Objectives To study the effect of antirheumatic therapy administered in accordance with "T2T" principles on diastolic dysfunction of the left (LVDD) and right (RVDD) ventricles in early RA pts during 18-month follow-up. Methods A total of 66 pts with early RA (ACR/EULAR criteria, 2010) were included in the study: 71% of women, age 56 [46;61] years, disease duration 6 [4;8] months; DAS28 5.3 [5.0;6.2], positive for ACCP (100%), RF (87%), without prior administration of DMARDs and glucocorticoides. All pts underwent blood pressure monitoring (BPM), echocardiography. Methotrexate (MT) therapy was started in all pts with an escalation of the dose up to 30 mg/week subcutaneously. In case of no remission 3 months later, MT was added with biologic therapy (BT): Adalimumab, Certolizumab pegol, Abatacept, Rituximab. After 18 months 29 (44%) pts achieved remission. Antihypertensive therapy was administered in 51 (77%) pts: ACE inhibitors, ARBs, beta-blockers, calcium antagonists, diuretics. Results At baseline LVDD was detected in 32 (49%) and RVDD in 16 (24%) pts. The LVDD pts were older, in more cases they had AH, CAA, CHD, CAC, TG levels were higher and HDL levels were lower (p<0.05). There were negative correlation between LVDD and ESR (r=-0.3, p<0.03), CRP (r=-0.3, p<0.05), RVDD and CRP (r=-0.3, p<0.03), DAS28 (r=-0.3, p<0.02). After 18 months the incidence rate of LVDD decreased by 7% (from 49% to 42%), RVDD by 5% (from 24% to 17%), p>0.05. In groups of pts receiving MT and MT+BT, the incidence rate of LVDD and RVDD decreased comparably, p>0.05. Two groups of pts were formed. Group 1 included those who achieved remission DAS28<2.6 (n=29), and group 2 included those whose disease activity remained DAS28≥2.6 (n=37). Group 1 showed a decrease in the incidence rate of LVDD by 7% (from 45% to 38%), RVDD by 4% (from 21% to 17%), group 2 - by 5% (from 51% to 46%) and 11% (from 27 to 16%), p>0.05. An improved RVDD correlated with a decrease in CRP, p<0.05. In each group 2 subgroups were isolated depending on the achieved targeted BP values according to physical examination and BPM results (Table 1). In pts with DAS28<2.6 and efficient BP control, the normalized diastolic function of LV and RV was observed. In pts without BP control irrespective of the remission achieved, an increased incidence rate of LVDD was observed. In pts without RA remission but with efficient BP control, a decreased incidence rate of LVDD and RVDD was observed as well. Table 1. The incidence rate of LVDD and RVDD depending on RA activity and BP level DAS28<2,6 (n=29) DAS≥2,6 (n=37) BP No BP) BP No BP Control (n=12) Control (n=17) Control (n=26) Control (n=11) 0 mon 18mon 0 mon 18 mon 0 mon 18 mon 0 mon 18mon LVDD, n (%) 3 (25%) 0 (0%) 10 (59%) 11 (65%) 14 (54%) 10 (39%) 5 (45%) 7 (64%) RVDD, n (%) 1 (8%) 0 (0%) 5 (29%) 5 (29%) 7 (27%) 3 (12%) 3 (27%) 3 (27%) Conclusions A tendency towards a decreased incidence rate of LVDD and RVDD was observed during 18-month therapy of early RA pts in accordance with "T2T" principles. The achieved RA remission and targeted BP values promote an improvement in LV and RV diastolic function. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Career guidance plays an important role in helping product markets work and education systems to meet their goals. Because the choice of a career is undeniably one of the most crucial decisions one makes in life. The irony is that such an important decision is often made quite early in the life of an individual and is sometimes made without giving much thought to it. A career should be chosen with utmost care, thought, and planning. Individual have different innate capacities and abilities and hence aptitudes for different kind of work. The purpose of Career Guidance is to match the individuals and the occupation optimally for mutual benefits. It also promotes equity. Recent evidence suggests that social mobility relies on wider acquisition not just of knowledge and skills, but also understanding how to use them. In this context, the mission of career guidance is very vast, to become part of lifelong learning. In this paper, we become to know about the needs and importance of Career Guidance and its proper implementation. And we know how to improve C.G for making children"s beautiful life as well as for all of us. But today in some places of our country this service is already started and adapted, departing from a traditional model of occupational interviewing students about to leave school.


Measurement of diversification has always remained one of the critical issues in earlier studies. During the past half-century or more, many measures of corporate diversification have been suggested (and applied) by a number of authors. These ranged from qualitative to quantitative measures and the latter can be further classified as categorical and continuous. Traditionally diversification as a continuous variable was measured through "Entropy" and "Herfindahl index". But both measures fail to capture the degree of relatedness of group firms. To address this gap, a new measure is proposed based on correlation of firm's sales which will not only capture the degree of relatedness of group firms but also be able to decompose as directly as entropy and Herfindahl index into additive elements would vary from zero to one.


Active power filters create sideband harmonics over a wide frequency range around the multiple carrier-frequency harmonics, and these can encroach into the low frequency range. This issue is particularly critical when low carrier-fundamental frequency ratios are used such as in aerospace applications, where high fundamental frequencies exist. A three-phase multilevel active shunt filter with a low switching frequency is proposed to mitigate the lowest order carrier-frequency terms. However, low carrier frequencies lead to reference voltage phase delay and attenuation and can introduce significant baseband harmonics. These effects cannot be hidden by employing multiple modulator converters. In addressing these problems, an improved modulation approach is proposed in this work that allows duty cycle updating (N - 1) times per switching period for each H-bridge of one phase of the N -level converter [rather than only once or twice as in the regularly sampled pulse width modulation (PWM)]. The proposed modulation approach is then combined with predictive current control in order to enhance the system performance. The control loop performance compared to regularly sampled PWM is verified through simulations and experimentally by employing a three-phase five-level active shunt power filters in a 400-Hz power network.


In cancer cells, the proapoptotic proteins caspase-9 and PP2A interaction prevents them to play their role in apoptosis. PEP-010, a drug candidate developed by PEP-Therapy, a French Biotech company, is a proapoptotic peptide targeting and disrupting this interaction leading to restoration of the apoptotic cascade. PEP-010 is an innovative bifunctional peptide. It penetrates into cells thanks to its cell penetrating part and specifically disrupts the caspase-9/PP2A interaction thanks to its interfering part. PEP-010 is currently in Phase I a/b multicenter clinical trial for the treatment of advanced solid tumors.To the aim of screening different potential therapeutic targets, to investigate the molecular mechanism-of-action of PEP-010 and to identify potential pharmacodynamic biomarkers, we have tested PEP-010 efficacy on several cell models of different tumor origins. By the Annexin V/Propidium Iodide staining and flow cytometry analysis, we found that PEP-010 induces apoptosis in most of the tested models. One possible mechanism-of-action is an involvement of the PP2A which, once released by PEP-010, could regulate expression and/or activity of different intracellular factors leading to caspases activation and cell death.The identification of the major molecular features involved in PEP-010 mechanism-of-action, were instrumental to identify different pharmacodynamic biomarker candidates (e.g. active caspase-3). Hence, such biomarkers could be useful in clinical practice to monitor the effect of PEP-010 at molecular level. We have compared specific features related to the mechanism-of-action of PEP-010 in sensitive (MDA-MB-231, IGROV1) and not sensitive cell models of different tumor origins and in tissue sections derived from Patient-Derived Xenografts models of breast cancer treated or not with PEP-010. Widely used techniques as immunofluorescent staining and immunohistochemistry were employed, making these results easily transferable in clinical routine.Taken together, our pre-clinical data showed the potential of PEP-010 as an anti-cancer peptide on a wide variety of malignancies and enabled the identification of pharmacodynamic biomarker candidates, important to ease the clinical development.
 Citation Format: Rayan Farhat, Laura Dadon, F Nemati, A Rebollo, D Decaudin, Joelle Wiels, Catherine Brenner, Diego Germini. The proapoptotic peptide PEP-010 is efficient on several models of different tumor origins and it can be monitored by pharmacodynamic biomarker candidates in clinical practice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 6129.


TV watching is one of the most important ways of spending leisure time, the average daily watching time in the Swedish population is about 141 minutes – about 15 % of non-sleep time. Yet, there is little research on the psychological processes taking place while watching TV. In the present study using still-relevant data from a 1985-86 data base, the cognitive and emotional functions of TV watching in everyday life were investigated by means of a random action sampling procedure. TV watching was characterized by a high level of happiness and relaxation, own initiative, a long time span, closeness to goal, commonness, and easiness. It was characterized by a low level of negative emotions, concentration, expected value of outcome, activation, level of intention and presence of others. TV watching thus emerges as an activity, which mainly provides some pleasant relaxation. It is common, easy to do and done in relative solitude. It is a somewhat interesting activity, but it stimulates little concentration and involvement. It is regarded as an obstacle to the pursuit of other goals. The relevance of the results for the present situation with regard to TV is discussed.


Abstract Coastal habitats are increasingly recognized as fundamentally important components of global carbon cycles, but the rates of carbon flow associated with marine macrophytes are not well resolved for many species in many regions. We quantified density, rates of primary productivity, and detritus production of intertidal stands of two common intertidal kelp species—Laminaria digitata (oarweed) and Saccharina latissima (sugar kelp)—on four NE Atlantic rocky shores over 22 months. The density of L. digitata was greater at exposed compared to moderately exposed shores but remained consistently low for S. latissima throughout the survey period. Individual productivity and erosion rates of L. digitata did not differ between exposed and moderately exposed shores but differed across exposure levels throughout the year at moderately exposed sites only. Productivity and erosion of S. latissima remained low on moderately exposed shores and showed no clear seasonal pattern. Patterns of productivity and total detrital production (erosion and dislodgement) per m2 of both L. digitata and S. latissima followed closely that of densities per m2, peaking in May during both survey years. Temperature and light were key factors affecting the productivity rates of L. digitata and S. latissima. Erosion rates of L. digitata were affected by wave exposure, temperature, light, grazing, and epiphyte cover, but only temperature‐affected erosion of S. latissima. Production of biomass and detritus was greater in L. digitata than in S. latissima and exceeded previous estimates for subtidal and warmer‐water affinity kelp populations (e.g., Laminaria ochroleuca). These biogenic habitats are clearly important contributors to the coastal carbon cycle that have been overlooked previously and should be included in future ecosystem models. Further work is required to determine the areal extent of kelp stands in intertidal and shallow subtidal habitats, which is needed to scale up local production estimates to entire coastlines.


Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (LRYGB) is currently the second most popular weight loss surgery [1]. The laparoscopic approach induces less postoperative adhesions than the open one. It has long been associated with one of its late complications, which is the development of internal hernias (IH), with a reported incidence of 1-5%, and a prevalence that varies up to 7.5% in the literature [2-5]. Over the past years, the increased incidence of post-LRYGB small bowel obstruction (SBO) due to IH has become a significant concern since it can occur unexpectedly at any time post-surgery. Case Report A 35 years old female patient ten years after LRYGB for morbid obesity due to a BMI of 40 kg/m2 suffered from chronic abdominal pain. She presented to the emergency room (ER) because of abdominal pain and vomiting. Initially, she had an unremarkable physical examination, laboratory results, and plain x-ray findings, which made diagnosis challenging. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a distended Biliopancreatic limb (BPL) up to 54 mm with a transition point beside the JJ anastomosis and an abnormal course of the mesentery suspicious for an IH (Figure 1). The patient was taken urgently to the operating room for a diagnostic laparoscopy. Figure 1: A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a distended Biliopancreatic limb (BPL) up to 54 mm with a transition point beside the JJ anastomosis and an abnormal course of the mesentery suspicious for an IH. During emergent exploratory laparoscopy, she was found to have a strangulated Jejuno-Jenunostomy space hernia with volvulus. The jejunal mesenteric space at the level of the jejunojejunostomy (Figure 2). There was also twisting of biliopancreatic limb at the jejunojejunal anastomosis site (Figure 3). Treatment includes emergent exploration, either laparoscopically or open. The volvulus is reduced, adhesions are lysed, internal hernia is repaired, and bowel viability is assessed. If the bowel is ischemic, the patient will require bowel resection and occasionally revision of the jejunojejunal anastomosis. Figure 2: The jejunal mesenteric space at the level of the jejunojejunostomy. Citation: Dar R, Dola T, Sakran N (2020) A Rare Form of Internal Hernia after Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass. Ann Case Report 14: 420. DOI: 10.29011/25747754.100420 2 Volume 14; Issue 07 Ann Case Rep, an open access journal ISSN: 2574-7754 Figure 3: Twisting of biliopancreatic limb at the jejunojejunal anastomosis site. Discussion Most common sites of IH post LRYGB are through a transverse meso-colon defect followed by Petersen's hernia and Jejunojejunostomy (JJ) mesenteric space [5]. BPL obstruction is a challenging diagnosis as the symptoms are very nonspecific. Patients with BPL obstruction can present acutely or subacutely with acute intestinal obstruction or intermittent, crampy, vague, and sharp abdominal pain, usually unrelated to eating. SBO, due to internal hernia, is commonly a closed-loop obstruction, which has a higher perforation risk. Symptomatic patients should undergo a prompt CT scan, and once diagnosed by imaging, the obstruction is treated by urgent surgical exploration in order to reduce the hernia. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. The internal hernia located between the jejunojejunostomy and the end of the biliopancreatic limb, directly between two jejunal limbs with no mesentery involved. Uncorrected Small bowel obstruction due to internal hernia could lead to bowel strangulation, which may necessitate extensive bowel resection and could result in short bowel syndrome. This case report highlights the importance of prompt immediate intervention while presenting an unexpected site of internal hernia and BPL obstruction, emphasizes that even a very small opening between intestinal loops or in the mesentery can lead to the formation of an IH after LRYGB, with small windows that may even be even more dangerous because they hold a higher risk of incarceration [6]. Acute biliopancreatic limb obstruction has typical CT features. Given its high morbidity and rate of reoperation, it is useful to make this specific diagnosis instead of reporting the findings as postoperative small bowel obstruction. BPL obstruction requires prompt decision for relaparoscopy. Timely intervention is necessary to prevent postoperative morbidity whether days or several years after gastric bypass, patients with intermittent abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting need to be carefully evaluated with keeping the option for an IH high on the differential diagnosis scale. The present case presents a rare IH after LRYGB, as well as a very rare form of bowel twisting. In these cases, urgent exploratory laparoscopy is recommended. Surgical closure of defect is the definitive treatment for these hernias with expectant excellent clinical outcomes. Statement of authorship The authors' responsibilities were as follows NS performed the operation; NS, RD, and TD wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Funding: No Funding. Declaration of Conflicting Interests: All authors disclose they have no conflict of interests that are relevant to the manuscript. Statement of Informed Consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.


T he Web creates important OR/MS opportunities, and the Bhargava–Krishnan feature article does an outstanding job of sketching some of them and of explaining the technicalities of how the Web can be used in the service of OR/MS. This commentary discusses briefly two points made in the article, and then calls attention to a new domain for OR/MS applications. This domain arises from a new and potentially large Web clientele for OR/MS that seems to have escaped notice to date: ordinary people. Satisfying this new clientele requires exactly the technologies explained by Bhargava and Krishnan. Doing so would pump new vigor into the field, directly benefit many people who use the Web, and help solve the long-standing public visibility problems of the field.


BACKGROUND
More than 50% of oncohematological patients suffer from pain syndrome, mostly originating from the bone, which often include nociceptive and neuropathic complaints. Tapentadol, a recently available treatment option for cancer pain, exerts a dual analgesic mechanisms (opioid and noradrenergic), allowing for a high clinical efficacy as well as for a reduction in adverse events compared to traditional opioids.

AIM
To explore the safety and efficacy of tapentadol as a suitable agent for the pain management in the setting of oncohematology.

METHODS
Our observational study included 36 patients with basal pain intensity (NRS) ranging from 5 to 10. Tapentadol prolonged release (PR) was given at the initial dose of 50 mg BID and careful titrated according to the achieved pain control.

RESULTS
Tapentadol PR was given at the dosages ranging from 200 and 260 mg/day after a careful titration, allowed for a clinically (-7 points NRS) remarkable reduction of pain intensity without any significant side effects.

CONCLUSION
In oncohematological patients on pain, tapentadol PR was effective and well tolerated, so representing a suitable treatment option in this difficult setting.


Recent empirical work demonstrates that online advertisement can exhibit bias in the delivery of ads across users even when all advertisers bid in a non-discriminatory manner. We study the design of ad auctions that, given fair bids, are guaranteed to produce fair outcomes. Following the works of Dwork and Ilvento (2019) and Chawla et al. (2020), our goal is to design a truthful auction that satisfies ``individual fairness'' in its outcomes: informally speaking, users that are similar to each other should obtain similar allocations of ads. Within this framework we quantify the tradeoff between social welfare maximization and fairness. This work makes two conceptual contributions. First, we express the fairness constraint as a kind of stability condition: any two users that are assigned multiplicatively similar values by all the advertisers must receive additively similar allocations for each advertiser. This value stability constraint is expressed as a function that maps the multiplicative distance between value vectors to the maximum allowable $\ell_{\infty}$ distance between the corresponding allocations. Standard auctions do not satisfy this kind of value stability. Second, we introduce a new class of allocation algorithms called Inverse Proportional Allocation that achieve a near optimal tradeoff between fairness and social welfare for a broad and expressive class of value stability conditions. These allocation algorithms are truthful and prior-free, and achieve a constant factor approximation to the optimal (unconstrained) social welfare. In particular, the approximation ratio is independent of the number of advertisers in the system. In this respect, these allocation algorithms greatly surpass the guarantees achieved in previous work. We also extend our results to broader notions of fairness that we call subset fairness.


Background: Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disease that causeschronic hyperglycemia and disturbance in carbohydrate, lipid and proteinmetabolism. It causes various changes in the cells of the oral mucosa, which canbe determined by exfoliative cytology. The aim of this study was to study theCytomorphometric alterations of exfoliated buccal mucosal cells in diabeticpatients and to establish an additional diagnostic tool in diabetic patients inChattogram area.
Materials and methods: It was a cross-sectional comparative study carried outin the Department of Pathology, Chattogram Medical College, Chattogram. Oralsmears were obtained from 88 diabetic patients and 88 healthy individuals. Thesmears were stained with Papanicolaou solution. The cell diameter and nucleardiameter of 50 clearly defined cells were measured by multi-head microscope(OLYMPUS B51X). The cytoplasmic area and nucleus-cytoplasmic ratio werethen calculated. SPSS software (version 17) was used for statistical analysis ofthe study.
Results: In the result, mean Cell Diameter (CD), Nuclear Diameter (ND),cytoplasmic diameter (CyD) and N/C ratio of diabetic patients and healthy werefound to be 250.29 ± 29.02 μm, 54.48 ± 4.03 μm, 195.81 ± 27.97 μm, 0.283 ±0.04 and 287.15 ± 25.23 μm, 47.41 ± 2.52 μm, 239.74 ± 24.45 μm, 0.199 ± 0.02.A statistically significant increase in ND & N/C ratio and decrease in CD &CyDwere observed in diabetic patients compared to control. In addition, it wasfound that age, sex, blood sugar level, duration and treatment history ofdiabetes do not affect the morphometric changes significantly.
Conclusions: Result of this study suggests that diabetes produces definitemorphometric changes in the exfoliated buccal mucosal cells. Exfoliativecytology can be useful as an additional tool to aid in diagnosis of diabetesmellitus.
Chatt Maa Shi Hosp Med Coll J; Vol.19 (1); January 2020; Page 3-7


The syntheses and single-crystal structures of Ba2(C2O4)(H2PO3)2 (1) and C2H10N2·Ba(H2O)2(HC2O4)4 (2) are described. Compound 1 is a three-dimensional mixed-anion framework containing BaO9 coordination polyhedra, which approximate to monocapped square anti-prisms: the connectivity of the BaO9 units via edges and triangular faces leads to a sheet structure. The oxalate ion in 1 is substantially twisted about its C–C bond [dihedral angle between the CO2 groups = 33.8 (3)°]. Compound 2 is a molecular salt containing ethylenediammonium dications and [Ba(HC2O4)4(H2O)2]2– dianions, which are linked by O–HLO and N–HLO hydrogen bonds. The BaO10 coordination polyhedron can be described as a distorted pentagonal anti-prism. Crystal data: 1 (C2H4Ba2O10P2), Mr = 524.68, monoclinic, C2/c (No. 15), Z = 4, a = 12.3829 (3) A, b = 7.9124 (2) A, c = 11.0858 (3) A, b = 114.788 (2)°, V = 986.10 (4) A3, R(F) = 0.016, wR(F2) = 0.040. 2 (C10H18BaN2O10), Mr = 591.60, monoclinic, C2/m (No. 12), Z = 2, a = 12.7393 (7) A, b = 13.0111 (7) A, c = 5.6050 (3) A, b = 104.208 (4)°, V = 900.62 (8) A3, R(F) = 0.027, wR(F2) = 0.054.


Response time is the time between the clients entering the room and request addressed. Response time for the patient is more and less 5 minutes. Long response time can result in a risk of death or severe injury. From the observation data obtained from health centers Kumanis Sijunjung average response time of 5-8 minutes. This study aims to examine the relationship between the characteristics of the nurse and their response time in handling an emergency case in the emergency unit of the health center Kumanis Sijunjung in 2016. This type of research was quantitative with a cross-sectional study. The population in this study was all of the nurses in the emergency unit of health center Kumanis Sijunjung. The Sampling technique was saturated sampling, who was 18 people. The instrument used was observation. The research result showed that there was no relationship  between the age of the nurses and their response time (p-value = 0.02), and there was no relationship between gender and their response time (p-value = 1.000),then, there was no relationship between the education of nurses and their response time (p-value = 0909 ), and there was a relationship between a long working relationship and their response time (p-value = 0.02). Suggestions for emergency unit nurses in order to improve professionalism in serving the availability of human resources and infrastructure affect the speed of services.


We investigate rates of proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) in potential sweep experiments for a generalized Anderson-Holstein model with the inclusion of a quantized proton coordinate. To model this system, we utilize a quantum classical Liouville equation embedded inside of a classical master equation, which can be solved approximately with a recently developed algorithm combining diffusional effects and surface hopping between electronic states. We find that the addition of nuclear quantum effects through the proton coordinate can yield quantitatively (but not qualitatively) different IV curves under a potential sweep compared to electron transfer (ET). Additionally, we find that kinetic isotope effects give rise to a shift in the peak potential, but not the peak current, which would allow for quantification of whether an electrochemical ET event is proton-coupled or not. These findings suggest that it will be very difficult to completely understand coupled nuclear-electronic effects in electrochemical voltammetry experiments using only IV curves, and new experimental techniques will be needed to draw inferences about the nature of electrochemical PCET.


There is sparse published information on computed tomographic (CT) characteristics of canine gastrointestinal tumors. The purposes of this multi-center, retrospective, descriptive study were to describe the CT features of histologically-confirmed canine gastrointestinal spindle cell, epithelial, and round cell tumors and, when available, describe the corresponding ultrasound findings. The inclusion criteria were as follows: availability of pre-and post-contrast CT study, and a histopathological diagnosis of the lesions. Recorded parameters were tumor size, location, gastrointestinal wall layers involvement, lesion's growth and enhancement patterns, tumor margination, presence of stenosis, mineralization, ulcerations, lymphadenopathy, or other lesions in the abdomen/thorax. When available, ultrasound images were evaluated. Forty-one dogs met the inclusion criteria and had the following histological diagnoses: 21/41 (51%) spindle cells (7 leiomyomas, 14 leiomyosarcomas/gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs)), 13/41 (32%) epithelial (adenocarcinoma), and 7/41 (17%) round cell (lymphoma) tumors. The growth pattern was concentric, eccentric, and mixed in epithelial, spindle cell, and round cell tumors, respectively. Spindle cell tumors had the largest main volume and involved the outer gastrointestinal layer with an unaffected inner layer. Leiomyosarcomas/GISTs showed irregular margins compared to leiomyomas. Only lymphomas showed multifocal gastrointestinal involvement. Nine carcinomas and six spindle cell tumors caused partial stenosis with secondary sub-obstruction. Mineralizations were more frequent in spindle cell tumors (10/21) and absent in lymphomas. Lymphadenomegaly was widespread in lymphomas, regional in leiomyosarcomas-GISTs and adenocarcinomas, and absent in leiomyomas. The reported CT features may be useful in prioritizing the differential diagnosis between spindle cell, epithelial, and round cell tumors, similar to those reported on ultrasound.


A novel method, using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with principal component analysis, was developed for the quality evaluation of danshen through simultaneous determination of seven components, namely danshensu, protocatechuic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, salvianolic acid B, tanshinone I, cryptotanshinone and tanshinone IIA. These seven components were simultaneously separated on a Zorbax SB-C(18) column. The mobile phase consisted of 0.05% phosphoric acid water and methanol:acetonitrile (1:1) with a gradient elution, and the detection wavelength was set at 280 nm. Thirty samples of danshen and its substitutes from different sources were investigated by the established method. The results showed that the content of each analyte varied considerably in different danshen samples. Among the seven components tested, salvianolic acid B, tanshinone IIA, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, danshensu and protocatechuic aldehyde were proved suitable and representative as chemical markers for the quality control of danshen except for protocatechuic acid. Moreover, principal component analysis was used for the similarity evaluation of different samples, and it could be straightforward and reliable to differentiate danshen samples of different origins. In conclusion, simultaneous quantification of multiple components by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with principal component analysis would be a better strategy for the quality evaluation of danshen.


Localization of Actinomyces naeslundii in the chronically inflamed human gingiva was studied by immunohistochemical procedures. Immunofluorescence was detected on the surface of crevicular epithelium and the tissue adjacent to epithelium. Especially in a inflammatory connective tissue, Immunofluorescence suggesting phagocytosis by histiocytes round infiltrating lymphocytes was detected. While there was no immunofluorescence in the clinically healthy gingiva.


Habitat modelling results are extremely sensitive to the habitat suitability criteria (HSC) used in the simulations. HSCs are usually expressed as univariate habitat suitability curves, although such univariate approach has been long questioned, since overlooking interactions between hydraulic variables may misrepresent the complexity of fish behaviour in habitat selection. It could lead to adopt erroneous flow management decisions based on misleading results. Furthermore, the interactive effects of hydraulic variables on habitat selection may be driven by the structural features of the channel, which determine cover availability. Therefore, we compared brown trout habitat selection patterns through multivariate resource selection functions (RSFs) in structurally contrasting rivers to unveil the interactive effects of hydraulics and cover elements and their consequences in univariate HSC results. Microhabitat preferences of young‐of‐the‐year (0+) trout were similar across fast and slow waters, meanwhile juvenile (1+) and adult (>1+) preferences significantly changed. RSFs for young‐of‐the‐year trout were consistent with univariate results and did not differ among water types. However, RSFs for older trout varied among water types and revealed complex interactions among hydraulic variables and between hydraulics and structural elements, which were not described accurately by univariate curves. Therefore, results suggest that interactions between water depth and current velocity have a significant effect on habitat selection patterns in juvenile and adult brown trout, this effect being controlled by cover availability. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The national Justice Reinvestment Initiative has arguably been the most important development in American sentencing policy in the past decade. This essay introduces an issue of the Federal Sentencing Reporter that focuses on the JRI. The essay highlights both strengths and weaknesses of the JRI, particularly from the standpoint of reducing mass incarceration in the United States.


This issues brief examines the evolution of the reporting requirements of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) over the last ten years, with a particular focus on programs funded by the Australian Government Department of Health (the Department). With one exception, the issues brief examines key initiatives implemented by the Department, up to the end of 2013, in an attempt to improve reporting arrangements for ACCHOs. It also examines the impacts of these changes on reporting efficiency. The exception is the Healthy for Life Program. The program is included here because it pioneered Continuous Quality Improvement and outcomes based reporting and as such influenced subsequent reporting developments. The key initiatives are: the Service Development and Reporting Framework (SDRF) (2005 to 2011); the Healthy for Life program (2005 and continuing); the Indigenous and Rural Health Division (formerly Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health) Risk Assessment Process (2008 to 2013); developments in Information Technology and Information Management, with a particular focus on the OCHREStreams web-based reporting tool (2011 and continuing); and a multi-year funding agreement (2011 and continuing). These initiatives have brought about some significant improvements in reporting efficiency, including: standardisation of reporting requirements across several programs under the SDRF, with a consequent reduction in reporting complexity and effort and adoption of a more strategic cross-program approach to planning and reporting; a shift to outcomes based planning and reporting as part of a continuous quality improvement cycle, and an increase in the data management skills and systems needed to support continuous quality improvement; progressive move to independent risk assessment that focused primarily on governance and financial management, which has driven improvements in the quality of financial reporting; the development and roll-out of a web-based reporting tool that allows ACCHOs to submit organisational and service activity data, as well as data for national Key Performance Indicators; and further standardisation of reporting requirements under the Department's multi-year funding agreement. Despite these improvements, ACCHOs still face a complex and resource intensive reporting load. Current reporting requirements are discussed in some detail, along with a range of possible improvements that could be made with the aim of avoiding unnecessary reporting yet maintaining information flows for policy and programme design implementation and review supporting the accountability requirements of public funds and supports continuous quality improvement in the sector. These include: working with other funders, particularly the states, to coordinate and standardise reporting requirements, with a possible extension of OCHREStreams to enable it to be used by states for some aspects of reporting; reviewing the extensive data reporting-related requirements with a view to removing those that are of least value to the Commonwealth and the sector; and where formal accountability requirements permit, moving progressively away from reporting on inputs and throughputs in favour of outcomes-based reporting, with possible use of targets and benchmarks to enable organisations to track performance. The identified improvements provide a framework for continuing to work towards maximising reporting efficiency which will help to address a range of strategic outcomes including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan (2013–2023) priorities. It should be noted that whilst this issues brief references only arrangements until the end of 2013, there have been considerable reporting changes and initiatives since that time.


Objectives Cervical cancer is preceded by a group of epithelial cell abnormalities. However, there is insufficient data on cervical abnormalities in Jordan and the Middle East at large. The current study aimed at determining the prevalence of different cytological abnormalities in women in Jordan. In addition, it aimed at assessing the age specific cytological abnormalities in these women and analyzing the changing trends of epithelial cell abnormalities in cervical smear over a period of 15 years compared in three periods of five years each. Methods 6,455 conventional cervical Papanicolaou (Pap) smear results obtained between January 2000 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Out of the 6,454 Pap smears analyzed, 5,645 (87.5%) were found adequate for reporting. Results A total number of 801 (14.2%) cases had cervical epithelial abnormalities. A significant increase in cytological abnormalities was observed between 2000 and 2014. In addition, a significant increasing trend in cervical cytological abnormalities was noted between 2000 and 2014. The highest percentage of cytological abnormalities (20.1%) was found in women younger than 25 years old. In all of the age groups, the low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) cytological abnormality was the most prevalent. Conclusions Invasivecervical cancer is still a killer for young women in the developing countries. The present study may reflect a change in the sociosexual behavior over the last 15 years. The current work highlights the importance of awareness campaigns on the importance of cervical smear and the urgent need for initiating a cervical screening program in Jordan.


The changes of content of Ca, Mg and K in the growth of Golden delicious and Fuji apple fruitlets were studied, the results indicated that during the fruitlet stage, i.e. within 43 days or 45 days after full bloom in Golden deliciou and Fuji apple respectively, the normal fruitlets had higher fresh weight, dry matter weight, and content of Ca, Mg and K as well as higher growth rate and uptake rate of Ca, Mg and K than those of abnormal ones. The growth rate of normal fruitlets was positively and closely related to uptake rate of Ca, Mg and K.


In this paper we extend our recent work [3] by analyzing the behavior of mobility scenario in saturation conditions for evaluating packet delays. For the first time we have shown that the normalized measure of dispersion for service time intervals and offered load dependency holds for multi-hop IEEE 802.11 wireless networks with mobile nodes, as well. Thus this paper not only extends and validates our previous results but also establishes that wireless mobile networks have the similar dependency pattern. We further extend this work by showing that the service time intervals do not follow exponential distribution but instead follow gamma distribution. The patterns for the shape parameters are also established for accurately computing average end-to-end packet delay for mobile networks. The analytical model presented in this paper has been verified through extensive simulations.


When tracheal rings isolated from guinea pigs were treated with endothelins (ETs), a dose-dependent constriction was observed and measured isometrically. ET potencies were ET-1 = ET-2 greater than ET-3. Dose-response curves of epithelium-denuded tracheas were shifted to the left by approximately one order of magnitude. Lung tissue contained saturable binding sites to 125I-labeled ET-1. These binding sites were replaced by ET-1 = ET-2 greater than ET-3. Because the airway tissue contained primarily ET-1 as measured by immunoassay after high-performance liquid chromatography separation, we investigated the mechanism of ET-1-induced tracheal constriction. Tracheal constriction induced by ET-1 required Ca++ in the medium. Because suppression of the contractile response by nicardipine and diltiazem was small, Ca++ entry appeared to be gated primarily through Ca++ channels rather than via voltage-dependent ones. FPL55712, SC47014A, indomethacin and OKY046 suppressed the dose-response curves, suggesting that lipid mediators are formed in response to ET-1. Diphenhydramine also altered dose-response curves, suggesting that histamine release from mast cells was partially responsible for the constriction. Pretreatment of tracheas with compound 48/80 resulted in suppression of the contractile responses. Furthermore, the combination of indomethacin, FPL55712 and diphenhydramine gave essentially identical effects. Our observations suggest that ET-1 provokes the contractile response of guinea pig tracheas not only by direct actions on smooth muscle but also by indirect actions through production of chemical mediators in mast cells and other inflammatory cells.


Introduction: throughout its history, the training of stomatologists in Cuba has been going through different study plans, but there is no doubt that the most radical changes are generated after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, when there is a democratization of access to careers, the development of postgraduate education, especially the specialization and the gradual transition of the conception of the health disease process. Objective: to present the consolidation of the training process in the specialty of General Comprehensive Stomatology in Guantanamo province. Development: a historical analysis of the training process of the Specialty of General Comprehensive Stomatology in Guantanamo was carried out considering the relevance of this specialty in the dental care system in Cuba. The following indicators are taken into account: training model, form of entry into the training process, training scenario and stomatological care model. In the article the historical milestones were established that allowed to delimit three stages of the formative process in the specialty of Integral General Dentistry, the historical regularities and description of each stage and, finally, the historical tendency that prevailed in the process was raised. Conclusions: by comprehensively analyzing the stages of the training process in the specialty of EGI was established as a historical trend: the training process in the specialty of General Comprehensive Stomatology has gone from a biologicist and curative model, a fragmented care practice, and a selective entrance of the stomatologists, towards a biopsychosocial model, based on health promotion and disease prevention, but it has maintained in its study plans the traditional approach with the objectives as governing categories.


In an image restoration problem one usually has two different kinds of information. In the first stage, one has knowledge about the structural form of the noise and local characteristics of the restoration. These noise and image models normally depend on unknown hyperparameters. The hierarchical Bayesian approach adds a second stage by putting a hyperprior on the hyperparameters, where information about those hyperparameters is included. In this work the author applies the hierarchical Bayesian approach to image restoration problems and compares it with other approaches in handling the estimation of the hyperparameters. >


The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement sets out a pathway for the UK to have the closest relationship on personal data with the EU outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. This is principally apparent in the area of justice and security where there is very extensive provision for data exchange including DNA and fingerprints. This exchange rests on specified common standards and will likely be complemented by the first ever EU adequacy agreement under the Law Enforcement Directive. In some contrast, understandings in the general area of data protection (at least outside direct marketing) point only to mutual adequacy. Whilst mandating "essentially equivalent" (GDPR, recital 104) protection, significant flexibility is retained. Given the UK's distinct approach to data protection, the EU may find that it adopts a more divergent approach in the medium term than, for example, Switzerland. Bona fide implementation of the Council of Europe's Data Protection Convention 108+ may provide a good lodestar for a more graduated regime which also seeks to clearly reconcile data protection with competing rights. The paper tentatively examines what that might entail for the proactive transparency rules, sensitive data regime, integrity provisions and specific restrictions. Any such reform would require great care and should not detract from the need for much more effective practical enforcement.


Background and Aim of Study: As the pandemic escalated into a global health crisis with abundant reports, updates and personal stories invading the World Wide Web and the social media, the context of COVID-19 offered for researchers an opportunity exploring the cyberchondria concept. Surprisingly, despite its prominence, the consequences of this shift in health behavior are still not fully appreciated. For many cyberchondriacs, the online shopping experience is considered as a coping strategy. The aim of the study: to investigate how excessive health-related anxiety leads to online shopping enjoyment, and to examine the mediating roles of COVID-19 fear and hedonic shopping motivation. Material and Methods: A survey methodology is used to collect responses from a sample of 355 consumers in Tunisia and analyzed via AMOS 23. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the causal relationship between measured variables. Results: Our results indicate that during the current pandemic, the cyberchondria was associated with an increased online shopping enjoyment guided both by a developed fear from this virus and some of the hedonic motivations. Conclusions: This study is one of the first studies that investigate the impact of cyberchondria on shopping experiences. Our findings may indicate starting points for some public health marketers and managers to make interventions to reduce cyberchondria during the pandemic. Particularly, online shopping may be considered as a safe space, where anxious people may escape. However, public health organizations should carefully consider these outcomes of cyberchondria and should elucidate clear pathways of action so that consumers feel empowered to tackle the pandemic effectively.


This study sought to develop a profile of rape cases within a Constabulary in the South West of England, and identity factors associated with attrition. All cases of rape or attempted rape of a female or male over the age of 16 from 1996 to 2000 were identified. Quantitative and qualitative data on 379 cases was collected using the CIS and questionnaires sent to the relevant Chief Investigating Officer. The profile of attrition differed in several respects from previous research. Analysis of the extensive written comments provided by the officers afforded insight into the police perspective on rape. The findings are discussed with reference to future research and practice.


We have recently succeeded in decelerating and confining millions of antiprotons, 50 times more efficiently than conventional methods, in an electromagnetic trap. These antiprotons were cooled by preloaded electron plasma to an energy below an electronvolt. They were then extracted out of the magnetic field of 2.5 T and transported typically at 250 eV along a beamline, designed for efficient transport at 10–1000 eV. This unique beam from our apparatus named MUSASHI opens up a new field of atomic and nuclear physics probed by ultra‐slow antiprotons.In this paper, the whole experimental setup and procedure will be overviewed: deceleration, capture, cooling and extraction of antiprotons will be discussed in detail, including technical description of diagnostic devices.


Current college students look at the ongoing activities in space as common and mature. Even with billionaires making inroads to space excursions, the rate of success is high, with no particular problems noted in the past 20 years. That success rate does not really provide any insight into the cost of the space program in the years before, which cannot be measured in simply the dollars invested. One consideration most frequently forgotten is the human lives that were part of the cost of success for the space program.


We address a major flaw in the abovementioned paper, which proposes to calculate effective capacity of random channels by the use of central limit theorem. We analytically show that the authors are incorrect in finding the effective capacity by first taking the limit of cumulative random process rather than taking the limit of moment generating function of the same process. We later quantify our results over a correlated ON-OFF process.


Frontotemporal dementia includes a large spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we report the case of a young patient with MAPT mutation G389R, who was 27 years old when he progressively developed severe behavioral disturbances. Initially, he presented with slowly progressive personality change. After 1 year, he exhibited moderate dementia with extrapyramidal and pyramidal symptoms. MRI showed frontotemporal atrophy. He rapidly progressed to severe dementia 3 years after onset. Genetic testing revealed a heterozygous guanine to cytosine mutation at the first base of codon 389 (c.1165G>A) of MAPT, the tau gene, resulting in a glycine to arginine substitution in the patient and two unaffected relatives. We predicted the model of mutant tau protein through I-TASSER software, and speculated the structural change of tau protein caused by mutant site. We also detected the MAPT gene transcript and methylation of samples from peripheral blood leucocytes in an attempt to explain the possible mechanisms of incomplete penetrance, although there were not positive findings. This case is remarkable because of the early onset and rapid progression of the disease.


Recently, a new genotype of oat (cv. CDC SO-I, containing low-hull lignin and high-fat groat), has been developed. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of partially replacing barley and corn with the new oat and its micronisation on lactating performance of dairy cows. In a double 4 × 4 Latin square design, eight lactating dairy cows (732 ± 46 kg body weight [BW]; parity 4 ± 2) received total mixed rations with a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 50:50 (DM basis). The four treatments were: T1, barley only (control); T2, raw oat, replacing 42% barley of T1; T3, micronised oat, replacing 42% barley of T1; and T4, raw oat and corn blend, replacing 100% barley of T1. The results showed that dairy cows fed the new oats (T2, T3) produced more fat (p < 0.05) and more fat corrected milk (p < 0.10) than cows fed barley only (T1). The performance of cows fed the new oat and corn blend (T4) was not significantly different from other treatments. The micronisation significantly reduced protein degradability (74 vs. 63%, p < 0.05), but increased starch degradability (87 vs. 93%, p < 0.05) of the new oat. However, the overall results suggested that micronisation did not show a significant impact on milk production. The newly developed CDC SO-I oat can replace 42% barley (in T1) as a concentrate supplement in dairy total mixed rations with an increased yield of milk fat and fat corrected milk.


REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY
It has been suggested that rapid administration of isotonic saline solution relieves airway obstruction in heaves-affected horses, but the efficacy and tolerability of this treatment is poorly documented.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the respiratory and metabolic effects of a rapid administration of isotonic saline solution in control horses and those with heaves.

METHODS
Thirty litres isotonic saline solution were administered i.v. to 5 control (Group C) and 9 heaves-affected horses (Group H). Pulmonary function testing and arterial blood gas analysis were performed prior to saline infusion, at 90 and 180 mins after starting the infusion, and 1, 3, 6 and 10 days later. PCV, plasma total solids, plasma electrolytes (Na+, Cl- and K+) and venous blood gas analysis were performed prior, during and after saline infusion.

RESULTS
Rapid saline administration was shown to have no beneficial effects on lung function during infusion in Group H. On the contrary, they had significantly increased pulmonary resistance (RL) at 180 mins following the initiation of saline administration compared to baseline. In Group C, saline administration resulted in a significant increase in RL at 180 mins and a significant decrease in PaO2 at 90 mins. These results suggest a transient decrement in lung function caused by rapid saline administration. Group H had a metabolic alkalosis with hypochloraemia at baseline compared to control horses. This resolved following i.v. saline administration and returned to baseline within 6 h after treatment had been discontinued.

CONCLUSION
The administration of saline to Group H did not improve airway function significantly, but resulted in mild and transient side effects.

POTENTIAL RELEVANCE
Rapid administration of isotonic saline alone is not an effective therapy for heaves in horses.


Background: While arthroscopic superior capsule reconstruction (SCR) has been recently introduced to treat irreparable rotator cuff tear with encouraging outcomes, graft options and �xation remain debated. The purpose of this article is to describe a novel technique and present preliminary results in using long head of biceps tendon (LHBT) as augmentation for SCR with fascia lata autograft. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on 18 patients undergoing arthroscopic SCR with LHBT augmentation for irreparable rotator cuff tear between October 2017 and November 2019. Preoperative radiographic survey con�rmed massive rotator cuff tear with moderate to severe muscle fatty in�ltration and availability of LHBT. Fascia lata autograft harvested from ipsilateral thigh was folded and securely sutured. The folded fascia graft was then introduced through standard anterolateral portal and �xed to superior glenoid superiorly and greater tuberosity laterally with suture anchors. Anteriorly, fascia lata graft was sutured with proximal portion of LHBT instead of subscapularis tendon. A full coverage of rotator cuff defect by facial graft was then con�rmed arthroscopically to allow tension-free suturing between posterior margin of fascia graft and residual infraspinatus tendon. Postoperative abduction brace and regular follow-up was arranged. Results: Being intact in 4 patients and either partially torn or subluxed in 14 patients, LHBT in all 18 patients were available for augmentation surgery. Preliminary functional survey revealed encouraging outcomes with a mean follow-up of 11.5 months. Nine patients with more than one year follow-up regained full forward elevation; ASES improved from 24.3 to 90.2. Acromiohumeral distance improved from 3.3 mm to 8.6 mm with radiographic analysis in those 9 patients. Conclusions: Arthroscopically LHBT augmented SCR is a novel technique and can be one of feasible opinions for irreparable rotator cuff tear.


We propose a novel distributed QR factorization algorithm for orthogonalizing a set of vectors in a wireless sensor network. The algorithm originates from the classical Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization which we formulate in a distributed way using the dynamic consensus algorithm. In contrast to existing distributed QR factorization algorithms, all elements of matrices Q and R are computed simultaneously and updated iteratively after each transmission. Assuming synchronous message broadcasting and communication only with neighboring nodes without any central computing unit (fusion center), we prove convergence of the algorithm. We investigate the algorithm in terms of numerical accuracy and we discuss the influence of the initial data distribution on the algorithm performance. Moreover, we provide a comparison with existing distributed QR algorithms in terms of communication cost and memory requirements, and we illustrate the comparison by simulations.


An organization's data is often its most valuable asset, but today's file systems provide few facilities to ensure its safety. Databases, on the other hand, have long provided transactions. Transactions are useful because they provide atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability (ACID). Many applications could make use of these semantics, but databases have a wide variety of nonstandard interfaces. For example, applications like mail servers currently perform elaborate error handling to ensure atomicity and consistency, because it is easier than using a DBMS. A transaction-oriented programming model eliminates complex error-handling code because failed operations can simply be aborted without side effects. We have designed a file system that exports ACID transactions to user-level applications, while preserving the ubiquitous and convenient POSIX interface. In our prototype ACID file system, called Amino, updated applications can protect arbitrary sequences of system calls within a transaction. Unmodified applications operate without any changes, but each system call is transaction protected. We also built a recoverable memory library with support for nested transactions to allow applications to keep their in-memory data structures consistent with the file system. Our performance evaluation shows that ACID semantics can be added to applications with acceptable overheads. When Amino adds atomicity, consistency, and isolation functionality to an application, it performs close to Ext3. Amino achieves durability up to 46% faster than Ext3, thanks to improved locality.


This text provides guidance to policymakers on how to design and implement sould price-subsidy reforms. It draws on the experience of price-subsidy reform in 28 countries. The authors discuss economic and political considerations and make several recommendations concerning the speed of reform and social protection mechanisms. They discuss how the social impact of reform can be limited by establishing cost-effective and well-targeted temporary social protection mechanisms, and how governments can reduce the risk of political disruption by distributing the initial burden of reform fairly and by clearly explaining the costs and benefits to the public.


Gas counters based on the multiwire proportional counter (MWPC) and multistep avalanche (MSA) technologies can combine the functions of imaging and quantitation (or assay) of radioactively labelled electrophoretograms and blots. Submillimeter spatial resolutions combined with good quantitation have been achieved for the most common beta‐emitting radio labels. The current state of development of this technology is reviewed and assessments of the performance of these devices relative to the more traditional systems (X‐ray film and the scintillation counter) presented. Particular attention is paid to the potential of these devices to enhance the productivity of the scanning of blots and the performance of assays.


In this study, a total of 19866 samples which were collected from humans who applied to the hospitals with tick bites in the western part of Turkey (Bursa) between the years 2007 and 2011 (from February to November) were examined. Approximately 10% (1985) of samples were found as non-ticks like bee stings, lice, fleas and other arthropods. The ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus spp. (72.98%), Ixodes spp. (18.96%), Hyalomma spp. (7.18%), Dermacentor marginatus (0.027%) and Haemaphysalis parva (0.005%). Based on localities, majority of the tick samples were reported from the urbanized areas (81%). Especially, Ixodes spp. species were commonly found in highland and forestry areas of Bursa.


This essay discusses five currently ongoing struggles that open new windows of opportunity for the necessary mobility turnaround in our cities. The first is the currently pending regulation of platform work in the EU, which will also affect the mobility provider UBER. This will determine whether UBER will remain a dangerous public transport competitor or not. Secondly, the current crisis of rising costs of living is intensifying the discussion about public transport for fare-free or greatly reduced prices. Measures that some EU member states have taken are discussed. The social justice dimension is also reflected in the context of area justice and urban heat waves. Thirdly, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the financing of public transport to such an extent that it opens a window of opportunity to gain new allies for fare-free. Fourthly, the discussion about the war in Ukraine also opens up the possibility of taking a new look at public transport, as it can contribute significantly to energy savings. Last but not least, the current discussion on industrial policy as a reply to the American Inflation Reduction Act is an opportunity to strengthen public transport and fare-free public transport discourse.


Cell culture experiments indicated that activation of the retinoic acid signaling system is involved in axonal regeneration. This hypothesis was tested with sciatic nerve injury in the rat. Since the effect of retinoic acid is mediated via retinoic acid receptors and retinoid X receptors, we investigated mRNA and protein expression of these receptors during injury-induced degeneration and regeneration. Seven days after crush injury, transcript concentrations of all retinoic acid receptors and of retinoid X receptor alpha were significantly higher than in non-lesioned nerves. Protein levels of retinoic acid receptor alpha, retinoic acid receptor beta and retinoid X receptor alpha were upregulated 4, 7 and 14 days after injury. In degenerating nerves a significant increase of retinoic acid receptor alpha was detected 7 and 14 days, and of retinoic acid receptor beta 14 and 21 days after complete transection. Immunohistochemical staining of retinoid receptors revealed their expression in Schwann cells and macrophages. In addition, we observed that retinoic acid receptor alpha and retinoid X receptor alpha appeared in the cell nuclei of macrophages during the lesion-induced inflammatory reaction, and that retinoid X receptor alpha-staining co-localized with some regenerating axons. Experiments with Schwann cell primary cultures revealed an effect of retinoic acid on the expression of the neuregulin receptor ErbB3, suggesting that one function of retinoic acid consists in the regulation of neuroglial interactions after peripheral nerve injury.


The present investigation was undertaken to study the genetic polymorphism of the DRB3 exon 2 in 75 crossbred cattle by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. Five genotypes i.e. HaeIII-a, HaeIII-b, HaeIII-e, HaeIII-ab and HaeIII-ae were observed when the 284 bp PCR products were digested with HaeIII restriction enzyme. The corresponding frequencies of these patterns were 0.53, 0.04, 0.01, 0.38 and 0.04, respectively. Digestion with RsaI restriction enzyme resolved 24 different restriction patterns. The frequencies of these patterns ranged from 0.013 (RsaI-f, RsaI-k and RsaI-c/n) to 0.120 (RsaI-n). The results revealed that the crossbred cows belonged to the RsaI patterns namely b, k, l, a/l, d/s, l/n, l/o and m/n, whose corresponding frequencies were 0.027, 0.013, 0.040, 0.027, 0.040, 0.067, 0.027 and 0.067, respectively. Digestion of the 284 bp PCR product of DRB3.2 gene with PstI in the crossbred cattle did not reveal any restriction site. These results suggested the absence of the recognition site in some of the animals. These results also revealed that the crossbred cows studied were in homozygous as well as heterozygous condition. On the basis of the above results it can be concluded that the DRB3.2 gene was found to be highly polymorphic in the crossbred cattle population. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2005. Vol 18, No. 9 : 1226-1230)


Purpose of reviewValproic acid (VPA) is one of the four first line antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). VPA is also an effective drug in migraine prophylaxis and in treatment of bipolar disorders. The use of VPA is limited by its two rare but potentially life-threatening side effects, teratogenicity and hepatotoxicity, and it is the least potent of the established AEDs. Consequently, there is an incentive to develop a second-generation VPA. A successful, second-generation VPA would need to possess the following characteristics: broad-spectrum antiepileptic activity; better potency than VPA; and lack of teratogenicity and hepatotoxicity. These characteristics would give such a drug the potential to be utilized in epilepsy and other CNS disorders. Recent findingsIntensive research has been carried out in order to develop a second-generation VPA that would be more potent and safer than VPA. Amide derivatives of VPA have shown particular value as potential follow-up compounds and have better in-vivo performance than VPA. Several CNS-active valproylamides are more potent as antiepileptics than VPA, they possess broad-spectrum antiepileptic activity, and have been found to be nonteratogenic in animal models. The amide analogues of VPA that emerged from structure-pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship studies as promising second-generation compounds are: N-methyl-tetramethylcyclopropane carboxamide, (2S,3S)-valnoctamide, (R)-propylisopropyl acetamide and valproyl glycinamide. SummaryAt present there are three compounds in clinical trials in patients with epilepsy that can be regarded as second-generation VPA: valproyl glycinamide, 3-methylbutanamide or isovaleramide and SPD421 (DP-VPA). For any one of these second-generation valproic acids to become a successful follow-up compound to VPA, it has to fulfil the above criteria and also possess favorable pharmacokinetics.


Schwann cells (SCs) differentiate into a myelinating cell when simultaneously adhering to an axon destined for myelination and basal lamina. We are interested in defining the signaling pathway activated by basal lamina. Using SC/sensory neuron (N) cocultures, we identified β1 integrin and F-actin as components of a pathway leading to myelin gene expression and myelination (Fernandez-Valle et al., 1994, 1997). Here, we show that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin are constitutively expressed by SCs contacting axons in the absence of basal lamina. Tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin increases as SCs form basal lamina and differentiate. FAK and paxillin specifically coimmunoprecipitate with β1 integrin in differentiating SC/N cocultures but not SC-only cultures. Paxillin coimmunoprecipitates with FAK and fyn kinase in differentiating SC/N cocultures. A subset of tyrosine-phosphorylated β1 integrin, FAK, and paxillin molecules reside in the insoluble, F-actin-rich fraction of differentiating cocultures. Cytochalasin D, an actin depolymerizing agent, decreases tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin and their association with β1 integrin and causes a dose-dependent increase in the abundance of insoluble FAK and paxillin complexes. Collectively, our work indicates that β1 integrin, FAK, paxillin, and fyn kinase form an actin-associated complex in SCs adhering to basal lamina in the presence of axons. This complex may be important for initiating the process of SC differentiation into a myelinating cell.


This paper outlines Teachers' Perceptions about the STS Teaching and Learning Materials (modules) and elicit teachers' perceptions about infusing the developed modules instead of the existing textbook, which was part of a bigger study to establish a science, technology and society (STS) foundation in the Ninth Grade Science curriculum in Palestine. Both interviews and questionnaire were used to answer the research question "What are the teachers' perceptions about the final developed STS teaching and learning materials (modules) for Ninth Grade Science?" of this paper. Teachers' overall impression about the final version of the STS teaching and learning materials was positive. The teachers also gave high scores to most of the items in the survey evaluation of the modules. In addition, the teachers agreed that the final STS teaching and learning materials (Modules) could be used in the infusion instead of the existing textbook.


The number of states per unit energy, for an electron moving in the aperiodic field of a dilute solid solution, is calculated by the Green function method. It is shown that the effect of scattering in a narrow band is to reduce the density of states at the Fermi limit. The thermal and magnetic properties of dilute alloys are therefore influenced by two effects: electron concentration and scattering. The results are applied to dilute solutions of Ag, Rh and Ru in palladium. An explanation is given of the observation that Ru decreases the magnetic susceptibility although Ru increases it in spite of the fact that both metals have negative valency relative to palladium.


Implicit and explicit motor learning processes work interactively in everyday life to promote the creation of highly automatized motor behaviors. The cerebellum is crucial for motor sequence learning and adaptation, as it contributes to the error correction and to sensorimotor integration of on-going actions. A non-invasive cerebellar stimulation has been demonstrated to modulate implicit motor learning and adaptation. The present study aimed to explore the potential role of cerebellar theta burst stimulation (TBS) in modulating explicit motor learning and adaptation, in healthy subjects. Cerebellar TBS will be applied immediately before the learning phase of a computerized task based on a modified Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) paradigm. Here, we present a study protocol aimed at evaluating the behavioral effects of continuous (cTBS), intermittent TBS (iTBS), or sham Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS) on four different conditions: learning, adaptation, delayed recall and re-adaptation of SRTT. We are confident to find modulation of SRTT performance induced by cerebellar TBS, in particular, processing acceleration and reduction of error in all the conditions induced by cerebellar iTBS, as already known for implicit processes. On the other hand, we expect that cerebellar cTBS could induce opposite effects. Results from this protocol are supposed to advance the knowledge about the role of non-invasive cerebellar modulation in neurorehabilitation, providing clinicians with useful data for further exploiting this technique in different clinical conditions.


The group classification is carried out on the nonlinear wave equation utt = f{x, u, ux)uxx + g(x, u, ux) by using the preliminary group classification approach. The generators of equivalence group are determined and the corresponding reduced forms are obtained. The result of the work is shown in table form.


Abstract The discovery of antibiotics is considered one of the most crucial breakthroughs in medicine and veterinary science in the 20th century. From the very beginning, this type of drug was used as a 'miraculous cure' for every type of infection. In addition to their therapeutic uses, antibiotics were also used for disease prevention and growth promotion in livestock. Though this application was banned in the European Union in 2006, antibiotics are still used in this way in countries all over the world. The unlimited and unregulated use of antibiotics has increased the speed of antibiotic resistance's spread in different types of organisms. This phenomenon requires searching for new strategies to deal with hard-to-treat infections. The antimicrobial activity of some plant derivatives and animal products has been known since ancient times. At the beginning of this century, even more substances, such as antimicrobial peptides, were considered very promising candidates for becoming new alternatives to commonly used antimicrobials. However, many preclinical and clinical trials ended without positive results. A variety of strategies to fight microbes exist, but we are a long way from approving them as therapies. This review begins with the discovery of antibiotics, covers the modes of action of select antimicrobials, and ends with a literature review of the newest potential alternative approaches to overcoming the drug resistance phenomenon.


Fouling rate data have been obtained by passing kerosine at a low flow rate through a small horizontal tubular furnace. Substantial circumferential variations in surface temperature and fouling rate occurred during vaporization, the highest rates being at the bottom of the tube where surface temperatures were the lowest. Fouling rates generally increased as pressure increased from 1 to 2.5 bar, but were reduced markedly either by decreasing the feedstock oxygen content or by raising the wall superheat. All the observations are consistent with fouling occurring predominantly via autoxidation and cracking-synthesis mechanisms for the liquid and vapor phases, respectively.


In this work we propose a novel geometric clustering algorithm based on the Tensor Voting Framework (TVF). More precisely, we propose the construction of a weighted graph by means of the information diffused by TVF during the vote casting step. This graph, which summarizes informations related to the manifold geometric structure, was used for clustering purposes. To this aim, we applied the well known Dijkstra and Ford Fulkerson algorithms to recursively separate weakly connected graph components. We performed preliminary tests, comparing our algorithm with that obtained by employing a weighted version of the ǫ-NN graph. The obtained results on both synthetic and real data show that the proposed technique is promising. To test our algorithm on real datasets, we preprocessed graylevel input images by extracting their edge pixel points.


Background: Caesarean section rates have continued to trend upward in most countries, including Romania, creating a number of economic challenges. In the public health system, there is no regulation for performing Caesarean sections on demand; it is often done unlawfully, and in private hospitals, it is a real business. Thus, this study aims to investigate the budgetary impact at a hospital level and the profit per procedure by introducing on-demand caesarean sections for a fee. Methods: This study was conducted in one of the largest maternity units in Western Romania—the "Bega" Maternity Clinic of the Timisoara County Emergency Hospital. For the analysis, the difference between a proposed occupancy rate (between 50 and 85%, increasing every 5 percent) and the actual occupancy rate was calculated. Considering that this difference can be used to admit patients to receive Caesarean sections on demand for a fee, the profit that could be obtained during the study period was calculated. Results: It is reported that between 238 (proposed occupancy rate of 50%) and 4683 patients (a proposed occupancy rate of 85%) could have benefited from on-demand caesarean section surgery in 2017–2019. Between RON 419,999 and RON 8,551,636 could be obtained in the 3 years of study by implementing caesarean section against payment. Conclusion: The implementation of a system of on-demand payment for caesarean sections in Romania would bring significant profits to the hospital budget.


Objective To assess the intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effect of travoprost 0.004%/timolol 0.5% fixed-dose combination (TRAV/TIM–FC) in patients not achieving the target IOP of ≤18 mmHg while on timolol 0.5% (TIM) monotherapy. Methods A multicenter, prospective, open-label study (NCT01336569) was conducted in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Eligible patients were receiving TIM monotherapy with a screening/baseline IOP of 19–35 mmHg in ≥1 eye. TIM was discontinued on the baseline visit day (no washout period) and TRAV/TIM–FC was initiated and administered once daily at 8 pm for 4–6 weeks. The primary efficacy variable was mean change in IOP from TIM-treated baseline to study end, measured by Goldmann applanation tonometry. Results were analyzed by analysis of variance and paired samples t-test (5% significance). Results A total of 49 patients were enrolled (mean age, 63 [range, 42–82] years; 55.1% White; 73.5% women), and 45 were included in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population. Mean duration of treatment with TRAV/TIM–FC was 31 days. Mean ± standard deviation IOP reduction from baseline (TIM) to the follow-up visit (TRAV/TIM–FC) was −5.0±3.6 mmHg. IOP decreased significantly (P<0.0001) from baseline (22.1±2.6 mmHg) to study end (17.1±3.9 mmHg) in the ITT population, with a mean IOP reduction of 22.3%. Most patients (n=33/45; 73.3%) achieved IOP ≤18 mmHg. Two patients experienced a total of four adverse events (AEs), including a patient who reported one serious AE (enterorrhagia) that was considered unrelated to treatment, and a patient who reported one event each of drug-related redness, pruritus, and foreign body sensation. Most patients (n=47/49; 95.9%) reported no AEs. Conclusions TRAV/TIM–FC lowered IOP in patients who were not at target IOP while receiving TIM monotherapy, with most patients achieving an IOP ≤18 mmHg with TRAV/TIM–FC. TRAV/TIM–FC was well tolerated in this population.


Plastic welding is a common method for manufacturing parts that can't be molded and has a complex geometry such as the part that has undercuts. The process is suitable for mass production, cheap and meets automotive requirements. The process helps the zero-emission target of the automotive industry, due to the biggest obstacle of the plastic use in this sector was the moldability of the complex geometries. Most of the engine parts such as thermostat, water pump etc. can't be molded as one piece. These engine components are manufactured by helping the plastic welding and decrease the weight of the automobile, therefore, improving fuel efficiency. Plastic welding technology has become more important especially in electrical vehicles, because metal to plastic replacement has a significant role in decreasing the weight of the vehicle. Selecting the welding method according to the polymer properties and the geometry of parts are the most important factors for the application area. All of the welding methods are basically based on the remelting of the welding surfaces of the parts and the consolidation of them under the pressure. In this paper, the vibration welding and the ultrasonic welding methods have been inspected. The most effective parameters of both processes have been discussed and shown.


It was proposed to compare the absorption spectra of condensed substances with their absorption in the gaseous state, as little is known of the nature of the light absorption process in solids, and it was hoped to discover the effect upon the molecular terms of embedding the mole cules in a crystal lattice. * A vacuum spectrograph was used with fluorite prisms and lenses transparent down to a wave-length of 1400 A. Water was first employed as a test substance because the technique is simple. As a gas it has no discrete bands in this region—or to be more accurate, only very weak and diffuse ones, superimposed on a broad absorption continuum.f However, the results proved of some interest— especially as the spectra of light and heavy ice could be compared in the same way as has been done by Franck and Wood;j: for water vapour.


Thank you for reading diversity a special issue of leadership and management in engineering. Maybe you have knowledge that, people have look numerous times for their favorite books like this diversity a special issue of leadership and management in engineering, but end up in malicious downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they are facing with some harmful bugs inside their desktop computer.


We reported 2 example cases of biliary atresia. Both of them had clinical cholestasis jaundice in late neonatal period, and passed clinical evaluation process. We found that intraoperative cholangiography reveal pathology clearly before the definite surgery-hepatic portoenterostomy or Kasai's operation-which performed at 58 days and 108 days of age respectively. The first case recovered completely within age of 7 months. And the second case had biliary cirrhosis. The pathology was too far for surgery to treat her disease.


Buoyancy causes a horizontal jet flame to bend upward when it loses sufficient initial momentum. Therefore, the variation in flame trajectory must be considered to accurately predict the thermal radiant flux of a horizontal jet flame governed by buoyancy and momentum. We introduce the flame trajectory equation into the linear source equation of radiation to establish a new model. The flame length ratio is calculated by flame trajectory length, horizontal projected flame length, and vertical projected flame height in the new model. This paper also presents a formula for flame lift-off distance and flame radiant fraction. We further list the geometric parameters of the horizontal-kite shape, tile-kite shape, and flame trajectory models. Comparing the experimental data and model predictions shows that the flame trajectory model is more accurate than the horizontal-kite and tile-kite models, especially when the Froude number is low. We also study the effects of flame lift-off distance and flame length ratio on predictive accuracy. The flame trajectory model computes quickly, and a normal laptop computer needs only 1.08 s to get a picture with 24,000 data points.


Djibouti City, Djibouti is known as one of the hottest inhabited locations in the world. The future warmer climate is expected to increase the existing risk levels associated with the heat waves in Djibouti City. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is insufficient information about the heat waves in Djibouti City. In this study, the grades of the historical heat waves in Djibouti City were analyzed. The present results showed that the heat waves mainly appeared from early June to late September in Djibouti City, and the medium-heavy or heavy heat waves lasting more than a month often began in late June, early July and early August. These findings will lay a foundation for evaluating the heat wave hazard and risks in Djibouti City in the future.


Introduction No other issue so clearly epitomizes the clash between human rights and intellectual property as access to patented medicines. And with good reason. The idea of withholding livesaving drugs from individuals suffering from fatal or debilitating diseases when the means exist to distribute those drugs cheaply and effectively is anathema to all notions of morality. Yet medical treatments such as new pharmaceuticals do not fall from the sky. They are the product of years or even decades of painstaking research, much of which yields little if any therapeutic benefit. If providing widespread access to new medicines were to choke off this research, the results would be less medical innovation and fewer treatments for future diseases – results surely incompatible with the spirit if not the letter of the international human rights regime. The compatibility of patent protection with access to lifesaving drugs is thus inextricably linked to how societies allocate resources to medical innovation. Governments can provide such resources directly, for example through government-funded research or grants from the public fisc. They can also provide indirect incentives for research through a system of patent protection. In the latter case, private actors – most notably pharmaceutical companies – recoup their research costs and earn a profit through what in most countries is a twenty-year monopoly over the sale, licensing, and distribution of medical inventions. In addition to these private gains, intellectual property-based systems of medical innovation provide numerous social benefits.


Objectives: Social and economic marginalization are significant problems for many people living with mental illness. Clinicians and policy-makers have increased their focus on these aspects of recovery. Current outcome measures, however, do not support this focus, and detailed functional measures are not suitable for routine clinical use. This report describes the development and test–retest reliability of the Activity and Participation Questionnaire (APQ6); a self-report measure of vocational activity and social participation for routine use in community mental health services. Method: The APQ6 was developed from concepts of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Labour Force Surveys and Census. Field testing and consumer consultation were undertaken in New South Wales (NSW) mental health rehabilitation services. Test–retest reliability trials were conducted simultaneously by research teams in NSW and Queensland. Results: Pairs of short-cycle test–retest reliability interviews were obtained from 129 mental health service consumers. Consumer feedback and test–retest reliability results at question and item levels indicate good construct validity. The measure has utility as both a telephone and a personal interview in community mental health settings. Conclusions: The reported psychometric properties support the proposed use of the APQ6 as a recovery-orientated measure focusing on vocational activity and community participation. The APQ6 is being introduced for routine use by NSW mental health services.


Diabetic vascular complications are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. In the past, many studies have focused on the mechanisms of hyperglycemia-induced chronic vascular complications via the formation of toxic metabolites such as oxidative stress, advanced glycosylated end products, persistent activation of protein kinase C, and increased sorbitol concentrations. However, vascular complications result from imbalances caused by increases in systemic toxic metabolites, such as those that occur under conditions of hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia, and by reductions in endogenous protective factors such as insulin, vascular endothelial growth factor, and platelet derived growth factor. This review outlines some of the evidence supporting the importance of enhancing endogenous regenerative factors.


Canola meal has been described in the past as a protein source that was readily degraded in the rumen, highly fibrous, poorly digested, low energy, and sometimes poorly palatable. Values in feed tables and feed formulation programs in general would not encourage use of this meal. In spite of such apparently poor quality, the use of canola meal by the dairy industry in the USA has been accelerating, with imports more than doubling in the last 10 years (Figure 1).


Nitrogen and sulphur application has a significant effect on the quality and quantity of storage proteins of wheat which affect the bread making process. In this study, effect of foliar applications of urea, potassium sulphate (K2SO4) and zinc sulphate heptahydrate (ZnSO4.7H2O), under field conditions at vegetative and generative periods of wheat, were investigated for their effects on protein quality (SDS sedimentation and STK-Lactic Acid values), Glutopic parameters [(PMT (s)), BM (BE), BEM (BE) and PM (BE)] and dough rheological properties [stability (min), degree of softening (BU)] of wheat. Experiments were conducted in two trial groups. In the first trial, foliar treatments of 0% (Control); 0,5% Urea; 1% Urea; 0,5% ZnSO4.7H2O; 0,5% Urea+0,5% ZnSO4.7H2O; 1% Urea+0,5% ZnSO4.7H2O; 0,5% K2SO4 and 1% K2SO4; in the second trial, 0%; 0,5% Urea+0,5% K2SO4; 0,5% Urea+1% K2SO4;1% Urea+0,5% K2SO4; 1% Urea+1% K2SO4 were performed. As a result, in the first trial, 0,5% Urea, 1% Urea+0,5% ZnSO4 and 0,5% K2SO4; in the second trial, 1% Urea+0,5% K2SO4 were found the most prominent applications. According to the obtained results, the effect of urea, potassium sulphate and zinc sulphate applications on protein quality, gluten rheology and dough rheology was found to be significant.


Medical research is widely thought to have a fundamentally therapeutic orientation, in spite of the fact that clinical research is thought to be ethically distinct from medical care. We need an entirely new conception of clinical research ethics—one that looks to science instead of the doctor-patient relationship.


The widespread use of sensitive electronic devices has increased the interest on transients, in particular those caused by lightning (direct and/or indirect). This tutorial presents the latest developments in modelling the electromagnetic (indirect) effects of lightning. The progress in field-to-transmission lines coupling calculations for networks permits the analysis of more complicated structures submitted to a lightning electromagnetic field. Combined approaches using low frequency coupling expressions which neglect the propagation in the case of complicated circuits but with small dimensions are discussed. Such approaches can give approximative solutions and orders of magnitude helpful for a correct EMC design for very complex configurations like for instance control and protection circuits in power network substations


Introduction postpartum depression (PPD) continues to become one of the major maternal health challenges across the globe but there is a paucity of recent data on its magnitude in Africa. This study was motivated by the need to update the current magnitude of PPD in Africa based on various assessment tools. Methods a total of 21 articles met the study criteria. Fifteen articles used the EPDS and six used other assessment tools. Postpartum depression among studies that used EPDS tool ranged from 6.9% in Morocco to 43% in Uganda and 6.1% in Uganda to 44% in Burkina Faso among studies that used other depression assessment tools. Sensitivity and specificity results of the EPDS ranged from 75%-100% and 87%-98% respectively. Results a total of 21 articles met the study criteria. Fifteen articles used the EPDS and six used other assessment tools. Postpartum depression among studies that used EPDS tool ranged from 6.9% in Morocco to 43% in Uganda and 6.1% in Uganda to 44% in Burkina Faso among studies that used other depression assessment tools. Sensitivity and specificity results of the EPDS ranged from 75%-100% and 87%-98% respectively. Conclusion despite the limited dearth of literature, the magnitude of PPD in Africa remains high which suggests that PPD is still a neglected illness and calls for immediate interventions. EPDS is an effective tool with high sensitivity and specify in varying study contexts.


A clinical trial of p-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) and streptomycin in pulmonary tuberculosis was undertaken in 1948 by the Medical Research Council, with the co-operation of the British Tuberculosis Association. The trial is not yet completed, but certain results already obtained are of such importance that the joint committee responsible for guiding the trial has decided to issue the following preliminary statement. A major disadvantage in the use of streptomycin is that the period of effective therapy is limited in many patients by the emergence of streptomycin-resistant strains of tubercle bacilli after five or more weeks of treatment. It has been thought by many workers that the addition of another tuberculostatic agent might be sufficient to suppress the resistant strains, which in the initial phases are present in very small numbers; published reports on a few cases treated with PAS and streptomycin have been encouraging. The present investigation was planned to examine, by the method of controlled trial, the possibility that PAS has this property, and at the same time to assess the clinical effect of this drug alone and in combination with streptomycin. Accordingly, three treatment groups of over 50 cases each were observed: (a) PAS alone (20 g. of the sodium salt daily); (b) streptomycin alone (1 g. daily); and (c) both drugs together (20 g. of the sodium salt of PAS and 1 g. of streptomycin daily). The methods were similar to those employed in the first M.R;C. clinical trial of streptomycin in pulmonary tuberculosis (British Medical Journal, 1948, 2, 769), and the type of case was again defined as follows: acute rapidly progressive bilateral pulmonary tuberculosis, of recent development, unsuitable for collapse therapy, in young adults aged 15 to 30. After acceptance for the trial by a panel, patients were allocated to one of the three treatment groups by a method of random selection. The prescribed treatment was given for three months in each case. Clinicians and pathologists at eleven hospital centres have co-operated in this investigation, keeping uniform records, employing standard clinical and bacteriological procedures, and reporting results at regular intervals to the Council's Tuberculosis Research Unit, where the grouped results have been analysed. For this well-defined type of case of pulmonary tuberculosis the trial has demonstrated unequivocally that the combination of PAS with streptomycin reduces considerably the risk of development of streptomycin-resistant strains of tubercle bacilli during the six months following the start of treatment. This conclusion is applicable so far only to the acute form of disease treated, and it remains to be seen whether the same results are obtainabLe in other forms of tuberculosis amenable to streptomycin therapy. Furthermore, the conclusion is applicable only to the large dose of PAS used; this dosage causes discomfort in some patients, and it has been agreed to find out, by further trials, whether smaller doses would achieve the same result. It must be stressed also that streptomycin is effective only in certain forms of tuberculosis, and the finding reported here must not be interpreted as indicating that a combination with another drug will be effective in those forms in which little result would be expected from streptomycin alone.


Recent scholarship has raised doubts about whether or not abolitionist Olaudah Equiano, who was known in his own lifetime as Gustavus Vassa, was born in Africa. While baptismal and naval documents indicate that he was born in South Carolina, it is argued here that his autobiographical account is nonetheless accurate, although allowing for reflection and information that was learned later in life. Information on facial markings (ichi) and other cultural features that are recounted in Vassa's account indicate that he had first hand experience of his Igbo homeland and that he was about the age he thought he was at the time of his forced departure from the Bight of Biafra on a slave ship in 1754.


Salwa, who studies languages at the university, wanted to earn some extra money during the semester break. A friend had given her the address of an office that was looking for a part-time secretary. Although she first had some doubts, she eventually applied for the job (with the approval of her parents) because she desperately needed the money. The office was conveniently located in a huge office building between her home and the university, so that she could easily go there by bus, and go to the library after work.


Previous studies have documented that deep convection responds more strongly to above-the-cloud-base temperature perturbations in the lower troposphere than to those in the upper troposphere, a behavior that is important to the dynamics of large-scale moist flows, such as convectively coupled waves. A number of factors may contribute to this differing sensitivity, including differences in buoyancy, vertical velocity, and/or liquid water content in cloud updrafts in the lower versus upper troposphere. Quantifying the contributions from these factors can help to guide the development of convective parameterization schemes. We tackle this issue by tracking Lagrangian particles embedded in cloud-resolving simulations within a linear response framework. The results show that both the differences in updraft buoyancy and vertical velocity play a significant role, with the vertical velocity being the more important, and the effect of liquid water content is only secondary compared to the other two factors. These results indicate that cloud updraft vertical velocities need to be correctly modeled in convective parameterization schemes in order to properly account for the differing convective sensitivities to temperature perturbations at different heights of the free troposphere.


Hybrid optical and wireless technology integrations have been considered as one of the most promising candidates for the next generation broadband access networks for quite some time. The integration scheme provides the bandwidth advantages of the optical networks and mobility features of the wireless networks for Subscriber Stations (SSs). It also brings economic efficiency to the network providers particularly in rural area where the existing wired telecommunication infrastructures such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Cable Modem (CM), T-1/E-1 networks or fibre deployments are either costly or unreachable. For successful integration of the optical and wireless technologies there are some technical issues which need to be addressed efficiently in order to provide End-to-End (ETE) and diverse Quality of Service (QoS) for various service classes. This paper investigates the possible challenging issues for the integrated structure of the Time Division Multiplexing and Wavelength Division Multiplexing Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (TDM EPON and WDM EPON ) with the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access and Wireless Fidelity (WiMAX and Wi-Fi) networks. To reduce the ETE delay and provide the QoS for diverse service classes, we have compared six existing upstream scheduling mechanisms in two levels which are distributed on Access Points (APs) from Wi-Fi domain and Base Stations (BSs) from WiMAX domain. Performance evaluations of the existing scheduling techniques for three popular service classes (Quad-play) have been studied which show the strong impact of using the efficient up-link scheduler in converged scenario. We have also proposed a dynamic scheduling algorithm for optical and wireless integration scheme, which is under the implementation and evaluation process.