This paper presents our attempt to develop a dictionary writing system for lexicographers in Indonesia. However, it does not mean that our work is only well-fitted for Indonesian languages. We developed this system from scratch to meet the basic need of lexicographers in Indonesia who are scattered in many local cities and prefer working in a team. A system which is designed and developed to meet our own demands is more easily adjusted than other existing systems. For this reason, we decided to develop this system rather than using existing ones.
In general, like other interactive lexicon viewing and editing applications, our system also provides hyperlinks for entries, category views, dictionary reversal, search engine, and export
tools. However, our system is different to some extent. It is developed in a shared workspace concept to deal with lexicographers with geogr
aphic obstacles like in Indonesia. The system also comes with a corpus tool which allows users to create their own corpus. Users can store and access their language database from different locations. The corpus tool enables users to do corpus analysis and manipulation. Some major languages, such as Malay, Javanese, and Sundanese, are provided with grammatical annotation services. So, based on language corpora, users can perform lexicographic work in collaborative environments. The system also comes
with a synchonization service which allows users to share and collaborate on document files, folders, and databases with other counterparts regardless of physical location. For the time
being, we are developing only the web application version, but in the future, it is possible to also expand it into desktop and mobile applications.


Motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has a familial cause in 10% of patients. Despite significant advances in the genetics of the disease, many families remain unexplained. We performed whole-genome sequencing in five family members from a pedigree with autosomal-dominant classical ALS. A family-based elimination approach was used to identify novel coding variants segregating with the disease. This list of variants was effectively shortened by genotyping these variants in 2 additional unaffected family members and 1500 unrelated population-specific controls. A novel rare coding variant in SPAG8 on chromosome 9p13.3 segregated with the disease and was not observed in controls. Mutations in SPAG8 were not encountered in 34 other unexplained ALS pedigrees, including 1 with linkage to chromosome 9p13.2–23.3. The shared haplotype containing the SPAG8 variant in this small pedigree was 22.7 Mb and overlapped with the core 9p21 linkage locus for ALS and frontotemporal dementia. Based on differences in coverage depth of known variable tandem repeat regions between affected and non-affected family members, the shared haplotype was found to contain an expanded hexanucleotide (GGGGCC)n repeat in C9orf72 in the affected members. Our results demonstrate that rare coding variants identified by whole-genome sequencing can tag a shared haplotype containing a non-coding pathogenic mutation and that changes in coverage depth can be used to reveal tandem repeat expansions. It also confirms (GGGGCC)n repeat expansions in C9orf72 as a cause of familial ALS.


With six valid species, Luciobrotula is a small genus of the family Ophidiidae, commonly known as cusk-eels. They are benthopelagic fishes occurring at depths ranging from 115–2300 m in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Among them, Luciobrotula bartschi is the only known species in the West Pacific. Three specimens of Luciobrotula were collected from the Philippine Sea, Bismarck Sea, and Solomon Sea in the West Pacific during the AURORA, PAPUA NIUGINI, and MADEEP expeditions under the Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos program, and all of them were initially identified as L. bartschi. Subsequent examination with integrative taxonomy indicates that they belong to two distinct species, with the specimen collected from the Solomon Sea representing a new species, which is described here. In terms of morphology, Luciobrotula polylepis sp. nov. differs from its congeners by having a relatively longer lateral line (end of the lateral line below the 33rd dorsal-fin ray) and fewer vertebrae (abdominal vertebrae 13, total vertebrae 50). In the inferred COI gene tree, the two western Pacific species of Luciobrotula do not form a monophyletic group. The genetic K2P distance between the two species is 13.8% on average at the COI locus.


Ejected electron of atomic Cs have been measured at the 4d excitation resonances and above the ionization threshold using monochromatized synchrotron radiation. The spectra have been analyzed by comparing with the MCDF energy calculations and with previous experimental results. The resonance states were found to decay prominently via spectator Auger decay accompanied by transitions where the spectator electron shakes up during the decay. In the normal Auger electron spectra the shakeup structures mainly originate from the shakeup transitions accompanying the primary photoionization. Configuration interaction plays an important role in the spectra as well.


Even in impoverished countries lacking material and human resources, P. T. Bauer argues, economic growth "is" possible under the right conditions. These include a certain amount of thrift and enterprise among the people, social mores and traditions which sustain them, and a firm but limited government which permits market forces to work. Challenging many views about development that are widely held, Bauer takes on squarely the notion that egalitarianism is an appropriate goal. He goes on to argue that the population explosion of less-developed countries has on the whole been a voluntary phenomenon and that each new generation has lived better than its forebears. He also critically examines the notion that the policies and practices of Western nations have been responsible for third world poverty. In a major chapter, he reviews the rationalizations for foreign aid and finds them weak; while in another he shows that powerful political clienteles have developed in the Western nations supporting the foreign aid process and probably benefiting more from it than the alleged recipients. Another chapter explores the link between the issue of Special Drawing Rights by the International Monetary Fund on the one hand and the aid process on the other.Throughout the book, Bauer carefully examines the evidence and the light it throws on the propositions of development. Although the results of his analysis contradict the conventional wisdom of development economics, anyone who is seriously concerned with the subject must take them into account.Throughout the book, Bauer carefully examines the evidence and the light it throws on the propositions of development. Although the results of his analysis contradict the conventional wisdom of development economics, anyone who is seriously concerned with the subject must take them into account.


Neural radiance fields enable state-of-the-art photorealistic view synthesis. However, existing radiance field representations are either too compute-intensive for real-time rendering or require too much memory to scale to large scenes. We present a Memory-Efficient Radiance Field (MERF) representation that achieves real-time rendering of large-scale scenes in a browser. MERF reduces the memory consumption of prior sparse volumetric radiance fields using a combination of a sparse feature grid and high-resolution 2D feature planes. To support large-scale unbounded scenes, we introduce a novel contraction function that maps scene coordinates into a bounded volume while still allowing for efficient ray-box intersection. We design a lossless procedure for baking the parameterization used during training into a model that achieves real-time rendering while still preserving the photorealistic view synthesis quality of a volumetric radiance field.


Abstract Synthesis routes are described, allowing all known jasmonoids as well as their enantiomers to be synthesized in enantiomerically and diastereomerically pure form. The routes are based on a set of closely related lactones containing an electrophilic allylic moiety, which are accessible via asymmetric Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation. Regio- and diastereoselective SN2'-anti-reactions of the electrophilic lactones with organocopper compounds furnished 2,3-cis-disubstituted cyclopentenones, which were further transformed into the target compounds, i.e., 12-oxophytodienoic acid (12-OPDA) in excellent overall yields. The methodology also allowed iridoids and isoprostanes to be prepared. The configuration of an Archaea membrane lipid constituent containing cyclopentane rings was determined by total synthesis of a diol that was also obtained by degradation of the natural product.


CASE OVERVIEW This case poses a dilemma faced by mature retail chains: how can the company continue to increase revenues when it can no longer grow (for environmental, financial, and/or legal reasons) by inserting clones of existing stores into new markets? The case begins by indicating that Sports de France, a major sporting goods retailer with outlets throughout suburban Europe, has decided to terminate its unsuccessful 10 year initiative to increase revenues and profits by introducing retail sporting goods shops in city centres in France. At the last minute, however, the experienced manager assigned to terminate the initiative finds reasons to believe that adoption of a new retail strategy for the city centre shops could save the project. The challenge for students is to develop a new and profitable retail strategy. The case is based on discussions conducted by the authors in France. The case is appropriate for undergraduates as well as students in MBA and Executive Development programs. It is designed to be taught in a 1.5 hour long class session, and is likely to require a couple of hours of preparation by students. CASE SYNOPSIS Bernard LaCrois is Special Assistant to Louis Verdun, Chairman of Sports de France. The company owns and successfully operates a chain of large sporting goods stores in suburban locations not only throughout France but also throughout Europe as well. For the past 10 years, the company has been attempting to increase its revenues and profits by developing small retail sporting goods shops in city centres in France. Each of these last 10 years, however, this city centre initiative has generated losses of approximately half a million dollars. Based on the company=s inability to generate profits from the city centre shops, Chairman Verdun has decided to terminate this initiative, and has assigned LaCrois responsibility for accomplishing this objective within the next 180 days. However, discussions with the retail consultant hired to help terminate this initiative have convinced LaCrois that one last attempt should be made to see whether the city centre shops can be made profitable. Data and information in the case include: 1. Description of the challenge faced by the company. 2. On the company: Historical overview, current performance, and the business model underlying that performance. 3. Characteristics of the retail strategy which the company has been using for its city centre shops. 4. Characteristics of the competitive situation. 5. Information on the attitudes, shopping behaviors, and lifestyles of consumers living in city centres in France. THE SITUATION After a ten-year effort, Sports de France Chairman and owner Louis Verdun had announced his decision to terminate the company's City Centre Shops Project. As members of the management team packed up their notes and printouts, Verdun summoned Bernard LaCrois, special assistant to the Chairman, to give him instructions regarding the termination. Verdun's instructions were simple, and focused on three points: (1) LaCrois would be in command of the liquidation; (2) Verdun did not care how LaCrois executed the closure; and (3) Verdun wanted the City Centre Shops Project and the string of loses which it had generated over the previous ten years terminated within the next 180 days. THE INDUSTRY Global trade in leisure and sporting goods has increased dramatically, based on increased interest in sports from the French and many other nationalities. Over the last 25 years, the number of sport and leisure stores in France has doubled, and the number of employees working in such shops has quadrupled. The sector now employs 45,000 people (more than 2% of all retail employees), working in nearly 11,000 shops. On average, there is one sporting goods store in France for each 5,300 inhabitants. Over the last five years, sales turnover for this sector has increased 20%; during the same period, sales for all nonfood retailers grew only 10%. …


In present situation Health protection arrangement is currently rising as an instrument to oversee people group budgetary requirements towards their well-being administrations. Presently multi day, quantities of medical coverage strategies are accessible in the market and those approaches giving money related advantages to the individual and the whole relatives. Present research paper celebrating that approach holders mindfulness and fulfillment levels towards medical coverage. The purpose of the present study was to find out the awareness level of policy holders, followed by the influence of health insurance policy factors, satisfaction levels of holder and problem faced by the policy holders by the health insurance policies in selected area i.e. Hyderabad city. The study reported responses of 183 policy holders from Hyderabad city. The Convenience sampling method was adopted in the collection of data from individual Health policy holder responses and tested by ANOVA test used to help of the SPSS 20.0 Version. The results indicated that there was a strong impact of HIP on demographic factors, followed by HIP factors influence having greater influence on policyholders, finally policyholders having satisfaction towards HIP, even they faced little problems towards HIP. Accordingly, through Policy holders opinions, HIP companies should concentrate on the problems of the HIP, and they should create the best satisfaction levels to policy holders for giving the best competition to competitors in the market.


In functional principal component analysis (PCA), we treat the data that consist of functions not of vectors (Ramsay and Silverman, 1997). It is an attractive methodology, because we often meet the cases where we wish to apply PCA to such data. But, to make this method widely useful, it is desirable to study advantages and disadvantages in actual applications. As alternatives to functional PCA, we may consider multivariate PCA applied to 1) original observation data, 2) sampled functional data with appropriate intervals, and 3) coefficients of basis function expansion. Theoretical and numerical comparison is made among ordinary functional PCA, penalized functional PCA and the above three multivariate PCA.


Here, we report an essentially complete genome assembly for the Ty1-less Saccharomyces paradoxus strain DG1768 (derivative of strain 337) based on PacBio and Illumina shotgun sequence data. We also document the genetic alterations that make this yeast strain a key resource for Ty1 mobility studies. ABSTRACT Here, we report an essentially complete genome assembly for the Ty1-less Saccharomyces paradoxus strain DG1768 (derivative of strain 337) based on PacBio and Illumina shotgun sequence data. We also document the genetic alterations that make this yeast strain a key resource for Ty1 mobility studies.


Ranking feature sets for phenotype classification based on gene expression is one of the most challenging issues in bioinformatics. When the number of samples is small, all feature-selection algorithms are known to be unreliable and error estimators suffer to different degrees of imprecision. The problem is compounded by the fact that the accuracy of classification depends on the manner in which the phenomena are transformed into data by the measurement technology. Because Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies amount to a nonlinear transformation of the actual gene or RNA concentrations, they could potentially produce less discriminative data than the actual gene expression levels. Here, we focus on the implications of the non-linear transformation of gene concentrations by the sequencing machine and the choice of error estimators on feature set ranking.


We give another alternative proof to the Kawamata semiampleness theorem for the log canonical divisors on klt varieties which are nef and abundant.
After the first version of this article was posted to the e-print Arxiv, Prof. Fujino notified the author that the quick and essential proof ([Fujino. On Kawamata's theorem.(EMS 2011), Rem 2.7]) is already known. The author would like to thank him.
More precisely, Prof. Fujino already gave the quick and essential proof ([Fujino. On Kawamata's thm.(EMS 2011), Rem 2.7], [Fujino. Finite generation of the lc ring in dim 4. (Kyoto J. Math. 50 (2010)), Rem 3.15]) from the finite generation thm (Birkar-Cascini-Hacon-McKernan [BCHM]) of the lc rings for klt pairs and from the fact (cf. Mourougane-Russo [MoRu, C.R.A.S. Math. 325 (1997)]) that a nef and abundant $\mathbf{Q}$-divisor $D$ is semiample if its graded ring is finitely generated:"For a nef and abundant lc divisor which is klt, the lc ring is finitely generated, thus it is semiample." [BCHM] first proved that the minimal model program runs for big klt lc divisors and next implied the finite generation of the lc rings for klt lc divisors which are not necessarily big from the Fujino-Mori lc bdle formula ([FM, J. Differential Geom., 56 (2000)]). Mourougane-Russo [MoRu] implies the semiampleness of a nef and abundant $\mathbf{Q}$-divisor whose graded ring is finitely generated, using the Kawamata numerically trivial fibrations ([Kawamata. Pluricanonical systems. Invent. Math. 79 (1985)]).
Consequently the author withdraw the article.


A seven-year-old boy with history of convulsion, cutaneous hyperpigmentation in sun-exposed areas and recurrent episodes of cerebellar ataxia is presented. Once established the clinical diagnosis of Hartnup disease, treatment with nicotinamide was started, with improvement. Laboratorial results did not confirm aminoaciduria nor other identified metabolic changes. In Hartnup disease, defective renal and intestinal transport of neutral amino acids occurrs, resulting in reduction of tryptophan to produce to nicotinamide. Symptomatic cases present with intermittent episodes of cerebellar ataxia, pellagra-like skin rash and mental disturbances. Urinary chromatographic amino acid pattern confirms diagnosis; however, cases compatible with Hartnup disease, but without aminoaciduria, have been reported.


Likely mechanisms for proton transfer in alpha-helical proteins are explored. The fundamental structural element is assumed to be continuous chains of hydrogen bonds formed from the peptide groups and a molecular example is presented. Using the PM3 semi-empirical molecular orbital method, the authors study the potential energy surfaces for the proton transfer processes in such systems. The results obtained can be used to explain some basic transport phenomena in biological systems.


Seven placement algorithms - one constructive-initial placement algorithm and six iterative-improvement algorithms - were programmed and run on six problems ranging in size from 60 to 1300 modules. These problems included placing IC packs on a card, cards on a board and circuits on an LSI chip. It was found that the new force-directed pairwise relaxation algorithm was the best algorithm for the larger problems and was competitive with the other algorithms for the smaller problems. Other questions relating to placement strategies (such as, what are the advantages of constructive - initial start vs. random start and what is the best transformation of the placement problem to an associated quadratic assignment problem) are also answered.


Abstract This article develops a conceptual framework to indicate the type of resistance reform efforts may stimulate, and the factors shaping perceptions of risk involved in pursuing reform. It provides tools for identifying the room for manoeuvre by political elites, in terms of the extent that formal and informal institutions will accommodate change, and the chances of a positive response to reform from elites and civil society. It considers the incentives that drive politicians when weighing up reform options, the institutions that shape those incentives, and the impact that institutions, particularly informal ones, can have on the reform process. Rather than concentrate on the internal processes and mechanisms of institutions, however – as has perhaps too often been the case – the connections between state and society and the way these impact on reform are examined.


To investigate the potential cardioprotective effects of Shuang Shen Ning Xin on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Wistar rats were treated with trimetazidine (10 mg/kg/day, ig), Shuang Shen Ning Xin (22.5, 45 mg/kg/day, ig), or saline for 5 consecutive days. Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 40 min and reperfusion for 120 min on the last day of administration. It is found that Shuang Shen Ning Xin pretreatment markedly decreased infarct size and serum LDH levels, and this observed protection was associated with reduced myocardial oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis after myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. In addition, further studies on mitochondrial function showed that rats treated with Shuang Shen Ning Xin displayed decreased mitochondrial swelling and cytosolic cytochrome c levels, which were accompanied by a preservation of complex I activities and inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition. In conclusion, the mitochondrial protective effect of Shuang Shen Ning Xin could be a new mechanism, by which Shuang Shen Ning Xin attenuates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.


We report the electrical characteristics of backgated silicon nanowire (SiNW) FETs at temperatures ranging from 300 to 160 K. The voltage drop along the intrinsic part of the silicon nanowire (SiNW) was obtained by modeling the source/drain contacts as Schottky diodes. The field effect mobility values obtained from the extracted intrinsic voltage drop showed activation behaviors in the given temperature range. The activation energy was smaller than that of previously reported Ge nanowires.


Using System Center 2012 Orchestrator, you can capture and document processes across your entire IT organization, establishing the automation you need to deliver advanced cloud services and self-adjusting computing resources. Authored by five leading System Center experts, this comprehensive reference and technical guide brings together all the knowledge youll need to architect, install, implement, integrate, and maximize the value of your own Orchestrator solutions. The authors introduce current best practices based on large-scale enterprise implementations theyve personally led or participated in. This up-to-date guide shows how to apply Orchestrators major improvements to implement IT process automation in any environment, including private clouds. Youll start with context: what Orchestrator does, how it has evolved, how it works, and essential architecture and design techniques. Next, the authors help you make crucial up-front decisions about activities, runbooks, security, and administration. Finally, youll find expert guidance for integrating Orchestrator with the rest of System Center and with Windows Azure cloud servicesincluding advanced automated workflows that encompass both data center and cloud. Detailed information on how to Understand System Center 2012 Orchestrators capabilities, evolution, architecture, and design, including SP1 improvements and R2 Successfully install System Center 2012 Orchestrator and migrate smoothly from Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Take full advantage of Orchestrators advanced new runbook automation capabilities Configure activities associated with runbook control, systems, scheduling, monitoring, files, email, notification, and data handling Design runbooks for fault tolerance and optimal performance Enforce strong security using roles, permissions, and auditing Deliver integration capabilities for Operations Manager, Service Manager, Configuration Manager, Virtual Machine Manager, and Data Protection Manager Automate end-to-end data center/ cloud workflows with integration packs and PowerShell Create your own integration packs with Orchestrator Integration Toolkit (OIT.SDK) Support Orchestrator 2012, troubleshoot problems, and discover the best web and third-party resources


The paper provides an empirical characterisation of the value effect detected on the Italian Stock Market in the sample period 2000-2018 based on the value premium offered for the acquisition of a value stock. A bid on a value stock generates a large and statistically significant average return on the holding of the target in the deal window, as opposed to bids on growth stocks. Returns on stocks which are the target of a bid accounts for up to two thirds of the average return on the long side of the Fama and French (1993) HML portfolio. The other significant component of the average return of HML is due to the short selling of small growth stocks, which, as evidenced in previous literature, is often difficult to implement from a practical point of view.


High prevalence rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and lack of effective antibacterial treatments urge discovery of alternative therapeutic modalities. The advent of antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a promising alternative, composing rapid, nonselective cell destruction without generating resistance. We used a panel of clinically relevant MRSA to evaluate hypericin (Hy) and pheophobide a (Pa)-mediated PDT with clinically approved methylene blue (MB). We translated the promising in vitro anti-MRSA activity of selected compounds to a full-thick MRSA wound infection model in mice (in vivo) and the interaction of aPDT innate immune system (cytotoxicity towards neutrophils). Hy-PDT consistently displayed lower minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values (0.625–10 µM) against ATCC RN4220/pUL5054 and a whole panel of community-associated (CA)-MRSA compared to Pa or MB. Interestingly, Pa-PDT and Hy-PDT topical application demonstrated encouraging in vivo anti-MRSA activity (>1 log10 CFU reduction). Furthermore, histological analysis showed wound healing via re-epithelization was best in the Hy-PDT group. Importantly, the dark toxicity of Hy was significantly lower (p < 0.05) on neutrophils compared to Pa or MB. Overall, Hy-mediated PDT is a promising alternative to treat MRSA wound infections, and further rigorous mechanistic studies are warranted.


In this letter, we show how a 2.4-GHz retrodirective array operating in a multipath rich environment can be utilized in order to spatially encrypt digital data. For the first time, we give experimental evidence that digital data that has no mathematical encryption applied to it can be successfully recovered only when it is detected with a receiver that is polarization-matched to that of a reference continuous-wave (CW) pilot tone signal. In addition, we show that successful detection with low bit error rate (BER) will only occur within a highly constrained spatial region colocated close to the position of the CW reference signal. These effects mean that the signal cannot be intercepted and its modulated data recovered at locations other than the constrained spatial region around the position from which the retrodirective communication was initiated.


Histologic features were studied of bone marrow biopsies in 25 individuals who took part in the elimination of the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident and who had received a radiation dose of at least 1 Gy. Particular features of the studied trepanobiopsies included dysplasia of granulocytes, hypocellular bone marrow, circulatory disorders and sinusoidal distortion, edematization of stromal elements, substitution of fibroreticular tissue for hemopoietic one. No relationship was established between the changes revealed and radiation dose.


The article belongs to a case category. The main aim of the article is to present an algorithm of forming staff list for research and academic staff at a higher educational institution i9 the context of per - capita financing. Algorithm takes into consideration characteristics of students of each teaching program, tuition fee and workload of disciplines taught by Departments as part of curriculum. Algorithm allows for forming staff list based either on average salary of lecturers or on maximum number of positions. University executives choose one of the options depending on strategic development direction. Suggested algorithm is demonstrated on the calculations for a certain model university. Each sage is complemented with comments. As a result we get logical transparent staff list for the whole university and distribution of staff positions between the chairs. The approach is universal and applicable at any higher educational university. The article is of interest and practical importance for vice - rectors on teaching activities, heads of departments and personnel division, directors of institutes, faculty deans.


A high power laser of finite spot size, propagating through a high Z plasma embedded with light ions, exerts ponderomotive forces on the electrons. As the electrons move out of the axial region, a strong space charge field sets in that pulls the lighter and heavier ions together with the electrons. Thus a plasma channel evolves on a time scale τ = r0/cs where r0 is the spot size of the laser and cs is the characteristic sound speed. The ratio of fractional ion depletion to heavy ion depletion from the axial region is (Δnl/nl)/(Δnh/nh) = mhZln00l/mlZhn00h where mh and ml are the heavy and light ion masses, Zh and Zl, are the heavy and light ion charges, nh and nl are the heavy and light ion densities respectively. The channel is capable of self-ducting/self-focusing the laser when the power of the laser exceeds a threshold value.


New therapies are needed for patients with relapsed/refractory (rel/ref) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who do not benefit from or are ineligible for stem cell transplant and chimeric antigen receptor therapy. The CD30-targeted antibody-drug conjugate brentuximab vedotin (BV) and the immunomodulator lenalidomide (Len) have demonstrated promising activity as single agents in this population. We report the results of a phase I/dose expansion trial evaluating the combination of BV/Len in rel/ref DLBCL. Thirty-seven patients received BV every 21 days with Len dosed continuously for a maximum of 16 cycles. The maximum tolerated dose of the combination was 1.2 mg/kg BV with 20 mg/day Len. BV/Len was well tolerated with a toxicity profile consistent with their use as single agents. Most patients required G-CSF support due to neutropenia. Overall response rate (ORR) was 57% (95% CI: 39.6-72.5%), complete response rate 35% (95% CI: 20.7-52.6%), median duration of response 13.1 months, median progression-free survival 10.2 (95% CI: 5.5-13.7) months and median overall survival 14.3 months (95% CI 10.2-35.6). Response rates were highest in patients with CD30+ DLBCL (73%) but did not differ according to cell of origin (p=0.96). NK cell expansion and phenotypic changes in CD8+ T-cell subsets in non-responders were identified by mass cytometry. BV/Len represents a potential treatment option for patients with rel/ref DLBCL. This combination is being further explored in a phase III study (NCT04404283). Current trial registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02086604).


Fitness landscape has been one of the main limitations regarding optimization tasks. Although meta-heuristic techniques have achieved outstanding results over a large variety of problems, some issues related to the function geometry and the risk to get trapped from local optima are issues that still require attention. To deal with this problem, we propose the Quaternion-based Backtracking Search Optimization Algorithm, a variant of the standard Backtracking Search Optimization Algorithm that maps each decision variable in a tensor onto a hypercomplex search space, whose landscape is expected to be smoother. Experiments conducted using nine benchmarking functions showed considerably better results than the ones achieved over standard search spaces, as well as more accurate results than some quaternion-based methods as well.


ABSTRACT Background: This study evaluates the predictive effects of different aspects of volunteering (e.g. volunteering status, number of hours, number of years, and type of volunteering activity) on all-cause mortality. Methods: A seven-year follow-up dataset of a nationally representative sample of Israelis, 60 years and older was used. Results: As expected, volunteering was associated with a reduced mortality risk even after adjusting for age, gender, education, baseline mental health and physical health, activity level, and social engagement. Those who volunteered for 10 to 14 years had a reduced mortality risk relative to non-volunteers. In addition, those who volunteered privately, not as part of an official organization, also had a reduced mortality risk compared to non-volunteers. The number of hours of volunteering was not a significant predictor of all-cause mortality in the fully adjusted model. In additional sensitivity analyses limited to those who volunteered, none of the various aspects of volunteering was associated with a reduced mortality risk. Conclusions: Results suggest that not all aspects of volunteering have the same predictive value and that the protective effects of length of volunteering time and type of volunteering are particularly important. However, whether or not volunteering is the most consistent predictor of mortality and whether once a person volunteers the various aspects of volunteering are no longer associated with mortality risk.


Previously, we have shown that p38-HSP27 acted as modulators from survival to death depending on the apoptotic strength in prostate cancer cells. For example, if the apoptotic strength is in the moderate range, p38-HSP27 acted to increase Akt catalytic activity, whereas if in the stronger range, p38-HSP27 acted to decrease Akt catalytic activity as well as Akt dephosphorylation. Moreover, another survival signal, Src, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase was revealed to be highly phosphorylated (activated) during curcumin/TRAIL treatment, which leads to the conclusion of occurrence of more complex regulatory crosstalk between Akt and Src for the strict control of cell homeostasis. As a consequence, Akt dephosphorylation was regulated by protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), whose activity was subsequently controlled by dissociation from HSP27 (increase) and Src phosphorylation (deccrease). Src phosphorylation during curcumin/TRAIL was also positively regulated by TRAF6, whereas it was negatively regulated by HSP27. Taken together, the level of Akt dephosphorylation during curcumin/TRAIL could be decided by cumulative factors such as the levels of HSP27/TRAF6 and the activity of Src and PP1. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2011 Sep 14-18; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(18 Suppl):Abstract nr C42.


This paper analyses free transverse vibration of a monoclinic rectangular plate of uniform thickness resting onWinkler foundation using differential transform method (DTM). Two parallel edges of the plate are taken according to Levy approach i.e., simply supported and other two edges may be either clamped-clamped or clamped-simply supported. This semi-numerical- analytical technique converts the governing differential equation and boundary conditions into a set of algebraic equations. Characteristic equations have been obtained for above two combinations of boundary conditions in the form of infinite series and solved numerically by truncating these equations to finite number of terms. Robustness and convergence of the method is confirmed through numerical results. Two dimensional and three dimensional mode shapes have been plotted for both the cases.


Constraint-based clustering algorithms exploit background knowledge to construct clusterings that are aligned with the interests of a particular user. This background knowledge is often obtained by allowing the clustering system to pose pairwise queries to the user: should these two elements be in the same cluster or not? Active clustering methods aim to minimize the number of queries needed to obtain a good clustering by querying the most informative pairs first. Ideally, a user should be able to answer a couple of these queries, inspect the resulting clustering, and repeat these two steps until a satisfactory result is obtained. We present COBRAS, an approach to active clustering with pairwise constraints that is suited for such an interactive clustering process. A core concept in COBRAS is that of a super-instance: a local region in the data in which all instances are assumed to belong to the same cluster. COBRAS constructs such super-instances in a top-down manner to produce high-quality results early on in the clustering process, and keeps refining these super-instances as more pairwise queries are given to get more detailed clusterings later on. We experimentally demonstrate that COBRAS produces good clusterings at fast run times, making it an excellent candidate for the iterative clustering scenario outlined above.


This paper attempted to show that Chomsky's Features Inheritance (2005, 2008) is a systematic operation in- and applicable to Standard Arabic. Syntactic features including phi-features and Tense are encoded in phasal heads such as C and v. These features according to Chomsky percolate to a substantive lower non-phasal head which acts as a probe looking for a goal with matching interpretable features. Hence, all uninterpretable features on both heads, i.e. the probe and the goal, get checked and are assigned interpretable values via the probe-goal analysis. In other words, the phasal heads C and v (rather than T and V) can probe and locate a close goal so the uninterpretable features will be assigned values before spell-out. Failure to assign interpretable values to these features will lead the derivation to crash. Finally, the study proposed that valued features are sent to their criterial position in the PF rather than prior to spell-out. In this article, Standard Arabic is taken as a case study to demonstrate that features inheritance is a systemized operation like any other syntactic operation and to show that Chomsky's proposal of features inheritance is valid and applicable to Standard Arabic.


Abstract This study investigates how different targets of state-sanctioned arrests shape the likelihood of collective action. We hypothesize that leader arrests are especially likely to result in backlash protests. Leader arrests symbolize the suppression of social collectives, they create collective grievances, and constitute focal points for mobilization. Building on a global sample of arrests of cultural identity group members, we qualitatively traced for each arrest whether it sparked a backlash protest. Drawing on coarsened exact matched models, we find that protests are significantly more likely following leader arrests. In contrast, mass arrests are not significantly linked to backlash protests. Additional tests show that organizational membership does not drive this findings, whereas the symbolic value of leaders is linked to protest outbreaks. Our findings cast doubt on the narrow focus on quasi-constant structural variables and make the case for the disaggregation of repression and the importance of triggering events.


A circular polarizer for the region of windowless VUV is described. The device consists of two four-mirror assemblies, using reflectivity differences and phase shifts at gold surfaces known from the Fresnel equations. Owing to its variable angle arrangement the polarizer can be used between 30 nm and 120 nm. When operated with Hel light (58.43 nm), a degree of circular polarization of more than 96% was achieved. The optical constants of gold have been determined by use of the transmitted intensity and polarization of the radiation.


The aim of this study was to develop and validate an electronic questionnaire, the Electronic Maternal Health Survey (EMat Health Survey), related to women's knowledge and perceptions of the current gestational weight gain guidelines (GWG), as well as pregnancy-related health behaviours. Constructs addressed within the questionnaire include self-efficacy, locus of control, perceived barriers, and facilitators of physical activity and diet, outcome expectations, social environment and health practices. Content validity was examined using an expert panel (n = 7) and pilot testing items in a small sample (n = 5) of pregnant women and recent mothers (target population). Test re-test reliability was assessed among a sample (n = 71) of the target population. Reliability scores were calculated for all constructs (r and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC)), those with a score of >0.5 were considered acceptable. The content validity of the questionnaire reflects the degree to which all relevant components of excessive GWG risk in women are included. Strong test-retest reliability was found in the current study, indicating that responses to the questionnaire were reliable in this population. The EMat Health Survey adds to the growing body of literature on maternal health and gestational weight gain by providing the first comprehensive questionnaire that can be self-administered and remotely accessed. The questionnaire can be completed in 15–25 min and collects useful data on various social determinants of health and GWG as well as associated health behaviours. This online tool may assist researchers by providing them with a platform to collect useful information in developing and tailoring interventions to better support women in achieving recommended weight gain targets in pregnancy.


Handling in fishing vessel is urgent to maintaining the quality of tuna products, while the existence of waste components can bother the performance of fishing operations. The aims of this research are to evaluate the handling system of tuna products in fishing vessel and to analyze the influences of fishing operation to the existence of waste components. This research methods are no control chart and regression model approach. Research result shows that the handling system in the fishing operation of tuna in Bitung is not optimum. But the quality of tuna products which landed is still in controlled as shown by amount of rejecting products in UCL-LCL range (0 – 3,63 reject products/processing). The influence of amount of tuna caught per setting (X) to existence of bait waste (Y) formulated with model Y = - 1,176X+37.794, the influence of amount of tuna products (X) to the existence of ices remained Y) formulated with model Y = - 0,002X + 62,226, and also the influences of fishing operation which deputized by the amount of ABK (X1) and number of operating days (X2) to the existence of freshwater remained (Y) formulated with model Y = 50,000X1-23,704X2+288,889. The significant impacts are only the influence of amount of tuna products in existence of ices remained (sigh = 0,036) and number of operating days of the existence of freshwater remained (sigh = 0,037). Keywords: Bitung, waste components, handling system, tuna


Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem. is an important cucurbit crop that assures food security and dietary diversity among the poor communities. In the present study, seeds of 42 genotypes of Luffa cylindrica were evaluated for their potential use as oil seed crop. Seed moisture, oil and protein content and fatty acids profile were estimated along with total phenol and sugar content. Significant differences were observed among the various genotypes where oil content ranged from 15.4–29.8% and protein 19.9–30.8%. Total phenol content was high 6.43–12.84 mg/100 g, which bodes well for the sponge gourd seeds' ability to act as antioxidants. Significant correlation were found between important constituents studied like protein and oil, palmitic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid. Total unsaturated fatty acids were in higher amount comparable to saturated fatty acids signifying the good quality of Luffa seed oil. Our research revealed that the NDSG-1, Pusa Sneha, DSG-95, DSG-98, DSG-108, and DSG-26 genotypes were very nutritious due to their high levels of protein, oleic acid, and oil output. Additionally, selection of traits having considerable correlation will be beneficial and help in improved varietal development for usage as an alternative oilseed crop. Our research sheds light on the nutritional value of sponge gourd seeds and suggests using them as a potential source for oil and protein, particularly in underdeveloped countries.


This publication outlines the manner in which the teacher certification process mandated by the law on teachers and lecturers, was developed and is currently being implemented. It is an historical record of the events which took place over the three years from December 2005 to December 2008 and the impact of these events on education agencies and structures in Indonesia. The enactment of the teacher law took place against a backdrop of concern for the quality of education in Indonesia and in a context in which the roles of a number of teacher training agencies and structures were under review. Because of its comprehensive nature, the law will have a significant impact on many of these agencies and many of the policies currently in place. The manner in which these future polices may develop is addressed. This document examines the status of teachers at the time of the introduction of the teacher law: their quality, salary levels, and other available incentives. To some extent, it describes a poorly paid and ineffectively managed teaching service, both at the district and school level. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) and Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) show evidence of poor overall student performance, which has implications regarding the quality of teaching. Attempts in the past to deal with this situation through salary increases, professional development courses and improvement in training, promotion possibilities, and other strategies are examined but found to have largely failed to achieve their goals, partly because they have been conceived and implemented in a piecemeal fashion. Only the teacher law has attempted to address the issue comprehensively by linking a varied range of strategies to the powerful incentive of a significant salary increase.


In the frame of an exactly solvable model we calculate electric and magnetic fields created by uniformly moving lattice of Josephson vortices driven by the transport current in the magnetic field parallel to conducting layers. The distribution of fields and currents is strongly modified at large velocities of the vortex lattice, plasma oscillations of superconducting electrons being excited by flux flow at low temperatures. This modifies the flux flow resistivity and results in interference features in I-V curves, thus regions of negative differential conductivity appear in which the uniform motion of the vortex lattice is not stable. The spectrum of electromagnetic radiation by moving vortices contains large peaks related to the excitation of plasma oscillations and to the Cherenkov radiation.


Abstract The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake, Sistrurus catenatus catenatus, is a candidate for US federal listing and is legally protected in every state or province in which it occurs. Habitat degradation and human persecution have contributed to range-wide population declines. Survival estimates are essential for a thorough understanding of population dynamics, yet are rarely reported for S. c. catenatus in the peer-reviewed literature. There has been little research on massasauga survival in managed areas of Michigan, USA, the state considered to be the last S. c. catenatus stronghold. Our objectives were to estimate survival of massasaugas during the active season (May–October) in southwestern Lower Michigan and describe causes of mortality. We captured (mid-May to late August), radiomarked, and monitored 27 adult massasaugas in 2008 and 2009 and pooled data for analyses. We observed snakes throughout the active season and estimated survival (Mayfield method) for that period (11 May–29 October; 168 d). Cause-specific mortality was investigated qualitatively. Estimated survival probability for the active season was 0.9472 (CI  =  0.8518–1.0000), higher than any estimate for similar studies of which we are aware. The single mortality event observed was caused by predation. We suggest that the high massasauga survivorship in this area might be attributable to habitat management for S. c. catenatus combined with a relative lack of infrastructure and human persecution. Our results suggest that adult S. c. catenatus survival is potentially geographically variable and can be high in areas not well-investigated, such as southwestern Lower Michigan. More research would yield long-term survival trends for the studied population as well as throughout their range.


We describe new hydrophobic functionalized linear polyurethane resins by combining N-alkyl maleimides via the Diels–Alder reaction with linear furan-modified polyurethanes. This procedure provides the opportunity for the post-polymerization-functionalizing of polyurethanes. Access to furan-bearing polyurethanes is achieved via the reaction of a furan-containing diol, polyethylenglycol (PEG), and different diisocyanates. The furan-containing diol is obtained from the reaction of furfurylamine and two equivalents of hydroxyalkyl acrylate. The resulting furan-bearing polyurethanes are reacted with fatty amine-based N-alkyl maleimides. The maleimide and furan functionalities undergo a Diels–Alder reaction, which allows for the covalent bonding of the hydrophobic side chains to the polyurethane backbone. The covalent bonding of the hydrophobic maleimides to the polyurethane backbone is proven by means of NMR. The influence of the functionalization on the surface properties of the resulting polyurethane films is analyzed via the determination of surface energy via the sessile drop method.


We use scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to examine the electronic nature of grain boundaries (GBs) in polycrystalline graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on Cu foil and transferred to SiO(2) substrates. We find no preferential orientation angle between grains, and the GBs are continuous across graphene wrinkles and SiO(2) topography. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy shows enhanced empty states tunneling conductance for most of the GBs and a shift toward more n-type behavior compared to the bulk of the graphene. We also observe standing wave patterns adjacent to GBs propagating in a zigzag direction with a decay length of ~1 nm. Fourier analysis of these patterns indicates that backscattering and intervalley scattering are the dominant mechanisms responsible for the mobility reduction in the presence of GBs in CVD-grown graphene.


On Wednesday, March 19, 2003, President George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq. As he explained that night in an address to the nation, the purposes of this military operation, known as Operation Iraqi Freedom, were "to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger." To accomplish these objectives, the United States and its coalition partners used military force to strike "selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war." By demonstrating that the same strategy of regime change that the U.S. had used in Afghanistan in 2001 was still an option that the U.S. was willing to exercise, the invasion marked a new era in U.S. foreign policy in which the Bush administration is committed to destroying regimes that support terrorism. In the case of Iraq, the strategy is to wage a counterinsurgency campaign against remnants of the Baath Party regime and foreign jihadists who seek to establish a base of operations in Iraq for war against the West. As President Bush declared, "The return of tyranny to Iraq would be an unprecedented terrorist victory." Since the United States will be waging a global war against terrorism to destroy regimes that support terrorism or terrorist organizations, this chapter discusses the implications of the 2003 invasion of Iraq for the development of a pretheory of victory. The initial outcome for the United States in Operation Iraqi Freedom is broadly consistent with grand strategic victory, but there are significant doubts about what victory will look like and how long it may take to achieve it, while others openly suggest that the United States may be defeated.


Background and Hypothesis:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer with a very poor survival rate. The PI3K pathway has been studied extensively in cancer cells which has led to the creation of PI3K inhibitor drugs. To explore an uncharted and counterintuitive use of the PI3K pathway, PI3K was activated in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and the action of their conditioned medium (CM) on PDAC was examined. We hypothesized that PI3K-activated MSC-derived CM is capable of suppressing tumor growth and migration.
Project Methods:To generate the treatment conditioned media, we first isolated and grew MSCs in DMEM + 10% serum and added 50 μM of PI3K activator (YS49) and incubated for 24 hours. Afterwards, we exchanged the media with fresh DMEM + 10% serum and incubated for another 24 hours. Next, we hyper-centrifuged the media to extract the conditioned media and used the media to treat PANC-1, PA03C, ASPC-1, PANC10.05, and PANC198 pancreatic cancer cell lines. In vitro viability and migration assays were conducted on these five treated cell lines. The regulatory mechanism was evaluated using Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, and ELISAs.
Results:PI3K-activated MSC-derived CM reduced the proliferation (N=5) and migration (N=2) of PDAC (p < 0.01). MSC CM was enriched with polyubiquitin C (Ubc), which acted as an extracellular tumor-suppressing protein by interacting with CXCR4. While the anti-tumor efficacy of Ubc differed depending on the CXCR4 expression level of PDAC, MSC CM was commonly effective in the tested cell lines and tissues (N=5).
Conclusion and potential impact:Collectively, this study demonstrated that MSC CM can be converted into a tumor-suppressing agent by the activation of PI3K, and a Ubc-CXCR4 regulatory axis is at least in part responsible. The use of MSC CM treatment can potentially serve as an alternative or supplemental treatment to current chemotherapeutic agents in treating pancreatic cancer without inducing life-threatening side effects.


Androgen deprivation therapy is the initial treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer. Almost all these patients eventually develop progressive castration‐resistant prostate cancer despite an initial favorable response. Docetaxel was the first agent to show a survival benefit in patients with castration‐resistant prostate cancer. After cancer progression on docetaxel, patients with castration‐resistant prostate cancer had few therapeutic options. A better understanding of the mechanisms of resistance to androgen deprivation therapy has led to the development of novel agents with distinct mechanisms of action. Prospective, large‐scale clinical trials have shown overall survival benefits with the hormonal agents abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide, the immunotherapeutic agent sipuleucel T, the chemotherapeutic agent cabazitaxel, and bone‐targeted Ra‐223. Although these agents provided clinical benefit, treatment for castration‐resistant prostate cancer remains a major clinical challenge. We recognize many questions, such as methods to select patients for specific treatments, optimal sequencing and drug combinations, and means to overcome drug resistance. There is an urgent need to answer these questions and to establish better treatment strategies. The development of biomarkers that are predictive of treatment results is also required. The present article reviews new castration‐resistant prostate cancer treatments, and discusses possible resistant mechanisms as well as potential drug combinations and optimal sequencing.


In accordance with conservation efforts, this research focuses on ceramic tile waste as partial coarse aggregates replacement for concrete production, prevention of environmental considering the elements of sustainable and cost-saving construction projects, especially material usage. Moreover, many of the construction industry in Malaysia produce construction waste that contributes largely in solid waste. Utilizing ceramic tile waste, this research will focus on ceramic wastes obtain from the construction industry. Presently, much of ceramic industries production goes to waste, which is not undergoing the recycle process yet. A total forty cubes with the same dimensions (100 mm x 100 mm x 100 mm) were cast with five different proportion. Eight cube as one type of control proportion that is 0 % percentage of ceramic waste as partial replacement of coarse aggregates and the remaining 32 cubes are 5%, 10 %, 15% and 20% of ceramic as partial replacement of coarse aggregates. Besides that, all other parameters are constant. The concrete cube were tested as destructive test at last which is compression test that to find out compressive strength of specimens of hardened concrete at 7days,14 days and 28 days .Before undergoing the destructive test, the performance of the concrete was determined by undergoing slump test, compressive strength test, water absorption test. From the results of the study, samples of concrete with 15% ceramic coarse aggregate replacement (A4) has reached optimum strength. Findings showed that concrete containing Ceramic Tile 15% showed the highest amount of strength compared with other specimen. Addition of 25%ceramic material has led to compaction of concrete structures in ceramics and exhibit low water absorption rate.


The connectivity reliability of a network states the probability that the traffic can reach the destination from the origin. This paper is dedicated to find a reasonable and fast method to calculate connectivity reliability between any two nodes of a network. Monte Carlo simulation and ORDER algorithm are used and compared in getting the network connectivity reliability. The results show that ORDER algorithm can give more accurate bounds of connectivity reliability for network with high reliable components, while the computation time of Monte Carlo simulation is shorter than ORDER algorithm. Both approaches are applied to the network in the Bridge Management System in the Autonomous Province of Trento.


After the First World War, according to the agreement between British Empire, France, Italy, Japan and Lithuania, the sovereign rights to the Territory were transferred to the State of Lithuania. This action triggered a variety of issues. Disagreements arose in the area of justice. The article analyzes the legal regulation of the organization of the judiciary of the Memel Territory, discusses the systems of both the general and specialized courts of the Territory. Also it deals with the relation between the territorial and the central Lithuanian courts and the problems arising from that relationship: the separation of competence between the Grand Chamber of Lithuanian Senior Tribunal and the Division of the Memel Territory in the Senior Tribunal, jurisdiction of the cases when the crimes were committed by the Lithuanian officers, working in the Memel Territory, the transmission of cases to the central courts of Lithuania, in whose name the judgments of the territorial courts should have been rendered, language of proceedings, preparation of territorial lawyers, enforcement of the judgments of German courts by the territorial courts, oath of territorial judges. Generally, there are two main aims of the article. First, fully identify the system of the courts of the Memel Territory. Second, reveal issues of coexistence of different legal systems – international, Lithuanian, German, local – in the Territory. The article focuses mainly on the documents found in the Lithuanian Central State Archives: the decisions of the Senior Tribunal, separate opinions of the judges, pro memoria of the governors of the Memel Territory, the letters of Lithuanian ministers and officials of the Directorate of the Territory, the laws of the Chamber of Representatives of the Territory, the orders of the President of the Directorate, the announcements of the territorial courts, conversations between representatives of Germany, Signatory States and Lithuania. Researches and publications by interwar Lithuanian scientists and mass media have been used as well.


AIM To assess 10-year trends in prevalence of overweight and obesity in Novosibirsk population. MATERIAL AND METHODS The data of three population surveys (a total of 9714 men and women aged 25-64 years) carried out according to WHO MONICA program. RESULTS Obesity prevalence among males in 1985-1989 tended to a small rise without changes during subsequent 5 years. In females the prevalence of obesity and overweight decreased in 1985-1994. CONCLUSION 10-year trends in prevalence of overweight and obesity were insignificant in men and beneficial in women of Novosibirsk population while the frequency of increased body mass in women remains relatively high.


Effect of Bombycis Corpus on Male Reproductive Dysfunction Caused by Aging Hyeong-Jun Kim, Sang-Hyun Ahn, Ha-Young Ahn, Sun-Young Park Dept. of Gynecology, College of Korean Medicine, Se-Myung University Dept. of Anatomy, College of Korean Medicine, Se-Myung University Dept. of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Se-Myung University Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the effect of Bombycis corpus on reproductive dysfunction caused by aging. Methods: The experimental group was divided into three groups: a control group consisting of 8-week-old male ICR mice without any treatment, An aging-elicited group (AE group) consisting of 50-week-old ICR male mice without any treatment, and a Bombycis corpus treatment group (BC group) consisting of 50-week-old ICR male mice with treatment Bombycis corpus extract (0.78 g/kg/day) for 6 months. After 6 months, histochemistry and immunohistochemistry of the testis were performed to investigate the effects of Bombycis corpus on the reproductive dysfunction caused by aging. Results: In the first step, Bombycis corpus increased spermatogenesis and distribution of sertoli cells in the seminiferous tubule, increased BrdU positive reaction in the spermatogonium at the basal part of the seminiferous tubule, and decreased the apoptosis of Sertoli cells in the seminiferous tubule. In addition, Bombycis corpus increased AR positive in Sertoli cells and 17β-HSD positive in leydig cells. Finally, Bombycis corpus decreased 8-OHdG positivite reaction in the spermatids of the seminiferous lumen, caspase-3 positivity in leydig cells, and HDAC1 positivite reaction in sertoli cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that Bombycis corpus increases spermatogenesis, decreases apoptosis of leydig cells and Sertoli cells, increases the production and action of testosterone in the testis, and inhibits DNA damages and DNA transcripts decrease in the testis, Thereby improving reproductive dysfunction caused by aging.


Recently, EA has been introduced in the Korean government as a tool for improving both IT management and IT investment. However, EA has been superficially used at the conceptual level without any efforts for facilitating it. As a result, it seems that any substantial outcomes from using EA could be hardly realized. This study suggests EA Service Model as a framework for facilitating the use of EA and then generating benefits. The purpose of EA Service Model is to provide a framework with which information and data can be linked, interconnected and shared in the whole process of IT management. It is expected that EA Service Model will possibly make a contribution to improving IT management. Empirical Analysis shows that key factors of EA Service Model make significant effects on improving the IT management, proving practical value and the validity of the model.


The present conventional sources of energy have been rapidly decreasing. There is an ever-increasing demand of energy which can be fulfilled only by taking into consideration, alternative sources of energy that are also environment friendly. For integrating the renewable energy source such as Solar PV with the grid, several factors must be kept in mind for ensuring the health of the grid. In the past, this task was effectively handled with different computational algorithms such as Ant Colony, Particle Swarm Optimization. But with the advent of Big Data technologies and Machine learning techniques, this task is handled even more effectively. This paper will review different studies in which Artificial Intelligence will be used to make effective decisions regarding the load demand, optimal sizing and positioning of Solar PV energy generating stations.


Pulsars are compact objects which are remnants of once-massive stars. Most are lighthouses in radio frequencies, and studying them has led to significant discoveries of exoplanets, gravitational waves, and fundamental physics theories. An ongoing research area is the source of pulsar emission and, in turn, the strange way telescopes see some pulsars. These include intermittent pulsars and Rotating Radio Transients (RRATs) i.e. ones that turn on for some time but remain quiet otherwise. While the study of pulsars stretches back to 1967, a more contemporary discovery is that of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). The discovery in 2007 led to a burgeoning field in radio astronomy, which has enticed many current-generation telescopes. The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is among the bank of telescopes that have been commissioned to find FRBs. This thesis addresses the development and deployment of a novel pipeline for finding new pulsars from galactic and extragalactic single-pulse events. We employ the vast astronomical database collected by the aptly named the CHIME/FRB collaboration over 29 months. The majority of the work was to sort through the CHIME/FRB database for RFI and known pulsars before implementing an unsupervised machine learning algorithm, DBSCAN. DBSCAN made clusters of transient astronomical events which are checked against known pulsars in extant catalogs before being followed up by a second CHIME backend instrument, CHIME/Pulsar. The process has led to 144 candidates, with 12 confirmed new pulsars. Many of the pulsars discovered are RRATs, objects that are atypical for a pulsar in that the pulsed emission is sporadic and intermittent. The continued study of RRATs have the potential to elucidate their intermittency and, by extension, the emission mechanism for pulsars. Thus adding to the current ∼ 120 known RRATs will enable pulsar astronomers to make more substantial claims regarding the estimated ∼ 105 RRATs in the Milky Way Galaxy.


Objectives: Recurrent episodes of Portal Systemic Encephalopathy (PSE), poses a significant burden of illness on the patients and healthcare system. The objective of this study was to assess the recurrence of PSE in cirrhotic patients after index episode of PSE and to identify various risk factors associated with it.
Methods: A retrospective, single-centre study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital over a span of one year. Patients who were admitted first time with PSE and admitted within three months of index PSE were enrolled in the study. Variables assessed were demographic data, associated comorbid conditions, aetiology of cirrhosis, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, PSE grade, laboratory tests, ascites with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), variceal bleeding. Statistical analysis was done and variables of those who developed recurrence were compared with those who did not.
Results: Fifty one patients were recruited. Thirty three (64.7%) were readmitted with PSE. On comparative analysis of both groups; infection, Meld score, low albumin, and raised total bilirubin showed significant P-value (<0.05).
Conclusion: Identification of risk factors during assessment can reduce the recurrence of PSE. We would recommend to validate result of our study on a large scale prospectively.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.1.8025
How to cite this: Karim MM, Khalid AB, Sohail Z, Yasrab M. Recurrence of portosystemic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients and its risk factors. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(1):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.1.8025
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


In systemic sclerosis, digital ulcers and gangrene are somewhat common clinical characteristics of obliterative vasculopathy. These manifestations increase morbidities, such as pain, infections, and acroosteolysis. However, patient responses to the appropriate treatments are often inadequate. We treated a patient with systemic sclerosis who had a refractory digital ulcer and gangrene with bosentan, an endothelin receptor antagonist, and observed improvement. Here we systematically review this case. (J Rheum Dis 2016;23:193-197)


This research is aimed at analyzing the use of rhetoric in national online news. Rhetoric is an effective and persuasive speaking or writing. Rhetoric frequently uses exaggerative even bombastic language. The purpose of rhetoric is to obtain particular effect as well as persuade the readers. In online news, rhetoric is used to persuade economically and ideologically. Economically, online news is a market commodity that must be promoted. Ideologically, online news is a domination of institution or others. These purposes influence the language employed in the online media or news online. To gain the objectives, researcher applied descriptive qualitative research. The data were collected from 15 news articles published in CNN Indonesia online news on March 2017. Then, the data were analyzed based on the objective of the study. After compiling the data, the researcher classified rhetorical tropes and news structure in CNN Indonesia. The result shows four types of rhetorical tropes utilized in online news, they are: hyperbole, metonym, metaphor, and neologism. Furthermore, the news structures in CNN Indonesia emphasize on three strategies: providing information that also has an attitudinal and emotional dimension, building strong relational structure for facts, and emphasizing the factual nature of events.


In the rural zones of Latin American and Caribbean developing countries, the poorest households rely on traditional fuels such as firewood to meet their daily cooking needs. Many of those countries are located near the equator, where they have a tropical climate and grass is one of the most common biomass crops. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of harvesting age (30, 44, and 57 days) in the performance of anaerobic digestion of King Grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. King Grass) grown under tropical climate conditions. Three reduction methods of crop size were also compared. Results showed that 44-day harvesting age presented the greater specific methane yield (347.8 mLCH4 g−1VS) and area-specific methane yield (9773 m3CH4 ha−1 y−1). The machine chopped method (1–3 cm for stems and 1–10 cm for leaves) was the reduction method that maximized the methane production. From those results, the calculated area required for grass cultivation to provide the cooking energy to a typical family in the Colombian rural zones is 154 m2.


Essential Cases: Equity & Trusts provides a bridge between course textbooks and key case judgments. This case document summarizes the facts and decision in Schmidt v Rosewood Trust [2003] UKPC 26, Privy Council. The document also includes supporting commentary from author Derek Whayman.


AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To identify the effect of early rehabilitation of patients with post-traumatic amnesia in patients with traumatic brain injury, to review and critically assess evidence related to the timing of intervention and to identify the effect on outcome of a specific neurological rehabilitation in acute care.

BACKGROUND
Up to 70% of patients with traumatic brain injury will experience post-traumatic amnesia. Although duration of post-traumatic amnesia is correlated negatively with outcome for patients with traumatic brain injury, there is limited evidence relating to what influence timing and effect may have on enhancing early rehabilitation patient outcomes.

DESIGN
A critical literature review.

METHODS
Searches for systematic reviews were undertaken in Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, PSYC INFO and Neurotraume databases. The efficacy of intervention and timing was classified based on a hierarchy of study designs for questions about health care interventions based on soundness of design.

RESULTS
Six reviews and 11 original studies were included and comprised the review. Many studies used weak designs and small sample size, thus limiting their ability to control confusing variables and outcomes. Few studies included papers with the information about timing and effect of early post-traumatic amnesia intervention. Only one study showed an effect of a reality orientation programme in acute care. Although there was no significant detail reported on the possibility of reducing the post-traumatic amnesia period, the study showed clinical relevance.

CONCLUSION
This review highlights the limited evidence of the effect of early rehabilitation of patients with post-traumatic amnesia. Future research should be conducted to identify the effectiveness of early intervention.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Although nurses are treating patients with post-traumatic amnesia without systematic assessment, the limited evidence available does little to direct nurses as to the best approach to start early rehabilitation of post-traumatic amnesia to promote good outcomes.


Abstract:This is the story of the Comité International de la Défense d'Ernest Ouandié (CIDEO), established in Paris 1970 to prevent the execution of Ernest Ouandié, commander of the underground liberation army in Cameroon. Comprised of lawyers, intellectuals, and clergy, the committee framed its defense of the African revolutionary in human rights terms, portraying the Cameroonian legal system as non-compliant with its constitutional commitment to human rights, and appealing globally for clemency once he was sentenced to death. CIDEO's human rights strategy shows the shifting relationship between violence and human rights in the era of decolonization, making visible the historical, political, and geographical contingencies within which human rights were revolutionary. This analysis of the committee's advocacy reveals that present-day definitional criteria of human rights have too often shaped the way their history is reconstructed.


Abstract Cosmopolitan thought and practice bring into sharp focus the question of solidarity, its articulations, and implications in relation to how the political is understood in the sphere of the international. Where liberal cosmopolitanism aims its remit at a transcendent sphere of humanity, seeking to place humanity as the constitutive feature of a redesigned political community, a cosmopolitanism that is distinctly political in its orientation takes the postcolonial critique seriously, unravels the complicities of liberal cosmopolitan articulations of solidarity in global structures of domination, and locates its self-definition in an imminent critique of modernity. The political cosmopolitanism defined in the article presents a conception of solidarity without community, a conception that at once both recognises modernity's legacy in the perpetuation of inequality and enables a conception of the universal that is not complicit in such relations.


Based upon the experiences at the "Herzzentrum Hirslanden" Zurich it is demonstrated that heart surgery and invasive cardiology, including cardiac catheterization and PTCA, can readily be performed by surgeons and cardiologists in private practice at a private hospital not receiving any government funds. The needs for additional heart surgical beds in the greater area of Zurich is confirmed. Manpower needed and necessary apparative infrastructure are discussed and present activities at the "Herzzentrum Hirslanden" illustrated. Finally problems with medical insurance companies covering the cost are dealt with.


The Schools of Medicine and Nursing at Case Western Reserve University and the Program in Health Administration at Cleveland State University have created an interdisciplinary course in continuous improvement that emphasizes learning through experience, accommodates a large number of students, and has created new partnerships with Cleveland area health care organizations. An approach that respects these partners as customers and refines the relationships with serial tests of change (e.g., PDSA) has contributed significantly to this program's success.


In this work, we propose poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) material to form a hybrid heterojunction with amorphous silicon-based materials for high charge carrier collection at the frontal interface of solar cells. The nanostructural characteristics of PEDOT:PSS layers were modified using post-treatment techniques via isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy demonstrated conformational changes and nanostructural reorganization in the surface of the polymer in order to tailor hybrid interface to be used in the heterojunctions of inorganic solar cells. To prove this concept, hybrid polymer/amorphous silicon solar cells were fabricated. The hybrid PEDOT:PSS/buffer/a-Si:H heterojunction demonstrated high transmittance, reduction of electron diffusion, and enhancement of the internal electric field. Although the structure was a planar superstrate-type configuration and the PEDOT:PSS layer was exposed to glow discharge, the hybrid solar cell reached high efficiency compared to that in similar hybrid solar cells with substrate-type configuration and that in textured well-optimized amorphous silicon solar cells fabricated at low temperature. Thus, we demonstrate that PEDOT:PSS is fully tailored and compatible material with plasma processes and can be a substitute for inorganic p-type layers in inorganic solar cells and related devices with improvement of performance and simplification of fabrication process.


One of the areas, studied and least known of national art history, covers the development of engraving in medieval Moldavia. Although during the XXth century many publications devoted to the old book illustrating occurred most researchers focused on the text and less - on the engravings, which only decorated the texts. Lack of information, regarding developments in this specific gender of art, causes gaps in the contemporary didactic process when the art of engraving is seen as a phenomenon barely occurred without no lasting indigenous roots.If the clip art has received particular interest, known due to the scientists' work N.Iorga (1), G. Popescu - Vâlcea (2), G. Ctrempel (3 ), M. Topmescu (4) etc, then contributions to knowledge of engraving, which has stimulated the emergence of printing, gets more refractory attention than priority. The same issues are reflected in the research monograph D. Simionescu §i Gh. Buluta "Pagini din istoria cartii românecti" ( Bucure§ti,1981) and many others(5).In particular this is a crucial work done by I. Bianu, N. Hodos, D. Simionescu (6), which includes also most representative images in addition to text books describing the miniature book or printed book. Thus, in part, cited sources are related to the priorities of history of literature, writing and printing developments, to the paleography, engraving that once graced the book and artistic value, what is being the last, somewhat at a lower plane.The book by Gh Racoveanu "Wood engravings at the Neamt Monastery", the work of the XIXth century may be regarded as a rare discovery from the engravers of Neamt Monastery. The importance and rarity of this paper are mentioned in the title sheet, stating that the monograph was published by the Royal Foundation for Literature and Art in number of 26 copies, consists of 44 pages, 160 original prints of which only 14 were previously presented in the album of A. Maniu "La gravure sur bois en Roumanie", published in 1929 in Bucharest (7).Among the recent research publications can be nominated as available that of C. Tatai-Balta(8), where authors remember the first wood engravings printed in "Cazania lui Varlaam" Iasi in 1643.Same process went within the present Republic of Moldova, much later than in Romania. In the monographs ordered and printed in Moscow in the 70s of the XXth century, A. Zevin and K. Rodnin introduced a dedicated compartment for medieval engraving of book, inserting and some illustrations, which have been the only source to which we could refer until recently (9). A more comprehensive approach, with references to various studies on xylography appears in more recent publications of T. Stavila (10). Usually, however, as in Romania, the main attention of researchers from Moldova focused on literary or paleographical aspects of the manuscript -book or printed book in the XIVXIX century. Notorious name in this field is the work of V. Pelin (11) and V. Chiriac (12).Summing up all above we can say that the emergence of xylography stimulated the appearance of printing, which in medieval Moldavia passed a specific way. It is known that the emergence of first printing press due to joint efforts made by ruler Vasile Lupu and Kievan Metropolitan Peter Movila, through which, besides the Three Hierarchs Monastery in Iasi is established first printing (1642). With the printing presses, the Metropolitan received some wood engravings, made by the Ukrainian monk Ilya and considered among the most successful editions of prints in Kiev and Lvov between 1639-1670 (13). The engravings of this master illustrated the first book printed in Iasi in 1643 - "Cazania"; or "Romanian book of teaching" written by Metropolitan Varlaam.Ukrainian master of engravings signed by Ilya holds a quarter of a page and illustrates the main text of Cazania. But the specificity of these designs is not established by iconographie originality of evangelical motives, but it is made by clumsy and naive expressiveness of the treatment, his images are close to works of folk art. …


BACKGROUND
Pericardial effusion in the patient with cancer presents a unique management problem. Although multiple methods of operative and nonoperative drainage of pericardial effusions have been described, surgical pericardial window remains the standard approach to long-term drainage. Selecting the patient who may benefit from an operative approach presents a difficult challenge. In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcome of 63 consecutive patients with malignancy who underwent surgical pericardial window for symptomatic pericardial effusion between January 1, 1990, and July 1, 2001, at City of Hope National Medical Center in order to try to determine whether the type of cancer, the presence of malignant cells in pericardial fluid, or tissue specimens or the method of surgery influenced the incidence of recurrent pericardial effusion or duration of survival.

METHODS
The cohort was comprised of 15 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 22 patients with breast cancer, 17 patients with hematologic malignancy, and 9 patients with other solid tumors. Pertinent clinical, laboratory, hospital stay, and outcome data including long-term follow-up were recorded. Patients were followed up until the time of last clinical follow-up or death. Univariate survival analyses were performed to determine significant clinical factors contributing to outcome.

RESULTS
Median follow-up was 6.6 months for the group and 8.3 months for those alive at last follow-up. Median survival rates for patients with lung, breast, hematologic, and other solid-tumor malignancies were 3.2 months, 8.8 months, 17 months, and 16.4 months, respectively. Preoperative factors that negatively correlated with survival included a diagnosis of NSCLC (p = 0.0014), the presence of a pleural effusion (p = 0.003), or positive pathologic (p = 0.02) or cytologic findings (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS
A surgical approach to pericardial drainage is effective (< 5% failure rate) and provides an opportunity for continued therapy with the potential for relief of dyspnea and improvement in quality of life and survival in selected patients.


Recent studies on private labels find that store brand consumers tend to be middle income, educated, older consumers with large families. Moreover, low-income households that have the same needs as wealthier households do not economize by buying a greater proportion of private-label products. Instead they prefer higher priced national brands even in recessionary times. In this research study we employ the reference group theory to explain this counterintuitive phenomenon. Results show that low-income households are upward comparing, that is, they contrast themselves with high-income households whom they believe are better-off. These comparisons result in preference for national brands. In addition, we find that low income consumers know little about advances in private labels which also explains why they prefer national brands. Last, we find that our results are also consistent in emerging economies.


Purpose To analyze the meaning of humanization by first-year medical students as well as to find out about their role models and what were their personal experiences of humanization and dehumanization before entering medical school. Methods The authors performed a qualitative study using narratives of first-year medical students. The data were analyzed through content analysis. The narratives were used as a strategy to stimulate students' reflection and to understand their perspectives and values at the beginning of the medical program. Results The study included 167 participants: 67 females (40.1%) and 100 males (59.9%). The participants' ages ranged from 16 to 38 years. The analysis of the narratives showed three main themes: socio-political and economic aspects of medicine, humanization of healthcare, and dimensions of humanization and dehumanization. In their narratives, the students expressed the desire to become doctors, to help and improve people's lives, and the intention to emulate good role models. Another desire was to contribute to the development of the Brazilian healthcare system. The students considered the humanization of healthcare as an integral vision of the human being that includes perceiving the context and personal history, as well as the complexity, of the human being. The students emphasized the importance of "going beyond the technical dimension" in the relationship between physician and his/her patient. Some students recognized the transdisciplinary aspect of medicine. Conclusions The students in the first-year of the medical program have a clear understanding of the meaning of humanization in medical practice, regardless of their social and economic conditions, age, sex, and religion. The students' narratives expressed their expectations for a more humane society with respect, solidarity, and compassion. The use of narrative is a strategy to develop critical thinking and to better get to know our students: who they are, what they think, and how they feel.


The report examines various techniques for reducing the severe thermal distortion effects which represent a serious limitation for high power CO/sub 2/ laser beams in the atmosphere. The principal accomplishments reported here are in the areas of (1) beam amplitude and phase shaping for reducing cw thermal blooming effects, and (2) the investigation of multiple pulse or pulse train propagation as a means for alleviating the thermal blooming problem. In Section II the studies of beam optimization for cw propagation are discussed. Numerical calculations of the thermal blooming were used to investigate (a) the effects of beam amplitude shaping, and (b) a reciprocity approach for establishing the optimum beam amplitude and phase shape.


An alternately complementary switching is proposed to reduce the quasi-passive cyclic DAC error caused by capacitor mismatch, and a hybrid switching is adopted to further enhance its accuracy. With 1.1% moderate capacitor mismatch, the achievable effective number of bits is as high as 15. It is shown that a three-fold improvement in accuracy can be fulfilled by the proposed hybrid switching. Since the DAC owns better immunity to process variations, smaller capacitors can be utilized to diminish both chip cost and power consumption.


In this paper a design methodology of 'distributed' energy systems is presented. These are defined as energy systems with unregulated distributed generators connected to the lower voltage levels. The cornerstone in their design is the steady-state analysis of distribution systems under uncertainty in energy in energy generation and consumption. Based on this definition, the structure of a system-design tool is proposed. The system is described by the steady-state model, while all different types of distributed generators (dispatchable or nondispatchable technology concepts) are treated in a unifying manner through probabilistic modelling. The modelling of the interdependence between the random input variables is treated by introducing the concepts of comonotonicity, countermonotonicity and independence between distributed generations and distributed consumptions as stochastic bounds describing extreme statistical dependence between the input random variables.


Numerous theories of failure have been postulated and implemented in various commercial programs for composite materials. Even the best theories have had limited success in predicting damage and failure in validation exercises. In view of this background, many researchers have started exploring the use of multiscale modeling to improve the fidelity of the modeling and simulation of various structural and materials systems. In this paper, a multi-scale modeling scheme is used to illustrate how a combination of virtual and laboratory testing programs can be used to generate a point cloud of failure surface data that can then be queried during finite element analysis at the continuum scale to ascertain if the onset of failure has occurred. The knearest neighbor (k-NN) classification concept is used to obtain the answer to the query. A linear, elastic, static finite element example using a unidirectional composite shows that the framework can be generated and used effectively and efficiently with the possibility to extend the approach for all types of composite architectures and behaviors.


Aberrant cleavage of Notch by γ-secretase is implicated in numerous diseases, but how cleavage is regulated in space and time is unclear. Here, we report that cadherin-based adherens junctions (cadAJs) are sites of high cell-surface γ-secretase activity, as well as sites of constrained physical space that excludes γ-secretase substrates having large extracellular domains (ECDs) like Notch. ECD shedding initiates drastic spatial relocalization of Notch to cadAJs, allowing enzyme-substrate interactions and downstream signaling. Spatial mutations by adjusting the ECD size or the physical constraint alter signaling. Dysregulation of this spatial switch promotes precocious differentiation of ventricular zone neural progenitor cells in vivo. We show the generality of this spatial switch for amyloid precursor protein proteolysis. Thus, cadAJs create spatially distinct biochemical compartments regulating cleavage events involving γ-secretase and preventing aberrant activation of receptors. One Sentence Summary Notch cleavage by γ-secretase is regulated through dynamic spatial control of receptors, adhesion molecules, and activating proteases


As an essential element in plant nutrition, copper (Cu) can promote or inhibit plant growth depending on its concentration. However, the dose-dependent effects of copper, particularly on DNA damage associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, are much less understood. In this work, we analyzed the dual effect of Cu (5, 20, and 60 μM) on the reproductive performance of Arabidopsis plants. Whereas Cu5 promoted inflorescence initiation and increased kilo seed weight, two higher concentrations, Cu20 and Cu60, delayed inflorescence initiation and negatively affected silique size. Excess Cu also induced changes in cellular redox homeostasis, which was examined by in situ visualization and measurements of ROS, including superoxide (O2•−), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malonyldialdehyde (MDA), and plasma membrane damage. The most dramatic increases in the production of O2•− and H2O2 along with increased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and decreased activity of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were observed in roots with Cu60. Oxidative stress also modulated the expression levels of a number of genes involved in the DNA damage response (DDR), particularly those related to DNA repair. The Cu-induced chlorosis of Arabidopsis seedlings could be alleviated by exogenous addition of glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate (Asc), as the chlorophyll content was significantly increased. Overall, internal homeostasis ROS and the associated DDR pathway and the corresponding scavenging mechanisms play a central role in the response of Arabidopsis to oxidative stress induced by inhibitory Cu concentrations. Our results have shown, for the first time, that the biphasic responses of Arabidopsis seedlings to increasing Cu concentrations involve different DNA damage responses and oxidative reactions. They provide the basis for elucidating the network of Cu-induced DDR-related genes and the regulatory mechanism of the complex ROS production and scavenging system.


The ratios between T1 relaxation times at 24 MHz and 2.5 MHz for most of the rabbit tissues lie in the range 1.9 to 2.2. However, among the rabbit tissues certain distinct types were found to have T1 ratios different from those of the general range. In particular this is true of muscle and nervous tissue. The ratios for most striated muscles lie in the range 2.7 to 3.1. However, the range for smooth muscle, 2.0 to 2.2, is very similar to that of the majority of other tissues, whilst the ratio for cardiac muscle, 2.5+or-0.11, lies between the extremes of the other major muscle types. For nervous tissues the ratios are, in general, considerably below 2.0. Spinal cord has a ratio of 1.43+or-0.1; medulla oblongata (1.66+or-0.16), cerebellum (1.75+or-0.02) and the white matter of the cerebral hemisphere (possibly with some contaminating grey matter) (1.77+or-0.08) lie intermediate between the values for spinal cord and the grey matter of the cerebral hemisphere, this latter being 2.00+or-0.01. Other variations were noticeable, for example, the difference in the ratio seen between bile and blood serum and the low ratio of the salivary gland.


Purpose:The aim of the present study was to assess the long-term efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) treatment in patients suffering from pigmentary glaucoma (PG). Methods:Retrospective chart review of eyes suffering from PG that underwent SLT between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006. The primary outcome measure was time to failure after SLT treatment. Failure after SLT was defined as any 1 or more of the following: <20% intraocular pressure reduction, change in the medical treatment, performance of a further SLT treatment, and the patient being sent for surgery. All patients were treated over 180 degrees with SLT. Results:Thirty eyes of thirty patients were identified. The average time to failure after SLT was 27.4 months. The success rate after 12 months was 85%, after 24 months 67%, after 36 months 44%, and after 48 months 14%. Conclusions:The long-term effects of SLT in PG when eyes were treated over 180 degrees seem to be low.