RSPI Prof. Dr. Sulianti Saroso is a hospital that has received ratings blue for PROPER. The hospital is classified in the government hospitals with the classification of type B education. The average amount of harzardous and toxic waste generated as much as 80.55 kg / day with an average number of patient visits as many as 391 people / day. Based on the field observations that has done, the management of hazardous and toxic waste in this hospital has not managed well arcconding to Government Regulation No. 101 in 2014, Environment Minister Decision No.r 06 in 2013 and Health Minister Decision No. 1204 in 2004. The purpose of this study was to assess the management of hazardous and toxic waste to PROPER index in RSPI Prof. Dr. Sulianti Saroso. This research methodology used in this research was qualitative and quantitative approaches with cross sectional design. The population of this study was executing management of hazardous and toxic wastes by using total sampling technique. The results showed data types and volume hazardous and toxic waste management , reporting activity of hazardous and toxic waste management, license and validity period hazardous and toxic waste management, the implementation of permit conditions, the amount of waste managed hazardous and toxic, and hazardous and toxic waste management with third-party, Based on Health Minister Decision No. 1204 in 2004 lug process, transportation, storage and management of B3 waste management not eligible. Based on the results of this research hazardous and toxic waste come from 7 hospital primary care with various types of hazardous and toxic was syringes, plabot, scalpel, infusion hoses, catheters hoses, tissue and fluids body, the result of assessment hazardous and toxic waste management by 70% and PROPER ranking was blue.


Recently, RF energy transfer has been introduced as an alternative method for powering sensor nodes in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, RF energy transfer-based sensor networks have a problem of unfairness among sensor nodes due to the significant difference between their energy harvesting rates according to their positions. To overcome this problem, the energy adaptive MAC protocol, called EA-MAC, has been proposed in our previous work [1], which adaptively manages the duty cycle of sensor nodes according to the amount of their harvested energy as well as the contention time of sensor nodes considering fairness among them. However, [1] does not provide an analytical model to get the throughput and fairness of EA-MAC. In this paper, we provide an analytical model that can accurately evaluate the performance of EA-MAC and verify the validity of the model by comparing analytical results with simulation results.


Recent evidence suggests that the underlying mechanisms involved in beneficial adaptations to aerobic exercise, which promote health and increase endurance capacity, may be due to exercise-induced transient gene responses. In this review, an efficient exercise protocol to promote health and increase endurance capacity is discussed in relation to exercise-induced changes in gene expression. Exercise-induced transient gene responses, which are associated with adaptations to aerobic exercise, have been suggested to be induced by metabolic stress. Exercise to increase aerobic capacity and improve health should aim to increase the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), which is the key gene to enhance the function of mitochondria. Training at the lactate threshold is suggested to be the threshold intensity for inducing gene expression of PGC-1α. Analysis of training studies assessing the effect on V ・ O 2 max suggests that individuals with varied baseline V ・ O 2 max values obtain significant improvement in V ・ O 2 max at the lactate threshold. High-intensity interval training (HIT), which can induce gene expression of PGC-1α, may be as efficient and effective in increasing aerobic capacity as continuous exercise training, despite a substantial reduction in exercise volume. Exercise at times when muscle glycogen is low could be more effective at improving mitochondrial function. HIT consumes a large amount of muscle glycogen per unit of energy consumption, and studies suggest that longer recovery periods induce glycogen depletion with much lower amounts of exercise compared to continuous exercise. Exercise after HIT-induced glycogen depletion may be a beneficial exercise prescription for endurance capacity and health promotion.


Recent data indicates eco-sustainable tourism accounts for an increasing percentage of total worldwide tourism receipts. The economic influence, leveraged with the positive environmental implications associated with sustainability practices, has resulted in the emergence of eco-sustainability as an up and coming area of study. This study aims to examine whether tourists who employ eco-sustainable practices in their daily routines maintain these practices while traveling. This research will essentially bridge the gap between conflicting research which indicates a willingness to pay more, and studies which exhibit price sensitivity in relation to travelers' green tendencies. Furthermore, this study will help to ascertain whether tourists seek out environmentally-friendly properties, or whether these entities are viewed as simply a convenience while travelling. This research is unique in its approach, since it examines which traits consumers are looking for in a green hospitality business and whether these firms benefit financially from increased demand if environmentally conscious policies are adopted.


Given population and income growth, it is widely expected that the agricultural sector will have to expand the use of water for irrigation to meet rising food demand; at the same time, the competition for water resources is growing in many regions. As a response, it is increasingly recommended that efforts should focus on improving water productivity in agriculture, and significant public and private investments are being made with this goal in mind. Yet most public communications are vague on the meaning of agricultural water productivity, and on what should be done to improve it. They also tend to emphasize water as if it were the only input that mattered. This paper presents findings from a first attempt to survey the agricultural productivity and efficiency literature with regard to the explicit inclusion of water aspects in productivity and efficiency measurements, with the aim of contributing to the discussion on how to assess and possibly improve agricultural water productivity. The focus is on studies applying single-factor productivity measures, total factor productivity indices, frontier models, and deductive models that incorporate water. A key finding is that most studies either incorporate field- and basin-level aspects but focus only on a single input (water), or they apply a multi-factor approach but do not tackle the basin level. It seems that no study on agricultural water productivity has yet presented an approach that accounts for multiple inputs and basin-level issues. However, deductive methods do provide the flexibility to overcome many of the limitations of the other methods.


Room temperature sodium–sulfur (RT Na–S) batteries have distinct advantages over other next generation batteries because of their use of abundant and inexpensive resources with high theoretical capacities of 1166 and 1675 mA h g−1, namely for sodium and sulfur. However, problematic side reactions, called the shuttle effect, lead to low coulombic efficiency during cycling. Here, we propose a new strategy to fundamentally suppress the shuttle phenomenon by combining two widely used concepts, covalent bonds and physical confinement, through the preparation of a PIM-1-based carbon–sulfur composite. This sulfur–carbon material was prepared through one-step heat treatment of a mixture of sulfur and PIM-1. The resulting sulfur–carbon composites have characteristics of both ∼0.5 nm-sized ultra-micropores and covalent bonding in a single material, which fundamentally obstruct the dissolution of polysulfide into the electrolyte. This strategy led to long cycling stability over 250 cycles, with a capacity of 556 mA h gs−1 and a coulombic efficiency of approximately 100%.


Differential evolution (DE) is a population based evolutionary algorithm widely used for solving multidimensional global optimization problems over continuous spaces. However, the design of its operators makes it unsuitable for many real-life constrained combinatorial optimization problems which operate on binary space. On the other hand, the quantum inspired evolutionary algorithm (QEA) is very well suitable for handling such problems by applying several quantum computing techniques such as Q-bit representation and rotation gate operator, etc. This paper extends the concept of differential operators with adaptive parameter control to the quantum paradigm and proposes the adaptive quantum-inspired differential evolution algorithm (AQDE). The performance of AQDE is found to be significantly superior as compared to QEA and a discrete version of DE on the standard 0–1 knapsack problem for all the considered test cases.


Successful clinical application of taxanes (microtubule-stabilizers) is limited due to intrinsic or acquired drug resistance. Thus, it is critical to unveil the molecular mechanisms of taxane resistance to significantly improve clinical outcomes. Retrospective analysis of the TAX-325 gastric cancer (GC) trial revealed that the addition of docetaxel (DTX) to cisplatin/fluorouracil increased progression-free plus overall survival, in intestinal (INT) but not in diffuse (DIF) GC subtypes. Our preclinical data confirmed that DIF GC cell lines are intrinsically resistant to taxanes. The incidence of DTX resistance in DIF GC cell lines was 2.5 times higher than INT GC cell lines. Drug efflux, tubulin posttranslational modification and differential β-tubulin isotype expression were ruled out as potential mechanisms of intrinsic taxane resistance. Thus, a new molecular mechanism must underlie the intrinsic taxane resistance in DIF GC. To quantify the kinetics of taxol binding to cellular MTs, we treated both DIF and INT groups of GC lines with the fluorescein-conjugated paclitaxel analog, Flutax-2. The Flutax-2 staining intensity of cellular MTs was assessed by live-cell confocal microscopy at different time points. Following a 3h incubation, there was less than 20% decrease in Flutax-2 intensity in the sensitive cell lines, compared to 59∼89% decrease in the resistant cell lines. These data suggested different binding kinetics between sensitive and resistant cells. We added 1μM Flutax-2 to sensitive/resistant cells' native cytoskeletons for 0∼60 seconds to determine the association rate (k on ) of Flutax-2 binding to MTs. The k on of Flutax-2 in the sensitive cell lines was significantly higher in sensitive (5.8×10 4 M −1 s −1 ) versus resistant cells (0.3∼2.6×10 4 M −1 s −1 ). Next, we measured the dissociation rates (k off ) by competing the pre-bound Flutax-2 with DTX (0∼600 seconds). Although 20∼40% faster k off was observed in resistant cells, it appeared that the association rate of Flutax-2 was the dominant factor of differential taxane binding to MTs in GC cells. The binding mode of taxanes to MTs involves 1) binding to MT pores and 2) internalization to the high-affinity binding site at the MT lumen. To differentiate between the two, we used hexaflutax, which binds exclusively to the MT pores. We observed hexaflutax decorating radial MT arrays in sensitive but not in the resistant cells. As tubulin mutations around the high-affinity taxane binding site or tubulin posttranslational modifications/differential expression of β-tubulin isotype is not the case in DIF GC cell lines, our data suggest that modifications of the MT pore conformation or occlusion of the pore site is responsible for the intrinsic taxane resistance in DIF GC. Determining the origin of the defect at the pores will help design better MT-stabilizing drugs to overcome chemo-resistance, the major obstacle hindering overall survival of patients. Citation Format: Katsuhiro Kita, Giuseppe Galletti, Kyle Cleveland, Chao Zhang, Isabel Barasoain, J. Fernando Diaz, Doron Betel, Manish A. Shah, Paraskevi Giannakakou. Impaired taxane binding to MT pore sites mediates intrinsic drug resistance in diffuse gastric cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2932.


Introduction: Pancytopenia is a common hematological problem characterized by anemia, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia. It is a striking feature of many serious and life threatening illnesses. The disease pattern varies in different population groups, in age pattern, nutritional status and prevalence of infective disorder. Present study was conducted to assess the etiology, clinical profile and bone marrow morphology of pancytopenia. Objectives: 1. To study the clinical presentations and hematological parameters in patients with pancytopenia. 2. To study the morphological pattern in bone marrow in patients with pancytopenia. Materials and Methods: A two year study was conducted in department of Pathology, Sri Devaraj Urs medical college, Kolar, Karnataka. Total 70 pancytopenia patients were studied to determine their presenting symptoms and signs, peripheral blood smear study and bone marrow morphology. Results: Bone marrow study showed 48.5% hypercellular marrow, 32.8% normocellular and 18.7% hypocellular marrow. Females (55.7%) were affected more than males (44.2%) and the commonest cause for pancytopenia was megaloblastic anemia (51.4%), followed by iron deficiency anemia (37.1%), viral infections (4.2%), leukemia (1.4%), MDS (2.8%), pure red cell aplasia (1.4%), hereditary elliptocytosis (1.4%). Conclusion: Large number of patients with pancytopenia had reversible etiology. Hence complete work up including clinical details with hematological examination along with bone marrow study will lead to early and proper diagnosis of case followed by proper treatment.


Many real problems dealing with qualitative aspects use linguistic approaches to assess such aspects. In most of these problems, a uniform and symmetrical distribution of the linguistic term sets for linguistic modeling is assumed. However, there exist problems whose assessments need to be represented by means of unbalanced linguistic term sets, i.e., using term sets that are not uniformly and symmetrically distributed. The use of linguistic variables implies processes of computing with words (CW). Different computational approaches can be found in the literature to accomplish those processes. The 2-tuple fuzzy linguistic representation introduces a computational model that allows the possibility of dealing with linguistic terms in a precise way whenever the linguistic term set is uniformly and symmetrically distributed. In this paper, we present a fuzzy linguistic methodology in order to deal with unbalanced linguistic term sets. To do so, we first develop a representation model for unbalanced linguistic information that uses the concept of linguistic hierarchy as representation basis and afterwards an unbalanced linguistic computational model that uses the 2-tuple fuzzy linguistic computational model to accomplish processes of CW with unbalanced term sets in a precise way and without loss of information.


Large notch damage usually consists of failed or completely severed stiffeners or spars, or chord with failed or completely severed attached skin or web. Large notch damage results from unknown damage sources so the damage event is immediately obvious to the flight crew. The airplane must be capable of successfully completing a flight with such damage. The determinate accidental damage event is to ensure a balanced design approach in which the damage size in linked to the structural configuration. The criterion that is generally used, called the "two bay crack criterion," states that the damage tolerant composite structure should sustain the regulatory loads with damage in skin like sharp slit or notch which extends two adjacent bays with severed center stiffener. For this damage state, any structural design must demonstrate the residual strength load capability not less than as defined in the regulations. In order to reduce costs and product lead-time, Virtual Testing (VT) can be used to reduce the scale of
physical testing necessary for structures development and certification. Virtual Testing involves an accurate simulation of physical tests using multi-scale Progressive Failure Analysis. In this paper residual strength evaluation for composite structures with large notch damage using MSC.Nastran SOL 700 advanced composite based on AlphaSTAR GENOA Software has been investigated. Accurate prediction of failure of all structural aerospace component is crucial in order to achieve the goal of weight minimization, material savings and improved performances. MSC software provides a very convenient solution to perform complex analyses of the aerospace structure as well as for nonlinear analysis including materials and large deformations and strains. Using this tool we are able to optimize configuration and complete the design in less time than have been
required using traditional design methods. In this paper an example will be shown, comparing a virtual and real testing of an aerospace composite stiffened reinforced panel.


This study examined the college entrance examination scores of music and nonmusic students in the United States, drawing data from the restricted-use data set of the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS), a nationally representative education study (N  = 15,630) conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics. Analyses of high school transcript data from ELS showed that 1.127 million students (36.38% of the U.S. class of 2004) graduated high school having earned at least one course credit in music. Fixed-effects regression procedures were used to compare standardized test scores of these music students to their non-music peers while controlling for variables from the domains of demography, prior academic achievement, time use, and attitudes toward school. Results indicated that music students did not outperform non-music students on the SAT once these systematic differences had been statistically controlled. The obtained pattern of results remained consistent and robust through internal replications with another standardized math test and when disaggregating music students by type of music studied.


Abstract Objectives This study aimed to review loneliness interventions for older adults living in long-term care (LTC) facilities over the past 10 years, to categorize interventions by type, and to compare effectiveness of loneliness interventions in these settings. Methods Systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines. Articles matching search criteria were collected from PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science from 2009 to 2019. The inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) English language, 2) intervention studies with a quantitative measure that compares pre-trial to post-trial changes, 3) loneliness as a primary or secondary outcome 4) subjects age >65, and 5) subjects living in a LTC facility, such as a nursing home, assisted-living, or hospice. Results A total of 15 intervention studies qualified for systematic review. Most of these interventions were psychological therapies and leisure/skill development interventions. Approximately, 87% of studies reported significant decreases in loneliness following intervention. Laughter therapy, horticultural therapy, and reminiscence therapy were associated with the greatest decreases in loneliness. Discussion Results suggest that, although less common than interventions in the community, there are several effective interventions to reduce loneliness among older adults living in LTC facilities. Lack of standardized measures and high-quality studies limits comparisons between intervention types and generalizability to different populations.


We present the mathematical analysis of generalized complex contagions in a class of clustered multiplex networks. The model is intended to understand spread of influence, or any other spreading process implying a threshold dynamics, in setups of interconnected networks with significant clustering. The contagion is assumed to be general enough to account for a content-dependent linear threshold model, where each link type has a different weight (for spreading influence) that may depend on the content (e.g., product, rumor, political view) that is being spread. Using the generating functions formalism, we determine the conditions, probability, and expected size of the emergent global cascades. This analysis provides a generalization of previous approaches and is especially useful in problems related to spreading and percolation. The results present nontrivial dependencies between the clustering coefficient of the networks and its average degree. In particular, several phase transitions are shown to occur depending on these descriptors. Generally speaking, our findings reveal that increasing clustering decreases the probability of having global cascades and their size, however, this tendency changes with the average degree. There exists a certain average degree from which on clustering favors the probability and size of the contagion. By comparing the dynamics of complex contagions over multiplex networks and their monoplex projections, we demonstrate that ignoring link types and aggregating network layers may lead to inaccurate conclusions about contagion dynamics, particularly when the correlation of degrees between layers is high.


Background Cervical infectious spondylodiscitis (ISPD) are rare; they represent 3-15% of spinal sites infections. Objectives We aim to report epidemiological, clinical and radiological features of cervical (ISPD) and to determine their management and their outcome. Methods We retrospectively reviewed records of all patients hospitalized for (ISPD) over a period of 13 years [1999-2012] and then we selected those who had cervical location. Results One hundred and three patients were hospitalized for ISPD during the period of 13 years, ten of them (9.7%) had cervical localization. There were six men and four woman with a mean age of 50.4 years [31-79]. Predisposing factor was found in 2 cases: diabetes mellitus. The mean time to diagnosis was 3,3 months and half. All patients complained of inflammatory neck pain. Three patients had radicular pain that was bilateral in 2 cases and unilateral in 1 case. Impaired general condition was reported in four cases and night sweats in 5 cases. On examination, the cervical spine was stiff in all cases. Retro-auricular fistulization was noted in 1 case. Fever was found in 3 patients. Neurological examination found signs of pyramidal irritation in 4 patients. One patient had rapidly developed paraplegia and another patient developed tetraplegia. Elevated inflammation parameters were found in 9 cases. The spinal MRI was performed in all cases, it confirmed the diagnosis of ISPD and showed the presence of paravertebral abscess (5 cases), epiduritis (5 cases), epidural spinal cord compression (2 cases) and intradural extension (1 case). C1-C2 level was involved in 2 cases. Concomitant localization in dorsal level (1 case) and in lumbar level (1 case) were seen. Discovertebral biopsy was necessary and succefully performed in 6 cases. Tuberculosis was the etiology in 7 cases. Diagnosis was made according to histological signs in 3 patients and to presumptive criteria in the 4 remaining cases. Brucellosis was the cause in 1 case. Pyogenic origin was retained in 2 cases, Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in blood cultures in 1 case. All patients received appropriate antibiotic treatment and had spinal immobilization. Three patients required surgical intervention. It was drainage of paravertebral abscess in 2 cases and decompression of the spinal cord by laminectomy in 1 case. One patient died after surgery. The outcome was favorable in all other patients. Conclusions Cervical ISPD have a high risk of neurological complications. MRI allows lesions assessment. Quick management is mandatory to provide complications. Because of the location, cervical spondylodiscitis can represent a challenge in diagnostic and even in surgical treatment. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


It has been suggested that the two acidic regions around residue 70 and residue 170 in yeast cytochrome c1, a subunit of ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase (complex III), interact with cytochrome c in the electron transfer reaction and that the QCR6 protein, the acidic subunit of yeast complex III, enhances this interaction. In order to determine the roles of the acidic regions of cytochrome c1 more precisely, we introduced several mutations in the two acidic regions and examined their effects on the ability of modified cytochrome c1 to complement the respiration deficiency of yeast cells lacking only cytochrome c1 or both cytochrome c1 and the QCR6 protein. The mutant cytochrome c1 with the deletion of the first acidic region (delta 68-80) was still functional in the cytochrome c1-deficient strain. Mutant cytochrome c1 with the deletion of the second acidic region (delta 168-179) caused a decrease in the complementing ability, but this is probably due to failure in its proteolytic maturation and/or correct assembly into complex III. Mutant cytochrome c1 with altered charge distribution in the acidic regions (Asp170Asp171-->Asn170Asn171 or Asp170Asp171-->Asn170Lys171) made the cytochrome c1-deficient cells respiration-competent. On the other hand, mutant cytochrome c1 with the deletion of the first acidic region (delta 68-80) or altered charge distribution in the second region (Asp170Asp171-->Asn170Lys171) did not restore the respiration deficiency of the cells lacking not only cytochrome c1 but also the QCR6 protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The extensive and growing road network in the United States has substantial ecological, economic, and social impacts. Under- and overpasses in combination with fencing can reduce ecological impacts of the expanding road network. In urban areas, however, wildlife can trap themselves inside fenced roadways by entering via access roads. Wildlife-exclusion guards can ameliorate this problem but must be safe for pedestrians and cyclists. For the endangered Florida Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium), nearly 50% of mortality is attributed to deer-vehicle collisions. An underpass, fencing, and exclusion-grate system was chosen by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to address this problem. Traditional exclusion guards were deemed unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists, so we evaluated 3 types of bridge grating for deer-exclusion efficiency. All grates were 6.1 m x 6.1 m; only the openings differed: 1) 10.1 x 12.7-cm rectangular opening, diagonal cross member, 2) 7.6 x 10.1-cm rectangular opening, no diagonal cross member, 3) 10.1 x 7.6-cm rectangular opening, no diagonal cross member. Grate 1 was 99.5% efficient for Key deer exclusion, while grates 2 and 3 were 75% efficient. Grate 1 also may be the safest for pedestrians and cyclists since it has the smallest opening size. It should be an effective tool for reducing economic and social costs associated with deer-vehicle collisions on urban highways.


Summary
An assay system for fusion activity of envelope particles of Sendai virus, reassembled from NP40-solubilized envelopes, was established and conditions for the artificial assembly of NP40-solubilized Sendai virus envelope particles with haemolytic and fusion activities were investigated. Large (GP1) and small (GP2) glycoproteins and lipids seemed to be required for the expression of haemolytic and fusion activities of envelope particles. Potential haemolysin activity was associated with GP2. A relatively high proportion of GP1 was required for formation of envelope particles with a high fusion activity.
When the top lipid fraction (Hosaka & Shimizu, 1972a) was used for reassembly, the envelope particles usually exhibited both fusion and haemolytic activities but the optimal concentrations of the lipid for the two activities were different. An unidentified factor extractable with NP40 seemed to be necessary for fusion activity but not for haemolytic activity.


The Salmonid Symposium was organized by an ad hoc committee of state and federal fishery biologists concerned with the management of Central Valley salmon and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus spp.) populations and their habitats. It was held at Bodega Bay, California on October 22–24, 1997. Topics covered included research on various Central Valley salmon and steelhead populations, ocean fishery management, history of upper Sacramento River hatchery operations, and steelhead management policy.


Usually when we have to deal with an analysis of a particular data set, we often choose a statistical procedure on the reference of the analysis. Now if in this analysis the parametric assumptions are fulfilled we will prefer F test for the two sample scale problem. But if the behaviour of the data set does not fulfil these assumptions then we have to focus on some other tests. In this paper it is tried to throw light on the use of Adaptive tests on the context of this problem. This paper comprises of power comparison between F test, some traditional NonParametric tests and proposed Adaptive tests. Under the experiment equal and unequal sample sizes are taken considering different alternatives. This is done by the use of Monte Carlo simulation technique. At the end of the experiment, inspite of many limitations, some satisfactory results are obtained. All those results are displayed in tabular and graphical form.


Partial least squares or projection to latent structures (PLS) has been used in multivariate statistical process monitoring similar to principal component analysis. Standard PLS often requires many components or latent variables (LVs), which contain variations orthogonal to Y and useless for predicting Y. Further, the X-residual of PLS usually has quite large variations, thus is not proper to monitor with the Q-statistic. To reduce false alarm and missing alarm rates of faults related to Y, a total projection to latent structures (T-PLS) algorithm is proposed in this article. The new structure divides the X-space into four parts instead of two parts in standard PLS. The properties of T-PLS are studied in detail, including its relationship to the orthogonal PLS. Further study shows the space decomposition on X-space induced by T-PLS. Fault detection policy is developed based on the T-PLS. Case studies on two simulation dectection policy is developed based on the T-PLS. Case studies on two simulation examples show the effectiveness of the T-PLS based fault detection methods.


Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most devastating forms of dementia, without reliable treatments to cure, delay the onset, or prevent the disease progression. The proposed toxic mechanisms of AD include amyloidogenesis of amyloid β (Aβ), metal ion dyshomeostasis, redox active metal-Aβ inclusion complex formation, and generation of excessive reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS). The imbalance in redox homeostasis causes oxidative stress, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation, which collectively become a major hurdle in the development of effective therapeutic agents for multifactorial AD. This necessitates a multifunctional strategy to develop effective therapeutic agents to inhibit multifaceted toxicity. In this context, we report a rational design, synthesis, and detailed study to identify a small molecule multifunctional modulator (MFM) inspired by the human origin tripeptide. The lead, MFM 4, chelates and sequesters metal ions, disrupts their redox cycles, prevents excessive ROS production and oxidative stress, ameliorates oxidative DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction, and modulates Nrf2 protein signaling under oxidative stress conditions by eliminating the toxic stress elements. The MFM 4 was found to inhibit metal-dependent and -independent Aβ aggregation and qualified as a suitable candidate to inhibit Aβ-induced neuronal toxicity. The NMR spectroscopy study revealed molecular-level interactions of 4 with Aβ42, which explain the mechanism of aggregation inhibition. Furthermore, 4 effectively inhibited inflammation as revealed by reduction in nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-activated glial cells. These key features make 4 a potential MFM platform to develop therapeutic agents for metal (Cu, Zn and Fe)-dependent and -independent multifaceted Aβ toxicity of AD.


The environmental issues addressed in this analysis concern three aspects of the project: 1) the effects of a modest expansion of the present sewerage system; 2) the means for disposing of sewage from the sewer network in the central business district of the city; and 3) the impacts of remedial works to improve the stormwater drainage system. The potential for improvements to the nonwaterborne sanitation facilities in the city are also discussed. The EIA concludes that the long term impacts of the sanitary and drainage works will provide significant environmental improvements, particularly in terms of public health and flood relief, within an urban area which has seen a rapid expansion of population and a marked decline in the quality of its infrastructure in recent years. However, during the construction of the works there will be adverse short term impacts, many of which can be mitigated by appropriate measures and the adoption of best practice construction procedures.


A smoothing finite impulse response (FIR) filter is addressed for discrete time-invariant state-space polynomial models commonly used to model signals over finite data. A general gain is derived for the relevant p-lag unbiased smoothing FIR filter. An application is given for the time interval errors of local slave clocks of digital communications networks. An excellent performance of the best unbiased fit is demonstrated along with its ability to extrapolate linearly the clock behaviors for holdover required by the IEEE Standards.


A case of metronidazole- and albendazole-resistant giardiasis in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was successfully treated with nitazoxanide (1.5 g twice a day for 30 days). Animal studies and in vitro assays showed that the isolate was resistant to both metronidazole and albendazole and susceptible to nitazoxanide.


Abstract (Received February 28, 2000; revised March 24, 2000) The lattice model of elongated molecules interacting via a potential derived from the Gay-Berne pair potential is proposed. We made a systematic study of the effect of varying the molecular elongation and intermolecular vector orientation dependence of the pair potential on the thermodynamic as well as the structural properties of liquid crystals. A Monte Carlo simulations of molecules placed at the site of a simple cubic lattice and interacting via the modified Gay-Berne potential with its nearest neighbours is performed. The internal energy, heat capacity, angular pair correlation function and scalar order parameter are obtained. The results are compared against predictions of molecular field theory, experimental results and that of other related simulations wherever possible. It is shown that for more elongated molecules the nematic-isotropic transition becomes stronger first order transition. For a given molecular elongation as the intermolecular vector orientation dependence becomes larger the nematic-isotropic transition becomes a stronger first order transition as measured by the rate of change of the order parameter and the divergence of the heat capacity. Scaling the potential well seems to have dramatic change on the effect of the potential well anisotropy on trends of nematic-isotropic transition temperature and divergence of the heat capacity. It is shown that the behaviour of many nematics can be described by proposed model with the elongation ratio of molecules and potential well anisotropy ranging from 3 to 5. Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2000 , 14(1), 69-90 Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia. ISSN: 1011-3924


Plasma β dependence of electromagnetic turbulent transport is investigated by means of gyrokinetic simulations with self-consistent change of the equilibrium magnetic field. It is found that energy transport due to ion-temperature-gradient (ITG) driven turbulence does not decrease with increasing β; that is, the ion energy diffusivity does not decrease, and the electron energy diffusivity increases with β. This is because magnetic fluctuations are significantly influenced by the background magnetic field structure change with β by the Pfirsch-Schluter current. The magnetic field change weakens the suppression effect of magnetic perturbations on the growth of the ITG mode, and it also suppresses nonlinear zonal flow production. The influence of the magnetic field change is significant as the global magnetic shear increases.


UNLABELLED
The goal of the article is to emphasize the fact that adverse drug effects which are manifested in the oral cavity are exhibited in two ways. This may occur either after a direct application of the preparation used in dental practice, or due to the application of the drug for nondental purpose. That is why the adverse effects of medicines prescribed by various clinical specialists should be considered by stomatologists in their own clinical practice. Examples are reported of some serious drug adverse effects manifested on the oral mucous membrane and gum. Attention is paid to the classes which reveal adverse reactions after applications as local anaesthetics, corticosteroids and others.

KEY WORDS
oral adverse drug reactions local anaesthetics corticosteroids.


Fanconi anaemia (FA) is a multigenic chromosomal (chr) instability syndrome characterized by a wide array of congenital defects and early predisposition to bone marrow (BM) failure and solid tumors. Most frequent hematologic complications are aplastic anemia (AA) or myelodysplasia (MDS) with a high AML transformation rate. Genomic instability resulting from impaired DNA crosslink repair in FA may lead to unbalanced chr aberrations that can be detected in clonally expanding BM stem cells. Most frequent abnormalities include gain1q, del 7 and gain3q, the latter two are associated with a poor prognosis. Due to low resolution of metaphase cytogenetics (MC) and its dependence upon in-vitro cell growth, detection of chr lesions is often limited or non-informative. High-density SNP arrays (SNPA) can be used for a very precise identification of unbalanced genomic lesions and copy-neutral LOH. We hypothesize that using SNPA previously cryptic clonal genomic aberrations can be detected in some FA patients and their characterization may help predict propensity to transformation and point towards pathogenetic lesions. We applied Affymetrix 250K SNP-A to investigate patients with FA (N=21: 15 FANCA, 4 FANCG and 2 FANCC; avg age: 12y) and as controls healthy BM transplant donors (n=50). For comparison, non-FA patients with AA (n=68), MDS (n=98) and secondary AML (n=30) were analyzed. Lesions spanning more than 100 SNPs were defined as significant. Copy number polymorphisms detected in controls and public data bases were not considered pathologic. Globally, MC was abnormal in 48% of FA patients while SNP-karyotyping revealed chr lesions in 85% of patients. The additional lesions detected by SNPA included monosomy 7, deletions (1,5,6,11,12,22,18,20) and gains (1,3,4,21). For most FA patients comparative genomic hybridization and FISH were performed and confirmed genomic gains and losses detected by SNPA. In addition, using SNPA, copy number-neutral LOH, segmental uniparental disomy (UPD) was identified in 43% of FA patients on various chr (2,3,4,6,8,9,11,13,16,18). By comparison tin AA, MDS and AML, UPD was present in 31%, 21% and 23%, respectively. Next, patients with known recurrent defects were analyzed with regard to the presence of additional UPD, which was detected in 50% of patients with gain on chr.3q vs. in 38% of patients without gain3q, 50% of patients with vs. 36% without gain1q, and in 42% of patients with vs. 28% without del 7, respectively. On 3 FA patients with advanced MDS (RAEBt; n=2) and AA (n=1) SNPA was performed on archived samples collected prior to progression into AML. In all these patients clonal chr aberrations were detected, including various previously cryptic lesions (gain4q, gain21q, UPD on 8q and 9p). Our study represents the first application of high-density SNPA for karyotyping of patients with FA and demonstrates that this method may uncover cryptic clonal chr lesions, including copy number neutral LOH due to UPD. This type of lesion is a novel finding in FA. Further studies are required to determine the functional significance of these lesions and their correlation with leukemia or solid tumors.


This paper presents a comparative analysis of three algorithms namely K-means, Particle swarm Optimization (PSO) and Self-Organizing PSO (SOPSO) for image clustering problems. The traditional K-means algorithm found to be trapped in local minima. However, PSO and SOPSO overcome the problem of local minima and provide better results. In this work gbest model is used in PSO and both West and gbest models are used in SOPSO based on self-Organizing rules. It is shown that PSO and SOPSO produce better results compared to K-means with respect to the quantization error, inter- and intra-cluster distances.


Current heuristic estimators for classical domain-independent planning are usually based on one of four ideas: delete relaxations, critical paths, abstractions, and, most recently, landmarks. Previously, these different ideas for deriving heuristic functions were largely unconnected.We prove that admissible heuristics based on these ideas are in fact very closely related. Exploiting this relationship, we introduce a new admissible heuristic called the landmark cut heuristic, which compares favourably with the state of the art in terms of heuristic accuracy and overall performance.


The opinions of second language learning (L2) theorists and researchers are divided over whether to use authentic or simplified reading texts as the means of input for beginning- and intermediate-level L2 learners. Advocates of both approaches cite the use of linguistic features, syntax, and discourse structures as important elements in support of their arguments, but there has been no conclusive study that measures these differences and their implications for L2 learning. The purpose of this article is to provide an exploratory study that fills this gap. Using the computational tool Coh-Metrix, this study investigates the differences between the linguistic structures of sampled simplified texts and those of authentic reading texts in order to provide a better understanding of the linguistic features that comprise these text types. The findings demonstrate that these texts differ significantly, but not always in the manner supposed by the authors of relevant scholarship. This research is meant to enable material developers, publishers, and classroom teachers to judge more accurately the value of both authentic and simplified texts.


Prevalence of medical disorders was determined for 10,758 consecutive admissions for inpatient alcoholism treatment to 13 hospitals located in eight states of the United States. The majority of patients (approximately 70% of the men and 73% of the women) had a significant medical problem other than alcoholism. The most prevalent disorders were diseases of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas; bronchitis; emphysema; and asthma. Hypertensive disease was found in 15% of the men and 7% of the women. Psychiatric disorders associated with alcoholism were neuroses, personality disorders and other nonpsychotic states. Less than 10% of all patients were referred by physicians; more than 90% had not been previously diagnosed or treated for medical or psychiatric disorders associated with alcoholism. The high prevalence of medical disorders indicates that inpatient treatment of alcoholism should be undertaken in facilities that have expertise and resources for concurrent treatment of serious medical illness.


Abstract There has been increasing interest in investigating the role of glycation as an atherogenic modification of lipoproteins; especially after the failure of antioxidant therapy to suppress the incidence of atherogenic cardiovascular diseases in high-risk individuals. Glycation of lipoproteins impairs their function. In the case of LDL, it also leads to rapid scavenger-receptor uptake by monocyte/macrophages. Glycation also diminishes the antiatherogenic properties of HDL. The concentration of circulating glycated LDL, even in nondiabetics, is higher than that of oxidatively modified LDL. Glycated small dense LDL is significantly higher in nondiabetic individuals as well as in Type 2 diabetic patients. Lowering the level of small dense LDL by using statins lowers glycated LDL in Type 2 diabetic patients. This may be one of the reasons for their effect in decreasing cardiovascular risk in these patients. Treatments that prevent glycation of lipoproteins may prevent atherosclerosis and other diabetic complications.


The present study was undertaken to elucidate the absorption and distribution characteristics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) after its application to the liver surface in rats to examine the possibility of reducing the systemic side effects of this agent. 5-FU was applied to the surface of the liver by employing a cylindrical diffusion cell. Approximately 69% of the dose was absorbed in 360 min. The time course of the change in the amount of 5-FU remaining in the diffusion cell obeyed first-order kinetics. Also, a linear relationship was observed between the apparent permeability coefficient, P app, and the reciprocal of the square root of the molecular weight of several compounds including 5-FU. The estimated P app value of 5-FU was in good agreement with the experimental value. The plasma concentration of 5-FU was low (<1.2 microg/ml) until 360 min after the application. Following i.v. administration, 5-FU was rapidly eliminated from the plasma and could not be detected at 120 min. In the analysis of tissue distribution, the liver was divided into three sites; the region under the diffusion cell attachment site (site 1), the treated lobe excluding site 1 (site 2), and untreated lobes (site 3). After being administered i.v., 5-FU mainly distributed in the kidney, and the concentration in the liver was significantly lower than that in kidney, spleen, or heart. After its application to the liver surface, however, 5-FU preferentially distributed at site 1, and was not detected at the other sites or in other tissues. Thus, these results suggested the possibility of a reduction in the systemic side effect of 5-FU on its application to the liver surface.


New techniques for acquiring the codes used in frequency hopping (FH), hybrid frequency hopping/time hopping (FH/TH), and frequency hopping/direct sequence (FH/DS) spread-spectrum systems are presented. Autoregressive spectral estimation is employed to recover the FH code, quadrature processing is used for the DS code, while the TH gating code is recovered by a simple threshold test used in conjunction with the adaptive filter used for the spectral estimation. A wide margin of spectral estimation errors can be tolerated since an acquisition logic is used to estimate the FH code phase. The proposed techniques require acquisition times only of the order of the shift-register generator lengths, whereas other schemes of serial and parallel search require acquisition times of the order of the code lengths. Detailed simulation results will identify the working carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) range for the different techniques presented as well as the various thresholds involved.


In this work we explore the link between export and import products quality and the level of income of destination and source countries. As proxy to quality we use a firm-level measure calculated from the unit value prices of both exports and imports of Uruguayan manufacturing firms. Previous works argue that high quality products are exported to and imported from high income countries. Moreover, it is also argued that firms that export to high income countries upgrade their quality by using imports from high income countries. We test these hypotheses using a rich database for Uruguay over the period 1997-2008. This dataset combines firm level data and detailed customs data of exports and imports by destination or origin country. To analyze causal associations we use instrumental variable techniques, and utilize real exchange rate fluctuation to construct the instruments. Our results show that exporting to high income countries has a negative effect on the quality of imported goods and that importing from high income countries has a positive effect on our measure of import quality.


We investigate an all-metal and simple-fabrication grating with an ultranarrow band absorption spectrum in the telecom window range. The influences of structure parameters on the absorption characteristics are investigated. For the best design, the absorption efficiency reaches 94% under normal incidence, with the full width at half-maximum of only 0.17 nm. We demonstrate that this ultranarrow band absorption is the result of the dominant excitation of the Rayleigh anomaly mode. The corresponding figure of merit is calculated to be 8530RIU-1. The applied procedure has the potential to also be used in designing high-performance reflection-based sensors in other wavelength ranges.


Oxygen atoms, pendant as substituents or occurring within the ring systems of planar aromatic molecules, have a pronounced tendency to direct crystallisation patterns of such compounds to the β-structure, characterised by a 4 A short axis. They seem to perform this function by stabilising a critical number of hydrogen atoms, covalently bonded to carbon, through short and directionally specific intermolecular C–H ⋯ O hydrogen bonds. Consequently, the number of 'free' hydrogen atoms which contribute to crystal stabilisation through non-β steering C ⋯ H interactions is reduced. Both these factors result in the formation of C–H ⋯ O stabilised two-dimensional entities such as sheets and ribbons. Such entities may be stacked at 4 A translational separation to generate the entire structure. These concepts are illustrated for some methylenedioxy and alkoxy aromatic systems, quinones, and heterocycles. However, both intra- and inter-sheet C–H ⋯ O interactions may sometimes be present and the unusual crystal structure of 7-acetoxycoumarin (5) shows how a significantly non-planar molecule may still adopt the β-structure if it is particularly well suited for the formation of C–H ⋯ O bonds. Yet 4-acetoxycinnamic acid (6), the crystal structure of which was determined in this work and which has almost the same C:H:O ratio as (5), adopts a non-β structure because the number of oxygen atoms available for C–H ⋯ O bond formation is greatly reduced. The crucial role of the number of such 'available' oxygen atoms and 'H-bonded' and 'free'(C–)H atoms vis-a-vis the carbon content is exemplified by the β-steering behaviour of oxygen in some large fused-ring quinones and heterocycles. These trends may also be extended to nitrogen and sulphur heterocycles.


Retinal blood vessels provide the necessary energy, nutrients and oxygen in order to support visual function and remove harmful particles from blood, thus acting to protect neuronal cells. The homeostasis of the retinal vessels is important for the maintenance of retinal visual function. Neovascularization is the most common cause of blindness in patients with retinopathy. Previous studies have shown that inflammatory mediators are known key regulators in retinopathy, but their causal link has been elusive. Although inflammation is often thought to arise from inflammatory cells like macrophages, neutrophils, and resident microglia, retinal neurons have also been reported to contribute to inflammation, through inflammatory signals, which mediate blood vessel growth. Therefore, it is important to explore the detailed mechanisms of neuroinflammation's effects on retinal neovascularization. This review looks to summarize current research on the relationship between retinal angiogenesis and neuroinflammation in retinopathy, as well as the potential effects of neuroinflammation on retinal neovascularization in different animal models.


Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) provide sweetness to foods and beverages without adding calories. They have thus been found useful in minimizing the dietary sugar content of diabetics and the dietary energy content of individuals attempting to lose or maintain body weight. Their usefulness in weight reduction has recently been questioned, however, based on the notion that they can actually increase hunger and food intake and thereby promote weight gain. The evidence offered in support of this idea comes principally from the fields of taste physiology, metabolic endocrinology, human behavior, and epidemiology. This review evaluates this evidence and does not find it compelling. Indeed, the most straightforward findings to the contrary derive from several intervention studies in both children and adults showing that the chronic, covert replacement of dietary sugar with NNSs does not increase, and can in fact reduce, energy intake and body weight.


Overlapping peaks interfere in ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), but they are separated introducing mobility shift reagents (SR) in the buffer gas forming adducts with different collision cross-sections (size). IMS separations using SR depend on the ion mobility shifts which are governed by adduct's size and interaction energies (stabilities). Mobility shifts of valinol and ethanolamine ions were measured by electrospray-ionization ion mobility-mass spectrometry (MS). Methyl-chloro propionate (M) was used as SR; 2-butanol (B) and nitrobenzene (N) were used for comparison. Density functional theory was used for calculations. B produced the smallest mobility shifts because of its small size. M and N have two strong interaction sites (oxygen atoms) and similar molecular mass, and they should produce similar shifts. For both ethanolamine and valinol ions, stabilities were larger for N adducts than those of M. With ethanolamine, M produced a 68% shift, large compared to that using N, 61%, because M has a third weak interaction site on the chlorine atom and, therefore, M has more interaction possibilities than N. This third site overrode the oxygen atoms' interaction energy that favored the adduction of ethanolamine with N over that with M. On the contrary, with valinol mobility shifts were larger with N than with M (21 vs 18%) because interaction energy favored even more adduction of valinol with N than with M; that is, the interaction energy difference between adducts of valinol with M and N was larger than that between those adducts with ethanolamine, and the third M interaction could not override this larger difference. Mobility shifts were explained based on the number of SR's interaction sites, size of ions and SR, and SR-ion interaction energies. This is the first time that the number of interaction sites is used to explain mobility shifts in SR-assisted IMS. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Baculovirus-mediated expression has proven to be a robust method of generating recombinant proteins from insect cells. However, generating baculovirus recombinants using traditional techniques is time consuming and tedious. To accelerate the process of insect cell expression, EMD developed a rapid transient transfection-based approach, the InsectDirect System. This approach is well suited for the rapid generation of small to moderate amounts of recombinant protein. For situations that demand the baculovirus approach, we introduced a technology for rapid baculovirus production, BacMagic DNA. To optimize, simplify, and consolidate both systems. we created a single expression vector compatible with both approaches, pIEx/Bac.

To direct expression by transient transfection, pIEx/Bac expression vectors feature the homologous region 5 (hr5) enhancer and the immediate early 1 (ie1) promoter from Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV), a promoter/enhancer combination that uses endogenous insect-cell transcriptional machinery. To direct expression during baculovirus infection, the above promoter/enhancer combination is active during the early stage of baculovirus infection, and an additional p10 promoter directs expression in the late/very late phases. We also created additional vectors featuring alternative combinations of baculovirus-derived promoters and enhancers to verify that our particular combination of enhancer and promoter elements was optimal. Using the Radiance Ek/LIC cloning method, the reporter enzyme Renilla luciferase (Rluc) was cloned into all variants to allow comparisons of relative expression strength. The plasmid that gave the best overall performance in both systems was chosen as our new dual-purpose expression plasmid, pIEx/Bac. To further test the vector, we cloned additional inserts encoding differing classes of proteins, including an importin, a phosphatase, and kinases. The results demonstrate the utility of the pIEx/Bac vector for streamlined expression in insect cells.


The Mainland Scandinavian languages, i.e. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, are so closely related that the speakers often use their own language when communicating with each other (so-called semi-communication, Haugen 1966). However, communication is not perfect and sometimes fails. Previous investigations (Maurud 1976, Bo 1978, Borestam 1987, Delsing & Akesson 2005) aimed at getting a General impression of how well Scandinavians understand each other. It appeared that mutual intelligibility is highest between Norwegians and
Swedes, whereas Danish is relatively hard to understand, especially for
Swedish-speaking subjects (Perridon 2000).The investigations just mentioned measured the overall intelligibility of complete texts by means of open questions. Little attention was paid to the linguistic phenomena that can explain the differences in the level of understanding between the three languages. In complete texts, all linguistic levels (segmental, supra segmental, lexical, morphological, syntactic) are combined and mixed, so that it is hard to assess the effect of separate linguistic phenomena. In the present article, we restrict the investigation of intelligibility to the understanding of isolated words, trying to determine the role of a limited set of phonetic/phonological factors that may affect intelligibility in inter-Scandinavian communication. We focus on the intelligibility of Swedish words for Danes, and in particular on the intelligibility of inherited words compared to loan words. As in most western countries, puristic movements in Scandinavia have taken action against the large number of loan words that have become part
of the Scandinavian languages (cf. Section 1). However, from the point of
view of semi-communication in Scandinavia, it could be argued that a large
number of such words is an advantage for mutual intelligibility, at least if
the languages have borrowed the same words. We can think of three reasons why this might be the case. First, loan words may have specific segmental and/or prosodic properties that make them resistant to linguistic changes affecting inherited words. For example, the word accent of many loans from Greek, Latin or
Romance differs from the Germanic languages. Whereas Germanic languages are characterized by an initial accent on the stem syllable, most French loans, e.g., are stressed on the final syllable, cf. Swedish milˈjo, Danish milˈieu 'environment'. While in Germanic languages vowels in unstressed syllables are often reduced (or as in Swedish, a limited number of full vowels is found in this position), this does not happen as easily in loan words with a different accent structure. Here, full vowels are often retained in unstressed syllables, even if the non-accentuated syllable is final, cf. Danish ˈdato, Swedish ˈdatum 'date' from Latin. Second, inherited words have been part of the lexicon for a much longer time than loanwords so that certain historical sound changes which affected the inherited vocabulary were no longer active at the time the loans entered the language. As a consequence, loan words in the
neighbouring language probably have more transparent phonetic correspondences
with their counterparts in the mother tongue than inherited words. For example, the Swedish word lag 'law' pronounced as [lɑːg] and the Danish equivalent lov pronounced as [lɔw] may have become so different that they are no longer intelligible for the speakers of the neighbour language. In contrast, a loan word like team, pronounced as [tiːm] both in Swedish and Danish, is no doubt easily identifiable. Third, loan words are often known not only from the native language but also from foreign languages that the speakers are familiar with. This may also have a facilitating effect on the recognition of loan words compared to inherited words. For example, the recognition of the Swedish
word turism 'tourism' may be facilitated because Danish listeners know the
English equivalent. To assess whether it is true that shared loan words are easier to understand than inherited words, we tested the intelligibility of 355 Swedish words (197 inherited words and 158 loan words) among Danish listeners.
We also measured the phonetic distances between the Swedish stimulus
words and their Danish counterparts to determine whether the distances
are indeed larger for the inherited words than for the loan words. Finally,
we correlated the intelligibility scores with the phonetic distances to see
whether there is a relation between word intelligibility and phonetic distance.
We tested the following hypotheses:
1. The percentage of correct identifications is higher for loan words than for inherited words.
2. The phonetic distances between Danish and Swedish loan words are smaller than between inherited words.
3. There is an inverse relationship between the percentage of correct
identifications and phonetic distance.


In recent years, there has been a significant transition from multi-storey buildings to single-family houses especially due to COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, people prefer to live in single-family houses or detached houses where they have more free space in outside of the house. The aim of this study is to quantify and compare the environmental performance of a single-family house and multi-storey apartment building in Turkey throughout their life cycle with cradle-to-grave approach. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based on ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 was used to analyse the environmental impacts of the single-family house and multi-storey apartment buildings. The functional unit was chosen as 1m2 of floor area of a house over their lifespan (50 years). With cradle-to-grave approach of the LCA, the system boundaries for the environmental assessment covers the pre-operation, operation and post-operation stages. The results of this LCA study revealed that majority of the environmental impacts occurs at operation phase for both single-family house and multi-storey apartment. The operation stage has the highest impact with 79% and 78% share of the global warming potential (GWP) for single-family house and the multi-storey apartment, respectively. In comparison of environmental impact results, GWP of the multi-storey apartment per m2 of floor area is 30% lower than single-family house. The environmental impacts of the operation phase have significant importance on the overall environmental performance of both single-family house and multi-storey apartment. The results showed that electricity consumption and steel usage are the main contributors of the environmental impacts coming from the operation and pre-operation phases, respectively. To pave the way to a sustainable future, the building industry must strive to use of renewable energy sources and sustainable construction materials in order to reduce their environmental impacts with a sustainable approach.


This paper begins with a puzzle about the differing contributions of the OECD and the WTO to the evolution of international trade law before suggesting that the resolution might lie in their differing capacity to support social learning and mutual obligation. The paper then looks back on the contributions the organization has made to the evolution of trade law over the past half century, with particular reference to the vital development of the ideas that made the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations possible. This look back at the different strengths of the OECD and the WTO supports a conclusion that the OECD shapes trade law, but it is not a site for the codification of trade law, which happens in the WTO. The OECD proves to be an invaluable forum for social learning, for the development of consensual knowledge about how the world works. The paper concludes that the OECD's ability to facilitate the development of consensual understanding may prove invaluable in working with the emerging economies on the issues some call the new trade policy.


[Purpose] In order to succeed and achieve in sports, athletes need to enhance their specific athletic performance in competitions. Therefore, athletes seek to find the best training method for improvement. Stretch is a major part of athletic training preparation during in and off season. However, performing static stretch during warm-up session is controversial. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different stretches prior to a 40 m sprint and the Margaria-Kalamen Power Test on lower extremity power. [Subjects] Twenty-eight high school sprinters participated in this study. [Methods] They performed three 40 m sprints and the Margaria-Kalamen Power Test following the 12 weeks of different stretches. Repeated measures ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. [Results] The results show that after 12 weeks of intervention, 40 m sprint times and the Margaria-Kalamen Power test performance were significantly enhanced in dynamic stretch compared to static stretch. [Conclusion] We concluded that 12 weeks of dynamic stretch improved 40 m sprint times and leg power compared to static and mixed types of stretch programs. It should be noted that a dynamic stretch program enhanced lower extremity power in high school sprinters.


We have developed a novel family of low-noise superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) to cover a wide range of applications. These sensors are robust and easy to use without compromising noise performance. They are optimized for operation with our high-speed direct-coupled flux-locked loop (FLL) electronics XXF-1. For the readout of cryogenic detectors, series arrays of 16 SQUIDs with 3 nH input inductance were designed which can be cooled down and operated in the Earth's field without magnetic shield. A compact gradiometric design allows the chips to be mounted directly on a Cu block at the cold stage of a mK cryostat without degradation in noise. A current noise level of 9 or 5 is achieved at 4.2 K or 300 mK, respectively. Ultra-high-speed operation was demonstrated by using a cold FLL electronics prototype in close proximity to the SQUID array. An extremely high FLL bandwidth of 350 MHz was achieved which outperforms any flux-locked SQUID before by more than an order of magnitude. For applications requiring a larger input inductance of up to 2 , integrated two-stage sensors were developed consisting of a single front-end SQUID with double-transformer coupling read out by a 16-SQUID array. These sensors are very convenient to use as their voltage-flux characteristic is essentially single-SQUID-like. Devices optimized for 4.2 K operation have a coupled energy resolution around 50 times Planck's constant . Heavily shunted devices for low-temperature operation typically achieve 80 or 8 at 4.2 K or 300 mK, respectively. An optional current limiter (Q-spoiler) at the input reduces the input current in pulsed applications like nuclear magnetic resonance or magnetorelaxometry. Integrated rf filters and resistor-capacitor shunts across the input coil result in smooth, well-behaved voltage-flux characteristics even at low temperatures 4.2 K. For magnetic field sensing applications, integrated miniature multiloop magnetometers were designed with maximized field resolution. For a 3 mm 3 mm chip size, a noise level of 3.6 is obtained at 4.2 K.


Study Design. Examination of ADAMTS-4 expression, and cellular lineages, distribution, and numbers of ADAMTS-4 (aggrecanase-1) expressing cells in herniated lumbar intervertebral discs. Objective. To determine the expression of ADAMTS-4, a metalloproteinase capable of digesting aggrecan, and its role in herniated lumbar intervertebral disc degradation. Summary of Background Data. Matrix metalloproteinases degrade extracellular matrix of herniated discs, but the mechanism of aggrecan degradation, the major component of intervertebral discs, is poorly understood. Methods. Surgically resected herniated lumbar intervertebral discs from 22 patients were subclassified into protrusion, subligamentous extrusion, transligamentous extrusion, and sequestration types. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate ADAMTS-4 messenger ribonucleic acid and protein expression. Results. Expression of ADAMTS-4 messenger ribonucleic acid and protein was shown in the samples of herniated lumbar intervertebral discs. Immunohistochemical staining showed that ADAMTS-4 was mainly localized in CD68-positive mononuclear cells in granulation and adjacent disc tissues. ADAMTS-4 positive cell counts were significantly higher in transligamentous extrusion and sequestration than protrusion and subligamentous extrusion types. Alcian blue staining showed a decrease of proteoglycan in transligamentous extrusion and sequestration cases. Conclusions. Macrophages infiltrating granulation and adjacent disc tissues express ADAMTS-4, suggesting its involvement in herniated disc regression.


We construct efficient estimators of the identifiable parameters in a regression model when the errors follow a stationary parametric ARCH(P) process. We do not assume a functional form for the conditional density of the errors, but do require that it be symmetric about zero. The estimators of the mean parameters are adaptive in the sense of Bickel [2]. The ARCH parameters are not jointly identifiable with the error density. We consider a reparameterization of the variance process and show that the identifiable parameters of this process are adaptively estimable.


Nearly every European country has experienced some increase in nonmarital childbearing, largely due to increasing births within cohabitation. Relatively few studies in Europe, however, investigate the educational gradient of childbearing within cohabitation or how it changed over time. Using retrospective union and fertility histories, we employ competing risk hazard models to examine the educational gradient of childbearing in cohabitation in 8 countries across Europe. In all countries studied, birth risks within cohabitation demonstrated a negative educational gradient. When directly comparing cohabiting fertility with marital fertility, the negative educational gradient persists in all countries except Italy, although differences were not significant in Austria, France, and Germany. These findings suggest that childbearing within cohabitation largely follows a Pattern of Disadvantage. We argue that the Pattern of Disadvantage developed due to: 1) feminist and social movements that liberalized attitudes towards nonmarital childbearing, and 2) globalization and economic uncertainty that led to job insecurity and relationship instability. This explanation provides an alternative to the Second Demographic Transition theory, for which we find little evidence.


Major bone defects may be reconstructed by either vascularized or not vascularized fibula grafts. No much attention is done so far to the donor site. This article emphasizes on an interesting observation, where almost total regeneration of a subperiosteally harvested fibula graft occurred within the first three postoperative months.


In this study we describe the social interactions of ability-grouped dyads as they constructed knowledge of balance concepts to elucidate the relationship between interactions and conceptual growth. The verbal and nonverbal behaviors of 30 fifth-grade students were recorded as they completed three activities related to balance. These student interactions were examined within a framework of social cognition. For each dyad, characteristics of ability-grouped dyads were identified. Results revealed that high-achieving students effectively used prior experiences, maintained focus on the learning task, and were able to manipulate the equipment effectively to construct knowledge. Low-achieving students exhibited off-task behavior, lacked a metacognitive framework for organizing the learning tasks, centered on irrelevant features of the equipment, and were unable to use language effectively to mediate learning. Within low-high student dyads, high-achieving students typically modeled thinking processes and strategies for manipulating equipment. In addition, they focused the low-achieving students on the components of the tasks while verbally monitoring their progress, thus enabling low students to identify the critical features necessary for concept construction. These results highlighted the differences that students have in the use of language and tools. Low students' inefficient use of tools has implications for the ways science teachers structure lessons and group students for laboratory work.


Hydroponic vegetables are vegetables that grow with the help of liquids containing mineralsnecessary for vegetables to grow. This study aims to inventory the many types of pests that attackmustard and lettuce plants on hydroponic media. This research was conducted in two locations,namely Lateri village and Rumahtiga villages. The types of data collection are in the form ofsurveys, interviews, and also direct observations in the field, which are then processeddescriptively. Observation of pests and diseases can be carried out once a week until the stage ofharvesting. The results of observations from the two research sites obtained the largest numberof individual populations of the order Diptera (Fruit Flies) with 37 heads, followed by the secondhighest number, namely the order Lepidoptera (Moths) with 7 heads, while for the ordersHemiptera and Hymenoptera (Walang sangit and Honey bee) the number was the same, namely2 each


When a particular lac mutant of Escherichia coli starves in the presence of lactose, nongrowing cells appear to direct mutations preferentially to sites that allow growth (adaptive mutation). This observation suggested that growth limitation stimulates mutability. Evidence is provided here that this behavior is actually caused by a standard Darwinian process in which natural selection acts in three sequential steps. First, growth limitation favors growth of a subpopulation with an amplification of the mutant lac gene; next, it favors cells with a lac+ revertant allele within the amplified array. Finally, it favors loss of mutant copies until a stable haploid lac+ revertant arises and overgrows the colony. By increasing the lac copy number, selection enhances the likelihood of reversion within each developing clone. This sequence of events appears to direct mutations to useful sites. General mutagenesis is a side-effect of growth with an amplification (SOS induction). The F′ plasmid, which carries lac, contributes by stimulating gene duplication and amplification. Selective stress has no direct effect on mutation rate or target specificity, but acts to favor a succession of cell types with progressively improved growth on lactose. The sequence of events—amplification, mutation, segregation—may help to explain both the origins of some cancers and the evolution of new genes under selection.


Introduction In 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MN) as a distinct entity including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodisplastic syndromes (MDS). At present, about 10% of all AML patients have a previous history of exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation for a primary malignancy or autoimmune disease. In 2009, we initiated a Web-based epidemiological registry, with the purpose of collecting t-MN diagnosed at Italian Hematological or Oncological Divisions.

Methods Demographic and clinical information on t-MN patients were included in the database whose access was restricted to selected users and was password-protected. Between May 2009 and June 2013, 279 t-MN patients [121 males and 158 females; median age 64 years (range 23-88 years)], observed at 22 Italian Centers between 1999 and 2012, were registered in the web-database.

Results The primary malignancy (PM) was a hematological neoplasm (HM) in 123 cases (44%), a solid tumor in 145 cases (52%), and an autoimmune disease in 11 patients (4%). Twenty patients (7%) had a history of two or more previous cancers.

Among hematological malignancies, the most frequent PM were lymphoproliferative diseases (92/122 cases), while breast cancer (65/146 cases) was the most frequent primary solid tumor. In particular, hematological PM were: 92 lymphoprolipherative diseases (68 Non Hodgkin and 18 Hodgkin lymphoma, 6 chronic lymphocytic leukemia); 12 Multiple myeloma; 14 myeloproliferative neoplasms (7 Myelofibrosis; 3 polycitemia vera; 3 essential thrombocythemia; 1 Hypereosinophilic syndrome.); 1 Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; 4 Acute myeloid leukemia (acute promielocytic leukemia in 2 cases). Sites of primary solid tumors were: 65 Breast; 32 Uro-genital (14 prostate; 5 bladder; 8 uterus; 5 ovarium); 17 Colon-rectal; 8 Lung; 8 Thyroid; 15 others (2 stomach; 5 CNS; 2 skin, 4 oropharynx; 2 sarcoma). Eleven patients had previously received immunosuppressive therapy for an autoimmune disease (5 with mitoxantrone, 5 with methotrexate, 1 with chlorambucil).

Two-hundred-thirty-six patients had previously received chemotherapy for their primary malignancy, associated to radiotherapy (RT) in 94 cases. RT represented the only primary treatment in 43 cases. Median latency between PM and t-MN was 5.6 years (range 0.5-48). There were no differences between t-MN after lymphoprolipherative diseases or after breast cancer when considering patients' age (p=0.09) or median latency (p 0.20) between PM and t-MN.

According to morphology, t-MN were classified as 164 AML, 108 MDS and 7 ALL. Karyotype was available for 204 patients and was unfavorable in 81 patients (complex in 54 patients including del(7) in 19 cases; 15 cases with isolated del(7)]. A recurrent chromosomal translocation was present in 13 patients [1 t(8;21), 8 t(15;17) and 1 inv(16); 3 t(9;22)], while 75 patients had a normal karyotype. One-hundred-thirty-five patients received chemotherapy for t-MN, while the hypomethylating drug Azacitidine was administered to 63 patients. Fifty-six patients underwent bone marrow transplantation (45 allogeneic and 11 autologous). Median OS from the t-MN diagnosis was 7.7 months (range 0.2-158+).

Conclusions The incidence of t-MN is rising as a result of the increasing number of cancer survivors. Lymphoprolipherative diseases and breast cancer are the most common primary malignancies at risk of developing a therapy-related myeloid neoplasm.

Disclosures: Santini: Novartis: Honoraria; Janssen : Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; gsk: Honoraria.


Aim: Opioid consumption and addiction are increasing worldwide, yet the USA stands out for its high addiction rates and opioid-related deaths. Considering that patient characteristics are comparable across western countries, physicians' prescribing modalities may influence opioid consumption. We conducted a pilot study to examine opioid-related beliefs and prescription habits of Dutch and American physicians. Methods & materials: A survey was administered to 488 physicians who routinely prescribe opioids for postoperative pain. Results: A total of 75 (16%) physicians responded to the survey. When deciding to prescribe opioids, Dutch physicians adopted a patient-guided approach, whereas most American doctors followed strict guidelines and protocols. Conclusion: This study identified significant differences between Dutch and American physicians' attitudes and prescribing modalities.


BACKGROUND
We previously demonstrated that therapy with a new endothelin A receptor antagonist (ET-RA) significantly reduced mortality rates in severe acute pancreatitis (AP) in the rat without attenuating local signs of disease severity (intrapancreatic protease activation, acinar cell necrosis). This raised the question as to why ET-RA was so effective. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of ET-RA on microcirculation (particularly capillary permeability) within and outside of the pancreas on intravascular fluid loss and extravascular fluid sequestration and on distant organ function.

METHODS
Severe AP was induced in rats by standardized intraductal bile acid infusion and cerulein hyper-stimulation. Starting 6 hours (n = 24 rats) and 12 hours (n = 30 rats) after the onset of AP, animals randomly received either the ET-RA (LU-135252) or saline solution with fluid resuscitation (6 mL/kg/h Ringer's lactate). At 24 hours, animals were relaparotomized for intravital microscopic determination of capillary blood flow, leukocyte rolling, and capillary permeability in the pancreas and colon. Further monitoring included cardiorespiratory and renal parameters, hematocrit levels and quantification of ascites and pleural effusions, and acinar cell necrosis at autopsy. Groups of sham-operated healthy animals (n = 6 animals each) that had been treated according to the same protocol served as control animals.

RESULTS
ET-RA treatment that was started 6 hours after AP-induction significantly decreased hematocrit levels (38% +/- 1% vs 45% +/- 2% with saline solution treatment), reduced ascites and pleural effusions (6.7 +/- 1.3 mL vs 11.9 +/- 1.3 mL), and improved urine production (4.8 +/- 0.5 mL vs 2.9 +/- 0.6 mL) and respiratory parameters. Moreover, all microcirculatory parameters were improved; in particular, capillary permeability was stabilized (158% +/- 9% vs 248% +/- 8% in the colon). These beneficial effects were also seen when therapy was delayed until 12 hours after AP induction. Pancreatic necrosis was not significantly reduced. The overall mortality rate was 12% in ET-RA-treated animals and 42% in saline solution-treated control animals (P <.05). In healthy animals ET-RA did not significantly alter the target parameters, except for a reduction of capillary permeability in the pancreas.

CONCLUSIONS
Improved microcirculation and stabilized capillary permeability in ET-RA-treated animals together with reduced intravascular fluid loss and extravascular fluid sequestration and improved renal and pulmonary function (1) may explain improved survival in this model, (2) support the hypothesis that systemic disease sequelae significantly contribute to outcome in AP, and (3) suggest that ET-RA may be a promising therapeutic tool in AP because it counteracts microcirculatory disorders that contribute to pancreatitis-associated organ dysfunction even when therapy is delayed to a point at which pancreatic injury may no longer be influenced.


With the increase in usage of gas turbines for power generation and given that natural gas resources continue to be depleted, it has become increasingly important to search for alternate fuels. One source of alternate fuels is coal derived synthetic fuels. Coal derived fuels, however, contain traces of ash and other contaminants that can deposit on vane and turbine surfaces affecting their heat transfer through reduced film-cooling. The endwall of a first stage vane is one such region that can be susceptible to depositions from these contaminants. This study uses a large-scale turbine vane cascade in which the following effects on film-cooling adiabatic effectiveness were investigated in the endwall region: the effect of near-hole deposition, the effect of partial film-cooling hole blockage, and the effect of spallation of a thermal barrier coating. The results indicated that deposits near the hole exit can sometimes improve the cooling effectiveness at the leading edge, but with increased deposition heights the cooling deteriorates. Partial hole blockage studies revealed that the cooling effectiveness deteriorates with increases in the number of blocked holes. Spallation studies showed that for a spalled endwall surface downstream of the leading edge cooling row, cooling effectiveness worsened with an increase in blowing ratio.Copyright © 2006 by ASME


This article is a review of ideas, comments, and inquiries about massive open online courses (MOOCs) gathered from a wide variety of online journal and magazine articles, and web blogs. As a seasoned "traditional" online educator, as well as a student participant in several MOOCs, I also take the opportunity to share my personal insight from my own learning experiences, with the goal of illustrating some of the concerns unearthed in my research. One serious issue regarding MOOCs is that some learners can feel isolated and/or neglected, particularly when they perceive that other course participants and/or the professor are ignoring their contributions. Our era has witnessed "the McDonaldization of Education" (Lane & Kinser, 2012), in which one size fits all and information is delivered to student "customers" via systematically managed "factories" whose overseers frown upon any supposed waste of valuable resources or human effort. In the mass-appeal environment of a MOOC, it is quite possible that a student will receive no customized feedback from nominal experts in the field. Lack of meaningful interaction is likely a key factor driving high attrition numbers in the online education environment – numbers that are apparently even higher in the case of MOOCs.


3-Isopropylmalate dehydrogenase encoded by the Thiobacillus ferrooxidans leuB gene was purified to homogeneity from Escherichia coli cells harboring a recombinant plasmid containing the leuB gene. The native enzyme molecule is a dimer of molecular weight 38,000. The Km value for 3-isopropylmalate was estimated to be 26 microM and that for NAD+ 0.8 mM. The presence of K+ or NH4+ is essential for the enzyme reaction. The enzyme is activated about 4-fold by the addition of 1.0 mM Mg2+ or Co2+. The optimum pH and temperature for the activity are 9.0 and 60 degrees C, respectively. The properties of the enzyme are similar to those of the Salmonella typhimurium and Thermus thermophilus enzymes, except for substrate specificity. T. ferrooxidans 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase is able to utilize D- and L-malate as substrates in addition to 3-isopropylmalate. Sequencing of subcloned DNA revealed that the leuB gene consists of a 1,074 bp open reading frame and encodes 358 amino acid residues corresponding to the subunit (38,462 Da). The amino acid sequence of 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase from T. ferrooxidans and those of some heterotrophic microorganisms have high homology.


Our objective is to find a theoretical watermarking capacity bound of digital images based on domain-specific masking effects. We first show the capacity of private watermarking in which the power constraints are not uniform. Then, we apply several domain-specific Human Vision System approximation models to estimate the power constraints and then show the theoretical watermarking capacity of an image in a general noisy environment. Note that we consider all pixels, watermarks and noises to be discrete values, which occur in realistic cases.


Objective To construct the three-dimensional(3D)model of uterine arterial vascular network of cervical cancer in vitro through vascular casting to study its anatomical feature and its blood distribution.Methods Collect a set of specimen with uterus,vagina and uterine adnexa from a cervical cancer patient who also had a history of cesarean section,form the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University in September 2008,infuse with 15% chlorinated poly vinyl chloride through the uterine artery and the ovarian artery,and then cast.Observe the anatomical feature and the blood distribution of the uterine arterial vascular network of cervical cancer.Results The uterine arterial vascular network of cervical cancer was constructed successfully by 15% chlorinated poly vinyl chloride.It had the basic characteristics of the human uterine artery vascular network,and clearly showed the branches of the uterine artery and the vascular network.The major blood supply of the lesion came from the bilateral descending branch of the uterine artery and its supplying extent excessed the cervix and reached the vagina.The ascending branch of uterine artery also participated in some of the blood supply through the traffic branches at the internal os uteri.Besides,the blood supply of the lesion was plentiful and lesion side mainly,existing communicating branches with the opposite side.Conclusion It is an effective way of constructing the 3D model of uterine arterial vascular network of cervical cancer through vascular casting.Based on the model,the blood supply of uterine arterial vascular network and cervical lesion could be studied.


With the advancement of nanotechnology and the development of molecular medicine, molecular and imaging becomes one of the most popular researches in the latest medicine. Molecular imaging can be defined as the imaging of targeted molecules non-invasively and repetitively in living organisms and cellular imaging can be defined similarly as the imaging of cells or cellular process non-invasively and repetitively in living organisms. At present, the common imaging tools for clinical study include ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, MRI is superior to CT for its better in soft tissue contrast, more sensitive in pathology detection, and lack of ionization irradiation.


Abstract Peroxidizing herbicides were assayed for their capacity to accumulate tetrapyrrole-like compounds in the liquid culture medium when growing the xanthophycean alga Bumilleriopsis filiformis. We have isolated and purified this compound by HPLC . For identification optical, fluorescence, NMR and mass spectroscopy were employed. All these techniques showed that the accumulation product is protoporphyrin IX. This tetrapyrrole was found, although to a different extent, using either chlorophthalim, oxadiazon, oxyfluorfen or LS 82-556. Accumulation of protoporphyrin IX caused by peroxidizing compounds was also found in light-grown Bumilleriopsis cells and heterotrophically (dark-)grown Scenedesmus cells, but neither in light-grown Scenedesmus cells nor in dark-grown Neurospora.


Network Composition is a concept that is being currently studied and under development in the Ambient Networks (AN) Project, a project that is sorted under the Wireless World Initiative (WWI), being part of EU's 6th framework program. Network Composition is a key concept in future interworking scenarios, which will be likely characterized by a prominent heterogeneity, in terms of multiple technologies, available access networks, operators, etc. Hence, there is a need to provide means to allow these networks being dynamically interconnected through a uniform framework, so as to provide seamless and ubiquitous connectivity. The main aim of this paper is to highlight the need and potential benefits of this novel networking procedure, as well as setting its main aspects, in terms of required mechanisms.


The rapid development of sensor and tracking technology enables deployment of new Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that support the driver not just on highways but in urban areas as well. Intersections particularly present critical traffic scenarios where almost 35p of accidents occur, partially due to the present lack of in-depth research about human errors and their determinants. The first step in ergonomic design of ADAS is to identify the specific situations in which drivers require support. To contribute to identification of such spots, situation awareness of 20 drivers in four critical intersection scenarios was explored. The study was conducted in the fixed-base driving simulator. The applied approach consisted of assessing drivers' expectations and mental workload and of comparing theoretically correct cognitive behavior to experimentally collected data. Intersection scenarios were divided into five segments, and for each segment a task analysis was made. The study has shown that the driving simulator environment can be successfully deployed to provoke and explore various driver errors. The results have revealed that, in scenarios in which information is objectively missing, the majority of errors happened because the drivers had inaccurate mental models of particular scenarios. To the contrary, in the complex scenario the major cause of accidents was information overload. Furthermore, the task analysis disclosed applicable areas of intersection assistance. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Bullying occurs in most schools and happens to students no matter how capable, popular and well-adjusted they are. This paper reports on a study that examines the nature and extent of bullying and explores the context of bullying and school violence in New Zealand schools. Approximately 1370 students from seven primary and three secondary schools participated in the study. Using a survey approach, a questionnaire was designed to examine the prevalence and incidence of different types of bullying; the nature of the actual bullying and where it is most likely to happen; schools' responses to bullying, including the issues of reporting and why students choose not to tell. Results indicate that all of the participating schools reported bullying to a greater or lesser extent. Listening to the voices of students in this study extends understanding of the issues around bullying. The results led to recommendations based on issues of policy, supervision (particularly in the areas identified by the students as being "hot spots") and communication, with an emphasis on reporting and the need to create a culture of "safe telling" to ensure safe emotional learning environments for all students.


Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a multifactorial and progressive disorder. This disease is characterized by vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling, which results in increased pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. Although extensive studies have been carried out to understand the etiology, it is still unclear what intracellular factors contribute and integrate these pathological features. Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), a ubiquitous and essential molecular chaperone, is involved in the maturation of many proteins. An increasing number of studies have revealed direct connections between abnormal Hsp90 expression and cellular factors related to PAH, such as soluble guanylate cyclase and AMP-activated protein kinase. These studies suggest that the Hsp90 regulatory network is a major predictor of poor outcomes, providing novel insights into the pathogenesis of PAH. For the first time, this review summarizes the interplay between the Hsp90 dysregulation and different proteins involved in PAH development, shedding novel insights into the intrinsic pathogenesis and potentially novel therapeutic strategies for this devastating disease.


Scale variation across object instances remains a key challenge in object detection task. Despite the remarkable progress made by modern detection models, this challenge is particularly evident in the semi-supervised case. While existing semi-supervised object detection methods rely on strict conditions to filter high-quality pseudo labels from network predictions, we observe that objects with extreme scale tend to have low confidence, resulting in a lack of positive supervision for these objects. In this paper, we propose a novel framework that addresses the scale variation problem by introducing a mixed scale teacher to improve pseudo label generation and scale-invariant learning. Additionally, we propose mining pseudo labels using score promotion of predictions across scales, which benefits from better predictions from mixed scale features. Our extensive experiments on MS COCO and PASCAL VOC benchmarks under various semi-supervised settings demonstrate that our method achieves new state-of-the-art performance. The code and models are available at https://github.com/lliuz/MixTeacher.


Our epigraphic terminology usually applies the name of cursive script to every kind of scratched inscriptions, although they were written in significantly different styles. Apart from the strange terminology, the major problems in the palaeography of Roman scratches are those of datation, and of the question: whom are those inscriptions to be connected with? The writing manner which might be called really cursive appears mostly on bricks and the tabulae ceratae; partially cursive texts occur 1) in the handwriting of more skilled writers, 2) in the writing of some special letters, most of all ‖, 3) when copying cursive scripts. It is the reason why functionally illiterate stone-cutters produce ununderstandable inscriptions, misinterpretating the cursive models. With some care, such misinterpretations can be explained and thus the meaningless texts reconstructed.