Abstract Maize (Zea mays) kernel size is an important factor determining grain yield; although numerous genes regulate kernel development, the roles of RNA polymerases in this process are largely unclear. Here, we characterized the defective kernel 701 (dek701) mutant that displays delayed endosperm development but normal vegetative growth and flowering transition, compared to its wild type. We cloned Dek701, which encoded ZmRPABC5b, a common subunit to RNA polymerases I, II and III. Loss-of-function mutation of Dek701 impaired the function of all three RNA polymerases and altered the transcription of genes related to RNA biosynthesis, phytohormone response and starch accumulation. Consistent with this observation, loss-of-function mutation of Dek701 affected cell proliferation and phytohormone homeostasis in maize endosperm. Dek701 was transcriptionally regulated in the endosperm by the transcription factor Opaque2 through binding to the GCN4 motif within the Dek701 promoter, which was subjected to strong artificial selection during maize domestication. Further investigation revealed that DEK701 interacts with the other common RNA polymerase subunit ZmRPABC2. The results of this study provide substantial insight into the Opaque2–ZmRPABC5b transcriptional regulatory network as a central hub for regulating endosperm development in maize.


We present an algorithm for the construction of the branching functions in the vacuum sector for affine Lie algebras based on the string hypothesis solution to a system of Bethe equations for generalized RSOS models. We also mention how the ground state structure and features of the excitation spectra like the Brillouin zone schemes of these models (and those in the same universality classes) can be extracted from combinatoric arguments and encoded in Lie algebraic terms.


Objective Hemophilic arthropathy is characterized by recurrent bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia leading to irreversible joint degeneration. The involvement of CX3CL1 (fractalkine) and its receptor CX3CR1 was observed in the pathogenesis of numerous arthritis-associated diseases. Taking this into account, we have presented a study investigating the role of the CX3CL1/CX3XR1 axis in the course of hemophilic arthropathy, including the CX3CL1-dependent expression of CD56+, CD68+, and CD31+ cells along with evaluation of articular cartilage and synovial membrane morphology. Methods The study was carried out using cases (n = 20) of end-stage hemophilic arthropathy with a severe type of hemophilia A and control cases (n = 20) diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The biofluids including blood serum and synovial fluid were obtained intraoperatively for the evaluation of CX3CL1 using the ELISA test. Tissue specimens including articular cartilage and synovial membrane were similarly collected during surgery and stained immunohistologically using selected antibodies including anti-CX3CR1, anti-CD56, anti-CD68, and anti-CD31. Additionally, the analysis included the assessment of articular cartilage, synovial membrane, and blood vessel morphology. Results In our study, we have documented increased average concentration of CX3CL1 in the blood serum of the study group (7.16 ± 0.53 ng/ml) compared to the control group (5.85 ± 0.70 ng/ml) without statistically significant difference in synovial fluid concentration at the same time. We have observed an increased macrophage presence with more marked proliferation and fibrosis of the synovial membrane in the study group. Remaining results such as expression of CX3CR1 presence of NK cells and larger surface area of blood vessels within the synovial membrane were noted also without statistical significance. Conclusions This study has demonstrated collective CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis involvement in hemophilic arthropathy pathogenesis introducing new interesting diagnostics and a therapeutic target.


This special issue is the outcome of collaborative work on the relationship between language and landscape, carried out in the Language and Cognition Group at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. The contributions explore the linguistic categories of landscape terms and place names in nine genetically, typologically and geographically diverse languages, drawing on data from first-hand fieldwork. The present introductory article lays out the reasons why the domain of landscape is of central interest to the language sciences and beyond, and it outlines some of the major patterns that emerge from the cross-linguistic comparison which the papers invite. The data point to considerable variation within and across languages in how systems of landscape terms and place names are ontologised. This has important implications for practical applications from international law to modern navigation systems. (Less)


The recent spectroscopic investigations of vibrational dynamics of highly excited acetylene (C2H2), predissociation of vibronically excited NO2, and direct dissociation of OCS in the deep vacuum ultraviolet region are introduced. It is demonstrated that (i) rich and specific information on the excited state dynamics is encoded in various types of observed spectra such as stimulated emission pumping, dispersed fluorescence, laser induced fluorescence, absorption, and photofragment excitation spectra and that (ii) the early stage dynamics after photoexcitation can be extracted from observed spectra by the recently developed techniques, i.e. feature state assignments, a superpolyad Hamiltonian model, the extended autocorrelation method, and hierarchical, statistical and Fourier transform analysis methods.


Mobile wide area networks promise access to information from anywhere and the ability to work in new and more productive ways. However mobile computing environments are characterized by significant and rapid changes in supporting infrastructure. They offer one of the most diverse and challenging environments in which to build distributed systems. We evaluate various communication styles operating in conventional distributed systems concerning mobile computing environments. We argue that those connection-oriented paradigms are not well suited to operating in a mobile environment and instead propose a framework of extended event service on the event-based communication paradigm. The QoS control of event delivery and the agent coordination based on a group model are discussed.


Developing dependable software systems. requires enforcing conformance between architecture and implementation during software development and evolution. We address this problem with a multi-pronged approach: (a) automated refinement of a component-and-connector (C&C) architectural view into an initial implementation, (b) enforcement of architectural structure at the programming language level, (c) automated abstraction of a C&C view from an implementation, and (d) semi-automated incremental synchronization between the architectural and the implementation C&C views.We use an Architecture Description Language (ADL), Acme, to describe the architecture, and ArchJava, an implementation language which embeds a C&C architecture specification within Java implementation code. Although both Acme and ArchJava specify C&C views, a number of structural differences may arise. Our approach can detect structural differences which correspond directly to implementation-level violations of the well thoughtout architectural intent. Furthermore, supplementing the C&C view extracted from the implementation with architectural types and styles can uncover additional violations.


ABSTRACT The growing number of people with mental health issues and the worldwide shortage of professionals emphasise the need for tailored persuasive interventions. This paper explores the relationships between the types of motivation individuals experience and their preferences for various features that are widely used in persuasive apps for mental and emotional well-being. First, we reviewed 103 mental health apps from app stores and identified various persuasive features and then conducted focus-group studies of 32 participants. Finally, we implemented the common features in persuasive mental health app prototypes and conducted a large-scale study of 561 users to evaluate their perceived effectiveness. The results reveal that people's motivation types significantly influence the perceived persuasiveness of different features. People high in intrinsic motivation are more motivated by apps that offer relaxation exercises while providing opportunities to track various mental health-related information. We offer design guidelines for tailoring persuasive mental health apps based on motivation types.


The aim of this study was an application of spatial visualization techniques for quantitative measurements of immuno- and histochemical reactions. For a quantitative histochemical study, specimens, collected from patients with chronic gastritis, were stained with paS/AB, while for immunohistochemical evaluation, specimens were used, collected from patients with chronic parathyroiditis and were analyzed with Ki-67 proliferation marker and apoptosis bcl-2 protein. The new technique permitted to obtain quantitative objective results. Statistical cluster analysis of those results indicated small groups of cases for reevaluation and supported the final diagnosis.


Image segmentation is one of the most important lowlevel operation in image processing and computer vision. It is unlikely for a single algorithm with a fixed set of parameters to segment various images successfully due to variations between images. However, it can be observed that the desired segmentation boundaries are often detected more consistently than other boundaries in the output of state of-the-art segmentation results. In this paper, we propose a new approach to capture the consensus of information from a set of segmentations generated by varying parameters of different algorithms. The probability of a segmentation curve being present is estimated based on our probabilistic image segmentation model. A connectivity probability map is constructed and persistent segments are extracted by applying topological persistence to the probability map. Finally, a robust segmentation is obtained with the detection of certain segmentation curves guaranteed. The experiments demonstrate our algorithm is able to consistently capture the curves present within the segmentation set.


A deep study of the image of Oriental culture in women travel literature between 1717 and 1893 proves that most women travellers did not adopt an attitude of superiority towards Oriental culture. On the contrary, most of these travellers showed strong interest in that different culture. Some of them went as far as to admire and adopt many aspects of Oriental culture. These ideas question Edward Said's presumed relationship between travel literature and Imperialism. Indeed, most women travellers did not give their travelling a political dimension and did not adopt an attitude of superiority towards Oriental culture.


Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the relationships among cardiac output, extracorporeal blood flow, cannulation site, right (RCa) and left carotid (LCa), celiac (Ca) and renal artery (Ra) flows during extracorporeal circulation. Methods: A mock circulatory circuit was assembled, based on a compliant anatomical aortic model. The ascending aorta, right subclavian and femoral artery cannulations were created and flow was provided by a centrifugal pump (Cp); cardiac output was provided by a roller pump (Rp). Five volume flow rates were tested. The Rp was set at 4 L/min with no Cp flow (R4-C0) and the basic volume flow rates of the vessels were measured. The flow of the Cp was increased while the Rp flow was decreased for other measurements; R3-C1, R2-C2, R1-C3 and R0-C4. Measurements were repeated for all cannulation sites. Results: The RCa flow rate at R4-C0 was higher compared to the R3-C1, R2-C2, R1-C3 and R0-C4 RCa flows with subclavian cannulation. The RCa flow decreased as the Cp flow increased (p<0.05). The RCa flow with ascending aortic and femoral cannulation was higher compared to subclavian cannulation. Higher flows were obtained with subclavian cannulation in the LCa compared to the others (p<0.05). R4-C0 Ca and Ra flows were higher compared to other Ca and Ra flows with femoral cannulation. Ca and Ra flows decreased as Cp flow increased. Flows of the Ca and Ra with ascending and subclavian cannulations were not lower compared to the R4-C0 flow (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study shows that prolonged extracorporeal circulation may develop flow decrease and ischemia in cerebral and abdominal organs with both subclavian and femoral cannulations.


ABSTRACT Influenza A viruses accumulate amino acid substitutions in cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, allowing these viruses to escape from CTL immunity. The arginine-to-glycine substitution at position 384 of the viral nucleoprotein is associated with escape from CTLs. Introduction of the R384G substitution in the nucleoprotein gene segment of influenza virus A/Hong Kong/2/68 by site-directed mutagenesis was detrimental to viral fitness. Introduction of one of the comutations associated with R384G, E375G, partially restored viral fitness and nucleoprotein functionality. We hypothesized that influenza A viruses need to overcome functional constraints to accumulate mutations in CTL epitopes and escape from CTLs.


Mycobacteria in drinking water and in the water of swimming pools, whirlpools, hydrotherapy facilities and aquaria contribute significantly to human exposure to triggers of immune regulated chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Technological elements of water distribution systems, especially their inner surface, taps, shower heads and blind spots where sediments settle, affect the number of mycobacteria in the water. The review presents the possibilities of using analytical instruments for rapid determination of mycobacteria and for their typing as an alternative to classical culture and a method of monitoring specific nucleic acid sequences by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Information about the use of flow cytometry (FCM), matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) spectrometry, Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy and biosensors are presented.


The dynamics of red blood cells (RBCs) in oscillatory shear flow was studied using differential equations of three variables: a shape parameter, the inclination angle θ, and phase angle ϕ of the membrane rotation. In steady shear flow, three types of dynamics occur depending on the shear rate and viscosity ratio. (i) tank-treading (TT): ϕ rotates while the shape and θ oscillate. (ii) tumbling (TB): θ rotates while the shape and ϕ oscillate. (iii) intermediate motion: both ϕ and θ rotate synchronously or intermittently. In oscillatory shear flow, RBCs show various dynamics based on these three motions. For a low shear frequency with zero mean shear rate, a limit-cycle oscillation occurs, based on the TT or TB rotation at a high or low shear amplitude, respectively. This TT-based oscillation well explains recent experiments. In the middle shear amplitude, RBCs show an intermittent or synchronized oscillation. As shear frequency increases, the vesicle oscillation becomes delayed with respect to the shear oscillation. At a high frequency, multiple limit-cycle oscillations coexist. The thermal fluctuations can induce transitions between two orbits at very low shear amplitudes. For a high mean shear rate with small shear oscillation, the shape and θ oscillate in the TT motion but only one attractor exists even at high shear frequencies. The measurement of these oscillatory modes is a promising tool for quantifying the viscoelasticity of RBCs, synthetic capsules, and lipid vesicles.


The molecular structure of gaseous 2-fluoro-3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,3,2-oxazaphospholene has been determined by electron diffraction and ab initio calculations. The structural analysis has shown that the diheterophospholene ring possesses a P-envelope conformation with axial orientation of the P-F bond which is very long, 1.641(11) °.


The application of the Melosh transformation to polarized proton matrix elements of lightlike axial charges, combined with light-cone current algebra, is shown to lead to new results for the deep inelastic neutrino-polarized proton cross sections.


We investigate the class $\mathcal{MN}$ of groups with the property that all maximal subgroups are normal. The class $\mathcal{MN}$ appeared in the framework of the study of potential counter-examples to the Andrews-Curtis conjecture. In this note we give various structural properties of groups in $\mathcal{MN}$ and present examples of groups in $\mathcal{MN}$ and not in $\mathcal{MN}$.


Recent advances in thermal infrared (TIR) detection offer design options for space sensors requiring temperature sensitivity in the 0.1-0.5 K range. A cost vs. performance trade-off is illustrated with two "reference" sensor concepts. Both systems use all reflective front optics designed for low cost "bolt-together" assembly-alignment. Cooled HgCdTe detection is illustrated by a reference hyperspectral concept using a 320/spl times/210 element cooled focal-plane array (FPA), offering /spl sim/0.15 K noise-equivalent temperature difference (NEDT) at 50 K FPA temperature for 60 meter pixels from a 705 km Earth orbit. Less expensive uncooled 1 /spl mu/m bandwidth multi-spectral imaging is illustrated by a reference concept using silicon microbolometers. Test data from a 320/spl times/240 element microbolometer array suggest 0.2-0.5 K system accuracy. NEDT improvements are expected over the next two years. Improvements in the design of radiative coolers are also expected to lower the cost of cooled TIR sensor systems. A Mars mission imager now under development illustrates application of the uncooled technology to planetary exploration.


In the era of extensive imaging and increasing indications for performing PET-CT scans, the recognition of synchronous tumors may be greater than before. However, the majority of these tumors are seen to occur in the same organ system, likely because of sharing similar pathogenic mechanisms. Synchronous lung cancers of similar or differing histologies have been reported. Primary pulmonary lymphoma, which is a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, has also been seen with a synchronous primary lung cancer. However, we report a case of a 56-year-old male diagnosed with primary pulmonary lymphoma and on PET-CT imaging, found to have a cecal lesion, the biopsy of which showed adenocarcinoma. We discuss the incidence of the co-existence of multiple tumors, the pathogenic mechanisms involved, and approaches to the management of these rare clinical scenarios.


BACKGROUND
Managed care financing has resulted in pressure to decrease hospital days and lower per diem costs. This influence may ultimately affect nonoperative management of blunt solid organ injuries in children (spleen, liver, kidneys).

METHODS
Pediatric surgeons caring for trauma patients were surveyed regarding current practice patterns. One survey was sent to a representative staff pediatric surgeon at each major children's hospital or children's unit involved in the care of the injured child in the United States.

RESULTS
There were 87 responses to 117 surveys (75%). Relatively few children fail nonoperative management. For major management decisions, including radiographic study of choice; when to transfuse; and when to allow out of bed, home, and back to school, there was often a clear majority opinion of appropriate care. However, there was a wide variance in response for some questions.

CONCLUSIONS
Surgical judgment must be individualized, but a low number of failures of nonoperative management is helpful in delineating safe practice guidelines. Surgeons using fewer resources than the norm may help delineate management schemes that are equally effective to more expensive care. Based on these responses a management protocol is recommended.


BackgroundImprovement in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) drought tolerance at seedling stage is important for yield stability. Genetic approaches combing with conventional breeding is the most effective way to develop drought-tolerant cultivars. So far, very few studies have been reported to reveal gene/ quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling drought tolerance in sesame. To identify the genomic regions associated with drought tolerance, we constructed a high-density genetic map using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population through whole genome re-sequencing (WGRS) technique. QTLs contributing to three seedling traits were identified under both non-stress and water stress conditions.ResultsThree drought tolerance related traits and their relative values (the ratio of value under stress to value under control condition), including seedling weight (SW), shoot length (SL) and root length (RL), were evaluated under control and PEG-induced osmotic conditions at seedling stage in a RIL population derived from cross of Zhushanbai (ZSB) and Jinhuangma (JHM). Significant variation and high broad sense heritability were observed for all traits except SW under stress condition in the population. With this population, a high-density linkage map with 1354 bin markers was constructed through WGRS strategy. Composite interval mapping analysis was performed for all the traits as well as their relative phenotypic data. A total of 34 QTLs were detected for these three traits under both conditions and their relative values, and 13 stable QTLs associated with seven traits could be revealed in two independent experiments, explaining on average, 4.95-16.26% of phenotypic variation for each QTL. Four of them contributed more than 10% of phenotypic variation. Root length related QTLs were first identified in sesame. One region on chromosome 12 contained two major QTLs related to RL under osmotic condition and relative RL. ConclusionThe current study reports the first QTL mapping of drought tolerance related traits through a RIL population and first QTL detection of root related trait (root length) in sesame. These findings will provide new genetic resources for molecular improvement of drought tolerance and candidate gene identification in sesame.


Alpha 1-Antitrypsin deficiency (PiZ) is frequent in Caucasian populations. The predominant clinical correlates of this inborn error, i.e. chronic liver disease, emphysema, and vasculitic syndromes including their pathogenetic background are discussed in the present review.


Intercultural encounters in the workplace are frequently plurilingual, intercultural, socially constructed
interactions that are situated in time, place, space, and purpose. Competence in
one encounter can very quickly manifest as incompetence in another supposedly similar
context. This complexity puts into question formulaic, essentialist models of intercultural
communication and competence that have characterised much cross-cultural
business/management education. While these approaches provide some insights into
behaviour and communication of people in "Culture X", they often result in stereotyping,
grounded in ethnocentric and prejudiced attitudes; and this stereotyping, in turn, may lead to
"othering".
One response to these static models of how culture is understood has seen the rise in
popularity of theories and models of intercultural competence, often subscribing to the idea
that communication with (cultural) others should be both "appropriate" and "effective" to
enable individuals to "achieve their goals". This position is exemplified in the definition
offered by Spitzberg and Changnon (2009)—which emerged from their in their seminal
synthesis of multiple models of intercultural competence—as "the appropriate and effective
management of interaction between people who, to some degree or another, represent
different or divergent affective, cognitive, and behaviour orientations to the world" (p. 7).
Thus, the term "intercultural competence" and the variety of models, frameworks, and
theories in its name, have come to be seen by some in the cross-cultural communication
literature as both a panacea and a solution when interacting with people from other cultures.
2
In this chapter I begin by outlining some reasons why traditional cross-cultural management
education and training approaches are no longer appropriate in the second decade of the 21st
century, and some shortcomings of the theoretical concept "intercultural competence". I
discuss how terms like "culture" and "identity", when no longer treated as solid and static
states, and multilingualism offer possibilities for new understandings of intercultural
encounters. In my own teaching approach I encourage students to engage in practices and in
research and assessment tasks that invite them to move beyond a preoccupation with
aggregate and/or static models of culture and cultural differences. By drawing on social
constructionism as a theoretical standpoint for understanding and experiencing intercultural
encounters, I provide a possible pedagogy and possible assessment approach that invites
learners to consider more deeply the nature of intercultural encounters, and simultaneously,
monitor their own intercultural communication within them.


The purpose of this investigation was to elucidate the association between microvascular blood volume and glucose uptake and to link these measures with tumor angiogenesis. We demonstrate a regionally specific correlation between tumor relative microvascular blood volume (CBV), determined in vivo with functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques, and tumor glucose uptake determined with fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. Regions of maximum glucose uptake were well matched with maximum CBV across all patients (n = 21; r = 0.572; P = 0.023). High-grade gliomas showed significantly elevated CBV and glucose uptake compared with low-grade gliomas, (P = 0.009 and 0.008, respectively). Correlations between CBV and glucose uptake were then determined on a voxel-by-voxel basis within each patient's glioma. Correlation indices varied widely, but in 16 of 21 cases of human glioma, CBV and glucose uptake were correlated (r > 0.150). These measures were well correlated in all cases when comparing healthy brain tissue in these same patients. Tumor vascularity, as determined immunohistochemically and morphometrically on clinical samples, revealed statistically significant relationships with functional imaging characteristics in vivo. Regional heterogeneities in glucose uptake were well matched with functional magnetic resonance imaging CBV maps. Our findings support the concept that there is an association of microvascular density and tumor energy metabolism in most human gliomas. In addition, the findings are likely to have important clinical applications in the initial evaluation, treatment, and longitudinal monitoring of patients with malignant gliomas.


Despite international protests against bonded labor, the flow of indentured laborers during the 19th and early decades of the 20th centuries was extensive compared to the earlier centuries. The focus of this article is on the particularity of the "Chinese coolies experiment" in South Africa's gold mining industry which commenced in 1904. This 20th-century episode of indentured labor is notable for several reasons, and it serves as a springboard for the discussion of some fundamental issues in capitalist development, labor and identity formation. This article emphasizes the last, examining how a "Chinese" identity was formed through the development of the gold fields and, in turn, how this formation reinforced a nascent white labor aristocracy. It discusses two dimensions of this labor "experiment" in South Africa: (1) the heady debate on the decision to look to China for cheap labor and (2) desertion by the indentured Chinese laborers from various mining compounds in the Witwatersrand.


Detection and quantification of differentially expressed genes requires valid and reliable references to control for error variability introduced by preparatory procedures or efficiency of reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification conditions. So-called housekeeping genes are frequently used as endogenous standards, based on the assumption that they are constitutively expressed and independent of experimental conditions. However, if the influence of experimental stimuli is to be analyzed, it cannot a priori be assumed that their expression is unaffected by stimulation. In the present study, the authors studied the expression of different housekeeping genes in the vascular endothelium of intact conduit vessels perfused in a unique biomechanical perfusion model. Ten control gene candidates were investigated by microarray expression analysis. Further, five of these genes were systematically analyzed by real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR gene quantification and their suitability as reference genes were evaluated. On the basis of these findings, the authors suggest criteria for evaluation of endogenous control genes in vascular perfusion studies.


Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of a novel customized topography-guided transepithelial corneal collagen cross-linking (TG-CXL) procedure by sequential ultraviolet A irradiation in different diameters and conventional transepithelial corneal collagen cross-linking (TE-CXL) in adult patients with progressive keratoconus. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted. Adult patients diagnosed with progressive keratoconus in the Affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University were continuously recruited and randomly assigned to receive the TG-CXL or TE-CXL procedure from March 2020 to March 2021. Patients in the TE-CXL group were irradiated in the central 9-mm zone of the cornea (total energy, 7.2 J/cm2; irradiance, 45 mW/cm2), while patients in the TG-CXL group were first irradiated with the protocol used in the TE-CXL group, and further irradiated in the central 6-mm zone (total energy, 3.6 J/cm2; irradiance, 9 mW/cm2). The subjective symptom of pain and corneal fluorescein sodium staining were scored within postoperative 3 days. Slit lamp examination, measurements of uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), corneal topography, anterior segment optical coherence tomography, in vivo corneal confocal microscopy, corneal endothelial cell count, and non-contact tonometry were performed before surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: A total of 66 patients were enrolled (mean age, 23.0±3.3 years old), with 33 patients (33 eyes) in each group. No statistically significant differences were found in age, gender, and maximum keratometry (Kmax) between the two groups (P>0.05). On day 1 after surgery, the average pain score of the TG-CXL group (2.21±0.45) was significantly higher than that of the TE-CXL group (1.32±0.33) (P<0.05). The pain was rapidly alleviated in both groups on days 2 and 3. On days 1 and 2, the corneal fluorescein sodium staining scores in the TG-CXL group (4.15±0.83 and 2.21±0.60, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the TE-CXL group (1.76±0.56 and 0.85±0.51, respectively, P<0.001), while there was no significant difference between the two groups at day3 (P=0.184). The UCVA and BCVA of the TG-CXL group at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery were significantly improved when compared with the baseline. At 3, 6, and 12 months, the BCVA (LogMAR) of the TG-CXL group (0.21±0.15, 0.22±0.16, and 0.22±0.16, respectively) were significantly improved when compared with those of the TE-CXL group(0.32±0.15, 0.34±0.15, and 0.36±0.16, respectively, P<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in UCVA between groups at any time point after surgery (P>0.05). The spherical and cylindrical power values of the TG-CXL group were improved when compared with the baseline (P<0.05). However, no significant difference in spherical power values was found between the two groups at any time point after surgery (P>0.05). Meanwhile, there were significant differences in cylindrical power values between the two groups at 6 and 12 months after surgery (P<0.05). The Kmax in the TG-CXL group was improved at all of the time points after surgery when compared with the baseline (P<0.001), while no significant difference in Kmax was found at any time point after surgery in the TE-CXL group when compared with the baseline (P>0.05). At 6 and 12 months after surgery, the Kmax values in the TG-CXL group were significantly lower than the TE-CXL group (P<0.05). No significant differences were found in flat keratomety, steep keratometry, the minimal thickness of the cornea, endothelial cell density, and intraocular pressure between the two groups at any time point after surgery (P>0.05). Within one month after surgery, optical coherence tomography revealed the increased density in the anterior stroma in both groups. In most patients in the TG-CXL group, a demarcation line was visible in the central and para-central corneal stroma, representing a clear and continuous, high-signal arc-shaped linear structure, which was deeper in the central cornea than the para-central cornea. In contrast, a demarcation line, fuzzy and focally discontinuous, was visible only in a few patients in the TE-CXL group, with an almost uniform depth in the central and the para-central cornea. Confocal microscopy demonstrated an apparent mesh-like cross-linked collagen structure in the superficial and intermediate corneal stroma at all time points after surgery in the TG-CXL group, with thickening stromal collagen fibers and an increased number of interconnections. In contrast, the mesh-like structure and number of interconnections in the superficial corneal stroma were significantly reduced at 12 months after surgery in the TE-CXL group, with no cross-linking structure in the intermediate corneal stroma at any time point after surgery. No serious complications such as corneal infection, sterile corneal ulcer, and persistent epithelial defect were observed in both groups during the follow-up of 12 months. Conclusions: The TG-CXL procedure by sequential irradiation in two different diameters with ultraviolet A light was effective and safe in the management of progressive keratoconus in adults, achieving significant refractive improvement. This might be a good technical alternative for refractive corneal cross-linking surgery.


High energy protons produced by various sources of cosmic rays, e.g., supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae, active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts, participate in pγ and pp interactions. Although pp interactions may be the dominant mechanism in our Galaxy, it is unclear how important pγ process is. We show that the upper bound on the fraction of total number of protons participating in pγ interactions inside all Galactic astrophysical sources of cosmic rays is 10%.


CONTEXT
Precooling is the pre-exercise reduction of body temperature and is an effective method of improving physiologic function and exercise performance in environmental heat. A practical and effective method of precooling suitable for application at athletic venues has not been demonstrated.

OBJECTIVE
To confirm the effectiveness of pre-exercise ingestion of cold fluid without fluid ingestion during exercise on pre-exercise core temperature and to determine whether pre-exercise ingestion of cold fluid alone without continued provision of cold fluid during exercise can improve exercise performance in the heat.

DESIGN
Randomized controlled clinical trial.

SETTING
Environmental chamber at an exercise physiology laboratory that was maintained at 32°C, 60% relative humidity, and 3.2 m/s facing air velocity.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS
Seven male recreational cyclists (age = 21 ± 1.5 years, height = 1.81 ± 0.07 m, mass = 78.4 ± 9.2 kg) participated.

INTERVENTION(S)
Participants ingested 900 mL of cold (2°C) or control (37°C) flavored water in 3 300-mL aliquots over 35 minutes of pre-exercise rest.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)
Rectal temperature and thermal comfort before exercise and distance cycled, power output, pacing, rectal temperature, mean skin temperature, heart rate, blood lactate, thermal comfort, perceived exertion, and sweat loss during exercise.

RESULTS
During rest, a greater decrease in rectal temperature was observed with ingestion of the cold fluid (0.41 ± 0.16°C) than the control fluid (0.17 ± 0.17°C) over 35 to 5 minutes before exercise (t(6) = -3.47, P = .01). During exercise, rectal temperature was lower after ingestion of the cold fluid at 5 to 25 minutes (t(6) range, 2.53-3.38, P ≤ .05). Distance cycled was greater after ingestion of the cold fluid (19.26 ± 2.91 km) than after ingestion of the control fluid (18.72 ± 2.59 km; t(6) = -2.80, P = .03). Mean power output also was greater after ingestion of the cold fluid (275 ± 27 W) than the control fluid (261 ± 22 W; t(6) = -2.13, P = .05). No differences were observed for pacing, mean skin temperature, heart rate, blood lactate, thermal comfort, perceived exertion, and sweat loss (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrated that pre-exercise ingestion of cold fluid is a simple, effective precooling method suitable for field-based application.


During the implantation process, an expandable balloon stent undergoes a change in mesh shape with a high strain rate. Permanent mesh shape changes to the stents indicate plastic deformation has occurred. On a micro-scale, plastic deformation has significant influence when interacting with the soft tissue of human blood vessels. This experimental study aims to investigate the effect of surface treatment and cutting orientation on the changes in surface roughness that definitely occurs when a stent deployed. To study the effect of surface treatment, two types of surface treatment were applied after surface polishing, i.e. etching and electropolishing. Surface polishing is carried out to enable microscopic observation. As for examining the effect of cutting orientation, the plate is cut in lateral and longitudinal orientation against the predicted-rolling direction of 316L sheet-type of stainless steel. An intermittent tensile test is conducted to obtain information about the changes in surface roughness. The surface observation is carried out three times on a similar surface of testpiece after reaching plastic deformation. The experimental study shows that the orientation of raw material has an insignificant effect on the changes in stent surface roughness. As for the surface treatments, electropolishing tended to decrease the tensile property of material.


Background and importance Medication overdose headache (MOH) is a secondary headache disorder occurring on 15 or more days per month developing as a consequence of regular overdose of headache medication for more than 3 months. The prevalence of MOH is approximately 1–2% and is higher in women than in men. Many medications used to treat headaches have the potential for causing MOH. Currently, MOH secondary to triptans is increasing and leads to MOH sooner than with other medications. Anxiety and depression may be risk factors for the evolution of migraine into MOH. Aim and objectives To determine the prevalence of patients treated with triptans at risk of MOH (regular intake for ≥10 days/month for >3 months) and the profile in our health area; to identify and communicate to the prescribers those patients with overuse of triptans; and to inform all clinicians about MOH: aetiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment. Material and methods We analysed the dispensation records of all patients treated with triptans over 3 months (June 2019–September 2019). Data collected were sex, age, monthly intake frequency and co-medication. We alerted prescribers by email, including management and de-prescription recommendations for MOH. We posted content about MOH in our blog. Results The prevalence of patients treated with triptans was 0.50%; 47 of 538 patients taking triptans (8.7%) were at risk of MOH. Their median age was 55 years and most were women (79%). Median monthly intake was 16 doses (10–48). Thirty patients (64%) had prescriptions for anxiety and/or depression and 13 patients (28%) had preventive therapy prescriptions for headache. Twenty-nine prescribers were notified by email. Dispensation record history, co-medication, MOH management guide and patient education leaflets were attached. Conclusion and relevance MOH is a common problem in clinical practice that needs to be properly managed to increase the likelihood of successful chronic daily headache treatment. The results obtained in our population were similar to published studies, both in prevalence and in patient profile. However, the MOH rate was still lacking as it needs a clinician diagnosis. In 6 months we will collect information about the evolution of these patients, and we expect that our intervention will lead to treatment optimisation, better use of triptans and headache relief. References and/or acknowledgements No conflict of interest.


The anticholinesterase and antioxidant activities with chemical composition and molecular docking of essential oil and nonpolar extracts of Mentha piperita were evaluated using enzymatic and chemical methods. Molecular docking tools were used to explain the interaction of the major chemical constituents with the enzymes. GC/MS analyses revealed that the main compounds in M. piperita essential oil were l-menthone (43.601%) followed by pulegone (21.610%), linolenic acid (25.628%), and l-menthone (10.957%), representing the major compounds of the petroleum ether extract. Imidazoquinoline (7.767%) and 17-N-acetyl-oroidine (5.363%) were the major constituents of the chloroform extract. Linolenic acid (19.397%) and l-menthone (6.336%) were the most abundant compounds in the hexane extract. The M. piperita essential oil and nonpolar extracts showed moderate antioxidant activity. The essential oil showed the most promising anticholinesterase activity with IC50 = 10.66 ± 0.12 µg/mL and IC50 = 16.33 ± 0.03 µg/mL against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), respectively, close to galantamine in AChE and more active in BChE, followed by the interesting activity in the petroleum ether extract with IC50 = 23.42 ± 3.06 µg/mL in AChE and IC50 = 62.00 ± 3.22 µg/mL in BChE. The docking experiments showed that among the seven major identified compounds, N-acetyl-17-oroidine showed the highest binding score (63.01 in AChE and 63.68 in BChE). This compound was found to bind the catalytic and peripheral sites, resulting in more potent inhibitory activity than galantamine, which only binds to the catalytic site. These findings suggested the possible use of M. piperita essential oil and nonpolar extracts as a potential source of alternative natural anti-Alzheimer compounds.


Background Breast cancer is a common cancer type that leads to cancer-related deaths among women. HER2-positive breast cancer, in particular, is associated with poor prognosis due to its high aggressiveness, increased risk of recurrence, and metastasis potential. Previous observational studies have explored potential associations between inflammatory cytokines and the risk of two breast cancer subtypes (HER2-positive and HER2-negative), but the results have been inconsistent. To further elucidate the causal relationship between inflammatory cytokines and the two breast cancer subtypes, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Methods We employed a two-sample bidirectional MR analysis using publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) statistics. After obtaining instrumental variables, we conducted MR analyses using five different methods to ensure the reliability of our results. Additionally, we performed tests for heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. Subsequently, we conducted a reverse MR study by reversing exposure and outcome variables. Results Evidence from our IVW analysis revealed that genetically predicted levels of IL-5 [odds ratio (OR): 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04–1.35, P = 0.012], IL-7 (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01–1.22, P = 0.037), and IL-16 (OR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.02–1.25, P = 0.025) were associated with an increased risk of HER2-positive breast cancer. Conversely, IL-10 (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03–1.26, P = 0.012) was associated with an increased risk of HER2-negative breast cancer. These results showed no evidence of heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy (P > 0.05). Results from the reverse MR analysis indicated no potential causal association between breast cancer and inflammatory cytokines (P > 0.05). Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that IL-5, IL-7, and IL-16 are risk factors for HER2-positive breast cancer, with varying degrees of increased probability of HER2-positive breast cancer associated with elevated levels of these inflammatory cytokines. Conversely, IL-10 is a risk factor for HER2-negative breast cancer. Reverse studies have confirmed that breast cancer is not a risk factor for elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines. This series of results clarifies the causal relationship between different types of inflammatory cytokines and different subtypes of breast cancer. Based on this research, potential directions for the mechanism research of different inflammatory cytokines and different subtypes of breast cancer have been provided, and potential genetic basis for identifying and treating different subtypes of breast cancer have been suggested.


Purpose: HPV is associated with a growing proportion of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), which show improved clinical outcome compared with non-HPV associated HNSCC. Whether this improved outcome reflects enhanced responsiveness to radiation and/or chemotherapy remains unclear. There is little data available regarding the radio- and chemo-sensitivity of HPV-associated HNSCC. We provide detailed analysis of radiation response profiles in verified HPV-positive HNSCC lines. Methods: Degenerate PCR and Southern blot were used to confirm HPV status in HNSCC human tumor cell lines. Clonogenic survival assays were used to assess radiation sensitivity. Proliferation assays were used to assess sensitivity to chemotherapy. Western blot was used to assess EGFR expression, activity, and the effect of EGFR inhibitor treatment. Results: Clonal expansion of existing HPV-positive HNSCC cell lines was performed to confirm the presence of a homogeneous population of cells and HPV-integration status confirmed by Southern Blot. HPV-positive cells were more sensitive to radiation-induced cell death compared to HPV-negative cells using single dose and fractionated radiation exposure regimens. Of the HPV+ cells tested to date, we have seen further radiosensitization with exposure to EGFR inhibitors (e.g., enhancement ratio 1.27 for UM-SCC47 with erlotinib) despite similar response to the EGFR inhibitor alone. HPV+ tumor xenografts have been raised in immunocompromised mice for in vivo radiation and chemotherapy response assessment. Conclusions: Consistent with clinical reports, HPV-associated HNSCC cells exhibit increased sensitivity to radiation. The in vitro sensitivity of HPV-positive HNSCC to chemotherapy is in progress, as is the response evaluation of HPV+ xenografts to radiation and chemotherapy. Underlying molecular mechanisms for altered response profiles in HPV+ HNSCC are considered as they pertain to future clinical trial designs. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2721. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2721


Digital disruption has had a profound impact on local news production in Australia and New Zealand. Rationalised newsrooms and the streamlining of local news services has resulted in a decline of diversity in local news stories. Some publications have shut their doors; others now eke out a news service with skeleton editorial staff. The result is that people in local communities are largely losing connection to issues and important stories in their communities. This chapter investigates how local communities are responding to these news deserts by examining the emergence of hyperlocal news enterprises in niche communities. The chapter will showcase three enterprises, two in Australia and one in New Zealand, that have emerged to fill vital news voids. Although each of the enterprises is different in its scope and target audience, there are common threads binding each of the journalism start-ups. For example, each has a clearly defined demographic it is attempting to reach. Each enterprise uses non-traditional and experimental elements in both newsgathering and storytelling. Each enterprise is 'grassroots' in its approach, with an ethos that respects audience and delivers authentic narratives. The chapter reveals hyperlocal journalism is testing the boundaries of what constitutes journalism in a digitally disrupted world.


Background Children who have been sexually abused (CSA) are potentially at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI). It is not known how frequently such infections are identified within the population nor whether the implications of the mode of transmission are recognised and investigated appropriately. Methods Active surveillance occurred through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit system (www.rcpch.ac.uk/bpsu) which covers all paediatricians (estimated > 95%) in UK and Republic of Ireland. Consultant paediatricians were asked to report cases with laboratory confirmed Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng), Treponema pallidum (Tp), Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) or Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv) in children aged 1 to 12 years between January 2010 and January 2012. Anyone reporting a case was sent a clinical questionnaire. The adequacy of the initial and confirmatory diagnostic tests was judged against relevant national guidelines. Child protection investigations undertaken were arranged into a hierarchical classification. Results Fifteen cases were reported - 7 Ng, 6 Ct, 1 Tp and 1 Tv. Fourteen presented because of symptoms (5 with ophthalmic symptoms), 3 had isolated ophthalmic infections), 1 following alleged CSA. Eleven of 15 had other indicators of possible CSA including allegation, behavioural or previous child protection concerns. Tests used were adequate and all had additional STI testing undertaken including 10 HIV and 12 Tp and hepatitis B. All but one case were referred for multi-agency child protection investigations, in three cases sexual CSA was confirmed at court or case conference (some outcomes awaited). Conclusion This is the first population-based study of bacterial STI incidence in under 13 year-olds in the UK. Incidence was very low. Once detected, there are high levels of screening for other STIs using appropriate tests in line with national guidelines, and assessments for CSA. This is an improvement on a previous study on HSV1 and may be a result of better guidance and evidence base.


This study investigated the effectiveness of Six Thinking Hats Training in improving the psychological well- being of prisoners. The study consisted of 24 convicted prisoners whose ages ranged from 19-60 years with a mean of 22.50 years. A 2x2 experimental group design was adopted, and subjects were randomly assigned to the treatment and control groups. A validated instrument titled "Psychological Well-being Scale" was administered to the two groups before and after the experimental programme. The programme was packaged into 8 weekly workshop sessions. Analysis of Covariance was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Results showed that the treatment package (Six Thinking Hats Training) was effective in improving the psychological well-being of the prisoners, their age notwithstanding. Based on this finding, it was recommended that prisoners should always seek counsleling to enable them face the daunting challenges of incarceration and that Counsellors in Nigeria should diversify their services to non-school settings like the prisons. IFE PsychologIA Vol. 15 (2) 2007: pp. 132-142


Background: Although many studies have reported the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) for treating female urinary incontinence, the magnitude of the effect and the optimal configuration of the parameters of the training have not been clearly determined. Objectives: The aims of this meta-analysis were: (a) to calculate the effect size of pelvic floor muscle training compared to no treatment on incontinent episodes, urine leakage amount, and perceived severity of urine loss, and (b) to identify parameters of PFMT and subjects' characteristics influencing the magnitude of the effects. Methods: The search for relevant literature published from 1980 to 2005 consisted of using several computerized databases, citation searching, and footnote chasing. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, and were reviewed and coded. Results: The overall mean weighted effect size on incontinent episodes, urine leakage amount, and perceived severity were −0.68 (Z = 5.89, p < .001), −1.48 (Z = 2.64, p = .008), and −1.66 (Z = 1.68, p = .092), respectively. The studies with women having stress urinary incontinence showed a mean weighted effect size of −0.77 (Z = 7.03, p < .001), whereas studies with women having any type of urinary incontinence showed a mean weighted effect size of −0.47 (Z = 4.40, p < .001). The mean weighted effect size for studies including subjects over 60 years mean age was −0.54 (Z = 6.21, p < .001), whereas that of studies in which the average age was younger than 60 years was −0.94 (Z = 6.58, p < .001). Discussion: The treatment effect of PFMT on the incontinent episodes may be greater in younger women with only stress urinary incontinence. It appears that the number of daily contractions and the length of training period are not related to effect sizes on the condition that training includes at least daily 24 contractions and keeps for at least 6 weeks.


With the goal of organizing a control program of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reproduction in laboratory, a tecnique with ceramic pearls held on dorsal musculature by transfixion with flexible sintetic string was developed. Sixty fishes with 12g average weight and 60 with 19g average weight were used. Marking was done on three positions: frontal (F), median (M), and caudal (C). Different combinations of three collored pearls were fixed on the right side (defining number), and were linked to only one pearl in the left side (defining sex), with a slack of about 1.5cm to prevent growth damage. The animals were individually identified and weigthed at 30, 60 and 130 days after surgery. Results showed that both F and M positions allowed normal growth and reproductive behavior, whereas the C position induced mortality and loss of marker in some specimens. The M position is recomended as the best, or the intermediate between F and M positions.


The purpose of the present study was to determine the associations of personality dimensions, perceived stress and emotion regulation to driving anger among taxi drivers in Iran. Using a convenience sampling procedure, a number of 120 taxi drivers were recruited for the study. Data were collected using a sociodemographic data sheet, the HEXACO personality inventory, the perceived stress scale, the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire and the driving anger scale. The data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed that 5% to 20% of taxi drivers experience high levels of anger while driving. Most taxi drivers agree that slow driving and traffic obstructions as frustrating and anger-provoking. The drivers reported experiencing stress frequently. The personality dimensions of extroversion, agreeableness and honesty/humility were found to be associated with anger specifically related to the presence of police. Among the cognitive emotion regulation strategies, only catastrophizing and positive refocusing were found to be associated with driving anger from the involvement of police. Perception of stress, extroversion and conscientiousness and positive refocusing together explained 19.1% of the variance associated with anger elicited by driving situations, with the personality traits making the largest contribution. DOI : http://dx.doi.org./10.17576/JSKM-2016-1402-15


In a recent article, Cowan, Harter, and Kandel (2000) concluded that much of the success and excitement engendered by modern neuroscience can be attributed to the incorporation of several previously independent disciplines into one intellectual framework. During the 1950s and 1960s, neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neuropharmacology, and neurophysiology, disciplines that had largely functioned in a separate and distinct fashion, gradually merged into a unified field of neuroscience. The penultimate step in the coalescence of neuroscience occurred in the early 1980s, when neuroscience integrated with molecular biology and molecular genetics. The confluence of these fields enabled scientists to understand the genetic basis of neurological diseases for the first time without requiring foreknowledge of the underlying biochemical abnormalities. The final phase of the merger of neuroscience into a single discipline took place in the mid-1980s, when cognitive psychology joined with neuroscience, leading to the formation of cognitive neuroscience.


This research was aimed to find out pre-service elementary mathematics teachers' perceptions on special quadrilaterals and inclusion relations of them and draw their common cognitive paths. In order to reach this aim, this research was designed under qualitative approach and was used document analysis method. The participants of the study were 68 pre-service teachers continuing their 4th year of elementary mathematics teacher education programme at a faculty of education. The data was obtained by the lesson plans which were prepared by the participants. Based on the data, it was determined that the pre-service mathematics teachers had some misconceptions regarding the inclusion relations of quadrilaterals. In addition, it was identified that the "common cognitive path" in terms of quadrilaterals associations was parallelogram / rhombus, square / rectangle and square / rhombus association.


The STRUCT system utilizes the flexibility of a powerful graphics display system to provide a set of tools for program analysis. These tools allow the analysis of the static program structure and the dynamic execution behaviour of programs within the entire operating system user program environment of the Brown University Graphics System (BUGS). Information is collected and presented in a manner which fully exploits two aspects of this environment. First, the operating system has been developed in a well-structured hierarchical manner following principles laid down by other researchers. Second the programs under analysis have been written in a structured programming language following coding conventions which make available, at the source code level, valuable program control information. This system is currently being used to predict and analyze the performance advantages available through the migration of function between levels of software and between software and firmware within the BUGS.


A crumbling claim that appeared to reveal the workings of the big bang may instead say more about how science is done in an age of incessant news coverage. In March, researchers working with a specialized telescope at the South Pole, known as BICEP2, claimed that by studying the afterglow of the big bang—the so-called cosmic microwave background—they had discovered direct evidence that the newborn cosmos had undergone a bizarre exponential growth spurt known as cosmic inflation. Now, researchers from the European Space Agency9s Planck spacecraft have shown that radiation from dust in our galaxy accounts for some, and possibly all, of the BICEP signal. Curiously, the BICEP and Planck teams took very different tacks in publicizing their results. The BICEP team held a press conference and issued a bold press release. The Planck team did not—because they did not want the press to jump to the conclusion that they had definitively proved the BICEP result wrong.


The tympanic cavity of theropod dinosaurs (including birds) gives rise to a variety of epithelial diverticula that pneumatize the bones of the braincase and suspensorium. Theropod pneumaticity is not very well understood with regard to its morphological variability and phylogenetic distribution. We present here a preliminary survey of the tympanic cavity of several members of Theropoda and comment upon the possible homologies and organization of the associated pneumatic recesses. Of particular interest are the similarities in the pattern of tympanic pneumaticity between theropod dinosaurs and extant archosaurs, particularly avian taxa. Focal theropod taxa include the abelisaurid Majungasaurus, the allosauroids Acrocanthosaurus and Allosaurus, as well as nonavian coelurosaurs such as tyrannosaurids, oviraptorosaurs, ornithomimids, troodontids, and dromaeosaurids. The main methods include computed X-ray tomography (CT) and 3D visualization of the CT scan data, providing a detailed examination of the pneumatic recesses relative to the tympanic recess, otic labyrinth and brain cavity. Additionally, CT scans of extant taxa allow us insight into soft-tissue associations within and surrounding the pneumatic recesses. Similarities in organization between examined fossils and extant taxa allow us to make statements about the homologies of these pneumatic recesses in a phylogenetic context, and test hypotheses regarding their potential functional role. The rostral tympanic recess is the most widely distributed of the paratympanic sinuses whereas the dorsal tympanic recess may be restricted to coelurosaurian clades.


Background: The population of ex-prisoners returning to their communities is large. Morbidity and mortality is increased during the period following release. Understanding utilization of emergency services by this population may inform interventions to reduce adverse outcomes. We examined Emergency Department utilization among a cohort of recently released prisoners. Methods: We linked Rhode Island Department of Corrections records with electronic health record data from a large hospital system from 2007 to 2009 to analyze emergency department utilization for mental health disorders, substance use disorders and ambulatory care sensitive conditions by ex-prisoners in the year after release from prison in comparison to the general population, controlling for patientand community-level factors. Results: There were 333,369 total ED visits with 5,145 visits by a cohort of 1,434 ex-prisoners. In this group, 455 ex-prisoners had 3 or more visits within 1 year of release and 354 had a first ED visit within 1 month of release. ED visits by ex-prisoners were more likely to be made by men (85% vs. 48%, p < 0.001) and by blacks (26% vs. 16%, p < 0.001) compared to the Rhode Island general population. Ex-prisoners were more likely to have an ED visit for a mental health disorder (6% vs. 4%, p < 0.001) or substance use disorder (16%vs. 4%, p < 0.001). After controlling for patientand community-level factors, ex-prisoner visits were significantly more likely to be for mental health disorders (OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.27-1.61), substance use disorders (OR 1.93; 95% CI 1.77-2.11) and ambulatory care sensitive conditions (OR 1.09; 95% CI 1.00-1.18). Conclusions: ED visits by ex-prisoners were significantly more likely due to three conditions optimally managed in outpatient settings. Future work should determine whether greater access to outpatient services after release from prison reduces ex-prisoners' utilization of emergency services.


AUTHOR Loughran, John; Gunstone, Richard; Berry, Amanda; Milroy, Philippa; Mulhall, Pam TITLE Science Cases in Action: Developing an Understanding of Science Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge. SPONS AGENCY Australian Research Council. PUB DATE 2000-05-00 NOTE 36p.; P-aper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (73rd, New Orleans, LA, April 28-May 1, 2000). PUB TYPE Reports Research (143) Speeches/Meeting Papers (150) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Elementary Secondary Education; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; *Knowledge Base for Teaching; *Pedagogical Content Knowledge; *Science Teachers; Teacher Education; *Teacher Effectiveness; *Teaching Skills IDENTIFIERS Australia


Throughout North America, the open air public feasting and drinking that surrounds an athletic event, most commonly football, is labeled "tailgating." In this article, we explore how consumers infuse their place-creating activity with a well-modulated aura of revelry that energizes tailgating without jeopardizing either its immediate or long-term viability. To an appreciable degree, tailgating is about celebrating and preserving the communal bond enkindled in the primal hearth. We characterize tailgating as a "ludic foodscape" in an attempt to capture the kinetic, multisensory backdrop and atmosphere of playful consumer creativity against which the revelry of feasting and drinking unfolds. Our study is located at the intersection of inquiries into foodscapes, brandscapes, and landscapes. Among the interpretive themes emerging from our ethnographic analysis, we have implicated three in particular in the generation and modulation of the revelry that distinguishes tailgating from some of its more bacchanalian cousins: cuisine, carnivalesque, and canalization. These themes can be understood as social regulators that literally govern tailgating, endowing it with just the right amount of license to give it a festive edge without resulting in too disruptive or dysfunctional an atmosphere. We unpack the three cogs in this mechanism and analyze their relevance to the atmosphere pervading the sites of tailgating.


This descriptive study was designed to compare the coping responses, life-style changes, health perceptions, and current marital adjustment in 11 middle-aged women (CD women) with those of 37 men (CD men) who had been diagnosed as having cardiovascular disease. A secondary purpose was to compare their spouses' responses on these same measures. Participants were comparable on demographic and illness characteristics. CD women differed from CD men for the three coping responses of distancing, accepting responsibility, and planful problem-solving; for the total health perceptions scale; and for the current health and resistance to illness subscales. The CD women and CD men differed from their partners in total health perceptions, current health, and resistance to illness. CD women and their husbands were more dissimilar in their coping responses than were CD men and their wives. Age and pre-illness satisfaction were significant predictor variables for the coping strategies of distancing and accepting responsibility.


Abstract. A key question in paleoecology and macroevolution is whether assemblages of species (paleocommunities) are persistent entities that endure over millions of years. While community turnover in the face of abiotic change is the presumed norm, paleocommunities have been shown to persist for long time periods and regardless of environmental disruption. It remains an open question, however, as to what processes allow for this. We investigate these questions by analyzing the Carboniferous brachiopod paleocommunities from the Midcontinent of North America. These diverse communities were subjected to repeated and geologically rapid changes in sea level. Using a suite of statistical techniques, we characterize the nature and scope of changes in these paleocommunities over time. We find that, at the paleocommunity scale, there is no evidence for obdurate ecological stasis, with fluctuations in both taxonomic composition and the associated abundance of taxa. However, at a higher ecological scale, stability is manifest, as diversity patterns remain stable across time, with a consistent number of species that can exist in any given paleocommunity. This suggests ecological rules such as taxon packing are in effect, resulting in a form of ecological stability even in the face of constant disequilibrium, and parallels ecological patterns of disruption and recovery previously observed for invertebrate communities from modern marine systems. Based on these results, we advocate for consideration of different hierarchical entities and scales when interpreting the ecological dynamics of fossil assemblages, as focusing exclusively on changes in taxon identity/abundance or diversity levels can lead to very different results.


This paper studies the parametrization of speech using linear predictive (LP) analysis and its application to speaker identification. The task of speaker classification is realized using multilayer perceptron. The system is evaluated on speaker set for speaker identification. The system is also tested with cepstral and reflection coefficients, and the results obtained are compared.


The consequences of sexual interactions extend beyond the simple production of offspring. These interactions typically entail direct effects on female fitness, but may also impact the life histories of later generations. Evaluating the cross-generational effects of sexual interactions provides insights into the dynamics of sexual selection and conflict. Such studies can elucidate whether offspring fitness optima diverge across sexes upon heightened levels of sexual interaction among parents. Here, we found that, in Drosophila melanogaster, components of reproductive success in females, but not males, were contingent on the nature of sexual interactions experienced by their mothers. In particular, maternal sexual interactions with non-sires enhanced female fecundity in the following generation. This highlights the importance of non-sire influences of sexual interactions on the expression of offspring life histories.


ABSTRACT Driver behavior and vehicle-road kinematics have been shown to change over prolonged periods of driving; however, the interaction between these two indices has not been examined. Here we develop a measure that examines how drivers turn the steering wheel relative to heading error velocity, which the authors call the relative steering wheel compensation (RSWC). The RSWC transiently changes on a short time scale coincident with a verbal query embedded within the study paradigm. In contrast, more traditional variables are dynamic over longer time scales consistent with previous research. The results suggest drivers alter their behavioral output (steering wheel correction) relative to sensory input (vehicle heading error velocity) on a distinct temporal scale and may reflect an interaction of alerting and control.


Abstract : Structural test program of typical aircraft structural configuration was conducted to assess the current Air Force damage tolerance design requirements defined in MIL-A-83444. The specimens, made of 2024-T3XX and 7075- T6XX, were subjected to randomized flight-by-flight spectra, representative of fighter/trainer and bomber/cargo type loading spectra, respectively, and to constant amplitude loading spectrum. A total of seventy-two (72) specimens were tested. The test results were correlated with analytical predictions using crack growth and crack initiation methods. As a result of this study, recommendation is provided to the validity of MIL-A-83444, to develop guidelines for selection of critical crack locations, and to assess the state-of-the-art analytical capabilities in prediction crack growth and crack initiation time.


The objective of this study was to develop a soil erosion model for a microwatershed.  The selected watershed area was 2.64 hectares under forest area with plantation crops. Soil erosion factors identified were precipitation, stone cover, soil physical properties, height of vegetation, slope steepness and ground cover.  From this mechanism, values of permanent interception, soil cohesion, erosive rainfall intensity, evapotranspiration and infiltration was established. Composition of precipitation, evapotranspiration, infiltration and surface runoff was the water balance basis for the model structure developed.   Soil erosion equation (RMMF) model by Morgan was modified.  Secondary equation, the kinetic energy of leaf drainage (KE(LD)) was replaced with the kinetic energy equation.   Event surface runoff from the original equation of the model was enhanced; it was applied based on the water balance equation (R s = P – ET – F).  Stone cover factor was added to the equation of energy because it has an effect to the raindrop impact. The new model was calibrated and validated by comparing the observed and adjusted soil erosion values for the selected rainfall-runoff event of May to September, 2012.  Analysis of data sets used in the calibration of the model yielded calibration equation of Adjusted Dt = 0.456*Dt – 0.878.  Data sets during the calibration had correlation coefficient of 90.30%, root mean square error (RMSE) of 27.5 % and coefficient of determination was 81.5%. Calibration equation was included in the model to come up with the final equation that determined total soil erosion rate. In the validation of final model, adjusted detachment rate and the observed value posted 97.9% correlation with root mean square error of 56%. The model could be used as prediction measure in the design and construction of channel structures as well as soil and water conservation practices that may reduce soil erosion.


The kinetics of the initial phases of D-glucose binding to the glucose transport protein (GLUT1) of the human red cell can be followed by stopped-flow measurements of the time course of tryptophan (trp) fluorescence enhancement. A number of control experiments have shown that the trp fluorescence kinetics are the result of conformational changes in GLUT1. One shows that nontransportable L-glucose has no kinetic response, in contrast to D-glucose kinetics. Other controls show that D-glucose binding is inhibited by cytochalasin B and by extracellular D-maltose. A typical time course for a transportable sugar, such as D-glucose, consists of a zero-time displacement, too fast for us to measure, followed by three rapid reactions whose exponential time courses have rate constants of 0.5-100 sec-1 at 20 degrees C. It is suggested that the zero-time displacement represents the initial bimolecular ligand/GLUT1 association. Exponential 1 appears to be located at, or near, the external membrane face where it is involved in discriminating among the sugars. Exponential 3 is apparently controlled by events at the cytosolic face. Trp kinetics distinguish the Kd of the epimer, D-galactose, from the Kd for D-glucose, with results in agreement with determinations by other methods. Trp kinetics distinguish between the binding of the alpha- and beta-D-glucose anomers. The exponential 1 activation energy of the beta-anomer, 13.6 +/- 1.4 kcal mol-1, is less than that of alpha-D-glucose, 18.4 +/- 0.8 kcal mol-1, and the two Arrhenius lines cross at approximately 23.5 degrees C. The temperature dependence of the kinetic response following alpha-D-glucose binding illustrates the interplay among the exponentials and the increasing dominance of exponential 2 as the temperature increases from 22.3 to 36.6 degrees C. The existence of these interrelations means that previously acceptable approximations in simplified reaction schemes for sugar transport will now have to be justified on a point-to-point basis.


With the increase in the use of antibiotics and resistance against them, attention has been paid to natural remedies with the possibility of lower resistance and side eff ects. In this study, the essential oil of Loranthus europaeus Jacq. was identified chemically and the antimicrobial eff ects of the essential oil and extract on bacterial agents such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated. L. europaeus leaves were collected from the Ilam mountains and aft er drying, essential oil and hydroalcoholic extract were prepared. Th e chemical compositions of the essential oil and extract of L. europaeus plant were measured by Headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methods. Th e results showed that the main component of L. europaeus extract was Rutin (223 μg/mL). Th e bacterial strains were isolated from clinical samples, and the microbroth dilution method by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) method were used to evaluate the Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). Th e MIC and MBC for the L. europaeus leaf extract were 6 μg/mL and 196 μg/mL on S. aureus, respectively. It had no significant eff ect on the strains of A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa. L. europaeus leaf essential oil also had no antimicrobial eff ect on bacterial sauces. Th e results showed that the plant extract of L. europaeus might be used to treat infections due to its very low MIC against S. aureus.


This paper presents an implementation of seamless vertical handover between WLAN and CDMA2000 networks using the recently proposed protocol- mobile stream control transmission protocol (mSCTP). A testbed based on a Linux platform has been set up to test the handover performance. In experiments, the handover delay is measured when the mobile node moves into and away from a WLAN. The results show the handovers are both soft and smooth.


Spatial variation and status of selected soil properties were assessed in a small-sized field, cultivated with irrigated corn. A geo-referenced sampling was performed and twenty four soil samples were collected from two depths (0-30 and 30-60 cm) from 12 different locations in order selected soil properties to be  determined. Despite the small parcel size, soil properties exhibited a spatial variability, with coefficient of variance (CV) ranging between 7.0 and15.4% for soil texture, 9.9-12.9% for Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), 12.8-16.8% for organic carbon (C org ) and 15.7-20.6% for total nitrogen (N tot ). CV for Bulk Density (BD) and pH were very low in both soil depths indicating rather high stability.CEC, Corg and N tot mean values were higher in the top soils. Increased values for pH, clay and CaCO 3 contents in the subsurface samples, may be attributed to partial leaching of exchangeable bases and CaCO 3 . A strong relation between N tot and C org found indicating that these elements are mainly bound in the soil organic matter (SOM). A strong negative relation also was recorded between clay content and bulk density (BD) of soils, indicating that BD depends primary on soil texture. In addition, other soil properties showed very low or absence of correlation between each other. Prediction maps have indicated variation in soil properties partially caused by different farming practices. The interpolated maps showed clear differences mainly on Clay, CaCO 3 , SOM, N org . and EC across the surveyed area. Application of a simple ordinary kriging clearly demonstrated the spatial variability of soil properties, which should be taken into consideration for designing field experiments, particularly when split-plot factorial block designs are to be used. As shown in this investigation, this can be realized with decreased field work, and lower total cost for laboratory analyses.


View the staff profiles and contact details for academic visual arts and communication design staff of the Faculty of Education and Arts.


We introduce and study a novel genre of optimization problems, which we call segmentation problems, motivated in part by certain aspects of clustering and data mining. For any classical optimization problem, the corresponding segmentation problem seeks to partition a set of cost vectors into several segments, so that the overall cost is optimized. We focus on two natural and interesting (but MAXSNP-complete) problems in this class, the hypercube segmentation problem and the catalog segmentation problem, and present approximation algorithms for them. We also present a general greedy scheme, which can be specialized to approximate any segmentation problem.


BackgroundNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancers. Berberine (BBR), as an isoquinoline alkaloid, is commonly utilized in traditional Chinese medicine. Previous studies have proven that BBR possesses potential anti-tumor effect. However, the mechanism of on mitochondrial function in anti-NSCLC are still unknown.MethodsCell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry and western blotting were utilized to characterize the roles and relationships among BBR, ROS, ASK1, JNK, coxIV,caspase-3, cytochrome c ,bcl-2 and bax in NSCLC. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was built to examine their expression in vivo.ResultsIn this study, we found that BBR potently suppressed NSCLC cells (A549 and PC9) growth by inducing apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. BBR induced apoptosis in NSCLC as evidenced by caspase-3 cleavage, cytochrome c release, and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Furthermore, BBR induced ROS generation and ASK1 and JNK activation. To explore whether such apoptosis was linked to ROS production and ASK1 and JNK activation, we treated cells with a JNK inhibitor (SP600125), which significantly suppressed BBR-induced apoptosis. We further found that treating these cells with the anti-oxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) was sufficient to both suppress ASK1 and JNK activation and to disrupt apoptotic induction.ConclusionsTogether, these data suggest that BBR induces NSCLC cells apoptosis via ROS-mediated ASK1/JNK and mitochondrial pathway activation.


Our aim in this study was to propose an integrated model to examine the structural relationships among a higher education institution's service quality, student satisfaction, institutional image, and behavioral intention at a private university located in South Korea. We conducted
 a survey of students majoring in business to analyze these relationships. Structural equation modeling showed that students were satisfied with various aspects (tangibles, reliabilities, responsiveness, empathy, and assurance) of service quality. Also, service quality directly affected both
 student satisfaction and perceived institutional image. In addition, the results indicated that students' perceived institutional image and satisfaction directly influenced behavioral intention. Although perceived service quality was not a significant construct to predict behavioral
 intention of students, our results showed a mediating effect of perceived institutional image and student satisfaction on the relationship between service quality and behavioral intention.


Totally implantable venous access system (TIVAS) are widely used for various indications including chemotherapy infusion. The use of TIVAS is associated with number of complications that can occur as early as the time of insertion or can take place months later. We report a case of a 64 year old female with recurrent osteosarcoma of the mandible. She had a port-a-catheter placed for chemotherapy infusion. The patient developed fistula between the Innominate Vein and the trachea, which found to be secondary to a spontaneous migration of the tip of the catheter. To our knowledge this is the first case of this kind to be reported. This complication, although very rare, can be life threatening, and should be considered when there is a malfunction of the TIVAS.


SUMMARY Calcitonin, a polypeptide hormone secreted by the parafollicular C cells of the thyroid gland, lowers serum calcium by decreasing bone resorption and tubular calcium reabsorption. An analgesic action, possibly mediated via β‐endorphins, is also evident. Parenteral calcitonin has been shown to stabilise and increase indices of cortical and trabecular bone mass and total body calcium when administered to patients with established osteoporosis. The routine use of this route of administration has been limited by poor patient compliance and tolerability. An intranasal preparation of calcitonin provided a more convenient means of administration. Several clinical trials have shown that intranasal calcitonin is effective and well tolerated both in prevention of postmenopausal bone loss and in established osteoporosis. Calcitonin therapy is particularly indicated for patients with high‐turnover osteoporosis where results show a net gain of bone mineral in the axial skeleton and a slowing of bone loss in the appendicular bones. Due to receptor downregulation a resistance to the hormone may occur after 12‐18 months of continuous treatment. This resistance can be avoided and delayed by the cyclical or discontinued administration of the hormone. Further research is needed to confirm longer‐term efficacy and effects on fracture rate.


The present study investigated the influence of surface treatments of composite materials using 6% hydrofluoric acid or 2% acidulated phosphate fluoride, the influence of the application of a bonding agent to the surface, and the influence of incremental curing of composite materials on the shear bonding strength between composite materials and resin cements. These results were studied statistically by analyzing variances in three-way classification and by their contributory ratios. The effects of hydrofluoric acids or acidulated phosphate fluorides on the treated surfaces of composite materials, and also the interfaces between composite materials and resin cements were further examined by mean of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Unlike the controls, surfaces of all specimens treated with hydrofluoric acid or fluoride revealed micro-porous surfaces, but the effect of the surface treatment on the bonding strength was not equal for all the composite materials tested. The application of a bonding agent influenced some composite material, but the incremental curing of composite materials had no influence on bonding with resin cements.


This paper presents the microstructured deposition of nanoparticles, which are chemically modified to be conjugated to biomolecules or dyes. In our approach, we separated the technical steps "surface chemistry" and "microstructuring" into two fully independent processes. This was realized by firstly synthesizing specific nanoparticles with tailor‐made surfaces. Thus, the surface chemistry was customized to the demands of most different kinds of specific proteins. Then, microstructured monolayer arrays of these nanoparticles were generated by photolithography, microcontact printing or spotting with a microarrayer. The overall system resulted in a nanoparticle‐based microarray for the selective binding of protein ligands providing both wide flexibility and high specificity.


In cryptography, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is one of the most popular algorithms used in symmetric key cryptography. It is available in many different encryption packages. AES is a 128 bit Symmetric block cipher which is based on a design principle known as a Substitution permutation network. Power analysis is a form of side channel attack in which the attacker studies the power consumption of a cryptographic hardware device (such as a smart card, tamper-resistant "black box", or integrated circuit). The attack can non-invasively extract cryptographic keys and other secret information from the device. Differential power analysis (DPA) is a side-channel attack which involves statistically analyzing power consumption from a cryptosystem. Several methods have been proposed in literatures to resist the DPA attack in cryptographic device, but they largely increase the hardware cost and severely degrade the throughput. In existing system, the security problem is resolved by a new architecture with selfgenerated true random sequence. DPA countermeasure circuit can effectively reduce the area overhead and throughput degradation.


Supergene minerals of the philipsbornite-segnitite series, PbAl3(AsO4)(AsO3OH)(OH)6-PbFe 3+ 3(AsO4) (AsO3OH)(OH)6, accompanied by carminite, PbFe 3+ 2(AsO4)2(OH)2, were found in relics of hydrothermal quartz- chlorite-arsenopyrite veins, associated with subordinate polymetallic ores disseminated in contact zones of a dolomitic marble deposit at Redziny, Western Sudetes, Poland, and recognized by means of electron microprobe and X-ray and electron-back-scattered diffraction (XRD and EBSD). Philipsbornite and segnitite, as the two minerals of the series, exhibit highly variable compositions, especially in terms of the range of Fe 3+ Al 3+ substitution at the G site, with a distinct gap between the values of 0.52 and 0.89 for the Fe/(Al+Fe) ratio; substitutions at the D and T sites are less important. In this respect, the minerals are almost identical with philips- bornite and segnitite, known from other localities. The gap might be a consequence of the limited miscibility of the end-members, but also might be attributed to crystallization under the changing and distinctly differing activities of Al 3+ and Fe 3+ . The unit-cell parameters of philipsbornite, a = 7.1245(13) , c = 17.0967(45) , make the mineral comparable with philipsbornites from other occurrences. The EBSD analysis confirmed the rhombohedral struc- ture of both minerals and the space group symmetry R-3m. The minerals crystallized in the sequence: philips- bornite segnitite carminite, which reflects (i) decreasing acidity in the oxidation zone, due to the leaching of sulphate ions and interaction of the solutions with a nearby dolomite lens, and (ii) varying activities of Al 3+ ,F e 3+ and Pb 2+ cations, mobilized by the solutions through interaction with the silicate host containing disseminated arsenopyrite and subordinate sulphides, up to complete Pb 2+ depletion.


Focus of cause-related marketing efforts in the sports industry is related to the intangible nature of sport Business and the high degree of fans' willingness to charity programs. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of sport fans' attitude in cause-related sport marketing. Survey of this study was the members of the Supporters' Association of Persepolis's and Esteghlal's clubs. And the questioner is sent them through Social Networks. In this study, simple random sampling was used and since the Statistical Society in this study was unlimited, Cochran formula was used to estimate the sample size. To analyze the data, structural equation method with Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach is used. Based on the results, both fans attitude toward cause-related sport marketing and fans attitude toward sport team has a positive and significant effect on purchase intention of sport product and re-attendance intention. According to the finding, when fans have a positive attitude toward the team and sport charity program, cause/brand fit lead to purchase intention and reattendance intention. 1. Sepideh Masomi, (M.A) Mazandaran University, Mazandaran, Iran


Donor shortage has led transplant surgeons to reevaluate the concept of non heart beating donation. Organs from such donors are exposed to anoxia prior to harvesting and a portion of them will consequently present with delayed graft function. There is a need for dependable viability testing of organs from less than ideal NHBD donors and machine perfusion of kidneys provides such a tool. Our experience with own design machine perfusion device, studied parameters, perfusion solutions and outcomes is presented. Emphasis is placed on the incomparability of results obtained from different perfusion systems and the need to establish local criteria of kidney viability.


This paper presents and compares two methods for checking if a box is included inside the solution set of an equality constraint with existential quantification of its parameters. We focus on distance constraints, where each existentially quantified parameter has only one occurrence, because of their usefulness and their simplicity. The first method relies on a specific quantifier elimination based on geometric considerations whereas the second method relies on computations with generalized intervals (interval whose bounds are not constrained to be ordered). We show that on two dimensions problems, the two methods yield equivalent results. However, when dealing with higher dimensions, generalized intervals are more efficient.


The author, after a short review of the research to date and the criteria with which to approach the topic, discusses a number of acrostics to be found in Aratus' Phaenomena , Callimachus' Hymns , and Apollonius Rhodius' Argonautica , all of them recently detected by himself. It turns out that Aratus was particularly fond of inserting syllabic 'gamma-type' acrostics, which should not always be taken as examples of mere art for art's sake since they may allude to, or are supported by, the immediate context. Special attention, nevertheless, is given to the interpretation of a 'regular' acrostic (EΠAΘE, Phaen. 220-4), in which the poet's empathy with nature is emphasised. The examples from Callimachus ( h . 1.60-2; 5.116-9) and Apollonius Rhodius (1.180-4; 2.421-3; 3.1008-11; 4.1489-92) show that the interrelation between the acrostic and its context may have a ludic character when, for instance, the acrostic serves as a kind of humorous authorial comment. It is interesting to observe that the acrostics in Callimachus and Apollonius Rhodius seem to be mostly connected with important moments in narration. The author also analyses, by way of comparison, a hitherto unnoticed Latin acrostic from Virgil's Ecl. 8.42-7: inanis (viz. Love).


Abstract In the present study, Al6061/zirconium carbide surface composites have been developed using the friction stir processing method. The volume fraction of the zirconium carbide particles was varied as 3%, 6% and 9%. The developed composites were characterized using optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Micrographs revealed uniform distribution of zirconium carbide particles, and addition of zirconium carbide particles was found to improve hardness and tensile properties of Al6061 alloy. Corresponding strengthening mechanisms have been discussed and associated with the microstructural studies. Fractographic analysis was found to show a reduction in ductility with increase in addition of zirconium carbide particles.


Abstract The effectiveness of anthelmintics was evaluated in four herds of captive ruminants, wapiti (Cervus elaphus), Armenian red sheep (Ovis orientalis), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), by the use of fecal egg reduction tests (FERTs) and a commercial larval development assay (LDA) designed to evaluate susceptibility or resistance of nematodes to anthelmintics. Haemonchus sp. was the predominant nematode in the red sheep, giraffe, and pronghorn herds, whereas Ostertagia sp. and Trichostrongylus sp. were predominant in the wapiti. The LDA data indicated susceptibility by the worms to benzimidazoles except in the red sheep flock, which showed a high level of resistance. High levels of resistance to levamisole were seen in the worm populations from the wapiti and red sheep, moderate resistance in the pronghorn herd, and susceptibility in the giraffe herd. Worms were susceptible in all four herds to a combination of benzimidazole/levamisole. There was suspected avermectin resistance by Trichostrongylus sp. in the wapiti herd and by Haemonchus sp. in the giraffe. The FERTs agreed with the LDA in showing the Haemonchus in the giraffe was susceptible to fenbendazole and had suspected resistance to ivermectin, whereas Haemonchus in the red sheep and pronghorn were susceptible to ivermectin. There was correlation between the tests evaluating anthelmintics. The LDA is useful as a screening test in the selection of an anthelmintic for use in grazing ruminants, but the effectiveness of a drug in a host species may depend as much on the dose used, and the method of administration, as it does on the parasite's sensitivity to the anthelmintic.


The air conditioning (A/C) system is currently the largest ancillary load in passenger cars, with a significant impact on fuel economy and CO2 emissions. Considerable energy savings could be attained by simply adopting supervisory energy management algorithms that operate the A/C system to reduce power consumption of the compressor, while maintaining the cabin comfort requirements. This paper proposes a model-based approach to the design of a supervisory energy management strategy for automotive A/C systems. Starting from an energy-based model of the A/C system that captures the complex dynamics of the refrigerant in the heat exchangers and the compressor power consumption, a constrained multiobjective optimal control problem is formulated to jointly account for fuel consumption, cabin comfort, and system durability. The tradeoff between fuel economy, performance, and durability is analyzed by performing a Pareto analysis of a family of solutions generated using dynamic programming. A forward-looking optimal compressor clutch policy is then obtained by developing an original formulation of Pontryagin's minimum principle for hybrid dynamical systems. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control strategy allows for fuel economy improvement while retaining system performance and driver comfort.


The transport systems of the extreme halophilic organisms, Halobacterium and Halococcus, differ to a considerable degree in the kinetic parameters of succinate and fumarate transport, the exchange between exocellular and endocellular labeled dicarboxylates, and the rate at which labeled compounds in the cell are incorporated into cellular metabolism.


Playas are common in arid environments and can be major sources of mineral dust that can influence global climate. These landforms typically form crusts that limit evaporation and dust emission, modify surface erosivity and erodibility, and can lead to over prediction or underprediction of (1) dust-emission potential and (2) water and heat fluxes in energybalance modeling. Through terrestrial laser scanning measurements of part of the Makgadikgadi Pans of Botswana (a Southern Hemisphere playa that emits significant amounts of dust), we show that over weeks, months, and a year, the shapes of these surfaces change considerably (ridge thrusting of >30 mm/week) and can switch among continuous, ridged, and degraded patterns. Ridged pattern development changes the measured aerodynamic roughness of the surface (as much as 3 mm/week). The dynamic nature of these crusted surfaces must be accounted for in dust entrainment and moisture balance formulae to improve regional and global climate models.