Our recent work identifies material surfaces in incompressible flows that extremize the transport of an arbitrary, weakly diffusive scalar field relative to neighboring surfaces. Such barriers and enhancers of transport can be located directly from the deterministic component of the velocity field without diffusive or stochastic simulations. Here we extend these results to compressible flows and to diffusive concentration fields affected by sources or sinks, as well as by spontaneous decay. We construct diffusive transport extremizers with and without constraining them on a specific initial concentration distribution. For two-dimensional flows, we obtain explicit differential equations and a diagnostic scalar field that identify the most observable extremizers with pointwise uniform transport density. We illustrate our results by uncovering diffusion barriers and enhancers in analytic, numerical, and observational velocity fields.


The 960 degrees C subsolidus phase relationships in the Gd2O3-BaO-CuO system were determined by means of X-ray diffraction as well as superconductive properties measurements. In the measured partial diagram, two ternary compounds occur: GdBa2Cu3O7-y and Gd2BaCuO5. GdBa2Cu3O7-y has an orthorhombic distorted perovskite structure with a=3.909 AA, b=3.847 AA and c=11.682 AA. It has a high-Tc superconductive phase with a zero resistivity transition temperature of 94.5 K. Gd2BaCuO5 also has an orthorhombic structure with a=7.225 AA, b=12.316 AA and c=5.722 AA. The possible space group is either Pbbm or Pbn2. Only the compound GdBa2Cu3O7-y is superconducting under the condition employed. The relationships between composition and superconductivity are also reported.


The microtubule binding protein EB1 specifically targets the growing ends of microtubules in cells, where EB1 facilitates the interactions of cellular proteins with microtubule plus-ends. Microtubule end targeting of EB1 has been attributed to high affinity binding of EB1 to GTP-tubulin that is present at growing microtubule ends. However, our 3D single-molecule diffusion simulations predicted a ∼6000% increase in EB1 arrivals to open, tapered microtubule tip structures relative to closed lattice conformations. Using quantitative fluorescence, single-molecule, and electron microscopy experiments, we found that the binding of EB1 onto opened, structurally disrupted microtubules was dramatically increased relative to closed, intact microtubules, regardless of hydrolysis state. Correspondingly, in cells, the conversion of growing microtubule ends from a tapered into a blunt configuration resulted in reduced EB1 targeting. Together, our results suggest that microtubule structural recognition, based on a fundamental diffusion-limited binding model, facilitates the tip tracking of EB1 at growing microtubule ends.


Storchak S.N. Bogolubov Transformation in Path Integrals on Manifolds with a Group Action: IHEP Preprint 98-1. – Protvino, 1998. – p. 25, refs.: 17. A path integral with respect to the measure, generated by the stochastic process, is used to describe the particle motion on a compact Riemannian manifold, on which a free effective and isometric action of a compact semi-simple Lie group is given. By choosing with the Bogolubov coordinate transformation method the coordinates, adapted to the principal fibre structure, the transformation of the path integral is performed. The separation of variables in the obtained path integral is realized with the help of the nonlinear filtering equation from the stochastic process theory. After factorizing the path integral measure, we get the integral relation between the path integral given on the total space of the principal fiber bundle and the path integral on the base space of this bundle — the orbit space of the group action.


A Gram-reaction-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile, red-pigmented bacterial strain, designated ZLD-7(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from an arid area in Xinjiang Province in north-west China, and characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain ZLD-7(T) was a member of the genus Pontibacter in the family Cytophagaceae, with sequence similarities of 93.7-96.2 % to type strains of other Pontibacter species. The only isoprenoid quinone of strain ZLD-7(T) was MK-7, and its major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 4 (anteiso-C17 : 1 B and/or iso-C17 : 1 I), iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c). The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid and four unidentified polar lipids. The DNA G+C content was 47.8 mol%. On the basis of the evidence presented, it is proposed that strain ZLD-7(T) represents a novel species of the genus Pontibacter, for which the name Pontibacter toksunensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ZLD-7(T) ( = CCTCC AB 208003(T) = KCTC 23984(T)). Emended descriptions of Pontibacter roseus and Pontibacter akesuensis are also proposed.


The importance of student participation in space projects is well known. New students are needed to supplement the future workforce and both experience and enthusiasm are important factors to join any industry. Students can also offer fresh perspectives to existing problems in any field of engineering. It is also argued that it is very beneficial for the students themselves. This paper will clarify the point of view from students on student participation in aerospace engineering for their own interests, both personal and professional, as well as their general opinion on space research and development. Qualitative interviews were held with several groups of (former) students: Students not (yet) engaged in a large project; Students in the concept stage of a large project and students at the end stages of a large project. Both engineering and non-engineering students are of interest for this research. A broad range of questions is asked to the participants as this is mostly explorative research. The aim of this paper is to increase student participation by means of a better understanding of student expectations and experiences. Projects better suited to student needs could be developed in the future. With this better understanding and improved projects, more student projects could be successfully launched by both universities and corporations. This should benefit both educational and corporate interests in active student involvement as more research will be done by the students and more students will be engaged and motivated in the space industry. Due to the nature of qualitative interviews students will come with ideas on how to increase student participation and make student projects more successful, so we can relay these to educational institutions and companies.


Resveratrol (3,4,5-trihydroxystilbene) is a member of natural and plantderived chemicals, which is known as polyphenols and it is getting more consideration because of its various health assistances. Largely in the case of neurological problems, cardiovascular disease, antiviral, cancer, antiaging. Although in the past few years, it has been shown that the families of enzymes Sirtuins, particularly situin1 (SIRT1), have an antiaging action. Thus, the natural compound resveratrol shows a very strong activation of SIRT1 and also shows antioxidant properties. The antioxidant effect mainly elicited by the inhibition of important pathways like the NF-κβ pathway. This review highlights the antiviral mechanism of resveratrol in human and animal viral infections. And also, information about cancer-related like colorectum cancer, skin cancer and lung cancer are also mentioned. Resveratrol also gives additional cardioprotective and vasoprotective properties, which include antiatherosclerotic action. Overall observation shows that resveratrol has a high therapeutic potential in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, anti-aging, antiviral and in the treatment of cancer.


Notes on the behaviour of three yearlings kept two and a half months in 1954 in a dry environment at Amchitka in the Aleutians. Their sleeping, preening, reaction to man and feeding habits, drinking, locomotion, handling, food and sociability voice, etc., are discussed in detail. Their anatomy and environment in captivity are also discussed: water for swimming was found desirable, if not necessary. Results of physiological investigations are reported by D.E. Stullken and C.M. Kirkpatrick, q.v.


Abstract : Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most prevalent eating disorder in the U.S., with estimates ranging from 2.5% in the community to 30% in overweight, treatment seeking individuals. In youth, full-syndrome BED is rare, however rates of binge eating(BE) and loss of control (LOC) eating in absence of the full syndrome range from 6 - 40%, with the highest rates observed in overweight adolescent girls. Given ambiguity surrounding what amount of food constitutes a 'binge' among growing youth of varying ages and energy requirements, the experience of LOC is considered the most salient feature of pathological eating, rather than the amount of food consumed. In youth, LOC eating is associated with elevated eating pathology and general psychological symptoms and is predictive of excess weight gain and worsening eating pathology. Despite its adverse correlates, little is known about the etiology of LOC eating, specifically, the moment-to-moment processes promoting LOC episodes. One model used to explain LOC eating is the interpersonal model, positing that interpersonal problems precede and predict negative affect, which in tum precedes and predicts episodes of LOC eating. Despite support for links between model components, no study has directly tested the interpersonal model in a temporally sensitive and ecologically-valid manner. The present study examined the feasibility of using ecological momentary assessment to examine the interpersonal model of LOC among overweight adolescent girls who experience LOC eating. Additionally, because youth and individuals with eating pathology are thought to have difficulty identifying and describing their emotional states, negative affect was also assessed using a physiologic proxy, heart rate variability, as an index of emotional stress. Thirty participants who experienced LOC completed ecological momentary assessments multiple times per day for a period of two weeks. Heart rate variability was assessed on a subset of two days of ...


Jeekelosoma Mauriès, 1985, is upgraded from subgenus status under Eviulisoma Silvestri, 1910 to full genus status. The type species, Jeekelosoma abadi (Mauriès, 1985) is redescribed based on topotypical material from a cave in Morocco. Jeekelosoma heptarachne sp. nov. and J. viginti sp. nov. are described from two further Moroccan caves.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether ischemia-induced bone marrow-derived EPCs mobilization is impaired in diabetic mice and the association with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release post ischemia.

METHODS
C57Bl/6 mice were injected with 40 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) streptozotocin for 5 days to induce diabetes and mice with fasting glucose > 10 mmol/L were included to DM group, control mice were injected with placebo. Two months later, hindlimb ischemia was induced by left femoral artery dissection and ligation. The ischemia was visualized by tetrazolium dye staining and pre-mortem angiography. The percentage of c-Kit(+)/Sca-1(+)/flk-1(+) early EPCs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was detected by flow cytometric analysis on days 0 (pre-ligation), 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days post-ligation. The plasma VEGF level was measured with a standardized ELISA-Kit.

RESULTS
Circulating EPCs number was significantly lower in diabetic mice than that in control mice (0.60% +/- 0.03% vs. 0.95% +/- 0.09%, P < 0.001) and the plasma VEGF was undetectable in all animals before ligation Similar EPCs kinetics following induction of hindlimb ischemia were shown in both groups. However, EPCs mobilization was significantly impaired in diabetic mice compared with control mice within 3 days post ischemia (day 1: 1.16% +/- 0.20% vs. 1.80% +/- 0.32%, P < 0.05; day 3: 1.38% +/- 0.34% vs. 2.37% +/- 0.52%, P < 0.05). In parallel, plasma VEGF increase post ischemia was significantly less in diabetic mice than that in control mice (day 1: 73.1 pg/ml +/- 18.6 pg/ml vs. 128.5 pg/ml +/- 44.2 pg/ml, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION
Our data suggest that ischemia-induced bone marrow-derived EPCs mobilization is impaired in diabetic mice, which may be related to the insufficient release of plasma VEGF post ischemia.


Purpose Many medical schools have implemented learning communities (LCs) to improve the learning environment (LE) for students. The authors conducted this study to determine whether a relationship exists between medical student perceptions of the LE and presence of LCs during the preclerkship years. Method Students from 24 schools participating in the American Medical Association Learning Environment Study completed the 17-item Medical Student Learning Environment Survey (MSLES) at the end of their first and second years of medical school between 2011 and 2013. Mean total MSLES scores and individual item scores at the end of the first and second years in schools with and without LCs were compared with t tests, and effect sizes were calculated. Mixed-effects longitudinal models were used to control for student demographics and random school and student effects on the relationship between LC status and MSLES score. Results A total of 4,980 students (81% of 6,148 matriculants) from 18 schools with LCs and 6 without LCs participated. Mean [SD] MSLES scores were significantly higher in LC schools compared with non-LC schools at the end of year one (3.72 [0.44] versus 3.57 [0.43], P < .001) and year two (3.69 [0.49] versus 3.42 [0.54], P < .001). The effect size increased from 0.35 (small) at the end of year one to 0.53 (medium) at the end of year two. Conclusions This large multi-institutional cohort study found that LCs at medical schools were associated with more positive perceptions of the LE by preclerkship students.


Abstract Vinpocetine (5 mg/kg) increases the cerebral blood flow rate, retains autoregulation, and positively influences carbohydrate and transcapillary metabolism in rats upon single irradiation to a dose of 2 Gy.


This study analyzes the effect of corporate governance, with an emphasis on gender and age diversity in the board and Top Management Team, on Corporate Social Responsibility in Brazil. The sample was composed of Brazilian firms with corporate governance published in the CVM reference form, financial information in the Economatica® database, and CSR assessed by the CSRHub database, in the 2016-2017 biennium, with a total of 194 firm-year observations. Diversity is measured by the presence of women, age heterogeneity, and average age in the board of directors and top management team. The results indicate that gender diversity in the board of directors and the higher average age of the top management team have a favorable effect on the CSR practices of Brazilian firms. Additionally, it was observed that age heterogeneity among board members has a negative influence on CSR practices. The research contributes to a better understanding of the behavior of more diverse boards of directors and top management teams regarding CSR strategies.


Abstract. With increasing technical feasibility of extended reality (XR) on smartphones and tablets, we also witness increasing versatility in the use of the mixed reality (MR) (i.e., rather than augmented or virtual) in utility-oriented apps (e.g., for navigation, indoor/outdoor spatial planning, entertainment and location based gaming. In cases where user adaptation and adherence is important, the design of the story itself, visualization and interaction in the game must be engaging, and ideally support spatial knowledge acquisition. In this paper, we briefly review the literature on creating engaging MR experiences for a location based game, and present a case study in which we feature a location based MR game (SBB Stories). We conceptualized, designed and implemented the SBB Stories with user-centered design methods in collaboration with the SBB (Swiss Federal Railways). In this paper we feature an interactive story that took place in Zurich's main train station in 1937. Our findings from several cycles of user studies shows an increased spatial awareness of the surroundings as participants used the SBB Stories app. Importantly, participants reported the blending of historical and current visual elements as an outstanding and inspiring experience. Besides a high score of 83.75/100 in a standardized usability test, and a similarly high score of 4.25/5.00 in a standardized user engagement scale, all participants reported that they would spend extra time at the train station to play this game, suggesting that the app was indeed engaging.


This paper argues that most conceptualizations of citizenship limit the purview of the discourse to static categories. 'Citizenship' is commonly seen as an ideal type, presuming a largely legal relationship between an inidividual and a single nationstate - more precisely only one type of nation-state, the advanced capitalist postwar model. Alternatively, we suggest a re-conceptualization of citizenship as a negotiated relationship, one which is subject therefore to change, and acted upon collectively within social, political and economic relations of conflict. This dynamic process of negotiation takes place within a context which is shaped by gendered, racial and class structures and ideologies; it also involves international hierarchies among states. Citizenship is therefore negotiated on global as well as national levels. This conceptualization is demonstrated by way of identifying one particular set of experiences of negotiated citizenship, involving foreign domestic workers in Canada. As non-citizens originating from Third World conditions, this is a case involving women of colour workers, highly prone to abusive conditions, and under the direction of employers who are more affluent First World citizens and predominantly white women. Original survey data based on interviews with Caribbean and Filipino domestic workers in Canada are used to demonstrate the varied, creative and effective strategies of two distinctive groups of non-citizens as they attempt to negotiate citizenship rights in restrictive national and international conditions.


The Pacific Northwest, the old Oregon country, was one of the most remote and inaccessible frontier areas, but it was also known to be rich in natural resources. The opening up of this region is a story of courage, endurance, and pioneer enterprise. Transportation in this rugged country was a problem to the settlers who would promote commerce and travel, just as it was a problem to the earlier fur traders. The construction of roads and development of water routes progressed through the years until the railroad finally came to the Northwest, but at no time did the scarcity of roads prevent settlers from pushing back the frontier. Here the whole story of travel and travelers in this region is told for the first time. The book is based largely on primary sources and, as such, is a contribution to history. As an account of courage and ingenuity, transportation monopoly against transportation monopoly, and man versus nature, it is fascinating reading. University Professor of History at Indiana University, O. O. Winther is the author of Express and Stagecoach Days in California and Via Western Express and Stagecoach.


Context: energy consumption represents an important issue with limited and embedded devices. Such devices, e.g. Smartphones, process many images, both to render the UI and for application specific purposes. Goal: we aim to evaluate the energy consumption of different image encoding/decoding algorithms. Method: we run a series of experiments on a ARM based platform, and we collected the energy consumed in performing typical image encoding and decoding tasks. Result: we found that there is a significant difference among codecs in terms of energy consumption. Most of the energy consumption relates to the computational efficiency of the algorithm (i.e. The time performance) though the type of processing and the algorithm may affect the average power usage up to 37%, thus indirectly affecting the energy consumption. Conclusion: JPEG compression is significantly more energy efficient than PNG both for encoding and decoding. Further studies should focus on the additional features that affect energy consumption beyond computational complexity.


The study presents a proposal for Learning English as a Foreign Language at the "Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial" (UTE), making use of the Information Technology and based on a previous pedagogical and technological analysis. Internal diagnostics assessed the use of virtual platforms used at UTE and deepened with a diagnostic field research, interviews with some teachers and students, a total of 3072 students and 27 teachers. From the results, a methodological proposal that presents the tools used, components, evaluation, a class structure and practices to be applied to improve Learning English is made. The methodology emphasizes the oral production and listening, through permanent Practices and Activities.


Background : Since discrepancy between centric relation and maximum intercuspation has been an area of interest for dental fraternity for decades, the study was conducted to expand the concepts of the same when age is taken into consideration. Objective: This study was conducted to assess and measure the discrepancy between centric relation (CR) and maximum intercuspation (MI) at right and left condyles in three age groups, compare the discrepancy at right and left condyles between three age groups and right and left side condyles within the same age group. Methods: Sixty healthy subjects were selected and divided into three groups of twenty subjects each. Group I: 18-25 years, Group II: 30-45 years and Group III: more than fifty years. Preliminary impressions were made. Orientation relation was transferred to a semi-adjustable arcon articulator. Subjects were guided into centric relation using Dawson's bimanual manipulation technique and centric interocclusal record was made. The mandibular cast was related to the maxillary cast using centric interocclusal record. The casts were then allowed to fall into maximum intercuspation and the distance that the condylar analogues had moved was measured using Feeler gauge. Results: The mean CR-MI discrepancy in Group I was 0.417±0.137 mm and 0.364±0.123 mm, Group II was 0.528±0.160 mm and 0.512±0.158 mm and Group III was 0.873±0.228 mm and 0.815±0.172 mm at the right and left condyles respectively. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study it was concluded that all the sixty subjects had a CR-MI discrepancy in both left and right condyles. The variation in discrepancy between the three age groups was found to be very highly significant.


Background: The interplay between single-particle and collective excitations in the 30 ≤Z≤ 40 and 30 ≤N≤ 50 even-even isotopes has been examined in light of recent new measurements of magnetic moments of 41+, 22+, and 21+ states. Purpose: The g factors of the 41+ and 22+ states in the 72,74,76Ge isotopes have been measured for the first time and the g(21+) values have been remeasured. Methods: The transient field (TF) technique in inverse kinematics with a variety of targets has been applied, following Coulomb excitation of the relevant states. The data have been analyzed within the framework of the IBA-II model. Large-scale shell-model calculations have been performed within the p3/2,p1/2,f 5/2,g9/2 orbital space for both protons and neutrons with the JUN45 and JJ4B interactions. Results: The measured Ge g factors were compared to the g factors of the low-lying states of the neighboring Zn, Ge, Se, Kr, and Sr isotopes. The results were evaluated in the context of the systematics of g factors in the A∼80 region. Conclusions: The predictions based on the classic collective model and the interacting boson model IBA-II agree with the experimental results. No evidence for shell closure was found for neutrons at N=38 or N=40. © 2013 American Physical Society.


A long-standing - although not uncontested - view is that violent conflicts reduce average levels of trust. Other theoretical and empirical work emphasizes discriminatory effects, namely that conflicts may enhance ingroup trust and erode out-group trust. The present study combines a trust game and a questionnaire to investigate the impact of direct and indirect conflict exposure on trust between Muslim and Christian students in postconflict Maluku, Indonesia. Reduced average levels of trust are found for subjects who were indirectly exposed to the conflict. Discriminatory effects are related to direct exposure: Directly exposed subjects trust in-group members much more than out-group members. The rationale may be the following: Directly exposed subjects made negative experiences with outgroup members, but also experienced solidarity within their group during the conflict. Indirectly exposed subjects, on the other hand, heard about negative experiences of others without being sufficiently involved to have made such distinct experiences with in-group and out-group members. Unable to distinguish friend from foe, they reduce trust toward everyone.


Autism-assistive apps offer therapists and caregivers new approaches for educating and assisting individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), mainly in social interaction. Even though these apps are deemed effective, they are not. These autism-assistive apps are not highly customizable, which limits their usefulness. This article examined the application software that was applied to encourage verbal communication in the intervention for children with ASD. The aim was to determine the minimum requirements for a verbal communication intervention app that adequately satisfies children with ASD, caregivers, and therapists. Databases were searched, including Scopus, Springer, PubMed, Education Resources Information Centre, and Google Scholar, with the following free-text terms combining Boolean operators: autism, children, intervention, verbal communication, software, app, and technology. A total of fifteen studies were found relevant, and the following information was collected: participant characteristics, information on the devices and apps, target behaviors, intervention procedures, and intervention outcomes. The findings suggest that the autism-assistive apps effectively improve verbal communication of children with ASD. For that, the apps should be attractive and engaging to the children with ASD, able to identify the child's capability and suggest appropriate lesson activities, as well as encompass specific learning outcomes with multilevel lesson strategy. The apps should also use systematic evidence-based intervention procedures in the activities, be able to evaluate the child's learning progress, and allow caregivers or therapists to keep track of application usage and performance. The use of apps in intervention does provide many benefits. However, they should never replace qualified therapists. App-based interventions make home-based treatment more focused, systematic, and economical.


Immune checkpoint blockade by anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody (αPD-L1) has achieved unprecedented clinical benefits in certain cancers, whereas the therapeutic efficacy is often hindered by immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment mediated by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which leads to innate resistance to this approach. To improve checkpoint blockade efficacy, the amphiphilic diblock copolymers poly(mannopyranoside/galactopyranoside methacrylate)- block-polystyrene are prepared by RAFT polymerization, which are sequentially self-assembled into glycocalyx-mimicking nanoparticles (GNPs) to neutralize TAMs. It is shown that GNPs can be specifically internalized by TAMs via lectin receptors, which results in upregulation of immunostimulatory IL-12 and downregulation of immunosuppressive IL-10, arginase 1, and CCL22, indicating functional reversion of protumor TAMs toward antitumor phenotype. The reversion of TAMs is proved to be mainly controlled by suppressing STAT6 and activating NF-κB phosphorylation. In vivo therapeutic studies have demonstrated that GNPs significantly enhance the therapeutic efficacy of αPD-L1 cancer therapy by reduction of tumor burden. Moreover, combination therapies with GNPs and αPD-L1 greatly improve immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by reciprocal modulation of tumor-infiltrating effector and regulatory T cells. Notably, for the first time, our results demonstrate the reversion of TAMs and improvement of αPD-L1 cancer therapy by synthetic carbohydrate-containing nanomaterials. This research highlights a promising strategy for optimizing immune checkpoint blockade in cancer immunotherapy.


When exogenous human estrogen receptor (hER) binds with estrogen, it can activate transcription of target genes in yeast cells. The estrogen dose‐response expression patterns in yeast are very similar to those in human cells. This implies that hER may function in yeast cells via mechanisms similar to those in human cells. In this study, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to dissect mechanisms of hER‐activated transcription in yeast. The hER contains two transcription activation domains: ER‐AF‐1 and ER‐AF‐2 (LBD or HBD). In both human and wild‐type yeast cells, hER must bind with estrogen in order to activate transcription. In those cells, ER‐AF‐2 is independently active upon hormone binding, but ER‐AF‐1 by itself is inactive. In a mutagenesis screen, we found a mutant strain in which the ER‐AF‐1 was independently active. It was determined that this mutant strain carried a Tup1 mutation. More interestingly, a small hER fragment ER‐AF‐0, containing neither ER‐AF‐1 nor ER‐AF‐2, was also fully active in the ΔTup1 cells. This suggests that in this strain, hormone binding is not required for transcription activation by hER. It is known that the Tup1/Ssn6 complex plays an important role in general transcription repression by protecting histone acetylation sites thus stabilizing nucleosomes. In the ΔTup1 cells, nucleosomes are known to be unstable because histones can be easily accessed by acetylase and cause nucleosome disassociation. Two point mutations in helix 12 (H12) in ER‐AF‐2, which abolished hER function in human cells, also completely abolished hER function in the wild‐type yeast cells. This suggested that H12 is essential for hER transcription activation function. However, hER with the H12 mutation is able to activate transcription in ΔTup1 cells. This indicates that the normal function of H12 is required for transcription activation by hER only if nucleosomes are not acetylated and are therefore stable. The results of this work suggest that there is a close relationship between hER function and nucleosome remodeling. It also provides insight about H12 activity and its functional relationship with other domains in hER. We propose here that H12 is essential for hER function by recruiting strong nucleosome remodeling proteins to the promoter region thus overcoming nucleosome repression. J. Cell. Biochem. 86: 224–238, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


ABSTRACT This article provides my reflections and comments on the meta-analysis of situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) presented in this issue. The meta-analysis helps to crystallize strengths and weaknesses of SCCT and the research generated by the theory. No theory is perfect and every theory has limitations/boundaries. The meta-analysis helps to identify the boundaries for SCCT helping to understand when the theory works and when there are better options for informing crisis communication. By reflecting on the extant research, we can plot the direction for future research utilizing SCCT.


Unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA) is one of the prominent tasks of transfer learning, and it provides an effective approach to mitigate the distribution shift between the labeled source domain and the unlabeled target domain. Prior works mainly focus on aligning the marginal distributions or the estimated class-conditional distributions. However, the joint dependency among the feature and the label is crucial for the adaptation task and is not fully exploited. To address this problem, we propose the Bures Joint Distribution Alignment (BJDA) algorithm which directly models the joint distribution shift based on the optimal transport theory in the infinite-dimensional kernel spaces. Specifically, we propose a novel alignment loss term that minimizes the kernel Bures-Wasserstein distance between the joint distributions. Technically, BJDA can effectively capture the nonlinear structures underlying the data. In addition, we introduce a dynamic margin in contrastive learning phase to flexibly characterize the class separability and improve the discriminative ability of representations. It also avoids the cross-validation procedure to determine the margin parameter in traditional triplet loss based methods. Extensive experiments show that BJDA is very effective for the UDA tasks, as it outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms in most experimental settings. In particular, BJDA improves the average accuracy of UDA tasks by 2.8% on Adaptiope, 1.4% on Office-Caltech10, and 1.1% on ImageCLEF-DA.


A successful distributed power control algorithm requires only local measurements for updating the power level of a transmitting node, so that eventually all transmitters meet their QoS requirements. Nevertheless, the problem arises when the QoS requirements cannot be achieved for all the users in the network. In this paper, a distributed algorithm for wireless ad hoc networks which is contention-based and makes use of a back off mechanism is proposed. This algorithm aims to eliminate overhead communication, improve fairness, allow nodes to operate asynchronously while establishing some performance level. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated via simulations.


Neural regulation of haemopoiesis has been previously investigated however,the modifications which occur during acute inflammation have not been studiedin depth. Therefore we were interested in further understanding thecontribution of the nervous system to haemopoiesis. Using the parasiticinfection Trichinella spiralis as a model of acute small intestinal inflammation,we were interested in how this immunological challenge would affect the neuralregulation of haemopoiesis.Initially we studied the effect of nerve growth factor on bone marrowhaemopoeisis. Nerve growth factor is a neurotrophin which has demonstratedan involvement in the regulation of bone marrow haemopoiesis. We found thatduring Trichinella spiralis infection, rising levels of systemic nerve growth factorinhibited granulopoiesis in the bone marrow, thereby controlling small intestinalinflammation.We hypothesized that a hardwired effect involving innervation of the bonemarrow and directed through the brain may counterbalance the antiinflammatoryeffects of nerve growth factor. Due to previous work on theregulation of inflammation by the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, wehypothesized that the vagus nerve may be involved. Therefore we investigatedthe effects of a truncal vagotomy on bone marrow haemopoiesis in na�veanimals. We found that the vagus nerve is involved in the regulation ofmyelopoiesis, through hardwired mechanisms which may stimulate the efferentsympathetic input to the bone marrow. On the introduction of Trichinella spiralisinfection to this model, we found that the vagus nerve had pro-inflammatoryeffects in the small intestine as truncal vagotomy reduced small intestinalinflammation during infection, despite increased gut homing innate cells in thebone marrow. This suggested that the vagus nerve modulates the exit of cellsfrom the bone marrow and/or entrance into the intestine.On simulation of vagal stimulation through nicotine treatment, we found thatnicotine had pro-inflammatory effects in a Th2 environment, which wasdetrimental to small intestinal inflammation associated with Trichinella spiralisinfection.Our work has shown that bone marrow haemopoiesis is regulated by thenervous system through release of soluble factors and by hardwiredmechanisms. Furthermore, these homeostatic mechanisms may be challengedby acute small intestinal infection.


Purpose: This study was done to identify the level of Internet addiction among adolescents, and to examine factors affecting Internet addiction in adolescents. Method: The participants in were 475 high school students. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis to examine the factors affecting Internet addiction in adolescents. Result: The overall Internet addiction scale score was 63.83(±20.48). The differences of Internet addiction according to student characteristics were found to be significant for sex and grade. The level of Internet addiction was positively related to the level of impulsiveness and depression. The level of Internet addiction was negatively related to the level of social support. Factors such as impulsiveness and social support were examined as significant factors predicting Internet addiction in adolescents. Conclusion: Based upon these findings, factors affecting Internet addiction in adolescents include impulsiveness and social support. The findings provide further justification for interventions targeting key factors that influence Internet addiction in adolescents in addition to providing adolescents with necessary communication, negotiation and other life skills.


Abstract Flexible polyimide probes, used for neuronal signal acquisition, are thought to reduce signal deteriorating gliosis, improving the quality of recordings in brain machine interfacing applications. These probes suffer from the disadvantage that they cannot penetrate brain tissue on their own, owing to their limited stiffness and low buckling forces. A microfluidic device as an external micro-drive which aids in the insertion of flexible polyimide neural probes in 0.6% Agarose gel is presented here.


This completely revised edition of the Penguin Guide reviews the major classical recordings issued and reissued over the past five decades, many of which dominate the catalogue because of their sheer excellence, irrespective of recording dates. More comprehensive than ever before and now updated annually, it indicates key recordings on CD, DVD and enhanced SACD, including those in surround sound. If you want the finest available version of any major classical work (including DVDs of opera and ballet) you will find it listed and assessed in these pages. Ranging from long-established recordings to the newest releases, the latest edition represents the cream of the international repertoire and has all the information you need to select the finest classical music available.


This study, as part of the COMPAR-EU project, utilized a mixed-methods approach involving 37 individual, semi-structured interviews and one focus group with 7 participants to investigate the factors influencing the implementation and use of self-management interventions (SMIs) decision tools in clinical practice. The interviews and focus group discussions were guided by a tailored interview and focus group guideline developed based on the Tailored Implementation for Chronic Diseases (TICD) framework. The data were analyzed using a directed qualitative content analysis, with a deductive coding system based on the TICD framework and an inductive coding process. A rapid analysis technique was employed to summarize and synthesize the findings. The study identified five main dimensions and facilitators for implementation: decision tool factors, individual health professional factors, interaction factors, organizational factors, and social, political, and legal factors. The findings highlight the importance of structured implementation through SMI decision support tools, emphasizing the need to understand their benefits, secure organizational resources, and gain political support for sustainable implementation. Overall, this study employed a systematic approach, combining qualitative methods and comprehensive analysis, to gain insights into the factors influencing the implementation of SMIs' decision-support tools in clinical practice.


Abstract. The impact of the assimilation of HFR (High-Frequency Radar) observations in a high-resolution regional model is evaluated, focusing on the improvement of the mesoscale dynamics. The study area is the Ibiza Channel, located in the Western Mediterranean Sea. The resulting fields are tested against trajectories from 13 drifters. Six different assimilation experiments are compared to a control run (no assimilation). The experiments consists in assimilating (i) Sea surface temperature, sea level anomaly and Argo profiles (generic observation dataset); the generic observation dataset plus (ii) HFR total velocities and (iii) HFR radial velocities. Moreover, for each dataset two different initialization methods are assessed: a) restarting directly from the analysis after the assimilation or b) using an intermediate initialization step applying a strong nudging towards the analysis fields. The experiments assimilating generic observations plus HFR total velocities with the direct restart provides the best results, improving by 53 % the average separation distance between drifters and virtual particles after the first 48 hours of simulation in comparison to the control run. When using the nudging initialization step, the best results are found when assimilating HFR radial velocities, with a reduction of the mean separation distance by around 48 %. Results show the capability of the Ensemble Optimal Interpolation data-assimilative system to correct surface currents not only inside but also beyond the HFR coverage area. The assimilation of radial observations benefits from the smoothing effect associated with the application of the intermediate nudging step.


Celebrity endorsement (CE) constitutes a popular marketing strategy. A large body of research and practices recognize the salience of celebrity traits such as credibility and attractiveness in enhancing endorsement effectiveness. According to these approaches, celebrity fans are at the receiving end of the marketing strategy, and they function primarily as brand purchasers. Their varied roles in enhancing CE are less understood. Aided by the proliferation of social media, fans are connected nationally and globally to form not only a formidable force but also a talent pool. Together, they play an increasingly important role in the CE process. This chapter investigated the changing role of celebrity fans and their contributions. Both traditional celebrities and social media influencers were examined. In both cases, the fans are active shapers of the endorsement process. This is a recent development, where the celebrity, their fans, and the endorsed brand are forming a co-creation platform. The implications are discussed.


The authors reply: To the Editor: As stated by Dr. Bete, studies of Purkinje fiber bundles perfused with physiologic salt solution have shown that procaine amide prolongs the action potential duration (APD) and the effective refractory period (ERP), the latter to a greater extent than the former.' We did not discuss the differences Dr. Bete has noted in calculating the AAPD/AERP ratio for our studies because our method for determining the ERP (as outlined in the text) differs somewhat from that used in other investigations. To measure the ERP we delivered a premature stimulus (S2) after each basic drive (S,), not intermittently as is often done. The value we reported for the APD was that at the basic stimulus rate; that for the ERP (with an S2 being delivered after each S) was obtained at a rate twice as fast as the basic drive. Hence, although the method was sensitive to changes in APD and ERP it did not lend itself to the direct determination of the AAPD/AERP which is calculated when both parameters are being measured at the same stimulus rate. Our studies did indicate that at therapeutic plasma procaine amide concentrations there is no significant change in membrane responsiveness and the ERP is only slightly prolonged; while when high concentrations (equivalent to those attained in other studies) are attained membrane responsiveness is depressed and the ERP is more markedly prolonged. We stated that the rather small prolongation of ERP and the lack of effect on membrane responsiveness which occur during maintenance of therapeutic plasma procaine amide concentrations "suggest that altered response to premature impulses may not be as consistent a mechanism for abolition of arrhythmias as are changes in conduction and automaticity." (The latter changes were invariably noted during maintenance of therapeutic concentrations.) I am not certain of the intent of Dr. Bete's comment regarding automaticity and conduction time. We demonstrated that following a single procaine amide injection depression of automaticity occurred well before changes in other parameters including conduction time in the Purkinje fiber bundles. The implication was that tissue concentrations of procaine amide required for suppression of automaticity might be lower than those required for depression of conduction. As a result of these observations we speculated that ventricular arrhythmias which respond rapidly to intravenously administered procaine amide might be due to enhanced automaticity and those which respond more slowly, or require higher concentrations of procaine amide, might be due to abnormal conduction.


Many Superfund/hazardous chemical sites include waterbodies whose sediments contain hazardous chemicals. With the need to assess, rank, and remediate contaminated sediments at such sites, as well as in other waterways, regulators seek a simple, quantitative assessment approach that feeds easily into a decision-making scheme. Numeric, co-occurrence-based "sediment quality guidelines" have emerged with the appearance of administrative simplicity. However, the very foundation of the co-occurrence approach, based on the total concentrations of a chemical(s) in sediment, is technically invalid; its application relies on additional technically invalid presumptions. Use of technically invalid evaluation approaches renders any assessment of the significance of sediment contamination unreliable. This article reviews the technical roots and assumptions of the co-occurrence-based SQGs, the fundamental flaws in the rationale behind their development and application, and their misapplication for sediment quality evaluation. It also reviews concepts and approaches for the more reliable evaluation, ranking, and cleanup assessment of contaminated sediments at Superfund sites and elsewhere. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


This study investigated the bacteriological and physico-chemical properties of water in selected hand-dug wells in Burutu community, Delta state and compared it with World Health Organisation (WHO) Standard. Water samples from wells in twelve different locations were selected and subjected to filtration prior to chemical analysis. The methods of analyses were determined according to the procedure in APHA. Results obtained show that some of the parameters analyzed were within WHO (2006) guidelines for drinking while others exceeded the threshold. In relation to bacteriological contamination, the result revealed that all the sampled wells were contaminated with total and faecal coliform organisms as they exceeded WHO standard. The sampled wells had a mean of total coliform 175.16±155.73mpn from twelve samples with a range of 67 to 576 mpn. Samples across the wells varied in the range of 67, 86.00, 70 mpn for (Ambar), 110, 360, 294 mpn for (Chicoco), 112, 111, 114mpn for (Low beach) and 102, 576 and 100 mpn for (Okorodudu) quarters respectively. It also shows that none of the wells are of quality in terms of portability for drinking. However, they can be used for other domestic activities like washing of clothes and bathing.


Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin is a promisoring biological control agent for invertebrate pests. In the development of a product based on a biological control agent, the study of the mode of action and the metabolites involved and their expression by the promisoring strains is needed for selection, mass rearing, formulation and strain identity. The aim of this work was the biochemical characterization of six B. bassiana isolates by a time course experiment in different culture media. Mycelia disk of six B bassiana isolates were grown in a basal medium as the control, basal medium supplemented with chitin and basal medium supplemented with gelatine. Total proteins, chitinase and glucanase activities were assayed at 3, 5 and 7 days post inoculation. In general, isolates 33 and 9 showed the highest levels for all the parameters studied. The medium supplemented with chitin was the best for total protein and chitinase activity expression, while the media supplemented with gelatine was the best for glucanase production.


Neoliberal pandemic management strategies during the 2019–2022 COVID-19 virus pandemic rendered vulnerable to the disease, people in precarious work, with underlying health issues, and experiencing other forms of social discrimination and disadvantage. Herd immunity strategies designed to address the economic growth imperatives of neoliberal societies were often contrary to scientific advice, leading to high infection rates and the mass death of, in particular, essential workers in manufacturing, healthcare, and service provision. At times, health policies and political rhetoric scapegoated marginalised communities for the spread of the disease, subjecting them to the pandemic's more harmful social and economic effects. These ideological-political environments also provided context for accelerationist and conspiratorial narratives about COVID-19 communicated among wider political networks, within economically-driven environments of counterfactual mass news and social media. Responding to this situation, this paper examines how certain pandemic responses from government and non-government actors collectively contributed toward racialised, classist social discrimination in responses to COVID-19, such that they might be said to constitute an intra-pandemic far-right 'social turn'.


Frequent site energy consumption auditing is a potential strategy to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing buildings. Such a strategy has been practised in Australia for nearly 15 years. This paper documents and analyses the effect of repetitive audits on measured site energy consumption. Using a self-constructed database of over 3500 audited disclosures representing over 800 unique office buildings, empirical models demonstrate that measured site energy consumption declines, on average, over the first five re-certification periods. The results also suggest a market average post-certification equilibrium in Australia of approximately 430 MJ/m2/year (120 kWh/m2/year) within approximately six years, if all else – including green management strategy – is held constant. Since GHG emissions from buildings in Australia are highly correlated with site energy consumption, such a result is comparable with meeting 50-year GHG mitigation targets reliant on the implementation of existing technologies. This suggests that repetitive auditing is a successful approach for motivating owners to invest in existing energy efficiency technologies.


Early development of the filamentous brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus (Dillwyn) Lyngbye involves two cell types that are arranged in a polymorphic, but constrained, pattern. The present study aimed to decipher the cellular processes responsible for the establishment of this pattern. Thorough observations characterised five different events of division and differentiation that occurred during the early development. The hypothesis that a local control is responsible for these processes was tested. To do so, Ectomat, a stochastic automaton in which each cell only interacts with its closest neighbour(s), was created. The probabilities for the five events were adjusted to fit to the observations. Simulations with Ectomat reconstructed most of the essential properties of the sporophyte development, in terms of cell-type proportion, relative position and growth dynamics. The whole organism properties emerged by applying local transition rules. In conclusion, no global position information system was required at this development stage. Randomly occurring cell events, driven by simple contact interactions, are sufficient to account for the early filament development and establishment of the cell-type pattern of E. siliculosus.


Iunia Theodora and Claudia Metrodora were female benefactors who possessed Roman citizenship and who lived in cities of the Roman East around the middle of the first century A.D. Both used their wealth and high social standing to assist their fellow citizens and to improve the circumstances of their lives. Claudia Metrodora displays the characteristics of a civic patron by the manner in which she financed festivals and buildings associated with her native city and with the religious league of the Ionian cities. Iunia Theodora lived at Corinth during the period of Paul's activity in that region. Her activity is described as relating to political and, possibly, commercial patronage. She is described by a cognate of the word prostavti", the term which is applied to Phoebe with respect to the church at Kenchreai and to Paul himself (Rom. 16:1-2). The inscriptions relating to these two female benefactors permit an exploration of the ways in which wealthy women might exercise patronage in a civic or wider spheres.


As we all know that lockdown has been announced in the county due to coronavirus which has obstructed students in their studies. In today's highly competitive world, students face various academic problems including exam stress, disinterest in attending classes, and the inability to understand a subject. Academic stress is becoming increasingly common and widespread among adolescents. This study investigated the academic stress and stress coping strategies on impact of COVID 19 lockdown experienced by the students at University. The sample was drawn through convenient sampling technique and consisted of 250 adolescents studying in the selected colleges at Kattankulathur. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation. Results showed that the correlation value -0.167 is highly significant since the p-value is less than 0.01 hence, we can say that there is a highly significant negative correlation between Academic Stress and Coping Strategies". This study concludes that, if the academic stress score increases then the coping strategy score will be decreasing and vice versa.


The late 1960s saw the upsurge of a new form of political action, called variously community politics or community action : organizing around the neighbourhood and the home became a significant political activity. Yet to grasp the significance of community politics, embracing squatting, tenant associations, anti-urban-renewal groups, community workshops and claimant unions-to name some of the more permanent groupings, is extraordinarily difficult, not least because of the ambiguity of the word community.l A notoriously Humpty Dumpty word, community" is as likely to be found on the lips of Edward Heath as on those of the Angry Brigade or the Young Liberals; at times it threatens to replace with a populist wooliness the unambiguous concept of "class". For these reasons it is important to relate this widespread if often fragmented activity to the working class movement as a whole.


Patterning of aryl derivatives on graphitic carbon surfaces by printing with poly(dimethylsiloxane) stamps is described. The printing ink contained aryldiazonium salts which react spontaneously with the carbon substrate (pyrolyzed photoresist film) resulting in covalently attached modifiers. Printed surfaces were characterized using electrochemistry and scanning electron microscopy, and by generating water condensation figures. The method is very simple and versatile:  both aqueous acid and DMF were shown to be suitable ink solvents and the diazonium salt could be printed directly from its synthesis solution. Surfaces patterned with nitrophenyl, aminophenyl, and caboxyphenyl groups were successfully prepared. Extension of the method to patterning other conducting and semiconducting substrates should be straightforward.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the veterinary establishments, providers of clinical services in the city of Salvador, Bahia, regarding compliance with laws relating to waste health management, as well as assess the practice, knowledge and perception on the subject. From September 2010 to March 2011, 36 veterinary establishments were visited and their technical managers interviewed about knowledge, practice and perception on the subject. Of these, 30.6% know the current law, 2.8% have implemented the plan of waste management of health services, 19.4% has a contract with the company of collects waste and 88.9% believes that the waste health services represent some kind of risks. Other aspects were investigated too. The results show that although the technical managers unfamiliar with the resolution of the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency, they are aware of the risks associated with inappropriate practices of waste management of health services. The study revealed the need to understand and correct the gaps in vocational training in the perception of the risks posed by the waste of health services; dialogue between institutions and professional and the formulating criteria that suit the requirements of the relevant legislation and the scale of generation of waste health services in establishments veterinarians.


This study, based on the sociological crime theory, is to examine the relation between urban characteristics and the incidence of crime, helping establish effective crime prevention measures. For doing so, the study employs crime data from the Supreme Prosecutors` Office and socio-demographic data including the regional Statistical Yearbooks -both from 2005 to 2012- to build the study`s panel data, and analyzes the panel model on the 16 subordinate districts in the city of Busan. To reduce the incidence of crime and prevent crimes from occurring based on the analysis results, first, prevention measures specific to each region by its attributes are needed rather than general ones; second, new institutional frameworks or policies are required for utilizing accurate crime data; third, interdisciplinary research in which various fields including urban engineering are associated to that of social science is necessary to further the study.


With evolving data regulations, machine unlearning (MU) has become an important tool for fostering trust and safety in today's AI models. However, existing MU methods focusing on data and/or weight perspectives often grapple with limitations in unlearning accuracy, stability, and cross-domain applicability. To address these challenges, we introduce the concept of 'weight saliency' in MU, drawing parallels with input saliency in model explanation. This innovation directs MU's attention toward specific model weights rather than the entire model, improving effectiveness and efficiency. The resultant method that we call saliency unlearning (SalUn) narrows the performance gap with 'exact' unlearning (model retraining from scratch after removing the forgetting dataset). To the best of our knowledge, SalUn is the first principled MU approach adaptable enough to effectively erase the influence of forgetting data, classes, or concepts in both image classification and generation. For example, SalUn yields a stability advantage in high-variance random data forgetting, e.g., with a 0.2% gap compared to exact unlearning on the CIFAR-10 dataset. Moreover, in preventing conditional diffusion models from generating harmful images, SalUn achieves nearly 100% unlearning accuracy, outperforming current state-of-the-art baselines like Erased Stable Diffusion and Forget-Me-Not.


The present work describes an investigation concerning the biofuels production and consumption, from 2000 to 2010, of different regions: Asia and Oceania; Central and South America; European Union and North America. The Brazilian case is also studied. In all regions studied, the production and consumption grows significantly in this period. The production is local and adapts to agricultural inputs available for production, being an activity related to regional development. It is also observed that Europe has greater production and consumption of biodiesel, while Brazil and the U.S. have higher production and consumption of ethanol. Furthermore, biofuels increased their relevance in energy matrices around the world.


We extend our recently proposed Deep Learning-aided many-body dispersion (DNN-MBD) model to quadrupole polarizability (Q) terms using a generalized Random Phase Approximation (RPA) formalism, thus enabling the inclusion of van der Waals contributions beyond dipole. The resulting DNN-MBDQ model only relies on ab initio-derived quantities as the introduced quadrupole polarizabilities are recursively retrieved from dipole ones, in turn modeled via the Tkatchenko–Scheffler method. A transferable and efficient deep-neuronal network (DNN) provides atom-in-molecule volumes, while a single range-separation parameter is used to couple the model to Density Functional Theory (DFT). Since it can be computed at a negligible cost, the DNN-MBDQ approach can be coupled with DFT functionals, such as PBE, PBE0, and B86bPBE (dispersionless). The DNN-MBQ-corrected functionals reach chemical accuracy while exhibiting lower errors compared to their dipole-only counterparts.


Using the cDNA of human epsilon chain, three expression plasmids that code directly the constant portion of the epsilon chain (C epsilon 1-C epsilon 4, C epsilon 2-C epsilon 4 and C epsilon 3-C epsilon 4 domains) were constructed. These epsilon chain peptides were synthesized in E. coli under the control of the trp promoter-operator. The bacterially produced peptides have the antigenicity of human epsilon chain and gave the molecular weights equal to the values calculated from the amino acid sequence of the constructed plasmids.


The three amino acid loop extension (TALE) homeodomain superfamily, which comprises the KNOTTED-like and BEL1-like families, plays a critical role in regulating meristem activity. We previously demonstrated a function for KNAT6 (for KNOTTED-like from Arabidopsis thaliana 6) in shoot apical meristem and boundary maintenance during embryogenesis. KNAT2, the gene most closely related to KNAT6, does not play such a role. To investigate the contribution of KNAT6 and KNAT2 to inflorescence development, we examined their interactions with two TALE genes that regulate internode patterning, BREVIPEDICELLUS (BP) and PENNYWISE (PNY). Our data revealed distinct and overlapping interactions of KNAT6 and KNAT2 during inflorescence development. Removal of KNAT6 activity suppressed the pny phenotype and partially rescued the bp phenotype. Removal of KNAT2 activity had an effect only in the absence of both BP and KNAT6 or in the absence of both BP and PNY. Consistent with this, KNAT6 and KNAT2 expression patterns were enlarged in both bp and pny mutants. Thus, the defects seen in pny and bp are attributable mainly to the misexpression of KNAT6 and to a lesser extent of KNAT2. Hence, our data showed that BP and PNY restrict KNAT6 and KNAT2 expression to promote correct inflorescence development. This interaction was also revealed in the carpel.


Introduction: Rituximab-alkylator combinations are the standard therapies for patients (pts) with iNHL, however, refractory disease nearly uniformly develops. Once iNHL becomes "double-refractory" to both rituximab + alkylating agents, there are limited options to induce durable remissions. PI3K-delta signaling is critical for activation, proliferation and survival of B cells, and is hyperactive in many B-cell malignancies. Idelalisib, a selective oral inhibitor of PI3Kd, demonstrated considerable clinical activity in double-refractory iNHL (Gopal NEJM 2014). FDA granted accelerated approval for Idelalisib (Zydelig®) in patients who have received at least two prior systemic therapies with relapsed FL or SLL. Based on these encouraging initial results, we now describe long-term follow up, safety, and remission durations of this double-refractory iNHL population treated with idelalisib. Methods: Eligible iNHL pts included those with measurable disease refractory to both rituximab and an alkylating agent. Refractory was defined as lack of response to, or progression of lymphoma within 6 months of completion of index therapy, confirmed by imaging. Idelalisib 150 mg PO BID was administered continuously until disease progression or intolerance. Responses were evaluated by an independent review committee, using standard criteria (Cheson, 2007, and Owen 2013). The new data cutoff date for this analysis was June 2014, 20 months after the last patient enrolled. Results: Enrolled pts (N = 125) had a median age of 64 years and included follicular lymphoma (FL) n=72 (58%), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) n=28 (22%), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) n=15 (12%) and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL)/Waldenstrom9s macroglobulinemia (WM) n=10 (8%). The median number of prior therapies was 4 [range 2-12], including bendamustine/rituximab (BR) (n=60) and rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (R-CHOP) (n=56) and autologous transplant (n=14). 81 pts (65%) had prior bendamustine, of which 61/81 (75%) were refractory. 112 pts (90%) were refractory to their last regimen, and 99 pts (79%) were refractory to ≥2 regimens. 38 pts (30%) had elevated LDH, and 33 pts (26%) had bulky disease >7 cm. The median time to progression from last prior therapy was 3.9 months. With a median exposure of 11.1 months (range 0.7 to 35.4), the overall response rate (ORR) is 56% (95% CI = 46.8-64.9) with 70 responders, comprising 12 CRs (9.6%), 58 PRs (46.4%). The median time to response was 1.9 months (time of first evaluation) and time to CR was 4.5 months. There were 43 pts with stable disease (SD) (34.4%). 90% of pts experienced some decrease in tumor burden. ORR for iNHL subtypes is: FL (54%), SLL (61%), MZL (47%), and LPL/WM (70%). CR rate for iNHL subtypes is: FL (14%), SLL (4%), MZL (7%), and LPL/WM (0%). Among responders, median DOR is 13.9 (0.03-31.3) months. DOR for iNHL subtypes in months (Figure 1) is: FL 11.8, SLL 13.9, MZL 18.4, and LPL/WM (not yet reached). Median PFS for all pts is 11.0 months, in comparison to a median PFS of the last prior regimen of 3.9 months (p The adverse events include (total%/≥ grade 3%) diarrhea/colitis (50/18), fatigue (30/2), nausea (31/2), cough (32/0), pyrexia (30/2), dyspnea (18/5), rash (14/2), pneumonia (14/11), and pneumonitis (4/3). Based on central laboratory measurements, Grade ≥3 ALT/AST elevations occurred in 18 pts (14%). Drug was temporarily held in these pts, and 11/15 pts (73%) were re-treated without recurrence of ALT/AST elevation. Overall, 30 pts (24%) have discontinued therapy due to adverse events. Conclusions: The prolonged administration of idelalisib was well tolerated, had an acceptable safety profile, and was highly effective in inducing and maintaining remissions in double-refractory iNHL population with an ORR of 56%, PFS of 11 months, and DOR of 13.9 months. The response rate and long term duration of responses in the small number of subjects with LPL/WM is very promising, and will be evaluated in larger trials of this disease. The observed disease control compared to prior regimens suggests the potential for prolonged clinical benefit in this challenging patient population with unmet medical need. Disclosures Gopal:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Off Label Use: Zydelig is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of patients with: 1) Relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), in combination with rituximab, in patients for whom rituximab alone would be considered appropriate therapy due to other co-morbidities; 2) Relapsed follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (FL) in patients who have received at least two prior systemic therapies; and 3) Relapsed small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) in patients who have received at least two prior systemic therapies.. Kahl:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. de Vos:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Wagner-Johnston:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Schuster:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Jurczak:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Flinn:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Flowers:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Martin:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Viardot:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Blum:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Goy:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Davies:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Zinzani:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Dreyling:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding. Holes:Gilead Sciences: Employment, Equity Ownership. Sorensen:Gilead Sciences: Employment, Equity Ownership. Godfrey:Gilead Sciences: Employment, Equity Ownership. Salles:Gilead Sciences: Research Funding.


Abstract This paper describes and illustrates a new species of Primulaceae, Primulawolongensissp. nov. from Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province, China. It is very rare and currently only known from its type locality. The new species belongs to subsection Chartacea of the section Petiolares on account of lacking bud scales at flowering, being efarinose and having distinct petiolate leaves with more or less rounded lamina. The new species can be differentiated from other members of the subsection by leaf blade margin dentate, and leaf veins which are not raised, scape shorter than or equal to pedicels, yellow flowers and location of stamens of the corolla tube at thrum flower. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear ribosome internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) demonstrated that P.wolongensis was sister to subgen. Auriculastrum. Primulawolongensis is currently known from a single location in Wolong Town, and its conservation status is assessed as Data Deficient (DD).


The development of microwave absorption materials with well-matched impedance matching and higher attenuation constants still remains a challenge, and this restricts improvement in their absorption performance. Herein, magnetic cobalt/reduced graphene oxide (M-Co/RGO) nanocomposites with enhanced microwave absorption performance were tailored by utilizing the synergy of impedance matching and attenuation constant based on the strategy of synergistic engineering of dielectric and magnetic losses. The synergistic engineering between the dielectric loss of RGO and the magnetic loss of M-Co nanoparticles enhances the impedance matching and attenuation constant and realizes improved microwave absorption. Through tuning of the mass ratio and filler loading of M-Co/RGO nanocomposites, the impedance matching and attenuation constant can reach 0.95 and 129.6, respectively, and the maximum reflection loss of −32.85 dB is achieved at 11.7 GHz. Furthermore, the tunable effective absorption bandwidth of M-Co/RGO nanocomposites can reach 8 GHz within a thickness of 2.2 mm. The dielectric and magnetic losses of M-Co/RGO nanocomposites primarily originate from dipole polarization, interfacial polarization, and multiple magnetic resonances. Undoubtedly, this strategy for synergistic engineering of dielectric and magnetic losses will provide new insight into the design of high-performance microwave absorbents.


BACKGROUND Critical care is rapidly evolving with significant innovations to decrease hospital stays and costs. To our knowledge, there is limited data on factors that affect the length of stay and hospital charges in cirrhotic patients who present with ST-elevation myocardial infarction-related cardiogenic shock (SRCS). AIM To identify the factors that increase inpatient mortality, length of stay, and total hospital charges in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) compared to those without LC. METHODS This study includes all adults over 18 from the National Inpatient Sample 2017 database. The study consists of two groups of patients, including SRCS with LC and without LC. Inpatient mortality, length of stay, and total hospital charges are the primary outcomes between the two groups. We used STATA 16 to perform statistical analysis. The Pearson's chi-square test compares the categorical variables. Propensity-matched scoring with univariate and multivariate logistic regression generated the odds ratios for inpatient mortality, length of stay, and resource utilization. RESULTS This study includes a total of 35798453 weighted hospitalized patients from the 2017 National Inpatient Sample. The two groups are SRCS without LC (n = 758809) and SRCS with LC (n = 11920). The majority of patients were Caucasian in both groups (67% vs 72%). The mean number of patients insured with Medicare was lower in the LC group (60% vs 56%) compared to the other group, and those who had at least three or more comorbidities (53% vs 90%) were significantly higher in the LC group compared to the non-LC group. Inpatient mortality was also considerably higher in the LC group (28.7% vs 10.63%). Length of Stay (LOS) is longer in the LC group compared to the non-LC group (9 vs 5.6). Similarly, total hospital charges are higher in patients with LC ($147407.80 vs $113069.10, P ≤ 0.05). Inpatient mortality is lower in the early percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) group (OR: 0.79 < 0.11), however, it is not statistically significant. Both early Impella (OR: 1.73 < 0.05) and early extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) (OR: 3.10 P < 0.05) in the LC group were associated with increased mortality. Early PCI (-2.57 P < 0.05) and Impella (-3.25 P < 0.05) were also both associated with shorter LOS compared to those who did not. Early ECMO does not impact the LOS; however, it does increase total hospital charge (addition of $24717.85, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION LC is associated with a significantly increased inpatient mortality, length of stay, and total hospital charges in patients who develop SRCS. Rural and Non-teaching hospitals have significantly increased odds of extended hospital stays and higher adjusted total hospital charges. The Association of LC with worse outcomes outlines the essential need to monitor these patients closely and treat them early on with higher acuity care. Patients with early PCI had both shorter LOS and reduced inpatient mortality, while early Impella was associated with increased mortality and shorter LOS. Early ECMO is associated with increased mortality and higher total hospital charges. This finding should affect the decision to follow through with interventional management in this cohort of patients as it is associated with poor outcomes and immense resource utilization.


To better focus efforts in recruiting psychoanalytic candidates, current candidates' demographics, practice patterns, and satisfaction with psychoanalytic training were investigated. An anonymous web-based survey was distributed by e-mail to all candidates subscribing to the affiliate member e-mail list in 2009–2010. Surveys were completed by 226 of 565 affiliate members, for a return rate of 40%. The majority of respondents were women 45 to 64 years of age, married, with a doctoral degree, in private practice, with an annual household income of over $100,000. Most candidates devoted 11 to 30 hours a week to training and had no analysts or candidates in their workplace. Almost half had considered training for more than four years before matriculation, with financial issues cited most frequently as delaying entry. Over 80% of respondents were satisfied with their training. The most frequently cited reasons for dissatisfaction were a negative institute atmosphere, concerns about teaching or the curriculum, and difficulty finding cases. Candidates in training for eight years or more accounted for almost 20% of the group and were more often dissatisfied with training. This study demonstrates that the majority of current candidates are satisfied with training but suggests that recruitment may become increasingly difficult unless factors related to time, cost, case finding, graduation requirements, and institute atmosphere can be addressed.


Scarcity of wood raw material can be solved by promoting fast growing tree species with a good quality of wood. Jabon (Anthocepalus cadamba Miq) is one of the species, which can be promoted to solve the scarcity. The objective of the research was to know physical properties of Jabon wood such as moisture content, specific gravity and change of wood dimension based on its axial position in the trunk (base, middle and top portions).  The research has been realized from May to July 2014 at Laboratorium Agroteknology of Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Tadulako Palu. The research used Jabon tree with six years old that showed 27 cm of diameter and 10 m of economical trunk originating from Alindau village of Central Sulawesi. The laboratory work of analyzing the wood samples has used British Standard 373: 157 by applying experimental design of Completely Randomized Design. The treatment was axial position that was divided into three positions: base, middle and top portions.  The results show similarity on the moisture content of the positions, and as well as the change of wood dimension, meanwhile the specific gravity tend to increase trough base to top portions. Key Words: Jabon, Moisture content, specific gravityandchange of wood dimension


Adenoviruses are common viral pathogens in childhood; however, they can cause serious disease in an immunocompromised host. Fulminant hepatitis is a rare complication of adenoviral infection. We report herein a case of fatal fulminant hepatitis possibly caused by adenovirus infection. Although rare, adenovirus infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute liver failure in immunocompetent children.


A global regulatory complex made up of two unconventional transcriptional factors, CarD and CarG, is implicated in the control of various processes in Myxococcus xanthus, a Gram-negative bacterium that serves as a prokaryotic model system for multicellular development and the response to blue light. CarD has a unique two-domain architecture composed of: (1) a C-terminal DNA-binding domain that resembles eukaryotic high mobility group A (HMGA) proteins, which are relatively abundant, nonhistone components of chromatin that remodel DNA and prime it for the assembly of multiprotein-DNA complexes essential for various DNA transactions, and (2) an N-terminal domain involved in interactions with CarG and RNA polymerase, which is also the founding member of the large CarD_TRCF family of bacterial proteins. CarG, which does not bind DNA directly, has a zinc-binding motif of the type found in the archaemetzincin class of metalloproteases that, in CarG, appears to play a purely structural role. This review aims to provide an overview of the known molecular details and insights emerging from the study of the singular CarD-CarG prokaryotic regulatory complex and its parallels with enhanceosomes, the higher order, nucleoprotein transcription complexes in eukaryotes.


Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disorder caused by pancreatic β-cells destruction. Anti-pancreatic antibodies are the witness of β-cell destruction and their dosage is mainly used for etiological diagnosis. Patients with T1DM are at increased risk of developing other autoimmune reactions, which may involve other organs, resulting in organ specific autoimmune disease. The most frequently encountered are autoimmune thyroid disease, followed by celiac and gastric disease and other rare autoimmune diseases. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of autoimmune markers in patients with T1DM. Methods: The study was conducted at the Department of Endocrinology of the Military Hospital Moulay Ismail in Meknes Morocco, from January 2016 to December 2018. All Type 1 diabetes patients consulting during the study period were included in the study. Their clinical and biochemical data were collected at their first presentation, made up of anti-pancreatic antibodies (glutamic acid decarboxylase [GAD] antibody, tyrosine phosphatase antibody, and islet cell antibody) and other organ-specific antibodies: the thyroid (antithyroid peroxidase antibody, antithyroglobulin antibody, and antithyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody), the intestine (IgA antitissue transglutaminase antibody), the adrenal gland (anti-21 hydroxylase antibody), and the stomach (antigastric parietal cell antibody and anti-intrinsic factor antibody). Results: Fifty-four patients were included, with an average age of 26 years. GAD, tyrosine phosphatase, and islet cell antibodies were detected in 74%, 22%, and 3.7%, respectively, of the 54 patients examined. The prevalence of extrapancreatic autoimmunity was 45% with a large preponderance among different immunities of those from thyroid and celiac diseases (CDs). Conclusion: Our results confirm that patients with Type 1 diabetes should be investigated for the presence of autoimmune diseases mainly from thyroid and CDs.


This paper considers the problem of how to construct and maintain an overlay structured P2P network based on the small world paradigm. Two main attractive properties of a small world network are (1) low average hop distance between any two randomly chosen nodes, and (2) high clustering coefficient of nodes. Having a low average hop distance implies a low latency for object lookup, while having a high clustering coefficient implies the underlying network can effectively provide object lookup even under heavy demands (for example, in a flash crowd scenario). We present a small world overlay protocol (SWOP) for constructing a small world overlay P2P network. We compare the performance of our system with that of other structured P2P networks such as Chord. We show that the SWOP protocol can achieve improved object lookup performance over the existing protocols. We also exploit the high clustering coefficient of a SWOP network to design an object replication algorithm that can effectively handle heavy object lookup traffic. As a result, a SWOP network can quickly and efficiently deliver popular and dynamic objects to a large number of requesting nodes. To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first piece of work that addresses how to handle dynamic flash crowds in a structured P2P network environment.


The need for a high brightness electron beam for the proposed Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) project at SLAC has led to the development of the Gun Test Facility (GTF) at SSRL. The design requirements for the LCLS are 1 nC of charge in a microbunch of 10 ps or less with a normalized rms emittance of 1π mm mrad. Simulations of the GTF using a 1 nC bunch with 10 ps flat top temporal and uniform transverse distribution produce a simulated beam that meets the LCLS requirements. Initial measurements at the GTF with a micro-bunch containing 1 nC of charge with Gaussian longitudinal and transverse distributions, have shown that lengthening the laser pulse from 5 ps to 8 ps FWHM led to a reduction in the normalized emittance. In this paper, brief details of recent drive laser upgrades and results of emittance measurements for which the photoemission from a Cu cathode is very non-uniform are presented. Contributed to the 21 Internantional Conference on Free Electron Laser and 6 FEL Applications Workshop (FEL 99)


Ramon Margalef and I have enjoyed many years of conversation about ecology and my remarks will celebrate our relationship. My life has gradually shifted from the hustle of the market place and consumption of money and goods to a academic career devoted to students and ideas. Students ask how they can avoid becoming trivial, how they can contribute to solving the dreadful problems that face human society? Students want to know from me, their senior, what are the big questions of ecological science. That is the motivation for me to think about the challenging questions ecologists are asking today, that may change the subject tomorrow.


A simple integrated power supply circuit in ESFI-SOS technology with only one external capacitor is presented. The circuit, which can directly be applied to 110 V AC line voltages, comprises a bridge rectifier, a `lambda'-type current switch, and a series regulator with overload protection. Because of the relatively small area consumption (6 mm/SUP 2/) the circuit to be supplied can easily be integrated on the same chip. Experimental results show a DC output power of about 100 mW (10 V/10 mA). Due to the lambda-type current switching high efficiencies of more than 30 percent are achieved. With some additional device modifications to increase breakdown voltage it should be possible to operate such circuits also with 220 V AC line voltages.


Objective To perform a prospective randomized comparison of the efficacy and safety of low-dose 5mg olanzapine(OLZ) in preventing nausea and vomiting induced by carboplatin chemotherapy.Methods All patients with malignant tumors (n=113) who received carboplatin(AUC≥5)chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups:triplet regimen group (n=56) and standard group (n=57). The patients in the olanzapine group received 5mg olanzapine combined with 5-HT3RA and dexamethasone(DXM) triplet antiemetic regimen, whereas those in the standard group received 5-HT3RA and DXM. The primary end-points of the study were the TC(total contral) during the OP(Overall phase, 0-120h), AP(acute phase, 0-24h) and DP(delayed phase, 25-120h) phase between combined 5mg olanzapine triplet regimen group and standard group. The secondary end-points were the TP (total protection) and CR (complete response) during OP, AP and DP phase between two groups. The first time to vomiting comparion between two groups was depicted by Kaplan-Meier curves. The impact of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) on the quality of life was assessed by the Functional Living Index-Emesis(FLIE). Olanzapine related side-effection was also recorded.Results: (1) The primary end-point TC rate were favorable 5mg olanzapine group than standard group during the OP 62.50% (35/56) vs 31.57% (18/57) P=0.001), AP 87.50% (49/56) vs 63.15% (36/57) P=0.003 and DP 64.28% (36/56) vs 33.33% (19/57) P=0.001 respectively. (2)The secondry end-points TP were 82.14% (46/56) vs 63.15%(36/57)(P=0.024),83.92%(47/56) vs 63.15%(36/57) (P=0.012) during the OP and DP but not get statistical significance during AP between two groups respectively.The CR rate does not get statistical significance between two groups during the three periods respectively, P>0.05;(3) It was observed longer time to first emesis in the olanzapine group than standard group from Kaplan-Meier curves.The no effection on life-quality (score≥108) assessed by FILE was 62.50% vs 43.48% between two groups, P<0.05. The most common olanzapine-related side-effection is somnolence and weakness.Conclusion: The 5mg olanzapine based triplet antiemetic regimen is effective and safety in the prevention carboplatin induced nausea and vomiting especially in the control of the nausea. Name of the registry: ChiCTR2000040566Trial registration number: ChiCTR2000040566Date of registration(retrospectively registered): 2th-12-2020URL of trial registry record:https://www.chictr.org.cn/listbycreater.aspx


The spatial structure of light waves of the electric type in a cone with perfectly reflecting metal walls is theoretically analysed. The exact formulas and asymptotic expressions are derived which describe the dependences of the energy density of different components of the field inside the cone on the radial coordinate. A special attention is paid to the study of the character of the field decrease near the cone apex depending on the cone angle and the wavelength. The effects of reflection of waves from the truncated cone-free space interface are studied. The obtained results are used for measuring the transmission coefficient of a truncated cone in the optical range for a broad range of parameters, including the diameter of the output aperture of the order of 0.05 — 0.1 of the wavelength. The possibility of obtaining a high transmission coefficient of light in a truncated metallised cone is theoretically substantiated.


This paper summarizes the methods and limitations of deriving satellite maneuver information from historical twoline element (TLE) data. Each TLE contains the orbital information of an earth-orbiting object at a particular epoch time, and is used to calculate object state vectors. A TLE "time-history" comprises a list of TLEs measured over an extended period of time, and therefore contains information on orbital perturbation effects, both environmental and non-environmental. The non-environmental perturbations of interest for active satellites are thrusting maneuvers. This paper describes the design, implementation and performance of a TLE-based maneuver detection algorithm. Algorithm performance is measured relative to several spacecraft with known maneuver histories. TLE timehistories may also be used to estimate satellite masses, because the recorded environmental perturbations depend on a satellite's area-to-mass ratio (A/m). Estimates of a "best-fit" A/m value for a satellite can be derived by performing a least-squares comparison of the orbital elements taken from the TLE history with analytically-derived orbital elements. However, in order for the least-squares analysis to yield an accurate A/m estimate, all forces that significantly perturb the orbit need to be appropriately modeled, including maneuver thrusting for active satellites. The focus of this work is on the development and assessment of techniques that allow maneuvers to be detected from the historical TLE data, and thus support trending of the A/m ratio. The results show surprisingly reliable detection of maneuvers down to delta-velocity magnitudes at the centimeter-per-second level or less, provided the algorithm parameters are "tuned" appropriately.


To determine the impact of oral physiology on the volatility of typical wine aroma compounds, mixtures of a synthetic wine with oral components (centrifuged human saliva (HS), artificial saliva with mucin (AS), and buccal epithelial cells (BC)) were prepared. Each wine type was independently spiked with four relevant wine odorants (guaiacol, β-phenyl ethanol, ethyl hexanoate, and β-ionone). Additionally, the impact of four types of phenolic compounds (gallic acid, catechin, grape seed extract, and a red wine extract) on aroma volatility in the HS, AS, and BC wines was also assessed. Static headspace was measured at equilibrium by solid phase microextraction–GC/MS analysis. Results showed a significant impact of oral components on the volatility of the four tested odorants. Independently of the type of aroma compound, aroma volatility was in general, higher in wines with BC. Moreover, while guaiacol and ethyl hexanoate volatility was significantly lower in wines with HS compared to wines with AS, β-ionone showed the opposite behavior, which might be related to metabolism and retention of mucin, respectively. Phenolic compounds also showed a different effect on aroma volatility depending on the type of compound and wine. Gallic acid had little effect on polar compounds but it enhanced the volatility of the most hydrophobic ones (ethyl hexanoate and β-ionone). In general, flavonoid type polyphenols significantly reduced the volatility of both polar (guaiacol and β-phenyl ethanol) and hydrophobic compounds (β-ionone in HS and BC wines), but through different mechanisms (e.g., π–π interactions and hydrophobic binding for polar and apolar odorants respectively). On the contrary, flavonoids enhanced the volatility of ethyl hexanoate, which might be due to the inhibition exerted on some salivary enzymes (e.g., carboxyl esterase) involved in the metabolism of this odorant molecule.


The release of landfill gas is responsible for approximately 3 % of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Especially a high content of organic matter in municipal solid waste (MSW) in wet areas may enhance the microbial activity and the production of landfill gas and leachate as metabolic products. Accordingly, the delineation of saturated zones and biogeochemically active and inactive areas is critical for designing adequate stabilization systems to limit the environmental impact of landfills on greenhouse gas production. Therefore, landfill investigations with high spatial resolution are critical for environmental protection. Geophysical methods are a cost-efficient possibility to obtain almost continuous information about subsurface properties at various spatial scales, which can help to identify biogeochemical active zones. Within this case study we investigate the applicability of three geophysical methods, namely (i) the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), (ii) the induced polarization (IP) method and (iii) the transient electromagnetic (TEM) method to characterize the landfill geometry and to discriminate between biogeochemically active and inactive areas. The investigated landfill is located close to Vienna (Austria) and consists of a mixture of MSW, construction and demolition waste (CDW) and excavated soil. We conducted ERT and IP measurements along 17 profiles distributed over the area of the landfill to provide high resolution images of the subsurface down to 8 m depth. Additionally, we used transient electromagnetic measurements along selected profiles to provide information on deeper structures of the landfill as well as to evaluate the electrical conductivity obtained with ERT. Our results show that the electrical conductivity obtained by both ERT and TEM is mainly sensitive to the increase in the fluid conductivity associated to leachate production and migration. Additionally, a decrease in electrical conductivity is associated to CDW and dry MSW and can help to distinguish between different waste types. However, images of the polarization effect obtained with the IP method, expressed in terms of the phase of the complex conductivity, revealed an improved contrast to characterize variations in the architecture and biogeochemical activity of the landfill. Hence, our study demonstrates that the geophysical methods we applied are well-suited for landfill investigations permitting an improved characterization of landfill geometry and variation in waste composition. In particular, the IP method can delineate between biogeochemically active and inactive zones.


Natural fiber reinforced composites are increasingly used to fabricate structural components prone to suffering low-velocity impacts. The low-velocity impact response of flax fabric reinforced composites under different impact energies is experimentally studied and numerically simulated. A multi-scale finite element analysis strategy for the progressive damage prediction of flax fabric reinforced composites is developed. Micro- and meso-scale analyses are conducted to predict the effective properties of the woven unit cell. Macro-scale analysis is carried out subsequently to predict the impact response of composite laminates using the results of micro- and meso-scale analyses as inputs. Simulation results and experimental results both show that most of the impact energy is absorbed by the specimens when the impact energy is lower than 4 J, and the absorption ratio of impact energy slightly increases with the increase in impact energy. On the contrary, a dramatic decrease occurs in the absorption ratio when the impact energy is 6 J, due to the severe damage to the specimen. In addition, simulation results indicate that matrix shear damage and interlaminar damage are the primary failure modes of composites under high impact energy. The numerical results of impact force, absorbed energy, and damage morphologies on both sides for all specimens show good agreement with the experimental results.


By conducting a 1200°C vacuum annealing of a 3C-SiC(111) ultrathin film preformed on a Si(110) surface, we have succeeded in forming a graphene layer on a Si substrate. Raman-scattering spectrum from this surface presents a distinct 2D band, whose deconvolution into four subcomponents indicates that the film mostly consists of a two-layer graphene. The peak position is blue-shifted from that of a free-standing graphene formed by a mechanical exfoliation method, suggesting a compressive stress in the film. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2009.107]


Strong evidence points to an increasing number of senior citizens in the outbound travel market in Hong Kong. However, only a limited number of travel agencies in Hong Kong have paid attention to this potential market. This research investigates Hong Kong senior citizens' perceptions of the importance of the criteria used to select from the outbound package tours currently offered in the market and of the performance of these attributes. Importance–performance analysis (IPA) was carried out to analyze the data collected and categorize them into the four quadrants of the IPA grid. The results indicate the high mobility of senior citizens in Hong Kong and that they tend to join outbound package tours when traveling abroad. With regard to the provision of outbound package tours, they are generally satisfied with the performance of existing travel agencies, although some areas for improvement are noted. The findings also lend support to the high potential that exists in the senior citizen travel market and to the need for travel agencies to put extra effort into this niche market. Building upon previous literatures focusing only on selection criteria of group package tours, our study contributes further to the body of knowledge on seniors' travel decision making and the perception gap between them and the service providers. Recommendations to travel agencies regarding how to capture this market segment more effectively are also offered.