leukaemia (probably myeloid). A standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was derived using the "man-years" method.' By means of the collected data, the total "man-years at risk" since the mine opened in 1946 was 17 078. The standardized incidence ratio for nonHodgkin's lymphoma was 318 (95%confidence limits, 103 and 743). For Hodgkin's disease the SIR is 482 (95% confidence limits, 99.4 and 1409).3 These results indicate a significant increase in the number of cases of nonHodgkin's lymphoma at the P = 0.05 level, whereas the SIR for Hodgkin's disease narrowly fails to achieve significance at the same level. These calculations do not incorporate the fact that the cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma all occurred within a four-yearperiod, and allowing for this will tend to increase the significance of the findings. No other cause of death or type of cancer showed a significant increase or decrease from the expected level. Since carrying out this analysis, it has come to our attention that another case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been diagnosed recently in a miner who was working at the colliery.. A more detailed report of the study findings is currently being prepared. Although many reports" have documented the spatial and temporal clustering of non-Hodgkin's and other lymphomas, and occupational studies have shown an increased incidence in many occupations (but not in coal-mining), to our knowledge this is the first report of an occupational cluster of this kind. Our intention is to broaden the study to look at any relationship between occupation and/or place of residence in this region and to continue our enquiry into any unique chemical, physical or biological hazards at this colliery that may conribute to our understanding of the phenomenon. S. Corbett, MB BS Medical Officer South Coast Workers' Medical Centre 10 Ellen Street, Wollongong, NSW 2500 B. O'Neill, FRCPA Head, Haematology Department Wollongong Hospital Crown Street, Wollongong, NSW 2500 I. Cancer in New South Wales incidence and mortality l'n5-77. NSW Central Cancer Registry, 1981. 2. Doll R. Mortality from lung cancer in asbestos workers. 8r J Ind Med 1955; 12: 81-86. 3. Bailar IC, Ederer F. Significance factors for the ratio of a Poisson variable to its expectation. Biometrics 1964;20: 639-643. 4. Greene MH. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and mycosis fungoids, In: Fraumeni IF, Schottenfeld D, eds. Cancer epidemiology and prevention. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1982: 754-778.


An automatic sub-structuring method applicable in the low- and medium-frequency ranges is proposed. This method is developed using a simplified model constructed using an energy method in a stochastic context. The proposed energy method, although inspired from the Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA), it differs from it and is applicable in the low- and medium-frequency ranges when using a statistical computational model. The nonparametric probabilistic approach for system parameters and model uncertainties is used to construct this statistical model. Main results of the energy method are ; dimensionless random frequency response functions (FRF) which are shown to be less dispersed than the usual dimensional ones and independent of the direction of excitation, a simplified vibroacoustic model, and finally the automatic sub-structuring method which is obtained from the simplified model using the theory of information.


Spring oat and triticale are important forage crops in dryland and limited irrigated crop production systems in western Kansas. Previous research in western Kansas showed that growing spring forages in place of fallow reduced soil erosion and increased fallow precipitation use efficiency compared to summer fallow, and increased profitability compared to fallow in years with average to above average rainfall. Despite the great potential of spring forages, information on seeding rate and nitrogen fertilizer recommendations are limited. These management practices can affect forage productivity and nutritive value. Current N fertilizer recommendations for oat and triticale are based on a very limited dataset. In dryland crop production systems in western Kansas, cool-season forages are usually planted in the spring into winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) or a summer crop (corn or grain sorghum) stubble. Residual nutrients from the previous crop could provide adequate nutrients for the spring forage crop. However, lower spring temperatures and N immobilization from the previous crop residue often limit early-season N availability for oat or triticale forage. Additional fertilizer application may be needed to boost forage production. Adequate fertility might increase tillering and yield potential, even at lower seeding rates. Moreover, N application in excess of crop uptake can results in environmental quality degradation, economic loss, and forages high in nitrate concentration. It is therefore imperative that site-specific N fertilizer research is conducted to fine tune N fertilizer rates for these cool-season forages to improve yields and environmental quality. Seeding rate is an important crop management practice that affects forage production. It is suggested that spring oat and triticale grown for forage be planted at 25 to 50% greater seeding rates than when managed for grain production. The increase in plant density will allow for greater early crop establishment, smaller stems, and increased DM production. To our knowledge, effects of seeding rate on oat or triticale forage DM production and its interaction with N fertilizer rates has not been extensively studied in semiarid dryland environments. Determining the optimum seeding rate for oat and triticale is important because seed costs constitute a significant component of the variable cost in forage production systems. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine N fertilizer rate effects on DM production and nutritive value for oat and triticale forage, and (2) quantify effect of seeding rate on oat and triticale forage yield and its interaction with N fertilizer application under dryland conditions in western Kansas.


Abstract Calcified meningiomas involving the spine are rare but can pose significant surgical challenges. We systematically reviewed the literature on calcified spinal meningiomas. PubMed, EMBASE, Web-of-Science, and Scopus databases were searched to include studies reporting clinical data of patients with calcified spinal meningioma. Included articles were analyzed for symptoms, imaging, spine level of the tumor, tumor location relative to the spinal cord, calcification status, treatment regimen, recurrence, progression-free survival, and outcomes. A total of 35 articles encompassing 94 patients were included. Most patients were female (90.4%), presenting with lower extremity weakness (44%) and/or lower extremity paresthesia (38.1%). Most calcified spinal meningiomas occurred in the thoracic spine (82%) and on the dorsal (33.3%) or ventral (27.2%) side relative to the spinal cord. Most tumors were intradural (87.2%). Histologically, most calcified spinal meningiomas were WHO grade I (97.4%) and psammomatous (50.7%). Most tumors demonstrated macroscopic calcification (48.9%). Most patients underwent gross total resection (91.5%) through a posterior approach (100%). Two patients (2.1%) received adjunctive radiotherapy. The most common treatment related complication was CSF leakage. Post-operatively, most patients demonstrated symptomatic improvement (75.5%) and 2 (2.1%) had local tumor recurrence. Calcified spinal meningiomas are uncommon but benign entities. These neoplasms tend to adhere to surrounding tissues and nerves and, thus, can be surgically challenging to remove. In most patients, safe gross total resection remains the standard of care, but accurate surgical planning is necessary to reduce the risks of postoperative complications.


Due to the complexity of full-scale object modeling and the need to use advanced computing technologies, the digital twin development process may require significant time, financial and human resources. Therefore, it is important for lean management of digital twin development to classify them by functionality, determine the current technology readiness level (TRL), and monitor its dynamics over short periods of time. A description of the life cycle stages of digital twins virtual models and adapted conditions to achieve technology readiness level are proposed. The use of the formalized TRL metric for detailed project planning by specific results reduces the development time, costs, and improves the quality of the results.


"An important and original book with dazzling insights ...it challenges some widely held views of both the political and cinematic components of contemporary America, and it should certainly evoke a goodly share of indignation as well as admiration."--H. Bruce Franklin, author of MIA or Mythmaking in America "Hard Bodies is a real page-turner in which Susan Jeffords reveals how in the 1980s Ronald Reagan, Rambo, and Robocop came together at our own fitness clubs in a way that transformed crucial numbers of movie-going, Nautilus-devoted American white men into anti-Communist presidential voters. This serious book is sure to change how we make sense of Hollywood's gendered maintenance of the Cold War."--Cynthia Enloe, author of The Morning After: Sexual Politics at the End of the Cold War Hard Bodies looks at some of the most popular films of the Reagan era and examines how the characters, themes, and stories presented in them often helped to reinforce and disseminate the policies, programs, and beliefs of the "Reagan Revolution." In particular, because Ronald Reagan was himself most often portrayed in terms that emphasized his strength, toughness, and assertiveness, one of the key images of the Reagan era was that of masculinity itself. But the Reagan era also promoted a concept of the nation as gendered, strong, tough, and assertive, like the President who seemed to epitomize the United States in its confrontation with the "evil" Soviet empire, the Sandinista government, or the drug-trading cartels. Action-adventure films of the 1980s accentuated these qualities, not only as foreign policy methods but also as domestic agendas, putting forward the American "hard body" as the solution to the nation's foreign and domestic failings. Through her illuminating and detailed analyses of both the Reagan presidency and many blockbuster movies, Susan Jeffords provides a scenario within which the successes of the New Right and the Reagan presidency can begin to be understood. Rambo, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Robocop, Back to the Future, Star Wars, the Indiana Jones series, Mississippi Burning, Rain Man, Batman, and Unforgiven are among the films she discusses. Susan Jeffords is a professor of English and director of Women's Studies at the University of Washington. She is the author of The Remasculization of America: Gender and the Vietnam War, and co-editor of Seeing Through the Media: The Persian Gulf War (Rutgers University Press).


This paper proposes a contactless measurement system for body shift on the mattress during Head of Bed (HOB) elevation to investigate detail mechanism about how body shift causes discomforts and pressure ulcer. For contactless measurement, one LIDAR captures the distance from the mattress edges to the shoulder, which means the upper part of body movement distance. The other LIDAR measures the distance to the foot, which represents that the lower part of body sliding. Since contours of mattress and body surface change dynamically during HOB elevation, the robust measurement is difficult. To overcome various changes of contour, a particle filter is used for robust tracking of the mattress edges and the foot plantar. The experiment about tracking performance and distance measurement demonstrated feasibility of our system in practical settings.


Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the principal neurodegenerative pathology in the world displaying negative impacts on both the health and social ability of patients and inducing considerable economic costs. In the case of sporadic forms of AD (more than 95% of patients), even if mechanisms are unknown, some risk factors were identified. The principal risk is aging, but there is growing evidence that lifetime events like chronic stress or stress-related disorders may increase the probability to develop AD. This mini-review reinforces the rationale to consider major depressive disorder (MDD) as an important risk factor to develop AD and points the central role played by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, glucocorticoids (GC) and their receptors (GR) in the etiology of MDD and AD. Several strategies directly targeting GR were tested to neutralize the HPA axis dysregulation and GC overproduction. Given the ubiquitous expression of GR, antagonists have many undesired side effects, limiting their therapeutic potential. However, a new class of molecules was developed, highly selective and acting as modulators. They present the advantage to selectively abrogate pathogenic GR-dependent processes, while retaining beneficial aspects of GR signaling. In fact, these "selective GR modulators" induce a receptor conformation that allows activation of only a subset of downstream signaling pathways, explaining their capacity to combine agonistic and antagonistic properties. Thus, targeting GR with selective modulators, alone or in association with current strategies, becomes particularly attractive and relevant to develop novel preventive and/or therapeutic strategies to tackle disorders associated with a dysregulation of the HPA axis.


The performances of focal plane arrays that implement multi-beam coverage from a single reflector antenna are usually reduced by conflicting requirements on the feed elements. Dense packing is required to minimize the beam separation, while typically large apertures provide the high feed directivity which in turn translates in low spill over losses from the reflector. In this paper the use of a dielectric super-layer is proposed to shape the radiation pattern of each feed so that the spill over from the reflector is reduced without increasing the dimensions of each aperture. A prototype with 19 wave-guides arranged in a hexagonal lattice has been designed. The simulated embedded patterns provide an increase of the edge of coverage gain, with respect to the free space case, of at least 1 dB in an operating bandwidth of ap 6%. Moreover when a frequency and polarization reuse scheme is adopted the increase in the edge of coverage is 2.1 dB leading to a fully efficient use of the reflector.


Water As the Mirror of Landscapes: How Useful a Hypothesis for Resource Management?; Uppsala, Sweden, 28–29 March 2012 The question posed in the title of this workshop formed its focus as an international group of more than 50 researchers and managers gathered to discuss our current level of understanding of land-water interactions and the potential impacts this has for resource management. Special emphasis was placed on the Ethiopian highlands, which deliver more than 85% of the flow in the Nile in Egypt. The 2-day workshop, held at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, was cosponsored by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs as part of its special allocation for global food security and by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations' Unit 3.05, Forest Operations Ecology.


The nitriding process of solid state Ti-alloy by RF plasma was fundamentally investigated. Based on the results obtained in the nitriding process, reactive plasma spraying of Ti powder was carried out to fabricate the thick nitride coatings. The wear resistance of the nitride coatings was also evaluated by the conventional wear test.The results obtained are summarized as follows:(1) A linear relationship was recognized in the relation between thickness of the nitride layer and square root of nitride time. Therefore, the thermal plasma process seemed to be a diffusion dominating process.(2) The diffusion rate of nitrogen in the Ti-alloy: Rd was estimated from the experimenal results obtained, and the plasma spraying of Ti powder was conducted under the deposition rate of less than Rd. By using this process, it was possible to fabricate the nitride coating with high deposition rate.(3) It revealed that the nitriding degree of the coating could be changed by controlling the coating deposition rate. Based on this results, functionally gradient coating, whose compositional configuration changed from coating/substrate interface to coating surface, was fabricated by controlling the deposition rate.(4) From the results of wear tests, it was found that the wear resistance property of the nitride coating obtained was equivalent to that of nitride layer on the Ti-alloy.


The following paper deals with the work-related learning introduced in Italian secondary schools by Law 107/15, in order to understand if it could been considered after the first year of application as a valid educational strategy for the full development of each pupil, or as a mere device to apply. The author emphasizes how it should represent an important challenge for the innovation of the Italian school system and the promotion of the educational value of work.


Proponents of the public goods argument ('PGA') seek to ground the authority of the state on its putative indispensability as a means of providing public goods. But many of the things we take to be public goods – including many of the goods commonly invoked in support of the PGA – are actually what we might term publicized goods. A publicized good is any whose 'public' character results only from a policy decision to make some (otherwise private) good freely and universally available. This fact poses complications for the PGA, insofar as the set of possible publicized goods is quite extensive indeed.


A 41-year-old man presented with progressive worsening of postural headache. Computed tomography (CT) showed bilateral subdural hematomas without prior history of trauma. The diagnosis was spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). Conservative treatment with oral steroids failed to prevent gradual deterioration of the patient's consciousness. CT myelography revealed massive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage between the C-1 and C-2 levels. The leak was repaired surgically via a laminectomy. A cyst, thought to be a meningeal cyst, was discovered adjacent to the right C-2 nerve root, and CSF was seen seeping out from around the cyst after a Valsalva maneuver. The presumed dural defect of the cyst was sealed by packing with muscle fragments and fibrin glue. The symptoms disappeared soon after surgery. He was discharged 1 month after surgery without deficits. Most SIH cases are benign and can be managed conservatively, or by the epidural blood patch method. Surgery is more invasive than the epidural blood patch method, but should be performed in patients with a high cervical lesion and massive CSF leakage.


The Main Conjecture on Modular Towers: For a prime p, and finite p-perfect group G, high levels of a (G, p)-Modular Tower have no rational points. When p is an odd prime and G is the dihedral group Dp we call the towers Hyper-modular. [BFr02] proves cases of the Main Conjecture for Modular Towers with p = 2 and G an alternating group. We use differences between Hyper-modular and general Modular Towers to give new moduli applications. Their similarities give these applications insights successful with modular curves. The universal p-Frattini cover of G and a collection of p′ conjugacy classes define a particular Modular Tower's levels. The number of components at a level and how cusp ramification grows from level to level relate to the appearance of Schur multipliers. [BFr02] applies formulas of the author and Serre to spin covers to handle the case p = 2. We give here an exposition on going beyond that analysis. As with modular curves, the tower levels are moduli spaces. We use a Demjanenko-Manin result and a construction from [Fri95] to more directly approach rational points than does Falting's Theorem.


We present a minimalistic approach to simulations of force transmission through granular systems. We start from a configuration containing cohesive (tensile) contact forces and use an adaptive procedure to find the stable configuration with no tensile contact forces. The procedure works by sequentially removing and adding individual contacts between adjacent beads, while the bead positions are not modified. In a series of two-dimensional realizations, the resulting force networks are shown to satisfy a linear constraint among the three components of average stress, as anticipated by recent theories. The coefficients in the linear constraint remain nearly constant for a range of shear loadings up to about 0.6 of the normal loading. The spatial distribution of contact forces shows strong concentration along "force chains." The probability of contact forces of magnitude f shows an exponential falloff with f. The response to a local perturbing force is concentrated along two characteristic rays directed downward and laterally.


Reaction time (RT) and movement time (MT) are measured in two conditions, a key-press and a key-release condition. The latter makes a greater demand on perceptual feedback than the former. RT increases in the key-release condition and a fraction of MT denoted key-press time (KT) decreases in the key-press condition. It is argued that KT of a response button in the simple reaction-time experiment may serve as a proper measure of the motor component. The foreperiod prior to onset of the reacting stimulus affects RT, KT, and MT, suggesting that preparatory set or expectancy influences both the perceptual and motor components of simple human performance. The results indicate that the relation of RT and MT depends upon methodological conditions.


The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of dietary habit on breast density, which is an important risk factor for breast cancer. This cross-sectional study was performed on 64 Malaysian women of all races between the age of 35 to 70 years. All subjects underwent mammography and the breast density was analyzed from the images using BI-RADS by two independent radiologists. A validated food-frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate the nutrient intake. The data were analyzed using Chi-square test to evaluate the association of dietary habits to breast density. Based on the results, mutton, pork, vegetables, sweets, snacks, soy bean and eggs intake showed associations with increased breast density (p < 0.05) while grains, meat, beverages, oil and fruits, did not show any association (p > 0.05). As a conclusion, this study showed diet may make changes to the breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer.


Myometrium obtained from the estrogen-treated rabbit was incubated with [35S] sulfate, and the 35S-labeled proteoglycans were extracted from this tissue with 4 M guanidine hydrochloride. The extract was fractionated by CsCl density gradient centrifugation, followed by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The major proteoglycan fraction (D(1+2] was separated into two fractions (D(1+2)-I and D(1+2)-II) by gel filtration on Sepharose CL-4B. The compositions of the 35S-labeled glycosaminoglycans in 5 proteoglycan fractions (D(1+2)-I, D(1+2)-II, D3, D4, and D5) were analyzed by two dimensional cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis after pronase digestion. All the fractions contained the 35S-labeled chondroitin sulfates A/C and heparan sulfate with the different proportions of the radioactivities. The results of the present study indicated that sulfated proteoglycans newly synthesized in myometrium of the estrogen-treated rabbit were considerably heterogeneous not only in the 35S-labeled glycosaminoglycan compositions but also in the molecular weight and buoyant density.


A vast number of people in developing countries rely on solid fuels, including wood and charcoal, for domestic energy supply. We have studied the gaseous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in Kenyan homes in order to better understand the potential health risks associated with domestic combustion practices and to advise mitigation strategies. A comprehensive survey was conducted to elucidate the complex and multi-faceted factors governing fuel use in Kenyan coastal and inland regions. Results showed an almost equal distribution in fuel type usage between firewood, charcoal, kerosene and liquid petroleum gas (LPG). In rural areas, three-stone stoves were still predominant, whilst cleaner devices burning kerosene and LPG were used more widely in urban communities. Indoor air was subsequently sampled in a range of urban and rural households using portable polydimethylsiloxane sampling tubes. These were extracted using the plunger assisted solvent extraction (PASE) technique, followed by GC-MS analysis of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) priority PAHs. Total PAH concentrations in samples collected varied considerably (0.82 – 173.69 µg/m3), which could be attributed to differences in fuel type, combustion device, climate, and nature of the households. Higher [PAH] were found in rural homes, although ambient PAH concentrations were higher in urban environments, likely due to traffic contributions and population density. Toxicity equivalent quotient values varied widely between households and emphasised the importance of good combustion practices to minimise human exposure.


ABSTRACT Objective: This was an open-label study to asses the association of changes in hemoglobin with changes in health related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients treated with darbepoetin alfa. Methods: Originally, 81 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients not on dialysis and naïve to erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) were randomly assigned into two open-label groups (3 : 1). As a majority of control group patients opted out of control status, this study reports on the single arm study analysis that was performed on the 48 patients who received the drug through week 16. Sixty-two patients received once-weekly darbepoetin alfa in addition to conservative management for CKD. Instruments that measured general (SF‐36, FACT-anemia, FACT-fatigue, ADL and IADL) and disease specific (KDQOL) HRQOL domains were administered at baseline and after 8, 16, and 24 weeks. Results: Compared to baseline values, mean HRQOL subscales were significantly improved in the treatment group at 16 weeks ( p < 0.05 for SF‐36 physical function; p < 0.001 for SF‐36 vitality, FACT anemia and FACT fatigue scales). At week 16, the SF‐36 mean increase for 48 treatment patients in the Vitality Subscale Score was 14.9 (SD 3.2) and the mean increase in the KDQOL Burden of Kidney Disease Subscale was 5.5 (SD 3.3). Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant association ( p < 0.05) between hemoglobin levels and higher HRQOL scores on several physical function, energy and fatigue scales. Conclusion: Improvements in hemoglobin in CKD patients not on dialysis were associated with statistically significant ( p < 0.05), clinically meaningful (> 5 points) HRQOL improvements on scales measuring physical activity, vitality and fatigue. Our study did not show an association between increased hemoglobin levels and other aspects of HRQOL, such as those relating to emotional status, sexual activity or cognition. The interpretation of our results is limited by the lack of a control arm to assess whether conservative therapy for CKD, in the absence of ESA administration, would have a comparable effect on patients' HRQOL scores. Further research needs to examine whether other aspects of HRQOL improve with anemia treatment, in the same way as those aspects of HRQOL more closely related to physical activity and fatigue.


Malda district of West Bengal is extremely vulnerable to floods. Yet this district reports high density of population suggesting that the people here must have adopted coping and adaptive strategies to meet the flood menace which is almost an annual affair. This paper addresses and compares the preparedness, coping and adaptive strategies of the local people at household level living in two distinct physiographic units viz. Tal and Diara of Malda. Further, an attempt is made whether the distance from the river plays any role in the coping and adaptive strategy of the villagers. This paper is empirical in nature, primary data has been generated through field investigation in two sets of villages of Tal and Diara, conducted in the month of September and October 2018. Field data has been quantified and measured to assess the level of resilience of the people to flood hazard/disaster. UNDP technique has been used for developing preparedness, coping and adaptive indexes. The score ranges between 0 and 1, where higher the score higher is the level of resilience.


C9ORF72-associated Motor Neuron Disease patients feature abnormal expression of 5 dipeptide repeat (DPR) polymers. Here we used quantitative proteomics in a Neuro2a cell model to demonstrate that the valency of Arg in the most toxic DPRS, PR and GR, drives promiscuous binding to the proteome, compared to a relative sparse binding of the more inert AP and GA. Notable targets included ribosomal proteins, translation initiation factors and translation elongation factors. PR and GR comprising more than 10 repeats robustly stalled the ribosome suggesting high-valency Arg electrostatically jams the ribosome exit tunnel during synthesis. Poly-GR also bound to arginine methylases and induced hypomethylation of endogenous proteins, with a profound destabilization of the actin cytoskeleton. Our findings point to arginine in GR and PR polymers as multivalent toxins to translation as well as arginine methylation with concomitant downstream effects on widespread biological processes including ribosome biogenesis, mRNA splicing and cytoskeleton assembly. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The major genetic cause of MND are mutations in an intron of the C9ORF72 gene that lead to the expansion in the length of a hexanucleotide repeat sequence, and subsequent non-AUG mediated translation of the intron into 5 different DPRs. The two DPRs containing Arg are potently toxic in animal and cell models. Our research shows that the valency of Arg mediates widespread proteome binding especially affecting machinery involved in Arg-methylation, cytoskeleton and translation. We suggest the mechanisms for toxicity are multipronged and involve electrostatic jamming of ribosomes during translation, acting as substrate mimetics for arginine methylase activity that renders the endogenous proteome hypomethylated and impairing actin cytoskeleton assembly. These mechanisms explain pathologic signatures previous reported in human brain pathology.


The Article Examines Religious Persecution, In The United States And Abroad, Through The Lens Of An Extreme Result Of Persecution: Martyrdom. It Examines Maximal And Minimal Definitions Of Martyrdom And Recent Claims And Instances Of Martyrdom, Both In United States Law And Political Culture And Against Christian And Other Religious Groups Around The World. The Article Concludes With Some Principles From Which To Discern An Ethic Of Martyrdom And Claims Of Martyrdom, Recommending Especially Attention To The Role Of The Martyr As Witness. KEYWORDS: Religious Persecution, Martyrdom, Law And Religion, Human Rights, Religious Freedom, Ethics, Witness


Tropical batoids are abundant and important members of coral reef fish communities. Their populations are subject to intense pressure from fishing and habitat degradation, but due to their distinct life-history traits, can only withstand modest levels of decline without stock collapse. Despite this, basic knowledge to ensure their effective conservation and management is lacking. This project addressed this need by combining several current and innovative research tools to assist the integrated management of batoids in northern Australia (NA) and the Indo-West Pacific (IWP). DNA-barcoding was used to confirm the identification of 16 batoid species at Ningaloo Reef (NRMP), Western Australia. It demonstrated its potential to confirm field identifications where taxonomic uncertainty might confound ecological data, although two major sets of problems limiting its application were also identified. Passive acoustic monitoring was used to study the spatial ecology of batoids in the lagoon of NRMP. By using acoustic receivers, the first confirmed nursery area for tropical juvenile batoids in the IWP was identified - a shallow embayment that recorded most of the detections. Adult rays showed sexual segregation of core areas of activity inside the lagoon, with juvenile and adult rays, moving beyond protected areas. Little evidence of habitat partitioning among species was found at large spatial scales, despite differential use of microhabitats. The current zoning of the NRMP provides effective protection for core areas of activity but not for larger movement ranges. As such, spatial management will require large areas of protection to ensure the conservation of these species. An ecological risk assessment (ERA) was employed to assess the vulnerability of tropical batoids to the risk of fishing and habitat degradation in NA and IWP. The ERA methodology was also used to identify and rank research gaps and priorities. Finally, the applicability of these tools, and findings, to the conservation and integrated management of tropical batoids in NA and the IWP, and future research directions, are discussed.


Censuses and representative sampling surveys around the world are key sources of data to guide government investments and public policies. However, these sources are very expensive to obtain and are collected relatively infrequently. Over the last decade, there has been growing interest in the use of data from social media to complement more traditional data sources. However, social media users are not representative of the general population. Thus, analyses based on social media data require statistical adjustments, like post-stratification, in order to remove the bias and make solid statistical claims. These adjustments are possible only when we have information about the frequency of demographic groups using social media. These data, when compared with official statistics, enable researchers to produce appropriate statistical correction factors. In this paper, we leverage the Facebook advertising platform to compile the equivalent of an aggregate-level census of Facebook users. Our compilation includes the population distribution for seven demographic attributes such as gender, political leaning, and educational attainment at different geographic levels for the U.S. (country, state, and city). By comparing the Facebook counts with official reports provided by the U.S. Census and Gallup, we found very high correlations, especially for political leaning and race. We also identified instances where official statistics may be underestimating population counts as in the case of immigration. We use the information collected to calculate bias correction factors for all computed attributes in order to evaluate the extent to which different demographic groups are more or less represented on Facebook, and to derive the actual distributions for specific audiences of interest. We provide the first comprehensive analysis for assessing biases in Facebook users across several dimensions. This information can be used to generate bias-adjusted population estimates and demographic counts in a timely way and at fine geographic granularity in between data releases of official statistics.


The nutritional medium requirement for biosurfactant production by Bacillus licheniformis K51 was optimized. The important medium components, identified by the initial screening method of Plackett-Burman, were H3PO4, CaCl2, H3BO3, and Na-EDTA. Box-Behnken response surface methodology was applied to further optimize biosurfactant production. The optimal concentrations for higher production of biosurfactants were (g/l): glucose, 1.1; NaNO3, 4.4; MgSO4 x 7H2O, 0.8; KCl, 0.4; CaCl2, 0.27; H3PO4, 1.0 ml/l; and trace elements (mg/l): H3BO3, 0.25; CuSO4, 0.6; MnSO4, 2.2; Na2MoO4, 0.5; ZnSO4, 6.0; FeSO4, 8.0; CoCl2, 1.0; and Na-EDTA, 30.0. Using this statistical optimization method, the relative biosurfactant yield as critical micelle dilution (CMD) was increased from 10x to 105x, which is ten times higher than the non-optimized rich medium.


In natural evolution, the individuals of species accumulate successive slight variations in their genes and the accumulated evolution information is inherited by their offspring. A new evolutionary programming algorithm adopting this concept is presented. Similar to natural evolution, the algorithm uses the accumulated evolution information inherited from its parent. The information is obtained through many generations of the evolution and speeds up the convergence of the evolutionary programming. The efficiency and robustness of the proposed algorithm have been verified through benchmark testing.


This paper presents potential benefits of applying model predictive control (MPC) to solving the multi-objective economic/environmental dispatch problem in electric power systems with many intermittent resources. Based on the predictive model of the available output in the next short time period (e.g. 5 minutes) from the intermittent resources, this paper introduces a look-ahead optimal control algorithm for dispatching the available generation resources with the objective of minimizing objective function comprising both generation and environmental costs. This method is compared with (1) the static economic dispatch which treats intermittent resources as uncertain negative loads, and (2) the MPC dispatch with single objective function of minimizing the total generation cost. We show that the proposed MPC approach could lower the generation costs by directly dispatching the generator output from the renewable resources in order to compensate temporal load variations over pre-defined time horizon. Furthermore, the multi-objective economic/environmental cost function provides a formulation to study the tradeoff of efficiency and environmental impact in future energy systems. Simulation is implemented in a 12-bus power system comprising five generators to illustrate potential benefits from this look-ahead dispatch of both intermittent and more conventional power plants. The proposed method is directly applicable to managing power systems with large presence of wind and photovoltaic resources.


A big part of the manager's role in rightsizing is helping to reinvent the company. To preserve morale, reinvention should include a vision for the future of the company. This column, the second in a two-part series, gives practical suggestions, including an action plan, for surviving a round of rightsizing


"The Republic of the Penniless" (Chapter 4) looks at how Puerto Rico became a locus for analyses that overlooked racial difference. Set in El Fanguito, Edward Rosskam's 1964 novel The Alien is typical of the pitfalls of false class equivalencies that ignore how racial capitalism reinscribed racial difference, particularly in the Puerto Rican diaspora. Of particular interest are investigations countering prevailing nationalist narratives of racial unity. The chapter also contrasts Antonio Pedreira's concepts of marginality in his "Insularismo" with that of sociologist Edward B. Rueter's Race and Culture Contacts Rosskam's portrayal of the criminalization of the Puerto Rican diaspora between 1950 and 1965 should be of particular interest for Puerto Rican scholars of the period.


Abstract Three-dimensional analysis shows the sea-breeze front to be primarily a wind shift line in which the thermal discontinuity lags behind the shear line and becomes quasi-stationary in the afternoon. Two synoptic patterns control the temperature regime. On cool days, when a high level trough is present the sea-breeze front is weak, moves rapidly and penetrates far inland; the marine layer is deep and the sea breeze spills over the low mountain ridges. Warm days occur, when the Pacific high penetrates into Oregon and Washington; the marine layer is shallow and the sea-breeze front is intense and slow moving.


The neurotoxic effects of prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on offspring animals are well-documented. However, epidemiological evidence for legacy PFAS is inconclusive, and for alternative PFAS, it is little known. In this investigation, we selected 718 mother-child pairs from the Chinese Maoming Birth Cohort Study and measured 17 legacy and alternative PFAS in the third-trimester serum. Neuropsychological developments (communication, gross motor function, fine motor function, problem solving ability, and personal-social skills) were assessed at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires 3rd edition. Trajectories of each subscale were classified into persistently low and persistently high groups via group-based trajectory modeling. Logistic regression and grouped weighted quantile sum were fitted to assess the potential effects of individual PFAS and their mixtures, respectively. Higher linear PFHxS levels were associated with elevated odds for the persistently low trajectories of communication (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.66) and problem solving ability (OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.14, 3.90). Similar findings were observed for linear PFOS, 1m-PFOS, PFDA, PFDoDA, PFUnDA, and legacy PFAS mixture. However, no association was observed for alternative PFAS and their mixture. We provided insights into the longitudinal links between prenatal legacy/alternative PFAS exposure and neuropsychological development trajectories over the first 3 years of life.


In this paper, we solve the scattering phase shift of a scalar field scattering in Reissner-Nordström spacetime. The scattering boundary condition is determined by analyzing the asymptotic solution of the confluent Heun function and the scattering wave function is solved by the integral equation method. firstname.lastname@example.com.


The neutral lipids of Acholeplasma axanthum contain carotenoid pigments, as evidenced by spectral characteristics, visual color, color reactions, and labeling with [2-14C-A1mevalonic acid. Approximately 80% of the label from [2-14C]mevalonic acid appeared in esterified fatty acids of the glycolipids and polar lipids. These carboxylic acids behaved as hydroxy acids of varying chain length.


Purpose We report the rare case of a patient with intractable epilepsy and escalating aggression, resulting in murder, who had complete resolution of her seizures and explosive behavior following a right temporal lobectomy. Patients and methods We searched the available literature from 1880 to 2013 for cases of epilepsy being used as a court defense for murder and collected information regarding the final sentencing outcomes. We selected 15 papers with a total of 50 homicides. Results We describe the case of a 47-year-old woman with drug-resistant right temporal epilepsy who developed increasing emotional lability, outbursts of anger and escalating violent behavior culminating in a violent murder. The patient was imprisoned while awaiting trial. In the interim, she underwent a successful temporal lobectomy with full resolution of seizures, interictal rage and aggressive behaviors. After the surgery, her charges were downgraded and she was transferred to a psychiatric facility. Conclusion The aggressive behavior associated with epilepsy has been described in the literature for over a century. A link between epilepsy and aggression has been disproportionally emphasized. These patients share some common characteristics: they are usually young men with a long history of epilepsy and lower than average intelligence. The violent act is postictal, sudden-onset, more likely to occur after a cluster of seizures and is usually related with alcohol abuse.


Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL

Introduction: Here we present the unique chemical structure of SB1518 and SAR studies leading to the discovery of this exciting novel JAK2/FLT3 inhibitor, currently in clinical trials for myelofibrosis and lymphoma.

Methods/Results: As part of our innovative chemical strategy towards creating novel kinase scaffolds we discovered a series of unusual small molecular weight macrocycles which were optimized for selective JAK2 inhibitory potency culminating in the discovery of SB1518, which is selective for JAK2 (IC50 = 22nM) and its V617F mutant (IC50 = 19nM) over JAK1 (IC50 > 1µM) and JAK3 (IC50 > 0.5µM). FLT3 was identified as an additional kinase target (IC50 = 22nM and 6nM for its D835Y mutant) giving a broader potential in other hematological malignancies. The exciting and novel chemical structures of these compounds led us into a full lead optimization program to take full advantage of the unique nature of these molecules. SAR studies modifying the macrocyclic linker allowed unwanted protein kinase activity to be tuned out, whilst retaining a narrow spectrum of desired JAK2 kinase activity and selectivity over JAK1 and JAK3, a distinguishing feature. SB1518 and analogues were synthesized via a ring-closing metathesis (RCM) strategy: coupling of the two halves of the molecule provided a diene which was closed by RCM using either Grubbs or Zhan catalysts. SAR investigations, led by structure-based design, influenced the choice and position of a critical solubilising side-chain. Preferred compounds had improved aqueous solubility and high permeability. SB1518 is very stable both chemically and metabolically with a long half life in human microsomal preparations. With the desired balance of potency and oral pharmacokinetics, SB1518 was selected for further profiling. SB1518 demonstrated potent activity in cell lines driven by mutant JAK2 or FLT3 and was efficacious at very well tolerated oral doses in tumor models generated with these cell lines. Based on its attractive preclinical profile, SB1518 was selected for clinical development.

Conclusions: Discovery of a new series of small molecule macrocycles of a unique and highly novel chemical structure are presented as inhibitors of JAK2 and FLT3 kinases. SAR studies directed us towards an optimal linker and solubilising side chain fine-tuning the molecular structure. SB1518 was selected as a development candidate with an attractive and distinguishing JAK2 selective inhibitory profile and additional activity against FLT3. SB1518 has shown encouraging clinical activity demonstrating that its attractive preclinical profile translates to the clinic.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3564. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3564


Aromatic isocyanides including isocyanonaphthalene derivatives have been proven to be very effective fluorescent sensors for the quantification of Hg(II) ions in water. Thus, the reaction of 1,5-isocyanoaminonaphthalene (1,5-ICAN), which is one of the most important members of this family, with water and HgCl2 as the oxidation agents, was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and mass spectrometry in order to get deeper insight into the kinetics and mechanistic details of this complex reaction. The reactions of 1,5-ICAN with water and HgCl2 were performed in various water/co-solvent mixtures of different compositions. The co-solvents used in this study were both aprotic solvents including tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile and N,N-dimethylformamide and protic solvents, such as ethanol and 2-propanol. It was found that in aprotic solvents the conversion of the isocyano group to amino moiety takes place, while in protic solvents the corresponding carbamate (urethane) group is formed in addition to the amino moiety. The variation of the resulting fluorescence intensities versus time curves were described using an irreversible, consecutive reaction model, in which the formation of isocyanate and carbamic acid intermediates, as well as diamino and carbamate (in the case of protic solvents) products were assumed. The formation of these intermediates and products was unambiguously confirmed by mass spectrometric measurements. Furthermore, by fitting the model to the experimental fluorescence versus time curves, the corresponding rate coefficients were determined. It was observed that the overall rate of transformation of the isocyano group to amino moiety increased with the water concentration and the polarity of the co-solvent. It was also supported that formation of diamino and carbamate derivatives in protic solvents takes place simultaneously and that the ratio of the amino to the carbamate function increased with the increasing water concentration. In addition, with an extension, the model presented herein proved to be capable of describing the kinetics of the transformation of 1,5-diisocyanonaphthalene (1,5-DIN) into 1,5-diaminonaphthalene (1,5-DAN) in the mixtures of water/aprotic solvents.


The Australian general election held under the Alternative Vote has produced an evenly divided Parliament where a handful of independent MPs from the outback now hold the balance. As a result there are now no large 'Westminster model' countries left in the world with single party majority governments. Patrick Dunleavy reviews the lessons for the UK and for the UK's May 2011 referendum on changing to AV voting on the Australian pattern.


In this letter, a novel approach to approximate calculation of Karhunen-Loève transform (KLT) is proposed. It is proved that with the practical assumptions the maximization of the sum of fourth-order moments of random variables in the domain of orthonormal transform leads to any permuted KLT. On the basis of theoretical results, we derive and formulate the gradient method of adaptation of orthonormal parametric transforms. The main qualities of the proposed method are: computational efficiency, high repeatability of results, independence of target processing schemes, an unsupervised adaptation of transform parameters in on-line learning mode based on incoming vectors of input samples. Experimental studies confirm practical effectiveness of the method when applied to adaptation of fast parametric orthonormal transforms.


The paper discusses the importance of plurilingualism in the EFL students of Iraq. It outlines on varieties of measures undertaken by Iraqi students to enhance foreign language in American University. The scenario of the study is based on the emergence of the English language becoming global language and consequences of this have impact on the learning stages of the English language among the Iraq EFL students. In order to ascertain the importance of plurilingualism in this context, this paper has discusses the effective measures such as reading newspaper, learning through Television and other measures has been adopted to validate the learning perspective of the EFL students. Finally, this paper analyses that the Iraqi students have their cultural influence in the accent and their beliefs are directed from their families who trigger them to learn Arabic language right from the birth age. This has fostered the plurilingualism in the classroom and has been presented by teachers. These perspectives have been instigated in the students who are willing to look forefront to this profession as their career opportunity. However, the EFL teaching profession has less impressive salaries.


The structure and operating principle of a hybrid optoelectronic system is presented. The basic parts of the system are acoustooptic processor and digital signal processor, which executes functions: control, synchronization, and data processing. The construction of optoelectronic system for processings for radioemission from pulsars and algorithms of functioning are discussed.


Cysteine proteases are one of the largest groups of proteases and are involved in many important biological functions in all kingdoms of life. They are virulence factors of a range of eukaryotic, bacterial and viral pathogens and are involved in host invasion, pathogen replication and disruption of the host immune response. Their activity is regulated by a range of protease inhibitors. This review discusses the various families of cysteine protease inhibitors, their different modes of inhibition and their evolutionary relationships. These inhibitors as well as the recent discovery of propeptide and propeptide-like inhibitors provide insights into the structures that are important for particular inhibitory mechanisms, thus forming the foundation for the design of future therapeutics.


In the past few years, a large variety of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with vivid and well-distinguished color hues have been demonstrated. In this Perspective, we compare different strategies employed to realize colorful PSCs both in opaque and semitransparent designs. The approaches used to modulate the PSCs' colorful appearance can be divided into two main categories: the first one based on the modifications of their internal layers (i.e., absorber, electron- and/or hole-transporting layers, and electrodes), while the second is based on the addition of external colored or nanostructured films to the standard PSCs. The advantages and bottlenecks of each strategy are discussed in terms of PSCs' color tunability, transparency, photovoltaic performances, fabrication processes feasibility, and scalability, in view of suitable applications in an urban context for building-integrated photovoltaics.


Register renaming is a widely used technique to remove false dependencies in contemporary superscalar microprocessors. A register alias table (RAT) is formed to hold current locations of the values that correspond to the architectural registers. Some recently designed processors take a copy of the rename table at each branch instruction, in order to recover its contents when a misspeculation occurs. In this paper first we investigate the RAT vulnerability against transient errors. Then we analyze the vulnerability of RAT checkpoints and propose two techniques for soft error detection and correction utilizing redundantly taken copies of the entries whose content is the same with the previous and/or next checkpoints. Simulation results of the spec 2006 benchmarks reveal that on the average RAT vulnerability is 25% and checkpoint vulnerability is 6%. Results also reveal that redundancy exists at sequential checkpoint copies and can be used for error detection and correction purposes. We propose techniques that exploit this redundancy and show that faults in 41% of all checkpoints and 44% of rolled-back checkpoints can be detected and errors in 33% of the rolled-back checkpoints can be corrected. Since we exploit the already available storage, proposed error detection and correction techniques can be implemented with minimal hardware overhead.


In this paper, we present Gaussian Splatting based text-to-3D generation (GSGEN), a novel approach for generating high-quality 3D objects. Previous methods suffer from inaccurate geometry and limited fidelity due to the absence of 3D prior and proper representation. We leverage 3D Gaussian Splatting, a recent state-of-the-art representation, to address existing shortcomings by exploiting the explicit nature that enables the incorporation of 3D prior. Specifically, our method adopts a progressive optimization strategy, which includes a geometry optimization stage and an appearance refinement stage. In geometry optimization, a coarse representation is established under a 3D geometry prior along with the ordinary 2D SDS loss, ensuring a sensible and 3D-consistent rough shape. Subsequently, the obtained Gaussians undergo an iterative refinement to enrich details. In this stage, we increase the number of Gaussians by compactness-based densification to enhance continuity and improve fidelity. With these designs, our approach can generate 3D content with delicate details and more accurate geometry. Extensive evaluations demonstrate the effectiveness of our method, especially for capturing high-frequency components. Video results are provided at https://gsgen3d.github.io. Our code is available at https://github.com/gsgen3d/gsgen


The Olifants River, a tributary of the Limpopo River system, is one of the most polluted rivers in South Africa. In May 2011 the concentrations of metals in fish muscle tissue from two impoundments, Loskop and Flag Boshielo dams, on the Olifants River were measured and a human health risk assessment conducted to investigate whether it was safe to consume Labeo rosae from these impoundments. Labeo rosae is one of the most common pan fish in these impoundments and is readily available to rural communities. Metals are accumulating in the muscle tissue of L. rosae even although the fish populations appear to be healthy. At Loskop Dam all L. rosae analysed exceeded the recommended hazard quotient (HQ) of 1 for antimony, and less than 50% exceeded that for lead. At Flag Boshielo Dam, the recommended HQ was exceeded for lead in less than 50% of L. rosae analysed, and more than 50% exceeded that for antimony. The weekly consumption of 150 g of L. rosae muscle tissue from these impoundments may pose an unacceptable health risk to rural communities.


The borrelidin polyketide synthase (PKS) begins with a carboxylated substrate and, unlike typical decarboxylative loading PKSs, retains the carboxy group in the final product. The specificity and tolerance of incorporation of carboxyacyl substrate into type I PKSs have not been explored. Here, we show that the first extension module is promiscuous in its ability to extend both carboxyacyl and non-carboxyacyl substrates. However, the loading module has a requirement for substrates containing a carboxy moiety, which are not decarboxylated in situ. Thus, the loading module is the basis for the observed specific incorporation of carboxylated starter units by the borelidin PKS.


OBJECTIVE
Characteristics on AIDS high-risk behaviors in gay or bisexual men with suicide ideas were explored and analyzed.

METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with the snowball sampling method adopted. Subjects with suicide ideas were collected from responses to the valid questionnaires and subjects with no suicide ideas were collected from the age comparable men.

RESULTS
The overall rate of gays or bisexuals with suicide ideas was 20.2% in this survey. The attitude for homogeneity and marital status among the unmarried was more than that among the comparable group (P < 0.05). The rate of AIDS high-risk behaviors as same-sex sexual harassment, bleeding during sexual intercourse in the last year, coitus with unfamiliar same-sex partners in cities, suffering from adult same-sex sexual abuse before the age of 16, having had sexual abuse and abusive behavior, having had active or passive anal kiss, having had active or passive coitus with fingers, alcohol consumption weekly at least once or more, hurt by gays because of attitude and/or same-sex sexual activity and hurt by heterosexual men because of attitude and/or same-sex sexual activity were significantly higher in gays and bisexual men with suicide ideas than those without (P < 0.05). Data from multivariate logistic regression models suggested that harm from gays (Waldχ(2) = 6.637, P = 0.010) and heterosexual men (Waldχ(2) = 5.835, P = 0.016) due to attitude on homosexual activity appear to be the risk factors causing the suicide ideas.

CONCLUSION
Reducing the social discrimination and harm towards gays and bisexual men could reduce the occurrence of the suicide ideas and have a positive effect on curbing the prevalence of AIDS.


Very little research has examined the adjustment differences between those who identify their non-consensual sexual experiences (NSEs) as sexual assault and those who do not, despite both groups meeting the legal criteria for having experienced sexual assault. Identifying differences between NSE identifiers and non-identifiers may help to illuminate psychosexual factors in NSE construal, emotional reactivity, and resilience in sexual outcomes. This study examines the association of individuals' NSE self-identification and negative affectivity with women's sexual dissatisfaction in an undergraduate sample. Participants (N = 126) completed measures of negative affectivity five months before completing measures of sexual satisfaction and NSE history. Results indicated that negative affectivity has a robust independent association with NSE identification and sexual concerns for women who report NSEs, corresponding to legal definitions of sexual assault. In addition, no differences were found between identifiers and non-identifiers on sexual dissatisfaction, suggesting NSE history may have more to do with sexual satisfaction in these women than the construal of the event.


In this paper we highlight research and development that is done in the larger context of a service ori-ented architecture framework for the support of design decisions. We are going to illustrate how methods that adhere to the "open world assumption" (OWA) can be used to construct semantically meaningful information fragments from larger models. We are demonstrating the composition and use of Functional Parts specifications as RDFS graph pat-terns. We outline a prototype that applies RDF(S) sub graph extraction and merging with queries and rules in distrib-uted scenarios using models based on the IFCs that have been notated as partitioned OWL models. We are showing how these sub graphs can be used as machine-readable information exchange requirements not only for existing models but also for the semi-automated integration of newly added conceptual models as project-specific augmentations.


In humans and model species, alterations of sperm DNA methylation patterns have been reported in cases of spermatogenesis defects, male infertility and exposure to toxins or nutritional challenges, suggesting that a memory of environmental or physiological changes is recorded in the sperm methylome. The objective of this study was to ascertain if early life plane of nutrition could have a latent effect on DNA methylation patterns in sperm produced post-puberty. Holstein-Friesian calves were assigned to either a high (H) or moderate (M) plane of nutrition for the first 24 weeks of age, then reassigned to the M diet until puberty, resulting in HM and MM groups. Sperm DNA methylation patterns from contrasted subgroups of bulls in the HM (ejaculates recovered at 15 months of age; n = 9) and in the MM (15 and 16 months of age; n = 7 and 9, respectively) were obtained using Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing. Both 15 and 16 months were selected in the MM treatment as these bulls reached puberty approximately 1 month after the HM bulls. Hierarchical clustering demonstrated that inter-individual variability unrelated to diet or age dominated DNA methylation profiles. While the comparison between 15 and 16 months of age revealed almost no change, 580 differentially methylated CpGs (DMCs) were identified between the HM and MM groups. Differentially methylated CpGs were mostly hypermethylated in the HM group, and enriched in endogenous retrotransposons, introns, intergenic regions, and shores and shelves of CpG islands. Furthermore, genes involved in spermatogenesis, Sertoli cell function, and the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis were targeted by differential methylation when HM and MM groups were compared at 15 months of age, reflecting the earlier timing of puberty onset in the HM bulls. In contrast, the genes still differentially methylated in MM bulls at 16 months of age were enriched for ATP-binding molecular function, suggesting that changes to the sperm methylome could persist even after the HM and MM bulls reached a similar level of sexual maturity. Together, results demonstrate that enhanced plane of nutrition in pre-pubertal calves associated with advanced puberty induced modest but persistent changes in sperm DNA methylation profiles after puberty.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the bleeding patterns, satisfaction and tolerability of 3 different contraceptive in an extended regimens in the service of Family Planning of the North Central Hospital of PEMEX.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Healthy, adult women with desire of contraception for one year (N 120) were randomly assigned to receive oral contraceptive drospirenone/ethinyl E2 (group1), the norelgestromin/ethinyl E2 transdermal patch (group 2) and vaginal ring etonogestrel/ ethinyl E2 (group 3) in an extended regimen (42 consecutive days, 1 hormone-free week). Study assessments were conducted at scheduled visits at the time of initial screening, at baseline after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Subjects recorded menstrual associated symptoms bleeding data and completed satisfaction questionnaires. Subjects and investigators provided overall assessments of the regimens.

RESULTS
Extended use of 3 different contraceptive resulted in fewer bleeding days in every group (66.6%, 55% and 58.3% P 0.0024), and less mastalgia and menstrual pain. Subjects were highly satisfied with three regimens (93.3%, 96.6% and 91.6% P 0.00421). Although not mayor adverse events were reported with this regimen, there was an increase in spotting days; it decreased with each successive cycle of therapy. Efficacy and safety were similar to those reported for traditional cycle.

CONCLUSION
Extended-contraceptive regimen delays menses and reduces bleeding, a profile that may be preferred by women who seek flexibility with their contraceptive method.


Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter regions of genes encoding for some interleukins may associate with occurrence of asthma. Objective: To investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin-4 (IL-4) (C-590T) and asthma. Methods: Forty-five patients with asthma and 40 apparently healthy subjects (represent the control group) were enrolled in this study. Blood samples were collected from both patients and controls. DNA was extracted from blood samples and gene fragments corresponding to IL-4 C-590T were amplified with specific primers using conventional PCR technique. Results: The heterozygote genotypes of IL-4 C-590T (CT) showed significant association with asthma (OR = 3.922, 95% CI= 1.153-13.339, P = 0.028). Conclusion: These results suggest the significance of IL-4 C-590T polymorphism as a risk factor for asthma. Keywords: Asthma, interleukin-4, polymorphism Citation: Gaidan, Abbas AA, Hassan MA, Hashim HM. Interleukin-4 single nucleotide polymorphism C-590T polymorphisms in relation to asthma. Iraqi JMS. 2018; Vol. 16(1): 51-56. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.16.1.8


The 3-cyano-N-methylquinolinium perchlorate (3-CN-NMQ(+)ClO4(-))-photosensitized oxidation of phenyl alkyl sulfoxides (PhSOCR1R2R3, 1, R1 = R2 = H, R3 = Ph; 2, R1 = H, R2 = Me, R3 = Ph; 3, R1 = R2 = Ph, R3 = H; 4, R1 = R2 = Me, R3 = Ph; 5, R1 = R2 = R3 = Me) has been investigated by steady-state irradiation and nanosecond laser flash photolysis (LFP) under nitrogen in MeCN. Steady-state photolysis showed the formation of products deriving from the heterolytic C-S bond cleavage in the sulfoxide radical cations (alcohols, R1R2R3COH, and acetamides, R1R2R3CNHCOCH3) accompanied by sulfur-containing products (phenyl benzenethiosulfinate, diphenyl disulfide, and phenyl benzenethiosulfonate). By laser irradiation, the formation of 3-CN-NMQ(*) (lambda(max) = 390 nm) and sulfoxide radical cations 1(*+) , 2(*+), and 5(*+) (lambda(max) = 550 nm) was observed within the laser pulse. The radical cations decayed by first-order kinetics with a process attributable to the heterolytic C-S bond cleavage leading to the sulfinyl radical and an alkyl carbocation. The radical cations 3(*+) and 4(*+) fragment too rapidly, decaying within the laser pulse. The absorption band of the cation Ph2CH(+) (lambda(max) = 440 nm) was observed with 3 while the absorption bands of 3-CN-NMQ(*) and PhSO(*) (lambda(max) = 460 nm) were observed just after the laser pulse in the LFP experiment with 4. No competitive beta-C-H bond cleavage has been observed in the radical cations from 1-3. The C-S bond cleavage rates were measured for 1(*+), 2(*+), and 5(*+). For 3(*+) and 4(*+), only a lower limit (ca. >3 x 10(7) s(-1)) could be given. Quantum yields (Phi) and fragmentation first-order rate constants (k) appear to depend on the structure of the alkyl group and on the bond dissociation free energy (BDFE) of the C-S bond of the radical cations determined by a thermochemical cycle using the C-S BDEs for the neutral sulfoxides 1-5 obtained by DFT calculations. Namely, Phi and k increase as the C-S BDFE becomes more negative, that is in the order 1 < 5 < 2 < 3, 4, which is also the stability order of the alkyl carbocations formed in the cleavage. An estimate of the difference in the C-S bond cleavage rate between sulfoxide and sulfide radical cations was possible by comparing the fragmentation rate of 5(*+) (1.4 x 10(6) s(-1)) with the upper limit (10(4) s(-1)) given for tert-butyl phenyl sulfide radical cation (Baciocchi, E.; Del Giacco, T.; Gerini, M. F.; Lanzalunga, O. Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 641-644). It turns out that sulfoxide radical cations undergo C-S bond breaking at a rate at least 2 orders of magnitude faster than that of corresponding sulfide radical cations.


This focus article was prepared by Amanda Carson, Rudolf Reichel, Suzie Bell, Rachael Collins and Jasmine Smith of the APHA Small Ruminant Species Expert Group, and Dave Bartley from the Moredun Research Institute.


Abstract Many methods for converting satellite radiances to temperatures require a comparison of observed radiances with radiances calculated from a first guess. Usually, measured values must be tuned to agree with theoretical calculations. A regression in which the calculated radiances are predicted from the observed ones is a method of making the adjustment, but results in unrealistic coefficients. Several modifications to standard regression are tried, and it is shown that rotated regression, a technique developed in this paper, provides the required accuracy with coefficients that satisfy the physical constraints.


Health behavior change is central in obesity management. Due to its complexity, there has been a growing body of research on: i) the factors that predict the adoption and maintenance of health behaviors, ii) the development and testing of theories that conceptualize relationships among these factors and with health behaviors, and iii) how these factors can be implemented in effective behavior change interventions, considering characteristics of the content (techniques) and delivery. This short review provides an overview of advances in behavior change science theories and methods, focusing on obesity management, and includes a discussion of the main challenges imposed by this research field.


We present a family of space-time nonseparable analytic solutions describing spatiotemporal dynamics of isodiffracting single-cycle and few-cycle pulses with Hermite-Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian transverse profiles. These solutions are space-time localized wave packets propagating in free space. The transverse field profile acts as a spatially dependent filter, modifying the pulse spectrum and removing certain frequencies. The consequences of those effects in the time domain are the distortions of pulse envelope and temporal wave form and the creation of "dark pulses" at certain transverse positions. In addition, due to the space-time coupling, the instantaneous transverse field pattern changes inside the pulse, as well as with propagation distance. These higher-order mode solutions can be used to analyze reflected or scattered terahertz pulses, and to understand the wave-form distortions of terahertz signals in applications. They are also capable of modeling pulsed fields of phase locking of both transverse and longitudinal modes in total mode-locked lasers.


OBJECTIVE
To understand the up regulatory mechanism of human REV3 gene induced by the chemical carcinogen N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG).

METHODS
Bioinformatic analysis of human REV3 gene promoter region was based on BLAST alignment, promoter prediction software and recognition of transcriptional factor binding sites. Cloning of human REV3 gene promoter region was performed by nested PCR. Response of human REV3 gene promoter to the chemical carcinogen MNNG was measured by transient transfection assay based on the dual luciferase reporter assay system.

RESULT
Bioinformatic analysis showed that human REV3 gene promoter region was located on chromosome 6 PAC clone RP3-415N12, and that the hypothetical promoter region contained promoter sequences, rich CpG islands, and putative recognition sites for several transcriptional factors, including AP-1/c-Jun/c-Fos, AP-2, STAT, CREBP, and NF-kappaB. Reconstructed reporter plasmid pGL3- 2582 was established by inserting 2582 nucleotides from the promoter region into the luciferase reporter vector pGL3-Basic. Transient transfection assay showed the hypothetical REV3 promoter region had promoter function, and it responded to MNNG treatment (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION
Human mutator REV3 gene promoter region has been successfully cloned. The response of REV3 promoter region to MNNG suggests that REV3 gene can be regulated at transcriptional level under conditions of genotoxic stress.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the nodular ability and agronomic characteristics of three cultivars of common bean plants subjected to fragmented fertilization with molybdenum and nitrogen. The experimental design was of randomized blocks in a 3 x 7 factorial scheme, corresponding to the three cultivars (Carioca precoce, Rosinha and Ouro negro), and seven molybdic fertilization schemes, with three replications. The Ouro Negro cultivar showed a higher number of nodules and shoot dry-matter compared to Carioca precoce and Rosinha, and the Carioca and Ouro Negro cultivars achieved the highest number of grains per pod, hundred-grain weight and yield, than the Rosinha cultivar after fertilization with molybdenum and nitrogen. Nitrogen fertilization reduced the formation of nodules in the Carioca precoce and Rosinha cultivars, but increased most agronomic characteristics and yield in comparison to molybdic fertilization. However, the fragmented application of molybdenum between 15 and 30 days after emergence (DAE), positively influenced the formation of nodules, leaf-nitrogen levels, the number of grains per pod, hundred-grain weight and yield, compared to molybdenum application by seed, or the absence of fertilization, for the three cultivars studied, indicating that molybdic foliar fertilization is considered essential for increasing the productivity of bean cultivars.


A design methodology is developed to achieve optimum design of tensioner in serpentine belt drive systems. System component responses to a harmonic excitation from the crankshaft are obtained analytically by using a complete multi-degree of freedom model and also in explicit expressions using an equivalent single-degree of freedom model. Sequential quadratic programming and Kuhn-Tucker methods are applied to obtain the optimum design of the system modeled as multi-degree of freedom and single-degree of freedom respectively, with the objective of minimizing the undesired vibration of system components. It is shown that system vibration behavior improves substantially by optimizing the design of tensioner device.Copyright © 2002 by ASME


Between September 1978 and December 1980, 28 revision procedures were carried out at the Wellesley Hospital, Toronto, for biomechanical failure of total hip arthroplasties. Twenty-six patients were personally reviewed and assigned a Harris hip rating. Seven patients had major complications intraoperatively or postoperatively; three of them required further surgery. Twenty-four patients had satisfactory results and none were worse. The mean Harris score preoperatively was 36.3. At a minimum follow-up of 1 year after revision, the mean Harris score rose to 79.9 (p less than 0.01). Revision of total hip arthroplasty is a difficult and demanding procedure but can produce satisfactory results.


This paper provides some keys to better respond to cases of parental responsibility that arise in transnational families. In particular, we look at women of Ibero-American origin who have arrived in Spain in an economic migration leaving their children in the care of relatives or close people in their States of origin. To do this, firstly, an analysis of the differences between transnational and cross-border families is made, emphasizing the family relocation that exists in transnational families and the need, therefore, as a singular reality, to also provide specific answers. Next, the rules of international judicial jurisdiction are analyzed, in particular, the Hague Convention of 1996 and it is analyzed, through various sentences, how the Spanish courts have applied it. In this application, it is detected that there is an absolute lack of gender perspective and the need for flexibility in the responses, taking into account the special situation in which mothers, residing in Spain, find themselves with their children in their States of origin.


: The administration of acetaldehyde on the 13th day of pregnancy results in a considerable embryolethal effect, appearance of developmental abnormalities in rat embryos and chromosomal aberrations in fetal cells. Ethanol is found to have no teratogenic and mutagenic activity.


Songs of Praise is a setting of four passages from the Psalms for soprano and chamber orchestra. The text is taken from Psalms 96, 114, 55, and 116 of the New American Standard Version, with each psalm scored as a separate movement. The duration of the work is approximately seventeen and one-half minutes. The instrumentation includes soprano, oboe, strings, and a percussion section of four players incorporating fourteen different instruments. The musical language employed is largely tonal, consisting generally of shifting tonal emphases achieved by exploiting the pitch relationships of traditional tonality. The movements are contrasting in character, according to the text, but generally of the same style. The vocal line predominates throughout spanning two octaves and a minor third from an A below middle C to a high C above the treble clef.


Violet semipolar (20-2-1) InGaN microcavity light-emitting diodes (MC-LED) with a 200 nm ultra-short cavity length were demonstrated. The emission wavelength was 419 nm with a spectrum width of 20 nm. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) of MC-LED was constant at 0.8% for a forward current from 0.5 to 2 mA with the emitting area of 30×30 µm2. With increasing forward current, the peak wavelength and spectrum width of the emission showed almost no changes. For epitaxial growth, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) was used. Substrate removal and tunnel-junction with an Ag-based electrode made possible the fabrication of the ultra-short 200 nm thick cavity MC-LED. This is more than a factor of 2 improvement compared to previous MC-LEDs of 450 nm cavity thickness sustaining 5 modes.


This paper investigates conditions under which the solution of an underdetermined linear system with minimal lscrp norm, 0 < p les 1, is guaranteed to be also the sparsest one. Matrices are constructed with restricted isometry constants (RIC) delta2m arbitrarily close to 1/radic2 ap 0.707 where sparse recovery with p = 1 fails for at least one m-sparse vector, as well as matrices with delta2m arbitrarily close to one where lscr1 minimization succeeds for any m-sparse vector. This highlights the pessimism of sparse recovery prediction based on the RIC, and indicates that there is limited room for improving over the best known positive results of Foucart and Lai, which guarantee that lscr1 minimization recovers all m-sparse vectors for any matrix with delta2m < 2(3 - radic2)/7 ap 0.4531. These constructions are a by-product of tight conditions for lscrp recovery (0 les p les 1) with matrices of unit spectral norm, which are expressed in terms of the minimal singular values of 2m-column submatrices. Compared to lscr1 minimization, lscrp minimization recovery failure is shown to be only slightly delayed in terms of the RIC values. Furthermore in this case the minimization is nonconvex and it is important to consider the specific minimization algorithm being used. It is shown that when lscrp optimization is attempted using an iterative reweighted lscr1 scheme, failure can still occur for delta2m arbitrarily close to 1/radic2.


A B S T R A C T In the present study, DPPH radical scavenging assay and ferric-reducing antioxidant assay were used to evaluate in vitro antioxidant potential of the methanol extract of Ferula duranii (F. duranii). The antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities of F. duranii extract were evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. F. duranii showed considerable antioxidant potential in the DPPH radical scavenging assay and minimum reducing power in ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay. A meaningful reduction in the concentrations of Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb A1c), triglycerides (TG), Total Cholesterol (TC) and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL-C) in plasma and an elevation in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) in hepatic and pancreas homogenates were observed in diabetic animals medicated with F. duranii extract in comparison with diabetic control rats. The level of insulin raised significantly in plasma of diabetic groups received F. duranii in respect to diabetic control one. Levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin, total protein and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL-C) in plasma and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver and pancreas homogenates were recovered significantly in F. duranii-medicated diabetic rats in comparison with diabetic controls. The present data suggest that F. duranii has both antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects.


Type 1, or autoimmune, diabetes is driven by T cell-mediated destruction of the insulin-producing β cells in pancreatic islets. The natural killer cell activating receptor NKG2D and its ligands are implicated in this process. However, the mechanism by which NKG2D-NKG2D ligand interaction affects diabetes development is poorly understood. Transgenic expression of the NKG2D ligand retinoic acid early transcript 1ɛ (RAE1ɛ) in β-islet cells of the pancreas induces the recruitment of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) to the islets in mice. Surprisingly, however, we report here that the severity of spontaneous autoimmune diabetes is decreased in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice expressing RAE1ɛ in islets (RIP-RAE1ɛ NOD). Interestingly, NKG2D expression is reduced on the surface of CD8T cells within the pancreas of RIP-RAE1ɛ NOD mice compared with control NOD mice. We further demonstrate that the NKG2D ligand H60a is expressed on T cells within the pancreas of wild-type NOD mice. Together, these results demonstrate that transgenic expression of RAE1ɛ in islets leads to down-regulation of NKG2D surface expression on CD8T cells, likely resulting in decreased ability of the cells to respond to NKG2D engagement by H60a naturally expressed in the pancreas. These findings suggest that interaction between NKG2D and NKG2D ligands, both expressed on islet-infiltrating T cells, plays an important role in the pathology associated with autoimmune diabetes.


The development of karst is not a linear process but instead takes place at irregular rates that typically include episodes of stagnation and even retrograde processes in which the evolution toward maturity is reversed. The magnitude and nature of these irregularities differs with the length of time considered. Contemporary measurements in caves show fluctuations in dissolution rate with changes in season, discharge, and soil conditions. Dissolution is sometimes interrupted by intervals of mineral deposition. Observed dissolution rates can be extrapolated to obtain estimates of long-term growth of a solution feature. But this approach is flawed, because as the time scale increases, the rates are disrupted by climate changes, and by variations that are inherent within the evolutionary history of the karst feature (e.g., increased CO2 loss from caves as entrances develop). At time scales of 105-106 years, karst evolution can be interrupted or accelerated by widespread fluctuations in base level and surface river patterns. An example is the relation between karst and the development of the Ohio River valley in east-central U.S.A. At a scale of 106-108 years, tectonic and stratigraphic events cause long-term changes in the mechanism and style of karst development. For example, much of the karst in the Rocky Mountains of North America has experienced two phases of pre-burial Carboniferous karst, mineral accretion during deep burial from Permian to Cretaceous, extensive cave development during Paleocene-Eocene uplift, and stagnation and partial mineral deposition caused by late Tertiary aggradation. At such large time scales, it is difficult to determine rates of karst development precisely, if at all. Instead it is appropriate to divide the evolutionary history into discrete episodes that correlate with regional tectonic and stratigraphic events.


The present work aims at analysing and comparing the thermal performances of active and passive aftertreatment systems. A one-dimensional transient model has been developed in order to evaluate the heat exchange between the solid and the exhaust gas and to estimate the energy effectiveness of the apparatus. Furthermore, the effect of the engine operating conditions on the performances of emission control systems has been investigated considering standard emission test cycles. The analysis has demonstrated that the active flow control presents the higher thermal inertia and it appearsmore suitable to maintain the converter initial temperature level for a longer time after variations in engine load. Conversely, the traditional passive flow control is preferable when rapid "cooling" or "heating" of the solid phase is requested. Moreover, the investigation has highlighted the significant influence of the cycle time and converter length on the energetic performances of the aftertreatment apparatus.


The thesis la concerned with the study of sequence
Dating in the MBII tombs of Palestine, particularly those
from Jericho and Tell Fara (South).
In Chapter One. I have briefly discussed current
views on the absolute, chronology of the MBII, more to assess the length of time the period covers than to proscribe its precise dates.
In chapter two. I have sought to examine the system
of relative chronology in the MBII which Kenyon has proposed for the Jericho tombs. The meaning of typological variation is discussed; Kenyon's chronological arguments are analysed and the application of her technique is shown. In an attempt objectively to test her hypothesis, potential statistical
methods are investigated and a selection of suitable deposits
is made for experimentation. These deposits are then
subjected to a multi-variant trait analysis using multidimensional scaling.
The results indicate an insufficient degree of difference in the deposits; they appear to be
Virtually indistinguishable from one another. In chapter three. I have republished the MBII tombs from Tell Fara. particularly Petrie's '500' cemetery in order to investigate the tombs of this period in more detail. I have redrawn all the available objects and attempted to clarity the confusion which surrounds each tomb. Plans, sections and drawings are grouped by tomb by tomb.
In the final chapter, I have compared and contrasted Fara with Jericho. At Fara, I certain unique features' of the tombs do not seem to fit readily into the Jericho typological system. It is therefore proposed that such typological change in the MBII may well be a function of local variation rather than of chronological difference


To examine the extent to which the defect in insulin action in subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) can be accounted for by impairment of muscle glycogen synthesis, we performed combined hyperglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp studies with [13C]glucose in five subjects with NIDDM and in six age- and weight-matched healthy subjects. The rate of incorporation of intravenously infused [1-13C]glucose into muscle glycogen was measured directly in the gastrocnemius muscle by means of a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer with a 15.5-minute time resolution and a 13C surface coil. The steady-state plasma concentrations of insulin (approximately 400 pmol per liter) and glucose (approximately 10 mmol per liter) were similar in both study groups. The mean (+/- SE) rate of glycogen synthesis, as determined by 13C NMR, was 78 +/- 28 and 183 +/- 39 mumol-glucosyl units per kilogram of muscle tissue (wet weight) per minute in the diabetic and normal subjects, respectively (P less than 0.05). The mean glucose uptake was markedly reduced in the diabetic (30 +/- 4 mumol per kilogram per minute) as compared with the normal subjects (51 +/- 3 mumol per kilogram per minute; P less than 0.005). The mean rate of nonoxidative glucose metabolism was 22 +/- 4 mumol per kilogram per minute in the diabetic subjects and 42 +/- 4 mumol per kilogram per minute in the normal subjects (P less than 0.005). When these rates are extrapolated to apply to the whole body, the synthesis of muscle glycogen would account for most of the total-body glucose uptake and all of the nonoxidative glucose metabolism in both normal and diabetic subjects. We conclude that muscle glycogen synthesis is the principal pathway of glucose disposal in both normal and diabetic subjects and that defects in muscle glycogen synthesis have a dominant role in the insulin resistance that occurs in persons with NIDDM.


Recent animal data have challenged the common clinical practice to avoid vasopressor drugs during hypothermic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when core temperature is below 30°C. In this report, we describe the case of a 19‐year‐old‐female patient with prolonged, hypothermic, out‐of‐hospital cardiopulmonary arrest after near drowning (core temperature, 27°C) in whom cardiocirculatory arrest persisted despite 2 mg of intravenous epinephrine; but, immediate return of spontaneous circulation occurred after a single dose (40 IU) of intravenous vasopressin. The patient was subsequently admitted to a hospital with stable haemodynamics, and was successfully rewarmed with convective rewarming, but died of multiorgan failure 15 h later. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about the use of vasopressin during hypothermic CPR in humans. This case report adds to the growing evidence that vasopressors may be useful to restore spontaneous circulation in hypothermic cardiac arrest patients prior to rewarming, thus avoiding prolonged mechanical CPR efforts, or usage of extracorporeal circulation. It may also support previous experience that the combination of both epinephrine and vasopressin may be necessary to achieve the vasopressor response needed for restoration of spontaneous circulation, especially after asphyxial cardiac arrest or during prolonged CPR efforts.


A strengthening method for existing buildings and particularly for infill masonry walls with bend ing loading due to earthquakes is presented. The basic idea of the procedure is the application of additional overlays to the surfaces of the structural members as external reinforcement. The overlays consist of textiles of carbon fabrics, which are embedded in a cement-based matrix. The use of dense fabrics in combination with a cement-based matrix distinguishes these composite overlays. A program of experiments with strengthened con crete beams and masonry walls with bending loading was carried out. A significant enhancement of the load bearing capacity of the tested members was achieved.


QUALITATIVE observations of the attack and strike of raptorial birds are numerous, but few quantitative measurements are available of the velocity, descent, acceleration, and deceleration of the pelvis, legs, and feet. My anatomical studies of the adaptations of the pelvic limb of selected species of North American birds of prey (MS) led to the present study because an understanding of how raptors use their feet and legs during the attack and strike facilitates the interpretation of anatomical differences. I used cinematography as a means of recording these data accurately (Hildebrand, 1963, 1964). The data presented here are somewhat limited. As the prey species were loosely tethered to the ground or a piece of canvas some distance from the raptor, the prey situations presented to the predator were not so varied nor were the prey so active as those normally encountered. Secondly although some variety of prey species was used, it was not possible to present each hawk or falcon with many different kinds. A given species of raptor captures a diversity of prey: Beebe (1960) and Storer (1966) indicate that the accipters and falcons are opportunists, preying upon those animals available and most easily secured. Possibly hawks and falcons attack and strike larger prey in a different manner than they do smaller ones. Lastly, an individual bird may employ a variety of hunting, attacking, and striking attitudes not characteristic for its particular species (Cade, 1960; White, 1962; Mead, 1963).


Consider a set of quantum states $| \psi(x) \rangle$ parameterized by $x$ taken from some parameter space $M$. We demonstrate how all geometric properties of this manifold of states are fully described by a scalar gauge-invariant Bargmann invariant $P^{(3)}(x_1, x_2, x_3)=\operatorname{tr}[P(x_1) P(x_2)P(x_3)]$, where $P(x) = |\psi(x)\rangle \langle\psi(x)|$. Mathematically, $P(x)$ defines a map from $M$ to the complex projective space $\mathbb{C}P^n$ and this map is uniquely determined by $P^{(3)}(x_1,x_2,x_3)$ up to a symmetry transformation. The phase $\arg P^{(3)}(x_1,x_2,x_3)$ can be used to compute the Berry phase for any closed loop in $M$, however, as we prove, it contains other information that cannot be determined from any Berry phase. When the arguments $x_i$ of $P^{(3)}(x_1,x_2,x_3)$ are taken close to each other, to the leading order, it reduces to the familiar Berry curvature $\omega$ and quantum metric $g$. We show that higher orders in this expansion are functionally independent of $\omega$ and $g$ and are related to the extrinsic properties of the map of $M$ into $\mathbb{C}P^n$ giving rise to new local gauge-invariant objects, such as the fully symmetric 3-tensor $T$. Finally, we show how our results have immediate applications to the modern theory of polarization, calculation of electrical response to a modulated field and physics of flat bands.


Iraq is a young state, having been founded in 1921 by a colonial power, Britain. Its army was created several months beforehand, with its nucleus being Iraqi Sunni Arab officers of the former Ottoman army. As the mandate power in Iraq, Britain wanted a small internal security establishment while the officer corps and the monarchy wanted a large army that would act as a nation-building institution to make Iraqis out of the disparate ethnic groups who found themselves reluctant subjects of this new entity. As the strongest institution in the fragile state, the army played an important role in the political process and ultimately launched the first coup in the Arab world in 1936. As the older and more pliant senior officer corps retired, younger, more nationalist officers came to the fore; they were discontented with the overbearing presence of the British, the rampant cronyism and corruption in the royal court and among the ruling elite, and by the backwardness of their country. A small group of militant nationalist officers seized power and fought a brief and unsuccessful war against Britain. The power of the ruling elite was seemingly consolidated in the period after World War II. Both Iraq and the rest of the Middle East were in turmoil as colonial powers found themselves facing a rising tide of movements striving for independence. Leading the way were junior and middle-ranking officers, and in Iraq they launched a bloody coup-revolution in 1958 that destroyed the monarchy and established a republic. The Iraqi republic was unstable, due mostly to the inability of elites to establish solid institutions for governing the country and channeling mass politics effectively. The fragility and lack of legitimacy of governments provided ample opportunity for the military—which was riven by factionalism and ideological differences—to intervene regularly in the political process. The seizure of power by the nationalist and socialist Baath Party under Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr and Saddam Hussein effectively put an end to the military's political role; the Baath Party implemented a series of stringent "coup-proofing" measures between 1968 and 2003 when it was displaced from power by the U.S. invasion. The Baath Party's measures did not mean that members of the officer corps did not try their hand at overthrowing the Baath regime; many did, but all failed, often at tremendous costs to themselves and their families. The measures of control had a deleterious effect on the professionalism and combat performance in the conventional wars that it fought between 1980 and 2003. The Americans tried to build a new Iraqi army and sought to professionalize it, but their efforts had little success. The removal of the brutal authoritarian regime of Saddam Hussein did not change Iraqi politics for the better. Sunni Arab dominance was replaced by Shia Arab dominance. Post-Baath governments were kleptocratic, corrupt, and characterized by ethno-sectarian favoritism and cronyism. These characteristics pervaded the new military itself but the military's ability to interfere in the political process has been stymied by its focus on fighting the dangerous jihadist fighters of the Islamic State (Daesh), the proliferation of government security services, and by the emergence of heavily armed and motivated pro-government militias. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.


UMBRELLA.net is an experimental platform for developing ad-hoc networks based around coincidence or chance occurrences. The project utilizes the haphazard and unpredictable patterns of weather and crowd formation as a catalyst for network formation. This approach is meant to challenge traditional conceptions of how networks form and function by correlating their existence to circumstances beyond people's direct control. The system consists of a set of umbrellas as nodes that can spontaneously form based on weather conditions. UMBRELLA.net establishes a visual footprint of a network in public space and creates a framework for sharing localized information among