We have previously shown that there is deficient hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) responsiveness in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The basis for this deficient response is not known. The purpose of the project was to investigate whether the defective HPA response in RA patients is the result of increased endogenous opioid tone secondary to chronic pain which can suppress corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) production. We conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over trial to study the effect of the opiate antagonist, naloxone, on psychometric function together with plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), cortisol and prolactin. Seven RA patients with active and established disease and eight healthy controls were studied. Each received either a bolus i.v. infusion of 20 mg naloxone or normal saline. After at least 72 h, they received naloxone if they had previously received normal saline or vice versa. The pain score was statistically significantly higher at baseline in the RA group compared with controls (5.7 +/- 3.25 vs 0.35 +/- 0.21, P < 0.001). No difference was found in the other psychometric assessments throughout the study. Patients receiving normal saline did not show any significant change in cortisol or ACTH. Cortisol and ACTH showed a sharp and significant rise after naloxone treatment in both RA and normal subjects (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01), but no difference was observed between the two groups. The mean prolactin level showed no significant change in both groups after any treatment. We conclude that endogenous opioid tone does not appear to be a major contributor to the HPA defect in RA. However, the number of patients studied was small and this result will require confirmation from larger trials.


Face recognition is not rooted in a universal eye movement information-gathering strategy. Western observers favor a local facial feature sampling strategy, whereas Eastern observers prefer sampling face information from a global, central fixation strategy. Yet, the precise qualitative (the diagnostic) and quantitative (the amount) information underlying these cultural perceptual biases in face recognition remains undetermined. To this end, we monitored the eye movements of Western and Eastern observers during a face recognition task, with a novel gaze-contingent technique: the Expanding Spotlight. We used 2° Gaussian apertures centered on the observers' fixations expanding dynamically at a rate of 1° every 25 ms at each fixation – the longer the fixation duration, the larger the aperture size. Identity-specific face information was only displayed within the Gaussian aperture; outside the aperture, an average face template was displayed to facilitate saccade planning. Thus, the Expanding Spotlight simultaneously maps out the facial information span at each fixation location. Data obtained with the Expanding Spotlight technique confirmed that Westerners extract more information from the eye region, whereas Easterners extract more information from the nose region. Interestingly, this quantitative difference was paired with a qualitative disparity. Retinal filters based on spatial-frequency decomposition built from the fixations maps revealed that Westerners used local high-spatial-frequency information sampling, covering all the features critical for effective face recognition (the eyes and the mouth). In contrast, Easterners achieved a similar result by using global low-spatial-frequency information from those facial features. Our data show that the face system flexibly engages into local or global eye movement strategies across cultures, by relying on distinct facial information span and culturally tuned spatially filtered information. Overall, our findings challenge the view of a unique putative process for face recognition.


Polybrominated diphenyl ethers with persistent organic pollutant properties are required to be controlled by the Stockholm Convention. Recently, polybrominated diphenyl ether contamination has become widespread in Asia, mainly because of the disposal and recycling processes of polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing wastes. The management status, production, usage, import/export, treatment, and disposal, as well as implementation deficiencies for the environmentally sound management of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing materials in ten Asian countries were investigated and assessed in this study. This information could help the participating countries implement the Stockholm Convention and could promote the regional environmentally sound management of polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing articles and products. The results obtained were as follows. (1) Most of the countries studied lacked environmental policies and regulations, or even standards of polybrominated diphenyl ether pollution management and emission control actions. Accurate data on the consumption and importation of polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing materials, however, were not available for all the participating countries. In addition, there were no special treatment or disposal systems for polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing materials, or emission-cutting measures for the treatment of waste in these countries, owing to the lack of sufficient funding or technologies. (2) The improper dismantling of e-waste is a major source of polybrominated diphenyl ether emissions in these countries. (3) Proper e-waste management could result in a breakthrough in the environmentally sound management of this major polybrominated diphenyl ether-containing material flow, and could significantly reduce polybrominated diphenyl ether emissions. Finally, based on the study results, this article puts forward some recommendations for improving the environmentally sound management of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Asia.


The Cognitive Shadow is a prototype decision support tool that can notify users when they deviate from their usual judgment pattern. Expert decision policies are learned automatically online while performing one's task using a combination of machine learning algorithms. This study investigated whether combining this system with the use of a process tracing technique could improve its ability to model human decision policies. Participants played the role of anti-submarine warfare commanders and rated the likelihood of detecting a submarine in different ocean areas based on their environmental characteristics. In the process tracing condition, participants were asked to reveal only the information deemed necessary, and only that information was sent to the system for model training. In the control condition, all the available information was sent to the system with each decision. Results showed that process tracing data improved the model's ability to predict human decisions compared to the control condition.


Atrial fibrillation (AF) is still a major cause of disease morbidity and mortality, making its early diagnosis desirable and urging researchers to develop efficient methods devoted to automatic AF detection. Till now, the analysis of Holter-ECG recordings remains the gold-standard technique to screen AF. This is usually achieved by studying either RR interval time series analysis, P-wave detection or combinations of both morphological characteristics. After extraction and selection of meaningful features, each of the AF detection methods might be conducted through univariate and multivariate data analysis. Many of these automatic techniques have been proposed over the last years. This work presents an overview of research studies of AF detection based on RR interval time series. The aim of this paper is to provide the scientific community and newcomers to the field of AF screening with a resource that presents introductory concepts, clinical features, and a literature review that describes the techniques that are mostly followed when RR interval time series are used for accurate detection of AF.


Transient abnormal myelopoeisis (TAM) is a haematological phenomenon commonly seen in newborns with Down syndrome. Although the majority show spontaneous resolution, this condition should not be dismissed too readily as there have been associated fatalities. Furthermore, even for those who do show spontaneous resolution, a significant percentage will develop acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia within the next few years of life. We report a series of four patients with TAM who presented with hepatosplenomegaly and leucocytosis detected on preliminary investigations.


Pupose: The validity and the ethics of private security guards and the organization aims to clarify the relationship between customer orientation. Methods: 2012 located in the metropolitan area population of workers set to private security companies, after using a stratified cluster random sampling method was used in the final analysis, the total number of cases to 355 people. The questionnaire used in this study was composed of a total of 42 items, SPSSWIN 18.0, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis was conducted. Questionnaire reliability, the Cronbach"s α values were 0.635 or higher. Conclusion: The conclusions are as follows. First, Another person, organization, and personal ethics, higher organizational commitment and job satisfaction is high. Second, Showed high customer service to meet customer needs and to meet another person, organization, and personal ethics a high. Third, Appeared to meet increasing customer needs, higher organizational commitment, higher job satisfaction and organizational commitment to customer service appeared to meet higher.


Research Background: In the past few decades the Human Resource Management (HRM) practices have tremendously evolved and with technological development came the innovative data-driven approach largely known as HR analytics. HR analytics applies various statistical tools on the collected data to create interventions, propose strategies and assess their effectiveness in the organizational performance of various departments such as marketing, finance, etc. Though the HR analytics is not less known but has been remained relatively less explored. This article attempts to explore the factors of HR analytics competency and its impact on business outcome. Methodology: The hypothesis was framed to test the influence of data-based HRA competencies in different processes in the organization and the business outcome. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data from HR analytics professionals (n=180) working in the Bangalore city, India. The mean score, Pearson correlation and MANOVA analysis were performed. Major findings and conclusion: The study revealed a strong, positive and significant correlation between the sub factors of HR capability, motivation and opportunity. Our study suggests that HR capability and level of opportunities can affect the HR analytics competency outcome like process performance and strategies. Further, the results support the positive impact of HR analytics competencies on business outcome involving Return on Investments (ROI) and decision-making process. Our study emphasizes on the implementation of effective HR analytics.


This Special Issue, devoted to micro-credentials and qualifications for future work and learning in a disrupted world, is a welcome and critically timed contribution to educational theorising and practice internationally. COVID-19 has accelerated Industry 4.0's pervasive labour market disruption. Digitisation's efficiencies have been rapidly embraced and broadly up-scaled as a matter of necessity. Many industries and professions have fast tracked digitalisation to transform pre-pandemic business models for current and future sustainability. We have seen all education sectors – Kindergarten to Year 12 (K-12), vocational education and training/ further education (VET/FE) and higher education (HE) – digitise and digitalise to varying degrees in their rapid move to emergency remote teaching (Hodges et al., 2020). Robust evaluation will be needed to assess the efficacy of that pedagogical triaging – our well-intentioned 'panic-gogy' (Kamenetz, 2020) – to inform the quality and fitness-for-future-purpose of that online pivot. In the meantime, HE's students and graduates emerge from 2020 wanting to support and apply their studies in a challenging job market that was already weakening pre-pandemic and has now worsened (for example in the Australian context, Social Research Centre, 2020), especially for young people. If that was not enough, significant and underlying issues of climate change, reconciliation with First Nations, demographic change and globalisation continue to have implications for equal and equitable participation in the full range of life opportunities, including in meaningful paid work. In brief, the context for this Special Issue is an international grand challenge writ very large.


Antiproton, the antiparticle of proton, is a unique projectile in the study of atomic collision physics, which can be treated theoretically either as a 'negative proton' or a 'heavy electron'. Atomic capture of an antiproton will result in formation of a highly excited exotic atom. Antiprotonic helium atom has been studied intensively by means of precision laser spectroscopy, which has led to a stringent determination of antiproton mass and charge to a level of ppb. Comparison of these values with those of proton gives one of the best tests of CPT invariance, the most fundamental symmetry in physics. However, the dynamic processes of antiproton capture remain unclarified. With an aim to produce an antiproton beam at atomic-physics energies for 'pure' collision experiments, we have so far developed techniques to decelerate, cool and confine antiprotons in vacuo, using a sequential combination of the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) at CERN, a Radio-Frequency Quadrupole Decelerator (RFQD), and an electromagnetic trap. Our recent success in stable extraction of monoenergetic ultra-slow antiprotons, about 3 × 10 5 in number available every 5 minutes, has opened up the possibility to study ionization and atomic capture processes between an antiproton and an atom under the single collision condition. Our design and strategy of the cross-beam experiments are presented, together with technical challenges in the detection system to identify the rare events with a reaction rate of 10 −4 .


We propose a Debye-Hückel-like screening model (DESMO) that generalizes the familiar conductor-like screening model (COSMO) to solvents with non-zero ionic strength and furthermore provides a numerical generalization of the Debye-Hückel model that is applicable to non-spherical solute cavities. The numerical implementation of DESMO is based upon the switching/Gaussian (SWIG) method for smooth cavity discretization, which we have recently introduced in the context of polarizable continuum models (PCMs). This approach guarantees that the potential energy is a smooth function of the solute geometry and analytic gradients for DESMO are reported here. The SWIG formalism also facilitates analytic implementation of two other PCMs that are based on a screened Coulomb potential: the "integral equation formalism" (IEF-PCM) and the "surface and simulation of volume polarization for electrostatics" [SS(V)PE] method. Fully analytic implementations of these screened PCMs are reported here for the first time. Numerical results, for model systems where an exact solution of the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation is available, demonstrate that these screened PCMs are highly accurate. In realistic test cases, they are as accurate as the best available three-dimensional finite-difference methods. In polar solvents, DESMO is nearly as accurate as more sophisticated screened PCMs, but is significantly simpler and more efficient.


The effective treatment for pancreatic carcinoma remains critically needed. Herein, this current study showed that spiclomazine treatment caused a reduction in viability in pancreatic carcinoma cell lines CFPAC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 in vitro. It was notable in this regard that, compared with pancreatic carcinoma cells, normal human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) and liver (HL-7702) cells were more resistant to the antigrowth effect of spiclomazine. Biochemically, spiclomazine treatment regulated the expression of protein levels in the apoptosis related pathways. Consistent with this effect, spiclomazine reduced the mitochondria membrane potential, elevated reactive oxygen species, and activated caspase-3/9. In addition, a key finding from this study was that spiclomazine suppressed migration and invasion of cancer cells through down-regulation of MMP-2/9. Collectively, the proposed studies did shed light on the antiproliferation effect of spiclomazine on pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, and further clarified the mechanisms that spiclomazine induced apoptosis associated with the suppression of migration and invasion.


Tumor drug resistance is often accompanied by genetic and biological changes in the tumor cell population reflecting the acquisition of a stem-like state. However, it is not clear whether cancer therapies select for the growth of drug resistance cancer stem cells and/or directly induce the reprograming of tumor cells to a cancer stem-like, drug resistance state. We provide evidence that breast, pancreas and lung carcinomas in the presence of prolonged exposure to EGFR inhibitors undergo an epigenetic reprogramming resulting in a drug resistant stem-like tumor population expressing the cell surface marker CD61 (b3 integrin). In fact, CD61 in the context of KRAS, is necessary and sufficient to account for drug resistance, tumor initiation, self-renewal and expression of the pluripotent genes Oct 4 and Nanog. Once expressed, CD61 in the unligated state recruits KRAS to the plasma membrane leading to the activation of RalB, TBK1 and c-Rel driving both stemness and EGFR inhibitor resistance. Pharmacological targeting this pathway with drugs such as bortezomib or revlimid not only reverses stemness but resensitizes these epithelial tumors to EGFR inhibition. This epigenetic pathway can also be initiated by range of cellular stresses found within the tumor microenvironment such as hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, low pH, and oxidative stress. In normal tissues CD61 is induced during tissue remodeling and repair. For example, CD61 was found to be critical for mammary gland remodeling during pregnancy and as a mediator of pathological neovascularization. Together these findings reveal a stress-induced epigenetic pathway characterized by the upregulation of CD61 that promotes the remodeling of normal tissues but in tumors contributes to EGFR inhibitor resistance and tumor progression. Citation Format: David A. Cheresh. Induction of cancer stemness and drug resistance by EGFR blockade. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr SY27-04. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-SY27-04


At a basic level, product design composes three primary tasks: specification development, conceptual and configuration design, and product refinement. Customer needs analysis, product benchmarking, and business case analysis are fundamental to specification development, whereas conceptual design and product refinement entail functional analysis, the generation of solution principles and product geometry, concept selection, mathematical modeling, prototyping, and Taguchi analysis for variability. In this paper, we focus on an advanced method for functional analysis, a critical component of this process. This method demonstrates clear ties to customer needs, and is based on an empirical study of approximately 60 household consumer products. As part of this study, a common vocabulary for product functions and flows is developed and applied to the consumer products. House of Quality results are then used to correlate customer importance to the product functions. Data from these correlations provide a basis for determining critical functions and flows across all products and within important product domains, such as material processors and beverage brewers. From this study, we discuss how the results can be applied to product testing and benchmarking, design by analogy, the identification of functional groups and dependencies, and design education.


For lower limb amputees, the socket fit is affected by the physical activity performed during the day. The majority of the studies in this field include only transtibial amputees and do not examine the effects of this variable. This paper aims to determine the effect of physical activity on the volume of the residual limb (RL), the comfort, and the symmetry of gait in traumatic transfemoral amputees. RL volume and gait data of five individuals were obtained at the first time of the day and after three sessions of treadmill walking. The ratio symmetry index of selected points of gait parameters was calculated. A short comfort test was used after each session. Data were analyzed throughout the tests within each subject, and statistical analysis was performed. After the physical activity, a tendency toward volume decrease was found on almost all subjects, although it was not significant. Transfemoral amputees may have smaller volume variations than transtibial after treadmill walking tasks. Significant difference was found on the symmetry index of "swing phase (SWP)." The values of gait symmetry were consistent with previous findings regarding transfemoral amputees. The lowest symmetry was noticed on the ankle kinematics. The comfort did not significantly change with the selected amount of physical activity. In subsequent research, it is recommended to increase the intensity or time of physical activity and/or increase the number of participants. These results can help the understanding of how the socket/RL interface behaves, which can improve the design and prescription of prosthetic components.


For over sixty years, understanding the causes of multiannual cycles in animal populations has been a central issue in ecology. This book brings together ten of the leaders in this field to examine the major hypotheses and recent evidence in the field, and to establish that trophic interactions are an important factor in driving at least some of the major regular oscillations in animal populations that have long puzzled ecologists.


Growth in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of copper enhances the tendency of yeast to flocculate. Many yeasts will not flocculate unless calcium is included in the growth medium and Guinness strain 522 used in the present work required a relatively large amount. Single cell cultures may undergo variation during subculture, resulting in the production of a large number of variants (Chester 1963). The cells of these variants differ considerably in their ability to adhere together. Flocculation variants of strain 522 differed among themselves in the amount of calcium necessary for flocculation, the most flocculent variants requiring least calcium. Washed cells of the more flocculent yeasts removed more calcium from a calcium chloride solution than did those with lesser powers of adhesion. In a copper medium containing calcium the more flocculent variants replaced the less flocculent. Calcium protected cells from copper and the more flocculent variants enjoyed most protection. All variants acquired resistance to copper during growth in the copper medium. Despite the selection of the more flocculent yeasts during growth in liquid medium, their copper resistance was less than that of the less flocculent yeasts. When calcium was added to the liquid copper medium, cultures developed less resistance. It is concluded that the less flocculent cells, having less protection by calcium, were exposed to what was effectively a greater concentration of copper and therefore became more resistant. This greater resistance did not enable these cells to compete with the flocculent cells in liquid cultures.


Introduction: Diagnosis of orbital foreign body (FB) penetration is usually obvious when part of the FB is still attached at the entry wound (1). However, the depth and course of the FB in this case was not visible. Case Report: A 5-year old female presented with a pencil penetrating the left orbit. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed that the pencil penetrated the left orbit (extraseptal) through the lacrimal bone to the left nasal cavity, then perforated the nasal septum, crossing the right nasal cavity. Finally, the pencil penetrated the lamina paperatea to the right orbit and stopped near the right optic nerve. The pencil was gently removed under general anesthesia with close observation of the eyes. Conclusion: A case of a pencil penetrating both orbits and nasal cavities was reported, and the pencil was safely removed. This draws attention to the possible penetration power of a pencil, with the possibility of injury to the orbit and optic nerve on the opposite side of the penetration. It also demonstrates the feasibility of safe removal.


Role modelling is considered an important influence on emerging professional identity. However as a process it goes largely uninspected. In an effort to develop greater awareness of this important process, this study examines the positive and negative role modelling experiences of New Zealand house officers.


Due to an increasing elderly population coupled with a growing obesity epidemic, there has been an increased prevalence in cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases. This has led to an increased burden in healthcare expenditures, now estimated to be over 17.8% of gross domestic product. As a result, physical activity has been increasingly encouraged due to its potential prophylactic effects on health. Recent reports have demonstrated a relationship between physical activity and body mass index (BMI) on cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health. However, the effect of the combination of the two have not been reported. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to assess the effect of various levels of physical activity on: 1) cardiovascular disease risk; and 2) the development of musculoskeletal disease (osteoarthritis [OA]) when accounting for various levels of BMIs. A total of 143 abstracts were identified for cardiovascular health and 55 abstracts for musculoskeletal health. Upon review, 11 reports were included for final evaluation. Despite patient BMI, physical activity was associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular events. Additionally, moderate levels of physical activity were demonstrated to be protective against the development of OA; however, the levels of physical activity necessary to be beneficial were not fully elucidated. This suggests that the prophylactic effects of physical activity were maintained despite patient BMI. Future studies are needed to explore the appropriate levels of physical activity for optimal effectiveness when stratifying by patient BMI.


Tumor angiogenesis plays an important role in the development of cancer. Previously, we reported that hepatitis B X-interacting protein (HBXIP) functioned as an oncoprotein in breast cancer. However, the role of HBXIP in angiogenesis in breast cancer remains poorly understood. In the present study, we show that the oncoprotein HBXIP plays crucial roles in the event. We observed that the expression levels of HBXIP were positively correlated with those of fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in clinical breast cancer tissues. Then, we demonstrated that HBXIP was able to upregulate FGF8 through activation of its promoter involving direct binding to cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in breast cancer cells and thereby increased its secretion. Strikingly, we identified another pathway that HBXIP upregulated FGF8 and VEGF through inhibiting miRNA-503, which directly targeted 3' untranslated region of FGF8 or VEGF mRNA in the cells. Moreover, we revealed that HBXIP-induced FGF8 could upregulate VEGF expression through activating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1α) signaling and increase its secretion. In function, matrigel angiogenesis assay and hemoglobin content analysis uncovered that HBXIP-enhanced FGF8/VEGF boosted tumor angiogenesis and growth in breast cancer in vitro and in vivo in a paracrine/autocrine manner. Thus, we conclude that HBXIP enhances angiogenesis and growth of breast cancer through modulating FGF8 and VEGF. Our finding provides new insights into the mechanism of tumor angiogenesis in breast cancer. Therapeutically, HBXIP may serve as a novel target of tumor angiogenesis.


Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has modified the prognosis of HIV which has evolved into a chronic condition. People living with HIV (PLWH) are living longer presenting an increased number of comorbidities leading to polypharmacy. Literature on the prevalence, associated factors, drug-drug interactions (DDIs), effects on ART-outcomes, geriatric conditions, and nutritional status together with health-interventions aimed to reduce it is presented in this review. A literature search was conducted on the MEDLINE database for all relevant English- and Spanish-language studies since 2006. Studies providing data of interest were identified and ordered in groups: (i) prevalence and associated factors (n = 37), (ii) DDIs (n = 19), (iii) Effects on ART-outcomes (n = 12), (iv) Effects on health conditions (n = 13), and (V) Health-interventions to assess and/or reduce it (n = 9). Polypharmacy occurs in 9-91% of PLWH (2.6-19.5% affected by severe polypharmacy). Main factors associated with polypharmacy are older age, a higher number of comorbidities, frailty, deteriorated renal function, and previous hospitalizations. DDIs were present in 19.15-84% of cases (1.3-12.2% for the most severe types). Mainly involved non-ART drugs were antihypertensives, statins, antithrombotic agents, corticosteroids, divalent cations, and antiacids. Polypharmacy can affect ART selection, adherence, and outcomes and has been related to some geriatric conditions such as falls, frailty, and poor nutritional status. Potentially prescribing issues are present in up to 87.9% of cases according to the STOPP-START and Beers criteria and some pharmacist-led interventions have been shown to reduce it. Considering these findings, polypharmacy should be considered a clinical concern in this population and treatment-optimization programs are needed to reduce its burden.


Electron scattering in and secondary electron emission from multiwalled carbon nanotubes are investigated using Monte Carlo simulation. The method treats energy loss in a discrete manner, resulting from individual scattering events, rather than within a continuous-slowing-down approximation. Simulation results agree fairly well with the reported experimental data. The effect of number of nanotube walls is investigated and the energy distribution of the transmitted electrons is calculated. It is found that secondary electron yield in the low-primary-energy range is more sensitive to the number of walls and is maximized for a particular number of walls. The effect is not significant in the higher-primary-energy range. The effect of core electron ionization on secondary electron emission from nanotubes is found to be negligible because of the low scattering cross-section involved. The presented framework can also be applied to other small structures such as nanowires.


The nearest relative of a patient detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (HM Government, 1983) has an important role to play. S/he might even object to detention, and in some circumstances, any such objection will have to be respected and the patient cannot lawfully be detained. A recent High Court case examined what it means to object to detention. The judge said that although a nearest relative might be believed not to have objected, detention will only be lawful if that belief was reasonable. He also suggested that in some cases, objection should be inferred from a nearest relative's previous conduct.


Background: The stigma against HIV/AIDS leads to suspicion, negative attitude, and rejection towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) and their communities. The stigma that occurs in adolescents may be influenced by various factors, one of which is knowledge of HIV/AIDS. This study aimed to determine the association between knowledge about HIV/AIDS among adolescents and stigma towards PLWH in Indonesia.

Subjects and Method: This was an analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design. A sample of 10,437 adolescents was selected for this study. The dependent variable was stigma towards PLWH. The independent variable was knowledge about HIV/AIDS. The data were taken from Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (SDKI) year 2012. The data were analyzed by chi square test.

Results: There was an association between knowledge about HIV/AIDS in adolescents and stigma towards PLWH. Stigma towards PLWH increased with a lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS among adolescents (OR= 2.66; 95% CI= 2.24 to 3.15; p<0.001).

Conclusion: A lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS among adolescents is associated with an increase in stigma towards PLWH.

Keywords: stigma, knowledge, HIV/IDS, PLWH, adolescent


Outsourcing can offer numerous benefits including increased corporate flexibility, the ability to focus on core business and as a result build sustainable competitive advantages. To harness the benefits of outsourcing to its fullest potential and avoid common errors and failures it is of a vital importance to follow a strategic planning and decision-making process involving careful analysis of a wide range of internal and external factors, which results in a proper sourcing decision. For that purpose the authors have developed a business resource-planning model (BRP) - a comprehensive sourcing framework and analytical tool for sourcing analysis and implementation. The proposed model integrates the key elements of the sourcing decision-making process consisting of the value chain perspective, core competency appraisal and the impact of the company's supply base. To meet the successful sourcing decision it is an imperative to analyze the process from the activity perspective within the company's value chain. Looking from a value chain perspective it is possible to recognize the activities that add value to the company and in that manner fortify the company's competitive position. In order to adapt to the shifting basis of competition it is in a company's interest to engage in the process of strategic flexibility and adaptability based on the value chain reengineering. The Business Resource Planning model (BRP) is a generic model that commences with the analysis of the company's business including the analysis of the market the company is in. It is worth noting that this phase determines the criteria upon which a sourcing decision for the non-core activities is made. The derivation of the initial stage is the value-chain activity benchmarking that implies the analysis of the company's core competencies vs. the wide spectrum of external sources. To maintain the long-term competitive advantage it is of major importance to reorganize the company's value chain and focus on core activities. Core activity is benchmarked against the capabilities of all potential providers of that activity but they need not necessarily come from the same industry. Benchmarking enables a company to look beyond the basic product line and focus on management and operating skills. Core activities C/B analysis as the following stage measures all costs involved in the sourcing decision be it outsourcing or keeping in-house confronting them with the outsourcing benefits. Vendor analysis should supplement the decision-making process to reach the final choice on the sourcing strategy. The results of the model implementation can vary between outsourcing or further internal investment in the company's processes and activities. When outsourcing is the selected strategic decision arrangement with vendors can vary from shared services to partnerships. The model involves the philosophy of strategic flexibility and adaptability in order to monitor trends, identify the drivers of change, develop possible scenarios, assess current business arrangements and create strategy alternatives.


The importance of the subject of this study is attributable to the need of developing the theory and practice of formation of bank marketing, its features and new trends associated with this concept. Prospects for the development of banks and their ability to quickly and efficiently address new challenges presented by the market can be determined through modern forms, methods of management and creative use of financial marketing opportunities. Aim. The presented study aims to examine the specific aspects, principles, conditions, factors of emergence, and prospects for the development of bank marketing and forms of its management in modern economic conditions. Tasks. The authors identify the major trends and perspective directions in the development of bank marketing in Azerbaijan at the current stage. Methods . As its methodological and theoretical basis, this study uses a systems approach to the analysis of its subject, conceptual approaches outlined in the works of Azerbaijani, Russian, and foreign scientists in the field of bank marketing. These methods are used to determine the essence of bank marketing, present the types and organization of marketing research, and identify the characteristic traits, new forms, and directions for the development of bank marketing. Results . The study uses general scientific methods of cognition in various aspects to identify characteristic traits, trends, and new directions of bank marketing. A review of scientific publications shows that academic papers tend to focus on general conceptual approaches to the practical application of marketing. The authors believe that the issues of organization of a comprehensive bank management system, its implementation based on innovations in the promotion of banking products and services in the financial market, and substantiation of channels for their distribution among consumers are insufficiently explored. This makes the subject of this study extremely relevant due to the inevitable optimization of the organizational structure of banks through comprehensive implementation of the marketing system. Conclusions . Theoretical and practical issues of bank marketing are examined. As a result, the specific features and characteristic traits of this mechanism, conditions and factors for its emergence, and its prospects in the context of the digital economy are analyzed.


An affinity of horseradish peroxidase for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), irrespective of antigen-antibody conjugation, was disclosed incidentally, and a new staining method of HBsAg was established. The new technique is simple, inexpensive and available for formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded sections, and does not require fresh liver tissue. Compared with three other methods, involving Shikata's orcein staining, the conventional immunoperoxidase method, and the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase method, it showed high specificity and sensitivity, which were not lower than the other three methods. Conjugation of horseradish peroxidase with HBsAg was confirmed by affinity chromatography. Attention should be paid to the fact that there is a possibility of obtaining false positive results by immunoperoxidase methods, staining antigens other than HBsAg in HBsAg positive liver tissue because of antigen-antibody independent affinity of peroxidase for HBsAg.


Purpose: To curtail the potential of donor corneal tissue disseminating fungi to the recipient's eye, we evaluated the addition of amphotericin B to McCarey-Kaufman (M-K)—corneal storage medium supplemented with colistin. Methods: Amphotericin B was examined for its ability to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus using a microbroth dilution test and checkerboard assay in combination with only gentamicin and a combination of colistin, gentamicin, and amphotericin B. The safety on epithelium and endothelium was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results: The minimal inhibitory concentration of gentamicin was found to be >256 μg/ml against both C. albicans and A. flavus, whereas that of amphotericin B was found to be in a range of 0.25–0.5 and 1–2 μg/ml for C. albicans and A. flavus, respectively. According to the checkerboard assay, 80% (4/5) of C. albicans isolates and 100% (5/5) of A. flavus isolates responded synergistically to the combination of amphotericin B and gentamicin, but only 20% (1/5) of C. albicans isolates showed an additive effect. None of the tested isolates displayed antagonism. The combined effect of the three drugs also did not display any antagonistic effect. Additionally, the MTT assay reveals no toxic effect of the antimicrobials used on corneal epithelial and endothelial cells. Conclusion: In vitro experiments demonstrate that amphotericin B is not toxic to either epithelium or endothelium and is a promising additive to the M-K medium supplemented with colistin.


Abstract Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major social problem and public health issue, but we still have a relatively small amount of data about partner violence in women with disabilities. The main objective of this study was to understand the experiences of women with disabilities who are or have been abused by their partners and to explore the knowledge, views and training requirements of primary care professionals. Method: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with women with disabilities who had experienced IPV (n = 14), and focus groups with healthcare professionals (n = 16). Results: Women with disabilities suffer specific forms of abuse. Because they depend on the people around them to take action, they are subordinate and this can prolong the abuse. The healthcare staff frequently mentioned that it is often difficult to notice that women with disabilities are being abused. Their lack of training about disabilities and gender-based violence makes them less sure of their ability to identify and deal with any possible cases of abuse. Conclusions: The difficulties described by the women interviewed are broadly speaking the same as those described by the healthcare professionals consulted. A number of suggestions for improvements are provided based on the results found. Implications for Rehabilitation The rehabilitation of abused disabled women implies that women perceive the health system as a resource to resolve their situation. Healthcare professionals should be trained on how to detect, treat and communicate with disabled women who experience partner violence. Is needed to establish a comprehensive system of coordination between services involved in caring for abused women and with disabilities.


Scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) is used as a routine non-destructive test tool for different diagnostic examinations: detection of defects such as microcracks, delamination, disbonding, inclusions, subsurface features in materials such as pores and cracks. SAM can be operated in a wide frequency range from Megahertz to Gigahertz. SAM measurement spatial resolution is diffraction limited by the wavelength of the acoustic wave in particular medium and also depends on individual transducers geometry. Actual SAM spatial resolution can be determined by measuring calibrated lithographically formed microstructures in high acoustic impedance materials. Numerical acoustic signal simulation method, based on the diffraction approach, was employed for the selection of the calibration block pattern geometry and linear dimensions of the elements. Universal calibration block for SAM operating in a 20-230 MHz frequency range was micromachined in high acoustic impedance ceramic substrates. Differently spaced (from 18 to 185 µm) lines of the same width and different widths (from 17 to 113 µm) but similar spacing lines were imposed in alumina ceramics employing one step lithography process, i.e. femtosecond laser ablation. Proposed SAM calibration pattern linear dimensions were characterized employing optical and scanning electron microscopy. Finally the samples were measured with SAM employing different frequency transducers and results were compared with the numerical simulations. It was obtained that resolution of SAM operating with 230 MHz transducer is not worse than 40 µm.


Various surfaces have been used for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) immobilization, one example being a silanized surface. This is useful for determining DNA lengths and, thus, locating specific gene sequences in DNA by using fluorescence microscopy and scanning probe microscopy. In this study, we deposited DNA by using the molecular combing method and, we used fluorescence microscopy to study how the chain lengths of n-alkylsilanes affected the surface density of DNA deposited on the silanized surfaces in a tris-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (TE) buffer. The forces between a cleaned silicon-nitride (Si3N4) tip and each substrate surface in aqueous buffers at various pH levels (1.0 ~ 9.0) were also studied by using atomic force microscopy to measure the force-distance curves. We explain why the density of lambda bacteriophage DNA (λ-DNA) deposited by using the molecular combing method at pH 8 was lower on the silanized surface with the shorter alkyl chain than it was on the silanized surface with the longer alkyl chain in terms of the electrical double layer (EDL) and the adhesive force.


This review concentrates on the latest advances in molecular imaging technology, including PET, MRI, and optical imaging. In PET, significant improvements in tumor detection and image resolution have been achieved by introducing new scintillation materials, iterative image reconstruction, and correction methods. These advances enabled the first clinical scanners capable of time-of-flight detection and incorporating point-spread-function reconstruction to compensate for depth-of-interaction effects. In the field of MRI, the most important developments in recent years have mainly been MRI systems with higher field strengths and improved radiofrequency coil technology. Hyperpolarized imaging, functional MRI, and MR spectroscopy provide molecular information in vivo. A special focus of this review article is multimodality imaging and, in particular, the emerging field of combined PET/MRI.


Preface. Introduction to functional neural circuitry. Introduction to neural signaling pathways. Neural circuitry and signaling in schizophrenia. Neural circuitry and signaling in addiction. Neural circuitry and signaling in anxiety. Neural circuitry and signaling in depression. Neural circuitry and signaling in bipolar disorder. Neural circuitry and signaling in dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Index.


The phase transition in chloranil crystal has been studied by measurements of the 35Cl nuclear quadrupole resonance frequency and the spin‐lattice relaxation time. The splitting of the resonance line in the low temperature phase was shown to behave as an order parameter of the phase transition. The experimental order parameter and the anomalous behavior of the transition probability (1/T1) near the transition point were interpreted satisfactorily in terms of the librational soft‐mode theory which assumes anharmonic coupling between molecular librational modes in the crystal.


Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are a type of cancer originating in the mucosal epithelium of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx, the sixth most common cancer in the world. However, there is no effective treatment for HNSCCs. More than 90% of HNSCCs overexpress epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs). Although small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies have been developed to target EGFRs, few EGFR-targeted therapeutics are approved for clinical use. Ferroptosis is a new kind of programmed death induced by the iron catalyzed excessive peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. A growing body of evidence suggests that ferroptosis plays a pivotal role in inhibiting the tumor process. However, whether and how ferroptosis-inducers (FINs) play roles in hindering HNSCCs are unclear. In this study, we analyzed the sensitivity of different HNSCCs to ferroptosis-inducers. We found that only tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cells, but not nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, actively respond to ferroptosis-inducers. The different sensitivities of HNSCC cells to ferroptosis induction may be attributed to the expression of KRAS and ferritin heavy chain (FTH1) since a high level of FTH1 is associated with the poor prognostic survival of HNSCCs, but knocked down FTH1 can promote HNSCC cell death. Excitingly, the ferroptosis-inducer RSL3 plays a synthetic role with EGFR monoclonal antibody Cetuximab to inhibit the survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (CNE-2), which are insensitive to both ferroptosis induction and EGFR inhibition due to a high level of FTH1 and a low level of EGFR, respectively. Our findings prove that FTH1 plays a vital role in ferroptosis resistance in HNSCCs and also provide clues to target HNSCCs resistant to ferroptosis induction and/or EGFR inhibition.


Etoposide, a topoisomerase II inhibitor, has been widely used as a clinical anticancer drug to treat diverse cancer patients. Since not only rapidly dividing cancer cells but also the cells of normal human tissues and every living organism in environmental ecosystems have topoisomerases, it is crucial to study the toxicity of etoposide in other organisms in addition to cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of etoposide in both a soil nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, and 3T3‐L1 normal murine cells. Etoposide significantly retarded the growth, egg laying, and hatching in C. elegans. Etoposide also affected the reproductive gonad tissue, decreased the number of germ cells and induced abnormally enlarged nuclei in C. elegans. In addition, etoposide inhibited 3T3‐L1 cell proliferation, with IC50 values of 37.8 ± 7.3 and 9.8 ± 1.8 μM after 24 and 48 hours of treatment, respectively, via the induction of cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and apoptotic cell death. Etoposide also induced nuclear enlargement in 3T3‐L1 normal murine cells. The reproductive toxicity and abnormal nuclear morphological changes seemed to correlate with the adverse effects of etoposide. We suggest that these experimental platforms, i.e., the toxicological evaluation of both nematodes and 3T3‐L1 cells, may be useful to study the mechanisms underlying the side effects of chemicals, including topoisomerase inhibitors.


S Abstract This article examines the politics of legal prosecution of politically subversive speech qualified as "counterrevolutionary propaganda and agitation" according to Article 58.10 of the Soviet Criminal Code in 1941-1942. These years saw a marked rise in the number of trials under this article, which reflected negative popular opinion about the initial Soviet war losses. The increased severity of punishment was dictated by fears of a popular uprising. At the same time, the supreme judicial organs were aware that the excessive punishment of civilians might undermine the morale of Red Army soldiers, most of whom had families on the home front. Soviet courts, therefore, had to strike an uneasy balance between ensuring state security and preserving the loyalty of the population. To do so, the Supreme Court provided detailed instructions that admonished lower courts to assess the crime in view of its social danger, determined by the "personality" of the accused rather than the nature of the offense. However, the article argues, this emphasis on "personality"


Abstract: The psychosocial outcome of 23 heart and 21 heart–lung transplant recipients, aged 5–17 yrs, was determined and compared with the psychosocial outcome of a group of 46 children and adolescents who underwent conventional cardiac surgery. Preoperatively, and 12 months post‐operatively, the patients' physical health status, mental state (ICD‐9) and level of psychosocial functioning (GAF scale, DSM‐IIIR) were assessed. There was an improvement in physical health in all groups. Preoperatively, psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and phobic states, depression and adjustment reaction, was noted in 6/23 (26%) children assessed for heart transplantation, 6/21(28.5%) children assessed for heart–lung transplantation, and 12/46 (26%) children undergoing conventional cardiac surgery. The prevalence of psychiatric disorder remained in the transplant group but decreased in the non‐transplant comparison group (6.5%). Improvement in overall levels of psychosocial functioning were found in all groups, but over 40% of all the participants were still functioning below normal levels. In summary, children with end‐stage cardio‐respiratory disease benefit physically and psychologically from heart or heart–lung transplantation treatment but there is a need for systematic psychosocial support both before and after transplantation.


An analysis of 100 biopsy-proven lung cancers found by chance chest films and treated by resection have been collected over a 20 year period. Data relating to sex of patients, smoking habits, age groups, lung and lobar sites, cell type, treatment and survival are stated and discussed in relation to the findings of a known planned study for detecting early stage lung cancer by chest films. It is concluded that, if a person at lung cancer risk is genuinely interested in having regular checks to catch early, operable disease, then his chances are best with six-monthly chest films.


We present an approach to model handwriting like curves with the cubic spline interpolation function. Different from NURBS such as Bezier and B-spline curve modeling, the huge complexity of the traditional spline interpolation have been obstructed and limited the application of spline curve modeling. We propose an efficient local cubic spline interpolation curve modeling algorithm and provide an approach to apply the algorithm to model arbitrary shape built from free form curves.


AIM
Determination of the 25(OH) vitamin D levels in Greek-born and in Bangladeshi immigrant patients in Greece with diabetes with and without polyneuropathy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The method for the detection and staging of polyneuropathy proposed by Dyck, 1988 was used.

RESULTS
A total of 111 Bangladeshi immigrants and 101 Greek diabetic patients took part in the study. Vitamin D levels were significantly lower in Bangladeshi than in Greek diabetic patients, and were significantly lower in Greek patients with small-fiber neuropathy. In Bangladeshi patients, there was no statistically significant difference in the subgroup of patients with polyneuropathy in comparison to those without polyneuropathy.

CONCLUSION
The association of vitamin D deficiency only with a small number of Greek patients with exclusively small-fiber neuropathy does not allow us to draw a definite conclusion on the role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy.


Chronic infection with HCV is a worldwide health problem that may lead to cirrhosis, portal hypertension, hepatocellular failure and hepatocellular carcinoma in most of cases. A new era in HCV treatment has been started using direct acting antiviral activity. In this study we assess the safety and efficacy of a combination therapy Sofosbuvir/Simprevir in the treatment of chronic HCV patients genotype IV either cirrhotic or non-cirrhotic. In the outpatient clinic, one hundred and seventy five chronic HCV patients were recruited from Tropical Medicine Department at Fayoum public hospital. A combination of Sofosbuvir (400 mg) and Simeprevir (150 mg) was administered for those patients once daily over a period of 12 weeks. All patients have been followed up for clinical and laboratory parameters and HCV PCR to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this therapy. Sustained Virologic Response rate (SVR12) were 97.7% (169/173) (primary end point), and same results obtained at the second end point (SVR 24). In this study, cirrhotic patients showed lower SVR (92.7%) compared to non-cirrhotic patients (98.5%) (p-value 0.085). Majority of patients (57.14%) reported adverse events (AEs) during treatment and most common AEs were headache, fatigue, pruritus, dizziness and photosensitivity. On the basis of the evidence currently available, it seems fair to suggest that the combination therapy of (SMV/SOF) in the treatment of chronic HCV genotype IV naive and experienced patient whether cirrhotic or non-cirrhotic is safe and effective. This was evidenced by monitoring patientsÂ' clinically and using hepatic parameters after drug administration. The adverse events affected patients were mild and tolerable among patients.


We present a new task dissemination scheme called multicast deluge (MDeluge). MDeluge can disseminate tasks into a subset of the sensor network. MDeluge uses a tree which is formed when the source node broadcasts the code version message. The source node keeps the tasks and sends it based on the requests. MDeluge supports newly emerging wireless sensor network architectures with layered structure and mobile sensor nodes. We developed a prototype implementation of MDeluge on TelosB motes. Assuming a grid structured wireless sensor network, we present an analysis of various message costs as well as the overall cost of data messages. Experimentation with the prototype and simulation of MDeluge are done to show the MDeluge performance in static sensor network. Simulation also shows how the performance will be impacted by various parameters in a sensor network with mobile sensor nodes.


Genetic Architecture (GA) refers to the patterns of genetic effects that build and control a given phenotypic character and their variation properties. A description of GA can include declarations about the gene and number of alleles, the distri bution of the allelic and mutational effects, and the patterns of pleiotropy, dominance and epistasis. The classical population genetics tends to treat the GA as a group of invariable para meters and not as an evolutionary variable. The Neon-Dar winian paradigm more or less defines the evolution as a chan ge in the allelic frequencies and gives small scope for the evolution of the allelic effects. Concepts as the genetic canalization, the evolution of the reduced genetic variation, and the genetic assimilation –evolutionary answers based on the induced environmental variation– were difficult to frame in this line of work and were followed by a few investigators, being treated in an empirical way. The canalization has had finally; a solid interpretation in terms of population genetics and evolution of reduced effects of a gene, through epistatic interactions with an evolutionary genetic background, and actually is the focus of considerable theoretical and empirical interest. The fast development of the molecular technologies has permitted the generation of an almost unlimited number of markers that specify the structure and organization of the genome of any organism. The integration of the statistics with the molecular genetics permitted to have the first tool to disin tegrate a quantitative characteristic in its individual genetic components (quantitative Trait Loci, qTL). After that, has been developed multiple statistical methods to locate com plex characteristics and their applications to the animal, vegetal, and human genetics.


: Solvents used to clean oxygen system components must be assessed for oxygen compatibility, as incompatible residue or fluid inadvertently left behind within an oxygen system can pose a flammability risk. The most recent approach focused on solvent ignition susceptibility to assess the flammability risk associated with these materials. Previous evaluations included Ambient Pressure Liquid Oxygen (LOX) Mechanical Impact Testing (ASTM G86) and Autogenous Ignition Temperature (AIT) Testing (ASTM G72). The goal in this approach was to identify a solvent material that was not flammable in oxygen. As environmental policies restrict the available options of acceptable solvents, it has proven difficult to identify one that is not flammable in oxygen. A more rigorous oxygen compatibility approach is needed in an effort to select a new solvent for NASA applications. NASA White Sands Test Facility proposed an approach that acknowledges oxygen flammability, yet selects solvent materials based on their relative oxygen compatibility ranking, similar to that described in ASTM G63-99. Solvents are selected based on their ranking with respect to minimal ignition susceptibility, damage and propagation potential, as well as their relative ranking when compared with other solvent materials that are successfully used in oxygen systems. Test methods used in this approach included ASTM G86 (Ambient Pressure LOX Mechanical Impact Testing and Pressurized Gaseous Oxygen (GOX) Mechanical Impact Testing), ASTM G72 (AIT Testing), and ASTM D240 (Heat of Combustion (HOC) Testing). Only four solvents were tested through the full battery of tests for evaluation of oxygen compatibility: AK-225G as a baseline comparison, Solstice PF, L-14780, and Vertrel MCA. Baseline solvent AK-225G exhibited the lowest HOC and highest AIT of solvents tested. Nonetheless, Solstice PF, L-14780, and Vertrel MCA HOCs all fell well within the range of properties that are associated with proven oxygen system materials. Tested AITs for these solvents fell only slightly lower than the AIT for the proven AK-225G solvent. Based on these comparisons in which solvents exhibited properties within those ranges seen with proven oxygen system materials, it is believed that Solstice PF, L-14780, and Vertrel MCA would perform well with respect to oxygen compatibility.


The mucosal origins hypothesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) proposes a central role for mucosal immune responses in the initiation and/or perpetuation of the systemic autoimmunity that occurs with disease. However, the connection between the mucosa and systemic autoimmunity in RA remains unclear. Using dual IgA/IgG family plasmablast-derived monoclonal autoantibodies obtained from peripheral blood of individuals at-risk for RA, we identified cross-reactivity between RA-relevant autoantigens and bacterial taxa in the closely related families Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae. After generating bacterial isolates within Lachnospiraceae/Ruminococcaceae genus Subdoligranulum from the feces of an individual, we confirmed monoclonal antibody binding as well as MHC class II dependent CD4+ T cell activation in RA cases compared to controls. Additionally, when Subdoligranulum isolate 7 but not isolate 1 colonized germ-free mice, it stimulated Th17 cell expansion, serum RA-relevant IgG autoantibodies, and joint swelling reminiscent of early RA with histopathology characterized by antibody deposition and complement activation. Systemic immune responses were likely due to the generation of colon isolated lymphoid follicles (ILFs) driving increased fecal and serum IgA by isolate 7, as B and T cell depletion not only halted intestinal immune responses but also eliminated detectable clinical disease. In aggregate, these findings demonstrate one mucosal mechanism in RA through which an intestinal strain of bacteria can drive systemic autoantibody generation and joint-centered antibody deposition and immune activation. One-sentence summary Subdoligranulum spp. targeted by rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-relevant autoantibodies activate T cells in individuals with RA, and in mice stimulate autoantibodies and joint swelling associated with antibody deposition and complement activation.


This paper presents the program BOUNCE for animating transients on transmission lines. BOUNCE is used for classroom demonstrations of fundamental concepts such as traveling wave, reflected wave, reflection from an unmatched load, and transmission through junctions and branches. BOUNCE provides a "laboratory" for students to use in verifying homework exercises solved with a lattice diagram. BOUNCE is used to demonstrate fundamental principles of logic design, such as ringing because of mismatch at high-impedance gate inputs, the effect of gate-input capacitance, and the effect of logic-gate rise time. BOUNCE graphically demonstrates the transition to the sinusoidal steady state and the concept of a standing wave, as the result of an unmatched load, as an introduction to solving transmission lines with phasors. This paper describes the operation of the BOUNCE program and then discusses various classroom demonstrations and the associated homework exercises.


AIM
This study examines the occurrence of contrast nephropathy in a series of 302 consecutive lower limb angiogram and angioplasty procedures.

METHODS
Serum creatinine measurements, 1 and 3 days after the procedures, were used to identify cases of contrast nephropathy, defined as a 25% increase above initial creatinine. These cases were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 267 patients had 224 diagnostic, and 78 interventional lower limb angiographic procedures. Of these, 46% had pre-existing renal impairment (creatinine >118 micro mol/l), of whom 11% were on dialysis - dialysis patients were excluded from analysis of changes in creatinine. Repeat creatinine measurements were taken after 191 procedures.

RESULTS
Contrast nephropathy occurred after 15 procedures: of whom 9 died, and 6 recovered. Of these patients, 11 were taking potentially nephrotoxic drugs and 9 had renal impairment. Precautions to avoid contrast nephropathy were taken in only 2 cases. Of the 9 deaths, 6 were associated with severe underlying disease processes, but 3 occurred directly as a result of contrast nephropathy. Contrast nephropathy has an incidence of 8% in this series: the incidence in acute limb-threatening ischaemia is double that for other cases. Death from renal failure is relatively rare, with an incidence of 1%. In uncomplicated angiography or angioplasty, where admission is not prolonged by a need for further treatment, the condition has no mortality.

CONCLUSIONS
Accepted precautionary measures should be observed, and alternatives to conventional angiography should be considered - particularly where there is pre-existing renal impairment and other co-morbidity.


The energetics of stationary disturbances is theoretically studied by means of the linearized form of the primitive equations of motion. Topographic and diabatic effects are prescribed as forcing. As the basic zonal current depending upon pressure, we have employed the winter normal conditions at 35ßN latitude and at 60ßN latitude. Our main interest will be to determine how the stationary disturbances are altered under different zonal currents and when changes in the lateral kinematic eddy-viscosity coefficient and surface friction coefficient are made. The characteristics of the topographically excited disturbances of wave numbers about 3 is such that they can vertically transport sizable amounts of energy upward in the form of geopotential, after receiving kinetic energy through mountain effect and importing available potential energy from the zonal mean field. The upward transfer of geopotential is less pronounced at 60ßN latitude than at 35ßN latitude where the subtropical jet stream is located near 250 mb. As for the thermally induced disturbances, a large amount of upward energy transfer occurs only at 60ßN latitude where the vertical profile of zonal wind is characterized by the existence of the polar night jet stream, while no possibility of this type of upward transfer exists at 35ßN latitude.


Objective: The aim of this study is to describe the main clinical phenotypes, laboratory findings, and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients hospitalized at the High Specialty Medical Unit # 71 of the Mexican Social Security Institute. Methods: Prospective observational cohort study with a total of 105 patients hospitalized with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection at the High Specialty Medical Unit # 71 (Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico), from May 15th to August 15th, 2020. The cases were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive through an RT-qPCR test. Clinical phenotypes and laboratory tests were evaluated to determine the degree of severity of the disease and the most frequent comorbidities. Results: The clinical characteristics of a total of 105 hospitalized patients (47 females and 58 males; median age being 52 years) with confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses were studied. The severity of the disease was classified as moderate grade (62.7%), severe grade (21.5%), and critical grade (15.6%). Among the most frequent underlying pathologies coexisted overweight (n = 75, 78.12%), obesity (n = 21, 21.87%), diabetes (n = 10, 9.52%), and hypertension (n = 6, 5.71%), some of these patients present more than one pathology. This association was found with diabetes (odds ratio [OR]: 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-1.97; p = 0.021) and high levels of D-dimer (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00-1.08; p = 0.001). Conclusion: In this retrospective cohort study of patients with COVID-19 from a specialty hospital in the northeast region of Mexico, it was observed that clinical phenotypes and D-dimer elevation were compatible with an inflammatory state by degree of severity; it was found that the hospitalized patients with underlying chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and elevated D-dimer levels were significantly associated with increased mortality from COVID-19. Age and sex (males) were two factors highly associated with mortality.


New sufficient conditions for representation of a function via the absolutely convergent Fourier integral are obtained in the paper. In the main result, Theorem 1.1, this is controlled by the behavior near infinity of both the function and its derivative. This result is extended to any dimension $d\ge2.$


This paper deals with direction estimation of signals impinging on a uniform linear sensor array. A well known algorithm for this problem is iterative quadratic maximum likelihood (IQML). Unfortunately, the IQML estimates are in general biased, especially in noisy scenarios. We propose a modification of IQML (MIQML) that gives consistent estimates at approximately the same computational cost. In addition, an algorithm with an estimation error covariance which is asymptotically identical to the asymptotic Cramer-Rao lower bound is presented. The optimal algorithm resembles weighted subspace fitting or MODE, but achieves optimal performance without having to compute an eigendecomposition of the sample covariance matrix.


Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that is characterized by menstrual irregularity and elevated serum androgens, and is often accompanied by insulin resistance. The etiology of PCOS is unknown. Lifestyle interventions and weight loss, where appropriate, remain first-line treatments for women with PCOS. Regular physical activity is recommended for women with PCOS to maintain a healthy weight and cardiovascular fitness. Purpose: To review the evidence for the impact of various exercise interventions on hormone levels in women with PCOS. Methods: A systematic review of original studies indexed in PubMed that utilized an exercise intervention in women with PCOS and reported hormone values pre- and post-intervention. Studies in which the effects of the exercise intervention could be determined were included. Results: Vigorous aerobic exercise improves insulin measures in women with PCOS. Resistance or strength training may improve androgen levels, though additional studies are warranted. Studies with yoga are limited but suggest improvements in androgens. Limited information is available on the impact of exercise on adipokines and anti-Müllerian hormone, warranting further investigation. Conclusions: Recommended guidelines for women with PCOS include vigorous aerobic exercise and resistance training to improve measures of insulin sensitivity and androgen levels.


One hundred of dialysis patients' mean age ( 51.18±8.28) years and one hundred healthy control group , where carried out  from different hospitals of Baghdad city , during the period between November /2012 until March/2013. Blood samples were collected before dialyzing for estimation   the concentration of urea, creatinine, uric acid, random blood sugar , calcium and cholesterol by enzymatic method detected spectrophotometerically.
The  aim of this  study is   to determine concentration of urea, creatinine, uric acid, RBS , calcium and cholesterol in hemodialysis patients in Baghdad . The results showed that there were  highly significant increases (P<0.01) in the mean of creatinine , urea , uric acid and RBS for patients  (587.86µmol/l , 25.57 mmol/l, 414.36mmol/l and 6.47mmol/l) compared to  the mean of   healthy control  (88.60 µmol/l , 5.07mmol/l ,270.76mmol/l and 4.65mmol/l ) was detected . Also there was highly significant decrease(P< 0.01) in the mean of calcium and  cholesterol for patients  (1.93mmol/l and3.33mmol/l) compared to  the mean of   healthy control  (2.34mmol/l and5.02mmol/l). It is concluded that in hemodialysis was associated with  the higher levels of urea ,creatinine , uric acid and RBS with low level of cholesterol and calcium.
Key words: RBS (random blood sugar), SUA (serum uric acid), Cholesterol, Urea, Creatinine


In the framework of real-time digital control, two fundamental parameters are defined, the control effort and the control action interval. The first one is related to the strength of the control that, due to the intersampling open-loop control, determines the degrading of performances under unexpected delays. The second one refers to the unavoidable delays in the multitasking environment due to interactions among the tasks. As a consequence, the scheduling policy should consider not only the tasks delays but also their influence in the control loop behavior, being calculated to minimize the overall degrading of performances.


Abstract: Due to actions taken to moderate the level of management remuneration and its structure, the present article deals with the effectiveness of such governmental regulations. The ways of regulations differ around the world, but this article focuses on three particular measurements: the so-called Say on Pay, the tax deductibility of compensation, and the limitation of remuneration components. The aim of this article is to analyse existing empirical studies which deal with the three stated actions' effectiveness.


The in situ formation of shape-selective silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in an aqueous solution has been demonstrated within one hour. Ag NPs were synthesized by the reduction of Ag(I) ions in the presence of a new reducing and stabilizing reagent, curcumin, under continuous stirring and heating at 80 °C. Different sizes and shapes of Ag NPs, such as small and large spheres, nanowires and anisotropic nanoflakes, are formed just by tuning the molar ratio of curcumin to Ag(I) ions and controlling the other reaction parameters. The mechanism of formation, the role of curcumin and other reaction parameters for the formation of shape-selective Ag NPs have been examined in detail. The different shaped Ag NPs have been successfully employed for the application in surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) studies using methylene blue (MB) as a Raman probe. The shape effect of the NPs has been examined in detail and the corresponding SERS enhancement factor (EF) values have been calculated. The observed EF values are in the range ∼106 to 107. It was found that the anisotropic nanoflake structure has the highest EF compared to other shapes. The synthesis process is straightforward, simple, reproducible, cost-effective and robust. The synthesized Ag NPs are stable for more than two months while kept in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator. In the future, the present process might be helpful for the synthesis of other types of nanomaterials in a small time scale with higher yields. Moreover, the high EF value of the materials should be useful for trace detection of environmentally important biological species, DNA and RNA sequences or even in medical therapeutics.


The Purpose of this study is Surveying Ethical Climate on Job satisfaction in Iran's SMEs. Theoretical framework of this study is Victor and Cullen's (1988) Ethical Climate theory, and Paul E. Spector (1997) job satisfaction Survey. Data has collected from 128 managers of SMEs in East Azerbaijan Province of Iran by two standard questionnaires of study variables. Ethical Climate Questionnaire, a 26 item scale by Victor & Cullen (1988) and Job satisfaction Questionnaire, a 36 item scale Paul E. Spector, both the reliability and validity of measures has examined. Descriptive statistics has calculated for the study constructs. T-test and Pearson correlation coefficients have performed to compare means of the constructs between variables and Pearson correlation coefficients. Findings show that there is a relationship between ethical climate and Job satisfaction in Iran's SMEs.


Although an enormous number of animal studies on blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) have been conducted, there still remain many uncertain issues in its neuropathology and mechanisms. This is partially due to the complex and hence difficult experimental environment settings, e.g., to minimize the effects of blast winds (tertiary mechanism) and to separate the effects of brain exposure and torso exposure. Since a laser-induced shock wave (LISW) is free from dynamic pressure and its energy is spatially well confined, the effects of pure shock wave exposure (primary mechanism) solely on the brain can be examined by using an LISW. In this study, we applied a set of four LISWs in the impulse range of 15–71 Pa·s to the rat brain through the intact scalp and skull; the interval between each exposure was ~5 s. For the rats, we conducted locomotor activity, elevated plus maze and forced swimming tests. Axonal injury in the brain was also examined by histological analysis using Bodian silver staining. Only the rats with exposure at higher impulses of 54 and 71 Pa·s showed significantly lower spontaneous movements at 1 and 2 days post-exposure by the locomotor activity test, but after 3 days post-exposure, they had recovered. At 7 days post-exposure, however, these rats (54 and 71 Pa·s) showed significantly higher levels of anxiety-related and depression-like behaviors by the elevated plus maze test and forced swimming test, respectively. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there have been few studies in which a rat model showed both anxiety-related and depression-like behaviors caused by blast or shock wave exposure. At that time point (7 days post-exposure), histological analysis showed significant decreases in axonal density in the cingulum bundle and corpus callosum in impulse-dependent manners; axons in the cingulum bundle were found to be more affected by a shock wave. Correlation analysis showed a statistically significant correlation between the depression like-behavior and axonal density reduction in the cingulum bundle. The results demonstrated the dependence of behavior deficits and axonal injury on the shock wave impulse loaded on the brain.


Background: Vitamin D is a secosteroid, which was initially known for its skeletal role; however, in recent years, its functions in different organs have been increasingly recognized. In this review, we will provide an overview of vitamin D functions in the skin physiology with specific focus on its role in certain inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was carried out in PubMed and Google Scholar databases using keywords like "vitamin D," "skin," "atopic dermatitis," and "psoriasis." Only articles published in English and related to the study topic were included in this review. Results: Vitamin D is integrally connected to the skin for its synthesis, metabolism, and activity. It regulates many physiological processes in the skin ranging from cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis to barrier maintenance and immune functions. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with the risk of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, and several clinical/observational studies have suggested the beneficial effect of vitamin D in the therapy of these 2 inflammatory skin disorders. Conclusions: Vitamin D exerts a pleiotropic effect in the skin and could be an important therapeutic option for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.


Uncle Chop Chop is a medieval punk zine edited by Beagles & Ramsay. It has been a presence on the Glasgow art scene since 2002 with a new edition published every eighteen months. The 8th edition was launched in 2016 at the Old Hairdressers (Glasgow) and the Frankfurt Artist Book Fair (Germany).


The small ruminant husbandry sector in India is not an organized sector like poultry, however, now-a- days many young entrepreneurs are setting up goat units using scientific rearing practices, because small ruminants play an important role in the food and nutritional security of rural people providing meat, milk and skin specially by goat. Due to higher input and output ratio goat is well suited for marginal and landless labor. After extensive comparison with lamb meat difference in flavour, aromas of goat meat have been noted and found huge demand. So, to increase the production potential of goat in term of milk, meat and skin it is necessary to incorporate proper feeding schedule under intensive or semi intensive system of production to achieve optimum animal productivity and economic sustainability. Twenty crossbred (Beetal  Assam Local) male goats lambs (6.72 ± 0.24 kg) were randomly distributed into four groups, each with five animals. All groups (T1, T2, T3 & T4) were offered the same concentrate mixture and also offered individual grass and admixture of three fodder as roughage source (50:50) on DM basis. Statistically non significant (p>0.05) difference was observed among the groups in respect of DM intake per 100 kg body weight and per kg W0.75. The digestibility coefficient of DM, OM, CP, EE was significantly higher in group fed Teosinte (T2) and Napier (T3) grass compared to Para (T1) and mix (T4) grass fed groups. However, non significant difference was observed among the groups in respect to digestibility coefficient of NFE, CF, NDF and ADF. Significantly (<0.001) higher final body weight, total gain and average daily gain during entire feeding trial were observed in Teosinte (T2) and Napier (T3) grass fed group. Significantly (< 0.05) lower FCE was observed in both the Teosinte (T2) and Napier (T3) grass fed group.

https://www.ijcmas.com/11-9-2022/L. D. Singha, et al.pdf


SUMMARY: Under defined experimental conditions plasmodia of Didymium nigripes began to differentiate into fruiting bodies 16-18 hr after transfer to bacteria-free agar. The process has been divided into a number of easily recognizable stages and the duration of each stage determined. Plasmodia lost ability to continue vegetative growth at a time before the actual fruiting bodies began to form.


Human embryonic stem cells lines can be derived from human blastocysts at high efficiency (>50%) by immunosurgical isolation of the inner cell mass and culture on embryonic fibroblast cell lines. These cells will spontaneously differentiate into all the primary embryonic lineages in vitro and in vivo, but they are unable to form an integrated embryo or body plan by themselves or when combined with trophectoderm cells. They may be directed into a number of specific cell types and this enrichment process requires specific growth factors, cell-surface molecules, matrix molecules and secreted products of other cell types. Embryonic stem (ES) cells are immortal and represent a major potential for cell therapies for regenerative medicine. Their use in transplantation may depend on the formation of a large bank of suitable human leucocyte antigen (HLA) types or the genetic erasure of their HLA expression. Successful transplantation may also require induction of tolerance in recipients and ongoing immune suppression. Although it is possible to customize ES cells by therapeutic cloning or cytoplasmic transfer, it would appear unlikely that these strategies will be used extensively for producing ES cells compatible for transplantation. Embryonic stem cell research may deliver a new pathway for regenerative medicine.


In 2001, a WHO Expert Consultation concluded that waiting until 6 months to introduce complementary foods to breastfed infants confers several benefits for both infants and mothers. Nonetheless, there is still controversy about this issue. In developing countries, the reduced risk of infant gastrointestinal illness and increased duration of maternal lactational amenorrhea associated with exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months make the benefit-risk ratio of this recommendation highly favorable. In industrialized countries, the case is less clear-cut, but the benefit-risk ratio is also likely to be favorable with regard to infant infectious morbidity, motor development and maternal weight loss postpartum. For outcomes such as infant growth, food acceptance and iron or zinc status, the evidence for industrialized countries suggests no particular benefit but also very little risk of following this recommendation. Some exclusively breastfed infants may become iron- or zinc-deficient before 6 months, but this can be prevented more effectively by targeted iron and zinc supplementation to high-risk infants than by introducing complementary foods. On the whole, the evidence to date supports the WHO recommendation to introduce complementary foods at 6 months, but further research in industrialized countries would be useful.


OBJECTIVE
In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of SLAP lesions in patients with chronic impingement syndrome. We also examined the sensitivity of O'Brien's test.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study included 48 patients with a preliminary chronic impingement syndrome diagnosis to whom arthroscopic decompression had been planned. All patients underwent preoperative Neer's, Hawkins' and O'Brien's tests. We performed shoulder arthroscopy on all patients and evaluated chronic impingement syndrome and SLAP lesions. Then, we compared the statistical sensitivities of these tests.

RESULTS
The mean age of patients with chronic impingement was 45.8 years (range, 35-69 years). O'brien's test was positive in 34 (70.8%) of the patients, and Neer's test and Hawkins' test were positive in 46 (95.8%) of the patients before shoulder arthroscopy. Shoulder arthroscopy revealed that 44 (91.7%) of 48 patients had subacromial impingement; 32 (66.7%) had SLAP lesions and internal impingement. In chronic impingement syndrome, sensitivity rates were 95.6% for Neer's test and Hawkins' test, whereas in internal impingement syndrome and slap lesions, the sensitivity of O'brien's test was 94.1%. There was no statistical difference between the tests (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION
72.72% of the patients with chronic impingement syndrome had concomitant SLAP lesions. We suggest that O'Brien's test should be used with Neer's and Hawkins' tests for diagnosis of this condition.


SUMMARY: It was with sadness and a sense of grievous loss that microbiologists the world over learned of the death of Roger Stanier on 29 January 1982. He had courageously fought, but had eventually succumbed to, a cancer that had been diagnosed some years earlier and had been countered by a succession of operations. Each was bravely borne and each had been the prelude to a convalescence in which he displayed all of the determination, combative spirit and realism that had marked his scientific life.


In this study, the performance of titanium alloys (TC21, TC1), nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) alloy, and zirconium-niobium (Zr-Nb) alloy lined shaped charge impact and penetration into concrete targets are investigated experimentally. Shaped charge jet radiographs reveal that the resulting jets of titanium alloys and Ni-Ti alloy exhibit particulate, radially dispersed behaviors, whereas that of the Zr-Nb alloy is coherent. Cavity diameters, penetration depths and parameters of the impact craters generated by the jets were analyzed using the depth of penetration (DOP) experiment method. Data indicate that the particulated jet causes more extensive damage to the surface of the concrete targets compared to the coherent jet. The penetration depth decreases to some degree, but the cavity diameter increases significantly. Penetration efficiency varies with degree of dispersion of the particulated jet and, as such, is also sensitive to stand-off distance.


The electrochemical behavior of the as-cast Al0.5CoCrFeNiCuxAgy (x = 0.25, 0.5; y = 0, 0.1) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) in a 0.5M H2SO4 solution was studied. Polarization measurements were carried out in a standard three-electrode electrochemical cell at room temperature using a platinum counter electrode and a saturated silver chloride reference electrode. For Al0.5CoCrFeNiCu0.5 and Al0.5CoCrFeNiCu0.5Ag0.1, copper segregation along the grain boundaries was observed, which highly dissolved in the sulfuric acid solution and resulted in low corrosion resistance of the samples. Introducing Ag into Al0.5CoCrFeNiCu0.25 HEA led to the precipitation of a copper–silver eutectic structure, in which the copper regions were selectively dissolved in the sulfuric acid solution. Al0.5CoCrFeNiCu0.25 exhibited the best corrosion resistance with the corrosion current density of Icorr = 3.52 ± 0.02 μA/cm2, significantly superior to that of the Al0.5CoCrFeNi sample without copper and silver (Icorr = 6.05 ± 0.05 μA/cm2). Finally, the results indicated that suppressing elemental segregation by annealing or tailoring chemical composition is essential to improve the corrosion resistance of Al0.5CoCrFeNiCuxAgy HEAs.


ABSTRACT The virion glycoproteins Gn and Gc of Bunyamwera virus (BUNV), the prototype of the Bunyaviridae family and also of the Orthobunyavirus genus, are encoded by the medium (M) RNA genome segment and are involved in both viral attachment and entry. After their synthesis Gn and Gc form a heterodimer in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and transit to the Golgi compartment for virus assembly. The N-terminal half of the Gc ectodomain was previously shown to be dispensable for virus replication in cell culture (X. Shi, J. Goli, G. Clark, K. Brauburger, and R. M. Elliott, J. Gen. Virol. 90:2483-2492, 2009.). In this study, the coding sequence for a fluorescent protein, either enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) or mCherry fluorescent protein, was fused to the N terminus of truncated Gc, and two recombinant BUNVs (rBUNGc-eGFP and rBUNGc-mCherry) were rescued by reverse genetics. The recombinant viruses showed bright autofluorescence under UV light and were competent for replication in various mammalian cell lines. rBUNGc-mCherry was completely stable over 10 passages, whereas internal, in-frame deletions occurred in the chimeric Gc-eGFP protein of rBUNGc-eGFP, resulting in loss of fluorescence between passages 5 and 7. Autofluorescence of the recombinant viruses allowed visualization of different stages of the infection cycle, including virus attachment to the cell surface, budding of virus particles in Golgi membranes, and virus-induced morphological changes to the Golgi compartment at later stages of infection. The fluorescent protein-tagged viruses will be valuable reagents for live-cell imaging studies to investigate virus entry, budding, and morphogenesis in real time.


Recent developments in communication technology have led to cloud resources becoming ubiquitous. These resources enable many new applications by offering computational power for remote embedded devices. In combination with advances in the area of smart driving, this seems to be especially beneficial for applications such as remote maintenance of vehicles or integration with smart city services. As autonomous driving continues to gain traction, Car-to-Cloud communication can support transferring collected data to the cloud, e.g., for dynamic learning of new map information. Additionally, passengers can benefit from novel entertainment services. All these developments require a stable connection between a mobile vehicle and the cloud resources. In this vision paper, we survey Carto-Cloud communication applications. Based on the analysis of the varying requirements for these applications, we formulate research questions and challenges. Further, we discuss how these challenges can be addressed by means of an adaptive Car-to-Cloud communication middleware. We conclude with an overview on our activities in this area and an outlook on our planned future work on adaptive communication.


Phenolic antioxidants inhibit the induction of inflammatory cytokines by inflammatory stimuli. Here, we analyzed the mechanism by which the antioxidants inhibit LPS-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) in macrophages. Hydroquinone and tert-butyl hydroquinone, prototypes of phenolic antioxidants, block lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced transcription of TNFalpha and a nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB-mediated reporter gene expression, suggesting NF-kappaB as a target in the inhibition. Analyses of the NF-kappaB activation pathway revealed that the antioxidants do not inhibit LPS-induced activation of the IkappaB kinase activity, degradation of IkappaBalpha, or translocation of activated NF-kappaB into the nucleus, but they do block the formation of NF-kappaB/DNA binding complexes. In vitro experiments showed that the antioxidants do not directly interfere with DNA binding of NF-kappaB. Structure-activity analyses suggest that inhibition of NF-kappaB function involves the redox cycling property of the antioxidants. These findings implicate a redox-sensitive factor important for the binding of NF-kappaB to its DNA recognition sequence as a target molecule in the inhibition of NF-kappaB function and inflammatory cytokine expression by phenolic antioxidants.


In this preliminary paper, the authors review 20 cases of pituitary tumours, with sella reduction to normal size, associated to the biological recuperation and social rehabilitation of most patients, after conventional radiation therapy given in high-dose courses. It is evaluated that sella reduction to normal size, whenever encountered, can be considered as the major anatomico-radiological sign of the effectiveness of different therapeutical methods applied in the case of secretory and non-secretory tumours.


The paper reports measurements of amplitude distribution, lateral correlation, diversity effects and error rates of ionospheric scatter signals at a frequency near 70Mc/s. The results are discussed and it is concluded that a markedly non-Gaussian signal occurs at some times. The effects of signal structure are examined, and it is shown that the only effect is that some loss of diversity action would need to be included when deducing the performance of a link from the median signal and noise levels The signal/noise ratio required for various error rates in a non-diversity system is derived, together with information of use in estimating the feasibility of h.f. communication links. Some information on the diurnal variation of cosmic-noise intensity is given.


Plasma renin activity (PRA) and concentration, measured after acid treatment of the plasma (PRC3.3), were determined on the same plasma samples in different conditions. Log PRA and log PRC3.3 were significantly (P less than 0.001) and similarly related to sodium intake, age, and plasma aldosterone concentration in normal subjects. The correlation coefficient between log PRA and log PRC3.3 was 0.49 in 80 sodium-replete and sodium-deplete normal subjects, and it was 0.84 in 84 hypertensive patients untreated or under treatment with thiazides. On the contrary, during beta adrenergic blockade, PRA decreased significantly (P less than 0.001) by 62% while the changes in PRC3.3 were not significant. At maximal exercise, PRA increased significantly by 168% while the PRC3.3 increase of 24% was not significant. In hypertensive patients with unilateral renal artery stenosis the ipsilateral renal vein/artery ratio was higher for PRA (2.46) than for PRC3.3 (1.56), whereas both ratios on the controlateral side were similar and close to one (1.14 and 1.06). The conditions in which PRA and PRC3.3 determinations are concordant or discordant are discussed.


We consider shielding critical links to guarantee network connectivity under geographical and general failure models. We develop a mixed integer linear program (MILP) to obtain the minimum cost shielding to guarantee the connectivity of a single SD pair under a general failure model, and exploit geometric properties to decompose the shielding problem under a geographical failure model. We extend our MILP formulation to guarantee the connectivity of the entire network, and use Benders decomposition to significantly reduce the running time by exploiting its partial separable structure. We also apply simulated annealing to solve larger network problems to obtain near-optimal solutions in much shorter time. Finally, we extend the algorithms to guarantee partial network connectivity, and observe significant reduction in shielding cost, especially when the failure region is small. For example, when the failure region radius is 60 miles, we observe as much as 75% reduction in shielding cost by relaxing the connectivity requirement to 95% on a major US infrastructure network.