Low participation of smallholder farmers in agricultural loans, despite efforts by  governments and NGOs to make funds available for agricultural growth and  development, has remained a matter of concern in Nigeria. The study analysed smallholder food crop farmers' participation in Bank of Agriculture loan (BOA)  scheme in Ogun State, Nigeria. Data were analysed for 224 smallholder food crop farmers using simple percentages, means and Probit regression. Results revealed that the mean age, years of education and household size of farmers participating in the premier financial institution's loan scheme were 42 years, 13 years and 5  persons, respectively. Non-participants had mean age of 43 years, 9 years of  education and household size of 7 persons, on average. Male farmers dominated on-farm food crop farming activities as 80% and 88% of participants and  non-participants of the loan scheme, respectively were men. The study further  showed the determinants of BOA loan scheme participation as: education level (p < 0.01), farm size (p < 0.01) extension visits (p < 0.05) and farmers' households  distance to nearest BOA office (p < 0.01). Contrary to expectation, membership of farmers association had negative but no significant effect on loan participation. The study concluded that intensifying adult education programmes, increasing the  number of branches of BOA and promoting frequency of extension visits are crucial to achieving an increased probability of smallholder farmers' participation in BOA loan scheme. Keywords : Bank of Agriculture, smallholder farmers, loan participation, Probit regression, Nigeria


Аrticle is devoted to working out the systematic approaches to locomotive enterprises expenses analysis in railway transport. Its main idea lies in the necessity of both conducting the full expenses analysis and the analysis of particular transportations, services and types of traction. This aims getting more information and efficiency in the expenses control.


A number of countries have introduced regulations for the protection of people living around airports against the high level of aircraft noise. Certain noise indices have been determined for 24-hour periods, others for extended daytime periods, while a few are weighted for the noise occurring during the night. The noise environment problem limits the development of airports and any reduction of the noise at source is balanced by the increase in air traffic so that the overall noise level around airports remains high. The only possibility for the expansion of traffic is during the night and the airport authorities are interested in this solution for airports that remain open at night and in the case of proposals for some new airports in Western Europe. Research yields some useful results with regard to our understanding of the effects of noise and the duration and quality of sleep of people living around airports. In this paper we consider how these results can be used in proposing some noise criteria corresponding to the preservation of a certain quality of sleep.


Experiential avoidance, the tendency to rigidly escape or avoid private psychological experiences, represents one of the most prominent transdiagnostic psychological processes with a known role in a wide variety of psychological disorders and practical contexts. Experiential avoidance is argued to be based on a fundamental verbal/cognitive process: an overextension of verbal problem solving into the world within. Although cultures apparently differ in their patterns of emotional expression, to the extent that experiential avoidance is based on a fundamental verbal/cognitive process, measures of this process should be comparable across countries, with similar relationships to health outcomes regardless of the language community. This research tests this view in European countries. The psychometric properties of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, a measure of experiential avoidance, are compared across six languages and seven European countries, for a total of 2,170 nonclinical participants. Multiple group analysis showed that the instrument can be considered invariant across the language samples. The questionnaire constitutes a unidimensional instrument with similar relationships to psychopathology, and has good and very similar psychometric properties in each assessed country. Experiential avoidance reveals not just as transdiagnostic, but also as a transcultural process independent of a specific language community.


The Methodist Societies: The Minutes of Conference reproduces the Minutes as a formal record andconveys the nature and role of the Conference in Methodist life and polity during John Wesley's time. Included is information from letters and diaries of preachers as well as from John Wesley, some of which is newly published here. This material highlights some of the problems that arose in the meetings themselves, which in Wesley's eyes was merely summoned to advise him but, in his later years, almost imperceptibly became more of a legislative and ruling body, increasingly preoccupied with what would happen after Wesley's death.Despite the breadth of this volume, the American Minutes are not included, partly because they were in no sense Wesley's own work and partly because they could not be, at present, edited to the required standard. The Irish Minutes are included in an appendix."


Philosophers across ages have wondered if a machine could perform tasks that require human cognitive abilities. With the formalization of computational theory and the advent of electronic computers, scientists have worked on developing computational models for intelligence and learning. Machine learning is the field of AI that provides computer systems the ability to improve their efficiency at performing a certain task as measured by a performance measure based on the experience that is given. With the increase in processing power of modern computers along with telecommunication technology, there is large amount of data that is available which enables us to build models of complex systems and extract information from the system, create representations of knowledge, recognize patterns from data and improve our ability to solve complex problems. From astronomical data analysis to credit card fraud detection, from medical data analysis to stock market predictions, today machine learning is everywhere. In this paper I attempt to review, describe and compare certain machine learning paradigms.


Antiinfective drugs may show the same mechanisms of nephrotoxicity as other drugs, and these can be subgrouped into vascular, tubulotoxic, tubulo-obstructive, and immunologic effects. While vascular effects of antiinfective drugs are rare, tubulotoxicity is a well known phenomenon, especially in connection with aminoglycosides and amphotericin B as well as cephalosporins, pentamidine, foscarnet, and cidovir. The tubulo-obstructive effect caused by precipitation of the drug and first observed after treatment with sulfonamides in the 1940s, has become a renascent problem now that high doses of sulfonamides are being given to immunocompromised patients (sulfadiazine, cotrimoxazole). Moreover, this effect has also been associated with newer antiviral drugs like acyclovir and indinavir. We describe a transplant patient who received high doses of cotrimoxazole for pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and lost transplant function mainly due to bioptically proven glomerular and tubular crystallization with tubular degeneration caused by sulfamethoxazole. Acute interstitial nephritis is the main immunologic effect of antiinfective drugs (especially rifampicin but also cephalosporins, quinolones, sulfonamides, and penicillins). Immune stimulation by cytokine treatment (mainly interferon-alpha) involves several kinds of autoimmune renal diseases like acute interstitial nephritis or glomerulonephritis as well as interstitial and vascular rejection of renal transplants.


Internet television (IPTV) is rapidly gaining popularity and is being widely deployed on the Internet. In order to deliver optimum user Quality of Experience (QoE), service providers need to understand and balance the trade-offs involved with user (video content, display device), application (codec type, encoding bit rate) and network (network health, router queuing discipline) factors that affect IPTV deployment. In this paper, we analyze the impact of router queuing disciplines, specifically Packet-ordered and Time-ordered first-in-first-out (FIFO) on the multimedia QoE performance. Our analysis is based on performance measurements of objective QoE metrics such as "perceptible impairment rate" and "frame packet loss" in over 500 test scenarios in an IPTV testbed. Our salient analysis results include: (a) mapping of Good, Acceptable and Poor user QoE grades to network QoS levels, and (b) interplay of user and application factors in the mapped levels - under both PFIFO and TFIFO queuing disciplines.


This article is an evidence-based tutorial on the principles of biocompatibility. Although the technical issues of biocompatibility may seem beyond the scope of most practicing dentists, knowledge of these issues is fundamentally important to ensure the health of patients, dental staff members (including laboratory personnel), and practitioners themselves. Furthermore, the legal liability of dentists is often linked to biocompatibility issues. The biocompatibility of a material is not absolute; it must be measured with regard to the way the material is used. Measuring biocompatibility is a complex process that involves in vitro and in vivo tests. These tests contribute to understanding biologic responses to a material but cannot define the material's biocompatibility with 100% certainty. Practitioners should understand enough about biocompatibility testing methods to critically judge advertising claims and ask relevant questions of manufacturers. Because there is no infallible way to assess biologic response to a material, decisions about the clinical use of a material ultimately must weigh the biologic risks of a material against its potential benefits.


Following the enactment of Law Number 23 of 2014 on the Regional Government, which superseded Law Number 22 of 1999 and Law Number 32 of 2004, now the local government has no longer holds an authority to manage state forest areas, except "grand forest park" (Taman Hutan Raya) located in their respective administrative areas. The management of production forests and protected forests (located at state forest areas) is the authority and responsibility of the provincial government, while the management of conservation forests is the authority of the central government. The success of forest management and management program activities is determined, among others, by government and local government policies and their implementation at the site level. By considering ntthe complexity of forest management, the context of decentralization, and available resources as well as constrained authority, this study aims to identify the level of importance, priorities, and main roles of district governments in forest management by applying the analytic network process (ANP) method.  This study suggests that the district government could play a significant role in building social capital, which serves as a first step in developing collaborative forest management by promoting the optimization of multipurpose forests to preserve forests.


The research into quantum science and technology has reached an interesting stage where we can now in principle engineer composite systems to exploit the best properties of these individual systems. Such hybridization techniques have been demonstrated for instance with superconducting circuits and electron spin ensembles where strong coupling and the coherent transfer & storage of quantum information has been achieved. However in these cases, generally the hybrid system properties have not exceeded those of the individual systems. Recently we have observed a remarkably sharp resonance in the spectrum of flux qubit NV- diamond hybrid quantum system with no external magnetic field applied to the diamond. What is surprising is that its measured line-width is much narrower than that of both the flux-qubit and spin ensemble. We show this resonance is evidence of a collective & long-lived dark state.


In this paper, we describe a formal logical framework which we claim as essential to prove and to revise a model produced by combined ILP techniques. The dynamic process of proof embrace the supervision of the learning machine by a human, and this framework places the interpretation of contradictions in the heart of the interactive process which leads to a model which can be discussed, justified, and proven. We illustrate and validate this framework on an industrial application in the field of Drug Discovery, combining different learning processes to predict pharmaco-kinetic properties (ADME-T) and adverse side effects of therapeutic drug molecules.


Abstract: An application of auto-detecting Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is indispensable to aid the ophthalmologists in diagnosing patients and also to help relevant organisations in accumulating and analysing data. This project presents DR Miner, an application that can extract data from fundus images, identify the symptoms of DR in retina images by using data science approaches, and collect the ophthalmologist's review to improve the detection model in the future. To form the DR data set with binary classes, Auto Colour Correlogram (ACC) was utilised to extract the features from DR images. Oversampling was then conducted to balance the class distribution in the data set. To reduce the variance of the single learning algorithms, we evaluated various bagging approaches. Theresults showed that the bagging approaches gave better results than the single learning algorithms in general. Out of all bagging approaches we evaluated, bagged k-nearest neighbours gave the best result. The sensitivity achieved was 85.1%, which met the requirement set by the UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence.


Prepaid dental care enhances hospital's retention and recruiting positions and reassures employees that management is providing maximum benefits at the least possible cost.


DURING the years 1935 to 1949 inclusive. 428 patients with acute perforated peptic ulcer were treated at the Cincinnati General Hospital. This report is concerned chiefly with the 128 patients who were seen during the past five years and who received penicillin as a part of their treatment. The other patients have been reported on previously and are used for comparison of the results of treatment.1The purpose of this analysis is, first, to determine whether immediate operative treatment of peptic ulcer, after the use of proper supportive measures, is justifiable in the face of the remarkable results which have been reported with the nonoperative method of treatment and, second, to consider briefly the question of immediate gastric resection in selected cases of perforated ulcer. The treatment of acute perforated ulcer at the Cincinnati General Hospital, as developed over the past fifteen to twenty years, has been operation, with


Summary High sex ratios are well documented in many Asian countries, including China. This study was conducted in three Chinese provinces to explore awareness of the high sex ratios and its effects. Questionnaires were completed by 7435 respondents; 46% were urban and 53% were female. Sixty-four per cent were aware of the high sex ratio, and the majority were able to identify a range of consequences both for society and for unmarried men. These high levels of awareness of the negative impacts of high sex ratios should ultimately help to reduce the sex ratio at birth.


Abstract We present theoretical models describing the quasi-steady downward transport of buoyant fluid across a gravitationally stable density interface separating two unbounded quiescent fluid masses. The primary transport mechanism is turbulent entrainment resulting from the localised impingement of a vertically forced high-Reynolds-number axisymmetric jet with steady source conditions. The entrainment across the interface is examined in the large-time asymptotic state, wherein the interfacial gravity current, formed by the fluid entrained from the upper layer and the jet, becomes infinitesimally thin and a two-layer stratification persists. Characterising flows with small interfacial Froude numbers $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}({{\mathrm{Fr}}}_i)$ as an axisymmetric semi-ellipsoidal impingement dome, we combine conservation equations with a mechanistic model of entrainment and reveal that, in this regime, the dimensionless entrainment flux $E_i$ across the interface follows the power law $E_i = 0.24{{\mathrm{Fr}}}_i^2$ . For large- ${{\mathrm{Fr}}}_i$ impingements, modelled as a fully penetrating turbulent fountain, we show that $E_i$ no longer scales with ${{\mathrm{Fr}}}_i^2$ , but linearly on ${{\mathrm{Fr}}}_i$ , following $E_i = 0.42{{\mathrm{Fr}}}_i$ . We establish the intermediate range of ${{\mathrm{Fr}}}_i$ over which there is a transition between these quadratic and linear power laws, thus enabling us to classify the dynamics of entrainment across the interface into three distinct regimes. Finally, the close agreement of our solutions with existing experimental results is illustrated.


The director's perspective of the problems and dilemmas which libraries have confronted in trying to provide a continuing base of information resources is addressed. Factors contributing to the reduction in purchasing power are reviewed and campus/library relationships are discussed. The author calls for routine planning for and review of library services and collections, as well as an examination of the issues related to on-site ownership versus access to information.


The purpose of this paper is to explore the applicability of job embeddedness (JE) theory to employees in manufacturing SMEs in Central Java, Indonesia, and to qualitatively assess the transferability of the JE framework and its measure to these distinctive contexts.,Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 42 employees from 13 SMEs. The JE framework informed development of the interview questions, which focussed on participants' lived experiences. Thematic analysis of the textual data was conducted.,Distinctive characteristics of SMEs, such as resource constraints and managerial informality, and cultural factors influenced employees' perceptions of the forces that embedded them in their jobs. For example, participants perceived the psychological costs associated with severing ties with co-workers as a more salient embedding force than the material costs associated with leaving a job. Additionally, lack of job fit was not an important turnover determinant, because work was perceived as a duty or obligation, rather than a personal choice.,The findings imply that the JE framework and its measure only partially explain why employees stay in manufacturing SMEs in Central Java. Accordingly, the original JE scale items would need to be significantly modified to accurately assess employees' levels of embeddedness in Indonesian manufacturing SMEs.,Limited research has examined how SME owner-managers can retain key employees, particularly in Indonesia. This study contributes to an understanding of factors that embed employees in the cultural context of Indonesia and enhances our understanding of how JE theory operates in SMEs.


Abstract A complement fixation test for histoplasmosis employing a whole yeast cell preparation as antigen was performed on sera from 2,000 individuals. Seven patients with culturally proved histoplasmosis were encountered. Sera from each of these patients reacted in the test, five at serum dilutions greater than 1:40, and the remaining two at 1:20 dilutions. Only two other reactions above 1:40 were found. These were in two sons of a proved case where there was strong epidemiologic evidence of active Histoplasma infection. Of the forty-nine persons suspected of having active Histoplasma infections on the basis of recent histoplasmin skin test conversion or pulmonary infiltrates along with positive histoplasmin and negative tuberculin skin tests, 50 per cent reacted in the complement fixation test. Conversely, among 300 persons in whom active Histoplasma infections seemed unlikely on the basis of negative histoplasmin skin tests, only one reaction occurred and that at the lowest (1:5) dilution employed. It was concluded that the complement fixation reaction has a definite usefulness in diagnostic studies for histoplasmosis. Some of the advantages and the limitations of the test are discussed.


The littoral forest of the Fort Dauphin region of south-east Madagascar is expected to lose numerous endemic plant and animal species in the near future as a result of deforestation and consequent habitat changes. The disruption of plant-animal interactions is of particular concern. This review describes the conservation status of the littoral forest of Sainte Luce, Fort Dauphin, and examines the role of animal-facilitated seed dispersal in regeneration. The main threats to this habitat are described and possible management implications are discussed in relation to existing initiatives. Protection of the largest remaining forest fragments has been agreed by local communities and a draft plan for forest management is currently under evaluation. Over the next few years plantations will be created to provide local people with wood for fuel and other purposes. An important flying fox Pteropus rufus roost site needs to be included in conservation plans because of its importance for long-distance seed dispersal. Despite the presence of natural barriers, the creation of forest corridors will be crucial for connecting isolated fragments and facilitating genetic exchange between subpopulations. Increased attention needs to be given to the need to promote conservation-related income activities.


In this article, the author takes the reader on a tour of recent publications and exhibitions on the architecture of socialist modernity in Yugoslavia. She presents a vivid discussion of the most interesting and worthwhile examples of this architecture, as well as their architects and designers. Her survey takes in the hotel resorts along the Adriatic coast, post offices, children's homes, museums, theatres, and memorial sites. It also covers special items, such as the K67 kiosk and the folding chair Rex, both of which—like the hotels and other buildings, with their manifold references to contemporary modernist architectural styles—ive up to world-level design standards.


This study examines how practitioners of minority-medium Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Finland reflect on language awareness (LA) in their professional learning communities (PLCs). The study is conducted within in -service training for ECEC practitioners and it also highlights how these practitioner reflections can be of use and support developing future in-service training within the action research framework. The data include nine group discussions on a reflection task, with 41 primary participants and 165 secondary participants from each primary participant's respective PLC. As a starting point, the researcher trainers identified six language-policy themes on LA in national policy documents. These were presented for practitioners, who then discussed them both in their respective PLCs and within the in-service training. The in-service discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed for qualitative-content analysis. During the analysis, the focus was on the dynamics of minority-majority positions, with the following themes emerging: i) Language contacts; ii) bilingual children and multi-layered identity; and iii) developing multilingual pedagogies. The results showed that the same insights often were treated both as strengths and weaknesses, and that a need exists for support so that practitioners can implement language-aware educational policy into their operational cultures.


1. In the large majority of injuries of the menisci, the diagnosis can be made on clinical grounds alone. Air arthrography is, however, useful as an aid to diagnosis, particularly in mixed lesions, such as tears of the anterior cruciate ligament associated with tears of the menisci, or simultaneous lesions of both menisci. The diagnosis of lesions of the medial meniscus is simpler than the diagnosis of lesions of the lateral meniscus.

2. Arthrography is of less value in the diagnosis of other lesions of the knee joint, but is occasionally useful.

3. Arthrography affords interesting information regarding the movements of the menisci during flexion and extension of the knee. These movements can be studied both with roentgenograms and by fluoroscope. When the knee is flexed, the medial meniscus tends to be drawn backward out of the joint, and for this reason is not trapped.

4. Although the injection of air into a joint may produce a transient effusion, this is in no way harmful. Arthrography is a safe and simple procedure, when done with full aseptic precautions.


10747 Background: trastuzumab (Tz), a humanized anti-HER-2/neu antibody, has been shown to improve survival in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. A high incidence of brain metastases (BM) has been noted in patients receiving trastuzumab. Here we report 4 cases of HER-2 positive advanced breast cancer patients who developed BM while on TZ therapy.

CASES
all 4 patients were treated initially with a combination of taxane-trastuzumab followed by maintenance trastuzumab. Tumors were classified as HER-2 over expressing if they were scored 3+ by immunohistochemistry or showed amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Mean age at diagnosis was 48. Mean duration of trastuzumab therapy prior to BM was 20 months. All patients had achieved a complete remission of extracranial disease at the time of BM diagnosis. Mean number of intracranial lesions as determined by magnetic resonance imaging was 4. Treatment included radiosurgery, surgical resection, whole brain radiation, temozolomide, high dose methotrexate, thalidomide and in one patient, intra-arterial chemotherapy. All 4 patients are alive at the date of last follow-up (median =3 years) after BM diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS
this report suggests that patients who develop BM after trastuzumab can have a relatively long survival rate. The importance of a multidisciplinary approach to these patients cannot be overemphasized. Development of BM on TZ therapy does not represent resistance to TZ, but instead likely reflects the inability of TZ to cross the brain-blood barrier. Further research in this area is needed to optimize management while minimizing late effects. In this regard, alternatives to whole brain radiation should continue to be studied. In addition, the role of prophylactic cranial irradiation and the search for drugs that target HER-2 and cross the blood-brain barrier should be investigated. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


To the Editor. —More than 200 articles in 36 journals published in 21 countries 1 sound the theme of global emerging or resurgent microbial threats. Yet the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association (AMA) 2 points out that the conclusion that infectious diseases pose historically great threats to the general US population "is far from the truth." How far can be seen in recent data on selected notifiable infectious diseases. The Table shows total reported cases of 16 diseases in 1993 3 and 1994 4 and the latest cumulative case numbers for 1995. 5 In contrast to public concerns, reported cases of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), gonorrhea, hepatitis B, mumps, pertussis, syphilis, and tuberculosis each declined by 15% or more in 2 years (pending late returns for 1995). Some of these diseases are underreported year after year, but analysis is further confounded by delays in publishing


The authors take up the challenge that was thrown down by the Ford v. Town of Grafton court. The first part of this Article examines the somewhat tortured and fascinating history of the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act. It then describes the arguments Catherine Ford made, how the court responded, and why it responded as it did. In Part II, Massachusetts' strong commitment to protecting and assisting victims of domestic violence is examined. A variety of legislative, executive and judicial initiatives that demonstrate commitment are described, but the Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 209A, the restraining order statute, is emphasized. The article reveals a clear legislative and judicial intent to grant victims of domestic violence meaningful protection from abuse. Part III of this Article analyzes cases from several other states that mirror the factual circumstances of Ford.This Article also reflects upon the judiciary's repeated invitations to the legislature to clarify or amend the immunity legislation, and suggests several ways that the domestic violence and immunity laws could be changed in a manner consistent with judicial and legislative intent. Lastly, this Article concludes with a warning. Without clarifying the relationship between domestic violence laws and the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act in a manner that enables courts to hold police and other municipal actors liable for failing to enforce restraining orders, such orders offer no protection to victims.


Traditional winegrowing areas are located in temperate climate zones and allow to produce grapes only once per year. Tropical wines have been elaborated in India, Thailand, Venezuela and Brazil and present another kind of viticulture, as compared with countries located in temperate climate zones. Northeast of Brazil started wine production twenty six years ago. This region vines can produce two or three crops per year, depending of the cycle of different cultivars. Harvests can be scaled throughout the year, mainly between May and December, corresponding to the dry season. Red, white, rose and sparkling wines are being elaborated in the region. The objective of this work was to determine the physico-chemical and aromatic characteristics of some tropical wines elaborated in Northeast of Brazil, with grapes harvested in November 2008. Wines were elaborated using traditional method with control of the alcoholic and malolactic fermentation temperatures, at 25 and 18oC for red wines, respectively, and at 18oC for alcoholic fermentation of the white wines. After stabilization and bottling and wines were analyzed to determine physico-chemical characteristics, like alcohol degree, pH, total and volatile acidities, dry extract, sulfur dioxide, total anthocyanin and total phenol index. Aromatic profile was determined by gas chromatography, while 19 esters and 6 superior alcohols were identified. Wines presented different chemical and aromatic characteristics according to different grape cultivars.


Background and Purpose— Mechanisms, acute management, and outcomes for patients who experience intracerebral hemorrhage may differ from patients with ischemic stroke. Studies of very early rehabilitation have been mainly undertaken in patients with ischemic stroke, and it is unknown if benefits apply to those with intracerebral hemorrhage. We hypothesized that early rehabilitation, within 48 hours of stroke, would improve survival and functional outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods— This was a multicenter, randomized controlled study, with blinded assessment of outcome at 3 and 6 months. Eligible patients were randomized to receive standard care or standard care plus early rehabilitation. Primary outcome includes survival. Secondary outcomes includes health-related quality of life using the 36-item Short Form Questionnaire, function measured with the modified Barthel Index, and anxiety measured with the Zung Self-Rated Anxiety Scale. Results— Two hundred forty-three of 326 patients were randomized (mean age, 59 years; 56% men). At 6 months, patients receiving standard care were more likely to have died (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24–15.87); for morbidity outcomes, a 6-point difference in the Physical Component Summary score of the 36-item Short Form Questionnaire (95% CI, 4.2–8.7), a 7-point difference for the Mental Component Summary score (95% CI, 4.5–9.5), a 13-point difference in Modified Barthel Index scores (95% CI, 6.8–18.3), and a 6-point difference in Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores (95% CI, 4.4–8.3) was reported in favor of the intervention groups. Conclusions— For the first time, we have shown that commencing rehabilitation within 48 hours of intracerebral hemorrhage improves survival and functional outcomes at 6 months after stroke in hospitalized patients in China. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.chictr.org/en. Unique identifier: ChiCTR-TRC-13004039.


Hydro-abrasive erosion of hydraulic turbines is an economically important issue due to maintenance costs and production losses, in particular at high- and medium-head run-of- river hydropower plants (HPPs) on sediment laden rivers. In this paper, research and development in this field over the last century are reviewed. Facilities for sediment exclusion, typically sand traps, as well as turbine design and materials have been improved considerably. Since the 1980s, hard-coatings have been applied on Francis and Pelton turbine parts of erosion-prone HPPs and became state-of-the-art. These measures have led to increased times between overhauls and smaller efficiency reductions. Analytical, laboratory and field investigations have contributed to a better processes understanding and quantification of sediment-related effects on turbines. More recently, progress has been made in numerical modelling of turbine erosion. To calibrate, validate and further develop prediction models, more measurements from both physical model tests in laboratories and real-scale data from HPPs are required. Significant improvements to mitigate hydro-abrasive erosion have been achieved so far and development is ongoing. A good collaboration between turbine manufacturers, HPP operators, measuring equipment suppliers, engineering consultants, and research institutes is required. This contributes to the energy- and cost-efficient use of the worldwide hydropower potential.


The problem of jungle yellow fever in Brazil becomes relatively more important with the effective control of Aedes aegypti in all urban centers and its eradication from large sections of the country. Indeed, among the 1,258 liver specimens collected by the Viscerotomy Service from January of 1932 to June of 1945, on which the diagnosis of yellow fever was made, only 78 came from localities where A. aegypti still existed. The remainder (1,180) were derived from rural areas where, presumably, the infection was acquired through the bite of some forestbreeding mosquito. Moreover, this epidemiological variety of the disease is not only significant in being responsible for an overwhelming proportion of human infections in recent years, but also in constituting uncontrolled foci of the virus.
The transmission of yellow fever by sylvan mosquitoes was suspected by Lutz (1) in 1929, but convincing proof that human infection may occur in the absence of A. aegypti was not forthcoming until a few years later when Soper et al (2) investigated a rural epidemic in Valle do Chanaan, State of Espirito Santo.


A much-debated subject in the last 20 years, the recovery after peripheral nerve injury still remains one of the most researched themes of our days. Although the central nervous system has not exhibited any ground-breaking discoveries in matters of healing through surgical procedures, this is not the case for the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The PNS recovery after injury has improved over the years so we now speak of time and percentage of rehabilitation. The increased interest for this subject is a result in the development of the medical technique, that allowed the creation of new molecules capable to improve the regeneration rate. Furthermore, the evolution in diagnostic parameters, as well as the possibility of a thorough follow-up, contributed to the ascending research of this field.  One must not forget that all experimental studies have as endpoint obtaining safe and reproducible solutions which can be applied in treating patients with peripheral nerve injury. We will briefly present the microscopic events that occur following a peripheral nerve injury, the key factors which influence their regeneration as well as the classical techniques used to repair them. However, the most intriguing topic in nerve regeneration is not related to the surgical procedure (considered to be the Gold Standard in whole nerve injury), but rather the helping substances that facilitate a faster and better recovery.


PT. X is a one of feed mill industry in East Java. In 2017 they experienced lost sales due to increase in demand and low finish good stocks in the warehouse. This year PT. X wants to increase their finish good warehouse capacity to anticipate 2018 demand. There is two alternative solution, the first one is to use some of the current raw material warehouses in the company and re-function it to finish product. The second alternative is to rent warehouse outside the company. Both alternatives will be technically analyzed to give the good solution. Each alternative is compared based on financial, security, accessibility and material handling aspect. It is found that first alternative, use some of the current raw material warehouses in the company and re-function it for finish good, is better than the second alternative. From the financial aspect, the first alternative gives YY higher cost, but from other aspects, it gives a better result. PT. X also consider the value of finish product turn over which is ZZ higher than raw material value. Therefore the first alternative is chosen.


A rare facial nerve anomaly was incidentally discovered whilst performing a tympanoplasty and ossicular reconstruction on a patient with an acquired unilateral conductive hearing loss. The nerve was seen to bifurcate and straddle a normal stapes superstructure as it ran posteriorly through the middle ear, a unique and as yet unreported combination. This case highlights the importance of vigilance regarding facial nerve anatomical variations encountered during middle-ear surgery thus avoiding inadvertent damage. The purported embryological mechanism responsible for such anomalies of the intra-tympanic facial nerve is discussed.


This paper analyzes investors' portfolio selection problems in a two-period dynamic model of Knightian uncertainty. We account for the existence of portfolio inertia in this two-period framework. Furthermore, by incorporating investors' updating behavior, we analyze how new observation in the first period will affect investors' behavior. By this analysis, we show that new observation in the first period will expand portfolio inertia in the second period compared with the case in which new observation has not been gained in the first period if the degree of Knightian uncertainty is sufficiently large.


Performance, handling, safety, and comfort of a car are significantly affected by its aerodynamic properties. Getting high power under the hood is not enough to judge the performance of the car. Aerodynamic properties must be considered for the purpose of studying the drag and stability performance of a car. In order to improve car aerodynamic drag and its stability, an aerodynamic device is needed such as rear spoiler. Rear spoiler is an aerodynamic device that functions to slow down and collect air, causing it to stagnate. This rear placing device creates an area of high pressure to replace the usual low pressure over the trunk resulting increasing stability. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of aftermarket rear spoiler to car aerodynamics drag and stability. Several rear spoilers design is attached at rear part of base line model. Both BLM model and rear spoiler models are built in CAD software. The CAD data then, either with or without rear spoiler are analyze in CFD software to estimate the drag and lift force which is acting on the car. Force, drag and lift coefficient values will be determined in order to study their effect to drag and stability. Some limitations occurred due to the complexity of the design. From the result, rear spoiler can help to reduce drag, by creating high pressure at the back.


Noise harms the environmental quality and can have negative effect on health and wellbeing. Providing silent areas and periods of rest is one way to improve the perceived environmental quality. However, realization is not easy in the day to day life. The usage of mHealth solutions which can provide information about the sound of a certain area and the respective effect on humans could be supportive. As the perception of sound is highly subjective, the prediction of the perceived acoustic environments is very difficult. This paper describes a course of action to develop an automatic estimation of an acoustic environment, based on the measurement of sound properties solely. The challenges of this endeavor are explained in detail. Possible application areas in mHealth are identified and presented. This future vision paper wants to draw the attention to different possibilities to cope with noise pollution either by personal behavior change or by using personalized data to reach out for a more general applicability for example through soundscape.


Hypersexual behavior has been identified as a sexual risk correlate among gay and bisexual men (GBM). The Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI) has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of hypersexual behavior in clinical populations, yet it has not been used to assess hypersexual behavior in nonclinical samples. We examined the psychometric properties of the HBI with survey data recorded between December 2009 and March 2010 in a sample of young men (N = 366, M = 21.46 years old, SD = 1.95) who self-identified as gay (89%) or bisexual (11%) and assessed its association with unprotected receptive anal intercourse (URAI) partners and occasions. Using cross-sectional data of single, sexually active young GBM (YGBM), we used confirmatory factor analyses to test the HBI's three-factor structure. Using negative binomial regressions, we then tested the association between the HBI subscales and sexual risk. After accounting for covariates, we found that sexual control was a risk factor for URAI partners and occasions, and coping was found to be a protective factor for URAI occasions. In light of our findings, we discuss the importance of reexamining the theoretical assumptions of hypersexual behavior and propose HIV prevention strategies that may reduce young GBM's vulnerability to HIV infection.


Zinc (Zn) malnutrition has emerged as one of the major health challenges in developing nations across the globe. Development of Zn management protocols in staple food crops using modern scientific tools to enhance Zn concentration in grains along with augmented crop yields became utmost necessary. In this context a 2-year experiment was carried out to assess the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) vis-à-vis bulk zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) on wheat growth, yield and Zn concentration in plant parts. Four levels of application of ZnO-NPs (0, 20, 25 and 30 mg kg-1) were compared with ZnSO4 (equal to Zinc concentration in ZnO-NPs). Results revealed that seed vigor was significantly (p <0.05) higher under 25 and 30 mg kg-1 soil ZnO-NPs treatments over ZnSO4. Among the crop yield parameters such as tillers (plant-1), grain weight (plant-1), biomass (plant-1) and grain yield were significantly (p <0.05) higher under ZnO-NPs 25 mg kg-1 treated soil as compared to any other treatment. Zinc concentration in grains increased with dose of ZnO-NPs and it was significantly more than ZnSO4 treated soil at each treatment level. ZnO-NPs and ZnSO4 treatments did not affect photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll (SPAD) content significantly. In conclusion, 25 mg kg-1 ZnO-NPs application could be recommended in wheat cultivation to improve growth, yield and grain Zn biofortification.


This study aims to describe the ability of class X MA Uswatun Hasanah Lala students in writing narrative essays based on personal experience. This research was designed using quantitative description methods. The variable observed in this study was the ability of students to write narrative essays based on personal experience in class X students of Uswatun Hasanah. Thus, the type of variable is a single variable. Data collection techniques in this study in the form of tests and observations. Furthermore, the data analysis technique in this study uses statistical techniques. The results showed that of the 29 research subjects who scored 66 or above as many as 12 students or 41.31% and research subjects who scored less than 66 were 17 students or 58.62%. Based on the mastery criteria that the research subject was declared successful if 85% of students had a value of 66 and above, it can be concluded that the class X MA Uswatun Hasanah Lala was able to write narrative essays based on personal experience.


In this paper I explore the multifaceted relationship between violence, speech and power in the most graphic of Shakespeare's plays, Titus Andronicus. I take my cue from Hannah Arendt's reflections on violence as opposed to power, and as something "incapable of speech," but I read the play through the lens of Giorgio Agamben's notion of sovereignty as the suspension of the law. I consider the dichotomy speech/muteness as an example not only of the dichotomy power/violence (Arendt) but also of the opposition between bios and zoe, that is the difference between a life worth to be included in the political realm and a life understood as the mere condition of being alive, a condition common to human beings and beasts (according to classical philosophy). In Titus Andronicus, these distinctions are blurred, and zoe becomes fully exposed to the sovereign decision. While the image of a mutilated and mute body cannot match Arendt's idea of politics as the combination of speech and action bereft of violence, Agamben has developed the notion of a politics that renders life disposable, mute, bare, and can still be called politics or power, and precisely biopower. From this perspective, I argue, Lavinia and the other characters of Titus Andronicus are the embodiment of the concept of "bare life" as developed by Agamben, and Shakespeare's Rome is a State of exception and of exceptional violence.


Summary Objective: To describe the radiographic location of the center of the femoral footprint of the cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) in dogs. Material and methods: Using femora from 49 adult, orthopedically sound dogs (bodyweight ≥ 20 kg), a radiopaque marker was placed on the cranial border of the femoral footprint of the CrCL. Computed tomography and threedimensional (3D) reconstruction of each femur was performed subsequently, followed by manual segmentation of the footprint on the 3D models and calculation of its center. Finally, virtual digital radiographs in two planes were produced and the location of the calculated center of the CrCL was expressed using three different methods (4×4 box grid method and percentage position for the medio-lateral projection; o'clock position for the disto-proximal projection). Results: In the medio-lateral radiographs the center of the femoral footprint was consistently located in the second rectangle from the top of the most caudal column of the 4×4 grid. The mean percentage caudo-cranial and proximo-distal location was 20.2% (± 2.2) and 33.8% (± 3.7), respectively. In the disto-proximal radiograph, the o'clock position of the CrCL center was between 2 and 3 o'clock in 97.6% of cases. Conclusion: The radiographic location of the center of the femoral footprint can be consistently predicted in medio-lateral and disto-proximal stifle radiographs of dogs over 20 kg. Clinical significance: The reported data can be used to plan and verify the placement of the femoral tunnel opening for intra-articular anatomic CrCL repair.


UNLABELLED
Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious disease for which diagnosis and treatment continue to develop. Purpose of work. To analyze trends in its epidemiologic, clinical, and microbiologic characteristics, as well as its treatment and outcome.

METHODS
Retrospective review of data of 135 patients admitted to our adult cardiology department from January 1981 through December 2011. IE was diagnosed according to the modified Duke Criteria. We defined 2 groups of patients according to their date of admission: group A (n = 55), patients admitted before 1995, and group B (n = 80), patients admitted in and after 1995.

RESULTS
The entire population was predominantly male, and their mean age was 38.5 ± 16 years, 36 years in group A and 44 years in group B. IE affected mainly native valves (90% group A, 74% group B; p<0.05). Prosthetic IE was more frequent in group B (20% vs 10%, p<0.05), and the portal of entry identified more often (59% vs 22%; p = 0.03). Blood cultures were negative in 78% of patients in group A vs 57.5% in group B (p = 0.04). The principal causative microorganism was streptococcus before 1995 and staphylococcus after 1995, but this difference was not significant. Heart failure was more frequent in group A (p = 0.05). Embolic events affected 27% of the patients in group A vs 32.5% in group B (p = 0.05). The rate of surgery (51% in group A vs 62.5% in group B) did not differ significantly. The in-hospital mortality rate was 53% in group A vs 11% in group B (p<0.001); operative mortality was also higher in group A (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION
Our work shows changes in the epidemiologic characteristics of IE that parallel changes in demographic and risk factors. The progress of diagnosis and surgery explains the better prognosis for this pathology today.


In the early 1990s, democratization in Niger meant a political reform detached from the military rule, but also safe from religious influence. The adoption of the principle of a radical secularism (laïcité) sought, first, the autonomy of the political sphere from the religious one, and second, the submission of religious authority to the political one. The consecration of this principle led to the criticism of Muslim public actors who argued that such a principle was violating the religious identity of Niger's society. This paper discusses the difficulty to separate the realm of politics from that of religion as Islamic organizations and Muslim actors have stepped into the political arena, articulating various religion-inspired discourses and seeking the conversion of Niger's politics to Islam. Nowadays, this activism led to a rearrangement of the state's position in relation to religiosity and its role in the public domain. This case of ambiguous secularism, I suggest, might be one of a reinterpretation not only of secularism, but of democratization itself.


In this paper, the preparation of an adsorbent bed for adsorption heat pumps obtained by depositing zeolites on metal foam structures is discussed. Zeolites, the active adsorbent phase, were directly grown by in situ synthesis on high surface area metal foams to improve heat and mass transfer in the adsorbent beds. Coatings of zeolite 4A on copper foams and of zeolite Y on aluminum foams were prepared and characterized by SEM, XRD analysis and measurement of the water equilibrium sorption curves by thermo-gravimetric method. The results, in terms of coatings thickness and zeolite characteristics, confirmed the chance for further developments of such zeolite-metal foam composites.


Multi-path transferring on the different paths with diverse delays would cause reordering and so unnecessary retransmission which eventually degrades the throughput of connections considerably. To address this issue, we first presented an optimal fragmentation strategy that should be held to avoid unnecessary retransmission/recovery timeouts events in TCP or SCTP due to reordering. Then, we introduced an analytical framework for the optimal fragmentation strategy of real-time traffic. Specifically, this paper formulates optimal traffic fragmentation as a constrained optimization problem using deterministic network calculus and derives its closed-form solution by our proposed progressive water-filling algorithm. Compared with previous work, the proposed scheme is simpler to implement and enforce.


We present a phenomenological force-constant model developed for the description of lattice dynamics of $s{p}^{2}$ hybridized carbon networks. Within this model approach, we introduce a set of parameters to calculate the phonon dispersion of graphene by fitting the ab initio dispersion. Vibrational modes of carbon nanotubes are obtained by folding the two-dimensional (2D) dispersion of graphene and applying special corrections for the low-frequency modes. Particular attention is paid to the exact dispersion law of the acoustic modes, which determine the low-frequency thermal properties and reveal quantum size effects in carbon nanotubes. On the basis of the resulting phonon spectra, we calculate the specific heat and the thermal conductance for several achiral nanotubes of different diameters. Through the temperature dependence of the specific heat, we demonstrate that phonon spectra of carbon nanotubes show one-dimensional behavior and that the phonon sub-bands are quantized at low temperatures. Consequently, we prove the quantization of the phonon thermal conductance by means of an analysis based on the Landauer theory of heat transport.


Drawing on work located within critical political economy and process sociology, this article uses content analysis to examine the types, frequency, and content of Olympic related advertising in the British press and television during the 2004 Athens Olympics. We assessed the degree to which The Olympic Partner (TOP) sponsors incorporated themes derived from Olympism and the Celebrate Humanity program, as well as from consumer culture more broadly. Our findings suggest that relatively few advertisers incorporated themes relating to Olympism, and that those that did focused on "excellence," which is arguably more indicative of the achievement sports ethic and consumerism than of Olympic ideals.


Not only can a Board of Directors Ignore its own By· laws, but it may disregard dlreetlves of the Hospitals Commission (now incorporated In the Health Commission). In 1962, the Commission recommended that medical advisory committees be establlshed in all hospitals to meet quarterly to enable honorartes to have discussions with the hospital executive so that problems might be settled or referred to the Board for action. Royal Newcastle Hospital did not comply. It set up a committee called the medical advisory committee, with a purpose and constitution quite unrelated to those stipulated by the Commission. Comprising a majority of Its own appointees, it was a rubber stamp of the Board of Dtreetors In the guise of a consultative mechanism. To my knowledge it has met only once In nine years but, as its proceedings are confidential, one would not know. As recently all November, 1973, the Health Commission reminded all hospitals of its 1962 requirements, but the Royal Newcastle Hospital version of this committee remains unchanged. In these days when the running of publtc and private companies, registered social clubs and similar organizations Is subject to close control by the Government, it Is incredible that the operation of public hospitals In this State is left so much to chance The Model By-laws have no statutory force whatever. In fact, the Public Hospitals Act allows a hospital's Board of Directors to decide whether it should have a set of By-laws at all. The ,present system leaves to the discretion of a Board of Dtrectora conststtng wholly or mainly of laymen observance of the principle that the doctor should have a direct, effective voice in the running of the hospital in which he treats his patients. Obviously, this right is not ensured by any By-laws. Only by the persistence of an alert and vocal medical profession will it be gained and retained.


A broadcast authentication mechanism is important in wireless sensor networks, assuring receivers of a packet's validity. To provide authentication, some researchers utilize one way key chains and delayed disclosure of keys; however, such an approach requires time synchronization and delayed authentication. Another technique uses one-time signature schemes. Unfortunately, such schemes suffer from large key sizes and a limited number of uses per key. To cope with these problems, we propose an efficient, one-time signature-based broadcast authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks that reduces storage usage and includes a re-keying mechanism.

http://dsns.csie.nctu.edu.tw/ssp/Meeting/11.An Efficient Broadcast Authentication Scheme in Wireless Sensor Networks.pdf


Using remotely sensed Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 rainfall and topographic data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Digital Elevation Model (DEM), the impact of oroghraphical aspects such as topography, spatial variability of elevation and altitude of apexes are examined to investigate capacious summer monsoon rainfall over the Western Ghats (WG) of India. TRMM 3B42 v7 rainfall data is validated with Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) gridded rainfall data at 0.5° resolution over the WG. The analysis of spatial pattern of monsoon rainfall with orography of the WG ascertains that the grade of orographic precipitation depends mainly on topography of the mountain barrier followed by steepness of windward side slope and altitude of the mountain. Longer and broader, i.e. cascaded topography, elevated summits and gradually increasing slopes impel the enhancement in precipitation. Comparing topography of various states of the WG, it has been observed that windward side of Karnataka receives intense rainfall in the WG during summer monsoon. It has been observed that the rainfall is enhanced before the peak of the mountain and confined up to the height about 800 m over the WG. In addition to this, the spatial distribution of heavy and very heavy rainfall events in the last 14 years has also been explored. Heavy and very heavy rain events on this hilly terrain are categorized with a threshold of precipitation (R) in the range 150 > R > 120 mm day−1 and exceeding 150 mm day−1 using probability distribution of TRMM 3B42 v7 rainfall. The areas which are prone to heavy precipitation are identified. The study would help policy makers to manage the hazard scenario and, to improve weather predictions on mountainous terrain of the WG.


The various fields associated with interactive software systems engage in design activities to enable people who would use the resulting systems to meet goals, coordinate with others, find meaning, and express themselves in myriad ways. Yet many development projects fail, and we all have contact with clumsy software-based systems that force work-arounds and impose substantial attentional, knowledge and workload burdens. On the other hand, field observations reveal people re-shaping the artifacts they encounter and interact with as resources to cope with the demands of the situations they face as they seek to meet their goals. In this process some new devices are quickly seized upon and exploited in ways that transform the nature of human activity, connections, and expression. The software intensive interactive systems and devices under development around us are valuable to the degree that they expand what people in various roles and organizations can achieve. How can we measure this value provided to others? Are current measures of usability adequate? Does creeping complexity wipe out incremental gains as products evolve? Do designers and developers mis-project the impact when systems-to-be-realized are fielded? Which technology changes will trigger waves of expansive adaptations that transform what people do and even why they do it. Sponsors of projects to develop new interactive software systems are asking developers for tangible evidence of the value to be delivered to those people responsible for activities and goals in the world. Traditional measures of usability and human performance seem inadequate. Cycles of inflation in the claims development organizations make (and the legacy of disappointment and surprise) have left sponsors numb and eroded trust. Thus, we need to provide new forms of evidence about the potential of new interactive systems and devices to enhance human capability. Luckily, this need has been accompanied by a period of innovation in ways to measure the impact of new designs on: growth of expertise in roles, synchronizing activities over wider scopes and ranges, expanding adaptive capacities.. This talk reviews a few of the new measures being tested in each of these categories, points to some of the underlying science, and uses these examples to trigger discussion about how design of future interactive software provides will provide value to stakeholders.


A quick and sensitive reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method has been developed in order to determine the concentration of Propofol (2,6 diisopropylphenol) in human serum. Propofol can be isolated from serum by adding 0.5 mL precipitating solution. This consists of an acetonitrile and perchloric acid (67:33, v/v) mixture, which also contains dibutylphthalate (2 mg/100 mL) as internal standard. The sample is then mixed for 1 min on a vortex-mixer. The endogenous serum substances precipitated by acetonitrile and perchloric acid are further separated by centrifugation. The supernatant is directly injected into the HPLC system. A 250- x 4.6-mm column, packed with 10-microns Spherisorb reversed-phase octadecylsilane particles (C18), is used for chromatographic separation. The mobile phase consists of an acetonitrile-water mixture (67:33 ratio) with 0.4 mL acetic acid (pH 4). Propofol is monitored by a UV-visible detector at 270 nm and 0.1-0.002 absorbance units full scale (AUFS). The detection limit of Propofol (in human serum) is 0.1 mg/L for a 20-microL injection volume. The time of the assay is less than 20 min, including sample preparation.


Seaweeds—or marine macroalgae—notably brown seaweeds in the class Phaeophyceae, contain fucoidan. Fucoidan designates a group of certain fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharides (FCSPs) that have a backbone built of (1→3)-linked α-l-fucopyranosyl or of alternating (1→3)- and (1→4)-linked α-l-fucopyranosyl residues, but also include sulfated galactofucans with backbones built of (1→6)-β-d-galacto- and/or (1→2)-β-d-mannopyranosyl units with fucose or fuco-oligosaccharide branching, and/or glucuronic acid, xylose or glucose substitutions. These FCSPs offer several potentially beneficial bioactive functions for humans. The bioactive properties may vary depending on the source of seaweed, the compositional and structural traits, the content (charge density), distribution, and bonding of the sulfate substitutions, and the purity of the FCSP product. The preservation of the structural integrity of the FCSP molecules essentially depends on the extraction methodology which has a crucial, but partly overlooked, significance for obtaining the relevant structural features required for specific biological activities and for elucidating structure-function relations. The aim of this review is to provide information on the most recent developments in the chemistry of fucoidan/FCSPs emphasizing the significance of different extraction techniques for the structural composition and biological activity with particular focus on sulfate groups.


The methanol extract of the stem bark of Anogeissus leiocarpus was evaluated in vivo at 2.5mg/kg for antioxidant, hepatoprotective and ameliorative effect on hepatocellular injury following pre-treatment or post-treatment with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Levels of the lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA) or thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) were taken as a measure of oxidative stress, while levels of biochemical such as aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and bilirubin (total and conjugated) were taken as biomarkers of liver damage. Irrespective of whether the animals were preor posttreated with Anogeissus leiocarpus, there was no statistical difference between the levels of MDA and markers of liver damage in the groups on A. Leiocarpus + CCL4 group and Vitamin E + CCl4, although both were significantly (P<0.05) lower than in the group on CCL4 only. However, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the heart, and to some extent, in the kidney, were hardly influenced by the treatments. These results indicate that methanolic extract of the stem bark of Anogeissus leiocarpus possess antioxidant, hepatoprotective and ameliorative effect on hepatocellular injury which may in part, account for the mechanism by which this plant brings about some of its reported therapeutic effects. INTRODUCTION: According to Allen and Tresini (2000), reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxyl, hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals are produced as part of normal metabolic processes and are believed to be involved in the oxidative damage of lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and other macromolecules. This causes different chronic diseases which among others include cancer, atherosclerosis, ageing, diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular disorders (Hadi et al., 2000). In developing countries of Africa where about 200,000 to 300,000 known plant species are found, and where about 85% of the population relies on traditional medicine as the cornerstone of their healthcare delivery, the United Nations encourages the inclusion of herbal medicine of proven safety and efficacy in their healthcare delivery program (UNESCO, 1998; Ampofo, (1997). Anogeissus leiocarpus is a plant that is widely used in Northern Nigeria ethnomedicine. It belongs to the phylum, Tracheophyta; Order; Myrtales and Family: Combretaceae (combretoideae). It is commonly called Axle-wood tree, and in Nigeria, it is referred to as Marke (Hausa), Kojoli (Fulani), Annum (Kanuri), Ayin or Orin-odan Ainy (Yoruba), Atara (Igbo) and Kukunchi (Nupe). It is a very graceful tropical tree which grows up to 28m and occurs in the most of the savannah


Protein microarray technology, in which a large number of capture ligands are spatially arrayed at a high density, presents an attractive method for high-throughput proteomic analysis. Toward this end, we demonstrate the first cell-based protein detection in a microsystem, wherein Escherichia coli cells are genetically engineered to express the desired capture proteins on the membrane surface and are spatially arrayed as sensing elements in a microfluidic device. An E. coli clone expressing peptide ligands with high affinity and high specificity for target molecules was isolated a priori. Then these cells were electrokinetically immobilized on gold electrodes using dielectrophoresis, thus allowing each sensor element to be electrically addressable. Flow cytometry and subsequent fluorescence analysis verified the highly specific capture and detection of target molecules by the bacteria. Finally, through the coexpression of peptide-based capture ligands on the cell surface and fluorescent protein in the cytoplasm, we demonstrate an effective means of directly linking the fluorescence intensity to the density of capture ligands.


In the 1990s and early 2000s, Rabinow turned to the study of emergent assemblages, which are rooted in the recent past and possess an uncertain future. The turn to assemblages therefore brings a distinctive temporality into view. Attending to this temporality, this essay examines Rabinow's interest in "the future" by proposing two observations. First, it argues that Rabinow's handling of the future is shaped by his thorough rejection of nostalgia. Second, it suggests that Rabinow's emphasis on the "near" future is a temporal counterpart to his more general interest in the semi-local and near-at-hand as ways of delimiting the scale of objects of inquiry. Together, these qualities give Rabinow's scholarship a provisional openness to things yet to come, and the sensitivity to grasp the filaments of a possible future.


The High-Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) on NOAA and MetOp A/B satellites has been observing the Earth continuously for over four decades, providing essential data for operational numerical weather prediction, retrieval of atmospheric vertical profile, and total column information on atmospheric temperature, moisture, water vapor, ozone, cloud climatology, and other geophysical parameters globally. Although the HIRS data meets the needs of the short-term weather forecast, there are inconsistencies when the long-term decadal time series is used for time series analysis. The discrepancies are caused by several factors, including spectral response differences between the HIRS models on the satellites and spectral response uncertainties and other calibration issues. Previous studies have demonstrated that significant improvements can be achieved by recalibrating some of the HIRS longwave CO2 channels (Channels 4, 5, 6, and 7), which has helped make the time series more consistent. The current study aims to extend the previous study to the remaining longwave infrared sounding channels, including Channels 1, 2, 3, and 8, using a similar approach. Similar to previous findings, the spectral shift of the HIRS bands has helped improve the consistency in the time series from NOAA-06 to MetOp-A and B for these channels. We also found that HIRS channels on MetOp-B also have bias relative to Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on the same satellite, especially Channel 4, and a spectral shift significantly reduced the bias. To bridge the observation gap in time series in the mid-1980s between NOAA-07 and NOAA-09, the global mean method has been used since no transfer radiometers between them was available for this period, and the spectral response function corrections, therefore, can be applied to the earliest satellites (NOAA-06) for these channels. The recalibration parameters have been provided to other scientists at the University of Wisconsin for improving the time series in their long-term studies using historical HIRS data and are now made available to the science community.


In the HCCI Engine, inhomogeneity in fuel distribution and temperature in the pre-mixture exists microscopically, and has the possibility of affecting the ignition and combustion process. In this study, the effect of charge inhomogeneity in fuel distribution on the HCCI combustion process was investigated. Two-dimensional images of the chemiluminescence were captured by using a framing camera with an optically accessible engine in order to understand the spatial distribution of the combustion. DME was used as a test fuel. By changing a device for mixing air and fuel in the intake manifold, inhomogeneity in fuel distribution in the pre-mixture was varied. The result shows that luminescence is observed in a very short time in a large part of the combustion chamber under the homogeneous condition, while luminescence appears locally with considerable time differences under the inhomogeneous condition. It is also shown that the local luminescence durations are almost the same in both conditions.


Although for some reasons the book of Esther is missing from among the biblical manuscripts of the Dead Sea Scrolls, it has a unique place in Judaism and Jewish theology and thought. A large number of exegetes, ballads, poems, essays, arts, etc. have been composed on it, in all times and places, alongside the Jewish history and culture. Esther expresses one of the worst fears of the Jewish people: fear for complete annihilation, which is also well documented in the Hebrew Bible as well as in some extra-biblical sources (e.g., "Israel Stele", Moabite Stone). Esther replies to that fear, and forwards the theological message that God never leaves Israel. He is the faithful God "who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments". Yet, the historical reality of the Jewish Diaspora shows differently. The article discusses, therefore, also this theology, history and us, as post-Sho'ah readers of Esther.


Abstract This paper advances a set of guiding ethical principles, which is of a heuristic nature and may prove useful to integrate and rearrange the process of dealing with ethical dilemmas in public administration. Naturally, administrative systems whether in western societies or in emergent administrative cultures of developing countries are often confronted with opposing values and ethical dilemmas concerning the shape, the conduct and the orientation of public services they deliver. The construct resulting from this analysis--namely the ALIR model of imperatives of ethical reasoning--facilitates the understanding of ethics and morality as an important factor in the shaping of the public administration by taking into consideration as cornerstones of administrative ethics the fundamental principles of democratic accountability, of the rule of law and the principle of legality, of professional integrity and autonomy, and of responsiveness to civil society. Introduction The new century seems to dawn with a renewed load of ethical and philosophical dilemmas which leave practitioners and academics of public administration alike in a predicament. Whereas in the beginning of the 20 th century there seemed to be only answers and convictions, at the beginning of the new century we are surrounded by new questions, uncertainties and doubts resulting from the overarching processes of the globalization of market economies and information technology as well as the localization of political conflict, authority systems and culture. A phenomenon termed the `institutionalisation of doubt' (Giddens, 1990) is then of wider significance. Naturally, these features of modernity do not contain themselves to civil society but they also affect the civil service and public administration in its various manifestations at the national and international level. Administrative systems in western societies as well as emergent administrative cultures in developing countries often experience and are confronted with a number of opposed values and ethical dilemmas concerning the shape, the conduct and the orientation of public services. As a result, the burden of conflicting values and divergent responsibilities leave the contemporary administrator in an ethical quandary and in a state of personal anxiety or angst. However, it is not hard to realize that to overcome such a state of systemic doubt is not simply a matter of personal integrity and professional qualification. Equally significant and even harder to sustain is a threshold of institutional awareness and receptivity of emerging demands, as well as an increased capacity to adequately respond to and effectively deal with these challenges. The Rise of the Ethical Question: Reasoning about Morals In the history of philosophy, ethics has not been among the earliest issues to be examined in a systematic manner, it has rather been among the latest. A similar trend can be observed in the history of administrative thought about moral standards of governance and administration. Whereas in philosophy the concern about nature--physics--preceded the concern about the inner world, in the evolution of administrative thinking the attention has gradually shifted from purely structural and functional aspects of organization and management to questions about leadership and motivation initially, and about proper conduct on the grounds of certain ethical and normative standards later. If ethics came after physics in philosophy, in administrative and organizational analysis ethical questions arose in the aftermath of earlier concerns with the specification of legitimate conduct on the basis of `external', so called, determinants. The focus of ethical analysis has shifted to the value aspects and normative dimensions of conduct, and how and to what extent are they internalized and respected by the individual civil servant in public institutions. It is worth noting that the decisive moment that marked the process of transition from physics to ethics in philosophy is related to Socrates--who is regarded the founder of moral philosophy--since ethics and the concern with the inner--and not the outer--world became his chief object of thought and inquiry in the 5 th century B. …


ABSTRACT Zheng, X.; Wang, X.; Luo, Z., and Guo, B., 2020. Camera imaging calibration optimization for stereo vision system of marine unmanned ship. In: Liu, X. and Zhao, L. (eds.), Today's Modern Coastal Society: Technical and Sociological Aspects of Coastal Research. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 111, pp. 288–292. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. As a depth perception technology, stereo vision is widely used in the intelligent operation of marine unmanned ships. Focusing on the camera imaging problem of the stereo vision system of marine unmanned ship, the causes of camera imaging distortion were analyzed and an improved adaptive genetic simulated annealing algorithm based on Sigmoid function is proposed to improve the accuracy of camera calibration. Experiments have shown that this method has higher accuracy and stronger robustness and can be used to optimize the stereo vision imaging system of marine unmanned ships.


The glycerol concentration of frozen‐thawed red cells must be less than 2 percent to prevent hemolysis upon transfusion. Three methods were investigated for monitoring the glycerol concentration of frozen‐thawed red cells prepared by the agglomeration technique. The supernatant osmolality and glycerol concentration were determined on 47 units of frozen‐thawed red cells prepared by agglomeration, and were found to be linearly related (r = 0.83, p < 0.001). The supernatant refractive index was determined on 29 of the same units. There also was a linear relationship between the refractive index and the glycerol concentration (r = 0.74, p < 0.001). The relationships were different from those previously reported for red cells prepared by other methods. The simulated transfusion test was done on red cells from three units whose glycerol concentration had been artificially elevated. The simulated transfusion test was found to be sensitive to glycerol concentrations above 2 percent. All three of the methods evaluated can be used to estimate the glycerol concentration of frozen‐thawed red cells prepared by the agglomeration technique.


We present a simplified theory using reduced-gravity equations for North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) and its variation driven by high-latitude deep-water formation. The theory approximates layer thickness on the eastern boundary with domain-averaged layer thickness and, in tandem with a mass conservation argument, retains fundamental physics for cross-equatorial flows on interannual and longer forcing time scales. Layer thickness anomalies are driven by a time-dependent northern boundary condition that imposes a southward volume flux representative of a variable source of NADW and damped by diapycnal mixing throughout the basin. Moreover, an outflowing southern boundary condition imposes a southward volume flux that generally differs from the volume flux at the northern boundary, giving rise to temporal storage of NADW within the Atlantic basin. Closed form analytic solutions for the amplitude and phase are provided when the variable source of NADW is sinusoidal. We provide a nondimensional analysis that demonstrates that solution behavior is primarily controlled by two parameters that characterize the meridional extent of the southern basin and the width of the basin relative to the equatorial deformation radius. Similar scaling applied to the time-lagged equations of Johnson and Marshall provides a clear connection to their results. Numerical simulations of reduced-gravity equations agree with analytic predictions in linear, turbulent, and diabatic regimes. The theory introduces a simple analytic framework for studying idealized buoyancy- and wind-driven cross-equatorial flows on interannual and longer time scales.


A 12.5-kb DNA fragment containing the entire human neurogranin gene (hng) was isolated from the genomic phage library using the human neurogranin (hNG) cDNA as a probe. The gene consists of four exons and three introns. The first two exons include the nucleotide sequence that encodes the complete 78-amino acid sequence of neurogranin. It is shown that the genome organization of hug is essentially similar to that of the homologous rat neurogranin gene (rng). The hng gene has several potential transcription start sites, and the promoter region is characterized by the absence of the CCAAT and TATA boxes in the proximal region upstream from the transcription start sites. The 5'-flanking region of hng has a domain with multiple AT-rich motifs, which is similar to the region present nearly at the same position in the promoter of rng. It was shown by fluorescence in situ hybridization that hng is located on chromosome 11 in the region 11q23.3-q24.1.


Questions: Does a reduced nutrient load in open water increase species richness and the importance of regional and local site characteristics for species abundance and spatial distribution? Can we build lake-specific models of macrophyte abundance and distribution based on site characteristics in order to prepare a cost-efficient framework for future surveys? Location: Lake Constance, 47°39' N, 9°18' E. Methods: Generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to predict the potential distributions of eight species and overall species richness. Submersed macrophyte distribution in 1993 was compared with corresponding data from 1978, when eutrophication was at its maximum. Results: Spatial predictions for eight species and overall species richness were relatively accurate and independent of water chemistry. Depth was confirmed as a main predictor of species distribution, while effective fetch distance was retained in many models. Mineralogical variables of sediment composition represent allogenic and autogenic sediment sources and their east-west gradient in Lake Constance corresponded to east-west gradients of species distribution and richness. GAMs appeared more efficient than generalized linear models (GLMs) for modelling species responses to environmental gradients. Conclusions: Reduced trophic status increases species richness and the importance of regional and local site characteristics for species abundance and distribution. Our models represent a spatio-temporal framework for future lake monitoring purposes and allow the development of effective monitoring; this could be generalized for many ecosystem types and would be particularly efficient for large lakes such as Lake Constance.


A total of 250 human serum samples were tested for rubella virus immunoglobulin G antibodies by two enzyme immunoassays (EIAs), one using whole rubella virus antigen and the other based on the use of synthetic peptide antigen. The samples were taken from 125 volunteers before and after their immunization with the RA 27/3 rubella vaccine. This study indicates that a synthetic peptide-based EIA can favorably replace current viral lysate-based EIAs to detect rubella virus antibodies following immunization. Because the synthetic peptide used in this newly developed EIA represents a putative neutralization epitope of the rubella virus, it could also be instrumental in determining rubella immune status and in assessing vaccine program efficiency.


Turner syndrome is a relatively common genetic condition resulting from absence of all or part of the second sex chromosome. Individuals with Turner syndrome commonly exhibit cardiovascular, endocrine, renal, reproductive, and/or psychosocial abnormalities, among other conditions. Most girls with Turner syndrome have hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and therefore need sex steroid hormonal replacement therapy. The optimal estrogen replacement treatment regimen to induce pubertal development is still being determined. The goals of the estrogen replacement are to mimic the normal physical and social development for timing and progression of puberty. Treatment should begin at 11–12 years of age, with dose increases every 6 months over a 2–3 year period. Initiation with low doses of estrogen is crucial to preserve growth potential. On the other hand, delaying estrogen replacement may be deleterious to bone and uterine health.


We have observed the clump G34.43+00.24 MM3 associated with an infrared dark cloud in DNC J = 3–2, HN13C J = 3–2, and N2H+ J = 3–2 with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The N2H+ emission is found to be relatively weak near the hot core and the outflows, and its distribution is clearly anti-correlated with the CS emission. This result indicates that a young outflow is interacting with cold ambient gas. The HN13C emission is compact and mostly emanates from the hot core, whereas the DNC emission is extended around the hot core. Thus, the DNC and HN13C emission traces warm regions near the protostar differently. The DNC emission is stronger than the HN13C emission toward most parts of this clump. The DNC/HNC abundance ratio averaged within a 15 ″ ?> × 15 ″ ?> area around the phase center is higher than 0.06. This ratio is much higher than the value obtained by the previous single-dish observations of DNC and HN13C J = 1–0 (∼0.003). It seems likely that the DNC and HNC emission observed with the single-dish telescope traces lower density envelopes, while that observed with ALMA traces higher density and highly deuterated regions. We have compared the observational results with chemical-model results in order to investigate the behavior of DNC and HNC in the dense cores. Taking these results into account, we suggest that the low DNC/HNC ratio in the high-mass sources obtained by the single-dish observations are at least partly due to the low filling factor of the high density regions.


Meditation is becoming increasingly popular in the West and research on its effects is growing. While studies point to various benefits of meditation on mental and physical health, reports of extreme mental states in the context of meditation have also been published. This study employed Foucauldian discourse analysis to examine how the experience of extreme mental states has been constructed in case reports and what kind of practices were employed to address them. The study analyses how extreme mental states associated with meditation are framed within the scientific literature and how such differential framings may affect the meaning making and help-seeking of persons experiencing these states. A systematic scientific literature search identified 22 case studies of extreme mental states experienced by practitioners of various types of meditation. The analysis suggests a discursive divide between two dominant framings: a biomedical discourse which constructs such experiences as psychiatric symptoms and an alternative discursive, which understands them as spiritual emergencies. Both approaches offered distinct therapeutic avenues. This divide maps onto the disciplinary divides within the mental health field more generally, which may obscure a better understanding of these experiences. However, the two discourses are not necessarily mutually exclusive and authors of three articles chose to blend them for their case reports. A supportive environment could help those experiencing extreme state integrate them into their lives. Our findings encourage collaboration between clinicians, therapists and spiritual teachers in order to make a range of approaches available.


A photocatalytic and sustainable production of vicinal diols from benzylic alcohols through the selective formation of a carbon–carbon bond is developed under visible light irradiation. Typically, a 92.2% conversion of benzyl alcohol with a 92.9% selectivity of hydrobenzoin is achieved using a heterogeneous modified ZnIn2S4 catalyst at room temperature. This smart catalyst can extend the life of the benzyl alcohol radical to more than 24 ns and avoid the generation of benzaldehyde in the reaction system due to its excellent ability of separating photogenerated carrier and inhibiting the recombination of electron–hole pairs.


Introduction: Wnt signaling in cells with mutationally-induced constitutive pathway activation promotes clonogenic growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The role of autocrine Wnt signals in colon cancer cells lacking a Wnt pathway activating mutation is less clear. Hypothesis: Extracellular Wnt inhibitors will reduce clonogenic growth and EMT in colon cancer cell lines lacking mutational Wnt pathway activation by inhibiting basal levels of autocrine Wnt signaling. Methods: Two cells lines were utilized: HCT116B is a colon cancer cell line in which an abnormal beta-catenin allele has been removed by homologous recombination; RKO is a colon cancer cell line with no known Wnt pathway activation. The Wnt inhibitors DKK1, which blocks canonical Wnt signals by interaction with LRP5 and sFRP1 which blocks both canonical and non-canonical Wnt signals were utilized and transfected into each cell line. Canonical Wnt throughput was measured with a luciferase based reporter construct, clonogenic growth by colony formation in soft agar and EMT by morphology. Results: Untransfected HCT116B, but not RKO expressed DKK1. Neither cell line expressed sFRP1. Both cell lines expressed significant quantities of DKK1 or sFRP1 after transfection. Canonical Wnt signaling was suppressed in RKO by both DKK1 and sFRP1 but only by DKK1 in HCT116B. DKK1 inhibited clonogenic growth in RKO but not in HCT116B, while sFRP1 inhibited it in both cell lines. EMT was clearly suppressed by these inhibitors in RKO; such an effect was less visible in HCT116B. Discussion: Colon cancer cells lacking mutational activation of the Wnt pathway are susceptible to the actions of extracellular Wnt inhibitors, presumably via inhibition of autocrine Wnt signals and canonical Wnt signaling. However, cells with basal expression of a canonical Wnt inhibitor such as DKK1 (HCT116B) rely preferentially on non-canonical pathways for clonogenic growth and EMT which can be blocked by global Wnt ligand antagonists such as sFRP1. The importance of autocrine Wnt signaling and contributions by non-canonical pathways to clonogenic growth and EMT has important implications for the development of Wnt-targeted therapeutic agents for colon cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-362. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-LB-362


On 34 rabbits we supported the trachea with endotracheal tubes of PVC or PTFE (Teflon). Results are discussed. To obtain satisfying results, it is necessary to use short, soft and inert tubes without sharp edges at the ends. The prostheses should be fixed in the trachea. Immobilisation of head and neck with a plaster-collar minimizes mechanical irritation.


Abstract Field experiments were conducted in 2017 and 2018 at two locations in Indiana to evaluate the influence of cover crop species, termination timing, and herbicide treatment on winter and summer annual weed suppression and corn yield. Cereal rye and canola cover crops were terminated early or late (2 wk before or after corn planting) with a glyphosate- or glufosinate-based herbicide program. Canola and cereal rye reduced total weed biomass collected at termination by up to 74% and 91%, in comparison to fallow, respectively. Canola reduced horseweed density by up to 56% at termination and 57% at POST application compared to fallow. Cereal rye reduced horseweed density by up to 59% at termination and 87% at POST application compared to fallow. Canola did not reduce giant ragweed density at termination in comparison to fallow. Cereal rye reduced giant ragweed density by up to 66% at termination and 62% at POST application. Termination timing had little to no effect on weed biomass and density reduction in comparison to the effect of cover crop species. Cereal rye reduced corn grain yield at both locations in comparison to fallow, especially for the late-termination timing. Corn grain yield reduction up to 49% (4,770 kg ha–1) was recorded for cereal rye terminated late in comparison to fallow terminated late. Canola did not reduce corn grain yield in comparison to fallow within termination timing; however, late-terminated canola reduced corn grain yield by up to 21% (2,980 kg ha–1) in comparison to early-terminated fallow. Cereal rye can suppress giant ragweed emergence, whereas canola is not as effective at suppressing large-seeded broadleaves such as giant ragweed. These results also indicate that early-terminated cover crops can often result in higher corn grain yields than late-terminated cover crops in an integrated weed management program. Nomenclature: Glufosinate; glyphosate; giant ragweed, Ambrosia trifida L; horseweed; Conyza canadensis L. Cronq.; canola, Brassica napus L; cereal rye, Secale cereale L; corn, Zea mays L


ABSTRACT To characterize Shigella clinical strains, we studied 82 Shigella strains recovered from 719 stool samples of patients with bloody diarrhea in Shiraz, Iran, over the period from April to October 2003. Serological assay classified the Shigella isolates as follows: 61 (74.39%) Shigella sonnei isolates, 16 (19.51%) Shigella flexneri isolates, 3 (3.65%) Shigella boydii isolates, and 2 (2.43%) Shigella dysenteriae isolates. In an antibiogram test, all Shigella strains were susceptible to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone. They showed high degrees of sensitivity to nalidixic acid, gentamicin, cephalothin, and amikacin. Approximately 90.24% of the Shigella isolates were resistant to co-trimoxazole. The plasmid profile patterns of all strains were determined by a modified alkaline lysis method. The average number of plasmid bands for each strain was 9.5. By plasmid profile analysis we identified 56 genotypes among all isolates and 42, 14, 3, and 2 genotypes among the S. sonnei, S. flexneri, S. boydii, and S. dysenteriae strains, respectively. PCR assays showed that all isolates were positive for two virulence genes, ipaBCD and ipaH. In conclusion, these data mandate local monitoring of drug resistance and its consideration in the empirical therapy of Shigella infections. These results also demonstrate that plasmid profile analysis is more reliable than antibiotic susceptibility pattern analysis for the identification of Shigella epidemic strains isolated in Iran.


Often in metastatic disease, biopsy confirmation of suspicious central nervous system (CNS) lesions is not mandated according to the American College of Radiology, International Radiosurgery Association, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. We present a case of an individual who was thought to have metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) T2aN0M1b with motor deficits and CNS metastasis to the left postcentral gyrus. The patient underwent biopsy of the primary lung mass confirming NSCLC. He subsequently underwent treatment with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for presumed CNS oligometastatic disease and palliative chemotherapy. Two months after SRS, the patient had progression of CNS disease with new motor deficits. A magnetic resonance imaging revealed and enlarging mass in the previously radiated area. The patient underwent craniotomy with tumor resection and a second primary CNS tumor was discovered. That patient was downstaged from a Stage IV to a Stage IIB lung cancer with concomitant CNS primary.


The inherent problem of a Darrieus wind turbine is its inability to self-start. Usually, a motor is used to provide angular acceleration until lift forces are produced in the airfoil blades or up until the turbine can already sustain its speed on its own. This paper describes a method of improving the self-starting of an H-type Darrieus vertcial axis wind turbine (VAWT) by incorporating a helical Savonius turbine thus utilizing a drag-lift combination. The effect of each turbine in the combination relative to each other is investigated by testing a prototype windmill consisting of three (3) NACA 0015 airfoil combined with a Savonius rotor with a helix angle of 180 degrees and whose swept area equals 30% of the entire turbine.


Oued Boufekrane is a river that takes its source about thirty kilometers southern the city of Meknes (central Morocco). The water of this river is used for the irrigation of agricultural soils and it also covers the needs of water for part of rural population. When passing through Meknes city, it is loaded by waste waters of urban and industrial origin and particularly from artisanal tanneries and potteries. The purpose of this study is to measure the heavy metal concentrations in soil, sediment and water samples along the Oued Boufekrane river by means of WD-XRF and ICP-AES. The heavy metals content measured revealed to be below the critical levels defined as risk levels except for Cu in water and sediment which content, in some sites, is close to these risk levels; for Cr in sediments, which content increase from up-to downstream of Meknes city and for Pb in soils, which concentrations revealed to be high in the vicinity of road axes.