For at least 25 years, processes involving structural changes have been growing more and more intense in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, with these processes including a decline in the number of small farms. The main aim of this paper is to present the mechanisms involved in, as well as barriers to and costs preventing the exit of farms from agriculture, including those that make it difficult to transfer production resources which are being released to other companies. This research takes the form of an overview and is based on the output of new institutional economics, and on transaction cost and rent-seeking theories in particular. The most frequent difficulties encountered in the process of exit from farming include low profitability of production and the shortage of capital among potential buyers, while the lack of sellers' financial resources and the necessity of incurring expenses related to preparing and finalising the sale of resources held by them (the actual transaction costs related to closing down farms) are frequently overlooked. The most important barriers preventing the complete liquidation of farms are the inherent transaction costs categorised as expenses, as well as the emotional costs and costs of alternatives, which are difficult to evaluate and estimate. The following notions are particularly helpful in explaining barriers to exit from farming: the concept of transaction costs and rent-seeking theory, which are both a part of the stream of thought of new institutional economics.


Among the principal threats to the conservation of global biodiversity are biological invasions. To monitor their range expansion and develop control programmes, comprehensive, national species' databases need to be created and maintained. This is particularly important for invaders that are known to cause broad and significant ecological problems, such as decapod crustaceans, in particular crayfish. Initiatives such as the U.K. National Biodiversity Network have recognised the need to promote data exchange and are a valuable resource for collating individual survey records. However, for these data to be used efficiently for research and/or management purposes they need to be combined into national databases. This is challenging and time consuming as individual data-sets are typically in different formats. Here, we compile 25 459 non-native and native crayfish records (reported between 1870 and 2013) from England, Wales and Scotland into one database, CrayBase. Such national databases will help facilitate risk assessments for non-native species and promote conservation strategies for indigenous species by identifying populations under the greatest threat from invasives.


Abstract. Modeling propagation of VLF electromagnetic beams in the waveguide earth-ionosphere (WGEI) is of a great importance because variation in the characteristics of these waves is an effective instrument for diagnostics the influences on the ionosphere from above (Sun-Solar Wind-Magnetosphere-Ionosphere), from below (the most powerful meteorological, seismogenic and other sources in the lower atmosphere and lithosphere/Earth, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis etc.), from inside the ionosphere (strong thunderstorms and lightning discharges) and even from the far space (such as gamma-flashes, cosmic rays etc.). Thus, VLF became one of the most universal instrument for monitoringthe Space Weather in the direct sense of this term, i.e. the state of the Sun-Earth space and the ionosphere as it is particularly determined by all possible relatively powerful sources, wherever they are placed. This paper is devoted mostly to modelling VLF electromagnetic beam propagation in the WGEI. We present a new tensor impedance method for modelling propagation of electromagnetic beams (TIMEB) in a multi-layered/inhomogeneous waveguide. Suppose that such a waveguide, i.e. WGEI, possesses the gyrotropy and inhomogeneity with a thick cover layer placed above the waveguide. Note a very useful and attractive feature of the proposed TIMEB method: in spite of a large thickness of the waveguide cover layer, the proposed effective impedance approach reflects an impact of such a cover on the electromagnetic (EM) waves, which propagate in the waveguide. This impedance approach can be applied for EM waves/beams in layered gyrotropic/anisotropic active media in very wide frequency range, from VLF to optics. Moreover, this approach can be applied to calculations of EM waves/beams propagation in the media of an artificial origin such as metamaterial microwave or optical waveguides. The results of the modelling the propagation of VLF beams in the WGEI are included. The qualitative comparison between the theory and experimental observation of increasing losses of VLF waves in the WGEI is discussed. The new proposed method and its further development allows the comparison with the results of the future rocket experiment. This method allows to model (i) excitation of the VLF modes in the WGEI and their excitation by the typical VLF sources, such as radio wave transmitters and lightning discharges and (ii) leakage of VLF waves/beams into the upper ionosphere/magnetosphere.


This chapter describes the repair strategies of writers who have started using speech recognition systems for writing business texts. It brings together the oral and the written representation of the text. This characteristic of the new writing context created by voice recognition is the central starting point of the chapter. The chapter describes a case study in which writing strategies related to repairs are explored, and the relation between the use of writing modes and the repair behaviour is described. It describes the repair strategies of two writers with different dictating experience. The chapter confirms the potential hybrid character of speech recognition as a writing mode, since it combines characteristics of both classical dictating and keyboard based word processing. It better describes the interaction with the 'text produced so far', and evaluates the cognitive load caused by imperfect representations. Keywords: business texts; dictating experience; keyboard based word processing; repair strategies of writers; speech recognition systems; writing modes


High doses of bromocryptine (Parlodel, Sandoz) were successfully used for induction of ovulation followed by pregnancy in a hyperprolactinemic patient relatively resistant to bromocryptine treatment. After treatment with gradually increasing doses of bromocryptine, serum prolactin level (SPL) decreased slightly but became resistant and even elevated with increased doses. Under a high dose of bromocryptine (37.5 mg/d), the patient ovulated and conceived, despite the fact that SPL was not sufficiently reduced. The results may suggest that if a patient is somehow "resistant" to bromocryptine (as far as SPL suppression is concerned), a high dose may still be useful. The possibility that bromocryptine may have other effects on the process of ovulation than suppression of circulating prolactin is also to be considered.


An n-body potential is constructed for the Ni-Mo system based on the Finnis-Sinclair formalism. The potential with optimized parameters is able to reproduce some physical properties of several Ni-Mo equilibrium and metastable alloy phases. Molecular-dynamics simulation with the constructed potential is performed to study the detailed process of interfacial reaction in a Ni/Mo bilayer upon annealing at medium temperatures of 300 to 600 °C and reveals that amorphization is driven by mutual atomic diffusion and follows exactly a t1/2 law.


Aim Data on the depth of nasal intubation in neonates are rare, although this is the preferred route in some countries. Therefore, recommendations on optimal nasal intubation depths based on gestational age (GA) and weight are desirable. Methods We determined the distances between the middle of thoracic vertebrae 2 (T2) and the tip of the endotracheal tube in 116 X-rays from nasally intubated neonates. The intubation depth (tip to nostril distance) that was documented in the digital patient's file was then corrected for this distance to reach an optimal nasal insertion depth. Results were plotted against the infant's GA and weight. Results GA-based and birthweight-based charts and formulas for the nasal intubation depth in infants with a GA between 24 and 43 weeks and body weight between 400 and 4500 g were created. Conclusions Generated data may help in predicting optimal insertion depths for nasal intubation in neonates.


This article examines ordering and delivery data from several home delivery grocers in both the USA and the UK. Contrary to popular perceptions, the demise of home delivery grocers (or Internet grocers as they were known during the artificial boom period of 1997‐2000) was exaggerated. In fact, sales for grocery home delivery are currently at least 50 per cent higher than their "peak" in 2000. This article examines the operational challenges involved in offering this value‐added service to consumers and posits the argument that prior efforts (notably Webvan) failed in large part due to poor operational execution and poorly planned business models. Closes with some insights regarding the problems which must be addressed if this extended grocery channel is to become successful in the long run.


Seeds of marigold cv. 'Pusa Narangi Gainda' were treated with different gamma irradiation treatments viz, control, 25 Gy, 50 Gy, 75 Gy, 100 Gy, 125 Gy and 150 Gy and evaluated for various morphological characters. Reduction in survival percentage, plant height, number of branches and plant spread was observed after irradiation and with increase in exposure of gamma rays. Early flower bud initiation and flower opening was observed in lower dose of gamma rays. Flower diameter, number of flowers and length of peduncle was significantly highest at the lowest dose of gamma irradiation. The stimulatory effect of gamma irradiation was observed at 25 Gy in almost all the characters, though the intensity of inhibition increased with increasing exposures of gamma rays. On the basis of present observation, it may be concluded that irradiation of gamma rays of 25 Gy was found to be beneficial for growth and flowering characters in African marigold cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda


This study is conducted to determine the correlation between peer pressure and the mental well-being of senior high school students. The primary goal of this research is to establish the correlation between the components of peer pressure and the respondents' mental well-being. A descriptive-correlational method was utilized with a total number of two hundred twenty-six (226) senior high school students participated in this study. Thus, the data were gathered through Perceived Peer Pressure Scale Questionnaire (PPPS) and Well-being Questionnaire. Based on the statistical analysis, there is a significant correlation between peer pressure and mental well-being of the students (r=.363). The study's conclusions were evaluated and discussed, and recommendations for additional research were made.


Abstract Oxide nanoparticles are quintessential for ensuring the extraordinary properties of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels. In this study, the crystallographic structure of oxide nanoparticles, and their interface with the ferritic steel matrix in an Al-alloyed ODS steel, i.e. PM2000, were systematically investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The majority of oxide nanoparticles were identified to be orthorhombic YAlO3. During hot consolidation and extrusion, they develop a coherent interface and a near cuboid-on-cube orientation relationship with the ferrite matrix in the material. After annealing at 1200 °C for 1 h, however, the orientation relationship between the oxide nanoparticles and the matrix becomes arbitrary, and their interface mostly incoherent. Annealing at 1300 °C leads to considerable coarsening of oxide nanoparticles, and a new orientation relationship of pseudo-cube-on-cube between oxide nanoparticles and ferrite matrix develops. The reason for the developing interfaces and orientation relationships between oxide nanoparticles and ferrite matrix under different conditions is discussed.


The design of aviation security systems has become increasingly important over the past decade. Passenger screening is a critical aspect of aviation security systems that employs trained personnel to operate screening devices that are designed to detect various threat objects. Several security classes can be defined with each class containing a subset of these screening devices, and in which each passenger is assigned to exactly one security class based on their perceived risk level. This paper introduces a real-time sequential binary passenger assignment model as a discrete-time difference equation. The stochastic value of the binary passenger assignment is replaced by a deterministic value capturing a fractional class assignment of each passenger. Through a probabilistic analysis, a closed-loop policy is presented to achieve desired security class occupancies for a finite set of passengers anticipated to undergo screening during a given time period, while maximizing the overall system security. The same closed-loop policy is also shown by applying feedback linearization to the fractional passenger assignment model. Closed-loop stability and convergence properties are discussed for a time-variant state feedback design. Simulation results are reported to illustrate sensitivity to parameter variation, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of control theory as an approximation to an otherwise computationally intractable dynamic programming problem. The key contribution is that passenger assignments to security classes can be performed in real time using the methodology introduced.


Tender coconut water is known to have health beneficial effects. Antioxidants are the bioactives which helps in the amelioration of wide range of diseases like diabetes, obesity, cancer etc. In the current study two concentrates were prepared from coconut testa, as phenolic concentrate (PHE) and tender coconut water concentrate (TCW).These concentrates were evaluated for proximate composition, phenolic acids and antioxidant activities. Protein (3.7% and 5.2%), carbohydrates (56.6% and 53.5%), phenolics (3.4% and 2.6%) and flavonoids (1.9% and 1.4%) were observed in PHE and TCW respectively. Phenolic acids composition was estimated by HPLC and major phenolic acids were found to be gallic/tannic, Protocateuchic and ferulic acid. Both concentrates had good reducing power ability with IC50 values of 68.4 μg (PHE) and 73.5 μg (TCW). Further, DNA protection assay evidenced the dose dependence protection for free radical induced oxidation by PHE and TCW. Hence, concentrates of PHE and TCW are useful in preventing stress induced ailments. Since the concentrates are stable it can be used in different food preparations.


The decision for median sternotomy for retrosternal goiter is complex and proper consensus are lacking. Generally, it is based on clinical, radiological and intraoperative assessment. Among the few known features include primary mediastinal goiter, posterior mediastinal goiter and recurrent retrosternal goiter. We present a patient with posterior mediastinal, secondary goiter that extended until the tracheal bifurcation. The goiter was removed successfully via a low cervical incision and this was achieved by dissecting along the anatomical plane close to the thyroid capsule using blunt dissection with fingers. It is possible for these kinds of high risk retrosternal goitres to be safely removed without the need for thoracotomy when the surgery was performed along the proper plane.


This study compared and analyzed the measurements of pullout load according to the depth of reclamation in the foundation, compaction ratio of soil, spiral diameter, and soil textures in an experiment with a model and reached the following conclusions: The comparison results of extreme pullout load between farm and reclaimed soil show that farmland soil recorded a score that was 1.2~3 times higher than that of reclaimed soil. The investigator measured pullout load in farmland and reclaimed soil and observed a tendency of rising extreme pullout load according to the increasing depth of reclamation and compaction ratio with a similar load-displacement curve between the two types of soil. Extreme pullout load made a greater increase by the rising size of diameter than the increasing depth of reclamation, also making a considerably bigger increase according to the rising compaction ratio than the other conditions. Therefore, the spirals bar is expected to be available in soft soil foundation, as well as farmland as increasing buried deep of foundations, compaction rate, diameter of the spiral, ect.


A 36-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of general malaise in October 1999. She was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer with bone marrow and liver metastases. Low-dose weekly paclitaxel (60 mg/body/week) combined with toremifene (120 mg/day) was started in December 1999. Myelofunction was recovered after 2 weeks of chemotherapy (CT), and the primary tumors and cervical/axillary lymphadenopathy disappeared after 4 weeks of CT. Bone marrow and liver metastases was no longer detected after 16 weeks of CT, and the case was evaluated as a complete response (CR). The same therapy has been performed for eight months and no evidence of recurrence has been observed.


The aim of the study was to evaluate the survival of Listeria monocytogenes during the production of Čajna sausage with short maturation time. Sausage batter was inoculated with three different serotypes 4b and serotype 1/2a of L. monocytogenes. Control sausages were without any starter culture added; the second batch was inoculated with strains of Lactobacillus sakei, Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus xylosus, and the third batch was inoculated with strains of Debaryomyces hansenii, Lactobacillus sakei, Pediococcus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus xylosus. After 18 days of ripening, L. monocytogenes was not detected in any of the sausages, but during this fermentation and drying, the numbers of this pathogen was lower in the sausages inoculated with starter cultures.


What about GPs in the fight against tuberculosis? Dr Davies's article on tuberculosis (TB) is fascinating and I agree with many of his sentiments (June 2003 JRSM1). But why were general practitioners (GPs) not mentioned in this fight against TB? I, too, have come across a patient in the past few months who almost died of meningeal tuberculosis. She was middle-aged, living with a family I had known for many years (but not registered with a GP). She developed a cough, weight loss, and sweats and finally ended up in intensive care with meningeal TB. Happily she survived and is now well. What is particularly galling is that, as a practice, we take an active interest in infectious diseases.2 This brings me back to my main point. Respiratory physicians cannot do all this alone; I don't know if some of Davies's comments are directed at GPs specifically (re-education of the medical and allied professionals), but general TB surveillance cannot be done without primary care. Let me say why. I have heard it said many times that TB management should be totally within the remit of secondary care specialists. If the model of care is one that emulates HIV/ AIDS care—hospital driven and directed—then please do not blame GPs for not identifying cases earlier.3 If you involve GPs in decisions regarding their tubercular patients, then primary care can be expected to work with specialists on early identification, management and most importantly, follow-up. Since January 2003 we have registered almost 400 patients from all five continents and including warravaged places such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Congo as well as those countries now recovering from the effects of war such as Albania and Kosovo. This is probably why up to 40% of new cases occur in London. With this in mind, it is incumbent on all health professionals to think about TB in cases where it might be a remote, or not so remote, possibility. Davies's article would have been more compelling if GPs had been mentioned at least once.


Operation results of 81 colorecatal cancer-patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) treated with peritonectomy plus perioperative chemotherapy are reported. The patients who had the following evidences are considered to be eligible for peritonectomy: 1) No evidence of N3 lymph node involvement, 2) No evidence of hematogenous metastasis, 3) No progressive disease after preoperative chemotherapy, 4) No severe co-morbidities or no poor general condition. Complete cytoreduction resection is aimed for removing all macroscopic tumors by peritonectomy using electrosurgical techniques. The completeness of cytoreduction (CC scores) after peritonectomy is classified into the following 4 criteria: CC-0-no peritoneal seeding was exposed during the complete exploration, CC-1-residual tumor nodules are less than 2.5 mm in diameter, CC-2-nodules are between 2 .5 mm and 25 mm in diameter, CC-3-nodules are greater than 25 mm in diameter, CC-2 and CC-3 are regarded as incomplete cytoreduction. Operation time and blood loss were 237 ± 124 min. (799-90 min) and 1,598 ± 1,411 mL (6,500-20 mL), respectively. Postoperative complications developed in 37( 46%) patients. The patients received CC-0/ -1 resection survived significantly longer than those of CC-2/ -3 group. The patients with PCI ≤ 10 survived significantly longer than those with PCI≥ 11. CC and PCI scores are the independent prognostic factors. The relative risk for death of CC-2/-3 group was 4.6-fold higher than that of CC-0/ -1 group. Accordingly, peritonectomy is indicated for patients with PCI score≤ 10.


The old term of 'chromaffin tumors' encompasses both pheochromocytomas (PHs) and paragangliomas (PGLs). The identification of SDHx genes – new mitochondrial tumor-suppressor genes involved in hypoxia/angiogenesis pathways causing hereditary PGL/PH syndromes – has dramatically changed the genetics of chromaffin tumors. Between 25 and 30% of PGLs/PHs are inherited and are caused by a germline mutation in one of the six susceptibility genes (NF1, RET, VHL, SDHD, SDHB and SDHC). All patients with PGLs/PHs should, therefore, attend genetic counsultations. Genetic testing can be targeted according to family and clinical history. The identification of an inherited disease modifies the management and follow-up of index case and provides an opportunity for predictive genetic testing for other family members.


This thesis consists of three pieces of research focussed on the Councils of the United Nations, predominantly the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). We consider three broad questions: which countries typically get on to the UNSC in its current form; which countries ought to get on to the UNSC; and how well might proposed changes to the UNSC steer it towards such ideals.
In order to address the latter two questions it is sensible to begin by investigating how the current system works and if there are any particular characteristics which influence the chances of a country being elected to the UNSC. In Chapter 2 we develop a model to test the significance of a country's characteristics on their probability of election to the UNSC. Chapter 3 then starts by developing a set of theoretical tests which can be applied to council voting systems, such as the selection of UNSC members from the UN General Assembly. The tests score a voting system based on how well the distribution of power in the council meets the power one would expect under a system where country representatives cast their vote in the council based on the outcomes of country or regional-level referendums. We then apply this, using the implied probabilities of election which are a consequence of the results of Chapter 2, to the UNSC election process. We then finish by applying the tests of Chapter 3, which consider how equitable a proposal is, together with a further test of procedural efficiency, to each of the proposed reforms to the UNSC election process.


We studied the effect of deuteration on the radiative decay of the triplet sublevels of naphthalene and some halogenated derivatives. We found that the influence of deuteration is much more pronounced in the heavy atom substituted than in the parent hydrocarbons. The strongest change upon deuteration is in the radiative decay of the out-of-plane polarized spin state Tx . These findings are consistently related to a second order Herzberg-Teller (HT) spin-orbit coupling. Though we found only a small influence of deuteration on the total radiative rate in naphthalene, a significantly larger effect is observed in the rate of the 00-transition of the phosphorescence. This result is discussed in terms of a change of the overlap integral of the vibrational groundstates of T1 and S0 upon deuteration.


Man has acquired helminth infections at different times during his evolutionary history and animals have and do serve an important role in supplementing these acquisitions. Helminth species are divided into those which accompanied man as he emerger as a species and those which he has since acquired from domestic, wild and domiciliated animals by breakdown of ecological, physiological and immunological barriers (Sprent 1969). With particular reference to helminth zoonoses transmitted through domesticated animals, the role played by dogs and cats in disease transmission to man (in urban environments) has been largely overlooked. In the Australasian region, the most important helminth zoonoses transmitted by dogs and cats in heavily urbanised areas as Toxocara sp., Ancylostoma sp. and Dirofilaria immitis. The prevalence, geographic distribution and major epidemiological considerations for each parasite are discussed with the view that future control and/or eradication programs should be based on a sound epidemiological understanding of the natural life history of the helminths concerned.


Multivariate Public Key Cryptosystems (MPKC) is one of candidates for post-quantum cryptography. Rainbow is an MPKC digital signature scheme, with relatively efficient encryption and decryption processes. However, the size of the secret key of Rainbow is substantially larger than that of an RSA cryptosystem for the same security level. By using sparse secret keys, the size of the secret key of Rainbow can be reduced. In addition, a method using sparse secret keys can accelerate the signature generation of Rainbow. Matrix-based Rainbow and NT-Rainbow, which we previously proposed, are variants of Rainbow using sparse secret keys. These two variants of Rainbow reduce the size of the secret key of Rainbow, and improve the efficiency of the signature generation of Rainbow. In this paper, we combine these two variants of Rainbow. As a consequence, the combined scheme realizes even smaller size of the secret key and even more efficient signature generation than those of the two variants of Rainbow. In particular, in comparison with the original Rainbow, the secret key is reduced in size by about 76% and the signature generation is sped up by about 55% at the security level of 100 bits.


Cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs) were used in conjunction with phage display technology to identify polypeptides which bind the crystalline region of cellulose. A consensus peptide WHWTYYW was identified to efficiently bind the CNWs. The binding affinities of specific phage particles were assessed using biopanning assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The WHWTYYW peptide was synthesized and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) analysis showed that the peptide exhibited a binding constant of ∼10(5) M(-1) toward the crystalline CNWs. In order to understand how the affinity of this peptide differs for noncrystalline cellulose, binding properties were characterized using cello-oligosaccharides as substrates. Binding analysis was performed using UV spectroscopy and fluorescence quenching experiments. The specific molecular interactions of the WHWTYYW peptide with cellohexaose were examined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Interactions of this peptide with crystalline cellulose were also investigated using classical molecular modeling and quantum mechanical calculations of (13)C NMR chemical shifts. The NMR experiments and calculations indicate that the WHWTYYW peptide exhibits a bent structure when bound, allowing the Y5 amino acid to form a CH/π stacking interaction and H-bond with the glucose ring of cellulose.


Galectin-1 (Gal-1), is a small ∼14kD carbohydrate binding protein that is known to be significantly upregulated in gliomas, and has also been closely associated with patient survival. PI3K/AKT signaling is important in cancer cells because upregulation of this pathway is associated with increased cell survival and growth. Specifically in glioblastomas there is a signaling alteration in the RTK/PI3K/RAS/PTEN axis in nearly 90% of patients leading to therapeutic resistance and poor prognosis. While Gal-1 has a defined role in activating MAPK signaling, the effect of Gal-1 on PI3K signaling is unclear. The purpose of these experiments was to study the role that Gal-1 has in cellular survival signaling, primarily the PI3K pathway. Previous experiments from our laboratory have demonstrated a significant role for Gal-1 in PI3K signaling and AKT activation. An in vitro PI3K reaction showed that Gal-1 can increase PI3K enzyme activity, even in the presence of a PI3K inhibitor. Gal-1 was also shown to specifically interact with the PI3K enzyme in an in vitro Co-IP assay. Based on these results, we investigated the role of Gal-1 in protecting cells from PI3K pathway inhibition. LN229, U87, and LN18 glioma cell lines were used for these experiments. Cells were treated with multiple different inhibitors for specific proteins in the PI3K signaling pathway (EGFR - Gefitinib, AKT - MK-2206, PI3K - LY294002 and PI-103, mTor - AZD 8055 and Everolimus). Initially, control cells were compared with cells of different Gal-1 status for PI3K pathway activation by western blot. We looked at multiple levels of activation including pAKT, p-mTOR, and p-p70S6K. Following this analysis, proliferation was examined by MTS assay and clonogenic survival was also tested. Our results indicate that in the absence of Gal-1, all of the different inhibitors listed above showed increased signaling inhibition in each of the cell lines tested. In the control cells, higher concentrations of these inhibitors were required to cause similar reduction in pathway activation markers such as pAKT. Based on these results we examined proliferation rates and clonogenic survival for several of the tested inhibitors. In these experiments, we observed that Gal-1 increases baseline survival signaling in cells and leads to an increased resistance to many of the tested inhibitors. In conclusion Gal-1 has demonstrated an ability to protect cancer cells from the effects of multiple PI3K pathway inhibitors (i.e. PI3K, EGFR, and mTOR). Likely, this effect is due to the increased baseline survival signaling seen in Gal-1 expressing cells. While the mechanism for Gal-19s affect on inhibitor activity is still under investigation, this research highlights that Gal-1 status might serve as a predictive biomarker for the effectiveness of many different PI3K pathway inhibitors that are currently showing limited efficacy in clinical trials. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2229. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2229


Cortical surface registration plays a crucial role in aligning cortical functional and anatomical features across individuals. However, conventional registration algorithms are computationally inefficient. Recently, learning-based registration algorithms have emerged as a promising solution, significantly improving processing efficiency. Nonetheless, there remains a gap in the development of a learning-based method that exceeds the state-of-the-art conventional methods simultaneously in computational efficiency, registration accuracy, and distortion control, despite the theoretically greater representational capabilities of deep learning approaches. To address the challenge, we present SUGAR, a unified unsupervised deep-learning framework for both rigid and non-rigid registration. SUGAR incorporates a U-Net-based spherical graph attention network and leverages the Euler angle representation for deformation. In addition to the similarity loss, we introduce fold and multiple distortion losses, to preserve topology and minimize various types of distortions. Furthermore, we propose a data augmentation strategy specifically tailored for spherical surface registration, enhancing the registration performance. Through extensive evaluation involving over 10,000 scans from 7 diverse datasets, we showed that our framework exhibits comparable or superior registration performance in accuracy, distortion, and test-retest reliability compared to conventional and learning-based methods. Additionally, SUGAR achieves remarkable sub-second processing times, offering a notable speed-up of approximately 12,000 times in registering 9,000 subjects from the UK Biobank dataset in just 32 minutes. This combination of high registration performance and accelerated processing time may greatly benefit large-scale neuroimaging studies.


Abstract The study presented in this paper is a research synthesis examining how issues relating to the teaching and learning of children's human rights have been approached in educational research. Drawing theoretically on the European Didaktik tradition, the purpose of the paper is to map and synthesise the educational interest in children's rights research. The paper identifies the motives, content and processes of education for human rights suggested in research. The chosen publications are analysed in three steps, based on three didactic questions: what, how and why. Six educational categories in the teaching and learning of children's human rights are identified: involvement, agency, awareness, citizenship, respect for rights and social change. In each category, the motives, educational content and processes are clarified. A conclusion is that even though the motives for rights education vary, the content and processes in the education are about human relations and interaction.


SO42− intercalated Mg–Al hydrotalcite (S-LDH) was prepared under microwave irradiation and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The S-LDH had a typical layered structure containing SO42− anions, and intercalation of SO42− into the interlayer spaces caused reduction of crystallinity and crystal sizes compared to the Mg–Al hydrotalcite precursor. Furthermore, the Box–Behnken design, an experimental design for response surface methodology (RSM), was used to study the NH3–N removal by S-LDH under microwave irradiation. The parameters including S-LDH amount, irradiation time, temperature and initial pH were optimized by RSM. From the analysis of variance, it was found that RSM could be used effectively to model and improve the NH3–N removal efficiency. The optimum conditions were 1.0 g L−1 of the S-LDH, 9.0 min, 70 °C and initial pH 10.0 to achieve 90.4% of the NH3–N removal rate. Overall, the S-LDH showed a high performance under moderate operating conditions for NH3–N removal.


A simple, one-step electrodeposition approach has been used to fabricate MnOx on indium doped tin oxide (ITO) substrate for highly sensitive As3+ detection. We report an experimental limit of detection of 1 ppb through anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) with selectivity to As3+ in the presence of 10 times higher concentrations of several metal ions. Additionally, we report the simultaneous phase evolution of active material occurring through multiple stripping cycles, wherein MnO/Mn2O3 eventually converts to Mn3O4; as a result of change in the oxidation states of manganese. This occurs with concomitant changes in morphology. Change in the electronic property (increased charge transfer resistance) of the material due to sensing results in eventual decrease in sensitivity after multiple stripping cycles. In a nutshell, this paper reports stripping voltammetry-induced change in morphology and phase of as-prepared Mn-based electrodes during As sensing.


The accumulation of cadmium in rat liver cadmium binding protein induced by single and repeated intraperitoneal injections of CdCl2 and the de novo biosynthesis of CdBP were studied by using 109Cd to measure cadmium binding in the CdBP and 35S incorporation as indicator of protein synthesis. The biosynthesis of CdBP is controlled by the cadmium concentrations. For single doses up to 1 mg Cd2+/Kg b.w. about 50% of the cadmium is present in the soluble fraction of liver bound to CdBP and the incorporation of 35S-cysteine is linear with the cadmium concentration. When single doses ranging from 1 to 3 mg Cd2+/Kg b.w. are administered the fractions of both 35S-cysteine and cadmium incorporated into de novo synthesized CdBP gradually decrease. For single doses higher than 3 mg Cd2+/Kg b.w. the biosynthesis capability is maximum and 20 mug Cd/g liver can be incorporated into the de novo biosynthesized CdBP. When rats are treated every day with amounts of cadmium of about 0.8 mg Cd2+/Kg b.w. for up to 8 days a dose-proportional increase in both Cd incorporation and CdBP biosynthesis are observed. This shows a cumulative incorporation of cadmium in the de novo biosynthesized CdBP. Experiments carried out by injecting 65ZnCl2 and 203HgCl2 every day showed that they are not accumulated like cadmium and do not induce the biosynthesis of rat liver CdBP after repeated administration over 7 days.


A statistical analysis is carried out on the influence that certain physico-chemical parameters exert on tirsification and vertisolization pedological processes that occur under certain geomorphological conditions in Andalusia region (Spain). Both processes occur on a parent material with high contents in smectitic clays, massive and uniform and contrasting climatic conditions where periods of humidity and those of drought alternate. Chromic Vertisol (tirsificated) versus Calcium Vertisol (vertisolizated) (FAO, 2015) shows a greater interrelation between parameters given its greater weathering. Organic carbon controls a large part of its physicalchemical processes where the lateral washing of salts and carbonates together with manganese, always in a lower concentration than iron, play a definitive role in the blackening of its horizons. The chemical fertility is always low and the geomorphological conditions seems to account for its agricultural capacity.


Set in Geneva in the 1930s, Albert Cohen's endlessly inventive satire of middle-class manners and ambition revolves around Solal, a man of remarkable gifts and disappointed ideals. As Under-Secretary-General of the League of Nations, he has become disillusioned with a world dominated by personal and national interest. His one hope for redemption is through love, and he embarks on the seduction of the beautiful Ariane, wife of the dull-witted Adrien Deume, who works for Solal.


Getting started the InfoMaker painter getting around in InfoMaker standards and guidelines planning your InfoMaker project using InfoMaker - the environment painter working with databases workign with data in InfoMaker data sources data-source types building forms form styles enhancing forms reporting reporting types enhancing reports building stand-alone graphs the data pipeline creating a complete application looking forward - the future of InfoMaker.


In the present study, injectable hydrogels based on gum tragacanth–tyramine conjugate were prepared by enzymatic oxidation of tyramine radicals in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Then, in vitro release of bovine serum albumin and insulin as model protein drugs from this polymeric network was investigated. Also, to improve the properties of this hydrogel, a blended hydrogel composed of tyramine-conjugated gelatin and tyramine-conjugated tragacanth was prepared. Experimental results showed that the gelation time ranged from 3 to 28 s depending on the polymer and enzyme concentrations. Results of morphological investigation of hydrogels indicated that the average pore size of hydrogels varied from 120 to 160 µm. Swelling degree of hydrogels and the rate of drug release decreased by increasing of hydrogen peroxide and polymer concentrations. The release profile of drug from hydrogels followed Higuchi and Fickian diffusion mechanism. Finally, it was shown that the swelling characteristics and drug release behavior of this polymeric network could be improved by blending it with tyramine-conjugated gelatin.


Abstract Context. Urbanisation is one of the most damaging landscape-scale disturbance processes leading to significant and potentially irreversible changes in biodiversity. How apex predators respond to urbanisation is poorly understood, largely because of their low density and low detectability. Given the important functional roles of apex predators in ecosystems, it is critical that research investigates how they respond to urbanisation, and how urban systems can be designed to better support apex predators. Aims. The present research aims to examine how an avian apex predator, the powerful owl, responds to a complete urban–forest gradient in southern Victoria, Australia. Specifically, the research aims to understand the environmental attributes that drive habitat suitability for powerful owls across the urban–forest gradient. Methods. Using a total of 683 independent field- and atlas-derived records of powerful owls across the study site, the research takes a presence-only modelling approach. The presence points were modelled against a series of geospatial variables that were determined a priori on the basis of the known ecology of powerful owls. Key results. Potential powerful owl habitat declined in a dramatic fashion in response to increasing levels of urbanisation, ranging from 76% of the forest landscape to 21% of the urban landscape. Powerful owl habitat availability across the urban–forest gradient is positively influenced by tree cover, productivity (normalised difference vegetation index) and proximity to river systems and riparian vegetation. Conclusions. Presence-only modelling has provided a useful way for investigating the response of an apex predator to a gradient of urbanisation. Although powerful owl habitat availability is negatively reduced by urbanisation, there is significant scope to manage urban landscapes to either maintain or improve the availability of habitat across the gradient. Implications. High resource-requiring species, such as apex predators, have the capacity to be detrimentally affected by urbanisation processes. Presence-only modelling, however, provides a useful tool for investigating how these difficult-to-detect species are affected by urbanisation, and ultimately inform how landscapes can be managed to maximise habitat availability for apex predators.


Two composite energy absorbers were developed and evaluated at NASA Langley Research Center through multi-level testing and simulation performed under the Transport Rotorcraft Airframe Crash Testbed (TRACT) research program. A conical-shaped energy absorber, designated the conusoid, was evaluated that consisted of four layers of hybrid carbon-Kevlar plain weave fabric oriented at [+45deg/-45deg/-45deg/+45deg] with respect to the vertical direction. A sinusoidal-shaped energy absorber, designated the sinusoid, was developed that consisted of hybrid carbon-Kevlar plain weave fabric face sheets, two layers for each face sheet oriented at +/-45deg with respect to the vertical direction, and a closed-cell ELFOAM P200 polyisocyanurate (2.0-lb/cu ft) foam core. The design goal for the energy absorbers was to achieve average floor-level accelerations of between 25- and 40-g during the full-scale crash test of a retrofitted CH-46E helicopter airframe, designated TRACT 2. Variations in both designs were assessed through dynamic crush testing of component specimens. Once the designs were finalized, subfloor beams of each configuration were fabricated and retrofitted into a barrel section of a CH-46E helicopter. A vertical drop test of the barrel section was conducted onto concrete to evaluate the performance of the energy absorbers prior to retrofit into TRACT 2. The retrofitted airframe was crash tested under combined forward and vertical velocity conditions onto soft soil. Finite element models were developed of all test articles and simulations were performed using LS-DYNA, a commercial nonlinear explicit transient dynamic finite element code. Test-analysis results are presented for each energy absorber as comparisons of time-history responses, as well as predicted and experimental structural deformations and progressive damage under impact loading for each evaluation level.


A qualitative narrative research method was used to explore and describe the experiences of personal growth and change of six mothers of adult children with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who volunteered to participate in this study. A total of twenty-eight semi-structured interviews (average four per participant), were conducted over a period of two years. The research question was: How do parents of adult children with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder experience personal growth and change as they live with the challenges and uncertainties associated with their child's mental illness? Individual, co-constructed first person narratives of each participant's mothering experiences were written following an in-depth, holistic-content analysis of the interview data. A cross-narrative analysis was also conducted which resulted in four common themes (Enduring sadness and loss, Distress and struggle, Commitment to helping/action, Personal and relational change); four significant threads (What will happen when I am no longer able to care for my child?, Impact on siblings who are well, Fluctuations in hope, Regret/Guilt); and four broader dimensions (New normal mothering, Changes in mothering over time, Involvement in the mental health system, Adaptation and engagement with life in new and meaningful ways). These findings were found to be best understood through the conceptual lens of nonfinite loss – reflecting the ongoing challenges and lifetime implications of this mothering experience. Implications for theory, research and counselling psychology practice are addressed, based on


States continue to rely on conditional release (CR) as an effective and cost-effective way to manage individuals found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). Research has demonstrated that insanity acquittees returning to the community have low recidivism rates and moderately low revocation rates. This study followed 238 individuals found NGRI in Oregon who were evaluated with the Historical, Clinical, Risk-20 (HCR-20; Webster, Douglas, Eaves, & Hart, 1997) and placed in the community on CR. The majority of individuals on CR (n = 157, 66%) maintained their release throughout the entire follow-up period (between 4 and 9 years), but 81 (33.6%) had their release revoked during the follow up. In considering the efficacy of violence risk assessment in predicting CR outcome with NGRI acquittees, the HCR-20 was mostly unrelated to CR outcome. Only two items from the HCR-20, both from the Risk Management scale (exposure to destabilizers and stress) predicted revocation, but not imminence to CR revocation. This paper reconsiders how risk assessments are utilized with insanity acquittees and provides a roadmap for improving risk assessments with this unique population by relying on risk assessment results to plan effective interventions to reduce the likelihood of revocation and violence.


The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of compesation and working environment to employee performance of PT. Jasa Barutama Perkasa Pekanbaru. This research use compesation and working environment as independent variable, and employee performance as dependent variable. The population of this research are all employees of PT. Jasa Barutama Perkasa Pekanbaru which amounted to 42 respondents and all of them will be used as a sample of this research. Data analysis method in this research is descriptive analysis. The result of using descriptive analysis is the compesation and working environment are affect the performances of employees at PT. Jasa Barutama Perkasa Pekanbaru. This indicates that the two independent variables had a significant effect on the dependent variable. Keywords : Compesation, Working Environment, and Employee Performance.


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Olive fruits contain appreciable amounts of phenolic compounds which are valuable antioxidants and bioactives. Secoiridoids, such as oleuropein, demethyloleuropein, oleuropein aglycone and ligstroside are the predominant classes of phenolic compounds in intact olive fruits, while 4-Hydroxyphenylethanol (4-HPEA), 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylethanol (3,4-DHPEA), the dialdehydic form of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid linked to 3,4-DHPEA (3,4-DHPEA-EDA) and oleuropein aglycone (3,4-DHPEA-EA) are the principal phenolic constituents of Virgin Olive Oil (VOO). The phenolic compounds originally present in the olive fruit are substantially changed by the conditions of oil processing (crushing, malaxation and phase separation) and distributed among the final product (VOO) and by-products in various ways. They may undergo further changes during storage. This paper reviews the effects of the processing steps on the transfer of phenolic compounds from intact fruit to the final product (VOO), as well as the effects of agronomic factors (cultivar, maturity and irrigation) on the phenolic constituents of olive fruits at harvest.


ABSTRACT Background Substance/opioid use disorder (SUD/OUD) not only affects the person with SUD/OUD, but the entire family. Family members (FMs) who provide care to a person with SUD/OUD attempt to live with the addiction/recovery process while navigating a fractured healthcare/treatment system. The purpose of this article is to describe multiple roles and experiences of FMs. Methods A Qualtrics survey was developed to examine FMs' experiences and resource utilization for a person with SUD/OUD. Survey questions included open- and closed-ended questions focused on concepts related to FM status, treatment, recovery, care of minors, information/media sources accessed, and other services needed. After IRB approval participants were recruited using a convenience sample and a survey link were emailed to geographically dispersed university colleagues and community stakeholders. Results Authenticated surveys (n = 187) and demographic questionnaires were completed. A majority of the FMs were siblings or partners. FMs reported on experiencing stigma; identifying, securing, and funding treatment; seeking education/training on Naloxone; caring for the person's minor child(ren); and accessing self-care resources. Conclusions This study builds on prior research describing the lived of experiences of FMs and the unique needs of this population. Additional research is needed to develop resources that are easily accessible and readily available.


Abstract: I propose to explain Kant's novel claim, in the Critique of Pure Reason, that all judgments have a formal modality. I begin by distinguishing the modality of a judgment's form from the modality of its content, and I suggest that the former is peculiar in merely affecting the subject's understanding of his own act of judging. I then contrast the modal account of such an understanding (in terms of the possibility and actuality of a judgment) with the traditional, non-modal understanding of it (in terms of the giving and withholding of assent). I conclude by suggesting that Kant prefers the former because he conceives of knowledge on Aristotle's model: as a progress in the mind from capacity to act.


This chapter is aimed to analyze the system of green resilience eco-urban land uses oriented in urban social-ecological systems. It reviews and analyses the relevant literature in green social-ecosystem resilience concept and presents a discussion in relation to the sustainable development and ecological sustainability. It further discusses and gives an in-depth overview of the urban social ecosystems as a working structural and functional unit, describes decision support tools that could be applied to sustainable green land uses and development, and offers some strategies for engaging in urban ecosystems, ecological sustainability and adaptive development. It is concluded that the urban land use that through the innovative pro-environmental solutions can, in a natural way, support the system of green resilience eco-oriented urban land uses in urban eco-systems and serve to improve the quality of life in the city.


Background. Open retropubic radical prostatectomy is a commonly performed procedure for clinically localized prostate cancer. The demand for high level functional outcomes after therapy is increasing especially for young age patients; in this regard refinements in the surgical technique have been made. There is limited data to show the success of some of these refinements in resource limited settings. Methods. A retrospective clinical study was performed over a 2-year period at Mengo Hospital, Urology Unit. Men with clinically localized prostate cancer and who consented to the procedure were eligible and were recruited. Consequently excluded were those that turned out to have advanced disease and those with severe comorbidities. Patients were followed up for 3 months after surgery. Data was entered using SPSS version 17 and analyzed. Results. A total of 24 men with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent open retropubic puboprostatic ligament preserving radical prostatectomy technique. Mean age was 66, range 54–75 years. Outcome. Two patients had stress incontinence and three were incontinent at 3 months. The urinary continence recovery rate was 19/24 (79%) at 3 months. Conclusion. Preservation of the puboprostatic ligament in open retropubic radical prostatectomy was associated with rapid and a high rate of return to urinary continence among men with clinically localized disease.


New Delhi and considered growth and development of the brain, and the prc-ceedings are now presented under the editorship ef Dr. Mary Brazier. Contributions include a number from well-known research workers from Europe and North America, as well as less well-known, including some from India and Iran. Topics include very full and helpful reviews of morphological, biochemical and neurophysiological aspects of brain maturation, as well as a detailed account ef the effects of human malnutrition. It is these reviews rather than the accounts of contributors' original work which are most valuable to those seeking a recent perspective of this very important field. Rajalakshuni is rather cautious in his poper on 'Factors affecting psyche-logical development in man' in extrapolating from the intellectual deficits seen as a result of extreme malnutrition (for example, kwashiorkor) to populations where nutritional intake is thought to be sufficiently inadequate to influence birth weight. He concludes that, in India, the evidence studied so far does not suggest that the mental development of well children differs significantly according to their nutritional status. In a final provocative paper with a title more like a banner headline from a daily tabloid 'U.S. poverty impact on brain development' a group from the Universities of Cali-fornia (San Diego and Berkeley) conclude that as many as 10% of the population of San Diego County 'are seriously undernourished according to our criteria relating to brain jeopardy'.


Ribbon synapses of sensory neurons are able to sustain high rates of exocytosis in response to maintained depolarization, but it is not known how this is achieved. Using the capacitance technique, we have found that Ca2+ regulates the supply of releasable vesicles at the ribbon synapse of depolarizing bipolar cells from the retina of goldfish. Ca2+ had two actions that could be differentiated by introduction of the Ca2+chelator EGTA; one action stimulated refilling of the rapidly releasable pool of vesicles from a reserve pool, and a second action stimulated recruitment of vesicles to the reserve pool. The capacity of the reserve pool was ∼3500 vesicles, which is similar to the number that can attach to the ribbons. These results suggest that continuous exocytosis at ribbon synapses is maintained by the Ca2+-dependent translocation of vesicles from the cytoplasm, through the ribbon, to release sites on the plasma membrane.


Wave propagation experiences the excess loss in curved tunnels, which is highly desired to involve in the network planning for train-to-x communications. Extensive propagation measurements are conducted in a curved subway tunnel. By subtracting the measured received power in the curved tunnel from the simulated reference power in the equivalent straight tunnel, the excess loss resulting from the tunnel curve is obtained. Finally, tables and figures are provided to quantitatively reveal how the radius of curvature and frequency influence the excess loss in subway tunnels.


Not so long ago, the accepted treatment for meniscal tears was removal of the entire meniscus. Today, orthopedic surgeons are doing everything possible to save the meniscus, especially in young patients, in order to decrease the chance of the patient developing arthritis. This article discusses 2 techniques for treating a torn meniscus: repair and transplantation. It also describes those patients who are best suited for each procedure and the challenges and outcomes associated with them.


Objective: To assess the association between adolescence and cesarean section in women aged 10-19 years compared with those found in ages between 19 and 25 years, treated at hospital X, and determine its association with sociodemographic variables and neonatal in terms of prematurity, Apgar and low birth weight. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted using a simple random sample, taking into account the calculation of a statistical sample. A total of 1,304 cases and 2,608 controls were included. Primigravidae patients treated at Hospital Universitario Clinica San Rafael were included in a period of three years to determine associations of risk through hypothesis testing analysis. Results: The risk of caesarean section in teenagers is (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.51). In addition, we determined that there is an increased risk of low birth weight (OR 9.4, 95% CI 7.59 to 11.76), with no difference in adolescents in the risk of low Apgar score at minute 5 minutes . Conclusion: There is an increased risk of low birth weight and require termination of pregnancy in teenagers via caesarean section, compared with young adults, especially if they are under 14. It is necessary to promote campaigns to prevent teenage pregnancy, as the primary measure of control over this population.


ABSTRACT This study was conducted to define adhesive characteristics of the acid-stable moiety of the Candida albicansphosphomannoprotein complex (PMPC) on adherence of this fungus to marginal zone macrophages of the mouse spleen. Complete digestion of the acid-stable moiety (Fr.IIS) of the C. albicans PMPC with an α-mannosidase or hydrolysis with 0.6 N sulfuric acid destroyed adhesin activity, as determined by the inability of the soluble digests to inhibit yeast cell adherence to the splenic marginal zone. Fr.IIS adhesin activity was decreased following digestion with an α-1,2-specific mannosidase. Oligomannosyls consisting of one to six mannose units, which were isolated from the acid-stable part of the PMPC, did not inhibit yeast cell binding and thus do not function alone as adhesin sites in the PMPC. To gain more insight into the minimum requirements for adhesin activity, PMPCs were isolated from a Saccharomyces cerevisiae wild-type strain and from mutant strains mnn1, mnn2, andmnn4; the PMPCs were designated scwt/Fr.II, scmn1/Fr.II, scmn2/Fr.II, and scmn4/Fr.II, respectively. S. cerevisiae scmn2/Fr.II lacks oligomannosyl side chain branches from the outer core mannan, and scmn2/Fr.II was the only PMPC without adhesin activity. S. cerevisiae scwt/Fr.II, scmn1/Fr.II, and scmn4/Fr.II showed adhesin activities less than that of C. albicans Fr.II. These three S. cerevisiae PMPCs are generally similar to Fr.IIS, except that theS. cerevisiae structure has fewer and shorter side chains. Immunofluorescence microscopy show that the acid-stable part of the PMPC is displayed homogeneously on the C. albicansyeast cell surface, which would be expected for a surface adhesin. Our results indicate that both the mannan core and the oligomannosyl side chains are responsible for the adhesin activity of the acid-stable part of the PMPC.


ABSTRACT Global health policymakers have identified Myanmar as a source of high drug resistance and informal pharmaceutical markets in need of tighter state regulation. The World Health Organization drafted a Global Action Plan on antibiotic resistance (often referred to as antimicrobial resistance) that seeks to address it. Myanmar is one of over a hundred countries that has followed the World Health Organization's prescription and drafted its own National Action Plan. Through participating in the everyday life of a family pharmacy, we observed that in practice the outcomes of global plans for AMR, such as regulating access to antibiotics, are shaped by people's limited access to affordable health care, low salaries, and the military's authoritarian role in Myanmar politics. We followed how negotiations between state officials and drug vendors evolved towards a mutual understanding (as opposed to following written rules) after a Food and Drug Administration raid, intended to enforce the regulation of the sales of illegal medicines. Rather than uncritically pushing state-centric action, those working to promote the regulation of medicines must attend more carefully to how different modes of political authority and governance, combined with histories of health provision, shape drug policy in practice. Otherwise, they risk contributing, if not intensifying, already existing health and social injustices, whilst also failing to generate their intended outcomes, such as meaningful changes to antibiotic sales and reductions in resistance.


Weeds are one of the major constraints to crop production in organic farming systems. This paper reviews major results and techniques achieved with physical, cultural, and biological weed control and their perspectives in organic agriculture. Physical methods includes mechanical, thermal, lighting, electrocution, pneumatic, autonomous robot weeding control techniques. Cultural weed control methods includes mulching, tillage, crop rotation, cover crops and crop competition. Physical and cultural weed control techniques are especially important in organic farming crops where other weed control options are limited or not available without use of herbicides. Biological weed control includes mycoherbicides, innundative biological control, broad-spectrum biological control and allelopathy. Successful weed management in organic farming requires well managed integrated systems of mechanical control using newly developed machines, cultural control and biological control methods. Weed management decision-aid models may also needed to develop to provide greater assurance of achieving profitability and appropriate long-term weed management in organic farming in the future.


Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a predominantly respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It creates a hypercoagulable milieu, manifesting at varied extrapulmonary sites as pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, and mesenteric ischemia. The pathophysiology behind this hypercoagulability is still not entirely understood, although a heightened systemic inflammatory response to the virus is deemed responsible. We herein report a case of a 36-year-old healthy male who presented with an acute abdomen and was found to have extensive mesenteric and portal venous thrombosis with bowel gangrene. The patient underwent emergency exploration with ileal resection and end-ileostomy. The hypercoagulability panel was negative, but a postoperative chest radiograph revealed suspicious ground-glass opacities. Given the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, we considered testing for SARS-CoV-2. A positive test for SARS-CoV-2 led us to attribute the thrombotic event to COVID-19. With anticoagulation and supportive therapy, the patient went on to make a steady recovery. A non-specific clinical manifestation of COVID-19 necessitates considering mesenteric venous thrombosis as a differential diagnosis in patients with acute abdomen.


The interaction of aerosol, clouds, and water vapor is still a major source of uncertainty in projections of Earth’s future climate. Especially in the trades, the response of shallow marine trade wind convection to external forcings is poorly understood. These low-level clouds have an important cooling effect on surface temperatures, while their amount and height are directly influenced by the radiative cooling by aerosols and water vapor aloft. Furthermore, there is evidence that aerosols can modify the microphysical properties (e.g., by glaciation) and the precipitation formation inside these clouds while water vapor above the trade inversion influences the atmospheric stability in which they form. Due to the small horizontal scale of these clouds, the vertical separation of atmospheric layers, and the temporal evolution of precipitation, the observation of this interplay by geostationary satellites is scarce.

To alleviate this observational data gap over the tropical North-Atlantic region, airborne lidar and cloud radar measurements were performed in the vicinity of Barbados and complemented with dedicated weather radar measurements during the EUREC4A campaign in February 2020. Aerosol properties and the vertical water vapor profile were characterized with simultaneous high spectral resolution and differential absorption measurements using the WALES lidar onboard the German research aircraft HALO. On the same platform, the vertical cloud extent and the presence of precipitation were sampled with the high-power Ka-band cloud radar HAMP MIRA. To capture the temporal evolution of precipitation patterns, these measurements were complemented with measurements of the C-band polarimetric weather radar POLDIRAD which was installed on the windward side of Barbados. During EUREC4A, measurements flights were conducted in high and low aerosol loads to sample its influence on the marine trade wind convection.

This presentation will briefly introduce the instrumentation, data processing, and availability and give an overview of gained insights and ongoing studies. By means of case studies, we will give first impressions of the complementary nature of the collocated, highly resolved airborne measurements and the POLDIRAD measurements which provide the horizontal context and temporal evolution of the precipitation formation. By combining the cross-sectional snapshots with the temporal evolution of the precipitation pattern we will provide a detailed insight into the interplay between the aerosol and water vapor layer and the precipitation formation in the shallow marine trade wind convection.


Many preventive security measures purport to protect networks from cyber intrusions. These adopted measures can generate a large amount of information that should be stored and analyzed to enable responses to detected attacks. Security information and event managers (SIEMs) are indispensable for collecting all of a system's security-related information in a central repository. This can then provide trend analysis and lead analysts to adopt appropriate actions. A collaborative work approach lets SIEMs of different trusted domains share alarms and their countermeasures. By sharing alarms and adopted measures in domains with similar profiles, the authors hope to enhance a global view of the security and facilitate decision making for security-domain administrators.


We theoretically and numerically investigate the ion-acoustic features of collective Thomson scattering (CTS) in two-stream plasmas. When the electron distribution functions of two (stationary and moving) components overlap with each other at the phase velocities corresponding to the two resonant peaks of the ion-acoustic feature, the theoretical spectrum shows asymmetry because the rate of electron Landau damping is different for the two peaks. The results of numerical simulations agree well with the theoretical spectra. We also demonstrate the effect of a two-stream-type instability in the ion-acoustic feature. The simulated spectrum in the presence of the instability shows an asymmetry with the opposite trend to the overlapped case, which results from the temporal change of the electron distribution function caused by the instability. Our results show that two-stream plasmas have significant effects on CTS spectra and that the waves resulting from instabilities can be observed in the ion-acoustic feature.


Susceptibility of three lean-alloyed ferritic-austenitic stainless steels to hydrogen-induced delayed cracking was examined, concentrating on internal hydrogen contained in the materials after production operations. The aim was to study the role of strain-induced austenite to martensite transformation in the delayed cracking susceptibility. According to the conducted deep drawing tests and constant load tensile testing, the studied materials seem not to be particularly susceptible to delayed cracking. Delayed cracks were only occasionally initiated in two of the materials at high local stress levels. However, if a delayed crack initiated in a highly stressed location, strain-induced martensite transformation decreased the crack arrest tendency of the austenite phase in a duplex microstructure. According to electron microscopy examination and electron backscattering diffraction analysis, the fracture mode was predominantly cleavage, and cracks propagated along the body-centered cubic (BCC) phases ferrite and α'-martensite. The BCC crystal structure enables fast diffusion of hydrogen to the crack tip area. No delayed cracking was observed in the stainless steel that had high austenite stability. Thus, it can be concluded that the presence of α'-martensite increases the hydrogen-induced cracking susceptibility.


In the last few years it has been seen that many software vendors have started delivering projects incrementally with very short release cycles. Best examples of success of this approach has been Ubuntu Operating system that has a 6 months release cycle and popular web browsers such as Google Chrome, Opera, Mozilla Firefox. However there is very little knowledge available to the project managers to validate the chosen release cycle length. We propose a decision support system that helps to validate and estimate release cycle length in the early development phase by assuming that release cycle length is directly affected by three factors, (i) choosing right requirements for current cycle, (ii) estimating proximal time for each requirement, (iii) requirement wise feedback from last iteration based on product reception, model accuracy and failed requirements. We have altered and used the EVOLVE technique proposed by G. Ruhe to select best requirements for current cycle and map it to time domain using UCP (Use Case Points) based estimation and feedback factors. The model has been evaluated on both in-house as well as industry projects.


An etiological hypothesis is offered to explain the occasional occurrence of fingering during infiltration and redistribution. The basic hypothesis is that a spatially distributed flow field, such as a planar wetting front, tends to constrict where the flow accelerates. This constriction may cause the flow field, if it is wide, to break into discrete, concentrated (partial volume) currents. Thus, initially parallel streamlines tend to converge and thereby form spatially separated currents when the velocity increases along the direction of flow. This can occur particularly during infiltration, at the transition from a less permeable toplayer to a more permeable sublayer, if the conductivity of the sublayer at the suction of water entry exceeds the flux through the toplayer. This simple hypothesis fits the criterion of Occam's razor and should lend itself to experimental testing.


The article considers issues related to the need to modernize the current system of assessment of academic achievements of primary and secondary school students, due to their transition to study according to the new state educational standards. The results of the research of teachers' and students' views on the current assessment system, on its role in the individual approach to the student's personality in the learning process are presented. The obtained results testify to the participants' understanding of the shortcomings of the current assessment system and the need to develop such an approach to the assessment of educational achievements, which would eliminate the existing contradictions. The problems of the current assessment system highlighted in the article can be solved by implementing modern world practice of introduction of so-called formative assessment in the domestic educational environment, which will track individual progress of students in the learning process for timely correction, active involvement of students in the assessment process. It draws attention to the students' understanding that the objectivity of assessment, self-assessment of educational activities, dialogic feedback should become tools of modern education. The results of the survey of students show a difference in views on assessment depending on their age. Based on the comparison of the results of the survey of participants in the educational process, the similarity of their views on the problems of the current assessment system is shown. This article is a continuation of the scientific search for ways to improve the system of monitoring and evaluation of student achievement in general secondary education.


Skin infiltration in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is uncommon and can present in many different ways. Cutaneous CLL deposits develop most commonly on the face, but localized lesions can occur at other sites also and manifest as macules, papules, plaques, nodules, tumours, ulcers or blisters. Evident skin involvement is usually seen in Richter syndrome or T–cell CLL and it generally indicates a poor prognosis [1,2].

We present a case of CLL infiltrating multiple body areas. A 45-year-old, male patient, presented with complaint of skin rash over face, neck and forearms since last 9 months [Table/Fig-1,,2].2]. The rash was present only over the sun exposed parts of the body like face, neck, forearm and hands and was associated with redness and itching. History of decreased appetite and weight loss was present since 4 months. Examination revealed generalized lymphadenopathy [Table/Fig-3] and erythematous papules and plaques on face, neck and dorsum of hands with hepatosplenomegaly. Complete blood counts showed Hb levels of 9.6 g/dl, TLC of 1.6 lac/mm3, DLC with 94% lymphocytes, 4% of promyelocytes, 1% of neutrophils and 1% basophils and platelets of 68000/mm3 and peripheral blood film was suggestive of marked leucocytosis. Bone marrow examination confirmed the diagnosis of CLL. Skin biopsy from the face showed abnormal lymphocytes infiltrating the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, suggesting skin infiltration by CLL [Table/Fig-4]. Patient was referred to oncologist and started on Chemotherapy.

[Table/Fig-1]:

Showing of nodular swelling on skin of face

[Table/Fig-2]:

Showing erythematous papules and plaques on both hands

[Table/Fig-3]:

Showing cervical lymphadenopathy

[Table/Fig-4]:

Skin biopsy showing abnormal lymphocytes infiltrating dermis

Infiltrative CLL can involve the head and neck, but involvement of multiple body areas, particularly toes and fingers is rare. The mechanism of cutaneous infiltration of leukemic cells is not well understood. Generally accepted theory is that, there is migration of lymphocytes from the vasculature to the dermis in CLL that is mediated by interaction between intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) [3]. Our patient had cutaneous infiltration as a first presenting symptom and had cutaneous infiltration not only on face and neck, but also on fingers and toes, which is rarely seen.


Constant intraportal insulin, coupled with variable intraportal glucagon, was used in the attempt to reestablish basal metabolic conditions in dogs during somatostatin (SRIF) infusion (0.8 micrograms X min-1 X kg-1). SRIF alone lowered glucose (G), insulin (I), and glucagon (GN) (G: 90 +/- 5 to 69 +/- 1 mg/dl; I: 18 +/- 4 to 4 +/- 1 microU/ml; GN: 257 +/- 52 to 168 +/- 40 pg/ml; P less than 0.05 or better). Hormone replacement. Hypoglycemia persisted (G at steady state, SS, 60-150 min): 12 +/- 3 mg/dl below basal; P = 0.006) despite intraportal insulin replacement (200 microU X min-1 X kg-1; insulin at basal: 14 +/- 1; at SS: 14 +/- 2 microU/ml; P greater than 0.9) and glucagon overreplacement (basal: 341 +/- 42; SS: 486 +/- 80 pg/ml; P less than 0.05). Glucose clearance was increased 65% above basal (P less than 0.0001). Insulin underreplacement. With a lower intraportal insulin infusion rate (50 microU X min-1 X kg-1), insulin fell from basal (10 +/- 2 microU/ml) to 4 +/- 1 microU/ml during steady state (P = 0.03). Glucose and glucose clearance were normalized to basal values (G: 85 +/- 3 mg/dl, P = 0.3; clearance: 5.7 +/- 0.5 ml X min-1 X kg-1; P = 0.2) with full glucagon replacement (basal: 281 +/- 120; SS: 264 +/- 80 pg/ml; P greater than 0.9). Thus, during constant SRIF infusion, normoglycemia was reattained when insulin was underreplaced via the portal vein. The failure to reattain euglycemia with normoinsulinemia was due to a SRIF-induced increase in extrahepatic glucose clearance. Insulin replacement and growth hormone (GH) infusion. GH (15 ng X min-1 X kg-1) partially reversed the hypoglycemia during SRIF, with full insulin replacement. The SRIF-induced increase in glucose clearance may be partially mediated by a decrease in GH.


In the summer of 2019, The Independent Review published a symposium on classical liberalism and social justice. We give an overview and commentary on the symposium papers. Rather than adopting the term social justice, we recommend returning to the three senses of justice maintained by Adam Smith and explained by Daniel Klein (2019). We articulate and explore Smith's tripartite understanding of justice in contrast with an understanding that gives place to the expression social justice. Smith's tri-layered understanding is in the spirit of addressing the micro-foundations of macrophenomena, the spirit of Thomas Schelling's Micromotives and Macrobehavior.


BACKGROUND
Although drug therapy of patients with chronic heart failure has improved significantly over the years, mortality still remains high. At present, heart transplantation is the gold standard therapy for patients with end stage heart disease. Due to the limited number of organs, a growing number of patients require the implantation of mechanical assist devices.

HEART TRANSPLANTATION
Because of the excellent long-term survival after cardiac transplantation, current studies focus on long-term complications. The aim of these studies is the establishment of an immunosuppressive strategy that effectively prevents cardiac allograft vasculopathy in combination with a low incidence of negative side effects. Furthermore, quality of life is a major focus of current interest.

ASSIST DEVICES
Assist device implantation has changed from an experimental to a routine procedure in several centers. Still, many problems have to be solved. Especially because of recurrent infections the long-time use of assist devices is limited. For final judgment, results of current studies have to be awaited.


From the Publisher:
This book offers ten chapters examining contemporary fantasy entertainment forms that use virtual environments to amuse the participant. Called "virtual fantasies" by the author (as opposed to virtual realities), these entertainment forms are categorized into three main groupings. All include performance and imaginary environments as essential elements—participants are often simultaneously performers and audience. Many involve computer technology such as multimedia, digitized video, and online chatting. Part I covers imaginative fantasy entertainments, where the participants are required to use their imaginations to see the virtual environment. These include paper and pencil role-playing games (Dungeons and Dragons), live-action roleplaying games (International Fantasy Gaming Society rules), and collectible card games (Magic: The Gathering). Part II covers physical fantasy entertainments, where the participants need little imagination to see the virtual environment. These include computer games (Star Trek: Klingon), theme park rides (Disneyland's Star Tours), and immersive museums (National Museum of the American Indian). Part III covers social fantasy entertainments, where participants have built communities based upon the virtual environment (Star Trek fandom, Star Wars influencing Ronald Reagan's Pax Americana).


The effects of amplitude (2, 4, 6, 8 ppt) and frequency (2, 4, 8 days) of salinity fluctuations on the growth, body composition, and energy budget in juvenile tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) were investigated for 64 days. Results showed that the frequency and amplitude, as well as the interaction between them, significantly affected the specific growth rate. The tongue sole had higher specific growth rates at the amplitudes of 4 and 6 ppt and frequencies of 4 and 8 days than tongue sole in other treatments or the unfluctuating control. In these treatments, food consumption, food conversion efficiency, and apparent digestion in terms of energy were also significantly higher than in the control. The growth rate of the juvenile tongue sole was a quadratic function of the salinity amplitude at various frequencies and was described by the equation G = β0 + β1(SA) + β2(SA) , where G represents the specific growth rate on a 64-day basis, SA is salinity amplitude in ppt, β0 is the intercept on the G axis, and β1 and β2 are the regression coefficients, respectively. The optimal salinity amplitudes for the best growth at salinity fluctuation frequencies of 2, 4, and 8 days were estimated to be 3.54, 4.89, and 4.74 ppt, respectively, suggesting that commercial farmers can rear juvenile tongue sole in moderate salinity fluctuations to achieve better growth performance. The IJA appears exclusively as a peer-reviewed on-line open-access journal at http://www.siamb.org.il. To read papers free of charge, please register online at registration form. Sale of IJA papers is strictly forbidden.


An optical system has been developed to characterize transparent organic alloys during their directional solidification in situ and in real time inside bulk samples with a high aspect ratio. Standard solidification experiments are performed within thin glass slides where solidification behaviour is modified compared with bulk solidification due to the space constraint. On the other hand, the interface can be easily observed via a microscope. For bulk samples, a more complex system had to be implemented. We designed a specific glass observation cell and an adapted solidification furnace. Optical elements were integrated inside the glass observation cell containing the solidifying alloy. The resulting glass observation cell can be easily used as a tool for many optical characterization methods. Here we use the system to generate live images of the solid-liquid interface. These images, recorded on video, provided very interesting and fruitful information on the dynamic phenomena appearing at the interface. The whole interface as well as specific details of the interface could be observed. The images showed a resolution of a few micrometres, suitable to characterize interface features, as well as a high contrast and a constant magnification. As a consequence, further image processing to quantitatively characterize the solid-liquid interface could be easily performed. A method to determine the average radius of curvature of a cellular array was also implemented and is presented here.


Abstract The photon drag effect of a 2D electron gas is measured using the ps infrared pulses of the wavelength-tunable free electron laser source FELIX. The pulsed photon drag response is found to depend critically on the coupling characteristics of the electrical circuit. We therefore developed an impedance and velocity matched photon drag detector. It consists of a GaAs/AlGaAs multi quantum well sample which forms an integral part of a microstrip line. A Ge-prism enables incoupling at the critical total reflection angle. This novel transmission line integrated photon drag detector (TIP-detector) generates signal transients below 10 ps rise and fall times. Its continuous spectral response through the intersubband resonance is investigated at room temperature and atT=100 K. An analysis of the spectral lineshape of the photon drag current response yields information about the momentum relaxation times of the electrons in the ground and excited subbands.


The purpose of conducting this research was to know Kabupaten Kepulauan Meranti local government coordination of tidal flood prevention in Desa Alahair, Kecamatan Tebing Tinggi in 2011-2015. The main problem found in this research was less of communication that occured in the handling of tidal flood prevention in Desa Alahair meanwhile the area affected by tidal flood was getting worse due to the abrasion. The theory used in this research was government management, government coordination and disaster management. This research used analytical descriptive method with qualitative research type. The type of data used in this research was primary data and secondary data generated through the results of direct interviews with informants who knew and understood the problems in the field, documentation and observation.Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that the relationship affected the implementation of tidal flood prevention were several interrelated functions namely planning and coordination, organizing and coordinating, directing and coordinating which included human behavior, human relations, communication, and leadership. Position and coordination, control and coordination.In addition, there were factors hampered tidal flood prevention in Desa Alahair such were unrealized planning, unharmonious communication, and lack of budget of local government of Kabupaten Kepulauan Meranti.


In the present study, the thermal history of the Late Carboniferous (Stephanian) coal-bearing sediments of the Sabero Coalfield has been reconstructed in order to elucidate coal rank. The Sabero Coalfield is located in a small intramontane coal-bearing basin along the Sabero-Gordon fault zone, one of the major E-W trending strike-slip fault systems of the southern part of the Cantabrian Zone (NW Spain). The total thickness of the Stephanian succession is in excess of 2,000 m, and is composed of siliclastic rocks and intercalated coal seams with tonsteins. Mean vitrinite reflectance values in the Stephanian rocks in the Sabero Coalfield are in the range from 0.61 to 3.14% Rr, but most values are in the range from 0.8 to 1.5% Rr (based on 84 samples). Average vitrinite reflectance gradient is high (0.73% Rr/km), which suggests high value of average paleogeothermal gradient (52°C/km). The maximum paleotemperatures calculated from vitrinite reflectance values for the Stephanian rocks range between 89°C (top of the Stephanian) and 195°C (bottom of the Stephanian). Coalification of the organic matter in the Stephanian rocks was achieved in the Early Permian, and was most likely related to several almost simultaneous related to magmatic and hydrothermal activity during high subsidence period in the pull-apart basin. The primary, burial-related maturity pattern, was probably slightly overprinted by fluid migration event, which is supposed to have occurred in Early Permian time.


Abstract. Stiles–Crawford effect (SCE) is exclusively observed in cone photoreceptors, but why the SCE is absent in rod photoreceptors is still a mystery. In this study, we employed dynamic near infrared light imaging to monitor photoreceptor kinetics in freshly isolated frog and mouse retinas stimulated by oblique visible light flashes. It was observed that retinal rods could rapidly (onset: ∼10  ms for frog and 5 ms for mouse; time-to-peak: ∼200  ms for frog and 30 ms for mouse) shift toward the direction of the visible light, which might quickly compensate for the loss of luminous efficiency due to oblique illumination. In contrast, such directional movement was negligible in retinal cones. Moreover, transient rod phototropism could contribute to characteristic intrinsic optical signal (IOS). We anticipate that further study of the transient rod phototropism may not only provide insight into better understanding of the nature of vision but also promise an IOS biomarker for functional mapping of rod physiology at high resolution.


I. Introduction On September 24, 2014 the Hellenic Competition Commission (hereinafter: HCC) unanimously decided that the Association of Dental Technicians of Crete (hereinafter: the…


Orientation and purification of carbon nanotubes have been demonstrated using ac electrophoresis in isopropyl alcohol. Nanotubes move towards the electrodes for all frequencies of applied electric field from 10 Hz to 10 MHz. However, carbon particles contained as impurites become harder to move with increasing frequency. The degree of orientation of nanotubes is higher when the frequency is higher and nanotubes are longer.


Generalized quantifiers are functions from pairs of properties to truth-values; these functions can be used to interpret natural language quantifiers. The space of such functions is vast and a great deal of research has sought to find natural constraints on the functions that interpret determiners and create quantifiers. These constraints have demonstrated that quantifiers rest on number and number sense. In the first part of the paper, we turn to developing this argument. In the remainder, we report on work in neurobiology that test the empirical claims of the theory. In particular, we look at fMRI experiments and behavioral experiments with various patient populations that support the intimate connection between natural language quantification and number sense.


It is a commonplace that some of our desires are stronger than others; that certain values and norms are more important than others; and that states of affairs can be more likely than others. Some authors have claimed that the classic premise semantics for modals in linguistic semantics fails to capture how the truth-conditions of modal sentences can be sensitive to such differences in strength and priority. I develop an interpretation of the classic premise semantic framework that captures various ways in which weights and priorities can affect the interpretation of modals. Modals, on the standard semantics, receive their interpretation from contextually supplied functions from worlds to premise sets ("conversational backgrounds"). I propose that we understand these functions as encoding the content of an intuitively relevant body of considerations (conditional norms, preferences, expectations, etc.). The resulting world-indexed premise sets that figure in the truth-conditions of modal sentences represent what follows from these considerations given the relevant circumstances in the evaluation world. Facts about weights and priorities are encoded not in the individual premise sets (or in additional operations defined on them), but in how premise sets are assigned across worlds by the given conversational background. Next I offer one way of extending the account to certain comparative modal sentences. The proposed analysis captures various inference patterns involving modal auxiliaries, comparatives, and equatives, improving on certain previous approaches to graded modality within the classic framework. The paper concludes with several theoretical reflections on the relation between the semantics of modals and the logic of weights and priorities. The account developed in this paper locates a crucial role for research on proper reasoning involving weights and priorities without building the findings of this research into the conventional meaning of modal language.


A magnonic qudit is proposed as the memory unit of a register of a quantum computer. It is the N-dimensional space, extracted from the 2N-dimensional space of all quantum states of the magnetic Heisenberg ring of N spins 1/2, as the space of all states of a single magnon. Three bases: positional, momentum, and that of Weyl duality are described, together with appropriate Fourier and Kostka transforms. It is demonstrated how exact Bethe Ansatz (BA) eigenfunctions, classified in terms of rigged string configurations, can be coded using a collection of magnonic qudits. To this aim, the algebraic BA is invoked, such that a single magnonic qudit is prepared in a state corresponding to a magnon in one of the states provided by spectral parameters emerging from the corresponding BA equations.


OBJECTIVE
a quantification of dietary intakes of the micronutrients involved in the methylation-methionine cycle (choline, betaine, folate, vitamins B6 and B12) in a representative sample of pregnant women in Spain; assessment of intake adequacy to available official recommendations; and analysis of their main food sources.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
the median intake of each micronutrient was established using food consumption data reported in the National Dietary Survey of adults, the elderly, and pregnant women (ENALIA-2) (n = 133). For folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 intake, nutritional composition data from the Spanish Food Composition Tables were used, whereas for choline and betaine, which are not included in European food composition databases, the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was considered. Intake adequacy was estimated in accordance with the recommendations of the main Spanish, European, and US guidelines.

RESULTS
mean daily intakes observed were 271.1 mg/day of choline; 142.5 mg/day of betaine; 182.8 μg/day of folate; 1.4 mg/day of vitamin B6; and 4.5 μg/day of vitamin B12. Intake adequacy levels were insufficient for choline (< 60.2 %) and folate (< 30.5 %); close to adequacy for vitamin B6 (> 71.6 %); and fully adequate only in the case of vitamin B12 (> 101.1 %). It is not possible to draw any conclusions regarding betaine intake in the absence of established recommendations. Main food sources included foods of animal origin for choline and vitamin B12 (71.8 % and 97.4 %, respectively); cereals and derivatives for betaine (85.3 %); vegetables (27.5 %) together with cereals and derivatives (18.6 %) for folate; and meats and derivatives (26.6 %) followed by vegetables (17.9 %) for vitamin B6.

CONCLUSIONS
these findings are clearly indicative of the need to improve the intake and nutritional status of these components, which are of great nutritional interest for the health of pregnant women and, consequently, of their offspring. Consequent to the degree of adequacy observed, it seems necessary and urgent to employ not only dietary improvement strategies and the use of fortified foods, but also nutritional supplements with an individualized approach.


In the article the analysis of polymer-cement mortars for their application in construction and repair of buildings and structures is presented. The main properties of known polymer-cement mortars used for this purpose are described. The advantages of application of polymer-cement mortars as repair materials are shown.


Holographic binary grating liquid crystal (LC) cells, in which the optical anisotropy was rectangularly modulated even as the grating was fabricated using holographic exposure, were fabricated by one-step polarization holographic exposure of an empty glass cell, the interior of which was coated with a photocrosslinkable polymer LC (PCLC). The present study is of great significance in that three types of holographic binary grating LC cells containing twisted alignments can be fabricated by simultaneous exposure of two PCLC substrates to the UV interference beams, which are sinusoidally modulated. The polarization conversion properties of the diffracted beams are explained well by theoretical analysis based on Jones calculus.


Chemo immunotherapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) showed a positive impact on clinical outcome, but many patients relapsed or become refractory to the available treatments. The main goal of the researchers in CLL is the identification of specific targets in order to develop new therapeutic strategies to cure the disease. The Bcell receptor-signalling pathway is necessary for survival of malignant B cells and its related molecules recently become new targets for therapy. Moreover, leukemic microenvironment delivers survival signals to neoplastic cells also overcoming the apoptotic effect induced by traditional drugs. In this context, the investigation of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) is useful in: i) dissecting CLL pathogenesis; ii) finding new therapeutic approaches striking simultaneously intrinsic as well as extrinsic pro-survival signals in CLL. This paper will review these main topics.