time-delayed transfer entropy, are used to provide a measure of the coupling between monitoring points. Among three points for monitoring of two sections for deflection monitoring of Mashangxi Bridge over Yangtze River is tested and analyzed in this article. The test result verifies the advantages of the method raised in this article. Among the points for monitoring in same one section presents better non-linear coupling than other different points. Meanwhile the index of time-delayed sensitivity raised in the article for above 3 points varies from 0.02 as maximum to 0.0002 as minimum, which provides the method of division for multi-points on bridge health monitoring system and the scheme of arrangement for these points. This work is wealthy, in engineering practices, of the evaluation of bridge health monitoring.


Most historical National Football League (NFL) analysis, both mainstream and academic, has relied on public, play-level data to generate team and player comparisons. Given the number of oft omitted variables that impact on-field results, such as play call, game situation, and opponent strength, findings tend to be more anecdotal than actionable. With the release of player tracking data, however, analysts can better ask and answer questions to isolate skill and strategy. In this article, we highlight the limitations of traditional analyses, and use a decades-old punching bag for analysts -- fourth-down strategy -- as a microcosm for why tracking data is needed. Specifically, we assert that, in absence of a previously unmeasured variable, past findings supporting an aggressive fourth down strategy may have been overstated. Next, we synthesize recent work that comprises this special Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports issue into player tracking data in football. Finally, we conclude with some best practices and limitations regarding usage of this data. The release of player tracking data marks a transition for the league and its' analysts, and we hope this issue helps guide innovation in football analytics for years to come.


Nitrogen‐fixing cyanobacteria (NFC) are important primary producers in many freshwater and marine systems, including the Baltic Sea. In this system, NFC circumvent summer nitrogen limitation, while also generating a supply of novel combined nitrogen and thus supporting food webs. Using field observations on zooplankton and phytoplankton development during a growth season in the northern Baltic Proper, we show that cyanobacterial nitrogen is assimilated and transferred to zooplankton via both direct grazing on NFC and indirectly through grazing on picoplankton, such as picocyanobacteria. The key findings supporting these conclusions are: (1) all zooplankton grazers were found to ingest NFC (Nodularia spumigena) and picocyanobacteria (Synechococcus spp.); (2) ingestion of both NFC and picocyanobacteria measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis was highly correlated with ambient stocks of the respective cyanobacteria; (3) consumption of NFC and picocyanobacteria translated into decreased δ15N signature of zooplankton indicative of diazotrophic nitrogen input; (4) growth and reproduction indices in zooplankters were significantly positively related to NFC and picocyanobacteria; and (5) zooplankton biomass was positively related to the increasing nitrogen content of particulate organic matter (POM < 10 μm) and was highest at low POM δ15N values; the latter reflected overlap in zooplankton production and diazotroph seasonal dynamics. These findings provide empirical evidence that both NFC and picoplankton are readily ingested and assimilated by zooplankton, albeit with differential effects on growth and recruitment.


North America's Atlantic Coast has been a focus of human settlement and subsistence for millennia, but sea‐level rise, sedimentation, and other processes pose significant challenges for archaeological research. Radiocarbon dating of 31 shell middens near the Rhode River Estuary, Maryland provides an opportunity to evaluate human land use, settlement, and cultural chronologies on the Chesapeake Bay. Sixty calibrated radiocarbon dates on eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) shell and charcoal demonstrate that Native Americans, colonial, and historic peoples harvested oysters and other shellfish from at least 3200 years ago through the 19th century. The number of dated sites increases during the Late Woodland period after about 1000 cal yr B.P., a factor probably related to greater site visibility and preservation, as well as increased human exploitation of the watershed. Accumulation rates for five of the shell middens provide preliminary indications that some of the sites accumulated rapidly suggesting, along with other evidence, that many of the region's shell middens were logistical or perhaps seasonal camps. Our study demonstrates the importance of regional watershed surveys and radiocarbon dating programs to help build and refine cultural chronologies in coastal regions threatened by sea‐level rise and other processes.


Electric and gas utilities shoulder vast responsibilities to their customers, shareholders, government regulators, and the environment, ever aware of the critical role they play in keeping homes heated, factories running, and cities illuminated. An enterprise GIS can transform utilities by rasing efficiency and lowering costs while enhancing communication and decision-making processes. Cast studies featured in Empowering Electric and Gas Utilities with GIS detail the difference an enterprise GIS can make to a power provider of any size.


Current Dynamic Texture Synthesis (DyTS) models can synthesize realistic videos. However, they require a slow iterative optimization process to synthesize a single fixed-size short video, and they do not offer any post-training control over the synthesis process. We propose Dynamic Neural Cellular Automata (DyNCA), a framework for real-time and controllable dynamic texture synthesis. Our method is built upon the recently introduced NCA models and can synthesize infinitely long and arbitrary-sized realistic video textures in real time. We quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate our model and show that our synthesized videos appear more realistic than the existing results. We improve the SOTA DyTS performance by 2 ~ 4 orders of magnitude. Moreover, our model offers several real-time video controls including motion speed, motion direction, and an editing brush tool. We exhibit our trained models in an online interactive demo that runs on local hardware and is accessible on personal computers and smartphones.


The Fano resonance is a resonant phenomenon that exhibits an asymmetric line shape caused by an interaction between a broad resonant mode and a sharp resonant mode. Over the past decade, many studies on the Fano resonance have been performed, in particular, in nanostructures made of metal, semiconductor or dielectric materials, due to its physical interest and potential applications such as sensors, switches and platforms for enhancement spectroscopy [1, 2]. However, towards the real applications, the nanostructures have some issues such as the high cost for fabrication, difficulties of analytical calculation or design. As one of the replacements, we have focused on the Fano resonance in simple multilayer structures, and demonstrated quite narrow and high-g Fano resonances (Q ~ 2800) [3, 4]. Using the multilayer structure, it is easy to photo-functionalize the Fano resonance by merely doping photo-functional molecules into the layers.


AbstractAlthough primary nasal transsphenoidal approach of pituitary surgery is widely used, no previous reports have determined the safety range of the surgery. The aim of our study was to clarify the medical reference range of safety angles and distances. One hundred forty-four (49 males, 95 females) participated in this study anonymously. We measured 4 parameters to achieve our goals, and the results are as follows: Angle 1 was 11.08 degrees for men and 11.31 degrees for women. Distance 1 was 17.22 mm for men and 16.46 mm for women. Angle 2 was 9.03 degrees for women and 8.73 degrees for men. Distance 2 was 14.54 mm for men and 14.10 mm for women. Angle 1 was 8.57 degrees for young, 8.93 degrees for adult, and 9.24 degrees for old. Distance 1 was 13.73 mm for young, 14.47 mm for adult, and 14.43 mm for old. Angle 2 was 11.24 degrees for young, 11.33 degrees for adult, and 11.10 degrees for old. Distance 2 was 16.86 mm for young, 16.90 mm for adult, and 16.39 mm for old. The differences in all 4 parameters were not statistically significant in comparison of sex and ages (P > 0.01). Hence, the 4 parameters that we determined contribute to the safety of the primary nasal transsphenoidal approach in pituitary surgery.


Airborne lidar is a technology well-suited for mapping many forest attributes, including aboveground biomass (AGB) stocks and changes in selective logging in tropical forests. However, trade-offs still exist between lidar pulse density and accuracy of AGB estimates. We assessed the impacts of lidar pulse density on the estimation of AGB stocks and changes using airborne lidar and field plot data in a selectively logged tropical forest located near Paragominas, Para, Brazil. Field-derived AGB was computed at 85 square 50 × 50 m plots in 2014. Lidar data were acquired in 2012 and 2014, and for each dataset the pulse density was subsampled from its original density of 13.8 and 37.5 pulses·m−2 to lower densities of 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 0.8, 0.6, 0.4 and 0.2 pulses·m−2. For each pulse density dataset, a power-law model was developed to estimate AGB stocks from lidar-derived mean height and corresponding changes between the years 2012 and 2014. We found that AGB change estimates at the plot level were only slightly affected by pulse density. However, at the landscape level we observed differences in estimated AGB change of >20 Mg·ha−1 when pulse density decreased from 12 to 0.2 pulses·m−2. The effects of pulse density were more pronounced in areas of steep slope, especially when the digital terrain models (DTMs) used in the lidar derived forest height were created from reduced pulse density data. In particular, when the DTM from high pulse density in 2014 was used to derive the forest height from both years, the effects on forest height and the estimated AGB stock and changes did not exceed 20 Mg·ha−1. The results suggest that AGB change can be monitored in selective logging in tropical forests with reasonable accuracy and low cost with low pulse density lidar surveys if a baseline high-quality DTM is available from at least one lidar survey. We recommend the results of this study to be considered in developing projects and national level MRV systems for REDD+ emission reduction programs for tropical forests.


Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the fission yeast, cells alternate between P- and M-mating type, controlled by the alternate alleles of the mating-type locus (mat1). The mat1 switching occurs by replacing mat1 with a copy derived from a silenced "donor locus," mat2P or mat3M. The mechanism of donor choice ensuring that switching occurs primarily and productively to the opposite type, called directionality, is largely unknown. Here we identified the mat1-Mc gene, a mammalian sex-determination gene (SRY) homolog, as the primary gene that dictates directionality in M cells. A previously unrecognized, shorter swi2 mRNA, a truncated form of the swi2, was identified, and its expression requires the mat1-Mc function. We also found that the abp1 gene (human CENPB homolog) controls directionality through swi2 regulation. In addition, we implicated a cis-acting DNA sequence in mat2 utilization. Overall, we showed that switching directionality is controlled by judicious expression of two swi2 transcripts through a cell-type-regulated dual promoter. In this respect, this regulation mechanism resembles that of the Drosophila sex-determination Slx gene.


Objective:We reported here a series of 49 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent nonsurgical treatment to downstage the disease followed by salvage surgery, their long-term outcome, and pattern of recurrence. Summary Background Data:Most HCC patients present with unresectable disease and are treated with chemotherapy or intra-arterial therapy with a palliative intent. Occasionally, there are good responses to treatment so that salvage surgery becomes feasible afterward. However, long-term outcomes of these patients are seldom reported. Methods:Patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, from September 1993 to June 2002, who received salvage surgery after downstaging by systemic chemotherapy, intra-arterial yttrium-90 microspheres, or sequential treatment were included in this study. Systemic chemotherapy consisted of combination doxorubicin, cisplatin, interferon-alpha and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), or single-agent doxorubicin. The choice of treatment was according to stage of disease and contemporary clinical trial protocol. Survival, recurrence pattern, and surgical outcome were studied. Results:There were 49 patients in this study with 40 males and 9 females, age ranged from 12 to 69 years. Forty patients (81.6%) were hepatitis B positive. Thirty-two patients had combination chemotherapy alone (65.3%), 8 patients had single agent chemotherapy alone (16.3%), 4 patients received intra-arterial yttrium-90 microspheres alone (8.2%), and 5 patients received sequential therapy (10.2%). Twenty-eight (57.1%) patients received major hepatic resection. Thirteen patients (26.5%) had complete necrosis of the tumor after treatment. Twenty-one patients (42.9%) had recurrence after surgery, and 14 of them were intrahepatic recurrence. The median survival was 85.9 months. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates were 98%, 64%, and 57%, respectively. Conclusions:Salvage surgery after successful downstaging can provide long-term control of disease in a small proportion of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.


This paper introduces a design of high-precision high-voltage fiber-optic analog signal isolation converter based on the technology of Voltage-to-Frequency (V/F) and Frequency-to-Voltage (F/V) conversion. It describes the principle, system configuration and hardware design.


Entertainment- Education (EE) seeks to purposefully use entertainment media to educate targets about development intervention. Though, an innovative communication approach for addressing development related issues, its use and potentials for dissemination and adoption of agricultural technology has not been fully harnessed. The study was conducted to compare the perception of researchers, extension agents and farmers in southwestern Nigeria on the use of EE for agricultural information dissemination. One hundred and sixty one respondents were sampled using multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using questionnaire and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Majority (72.1%) of the researchers had a high perception of the use of EE. More than half (54.7%) of the extension agents and about two-thirds (61.1%) of farmers had a low perception towards the use of EE strategy. However, there was an overall high perception of EE by 50.3% of the total respondents. Researchers, extension agents and farmers differed (F = 5.779; P < 0.05) in their perception of the use of EE for agricultural information dissemination. The overall favourable perception of use of EE for agricultural technology dissemination implies that if conscious efforts are made it offers a potent medium for agricultural information dissemination.