Twelve non-lactating Boer goat does with live masses ranging between 20 and 60 kg and of different body fatness were used to develop equations predicting body moisture, protein, ash and fat from tritiated water space. Calculated coefficients of variation, with the standard deviation obtained from deviations from regression showed that body moisture, protein, ash and fat could be predicted with an accuracy of 1,8%,7,5%, 7,3% and 7,4% respectively. Combining body mass and tritium space in a multiple linear regression increased the accuracy of predicting body fat substantially. Applying prediction equations derived for sheep could underestimate body fat in Boer goat does.


One-third of lung cancer patients present with life-threatening central airway obstruction (CAO). Two elderly patients were referred to our institution with symptoms caused by CAO. In each case, thoracic computed tomography and a bronchoscopic examination revealed a tumor obstructing the central airway. The tumors were resected endoscopically, and the patients' respiratory and performance status remarkably improved. Both patients were diagnosed with an advanced stage of lung adenocarcinoma harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. They received gefitinib monotherapy, with partial responses sustained for more than 12 months. Combination therapy with endoscopic tumor resection and gefitinib is beneficial in patients with EGFR-mutant lung cancer and CAO.


In phosphate–citric acid buffer (pH = 8.0) containing sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) as a surfactant, enzymatic polymerization of phenol catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is efficiently performed. The as-synthesized phenol polymer is completely soluble in organic solvents such as dimethylfomamide, dimethylsulfoxide, acetone and tetrahydrofuran. The aqueous micelle system provides a new environmentally friendly method for HRP-catalyzed phenol polymerization. The effects of the dosage of SDBS and reaction temperature on the yield of the target phenol polymer are investigated. The soluble phenol polymer is composed of phenylene and oxyphenylene units as determined using infrared and 1 H NMR spectral analyses. The number-average molecular weight calculated from gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is in the range 900–1500 g mol−1 and the dispersity in the range 3.4–6.3. In all cases, the values of weight-average molecular weight characterized using GPC–static light scattering are tens of thousands. It is concluded that a branched structure is produced in the aqueous micelle system. The phenol polymer prepared possesses good thermal stability for it is completely decomposed at a temperature as high as 628 °C in air.


OBJECTIVE
the aim of this analysis was to measure the association between daily sitting time and prevalent metabolic syndrome, independently of the physical activity performed.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
the Aragon Workers' Health Study cohort consists of 5 865 participants from which a sample of 1 415 male participants (40-55 years old) with completed data at baseline was selected. Sitting time and physical activity were assessed by validated questionnaires, and the socio-demographic, clinical and biochemical covariates needed to diagnose metabolic syndrome were collected as part of the study protocols. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the modified National Cholesterol Education Program - Adult Treatment Panel III. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were carried out to quantify this association using sitting time categorized into tertiles.

RESULTS
mean sitting time was 5.78 ± 1.72 h/day, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 19.2%. Comparing participants in the highest (> 6.57 h/day) versus lowest (1.85-4.57 h/day) tertile of sitting time, a positive association was observed for metabolic syndrome (OR 1.77, 95%CI: 1.25-2.49) and triglyceride (OR 1.70, 95%CI: 1.30-2.24), HDL-cholesterol (OR 1.65, 95%CI: 1.06-2.58), waist circumference (OR 1.57, 95%CI: 1.17-2.11) and fasting blood glucose (OR 1.35, 95%CI: 1.03-1.77) criteria, adjusting the level of physical activity.

CONCLUSIONS
higher sitting time is associated with an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome independently of physical activity performed. These results could be useful to carry out effective strategies for cardiovascular health promotion especially in workplaces.


That life has value is a tenet eliciting all but universal agreement, be it amongst philosophers, policy-makers, or the general public. Yet, when it comes to its employment in practice, especially in the context of policies which require the balancing of different moral choices – for example in health care, foreign aid, or animal rights related decisions – it takes little for cracks to appear and for disagreement to arise as to what the value of life actually means and how it should guide our actions in the real world. I argue that in no small part this state of affairs is a consequence of the infirmity of the foundations that the claim respecting the value of life supervenes upon once its theological foundations are abandoned. Hence, I depart radically from the contemporary thought and argue that life has no inherent value. Far from lowering the portcullis to Pandemonium, the abandonment of the quasi-Platonistic claim that life has intrinsic value, when understood and applied correctly, leads to a comprehensive, consistent, and compassionate ethical framework for understanding the related problems. I illustrate this using several hotly debated topics, including speciesism and show how the ideas I introduce help us to interpret people's choices and to resolve outstanding challenges which present an insurmountable obstacle to the existing ethical theories.


Background: Shoe manufacturing factory workers in developing countries are daily exposed to complex mixtures of organic solvents. Chemical exposure occurs through inhalation / respiration and skin which can affect many physiological systems. The main chemical exposure to organic solvents in shoe manufacturing comes from the process of gluing and cleaning process by using organic solvents on footwear in the assembling section. Methyl ethyl ketone is one type of organic solvent which, when entering into the body through inhalation routes can cause irritation of the nose, throat, lungs and chest becomes congested. Acute neurotoxicity is a collection of symptoms in the central nervous system (central nervous system depression, psychomotor disorders, narcosis, drowsiness, headache, dizziness, dyspepsia, and nausea).
Method: The research design was a prospective cohort research consisting of 45 people for each high MEK exposed group and low exposed to MEK. Data collection was done by interview, physical examination, MEK level measurement of pre-shift urine and end-shift work, and filling out questionnaires Form Acute symptoms rating questionnaire at the beginning of work shift (07.00), 2 hours after work (09.00), break (12.00), 2 hours after break (15.00), and end of work shift (16.00).
Result: The incidence of acute neurotoxicity symptoms in the MEK-high exposed group based on the Acute Symptoms questionnaire was 51.1%. Age factor with symptoms of acute neurotoxicity in workers at PT. X with p value = 0.432, gender factor with p value = 0.162, education factor with p value = 0.897, nutritional status factor with p value = 0.865, alcohol habit factor with p value = 0.181, coffee drinking habit factor with p value = 0.265, and smoking habit factor with p value = 0.968, work duration factor with symptoms of acute neurotoxicity at worker in PT. X with p value = 0.533, and the use factor of personal protective equipment (PPE) with p value = 0.470. In this research, symptoms of acute neurotoxicity were dominant are fatigue (80%), headache (77.8%), nausea (71.1%), dizziness (66.7%), and feeling of intoxication (53.3%).
Conclusion: There are no subject and occupational factors that have a significant effect to the symptoms of acute neurotoxicity. Conducting isolation of other work areas for workers exposed to chemicals that because of high potential to harm other workers in the vicinity. Reassessing the hazard risk of using MEK substitutes with other chemicals that are of lower risk or replace with water-based solvents. Provide PPE eligible to all workers exposed to chemicals and workers around them. A PPE fit test is used for workers to feel comfortable while wearing it, giving strict sanctions to workers who do not consistently use personal protective equipment.


A Common Observation regarding stock price behavior pre and post inclusion and exclusion of a company into indices is that share prices tend to increase prior to inclusion and decrease prior to exclusion. Although Eligibility criteria for inclusion and exclusion include Impact Cost (Liquidity), Market Capitalization, Domicile, Eligible types of Securities and Free Float but still if we can devise models that predict inclusion or exclusion using certain key performance indicator that are widely available, then, the stock market can surely provide a lot of scope for making money for the equity investors. This research work aims at developing two such models. Model-1 predicts with extreme accuracy whether or not any company from the existing 50 companies in Nifty Index will be excluded in the near future and Model-2 predicts if a company will be included as Nifty constituent using discriminant analysis. The KPIs used for the purpose of study include Rate of growth of Profit after tax (ROG-PAT), Rate of growth of Net Sales (ROG-SALES), Rate of growth of Market Capitalization (ROG-MCAP) and Interest Coverage Ratio (ICR). The model proposes a range of outcome values which can be used to predict inclusion or exclusion from NIFTY. A long (buy) position if taken in the securities that are predicted by the model to be included in the index, will help in generating higher returns as its financial performance will improve before the inclusion leading to higher stock price. Alternately, a short (sell) position taken in the securities that are predicted by the model to be excluded from the index, will also be a good bet as its financial performance will degrade before the exclusion, leading to lower stock price.


This book is a remarkable attempt to understand and summarize the current and historical Sino-Japanese relationship: two countries bound by ties of history, culture, geography, and economic complementarity. Through this investigation, the contributors are also able to broaden our understanding of contemporary changes in international relations, and to consider the implications of changes in the Sino-Japanese relationship for the wider world. All contributors are well-known experts in their fields. This volume deals with the history of contact, the economic imperatives driving the links, the diplomatic and political manoeuvrings in which both countries indulge, and the antipathies that mean the Sino-Japanese `special relationship' is far from trouble-free. This book should become an invaluable reference work for academics and students.


CLIL in Italy has been compulsory by law since 2003 (Moratti's Law) for the last year of all secondary schools. Subject-matter teachers were chosen to be the CLIL teachers, and only in 2012 did methodological and linguistic training begin (provided by universities all over the country). This study explores the profile of content teachers attending CLIL training not in terms of their linguistic competence but in terms of their relationship with English as an additional language. To do so, 115 trainees were asked to fill in a questionnaire composed of 10 open-ended questions and 2 close-ended ones. This questionnaire had both a research and training goal, since it was submitted at the beginning of the training course to investigate content teachers' perceived linguistic profiles, which served as a psychological and pedagogical starting point for the course. Results show that content teachers have a specific linguistic identity and have had similar past experiences with the English language. These results could have repercussions and be exported to other training programmes, especially in terms of shifting teachers' personae from subject-matter to fully-fledged CLIL teachers.


Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is a constellation of syndromes arising from different derangements of tubular acid transport. Recent advances in the biology of urinary acidification have allowed us to discern various molecular mechanisms responsible for these syndromes. RTA often presents as renal stone disease with nephrocalcinosis, ricket/osteomalacia and growth retardation in children with ultimate short stature in adulthood. The case reported here has features of distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA), hypokalemic paralysis, primary hypothyroidism, growth retardation, osteomalacia and osteopenia leading to stress fracture. All these features presenting in a single case (as in our case) is a rare occurrence, so far other cases of distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) have been reported.


This paper describes the first year experience of a Drug Information Center directed to the community, and managed by pharmacysts and pharmacy students from the Department of Pharmacy-UFC, in Fortaleza, Brazil. This pioneer experience recieves technical assistance from the "Centro Regionali di Informazione sul Farmaco-CRIF (Mario Negri Institute Milan-Italy). Those who consult us are registered on a codified formullary while individual information, questions and prepared answers are introduced on a database. From December 1994 to November 1995, 246 persons telephoned CIM-UFC for drug information of which 39% were medicine users, 32% pharmacysts, 17% patients relatives, 4,5% health students, 4% doctors, 0,8% nurses and 2,8% others. The principal questions were related to Adverse Reactions (28%) Indications (28%) and Efficacy (18%). The ATC 2nd level groups most referred to were vitamins, analgesics and antiinflammatory agents. The most frequent problems justifying drug use were classified as: Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases and immunity disorders; Symptoms, signs and ill defined conditions; Infectious and parasitic diseases. Requests are increasing regularly, responding to the mass media campaigns related to drugs and active information is provided by bulletins.


A method of control the beam position at crucial points of the transport system and for the stabilization of its output position has been proposed and preliminary tested. The method is based on secondary electron emission from a thin metallic wire probe induced by electrons from the 25 MeV microtron. It was demonstrated, that magnetic field of the order of 0.2 T and parallel to the wire probe in front of the orifice of the extraction channel in the acceleration space, does not prevent the functioning of the method. A strong parasitic effect of secondary electron emission from the material of the channel and its support construction was found, leading to the inversion of the electron current polarity from the wire. This effect can be to great extent eliminated by negative electric potential bias relative to the channel. At the electron output current of 1 mA the secondary emission current from the wire probe of 0.3 mm diameter is of the order of several nA. Two electromechanical systems were designed for the removal of the probes from the beam path, to avoid the deterioration of the electron beam quality by scattering. Electronic schemes used for remote measurement of small probe currents, suppressing the influence of strong electromagnetic noise, are described. For stabilization of the output beam position two wire probes situated in air close to the Al output window were used. These probes having been placed at the periphery of the beam did not deteriorate the beam quality. The difference of their emission currents was used as an error signal to control the magnetic field of the last dipole, which kept the beam in the center of the output window.


This paper presents the analysis of faunal remains from four sites on the west end of Santa Cruz Island, California; a discussion of other Channel Island subsistence data; and a comparison across the three broad ecological zones of the Santa Barbara Channel area: the islands, the mainland coast, and the interior regions. The faunal analysis indicates that the inhabitants of Santa Cruz Island relied almost exclusively on marine resources, with terrestrial mammals and birds contributing relatively little to the animal portion of the diet. These data also demonstrate the increasing importance of fish through time, with marine fish being the most important animal resource in all three ecological zones during the Late Period. New information on ancient sea temperature for the period from approximately A.D. 1150 to 1300 indicates environmental change during that time period. Some of this information was derived from analysis of fish otoliths, a new method that may have broader application in coastal areas. These data support models that invoke environmental change as a factor in prehistoric cultural evolution in the Santa Barbara area, but do not indicate a major decline in marine productivity during the Middle to Late Period transition.


An experimental study was conducted in an effort to establish whether hate crimes produce greater harm than similarly egregious crimes. Hate crimes are considered to be worse primarily because they are believed to be more likely to provoke retaliatory crimes and inflict distinct emotional distress on victims and members of the victim's social group or category. In this study, analogous samples of African American and White males observed two videotaped assaults motivated by racial bias in one case, and by an ambiguous motive in the other. Reactions were obtained following observation and revealed that emotional responses and expressed desire for retaliation were associated with participants' race but did not differ for the two types of assault. The findings are discussed in terms of the utility of current hate crime legislation as well as the implications of the observed racial differences.


Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are popular devices designed to heat a liquid solution, often containing nicotine, that generates an inhaled aerosol, or vapor. e-Cigarettes have been marketed as healthier alternatives to traditional cigarettes. Thus, most adult users are current or former smokers who use e-cigarettes to reduce or quit cigarette smoking. Switching completely from cigarettes to e-cigarettes is associated with reduced toxicant exposure and reduced short-term respiratory symptoms; however, long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are unknown. Although a recent randomized trial suggests that e-cigarettes may promote smoking cessation, systematic reviews have had low certainty of evidence regarding cessation. e-Cigarettes pose several potential health risks, including exposure to heavy metals and toxicants, and nicotine poisoning. e-Cigarettes are also popular among youth, with rates of e-cigarette use surpassing those of cigarette use in this population. Youth e-cigarette use is associated with increased risk of subsequent cigarette and marijuana use. Screening for e-cigarette use in youth and adults, including pregnant women, in conjunction with screening for tobacco use, is advised. Education and interventions to prevent e-cigarette use should be provided to all youth. Youth should be counseled to stop using nicotine/tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Although the impact of e-cigarette use in pregnancy is unknown, nicotine is a teratogen; thus, pregnant women should be counseled to abstain from using all nicotine/tobacco products.


severe abnormalities in synaptic function can precede neuronal loss and even NFTs formation (LaFerla et al., 2007; Yoshiyama et al., 2007). While the molecular mechanisms responsible for this early malfunction (as well as those responsible for tau polymeri-zation dependent pathogenesis) remain unknown (Marx, 2007). Neurofibrillary degeneration is accompanied by lysosomal hyper-trophy (Nixon et al., 1992), beading and degeneration of distal den-drites (Braak et al., 1994; Marx, 2007) and axonal damage (Kowall and Kosik, 1987). In the present study physiological concentrations of recom-binant human tau isoform (full length h-tau42; Perez et al., 2001) was directly injected into the presynaptic terminal of the squid giant synapse, to examine possible acute effects of h-tau on the synaptic release mechanism. The results showed that heavy exog-enous h-tau42 accumulation induces a rapid and short-lasting increase in spontaneous transmitter release followed by a drastic decrease and failure of synaptic transmission. This synaptic block does not affect presynaptic calcium current flow or spike generation at the presynaptic terminal. Immunohistochemistry, performed in h-tau42 injected synapses, demonstrated that h-tau42 becomes phosphorylated rapidly in good temporal agreement with the time course of the transmitter failure. Electron microscopy and electro-physiological experiments unambiguously indicate that h-tau42-mediated synaptic transmission block is due to exocytosis failure.


Abstract Targeted alpha therapies (TAT) are an innovative class of therapies for cancer treatment. The unique mode-of-action of TATs is the induction of deleterious DNA double-strand breaks. Difficult-to-treat cancers, such as gynecologic cancers upregulating the chemoresistance P-glycoprotein (p-gp) and overexpressing the membrane protein mesothelin (MSLN), are promising targets for TATs. Here, based on the previous encouraging findings with monotherapy, we investigated the efficacy of the mesothelin-targeted thorium-227 conjugate (MSLN-TTC) both as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapies and antiangiogenic compounds in ovarian and cervical cancer models expressing p-gp. MSLN-TTC monotherapy showed equal cytotoxicity in vitro in p-gp–positive and -negative cancer cells, while chemotherapeutics dramatically lost activity on p-gp–positive cancer cells. In vivo, MSLN-TTC exhibited dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition with treatment/control ratios of 0.03–0.44 in various xenograft models irrespective of p-gp expression status. Furthermore, MSLN-TTC was more efficacious in p-gp–expressing tumors than chemotherapeutics. In the MSLN-expressing ST206B ovarian cancer patient-derived xenograft model, MSLN-TTC accumulated specifically in the tumor, which combined with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil), docetaxel, bevacizumab, or regorafenib treatment induced additive-to-synergistic antitumor efficacy and substantially increased response rates compared with respective monotherapies. The combination treatments were well tolerated and only transient decreases in white and red blood cells were observed. In summary, we demonstrate that MSLN-TTC treatment shows efficacy in p-gp–expressing models of chemoresistance and has combination potential with chemo- and antiangiogenic therapies.


Positron emission tomography (PET) can provide functional images and identify abnormal metabolic regions of the whole-body to effectively detect tumor presence and distribution. The filtered back-projection (FBP) algorithm is one of the most common images reconstruction methods. However, it will generate strike artifacts on the reconstructed image and affect the clinical diagnosis of lesions. Past studies have shown reduction in strike artifacts and improvement in quality of images by two-dimensional morphological structure operators (2D-MSO). The morphological structure method merely processes the noise distribution of 2D space and never considers the noise distribution of 3D space. This study was designed to develop three-dimensional-morphological structure operators (3D MSO) for nuclear medicine imaging and effectively eliminating strike artifacts without reducing image quality. A parallel operation was also used to calculate the minimum background standard deviation of the images for three-dimensional morphological structure operators with the optimal response curve (3D-MSO/ORC). As a result of Jaszczak phantom and rat verification, 3D-MSO/ORC showed better denoising performance and image quality than the 2D-MSO method. Thus, 3D MSO/ORC with a 3 × 3 × 3 mask can reduce noise efficiently and provide stability in FBP images.


Cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) is a transcription factor that is activated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and regulates the induction of fos. In order to elucidate the cellular pathway of D1/D2 dopamine receptor synergism, the effect of D1 and D2 agonists on CREB DNA-binding activities was studied in the caudate-putamen of rats with an ipsilateral 6-hydroxydopamine-lesion of the medial forebrain bundle. Combined administration of D1 (SKF38393) and D2 (bromocriptine or quinpirole) agonists resulted in enhanced CREB-binding activities at a dose that did not enhance it when given separately. These results suggest that D1/D2 dopamine receptors play synergistic role in inducing CREB DNA-binding activities in the dopamine-depleted caudate-putamen of rats.


Clinical Prediction Rules: A Physical Therapy Reference Manual is a successful attempt to provide clinicians with a source that summarizes a variety of clinical prediction rules (CPRs) related to the diagnostic, prognostic, and interventional components associated with this information. The authors have provided readers with foundational information related to types of CPRs and have summarized information concerning some of the important statistical components included within these types of studies. This text would be beneficial for any health care provider who provides patient care across a variety of conditions. The text is organized into 9 chapters and includes appendices encompassing the assessment of CPRs. The first chapter is an introduction of CPRs and provides information about how they are developed through the 3-step process of derivation, validation, and impact analysis. The chapter also includes common methodological shortcomings of CPR derivation studies and content related to CPR quality assessment. Chapter 2 provides the reader with an overview as to how to use the text information to guide clinical practice decision making. The authors emphasize that these rules can be used to eliminate some of the uncertainty that occurs with patient care, while also providing additional guidance about variables that may be applicable to patients across the lifespan. Chapter 3 includes a brief review of relevant statistics that are commonly used within CPR studies, providing clinicians with a better understanding of the process used to formulate the rule. The remaining 6 chapters include clinical prediction rules related to screening, cervicothoracic region and temporomandibular joint conditions, upper extremity conditions, lumbopelvic region conditions, lower extremity conditions, and case study summaries. The authors have divided each CPR into diagnostic, prognostic, and interventional components, if applicable. In addition, each CPR is minimally summarized by predictor variables, a clinical bottom line, and information regarding the study specifics. References related to the specific CPR are included following the overall specifics. The case studies provide readers with examples of how CPRs may be implemented within the clinical decision-making process, and a brief discussion concerning use of this information to guide patient care is provided. In addition, the authors have used photographs to represent many of the predictor variables used within each CPR, and they included the level of evidence, quality scores, and quick summaries for the predictor variables. This is the first reference text of its kind that successfully provides clinicians with a usable summary of various clinical prediction rules. Some of the barriers faced by clinicians include the ability to access information quickly, having the opportunity to summarize, and determining whether the information is applicable to a particular patient. This text reviews more than 50 CPRs that may be considered for clinical practice within athletic training. Although patient populations within each CPR may differ from the physically active patients for whom athletic trainers may provide care, the information is now readily summarized for consideration within clinical practice. Clinicians should include this reference manual within their personal library and continue to examine the literature for future CPRs that may be derived, validated, or examined for effect within these and other areas. ■ Bonnie L. Van Lunen, PhD, ATC Old Dominion University The author has no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein. doi:10.3928/19425864-20110826-04 Clinical Prediction Rules: A Physical Therapy Reference Manual


Ureteral ectopia is rare and requires surgical treatment after a thorough diagnostic workup. Open surgical techniques for repositioning ectopic ureters have been known for many years and are well described in the literature. However, to the best of our knowledge, no laparoscopic method of correcting this pathology has been described, which, in our opinion, would benefit the animal in terms of the healing process and overall clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of laparoscopic treatment of ureteral ectopia, which causes urinary incontinence in dogs. All of the operated ten dogs presented in this study were client-owned females with symptoms of urinary incontinence due to a unilateral intramural ectopic ureter. A three-trocar laparoscopic technique was used to perform the ureteroneocystostomy of the ectopic ureter. In this article, clinicopathological data, imaging features, procedural findings, complications, and short- and long-term outcomes are presented. The procedure was feasible in all cases. No major postoperative complications were observed. Among the minor complications, slight hematuria was observed in three dogs, which resolved spontaneously. In the period of at least one year after surgery, no negative impact of the procedure was observed. Seven of the ten operated dogs regained urinary continence. The remaining three dogs required additional surgery (urethral bulking) because of a lack of improvement after adjuvant pharmacological treatment. Overall, good-to-excellent long-term outcomes can be achieved; however, dogs that remain incontinent after laparoscopic ureteroneocystostomy may require additional treatment.


Background: The quality of life in patients with chronic low-back pain is lower in comparison with that in general population. This seriously affects the functional ability and working status of young and adult population. The aim of this study was to determine the level of disability and the health-related quality of life in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain.
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study in 187 patients (45.5 % of men, mean age 50.1 years) with chronic non-specific low back pain attending physical therapy program. We used Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS), Euroqol questionnaire (EQq), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Results: Mean ODI score ± SD was 14.6 ± 9.0. Mean score of EQ-5D was 3.6 ± 1.6 points and of EQ-VAS 55.4 ± 18.3 points. Mean score on VAS was 6.0 ± 2.1 points. An independent factor associated with lower quality of life on EQ-VAS was higher level of chronic pain. Independent factors associated with a lower quality of life on EQ-5D were the presence of anxiety and depression, higher level of chronic pain, and the presence of chronic disease. Independent factors associated with greater disability measured on ODI were the presence of signs of anxiety and depression, higher level of chronic pain, and the presence of any chronic disease.
Conclusions: Chronic low back pain can be the cause of greater disability and lower quality of life, especially in patients with somatic and mental co-morbidities, in female patients and in patients with higher levels of chronic pain. Doctors should focus on active search for signs of depression and anxiety and better pain management in patients with chronic low back pain, especially if somatic co-morbidities exist.


Incorporating nanotechnology into fluorescent imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown promising potentials for accurate diagnosis of cancer at earlier stage than the conventional imaging modalities. Molecular imaging (MI) aims to quantitatively characterize, visualize, and measure the biological processes or living cells at molecular and genetic levels. MI modalities have been exploited in different applications including noninvasive determination and visualization of diseased tissues, cell trafficking visualization, early detection, treatment response monitoring, and in vivo visualization of living cells. High affinity molecular probe and imaging modality to detect the probe are the two main requirements of MI. Recent advances in nanotechnology and allied modalities, have facilitated the use of nanoparticles (NPs) as MI probes. Within the extensive group of NPs, fluorescent NPs play a prominent role in optical molecular imaging. The fluorescent NPs used in molecular and cellular imaging can be categorized into three main groups including quantum dots (QDs), upconversion, and dye-doped NPs. Fluorescent NPs have great potentials in targeted theranostics including cancer imaging, immunoassay based cells, proteins and bacteria detections, imaging-guided surgery and therapy. Fluorescent NPs have shown promising potentials for drug and gene delivery, detection of the chromosomal abnormalities, labeling of DNA, and visualizing DNA replication dynamics. Multifunctional NPs have been successfully used in a single theranostic modality integrating diagnosis and therapy. The unique characteristics of multifunctional NPs make them potential theranostic agents that can be utilized concurrently for diagnosis and therapy. This review provides state of the art of the nanotechnological applications for early cancer diagnosis focusing on fluorescent NPs, their synthesis methods and perspectives in clinical theranostics.


Patos Lagoon is the largest choked coastal lagoon in the world (250 km long, 40 km wide and mean depth of 5 m), with banks formed by sand and predominantly muddy bottom. The circulation is mainly driven by wind and river flow, with a minor contribution of the local microtidal regime. This lagoon is one of the most studied coastal water bodies in Brazil. The Patos Lagoon suspended particulate matter (SPM) data compendium consists of over four decades (1978–2019) of SPM data gathered from multiple research and monitoring projects. Data consist of SPM in situ samplings, remote sensing derived SPM estimates, rating curve approach for SPM estimates and SPM derived from turbidity measurements. Only measurements with a detailed description of the sampling and analysis protocols were used. The present data set offers valuable contributions as it allows the assessment of trends on the data and the short‐ and long‐term spatial and temporal variability of SPM concentrations in an area where permanent monitoring stations are not available. From these records, the SPM concentrations ranged from 0.4 g/m3 up to 1,000 g/m3. The Patos Lagoon SPM Compendium has been made publicly available at Tavora, Fernandes and Möller (2020).


Background: Recent studies have suggested a correlation between the A986S polymorphism of the calcium sensing receptor (CASR), and serum total and ionized calcium. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of three CASR polymorphisms in a West of Scotland population and relate genotype to serum and urine calcium levels. Methods: Fasting blood and urine samples were obtained from 121 healthy male and female volunteers aged 20-60 years. Volunteers were genotyped for the A986S, Q1011E and R990G polymorphisms using allele-specific amplification and amplification-created restriction site techniques. Total calcium, ionized calcium and urine calcium excretion were measured using automated clinical chemistry analysers. Results: Genotype frequencies for the A986S polymorphism were: AA, 74.4%; AS, 24.8%; SS, 0.8%. There was a small but statistically significant (P < 0.01) increase in ionized calcium concentration in AS individuals compared with the wild type (1.22 versus 1.20 mmol/L). No statistical difference was detected in serum total calcium or parameters of urine calcium excretion. Genotype frequencies for the remaining polymorphisms were: RR, 82.6%; RG, 16.5%; GG, 0.8% and QQ, 93.4%; QE, 6.6%; EE, 0%. Biochemical parameters in these individuals were not statistically different from the wild type. Conclusion: The increase in serum ionized calcium in the AS group was small and, therefore, unlikely to be of clinical significance.


This research with the title The analysis of symbols, punctuations and declarations in C language is analyzed accordingly by conversion in order to find the perspective of language: structuralism, meaning, and functionalism, while keeping both of English and computer subject in process for the research. This research has limitation by the chosen of platform and software with Borland C++, the source of the datum also considered to be the basic material so that this thesis doesn't has many problems to solve.By the observation method which is followed by these three crucial problems: (1) The Identification of semiotic problem in symbols from computer language to English language, (2) The Identification of semiotic problem in declarations from computer language to English language, (3) The Identification of semiotic problem in declarations from computer language to English language.
The implication of the problem here is how the researcher convert the C language into English language patterns.The purpose of this research is equally to identify and analyze the symbols, punctuations and declarations from the Borland C++ platform and converting it into English comprehensions. Furthermore, this research is expected to familiarize the reader with which semiotics usually use in C or programming language and what's their significant in English language.In this research, the researcher utilizes semiotics theory and computer programming theory which these two subjects combined together and creating the subject of interdisciplinary called Computational Semiotic.


Thirteen cell lines of the human hematopoietic system were tested for expression of calpastatin at three different levels (mRNA, product and activity). The amount of calpastatin product and its inhibitory activity varied markedly depending upon cell types or human T-cell leukemia virus type I infection, although there were difference in the expression at the transcriptional level. Cell lines with high content of calpastatin comprised T-cell lineage infected by human T-cell leukemia virus type I, B-cell line and myelocytic leukemia cell lines. Non-infected T-cell lines and null cell line revealed themselves as poor in both calpastatin products and inhibitor activities. Two different molecular forms of calpastatin were observed: a 102-kDa form in T- and B-cell lines and a 94-kDa form in one of myelocytic cells. Three mRNA species of calpastatin (3.8, 3.0 and 2.5 kb) were identified in human hematopoietic system cells.


To produce transgenic mice, an exogenous gene is inserted into the germ line, usually by injection of the DNA construct into a pronucleus of a fertilized egg. In most cases the transgene is integrated into the genome at a single random site. Frequently, the transgenes are combinations of regulatory elements from one gene and protein coding sequences from another gene, the reporter. As expected, the promoter in the construct usually controls the expression pattern of the reporter. In some cases, however, transgenes have been constructed with regulatory elements that are not able to direct transcription on their own. In animals containing such transgenes, the expression of the reporter is dependent on endogenous regulatory elements near the chromosomal site of transgene integration. In the present study, an Escherischia coli beta‐galactosidase (lacZ) reporter gene linked to a weak promoter was selectively expressed in discrete subpopulations of cells in each of eight independently derived lines of mice. In one line (line 42), which we analyzed in detail, a subset of cells in skeletal muscle were lacZ‐positive. Specifically, fibroblasts close to neuromuscular junctions expressed the lacZ‐protein, whereas skeletal muscle fibroblasts far from synaptic sites and fibroblasts in other organs were lacZ‐negative. Moreover, Schwann cells at nerve terminals were lacZ‐positive, whereas Schwann cells in extramuscular nerves were lacZ‐negative. These results indicate the existence of differences between perisynaptic and extrasynaptic fibroblasts in normal skeletal muscle. They also demonstrate how such transgenic mice can be used to identify and mark discrete cell populations.


La1-xRxMnO3 (R = Ce or Pr) exhibit valence fluctuations (R3+ and R4+) in the A sublattice of the ABO3 perovskite structure. They also display a metal-insulator (M-I) transition and magnetoresistance effect even without the substitution of divalent cations. In La1-xCexMnO3, as Ce concentration increases (x = 0.05 to 0.6), the magnitude of resistivity decreases and the magnetic transition temperature, Tc, shifts towards higher temperature. The change in transport properties is attributed to the increase in Mn3+-Mn4+ pairs. The electronic and magnetic phase diagram is obtained for La1-xCexMnO3 from the resistivity and dc susceptibility measurements over a broad range of temperature and concentrations. The thermopower and magnetoresistance are also measured for La1-xCexMnO3 for two x values (x = 0.3 and 0.6). The high temperature thermopower data fit to an adiabatic small polaron hopping mechanism.


INTRODUCTION:
The term chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was introduced to bring together a variety of clinical syndromes associated with destruction of and airflow obstruction. The terms chronic obstructive airways disease(COAD) and chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) have been used as synonyms in different parts of the world and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) has been defined by the Global Initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) as "a disease stage characterized by air flow limitation that is not fully reversible".
Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases includes: (i) emphysema defined as the permanent abnormal distension of the air spaces distal to the terminal bronchioles accompanies by destruction of their wall without fibrosis.
(ii) chronic bronchitis defined on the presence of chronic productive cough on most days for 3 months in each of two consecutive years.
(iii) small air way disease in which small bronchioles are narrowed.
Excluded from this definition is Bronchial Asthma , chronic Bronchitis and emphysema were frequently coexist since they share common etiological factors and after many years chronic bronchitis get complicated by emphysema.
AIM OF THE STUDY:
To evaluate the visual evoked potential (VEP) and brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) abnormalities in COPD patient and its correlation with C-reactive protien (CRP) as a part of multi system disorder.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
40 study group with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and 40 control group between the age group of 30-60 years were included in this study based on criteria defined in the global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (gold) 2004- guidelines.
Patients with chronic neuropathy without COPD diabetes mellitus, chronic alcoholism, uremia, cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis, leprosy, malignancy, history of intake of neurotoxic drugs, hearing and visual impairment were excluded.
Informed written consent from the study and control group were obtained.
RESULT:
There was significant prolongation of (P100) over the right eye in COPD patients compared with controls. BAEP recording shows significant prolongation of latency of wave I, II, III, IV and V over the left ear.
The indices of spirometry FVC, FEV FEV1/FVC, were significantly decreased in COPD patients and CRP were significantly increased in COPD patients when compared with control.
CONCLUSION:
• Smoking, airway obstruction and long lasting COPD leading to hypoxemia, hypercapnia and respiratory acidosis which may affect the ponto-medullary portion of the brain. This study confirm that there were subclinical VEP and BAEP impairment resulted from COPD illness, which were related to the severity and disease duration.
• optic and auditory nerves are commonly affected in COPD which represent an additional problem to physical effect of COPD, and of course both will reflect more impairment in quality of life. So early discovery and correction of these factors might decrease disabilities and help in improvement of quality of life of COPD patients.
• The findings from this study indicate that impairment of VEP and BAEP occurred in association with mild chronic respiratory insufficiency. Therefore, the respiratory condition must be taken into account when evaluating VEP and BAEP.
• We found that the levels of CRP in stable COPD were not different as compared to control subjects. These results if confirmed in a larger study, which also excludes patients with comorbidities related to chronic inflammation, could contribute to a better understanding of CRP concentrations in COPD patients.


BACKGROUND
General anaesthetic agents are frequently used for paediatric bronchoscopy. A disadvantage of this open system anaesthesia seems to be the contamination of the working environment. The aim of this study was to determine the exposure of the endoscopist during paediatric bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia in different working environments and to compare these measurements with the currently valid international threshold limit values.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
25 children (ASA I-III) scheduled for diagnostic bronchoscopy were included in the study. After inhalational induction all children were intubated with a nonflexible bronchoscope and manually ventilated through a side arm of the bronchoscope. Maintenance of anaesthesia was achieved with sevoflurane (2-3 vol%) in 80% oxygen. Trace concentrations were measured every 90 seconds in the breathing zones of the paediatrician by means of a highly sensitive direct-reading instrument (Brüel & Kjaer 1302). The lower detection limit was 0.02 ppm. The investigation was done in an OT with and without air conditioning and scavening system.

RESULTS
The mean age of the children was 50.3 months (range: 3-109 months). Ventilation and oxygenation were stable throughout the bronchoscopic procedure. Mean exposure of the paediatrician without air-conditioning and scavening system to sevoflurane was over 50 ppm for the endoscopist. All international threshold limit values were exceeded. Peak concentrations higher than 100 ppm sevoflurane were detected repeatedly in 40% of anaesthesias. During bronchoscopy in the operating room equipped with laminar air flow (20.2 air exchanges per hour) and narcotic gas evacuation (30 l/min) the mean exposure of the paediatrician was 26.4 ppm sevoflurane.

CONCLUSIONS
The main finding of the present study is that under inhalation anaesthesia with sevoflurane for paediatric bronchoscopy occupation exposure is higher than the limits stated in all known health regulation guidelines. Therefore, in case of such working conditions, the use of total intravenous anaesthesia is advocated also in very small infants.


BACKGROUND
Biallelic BLM gene mutation carriers are at an increased risk for cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Whether heterozygous BLM gene mutations confer an increased cancer risk remains controversial.

OBJECTIVES
To evaluate CRC and endometrial cancer risk in BLM heterozygous mutation carriers.

METHODS
Jewish Ashkenazim at high risk for colon or endometrial cancer and endometrial cancer cases unselected for family history were genotyped for the BLMAsh predominant mutation.

RESULTS
Overall, 243 high-risk individuals were included: 97 men CRC patients (55.12 ± 12.3 years at diagnosis), 109 women with CRC (56.5 ± 13.7 years), 32 women with endometrial cancer (58.25 ± 13.4 years) and 5 women with both CRC and endometrial cancer. In addition, 120 unselected Ashkenazi women with endometrial cancer (64.2 ± 11.58 years) were genotyped. The BLMAsh mutation was present in 4/243 (1.65%) high-risk patients; 2 CRC (0.97%) 2 endometrial cancer (5.4%), and 1/120 unselected endometrial cancer patients (0.84%). Notably, in high-risk cases, BLMAsh mutation carriers were diagnosed at a younger age (for CRC 47.5 ± 7.8 years; P = 0.32 ; endometrial cancer 49.5 ± 7.7 years; P = 0.36) compared with non-carriers.

CONCLUSIONS
Ashkenazi high risk CRC/endometrial cancer, and women with endometrial cancer have a higher rate of BLMAsh heterozygous mutation compared with the general population. BLMAsh heterozygous mutation carriers are diagnosed with CRC and endometrial cancer at a younger age compared with non-carriers. These observations should be validated and the possible clinical implications assessed.


As a natural ecosystem dominated by grasses, phenological studies of pastures have attracted increased attention for their important roles in global carbon cycling, ecosystem biodiversity, and public health. To better understand pasture phenology from in-situ to regional scales, accurate monitoring of pasture greenness variations across different scales is critical. As an alternative approach to labor-intensive field surveys, digital time-lapse cameras (termed phenocams) can provide diurnal and long-term vegetation greenness observation at in-situ scale with less impact from atmospheric effects. Even so, monitoring of phenology at regional to global scales only can be obtained by satellite remote sensing. The data from satellite sensors whether medium-resolution (i.e. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrodiometer, MODIS, 250 m) or fine spatial resolution (i.e. Sentinel-2 mission, 10 m) is widely used for vegetation phenology monitoring. However, achieving accurate pasture greenness dynamics using satellite data remains challenging due to limitations resulting from heterogeneity in Australian pastures.

Combining phenocam, Sentinel-2 data and MODIS land surface products, this study aimed to (1) compare differences in temporal profiles of pasture greenness derived from ground-based phenocam and satellite sensors with fine- and medium-spatial resolutions, respectively; (2) assess the capacity of Sentinel-2 pixels for representing the phenocam footprint for monitoring greenness dynamics; and (3) evaluate the potential of improving greenness upscaling from phenocam to MODIS by masking non-grass areas via Sentinel-2 data.

A set of RGB phenocams was deployed over sites located over eastern Australian pastures. Green chromatic coordinate (GCC) was calculated from phenocam images. Six spatial footprints centered at phenocam sites were defined (i.e. 10 m, 30 m, 90 m, 250 m, 750 m and 1250 m), in which the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) was calculated from Sentinel-2 and MODIS. The correlations between phenocam GCC and Sentinel-2 EVI were analyzed at single and multiple sites within the phenocam footprint (< 100 m) across all phenophases. Similarly, the correlations between GCC and EVI derived from Sentinel-2 and MODIS were analyzed for larger scales (> 100 m). Finally, we analyzed the relationships between GCC and MODIS EVI derived after applying a Sentinel-2 grass mask.

First, generally consistent temporal patterns of GCC and EVI were found at all spatial scales and phenophases, though there were differences at larger scales. Second, relationships between GCC and Sentinel-2 EVI within the phenocam footprint (< 100 m) kept nearly consistent regression trends and significant correlations whether from single or multiple sites, but decreasing at scales beyond 100 m. Third, correlations between GCC and MODIS EVI were similar to Sentinel-2 EVI at the same scales (< 100 m). However, at > 250 m scale, EVI derived from Sentinel-2 non-grass filtered data improved the correlation with GCC compared with EVI from all Sentinel-2 pixels and MODIS pixels. Our results indicate that Sentinel-2 can enable retrieval of grass pasture phenology in heterogeneous landscapes with higher accuracy compared with MODIS, and demonstrated the potential of Sentinel-2 data as a land cover filter to improve phenocam upscaling to MODIS.


The electronic structures of clusters of Li7, Li6Na and Li6Mg with simple cubic geometry are calculated using spin density functional theory in the local approximation (LSDA). The results show that the shell model of clusters is indeed a good one, as the effect of inner electrons on clusters is very small in determining the physical properties of clusters and also show that there are some similar properties between the clusters of Li7 and Li6Na due to the odd number of electrons in both clusters and the closeness of the orbital energy of the highest occupied states of Na and Li atoms. However, the charge transfer and the distribution of the one unpaired electron between the central atom and the atoms surrounding it show different characteristics. The equilibrium lattice constants and binding energies and ionization potentials are compared with other calculations. Some are in very good agreement, some are quite different. For these a detailed discussion is given.


Although the process about korea image restoration contents program development and liberalization have cultural and artistic worth, it is not possible to restore technically or cost enormous expense. In the study, it suggest the needs of korea image restoration contents program development through image restoration case. It is revitalize that the study in digital image restoration technical prepare the ground for passing high-qualities cultural legacy by restoring classical film. We think the development of korea image restoration software will strengthen the basis to the new creation industry of high value-added in the global cultural prosperity industry.


Recent excavations in southern Jordan have revealed the largest Early Bronze Age (c. 3600-2000 BC) metal manufactory in the ancient Near East. On-site Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyses of the finds provide new evidence concerning the scale and organization of metal production at a time when the first cities emerged in this part of the Near East. Materials and lead isotope analyses of the metallurgical finds provide important data for reconstructing ancient metal processing and for identifying trade networks.


How has our relation to energy changed over time? What differences do particular energy sources make to human values, politics, and imagination? How have transitions from one energy source to another—from wood to coal, or from oil to solar to whatever comes next—transformed culture and society? What are the implications of uneven access to energy in the past, present, and future? Which concepts and theories clarify our relation to energy, and which just get in the way? Fueling Culture offers a compendium of keywords written by scholars and practitioners from around the world and across the humanities and social sciences. These keywords offer new ways of thinking about energy as both the source and the limit of how we inhabit culture, with the aim of opening up new ways of understanding the seemingly irresolvable contradictions of dependence upon unsustainable energy forms.


Abstract This article* investigates, for the first time, the local musical tradition of the Udmurt of Chainsk district (Tomsk oblast). The overwhelming majority of migrants in this region arrived from the Sharkan district of the Udmurt Republic, in Siberia, at the beginning of the 20th century. For a long time they kept their original culture in an ethnically alien environment. However, at the beginning of the 21st century, their singing tradition started to fade under the influence of different factors (such as the disappearance of Udmurt rituals and festivals, as well as mixed marriages). The aim of this article is to compare the 'Chainsk migrational' singing tradition to the 'Sharkan original' musical tradition. The main collection of audio recordings covering the Chainsk district Udmurt musical tradition is conserved in the archives of the Udmurt Research Institute at the Russian Academy of sciences.1 It is comprised of fieldwork material gathered by researchers from the Institute in 1974 and 2006. We discovered new sources of audio and video recordings of the singing tradition in this territory, which allowed us to integrate more song samples. The analysis of both traditions reveals the basic genres of ritual singing, each of which has been examined from the point of view of the topic of the poetic text, the mood structures, and the metro-rhythmic and melodic peculiarities of their development.


13 (Honey and Mumford Learning Styles and Myers–Briggs Type Indicator – MBTI). The reflector learning style was the most preferred and pragmatist, the least preferred learning style in both groups and the personality-type SFEJ was the commonest MBTI bestfit type amongst both groups. The poor performers were similar to the satisfactory performers in Learning Styles and Personality profiles (p4 0.05). Contrary to our hypothesis, the findings showed that learning style preference and personality profile were not related to clinical under-performance. There are limitations to our study with a single-point estimate of clinical performance in one centre. However, our study did not show any differences in Learning Style preferences and Personality profiles in poorly and satisfactorily performing medical students in an early clinical assessment. It might be that poorly performing clinical students are best identified using a composite measure of clinical performance, either cross-sectional or longitudinal, which would allow further investigation of the underlying causes and evidencebased targeted remediation.


Objective The acoustic stimulation in consciousness patients may improve the diagnosis assessment and the effectiveness of rehabilitation procedures. We aimed to investigate the event-related potential (ERP) response to emotional auditory stimuli in comatose patients. Methods We measured the nonlinear and linear electroencephalogram (EEG) features, prepared the acoustic analysis of stimuli parameters, and assessed the subjective emotional rates of stimuli characteristics. Results Patients with better outcomes had recognizable ERP responses and significant changes of the nonlinear EEG features to emotional sounds, unlike patients with worse outcomes. The response of comatose patients was attributed to acoustical features of emotional sounds, whereas the EEG response of healthy subjects was associated with their subjective feelings. The comatose patients demonstrated the variable EEG activity for neutral and emotional sounds. Conclusion Thus, the EEG reactivity followed the better outcome of comatose patients to emotional stimuli. The study assumed the substantial differences of emotional stimuli perception in the healthy and unconscious brain.


This paper analyses the functional, statistical and socio-economic criteria that are the bases to set ten thousand inhabitants as the boundary for defining an urban town in Mexico. The various criteria proposed in Mexico to define urban population are briefly described. The issue of classifying a population as urban has a long history at an international level; several definitions have been proposed by different authors, which illustrates the difficulties that researchers have faced in their attempts to unify criteria. The present proposal considers the behaviour of five socio-economic variables: economically active population devoted to non-agricultura1 activities, mean annual demographic growth, inmigration rate, literacy and population having completed the basic education. From the comparative analysis of this information it is concluded that most towns with a population between 10 and 14.9 thousand inhabitants possess features that match the definition of urban towns. The adoption of this boundary with an important weight establishes qualitative changes that help to classify a town as urban, and this should be reflected in quantitative studies focused on urban population.


The synthesis of two new pteridine-7-spirocyclopropanes that are time-dependent irreversible inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase is described. Several related compounds including a cyclopropyl substituted quinoxaline and 2-aminopteridine-4(3H),6(5H)-dione were also prepared but these compounds were not found to be time-dependent inhibitors. The inhibitors were assessed using several dihydrofolate reductases, Escherichia coli RT/39, two mutants of the E. coli enzyme, Lactobacillus casei, and chicken liver. Activity was found against all enzymes tested but most strongly against E. coli wild type enzyme.


Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange 1(SABRE) is a hyperpolarization technique that uses a metal complex to catalytically transfer magnetization from parahydrogen to molecules of interest. SABRE is used here to monitor the decarboxylation of sodium pyruvate-1,2-[13C2] at a 15 mM concentration to form ethanoic acid and CO2 upon reaction with hydrogen peroxide (150 mM). The rate constant of this reaction is determined by hyperpolarized 13C SABRE-NMR as 0.056 ± 0.003 dm3 mol-1 s-1 at 298 K and is comparable to that determined from thermal 1H NMR (k = 0.050 ± 0.003 dm3 mol-1 s-1) and UV measurements (k = 0.053 ± 0.001 dm3 mol-1 s-1). The hyperpolarized reaction intermediate 2-hydroperoxy-2-hydroxypropanoate is detected in a single scan hyperpolarized 13C NMR spectrum. This work highlights how SABRE hyperpolarization can be used as a tool for the precise monitoring of chemical transformations by hyperpolarized NMR spectroscopy.


The idea that gender factor creates a difference on computer usage and computer-assisted instruction is based upon previous years. At that time, it was thought that some areas like engineering, science and mathematics were for males so it created a difference on the computer usage. Nevertheless, developing technology and females becoming more active in information era alter this imbalance. About analyzing this kind of studies, significant differences exist on behalf of males in some studies, while significant differences exist on behalf of females in some studies, and there is no significant difference in terms of genders in other studies. While gender variable has been dealt as sub-variable in studies conducted with teachers in terms of learning/teaching activities, the number of meta-analyses investigating related teaching method according to gender is limited. In this study, meta-analysis method which gathers the results of different studies on the same specific topic and analyzing these findings statistically, is used. Comprehensive Meta Analysis (CMA) Statistic Program was used for statistical analysis. The data was analyzed by using the method of study effect meta-analysis. Gender factor is a crucial variable for learning and teaching activities. However, with this research, it becomes obvious that it is not such an important factor that can create a huge difference. Publication type, sample type and geographical region are determined as moderator variables with the thought that they can create a difference. Any difference cannot be identified according to publication and sample type at the end of the research.


Background: Cardiac-specific ablation of both Mfn1 and Mfn2 in the adult heart results in mitochondrial fragmentation and a lethal cardiomyopathy after about 6 weeks. The effect of combined Mfn1 and Mfn2 deletion on the susceptibility to acute ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and subsequent calcium overload is not known, and is investigated in this study.

Methods and Results: Cardiac-specific ablation of both Mfn1 and Mfn2 (DKO) was initiated in mice aged 5 weeks using 5 days administration of tamoxifen (MerCreMer), resulting in total knockout of both these proteins at the age of 10 weeks. These mice were subjected to in vivo myocardial ischemia (30 mins) followed by 24 hrs reperfusion before myocardial infarct size was determined. The sustained MI size in the DKO mice was 50% smaller than that in the WT control mice. These findings were associated with decreased MPTP opening susceptibility (assessed by calcium-induced mitochondrial swelling), reduced mitochondrial calcium overload after simulated IR (assessed by Rhod2 staining) and impaired mitochondrial respiration in the DKO hearts when compared to WT control.

Conclusions: We have shown that the adult murine heart deficient in both Mfn1 and Mfn2 was protected against acute IRI, a finding which was associated with defects in mitochondrial function and reduced mitochondrial calcium overload. This data suggests that the Mitofusins may be therapeutic targets for cardioprotection.


This study aims to explore the application of Murabaha contracts in agricultural sector. The study was conducted at Islamic microfinance institution namely Islamic Financial Services Cooperative (IFSC) Al-Hikmah located in Paleran Village, Umbulsari District, Jember Regency, Indonesia. This paper employs qualitative research with a case study approach. The method used for the informant's determination is snowball method. This paper found four important points: Firstly, there are three models of the application of Murabaha, namely goods-based Murabaha; cash-based Murabaha; and business capital-based Murabaha. Goods-based Murabaha is in accordance with sharia compliance, but the cash-based Murabaha is still not suitable because the Murabaha contract is not equipped with wakalah contract. Secondly, there are two risks namely goods expiring on goods-based Murabaha concept and the risk of late payment due to failed crops on cash-based Murabaha. Thirdly, the provided amount of funding is only 30% of the estimated agricultural output. Fourthly, Al-Hikmah requests collateral for Murabaha financing.


Wear, contact-impact, fatigue and corrosion properties are important factors initiating rail track degradation and are composition dependent. This work focuses on the effect of chromium content on the metallurgical and mechanical properties of the the rail steels. Two medium steel railway tracks differing in their chromium content, alloy MS02 with 0.02 wt% Cr and alloy MS03 containing 0.72 wt% Cr, were characterised in order to predict their in-service performance as a function of their chemical composition.

The microstructural analysis revealed in MS02 a relatively coarser grain size, consisting of pearlite and grain boundary ferrite. MS03 showed a fully pearlitic structure with no grain boundary ferrite. The average distance between cementite lamella in rail MS03 is shorter than that in MS02. The Rockwell C hardness values of MS02 were lower than those of MS03 which is in agreement with the microstructural analysis. As expected, a finer pearlitic structure observed in rail MS03 resulted in a superior tensile and impact properties as compared to MS02.

These data indicate that MS03 with a fully pearlitic structure gives a better wear resistance and higher strength than MS02 and, it is anticipated to give a better corrosion and oxidation resistance due to higher chromium content.


This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding rate on growth performance, blood components and histology of growing olive flounder. The experiment was carried out to determine the optimum feeding rate of the fish (initial fish mean weight of 97±3.0 g) at the optimum water temperature. Two replicated groups of fish were fed commercial diet at the feeding rates of 0, 1.0, 1.65 and 2.3% body weight (BW)/day and satiation. Feeding trial was conducted under a flow-through system with ten 1.2 metric ton aquaria receiving filtered seawater at 21±2 for three weeks. Weight gain and specific growth °C rate (SGR) for fish fed to satiation were significantly higher than those for the unfed fish and for fish fed at 1.0 and 1.65% BW/day. There were no significant differences in values of such parameters between fish fed at 1.65% and those fed at 2.3% BW/day and between fish fed at 2.3% and those fed to satiation. Weight gain and SGR for the unfed fish were significantly lower than those for fish in the other treatments. All the tissues (hepatopancreas, kidney and anterior intestine) were in good condition in fish fed the experimental diet at different feeding rates. This result indicates that the optimum feeding rates of olive flounder (97-160 g) was approximately 2.52% BW/day at the optimum water temperature.


The first aim of the paper is to define the concept of "contingent freedom" as the very notion of human freedom and the basis of human dignity. To do so, firstly, the voluntarist notion of freedom (libertas indifferentiae) and the intellectualist vision of freedom (voluntas ut natura) are analyzed. Secondly, the conditions of possibility of sin and conversion are studied in the perspective of the threefold conception of freedom aforementioned. As a result, contingency in freedom means that the will creates the alternative course of action because it has the ability of deciding in favor and/or against a same action; and therefore it has the ability to act otherwise with respect to itself. In the final sections of the article, this conclusion is applied to a particular case, namely: whether it is possible or not for a person to decide to believe something or in something.


Analysis of the energy required for slip on faults at varying angles ( θ ) to the greatest principal stress in a fixed stress field yields an upper bound on the effective coefficient of friction μ * d ( θ ) for slip on faults misoriented with respect to the optimum angle for slip, θ , given by the Coulomb criteria. Here the effective coefficient of friction is μ * d = μ d (1 − Pf / σn ), where Pf is the pore pressure confined to the fault zone and σn is the stress normal to the fault. The two-dimensional analysis applies to a pervasively fractured crust with heterogenous fault strength, and the results show that (1) slip will be energetically favored on faults at 45° to 50° to the greatest principal stress if the coefficient of friction along these faults is just 20% to 25% lower than along faults at the optimum Coulomb angle ( θ = 25° to 30° for commonly accepted values of friction, μd = 0.70 to 0.75, in the upper crust); (2) in the extreme case of vanishingly small frictional strength and low ambient shear stress, the 45° angle for optimum fault slip (parallel with the direction of maximum shear stress) is only weakly favored over a wide range of fault orientations on either side of 45°; and (3) slip will be energetically feasible on strongly misoriented faults ( θ > 80°) with an intrinsic coefficient of friction of μd ≈ 0.7 ( θ ≈ 28°) if μ * d ( θ ) ≦ 0.2 along the misoriented fault. The latter implies a lower bound on the fault-confined pore pressure of Pf ≧ 0.8 σn , where σn is the normal stress across the fault. The basic form of this contraint applies to both displacement-averaged dynamic friction and static friction.


Starting with an example of organizational "hell" and "heaven", this article describes the authentizotic organization, the kind where people find meaning in, and are captivated by, their work. These organizations have C4 in their DNA: its participants engage in courageous conversations embedded within a coaching culture. The foundation for developing authentizotic organizations is trust. Trusted executives make a great effort to establish an organizational culture in which people feel safe and are comfortable in having voice and using it.
I introduce an intervention methodology that incorporates the clinical paradigm, the psychodynamic-systemic lens that provides insight into people's inner theater and underlying motivations. By incorporating these psychodynamic processes, key developmental areas can be identified that may block the creation of authentizotic organizations. Multi-party feedback instruments can be used to illuminate the gap between self-perception and the perceptions of others. I suggest that a safe transitional space needs to be created that enables people "to play" and discuss the organization's "undiscussables." Another helpful intervention is to have the organization's key players engage in illuminative cathartic experiences through narrative. This can help create a mutually supportive organizational community and an organizational culture in which people give their best.


Background: The enzyme PASK regulates the expression of PDX-1 and insulin in pancreatic β-cells via unknown mechanisms. Results: PASK enhances PDX-1 protein stability via phosphorylation of GSK3β on Ser9. Conclusion: PASK regulates insulin gene expression at least in part through inactivation of GSK3β and stabilization of PDX-1 protein. Significance: We identified GSK3β as a novel target of PASK in the regulation of pancreatic β-cell function. In pancreatic β-cells, glucose induces the binding of the transcription factor pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1) to the insulin gene promoter to activate insulin gene transcription. At low glucose levels, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is known to phosphorylate PDX-1 on C-terminal serine residues, which triggers PDX-1 proteasomal degradation. We previously showed that the serine/threonine Per-Arnt-Sim domain-containing kinase (PASK) regulates insulin gene transcription via PDX-1. However, the mechanisms underlying this regulation are unknown. In this study, we aimed to identify the role of PASK in the regulation of PDX-1 phosphorylation, protein expression, and stability in insulin-secreting cells and isolated rodent islets of Langerhans. We observed that glucose induces a decrease in overall PDX-1 serine phosphorylation and that overexpression of WT PASK mimics this effect. In vitro, PASK directly phosphorylates GSK3β on its inactivating phosphorylation site Ser9. Overexpression of a kinase-dead (KD), dominant negative version of PASK blocks glucose-induced Ser9 phosphorylation of GSK3β. Accordingly, GSK3β Ser9 phosphorylation is reduced in islets from pask-null mice. Overexpression of WT PASK or KD GSK3β protects PDX-1 from degradation and results in increased PDX-1 protein abundance. Conversely, overexpression of KD PASK blocks glucose-induction of PDX-1 protein. We conclude that PASK phosphorylates and inactivates GSK3β, thereby preventing PDX-1 serine phosphorylation and alleviating GSK3β-mediated PDX-1 protein degradation in pancreatic β-cells.


Intra-clonal phenotypic (antigenic) variation is used by many pathogens to evade the consequences of immune-mediated killing by mammalian hosts. In this substantially theoretical article, I emphasise that antigenic variation (sensu stricto) involves no change in genotype; its importance as a mechanism for promoting pathogen transmission and its polyphyletic origin. From a functional perspective, antigenic variation is constrained by the requirement to meet five conditions. These are: capability to express several antigens against which functional immunity predominates; capability to interact with the environment; mutually exclusive expression of variable antigens in each cell within an infection; mutually exclusive expression in the within-host pathogen population and the capability for population growth within a host. Meeting these conditions leads to chronicity of infection and high rates of hierarchical and reversible switching of expression between variable antigens. The organisation of hierarchical expression is discussed in some detail.


The Yorktown Simulation Engine (YSE) is a special-purpose, highly-parallel programmable machine for the gate-level simulation of logic. It can simulate up to one million gates at a speed of over two billion gate simulations per second; it is estimated that the IBM 3081 processor could have been simulated on the YSE at a rate of 1000 instructions per second. This is far beyond the capabilities of existing register-level software simulators. The YSE has been designed and is being constructed at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center. This paper introduces the YSE and describes its top-level architecture.


ABSTRACT The Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) acts as a negative regulator of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (MAPK) cascade initiated by Raf-1. RKIP inhibits the phosphorylation of MAP/extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (MEK1) by Raf-1 by disrupting the interaction between these two kinases. We show here that RKIP also antagonizes the signal transduction pathways that mediate the activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in response to stimulation with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) or interleukin 1 beta. Modulation of RKIP expression levels affected NF-κB signaling independent of the MAPK pathway. Genetic epistasis analysis involving the ectopic expression of kinases acting in the NF-κB pathway indicated that RKIP acts upstream of the kinase complex that mediates the phosphorylation and inactivation of the inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB). In vitro kinase assays showed that RKIP antagonizes the activation of the IκB kinase (IKK) activity elicited by TNF-α. RKIP physically interacted with four kinases of the NF-κB activation pathway, NF-κB-inducing kinase, transforming growth factor beta-activated kinase 1, IKKα, and IKKβ. This mode of action bears striking similarities to the interactions of RKIP with Raf-1 and MEK1 in the MAPK pathway. Emerging data from diverse organisms suggest that RKIP and RKIP-related proteins represent a new and evolutionarily highly conserved family of protein kinase regulators. Since the MAPK and NF-κB pathways have physiologically distinct roles, the function of RKIP may be, in part, to coordinate the regulation of these pathways.


The article presents a textbook on Russian as a foreign language, aimed at learning Russian grammar through the verb system. The material of the textbook is based on the All-European document on mastering a foreign language and Russian education system test.


As a result of the development and global openness and the possibility of companies providing their services outside their spatial boundaries that were determined by them, and the transformation of the world due to the development of the means of communication into a large global market that accommodates all products from different regions and of the same type and production field, competition resulted between companies, and the race to obtain the largest market share It ensures the largest amount of profits, and it is natural for the advertising promotion by companies for their product to shift from an advertisement for one product to a competitive advertisement that calls on the recipient to leave the competing product and switch to its product offered by the advertised company, at the expense of the competitor who shares the revenue of profit in the same field Hence, the importance of this type of advertising has grown, as it presents a highly cultured promotional visual language that is designed in a style that has a lot of intelligence (power in offering and influence in receiving). By revealing such an important kind of promotion, the research will attempt to answer the following question: (What are the design methods used in the global competitive advertising environment?), while its objectives were set in revealing the design methods for competitive advertisements in major international commercial companies. The researcher moved to analyze selected models that showed results, most notably: the formal borrowing method achieves more absorption in the absorption of competitive advertising and thus attracts more attention. The success of the producers in the stock market. To arrive at the most prominent recommendations: Training the technical staff and informing them of the most important methods that can be implemented in the commercial markets in support of the national product in competition with the foreign product. A proposal at the end of the research a study entitled "Studying the impact of the reality of commercial competitive advertising on the national economy"


Tactile perception stands as a critical sensory modality for human interaction with the environment. Among various tactile sensor techniques, optical sensor-based approaches have gained traction, notably for producing high-resolution tactile images. This work explores gel elastomer deformation simulation through a physics-based approach. While previous works in this direction usually adopt the explicit material point method (MPM), which has certain limitations in force simulation and rendering, we adopt the finite element method (FEM) and address the challenges in penetration and mesh distortion with incremental potential contact (IPC) method. As a result, we present a simulator named TacIPC, which can ensure numerically stable simulations while accommodating direct rendering and friction modeling. To evaluate TacIPC, we conduct three tasks: pseudo-image quality assessment, deformed geometry estimation, and marker displacement prediction. These tasks show its superior efficacy in reducing the sim-to-real gap. Our method can also seamlessly integrate with existing simulators. More experiments and videos can be found in the supplementary materials and on the website: https://sites.google.com/view/tac-ipc.


The paper presents the case study of hazard identification and sensitivity of potential resource of emergency water supply as part of the application of methodology classifying the resources of drinking water for emergency supply of population. The case study has been carried out on a selected resource of emergency water supply in one region of the Czech Republic. The hazard identification and sensitivity of potential resource of emergency water supply is based on a unique procedure and developed general registers of selected types of hazards and sensitivities. The registers have been developed with the help of the "Fault Tree Analysis" method in combination with the "What if method". The identified hazards for the assessed resource include hailstorms and torrential rains, drought, soil erosion, accidents of farm machinery, and agricultural production. The developed registers of hazards and vulnerabilities and a semi-quantitative assessment of hazards for individual parts of hydrological structure and technological elements of presented drilled wells are the basis for a semi-quantitative risk assessment of potential resource of emergency supply of population and the subsequent classification of such resource within the system of crisis planning. Keywords—Hazard identification, register of hazards, sensitivity identification, register of sensitivity, emergency water supply, state of crisis, resource of emergency water supply, ground water.


Colon tumors induced by 1.2-dimethylhydrazine in mice were studied by scanning electron microscopy followed by light microscopy. The following morphological types of tumors were demonstrated: adenomatous polyps (82%) with folded and smooth patterns of the surface structure, hyperplastic polyps (13.8%), endophytic carcinoma (3.7%), and few villous tumors. In the majority of the cases carcinoma developed due to malignisation of morphologically benign adenomatous and more rarely hyperplastic polyps. Endophytic carcinoma developed without benign precursors. Villous tumors had a high potential for malignisation. All these kinds of tumors arose in diffuse hyperplastic colon mucosa.


The electron transport algorithm PRESTA, which was developed to improve electron transport in the low-energy region, was applied to simulations of an electromagnetic sampling calorimeter using a thin silicon detector. The EGS4/PRESTA results were compared with experimental results and the default EGS4 and EGS4/ESTEPE results. The ESTEPE option has hitherto been used for this type of simulation to obtain correct results. EGSA/PRESTA can give almost the same results as those calculated with EGS4/ESTEPE by using selected ESTEPE values without considering materials used with a speed several times faster than EGS4/ESTEPE. EGSA/PRESTA was applied to compensation studies by the SICAPO collaboration to understand the reason for reductions of visible energy for electrons with different methods. >


The control of exothermic chemical batch reactors has received much attention in literature over the years for their increasing importance in manufacturing industries and also the unique quality control challenges that they provide. However, most of the control schemes proposed to deal with these challenges make use of models that implicitly control the product quality. For example it is assumed that a control scheme that successfully regulates the reactor temperature along an apriori calculated optimal profile should imply satisfactory quality trajectory control. In this paper it is shown that this assumption is not robust enough to deal with some kinds of disturbances that may occur during the batch. It is also shown that product quality control can be greatly improved by proposing a new control scheme that makes use of NIR spectroscopic measurements as feedback information for a quality control system. The results of two controllers using this scheme are compared with a more widely used implicit control strategy in two test cases with unmeasurable system disturbances.


Overlap syndrome refers to a large group of inflammatory rheumatic conditions characterized by the co-existence of clinical manifestations that include different organ systems and meet the criteria of more than one rheumatic disease. Overlap syndromes are less common compared with the conditions they encompass, for example, the global prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is estimated to be 43.7 per 100,000 persons, of which only around 3.4-6.3% present with SLE-myositis overlap. Although rare, overlap syndromes commonly include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and myositis. Because overlap syndrome can manifest in several ways and has an unpredictable course, it poses a challenge to multidisciplinary teams that examine and treat patients. Therefore, we must not disregard any signs and symptoms as they might have a huge impact on the progression of the disease and the overall outcome of the treatment. We present a rare case of SLE-myositis overlap syndrome in a 44-year-old male. He initially presented with gradual weakness in the proximal muscles of the bilateral lower limb. This patient was diagnosed as having SLE with positive 5g protein/24 hours, anti-nuclear, low C3, anti-U1RNP, anti-Ro, and anti-La antibodies, as well as membranous lupus nephritis evident by the results of renal biopsy. The diagnosis of myositis was also made according to the history and evaluation of the patient, the high titer of muscle enzymes creatine kinase level, and MRI result. Although the patient tested positive for anti-U1RNP, he did not meet the criteria of mixed connective tissue disease. Eventually, the patient was found to have overlap syndrome. The prevalence of overlap between SLE and myositis is relatively rare and varies from 3.4% to 6.3%. To our knowledge, no study has discussed or reported its prevalence among males.


An original strategy is presented to synthesize highly pure multiblock copolymers (up to tetrablock) of various monomers tethered to silica particles, by combining RAFT polymerization and click chemistry. Two approaches were compared that follow this strategy. In a first approach, Z-azide-functionalized polymers were prepared via a RAFT process and then tethered to silica particles via a direct click reaction. This approach led to well-defined grafted polymers with polydispersity indices lower than their "as-prepared" precursors, due to lack of dead chains. In a second approach, a one-pot method was employed, using clickable RAFT agents to perform RAFT polymerization and click reaction simultaneously. This route afforded grafted polymers with polydispersity typically less than 1.25, whilst the chain length of grafted polymers was usually shorter than that of free polymers formed in solution, due to shielding effect and heterogeneous reaction condition. A series of well-defined homopolymers, di-, tri- and tetrablock copolymers could be efficiently grafted onto silica particles, and the grafting density was usually ranged between 0.017 and 0.085 chains nm−2, evident from GPC, IR, elemental and thermogravimetric analyses. The one-pot approach seems more promising than the incremental route, since it is a one step reaction that still maintains controllability over surface modification.


Recent work has shown that animal symbols in European Palaeolithic cave art and at two ancient sites in southern Turkey, namely Gobekli Tepe and Catalhoyuk, can be interpreted as star constellations, practically the same constellations we continue to use in Europe today. It appears they were often used to represent dates using precession of the equinoxes, where each animal symbol represents a constellation corresponding to one of the solstices or equinoxes. Here, I trace the evolution of this method for writing dates after Catalhoyuk was abandoned in the 6th millennium BCE through to its last known use in Pictish symbol stones during the 1st millennium AD.


BACKGROUND
There are currently 3 types of covered metal stents available in Europe for palliation of patients with malignant dysphagia. Their relative merits have not been compared in a prospective, randomized study.

METHODS
One hundred consecutive patients with esophagogastric carcinoma were randomized to placement of an Ultraflex stent, a Flamingo Wallstent, or a Gianturco-Z stent. Malignant strictures of the esophagus were treated by insertion of a small-diameter stent (n = 71), whereas those involving the gastric cardia were treated with a large-diameter stent (n = 29).

RESULTS
At 4 weeks, dysphagia had improved in all patient groups (p < 0.001), but the degree of improvement did not differ among the 3 groups (p = 0.14). There were differences among the 3 stent types with respect to major complications (Ultraflex stent: 8/34 [24%], Flamingo Wallstent: 6/33 [18%], and Gianturco-Z stent: 12/33 [36%]), but these were not statistically significant (p = 0.23). Nine patients (26%) with an Ultraflex stent, 11 (33%) with a Flamingo Wallstent, and 8 (24%) with a Gianturco-Z stent had recurrent dysphagia (p = 0.73), mainly because of tumor overgrowth or stent migration; 12 of 13 episodes of migration involved small-diameter stents in the esophagus.

CONCLUSIONS
All 3 covered metal stents evaluated offer the same degree of palliation of patients with malignant dysphagia. Placement of Gianturco-Z stents was associated with more complications as compared with Ultraflex stents and Flamingo Wallstents. Although stent migration is reduced by increasing stent diameter, tumor overgrowth remains an intractable problem that requires a new approach.


These proceedings are a compilation of 20 papers that were presented at the regional meetings of the forest and conservation nursery associations and the Intertribal Nursery Council meeting in the United States in 2012. The Joint Meeting of the Southern Forest Nursery Association and Northeastern Forest and Conservation Nursery Association was held at the Sheraton Read House Hotel, Chattanooga, TN, July 16 to 19, 2012. Subject matter for the technical sessions included southern nursery history, nursery insect and disease management, water quality, chilling hour review, root architecture, and soil fumigation regulations and alternatives. Field trips included tours of the Native Forest Nursery, in Chatsworth, GA, and East Tennessee State Nursery in Delano, TN. The Joint Meeting of the Intertribal Nursery Council, Western Forest and Conservation Nursery Association, and Intermountain Container Seedling Growers� Association was held at the Riverhouse in Bend, OR on August 11 to 13, 2012. Subject matter for the sessions was themed around seed technology for forest and conservation nurseries. This included sowing preparation, sowing strategies, advances in germination technology, seed orchards, and seed zones related to climate change and assisted migration. Additional meeting content included hands-on demonstrations with seed equipment. An afternoon field trip included tours of the USDA Forest Service Bend Seed Extractory and Wintercreek Native Plant Nursery, both in Bend, OR. The Intertribal Nursery Council portion of the meeting was also held at the Riverhouse, in Bend, OR on September 11, 2012. The meeting was hosted by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation and USDA Forest Service. Subject matter for the technical sessions included reforestation and restoration, low-tech tools for seed collecting and processing, seed storage and inventory, seed dormancy, Mescalero Apache greenhouse production, native plant materials development, and greenhouse structure and function.


Social and economic transformation processes impact families in
various ways and on different levels. Larger changes and
transformations affect the concept of 'family', as well as the
role and functions of this concept. They can furthermore lead
families into crises, but crises may also occur within the
family on an individual level. As media have become integral
parts of our everyday lives they can be the promoters of
transformation processes as well as tools for coping with
changes and crises. It therefore seems mandatory to research
the role that families ascribe to media in this context. This
chapter will focus on the particularly demanding situation of
families from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and on their
use of media in times of crisis and transformation. By
outlining the design and results of a longitudinal study on
media use by socially disadvantaged children, the chapter seeks
to illustrate the necessity of an integrative research approach
that analyses changes and coping strategies on the macro-,
meso- and micro levels. Furthermore, it seeks to draw attention
to the special needs of socially disadvantaged groups as a
particular audience-segment and to the necessary responsibility
that society and other stakeholders should assume against this
background.


Problems associated with telemedicine systems include high telecommunications costs, lack of physician interest, and failure to build evaluation into the design process from the onset of the telemedicine project. An overview of the human-factors engineering approach to systems design and how it can be applied to the development of telemedicine systems is described. Design of an interface is based on an analysis of user capabilities, tasks, and work environment. Task analyses are performed to understand and document the interaction between a user's work activities and a system. Two characteristics of a human factors approach that are important for telemedicine are: (1) defining and measuring user performance, and (2) involving users in the design and testing of a system. Usability goals are operationally defined and tracked to quantify performance. Having users participate in the design, testing, and critique of a system also increases the likelihood that the system will be accepted and used after it is released.


Present study aimed to investigate alcoholic and aqueous extracts of three varieties of Ficus deltoidea for antioxidant activity using in vitro models such as free radical scavenging activity, reduction power of iron (III), superoxide anion (O2) scavenging, xanthine oxidase (XOD), nitric oxide (NO·) and lipid peroxidation. The total polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins were estimated using colorimetry in order to investigate their correlation with antioxidant activities. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts of different varieties of the plant exhibited different radical scavenging activities in different models (P<0.05). Both the types of extracts displayed high antioxidant activity in DPPH and superoxide anion scavenging models, and the activity was comparable to quercetin, rutin, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), ascorbic acid and allopurinol. A correlation was observed between antioxidant activity and content of total polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins. The results of this study indicate that the extracts of Ficus deltoidea possess promising antioxidant activity.


To date majority of the micromachining applications have been addressed with the lamp pumped pulsed Nd: YAG laser. However, the increasing complexity of microelectronics/ engineering devices and the requirement for higher yields and automated production systems place stringent demands on the micromachining techniques. This has led to development of new laser sources fiber and dick lasers etc. These lasers with diffraction limited beam quality offer many advantages such as small spot size, high power density, enhanced processing speeds, reduced heat affected zone for a range of micromachining applications.In this work, we will provide some processing data achieved with single mode fiber up to 400W average power for a range of materials and compare its processing performance with lamp pumped Nd: YAG laser of up to 300W. The focus of this work is therefore laser microcutting, joining and drilling with both laser sources.To date majority of the micromachining applications have been addressed with the lamp pumped pulsed Nd: YAG laser. However, the increasing complexity of microelectronics/ engineering devices and the requirement for higher yields and automated production systems place stringent demands on the micromachining techniques. This has led to development of new laser sources fiber and dick lasers etc. These lasers with diffraction limited beam quality offer many advantages such as small spot size, high power density, enhanced processing speeds, reduced heat affected zone for a range of micromachining applications.In this work, we will provide some processing data achieved with single mode fiber up to 400W average power for a range of materials and compare its processing performance with lamp pumped Nd: YAG laser of up to 300W. The focus of this work is therefore laser microcutting, joining and drilling with both laser sources.