Abstract. With recent increases in burned area within boreal forests that have been linked to climate warming, there is a need to better understand the composition of emissions and their impact on atmospheric composition. Most previous studies have estimated boreal fire emission factors from daytime samples collected via aircraft near fire plumes or at the surface near actively burning fires. Here we quantified emission factors for CO and CH4 from a massive regional fire complex in interior Alaska during the summer of 2015 using continuous high-resolution trace gas observations from the CRV tower (Fox, AK). Averaged over the 2015 fire season, the CO/CO2 emission ratio was 0.138±0.048 and the CO emission factor was 145±50 g CO per kg of dry biomass consumed. The CO/CO2 emission ratio was about 35 % higher and more variable than most previous aircraft-based estimates for fresh wildfire emissions. The mean CH4/CO2 emission ratio was 0.010±0.003 and the CH4 emission factor was 6.05±2.09 g CH4 per kg of dry biomass consumed, with means similar to previous reports. CO and CH4 emission factors varied in synchrony, with higher CH4 emission factors observed during periods with lower modified combustion efficiency (MCE). By coupling a fire emissions inventory with an atmospheric model, we identified that at least 35 individual fires contributed to trace gas variations measured at the CRV tower, representing a significant increase in sampling compared to the number of boreal fires measured in all previous boreal forest fire work. The model also indicated that typical mean transit times between trace gas emission and tower measurement were 1–3 days, indicating that the time series sampled combustion across day and night burning phases. The high and variable CO emission factor estimates reported here provide evidence for a more prominent role of smoldering combustion, highlighting the importance of continuously sampling of fires across time-varying environmental conditions that are representative of typical burning conditions.


Abstract. MOZAFFARIDS established the Mozaffarid dynasty in Yazd, Iran. This era witnessed a development in architectural and decorative features of Yazd buildings. Ardakan, in particular, enjoyed a period of prosperity in the 14th century, which led to a flourishing growth of architectural production. The present article uses a descriptive-analytical and historical-comparative method to investigate the typology of 12 historical houses of Ardakan city in the Muzaffarid era. By using literature review and field studies, four of these houses have been studied in detail in terms of architectural and decorative features and construction methods. The results of the study show that Mozaffarid houses in Ardakan have certain and distinguishable patterns and follow a general rule. Main Iwan as an outstanding feature in Mozaffarid houses, as well as a central courtyard and a Soffeh in front of the Iwan, repeated in all houses and other parts, are formed in their surroundings. With the change in the location of the main Iwan in the northern or southern part of the central courtyard and the fact that whether or not there is a garden, significant differences in organization and the quality of spaces have been made. Mozaffarid houses in Ardakan can be described as two main types each of which can be divided into two subcategories based on the Iwan position. The knowledge of typological characteristics of these historical architecture needs to be gathered to preserve the built heritage and a comprehensive document is essential for the preservation and conservation of the houses.


Kant is well known as the philosopher who spent his life hunting for a prioris, philosophically identifiable characteristics of the make-up of human beings. These characteristics are species-universal, and are necessary presuppositions of the possibility of the success of various kinds of cognitive and cultural strategies. Kant bagged some big game. Space, time and the categories are a priori conditions of the possibility of human cognition. God, freedom and immortality are a priori conditions of the possibility of morality. The sensus communis is the a priori condition of the possibility of the universalization of judgments of taste. The hard-won trophies are presuppositions of possibilities. Once they were thought to be properties of a universe well ordered by a substantive god. No longer. Now we must look upon them as entrenched contributions of what it is to be human, as preconditions of human potentialities.


ABSTRACT This article analyses the use of the term "'political oeconomy" in the Wealth of Nations, considered by many the founding text of the discipline of Political Economy. It shows that Adam Smith could not accept the use of the term "political oeconomy" that had been made by other authors to indicate the subject matter of his scientific inquiry, devoted to the nature and causes of the wealth of nations; he used the term "political oeconomy" as a synonym for economic policy, especially in the fourth book of the Wealth of Nations. In order to understand this statement, it is necessary to keep in mind the methodological and epistemological perspective developed by Smith; in his view, the inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations would have to discover the almost unchangeable rules that presided over the choices of the legislators in the field of public economy and in the management of public resources. By contrast, the term "political oeconomy" was used by Smith exactly to indicate the policies really adopted in these fields, policies which frequently altered the system of natural liberty.


Scanlon's distinction between well-being and other personal values cannot be made out clearly if well-being is understood, as it commonly is, to consist in whatever is intrinsically good for a person. Two other accounts of well-being, however, might be able to explain this distinction. One is a version of the rational care view proposed by Stephen Darwall; another is a rational sympathy view suggested by some of Brad Hooker's work.


We report the development and characterization of an in vitro system for the formation of filopodia-like bundles. Beads coated with actin-related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3)–activating proteins can induce two distinct types of actin organization in cytoplasmic extracts: (1) comet tails or clouds displaying a dendritic array of actin filaments and (2) stars with filament bundles radiating from the bead. Actin filaments in these bundles, like those in filopodia, are long, unbranched, aligned, uniformly polar, and grow at the barbed end. Like filopodia, star bundles are enriched in fascin and lack Arp2/3 complex and capping protein. Transition from dendritic to bundled organization was induced by depletion of capping protein, and add-back of this protein restored the dendritic mode. Depletion experiments demonstrated that star formation is dependent on Arp2/3 complex. This poses the paradox of how Arp2/3 complex can be involved in the formation of both branched (lamellipodia-like) and unbranched (filopodia-like) actin structures. Using purified proteins, we showed that a small number of components are sufficient for the assembly of filopodia-like bundles: Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP)–coated beads, actin, Arp2/3 complex, and fascin. We propose a model for filopodial formation in which actin filaments of a preexisting dendritic network are elongated by inhibition of capping and subsequently cross-linked into bundles by fascin.


Power Line Communications is long established for low data rate applications over high- voltage power lines. It is now charting new territory in high speed data transmission to the high frequency band of IMHz and upwards over the low-voltage segment below the distribution transformers.' Since the power line is designed for transmission of power instead of signal transmitting originally; it has many shortages when used as a signal communication channel. The heterogeneous structure of the power line network with numerous branches and impedance mismatcheS causing reflections and attenuations during signal transmission, and thus communication signal cannot be sent out or received completely. From this point of view, the power line impedance is a very important parameter in the design of power line communication (PLC) modem architecture, which is subject to legislations that limit the signals in the line. Variations on the impedance of the power line affect the communications channel performance. For the optimum modem design, power line impedance must be known. Power line impedance changes with time, carrier frequency, load variations, architectures and locations of the lines in city, urban, rural & industrial environment.

The objective of this study is to determine the impedance of power distribution network in a frequency range from IMHz to 30MHz. This is in line with international standard bodies including CENELEC, IEC, ITV and ETSI, which stipulates that for propagation characteristics of power line and EMC regulations, data transmission rate are evolving and . are being extended all the time to data rate up to 100 Mbps.

This thesis covers impedance measurements carried out in college buildings in Somerset, UK together with some residential houses in Somerset and London. The college buildings have both three-phase and single-phase architectures with various laboratories where loads are randomly switched on and off. An impedance analyser is used to carry out the measurements which performs a scan through a programmable frequency limits and acquires impedance parameters in the frequency domain Measurements were monitored using Microsoft Remote Desk Top client application Series of experimental measurements were carried out in the Bridgwater College and residential houses in Bridgwater and also in London.

The first part of the thesis offers detailed introduction to the topics of electricity supply networks, power line communications, modulation techniques and electromagnetic compatibility, noise and transmission line characteristics.

From the experimental results, presented in graphical format, a number of conclusions can be drawn. A wide range of impedances are observed for single phase measurements, within the range of 3 - 584 Ω for large buildings and residential houses. For three phase measurements impedances varied from 21 - 340 Ω.

The thesis concludes with a suggestion of how these measurements may be used in PLC modem design. Dynamic output-impedance PLC modems may be designed using a real-time impedance detector of the power line and the adjustable output impedance-power amplifier. Therefore, modem output impedance may be matched to the real time line impedance.


ABSTRACT The age structures of five East African elephant clans culled between 1965 and 1969 are established. Combined, calves of the year formed the largest annual class, declines in age classes were steep to puberty, levelled out until about 30 years, then accelerated, but twice as fast in males as in females. This pattern did not hold good for clans examined separately. In two, calves of the year were fewer than their precursors and annual age classes showed asynchronous variation between clans. The similarity of these age class shapes to Kenya's Amboseli Elephant Research Project's 46 year findings based on known-age animals, suggests that while a clan's age peaks and depressions are unique to it, the pattern may be characteristic of savanna elephant clans more widely. Male mortality post 30 was steep in areas without hunting and attributed to musth-related fighting, to which human hunting was additional where it had occurred.


The Family Blood Pressure Program (FBPP) consists of 4 independently established multicenter networks of investigators who have complementary approaches to the genetics of blood pressure levels and hypertension. The program has recruited participants from the African American, Mexican American, Asian, and non-Hispanic white populations. Each network utilized study designs, laboratory measurements, and analytic methods that made efficient use of the unique characteristics of their populations and the investigators' expertise. The individual networks subsequently unified core study components into a single cohesive program. The unified FBPP includes (1) standardized clinic and laboratory protocols for core variables to facilitate direct comparison of results among networks, (2) coordination among laboratories to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, (3) utilization of a single laboratory for genome-wide marker typing, and (4) a pooled data set containing phenotype and genotype information from >11 000 individuals.


With the increasing demand in application adaptability and the current availability of open libraries, delegating concerns in external frameworks becomes a more and more common software engineering practice. A consequence of this evolution is that the way frameworks are connected becomes an important issue for modularity, maintainability and extensibility. We study in this paper the framework connections involved in a typical middleware application using our load balancing service called DLBS. Such application consists in three frameworks: the client application, the middleware and DLBS. DLBS (Dynamic Load Balancing Service) brings new solutions regarding large scale load balancing for middleware based applications. DLBS offers a portable, multi-criteria and customizable load balancing service. It consists of a scalable monitoring infrastructure, a connection manager and customizable load balancing strategies. DLBS portability and integration across several middleware is made using aspect oriented techniques.


During multijoint limb movements such as reaching, rotational forces arise at one joint due to the motions of limb segments about other joints. We report the results of three experiments in which we assessed the extent to which control signals to muscles are adjusted to counteract these "interaction torques." Human subjects performed single- and multijoint pointing movements involving shoulder and elbow motion, and movement parameters related to the magnitude and direction of interaction torques were manipulated systematically. We examined electromyographic (EMG) activity of shoulder and elbow muscles and, specifically, the relationship between EMG activity and joint interaction torque. A first set of experiments examined single-joint movements. During both single-joint elbow (experiment 1) and shoulder (experiment 2) movements, phasic EMG activity was observed in muscles spanning the stationary joint (shoulder muscles in experiment 1 and elbow muscles in experiment 2). This muscle activity preceded movement and varied in amplitude with the magnitude of upcoming interaction torque (the load resulting from motion of the nonstationary limb segment). In a third experiment, subjects performed multijoint movements involving simultaneous motion at the shoulder and elbow. Movement amplitude and velocity at one joint were held constant, while the direction of movement about the other joint was varied. When the direction of elbow motion was varied (flexion vs. extension) and shoulder kinematics were held constant, EMG activity in shoulder muscles varied depending on the direction of elbow motion (and hence the sign of the interaction torque arising at the shoulder). Similarly, EMG activity in elbow muscles varied depending on the direction of shoulder motion for movements in which elbow kinematics were held constant. The results from all three experiments support the idea that central control signals to muscles are adjusted, in a predictive manner, to compensate for interaction torques-loads arising at one joint that depend on motion about other joints.


In this study, the egg chorion of Morimus funereus Mulsant, 1862 is examined. M. funereus, xylophagus and saproxylic species, accelerate the nutrient transformation of forests by separating dead trees. This species is categorised in "VU (Vulnerable)" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and also included in European Habitats Directive. A female specimen of M. funereus was collected from Eskisehir in 2012. The specimen was laid in a laboratory environment. The eggs are whitish cream, oval-fusiform in shape. Polygon patterns (pentagons and hexagons) are visible on the egg surface on SEM images. Two micropyles, one at the anterior pole and the other at the posterior pole, occur in the egg. The micropylar areas are spongiform with pores of various sizes. Chorionic structure and micropylar area of the egg are quite different from other Cerambycidae species eggs. Egg surface morphology of M. funereus can be used as basis for further studies and as a tool to compare other species of Morimus.


The oxidation of [MII (3,5-DTBCat)(DTBbpy)] (M=Ni ([Ni]), Pd ([Pd]), and Pt ([Pt]); 3,5-DTBCat=3,5-di-tert-butylcatecholato; DTBbpy=4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine) afforded the dimeric {[NiII (3,5-DTBSQ)(DTBbpy)](PF6 )}2 ({[Ni](PF6 )}2 ; 3,5-DTBSQ=3,5-di-tert-butylsemiquinonato) and monomeric semiquinonato (SQ) complexes [MII (3,5-DTBSQ)(DTBbpy)](PF6 ) (M=Pd ([Pd](PF6 )) and Pt ([Pt](PF6 ))). The negative solvatochromic properties of the SQ complexes allowed us to estimate the relative order of their dipole moments: [Pd](PF6 )>[Pt](PF6 )>{[Ni](PF6 )}2 . The complexes [Pd](PF6 ) and [Pt](PF6 ) adopt monomeric structures and are stable in CH2 Cl2 and toluene, whereas they gradually disproportionate at room temperature to [M] and 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzoquinone (3,5-DTBBQ) in polar solvents such as THF, MeOH, EtOH, DMF, or DMSO. The results of spectroscopic studies suggested that the oxidized nickel complex adopts a monomeric structure ([Ni](PF6 )) in CH2 Cl2 , but a dimeric structure ({[Ni](PF6 )}2 ) in the other investigated solvents. In polar solvents, {[Ni](PF6 )}2 may disproportionate to [Ni] and 3,5-DTBBQ at 323 K, thereby demonstrating a significant solvent- and metal-dependence in temperature. The relative activities of {[Ni](PF6 )}2 and [M](PF6 ) toward disproportionation are related to the electrochemically estimated Kdis values in CH2 Cl2 and DMF. The present work demonstrates that solvent polarity and the dipole moments of the SQ complexes promote disproportionation, which can be controlled by a judicious choice of the metal ion, solvent, and temperature.


How well equipped are today's public administrators to face the challenges they confront from the involvement of businesses, not-for-profits, other units of government, and even clients in complex patterns of program operations? Not very well, if judged by the extent to which practitioners and scholars have incorporated the network concept and its implications into their own work. Discussions in the field contain little to help practicing managers cope with network settings. In fact, conventional theory may actually be counterproductive when applied inappropriately to network contexts. And yet, these arrays are now consequential and becoming increasingly so. Practitioners need to begin to incorporate the network concept into their administrative efforts. The challenge for scholars is to conduct research that illuminates this neglected aspect of contemporary administration. The author sketches a set of agendas that offer prospects for helping to address this need.


BACKGROUND
Currently, there are few studies on the correlation between platelet counts (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) with and without pleural effusion. This study is to investigate their likely correlation and to evaluate the potential diagnostic or prognostic applications of these platelet parameters.

METHODS
A total of 218 each of patients with primary SCLC and healthy controls were included. Hematological indicators and other clinically relevant information were collected. Comparisons of the differences between groups were applied to the independent samples t-test or the chi-squared test. ROC curve analysis was used to access the diagnostic performance of PLT, PCT, and PLR.

RESULTS
Compared with healthy controls, PLT, PCT, and PLR in SCLC were significantly higher. On the other hand, mean platelet volume, lymphocytes, and hemoglobin were significantly lower. The levels of PLT, PCT, and PLR were related to malignant pleural effusion, while not related to lymph node or distant metastasis. The incidence of pleural effusion in patients with SCLC was positively correlated with the levels of PLT, PCT, and PLR. ROC curve analysis showed that PLT, PCT, and PLR were valuable markers for SCLC, and the combination of the three has higher diagnostic efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS
Platelet parameters were significantly different between SCLC and controls. PLT, PCT, and PLR could be used to assess the presence of pleural effusion.


Background: Occult primary head and neck cancer constitutes 5-10% of all patients with carcinoma of unknown primary and presents as both a diagnostic challenge and management dilemma to clinicians. We present one case of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma where the only presenting sign was a painless enlarged cervical lymph node, with no evidence of the primary site of malignancy after initial evaluations. Case Presentation: A sixty-five-year-old female patient presented with a two-month history of painless swelling on the left side of the neck with no change in size. Ultrasonography detected a left level V lymph node and a left level IV lymph node with suspicious features for malignancy but did not detect any thyroid nodules. Excision biopsy of the lymph node and bilateral tonsillectomy revealed a diagnosis of metastatic papillary carcinoma with Arch Clin Med Case Rep 2021; 5 (6): 771-777 DOI: 10.26502/acmcr.96550420 Archives of Clinical and Medical Case Reports 772 a primary from the thyroid. A repeat focused ultrasonography of the thyroid revealed two nodules. Total thyroidectomy and selective left neck dissection (levels IIVI) were performed. The final diagnosis was multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma with metastasis to seven out of twenty-four lymph nodes excised. The TMN stage was pT1aN1bM0. The patient was discharged on postoperative day three uneventfully. Adjuvant radioactive iodine was planned for the patient at a dose of 100 mCi at one month postoperatively. Conclusion: Occult primary PTMC presenting as isolated cervical lymphadenopathy and diagnosed only on histology is a rare entity. When initial clinical and radiological evaluations reveal no thyroid abnormalities, FNAC and excision of lymph nodes are useful steps in establishing the diagnosis and primary site of the tumour. Total thyroidectomy with a therapeutic neck dissection is the appropriate next step in treatment for these patients. With postoperative radioactive iodine ablation and life-long suppressive thyroxine, the outcome is usually favourable for PTMC without high-risk characteristics.


Infections with human papillomavirus (HPV) are detected frequently. The occurrence of persistent infection with oncogenic HPV type associates with the development of cervical cancer. However, the part of HPV infections consist of the multiple viral types. The influence of HPV coinfections on the risk of the development of cervical cancer is not clear, but the occurrence of more than one viral type seems to increase the risk of advanced lesions of the uterine cervix. Additionally, possible interactions (both positive and negative) between particular HPV types in co-infections may influence the risk of the lesions progression. Although, the issue of HPV co-infections is not well known, the previous scientific reports make that the introduction of the molecular methods, allowing the identification not only single but also multiple HPV infections, in routine diagnostics seem to be important. Here, we present the PCR-RFLP and Real-Time PCR methods as the useful tools in the diagnostics of HPV infections.


Sustainable seafood programs have developed and evolved for approximately two decades as a market-based mechanism to complement the traditional "command and control" fishery management scheme. In some cases, they have successfully incentivized fishmen/fish farmers around the world to implement more environmentally sustainable production practices. It is not a perfect system capable of solving every fishery management issue immediately, but it is unequivocally one of the most promising mechanisms to slow down the degradation of wild fishery stocks or reduce environmental impacts from aquaculture, while improving the resilience of coastal fishery communities. As wild fishery stocks continue to decline, aquaculture production is becoming the main global seafood source. There is also increased awareness and importance of environmental impacts and consumer preferences of farmed seafood. China is the largest producer and consumer of farmed seafood; thus, aquaculture sustainability is an important concern of both the Chinese government and its seafood industry. The promotion of sustainably farmed seafood, however, has not recently been successful in China. Some reasons could be the ineffectiveness of marketing strategies and lack of consumer awareness. This dissertation makes use of the welldeveloped Chinese online retail market and an experimental auction to conduct three studies evaluating the impact of the country of origin, eco-labels, and certification standards information on consumer preferences for farmed seafood. By incorporating consumers' subjective perceptions of quality, food safety, and eco-friendliness, we were able to allocate consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for a product into basic product attributes. Combining three studies draws the following conclusions. Among farmed seafood products, imported seafood is the Chinese consumers' first choice when there is no safety information. With guaranteed food safety, a higher price premium is generated for domestic farmed seafood, but not for imported. An eco-label does not generate a price premium in the current market, but consumers are willing to pay for it as long as they are informed of the public benefits of sustainable certification. Private and public benefit information, together, can significantly increase consumer WTP for sustainably farmed seafood, especially regarding safety and eco-friendliness. In sum, this thesis confirms the significant potential of the sustainably farmed seafood market in China and suggests seafood producers and retailers participate in sustainable seafood programs.


Olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) larvae of pre-metamorphic and early metamorphic stage were treated with different concentrations of triiodothyroxine (T₃) and thyroxine (T₄) by immersion (0.02, 0.04, 0.08 and 0.16 ppm) for 11 days. Although T₃ was more potent than T₄, both T₃ and T₄ accelerated the settlement time of fish larvae. Duration upto complete settlement in hormone-treated groups was significantly shorter than that in controls. Survival of hormone-treated groups at the pre-metamorphic stage decreased as hormone concentrations increased, however groups treated at the early metamorphic stage were not differ from control. Growth rates of groups treated with high concentration of hormone were slightly lower than that of control except 0.02 ppm T₄ treated group.


Abstract : Sigma-2 Receptors are highly expressed in many tumor cell lines. Treatment with sigma-2 selective (CB184, CB64D) and non-selective agents (haloperidol, reduced haloperidol) produces cell death by a mode consistent with apoptosis. Apoptosis was confirmed by the TUNEL assay and Annexin V binding. Cell death was quantified by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) into culture media. Sigma 2 selective agents CB64D and CB 184 possess similar potency in MCF-7 breast tumor cells and breast tumors with mutations in the p53 tumor Suppressor gene that are phenotypically resistant to certain anti-neoplastic agents (MCF-7/Adr-, T47D, SKBr3). Doxorubicin and Actinomycin D cytotoxicty are abrogated by inhibitors of caspases (Z-VAD-FMK, Y-VAD-CHO, DEVD-CHO), whereas sigma-2 agonist cytotoxicity is unaffected by caspase inhibitors (Annexin V binding, LDH release assays). The Sigma-2 agonist CB184 can potentiate cytotoxicity of doxorubicin and actinomycin D in MCF-7 cells and MCF-7/Adr- cells. Haloperidol and pentazocine (racemic) potentiate doxorubicin cell killing in MCF-7/Adr- cells. These data suggest different pathways are involved in sigma-2 mediated cytotoxicity as compared with DNA-damaging anti-neoplastics. Further, sigma agonists may have a role in the clinical management of breast cancer, particularly in drug-resistant tumors.


We present a parser for Abstract Meaning Representation (AMR). We treat Englishto-AMR conversion within the framework of string-to-tree, syntax-based machine translation (SBMT). To make this work, we transform the AMR structure into a form suitable for the mechanics of SBMT and useful for modeling. We introduce an AMR-specific language model and add data and features drawn from semantic resources. Our resulting AMR parser significantly improves upon state-of-the-art results.


Circadian clocks are paramount to insect survival and drive many aspects of their physiology and behaviour. While insect circadian behaviours have been extensively studied in the laboratory, their circadian activity within natural settings is poorly understood. The study of circadian activity necessitates measuring biological variables (e.g., locomotion) at high frequency (i.e., at least several times per hour) over multiple days, which has mostly confined insect chronobiology to the laboratory. In order to study insect circadian biology in the field, we developed the Sticky Pi, a novel, autonomous, open-source, insect trap that acquires images of sticky cards every twenty minutes. Using custom deep-learning algorithms, we automatically and accurately scored where, when and which insects were captured. First, we validated our device in controlled laboratory conditions with a classic chronobiological model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. Then, we deployed an array of Sticky Pis to the field to characterise the daily activity of an agricultural pest, Drosophila suzukii, and its parasitoid wasps. Finally, we demonstrate the wide scope of our smart trap by describing the sympatric arrangement of insect temporal niches in a community, without targeting particular taxa a priori. Together, the automatic identification and high sampling rate of our tool provide biologists with unique data that impacts research far beyond chronobiology; with applications to biodiversity monitoring and pest control as well as fundamental implications for phenology, behavioural ecology, and ecophysiology. We released the Sticky Pi project as an open community resource on https://doc.sticky-pi.com.


BACKGROUND Magnesium potentiates the effects of nondepolarising muscle relaxants. However, few studies have used magnesium chloride (MgCl2). Sugammadex reverses neuromuscular block by steroidal nondepolarising muscle relaxants. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of MgCl2 on rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade and its reversal by sugammadex. DESIGN In-vitro experimental study. SETTING Animal laboratory, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea, from 20 March 2016 to 3 April 2016. ANIMALS Forty male Sprague Dawley rats. INTERVENTION Left phrenic nerve–hemidiaphragms from 40 Sprague Dawley rats were allocated randomly to four groups (1, 2, 3 and 4 mmol l-1 MgCl2 group, n = 10 each). Rocuronium was administered cumulatively until the first twitch of train-of-four (TOF) disappeared completely. Then, equimolar sugammadex was administered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The effective concentration (EC) of rocuronium was obtained in each group. After administering sugammadex, recovery of the first twitch height and the TOF ratio were measured for 30 min. RESULTS EC50, EC90 and EC95 significantly decreased as the concentration of MgCl2 increased (all P ⩽ 0.001), except the comparison between the 3 and 4 mmol l–1 MgCl2 groups. After administration of sugammadex, the maximal TOF ratio (%) was lower in the 4 mmol l-1 MgCl2 group than the 1 mmol l–1 MgCl2 group [median 91.7 interquartile range (83.4 to 95.8) vs. 98.3 interquartile range (92.2 to 103.4), P = 0.049]. The mean time (s) from sugammadex injection to achieving maximal first twitch was significantly prolonged in the 4 mmol l–1 MgCl2 group vs. the 1 mmol l–1 MgCl2 and 2 mmol l–1 MgCl2 groups [1483.9 (± 237.0) vs. 1039.0 (± 351.8) and 926.0 (± 278.1), P = 0.022 and 0.002, respectively]. CONCLUSION Increases in MgCl2 concentration reduce the ECs of rocuronium. In addition, administering sugammadex equimolar to the administered rocuronium shows limited efficacy as MgCl2 concentration is increased. TRIAL REGISTRATION The in-vitro study was not registered in a database.


This paper presents the simulation of flapping-wing unmanned aerial vehicle model using X-plane and Matlab/ Simulink. The flapping-wing ornithopter model (i.e. an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings) has been developed in plane maker software and executed in the X-plane environment. The key idea of flapping-wing mechanism in X-plane software is by varying its dihedral angle sinusoidally. This sinusoidally varying dihedral angle of wing creates upward and downward stroke moments inturn this creates a lift and a forward thrust for flying the flapping-wing model. Here pitch, roll, yaw and throttle (flapping rate) is fed as reference input through the user datagram protocol (UDP) port. The difference between the reference inputs, the simulated outputs are again fed back to simulator through UDP port and the gains are observed for the responses of flapping-wing unmanned aerial vehicle in Matlab/Simulink environment. Here various gains are used to monitor the optimized flying of flapping-wing model. Defence Science Journal, Vol. 64, No. 4, July 2014, pp.327-331, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.64.4933


The invention discloses an integrated process of a dry quenching coke coproduction synthesis gas and the downstream product, methanol of the synthesis gas. The integrated process adopts the following steps that: low-pressure steam or the mixed gas of low-pressure steam and coke oven gas is used as cooling gas to absorb red coke sensible heat and to carry out water-gas reaction with red coke, thereby generating a synthesis gas; after dust removal, the synthesis gas is fed to a steam gas waste heat boiler and a low-pressure steam waste heat boiler to carry out heat recovery, and then is output;the steam gas waste heat boiler generates steam gas, while the low-pressure steam waste heat boiler generates low-pressure steam which is fed in a dry quenching coke oven as cooling gas; or the steamgas is used in a back pressure steam turbine to generate electricity, and the low-pressure steam left over after back pressure electricity generation is used as the cooling gas of dry quenching coke,thereby omitting the low-pressure steam waste heat boiler. Compared with the prior art, the integrated process combines the production of dry quenching coke and synthesis gas, and ensures that the dry quenching coke oven integrates the functions of quenching coke, conversion, gas making and coke desulfurization; meanwhile, methanol is made through making use of the synthesis gas generated during dry quenching coke.


The Upper Ordovician Boda Limestone and the unconformably overlying Glisstjarn Formation in the Siljan district, Sweden, were sampled for carbon isotope analysis. The aim is to combine chemo- andAbsolutely final meeting of IGCP 503: Ordovician palaeogeography and palaeoclimate - Copenhagen 2009 - August 31 – September 424biostratigraphy for detailed regional correlation. This may help further studies of the time interval spanning the two-phased end Ordovician extinction. Expanding upon the study by Schmitz & Bergstrom (2007), five quarries, eight sections (669 samples) were studied; two sections each in Kallholn, Osmundsberget, and Solberga, and one section each in Ostbjorka and Jutjarn. The Glisstjarn Formation is exposed only in one section at Kallholn, both sections at Osmundsberget, and possibly at one section in Solberga. A cephalopod event bed is recognized in one section in Kallholn and the two sections in Osmundsberget. Additionally, a thick coquina consisting of the brachiopod Hindella is found in all quarries except Solberga. The Hirnantian Isotope Carbon Excursion (HICE) was positively identified in seven of the eight sections. The peak occurs at the Hindella bed in all sections. The beginning of the excursion in Osmundsberget is placed slightly higher than in the previous study, at about 14 m from the top of the Boda Limestone, which means it is above the level with the brachiopod Holorhynchus (identified both in Osmundsberget and Solberga). In Osmundsberget, Ostbjorka and Jutjarn, sampling of the deeper parts of the Boda Limestone yielded δ13C values between + 1 and + 3 ‰, with two or three peaks higher than + 3 ‰, that may be correlated between the sections


ABSTRACT:The Interpreters has been misread, and often castigated for its seeming lack of imaginative unity, since its publication in 1965. It was believed to be a brilliant but poorly focused satire criticizing Nigeria's leadership in politics, higher education, and the media for its failures of insight and sincerity. When it was demonstrated in the early 1970s that the novel was rooted in Yoruba creation legends, it moved up somewhat in critical attention and esteem but some fundamental structural questions were still unanswered. The present paper proposes a totally new reading of the novel in which the form deriving from Yoruba creation stories is firmly fused with the Joycean myth of Ulysses and the creative artist. In this revised interpretation, the novel springs into life with a new depth of meaning and organic unity of structure.


Background and Aim: Game is a part of human life from birth to death. Physiologically, humans need movement and play is an important part of this movement. Humans need to think for their mental and social development, and play is the leaven of thinking. The aim of this study was the effectiveness of play therapy on social and cognitive skills of students with sensory-motor disabilities in Yasuj. To achieve this goal, a statistical population including students with disabilities, motor and sensory motor skills of Yasuj in the academic year 2021 who were studying was used. Methods: The research design is experimental, pre-test post-test with a control group and an experimental group. The sample size is up to 30 students with motor-sensory disabilities (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group) using the available sampling method. Experimental group members underwent play therapy during 12 weekly sessions, and advanced perceptual-visual test, Frostig, Godanoff dummy painting test, and Wineland maturity scale were used to collect data. Data analysis was performed at both descriptive and inferential levels. Then, analysis of covariance, t-test and data were analyzed using SPSS-22 software. Results: The results of descriptive statistics and scores of each skill (cognitive, social) in this study showed an improvement in the condition of the experimental group compared to the control group (p≤0.05). Also, the results of analysis of covariance showed that play therapy significantly improved the mean scores of cognitive and social skills in the control group compared to the experimental group (p≤0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, it seems that play therapy can strengthen the social cognitive skills of students with sensory-motor disabilities. Therefore, exceptional pediatricians as well as caregivers are recommended to use play therapy as an intervention method in the treatment of these people.


Mice homozygous for the lpr (lymphoproliferation), lprcg or gld (generalized lymphoproliferative disease) mutation develop strikingly similar lymphadenopathy with expansion of B220+ CD4− CD8− double‐negative (DN) T cells and autoimmunity. To elucidate the roles of bone marrow (BM) and lymph node (LN) in lymphoproliferation, BM and LN were transplanted simultaneously into normal or +/+ mice in various genotype combinations. In lpr/lpr or lprcg/lprcg BM recipients grafted lpr/lpr and lprcg/lprcg LN swelled but +/+ and gld/gld LN atrophied. In gld/gld BM recipients all of LN swelled regardless of genotype. Thus, lpr and lprcg are phenotypically different from gld in the interaction of BM‐derived DN T cells and +/+ LN. Compared with lpr the lprcg gene differs in its ability to complement with gld in induction of lymphadenopathy. To determine whether lymphoproliferation induced by the cooperation between lprcg and gld is of lpr or gld phenotype, LN of various genotypes were implanted into double heterozygous lprcg/+, gld/+ mice. Grafted lpr/lpr and lprcg/lprcg LN swelled but +/+ and gld/gld LN atrophied, indicating that it is of lpr phenotype. Moreover, grafted lprcg/+ LN swelled but lpr/+ LN atrophied, indicating that, in the heterozygous state, lprcg is phenotypically different from lpr as it allows for LN accumulation of DN T cells induced by lprcg‐gld cooperation.


Key-exchange, in particular Diffie–Hellman key exchange (DHKE), is among the core cryptographic mechanisms for ensuring network security. For key-exchange, both security and privacy are desired. The proposed scheme is used to exchange the secret key by implementing the Shamir secret sharing scheme. The secret can be splitted into shares based on the threshold values, it refers to way for distributing a secret amongst a discussion of sender and receiver and the other parties include in transaction. The secret key will be reconstructed solely through equal number of shares. Individual shares are of no use on their own. Using Shamir Secret sharing, we have been enhance the approach for this present work, that it will reconstruct the secret key through the procedure of dividing into parts that is given into the each specified participants on own unique part, and some of the parts are need that to be reconstruct the secret key only the receiver verified based on their unique identity. Then the receiver receives the key of all the parts and decryption is made to message. In this work, introduce an new approach of sharing message in the way of authentication, it will produce more authentication than other secret sharing methods, because the reconstruction of key is determined and the message authentication is undetermined to hackers or illegal users.


The concept of tax amnesty is an important factor that affects tax compliance of taxpayers. A survey is conducted to measure tax considerations of taxpayers living in Thrace Region according to degree of using tax amnesty. The survey results are analyzed by the SPSS program. At this stage Chi Square analysis is applied. The data obtained is tabulated and interpreted. According to these data following results are obtained for taxpayers living in Thrace region and not benefit from tax amnesty: Tax amnesty encourages tax evasion. Tax amnesties undermine confidence in government. Tax amnesty reduces tax compliance. Tax amnesty should never be applied. Tax amnesty in Turkey is applied to protect some of taxpayers. Tax amnesty must be applied only one-time. In contrast, taxpayers which benefits from tax amnesty have exactly opposite opinion.


Online games are a type of game that requires an internet connection to access the game. The development of technology today have encouraged more and more online games that have sprung up. One of them is online game Audition Ayodance. Various features contained in the game turned out to have an influence on the behaviour of the players, where the Audition Ayodance players began to mix how they live in the game into their real life. One of them is the couple feature, which is a feature to find a partner in the game, while the players also use criteria such as religion, age, place of residence, and other things that have nothing to do with the course of the game. The results of this study indicate the emergence of a hyperreality where the world of online games and the real world of players begin to mix. This is partly because the Audition Ayodance players are mostly teenagers who still do not have strong emotional stability the way adults do, and like to explore various interests and have fantasies.
Keywords: online game, game features, player behaviour


This article argues that Danish journalistic boundary producing practices and principles uphold a representation of racial disparity. Based on critical theories of race and racism in journalism and a boundary work framework, we conduct a discursive analysis of two collective case studies that encompass 56 articles and 23 Facebook posts. Focusing mainly on 1) the construction of knowledge about potential racism, 2) who are positioned as authorities on the topic of racism, and 3) who are missing among the potential actors in the stories, we identify meta-journalistic discourses and the (re)establishment of journalistic principles and practices. We conclude that journalistic norms and practices, for now, withstand the challenges posed by minority media's call for the recognition of race as structure by applying discursive strategies of firstly rejecting racism as structure and secondly asserting principles and practices of specific kinds of objectivity, utilising, for instance, elite sources.


The mouse homolog of the human DXS423E (SB1.8) gene has been isolated by screening a mouse cDNA library. Like its human counterpart, the mouse Sb1.8 gene is X-linked, as shown by Southern blot analysis and by in situ hybridization to metaphase chromosomes. Sb1.8 was sublocalized to band F of the mouse X chromosome, distal to Alas2 and proximal to DXPas1, which confirms a region of conservation between band Xp11.21-p11.22 in human and band XF in mouse. In situ hybridization also showed that the Smcx (Xe169) gene maps near Sb1.8 in band F. The Sb1.8 gene was shown to be highly conserved in mammals; partial DNA sequence analysis indicates 92% identity between the mouse and human genes. In contrast to the human DXS423E gene, the mouse Sb1.8 gene is subject to X inactivation, as shown by restriction enzyme and sequence analysis of mRNA from mice with Searle's translocation (T(X;16)16H). Absence of Sb1.8 expression from the inactive mouse X chromosome in vitro was confirmed by analysis of a cell line (Hobmski) in which the M. spretus X chromosome is inactivated. The Sb1.8 gene is a new member of a group of genes that escape X inactivation in human, but are inactivated in mouse.


It is a striking fact that tuberculous infection in infancy and childhood has not diminished in proportion to that of the adult. Aschoff,(4) quoting Gxottstein, has particularly emphasised this, and he points out that there are still many problems with regard to the pathogenesis of phthisis yet to be solved. A review of certain views on these problems in the light of recent contributions to their study has been undertaken here almost entirely with regard to lung infections.


Summary A defined medium containing mineral salts, glucose and vitamins was developed in which large amounts of enterotoxin were produced by Escherichia coli strain P16 (serotype 09; K9) if the culture was well aerated during incubation for at least 48 hours and the pH was con- trolled to between 7.4 and 8.1. After gel filtration of the supernates, the fractions with enterotoxic activity obtained from cultures in the defined medium contained considerably less ultra-violet-light absorbent material than did the corresponding fractions from cultures in "syncase" medium. We are grateful to Mrs H. Steels, Mrs K. Martin and Mr M. Everett for their efficient technical assistance.


In this paper, we present a multimodal approach for the emotion recognition that takes into account more sources of information (physiological signals, facial expressions, speech, etc). This approach is based on an algebraic representation of emotional states using multidimensional vectors. This multidimensional model provides a powerful mathematical tools for the analysis and the processing of emotions. It permits to integrate information from different modalities (speech, facial expressions, gestures) in order to allow more reliable estimation of emotional states. Indeed, our proposal aims at efficient recognition of emotional state even when it appear to be superposed or masked.


Objectives Molecular biology measurement was used to detect the existence of coxsackievirus B(CBV)in specimen and in estigate its relationship with clincal diseases.Methods The 298 patients of being regarded as CBV infection were detected bt reverse transciption polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with specific oligonucleoticle primers,Results The results showed that 127 cases (42.6%) were positive cud the infection was relevant toage,and more visible in summer and autumn. On the other hand, only 5 of 80 healthy children in control group were positive (6.25%). The 17 of 20 positive samples (with RT-OCR ) detected by ELISA were positive.Conclusions RT-PCR assay is a rapid, sensitive and specific method for the detection of CBV. Theresults shawed that CBV can infest many kinds of organs and result in various clinical diseases. It has strong infectivity.


In this paper, we aim to study the effect of competition, and not concentration, on cost efficiency for the ece countries during the 1999-2006 period. To do so, we will use two different measures of bank market power: the first one is the Panzar and Ross H-statistic but calculated for each individual bank and the second one is the Lerner index. Our findings show that the cost efficiency of banks increases when the level of competition decreases, leading to wonder what should be the optimal level of competition that regulators should implement. Classification JEL : D43, D82, G21, L13.


ABSTRACT:This paper develops an approach to humanist social critique that combines insights from Marx and Fanon. I argue that the concept of the human operative in humanist social critique should be understood both as the normative background against which questions of human flourishing and dehumanization can come into view, and as the evolving demand for universal human emancipation. Far from being abstract, essentialist, or ahistorical, Marx and Fanon show that humanist social critique operates through a dialectic between particular, socially and historically situated forms of oppression and struggle, and the universal species-context of the human life-form in which particular forms of suffering and injustice can come into view as instances of dehumanization. In developing this approach to humanist social critique, I defend humanism against three prominent objections: the charge of speciesism, the charge of essentialism, and the recent charge from Kate Manne who argues that humanism underdescribes relations of social antagonism and that recognition of humanity is compatible with inhumane treatment. In addition to considering the necessary relation between the particular and the universal, I also consider the relation between the psychological and social/political, arguing against the recent approach to the problem of dehumanization in the work of David Livingstone Smith.


: Web services are application components that can be linked together for creating new functionality. As such, they support industry environments by binding together inhabitant services with distributed on demand services for implementing the business strategies. However, web services are operating in dynamic environments and an important issue during the composition process is change management either at the local or at the web, in general. Therefore, service changes together with other nondeterministic behaviours must be efficiently propagated to ensure the validity and consistency of the enterprise plans. Simulations are effective tools for enhancing factory competitiveness. Simulating the operation of a developed composite service for verifying the developed product could be a solution to this problem. The results of the simulation will allow to predict and react to such behaviours before applying the developed service in real production. As such, this paper describes and compares the existing service simulators that could be used in smart industry environments in terms of their functionality. Based on this review, the identification of gaps in performing simulation of service composition in industrial environments is presented, and challenges to be met on the field are outlined.


The arrival of Westphalian sovereignty principles in nineteenth-century East Asia was not a uniformly transformative "shock" as commonly assumed. The Sino-centric order did not suddenly disappear; rather it lingered and evolved in a gradual and contested process of change. I argue that enduring domestic understandings of sovereign autonomy affected how Westphalian sovereignty was interpreted in Japan and Korea. Even as the regional structure shifted from regional hierarchy under China to a Western-led international state system, the lens of hierarchy—the long-standing sense of vulnerability and the need to attain autonomous status in a world of great powers—remained unchanged. In addition, each ruling regime in East Asia attempted to reconcile Westphalian sovereignty with existing diplomatic practices to protect its own interests within the Sino-centric order, which resulted in a new hybrid system of interstate relations encompassing notions of both equality and civilizational hierarchy. Within each country, contestation on sovereignty occurred in multiple stages, driven by existing security relationships and changing domestic politics debating the competing standards of civilization in the region.


Abstract Preservice teacher education students are likely to have acquired naive beliefs about learning and teaching, that need to be integrated with theoretically informed beliefs, if they are to function effectively in classrooms. This study explored the nature of such integration using a sample of Graduate Diploma in Education students engaged in an educational psychology subject which was designed to help students develop constructivist beliefs and approaches to learning. Investigation of students' journal entries, written statements, and stimulated recall interviews related to videotaped practice teaching sessions, revealed that students were able to integrate prior beliefs with the theoretical content of the course, enabling them to describe, and in some cases, evidence informed conditional knowledge.


The description of corneal disease has been exhaustively elaborated in all textbooks of ophthalmology. Unfortunately, the classification of these conditions is usually based on their clinical appearance rather than on an etiologic or pathologic basis. This is due partly to the fact that the exact causation is frequently unknown and also that pathologic material is usually not available in the beginning stages of many of these conditions. Nevertheless the confusion results chiefly from the desire to label these conditions on the basis of their clinical appearance alone, thus producing a variegated terminology applied to stages of the same disease process. In view of the newer knowledge of corneal metabolism and respiration that has been revealed in recent years, it is profitable to review the pathology of this important transparent tissue of the eye. This initial paper will deal with the surface epithelium and endothelium, together with their adjacent layers, Bowman's


[reaction: see text] An efficient total synthesis of (2S,2'S,3aR,3'aR,8aR,8'aR)-6,6'-dichloro-3a,3'a-dihydroxy-1,1',2,2',3,3a,3',3'a,8,8a,8',8'a-dodecahydro-5,5'-bipyrrolo[2,3-b]indole-2,2'-dicarboxylic acid, the central amino acid component of chloptosin (1), is described. Starting from m-chloronitrobenzene, this C(2)-symmetrical amino acid was synthesized by using a 14-step route, in which a Zinin benzidine rearrangement, intramolecular Heck reaction, and selenocyclization and oxidative deselenation served as key steps. The absolute stereochemistry of the target was confirmed by X-ray single-crystal studies on a key intermediate (17).


: The article presents the results of research into the biotechnological processing of collagen-containing raw materials (bovine rumina) to create functional foods. The patterns of biotransformation of colla-gen-containing raw materials by activated cultures of probiotic microorganisms (Bifidobacterium longum B379 M, Propionibacterium shermanii KM 186 and Lactobacillus helveticus Н 17-18 ) have been studied and theoreti-cally substantiated. It is noted that bovine rumina, following preliminary heat treatment, comprise a good nutrient medium for the development of probiotic cultures. It was revealed that low-molecular compounds formed during the heat treatment of rumina possess prebiotic properties that stimulate the growth of microorganisms. It was established that after 5–8 hours of cultivation, the number of viable cells of the studied cultures in the collagen substrate increases to 10 9 –10 10 CFU / g. It is noted that the biomodification of rumina improves their organoleptic properties and consistency, causing it to become succulent, soft and ductile. Biotransformation of collagen-containing raw materials by probiotic microorganisms leads to a significant increase in amino acids in hydrolysates in comparison with the control sample. The greatest increase in amino acids is observed during the fermentation of collagen Lactobacillus helveticus H 17-18 , which indicates a higher proteolytic activity of this culture. It was shown that the rumen microstructure undergoes changes under the action of probiotic microorganisms in comparison with the initial state (the muscle carcass becomes thinner and looser, as well as undergoing change in terms of the structure of its morphological elements). As a result of the research, a fundamentally new scheme of biotechnological processing of collagen-containing raw materials was developed. The obtained results open up broad prospects for the creation of BAA-synbiotics and food products intended for functional nutrition.


A simultaneous multiresidue method to determine 14 different pesticides, namely: flufenoxuron, fenitrothion, chlorfluazuron, chlorpyrifos, hexythiazox, methidathion, chlorfenapyr, tebuconazole, EPN, bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, spirodiclofen, difenoconazole, and azoxystrobin in green tea using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) is described and compared with that of liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). For PLE, the extraction conditions were not optimized. Rather they were selected based upon previous successful investigations published by our laboratory. Analysis was performed by GC with electron capture detector (GC-ECD), and the pesticide identity of the positive samples was confirmed by GC-MS in a selected ion-monitoring (SIM) mode. Calibration curves showed an excellent linearity for concentrations ranging from 0.006 to 36.049 ppm, with r(2) >0.995. Green tea spiked at each of the two fortification levels, yielded average recoveries in the range of 87-112% and 71-109% for PLE and LLE, respectively. Precision values, expressed as RSDs, were below 6% at various spiking levels. With respect to the existing procedures, both methods gave LOQs that were lower than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). Both methods have been successfully applied to the analysis of real samples, and bifenthrin was the only pesticide residue quantified in incurred green tea samples, with concentrations ranging from 0.093 ppm (LLE) to 0.1 ppm (PLE). These concentration levels were relatively low compared to KFDA-MRL (0.3 ppm). According to the validation data and performance characteristics, both methods are appropriate for multiresidue analysis of pesticide residues in green tea. PLE methodology showed superiority in recoveries of some pesticides, acceptable accuracy and precision while minimizing environmental concerns, time, and labor, and can be applied in routine analytical laboratories.


Here we describe a new hesperornithiform specimen from the Upper Cretaceous Kanguk Formation of Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada. This specimen (NUVF 286) is referred to cf. Hesperornis sp. based on size and shape of femora and teeth preserved with other skeletal elements. Previous osteohistologic analyses indicate a subadult ontogenetic stage at the time of death. This new cf. Hesperornis specimen includes the first teeth associated with a high-latitude hesperornithiform, allowing for comments on the trophic behavior of these birds. Paleoecological reconstructions based on current knowledge of polar assemblages and comparisons to modern birds suggest that high-latitude hesperornithiform birds may have had more varied diets than previously assumed.


DIDS is a commonly used anion channel antagonist that is putatively cytoprotective against ischemic insult. However, recent reports indicate potentially deleterious secondary effects of DIDS. To assess the impact of DIDS on cellular viability comprehensively we examined neuronal morphology and function through 24 hours treatment with ACSF ± DIDS (40 or 400 µM). Control cells were unchanged, whereas DIDS induced an apoptotic phenotype (chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation and cleavage of the nuclear membrane protein lamin A, expression of pro-apoptotic proteins c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3, caspase 3, and cytochrome C, Annexin V staining, RNA degradation, and oligonucleosomal DNA cleavage). These deleterious effects were mediated by DIDS in a dose- and time-dependant manner, such that higher [DIDS] induced apoptosis more rapidly while apoptosis was observed at lower [DIDS] with prolonged exposure. In an apparent paradox, despite a clear overall apoptotic phenotype, certain hallmarks of apoptosis were not present in DIDS treated cells, including mitochondrial fission and loss of plasma membrane integrity. We conclude that DIDS induces apoptosis in cultured hippocampal neurons, in spite of the fact that some common hallmarks of cell death pathways are prevented. These contradictory effects may cause false-positive results in certain assays and future evaluations of DIDS as a neuroprotective agent should incorporate multiple viability assays.


This paper summarises key findings from a comprehensive analysis commissioned by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) of the nature of decentralisation in the three East African countries: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.The specific objectives of the study were:• Provide a basic comparative analysis of the forms and processes of decentralisation reforms in the three countries• Analyse the specific modalities in the three countries for local service delivery planning and provision within the three sectors of basic education, primary health care and agricultural extension, with a particular emphasis on rural areas. TIDEMAND: Local level service delivery, decentralisation and governance: A comparative study of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania CJLG May 2009 145• Explore the impact of the specific forms of decentralisation and local level service delivery arrangements in terms of efficiency, accountability (transparency) and democratic process (participation).


BACKGROUND
Wounds with exposed bone or tendon continue to be a challenge for wound care physicians, and there is little research pertaining to the treatment of these particular wounds with allograft skin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a biologically active cryopreserved human skin allograft for treating wounds with exposed bone and/or tendon in the lower extremities.

METHODS
Fifteen patients with 15 wounds at a single hospital-based wound care center were included in the study. Eleven wounds had exposed bone, 1 wound had exposed ten- don, and 3 wounds had exposed bone and tendon. Standard treatment principles with adjunctive cadaveric allograft application were performed on all wounds in the study.

RESULTS
In this study 14/15 (93.3%) of the wounds healed completely. The mean duration of days until coverage of the bone and/or tendon with granulation tissue was 36.14 (5.16 weeks) (range 5-117 days). Mean duration to complete healing of the wound was 133 days (19 weeks) (range 53-311 days). The mean number of grafts applied was 2. There were no adverse events directly related to the graft. Zero major amputations and 1 minor amputation occurred.

CONCLUSION
This study found biologically active cryopreserved human skin allografts to be safe and effective in treating difficult wounds with exposed bone and/or tendon. To the authors' knowledge, this is the largest study to date focused on the utilization of allograft skin as an adjunct therapy for lower extremity wounds with exposed tendon and/or bone.


Base excision repair can proceed in either one of two alternative pathways: a DNA polymerase β-dependent pathway and a proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-dependent pathway. Excision of an apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site by cutting the phosphate backbone on its 3′ side following incision at its 5′ side by AP endonuclease is a prerequisite to completion of these repair pathways. Using a reconstituted system with the proteins derived from Xenopus laevis, we found that flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) was a factor responsible for the excision of a 5′-incised AP site in the PCNA-dependent pathway. In this pathway, DNA synthesis was not required for the action of FEN1 in the presence of PCNA and a replication factor C-containing fraction. The polymerase β-dependent pathway could also use FEN1 for excision of the synthetic AP sites, which were not susceptible to β-elimination. In this pathway, FEN1 was functional without PCNA and replication factor C but required the DNA synthesis, which led to a flap structure formation.


Abstract In this essay we develop the concept of 'cosmopolitan nationalism', offering a working definition and suggesting ways sociologists of education might draw on it in their future work. We show how it is a useful analytical lens through which to examine contemporary policies and practices that navigate global processes (ranking systems, mobility of people, expectations for futures) but also take account of nationalistic tendencies, as well as local and national attempts to challenge persistent inequalities within education systems. By using policy examples from three countries (South Korea, Israel and the US), we illuminate how cosmopolitan nationalism is evident across various initiatives in these countries, and the varied implications this has for education systems in terms of equality, access and quality.


A retrospective study compared Food Stamp Program (FSP) and non-FSP participants on changes in dietary intake and food-related behaviors as a result of an educational intervention. Data were collected at preintervention and postintervention on 4121 low-income adults, using 24-hour recalls and a Food Behavior Checklist (FBC). Both FSP and non-FSP participants made significant improvements on assessed food groups, nutrients, and FBC items. Few differences were found on dietary change, but FSP participants made more improvement on 4 FBC items. Results indicate that nutrition education is similarly effective in improving dietary intake and food-related behaviors of FSP and non-FSP participants.


In this study, the use of computer-aided molecular design (CAMD) is validated as a tool for enabling the discovery of new shrinkage-reducing compounds for possible use in portland cement composites and is framed as one of many multiscale modeling tools in a broad hierarchy of possibilities. Twelve additives were tested for their ability to inhibit shrinkage in Type I ordinary portland cement under both autogenous and drying conditions. The 12 additives included two commercial shrinkage-reducing admixtures (SRAs), two active ingredients of a commercial admixture [one of which was used to establish the quantitative structure–property relationships (QSPR)], two additional classified as potential SRA compounds based on the patent literature, four newly identified compounds predicted by using CAMD and an inverse quantitative structure–property relationship (I-QSPR), and two other compounds use to establish the QSPR relationship. The newly identified I-QSPR compounds were targeted for their ability to reduce the surface tension of water, a primary consideration for shrinkage-reducing activity. Results for both drying shrinkage and autogenous shrinkage indicate that the designed compounds perform similar to commercial admixtures, yet have different chemical functionalities. Hydration data and set measurements were also considered since selection of new SRAs is a multiparameter problem with many constraints. Thus, these newly identified shrinkage-reducing compounds can potentially provide additional options for use in portland cement concrete applications.


INTRODUCTION
This study aims to assess the epidemiology of severe preeclampsia in Singapore, the disease characteristics, maternal and perinatal outcome, and to identify risk factors for complications.

METHODS
Data of 93 consecutive women with severe preeclampsia in KK Women's and Children's Hospital in Singapore was collected prospectively and analysed using the unpaired t-test for normally-distributed continuous variables and Fisher's exact chi-square test for discrete variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed for prediction of complicated cases.

RESULTS
The incidence of severe pre-eclampsia was 29.3 per 10,000 deliveries, with an increased risk in women who were aged more than 35 years and who were nulliparous. The risk was also increased in women of the Malay race and they also had the tendency to book later, compared with the other races. 43 percent of women had maternal complications, including eclampsia, haemolysis/elevated liver enzymes/low platelets syndrome, oliguria, pulmonary oedema and placental abruption. Significantly raised levels of uric acid (439.5 +/- 114.1 micromol/L versus 395.4 +/- 96.7 micromol/L, p-value equals 0.047) and aspartate transaminase (80.1 +/- 107.4 IU/L versus 38.8 +/- 16.1 IU/L, p-value equals 0.021) were found in those with complications, compared to those without complications. The average gestation at time of diagnosis was 33 weeks and the average gestation at delivery was 34 weeks. 89.3 percent of women required caesarean section and 59.1 percent of women were admitted to intensive care.

CONCLUSION
Age, parity and race are risk factors for severe preeclampsia with increased levels of uric acid and aspartate transaminase found in the complicated cases. The morbidity and cost of treatment of severe preeclampsia are high with a large percentage requiring caesarean section and intensive care admission.


The downscaling of electronic devices requires rechargeable microbatteries with enhanced energy and power densities. Here, we evaluate self-assembled vertically aligned nanocomposite (VAN) thin films as a platform to create high-performance three-dimensional (3D) microelectrodes. This study focuses on controlling the VAN formation to enable interface engineering between the LiMn2O4 cathode and the (Li,La)TiO3 solid electrolyte. Electrochemical analysis in a half cell against lithium metal showed the absence of sharp redox peaks due to the confinement in the electrode pillars at the nanoscale. The (100)-oriented VAN thin films showed better rate capability and stability during extensive cycling due to the better alignment to the Li-diffusion channels. However, an enhanced pseudocapacitive contribution was observed for the increased total surface area within the (110)-oriented VAN thin films. These results demonstrate for the first time the electrochemical behavior of cathode–electrolyte VANs for lithium-ion 3D microbatteries while pointing out the importance of control over the vertical interfaces.


1. Oxygen consumption, thoracic temperature, and action potentials from the fibrillar muscles were concurrently recorded in queens and workers of Bombus vosnesenskii. 2. The oxygen consumption of 'inactive' bees (quiescent and/or producing fewer than 0.3 spikes/sec) was markedly temperature-sensitive, with a Q10 of 3.4 for thoracic temperatures of 25-35 °C. 3. The oxygen consumption of bees with active fibrillar muscles was directly correlated with spike frequency; a single spike was associated with the consumption of 2.3-2.6 µl O2/gth. No oxygen debt was observed. 4. The oxygen consumption per spike during flight was similar to that during warm-up. 5. Oxygen consumption per gram thorax was similar in queens and workers engaging in similar activity. 6. The results are compared with those from other insects and their adaptive significance is discussed.


This essay provides an overview of the field of community media studies. Like the study of "alternative media," "citizens' media," "independent," and "radical" media – to mention but a few of the terms applied to participatory communication projects – academic inquiry into the structures, forms, and practices of community media has surged in recent years. While scholars often use these labels interchangeably, this essay focuses on academic and practitioner perspectives that explicitly and purposefully employ the term "community media." The overview identifies and briefly considers three prominent conceptual frameworks – media democratization, civil society, and the symbolic construction of community – which shape and inform this vibrant field of study. This overview concludes with some thoughts on the limits and possibilities of community media theory, and practice, in the new millennium.


Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL

Background: Breast cancer survivors are the largest group of cancer survivors, comprising 23% of the total. While significant predictors of quality of life (QOL) have emerged among independent studies, data is lacking for long-term survivors as well as for differences between Hispanic (H) and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) women. Investigating QOL is important for the evaluation of the consequences of breast cancer beyond the diagnosis and treatment phases.

Methods and Materials: Participants from the New Mexico Women's Health Study (NMWHS), population-based case-control investigation (1992-1996) were contacted by telephone 12-15 years after the original interview. QOL was assessed using the MOS SF-36, a generic, multi-purpose, health survey composed of 36 questions that has been utilized and validated to evaluate physical and mental health in many diverse populations. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate differences between cases and controls for eight sub-scales and two summary scales adjusting for potential covariates, including stratification by ethnicity for physical and mental health summary scales. Means for scales were log transformed and normalized and compared to the 1998 U.S. general population of females aged 55-64.

Results: There was a significant difference between cases and controls for the mental health summary (β=−3.74; p=0.04) but not physical health summary (β=−2.53; p=0.14) scale. Significant predictors for both summary scales included: age, ≥4 co-morbidities, current pain and fatigue, and less education. Social support (p=0.002), case (p=0.02) and ethnicity (p=0.02) were significant predictors of mental health while BMI (p<0.0001) was significant for physical health. Adjustment for time since diagnosis, current marital status, and menopausal status did not alter the results. When stratified by ethnicity, and adjusted for all significant covariates, there was a significant difference in mental health summary between cases and controls for H women (p=0.03). Transformed means for eight subscales and physical health summary were higher for both cases and controls compared to normative data, with the exception of mental health summary for cases.

Conclusion: Breast cancer survivors report lower mental health scores on the SF-36 than control women 12 to 15 years after diagnosis and treatment. Hispanic cases, in particular, report lower mental health scores even after adjustment for multiple covariates including co-morbidity, pain and fatigue, education, and social support. This is one of the first studies to detect persistent problems with QOL in long-term breast cancer survivors.

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 1829. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1829


Objective: To assess the synergistic potential using an exointeractive association between Murraya koenigii hydromethanolic leaf extract and the synthetic compound quercetin to offset methotrexate induced toxicity in mouse cauda epididymal spermatozoa.
Methods: Healthy adult male albino mice were divided into eight groups (N= 6/group) and were treated with methotrexate intraperitoneally (10mg/kg body weight) at intervals of every 48 hours for 15 days, to combat this toxic effects of the drug, Murraya koenigii hydromethanolic leaf extract (250mg/kg body weight) and quercetin (15mg and 30mg) alone as well as in combination, were given by oral administration. Various sperm parameters such as sperm count, motility and viability followed by Hypo-osmotic Swelling (HOS) test, apoptosis test, Sperm Toroid Integrity (STI) and Sperm Chromatin Dispersion (SCD) assay.
Statistical analysis used: Statistical analysis was carried out using Graphpad Prism Version 7 to verify levels of significance at the P < 0.001 value in one-way ANOVA.
Results: Methotrexate induced a substantial reduction in sperm count, motility and viability which induces apoptotic changes, also resulted in disruption of sperm toroid protamine-DNA binding, increased fragmentation of nuclear DNA by decreased sperm chromatin dispersion and low percentage of swollen sperm representing membrane integrity loss. whereas Murraya koenigii hydromethanolic leaf extract and quercetin proved effective in reversing the drug induced toxicity, especially with the 15 mg dose of quercetin along with the plant extract brought about significant amelioration than 30mg dose of quercetin due to its pro-oxidant effects.
Conclusions: To reduce the toxic manifestations of methotrexate, this exointeractive approach proved efficient.


RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42, the founding members of the Rho subfamily of small GTPases, have been the focus of many research studies since the first discovery of their primary roles in the reorganisation of the actin cytoskeleton. Since then, it is clear that they are involved in a great deal of cellular functions, including cell migration and adhesion, cell growth control, and membrane trafficking. The complete sequencing of the human genome has now highlighted a total of 20 genes encoding Rho-like proteins. Little is known about their distinct cellular functions, however, numerous studies are now beginning to unravel that each of the Rho GTPase must play a specific role in the cell in a timely and spatially regulated fashion. Here, we are presenting a brief overview of the distinct functional roles and similarities known to date for each of the Rho members.


The low frequency pulsed MIG welding process of new current waveform control to switch over unit pulse conditions (pulse current, pulse duration)in the fixed cycle was developed and its effect were investigated for aluminium and its alloy.
By using this new welding process, the bead appearance having clear ripple pattern, such as TIG welding bead can be obtained and the gap tolerance of lap and butt welding joint can be expanded.


Time-resolved deep ultraviolet (DUV) Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy system has been employed to systematically monitor crystalline quality, identify the defects and impurities, and investigate the light emission mechanism in III-nitride semiconducting materials and photonic structures. A time correlated single photon counting system and streak camera with corresponding time resolutions of 20 and 2 ps, respectively, were utilized to study the carrier excitation and recombination dynamics. A closed cycle He-flow cryogenic system was employed for temperature dependent measurements. This system is able to handle sample temperatures in a wide range (from 10 to 900 K). Structural, electrical, and morphological properties of the material were monitored by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Hall-effect measurement, and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. Most of the samples studied here were synthesized in our laboratory by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Some samples were bulk AlN synthesized by our collaborators, which were also employed as substrates for homoepilayer growth. High quality AlN epilayers with (0002) XRD linewidth as narrow as 50 arcsec and screw type dislocation density as low as 5x10 6 cm -2 were grown on sapphire substrates. Free exciton transitions related to all valence bands (A, B, and C) were observed in AlN directly by PL, which allowed the evaluation of crystal field (ΔCF) and spin-orbit (ΔSO) splitting parameters exerimentally. Large negative ΔCF and, consequently, the difficulties of light extraction from AlN and Al-rich AlGaN based emitters due to their unique optical polarization properties have been further confirmed with these new experimental data. Due to the ionic nature of III-nitrides, exciton-LO phonon Frohlich interaction is strong in these materials, which is manifested by the appearance of phonon replicas accompanying the excitonic emission lines in their PL spectra. The strength of the exciton-phonon interactions in AlN has been investigated by measuring the Huang-Rhys factor. It compares the intensity of the zero phonon (exciton emission) line relative to its phonon replica. AlN bulk single crystals, being promising native substrate for growing nitride based high quality device structures with much lower dislocation densities (<10 4 cm -2 ), are also expected to be transparent in visible to UV region. However, available bulk AlN crystals always appear with an undesirable yellow or dark color. The mechanism of such undesired coloration has been investigated. MOCVD was utilized to deposit ~0.5 μm thick AlN layer on top of bulk crystal. The band gap of strain free AlN homoepilayers was 6.100 eV, which is ~30 meV lower compared to hetero-epitaxial layers on sapphire possessing compressive strain. Impurity incorporation was much lower in non-polar m-plane growth mode and the detected PL signal at 10 K was about an order of magnitude higher from a-plane homo-epilayers compared to that from polar c-plane epilayers. The feasibility of using Be as an alternate p-type dopant in AlN has been studied. Preliminary studies indicate that the Be acceptor level in AlN is ~330 meV, which is about 200 meV shallower than the Mg level in AlN. Understanding the optical and electronic properties of native point defects is the key to achieving good quality material and improving overall device performance. A more complete picture of optical transitions in AlN and GaN has been reported, which supplements the understanding of impurity transitions in AlGaN alloys described in previous reports. OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF ALN AND DEEP UV PHOTONIC STRUCTURES STUDIED BY PHOTOLUMINESCENCE


"Over the last 150 years various approaches to the construction of maps showing the distribution of population in Ireland have been explored. This article reviews these approaches, and is particularly intended to illustrate how the compilers of Irish population maps have confronted that central issue facing all cartographers, namely the selection of an appropriate level of generalisation."


Purpose: The aims of this research was to see whether a community-based intervention could be effective in promoting comprehensive indicators for successful aging.
Methods: The participants (60 years old and above) were recruited from rural and urban parts of Bangladesh's Rangpur district for this seven-month intervention program. Successful aging indicators included blood pressure control or diabetes management, adherence to recommended physical exercise and diet, cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, engagement in social activities, religious activities, and volunteer activities.
Results: In the follow-up period the likelihood to control hypertension and diabetes in comparison to the baseline were 1.64 (95 % confidence interval [CI] = 1.12- 3.38) and 1.89 (95 % CI = 1.44- 2.87) times higher. Participants in the follow-up were 2.21 (95 % CI = 1.87–3.45), 2.01 (95 % CI = 1.61–2.99) times more likely to adherence to recommended physical activity and diet compared with the baseline. This intervention was shown to be significantly linked to lower likelihood of developing cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms. In the follow-up period group activities increased 98% as compared to baseline.
Novelty/Value: This community-based intervention was found to be helpful in boosting successful aging markers for chronic disease management, maintaining good mental and physical function, and maintaining life engagement.
Type of Research: Empirical Research.


This paper investigates the role of the effective thickness of the Asmari reservoir formation zones on oil production in one of the Iranian carbonate oil fields. Effective thickness is a term that includes the total gross thickness of rocks by lithofacies for a selected wellbore. The lithology of the Asmari Formation in the studied area consists of dolomite, sandstone, lime, dolomitic-lime, sandstone-shale, and shale limestone dolomites. Based on the existing well-logs, the average shale volume, the effective arithmetic means of porosity in the gross intervals, and average water saturation or hydrocarbon-bearing increments of the studied field is calculated from well-logs. The depth interval of 2214 to 2296, in wellbore #A shows 9.6% average shale volume, 27.2% average water saturation, and 20.9% average porosity. The depth interval of 2213 to 2280, in wellbore #B, shows 6% average shale volume, 21.25% average water saturation, and 28.5% average porosity. Based on our petrophysical assessments we divide the Asmari reservoir in the studied field into eight zones. Zone 1 is made of carbonate (calcareous and dolomitic), zones 2 to 5 are mainly sandstone, zones 7 and 8 are calcareous and shale and zone 6 is a mixture of all the above-mentioned rocks. Among these eight zones, there are two main hydrocarbon productive zones. The numerical calculation of in situ oil volume showed that zone two contains 65% of oil volume in this reservoir. This zone with more than 80% of sand has the highest net hydrocarbon column.


Visceral involvement in AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma is common, but it is rarely seen in the absence of cutaneous disease. Most patients with gastrointestinal tract Kaposi's sarcoma remain asymptomatic and are often diagnosed on endoscopy or autopsy. We report a case of a 24-year-old homosexual man who presented with rectal pain and bleeding and was found to have skin-sparing, disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma with rectum, liver, lungs, and lymph node involvement. Despite treatment with highly active anti-retroviral therapy, he developed multiorgan failure resulting in death.


Abstract We present several examples of crystal structures solved by precession electron diffraction which cover a great domain of different structures from very small to very large unit cells, having very high or low symmetry, containing light or heavy elements or both. A common point of these samples is that they were synthesized as powders. X-ray powder diffraction encountered difficulties in solving these structures because the powders were a mixture of phases or because the peak overlap was too severe due to large unit cell parameters. The influence of various experimental parameters and data exploitation procedures on the successful structure solution are investigated. It is shown in particular that the amount of data available is the most influential parameter, whereas the precision of the intensity measurement or of the determination of the structure factor amplitudes from the intensities is of less importance provided that the experimentally strong reflections correspond to the high structure factor amplitudes. This is precisely the achievement of the precession electron diffraction method, which reduces multiple scattering, while in standard selected area electron diffraction multiple scattering leads to intensities that do not show a clear correlation between intensities and structure factor amplitudes.


Although yielding the lowest error probability, ML decoding of turbo codes has been considered unrealistic so far because efficient ML decoders have not been discovered. In this paper, we propose the Genetic Decoding Algorithm (GDA) for turbo codes. GDA combines the principles of perturbed decoding and genetic algorithm. In GDA, chromosomes are random additive perturbation noises. A conventional turbo decoder is used to assign fitness values to the chromosomes in the population. After generations of evolution, good chromosomes that correspond to decoded codewords of very good likelihood emerge. GDA can be used as a practical decoder for turbo codes in certain contexts. It is also a natural multiple-output decoder. The most important aspect of GDA, in our opinion, is that one can utilize GDA to empirically determine a lower bound on the error probability with ML decoding. Our results show that, at a word error probability of 10-4, GDA achieves the performance of ML decoding. Using GDA, we establish that an ML decoder only slightly outperforms a MAP-based iterative decoder at this word error probability for the block size we used and the turbo code defined for WCDMA.


Summary Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) abrogates coagulation initiated by the factor VIIa/tissue factor catalytic complex. While the gene structure of TFPI suggests that it is a secreted protein, a large pool of TFPI is associated with the vascular endothelium through its affinity for a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked membrane protein. Inhibition of tissue factor by TFPI coincides with the translocation of quaternary complexes containing tissue factor, factor VIIa, factor Xa, and TFPI to detergent-insoluble plasma membrane domains rich in cholesterol, sphingomyelin, and GPI-linked proteins known as lipid rafts and caveolae. It is not known if localization of TFPI to these membrane domains is required for its inhibition of tissue factor procoagulant activity. We generated chimeric TFPI molecules linked directly to the plasma membrane via a GPI anchor or hydrophobic transmembrane domain and expressed these in HEK293 cells that produce tissue factor but not endogenous TFPI. The GPI-anchored chimera was exclusively enriched in detergent-insoluble membrane fractions while the transmembrane molecule was not. Transfectants expressing equal levels of the GPI-linked or transmembrane TFPI displayed equal anticoagulant potency as assessed by tissue factor-mediated conversion of factor X to factor Xa. Disruption of lipid rafts with cyclodextrin likewise had no effect on the inhibitory activity of the transmembrane or GPI-linked TFPI chimeras in HEK293 cells, nor on endogenous TFPI expressed by ECV304 cells. Thus, we conclude that the GPI anchor and membrane localization to lipid rafts does not enhance inhibition of factor VIIa/ tissue factor by cell-surface associated TFPI.


Several algorithms have been described in the literature for protein identification by searching a sequence database using mass spectrometry data. In some approaches, the experimental data are peptide molecular weights from the digestion of a protein by an enzyme. Other approaches use tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data from one or more peptides. Still others combine mass data with amino acid sequence data. We present results from a new computer program, Mascot, which integrates all three types of search. The scoring algorithm is probability based, which has a number of advantages: (i) A simple rule can be used to judge whether a result is significant or not. This is particularly useful in guarding against false positives. (ii) Scores can be com pared with those from other types of search, such as sequence homology. (iii) Search parameters can be readily optimised by iteration. The strengths and limitations of probability‐based scoring are discussed, particularly in the context of high throughput, fully automated protein identification.


Aim : The purpose of the present study was to quantify glucose variability in type 2 diabetic patients and establishing relationship with cardiometabolic parameters and type of glucose-lowering treatment. Material and Methods : Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was used in 373 type 2 diabetic patients . Glycemic variability (GV) was evaluated by many indices based on CGM data such as mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), standard deviation (SD), nMAGE (calculating MAGE from glucose monitoring data using the algorithm proposed by Baghurst) and mean interstitial glucose values (MG). Results : GV increases significantly from diet to insulin group (p=0.001) and from oral therapy to insulin therapy (p=0.001) by MAGE, SD and nMAGE indices and less powerful for MG (p=0.042 and 0.003 respectively). All GV indices are correlated with each other, the strong relationship being shown between MAGE, SD and nMAGE (p=0.0001). Conclusions : There exists a progressive alteration of GV from diet to insulin therapy in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The simple standard deviation of CGM (continuous glucose monitoring) readings appears to be the best practical pathway to quantify glucose variability.


Schools are places where we can learn ways of being, seeing and living. They are transmission belts – social institutions that can engender values and attitudes from both how we learn and what we learn. Using content analysis, this mixed methods study assesses the national curriculum
 of Mexico – the Plan de Estudios Educación Básica, 2011 – for three components found in peace education programmes: recognizing violence (direct, structural or cultural); addressing conflict nonviolently; and creating the conditions of positive peace. These three
 components contribute to the analysis of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): quality education (SDG 4); gender equality (SDG 5); reduced inequalities (SDG 10); responsible consumption and production (SDG 12); and peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16). This component of the
 Peace Education Curriculum Analysis (PECA) Project finds that the Plan de Estudios contains limited content that recognizes violence, some evidence of techniques used in transforming conflict nonviolently and only select content that is concerned with contributing to positive peace.


A wideband compact balun for P-band dual-line polarization antenna system applications is provided, where the center frequency is 400 MHz with a 200 MHz of bandwidth (50% from 300MHz to 500MHz), and the size is smaller than 400mm×420mm. It is important to feed by balance balun to realize perfect cross-polarization level of antenna array. One of the most excellent achievements is to develop an integrated and compact feed-line distribution to obtain low insertion loss.


This paper studies the Gaussian interference channel (IC) with a relay, which transmits and receives in a band that is orthogonal to the IC. The channel associated with the relay is thus an out-of-band relay channel (OBRC). The focus is on a symmetric channel model, in order to assess the fundamental impact of the OBRC on the signal interaction of the IC, in the simplest possible setting. First, the linear deterministic model is investigated and the sum capacity of this channel is established for all possible channel parameters. In particular, it is observed that the impact of OBRC, as its links get stronger, is similar to that of output feedback for the IC. The insights obtained from the deterministic model are then used to design achievable schemes for the Gaussian model. The interference links are classified as extremely strong, very strong, strong, moderate, weak, and very weak. For strong and moderate interference, separate encoding is near optimal. For very strong and extremely strong interference, the interference links provide side information to the destinations, which can help the transmission through the OBRC. For weak or very weak interference, an extension of the Han-Kobayashi scheme for the IC is utilized, where the messages are split into common and private. To achieve higher rates, it is beneficial to further split the common message into two parts, and the OBRC plays an important role in decoding the common message. It is shown that our strategy achieves the symmetric capacity to within 1.14625 bits per channel use with duplexing factor 0.5, and 1.27125 bits per channel use for arbitrary duplexing factors, for all channel parameters. An important observation from the constant gap result is that strong interference can be beneficial with the presence of an OBR.


Group communication offers a means for resource sharing and collaboration, often delivered through diverse technologies. One of the technologies, Instant Messaging, traditionally took the role of a facilitating service within such communities. Driven by a flexible XML based protocol, XMPP, instant messaging has developed functionality to a point where it can be considered a standalone group communication medium. Harnessing the extensible nature of the protocol continues to be a challenge. Alternative usage scenarios not envisioned by its core group management models have since emerged. This paper examines the current XMPP group models and how they can fulfill the requirements of a modern scenario centered on dynamic shared groups,


Bad late results following ileal conduit are usually caused by stomal obstruction. Poor emptying of the conduit, ureteric reflux and infection all combine to produce a pathological result. A manometric procedure to assess the functional performance of the conduit is presented. This allows for the diagnosis of early obstruction and decompensation. The most important measurements are a resting pressure of 1.2 kPa and the emptying pressure of 1.7 kPa and a compliance varying from 10 ml per kPa to 71 ml per kPa. The conduit must be isoperistaltic.