Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) has been considered to be the most common malignant soft tissue tumor of middle and late adulthood. This tumor is usually a skin-colored subcutaneous nodule. It metastasizes to the lung, lymph node, bone and liver. Metastasis to the skin is very rare. We present a case of a 69-year-old man who presented with an asymptomatic dome-shaped large nodule with central umbilical ulceration on his scalp that had grown abruptly over 3 months. The lesion clinically mimicked keratoacanthoma. Biopsy of the nodule was done to differentiate keratoacanthoma from MFH confirmed the latter. The result of biopsy was MFH. Diagnosis was MFH of unknown primary tumor origin. We report a case of metastatic MFH mimicking keratoacanthoma. (Korean J Dermatol 2009;47(11):1275~1279)


Future wireless networks like mobile ad hoc networks and wireless mesh networks are expected to play important role in demanding communications such as mission critical communications. MANETs are ideal for emergency cases where the communication infrastructure has been completely destroyed and there is a need for quick set up of communications among the rescue/emergency workers. In such emergency scenarios wireless mesh networks may be employed in a later phase for providing advanced communications and services acting as a backbone network in the affected area. Internetworking of both types of future networks will provide a broad range of mission critical applications. While offering many advantages, such as flexibility, easy of deployment and low cost, MANETs and mesh networks face important security and resilience threats, especially for such demanding applications. We introduce a family of key agreement methods based on weak to strong authentication associated with several multiparty contributory key establishment methods. We examine the attributes of each key establishment method and how each method can be better applied in different scenarios. The proposed protocols support seamlessly both types of networks and consider system and application requirements such as efficient and secure internetworking, dynamicity of network topologies and support of thin clients.


Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by reactive radiofrequency (RF) magnetron sputtering using a metallic zinc target. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was used to monitor and control the Zn sputtering rate for the deposition of the ZnO films. Film thicknesses ranged from 350 to 750 nm. Optical transmittances greater than 80% were observed in the wavelength interval from 450 nm to 650 nm. The energy gap of the films remained constant at (3.28 ± 0.01) eV. The surface morphology was found to be homogeneous with well-distributed structures. Surface roughness was dependent on the Zn sputtering rate, indicating that greater densities of Zn atoms increase the surface diffusion. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the ZnO films were polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and preferential growth along the (002) plane.


Synoptically mapped faunal abundance and faunal composition data, derived from a suite of 24 Norwegian Sea cores, were used to derive sea-surface temperatures for the last glacial maximum (18,000 B.P.), the last interglacial (120,000 B.P.), and isotope stage 5a (82,000 B.P.). Surface circulation and ice cover reconstructions for these three times, deduced from the sea-surface temperatures, suggest the following conclusions: (1) During glacial periods, Norwegian Sea surface circulation formed a single, sluggish, counterclockwise gyre that was caused by wind drag on the ubiquitous sea ice cover; (2) the last interglacial was characterized by a circulation pattern similar to that of today except that the two counterclockwise gyres were displaced toward the east and were more vigorous than they are today. This circulation pattern forced the Norwegian Current into a position close to the coast of Norway and permitted formation of a strong east-west temperature gradient close to the Scandinavian landmass; (3) interglacial periods prior to 120,000 B.P. had similar climatic conditions to the 82,000 B.P. level and were characterized by a weak two-gyre circulation pattern. The southern gyre, driven by wind stress in summer months, was ice covered in winters. The northern gyre had little open water even in summers and was primarily formed by wind drag on sea ice. Atmospheric modifications resulting from these circulation patterns and sea ice conditions produced varying climatic conditions in Scandinavia during interglacials prior to the Holocene. The climate was probably warmer and moister during the last interglacial (Eemian) than it is today. Other interglacials during the last 450,000 years, but prior to the Eemian, were probably colder and drier as the Norwegian Sea was not an important source of heat and moisture.


Background Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) – chronic articular disease related to immune system dysfunctions. JIA course and complications have genetic background. Objectives We evaluated features of JIA and related bone mineralization and metabolism changes with VDR polymorphic genotypes in children with JIA. Methods 71 children with active JIA were included in our study. For assessment of JIA activity we used onset age, duration of morning stiffness, number of active joints, white blood cells (WBC) count, Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein. Physician global assessment (PGA) of disease activity, measured on a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS) where 0 = no activity and 10 = maximum activity; parent/patient global assessment of well-being, measured on a 10-cm VAS where 0 = very well and 10 = very poor. We utilized combined indexes for assessment disease activity – JADAS10, JADAS27, JADAS71, CDAI, DAS and DAS28 were utilized. Bone mineralization was measured in all children by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of lumbar spine (LS) at L1-L4 (Hologic QDR 4500C densitometer with reference pediatric database). Densitometry parameters, such as bone area (BA, cm2), bone mineral content (BMC, grams) and bone mineral density (BMD, measured in grams/cm2 and in Z score, SD) were all evaluated. Low bone mineral density (LBMD) for chronological age was defined by Z score < 2 SD, according to the recommendation of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry, 2007. For assessment of bone metabolism the following measures were used: osteocalcin (bone gla-protein, a marker of osteosynthesis), carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX -products of collagen I type degradation and a marker of bone resorption) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) by routine imunoenzyme methods. Also levels of total calcium (Ca), ionized calcium (Ca++), inorganic phosphate (Pi) and total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were determined. Molecular testing – ApaI and BsmI polymorphisms of VDR gene polymorphisms were detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results There were no significant differences of ApaI and BsmI polymorphic genotypes, alleles and haplotypes distribution between children with normal and low BMD. BsmI polymorphism was associated with arthritis activity only in boys and ApaI polymorphism was related to JIA activity only in girls. Girls with AA genotypes ApaI VDR had higher BMD and BMD-Zscore compare with aa and Aa carriers respectively. Boys with B allele (BB+Bb genotypes) BsmI VDR had lower RAI, DAS and JADAS 10. The same changes were observed in JADAS 27 (p=0,04) and JADAS 71 (p=0,04). Conclusions differences in JIA activity and bone mineralization related to VDR genetic polymorphisms confirms the multi-potential role of vitamin D which regulates on immune system and bone metabolism. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


BACKGROUND: Return to work (RTW) is an important outcome in Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA). At present, 70–80%of TKA patients return to work within three to six months. OBJECTIVE: What are patients' perspectives regarding beneficial and limiting factors in RTW after TKA? METHODS: Focus groups were formed in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist. Three major topics were explored: 1. What was beneficial for RTW after TKA; 2. What was limiting for RTW after TKA; and 3. What additional care would benefit RTW after TKA? RESULTS: Data saturation was reached after four focus groups, comprising 17 participants—nine men and eight women (median age 58, range 52–65). The focus group study identified four main themes that contributed to a successful RTW namely rehabilitation (medical) like post-operative physical therapy, patient characteristics (personal), like motivation to RTW, occupational characteristics (work-related) like build-up in work tasks and medical support (medical) like availability of a walker or crutches. CONCLUSION: According to participants, factors within the following four themes can contribute to a successful return to work: occupational, patient, rehabilitation and medical care. Incorporating these factors into the integrated care pathway for the "young" TKA patients may increase the chances of a successful RTW.


The paper analyses the spectrum of a frequency domain multiplication-free adaptive filter (FDMAF) using a modified discrete Fourier transform (MDFT) pair. The proposed FDMAF employs the MDFT and differential pulse code modulation in an input part and the reference input vectors are used in an update equation for the adaptive filter coefficients. Also, it can be simply controlled by adjusting the amplitude of the MDFT pair output signals and can obtain an output signal with stable convergence characteristics and without accumulated error. The condition used to analyse the algorithm has zero-mean, wide-sense stationary and white Gaussian noise.


It is shown that nonlocal separable potentials may be used to study bound states of particles in multicentre potentials. The binding energy is obtained in a closed form. The cases of H_2+ ion and polymer chains are discussed in detail and results compared to experimental data.


During investigations of the movement of particles on a plane surface, it was noted that there was a measurable force between two electrical contacts when they separate. This force was found to be electrostatic in origin. A number of factors affecting the force were examined and a new method of measuring the surface finish of conducting surfaces is suggested.


In this paper, we study morphogeometric parameters and histostructure of maxillary bones in three coastal Baikal Cottoidei species belonging to different trophic groups. The results of the study revealed that the main trend in the transition from benthography to ichthyography is the sequential elongation of jaws and reduction in the mouth thrust accompanied by a consistent change in the form and internal structure of bone elements. A detailed analysis of data revealed that the changes mostly concern additional morphological structures (processes) of the bones directly connected with musculoligamentous apparatus and experiencing the highest tension during the functioning of the maxillary system. The distinctive features of the structural transformations maxillary bones in different fishes is a consequence of the uneven effect of power load that changes when the body adapts to certain habitat conditions.


This work presents the evolution of the operation of a regenerative hybrid solar gas turbine in an average day of the year. The system is evaluated by means of a thermodynamic model that includes a solar concentrated heliostat field solar concentrator with central receiver, a combustion chamber, and the thermal engine. The model is applied in Barranquilla, Colombia using local temperature and the solar radiation estimated with a theoretical model. Power output, the global efficiency and thermal engine efficiency are estimated. Additionally, to estimate the temperatures in different states of the cycle with and without regenerator. Finally, the impact of the regenerator is evaluated, which can increase the temperature of the solar receiver by up to 13.6%, and the inlet temperature to the combustion chamber increases by 17.3% at noon, when solar radiation is maximum.


Microbial community has been a major part in the drug industry. They are known for their effectiveness and do not cause any undesirable effects. Exploitation of bacteria could be fruitful for mankind. Bacteria play a major role in producing useful bioactive compounds. HSV-1 infection causes 80% of oral lesions. A majority of the population is infected by at least one herpes subtype of HSV-1 before adulthood. The infection in some cases does not produce any symptoms. Drugs for HSV-1 are becoming suppressive. In the present study, isolation of endophytic bacteria was carried out from medicinal plant. A grown bacterium was identified and confirmed using molecular 16S rRNA sequencing followed by extraction of bioactive compounds using solvents. Twelve bioactive compounds were then investigated for in vitro cytotoxicity assay and in vitro antiviral assay. Chloroform extract was found to be effective in inhibiting the virus.


Sphingolipids (SLs) play a significant role in the nervous system, as major components of the myelin sheath, contributors to lipid raft formation that organize intracellular processes, as well as active mediators of transport, signaling and the survival of neurons and glial cells. Alterations in SL metabolism and content are observed in the course of central nervous system diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). In this review, we summarize the current evidence from studies on SLs (particularly gangliosides), which may shed new light upon processes underlying the MS background. The relevant aspects of these studies include alterations of the SL profile in MS, the role of antibodies against SLs and complexes of SL-ligand-invariant NKT cells in the autoimmune response as the core pathomechanism in MS. The contribution of lipid-raft-associated SLs and SL-laden extracellular vesicles to the disease etiology is also discussed. These findings may have diagnostic implications, with SLs and anti-SL antibodies as potential markers of MS activity and progression. Intriguing prospects of novel therapeutic options in MS are associated with SL potential for myelin repair and neuroprotective effects, which have not been yet addressed by the available treatment strategies. Overall, all these concepts are promising and encourage the further development of SL-based studies in the field of MS.


This slim hardback comprises eight essays, seven of them by authors who acknowledge their debt to the late Milton Erickson, and the eighth a piece by two of Erickson's daughters. The opening chapter is about the importance of the establishment of rapport but contains little new. The second describes, with a case illustration, how †̃¿ Ericksonian' techniques may be adapted for use in Japan. There follows a piece on crisis intervention in †̃¿ schizophrenic' patients. The fourth chapter, by Janet Sasson Edgette, describes a method of incorporating Ericksonian techniques into psychodynamic therapy with adolescents. I found this interesting and of practical value. Then we have an essay on the nature of hypnosis or rather on the myths which abound concerning it. A chapter by Peter Brown entitled, "¿ Oral poetry: toward an integrative framework for Erickson's clinical approaches―, discusses the relationship between Erickson's work and our current views of brain func tioning. There is much food for thought in what Brown has to say. The seventh essay is on the treatment of †̃¿ examination panic'. Erickson often used members of his family as hyp notic subjects, and in the final chapter daughters Betty Alice and Roxanna offer us some interesting anecdotes. They note their father's gradual change "¿ from a directive to a more permissive and nondirective approach―. This book is hardly required reading, even for †̃¿ Ericksonian'therapists. Nevertheless, it contains enough of interest for it to be a worthwhile contribution. It should interest those who like to track and study the developing thinking of therapists who have been influenced by Erickson.


White willow (Salix alba) is a medicinal plant used in folk medicine. In this study, aqueous and ethanolic willow bark extracts were obtained via ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and analyzed regarding their phytochemical (total phenolics, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins) content and in vitro biological properties (antibacterial and antifungal activity, acetylcholinesterase AChE inhibitory activity and anti-inflammatory effects). The highest phenolic, tannin, and flavonoid contents were found for willow bark extracts obtained via microwave-assisted extraction using ethanol as a solvent (SA-ME). The polyphenol load of all MAE and UAE extracts was higher when conventional solid–liquid extraction was applied (ρ < 0.05). The antioxidant capacities were stronger for microwave-assisted ethanolic extracts, with the lowest IC50 values of 12 μg/mL for DPPH• and a value of 16 μg/mL for ABTS•+, whereas the conventional extraction had the highest IC50 values (22 μg/mL and 28 μg/mL, respectively). Willow bark extract showed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. AChE inhibitory activity was dependent on the extraction method and solvent used, and the highest inhibition among samples was observed for SA-ME. Taken altogether, our findings suggest that willow (Salix alba) bark extract obtained via ethanolic microwave-assisted extraction is a phytochemical-rich resource with in vitro, anti-inflammatory, and AchE inhibitory properties and, therefore, potential multiple medicinal end-uses.


Abstract An analysis is given of several biologically important processes, connected with the crystallization and kinetics of liophilization in aqueous physiological solutions. These are glass formation and vitrification of life, precipitation of slightly soluble salts and kinetics of crystallization in human urine, and the solution of CaOX concretions under the influence of biocompatible solubilizators, which are normal constituents of human urine. The problems investigated experimentally are treated in the framework of the capillary theory of nucleation and the Debye–Hückel model of ionic solutions.


To evaluate the ultrasound (US) appearance of the normal Achilles tendon at increasing frequency and establish an anatomical correlation for US findings, 30 normal tendons were examined in vivo and three in vitro with 10 MHz and 15 MHz mechanical sector probes. Side-by-side comparison was performed in vitro between the sonograms and the corresponding anatomical sections. Two tendinous portions were detected by presence of an internal acoustic interface which had different appearances: one (type I) or two (type II) continuous lines of increased thickness and greater reflectivity than adjacent fibrils; or displacement (type III) of the distal portion of the well insonated sector of the tendon body. When, on coronal scans of the tendon, no intratendinous linear echoes of increased reflectivity were visible, the two portions of the tendon were identified through the converging course of their bundles (type 0 pattern). Different echogenicity allowed the detection of two tendinous portions, also on axial images. Scanning of isolated tendons allowed precise location of these interfaces at the boundary between anatomically distinct tendinous portions arising from the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. Although the normal Achilles tendon is commonly regarded as a uniform structure by US, the use of high resolution probes allows identification of its constituent portions. Their identification may be useful to avoid misdiagnoses of pathological findings.


The Gulf of California (GoC) is a complex tectonic boundary that has been instrumented in the past several decades to record broadband seismograms. This volume of data has allowed us to study several source parameters systematically. Before, only a few source parameters of earthquakes greater than magnitude five had been studied in the GoC area. We re-examined the focal mechanisms of several earthquakes in the southern GoC that occurred over the last 20 yr using local–regional distance broadband seismograms. These focal mechanisms were then used as input data to retrieve the time–space history of the rupture for each earthquake. This work contributes to the study of 25 rupture-process models computed with the method proposed by Yagi et al. (1999). To investigate more about the nature of the seismicity in the GoC, we also calculated the non-double-couple component of moment tensors for 45 earthquakes. Previous studies (e.g., Ortega et al., 2013, 2016) have shown that non-double-couple components from moment tensors in this region are associated with complex faulting, suggesting that oblique faults or several parallel faults are interacting simultaneously. Our results show that, at least for moderate earthquakes (5 < M < 6), rupture processes in the GoC show a complex interaction between fault systems. It is revealed on the important contribution of non-double-couple component obtained in the full moment tensor analysis.


Open Government emerged in 2009 as a new paradigm of public administration and a new way of dealing with public affairs, based on the pillars, Transparency, Participation, Collaboration, Innovation and Accountability. Local governments have also joined in this effort; however little is known about what is happening in the municipalities of Indigenous Normative Systems. This paper analyzes the creation of the Lachibaa Community Museum, in Magdalena Apasco, Oaxaca, as a Collaborative process (pillar) of the current Open Government approach. It is explored how Open Government can be present in indigenous municipalities, which have a special legal regime that recognizes and respects their uses and customs.


Background: Effectiveness of Post exposure prophylaxis (PEPSE) correlates with speed of uptake following HIV exposure. Time taken travelling to and obtaining PEPSE at sexual health/ emergency units can reduce efficacy and prevent people accessing PEPSE. We hypothesised that advanced provision of a 5day PEP starter pack (HOME PEPSE) for men who have sex with men (MSM) to keep at home and selfinitiate if required, would reduce time to first dose following HIV exposure, but not impact HIV risk behaviour. Method: Phase IV, randomised, prospective, open label, study. MSM at medium risk of acquiring HIV were randomized (1:1) to immediate (ARM A) or deferred (ARM B) Home PEPSE. Duration of study was 48 weeks (Arm A) and 72 weeks for (Arm B) who accessed PEPSE through standard of care from week 048 and received HOME PEPSE week 4872. Every 12weeks, participants selfcompleted mental health/ risk behaviour surveys and had HIV/STI testing. HOME PEPSE comprised a 5day pack of FTCTDF/ Maraviroc taken following potential exposure to HIV. Upon uptake, participants completed a risk questionnaire; PEPSE continuation was physician directed. Appropriate uses of PEP were included in primary analysis. Time to first dose between treatment arms was compared using a twosided MannWhitney U test. Secondary outcomes included: missed opportunities for PEPSE uptake, sexual behaviour STI and HIV incidence. Results: 139 participants were randomised: 69 (ARM A) and 70 (ARM B). Median age 30years [IQR: 2639], 75% white, 55% UK born and 72% university educated. 33 in ARM A and 15 in ARM B were eligible for primary analysis. Median time from exposure to first dose was 7.6 hours [3.0,20.9] for ARM A and 28.5 hours [17.3,34.0] for ARM B (p < 0.01). The most reported reason for PEPSE uptake was receptive anal sex with a man of unknown HIV status (81% cases). Uptake of HOME PEPSE was appropriate in 29/ 33 cases (88%, 95% CI: 7395%). ARM B had almost double the number (same median and IQR) of missed opportunities for PEPSE uptake than ARM A (268 versus 474 :p = 0.625): 9/12 (75%) participants reporting >10 missed opportunities for PEP were in ARM B. No change in number of condomless anal sex acts in previous 3 months from week 0 to 48 in Arm A or arm B (512 versus 911: p = 0.215). One person in Arm B acquired HIV. HOME PEPSE was well tolerated. Conclusion: HOME PEPSE was taken appropriately by MSM, and dramatically reduced time from exposure to first dose, with no impact on safety. Furthermore, HOME PEP may reduce number of missed opportunities for PEPSE. This approach may be incorporated into HIV prevention guidelines.


This paper discusses a general framework for evaluating the throughput performance of adaptive antenna arrays when the Slotted ALOHA protocol is employed as the random access mechanism for wireless packet transmission. A novel blind adaptive algorithm is presented and its performance is assessed by comparison with the minimum mean squared error (MMSE). Two propagation scenarios are considered: line of sight and Rayleigh fading. The results are obtained through a mix of analysis and simulation and it is shown that the proposed algorithm allows the antenna array to attain a high fraction of the optimal MMSE gains without resorting to training sequences.


Respiration metabolism could improve the long-term survival of lactic acid bacteria (LAB); however, its effect on potential probiotic traits of LAB was not reported. The difference made by Enterococcus faecalis LD33 that was cultured under respiration-permissive and fermentation conditions, such as the biomass, metabolites, antimicrobial activity, tolerance to acid and bile salt, adhesion capabilities, and the ability to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells were studied. Under a respiration-permissive condition, the final biomass of the culture was about twice as compared to that of fermentation condition. When the metabolites were measured, glucose was exhausted within 8 h. Two-folds of acetic acid, triple of both acetoin and diacetyl, and less than half of lactic acid, were accumulated under the respiratory-permissive condition. No discrimination of growth inhibition on Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028 and Shigella sonnei ATCC 25931 was observed when Enterococcus faecalis LD33 was cultured under both conditions; however, under respiration-permissive condition, the strain presented significant antimicrobial activities to Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19111 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538P. Enterococcus faecalis LD33 displayed relatively strong bile salt tolerance and adherence capability but weaker acid tolerance when undergoing respiration metabolism. There was no significant difference in the anti-cancer effect of the viable bacterial cells on both growth modes; however, the supernatant showed a higher inhibition effect on HT-29 cells than the live bacteria, and there was no significant difference between the supernatant and the 5-Fluorouracil (7 μg/mL). Consequently, the Enterococcus faecalis LD33 undergoing respiration metabolism could bring higher biomass, more flavor metabolites, and better antimicrobial and anti-cancer activities. This study extends our knowledge of respiratory metabolism in LAB and its impact on probiotic traits. E. faecalis LD33 qualifies as a suitable strain against foodborne pathogens, cancer therapy, and eventual application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.


The possibility of using the quantum mechanics of D0-branes for the boundstates of quarks and QCD strings is investigated. Issues such as the inter D0-branes potential, the whiteness of the D0-branes bound-states and the large-N limit of D0-branes effective theory are studied. A possible role of the non-commutativity of relative distances of D0-branes in a study of ordinary QCD is discussed.


Background: Falij-e-Nisfi (Hemiplegia) is one of the major neurological disorder usually caused by the occlusion of blood vessels to atherosclerotic thrombosis and embolism .other Causes are cerebral hemorrhage; neoplasms and infections. Methods: A Clinical study to assess the effect of MUNZIJ (concoction) and MUSHIL (purgation) internally along with DAL'K (Massage) and RIYAZATH (exercise) externally was conducted on 24 patients in the inpatient department of  Dr. Ahmed Ashraf Memorial Unani Specialty Treatment Center for paralysis, Hyderabad; a Center of Excellence by Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India. Results: The Observations of the Study indicated that in between 55 to 65 years of age; the disease is more common. In this Study 46% of cases showed good response; 12% of cases Showed poor response. Conclusions: These results indicated that further more study would be carried out to provide a clean picture.


Implementation and scale up of programmatic management of drug resistant tuberculosis (PMDT) has proven to be a challenge in many resource-constrained settings like in Ethiopia, despite the political commitment. A critical programmatic gap analysis was conducted by technical experts to develop feasible recommendations for incorporating multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) management in the national TB program following international guidelines and receiving continuous technical and financial support. The major achievement was building of technical capacity in the country at the level of a national MDR-TB technical working group (TWG) as well as at the level of the MDR-TB treatment hospitals among the MDR management teams. In addition, guideline development, improved access to second line drugs and renovation of health facilities in accordance with TB infection control standards contributed to optimize implementation. Between February 2009 and September 2012, 575 MDR-TB patients accessed treatment under the program. Building programmatic and clinical capacity at different levels of the health system in combination with strong political commitment and partner's engagement were key elements of the PMDT approach. Structured technical assistance combined with financial support during key steps was critical in the initiation and subsequent scale up of the program.


Graph neural networks (GNNs) are emerging for machine learning research on graph-structured data. GNNs achieve state-of-the-art performance on many tasks, but they face scalability challenges when it comes to real-world applications that have numerous data and strict latency requirements. Many studies have been conducted on how to accelerate GNNs in an effort to address these challenges. These acceleration techniques touch on various aspects of the GNN pipeline, from smart training and inference algorithms to efficient systems and customized hardware. As the amount of research on GNN acceleration has grown rapidly, there lacks a systematic treatment to provide a unified view and address the complexity of relevant works. In this survey, we provide a taxonomy of GNN acceleration, review the existing approaches, and suggest future research directions. Our taxonomic treatment of GNN acceleration connects the existing works and sets the stage for further development in this area.


For humans to maintain a stable core temperature in cold environments, an increase in energy expenditure (EE) is required. However, little is known about how cold stimulus impacts energy balance as a whole, as energy intake (EI) has been largely overlooked. This review focuses on the current state of knowledge regarding how cold exposure (CE) impacts both EE and EI, while highlighting key gaps and shortcomings in the literature. Animal models clearly reveal that CE produces large increases in EE, while decreasing environmental temperatures results in a significant negative dose‐response effect in EI (r=‐.787, P<.001), meaning animals eat more as temperature decreases. In humans, multiple methods are used to administer cold stimuli, which result in consistent yet quantitatively small increases in EE. However, only two studies have measured ad libitum food intake in combination with acute CE in humans. Chronic CE (i.e., cold acclimation) studies have been shown to produce minimal changes in body weight, with an average compensation of ~126%. Although more studies are required to investigate how cold impacts EI in humans, results presented in this review warrant caution before presenting or considering CE as a potential adjunct to weight loss strategies.


High-resolution IUE images have provided line profiles of emission cut by interstellar absorption in the magnesium II lines λλ2795, 2802 A in nine objects. The underlying emission has been reconstructed in seven of these by fitting Gaussian profiles to the remaining line wings. Estimates of the ratio of intrinsic to observed emission ranging from 1.5 to 23 have been obtained. Photo-ionization models of IC 4l8, IC 4997 and NGC 2440 have been used to obtain Mg/H ratios from the corrected Mg II line strengths. The logarithmic magnesium abundances obtained vere 7.6±0.12, 6.96±0.3 and 6.5±0.3 respectively. These results indicate that depletion of Mg into grains is less than previously thought and reduce the observed gradient in the magnesium abundance. The Mg depletion may be related to the C/0 ratio within the nebula; carbonrich planetary nebulae may have less magnesium depletion than those with C/0 < 1.


The research of new biomarkers for Parkinson's disease is essential for accurate and precocious diagnosis, as well as for the discovery of new potential disease mechanisms and drug targets. The main objective of this work was to identify metabolic changes that might serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis of this neurodegenerative disorder. For this, we profiled the plasma metabolome from mice with neurotoxin-induced Parkinson's disease as well as from patients with familial or sporadic Parkinson's disease. By using mass spectrometry technology, we analyzed the complete metabolome from healthy volunteers compared to patients with idiopathic or familial (carrying the G2019S or R1441G mutations in the LRRK2 gene) Parkinson's disease, as well as, from mice treated with 6-hydroxydopamine to induce Parkinson disease. Both human and murine Parkinson was accompanied by an increase in plasma levels of unconjugated bile acids (cholic acid, deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid) and purine base intermediary metabolites, in particular hypoxanthine. The comprehensive metabolomic analysis of plasma from Parkinsonian patients underscores the importance of bile acids and purine metabolism in the pathophysiology of this disease. Therefore, plasma measurements of certain metabolites related to these pathways might contribute to the diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease.


The intrinsic folding of isolated neutral tetrapeptides is investigated by IR-UV double-resonance laser spectroscopy coupled to quantum chemistry (DFT-D) calculations. Laser-desorbed jet-cooled Ac-(Ala)(3)-Phe-NH(2) as well as two other related four-residue molecules are shown to fold according to the same 14-7L-X-10II'-7L compact, β-hairpin-like backbone pattern, leading to a remarkable closed daisy chain of H-bonds along the molecule. Thermodynamic calculations confronted to the abundances observed show that these laser-desorbed peptides are best described by a finite conformational temperature (typically ca. 300-450 K), which suggests that not only enthalpy but also entropy effects play an important role in selecting these structures within this temperature range.


Climate change is being currently faced globally; controlling the plastic waste and gas emission is aimed to reduce their hazardous effects. In this work, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer wastes are used as fillers to calcium silicate. Chemical treatment was performed to get the best efficiency of the binder material with the treated PET (TPET) and treated PVC (TPVC). The used silicate, new nonhydraulic dicalcium silicate, was synthesized by sintering. A new environmentally friendly polymer concrete, based on different concentrations of PET–/TPET–/PVC–/TPVC–dicalcium silicate composites, was prepared and cured by carbonation. FTIR analysis confirms that the treatment gave functional groups on the polymer surface; also, the hydrophilicity was increased after treatment. SEM photos show that the treated polymers have a rougher surface, which led to improved attachment with cement. The structures of the prepared and cured cement materials are proved by XRD, FTIR analysis, and SEM, through the change of calcium silicate to carbonate. Carbon footprint is used to analyze the environmental implications of the prepared composites. After the treatment reaction, the TPET–cement and TPVC–cement composites showed improved compression and flexural properties and more stability against water absorption. The novelty arises from recycling this plastic waste in the proposed low-energy dicalcium silicate cement, for the first time, to give improved environmentally friendly composites after converting CO2 gas to carbonates, with the reduced carbon footprint.


Background There were limited studies specifically evaluating whether the difference of the prevalence of sarcopenia exists in men and women in older adults from rural areas in China. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of sarcopenia between men and women in a rural area in eastern China and to explore the underlying causes. Methods This study included 1,105 participants aged 60-89 years. Muscle mass was measured by bio-electrical impedance analysis. Hand grip strength was measured by Jamar Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia-2019 Consensus. Data were analyzed using log-binomial and linear regression. Results The prevalence of sarcopenia was 21.7% in women and 12.9% in men among the study cohort. After adjusting for age, education level, number of diseases, income level, smoking, drinking, and eating habits, proportion of people with sarcopenia was 1.49-fold greater in women than in men (PR = 1.49, 95% CI [1.01–2.26], P = 0.055). Conclusions The prevalence of sarcopenia in elderly women in this rural area of eastern China is higher than in men, suggesting that women in rural areas in China seem to be more vulnerable for sarcopenia, thus early screening and prevention need to be provided for them to address such gender disparity in health.


Introduction Spirometry remains the cornerstone in the diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Little is known regarding the determinants and prevalence of COPD in rural India. We undertook a population-based study in Howrah District, West Bengal,India at a community-based primary care clinic of a voluntary organisation to test the feasibility of spirometric estimation of the prevalence of COPD. Methods Spirometry was performed on all adults >35 years attending the clinic. Questionnaire data (capturing respiratory symptoms, occupation, tobacco smoking history, indoor stove use) were gathered for each subject. All spirometric data were examined by an independent UK-based clinical scientist. Results Spirometry was performed in 315 patients over 3 months; 18% (58/315) of measurements were deemed good quality as per ERS guidelines; 45% (143/315) had the correct shaped curve; hence 64% (201/315) of all spirometries were deemed adequate for FEV1 analysis. Poor quality traces were noted in 36% (n=114) and hence were excluded from analysis. Of the adequate spirometries (n=201, mean age 51 years (SD 12.1); 39% male), 84 (42%) were normal, 102 (51%) exhibited mild airflow obstruction, 12 (6%) moderate airflow obstruction and 3 (1.5%) severe airflow obstruction according to British guidelines. Difference in FEV1% predicted between never/ex smokers and current smokers was significant (p=0.029). Indoor stove use was ubiquitous in this population and did not correlate with FEV1 percent predicted. Conclusion In a rural Indian setting, valid spirometry can be obtained in two-thirds of adult patients attending a community clinic with 58% of patients in this sample exhibiting at least mild COPD with a history of current smoking being associated with the development of airflow obstruction.


BACKGROUND:
In developing countries, skin diseases have a serious impact on people's quality of life and bring out a significant burden to the nation. They have a high morbidity but very little mortality and are neglected both by the community and the health personnel. Preventable skin diseases are those infections and infestations of the skin that can be avoided by good hygiene practices and by improving the living conditions of the individuals. According to WHO, these diseases have the greatest importance in terms of public health. The prevalence of skin diseases in population based studies conducted in India vary from 14% to 50%. Simple approaches like promoting hygiene in the community, improving their housing standards, preventing overcrowding, better health education and improving the socioeconomic status of the community may bring down the burden of these skin diseases drastically.
OBJECTIVES:
To estimate the prevalence of preventable skin diseases and its risk factors among individuals residing in households in the selected slums of Chennai in 2014.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A community based cross sectional study was done among households in the slums of Chennai during February to May 2014. 520 individuals residing in 107 households were
selected by multistage cluster sampling method. In each household, all the members were selected for the study. History related to their hygiene practices was obtained using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire and head to foot examination of skin and its appendages was done indivudually in day light to assess their general appearance and to find out the presence of preventable skin diseases.The association between various factors and skin diseases were analyzed by using Chi Square test.
RESULTS:
The members in each household ranged from 1 to 10. More participants were in the 30 to 39 years age group and females were more compared to males. The study revealed the overall prevalence of preventable skin diseases was 86% among households and 46.3% among individuals (95% CI - 42.01% to 50.59%). The most common skin diseases were the parasitic infestation (43.9%) followed by fungal infection (42.50%) with pediculosis capitis (35.4%) being the most common diagnosis. Preventable skin diseases were significantly higher in children and adolescents and also among females. 90.6% households were overcrowded, 84% individuals share their sleeping place with others, 41.7% participants did not take bath daily, 65% participants shared their soaps, 68.5% individuals shared their towels, 73.3% participants shared their combs and hand washing practices of the individuals were very poor. A significant association was found between preventable skin diseases and type of house, overcrowding, frequency of taking bath, application of oil to body, place of taking bath and poor general appearance.
Conclusion:
Alarming prevalence of preventable skin diseases of 46.3% among individuals and 86% among households highlights the need for screening programmes for slum dwellers for early diagnosis of skin diseases. Health education interventions should be given to improve the hygiene practices among households in the slums.


Nowadays, there is no doubt that there is a good epidemic of ageing with the inversion of the population pyramid. There is no doubt either about the current epidemic of obesity and bad nutritional habits that have resulted in an increase of diabetic patients in the world. And the union of these epidemics has led to an increase of diabetes (DM) in the elderly.


Defibrillation using epicardial patches may be associated with lower energy requirements than nonthoracotomy defibrillation although a direct comparison using various waveforms has not been reported. To directly compare defibrillation efficacy using these two configurations, nine mongrel dogs (20.9 ± 2.3 kg) first underwent nonthoracotomy defibrillation testing followed by a thoracotomy and implantation of epicardial patch electrodes and redetermination of defibrillation efficacy. Each dog served as its own control. Nonthoracotomy electrode configuration consisted of a right ventricular catheter (cathode) and a chest wall subcutaneous patch (anode). The epicardial configuration consisted of two 13.9 cm2 epicardial patches. Alternating current induced ventricular fibrillation was allowed to persist for 10 seconds, followed by either a monophasic or a single capacitor biphasic shock of 10‐msec total duration. Four trials of five leading edge voltages were performed for monophasic and biphasic pulses and stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to determine 80% probability of successful defibrillation (E80). For epicardial defibrillation E80s were: monophasic 19.2 ± 4.2 J and biphasic 12.6 ± 4.0 J; nonthoracotomy defibrillation E80s were: monophasic 24.2± 4.4 J and biphasic 17.8 ± 4.1 J. Epicardial patch defibrillation required less energy than nonthoracotomy electrode configuration. However, using biphasic pulses nonthoracotomy defibrillation could achieve lower defibrillation energy requirements than epicardial defibrillation with monophasic pulses.


The multi-hop routing in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) offers little protection against identity deception through replaying routing information. An adversary can exploit this defect to launch various harmful or even devastating attacks against the routing protocols, including sinkhole attacks, wormhole attacks and Sybil attacks. Traditional cryptographic techniques or efforts at developing trust-aware routing protocols do not effectively address this severe problem. To secure the WSNs against adversaries misdirecting the multi-hop routing, we have design and implemented TARF, a robust trust-aware routing framework for dynamic WSNs.TARF provides trustworthy and energy-efficient route. Most importantly, TARF proves effective against those harmful attacks developed out of identity deception; the resilience of TARF is verified through extensive evaluation with both simulation and empirical experiments on large-scale WSNs under various scenarios including mobile and RF-shielding network conditions. Keywords— CTP – Collection Tree Routing Protocol, EWMA-exponentially weighted moving average, RPGM-Reference Point Group Mobility TARF-Trust Aware Routing Framework, WSN – Wireless Sensor Network


My interest in this area started at the "Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research" (CGRER) of the University of Iowa with which I continue to keep close ties. There I worked in an interdisciplinary team together with Gregory Carmichael from the Chemical Engineering Department and several Ph.D. students in chemical engineering, computer science, and applied mathematics. The goal of this group was to develop a "Third Generation Model" for atmospheric chemistry. The requirements for such a model had been formulated by a panel of scientists (including Gregory Carmichael and myself) assembled by EPA [48]. It involves setting up a parabolic system consisting of about 300 nonlinear PDEs and finding efficient numerical methods for solving it. This is a 3-D reactive transport problem with about 100 chemical species and 200 chemical reactions. Since transport and chemical reactions operate at different time scales, an operator split technique is applied with different integration methods for transport and chemistry. In fact chemistry is solved by integrating at each point of the space grid a (very stiff) initial value ODE problem for a period of time equal to the time step of the transport integrator. Since up to 90% of computer time in atmospheric chemistry simulations is used in integrating chemistry, our group initially focussed its efforts on improving the chemistry integrators. This research effort lead to the reduction of the chemistry integration time by an order of magnitude and contributed to a better theoretical understanding of the behavior of numerical integrators for chemical rate equations. The results of our research are contained in several papers ([23, 24, 25, 27, 35, 80, 81, 84, 85, 86]). In order to easily test different chemistry models and different integration schemes our group developed a symbolic preprocessor for chemical rate equations, kpp, which makes it very easy to build new chemistry models, automatically computes Jacobians, and determines a close to optimal reordering of chemical species in order to improve the sparsity of the LU factors to be used by implicit integrators. kpp is available on the Internet at htpp://people.cs.vt.edu/ ̃asandu and has being used by many research teams around the world. A paper on kpp was published in [26]. At present we are working on extending the capabilities of kpp in several directions and we are actively seeking external funding for this project. Sensitivity analysis is another important aspect in modeling atmospheric chemistry. Estimating the sensitivity of the model with respect to initial conditions and parameters defining the model is crucial for interpreting the results and for model optimization. We proved that automatic differentiation can be a useful tool in computing sensitivities and we proposed a novel way of applying the software package ADIFOR to this effect [23, 80, 81]. At present we are looking at efficient ways of building adjoint models for our problem. The use of automatic differentiation in the numerical solution of stiff ODEs is investigated in [34].


It is an interesting issue if the transport behavior of a piezoelectric tunnel junction is sensitive to external strain or stress, and it implies a prospect for developing novel mechanical sensors, transducers, piezotronic devices, etc. Many studies paid attention to this issue, yet how the strain and stress tunable transport behavior of a tunnel junction depends on the barrier thickness is still rarely known. Using the first principles calculations, we investigate the size-dependent and strain-tunable transport behavior in the tunnel junctions. It was confirmed that external strain has strong control over the transport properties of ZnO tunnel junctions, with several times amplification of tunnel conductance obtained by strain reversal. More importantly, the conductance amplification by strain reversal exponentially changes with the barrier thickness, indicating the size-dependent strain tunability of the transport behavior. The electrostatic quantities (i.e., built-in field, depolarization field, polarization, interfacial dipoles and potential barrier) and the transport properties of tunnel junctions were comprehensively analyzed to reveal the relationships between these quantities and their size dependence. The exponential size-dependence of strain tunable transport behavior in ZnO tunnel junctions is attributed to the linear change in the potential barrier with the barrier thickness. Our simulations provide an insight of how to maximize the strain tunability of transport behavior of piezoelectric tunnel junctions by thickness design and strain engineering.


Introduction Access to patients' documented medical information is necessary for building the informational continuity across different healthcare providers (HCP), particularly for patients with non-communicable diseases (NCD). Patient-held health records (PHR) such as NCD notebooks have important documented medical information, which can contribute to informational continuity in the outpatient settings for patients with diabetes and hypertension in Kerala. We aimed to use the theoretical domains framework (TDF) to identify the perceived HCP factors influencing informational and management continuity for patients with diabetes and hypertension. Methods We re-analyzed semi-structured interview data for 17 HCPs with experience in the NCD programme in public health facilities in Kerala from a previous study, using the TDF. The previous study explored patients, carers and HCPs experiences using PHRs such as NCD notebooks in the management of diabetes and hypertension. Interview transcripts were deductively coded based on a coding framework based on the 14 domains of TDF. Specific beliefs were generated from the data grouped into the domains. Results Data were coded into the 14 domains of TDF and generated 33 specific beliefs regarding maintaining informational and management continuity of care. Seven domains were judged to be acting as facilitators for recording in PHRs and maintaining continuity. The two domains "memory, attention and decision process" and "environmental context and resources" depicted the barriers identified by HCPs for informational continuity of care. Conclusion In this exploration of recording and communicating patients' medical information in PHRs for patients with diabetes and hypertension, HCPs attributions of sub-optimal recording were used to identify domains that may be targeted for further development of supporting intervention. Overall, nine domains were likely to impact the barriers and facilitators for HCPs in recording in PHRs and communicating; subsequently maintaining informational and management continuity of care. This study showed that many underlying beliefs regarding informational continuity of care were based on HCPs' experiences with patient behaviors. Further research is needed for developing the content and appropriate support interventions for using PHRs to maintain informational continuity.


This article discusses the problem of the dissolution of social organizations in Indonesia that is not in accordance with the principles of the rule of law. These problems will be answered methodologically using normative legal research. The author uses this legal research because the focus is on studying literature, legislation and court decisions relating to the object of research. Based on the results of the study this article concludes that the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia emphasizes the importance of a system of checks and balances in which there needs to be a clear division of power between the executive and judicial functions. This means that in the case of the dissolution of social organizations it is very important to involve the court in deciding the dissolution of the social organization in Indonesia by structuring dispute resolution in the courts using the principle of quick, simple and low cost justice so that the process of dispute resolution of the social organization can be carried out effectively and efficiently.


Listening is one of the receptive skills and as such it involves students incapturing and
understanding the meaning what speaker has said. This research is about 'An Analysis of
Students' Problem in Learning Listening at the SecondSemester of the Eleventh Grade of
SMAN 15 Bandar Lampung in the Academic Year of2016/2017. The objectives of this
research were students' problems in learning listening and the cause of problems in learning
listening at the Second Semester of the Eleventh Grade of SMAN 15 Bandar Lampung in the
Academic Year of 2016/2017.
In this research, the researcher used qualitative research method. The researcher used
purposive sampling technique to determine the sample. The researcher chose class XI as
sample which consisted of 33 students. In collecting the data, the researcher usedobservation
and questionnaire.The researcher used three major phases of data analysis: they were data
reduction, data display and conclusion drawing.
From the data analysis, the reseacher found the students' problem and the cause of the
problem in the process of learning listening of SMAN 15 Bandar Lampung as follows: (1)
The students' problem in learning listening are students' perception that they Trouble with
sound, have to understand every word, they cannot understand faster the natural native
speakers, they need to hear more than once and they find difficult to keep up.(2)The cause of
the problem in learning listening are internal factors such as styles of listening and
semantic barrier, than external factors such as talker's mannerisms makes students difficult to
understand the meaning, interruption in the class or condition of the class was very noisy,
speaker speak too rapidly, native speaker speaking in monotone, and also the cause of the
problem in learning listening are unfamiliar word, different pronounce between Indonesian
and English, and difficult to concentration
Keyword: Receptive skills, Problem in learning listening.


The authors propose an approach to systematic synthesis of Petri net models for manufacturing systems. It is based on top-down, modular, and decomposition philosophies which make the stepwise refinement of the Petri-net models possible. Using the proposed method, it is possible to obtain a Petri net model which is guaranteed to have the most important properties in the context of manufacturing: safeness, liveness, and reversibility. A formal problem statement is presented first. Then, the previous research on synthesis approaches is reviewed. Next, several modules are defined which, when combined according to a proposed algorithm, lead to the derived model. It is proven that the algorithm yields the safeness, liveness, and reversibility properties. An example of piston-rod assembly is used to demonstrate the proposed method.<<ETX>>


Examining a popular political notion, this article presents results from a series of Spearman Rho calculations conducted to investigate relationships between countries' rankings on international tests of mathematics and science and future economic competitiveness as measured by the 2006 World Economic Forum's Growth Competitiveness Index (GCI). The study investigated the existence of relationships between international test rankings from three different time periods during the last 50 years of U.S. education policy development (i.e., 1957–1982, 1983–2000, and 2001–2006) and 2006 GCI ranks. It extends previous research on the topic by investigating how GCI rankings in the top 50 percent and bottom 50 percent relate to rankings on international tests for the countries that participated in each test. The study found that the relationship between ranks on international tests of mathematics and science and future economic strength is stronger among nations with lower-performing economies. Nations with strong economies, such as the United States, demonstrate a weaker, nonsignificant relationship.


Kurt Lewin's 'changing as three steps' (unfreezing → changing → refreezing) is regarded by many as the classic or fundamental approach to managing change. Lewin has been criticized by scholars for over-simplifying the change process and has been defended by others against such charges. However, what has remained unquestioned is the model's foundational significance. It is sometimes traced (if it is traced at all) to the first article ever published in Human Relations. Based on a comparison of what Lewin wrote about changing as three steps with how this is presented in later works, we argue that he never developed such a model and it took form after his death. We investigate how and why 'changing as three steps' came to be understood as the foundation of the fledgling subfield of change management and to influence change theory and practice to this day, and how questioning this supposed foundation can encourage innovation.


In this paper I will return to Michael Balint's psychoanalytic concepts of ocnophilia and philobatism and use them as tools for understanding different attitudes towards the city. Related to the two notions of agoraphobia and claustrophobia, Balint's concepts show how our relations to space are intertwined with emotional attitudes. I have recently explored these connections in my thesis 'Planned, All Too Planned. A Perspectivistic Study of the Paradoxes of Planning' (Uppsala 2010), where I tried to understand the gap between ideals and realities in planning and architecture, especially when it comes to the creation of "urban atmospheres". My starting point is my own feelings when I first visited one of these expertly planned areas: reality was not what it was said to be. What in the eyes of the architects had appeared as an attractive environment was to me a ghost town. Drawing on Nietzsche's perspectivism I located the gap to the area between two fixed points: 'the Eye of the Architect' and 'the Body of the Flâneur'. As these labels demonstrate, the first perspective is primarily visual, the latter more embodied. In order to unmask the seemingly neutral expertise of the architect, I turn to Balint's theory of primary attitudes. In my mind the modern architect behaves like a philobat (a person to whom objects are hazardous and who seeks the friendly expanses), and the flâneur is an ocnophil (an individual who fears empty spaces and therefore clings to objects). On these connections I will elaborate in the paper.


The determination of organic and inorganic environmental and food pollutants is a key matter of concern in analytical chemistry due to their effects as a serious threat to human health. Focusing on this issue, several methodologies involving the use of nanostructured electrochemical platforms have been recently reported in the literature. Among these methods, those employing the use of quantum dots (QDs) stand out because of features such as signal amplification, good reproducibility and selectivity, and the possibility for multiplexed detection, and because they preserve the outstanding characteristics of electrochemical methodologies with respect to simplicity, ease-of-use, and cost-effective instrumentation. This review describes recent electrochemical strategies, in which design QDs play a key role, for the determination of pollutants in food and environmental samples. The particular role of QDs in the reported methodologies, their preparation, and the electrochemical platform design, as well as the advantages that QDs provide in the analysis of target analytes, are critically discussed.


IMPORTANCE
Epidemiologic studies have shown that antidepressants may increase the risk of angle-closure glaucoma. We examined the risk of angle-closure glaucoma with bupropion hydrochloride, a unique, popular antidepressant also marketed as a smoking cessation aid.

OBSERVATIONS
A nested case-control study was conducted using a large health claims database in the United States from January 1, 2006, to March 31, 2014. The database contained deidentified information pertaining to a cohort of 6 110 723 patients. Cases were defined according to the first coding for angle-closure glaucoma. For each case, 10 control participants were selected and matched to the cases using density-based sampling. Adjusted rate ratios were computed for bupropion, topiramate (positive control group drug), and esomeprazole (negative control group drug). The adjusted rate ratio was 1.09 (95% CI, 0.75-1.59) for bupropion and 2.59 (95% CI, 1.56-4.30) for topiramate. In a prespecified analysis of patients younger than 50 years, the adjusted rate ratio was 1.98 (95% CI, 1.02-3.84) for bupropion and 5.30 (95% CI, 2.54-11.04) for topiramate.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Both bupropion and topiramate are widely prescribed drugs. The risk of angle-closure glaucoma in patients younger than 50 years was twice as high in patients taking bupropion and more than 5 times higher in patients taking topiramate.


The aim of the study was to recognize the supply chains used in the marketing of fruit and their products, as well as the trends of changes in this sector. The object of the research was fruit production in the world and Poland. The study presents a diagram of the supply chain in agribusiness. A method of graphic presentation of the flow of raw materials and fruit products from producers of raw materials and means of production for agriculture to the final consumer was also used. Trends of changes in the production of fruit and their preserves are presented. The research used literature on the subject, available mass statistics data and data prepared by the Institute of Economics, Agriculture and Food Economy – the National Research Institute. Based on the research, it was found that the fruit logistics chain includes thousands of farmers, many agri-food processing units, wholesale and retail food trade. It must be very flexible, constantly adapting to the challenges of a changing, globalizing market. In conditions of dispersed fruit production, success is determined by the efficiency of chain management combined with solidarity and mutual trust of all participants in the flow of goods, information and financial resources.


Abstract This experimental, translational, experimental pain, single-center, randomized, double-blind, single-dose, 3-treatment, 3-period cross-over proof-of-concept volunteer trial studied the efficacy of a novel TRPV1 antagonist (V116517) on capsaicin- and UV-B-induced hyperalgesia. Heat and pressure pain thresholds, von Frey stimulus–response functions, and neurogenic inflammation were assessed together with safety. Each treatment period was 4 days. The 3 single oral treatments were 300 mg V116517, 400 mg celecoxib (a COX-2 inhibitor), and placebo. The heat pain detection and tolerance thresholds were increased significantly (P < 0.0001) by V116517. Heat pain detection and tolerance thresholds showed significantly less capsaicin hyperalgesia after V116517 (P = 0.004 and P < 0.0001, respectively). Celecoxib reduced UV-B-provoked pressure pain sensitization (P = 0.01). Laser Doppler flowmetry and erythema index after UV-B were significantly (P < 0.0001) reduced by celecoxib. Stimulus–response function in capsaicin-treated areas showed significant differences between both celecoxib and placebo and between V116517 and placebo. The body temperature showed no change, and no side effects were reported for any of the treatments. The TRPV1 antagonists and the COX-2 inhibitor showed different antihyperalgesic profiles indicating different clinical targets. In addition, the preclinical profile of V116517 in rat models of UV-B and capsaicin-induced hypersensitivity was compared with the human experimental data and overall demonstrated an alignment between 2 of the 3 end points tested. The TRPV1 antagonist showed a potent antihyperalgesic action without changing the body temperature but heat analgesia may be a potential safety issue.


Effects of frequency variation on vacuum electron-positron pair production in strong pulsed laser fields are investigated in the framework of a quantum kinetic method. It is found that the slowly varying frequency can influence the pair production to some extent, while rapid varying frequency can increase the pair creation rate a few orders if the time lies within a narrow time window, in which frequency jump occurs. The possible physical mechanism behind the pair enhancement phenomenon is discussed briefly.


LU and Cholesky matrix factorization algorithms are core subroutines used to solve systems of linear equations (SLEs) encountered when solving an optimization problem. Standard floating-point algorithms are highly efficient but remain susceptible to the accumulation of round-off errors, which can lead solvers to return feasibility and optimality claims that are actually invalid. This paper introduces a novel direct solution approach for solving sequences of closely related SLEs encountered in nonlinear programming efficiently and without round-off errors. Specifically, it introduces rank-one update algorithms for the round-off error–free factorization framework, a tool set built on integer-preserving arithmetic that has led to the development and implementation of extremely reliable subroutines for solving SLEs occurring in linear programming. The formal guarantees of the presented algorithms are established through the derivation of theoretical insights. Their advantages are supported with computational experiments, which demonstrate upward of 75× improvements over exact factorization runtimes on fully dense matrices with more than one million entries. A significant advantage of the featured integer-preserving framework is that the length of any matrix coefficient produced by its algorithms is bounded polynomially in the size of the inputs without having to resort to greatest common divisor operations, which are required by and thereby hinder an efficient implementation of exact rational arithmetic approaches. History: Accepted by Antonio Frangioni, Area Editor for Design & Analysis of Algorithms–Continuous. Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplemental Information ( https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2021.0331 ) as well as from the IJOC GitHub software repository ( https://github.com/INFORMSJoC/2021.0331 ). The complete IJOC Software and Data Repository is available at https://informsjoc.github.io/ .


This work studies the synthesis of copolymers having photochromic azobenzene groups in the main chain, obtained by copolymerization between phosgene and suitable mixtures of azo-monomer and bisphenol-A. Moreover, we show the application of our novel copolymer as a potential logic gate. The chemical and physical properties of these statistical copolymers were investigated by means of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, gel permeation chromatography, thermo-analytic techniques and UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The structural analysis confirmed the formation of statistical copolymers. Furthermore, some of these copolymers exhibited a trans → cis reversible photoisomerization not only in solution but also in the solid state on exposure to light of 330 or 440 nm (using a spectrofluorometer as a fully tunable light source). Finally, a discrete and unusual fluorescence was observed upon irradiation at 330 and 440 nm. An in silico TD-DFT calculation study was conducted to explain the observed fluorescence. Thanks to their spectroscopic features, these copolymers are suitable for use in photonic applications such as an optical logical gate.


We identified land uses, vegetation cover types, and landscape patterns associated with avian community diversity in 2 rural landscapes in a hardwood forest-tallgrass prairie ecotone that differ with regard to human population density. We obtained long-term (24 years) changes in avian community composition through records from the North American Breeding Bird Survey. We obtained historical and present land use, vegetation cover types, and landscape structure of both landscapes from high-resolution aerial photography. Avian community composition in the low density rural population landscape was primarily related to the amount of land in deciduous forest and land treated with fire or herbicides. In contrast, avian community composition in the high density rural population landscape was primarily related to the amount of land in deciduous forest, native grassland, and roads. Changes in vegetation cover type were related to changes in the avian community composition by increasing prairie habitat associated species in the low density rural population and generalist habitat associated species in the high density rural population landscapes. Loss of neotropical migrants and increased number of generalist species in the high density rural population landscape was related to decreased native vegetation, road development, and increased landscape fragmentation. Biologists and conservationists in this region should focus attention on preserving biological diversity of rural ecosystems by maintaining native plant communities.


This study aimed to investigate the effect of miR-132-3p/GLRX on neuroinflammation and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). In clinical experiments, the levels of miR-132-3p and glutaredoxin (GLRX) in the midbrain tissuesfrom 5 patients with PD were analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. In cell experiments, inflammatory cell models were established by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. miR-132-3p loss- and gain-of-function assays were carried out to investigate the function of miR-132-3p in the BV-2 cell inflammatory response and neuronal injury. RIP experiments and dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to verify the binding of miR-132-3p to GLRX. Gene cotransfection in rescue assays was used to confirm the role of miR-132-3p/GLRX in microglial cell activation and neuronal injury. In animal experiments, mouse models of PD were established by MPTP injection. The effect of miR-132-3p on neuroinflammation and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in mice with PD was explored with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), immunofluorescence, and behavioral tests. The results showed increased miR-132-3p expression and decreased GLRX expression in the midbrain tissues of PD patients. Overexpression of miR-132-3p increased the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in LPS-treated BV-2 cells, and after coculture with conditioned medium of BV-2 cells, SH-SY5Y cells exhibited increased apoptosis and decreased viability in response to miR-132-3p overexpression, while the opposite results were obtained in miR-132-3p-knockdown cells, indicating that miR-132-3p can promote microglial cell activation and enhance neuronal injury. GLRX was a target gene of miR-132-3p, and GLRX could abolish miR-132-3p-induced neuronal injury and microglial activation. Depletion of miR-132-3p ameliorated dopaminergic neuron degeneration and neuroinflammation in mice with PD. Conclusively, miR-132-3p promoted the activation of microglial cells and further facilitated the loss of dopaminergic neurons by negatively regulating GLRX expression.


The paper found that the implementation of the priority areas of railway infrastructure, defined transport strategy Ukraine requires significant funding required amounts which are absent in Railways and the state budget of Ukraine. It was determined that one of the effective tools of financial security of railroad infrastructure is a mechanism of public-private partnerships. Based on this the essence of public-private partnership, its main characteristics and forms of implementation. Deals with the author's views on the content of public-private partnership in the field of railway transport infrastructure by which to understand the mechanism proposed cooperation of public and private capital in the field of attracting financial resources, introduction of modern management techniques and intellectual potential, on the one hand, and the institutional framework for development of infrastructure facilities in the railway sector, on the other, to implement the strategic development of rail transport and achieve social and economic impact. Expediency of contract life cycle as a form of public-private partnerships in the area of financial security of railroad infrastructure and organizational chart presented participants cooperation projects of railway infrastructure through public-private partnerships.


Background and Aim: MDM4, a negative regulator of the p53 tumor suppression pathway, has been demonstrated to be overexpressed in a variety of human cancers. Research has revealed that the rs4245739 A>C polymorphism of MDM4 in the 3'-untranslated region makes it a miR-191 target site, leading to lower MDM4 expression. This study aimed to detect if the rs4245739 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) impacts on thyroid cancer (TC) development in Iranian-Azeri patients. Materials and Method: Blood samples were taken from 232 healthy controls and 130 TC patients of Iranian-Azeri ethnicity. For genotyping, Tetra-ARMS PCR was performed. SPSS for Windows (version 22.0, IBM SPSS Inc., USA) and the SHEsis online software were used for data analysis. Results: Alleles of MDM4 rs4245739 SNP demonstrated no significant different in frequencies between patients and controls (p>0.05). Additionally, genotypes of MDM4 rs4245739 SNP did not increase or decrease TC risk in patients compared with healthy subjects. Conclusion: Considering the lack of any observed association between the MDM4 rs4245739 polymorphism and TC, we conclude no significant role in the pathophysiology of the disease.


[reaction: see text] Catalytic systems generated in situ from the chiral PNNP ligands with iridium or rhodium hydride complexes exhibited excellent catalytic activity and good enantioselectivity in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones without added base. The best result was obtained in the IrH(CO)(PPh(3))(3)-ligand 2 catalytic system with up to 99% yield and 97% ee.


Surfactant protein B (SP-B) is expressed tissue specifically in the lung and is developmentally regulated. To identify genomic regions that control SP-B expression, we analyzed SP-B promoter activity in transgenic mice containing rabbit SP-B 5'-flanking DNA fragments linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene. Results showed that whereas the -2,176/+39-bp fragment failed to express CAT, shorter fragments of -730/+39 and -236/+39 bp expressed CAT tissue specifically in the lung. Further deletion of 5'-flanking DNA to -136 bp resulted in no expression of CAT. Immunostaining demonstrated that both -730/+39- and -236/+39-bp regions expressed CAT specifically in alveolar type II and Clara cells. The -236/+39-bp region expressed CAT at a significantly lower level than the -730/+39-bp region. CAT expression in mice containing the -730/+39-bp region was detected in embryonic day 14 lung and attained maximum levels in day 18 lung, indicating that the developmental expression of CAT was similar to that of SP-B. These data show that the DNA elements necessary for cell type-specific expression are located within -236/+39 bp of the SP-B gene. Additionally, these data suggest that the -2,176/-730- and -730/-236-bp regions contain the DNA elements that repress and enhance SP-B gene transcription, respectively.


Women for Women International (WFWI) helps victims of war become self sufficient in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Sudan. WFWI conducts year-long programs for participants, providing financial aid, job training, rights awareness and leadership education. They also want to help participants deal with the often severe trauma they experience during war. I have adapted my Energy Psychology methodology called Clearing Limits Energetically with Acupressure Release (CLEAR™) so that it may be used in groups in short, onehour sessions as a part of WFWI's program. In July 2008, WFWI sent me to Nigeria to test CLEAR with its participants to see if it could translate into other cultures and to see if the women would accept it. In this article, I explain CLEAR and the pilot program in Nigeria with WFWI facilitators and participants.


Settled670, Charleston could 1 lay no claim to medical distinction until after the first quarter of the 18th century. The usual difficulties of the early period of settlement had been met with moderate success. Among them were numerous unhappy experiences with serious disease of epidemic nature—smallpox, malaria, yellow fever, respiratory tract infection, scarlet fever, diphtheria, and dysentery—to mention the worst offenders. To combat these, the limited talents of a modest number of physicians of doubtful skill were available, although their effectiveness was restricted by the state of medical knowledge of the time. The appointment in 1712 of a health officer to inspect incoming ships did not succeed in protecting the town from imported disease. After the first quarter of the century, Charleston acquired a better quality of practitioners, including some few who displayed a scientific curiosity. Thomas Dale of England, graduate of Leyden, translator of medical treatises, later to be


The second-generation antipsychotic drugs are widely used in the field of psychiatry, for an expanding number of different conditions. While their clinical efficacy remains indispensable, many of the drugs can cause severe metabolic side-effects, resulting in an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic disorders. The physiological basis of these side-effects remains an ongoing area of investigation. In the present study, we examined the potential role of peripheral catecholamines in antipsychotic-induced glucose intolerance. Adult female rats were acutely treated with either the first-generation antipsychotic drug haloperidol (0.1, 0.5 or 1 mg/kg) or the second-generation drugs risperidone (0.25, 1.0 or 2.5 mg/kg), olanzapine (1.5, 7.5 or 15 mg/kg) or clozapine (2, 10 or 20 mg/kg) or vehicle. Fasting glucose levels were measured and then animals were subjected to the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. Levels of peripheral norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine were concurrently measured in the same animals 75, 105 and 135 min after drug treatment. All antipsychotics caused glucose intolerance, with strongest effects by clozapine > olanzapine > risperidone > haloperidol. Plasma catecholamines were also increased by drug treatment, with greatest effects for norepinephrine and epinephrine caused by clozapine > risperidone > olanzapine > haloperidol. Importantly, there were strong and statistically significant associations between norepinephrine/epinephrine levels and glucose intolerance for all drugs. These findings confirm that increases in peripheral catecholamines co-occur in animals that exhibit antipsychotic-induced glucose intolerance, and these effects are strongly associated with each other, providing further evidence for elevated catecholamines as a substrate for antipsychotic metabolic side-effects.


Wood degradation and defects, such as voids and knots, affect the quality of
lumber. The ability to detect the internal defects in the log can save mills time and
processing costs. In this case, the microwave propagation is used to investigate the
internal defect of wood. The principle of this case study is to measure the attenuation of
microwave signal when propagates through the wood. The microwave trainer Type (e)
4510 that transmit 14.5 GHz with 20m W microwave signal is used and the measurements
are made in voltage using multi-meter that connected with detector. The development of
amplification circuit has been developed to amplifY the received signal from detector.
Rubber wood is used as material under test, (rvlUT) with thickness used between 20mm
to 60mm. The wood defection is created with known size and the wood is immersed in
water in order to study the effect of moisture content on microwave signal. Several
experiments must be performed with several samples of woods and results of
measurement must be studied in order to determine the different measurement between
the defect wood and good wood. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is applied in Visual
Basic to recognize the pattern voltage based on experiment data to develop 2D image and
determine the internal characteristic of wood. All data presented are based on experiment
results. The results from this work will determine the suitability to use microwave signal
in wood scanning.


The authors have observed autoionisation of atomic fragments following dissociation of oxygen compounds (O2, CO2, N2O, H2O, SO2) and CF4 induced by negative-ion (O-, F-, H-) and proton impact at energies of a few keV. The autoionising atoms were identified by the characteristics of the ejected electron spectra observed in electron spectroscopy.


Water is often present in fuel tanks due to night and day temperature changes, resulting in a build-up of condensed water within the inner surface of the tank. The expectancy of water infiltration in fuel tanks is even higher in flooding prone areas. Water settlement at the bottom of the tank causes internal corrosion. In this work, a simple, low cost and accurate microwave reflection type system for detection of water in fuel tanks has been developed. A module consisting of a microwave generator and a detecting diode is used to measure the microwave reflection coefficient at various positions through the fuel tank. In the course of the study, a motion control and data acquisition system has been developed. Software written using the LabVIEW programming language is used to control the movement of the sensor and for the data acquisition. Theoretical and experimental results show the ability of the system to detect the presence of a water level down to approximately 1 mm. A simple theoretical model for power prediction of the reflected signal at various positions of the sensor in the tank is also presented.


Abstract The present study was aimed to optimize capsulated unfolding type gastroretentive bilayer film constituting immediate release (IR) layer of amlodipine besylate and sustained release (SR) layer of atorvastatin calcium. A three-factor, three-level Box–Behnken-design was used to optimize bilayer film with dual-release characteristics. The selected independent variables were HPMC-K3, Eudragit RSPO, and Carbopol 934P and the responses were floating duration, swelling index, and in vitro release from SR layer in 8 h. The films were also assessed for pharmacotechnical characteristics, release kinetics, DSC, FTIR, and SEM. The pharmacokinetics of the drugs from the optimized formulation was compared with the marketed formulation in rabbits. The capsulated accordion film unfolded and provided SR of atorvastatin for 8 h (96.76% ± 0.71) and IR of amlodipine within 25 min (98.07% ± 0.62) for the optimized formulation (F14). The swelling index and floating duration for the optimized formulation were 140.48 ± 0.57 and 8.53 ± 0.10 h, respectively. Results of pharmacokinetics showed that faster absorption of amlodipine and improved bioavailability (2.16-fold) of atorvastatin in blood was made available through bilayer film. In vitro–in vivo correlation was established using numerical deconvolution method. It can be concluded that the capsulated gastroretentive system provided site specific simultaneous SR of antihyperlidemic drug and IR of antihypertensive drug as single pill that has therapeutic potential to manage cardiovascular risk.


In this work, we propose a novel adaptive reduced-rank strategy based on joint interpolation, decimation and filtering (JIDF) for large multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. In this scheme, a reduced-rank framework is proposed for linear receive processing and multiuser interference suppression according to the minimization of the bit error rate (BER) cost function. We present a structure with multiple processing branches that performs dimensionality reduction, where each branch contains a group of jointly optimized interpolation and decimation units, followed by a linear receive filter. We then develop stochastic gradient (SG) algorithms to compute the parameters of the interpolation and receive filters along with a low-complexity decimation technique. Simulation results are presented for time-varying environments and show that the proposed MBER-JIDF receive processing strategy and algorithms achieve a superior performance to existing methods at a reduced complexity.


Introduction and purpose Microbial l-asparaginase (l-asparagine amino hydrolase, E.C.22.214.171.124) has been applied as the most important chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of certain human cancers, especially in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Actinomycetes are recognized as a comparatively less explored source for l-asparaginase and therefore act as candidates for the production of l-asparaginase. The possibility of using novel actinomycete as a source of production of some industrially important microbial l-asparaginase was investigated in this study. Materials and methods Genomic DNA of the actinomycetes isolate from soil samples was extracted using the Gene JET Genomic DNA purification kit (Thermo scientific #k0721). The actinomycete isolate was identified by 16S rDNA. The identified actinomycete isolate was inoculated on starch casein agar slants and incubated for 7–10 days at 28°C, and then it was maintained at 4°C until further use. Inoculum was prepared from a 7-day old culture of the strain. Production of l-asparaginase was initially tested in four different media. The actinomycete strain was used further for the optimization of cultural conditions, namely, l-asparagine substrate concentrations, pH, temperature, and incubation conditions. The pH of the medium was varied from pH 3.0 to pH 9.0; the incubation temperature was varied from 30 to 50°C. The effect of carbon source and nitrogen source on l-asparaginase production was studied. Modified Czapex Dox broth was supplemented with different carbon and nitrogen sources such as starch, mannitol, mannose, sucrose, cellulose, and fructose at a concentration of 1% (w/v) and ammonium sulfate, beef extract, yeast extract, and peptone at a concentration of 0.2% (w/v), respectively, keeping other components constant. The properties of Streptomyces spp. l-asparaginase were also studied such as pH, assay temperature, and thermal stability. Results and discussion Genotypic characterization of the most promising unknown actinomycete isolate showing the maximum production was identified by 16S rDNA. PCR amplified the 16 s rDNA region using primers. Genotypic characterization of the most promising unknown actinomycete isolate showing the maximum production was identified by16S rDNA. The 16 s rDNA region was amplified by PCR (about 1000 bp) using primers. According to sequencing similarities and multiple alignments, the isolate was found to be closely related to Streptomyces griseoplanus strain NRRL-ISP 5009 16 s ribosomal RNA gene with 85% identity. Higher enzyme activity was observed in modified Czapex Dox broth as compared with other media used. Modified Czapex Dox broth was supplemented with different concentrations of l-asparagine; the enzyme production was maximum at 1.5% l-asparagine (126.20 U/ml). Analysis of the culture supernatant showed that the enzyme activity rise from 126.20 U/ml on the fifth day to 141.11 U/ml on the 10th day which its peak enzyme production activity. Different carbon sources such as starch, mannitol, lactose, sucrose, and glucose were amended in asparagine-modified Czapek Dox broth to determine their impact on l-asparaginase production. Biosynthesis of l-asparaginase by S. griseoplanus strain has been reported to be higher when the basal medium was supplemented with starch. For the production of l-asparaginase by S. griseoplanus strain, yeast extract has been reported as a good nitrogen source. According to the properties of the enzyme, the maximum activity was achieved at 45°C. The half-lives of the free enzyme were calculated to be 521 min (8.5 h) at 50°C, 312.6 min (5.2 h) at 55°C, and 195.2 min (3.25 h), at 60°C.


The relation between projective measurements and generalized quantum measurements is a fundamental problem in quantum physics, and clarifying this issue is also important to quantum technologies. While it has been intuitively known that projective measurements can be constructed from sequential generalized or weak measurements, there is still lack of a proof of this hypothesis in general cases. Here we prove it from the perspective of quantum channels. We show that projective measurements naturally arise from sequential generalized measurements in the asymptotic limit. Specifically, a selective projective measurement arises from a set of typical sequences of selective generalized measurements. We provide an explicit scheme to construct projective measurements of a quantum system with sequential generalized measurements. Remarkably, a single ancilla qubit is sufficient to mediate sequential generalized measurements for constructing arbitrary projective measurements of a generic system.


Using U.S. and global data, we examine the impact of Smart Beta ETFs on active mutual funds. As Smart Beta ETFs become widely available and actively traded, active mutual fund flows become "smarter", that is they become more sensitive to multi-factor alphas. Our findings demonstrate how product innovation changes investor behavior and the investment ecosystem. Specifically, multi-factor analyses have become more relevant in performance attribution, and closet factor funds have become targets for replacement by low-cost Smart Beta ETFs.


Imaging gene expression non-invasively and deep into opaque tissues has been a long-standing goal of molecular science. Optical gene reporters such as green fluorescent protein and luciferase have revolutionized cellular and molecular biology, however their in vivo application is limited, due to poor tissue penetration of visible light. The iron storage protein ferritin forms a paramagnetic ferrihydrite core that affects the relaxation rate of surrounding nuclear spins. Ferritin has recently emerged as an MRI gene reporter for molecular applications, however its detection with MRI still has relatively low sensitivity. In this work we present an improved ferritin chimera, genetically engineered to exhibit stronger paramagnetic properties.


In this study, the warpage of WLAN strip after reflow process, which contains 7times5 WLAN modules, is considered. 3D thermo-mechanical FEM simulation is carried out to find out the warpage distribution and maximum warpage after reflow process. Experimental investigation on the warpage measurement of the package is also performed to verify the simulation results. Furthermore, some new designs on the manufacturing of the module strip, such as reducing the density of module or cutting grooves on the PCB, adding extra pins on the carrier, are proposed and compared with the currently used one. The results show that pin carrier is an effective way to reduce the warpage. The more pins on the carrier, the more efficient in reducing the warpage. Decreasing the unit density on the PCB or cutting grooves in the PCB are also ways to reduce the warpage. The less units on a single PCB sheet, the smaller the warpage. The most effective method to reduce strip warpage is to add a central pin on the PCB which can help control the maximum warpage to be within 50 mum.


This review aims to discern a treatment for grey water by examining grey water characteristics, reuse standards, technology performance and costs. The review reveals that the systems for treating grey water, whatever its quality, should consist of processes that are able to trap pollutants with a small particle size and convert organic matter to mineralized compounds. For efficient, simple and affordable treatment of grey water with safe effluent reuse, a combined anaerobic-aerobic process is recommended, with disinfection being an optional step. The removal and subsequent conversion of suspended and colloidal particles in the anaerobic process need further improvement. Furthermore, the reuse standards should be revised and classified considering the reuse options and requirements.


CONTEXT
Negative myths and misconceptions about family planning are a barrier to modern contraceptive use. Most research on the subject has focused on individual beliefs about contraception; however, given that myths spread easily within communities, it is also important to examine how the prevalence of negative myths in a community affects the aggregate level of method use.

METHODS
Baseline data collected in 2010-2011 by the Measurement, Learning & Evaluation project on women aged 15-49 living in selected cities in Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal were used. Multivariate analyses examined associations between modern contraceptive use and belief in negative myths for individuals and communities.

RESULTS
In each country, the family planning myths most prevalent at the individual and community levels were that "people who use contraceptives end up with health problems," "contraceptives are dangerous to women's health" and "contraceptives can harm your womb." On average, women in Nigeria and Kenya believed 2.7 and 4.6 out of eight selected myths, respectively, and women in Senegal believed 2.6 out of seven. Women's individual-level belief in myths was negatively associated with their modern contraceptive use in all three countries (odds ratios, 0.2-0.7). In Nigeria, the women's community-level myth variable was positively associated with modern contraceptive use (1.6), whereas the men's community-level myth variable was negatively associated with use (0.6); neither community-level variable was associated with modern contraceptive use in Kenya or Senegal.

CONCLUSION
Education programs are needed to dispel common myths and misconceptions about modern contraceptives. In Nigeria, programs that encourage community-level discussions may be effective at reducing myths and increasing modern contraceptive use.


Hydrothermal investigation of the bulk compositions Ca 19 Mg 4 Al 10 Si 17 O 68 (OH) 8 and Ca 19 Mg 3 Al 10 Si 18 O 68 (OH) 10 (+ or -4SiO 2 + H 2 O) has been conducted by using conventional cold seal and internally heated pressure apparatus at 320 degrees to 900 degrees C and 1 to 2 kb P fluid . Magnesium idocrase was readily crystallized from oxide mixes at 600 degrees C. The synthetic material is extremely fine grained and is nearly isotropic with an average refractive index of 1.698. The stability fields of idocrase and idocrase + quartz were reversibly determined using the synthetic phases as starting materials with run durations of between 6 and 45 days. The hightemperature decomposition of Mg idocrase is experimentally determined to be a continuous reaction in which the coexistence of idocrase and melilite + monticellite occurs over the temperature range of approximately 722 degrees C to 825 degrees C + or - 12 degrees C at 1 kb and 722 degrees C to 862 degrees C + or - 12 degrees C at 2 kb P fluid . Cell dimensions of the idocrase grown at 600 degrees C and 1 kb P fluid are a = 15.559(4)Aa and c = 11.805(4)Aa, and those of the idocrase grown at 800 degrees C and 1 kb P fluid are a = 15.546(4)Aa and c = 11.802(4)Aa. This small but statistically significant difference in a may indicate a minor difference in composition of the high- and low-temperature idocrases according to the above reaction. Above this temperature range, idocrase becomes unstable according to the reaction: idocrase = wollastonite + melilite + monticellite + H 2 O.The thermal stability of idocrase is greatly shifted toward lower temperatures in the presence of quartz with the dehydration reaction defined by: idocrase + 4 quartz = 5 grossular + 3 diopside + wollastonite + 4 H 2 O. This reaction was experimentally determined to occur at 393 degrees C + or - 10 degrees C (1 kb P fluid ) and 405 degrees C + 5 degrees C (2 kb P fluid . Using the present and previous experimentally determined results and ehemographie relationships in the system CaAl 2 Si 2 O 8 -CaMgSi 2 O 6 -CaSiO 3 -SiO 2 -H 2 O-CO 2 , isobaric T-X (sub CO 2 ) diagrams were constructed which indicate that idoerase in the presence of quartz should be stable only at temperatures lower than 400 degrees C and at X (sub CO 2 ) less than 0.015 at 2 kb P fluid . The experimentally determined P-T conditions for the stabilities of idoerase and idoerase + quartz are consistent with those deduced from natural parageneses of idoerase in skarns and regionally metamorphosed rocks. It is suggested that the growth and stability of idoerase implies a fluid phase with exceedingly low X (sub CO 2 ) .