Language need assessment in education is indispensable before step up to language policy panning and formulation, and been said certainly true in decisions concerning the languages of education, and yet the attitudes and opinions of the target groups are crucial in order to determine the success of policy implementation (Monjane, 2009, p.1). One of the most important ways the study attempted to understand language needs at schools was assessing parents' language needs for their children. The main purpose of the study was to assess the parents' multi-language needs for their children to learn at elementary schooling framing on those languages articulated in the policy (Mother tongue, Tigrinya, Arabic and English) and emphasizing to mono-linguality trends resulted from sole mother tongue education. Saaho language had taken as mother tongue in this case. Fishman language use domains were used as basis of theme categorization for analysis and the suppositions had drawn to detail the parents' multilingualism needs. This study had keenly contributed as preliminary information for language policy modification at elementary education since it studies on grass root (children and their parents) needs for language learning at school. The study found that Saaho language is dominantly used in family domain, education domain, and friendship domain. In readings and writing, English was found accompanied with Saaho at school. Arabic is dominantly used at religious domain both in readings, writings, and speaking. The comparison was made between the languages used currently at school by the child with those expected (preferred) by their parents', and the study found that Tigrinya and Arabic languages were highly preferred by the parents to learn their children at schools, then Saaho and English were preferred subsequently. Considering both the original intention of language policy and the results from the study, the study recommends David Laitin "3 ±1" solution for language learning would be fruitful if it incorporated into elementary level education curriculum. Keywords: Multilingualism needs, Elementary education, Mother tongue Education, Language Policy, Language use Domains, Fishman, David Laitin. DOI : 10.7176/JEP/11-2-01 Publication date: January 31 st 2020


Competition Commission of India (CCI) decides its first application for leniency in Cartels* CCI by its order dated January 18, 2017 decided its first leniency application in favour of the…


An easily fabricated high power index-guided laser, the twin-channel substrate-mesa-guide (TCSM) laser, has been developed for applications in recording, printing, and communications. The TCSM laser is fabricated by one-step organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) on photolithographically patterned and etched substrates. Linear output characteristics were observed to 40 mW cw with corresponding operation in zero order lateral and transverse modes and no astigmatism. Stable single longitudinal mode oscillation also resulted from the strong refractive index guiding produced by the non-planar structure.


Recently, a time-domain, near-field to near-field transformation, based on the Stratton-Chu representation, was presented for use with the FDTD method. In the Letter, an alternative near-field to near-field transformation based on the Kirchhoff representation is described. Savings of both computation time and computer memory are achieved using the Kirchhoff formulation. Comparisons of the savings attained are illustrated through an example, the application of the transformation to a TEM horn antenna for pulse radiation.


Potash known as potassium carbonate (K2
CO3
) is a mixture of salt with other components including impurities which coexist in
mineral and salt is highly consumed in various forms by pregnant women. The aim of this research is to evaluate the weight and
serum indices of potash on the uterus of pregnant wistar rat with the specific objectives of determining the effect of potash on the
progesterone and estrogen level and weight index of pregnant wistar rat. A total of Twenty-five albino Wistar rat with weights
ranging from (180-300g) were used and allocated into five groups of five animals each (4 females and a male) designated as groups
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The experimental groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 were administered different doses of potash. The animals were allowed for
a period of one week for acclimatization under normal temperature (270C -300C) which they were being feed with normal feed
(grower's mash) and water ad libitum for one (1) week. Administration of potash were through the oral route. Group 1 served
as the control group and was administered distilled water only. Group 2 received 300mg/kg of potash plus feed and water was
given ad libitum for 7 days after detection of pregnancy. Group 3 received 600mg/kg of potash plus feed and water was given ad
libitum. Group 4 received 900mg/kg of potash plus feed and water was given ad libitum. Group 5 received 1200mg/kg of potash
plus feed and water was given ad libitum. After analysis from histological procedures, the progesterone and estrogen level of
pregnant wistar rat were evaluated and observed that treatment with potash induced changes. However, the level of progesterone
activities increased in the test groups (2, 3, and 5) when compared to the control group. As for estrogen level, the increased level
was observed to be progressive in the test groups, with the highest seen with the 1200mg/kg group as well as the physical activity
of the wistar rats. At the end of the study, the results showed that Potash alters progesterone and estrogen level as well as the
physical activity of the wistar rats.


Geological storage of CO 2 in deep saline aquifers is a promising measure to mitigate global warming by reducing the concentration of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. When CO 2 is injected in the geological formation, it dissolves partially in the interstitial brine, thus rendering it denser than the CO 2 -devoid brine below, which creates a convective instability. The resulting convection accelerates the rate of CO 2 's perennial trapping by dissolution in the brine. The instability and resulting convection have been intensively discussed by numerical and theoretical approaches at the Darcy scale, but few experimental studies have characterized them quantitatively. By using both refractive index matching and planar laser induced fluorescence, we measure for the first time the onset characteristics of the convective dissolution instability in a 3-D porous medium located below a gas compartment. Our results highlight that the dimensional growth rate of the instability remains constant when the CO 2 partial pressure in the compartment is varied, in clear discrepancy with the theoretical predictions. Furthermore, within the CO 2 partial pressure range studied, the measured growth rate is one to three orders of magnitude larger than the predicted value. The Fourier spectrum of the front is very broad, highlighting the multi-scale nature of the flow. Depending on the measurement method and CO 2 partial pressure, the mean wavelength is 1 to 3 times smaller than the predicted value. Using a theoretical model developed recently by Tilton (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 838 , 2018), we demonstrate that these experimental results are consistent with a forcing of convection by porosity fluctuations. Finally, we discuss the possible effects of this forcing by the porous medium's pore structure on the CO 2 flux across the interface, measured in these experiments about one order of magnitude higher than expected. These results obtained in model laboratory experiments show that accounting for sub-Darcy scale flow heterogeneities may be necessary to correctly predict convective dissolution during CO 2 subsurface sequestration.


A pair of half-wavelength slot and narrow patch antennas stacked closely together to form a set of nearly colocated antennas for achieving polarization diversity is described. A reduced-size version is then proposed by utilizing a quarter-wavelength slot and planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) pair, respectively. When three sets of these antennas are placed on each orthogonal axis, a compact 6-port antenna is constructed. Key characteristics of the antennas are found through electromagnetic simulation and physical measurements.


According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top ten causes of death worldwide and verified as a global health problem. The main reason of global health problem is generally the tremendous burden of disease. In the estimated survey of TB in 2016, 10.4 million people suffered with TB and 1.7 million died with this disease. After a long period of neglect some new interventions are developed by various studies which targets the transmission process i.e., interrupts the transmission of TB among the population. Nowadays, various synthetic drug regimens are followed but the drugs which are scheduled in this regimen have some side effects. However, to avoid these side effects some natural herbs such as Ayurvedic treatment are used for beneficial treatment. The choice of beneficial treatment mainly depends on the severity, age and extent of disease. In this review, we are discussing about the recent natural and synthetic drug regimen used to treat active disease conditions. Keywords: Tuberculosis (TB), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), etiopathogenesis, resistance, synthetic drug regimen Cite this Article Gupta S, Kumari S. A Potential Role of Ayurvedic Treatment in Tuberculosis. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Pharmaceutical Science. 2019; 10(1): 1– 10p.


Ms Hicklin and colleagues (August 2002 JRSM1) describe two cases of epistaxis after use of sildenafil to enhance penile erection. Such a complication is not unexpected, for two reasons. First, the enzyme inhibited by the drug, cyclic guanosine monophosphate-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), is present at several sites other than the corpus cavernosum, and known effects of the consequent vascular smooth muscle relaxation include headache in 16%, facial flushing in 10%, and hypotension and dizziness in 2% of patients2. Second, in-vitro research suggests that sildenafil can inhibit PDE5-induced platelet aggregation3. Cerebrovascular haemorrhage is a recognized, albeit rare, side-effect and bleeding from oesophageal varices4 and from haemorrhoids5 has been described after use of sildenafil.

In case 2 of Hicklin et al. the patient had been prescribed amlodipine. This drug is metabolized by the same enzyme (cytochrome p450) and could therefore affect the pharmacokinetics of sildenafil, rendering haemorrhage more likely.


We address the differences observed due to heat release between reacting and non-reacting versions of otherwise identical shear flows under conditions for which buoyancy effects are negligible. The differences considered here result from density changes produced by exothermic reaction, and are shown to be similar to those produced by free-stream density differences in non-reacting flows. The piecewise linear variations of temperature with mole fraction allow the density changes due to exothermic reaction to be related to an equivalent non-reacting flow, in which the temperature of one of the fluids is raised to an effective value determined by the peak temperature and overall stoichiometry. This leads to a general equivalence principle by which the scaling laws for non-reacting flows can be extended to predict effects of heat release by exothermic reaction. This equivalence principle is then applied to axisymmetric turbulent jets, where it leads to a generalized momentum diameter d+ in which the scaling laws for burning and non-burning jets become identical – it effectively extends the classical momentum diameter d* of Thring & Newby (1953) and Ricou & Spalding (1961) to exothermic reacting flows. The resulting predicted effects of heat release, in both the near and far fields, show good agreement with experimental data from momentum-dominated turbulent jet diffusion flames. The equivalence principle is then applied to planar turbulent jets, for which it also accurately predicts the observed effects of combustion heat release.


The strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa, is an important small fruit crop in Florida. The sunshine state leads the southeastern U.S. in strawberry production and ranks second to California nationwide. The mild weather of Florida's fall and winter seasons sustain the nation's second largest strawberry production. These conditions, unfortunately, are also suitable for several arthropod pests to multiply and feed on the crop. Strawberry plants are quickly established two weeks after the transplanting irrigation is turned off. This is the time growers must begin to scout their fields at least once a week to assess the status of pests, such as spider mites, cyclamen mites, lepidopterous larvae, aphids, thrips, and sap beetles. The ability to recognize these pests, their damage, and their natural enemies is important in determining the best control methods for each situation. Keep in mind that miticide or insecticide choices are limited if you participate in a biological control program. This document is HS1018, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: July 2005.


Background Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is an emerging biomarker for several disease conditions, where white blood cell (WBC) count is also elevated. In this study, we examined the relationship between MMP-9 and WBC levels in apparently healthy smoking and non-smoking human subjects. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the relationship of serum MMP-9 with WBC in 383 men and 356 women. Next, we divided the male population (women do not smoke in this population) into three groups: never (n = 243), current (n = 76) and former (n = 64) smokers and compared the group differences in MMP-9 and WBC levels and their correlations within each group. Results Circulating MMP-9 and WBC count are significantly correlated in men (R2 = 0.13, p<0.001) and women (R2 = 0.19, p<0.001). After stratification by smoking status, MMP-9 level was significantly higher in current smokers (mean ± SE; 663.3±43.4 ng/ml), compared to never (529.7±20.6) and former smokers (568±39.3). WBC count was changed in a similar pattern. Meanwhile, the relationship became stronger in current smokers with increased correlation coefficient of r = 0.45 or R2 = 0.21 (p<0.001) and steeper slope of ß = 1.16±0.30 (p<0.001) in current smokers, compared to r = 0.26 or R2 = 0.07 (p<0.001) and ß = 0.34±0.10 (p<0.001) in never smokers. Conclusions WBC count accounts for 13% and 19% of MMP-9 variance in men and women, respectively. In non-smoking men, WBC count accounts for 7% of MMP-9 variance, but in smoking subjects, it accounts for up to 21% of MMP-9 variance. Thus, we have discovered a previously unrecognized correlation between the circulating MMP-9 and WBC levels in humans.


Background Malnutrition is common in older adults with cancer and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. We assessed and compared the validity of three tools commonly used to screen for malnutrition: The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), weight loss and body mass index (BMI). Methods In this retrospective study, we reviewed patients over age 65 with a diagnosis of cancer who were treated at the MD Anderson Cancer Center between 1 January 2013 and 31 March 2017. All patients in this study were evaluated by a trained geriatrician as part of a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). Malnutrition was diagnosed by both CGA and clinical examination. The sensitivity, specificity and Cohen's κ of each tool was also compared with the clinical diagnosis. Results A total of 454 older patients with cancer who had malnutrition information available were included in the analyses. The median age was 78%, and 42% (n=190) were clinically diagnosed with malnutrition at baseline. When the MNA was performed, 105 out of 352 patients (30%) were malnourished, and 122 (35%) at risk of malnutrition. Weight loss >3 kg was seen in 183 out of 359 (51%) patients, and BMI <20 kg/m2 was found in 30 of the 454 (7%) patients. MNA had the highest validity (area under curve (AUC)=0.83) and reliability (κ=0.67), weight loss had moderate validity (AUC=0.73) and reliability (κ=0.46), while BMI had the lowest validity (AUC=0.55) and reliability (κ=0.55). Conclusions For clinical practice, MNA should be incorporated for standard assessment/screening for these older patients with cancer.


The stability and activity of hen's egg white lysozyme in the presence of four protic room temperature ionic liquids (ethylammonium formate (EAF), propylammonium formate (PAF), 2-methoxyethylammonium formate (MOEAF) and ethanolammonium formate (EtAF)) have been investigated. Near UV CD experiments have been used to determine protein structure in aqueous solutions of 25 wt%, 50 wt% and 75 wt% ionic liquid, and to assess the proteins ability to refold after heating to 90 °C. It was determined that EAF and MOEAF are similarly effective refolding additives, while PAF is more effective at promoting refolding at concentrations up to ∼62.5 wt%, but at higher PAF concentrations the protein spontaneously denatures. Both of these effects are attributed to the increased hydrophobicity of the cation. EtAF is shown to stabilise lysozyme against unfolding at high temperature, and renaturing appears to be near complete upon cooling. Studies of enzyme kinetics reveal increased protein activity in the presence of all ionic liquids examined, but the most significant increase is noted for EtAF, where rates are six times higher than those determined for lysozyme in buffered water.


Abstract Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the penis is an exceptionally rare malignant disorder, and less than 20 cases have been previously reported. The diagnosis can be difficult, and the standard treatment has not been established yet. We reported an 86-year-old male patient with DLBCL of the penis with an annular penile ulcer, which was not sensitive to the classic R-C(H)OP regimen for three circles; then underwent surgical resection and achieved complete remission for 73 months until now. Including our patient, we collected the clinical characteristics of 20 patients with primary DLBCL of the penis. The median age was 69 years, and most patients manifested mass, diffuse swelling, non-healing ulcer in the penis, and difficulty with urination. Chemo-immunology and radiography were used as first-line therapy, and surgery still plays an essential role in refractory or recurrence. Due to its anatomical independence and physiological particularity, there is still no standard for diagnosing and treating primary DLBCL of the penis. Systemic chemotherapy and radiography were considered first-line therapy to induce remission and preserve the structure and function of the penile; however, surgery still plays a vital role in the refractory or recurrence of single extranodal lymphoma.


Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clonal disorder of hematopoiesis originating in hematopoietic/stem progenitor cells characterized by impaired differentiation and the accumulation of immature blasts in the bone marrow. While genetic, transcriptional, and epigenetic alterations have been comprehensively characterized in human AML, few studies have assessed post-transcriptional and translational regulatory mechanisms in leukemic stem cells (LSCs). We previously identified a novel LSC marker, CD99, that enriches for LSCs among leukemic blasts. We now show that CD99high LSCs express low levels of transcripts encoding ribosomal proteins and exhibit reduced translation compared to non-LSC blasts as assessed by OP-Puro incorporation assays and sucrose gradient polysome profiling. This pattern recapitulates reductions in translation in normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) compared to committed progenitors, suggesting common mechanisms regulating translation in normal and malignant hematopoietic cells. To examine global post-transcriptional and translational regulation in HSCs, we performed polysome profiling, RNA-sequencing and whole-proteomic analysis of HSC-enriched cells (Lin-Sca-1+c-Kit+; LSK) and committed myeloid progenitors (MPs; Lin-Sca-1-c-Kit+). While MP cells exhibit higher levels of global translation than LSK cells, LSK cells exhibit higher translational efficiencies (TEs) of transcripts required for HSC maintenance and self-renewal, and MP cells show increased TEs of genes associated with differentiation. Although HSC-enriched LSK cells exhibit lower levels of global translation than MP cells, they show activation of mTOR signaling and high TEs of mTOR dependent transcripts. In contrast, even though MP cells exhibit higher levels of translation than HSCs, Western blot analysis confirms that they lack significant mTOR protein expression or signaling. Indeed, mTOR expression in MP cells is rescued by proteasome inhibitors, and its expression is restored in the absence of the E3 ubiquitin ligase, c-Cbl, demonstrating its regulation by proteasomal degradation. Confirming that mTOR signaling is not required for MP function, mTOR inhibition with rapamycin in vivo or Torin1 ex vivo did not affect MP translation or differentiation. To determine if similar mTOR-independent mechanisms of translational activation are also present in malignant hematopoiesis, we analyzed CD99high LSCs and CD99low non-LSC AML blasts and observed higher mTOR signaling and lower global translation in LSCs, as well as near-absence of mTOR protein expression in non-LSCs, recapitulating the differences observed in LSK versus MP cells. Collectively, these findings establish the presence of developmental stage-specific mechanisms of translational regulation mediated by mTOR in both normal and malignant hematopoiesis. This abstract is also being presented as Poster B30. Citation Format: Christina C. Spevak, Harold K. Elias, Lavanya Kannan, Gaelle Martin, Shanmugapriya Selvaraj, William S. Eng, Amanda Ernlund, Vinagolu K. Rajasekhar, Carolien M. Woolthuis, Robert J. Schneider, Christopher Y. Park. Developmentally regulated mTOR degradation in normal and malignant hematopoiesis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Targeting PI3K/mTOR Signaling; 2018 Nov 30-Dec 8; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2020;18(10_Suppl):Abstract nr PR06.


References 1. Paul A, Gibson AA, Robinson ODG, Koch J. The traffic light bougie: a study of a novel safety modification. Anaesthesia 2014; 69: 214–8. 2. Cook T, Woodall N, Frerk C. Major complications of airway management in the United Kingdom. 4th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Difficult Airway Society: Report and findings. London: RCoA, March 2011. 3. Latto IP, Stacey M, Mecklenburgh J, Vaughan RS. Survey of the use of the gum elastic bougie in clinical practice. Anaesthesia 2002; 57: 379–84. 4. Rai MR. The humble bougie. . .forty years and still counting? Anaesthesia 2014; 69: 199–203. 5. Marson BA, Anderson E, Wilkes AR, Hodzovic I. Bougie-related airway trauma: dangers of the hold-up sign. Anaesthesia 2014; 69: 219–23. 6. Stone DJ, Bogdonoff DL. Airway considerations in the management of patients requiring long-term endotracheal intubation. Anesthesia and Analgesia 1992; 74: 276–87. 7. El-Orbany MI, Salem MR, Joseph NJ. The Eschmann tracheal tube introducer is not gum, elastic, or a bougie. Anesthesiology 2004; 101: 1240.


With this work we seek to visualize the multilevel companies as an effective business
strategy, focusing research on the company ZRII COLOMBIA, showing all the benefits they
offer, which lead to that every day more people who believe in this company, not only for its
form of economic compensation, but growth that provide professional and personal level and
thus change the perception of people who are employed in private companies or state and have a
negative view against MLM .


In the construction industry, projects are becoming increasingly large and complex, necessitating multiple subcontractors. Traditional centralized coordination techniques used by general contractors become insufficient as subcontractors perform most work and provide their own resources. When subcontractors cannot provide enough resources, they hinder their own performance, that of other subcontractors, and ultimately the entire project. Thus, projects need a new distributed coordination approach wherein all of the concerned subcontractors can respond to changes and reschedule a project dynamically. This paper presents a new distributed coordination framework for project schedule changes (DCPSC) that is based on an agent-based negotiation approach wherein software agents evaluate the impact of changes, simulate decisions, and give advice on behalf of the human subcontractors. A case example demonstrates the significance of the DCPSC. It compares two centralized coordination methodologies used in current practice to the DCPSC framework. We demonstrate that our DCPSC framework always finds a solution that is better than or equal to any of two centralized coordination methodologies.


This study analyzes and visualizes data from 234 wells using a MATLAB-based program (BasinVis 1.0) for the sedimentary fill and subsidence evolution of the northern and central parts of the Vienna Basin. The sedimentary fills of seven selected horizons are shown in sediment distribution surfaces, thickness isopach maps, and cross-sections. The subsidence analysis from wells reaching the pre-Neogene basement results in subsidence depth and rate maps of basement and tectonic subsidence of the study area. The Vienna Basin has a complex history from a piggy-back basin phase (Early Miocene) to a pull-apart basin phase (Middle – Late Miocene). The 2D maps/3D surfaces generated in this study provide detailed insights into the polyphase basin evolution of the Vienna Basin, which is closely related to changes in the regional stress field and the paleoenvironmental setting. In the piggy-back basin phase, sedimentation and subsidence are slow, display E-W to NE-SW-trending troughs parallel to the strike of the orogen, and restricted to small depressions on top of the Alpine thrust. In the late Early Miocene, the Vienna Basin changes to a pull-apart basin system characterized by a wider sedimentation area and rapid subsidence along sinistral strike-slip faults and related normal faults. The depressions of the Early Miocene are filled with sediments supplied through deltaic systems entering from the south. After slow sedimentation and subsidence during the early Middle Miocene, the development of the Vienna Basin is controlled and accelerated by NE-SW trending synsedimentary normal faults, especially the Steinberg fault, until the Late Miocene. The Vienna Basin from the late Middle to Late Miocene is characterized by E-W extensional rift-type and decelerating subsidence, which corresponds to the E-W trending extension of the western parts of the neighboring Pannonian Basin system. During this time, enormous amounts of sediment are supplied mainly from the west by a broad paleo-Danube delta complex along the western flank of the Vienna Basin.


Four oxygenated fuels: ethanol (EtOH), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), dimethoxymethane (DMM) and polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether (PODE3) were blended with Jet A2 to investigate the sooting behaviour of the fuel mixtures. The smoke point was measured using wick-fed laminar diffusion flames as per the ASTM D1322 standard. The oxygen extended sooting index (OESI) was calculated to determine the sooting tendency of each mixture. Colour-ratio pyrometry and differential mobility spectrometry were used to measure the soot volume fraction ( fv) and particle size distribution (PSD). The addition of oxygenated fuels caused a strong reduction in sooting tendency (i.e. OESI) at low blend strengths (5%) and a weaker linear reduction at higher blend strengths (10% and 20%). Each mixture showed a similar reduction at a given mole fraction of oxygenated fuel. The OESI broadly correlated with the soot volume fraction and particle size measurements. Increasing blend strengths resulted in smaller particles at the tip of the flame. The average particle size at the tip was influenced by the oxygen content but not the molecular structure of the oxygenated fuels, whereas the soot volume fraction in the wings was influenced by both the molecular structure of the oxygenated fuels and the oxygen/carbon ratio of the mixture. For the first time, fv and PSD have been reported for flames produced using Jet A2 blends in an ASTM D1322 lamp. The ability to relate data gathered using the ASTM D1322 standard for the sooting behaviour of different mixtures is going to be increasingly important as the aviation industry seeks to switch to sustainable fuels. Highlights • PSDs and soot volume fraction of Jet A2 flame were reported for the first time • Good correlations of OESI with PSDs and soot volume fraction were observed • Structural effect of oxygenated fuel important in determining sooting tendency


The problem of researching the ecotourism certification processes in the world is very up-to-date nowadays. The relevance of the research is stipulated by current state of environ-mental pollutants, the development of sustainable politics implementation and the fact that now people aware of real danger of environmental catastrophe that threatens the survival of civilization. That's why the purpose of the article is conducting a complex analysis of foreign ecotourism certi-fication programs. Moreover, it is necessary to study the evolution of ecotourism development to understand the key issues of this problem. The object of this article is the analysis of ecotourism certification worldwide. The subject of the article is the detection of theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of implementation of effective ecotourism certification programs in Ukraine. To clarify all aspects of studying this issue it is necessary to use such theoretical and methodological basis as: modern theories of the genesis and evolution of ecological tourism, logical and analogy analysis, historical method, hypothetical method, classification and graphical method. Using such methods it was found that the development of ecotourism formation has taking three evolutionary steps, which affected the creation of its definition. This fact reveals the classification of different types of sustainable tourism and provides an impetus of ecotourism certification studies. Moreover, it was identified that there is a logical regularity in ecotourism certification programs all over the world. As the result, it was found that practically all the ecotourism certification processes are functioning successfully nowadays. By the way, it can be observed the rapid increase in the amount of ecocertified companies. Moreover, the programs which were analyzed in this article were divided into several steps (depends on the ecotourism certification program) following which a company can successfully passed the assessment process. Unfortunately, there is no such certification processes in Ukraine. That's why the issue of developing ecotourism services certification in Ukraine is urgent nowadays. Practical implications. However, analysis of the experience of foreign countries can be the basis for the development of ecotourism services certification in Ukraine. Value/originality. Modeling processes of ecotourism certification of different programs will help to emphasize the details of assessing ecotourism potential in Ukraine.


Background The pharmaceutical therapy for acute ischemic stroke has shortcomings in reopening large vessels and dissolving long thrombi, and endovascular treatment has been found to provide added value. The Aperio thrombectomy device showed promising results in an experimental study. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the device clinically. Methods 119 patients with acute stroke were treated in nine centers using the Aperio thrombectomy device. Target vessel, diameter, thrombus length, procedure time, recanalization, number of deployments, additional use of anticoagulants, complications, and the use of additional devices were assessed. Results The median thrombus length was 15 mm (range 1.5–20 mm) and the average time from device insertion to recanalization was 30 min (range 5–120 min). Blood flow restoration (Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction (TICI) 2–3) was achieved in 85%. In the majority of cases complete clot removal was achieved (TICI 0, 12%; TICI 1, 2%; TICI 2a, 14%; TICI 2b, 18%; TICI 3, 53%). The median number of deployments was 2 (range 1–6). Twelve procedural complications (10%) occurred. Conclusions The Aperio thrombectomy device seems to be an effective and adequately safe tool for reopening occluded cerebral arteries in the setting of acute stroke.


Transaction scheduling is a relatively new technique for transactional memory systems responsible for deciding which transactions to run in a given moment. Current transactional schedulers are designed with performance in mind, leaving unattended other important metrics such as energy consumption. In order to address this important concern, this paper presents a novel heuristic, called Dynamic Serializer (DS), for scheduling transactions with the aim of reducing energy consumption and improving the energy-delay product (EDP) of transactional applications. DS serializes the execution by choosing either a spinlock or mutex according to a dynamic profile based on abort rates. The idea is to use a spinlock when a transaction is likely to succeed in the near future, since spinning while waiting for the lock is faster than blocking as in the case of a mutex. On the other hand, a mutex is used in case transactions need to wait a long time before resuming because in this case energy can be saved by blocking a thread and enabling the processor Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) to act. DS exploits this tradeoff to improve the EDP of transactional programs. Experimental results with an Intel Core i7 with 8 logical threads and the STAMP benchmark show an EDP improvement of up to 17% and an average of 4.9% compared to LUTS-Dynamic, a state-of-the-art scheduling heuristic for transactional systems.


Valid Measurement of Isolation Pool Fencing: a methodological Challenge Drowning has been identified as the leading cause of death for children under 5 years of age in many areas with hot climates and residents from upper socioeconomic strata. Isolation pool fencing has been documented to reduce the risk of toddler drowning by 83%, when compared to perimeter or three sided fencing (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2006). Valid measurement of this proven drowning countermeasure is essential for risk assessment, and for evaluating the effectiveness of educational and legislative interventions. This presentation will draw from the authors experience trying to measure the adequacy of residential pool fencing as part of a randomised controlled trial she conducted in south Florida. Topics to be covered include survey item wording, techniques for minimising misclassification, timing of assessment, the continuum of compliance, and ambiguous outcomes. She will discuss the challenges she encountered, and provide advice for translational researchers who seek to measure this important environmental factor. Many of her insights are relevant to the measurement of other child safety outcomes.


This is a report of a case of a subdural haematoma with resulting paraplegia after attempted spinal anaesthesia. Epidural and subdural haematomas are rare complications after central neural blockade. The complication described here was the result of an unsuccessful attempt to puncture the spinal channel. The patient was a 72-year-old woman with a fracture of the left femoral neck, which it was intended to stabilize operatively. Findings that made lumbar spinal puncture difficult were severe overweight, and lordosis and scoliosis of the lumbar spine resulting from degenerative changes. Spinal anaesthesia was suggested because the patient had eaten shortly before and because she suffered from asthma. From the aspect of haemostasis no contraindications were present, and the anaesthesist was experienced in spinal anaesthesia even under difficult anatomical conditions. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to puncture the lumbar spinal channel while the patient was lying on her right side. It was also impossible to reach the spinal channel from a median or left paramedian approach. We used atraumatic pencil-point needles (Sprotte gauge 24, 90 mm). No blood was aspirated during any of the attempts. The surgical intervention was finally performed under a general anaesthetic in view of the urgency. No significant complications occurred during the operation, and no neurological abnormalities were observed immediately after or in the next 8 h after the operation. At 12 h after the operation a paraparesis was found caudal to L3. After this had been verified by radiological and neurological tests, neurosurgical decompression was carried out as quickly as possible. During the operation a distinct subdural haematoma without any detectable source of bleeding was discovered. Even after surgical revision and evacuation of the remaining haematoma it was not possible to reverse the paraplegia, in spite of rehabilitation measures. Despite a certain fragility of the vessel and pretreatment with pentoxifylline and thromboembolic prophylaxis with low-molecular heparin starting postoperatively, it must be assumed that a vessel accompanying one of the spinal nerves was punctured, possibly, the radiculomedullary vessel of Adamkiewicz. A similar case was published in 1988 by Parker. In the present case it must be assumed that the vessel was punctured during a paramedian approach in the area of the foramen intervertebrale, as the spinal channel was definitely not entered. Although this is an extremely rare complication, we conclude that close neurological controls are essential at least during the first 24 h after surgery, even after an unsuccessful attempt at central neural blockade.


This study was conducted to assess the physicochemical properties and fatty acids content of three Sudanese edible vegetable oils (sesame, sunflower and peanut). The qualitative determination of fatty acids of Sesamum Indicum L, Sunflower and peanut seed oils by GC-MS test showed that the fatty acids which revealed higher concentration were Oleic acid, Linoleic acid, Palmitic acid and Stearic acid with different concentration. Many physical properties of oils were determined in this study including the density, viscosity and refractive index. The chemical analysis of the oils including acid value, peroxide value, saponification value and iodine value. In conclusion, a high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids included Oleic and Linoleic acids were detected in screened edible oils. Furthermore, our findings authorize forecasting oil physicochemical properties which help in the quality assessment of Sudanese edible oils.


The detection, by gas chromatography, of S2F10 in the spark decomposition of SF6 is reported. Heating sparked SF6 to 250 degrees C was found to remove S2F10, consistent with its low reported thermal stability and with previous cytoxicity when sparked SF6 is heated.


This study carried out a horticultural program for people with mental disabilities to determine suitability of the horticultural activity program and to actually apply to vocational rehabilitation. The program was carried out in 16 sessions from April 12 to June 7, 2018 with nine people with a strong will to participate in vocational rehabilitation at a health center for persons with mental disabilities. The tools used were the Horticultural Activity Performance Assessment (psychological behavior) and Purdue Pegboard Test that examines functions of hands and arms. The subjects sold the products they made during class time and obtained the profits. After the program, the scores increased with a significant difference ( p = .000) in the psychological behavior area of the Horticultural Activity Performance Assessment. Hand and arm movement also showed continuous improvement along the program with a significant difference ( p = .000), as well as finger dexterity also with a significant difference ( p = .018). The net profit was 314,000 KRW (subtracting cost of goods 314,000 KRW from total sales 628,000 KRW). The profit was shared equally among the nine subjects, each receiving 34,900 KRW. Therefore this study proved horticultural activity class is suitable for vocational rehabilitation of people with mental disabilities proved by the positive effects. We also expect that the subjects will be able to make more profits if they learn more skills, since they are interested the process of making such profits.


The mechanisms of inflammation mediated by metabolites of lipoxygenase and nitric oxide play essential roles in physiological immune response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitory activity of methanolic extract of dried leaf of Cassia alata (Linn.) Roxb. as well as its effect on in vitro accumulation of nitric oxide (NO). The LOX inhibitory activity was evaluated for its ability to inhibit lipoxygenase (soyLOX) by absorbance-based assay using linoleic acid as the substrate while the influence of the extract on accumulation of NO was monitored spectrophotometrically by Griess assay method. Moreover, gas chromatographic analysis was carried out on the ether extract to identify and quantify the volatile compounds in the extract. The study showed effective soyLOX inhibitory activity correlating with the NO depletion in a concentration-dependent manner. The gas chromatographic identification of the volatile compounds in the extract showed the presence of stearic, oleic and linoleic acids. This study revealed the methanolic extract of the leaf of C. alata (Linn.) Roxb. as potent inhibitor of both soyLOX and nitric oxide generation. Thus, these results give indications regarding therapeutic interest of C. alata (Linn.) Robx. as a potential anti-inflammatory agent.


In this paper, we design, implement, and evaluate 802.11ec (Encoded Control), an 802.11-based protocol without control messages: Instead, 802.11ec employs correlatable symbol sequences that, together with the timing the codes are transmitted, encode all control information and change the fundamental design properties of the MAC. The use of correlatable symbol sequences provides two key advantages: 1) efficiency, as it permits a near order of magnitude reduction of the control time; 2) robustness, because codes are short and easily detectable even at low signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) and even while a neighbor is transmitting data. We implement 802.11ec on a field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based software defined radio. We perform a large number of experiments and show that, compared to 802.11 (with and without RTS/CTS), 802.11ec achieves a vast efficiency gain in conveying control information and resolves key throughput and fairness problems in the presence of hidden terminals, asymmetric topologies, and general multihop topologies.


Background: This paper introduces a method to estimate HIV incidence in Brazil using surveillance data. The interest is to estimate the annual lag (time from infection to reporting) distribution among incident cases in a given year with observations arising from a right truncated version of the distribution. Methods: For each treatment-naive HIV case aged 15 years and over reported from 2004 to 2015 we estimated the time since infection based on a statistical model that relates the first CD4 count to time since infection. Under the assumption the lag distribution is expressed by a logistic probability distribution, we estimated HIV incidence as the upper limiting value of the logistic function. Since this approach requires at least eight observations per year, to estimate HIV incidence in recent years (2009-2013), we used linear regression models to estimate the missing observations for these years due to truncation in 2015. Using this approach, HIV incidence was estimated from 2004 to 2013, separately for males and females. Results: In 2013, HIV incidence among people aged 15 years and over was estimated to be 44827 (95% CI 41143-47987), 32459 men (95% CI: 29775-34642) and 12368 women (95% CI: 11368-13345). Results from 2004- 2013 have shown an increase among men and a slow decrease among women. The estimated proportion of cases reported less than one year after infection increased from 24.6% to 35.2%, among men, and from 35.1% to 45.8%, among women. For men who became infected from 2004 to 2013, 35.6% of the cases were not reported by year 2015 and among women, 23.2%. Conclusion: The delay between HIV infection and diagnosis is of concern. Designing interventions to motivate testing is essential, especially among most-at-risk groups, as the faster HIV infected cases are linked to care, the faster the HIV incidence curve will turn downward.


Media extenders or digital media receivers are network devices that are used to retrieve digital media files (such as music, pictures, or video) from a media server and play or show them on a TV or home theater system. A technology that is often associated with these devices is the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) technology. This technology enables network devices to be used without requiring the user to do network configuration on it. This thesis demonstrates how a device that is normally used for receiving digital television broadcasts can be enhanced to support media extender functionality. The thesis describes the design and implementation of the technologies that are needed to accomplish this functionality. The main topics are centered around on how UPnP awareness and media rendering (decoding) are incorporated into the device.


Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease. There are many immune cells filled in atherosclerotic lesions, particularly in unstable plaques. The understanding on the recruitment, differentiation and activation of immune cells in atherosclerosis have been expanded in recent years. Epidemiological surveys show many associated viral and bacterial infections. Preliminary studies have identified several autoantigens and raised the "autoimmune hypothesis". Based on this novel viewpoint, the immunomodulation and immunization have been taken as the new strategies for prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. This will markedly improve our research level and identify new therapeutic targets in atherosclerosis.


Modern advances in nutritional therapies have led to the specific use of arginine supplementation for protein synthesis, cell signaling through the production of nitric oxide, and cell proliferation through its metabolism to ornithine and to polyamines. Arginine is classified as a nonessential amino acid that becomes a conditionally essential substrate in stressed adults. Arginine has been shown to enhance wound strength and collagen deposition in artificial incisional wounds in rodents and humans. A role for dietary intervention in the form of arginine supplementation has been proposed to normalize or enhance wound healing in humans. Although this hypothesis is frequently discussed, the therapeutic effect of arginine supplementation on chronic wound healing in humans is still undetermined and requires further objective evidence. Well-designed clinical trials are required to determine whether arginine supplementation is effective in enhancing healing of acute and chronic wounds in humans and how much arginine is recommended to meet metabolic needs during the phases of wound healing.


In this work we handle with categorical (ordinal) variables and we focus on the (in)dependence relationship under the marginal, conditional and context-specific perspective. If the first two are well known, the last one concerns independencies holding only in a subspace of the outcome space. We take advantage from the Hierarchical Multinomial Marginal models and provide several original results about the representation of context-specific independencies through these models. By considering the graphical aspect, we take advantage from the chain graphical models. The resultant graphical model is a so-called "stratified" chain graphical model with labelled arcs. New Markov properties are provided. Furthermore, we consider the graphical models under the regression poit of view. Here we provide simplification of the regression parameters due to the context-specific independencies. Finally, an application about the innovation degree of the Italian enterprises is provided.


The hidden Markov model (HMM) was used to identify recurrent short 3D structural building blocks (SBBs) describing protein backbones, independently of any a priori knowledge. Polypeptide chains are decomposed into a series of short segments defined by their inter-alpha-carbon distances. Basically, the model takes into account the sequentiality of the observed segments and assumes that each one corresponds to one of several possible SBBs. Fitting the model to a database of non-redundant proteins allowed us to decode proteins in terms of 12 distinct SBBs with different roles in protein structure. Some SBBs correspond to classical regular secondary structures. Others correspond to a significant subdivision of their bounding regions previously considered to be a single pattern. The major contribution of the HMM is that this model implicitly takes into account the sequential connections between SBBs and thus describes the most probable pathways by which the blocks are connected to form the framework of the protein structures. Validation of the SBBs code was performed by extracting SBB series repeated in recoding proteins and examining their structural similarities. Preliminary results on the sequence specificity of SBBs suggest promising perspectives for the prediction of SBBs or series of SBBs from the protein sequences.


Abstract Female and male adults of Armigeres (Armigeres) mahantai, a new mosquito species, are described from Meghalaya state of northeastern India.


We present the application of a backprojection method for imaging the detailed rupture of the 2020 Mw 5.5 Magna, Utah, earthquake. This is the first time that this method is applied to an earthquake smaller than Mw 6 in a local scale using a dense strong-motion network. The 2020 Magna earthquake occurred in a very well instrumented area, the Salt Lake valley, with tens of strong-motion seismic stations. We use envelopes of high-frequency S waves recorded on the transverse component at 45 seismic stations that are located at distances up to 100 km from the epicenter. The nearest station is ∼4.5  km. Backprojection resolves the epicentral location of the mainshock with an absolute error of less than 1 km, whereas the depth resolution is within the centroid depth range of multiple moment tensor solutions. Spatial distribution of the imaged subevents shows an up-dip unilateral west-northwest–east-southeast rupture with a length of ∼10  km, consistent with the distribution of early aftershocks. The average rupture speed is between 2.9 and 3.2  km/s for the first 2 and 3 s, respectively. The shallow dip (∼35°) of the Wasatch fault at depth, which failed during the Magna earthquake, combined with the up-dip unilateral rupture, indicates that ground-motion scenarios for future larger earthquakes in the Salt Lake Valley should be re-evaluated. This study underlines the need for instrumenting metropolitan areas of high seismic risk and adopting backprojection techniques in the near-real-time network products immediately after a strong earthquake.


Convex clustering is an attractive clustering algorithm with favorable properties such as efficiency and optimality owing to its convex formulation. It is thought to generalize both k-means clustering and agglomerative clustering. However, it is not known whether convex clustering preserves desirable properties of these algorithms. A common expectation is that convex clustering may learn difficult cluster types such as non-convex ones. Current understanding of convex clustering is limited to only consistency results on well-separated clusters. We show new understanding of its solutions. We prove that convex clustering can only learn convex clusters. We then show that the clusters have disjoint bounding balls with significant gaps. We further characterize the solutions, regularization hyperparameters, inclusterable cases and consistency.


In 2011, third-wave
feminist activists initiated the "SlutWalk", a protest march drawing attention
to victim blaming and rape myths. The word "slut" has evolved within the
context of a discourse of power and, by reaffirming categories of "good" and
"bad" women, been used to justify sexual assault. The current study used three
focus groups (men only, n= 2; women
only, n= 7; mixed, n= 6 [3 men/3 women]) to explore
Canadian undergraduate students' views on the meaning and use of the term "slut",
and to gauge whether participants saw the "SlutWalk" as a valuable form of feminist
political action. Data were examined using Interpretative Phenomenological
Analysis (IPA). Results indicated that the term "slut" was perceived as
negative; more applicable to women than to men; and based on having an
"inappropriate" appearance and/or engaging in sex-related behaviour perceived
to be "inappropriate". The underlying message of the "SlutWalk" was sanctioned
by discussants. However, support for the event itself was minimal suggesting
that, contrary to opinions expressed by some academics, participants did not
regard the "SlutWalk" as embodying a politics of re-signification.


Purpose To date, it remains unknown whether the addition of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) to bone grafts actually improves the effectiveness of maxillary sinus augmentation. This study aimed to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of PRF in sinus lift. Materials and Methods PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched. Randomized controlled studies were identified. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. Results Five RCTs were included in our meta-analysis. Clinical, radiographic, and histomorphometric outcomes were considered. No implant failure or graft failure was detected in all included studies within the follow-up period. The percentage of contact length between newly formed bone substitute and bone in the PRF group was lower but lacked statistical significance (3.90%, 95% CI, -2.91% to 10.71%). The percentages of new bone formation (-1.59%, 95% CI, -5.36% to 2.18%) and soft-tissue area (-3.73%, 95% CI, -10.11% to 2.66%) were higher in the PRF group but were not significantly different. The percentage of residual bone graft was not significant in either group (4.57%, 95% CI, 0% to 9.14%). Conclusions Within the limitations of this review, it was concluded that there were no statistical differences in survival rate, new bone formation, contact between newly formed bone and bone substitute, percentage of residual bone graft (BSV/TV), and soft-tissue area between the non-PRF and PRF groups. Current evidence supporting the necessity of adding PRF to bone graft in sinus augmentation is limited.


Introduction: Lymphangiogenesis is actively facilitating tumor metastasis.LYVE-1 and D2-40 are two new lymphatic endothelial markers;their expression and prognostic impact in SCLC still remain vague. Aim: To investigate the lymphangiogenetic expression in SCLC we measured the intratumoral lymphatic microvessel density (ILMVD), the lymphatic invasion (L.I) and their correlation with clinical parameters. Materials and methods: Retrospective study of 55 SCLC patients (mean age:68.1 years,range 40-89). Histological specimens from all patients were immunohistochemically stained for D2-40 (epitope of podoplanin) and LYVE-1 (CD44 homolog). Calculation of ILMVD and assessment of L.I were performed and correlation with clinical data followed. Results: D2-40 and LYVE-1 were expressed in all specimens whilst L.I in 59.6%. D2-40 and LYVE-1 ILMVD were associated with the stage at diagnosis (p=0.017 and p=0.03 respectively) and L.I (p=0.00 and p=0.02 respectively). D2-40 ILMVD was particularly associated with certain target organs for metastasis (liver:p=0.001,adrenals: p=0.046,brain: p=0.007). L.I was associated with stage (p=0.00) and all target organs for metastasis (p Conclusions: D2-40 and LYVE-1 and L.I were highly expressed in SCLC and independently associated with poor patient outcome, thus presenting new insights in prognosis. D2-40 presented a more potent role by associating with certain target organs for metastases. Defining subgroups of patients with poorer prognosis at the time of diagnosis could reinforce the development and application of new targeted therapeutic strategies.


Muscles are complex biological machines that perform a wide variety of mechanical activities. Over the past 30 to 40 years, a large amount of effort has been devoted to understanding cellular/molecular responses of skeletal muscle to various altered physiological states (e.g., altered loading state induced via immobilization/spaceflight, resistance training). Many cellular/molecular adaptations brought about by such interventions act on underlying processes that regulate activation, force and velocity of shortening/lengthening, and relaxation. In this context, measurements of mechanical properties (e.g., force–velocity relationship) are important, because they can provide insight into the physiological consequences of such adaptations. During the course of the past 10 to 15 years, a number of investigators have employed the work‐loop technique to provide a more realistic approach toward understanding muscle function. Additionally, the work‐loop technique provides a unique conceptual perspective that integrates: (1) the length–tension relationship, (2) activation kinetics, (3) the force–velocity relationship in the shortening domain, (4) relaxation kinetics, (5) the force–velocity relationship in the lengthening domain, and (6) the compliance of the passive elastic elements. A discussion of those factors (i.e., factors 2–5) that appear to be highly malleable forms the basis of this paper. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Muscle Nerve 26: 740–768, 2002


Speed of adaptation of muscle receptor discharges during static stretching of the muscle was shown to depend on the grade and duration of muscle tension reducing which, in its turn, is the function of muscle length. The increase in the receptor firing rate during the dynamic phase of muscle stretching (the dynamic response) depends both on the grade and speed of stretching and on whether the muscle is "balanced" after previous stretching. The data obtained suggest insignificant increase in the relaxed muscle length on changing of angle in the talocrural joint within the physiological range.


The present invention claims and discloses a pharmaceutical composition suitable for oral administration, in form of an emulsion pre-concentrate, comprising (i) a compound of formula (I); (ii) one or more surfactants; (iii) optionally an oil or semi-solid fat; said composition forming an in-situ oil-in-water emulsion upon contact with aqueous media such as gastrointestinal fluids. The composition may optionally also comprise one or more short-chain alcohols. The pharmaceutical composition is useful in the treatment of pain and inflammation.


The Turkish Competition Authority ("TCA") had found that six cement producers operating in the Aegean Region of Turkey entered into a concerted practice to allocate certain geographical regions…


Since the inception of AOSpine, there have been many unique milestones. However, in the fall of 2010, the launch of the AOSpine Knowledge Forums began and redefined the ensuing "footprints" and "cadence" of the society, and its impact on the spine field. It was during that period that Dr Luiz Vialle, from the Department of Orthopaedics, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil, and past Chair of AOSpine's International Board, spearheaded the establishment of the AOSpine Knowledge Forums that eventually became the premier knowledge "broker" within the spine community. AOSpine's Knowledge Forums are pathology-based study groups focusing on degeneration, deformity, spinal cord injury, trauma, and tumor. Each AOSpine Knowledge Forum is composed of Steering Committee Members, Associate Members, and their respective Chairs. Invitation to these groups is based on a proven track record of research, a passion to collaborate, and being regarded within the community as a key opinion leader. The main goal of these entities is knowledge creation that is intended to fill research voids, challenge long-held beliefs, influence practice worldwide, and positively influence all health care stakeholders. With the aforementioned framework in place, since 2011 the AOSpine Knowledge Forums have published over 139 peerreviewed articles in numerous esteemed journals such as Cancer, Neuro-Oncology, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Spine, European Spine Journal, and the Global Spine Journal, among others. The AOSpine Knowledge Forums have amassed over 20 international awards and accolades related to their research, such as the Russel A. Hibbs Award, the Whitecloud Award, various Young Investigator Awards, and other Best Clinical Presentation Awards at various conferences. Their collaborative work has also led to various journal theme issues and textbooks, such as the AOSpine Masters Series. In fact, they not only transfer knowledge through peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, and book chapters, but each year at the Global Spine Congress they deliver pre-courses and/or symposia, and further partner with other societies to disseminate their findings. In addition to receiving funding from AOSpine, the AOSpine Knowledge Forums have also secured competitive funding from the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation, Scoliosis Research Society, the United States Department of Defense, and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, among others. In short, the AOSpine Knowledge Forums have ultimately become the most international, collaborative research entity among any spine society worldwide. The main hallmark of the AOSpine Knowledge Forums has been the ability to conduct multicenter studies on a global level. Studies range from retrospective to prospective cohort and randomized controlled trials. In addition, registries and research networks have been established. Through this research and collaboration, the Forums have gone on to develop guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of various spinal disorders, outcome instruments, cost-analyses/cost-effectiveness, novel classification schemes, predictive modelling, and treatment recommendations. As a knowledge "mobilizer,"they have sought to raise awareness of their findings via knowledge exchange and dissemination, have fostered research education and mentorship, and strived to translate their findings to ultimately improve patient care and quality of life on the international stage. We are proud to present in this special focus issue some of the recent work by AOSpine's Knowledge Forums. Each of the 5 groups has contributed 2 articles that range from reviews of pressing issues and presenting key concepts that spine surgeons should know, to bringing to the forefront some key findings from their multicenter studies. This work is a glowing example that even though 8 years have passed since the AOSpine Knowledge Forums began, their research and activities continue to remain in "motion," always striving to influence patient care and alter the tempo of the spine field by the combustion of the creation and transmission of knowledge upon the global stage.


To examine age-related alteration of the role of alpha1L-adrenoceptor in the urethra, young non-parous and aged parous female dogs were used. In a functional study, we evaluated phenylephrine-induced contraction and antagonistic effects of JTH-601, a newly synthesized alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, and prazosin; in a localization survey using autoradiographic technique, we investigated specific [3H]JTH-601 and [3H]tamsulosin binding. Concentration-response curves were obtained for phenylephrine (pD2 = 5.0-5.3). JTH-601 and prazosin antagonized this contraction with pA2 values of 8.2-8.3 and 8.0-8.1, respectively. Specific binding of both [3H]JTH-601 and [3H]tamsulosin were observed in the bladder neck and proximal section of urethra. There were no significant differences of the pD2, pA2, and radio ligand binding between young non-parous and aged parous dogs.


Livestock contributes significantly to the livelihood of rural poor in our country and has enormous potential to reduce poverty. There is a predicted increase in demand for animal food products in India by 2020 and a rapidly growing market is also coming up. Livestock revolution will provide a better opportunity for poor farmers for benefiting from the rapidly growing market and thereafter providing a better food security for our country's growth. Better livestock production efficiency can be obtained through improving animals genetically, which ultimately leads to enhancement of productivity of the production system in a sustainable manner. Genetic improvement of livestock through traditional selection for increasing livestock productivity has some major limitations. To overcome these limitations, genomic selection (GS) played a crucial role in livestock industry. GS, a marker-assisted selection on a genome-wide scale, uses information on variation in DNA sequences between animals to predict the breeding value of animals more accurately. Moreover, this method provides an accurate assessment of breeding values of animals without measuring the traits at early stages of life. Furthermore, the information is available not just for a single gene or trait, but also for all the genes and all traits at the same time. This is a DNA technology in breeding with true breakthrough potential. Through genomic selection, genetic progress can be increased dramatically. Keywords: Food security, livestock production, genomic selection, breeding


The colour of carbon matters. Green carbon is the carbon stored in the plants and soil of natural ecosystems and is a vital part of the global carbon cycle. This report is the first in a series that examines the role of natural forests in the storage of carbon, the impacts of human land use activities, and the implications for climate change policy nationally and internationally. REDD ("reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation") is now part of the agenda for the "Bali Action Plan" being debated in the lead-up to the Copenhagen climate change conference in 2009. Currently, international rules are blind to the colour of carbon so that the green carbon in natural forests is not recognized, resulting in perverse outcomes including ongoing deforestation and forest degradation, and the conversion of extensive areas of land to industrial plantations. This report examines REDD policy from a green carbon scientific perspective. Subsequent reports will focus on issues concerning the carbon sequestration potential of commercially logged natural forests, methods for monitoring REDD, and the long term implications of forest policy and management for the global carbon cycle and climate change.


Purpose : To investigate the effect of withaferin A on tumor growth and metastasis in liver in a nude mouse model. Methods : Withaferin A was injected through a portal vein to the orthotopic liver tumor in a nude mice model. Xenogen in vivo imaging system was used to monitor tumor growth and metastasis. The effect of withaferin A on tumor volume, invasive growth pattern, expression of Pyk2, upregulation of BAX/P53, apoptotic signaling and ROCK/IP10/VEGF pathway along with cytoskeletal protein actin projection formation was studied. Tumor/non-tumor margin was examined under electron microscopy. In addition, the direct effect of withaferin A on liver cancer cells and endothelial cells was further investigated. Results : A significant inhibition of tumor growth and lower incidence of lung metastasis was observed after withaferin A treatment. Withaferin A treatment led to a decrease in the incidence of intrahepatic metastasis from 90 (9 of 10) to 10 % (1 of 10, p = 0.041). There was decrease in macrophage infiltration in the liver tumors and vessels. Western blot analysis revealed inhibition of expression of Pyk2, ROCK1 protein and VEGF. Electron microscopy showed tumor vascular endothelial cell damage and significant necrosis of tumor tissues. It also suppressed formation of cytoskeletal protein actin projection involved in cell migration. Conclusion : Withaferin A inhibits liver tumor invasion and angiogenesis by downregulation of cell signalling pathway leading to invasion and angiogenesis. Therefore, withaferin A is a promising candidate for the treatment of liver tumor invasion and angiogenesis. Keywords : Withaferin A, Macrophage, Lung metastasis, Angiogenesis, Vascular endothelial growth factor, Rho kinase, Withania somnifera


ABSTRACT Gurung, D.P.; Chen, N.; Waguespack, Y.; Ruby, D.E.; Ishaque, A.B., and Chigbu, P., 2020. Phosphorus speciation and bioavailability in the surface sediments of Maryland coastal bays. Journal of Coastal Research, 36(6), 1266–1277. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for phytoplankton growth and biochemical processes. In shallow coastal lagoons, there is strong coupling between water column and sediments in terms of P dynamics. To better understand dynamics and bioavailability of P in Maryland coastal bays (MCBs), surface sediment samples were collected at 13 sites of MCBs in May, August, October, and December in 2013 to assess the major reservoirs using a six-step sequential P extraction procedure. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the spatial/temporal variations of P species in MCB sediment and to assess the relationship of P species at various locations with material sources and sediment types, and (2) to assess the bioavailability of sedimentary P in the study area. The average percentages of fractions of P of four months (representing four seasons) in surface sediments were Det-P (33.5 ± 4.36%) > total organic P (27.2 ± 3.43%) > Fe-P (13.0 ± 1.36%) > Al-P (12.2 ± 1.25%) > authigenic P (11.1 ± 2.86%) > L.Adsorp-P (3.0 ± 0.38%). On average, bioavailable P in surface sediments accounted for 55.4% of total P and thus represented a significant proportion of the sedimentary P pools in MCBs. Total P (TP) in the surface sediment ranged from 309.8 to 1345.4 µg/g with an average of 874.5 ± 343.3 µg/g. There was a strong positive relationship between TP and sediment grain size (mean phi) such that sites with the finest sediments (clay-silt) closest to the mouths of tributaries had significantly higher TP than sites with coarser grains.


Anemia, as a multifactorial syndrome, is often registered in farm animals' pathology, especially with nutritional origin and less often with different other causes (systemic or organ diseases). It is defined as a decreasing in the number of red blood cells (erythrocytes), the hematocrit and the hemoglobin concentration, respectively. The physiopathological and, respectively, the clinical consequences are directly corelated with the severity of the anemia and the responsible mechanism, expressed by pallor of the mucous membranes, weakness, tachycardia and/or tachypnea and, indirectly, by the reduction of productive and reproductive indices. Nutritional/deficiency anemias are widespread in intensive breeding, with economic repercussions not to be neglected, and the knowledge and application of curative-prophylactic principles at the ages of maximum vulnerability considerably reduce the incidence and the unfavorable economic impact.


The preservation and recovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) strains isolated from clinical specimens is an important stage in the understanding of issues pertaining to tuberculosis control. Well preserved strains provide readily available and cost effective material that is useful in facilitating studies that address pertinent issues.This study was done to determine optimum temperature(s), suitable media and conditions for recovery that sustain high survival rate of MTB strains for five months at Center for Respiratory Diseases Research KEMRI laboratory.A total of 97 randomly selected strains were aliquoted into two aliquots of the suspension media containing each; 1% gelatin buffered pH 6.8 (gelatin), 15% aqueous solution of lactose pH 5.0 (lactose), 5% sodium glutamate + glycerol (SG), trypticase soy broth + glycerol (TSB), phosphate buffered saline pH 7.2 (PBS), Middlebrook 7H9 (7H9), skimmed milk (SM), OADC-enriched Middlebrook 7H9 + 5%glycerol (OADC-7H9) and sterilized distilled water (SDW).The aliquots were preserved using two approaches each utilizing four temperatures: room temperature (RT), 4˚C, -20˚C, and -80˚C. In the first approach, strains were preserved directly to the respective temperature. In the second approach a systematic step method starting from RT to 4˚C, to -20˚C, and to -80˚C with one hour interval, was utilized. After each subsequent month for five months, strains were thawed by systematic approach starting from -80˚C to -20˚C to 4˚C to RT. For the second approach strains were directly thawed after five months preservation. The thawed strains by both approaches were subcultured on Lowenstein Jensen, incubated at 37oC for four weeks and -growth was graded according to the standard method.Cross-tabulation of grading of growth was performed to determine interrelation between temperature and media using 7H9 medium as the standard. Significant differences within and between the grading of each suspension media were determined by using the Kendall's coefficient of concordance. A p<0.05 was regarded as significant.In the first approach at -80oC OADC-7H9 had the highest yield while SDW had the lowest yield (p<0.05). At -20oC SG had highest yield while SDW had the lowest yield (p<0.05). At 4oC SG had highest yield while PBS had the lowest yield (p<0.05). At RT SM had the highest yield while TSB had the lowest grading (p<0.05).In the second approach, at -80oC, 5% SG had the highest yield while SDW had the lowest yield p<0.05. At -20oC, 5% SG had highest yield while SDW had the lowest yield p<0.05. At 4oC, 5% SG had highest yield while PBS had the lowest yield (p<0.05). At RT SM had the highest yield while TSB had the lowest grading (p<0.05).When approaches one and two were compared for temperature and media, there was no statistically significant difference (p<0.05).This study showed that optimum recovery of MTB strains was mainly dependant on a combination of appropriate temperature and suitable media. The media that was consistent with high recovery was sodium glutamate while the best preservation temperature was -80oC. More studies are required to determine the effect of preservation using approach one and recovery using approach two and vice versa In addition extension of the preservation duration beyond five months should be further elucidated.


Background: Actionable genomic alterations can be identified through either a biopsy of solid tissue or the detection of circulating tumor DNA from plasma. Little is known about the concordance rates of pathogenic variants between cell free DNA (cfDNA) and solid biopsies, including how concordance varies over time, by cancer type, or by treatment. Here we examine the concordance of pathogenic variants identified in solid tissue biopsies to patient-matched cfDNA biopsies in one of the largest pan-cancer datasets.
 Methods: De-identified records of cfDNA (xF) and solid (xT) biopsies were analyzed in 2418 stage 4 patients across 5 cancer types: breast (N=459), colon (N= 564), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (N=750), pancreatic (N=353) and prostate (N=292). Patients were required to have ≥1 pathogenic variant detected in the solid biopsy and a cfDNA biopsy occurring on the same day or after the solid biopsy. Pathogenic SNVs and indels within overlapping probe regions of xF and xT meeting assay limits of detection were included for analysis. Only one cfDNA and solid biopsy were analyzed per patient.
 Results: Overall, the total number of pathogenic variants identified in solid tissue and cfDNA were highly similar within each cancer type (breast 881 vs 831; colon 1983 vs 1673; NSCLC 1672 vs 1470; pancreas 873 vs 703; prostate 480 vs 384; solid biopsy vs. cfDNA, respectively). Subsetting to patients with ≥1 pathogenic variant in both assays (77%), >40% of patients had additional pathogenic variants identified in their cfDNA which were not found in their solid tissue profiling. Of these subsetted patients which also had cfDNA collected >1 year after their solid biopsy, >25% of NSCLC and >20% of breast cancer patients had mutually exclusive variants (all solid tissue variants were undetectable while new pathogenic variants were found in cfDNA). When comparing samples taken between one week and over one year from each other, the percentage of solid tissue variants identified in cfDNA decreased in a time dependent manner (breast 73% vs. 48%; colon 76% vs. 55%; NSCLC 75% vs. 43%; pancreas 76% vs. 36%; prostate 72% vs. 42%; ≤1 week vs. >1 year, respectively).
 Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the largest dataset of matched solid and cfDNA biopsies. >40% of patients with ≥1 pathogenic variants in both assays had additional pathogenic variants found only in their cfDNA. Further, cfDNA was capable of identifying the majority (>70%) of solid tissue variants when samples were taken within one week of each other, though this concordance decreased with time. This data strongly supports the use of matched solid and cfDNA testing, and further exploration of the clinical utility of cfDNA to identify pathogenic variants over the course of a patient's disease.
 We will continue to acquire more data and results will be updated before presentation.
 Citation Format: Matthew MacKay, Joshua Drews, Bonnie V. Dougherty, Duane Hassane, Chris Mason, Gaurav Khullar, Calvin Chao, Joel Dudley, Kimberly L. Blackwell, Nike T. Beaubier, Justin Guinney. Temporal concordance rates of pathogenic variants in liquid biopsies taken after solid tissue NGS profiling in a real-world pan-cancer cohort [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 62.


The recent rise in the demand to incorporate multimedia contents such as audio/video and still images over Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has led to the development of Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs). Thus several new applications have arisen such as e-Health, environmental monitoring, video surveillance, automated transport systems, traffic control, smart cities and smart grids, home automation etc. The International Telecommunications Unit (ITU) recommendation Section for Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN) presents the requirements for a platform to numerous number of life services and applications. This envisions a system that will connect all devices on the network ubiquitously with collaborative efforts of many small wireless multimedia and scalar sensors to heterogeneously provide a smart web. This requirement has thrown several new challenges to wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we have given a comprehensive discussion of the Wireless Multimedia Sensor Network (WMSNs) and Ubiquitous Sensor Networks (USNs) architectures and outlined their design challenges. The paper will give the reader a clear view of the researches that are ongoing in multimedia systems ubiquitous sensor networks, and shed the light on the current challenges and future trends. We also hope it will foster discussions and new research ideas among its researchers


SUMMARY. With growing cross-disciplinary collaboration among researchers, it is increasingly important to record detailed methodology to prevent the repetition of preliminary experiments. The purpose of this paper is to explain the development of a coccidiosis challenge model for the investigation of dietary interventions to coccidiosis in broiler chickens. The objectives are to select a dose of mixed species coccidial vaccine and evaluate the suitability (ability to produce a consistent, marked change) of selected response variables important to nutritional studies at different times postinfection (PI). Coccivac-B and Coccivac-B52 (Merck Animal Health) were evaluated as the source of coccidia in three trials. Trials 1 and 2 were randomized complete block designs with four doses (0, 10, 20, or 30 times (×) label dose) of Coccivac-B administered to 12 replicate cages of six birds by repeater pipette (Trial 1) or gavaging needle (Trial 2). Trial 3 used a completely randomized design with 0× or 30× label dose of Coccivac-B52 administered by gavaging needle to six replicate cages of six birds. Birds were gavaged at 15 days of age, and response criteria were evaluated 7 days PI in all trials and again at 10 days PI in Trials 1 and 2. All means are reported in order of increasing coccidia dose with significance accepted at P ≤ 0.05. Broiler performance was not affected by coccidia in Trials 1 or 3 but grew poorer with increasing dose from 0 to 7 days PI in Trial 2 (body weight gain, 465, 421, 388, 365 g; feed to gain, 1.37, 1.47, 1.52, 1.58). As coccidia dose increased, nitrogen corrected apparent metabolizable energy decreased (Trial 1, 3387, 3318, 3267, 3170 kcal kg–1; Trial 2, 3358, 2535, 2422, 2309 kcal kg–1; Trial 3, not measured), while relative weight, length, and content for intestinal sections increased (Trials 1through 3). Gross lesion (duodenum, jejunum/ileum, ceca) and oocyst count scores (jejunum/ileum, ceca) increased with dose; however, gross scoring often suggested infection in unchallenged birds, a finding unsupported by oocyst count scores. At 7 days PI there was no correlation between midgut gross lesion score and midgut oocyst count score (r = 0.06, P = 0.705), but cecal scores were weakly correlated (r = 0.55, P < 0.001). Administering coccidia via repeater pipette (Trial 1) resulted in respiratory distress in some birds, while use of the gavaging needle (Trials 2 and 3) successfully induced intestinal damage in chickens without resulting in coccidia related mortality. Thirty times the label dose at 7 days PI resulted in the greatest number of response variables that produced a consistent, marked change. Therefore, consideration should be given to these conditions when designing future coccidiosis challenge models using vaccines as a source of coccidia.


Abstract Viscosity of hydrous silicate melts is a critical property for understanding magma transport, bubble growth, volcanic eruption, and magma fragmentation. We report new inferred viscosity for hydrous rhyolitic melt in the viscosity range of 109 to 1015 Pa·s based on the kinetics of hydrous species reactions in the melt upon cooling (i.e., based on the equivalence between the glass-transition temperature and the apparent equilibrium temperature), as well as data from bubble-growth experiments. By combining viscosity data of rhyolitic melts containing from 6 ppm to about 8.0 wt% total H2O (both our own data and literature data), we propose the following relation for the dependence of viscosity on total H2O content at a given temperature and pressure: where η is viscosity and 1/η is fluidity, η1 is the viscosity of the dry melt, x is the mole fraction of total dissolved H2O, n and η2 are two fitting parameters, and η2 can be interpreted to be the viscosity of the hypothetical melt consisting of pure H2O. The above simple equation appears to work well in modeling viscosity of hydrous rhyolitic melts. Using the above functional form and a weighted nonlinear regression, experimental data covering 570 to 1920 K and 0.0006 to 8.2 wt% total H2O are used to obtain the following non-Arrhenian model for the viscosity of Mono Crater rhyolitic melts: logη = -log{exp(18.5611 - 49584/T) + exp[1.47517 - (1795.5/T)1.9448]x1+ (1812.2/T)2} where T is in K, and x is the mole fraction of total dissolved H2O on a single oxygen basis. The 2σ uncertainty in the above 6-parameter formula is 0.36 in terms of logη (for experimental data with errors smaller than 1 log unit), much less than uncertainties in all previous models for hydrous rhyolitic melt. We hence recommend its use for predicting the viscosity of high-SiO2 and calc-alkaline rhyolitic melts. Our model shows that a minute H2O content can still affect the melt viscosity significantly, especially at low temperatures (i.e., high viscosity). For example, at 973 K, the viscosity of rhyolitic melt increases by 1.2 orders of magnitude from a melt with 0.1 wt% total H2O to a melt with less than 100 ppm total H2O. Because a nominally "dry" melt may still contain some H2O, such as several hundred ppm, it is critical for experimentalists to report its total H2O content for viscosity measurements. Some inconsistency in literature viscosity data might be attributable to small variations in H2O content in the samples.


The effect of hypoxia (7% oxygen in nitrogen) on Ca2+-activated protease (/u- and mCANP) in the rat brain has been studied. Hypoxia changed the intracellular distribution of CANPs without affecting the total calcium dependent proteolytic activity. The 3-fold rise of the activity of mCANP bound to synaptosomal membranes and less pronounced elevation in mitochondrial and microsomal fractions is compensated by corresponding drop of mCANP activity in cytosol. The changes of /uCANP under hypoxia were less expressed and their direction was opposite to mCANP. Additionally the susceptibility of brain membrane proteins to mCANP was tested. Our results show that proteins from the brains of animals submitted to hypoxic conditions are more susceptible to CANP than those from control animals. Thus, it is suggested that hypoxia results in some physico-chemical changes of membranes which render the membranes more sensitive to CANP.


"Eric and Joshua do an excellent job explaining the importance of data modeling and how to do it correctly. Rather than relying only on academic concepts, they use real-world examples to illustrate the important concepts that many database and application developers tend to ignore. The writing style is conversational and accessible to both database design novices and seasoned pros alike. Readers who are responsible for designing, implementing, and managing databases will benefit greatly from Joshua's and Eric's expertise." -Anil Desai, Consultant, Anil Desai, Inc. "Almost every IT project involves data storage of some kind, and for most that means a relational database management system (RDBMS). This book is written for a database-centric audience (database modelers, architects, designers, developers, etc.). The authors do a great job of showing us how to take a project from its initial stages of requirements gathering all the way through to implementation. Along the way we learn how to handle some of the real-world design issues that typically surface as we go through the process. "The bottom line here is simple. This is the book you want to have just finished reading when your boss says 'We have a new project I would like your help with.'" -Ronald Landers, Technical Consultant, IT Professionals, Inc. "The Data Model is the foundation of the application. I'm pleased to see additional books being written to address this critical phase. This book presents a balanced and pragmatic view with the right priorities to get your SQL server project off to a great start and a long life." -Paul Nielsen, SQL Server MVP, SQLServerBible.com "This is a truly excellent introduction to the database design methodology that will work for both novices and advanced designers. The authors do a good job at explaining the basics of relational database modeling and how they fit into modern business architecture. This book teaches us how to identify the business problems that have to be satisfied by a database and then proceeds to explain how to build a solid solution from scratch." -Alexzander N. Nepomnjashiy, Microsoft SQL Server DBA, NeoSystems North-West, Inc. "A Developer's Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server explains the concepts and practice of data modeling with a clarity that makes the technology accessible to anyone building databases and data-driven applications. "Eric Johnson and Joshua Jones combine a deep understanding of the science of data modeling with the art that comes with years of experience. If you're new to data modeling, or find the need to brush up on its concepts, this book is for you." -Peter Varhol, Executive Editor, Redmond Magazine Model SQL Server Databases That Work Better, Do More, and Evolve More Smoothly Effective data modeling is essential to ensuring that your databases will perform well, scale well, and evolve to meet changing requirements. However, if you're modeling databases to run on Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or 2005, theoretical or platform-agnostic data modeling knowledge isn't enough: models that don't reflect SQL Server's unique real-world strengths and weaknesses often lead to disastrous performance. A Developer's Guide to Data Modeling for SQL Server is a practical, SQL Server-specific guide to data modeling for every developer, architect, and administrator. This book offers you invaluable start-to-finish guidance for designing new databases, redesigning existing SQL Server data models, and migrating databases from other platforms. You'll begin with a concise, practical overview of the core data modeling techniques. Next, you'll walk through requirements gathering and discover how to convert requirements into effective SQL Server logical models. Finally, you'll systematically transform those logical models into physical models that make the most of SQL Server's extended functionality. All of this book's many examples are available for download from a companion Web site. This book enables you to Understand your data model's physical elements, from storage to referential integrity Provide programmability via stored procedures, user-defined functions, triggers, and .NET CLR integration Normalize data models, one step at a time Gather and interpret requirements more effectively Learn an effective methodology for creating logical models Overcome modeling problems related to entities, attribute, data types, storage overhead, performance, and relationships Create physical models-from establishing naming guidelines through implementing business rules and constraints Use SQL Server's unique indexing capabilities, and overcome their limitations Create abstraction layers that enhance security, extensibility, and flexibility


Objective Endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (Endo-TLIF) has gained increasing popularity among spine surgeons. However, with the use of fluoroscopy, intraoperative radiation exposure remains a major concern. Here, we aim to introduce Endo-TLIF assisted by O-arm-based navigation and compare the results between O-arm navigation and fluoroscopy groups. Methods Sixty-four patients were retrospectively analyzed from May 2019 to September 2020; the nonnavigation group comprised 34 patients, and the navigation group comprised 30 patients. Data on radiation dose, blood loss, postoperative drains, surgery time, complications, and length of hospital stay (LOS) were collected. Clinical outcomes were evaluated from postoperative data such as fusion rate, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and visual analogue scale (VAS). Radiation dose and surgery time were selected as primary outcomes; the others were second outcomes. Results All patients were followed up for at least 12 months. No significant differences were detected in intraoperative hemorrhage, postoperative drains, hospital LOS, or complications between the 2 groups. The radiation dose was significantly lower in the navigation group compared with the nonnavigation group. The time of cannula placement and pedicle screw fixation was significantly reduced in the navigation group. No significant differences were detected between the clinical outcomes in the 2 groups (VAS and ODI scores). Conclusion The present study demonstrates that O-arm-assisted Endo-TLIF is efficient and safe. Compared with fluoroscopy, O-arm navigation could reduce the radiation exposure and surgical time in Endo-TLIF surgery, with similar clinical outcomes. However, the higher doses exposed to patients remains a negative effect of this technology.


Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is the etiological agent of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) characterized by vomit, watery diarrhea, dehydration and high mortality. Outbreaks of highly pathogenic variant strains of PEDV have resulted in extreme economic losses to the swine industry all over the world. The study of host–virus interaction can help to better understand the viral pathogenicity. Many studies have shown that poly(A)-binding proteins are involved in the replication process of various viruses. Here, we found that the infection of PEDV downregulated the expression of poly(A)-binding protein cytoplasmic 1 (PABPC1) at the later infection stage in Vero cells. The overexpression of PABPC1 inhibited the proliferation of PEDV at transcription and translation level, and siRNA-mediated depletion of PABPC1 promoted the replication of PEDV. Furthermore, mass spectrometry analysis and immunoprecipitation assay confirmed that PABPC1 interacted with the nucleocapsid (N) protein of PEDV. Confocal microscopy revealed the co-localizations of PABPC1 with N protein in the cytoplasm. Taken together, these results demonstrate the antiviral effect of PABPC1 against PEDV replication by interacting with N protein, which increases understanding of the interaction between PEDV and host.


Individual results are presented of 4 patients with Usher's syndrome type 1 who received a cochlear implant. Both single-channel and multichannel implants were used. Because of implant failure, one of the single-channel systems was replaced by a Nucleus multichannel system. Results are compared to the results of 5 other prelingually deaf cochlear implant users. The performance of the patients with Usher's syndrome on suprasegmental and segmental speech perception tests and on a connected discourse tracking task did not differ significantly from the performance of the other prelingually deaf patients. A significant improvement over time was found at the suprasegmental level for the combined group of Usher's and other patients. No obvious differences were found between the scores from the patients with a single-channel and the patients with a multichannel device. The rehabilitation of the Usher's patients required very little extra effort in comparison with that of the other prelingually deaf patients; all patients reported considerable advantages in hearing abilities and social life.


Short sale is a market practice that allows making money if
price of instruments goes down. There are four hypotheses that
explain the motives for short-selling activity and also
transaction costs are taking into account. The aim of this
paper is to investigate factors that influence the short sale
level with ETFs measured with short interest ratio (SIR) in the
period 2000 - 2012 in the U.S. market and if main determinants
of the short interest change during the time, respectively in a
particular sub periods representing pre-, during and
post-financial crisis. The determinants of SIR are investigated
by using LSDV (Least Square Dummy Variable) model. As factors
with negative affect result variables such as shares
outstanding, volatility and expense ratio. On the other hand
beta coefficient, replication strategy based on full
replication and focusing of ETFs on a sector stocks are
considered as factors with positive affect. According to
results the factors influencing the SIR level are long term
stable and only the power of their impact on the SIR level is
changing during periods.


Entomological collections developed by taxonomists and taxonomically - inclined entomologists are unique resources for research, teaching and service activities in entomology. An entomological collection is a permanent information storage and retrieval system for insects and other arthropods. We must expand systematic research associated with entomological collections while meeting the escalating demand for taxonomic services from the user community. To achieve these objectives we should adopt more efficient storage and retrieval systems for entomological collections wherever possible. As we move to conserve the world's fauna and flora, all of us in the entomological community must be committed to the preservation of the principle that affirms free exchange of scientific specimens of insects and other arthropods among scientists of all nations for free scientific inquiry, and to the protection of science from unduly political legislation.


The article analyzes the problems related to the pre-operationalanxiety expression and reduction options. Stable emotionalstate of patients, adequate patient awareness is associated with asmooth post-operational period.Research methods: the analysis of scientific literature; statisticaldata analysis using SPSS 21 (descriptive statistics, the meancomparison T test, Anova test). The research was conducted onthe basis of a written questionnaire survey results.Research results. Almost half of the respondents evaluated thepre-operational anxiety at quite high scores. The highest anxietyis felt by the individuals who undergo the operation for the firsttime. The anxiety is often associated with pain. This implies thesupposition that the more the patient experiences pain in the preoperationalor post-operational period, the higher level of anxietyis identified. Women experience higher pre-operational anxietythan men do. The lower level of anxiety has been identified inthe group of elderly people. The highest pre-operational anxietyhas been diagnosed in women before Caesar, and gynecologicaloperations.Practically every other research participant has tried to overcomeanxiety during the pre-operational period on their own initiative(they searched for the related information via the Internet,and consulted with their doctor or relatives). Psychologicalsupport before the operation is mainly provided by the relatives.General practice and anesthesiology nurses play minimum rolein this field.Conclusion. The survey helped to reveal the possibilities ofpsychological support for patients before the operation and educationopportunities in surgical nursing practice.