Coexistence curves of water in cylindrical and slitlike nanopores of different size and water-substrate interaction strength were simulated in the Gibbs ensemble. The two-phase coexistence regions cover a wide range of pore filling level and temperature, including ambient temperature. Five different kinds of two-phase coexistence are observed. A single liquid-vapor coexistence is observed in hydrophobic and moderately hydrophilic pores. Surface transitions split from the main liquid-vapor coexistence region, when the water-substrate interaction becomes comparable or stronger than the water-water pair interaction. In this case prewetting, one and two layering transitions were observed. The critical temperature of the first layering transition decreases with strengthening water-substrate interaction towards the critical temperature expected for two-dimensional systems and is not sensitive to the variation of pore size and shape. Liquid-vapor phase transition in a pore with a wall which is already covered with two water layers is most typical for hydrophilic pores. The critical temperature of this transition is very sensitive to the pore size, in contrast to the liquid-vapor critical temperature in hydrophobic pores. The observed rich phase behavior of water in pores evidences that the knowledge of coexistence curves is of crucial importance for the analysis of experimental results and a prerequiste of meaningful simulations.


The acquisition and transportation of aggregate exacerbate the negative impact of concrete on the environment, and waste materials are considered an effective solution to this crucial problem. One of these waste materials is waste ballast (WB), which is needed for new infrastructure along with increasing rail track technology. In this study, the effect of WB aggregate (which is basalt-based) on the mechanical and durability properties of standard concrete was examined. Coarse aggregate was replaced with WB aggregate at the rates of 50%, 75% and 100%. The slump, compressive strength, flexural strength, capillary water absorption, rapid chloride permeability and water penetration tests on the mixtures were performed. According to the results of this study, the utilization of WB improved the compressive strength and flexural strength of the mixtures by about 15% and 7%, respectively. Moreover, the capillary water absorption, rapid chloride permeability and water penetration values of all the concrete mixtures with WB were lower than the control mixture. In addition, the correlation relations between the mechanical and durability properties indicated that they have a strong relationship with each other. All the results of this study demonstrated that the utilization of WB instead of coarse aggregate improved the mechanical and durability properties of concrete. WB can also provide a more sustainable material formation by minimizing the negative environmental effects of concrete production.


The aim of this paper is to analyze the skilled-unskilled wage gap generated by the economic openness and determines if the Stolper-Samuelson theorem is accomplished in Mexico. This work analyses the years 2005, 2009 and 2014. The economic aperture's effect is showed by the regionalization of the country in three areas, according to their exposure to the economic aperture. The wage gap analysis is made by the Juhn, Murphy and Pierce decomposition method developed in 1991. As a result, it is observed that in the period of analysis the skilled-unskilled wage gap was reduced, according what the Stolper-Samuelson theorem predicts, however, this reduction was a result of the wage's precariousness of both skill and unskilled workers in Mexico and in its regions.


The discharge of a subcooled liquid or a liquid-vapor mixture at high temperature and pressure can occur in many industrial situations. This paper is focused on the analysis of critical flow models that are already available in the fast transient dynamics software EUROPLEXUS, or that are being implemented as new break boundary conditions. The results of the Moody, Fauske, Flinta, Henry-Fauske and DEM models are presented and compared with the Super Moby Dick experimental results. The best results are obtained for the DEM. Then preliminary results concerning the implementation of the DEM model as a break boundary condition in EUROPLEXUS are given.Copyright © 2015 by ASME


A new 2,7,10,15-tetraethynyldibenzo[g,p]chrysene ligand (1) and two tetranuclear gold(I) derivatives containing PPh3 (3) and PMe3 (4) phosphines were synthesized and characterized by 1H and 31P NMR, IR spectroscopy, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The compounds were studied in order to analyze the effect of the introduction of gold(I) on the supramolecular aggregation and photophysical properties. Absorption and emission spectra displayed broad bands due to the establishment of π π interactions as an indication of intermolecular contacts and the formation of aggregates. A decrease of the recorded quantum yield (QY) of the gold(I) derivatives was observed compared to the uncomplexed ligand. The introduction of the complexes into poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) and Zeonex 480R matrixes was analyzed, and an increase of the measured QY of 4 in Zeonex was observed. No phosphorescent emission was detected.


Subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei cause severe brain diseases after penetration of the blood-brain barrier. We investigated whether cytokines that modulate inflammatory cell infiltration into the brain also influence T. brucei neuroinvasion. Migration of a rodent pathogenic T. brucei strain from the cerebral blood vessels into the brain parenchyma was impeded in IFN-gamma(-/-), IFN-gamma receptor(-/-) (IFN-gammaR(-/-)), IL-12p40(-/-), and recombinant activating gene-1(-/-) (RAG-1(-/-)) mice as compared with their WT littermates despite higher levels of parasitemia in the mutant strains. Parasites accumulated in the perivascular compartment, confined between the endothelial and the parenchymal basement membranes, in certain areas of the brains of IFN-gamma(-/-), IFN-gammaR(-/-), and RAG-1(-/-) mice. This accumulation occurred around endothelial basement membranes containing the laminin alpha4 chain, while blood vessels showing robust laminin alpha5 chain immunostaining were not associated with parasite infiltration. The number of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells infiltrating the brain parenchyma was also reduced in the IFN-gamma(-/-) and IFN-gammaR(-/-) mice. Our findings suggest that lymphocyte-derived IFN-gamma facilitates trypanosome penetration across cerebral blood vessels and that the site of penetration is determined by the composition of the basement membranes of these vessels.


Aim: The physico-chemical properties of an experimental composite resin used for indirect dental restorations were investigated. The goal was to evaluate the variation of water sorption and solubility of the composite specimens during a 7 day period of immersion and to assess the effect of an additional post-curing treatment on these properties. Material and Methods: The specimens were prepared and investigated according to the ISO standard 4049:2000. Two group of specimens were studied i.e. light-cured and post-cured (group A) samples and light-cured (group B) samples. Results : Significant statistical differences were observed regarding water sorption in both groups (p<0.05), the mean values being higher in the first days of immersion. Regarding the water solubility, negative values were obtained, that varied throughout the entire period of immersion; the solubility is masked by the higher values of water sorption. Conclusion : All the specimens present relative high water sorption values especially during the first three days of immersion. The additional post-curing treatment decreases the water sorption and solubility values.


Cystography is the delineation of the bladder as obtained roentgenologically when this viscus is filled with a contrast medium. While cystography has become a highly valued and generally employed aid in the diagnosis of certain forms of disease of the urinary tract in adults, application of the method to kindred clinical problems in infants and children has not become extensive. Two factors in particular account for its relatively scant employment in pediatric cases: (1) lack of appreciation both of the potential diagnostic value of cystography and of its technical simplicity; (2) failure of physicians to seek urologic advice and aid in caring for these young patients having obvious disease of the urinary tract. Although a normal cystogram will be obtained in a great many cases, a certain number will show striking evidence of urologic disease, and with surprising frequency properly interpreted cystograms alone will suffice to establish the correct diagnosis.


This interview was recorded in November 2012 in Jonathan Z. Smith's Hyde Park graystone. Professor Smith offers insights into how he thinks about his classroom teaching and his students' learning through descriptions of various assignments and classroom activities he has developed over more than forty years of teaching. The discussion ranges broadly over such topics as: how students read, the failure to adequately prepare graduate students as teachers, students' faith commitments, the use of newspapers (and humor) in the classroom, and the role of definition, de-familiarization, and critique of the study of religion in introductory classes. The discussion presents vivid glimpses into Jonathan Smith's teaching practice and his teaching persona, including the time a student brought a minister to class to do an exorcism because she thought he was the Devil.


The development of vesicular arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizas was followed for subterranean clover grown in 20 field soils in a glasshouse experiment. The aims of the study were: to understand the way in which mycorrhizas develop in field soils; to identify those factors which could be used to predict field sites suitable for inoculation with VA mycorrhizal fungi. In each soil, the amount and rate of mycorrhiza formation were estimated for species of each genus represented. The data were examined in relation to differences among soils in numbers of spores of VA mycorrhizal fungi and in soil properties. A poor correlation between total spore numbers and the total amount and rate of infection formed was attributed to two factors. First, infection by fine endophyte (a fungus which does not form large spores that can be counted) was ubiquitous, but the amount of mycorrhizas formed by this fungus varied greatly. Second, species of fungi differed in their rates of infection. In general, there was an association between spore numbers and infection development for individual fungal species. The development of mycorrhizas in any soil fell into one of three categories: I, rapid and extensive; 11, extensive but with a lag phase; 111, slow and limited in extent. The species of fungi in soils from each category were similar. Category I included the soils which were most deficient in phosphorus for plant growth. However, from measurements of soil properties alone, it is not possible to predict those soils which are suitable for the introduction of inoculant VA mycorrhizal fungi.


ABSTRACT The Abelson murine leukemia virus (Ab-MLV), like other retroviruses that contain v-onc genes, arose following a recombination event between a replicating retrovirus and a cellular oncogene. Although experimentally validated models have been presented to address the mechanism by which oncogene capture occurs, very little is known about the events that influence emerging viruses following the recombination event that incorporates the cellular sequences. One feature that may play a role is the genetic makeup of the host in which the virus arises; a number of host genes, including oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, have been shown to affect the pathogenesis of many murine leukemia viruses. To examine how a host gene might affect an emerging v-onc gene-containing retrovirus, we studied the weakly oncogenic Ab-MLV-P90A strain, a mutant that generates highly oncogenic variants in vivo, and compared the viral populations in normal mice and mice lacking the p53 tumor suppressor gene. While variants arose in both p53+/+ and p53−/− tumors, the samples from the wild-type animals contained a more diverse virus population. Differences in virus population diversity were not observed when wild-type and null animals were infected with a highly oncogenic wild-type strain of Ab-MLV. These results indicate that p53, and presumably other host genes, affects the selective forces that operate on virus populations in vivo and likely influences the evolution of oncogenic retroviruses such as Ab-MLV.


To assess dry eye symptoms (DES) and quality of sleep in engineering students during the Covid19 pandemic lockdown and also to assess the association between DES and sleep quality. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was carried out among 396 engineering students studying in Saveetha engineering college. The study tool used was a semi-structured google form questionnaire designed for assessing digital device usage, symptoms of dry eye disease and sleep pattern. Responses were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Overall 64.1% attained a score of more than 10, indicating the presence of DES. 70.2% of the study population used digital screens for more than 13 hours. A statistically significant association was found between increased screen time and presence of DES(p<0.05). 64.9% had a score of >18 indicating reduced sleep quality. About 77.1% of the students with DES had reduced sleep quality, and a significant association (p<0.01) was observed between the two. During the Covid19 pandemic lockdown, there appears to be rising prevalence of DES in student population, one of the reasons being increased screen time. The sleep quality was also found to be reduced, and a significant association was found between DES and sleep quality.


Concepts as 'integrative' and 'ecosystem approach' are often mentioned as key concepts to manage renewable marine resources sustainably. The existing amount of information on how to manage marine ecosystems in a sustainable way, however, is often perceived as insufficient. Combining the aim of putting a halt to ecosystem deterioration with an efficient and sustainable fishery seems to be a major challenge. In areas where the use of bottom gear is common, both overexploitation and the direct damage to bottom life prove to be concerns that need to be addressed urgently. This chapter presents a strategy to gather scientific information to support ecosystem management, taking into account the complexity of the system. The Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS) was used as a model to apply this strategy. The strategy focuses on small-scale, short-term studies on a limited set of organisms in order to provide ready-to-use scientific information on a short term basis. Organisms investigated are chosen because of their horizontal and vertical links with other (groups of) organisms and because of their (direct or indirect) economic value. For the application in the BPNS, the bio-engineering polychaete Lanice conchilega (Sandmason) has been used. As it enabled specific research to quantify both the importance for commercial fish species as well as the impact of beam trawl fisheries on the benthic environment, this reef builder was proven to be a good proxy for the quality of the benthic environment The strategy of using small scale, short term studies on a limited number of species makes it possible to study a well defined area in a cost-efficient way; the information gathered in the case of L. conchilega is an example of ready-to-use information for the marine renewable resource management of the soft-bottom area of concern, taking the ecosystem approach into account.


1. Methods for testing hemorrhagin and hemolysin in moccasin venom are described. 2. The hemorrhagic action of moccasin venom is best maintained at a hydrogen ion concentration of 6.0 to 8.0; with increasing acidity the activity of the hemorrhagic principle is diminished. A venom solution with a pH value of 3.0 shows practically no hemorrhagic action. Higher alkalinity also causes some deterioration of the hemorrhagin of the venom but to a much lesser degree than the pH values in the acid range. 3. The hemolysin is most stable at a hydrogen ion concentration between 5.0 and 7.0. There is much deterioration of the hemolytic principle at pH 3.0 and 8.0. It is completely destroyed in an alkaline solution of pH 9.0 and above. 4. Both the hemolytic and hemorrhagic principles are completely destroyed by incubation at 60°C. for three hours. The hemolytic principle is much less resistant to heat. It can be completely destroyed by exposure to 37°C. for three hours. 5. Shaking with chloroform removes practically none of the hemorrhagin or hemolysin, but about 10 per cent of the solid material from a moccasin venom solution 1:50.


Ensuring that rural dwellers around the world do not have to walk for hours to collect sufficient and safe drinking water is a huge challenge. This short article raises issues for those of us who are involved in trying to improve rural water supplies, whether as donor, Government or NGO; program manager or practitioner. It takes a hard look at our limited achievements, points to areas where our approaches need to be radically improved and sets some challenges.


Cardiac fibroblasts are generally considered the primary cell type that controls extracellular matrix homeostasis in the heart. Distinct changes in amounts and composition of extracellular matrix occur from birth to old age. Accordingly, age-dependent alterations in cardiac extracellular matrix are an important factor governing response to injury and pathological remodeling. Whereas cardiac myocytes are surrounded by a basal lamina, cardiac fibroblasts do not assemble a cell-adjacent basal lamina. Evidence is presented that in addition to fibrillar collagen production, cardiac fibroblasts are also the primary cell type responsible for the production of collagen IV. First, patterns and abundance of collagen IV in murine heart was established in sections from neonate, adult, and aged mice. Second, production of collagen IV by fibroblasts grown in 3-D fibrin gels was assessed by confocal microscopy and quantification by immmunoblot analysis. Finally, co-cultures of cardiac fibroblasts with myocytes were performed to show that fibroblasts are the primary cell type producing collagen IV under these conditions. The basal lamina of the myocytes plays a critical role in aligning and tethering myocytes together as well as making connections to the interstitial collagen fibers of the heart. Hence, production of collagen IV by cardiac fibroblasts would provide a mechanism by which cardiac fibroblasts assist in aligning and securing cardiac myocyte alignment and structural integrity via basal lamina production.


disappointing; although it is interesting and draws extensively on the thinker's work to demonstrate his ideas, unfortunately it is only an informative description. There is a very good, and far more interpretative, discussion of Hegel's ideas with a freshness and balance which is well worth reading and which should be valuable to the student. Hegel's ideas on democracy are examined. His ideas of the leader and his view of the state receive a treatment which provides a reasoned reappraisal of many popular notions. In general it is an informative book, giving a corrected presentation, which is needed, of some aspects of the modern period. It should be of use to undergraduate and graduate students. In a move for relevance there is an occasional rather irritating allusion to topical matters. A wealth of very worthwhile footnotes and references provide a basis for further study.


The book has a further interest in that it is a record and commemoration of a century of missionary endeavour. Since the arrival in the Sudan of Father Daniele Comboni the Catholic missionaries there and in Uganda have toiled unceasingly and against every kind of difficulty, hardship, and suffering. They saw all their labours undone by the Mahdist insurrection. They began them all over again. The lists of books and articles about the history and ethnology of the Sudan and Uganda tell us also the heroic story of those who wrote them.


ABSTRACT: In this study, 242 randomly selected male offenders who were receiving psychiatric treatment in prison were administered psychological and neuropsychological evaluations and were followed during their treatment in a prison psychiatric hospital. Offenders who harmed themselves in treatment were compared to those who did not harm themselves. Eighteen percent of offenders harmed themselves, the severity of which required medical intervention. Young age, drug abuse, absence of Axis I mental disorder but presence of Axis II borderline personality disorder identified offenders who harmed themselves. Psychopathy checklist‐revised (PCL‐R) total rating ≥30 and PCL‐R Factor 2 (antisocial lifestyle) rating also identified offenders who harmed themselves. Additionally, offenders who harmed themselves also were 8.36 times more likely than their cohorts to harm treatment staff. Theoretical understanding of offenders who harm themselves, the importance of considering the environmental context in identifying risk factors for self‐harm, and implications for treatment are suggested.


Abstract: Card sorts are a knowledge elicitation technique in which participants are given a collection of items and are asked to partition them into groups based on their own criteria. Information about the participant's knowledge structure is inferred from the groups formed and the names used to describe the groups through various methods ranging from simple quantitative statistical measures (e.g. co‐occurrence frequencies) to complex qualitative methods (e.g. content analysis on the group names). This paper introduces a new technique for analyzing card sort data that uses quantitative measures to discover rich qualitative results. This method is based upon a distance metric between sorts that allows one to measure the similarity of groupings and then look for clusters of closely related sorts across individuals. By using software for computing these clusters, it is possible to identify common concepts across individuals, despite the use of different terminology.


Surface finishes based on structural colors raise interest in product design and architecture in that long lasting colored surfaces can be produced with low risks if color fading. In this paper, aluminum surface are patterned through anodization with additional chemical post‐treatment. This electrochemical technique is advantageous in that it is already industrially mature and enables the treatment of large surfaces. The resulting surface shows self‐organized nanopatterns that lead to specific colored effects. In particular, colored effects similar to rainbow colors are observed in backscattering while the sample preserves its typical grayish metallic color when observed in direct reflection. Optical characterization of the sample have been performed and compared to optical simulations using Fourier modal method (FMM) method. A strong consistency between the simulation results and the experimental measurements has been obtained. It has been demonstrated that the color effects observed in backscattering are due to first order diffraction phenomena.


The aim of the study was to isolate the exopolysaccharides (EPS) from the active biofilm bacterium Bacillus cereus GU 812900 which was isolated from the stainless steel test panel and deployed in the Vellar estuary for a period of about four weeks. The deployed stainless steel test panels when analyzed revealed a direct relationship between the rate of corrosion and the concentration of EPS that is, the rate of corrosion increased with an increase in the concentration of EPS and the period of immersion. Growth and EPS production by B. cereus strain GU812900 was studied in a basalt salt solution (BSS) containing (g/1); NaCl, 30.0; KCl 0.75; MgSO4.7H2O, 7.0; NH4Cl, 1.0; K2HPO4, 0.7; KH2PO4. 0.3; glucose, 10.0 and 1 ml of trace metal solution. The rate of EPS production in batch cultures was highest during the late log phase of the growth then stationary phase. The EPS was recovered from the culture supernatant by using ethanol precipitation – dialysis procedure. Chemical composition of EPS revealed that it is primarily composed of natural sugars, proteins, phosphates and sulphates. The EPS production was influenced by carbon, nitrogen and phosphate concentrations in the growth medium. EPS produced by B. cereus GU812900 is a heteropolysaccharide which influence the corrosion. The FTIR analysis revealed the functional groups of the EPS. The results of the study was expressed the relationship between biocorrosion and biofilm formation of the stainless steel test panels.

 Key words: Biofilm, exopolysaccharides (EPS), sequencing, secondary metabolite, characterization, FTIR analysis.


. We analyze properties of various square-free factorizations in greatest common divisor domains (GCD-domains) and domains satisfying the ascending chain condition for principal ideals (ACCP-domains).


A Leonard pair is an ordered pair of diagonalizable linear maps on a finite-dimensional vector space, that each act on an eigenbasis for the other one in an irreducible tridiagonal fashion. In the present paper we consider a type of Leonard pair, said to have spin. The notion of a spin model was introduced by V.F.R. Jones to construct link invariants. A spin model is a symmetric matrix over C that satisfies two conditions, called the type II and type III conditions. It is known that a spin model W is contained in a certain finite-dimensional algebra N(W), called the Nomura algebra. It often happens that a spin model W satisfies W ∈ M ⊆ N(W), where M is the Bose-Mesner algebra of a distance-regular graph Γ; in this case we say that Γ affords W. If Γ affords a spin model, then each irreducible module for every Terwilliger algebra of Γ takes a certain form, recently described by Caughman, Curtin, Nomura, and Wolff. In the present paper we show that the converse is true; if each irreducible module for every Terwilliger algebra of Γ takes this form, then Γ affords a spin model. We explicitly construct this spin model when Γ has q-Racah type. The proof of our main result relies heavily on the theory of spin Leonard pairs.


THE SYNDROMES that may result from a great excess or deficiency of thyroid hormone in man, thyroid storm,1and myxedema coma,2are both characterized neurologically by apathy, somnolence, psychosis, confusion, and, ultimately, coma— clinical expressions of profound alterations in cerebral function. The pathophysiology of these metabolic encephalopathies is poorly understood and, though nonspecific atrophic changes have been described in adult hypothyroid brains,3these are inconsistent; no definite lesions have been observed in hyperthyroid brain.4Although brain oxygen consumption has been shown to be diminished in human myxedema,5it is normal in thyrotoxicosis.6This study was undertaken, then, to elucidate thyroidal effects upon brain function. Myxedema and thyrotoxicosis were simulated in rats by thyroidectomy and thyroxine intoxication; brain permeability, composition and electrolyte metabolism were studied using sucrose14C, sulfate35S, sodium 24 and potassium 42. Methods Adult male Sherman rats were used


The success of efforts made to improve rural welfares and enhance production and productivity of agriculture are strongly attached extent to which the problems of people and farm are understood by the development actors as well as other stakeholders. One and a recent alternative approach that helps to identify real problems of the rural communities is a framework for analysis of farming systems and sustainable livelihoods. Keeping this in view, the book is prepared to provide concepts and selected examples of their applications particularly for students affiliated towards Agricultural and Rural Development Research profession in development countries. In the first part, such major topics as an overview of agriculture in developing economy, system thinking in agricultural research, farming system research implementation and evaluation are detailed. The second part presents concepts of livelihoods, sustainable household livelihood framework, and livelihood strategies. While reading the material, you would come across various activities, notes, self-assessment questions, as well as checklists- all of which are meant to complement the efforts you exert to take the best out of the book.


This paper presents a perspective upon how the confluence of three differing faces of time may have served as fundamental stimulus for Charles Darwin's formulation of the theory of evolution. The first temporal perspective is represented in Lyell's exposition of 'deep' geological time. This provided Darwin the temporal canvas upon which to conceive the possibility of the prolonged process of change upon which the conceptual basis of the theory of evolution is founded. The second face of time is epitomized in the linguistic treatment of temporality by the Polynesian culture, in whose environs Darwin found himself studying these respective processes of change. The linguistic and conceptual emphasis of this culture on the immediacy of a continual 'specious' present in perception and action provides evident examples of naming transformations of objects and entities well within the observational lifetime of a single individual. The juxtaposition of these conflicting, enormously 'deep' and exceptionally 'shallow' perspectives on time permits the step of insight on the process of change and consistency that became the bedrock of evolution itself. The final element of time, crucial to this whole process of understanding, was the necessary interval of duration for this synthesis to emerge. As a gentleman-scholar aboard the Beagle, Darwin possessed this boon of contemplative time in which to recognize and reconcile these vastly different yet eventually, deeply compatible views of time. Darwin's studious and painstaking development of evolution theory stands in stark contrast to the equivalent, but much more sudden brisance of understanding on behalf of Alfred Wallace whose own insight I shall argue is an exemplar of another form of time's influence.


ABSTRACT Dental plaque microcosms were established under a feast-famine regimen within constant-depth film fermentors and exposed four times daily postfeeding to a triclosan (TR)-containing rinse (dentifrice) (TRD). This was diluted so that the antimicrobial content was 0.6 mg/ml. Microcosms were characterized by heterotrophic plate counts and PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) with primers specific for the V2-V3 region of the eubacterial 16S rRNA gene (rDNA). Dominant isolates and PCR amplicons were identified by partial sequencing of 16S rDNA. TRD caused considerable decreases in the counts of both gram-negative organisms and total anaerobic cells, transiently lowered the numbers of streptococci and actinomycetes, and markedly increased the proportion of lactobacilli. DGGE indicated the presence of putatively unculturable bacteria and showed that a Porphyromonas sp. and Selenomonas infelix had been inhibited by TRD. Pure culture studies of 10 oral bacteria (eight genera) showed that Neisseria subflava, Prevotella nigrescens, and Porphyromonas gingivalis were highly susceptible to TR, while the lactobacilli and streptococci were the least susceptible. Clonal expansion of the lactobacilli in the pulsed microcosm could be explained on the basis of TR activity. The mean MICs of TR, chlorhexidine, erythromycin, penicillin V, and vancomycin for the population before and after 5 days of exposure to TRD showed few significant changes. In conclusion, changes in plaque microcosm populations following repeated exposure to TRD showed inhibition of the most susceptible flora and clonal expansion of less susceptible species.


Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) replicates in a variety of cells, the exact intracellular site of virus assembly is somewhat obscure. The aims of this study were to investigate the role Golgi apparatus in JEV maturation by utilizing two Golgi-disrupting agents- brefeldin A (BFA) and monensin (MN) that inhibit virus assembly at specific cellular sites. JEV-infected porcine kidney stable (PS) cells were treated with BFA (2 ug/ mL) or MN (10 uM/ mL) at different h post-infection (p. i.) and the virus contents were assayed after 48 h p. i. The treated cells were further subjected to immuno-fluorescence (IF) using antibodies directed against JEV envelope glycoprotein (gpE) for localization of intracellular viral antigen as well as the antigen expression on the cell surface. Addition of BFA or MN to cells immediately after virus adsorption or at 4 h and 12 h postinfection (p. i.), resulted in 4- or 8- fold reduction in infectious virus contents along with inhibition of its transport to the cell surface, indicating an essential role of the Golgi-associated membranes in JEV replication. Interestingly, the antigenicity of the virus, in contrast, remained unaffected as no difference in epitope presentation/ expression was observed in BFA/MN-treated and control (untreated) infected cells even though in the former cells a loss of hemagglutinating (HA) activity was observed. Further, BFA addition at 18 h or 24 h p. i. showed only a negligible effect on virus suggesting that once the viral-associated membranes are formed, these membranes appear to be stable. In contrast, the inhibition with MN persisted even after its addition to cells at 18 h and 24 h p. i., indicating its sustained effect on JEV. Although BFA inhibits protein transport from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi complex while MN inhibits transport from medial to trans cisternae of the Golgi complex, none of the two agents however affected the gpE synthesis and folding essentially required for the epitope presentation/expression within the cells. As flaviviruses are known to encode three glycoproteins (gps) within their genomes i. e., prM, E, and NS, it will be worthwhile in future to determine whether vesicular transport occurs within or between the virus-induced membranes and how the individual JEV-encoded proteins are transported to discrete compartments further remain to be seen.


Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are aggressive malignant neoplasm of mesenchymal origin, related to skeletal muscle lineage. These are the most common soft tissue tumors in children. The diagnosis is made by microscopic analysis and ancillary techniques like immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, cytogenetics and molecular biology. We encountered a case of a 03 years old child who presented with a tender, reddish, soft swelling over cheek for three weeks. The FNAC was reported as a small round cell tumor, Probably Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor (PNET). The biopsy of tumor revealed a small round cell tumor with an alveolar pattern. Tumor giant cells were absent and mitotic figures were infrequent. Hence, differentials of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and PNET were rendered. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) demonstrated desmin positivity. Thus, a final diagnosis of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma was offered.


BACKGROUND
Prolonged pulmonary air leaks are a significant source of frustration for patients and physicians. When conventional therapy fails, an alternative to prolonged chest tube drainage or surgery is needed. Bronchoscopic blockage of a bronchus can be performed with the hope of accelerating closure of the air leak by reducing the flow of air through the leak. To our knowledge, this article presents the largest series of patients with prolonged air leaks treated with an endobronchial valve.

METHODS
With Internal Review Board approval, endobronchial valves were compassionately placed using flexible bronchoscopy in patients with prolonged air leaks at 17 international sites.

RESULTS
Between December 2002 and January 2007, 40 patients (15 women; mean age +/- SD, 60 +/- 14 years) were treated with one to nine endobronchial valves per patient. The air leaks had recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax (n = 21), postoperative (n = 7), iatrogenic (n = 6), first-time spontaneous pneumothorax (n = 4), bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (n = 1), and trauma (n = 1) etiologies. Nineteen patients (47.5%) had a complete resolution of the air leak, 18 (45%) had a reduction, 2 had no change, and 1 had no reported outcome. The mean time from valve insertion to chest tube removal was 21 days (median, 7.5 days; interquartile range [IQR], 3 to 29 days) and from valve procedure to hospital discharge was 19 +/- 28 days (median, 11 days; IQR, 4 to 27 days).

CONCLUSIONS
Use of endobronchial valves is an effective, nonsurgical, minimally invasive intervention for patients with prolonged pulmonary air leaks.


Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) establishes latency in sensory neurons, allowing it to persist for the lifetime of the host. During latency, the only abundantly transcribed HSV-1 gene is the latency-associated transcript (LAT), which is processed into the 2.0 kb major LAT intron and several microRNAs. These non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been reported to influence latency, possibly through limiting apoptosis of infected cells. As these studies have used animal models or non-neuronal cell culture, we have developed a differentiated human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y cells) model to examine their effect in human neuronal cells. We have infected these neuronal cultures with replication-defective HSV-1, which establishes a quiescent infection and strongly expresses the latency ncRNAs. We show that quiescent HSV-1 infection reproducibly protects differentiated SH-SY5Y from etoposide-induced apoptosis. We are also further defining the contribution of different LAT ncRNAs using recombinant lentiviruses to drive expression of the LAT intron or microRNAs. Furthermore, we are also currently exploring the mechanisms of this anti-apoptosis effect, and broader virus-neuron interactions by characterising whether the human neuronal transcriptome is altered by LAT RNA expression. Improving our understanding of the molecular interactions underpinning HSV-1 latency in neurons could help develop novel therapies to target HSV-1 latency.


Goorsenberg and colleagues reported, in their 35 patients with severe asthma who underwent bronchial thermoplasty (BT), that higher baseline blood eosinophil count was associated with greater improvement in Asthma-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) (r=0.48, P=0.004) and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) scores (r=20.46, P=0.006) following BT treatment (1). Our clinical experience has been just the opposite (2, 3). In an analysis of 14 patients who underwent BT, we had previously reported a greater improvement in AQLQ score (mean6 SD, 2.26 1.2 vs. 0.86 0.9, P=0.04), ACQ score (22.36 1.3 vs. 20.56 1.1, P=0.02), and airway hyperresponsiveness quantified by the provocative concentration of methacholine that results in a 20% drop in FEV1 (PC20) (3.96 1.2 vs. 0.66 0.8 doubling-doses, P=0.008) in those whose sputum cell counts were normalized before BT compared with those who were treated based on standard clinical optimization (3). The improvement in ACQ and AQLQ scores reported by patients with asthma in whom airway inflammation was absent or controlled prior to BT was.4 times the minimum clinically important difference, being the largest improvement when compared with published trials (4–6) and approximately 3 times that reported by Goorsenberg and colleagues. In contrast to their observations, lower baseline blood eosinophil count was associated with greater improvement in AQLQ score (r=20.62, P=0.02) but not ACQ score (r=0.44, P=0.11). Additionally, PC20 improved by 3.96 1.2 doubling-doses (P=0.06) in patients with asthma in whom airway inflammation was absent or controlled prior to BT. This observation is in agreement with the mechanism of action of BT, at least in part, being a reduction in airway smooth muscle mass confirmed in this report by Goorsenberg and colleagues (1). We are not quite sure why the results are contradictory. Both studies are limited by small sample sizes and could therefore be underpowered for responder analyses to draw definite conclusions. It should also be emphasized that the reported P value cutoff after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons in Goorsenberg's responder analysis is P, 0.006. Using this corrected cutoff, the associations of higher baseline blood eosinophil count with greater improvement in AQLQ and ACQ scores reported by Goorsenberg are rendered statistically insignificant. It is also conceivable that in Goorsenberg's analysis, the predictive benefits attributed to baseline eosinophilia (unclear when this was assessed), which is a marker of steroid responsiveness, may have been confounded by the 150 mg prednisone (over 3 d) administered before each session of BT. In conclusion, there is considerable variability in patient outcomes following BT in clinical practice. Therefore, we share the enthusiasm of the authors to identify baseline characteristics of optimal candidates for BT treatment. However, we caution overinterpretation of the BT responder analysis reported by Goorsenberg and colleagues. In agreement with the authors, the current literature has shaped a debatable BT responder profile, necessitating a large multicenter cohort study that is sufficiently powered for BT responder analysis. n


Molecules of secretory immunoglobulins (Ig) of classes A and M (sIgA and sIgM) play the main role in protection of mucosae from pathogenic factors. The apparatus of synthesis of these molecules represent the most powerful part of the immune system. One of the key elements of the sIgA and sIgM is Jchain. It represents an acid polypeptide of molecular mass of about 15 kDa composed of 137 amino acid residues including 8 cysteine residues and one site of Nglycosylation. The primary structure of the Jchain is unique: attempts to ascribe it to any family of known proteins so far have failed. The Jchain is inserted into the sIgA and sIgM molecules by forming disulfide bonds with Cterminal sites of α� or μ�chains. It is necessary for formation of IgA dimers and IgM pentamers, for reception of these molecules by epithelial cells, binding of secretory component to them, and for transfer of sIgA and sIgM molecules onto mucosal surfaces and into secrets of exo� crine glands. The Jchain has been revealed in the cytoplasm of the early Tand Blymphocyte precursors not producing Ig. The Jchain is detected in the human embryonic liver cells earlier than the expression of the μ�chain gene begins. Study of mice with knockout of Jchain Blymphocytes� producers has shown their block of functions of Thelpers providing formation of immunologic memory. Comparison of Jchain genes of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and cartilaginous fishes has shown the degree of interspecies homology of these proteins to vary from 33% to 70%. The J� chain genes were revealed in representatives of all vertebrate classes except for cyclostomes and bony fishes. In 1996, data were published about the presence of the Jchain geneshomologs in invertebrates, tunicates, and cyclostomes. No papers reproducing or confirming these data have been published. On the contrary, in the literature an opinion appeared that indicate necessity to revise the notion about the presence of Jchain in invertebrates. The main unsolved issues on the J� chain involve the tertiary structure of this protein, its relation to some particular protein family, its functions in cells of the Tand Blymphocytic differentiation lineages as well as its evolutionary age. DOI: 10.1134/S0022093008020023


OBJECTIVE
Archang race is one of special minoritis in Yunnan province of China. However, there is not former report about overall craniofacial features in Archang race, therefore a computerized measurement on craniofacial features of Archang race was established in this study.

METHODS
On the basis of the principles of random sampling, the craniofacial features of 196 normal adults of Archang race coming from Longchuan County, Dehong Dai Jingpo nationality autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province of China were investigated using the craniofacial video-computerized measurement system which was developed by us.

RESULTS
Totally 41 measured items and 17 indexes of craniofacial features were obtained from male and female adults of Archang race. On the basis of 5 indexes, the people were classified according to the head, facial, and nose forms.

CONCLUSION
The results of this study are of great importance in terms of that the reference is not only significant for anthropology, ethnology, but also for medicine and industry.


This paper aims to bridge this gap between neuro-symbolic learning (NSL) and
graph neural networks (GNN) approaches and provide a comparative study. We
argue that the natural evolution of NSL leads to GNNs, while the logic
programming foundations of NSL can bring powerful tools to improve the way
information is represented and pre-processed for the GNN. In order to make
this comparison, we propose HetSAGE, a GNN architecture that can efficiently
deal with the resulting heterogeneous graphs that represent typical NSL
learning problems. We show that our approach
outperforms the state-of-the-art on 3 NSL tasks: CORA, MUTA188 and MovieLens.


In this article, we look at ways in which international criminal tribunals, notably the International Criminal Tribunal for the formerYugoslavia and the International Criminal Court, purport to do justice in the name of humanity. The exercises of justice in the name of humanity, as we observe them here, also have the effect of supporting the institutional powers of international criminal tribunals. To do so, however, courts must give form to the idea of humanity on which they rely. We argue that international criminal tribunals, in these instances, act as representatives of humanity understood as a global public. But representation and identification of a global public prove to be two sides of the same coin, reflecting a paradox of representation. This paradox, as it is manifest by international criminal tribunals, is situated within the context of Western political culture. Accordingly, proceeding from Hobbes through to ideas of contemporary phenomenology, we explore representation as a creative act: in representing humanity as a whole, international criminal tribunals engage in a constitutive act by which they embody and thereby establish that which they purport to represent. Finally, we investigate this process in terms of self-assertion and community making, done for the purposes of realizing and channelling the potential power of collectivity.


The recent surge of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) cameras and systems in the commercial market has made unfamiliar equipment available. Current literature tends to present SPECT in terms of mathematics for physicists or clinical results for physicians with little guidance on operating a SPECT system. Yet even the best system is quite unforgiving of sloppy operation. It is not only necessary to have stable, reliable instruments and software but also, the nuclear medicine technologist must be able to perform proper calibration and operation. We review the basic acquisition parameters and data processing techniques necessary for high quality results from a SPECT system.


This Article introduces to legal scholarship a new horizon for pro-immigrant scholarship and advocacy: deportation abolition. The ever-present threat of deportation shapes the daily lives of noncitizens. Instead of aiming for a pathway to citizenship, most noncitizens must now contend with dodging the many pathways to banishment. The Trump administration's 2017 pronouncement that no group will be exempt from immigration enforcement only heightened this reality. The administration's numerous anti-immigrant actions, from the travel ban for people from Muslim-majority countries, to the separation of migrant parents and children at the US-Mexico Border, to the raids on immigrant communities carried out by newly-emboldened immigration enforcement officers have reinforced immigrant deportability. Despite growing threats to immigrant survival, pro-immigrant scholarship and advocacy that aims to reduce migrant suffering assumes deportation as inevitable. The focus remains on improving individual outcomes by aligning the process of deportation with due process and the rule of law. But considered from the point of view of those facing deportation, even a "fairly" adjudicated deportation proves devastating. Moreover, none of the improvements in deportation's management can eliminate the racialized violence that defines the practice. While post-entry social control and extended border control purportedly justify deportation, the stated goals of deportation law obfuscate its true character as an indefensible act of violence. The underlying assumption that deportation can and should continue indefinitely currently demarcates the outer limits of the arguments for addressing deportation - limits a commitment to deportation abolition would abandon. In an effort to denaturalize the common sense of deportation, this Article explores the fundamental failures that characterize the practice. By questioning commonly held assumptions about its inevitability, critiquing reform proposals that reify its logic, and providing examples of interventions that point towards the possibility of its demise, this Article opens the door to the end of deportation.


Power electronics is a fast-developing technology within the electrical engineering field. This paper presents the results and experiences gained from applying design-oriented project-based learning to switch-mode power supply design in a power electronics course at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Project-based learning (PBL) is known to be a motivating problem-centered teaching method that not only places students at the core of teaching and learning activities but also gives them the ability to transfer their acquired scientific knowledge into industrial practice. Students choose a specification to implement from various power converter application projects, such as a fuel cell power conditioning converter, a light-emitting diode (LED) driver or a battery charger. The students select the topology, design magnetic components, calculate input/output filters and design closed-loop controllers necessary to fulfill the requirements listed in the chosen specification and thus meet the project's goals. This paper presents the course teaching plan and teaching methods, assessment method and student feedback.


The main purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of human capital and relational trust on B2B brand equity. The findings demonstrate positive effects of human capital and relational trust on brand associations, perceived quality, and brand loyalty. Perceived quality and human capital were found to have stronger direct effects than relational trust on the key outcome of brand building efforts that is brand loyalty. The study advances knowledge on B2B brand equity and highlights the relevance of considering customers' perceptions about service providers for developing successful brand management strategies.


Concentrate compositions fungicides in the form of granules, containing: 5 to 95% of active ingredient of phosphite as a solid or solidified, 0.1 to 8% of a wetting agent, 0.3 to 15% of a dispersing agent , 0 to 50% of a carrier, these granules having a size between 0.1 mm and 10 mm. The processes for preparing these granules and fungal with method of treating plants which comprises using these compositions.


Biloma resulting as a complication of cholcecystectomy is rarely reported. Infection and rupture of biloma into the peritoneal cavity is a reported complication that may need aggressive surgical management. A case of infected biloma is presented in which an active biliary leak was demonstrated on a hepatobiliary scan with Tc-99m DISIDA.


Feedback from 360 degree ratings based on competency principles and used for developmental purposes was investigated for interrelationships among the ratings and for its relationships with performance and selection data. Relationships among: (1) feedback ratings from supervisors, peers, and self; (2) feedback ratings and selection test data; and (3) feedback ratings and performance appraisals on about 2000 employees of a Midwestern insurance company were examined. The 360 ratings by peers and managers were related to performance appraisals. All significant correlations of manager and peer ratings with selection tests were positive, but significant correlations of 360 degree self-ratings with selection tests were negative. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


In this article, a set of three computer vision tools, including scale invariant feature transform (SIFT), a measure of focus, and a measure based on tractography are demonstrated to be useful in replacing the eye of the expert in the optimization of the reconstruction parameters in x-ray in-line phase tomography. We demonstrate how these computer vision tools can be used to inject priors on the shape and scale of the object to be reconstructed. This is illustrated with the Paganin single intensity image phase retrieval algorithm in heterogeneous soft tissues of biomedical interest, where the selection of the reconstruction parameters was previously made from visual inspection or physical assumptions on the composition of the sample.


Author(s): Saleem, Arif Hussain | Advisor(s): Coughlin, Shaun R | Abstract: The Adhesion family of G protein-coupled receptors (AdGCPRs) is a unique set of cell-surface receptors with relatively unknown signaling capabilities and physiological functions. Previous work has revealed physiological roles for some AdGPCRs, ranging from orchestrating planar cell polarity in Drosophila epithelium to mediating cell-extracellular matrix interactions in the developing central nervous system. Mutations in some AdGPCRs have been linked to human disease. However, most AdGPCRs remain orphans, with unidentified binding partners, unclear physiological roles, and unknown downstream signaling. Eltd1 (also referred to as ETL) is a member of the AdGPCR subfamily known to be expressed in cardiovascular tissues including heart and blood vessels. I performed morpholino-mediated knockdown of eltd1 in zebrafish to elucidate its physiological function and attempt to gain insight into binding partners and putative signaling pathways. I found that knockdown of eltd1 in zebrafish produced a defect in the establishment of left-right (LR) asymmetry as well as the processes of convergence and extension. Using targeted morpholino injections and fluorescent timelapse microscopy, I was able to show that loss of eltd1 disrupts nodal flow in Kuppfer's vesicle, the organ responsible for establishing LR asymmetry in zebrafish. Interestingly, the early developmental phenotypes associated with eltd1 knockdown are similar to those often observed in morphants and mutants of various planar cell polarity (PCP) genes. Eltd1 morphants also displayed defects in cardiovascular development, consistent with expression data from mouse and rat that localize eltd1 transcripts most strongly to heart and blood vessels. I sought to characterize this phenotype and implement cell-culture assays to visualize Eltd1 in primary and cultured cells. Finally, I developed a strategy to isolate N-terminal binding partners of Eltd1. This work provides a foundation for further investigation of candidate Eltd1 binding partners and putative downstream signaling pathways.


BACKGROUND
Despite the synergy between the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) epidemics, the public health responses have largely been separate. Detection of HIV among TB patients is crucial to the holistic management of HIV-TB co-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE
To assess the feasibility of screening all TB patients for HIV through referral to a voluntary counselling and testing centre.

DESIGN
This cross-sectional study of 4802 newly diagnosed TB patients between July 2005 and June 2006 was performed in Tamilnadu, India, at six sites.

RESULTS
Of 4802 patients invited, 69% were willing to participate in the test. The most significant variables that influenced willingness were sex, age and place of residence (P < 0.01). The other significant variables that influenced willingness to participate were higher education, being employed and being married (P < 0.05). The main reasons for refusal of HIV screening among the patients were 'no risk behaviour' (30%), followed by 'too old' (23%) and for reasons of privacy (12%).

CONCLUSIONS
The present study suggests that it is feasible to routinely test TB patients for HIV. However it is crucial for health providers to focus on an effective referral process keeping patient concerns in mind. Motivation strategies need to be sex-, age-, education- and residence-specific.


Despite the evolution in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management during the last 20 years owing to the advent of new advanced therapies, anti-TNF agents still remain the cornerstone of therapy for both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, this does not only secure favorable outcomes for patients considering the progressive disease character and the high likelihood of primary or secondary loss of response. Therefore, trying to reach a better treatment approach and maximize the benefits anti-TNF agents offer, optimization strategies should be examined. It has been indicated that optimizing treatment with anti-TNF enhances drug efficacy and has been associated with improved disease outcomes and a complication-free disease course. From this perspective, we aim to provide an overview of currently available data and recent advances in the practices of anti-TNF treatment optimization. Special focus has been given to the role of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), as well as the utility of combining anti-TNF with an immunomodulator and the treat-to-target approach.


The addiction potential of anabolic steroids remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate voluntary oral testosterone intake in hamsters. Using a 2-bottle choice test, males preferred an aqueous solution of 200 µg/ml testosterone over vehicle. However, the taste of testosterone is not highly preferred. Addition of testosterone at 400 µg/ml increased fluid consumption from the nonpreferred bottle in a 2-bottle choice test, but cholesterol at the same concentration reduced drinking, suggesting that testosterone reward is not common to all sterols. With food-induced drinking, testosterone maintained fluid intake when food was withdrawn. These data demonstrate that oral self-administration of testosterone is reinforcing in hamsters, suggesting the potential for dependence in human users.


Sedimentological analysis of grain fabric has paid scant attention to grain shape. However, the information of grain orientation is inseparable from that of shape in three-dimensional fabric analysis. Not only should the dominant major-axis orientations be recognized, but so should the dominant combinations of shapes and orientations of grains. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that such combinations can be identified by density-based cluster analysis in a five-dimensional parameter space, where a point represents a specific combination of the shape and orientation of a grain approximated by a triaxial ellipsoid. We tested the present method using an artificial data set. The data were successfully classified into correct groups. Next, we applied it to a data set obtained by X-ray computed microtomography from some 5000 sand grains deposited in an experimental flume. We show that triaxial grains, which have principal axes with distinctive radii, have major axes in the paleocurrent orientation and roller-shaped grains in the transverse orientation. Both grain types have vertical minor axes. Those orientations are not preconditioned for statistical analysis but are recognized as significant; this suggests the potential of the method in three-dimensional fabric analysis for applications in sedimentology. The method can be applied to the statistical processing of ellipsoidal objects including, for example, deformed grains, stress ellipsoids, and magnetic susceptibility ellipsoids.


The field of electric vehicle charging load modelling has been growing rapidly in the last decade. In light of the Paris Agreement, it is crucial to keep encouraging better modelling techniques for successful electric vehicle adoption. Additionally, numerous papers highlight the lack of charging station data available in order to build models that are consistent with reality. In this context, the purpose of this article is threefold. First, to provide the reader with an overview of the open datasets available and ready to be used in order to foster reproducible research in the field. Second, to review electric vehicle charging load models with their strengths and weaknesses. Third, to provide suggestions on matching the models reviewed to six datasets found in this research that have not previously been explored in the literature. The open data search covered more than 860 repositories and yielded around 60 datasets that are relevant for modelling electric vehicle charging load. These datasets include information on charging point locations, historical and real-time charging sessions, traffic counts, travel surveys and registered vehicles. The models reviewed range from statistical characterization to stochastic processes and machine learning and the context of their application is assessed.


In this paper, the Unstructured Transmission Line Modelling (UTLM) method based on a tetrahedral mesh is applied to model the electromagnetic coupling into wire looms and bundles with multiple cores that are typical of an aircraft system, when they are exposed to plane wave illuminations. The impact on the electromagnetic coupling into wires of both bundle configuration and the positioning of the bundle relative to simple structures are investigated using the UTLM method with explicit meshing of the wires. The work not only confirms that UTLM method as a powerful tool for dealing with wire looms and bundles but provides invaluable information on the margins to be expected in key experimental waveform parameters such as peak amplitude and frequency response.


Introduction: Despite the increasing use of permanent cardiac pacemakers
in a younger patient population, there are little data related to pregnancy. We
present our experience in managing a pregnant patient with a pre-existing
pacemaker and review the existing literature to establish management
guidelines. Case: A 27-year-old G1 P0 presented for prenatal care in the first
trimester of pregnancy. She had a past medical history of bradycardia,
hypotension and syncope that required dual chamber cardiac pacemaker placement
6 years earlier, and one episode of left upper extremity venous thrombosis
related to replacement of the pacemaker wire 4 years earlier. In the early
second trimester, the patient began experiencing light-headedness and
breathlessness with exertion. The rate
settings of the pacemaker were increased with resolution of the patient's
symptoms. The patient underwent primary cesarean section at 39 weeks
gestation with delivery of a healthy term infant. Preoperative anesthesia
consultation was obtained. The postoperative course was uneventful.
Pre-pregnancy pacemaker settings were re-established after the postpartum
period. Discussion: The current literature on managing pregnant patients with
pre-existing pacemakers is quite limited. Such patients require a
multidisciplinary approach to care. Normal physiologic changes in pregnancy may
necessitate rate adjustments. Other than routine thromboprophylaxis, no other
anticoagulation is needed. Route of delivery is generally based on obstetric
indications. During surgery consider using
bipolar electrocautery in place of unipolar electrocautery, to reduce
electromagnetic interference. Also, the placement of the grounding pad should
be as far away from the pacemaker as possible. It should be anticipated that
the patient will return to her baseline cardiac status postpartum and therefore
pacemaker settings can be adjusted accordingly.


Tunnelling nanotubes (TNTs) are membranous connections that represent a unique type of intercellular communication in different cell types. They are associated with cell physiology and cancer pathology. The possible existence of tunnelling nanotubes communication between urothelial cancer and normal cells has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we analyzed TNTs formed by T24 cells (human invasive cancer urothelial cells) and normal porcine urothelial (NPU) cells, which serve as surrogate models for healthy human urothelial cells. Monocultures and cocultures of NPU and T24 cells were established and analyzed using live-cell imaging, optical tweezers, fluorescence microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. TNTs of NPU cells differed significantly from tunnelling nanotubes of T24 cells in number, length, diameter, lipid composition, and elastic properties. Membrane domains enriched in cholesterol/sphingomyelin were present in tunnelling nanotubes of T24 cells but not in NPU cells. The tunnelling nanotubes in T24 cells were also easier to bend than the tunnelling nanotubes in NPU cells. The tunnelling nanotubes of both cell types were predominantly tricytoskeletal, and contained actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules, as well as the motor proteins myosin Va, dynein, and kinesin 5B. Mitochondria were transported within tunnelling nanotubes in living cells, and were colocalized with microtubules and the microtubule-associated protein dynamin 2. In cocultures, heterocellular tunnelling nanotubes were formed between NPU cells and T24 cells and vice versa. The presence of connexin 43 at the end of urothelial tunnelling nanotubes suggests a junctional connection and the involvement of tunnelling nanotube in signal transduction. In this study, we established a novel urothelial cancer-normal coculture model and showed cells in the minority tend to form tunnelling nanotubes with cells in the majority. The condition with cancer cells in the minority is an attractive model to mimic the situation after surgical resection with remaining cancer cells and may help to understand cancer progression and recurrence. Our results shed light on the biological activity of tunnelling nanotubes and have the potential to advance the search for anticancer drugs that target tunnelling nanotubes.


From the beginning of 2002, Troyes prefecture has initiated a study about the management of a nuclear crisis caused by an accident at the Nogent-sur-Seine nuclear power plant. Several working groups were created, notably the `Decontamination of soil and food chain' group. The first results of this group, which involves the District Agricultural and Forestry Department, the Farming Chamber, the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety and the Veterinary Division are presented here. The scenario that had been developed for the accident considers the release of 3 radionuclides (131 I, 134 Cs and 137 Cs) in the environment. The scale of the crisis didn't require the evacuation and the sheltering of the population during the emergency phase. The consequences on the local agricultural products (cereal, sugar beet, vine, milk, cow meat ...) have been assessed up to 50 km and different strategies of agricultural countermeasures have been studied regarding to the local constraints (soil types, surfaces and quantities concerned) and to the consequences of their implementation (waste types and quantities, costs). Then, decision-making diagrams summed up the technical results and allowed to deepen the global thought.


D r Zatzick and the group1 from the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and their level 1 trauma center program at the University of Washington are to be congratulated for their excellent work on the screening and management of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in surgically hospitalized injury survivors. This article will be highly cited in future research projects and will be mandatory reading for all of us working in trauma settings and dealing with survivors of severe injury. Trauma is a disease. As such, it must be approached in a multidisciplinary fashion. It is unacceptable to consider that the consequences of the initial injury will become nonexistent at the moment that the body heals. The late and long-term consequences of this devastating disease include, but are not limited to, impairment in physical functioning, psychological disturbances, social disintegration, destruction of families, lack of productivity, and high social costs. The unavailability of proven screening and treatment strategies during or immediately after the acute phase of care suggests not only lack of knowledge and understanding of the "hidden" consequences of traumatic injury but also the complete failure of the health care system in providing support mechanisms to care for mental health care issues. The study by Zatzick et al1 attempted to fill some of those gaps. During a 3.5-year period, the authors screened 207 trauma patients for PTSD symptoms, once during their initial hospitalization and then early after discharge from the hospital. After the screening process, patients were randomized to a stepped collaborative care intervention or usual care control. The interventions included care management, pharmacotherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which lasted for 12 months and were delivered both in the hospital and in the outpatient clinics. Behavioral activation psychotherapy and motivational interviewing were delivered early on by the care management team. Pharmacotherapy included a serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and antidepressant agent in addition to medications targeting insomnia. CBT included psychoeducation, muscle relaxation, cognitive restructuring, and graded exposure. The authors used 2 measures to assess PTSD: Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and PTSD Checklist–Civilian Version (PCL-C). The PCL-C was used as the screening tool to enroll patients in the study. Patients who scored high on the PCL-C while in the hospital were screened again, and those who scored high for a second time were randomized into the study. In addition, the authors used the Patient Health Questionnaire to assess for depressive symptoms, the AUDIT-C for alcohol use, and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Physical Component Summary, to assess physical health and function. They found that study patients were more likely to be female, less severely injured, intentionally injured, blood alcohol positive, younger, and had prolonged hospitalization. They reached the remarkably high rate of 75% follow-up. From a design point of view, the authors have taught us that even when including complex stepped treatment strategies, it is possible to carry out well-designed studies. Care managers spent approximately 13 hours per year providing care to individual patients, and the intensity of care provided decreased over the course of the 12-month period. Medication compliance was more than 60%, and 77% received more than 1 session of motivational interviewing targeting alcohol use and other highrisk behaviors, a definite indirect benefit of the study, which are certainly important components in the development of a comprehensive program. Perhaps, as important, patients participating in the collaborative care program component were more likely to receive pharmacotherapy, an adequate dosage of antidepressant medication, and a medication for insomnia. With such structured treatment


Portal Web Perpustakaan Nasional Republik Indonesia(PNRI) or Indonesian National Library Web Portal is one of the best resources that support education in Indonesia. With the large collection of librarians, PNRI can reach millions of librarian with various education background and area. To ensure its sustainability, we need to conduct research to know how good is the usability this web portal to the remote user. One of the way is using web usability testing. By using this test, PNRI will get the information about what is needed to be fixed and for the next step it can be used as recommendation in redesigning of the portal. PNRI web portal test will be held using remote usability test method. The research is conducted by combining inquiry with formal usability test, like giving a task to the participant. The sampling method used is random sampling by using 32 participant. Data gathering technique used is using online questionnaire.  The research result shows that: (1) most of the participant get difficulties in finding information about service schedule; (2) most of the participant dissatisfied in interface design and arrangement in the homepage of PNRI portal. This research is intended as the starting research. It needs the next research to deepen and complete the information and research findings, especially about portal efficiency.


Purpose: To determine the polyphenolic content of P. dactylifera L. (date palm) bark extract and to investigate its in vitro inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation in the brain, liver, and kidney tissues of rat, as well as on blood hemolysis in rats. Methods: P. dactylifera L. barks were collected from Ahvaz, (Khuzestan, Iran). Methanolic extract of the  P. dactylifera barks were prepared using maceration method. Total phenolic, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin contents were determined by colorimetric methods. The effects of the extract were investigated on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances formation in Fe 2+ /ascorbate induced-lipid peroxidation in brain, liver and kidney tissues of rats. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of the extracts on erythrocyte hemolysis caused by 2,2'-Azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) were evaluated. Results: Total phenolic, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins contents per each g dry extract of P. dactylifera L. were 50.7 mg tannic acid, 10.38 mg rutin, and 5.45 mg cyanidin, respectively, while halfmaximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) for inhibition of lipid peroxidation in brain, liver, and kidney tissues of rats was 3150.71, 1941.45, and 1546.01 μg/mL, respectively, and for the inhibition of erythrocyte hemolysis, it was 472.41 μg/mL. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate significant anti-lipid peroxidation and anti-hemolytic effects of the bark extract. Therefore, the extract can potentially be used for the in vivo treatment of diseases associated with lipid peroxidation such as cancers and Alzheimer's disease, but further studies are required. Keywords: Phoenix dactylifera , Date palm, Lipid peroxidation, Antioxidant, Erythrocyte hemolysis


SUMMARY. Minimally invasive surgery techniques for the cervical spine such as anterior microendoscopic diskectomy and interbody fusion (MEDIF) to treat degenerative disease with central cord compression are not managed by all spine surgeons and yet they may be one of the treatments of choice. This study reports a series of patients treated with the METRx® system. Objectives. To show the clinical and surgical results of minimally invasive techniques in treating cervical degenerative disease. Material and methods. Between February 1998 and August 2002, a prospective study was conducted to assess the MEDIF treatment with threaded titanium cages in patients with cervical root disease with and without myelopathy. We used an endoscopic system to perform the surgical procedures and follow-up was based on the Odom clinical criteria and Xrays. Results. Forty-four patients were operated on (53 levels); 86% of them had good or excellent results; 89% had fusion. No implant migration was seen. Three patients required foraminotomy within 12 months after surgery because of unilateral radiculopathy at a cervical level other than the one treated. The average hospital stay was 12 hours and 75% of patients were able to return to work within 30 days after surgery.


Development in the implementation of the programme of the anticoagulated patient self-management concludes with the follow-up. Your objective is to guide, support, advise and provide the patient with the necessary support material and training and improve their autonomy and quality of life. Contacts are established through both scheduled and unscheduled visits and phone calls. The article describes this phase interspersed, so serve as a practical example, with the experience which has resulted in our unit. Relates the workloads of different professionals and the most the recurrent causes of consultation. Also lists the contents that must be observed in the contacts: practical problems in the puncture or tables of dosing, assessment of the implementation of the programme, dump the data registered in the coagulometer to the computer system, revision of the autoanalyzer, material supply and treatment settings. Reviews of records that help us detect and assess problems that are resolved by a continuous and permanent health education almost in its entirety should periodically conduct. Finally, we present a study on the incidence of adverse effects occurring in self-controlled patients that we are witnessing in our unit.


High unemployment and deterioration of employment conditions are considered as the main problems of labour markets in the world economy. The issue of youth unemployment, which has been frequently discussed recently, is also a central labour market problem. Today, many developed  and developing countries are experiencing these problems. The situation in the Balkan countries is not different. International economic reports show that many of Balkan youths face unemployment problem and this results in young people migrating from their countries. In this context, the aim of the study is to research the relationship of economic growth with employment, unemployment and youth unemployment by considering the seven Balkan countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia). In the study, 1996-2017 period data was used and the bootstrap panel Granger causality test proposed by Konya (2006) has been chosen as the econometric method. The findings of the analysis indicate that the economic growth is related with  employment, unemployment and youth unemployment in the mentioned Balkan countries.


Two sets of N-[2-(tert-amino)ethyl]- and N-[(quinolizidin-1 alpha-yl) methyl]-benzotriazol-2-ylacetamides, bearing substituents on position 5 or 5 and 6, were prepared and tested for local anaesthetic activity in comparison with lidocaine. Most of the prepared compounds exhibited a fairly good activity comparable or superior to that of lidocaine. The introduction of substituents on the benzene ring and the replacement of the usual tert-amino alkyl chains with the quinolizidin-1 alpha-ylmethyl (lupinyl) moiety were quite profitable for both the intensity and duration of activity. One selected compound was subjected to a large pharmacological screening and found endowed with a good level of the purported antiarrhythmic activity without any other disturbing activity.


The article examines actual aspects of serious heat injuries in some kinds of military activities, and shows clinical manifestations of nervous system affection in thermal shock. The authors stress the importance of opportune diagnosis for these types of heat injuries, and describe the measures oriented to the correction of neurologic disorders in thermal shocks, as well as its role in complex treatment of this pathology.


This report summarizes the results of the third test of the Country-Level Savings Assessment Toolkit being developed as part of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)'s Savings Initiative. The purpose of the toolkit is to help government agencies, donors, and others identify opportunities and constraints to increasing poor people's access to high-quality deposit services. The methodology examines four levels of the financial system: clients, financial institutions (micro), supporting infrastructure (meso), and policy (macro). It concludes with suggestions for possible strategies to improve the quality and quantity of deposit services available to poor and low-income households. This analysis suggests nine strategies to improve small deposit mobilization in Benin, that which warrant further research and reflection: research client preference; design and actively market deposit products and delivery mechanisms; conduct consumer education campaigns; consider consolidating institutions and networks; accelerate the use of e-payment mechanisms; improve supervision methods and increase supervision capacity; consider adjusting certain provisions in the regulatory framework; and, review the proposed National Microfinance Policy.


The Penman-Monteith (P-M) method suggested by the Food Agricultural Organization in irrigation and drainage paper 56 (FAO-56 P-M) was used in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool's (SWAT) water balance simulation at the outlet of an experimental watershed in Sicily, Italy. A sensitivity analysis determined that the model was more sensitive to this potential evapotranspiration (PET) parameter than to the other six parameters impacting surface runoff in this small Mediterranean watershed. The FAO-56 P-M method was compared to the three existing SWAT PET methods from 1997 to 2003. The watershed's water balance was more realistically simulated by the FAO-56 P-M method than by the other PET methods. The traditional P-M method incorporated into SWAT overestimated total (surface and base flow) runoff volumes observed during the entire period by approximately 50%; however, total runoff volumes were underestimated by only 17% when the FAO-56 P-M method was used. The surface runoff simulation results using the FAO-56 P-M PET equation for calculating daily values was sufficient at the monthly time interval (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency >0.75) during the calibration and validation periods. The incorporation of the FAO-56 P-M method has broadened the SWAT model's applicability to watersheds that are in semi-arid environments with high-intensity, short-duration rainfall events.


The authors present a case of choroidal osteoma diagnosed in a 25-year-old female patient. A well-defined and slightly elevated yellow lesion located in the posterior pole of the right eye was suspected to be a tumor. Confirmation of diagnosis was obtained with A and B ecography. The patient had low vision and macular edema, which improved after intraocular injection of bevacizumab .


Objective: Resuscitation is a procedure which needs to be done with fullyequipped knowledge. In this study, we aimed to investigate how much the physicians knew about resuscitation and the current guidelines were applied during the resuscitation. Materials and Methods: A total of 134 physicians working in the training and research hospitals, the university hospitals and 112 emergency medical services. A survey including questions about the participants' resuscitation knowledge, age, specialty, the university graduated from and the number of cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPR)carried out in a month was performed. The level of knowledge of the physicians working in the training and research hospitals, the university hospitals and 112 emergency medical services were compared. Results: We determined that, while 24.6% (n=33) of the participants applied the ILCOR protocols correctly, 38.8% (n=52) of them applied the protocols incorrectly or incompletely and 24.6% (n=33) of them did not know the protocols. The evaluation was performed according to the physician's work place and the best results were obtained from the university hospital physicians, but the success rate was achieved in only around 50%. This rate was even lower in the training and research hospital and 112 emergency medical services groups. Conclusion: By reviewing the cardiopulmonary resuscitation training system in Turkey, implementation of resuscitation protocols with more current information should be provided. We believe that it is necessary to establish the inservice training programs, including the emergency medical system, as a part of training for using current information in daily practice. (JAEM 2012; 11: 102-5)


Background and Objective: The epidemiology of central line-associated bloodstream infections in Al Noor Hospital Specialist Hospital has not previously been reported. We sought to describe time-trends in central line-associated bloodstream infections rates, etiology, and responsible pathogens for the period January 1, 2016-December 31, 2018. Materials and Methods: All 120 patients age 18 years and older admitted to all departments of a Tertiary Hospital who had double lumen catheters inserted during the study period were followed up and monitored for central line-associated bloodstream infections. Results: From 120 patients who had a central venous catheter inserted, 20 developed blood infections. The catheterization duration was significantly longer with approximately 11 days among the infected against 6 days in non-infected. The most frequently isolated organism was Klebsiella pneumonieae. The infection rate recorded were 30.67, 23.06, and 16.39 per 1000 catheter days in 2016, 2017, and 2018 respectively. The overall rate for the 2 years of study was 24.06 per 1000 catheter days. Conclusion: Keeping the catheter beyond the period required increases infection rate while avoiding femoral catheter site insertion leads to reduction. If the Line Care Protocol of best practices and education of staff regarding the protocol are implemented infection rates will reduce.


Interpretability is an elusive but highly sought-after characteristic of modern machine learning methods. Recent work has focused on interpretability via $\textit{explanations}$, which justify individual model predictions. In this work, we take a step towards reconciling machine explanations with those that humans produce and prefer by taking inspiration from the study of explanation in philosophy, cognitive science, and the social sciences. We identify key aspects in which these human explanations differ from current machine explanations, distill them into a list of desiderata, and formalize them into a framework via the notion of $\textit{weight of evidence}$ from information theory. Finally, we instantiate this framework in two simple applications and show it produces intuitive and comprehensible explanations.


Literature has shown that cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) which are produced through hydrochloric (HCl) acid hydrolysis catalyzed by inorganic chlorides can enhance the mechanical properties of organic polymers further than CNCs by pure HCl acid hydrolysis. The results have shown that the level of reinforcement may be negatively correlated to the dissociation constant of the inorganic chlorides. However, titanium tetrachloride's dissociation constant is 1.3, lower than that of ferric chloride, 2.2, which is the lowest dissociation constant among the four inorganic chlorides that have been studied. Therefore, for this study, titanium tetrachloride was investigated along with ferric chloride. The only two variables in this study are reaction time and acid-to-microcellulose crystals (MCCs) ratio. The results of laser diffraction spectroscopy (LDS) show that the resultant solutions exhibit binomial size distributions which contain both MCCs and CNCs. At acid-to-MCCs ratio of 40 for ferric chloride, any increase in reaction time above 1.5 hours did not result in size reduction. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results of CNCs showed that the catalyzed hydrolysis did not change the molecular structure of MCCs. The color of CNCs varies with increasing reaction time, but, based on the FTIR and LDS results, the color is not an indication of CNCs' size nor their chemical composition.


The current workflow nets models of WS-BPEL are feature completed, but almost all of them lack data information, so they cannot be used to detect the data access exception in WS-BPEL. In order to overcome this shortcoming, this paper presents a new type of Petri nets-DWFN(Data workflow nets), which makes the data flow modeling and exceptions detection of WS-BPEL possible. Then the DWFN model of corresponding elements in WS-BPEL and the data access exception detecting algorithm are proposed. Furthermore, we show the effectiveness of this model for checking the data access exception by an example. Overall, the research of this thesis provides effective support to the composition of Web services.


Springback is one of factors affecting precision in metal forming. Its effect is particularly prominent in bending process. In this study, bending and forging process are used in order to manufacture a micro spring with two bending region from diameter wire. Springback in the process lowers the precision of the micro spring. Overbending for springback compensation has wide usage in a general way. However, this method requires repeated modifications of press dies until the tolerance is allowable, which causes that production cost and time increase. In this paper, we analyzed the mechanism of springback in the forming process of the micro spring using finite element method. In addition, a simple method to control springback without modifying dies was proposed by performing numerical analysis with various parameters.


A number of national guidelines and regulations on the mutagenicity of chemical substances mandate the assessment of inherited genetic effects. While inherited congenital malformations represent a major component of genetically-based adverse human health effects, tests for such effects are not used by regulatory agencies to evaluate inherited genetic effects. This paper is intended to highlight some of the salient characteristics of inherited congenital malformations which promote a rationale for their use in a regulatory context.


Since 1963, more than 6 billion gal of acidic industrial waste has been injected into a limestone aquifer near Pensacola, Florida. The industrial waste, an aqueous solution containing nitric acid, inorganic salts, and numerous organic compounds, is injected through two wells into the aquifer between depths of 1,400 and 1,700 ft (425-520 m). The aquifer receiving the waste is overlain by an extensive clay confining layer which, at the injection site, is about 200 ft (60 m) thick. Industrial waste is presently (late 1971) being injected at a rate of about 2,100 gal per minute. Wellhead injection pressures are about 175 psi. Calculations indicate that pressure effects in the receiving aquifer extend out more than 30 mi (48 km). No apparent change in pressure has been detected in the aquifer directly above the clay confining layer. Geochemical effects were detected at a monitor well in the receiving aquifer 0.25 mi (0.4 km) from the injection wells about 10 months after injection began. The geochemical effects included increases in calcium-ion concentration and total alkalinity and formation of large quantities of nitrogen and methane gas. Geochemical effects have not been detected at monitor wells in the receiving aquifer 1.9 mi (3.0 km) north and 1.5 mi (2.4 km) south of the injection wells, nor have effects been detected in a monitor well at the injection site open to the aquifer directly overlying the clay confining layer. Tests made at the injection wells early in 1968 indicated that rapid denitrification and neutralization of the waste occurred near the injection wells. Denitrification may have accounted for more than half the neutralization, and solution of calcium carbonate accounted for the rest. Denitrification has not been observed since mid-1968, when the pH of the injected waste was lowered from 5.5 to 3.


Industrializing emerging economies like Nigeria and Sudan through the protection of patent right holders is not an easy process; as it is possible with a strong political will on the part of government discharge its responsibilities. In this regard, one modern type of technology which can catalyze massive industrialization in these countries is reverse engineering. Success stories of most advanced nations in the world today are partly attributed to this modern type of technology. This paper explores the state of industrialization in countries like Nigeria and Sudan to assess their current status with a dire need for change in both nations. It also briefly highlights extant patent regimes in both countries, the importance of such regimes and challenges faced in their everyday implementation process. Emphasis is also on the correlation existing between industrialization and protection of patents in both countries with a view acknowledging the fact that one can hardly exist without the other. The tripartite relationship existing among reverse engineering, patent protection, and trade secrets is cursorily discussed. Further, the paper discusses the importance of employing reverse engineering as a contemporary technology for national development and industrialization. Its advantages to National Development are also discussed in the paper. It is concluded that it is necessary for Nigeria and Sudan to reconsider their policies on patent protection so as to foster economic development.


ABSTRACT This article examines digital data use within three Australian secondary schools, drawing on in-depth interviews with 50 school staff to explore tensions between: (i) established logics of "data-driven" schooling; and (ii) emerging "datafied" practices associated with digital systems, platforms and devices. Using sociological theorisation of institutional logics, the article examines how promises of digital "dataism" are thwarted by the entrenched temporal organisation of schooling, and teacher-centred understandings of students as coerced subjects. As such, prevailing logics of state bureaucracy and professionalism combine in ways that temper the prospect of individualism, self-regulation, continuous feedback, and other implicit promises of digital data. The paper considers the extent to which school data logics can endure amid the increased digitisation of K-12 education.


A hallmark of the desert locust's ancient and deserved reputation as a devastating agricultural pest is that of the long-distance, multi-generational migration of locust swarms to new habitats. The bacterial symbionts that reside within the locust gut comprise a key aspect of its biology, augmenting its immunity and having also been reported to be involved in the swarming phenomenon through the emission of attractant volatiles. However, it is still unclear whether and how these beneficial symbionts are transmitted vertically from parent to offspring. Using comparative 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and direct experiments with engineered bacteria, we provide here evidence of the vertical transmission of locust gut bacteria. The females perform this activity by way of inoculation of the egg-pod's foam plug, through which the larvae pass upon hatching. Furthermore, analysis of the biochemical structure of the foam revealed chitin to be its major component, along with immunity-related proteins such as lysozyme, which could be responsible for the inhibition of some bacteria in the foam while allowing other, more beneficial, strains to proliferate. Our findings reveal a potential vector for the transgenerational transmission of symbionts in locusts, which contributes to the locust swarm's ability to invade and survive in new territories.


In an optical network using the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology, routing a request consists of assigning it a route in the physical network and a wavelength. If each request uses 1/g of the bandwidth of the wavelength, we will say that the grooming factor is g. That means that on a given edge of the network we can groom (group) at most g requests on the same wavelength. With this constraint the objective can be either to minimize the number of wavelengths (related to the transmission cost) or minimize the number of Add/Drop Multiplexers (shortly ADM ) used in the network (related to the cost of the nodes). Here, we first survey the main theoretical results obtained for different grooming Tibor Cinkler Department of Telecommunications and Media Informatics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com David Coudert MASCOTTE, INRIA, I3S, CNRS UMR6070, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Ignasi Sau MASCOTTE, INRIA, I3S, CNRS UMR6070, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France, and Graph Theory and Combinatorics Group, Department of Applied Mathematics IV, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, e-mail: email@example.com Michele Flammini, Gianpiero Monaco, Luca Moscardelli Dipartimento di Informatica, Università degli Studi dell'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Loc. Coppito, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy, e-mail: flammini,gianpiero.monaco,email@example.com.


Wideband SAR systems such as TerraSAR-X allow estimation of the absolute interferometric phase without resorting to error prone phase unwrapping. This is achieved through the delta-k technique that exploits frequency diversity within the range bandwidth to simulate a SAR system with a much longer carrier wavelength. This benefits all interferometric applications including DEM generation and land surface motion determination. Here we present the results of an ESA study (21318/07/NL/HE) into using delta-k absolute phase estimation for DEM generation and PSI (Persistent Scatterer Interferometry). Using TerraSAR-X data, examples from a delta-k DEM generation system are shown which avoid the errors induced by conventional phase unwrapping. For PSI, the possibilities of absolute phase estimation for a single PS are explored in theory and examples where wideband estimation is compared to conventional PSI processing for a stack of acquisitions over Paris.


This guide is intended for HIST 4931/5931 students. In this guide you will find links to secondary source materials, library research help, and citation guides that will aid in the construction of your Artsteps exhibitions.


Beyond the 2 classical forms of congenital hyperinsulinism, focal and diffuse, we report our experience on the surgical treatment of atypical forms. We define 2 subtypes among these atypical forms of hyperinsulinism: in case of a giant focal form the surgical strategy is the same as in focal forms. In case of hyperinsulinism caused by a mosaic, our experience suggests the benefit of a limited resection from the tail to the body of the pancreas.