Abstract Peritoneal dialysis is becoming more important in the management of patients with end-stage renal disease. Because of the efforts of the "Fistula First Breakthrough Initiative," dialysis venous access in the United States has become focused on promoting arteriovenous fistula creation and reducing the number of patients who start dialysis with a tunneled catheter. This is important because tunneled catheters can lead to infection, endocarditis, and early loss of more long-term access. When planned for, peritoneal dialysis can offer patients the opportunity to start dialysis at home without jeopardizing central access or the possibilities of eventual arteriovenous fistula creation. The purpose of this review is to highlight the indications, contraindications, and procedural methods for implanting peritoneal dialysis catheters in the interventional radiology suite.


The application of fractal random process models and their related scaling parameters as features in the analysis and segmentation of clutter in high-resolution, polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery is demonstrated. Specifically, the fractal dimension of natural clutter sources, such as grass and trees, is computed and used as a texture feature for a Bayesian classifier. The SAR shadows are segmented in a separate manner using the original backscatter power as a discriminant. The proposed segmentation process yields a three-class segmentation map for the scenes considered in this study (with three clutter types: shadows, trees, and grass). The difficulty of computing texture metrics in high-speckle SAR imagery is addressed. In particular, a two-step preprocessing approach consisting of polarimetric minimum speckle filtering followed by noncoherent spatial averaging is used. The relevance of the resulting segmentation maps to constant-false-alarm-rate (CFAR) radar target detection techniques is discussed. >


An assay allowing quantitation of monocyte function, i.e., chemotaxis, was used to study the activity of monocytes in patients with neoplasms of the urinary tract. Twenty-four subjects with various stages of renal carcinoma exhibited a mean chemotactic defect of 34% (P less than 0.005) as compared to normal controls and patients hospitalized with nonneoplastic diseases. Twelve persons with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder had a 29.8% (P less than 0.01) mean chemotactic defect as compared to the controls. There was no correlation between tumor stage and degree of chemotactic defect;--J Natl Cancer Inst 55: 1047-1054, 1975.


Background: Early functional rehabilitation is widely used after open suture repair of the Achilles tendon. To our knowledge, no previous studies have assessed gap formation from cyclic loading and subsequent failure loads of simulated Achilles tendon repairs. A synthetic (polyblend) suture has been introduced for tendon repairs with reportedly greater strength than polyester suture. This stronger, stiffer suture material may provide stronger repairs with less elongation of the tendon repair. Methods: Simulated Achilles tendon ruptures in bovine Achilles tendon were repaired with a four-strand Krackow suture technique using No. 2 polyester suture. Specimens were loaded for 3000 cycles at maximal loads of 50, 75,100, or 125 N, and gap formation at the repair site was continuously measured. After cyclic loading, each specimen was loaded to failure. Identical repairs were performed with number 2 polyblend suture and cyclically loaded to 75 N for 3000 cycles. All specimens were loaded to failure. Results: Cyclically loading polyester suture repairs to 50, 75, 100, or 125 N for 3000 cycles resulted in mean gapping at the repair site of 3.0 ± 0.8,4.9 ± 1.0,7.2 ± 0.9, and 7.9 ± 0.8 mm, respectively. Cyclically loading the polyblend suture repairs for 3000 cycles at 75 N, resulted in 3.3 ± 0.3 mm of gap formation at the repair site, significantly less than polyester suture repairs (p < 0.001). The mean load to failure for polyester suture repair was 222 ± 19 N and for polyblend suture repair was 582 ± 49 N, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Gap formation at 100, 1000, and 2000 cycles, as a percentage of total gap formation at 3000 cycles, was 64.3%, 87.5%, and 95.4% for polyester suture and 45.8%, 78.5%, and 90.1% for polyblend repairs. All specimens in all groups failed at the knots during load-to-failure testing. Conclusions: Cyclic loading of simulated Achilles tendon repairs using a Krackow, four-core polyester suture technique showed progressive gap formation with increasing load. All repairs failed at the knot, and suture pull-out from tendon was not observed. Polyblend suture repair, when compared to identical repairs with braided polyester suture, resulted in a 260% higher load to failure and 33% less gap formation at the repair site after 3000 cycles. Clinical Relevance: The use of polyblend suture in a four-stranded Krackow configuration provides stronger repairs with less gap formation, which may provide increased security during early functional rehabilitation.


Peripheral nerve injury can result in significant morbidity. The gold-standard treatment is currently end-to-end suture and is possible by mobilisation of nerve ends in cases with segmental nerve loss up to 1 cm. In cases of defects above 1 cm nerve autograft is the gold-standard treatment. To avoid donor site morbidity alternative procedures can be used, including conduits, nerve transfers and end-to-side suture. The purpose of this review is to create an overview of the currently available treatments of peripheral nerve injury and the clinical management of patients.


Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA

Introduction: High recurrence rates, drug resistance after initial response to chemotherapy, and overall poor prognosis along with the limited treatment options make triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) a major clinical challenge. Autophagy, an evolutionary conserved degradation and recycling process, has been shown to function as an adaptive survival response to chemotherapy. Previous studies have indicated higher expression of autophagy markers in TNBCs compared to other breast cancer subtypes, as well as their dependence on autophagy for survival. Our laboratory has also shown in xenograft models an enhanced effectiveness of chemotherapy for the treatment of TNBC when given in combination with autophagy inhibition (AI). These results support TNBCs as a good candidate for AI to improve efficacy of existing therapeutic regimens. However, currently available agents for AI in cancer patients have limited effectiveness, and development of more potent autophagy inhibitors (AIs) is underway.

Objective: Develop and test new tools for more potent AI in vivo.

Experimental Design: We are employing in vitro models using TNBC lines MDA-MB-231 and SUM159PT, as well as their derivatives R8 and R75, resistant to Epirubicin (EPI) and other anthracyclines. We are evaluating effects of various AIs, including lysosomotropic agents HCQ and lys05, siRNAs and shRNAs targeting autophagy-related (Atg) proteins, and small molecule inhibitors (under development) of ATG4B protein. In vivo xenograft mouse models of MDA-MB-231 and R8 are being used to evaluate the effects of combinatorial therapy with EPI and AI.

Methods: For the assessment of autophagy levels before and after AI we used autophagy flux (degradative completion of autophagy) assays. We evaluated the effects of chemotherapy alone and in combination with AIs on parent and resistant sub-lines by assessing their proliferation. For in vivo studies, TNBC cells are injected subcutaneously in Rag2M mice. Treatment with EPI, AI, or their combination is administered after tumor formation. Treatment efficacy is evaluated by tumor volume measurements; tumors are also assessed for the expression of autophagy markers.

Results: Our in vitro experiments showed enhanced cytotoxicity of lys05 compared to HCQ either alone or in combination with EPI. However, the use of lys05 in vivo gives contradictory results and requires further evaluation. AI targeting ATG4B, using shRNA-inducible monoclonal cell lines derived from MDA-MB-231 cells and novel small molecule inhibitors of ATG4B, significantly affected cancer cell proliferation in vitro, and is currently being investigated in vivo.

Conclusion: Novel approaches to AI may serve as useful tools to assess the effects of AI in vitro and in vivo. Our preliminary results suggest that more potent AIs may improve the effectiveness of treatment of TNBC.

Supported by CIHR GPG102167 and CIHR/AVON OBC127216.

Citation Format: Svetlana Bortnik, Suganthi Chittaranjan, Jing Xu, Wieslawa H. Dragowska, Jianghong An, Adrienne Kyle, Nancy E. Go, Lubomir Vezenkov, Courtney Choutka, Amy Leung, Suzana Kovacic, Damien Bosc, Karen Gelmon, Marcel Bally, Steven Jones, Robert Young, Sharon Gorski. The effectiveness of autophagy inhibition in sensitizing triple-negative breast cancer cells to chemotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2902. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2902


Purpose To evaluate the rheological properties of the ophthalmic viscoelastic device (OVD) PRO-149, its preclinical safety, and its effectiveness when used during cataract surgery in patients with age-related cataract. Material and Methods Control (HEC) and test (PRO-149) OVDs were compared through rheological measures, by two preclinical safety studies in rabbits, and under normal-use conditions during cataract removal and lens implantation in a parallel randomized clinical trial. Results Rheological properties were determined. Preclinical studies did not find any evidence of safety issues or toxicity. In the clinical trial, 36 subjects were included. After 29 days, there were no statistically significant differences in mean percentage of endothelial cell count change or in the postoperative intraocular pressure between groups. There were no significant differences between OVDs for any safety parameter studied. Finally, PRO-149 showed a statistically significant improvement in surgeon rating for ease of use during extraction (p < 0.05). Conclusion PRO-149 is a dispersive OVD. The rabbit models did not find evidence of clinical alterations or toxicity. The results of the clinical study support that the two studied OVDs were clinically similar in terms of safety and effectiveness for cataract surgery. Trial Registration The trial is registered at Clinical Trials.gov at NCT04702802 (21–01-11).


Conventional two-country RBC models interpret countercyclical net exports as re‡ecting, in large part, the dynamics of capital. I show that, quantitatively, theoretical economies rely on counterfactual terms of trade e¤ects: trade ‡uctuations, on the contrary, are driven primarily by consumption smoothing, thus generating procyclical net trade in goods. I then consider a class of preferences that embeds home production in a reduced form: consumption volatility increases so that countercyclical net exports re‡ect primarily a strong relation between import of goods and income, as in the data. The major discrepancy between theory and data concerns the variability of international prices. JEL Classi…cation: E32; F32; F41


We present in this paper our solver for logic grid puzzles. The approach used by our algorithm mimics the way a human would try to solve the same problem. Every progress made during the solving process is accompanied by a detailed explanation of our program's reasoning. Since this reasoning is based on the same heuristics that a human would employ, the user can easily follow the given explanation.


The purpose of this paper is to review the global discussions on the social-economic impact of ICTs over the last two decades and then to observe how ICTs have been diffusing around the world based on the available long-run dataset. For this purpose, we surveyed major projects conducted by several international organizations such as ITU and UNCTAD and then we built the global dataset that represents the pervasion of fixed telephone, mobile phone, and internet as well as social-economic conditions such as GDP per capita and adult literacy rate among 213 countries and regions. This study reveals that international community, which first focused on digital divide, began to move their interest into digital opportunities for the social-economic development in the mid-2000s in accordance with rapid spread of the technology, especially mobile phone, even in the less developed countries where GDP per capita and adult literacy rate are considerably low. As a result, Gini coefficient demonstrates digital divide is beginning to close now.


Abstract The absorption and luminescence characteristics of a group of newly synthesized methyl esters of 2-alkyl (p-substituted-aryl) -aminomethylene-3,4-dihydro-1(2 H)-naphthalenone-4-carboxylic acids have been investigated. The studied compounds may exist in three tautomeric forms. On the basis of comparison of their electronic spectra to those of similar substances, the observed substituent effect on the position of the UV-VIS absorption bands, the IR spectra and the results of PPP-SCF-CI quantum-chemical calculations it is concluded that the keto tautomer predominates in solution.


The article examines the religious views of the founder of the Watchtower Society, Charles Taze Russell, and their influence on the development of the doctrinal system of Jehovah's Witnesses. The role of a religious leader in the eyes of his followers is described. The doctrines concerning the nature of the Divine, the name of God, human nature, the state of the dead, hell, the second coming of Christ, immortality and eternal life are illuminated. It has been established which views of Russell remained unchanged in the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses, and which underwent a certain correction.


UDP-galactose 4′-epimerase (GALE) catalyzes the final step of the highly conserved Leloir pathway of galactose metabolism. Loss of GALE in humans results in a variant form of the metabolic disorder, galactosemia. Loss of GALE in yeast results in galactose-dependent growth arrest. Although the role of GALE in galactose metabolism has been recognized for decades, the precise relationship between GALE activity and galactose sensitivity has remained unclear. Here we have explored this relationship by asking the following. 1) Is GALE rate-limiting for galactose metabolism in yeast? 2) What is the relationship between GALE activity and galactose-dependent growth arrest in yeast? 3) What is the relationship between GALE activity and the abnormal accumulation of galactose metabolites in yeast? To answer these questions we engineered a strain of yeast in which GALE was doxycycline-repressible and studied these cells under conditions of intermediate GALE expression. Our results demonstrated a smooth linear relationship between galactose metabolism and GALE activity over a range from 0 to ∼5% but a steep threshold relationship between growth rate in galactose and GALE activity over the same range. The relationship between abnormal accumulation of metabolites and GALE activity was also linear over the range from 0 to ∼5%, suggesting that if the abnormal accumulation of metabolites underlies galactose-dependent growth-arrest in GALE-impaired yeast, either the impact of individual metabolites must be synergistic and/or the threshold of sensitivity must be very steep. Together these data reveal important points of similarity and contrast between the roles of GALE and galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase in galactose metabolism in yeast and provide a framework for future studies in mammalian systems.


The Amazon Basin is undergoing extensive environmental degradation as a result of deforestation and the rising occurrence of fires. The degradation caused by fires is exacerbated by the occurrence of anomalously dry periods in the Amazon Basin. The objectives of this study were: (i) to quantify the extent of areas that burned between 2001 and 2019 and relate them to extreme drought events in a 20-year time series; (ii) to identify the proportion of countries comprising the Amazon Basin in which environmental degradation was strongly observed, relating the spatial patterns of fires; and (iii) examine the Amazon Basin carbon balance following the occurrence of fires. To this end, the following variables were evaluated by remote sensing between 2001 and 2019: gross primary production, standardized precipitation index, burned areas, fire foci, and carbon emissions. During the examined period, fires affected 23.78% of the total Amazon Basin. Brazil had the largest affected area (220,087 fire foci, 773,360 km2 burned area, 54.7% of the total burned in the Amazon Basin), followed by Bolivia (102,499 fire foci, 571,250 km2 burned area, 40.4%). Overall, these fires have not only affected forests in agricultural frontier areas (76.91%), but also those in indigenous lands (17.16%) and conservation units (5.93%), which are recognized as biodiversity conservation areas. During the study period, the forest absorbed 1,092,037 Mg of C, but emitted 2908 Tg of C, which is 2.66-fold greater than the C absorbed, thereby compromising the role of the forest in acting as a C sink. Our findings show that environmental degradation caused by fires is related to the occurrence of dry periods in the Amazon Basin.


In the reported case symmetrical calcifications were found in the basal ganglia and cerebellum which connected with congenital anomalies of cerebral vessels were the cause of intermittent episodes of right-sided hemiparesis with mutism in a man aged 39 years.


The international success of Japanese game design provides an example of the invisibility of female game composers, as well as of gendered identification in game music production and sound design. Yoko Shimomura, the female composer who produced the iconic soundtrack for the 1991 arcade game, Street Fighter II (Capcom 1991), seems to have been invisible to game developers and music producers, which is partly due to the way in which the game is credited as a team effort. Regardless of their personal gender identity, game composers respond to themed briefs by drawing on transnational musical ideas and gendered stereotypes that resonate with the Global Popular. Game music, as imagined as suitable for hyper-masculine game arcades, seems to draw on a masculinist aesthetic developed in Hollywood compositions. In turn, Street Fighter II's music and the competitive game culture of arcade fighting games has been interwoven with masculinist music scenes of hip-hop and grime. The discussion of the music of Street Fighter II and the musical versions it inspired, nevertheless highlights that although seemingly simplified gendered stereotypes are reproduced within the game, gender identification itself can be complex within the context of game music composition.


Introduction: Autonomic neuropathy is less well documented in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus and has received less attention than other diabetic complications. Sudden death and cardio-respiratory arrest in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus have been attributed to cardiac autonomic dysfunction.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of autonomic neuropathy in a cohort of children and adolescents with type I diabetes and to examine the relationship between this complication, and duration of diabetes and degree of glycemic control.
Material and Methods: Seventy-six type 1 diabetic children and adolescents below age 18 years of age, and 76 nondiabetic school children, matched for age and sex, had their cardiac autonomic nerve function assessed using four autonomic function tests. Namely the respiratory sinus arrhythmia test ; the Valsalva ratio test; the heart rate response to standing, and the blood pressure response to standing. The first three are tests of parasympathetic function, while the last one is a sympathetic function test.
Results: The diabetic patients had a median age of 12 years and their median duration of diabetes mellitus was 43 months. They showed a significantly higher resting heart rate and a significant drop in systolic and diastolic blood pressures upon standing compared to the control group. The duration of diabetes mellitus showed linear correlation to the symptoms of autonomic dysfunction.
Conclusion: We conclude that cardiac autonomic neuropathy is not rare in young diabetic patients of relatively short duration of illness where glycemic control is less than optimal. Such tests may serve as long-term prognostic indicators in diabetic patients. Keywords :autonomic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, glycemic control, Middle East Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 2 (2) 2007: pp. 95-100


This paper develops and presents the concept of strategic knowledge-based marketing in an effort to explain the role of knowledge in marketing and marketing strategy and the process of marketing knowledge (co-)creation and management. The purpose is to provide both academics and practitioners with a framework for understanding and analysing knowledge-based processes in marketing from a strategic perspective and learn how these can be leveraged to gain and sustain competitive advantage.


The paper investigates the normative regulation of socially dangerous consequences of economic crimes set forth in Chapter 22 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. A legislative structure of economic crimes is rather heterogeneous. Some of them are determined as formal (registration of illegal transactions with real estate — Art. 170; illegal organization and conduct of gambling — Art. 171.2, etc.); others are defined as economic (illegal obtaining of credit — Art. 176; abuse of securities issue — 185, etc.); and the third are defined as formal economic (illegal entrepreneurship — Art. 171; restriction of competition — Art. 178 et al.).The paper analyzes the negative aspects of including the criteria characterizing socially dangerous consequences in the norms-notes to Chapter 22 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, determines the significance of criminological peculiarities of economic crimes in determining the extent of damage caused by economic crimes of different types; the influence of the nature and amount of damage established in the law on the exemption from criminal liability for the commission of economic crimes.It is concluded that a law-maker needs a more uniform approach to determining the types and sizes of consequences caused by economic crimes (types should be, as a rule," economic", and the size should be the same for all the crimes) and to the placement of quantitative indicators of consequences (in the note to Article 1 where sequences are specified); to achieving compliance with the rules of differentiation of responsibility in the construction of basic and qualified crimes (large and especially large scale of consequences should be indicate only for the latter); to imposing "unfavorable" sanctions from the point of view of the legal consequences of economic crimes, and, on the contrary, to giving a "favorable" character to the exemption from criminal responsibility under Art. 76.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in comparison with the specified sanctions.


Appendageal tumours localized to the head, face and neck region continue to fascinate and confuse the dermatologists. We report a case of multiple apocrine hidrocystomas on the face of a 35 year-old woman. Good cosmetic result was obtained with excision followed by cauterization.


In optical burst-switched networks, data loss may occur when bursts contend for network resources. There have been several proposed solutions to resolve contentions in order to minimize loss. These localized contention resolution techniques react to contention, but do not address the more fundamental problem of congestion. Hence, there is a need for network level contention avoidance using load balanced routing techniques in order to minimize the loss. In this paper, we propose two dynamic congestion-based load balanced routing techniques to avoid congestion. Our simulation results show that the proposed contention avoidance techniques improve the network utilization and reduce the packet loss probability.


Background: The largest proportion of women with an unmet need for contraception is found among those in their first year after childbirth; concentrating efforts to reduce unmet need among these women could have additionally bigger impact on increasing contraceptive use than concentrating on any other group. Aims & Objectives: To know the knowledge & practices of post – partum contraception among mothers in urban slums. Material & Methods: Cross sectional study conducted in urban slums for duration of six months. Study population included mothers in extended post – partum period residing in urban slums. Mothers were interviewed using pre – tested, semi – structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS v 22.0 and, chi square test and logistic regression analysis was employed. P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Majority of the mothers in our study were in the age group of 20-24 years (46%). Mean age was 21.6 ± 3.1years. Majority of the mothers (56%) were Hindus. Mean age of marriage observed was 18.2±2.1years. In the present study, majority (76%) had knowledge of post – partum contraceptive methods, but only 17% of the mothers were using contraception. Unmet need for post – partum contraception was found among 49% of mothers. Conclusions: Inspite of being aware, the practice of family planning was very low among post-partum mothers. The study highlights the impact of socio cultural factors like religion, caste, number of living children, duration of marriage and ANC service utilization on post – partum contraception usage among mothers.


Background and objectives: The global forest economy is threatened by eucalypt pathogens which are often latent or cryptic species that escape common quarantine and detection methods. Plantation forestry using eucalypts is of considerable importance to Paraguay, but knowledge regarding the pests and diseases affecting these plantations is limited. This study identified fungal diseases present in these plantations. Materials and Methods: We surveyed eucalypt plantations in four provinces in Paraguay and collected material from diseased trees for identification of the causal agents. The samples were analyzed using a combination of morphological and molecular methods. Results: Diseases encountered included Botryosphaeria stem canker, Calonectria leaf blight, Chrysoporthe stem canker, myrtle/eucalypt rust, Coniella leaf spot, heartwood rot and Teratosphaeria stem canker. Contrary to expectations, the causal agent of Teratosphaeria stem canker was identified as Teratosphaeria zuluensis (M.J. Wingf., Crous & T.A. Cout.) M.J. Wingf. & Crous and not Teratosphaeria gauchensis (M.-N. Cortinas, Crous & M.J. Wingf.) M.J. Wingf. & Crous, that is commonly documented for the South American region. Conclusions: This study updates the knowledge on forest fungal pathogens in Paraguayan eucalypt plantations and is the first report of T. zuluensis in Paraguay and in South America.


Global problems are currently not being solved, much hot air having been generated about global warming. Fantastic amounts of time and energy have been put into discussing the fact that 'something must be done'. Piecemeal solutions have been proposed, but rarely enacted.

Solving global problems requires global objectives and leadership, within a suitable decision framework. This paper seeks to provide these key requirements and encourage their adoption.

A key reason why leadership has not developed the required global outlook is the continued focus on importance of individual nations and religions. Spirituality has been usurped by religions, with two crucial consequences. Firstly, individuals who do not believe in a Higher Being have been excluded from the spiritual debate. Secondly, a global spirituality has been prevented from developing, with individual religions having their own, often conflicting, beliefs.

Global spirituality would provide consensus on the objectives of humanity, status of individuals, and a yardstick for assessing the legitimacy of solutions and actions by individuals, groups and societies.

The Global Fitness Framework has a positive inclusive definition of spirituality and enables leaders, analysts and researchers to assess the physical, mental and spiritual fitness of individuals, groups and societies to perform their roles in solving the problems facing humanity.


The clinical utility of dopamine (DA) D1 receptor agonists in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) is still unclear. The therapeutic use of selective DA D1 receptor agonists such as SKF-82958(6-chloro-7,8-dihydroxy-3-allyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine hydrobromide) and A-77636 ([1R, 3S] 3-[1′-admantyl]-1-aminomethyl-3,4-dihydro-5,6-dihydroxy-1H-2-benzopyran hydrochloride) seems limited because of their duration of action, which is too short for SKF-82958 (<1 hr) and too long for A-77636 (>20 hr, leading to behavioral tolerance). We therefore conducted the present acute dose-response study in four 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP)-exposed cynomolgus monkeys primed to exhibit levodopa-induced dyskinesias to evaluate the locomotor and dyskinetic effects on challenge with four doses (from 0.03 to 1.0 mg/kg) of A-86929([-]-[5aR,11bS]-4,5,5a,6,7,11b-hexahydro-2-propyl-3-thia-5-azacyclopent-1-ena[c]phenathrene-9-10-diol), a selective and full DA D1-like receptor agonist with an intermediate duration of action. Levodopa and the DA D2-like receptor agonist, LY-171555([4aR-trans]-4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a,9-o-dihydro-5n-propyl-2H-pyrazolo-3-4-quinoline hydrochloride) were also used for comparison. Acute administration of A-86929 was as efficacious in alleviating MPTP-induced parkinsonism as levodopa and LY-171555, but was less likely to reproduce the levodopa-induced dyskinesias in these animals than with either LY-171555 or subsequent challenge of levodopa. Selective stimulation of the DA D1 receptor may provide better integration of neural inputs transmitted to the internal segment of the globus pallidus (referred to as the basal ganglia output) compared with levodopa and selective DA D2 receptor agonists. Potent DA D1 receptor agents with an intermediate duration of efficacy such as A-86929 (approximately 4 hr at higher doses tested) are potential therapeutic tools in PD and merit further attention.


In this work, we use the effective medium approximation (EMA) to numerically assess the thermal performance of thermal interface materials (TIMs). The performance is measured in terms of the effective thermal conductivity of the composite material subject to changes in the filler dimensions, volume fraction, aspect ratio, filler-matrix interface resistance and thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and spherical metallic fillers embedded in non-electrically conducting matrices. Our results indicate that the filler-matrix interface resistance and CNT aspect ratio play a dominant role in limiting the maximum effective thermal conductivity of the composite material. Guidelines for the formulation of these materials are presented as result of the analysis.


The paper presents the integration of the GEOtop model into the Object Modeling System version 3.0 (OMS3) and its application. GEOtop is a physically based spatially distributed rainfall-runoff model, performing water and energy budgets. The OMS3 integration widened the application range of GEOtop as presented in the paper. By running GEOtop as an OMS3 model component it can interact with the GIS uDig-JGrass to utilize other geo-processing, visualization, and modeling components. Furthermore, OMS3 components for automatic calibration, sensitivity analysis, or meteorological interpolation can now interact with GEOtop. Finally, a case study of the model application is presented. Results in terms of soil water content and suction are compared with measured data. Model performance is evaluated by computing traditional goodness of fit indices such as Nash Sutcliffe and percent bias.


Breast screening with mammography can be contentious because of its unintended harmful repercussions. A false-positive mammography is one of the most frequent harms and can encompass both short- and long-term psychosocial implications. Based on eight qualitative in-depth interviews with women who reported negative psychosocial consequences following a false-positive mammography, this article explores how women in the study experienced having a false-positive and how these experiences manifested themselves in a long-term perspective. This article draws on data from in-depth interviews with eight women in Denmark, in 2009, who had had false positive screening results approximately 5 years before the interview. Despite all participants having a self-perception of low risk of breast cancer, they regularly participated in screening. When receiving the recall letter and in the interim, the women perceived themselves as and identified with cancer patients and feared dying. When further investigation indicated that they did not have cancer, the women in the study treated this as an acquittal and expressed gratitude for the screening programme. However, their confrontation with an initial positive breast cancer diagnosis created concerns that the women still experienced and had to manage 4 to 5 years after the initial false-positive mammography. We argue that the psychosocial consequences of having the false-positive mammography contributed to the women's view of themselves as being subjects at constant risk. However, the women did not blame the medical technology for its inaccuracy and inflicted worries, and the false-positive mammography did not lead to them losing confidence in screening. The women in the study strove for means to control the latent anxiety that was introduced with the false-positive mammography, by continuously seeking medical confirmation of their well-being and desiring more frequent screening.


The nature and importance of moral agency for the transformation of persons and society, particularly from a Christian perspective, are discussed in this article. The focus is on cultural pathways and pitfalls with respect to the formation and exercise of moral agency on the part of individuals, leaders and communities. The six dimensions of cultural values as developed by Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars (2000) are used as a framework to describe and evaluate mainly western and African cultural values in order to identify ways of developing moral responsibility and genuine social transformation.


AbstractFoxtail millet grains usually contain carotenoids, which are yellow pigments that are important for human health. Yellow grains are preferred by distributors and consumers, and special cultivars and cultivation methods are desired for a stable supply of yellow millet. We investigated the level of pigment fluctuation in several foxtail millet accessions, including the yellow grain cultivar 'Yuikogane' from Iwate Prefecture, using high-performance liquid chromatography. Most yellow grains primarily contained xanthophylls, including approximately 1 mg/100 g lutein and 0.2 mg/100 g zeaxanthin. These pigments were rare in the bran and grain husks but were readily detected in polished grains, indicating that xanthophylls accumulate in the endosperm. We examined 'Yuikogane' to investigate the relationship between xanthophyll accumulation and grain ripening. During the ripening stage, xanthophyll levels gradually increased, but they rapidly decreased in response to over-ripening. Xanthophyll accumulation ...


We build on our earlier model of money in which bank liabilities circulate as a medium of exchange. We investigate optimal bank behavior and the resulting provision of liquidity under a range of central bank regulations. In our model, banks issue inside money under fractional reserves, facing the possibility of excess redemptions. Banks consider the float resulting from money creation and make reserve-management decisions that affect aggregate liquidity conditions. Numerical examples demonstrate positive bank failure rates when returns to banking are low. Central bank interventions may improve banks' returns and welfare through a reduction in bank failure.


"Personalised medicine" relies on identifying and integrating individual variability in genomic, biological, and physiological parameters, as well as in environmental and lifestyle factors, to define "individually" targeted disease prevention and treatment. Although innovative "omic" technologies supported the application of personalised medicine in clinical, oncological, and pharmacological settings, its role in occupational health practice and research is still in a developing phase. Occupational personalised approaches have been currently applied in experimental settings and in conditions of unpredictable risks, e.g. war missions and space flights, where it is essential to avoid disease manifestations and therapy failure. However, a debate is necessary as to whether personalized medicine may be even more important to support a redefinition of the risk assessment processes taking into consideration the complex interaction between occupational and individual factors. Indeed, "omic" techniques can be helpful to understand the hazardous properties of the xenobiotics, dose-response relationships through a deeper elucidation of the exposure-disease pathways and internal doses of exposure. Overall, this may guide the adoption/implementation of primary preventive measures protective for the vast majority of the population, including most susceptible subgroups. However, the application of personalised medicine into occupational health requires overcoming some practical, ethical, legal, economical, and socio-political issues, particularly concerning the protection of privacy, and the risk of discrimination that the workers may experience. In this scenario, the concerted action of academic, industry, governmental, and stakeholder representatives should be encouraged to improve research aimed to guide effective and sustainable implementation of personalised medicine in occupational health fields.


This paper presents the probability parameter estimating due to outage rate effects for lightning overvoltage analysis on 500 kV EHV double circuit transmission lines of type DL3deg and DT20deg by using neural networks. This research begins for parameter determining the critical flashover voltage: (CFO) required for a given lightning surge performance level is given. If the surge voltage varies along the line, the insulation of system from fault effect. This fault line will have a number of stroke on overhead ground wire. The maximum voltage from flashover effects in the lines. The Gaussian frequency of occurrence of surge voltage, the extreme value distribution, the critical stroke current. An artificial neural network can shorten the probability of flashover at tower and the outage rate. Estimation of the parameter using program give the results which are reliability of 500 kV double circuit transmission lines designs efficiently


We have investigated the use of various morphologies, including nanoparticles, nanowires, and sea-urchins of TiO2 as the semiconducting material used as components of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Analysis of the solar cells under AM 1.5 solar irradiation reveals the superior performance of hydrothermally derived nanoparticles, by comparison with two readily available commercial nanoparticle materials, within the DSSC architecture. The sub-structural morphology of films of these nanostructured materials has been directly characterized using SEM and indirectly probed using dye desorption. Furthermore, the surfaces of these nanomaterials were studied using TEM in order to visualize their structure, prior to their application within DSSCs. Surface areas of the materials have been quantitatively analyzed by collecting BET adsorption and dye desorption data. Additional investigation using open circuit voltage decay measurements reveals the efficiency of electron conduction through each TiO2 material. Moreover, the utilization of various chemically distinctive titanate materials within the DSSCs has also been investigated, demonstrating the deficiencies of using these particular chemical compositions within traditional DSSCs.


The methylammonium lead iodide perovskite (MAPbI3) is presently a desirable material for photovoltaic application. Its structure is orthorhombic at low temperature and tetragonal at room temperature. Most theoretical works have focused on either tetragonal or orthorhombic phase alone leaving a gap in the understanding of the structural phase transition in between. In this work, by ab initio calculations, we elucidate the origin of structural phase transition between these two phases. We show that there exists a critical ratio of out-of-plane to in-plane lattice constants, c/a ∼ 1.45, where at low c/a the orthorhombic Pnma phase is stable while the tetragonal I4/mcm phase is stable at high c/a. Varying the c/a ratio leads to a change of PbI6 octahedral tilting with the rotation of CH3NH3(+) cations about the NH3 component in and out of the Oxy plane. The origin of this rotation is identified. We propose that under epitaxial conditions a gradual change in structural phase of the MAPbI3 perovskite may exist and understanding its electronic properties will be beneficial toward the solar cell community.


BACKGROUND/AIM: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major cytokine in angiogenesis and has a role on aggressivity of various tumors. The expression of VEGF has been shown to increase in differential thyroid cancer. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum and intranodular VEGF (nVEGF) and VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) levels in patients with thyroid nodules and their relevance to ultrasonographic and pathological results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of eighty patients were included in the study. Thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsies were performed, and the levels of serum and nVEGF and VEGFR-1 were measured. Any possible correlations between serum and nVEGF, VEGFR-1, and biochemical/radiological variables were investigated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between serum VEGF (sVEGF), nVEGF, sVEGFR-1, nVEGFR-1 levels, number of nodules, size of nodules, and benign and malignant ultrasonographic features. sVEGF and nVEGF were higher in malignant or suspicious nodules than that in benign nodules, but did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). sVEGFR-1 and nVEGFR-1 levels were higher in hyperthyroid patients than that in euthyroid patients (P < 0.05 and P = 0.003, respectively). nVEGFR-1 level was higher in hypothyroid patients than that in euthyroid patients (P = 0.016). sVEGF level was found to be higher in hyperactive nodules than that in others. Both sVEGFR-1 (P = 0.008) and nVEGF levels (P = 0.01) significantly increased with increasing age. nVEGFR-1 decreased with increasing body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed the relationships of sVEGF, nVEGF, sVEGFR-1, and nVEGFR-1 levels with age, gender, BMI, and hyperthyroidism. To determine the role of VEGF/VEGFR-1 in thyroid nodules, further studies are required with a large number of patients.


Agreement on Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI), an Uruguay Round agreement, has been the only legal instrument under the WTO umbrella governing PSIs. Newly accepted Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) which entered into force on 22 February 2017, brings some important changes on PSIs, especially on tariff classification and customs valuation. The TFA completely banned these two types of PSI applications. Moreover, it 'encourages' WTO Members not to introduce or apply new requirements for the use of PSIs other than those related to tariff classification and customs valuation.


The present day endoscopic graspers are designed to be tooth-like in order to grasp slippery tissue during minimally invasive surgery (MIS). However they do not have any sensing device to provide the surgeons any tactile feedback. We propose a micromachined membrane endoscopic tactile sensor that can measure both static and dynamic applied pressure. In this paper we describe the design, fabrication of a micromachined tactile sensor, which can be integrated, with the tip of the endoscopic grasper. The sensor consists of two parts; the first part is a 25-micron polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film. The second part is made of a silicon substrate with cavities etched using anisotropic etching of silicon in TMAH. The bottoms of the cavities are covered with a layer of aluminum. The two parts then are bond to each other in such a way that the lower aluminum layer of PVDF is facing the bottom of the cavities forming a parallel plate capacitor. The static response is obtained by measuring the change in capacitance between the bottom electrode of the PVDF film and the electrode deposited on surface of the etched cavity under the membrane. The dynamic response of the device is determined by the output potential difference across the PVDF film. The sensor can also be integrated with a commercial endoscopic grasper.


This paper addresses the conceptual and methodological difficulties in obtaining reliable information on alcohol-related mortality in Aboriginal communities. A working definition is proposed; this requires an alcohol-positive history together with a consistent mode of death, and is applied retrospectively to a series of 29 adult deaths in a large Aboriginal community. An informant history of alcohol abuse was found to be the most sensitive indicator of an alcohol-positive history and correlated well with autopsy findings and medical records. Alcohol-positive histories were found for 17 of 29 deaths by informant history, for 9 of 29 by autopsy findings, and for 12 of 29 by medical record review. These indicators were combined with a mode of death categorisation to arrive at an estimate of 5 of 29 definite, 5 of 29 probable, and 1 of 29 possible alcohol-related deaths. We conclude by examining the process by which such a definition might be further developed and the context in which resulting information might then be used.


The first part of this paper discusses the conceptual differences between web2.0 and social software. We argue that in communication sciences the phrase social software is more appropriate than web2.0 and provide a definition for social software based on expert interviews. From there, we develop a typology for social software based on four criteria: content management, communication, collaboration and community-related activities. Each of these dimensions has its own theoretical significance and can be viewed as a key concept in the understanding of social software. Furthermore, these dimensions can be used to visualise types or certain usage-patterns of social software.
 In the second part of the paper we explore the relationship between social software and social capital. Social software targets the fulfilment of certain needs (for example the need for online content management) and it tries to do so by means of social, bottom-up processes during which social networks are created and maintained. Social software can widen the experience of community (connecting people with others who have different beliefs or backgrounds) or deepen it (reinforcing and enhancing existing social networks). This indicates that social software can be used to augment individual social capital.


We present chemostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and geochronology from a succession that spans the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary in Sonora, Mexico. A sandy hematite-rich dolostone bed, which occurs 20 m above carbonates that record the nadir of the basal Cambrian carbon isotope excursion within the La Ciénega Formation, yielded a maximum depositional age of 539.40 ± 0.23 Ma using U-Pb chemical abrasion–isotope dilution–thermal ionization mass spectrometry on a population of sharply faceted volcanic zircon crystals. This bed, interpreted to contain reworked tuffaceous material, is above the last occurrences of late Ediacaran body fossils and below the first occurrence of the Cambrian trace fossil Treptichnus pedum, and so the age calibrates key markers of the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary. The temporal coincidence of rift-related flood basalt volcanism in southern Laurentia (>250,000 km3 of basalt), a negative carbon isotope excursion, and biological turnover is consistent with a mechanistic link between the eruption of a large igneous province and end-Ediacaran extinction.


In military and commercial applications FH (Frequency Hopping) signal plays important role. Since the Frequency hopping signals has the special properties like robustness to jamming and near-far resistance, we find the application of FH signals in every communication process. Even though the Frequency Hopping signals exhibits the near-far resistance problem, the signals are suffered from noise. In this paper we propose a novel approach named as compressive sensing technique to recover the FH signals, which are highly suffered from white Gaussian noise. This paper also provides the efficient sampling and also reconstruction technique which requires less number of samples for reconstruction.


The Korean Peninsula is considered as a seasonal frozen area that is thawed in the spring and frozen in the winter. The influence of fines of the frost susceptibility of subgrade soils were established by laboratory freezing tests simulating closely the thermal conditions in the field. During the winter season, the climate is heavily influenced by the cold and dry continental high pressure. Because of siberian air mass, the temperature of January is on average. This chilly weather generate the frost heaving by freezing the moisture of soil and damage potential of the geotechnical structure. In the freezing soil, the ice lenses increase the freeze portion of soil by absorbing the ground water with capillary action. However, the capillary characteristics differ from the sort of soil on the state of freezing condition. In this study, ten soil samples are prepared. The basic physical property tests were performed by following the Korean Industrial Standard and the soil specimens were classified by the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS). These classified soils are used to perform the laboratory opened systems freezing test in order to determine the frost heaving characteristics of soils such as unfrozen water content, heaving amount, and freezing depth.


Fixed-base full task flight training simulator is a very critical and important integrated training facility. It is mostly used in training of integrated skills and tasks, such as running the flight program of manned space flight, dealing with faults, operating and controlling spacecraft flight, communicating information between spacecraft and ground. This simulator was made up of several subentries including spacecraft simulation, simulating cabin, sight image, acoustics, main controlling computer, instructor and assistant support. It has implemented many simulation functions, such as spacecraft environment, spacecraft movement, communicating information between spacecraft and ground, typical faults, manual control and operating training, training control, training monitor, training database management, training data recording, system detecting and so on.


Testosterone (T) is known to affect the growth hormone (GH) axis. However, the mechanisms underlying the activation of GH secretion by T still remain to be clarified. Available data in animals and humans have shown that withdrawal of somatostatin (SRIH) infusion induces a GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)-mediated rebound release of GH, and there is accumulating evidence that SRIH infusion withdrawal may be a useful test to probe the GHRH function in vivo. With the aim of investigating whether the stimulatory effect of androgens on GH release in man could be accounted for by activation of the hypothalamic GHRH tone, we evaluated the plasma GH response to SRIH withdrawal in 10 patients aged 29.6 ± 2.4 years (mean ± SEM), diagnosed with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, before and after a 6-month replacement therapy with T enanthate (250 mg every 3 weeks, i.m.), and in 10 healthy men, aged 26.7 ± 2.8 years. To verify whether the modulation of GH secretion by T could also be mediated through changes in SRIH tone and/or pituitary releasable pool, we examined GH secretory responses to combined GHRH and L-arginine (ARG) in the same individuals. Basal plasma concentrations of GH (0.48 ± 0.11 µg/l) and IGF-I (23.79 ± 1.83 nmol/l) were significantly lower in untreated hypogonadal patients than in healthy men, and significantly increased after T replacement therapy (GH 1.13 ± 0.28 µg/l; IGF-I 28.71 ± 1.46 nmol/l). The mean ΔGH peak after SRIH withdrawal recorded in untreated hypogonadal men (2.65 ± 0.86 µg/l) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that observed in healthy men (6.53 ± 1.33 µg/l) and significantly increased after T replacement therapy (5.52 ± 1.25 µg/l). The GH responses to GHRH combined with ARG (a functional SRIH antagonist) were not significantly different between healthy men and untreated hypogonadal patients, and were not significantly affected by T treatment. Plasma T and estradiol (E2) levels significantly correlated with ΔGH peak after SRIH withdrawal in healthy men and in T-treated hypogonadal patients, whereas in untreated patients they did not. No significant correlation was found between GH areas under the curve after GHRH + ARG test and T and E2 plasma levels in either healthy men or in hypogonadal patients (both before and after T replacement). These findings are consistent with the view that in humans the stimulatory action of T on the GH axis appears to be mediated at the hypothalamic level primarily by promoting GHRH function.


A new Hypocrella species with white pulvinate stromata collected in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica is described as H. zhongdongii sp. nov. Morphological and molecular evidence confirms that the new species of Hypocrella is the teleomorph of Aschersonia incrassata. It most closely resembles H. andropogonis; both A. incrassata and A. andropogonis are common yellow-spored species. The relationships of H. zhongdongii with other species in the genus are elucidated through phylogenetic analyses of three different genetic loci (LSU, RPB2, and mtSSU). Our analysis also sheds light on current subgeneric concepts in Aschersonia, in which the presence or absence of conidiomatal paraphyses is a major character to separate the genus into two subgenera. The present phylogenetic tree suggests that paraphyses have been lost or gained multiple times during evolutionary history, and do not define monophyletic groups.


One of the most dramatic changes in global publishing in the last decade has been the emergence of China. China now has more researchers than the United States, outspends the United States and European Union in research and publishes more scientific papers each year than any other nation in the world. The quality of these papers is also increasing, with more appearing in top‐ranked journals and gaining more citations overall. Despite this success, China has gained an unenviable reputation for research misconduct and geopolitical issues threaten its continuation. Given the impact of China's growing presence on editors, publishers and non‐Chinese authors seeking to publish in the same journals, it is important to understand the reasons, directions and outcomes of these changes, their effect on Chinese scholars and local Chinese journals, and where they might be leading. In this review paper I explore the rise of Chinese scholarship, its influence on global publishing and on Chinese scholars, and how the Chinese government is responding to its new role in global academic publishing.


A simple expression for the correlations of beams radiated by Schell-model sources carrying a prescribed astigmatic phase (cross phase) in 3D space is derived. The z-coherence of such sources upon free-space propagation is investigated in detail. It is demonstrated that the z-coherence does not decrease to zero with an increasing separation of two axial points. Our results show that the initial cross phase, coherence, and correlation state of such sources affect the distribution of the z-coherence. Furthermore, the cross phase plays a role in maintaining z-coherence, which will be useful in applications where high z-coherence is required.


To the Editor.— In the July 1980 issue of theArchives(116:815-816), Bruckner et al described a case of pemphigus foliaceus resembling eruptive seborrheic keratoses. They noted that the patient was in good general health but that he was being treated daily with gitalin, meclizine hydrochloride, and desiccated thyroid. No mention is made as to why he was receiving desiccated thyroid, but it may be assumed that he was suffering from hypothyroidism. Since we recently described two patients suffering from pemphigus associated with autoimmune thyroid disease,1it would be of interest to know the results of any thyroid function tests and the reason for medication with thyroid extract in their case. Accumulation of data on the association of pemphigus with thyroid dysfunction should be of value in the further study of such cases.


The 21st century has brought novel therapies and new therapeutic targets for major depressive disorder (MDD). Until recently all antidepressant medications targeted monoamines-serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine- and their regulatory systems. But growing evidence has suggested that individuals who fail to respond to a monoaminergic treatment are likely to fail to respond to other monoaminergic options. The emergence in recent years of treatment targets beyond the monoaminergic systems (e.g. κ-opioid antagonists, ketamine and other NMDA modulators, neurosteroids) has cultivated hopes for not only greater efficacy in treating depression, but also improved precision in targeting specific phenotypes and symptoms. Concurrently, an expanding repertoire of diagnostic and assessment tools-such as smartphone-based experience sampling and brain imaging-is moving the field toward more reliable and symptom-specific measurement with greater descriptive and prescriptive power. Taken together, these diagnostic tools and treatment options herald a new era of "precision psychiatry"-the selection and implementation of an optimal treatment for an individual patient's particular needs. Anhedonia offers an example of the new precision psychiatry. Anhedonia has moved from merely one among several criteria for depression to a transdiagnostic psychopathology which can be understood neurobiologically, assessed quantitatively, and centered as a primary target in research and development of novel pharmacotherapies. We describe functional testing of reward circuits in the development of kappa-opioid antagonists for anhedonia. This offers a lens for understanding how and under what circumstances other novel treatments, such as psychedelics, might find a place in the future landscape of precision psychiatric care.


Purpose of reviewLoss of body mass and exercise intolerance are common findings in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and are often difficult to reverse despite optimal nutritional intake. Similar findings have been reported in healthy individuals during high-altitude exposure. The role of hypoxia in modulating metabolism has been largely investigated in vitro and in animal studies. More fragmentary is the knowledge regarding hypoxia effects on in-vivo human metabolism. This paper reviews recent literature regarding the effects of chronic exposure to hypoxia on metabolism, particularly comparing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with humans exposed to high altitude. Recent findingsHypoxia has important metabolic effects. Many oxygen-sensitive regulatory mechanisms work through hypoxia inducible factor 1, and recent literature regarding the hypoxic stimulus and its pathological implications deals largely with hypoxia inducible factor 1-related findings. Hypoxia inducible factor 1 is pivotal in the adaptation to chronic hypoxia: it induces gene expression for fructose-2-6-biphosphatase, an enzyme switching glucose metabolism towards glycolysis, allowing energy production in anaerobic conditions. Hypoxia inducible factor 1 is also involved in the development of anorexia because it induces the promoter of the leptin gene. Particularly important for future therapeutic implications are findings related to hypoxia inducible factor 1 polymorphism and interaction with other molecules, especially estrogens, in the clinical evolution of disease. SummaryMalnutrition is a worsening factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Similarities between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and altitude exposure point to the importance of hypoxia in this regard. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms will help to find alternative therapeutic approaches.


This paper presents an algorithm for extracting underlying frequency components of massive Electroencephalogram (EEG) data. Frequency components of these data play a vital role to realize brain-body condition. Usually, a huge amount of time and specially built computers are essential to process these EEG data having different subjects. It also restricts to visualize inherent frequency of EEG for a general practitioner. An algorithm is developed using two-stage cascaded architecture of canonical correlation analysis with neural network named multiway neural canonical correlation analysis (MNCCA) to address three major challenges for extracting frequency components from EEG data, such as: (a) It processes multiway data which are feed sequentially into neural network, rather than feeding whole data at a time, (b) It uses the conventional personal computer instead of special computer built for such application, (c) It spends very short time for a moderate data set consisting of several ways (time, trials and channels). The experimental results are obtained with three different kinds of networks having linear, nonlinear and nonlinear feedback structures. The inherent dominant frequency of 1 Hz having a quite resemblance with EEG landscape has been found. This provides a great opportunity in analyzing brain-body function.


: A case of Bouveret's syndrome which later presented as a jejunal obstruction is reported. Special reference is made to the echographic findings. Bouveret's syndrome has a double-arch-shadow image in the zone of the gallbladder bed on ultrasound examination. So far, this sign has been considered specific for gallstones inside the gallbladder.


Edward Keenan coined the term "existential-have" for have-sentences containing a relational noun in object position that present a definiteness effect (DE) similar to the one in there be-sentences. We begin this paper by showing in detail that the DE in these sentences is in fact different from the one found with there be-sentences. We then explain how these contrasts reflect differences in the semantics of the two sorts of sentences that we have independently argued for in previous work. We will specifically challenge two assumptions that are frequently made about the definiteness effect in havesentences: (1) that it is related to any version of the so-called "weak"/"strong" distinction that has been used to characterize the effect in there be-sentences; and (2) that it is limited to relational nouns like handle and follows from treating such nouns as two-place predicates. Finally, we show how our account is superior to other accounts that have been offered of the definiteness effect in have-sentences.


UNLABELLED
TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR: TNF is a cytokine produced by several types of cells, but mainly by monocyte-macrophages, activated endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and joint cartilage chondrocytes. The circulating form of TNF alpha (homotrimere) is derived from its membrane form by cleavage induced by a metalloprotease called TACE. This cytokine plays a pivotal role in the inflammatory reaction in conjunction with IL-1 and IL-6. The effect of TNF alpha is mediated by two membrane receptors carried on the surface of target cells (TNF-RI p55 and TNF-RII p75) which are released into the biological fluids (synovial fluid and plasma). ARGUMENTS FOR A PATHOGENIC ROLE: Transgenic mice carrying the human gene for TNF alpha develop polyarthritis suggesting this cytokine is directly implicated in the pathogenesis. In diverse cell types in rheumatoid joints, TNF alpha and its receptors can be identified by immunohistochemistry techniques as can TNF alpha mRNA by RT-PCR.

THERAPEUTIC POSSIBILITIES
Anti-TNF alpha antibodies can effectively attenuate or prevent arthritis in the main experimental models. TNF alpha can also be neutralized with soluble receptors, TNF alpha RI or TNF alpha RII. The efficacy of these two therapeutics has been proven in rheumatoid arthritis, but with a short-term though remnant effect, leading to iterative injections and/or combinations with methotrexate. Short-term side effects are mild but the long-term infectious and oncogenic adverse effects remain to be determined. Is this simply a powerful antiinflammatory treatment or a real curative treatment? A precise examination of radiographic scores will be required to provide the answer to this question.


New conventional geothermal energy projects have not been actively promoted in Japan for the last decade because of perceptions of high relative cost, limited electricity generating potential and the high degrees of uncertainties and associated risks of subsurface development. More recently however, EGS (Enhanced Geothermal System) geothermal has been identified as a most promising method of geothermal development because of its potential applicability to a much wider range of sites, many of which have previously been considered to be unsuitable for geothermal development. Meanwhile, some critical problems with EGS technologies have been experimentally identified, such as low recovery of injected water, difficulties in establishing universal design/development methodologies, and the occurrence of induced seismicity, suggesting that there may be limitations in realizing EGS in earthquake-prone compression tectonic zones. We propose a new concept of engineered geothermal development where reservoirs are created in ductile basement. This potentially has a number of advantages including: (a) simpler design and control of the reservoir, (b) nearly full recovery of injected water, (c) sustainable production, (d) lower cost when developed in relatively shallower ductile zones in compression tectonic settings, (e) large potential quantities of energy extraction from widely distributed ductile zones, (f) the establishment of a universal design/development methodology, and (g) suppression of felt earthquakes from/around the reservoirs. To further assess the potential of EGS reservoir development in ductile zones we have initiated the "Japan Beyond-Brittle Project (JBBP)". It is intended that the first few years of the JBBP will be spent in basic scientific investigation and necessary technology development, including studies on rock mechanics in the brittle/ductile regime, characterization of ductile rock masses, development of modeling methodologies/technologies, and investigations of induced/triggered earthquakes. We expect to drill a deep experimental borehole that will penetrate the ductile zone in northeast Japan after basic studies are completed. The feasibility of EGS reservoir development in the ductile zone will then be assessed through observations and experimental results in the borehole.


Cyclosporine A is an immunosuppressive drug used after organ's transplantation. The adverse effects on such organs as kidney or liver may limit its use. Oxidative stress is proposed as one of the mechanisms of organs injury. The study was designed to elucidate CsA-induced changes in liver function, morphology, oxidative stress parameters, and mitochondria in rat's hepatocytes. Male Wistar rats were used: group A (control) receiving physiological saline, group B cyclosporine A in a dose of 15 mg/kg/day subcutaneously, and group C the CsA-vehicle (olive oil). On the 28th day rats were anesthetized. The following biochemical changes were observed in CsA-treated animals: increased levels of ALT, AST, and bilirubin in the serum, statistically significant changes in oxidative stress parameters, and lipid peroxidation products in the liver supernatants: MDA+4HAE, GSH, GSSG, caspase 3 activity, and ADP/ATP, NAD+/NADH, and NADP+/NADPH ratios. Microscopy of the liver revealed congestion, sinusoidal dilatation, and focal hepatocytes necrosis with mononuclear cell infiltration. Electron microscope revealed marked mitochondrial damage. Biochemical studies indicated that CsA treatment impairs liver function and triggers oxidative stress and redox imbalance in rats hepatocytes. Changes of oxidative stress markers parallel with mitochondrial damage suggest that these mechanisms play a crucial role in the course of CsA hepatotoxicity.


ABSTRACT Due to COVID-19, universities have shifted to offer online learning for their students from traditional face-to-face learning. Despite various efforts made by university administrators for their students' online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, not much has been identified about how students perceived online learning and what factors affected their online learning engagement and outcomes. Examining students' motivation, self-efficacy, and anxiety as key factors for their online learning engagement and outcomes, this study conducted a self-administered online survey with college students in three countries: the U.S., South Korea, and Colombia. This study used SEM to test hypotheses and conducted a multi-group analysis to find differences among students. The findings indicated that students' self-efficacy and anxiety significantly impacted their online learning engagement, influencing online learning outcomes. Although students were highly engaged in online learning, their perceived online learning was not so effective and rigorous compared to face-to-face learning.


Since 2001, there is a hot debate on Curriculum Reform of Elementary Education (CRED) in China which is called a debate between Child-centered and Rationalism. The policies of CRED adovates play-based model and since 2017 focuses on Chinese traditional culture learning. However, some people believe play is opposed to linguistic education and the moon in the west is more round than in China. Operating in the paradoxes, Chinese kindergarten teachers always are faced with dilemmas: should the teacher obey the government's guidance, or satisfy parents' English learning preference and literacy readiness oriented requirements? Few studies have examined how Chinese kindergarten teachers struggled for early literacy and linguistic education. In this article we examined twenty teachers' understandings on play-based curriculum and play-literacy relationships. Comparing with the two popular positions toward Chinese play-based linguistic curriculum reforms, Chinese kindergarten teachers tend to hold a golden means. With the professional development of the kindergarten teacher, education approaches in Chinese kindergarten education based on play and local cultures will be used more often and more extensively. Under such circumstances, the English teaching and learning at the kindergarten level is also believed very important to cultivate global citizens and Chinese national citizens.


The motion of magnetic microparticles (250μm diameter) in a circular microfluidic reactor with a diameter of 10 mm under time dependent magnetic field has been studied using CFD code COMSOL. The effect of actuation protocol on the local and average particle velocity has been investigated. The local Sh numbers were obtained as a function of angular particle position in the range of Re numbers between 0.05 and 10 while the particle velocity was changed over two orders of magnitude. Under time dependent magnetic field, the thickness of the boundary layer continuously changes which results in an increased mass transfer towards the particle surface under periodic particle velocity conditions as compared to steady state velocity conditions. A good agreement between numerical and experimental data has been observed.


AIM
Takayasu arteritis (TA) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and the degree of arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality in a variety of diseases. In addition, the levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a marker of ventricular dysfunction, have been found to be higher in patients with TA than in healthy controls. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the plasma NT-proBNP levels and arterial stiffness in patients with TA.

METHODS
Seventy-two patients with TA were recruited in this study. The participants were analyzed with respect to the NT-proBNP levels, cardiovascular risk factors, TA-related variables and arterial stiffness assessed according to the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). The patients were divided into two groups based on the mean baPWV, and the association between the NT-proBNP and baPWV values was tested using uni- and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS
Twenty-four patients (33.3%) were classified into the high-baPWV group. The body mass index (p=0.035), systolic blood pressure (p<0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p=0.001), mean blood pressure (p<0.001), plasma NT-proBNP levels (p=0.036) and total cholesterol levels (p=0.030) were significantly higher in the high-baPWV group than in the low-baPWV group. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed the mean blood pressure (p<0.001), age (p=0.002), and NT-proBNP level (p=0.002) to be independent determinants of the ba-PWV after adjusting for other confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS
The plasma NT-proBNP levels are independently associated with the degree of arterial stiffness measured according to the baPWV in patients with TA.


In synthesizing harmonious regulation with market sensitive monetary policies, regulators and central bankers can maintain global confidence and minimize systemic failure. The improvements in communications and transportation, the gains from technology and the miniaturization of the goods the world produces have fueled a growing volume of international trade. Financial institutions, in turn, have sought constantly to find more effective and efficient ways to facilitate and finance these activities, and at the same time manage the related risks. There are two clear areas of common interest which may serve as a guideline for central bankers, bank supervisors, and regulators developing compatible rules and regulations. Some of the greatest challenges to bank supervisors arise when organizations link banking activities with other financial or nonfinancial businesses. As capital markets become more important, they pose new challenges in the setting of monetary policy. Well-functioning capital markets require a sound legal and regulatory structure if investors are to have sufficient confidence to part with their funds for potentially long periods of time, especially given the impersonal nature of capital markets and the remoteness of issuers of securities from the holders of those securities. Capital markets can foster economic growth and efficiency by stimulating and mobilizing saving and thereby raising investment. In the United States, capital markets have had a major impact on banks. Capital markets may also discipline central banks in much the same way as the foreign exchange market. The central bankers may need to assess whether a large price move in the value of an asset or a group of assets is a result of economic fundamentals or whether it is bubble based on emotional reactions of market participants (or simply inadequate information). Part I discusses the importance of compatible regulatory regimes. Part II discusses two clear areas of common interest which may serve as a guideline for central bankers, bank supervisors, and regulators developing compatible rules and regulations—maintaining healthy, responsive, and financially strong banking and financial systems, and building and maintaining an adequate legal and regulatory structure. Part III identifies some of the greatest challenges to bank supervisors, namely when organizations link banking activities with other financial or nonfinancial businesses. Part IV analyzes the role of the Federal Reserve in domestic capital markets. Part V discusses why well-functioning capital markets require a sound legal and regulatory structure. Part VI outlines the general economic implications of well-functioning capital markets. Part VII focusses on the economic implications of these capital markets specifically for banks. Part VIII focusses on economic implications for monetary policy. Finally, Part IX identifies potential challenges of capital markets. INTERNATIONAL BANKING ACTIVITIES: THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK IN DOMESTIC CAPITAL MARKETS Susan M. Phillips* Alan N. Rechtschaffen**


The quantification of substrate noise is an important issue in mixed-signal designs, where sensitive analog circuits are embedded in a hostile digital environment. In this paper we present an experimental environment to characterize the sensitivity of embedded analog circuits to digitally generated substrate noise. Our measurement technique is based on equivalent-time substrate voltage sampling and uses a simple differential latch comparator without explicit input sample-and-hold. A surprisingly large measurement bandwidth is observed,which is explained from the detailed circuit behavior. On our 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS test chip,we have demonstrated that our system allows to wave trace pulses as narrow as 200 ps accurately. Additionally, the extraction of precise measurement data from observations that are excessively corrupted by additive noise and timing jitter is addressed. We present simple yet very effective methods to accurately reconstruct pulse waveform features without the use of delicate deconvolution operations.


Minorities are vulnerable populations that can often be subjected to oppression, assimilation, and discrimination within their countries. The term minorities, as used here, refer to groups that are fewer in number, non-dominant, and have characteristics than differ from the majority in a country. This study aims to analyze the Turkish minority in Bulgaria with respect to the issue of discrimination in the post-communist period, the period after 1989. The framework of discrimination was used to involve legal, economic, and cultural discrimination. As for the methodology, the study relied on in-depth interviews in Bulgaria, based on snowball sampling. In addition, relevant secondary data was also used as needed. The findings of the study show that a certain degree of progress has been made in the positions of the Turkish minority in the post-communist period, but the minority still suffers some degree of legal, economic, and cultural discriminations. Certain suggestions have also identified to overcome the issue of discrimination in concluding


The synthesis and structure of an anionic aluminabenzene, which is the first example of an aluminum-containing heterobenzene, are reported. The molecular structure of this aluminabenzene exhibits a planar six-membered ring, and the absence of any bond alternation between its unsaturated bonds is consistent with the structural criteria of aromaticity. Theoretical calculations and the NMR spectroscopic analysis of this anionic aluminabenzene furthermore suggest that, in addition to the aromatic conjugation of six π-electrons, an ambiphilic contribution from a Lewis acidic aluminum center and an anionic pentadienyl moiety are present. Due to this contribution, the aluminabenzene is able to react with Lewis bases such as 4-dimethylaminopyridine and electrophiles such as methyl iodide.


This research aimed to improve learning process and mathematics learning outcomes students of class VIII.7 SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan Hulu in the first semester academic years 2014/2015 with applied of Cooperative Learning Type Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD). The research are two cycles, each cycle has four stages, which are planning, implementation, observation, and reflection. At the end of each cycle, daily tests are carried out. Data collected through observation and tests in the form of daily tests. Observation is used to collect teacher and student activities during learning process, test is used to collect mathematic outcomes and will given in form daily test. The results show the activity of teachers and students in learning has been in line with the lesson plan. Most of the students have participated actively in the learning process that has been exercised, such as step-by-step learning, presenting student worksheets or question papers, responding a fellow classmate's presentation, and giving learning conclusions. Results of this research indicate that the application of Cooperative Learning Type Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) can improve learning process and improve the mathematics learning outcomes math class VIII.7 SMP Negeri 1 Tembilahan Hulu in the first semester academic years 2014/2015.

Keywords: Learning outcome, Cooperative learning, Student Teams Achievement Division


The energy for the free response of an axially moving string with periodic velocity profile is studied. An explicit iterative expression of the solution of partial differential equation model is presented. A condition that the solution of the system is periodic is obtained. It is shown that the energy of the system may be unbounded for some periodic velocity although the amplitude is always bounded.


The operation The Russian bank OAO "Vneshtorgbank" ("Acquirer") applied for clearance of its proposed acquisition of the entire voting capital in OAO "Promyshlenno-stroitelny bank" ("Target").…


In the recent years, mobile devices such as cell phones, notebook or ultra mobile computers and videogame
consoles are experiencing an impressive evolution in terms of hardware and software possibilities. Elements
such a wideband Internet connection allows a broad range of possibilities for creative developers. Many of
these possibilities can include applications requiring continuity of service when the user moves form a coverage
area to another.
Nowadays, mobile devices are equipped with one or more radio interfaces such as GSM, UMTS, WiMax or Wi‐
Fi. Many of these technologies are ready to allow transparent roaming within their own coverage areas, but
they are not ready to handle a service transfer between different technologies. In order to find a solution to this
issue, the IEEE has developed a standard known as Media Independent Handover (MIH) Services with the aim
of easing seamless mobility between these technologies.
The present work has been centered in developing a system capable to enable a service of mobility under the
terms specified in the stated standard. The development of a platform aiming to provide service continuity is
mandatory, being a cross‐layer solution based in elements from link and network layers supplying a transparent
roaming mechanism from user's point of view.
Two applications have been implemented in C/C++ language under a Linux environment. One application is
designed to work within a mobile device, and the other one in the network access point. The mobile device
basically consists in a notebook equipped with two Wi‐Fi interfaces, which is not a common feature in
commercial devices, allowing seamless communication transfers aided by the application. Network access
points are computers equipped with a Wi‐Fi interface and configured to provide Internet wireless access and
services of mobility.
In order to test the operation, a test‐bed has been implemented. It consists on a pair of access points
connected through a network and placed within partially overlapped coverage areas, and a mobile device, all of
them properly set. The mobile detects the networks that are compatible and gets attached to the one that
provides better conditions for the demanded service. When the service degrades up to certain level, the mobile
transfers the communication to the other access point, which offers better service conditions. Finally, in order
to check if the changes have been done properly, the duration of the required actions has been measured, as
well as the data that can have been lost or buffered meanwhile.
The result is a MIH‐alike system working in a proper way. The discovery and selection of a destination network
is correct and is done before the old connection gets too degraded, providing seamless mobility. The measured
latencies and packet losses are affordable in terms of MIH protocol, but require future work improvements in
terms of network protocols that have not been considered under the scope of this work.


There was a time when luxury was meant only for the rich. Things have changed rapidly all over the world and India is no exception to this change. It is observed today that people's buying habits do not necessarily correspond to their income, as had always been the assumption. People, who once could only desire for luxury, have now come to own it. While there is no doubt that luxury has become a lot more affordable it is quite interesting to note that the common man today indulges in luxury even when he cannot actually afford it. This paper takes a qualitative assessment route to understand the various reasons that have now connected the previously disconnected luxury products and the masses. It seeks to understand reasons, as to why masses buy luxury products and the factors that influence them. The study is specific to India and hopes to provide insights about the changing Indian consumer. It was interesting to note that there were both personal and social reasons for the masses attempting to indulge in luxury.


Financial stability depends critically on the two-way interaction between banks and governments. Sovereign creditworthiness represents the ultimate source of insurance for the fi nancial system and provides a solid basis for the pricing of assets, by supplying a risk-free security. A sound banking sector ensures the smooth fl ow of credit to the economy as well as solid revenue and fi nancing for the government. Weakness in either sector can give rise to a vicious circle of uncertainty and distress with highly damaging consequences for the economy. An interconnected global economy means that problems can propagate across borders. The policy recommendation is simple: appropriate buffers should be built in good times to cushion the impact of bad times. Fiscal buffers support the risk-free status of sovereign debt, while capital and liquidity buffers underpin the soundness of the fi nancial system.


This study discussed activating Balanced Scorecard (BScs) importance as a way to improve the Accounting Education in Jordanian Universities. Data analysis was conducted using multiple regression models, a sample 134 academic staff in the Accounting departments and Managers in Jordanian Universities. The findings of regressions indicated that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between activating of BScs and improve Accounting Education, where a asserted that financial indicators, students, internal processes, learning's and innovation contribute in performance success of accounting education, in terms of activating internal controls of all revenues and expenditures, and achievement principle of operational efficiency. It also emphasized to pay attention to students, and on providing academic services, and provide students with intellectual skills, personal, ethical, and communication with others, also surveying students, accepts complaints, continuous communication with students after graduation, meeting admission requirements for accounting students. The study also concluded that supporting scientific research culture for academics, paying attention to quality standards that deal with education and updating technology means related to teaching processes.


Significant wave height (SWH) data from six altimeter missions are analyzed to investigate the large scale and regional features of wave height over a fifteen year period. First, the long time series of TOPEX-Jason measurements over the same ground track network are used to construct seasonal maps of long term mean value and standard deviation of SWH. These maps reveal SWH features associated for instance with meteorological characteristics as in the Trade Winds, or with wave current interactions as in Gulf Stream and Agulhas currents. Second, the possibility of constructing virtual buoy measurements using multi-altimeter mission data is investigated. The goal being to estimate monthly SWH characteristic time series in any oceanic location, particularly where very few in situ measurements are available or where wave model outputs are not always reliable.


In the present study, the compatibility and degradability of L-tyrosine derived polycarbonate(PC)/Chitosan(CTS)blend were investigated. The PC was synthesized in our laboratory. Blends of the polymers with compositions 4/1, 3/1, 1/1,1/3 and 1/4 w/w were prepared by solution-casting. The blends were characterized by FT-IR,DSC,XRD,SEM. No obvious two phases were observed. DSC and SEM analysis implied that all those components in consideration were compatible well in the blend formulation systems.Tg of the blends decreased with increasing PEG content. With the increase of the CTS content, the water retention ratio increases from 15% to 61%.


OBJECTIVE
The transfer of the obstetric patient to the intensive care unit is considered as an indicator of maternal morbidity. The most important two indications for admittance of the obstetric patient to the intensive care unit are postpartum hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine maternal morbidity and mortality rates in patients diagnosed with hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome who required intensive care.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The charts of 34 patients who were diagnosed with HELLP syndrome and treated in intensive care unit between the years 2005 - 2013 were evaluated retrospectively.

RESULTS
During the study period, a total of 151 patients were diagnosed with HELLP syndrome and 34 patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. Mean age of the patients was 28.97 ± 7.26 years and there was no significant difference be- tween survivors and non-survivors (p = 0.442). There were no significant differences between survivors and non-survivors in terms of gestational age, parity, and multiparity rates (p > 0.05). There was 31.2% mortal cases and 77.8% of living cases had received regular antenatal follow-up and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.006). 30 patients (88.2%) required invasive mechanical ven- tilation. The average Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of patients was 6.47 ± 4.34. There were significant differences between patients who lived and who died in terms of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (p < 0.05). Twenty-two patients (64.7%) required transfusion of blood and blood products. Maternal mortality occurred in 16 patients (47%). The causes of death were: intracerebral hemorrhage in six cases, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in three cases, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in three\cases, sepsis/multi- ple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in two cases, hepatic rupture in one case, and massive pulmonary embolism in one case. Con- clusion: HELLP syndrome is still one of the most serious and life-threatening complications of pregnancy. Mortality rate can be reduced by regular antenatal follow-up and transfer of pregnant women who carry risk to the intensive care unit without delay.


Methyl mercury (MeHg) is a neurotoxicant with adverse effects on the development of the nervous system from fish to man. Despite a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which MeHg affects cellular homeostasis, it is still not clear how MeHg causes developmental neurotoxicity. We performed here a genome-wide transcriptional analysis of MeHg-exposed zebrafish embryos and combined this with a whole-mount in situ expression analysis of 88 MeHg-affected genes. The majority of the analyzed genes showed tissue- and region-restricted responses in various organs and tissues. The genes were linked to gene ontology terms like oxidative stress, transport and cell protection. Areas even within the central nervous system (CNS) are affected differently resulting in distinct cellular stress responses. Our study revealed an unexpected heterogeneity in gene responses to MeHg exposure in different tissues and neuronal subregions, even though the known molecular action of MeHg would predict a similar burden of exposed cells. The overall structure of the developing brain of MeHg-exposed embryos appeared normal, suggesting that the mechanism leading to differentiation of the CNS is not overtly affected by exposure to MeHg. We propose that MeHg disturbs the function of the CNS by disturbing the cellular homeostasis. As these cellular stress responses comprise genes that are also involved in normal neuronal activity and learning, MeHg may affect the developing CNS in a subtle manner that manifests itself in behavioral deficits.


— Cancer is the most important cause of death for both men and women. The early location of malignant growth can be useful in curing the sickness totally. A disease that is usually incorrectly diagnosed is lung cancer. Prior analysis of Lung Cancer spares huge lives, coming up short which may prompt other extreme issues causing abrupt deadly end. Its cure rate and prediction depends chiefly on the early identification and finding of the ailment. A standout amongst the most widely recognized types of restorative acts of neglect all around is a blunder in determination. Significant information can be found from utilization of AI procedures in medicinal services framework. In this paper, we quickly look at the potential utilization of characterization based AI methods, for example, Random Forest, Naïve Bayes and k- Nearest Neighbor to a huge volume of healthcare dataset. Information mining strategies, for example, feature extraction and feature selection have been utilized to remove data and distinguish designs and foresee patterns from huge informational collections. Utilizing conventional lung malignancy side effects, for example, age, sex, Wheezing, Shortness of breath, Pain in shoulder, chest, arm, we can anticipate the probability of patients getting a lung malignant growth malady. Point of the paper is to propose a model for early recognition and right analysis of the ailment which will help the specialist in sparing the life of the patient.


Measurements of the anisotropy energy constants of rare-earth-transition-metal (RE-TM) thin films at temperatures from ambient to 150 degrees C are reported. An in-plane magnetic field (up to 16.5 kOe) is applied to a saturated sample with perpendicular magnetization. The movement of magnetization away from the perpendicular direction is monitored using the polar Kerr effect. Due to the limited penetration depth of light at the He-Ne wavelength of 632.8 nm, the Kerr effect is principally due to the top 500 AA of the transition metal subnetwork in the films. >


In this paper, I present a new account of morphological optionality in reduplication. I claim that apparent cases of free variation in certain patterns of reduplication are not solely the result of conditions on phonological output representations, but rather stem from a combination of syntactic, post-syntactic, and phonological conditions. The data below illustrate the fact that some languages allow multiple possibilities with respect to which morphemes are copied during reduplication. For example, in Tagalog, the locus of reduplication may vary within a specific domain of morphemes (TRANS = transitive; CAUS = causative):


Internal parasitism inevitability prompts economic loss in beef cattle production by decreasing growth performance and reproductive traits. Previous studies have conflicting results on the macrocyclic lactones (ML) efficacy against internal parasitism. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of milbeymycin and avermectin sub groups of ML on cow performance. Multiparous fall calving, crossbred beef cows (n = 106) were allocated randomly to 1 of 3 anthelmintic treatments: 1) Negative control (CON), in which cows did not receive an anthelmintic, 2) Injectable moxidectin (MOX) and 3) Injectable extended release eprinomectin (ERE). Body weights (BW), body condition scores (BCS), and fecal egg counts (FEC) were taken throughout the duration of the calving season to weaning on d0, d80, d162, and d217, with weaning occurring on d217. Performance data were analyzed using the MIXED procedures of SAS, and pregnancy data were analyzed using the GENMOD procedures of SAS. Significance was fixed at P < 0.05 and tendencies were established from 0.05 ≤ P ≤ 0.10. There was no effect of anthelmintic treatment on cow BW (P ≥ 0.57) or cow BCS (P ≥ 0.22) during the 217 d study; however, CON cows tended to have lower BCS (P = 0.08) throughout the duration of the study. Cows treated with ERE had fewer FEC compared to MOX and CON groups (P ≤ 0.001), and tended to improve pregnancy rates (c2 = 0.0546). Calf weaning weight was similar among treatments averaging 216, 225, and 223 kg regarding CON, MOX, and ERE cow treatments, respectively.


In this paper we demonstrate that many image processing and pattern formation effects of the simple Cellular Neural Network can be understood by means of a common approach. Hy examining t lie dynamics in the frequency domain, when all CNN cells are in the linear region, the mechanisms for IIR spatial filtering, pattern formation, morphogenesis, and synergetics can be shown to be present, even though each cell has only first order dynamics. In addition, the method allows many of the standard CNN templates, such as the nonlinear 'averaging', 'halftoning', and 'diffusion' templates to be explained in a new light. Through many examples, it is shown how generalizations of these templates can be used to design linear and nonlinear filters for image processing tasks such as low-pass filtering, time-varying spatial filtering, and fingerprint enhancement.