Klebsiella pneumoniae with crude glycerol-utilizing and hydrogen (H2)-producing abilities was successfully isolated from return activated sludge from Shatin Sewage Treatment Works. The H2 production strategy used in this study was optimized with crude glycerol concentrations, and 1,020 μmol of H2 was generated in 3 h. An inorganic–microbe hybrid system was constructed with metal-free hydrothermal carbonation carbon (HTCC) microspheres to enhance the H2 production under visible light (VL) irradiation. Under optimized VL intensity and HTCC concentration, an elevation of 35.3% in H2 production can be obtained. Electron scavenger study revealed that the photogenerated electrons (e–) from HTCC contributed to the additional H2 production. The variation in intercellular intermediates, enzymatic activity, and reducing equivalents also suggested that the photogenerated e– interacted with K. pneumoniae cells to direct the metabolic flux toward H2 production. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using an inorganic–microbe hybrid system as a waste-to-energy technology.


Importance
Although previous studies have evaluated the association between anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy and macular vessel density, they were confounded by the presence of macular edema, which may be associated with artifacts and segmentation errors in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Objective
To evaluate the association of intravitreal aflibercept with changes in macular vascular density using OCTA in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy without diabetic macular edema.

Design, Setting, and Participants
This post hoc analysis of a randomized clinical trial used data on 40 eyes of 40 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy without diabetic macular edema who were enrolled in the Intravitreal Aflibercept for Retinal Nonperfusion in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (RECOVERY) clinical trial from August 1, 2016, to June 31, 2017. Three patients were lost to follow-up at month 12, and 5 patients were excluded from analysis because of poor OCTA image quality, leaving 16 patients in each cohort in the final analysis. Data analysis was performed from March 1, 2018, to January 15, 2019.

Intervention
In the RECOVERY trial, patients were randomized into cohorts receiving 2 mg of aflibercept injections monthly (n = 20) or quarterly (n = 20) and treated for 12 months.

Main Outcomes and Measures
The percentage of vascular density (in total scan and foveal and parafoveal regions) was compared before and after 12 months of therapy.

Results
The sample for this OCTA analysis included 32 eyes from 32 patients (mean [SD] age, 48.37 [12.30] years; 17 [53.1%] male). The mean (SD) total scan vascular density for the superficial vascular complex was 42.28% (4.03%; 95% CI, 40.63%-43.93%) at baseline and 39.64% (4.01%; 95% CI, 37.91%-41.37%) at month 12 (P = .69). For the deep vascular complex, the mean (SD) vascular density was 48.42% (4.99%; 95% CI, 46.36%-50.47%) at baseline and 45.69% (4.63%; 95% CI, 43.69%-47.70%) at month 12 (P = .40). For the choriocapillaris, the mean (SD) vascular density was 64.42% (3.36%; 95% CI, 63.04%-65.81%) at baseline and 62.55% (4.79%; 95% CI, 60.48%-64.62%) at month 12 (P = .16). There was no difference in vascular density parameters between monthly and quarterly injection arms at month 12.

Conclusions and Relevance
In this study, macular vascular density did not change after 12 months of intravitreal aflibercept therapy. Because nonperfusion is expected to progress in diabetic retinopathy, this finding may represent a beneficial association between anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy and macular vascular density.

Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02863354.


On the basis of interview data (n = 20) reasons given by 60-75 year-olds for physical inactivity are analysed. 6 specific motives are pointed out which can be summarized in two motive classes: an inefficient expense-effect relation and low importance of physical activity. The results show that older persons are not motivated for physical activity if sport-related motives are completely missing or if uncontrollable barriers impede sport-related motives.


A state‐of‐the‐art multispectral imager has been used to study the flickering component of an auroral event at high spatial (40 m) and temporal (32 fps) resolution. Scale sizes for the flickering patches were found to be regularly smaller than 1 km. The typical flickering frequency observed was in the range 6–8 Hz, although flickering patches at both lower and higher frequencies were identified. The flickering structure was correlated with the coincident non‐flickering aurora, showing that although there is a temporal relationship between the two, there is no spatial correlation. These results support the theory that flickering structure is caused by interfering dispersive Alfvén waves.


In this article, we present two efficient leaky-wave antennas (LWAs) with stable radiation pattern, operating at 60 GHz. Both antennas exhibit attractive properties such as significantly reduced beam-squint, low loss, low sidelobes, high directivity, and simple manufacturing. The beam-squint of conventional LWAs is reduced by refracting the leaked waves in a dispersive lens and the low sidelobe levels are achieved by tapering the leakage rate along the aperture. Since the antennas are implemented in groove gap waveguide technology, the losses are low. The two antennas are different in terms of their asymmetric/symmetric leakage tapering with respect to the broadside direction. Both designs are optimized for low sidelobes, but since symmetry is enforced in one, the resulting performance in terms of sidelobes is suboptimal. However, in the symmetric design, multiple stable beams can be obtained, simultaneously or independently. Twenty percent bandwidth is obtained with less than ±0.5° beam-squint. In this frequency range, the gain is stable at 17 and 15 dBi for the asymmetric and symmetric designs, respectively. The designs are intended for point-to-point links in mmWave communication networks where low losses, directive beams, and low sidelobes are expected to be key features.


Objective To investigate the effects of GR82334 caudal veins injection(iv)or intrathecal injection(ith)on the increase of dopamine(DA)content in rats anterior cingulate gyrus(ACG)induced by heavy current stimulation of saphenous nerve(SN). Methods Totally 42 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups,including control group,sham stimulation group,SN stimulation group,GR82334(ith)group,NS(ith)group,GR82334(iv)group,and NS(iv)group. At the end of the study,rats of different groups were sacrificed,then the right side ACG were collected and weighted. ACG samples were then homogenized with 0.1 mol/L perchloric acid solution. After spinning at 10 000 r/min(4 ℃)for 20 min,20 μL of the supernatant were harvest from each sample. High performance liquid chromatography electrochemical detection was used to measure DA content. Results Heavy current stimulation of SN caused obvious increase of the DA content in ACG. GR82334(iv or ith)antagonized the significant increase of DA content in ACG induced by the stimulating SN. However,GR82334(ith)did not completely antagonized the increase of DA content in ACG induced by electric stimulating SN. Conclusion The results indicated that there is connection between SN and the dopaminergic nervous system in ACG,and SN afferent nociceptive signals can activate ACG dopaminergic neurons to release DA. Peripheral and central NK-1 receptors are involved in the process of significant increase of DA content in ACG induced by SN afferent signals. However,there are other central paths of SN information input to ACG to induce obvious increases of DA content,in which other neurotransmitters and receptors may be involved.


Although these are all valuable cautions to recognize before plunging headlong into the enterprise of searching for the necessary and sufficient conditions of the concept of law, they are no more than cautions. All of these cautions presuppose contested questions about the nature of concepts and about how we might go about recognizing and explaining them, and while it is important to recognize the con-tested nature of some of the assumptions, it is nevertheless far from unreasonable to engage in conceptual analysis of the concept of law on the assumption that there is a concept to be analyzed, and that the analysis will yield a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for application of the concept. This too may not be so, and it is possible that law is such a diverse, loose, and shifting array of phenomena that there is no interesting nature of law itself, and no interesting concept of law. Nevertheless I assume not only that there are concepts, and not only that they can be analyzed in terms of their necessary or essential properties, but also that there is a concept of law and that the concept of law is one of the concepts that can be so analyzed. This does not follow necessarily from the previous assumptions. It is possible that there are concepts susceptible to philosophical analysis but that the concept of law is not one of them. But I assume the contrary, and thus assume the possibility and even the value of conceptual analysis of the concept of law.


This paper describes the problems in nowadays production of ribs, the most important assembling part of leverarch mechanism. The process of wire bending machine upgrade is presented and the control principle for ribs geometry stabilization is proposed. The overall control scheme consists of inner - force control loops and outer - geometry control loop. The inner loops control the force on respective roller of the horizontal and vertical plane of wire straightener according to the predefined reference values. These values are modified with the superior loop in respect of geometry variations of the rib. Required displacements of rollers are obtained using wedge systems driven by stepper motors. The final geometry of rib is analyzed by image processing algorithm inside the image acquisition system.


Digital libraries universally have emerged in two ways. One, they are born digital (also known as electronic resource). Two, they are converted to become digital-by scanning or other data capturing techniques –from printed, microform, manuscripts, etc.. The converted digital resources demand greater attention by decision makers with regards design, plan and implementation– i.e., in the process of preservation of cultural heritage collections. The book depicts both the types of digital collections, albeit in a limited way, viz., a) sample population for libraries based on heritage resources and level of digitization, and b) two developing countries.


The acute effects of engaging in challenging mental work during a single session of aerobic exercise were examined on measures of subjective mood and cardiovascular function. Fifty-seven female subjects were randomly assigned to participate in either a 10-min aerobic exercise condition or a no-exercise control condition. Half of the subjects in each group performed digits backward problems during this time period, and no mental stressors were presented to the other subjects. The results indicated that the exercise and mental stress conditions had additive effects on subjective anxiety levels and on cardiovascular responses during exercise. Both exercise and mental stress increased heart rate. In addition, exercise had anti-anxiety and vasodilative effects, but both of these influences were attenuated by opposing main effects for mental stress exposure. No effects were found for exercise on measures of cardiovascular reactivity to a later digits backward stressor. The results are consistent with previous research in suggesting that exposure to mental stressors during aerobic exercise provides no acute psychological benefits but attenuates some of the mood improvements and vasodilative effects of the exercise activity.


We compute the complete set of two-loop master integrals for the scattering of four massless particles and a massive one. Our results are ready for phenomenological applications, removing a major obstacle to the computation of complete next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD corrections to processes such as the production of a $H/Z/W$ boson in association with two jets at the LHC. Furthermore, they open the door to new investigations into the structure of quantum-field theories and provide precious analytic data for studying the mathematical properties of Feynman integrals.


The C-C motif chemokine ligand 22 (CCL22) chemokine is produced by M2-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment. Chemokine C-C motif receptor 4 (CCR4), the CCL22 receptor, on T helper2 (Th2) cells leads to a Th2 cytokine-dominant environment. In our previous study, lymph node metastasis was the main predictor of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) via CCL22. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of CCL22 and a Th2 cytokine-predominant tumor microenvironment on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C expression and lymphangiogenesis. The post-operative courses of 110 patients with early-stage tongue SCC with a histopathological diagnosis based on the 8th TNM classification were followed up (mean/median follow-up time, 47.1/42.0 months) from surgery until death or the last follow-up visit, and subsequent lymph node relapse was assessed. Lymphangiogenesis and the immunohistochemical expression of several markers (CCL22, CCR4 and VEGF-C) were evaluated. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot lymph node relapse-free survival and overall survival curves, which were compared using the log-rank test. In vitro, the association between CCL22 and VEGF-C by interleukin (IL)-4/signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) stimulation was examined. Lymphangiogenesis was significantly associated with lymph node relapse (P<0.001) and a CCL22+ macrophage ratio (P<0.001). CCL22+ TAMs were positive for VEGF-C and surrounded by CCR4+ cells. Additionally, VEGF-C expression was increased in IL-4/STAT6-stimulated macrophages. In addition, the STAT6 signaling pathway was activated in the SCC cells in the deeply invaded part of the tumor along with the aggregated macrophages. In conclusion, TAM CCL22 expression led to lymph node relapse via VEGF-C expression within the tumor microenvironment and the IL-4/STAT6 signaling pathway in early stage tongue SCC. Additionally, the worst pattern of invasion and depth of invasion were revealed to be useful parameters for lymph node relapse in patients with tongue SCC. The present study suggested that CCL22 contributed to the role of M2-like differentiated TAMs in prognosis and lymph node relapse via IL-4/STAT6 and VEGF. The IL-4/STAT6 signaling pathway may be a new molecular target for tongue SCC.


When unfixed cardiac muscle from the rat or hamster was incubated in substrate-free media containing cerous chloride buffered to pH 7.5 with Tris-maleate-sucrose, electron-dense reaction bodies were formed in the sarcoplasm and, to a greater extent, inside and budding from mitochondria. Fixation in glutaraldehyde prevented the reaction product appearing within mitochondria, but had no effect on either the bodies associated with outer mitochondrial membranes or those apparently free in the sarcoplasm or outside the cells. No reaction product was observed in unfixed liver, kidney or skeletal muscle.The electron-dense reaction product within cardiocytes was absent in fixed tissues treated beforehand with acetone and in fresh tissues preincubated with the D-aminoacid oxidase inhibitor kojic acid. It was substantially reduced by preincubation in Tiron (a superoxide scavenger), diethyldithiocarbamic acid (an inhibitor of copper-containing enzymes such as diamine oxidase and superoxide dismutase) or EDTA, and totally if any of these compounds was included in the incubation medium. However, p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonate, a non-penetrating and non-specific inhibitor of NAD (P) H oxidoreductases, and atebrine limited the amount of reaction product formed in all sites by much less. Chlorpromazine inhibited the formation of reaction product in the sarcoplasm but gave rise to a coagulated product within mitochondria. With Clorgyline, in contrast, no product was deposited in mitochondria and large amorphous masses of reaction product appeared in the sarcoplasm.None of the following, when included in the incubation medium, had any significant effect: 3-amino-1, 2, 4-triazole, catalase, dicoumarol, glutathione peroxidase, mannitol, methanol, Pargyline, o-phenanthroline, potassium cyanide, rotenone, sodium azide, sodium benzoate, sodium pyruvate, superoxide dismutase and thiourea.It is concluded that the electron-dense product arises from a reaction of cerium ions with either a lipid peroxide or endogenous hydrogen peroxide generated by a metal-containing thiol enzyme, possibly an oxidised form of monoamine oxidase A with the properties of a diamine oxidase. The significance of the cerium reaction in the ageing of cells is discussed briefly.


This article reports the 9-month follow-up CT scan of a patient with a pharyngeal fish bone that had migrated into the soft tissues of the neck. The patient had been managed conservatively and remains well, the fish bone having disappeared completely and presumed to have been resorbed.


TIPS is the creation of an intrahepatic shunt between the portal and hepatic veins. The primary indications for TIPS are unresponsive acute variceal bleeding; bleeding from gastric varices, ectopic varices and portal gastropathy; and variceal bleeding in patients awaiting liver transplantation. Preliminary reports suggest that TIPS may be useful in other conditions such as resistant ascites, cirrhotic hydrothrorax and hepatorenal syndrome. TIPS has also been successfully placed in a proportion of patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome and portal vein thrombosis. The immediate post-procedure complication rate is low, considering the serious underlying illness of patients undergoing TIPS. However, the main concern in the long-term is stent stenosis or occlusion. Within one year, nearly 50% of patients develop stent dysfunction and a significant proportion of these patients suffer from recurrent variceal bleeding. At present, no clear solution has been found to this problem. It is hoped that stents made of material which is less thrombogenic and which provokes a less exuberant host tissue response may become available. Until then, TIPS should be reserved for complications which are unresponsive to standard therapy and in patients where surgery is considered hazardous.


We adapt an existing asymptotic method to set up a one-dimensional model for the fall of a closed filament in an infinite fluid in the Stokes regime. Starting from the single-layer integral representation of the fluid velocity around the filament, we get, for a very slender filament, a Fredholm integral equation on the filament centerline. From this equation, we can compute the drag and force acting on the filament and consequently the resistance matrix. The integral equation is discretized with a collocation method. The study of a scalar model problem yields existence and uniqueness results together with an error estimate for the discretization scheme. Then, we compare the resistance matrix of thin ideal knots obtained from the discretization of the present model to a boundary element method; numerical convergence results and a good agreement of both methods validate our model.


Dépaysement means a change of scenery, a unique word in French that captures emotions shared by travelers. The pandemic has changed the entire globe and caused such feelings in many of us. With this project, we created a series of monotypes based on the visual music When Leaving Becomes Arriving we produced before. The process includes 1) toner transfer of digital images, 2) additive or subtractive inking with found objects, and 3) layering and iterations. This workflow supports spontaneous creative impulse and inspires experimentation of ideas and compositions. Transforming screen-based work into tangible media is a refreshing experience. The mixing of ink, the marks from rollers or brayers, the placement of the found objects, and the arrangement of stencils, all contribute to the final output. We hope this project will encourage other computer graphics artists to explore fine art printmaking as an alternative to digital printing.


Interventions that alter cholesterol have differential impacts on hormone receptor positive- and negative-breast cancer risk and prognosis. This implies differential regulation or response to cholesterol within different breast cancer subtypes. We evaluated differences in side-chain hydroxycholesterol and liver X nuclear receptor signalling between Oestrogen Receptor (ER)-positive and ER-negative breast cancers and cell lines. Cell line models of ER-positive and ER-negative disease were treated with Liver X Receptor (LXR) ligands and transcriptional activity assessed using luciferase reporters, qPCR and MTT. Publicly available datasets were mined to identify differences between ER-negative and ER-positive tumours and siRNA was used to suppress candidate regulators. Compared to ER-positive breast cancer, ER-negative breast cancer cells were highly responsive to LXR agonists. In primary disease and cell lines LXRA expression was strongly correlated with its target genes in ER-negative but not ER-positive disease. Expression of LXR's corepressors (NCOR1, NCOR2 and LCOR) was significantly higher in ER-positive disease relative to ER-negative, and their knock-down equalized sensitivity to ligand between subtypes in reporter, gene expression and viability assays. Our data support further evaluation of dietary and pharmacological targeting of cholesterol metabolism as an adjunct to existing therapies for ER-negative and ER-positive breast cancer patients.


Security presents a crucial point in mobile agent systems and may hinder the expansion and use of this paradigm. The protection of mobile agents is considered as one of the greatest challenges of security, because the platform of execution has access to all the components of the mobile agent. In this paper, we present a new architecture paradigm of mobile agents, which allows the separation of the implementation tasks of the agent and its security mechauisms. Our approach is based on using two strategies of adaptation to adapt the mobile agent security at runtime, depending on the sensitivity of the services required to perform the duties of the agent and the degree of confidence of the visited platforms. The first is a static adaptation performed by the MSAS (the Management System of Agents Security). The second is a reflexive structural dynamic adaptation performed by the mobile agent itself. These two adaptations take into account the dynamic security requirements in systems based on mobile agent.


A microorganism with the cell wall and cytoplasmic membrane was found when the endotrophic mycorrhiza of pea was studied by electron microscopy. The wall of the microorganism was in a close contact with the cytoplasm of the fungus. No changes were found in the ultrastructure of the fungus and microorganism caused by their interaction.


This document provides an overview of the literature and includes the full set of case studies provided by partners describing how OER can or might influence participation in higher education in different states across Europe.

Executive summary

1. The level of participation and achievement within higher education is viewed as crucial for social and economic development. While widening participation in higher education is a goal of all 46 countries within the European Higher Education Area there is no common or simple definition of what widening participation means in practice. In principle it is a variable mix between how many people, what type of people and what type of achievement those people gain through engaging in higher education level study.
2. Whether from the perspective of the learner or a higher education institution it is possible to consider the availability, accessibility, affordability and acceptability of taught educational provision and educational resources. A large number of physical, social, economic, cultural and psychological factors or barriers influence how many and what types of people participate and what achievements they gain.
3. There has been a growth in interest in open education and open educational resources. This interest in openness both builds upon the pioneering work of open and distance learning institutions to address widening participation, many of which participated in this study, and also extends the concept of what it means to participate or engage in higher education level study.
4. Open educational resources come in many forms and their availability, accessibility, affordability and acceptability vary depending on the licence used and the technology employed to create and deliver them. As with participation in higher education there are a number of multi-faceted and multi-layered reasons why people may be excluded from using open educational resources.
5. The evidence from the pioneering work of the partners in this study is that open and distance learning offers great scope to expand the availability and accessibility of higher education study where traditional campus based institutions cannot take on many more students as quickly or where students wish to 'learn why they earn' as life long learners. It can also be more affordable and acceptable although this depends on individual contexts in individual countries. The modular nature of their programmes also provides more flexibility for there to be higher education study achievement below a first cycle Bachelors qualification.
6. The partners' work with publishing open educational resources indicate that this can also greatly increase the opportunities for people to engage with informal (self-organised and non credit bearing) or non-formal (peer group or employer organised and non credit bearing) higher education study. Such opportunities are able to provide better bridges into formal study for those groups currently excluded from higher education study and better bridges with employers and voluntary organisations seeking more customised educational experiences for their employees or members.
7. These developments around openness and in particular open educational resources are leading the partners in this study to closely examine their business models and modes of operation in terms of how many people they recruit and teach, what type of people they recruit and teach, the modes by which they provide educational resources and structure educational experiences and what constitutes successful engagement or participation.
8. New policies and practices are required at all levels in the higher education system to address issues of openness and open educational resources in higher education study and the role that both can play in increasing and widening engagement and participation.


Introduction: Chronic angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEIs) treatment can suppress arrhythmogenesis. To examine whether the effect is more immediate and independent of suppression of pathological remodelling, we tested the antiarrhythmic effect of short-term ACE inhibition in healthy normotensive rats.

Methods and results: Wistar rats were administered with enalaprilat (ENA, i.p., 5 mg/kg every 12 h) or vehicle (CON) for two weeks. Cellular shortening was measured in isolated, electrically paced cardiomyocytes. Standard 12-lead electrocardiography was performed and, hearts of anesthetized open-chest rats were subjected to 6-min ischemia followed by 10-minute reperfusion to examine susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias. Expressions of calcium regulating proteins (SERCA2a, cardiac sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase; CSQ, calsequestrin; TRD, triadin; PLB, phospholamban; FKBP12.6, FK506-binding protein) were measured by Western blot and mRNA levels of L-type calcium channel (Cacna1c), ryanodine receptor (Ryr2) and potassium channels Kcnh2 and Kcnq1 were measured by qRT-PCR. ENA decreased systolic as well as diastolic blood pressure (by 20%, and by 31%, respectively, for both P<0.05) but enhanced shortening of cardiomyocytes at basal conditions (by 34%, P<0.05) and under beta-adrenergic stimulation (by 73%, P<0.05). Enalaprilat shortened QTc interval duration (CON: 78±1 ms vs. ENA: 72±2 ms; P<0.05) and significantly decreased the total duration of ventricular fibrillations (VF) and the number of VF episodes (P<0.05). Reduction in arrhythmogenesis was associated with a pronounced upregulation of SERCA2a and increased Cacna1c mRNA levels.

Conclusion: Short-term ACEI treatment can provide protection against I/R injury-induced ventricular arrhythmias in healthy myocardium and this effect is associated with increased SERCA2a expression.
| | CON | ENA |
| --------------------------- | ------ | ------- |
| Calcium regulating proteins | | |
| SERCA2a | 100±20 | 304±13* |
| CSQ | 100±6 | 105±7 |
| TRD | 100±16 | 117±10 |
| PLB | 100±9 | 109±16 |
| FKBP12 | 100±12 | 93±7 |


ABSTRACT This study was to evaluate the effects of dietary essential oils (EO) and betaine on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and serum hormones in growing-finishing pigs under heat stress conditions. A total of 96 crossed pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] with an initial body weight (BW) of 24.7 ± 0.27 kg were used in an 18-week trial. Pigs were randomly allocated to four treatments according to BW and gender. There were six replication pens in each treatment, with four pigs (two barrows and two gilts) per pen. Treatment groups were: (1) control group (CON), basal diet + 23°C for 24 h; (2) heat stress group (HC) with basal diet + 37°C for 9 h, 23°C for 15 h; (3) group HEO, HC with 0.01% EO; (4) group HBE, HC with 0.1% betaine. During the overall period, groups HEO and HBE had higher (p < 0.05) average daily gain than group HC. At week 6, group HC had a lower apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM) (p < 0.05), but at week 12, this group had lower ATTD of DM, nitrogen and gross energy than group HEO (p < 0.05). At week 12 and 18, dietary EO decreased (p < 0.05) serum cortisol and norepinephrine concentration. At week 18, dietary EO and betaine decreased (p < 0.05) epinephrine concentration. Conclusively, dietary EO may be a potential nutritional strategy to alleviate heat stress in growing-finishing pigs.


The British projects conducted in Ethiopia under the auspices of the I. B. P. have collected a vast amount of information concerning the peoples in Begemedir province, a highland area. This background served well as baseline data to establish the value of an applied nutrition project covering a broad range of activities. In the project township, Debarek, a polyclinic was introduced. Special attention was given to nutrition education for the under-fives by using several approaches. Other activities included nutrition education in the school and polyclinic, investigations into treatment of goitre and vitamin A deficiency, market garden schemes and improvements in poultry keeping. The only input in the control town Adi Arkai was a polyclinic set up by the Ethiopian Ministry of Health. Information about Debarek (the target community) and Adi Arkai (control) was also obtained from government statistics and surveys carried out by the Gondar Public Health College in 1968. The Project carried out censuses in 1970 and again in 1972. The evidence collected in the two communities over this period, while insufficient to establish any long-term trend, showed clearly a similar population structure. The most marked characteristics were the imbalance in the sex-ratio (67 males per 100 females Debarek, 86/100 in Adi Arkai) which reflected mobility, and the employment of about 80 % of the labour force in the tertiary or service sector, which reflected the economic function of the towns. On the other hand, religious groupings appeared to be remarkably stable and were an important aspect of the pattern of authority in the community. The monitoring of births and deaths during the Project gave accurate data for the first time. Crude birth rates in Debarek and Adi Arkai were 42 and 50 per thousand, crude death rates 19 and 35 per thousand, and infant mortality rates 229 and 198 per thousand live births respectively. A number of indicators of nutritional status were employed. Within a stratified sample of families three-day individual food intakes were measured on six occasions during 1969 and again at the conclusion of the Project in 1972. Energy intakes were consistently low, being about 70 % of the 1973 F. A. O./W. H. O. recommendations. Measurements made on these families, and on schoolchildren, of height, mass, skinfold thickness and arm circumference demonstrated that the people are small and underweight, with very little body fat. Clinical examinations revealed few overt signs of nutritional deficiencies, except for vitamin A and goitre. Evaluation was achieved by comparing anthropometric, mortality, and morbidity data from the Project and control towns. The most significant changes observed in the Project town were a 38 % reduction in the infant mortality rate, an improvement in the mass for age data for under-fives, and a reduction in the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and goitre. Assessment of nutritional knowledge, its application, and effectiveness was attempted on selected groups. The achievements and failures of applied nutrition programmes are discussed in relation to the underlying economic basis of malnutrition, i.e. poverty.


Abstract The essential oils of three Turkish endemic Heracleum species, H. crenatifolium Boiss., H. platytaenium Boiss. and H. sphondylium L. subsp. ternatum (Velen.) Brummitt were obtained using hydrodistillation (HD), microwave-assisted hydro-distillation (MWHD), microdistillation (MD), micro steam distillation-solid-phase microextraction (MSD-SPME) techniques and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Compositions of the oils isolated by different methods showed some differences. The main components in all the oils were found to be octyl acetate (19–95%) and octanol (0.6–5.0%). Octyl isovalerate (0.8–6.4%) and decyl acetate (0.5–4.3%) were the next most abundant constituents in the oil of H. crenatifolium. Octyl hexanoate (3.0–4.7%), (Z)-4-octenyl acetate (1.6–2.1%), octanol (0.7–1.0%) and decanal (0.7–1.2%) were the next major constituents in the oil of H. platytaenium. Octyl butyrate (34.6–41.0%), apiole (4.7–20.4%), (Z)-4-octenyl acetate (2.2–4.4%) and (Z)-4-octenyl butyrate (2.6–3.0%) were found as other main constituents in the oil of H. sphondylium subsp. ternatum.


When generating content for video games using procedural content generation (PCG), the goal is to create functional assets of high quality. Prior work has commonly leveraged the feasible-infeasible two-population (FI-2Pop) constrained optimisation algorithm for PCG, sometimes in combination with the multi-dimensional archive of phenotypic-elites (MAP-Elites) algorithm for finding a set of diverse solutions. However, the fitness function for the infeasible population only takes into account the number of constraints violated. In this paper we present a variant of FI-2Pop in which a surrogate model is trained to predict the fitness of feasible children from infeasible parents, weighted by the probability of producing feasible children. This drives selection towards higher-fitness, feasible solutions. We demonstrate our method on the task of generating spaceships for Space Engineers, showing improvements over both standard FI-2Pop, and the more recent multi-emitter constrained MAP-Elites algorithm.


Abstract Closure of so-called "secundum" atrial septal defects with a device inserted on a catheter necessitates precise delineation of their morphology. Echocardiography is the diagnostic method of choice to demonstrate this morphology, and to differentiate such defects located within the oval fossa from the other variants producing an interatrial communication. Precordial echocardiography usually allows selection of cases likely to be suitable for closure in this fashion. This selection is based on the localisation and the size of the deficiency in the oval fossa, the length of the interatrial septum, and the adequacy of the infolded rims surrounding the defect. Suitability for closure is reevaluated by transesophageal echocardiography, either asa separate investigation or at the start of the interventional theterisation. This investigation requires a multiplane transesophageal echocardiographic probe, since only oblique planes will demonstrate the entrance of the systemic and pulmonary veins and their relationship to the defect. Transesophageal echocardiography serves as an important monitoring tool during the interventional procedure. As such, it is a necessary adjunct to fluoroscopy. The stretched diameter of the defect measured with a balloon is the main eterminant of the choice of the type and size of the device. This diameter can be measured fluoroscopically, as well as on echo. Colorflow mapping serves to rule out residual shunting during the occlusion of the defect with the balloon. During deployment of the device, constant echocardiographic visualisation of the device and its position relative to the atrial septum facilitates proper placement. Such constant visualisation can only be provided by repeated quick acquisitions of multiple planes. Once the device is released, the investigator should continue to record the position of the device, and assess the potential for residual shunting.Most of the devices show some subtle change in position during the first 20 minutes after implantation.


A healthy lifestyle is very important to ensure a good health during study period at university This study aims to measure the body mass index (BMI), physical activities, sleep duration and academic performance among 334 Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia students staying in Tun Syed Nasir Residential College, Kuala Lumpur All data were collected using questionnaires and anthropometric measurement. The results showed 22% of students had underweight problems, 11% overweight and 3% obese, respectively About half of the male students (52%) showed high physical activity levels, whereas moderate physical activity levels were reported in 59% offemale students. Additionally, majority of the students (90%) had sleep duration less than eight hours per day The participated students showed 3.06±0.34 of min CGPA. Pearson correlation test showed in-significant relationship between moderate physical activity walking and sleep duration during weekends with CGPA performance. However there were negative relationship between BMI (r=-0. 174, p<0.05) and high physical activities (r= -0.118, p< 0.05) with CGPA performance. Moreover, only sleep duration were found to have significant positive correlation with CGPA performance (r=0.132, p<0.05). In conclusion, this study manages to prove that students 'academic performance is related to BM1, physical activities and sleep duration.


A retrospective evaluation was performed with records of 128 patients with 146 eyes that underwent applications of strontium-90 after pterygium excisions performed between 1982 and 1988. With a median follow-up of 13 months, 135 eyes were evaluable. Most pterygia (127 of 135) were treated with a single postoperative application of Sr-90 that delivered 3,000 cGy of beta radiation in one fraction. The actuarial freedom from relapse was 87%; all recurrences occurred within the first 18 months, and 46% of these within the first 3 months. Of the 13 recurrences, 10 have been re-treated with surgery and a second course of beta irradiation with excellent results. All eight eyes for which follow-up was available had no evidence of disease. The ultimate control rate was 96.3% for the series. Correlation of various treatment parameters, including age, bilaterality, prior recurrence, and interval from surgery to irradiation, was performed, and no statistically significant difference was seen. No serious complications have developed. Transient conjunctivitis and photophobia were almost universally seen, with five cases lasting beyond 5 months. The authors conclude that a single application of Sr-90 after surgery is effective and safe in managing pterygia.


A novel design approach is proposed for low-density parity-check convolutional codes (LDPC-CCs), that jointly optimizes the code, encoder and decoder to achieve high-throughput parallel encoding and decoding. A series of implementation-oriented constraints are applied to construct architecture-aware (AA) codes by introducing algebraic structures into the parity-check matrix. The resulting AA codes have bit error rate performance comparable to other published LDPC-CCs. Given these AA LDPC-CCs, new architectures are proposed for a parallel LDPC-CC encoder with built-in termination and an LDPC-CC decoder that is parallel in the node dimension as well as pipelined in the iteration dimension. ASIC synthesis results for a 90-nm CMOS process show that the proposed encoder and the decoding processor achieve 2.0-Gbps throughputs at 250-MHz clock frequencies within silicon areas of 0.1 mm2 and 1 mm2 respectively.


This paper discusses part of research in progress that studies the potential role of spatial boundaries in historic housing transformations. Boundaries are considered here to be the spatial locations where the socio-spatial scales overlap and potentially interact. The socio-spatial scales that are discussed here include the building scale/domestic interior and the urban block/urban neighbourhood. Moreover, the urban block is considered in reference to the background context of the urban area/local community. Overall, this research aims in studying housing transformations from an urban scale perspective; namely, to form an approach that is holistic in its scope. Thus architectural design and urban planning are studied in reference to each other, by relating the domestic interior to urban landscape, whilst taking into consideration the social solidarities that these spatial patterns support. It is suggested that spatial boundaries control the flow of social users in spatial patterns, being at the same time potential interfaces at different scales of activity where the individual is (successively or abruptly) transformed from inhabitant, to commuter and to citizen. Accordingly, as it will be discussed, the way the transition between the socio-spatial scales is structured defines whether the boundary divides, connects and allows interaction between these scales. More specifically, this paper focuses on the street-dwelling relation and on how the public-private interface shifts over time. The study aims to analyse whether boundaries shift in response to changes in society and consequential changes in built form. The methodological approach is based upon a study of the relationship between the architectural and morphological aspects of space (Conzenian approaches) with the analytical measures of Space Syntax Theory (Griffiths et al., 2010), and done so for all studied scales (urban area, urban block, residence unit). The intention is to relate the architectural-morphological properties (in a way the three dimensional configuration) of the housing typology to the scale of the urban block and its surrounding area. In particular, the housing typology discussed in this paper is the New York row-house and the way it evolved within the historic spatial patterns of the city's West Village. The study shows how the forces that shaped the built form around the studied street, Grove Street, have implemented shifts in the boundary of the building with the street, transforming in turn the public-private interface and the neighbourhood profile.


BACKGROUND: Chronic opium exposure leads to altered response to opioid compounds. The aim of this study was to assess the behavioral effects of opium tolerance on the analgesic effects of intrathecal lidocaine in rats. METHODS: Twenty-four adult male Sprague Dawley rats with intrathecal (IT) catheters were divided into 3 groups of 8. The first group was morphine tolerant and received IT lidocaine (ML). Rats in the second group were not morphine tolerant and received IT lidocaine (L), while the third group consisted of not morphine tolerant rats that received IT placebo. Tail flick test was done and maximal possible antinociceptive effects (MPAE) were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: While percent of MPAE significantly increased in the L group, it had a significant reduction in the ML group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: After intrathecal lidocaine administration, a hyperalgesic response was seen in morphine tolerant rats and an analgesic response was seen in the lidocaine group.


The immune response is characterized by an initial rapid activation of the innate defence system, geared at recognizing common structures shared by many microorganisms. This innate immune response is a prerequisite to mount a highly antigenspecific adaptive immune response consisting of T-cell differentiation into effector subsets and B-cell differentiation into antibody-secreting plasma cells. Commonly, allergy is characterized by dendritic cells presenting allergenic peptides, activated Th2 cells producing signature cytokines like IL-4 and IL-5, and B-cells producing allergen-specific IgE antibodies. Under non-allergic conditions tolerance mechanisms, comprising regulatory T-cell subsets, are suppressing potential immune responses to allergen exposure. The protein structure of many allergens has been resolved and has provided an explanation for the epitope-specific IgE cross-reactivity responsible for the pollen– food syndrome. The knowledge on the protein characteristics of the major food allergens can provide better understanding why certain types of allergic symptoms can develop in particular individuals. Together with information on the genetic basis and the modulatory capacity of the environment, the Allergy Consortium Wageningen sets out to develop preventive measures to reduce allergic sensitization, to give advice to reduce allergen exposure and induce symptom reduction, and to provide clues to the management of an existing allergy.


The 2-year posttreatment course of substance abuse patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was examined in a multisite evaluation of Veterans Affairs substance abuse treatment. Substance abuse patients with PTSD (SUD-PTSD) were compared with patients with only substance use disorder (SUD only) and patients with other comorbid psychiatric diagnoses (SUD-PSY) on outcomes during the 2 years after treatment. SUD-PTSD patients had a poorer long-term course on substance use, psychological symptom, and psychosocial outcomes than SUD-only and SUD-PSY patients. Coping methods were examined as mediators of the effect of PTSD on substance use outcomes. Greater use of avoidance coping styles and less use of approach coping at I year partially accounted for the association of PTSD with 2-year substance use. Treatments that address multiple domains of functioning and focus on alternative coping strategies are recommended for this population.


Growing pains are recurrent limb pains peculiar to children. Brief episodes of leg pains occurring intermittently at night are typical, but the clinical spectrum is variable. A diagnosis of growing pains can be made with certainty only after other possible conditions have been ruled out by appropriate studies and after the child has been observed carefully for a period of months. The two diseases most often confused with this syndrome are rheumatic fever and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Aspirin and supportive measures are beneficial.


In spite of profound ideological and methodological differences, African political studies have tended to subscribe to the concept of the "soft state". The concept is grounded in the perception that the typical African state constitutes a weak and corrupt bureaucratic apparatus because it consistently fails to promote the general interest. This perception is flawed because it implies the theoretical expulsion of dass interests from the concept of the state. The reality is that states are never divorced from the material, political, and ideological interests of the ruling dass. The state is therefore never "soft", it is always an organ of dominance, all the more so in African societies which are traversed by processes of ruling dass consolidation requiring the brutal accumulation and dosure of wealth, privilege, and status.


This paper reports results on the porosity and pore size distribution of cement paste containing varying amounts of simulated desulphurised waste (SDW). The water to binder ratio was 0.5. The binder consists of cement and SDW. The SDW is a combination of fly ash and gypsum ranging from 0-100%. Cement in the pastes was partially replaced with 25% SDW (by weight). The porosity and pore size distribution of cement pastes at 90 days of curing is reported. Increasing the amount of gypsum up does not change the pore volume, however, there is tendency of obtaining coarser pore structure in the presence of gypsum.


With the development of newer and more developed technologies in assisting humans by robots the most advanced and efficient way is by air. Robots cannot assist humans in all times since there are times where robots that move in floors cannot help in complex and rough terrain, hence the only way to assist humans everywhere is through air, thus robot that can fly can.


The epidemic that struck Constantinople and the surrounding countries during the reign of Justinian in the middle of the 6th century, was the first documented pandemic in history. It marked the beginning of plague as a nosological problem that would afflict the world until the 21st century. The symptoms of the disease, as described by various contemporary writers (especially the historian and confidant of the emperor, Procopius, and the two church historians, John of Ephesus and Euagrius), are discussed. There is little doubt that the disease was the plague. The most common form in which it manifested was bubonic plague, which is spread by infected fleas and is not directly contagious from patient to patient. There is also evidence of septicaemic plague and possibly even pneumonic plague. The disastrous effects of the plague were described vividly by contemporary writers. A major problem was to find ways to dispose of infected corpses. It is estimated that about one third of the population died — a figure comparable to the death rate during the Black Death in the Middle Ages. Famine and inflation, the depopulation of the countryside, and a critical manpower shortage in the army were further effects which all contributed to bringing to a premature end Justinian's attempt to restore the grandeur of the Roman empire, and precipitating the advent of the Middle Ages.


Some evidence for gauge field condensation in gauge theories is reviewed. The gravitational effects of gauge field condensates, in particular those associated with four-index field strengths are analyzed, paying special attention to their effect on the cosmological constant problem (CCP) and on the matching of different phases of the theory. Gauge fields composed of elementary scalars and their role in the CCP are studied. In particular such gauge fields can define a composite measure of integration which is a total derivative leading to the invariance under changes in the Lagrangian density L, L→L+constant. In such models, when gravity is formulated in the first order formalism, gauge field condensates define and control particle physics dynamics and drive inflation while the true vacuum of the theory is one with zero cosmological constant. It is also shown that models of gauge fields composed of elementary scalars, like the "No Scale Nonlinear σ Model" can produce a new geometrical-type solution of the strong CP problem, which is possible when a condensate of a composite gauge field is present. It is shown that the theory without the cosmological constant problem explained here has a scale invariance, spontaneously broken by the expectation value of a four-index field strength. However, no massless "dilaton" appears as a result of this SSB.


The Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (SweSAT) has been used for selection to higher education in Sweden since 1977. The most important demand on the test is that it should rank test-takers as fairl ...


A secondary analysis of a prospective randomized clinical trial with repeated measures was conducted to examine the effects of a standardized nursing intervention on patient and spouse depressive symptoms, sexual function, and marital interaction. Another purpose of this study was to determine if, over time, differences existed in men and their spouses' levels of depressive symptoms, sexual function, and marital interaction following radical prostatectomy. Spouses reported significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms and significantly more marital interaction distress compared to patients. Patients reported significantly more distress pertaining to sexual function than their spouses.


The spectacular growth in the use of mobile devices is a natural consequence of the benefits they offer. However, most mobile users grant little importance to the security of information stored, processed and transmitted. Even more, the last two years can be considered years of reference for the mobile security industry ranging from virulent mobile ransomware attacks to mobile IoT botnets and mobile security breaches through mobile malware, that have redefined security paradigms. It is clear that we are at a point of inflection and transition to another generation of cyber attacks and the tendency is that attacks on mobile devices will expand. The security of mobile devices is a topical issue and the main objective is to educate the user to know the risks to which he/she is exposed to and to offer him/her viable security solutions in order to protect himself/herself against mobile threats. In this article we are going to present some protection and mitigation strategies with recommendations for improvement.


Background: Lynch syndrome, also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, is an autosomal dominant cancer syndrome. There is an urgent need to identify patients with Lynch syndrome among patients with endometrial cancer. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of measuring DNA mismatch repair (MMR) expression in young Japanese endometrial cancer patients to differentiate sporadic and Lynch syndrome-associated tumors.
Methods: In a retrospective analysis of 50-year-old or younger endometrial cancer patients, 106 tumors were evaluated for MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, and MLH1 expression by immunohistochemistry. Samples lacking MLH1 were further examined by real-time PCR to evaluate hypermethylation of the MLH1 promoter. Clinical characteristics of patients with suspected Lynch syndrome were then evaluated.
Results: Among the 106 samples, 25 (23.6%) had reduced MMR protein expression; MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6 staining was negative in 14, 6 and 5 cases, respectively, while no samples were negative for PMS2. Among the 14 cases lacking MLH1 staining, 10 were found to be associated with MLH1 promoter hypermethylation. Therefore, 15 (14.2%) cases of suspected Lynch syndrome-associated endometrial cancer were found. These patients presented with a significantly lower body mass index and had more first-degree relatives diagnosed with a Lynch syndromeassociated cancer. Our cohort included three Lynch syndrome patients with known mutations, and tumor samples from these patients showed an absence of the specific MMR protein that was mutated.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that immunohistochemical analysis of tumor samples for MMR protein expression can identify patients with Lynch syndrome. With early detection, colorectal cancer outcomes might be drastically improved.


Blockchain is a emerging technology with decentralized infrastructure. This technology is used in almost all the domains including finance, energy, cloud computing, messaging and many more. Blockchain plays a important role in military message passing which ensures security of messages by avoiding changes made to data that is stored in blocks. Consortium blockchain requires the permission where each and every user are authorized users. The main issue is Distributed Consensus in the current system of PoW algorithm. So here the consortium blockchain technology is proposed on "MESSAGE PASSING TECHNOLOGY" in military messaging system called HPBC. This algorithm will works well on asynchronous network which in turn gives the results in high performance and analysis evaluation.


Under certain controlled conditions it is now possible to machine brittle materials such as glasses and ceramics using single or multi-point diamond tools (grinding), so that material is removed by plastic flow, leaving crack-free surfaces. This process is called 'shear' or 'ductile' mode grinding. It represents a major breakthrough in modern manufacturing engineering since it promises to enable: - complex optical components, both transmission and reflecting to be generated by advanced CNC machines with very little (or even zero) subsequent polishing. - complex shaped components such as turbine blades, nozzle guide vanes, etc. to be finish machined after near net shape forming, to high precision in advanced ceramics such as silicon nitride, without inducing micro-cracking and thus lowering ultimate rupture strength and fatigue life. Ductile mode "damage free" grinding occurs when the volume of materials stressed by each grit of the grinding wheel is small enough to yield rather than exhibit brittle fracture, i.e. cracking. In practice, this means maintaining the undeformed chip thickness to below the ductile-brittle transition value; this varies from material to material but is generally in the order of 0.1 pm or 100 nm, (hence the term "nanogrinding" is sometimes used) . Thus the critical factors for operating successfully in the ductile regime are machine system accuracy and dynamic stiffness between each grit and the workpiece. In detail this means: (i) High precision 'truing' of the diamond grits, together with dressing of the wheel bond to ensure adequate ' openness'; (ii) Design and build of the grinding wheel spindle with very high dynamic stiffness; error motions, radial and axial, must be considerably less than 100 nfl. (iii) Design and build of the workpiece carriage motion system with very high dynamic stiffness; error motions, linear or rotary, must be well within 100 nm. (iv) Smooth, rumble-free, high-stiffness servo-drives controlling the motions which form the chip. In general, and as a rule of thumb, a machine "loop-stiffness" (between tool and workpiece) not less than 300 N,4im (static) is necessary.


As baby boomers in the United States enter retirement with a high life expectancy, courts and legislatures are increasingly pressed to resolve disputes over the properties of the elderly. Empirical studies suggest that financial abuse against the elderly is hard to detect and likely prevalent. Those who manage property for the elderly may have perverse incentives to exploit their position. Presuming the worst from the property manager, American fiduciary law typically imposes onerous fiduciary duties to minimize conflicts of interest and deter misconduct. Orthodox fiduciary law explicitly aims to overdeter.

This Article argues that orthodox fiduciary law is too strict on most guardians and agents who manage property for the elderly. The problem is that mental or physical decline is common among seniors, but a lack of mental capacity typically stultifies the power to authorize a fiduciary to depart from adherence to strict fiduciary duty. By contrast, mentally-capable individuals are free to discharge those aspects of fiduciary law that they find intrusive and undesirable. In other words, while fiduciary law is mostly a default law when applied to capable individuals, it is a mandatory law when applied to elderly incapable individuals. Harming the welfare of many seniors, mandatory application of fiduciary law tends to stultify the pursuit of valuable other-regarding preferences in close families and personal relationships. Such strict and inflexible application further disregards the presence of intrinsic bonds and informal norms.

To remedy these shortcomings, this Article proposes a substituted-judgment defense to permit those departures from strict fiduciary law that the incapable individual would have authorized if she was mentally-capable. This defense should be made available to close relatives and friends but not to profit-driven professionals. To deter and sanction elder financial abuse by professional guardians and agents, this Article further proposes reforms to harness their reputational concerns.


We present a patient with hydrocephalus after tuberculous meningitis successfully treated with urokinase. She presented with multiple episodes of headache, fever, and vomiting. She underwent external ventricular drainage and was treated with urokinase in addition to dexamethasone, acetazolamide, and 4 antituberculous drugs. She was evaluated clinically, radiologically, and by laboratory work-up. On short-term clinical follow-up (3 months), she was asymptomatic after the treatment with urokinase. She was radiologically evaluated 3 weeks after the treatment. An MRI of the brain showed a decrease in ventricular size. Urokinase can be considered as a safe and promising adjunctive treatment for tuberculous meningitis hydrocephalus.


ABSTRACT Multilevel inverters (MLIs) are an imperative solution for high power and high voltage applications. The MLIs can be classified into two categories such as symmetric and asymmetric. The asymmetric type MLIs has large number of output voltage steps with less number of input DC voltage sources and switching devices. In this paper, a single phase asymmetric (trinary sequence DC source) Cascaded H-Bridge MLI has been developed using unipolar PWM control schemes. The topology can produce 27-level output voltage with the help of 12 switches and 3 DC sources. It has been examined with a diverse combination of multicarrier unipolar PWM control. The PWM control includes Phase Disposition (PDPWM), Alternative Opposition Disposition (APODPWM), Carrier overlapping (COPWM), and Variable Frequency (VFPWM). The harmonic content of output voltage for each technique has been observed with different modulation indices. The demonstration of proposed topology for generating 27-level output voltage has been tested through simulation in MATLAB-SIMULINK and verified with laboratory-based experimental setup. From the results, it is evident that the APODPWM offers quality output voltage with relatively low harmonic distortion. Also, it has been observed that COPWM performance is superior since it delivers relatively higher fundamental RMS output voltage.


Objectives : The risk factors and incidence of deep venous thrombosis were studied in a population of para- and tetraparesic patients institutionalized for long durations. Methods : Retrospectively, the antecedents and risk factors of deep venous thrombosis were collected for each patient. Results : Data were available for 57 patients. The mean duration of hospitalization was 18 years. None of the patients presented thromboembolic pathology. Ninety-three per cent of the patients were spastic tetraparesic, 7% were spastic paraparesic. Sixty per cent of the patients presented added risk factors, mostly orthopaedic surgery, bone fractures and hormonal treatments. Conclusion : Spasticity probably plays a role in preventing deep venous thrombosis in paralysed patients, but it does not fully explain the absence of deep venous thrombosis in this population.


In this paper, we propose a multi-generator extension to the adversarial training framework, in which the objective of each generator is to represent a unique component of a target mixture distribution. In the training phase, the generators cooperate to represent, as a mixture, the target distribution while maintaining distinct manifolds. As opposed to traditional generative models, inference from a particular generator after training resembles selective sampling from a unique component in the target distribution. We demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed architecture both analytically and with basic Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) models trained on the MNIST dataset.


Deep sequencing of small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene amplicons continues to be the most common approach for characterization of complex microbial communities. PCR amplifications of conserved regions of SSU rRNA genes often employ degenerate pools of primers to enable targeting of a broad spectrum of organisms. One little noticed feature of such degenerate primer sets is the potential for a wide range of melting temperatures between the primer variants. The melting temperature variation of primers in a degenerate pool could lead to variable amplification efficiencies and PCR bias. Thus, we sought to adjust the melting temperature of each primer variant individually. Individual primer modifications were used to reduce theoretical melting temperature variation between primers, as well as to introduce inter-cluster nucleotide diversity during Illumina sequencing of primer regions. We demonstrate here the suitability of such primers for microbial community analysis. However, no substantial differences in microbial community structure were revealed when using primers with adjusted melting temperatures, though the optimal annealing temperature decreased.


Background Pomalidomide (POM) in a 1-arm phase-1/-2 study and a randomized 4-arm phase-2 study in MPN-associated myelofibrosis improved anemia. Pomalidomide was evaluated at doses of 0.5 and 2.0 mg/d.

Aims To evaluate efficacy of POM alone at two different doses and combined with prednisolone (PRED) in patients with MPN-associated myelofibrosis and cytopenia (ClinicalTrials.gov No. [NCT00949364][1]).

Methods Main inclusion criteria were RBC-transfusion-dependence or hemoglobin <100 g/L and/or platelets <50/nL and/or neutrophils <1/nL. Treatment of the 1st cohort was POM, 2mg/d. PRED, 30mg/d was added in non-responders at 4 months (mo). Treatment of the 2nd cohort was POM, 0.5mg/d. Subjects were randomized to receive PRED, 30 mg/d, starting at 4 or 7 mo in non-responders. The primary endpoint was response assessed by IWG-MRT criteria and RBC-transfusion response (Gale RP et al., Leuk Res. 2011). Patients with proliferative disease could receive concomitant hydroxyurea. Acetylsalicylic acid, 100 mg/d, was given to prevent thrombosis. The study-design used Simon's optimal 2-stage design for the 1st cohort and a one-stage design for the 2nd cohort.

Results 38 patients were treated in cohort-1 and 58 in cohort-2 (N=27, PRED-mo-4; N=31; PRED-mo-7). Median follow-up was 30 mo in cohort-1 and 10 mo in cohort-2. Median age was 72 y (range, 49-85 y). 34% were female, 72% had primary MF. Disease-stage at study-entry (DIPSS) was high-risk, 24%, intermediate-2 risk, 65% and intermediate-1 risk 12%; JAK2V617Fand MPLW515L were detected in 58% and 6% of patients; 76% of patients were RBC- and 17% platelet-transfusion-dependent. There were no significant differences in pretreatment characteristics between cohort-1 and cohort-2 or between the 2 arms of cohort-2. Median durations of POM treatment were 12, 8, and 4 mo, respectively. PRED was added in cohort-1 and in the PRED-month-4 as well as PRED-month-7 arms of cohort-2 in 50%, 59% and 26% of patients. Response-rates were: 34% (95%-CI, 21-50%), 19% (95%-CI, 8-37%) and 16% (95%-CI, 7-33%), respectively; p=0.086. Responses occurred after 6 mo (range, 1-15 mo), 7 mo (range, 1-12 mo) and 4 mo (range, 3-7 mo). Anemia responses were observed more frequently in cohort-1 (29% [95%-CI, 17-45%]) compared to cohort-2 (14% [95%-CI, 7-25%]; p=0.059). Platelet response in patients with platelets 100/nL were achieved in 56% (95%-CI, 27-81%) and 25% (95%-CI, 9-53%; p=0.20). 13 patients (12 high risk) experienced blastic transformation; 4 patients developed solid neoplasms.

Conclusions Response rate to POM at a dose of 2mg/d was higher compared to 0.5 mg/d. Early addition of PRED at 4 mo compared to 7 mo was associated with longer treatment duration.

Disclosures: Schlenk: Novartis: Research Funding; Amgen: Research Funding; Chugai: Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Ambit: Honoraria. Off Label Use: Pomalidomide in Myelofibrosis. Reiter: Sanofi: Honoraria. Gattermann: Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding. Hochhaus: Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Travel Other; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; ARIAD: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy. Platzbecker: Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding. Heidel: Novartis Inc.: Research Funding; Novartis Inc.: Honoraria.

 [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT00949364&atom=%2Fbloodjournal%2F122%2F21%2F2822.atom


The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of selenium (Se) on the thyroid uptake and retention of radioiodine ((131)I) and on the serum levels of thyroid hormones. Experimental rats were divided into four groups with 10 animals in each group viz: untreated controls, (131)II-treated, Se-treated and (131)I+Se-treated. Group II and Group IV animals were injected intraperitoneally with 3.7MBq of (131)I. Group III and Group IV animals received Se in the form of sodium selenite, everyday at a dose of 1ppm in drinking water. Thyroidal (131)II uptake measurements, determination of biological half life of (131)I and estimation of serum of tri-iodothyronine (T3) and tetra-iodothyronine (T4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were carried out at two time intervals after 2 and 4 weeks. The statistical significance of the data was determined by using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Newman-Keuls test. The results showed lower serum levels of T3 and T4 and higher TSH levels in rats treated with (131)I when compared to untreated rats. Furthermore, the biological half life (Tbiol) of (131)I in thyroid and thyroidal (131)I uptake values at 2h and 24h were significantly lower in rats treated with (131)I compared with untrated control. Selenium treatment of (131)I treated rats resulted in a significant increase in the thyroid uptake as well as Tbiol of (131)I which indicated its increased retention. Moreover, normalization of the elevated serum TSH levels and a significant increase in the T3 and T4 levels was evident when Se was administered to the (131)I treated rats. In conclusion, this study indicates that Se when given to rats in the form of sodium selenite, at a dose of 1ppm in drinking water enhances the uptake and retention of (131)I in the thyroid as well as regulates thyroid hormone levels.


Organizational assurance strategy involves adding some new but unrelated products and services to their existing ones, and assurance approaching them to their current customers. This strategy is concerned when a organization tries to increase its control by acquiring organizations that supply it with input or organizations that are customers for its output. It aims at excelling in the competition by offering products with the lowest cost. Therefore, the organizational assurance is production in massive amount with low prices, which is labeled as economy of scale. This paper proposes a relation of organizational assurance approach by futurism management and reviews the organizational assurance planning and performance measurement literature to develop a conceptual model and research propositions. In fact, active organizations influence whether or not those organizations engage in organizational assurance planning. In this field, the focus is on the special characteristics of futurism management such as education type and level. Data are drawn from a survey of the active organizations in active organizations that around few samples of futurism management engage in organizational assurance approach. The futurism management characteristics showing a significant association with a commitment to organizational assurance approach and also organizational assurance approach showed a positive association with that futurism management with a growth orientation. It is concluded that futurism management characteristics can be important in explaining and compilation the organizational assurance approach within the active organizations for implementation of organizational assurance planning.


This article explores the history of animation manuals in the United States from the 1940s to the present. It argues that this history can be divided into three major periods that correspond to changes in technique, profession and industry. From the post-War period until the 1980s, manuals reflected the hegemony of hand-drawn animation, closely bound to studio production and an apprenticeship training system. At the end of the 1970s, the rise of computer animation led to a new type of guidebook, addressing a growing convergence of computational training and new requirements introduced by the animation industry. Finally, since the turn of the century, manuals have sought to combine hand-drawn skills with digital tools, re-negotiating tradition and novelty in a diversified professional environment. Therefore, manuals are situated at a changing nexus of professional identity and training, techniques and technology, aesthetics and modes of production. In this article, the author argues that their integration within the history of animation will prove beneficial to researchers. Nevertheless, manuals are not innocent sources, but reflect discursive positions that shape the very history in which they take part.


The main limitation of visible light communication (VLC) is the narrow modulation bandwidth, which reduces the achievable data rates. In this letter, we apply the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) scheme to enhance the achievable throughput in high-rate VLC downlink networks. We first propose a novel gain ratio power allocation (GRPA) strategy that considers the users' channel conditions to ensure efficient and fair power allocation. Our results indicate that the GRPA significantly enhances the system performance compared with the static power allocation. We also study the effect of tuning the transmission angles of the light emitting diodes and the field of views of the receivers, and demonstrate that these parameters can offer new degrees of freedom to boost the NOMA performance. The simulation results reveal that NOMA is a promising multiple access scheme for the downlink of VLC networks.


This study indicates that human IgE-binding factors (IgE-BF) found in the cellfree culture supernatant (CSN) of Fc epsilon R-bearing B cells are breakdown products of the surface Fc epsilon R. This conclusion is suggested by the following observations. 1) Fc epsilon R and IgE-BF share several antigenic determinants as shown by immunoprecipitation with several Mab to Fc epsilon R (MabER) and SDS-PAGE analysis of the precipitates. 2) Upon incubation at 37 degrees C, normal tonsillar lymphocytes lose their Fc epsilon R and this is associated in a time-related manner with the release in the CSN of molecules reacting with two MabER. 3) Surface radioiodinated tonsillar lymphocytes or RPMI 8866 cells release labeled IgE-binding molecules displaying the same antigenic composition and the same migration on SDS-PAGE as purified IgE-BF. 4) Peptide mapping of highly purified IgE-BF and Fc epsilon R reveals the presence of several identical fragments after digestion with either alpha-chymotrypsin, trypsin, or papain. Moreover, papain digestion of the 25-27 kD IgE-BF and of the affinity-purified Fc epsilon R, generated a 15 kD fragment reacting with two MabER and that is known to bind IgE. Although these data strongly suggest that IgE-BF may be directly derived from cell surface IgE receptors, they do not exclude the possibility that some IgE-BF may also be secreted without being first anchored in the cell membrane.


BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with high cardiovascular risk. Preclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and subclinical arterial stiffness have been documented in patients with T2DM. The aims of this study were to investigate whether there were any differences in LV function and ascending aorta elasticity between T2DM patients with controlled [defined as glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) <6.5%] and uncontrolled (HbA1c ≥6.5%) blood glucose.

METHODS
We studied 86 T2DM patients: 42 T2DM patients with controlled blood glucose (controlled T2DM group) and 44 T2DM patients with uncontrolled blood glucose (uncontrolled T2DM group), and 40 healthy subjects as control. They all underwent transthoracic echocardiography examination, LV systolic function was evaluated by global longitudinal strain (GLS) and LV diastolic function was defined as the ratio of the early diastolic transmitral flow velocity (E) to average mitral annular velocity (e¯). Ascending aorta inner diameters and brachial blood pressure were measured to calculate ascending aorta elastic parameters: compliance (C), distensibility (D), strain (S), stiffness index (SI), Peterson's elastic modulus (EM).

RESULTS
Compared to control, T2DM patients had reduced GLS, increased E/e ̅ and impaired ascending aorta elasticity. Furthermore, LV function and ascending aorta elasticity were more severely damaged in uncontrolled T2DM group compared with controlled T2DM group. By Pearson correlation analysis, the level of HbA1c was independently associated with the parameters of the LV function and ascending aorta elasticity.

CONCLUSIONS
T2DM can impair the LV myocardial function and ascending aorta elastic properties, which may be further impaired by poor blood glucose control.


Abstract 3546 Because MSC support the growth and the differentiation of normal hematopoietic stem cells we hypothesized that MSC might also support leukemia cells, in particular leukemia stem cells (LSC) in vitro . We cultured blast cells from patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in liquid medium to study persistence of stem-cell-like and differentiated leukemia cell populations by flow cytometry, with and without MSC and additional growth factors. Cryopresrerved peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained from 6 AML patients (mean Age 47, range 23–74). Leukemia blasts were isolated by sorting live (propidium iodide (PI)-negative) CD34+ lineage (CD2+, CD3+, CD14+ and CD19+) -negative cells using a FACS ARIA II cell sorter (BD). Sorted blasts (2.5 ×10 5 cells) were co-cultured with an equal number of irradiated MSC derived from healthy donor bone marrow in RPMI medium supplemented with 10% human serum, with or without a human cytokine (CYTO) mixture (50 ng/ml interleukin 3, 150 ng/ml stem cell factor, and 150ng/ml Flt-3 ligand). MSC were replenished every two weeks. The phenotype of cultured cells was analyzed weekly using fluorescently-conjugated monoclonal antibodies against CD34, CD38, and CD45, plus the lineage panel and a dead cell exclusion dye Cell cycle analysis with Hoeschst 33342 and Pyronin Y was performed on cells co-stained with CD34, CD45 and PI. Primary leukemia samples were phenotypically heterogeneous with respect to proportions of cells (co-)staining for CD34 and CD38 as previously reported: three samples showed CD34+CD38- predominance (LSC-like leukemia), and three were CD34+CD38+ (common myeloid progenitor (CMP)-like leukemia). LSC-like leukemia maintained viable CD34+CD38- cells for at least 6 weeks when co-cultured with MSC alone, in contrast to cultures with cytokines or medium only which showed rapid decline in the LSC populations and no prolonged maintenance of viable cells (p=0.0005) (Figure, left panel). CMP-like leukemia maintained their CD34+CD38+ phenotype when co-cultured with MSC alone but persistence of this subset was not significantly different from the other culture conditions (p=0.5) and no culture remained viable after 4 weeks (Figure, right panel). Cell cycle analysis showed that co-culture with MSC maintained CD34+ blasts in G0 significantly more than other culture conditions (P We conclude that MSC support the maintenance of a leukemia stem cell phenotype in a long- term (6 week) in vitro culture system. The differential capacity of MSC to support LSC- like and CMP- like leukemia may be associated with the different frequency of leukemia initiating cells within each leukemic blast population. NSG mice xenotranplant model experiments are ongoing to confirm this hypothesis. Co-culture of LSC with MSC represents a simple approach to maintain LSC in vitro and could be utilized to screen the drug targeting LSCs. Further study of the effect of MSC on LSC would elucidate a potential mechanism whereby the marrow microenvironment serves as a reservoir of persisting leukemia after remission induction chemotherapy. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


This study presents a picture of accumulation of heavy metal (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd) in selected six fish species which are sold at local wet market in Jeli, Kelantan. The samples are consist of Megalaspis sordyla (Torpedo scad), Rastrelliger kanagurta (Indian mackerel), Auxis thazard (Frigate tuna), Decapterus macrosoma (Shortfin scad), Nemipterus japonicas (Japanese threadfin beam), and Atule mate (Yellowtail scad), or locally known as 'Cencaru', 'Kembung', 'Tongkol', 'Selayang', 'Kerisi', and 'Selar Kuning' respectively. The Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) was used to identify the level of heavy metal content in these fish species. The average concentration of heavy metal content found in these species was in the range of 59.9-352.6 pg/g for copper element; 215.4-268.7 pg/g for zinc element; and 15.1-20.8 pg/g for lead element. While for cadmium, its concentration was too low as its level was below the detection limit for the AAS. In conclusion, the consumption of these fish species were generally risky and some precaution should be taken for the intake of fish species which the metal concentration detected had exceed the maximum permissible level set by Malaysian Food Regulation 1985 and FAO/WHO (1984) regulation.


Sarcasm is one of the main challenges for sentiment analysis systems. Its complexity comes from the expression of opinion using implicit indirect phrasing. In this paper, we present ArSarcasm, an Arabic sarcasm detection dataset, which was created through the reannotation of available Arabic sentiment analysis datasets. The dataset contains 10,547 tweets, 16% of which are sarcastic. In addition to sarcasm the data was annotated for sentiment and dialects. Our analysis shows the highly subjective nature of these tasks, which is demonstrated by the shift in sentiment labels based on annotators' biases. Experiments show the degradation of state-of-the-art sentiment analysers when faced with sarcastic content. Finally, we train a deep learning model for sarcasm detection using BiLSTM. The model achieves an F1 score of 0.46, which shows the challenging nature of the task, and should act as a basic baseline for future research on our dataset.


This paper strengthens the result of Sengupta and Sengupta (1996). We show that for the class of games with nonempty cores the core can be reached in a bounded number of proposals and counterproposals. Our result is more general than this: the boundedness holds for any two imputations with an indirect dominance relation between them.


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates more than 1.1 million people in the United States are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, including 18% who remain undiagnosed.1 In July 2010, the Office of National AIDS Policy issued the first National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States, with a short-term goal of reducing the number of individuals with undiagnosed HIV infection to 10% by 2015 and a more general goal of creating an AIDS-free generation.2 Screening and testing for HIV infection is at the forefront of efforts to achieve these goals, and in 2013 the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) supported a broader HIV screening approach by changing its recommendation for routine HIV screening from grade C to grade A.3

When the CDC last modified its recommendations for HIV screening in health care settings in 2006, it called for routine non–risk-based opt-out HIV screening and explicitly removed the requirement for prevention counseling as part of such screening.4 Prevention counseling is a highly individualized interactive process of assessing risk, identifying specific behaviors that increase risk, and developing a plan to reduce risk and is expected to motivate behavior change.5 This expanded screening effort was proposed to help accelerate the processes by which individuals with HIV infection are identified. The elimination of prevention counseling, except for those who test positive, was also proposed to reduce a substantial barrier to testing. Prevention counseling was thought to be too resource-intensive, making clinicians less inclined to adopt the practice of routine HIV testing.

In this issue of JAMA, Metsch et al6 report findings from the AWARE randomized clinical trial, a study to evaluate the efficacy of prevention counseling on the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV infection, among patients who seek care at sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics. This study included 5012 patients from 9 STD clinics in the United States who were randomized to receive brief patient-centered HIV risk-reduction counseling with a rapid HIV test or the rapid HIV test with information only. At 6 months, there was no significant difference between groups in the composite end point of cumulative incidence of any measured STI (Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Treponema pallidum, herpes simplex virus 2, and HIV; women also were tested for Trichomonas vaginalis), with incident rates of 250 of 2039 cases (12.3%) in the counseling group and 226 of 2032 cases (11.1%) in the information-only group. The authors concluded that there was no overall benefit from prevention counseling and observed a notable increase in STIs for men who have sex with men (MSM).

Since the mid-1990s, several similar trials have been performed, including populations from both primary care and STD clinics, with the use of different counseling forms and intensities.7–10 The study samples from these trials are also heterogeneous, with STI outcomes differing substantially among control groups (ranging from 4% to 27%) and with varying follow-up rates. These studies demonstrate that low-intensity counseling (eg, mailings, pamphlets, or informational sessions) does not prevent transmission of STIs. Moreover, there appears to be little difference between moderate- and high-intensity counseling (eg, individualized sessions ranging from 20 minutes to 12 hours), although slightly more than half demonstrated reduced STIs among those who underwent moderate- or high-intensity counseling.11

Thus, how definitive is the study by Metsch et al,6 and how should it be interpreted in light of other studies that have reported benefit from prevention counseling? Despite a number of smaller studies reporting varying results, Project RESPECT9 was the only clinical trial larger than AWARE, and the number of individuals enrolled in either of these trials exceeds the sum of individuals enrolled in all other studies combined. While these 2 large studies include similar rigorous counseling models and geographically diverse groups of STD clinics, the more contemporaneous AWARE trial has several important advantages: (1) enrollment of a broader study sample (including, in particular, MSM), (2) the use of rapid HIV testing (in lieu of conventional HIV testing), and (3) a higher follow-up rate. Men who have sex with men represent the highest-risk group in the United States,12 and their inclusion in AWARE enhances understanding of the effect of prevention counseling on a more general population. Also, the use of rapid HIV testing not only involves what is becoming standard practice, but also provides real-time diagnostic results to individuals, thus potentially directly modifying the propensity for risk-taking behaviors through positive reinforcement (ie, a negative test result).

In light of the Affordable Care Act,13 the National HIV/AIDS Strategy,2 extensive efforts by the CDC,14 and most recently, the USPSTF recommendations to routinely screen all adolescents and adults for HIV infection,3 HIV testing has the potential to shift from a sporadically applied diagnostic tool to a universal screening modality. For this shift to occur, clinicians have to be knowledgeable about when and how to apply screening and must believe that the process, which has historically included prevention counseling, does not impose undue burden on al-ready stretched clinical practices. Prevention counseling is staff-intensive, often perceived as onerous, and often not performed well. Even in the ideal setting of an STD clinic, returns are minimal at best and, in light of new evidence, likely nonexistent.6,9 Despite calls to eliminate counseling in the setting of HIV screening so as to increase uptake of tests, counseling remains firmly ensconced in HIV testing programs. The real or perceived need to continue counseling as part of HIV screening remains a barrier to maximizing the penetrance of this prevention intervention.

In contrast, many clinicians believe that counseling in the setting of HIV screening is imperative to motivating patients to change their behavior. Despite the dilemma that exists for these clinicians, an important issue is whether offering counseling simply assuages the clinicians' needs to do something as opposed to nothing. At a population level, to reach a tipping point at which most clinicians screen all their adult patients for HIV infection, the perception that counseling is necessary must not trump the reality that in practice, counseling is typically ineffective. A shift away from counseling, which contrasts with the current standard of care, is crucial to a broader uptake of HIV screening and is consistent with modern advances such as the recent availability of home HIV tests. This shift is also integral to the reduction in the number of those living with HIV who remain unaware of their infection.

The health impact pyramid, as described by Frieden,15 suggests that public health efforts maximize reach while minimizing resource utilization. If HIV screening is to become routine, barriers such as resource-intensive prevention counseling16 must be eliminated. The juxtaposition of clinical equipoise of prevention counseling and its relatively large resource burden suggests there may be better ways of channeling limited public health resources when trying to counter the HIV epidemic. Although effective HIV prevention will likely always include a heterogeneous mix of interventions targeted to specific groups, effectively and efficiently identifying patients with HIV infection by widespread completion of HIV testing must remain a principal objective.

In an era of shrinking resources, clinicians and policy makers cannot ignore data that inform efficient clinical practice. Maximizing identification of individuals with undiagnosed HIV infection and reducing viral transmission will require consistent and extensive HIV testing with emphasis, for those identified with HIV infection, on linkage to care, treatment, and adherence. Although utilization of prevention counseling in the context of these post-HIV testing efforts remains to be characterized, results of the AWARE trial support the notion that prevention counseling in conjunction with HIV testing is not effective and should not be included as a routine part of practice.


In recent years several initiatives have taken place to promote universal access to the Information and Knowledge Society. It was in this context that in 2004 the Online Knowledge Library (b-on) was launched in Portugal. With it, it became easier to get access to full text international scientific publications. This study aims to present and analyse some of the statistical and bibliometric indicators of the Portuguese scientific output seeking to evaluate its link it with b-on. It was analysed the usage of b-on resources by the public universities members of the consortium from 2004 to 2010, and we chose as sample the five universities with more downloads per FTE (full time equivalent).In addition to the usage data of the consortium, we used the Web of Science (WoS) from which we identified the articles indexed by the five Portuguese universities affiliated between 2000-2010. Thus, and through a quantitative methodology, we identified the scientific production per subject area, international cooperation and scientific journals with the highest number of published articles. We conclude that the availability and access to electronic resources contributes to the increased of the scientific productivity of the universities and that the study and analysis of its use and output are essential.


The paper will present a phd study concerning reliability and validity of music therapy assessment model "Assessment of Parenting Competences" (APC) in the area of families with emotionally neglected children. This study had a multiple strategy design with a philosophical base of critical realism and pragmatism. The fixed design for this study was a between and within groups design in testing the APCs reliability and validity. The two different groups were parents with neglected children and parents with non-neglected children. The flexible design had a multiple case study strategy specifically with interplay of turns between parent and child as the case under study comparing clinical and non-clinical groups and looking for differences in patterns of interaction. The flexible design informed the fixed design and led to further valuable statistical analysis. The presenter will provide an overview of the theoretical understanding of the clientgroup. Furthermore, a short describtion of the specific assessment protocol and analysis procedures of APC will be a part of the presentation. The phd study sought to explore how to develop measures of parenting competences in looking at autonomy relationship, communication patterns between parent and child, and type of parental response. This included a comparison with a nonclinical group and the presentation will elaborate on the advantages and disadvanteges of this in building models or tests with high degrees of reliability and validity. Promising results of the interrater reliability analysis, test retest analysis, and internal consistency analysis will be presented to open a discussion on the possibility of standardized music therapy models. Requirements: The presenter brings her own laptop and makes a power-point presentation. To illustrate differences between clinical and non-clinical groups there is a need for enhancing the audio sound from video excerpts coming from the laptop. References: Jacobsen, Stine & Wigram, Tony (2007). Music Therapy for the Assessment of Parental Competencies for Children in need of care. In: Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 16(2) 2007, pp. 129-143. Jacobsen, S. L. (2009) Music Therapy assessment as evaluation and validation: Commentary on Lagan ́s article 2009. In: Australian Journal of Music Therapy. 20 Jacobsen, S. L. (2008) The choice and use of assessment tools in research. In: Discussion Forum Nordic Journal of Music Therapy. Biographical details: Stine Lindahl Jacobsen finished her MA in 2006 at Aalborg University, Denmark. She was employed as a clinically working music therapist at a family care centre in Aalborg Municipal from 2005-2007. Jacobsen started her PhD study in December 2007 and aims to defend it in April 2012. She teaches at the MAProgramme of Music Therapy, Aalborg University. Jacobsen is also board member of the Danish Association of Music Therapists, (MTL). Contact information: email@example.com, Stine Lindahl Jacobsen, Nordbygårdvej 46, 8721 Daugård, Denmark, Phone +45 22 74 28 12


Emerging evidence indicates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of cell differentiation by acting as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). However, the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNA and the lncRNA-associated ceRNA network involved in adipogenic differentiation of chicken preadipocytes remain elusive. Here, we first constructed the chicken preadipocyte in vitro induction model. Then, we identified differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs), miRNAs (DEMis), and mRNAs (DEMs) between differentiated and undifferentiated preadipocytes. Furthermore, we constructed the lncRNA associated ceRNA network by gene expression correlation analysis and target prediction of DELs, DEMis, and DEMs. Finally, we determined twelve candidate lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactions from the lncRNA associated ceRNA network. Eight out of the twelve interactions were validated by RT-qPCR, indicating their potential role in the regulation of chicken preadipocytes differentiation. Among the eight interactions, TCONS_00026544-gga-miR-128-1-5p-RASD1, TCONS_00055280-gga-miR-135a-5p-JAM3, TCONS_00055280-gga-miR-135a-5p-GPR133, TCONS_00055280-gga-miR-135a-5p-CLDN1, and TCONS_00055280-gga-miR-135a-5p-TMEM123 may promote adipogenic differentiation of chicken preadipocytes while TCONS_00057272-gga-miR-146a-3p-FOXO6, TCONS_00057242-gga-miR-6615-3p-FOXO6, and TCONS_00057242-gga-miR-6615-3p-ENSGALT00000043224 have the opposite effects. Our results not only provide novel insights into ceRNA roles of lncRNAs in chicken preadipocytes differentiation and but also contribute to a better understanding of chicken fat deposition.