This research used points extracted from high-resolution DEMs (1m) to investigate the impact of resolution, interpolation method and topography on the accuracy of drainage network extraction. The investigation was conducted by evaluating the accuracy of the estimations of streams length, streams number, drainage density, and the Longitudinal Root Mean Square Error (LRMSE) of the extracted drainage networks from different DEMs interpolated using Topo to raster, Natural Neighbor (NN), kriging and IDW interpolation methods at 5, 10, 15 and 20m resolutions over moderate, steep, and gentle slope terrain. Each evaluation conducted yielded a different result, but the accuracy of the streams length estimation for most of the DEMs at all the sites increases with an increase in streams order. The total lengths of all the streams of each of the extracted networks at gentle and steep slope sites are shorter than those of the corresponding reference networks though, 15 and 20m kriging and IDW DEMs created longer streams at the moderate slope site. IDW DEMs have proven reliable for streams length estimation while Topo to raster 5, 10, and 15m for streams number estimation. In general, N.N. extracted networks are the only networks that show consistency in the streams length and number estimations, drainage density estimation as well as in LRMSE and DEM RMSE computation at all the resolutions and for all the sites. Therefore, the accuracy of N.N. DEMs and their derivatives do not rapidly change with change in resolution, especially between 5 and 20m at all (steep, gentle and moderate) terrain types.


The broadcast channels (BC), a single transmitter transmitting data to multiple receivers, have been widely studied in literature mostly with and sometimes without the availability of channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT). We study a very practical version of the BC where the transmitter has CSIT of some users and no CSIT for other users. We look at the simplest instance of such a heterogeneous BC where a multi-antenna transmitter base-station (BS) is trying to communicate data to two single-antenna user equipments (UEs), having the perfect CSIT about UE-1 and no CSIT about UE-2. We propose a very simple transmission strategy at the BS combined with an intelligent interference-aware receiver at UE-2. We show that under the proposed transmission strategy, the sum rate can be significantly improved (unbounded in SNR) if low complexity interference-aware receiver is employed at UE-2 as compared to the case when UEs resort to suboptimal single-user detection where rates are bounded (in SNR). We then extend the proposed transmission strategy to long term evolution (LTE) scenario and show that the employment of interference aware receivers significantly improve performance in spite of the low resolution LTE precoders. It therefore underlines the necessity of intelligent receivers for modern wireless systems in the pursuit of high spectral efficiency.


For more than a century Lister v Stubbs (1890) 45 Ch D 1 stood as authoritative Court of Appeal judgment denying the recovery of profits acquired from the successful investment of gains obtained in breach of fiduciary duties. The rule was rationalized on the basis that while the claimant was entitled to the proceeds so unlawfully obtained, he lacked any form of proprietary title to the profits accumulated by the defaulting fiduciary. The harsh reality of the rule produced an unfair outcome to the claimant and the Privy Council refused to apply it in Attorney-General for Hong Kong v Reid [1994] 1 AC 324. The rule also fell out of favour in other leading commonwealth jurisdictions and recently the English courts at all levels had the opportunity to reassess its relevance when the Supreme Court in FHR European Ventures LLP and others v Cedar Capital Partners LLC [2014] 4 All ER 79 consigned it to oblivion. The objective of this paper is to analyse the merits and the deficiencies of the rule and show how the judges of the English courts were prepared to act on policy ground, in comity with other common law jurisdictions in upholding justice in a borderless world.


This paper investigates voltage and reactive power control in distribution systems and how the presence of synchronous machine-based distributed generation (DG) affects the control. A proper coordination among the onload tap changer (OLTC), substation switched capacitors and feeder-switched capacitors in order to obtain optimum voltage and reactive power control is proposed. It is assumed that there is no communication link between the OLTC and the capacitors, a normal case in distribution system operation these days. The results indicate that the proposed method decreases the number of OLTC operations, losses, and voltage fluctuations in distribution systems, with and without DG present. The power-flow reversal due to the DG is shown not to interfere with the effectiveness of the OLTC operation. Further, it is also shown that as long as the available capacitors are enough to compensate the reactive power demand, the DG operation mode does not give a significant effect to the distribution system losses. However, DG operating at a constant voltage is beneficial for a significant reduction of OLTC operation and voltage fluctuation in the distribution system.


The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to compare the cognitive performance of 11-to 14-year-old children with reading disabilities as a function of high (>85 reading standard score) and low (<85 reading standard score) response to intervention. Students were divided into high responders, low responders, and nonresponders after 3 years of instruction and compared on phonological, rapid naming, temporal, and executive processing measures. Although children designated as responders were statistically comparable with nonresponders at Year 1, significant differences in favor of high responders emerged on measures of phonological awareness, rapid naming, and temporal processing when compared with the other groups. All groups yielded below normal performance on measures of phonological awareness, planning, and verbal working memory. Overall the findings suggest that low responders and nonresponders suffer multiple deficits beyond the phonological system.


The problems encountered during the determination of particulate Al, as the main matrix element, in very small samples by slurry sampling–electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry are described. In view of the high Al concentrations, a reduction in sensitivity must be achieved. The combination of the use of an alternative Al analytical line and gas-flow facility and the interference from other main matrix elements allows the determination of Al levels of up to 10% m/m in the initial solid sample. Reliability of the entire procedure was confirmed by analyses performed on three standard reference sediments.


ABSTRACT The Miocene-Pliocene Macusani ash-flow tuffs and glasses from SE Peru are a rare example of two-mica felsic peraluminous volcanic rocks. They outcrop in three separate tectonic basins of the Cordillera Oriental in the Central Andes. In the Macusani field, the rocks are characterised by andalusite and muscovite phenocrysts. Compositions are both very felsic and peraluminous, similar to two-mica granites. Field relations, age differences and isotopic heterogeneities suggest that several distinct magma batches were involved. Two separate magmatic stages are recognised: (1) partial melting and evolution at or near the source region, and (2) shallow-level crystallisation and eruption. Magma genesis involved partial melting of metapelitic materials, with internally controlled. High heat flux, rapid heating, elevated temperatures and F-rich compositions were essential for the production of these mobile, H2O-undersaturated magmas. Chemical variations between the erupted products can be attributed to different degrees either of partial melting in somewhat variable source materials and (or) of fractional crystallisation at shallow levels. We discuss some important differences between the magmatic evolution of the Macusani Volcanics and of Hercynian and Himalayan two-mica granites.


Trauma analysis was performed on skeletal material from the Benedictine Monastery of St Margaret in Bijela, Croatia. The material consists of 26 skeletons (19 males, three females and four subadults) recovered from six archaeological excavation campaigns. A high number of traumas, particularly perimortem injuries were recorded in the sample. A total of 56 traumas in 17 adults are recorded, 35 of which are perimortem. Based on this, as well as on the presence of antemortem sharp edged wounds and the predominance of craniofacial injuries it is suggested that the population buried in the monastic church was subject to high levels of intentional violence. The results are compared to two other monastic cemeteries from the same geographical and historical context, as well as two sites with high frequencies of perimortem trauma. A possible explanation for interring victims of homicide inside the monastery church is discussed in the paper.


We present a case report of a 48-year-old woman with a randomly diagnosed ventriculus terminalis cyst. The cyst was asymptomatic with radicular pain resulting from compression of the nerve roots. Due to the fact that such an anatomical variant is rare, we decided to describe this finding and to review the available literature. We revealed that although such cysts are asymptomatic, in the case of neurological symptoms they usually require surgical treatment.


We investigate the symmetry algebras of integrable spin Calogero systems constructed from Dunkl operators associated to finite Coxeter groups. Based on two explicit examples, we show that the common view of associating one symmetry algebra to a given Coxeter group W is wrong. More precisely, the symmetry algebra heavily depends on the representation of W on the spins. We prove this by identifying two different symmetry algebras for a BL spin Calogero model and three for G2 spin Calogero model. They are all related to the half-loop algebra and its twisted versions. Some of the result are extended to any finite Coxeter group. MSC: 70H06, 81R12, 81R50


Properties of the triaxial superdeformed (TSD) bands of Hf isotopes are investigated systematically within the supersymmetry scheme including many-body interactions and a perturbation possessing the SO(5) (or SU(5)) symmetry on the rotational symmetry. Quantitatively good results of the γ-ray energies, the dynamical moments of inertia, and the spin of the TSD bands in Hf isotopes are obtained. It shows that this approach is quite powerful in describing the properties of the triaxial superdeformation in Hf isotopes.


My forty-five years of experience as a legislative draftsman has convinced me that an ethical or moral position will either motivate or be mentioned in legislation if such a position will help to pass the law or help to get the legislator elected. For example, housing legislation, enacted to create more public housing for working people who cannot afford to buy or rent housing produced by the market, will be justified: (1) if it is good for the economy; (2) if it will provide jobs; (3) if it will help to develop a particular area for investors; and finally (4) because providing affordable homes for working people who could not otherwise afford them is the "right" thing to do. Such legislation is not only a "good" thing, but it will also look good on one's legislative record for the next election. When abortion issues are discussed, ethical state legislators will note that they cannot prohibit abortions or prohibit women from terminating their pregnancies because the federal Constitution will not allow states to do so. However, state legislatures can provide by law that they will not pay for abortions from the welfare budget or from their public health budgets. State legislators will appeal to ethical concerns on both sides of the issue. Likewise, sex is a moral issue, and, consequently, procreation becomes a moral issue. In an article I wrote in 1968, some thirty-odd years ago, I made reference to artificial insemination.1 One of the


The complexation of Cm(III) and Eu(III) with 2,9-bis(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline (CyMe4-BTPhen) and 6,6'-bis(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,2,4-benzotriazin-3-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine (CyMe4-BTBP) in methanolic solution was investigated by TRLFS. For both ligands, the 1:2 complex with the particular metal ion is the only species observed in equilibrated samples. The species distribution for various ligand concentrations was determined and stability constants of the 1:2 complexes were derived (log β2 = 13.8 ± 0.2 (Cm(III)-CyMe4-BTPhen), log β2 = 11.6 ± 0.4 (Eu(III)-CyMe4-BTPhen), log β2 = 12.4 ± 0.3 (Cm(III)-CyMe4-BTBP) and log β2 = 11.3 ± 0.3 (Eu(III)-CyMe4-BTBP)). Biphasic experiments in combination with TRLFS studies on the organic phase revealed the formation of ternary complexes with two CyMe4-BTPhen or -BTBP molecules and additional coordination of a nitrate anion as species formed during the extraction process.


The influence of bone marrow recovery on the clinical and radiographic course of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in patients with acute leukemia has not been well characterized. We studied 26 patients with acute leukemia and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, comparing those who recovered from chemotherapy-induced granulocytopenia (Group 1, 15 patients) with those who did not (Group 2, 11 patients). Radiographic evidence of pulmonary cavitation was not seen in any Group 2 patient, but developed in 11 of 15 (73%) Group 1 patients (p less than 0.005). In these patients, cavitation always occurred after marrow recovery, an average of 2.0 days (range: 0 to 6 days) after the granulocyte count exceeded 500/mm3. Eight patients in Group 1 and 2 in Group 2 experienced a total of 38 episodes of hemoptysis. Four of the 26 patients, all in Group 1, developed massive hemoptysis (greater than 150 ml of blood per episode), leading to 1 death. In 3 of these 4 patients, cavitation preceded the episode of massive hemoptysis. At the time of massive bleeding, the granulocyte count was greater than 500/mm3, the platelet count greater than 38,000/mm3, and the other coagulation parameters were normal in all 4 patients. Our findings demonstrate that in patients with acute leukemia undergoing chemotherapy, bone marrow recovery markedly influences the clinical and radiographic course of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Development of a granulocyte count greater than 500/mm3 is associated with pulmonary cavitation, and on occasion with massive hemoptysis.


Two types of Indian crude oil (Bombay High and Gujarat) were tested for their biodegradability by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Alcaligenes odorans. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus S30 and Alc. odorans P20 degraded Bombay High crude oil by 50% and 45%, while only 29% and 37% of Gujarat crude oil (heavy crude oil) was degraded by these isolates, respectively. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Alc. odorans in combination degraded 58% and 40% of Bombay High and Gujarat crude oils, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of by individual cultures. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus S30 degraded more of the alkanes fraction than the aromatics fraction of both crude oils. GC fingerprinting of alkane fraction showed major degradation of heptadecane (C17), octadecane (C18), nonadecane (C19), eicosane (C20), docosane (C22), tricosane (C23) and tetracosane (C24) of crude oil, while the Alc. odorans P20 degraded alkanes and aromatics equally. The asphaltenic component increased in both types of crude oil after biodegradation . The two strains grew very well on n-alkane up to C33 as well as on pristane (branched-chain alkane) but could not grow on cycloalkanes. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus S30 could not grow on pure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds except naphthalene but Alc. odorans P20 could grow on anthracene, phenanthrene, dibenzothiophene, fluorene, fluoranthene, pyrene and chrysene.


Seasonal breakdown patterns of leaf litter were studied in a Utah Rocky Mountain stream using box elder (Acer negundo) leaf packs between January 1976 and January 1977. Sets of 14, 5-g leaf packs were placed at two sites 400 m apart during the first week of each month. Two packs from each site were removed at 100-degree-day intervals. Leaf pack mass loss and community respiration rates were measured for each removal. Breakdown rates were fit to a negative exponential model using either days or degree days. For both days or degree days breakdown rate varied seasonally at each site and between sites. The fastest breakdown rates using days were in packs placed at the upper site in spring and summer and at the lower site in spring, summer and fall. Using degree days in the model, which factors out the temperature effect, the fastest breakdown rates at the upper site were in packs placed in July and in the following October-January period. At the lower site the fastest rates using degree days were in packs placed in July, late fall, and early winter. Highest respiration rates (mg O2/hr/g dry mass) were obtained for the June placement at the upper site and for the September placement at the lower site. These differences are probably due to differences in physical and biological conditions at the two sites.


During the past decades clinical results in neonatology have improved dramatically and increased the survival rate of preterm infants significantly. However, the short and long term outcome of these high-risk preterm infants is mainly influenced by respiratory diseases and neurological damages. Despite great advances in perinatal medicine, there is still no satisfactory treatment for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and current approaches are only supportive, have strong adverse effects or only show small benefits. Stem cell based therapies as well as other modes of regenerative strategies are applied as standard therapy in childhood predominantly in paediatric oncology. To date, such therapies have successfully been applied to treat immunodeficiency disorders and aplastic anaemia. But regenerative medicine might be an option for the treatment of BPD in preterm infants. According to some first preclinical results stem cell administration appears as a promising tool to improve the clinical outcome in high-risk infants. For severe neonatal diseases, e.g. hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in term neonates or BPD in preterm infants, a number of animal models have been established. Although these studies showed positive effects of stem cells in animal models of BPD several questions still remain. Further studies with appropriate preclinical neonate models and carefully controlled clinical trials are needed to assess the significance of regenerative therapies. In this review, we summarize recent results of some experimental and clinical studies that used stem cells to treat BPD associated with impairment of lung development. Proceedings of the 2 nd International Course on Perinatal Pathology (part of the 11 th International Workshop on Neonatology · October 26 th -31 st , 2015) · Cagliari (Italy) · October 31 st , 2015 · Stem cells: present and future Guest Editors: Gavino Faa, Vassilios Fanos, Antonio Giordano


In an eloquent paper Grant (1954) has commented briefly on my paper, 'Regional Correction of Gravity Data' (Vajk, 1951), stating that I argue in favor of graphical methods in determining a regional gravity effect and objected strongly to my conclusions that '…the regional effect cannot be determined uniquely. t is an interpretation problem which cannot be solved by some mechanical mathematical methods but only by analysis of the gravity data. Such determination is unavoidably a subject of personal factors as is every gravity (or magnetic) interpretation'.


The dietary compositions of two sit-and-wait lizard species, Hemidactylus mabouia and Phyllopezus pollicaris, which co-occur over rocky substrate and vertical rock walls in a perianthropic area of western Brazil, were described. Both species showed a generalist feeding pattern, feeding mainly on insects. The most frequent prey items in the diet of P. pollicaris were Coleoptera, Araneae and Homoptera whereas the most important were Coleoptera and Homoptera, respectively. For H. mabouia the most frequent prey items were Araneae followed by Coleopterae and Hemiptera, whereas the most important items were H. mabouia followed by Formicidae and Hemiptera. Our identification into broader prey-types categories (i.e., order or family-level) suggests that some degree of food resource partitioning may occur, possibly through the occupation of different temporal niches.


In the last decade, due to emerging real-time and multimedia applications, there has been much interest for developing mechanisms to take into account the quality of service required by these applications. One of these mechanisms consists to integrate simultaneously many criteria of quality of service (QoS) in routing decision. Efficient routing of information packets in dynamically changing communication network requires that as the load levels, traffic patterns and topology of the network change, the routing policy also adapts. We propose in this paper an approach used an adaptive algorithm for packet routing using reinforcement learning called AV-BW Delay Q- Routing. This approach is based on earlier developed K-Optimal path Q-Routing Algorithm (KOQRA) which optimizes simultaneously two additive QoS criteria: cumulative cost path and end-to-end delay. The approach developed here adds a third criterion to KOQRA regarding residual bandwidth. This proposed technique uses an inductive approach based on trial/error paradigm combined with swarm adaptive approaches. The whole algorithm uses a model combining both a stochastic planned pre-navigation for the exploration phase and a deterministic approach for the backward phase. Numerical results obtained with OPNET simulator for different levels of traffic's load show that AV-BW Delay Q-Routing improves clearly performances of our earlier KOQRA.


The commenter points out earlier work on the problem addressed in the above-titled paper by D.Q. Mayne and H. Michalska (ibid., vol.35, no.7, p.814-824, July 1990). In their reply, the authors acknowledge that they overlooked the earlier paper and point out differences in their treatment of the subject. >


It is well known that both the incidence and the maternal mortality of eclampsia in the United States are declining. During the past decade the incidence of the disease at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, as shown in the accompanying table, has been about one fourth of that observed during the first two decades of the century and less than half that seen during the twenties. At the same time a gratifying decrease in the maternal mortality of eclampsia has occurred, the death rate having fallen from over 20 per cent in the early years of the century to 5 per cent during the past decade. Not only has the incidence of eclampsia in the general clinic population decreased, but today the disease accounts for a much smaller percentage of our total number of cases of toxemia than it did even fifteen years ago. As may be seen in chart 1,


Small heterodimer partner interacting leucine zipper protein (SMILE) is an orphan nuclear receptor and a member of the bZIP family of proteins. We investigated the mechanism by which SMILE suppressed the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using a DSS-induced colitis mouse model and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Metformin, an antidiabetic drug and an inducer of AMPK, upregulated the level of SMILE in human intestinal epithelial cells and the number of SMILE-expressing cells in colon tissues from DSS-induced colitis mice compared to control mice. Overexpression of SMILE using a DNA vector reduced the severity of DSS-induced colitis and colitis-associated intestinal fibrosis compared to mock vector. Furthermore, SMILE transgenic mice showed ameliorated DSS-induced colitis compared with wild-type mice. The mRNA levels of SMILE and Foxp3 were downregulated and SMILE expression was positively correlated with Foxp3 in PBMCs from patients with UC and an inflamed mucosa. Metformin increased the levels of SMILE, AMPK, and Foxp3 but decreased the number of interleukin (IL)-17–producing T cells among PBMCs from patients with UC. These data suggest that SMILE exerts a therapeutic effect on IBD by modulating IL-17 production.


BACKGROUND
AgNOR technique detects, using silver salts, argyrophylic proteins of the nucleolar organizer region (NOR). The number and size of NOR reflect cell activity, proliferation and transformation and may help to differentiate benign from malignant cells.

AIM
To assess the value of AgNOR assay to differentiate reactive mesothelial cells from malignant cells in serous effusions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Thirty one fluids obtained from 16 pleural, 14 peritoneal and one pericardial effusion, were studied. The fluids were processed with Giemsa and Papanicolau stains and with the AgNOR technique. The number of AgNOR dots were counted (only when it was possible to distinguish each individual dot) and the mean value per nucleus was calculated for each smear.

RESULTS
Mesothelial cells had a mean of 4.88 +/- 1.5 dots compared with 13.78 +/- 3.88 dots in the malignant cells (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS
AgNOR assay can be useful for the differentiation of benign and malignant cells in serous effusions.


A recombinant sialidase fusion protein composed of a sialidase catalytic domain derived from Actinomyces viscosus, a constituent of the normal oral and gastrointestinal flora in humans, fused to a cell surface-anchoring domain, with potential anti-viral activity. Following administration by oral inhalation, DAS181 proteolytically removes sialic acid from the airway epithelium, which inhibits viral binding to and internalization by cells of the respiratory epithelium and prevents viral replication. The cell surface anchoring-domain of this agent may increase retention time and drug potency. Sialic acids in the respiratory tract are used by influenza and parainfluenza viruses to invade airway epithelial cells.


A determination of the anatomic extent of tumor is important in planning appropriate invasive diagnostic procedures and treatment in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma. In most situations, plain radiographs provide useful anatomic information, but CT is necessary for detailed evaluation. Although some plain film and CT findings strongly suggest that a tumor is unresectable, they are usually nonspecific, and biopsy correlation is necessary before the patient is denied an attempt at a surgical cure. Also, in the light of recent advances in the surgical treatment of lung cancer, some lesions formerly thought to be unresectable because of local or regional metastases are being effectively treated. Close communication between the radiologist and surgeon is necessary in the appropriate management of these patients.


Introduction Partner notification (PN) is a key but challenging service to deliver. The gold standard for PN confirmation is health care worker (HCW) verification. A cloud-based anonymous tool was developed to inform partners, support them to find a testing service and record when the HCW uses a unique code to reveal the sexually transmitted infection (STI), timing of PN initiation and closing the PN loop. Objective To test the impact of the new tool on PN delivery. Methods A live pilot commenced on 27th January 2016 and analysis of all index patients using the PN tool over 49 days was performed using spreadsheet pivot tables and formulas. Results A total of 259 index patients across nine providers with nine different STIs were analysed. These index patients declared 421 contactable contacts and 162 (38%) were informed using the tool. A total of 96 (59%) partners contacted opened the link embedded in their text message or email and 30 (31%) were seen and tested by a HCW. A total of 13 STI testing centres received partners and the median (range) distance & time from PN initiation to HCW verification was 2.1 (0.0–12.3) kilometres & 63.8 (1–189.5) hours respectively Discussion The PN tool has demonstrated that it is able to support partners to find a service and get tested expeditiously. The limited number of partners being informed is the rate limiting step and more work is required to develop strategies to enable effective PN initiation.


We put forward a framework to address a problem created by the rapidly spreading use of imaging devices and related to involuntarily or unintentionally photographed individuals: their pictures can accumulate additional meta information via face recognition systems and can be manually tagged via social networks and publishing platforms. With this framework a user can express his/her picture privacy policy in a machine readable format and (to some extent) automatically enforce it. An easily understandable flag system is used to define restrictions on picture usage and link ability. This policy is encoded in an unobtrusive way into wardrobe patterns and accessory designs with almost no impact on apparel appearance or social interaction.


Campylobacter cinaedi and Campylobacter fennelliae possess sheathed flagella, a feature which, among organisms currently classified as campylobacters, had been associated previously only with Campylobacter pylori. No other Campylobacter or Wolinella species possesses sheathed flagella. This feature helps to characterize the phylogenetic group that includes C. pylori, C. fennelliae, and C. cinaedi; however, Wolinella succinogenes, the fourth member of this group, does not possess sheathed flagella.


This study examines the export-led growth hypothesis using annual time series data from Chile. It addresses the problem of specification bias under which previous studies have suffered and focuses on the impact of manufactured and primary exports on the economic growth. In order to investigate if and how manufactured and primary exports affect economic growth via increases in productivity, the study uses the Toda and Yamamoto (1995) procedure for testing for Granger non-causality in Vector Autoregressive models that involve variables that are integrated in an arbitrary order and that are possibly cointegrated. The estimation results support the export-led growth hypothesis for Chile and at the same time point out to the differentiated impact of manufactured and primary exports on the economic growth.


This report describes the individual mandate as established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA, P.L. 111-148, as amended). The report also discusses the ACA reporting requirements designed, in part, to assist individuals in providing evidence of having met the mandate.


In heart pathological conditions, fibroblasts proliferate and differentiate into myofibroblasts (Mfbs). This study aimed to investigate the role of Mfbs on the mechanical contraction of cardiac fiber. Mathematical modeling was done using a combination of (1) the Maleckar et al. model of the human atrial myocyte, (2) the MacCannell et al. active model of the human cardiac Mfb, (3) our formulation of INa_myofb based upon experimental findings from Chatelier et al., and (4) the Hill three-element rheological scheme of a single segment of cardiac fiber. For Mfb-myocyte coupling, different ratios of myocytes to Mfbs and gap-junctional conductances were set based on available physiological data. Both isometric contraction and isotonic contraction were considered to illustrate the effect of Mfbs on cardiac fiber's tension and strain. The results showed that (1) Mfbs decreased APD50 and increased Vrest depolarization, (2) Mfbs regulated myocyte peak force and (3) Mfbs reduced the fiber peak force in isometric contraction and the fiber peak strain in isotonic contraction. The identified effects demonstrated that Mfbs play an important role of modulating cardiac mechanical behavior. It should be considered in future pathological cardiac mathematical modeling, such as atrial fibrillation and cardiac fibrosis.


The gap between conventional electrical energy generation capabilities and electrical energy demand steadily increases. In consequence, energy costs raise and become an increasingly decisive factor in economy and society. A challenge that still is remaining is electrical energy analysis of complex systems during their operation time. During operation time these system reside in unique situations and are operated according to individual requirements of their users. Hence, in addition to complexity of the systems individuality and dynamic variability of their surroundings during operation time complicate identification of goal-oriented optimization measures. In this paper a model-based user-centric approach for automated energy analysis is proposed. It enables the users to reduce their energy costs by automatically generating optimization proposals that meet their individual situation and requirements. First prototypical implementations have shown promising results and are used for illustration purposes.


This study evaluated the utility of combination of digoxin (0.25 mg) and rosuvastatin (5 mg) as a new transporter (P‐glycoprotein/breast cancer resistance protein/organic anion‐transporting polypeptide (OATP)1B1/OATP1B3) probe cocktail (Oita combination) for drug–drug interaction (DDI) studies by demonstrating lack of DDI of digoxin on the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of rosuvastatin, as it was already known that rosuvastatin did not affect digoxin PK. This was an open‐label, two‐period study in which the primary end points were the geometric mean ratio (GMR) of the area under the plasma rosuvastatin concentration‐time curve from time zero to last (AUClast) after rosuvastatin administration combined with digoxin to that after rosuvastatin administration alone and its 90% confidence interval (CI). As the GMR of AUClast was 0.974 and its 90% CI was 0.911–1.042, it was judged that digoxin does not affect rosuvastatin PK. Results of this study have rationalized utility of the Oita combination as a transporter probe cocktail for clinical DDI studies.


Salmonella typhimurium DT104 infections of captive elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) calves resulted in mortality in eight of 13 affected calves. Salmonellosis in these elk calves was characterized by diarrhea, fever, lethargy, inappetence and depression, and death usually ensued within 72 hr of initial clinical signs. Affected calves did not respond to antibiotic and fluid therapy. The source of the bacteria likely was one or more of the calves when they were captured in the wild at less than 5 days of age. In our captive holding facility, the disease spread quickly and was difficult to control. Phage typing, pulsed field gel electrophoresis, antibiotic sensitivity testing, and plasmid profiles determined that this Salmonella sp. strain was the epidemic strain common to cattle, sheep and humans.


Bionics principle is applied to antenna radar cross section (RCS) reduction in this letter for the first time. To authenticate the method, a novel bionic ultrawideband (UWB) antenna is proposed by use of a model of insect tentacle. Its UWB-related radiation characteristics are simulated and experimentally verified. Monostatic RCS of an insect tentacle antenna (ITA) terminated with three different loads are studied and compared with that of a common printed circular-disc monopole antenna (PCDMA). The results show that compared to the reference antenna, the novel bionic antenna has lower RCS and favorable radiation performances. Hence, applying bionics principle to antenna RCS reduction is feasible, which will serve as a good candidate for the future design of antennas with a requirement of RCS control.


Synthetic and natural polymers are capable of self-assembling into complex three-dimensional ensembles. It opens ways for creation of the ordered supramolecular nanostructures with a controllable morphology. The use of supercomputers allows us to perform numerical experiments aiming at predicting new forms and new ways of polymer self-organization. In this mini-review, we discuss some examples illustrating nonconventional forms of self-organization which were recently predicted by computer simulation. With emphasis on our own results, the main focus is on polymer self-assembly at mesoscale, i.e., at length scales intermediate between atomistic and macroscopic.


The gravitational waves from Massive black-hole (MBH) binaries are expected to be detected by pulsar timing arrays in the next few years. While they are a promising source for multimessenger observations as binary AGN, few convincing candidates have been identified in electromagnetic surveys. One approach to identifying candidates has been through spectroscopic surveys searching for offsets or time-dependent offsets of broad emission lines (BLs), which may be characteristic of Doppler shifts from binary orbital motion. In this study, we predict the parameter space of MBH binaries that should be kinematically detectable. There is a delicate trade-off between requiring binary separations to be large enough for BL regions to remain attached to one of the AGN, but also small enough such that their orbital velocity is detectable. We find that kinematic signatures are only observable for the lower-mass secondary AGN, for binaries with total-masses above about $10^8 M_\odot$, and separations between 0.1 and 1 pc. We motivate our usage of a kinematic-offset sensitivity of $10^3$ km/s, and a sensitivity to changing offsets of $10^2$ km/s. With these parameters, and an Eddington ratio of 0.1, we find that 0.5% of binaries have detectable offsets, and only 0.03% have detectable velocity changes. Overall, kinematic binary signatures should be expected in fewer than one in $10^4$ AGN. Better characterizing the intrinsic variability of BLs is crucial to understanding and vetting MBH binary candidates. This requires multi-epoch spectroscopy of large populations of AGN over a variety of timescales.


In the Atlas of Optic Nerve Disorders—intended for the ophthalmologist clinician or trainee—Dr Spoor provides more than an illustrated atlas. ... material for discussion and debates, if not arguments.... In addition to the abundant color photographs of optic discs, he includes brief summaries of the conditions depicted and specific advice regarding the diagnostic evaluation and medical and surgical treatment of them. The numerous two-dimensional color photographs of the optic discs are of good quality, but at times they and the illustrations of the magnetic resonance and computed tomographic scans would have been enhanced by markers pointing out the features to be emphasized. An unusual feature of this book is the inclusion of many specific clinical examples to illustrate the points of the text, with a brief review of the history, physical examination findings, and clinical course of the patient. The accompanying illustrations of the external appearance, visual fields, fundus photographs, and scans give vitality to the descriptions and are conveniently located on the same page. Some


In this paper, I examine Foucault's conception of agency by reconstructing two complementary approaches he takes: the 'analytics of power', which examines the relation between norms and practice by charting the institutional development within which a set of norms emerge, and the concept of 'problematization', which examines reason-giving practices, or varieties of normative justification that legitimize rational institutions and agents' participation in them. Contrary to the standard caricature, Foucault's analysis of the relation between norms and institutions does not merely reduce the former to relations of 'power'. In short, he also thinks standards of justification are just as revisable (necessarily so) as social practices themselves, and the focus here will be on the relation and importance of these two complementary approaches to his critique of normativity.


The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life . By David Quammen. 2018. Simon & Schuster. (ISBN 978-1476776620). 420 pp. Hardcover, $30.00.

As a biology teacher and an evolution educator, I needed this book. For those of us who teach in the K–12 universe, our understanding and consequently our teaching of evolution can tend to be slow to evolve as the resources we use to teach evolutionary concepts are themselves slow to embrace new advances in the field. In the world of teaching introductory evolution, a comprehensive view of evolutionary thinking is likely to include an overview of classic Darwinism followed by a connection to the Modern Synthesis and a mention of modern DNA sequencing as it lends support to ideas of species' common ancestry as part of the tree of life.

In Tangled Tree , David Quammen …


Being a principal factor of production land occupies an important position in agriculture production and plays a key role in determining resource efficiency therefore,t he study was conducted to understand temperate fruits productivity of the different blocks of district Shimla in order to reveal the resource efficiency picture of different blocks. For studying resource efficiency, one has taken land as the main and principal resource and data of 10 years (2008-2018) for 10 Blocks being collected and analyzed with the help of regression and percentage method. It was found that in Almonds, Apricot, Cheery and Pears production at blocks Rampure and Jubbal & Kotkhai are showing the highest average and per hectare productivity however the coefficient value of land concerned blocks Narkand,Rohru, Mashobra, and Jubbal & Kotkhai is showing the highest land productivity for Almonds, Apricot, Cherry and Pears production, therefore, reveals the production and efficiency status of difference blocks of Shimla District.


Control of Probabilistic Boolean Networks as models of gene regulation is an important problem; the solution may help researchers in various different areas. But as generally applies to control problems, the size of the state space in gene regulatory networks is too large to be considered for comprehensive solution to the problem; this is evident from the work done in the field, where only very small portions of the whole genome of an organism could be used in control applications. The Factored Markov Decision Problem (FMDP) framework avoids enumerating the whole state space by representing the probability distribution of state transitions using compact models like dynamic bayesian networks. In this paper, we successfully applied FMDP to gene regulatory network control, and proposed a model minimization method that helps finding better approximate policies by using existing FMDP solvers. The results reported on gene expression data demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed approach.


Ultra-high field (7T) ultra-short echo time (8 ms STEAM) MRS can consistently provide a 14-neurochemical profile and distinguish aging and AD status. In this project, we generated composite scores from published age- and AD- specific neurochemical profiles and applied them to a typically aging cohort for whom polygenic risk for AD and extensive cognitive performance data were also available. Principal component analysis of the neurochemical profile fully distinguished aging, and AD classification was 58% correct. The largest correlation coefficients (r) were found between MRS and cognition. Correlation between MRS and polygenic risk and between cognition and polygenic risk was smaller.


Perceived advances in medicine lead to raised public expectations of care. Resources are finite, but governments can choose how they spend health service funds. Decisions on health "priorities' have implications for nursing practice as well as patient choice.


This paper summarises the main lessons learnt from deploying WLCG production services, with a focus on Reliability, Scalability, Accountability, which lead to both manageability and usability. Each topic is analysed in turn. Techniques for zero-user-visible downtime for the main service interventions are described, together with pathological cases that need special treatment. The requirements in terms of scalability are analysed, calling for as much robustness and automation in the service as possible. The different aspects of accountability - which covers measuring/tracking/logging/monitoring what is going on - and has gone on - is examined, with the goal of attaining a manageable service. Finally, a simple analogy is drawn with the Web in terms of usability - what do we need to achieve to cross the chasm from small-scale adoption to ubiquity?


Interventional radiologists play a central role in the care of patients with end-stage renal disease receiving renal replacement therapy. Ensuring that a patient׳s dialysis access remains suitable for high-quality dialysis is of paramount importance. However, although much has been spoken and written about endovascular techniques and outcomes based on angiographic criteria, little is generally known regarding the function and therefore the requirements of hemodialysis. In this article, we provide a heuristic overview of the mechanics of hemodialysis, with an emphasis on the "breaking points" in the extracorporeal circuit that trigger a patient׳s referral to Interventional Radiology. We also describe how dialysis quality is increasingly becoming linked with dialysis reimbursements. It is thus becoming progressively incumbent on the interventional radiologist to not only ensure that a patient receives high-quality outpatient dialysis but also that the patient׳s dialysis center meets its performance metrics.


This study investigates the role of trademarks in the start-up valuations of venture capitalists (VCs). Our results show that the number and breadth of trademark applications have inverted U-shaped relationships with the financial valuations of start-ups by VCs. The findings also indicate that in later funding rounds, the value of trademark applications decreases when the start-up progresses into more advanced development stages. Start-ups should consider these findings when seeking funding from VCs and should stress their market and growth orientations and their willingness to protect their marketing investments by highlighting their trademark activities.


Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder with complex spectrum and continuum of cognitive deficits leading to academic and emotional life-long burden, so optimal remediation becomes essential and challenging. Pre- and post- functional imaging studies show the recovery changes in brain with rehabilitation, but can fMRI biomarkers be explored and utilized for customizing therapeutic strategies in dyslexia. In present study at baseline we randomly allocated dyslexic children to therapy (Rx) and waitlist (nonRx) groups. Based on the potential (positive and negative) neural-markers at baseline, we tailored cognitive modules for phonological intervention. Remediation resulted in improved performance and cortical normalization


Jejunal intramural hematoma (JIH) is rare. A 5-year-old girl, a known attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder child with paraneoplastic symptoms, on imaging showed a suspicion of Jejunal intramural mass with internal bleeding. Laparotomy showed a JIH. Evacuation of hematoma and Histopathological Examination (HPE) ruled out tumor. Possible explanation of the manifestation is suggested.


Ghana's National Land Policy provides that secured tenure, through title registration, can be achieved if capacity building for land service delivery is created and maintained at the national, regional and district levels. Although the second phase of the Land Administration Project (LAP-2) aims at decentralizing land service delivery in Ghana, this is yet to become a reality five years since the onset of LAP-2. The Lands Commission (LC) [focusing on Public & Vested Land Management (PVLMD) and Survey & Mapping Divisions (SMD)] is barely visible at the district levels, albeit its visibility at the regional levels.This paper poses the question: 'to what extent is land registration at the regional level enhancing clearly defined property rights and security of tenure at the district levels'. This study was conducted at Sekyere Afram Plains, Sekyere East and Offinso North district assemblies and at the premises of the LC of the Ashanti region. Using qualitative approach, data was drawn by adopting purposive and convenience sampling. Respondents sampled were mainly traditional authorities, staff of LC and lessees. The study revealed that over 85% of the lessees appreciate the benefits of attaining property rights and security of tenure through registration of their respective interests in land. However, they are disinclined in attaining same for reasons not limited to (a) travelling distance (over 100 kilometers) covered to the regional land service delivery divisions in Kumasi, (b) reluctance on the part of some personnel of the LC to go for site inspection, and (c) the perception that payment of ground rent to the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands is a guarantee of security of tenure. The study recommends, amongst others, collaboration between the LC and the traditional authorities to establish district offices of the LC to enhance security of tenure at the district levels.


AIMS
To measure the frequency of syringe borrowing in young Irish injecting drug users (IDUs) and identify associated characteristics.

DESIGN
Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING
Addiction treatment services in Dublin.

PARTICIPANTS
Treated IDUs (N = 246).

MEASUREMENTS
Data on drug injecting and syringe borrowing in the previous 6 months.

FINDINGS
The median age was 22 years and the median length of injecting history was 19 months. Syringe borrowing was reported by 173 (70.3%) participants. A multivariate analysis identified seven characteristics significantly associated with syringe borrowing. These included early school leaving and parental unemployment. IDUs with long injecting histories who had injected less frequently were more likely to borrow. Injection of more than one substance was significantly associated with borrowing of syringes. Syringe borrowing was associated with having more intimate social relationships with other IDUs, less perceived risk in borrowing from acquaintances and usually opting to inject in the company of other IDUs.

CONCLUSIONS
Syringe borrowing is commonly practised by young IDUs. Those with a background of social deprivation are more likely to engage in this risk behaviour. IDUs who report borrowing are more intimately involved with other IDUs and tend to perceive less risk or dangerousness in borrowing. In addition to syringe exchange, there is a need to work cognitively with IDUs to identify and challenge assumptions that they may have regarding the safety involved in borrowing from others, particularly from those with whom they have close social relationships.


'Francophonie' arrived relatively recently in Africa; it has only been systematically nurtured since the colonial occupation. The French have often even believed that the French language was 'the best solution' for Africa. Was there not, after all, only one culture, the French culture? And therefore it must, as far as possible, be spread throughout the world. A commission set up to formulate France's aid policy to developing countries confirmed the necessity ever to extend the influence of the French language as follows: La France désire, plus que toute autre nation, diffuser au loin sa langue et sa culture. Son besoin de rayonnement intellectuel trouve bon emploi auprès de peuples dont la langue convient mal aux idées et aux techniques modernes (…): elle leur apporte un mode d'expression et une méthode de pensée.


A new topology of single-phase SEPIC (Single Ended Primary Inductor Converter) AC-DC converter with low input current THD and high input power factor is proposed. Instead of using a single phase rectifier followed by a boost DC-DC converter, or using a bridge rectifier with two diodes and two switches, the rectifier's input is chopped at high frequency during positive and negative cycles by a single bi-directional switch to get step-up/step-down AC-DC conversion. Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) of the input current of the proposed circuit with small input current filter is low. Input power factor and the efficiency of conversion of the circuit are high. No additional control is required to achieve the advantages.


In my thesis, we derive a two dimensional energy model for deformations of unloaded elastic films as a result of the application of Gamma-convergence to appropriate three dimensional models. The limiting model obtained in this way constitutes a Von Karman type growth functional, attaining its minima at deformations v in W^{2, 2} satisfying a Monge-Ampere constraint of the form det nabla^{2}v = f, for some appropriate f. The main advantage of Gamma-convergence is that it connects 2d theories with 3d nonlinear theory in the sense
that minimizers of the 3d energy functionals converge to minimizers of 2d energy functionals.

Secondly, we study the variational behavior of discrete lattice energies associated with a pre-strained elastic body, as a mathematical justification of the theoretical non-Euclidean energy model employed in this theses. Via Gamma-convergence, we obtain asymptotic bounds on the Gamma-limiting energy and, in the context of near and next-to-near interactions, we identify exactly the integral form of the limiting energy, comparing it to the theoretical model.


Acrylamide/2-acrylamido alkane sulfonic acid hydrophobic associating copolymers were synthesized by micellar copolymerization. Effects of hydrophobe content, polymer concentration, salinity and surfactant on rheological behavior of copolymers were investigated and the conformation of polymers in solution was studied by means of environmental scanning electronic microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The experimental results showed that in the dilute regime the hydrophobic parts could interact intramolecularly, while in the regime where the polymer concentration was higher than the critical association concentration, intermolecular hydrophobic association became predominant. Within the limit of the solubility, the critical association concentration of the polymer decreased with the increase of the salinity. The experimental results of the solution conformation indicated the presence of the three-dimensional network structure in deionized water and the size of the mesh in the network varied with the polymer concentration. In NaCl solution, above the critical association concentration, an increase in polymer concentration enhanced the intermolecular association and also enlarged the hydrodynamic radius. It would result in the improvement of the thickening power of polymers.


How do students study with webcasts? How do the new media change their ways of learning? How can video, sound, multimedia and text be combined optimally to produce a learning environment that is attractive, stylish, and productive of deep learning, for students, trainees and practitioners? In this paper we focus on three different uses of webcast learning. Webcasts as a replacement for lectures in a blended learning module, webcasts used in electronic tutorials and webcasts as part of a completely on-line module. We shall demonstrate briefly the functionality of these environments, then summarise some of the user feedback data we have gathered. Our findings verify a number of approaches to learning advocated by the phenomenographical literature, and we shall summarise this. Throughout, Note: PMIC denotes a session that focus on Promoting and Managing Institutional Change 19 we offer practical guidelines to the use of webcasts in VLEs, and discuss the extent to which such environments can be used successfully in legal education and training.


Introduction. About 25% of patients with rectal cancer have incurable disease at the time of diagnosis. In the current study from Western Norway (population of 981 000) we focused on the utilisation of specialist care in patients with primarily incurable rectal cancer. Patients and methods. Between 1997 and 2002, 1 167 patients were diagnosed with rectal cancer, of whom 297 (25%) had incurable disease, according to consecutive and prospective reporting to the Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Registry. Consumption of specialist care facilities was studied with regard to outpatient contacts, hospital admissions, and various treatment modalities. Data were analysed with regard to age, sex, marital status, type of residence, and geographical access to hospital facilities. Data were available for 287 patients (97%). Results. The median age was 77 years. Elderly patients (>77 years) more often lived in nursing homes without a spouse. About 60% of the patients were treated with major surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, either alone or in combination. Of those who did not receive such treatment, 87% were elderly. Oncological treatment, either alone or combined with surgery, predicted increased hospital admissions and outpatient contacts. Age >77 years predicted fewer hospital admissions. Survival varied statistically significantly with the various treatment modalities, and was highest for major resections combined with oncological treatment. The majority of the patients living at home died in hospitals (54%) and only 26% died in their homes, while two-thirds of residents of nursing homes died there. Discussion. Patients with primary incurable rectal cancer are heterogeneous with regard to their needs of treatment. While younger patients receive extensive tumour-related treatment, elderly patients are most commonly treated according to their symptoms. Prospective studies of the effect of various treatment options on the ease of symptoms and improved quality of life in unselected populations are needed.


Thirteen consecutive Japanese patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) were studied by MRI, evoked potentials, and EEG. We found 3 of these patients exhibited symptoms of CNS disorders. Of these 3, 2 with abnormal MRI and visual evoked potentials, and one with abnormal brainstem auditory evoked potentials were detected. Another case without clinical CNS signs showed abnormal EEG findings. The subclinical CNS abnormalities found in the Japanese patients were considered to be less frequent than in cases from Western countries reported previously.


The authors describe a near unity power factor single-phase AC-to-DC power converter based on the line frequency phase controlled rectifier with an input capacitor. The method of achieving near unity power factor AC-to-DC conversion is presented, and the advantages and disadvantages of this conversion techniques are described. The converter was first simulated on a computer and then measured in the laboratory. Converter harmonics were minimized, and the converter purity factor was maximised by careful design of the rectifier. The converter displacement power factor was maximised by the input capacitor. The converter performs near unity power factor AC-to-DC conversion for the minimum input voltage, maximum output current condition in which the DC load approaches the rating of the service supplying it.<<ETX>>


Experimental and numerical analyses are carried out to investigate the influence of twisted tape inserts on the heat transfer and the flow behavior in double tube heat exchangers. First, all the performance factors, namely the Nusselt number, friction factor, and thermal performance factor, were studied for a basic heat exchanger (BHE). Afterwards, twisted tapes with three different twist ratios (7.5, 6, and 4.5) were inserted inside the inner tube of the BHE, which resulted in three different modified heat exchangers (MHEs). For the numerical study, a 3D numerical model is developed with the k-ε RNG turbulent model to visualize the flow and the heat transfer behavior inside the heat exchangers. In both studies, turbulent flow field is maintained, ranging Reynolds number from 15000 to 50000.  From the experimental result, an enhanced heat transfer, characterized by the performance factors, is found for all the MHEs compared to the BHE. The most enhanced thermal performance factor is achieved for the MHE with the lowest twist ratio. Finally, a good agreement between obtained numerical and experimental results reveals that the present numerical model can reliably predict the flow and heat transfer behavior in double tube heat exchangers.


Objectives To familiarize the physician with the clinical and radiographic features associated with primary tumors of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and to demonstrate the use of the neurotologic skull base techniques in the surgical extirpation of TMJ tumors. Study Design This was a retrospective chart review spanning the years 1988 to 2012. Setting Tertiary care academic medical center. Patients Any patient with diagnosis of a primary TMJ tumor who received surgical management at our institution. Intervention The surgical approaches used included preauricular infratemporal fossa, postauricular infratemporal fossa, and pterional infratemporal fossa. Main Outcome Measures The most critical assessment measures were postoperative patient morbidity and evidence of disease at follow-up visits. Results The surgical approach was tailored according to the radiographic mapping of the size and location of the tumor. Trismus and jaw discomfort were the most common postoperative complications. Conductive hearing loss occurred only in patients who underwent oversewing of the cartilaginous ear canal. Conclusion The presenting signs and symptoms of extremely rare primary TMJ tumors are those often seen by otolaryngologists. Contemporary neurotologic skull base surgical techniques can optimize the successful extirpation of these lesions.


This letter studies remote state estimation under denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. A sensor transmits its local estimate of an underlying physical process to a remote estimator via a wireless communication channel. A DoS attacker is capable to interfere the channel and degrades the remote estimation accuracy. Considering the tactical jamming strategies played by the attacker, the sensor adjusts its transmission power. This interactive process between the sensor and the attacker is studied in the framework of a zero-sum stochastic game. To derive their optimal power schemes, we first discuss the existence of stationary Nash equilibrium for this game. We then present the monotone structure of the optimal strategies, which helps reduce the computational complexity of the stochastic game algorithm. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the obtained results.


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor in humans and dogs. The primary cause for the poor survival of patients with osteosarcoma in both species is the emergence of metastases in organs distant from the primary tumor, especially in the lung. Therefore, identification of molecular determinants of osteosarcoma metastasis is highly warranted. In order to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) that regulate osteosarcoma metastasis, we examined, using qRT-PCR, levels of 10 miRNAs commonly associated with cancer metastasis (miR-10b, miR-146a, miR182, miR183, miR-206, miR-335, miR373, miR-520c-5p, miR-21 and miR-31) in total RNA samples prepared from canine parental osteosarcoma (POS) and highly metastatic POS (HMPOS) cells. Of the 10 miRNAs, only miR-31 showed differential expression between the two cell lines (reduced by 7.8-fold in HMPOS cells versus POS cells). Exposure of HMPOS cells to various chemopreventive agents (myo-inositol, indole-3-carbinol, diindolylmethane, deguelin, phenethyl isothiocyanate, cisplatin, and aza-2′-deoxycytidine) increased the level of miR-31 at least by two-fold, the most potent agents being deguelin and phenethyl isothiocyanate. Subsequently, we assessed the expression of miR-31 in additional canine osteosarcoma cell lines (three cell lines established from primary tumors and three cell lines developed from pulmonary metastases) and human osteosarcoma cell lines differing in metastatic potential (parental SaOS2, low- (LM2), and high- (LM7) metastatic cells). miR-31 levels decreased by 18-fold in canine cell lines derived from pulmonary metastatic tumors relative to that obtained from primary tumors and by 2-fold and 3-fold in LM2 and LM7 cells, respectively, compared to the expression in parental Saos-2 cells. Also, analysis of 3 primary human osteosarcoma tissues and 3 pulmonary metastatic tissues revealed a 13-fold reduction of miR-31 in metastatic tissues relative to primary tumor tissues. In preliminary experiments where attempts were made to identify potential targets of miR-31, exogenous over-expression of a synthetic miR-31 cassette in HMPOS cells negatively regulated a tight junction protein claudin-2, which is incriminated in cancer metastasis. In summary, our studies indicate that miR-31 is a promising marker for the metastatic potential of osteosarcoma and for disease prognosis. Moreover, reactivation of silenced miR-31 by chemopreventive/chemotherapeutic agents could reverse osteosarcoma metastasis.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2064.


There is growing interested in the analysis of academic training in the sustainable field of tourism. However, no explicit body of knowledge has focused on evaluating the performance of a scientific activity in this field. Accordingly, this study systematically reviews academic research on the sustainability of the educational background in tourism universities through a bibliometric analysis. For this purpose, bibliometric tools related to research activity impact indicators and analysis of co-authorship networks and keywords have been used. The results show that the topic analysed is recent and that the number of publications continues to grow. They also show that only some academics have addressed this topic, which implies that more research is needed. Therefore, in this framework, thematic specialization could be a strategic option. Researchers can use these results to approach future studies about suggested research avenues better.


The possibility of using the wind energy for pumping in Iraq has been discussed and evaluated. This research includes a theoretical assessment in order to find solution for the technical and economic problems of water pumping from wells and explain the field of utilization this energy. Wind speed for different sites in Iraq which used to calculate the amount of water required for each crop. The energy needed by each location, its characteristics, and usage are determined by studying the results of the field investigations related to water requirements and wind characteristics at each location.


Boolean network (BN) is a simple model widely used to study complex dynamic behaviour of biological systems. Nonetheless, it might be difficult to gather enough data to precisely capture the behavior of a biological system into a set of Boolean functions. These issues can be dealt with to some extent using parametrised Boolean networks (ParBNs), as this model allows leaving some update functions unspecified. In our work, we attack the control problem for ParBNs with asynchronous semantics. While there is an extensive work on controlling BNs without parameters, the problem of control for ParBNs has not been in fact addressed yet. The goal of control is to ensure the stabilisation of a system in a given state using as few interventions as possible. There are many ways to control BN dynamics. Here, we consider the one-step approach in which the system is instantaneously perturbed out of its actual state. A naïve approach to handle control of ParBNs is using parameter scan and solve the control problem for each parameter valuation separately using known techniques for non-parametrised BNs. This approach is however highly inefficient as the parameter space of ParBNs grows doubly exponentially in the worst case. We propose a novel semi-symbolic algorithm for the one-step control problem of ParBNs, that builds on symbolic data structures to avoid scanning individual parameters. We evaluate the performance of our approach on real biological models.


Background: A gastrostomy feeding tube is one method for long-term feeding support in patients undergoing radio(chemo)therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). The aim of this study was to analyze the safety of prophylactic gastrostomy tube placement and usage in HNSCC patients. Patients and Methods: HNC patients undergoing percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) or radiological percutaneous gastrostomy (RPG) tube placement prior to radio(chemo)therapy from 2010-2014 were retrospectively reviewed regarding procedural and long-term gastrostomy tube-related complications, usage of PEG/RPG, weight profile, pretreatment and posttreatment body mass index. Results: A total of 212 patients underwent prophylactic feeding tube placement (71% RPG, 27% PEG and 2% surgical jejunostomy). A total of 173 patients utilized their gastrostomy tubes for either total or supplemental nutrition support. Despite this, 157 patients (74%) lost weight during therapy (mean weight loss=8 kg). The rate of severe tube-related complications (peritonitis/incorrect placement) was low and similar in both groups (PEG 2.7% vs. RPG 3.4%). Conclusion: Although a very high proportion of patients used their PEG/RPG during radio(chemo)therapy there was a high mean weight loss. Serious complications of tube placement were rare.


The aim of this investigation is to analyze the main green energies for electricity generation in the Brazilian Amazon, especially given the location specificities of the State of Pará, Brazil. Electric energy is an invaluable resource for the development of populations and green energy comprises viable alternatives to sustain this development. The methodology of this study is classified in terms of the approach to the problem as a qualitative research and in terms of its nature, as a theoretical study. The green energies analyzed in the State of Pará, Brazil, were: hydro, biomass, solar and wind. The study concluded that the electricity generation base in the State of Pará should continue to be the hydro base; however, Pará should increase the proportion of use of sources from biomass and the sun.


A high fidelity transmural anisotropic ventricular tissue model consisting of endocardial, mid myocardial, and epicardial myocytes were configured to investigate drug interaction, such as Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), under hypoxia conditions without and with pro-arrhythmic comorbidity like hypokalemia in (a) ventricular tissue b) its arrhythmogenesis for different dosages and (b) two different pacing sequences (Normal and tachycardiac). In-silico ventricular modeling indicates HCQ has an insignificant effect on hypoxia with and without comorbidities, except in the combination of mild hypoxia with moderate hypokalemia condition and severe hypoxia with mild hypokalemia where it initiated a re-entrant arrhythmia. Secondly, incorporating drug dosage variations indicates the 10 μM HCQ created PVCs for all settings except in severe hypoxia conditions where re-entrant arrhythmia occurred. In addition to the dosage of HCQ utilized for treatment, the pacing protocol also influences the appearance of re-entrant arrhythmia only for severe hypoxia with 10 μM HCQ dosage alone. For all other conditions, including tachycardiac pacing protocol, no arrhythmia occurred. These findings infer that the arrhythmic fatality rate due to HCQ treatment for hypoxia can be effectively alleviated by subtly altering or personalizing the dosage of HCQ and aid in the treatment of hypoxia-induced symptoms caused by COVID.


BACKGROUND
The use of biologic therapy for Crohn's disease [CD] continues to evolve, however, the effect of this on the requirement for surgery remains unclear. We assessed changes in biologic prescription and surgery over time in a population-based cohort.

METHODS
We performed a retrospective cohort study of all 1753 patients diagnosed with CD in Lothian, Scotland, between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2017, reviewing the electronic health record of each patient to identify all CD-related surgery and biologic prescription. Cumulative probability and hazard ratios for surgery and biologic prescription from diagnosis were calculated and compared using the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis stratified by year of diagnosis into cohorts.

RESULTS
The 5-year cumulative risk of surgery was 20.4% in cohort 1 [2000-2004],18.3% in cohort 2 [2005-2008], 14.7% in cohort 3 [2009-2013], and 13.0% in cohort 4 [2014-2017] p <0.001. The 5-year cumulative risk of biologic prescription was 5.7% in cohort 1, 12.2% in cohort 2, 22.0% in cohort 3, and 44.9% in cohort 4 p <0.001.

CONCLUSIONS
The increased and earlier use of biologic therapy in CD patients corresponded with a decreasing requirement for surgery over time within our cohort. This could mean that adopting a top-down or accelerated step-up treatment strategy may be effective at reducing the requirement for surgery in newly diagnosed CD.


OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to compare two methods for the evaluation of periapical lesion changes following endodontic therapy (digital subtraction technique and morphometric analysis) by outlining the radiolucent area.

METHODS
13 human anterior teeth with pulp necrosis and chronic periapical lesions were used. Periapical radiographs were taken immediately after endodontic therapy (0) and then 2 months, 4 months and 6 months post treatment, using an intraoral radiographic film holder stabilized with impression material. The films were processed in a standard manner and the digitized images were submitted to digital subtraction using Adobe Photoshop 6.0. New bone formation or bone resorption areas were then measured. In the morphometric analysis, the periapical lesions were outlined using VixWin 2000 and the area (in square millimetres) was recorded. The obtained data were submitted to agreement analysis for comparison of the two techniques.

RESULTS
There was no correlation between the areas of radiographic changes detected by digital subtraction and periapical lesion outline (r = 0.02-0.45). The new bone formation areas observed by digital subtraction presented higher values, with bone changes being especially evident in the 2 month follow-up radiographs, which suggests a higher sensitivity for this method.

CONCLUSIONS
Both methods are suitable for the evaluation of periapical lesion changes, but the digital subtraction technique is more sensitive for detecting radiographic periapical changes.


Site-selective protein modification is of significant interest in chemical biology research, with lysine residues representing a particularly challenging target. Whilst lysines are popular for bioconjugation, due to their nucleophilicity, solvent accessibility and the stability of the resultant conjugates, their high abundance means site-selectivity is very difficult to achieve. Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) present a powerful therapeutic application of protein modification, and have often relied extensively upon lysine bioconjugation for their synthesis. Here we discuss advances in methodologies for achieving site-selective lysine modification, particularly within the context of antibody conjugate construction, including the cysteine-to-lysine transfer (CLT) protocol which we have recently reported.


--The dynamic tariff (DT) method is designed for the distribution system operator (DSO) to alleviate congestions that might occur in a distribution network with high penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs). Uncertainty management is required for the decentralized DT method because the DT is determined based on optimal day-ahead energy planning with forecasted parameters such as day-ahead energy prices and energy needs which might be different from the parameters used by aggregators. The uncertainty management is to quantify and mitigate the risk of the congestion when employing the DT method, which is achieved by firstly formulating the problem as a chance constrained two-level optimization and then solving the problem through an iterative procedure. Two case studies were conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of the uncertainty management of DT method.


Let X be a complex infinite dimensional Banach space. We use σ_a(T) andσ_{ea}(T) , respectively, to denote the approximate point spectrum and the essential approximate point spectrum of a bounded operator T onX . Also, \pi _a(T) denotes the set <$>{\rm{iso} σ_a(T)\backslash σ_{ea}(T)}<$>. An operator T onX obeys the a-Browder's theorem provided that<$>σ_{ea}(T) =σ_a(T\,)\backslash π_a(T)<$> . We investigate connections between the Browder's theorems, the spectral mapping theorem and spectral continuity.


Measurement of chest compression is vital to properly assessing injury risk for restraint systems. It directly relates chest loading to the risk of serious or fatal compression injury for the vital organs protected by the rib cage. Other measures of loading such as spinal acceleration or total restraint load do not separate how much of the force is applied to the rib cage, shoulders, or lumbar and cervical spines. Hybrid III chest compression is biofidelic for blunt impact of the sternum, but is "stiff" for belt loading. In this study, an analysis was conducted of two published crash reconstruction studies involving belted occupants. This provides a basis for comparing occupant injury risks with Hybrid III chest compression in similar exposures. Results from both data sources were similar and indicate that belt loading resulting in 40 mm Hybrid III chest compression represents a 20-25% risk of an AIS 3 thoracic injury. For the covering abstract see IRRD 864472.


The inverse problem of the reconstruction of the permittivity profile of a dielectric cylinder from the knowledge of the scattered electric field is examined. The proposed method is based on a quadratic approximation of the nonlinear operator defining the scattered field. This choice overcomes the typical limitations of linear approaches and, due to the quadraticity of the operator involved, makes it possible to discuss and avoid the presence of local minima in the inversion procedure. The main features of the approach are shown for the simple case of dielectric cylinders with only angular dependence of permittivity, pointing out the higher sensitivity of the proposed approach with respect to fast varying profiles and the possibility to increase the spatial resolution when the number of available independent data are sufficiently larger than the number of unknowns.


Magnetizing current effect minimization in current transformers is considered in this paper. Double-core current transformer operation is described in the following text. The influence of the magnetizing current, which is a significant element of current transformer's error, has been minimized in a new type of double-core current transformer connection. The accuracy evaluation of built double-core current transformer has been carried out according to obtained transformation precision.


We discuss a meta-analysis that reported on the association between gastric acid suppression and carriage with antibiotic resistant bacteria, with a special focus on the association for carriage with ESBL-producing Gram-negative bacteria in non-hospitalized subjects. Results from a recent population-based study (not included in the meta-analysis) were added to this subgroup of the meta-analysis. The data point to a positive, yet minor, association between gastric acid suppression and carriage with ESBL-producing Gram-negative bacteria in non-hospitalized subjects in the Netherlands.


Background Pancreatic cancer prognosis remains poor despite recent advances. We aimed to determine prognostic factors associated with pancreatic cancer outcome by retrospective analysis of patients who received curative surgical treatment. Methods In this retrospective study, we analyzed 226 pancreatic cancer patients who received curative surgical treatment from January 2004 to December 2015. The overall survival and disease-free survival rates were determined by the Kaplan- Meier method. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were conducted to identify potential and independent prognostic factors. Results The estimated 1, 2, 3, and 5-year overall survival rates after curative resections were 35.84%, 15.48%, and 6.19% respectively. The overall pancreatic fistula rate was 30.53%. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified the following independent prognostic factors for overall survival: microvascular invasion, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio>5, modified Glasgow prognostic score and lymph node ratio>0.3. Additionally, microvascular invasion, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio>5 and platelet/lymphocyte ratio>160 were independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival. Pancreatic fistula was not associated with worse overall survival or disease-free survival. Conclusion Although pancreatic fistula remains the major cause of morbidity after pancreatic resection, it did not appear to influence overall survival and disease-free survival. Inflammation markers, microvascular invasion and lymph node ratio should be thoroughly assessed as independent prognostic factors in pancreatic cancer.


In order to prepare the next generation of tokamaks, a new goal has been assigned to Tore Supra. Initially designed for handling 15 MW of power over 30 s operation, the original generation of plasma facing components will be replaced by a set of new, high technology components, constituting the socalled "CIEL" project (French acronym for "Composants Internes Et Limiteur"), with the ultimate aim of injecting 25 MW over 1000 s in the plasma. An overview of the developments associated to the various components and of the main technological challenges is given. Installation of CIEL in Tore Supra will last about l8 months; the new configuration will be operational mid of 2001.


This is a review of empirical studies on word learning in children who are beginning to speak. The studies are distributed in three phases. The first phase, in the 1970's, researchers studied the meaning in different kinds of words. In the second phase (1980's) the relationship between new words, verbal expressions and the development of distinct recognitions of language were studied. By the third phase (1990s to date) there is a boom in new conceptual perspectives and experimental devices in this field of study. It is important to review in previous research some areas that were looked over such as: the use of words in sentences, more accurate definitions for grammatical categories used to classify words, and the relationship between new word learning and others aspects of a child's language development.


Two types of three-electrode gas-insulated spark gaps have been investigated in this paper: one with the third electrode located inside the main electrode, and the other with a separate third electrode. Three types of insulating media have been used: vacuum, SF6 and N2. Additionally, three different electrode materials have been implemented: copper, steel and tungsten. The following characteristics have been tested experimentally: the influence of insulating gas parameters on spark gap operation, the influence of the polarity of working and trigger voltages on spark gap operation, and the influence of the rate of rise of the trigger voltage on spark gap operation and the degree of spark gap irreversibility. A theoretical model of the spark gap is presented in the paper, which provides a basis for explaining experimental results depending on specific characteristics of the spark gap.


The objective of this paper is to provide a model of the Brazilian interstate commerce with emphasis on the derived demand for transportation and the impact of logistics cost on the spatial pattern of internal trade. The effects of transportation and logistics cost are assessed both in terms of the volume and the distribution of trade, according to the level of economic development and sectoral specialization of each state. The estimation of the model tests alternative specifications for the functional form and the distribution of the error term. The results show that a model based on the Poisson distribution is more appropriate that the log-normal model usually employed in spatial interaction analysis. A flexible specification of the functional form also provides improvements in the statistical adjustment of the model. The selected specification and estimation process of the model exhibits interesting results with respect to the elasticities of commerce with respect to the production structure and transportation costs. It reveals that impact of a comprehensive toll road program is more intense on the trade of agricultural states and between more distant states.


EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS ENCODED DECONJUGASES The post-translational conjugation or deconjugation of proteins by ubiquitin (Ub) or ubiquitinlike molecules (UbLs: e.g. SUMO, NEDD8, ISG15) has emerged as a major regulatory mechanism of various cellular activities. Viruses have developed mechanisms to exploit those pathways for their own benefit. RNA and DNA viruses express their own E3 ligases or manipulate cellular E3 ligases. Also several viral encoded DUBs or ULPs have been described, e.g. facilitating the suppression of ubiquitination and ISGylation mediated antiviral effects. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a large double-stranded DNA tumor virus encoding 100 open reading frames (ORFs). EBV is associated with a variety of malignancies of lymphoid cells, like Burkitt ́s lymphoma and Hodgkin ́s lymphoma as also of epithelial cells, like nasopharyngeal carcinoma and gastric carcinoma. The overall aim of this study was to identify and functional characterize EBV encoded deconjugases. We screened an EBV-ORFeome library for their activity against Ub-, NEDD8-, SUMO-1,-2,-3 and ISG15-GFP reporter. As a result we discovered that the BSLF1and BXLF1ORF comprised deubiquitinating activity. We could also detect that the large tegumental protein BPLF1-N cleaves the NEDD8-GFP reporter with similar efficiency as the Ub-GFP reporter. Following this observation we could show that BPLF1-N was able to process Uband NEDD8linked functional probes with similar efficiency suggesting equal affinities towards ubiquitinated and neddylated substrates. We could show that BPLF1-N binds to and deneddylates cullins, which are assembled in cullin-RING ligases (CRLs). This CRL deneddylation facilitated the stabilization of their substrates involved in cell cycle regulation. Those accumulated BPLF1-N controlled CRL substrates were essential for an S-phase like cellular environment and endoreduplication in BPLF1-N expressing cells. We further demonstrated that the impact of BPLF1-N expression on viral genome replication was dependent on stabilization of the DNA licensing factor CDT1. ABSTRACT AMOTL2 IN CONTROL OF CELL TOPOLOGY AMOTL2 IN CONTROL OF CELL TOPOLOGY During developmental morphogenesis, cells migrate, differentiate and organize into multicellular structures. As a distinct step in organ formation, epithelial cells join together via cell-cell junctions to form sheets of cells that separate cellular compartments from each other. Endogenous forces, generated by contractile actin, are transmitted over cell-layers in part by the connection to adhesion junctions and E-cadherin. These forces affect cellular geometry (cell size and shape) and topology (connectivity among cells in a tissue). Exactly how E-cadherin connects to the actomyosin network has been less clear. The Angiomotin protein family of scaffold proteins comprises three members Amot, AmotL1 and AmotL2, were each is expressed as two isoforms in mammalians. These proteins act as scaffolds in that they contain interaction sites enabling the formation of protein complexes. In our work, we show that AmotL2 p100 binds to the adherens junction components E-cadherin and MAGI1 and associates to contractile actin fibers which connect cells over multiple layers. Silencing of AmotL2 in epithelial cells in vitro and in zebrafish keratinocytes in vivo resulted in loss of actin filaments perpendicular to cellular junctions and dramatic changes in cellular geometry. As a consequence, the packing of epithelial cells in the typical hexagonal patterns was severely perturbed and the ability to form 3-D structures was lost. Cells depleted of AmotL2 also showed increased fluidity and elasticity when subjected to mechanical force. We propose that AmotL2 is a critical component in the adhesion junctions that controls intracellular contractility as well as relaying forces between cells. LIST OF PUBLICATIONS This thesis is based on the following publications that will be referred to in the text by their roman numerals: I Sompallae R, Gastaldello S, Hildebrand S, Zinin N, Hassink G, Lindsten K, Haas J, Persson B, Masucci MG. Epstein-barr virus encodes three bona fide ubiquitin-specific proteases. Journal of Virology 2008 Nov;82(21):10477-86. II Gastaldello S, Hildebrand S, Faridani O, Callegari S, Palmkvist M, Di Guglielmo C, Masucci MG. A deneddylase encoded by Epstein-Barr virus promotes viral DNA replication by regulating the activity of cullin-RING ligases. Nature Cell Biology 2010 Apr;12(4):351-61. III Hildebrand S, Hultin S, Cao X, Majumdar A, Johansson S, Zheng Y, Holmgren L. AmotL2 links E-Cadherin to contractile actin filaments and controls cell topology. Manuscript.


Background: Increasing urbanization, immigration and tourism has changed the human lifestyle. This modern lifestyle has demanded safety, quality, and fast availability of ready to eat (RTE) foods like chicken sandwiches. Objectives: For presentation of proper solutions regarding food safety, identification of pathogens in different foods is necessary. Therefore, the present study was carried out to assess the microbiological quality of chicken sandwiches distributed in Tehran province, Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 chicken sandwich samples (chicken sausage, chicken fillet, minced chicken fillet) were purchased from different supermarkets in Tehran city randomly during 2013 and transported to the laboratory of food hygiene of Islamic Azad University, Karaj branch under temperature-controlled conditions for bacteriological examination by American Public Health Association (APHA) method. Results: The average count ± standard error (and percent of unacceptable samples) of S. aureus, B. cereus and Coliform were 1.6 ± 0.56 (28%), 2.0 ± 0.62 (10%), 4.2 ± 1.12 (50%) CFU/g, respectively. Moreover, E. coli and Salmonella spp. were identified in 21% of chicken sandwich samples. Conclusions: The large number of foodborne pathogens detected in this study, represented a potential health hazard to consumers. Thus, it is necessary to employ Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) in order to minimize the risk caused by secondary contamination.


Emotions can be communicated in social contexts through chemosignals contained in human body odors. The transmission of positive emotions via these signals has received little interest in past research focused mainly on negative emotional transmission. Furthermore, how the use of perfumed products might modulate this transmission remains poorly understood. To investigate human positive chemical communication, we explored the autonomic, verbal, and behavioral responses of receivers exposed to body odors of donors having undergone a within-subject positive or neutral mood induction procedure. These responses were compared with those obtained after exposure to the same body odors with added fragrance. Our findings suggest that positive emotions can be transmitted through body odor. They not only induced modifications at the physiological (heart rate) and verbal levels (perceived intensity and familiarity) but also at the behavioral level, with an improved performance on creativity tasks. Perfume did not modulate the physiological effects and had a synergistic effect on the positive body odor ratings (increased perceived differences between the neutral and positive body odor).


Using high magnetic flux from a 60 Hz high-current cable, a 2 W wireless-powered energy harvesting receiver for sensor operation, internet of things (IoT) devices, and LED lights inside electrical cable tunnels is proposed. The proposed receiver comprises a copper coil with a high number of turns, a ring-shaped ferromagnetic core, a capacitor for compensating for the impedance of the coil in series, and a rectifier with various types of loads, such as sensors, IoT devices, and LEDs. To achieve safe and easy installation around the power cable, the proposed ring-shaped receiver is designed to easily open or close using a clothespin-shaped handle, which is made of highly-insulated plastic. Laminated silicon steel plates are assembled and used as the core because of their mechanical robustness and high saturation flux density characteristic, in which the thickness of each isolated plate is 0.3 mm. The series-connected resonant capacitor, which is appropriate for low-voltage applications, is used together with the proposed receiver coil. The concept of the figure of merit, which is the product weight and cost of both the silicon steel plate and the copper wire, is used for an optimized design; therefore, the weight of the fabricated receiver and the price of raw material is 750 gf and USD $2 each, respectively. The 2.2 W powering capability of the fabricated receiver was experimentally verified with a power cable current of 100Arms at 60Hz.


Objective: Our aim was to compare the effect of lacidipine and chlorthalidone on cardiovascular outcome as a primary parameter and blood pressure as a secondary in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension in a prospective study with an open design. Methods: 1882 males and females outpatients ≥60 years were randomly assigned to the administration of chlorthalidone 12.5 mg o.d. or lacidipine 4 mg o.d. Patients were recruited if sitting systolic blood pressure was ≥160 mmHg with a diastolic blood pressure equal or lower than 95 mmHg. Primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Results: At randomization mean systolic blood pressure was 178.1 mmHg in the lacidipine and 178.2 mmHg in the chlorthalidone group, the corresponding mean diastolic values being 86.9 and 86.8 mmHg. In both lacidipine and chlorthalidone groups treatment caused a significant (p < 0.001) and marked systolic blood pressure reduction which was maintained throughout the treatment period with a significant (p < 0.001) and steady although less marked reduction in diastolic blood pressure as well. At the end of treatment period (median 32 months), the reduction was 36.8/8.1 mmHg (systolic/diastolic) in the chlorthalidone and 38.4/7.9 mmHg in the lacidipine group, the final on treatment blood pressures being 142.0/79.2 and 143.2/79.5 mmHg, respectively. Treatments were similarly effective in males and females and in age groups between 60 and 69 years (n = 763), 70 and 79 years (n = 744) and ≥80 years (n = 375). Similar reductions were obtained in a subgroup of patients (n = 209) followed in double-blind fashion for 1 year. The overall incidence of the primary endpoints was 9.3% with no significant between-group difference. Total mortality was also similar between groups. Conclusions: In elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension, administration of lacidipine or chlorthalidone markedly reduced systolic blood pressure with no difference in the incidence of cardiovascular events and total mortality.


This article has reviewed many of the landmark discoveries in the diagnosis and management of carpal injuries and disease. It is apparent that much investigation remains to be done to advance our understanding of this complex joint.