Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the commonest and deadliest cancers worldwide with a striking gender prevalence observed in men. Androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand-activated nuclear receptor that regulates the development of male sexual phenotype. Aberrant AR signaling, however, has detrimental consequences in the development of male-predominant cancers. Using genome-wide location analysis, we have recently uncovered cell cycle-related kinase (CCRK) as an AR direct transcriptional target that drives aberrant hepatocellular proliferation and tumorigenicity through β-catenin/T cell factor signaling (Feng et al. 2011). We also found that the Polycomb protein EZH2 promotes β-catenin-dependent hepatocarcinogenesis through concordant repression of Wnt antagonists via histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (Cheng et al. 2011). Recent studies have revealed the Polycomb-independent role of EZH2 in gene activation via AKT-mediated phosphorylation, however, the regulation and signaling network of EZH2 in HCC are poorly-understood. Here we show that the AR-regulated kinase CCRK activates a tumor-initiating circuitry by dual regulation of EZH2. Activation of CCRK phosphorylates glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) and AKT leading to transcriptional up-regulation and phosphorylation of EZH2 at Ser21 (pEZH2Ser9), respectively. pEZH2Ser9 in turn physically interacts with AR and cooperatively activate CCRK transcription via direct binding to the CCRK promoter, thus forming a feedback circuitry. In a chemical-induced murine HCC model, activation of the AR/CCRK/EZH2 regulatory loop precedes HCC formation, which is significantly reduced (>80%) by lentiviral-mediated knockdown of CCRK. In human HCC tissues, these proteins are highly up-regulated, starting from the adjacent precancerous liver tissues. Most importantly, hyper-activation of this loop is significantly associated with shorter overall (p References: 1. Feng H, et al. Cell cycle-related kinase is a direct androgen receptor-regulated gene that drives β-catenin/T cell factor-dependent hepatocarcinogenesis. J Clin Invest. 2011;121:3159-75. 2. Cheng AS, et al. EZH2-mediated concordant repression of Wnt antagonists promotes β-catenin-dependent hepatocarcinogenesis. Cancer Res. 2011;71:4028-39. Citation Format: Alfred S. L. Cheng, Hai Feng, Zhuo Yu, Ying-Ying Lee, May S. Li, Yue-Sun Cheung, Paul B.S. Lai, Joseph J.Y. Sung. An AR-regulated kinase CCRK activates a tumor-initiating circuitry through dual regulation of EZH2. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4500. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4500


The emphasis on the equal and eternal responsibility of subjects of different gender and social positions in M.F. Roos's dialogue books promoted a special combination of radical equality in anthropology and a conservative understanding of society. A Pietist teaching on salvation permeates the Orthodox principles on vocation in such a way, that the vocation to community life as a Christian farmer, soldier, or housewife forms a synthesis of both theologies.


One agricultural practice that may be depleting plant nutrients in wetland soils of the humid tropics is cultivation of Indian hemp ( Cannabis sativa ), also called Marijuana . Though Nigerian Law, adopted from International Conventions on narcotics, prohibits handling of any part of c annabis plant, it is still illicitly cultivated. This practice may be undermining the quality of wetland agroecosystems. To support these concerns with empirical data, the influence of Cannabis cultivation on soil physicochemical fertility of wetland agroecosystems was assessed at a representative location in southwestern Nigeria. The study compared four land-use options; land not used for Cannabis cultivation (NUC), land currently under Cannabis cultivation (CCC), farmlands converted from Cannabis to alternative use (CAU), and Cannabis farmlands abandoned or seized (ABS). Soil data from the pedogenetic horizons under these land-use options were averaged and analysed. There were significant differences in soil bulk density, with low values in NUC (1.36 Mg m –3 ) < medium values in CCC (1.55 Mg m –3 ) < high values in both CAU and ABS (1.62-1.66 Mg m –3 ). The highest value in the ABS (1.66 Mg m –3 ) is slightly above the critical limit (1.60 Mg m –3 ) for root growth. Soil compaction in Cannabis farmland thus worsened even after discontinuation of cultivation. Soil pH, soil organic C, total N, exchangeable Ca, exchangeable Mg, apparent and effective cation exchange capacity also differed thus NUC ≥ CCC ≥ CAU ≥ ABS, while base saturation showed an inverse trend. Available P was, however, higher in CCC (14.32 mg kg –1 ) than the rest, with lowest values in ABS (5.83 mg kg –1 ). Micronutrients (Mn, Zn and Cu), excluding Fe which was unaffected, followed the trend of soil pH. It is concluded that continuous cultivation of Cannabis in humid tropical lowlands compacts the soil and drains soil nutrients except available P whose status is rather elevated. The practice thus poses a threat to food security and ecological well-being.


Shyness is a difficulty experienced by many children in our country. Although it is a norm that Asians exhibit more colourings of shyness (e.g. timidity, passiveness, non-confrontational); studies conducted within the learning domain verifies that this personality trait is being acknowledged as a negative trait, especially among young learners (children) which is likely to affect their potential and performance in the academic platform. Teachers and peers may falsely belief that these students are less capable and less intelligent which may develop a poor perception towards them. However, these shy students find computer-mediated communication to be easier means of interaction than face-to-face contact with teachers. In-line with the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2015-2025) by the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE), development and use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) (e.g. e-learning, educational games and other interactive learning platforms through computer interfaces) are very much encouraged. Hence, implementing an interactive artificial tutor (fit with a shyness model) to automatically adapt and interact to the user's emotional state could help in overcoming shyness, at the same time encourage these shy learners to confidently communicate and exhibit their capabilities. This research intends to review the background study on the usefulness of a shyness computational model which will be integrated with an interactive synthetic tutor. The aim of this study is to identify and capture the display features of colourings of shyness (e.g. timidity, passiveness, non-confrontational) through facial features (e.g. smiles, pouting) and vocal behaviours (silences, frequent pauses,filler words and turn-taking patterns) projected by shy young Malaysian learners (children aged between 9-11 years). These markers will be collected and constructed into a shyness model suitable for interactive synthetic agents used in the learning domain for teaching and training young learners in a typical Malaysian academic setting.


Russian political elites have long been aware of the power of myths to forge national unity. However, the past six or seven years have seen core myths increasingly situated within a highly selective narrative of Russian history. This narrative is accepted as contextual information for policy discussion, and so sets cognitive parameters for evaluations of Russia's history, identity and role. This standard narrative of Russian history prioritises the state, supports gradualism and continuity, and dramatically reduces the potential for re-conceptualising Russia's role in contemporary international relations.


social scientists, but his investigations provided an alternative way to understand social facts other than the positivist understanding of truth obtained by objective investigators using scientific methods, so as to deepen the reflection on the conceptual frameworks discussed in this book. Without serious analysis of Mao's methods and discourses in his social investigations and the role of such investigations in the Chinese Communist revolution, we miss an essential link between the Republican social survey movements and the contemporary concern for "social facts" in present day China; we also miss the opportunity to open up a black box of knowledge production by the Communists and to examine how the Communist way of social investigations shaped their social imagination, sources of legitimacy, and blueprint for state building. liu wennan Chinese Academy of Social Sciences


Studies of community reactions to biotechnology and genetic engineering (GE), in particular, have identified a number of correlates of acceptance, including the field of application of a technology and various characteristics of the perceiver. Factor analysis of acceptability ratings (N=686) of 12 applications of new technologies revealed three factors, denoting medical, societal, and indulgent applications. Acceptability ratings of each application and of GE in principle were regressed onto 18 demographic, attitudinal, trust, and value variables previously identified as potential correlates of acceptance. Predictive profiles for acceptance of medical and societal applications were largely similar. General receptiveness toward science and technology was the primary predictor of GE acceptance and a major predictor of acceptance for each application area. Environmental concern and self‐transcendent (e.g., pro‐nature) values did not predict acceptance in any instance. Findings clarify considerations associated with acceptance of biotechnological innovations and support arguments against knowledge‐ and trust‐deficit explanations of resistance to technology.


Background: In order to promote positive health behavior of the population, public health outreach is often carried out in various forms to reach the target stakeholders. However, the effectiveness of these outreach programs is unclear. Aim: To determine up-to-date adherence to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines among US adults according to the trust they have in various sources of health information. Methods: We used the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) and identified 4342 respondents (weighted population size = 82,811,829) who were at least 50 years old. Respondents expressed the degree of trust they have in various sources of health related information. We considered a source as trusted when it is trusted "a lot" or had "some trust" and regarded as not trusted if it was trusted "a little" or "not at all". We defined being current with CRC screening as the use of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) within 1 year, sigmoidoscopy within 5 years, or colonoscopy within 10 years. We used logistic regression models to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Survey weights were used in all analyses. Results: Approximately 94.3% of respondents trusted their doctors, 59.3% trusted family or friends, 50.2% trusted newsmagazines, 32.7% trusted radio, 66.2% trusted internet, 40.6% trusted television, 68.5% trusted government sources, 44.3% trusted charity organization and 34.5% trusted religious organizations. When compared with those who did not trust the source of health information, trust in radio (64.7% vs 60.7%; OR = 1.24; 95%CI: 1.01-1.52), internet (64.0% vs 58.3%; OR = 1.26; 95%CI: 1.04-1.53), television (64.4% vs 60.9%; OR = 1.23; 95%CI: 1.02-1.48), and government sources (64.0% vs 58.2%; OR = 1.32; 95%CI: 1.09-1.60) were associated with being up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening whereas trust in doctors (63.2% vs 49.2%; OR = 1.53; 95%CI: 0.92-2.55), family or friends (61.5% vs 63.1%; OR = 0.98; 95%CI: 0.84-1.15), newsmagazines (64.0% vs 60.8%; OR = 1.14; 95%CI: 0.98-1.32), charity organizations (62.0% vs 62.1%; OR = 1.04; 95%CI: 0.86-1.24) and religious organizations (59.7% vs 63.3%; OR = 0.90; 95%CI: 0.74-1.09) were not. Conclusion: Even with modest trust in the source of health information, outreach modalities which engage people repeatedly and those that they can readily access over and over again may exert substantial influence on the uptake of colorectal cancer screening. Multiple outreach methods should be used to promote colorectal cancer screening. Citation Format: Adeyinka O. Laiyemo, Hamidat Segunmaru, Jessica Rogers, Mohammad Daremipouran, Clinton Burnside, Florencia Gonzalez, Cherie Spencer, Carla D. Williams. Trust in health information source and colorectal cancer screening uptake among U.S. adults. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2578.


Characterizing the relationship that exists between a person's social group and his/her personal behavior has been a long standing goal of social network analysts. In this paper, we apply data mining techniques to study this relationship for a population of over 10 million people, by turning to online sources of data. The analysis reveals that people who chat with each other (using instant messaging) are more likely to share interests (their Web searches are the same or topically similar). The more time they spend talking, the stronger this relationship is. People who chat with each other are also more likely to share other personal characteristics, such as their age and location (and, they are likely to be of opposite gender). Similar findings hold for people who do not necessarily talk to each other but do have a friend in common. Our analysis is based on a well-defined mathematical formulation of the problem, and is the largest such study we are aware of.


Recently, 2D monolayer films of conjugated polymers have gained increasing attention owing to the preeminence of 2D inorganic films that exhibit unique optoelectronic and mechanical properties compared to their bulk analogs. Despite numerous efforts, crystallization of semiconducting polymers into highly ordered 2D monolayer films still remains challenging. Herein, a dynamic‐template‐assisted meniscus‐guided coating is utilized to fabricate continuous, highly ordered 2D monolayer films of conjugated polymers over a centimeter scale with enhanced backbone π–π stacking. In contrast, monolayer films printed on solid substrates confer upon the 1D fiber networks strong alkyl side‐chain stacking at the expense of backbone packing. From single‐layers to multilayers, the polymer π‐stacks change from edge‐on to bimodal orientation as the film thickness reaches ≈20 nm. Spectroscopic and cyclic voltammetry analysis reveals an abrupt increase in J‐aggregation and absorption coefficient and a decrease in bandgap and highest occupied molecular orbital level until critical thickness, possibly arising from the straightened polymer backbone. This is corroborated by an abrupt increase in hole mobility with film thickness, reaching a maximum of 0.7 cm2 V−1 s−1 near the critical thickness. Finally, fabrication of chemical sensors incorporating polymer films of various thicknesses is demonstrated, and an ultrahigh sensitivity of the ≈7 nm thick ultrathin film (bilayers) to 1 ppb ammonia is shown.


Abstract Recent studies have started exploring the linkages between organisational ambidexterity (OA) and HRM practices. OA is noted as a critical resource in achieving product, process, and business model innovations. By adopting an inductive case study of a US MNC subsidiary in India, we found empowerment-focused HRM practices were being used for exploration of new ideas and efficiency-focused HRM practices were adopted for the exploitation of the organisation's existing strengths. Empowerment-focused HRM practices created a culture of openness and risk-taking, which facilitated the creation of an ambidextrous context. Further, ambidextrous learning was moderated by the adoption of a managerial/leadership style that focused on 'mirroring competencies' between the parent operation and its subsidiary. HRM practices were aimed at developing behaviours that valued the team-based co-development of graphic processor designs by means of a 'parallel processing' approach to product development. Additionally, the HRM practice of offering intrinsic employee rewards and both informal and formal training facilitated OA in delivering product innovation. This study represents a pioneering exploration of multiple levels of analysis (individual, functional, and organisational) for product innovation through the lenses of ambidexterity, innovation, and HRM practices. The implications for both theory and practice are also discussed.


Quarkonia represent excellent tools for understanding the role of multiparton interactions (MPI) in small systems, i.e., pp and p-A collisions. Probing MPI with quarkonia can be done directly by looking at quarkonium associated production, or indirectly by studying the multiplicity dependence of quarkonium production. In these proceedings, the results from the ALICE experiment on direct and indirect MPI probes are discussed. The self-normalized yields of charmonium production as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity in pp and p–Pb collisions at √ 𝑠 = 13 TeV and √ 𝑠 NN = 8.16 TeV, respectively, are discussed. Additionally, the corresponding measurements of the charmonium self-normalized excited-to-ground state ratio as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity are reported. The new measurement of the double J / 𝜓 production at forward rapidity in pp collisions at √ 𝑠 = 13 TeV is presented. Finally, the multiplicity dependence of the bottomonium production in pp collisions at √ 𝑠 = 13 TeV is discussed. The comparison to the available theoretical calculations is reported.


The impact fracture patterns of two kinds, ferritic and pearlitic matrix, of unalloyed spheroidal graphite cast irons austempered at either 573K or 673K for 5min or 2h have been correlated to Charpy impact values at room temperature. The results of this study are summarized as follows:(1) Austempering at 573K for both matrixes induced a sharp drop in Charpy impact strength as compared with that without austempering. The coarse upper bainite structure obtained by austempering at 673K was found to improve the impact strength. This improvement of the impact strength was attributed to the retained austenite in the structure.(2) The impact fracture surfaces with high impact strength, ferritic matrix and upper bainite structure austempered at 673K, showed a ductile dimple pattern accompanying localized plasticity in the vicinity of graphite.(3) Brittle quasi-cleavage modes with less plasticity were observed on lower bainitic structure austempered at 573K similar to pearlitic matrix. The number of graphites observed per unit area on the brittle fracture surface was less than that on the ductile fracture one.(4) A series of local cleavage facets were observed at the root of the notch coaxial to the fracture direction. It suggests that the impact values are associated with the plastic deformation ahead of these facets.


A monodisperse nanoparticle sample of polystyrene has been employed to determine performance of the 36 meter small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS) BATAN spectrometer (SMARTer) at the Neutron Scattering Laboratory (NSL)—Serpong, Indonesia, in a very low scattering vector q‐range. Detector position at 18 m from sample position, beam stopper of 50 mm in diameter, neutron wavelength of 5.66 A as well as 18 m‐long collimator had been set up to achieve very low scattering vector q‐range of SMARTer. A polydisperse smeared‐spherical particle model was applied to fit the corrected small‐angle scattering data of monodisperse polystyrene nanoparticle sample. The mean average of particle radius of 610 A, volume fraction of 0.0026, and polydispersity of 0.1 were obtained from the fitting results. The experiment results from SMARTer are comparable to SANS‐J, JAEA ‐ Japan and it is revealed that SMARTer is powerfully able to achieve the lowest scattering vector down to 0.002 A−1.


Small intestinal brush border membrane vesicles from pig were used to digest galactooligosaccharides from lactose (GOS) and from lactulose (OsLu). Dissimilar hydrolysis rates were detected after digestion. Predominant glycosidic linkages and monomeric composition affected the resistance to intestinal digestive enzymes. The β(1→3) GOS mixture was the most susceptible to hydrolysis (50.2%), followed by β(1→4) (34.9%), whereas β(1→6) linkages were highly resistant to digestion (27.1%). Monomeric composition provided a better resistance in β(1→6) OsLu (22.8%) compared to β(1→6) GOS (27.1%). This was also observed for β-galactosyl fructoses and β-galactosyl glucoses, where the presence of fructose provided higher resistance to digestion. Thus, the resistance to small intestinal digestive enzymes highly depends upon the structure and composition of prebiotics. Increasing knowledge in this regard could contribute to the future synthesis of new mixtures of carbohydrates, highly resistant to digestion and with potential to be tailored prebiotics with specific properties, targeting, for instance, specific probiotic species.


The nonlinear model of an orthogonal cutting process devised by Grabec is studied to demonstrate the importance of choosing an appropriate step-size and evolutionary algorithm for numerically integrating a system of nonlinear differential equations. Two different algorithms are used for computing the system trajectory, and the dependence of the phase portrait on the step-size is shown. A qualitative understanding to connect the proper step-size and the system nonlinearity is established.


Isoprene is a climate-active gas, largely produced by trees, which is released from the biosphere in amounts equivalent to those of methane and all other volatile organic compounds combined. Bacteria found in many environments, including soils and on the surface of leaves of isoprene-producing trees, can grow on isoprene and thus may represent a significant biological sink for this globally significant volatile compound and remove isoprene before it escapes to the atmosphere, thus reducing its potency as a climate-active gas. ABSTRACT Isoprene monooxygenase (IsoMO, encoded by isoABCDEF) initiates the oxidation of the climate-active gas isoprene, with the genes isoGHIJ and aldH nearly always found adjacent to isoABCDEF in extant and metagenome-derived isoprene degraders. The roles of isoGHIJ and aldH are uncertain, although each is essential to isoprene degradation. We report here the characterization of these proteins from two model isoprene degraders, Rhodococcus sp. strain AD45 and Variovorax sp. strain WS11. The genes isoHIJ and aldH from Variovorax and aldH from Rhodococcus were expressed individually in Escherichia coli as maltose binding protein fusions to overcome issues of insolubility. The activity of two glutathione S-transferases from Variovorax, IsoI and IsoJ was assessed with model substrates, and the conversion of epoxyisoprene to the intermediate 1-hydroxy-2-glutathionyl-2-methyl-3-butene (HGMB) was demonstrated. The next step of the isoprene metabolic pathway of Variovorax is catalyzed by the dehydrogenase IsoH, resulting in the conversion of HGMB to 2-glutathionyl-2-methyl-3-butenoic acid (GMBA). The aldehyde dehydrogenases (AldH) from Variovorax and Rhodococcus were examined with a variety of aldehydes, with both exhibiting maximum activity with butanal. AldH significantly increased the rate of production of NADH when added to the IsoH-catalyzed conversion of HGMB to GMBA (via GMB), suggesting a synergistic role for AldH in the isoprene metabolic pathway. An in silico analysis of IsoG revealed that this protein, which is essential for isoprene metabolism in Variovorax, is an enzyme of the formyl CoA-transferase family and is predicted to catalyze the formation of a GMBA-CoA thioester as an intermediate in the isoprene oxidation pathway. IMPORTANCE Isoprene is a climate-active gas, largely produced by trees, which is released from the biosphere in amounts equivalent to those of methane and all other volatile organic compounds combined. Bacteria found in many environments, including soils and on the surface of leaves of isoprene-producing trees, can grow on isoprene and thus may represent a significant biological sink for this globally significant volatile compound and remove isoprene before it escapes to the atmosphere, thus reducing its potency as a climate-active gas. The initial oxidation of isoprene by bacteria is mediated by isoprene monooxygenase encoded by the genes isoABCDEF. In isoprene-degrading bacteria, a second gene cluster, isoGHIJ, is also present, although the exact role in isoprene degradation by the proteins encoded by these genes is uncertain. This investigation sheds new light on the roles of these proteins in the isoprene oxidation pathway in two model isoprene-degrading bacteria of the genera Rhodococcus and Variovorax.


In the course of WWII, the air forces of Britain and the United States of America carried out a massive bombing offensive against the cities of Germany and Japan, ending with the destruction of Hamburg and Dresden, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Was it justified by the necessities of war? Or was it, in fact, a crime against humanity? This is now one of the last great remaining controversies of that time. And it matters, argues A. C. Grayling, 'that history is got right before it distorts into legend'. "Among the Dead Cities" is both a lucid and revealing work of modern history and an urgent moral investigation. Grayling asks what are the lessons that we can learn for today about how people should behave in a world of tension and moral confusion, of terriorism and bitter rivalries.


Cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) is a novel therapeutic procedure for patients with angina that is refractory to conventional therapy. We investigated the potential mechanism and therapeutic efficacy of non-R-wave-triggered CSWT to attenuate myocardial dysfunction in a large animal model of hypertensive cardiomyopathy. Sustained elevated blood pressure (BP) was induced in adult pigs using a combination of angiotensin-II and deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA). Two sessions of non-R-wave-triggered CSWT were performed at 11 and 16 weeks. At 10 weeks, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, LV posterior wall thickness and intraventricular septum thickness significantly increased in both the hypertension and CSWT groups. At 20 weeks, +dP/dt and end-systolic pressure-volume relationship (ESPVR) decreased significantly in the hypertension group but not the CSWT group, as compared with week 10. A significant improvement in end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship (EDPVR) was observed in the CSWT group. The CSWT group exhibited significantly increased microvascular density and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in the myocardium. Cytokine array demonstrated that the CSWT group had significantly reduced inflammation compared with the hypertension group. Our results demonstrate that non-R-wave-triggered CSWT is safe and can attenuate LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction via enhancement of myocardial neovascularization and anti-inflammatory effect in a large animal model of hypertensive cardiomyopathy.


The field of early childhood intervention for infants and young children with disabilities or delays has a rich history that spans many disciplines of practice. Both legislation and research has provided a foundation for how services are delivered to this population, and there are several recommended practices that govern service delivery to this group, the most prominent being family-centered care, team process, and natural and inclusive environments. Unfortunately, the field is facing many challenges because of the growing heterogeneity of children's and families' needs, the increasing complexity and variability of service systems, and dwindling resources available to support an infrastructure. Recommendations to address the future of early childhood intervention include adopting a culture of accountability across all dimensions of service provision, developing and instituting evidence-based practice, implementing comprehensive systems of professional development, and collaborating and merging with the early care and education movement that is growing rapidly across the country.


Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a critical role during normal embryonic angiogenesis and also in the pathological angiogenesis that occurs in a number of diseases, including cancer. Initial attempts to block VEGF by using a humanized monoclonal antibody are beginning to show promise in human cancer patients, underscoring the importance of optimizing VEGF blockade. Previous studies have found that one of the most effective ways to block the VEGF-signaling pathway is to prevent VEGF from binding to its normal receptors by administering decoy-soluble receptors. The highest-affinity VEGF blocker described to date is a soluble decoy receptor created by fusing the first three Ig domains of VEGF receptor 1 to an Ig constant region; however, this fusion protein has very poor in vivo pharmacokinetic properties. By determining the requirements to maintain high affinity while extending in vivo half life, we were able to engineer a very potent high-affinity VEGF blocker that has markedly enhanced pharmacokinetic properties. This VEGF-Trap effectively suppresses tumor growth and vascularization in vivo, resulting in stunted and almost completely avascular tumors. VEGF-Trap-mediated blockade may be superior to that achieved by other agents, such as monoclonal antibodies targeted against the VEGF receptor.


Two novel ferrocene-BODIPY molecules FcEB and FcB have been synthesized and characterized. An "interlock" packing mode was demonstrated in both FcEB and FcB by analysis of X-ray diffraction data. FcEB exhibits a molecular rotor property with a significant enhancement of quantum yield in viscous solvent. The result shows that the emission of FcEB increased dramatically as the viscosity of solution increased and also confirms that the structure-optical properties can be tuned by the structure design of molecule and introduction of different functional group. Our studies reveal that the system has great potential for developing viscosity probes in biological systems.


[1] Natural emissions of nonmethane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) play a crucial role in the oxidation capacity of the lower atmosphere and changes in concentrations of major greenhouse gases (GHGs), particularly methane and tropospheric ozone. In this study, we integrate a global biogenic model within a terrestrial ecosystem model to investigate the vegetation and soil emissions of key indirect GHGs, e.g., isoprene, monoterpene, other NMVOCs (OVOC), CO, and NOx. The combination of a high-resolution terrestrial ecosystem model with satellite data allows investigation of the potential changes in net primary productivity (NPP) and resultant biogenic emissions of indirect GHGs due to atmospheric CO2 increases and changes in climate and land use practices. Estimated global total annual vegetation emissions for isoprene, monoterpene, OVOC, and CO are 601, 103, 102, and 73 Tg C, respectively. Estimated NOx emissions from soils are 7.51 Tg N. The land cover changes for croplands generally lead to a decline of vegetation emissions for isoprene OVOC, whereas temperature and atmospheric CO2 increases lead to higher vegetation emissions. The modeled global mean isoprene emissions show relatively large seasonal variations over the previous 20 years from 1981 to 2000 (as much as 31% from year to year). Savanna and boreal forests show large seasonal variations, whereas tropical forests with high plant productivity throughout the year show small seasonal variations. Results of biogenic emissions from 1981 to 2000 indicate that the CO2 fertilization effect, along with changes in climate and land use, causes the overall up-trend in isoprene and OVOC emissions over the past 2 decades. This relationship suggests that future emission scenario estimations for NMVOCs should account for effects of CO2 and climate in order to more accurately estimate local, regional, and global chemical composition of the atmosphere, the global carbon budget, and radiation balance of the Earth-atmosphere system.


Gegenbauer approximation in certain Hilbert spaces is investigated. Several weighted inverse inequalities and Poincare inequalities are obtained. Some approximation results are given. Singular differential equations are approximated by using Gegenbauer polynomials. This method keeps the spectral accuracy. The main idea and techniques used in this paper are also applicable to some singular problems in multiple-dimensional spaces.


The article describes the etiologic role of various factors such as chronic rheumatic heart disease, bacterial endocarditis, aortic valve stenosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, including acute myocardial infarction, degenerative disease of the valves, connective tissue diseases, chest trauma, systemic lupus erythematosus, con-genital heart disease which leading to the mitral valve chords rupture, gives the current classification of the nosology and also features of manifestation and clinical course. The authors also described a clinical case of mitral valve posterior leaflet chord rupture in the patient with hypertension, ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which reflects all the stages of diagnostic search and the difficulties encountered in making the diagnosis. There were analyzed the basic concepts of medical and surgical treatment, features the choice of treatment strategy depending on the degree of mitral valve insufficiency.


Undoped and WO3-doped Y-Ba-Cu-O ceramics have been studied by Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the peak positions at 499 and 338 cm-1 have been shifted for WO3-doped samples compared with those for undoped samples, which reveals that the oxygen contents are different for undoped and WO3-doped quenched samples in air. It is suggested that suitable WO3 doping can change the oxygen content and reduce the effect of thermal treatments on the superconductivity of the Y-Ba-Cu-O system.


Silicon is an important material and many empirical interatomic potentials have been developed for atomistic simulations of it. Among them, the Tersoff potential and its variants are the most popular ones. However, all the existing Tersoff-like potentials fail to reproduce the experimentally measured thermal conductivity of diamond silicon. Here we propose a modified Tersoff potential and develop an efficient open source code called GPUGA (graphics processing units genetic algorithm) based on the genetic algorithm and use it to fit the potential parameters against energy, virial and force data from quantum density functional theory calculations. This potential, which is implemented in the efficient open source GPUMD (graphics processing units molecular dynamics) code, gives significantly improved descriptions of the thermal conductivity and phonon dispersion of diamond silicon as compared to previous Tersoff potentials and at the same time well reproduces the elastic constants. Furthermore, we find that quantum effects on the thermal conductivity of diamond silicon at room temperature are non-negligible but small: using classical statistics underestimates the thermal conductivity by about 10% as compared to using quantum statistics.


The relationship between galaxy characteristics and the reionization of the universe remains elusive, mainly due to the observational difficulty in accessing the Lyman continuum (LyC) at these redshifts. It is thus important to identify low-redshift LyC-leaking galaxies that can be used as laboratories to investigate the physical processes that allow LyC photons to escape. The weakness of the [S ii] nebular emission lines relative to typical star-forming galaxies has been proposed as a LyC predictor. In this paper, we show that the [S ii] deficiency is an effective method to select LyC-leaking candidates using data from the Low-redshift LyC Survey, which has detected flux below the Lyman edge in 35 out of 66 star-forming galaxies with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. We show that LyC leakers tend to be more [S ii] deficient and that the fraction of their detections increases as [S ii] deficiency becomes more prominent. Correlational studies suggest that [S ii] deficiency complements other LyC diagnostics (such as strong Lyα emission and high [O iii]/[O ii]). Our results verify an additional technique by which reionization-era galaxies could be studied.


Rural areas dependent on agricultural income, are often among the poorest in developing countries. However, little distinction is generally made within the agricultural sector. This lack of distinction hinders targeting of agricultural investments towards poorer farmers. This paper illustrates, using a production function analysis with flexible marginal returns, how agricultural production activities and returns to agricultural production factors differ by poverty level in the case of Madagascar. The results show that access to primary education is relatively more beneficial for poorer agricultural households while additional secondary education has no effect on agricultural productivity. Returns to agricultural inputs are significantly higher for poorer agricultural households. Land inequality increases as land sales markets benefit the richer households and as the rich engage more in extensification while rental markets improve agricultural efficiency and may thus benefit poor and rich alike. Land titling has little effect on improved agricultural productivity. More formal land titling is therefore not sufficient to change the bad performance of agriculture of the last decades.


A unified axiomatic approach to the representation theory of Coxeter groups and their Hecke algebras was presented in [1]. Combinatorial aspects of this construction are studied in this paper. In particular, the symmetric group case is investigated in detail. The resulting representations are completely classified and include the irreducible ones.


PURPOSE
Breathing irregularity is common, causing unreliable prediction in tumor motion for correlation-based surrogates. Both tidal volume (TV) and breathing pattern (BP=ΔVthorax/TV, where TV=ΔVthorax+ΔVabdomen) affect lung motion in anterior-posterior and superior-inferior directions. We developed a novel respiratory motion perturbation (RMP) model in analytical form to account for changes in TV and BP in motion prediction from simulation to treatment.

METHODS
The RMP model is an analytical function of patient-specific anatomic and physiologic parameters. It contains a base-motion trajectory d(x,y,z) derived from a 4-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) at simulation and a perturbation term Δd(ΔTV,ΔBP) accounting for deviation at treatment from simulation. The perturbation is dependent on tumor-specific location and patient-specific anatomy. Eleven patients with simulation and treatment 4DCT images were used to assess the RMP method in motion prediction from 4DCT1 to 4DCT2, and vice versa. For each patient, ten motion trajectories of corresponding points in the lower lobes were measured in both 4DCTs: one served as the base-motion trajectory and the other as the ground truth for comparison. In total, 220 motion trajectory predictions were assessed. The motion discrepancy between two 4DCTs for each patient served as a control. An established 5D motion model was used for comparison.

RESULTS
The average absolute error of RMP model prediction in superior-inferior direction is 1.6±1.8 mm, similar to 1.7±1.6 mm from the 5D model (p=0.98). Some uncertainty is associated with limited spatial resolution (2.5mm slice thickness) and temporal resolution (10-phases). Non-corrected motion discrepancy between two 4DCTs is 2.6±2.7mm, with the maximum of ±20mm, and correction is necessary (p=0.01).

CONCLUSION
The analytical motion model predicts lung motion with accuracy similar to the 5D model. The analytical model is based on physical relationships, requires no training, and therefore is potentially more resilient to breathing irregularities. On-going investigation introduces airflow into the RMP model for improvement. This research is in part supported by NIH (U54CA137788/132378). AY would like to thank MSKCC summer medical student research program supported by National Cancer Institute and hosted by Department of Medical Physics at MSKCC.


The true potter wasp belongs to the Eumeninae, sub-family of the great wasp family, which is divided into three groups, the social wasps (Jack Spaniards are "social" wasps), the solitary wasps (like the "potter") and the fossorial wasps (wasps living in burrows in the ground). The potter wasps get their name from the vase-like mud cells they build on walls, trees, shrubs and often inside houses.


Building information modeling (BIM) is evolving as a digital infrastructure model for innovation in the construction field. The innovation-enabling potential of BIM has been highly neglected in the literature. This study explores the innovative potential of BIM, specifically its value in enabling construction innovation (CI). Through reflective research and a literature review, the relationship between BIM and CI is redefined, BIM-CI's value spectrum and underlying mechanisms are mapped and their required resources and activities are illustrated. The results indicate that different BIM applications provide various proinnovation environments wherein CI may flourish. Extra attention should be paid to BIM-enabled systematic collaborative innovation and digital innovation ecosystems with BIM as the core infrastructure that integrates the physical space with cyberspace to accelerate radical innovation. This study extends BIM management research by considering digital innovation and providing a new perspective for CI management theory and practice. The results will provide academics with a solid point of departure for developing relevant research and serve as a reference for practitioners who intend to utilize BIM for efficient innovation in construction projects.


The main reason for children's and adolescents' mortality in Russia is external causes, such as injuries, poisonings, drownings and road traffic collisions. Many of the external causes may be prevented. Besides, the popularization of modern baseline cardiopulmonary resuscitation methods is one the methods of mortality reduction in children on the pre-hospital stage. The article gives children's baseline cardiopulmonary resuscitation basics recommended by the American Heart Association. Key words: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, children, adolescents.


A quantitative determination of oxytocic activity in the neurohypophysis and hypothalamus of the adult cat and dog was performed, using the rat uterus contraction method. Stereotaxically placed lesions in the paraventricular nuclei of the adult cat produced a marked depletion of oxytocic activity in the neurohypophysis. Experimental lesions in these nuclei in the pregnant cat resulted in marked dystocia at the end of the gestation period.


Francis runners are subject to complex dynamic forces which might lead to eventual blade cracking and the need for corrective measure. Damage due to cracks in runner blades are usually not a safety issues but might generate unexpected down time and high repair cost. Avoiding the main damaging operating conditions is often the only option left to plant operators to maximize the life expectancy of their runner. The startup scheme is one of the available parameter which is controlled by the end user and could be used to minimize the damage induced to the runner. In this study, two startup schemes have been used to investigate life expectancy of Francis runner using in situ measurements. The results obtained show that the induced damage during the startup event could be significantly reduced with change to the startup scheme. In our opinion, an optimization of the startup scheme with regard to fatigue damage could extend significantly the life expectancy and the reliability of Francis runner.


SummaryA protocol for large-scale propagation of Phragmites communis Trin. by adventitious bud formation and plant regeneration was established. Adventitious buds were induced through either the indirect pathway or the direct pathway from stem explants of Phragmites communis. In the indirect pathway, it was essential to decrease the level of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid from 9.1 to 0.5 μM to induce adventitious buds and achieve plant regeneration. In the direct pathway, the effects of different benzylaminopurine (BA) concentrations in the medium, and different positions of the explants, on adventitious bud formation were determined. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 5.4μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 53.4 μM BA, and the bottom part of stem explants were most responsive for the differentiation of adventitious shoot buds. The highest differentiation frequency was 20–30 adventitious shoot buds per stem node tissue. Elongation and proliferation of adventitious buds were achieved on MS medium supplemented with 13.3 μM BA and 5.4 μM NAA. Shoots were rooted in liquid half-strength MS medium with 5.4 μM NAA+4.9 μM indole-3-butyric acid. Rooted plants survived (87.5%) and grew well after transfer into soil for 4 wk. More than 20 000 regenerated plants of a salt-tolerant variant line of Phragmites communis have been produced. This protocol is useful for clonal micropropagation and possibly for Agrobacterium- mediated gene transfer in P. communis.


The creative intelligence lies in the framework of the "intelligent" way which must be used to assure creativity and, thus, innovation. As its name suggests, the creative intelligence excludes imitation. Therefore, firstly, it requires an important R&D investment that manifests itself in the developed countries. The resulting technological change seems to be a necessary but insufficient condition to assure innovation. Indeed, two other factors are necessary for that: the patent, as a form of protection of the rights of intellectual property, and the human capital (and thus education). The resulting innovation can be of two forms: either horizontal or vertical, though more interest should be given to vertical innovations since there is a priority of households for quality.


A fully differential, Class-AB, log domain microbeamformer has been designed in a 60 GHz Si-Ge BiCMOS process. The demonstrated microbeamformer has four input channels and four delays, though the concept can easily be extended to any desirable configuration. The log domain, Class-AB architecture is perfect for medical ultrasound applications due to the fact that the received ultrasound signal has very low amplitude during the major part of the reception period. This leads to very low power consumption because of the Class-AB configuration. The delay-line in the microbeamformer is constructed using a cascade of low input impedance allpass filter cells. A simple implementation of the zero in the allpass filter helps to keep the overall power consumption low. The delay of each allpass filter cell is programmable through the adjustment of a tuning current. Due to the Class-AB architecture used, every source signal must be shaped by a signal preconditioning circuit before connected to the filter cells. A well-known preconditioning circuit has been modified to increase the dynamic range. The modification introduces noise cancellation as well as a method to increases the maximum signal swing. The dynamic range of one preconditioning cell is shown to increase 12.6 dB compared to the classic translinear circuit at a penalty of 15% increase in the power consumption. Signal-to-noise ratio of one allpass filter cell is typically 56.5 dB, and the global dynamic range of the same cell is typically 63.8 dB at an average power consumption of 3.5 mW when 16 input signals are connected to the filter. The power consumption at maximum signal amplitude for the microbeamformer having four input channels and four delays is 3.2 mW with a supply voltage of 2.5 V. In the intended application, the quiescent power consumption is a much better description of the average power consumption. This power consumption is 1.3 mW.


Pele's Pit is a 300-m-deep pit crater whose summit rises to a depth of 1000 m on the Loihi submarine volcano 34 km south of the island of Hawaii. Hydrothermal vents with water temperatures up to 198/spl deg/C have been observed at the basal edge of the pit. We fabricated a "seamless" system comprising submersible-mounted samplers, a helium-activated sample transfer system, and a series of 1-l Teflon-lined stainless-steel bioreactors that maintain ambient temperature and pressure in hydrothermal vent fluids collected from hydrothermal vents in the pit crater. The bioreactors can sustain pressures to 150 atm. and temperatures over 165/spl deg/C. The system was deployed during October 2001 Pisces V submersible operations on Pele's Pit during which the maximum vent water temperature measured was 90/spl deg/C.


Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with complex genetic etiology. Recent studies have indicated that children with ASD may have altered folate or methionine metabolism, suggesting that the folate–methionine cycle may play a key role in the etiology of ASD. SLC19A1, also referred to as reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC1), is a member of the solute carrier group of transporters and is one of the key enzymes in the folate metabolism pathway. Findings from multiple genomic screens suggest the presence of an autism susceptibility locus on chromosome 21q22.3, which includes SLC19A1. Therefore, we performed a case-control study in a Japanese population. In this study, DNA samples obtained from 147 ASD patients at the Kanazawa University Hospital in Japan and 150 unrelated healthy Japanese volunteers were examined by the sequence-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction method pooled with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. p < 0.05 was considered to represent a statistically significant outcome. Of 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) examined, a significant p-value was obtained for AA genotype of one SNP (rs1023159, OR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.16–0.91, p = 0.0394; Fisher's exact test). Despite some conflicting results, our findings supported a role for the polymorphism rs1023159 of the SLC19A1 gene, alone or in combination, as a risk factor for ASD. However, the findings were not consistent after multiple testing corrections. In conclusion, although our results supported a role of the SLC19A1 gene in the etiology of ASD, it was not a significant risk factor for the ASD samples analyzed in this study.


Selective sweep can cause genetic differentiation across populations, which allows for the identification of possible causative regions/genes underlying important traits. The pig has experienced a long history of allele frequency changes through artificial selection in the domestication process. We obtained an average of 329,482,871 sequence reads for 24 pigs from three pig breeds: Yorkshire (n = 5), Landrace (n = 13), and Duroc (n = 6). An average read depth of 11.7 was obtained using whole-genome resequencing on an Illumina HiSeq2000 platform. In this study, cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity and cross-population composite likelihood ratio tests were implemented to detect genes experiencing positive selection for the genome-wide resequencing data generated from three commercial pig breeds. In our results, 26, 7, and 14 genes from Yorkshire, Landrace, and Duroc, respectively were detected by two kinds of statistical tests. Significant evidence for positive selection was identified on genes ST6GALNAC2 and EPHX1 in Yorkshire, PARK2 in Landrace, and BMP6, SLA-DQA1, and PRKG1 in Duroc.These genes are reportedly relevant to lactation, reproduction, meat quality, and growth traits. To understand how these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related positive selection affect protein function, we analyzed the effect of non-synonymous SNPs. Three SNPs (rs324509622, rs80931851, and rs80937718) in the SLA-DQA1 gene were significant in the enrichment tests, indicating strong evidence for positive selection in Duroc. Our analyses identified genes under positive selection for lactation, reproduction, and meat-quality and growth traits in Yorkshire, Landrace, and Duroc, respectively.


Myocardial infarction as a reflection of advanced coronary artery disease is often associated with atherosclerosis of other arteries, especially renal, peripheral and carotid, resulting in chronic renal disease, peripheral artery disease, or stroke. Nevertheless, atherosclerosis is not always the only cause of those diseases. In this article, was presented the case of a patient with myocardial infarction and concomitant stroke probably caused by percutaneous coronary intervention.


nomenon in hemiplegia. The effective prevention and management is important as shoulder pain is strongly associated with poor recovery of arm function and can progress to a shoulder-hand syndrome. A variety of slings have been proved to reduce shoulder subluxation, but they may also cause learned &dquo;non-use&dquo; of the arm. Ancliffe (1) demonstrated that strapping the shoulder can delay the onset of shoulder pain. Since the management of the painful shoulder in mobile hemiplegic patients is still a subject of controversy, we developed our own method of shoulder strapping. Patients who already had developed shoulder pain experienced a remarkable reduction in the degree of pain after strapping. To prove these single-case results systematically, we started a prospective, non-blinded study with a multiple baseline design. Our first data from five patients show a significant pain reduction measured by a verbal rating scale as early


This proposed project builds forth on the still ongoing ERASMUS+ capacity building project "Sustainability Alliance of Urban Networks in Asian Cities" (SAUNAC). SAUNAC, amongst others, aimed at designing, implementing and evaluating educational programs on Smart Sustainable Cities at Vietnamese universities. This new proposed project takes SAUNAC to a next level, by further developing the cooperation between Higher Education Institutes on the one hand and Companies active in Vietnam on the other hand. This requires additional efforts to tuning of (degree) programmes with competences required by businesses. The target group of companies / HEIs are active in the field of sustainable development.Funding: Erasmus+ Capacity Building


Introduction: The CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is known as the main co-receptor in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Accumulating evidence verified 32bp deletion in both alleles of CCR5 provides natural resistance to HIV infection. Accordingly, recent therapeutic approaches are based on gene and cell therapies by inducing this resistance. Allogeneic transplantation of stem cells with CCR5Δ32 homozygous to HIV infected people has been considered as an efficient strategy. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine CCR5 Δ32 mutation frequency in healthy and HIV-infected individuals in Zanjan province, in Iran and also detecting appropriate candidate for future therapeutic approaches. Patients and Methods: In this study, blood samples were collected from 102 HIV infected patients and 204 healthy controls in ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) pre-coated tubes. DNA extraction was performed and analyzed for CCR5Δ32 mutation by GAP-PCR in both groups and followed by 2% gel agarose electrophoresis. The Δ32 genotype frequency was statistically determined. Results: Our finding demonstrated that 3 HIV infected patients displayed CCR5 mutation, while 204 healthy controls showed one CCR5 Δ32/Δ32 homozygote mutation. We observed that Δ32 mutation frequency is 0.82% in Zanjan province (χ2 =47.58, P<0.001). Conclusion: Reduction in CCR5 mutation frequency as well as the other polymorphisms related to HIV resistance, can lead to the development of HIV infection epidemiology. Migration, natural selection and genetic admixture can elucidate various distribution of Δ32 allele frequency in different populations, like as north Europeans that reduce gradually to south. The result of this study can facilitate the presentation of suitable Δ32 donors to HIV infected patients in therapeutic approaches.


Treatment of tris(2,6-dimethoxyphenyl)phosphine [abbr. (2,6)3P] with a variety of epoxides [graphic omitted] in alcohol at room temperature readily gave the [(2,6)3P-CH2CR1R2OH]+ species, which were isolated and characterized as the perchlorate salts. Thermolysis of these salts in the presence of the ethoxide anion gave the [(2,6)3P-Me]+ salt and ketone R1R2CO [R1,R2= Me,Me; Me,Ph; Ph,Ph (CH2CH2)2CHBut], the [(2,6)3PCH2CHR1 OR]+ salt (R1R2= Me,H; H,H), the [(2,6)3P-CH2CHCMeH]+ salt (R1R2= Et,H), or the [(2,6)3P-CHCPhH]+ salt (R1R2= Ph,H), depending on the substituent of the starting epoxide; however, no phosphorus–carbon bond cleavage product was obtained. In isopropyl alcohol, demethylenation of 2-methyl-1,2-epoxypropane occurred even at room temperature.


During the past ten years great progress has been made in the pathology of renal growths. Uncertainty and confusion existed in our knowledge of their nature previous to that time. At present the diagnosis of renal tumor or cancer will not suffice. Microscopic examination must be carried out in every case, and growths should not be reported in the incomplete manner formerly the custom. We now know that the tumors or new growths of the kidney belong to two groups: The benign, including the fibromata, the lipomata, adenomata and angiomata; and the malignant, that includes the carcinomata and sarcomata. An intermediate class is formed by the so-called Grawitz tumors, which may occur in a circumscribed form as benign or in a more diffuse manner as a malignant tumor. These various forms will be taken up in detail later. In regard to the frequency of renal tumors, one author found only


The interaction between aqueous colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and cyanide ions was studied using UV-Vis absorption and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. It was found that AgNPs were oxidized by dissolved oxygen in the presence of cyanide ions, resulting in a considerable decrease in the intensity of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band of AgNPs. So, we propose a simple, cost effective, rapid, sensitive and selective colorimetric sensor for the detection of cyanide using AgNPs in aqueous media. There is a linear relationship between the absorbance intensity of AgNPs and the concentration of cyanide ions over the range of 16.7 μmol L−1–133.3 μmol L−1 at 394 nm. The proposed method has been successfully used for the determination of cyanide in water samples.


Most works on person re-identification (ReID) take advantage of large backbone networks such as ResNet, which are designed for image classification instead of ReID, for feature extraction. However, these backbones may not be computationally efficient or the most suitable architectures for ReID. In this work, we aim to design a lightweight and suitable network for ReID. We propose a novel search space called Combined Depth Space (CDS), based on which we search for an efficient network architecture, which we call CDNet, via a differentiable architecture search algorithm. Through the use of the combined basic building blocks in CDS, CDNet tends to focus on combined pattern information that is typically found in images of pedestrians. We then propose a low-cost search strategy named the Top-k Sample Search strategy to make full use of the search space and avoid trapping in local optimal result. Furthermore, an effective Fine-grained Balance Neck (FBLNeck), which is removable at the inference time, is presented to balance the effects of triplet loss and softmax loss during the training process. Extensive experiments show that our CDNet (~1.8 M parameters) has comparable performance with state-of-the-art lightweight networks.


Pretreatment technology has become the main bottleneck restricting the development of biogas. This chapter provides an overview of recent studies on solid-state microbial ensilage pretreatment for the production of biogas with wastes. The goal of microbial ensilage pretreatment is to maximize the production of lactic acid, thereby reducing the pH value and establishing an environment that is not suitable for the growth of harmful organisms. The use of various additives, especially lactic acid bacteria, is the main factor to ensure the success of anaerobic pretreatment. Sensory evaluation is carried out by observing the smell, structure, and color of silage to judge the quality of silage. The pH values, ammonia nitrogen, and organic acids (lactic-, acetic-, propionic-, and butyric acid) are used as reference values to determine the fermentation quality of silage. An overall comparison of the effectiveness of microbial ensilage with aerobic microbial pretreatment for biogas production is also discussed. Finally, the research on solid-state anaerobic microbial silage pretreatment in biogas conversion is summarized. The combined anaerobic digestion method with different pretreated materials will be the future development direction due to its advantages.


Large ensembles of interacting, out-of-equilibrium agents are a paradigm of active matter. Their constituents' intrinsic activity may entail the spontaneous separation into localized phases of high and low densities. Motile microbes, equipped with ATP-fueled engines, are prime examples of such phase-separating active matter, which is fundamental in myriad biological processes. The fact that spontaneous spatial aggregation is not widely recognized as a general feature of microbial communities challenges the generalisation of phase separation beyond artificial active systems. Here, we report on the phase separation of populations of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that can be controlled by light in a fully reversible manner. We trace this phenomenon back to the light- and density-dependent motility, thus bridging the gap from light perception on the single-cell level to collective spatial self-organization into regions of high and low density. Its spectral sensitivity suggests that microbial motility and phase separation are regulated by the activity of the photosynthetic machinery. Characteristic fingerprints of the stability and dynamics of this active system paint a picture that cannot be reconciled with the current physical understanding of phase separation in artificial active matter, whereby collective behavior can emerge from inherent motility modulation in response to changing stimuli. Our results therefore point towards the existence of a broader class of self-organization phenomena in living systems.


This study investigates students' needs in a Chinese language program from a university in Utah, the United States. The present study had two aims. First, the study attempted to find students' necessities, lacks, and wants. Second, the study tried to determine to what extent the students' perceived needs differ from the teachers' views and the learning objectives posted by the department. The study results showed that the students rated speaking and listening skills as highly important. Moreover, the skill the students lacked most was grammar. Additionally, the students desired to take conversation and business courses most. Finally, this study found that the students, the teachers, and the department learning objectives only partially agreed with each other. Based on these findings, implications were given and teaching suggestions were recommended.


Feminists have argued that traditional gender norms can obstruct women's sexual well-being (Amaro, 1995; Morokoff, 2000; Tolman, 2006; Walker, 1997). Therefore, we expected feminist ideology, by virtue of this critique, to be associated with women's sexual subjectivity and sexual well-being. To test this model, we analyzed data from a survey of college-age women (N = 424) using structural equation modeling. As hypothesized, feminist ideology was indirectly related to condom-use self-efficacy and sexual satisfaction via sexual subjectivity, and sexual motivation was directly related to sexual satisfaction. In an alternative model, feminist ideology was directly related to sexual motivation. This research indicates that feminist ideology may play a role in the promotion of women's sexual well-being.


I t has been known for some time that animals immunized with heterologous heart tissue may produce antibodies reactive with hearts of the species being immunized (1-6). These antibodies have also been shown by immunofluorescence to be reactive with the hearts of the individual antibody-producing animal (2). In the autoimmune reactions reported by Kaplan (6), absorption tests indicated that insoluble antigens were involved and that they were associated with fractions sedimentable at moderately high centrifugal speeds (56,000 g). Immunization with pooled homologous hearts has sometimes proved ineffective in evoking cardiac antibodies (7) although, in a few instances, weak responses have been reported (8-11). Several techniques were used in these latter investigations for demonstrating such antibodies, but when immunodiffusion was employed in two studies, only a single antigen was detected. In one of these reports, the soluble antigen involved appeared to be present in a number of other organs, as well as heart (8). In the other instance, a single antibody induced homologously was reported to be restricted in its reactivity to heart (11). The present report describes the successful production of rabbit antibodies to soluble rabbit cardiac antigens, either by immunization with pooled rabbit heart, or with heterologous heart (human, rat, and guinea pig). Up to five soluble antigens participated in these responses in some animals. In several cases, they were shown to be truly autoimmune, i.e., by reactions with the heart from the individual antibody-producing rabbit. Some of the antigens involved were found to be apparently restricted to heart, and cross-reactions with hearts from other mammalian species were encountered.


The method for quantitative determination of interatomic distances and coordination numbers (CN) from experimental K-XANES of light metallic atoms in crystalline compounds with distorted local structure is proposed, based on the extraction of the first shell term and the multiple-scattering term. In crystalline minerals the extraction of these terms can be obtained under uncertainties of ~0.3 - 0.4 A in the values of the second and more distant shell radii, using the unambiguous diffraction data on cell unit parameters and the type of point symmetry. The fitting of the extracted first shell term by theoretical terms, generated within alternative models for the split of this shell under the local structure distortions in the environment of the absorbing metallic atom, permits one to obtain the interatomic distances and CN in reasonable quantitative agreement with the diffraction data for the reference compounds studied.


The advantage of sukuk is that they are compliant with shariah principles. Sukuk are therefore attractive investment instruments for Islamic financial institutions, shariah managed funds and takaful Islamic insurance companies that cannot invest in conventional securities that involve payment of interest or riba. As well as there are an increasing number of Muslims of high net worth who want their asset holdings to comply with shariah rules. The main objective of this paper is to elucidate and describe the significance of the pricing mechanisms and rating on Islamic sukuk.


A generalized formulation of a boundary integral equations method is presented for analysis of forced vibrations of a composite elastic structure immersed in compressible inviscid fluid. The structure is supposed to consist of parts which are membranes, plates, spherical, conical or cylindrical shells. Both the interaction between the acoustic medium and the composite structure as a whole, and the interactions between the parts of the structure, are described by boundary integral equations. These boundary integral equations are assembled in a two-level system. The first level boundary integral equations govern the dynamics of the above-mentioned ''simple'' parts of the structure. They contain unknown boundary displacements and forces, contact acoustic pressure and driving loads. The kernels of these equations are Green functions of ''simple'' unbounded structures vibrating in vacuo. These functions have explicit analytical forms. The boundary integral equation of the second level governs the interaction between the fluid and the structure as a whole. The classical boundary integral equation related to the contact acoustic pressure is modified by substitution of Somigliana-type formulae for normal displacments on each part of the structure. As a result the second level equation constitutes the connection between the contact acoustic pressure, driving loads and the boundary displacements and forces on the edges of the simple parts of the structure. The kernels of this boundary integral equation are convolutions of Green functions of simple unbounded structures and unbounded fluid. The validity of the method proposed is demonstrated for several simple test problems analyzed earlier by other authors. The aim of this part of the paper is to outline and evaluate the numerical procedure. A detailed analysis of the equations of vibrations of a composite thin-walled structure in an acoustic medium is presented in Part 2 of this paper. 7 1995 Academic Press Limited


Die Katakombenwelt. Von OSKAR BEYER. Pp. viii-f-153 ; 17 figures in text and 30 plates. Tubingen : Mohr, 1927. THE author studies Catacomb Christianity religionsgeschichtlich. His attempt to reconstruct the psychology of early Roman Christianity from a study of its literature, local setting, symbolism and art is brief and summary, but is carried out with real historical insight, and merits the attention of all serious students of the subject. He is free from the sectarian prejudice which has coloured so much of the literature of this subject, and if his treatment tends to be 'impressionistic,' it is the impressionism of a well-informed and sympathetic mind. He is also commendably free from the tendency to generalise from ' Catacomb Christianity' to pre-Constantinian Christianity as a whole, against which a documented warning was issued in C.R. XL., p. 147. His sketch of early symbolism is thrown a little out of perspective by a disregard of relative chronology, inevitable perhaps on so restricted a canvas; but on the whole stress is laid on what is important, and the illustrations are well chosen and admirably reproduced.


This article presents the results of studies assesing the significance of the most important macroand microeconomic factors affecting investors' propensity to invest in mining. The Polish mining industry in recent years has seen intensive restructuring processes which have considerably affected the status of fixed assets required for the exploitation of useful minerals. In order to efectively manage technological progress in mining plants, it is necessary to understand the role of individual, variable factors influencing investors' propensity to make specific expenditures. In the analysis, mathematical statistics and econometric modelling methods were applied to determine the nature of correlations between the values studied and their significance. This examination applied statistical data accumulated by economic entities from 2000–2010. A linear econometric model was presented illustrating the relationship between capital expenditure in mining and such indicators as fixed assets value, GDP, real interest rate, consumption levels of fixed asset components in mining, and various other factors. Structural parameters of a function specifying the level of investment expenditure can be determined based on statistical data which has been appropriately processed so that the model constructed reflects the economic process studied in relevant way. Such a model is not free of defects typical in statistical models; however, it simultaneously enables one to obtain valuable information concerning the impact of the factors studied on the value of such expenditure, and the theoretical possibilities to exchange the specific quantity of one factor for another factor. In the final version of the model, it is often sufficient to include only these independent variables which contribute the most essential information to the independent variable. This often simplifies the final form of the model without simultaneous limiting of its importance in explaining the economic phenomenon studied and the possibilities of its practical application. In the final selection of significant variables captured in the model, the method of information capacity indicators was used. 86


In this unblinded, randomized controlled trial, we compared supraorbital and greater occipital nerve blocks with subcutaneous infiltration for anesthesia during the placement of a stereotactic head-frame. Twenty consecutive patients scheduled for functional surgery to treat Parkinson's disease were studied. Each patient received supraorbital and greater occipital nerve blocks on one side of the head and subcutaneous infiltration on the other, thereby acting as their own control. Pain was assessed by visual analog scale pain scores (scale: 0-100) for both local anesthetic injection and stereotactic pin placement. Supplementary subcutaneous infiltration was also recorded. Results are presented as mean +/- SD. Nerve blocks were significantly less painful than subcutaneous infiltration of local anesthetic at both the frontal (34 +/- 24 vs 49 +/- 25) and occipital (34 +/- 21 vs 49 +/- 23) sites. Neither technique was superior in preventing pain associated with pin placement, at either the frontal site (48 +/- 27 vs 46 +/- 24) or occipital site (33 +/- 27 vs 32 +/- 24). Supraorbital nerve blocks required significantly more supplementation than either greater occipital nerve blocks or subcutaneous infiltration. Visual analog scale pain scores were greater at local anesthetic injection and pin placement than at any subsequent time. We conclude that supraorbital and greater occipital nerve blocks are an alternative to subcutaneous infiltration for the placement of a stereotactic frame.


: A contribution of gamma-radiation to a total dose absorbed in the radiation field formed during 50 MeV proton bombardment of a beryllium target has been determined. A study was made of the biological effectiveness of action of mixed gamma/neutron-radiation on albino mongrel and inbred (C57 black) female mice.


This article assesses information systems deployment in two oil companies in Libya and thereby helps address the general shortage of information on the implementation of information systems in Libyan companies. It explores the information systems strategies of these two companies and explores and analyses how these have been implemented in recent years. One company has pursued an in-house/best of breed approach, whilst the other is in the process of migrating to an integrated ERP software solution. The study uses a number of analytical models developed in a western context in recent years to assess the status and nature of IS deployment, and concludes that a combination of these models is of value in an IS industry context in developing world countries.


Three years work at Mtwapa Research Station summarises the fluctuation of Chilo spp. and Sesamia spp. Chilo partellus has been been shown to be just as important as C. orichalcociliellus nearer the coast, but Sesamia calamistis becomes important towards the second growing season.The loss caused by these borers to maize plants in the field has been estimated to be high when no chemical treatment is applied, but such a loss varies with the intensity of infestation. Control of the borers by cultural methods relies on planting maize at the onset of rains. Selected chemical treatment at the appropriate time reduces the loss by about 20%.


A major source of uncertainty in proton therapy is the conversion of Hounsfield unit (HU) to proton stopping power ratio relative to water (SPR). In this study, we measured and quantified the accuracy of a stoichiometric dual energy CT (DECT) SPR calibration. We applied a stoichiometric DECT calibration method to derive the SPR using CT images acquired sequentially at 80kVp and 140kVp. The dual energy index was derived based on the HUs of the paired spectral images and used to calculate the effective atomic number (Zeff), relative electron density (ρe), and SPRs of phantom and biological materials. Two methods were used to verify the derived SPRs. The first method measured the sample's water equivalent thicknesses to deduce the SPRs using a multi-layer ion chamber (MLIC) device. The second method utilized Gafchromic EBT3 film to directly compare relative ranges between sample and water after proton pencil beam irradiation. Ex vivo validation was performed using five different types of frozen animal tissues with the MLIC and three types of fresh animal tissues using film. In addition, the residual ranges recorded on the film were used to compare with those from the treatment planning system using both DECT and SECT derived SPRs. Bland–Altman analysis indicates that the differences between DECT and SPR measurement of tissue surrogates, frozen and fresh animal tissues has a mean of 0.07% and standard deviation of 0.58% compared to 0.55% and 1.94% respectively for single energy CT (SECT) and SPR measurement. Our ex vivo study indicates that the stoichiometric DECT SPR calibration method has the potential to be more accurate than SECT calibration under ideal conditions although beam hardening effects and other image artifacts may increase this uncertainty.


OBJECTIVE
The variables of sport activity loyalty are being utilized actively in the fields of sports management and marketing. This study seeks to understand sport activity loyalty and verify the causal relationship between passion and psychological well-being to discover a new convergent and comprehensive research model in the field of Kinesiology.

METHODS
Passion, psychological well-being, and sport activity loyalty were measured for 198 college athletes who were registered as athletes in the 2021 Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC). To analyze the data, the SPSS 24.0, PROCESS Macro (V.2.13), and Amos 24.0 programs were used.

RESULTS
First, harmonious passion had a significant positive effect on sport activity loyalty. Second, harmonious passion had a significant positive effect on psychological well-being, and obsessive passion had a significant positive effect on all variables of psychological wellbeing except self-realization. Third, the results of testing the mediating effect based on the direct effect revealed that harmonious and obsessive passion had significant indirect effects on sport activity loyalty through feelings of competence and hedonic enjoyment.

CONCLUSIONS
It is hereby provided that we have examined the causal relationship between sport activity loyalty and sports psychology variables and discovered a new research model convergent between variables in the field of physical education (psychology-sociology, business administration).


BACKGROUND
Without family caregivers, many frail elders who live at home would require nursing home care. However, providing care to frail elders requires a large time commitment that may interfere with the caregiver's ability to work. Our goal was to determine the patient and caregiver characteristics associated with the reduction of employment hours in caregivers of frail elders.

METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of 2806 patients (mean age 78, 73% women, 29% African American, 12% Hispanic, 54% with dementia) with at least one potentially working caregiver (defined as one who is either currently employed or who would have been employed if they had not been providing care) and their 4592 potentially working caregivers. Patients were enrollees at 11 sites of the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Social workers interviewed patients and caregivers at the time of PACE enrollment. Caregivers were asked if they had reduced the hours they worked or had stopped working to care for the patient. Nurses interviewed patients and caregivers to assess independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and the presence of behavioral disturbances. Comorbid conditions were assessed by physicians during enrollment examinations.

RESULTS
A total of 604 (22%) of the 2806 patients had at least one caregiver who either reduced the number of hours they worked or quit working to care for the patient. Patient characteristics independently associated with a caregiver reducing hours or quitting work were ethnicity, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.78 for African American;, 95% CI 1.43-2.52 for Hispanic), ADL function below the median (, 95% CI 1.44-2.15), a diagnosis of dementia (, 95% -2.17 if associated with a behavioral disturbance;, 95% CI 1.06-1.63 if not associated with a behavioral disturbance), or a history of stroke (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.16-1.73). After controlling for these patient characteristics, caregiver characteristics associated with reducing work hours included being the daughter or daughter-in-law of the patient (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.37-2.08) and living with the patient (OR = 4.66, 95% CI 3.65-5.95 if no other caregiver lived at home, OR = 2.53, 95% CI 2.03-3.14 if another caregiver lived at home).

CONCLUSIONS
Many caregivers reduce the number of hours they work to care for frail elderly relatives. The burden of reduced employment is more likely to be incurred by the families of ethnic minorities and of patients with specific clinical characteristics. Daughters and caregivers who live with the patient are more likely to reduce work hours than other caregivers. Future research should examine the impact of lost caregiver employment on patients' families and the ways in which the societal responsibility of caring for frail elders can be equitably shared.


The paper is based on investigations for the proportional outcome of High Irrigation Efficiency system of drip technique over Conventional method of furrow irrigation technique on potential of seed yield and water use efficiency, the study was carried out during the year 2007. The crop was sown on April 15, 2007 and harvested on July 8, 2007. The results revealed that the higher potential of yield with slighter water application was recorded in drip technique over furrow technique of irrigation system. Consequently, water use efficiency in drip was 189.5% more than furrow technique of irrigation. The water saving in drip technique was recorded as 56% over furrow technique of irrigation method along with an increase of 25.6% in potential of crop yield. Taken as a whole, it is proved that drip technique dominated over furrow technique of irrigation system in respect of water use, potential yields, water use efficiency and water saving. The approach on scientific data generated through this study would serve as a bench mark and would help to those scientists, irrigation and agriculture engineers, researchers and students who are engaged in similar type of activities for further research. To achieve the optimum targets of growing demand in reflection of increasing populations, more land can be taken under cultivation from the limited water resources.


Background: The recommended length of antibiotic course for pleural infection treatment is four weeks but this is based on expert opinion only. This clinical trial aims to compare a short (2-3 week) course with a long (4-6 week) course in terms of infection relapse. Methods: This was a randomised open label trial recruiting adult patients hospitalised with pleural infection who were stabilised within 14 days of hospital admission. Patients with prolonged admission or who were referred for surgery were excluded. Primary outcome was infection relapse at 6 weeks as evidenced by worsening radiology with raise in inflammatory markers. Results: 37 patients were enrolled, 19 randomised to short course and 18 randomised to long course. Table 1 summarises demographic and clinical data of trial patients. Infection relapse occurred in 3/19 (15.7%) patients in the short arm and in 2/18 (11.1%) in the long arm (chi2 0.173, p=0.677). The mean difference in the length of antibiotic treatment between the 2 groups was 13.2 days (95% CI 10.7 to 15.7 days). Conclusion: In adult patients with pleural infection who are stabilized within 14 days of diagnosis, a three-week antibiotic course did not lead to more treatment failure in comparison to longer courses.


Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), as a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, was used to monitor the activation of prefrontal lobe on human brain during sweet taste processing. The primary aim of the present study was to find the region of interest (ROI) which is related to sweetness, and make further understanding of the central organization of taste. Based on event-related design, the experiments were performed with 16 volunteers by sweet taste stimulus. It was confirmed that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in sweet taste processing and fNIRS provided an alternative way for studying taste-related brain function under more natural conditions. This study might be effective for detecting the accession area in the cortex of sweet taste and helpful for studying on human feeding and taste disease like taste dyspepsia or disorder.


Nonsense suppressors were obtained in a haploid yeast strain containing eight nutritional mutations, that are assumed to be amber or ochre, and the cyc1-179 amber mutation that has a UAG codon corresponding to position 9 in iso-1-cytochrome c. Previous studies established that the biosynthesis and function of iso-1-cytochrome c is compatible with replacements at position 9 of amino acids having widely different structures (Stewart and Sherman 1972). UV-induced revertants, selected on media requiring the reversion of one or two of the amber nutritional markers, were presumed to contain a suppressor if there was the unselected reversion of at least one other marker. The 1088 suppressors that were isolated could be divided into 78 phenotypic classes. Only 43 suppressors of three classes caused the production of more than 50% of the normal amount of iso-1-cytochrome c in the cyc1-179 strain. Genetic analyses indicated that all of these highly efficient amber suppressors are allelic to one or another of the eight suppressors which cause the insertion of tyrosine at ochre (UAA) codons (Gilmore, Stewart and Sherman 1971). Furthermore, only tyrosine has been identified at position 9 in iso-1-cytochrome c in cyc1-179 strains suppressed with these efficient amber suppressors.


Brain morphology change over the course of weeks, days, and hours, and can be detected by non-invasive structural magnetic resonance imaging. Rapid morphological changes at scanning has yet not been investigated. In a randomized within-group study, high-resolution anatomical images were acquired during passive viewing of pictures or a fixation cross. Forty-seven individuals gray matter volume and cortical thickness were investigated, and both measures increased in the visual cortex while viewing pictures relative to a fixation cross. Thus, brain morphology enlargements were detected in less than 263 seconds. Neuroplasticity is a far more dynamic process than previously shown, suggesting that individuals' current mental state affects indices of brain morphology. This needs to be taken into account in future morphology studies and in everyday clinical practice.


In recent years, there has been increased interest in documenting asbestos exposure. The pathologic sine qua non of asbestos exposure has been the presence of "asbestos bodies" in lung parenchyma. In this retrospective study of 135 autopsies done to determine asbestos exposure, ferruginous bodies in digested lung tissue were quantitated by a simplified sodium hypochlorite procedure on fresh or fixed tissue. Of the 131 digested specimens, 26 (20%) showed no ferruginous bodies, 34 (26%) had <5 ferruginous bodies per slide, 7 (5%) had 5 to 10 ferruginous bodies per slide, and 64 (49%) had >10 ferruginous bodies per slide. Ferruginous bodies were identified in hematoxylin-eosin stained sections of lung tissue in only 41 cases (30%). The digestion method described is a simple, reliable, and inexpensive method to assess ferruginous bodies.


Objective To investigate the pathological features in donor kidney (zero biopsy) and pathological changes in allograft kidney (post transplant biopsy).Method 191 renal allograft biopsies including 52 cases of perioperative biopsies and 139 cases of post operative biopsies were performed. All biopsies were systematically diagnosed and evaluated according to Banff 97 schema. SABC immunohistochemical staining was used to analyze the Leu 7 + and CD68 + expression during acute rejection. Results Among the 52 donor kidneys, 40 cases were normal ( 76.92 ?%), 12 cases had preexisting diseases ( 23.07 ?%), including hyaline arteriolar change in 3 cases, focal interstitial fibrosis in 4 cases, tubular atrophy in 3 cases and tubular epithelial degeneration in 2 cases. Among the 151 allografted kidneys, 19 were normal ( 13.66 ?%), one was diagnosed as having super acute rejection ( 0.71 ?%), 15 having suspicious of AR/bordline change ( 10.79 ?%), 23 having acute rejection ( 16.54 ?%), 37 having CAN ( 26.61 ?%), 29 having CsA NT ( 20.80 ?%), 8 having ATN( 5.75 ?%), 2 having recurrence nephropathy ( 1.43 ?%) and 5 cases were not classified ( 3.59 ?%). The SABC immunohistochemical staining showed that Leu 7 positive cells in the tubular epithelium and CD68 positive cells in the intestitial tissues were increased during acute rejection. Conclusion Biopsy is an valuable method to evaluate the pathological changes of donor kidney and diagnose the complications of allografted kidney. The changes of CAN could be found in 3 months posttransplantation. The presence of Leu 7 positive cells infiltrating the tubular epithelium is a reliable marker of acute rejection.


The focus of this paper is on levels of service failure and recovery strategies in relation to UK online fashion retailers. In a changing social, political and economic environment the use of information technology has permeated all forms of organisations: from private to public, local to global, old and new. Parallel with this development, companies have developed and experimented with new means of interacting with customers, and have devised and applied a variety of marketing strategies. The deployment of the internet, along with its subsets, has created a number of new opportunities, as well as a range of uncertainties and burdens, particularly on consumer perceptions of service quality, service failure and recovery. This paper contributes to extant knowledge and offers an understanding of behavioural-related issues, e.g. understanding consumer behaviour in the development of innovative business models in the industry.


Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce U.S. HIV incidence. We assessed insurance coverage and its association with PrEP utilization. We reviewed patient data at three PrEP clinics (Jackson, Mississippi; St. Louis, Missouri; Providence, Rhode Island) from 2014–2015. The outcome, PrEP utilization, was defined as patient PrEP use at three months. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine the association between insurance coverage and PrEP utilization. Of 201 patients (Jackson: 34%; St. Louis: 28%; Providence: 28%), 91% were male, 51% were White, median age was 29 years, and 21% were uninsured; 82% of patients reported taking PrEP at three months. Insurance coverage was significantly associated with PrEP utilization. After adjusting for Medicaid-expansion and individual socio-demographics, insured patients were four times as likely to use PrEP services compared to the uninsured (OR: 4.49, 95% CI: 1.68–12.01; p = 0.003). Disparities in insurance coverage are important considerations in implementation programs and may impede PrEP utilization.


Domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxic amino acid produced by some strains of phytoplankton, is responsible for the human toxic syndrome amnesic shellfish poisoning. This exocitotoxin results in neuronal degeneration and necrosis in specific regions of the hippocampus. Because DA accumulates mostly in shellfish, causing outbreaks in different countries, screening for DA has been carried out with various assays. Although bioassays and immunoassays have been developed, several liquid chromatographic methods for the determination of DA in different matrices such as shellfish, algae, or seawater have been reported. Additionally, other alternative methods such as capillary electrophoresis and capillary electrochromatography have been described. This paper summaries the toxicology, the chemistry, and the developed determination methods of DA.


(1) Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition, whose bulbar involvement compromises language, swallowing, and airway protection. When oral nutrition is no longer adequate, percutaneous endoscopic gastroscopy (PEG) may be indicated. However, as exact timing is still debatable, we tried to find it. (2) Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed using fiber-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), functional evaluation scales (ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) and bulbar sub-score (ALSFRS-R-B)), lung function tests (like Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Cough Peak Flow (CPF)) and anthropometric data. (3) Results: Twenty-three patients were enrolled (mean 65.4 ± 9.1 years, 60.9% males), 12 with spinal-onset. During the study period, 58 FEES were performed (1–4/patients). Even before formal PEG indication, suggestions were given to correct the alterations found. PEG was placed in 12 patients, on average 21.8 months after diagnosis (FVC = 69.9% ± 26.7%, ALSFRS-R-B = 7.7 ± 3.7, ALSFRS-R = 28.9 ± 12.3), and being 91.7% under ventilatory support. ALSFRS-R-B, CPF, FVC, and ALSFRS-R showed significant discriminant ability for PEG placement. Sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, ALSFRS-R-B ≤ 8 (100/90.9), CPF ≤ 205 (83.3), FVC ≤ 74 (83.3/74.2), and ALSFRS-R < 29 (83.3/65.1). (4) Conclusions: FEES provide additional information beyond formal PEG indication. ALSFRS-R-B score ≤ 8 was found as a best functional and noninvasive indicator for PEG placement in ALS patients.


This study focused on the influence of power distance on the relationship between employee empowerment and performance of multinational corporations in Kenya. In the recent past, employee empowerment has been promoted as a general recipe for enhancing work performance. The main objective developed for this study is to determine whether the strength of the relationship between employee empowerment and performance of a multinational corporation depends on power distance. Data for the study was collected using a questionnaire which contained measurements of power distance, employee empowerment and multinational corporation performance. The questionnaire consisted of a Likert type scale ranging from 5 – very great extent to 1 – not at all. A census study of 60 multinational corporations operating in Kenya was conducted. Data was analyzed using multiple regression analysis was used to test this hypothesis. Regression analysis was conducted and the findings showed that power distance moderated the relationship between employee empowerment and multinational corporation performance. Thus, the study concluded that power distance determines the success or failure of multinationals in host countries.


A simple experimental method for determining the degree of plane polarization of a far ultraviolet monochromator was developed and tested. This determination requires only a measurement of the reflectance at 45° angle of incidence with two or more orientations of the reflector about the optic axis. This procedure works at all wavelengths without requiring a detailed knowledge of the optical constants of the reflector material. The degree of plane polarization has been determined for a 0.5-m Seya-Namioka monochromator. The polarization has been found to depend strongly on wavelength and on both the grating and the grating overcoating.


The aim of this study was to compare kit prepared technetium-99m-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (99mTc-MAG3) with our routine radiopharmaceutical, iodine-123-hippurate our routine radiopharmaceutical, iodine-123-hippurate ([123I]OIH) for renal dynamic scintigraphy. Seventeen patients with different nephrologic disorders or hypertension were first studied with OIH and then reinvestigated with MAG3 2-8 days later. Renal MAG3 gamma camera images were almost identical with those of OIH except for higher (p less than 0.01) liver-to-background ratios at 20 min postinjection, irrespective of kidney function. Urinary peristalsis was visible longer and more clearly in the MAG3 studies. MAG3 and OIH renograms showed identical relative kidney uptake (r = 0.99), but elimination of MAG3 from the kidneys was slower (p less than 0.01). The plasma clearance of MAG3 was lower than that of OIH, but correlated (r = 0.92) significantly. The plasma distribution volume and content in blood cells was lower (p less than 0.01), but the binding of MAG3 to plasma proteins was higher, 90%, as compared with 74% for OIH, p less than 0.01. Urinary excretion expressed as a percent of the given dose 60 min after injection was the same for the two substances. Thus, there are some significant differences in the renal handling, plasma distribution, and cell penetration between MAG3 and [123I]OIH. MAG3, however, seems to have particular qualifications as a radionuclide for dynamic renal scintigraphy, especially in patients who require acute investigations or in those with low renal function.