This article examines the weldability of ductile cast iron when the root weld is applied with a tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process employing an Inconel 625 source rod, and when the filler welds are applied with electrodes coated with 97.6% Ni. The welds were performed on ductile cast iron specimen test plates sized 300 mm × 90 mm × 10 mm with edges tapered at angles of 60°. The plates were subjected to two heat treatments. This article analyzes the influence on weldability of the various types of electrodes and the effect of preheat treatments. Finally, a microstructure analysis is made of the material next to the weld in the metal-weld interface and in the weld itself. The microstructure produced is correlated with the strength of the welds. We treat an alloy with 97.6% Ni, which prevents the formation of carbides. With a heat treatment at 900 °C and 97.6% Ni, there is a dissolution of all carbides, forming nodules in ferritic matrix graphite.


entity. Clinical suspicion is provided by it0s typical manifestations; progressive, unilateral, hypoglobus and enophthalmus. It can be easily interpreted as exophthalmus or proptosis of the contralateral eye or ptosis of the affected eye, delaying the real diagnostic and the treatment. Methods: We present a case of a healthy 35 years-old-woman, who was referred to our hospital with painless enophthalmos, hypoglobus of the left eye and diplopia progressed over four days in the absence of previous trauma or surgery. She had no sinonasal symptoms. A diagnosis of silent sinus syndrome was confirmed when the computerized tomography showed pathognomonic signs of silent syndrome, with downward traction of the orbital floor and implosion of the left maxillary antrum. Results: Sinonasal endoscopic surgery (maxillary antrostomy) was performed, and six months after surgery the patient had no diplopia and aesthetic improvements. Conclusions: The differential diagnosis of facial asymmetry must include this under diagnosed entity. The clinical suspect is essential for the diagnosis, but it will be confirmed by imaging studies.


Presents a fully differential pipelined A/D converter based on digital correction of errors caused by comparator offsets and a dynamic reference refreshment technique. We propose a new architecture for precisely amplifying differential currents that uses dynamic current memories and inherently suppresses common-mode currents requiring neither common-mode feedback nor common-mode feedforward circuitry. Additionally, we propose a new reference sharing technique that considerably simplifies the control of the reference refreshment circuit as well as reducing the power dissipation and chip area.


This study aims at investigating how diversity and community structure of arthropods are affected by assisted migration of foundation species. This is proposed to counter biodiversity loss in the tracks of climate change. By focusing on foundation species, a larger quantity of biodiversity could be protected. I investigated arthropod diversity and community structure linked to nine Freemont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) populations types from different areas planted in three common gardens at different elevations. In accordance with the mid-elevation hypothesis that states that diversity peaks at mid-elevations, the diversity and most abundances of arthropod peaked in a mid-elevation garden at 1000 m.a.s.l. However, abundances of the functional group of predators peaked at low elevations contradicting the mid-elevation diversity pattern. Earlier studies have found that genetics and local adaptation exists between arthropods and host plants. Therefore, it was hypothesized that arthropod diversity would differ between cottonwood populations with different origin. The results were non-significant but there were signs of some cottonwood populations holding a higher diversity of arthropods. The result was inconclusive although there were signs of some populations supporting higher diversities than the rest. There was an interaction effect between common gardens and cottonwood population where the most abundant population types contained higher abundances of arthropods in mid-elevation garden. The analysis were performed with a GLM (Generalized linear model) and a Tukey HSD (honest significant difference) and the variables tested was SWD Index (Shannon-Winer diversity index), Evenness and abundances. The results from this study implement that the success of assisted migration and interaction with diversity linked to foundation species need to be further investigated. The findings in this study could be the result of a variety of underlying processes, from species interactions and genetic adaptation in the foundation species and arthropod communities. Both genetics in the plants as well as the arthropod abundances linked to these trees are baselines for the rest of the biodiversity. Both biotic and abiotic factors are important for the success of assisted migration of foundation species as a counter measure to biodiversity loss.


Filamentous actinobacteria like Streptomyces undergo two distinct modes of cell division, leading to the partitioning of growing hyphae into multicellular compartments via cross-walls and to the septation and release of unicellular spores. While some progress has been made towards the regulation of sporulation-specific cell division, specific determinants for cross-wall formation and the importance of hyphal compartmentalization for Streptomyces development have remained unknown. Here we describe SepX, an actinobacterial-specific protein that is crucial for both cell division events in Streptomyces. We show that sepX-deficient mutants grow without cross-walls and that this substantially impairs the fitness of colonies and the coordinated progression through the developmental life cycle. Protein interaction studies and live-cell imaging suggest that SepX functions to spatially stabilize the divisome, a mechanism that also requires the dynamin-like protein DynB. Collectively, this work identifies an important determinant for cell division in filamentous actinobacteria that is required for multicellular development and sporulation.


Cytotoxic and cytostatic properties of peritoneal exudate cells from BALB/c mice either normal or pretreated with Corynebacterium parvum normal were studied using as target cells two lines of BALB/c fibroblasts one normal (BALB) and one transformed by Kirsten virus (K.BALB).. C. parvum activated cells displayed higher cytotoxic as measured by 51Cr or 3H-thymidine release and cytostatic, as measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation, activities against these lines of syngeneic cells. Cytotoxic effect of normal peritoneal cells was evident when 51Cr or 3H-thymidine release was used whereas no such effect was found when cytolytic plaque formation test was used. Sensitivity of both BALB and K.BALB target cell lines was found to be equal to cytotoxic and cytostatic activities of C. parvum activated or normal syngeneic peritoneal cells.


Aging can significantly affect the viscoelastic properties and cracking behavior of asphalt mixtures, causing increase in stiffness, reduction in relaxation capability, and increase in brittleness. Eleven mixtures are evaluated using different laboratory conditioning protocols to evaluate how the properties of asphalt mixtures, including viscoelastic properties, fatigue, and fracture behavior will change over time. Comparisons between different aging levels and mixtures are conducted by using complex modulus (E*) (field cores are included), simplified viscoelastic continuum damage (S-VECD) approach, semi-circular bending (SCB), and disk shaped compact tension (DCT) fracture tests. The climatic aging index developed by the NCHRP 09-54 project is utilized in this study to calculate the appropriate field aging duration corresponding to the different laboratory aging protocols. Pavement evaluation tools FlexPAVETM and IlliTC are also used to predict and compare the fatigue and thermal cracking performance of these mixtures. The results of E* and S-VECD tests indicate that the mixtures are more prone to fatigue cracking with aging, and the two long-term conditioning protocols induce statistically similar changes in linear viscoelastic and fatigue properties. However, prediction of fatigue performance from FlexPAVE TM does not show a consistent trend once pavement structure and traffic are considered. Fracture tests and IlliTC predictions show the virgin mixtures and those with soft base binders will have better capability to resist cracking after long-term aging. In this study, the two mixtures with the largest difference between high and low temperature performance grade (PG) show the largest change in fracture and fatigue properties with aging.


In this paper, we present a multihop mobile communications system utilizing fixed relay stations to enhance the coverage of the service area. A multihop mobile communications system was originally proposed as a system in which only mobile stations relay communication between other mobile stations and a base station to solve the problem of poor coverage expected in a future cellular system. In the system, however, a probability of a mobile station being able to connect with a base station via their relay functions is governed by a probability of mobile stations existing in its neighborhood. Therefore, we introduce fixed stations as relay stations in addition to relay functions of mobile stations to enhance the probability of link conductivity between a base station and a mobile station. By adopting this multihop architecture, a mobile station which needs relay functions can choose relay stations among fixed relay stations or other mobile stations. Moreover, we also examine its time slot allocation methods. We confirmed that the ratio of successful connection between mobile stations and base stations improved about 0.15 by introducing just 4 fixed relay stations in a certain environment


Identifying permanent water and temporary water in flood disasters efficiently has mainly relied on change detection method from multi-temporal remote sensing imageries, but estimating the water type in flood disaster events from only post-flood remote sensing imageries still remains challenging. Research progress in recent years has demonstrated the excellent potential of multi-source data fusion and deep learning algorithms in improving flood detection, while this field has only been studied initially due to the lack of large-scale labelled remote sensing images of flood events. Here, we present new deep learning algorithms and a multi-source data fusion driven flood inundation mapping approach by leveraging a large-scale publicly available Sen1Flood11 dataset consisting of roughly 4831 labelled Sentinel-1 SAR and Sentinel-2 optical imagery gathered from flood events worldwide in recent years. Specifically, we proposed an automatic segmentation method for surface water, permanent water, and temporary water identification, and all tasks share the same convolutional neural network architecture. We utilize focal loss to deal with the class (water/non-water) imbalance problem. Thorough ablation experiments and analysis confirmed the effectiveness of various proposed designs. In comparison experiments, the method proposed in this paper is superior to other classical models. Our model achieves a mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 52.99%, Intersection over Union (IoU) of 52.30%, and Overall Accuracy (OA) of 92.81% on the Sen1Flood11 test set. On the Sen1Flood11 Bolivia test set, our model also achieves very high mIoU (47.88%), IoU (76.74%), and OA (95.59%) and shows good generalization ability.


Alport syndrome is a type IV collagen disease that affects the glomerular basement membrane of approximately one in every 5000 people. The disease was first described by A. Cecil Alport in 1927 as "a dominantly inherited hereditary nephritis." The three genotypes of the disease are X-linked dominant, autosomal recessive, and autosomal dominant. The X-linked dominant genotype is the most common, accounting for 80% of all cases of Alport syndrome, affecting mainly men. The autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant types affect men and women equally. Alport syndrome is caused by mutations on the COL4A3 , COL4A4 , and COL4A5 genes, which code the α3, α4, and α5 (IV) chains that make up type IV collagen molecules, an important component of basement membranes. Thus, Alport syndrome results in malformed basement membranes, with symptoms including renal impairment, hematuria, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and an abnormal structure of the glomerular basement membrane. Alport syndrome also often progresses to end-stage renal disease, especially in men with X-linked Alport syndrome. At this point, there is no cure for Alport syndrome. However, there are many successful treatments for its symptoms. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are often given to patients in the early stages of Alport syndrome. For patients with end-stage renal disease, dialysis or kidney transplants are considered the best course of action.


Imaging mass spectrometry can generate three-dimensional volumes showing molecular distributions in an entire organ or animal through registration and stacking of serial tissue sections. Here, we review the current state of 3D imaging mass spectrometry as well as provide insights and perspectives on the process of generating 3D mass spectral data along with a discussion of the process necessary to generate a 3D image volume.


A clinical and histopathological analysis was carried out on 376 thyroid specimens removed under various diagnoses from the surgical clinics of Papua New Guinea over a period of 11 years (1980-90). Solitary nodular goitre (solid and cystic) was the most common clinical diagnosis. Nineteen per cent of the solid and 35% of the cystic solitary nodular goitres were found to be malignant. Malignant goitres were confirmed histologically in 73.3% of the clinically diagnosed cases of malignancy. The presence of amyloid goitre (1.9%) posed a significant diagnostic and therapeutic problem due to its clinical features resembling that of malignant goitre. Hemithyroidectomy (lobectomy) was the most common surgical procedure employed for all unilateral thyroid lesions and partial or subtotal thyroidectomy was performed for benign and most malignant lesions.


K-Ar biotite and fission-track (FT) zircon ages were determined on the Nisatai Dacite (ND), Iwate Prefecture, Japan, to assess its suitability for a geologic age standard. The concentration of potassium and argon isotope ratios were determined on a biotite sample twice and three times, respectively, and yielded reproducible results within analytical errors. A K-Ar age was given as 21.0 ± 0.3 (2 sigma) Ma. FT zircon ages were determined on two samples from different localities as 21.8 ± 1.4 (2 sigma) and 23.9 ± 1.4 Ma. The K-Ar age was obtained from an outcrop adjacent to that for the former FT age, with a good agreement between the two methods. The concordance in age, in conjunction with previous zircon FT length data, suggests a potential applicability of the ND to both the K-Ar and FT system calibration in Cenozoic time.


ABSTRACT The Dorcadionini fauna of Turkey is reviewed, and a complete list with type information and provincial distributions is presented. Two hundred and seventy-eight species-group taxa are catalogued in total. This represents approximately 35% of the known Palaearctic Dorcadionini fauna. The Turkish Dorcadionini fauna is characterised by 227 endemic species-group taxa. So its endemism ratio is very high (approximately 82%). Distributions of the taxa in Turkey are given based on available literature records. Taxa in the list are arranged systematically under tribe, genus, subgenus (when recognised), species and subspecies (when recognised). The species group taxa whose occurrences in Turkey need conformation are not included in the list but are given separately. Additionally, two taxa are removed from the list: Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) investitum Breuning in Braun, 1978a as nomen nudum and Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) rosinae K. Daniel in Bodemeyer, 1900 as nomen nudum; and two taxa are given as status nov. and comb. nov.: Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) atritarse Pic, 1931a and Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) equestre bernhauerorum Peks, 2010. Moreover, a checklist of Dorcadionini of Turkey is presented in an appendix.


Hyperbranched polyurethanes, with varying oligoethyleneoxy spacer segments between the branching points, have been synthesized by a one-pot approach starting from the appropriately designed carbonyl azide that incorporates the different spacer segments. The structures of monomers and polymers were confirmed by IR and 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. The solution viscosity of the polymers suggested that they were of reasonably high molecular weight. Reversal of terminal functional groups was achieved by preparing the appropriate monohydroxy dicarbonyl azide monomer. The large number of terminal isocyanate groups at the chain ends of such hyperbranched macromolecules caused them to crosslink prior to its isolation. However, carrying out the polymerization in the presence of 1 equiv of a capping agent, such as an alcohol, resulted in soluble polymers with carbamate chain ends. Using a biphenyl-containing alcohol as a capping agent, we have also prepared novel hyperbranched polyurethanes with pendant mesogenic segments. These mesogen-containing polyurethanes, however, did not exhibit liquid crystallinity probably due to the wholly aromatic rigid polymer backbone.


This study examined the direct effect of individual variables (self-esteem, creative self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation) on the Research and Development (R&D) engineers' creativity. The data were analysed based on questionnaires returned by 130 R&D engineers attached to fifteen Electrical and Electronic (E&E) firms with R&D department in Penang, Malaysia. The convenience sampling method was employed in getting the samples. The results posited that all individual variables were positively related to R&D engineers' creativity. The results also reported that there is no significant difference in R&D engineers' creativity between contract employment type and permanent employment type. The theoretical and practical implications of the study as well as suggestion for future studies were also discussed.


The Indian economy characterized variously as a slumbering giant, powerful tiger, and the most promising market has witnessed a slowdown, occasional disturbances in the industrial relations space, and attention of the world in the last five years. In this special issue, we raise pertinent questions and present research on multiple dimensions of the dynamic and rapidly changing business environment of India. The suitability of management models and frameworks developed in the North American contexts in emerging markets like India and China is questioned. One example of how the well-established models in the literature on success of international joint ventures were insufficient to explain the success of three international joint ventures in the insurance space in India is presented as case in point. Finally, the nine papers that materially contribute to the theme of this special issue are introduced. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Abstract Background: Dissemination of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli is closely associated with the worldwide spread of a single clone ST131, which is the main cause of urinary tract and bloodstream infections in patients from nursing homes and immunocompromised patients. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of ST131 clone and the replicons involved in the spread of blaCTX-M genes among O25b-ST131 CTX-M-producing E. coli isolates in Lithuania. Methods: The strains included in this study were screened for CTX-M β-lactamase-encoding genes, phylogenetic groups and ST131 clone by PCR. Bacterial conjugation was performed to identify plasmid replicon types responsible for blaCTX-M genes dissemination. Results: A total of 158 E. coli clinical non-duplicate ESBL isolates were analyzed. Nearly half (n = 67, 42.4%) of the investigated E. coli isolates belonged to phylogenetic group B2. The isolates producing CTX-M-92 β-lactamases were identified to be the ST131 clone more frequently than the non-ST131 clone (11.5% vs. 3.1%, p = .035). The CTX-M-15 isolates were identified as ST131 isolates less frequently than non-ST131 isolates (50.8% vs. 71.1%; p = .015). The ST131 clone isolates contained type L/M and A/C replicons; a fused FII/FIB replicon was found in four isolates (23.5%). Type HI1 replicon was identified in ST131 E. coli isolates producing CTX-M-15 β-lactamases. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the predominance of the ST131 clone among CTX-M β-lactamase-producing E. coli isolates. Dissemination of blaCTX-M genes in ST131 strains can be linked not only to highly adapted IncF plasmids such as FII/FIB and FII, but also to plasmid replicon types A/C, L/M and HI1.


Cdk1 (Cdc28 in yeast) is a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) essential for cell cycle progression and cell division in normal cells. However, CDK activity also underpins proliferation of tumor cells, making it a relevant study subject. While numerous targets and processes regulated by Cdc28 have been identified, the exact functions of Cdc28 are only partially understood. To further explore the functions of Cdc28, we systematically overexpressed ∼4800 genes in wild-type (WT) cells and in cells with artificially reduced Cdc28 activity. This screen identified 366 genes that, when overexpressed, specifically compromised cell viability under conditions of reduced Cdc28 activity. Consistent with the crucial functions of Cdc28 in cell cycle regulation and chromosome metabolism, most of these genes have functions in the cell cycle, DNA replication, and transcription. However, a substantial number of genes control processes not directly associated with the cell cycle, indicating that Cdc28 may also regulate these processes. Finally, because the dataset was enriched for direct Cdc28 targets, the results from this screen will aid in identifying novel targets and process regulated by Cdc28.


Abstract Objective: To investigate an outbreak of nosocomial infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii and to analyze the contribution of cross-transmission in the rise in infection rates. Design: Epidemiological investigation; molecular typing using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE); matched case-control study to identify risk factors for infection. Setting: A 34-bed surgical intensive care unit at a tertiary-care hospital. Patients: Eighteen patients who developed MDR A baumannii nosocomial infection were matched to 36 patients who were admitted to the same surgical intensive care unit (SICU) room and did not develop an infection during the outbreak period. Results: Prior to the outbreak, the baseline attack rate of MDR A baumannii nosocomial infections was 3 per 100 patients per month. From February 1 through March 22, 1998, the attack rate rose to 16 per 100 patients per month, with a total of 18 infections. All isolates had indistinguishable PFGE patterns. Seventy environmental cultures were negative for MDR A baumannii. Following intense infection control education, the attack rate decreased to 4 per 100 patients per month. By conditional logistic regression, cases were exposed to a significantly higher number of patients with MDR A baumannii infections compared to controls (odds ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.2; P=.02), even after adjusting for length of SICU admission and exposure to antibiotics and invasive devices. Conclusion: Cross-transmission between patients contributed to the rise in rates of MDR A baumannii infections. A common environmental source was not detected.


Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare type of autoimmune hepatic disease with unknown pathophysiology, often a sequela of ulcerative colitis (UC). Liver transplant, though curative, is inaccessible to many patients due to stringent organ availability and barriers to sufficient insurance coverage. Low health literacy and low socioeconomic class can significantly limit healthcare access and thus worsen overall healthcare outcomes. Here, we present the case of an uninsured 49-year-old man with untreated UC who was diagnosed with PSC and subsequently became lost to follow-up. It is critical for providers to identify barriers to acquiring appropriate medical care, such as financial instability and low health literacy, when identifying and treating conditions like PSC. Moreover, more research should be performed to investigate alternative treatments for PSC.


Initial studies of the aerodynamic characteristics of proposed launch vehicles can be made more accurately if lower cost, high-fidelity aerodynamic models are available for wind tunnel testing early in design phase. Rapid Prototyping (RP) is an emerging key technology for producing accurate parts directly from CAD models quickly, with little need of human intervention. Use of RP models was studied at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). It was concluded that RP methods and materials can be used only for preliminary design studies and limited configurations because of the RP material properties that allow bending of models under higher loading conditions. The reported results and analysis were based on wind tunnel balances. These balances give total load on the body. Thus, there is a need for studying the pressure distribution, the wave pattern and the system behavior under high-speed conditions. In order to study the above goals, a blunt nose cone of a launch vehicle/ missile was tested which was made using the solid based RP method FDM, with a Mach number of 2.0. It is concluded that RP models can take the load at the Mach number 2.0 and also can capture the pressure distribution and wave pattern.


Diabetes is a chronic metabolic syndrome that results in changes in carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism. With diabetes for a long time, it increases the risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and long-term morbidity and mortality. Moreover, emerging evidence suggests that neuron damage occurs earlier than microvascular complications in DR patients, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. We investigated diabetes-induced retinal neuropathy and elucidated key molecular events to identify new therapeutic targets for the clinical treatment and prevention of DR. For in vivo studies, a high-fat diet and streptozotocin (STZ) injection were used to generate the diabetes model. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used for morphological observations and measurements of the outer nuclear layer thickness. Electroretinography (ERG) was used to assess retinal function. For in vitro studies, Neuro2a cells were incubated in normal (5.5 mM) and high-glucose (30 mM) conditions. Flow cytometry assays were performed to analyze apoptosis. Additionally, real-time PCR and Western blotting analyses were carried out to determine gene and protein expression in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, the results indicated that retinal neuropathy occurred prior to endothelial damage induced by diabetes, and thioredoxin (Trx) plays a key role in this process. This underlying mechanism may be related to activation of the Trx/ASK1/p-p38/Trx-interacting protein pathway.


X-linked congenital stationary night blindness (CSNBX) is a non-progressive retinal disorder characterized by decreased visual acuity and loss of night vision. CSNBX is clinically heterogeneous with respect to the involvement of retinal rods and/or cones in the disease. In this study, we localize a new locus for CSNBX to Xp21.1, thus providing evidence that CSNBX is also genetically heterogeneous. A clear correlation between different genotypes and phenotypes cannot be found yet. The new CSNBX gene described here is closely linked to the X-linked retinitis pigmentosa type 3 gene region, which supports the hypothesis that there may be a functional relationship between congenital stationary night blindness and retinitis pigmentosa.


Karpur Ras (KRP) is an Ayurvedic preparation used as a traditional medicine in the treatment of diarrhea in the rural population. To find out the toxicological characteristic of KRP, it was administered chronically to the male SpragueDawley rats at a dose of 40 mg/kg for 28 days. All throughout the experimental period the KRP treated animals were always maintaining decrease in body weight in the overall body weight study compare to their control counterpart. There were a statistically significant (p=0.013) decrease in the absolute weight of rat heart and a statistically highly significant (p=0.009) decrease in the relative percent weight of the heart. There were a statistically highly significant decrease in the absolute weight of the liver (p=0.002) and the relative percent weight of the liver (p=0.005). Also there was a statistically very highly significant (p=0.001) decrease in the organ water content of the liver. There was a statistically highly significant (p=0.004) decrease in the absolute weight of the rat kidney but a statistically significant (p=0.015) decrease was noticed in relative percent weight of the rat kidney. There were a statistically very highly significant (p=0.001) decrease in the absolute weight of spleen relative percent weight of spleen.


Abstract 730

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is a rare disorder characterized by severe neutropenia present at birth, an arrest of neutrophilic differentiation at the promyelocyte or myelocyte stage, and a propensity to develop acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasia. Mutations of the ELA2 gene encoding neutrophil elastase have been identified in majority cases of SCN. To date, more than 50 distinct mutations of the ELA2 gene have been reported in patients with SCN. However, the mechanisms by which these mutations disrupt neutrophil development are unclear.

To understand the roles of ELA2 mutation in SCN, we established three human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell clones (SPN0101, SPN0102 and SPN0103) from bone marrow stromal cells of a patient having heterozygous mutation in ELA2 gene by transfection with retrovirus vector whichexpressed human OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC (SCN-iPS cells). The silencing of exogenous genes and the capability to differentiate into three germ lines by teratoma formation were confirmed in the three SCN-iPS cell clones.

We first examined the hematopoietic differentiation of SCN-iPS and control iPS cells which were generated from healthy donors by the same method to SCN-iPS cells, using coculture system with murine embryonic aorta-gonad-mesonephros region-drived stromal cell line (AGM-3 cells) (Ma F. et al., PNAS, 2009). The cocultured cells were harvested at day 12 and analyzed for the hematopoietic colony formation by 10,000 CD34+ cells which were separated using magnetic beads system. There was no difference between SCN-iPS and control iPS cells in the number and size of erythroid and mixed-lineage colonies (erythroid colonies; 11.5±3.7 in SCN-iPS cells and 10.3±4.5 in control and mixed-lineage colonies; 25.5±8.0 in SCN-iPS cells and 18.7±4.2 in control). However, the number of myeloid colonies derived from SCN-iPS cells was significantly smaller than that in control (48.0±21.3 in SCN-iPS cells and 206.7±37.6 in control, p<0.01), and their size was tiny as compared to that in control. The myeloid colonies derived from SCN-iPS cells consisted of monocytic cells and a few immature myeloid cells whereas those from control iPS cells contained a substantial number of mature neutrophils. Furthermore, since SCN patients need higher dose of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) treatment to increase neutrophil numbers and avoid recurrent life-threatening bacterial or fungal infections, we compared the sensitivity of myeloid colony formation to G-CSF between SCN-iPS and control iPS cells. The number and size of myeloid colonies derived from control iPS cells reached a plateau at a concentration of 1 ng/mL G-CSF, while those from SCN-iPS cells were enhanced in association with the escalated concentrations of G-CSF up to 1,000 ng/mL although the number of the colonies was fewer, and their size was smaller than control even at 1,000 ng/mL of G-CSF. The large colonies containing more than 100 cells were formed from control iPS cells at 1 ng/mL of G-CSF, but SCN-iPS cells at higher doses of 100 ng/mL.

We next examined the neutrophil development in more detail in suspension culture. 10,000 CD34+ cells derived from SCN-iPS and control iPS cells were cocultured with AGM-3 stromal cells in the presence of various cytokines including 10 ng/mL of G-CSF, but not erythropoietin to exclude the growth of erythroid cells. The cells from control iPS cell increased 23.3-fold for 2 weeks, and most of the cultured cells were neutrophils. By contrast, the cells from SCN-iPS cells gradually decreased, and contained few neutrophils, but mainly monocytic cells.

These results indicated thatthe development of neutrophils was selectively impaired in hematopoiesis derived from SCN-iPS cells, although other lineages of cells, such as erythroid and monocytic cells, were not affected, and that the stimulation of high concentration of G-CSF compensated the impaired neutrophil development to some extent in SCN-iPS cells. The present study demonstrated that hematopoiesis derived from SCN-iPS cells reflected the pathophysiological status of SCN patients including neutrocytopenia and its improvement by G-CSF treatment, and established SCN-iPS cells could contribute to understand the pathophysiology and leukemogenesis in SCN. Further researches are under investigation to clarify the relationship between ELA2 mutation and clinical status in SCN including leukemogenesis.

Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


In this paper, we propose numerical methods for computing the boundary local time of reflecting Brownian motion (RBM) in R3 and its use in the probabilistic representation of the solution of the Laplace equation with the Neumann boundary condition. Approximations of the RBM based on a walk-on-spheres (WOS) and random walk on lattices are discussed and tested for sampling the RBM paths and their applicability in finding accurate approximation of the local time and discretization of the probabilistic formula. Numerical tests for several types of domains (cube, sphere, and ellipsoid) have shown the convergence of the numerical methods as the length of the RBM path and number of paths sampled increase.


Previously, the Einstein equation has been described as an equation of state, general relativity as the equilibrium state of gravity, and $f({\cal R})$ gravity as a non-equilibrium one. We apply Eckart's first order thermodynamics to the effective dissipative fluid describing scalar-tensor gravity. Surprisingly, we obtain simple expressions for the effective heat flux,"temperature of gravity", shear and bulk viscosity, and entropy density, plus a generalized Fourier law in a consistent Eckart thermodynamical picture. Well-defined notions of temperature and approach to equilibrium, missing in the current thermodynamics of spacetime scenarios, naturally emerge.


In this short note we prove the logarithmic stability of the single measurement uniqueness result for the fractional Calder\'on problem which had been derived in \cite{GRSU18}. To this end, we use the quantitative uniqueness results established in \cite{RS20a} and complement these bounds with a boundary doubling estimate. The latter yields control of the order of vanishing of solutions to the fractional Schr\"odinger equation. Then, following a scheme introduced in \cite{S10,ASV13} in the context of the determination of a surface impedance from far field measurements, this allows us to deduce logarithmic stability of the potential $q$.


INTRODUCTION
Although pneumonia is a major complication after acute ischaemic stroke (AIS), pneumonia prediction scores have not been extensively validated. This study aimed to compare the discrimination performance of 5 pneumonia prediction scores in AIS patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive adult AIS patients whom presented to our emergency department within 4.5 hours of symptom-onset between January 2012 and February 2015. Diagnosis had to be made by a neurologist and infarcts confirmed by neuroimaging. We excluded patients with pneumonia on presentation. Pneumonia predictors were based on the 5 prediction scoring models: Kwon's score, Chumbler's score, Acute Ischaemic Stroke-Associated Pneumonia Score (AIS-APS), A2DS2 score and ISAN score. The definition of stroke-associated pneumonia was based on the criteria by the Pneumonia in Stroke Consensus Group. Analysis using area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) was performed.

RESULTS
Forty (5.5%) out of 731 patients analysed had stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP). A2DS2 score had the highest discrimination capacity (AUROC 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.92), followed by AIS-APS (AUROC 0.87; 95% CI, 0.83 to 0.91), Kwon's score (AUROC 0.86; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.92), Prestroke Independence, Sex, Age and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (ISAN) score (AUROC 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.90) and Chumbler's score (AUROC 0.79; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.84). However, there was no statistical difference of discrimination capacity among A2DS2 score, AIS-APS and Kwon's score.

CONCLUSION
A2DS2 , AIS-APS and Kwon's scores performed comparably in discriminating SAP in AIS patients.


Abstract : This paper challenges whether the current division structure can remain as the base of maneuver considering the impacts force reductions and the revision of the current Airland Operations doctrine will have on our Army. The structure of our Table of Organization (TOE) army has been centered on the division since World War I. As we look towards the requirements to downsize our total force, as a result of the victory of Cold War I, we must not be comfortable with a business as usual approach. I intend to challenge this paradigm and will offer my thoughts regarding the size and makeup of our tactical structure of the future. My methodology will be to review the process that Col. (ret) Art Lykke describes as the ends, ways, and means needed to accomplish our mission. I will review our national security interests and objectives as established by the President, from this will flow a national military strategy to provide he concepts for accomplishing the mission. Next must come a doctrinally-based structure to meet the anticipated needs of the Airland Operations of the future. I have offered three alternatives that are changes from our current divisional structure. After comparing advantages and disadvantages of each I have concluded that a fine tuning of our current structure is all that is required and major alterations are unnecessary.


Data are presented on the stages of aging of the female reproductive system and the symptoms developing in these age periods. It is noted that the pathogenesis of development of urogenital disorders are connected with decrease in the level of estrogens in the peri- and postmenorausal period. Effective therapy for women with vaginal atrophy is the administration of estriol preparations (Оvestin) in the form of a cream or vaginal suppositories.


This article will focus on the first experiments carried out for our PHD thesis, which is meant to make the new image-based methods available for archeologists. As a matter of fact, efforts need to be made to find cheap, efficient and user-friendly procedures for image acquisition, data processing and quality control. Among the numerous tasks that archeologists have to face daily is the 3D recording of very small objects. The Apero/MicMac tools were used for the georeferencing and the dense correlation procedures. Relatively standard workflows lead to depth maps, which can be represented either as 3D point clouds or shaded relief images.


Several agents were compared for their ability to inhibit protein synthesis for long periods in tumor cells growing in culture. Mouse B16 melanoma cells, treated with high concentrations of cycloheximide or pactamycin for 1 hour and then washed repeatedly, recovered their ability to incorporate [3H]leucine into protein in about 4 hours, while cells treated with emetine recovered in 12 hours. After similar treatment with muconomycin A, however, incorporation of [3H]leucine remained inhibited for at least 30 hours. During this time the cells remained attached to the culture dishes, were able to exclude trypan blue dye, and retained nearly normal levels of rubidium-86 content. When another, untreated, population of cells was added to the muconomycin-treated cells, protein synthesis was not inhibited in the untreated population; action of the drug was thus shown to be confined to the treated cells. In melanoma cells treated with neuraminidase and muconomycin, measurement of glycoprotein synthesis (as determined by sialic acid analysis) showed that muconomycin also inhibited restoration of sialic acid content. Brief treatment with muconomycin, therefore, appeared to be sufficient for prolonged inhibition of protein and glycoprotein synthesis.


The understanding of the meaning of space differs among people with different background of culture. So does among the modern and traditional people. This research aims at understanding the meaning of space in the residence of Java Tondano People in Minahasa. To achieve this objective, three important elements of residence must be considered, which are; setting, activities, and values. Bottom up approach is taken to reveal the meaning. The method of data collection and analysis are through triangulation of literature review, field observation, and interview. Case study implemented on the residences that Jaton People built within the period of 1900-1950, which historically show the characteristics of Minahasa traditional house. The result of the analysis suggests that the space in the house of Java Tondano people is not only a place to have a family, but also an integrated part of the Java Tondano people to preserve the value of community, to build relation and to maintain the harmony with the surrounding community. Such meaning of space is motivated by the value of appropriateness, tradition, and goodwill.


Determining differences between common and rare species is commonly used to identify factors responsible for rarity. Existing studies, however, suffer from two important drawbacks. First, studies compare species that are closely related phylogenetically but occupy different habitats. Second, these studies concentrate on single life history traits, with unknown relevance for population growth rates. Complete life cycles of one rare and one common Cirsium species sharing the same habitat were compared. Population growth rate was slightly lower in the rare species, translating into a large difference in local extinction probability. Seed predation intensity did not differ between species. However, it can be demonstrated that in connection with the data on complete demography, seed predation is the key factor causing a lower population growth rate in the rare species. These results are the first estimation of factors responsible for commonness or rarity of plants in terms of population growth rate without confounding differences in ecology. They demonstrate that conclusions based on single traits may be misleading and that only a comparison based on a complete life cycle can provide unequivocal evidence for concluding which factors are really those responsible for species commonness or rarity.


The research described in this thesis focuses on the preparation of group 13- containing compounds and their application as Lewis acid catalysts. This research is in the context of utilizing CO2 as a renewable C1 feedstock, through the atom-efficient conversion with epoxides/aziridines to form useful cyclic carbonates and cyclic oxazolidinones. Significant progress in the search for efficient catalysts for these conversions has been made over the years, with some highly active aluminium compounds being developed. However, potential gaps in this exploration exist, including the study of other metals from group 13 beyond aluminium that have been investigated in many other fields of chemistry. Notably, there are few reports of boron, indium and gallium-based compounds used as a catalyst for the cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides. With aluminium being thoroughly explored this presents motivation for exploring the potential for use of these other group 13 elements. In this work, a series of trimethyl borate compounds with different parasubstitutions on the phenoxy moieties have been prepared. Further to this, boron, gallium and indium complexes containing aminotrisphenolate ligands have been prepared. All these complexes have been tested as potential catalysts for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates, and their reactivity investigated. Boron aminotrisphenolate complexes operate by hydrogen-bonding catalysis rather than the expected Lewis acid catalysis due to the incomplete coordination of the aminotrisphenol ligand to the boron. The resulting free phenol acts as a catalyst for the production of cyclic carbonates at relatively elevated catalyst loading. Meanwhile, the trimethyl borate compounds, with a trigonal planar geometry, provide Lewis acid-driven catalysis rather than via a hydrogen bonding interaction. The gallium aminotrisphenolate complex was used as a catalyst for oxazolidinone synthesis, demonstrating the gallium complex's versatile efficiency as a more powerful catalyst than the aluminium congener. The results show that the Ga complex converts aziridines into the corresponding oxazolidinones in high yields at relatively low catalyst loading. Indium complexes bearing aminotrisphenolate and halide ligands are competent catalyst for the cycloaddition of CO2 and epoxides to form cyclic carbonates, with evidence that a coordinated halide can also act as the nucleophile required for the ring-opening step of the mechanism, thus adding more future possibilities to this family of compounds. Finally, modified cellulose fibres, prepared through anchoring of an epoxide to the surface by the Fenton reaction, followed by cycloaddition of CO2 using gallium catalyst have been prepared. These fibres have shown a positive outcome in the search for materials with antibacterial properties. As a final note, the potential cycloaddition of CO2 to episulfide has been briefly studied. This reaction produces an intractable solid product for which it has been unable to fully confirm its structure.


Dynamical tunneling between symmetry-related stable modes is studied in the periodically driven pendulum. We present strong evidence that the tunneling process is governed by nonlinear resonances that manifest within the regular phase-space islands on which the stable modes are localized. By means of a quantitative numerical study of the corresponding Floquet problem, we identify the trace of such resonances not only in the level splittings between near-degenerate quantum states, where they lead to prominent plateau structures, but also in overlap matrix elements of the Floquet eigenstates, which reveal characteristic sequences of avoided crossings in the Floquet spectrum. The semiclassical theory of resonance-assisted tunneling yields good overall agreement with the quantum-tunneling rates, and indicates that partial barriers within the chaos might play a prominent role.


Lie $n$-algebras are the $L_\infty$ analogs of chain Lie algebras from rational homotopy theory. Henriques showed that finite type Lie $n$-algebras can be integrated to produce certain simplicial Banach manifolds, known as Lie $\infty$-groups, via a smooth analog of Sullivan's realization functor. In this paper, we provide an explicit proof that the category of finite type Lie $n$-algebras and (weak) $L_\infty$-morphisms admits the structure of a category of fibrant objects (CFO) for a homotopy theory. Roughly speaking, this CFO structure can be thought of as the transfer of the classical projective CFO structure on non-negatively graded chain complexes via the tangent functor. In particular, the weak equivalences are precisely the $L_\infty$ quasi-isomorphisms. Along the way, we give explicit constructions for pullbacks and factorizations of $L_\infty$-morphisms between finite type Lie $n$-algebras. We also analyze Postnikov towers and Maurer-Cartan/deformation functors associated to such Lie $n$-algebras. The main application of this work is our joint paper arXiv:1609.01394 with C. Zhu which characterizes the compatibility of Henriques' integration functor with the homotopy theory of Lie $n$-algebras and that of Lie $\infty$-groups.


Calcifying tendinopathy is a tendon disorder with calcium deposits in the mid-substance presented with chronic activity-related pain, tenderness, local edema and various degrees of incapacitation. Most of current treatments are neither effective nor evidence-based because its underlying pathogenesis is poorly understood and treatment is usually symptomatic. Understanding the pathogenesis of calcifying tendinopathy is essential for its effective evidence-based management. One of the key histopathological features of calcifying tendinopathy is the presence of chondrocyte phenotype which surrounds the calcific deposits, suggesting that the formation of calcific deposits was cell-mediated. Although the origin of cells participating in the formation of chondrocyte phenotype and ossification is still unknown, many evidences have suggested that erroneous tendon cell differentiation is involved in the process. Recent studies have shown the presence of stem cells with self-renewal and multi-differentiation potential in human, horse, mouse and rat tendon tissues. We hypothesized that the erroneous differentiation of tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) to chondrocytes or osteoblasts leads to chondrometaplasia and ossification and hence weaker tendon, failed healing and pain, in calcifying tendinopathy. We present a hypothetical model on the pathogenesis and evidences to support this hypothesis. Understanding the key role of TDSCs in the pathogenesis of calcifying tendinopathy and the mechanisms contributing to their erroneous differentiation would provide new opportunities for the management of calcifying tendinopathy. The re-direction of the differentiation of resident TDSCs to tenogenic or supplementation of MSCs programmed for tenogenic differentiation may be enticing targets for the management of calcifying tendinopathy in the future.


BackgroundThe General Medical Council will be implementing a national examination for all UK medical students in 2022. Our aim was to review surgeon educator perceptions on the future implementation of an associated undergraduate national curriculum in otolaryngology within a UK School of Surgery.MethodsA mixed methods study was performed to assess ENT surgeon educator perspectives of a change to a national curriculum in ENT. Responses were reviewed with respect to teaching content, quality and student experience with degree of agreement assessed with Likert scoring. Associated qualitative focus group sessions were performed and responses underwent detailed thematic analysis according to grounded theory.ResultsA response rate of 50% was achieved with twenty-one participants analysed working in fourteen hospitals. These held an average of eight years undergraduate teaching experience. These showed strong agreement believing implementation of a national curriculum would improve the standard of teaching delivered at a personal, institutional and national level. There was also agreement on a minimum baseline for teaching exposure by students. 95% of surgeon educators in otolaryngology were in support of future adoption of a change to a centralized national otolaryngology curriculum in contrast to conventional expectations of resistance. Further related themes were identified relating to the personal, institutional and specialty related factors influencing practical delivery of a national curriculum that can help shape this delivery.ConclusionsEvaluating the future implementation of a national curriculum in ENT from those involved in the regular practical delivery of undergraduate medical education was previously unassessed within the medical literature. A series of practical recommendations are made to assist the implementation of a national ENT curriculum in contrast to the current locally led system. These were divided into areas of teaching content, teaching quality and student experience. A national curriculum appears to offer a philosophically accessible and popular re-imagining for future undergraduate otolaryngology training. Our findings aim to offer assistance to other similar surgical sub-specialties facing similar challenges internationally.


hsp60 is a chaperonin located in the mitochondrial matrix. It has been suggested that hsp60 participates in two processes: protein folding in the matrix, and the sorting of imported proteins to the intermembrane space. We analyzed hsp60 function by allowing isolated mitochondria to import two model precursor proteins and then measuring the binding of these proteins to the chaperonin. Of the methods that we tested for monitoring the association of imported proteins with hsp60, only co-immunoprecipitation with specific anti-hsp60 antibodies proved to be reliable. A chimeric matrix-targeted precursor, consisting of a mitochondrial presequence fused to a chloroplast-encoded protein, bound stably to hsp60 after import. In contrast, there was no detectable binding to hsp60 with a fusion protein that was targeted to the intermembrane space by the bipartite cytochrome b2 presequence. Analysis of a translocation intermediate demonstrated that the cytochrome b2 presequence arrests import through the inner membrane, with the result that the attached passenger protein is never exposed to hsp60.


Sporulated cells have potential as time-delayed expression chassis of proteins for applications such as 'on-demand' biologics production, whole cell biosensors, or oral vaccines. However, the desired attributes of high expression rates and low product variances are difficult to maintain from germinated spores. In this work we study the effect of an integrating vs. theta replicating plasmid in a wild-type Bacillus subtilis and two PolY mutants. The cells were engineered to produce a fluorescent reporter protein (RFP) under the control of a riboswitch activated by theophylline. This allowed for greater sensitivity to point mutations. The fluorescence and cell growth curves were fit with a custom kinetic model and a peak kinetic rate (LKPmax) was extracted for each clonal population (n = 30 for all cell, vector, and growth combinations). Plasmid based expression yields higher (8.7x) expression rates due to an increased copy number of the expression cassette (10x over integrated). The variance of LKPmax values increased 2.07x after sporulation for the wild type strain. This increase in variance from sporulation is very similar to what is observed with UV exposure. This effect can be partially mitigated by the use of PolY knockouts observed in suspended cell growths and adherent biofilms.


Abstract Observations of summertime thunderstorms indicate that positive polarity cloud-to-ground lightning activity can occur with rates as high as 67 flashes in 5 min and spatial densities up to 0.60 flashes per square kilometer per hour. All ground flashes in a storm may be positive for substantial periods. Using data from a nationwide network of magnetic direction finders, 24 storms with high ground flash densities of positive lightning were found on 11 days in June and July 1989 in the Great Plains of the United States. The periods of high-density positive lightning persisted an average of 4 h, longer than the lifetime of a typical single thunderstorm cell. In most cases, they occurred at or near the beginning of the storms' cloud-to-ground lightning activity. Supporting data suggest that the production of high rate and high percentage of positive ground flashes may be associated with exceptionally tall storms that exhibit a stage of early, rapid increase in radar echo-top height and product large hail.


The spatiotemporal evolution of charged species densities and wall fluxes during the afterglow of an electronegative discharge has been investigated. The decay of a plasma with negative ions consists of two stages. During the first stage of the afterglow, electrons dominate plasma diffusion and negative ions are trapped inside the vessel by the static electric field; the flux of negative ions to the walls is nearly zero. During this stage, the electron escape frequency increases considerably in the presence of negative ions, and can eventually approach free electron diffusion. During the second stage of the afterglow, electrons have disappeared, and positive and negative ions diffuse to the walls with the ion-ion ambipolar diffusion coefficient. Theories for plasma decay have been developed for equal and strongly different ion (T(i)) and electron (T(e)) temperatures. In the case T(i)=T(e), the species spatial profiles are similar and an analytic solution exists. When detachment is important in the afterglow (weakly electronegative gases, e.g., oxygen) the plasma decay crucially depends on the product of negative ion detachment frequency (gamma(d)) and diffusion time (tau(d)). If gamma(d)tau(d)>2, negative ions convert to electrons during their diffusion towards the walls. The presence of detached electrons results in "self-trapping" of the negative ions, due to emerging electric fields, and the negative ion flux to the walls is extremely small. In the case T(i)<<T(e), the spatiotemporal dynamics is more complicated due to the presence of negative ion density fronts. During the afterglow, although negative ions diffuse freely in the plasma core, the negative ion fronts propagate towards the chamber walls with a nearly constant velocity. The evolution of ion fronts in the afterglow of electronegative plasmas is important, since it determines the time needed for negative ions to reach the wall, and thus influence surface reactions in plasma processing.


A method for inspecting the machine settings for straight bevel gear cutting is proposed. The bevel gear is generated by a newly introduced "quasi-complementary crown gear" instead of a conventional complementary crown gear. A tooth bearing of a pair of generated gears is theoretically desirable. The coordinates of many points on a tooth surface are measured at random using a coordinate measuring machine. The measured data should be including various type of information derived from the machine settings. Taking this fact into consideration, each information on the machine settings is extracted from the data using the method of least squares. The extracted items can be corrected, and they are: tool pressure angle, tooth angle, root cone angle, apex to back and tooth thickness. Using the proposed method, it is possible to produce interchangeable bevel gears.


Anemia remains the problem of concern world wide, particularly in the developing countries. Anemia is prevalent in all age groups, being more common in female adolescents, and young adults. Number of studies suggests higher prevalence of anemia in University Going students, however, little is known about prevalence of anemia in university students of Pakistan. This cross sectional study was carried out at University of Sindh from January 2016 to December 2016. Total 391 students both male and female students participated in the study. Data was obtained through structured questionnaire. Hematological parameters were assessed using blood analyzer. Overall prevalence of anemia in both male and female students was 53%. The prevalence of anemia was higher in female (80.37%) students than in male students (33.77%). Further, we have found very strong correlation of BMI with MUAC both in male (r=0.83) and female students (r=0.86). We have also found the significant correlation of BMI (r = 0.38, P < 0.05) and MUAC (r = 0.14, < 0.05) with hemoglobin in female students. However, no significant correlation of BMI and MUAC with hemoglobin was observed in male students.In conclusion, higher prevalence of anemia was found in female students, and significant correlation of BMI and MUAC with hemoglobin was found in female students.


The elephant trunk technique is a well-established procedure, but aortic wall injury or aneurysmal rupture may occur if the graft is forcibly pushed to insert it into the distal aorta. We have developed simple and safe insertion technique using a syringe.


Estimation of noise level in an image is a very important parameter to improve the efficiency of denoising. This article presents different approaches used so far by the researchers for the estimation of blind noise level using statistical and averaging method and denoising of an image. The paper also contains problems in different approaches identified by the survey.


Water fogs system can mightily attenuate the infrared spectrum, so more and more attention has been paid to this problem in military. Based on the Mie theory, the collective characteristic of the particles forward scattering was analyzed. The near forward scattering ratio was defined, also the particle size and scattering DBC case were confirmed when the Lambert-Beer law was applied. A mass of calculation revealed that the visual extinction coefficient calculated with the combined parameter p = x x theta was not accurate, and that the near forward scattering ratio was in direct proportion to both the particle size and scattering angle in the band of middle and far infrared. When the infrared wavelength was fixed, the near forward scattering ratio was in direct proportion to the particle radius. Finally, according to the law of forward scattering, two experiential functions whose variables were not only the p = x x theta were given, by which the correction calculation for light extinction was made easy and exact.


The use of UV laser-produced microplasmas for the detection of analyte molecules in the effluent gases of a gas chromatograph is described. The microplasmas are formed when a carbon-containing analyte is present in the carrier gas flow but not in the carrier gas alone. The microplasmas are produced by using the 193-nm output of the ArF excimer laser, with only modest pulse energies (10 mJ) required. Three means for detecting the presence of the microplasmas have been effected and are compared: optogalvanic (plasma electron) detection, photoacoustic (blast wave) detection, and photometric (plasma emission) detection, particularly of electronically excited carbon atoms at 248 nm. The relative responses of these three techniques have been determined for microliter injection of acetylene into the helium flow. Present limits for acetylene with the use of the optogalvanic, photoacoustic, and photometric techniques are 500, 500, and 10 ng, respectively. Optimization of these techniques is expected to improve the detection limits by 2–4 orders of magnitude. The virtues of this detector include the fact that it requires no flame and that it is sensitive to carbon-containing species such as CO and CO2.


Background In developing countries, it is often important to have measures of development in children under 3 years of age in large-scale surveys or evaluations of nutrition and stimulation programs. However, there is a lack of suitable instruments with established validity. Objective To develop a language test for children aged 12 to 18 months based on mothers' report, suitable for use in large-scale surveys, and examine its concurrent and predictive validity. To determine whether the test is sensitive to home stimulation and nutritional status and compare the test with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID). Methods A subsample of participants in a large, prospective cohort study in rural Bangladesh (MINIMat) was selected for a study of child development (n = 2,852). A total of 2,418 participants were interviewed concerning their children's expressive and receptive vocabulary, and children were tested using the BSID. Results The language test had reasonable short- and long-term reliability between 12 and 18 months (r = 0.50) and concurrent validity with the Bayley Mental Development Index (MDI) (r = 0.32 language comprehension to 0.41 language expression). Its predictive validity with IQ at age 5 years was similar to that of the Bayley MDI (r = 0.37 to 0.41 for language and r = 0.37 for MDI). Child language was independently associated with postnatal growth, stimulation in the home, gestational age, and socioeconomic status, and a similar set of variables predicted the Bayley MDI. Conclusions The language test was reliable, had acceptable concurrent and predictive validity, and was sensitive to environmental and child characteristics. Mothers' reports of language could be useful in large-scale programs.


OBJECTIVE
To monitor progression of "benign hallucinations" in Parkinson disease (PD).

METHODS
We searched our data repository for subjects with PD with 3 sets of neuropsychological testing during 3 years and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale thought disorder scores taken at 4- to 12-month intervals during this period. We found 48 patients with benign hallucinations, defined as a thought disorder score of 2 (benign hallucinations, insight retained), receiving no treatment for hallucinations. We followed up thought disorder scores under best medical management for at least 3 years or until a thought disorder score of 3 (loss of insight) or 4 (delusions) occurred. In subjects whose thought disorder scores remained at 2, we assessed neuroleptic use and decreases in PD medications to abate hallucinations.

RESULTS
Most subjects (81%) progressed to thought disorder scores of 3 or 4. In 7 (78%) of 9 subjects who retained a thought disorder score of 2, PD medications were reduced to treat hallucinations, and 3 subjects (33%) also received neuroleptics. If the composite end point (any of the criteria) was used, 96% of subjects progressed, with only 2 subjects continuing with stable, untreated benign hallucinations.

CONCLUSIONS
Because hallucinations progress, the concept of benign hallucinations is prognostically misleading. Though hallucinations with retained insight may be "benign" for the moment, they portend serious consequences. The term benign hallucinations of PD should be considered generally unsound and dropped from operative vocabulary.


Abstract. To reveal the preparatory processes of large inland earthquakes, we systematically applied the pattern informatics (PI) method to earthquake data of Japan. We focused on 12 large earthquakes with magnitudes greater than M = 6.4 (based on the magnitude scale of the Japan Meteorological Agency) that occurred at depths shallower than 30 km between 2000 and 2010. We examined the relationship between the spatiotemporal locations of these large shallow earthquakes and the locations of PI hotspots, which correspond to grid cells of anomalous seismic activity during a designated time span. Based on a statistical test conducted using Molchan's error diagram, we investigated whether precursory anomalous seismic activity occurred in association with these large earthquakes and, if so, studied the characteristic time spans of such activity. Our results indicate that Japanese inland earthquakes with M ≥ 6.4 are typically preceded by anomalous seismic activity in timescales of 8–10 years.


We have isolated cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) preferentially reactive with the alpha 1 external domain of the H-2Ld antigen by selecting for T cells capable of recognizing a variant major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen sharing alpha 1 sequences with H-2Ld. Using these CTL, we demonstrate that a synthetic alpha 1 peptide corresponding to one of the helices derived from the H-2Ld molecule can be presented by a class I restriction element to reconstitute a CTL determinant borne by intact H-2Ld. Moreover, several other H-2L-reactive CTL generated independently were also able to recognize H-2Ld either as an intact alloantigen or as a peptide in conjunction with appropriate class I restriction elements. These data demonstrate that an H-2 peptide can reconstitute a CTL target structure and suggest that some alloreactive T cells in fact might be directed against allogeneic class I peptides in the context of a class I framework.


How to cite this article: Prabu NR, Patil VP. Is Immature Granulocyte Count a Potential Prognostic Marker for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Bleeding? A New Road to Explore. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(9):750–752.


The study aimed to answer the main question: What is the impact of electronic rumors about Covid-19 pandemic on the psychological reassurance of the public of Prince Sattam Bin Abdul-Aziz University in Al-Kharj? It used the descriptive method, and the electronic survey was the tool applied to sample (236) The results of the study showed that there was no correlation at (0 05) between the effect of rumors about Corona and the psychological reassurance of the individual In addition, the existence of an inverse link at (0 05) between the influences of rumors about Corona and the social relations between individuals The existence of an inverse link at (0, 01) between psychological rumors as a lethal psychological weapon in times of crisis and psychological reassurance,also found that there is an inverse relationship at (0 05) between the impact of electronic rumors about the Corona pandemic and the psychological reassurance To find out the impact of electronic rumor about the Corona pandemic in the public of Prince Sattam Bin Abdul-Aziz University was used a simple linear decline, the study concluded with a number of recommendations to reduce the negative effects of electronic rumors


SUMMARY Diagnosis and detection are key aspects related to plant health status. A critical review of the available diagnostic methods utilised for Agrobacterium rhizogenes and A. tumefaciens, Pseudomonas amygdali, P. syringae pv. mors-prunorum, P. syringae pv. persicae, P. syringae pv. syringae and Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni, the main pathogens of the stone fruit trees, is presented. As there is a general lack of updated standardized protocols for the detection of most of these bacteria, the most appropriate media for their isolation are reported along with serological reagents, PCR and real-time PCR protocols with comments on their accuracy for the analysis of these pathogens in plant samples. There are many selective media for isolation, especially for Agrobacterium spp., but fewer for Pseudomonas spp. and X. arboricola pv. pruni. Serological techniques are not very useful for these pathogens due to the current lack of specific antibodies commercially available. As to molecular methods, it is surprising to find so many PCR protocols for Agrobacterium species, very few and unspecific for the Pseudomonas species pathogenic to stone fruit trees, and several recent PCR protocols for X. arboricola pv. pruni. The new advances in genomics and proteomics will provide information for selecting new targets to develop specific and sensitive techniques for the diagnosis and detection of these bacterial pathogens in plant material.


The effects of solar UV radiation (280-400 nm) on growth, photosynthesis and of red alga Pyropia yezoensis were investigated when the thalli were cultured under solar radiation with or without UV. Most of inhibition and lowest recovery about photosynthetic performance were found in the thalli exposed to full solar spectrum. UVB (218-315 nm) decreased the growth rate under both high light (HL) and low light (LL) conditions. Presence of UV-A (315-400 nm) enhanced the phycobiliprotein content, while UV-B inhibited it. UV played a positive role in stimulating the synthesis of carotenoid and UV-absorbing compounds, which contributed to the protection of the photosynthetic apparatus. The results showed that high light and UV radiation inhibited photosynthesis and growth of P. yezoensis, but a few basic physiological strategies were activated when the thalli were cultured under high solar irradiance, such as dynamic photo inhibition and accumulation of carotenoids and UV-absorbing compounds. [


The article presents some proposals that might contribute towards improving quality while results of statistical analyses are presented in Polish publications within history and related disciplines. According to the author nowadays there are no clear standards determining the rules of such presentations, which often leads to a limited comparability of results and makes it impossible to apply the techniques of data meta-analysis, and insome cases also leads to serious methodological errors. The proposals included in the text consists of the following postulates: 1) to inform the reader of the number of the populations and subpopulations investigated; 2) to make a greater use of statistical measures that describe the distribution of the analysed communities; 3) to standardise the convention of recording such measures; 4) to inform the reader about the size of the standard errors; 5) to apply the commonly accepted rules concerning data grouping; 6) to take into account the spatial dimension of the analysed phenomenon, which should be presented in the form of maps and plans; 7) to urge the authors of academic texts to make public their data sets.


Previous results have shown experimental evidence that the muscle response to neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is delayed; the time lag is often referred to as electromechanical delay. NMES closed-loop control methods have been developed to compensate for a known constant input delay. However, as a muscle fatigues, this delay increases. This paper develops a feedback controller that robustly compensates for the time-varying delay of an uncertain muscle model during isometric contractions. The controller is proven to yield global uniformly ultimately bounded torque tracking error. Experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of the developed controller and the time-varying nature of the delayed response.


We study the potential of LEP II to unravel the existence of invisibly decaying Higgs bosons, predicted in a wide class of models. We perform a model independent analysis, focusing our attention to the final state topologies exhibiting bb̄ or ll (l = μ or e) pairs and missing energy. We carefully evaluate the signals and backgrounds, choosing appropriate cuts to enhance the discovery limits. Our results demonstrate that LEP II is capable of discovering such a Higgs boson for a wide range of masses and couplings.


Problems with education are not only about curriculum methods, assessment, or teacher competency. Some of our pedagogical challenges have to do with the ways in which we design school buildings and grounds. This theoretical paper explores how school architecture can be expected to shape the nature of learning by drawing on existing research and models of design and human behaviour. Empirical studies over the last seven or eight decades have clearly established that attributes such as light, temperature, noise, and air quality have an impact on teaching and learning. Where these environmental attributes are inadequate, there are negative effects on attention, behaviour, and academic achievement. However, the research on how teachers and students might benefit from architecturally thoughtful and supportive environments—good design—is less clear. In this paper, arguments are made for paying closer attention to the more subtle elements of design, such as those bearing on ease of movement, intimate and community gathering places, and positive outdoor space. These arguments are supported by examples of Reggio Emilia and Waldorf schools, where architecture is recognized as a powerful and subtle teacher. The paper uses complexity science theory—which seeks to explain how self-organizing systems function—as the central theoretical framework to characterize learning and elements of design in schools and school grounds. The paper provides compelling arguments of how architectural patterns and design, in the context of place-based learning, can positively influence behaviours and experiences.


A simple technique for the controlled collagenase digestion of the human pancreas is described. The pancreas is distended with collagenase, and a biopsy taken and divided into 5 pieces that are placed in Universals containing minimal essential medium and dithizone at 39 degrees C. The pancreas itself is incubated in MEM at 39 degrees C. Starting at 5 min and at intervals thereafter, a Universal is removed from the water bath, shaken for 30 sec, and the contents examined by microscopy. As soon as free cleaved islets are seen, the pancreas is placed into one compartment of a kidney-bowl divided in half by a 1-mm mesh. The pancreas is gently teased apart and fluid digest in the empty half of the bowl aspirated and passed through a 500-micron mesh into ice-cold MEM containing 20% newborn calf serum. This process is repeated until the digestion process has ceased. Using this technique on 20 consecutive pancreata, median wt. (range) 53.9 (45.2-72.9) g, we have counted 131,672 (43,516-400,000) islets in the digest, equivalent to 2394 (715-8000) islets/g pancreas. The volume of islet tissue in the digest was 299 (26-1341) mm3 equivalent to 5.81 (0.36-26.81) mm3/g pancreas. In conclusion, we have found this simple technique to be an effective method for the controlled collagenase digestion of the human pancreas.


Now in its 12th year, Tele-Response Center Inc. raises funds and awareness through donor acquisition, renewal/cultivation and lapsed donor campaigns, direct mail follow up, special events, advertising sales for non-profit publications, and volunteer recruitment campaigns.


The objective of this study is to find out whether Time Token Strategy can improve students' achievement in speaking. This study was conducted by using classroom action research. The subject of this study was the second year students of SMA N 1 KERAJAAN. The study was conducted in two cycles. The first cycle was three meetings and the second cycle was two meetings. The instruments for collecting data were diary notes, questionnaries sheet, interview and observation sheet for qualitative data. Based on the speaking test result, the students' score kept improving in every test. In orientation test, the mean score was 46.06. in the test of cycle I the mean score was 60.05 and the mean score in the test of cycle II was 70.04. The findings showed that Time Token Strategy can improve students' speaking achievement.


This bibliography includes 58 books on the history of various medical subspecialties and general reference works useful in obtaining historical and biographical material relevant to internal medicine and related areas. In addition to a brief review of the contents of each volume, information is included on their publication and availability. It is designed to serve as an introduction to the history of internal medicine as well as a source of reference.


In this paper, we performed the optimum design of reactors for matrix-type superconducting-fault current limiters (SFCLs), using electromagnetic analysis tools. We decided a optimun position within a reactor for superconducting elements of current-limiting parts and trigger parts from the calculation of magnetic flux internsity for reactor structures. Also we decided effective distance length between two reactors through the analysis of the distribution of magnetic field, according to distance lengths between them. We designed and characterized matrix-type SFCLs, based on our optimum design of a reactor. We confirmed uniform distribution of a fault current, resulted from the improvement of simultaneous quench characteristics within our matrix-type SFCL.


Aims: In the present study, we aimed to compare the effect of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) treatment on intraocular pressure (IOP) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with and without pseudoexfoliation (PEX). Materials and Methods: A total of 24 patients, 12 with PEX (12 eyes) and 12 without PEX (12 eyes), receiving IVR treatment for neovascular AMD between June 2017 and June 2019, were included in the study. Exclusion criteria were composed of the history of glaucoma, uveitis, intravitreal steroid administration, pars plana vitrectomy surgery, and less than three IVR injections. Such criteria as age, gender, follow-up times, number of injections administered, IOP, and RNFL thickness before the first injection and one month after the last injection were also recorded. Results: Age, gender, follow-up time, and the number of injections were similar in groups with and without PEX (p > 0.05). While mean post-treatment IOP values were not significantly higher in the PEX group (14.50 ± 3.06 vs. 12.91 ± 1.83 mmHg, p = 0.065), the values were significant for the non-PEX group (13.25 ± 2.76 vs. 11.83 ± 2.69 mmHg, p = 0.01), and these values were within normal IOP limits. Additionally, RNFL thickness was significantly thinner after treatment in both groups (91.41 ± 7.14 vs. 94.00 ± 6.76 in those with PEX; 95.58 ± 5.91 vs. 97.66 ± 6.89 in those without PEX; p < 0.05). The decrease in RNFL thickness in the PEX group was 2.58 ± 1.62 µ and in the non-PEX group was 2.08 ± 1.98 µ. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of RNFL thinning (p = 0.505). Discussion: Ranibizumab may reduce RNFL thickness in patients with PEX. Longer-term studies including larger populations are necessary for understanding IOP and RNFL changes after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection.


spending a summer in Taiwan. Emily comes alive through the small portraits each poem paints; the poems then combine seamlessly to convey the larger picture of her world. Emily's awareness of self and culture develops realistically through the text, as she learns that "my universe was richer/ with the music of two languages,/ the rhythms/ of two cultures/ and the fl avors/ of both/ my worlds." Though the poetry can at times be wordy, it is expressive and accessible, using careful images to explore the intangible of Emily's emotions. This will especially appeal to readers who have enjoyed Hesse's Out of the Dust (BCCB 12/97) or Wolff's Make Lemonade (BCCB 7/93) and now seek more novels in verse. MH


The calculation method of infiltration loss in greenhouse has different ideas in each design standard, so there is a big difference in each method according to the size of greenhouses, it is necessary to establish a more accurate method that can be applied to the domestic. In order to provide basic data for the formulation of the calculation method of greenhouse heating load, we measured the infiltration rates using the tracer gas method in plastic greenhouses equipped with various thermal curtains. And then the calculation methods of infiltration loss in greenhouses were reviewed. Infiltration rates of the multi-span and single-span greenhouses were measured in the range of 0.042~0.245h and 0.056~0.336h respectively, single-span greenhouses appeared to be slightly larger. Infiltration rate of the greenhouse has been shown to significantly decrease depending on the number of thermal curtain layers without separation of single-span and multi-span. As the temperature differences between indoor and outdoor increase, the infiltration rates tended to increase. In the range of low wind speed during the experiments, changes of infiltration rate according to the outdoor wind speed could not find a consistent trend. Infiltration rates for the greenhouse heating design need to present the values at the appropriate temperature difference between indoor and outdoor. The change in the infiltration rate according to the wind speed does not need to be considered because the maximum heating load is calculated at a low wind speed range. However the correction factors to increase slightly the maximum heating load including the overall heat transfer coefficient should be applied at the strong wind regions. After reviewing the calculation method of infiltration loss, a method of using the infiltration heat transfer coefficient and the greenhouse covering area was found to have a problem, a method of using the infiltration rate and the greenhouse volume was determined to be reasonable. Additional key words : energy saving, environmental design, heating load, infiltration rate, tracer gas method


The aim of this research is to determine anaemia in pregnancy among women in some rural Northern Nigeria populations, its prevalence, pattern and po ssible predisposing factors. Two hundred apparently healthy pregnant women of various matern al ages, parities and gestational ages were taken as the study population. Fifty apparently healthy n on-pregnant women served as controls. Research structured questionnaires were utilized for vital s ociodemographic, obstetrics and nutrition information, clinical anthropometric measurements w ere done and serum levels of protein, albumin, triglyceride and vitamin A were determined. Data we re analyzed using SPSS statistical software and statistical significance was determined using chi s quare test. This study showed that the prevalence o f anaemia in pregnancy is 24.5%. There is a statisti cally significant difference (p<0.05) in packed cel l volume (PCV) between the pregnant (34.94±4.98%) and nonpregnant (38.11±6.47%). It also showed that the PCV increased progressively from the first to t he third trimester, while it decreases with advanci ng maternal age and parity. Intervention to prevent ma laria in pregnancy such as mass literacy and public enlightenment, poverty eradication, antimalarial an d antihelminths therapy, nutritional supplementation and routine use of haematenics thro ughout the stages of pregnancy would prove valuable preventive measures.


A novel partially adaptive (PA) receiver with MAI suppression is proposed for an STBC CDMA system under the multipath fading channels. A low-complexity PA realization of the receiver is developed based on the generalized sidelobe canceller (GSC) technique which partial adaptivity is incorporated via the conjugate gradient (CG) algorithm for reduced complexity implementation. The proposed PA receiver is evaluated through simulations, and the results show that it can achieve nearly the same performance of the conventional fully adaptive MMSE receiver by using a small number of pilot symbols


Lumbar disc herniation is common and may be symptomatic. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is an appropriate tool to confirm the diagnosis and affected level of the spine. While a disc herniation is usually associated with ipsilateral symptoms, a few cases have been reported to present with contralateral symptoms. We report a unique case of left lumbar disc herniation at L5/S1 who presented with contralateral symptoms and was successfully treated with a right L5/S1 foraminal block. However, the patient developed concordant ipsilateral symptoms 6 weeks later and was treated with left L5/S1 microdiscectomy.


Pure cultures of the Florida "red-tide" flagellate required light and carbon dioxide for growth. Multiplication in darkness was not supported by any of a number of organic compounds and mixtures. The ecological importance of micronutrients is suggested.


Risk perception studies show that individuals tend to underestimate significant risks, overestimate negligible ones, and distrust authorities. They also rely on a variety of strategies or heuristics to reach decisions regarding their risk-taking behavior. We report on a survey of fishermen and crabbers engaged in recreational and substance fishing in a Puerto Rican estuary (near Humacao), which has been declared a "Superfund site" because of suspected contamination by mercury, and at ecologically similar control sites. Nearly everyone interviewed at the Humacao site was aware of the mercury contamination, but either denied its importance, believed the contamination was restricted to a distant part of the estuary, or assumed that the estuary would be closed by the authorities if the threat was real. All site-users consumed the fish and crabs they caught. At Humacao, the average catch was 7 fish per fishermen (mostly tilapia, Tilapia mossambica, and tarpon, Megalops atlantica) and 13 crabs per crabber (all blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus). On average, the site-users returned to the lagoons about 3-4 times per month. At control sites, fewer fish were eaten. The worst case consumption of tarpon, a species which concentrated mercury at Eastern Puerto Rico, provided an exposure exceeding the EPA reference dose, whereas consumption of one tarpon per week did not entail excess exposure. Fortunately, few individuals caught tarpon exclusively. Unlike counterparts in the northeastern United States, they trusted authorities and indicated that they would have heeded warnings of mercury contamination posted where they fished.


The information processing unit has provided the secret information allowing the secret information to the device unit and prohibits the other device other than the device Now the secret information, thereby preventing the leakage of confidential information by any other device. Obtained from the device connected to the expansion card and the storage device ID and the device ID in response between the presence or absence of a request for access to the secret information from devices currently connected to the expansion card obtained in the matching determination is made of the expansion card. According to the result of determination to allow or prohibit access to equipment stored in the secret information in the expansion card.


Background: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection is associated with the depletion of T cells, resulting in weak or absent virus specific T cells reactivity, which is described as 'exhaustion'. This exhaustion is characterized by impaired cytokine production and sustained expression of multiple coinhibitory molecules. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is one of many coinhibitory molecules that can attenuate T cell activation by inhibiting stimulation and transmitting inhibitory signals to T cells. Objective: To explore the effect of CTLA-4+49A/G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on the progression CHB in Iraqi patients. Methods: Blood serum and genomic DNA was isolated from 90 patients with CHB. Tetra-Primer Amplification Refractory System-Polymerase Chain Reaction (ARMS-PCR) was used for amplification and genotyping of CTLA-4 gene using specific primers, and plasma hepatitis B virus (HBV) viral load was investigated by real time PCR, in addition to estimate the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and anti-HBe by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: AA genotype was more frequent among uncomplicated than complicated CHB (44.83% versus 28.12%) with a significant difference (OR= 0.315, 95%CI=1.0-0.99, p= 0.048). Conclusion: These data strongly suggested the persistence role of CTLA-4+49 polymorphism against HBV among Iraqi patients. Keywords: CTLA 4, SNP, ARMS-PCR Citation: Mahdi YS, Kadhim HS. Evaluation of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte Antigen-4 (+49A/G) gene polymorphism in chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Iraqi JMS. 2020; 18(2): 101-109. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.18.2.3


Since nanoparticles (NPs) can translocate to the brain and impact the highly vulnerable central nervous system (CNS), novel in vitro tools for the assessment of NP-induced neurotoxicity are advocated. In this study, two types of CNS spheroids have been developed from human D384 astrocyte- and SH-SY5Y neuronal-like cells, and optimized in combination with standard assays (viability readout and cell morphology) to test neurotoxic effects caused by Fe3O4NPs, as NP-model, after short- (24–48 h; 1–100µg/ml) and long-term repeated exposure (30days; 0.1–25µg/ml). Short-term exposure of 3D-spheroids to Fe3O4NP induced cytotoxicity at 10 µg/mL in astrocytes and 25 µg/mL neurons. After long-term repeated dose regimen, spheroids showed concentration- and time-dependent cell mortality at 10 µg/mL for D384 and 0.5 µg/mL for SH-SY5Y, indicating a higher susceptibility of neurons than astrocytes. Both spheroid types displayed cell disaggregation after the first week of treatment at ≥0.1 µg/mL and becoming considerably evident at higher concentrations and over time. Recreating the 3D-spatial environment of the CNS allows cells to behave in vitro more closely to the in vivo situations, therefore providing a model that can be used as a stand-alone test or as a part of integrated testing strategies. These models could drive an improvement in the species-relevant predictivity of toxicity testing.


In this paper, we fabricated two kinds of microsized pillars with a size of 10 mm×10 mm×20 m mf rom AlMg alloy with large grains by focused ion beam. One pillar is single crystalline with crystal orientation of [023] and the other is bicrystalline with [023] and [225] crystal orientations. We conducted microcompression tests for the two kinds of pillar. The mechanical testing of bicrystalline pillar show stronger workhardening than that of the single crystalline pillar. This could come from an increasing of deformation resistance by the grain boundary in bicrystal. The strong sliding traces in deformed single crystalline pillar corresponded to (˜ 111)[101] slip system. It was observed in deformed bicrystalline pillar that (˜ 111)[101] slip system was activated on the compression process and the sliding propagated to another slip system in other grains.


This research is on the impact of e-commerce on brand awareness and brand promotion of the Zimbabwe tourism and hospitality sector. The objectives of the research study was to look into the effect of brand awareness and brand promotion of the tourism and hospitality sector of Zimbabwe, challenges the sector is facing in the adoption and implementation of e-commerce and to suggest strategies that the sector can adopt to increase awareness and brand promotion. This research adds to previous research in similar fields, complementing the existing research regarding e-commerce and the tourism and hospitality sector industry whilst also contributing to research for the various industry categories. The study used a mixed method research philosophy where survey research by use of a questionnaire collected the data required from the targeted population. These methods of data collection conspired to provide insights throughout the different topics within the research study area. The researcher used a sample size of 150 respondents. This research finds that hotels, lodges and recreational facility areas are having challenges with the implementation of e-commerce because of attitude of management and owners lack of required skill, lack of capital and finance, availability of internet and its speed which is affecting their brand image, sales and profit. The findings indicate that social media websites, online booking and use of intermediaries are the most applicable cost-effective e-commerce systems that tourism and hospitality sector can adopt and these systems can have a strong positive impact on the brand promotion and also increase its awareness locally, regionally and internationally. These strategies also improve the performance, increase sales, increase bookings and spread information about the services offered by hotels. The research shows that the implementation and adoption of e-commerce has a positive effect on the brand awareness and promotion of the tourism and hospitality sector. The adoption and implementation increases the sales, the revenue, it spreads information about the hotels and recreational facilities in Zimbabwe and also improve the workflow and how day to day activities are handled. However the adoption and implementation of e-commerce is hindered by different issues such as the cost and capital needed to set up the e-commerce system, lack of required skill to implement it, availability of internet and cost of internet. The tourism and hospitality sector need to adopt e-commerce strategies such as running a website, online and internet payment methods, social media advertising, use of online intermediaries, computer reservation systems and global distribution systems. These strategies will help to put the sector on a local, regional and international map and help the sector to compete on an international level.


Many active transport systems present in Escherichia coli membrane vesicles are inhibited by maleimides and other sulfhydryl reagents. These reagents do not interfere with the oxidation of reduced phenazine methosulfate or with the electrochemical proton gradient (delta muH+). The rate of inactivation is increased in the presence of reduced phenazine methosulfate, and it is shown that the electrochemical proton gradient is responsible for the effect. Furthermore, similar effects observed with the proline and melibiose transport systems. Thus, it appears that either the reactivity or accessibility of a sulfhydryl group(s) in each of these carriers is altered by the presence of a transmembrane delta muH+. The findings are consistent with the notion that delta muH+, in addition to acting as the immediate driving force the active transport, may bring about structural or conformational changes in certain membrane proteins that catalyze active transport.


1 The authors are listed in alphabetical order. Abstract We present an analysis of nite argument clauses in German with the goal of clarifying the conditions that control the presence/absence of an additional correlative es in the Mittelfeld. The syntactic analysis relies on the assumption that both the clause and the pronominal es contribute to the same argument slot of the matrix verb, unifying their f-structure contribution under the same grammatical function. The discourse eeects triggered by es follow from the behaviour expected from a (semantically) anaphoric element { its presence either indicates that the state of aaairs it refers to has already been discussed; or else, it causes presupposition accommodation. The strict exclusion of an es along with a topicalized nite clause can be reduced to a violation of generalized binding principles.