In their first few years of life, children are making sense of the world at two levels at once: at the fine-grained level of everyday object categories (deciding which things are trees and which are dogs and which are cookies), and at a broader level that some have called commonsense "theories." Both are remarkable achievements. First, consider categorization. If children's vocabulary is any indication, by the age of 6 they have carved up the world into thousands of distinct categories (Carey, 1978). Many children undergo a vocabulary "explosion" at roughly 18 months of age (Halliday, 1975; McShane, 1980; Nelson, 1973), when the rate of acquisition suddenly rises exponentially. One child studied in detail by Dromi (1987) produced as many as 44 new words in one week, and roughly 340 new words in her first 7 months of speech. No other species acquires symbolic communication at this rate. Even studies that successfully teach apes to acquire sizeable vocabularies in sign language are incomparable, with no noticeable vocabulary explosion (e.g., after more than 4 years of exposure to sign language, Washoe acquired only about 132 signs; Gardner & Gardner, 1989). At around the same time that children learn to classify individual entities and undergo rapid vocabulary growth, they are developing broad systems of belief about the world. Not only do children learn to identify certain objects as "dogs," but they also learn that dogs belong to the class of animals, and that animals engage in characteristic biological processes such as growth, inheritance, and self-generated movement. Children are learning about physical laws such as gravity, mental states such as dreams, and social relationships within units such as families.


This thesis investigates ecological and evolutionary mechanisms behind the variation in male mating behaviour in fallow deer (Dama dama) populations. Two Swedish populations of fallow deer were studied, a semi-wild enclosed population on the island of Oland in the Baltic Sea (Ottenby), and a deer farm located north of Uppsala (Balinge).At Ottenby, the most successful mating tactic was defense of small mating territories (stands) where males display through scent marking and groaning. The unstable female groups and small group sizes observed supported the prediction that in such populations, males are likely to defend mating territories. Mating stands were found in areas where canopy cover was greatest, producing natural arenas for olfactory and auditory displays. These stands are not likely to be resource territories as the presence of vegetation favoured by females was not found in association with stand location.A strong mating skew was observed in both populations. Among the Ottenby deer, a few of the stand-defending males achieved most of the observed copulations, and high groaning rates were associated with high rates of female access. At Balinge, where males do not defend mating stands, access to females and mating success were determined through dominance interactions. Dominance rank was found to be positively associated with scent marking, but interestingly, not associated with rates of fighting or aggression. Dominant males at Balinge and stand-holding males at Ottenby scent marked most frequently early in the rut. In addition, Ottenby males scent marked more in the presence of other males, while females rarely showed an interest in the marks created by males. Scent marking is associated with dominance behaviour and mating territory defence in a number of different cervid species. For fallow deer and other members of the Cervinae, scent marking may also be involved in male-male competition for mates, while among the Odocoilinae, in addition to male-male competition, scent marking may facilitate male-female interactions


TRPM8 belongs to the TRPM Melastatin subfamily of Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) ion channels. Activated by cool temperatures and mimetic ligands, such as menthol and icilin, TRPM8 has been shown to play a role in thermoreception and is expressed in peripheral nerves. TRPM8 is also expressed in other tissues which are not exposed to temperature fluctuations, such as the prostate. The recent advancement of a TRPM8 agonist into the clinic for the treatment of prostate cancer suggests that the channel plays a role in some human pathologies. As more drug-like and selective agonists and antagonists of TRPM8 become available, in vivo pharmacology studies will complement already published knockout data to further our understanding of the role of TRPM8 in human disease.


This paper presents a fast hybrid volume-surface integral equation approach for the computation of electromagnetic scattering from objects comprising both conductors and dielectric materials. The volume electric field integral equation is applied to the material region and the surface electric field integral equation is applied on the conducting surface. The method of moments (MoM) is used to convert the integral equation into a matrix equation and the precorrected-FFT (P-FFT) method is employed to reduce the memory requirement and CPU time for the matrix solution. The present approach is sufficiently versatile in handling problems with either open or closed conductors, and dielectric materials of arbitrary inhomogeneity, due to the combination of the surface and volume electric field integral equations. The application of the precorrected-FFT method facilitates the solving of much larger problems than can be handled by the conventional MoM.


An idea to suppress the self-excited combustion oscillation was applied to the flames. The characteristics of unsteady combustion were examined and the unsteady combustion was driven by forced pulsating mixture supply that can modulate its amplitude and frequency. The self-excited combustion oscillation having weaker flow velocity fluctuation intensity than that of the forced pulsating supply can be suppressed by this method. The effects of the forced pulsation amplitude and frequency on controlling self-excited combustion oscillations were also investigated comparing with the steady mixture supply. The unsteady combustion used in this experiment plays an important role in controlling self-excited combustion oscillation. Symptoms of self-excited combustion oscillation were also studied in order to predict the onset of combustion oscillation before it proceeded to a catastrophic failure. For the purpose. the unique measures to observe the onset of self-excited combustion oscillations based on the careful statistics of fluctuating properties in flames. such as pressure or emission of OH radicals. have been proposed.


Here, we provide a unified framework for numerical analysis of stochastic nonlinear fractional diffusion equation driven by fractional Gaussian noise with Hurst index $H\in(0,1)$. A novel estimate of the second moment of the stochastic integral with respect to fractional Brownian motion is constructed, which greatly contributes to the regularity analyses of the solution in time and space for $H\in(0,1)$. Then we use spectral Galerkin method and backward Euler convolution quadrature to discretize the fractional Laplacian and Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative, respectively. The sharp error estimates of the built numerical scheme are also obtained. Finally, the extensive numerical experiments verify the theoretical results.


Spectroscopic ellipsometry was utilized to follow in situ photodegradation of organic species in the vicinity of TiO(2) nanoparticles during UV irradiation. Stacked layers composed of TiO(2), mesoporous SiO(2), and mixed mesoporous SiO(2)/TiO(2) nanocomposites with controlled thickness and porosity were used as model materials. Lauric acid molecules and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) layers were used as model mobile and immobile pollutants, respectively. The local photocatalytic activity was deduced by monitoring the variation of the thickness and refractive index of each independent layer. We show that the photocatalyzed degradation of an organic pollutant takes place only when the latter is located in close vicinity to the TiO(2) nanoparticle surface or can naturally diffuse toward it. As a result, the reaction efficiency is directly related to the organic pollutant diffusion. We also show that the distance of photocatalysis efficiency (d(s)) at which radical intermediates are still present and active is <10 nm from the TiO(2) surface under the conditions of the experiments. This was confirmed by the fact that an immobile condensed organic phase such as PVC was protected from the photocatalytic degradation when separated from the TiO(2) by a 20 nm layer of mesoporous silica.


A relationship between oceanic conditions in the northwestern equatorial Atlantic (NWEA) and the seasonal rainfall over the northern part of Brazilian Northeast (NNEB) allows large climate events to be forecasted with a delay of a few months. Observed sea surface variables (sea surface temperature, wind stress and latent heat flux) and reanalyzed temperature and salinity profiles at depths of 0 - 150 m are used during 1974-2008. Perturbations in the Wind-Evaporation-SST mechanism over the NWEA during the last months of the year and the first months of the following year are of primary importance in evaluating the risk that strong climate events will affect the subsequent seasonal rainfall (in March-April) over the NNEB. Especially interesting are the Barrier Layer Thickness (BLT) and Ocean Heat Content (OHC) in the NWEA region from August-September through the subsequent months, during which a slow and steady evolution is apparent, with the highest signal occurring in October-November. Through their relationship with the local surface dynamic conditions, such BLT and OHC perturbations during the last months of the year can be used as a valuable indicator for forecasting wet or dry events over the NNEB during the subsequent rainfall season. A proposal is discussed to deploy additional temperature/conductivity sensors down to a depth of 140 m at three PIRATA moorings located in the NWEA region. That will be necessary if the BLT and other parameters of energy exchange between the ocean and atmosphere are to be estimated in real time and with a sufficiently high vertical resolution.


Photoacoustic signals generated by nonradiative processes of photo-initiated chemical reactions in solutions have been detected by a laser heterodyne interferometer with high sensitivity and wide band. This technique can accurately carry out the time-resolved measurement of transient processes in nanosecond scale. The experimental results and theoretical calculations for probing some fast chemical reactions are described.


The high-pressure processing conditions were optimized for pineapple puree within the domain of 400-600 MPa, 40-60 °C, and 10-20 min using the response surface methodology (RSM). The target was to maximize the inactivation of polyphenoloxidase (PPO) along with a minimal loss in beneficial bromelain (BRM) activity, ascorbic acid (AA) content, antioxidant capacity, and color in the sample. The optimum condition was 600 MPa, 50 °C, and 13 min, having the highest desirability of 0.604, which resulted in 44% PPO and 47% BRM activities. However, 93% antioxidant activity and 85% AA were retained in optimized sample with a total color change (∆E*) value less than 2.5. A 10-fold reduction in PPO activity was obtained at 600 MPa/70 °C/20 min; however, the thermal degradation of nutrients was severe at this condition. Fuzzy mathematical approach confirmed that sensory acceptance of the optimized sample was close to the fresh sample; whereas, the thermally pasteurized sample (treated at 0.1 MPa, 95 °C for 12 min) had the least sensory score as compared to others.


In recent, android application developments have been done widely that intensify smart phone utilization. In this paper, we propose a curriculum that undergraduate students can improve their mobile programming abilities as well as integrate experiences of application development based on android. And also a series of practices to advance their sense of accomplishment are added by offering an opportunity to carry out a real project to use a variety of sensors embedded in smart phone during the course of study. The project is composed of a series of modules for implementing a trekking App that helpful to people who enjoy spending time in outdoors through their favorite activities such as trekking, cycling, and climbing with their own smart phones. Through practical curriculum operation and project implementation, we show that the proposed curriculum is appropriate to a mobile programming education that combine learning and practice.


Abstract The creation of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) set out to incorporate Indigenous and local knowledge into the science–policy landscape of the climate field. The Platform is a crucial case of institutional change, as it signals an incipient shift from a science-centric toward a pluralistic approach to knowledge in global climate governance. This article traces this process of change in the politics and practices underlying the establishment and design of the Platform as an interface for Indigenous and local knowledge holders. The analysis shows that the sui generis design of the Platform was the product of bricolage (recombination) and translation (recontextualization) of disparate elements with the purpose of accommodating various political demands in an altogether new kind of knowledge–policy interface: a diverse boundary organization. The article makes an empirical contribution to the historical development of knowledge politics in the UNFCCC and a theoretical contribution to the study of boundary organizations by advancing a broader conceptualization that transcends science-centric approaches.


Previous work [1] shows that the movement representation in task spaces offers many advantages for learning object-related and goal-directed movement tasks through imitation. It allows to reduce the dimensionality of the data that is learned and simplifies the correspondence problem that results from different kinematic structures of teacher and robot. Further, the task space representation provides a first generalization, for example wrt. differing absolute positions, if bi-manual movements are represented in relation to each other. Although task spaces are widely used, even if they are not mentioned explicitly, they are mostly defined a priori. This work is a step towards an automatic selection of task spaces. Observed movements are mapped into a pool of possibly even conflicting task spaces and we present methods that analyze this task space pool in order to acquire task space descriptors that match the observation best. As statistical measures cannot explain importance for all kinds of movements, the presented selection scheme incorporates additional criteria such as an attention-based measure. Further, we introduce methods that make a significant step from purely statistically-driven task space selection towards model-based movement analysis using a simulation of a complex human model. Effort and discomfort of the human teacher is being analyzed and used as a hint for important task elements. All methods are validated with real-world data, gathered using color tracking with a stereo vision system and a VICON motion capturing system.


Schemes are examined for implementing quantum computers to solve problems that cannot be solved in polynomial time on classical computers. Special attention is given to the newly proposed adiabatic quantum computation algorithms. We explore the ways in which the latter might be easier to implement than the more conventional approach.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical effect of percutaneous pedicle screw fixation(PPSF) combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in the treatment of Genant Ⅲ degree osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs).

METHODS
The hospitalized 83 patients with Genant Ⅲ degree OVCFs treated by PPSF combined with PVP from June 2015 to June 2017 were retrospectively analyzed, and 83 patients treated by PVP alone from January 2013 to June 2016 were randomly selected as the control group. There were 19 males and 64 females with an average age of (73.6±11.0) years in combined group with treatment of PPSF and PVP. There were 15 malesand 68 females with an average age of (75.5±10.6) years in control group. The anterior edge height of the vertebral body and Cobb angle before operation, 1 day, and 6, 12, 24 months after operation were compared between two groups. Visual analogue scale(VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used to assess the pain level and daily lumbar dysfunction for patients, respectively. The complications were observed.

RESULTS
The follow-up time of all patients was more than 2 years. The combined group and control group were (24.3±10.2) months and (27.5±14.8) months, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the anterior edge height of the vertebral body and Cobb angle at 1 day after surgery between two groups (P>0.05), and there were statistically significant differences at 6, 12, 24 months after surgery between two groups (P<0.01). The difference in ODI and VAS scores at 6 and 12 months after operation between two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Postoperative complications incontrol group were higher than those in the combined group.

CONCLUSION
PPSF combined with PVP for the treatment of Genant Ⅲ degree OVCFs is superior to PVP alone in terms of vertebral height loss, patient satisfaction, and complications.


Research into glacial mass change in West Kunlun (WK) has been sufficient, but most of the existing studies were based on geodetic methods, which are not suitable for specific health state analyses of each glacier. In this paper, we utilize Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) imagery, applying the continuity equation to obtain altitudinal specific mass balance (SMB) for 615 glaciers (>2 km2) during 2002–2011, 2011–2020, and 2002–2020 to research glacial health and its response to climatic forcing. The results show dissimilar glacier SMB patterns between 2002–2011 (0.10 ± 0.14 m w.e. a−1), 2011–2020 (–0.12 ± 0.14 m w.e. a−1) and 2002–2020 (−0.01 ± 0.07 m w.e. a−1). Additionally, the glacier equilibrium line altitude (ELA) in WK was 5788 m, 5744 m, and 5786 m, respectively, and the corresponding accumulation area ratios (AARs) were 0.59, 0.62, and 0.58, during 2002–2011, 2011–2020, and 2002–2020, respectively. Regarding glacier response, compared with the ordinary-least-square (OLS) model, the artificial neural network (ANN) model revealed a respectively less and more sensitive glacier SMB response to extreme negative and positive summer skin temperatures. In addition, the ANN model indicated that the glacier ELA was less sensitive when the integrated water vapor transport (IVT) change exceeded 0.7 kg m−1s−1. Moreover, compared with IVT (−121.57 m/kg m−1s−1), glacier ELA shifts were chiefly dominated by summer skin temperature (+154.66 m/℃) in the last two decades. From 2002–2011 and 2011–2020, glacier SMB was more susceptible to summer skin temperature (−0.38 m w.e./℃ and −0.16 m w.e./℃, respectively), while during 2002–2020, it was more influenced by IVT (0.45 m w.e./kg m−1s−1). In contrast with eastern WK, glaciers in western WK were healthier, although mitigation measures are still needed to safeguard glacier health and prevent possible natural hazards in this region. Finally, we believe that the inconsistent change between glacier SMB and ELAs from 2002–2020 was connected with ice rheology and that the combined effects of skin temperature and IVT can explain the WK glacier anomaly.


Purpose
Customers from different cultures might have different expectations and perceptions of quality, leading to different levels of satisfaction. Together with the construct and measurement equivalence issues of cross-cultural surveys, this raises the question of the comparability of customer satisfaction measurements across countries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the survey method of anchoring vignettes as a tool for improving the comparability of customer satisfaction measurements across countries and to shed some light on cultural influences on customer satisfaction measurements.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on the models of American Customer Satisfaction Index and European Performance Satisfaction Index, the authors designed and conducted a survey using the method of anchoring vignettes to measure and compare customer satisfaction with mobile phone services in four countries – Costa Rica, Poland, Sweden and Thailand. The survey was carried out with young adults aged 20–30 years, who were mostly university students.

Findings
This study demonstrates how anchoring vignettes can be used to mitigate cultural bias in customer satisfaction surveys and to improve both construct and measurement equivalence of the questionnaire. The results show that different conclusions on cross-cultural benchmarking of customer satisfaction would be drawn when using a traditional survey compared to the anchoring vignettes method.

Originality/value
This paper evaluates the survey method of anchoring vignettes as a potential quantitative research method for studying customer satisfaction across countries. The results also contribute to customer satisfaction research as these shed some light onto how culture influences customer satisfaction measurements. The practical implication for firms and managers is that allocating resources among different countries based on traditional customer satisfaction surveys may be misleading.


Previous studies have defined a requirement for Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling in patterning the ventral telencephalon, a major source of the neuronal diversity found in the mature telencephalon. The zinc finger transcription factor Gli3 is a critical component of the Shh signaling pathway and its loss causes major defects in telencephalic development. Gli3 is expressed in a graded manner along the dorsoventral axis of the telencephalon but it is unknown whether Gli3 expression levels are important for dorsoventral telencephalic patterning. To address this, we used the Gli3 hypomorphic mouse mutant Polydactyly Nagoya (Pdn). We show that in Pdn/Pdn embryos, the telencephalic expression of Gli3 remains graded, but Gli3 mRNA and protein levels are reduced, resulting in an upregulation of Shh expression and signaling. These changes mainly affect the development of the lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE), with some disorganization of the medial ganglionic eminence mantle zone. The pallial/subpallial boundary is shifted dorsally and the production of postmitotic neurons is reduced. Moreover, LGE pioneer neurons that guide corticofugal axons into the LGE do not form properly, delaying the entry of corticofugal axons into the ventral telencephalon. Pdn/Pdn mutants also show severe pathfinding defects of thalamocortical axons in the ventral telencephalon. Transplantation experiments demonstrate that the intrinsic ability of the Pdn ventral telencephalon to guide thalamocortical axons is compromised. We conclude that correct Gli3 levels are particularly important for the LGE's growth, patterning, and development of axon guidance capabilities.


The Meaning in Mimesis: Philosophy, Aesthetics, Acting Theory Daniel Larlham Theatre as mimesis, the actor as mimic: can we still think in these terms, two and a half millennia after antiquity? The Meaning in Mimesis puts canonical texts of acting theory by Plato, Diderot, Stanislavsky, Brecht, and others back into conversation with their informing paradigms in philosophy and aesthetics, in order to trace the recurring impulse to theorize the actor's art and the theatrical experience in terms of one-to-one correspondences. I show that, across the history of ideas that is acting theory, the familiar conception of mimesis as imagistic representation entangles over and over again with an "other mimesis": mimesis as the embodied attunement with alterity, a human capacity that bridges the gap between self and other. When it comes to the philosophy of the theatre, it is virtually impossible to consider the one-to-one of representation or reenactment without at the same time grappling with the one-to-one of identification or vicarious experience.


OBJECTIVES
To determine the correlation of skeletal bone mineral density (BMD) with mandibular density and mandibular radiographic indices estimated on digital panoramic radiographs.

METHODS
Study comprised 112 female subjects older than 45 years. Digital panoramic radiographs were taken, and patients were referred to densitometric measuring (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) of BMD in the hip bones and lumbar spine regions (L1-L4). On the radiographs, mandibular bone density was estimated and the following indices were measured by the DIGORA(®) software (Soredex, Tuusula, Finland): mental index (MI), gonial index (GI), antegonial index (AI), panoramic mandibular index (PMI) and alveolar crest resorption degree (M/M). Mandibular cortical index (MCI) was visually estimated.

RESULTS
Mandibular density and visual index MCI are significant predictors of hip and spine BMD. Mandibular density was marked by a significant square trend: it decreased until the age of 54 years and remained constant until the age of 64 years when it started to increase. Significant correlations were found between MI, AI and PMI values and BMD in the hip but not in the lumbar spine region. The GI and M/M values did not show statistically significant correlations with BMD of either region.

CONCLUSIONS
Mandibular bone density and mandibular radiographic indices are useful in detecting patients with decreased BMD. The applicability of orthopantomograms in diagnosing osteoporosis/osteopenia should be recognized as the potential greatest benefit of this everyday diagnostic method in dental practice.


The need for new embedded software development design methodologies arises from the increasing complexity and sophistication of embedded systems. The paper proposes a novel approach for model-driven development and verification of embedded software. This approach mainly depends on the separation of design and implementation phases of the development process. The proposed design comprises two main phases for development: modeling the software using xtUML and fully verifying the model to match specification, then the generation of the embedded software code from the created model. Following this approach allows helps to discover specification errors early in the development process, and facilitates the reuse of various parts of the model. The proposed flow also introduces the possibility of using Model Based Testing (MBT) tools for automatic test generation. Using, this complete flow, only the effort of creating two models (one for software module code generation and one for test generation) will be required replacing the traditional complete design, implementation, test design, test implementation and test execution flow.


The effects of impurity iron content on characteristics of sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitrides were examined by adding iron powder to a high purity raw Si powder. Powder compacts of the raw Si powder doped with 2 mol% Y2O3 and 5 mol% MgSiN2 as sintering additives and Fe as impurity (0 mass%, 0.1 mass%, 1.0 mass% and 5.0 mass%) were nitrided at 1400°C for 8 h under a N2 pressure of 0.1 MPa, followed by post-sintering at 1900°C for 6 h under a N2 pressure of 0.9 MPa. All the SRBSN (Sintered Reaction-Bonded Silicon Nitride) specimens had about the same 4-point bending strength of 730–770 MPa. The fracture toughness of the specimens was gradually decreased with increasing Fe additive amount due to the inhibition of development of rodlike β-Si3N4 grains by SiFex particles formed during nitridation process. The thermal conductivity was also decreased with an increase in Fe amount. It seems that the increasing oxygen in grain-boundary phase caused by the oxidation of Fe during milling resulted in the increase in lattice oxygen of β-Si3N4 grains, which caused phonon scattering and thereby decreased thermal conductivity of β-Si3N4. There was little change in the dielectric breakdown strength of the specimens: 24, 22, 22, and 21 kV/mm for the specimens without Fe, and with 0.1 mass%, 1.0 mass% and 5.0 mass% Fe, respectively. The surface resistivity of the specimens with 0 mass%, 0.1 mass% and 1.0 mass% Fe was in the range of 1013 Ω, but the specimen with 5 mass% Fe was about one order lower than the others.


Hobbes presents the fifth Law of Nature, Mutual Accommodation, in Leviathan , Chapter XV. Although a great deal of scholarly attention has been devoted to the first four Laws of Nature, hardly any mention of the fifth appears in the literature. This paper explains the fifth Law as a central piece of Hobbes's theory and thereby reveals his progressive inclinations. Drawing upon relevant passages in Leviathan I show how Hobbes's view of property allocation and reallocation derives from this Law and how attention to mutual accommodation directs sovereigns to constrain their grasping inclinations and curb their disposition to overextend legislative authority.


Objective: To investigate the effects of calcium supplementation during the pregnancy and early infancy stage on body mass index (BMI) and gut microbiota in the infants. Methods: A total of 1 752 healthy pregnant women and their infants (breast feeding) in two maternal and child health care hospitals of Beijing were chosen as the subjects in this study from May to October 2016. Questionnaires were used to obtain the general information and supplementation of calcium and vitamin D in mothers and their infants. The body length and weight of infants at birth and 6 months were recorded to calculate the BMI. The random number table method was used to randomly select 40 infants from each group for gut microbiota analysis (If less than 40 infants were all included in this study, 23 infants in the pregnancy and early infancy would be all treated with calcium supplements. There were 6 infants who was not added calcium during the pregnancy but added in the early infancy). Then it was compared that the effects of calcium supplementation during the pregnancy and early infancy on the BMI and gut microbiota composition of infants were determined at birth and 6 months. Results: Compared to the group with no calcium supplementation during the pregnancy ((12.76±1.23), (17.68±0.76)kg/m(2)), the BMI of infants at birth and 6 months in the group with calcium supplementation during the pregnancy ((13.51±0.47), (17.91±0.23)kg/m(2)) were significantly higher(P<0.05). In the group with maternal calcium supplementation, the BMI at 6 months ((18.63±0.52)kg/m(2)), BMI increment ((5.71±0.54)kg/m(2)) and the content of lactobacillus (21.04%±3.68%) in the only calcium supplementation subgroup in the early infancy were higher than those in only vitamin D supplementation subgroup ((17.69±0.89) kg/m(2), (4.17±1.01) kg/m(2) and 12.28%±3.86%) (P<0.05). In the group without maternal calcium supplementation, the content of lactobacillus (20.15%±4.87%) in the only calcium supplementation subgroup were also higher than those in only vitamin D supplementation subgroup (14.64%±3.71%) (P<0.05). Conclusion: Appropriate calcium supplementation during the pregnancy is good for the growth and development of the fetus. Calcium supplementation in the early infancy could increase the BMI of infants, and promote the growth of intestinal lactobacillus.


With over 300 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas and a formation pressure that exceeds 9,000 psi, "Vaca Muerta" (located in Argentina) is the second-largest shale gas reservoir in the world.
 To increase production efficiency and reduce production costs, oil and gas companies have developed their well's trajectory from vertical to horizontal, increasing over time the lateral length to over 9,800 ft. and bringing greater completion challenges. The most common method of completions is "Plug and Perf". Consequently, the use of coiled tubing (CT) requires a thorough understanding of the friction coefficient (CoF) between the CT string and the completion and the different forces exerted in the string. This understanding has become vital to predict the feasibility of reaching the bottom of the well, because the plugs must be milled out and the well cleaned out after the stimulation treatment and during its producing stage.
 This document demonstrates, through two case studies, the existence of sticking effects, caused by the differential pressures between the wellbore and the formation, in a particular perforation cluster of high-pressure horizontal wells targeting the "Vaca Muerta" formation.
 Because these are high-pressure horizontal wells, with all the perforation clusters targeting the same formation, and they are affected by the same hydrostatic pressure, it might have led to a misunderstanding of the CT CoF and/or stuck pipe situation.
 This document will also describe a successful set of maneuvers that are designed to overcome these differential pressure-like stuck pipe situations, once diagnosed.
 To understand these effects, two operations where the CT string experienced differential pressure-like sticking will be described. The first, from a clean-out operation during the earliest stages of flowback and the second, from a plug milling operation, both performed in high-pressure horizontal wells.
 Correctly identifying this effect is key for preventing HSE risks, well-control situations and cost increases for the services and operator companies.


A strong need exists for tools to assess the efficacy of conservation practices across large regions supporting informed policy decisions that may lead to better soil and water conservation while optimizing agricultural production options. Perennial warm‐season grasses (WSGs) such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), can be grown on marginally productive and/or environmentally sensitive lands to meet growing bioenergy demands while reducing water runoff and soil erosion compared to current row crop systems. Quantifying the soil and water conservation effects of WSG when strategically placed on the landscape would help support decisions favoring both economic and environmental benefits. We used the Daily Erosion Project (DEP) to simulate the effects of WSGs on hillslope water runoff and soil loss for 2008–2016 across eight major land resource areas (MLRA) in the Midwest United States. Four different scenarios (baseline or existing conditions and switchgrass grown on slopes ≥3%, ≥6%, and ≥10%) were modeled. Across all hillslope groups replacing row crops with switchgrass reduced yearly water runoff and soil loss by 3.2%–12.1% and 43.7%–95.5% compared with the baseline levels, respectively. Water and soil conservation efficiency (water runoff reductions or soil loss reductions associated with 1% increase in switchgrass coverage) increased with slope as 10% > 6% > 3% for all MLRAs. Switchgrass replacement on slopes ≥10% reduced average soil loss estimates as much as 22.6 Mg ha−1 year−1 for the most erosive MLRA (baseline soil erosion rate of 28.6 Mg ha−1 year−1) and resulted in all MLRA erosion estimates ≤6.0 Mg ha−1 year−1. For soil loss, an apparent interaction existed between slope group and total annual precipitation; as annual precipitation increased, the difference in soil loss between slope groups increased. Soil loss was more sensitive to these factors than was water runoff. Policy supporting a renewable energy industry while strategically improving soil and water resources seems globally advantageous.


Local minutiae descriptors such as Minutia Cylinder-Code (MCC) are becoming increasingly popular in modern fingerprint verification systems. The verification performance depends on the fingerprint image quality in global and local levels. Discarding part of the lowest quality samples based on quality measures is a universal approach being widely used for improving the performance of biometric recognition systems. In this work, we evaluate several different discarding methods to filter out low quality pairs of MCC descriptors using minutiae qualities, with the final aim of improving global comparison accuracy. Moreover, we propose an efficient MCC based fingerprint comparison method based on discarding the low quality elements from local similarity matrix. Our extensive experiments on three different databases (FVC2002 DB2, FVC2002 DB3 and FVC2004 DB3) show that 1) the proper discarding of low quality MCC pairs from local similarity matrix either independently or using pairwise measures can improve the MCC based comparison performance, 2) for the proposed discarding method, the quality of central minutiae is more efficient as cylinder quality measure than the average minutiae qualities in each descriptor.


Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a nutritionally important fruit of high nutritive value, delicious in taste with an attractive aroma. Due to their antioxidant and therapeutic potential, mango fruits are receiving special attention in biochemical and pharmacognosy-based studies. Fruit quality determines consumer's acceptance, and hence, understanding the physiological, biochemical, and molecular basis of fruit development, maturity, ripening, and storage is essential. Transcriptomic, metabolomic, proteomic, and molecular genetic approaches have led to the identification of key genes, metabolites, protein candidates, and quantitative trait loci that are associated with enhanced mango fruit quality. The major pathways that determine the fruit quality include amino acid metabolism, plant hormone signaling, carbohydrate metabolism and transport, cell wall biosynthesis and degradation, flavonoid and anthocyanin biosynthesis, and carotenoid metabolism. Expression of the polygalacturonase, cutin synthase, pectin methyl esterase, pectate lyase, β-galactosidase, and ethylene biosynthesis enzymes are related to mango fruit ripening, flavor, firmness, softening, and other quality processes, while genes involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, heat shock proteins, hormone signaling, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis are associated with diseases. Metabolomics identified volatiles, organic acids, amino acids, and various other compounds that determine the characteristic flavor and aroma of the mango fruit. Molecular markers differentiate the mango cultivars based on their geographical origins. Genetic linkage maps and quantitative trait loci studies identified regions in the genome that are associated with economically important traits. The review summarizes the applications of omics techniques and their potential applications toward understanding mango fruit physiology and their usefulness in future mango breeding.


coming to prove the frequent occurrence of alternation *between the activity of the lung disease and the meintal changes, there is as yet no sufficient warranty for the assumption that either exercises a retarding effect upon the other. The practical treatment of such cases presents the initial difficulty that for the relief of the lung condition patients should not be herded together, while the mental condition calls for such supervision as can only be exercised in institu. tions and asylums. The method of treatment in tents does not appear to have been tried in Germany, although it has been favourably reported upon by Dr. McDonald of the Manhattan State Hospital. The relation of pulmonary tuberculosis to various neuroses, to organic disease of the central nervous system, to peripheral motor and sensory disturbances, and to those of the vasomotor and secretory nerves are in turn examined in close detail. The monograph closes with an interesting chapter on the influence of the nervous system upon the onset and course of consumption and with the very full bibliography already referred to. The whole work is thus especially useful for reference, while it is interesting for present perusal as a critical compendium of modern information on the subject.


Tornado damage estimation is important for providing insights into tornado studies and assisting rapid disaster response. However, it is challenging to precisely estimate tornado damage because of the large volumes of perishable data. This study presents data-driven approaches to tornado damage estimation using imagery collected from Unpiloted Aerial Systems (UASs) following the 26 June 2018 Eureka Kansas tornado. High-resolution orthomosaics were generated from Structure from Motion (SfM). We applied deep neural networks (DNNs) on the orthomosaics to estimate tornado damage and assessed their performance in four scenarios: (1) object detection with binary categories, (2) object detection with multiple categories, (3) image classification with binary categories, and (4) image classification with multiple categories. Additionally, two types of tornado damage heatmaps were generated. By directly stitching the resulting image tiles from the DNN inference, we produced the first type of tornado damage heatmaps where damage estimates are accurately georeferenced. We also presented a Gaussian process (GP) regression model to build the second type of tornado damage heatmap (a spatially continuous tornado damage heatmap) by merging the first type of object detection and image classification heatmaps. The GP regression results were assessed with ground-truth annotations and National Weather Service (NWS) ground surveys. This detailed information can help NWS Weather Forecast Offices and emergency managers with their damage assessments and better inform disaster response and recovery.


Objective: We aim to examine whether day-to-day variation of lipid profile, especially triglyceride (TG) variability, is associated with exacerbation of diabetic kidney disease.Methods: We conducted a retrospective and observational study. First, 527 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who checked estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) every 6 month since 2012 for longer than 5 years, were registered. Variability in postprandial TG was determined using standard deviation (SD), SD adjusted (Adj-SD) for the number of measurements, and maximum minus minimum difference (MMD) during the first 3-year follow up, respectively. The endpoint was 40% and more decline from baseline in eGFR, initiation of dialysis or death. Next, 181 patients who had no micro- nor macro-albuminuria in February 2013, were selected out of the 527 patients. The endpoint was the incidence of micro-albuminuria, initiation of dialysis or death.Results: Among 527 participants, 110 participants reached 40% and more decline from baseline in eGFR, or death. Renal survival was lower in the higher SD, higher Adj-SD and higher MMD groups than in the lower SD, lower Adj-SD and lower MMD groups, respectively (Log-rank test p=0.0073, 0.0059 and 0.0195, respectively). Lower SD, lower Adj-SD, lower MMD were significantly associated with renal survival rate in the adjusted model (hazard ratio, 1.62, 1.66, 1.59; 95% confidence intervals, 1.05-2.53, 1.08-2.58, 1.04-2.47, respectively). Next, among 181 participants, 108 participants developed micro-albuminuria or death. The non-incidence of micro-albuminuria was lower in the higher SD, higher Adj-SD and higher MMD groups than in the lower SD, lower Adj-SD and lower MMD groups, respectively (Log-rank test p=0.0241, 0.0352, and 0.0474, respectively). Conclusions: Postprandial TG variability is a novel risk factor for eGFR decline and incidence of micro-albuminuria in patients with type 2 DM.


Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) is similar to low density lipoproteins (LDL), but also contains a large glycoprotein molecule called apo-lipoprotein(a) or apo(a). The lipid composition of Lp(a) is nearly identical to that of LDL. The structure of apo(a) is similar to that of plasminogen. Several genetic polymorphisms have been described for apo(a). The increasing interest in Lp(a) is due to the positive correlation which exists between the plasma level of Lp(a) and the incidence of ischaemic heart disease. Plasma Lp(a) level varies greatly from one individual to another and is basically dependent on genetic factors, especially for the isoforms of apo(a). A level above 30 mg.dl is associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis-related diseases. There are few treatments which are effective in significantly reducing raised levels of Lp(a).


Saliva is composed of a complex mixture of mucins, enzymes, antibodies, electrolytes, and hormones, all of which serve to begin the process of digestion and protect the oral mucosa. Saliva testing is proving to be the most reliable medium for measuring hormone levels. Hormone levels in saliva accurately represent the amount of hormone delivered to receptors in the body, unlike serum, which represents hormone levels that may or may not be delivered to receptors of the body. (30 male and 35 female) serum and saliva samples were collected for young student age (18-22) year. Samples were collected from November 2012 to February 2013 of Tikrit University students. All samples were normal individual who no personal or family history of any diseases. Serum and saliva (Testosterone, Progesterone, Estrogen and Cortisol) were determined by using AccuBind ELISA Microwells. All serum steroid hormones were increased when compared with saliva in male but in female serum steroid hormones were increased rather than saliva except serum testosterone which decreased. Measurements of salivary hormone levels are of clinical importance if they accurately reflect the serum hormone levels or if a constant correlation exists between salivary and serum hormone levels.


People taking part in pilots in which they receive personal health budgets directly into their bank account will be monitored to ensure that the money is used appropriately.

The government this week announced that 12 primary care trusts would take part in eight pilots of direct payments for personal health budgets, with the intention of giving individuals the power to decide how, where, and from whom they receive health care.

Under the pilot scheme, which runs until 2012, trusts are authorised to make direct payments to patients once a care plan is agreed between a patient and the trust. The plan will set out the individual's health needs and desired outcomes, the amount of money in their budget, and how the money will be spent to meet their …


Background

Diabetic foot amputations are the most devastating outcome for any diabetic patient and could be associated with failure to risk stratify the diabetic foot and create individualised treatment plans to lower risk at the primary healthcare level (PHC). In South Africa (RSA), PHC clinics are the first entry point to the public healthcare system. Failure to correctly identify, risk categorise, and refer diabetic foot complications may lead to poor clinical outcomes for diabetic patients. There is a need to highlight poor clinical outcomes and link them to limited access to foot health services at the PHC level. This approach may help drive the strategic allocation and deployment of limited podiatry force in RSA. This study looks at the incidence of diabetic-related amputations at central and tertiary hospitals in Gauteng to argue the case of the needed foot health services at the PHC level.
Methods

A cross-sectional retrospective study that reviewed theatre records. We reviewed records of all diabetic patients who had diabetic-related amputations between January 2017 and June 2019.
Results

There were 1862 diabetic-related amputations; however, only 1565 accurately recorded and met the inclusion criteria for the study. The first amputation was a major amputation in 73% of the cases, and an infected foot ulcer was a primary amputation cause in 75% of patients. Males had the most amputations, 62%. The majority, 71% of amputations, were in patients younger than 65 years. Nearly all patients (98%) came from a poor socio-economic background and are state-dependent; they earned ZAR 0.00- 70 000.00 or USD (0.00- 4754.41) per annum.
Conclusion

Amputations are a sign of poor clinical outcomes for diabetic patients and imply inadequate care of diabetic foot complications across the continuum of care, particularly at the PHC level in RSA. Due to the hierarchal nature of healthcare delivery in RSA, all patients in this study would have presented at a PHC facility to manage their diabetes and other chronic comorbidities. The findings show that most first amputations recorded in this study were major amputations. This finding is a significant signpost of the potential delay in recognising, treating and timely referral of diabetic-related foot complications. Arguably, a lack of access to structured foot health services at PHC levels impedes early identification of foot complication identification and appropriate referral resulting in the amputation in some of the patients.


Although olanzapine therapy has been associated with fewer extrapyramidal side effects than the traditional antipsychotic medications, reported side effects include dystonia, tardive dyskinesia, hypotension, diabetes mellitus, seizures and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. There are no previous published reports of hyperventilation associated with olanzapine therapy, but we present the case of a male patient who developed dyspnea and hyperventilation while taking olanzapine.


The real and imaginary parts of the Fourier transform of a causal signal can be estimated from one another using the Hilbert transform. The numerical computation can be carried out by a fast Fourier Transform or the convolution of the data with an appropriate Hilbert kernel. However, magnetotelluric data are unequally sampled because logarithmic frequency axes are conventionally used. A method was developed for the Hilbert transformation of unequally sampled data and applied to the real and imaginary parts of the frequency normalized impedance to examine if the dispersion relations are satisfied for a given impedance tensor. A version of the Shannon sampling theory was generalized for the unequally sampled data. The method involves the reconstruction of the measured data by a linear combination of an analytic interpolation function distributed along the horizontal axis. Then, the decomposition coefficients that provide a fit between the measured and reconstructed data are solved using the linear least-squares method with singular value decomposition. Finally, the discrete Hilbert transformed data are constructed at any desired abscissa values by the sum of the analytic Hilbert transform of the interpolation function using the decomposition coefficients solved in the previous step. Examples from the magnetotelluric synthetic and field data, including out-of-quadrant phase cases, are given. In principle, the method can also be applied to other integral transforms.


In a postgraduate training course in general practice in Hamburg two different educational concepts were used and compared with each other. One was oriented more towards problem-based learning, the other more towards lectures. The participants were asked to fill in a written questionnaire after each day (n = 970) and at the end of the course (n = 26). Both courses achieved good results. On a five point scale the median of the general satisfaction was 4. The problem oriented course, however, was judged better than the other in many respects.


The liquid sewage sludge (LSS) was applied on a field experiment during four years at successive applications to evaluate the changes in soil attributes and on Surinam grass (Brachiaria decumbens) uptake of nutrients. A randomized blocks experimental design, with two treatments (with and without LSS) and three repetitions, was used. Land application of LSS did not alter soil organic matter and exchangeable K until 40 cm depth. However, it increased soil pH, base saturation, labile P, and available Zn and did not change the concentrations of available B (hot water) and Cu, Fe, and Mn (DTPA) at 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm depths and LSS was a source of N, K, P, Ca, Mg, and Zn for the grass, but decreased leaf Mn concentration.


The performance of underwater visible light communication (UVLC) system is severely affected by absorption, scattering and turbulence. In this article, we study the performance of spectral efficient DC-biased optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DCO-OFDM) in combination with the transceiver spatial diversity in turbulence channel. Based on the approximation of the weighted sum of lognormal random variables (RVs), we derived a theoretical exact bit error rate (BER) for DCO-OFDM systems with spatial diversity. The simulation results are compared with the analytical prediction, confirming the validity of the analysis. It is shown that spatial diversity can effectively reduce the turbulence-induced channel fading. The obtained results can be useful for designing, predicting, and evaluating the DCO-OFDM UVLC system in a weak oceanic turbulence condition.


The aim of this study was to fit the causal model of marital relationship distress based on infertility stigma mediated by relational aggression in infertile women. The research method was descriptive and structural equations. The statistical population of the study consisted of all infertile women who referred to infertility centers and obstetrics and gynecology medical centers in Tehran in the summer of 1400 and due to lack of full access to them 300 people were selected by simple random sampling method and participated in the research through online questionnaire. Data were collected using the Marital Self-Reporting Questionnaire Thakson-Wisman et al. (2009), the Fu et al. (2014) Infertility Stigma, and the Nelson- Carroll (2006) Hidden relational Aggression Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that the causal model of the relationship between infertility stigma, relational aggression and marital relationship distress in infertile women was confirmed based on various fit indices. Infertility stigma and associated aggression have a direct effect on the marital turmoil of infertile women; Also, the stigma of infertility through relational aggression has an indirect effect on the marital turmoil of infertile women (P <0.05). It can be effective in reducing the chaos of the marital relationship.


Potential and density/temperature fluctuations at the L-H transition are measured by a heavy ion beam probe (HIBP) on JFT-2M. It has been observed that the time scale of potential change is as fast as 10-100 µs when the input power (Pin) is larger than the L-H threshold power (Pth). When Pin = Pth, the confinement is improved step by step, with sawteeth crashes accompanied by a decrease of potential. After a few sawteeth crashes, the potential drops rapidly to the level of the ELM-free H-mode. At that time, the density/temperature fluctuations are suppressed simultaneously. The observations of the temporal behaviour of the potential and fluctuations in such an L-H transition are reported.


To investigate the safety of L-alanine, male and female Sprague-Dawley strain SPF rats [Crj:CD(SD)IGS] were administered L-alanine at 2,000 mg/kg/day by gavage for 4 weeks. After the end of the dosing period, reversibility was assessed following a 2-week recovery period. In the results, there were no toxicologically significant changes caused by L-alanine in general condition, body weight, food consumption, ophthalmology, hematology, blood chemistry, organ weight or at necropsy. In urinalysis, increased number of animals showing urine protein-positive or phosphate salt was observed in males and females. In addition, urine volume was significantly increased in males. In histopathological examination, squamous cell hyperplasia in the limiting ridge in the stomach was observed in males and females. These changes were reduced or no longer observed after the 2-week recovery period and thus were reversible changes. These results suggest that repeated oral administration of L-alanine at 2,000 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks is well tolerated in male and female rats.


Abstract. This paper reports on daytime total vertical column abundances of formic acid (HCOOH) above the Northern mid-latitude, high altitude Jungfraujoch station (Switzerland; 46.5° N, 8.0° E, 3580 m alt.). The columns were derived from the analysis of infrared solar observations regularly performed with high spectral resolution Fourier transform spectrometers during over 1500 days between September 1985 and September 2007. The investigation was based on the spectrometric fitting of five spectral intervals, one encompassing the HCOOH ν6 band Q branch at 1105 cm−1, and four additional ones allowing to optimally account for critical temperature-sensitive or time-evolving interferences by other atmospheric gases, in particular HDO, CCl2F2 and CHClF2. The main results derived from the 22 years long database indicate that the free tropospheric burden of HCOOH above the Jungfraujoch undergoes important short-term daytime variability, diurnal and seasonal modulations, inter-annual anomalies, but no significant long-term background change. A major progress in the remote determination of the atmospheric HCOOH columns reported here has resulted from the adoption of new, improved absolute spectral line intensities for the infrared ν6 band of trans-formic acid, resulting in retrieved free tropospheric loadings being about a factor two smaller than if derived with previous spectroscopic parameters. Implications of this significant change with regard to earlier remote measurements of atmospheric formic acid and comparison with relevant Northern mid-latitude findings, both in situ and remote, will be assessed critically. Sparse HCOOH model predictions will also be evoked and assessed with respect to findings reported here.


Under the Kyoto Protocol, a group of countries commit themselves to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases to some 5% below the 1990 level. Countries can decide to spread their reduction commitment over several gases to lower compliance costs. Employing a multi-gas strategy can offer considerable efficiency gains because of the widely diverging marginal abatement cost for the different emission sources. In this Discussion Paper, the analysis of climate policy for the most important greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, is extended with two other important greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide. The multi-region and multi-sector Applied General Equilibrium model WorldScan has been used as an instrument for addressing this issue. The approach presented is consistent with the bottom-up information on reduction possibilities for those non-CO2 greenhouse gases while it allows for general equilibrium effects and intergas interactions. Including non-CO2 greenhouse gases into the analysis has important sectoral impacts while the regional effects are limited. A considerable part of the burden on gas, coal and oil products will be shifted to the agricultural sectors. Reductions of non-CO2 gases could be especially important for countries like China and India.


Abstract Background The cost of treatment for infectious shock in intensive care in Vietnam is unknown. Methods We prospectively investigated hospital bills for adults treated for septic and dengue shock in Vietnam and calculated the proportion who faced catastrophic health care expenditures. Results The median hospital bills were US$617 for septic shock (n=100) and US$57 for dengue shock (n=88). Catastrophic payments were incurred by 47% (47/100) and 13% (11/88) of patients with septic shock and dengue shock, respectively, and 56% (25/45) and 84% (5/6) fatal cases of septic shock and dengue shock respectively. Conclusions Further advocacy is required to moderate insurance co-payments for costly critical care interventions.


The Genesis of "Russia Abroad"

The Bolshevik takeover of 1917 and the ensuing civil war forced millions of people to flee the country. The essay reviews positions and scientific debates relating to the number, destinations and most important groups of emigrants. Among those fleeing the country one may find the whole elite of former Tsarist Russia. This elite looked upon itself in emigration as the preserver and continuer of Russian statehood, culture and civilization. It established or continued to operate its own political, diplomatic, cultural and military institutions. On the one hand, this brought along old problems and basic questions of Russian modernization, and on the other hand, life in exile and the Bolshevik dictatorship at home generated new problems, to which White Russian emigration was to provide a response. However, while they were trying to determine the system of future Russia, they were faced with the consolidation of Bolshevik power, the permanency of life in emigration, therefore their role became increasingly limited to nurturing old traditions and the spirit of old Russia.

Keywords: Russian emigration, Russia in exile, Russian colonies in different countries, number of emigrants


The respiratory system is essentially made up of a channel which starts from the nostrils and ends in the alveoli. Although it is primarily adapted for gaseous exchange, it has a resourceful defense organization which traverses the nose to the alveoli. Defense structures include fine hairs, mucous membrane in the nostrils, ciliated epithelium in the tracheobronchial tree and immune cells in all parts of the respiratory tract to the alveoli. Thus in studying the anatomy and physiology of respiratory system ,the non-respiratory function of defense should attract adequate attention as partial or whole dysfunction of the respiratory tract not only has a potential capacity of compromising gaseous exchange but also attenuating the functional defense structures of the respiratory system. This review is thus aimed at bringing to lime light the defense functions of the respiratory system being one of the gateways to the entire body system. The review shows that the respiratory system is very versatile in its defense functions and this should be kept in view by Respiratory Physicians when managing respiratory conditions as this will ultimately brighten the overall outcome. Keywords : Respiratory system, Gaseous exchange, Defense function


Extraintestinal manifestations are common in inflammatory bowel disease; however, muscular involvement in Crohn disease is rarely reported. We present a case of a 26-year-old male with ileocolonic Crohn disease who developed sudden tenderness in both calves. Doppler ultrasound was negative for deep vein thrombosis. Magnetic resonance imaging of the gastrocnemius muscle showed high intensity signal in the muscle fibers, and muscle biopsy demonstrated nonspecific lymphocytic myositis. Other relevant laboratory results included normal antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and creatine kinase as well as elevated C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae IgG titer. The patient was in clinical remission, being treated with azathioprine 2.5 mg/kg. Prednisone 60 mg/day was initiated with rapid resolution of calf tenderness; however, tenderness soon returned when the dose was tapered to 10 mg/day. Subsequently, prednisone and azathioprine were discontinued, and adalimumab was started at standard induction and maintenance doses. The patient's symptoms resolved shortly after the first induction dose. A repeat magnetic resonance imaging of the calves – 3 months after starting adalimumab – showed complete resolution of muscle inflammation. To our knowledge, this is the first case of gastrocnemius myositis – a rare extraintestinal manifestation of Crohn disease – successfully treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor agents.


The oral administration of N,N'‐2,7‐fluorenylenebisacetamide induced leukemia, especially mature granulocytic leukemia, in rats. The peripheral blood was examined on various schedules, once or twice a week for a long term. The blood volume lost by a blood collection was little, but It was not negligible in small animals such as rats when the loss was repeated. We investigated the relationship between the volume of blood loss and the incidence of leukemia. The incidence of leukemia rose as the volume of blood loss increased. There was a positive correlation between them. The induction of mature granulocytic leukemia was thought to be increased by the promotion of the granulopoiesis which had been supressed by 2,7‐FAA. It was concluded that the blood loss by repeated blood collection for examination raised the Incidence of 2,7‐FAA induced leukemia.


A few years ago an extremely compact hardware description language was proposed. This paper presents the implementation of a subset of that language. For this implementation the JavaCC code generator was used and the resulted application runs on any operating system having Java installed. The application receives the description of the desired logic circuit in the new language and generates the VHDL source files as well as the user constraints file required for implementing the circuit in a FPGA board. The implemented subset of the language allows the user to easily describe any combinatorial logic circuit based on NOT, AND and OR gates. It also makes it very easy to create and use components and to specify pin constraints.


Interventions tackling zoonoses require an understanding of healthcare patterns related to both human and animal hosts. The control of dog-mediated rabies is a good example. Despite the availability of effective control measures, 59,000 people die of rabies every year worldwide. In Tanzania, children are most at risk, contributing ~40% of deaths. Mass dog vaccination can break the transmission cycle, but reaching the recommended 70% coverage is challenging where vaccination depends on willingness to vaccinate dogs. Awareness campaigns in communities often target children, but do not consider other key individuals in the prevention chain. Understanding factors related to dog ownership and household-level responsibility for dog vaccination and child health is critical to the design of vaccination strategies. We investigated who makes household decisions about dogs and on health care for children in rural Tanzania. In the Kilosa district, in-depth interviews with 10 key informants were conducted to inform analysis of data from a household survey of 799 households and a survey on Knowledge Attitudes and Practices of 417 households. The in-depth interviews were analysed using framework analysis. Descriptive analysis showed responsibilities for household decisions on dogs' and children's health. Multivariate analysis determined factors associated with the probability of dogs being owned and the number of dogs owned, as well as factors associated with the responsibility for child health. Dog ownership varied considerably between villages and even households. The number of dogs per household was associated with the size of a household and the presence of livestock. Children are not directly involved in the decision to vaccinate a dog, which is largely made by the father, while responsibility for seeking health care if a child is bitten lies with the mother. These novel results are relevant for the design and implementation of rabies interventions. Specifically, awareness campaigns should focus on decision-makers in households to improve rabies prevention practices and on the understanding of processes critical to the control of zoonoses more broadly.


One of the pathways leading to androgen independence in prostate cancer involves upregulation of insulinlike growth factor type 1 receptor (IGF-1R). Radionuclide imaging of IGF-1R in tumors might be used for selection of patients who would most likely benefit from IGF-1R–targeted therapy. The goal of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of in vivo radionuclide imaging of IGF-1R expression in prostate cancer xenografts using a small nonimmunoglobulin-derived binding protein called an Affibody molecule. Methods: The IGF-1R-binding ZIGF1R:4551 Affibody molecule was site-specifically conjugated with a maleimido derivative of DOTA and labeled with 111In. The binding of radiolabeled ZIGF1R:4551 to IGF-1R–expressing cells was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results: DOTA-ZIGF1R:4551 can be stably labeled with 111In with preserved specific binding to IGF-1R–expressing cells in vitro. In mice, 111In-DOTA-ZIGF1R:4551 accumulated in IGF-1R–expressing organs (pancreas, stomach, lung, and salivary gland). Receptor saturation experiments demonstrated that targeting of DU-145 prostate cancer xenografts in NMRI nu/nu mice was IGF-1R–specific. The tumor uptake was 1.1 ± 0.3 percentage injected dose per gram, and the tumor-to-blood ratio was 3.2 ± 0.2 at 8 h after injection. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the feasibility of in vivo targeting of IGF-1R–expressing prostate cancer xenografts using an Affibody molecule. Further development of radiolabeled Affibody molecules might provide a useful clinical tool for stratification of patients with prostate cancer for IGF-1R–targeting therapy.


A variety of spinal pathological processes demonstrated by intraoperative ultrasound is presented. Use of spinal ultrasound proved helpful in viewing alignment, assessing spinal cord pathology, and viewing anterior to the cord in cases of spinal trauma. As an operative adjunct, ultrasound was especially helpful for viewing extradural spinal metastases and cavitary lesions of the spinal cord, such as syrinxes, cystic tumors, and hematomas. In cases of spondylotic myelopathy, intraoperative ultrasound allowed assessment of the adequacy of the decompression, the space ventral to the cord, and the size and configuration of the spinal cord.


To stabilize the solution of a nonlinear parabolic equation with prescribed rate by the boundary conditions we construct the discrete analogue of the algorithm proposed for the differential case by A. V. Fursikov. The informative part of the work is the analysis and use of the procedure for the approximate projection of the solution onto a specially constructed manifold. Qualitative differences between the discrete and continuous approaches are fixed.


ABSTRACT This paper estimates the relationship between handedness and social adjustment in children. In addition to binary measures of hand preference, we also use a continuous measure of relative hand skill. Outcomes at ages 7, 11 and 16 are studied. The data used is the British 1958 Birth. Using a partially linear semi-parametric regression estimator, it is shown that non-right-handedness (as hand preference) is associated with poorer social adjustment but this effect weakens as individuals age into their teens. The continuous measure of hand skill has a non-monotonic effect on social adjustment with poorer social adjustment in the tails of the continuum. The results are consistent with a growing body of evidence which shows that it is the consistency or degree of laterality (rather than direction) that is important for many outcomes.


In 2003, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in southern India, Jayaram Jayalalithaa, gave a speech about the "silent revolution" of the empowerment of Indian women. But 15 years on, regrettably, the promises of that revolution do not seem to have been fulfilled. Thanks to the various programs set up to champion women's empowerment (involving local NGOs, public programs, and international support), women are now more prominent in certain public spaces and are able to play a genuine advocacy role with regard to the public authorities. Girls education has also significantly improved. But it has not brought about improved employment opportunities. Women are in fact losing out on paid employment (as is the case in India as a whole). They are also heavily indebted (not only from microcredit, but also informal lending and lending from private financial companies). Their indebtedness is disproportionate to their income, and compared to men. Moreover, women almost exclusively put debt toward the social reproduction of families. Reduced opportunities for paid employment and massive debt have hit Dalit women particularly hard. The analyses of this chapter use data collected over more than a decade in a rural area of Tamil Nadu, drawing together ethnography and quantitative data, including panel data (2010–2016). They shed light on the complexity of social change, intertwining forms of domination (here, caste, and gender), and the ambiguous qualities of so-called empowerment programs, whose impacts have been various and unexpected.


In 2002, congenital tuberculosis (TB), a rare disease with nonspecific signs and symptoms, was diagnosed in an infant in Florida. If untreated, congenital TB is fatal, which underscores the importance of suspecting congenital TB in newborns and infants who are at risk and who have unexplained febrile illnesses. This report summarizes the investigation of the case in Florida. Health-care practitioners should administer a tuberculin skin test to women who have risks for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and treat those who have latent TB infection (LTBI) to prevent maternal and congenital TB disease.


Preface. Contributors. 1. Overview of MS and MALDI MS for polymer analysis. 2. Ionization Processes and Detection in MALDI-MS of Polymers. 3. Time-of-flight MS for polymer characterization. 4. Polymer analysis with Fourier Transform mass spectrometry. 5. Tandem MS and polymer ion dissociation. 6. Conventional MALDI sample preparation. 7. Solvent-free MALDI sample preparation. 8. MALDI MS for the quantitative determination of polymer molecular mass distribution. 9. New approaches to data reduction in MS. 10. MALDI MS/MS for polymer structure and composition analysis. 11. LC-MALDI MS for polymer characterization. 12. MALDI MS applications for industrial polymers.


BACKGROUND
The Crystalloid versus Hydroxyethyl Starch Trial (CHEST) and the Scandinavian Starch in Severe Sepsis/ Septic Shock (6S) trial reported that 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is associated with increased use of renal replacement therapy and death in critically ill patients. Data collection was harmonised between the two trials in order to facilitate a preplanned individual patient data meta-analysis (IPDMA) of patients with severe sepsis.

OBJECTIVES AND RATIONALE
To publish a statistical analysis plan (SAP) for an IPDMA of patients with severe sepsis enrolled in the 6S trial and the CHEST.

METHODS AND OUTCOMES
The SAP is described in broad detail with specific information regarding baseline characteristics and process of care. The outcomes for the trial have been described and are presented as primary, secondary and exploratory outcomes with appropriate comparisons between groups detailed. Subgroups have been defined based on pre-randomisation variables.

CONCLUSION
We developed a preanalysis SAP to combine data on patients with severe sepsis from the 6S trial and the CHEST. Prepublication of our SAP will reduce the risk of bias in the reporting of the results and improve confidence in the estimates of effects, allowing comparisons with conventional meta-analyses and assisting in the translation of research findings into clinical practice.


Clams of the genus Donax are worldwide the dominating group of the invertebrate community on sandy beaches. They are primary consumers that provide a significant abundance and biomass to the ecosystem. In the Caribbean, Donax striatus has an important role for nature and human, nonetheless studies on the population dynamics of this beach clam are scarce and no information exists on secondary production of this species. Growth parameters and secondary production of D. striatus were estimated from February 2008 to November 2009 at Las Balsas beach, Northeastern Cuba, in order to provide basic information for management purposes. In each month 45 samples were taken by means of a PVC corer of 0.025 m2 area and sieved with a 1 mm mesh. Animals were measured and weighted with and without shell. A total of 5 471 specimens were collected during the sampling period. Shell length ranged from 2.7-33.3 mm. Growth parameters estimated from length frequency data were L∞ = 36.1 mm, K= 0.8/yr and t0= 0.2/yr. The growth performance resulted in values of Φ'= 3.02. Life span was 2.4 yrs and mortality rate was 3.07 /yr. In 2008, mean abundance of D. striatus ranged between 17.1 - 770.7 ind./m2. In 2009 the lowest mean abundance was 34.4 and the highest was 892.5 ind./m2. During 2009 biomass and production was more than twice higher in comparison with 2008. Individual production showed highest values in the 24 mm shell size (3.74 g/m2.yr) and 25 mm (0.71 g/m2.yr), considering mass with shell and without shell, respectively. During 2009 abundance of individuals with 15 mm shell length or more increased resulting in higher biomass and production, compared to 2008. Using the conversion factor of wet mass to ash free dry mass (AFDM), annual production ranged between 2.87-6.11 g AFDM/m2.yr, resulting in a turnover rate (P/B) between 5.11 and 3.47 in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The rapid growth and high turnover rate of D. striatus suggest a rapid recovery of the population. These results support the idea that this beach clam is an important resource at Las Balsas beach. Thus its exploitation must continue with caution, and only at the level of a recreational fishery.


Fossil fuels have been fundamental to the evolution of humanity's technology and way of life for
the last two centuries. However, their use has two main disadvantages: (a) the climate change
produced by the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) during their combustion; and (b) their limited
reserves. In the last decades, society has tried to counter these problems by potentiating the use
of renewable energies instead of fossil fuels.
The Ocean Grazer (OG) is one of the many proposed projects to develop the renewable energy eld
further. Developed by the University of Groningen, the OG platform is expected to extract and
store multiple forms of renewable energy, of which wave energy is its primary source. The main
innovation provided by the OG is a novel Wave Energy Converter (WEC) technology denominated
MP2PTO, which aims to adapt to the di erent wave pro les so the maximum energy content can
always be extracted.
In the last years, one of the many research lines in the group has been the study of the wave energy
extraction process in an experimental setup called the wave tank, which contains a prototype of
the multi-piston PTO concept used in the OG-WEC. More precisely, in the last few months,
experimental measurements of the velocity of the particles within the tank have been carried
out using the Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) technique, taking into account di erent
scenarios that allow investigating the in
uence of the prototype in the process of energy extraction.
In this work, the validation of these experimental measurements of the kinetic energy contained in
the OG group's wave tank experimental setup is approached by the use of a computational
uid
dynamics (CFD) simulation software developed by the University of Groningen called ComFLOW.
In a rst phase of the validation process, a time domain analysis of the simulation results is done.
In this analysis, the non-convergence of the simulation is detected. However, the results of the
simulations are compared to the experimental measurements leading to a qualitative coincidence
of the evolution of the content of energy along the tank but not quantitative.
In a second phase, the non-convergence of the simulation is studied by means of a frequency
domain analysis of the wave tank's water surface height. This study allows the detection of a
strong mesh-dependant wave re
ection in the simulation's wave tank, which is the reason behind
the non-convergence of the simulation.
Consequently, due to this non-convergence, no validation of the experimental measurements can
be fully con rmed even though the behaviour of the kinetic energy along the simulation tank is
very similar to the experimental measurements. Finally, further research paths are proposed in
the Conclusion Section.


Background Graft-versus-host-disease (GvHD) is a major problem in allogeneic stem cell transplantation. We previously described two types of endogenous human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-II restricted antigens depending on their behavior towards HLA-DM. While DM-resistant antigens are presented in the presence of HLA-DM, DM-sensitive antigens rely on the expression of HLA-DO-the natural inhibitor of HLA-DM. Since expression of HLA-DO is not upregulated by inflammatory cytokines, DM-sensitive antigens cannot be presented on non-hematopoietic tissues even under inflammatory conditions. Therefore, usage of CD4+ T cells directed against DM-sensitive antigens might allow induction of graft-versus-leukemia effect without GvHD. As DM-sensitivity is likely linked to low affinity peptides, it remains elusive whether DM-sensitive antigens are inferior in their immunogenicity. Methods We created an in vivo system using a DM-sensitive and a DM-resistant variant of the same antigen. First, we generated murine cell lines overexpressing either H2-M or H2-O (murine HLA-DM and HLA-DO) to assign the two model antigens ovalbumin (OVA) and DBY to their category. Further, we introduced mutations within the two T-cell epitopes and tested the effect on DM-sensitivity or DM-resistance. Furthermore, we vaccinated C57BL/6 mice with either variant of the epitope and measured expansion and reactivity of OVA-specific and DBY-specific CD4+ T cells. Results By testing T-cell recognition of OVA and DBY on a murine B-cell line overexpressing H2-M and H2-O, respectively, we showed that OVA leads to a stronger T-cell activation in the presence of H2-O demonstrating its DM-sensitivity. In contrast, the DBY epitope does not rely on H2-O for T-cell activation indicating DM-resistance. By introducing mutations within the T-cell epitopes we could generate one further DM-sensitive variant of OVA and two DM-resistant counterparts. Likewise, we designed DM-resistant and DM-sensitive variants of DBY. On vaccination of C57BL/6 mice with either epitope variant we measured comparable expansion and reactivity of OVA-specific and DBY-specific T-cells both in vivo and ex vivo. By generating T-cell lines and clones of healthy human donors we showed that DM-sensitive antigens are targeted by the natural T-cell repertoire. Conclusion We successfully generated DM-sensitive and DM-resistant variants for two model antigens. Thereby, we demonstrated that DM-sensitive antigens are not inferior to their DM-resistant counterpart and are therefore interesting tools for immunotherapy after allogeneic stem cell transplantation.


In 2006, 32 armed conflicts were active, a figure that has remained constant for three years. The decline in armed conflict observed through most of the post-Cold War period has ceased, at least temporarily. Many of the conflicts active in 2006 have a long history, which may have made them more entrenched and thus more difficult to solve. In fact, in contrast to the situation in the early 1990s, no new conflicts have erupted in the last two years. No interstate conflicts were active in 2006, but five of the intrastate conflicts were internationalized. While four of the conflicts recorded for 2005 were no longer active in 2006, four conflicts restarted, two with actions taken by new rebel groups and two by previously recorded actors.


Following the framework of Conceptual Metaphor Th eory, it is the aim of this paper to analyse the conceptual organisation underlying death-related metaphorical expressions in English and Spanish. With this in mind, this paper presents a comparative study of death metaphors in a sample of epitaphs from Highgate Cemetery (London, UK) and from the Cemetery of Albacete (Albacete, Spain) focusing specifi cally on those aimed at substituting the notions of 'death' and 'dying'. Th e results obtained reveal that the conceptual organisations that underlie the euphemistic metaphors for death in English and Spanish derive both from our common bodily experience and from specifi c cultural constraints. Although the set of conceptual metaphors for the domain of death is similar in both languages, the Spanish epitaphs show a clear preference for source domains in which Jewish-Christian beliefs and political issues play a crucial role, whereas the English epitaphs tend to display a more optimistic, life-like approach to death.


The development of affordable treatment options for diabetes mellitus is critical to reversing the rising prevalence of the disease. Therefore, the usefulness of the whole fruits of Abelmoschus esculentus, a popularly consumed plant food, in treating diabetes and its comorbid conditions was studied in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Twenty diabetic rats were assigned to four groups of five rats each. They were treated with 0, 1250, 2500, and 5000 mg/kg bw of the ground fruits, respectively. After 14 days of treatment, the blood glucose concentration (BGC) of the test rats decreased by 44%, 67% and 78% in the 1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg bw groups, respectively, compared to the negative control group. At high concentrations, the fruits reversed the dyslipidemia that is associated with diabetes mellitus. For instance, in the 5000 mg/kg bw group, total cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations were 27% and 39%, respectively, lower; while high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration was 21% higher, than the control group. At 2500 mg/kg bw or above, the fruits significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced the concentrations of serum alanine and aspartate amino transferases and alkaline phosphatase, relative to the control group. All the biochemical data are corroborated by histological findings of the pancreas and livers of the studied rats. The whole fruits of Abelmoschus esculentus possess noteworthy antidiabetic properties and significantly reversed diabetes induced dyslipidemia and liver damage in rats.


Rhizoctonia bataticola (sclerotial stage of Macrophomina phaseolina), which causes charcoal rot disease of groundnut, is an important pathogen of this crop. Under warm and wet conditions in the field, the pathogen enters the seed and remains inside without any visible symptoms. Groundnut germplasm stored for various durations in the medium term storage (4°C) commonly shows 10-29% infection of this pathogen. To determine the longevity and survival of this pathogen in groundnut seed, a study began on 15 May 1995 with healthy and R. bataticola infected groundnut seed stored at 20, 4 and -18°C. Initial levels of infection and moisture were determined in both the seed lots. Independent samples from the two bulks were drawn every year for determining seed germination and the level of pathogen infection. Agar plate method was used for pathogen detection and paper towel method for seed germination. After five years of storage, the germination of healthy seed was not affected at any of the temperatures. However, a drastic reduction in the germination of infected seed occurred at all temperatures even within three years of storage. This reduction in germination was associated with a significant increase in the incidence of R. bataticola in infected seed stored at all temperatures after 5 years of storage. In the case of healthy seed, there was a little increase in the incidence of infection at 20 and 4°C, but no increase occurred at -18°C. The results show that R. bataticola can survive and its incidence can substantially increase in infected groundnut seed even at -18°C, a temperature recommended for long term storage. The implication of these results is that for maintaining a high level of germination in groundnut seed, only.


This paper summarizes the work performed under the development of the advanced software, AircraftWireless, for modeling channel characteristics inside aircraft cabins. The methodology employed in the software is an efficient hybrid approach combining ray-tracing and the integral equation method. The integral equation method is employed for characterizing the transmitters/receivers and determining radiation patterns of receiving antennas in the presence of dielectric objects. The image based ray-tracing technique is used for modeling the interaction between transmitters and receivers within a given cabin. The developed hybrid algorithm has been validated by comparing the simulated results with those obtained by commercial software or measurement data. Good agreement is observed. The developed software allows user to predict various channel parameters such as narrow- and wide-band site-specific channel parameters, and large- and small-scale statistic channel parameters.


The EPR spectra due to copper(II) exchanged into the zeolites H-[Al]-ZSM-5, H-[Al]-ZSM-11 and H-[Ga]-ZSM-5, from which spin Hamiltonian and linewidth parameters have been obtained by computer simulations, have been used to identify the exchange sites in the zeolites. In keeping with the framework structural features of H-[Al]-ZSM-11, the copper(II) ions are distributed about equally between two sites, whereas in H-[Al]-ZSM-5 the copper(II) resides largely on one type of site, with a minor portion of copper(II) on a site similar to that found in H-[Al]-ZSM-11 and thought to arise from a small amount of intergrowth of this zeolite within the H-[Al]-ZSM-5. The wider EPR spectral linewidths due to copper(II) exchange into H-[GA]-ZSM-5 are thought to arise from a larger distribution of site symmetries brought about by trivalent metal ion framework substitution. The ESR spectral features which result from the introduction of xenon into CuH-[Al]-ZSM-5 and CuH-[Al]-ZSM-11 arise from minor zeolite framework distortions which are about equal to those which result from framework substitution of aluminium(III) by gallium(III). The similarity of the EPR spectra due to CuH-[Al]-ZSM-5 exposed separately to cyclopentane and n-hexane or methylcyclopentane and 2-methylbutane suggests that the straight-chain alkanes adopt a coiled orientation resembling a ring structure when inside the zeolite. Comparison of the EPR spectral data from the zeolite treated with n-hexane and hex-1-ene or cyclohexane and cyclohexene indicates that the double bond reduces hydrocarbon flexibility, while large framework distortions result from the accommodation of benzene. The framework distortions already present in CuH-[Ga]-ZSM-5 framework result in a loss of sensitivity to further framework distortion owing to the introduction of hydrocarbons.


Endorsing the artist's statements, Georges Rouault's admirers have repeated and helped sustain the myth of the painter as an isolated, solitary genius. Although there are many points of intersection between Rouault's work and German Expressionism (an emphasis on process and visual distortion, thematic affinities such as religious imagery, a fascination with self-portraiture, as well as with clowns and prostitutes), any potential connection with this movement has either been ignored or cursorily mentioned in the literature. This essay will explore the extent and depth of this relationship, as well as provide a critical assessment of the strikingly similar rhetorical strategies Rouault and the Expressionists employed to valorize their work.


Like many other African countries, Burundi has a pluralistic legal system, where on the one hand written laws coexist with uncodified customary laws and on the other hand informal justice institutions are still used in the day-to-day conflict resolution by many Burundians despite a provision in the Constitution that makes the mission of rendering justice the monopoly of the state courts. Both before the state courts and out-of-court forums for adjudicating disputes and justice mechanisms, women face challenges that limit their access to justice, compared to men. This paper argues three main points. First, that while there is a relationship between women's limited access to justice and the pluralistic nature of Burundi's legal system, the challenges faced by women in accessing justice should not be excessively associated with legal pluralism, thus hiding the impact of extra-legal factors. Second, that while Burundi's constitutional framework is progressive with respect to gender equality and most laws are gender neutral, some shortcomings still exist in the overall legal framework, thus limiting the potential of the constitutional legal framework with respect to gender equality. Third, that by increasing gender diversity in the judiciary, and with much more positive activism and training, Burundian judges could ensure equal access to justice for women by using the potential of existing national and international legal frameworks.


Complete obstruction of the circulation to the lower extremities by lodgement of an embolus at the bifurcation of the aorta requires early surgical intervention if life is to be preserved and function retained.A summary of thirteen cases of aortic embolism is presented, including three apparently new etiologic factors. The literature is reviewed, and current cases compared with previously reported cases. A detailed report of aortic saddle embolus arising from auricular fibrillation in the absence of organic heart disease, and with complete return to health and heavy work, is reported.


In this study firstly an ordinary microstrip patch antenna is designed at 2,45 GHz resonance frequency as the reference. Then the defected ground structure (DGS) is constructed by etching a Complementary Split Ring Resonator with dumbbell (CSRR-D) on the ground plane of the conventional antenna. The effects of the position on the electrical size are investigated by changing the position of CSRR-D on DGS along vertical direction and the results are compared with reference microstrip antenna. In this study, all the designed antennas are fed by microstrip lines integrated with inset impedance matching technique. The amount of inset is adjusted for each antenna under investigation. Numerical analyses show that DGS composed of CSRR-D provides 45.71 electrical size reduction as compared to ordinary microstrip antenna.


CsBr phosphor ceramics doped with different luminescence centres such as In2O3, Eu2O3, EuCl3, SmCl3, TbCl3, GdCl3 or NdCl3 as the candidate for a new optically-stimulable phosphor for medical X-ray imaging sensor were prepared using a conventional ceramic fabrication process. It was found that X-ray-irradiated Eu-doped CsBr (CsBr:Eu) exhibited intense optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The peak wavelength of the OSL emission and stimulation spectra of CsBr:Eu phosphor ceramic sample were 450 and 690 nm, respectively. The dependence of OSL properties on the conditions of preparation of phosphor ceramic samples, such as Eu concentration, sintering temperature and sintering time, were studied. The optimum preparation conditions were also studied. It was found that the OSL intensity of CsBr:Eu phosphor ceramics fabricated under optimum preparation conditions is higher than that of commercially available imaging plates using BaFBr:Eu.


ABSTRACT Gallopheasant birds (Genus Lophura) belonging to Phasianidae family. L. inornata and L.ignita were 2 of 5 species in Indonesia. This study was aimed to determine the genetic variation and diversity of those two bird species based on DNA sequences of COI gene. Total genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples and wet meat from 5 individuals (4 individuals L.inornata hoogerwerfi and 1 individual L. Ignita). Amplification of COI gene by PCR produced a single fragment of about 860 bp. The 785 bp of DNA sequence data from 5 birds were analyzed to determine its genetic variation and diversity, both of at intra and inter-species levels using MEGA 5 software. Genetic distance between individual bird (intraspecific) of L.i. hoogerwerfii ranged from 0.00 to 0.0013 ± 0.0012, whereas between 2 species (L. hoogerwerfii vs L. ignita) ranged from 0.0467 ± 0.0078 to 0.0481 ± 0.0080. Three individuals of L. i. hoogerwerfii have the same DNA sequence haplotype (HLh1) and one individual has one haplotype that was very different from the other 3 individuals (HLh2), so from 4 indi-vidual birds there were only 2 haplotypes with 0.400 ± 0.237 haplotype diversity (Hd) value. Nucleotide substi-tution / differences occured in 4 nucleotide sites (site 320, 711, 738, and 779) and nucleotide diversity (Pi) was 0.00204 ± 0.00121. Between two species (L.i.hoogerwerfii and L. ignita) occured 39 - 404 nucleotide subsitu-tion sites. The average number of codon encoding amino acid was 261 with a value of codon bias was 0.314. The existence of a nucleotide substitution indicated that there were genetic variations in both intraspecies and interspesies levels. Genetic variation and diversity of L.i. hoogerwerfii were low. Information from this re-search is useful for conservation of this bird. Keywords: DNA sequence, COI, genetic variation, Lophura inornata hoogerwerfii, L. ignita.


The use of hemo-derivatives is nowadays a fundamentally important therapeutic modality in the exercise of medicine. Among the various hemo-components employed, we have the platelet concentrate (PC), indicated in cases of hemorrhagic disturbances. We previously showed that platelet function in blood donors is reduced in their screening phase and after the separation process of PCs. Currently, we are providing evidence for the existence of biochemical and functional changes in PC preparations stored for three days at temperatures of 20 ± 2 oC. Platelet concentrates from 40 healthy donors, collected in CPD anticoagulant and PL-146 polyvinylchloride containers, were examined in order to determine the pH value, pCO2 ,pO2 and lactate concentrations. In addition, the aggregation of platelets with thrombin and collagen were examined to evaluate platelet function. A pH increase from 7.07 ± 0.04 to 7.36 ± 0.07 (p < 0.01) was observed. The pCO2 concentration decreased progressively from 69.2 ± 7.7 mmHg to 28.8 ± 6.2 mmHg (p < 0.001) during the storage period. In contrast, pO2 value increase from 103.4 ± 30.6 to 152.3 ± 24.6 mmHg (p < 0.001) was evidenced during the 48 hours of storage. The lactate concentration increased from 17.97 ± 5.2 to 57.21 ± 5.7 mg/dl (p < 0.001). Platelet aggregation using 0.25 U/ml-thrombin and 2.0 µg/ml-collagen showed significant hypofunction from 61.8 ± 2.7% to 24.8 ± 9.8% and 62.7±5.0 to 33.4± 6.2 (p < 0.001), respectively. We concluded that the evaluated biochemical parameters and the platelet function changed significantly when the platelets were kept under routine storage conditions.