In order to treat psoriasis, many kinds of drugs are administered systemically and topically. However, the topical admimistration of drugs is preferred to the systemic administration because the former can occasionally cause serious side effects. Zinc Pyrithione (ZPT), which is recognized as an active ingredient in a major anti-dandruff shampoo, was introduced as a new antipsoriatic agent. In this study, ZPT lotions as a hospital preparation were prepared for topical administration.Hydroxypropylcellulose-H (HPC), sodium-polyacrylate (PANA) and carmellose sodium (CMC) were used as a suspending agent of 0.5% ZPT lotion. The following physical characteristics, the viscosity, the osmotic pressure, the sedimentation, the microscopic view and the dispersion were investigated in each ZPT lotion containing different suspended agents.The viscosity of the ZPT lotion with HPC and CMC increased with the additive ratio of these suspended agents. On the other hand, the viscosity of the ZPT lotion with PANA increased logarithmically with its additive ratio. The low osmotic pressure of each lotion was expected to be less irritable in clinical application. When ZPT lotions were stored at room temperature for 14 days, the lotion with HPC or CMC showed free sedimentation and caking of the particles. In contrast, the lotion with PANA showed a growth of particles by a microscopic analysis and coagulated sedimentation by macroscopy. These phenomena may be due to the ionic intensity of the solution and the interaction between ZPT particles. The dispersion time of ZPT lotions with PANA was shorter than those with HPC or CMC.Based on our findings, 0.2% PANA was found to be preferable to HPC and CMC as the suspended agent in ZPT lotion.


Work and careers are b ecoming increasingly market-based, entrepreneurial, and precarious – in a word, unstructured. This presents challenges to organization theory, which is largely predicated on the structures of post-WW2 W estern corporate working life. In part icular, notions of identity in organization theory are founded on im agined and actual positions in organizational structures, such as firms, teams and supervisor relationships. The purpose of this paper is to m odernize organization theory in this regard, by putting forward a model of identity in uns tructured work. This is achieved by widening the theoretical foundations of identity to includ e contemporary sociological literature that theorises identity through narrative rather than structure, and by conducting an empirical study of 'microwork', an extrem e example of toda y's unstructured working arrangem ents. Through interviews and observation, we examine the identity challenges that this highly unstructured form of low-status online work poses to workers, and th e coping strategies that workers develop. The resulting model consists of three identity processes: evading the question of identity, constructing a positive occupational identity by casting fluidity as freedom, and networking with other workers to form self-organized structures that provide identity. COST Action IS 1202 . The Dynamics of Virtual Work. Working Paper 1: Lehdonvirta & Mezier (2013)


The performance of an ensemble forecasting system initialized using varied soil moisture alone has been evaluated for rainfall forecasts of six warm season convective cases. Ten different soil moisture analyses were used as initial conditions in the ensemble, which used the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Advanced Research WRF (ARW) model at 4-km horizontal grid spacing with explicit rainfall. Soil moisture analyses from the suite of National Weather Service operational models—the Rapid Update Cycle, the North American Model (formerly known as the Eta Model), and the Global Forecasting System—were used to design the 10-member ensemble. For added insight, two other runs with extremely low and high soil moistures were included in this study. Although the sensitivity of simulated 24-h rainfall to soil moisture was occasionally substantial in both weakly forced and strongly forced cases, a U-shaped rank histogram indicated insufficient spread in the 10-member ensemble. This result suggests that ensemble forecast systems using soil moisture perturbations alone might not add enough variability to rainfall forecasts. Perturbations to both atmospheric initial conditions and land surface initial conditions as well as perturbations to other aspects of model physics may increase forecast spread. Correspondence ratio values for the 0.01- and 0.5-in. rainfall thresholds imply some spread in the soil moisture ensemble, but mainly in the weakly forced cases. Relative operating characteristic curves for the 10-member ensemble and for various rainfall thresholds indicate modest skill for all thresholds with the most skill associated with the lowest rainfall threshold, a result typical of warm season events.


Introduction: Quinine Sulphate is an antimalarial agent usually indicated in the treatment of chloroquine resistant malaria. Objective: The objective of the present investigation was to prepare quinine sulphate loaded solid lipid nanoparticles by ultrasonic solvent emulsification technique using different surfactants (Tween 80, Poloxamer 407, Poloxamer 188) in order to mask the bitter taste, thereby improving patient compliance and to provide dose precision and a flexible system that allows dose adaptation according to the body weight. Method: Glyceryl monostearate was used as a lipid (drug to lipid ratio 1:3). The prepared solid lipid nanoparticles were characterized for various parameters like particle size and shape, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, In vitro evaluation of taste masking efficiency, In vitro drug release, In vitro drug release kinetics. Results and discussion: The mean hydrodynamic diameter of the particle decreased whereas the entrapment efficiency increased with an increase in the surfactant concentration. Higher surfactant concentration showed faster In vitro release. The formulations showed negligible release at pH 6.8 and almost 100% release at pH 1.2, which is desirable so as to mask the taste by delaying the release during administration without hampering the drug release in stomach. Formulation F9 containing 2% w/v poloxamer 188 was selected as the optimized formulation as it showed high entrapment efficiency and negligible release in Simulated Salivary Fluid (SSF) pH 6.8 when compared to pure drug but showed almost 100% release at pH 1.2. Conclusion: It can be concluded that quinine sulphate was proven to be a suitable candidate for formulating solid lipid nanoparticles to achieve better patient compliance among pediatric and geriatric populations by masking the bitter taste and avoiding the difficulty in swallowing.


SIR,-Nielsen-Kudsk JE et al recently reviewed K+ channel openers, addressing their clinical usefulness as vasodilatory and cardioprotective drugs.' They eluded to electrophysiological aspects of these drugs and stated that two of them, pinacidil and nicorandil, had been given to thousands of patients without reports of adverse arrhythmias. They also mentioned that repolarisation abnormalities in terms of ST segment and T wave changes were a common finding in the electrocardiogram following administration of pinacidil. However, we feel there is cause for some concern regarding the potential proarrhythmic effects of these drugs, and we encourage prescribers to be very observant regarding arrhythmias in their patients. It is known that augmentation of ATP regulated potassium current IK-ATP by pinacidil increases dispersion of repolarisation in canine ventricular tissue enough to induce extrasystolic activity (phase 2 reentry) due to a marked abbreviation of the action potential in the epicardium. This electrical heterogeneity can be abolished by 4-aminopyridine in concentrations highly selective to block calcium independent transient outward current (It,,) or by a blocker of the ATP regulated potassium channels, glynclamide.2 The latter may also prevent development of ST segment elevation induced by pinacidil or coronary artery occlusion in dogs.3 Under conditions where the action potential is significantly abbreviated, ICA is diminished or even blocked resulting in decline of contractility function and oxygen consumption. Such electrophysiological modulation of the ventricular contraction is most likely the effect underlying the cardioprotective mechanism of K+ channel openers. The question is, however, whether a desired cardioprotective benefit from K+ channel openers could lead to arrhythmic events? Until more information is available, we would hesitate to accept that repolarisation abnormalities induced by pinacidil are benign in all patients. As we have seen with many drugs in the past, the initial experience may look very promising but extended use may later disclose serious side effects. Promising results have been obtained, however, when IK-ATP and Ito, blockers have been administered simultaneously to rats. Coronary flow was increased and fibrillatory activity decreased during acute myocardial ischaemia.45 I GUSSAK P BJERREGAARD Division of Cardiology, St Louis University Health Science Center, St Louis, MO 63117, USA


Based on previously unused primary sources, this book examines the social forces that were released and shaped by the Cuban revolutionary war. It illustrates the development of resistance methods and varieties of rebellion, and shows how individual groups became a single revolutionary movement.


This essay examines Marx's style and argumentation to argue that Marx crafted a rhetoric of technology that has empowered critics and theorists to assert that he advocated a range of competing philosophies of technology. It analyzes Marx's use of monsterization and mechanization tropes to show how his technological writings can be associated with multiple conceptions of technology, including technological determinism, technological domination, social constructivism, and human/nonhuman assemblages. Monsterization is intended to mean the attribution of monstrous characteristics to things or people while mechanization is the attribution of machinelike characteristics to nonmechanical things. The essay then turns its rhetorical analysis toward Marx's argumentation to show how his use of contradictions has aligned his writings with technological neutrality, liberation technology, and political technology. Monsterization, mechanization, and contradiction thus provide the textual evidence for Marx's philosophical multiplicity while also articulating a wide-ranging rhetoric of mid-nineteenth-century industrial technology.


Anthropogenic organic compounds (AOCs) in drinkingwater sources commonly are derived from municipal, agricultural, and industrial wastewater sources, and are a concern for water-supply managers. A cooperative study between the city of Sioux Falls, S. Dak., and the U.S. Geological Survey was initiated in 2009 to (1) characterize the occurrence of anthropogenic organic compounds in the source waters (groundwater and surface water) to water supplies in the Sioux Falls area, (2) determine if the compounds detected in the source waters also are present in the finished water, and (3) identify probable sources of nitrate in the Big Sioux River Basin and determine if sources change seasonally or under different hydrologic conditions. This report presents analytical results of waterquality samples collected from source waters and finished waters in the Sioux Falls area. The study approach included the collection of water samples from source and finished waters in the Sioux Falls area for the analyses of AOCs, nutrients, and nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in nitrate. Water-quality constituents monitored in this study were chosen to represent a variety of the contaminants known or suspected to occur within the Big Sioux River Basin, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, sterols, household and industrial products, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, antibiotics, and hormones. A total of 184 AOCs were monitored, of which 40 AOCs had relevant human-health benchmarks. During 11 sampling visits, 45 AOCs (24 percent) were detected in at least one sample of source or finished water, and 13 AOCs were detected in at least 20 percent of all samples. Concentrations of detected AOCs were all less than 1 microgram per liter, except for two AOCs in multiple samples from the Big Sioux River, and one AOC in finished-water samples. Concentrations of AOCs were less than 0.1 microgram per liter in more than 75 percent of the detections. Nutrient concentrations varied seasonally in source-water samples from surface water and groundwater. In the Big Sioux River, nitrite plus nitrate concentrations were typically less than 1 milligram per liter as nitrogen, and reached a maximum of 4.06 milligrams per liter as nitrogen following a June 2010 storm. Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in groundwater ranged from less than 0.1 to 0.701 milligram per liter as nitrogen. Eight of the AOCs detected have a human-health benchmark that could be used to evaluate the concentrations in a human-health context. Four AOCs had maximum concentrations within an order of magnitude of the benchmark, indicating that additional monitoring of the compound may be warranted. Three herbicides (atrazine, metolachlor, and prometon) and one degradate (deethylatrazine) were detected in finished-water samples as frequently as in source-water samples. The concentrations of herbicides in source water varied by an order of magnitude from the period of peak use (early summer) to the winter months. Groundwater and finished-water concentrations of atrazine were similar for the six sampling dates when groundwater was the only source water used. Upstream wastewater discharges contributed a fairly small percentage of the flow to the Big Sioux River near Sioux Falls, but several AOCs associated with wastewater were frequently detected. The interpretation of all potential sources of nitrogen cannot be accomplished by use of nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in nitrate alone, but provides a qualitative indication that very little nitrate originates from excess fertilizer runoff, and most nitrate originates from municipal wastewater effluent, manure runoff (either from field application or feeding operations), or fertilizers mineralized by processes in the soil.


On the basis of the well-known kinetic description of e − e + vacuum pair creation in strong electromagnetic fields in D = 3 + 1 QED we construct a nonperturbative kinetic approach to electron-hole excitations in graphene under the action of strong, time-dependent electric fields. We start from the simplest model of low-energy excitations around the Dirac points in the Brillouin zone. The corresponding kinetic equations are analyzed by nonperturbative analytical and numerical methods that allow to avoid difficulties characteristic for the perturbation theory. We consider different models for external fields acting in both, one and two dimensions. In the latter case we discuss the nonlinear interaction of the orthogonal currents in graphene which plays the role of an active nonlinear medium. In particular, this allows to govern the current in one direction by means of the electric field acting in the orthogonal direction. Investigating the polarization current we detected the existence of high frequency damped oscillations in a constant external electric field. When the electric field is abruptly turned off residual inertial oscillations of the polarization current are obtained. Further nonlinear effects are discussed.


Reversible intermolecular interactions play critical roles in nature. However, it is still challenging to monitor the dynamic intermolecular interactions at the single-molecule level in aqueous solution. Here, we studied the dynamic changes of intermolecular interactions at the carboxyl/carboxyl interfaces between a pair of molecules trapped in a plasmonic nanocavity formed between a gold nanoparticle (GNP) and a gold nanoelectrode (GNE). The development of intermolecular interactions, including the appearance of hydrogen bonds (h-bonds), during and after single GNP collision events on the GNE, was monitored by time-resolved surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy at a tens of milliseconds time resolution. Spectral fingerprints of the carboxyl group corresponding to non-specific intermolecular interactions and h-bonds are identified. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the strength of intermolecular interaction could be mechanically modulated by changing the applied bias at the GNE, which resulted in small and controllable changes in the nanogap distance. Unlike non-specific intermolecular interactions, the intermolecular h-bonds can only be formed stochastically and are more sensitive to the gap distance modulation. This report demonstrates a new approach to modulate and probe intermolecular interactions within nanogaps.


The widespread realization of wearable electronics requires printable active materials capable of operating at low voltages. Polymerized ionic liquid (PIL) block copolymers exhibit a thickness-independent double-layer capacitance that makes them a promising gating medium for the development of organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) with low operating voltages and high switching speed. PIL block copolymer structure and self-assembly can influence ion conductivity and the resulting OTFT performance. In an OTFT, self-assembly of the PIL gate on the semiconducting polymer may differ from bulk self-assembly, which would directly influence electrical double-layer formation. To this end, we used poly{[N,N'-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5'-(2,2'-bithiophene)} (P(NDI2OD-T2)) as a model semiconductor for our OTFTs, on which our PILs exhibited self-assembly. In this study, we explore this critical interface by grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) of P(NDI2OD-T2) and a series of poly(styrene)-b-poly(1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-3-butylimidazolium-random-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (poly(S)-b-poly(VBBI+[X]-r-PEGMA)) block copolymers with varying PEGMA/VBBI+ ratios and three different mobile anions (where X = TFSI-, PF6-, or BF4-). We investigate the thin-film self-assembly of block copolymers as a function of device performance. Overall, a mixed orientation at the interface leads to improved device performance, while predominantly hexagonal packing leads to nonfunctional devices, regardless of the anion present. These PIL gated OTFTs were characterized with a threshold voltage below 1 V, making understanding of their structure-property relationships crucial to enabling the further development of high-performance gating materials.


We identified a novel mutation in members of a family with signs of Crouzon syndrome and plagiocephaly. In affected members of the family an A-->G transition was found at position 886 in exon 5 of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) gene. The base change results in the replacement of a lysine by glutamic acid in Ig-like loop III of FGFR2. The unusual finding of plagiocephaly in these Crouzon patients may either be the result of the type of mutation or because of genetic and environmental factors that affect the phenotype in addition to the mutated FGF receptor.


From the results of two kinds of radionuclide migration tests in unsaturated loess conducted in the field and laboratory, it can be seen that loess has stronger sorption capacity for~85Sr; retardation coefficient, R_d, of~85Sr increases with water content θ rather than a constant; R_d derived according to conventional equation from distribution coefficient, k_d, obtained by batch in laboratory is more than the measured results; variation trend of the derived R_d with θ in unsaturated loess is contrary to the measured results; lateral concentration distribution variance, σ~2_y, is equivalent to longitudinal concentration distribution variance, σ~2_x, and can't be neglected under natural rainfall condition; rainfall rate affects obviously longitudinal expansion of~85Sr rather than lateral one; moreover, migration fast composition of~85Sr affects conservative level of assessment results. The characteristics mentioned above would considerably affect the predicted concentration of~85Sr at the concerned place towards lower reaches and hence affect considerably magnitude of potential risk to human.


In patients with extrapyramidal syndromes thalamic action potentials were recorded during operations with a five-point brain electrode and in the same cases somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded from the skull. Thalamic potentials were recorded after peripheral stimulation, and evoked potentials from the skull were recorded after electrostimulation of thalamic nuclei VOa and VOp. At the thalamic level a short-latency positive-negative potential had a maximal amplitude in one only lead, which confirmed sharp projection of body surface into various thalamic nuclei. Somatosensory evoked potentials recorded from the skull in response to stimulation of thalamic nuclei were usually biphasic and stimulation of VOa and VOp nuclei gave potentials with similar configuration of phases. This confirms the divergence of the projection fibres from the thalamus to the cortex.


This paper presents the development of design data and lists the performance characteristics of several gas/vapor transformers designed, manufactured and tested by Westinghouse Medium Power Transformer Division, and now in service on a utility system.


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Prostate cancer commonly metastasizes to the skeleton in advanced stages and leads to significant decline in life expectancy. In a recent study we demonstrated enhanced proliferation of the human prostate cancer cell line PC3 when cultured in the presence of bone marrow conditioned medium (BMCM). In order to identify key molecules involved in increasing proliferation rate, total RNA was isolated from PC3 cells grown in either BMCM or regular medium and subjected to cDNA microarray analysis. Results indicated a significant up-regulation of anterior gradient homolog 2 (AGR2) in the PC3 cells cultured in BMCM compared to those grown in regular medium. AGR2 is a secreted protein and originally reported for its involvement in the formation of forebrain and mucus-secreting cement gland in the frog Xenopus laevis. AGR2 is also highly expressed in human adenocarcinomas of the prostate, breast, esophagus and the pancreas and a study indicated poor survival of prostate cancer patients with higher AGR2 expression. We compared AGR2 gene expression by RT-PCR in different metastatic prostate cancer cell lines, isolated from the bone (PC3 and C4-2B), brain (Du145) and the lymph node (LnCap). Highest AGR2 expression was observed in bone metastatic cell lines, mainly PC3 cells and least expression was observed in Du145 cells. PC3 cells expressing firefly luciferase were also injected via intra-cardiac route into 6 week-old SCID mice and widespread metastases were observed in the lung, heart, adrenal and bone. Three weeks after the inoculation of the PC3 cells, the mice were sacrificed, tumor cells were harvested from various metastatic sites, total RNA isolated and subjected to RT-PCR analysis for AGR2 expression. Interestingly, highest AGR2 expression was observed in PC3 cells isolated from bone microenvironment, suggesting that AGR2 may have a potential role in prostate cancer bone metastasis. To test this hypothesis, we developed a subclone of PC3 cells with targeted knock down of AGR2 transcripts using lentivirus shRNA vector and tested the cell clone in vitro by implanting intra-tibially or subcutaneously in SCID mice. Results of this study indicated a failure of tumor development in AGR2 knocked down PC3 clones.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 231.


The law, as it applies to the street, is characterized by the constant search for a balance between the respect of fundamental civil liberties, such as the right to move and to park, and the restrictions of these liberties imposed on certain users of the street in order to facilitate the circulation or the parking of other users. Users are very numerous and diverse, be they store owners, car drivers, pedestrians or dog owners, and therefore the proper balance between authorization and prohibition fluctuates according to time and space. To this diversity of users must be added the diversity of the authorities in charge of regulating the circulation, the occupation and use of the street.


An MCP(Multi-chip Package) is a package consisting of several chips. Since several chips are stacked on the same substrate, multiple assembly steps are required to make an MCP. The characteristics of the chips in the MCP are dependent on the layer sequence. In the MCP manufacturing process, it is very essential to carefully consider the layer sequence in scheduling to achieve the intended throughput as well as the WIP balance. In this paper, we propose a scheduling methodology considering the layer sequence constraint.


PURPOSE
This study was conducted to test whether a low-frequency vibration-like stimulus (rapid variable resistance) applied during a single session of knee extension exercise would alter muscle performance.

METHODS
Torque, knee joint angle, EMG activity of rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles, and VL muscle oxygenation status (near-infrared spectroscopy) were recorded during metronome-guided knee extension exercise. Nine healthy adults completed four trials exercising at contraction intensities of 35% (L) or 70% (H) of one-repetition maximum (1RM) in control (no vibration, Vb-) or vibrated condition (superimposed 10-Hz vibration-like stimulus, Vb+). Maximum voluntary contraction and 1RM were tested pre- and postexercise.

RESULTS
During 1RM tests, muscle dynamic strength (P=0.02) and power (P=0.05) were significantly higher during vibrated rather than nonvibrated trials, and strength was significantly higher post- than preexercise (P=0.002), except during LVb- trial. Median spectral frequency of VL and RF EMG activity was significantly higher during postexercise than preexercise 1RM test in the vibration trials but unchanged in the control trials (P<0.02). The rate of muscle deoxygenation was 58% faster during H than L exercise (P=0.001), and vibration superimposition tended to speed muscle deoxygenation rate (P=0.065, 36% effect size) particularly during L trials.

CONCLUSION
Vibration superimposition during knee extension exercise at low contraction intensity enhanced muscle performance. This effect appears to result from adaptation of neural factors such as motor unit excitability (recruitment and firing frequency, conduction velocity of excitation) in response to sensory receptor stimulation. Muscle vibration may increase the training effects derived from light-to-moderate exercise.


Feeding-regulating neurotrophic factors are expressed in both neurons and glial cells. However, nutritional regulation of anorexigenic glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and orexigenic mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) expression in specific cell types remains poorly understood. Hypothalamic glucose sensing plays a critical role in the regulation of food intake. It has been theorized that local glucose concentration modulates microglial activity partially via glucose transporter 5 (GLUT5). We hypothesized that an increased local glucose concentration stimulates GDNF expression while inhibiting MANF expression in the hypothalamus and microglia via GLUT5. The present study investigated the effect of glucose on Gdnf and Manf mRNA expression in the mouse hypothalamus and murine microglial cell line SIM-A9. Intracerebroventricular glucose treatment significantly increased Gdnf mRNA levels in the hypothalamus without altering Manf mRNA levels. Exposure to high glucose caused a significant increase in Gdnf mRNA expression and a time-dependent change in Manf mRNA expression in SIM-A9 cells. GLUT5 inhibitor treatment did not block glucose-induced Gdnf mRNA expression in these cells. These findings suggest that microglia are responsive to changes in the local glucose concentration and increased local glucose availability stimulates the expression of microglial GNDF through a GLUT5-independent mechanism, contributing to glucose-induced feeding suppression.


The article discusses conceptual and methodological criteria applicable to the selection of social stratum classifications. With this in mind and based on the work of Erik Olin Wright and John Goldthorpe, the text presents the debate between neomarxists and neoweberians which has influenced studies of class and stratification. Defining a classification entails delimiting the theoretical-conceptual context adopted in research and a suitable methodological treatment in order to determine, based on occupations, a social strata scheme which will allow us to study the structure of class positions. The theoretical approach adopted here lies within the class-structural framework of social mobility analyses, while the chosen methodology involves application of conglomerate analyses and log-linear models.


Firms interested in a direct investment in a transition countries often face difficulties in obtaining external finance. In this study Dutch survey data are used to check if financial obstacles are an important argument for Dutch firms not to engage in an FDI or if other nonfinancial arguments prevail in the decision not to invest. The analysis shows that financial problems are indeed large, but the major arguments for firms not to invest are not financial in nature. The uncertainty of the investment, lack of time and capacity and internal arguments are most often mentioned as obstacles for an FDI.


Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze the thermal, hydraulic and entropy generation characteristics for laminar flow of water through a ribbed-wavy channel with the top wall as wavy and bottom wall as flat with ribs of three different geometries, namely, triangular, rectangular and semi-circular.

Design/methodology/approach
The finite element method-based numerical solver has been adopted to solve the governing transport equations.

Findings
A critical value of Reynolds number (Recri) is found beyond which, the average Nusselt number for the wavy or ribbed-wavy channel is more than that for a parallel plate channel and the value of Recri decreases with the increase in a number of ribs and for any given number of ribs, it is minimum for rectangular ribs. The performance factor (PF) sharply decreases with Reynolds number (Re) up to Re = 50 for all types of ribbed-wavy channels. For Re > 50, the change in PF with Re is gradual and decreases for all the ribbed cases and for the sinusoidal channel, it increases beyond Re = 100. The magnitude of PF strongly depends on the shape and number of ribs and Re. The relative magnitude of total entropy generation for different ribbed channels varies with Re and the number of ribs.

Practical implications
The findings of the present study are useful to design the economic heat exchanging devices.

Originality/value
The effects of shape and the number of ribs on the heat transfer performance and entropy generation have been investigated for the first time for the laminar flow regime. Also, the effects of shape and number of ribs on the flow and temperature fields and entropy generation have been investigated in detail.


Introduction In a fast-changing discipline such as information systems, it is important for academics to keep up with major current trends, and to give students both a strong practical and theoretical insight into areas regarded as important by industry and society. Since 2004 business intelligence has been a "top three" key information systems (IS) management issue and application development area both locally and internationally (e.g. Hart, Berkowitz, Ryan & Waspe, 2004; Luftman & McLean, 2004). On-line analytical processing (OLAP) is a major component of business intelligence that is mature and more accessible to a wider range of people in industry than, say, data mining. Second year students majoring in information systems at the University of Cape Town are given some lectures on business intelligence areas such as data warehousing, OLAP and data mining in their Database Systems course. Since 2004 they have also been given a practical project where they play the role of product, brand or country managers, analyse international sales data stored in multi-dimensional OLAP cubes using a desktop version of the Cognos Powerplay product (www.cognos.com), and report on their findings. Sometimes students have also had to construct the multi-dimensional cube. In 2006 the course organizers decided to make use of some of the business intelligence facilities offered by the US-based Teradata Student Network (TSN) (Wixom, 2004; www.teradatastudentnetwork.com), instead of just continuing with the previous OLAP tool. The authors' country has until recently had only one national telecommunications provider, resulting in typically low available Internet bandwidth by international standards, due to its exorbitant costs. Initial investigations with the TSN showed that the benefits of having free access to an Internet-based OLAP product and datasets were offset by very slow student access and by certain limitations in the version of the product offered. The project for 2006 was therefore finally designed to cover analysis of a sales data cube with a desktop version of Powerplay 7 (PP) as well as analysis of a different sales dataset with a web-based version (some functionality excluded) of MicroStrategy Web (MS) (www.microstrategy.com). Students could use PowerPlay at the university or their place of residence, and could access MicroStrategy over the Internet from anywhere once they had registered. As brand manager of certain retail products, they were required to write a report on subsets of each of the two OLAP datasets, compare their perceptions of the two OLAP software products, and comment on their experiences while doing the project. The main aims of the project were to give them practical exposure to using two top-ranked OLAP tools, and to a real-world business situation, as well as to improve their general analytical and writing skills. Students were in addition later requested to complete a Likert-scale questionnaire on their attitude to various questions about each of the OLAP tools. This instrument was based on past technology acceptance research, and provided useful validated material with which course organizers and graduate students could evaluate student reaction to the products, and extend past research. It also enabled comparison of student perceptions of the products with those previously obtained from industry users. In addition, the qualitative and quantitative information gathered provided useful feedback for arranging future student projects. The paper commences with a few comments on what is commonly referred to as business intelligence, and on OLAP as one of its main components. It then switches to an overview of adoption and acceptance of new technologies, as viewed through the Davis (1989) technology acceptance model (TAM) and its successors. Research objectives are specified in conjunction with an adapted TAM2 model, and the research design is described. Results of both quantitative and qualitative analysis are then given, followed by discussion and conclusions. …


[Reflections on the problem of the overeveniences in the contract being executed during the covid-19 health emergency] According to the main regulatory provisions of supranational and national legislation on public procurement and by virtue of the principles laid down by the case law on events occurring during the execution of the contract for the award of services and supplies (even of modest economic value), there seems to be no doubt about the possibility of extending these events in the context of the current health emergency from Covid-19. This circumstance would legitimize the Public Administration to enter into the necessary negotiations with the contractor in order to agree on the modification of certain contractual clauses that cannot be implemented under normal conditions due to the health emergency.


Healthy bones adapt to mechanical stimulus in a process known as bone remodeling. More specifically, the apparent density of bone tissue is directly related to the load it bears over time. For example, after long periods in a microgravity environment astronauts experience a loss of bone density because of skeletal unloading, while most professional tennis players experience a gain of bone density in their playing arm because of the repetitive loading applied over many years.


This paper investigates optimized synchronization techniques for shared memory on-chip multiprocessors (CMPs) based on network-on-chip (NoC) and targeted at future mobile systems. The proposed solution is based on the idea of locally performing synchronization operations requiring continuous polling of a shared variable, thus, featuring large contentions (e.g., spin locks and barriers). A hardware (HW) module, the synchronization-operation buffer (SB), has been introduced to queue and to manage the requests issued by the processors. By using this mechanism, we propose a spin lock implementation requiring a constant number of network transactions and memory accesses per lock acquisition. The SB also supports an efficient implementation of barriers. Experimental validation has been carried out by using GRAPES, a cycle-accurate performance/power simulation platform for multiprocessor systems-on-chip (MPSoCs). Two different architectures have been explored to prove that the proposed approach is effective independently from caches and coherence schemes adopted. For an eight-processor target architecture, we show that the SB-based solution achieves up to 50% performance improvement and 30% energy saving with respect to synchronization based on the caching of the synchronization variables and directory-based coherence protocol. Furthermore, we prove the scalability of the proposed approach when the number of processors increases


Abstract The June 1991 eruptions of Mount Pinatubo produced new stratospheric aerosols that were greater than the aerosols from the 1982 eruptions of El Chichon. These new aerosols strongly affected the advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) retrievals of sea surface temperature in the tropics where negative biases occurred with magnitudes greater than 1°C. The time dependence of these biases are shown. In addition, a method to correct these biases is discussed and integrated into the National Meteorological Center's optimum interpolation sea surface temperature analysis.


Lyapunov functionals and Lyapunov functions coupled with the Razumikhin technique are still the most popular tools in studying the stability of large-scale retarded nonlinear systems. However, it is generally difficult to construct Lyapunov functionals or functions that satisfy the strong conditions required in the classical stability theory. We show that for some delay differential systems such as additive neural networks with delays, we can weaken the condition that the Lyapunov functional or function is positive definite, by using the equivalence between the state stability and the output stability. We apply our general theory to obtain some new stability conditions for cellular neural network models. It is represented that it is easy to construct Lyapunov functionals or functions satisfied conditions of our theorems.


The paper describes the efficiency of the heating, thermal insulating, and air-tightness systems in the cabs of a railway rolling stock.


The transformation process between palygorskite and smectite was studied by examining the morphological and structural relationships between these two minerals in an assemblage from the Meigs Member of the Hawthorne Formation, southern Georgia. Studied samples were related to an alteration horizon with a tan clay unit above and a blue clay unit below. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the mechanism of transformation.From AFM data, both clay units contain euhedral palygorskite fibers. Many fibers are found as parallel intergrowths joined along the [010] direction to form 'raft-like' bundles. Degraded fibers, which are common in the tan clay, have a distinctly segmented morphology, suggesting a dissolution texture. Many of the altered palygorskite fibers in the tan clay exhibit an oriented overgrowth of another mineral phase, presumably smectite, displaying a platy morphology. This latter mineral forms along the length of the palygorskite crystals with an interface parallel to {010} of the palygorskite. The resulting grain structures have an elongate 'wing-like' morphology.Imaging by TEM of tan clay material shows smectite lattice-fringe lines intergrown with 2:1 layer ribbon modules (polysomes) of the palygorskite. These features indicate an epitaxial overgrowth of smectite on palygorskite and illustrate the structural relationship between platy overgrowths on fibers observed in AFM data. The epitaxial relationship is described as {010} [001] palygorskite ‖ {010} [001] smectite.Energy dispersive spectroscopy indicates that the smectite is ferrian montmorillonite. Polysomes of palygorskite fibers involved in these textures commonly vary and polysome widths are consistent with double tetrahedral chains (10.4 Å), triple tetrahedral chains (14.8 Å), quadruple tetrahedral chains (21.7 Å) and quintuple tetrahedral chains (24.5 Å).The transformation of palygorskite to smectite and the resulting intergrowths will cause variations in bulk physical properties of palygorskite-rich clays. The observation of this transformation in natural samples suggests that this transformation mechanism may be responsible for the lower abundance of palygorskite in Mesozoic and older sediments.


Vascular endothelial cells (EC), communicating with one another across gap junctions, are usually made dysfunctional by hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R); however, very limited information exists regarding the effects of H/R on the endothelial gap junctions. We investigated whether H/R interferes with endothelial gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). After human umbilical vein EC had grown to confluence, they were exposed to hypoxia (pO2 < 0.1%) for 12–16 h and then returned to normal atmospheric conditions for reoxygenation. At 0‐, 2‐, 4‐, 6‐h reoxygenation, GJIC was detected by means of a fluorescence recovery after a photobleaching technique. The results demonstrated that a GJIC reduction (about 20% less than that under normoxia) was induced after 2 h of reoxygenation; after 4 h of reoxygenation, it began to recover (to about 10% less than that under normoxia); and after 6 h of reoxygenation, GJIC was restored to the normal level. Calphostin C (1 × 10−7 mol/l), a specific protein kinase C inhibitor, partially inhibited the reduction in GJIC (resulting in a level about 10% less than that under normoxia), whereas the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein (10 µmol/L) completely blocked the reduction in GJIC. Vanadate (1.5 mmol/l), a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, amplified the inhibitory effect of H/R on GJIC (to about 40% less than that under normoxia). Immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation showed that 2‐h reoxygenation significantly stimulated tyrosine protein phosphorylation, and this phosphorylation event was obviously enhanced by vanadate. The results of Western blotting showed that the gap junctional protein connexin 43 (Cx43) was phosphorylated by H/R; moreover, immunoprecipitation demonstrated that 2‐h reoxygenation induced a prominent increase of tyrosine phosphorylation of Cx43 compared with that under normoxia. These data indicate that H/R induces a transient endothelial GJIC dysfunction through the activation of tyrosine kinase and phosphorylation of tyrosine residues of Cx43. J. Cell. Physiol. 180:305–313, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Spatially specific interactions between the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antigen and anti-IgG monoclonal antibody (McAb) have been studied in detail by tapping-mode AFM. The binding numbers and binding sites of the antigen molecules with antibody molecules, as well as the conformational changes during the binding process have been revealed. The wider application of this technique to complex systems has considerable potential for study of a variety of antigen-antibody interactions and may be extended to other bio-macromolecular systems.


A synthetic strategy to polydimethylsiloxanes and polymethylsiloxanes containing thiol functions as end- or side-groups, respectively, is presented. Such polymers are important starting materials for elastomeric networks and postpolymerization modifications. The synthesis starts either with vinyl end-functionalized polydimethylsiloxanes or with polymethylvinylsiloxanes. The vinyl groups are reacted either with thioacetic acid or with a thioacetic acid/butanethiol mixture via a UV-initiated thiol-ene reaction to form the respective thioester quantitatively within few minutes. The thioesters are subsequently deprotected to the respective thiols by reduction with LiAlH4. The resulting thiol containing polysiloxanes can be used for the formation of networks or another functionalization. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 2940–2948


Purpose In mice, retinal development continues throughout the postnatal stage accompanied by the proliferation of retinal precursor cells. Previous reports showed that during the postnatal stage microglia increase from postnatal day 0 (P0) to P7. However, how microglia are associated with retinal development remains unknown. Methods The involvement of microglia in retinal development was investigated by two approaches, microglial activation and loss, using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and PLX3397 (pexidartinib), respectively. Results LPS injection at 1 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.) in the neonatal mice increased the number of retinal microglia at P7. 5-Bromo-2´-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive proliferative cells were increased by LPS treatment compared to the control group. The proliferative cells were mainly colocalized with paired box 6 (Pax6), a marker of retinal precursor cells. However, the depletion of microglia by treatment with PLX3397 decreased the BrdU-positive proliferative cells. Moreover, progranulin deficiency decreased the number of microglia and retinal precursor cells. Conclusions These findings indicated that microglia regulate the proliferation of immature retinal cells.


The financial crisis caused many to reconsider the desirability and feasibility of capitalism. In Why Capitalism?, renowned economist Allan Meltzer addresses what he feels are key issues that critics of capitalism routinely fail to adequately recognize. These include the power of incentives and capitalism's adaptability to varying morals, ideals, and cultures. Meltzer argues that while capitalism is not perfect, it is the best option for providing growth and personal freedom. Gerardo Serra finds while the conciseness and the clarity of the book certainly make it an appealing reading, the author has surprisingly little to recommend when it comes to policies.


In the present invention, a first device in a wireless communication system executes a first application, discovers a second device associated with the first device which has executed the first application, by using a first application programming interface (API) of the first application, and transmits application execution information specific to the second device, by using a second API of the first application.


We introduce an implementation of a radix 4 dual recoding procedure for the squaring operation of an n-bit number which reduces the number of bit product terms employed in the previously known squaring methods obtained by either Booth radix-4 recoded multiplication or by radix 2 squaring. Several other squaring algorithms have been developed such as [WSM99], [YW01], and [SNC01]. Employing the dual recoded radix-4 procedure for design of a squaring circuit introduces a significant reduction in power and area. Architecturally, radix-4 dual recoded squaring uses only the 1's complement representation which allows for a simpler PPG structure as compared to the 2's complement representation required for Booth radix-4 multiplication.


A fully mechanical infinitely variable transmission (IVT) based on the use of an oscillating inertia is described. The system includes a four-bar linkage mechanism, an epicyclic gear train and a pair of one-way clutches. The proposed IVT can be used in place of both gear-box and clutch in self-propelled vehicles. A basic model is used for a first attempt sizing of the transmission kinematic parameters. A more accurate model, achieved using Bond Graphs, is used to investigate the dynamic effect of inertias, one-way clutch compliance, and minor design changes in the kinematic parameters. Finally, simulations compare the behavior of a car fitted with a manual gear-box and the same car fitted with the proposed IVT.Copyright © 2008 by ASME


The growing availability of single-cell data has sparked an increased interest in the inference of cell-cell communication from this data. Many tools have been developed for this purpose. Each of them consists of a resource of intercellular interactions prior knowledge and a method to predict potential cell-cell communication events. Yet the impact of the choice of resource and method on the resulting predictions is largely unknown. To shed light on this, we created a framework, available at https://github.com/saezlab/liana/tree/biorxiv-clean, to facilitate a comparative assessment of methods for inferring cell-cell communication from single cell transcriptomics data and then compared 15 resources and 6 methods. We found few unique interactions and a varying degree of overlap among the resources, and observed uneven coverage in terms of pathways and biological categories. We analysed a colorectal cancer single cell RNA-Seq dataset using all possible combinations of methods and resources. We found major differences among the highest ranked intercellular interactions inferred by each method even when using the same resources. The varying predictions lead to fundamentally different biological interpretations, highlighting the need to benchmark resources and methods.


Survivin, a member of the anti-apoptosis proteins family, is highly expressed in all primary tumor types, and is responsible for cancer progression and drug resistance in many types of cancer. YM155, a small chemical compound, selectively suppressed the expression of survivin and induced apoptosis in cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. However, the mechanisms underlying the suppression of survivin expression by YM155 are unknown. In order to identify the molecular targets and analyze the drug mechanism of action, affinity purification was performed using an active analogue of YM155. We identified interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3 (ILF3) as the binding target of YM155. From the complex analysis of ILF3 and survivin promoter sequence, we also found that ILF3 forms a complex with p54nrb transcription factor, and then binds to the survivin promoter. Overexpression of ILF3 enhanced survivin promoter activity, which was attenuated by YM155 in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the ILF3/p54nrb complex was disrupted by YM155, thus dispersing the components in the nucleus.In conclusion, our study suggests that binding to ILF3 by YM155 causes the dissociation of the ILF3/p54nrb complex, thus inhibits ILF3 dependent survivin expression. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4756. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4756


Theoretical and experimental research on general relativity with torsion is reviewed. An introductory section establishes definitions and notation, introduces tetrads, the anholonomic formulation and the Dirac equation in curved space with torsion. After that, gauge theories of gravitation are introduced, starting with local Poincaré gauge theory, in which the torsion arises as a translational gauge field strength, and other gauge approaches are described. Torsion that is derived from a potential, including a scalar, vector, and tensor potential is discussed, with emphasis on the antisymmetric tensor of the string theory kind. Teleparallel theories are described, conformal invariance is discussed and a brief section on the equation of motion is presented. Experiments that have searched for, or bounded, torsion are described and the possible physical manifestations are broken down into the broad areas of quantum effects, laboratory scale phenomena and large-scale tests. Finally, a discussion of the relationship between string theory and torsion is presented.


This paper tackles the issue of risk governance of the banking sector. Since the 2007 financial crisis, there has been an increased awareness of risk governance in the banking sector. The importance of banking to the economy is such that society in general has an interest in appropriate supervision. Deregulation has led to banks being given more ability to determine their own level of risk. Yet, the recent crisis has prompted a need to examine fundamentally the governance of risk, in particular that which poses a risk to the public. When dealing with public risks the authors have suggested the concept of 'knowledgeable supervision' as a solution which casts the issues as the responsibility of a network of stakeholders. The stakeholders must share the responsibility for the risks in line with the knowledge, expertise and capabilities they have. This paper explores the possibility of extending this concept to the governance of risk in the banking industry. Obviously the public generally will have insufficient knowledge to deal with the inherent risks, and so to remedy this it is argued that there needs to be greater responsibility and effort on the part of other stakeholders to increase the public's knowledge via financial literacy.


SUMMARY
Organoid model systems recapitulate key features of mammalian tissues and enable high throughput experiments. However, the impact of these experiments may be limited by manual, non-standardized, static, or qualitative phenotypic analysis. OrgDyn is an open-source and modular pipeline to quantify organoid shape dynamics using a combination of feature and model based approaches on time series of 2D organoid contour images. Our pipeline consists of i) geometrical and signal processing feature extraction, ii) dimensionality reduction to differentiate dynamical paths, iii) time series clustering to identify coherent groups of organoids, and iv) dynamical modeling using point distribution models to explain temporal shape variation. OrgDyn can characterize, cluster, and model differences among unique dynamical paths that define diverse final shapes, thus enabling quantitative analysis of the molecular basis of tissue development and disease.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION
https://github.com/zakih/organoidDynamics (BSD 3-Clause License).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.


Abstract Large proportions of nonhybrid progeny result from controlled crosses between Palmer amaranth and common waterhemp, both dioecious weeds. Agamospermy was proposed as an explanation for this phenomenon, and here we provide evidence in support of this hypothesis. We evaluated 60 nonhybrid offspring from two interspecific crosses, and all plants were females and had DNA content values similar to the female (Palmer amaranth) parent. Among nine hybrids resulting from these crosses, eight were nonviable (lethal or neuter), and only one hybrid allowed for continued gene movement. Cytogenetic evaluation of this hybrid revealed triploidy, further supporting the occurrence of unreduced gametes in these species. In light of this new evidence, we examine earlier data regarding Palmer amaranth by common waterhemp hybridization and suggest some prior conclusions may be premature. Nomenclature: Palmer amaranth, Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats. AMAPAcommon waterhemp, Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer var. rudis (Sauer) Costea & Tardif AMATA


Bicameral legislatures in federal systems are designed to provide distinct representation for societal and regional interests. This is also the case in the EU, where the European Parliament (EP) represents the citizens of the EU and the Council of Ministers represents the member states in legislative decision making. However, a weak party system in the EP, nationally-oriented MEPs and a comparable distribution of votes in both institutions implies that the EP will often be a mirror image of the Council, rather than a distinct chamber. Using data from roll-call votes in the EP, this paper shows that the level of conflict between the chambers is significantly reduced when MEPs act along national rather than partisan lines. Furthermore, MEPs most often act as national representatives on policy areas where the Lisbon Treaty enhances the power of the EP, thereby reducing the potential impact of these changes. The findings are illustrated by a detailed examination of decision making on a proposal on for sugar sector reform.


1. Biology of the land crabs: an introduction Warren W. Burggren and Brian R. McMaHon 2. Evolution, systematics and geographical distribution Richard G. Hartnoll 3. Ecology Thomas G. Wolcott 4. Behaviour David W. Dunham and Sandra L. Gilchrist 5. Reproduction and development Rita G. Adiyodi 6. Growth and molting Richard G. Hartnoll 7. Ion and waterbalance Peter Greenaway 8. Respiration Brian R. McMahon and Warren W. Burggren 9. Circulation Warren W. Burggren and Brian R. McMahon 10. Energetics and locomotion Clyde F. Herreid II and Robert J. Full 11. Epilogue Brian R. McMahon and Warren W. Burggren.


vVith the use of the molecular dynamics method the crystallization process from supercooled fluid states is studied for the soft-core system o£ the pair potential ¢(r) =c(o/r) 12 , which has a simple property to characterize the relaxation towards crystalline states. The Voronoi polyhedron is introduced to examine local atomic configurations from topological point of view. Certain classes of polyhedra well characterize various phases, i.e., fluid, and bee and Icc solids. The final relaxed state becomes a bee crystalline state, when the system relaxes incompletely, while it becomes an fcc when the system relaxes perfectly. A unified way of defining a nucleus during the both crystallization processes is proposed. Growth of the nucleus suffers the effect of the periodic boundary condition imposed on the system.


We describe three 2D discrete wavelet transform fixed-point implementations and compare them in terms of quantization error for the Daubechies 9/spl times/7 filter bank. The three implementations are the polyphase form, lifting scheme, and reduced scaling lifting scheme. Experimental results show that the reduced scaling lifting scheme is more robust than the other schemes. Also, the number of cycles the implementations take on a Texas Instruments TMS320C6201 simulator are given as reference.


History-deterministic automata are an intermediate automata model, in between deterministic and nondeterministic ones. An automaton is history-deterministic if its nondeterminism can be resolved on-the-fly, by only taking into account the prefix of the word read so far. This restricted form of nondeterminism yields a class of automata that retains some of the algorithmic properties of deterministic automata, while also enjoying some of the power of nondeterminism. History-determinism has received a lot of attention in the past few years and this article surveys some of the recent developments on the topic. It aims to showcase some of the key constructions and techniques involved in this line of research, while remaining fairly informal. We begin with a roughly chronological overview of research on history-determinism, intended as a quick reference to some of the main results on the subject. We then move onto a more detailed discussion of what are, in our view, the key aspects of history-determinism, highlighting throughout questions that remain open. Like any survey written on a topic that is actively worked on, this article aspires to be out-of-date as soon as it is published. We hope that it will remain useful as a gentle, if incomplete, introduction to the topic.


BACKGROUND
Online treatments are increasing in number and are currently available for a wide range of clinical problems. To date little is known about the role of treatment expectations and other placebo-like mechanisms in online settings compared to traditional face-to-face treatment. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed individual participant data from randomized clinical trials that compared online and face-to-face psychological interventions.

METHODS
MEDLINE (Ovid) and PsycINFO (Ovid) were last searched on 2 February 2021. Randomized clinical trials of therapist guided online v. face-to-face psychological interventions for psychiatric or somatic conditions using a randomized controlled design were included. Titles, abstracts, and full texts of studies were independently screened by multiple observers. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guideline was followed. Authors of the matching trials were contacted for individual participant data. Ratings from the Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire and the primary outcome measure from each trial were used to estimate the association between expectation ratings and treatment outcomes in online v. face-to-face interventions, using a mixed-effects model.

RESULTS
Of 7045 screened studies, 62 full-text articles were retrieved whereof six studies fulfilled the criteria and provided individual participant data (n = 491). Overall, CEQ ratings predicted clinical outcomes (β = 0.27) at end of treatment with no moderating effect of treatment modality (online v. face-to-face).

CONCLUSIONS
Online treatment appears to be equally susceptible to expectancy effects as face-to-face therapy. This furthers our understanding of the importance of placebo-like factors in online treatment and may aid the improvement of healthcare in online settings.


40Cr steel substrate is coated with TiAlN/TiN films by Multi-arc ion technology. The properties of sliding friction and wear on the surfaces of TiAlN/TiN films and substrate are tested by using the machine of friction and wear. The carrying capacity and tribological properties are investigated. The surface morphology of wear specimens is observed and the elements of wear scar center are analyzed. The results show that the friction coefficient of TiAlN/TiN films is lower than 40Cr under the same conditions. The wear scar of TiAlN/TiN films is lower and the wear loss is fewer than 40Cr. The TiAlN/TiN films can successfully reduce friction and wear resistance.


Carbonyl compounds studied are confined to acetyl halide (CH3COCl), acetyl cyanide (CH3COCN), acetyl sulfide (CH3COSH), acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), and methyl formate (HCOOCH3). They are asymmetrically substituted, but do not follow the well-known Norrish type I reactions. Each compound ejected in an effusive beam at about 300 K is commonly excited to the (1)(n, π*)CO lower state; that is, a nonbonding electron on O of the C[double bond, length as m-dash]O group is promoted to the antibonding orbital of π*CO. The photolysis experiments are conducted in the presence of Ar gas and the corresponding fragments are detected using time-resolved Fourier-transform Infrared (FTIR) emission spectroscopy. The enhancement of the collision-induced internal conversion or intersystem crossing facilitates the dissociation channels via highly vibrational states of the ground singlet (So) or triplet (T1) potential energy surfaces. In this manner, an alternative nonadiabatic channel is likely to open yielding different products, even if the diabatic coupling strength is strong between the excited state and the neighboring state. For instance, the photodissociation of CH3COCl at 248 nm produces HCl, CO, and CH2 fragments, in contrast to the supersonic jet experiments showing dominance of the Cl fragment eliminated from the excited state. If the diabatic coupling strength is weak, dissociation proceeds mainly through internal conversion, such as the cases of CH3COCN and CH3COSH. The photodissociation of CH3COCN at 308 nm has never been reported before, while for CH3COSH matrix-isolated photodissociation was conducted that shows a distinct spectral feature from the current FTIR method. The CH3CHO and HCOOCH3 molecules belong to the same type of carbonyl compounds, in which the molecular products, CO + CH4 and CO + CH3OH, are produced through both transition state and roaming pathways. Their products are characterized differently between molecular beam and current FTIR experiments. For instance, the photodissociation of HCOOCH3 at 248 nm yields CO with the vibrational state v ≥ 4, in contrast to the molecular beam experiments producing CO at v = 1. The photodissociation of CH3CHO at 308 nm intensifies a low energy component in the CH4 vibrational distribution, thus verifying the transition state pathway for the first time.


We establish local exact control and local exponential stability of periodic solutions of fifth order Korteweg-de Vries type equations in H(T), s > 2. A dissipative term is incorporated into the control which, along with a propagation of regularity property, yields a smoothing effect permitting the application of the contraction principle.


BACKGROUND
The Norwegian Centre for Health Technology Assessment was asked to assess the treatment of stroke by trombolytic medication. We were also asked to include an evaluation of potential consequences for the organisation of the health care system.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Relevant literature was identified on Medline, the Cochrane Library (Systematic Reviews), and INAHTA (Systematic Reviews). Of particular importance are one study from the USA and two studies originating in Europe.

RESULTS
The conclusion of the working group is that the benefit of thrombolytic treatment in the studies assessed is uncertain; furthermore, intracranial haemorrhage can occur as a complication of the treatment.

INTERPRETATION
Future thrombolytic treatment of stroke patients should be carried out according to a research protocol with thorough documentation of effects as well as side effects.


Data on the reactivities of acetylenes substituted by conjugated electron donors or acceptors in heterocyclisation reactions with nitrogen-containing dinucleophiles are surveyed, the influence of the structure of the acetylenic component on the nature of the interaction is analysed, and the characteristics of the mode of intramolecular and intermolecular nucleophilic attack are discussed. The bibliography includes 96 references.


The paper provides new empirical evidence on the impact of country governance on the revenue efficiency of Islamic and conventional banks. The empirical analysis is confined to Islamic and conventional banks operating in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries banking sectors during the period of 2007 to 2011. The analysis comprise of two main stages. In the first stage, we employ the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method to compute the revenue efficiency of individual Islamic and conventional banks. We then employ panel regression analysis to investigate the effect of country governance on revenue efficiency. The empirical findings indicate that greater voice and accountability, government effectiveness, and rule of law enhance the revenue efficiency of both Islamic and conventional banks. We find that regulatory quality exerts positive influence on Islamic banks, while the impact of political stability and control of corruption enhances the revenue efficiency of conventional banks.


Coffee production was closely linked to the economic development of Brazil and, even today, coffee is an important product of the national agriculture. The State of Minas Gerais currently accounts for 52% of the whole coffee area in Brazil. Remote sensing data can provide information for monitoring and mapping of coffee crops, faster and cheaper than conventional methods. In this context, the objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of coffee crop mapping in Monte Santo de Minas municipality, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, from fraction images derived from MODIS data, in both dry and rainy seasons. The Spectral Linear Mixing Model was used to derive fraction images of soil, coffee, and water/shade. These fraction images served as input data for the supervised automatic classification using the SVM – Support Vector Machine approach. The best results concerning Overall Accuracy and Kappa Index were obtained in the classification of the dry season, with 67% and 0.41, respectively.


Nominal Y0.3Ba0.6Na0.1CuO3- delta thin films were prepared with small grains having an orientation of the c axis perpendicular to the MgO substrate. The electrical resistivity and the thermoelectric power in the absence and in the presence of a magnetic field are reported. The magnetic field dependence of the irreversibility line is discussed. The role of the field for disentangling intragrain and intergrain effects in both coefficients is emphasized.


Deep learning approaches are applied for a wide variety of problems, they are being used in the remote sensing field of study and showed high performance. Recent studies have demonstrated the efficiency of using spectral indexes in classification problems, because of accuracy and F1 score increasing in comparison with the usage of only RGB channels. The paper studies the problem of classification satellite images on the EuroSAT dataset using the proposed convolutional neural network. In the research set of the most used spectral indexes have been selected and calculated on the EuroSAT dataset. Then, a novel comparative analysis of spectral indexes was carried out. It has been established that the most significant set of indexes (NDVI, NDWI, GNDVI) increased classification accuracy from 64.72% to 84.19% and F1 score from 63.89% to 84.05%. The biggest improvement was obtained for River, Highway and PermanentCrop classes.


Increasing evidence suggests that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are highly prevalent and pervasive among National Guard members who served in recent wars. Previous meta-analyses report a lack of social support as one of the strongest risk factors for the development of PTSD symptoms. Social support among military members is typically categorized into two types: assistance and support which is received from military leaders and fellow members of one's unit and civilian social support which is obtained from civilian family and friends. Prior research has demonstrated that unit support is associated with less severe PTSD symptoms. In addition to unit support, the influence of civilian social support was also considered a potent buffer for PTSD symptoms. Civilian social support is important to National Guard members because their experiences integrate military and civilian life more than active duty soldiers. Unlike intensive studies in active duty military personnel, fewer studies have examined the role of social support in National Guard members, and civilian social support is rarely investigated in these limited studies. This review article examines the role of civilian social support in National Guard members as a potential protective factor against the development of PTSD symptoms.


AIM
To determine the prevalence of infections according to their etiologic spectrum and antibiotic sensitivity in patients with or without implants and endoprostheses.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
This retrospective study was conducted based on a customized study protocol on 773 cases admitted to the Clinic of Orthopedics - Traumatology of the Iaşi "Sf. Spiridon" Emergency Hospital in the interval January 1, 2003 - December 31, 2011 for postoperative infectious complication.

RESULTS
S. aureus was more frequently found in the patients without implant (58.2%) and in those with subcutaneous implant (45.5%); the lowest frequency was noticed in the patients with endoprosthesis (27.1%), the frequency distributions showing marked statistically significant differences (p = 0.001). P. aeruginosa was more frequently detected in the patient group with endoprosthesis (30.2%), while in the other groups it was found in approximately 7% (p = 0.001). The presence of Acinetobacter spp. was significantly higher in patients with deep implant (12.9%), with the lowest frequency noticed in the patients without implant (4.5%) (p = 0.029). Of the total isolated and identified types, 59.6% were non-multidrug-resistant (non-MDR), the remaining 40.4% being MDR types.

CONCLUSIONS
S. aureus was the most frequent etiological agent in patients with or without cutaneous implant (45.5 and 58.2%, respectively), and P. aeruginosa (30.2%) in the endoprosthesized patients. Implementation of a preoperative screening protocol for the identification of healthy S. aureus carriers (Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus - MSSA/Methicillin-resistant S. aureus - MRSA) and subsequent decolonization would be an efficient way of reducing the incidence of infections caused by this bacterium.


Although the majority of elderly are residentially stable, many western studies have recently reported that there has been a gradual growth of retirement migration. However, little is known about that in Korea. Therefore, this study intended to examine the trend and nature of elderly migration. For this purpose, inter- and intra-province migration among the aged 65 and over were analyzed, using the migration data of the Korea National Statistical Office, compiled from the 2000 and 2006 resident registration records. The results were as follows. First, there was an increase of elderly migrants to 531 thousand persons in 2006 from 383 thousand persons in 2000. Secondly, the migration rate of elderly has steadily grown with a 11.7% in 2000 and 12% in 2006. Also, the move of female among old population was active but this trend tended to decrease in 2006. Thirdly, the number of provinces which showed a positive net inter-province migration of old population increased from 7 provinces in 2000 to 8 provinces in 2006. Fourthly, we found that the destinations of elderly migrants were mostly neighboring province except the Chungnam, Jeonbuk, and Jeju. These results suggested that elderly migration would be expected to increase gradually and be important in the future of Korea.


ABSTRACT Objective: This study aims to investigate the gene mutation characteristics of chronic neutrophilic leukaemia (CNL). Method: This study retrospectively analyses the molecular biological characteristics, laboratory characteristics and clinical data of four patients with CNL that were admitted in the second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May 2014 to October 2016. On the basis of the molecular biological data of 22 patients with CNL and 4 patients with CNL, we further analysed the characteristics of CNL molecular mutation. Results: Two out of the four patients with CNL were carriers of colony-stimulating factor 3 receptor (CSF3R) mutation, among which two were carriers of CSF3R T618I mutation combined with ASXL1 mutation and SETBP1 mutation, and two were only carriers of JAK2 V617F mutation. According to the molecular biological data of 22 patients with CNL, 20 patients were positive for CSF3R mutation. Two patients were positive for JAK2 V617F mutation. A total of 10 patients were positive for SETBP1 mutation which was correlated with the CSF3R T618I gene mutation (P = 0.03). A total of 13 patients were positive for ASXL1 mutation. No patients carried mutations in ASXL2 and MPL genes. Conclusion and Discussion: CSF3R mutation is the main tumorigenic mutation in CNL, in which CSF3R T618I mutation is the main mutation, and an extremely small number of CNL patients may be caused by JAK2 V617F mutation. SETBP1 and ASXL1 are the most common concomitant mutations in CNL with CSF3R mutation, and SETBP1 and CSF3R T618Imutations may have a certain correlation.


To the Editor: We welcome the interest and enthusiasm of Halber et aL (1997) in the nonparametric randomization test that we described (Holmes et aL, 1996) not least because they called their program 'Sherlock', However, as the great detective would surely have pointed out, there are a num ber of flaws in the article that led the authors to an incorrect primary conclusion, that our test "is a less sensitive procedure [than] a standard parametric test", First, "we must look for consistency" (Doyle, The Problem of Thor Bridge). The principal flaw is that the 'standard' parametric test was used by Halber et aL in a nonstandard way. The parametric statistic images were thresholded at Z = 1.64, or a P � 0.05, uncorrected for multiple comparisons. Thus, the false-positive or Type I error rate is 0.05 per voxeL So we expect that 5% of voxels to appear above the threshold by chance alone exploiting inappropriately Holmes' adage that "it is a question of cubic capacity. A man with so large a brain must have something in it" (Doyle, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle). In contrast, the nonparametric random ization test is constructed to control strongly for Type I error at the image level, giving a Type I error on average once for every 20 applications of the test. For an equi table comparison of test sensitivities, we must' 'balance probabilities" (Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles). The only valid comparison is with a parametric test that uses the same statistical model and also controls Type I error strongly for the family of voxel tests, which invari ably would lead to a much higher threshold than 1.64. Our experience is that with such a comparison, the two approaches have remarkably similar sensitivities, and by using variance smoothing, the non parametric test is more powerful at low degrees of freedom. There is a similar lack of consistency in the visual comparison that the reader is asked to make between Figs. 2 and 3 in the article by Halber et aL The maximum intensity projection method for the whole brain used in Fig. 3 almost invariably makes the extent of activation appear larger than when they are shown in a set of or thogonal views through a single focus, as used in Fig. 2. "It is, of course, a trifle but there is nothing so important as trifles" (Doyle, The Man with the Twisted Lip). In conclusion, we are concerned that Halber et aL have presented our method poorly through inappropriate com parisons, but are nonetheless pleased to see the interest in the method, for we "cannot live without brainwork. What else is there to live for?" (Doyle, The Sign of Four).


Loyalty programs increase customers' repeat purchase behavior and reward their continued patronage by enhancing the firm's value proposition. Yet little is known about how cultural values affect loyalty program choice as firms expand abroad. This understanding is important because multinational corporations must decide whether to standardize or adapt their loyalty programs when internationalizing. The authors develop and test theory proposing that cultural values influence loyalty program choice. The results indicate that cultural differences matter. Consumers from countries high in power-distance values and low in individualism values prefer loyalty programs that offer related rewards, whereas consumers from countries low in masculinity values and low in uncertainty avoidance values prefer unrelated rewards. The analysis also indicates that consumers from countries high in masculinity values and high in uncertainty avoidance values shun loyalty programs altogether and prefer immediate promotional offers. This finding suggests that loyalty programs do not work equally well in all countries and that multinational corporations may need to adapt reward programs as they internationalize to ensure that their loyalty-building efforts are successful.


In the worldwide economy, remittances represent one of the major international flows of financial resources. Worker remittances constitute an increasingly important mechanism for the transfer of resources from developed to developing countries, and remittances are the second-largest source, behind foreign direct investment, of external funding for developing countries. Sometimes the flows of remittances can exceed the flows of foreign direct investment (FDI). Yet, literature on worker remittances has so far focused mainly on the impact of remittances on income distribution within countries, on the determinants of remittances at a micro-level, or on the effects of emigration and remittances for specific countries or regions. This paper tries to study the impact of remittances on various macroeconomic and developmental aspects for the economy. This study aims to observe the impact of remittances on economic growth, using a panel data set of 21 developing countries, during the period 1992–2012. These countries have experienced a major increase in remittance inflows, and at this time accounts for the bulk of total remittance receipts, compared with other regions. The paper is then to review the theoretical as well empirical literature devoted to remittances, in order; first, to select the arguments that can be applied to the countries and second, to identify empirically if there are significant relationships between remittances and GDP per capita in these countries.


. Let R be a prime algebra over a field F and let d be a non-zero derivation in R such that for every x E R, d(x) is algebraic over F of bounded degree. Then R is a primitive ring with a minimal right ideal eR, where e 2 = e and eRe is a finite dimensional central division algebra.


We examined how orientation of self-determination affects the use of online self-presentation strategies among social networking site users. Participants were 374 young adult WeChat users (age range = 18–22 years; 166 men, 208 women) who completed the self-report measures of the
 General Causality Orientations Scale and the Online Interpersonal Communication Strategies Scale. The results indicated that an autonomy orientation of self-determination was positively related to the use of automatic ingratiation strategies; a controlled orientation of self-determination
 was the most active motivational orientation and was related to the use of the online self-presentation strategies of ingratiation, self-promotion, exemplification, and supplication; and an impersonal orientation of self-determination was primarily associated with use of the supplication strategy
 of self-presentation. These novel insights regarding self-determination could help to explain individual differences in online self-presentation.


After Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, newly arrived loncheras , or taco trucks, provided an invaluable and overlooked service, feeding cleanup crews and reconstruction workers. Yet despite the important role these Latinx food vendors continue to fill and their growing popularity among the non-Latinx community, these entrepreneurs face challenges in accessing political and cultural legitimacy. Situating the experiences of lonchera vendors within the larger political economy of U.S. immigration legislation and food truck policy demonstrates how national trends, instead of local realities, are used to shape policies that impact these food vendors. This article uses an ethnographic framework based in New Orleans to argue that the regulation of loncheras maps onto the criminalization of immigrant communities through an emphasis on licensing and documentation. Juxtaposing the case studies of two mobile food vendors, Mateo and Magda—both undocumented—allows for a critical analysis of the ways immigrants navigate bureaucratic systems to make ends meet.


We report cases of four patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) with frequent breathing‐related electroencephalogram (EEG) arousals which led to excessive daytime sleepiness. In spite of a relatively low apnea hypopnea index (AHI), sleep was disrupted by frequent EEG arousals associated with respiratory effort as observed in upper airway resistance syndrome. The effects of sleep stage and sleep position on EEG arousals were also investigated. We consider that AHI alone is not a sufficient index to assess severity of OSAS, and it is very important to examine microarousals by the alteration of esophageal pressure in addition to the effect of sleep position.


Introduction: Endotracheal intubation is a method necessary for controlling and maintaining airway during general anesthesia. Cough and hoarseness are common complications after endotracheal intubation. Inflammation has an important role in postoperative cough and hoarseness outbreak. Also it has been stated that green tea has anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the current study has been conducted to investigate green tea gargling solution effect on cough and hoarseness after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Methods: In this single-blind, randomized, & controlled clinical trial, we enrolled 121 patients undergoing CABG admitted to the ICU. The intervention group participants were asked to gargle 30 cc of green tea solution. The control group patients gargled 30 cc of distilled water. An hour after extubation, the intervention group patients were asked to gargle 30 cc of green tea and the control group patients were required to gargle 30 cc of distilled water every 6 hour up to 24 hour (each patient for 4 times). Moreover, the cough and hoarseness questionnaire was also filled in 6, 12, and 24 hours after endotracheal extubation. Results: The results showed no significant differences among the patients in both groups regarding age, gender, body mass index, smoking history, and anesthesia duration. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of cough 12 hours after removing the endotracheal tube. At other times, there was no significant difference between the two groups considering cough and hoarseness. Conclusion: The present study results showed that green tea gargling does not decrease hoarseness. Though, cough occurrence was less in the intervention group than the other group.


We have carried out Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 F160BW, F555W and F656N imaging of four young populous clusters: NGC 330 in the Small Magellanic Cloud and NGC 1818, NGC 2004 and NGC 2100 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We report photometric results for these four clusters, including identification using photometric colours of the cluster Be star population. We present theoretical WFPC2 and broad band colours and bolometric corrections for LMC and SMC metallicities. The use of the far-UV F160BW filter enables accurate determination of the effective temperatures for stars in the vicinity of the main sequence turnoff and on the unevolved main sequence. Subject headings: Clusters:open(NGC 330, NGC 1818, NGC 2004, NGC 2100) Magellanic Clouds Stars:evolution UV:stars Stars:emission-line,Be


The association between Diabetes and cancer has been known for decades with obesity and insulin resistance being postulated as the main underlying risk factors for both disorders. With rise of the epidemic of obesity in the USA and around the globe, there has been a rise in diabetes that is currently reaching epidemic proportions. Diabetes is known to be associated with increased risk of several types of malignancy including breast, cervical, pancreatic and colon cancer. In this review, we discuss the epidemic of obesity and its consequential epidemic of diabetes highlighting the pathophysiologic mechanisms of increased cancer in the diabetic population. We will then discuss the role of insulin therapy as well as, other antidiabetic medications, particularly metformin that has been to be associated with lower risk as well as better survival with GI malignancies based on several studies including a study that was recently published by our group.


Abstract Integumental color changes and eye pigment movements in crustaceans are regulated by pigmentary-effector hormones. The identified hormones include: an octapeptide RPCH (red pigment-concentrating hormone) and several forms of octadecapeptide PDH (pigment-dispersing hormone: α-PDH, β-PDH). RPCH-related peptides (AKHs, adipokinetic hormones) and PDH-related peptides (PDFs, pigment-dispersing factors) occur in insects, and are recognized as members of AKH/RPCH and PDH/PDF peptide families. The domain for mature peptide is located between the signal peptide and precursor-related peptide in AKH/RPCH precursors, and at the C-terminal end in the PDH/PDF precursors. The precursor-related (associated) peptides in RPCH and PDH precursors in Crustacea show little or no similarity to corresponding domains of AKH and PDF precursors in insects. Although the functions of precursor-related peptides are unknown, the mature peptides are shown to serve diverse functions. RPCH's actions in crustaceans include: pigment concentration in one or more types of chromatophores, dark-adaptational screening pigment movement in distal eye pigment cells, increase of retinal sensitivity, and neuromodulation. The related AKHs largely influence metabolism in insects, although they serve additional functions. PDHs trigger pigment dispersion in chromatophores and induce light-adaptational screening pigment movements in extraretinular eye pigment cells. The related PDFs appear to serve as a transmitter of circadian signals in the regulation of biological rhythms in insects. Evolutionary relationships among the PDH/PDF peptides and directions for future research are discussed.


Offshore software development has gained momentum and most of software companies today have implemented offshore strategies of some sort. Many of these strategies are enforced by corporate top management and driven by assumptions that lower development wages guarantee cheaper and better software development. In practice, offshore software development is associated with many risks, and achievement of the expected benefits is not as straightforward as the rumor has it. In this paper we explore an implementation of an offshore strategy in a Swedish software company that opened its offshore branch in Russia. Based on extensive documentation analysis we create an overview of the initially expected benefits and obstacles that prevailed among onshore product and development unit managers. Years after implementation of the offshore in sourcing strategy we asked these managers about the achievement of their expectations. We observed that the company documented various expected benefits when implementing an off shoring strategy and also concerns that some of these benefits might not be achieved. Seven years after its implementation, the off shoring strategy was overall considered working, however the expected benefits were not fully achieved. More importantly, several gaps were identified, that suggest that the enforced strategy has resulted in a stable but not beneficial collaboration from the onshore perspective.


A wallpaper scraper is made the subject of a number of simple experiments. Interference fringes are used to measure the thickness and refractive index of a surface coating and vibrations of the blade are studied using both traditional and modern methods.


Abstract 220 Hematopoietic cell fate decisions are dependent on their localized microenvironmental niche. In the bone, endosteal osteoblasts have been shown to support hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) self-renewal, as demonstrated by transgenic and knockout mouse models in which osteoblast populations were increased or decreased. In addition, Wnt signaling and the Wnt antagonist Dkk-1 have been implicated in various aspects of hematopoiesis and HSC self-renewal. Sclerostin ( Sost) is a secreted protein that is primarily expressed by fully mature osteocytes and acts on osteoblasts as a negative regulator of bone growth, by antagonizing Wnt signaling by its binding to the Wnt co-receptors Lrp4, Lrp5, and/or Lrp6. Here, we investigated the role of Sost on hematopoiesis in the bone marrow niche. Increased osteoblast activity in sclerostin-knockout ( Sost −/− ) mice results in hypermineralized bones with small bone marrow cavities. As such, Sost −/− mice contain markedly reduced numbers of CD45 + hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow. Since hematopoietic stem cell activity is dependent on osteoblast function, we examined whether the hyperactive osteoblast activity in Sost −/− mice influences the numbers of hematopoietic stem cells, lymphoid progenitor cells and myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. Surprisingly, no differences were observed in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell frequency and cell number. However, we found the bone marrow of Sost −/− mice to be depleted of B cells, and this reduction can be attributed to premature apoptosis beginning at the pre-pro-B cell stage. Examination of Sost expression showed that no hematopoietic cells expressed Sost , however, pre-pro, immature and recirculating B cells expressed Lrp5 and Lrp6 . These gene expression patterns suggested that the defect in B cell development in Sost −/− mice is non-cell autonomous and that absence of Sost could affect Wnt signaling in these populations. We observed that the expression of Wnt target genes CCND1 and Lef-1 were not affected by the absence of Sost, but c-Myc was significantly upregulated in recirculating B cells in the bone marrow. We also observed a significant decrease in CXCL12 expression in the bone marrow stroma in Sost −/− mice, consistent with their inability to adequately support B cell development. Taken together, our results indicate that the B cell developmental defects in Sost −/− mice are non-cell autonomous, and we are currently performing reciprocal bone marrow transplantation experiments to further support this hypothesis. Our studies demonstrate a novel role for Sost in the regulation of B cell development in the bone marrow, and demonstrate that distinct Wnt antagonists play specific roles in the regulation of hematopoiesis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Art and Medicine, in some occasions have singular contact points. An example of this is the life of the North American writer Pearl S. Buck, a Litterature Nobel Prize winner in 1938, and her relation with phenylketonuria and mental retardation. The present paper is a biographical sketch of this brilliant writer, whose only daughter had phenylketonuria, an inborn error of metabolism of low frequency. If this disease is not treated, it may cause mental retardation. At the same time, we point out some of the highlights of the discovery of this disorder in Norway in 1934, and the description of its first treatment in 1953. At the present time, the mental retardation that this disease causes, can be prevented by means of the neonatal screening.


Ascidian development is reviewed and a model is presented for specification of the larval body plan and cell fate during embryogenesis. The model involves the combined activity of determinants inherited from the egg and inductive cell interactions in the embryo. It is suggested that there are four determinant systems in the egg which are segregated to different blastomeres during cleavage. The ectodermal, endodermal, and muscle determinants specify cell fate autonomously, while the axial determinants initiate cell-shape changes at gastrulation and generate a cascade of inductive activities establishing the larval body plan. In the proposed signalling cascade, the endoderm induces notochord by generating a planar inductive signal late during the cleavage phase, and the notochord cells in turn induce the nervous system by generating a vertical inductive signal in the overlying ectoderm during gastrulation. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation experiments are described which suggest that axial and muscle determinants exhibit UV-sensitive components resembling nucleic acids and proteins, respectively. The model is evaluated in terms of developmental changes during the evolutionary transition from indirect to direct development. This transition can be explained according to the model by loss or inactivation of the muscle determinants and modification of the inductive activities generated by the axial determinants. These changes are supported by recent studies of embryogenesis in direct-developing ascidians.


In this paper, we present a large scale unlabeled person re-identification (Re-ID) dataset "LUPerson" and make the first attempt of performing unsupervised pre-training for improving the generalization ability of the learned person Re-ID feature representation. This is to address the problem that all existing person Re-ID datasets are all of limited scale due to the costly effort required for data annotation. Previous research tries to leverage models pre-trained on ImageNet to mitigate the shortage of person Re-ID data but suffers from the large domain gap between ImageNet and person Re-ID data. LUPerson is an unlabeled dataset of 4M images of over 200K identities, which is 30× larger than the largest existing Re-ID dataset. It also covers a much diverse range of capturing environments (e.g., camera settings, scenes, etc.). Based on this dataset, we systematically study the key factors for learning Re-ID features from two perspectives: data augmentation and contrastive loss. Unsupervised pre-training performed on this large-scale dataset effectively leads to a generic Re-ID feature that can benefit all existing person Re-ID methods. Using our pre-trained model in some basic frameworks, our methods achieve state-of-the-art results without bells and whistles on four widely used Re-ID datasets: CUHK03, Market1501, DukeMTMC, and MSMT17. Our results also show that the performance improvement is more significant on small-scale target datasets or under few-shot setting.