Erythrophleum fordii Oliv. is a valuable rosewood species indigenous to the tropical and warm sub-tropical zones of Vietnam, Laos, and South China. The natural forests have been heavily fragmented mostly due to over-exploitation and over-utilization, and alteration to croplands and fast-growing plantations. Therefore, it has been included in the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species as an endangered species. In the present study, genetic diversity and population genetic structure of 11 populations were estimated by SSR makers in South China. Five high polymorphic loci were studied with a total of 34 alleles, among which, seven were private alleles. The mean number of alleles per locus (A), the mean number of efficient alleles per locus (Ae), the observed (Ho) and expected (He) heterozygosity, and Shannon's index (I) of the 11 populations were 3.40, 2.31, 0.52, 0.56, and 0.90, respectively. Correlation analysis between genetic parameters and geographical factors showed that He and I were in significant negative correlation with longitude, indicating that genetic diversity of E. fordii reduced gradually from West to East in south China. FIS of eight populations with above five samples was on average 0.01, most loci conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in these populations; their genetic differentiation coefficient (FST) was 0.18, indicating that genetic differentiation among populations was relatively low and there existed 18% genetic variation among populations. Gene flow (Nm) between these populations was 1.28. The Mantel test showed that genetic distance was not significantly correlated with geographical distance (p > 0.05). It was concluded that populations with high genetic diversity or private alleles, especially Longmen, Wuming and Pingxiang populations should be a priority for in situ conservations, meanwhile more populations and as many families as possible in each population should be collected for ex situ conservations of germplasm resources of this species in the future.


Author(s): Goldenberg, Shira Miriam | Advisor(s): Strathdee, Steffanie A | Abstract: Background: Sex trafficking is a human rights abuse that carries particularly negative health and social consequences, including HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). While HIV/STI infection and sex trafficking have been linked in Asia, the context of these associations and their applicability in Mexico is poorly understood.Aims: Aims of this dissertation were to (1) Critically review evidence linking mobility, trafficking, and HIV vulnerability in Mexico and Central America; (2) Explore associations between features of the risk environment, sex work and drug use history, and underage sex work among female sex workers (FSWs) in Tijuana and Cd. Juarez, Mexico; and (3) Describe and "unpack" sex trafficking and its relationship to HIV/STI vulnerability among formerly trafficked FSWs in Tijuana.Methods: This study employed qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate sex trafficking, mobility and HIV vulnerability. In Chapter 2, a critical review of the epidemiology and context of HIV vulnerability among mobile populations in Central America and Mexico was conducted. Chapter 3 draws upon questionnaires and HIV/STI testing among FSWs (n=624) in Tijuana and Cd. Juarez. In Chapter 4, in-depth interviews were conducted with formerly trafficked FSWs in Tijuana (n=31). Results: Chapter 2 found that among mobile groups in Central America and Mexico, social isolation, socio-economic impacts of displacement, gender inequalities, and stigma/discrimination strongly shape HIV/STI risk. In Chapter 3, underage sex work entry was positively associated with inhalants as the first drug used, forced first injection, number of drug treatment attempts, and recent receptive syringe-sharing. Number of recent condom negotiation attempts with steady partners and depression as a reason for first injecting were negatively associated with underage entry into sex work. In Chapter 4, sex trafficking was linked to elevated HIV/STI vulnerability through gender-based violence, economic vulnerability, migration, and stigma.Conclusions: These findings contribute to a foundation of knowledge to advocate for strategies to reduce sex trafficking and HIV. Multi-level, intersectoral interventions to prevent sex trafficking and HIV infection are needed for vulnerable youths, migrants, and FSWs in Mexico-U.S. border cities; recommended components include strengthening the response to gender-based violence, peer-delivered prevention, and the provision of shelter, food, job placements, and psychological support.


Abstract - Sylvilagus palustris hefneri (Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit [LKMR]) is an endangered subspecies of marsh rabbit found only in the Lower Florida Keys. In September 2017, Hurricane Irma was measured as a Category 4 storm when it passed through the center of the LKMR range causing significant damage to human infrastructure and natural habitats. To assess the impact of Hurricane Irma to LKMR and its habitat, we compared pre- and post-hurricane monitoring data. Overall, 82% of LKMR habitat patches were abandoned, the average number of pellets per sampling plot decreased 94%, and average patch pellet density decreased by 84% following Hurricane Irma. Generally, pellets were found in plots with greater open cover, an intermediate amount of herbaceous and woody cover, and areas with more standing water post-Hurricane Irma. We also observed a slight decrease in signs of Procyon lotor (Raccoon) and Didelphis virginiana (Virginia Opossum). The decrease in rabbit pellets detected after Hurricane Irma is likely attributed to both direct mortality from the storm and flooding, as well as indirect mortality from the loss of critical, salt-sensitive herbaceous cover. Because climate-change models suggest increases in future flooding and hurricane frequency, we recommend that wildlife managers continue to closely monitor the recovery of LKMR populations and their habitat to determine if more active management actions (e.g., habitat remediation, translocations, or captive breeding) are necessary.


SUMMARY

Paper II of this series described the chemical and microstructural evolution of ferri-ilmenite solid solutions during high-T quench and short-term annealing. Here we explore consequences of these Fe–Ti ordering-induced microstructures and show how they provide an explanation for both self-reversed thermoremanent magnetization and room-T magnetic exchange bias. The dominant antiferromagnetic interactions between (001) cation layers cause the net magnetic moments of ferrimagnetic ordered phases to be opposed across chemical antiphase domain boundaries. Magnetic consequences of these interactions are explored in conceptual models of four stages of microstructure evolution, all having in common that A-ordered and B-anti-ordered domains achieve different sizes, with smaller domains having higher Fe-content, lesser Fe–Ti order, and slightly higher Curie T than larger domains. Stage 1 contains small Fe-rich domains and larger Ti-rich domains separated by volumes of the disordered antiferromagnetic phase. Magnetic linkages in this conceptual model pass through disordered host, but self-reversed TRM could occur. In stage 2, ordered domains begin to impinge, but some disorder remains, creating complex magnetic interactions. In stages 3 and 4, all disordered phase is eliminated, with progressive shrinkage of Fe-rich domains, and growth of Ti-rich domains. Ordered and anti-ordered phases meet at chemical antiphase and synphase boundaries. Strong coupling across abundant antiphase boundaries provides the probable configuration for self-reversed thermoremanent magnetization. Taking the self-reversed state into strong positive fields provides a probable mechanism for room-temperature magnetic exchange bias.


This article is based on wave experiments performed in the toroidal plasma device Blaamann, and a comparison between experimental and theoretical values for the dispersion relation. A motorized probe, which could be moved in two axial directions, gave us the opportunity to investigate spatial dependencies, in our case wavefronts of ion-Bernstein waves. The article demonstrates how wave measurements of this kind can be used for obtaining ion temperature and density relations between the ion species H+, H2+ and H3+ in a weakly ionized hydrogen gas. The resulting relations are compared with what was obtained in a similar experimental set-up in the plasma device Thorello in Italy.


The understory is the layer of vegetation in the forest situated under the canopies of the trees. Some species of understory vegetation benefit from the surrounding trees, e.g by the provided nutrients, while others are restricted, e.g. by the limited amount of light. In this thesis, statistical methods have been developed that allow the quantification of the effect of the trees on the vegetation. This is of importance for understanding ecological dynamics as well as for decisions regarding biodiversity and forest management. The effect of the trees was calculated with an index called influence potential on a quadrat (IPQ), which uses the size of the trees and their spatial distribution. The abundance of the understory was assessed by the proportion of ground covered. The Finnish Forest Research Institute provided the data consisting of observations on trees and vegetation from more than 3000 plots distributed over Finland. In Paper I, an edge correction for IPQ was developed using tools from spatial point processes. The correction eliminates the bias that originates when trees outside the plot are ignored in the calculations. Paper II suggests a logistic model for studying the absence and presence of a plant species, but conditioned on a sufficient statistic for the large-scale effects. These effects are present throughout the data and are due to factors such as climate and latitude. By conditioning, the effects are accounted for but do not require to be estimated. Paper III develops regression models for proportions assuming that the errors are Beta distributed. It uses an alternative parameterization that is more flexible and allows estimation methods not possible with the standard form. Paper IV is an exploratory study of the relationship between IPQ and the abundance of 12 species of understory vegetation.


Previous work has shown that at least certain antibodies may be brought down in the course of a specific precipitin reaction. Antitoxins (Dehne & Hamburger, Weill-Hallé and Lemaire); fixation antibodies (Gay); and the protective bodies of antipneumococcus serum (Gay and Chickering) are instances of this phenomenon. It seemed advisable to undertake a more systematic study of the several types of antibodies to learn how frequent this occurrence may be. It would be of great service to separate out antibodies in this manner as they could then be studied in a condition relatively free from other proteins and certain very practical results might be obtained with curative sera.
 Attention is drawn to the fact that in the combinations noted above in which successful results have been obtained, the antibody adherent to the precipitate may have been originally associated with either the precipitinogen or with the precipitin. This is a matter not only of theoretic interest, but of practical importance in concentrating antisera. For this reason we have, so far as possible, endeavored to trace the antibody when it is associated with both factors in the precipitin reaction.
 Our results have, for various reasons, been entirely negative, at least in so far as separating out antibodies is concerned. They seem, however, of value as being the first attempt at a systematic study of this kind and as saving others from fruitless endeavor.
 The previous method of bringing down antitoxins with the precipitin has been shown in those instances in which the antitoxic serum served as the precipitinogen in the reaction. We have attempted to reverse the phenomenon by producing both antitoxins and precipitins to the diphtheria bacillus in rabbits and horses. Our results hitherto have been without result, owing to the fact that we have not succeeded in producing precipitins in these animals.
 Experiments with various combinations have shown that both bacteriolysins and hemolysins when associated either with the precipitinogen serum or with the precipitin serum are not brought down in the formation of the precipitate. Similar negative results were obtained with artificial bacterial agglutinins and hemagglutinins.
 Experiments on the fate of the fixation antibodies in the precipitin reaction shown, in general, that when the precipitate is produced by adding serum to its antiserum the fixation complex is present in the precipitate. This is by no means universal, as others have pointed out, and the fixation complex may lie in the supernatant fluid, or in both the supernatant fluid and the precipitate. The difference in results would seem to depend somewhat upon the rapidity of the precipitate formation without relation to its actual intensity. When bacterial extract is added to an immune serum the fixation complex seems usually present in the supernatant fluid.
 In certain combinations it seems definitely shown that the fixation complex is present in that fraction (supernatant or precipitate) in which the protective bodies are absent. Thus in the case of pneumococcus precipitate produced by adding the extract of pneumococous to antiserum from the horse, the protective bodies are present in the precipitate and the fixation complex is present in the supernatant fluid. The exact reverse is true in a combination of rabbit antihorse serum and horse antipneumococcus serum.
 We have not been able to find precipitins in the antisera to meningococcus and streptococcus from the horse which are used for curative purposes, and which were produced in a manner similar though perhaps not identical to the pneumococcus serum which we previously investigated.


Nigeria is blessed with abundant solid mineral deposits scattered in different parts of the country. As a measure to curtail the total dependence of imported commercial adsorbent for the treatment of our petroleum wastewater, Kankara kaolin from Katsina state, Nigeria was pretreated and blended with a commercial zeolite 4A from UOP, New Jersey, USA. The determination of the best blend of matrices of zeolites 4A and metakaolin was based on the adsorption capacities of the blends. It was found that Matrix 4 composed from 75% metakaolin and 25% zeolite 4A yielded a unique and best matrix, with removal efficiency of almost 100%, except for lead. The compositions of the spectrum of matrices are: Matrix 1 – 0% metakaolin and 100% zeolite 4A; Matrix 2 – 25% metakaolin and 75% zeolite 4A; Matrix 3 – 50% metakaolin and 50% zeolite 4A; Matrix 4 – 25% metakaolin and 75% zeolite 4A; and Matrix 5 – 100% metakaolin and 0% zeolite 4A. The treatment profile suggested enhanced ion exchange ability as the key lever force.


The future change of heavy rainfall (meso-β scale) in the Baiu season, the atmospheric patterns (over meso-α scale) of sea level pressure and surface vapor flux, and the connection between them were investigated by analyzing multiple datasets of a highresolution non-hydrostatic regional climate model (NHRCM05) for better simulating heavy rainfall, a coarser-resolution global atmospheric climate model (AGCM20) embedding the NHRCM 05, and a huge database for Policy Decision-Making for Future climate change (d4PDF) with a coarser-resolution. As a result, northern Japan and Japan-sea-side areas have a statistically significant increase of heavy rainfall that is caused by an increase in the atmospheric patterns with westward-protruding Pacific high and northward-invading vapor flux along the periphery of the high. In the Pacific side in eastern Japan, the typical atmospheric pattern prone to heavy rainfall will change in the future as it will decrease the occurrence frequency of the atmospheric pattern that presently caused heavy rainfall with cyclones located at south of Japan. Besides, the atmospheric pattern with westward-protruding pacific high, that presently caused heavy rainfall mainly in western Japan, will expand the area of heavy rainfall eastward in the future due to an eastward-invading vapor flux. (Citation: Osakada, Y., and E. Nakakita, 2018: Future change of occurrence frequency of Baiu heavy rainfall and its linked atmospheric patterns by multiscale analysis. SOLA, 14, 79−85, doi:10.2151/sola.2018-014.)


The activities of microsomal fatty acid elongation and cytoplasmic de novo fatty acid synthesis were measured in human cultured skin fibroblasts. Both activities in fibroblasts from normal controls and patients with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) were compared and slight but a significant increase of elongation activities in ALD fibroblasts was demonstrated. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the fatty acid synthetase activities. In this study, we measured microsomal fatty acid elongation activities in the presence of N-ethylmaleimide, which completely inhibited the activity of contaminating fatty acid synthetase and also the degradation of fatty acids, and made accurate determination of the elongation activities possible.


In March 2018, the United States (US) President Donald Trump announced the imposition of a tariff on US imports of steel and aluminium products. This technical report sheds light on the possible macroeconomic impacts of this policy, focusing in particular on exports, value added (VA), output and employment. The modelling analysis considers two possible scenarios to be compared with a baseline in which no tariffs are imposed by the US government. In the first scenario we assume that the European Union (EU) is exempted from the new tariffs. In the second scenario we instead assume that the EU is not exempted, as it has been declared that the exemption is only temporary. Under an EU exemption, the most significant economic effect of the US tariff involves the trade of basic metals' products to the US whose volume would decrease due to the protectionist measure. The most exposed countries would be India, Russia, and Turkey, although the impact of the new tariffs on GDP and employment is negligible. The US metal industry would increase its production, to the detriment of other sectors which would face higher input costs (such as manufacture of electrical equipment, machinery, or motor vehicles and other transport equipment).In a second scenario that assumes no exemption for the EU, EU metal products exports would be lower by slightly more than 1% with respect to the non-tariff baseline scenario. Still, there would be countries hit more severely, like Russia and India. In all cases, though, the overall effects on total exports would be much smaller due to the relative importance of the metal sector in the economy.


Recent years have witnessed a rapid and widespread proliferation of information technologies and internet-based applications and platforms, commonly referred to as social media, which powerfully infused into almost every aspect of our lives, including teaching, teacher education and professional development. Departing from this premise, the current study provided a systematic analysis of Facebook groups serving as networks of professional development for ELT professionals in Turkey. The two-level analysis adopted lurking as a data collection strategy and thematic content analysis as an analytical lens. The macro analysis generated a corpus of these groups (n=55) and investigated how they positioned themselves by analyzing their group size, titles, descriptions and group cover photos. The micro analysis focused on two of the most influential groups and shed light on the actual activities in the form of posts occurring in these groups in June 2020 (n=189, n=1,063, respectively, and a total of n=1,252). The two-level analysis indicated that these groups could be defined as utilitarian (predominantly requesting information and/or providing supplementary docs, instructional videos, revision tests) and socially-oriented (social exchanges with like-minded colleagues). Thus, it could be argued that these groups serve primarily as professionally-focused spaces of socialization, like a digital teachers' lounge where teachers (coming from the same area of specialty) interact with each other, socialize but also discuss work, give or ask for help on a range of professional, administrative, logistical and administrative matters.


The "Artificial Vision" permits industrial automation and system vision able to act in the production activities without humane presence. So we suppose that the acquisition and interpretation of the imagines for automation purposes is an interesting topic. Industrial application are referred to technological fields (assembly or dismounting, cut or stock removal; electrochemical processes; abrasive trials; cold or warm moulding; design with CAD techniques; metrology), or about several processes (control of the row material; workmanship of the component; assemblage; packing or storages; controls of quality; maintenance). The main advantages of this technique are: 1) elimination of the human errors, particularly in the case of repetitive or monotonous operations; 2) possibility to vary the production acting on the power of the automatic system (the automatic machines can operate to high rhythms day and night every day of the year); 3) greater informative control through the acquisition of historical data; these data can be used for successive elaborations, for the analysis of the failures and to have statistics in real time; 4) quality control founded on objective parameters in order to avoid dispute, and loss of image. In addition, another interesting application can be considered: the robot cinematic calibration and the trajectories recording. First of all it is important to consider that, by a suitable cameras calibration technique, it is possible to record three dimensional objects and trajectories by means of a couple of television cameras. By means of perspective transformation it is possible to associate a point in the geometric space to a point in a plane. In homomogeneous coordinates the perspective transformation matrix has non-zero elements in the fourth row.


Dibekacin pharmacokinetics was studied in ten healthy volunteers and six patients with renal failure presenting Clcr less than 10 ml X min-1 per 1.73 m2 of body surface, given as a slow intravenous bolus to the volunteers and as a 30-minute intravenous infusion to the patients. The antibiotic was assayed in plasma and urine by means of a microbiological method using Bacillus subtilis. A two-compartment kinetic model was used to describe the bi-phasic decline of the plasma concentration thus establishing the different pharmacokinetic parameters. Elimination parameters beta, k10 and total body clearance were markedly diminished in renal patients (p less than 0.001): t1/2 beta was 2.0 h, k10 = 0.016 min-1 and Cl = 0.87 ml X min-1 kg body weight in normal subjects and t1/2 beta = 21.4 h, k10 = 0.0011 min-1 and Cl = 0.131 ml X min-1 per kg in the patients. Other kinetic parameters, as distribution (alpha) and transfer (k12, k21) constants were lower in patients than in volunteers. Also the different terms of volume of distribution of the two-compartment model (V1, Vdss, Vdarea) were significantly higher in patients than in normal subjects (p less than 0.05). A good correlation (r = 0.987) between patients' beta constant and creatinine clearance was found. A similar relationship between serum creatinine levels and disposition half-life was found (r = 0.955). Urinary recovery at 24 h was 89.0% of the dose given to normals and 15.8% of the dose given to patients.


The small leucine-rich proteoglycan decorin is a natural inhibitor of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and exerts antifibrotic effects in heart and to stimulate skeletal muscle regeneration. We investigated decorin's chronic effects on postinfarction cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced in mice by left coronary artery ligation. An adenoviral vector encoding human decorin (Ad. CAG-decorin) was then injected into the hindlimbs on day 3 post-MI (control, Ad.CAG-LacZ). Four weeks post-MI, the decorin-treated mice showed significant mitigation of the left ventricular dilatation and dysfunction seen in control mice. Although infarct size did not differ between the two groups, the infarcted wall thickness was greater and the segmental length of the infarct was smaller in decorin-treated mice. In addition, cellular components, including myofibroblasts and blood vessels, were more abundant within the infarcted area in decorin-treated mice, and fibrosis was significantly reduced in both the infarcted and noninfarcted areas of the left ventricular wall. Ten days post-MI, there was greater cell proliferation and less apoptosis among granulation tissue cells in the infarcted areas of decorin-treated mice. The treatment, however, did not affect proliferation and apoptosis of salvaged cardiomyocytes. Although decorin gene therapy did not affect TGF-beta1 expression in the infarcted heart, it inhibited Smad2/3 activation (downstream mediators of TGF-beta signaling). In summary, postinfarction decorin gene therapy mitigated cardiac remodeling and dysfunction by altering infarct tissue noncardiomyocyte dynamics and preventing cardiac fibrosis, accompanying inhibition of Smad2/3 activation.


The disaster risk community has notably shifted from a response-driven approach to making informed anticipatory action choices through impact-based forecasting (IBF). Algorithms are being developed and improved to increase impact prediction abilities, and to allow automatic triggers to reduce the reliance on human judgement. However, as complexities in modelling algorithms increase, it becomes more difficult for decision makers to interpret and explain the results. This reduces the accountability and transparency, and can lead to lower adoption of the models. Therefore, humanitarian decision-makers can benefit from a mechanism to evaluate different IBF approaches, which has not yet been developed. Through a case study of anticipatory action for tropical cyclones in the Philippines, we evaluated two very different approaches to IBF: (1) a statistical trigger model that uses a machine learning algorithm with several predictor variables, and (2) an elementary trigger model that combines damage curves and weighted overlay of vulnerability indicators, to predict the impact and prioritize areas for intervention. The models were evaluated based on their performance for damage prediction and their sensitivity to different risk indicators for Typhoon Kammuri (2019) in the Philippines. The study also proposed a way of characterising the explainability specific to an IBF model, and that gives clarity on which elements, and why, influence the results, done via a model card. To facilitate this process a prototype interactive decision portal was built, which shows decision makers the sensitivity of the results to variations in input parameters. The results show that in relative terms the elementary model performed better and would


Whatever your business, lubricants remain one of the most important elements in the preventative maintenance of your machines and implements. If this element is in place, you are well on your way to a situation of low maintenance costs and effective application of your asset.


In this paper we consider a distributed constrained convex optimization problem over a network composed of multiple interacting agents. For solving this problem, we propose a gossip-based gradient-free (GGF) method that only employs local computations and interactions between agents. For a constant step size, we study the convergence properties of the method, and more specifically, we derive some error bounds on the expected distance from the optimal value and the expected function value; we also highlight the dependence of the error bounds on the problem parameters.


Authors, producers, or distributors wishing to have such materials announced or reviewed are invited to submit information according to the guidelines, published in the November 1976 issue of The American Statistician. Information on committee reports, new program packages or updates, sources for further information, and new products should be submitted to Associate Editor William J. Kennedy, Department of Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50010. Four copies of the information should be provided. Articles on statistical computing should be sent to the Editor. The description of a program or package in this department should not be construed as an endorsement of it by the American Statistical Association or its committees, nor is any warranty implied about the validity of the program.


Abstract Recent studies reported that high doses of short-acting loop diuretics are associated with poor outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Short-acting loop diuretics have been shown to activate the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and have no favorable effects on cardiac sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity. The goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between daily doses of furosemide and the outcomes of patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) from the viewpoint of cardiac SNS abnormalities using iodine-123-labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (123l-MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy. We enrolled 137 hospitalized patients (62.5 ± 14.2 years old, 103 men) with LVEF < 45% who underwent 123l-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy. A delayed heart-to-mediastinum ratio (delayed HMR) was assessed using 123l-MIBG scintigraphy. Cardiac events were defined as cardiac death or re-hospitalization due to the deterioration of HF. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to identify predictors of cardiac events. Cardiac events occurred in 57 patients in a follow-up period of 33.1 ± 30 months. In a multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, delayed HMR and furosemide doses were identified as independent predictors of cardiac events (P = .0042, P = .033, respectively). Inverse probability of treatment weighting Cox modeling showed that the use of furosemide (≥40 mg /day) was associated with cardiac events with a hazard ratio of 1.96 (P = .003). In the Kaplan-Mayer analysis, the cardiac event-free survival rate was significantly lower in patients treated with high doses of furosemide (≥60 mg/day vs 40–60 mg/day vs <40 mg/day, the Log-rank test P < .0001). In a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the cut-off value for cardiac events was 40 mg/day of furosemide. The cardiac event-free rate was significantly lower in patients with delayed HMR <1.8 (median value) and receiving furosemide ≥40 mg/day than in other patients (the Log-rank test P < .0001). Significant differences in cardiac event rates according to furosemide doses among patients with delayed HMR <1.8 were observed among patients without &bgr;-blocker therapy (P = .001), but not among those with &bgr;-blocker therapy (P = .127). The present results indicate that a relationship exists between higher doses of furosemide and poor outcomes. The prognosis of HF patients with severe cardiac SNS abnormalities receiving high-dose short-acting loop diuretics is poor.


Although fertilization (IVF) has played a major role in Background: in vitro the management of infertility, its failure rate is still 60-80% and most of the causes failure are unknown. Therefore, a histomorphology-based predictive tool to forecast IVF outcome that utilizes expression data of certain cellular adhesion molecules in endometrium pertaining to successful implantation might provide the theoretical basis to develop a low-cost laboratory investigation suited for low to middle income countries as opposed to the expensive gene expression based tools like endometrial receptivity array. In this study, mucin 1 (MUC1) and E-cadherin immunohistochemistry of endometrium from aspiring IVF women were analyzed to see if there is any correlation between signal intensities and endometrial receptivity in terms of IVF outcome. This was a case-control study conducted among women of Methods: reproductive age with infertility who underwent IVF at the Centre for Assisted Reproduction (CARe), Dhaka between March and December 2017. Endometrial biopsy samples were collected and routine histological as well as immunohistochemical analysis was performed on those samples at the Department of Pathology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka. A total of 21 patients, 17 cases (IVF failure) and four controls (IVF success), were included in the study by consecutive convenient sampling. Relevant history and medical records of each of the patients were also obtained accordingly. No statistically significant correlation was found between IVF Results: outcomes and the signal intensities in endometrium produced by MUC1 and E-cadherin immunohistochemistry. Despite the fact that this study did not find any statistically Conclusions: significant correlation between endometrial immunohistochemistry of MUC1 and E-cadherin and IVF outcome, further studies may incorporate gene expression arrays to supplement or revise those findings.


Cantrell syndrome is a rare syndrome of congenital defects involving the abdominal wall, sternum, diaphragm, pericardium and the heart. The spectrum of anomalies varies widely. Less than 160 cases have been described in the world literature. We reported a premature infant, with the syndrome. The case with a rare congenital malformation consisting of a pentad of findings: ectopia cordis and absent pericardium and a midline supraumbilical wall defect, evisceration of the intestines and liver, and short sternum. We presented this case because of its rarity and discuss the pathologic findings.


It is commonly believed that the percolation critical probability is a monotonically decreasing function of the average coordination number for periodic lattice graphs in the same dimension. This paper provides counterexamples-a pair of planar lattices for which the bond percolation critical probabilities and average coordination numbers are in the same order, and a pair for which the site percolation critical probabilities and average coordination numbers are in the same order. These counterexamples confirm the existence of this counterintuitive phenomenon, which was observed in one case in numerical estimates by van der Marck.


The implementation of learning based on religious moderation must be developed within the scope of Islamic education. Islamic education also has a role and responsibility for various problems in this world, especially concerning the study of Islamic sciences. Because, in this era of globalization, many underestimated values of religious moderation, especially the general public who do not study Islamic sciences in their lives. Moreover, many people feel unfamiliar with the term of religious moderation, so the purpose of this paper is to increase public knowledge of religious moderation and to apply it in learning activities at school. Research in completing this writing is using qualitative research. Data collection techniques to complete this writing are using interview and literature study. Religious moderation-based learning is generally in great demand in Islamic Religious Education subjects, where the relationship between the two is interrelated. At this writing, religious moderation-based learning is shown by educators to their students through the learning methods used. So, educators implement and deliver learning materials accompanied by the application of moderating values. That way, students will easily accept and understand learning material regarding moderation.


This article uses a longitudinal qualitative analysis of key transitions in the relationship between Fiat Group Automobiles and a major supplier to integrate a pragmatist model of action into the contemporary "practice" approach to the study of organizations. It builds on an affinity between pragmatist and practice approaches that has been widely recognized but has not yet been fully developed with reference to an empirical case. It argues that an analytic reliance on a pragmatist conception of agency improves on the more general reliance in studies of organizational practice on a conception of the agent imported from Giddens' structuration theory [Giddens A 1984 The Constitution of Society: Outline of the Theory of Structuration Polity Press, Cambridge, UK]. The argument is developed with reference to a long-standing debate in organization theory-the debate over the determinants of organizational boundaries-that has grown in importance as companies have responded to market and technological volatility by involving suppliers not just in the production but also in the conceptualization and design of the products they sell. It provides a theoretical framework that can help analyze the place of managerial agency in organizational strategy making and explain why organizational boundaries in many industries today are so unsettled and contested and are likely to remain so in the future.


Objective: Early and rapid detection of the causative organism is necessary in tuberculosis. We present here an integrated and dedicated molecular biology system for tuberculosis diagnosis. Methods: One hundred and eighty nine (189) biological specimens from patients strongly suspected by clinical parameters of tuberculosis were studied by Ziehl- Neelsen staining, cultivation on a solid medium and by a balanced heminested fluorometric PCR system (Orange G3TB) that preserves worker safety and produces a rather pure material free of potential inhibitors. DNA amplification was carried out in a low cost, with a tuberculosis termocycler-fluorometer. The double stranded DNA produced is fluorometrically detected. The whole reaction is carried out in one single tube which is never opened after adding the processed sample, thus minimizing the risk of cross contamination with amplicons. The assay is able to detect 30 bacilli per ml of sample having a 99.8 % inter-assay coefficient of variation. Results: PCR were positive in 36 (18,9%) tested samples (33 of them were smear negative). In our study, it yields a preliminary overall sensitivity of 97,4 %. In addition, its overall specificity is 98.7 %. The total run time of the test is four hours with two and a half real working hours. All PCR positive samples also had a positive result by microbiological culture and clinical criteria. Conclusions: The results obtained showed that it could be a very useful tool to increase eficiency in detecting the tuberculosis disease in low bacillus inoculum samples. Furthermore, its low cost and friendly usage make it feasible to be used in regions with poor development.


Continued on page 102. Introduction This article is limited to the principles of organization for calibration work in relation to cGMP and other pharmaceutical standards. Calibration and metrology methods related to actual calibration techniques, statistics, and theories are not explored in our discussions.1 Each class of instruments requires specific techniques and approaches to achieve stated accuracies. All members of the calibration team should be educated in metrology techniques and skills necessary for the successful calibration work. In pharmaceutical applications, performance and accuracy of instrumentation devices are governed by Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs). Verification of proper process instrumentation operation is an important factor for finished product in Quality Assurance (QA) programs. In GPM processes, outside of validated parameters weighing additions, sterilization temperatures, compounding pressures, and other factors are most likely not recoverable and costly to the business. Mistakenly released products within an established QA program could be detrimental to patients' health and manufacturers' reputation, including legal implications.5 Proper operation of process systems and laboratory equipment in the pharmaceutical environment is critical for product quality, manufacturing cost, and research development. Processes controlled by instrumentation outside of defined tolerances, presumably irreversible, will lead to distraction of affected materials and rise of production costs. Incorrect data of laboratory instrumentation and measurements could delay development and


The paper presents an assessment of organisation and economics of Polish crop farms, and their competitiveness has been defined against analogous farms from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany. The assessment of researched farms was made on the basis of the Polish FADN and Europe- -wide FADN data of 2010-2012, bearing in mind economic size of farms expressed in EUR thousands of Standard Output (SO). The research used comparative method. Competitiveness of the researched farms was defined with the competitiveness ratio, which illustrates the relation between farm income and the sum of costs of using own factors of production (labour, land and capital. Research results point to a growth in the share of crop farms in the general number of farms. In 2013, the share amounted to 53%. It was stated that there is a positive relation between the economic size of a farm and the UAA, and the share of rented land, and negative relation between the economic size of a farm and labour inputs and value of assets per 1 ha of UAA. It was stated that labour productivity and efficiency as well as land and labour productivity grow, along with an increase in the economic size of farms. The Polish crop farms in individual economic size classes showed, on many occasions, greater competitive capacity as regards analogous farms from the researched countries.


Longstanding relationship (amicable and hostile) has existed between Awi andGumuz nationalities since Aksumite era. Their early relationship had been full of pain because of the fact that the successive highland kings had appointed Awi chiefs to run state affairs in Gumuz community, which left bad seed on the future relation between two generations.  As time went on, a shift from hostile to friendly relation marked since the change of politics in 1974 because of socio-political developments and the dynamic nature of the interaction. The study focused on driving socio-political and economic developments which promoted tolerance, cohabitation and diffusion of the indigenous agricultural knowledge system between these two people. The Gumuz and Awi inhabited Woredas of Awi and Metekelzonez were selected for this study. The researcher attempted to consult wide ranges of primary and secondary sources.  Elders from Awi and Gumuz are extensively interviewed. They responded that agricultural alliance leads to the shift of indigenous knowledge such as traditional agricultural activities, management of crop production etc from Awi to Gumuz. The sources are critically collected, scrutinized and analyzed. The validities of the sources are cross-checked one against the other.

 Key words: Peaceful- coexistence, indigenous knowledge system.


The interplay between atomic and nuclear interactions in collisions between light and heavy ions is studied. The general theoretical description is outlined and analysed in a number of different limits (non-relativistic and relativistic electrons, semiclassical approximation, DWBA, fully quantal description) that have been used in practical applications. The two most important physical mechanisms for generating atomic-nuclear interference, i.e. energy conservation and the introduction of additional phase shifts by nuclear reactions, are extracted and their universality in all scattering systems is stressed. The need for choosing different sets of basis states in light and heavy, symmetric and asymmetric systems, in order to achieve an economical theoretical description, is discussed in some detail. The resulting typical coupling matrix elements are analysed for their relative importance in atomic and nuclear excitations. The description of nuclear influence on atomic excitations in terms of a classical time delay caused by nuclear reactions is reviewed and its relationship to the underlying quantal character of the nuclear reaction is extracted.


Heat-exchangers, particle filters, turbines, and other components in integrated coal gasification combined cycle system must withstand the highly sulfiding conditions of the high temperature coal gas over an extended period of time. The performance of components degrades significantly with time unless expensive high alloy materials are used. Deposition of a suitable coating on a low cost alloy may improve is resistance to such sulfidation attack and decrease capital and operating costs. The alloys used in the gasifier service include austenitic and ferritic stainless steels, nickel-chromium-iron alloys, and expensive nickel-cobalt alloys. During this reporting period we conducted two exposure tests with coated and uncoated coupons. The first one was aborted after a short period, because of a leak in the pressure regulator of a CO/CO{sub 2}/H{sub 2} gas mixture gas cylinder that was used to prepare the simulated coal gas stream. Nevertheless, this run was very instructive as it showed that during the brief exposure when the concentration of H{sub 2}S increased to 8.6%, even specialty alloys such as HR160 and I800 were badly corroded, yet the sample of a SS405-steel that was coated with Ti/Ta showed no signs of corrosion. After replacing the pressure regulator, a second run was conducted with a fresh set of coated and uncoated samples. The Ti/Ta-coated on to SS405 steel from the earlier runs was also exposed in this test. The run proceeded smoothly, and at the end of test the uncoated steels were badly damaged, some evidence of corrosion was found on coupons of HR160 and I800 alloys and the Cr-coated steels, but again, the Ti/Ta-coated sample appeared unaffected.


Orchard target-oriented variable rate spraying is an effective method to reduce pesticide drift and excessive residues. To accomplish this task, the orchard targets' characteristic information is needed to control liquid flow rate and airflow rate. One of the most important characteristics is the canopy density. In order to establish the canopy density model for a planar orchard target which is indispensable for canopy density calculation, a target density detection testing system was developed based on an ultrasonic sensor. A time-domain energy analysis method was employed to analyze the ultrasonic signal. Orthogonal regression central composite experiments were designed and conducted using man-made canopies of known density with three or four layers of leaves. Two model equations were obtained, of which the model for the canopies with four layers was found to be the most reliable. A verification test was conducted with different layers at the same density values and detecting distances. The test results showed that the relative errors of model density values and actual values of five, four, three and two layers of leaves were acceptable, while the maximum relative errors were 17.68%, 25.64%, 21.33% and 29.92%, respectively. It also suggested the model equation with four layers had a good applicability with different layers which increased with adjacent layers.


The main aim of the paper is to investigate the AC electrical propeties of the ferromagnetic alloy-ferroelectric ceramics nanocomposite with the structure of (FeCoZr)x(PbZrTiO3)(100-x) with x = 64.4 at.%. The material was prodced by using ion-beam sputtering with mixed argon and oxygen atmosphere. The frequency dependences of electrical parameters were determined for the frequencies of 50 Hz-1 MHz and measuring temperatures of 10 K-375 K. The mechanism of charge exchange in the nanocomposite was defined as hopping. The samples annealing in air in temperature of 523 K was used. The conductivity of the annealed sample demonstrates strong frequency dependence. Such kind of materials can be used in microelectronics and replace the conventional RLC elements.


Juvenile dog knee with chronic carrageenin-induced arthritis was studied under general anesthesia with 15-microns and 50-microns-sized microspheres (MS) to compare the distribution of absolute and weight-standardized blood flow in normal and arthritic limbs and to localize possible sites of arteriovenous (AV) shunting. Arthritic joints had severe synovial and capsular hyperemia. Absolute as well as standardized blood flow was increased in juxta-articular epiphyses and patella. Shafts were atrophic and had decreased absolute flow but normal standardized flow. However, redistribution of blood flow occurred among regions within the shafts, e.g., in metaphyses away from growth plates. The mean nonentrapment of 15-microns MS was 13.8% in arthritic limbs and 4.2% in control limbs. The uptake of 50-microns MS was lower than that of 15-microns MS in all bony flow compartments due to differences in their rheologic behavior in larger arteries. The relative distribution of 50-microns MS and 15-microns MS varied considerably among regions within bone. Arthritis caused a net shift in the uptake of 50-microns MS relative to that of 15-microns MS from central to subchondral epiphyseal bone, evidencing precapillary vasodilation, but the relationship was strictly unchanged when bones were examined in toto. This result militates against the hypothesis of AV shunting in arthritic bone.


The synthesis, antibacterial activity, and stability to human dehydropeptidase-1 (DHP-1) of a novel series of (5R,6S)-6-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]-2-heterocyclylcarbapen-2-em-3-carb oxylates are described. Of the compounds investigated 1,5-disubstituted pyrazol-3-yl and 3-substituted isoxazol-5-yl derivatives have the best combination of antibacterial activity and stability to DHP-1. They are particularly active against community-acquired respiratory tract pathogens and have stabilities to DHP-1 superior to that of meropenem.


Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis and rickettsiosis are zoonotic tick-borne diseases of canids caused by the intracellular obligate bacteria Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia species respectively. In this study, we investigated using standard and real-time PCR and sequencing, the occurrence and molecular characterization of E. canis and Rickettsia species in the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) from the southern Italian population. Samples were screened by using molecular assays also for Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Clamydophyla spp., Coxiella burnetii, Leishmania spp., Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia spp. detection, and helminths were studied by traditional methods. Out of six carcasses tested, three were positive for E. canis and co-infection with Rickettsia sp. occurred in one of those. Sequences of the 16S rRNA E. canis gene were identical to each other but differed from most of those previously found in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and wolves (Canis lupus) from southern Italy. Helminths included just cystacanths of Sphaerirostris spp. from the intestine of two Eurasian otters and the nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum from the lungs of a single Eurasian otter. None of the samples was positive for the other investigated selected pathogens. This study is the first report on the evidence of infection by rickettsial pathogens in the Eurasian otter. The present result prompts some inquiries into the pathogenic role of those bacteria for the isolated sub-populations of the endangered Eurasian otter in southern Italy.


On the basis of a clinical epidemiological study of 312 patients are made biostatistical investigations about prevalence and Severity of dental caries and marginal periodontitis. The situation of oral hygiene is evaluated by means of the PI of Løe and Silness and the OHI-S of Greene and Vermillion. The DMF/T-Index is used for the evaluation of the set of teeth and the GI of Løe and Silness like the PDI of Ramfjord for the evaluation of the periodontal state. It is shown that caries and marginal periodontitis are more seldom and of less severity in comparison with the situation in the population of industrialized countries. Causitive seems to be possible besides special habits the smaller consumption of sugar. With the increasing socio-economic standard a changing of the situation in the direction of industrialized countries is visible.


This paper introduces a method and preliminary findings from a database that systematically measures the character and stringency of immigration policies. Based on the selection of that data for nine countries between 1999 and 2008, we challenge the idea that any one country is systematically the most or least restrictive toward admissions. The data also reveal trends toward more complex and, often, more restrictive regulation since the 1990s, as well as differential treatment of groups, such as lower requirements for highly skilled than low-skilled labor migrants. These patterns illustrate the IMPALA data and methods but are also of intrinsic importance to understanding immigration regulation.


A biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone catalyzed by Sn(Oct)2/BDO, followed by the heparin conjugation using EDC/NHS chemistry. The structure of the heparin–PCL conjugate was characterized by 1H-NMR and GPC. The results of static contact angle and water uptake ratio measurements also confirmed the conjugation of heparin with the polyester. Its in vitro anticoagulation time was substantially extended, as evidenced by activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) testing. Afterwards the conjugate was electrospun into small-diameter tubular scaffolds and loaded with Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2) in aqueous solution. The loading efficiency was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the results indicated that the conjugate holds a higher loading efficiency than the blank polyester. The viability of released FGF2 was evaluated by MTT and cell adhesion tests. The amount and morphology of cells were significantly improved after FGF2 loading onto the electrospun heparin–PCL vascular scaffolds.


This article discusses the developments of the terrazza ("roof terrace") as a cinematic space in post-war and contemporary Italian films. By taking a historical approach, I show how the terrazza has evolved, from the post-war years to the present, to become an architecture of intimacy and hedonism. In Italian film aesthetics, the terrazza replaces the piazza ("square"), the space normally assumed to represent quintessential Italian life. This article considers the cinematic and aesthetic development of elevated architectural space in five key films, ranging from the post-war classics Mario Monicelli's I soliti ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna Street, 1958) and Michelangelo Antonioni's L'avventura (The Adventure, 1960), through Una giornata particolare (A Special Day, 1977) and La terrazza (The Terrace, 1980) by Ettore Scola, to Paolo Sorrentino's very contemporary La grande bellezza (The Great Beauty, 2013), a film clearly indebted to the aesthetics of its ground-breaking predecessors.


Solidago rugosa is one of the goldenrod species native to North America but has sporadically naturalized as an alien plant in Europe. The investigation of the root and leaf ethanol extracts of the plant using a bioassay-guided process with an anti-Bacillus assay resulted in the isolation of two antimicrobial components. Structure elucidation was performed based on high-resolution tandem mass spectrometric and one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic analyses that revealed (–)-hardwickiic acid (Compound 1) and (–)-abietic acid (Compound 2). The isolates were evaluated for their antimicrobial properties against several plant pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. Both compounds demonstrated an antibacterial effect, especially against Gram-positive bacterial strains (Bacillus spizizenii, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, and Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens) with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) between 1 and 5.1 µg/mL (5–20 times higher than that of the positive control gentamicin). In the used concentrations, minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) was reached only against the non-pathogen B. spizizenii. Besides their activity against Fusarium avenaceum, the highest antifungal activity was observed for Compound 1 against Bipolaris sorokiniana with an IC50 of 3.8 µg/mL.


Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) stimulates myofibroblast transdifferentiation, leading to type I collagen accumulation and fibrosis. We investigated the function of Src in TGF-beta-induced collagen I accumulation. In human mesangial cells, PTyr416 Src (activated Src) was 3.3-fold higher in TGF-beta-treated cells than in controls. Src activation by TGF-beta was blocked by rottlerin and by a dominant negative mutant of protein kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta), showing that TGF-beta activates Src by a PKCdelta-based mechanism. Pharmacological inhibitors and a dominant negative Src mutant prevented the increase in collagen type I secretion in cells exposed to TGF-beta. Similarly, on-target Src small interference RNA (siRNA) prevented type I collagen secretion in response to TGF-beta, but off-target siRNA complexes had no effect. It is well established in mesangial cells that upregulation of type I collagen by TGF-beta requires extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and we found that activation of ERK1/2 by TGF-beta requires Src. In conclusion, these results suggest that stimulation of collagen type I secretion by TGF-beta requires a PKCdelta-Src-ERK1/2 signaling motif.


This paper presents an area efficient multiplier less parallel radix 4 Decimation In Frequency – Fast Fourier Transform (DIF-FFT) processor using Distributed Arithmetic Algorithm (DAA). Many numbers of complex computations involved in the radix-2 algorithm have driven to the usage of higher radix algorithms such as radix 4 and radix 8. DAA is an appropriate technique for eliminating the complex multiplications in FFT/IFFT processor by using look-up tables (LUTs) and shift-accumulators. Higher radix FFT algorithm along with DAA provides low area high-speed FFT/IFFT processor. The proposed multiplier less 64 point radix 4 FFT/IFFT processor using DAA algorithm is designed, implemented and simulated in Altera DE2 EP2C35F672C6 device. Hardware implementation of the proposed DAA based 64 point FFT processor has a total of 2.77% Kannan et al. (2017). Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol. 7, No.2, pp. 47-57. 48 FPGA utilization which is 36.62% lesser than conventional FFT/IFFT processors and it operates at 46.30Gbps.


The effect of natural additives on the sintering ability of an aluminosilicate material has been investigated. It is shown that the introduction of natural alkali aluminosilicates with a predicted viscosity and amount of melt allows to obtain more durable ceramic materials.Ill.6. Ref 4. Tab. 2.


Biomass can be effectively converted to synthetic natural gas (SNG) in a hydrothermal environment. Lower temperatures favor the production of methane rather than hydrogen. At around 420°C, catalysts are needed to ensure reasonable rates of reaction. They are tested in a new rig in terms of activity, selectivity and stability. Experiments were carried out using different feeds, such as ethanol and synthetic liquefied wood. A ruthenium doped Raney Ni catalyst exhibited an improved stability over an undoped one.


Invitro antioxidant activity and Molecular modeling studies of nine chromone derivatives optimize their inhibitory activity against Poly [ADP correlated to different molecular properties. The AM1and PM3 semiempirical methods are used to estimate vertical ioniz tion potentials (IPv's), electron affinity (EA tion coefficient (LogP), hydration energ regression analysis are proposed. The leave final QSAR equations. The hardness (η) was found to be studies of chromone with Poly [ADP-ribose results of both QSAR and Docking studies suggested that remarkable inhibi hydrogen bond interactions along with hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions


Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) currently affects people worldwide. Despite its multi-faceted origins and symptoms, and its myriad manifestations and outcomes, work is underway to understand the root causes of the disorder. Genetic studies, in particular, have focused on finding candidate genes for MDD, and investigating links between these genes and any particular group of people. It is hoped that these studies may shed light on the types of people that are commonly affected, and what factors make a person more or less vulnerable to depressive disorders. Multiple factors have been considered, including socioeconomic status, urban versus rural environments, ethnicity, lifestyle factors such as substance abuse and both pre- and post-natal early traumas. Through various methods, including network analyses and bioinformatics among others, significant links have been found between socioeconomic status, urban living, and MDD. Moreover, epigenetic links have been discovered between the prevalence of MDD and the prevalence of other diseases such as cardiovascular disease and other forms of mental illness, making it clear that environment plays a key role in overall health and wellbeing. While no statistically significant link between ethnicity and MDD has been found in candidate genes thus far despite certain ethnicity-based polymorphisms influencing clinical outcomes with different treatments, it is much more apparent that urban environments and early stress contribute to the prevalence of MDD.


Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a multifactorial, heterogeneous disease associated with epidermal barrier disruption and intense systemic inflammation. Previously, we showed that exosomes derived from human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASC-exosomes) attenuate AD-like symptoms by reducing multiple inflammatory cytokine levels. Here, we investigated ASC-exosomes' effects on skin barrier restoration by analyzing protein and lipid contents. We found that subcutaneous injection of ASC-exosomes in an oxazolone-induced dermatitis model remarkably reduced trans-epidermal water loss, while enhancing stratum corneum (SC) hydration and markedly decreasing the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-17, and TSLP, all in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, ASC-exosomes induced the production of ceramides and dihydroceramides. Electron microscopic analysis revealed enhanced epidermal lamellar bodies and formation of lamellar layer at the interface of the SC and stratum granulosum with ASC-exosomes treatment. Deep RNA sequencing analysis of skin lesions demonstrated that ASC-exosomes restores the expression of genes involved in skin barrier, lipid metabolism, cell cycle, and inflammatory response in the diseased area. Collectively, our results suggest that ASC-exosomes effectively restore epidermal barrier functions in AD by facilitating the de novo synthesis of ceramides, resulting in a promising cell-free therapeutic option for treating AD.


Abstract: Retention time, which is analogous to transit time, is an index for bacterial stability in the intestine. Its consideration is of particular importance to optimize the delivery of probiotic bacteria in order to improve treatment efficacy. This study aims to investigate the effect of retention time on Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria stability using an established in vitro human colon model. Three retention times were used: 72, 96, and 144 h. The effect of retention time on cell viability of different bacterial populations was analyzed with bacterial plate counts and PCR. The proportions of intestinal Bifidobacteria, Lactobacilli, Enterococci, Staphylococci and Clostridia populations, analyzed by plate counts, were found to be the same as that in human colonic microbiota. Retention time in the human colon affected the stability of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria communities, with maximum stability observed at 144 h. Therefore, retention time is an important parameter that influences bacterial stability in the colonic microbiota. Future clinical studies on probiotic bacteria formulations should take into consideration gastrointestinal transit parameters to improve treatment efficacy.


This study examined perceived journal quality by physical education pedagogy faculty members. Participants (N = 273) were identified in three ways and recruited through e-mail. Based on research in other fields investigating journal quality and on publication patterns in physical education, a web-based survey was used to examine (a) whether participants knew a journal and viewed it as scholarly, (b) ratings of journal quality, (c) what factors influenced their ratings, and (d) demographic and scholarly productivity measures. There was a wide range of journals known by the participants and clear indicators of which journals had higher and lower perceived quality. There were differences in ratings between those employed at master's and doctoral institutions and relationships between scholarly productivity and the number of journals known. The results provide strong indications of journal quality for those who have reasons to evaluate journals in physical education.


Initiatives in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can contribute to many programs for sustainable development. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is considered to have been slower to change in CSR than have other Western developed countries. The purpose of this research is to explore examples in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of how project initiatives in CSR and sustainable development can facilitate heightened awareness, engagement, and execution of action for sustainability. This research utilizes qualitative case study methods analysing a United Nations (UN) supported annual youth engagement program focused on implementation of sustainable development projects in the UAE. The varying degrees of project complexity and "programmification" of sustainability activities in the UAE reveals a more systematic and mature stage of CSR and sustainable development projects and programs than is reported in the literature. The application of project management to organize, implement, align, and monitor sustainability-centred programs provides knowledge relevant to the UAE and other countries interested in the strategic management of change. The study demonstrates the application and value of project management for implementing sustainable development initiatives and highlights the collaborative contribution of corporate and governmental stakeholders to project management in organizations. An important area for future research on sustainable development in the MENA region is to study corporate and public sector partnerships in CSR projects and sustainability programs.


This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary glutamine (Gln) + glutamic acid (Glu) supplementation on growth performance and physiological stress response in broiler chickens subjected to 24 h delay in placement. Equal number of day-old broiler chicks were assigned to either immediate placement or with 24 h delay in placement with no access to feed and water. Chicks from each placement group were fed either standard starter diet (control) or standard starter diet +1% AminoGut (AG; mixture of 10% Gln and 10% Glu) from 1 to 21 d. Blood and duodenal samples were collected at 21 d for analysis of serum levels of ceruloplasmin (CER), ovotransferin (OVT) and α-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP), duodenal heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression, and villi length and crypt depth. Results showed that delayed placement for 24 h was detrimental to weight gain during the starter phase (1 to 21 d) but not thereafter. AG supplementation was not able to eliminate that reduction in weight gain and feed intake during the starter stage. However, the observed enhancement in villi length and crypt depth at d 21 resulted in improvement of FCR and weight gain during the finisher stage (22 to 42 d) and consequently the overall period (1 to 42 d). Broiler chickens supplemented with AG also showed lower mortality rate, and higher AGP, OVT, CER, and HSP 70 expression compared to their control counterparts. Based on AGP, OVT, CER, and HSP 70 expression, there is no indication that delayed placement was physiologically stressful to the broiler chickens at 21 d of age.


OBJECTIVE: To review the state-of-the-art of treatment of infiltrating cancer of the urinary bladder with combination neoadjuvant or concomitant chemotherapy and full dose radiotherapy for organ preservation. METHODS: Series from different hospitals, cooperative study groups and the experience of the Catalan Institute of Oncology in conservative treatment of bladder cancer with combined radio and neoadjuvant or concomitant chemotherapy are analyzed. RESULTS: Stage, presence of hydronephrosis, associated carcinoma in situ and response to treatment are some of the decisive prognostic factors. Wide transurethral resection was also found to be of prognostic importance. Cisplatin is currently the most effective cytostatic agent. Patient selection improves the mortality rate and percentage of patients that are disease free and with a functioning bladder, especially when concomitant chemo and radiotherapy are utilized. Late bladder toxicity does not increase and the utilization of some cytostatic regimens is limited by acute toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Patient selection for conservative treatment aimed at bladder preservation increases the percentage of bladders preserved. The possibility of extending the indications for this therapeutic approach should be investigated in controlled trials.


Abstract China's encounter with Western cultures since the late Qing was generally viewed as a one-side "borrowing" and a radical "break" from traditional culture. "Westernization" became the dominant characteristic of the descriptions and interpretations of modern Chinese culture. Although Wang's work on comparative Chinese and Western philosophical studies has received much attention, there has been little attention given to the problem of Western influences, the domination of which, when appraising Wang's thought has persisted for a long time and has caused many misunderstandings regarding his literary-aesthetic and philosophical thinking. Using the hermeneutical lens of Kierkegaard and especially Heidegger to look through to help correct our vision of interpreting Wang in light of his own culture, we propose that there is a specific Chinese sensibility crucial for understanding his use of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, a sensibility that has been ignored by those who later sought to reconstruct and evaluate his earlier studies. We use the idea of "tragedy" heuristically to show the connections and differences between Wang Guowei and Schopenhauer and propose how renjian jingshen (spirit-of-this [human] world) played an important role in Wang's cultural "borrowing" from Schopenhauer. Such a conclusion is contrary to the common understanding of Wang as a devoted follower of Schopenhauer's "pessimistic" philosophy.


Study Design. A radiological study of type II Modic changes (MCs). Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of type II MCs on fat suppression (FS) magnetic resonance (MR) images and its association with radiological disc degeneration. Summary of Background Data. Type II MCs are common endplate signal changes on MR images. On the basis of limited histological samples, type II MCs are thought to be stable fat degeneration. FS technique on MR, which can quantify fat content, may be an alternative to explore the pathology of MCs. To date, however, the characteristics of type II MCs on FS sequence have not been studied. Methods. Lumbar MR images conducted in a single hospital during a defined period were reviewed to include those with type II MCs and FS images. On FS images, signal status of type II MCs was visually classified as suppressed or not-suppressed. Signal intensity of vertebral regions with and without MCs was measured quantitatively on T2-weighted (T2W) and FS images to calculate fat content index and validate the visual classification. Using image analysis program Osirix, MCs size and adjacent disc degeneration were measured quantitatively. Paired t-tests and logistic regressions were used to determine the associations studied. Results. Sixty-four lumbar MRIs were included and 150 endplates with type II MCs were studied. Although signal of 37 (24.7%) type II MCs was suppressed on FS images, that of 113 (75.3%) was not suppressed. The discs adjacent to type II MCs had lower signal intensity (0.13 ± 0.003 vs. 0.14 ± 0.004, P < 0.001), lesser disc height (9.73 ± 1.97 vs. 11.07 ± 1.99, P < 0.001) and greater bulging area (80.0 ± 31.4 vs. 61.3 ± 27.5 for anterior bulging, 33.72 ± 21.24 vs. 27.93 ± 12.79 for posterior bulging, and 113.7 ± 39.9 vs. 89.2 ± 35.2 for total bulging, P < 0.05) than normal controls. Type II MCs that were not suppressed on FS image were associated with greater age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.11, P < 0.001], lower height (OR = 0.94, P < 0.05), and greater posterior bulging (OR = 1.05, P < 0.001) at the adjacent disc. Conclusion. Signal of most type II MCs was not suppressed on FS MR images, suggesting that there are ongoing complicated pathologies. Type II MCs may not merely represent fat replacement. Level of Evidence: 3


A method to rank mutual funds according to their investment style measured with respect to the returns of a reference portfolio (benchmark) is introduced. It is based on a style analysis model estimating a mutual fund portfolio composition as well as the benchmark one. Starting from such compositions, it computes a proximity measure based on the L 1 or L 2 norm to assess the similarity between each mutual fund portfolio returns and the benchmark returns as well as between the returns of each benchmark constituent and that of the corresponding mutual fund constituent. To this purpose the mean integrated absolute error and the mean integrated squared error are computed to derive both a global ranking of mutual fund management styles and partial rankings expressing the over- (under-) weighting of each portfolio constituent. A visual inspection of the results emphasizing main differences in management styles is provided, using a parallel coordinates plot. Since a modeling, a ranking and a visualizing approach are integrated, the method is named MoRaViA. From the practitioners' point of view, it allows the identification of a specific management style for each mutual fund, discriminating active management funds from passive management ones. To evaluate the effectiveness of MoRaViA, many sets of artificial portfolios are generated and an application on a set of equity funds operating in the European market is presented.


The influence of genotype and climatic factors, e.g. mean temperature and mean global radiation level, on the antioxidant activity of kale was investigated. Therefore, eight kale cultivars, hybrid and traditional, old cultivars, were grown in a field experiment and harvested at four different times. In addition to the investigation of the total phenolic content, the overall antioxidant activity was determined by TEAC assay and electron spin resonance spectrometry. A special aim was to characterize the contribution of single flavonoids to the overall antioxidant activity using an HPLC-online TEAC approach. The antioxidant activity and the total phenolic content were influenced by the genotype and the eco-physiological factors. The HPLC-online TEAC results showed that not all flavonol glycosides contribute to the overall antioxidant activity in the same manner. Taking the results of the structural analysis obtained by HPLC-ESI-MS(n) into account, distinct structure-antioxidant relationships have been observed.


In this paper we present our work on a case study on Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) and Rule based machine translation (RBMT) for translation from English to Malayalam and Malayalam to English. One of the motivations of our study is to make a three way performance comparison, such as, a) SMT and RBMT b) English to Malayalam SMT and Malayalam to English SMT c) English to Malayalam RBMT and Malayalam to English RBMT. We describe the development of English to Malayalam and Malayalam to English baseline phrase based SMT system and the evaluation of its performance compared against the RBMT system. Based on our study the observations are: a) SMT systems outperform RBMT systems, b) In the case of SMT, English - Malayalam systems perform better than that of Malayalam - English systems, c) In the case RBMT, Malayalam to English systems are performing better than English to Malayalam systems. Based on our evaluations and detailed error analysis, we describe the requirements of incorporating morphological processing into the SMT to improve the accuracy of translation.


Background: Regional comparisons of cancer-related mortality in Germany are traditionally focused on disparities between East and West Germany. Recent improvements in all-cause and cancer-related mortality show a diverse regional pattern beyond the known East-West mortality divide. A generalized approach of the avoidable/amenable cancer mortality definition is applied for suitable regional comparisons of long-term trends. Methods: Standardized death rates of preventable and amenable cancer mortality for men and women were computed for the period 1990–2014 to observe sex-specific excess mortality due to specific cancers after the German reunification. For regional comparison, three German super regions were defined in Eastern, Northwestern, and Southwestern Germany to account for similarities in long-term regional premature and cancer-related mortality patterns, socioeconomic characteristics, and age structure. Results: Since preventable and amenable cancer mortality rates typically have driven the recent trends in premature mortality, our findings underline the current regional pattern of preventable cancer mortality for males with disadvantages for Eastern Germany, and advantages for Southwestern Germany. Among women, the preventable cancer mortality has increased in Northwestern and Southwestern Germany after the German reunification but has decreased in Eastern Germany and converged to the pattern of Southwestern Germany. Similar patterns can be observed for females in amenable cancer mortality. Conclusions: Although the "traditional" East-West gap in preventable cancer mortality was still evident in males, our study provides some hints for more regional diversity in avoidable cancer mortality in women. An establishing north-south divide in avoidable cancer mortality could alter the future trends in regional cancer-related mortality in Germany.


There is strong evidence that olfaction plays a key role in the homing of salmonids to their natal spawning grounds, particularly in the freshwater phase. However, the physiological and genetic mechanisms behind this biological phenomenon are largely unknown. It has been shown that Pacific salmon respond to dissolved free amino acids from their natal streams. This indicates that amino acids comprise part of the olfcatory cues for imprinting and homing in salmonids. As trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs), a class of olfactory receptors that are close relatives of the G protein-coupled aminergic neurotransmitter receptors, recognize amino acid metabolites, we hypothesize that TAARs play an important role in salmon homing by recognizing olfactory cues. Therefore, to better understand homing in Atlantic salmon, we set out to characterize the TAAR genes in this species. We searched the first assembly of the Atlantic salmon genome for sequences resembling TAARs previously characterized in other teleosts. We identified 27 putatively functional TAAR genes and 25 putative TAAR pseudogenes, which cluster primarily on chromosome 21 (Ssa21). Phylogenetic analysis of TAAR amino acid sequences from 15 vertebrate species revealed the TAAR gene family arose after the divergence of jawed and jawless vertebrates. The TAARs group into three classes with salmon possessing class I and class III TAARs. Within each class, evolution is characterized by species-specific gene expansions, which is in contrast to what is observed in other olfactory receptor families (e.g., OlfCs and oras).


Geometry, sediment, and woody-vegetation data were collected from bottomland geomorphic surfaces at valley sections along three gaged perennial streams of northern Virginia. The basins of the streams differ widely in topography and physiography; mean discharges vary from 0.196 to 323 m3 per sec. Prevalent surfaces identified were the depositional bar, the active-channel shelf, the flood plain, and terraces. The stages corresponding to active-channel-shelf levels were equivalent to flow durations of 5% to 13%. Stages corresponding to flood-plain levels were equivalent to discharges with 1.4- to 2.0-yr recurrence intervals. The discharge data and statistical tests of geomorphicsurface, sediment, and vegetative data suggest that the various alluvial features are formed and maintained by hydraulically controlled sorting processes. Analysis of woody-plant and geomorphic data shows that each surface supports characteristic species, some of which are nearly unique to a surface. Tests of sediment type with species distribution showed lower correlation than that of geomorphic surface with species. It is inferred that plant distributions largely are controlled by flow frequency and intensity, and that plants may help to identify geomorphic levels and potential for flood damage.


A limitation of model-based reinforcement learning (MBRL) is the exploitation of errors in the learned models. Blackbox models can fit complex dynamics with high fidelity, but their behavior is undefined outside of the data distribution. Physics-based models are better at extrapolating, due to the general validity of their informed structure, but underfit in the real world due to the presence of unmodeled phenomena. In this work, we demonstrate experimentally that for the offline model-based reinforcement learning setting, physics-based models can be beneficial compared to high-capacity function approximators if the mechanical structure is known. Physics-based models can learn to perform the ball in a cup (BiC) task on a physical manipulator using only 4 minutes of sampled data using offline MBRL. We find that black-box models consistently produce unviable policies for BiC as all predicted trajectories diverge to physically impossible state, despite having access to more data than the physics-based model. In addition, we generalize the approach of physics parameter identification from modeling holonomic multi-body systems to systems with nonholonomic dynamics using end-to-end automatic differentiation.Videos: https://sites.google.com/view/ball-in-a-cup-in-4-minutes/


ABSTRACT The responsibility for correct execution of software, as well as its fitness in any given setting, becomes increasingly complex, especially when the software impacts life and death. This paper addresses the role of the software quality assurance (SQA) function and explores the ethics of the SQA organization as the last point of contact between the software manufacturer and the consumers of the software application. We explore the range of potential ethical issues, possible mitigation strategies, and responsibilities to disclose findings to both software manufacturers and consumers of software applications. INTRODUCTION Software plays a role in many facets of our lives--from software embedded in ovens, to software in cars, and software applications in offices. Some of these systems don't have much impact on our lives, should they fail. If the microwave doesn't come on when set to time bake, or an email to a friend does not get sent, it typically is of little consequence. On the other hand, the failure of some software could cause catastrophic consequences for individuals and even society. The failure of the antilock brake system in a car, or the avionics in an airplane, or the software in an x-ray machine could have serious consequences. One widely cited software related accident in safety-critical systems involved a computerized radiation therapy machine called the Therac-25. Between June 1985 and January 1987, six known accidents involved massive overdoses by the Therac-25, with resultant deaths and serious injuries. "Overdoses, although they sometimes involved operator error, occurred primarily because of errors in the Therac-25's software and because the manufacturer did not follow proper software engineering practices." (Leveson & Turner, 1993; Birsch, 2005). Early on we learn, not only to accept but perhaps even expect that software bugs and errors are a normal part of computer applications. The small print when opening and installing software packages may specify that the software manufacturer provides no guarantee of reliability or expectation of correctness. It may even appear that the marketplace rewards low quality in that it may reward additional features and timely release dates, even if they come at the expense of quality. "Companies find that it is cheaper to weather the occasional press storm, spend money on PR campaigns touting good security and fix public problems after the fact, than to design security in from the beginning" (Schneier, 2007). Who has the ethical responsibility for testing software? Schneier (2005) says that the software vendors that should be liable, not individual programmers. If end users could sue software manufacturers for product defects, then the cost of those defects to the software manufacturers would rise. And if the cost of poor software is higher, there would be more incentive for manufacturers to make their software more secure and with fewer defects. Life and death implications are usually associated with doctors. Software engineers and software quality assurance may face similar "life and death" situations and have corresponding high ethical responsibilities (Qureshi, 2001). It would seem that after decades of software development there would be some assurance that software works as specified in the customer requirements. Is it that software vendors are unwilling to perform sufficient testing? Is it possible to test everything? Finding a certain number of bugs, doesn't mean that the software has no more bugs. On the other hand, not finding any defects doesn't mean there aren't any defects in the software either. Perhaps there are known bugs, but the time and resources to fix these bugs and defects are often not provided and the software is released with known (but not publicly stated) bugs. Is it because there is a low expectation of quality? Is it even possible to get rid of all bugs, especially when we are integrating components from multiple sources and we are dependent on the software that was developed and tested by others? …


Background Female sex workers (FSWs) have high risks for adverse sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes, yet low access to services. Within an implementation research project enhancing uptake of SRH services by FSWs, we piloted a "diagonal" intervention, which combined strengthening of FSW-targeted services (vertical) with making public health facilities more FSW-friendly (horizontal), and tested its effect. Methods The study applied a convergent parallel mixed-methods design to assess changes in access to SRH services. Results of structured interviews with FSWs pre-intervention (N = 311) and thereafter (N = 404) were compared with the findings of eight post-intervention focus group discussions (FGDs) with FSWs and two with FSW-peer educators (PEs). Results Marked and statistically significant rises occurred in consistent condom use with all partners (55.3–67.7%), ever use of female condoms (37.9–54.5%), being tested for HIV in the past 6 months (56.0–76.6%), using contraception (84.5–95.4%), ever screened for cervical cancer (0.0–16.9%) and having ≥10 contacts with a PE in the past year (0.5–24.45%). Increases mostly resulted from FSW-targeted outreach, with no rise detected in utilization of public health facilities. FGD participants reported that some facilities had become more FSW-friendly, but barriers such as stock-outs, being asked for bribes and disrespectful treatment persisted. Conclusion The combination of expanding FSW-targeted SRH services with improving access to the public health services resulted in an overall increased uptake of services, but almost exclusively because of the strengthened targeted (vertical) outreach services. Utilization of public SRH services had not yet increased and many barriers to access remained. Our diagonal approach was thus only successful in its vertical component. Improving access to the general health services remains nevertheless important and further research is needed how to reduce barriers. Ideally, the combination approach should be maintained and more successful approaches to increase utilization of public services should be explored.


Non-linear steady-state power flow solvers have typically relied on the Newton-Raphson method to efficiently compute solutions on today's computer systems. Field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices, which have recently been integrated into high-performance computers by major computer system vendors, offer an opportunity to significantly increase the performance of power flow solvers. However, only some algorithms are suitable for an FPGA implementation. The Gauss-Seidel (GS) method of solving the AC power flow problem is an excellent example of such an opportunity. In this paper we discuss algorithmic design considerations, optimization, implementation, and performance results of the implementation of the Gauss-Seidel method running on a Silicon Graphics Inc. Altix-350 computer equipped with a Xilinx Virtex II 6000 FPGA


CUORE is a new generation of 1-ton scale cryogenic detector for rare-events physics. CUORE, a detector to search Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay of 130Te, is an array of 988 TeO2 crystals of a mass of 750 g each. To build the cryogenic system, where the CUORE detector will be installed in the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory, is really a challenge. It is a large cryogen-free cryostat cooled by pulse tubes and by a high power dilution refrigerator. To avoid radioactive background, about 10000 kg of lead will be cooled to below 1 K and only few construction materials are acceptable. the detector will have a total mass of about 1500 kg and must be cooled to less than 10 mK in a vibration-free environment.


Pulmonary infections and tumors are a major cause of death in patients with AIDS. The combination of clinical, radiological, laboratory, and pathohistological data helps to narrow the spectrum of differential diagnoses or even allows a specific diagnosis in many patients. Nevertheless, an accurate diagnosis should be obtained as soon as possible during the clinical course of the illness to initiate treatment in time. Computed tomography (CT) has proven to provide promising results in the diagnosis of AIDS-related thoracic diseases. The aim of this paper was to demonstrate the diagnostic capacities of CT in the context of particular AIDS-related thoracic pathologies. Additional information on the spectrum of pathological agents and on differential diagnostic signs is summarized.


By means of histological methods and DNA cytophotometry, a study was made of the salivary glands of 16 species of gastropod molluscs belonging to the subclass Pectinibranchia and making a group of Mesogastropoda. Four cell types of salivary glands were distinguished: granular cells (with glycoproteid granular inclusions), mucocytes-I (with sulfatic acid mucopolysaccharides), mucocytes-II (with neutral and acid polysaccharides and proteins), and also the epithelial ciliated cells and mucous duct cells. Data of experiments on starvation and synchronous feeding of molluscs have testified that all described cell types are independent. In some species differentiation on protein and mucous departments within the glandular epithelium was shown. In some marine representatives of the orders Discopoda and Aspidophora polyploid cells with the ploidy levels from 8c to 32c were revealed along with diploid cells. The ecological and phylogenetic regularities of somatic polyploidy manifestation in Mesogastropoda are discussed.


A 2 × 2 factorial experiment (ten sows per treatment) was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal dietary supplementation with a seaweed extract (SWE; 0 v. 10·0 g/d) and fish oil (FO; 0 v. 100 g/d) inclusion from day 109 of gestation until weaning (day 26) on pig performance post-weaning (PW) and intestinal morphology, selected microflora and immune status of pigs 9 d PW. The SWE contained laminarin (10 %), fucoidan (8 %) and ash (82 %) and the FO contained 40 % EPA and 25 % DHA. Pigs weaned from SWE-supplemented sows had higher daily gain (P = 0·063) between days 0 and 21 PW and pigs weaned from FO-supplemented sows had higher daily gain (P < 0·05) and gain to feed ratio (P < 0·01) between days 7 and 14 PW. There was an interaction between maternal SWE and FO supplementation on caecal Escherichia coli numbers (P < 0·05) and the villous height to crypt depth ratio in the ileum (P < 0·01) and jejunum (P < 0·05) in pigs 9 d PW. Pigs weaned from SWE-supplemented sows had lower caecal E. coli and a higher villous height to crypt depth ratio in the ileum and jejunum compared with non-SWE-supplemented sows (P < 0·05). There was no effect of SWE on E. coli numbers and villous height to crypt depth ratio with FO inclusion. Maternal FO supplementation induced an increase in colonic mRNA abundance of IL-1α and IL-6 (P < 0·05), while SWE supplementation induced an increase in ileal TNF-α (P < 0·01) and colonic TFF3 mRNA expression (P < 0·05). In conclusion, these results demonstrate that SWE and FO supplementation to the maternal diet influenced the gastrointestinal environment and performance of the weaned pig.


BACKGROUND
Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs) are now widely employed in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and peri operative hypertension. It has been reported that calcium channel blockers inhibit neuromuscular transmission. They have been shown to increase the neuromuscular blockade produced by neuromuscular blocking agents in in-vitro muscle nerve preparations. The present study is undertaken to demonstrate the effect of calcium channel blocker, verapamil on neuromuscular transmission in albino rats.

OBJECTIVES
To study the neuromuscular blockade action of verapamil in albino rats.

METHODS
Twenty four albino rats of either sex weigh 150-250gms are selected and are randomly divided into 4 equal groups. The experimental rats are divided into four groups of 6 rats each and they are given the following treatment. Group 1(Control) - Normal saline (1ml/ kg), Group 2 (Standard) - Pancuronium (0.04 mg/kg) Group 3-Verapamil (2.5mg/kg), Group 4-given Verapamil (10mg/kg). The time of onset of hind limb paralysis and total duration of recovery are noted using inclined screen method.

RESULTS
Analysis of the results of group 3 that was received 2.5mg/kg of Verapamil, there was no onset of paralysis, in group 4 that received injection Verapamil 10mg/kg, showed neuromuscular blockade activity. The mean onset of hind limb paralysis was delayed compared to standard group and the mean duration of hind limb paralysis was shorter than standard group. It was statistically significant (P≤ 0.05).

INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION
It is generally held that external calcium is not necessary for the contraction of mammalian skeletal muscle, the demonstration of inward calcium currents that can be abolished by CCBs in these muscles prompted to re-examine the effect of Verapamil on the neuromuscular transmission. The present study allows us to determine the neuromuscular blockade activity of Verapamil.


Background: Evidence of the chemopreventive effects of the dietary antioxidants A -tocopherol (vitamin E) and L -seleno-methionine (selenium) comes from secondary analysis of two phase III clinical trials that found treatment with these antioxidants reduced the incidence of prostate cancer. To determine the effects of selenium and vitamin E in blood and prostate tissue, we undertook a preoperative feasibility study complementary to the currently ongoing Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial. Methods: Forty-eight patients with clinically localized pros- tate cancer enrolled on this 2 (cid:1) 2 factorial design study were randomized to take selenium, vitamin E, both, or placebo for 3 to 6 weeks before prostatectomy. Sera were collected from patients before and after dietary supplementation. Thirty- nine patients were evaluable, and 29 age-matched disease-free men served as controls. Mass profiling of lipophilic serum proteins of lower molecular weight (2-13.5 kDa) was conducted, and mass spectra data were analyzed using custom-designed software. Results: Weighted voting analyses showed a change in sera classification from cancerous to healthy for some patients with prostate cancer after dietary intervention. ANOVA analysis showed significantly different treatment effects on prediction strength changes among the four groups at a 95% confidence level. Eliminating an outlying value and performing post hoc analysis using Fisher's least significant difference method showed that effects in the group treated with the combination were significantly different from those of the other groups. Conclusion: In sera from patients with prostate cancer, selenium and vitamin E combined induced statistically significant proteomic pattern changes associated with pros- tate cancer–free status. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2005;14(7):1697–702)