Abstract. Building change detection from remote sensing images is vital for many applications such as urban planning and dynamic monitoring, smart city construction, and geographical information census. In recent years, with the improvement of artificial intelligence and computer vision techniques, deep learning algorithms, especially convolutional neural networks (CNN), provide automatic detection and extraction methods. Unlike traditional approaches relying on shallow manual features, CNN can generate the deep semantic features by fusing spatial and spectral information, which is conducive to identifying building change regions. However, most deep CNN models directly fuse different level features and recover spatial details, which probably introduce redundant background information and noise from shallow layers. Considering the building's multiscale, convolution operation with fixed receptive fields cannot obtain a strong global feature response to changed regions. To address the above problems, we develop a CNN framework for automatic building region change detection using dual-temporal high-resolution remote sensing images. To refine the shallow features, self-attention knowledge distillation strategies are introduced to FCN. Furthermore, we propose the multiscale feature change-aware module to integrate the globally changed information in different decoders. Finally, the model aggregates the multi-scale regional change information and outputs the prediction map. The results of comparative visual analysis and quantitative evaluation in two public datasets demonstrate that the proposed network model can improve the accuracy and efficiency of the automatic building change detection (85.69 IoU, 97.56 OA on the WHU dataset, and 83.72 IoU, 97.64 OA on the LEVIR-CD dataset).


NUREG/CR-6909 of USA and JSME of Japan proposed new rules for evaluating environmental effects in fatigue analyses of reactors components. These rules were established from a lot of fatigue data with polished specimens under simple loading condition. The effects of surface finish or complex loading condition were reported in some papers, but these data were obtained with the simple shaped specimens.In order to evaluate the effects of surface finish and loading condition and to confirm the applicability of the proposed rules to actual components, Low Cycle Fatigue tests are performed in PWR environment with the specimens cut from 316 austenitic stainless steel welded piping. The pipes are machined to have three levels of surface finish condition and the load pattern simulating the thermal stress is applied to specimens.In this study, the effect of surface finish on fatigue life is included to be small for 316 austenitic stainless steel welded piping. Considering the insensitive region in the current evaluation rule, predicted accuracy is increased and possibility of improving the current rule is indicated.Copyright © 2013 by ASME


Influence of Equal channel angular pressing on mechanical properties and Fracture toughness of Al-Zn alloy were studied in present investigation. Samples are successfully processed using the ECAP technique for up to a four passes by using route A. Al-Zn alloys were heated to a solid solution treatment temperature at 550oC for 2 hours prior to ECAP, this treatment introduces the precipitates which were capable of obstructing motions of dislocation and improves the refinement of the grain during ECAP process Finally, artificial ageing was performed at a temperature of 190°C for 0-20 hours with an interval of 2 hr and specimens are cooledat room temperature with natural air.Fracture toughness was found experimentally for ECAP processed samples using SE (B) specimens according to ASTM E399 standard.Study revealed the enhancement in mechanical properties such as yield strength, ultimate strength and microhardness after four passes by route A technique.The improvement in the fracture toughness properties of artificially aged ECAP samples can also be due to dislocation strengthening, grain boundary strengthening, and the creation of much finer UFG grains, according to the results. Despite the increased tensile strength after ECAP, the ductility behaviour has decreased due to the precipitation of GP zones and dispersion of η, ή, T and E within the Aluminium matrix Furthermore, scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs revealed that ductile fracture with large dimples occurred in the artificial aged samples after the ECAP procedure.


Objective To construct a training content system for new nurses in cancer hospitals based on postcompetency and to provide guidance for clinical new nurse training. Methods Based on literature review, semistructured interviews, and questionnaire surveys, a new draft of the nurse training content system was initially established, and 17 experts were selected to make two rounds of inquiry on the system by the Delphi method, so as to construct a new nurse training content system. Results The effective rate of recovery of the two rounds of expert correspondence was 100%, the cooperation among experts was high, and the authoritative coefficient of experts was 0.89. The content system of new nurse training constructed included 2 first-class indexes, 5 second-class indexes, and 45 third-class indexes. Conclusion The new nurse training content system is closely combined with clinical work, pays attention to improving nurses' competence, reflects the characteristics of nursing work in cancer hospitals, has a certain scientific and practical significance, and can provide guidance for the training of new nurses in cancer hospitals.


This paper introduces the non-contact vibration measuring system known as U-Doppler that has recently been developed by the RTRI. In the field of railway structure monitoring, dynamic characteristics estimated by vibration measurements are applied to evaluate structural integrity. Adopting a long-distance remote measurement method with U-Doppler enables improvement of the efficiency and safety of measurement, since it is unnecessary to install sensors and cables at locations high above structures and remove them later. This report first gives an outline of U-Doppler and its measuring method. It then goes on to verify the accuracy of U-Doppler using the results of laboratory experiments, microtremor measurement of a rigid-frame viaduct, impact vibration measurement of a bridge pier, and deflection measurement of a bridge girder.


Objective: Allogeneic blood product transfusions are associated with an increased morbidity and mortality risk in cardiac surgery. At present, a few transfusion risk scores have been proposed for cardiac surgery patients. The present study is aimed to develop a new score and to compare with preexisting scores – Transfusion Risk and Clinical Knowledge (TRACK) and Transfusion Risk Understanding Scoring Tool (TRUST) score. Methodology: A total of 1014 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery were enrolled in the retrospective study. Independent predictors of allogeneic blood transfusions were selected from TRACK and TRUST scores. A predictive score was developed from six variables using logistic regression analysis, and new score was compared to the other existing scores – TRACK and TRUST. Results: The new score had following predictors: age >58 years, weight <63 kg for males and <49 kg for females, gender (female), complex surgery, hemoglobin <13.5 g/dl, and creatinine >1.36 mg/dl. Validation of new score demonstrated an acceptable predictive power (area under the curve [AUC] 0.749) and a good calibration at the Hosmer–Lemeshow test. New score was comparable with TRACK score with P = 0.578 (AUC of TRACK 0.756 and AUC of new score 0.749). There was a significant difference between new score and TRUST score, P = 0.01 (AUC of TRUST 0.72 and AUC of new score 0.749). Conclusion: New score is a simple risk model based on six predictors having a similar accuracy and calibration in predicting the transfusion rate in cardiac surgery as compared to TRACK score.


In the present paper we study higher order embeddings in the context of cyclic coverings. Analyzing the positivity of the line bundle downstairs and its relationship with the branch divisor, we provide criteria for its pull-back to define an embedding of given order. We show that the obtained criteria are sharp. Finally, we apply them to various - sometimes seemingly unrelated-problems in algebraic geometry.


This concept aims to meet the theoretical needs in answering the problem for the roles of the human resource management function in a manufacturing company which involve the HR Division Line Manager. The proposed update is an evolutionary concept of work in human resource management called "Human Resource Professional Transformation". Specifically, this concept discusses the ability of the HR division line managers to make adaptive changes to the company's business-oriented functional divisions with managerial competence, commitment, innovation capability, and readiness for changes. This concept was born by synthesizing various search related scientific literature. Based on the theoretical study, it can be concluded that the concept of human resources professional transformation has the potential to improve the performance of line managers in the HR division. Besides this, human resources professional transformation answers the role of the human resource function which integrates the theoretical basis of Human Resource Analytics, Human Resources Professional and Human Resource Transformation as a competitive advantage strategy in facing competition and promoting company success.
Keywords: Managerial Competence, Commitment, Innovation Capability, Readiness


We introduce a polymer synthetic microfluidic paper for lateral flow devices. The aim is to combine the high surface area of paper, or nitrocellulose, with the repeatability, controlled structure, and transparency of polymer micropillars. Our synthetic paper consists of a dense, high aspect ratio array of transparent pillars that are slanted and mechanically interlocked. We describe the manufacturing using multidirectional UV lithography and demonstrate successful capillary pumping of whole blood.


Background: Training specialist manpower requires social justice in higher education and inequality leads to the emergence of hierarchies of power and types of dominant or dominated groups. Aim: The aim of the present study was to explain the perceptions and experiences of the heads of nursing departments of Iranian nursing schools regarding medical dominance in nursing education. Methods: The present study was a conventional content analysis. Data collection was carried out using purposeful sampling and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 24 participants. The data analysis process was performed according to Graneheim and Lundman's qualitative content analysis (2004). Findings: Data analysis led to the emergence of the theme of "Medical dominance in nursing education" and the three main categories of "physician-centered university education", "weakened educational status", and "belittling nursing education in medical system". Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicated that physicians enjoy special and superior position in the structure of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran. Physicians manage the entire system including medical education due to their greater power in managing the system at all micro and macro levels. Thus, other disciplines including nursing education, which are closely related to medicine, are highly ignored. 61 * Corresponding Author:


In this paper, the author mainly proposed the issue of laying particular emphasis on technique and neglecting characteristic in the present teaching of singing against the phenomenon of "a thousand pieces of the same tune" existing in the field of vocal music performance at present. The author expected to give rise to everyone's attention by virtue of this paper, so as to put the cultivation of students' unique singing style as an important position, and propose approaches used to guide students to form their own singing styles.


This paper studies audio-visual noise suppression for egocentric videos -where the speaker is not captured in the video. Instead, potential noise sources are visible on screen with the camera emulating the off-screen speaker's view of the outside world. This setting is different from prior work in audio-visual speech enhancement that relies on lip and facial visuals. In this paper, we first demonstrate that egocentric visual information is helpful for noise suppression. We compare object recognition and action classification-based visual feature extractors and investigate methods to align audio and visual representations. Then, we examine different fusion strategies for the aligned features, and locations within the noise suppression model to incorporate visual information. Experiments demonstrate that visual features are most helpful when used to generate additive correction masks. Finally, in order to ensure that the visual features are discriminative with respect to different noise types, we introduce a multi-task learning framework that jointly optimizes audio-visual noise suppression and video-based acoustic event detection. This proposed multi-task framework outperforms the audio-only baseline on all metrics, including a 0.16 PESQ improvement. Extensive ablations reveal the improved performance of the proposed model with multiple active distractors, overall noise types, and across different SNRs.


A combined matrix of a nonsingular matrix is the Hadamard (entrywise) product of the matrix and its transposed inverse. A characterization of the diagonal entries of the combined matrix of a positive definite matrix was known. In the paper one investigates behaviour of the diagonal entries of combined matrices for some other classes of matrices. In particular, one proves that the diagonal entries of the combined matrix of an oscillatory Hessenberg CBM-matrix are characterized by some four conditions. It leads to the formulation of a conjecture that the first three from these four conditions characterize the diagonal entries of the combined matrix of a square totally positive matrix of arbitrary order. The conjecture is proven for the order equal to 3.


Many integrated conservation and development projects use road construction to induce a shift in income activities, since road access can reduce both poverty and environmental degradation. There is, however, little empirical evidence on the effects of road access on income patterns. We contribute to existing literature by analyzing the effects of road access on income activity choice in Korup National Park, Cameroon using a difference-in-difference approach. Road access led to a rise in total household income by 38% due to higher household participation in self-employment and wage labor. We neither found an effect on income from crop farming nor on participation in hunting activities. The effects of road access can be diverse and unforeseeable. Road construction in protected areas should thus be carefully considered and planned and only be implemented when other options are not feasible.


Abstract Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of visualxAuditory rhythmic stimulation(VARS) in gait ability and proprioception with chronic stroke patients. Twenty-one persons after six months post stroke participated in pre test-post test control. Method : The subjects were randomly assigned to a visualxAuditory rhythmic stimulation(VARS) group (n=10) and control group (n=11). Training process was practiced with exercise on thirty minutes a day, three days a week for four weeks. To find out the effect, inspected the FRT(functional reach test) by static balance and TUG(timed up and go test) by dynamic balance. Results : In static balance, FRT distance was significantly different between two group. In dynamic balance, TUG time was significantly different between two group. This study showed that the VARS training increase a balance by postural adjustment of chronic stroke patients more than control group. And so, the VARS training of hemiplegic patients was very important to successive rehabilitation. Conclusion : A continuous examination of VARS training could practical used of physical therapy with exercise.Key Words : dynamic balance, FRT, static balance, TUG, VARS


In some developing Latin American countries, for several reasons such as the increase in life expectancy and changes in alimentary styles, pancreatic cancer is becoming a more frequent malignancy. For example, in Chile where the population is almost 17million inhabitants the annual mortality for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas was 5.8 for 100.000 in men and 5.6 for 100.000 in women by 2012, nevertheless, curiously due to a problem in registers in Chile, but also in some other countries, the reported mortality is higher than the reported incidence for this malignancy.2 In order to define the upfront treatment, nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer patients have been classified into 3 subgroups using radiological criteria: resectable patients, borderline resectable patients and unresectable patients.


We report on the preparation and characterization of free-standing optofluidic waveguides created on solid superhydrophobic (SH) substrates with patterned wetting properties. In order to locally modify the liquid-solid contact angle, we employed selective laser ablation of SH layers deposited on magnesium-fluoride substrates with low refractive index. Upon ablation, surfaces with hydrophilic channels surrounded by SH areas were obtained. Subsequently, we created liquid optical waveguides based on total internal reflection using ethylene glycol, a polar liquid with high refractive index spreading spontaneously along the hydrophilic surface channels. We evaluated the light guiding performance and losses of these optofluidic waveguides.


Poor oral hygiene leads to poor oral health, which in turn has negative impacts on overall health and quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of oral hygiene practice among school-going adolescents in Indonesia. Secondary analysis of cross-sectional, nationally representative data from the 2015 Indonesia Global School-based Health Survey, covering 11,142 students aged 11-18 years, was performed. Multiple logistic regression was employed to explore associations between lifestyle, psychosocial factors, and tooth-brushing frequency. Around 10.8% of the students brushed their teeth less frequently than the recommended twice-daily regimen. Male gender, lower socio-economic status, poor dietary practice, longer sedentary time, drug use, psychological distress, less peer support, and no parental support were associated with infrequent tooth brushing. The findings support the need to integrate oral health promotion into general health actions that target families, schools, and social environments of adolescents to develop healthier habits.


Background: Resveratrol, a phytoalexin, has been reported to possess benefits against various cancers. However, the exact mechanism(s) underlying this beneficial response is not clearly understood. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is a small non-coding RNA which represses the translation of various tumor-suppressor genes. miR-21 levels are often upregulated in prostate cancer where it is positively associated with increased proliferation, invasion and metastasis and reduced apoptosis. Here, we demonstrate that resveratrol negatively regulates proliferation, invasion and apoptosis by modulating the levels of miR-21 in an androgen-independent, metastatic prostate cancer line (PC-3MM). Methods: The effect of resveratrol on PC-3MM cell proliferation at different time points was measured using MTS assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle analysis were determined by flow cytometry. The effects of resveratrol on invasion and migration were assessed by Boyden chamber and wound healing assays, respectively. miR-21 levels were determined by real-time PCR. Western blotting was used to assess modulation of miR-21 downstream proteins. In addition, siRNA transfections were performed to suppress the expression of specific proteins in order to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of resveratrol. Results: We observed that resveratrol significantly reduced proliferation of PC-3MM cells in a dose-dependent manner. This anti-proliferative effect of resveratrol was due to the induction of cell cycle arrest in G2/M and S phase and increased apoptosis at 25 and 50 μM doses of resveratrol. Resveratrol also inhibited cell invasion and migration in a dose-dependent manner in Boyden chamber and wound healing assays, respectively. These changes were associated with reduced miR-21 expression and increased expression of miR-21-tumor suppressor targets, such as maspin and program cell death 4 (PDCD4). Inhibition of miR-21 by mir21 antisense oligonucleotide also had the same effect on maspin and PDCD4 expression. Furthermore, resveratrol induced inhibition of proliferation, invasion and migration of PC-3MM cells were reversed by overexpressing pre-miR-21 or knockdown of PDCD4 by siRNA. Conclusion: This study demonstrates, for the first time, that resveratrol can inhibit miR-21 expression which could account for its anti-tumor effects, such as inhibition of proliferation, invasion and migration of PC-3MM prostate cancer cells. Inhibition of miR-21 occurs at doses of resveratrol (25 and 50 μM) which are readily achieved in vivo following consumption of resveratrol in red wine and grapes. Based up on these interesting results, we propose that resveratrol could serve as a potential dietary supplement for cancer chemoprevention or as an adjunct to existing chemotherapeutic regimens for treating prostate cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1152. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1152


The attempt of comparing the waterfowl fauna of the sixteen European cities described in the monograph of Kelcey & Reinwald (2005), with the addition of original data collected for ten seasons (1998-2007) in Moscow was made. The two main questions will be addressed here: 1) Is there a SW-NE gradient in the European urban waterfowl species richness? 2) What kind of factors (natural and anthropogenic) were responsible of the pattern of the species richness distribution? The comparisons have revealed an increase of native urban waterfowl species richness from the South to the North of Europe, i.e. towards the cities situated in more severe climate zones. The same process occurs in the corresponding regional species richness. The area of the city is of subordinate importance for the native species richness. This effect possibly is determined by local habitat properties. The large area of swamps and other wetlands of the North-Eastern part of Europe are natural refuges for breeding and moulting of the large amount of the native European waterfowl species. Some of these species inhabit the cities. Only the regional human population density affects the amount of urban alien species. Climate warming may produce further increasing of wintering and of potential breeding species richness in the Eastern European cities, e.g. in Moscow. 1 Avocetta 33: (2009) © 2009 CISO Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici


Objective: To evaluate the role of clinical, hematological and genetic parameters in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as the predictors of response to induction chemotherapy.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, from Jun to Jun 2019.
Methodology: All the newly diagnosed cases of de-novo AML were included in the study. Clinical, haematological and immunophenotypic parameters were noted. Cytogenetic and molecular analyses were performed. Response to first course of standard induction chemotherapy was assessed.
Results: A total of 58 patients were included in the study. The median age was 19 years. Thirty-one (53.4%) were adults while 27 (46.6%) were in the pediatric age group. Thirty-six (62.1%) were males while 22 (37.9%) were females. The most common clinical presentation was fever. The most common French-American-British classification (FAB) subtype was AML-M2. The blast percentage was 78%. Forty-six (79.3%) patients had a normal karyotype. Of the 58 patients, 38 (65.5%) achieved complete remission while 20 (34.5%) did not achieve complete remission after induction chemotherapy.
Conclusion: AML was seen in a younger age group in our population. There was statistically significant association of high white blood cell (WBC) count with remission status. Increasing age was associated with a poor response to induction chemotherapy, while translocation t(8;21) was associated with a good response. Assessment of prognostic parameters is vital in the initial diagnostic workup of AML patients to predict response to induction chemotherapy.


Tuberculous infection of the thymus is a rare condition, previously described only in young adults. A case of a young girl with primary pulmonary tuberculosis, hilar and mediastinal lymph node enlargement and a partially necrotic mass in antero-superior mediastinum is described. Treatment with three anti-mycobacterial drugs was started, effective in markedly reducing all the intrathoracic abnormalities with the exception of the antero-superior mediastinal mass. Since the radiographic and ultrasonographic appearance of the thymus tuberculous infection may be indistinguishable from other serious conditions, including lymphoma and thymoma, a diagnostic procedure was performed. Evaluation of the resected specimen showed foci of caseation and multiple granulomas with extensive central necrosis within the thymic tissue.


A continuous, analytic model of double-gate MOSFETs is used to simulate all transistors in a six-transistor (6T) SRAM cell. The static noise margin (SNM) of 6T-SRAM cells is investigated as a function of supply voltage, threshold voltage, temperature effects, and the size of transistors. The worst case of reduction in SNM due to threshold voltage fluctuation is investigated by making the two inverters in a SRAM cell exactly mismatched. Results show that enlarging the width of pull-down transistors can improve SNM and expand the minimum nominal threshold voltage before SNM vanishes. Besides, enlarging the nominal threshold voltage of access-transistors also helps SNM and makes SRAM cells tolerable to severer threshold voltage fluctuation.


This research summary studies drug treatment and which factors, apart from the basic method of treatment, that influence the outcome. The surrounding factors which have been studied are the relationship between the therapist and the client and also the treatment environment. Beyond that, the study examines whether these factors are observed in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the Twelve Step Program and in national governing documents such as guidelines and laws. The study shows that current research is aware that more factors than the treatment method affect the treatment situation. Some researchers and practitioners give more importance to these factors than others. Most result shows that the literature on both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and the Twelve Step Program includes the relationship between therapist and patient as part of the treatment. A study of two treatment centers shows that the treatment environment even there was seen as a contributing factor in the two treatment methods. Finally the study discusses whether existing knowledge about these factors could improve the Swedish addiction treatment if they were given more room.


The quality and usefulness of feature extraction and change detection will be governed by the geoposition accuracy of the SAR image. We show results from satellite SAR image pixel geolocation accuracy using deployed radar corner reflectors as reference targets. The best accuracy (latitude, longitude) is below one meter. We have also developed algorithms that are using stereo acquisitions to obtain decimeter geolocation accuracies in XYZ of the high-resolution satellite SAR images. We demonstrate how high-resolution satellite SAR image modes can be used to extract man-made features in harbors and city areas.


This paper presents gradient-based methods for simultaneous blind separation of arbitrarily mixed source signals. We consider the regular case where the mixing matrix has full column rank as well as ill-conditioned cases. Two cost functions based on fourth-order cumulants are introduced to simultaneously separate all separable single sources and all inseparable mixtures. By minimizing the cost functions, two gradient-based methods are developed. Our algorithms derived from gradient-based methods are guaranteed to converge. Finally, simulation results show the effectiveness of our methods.


Autistic people face more social barriers to, and experience greater anxiety around, intimate relationships than the general population in our majority neurotypical society, leading to increased loneliness and social isolation. National health and social care policies and publications should recognise these inequalities and guide service systems in reducing them. In this paper, we employ a document analysis design to analyse a cross-section of English national health and social care publications to investigate how autistic adults' intimate lives are represented and prioritised in these publications. Most publications do not adequately and proportionally recognise or prioritise autistic people's intimate lives. They focus on the risks associated with sex and relationships and overlook autism-specific intimacy needs. They prioritise participation in the workforce while renouncing government responsibility for supporting intimate relationships which can reduce loneliness and alienation. We offer recommendations to ensure that health and social care publication processes better recognise intimate lives.


The skin prick test (SPT) is a commonly used procedure for assessing a specific sensitization. The longitudinal variability of test results is of interest for clinical as well as epidemiological investigations. The sensitization to four common aeroallergens (grass pollen, birch pollen, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat dander) is investigated within the framework of three consecutive SPTs at 11‐month intervals for a population of 587 schoolchildren. The prevalence of sensitization based on a weal diameter of at least 2 mm was between 12.9% (cat dander) and 23.9% (grass pollen) in the initial testing. The positive predictive values of the initial SPT were between 75.3% (birch pollen) and 88.2% (cat dander) for the two subsequent SPTs. In the case of initially negative tests with positive second and third SPTs the incidence ranged between 3.2% (cat dander) and 4.3% (birch pollen) per year. A clear increase in the intensity of reaction in subsequent tests was observed in a number of probands testing positively in the initial SPT. In conclusion, our data indicate a high long‐term stability of a specific sensitization to aeroallergens in SPT.


Although literature has noted the effects of branch handling strate-gies on change recommendation based on evolutionary coupling, they have been tested in a limited experimental setting. Additionally, the branches characteristics that lead to these effects have not been investigated. In this study, we revisited the investigation conducted by Kovalenko et al. on the effect to change recommendation using two different branch handling strategies: including changesets from commits on a branch and excluding them. In addition to the setting by Kovalenko et al., we introduced another setting to compare: ex-tracting a changeset for a branch from a merge commit at once. We compared the change recommendation results and the similarity of the extracted co-changes to those in the future obtained using two strategies through 30 open-source software systems. The results show that handling commits on a branch separately is often more appropriate in change recommendation, although the comparison in an additional setting resulted in a balanced performance among the branch handling strategies. Additionally, we found that the merge commit size and the branch length positively influence the change recommendation results.


Microassay procedures for cAMP-dependent protein kinase and phosphorylase were developed which detected these activities in less than 25 micrograms of frozen-dried epidermis from a punch biopsy of skin without homogenization. Using these procedures, the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and phosphorylase by beta-adrenergic stimulation in mouse skin was studied in vivo. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase was stimulated by isoproterenol and inhibited by propranolol. Isoproterenol stimulation also activated phosphorylase a in mouse skin. In normal epidermis and uninvolved and involved epidermis from psoriatic patients no significant differences were found in the activities of cAMP-dependent kinase and phosphorylase a. In all experiments we observed that the unstimulated activity ratios of phosphorylase a/total phosphorylase were around 20-30%; these values were much lower than those hitherto reported and show a preponderance of phosphorylase b rather than a. We suggest that in previous reports where phosphorylase a domination was found, phosphorylase b to a activation occurred during homogenization. The data also suggest that in the steady state no obvious defect in basic activities of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and phosphorylase is observed in psoriatic skin.


The Crusades were one of the most dangerous and the infamous wars led by European countries against the Muslim world and in particular Bilad al-Sham, as it left great effects on subsequent events in the Muslim and western worlds. It is well-known that these wars took its name from the cross which became a motto for these wars. A number of reasons helped in the making of the crusade amongst them:  the conditions that prevailed in Europe, the historical context, reasons concerned with Christianity, the Battle of Manzikert and the call of Emperor Alexius Comnenus, the Byzantine Emperor, to the Pope Gregory VII to assist the Christians of the East. In response to the crusade some Muslim leaders made an effort to counter them and try to defend Muslim lands and force the crusaders out. Thus, the family Zengi emerged to carry out this task in defending the Muslim world and its holy land and sites. Prior to defending the land from this foreign invasion and occupation, strenuous efforts were essential to unify the Muslim states in order to achieve this task. Therefore, this paper studies the efforts of Nur al-Din Mahmoud in unify Bilad al-Sham during the Crusades. The importance of the study is reflected in shedding light on this crucial historical period and tries to show the efforts that was made during the Crusades to find a united Islamic front to counter the crusade. The study's main objectives are aimed at seeing what prepared Nur al-Din to take on this great task from his background and biography. Also, the extent of his role in unifying Bilad al-Sham during the period of the crusades in preparation to face them and end their occupation of Muslim lands.


A model Hamiltonian for electron transfer from a metal electrode to a solvated reactant via a metallic adsorbate is proposed. The adsorbates are distributed randomly over the electrode surface, and a coherent-potential approximation has been employed to treat this randomness. Both the adsorbates and the reactant are assumed to interact with the solvent, which is modeled as a bath of phonons with frequencies in the classical regime. Both the adiabatic and the nonadiabatic potential energy surfaces are calculated, and their dependence on the adsorbate coverage is highlighted. In the low coverage regime the potential-energy surfaces exhibit features similar to a bridge-assisted electron transfer reaction, whereas for higher coverages the surfaces resemble those for direct heterogeneous transfer. This change of shape is caused by the metallization of the adsorbate layer at higher coverages.


We studied structure and charge transport properties of thin films of donor-acceptor block copolymers, poly(3-hexylthiophene-block-perylene bisimide acrylate), using a combination of X-ray scattering, AFM and vertical charge transport measurements in diode devices. Block copolymer self-assembly and crystallization of the individual components are interrelated and different structural states of the films could be prepared by varying preparation conditions and thermal history. Generally the well-defined microphase structures found previously in bulk could also be prepared in thin films, in addition alignment induced by interfacial interactions was observed. Microphase separated block copolymers sustain ambipolar charge transport, but the exact values of electron and hole mobilities depend strongly on orientation and connectivity of the microdomains as well as the molecular order within the domains.


We evaluated 96 patients (50 males, 46 females) with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) for various prognostic factors in an adult rheumatology clinic. Although the onset of JCA occurred before the age of 15 in all cases, the majority had a juvenile or late onset of disease. The mean duration of disease was 14 years. Twenty-eight % had a monoarticular onset, 26% a pauciarticular, 28% a polyarticular and 14% a spondylarthropathic onset. HLA-B27 was positive in 52% of the cases, 35 males and 12 females, and HLA-DW4 was present in 10%; 11.5% were ANA positive and 4% were found rheumatoid factor positive (latex greater than 1/128). Patients were classified in functional classes, using a slight modification of Steinbrocker's criteria. Patients who underwent major orthopaedic surgery of the hip or knee were classified in functional class IV, although they actually showed better function. Twenty-seven % had a functional class I, 45% class II and 24% class III-IV at the latest evaluation. In the group with poor prognosis (functional class III and IV) there were significantly more cases with a persistently high erythrocyte sedimentation rate; polyarticular involvement at onset and at the time of their last evaluation; and a family history of rheumatic diseases. There were significantly more females in the poor prognosis group. The presence of HLA-B27 and an ANA positive test were not significantly different in the functional class groups. HLA-B27 did not predict the development of typical ankylosing spondylitis but was associated with pauciarticular peripheral arthritis with or without mild spondylitis.


Research has shown that thrombus, stenosis, aneurysm, atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases are likely to occur in curved arteries such as aortic arch, coronary artery and cerebral artery. It is found that fatigue damage and failure of arteries are closely associated with the dynamic physiological environment where the arteries are situated. Based on these considerations, the behaviour of curved arteries subjected to a physiological environment is presented in this paper. The fluid–structure interaction (FSI) effect is considered. Wall stress distribution and its variation over time are investigated. Artery deformation regularity throughout the cardiac cycle has been analysed. It is believed that this study may provide insights into clinical research in the future.


The fur colour variation of fishing bat (Noctilio leporinus L.) was studied in Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil during the year of 1999. The fur colour of 23 males and 16 females catched in mist nets was correlationed to body mas. The males presented their fur colour variating from light yellow to dark brown. The females presented their fur colour variating from light yellow to gray. Males and females presented a positive correlation between the darkening of fur colour matiz and the increase of body mass. The weighter bats show more dark colour matiz than lesser body weight bats. Males over 90g of body mass show dark brown pattern and females over 70g of body mass show variation of ocraceous to dark gray The justificatives to existence of this correlation between body mass and colour variation were discussed. The hypothesis of sexual maturation responsabile for this variation is sugested. Thus during the sexual maturation process wherein the bat body mass increase their fur colour change from ligth to dark matizes.


Very-early strength latex-modified concrete (VES-LMC) was developed with a focus on workability, strength development and long-term durability that would allow for opening a bridge to traffic only 3 hours after concrete placement, which would be useful when repairing concrete bridge deck overlays. However, even though usage of latex in VES-LMC improves the durability, it has a disadvantage that it produces lots of entrained air. Therefore, specific plan is necessary since it is weak for freezing and thawing in air-void structure. In the present study ultra-fine fly ash (UFFA) was used. Test results are follows ; Air content of VES-LMC UFFA (VES-LMC using UFFA) concrete was decreased since major pozzolan reaction was happened in one day. It was also found that total air content of concrete was decreased with pozzolan reaction since air content in 28 days was the same with one day air content. The addition of calcium hydroxide increased entrained air which is smaller than size of 200 μm. It was effective to improve the air-void structure of VES-LMC since spacing factor can be confirmed as smaller than size of 200 μm using more than 15% of UFFA.


BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to know the antibiotic resistence of Streptococcus pyogenes to erythromycine, clindamycine and/or tetracycline in community samples. The second aim was to determine the existence of multiresistant strains and to know the relationship between resistant strains, clinical samples and age of the patient.

METHOD
A retrospective analysis was performed in all the strains of S. pyogenes isolated from January 1992 to December 1994. Antibiotic sensitivity was studied by MIC by the microdilution method using the Pasco semiautomatic system.

RESULTS
During the study period 573 beta hemolytic streptococci were identified as S. pyogenes. The global resistance to erythromycine (2.8%), clindamycine (1.4%) and tetracycline (7.3%) remains at low levels but has significantly increased in the case of erythromycine (p < 0.05) and tetracycline (p < 0.05) over these 3 years. The incidence of strains resistant to clindamycine has also increased slowly although this rise is not significant. Five strains (0.9%) were not sensitive to the three antibiotics studied, 4 being isolated in the last trimester of 1994 in pharyngeal exudates. S. pyogenes resistant to erythromycine was most frequently isolated from cutaneous lesions and in pediatric patients (under the age of 14 years).

CONCLUSIONS
These results confirm the trend towards an increase in the number of strains of S. pyogenes resistant to erythromycine, clindamycine and/or tetracycline, being most often found in cutaneous lesions and pediatric patients.


Oil-in-water emulsions consist of oil droplets dispersed in an aqueous phase. Interfacial properties of the droplets determine the stability of emulsions. Even though this statement is widely accepted, a molecular level picture of the droplet interface is yet to be determined. In this thesis, we use Vibrational Sum-Frequency Scattering (SFS), an interface specific technique, to probe the interface of the droplets with chemical specificity. We start with a detailed description of how SFS measurements can be performed in water and what the effects of penetration depth, pulse energy and particle density are. This is followed by a comparison between non phase-matched SF scattering and phase-matched SF Generation from planar interfaces. We then show studies on hexadecane oil droplets stabilized by the anionic surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) dipersed in D2O. We measure the interfacial activity of SDS by probing the response of symmetric SO3 stretch of the headgroup. Surprisingly, the results show that the interfacial density of SDS is very low, namely one order of magnitude lower than what would be expected at the corresponding planar interface. As a consequence of such a low interfacial density, the interfacial tension barely changes from the value of the pristine oil-water interface. Moreover, we use SFS to retrieve molecular order of the alkyl chains from the CH stretch responses of either SDS or oil using a selective deuteration scheme. The spectral analysis shows that the SDS alkyl chains are highly disordered at the droplets interface. In contrast, the alkyl chains of the oil molecules at the interface are more ordered than SDS. Interference experiments show that the oil molecules are, in contrast to what is seen on most planar interface, oriented predominantly parallel with respect to the interface. We also probe the alkyl chain order of SDS adsorbed at interfaces of dispersions of polymer particles. Regardless of the chemical structure of the dispersed phase the SDS molecules are always very disordered. We can therefore conclude that SDS does not show any specific interaction with the droplets or particles. In the last part of this thesis, we use SFS to probe electrostatic properties of the droplets interfaces. Adsorption of charged surfactants at the droplet interface creates a strong electrostatic field that is screened by water and counter ions in the solution. The electrostatic field, together with the incoming laser fields, excite the OD vibrational stretch of the water molecules in the vicinity of the interface with a strength proportional to the surface potential. The surface charge densities are probed by the response of the symmetric SO3 stretch of the SDS headgroup. Therefore, we are able to independently measure the surface potential and the surface charge density. We show that it is essential to separate the changes of surface potential due to charging of the interface from changes due to screening effects. The results are in agreement with the Gouy-Chapman model.


the article presents the developed device for mortification a silkworm pupa inside a cocoon by exposing it to infrared radiation and the technology for its use. The schemes of temperature changes in the structural bonds of a live cocoon pupa during its mortification under the influence of infrared radiation on cocoons obtained in different seasons of the year and the corresponding results of practical research are presented and analyzed. Studies have shown that the distance between the cocoon and the infrared lamp affects the temperature of the structural connections of the pupa and the cocoon. It was found that the treatment of cocoons with infrared radiation for a short period of time can cause an increase in the temperature of the pupa to an average of 79oC, and the temperature of the cocoon shell in comparison with the pupa decreases to 27oC. It was also found that when processing with distances between cocoons and infrared lamps equal to 10cm, 15cm and 20cm-the temperature of the pupa and the cocoon shell obtained in different seasons of the year may differ and the temperature difference of the pupa reaches 4oC, and the temperature difference of the cocoon shell is up to 9oC. In this regard, the process of mortification the pupa cocoons, obtained in spring, can be performed in a short time, resulting in saved technological parameters of the shell cocoons at a high level, which leads to improving the efficiency of unwinding cocoons enterprises, as well as to acquire high quality raw silk.


Abstract The accuracy of forest stem volume estimation at stand level was investigated using multispectral optical satellite and tree height data in combination. The stem volumes for the investigated coniferous stands, located in southern Sweden, were in the range of 15–585 m3 ha−1 with an average stem volume of 266 m3 ha−1. The results from regression analysis showed a substantial improvement for the combined stem volume estimates compared with using satellite data only. The accuracy in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) was calculated to 11.2% of the average stem volume using SPOT-4 data and tree height data in combination compared with 23.9% using SPOT-4 data only. By replacing SPOT-4 data with Landsat TM data the RMSE was improved from 25.2% to 12.2%. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was performed on the combined stem volume estimates by adding random errors, normally distributed with zero expectations, with standard deviations of 1, 1.5 and 2 m to tree height data. The results showed that the RMSE increased with increasing random tree height error to 15.4%, 18.0% and 19.9% using SPOT-4 data and 16.3%, 19.2% and 21.2% using Landsat TM data. The results imply that multispectral optical satellite data in combination with accurate tree height data could be used for standwise stem volume estimation in forestry applications.


Blues is a language--one which has evolved its own rules and which is the sole property of a culture always forced to the periphery of white society. As such it is a political language. Whether it is passed as a legacy from African village to Mississippi farm, or from farm to Chicago ghetto, or from ghetto to Paris cafe, it is part of a larger oral heritage that is an expression of black America. Makeshift instruments, runaway slaves, railroads, prisons, empty rooms, work gangs, blindness, and pain have all been involved in the passing of this legacy, which has moved from hand to hand like a bottle of whiskey among friends and which now, for whatever reasons, seems faced with extinction. As Lightnin' Hopkins says: "I see a few young musicians coming along. But it's not many. It's not many at all, and the few that is--I'll tell you, you know what I mean, they don't have it. They just don't feel it...I never had that trouble. I had the one thing you need to be a blues singer. I was born with the blues." With an awareness of the urgency involved, and with considerable devotion, Samuel Charters has chosen twelve major bluesmen, each whom represents a major facet of the blues, and has written about them. Rather than adopt the voyeuristic tone of the academician, he has used the direct visceral images that have always composed the blues. Also included are interviews, photographs, lyrics, and separate chapters on the black experience in America, and the evolution of the blues language from its African origins. Samuel Charters has renewed contact with the greatness of the blues legacy--from the haunting lyric songs of the bluesmen like Robert Pete Williams and Lightnin' Hopkins to the fiercely joyous shouts of Champion Jack Depree, Memphis Slim, and Mighty Joe Young.


A 54-year-old woman complained of positional vertigo. During 3 months' observation, the patient showed mostly geotropic or apogeotropic nystagmus due to right canalolithiasis or cupulolithiasis, however, she sometimes showed nystagmus which suggested left horizontal canalolithiasis. We suspected that she suffered from bilateral horizontal canal type benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and performed Lempert's maneuver for both directions, however, they were ineffective. She underwent canal plugging for right horizontal canal. After surgery she showed no positional nystagmus of right horizontal canal origin. However, apogeotropic nystagmus of the left horizontal canal origin was still observed. This nystagmus changed to geotropic nystagmus and finally disappeared following Lempert's maneuver for the left side. Bilateral horizontal canal BPPV is difficult to be resolved, probably because physical treatment for one side would move debris to the cupula in the other canal. Canal plugging combined with Lempert's maneuver to the other side is one treatment option for intractable bilateral horizontal canal BPPV.


Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) are continuously self-organizing, infrastructure-less consisting of collection of mobile nodes that communicate with each other without the use of centralized authority. MANETs are perfect for positions where a fixed structure is infeasible. Today's MANETs, suffer from network partitioning. This restriction makes MANETs in appropriate for applications such as crisis management and battleground communication, in which team members must work in groups spread in the application terrain. In such applications, intergroup communication is crucial to the teamwork. To address this fault, we present a class of network called Autonomous Mobile Mesh Network (AMMNET). Unlike conventional mesh networks, the mobile mesh nodes of an AMMNET are capable of following the mesh clients in the application terrain, and organizing themselves into a suitable network topology to ensure good connectivity for both intraand intergroup communications. We propose a distributed client tracking solution to deal with the dynamic nature of client mobility, and present techniques for dynamic topology adaptation in accordance with the mobility pattern of the clients. Our simulation results indicate that AMMNET is robust against network partitioning and capable of providing high relay throughput for the mobile clients. This property makes AMMNET a highly robust MANET.


This work dealt with the influence of different exopolysaccharide types produced by two strains of Streptococcus thermophilus on the physical properties of fermented milk. Fermentation factors affecting EPS production were studied to ascertain required carbon source and environmental conditions which would support their production. The effects of types of EPS on yoghurt texture under selected conditions were studied, showing that fermented milk made using capsular-ropy EPS had greater resistance to flow with less solid-like behaviour. The involvement of EPS in the texture creation of fermented milk supplemented with calcium and/or sucrose, or calcium and whey proteins was investigated, and resulted in weakening of rheological characteristics of product. The addition of heat-untreated whey protein isolate or whey protein concentrate on calcium-fortified fermented milk also revealed that combined effect of both supplements was detrimental to texture of fermented milk. The last experiment studied the effect of heat-treated whey protein isolate addition on fermented milk texture. Results showed that heat-treated whey protein preserved the rheological characteristics of fermented milk.


OBJECTIVES
Distinguishing between T-cell and natural killer (NK)-cell neoplasms could be difficult given their overlapping immunophenotype. In this study, we investigated whether a flow cytometry assay with cytoplasmic staining for CD3 could be used for this purpose.

METHODS
Flow cytometry immunophenotyping was performed on 19 surface CD3 (sCD3)-negative mature T-cell neoplasms, 10 sCD3-positive mature T-cell neoplasms, 13 mature NK-cell neoplasms, and 19 normal controls. In addition to routine antibody panels (CD2, sCD3, CD4, CD5, CD7, CD8, CD16, CD45, CD56, CD57, CD94, CD158a, CD158b, CD158e, NKG2A TCRγ/δ), cytoplasmic staining for a monoclonal CD3 antibody (clone SK7/Leu-4) was assessed in all cases. A molecular study for T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement and an immunohistochemical study for TCRβ were performed.

RESULTS
Our data showed all T-cell neoplasms were uniformly positive for cytoplasmic CD3 (cCD3) regardless of sCD3 expression, whereas 85% of NK-cell neoplasms completely lacked cCD3 expression. The 2 cases with classic NK-cell immunophenotype but partial cCD3 expression showed no molecular genetic features of T-cell lineage by TCR gene rearrangement studies.

CONCLUSIONS
Uniform cCD3 positivity and homogeneous cCD3 negativity highly suggest T-cell and NK lineage, respectively. When partial cCD3 expression is encountered, additional confirmatory studies should be pursued for the most accurate lineage assignment.


A noise exposure survey was conducted at an agricultural facility to evaluate noise exposures during potato processing and during the manufacture of alfalfa pellets. Of the 19 employees monitored, five reached or exceeded the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommended exposure limit for occupational noise. Four of these employees were from the potato processing area, and one was from the alfalfa pellet-mill operation. Two of the five (bagger and pellet-mill operator) also exceeded the Occupational Safety and Health Administration action level. The facility has a well-managed hearing conservation program for employees in the potato processing area, but not in the alfalfa manufacturing area.


The article focuses on the idea of the "margins" and "peripheries" of the Church, as recently referenced in the speeches of Pope Francis, and connects this idea with the ecclesiology of Vatican II's pastoral constitution, Gaudium et spes. A "rediscovery" of this constitution can inject new meaning into the sense of "marginality" of the Church in today's world. "Marginality" need not be a condition imposed from without, and should not be identified with irrelevance.


In order to determine whether an alpha1-adrenergic mechanism is involved in the secretion of Growth Hormone (GH) in humans, we studied the effect of the alpha1-adrenergic-stimulating agent methoxamine on serum GH levels in twelve normal males (age range 22-32 years). Intravenous infusion of methoxamine (dose: 6 microg/kg/min; duration: 150 min) significantly reduced serum GH levels at time 120 and 150, and on integrated concentrations. These data suggest that alpha1-adrenergic receptors inhibit tonic GH secretion in humans.


Summary Technology entrepreneurship is an interesting concept for transforming the potential of the scientific and research and development fields (including a wider impact of the so-called business environment sphere) into innovative products and services. In consequence, it might become a key factor in building the innovation potential of modern enterprises, especially SME sector enterprises, which due to their resource shortages have limited ability to carry out independent research and development operations. Taking the above into account, the aim of the article is to identify and evaluate the role of entrepreneurship in the development of innovativeness of SMEs. To achieve this aim, a survey was conducted on a sample of 300 SMEs based in ithe łódzkie province.


Metal-directed interfacial self-assembly of well-defined coordination polymer (CP) ultrathin films can control the metal complex arrangement and distribution at the molecular level, providing a convenient route for the design and fabrication of novel opto-electrical devices and heterogeneous catalysts. Here, we report the assembly of two series of CP multilayers with the transition-metal ions of Fe2+, Co2+, Zn2+ and Tb3+ as connectors and tripodal terpyridyl ligands of 4,4',4″-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)tris(1-(4-([2,2':6',2″-terpyridin]-4'-yl)benzyl)pyridin-1-ium) (TerPyTa) and 4,4',4″-(benzene-1,3,5-triyl)tris(1-(4-([2,2':6',2″-terpyridin]-4'-yl)benzyl)pyridin-1-ium) (TerPyBen) as linkers at the air-water interface. The as-prepared Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films display strong luminescence, with the emission wavelength and relative intensity dependent on both the metal ions and linkers; among them, the Zn-TerPyTa and Zn-TerPyBen CPs give off the strongest luminescent emission centered at about 370 nm with an emission lifetime of approximately 0.2-0.3 ns. The Tb-TerPyTa CPs can give off emission at approximately 490, 546, 586, and 622 nm, attributed to the 5D4 to 7F3-6 electron transitions of typical Tb3+ ions. Finally, these CP LB films can act as efficient heterogeneous photocatalysts for the CO2 reduction to selectively produce CO. The catalytic efficiency can be optimized by adjusting the experimental conditions (light sensitizer, electron donor, and water content) and CP composition (metal ion and ligand) with an excellent yield of up to 248.1 mmol g-1. In particular, it is revealed that, under the same conditions, the catalytic efficiency of the Fe-TerPyTa CP LB film is nearly 2 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of the other metalated complexes investigated in the homogeneous system. UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry studies demonstrated that the dual active sites of Fe-terpyridine and TerPyTa units contribute to the enhanced catalytic activity. This work provides an effective method to introduce the earth-abundant metal complexes into CP films to construct efficient noble-metal-free photocatalysts for the CO2 reduction.


Cachar district is one of the most populated districts of Assam, India. The region has been exposed to frequent catastrophic flood during monsoon which is responsible for sufferings of the community. The uncertain or shifting pattern of rain in recent times apart from usual monsoon has further escalated the woes of this area. The LOOK EAST POLICY and quest for the development of this part is causing rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, which demands an additional source of freshwater opposed to traditional demand in irrigation and other domestic needs in this region. This demand for freshwater is vertical in the graph and continuously rising. Consequently, the source of freshwater in the area is depleting and further mismanagement will be devastative for resources of water in the entire district. To satisfy the demand and to ensure sustainable development in the region, there is an urgent need for its conservation and management aimed to ameliorate water resources. With this idea behind the present investigation is to pinpoint flood risk zones as well as to demonstrate the variability in groundwater prospects in Cachar District, using geospatial technology. The study is based on thematic maps of Land Use/Land Cover (LULC), elevation, soil type, rainfall, lineament density, drainage density, slope, and aspect in a Geographical Information System (GIS) environment. The groundwater potential zone (hereinafter, GWPZ) areas have been classified into five zones, viz; Very low, Poor, Moderate, Good, and Very Good. About 74.37% of the total area comes under Moderate GWPZ. To identify Flood Risk areas, the whole district has been categorised into Very Low, Low, Moderate, High, and Very High, risk flood zones. About 50.47% of the total area of Cachar District has been found under Moderate flood risk zone. The study at hand may help decision-makers in identifying the GWPZ and earmarking High-Risk Flood Zones for the planning of integrated water resources management.


A $q$-coloring of $\mathbb Z$ is a random process assigning one of $q$ colors to each integer in such a way that consecutive integers receive distinct colors. A process is $k$-dependent if any two sets of integers separated by a distance greater than $k$ receive independent colorings. Holroyd and Liggett constructed the first stationary $k$-dependent $q$-colorings by introducing an insertion algorithm on the complete graph $K_q$. We extend their construction from complete graphs to weighted directed graphs. We show that complete multipartite analogues of $K_3$ and $K_4$ are the only graphs whose insertion process is finitely dependent and whose insertion algorithm is consistent. In particular, there are no other such graphs among all unweighted graphs and among all loopless complete weighted directed graphs. Similar results hold if the consistency condition is weakened to eventual consistency. Finally we show that the directed de Bruijn graphs of shifts of finite type do not yield $k$-dependent insertion processes, assuming eventual consistency.


Six patients with cold defects on sulfur colloid liver/spleen scans and no history suggestive of malignant disease were imaged with Tc-99m in vivo labeled red blood cells. Dynamic, immediate, and delayed static images of the liver were obtained on all patients, demonstrating accumulation of activity in the lesions over time in five patients. This correlates well with the suspected diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma. We suggest using this simple, non-invasive technique for evaluating the presence and the extent of hepatic hemangiomas.


Long-term impact of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas farms on the phytoplankton biomass as chlorophyll a concentration (chl-a), abundance and productivity (PP) of the western arm of Bahía San Quintín (Falsa Bay), a coastal lagoon influenced by the California Current coastal upwelling, was evaluated after two decades of commercial cultures. High-resolution time series (on an hourly basis) of these variables were generated in 1999 and 2000, for locations with and without oyster cultures in Falsa Bay. Representative averages of these data were compared with data reported for 1979, when the commercial cultures were just starting. Also, data of 1979 and recent data were used separately to explore possible short-term (hourly) effects of oysters on the phytoplankton variables. The available data are scarce and do not support the hypothesis of diminished phytoplankton biomass, abundance and PP due to the oyster cultures. In general, there were no statistically significant differences between the averages of chl-a (2.5 mg m-3), microphytoplankton abundance (from 42·103 to 194·103 cells L-1, depending upon the location) and PP (12 mgC m-3 h-1) when comparing 1979, and 1999 2000 data. This was possibly due to the relatively low residence time of Falsa Bay waters (~8 days) and relatively low oyster density (a total of ~900 tons, with an estimated maximum carrying capacity from ~2,000 to 6,000 tons for this arm of the bay).


Abstract Background Adiponectin secreted by adipocytes plays a key role in insulin sensitivity, anti-inflammation, and antiatherosclerosis. It is involved in several conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Glomerular filtration rate is monitored to indicate the kidney function and CKD progression. Objective To assess the serum adiponectin levels in individuals with normal and mildly decreased glomerular filtration rate, analyze the association of serum adiponectin with various physical and biological parameters, and test whether serum adiponectin is the risk factor of mildly decreased glomerular filtration rate. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 172 individuals with 35–60 years of age. Serum samples were collected and divided into two groups, based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): 90 with normal eGFR (G1, eGFR ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2) and 82 with mildly decreased eGFR (G2, eGFR = 60–89 mL/min/1.73 m2). Anthropometric data were recorded. Serum adiponectin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Serum adiponectin levels were significantly increased in individuals with mildly decreased eGFR (G2), compared to G1 (8.23 ± 3.26 µg/mL and 6.57 ± 3.24 µg/mL, respectively; P = 0.001). Serum adiponectin was positively associated with age and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol but negatively associated with weight, body mass index, triglyceride, and waist and hip circumferences. Univariate analysis showed that serum adiponectin was significantly correlated with mildly decreased eGFR; however, when adjusting for confounding factors, there were no correlations. Furthermore, multivariate regression analysis showed that individuals at the age of 46–55 years (4.0; 95% CI: 1.9–8.3) and > 55 years (11.4; 95% CI: 3.7–35.5) were significantly correlated with mildly decreased eGFR. Conclusions Serum adiponectin was significantly elevated in individuals with mildly decreased eGFR and may be a modulation factor, but was not an independent risk factor for mildly kidney damage. Further study is needed to clarify its potential benefits as monitoring biomarker for CKD progression.


We conducted 2 experiments to explore whether or not the perception of interpersonal distance affects interpersonal psychological distance. Experiment 1 ( N = 60) involved a mixed design examination of the relationship between distance perception (near vs. far) and gender consistency (consistent vs. inconsistent). The results showed that the figure at a near distance was perceived as being significantly more favorable than that of the figure at a far distance. Experiment 2 ( N = 59) used a single-factor randomized design to investigate differences in stimulus size. The results showed that the size did not affect favorability evaluations. Our finding that a near interpersonal distance perception reduced interpersonal psychological distance supports both construal level theory and embodied cognition theory.


The guanidine moiety of arginine is involved in the active sites of a variety of enzymes, such as nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and NiFe hydrogenase. In this paper we aim to investigate the effects of a metal center on the oxidation of guanidine, which should provide an interesting comparison with the biological aerobic oxidation of arginine catalyzed by NOS. We studied the oxidation of an osmium(III) guanidine complex, mer-[Os(L){N(H)C(NH2)2}(CN)3]-, (OsG, HL = 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole) by m-chloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA), which is potentially an O atom transfer reagent, and by (NH4)2[CeIV(NO3)6], which is a one-electron oxidant. With m-CPBA, mer-[Os(NO)(L)(CN)3]- (mer-OsNO) is the product, while with CeIV, mer-[OsVI(N)(L)(CN)3]- (mer-OsN) is formed instead. The crystal structures of mer-OsNO and mer-OsN were determined by X-ray crystallography. The mechanisms for the oxidation of OsG by m-CPBA and CeIV are proposed.


We discuss in this note applications of the Multidimensional Positive Definite Advection Transport Algorithm (MPDATA) to numerical solutions of partial differential equations arising from stochastic models in quantitative finance. In particular, we develop a framework for solving Black-Scholes-type equations by first transforming them into advection-diffusion problems, and numerically integrating using an iterative explicit finite-difference approach, in which the Fickian term is represented as an additional advective term. We discuss the correspondence between transport phenomena and financial models, uncovering the possibility of expressing the no-arbitrage principle as a conservation law. We depict second-order accuracy in time and space of the embraced numerical scheme in a convergence analysis comparing MPDATA numerical solutions with the corresponding analytical formulae for valuation of European options in the basic Black-Scholes model. MPDATA results are also compared to solutions obtained with the upwind scheme. In addition, we demonstrate a way of applying MPDATA to solve the free boundary problem (leading to a linear complementarity problem) associated with the valuation of American options.


From 2017 to year 2020 (except for a gradual rise in 2018), the price per barrel of oil has been on the decline, thereby slowing down investment in the petroleum sector of Nigerian economy. This dwindling oil price creates an impelling need to investigate the viability or otherwise of investing in this sector. The net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) are two major indicators used to assess the viability of investing in projects. In this paper the two indicators have been used to assess the viability of investing in the oil sector of Nigerian economy. Analysis shows that given the cost of drainage per barrel of oil at US$25, a 40% royalty payment, an overall 10% taxation on profit, and price per barrel of oil at US$40, the net present value of a new oil well will be negative while the cost of capital will be higher than return on investment. However the break-even point occurs at US$42 price per barrel, yielding an internal rate of return equal to cost of capital. The conclusion is that the investment climate of the Nigerian oil sector is currently gloomy. Our analysis also shows that the investment climate can be improved by applying a dynamic royalty system whereby the royalty payable tothe Federal Government is reduced when the oil price declines, and increased when the oil price rises.


Studies in pollen germination on stigmas of isolated plants showed a great difference in this process in different forms. A rapid and steady growth of pollen tubes, their accumulation near the micropyle and penetration in it are observed in self-fertile plants. Pollen tubes grow slowly, often forming thickenings and swellings in self-sterile forms. Some of them penetrate deeper, reaching sometimes the seedbud but turn back without penetrating into it.


The OECD has identified 196 teams within governments across the world, designed with the purpose of using behavioral insights to improve national administrations. Citizens of various societies support nudges and nudging. However, the determinants of the nudge approval level have not been studied so far. It is not known why some types of nudges are approved by citizens of different countries to a greater extent, and others are actively disapproved. The aim of this study is to reveal the approval level of using Behavioral insights in Public Policy. We have formulated the nudge approval determinants, have analyzed the influence of nudge approval determinants on nudge approval level in 15 countries. We report the results of nationally representative survey of nudge approval level in Ukraine. We have found governance, cultural and experience determinants of nudge approval. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ppaa.18.1.23130


An attempt to explain some of the spectra features in YAG in terms of the splitting of the zero-photon lines due to the even part of the linear vibronic interaction Hamiltonian with a single active phonon mode in the cases of resonance or quasi-resonance between a pure electronic and vibronic level is presented. The observed features in absorption and emission spectra are discussed and the active mode is identified. The experimental splittings and intensities allow estimation of the vibronic coupling matrix elements of about 4 - 5 .


AIMS
To analyse the predictive role of myocardial inflammation assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) on the outcome of recently diagnosed dilated cardiomyopathy in children.

METHODS AND RESULTS
Over a period of 4 years, 66 children underwent CMR within 2 weeks after the diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy. CMR sequences sensitive for oedema, hyperaemia, and irreversible injury were applied: unenhanced cine steady-state free precession (SSFP), black-blood-prepared T1-weighted images, T2-weighted images, gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images (EGE), and late gadolinium-enhanced (LGE) images. Inflammatory cardiomyopathy defined as the presence of at least two CMR criteria was diagnosed in 31/66 children (CMR positive) while no criterion was present in the remaining 33 (CMR-negative). Only two patients had one positive criterion and were excluded from subsequent analysis. After a mean follow-up of 24 months, LV function recovery (LV ejection fraction >55%) was more frequent in the CMR-positive group (24 vs. 11, P < 0.05). The presence of myocardial inflammation and elevated troponin levels at baseline were the two predictors of LV function recovery with an odds ratio of 3.76 (P = 0.02) and 2.76 (P = 0.03), respectively, in a logistic regression model. Persisting LGE was rare in patients of the CMR-positive group at control CMR (6/22) and was never observed in the CMR-negative group (0/16).

CONCLUSION
The presence of myocardial inflammation on CMR at time of diagnosis of a dilated cardiomyopathy in children is a strong predictor of LV recovery.


Epigenetic lead, zinc, and copper sulfides have been found in old mines, prospects, and other occurrences over a wide area on all sides of the Upper Mississippi Valley district of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. These sulfides have the same crystal habits, trace elements, lead isotope patterns, and sequence of formation as those within the main mining area. They are interpreted here as guides to possible extension of the district. The known host rocks for ore deposits include rocks from Late Cambrian to Late Silurian age, but the most favorable strata are the Middle Ordovician dolomites and limestones. An area of major potential is defined here, peripheral to the southern edge of the district in Illinois and Iowa. The largest known deposits in the main district are close to its southern margin, and little prospecting has been done south of these deposits, even in the most favorable strata, because of a cover of glacial materials and less favorable Silurian rocks. Other favorable ground surrounds the district, especially where cover by drift has discouraged exploration.


Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is one of the two-dimensional layered semiconductor transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with great potential in electronics, optoelectronics, and spintronic devices. Sulfur vacancies in MoS2 are the most prevalent defects. However, the effect of sulfur vacancies on the electronic structure of MoS2 is still in dispute. Here we experimentally and theoretically investigated the effect of sulfur vacancies in MoS2. The vacancies were intentionally introduced by thermal annealing of MoS2 crystals in a vacuum environment. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) was used directly to observe the electronic structure of the MoS2 single crystals. The experimental result distinctly revealed the appearance of an occupied defect state just above the valence band maximum (VBM) and an upward shift of the VBM after creating sulfur vacancies. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations also confirmed the existence of the occupied defect state close to the VBM as well as two deep unoccupied states induced by the sulfur vacancies. Our results provide evidence to contradict that sulfur vacancies indicate the origin of n-type behaviour in MoS2. This work provides a rational strategy for tuning the electronic structures of MoS2.


Abstract:
 An onset of respiratory disease in a captive bachelor group (n = 3) of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) was concomitant with peak attendance of visitors at the institution and with unwanted occurrences of food items being thrown in the gorillas' enclosure. While the condition of two individuals improved with supportive therapy and antibiotics, the third gorilla died three days following initiation of treatment. A fatal bacterial pneumonia, secondary to an infection by a human parainfluenza virus 2 (HIPV-2), was considered to be the cause of death based on histopathology, lung cultures, and reverse transcription PCR. HPIV-2 activity in the human population of the province was detected for that period, including the same viral strain. This report confirms a HPIV-2 respiratory illness and associated death in a gorilla. Clinical presentation and context suggest conspecifics were also affected and that contaminated food thrown by visitors may have been the source of infection.


Satisfying the same probability of loss of control and essentially two fail operative performance with a triplex computer architecture requires a lot of modification of the conventional redundancy management design techniques, previously employed in quadruplex digital flight control computer. T-50 FCS for triplex redundancy management design applied an advanced digital flight control architecture with an I/O controller which is functionally independent of the digital computer to achieve the same reliability and special failure analysis and isolation schemes for fail operational goals with a triplex configuration. The analysis results indicated that the triplex flight control system is to satisfy the safety requirement utilizing the advanced flight control techniques and the system performance of the implemented flight control system was verified by failure mode effect test.


Hyde, Richard Albert S. PLZ , Social and Applied Economics, Wright State University, 1CF7 Tte Feasibility of Using Hedonic Pricing Models to Predict the Cost to the Air Force of Aircraft Engines, The objective of this paper is to determine the feasibility of using hedonic pricing models to predict the cost to the Air Force of aircraft engines purchased under government contracts. A hedonic pricing model is constructed using an ordinary least square regression format. The distinguishing factor is that cost is always the dependent variable in a hedonic pricing model. The word hedonic means pertaining to pleasure. Economists relate pleasure to value. Therefore, the predicted coefficients of variables produced by the hedonic model, represent marginal values of each variable. The coefficients also show how the variables impact cost. A good hedonic model will be able to explain a large portion of the total variation in the model and accurately predict cost. A sample of twenty turbofan engines was used to construct the models. Internal engine parameters were too highly correlated to produce significant results. Four internal variables were chosen to represent the entire bundle of internal engine characteristics. These four variables, overall pressure ratio, thrust-to-weight ratio, thrust, and weight, along with four external variables were placed in various models to determine if any combination of variables would produce a model that could predict the cost paid by the Air Force of an aircraft engine. Multiple series of models were run with various levels of success. The one problem persisted through all the models--the sign associated with the variable, cost of labor (LBR), was negatively correlated with cost suggesting that as cost of labor increased cost of production decreased Tie logical progression of this is that if labor is paid more and more, the engines will cost next to nothing. Obviously, this cannot be true. Many iterations failed to correct this err''.!. The two main reasons that this approach did not work are the small sample size and the quasi-market where government aircraft engines are purchased by the Air Force. Multicollinearity played a large part in the small sample size and political factors greatly influenced the market for govemment-purchase aircraft engines. For these reasons, hedonic pricing techniques could not be used to predict the cost to the Air Force of aircraft engines purchased under government contracts. TABLE of c o n t e n t s Page


Abstract. We consider the limit set of generalised iterated function systems. Under the assumption of a natural potential, the so called cylinder function, we prove the existence of the invariant probability measure satisfying the equilibrium state. We motivate this approach by showing that for typical self–affine sets there exists an ergodic invariant measure having the same Hausdorff dimension as the set itself.


Several models of programmed flight have been constructed to perform calculations on flight path optimization in designing tactical and anti-aircraft-guided missiles. The developed models are based on the determination of interrelated programmed values of altitude and the flight path angle depending on the range which have a differential relationship. The combination of flight altitude and flight-path angle programs allows the users to simulate the steady flight of a guided missile to the calculated endpoint using the methods of proportional control.
Good correspondence of the developed models to the physics of flight was shown by assessing the quality of approximation of the developed models of flight paths of anti-aircraft guided missiles obtained using other known models. The obtained approximation error was less than 5 % which indicates a good correspondence of the developed models to the physics of flight.
Compliance of the developed models of programmed flight with the intended purpose and the advantage over the most common known models were proved by optimizing the flight paths of the anti-aircraft-guided missile. In most of the considered calculation cases, the value of the objective function was improved to 2.9 %. The flight path was optimized using a genetic algorithm.
The developed models have a simple algebraic form and a small number of control parameters are presented in a ready-to-use form and do not require refinement for a concrete task. This allows them to be implemented in design practice without spending much time to speed up the calculation of optimal design variables and optimal flight paths of tactical and anti-aircraft-guided missiles


Abstract : Common Cyber Environment Representation (CCER) is an ontology for describing operationally relevant, and technically representative, cyber range event environments. Third-party ontology developers, as well as in-house ontology developers, contributed to CCER Ontology. Since the cyber range environments continue to evolve and expand, we expect the CCER Ontology also to evolve and expand. Therefore, an easy to comprehend versioning scheme that will support a systematic ontology evolution is needed. This document describes the requirements for such a versioning scheme, and its design. This document also describes how to assign version numbers under different ontology evolution situations, and provides guidelines for evaluating the impact of the version changes.


Previous studies of the impact of M&A on performance have employed a range of measures of "profitability" or "rate of return". Sometimes they have provided little in the way of rationalization; and sometimes the most appropriate measures have not been deployed for testing the chosen hypothesis, or supporting the final inferences. Here we explore a range of measures, their relation one to another, and caveats to their use in assessing operating efficiency or in monitoring the gains to shareholders. We discuss the profit margin, the return on net assets, the return on equity, earnings per share, and the total shareholder return.

We show that the reported change in margin following M&A will, other things equal, overstate any improvement in operating performance where the M&A increases vertical integration. We analyse the difference between the accounting return on net assets and the accounting return on equity, examining the impact of associated changes in capital structure and/or tax arrangements: we report a consequent tendency for the return on equity (and earnings per share, but not the return on net assets) to overstate any improvement in operating performance after M&A. We describe the difference between the accounting return on equity and the total shareholder return, exploring the impact on the latter of changes in stock market perceptions of the combination's prospects.


The synthesis and structure resolution of RbLaF(4) are described. RbLaF(4) is synthesized by solid-state reaction between RbF and LaF(3) at 425 °C under a nonoxidizing atmosphere. Its crystal structure has been resolved by combining neutron and synchrotron powder diffraction data refinements (Pnma,a = 6.46281(2) Å, b = 3.86498(1) Å, c = 16.17629(4) Å, Z = 4). One-dimensional (87)Rb, (139)La, and (19)F MAS NMR spectra have been recorded and are in agreement with the proposed structural model. Assignment of the (19)F resonances is performed on the basis of both (19)F-(139)La J-coupling multiplet patterns observed in a heteronuclear DQ-filtered J-resolved spectrum and (19)F-(87)Rb HMQC MAS experiments. DFT calculations of both the (19)F isotropic chemical shieldings and the (87)Rb, (139)La electric field gradient tensors using the GIPAW and PAW methods implemented in the CASTEP code are in good agreement with the experimental values and support the proposed structural model. Finally, the conductivity of RbLaF(4) and luminescence properties of Eu-doped LaRbF(4) are investigated.


Background: The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is frequently activated in blast cells from AML patients, and also detected in the leukemic stem cell (LSCs). The p110δ catalytic subunit of class IA PI3K is constantly expressed in leukemic cells, and IC87114, a specific p110δ inhibitor, inhibits Akt phosphorylation, reduces blast cell proliferation, but does not induce apoptosis in AML cells. The mTORC1 pathway is also activated in 50 to 70% of AML samples. Rapamycin and its derivative RAD001, inhibit mTORC1 activity, decrease the clonogenicity of leukemic progenitors, but induce low rates of apoptosis. LY294002 inhibits all p110 isoforms of PI3K as well as most kinases of the PIKK family but can not be used in clinical practice because of its toxicity. Pharmaceutical industry effort identified more selective PI3K inhibitors, and among them, PI-103, a small synthetic molecule of the pyridofuropyrimidine class, is potentially interesting as a selective PI3K inhibitor and also as an mTOR inhibitor. Materials and methods: Bone marrow (BM) samples were obtained from 20 newly diagnosed patients with de novo AML, treated in the AML2001 trial of chemotherapy, initiated by the GOELAMS. The MOLM-14 and OCI-AML-3 leukemic cell lines were obtained from ATCC. CD34+ cells from 5 normal allogeneic donors were purified after cytapheresis. Results: We studied the effect of PI-103 in MOLM-14 and OCI-AML-3. We observed a dose-dependent inhibition of AKT (Ser 473 and Thr 308), FOXO3a (Thr 32), and p70S6-kinase (Thr 389) phosphorylation with 0.1, 1 or 5 μM PI-103. 1μM PI-103 was as effective as 25 μM LY294002 or 10 nM RAD001 at inhibiting PI3K/AKT or mTORC1 activity, respectively. 1μM PI-103 dramatically inhibited the proliferation of both cell lines. However, PI-103 was essentially cytostatic and did not induce significant apoptosis in these cells. For subsequent experiments on primary AML blasts, the dose of 1 μM PI-103 was chosen as it was sufficient to inhibit AKT and p70S6K phosphorylations. The effect of 1μM PI-103 on PI3K/AKT and mTORC1 activation was evaluated in 5 AML samples (3 with constitutive PI3K activation (PI3K+) and 2 without constitutive PI3K activation (PI3K-)). 1 μM PI-103 inhibited completely basal and SCF or Flt3-L-stimulated AKT, FOXO3A phosphorylation and P70S6K phosphorylation in these AML samples. PI-103 dramatically inhibited both basal and growth factor-stimulated proliferation of blast cells. Interestingly, PI-103 induced significant apoptosis in 6 AML samples at 1μM and a significant decrease of CFU-L colonies in 6 other AML samples. In contrast, specific inhibition of the catalytic activity of the p110δ isoform and of the mTORC1 complex, with IC87114 and RAD001 respectively, did not induce apoptosis. Finally, excess of apoptosis was also obtained in the CD34+ CD38Low/Neg CD123+ LSCs from 4 patients in presence of PI-103 alone. Moreover, the functional effects of PI-103 on normal CD34+ cells were low, indicating that this compound may have a favourable therapeutic index. Conclusions: Our results suggest that multi-targeted therapy toward PI3K/AKT and mTOR may be efficient in AML and particularly useful to target LSCs.


Introduction Colorectal cancer represents the second commonest cause of cancer-related mortality in the UK, with one-third of cases involving the rectum. Response to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in rectal cancer varies from pathological complete response (pCR, with associated survival benefit) to disease progression. Predicting response is not currently possible but biomarkers to do this would facilitate personalised treatment, minimise morbidity from CRT and prevent delays in the systemic and local management of the disease in non-responders. Therapeutic targets may also be revealed to improve the efficacy of CRT, and further facilitate non-operative or rectal-preservation strategies. Initial proteomic profiling of rectal cancer has revealed differential expression of acid ceramidase (AC) between relative responders and non-responders to CRT. Aims 1) Validation of initial proteomic findings. 2) Confirmation of biological manipulation of AC in vitro. 3) Subsequent assessment of cell survivability post-irradiation. Methods Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed, comprising pre-CRT biopsies and post-CRT resection specimens from 111 rectal cancer patients, and used to correlate immunohistochemical expression of AC with pathological response to CRT (χ2). Genetic (siRNA) and pharmacological (carmofur) manipulation were used independently to inhibit AC expression and activity in a colorectal cancer cell line. Cells were subsequently irradiated, and survival measured by clonogenic assay. Results TMA analysis demonstrated low AC expression in tumour stroma to correlate with pCR (p=0.003) and relative responders to CRT (p=0.048), whereas high AC expression in normal colonic epithelium correlated with a non-response (p=0.012). High AC expression in residual cancer epithelium post-CRT also correlated with an increased risk of local disease recurrence (p=0.031). Preliminary in vitro modelling demonstrated no irradiation specific benefit to pharmacological or genetic inhibition of AC activity. Genetic manipulation of AC resulted in reduced cell viability and higher caspase activity, suggesting an apoptotic mechanism. Conclusions This study supports a role for AC in the response to CRT, implicating tumour-stromal interaction and apoptosis as potential mechanisms of action. Inhibition of AC, by drugs such as carmofur, may yet provide a promising therapeutic strategy as an adjunct to CRT in patients with rectal cancer. Further prospective analysis of AC in a wider clinical dataset and further evaluation of the potential mechanism of AC-dependent radio-resistance in rectal cancer and apoptosis is required.


In this study, a lightweight sandwich aircraft spoiler (AS) with a high stiffness-to-weight ratio was designed. Excellent mechanical properties were achieved by the synthetic use of topology optimization (TO), lattice structure techniques, and high-performance materials, i.e., titanium alloy and aluminum alloy. TO was first utilized to optimize the traditional aircraft spoiler to search for the stiffest structure with a limited material volume, where titanium alloy and aluminum alloy were used for key joints and other parts of the AS, respectively. We then empirically replaced the fine features inside the optimized AS with 3D kagome lattices to support the shell, resulting in a lightweight sandwich AS. Numerical simulations were conducted to show that the designed sandwich AS exhibited good mechanical properties, e.g., high bending rigidity, with a reduction in weight by approximately 80% when compared with that of the initial design model. Finally, we fabricated the designed model with photosensitive resin using a 3D printing technique.


Abstract 318 NOX-A12 is a novel Spiegelmer®-based antagonist of SDF-1/CXCL12, a chemokine involved in the regulation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cell trafficking. Spiegelmers® are mirror-image oligonucleotides that are identified to specifically bind to proteins in a manner conceptually similar to antibodies. Unlike aptamers, however, Spiegelmers® are built from the non-natural L-isomer form of nucleotides which confers resistance to the action of nucleases and avoids potential immunogenicity. CXCL12 is constitutively secreted and presented by bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) via glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and acts as a homing factor for normal and malignant hematopoietic cells to the bone marrow (BM) and secondary lymphoid tissues via CXCR4 receptors that are expressed at high levels on circulating CLL cells. The microenvironment in the BM and secondary lymphoid tissues, in particular the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis, favors survival and chemotherapy-resistance of leukemic cells. We therefore investigated the effects of NOX-A12 in an in vitro co-culture system to model the interaction of CLL cells with their microenvironment. Surprisingly we observed that NOX-A12 increased pseudoemperipolesis in vitro, i.e. spontaneous leukemia cell migration beneath BMSC. Interestingly, this NOX-A12 induced trans-migration of CLL cells was completely inhibited by the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100, suggesting a CXCL12/CXCR4 dependent mechanism. We postulated that this observation might result from a direct effect of NOX-A12 on CXCL12 release by the stromal cells. Therefore, we investigated this hypothesis in different BMSC lines (MS-5, R15C, and TSt-4) and we found that NOX-A12 induced a significant CXCL12 release in all three tested cell lines. We asked whether this NOX-A12 dependent increase of CXCL12 of BMSCs is due to release from either intracellular or extracellular storages. Intracellular staining of CXCL12 using flow cytometry did not reveal significant changes when BMSCs were incubated with NOX-A12. Furthermore, the transcription of CXCL12 was not found to be altered after NOX-A12 incubation over a period of three days as shown by quantitative RT-PCR. Rather, CXCL12 is released from extracellular storages of BMSCs. First hints were obtained through a rapid CXCL12 release within five minutes of incubation with NOX-A12. To confirm that CXCL12 is bound to the extracellular surface (by GAGs like heparin) and is being detached by NOX-A12 we first incubated BMSCs with NOX-A12, followed by a wash step and the addition of recombinant CXCL12. Recombinant CXCL12 was bound by BMSCs that were pre-incubated with NOX-A12 but not with a non-functional control (revNOX-A12), indicating that NOX-A12 strips off CXCL12. To corroborate the findings we incubated the BMSCs with heparin which also led to the release of CXCL12 in a dose dependent manner. Of note, the EC50 of heparin regarding CXCL12 release was much higher compared to the EC50 of NOX-A12 (≈ 12 μM vs. 5 nM) revealing the high affinity of NOX-A12 to CXCL12. The competition of NOX-A12 with heparin regarding CXCL12 binding was confirmed by Biacore experiments. Based on these findings, we developed a novel adapted co-culture approach to examine the ability of NOX-A12 to chemosensitize CLL cells. In this setting, we first strip off CXCL12 from BMSCs by NOX-A12 and subsequently add CLL cells which will be either non-treated or treated with chemotherapy (fludarabine combined with bendamustine). We found that NOX-A12 slightly decreased CLL cell viability. As expected, a strong viability decrease was observed with chemotherapy, which could be even further decreased by the combination with NOX-A12, suggesting synergistic effects. In conclusion, we propose that NOX-A129s mode of action is the release of extracellular bound CXCL12 and its subsequent inhibition. Since CXCL12 induces leukemia cell trafficking and homing to tissue microenvironment and also favors leukemia cell survival, we believe that targeting CXCL12 is an attractive approach to remove the protective effects of CXCL12-secreting BMSCs in order to sensitize CLL cells for subsequent chemotherapy. Thus, NOX-A12 represents a very promising agent to significantly improve the treatment of CLL. The compound is currently being tested in a Phase IIa study in relapsed CLL patients. Disclosures: Zboralski:NOXXON Pharma AG, Berlin, Germany: Employment. Maasch:NOXXON Pharma AG: Employment. Kruschinski:NOXXON Pharma AG: Employment. Burger:NOXXON Pharma AG: Consultancy, Research Funding.