This study, conducted at Jardinocultura area of Faculdade de Ciencias Agrarias of UFGD during the period from September of 2010 to August of 2011, had as aim evaluate the cultivation and flowering of Dendrobium nobile Lindl., under five levels of luminosity (83, 104, 115, 154 e 237 μmol m-2 s-1) . During 12 months the plants were irrigated and fertilized with NPK 10-10-10 and after this period they were evaluated for the number, length and diameter of pseudobulbs, being calculated the increments in relation to initial data. At flowering time it was counted the total buds, reproductive buds, vegetative buds and undifferentiated buds and registered the anthesis at each light intensity. The experimental was arranged at completely randomized design with five treatments and seven replicates with two plants and the averages were compared by Tukey test at 5% probability. All the lighting conditions were favorable to the D. nobile cultivation, being registered increases of 36,7%, 16,0% e 16,2% in the number, diameter and length of pseudobulbs, respectively. The largest number of reproductive buds was observed at 104 μmol m-2 s-1. D. nobile can be cultivated in the light conditions varying between 83 and 237 μmol m-2 s-1, recommending the luminosity of 104 μmol m-2 s-1 to promote their flowering.


Background Inaccessibility of inflammation compartmentalised to the CNS may underlie the lack of effectiveness of immunomodulatory treatments in progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS), turning its treatment into a challenge for researches. Intrathecal rituximab (IT-RTX) is a new treatment option which has shown promising results in clinical trials but clinical experience is limited.1 Purpose Case report of the use and outcomes in 3 patients with PMS treated with IT-RTX in a tertiary hospital. Material and methods 3 cases of PMS are reported: patient A (man), patient B (man) and patient C (woman) aged 44, 48 and 42 years, respectively. All patients were treated with IT-RTX. Effectiveness and safety of IT-RTX were evaluated. Demographic and clinical data were collected from patients' electronic medical records. All patients started IT-RTX treatment following a compassionate use clinical study protocol, after hospital approval and informed consent was obtained. Results All patients received weekly 25 mg doses of IT-RTX, over a 3 week period. Patient B also received a fourth dose of 25 mg 8 months after the first dose. Flow cytometry was performed on peripheral blood (table), revealing a remarkable effect on peripheral B lymphocytes CD45 and CD19, with undetectable levels of CD19. Similar depletion was observed with peripheral B lymphocytes CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD16+CD56. This effect was maintained over time, rising again after several months without treatment. No changes in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) were observed (table), except for patient B, who developed a slight improvement. The treatment was well tolerated, although patient B suffered a fever episode after the first dose and patient C died from massive pulmonary embolism, a rare RTX related complication, 5 months after finishing treatment. No ADM Patient A Patient B Patient C CD45 I 1045 II 2285 III 1114 1014 1517 * 1579 1175 1901 CD19 I 123 II 5 III 0 0 0 * 37 84 1 EDSS-pre 8.5 6.5 6.5 EDSS-post 8.5 6.0 6.5 *Post-treatment analysis: 5 months (patient A), 6 months (patient B), 2 months (patient C) after the last dose. Conclusion In our patients, IT-RTX showed limited effectiveness, with disease stabilisation (similar EDSS) and depletion of peripheral B lymphocytes (especially CD19). Although the treatment was well tolerated, a rare and severe adverse event was reported. References and/or acknowledgements 1. Svenningsson. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm2015;2:e79. No conflict of interest


. This paper describes a low-cost approach to performing automatic performance measurements on data acquisition modules and systems employed in physics research. A versatile programmable CAMAC pulse generator is described which produces accurately timed repetitive logic pulses whose width and repetition rate are set by software. The variable rate is useful in determining the performance of data acquisition systems over a wide range of data rates, while the variable width may be used in the automatic measurement of the characteristics of modules such as time-to-digital converters (TDCS). Using a time-to-amplitude converter (TAC), this width can be converted into a variable amplitude for testing analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) modules. Hardware and software aspects are described. Typical applications are discussed including automated performance measurements on a VAX 11/785 data acquisition system and on a TAC~ADC combination.


Based on recent on visual support for memory in the elderly, a simple mnemonic was developed. Respondents retained a visually distinctive plastic plate in a prominent place in their homes, and used it as a base for items to be recalled and for reminder notes of future activities. Specific instructions were given for the use of the plate and notes. In two experiments, this system was shown to reduce the frequency of everyday memory.


Context: Aquatic organisms (especially fish) require potent defense mechanisms to protect themselves against pathogen invasion and disease formation. The use of immunostimulants in fish culture can prevent the diseases through augmentation of both specific and non-specific immunity. Objective: A study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of different dietary doses of Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Corr. Serr. (Rutaceae) leaf extract for the immune response and the disease resistance of the freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio Linn. (Cyprinidae) infected by Aeromonas hydrophila Chester (Aeromonadaceae). Materials and Methodology: Hematological, specific immune response, non-specific immune response and enzyme assay studies were performed on fish and were scrutinized after 50 days of feeding trial. Results: Fish were challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila at a dose of 1.5 × 104 cells/mL through intraperitoneal injection, and the hematological changes, the immune response, the enzyme activity and the disease resistance of Cyprinus carpio against the pathogen were also studied for 20 days at 5-day intervals. Discussion: The results obtained from the study demonstrated that the fish fed with leaf extract of Aegle marmelos incorporated into feed significantly enhanced the red blood cell count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, phagocytic activity, nitroblue tetrazolium chloride assay, lysozyme, pathogen clearance and enzyme activity compared with the control group. The survivability was higher in the fish which consumed leaf extract-incorporated feed, and the fish group fed with 5 g diet showed highest percentage survival of the fish. Conclusion: These results indicate that Aegle marmelos stimulates the immunity and makes the freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio more resistant to Aeromonas hydrophila.


Apis mellifera bees obtain propolis by adding wax and salivary secretions to resinous, gummy or balsamic materials collected from various plant sources. Its chemical composition depends on many factors (type of bee, flora accessed, environment, management, season, vegetation and geographical area of collection). In the hive, the bees use propolis to consolidate structural components, varnish inside the cells and prevent vibrations. Propolis is known for its antibacterial, fungicidal, antiviral, anesthetic, antiulcer, immunostimulating, hypotensive, cytostatic, and antioxidant properties, the essential oil of Apis mellifera propolis, collected in Falcon state, was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger trap (0.06% yield). The oil was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC / MS) in an HP GC-MS System Model 5973. Twentythree compounds were identified (93.6%), of which the three major compounds were germacrene D (26.5%), ?-caryophyllene (10.2%) and ?-elemene (8.1%).


This article considers a family of steady multipolar planar vortices, which are the superposition of an axisymmetric mean flow, and an azimuthal disturbance in the context of inviscid, incompressible flow. This configuration leads to strongly nonlinear critical layers where the angular velocities of the mean flow and the disturbance are comparable. The poles located on the same critical radius possess the same uniform vorticity, whose weak amplitude is of the same order as the azimuthal disturbance. This problem is examined through aperturbation expansion in which relevant nonlinear terms are retained in the critical layer equations, while viscosity is neglected. In particular, the associated singularity at the meeting point of the separatrices is treated by employing appropriate re-scaled variables. Matched asymptotic expansions are then used to obtain a complete analytical description of these vortices.


Four commercially available non-particulate antacid preparations were titrated against 1M hydrochloric acid to assess buffering capacity as compared to 30 ml 0.3M sodium citrate solution. All antacids were used in the manufacturers "unit dose". All antacids tested demonstrated some in vitro buffering capacity, and "Eno" (Reckitt and Colman) had a buffering capacity similar to that of sodium citrate. The retail cost per unit dose was established for each proprietary antacid and for sodium citrate. It was concluded that while proprietary antacids are cheaper per dose than sodium citrate, preparations differ in their acid-neutralising capacity.


Aim: To establish whether there are different clinical entities of primary pulmonary choriocarcinoma (PPC) that deserve different diagnostic approach and the most optimal treatment of PPC. Patients and methods: A systematic review with PubMed search was conducted to identify studies that reported cases of PPC. Results: Women with history of gestational event showed better survival outcome than women without the history of gestational event (p=0,040). Patients treated with combination of surgery and chemotherapy survived longer than the patients without combination of surgery and chemotherapty (p=0,010). Futhermore, multivariate analysis of prognostic factors showed that the treatment combining surgery with chemotherapy had independent prognostic significance (p=0,031). Conclusion: PPC is an extreme rarity with variable clinical characteristics and outcome. Women with history of gestational event showed better survival, therefore genetic examination of PPC can help us to predict patient's prognosis. Surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy appears to represent the best treatment for PPC.


Recent studies show that glutamate transporter-mediated currents occur in astrocytes when glutamate is released from hippocampal synapses. These transporters remove excess glutamate from the extracellular space, thereby facilitating synaptic input specificity and preventing neurotoxicity. Little is known about the position of astrocytic processes at hippocampal synapses. Serial electron microscopy and three-dimensional analyses were used to investigate structural relationships between astrocytes and synapses in stratum radiatum of hippocampal area CA1 in the mature rat in vivo and in slices. Only 57 ± 11% of the synapses had astrocytic processes apposed to them. Of these, the astrocytic processes surrounded less than half (0.43 ± 22) of the synaptic interface. Other studies suggest that astrocytes extend processes toward higher concentrations of glutamate; thus the presence of astrocytic processes at particular hippocampal synapses might signal which ones are releasing glutamate. The distance between nearest neighboring synapses was usually (∼95%) <1 μm. Astrocytic processes occurred along the extracellular path between 33% of the neighboring synapses, neuronal processes occurred along the path between another 66% of the neighboring synapses, and only 1% of the synapses were close enough such that neither astrocytic nor neuronal processes occurred between them. These morphological arrangements suggest that the glutamate released at approximately two-thirds of hippocampal synapses might diffuse to other synapses, unless neuronal glutamate transporters are more effective than previously reported. The findings also suggest that physiological recordings made from hippocampal astrocytes do not uniformly sample the glutamate released from all hippocampal synapses.


Most organisms require dioxygen (O2) to survive; however, simple O2 diffusion in blood does not supply a sufficient amount of oxygen for respiration. Thus, in all mammals, O2 is carried and stored by O2-binding heme proteins, myoglobin, and hemoglobin. Myoglobin is a single-chain globular protein with heme as a prosthetic group, while hemoglobin consists of four heme-containing subunits. O2 binds to ferrous pentacoordinated heme-iron and is stabilized by distal and proximal amino acid residues in the heme pocket. The O2 pathway in the protein matrix and the binding mechanisms are discussed in detail by O2-binding kinetic data for a series of myoglobin and hemoglobin mutants. Particularly, several residues, B10, E7, E10, E11, F7, and F8, mainly regulate the O2 binding in the vertebrate heme proteins. In contrast, invertebrate and plant hemoglobins with unusually high O2 affinities have been found in nature. In Ascaris hemoglobin, O2 dissociation is very slow, whereas leghemoglobin shows a large O2 association rate constant. In the case of trematode hemoglobin from Paramphistonum epiclitum, both kinetic parameters are improved. Artificial molecular design to modify O2 affinity is another way to understand the O2 binding mechanisms of the heme proteins. The strategy of heme protein modification can be divided into at least two approaches: One is a point mutation at distal or proximal amino acid residues, and the other is reconstitution by replacement of the native heme with an artificial heme. The physiological function of vertebrate hemoglobins is O2 transport from the lungs or gills to the tissues; thus, they are required to exhibit cooperative interactions in binding O2 to heme-iron in the protein matrix. Although it is well known that a Hill coefficient of approximately 3.0 has been observed for tetrameric human hemoglobin, the mechanism of allosteric interaction is still discussed based on theoretical and experimental data. At present, an a two-state (MWC) model proposed by Monod, Wyman, and Changeux for cooperative ligand binding is preferred to a sequential model. In addition, a study on the allosteric effectors for hemoglobins seems to be attractive from physiological aspects. The conventional effectors such as organic polyphosphate for human hemoglobin reduce the O2 affinity of the T-state, while it has been found that bezafibrate (BZF) or inositol hexaphosphate (IHP) can regulate O2 binding not only for the T-state but also for the R-state. Finally, the interaction of NO with the heme proteins and modification of myoglobin for conversion into a new oxidase are briefly described.

Keywords:

heme protein;
iron-porphyrin;
myoglobin;
hemoglobin;
dioxygen binding;
autoxidation;
allosteric effect;
reconstitution;
nitric oxide binding;
carbon monoxide binding;
effector


Previous research has shown that a touch or haptic element attached to a persuasive appeal can increase persuasion, particularly for individuals who have a clear preference for touch to enjoy its sensory feedback (high autotelics). This research extends previous work by including involvement in the context of an appeal by a nonprofit. We find, in an experiment where we manipulate involvement, that when a haptic element is present, high autotelics are more persuaded regardless of their involvement with the message. However, for low autotelics, a haptic element increases persuasion under conditions of low versus high involvement with the message. A second experiment measures involvement and finds that again, under low involvement conditions, both high and low autotelics are persuaded by a touch element. Finally, a field study with a local symphony orchestra is conducted in which involvement with the message is low but involvement with the company is high. In this case, a touch element is only persuasive for high autotelics. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


The dynamic facility layout problem is a really critical issue in the competitive industrial market; thus, solving this problem requires robust design and effective simulation systems. The sustainable simulation requires inputting reliable and accurate data into the system. So this paper describes an automated system integrated into the real environment to measure the duration of the material handling operations, collect the data in real-time, and determine the variances between the actual and estimated time schedule of the operations in order to update the simulation software and redesign the facility layout periodically. The automated methodtime measurement system collects the real data through using Radio Frequency-Identification (RFID) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Hence, attaching RFIDantenna reader and RFID tags enables the system to identify the location of the objects and gathering the time data. The real duration gathered will be manipulated by calculating the moving average duration of the material handling operations, choosing the shortest material handling path, and then updating the simulation software to redesign the facility layout accommodating with the shortest/real operation schedule. The periodic simulation in real-time is more sustainable and reliable than the simulation system relying on an analysis of historical data. The case study of this methodology is in cooperation with a workshop team for producing mechanical parts. Although there are some technical limitations, this methodology is promising, and it can be significantly useful in the redesigning of the manufacturing layout. Keywords—Dynamic facility layout problem, internet of things, method time measurement, radio frequency identification, simulation.


It is commonly supposed that democracies should encourage greater political participation and civic engagement. This article identifies two distinct perspectives on political participation and civic engagement: a 'freedom-centred' model and an 'ethical' model. The 'freedom-centred' model defended here draws on the republican concept of freedom as non-domination, together with the political liberal notion of fair deliberative proceduralism, while the ethical model draws on Aristotelian, perfectionist, sources. It is argued that the 'ethical' model is overly concerned with the 'moral renewal' of modern social life, and is insensitive to problems of domination posed by its account of civic reciprocity and trust. By contrast, the 'freedom-centred' model developed offers a systematic account of personal and political freedom, which provides qualified support for deliberative modes of participation and engagement.


Sexual contact is the major mode of HIV transmission. Increased sexual risk taking has been described in HIV-infected individuals receiving potent antiretroviral therapy. A new questionnaire on sexual behavior was introduced into the Swiss HIV Cohort Study on April 1, 2000. We evaluated sexual behavior in all individuals who completed the questionnaire for the first time within 1 year after its introduction. Our primary hypothesis was that self-reported unsafe sexual behavior would be more prevalent among individuals with optimal viral suppression. On April 1, 2000, 4948 individuals were registered in the study, and 4723 (95%) completed the questionnaire. Of these individuals, 12% reported unsafe sex, 78% received antiretroviral therapy, and 25% had optimal viral suppression (HIV RNA level always <50 copies/mL during the preceding 12 months). During the preceding 6 months, 55% of individuals had stable and 19% had occasional partners, and 6% had both types of partners. Sexual intercourse was reported by 82% of individuals with stable and 87% of individuals with occasional partners, and of those reporting sexual intercourse in each group, 76% and 86%, respectively, said that they always used condoms. After adjustment for covariates, reported unsafe sex was not associated with optimal viral suppression (odds ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.81-1.33) or antiretroviral therapy (odds ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-1.07), but it was associated with gender, age, ethnicity, HIV transmission group, HIV status of partner, having occasional partners, and living alone. There is no evidence that self-reported unsafe sexual behavior is more prevalent among HIV-infected individuals with optimal viral suppression. However, unsafe sex is associated with other factors.


This paper presents the study of the addition of the polyaniline polymer (PANI), at the junction of the cadmium telluride and cadmium sulfide (CdTe/CdS) layers in order to improve the contact between the layers, to decrease the air gap that limit the conversion photovoltaic. The morphology of CdS, CdTe and polyaniline (PANI) were characterized with multiple techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical absorption. The Metrohm Autolab LED Driver Kit system was used for data collection, and it was possible to obtain the current and voltage parameters of the cells. The inclusion of PANI thin film in CdS/CdTe hybrid solar cells increases the energy conversion efficiency from 0.0075% to 0.15%, this gives a 20-fold increase in efficiency.


Reaction of [IrCl((S)-binap)(PPh3)] ((S)-3) with methanol gave one of the diastereomers of the cis,mer-dihydride, cis,mer-OC-6-44-A-[IrCl(H2)((S)-binap)(PPh3)] ((S)-4a) stereoselectively, the structure of which was determined crystallographically, whereas the reaction of (S)-3 with H2 produced a 1:1 mixture of the diastereomers of the cis,mer-dihydride, (S)-4a and cis,mer-OC-6-44-C-[IrCl(H2)((S)-binap)(PPh3)] ((S)-4b).


The article analyzes the factors caused by the threat of spreading the coronavirus infection COVID-19 and introducing the martial law in Ukraine which affect the state of the vocational education. Taking into account the modern challenges and problems based on the analisys of the legislation the main directions of the vocational education development were determined. In particular, improving qualifications and professional development of teachers' staff, enriching material and technical base of the vocational education institutions and educational programmes as well. Trendwatching of the modern labour market made it possible to single out its main trends: a change in the structure of employment, primarily an increase in the variability of employment; lifelong learning; automation and robotics; age diversity; forming hard skills, soft skills, digital skills; multipotentiality, background, interdisciplinarity. In order to solve the urgent problems and ensure the reorientation of the vocational training of qualified workers and improving its quality, special measures were suggested, including participating in the projects financed from the EU funds; developing educational modules and special courses for promoting lifelong professional development of teachers, improving educational programmes to enable improvement of the material and technical base of the vocational education institutions and professional development of teachers.


Abstract A detailed investigation of air-pressure micro-oscillations of periods less than one minute, as recorded by the Macelwane electromagnetic microbarographs at Florissant, Missouri, and Ottawa, Canada, shows that a definite relationship exists between these oscillations and the concurrent synoptic pattern. The typical time sequence, with relative amplitudes, of atmospheric micro-oscillations characteristic of certain synoptic patterns is as follows: (1) small-amplitude oscillations occurring concurrently with an extensive surface high-pressure area, (2) a transition activity of medium amplitude accompanying the flow on the back, or trailing, side of a high, and (3) a period of relative quiescence occurring during the time of passage of a cold front, with maximum-amplitude oscillations existing for a relatively short period of time immediately prior to this in the pre-cold-front interval and for an extended period in the post-cold-front interval. It is shown that high-velocity flows of cold air are m...


Two kinds of biomembrane mimetic polymers P(MPC-co-SMA) and P(MPC-SMA-TSMA) were synthesized with acrylate monomers 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), stearyl methacrylate (SMA) and 3-(methacryloyloxy) propyltrimethoxysilane (TSMA) by free radical copolymerization in solution with AIBN as initiator. The phosphorylcholine containing copolymers were dip-coated on cover glasses. The hydrophilicity, stability and surface structure of the coatings were measured by dynamic contact angles (DCA) in water. It was found that the coating surfaces were amphiphilic. The P(MPC-SMA-TSMA) coating was more stable than the P(MPC-co-SMA) one in aqueous environment due to crosslinking and grafting. The biocompatibility of the coatings was evaluated by platelet adhesion and protein adsorption. The copolymer P(MPC-SMA-TSMA) can be simply coated on a surface to fabricate a stable biomimetic coating with excellent hemocompatibility.


abstract:This paper explores how Marianne Moore's reputation as a poet with intellectual precision, which began with her first publications, has obscured some of the emergent features of her early work that culminate in her 1920s long poems "Sea Unicorns and Land Unicorns," "An Octopus," and "Marriage." Moore's precision is achieved through incremental, temporalized processes on the levels of individual poems (through the use of "chromatic" forms such as lists, catalogs, and inventories), groupings or series of poems (through the use of editorial acts of selection, arrangement, and ordering), and in her oeuvre as a whole.


ECMO is the process of prolonged extracorporeal circulation in the treatment of respiratory and cardiovascular failure not responding to conventional therapy in neonates and children. Basic principles and techniques are discussed. After training ECMO on dogs ECMO was successfully introduced in clinical practice in Slovenia in 1994.


Using an all-fiber laser system consisting of a femtosecond Er/Yb fiber oscillator as the pump and an ultra-highly nonlinear fiber for Stokes generation, we demonstrate multimodal (TPF+SHG+CARS) non-linear optical microscopy of both tissue samples and live cells. Multimodal imaging was successfully performed with pixel dwell times as short as 4 micros at low laser powers (< 40 mW total).


In this paper, we follow up on previous findings concerning first language (L1) perceptual attrition to examine the role of phoneme frequency in influencing variation across L1 contrasts. We hypothesized that maintenance of L1 Korean contrasts (i.e., resistance to attrition) in L1 Korean-L2 English bilinguals would be correlated with frequency, such that better-maintained contrasts would also be more frequent in the L1. To explore this hypothesis, we collected frequency data on three Korean contrasts (/n/-/l/, /t/-/t*/, /s/-/s*/) and compared these data to perceptual attrition data from a speeded sequence recall task testing the perception and phonological encoding of the target contrasts. Results only partially supported the hypothesis. On the one hand, /n/-/l/, the best-maintained contrast, was the most frequent contrast overall. On the other hand, /n/-/l/ also evinced the greatest frequency asymmetry between the two members of the contrast (meaning that it was the least important to perceive accurately); furthermore, /s/-/s*/, which was less well maintained than /t/-/t*/, was actually more frequent than /t/-/t*/. These results suggest that disparities in perceptual attrition across contrasts cannot be attributed entirely to frequency differences. We discuss the implications of the findings for future research examining frequency effects in L1 perceptual change.


Objective To establish an improved animal model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture(CLP). Methods Ninety-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group(n=24),intubation group(n=24),CLP group(n=24),and CLP+intubation group(n=24).The mortality rate,abdominal cavity condition,pathological changes and pathological scores of heart,lungs,liver,and kidneys of rats in each group were observed after modeling.Blood samples were obtained from the inferior vena cava for measuring the whole blood cells(WBC)and platelets(PLT)counts and analyzing serum interleukin(IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,serum troponin T(cTnT),creatine kinase-MB(CK-MB),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),total bilirubin(TBIL),creatinine(CREA),and blood urea nitrogen(BUN)levels.Blood gas analysis of the aorta was also performed. Results The mortality rates 24 h after modeling were 0 in sham operation group and intubation group,20.8% in CLP group,and 54.2% in CLP+intubation group.Pathologically,swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration in the heart,lungs,liver,and kidneys were seen in the CLP+intubation group,inflammatory cell infiltration in a single organ was seen in most rats in the CLP group,and no obvious swelling and infiltration of inflammatory cells was observed in the sham-operation group and intubation group.The myocardial histopathology score,lung tissue injury pathology score,and kidney tissue injury pathology score in both the sham-operation group and the intubation group were significantly lower than those in the CLP group and the CLP+intubation group(all P=0.000).TNF-α,PaO2,CK-MB,cTnT,AST,TBIL,BUN,and CREA were significantly different between sham-operation group and intubation group/CLP group/CLP+intubation group and between intubation group and CLP group/CLP+intubation group(all P=0.000).The pH level was significantly different between sham operation group and intubation group/CLP group,between intubation group and CLP group/CLP+intubate group(all P=0.000). Conclusions Although both CLP and CLP+intubation can well mimic the pathophysiological mechanism of sepsis in rats,multiple organ dysfunction occurs in the latter.Thus,CLP+intubation can establish animal models of multiple organ dysfunction caused by sepsis induced by clinically effective abdominal infection.


Homology-based invariants can be used to characterize the geometry of datasets and thereby gain some understanding of the processes generating those datasets. In this work we investigate how the geometry of a dataset changes when it is subsampled in various ways. In our framework the dataset serves as a reference object; we then consider different points in the ambient space and endow them with a geometry defined in relation to the reference object, for instance by subsampling the dataset proportionally to the distance between its elements and the point under consideration. We illustrate how this process can be used to extract rich geometrical information, allowing for example to classify points coming from different data distributions.


The factors that affect the adoption of B2B electronic marketplaces as innovations are investigated through a case study of AuctionsPlus, an electronic marketplace in the Australian beef industry. Two theories help to explain the relatively slow adoption of this system. Kambil and van Heck's model of exchange processes offers a primarily economic view at the level of key stakeholder groups. Rogers's diffusion theory gives a more social view, at the level of the individual stakeholder. Key stakeholder groups do not appear to be substantially worse off with AuctionsPlus from an economic exchange process standpoint. Consideration of the social and political dimensions of electronic marketplaces adds further insight. Loss of social capital, the nature of communication channels, time taken to reach critical mass, and the power of one group originally not recognized as a key player (the stock and station agent intermediaries) all appear to be important influences. Based on these factors, testable propositions are developed and discussed, producing a set of critical issues for the design of electronic B2B markets.


The Building Information Modelling (BIM) software enables the users to communicate and design, understand appearance, performance and cost in the spatial and urban design process. Another important use of the BIM technology is the documentation and 3D reconstruction of cultural heritage monuments. The appropriate BIM software equips the users with tools to easily capture and analyse concepts and maintain the coordination of design data through documentation and 3D modelling. Many developments come up in the BIM field and software industry for design, construction-reconstruction, restoration and management of the cultural heritage 3D models, using BIM tools; mainly commercial as well as free or open source. Nevertheless, recently the growing popularity of open source has altered the landscape in software industry, as they attract many users. This paper presents a review of some recent research on the topic. We review the recent developments focusing on the OSS that can be used at various stages of BIM process in the digital documentation of cultural heritage. The results show that there is more preference in the commercial software due to the fact that the OSS is not yet complete and covers all stages of the BIM process. However, lately we have the Edificius in architectural BIM design and "BIM Vision" as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) model viewer that try to attract as many users as possible. These tools are free and they could well be used for the digital reconstruction of cultural heritage.


Background: Severe indirect hyperbilirubinemia is a silent cause of newborn disease and death worldwide. However, studies of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa are highly variable with respect to its prevalence. Hence, this study aimed to estimate the overall magnitude of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and its association with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (GP6D) deficiency and blood type incompatibility in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Review were systematically searched online to retrieve hyperbilirubinemia-related articles. All observational studies reported the prevalence of hyperbilirubinemia in sub-Saharan Africa were included for analysis and excluded if the study failed to determine the desired outcome. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Heterogeneity across the included studies was evaluated using the inconsistency index (I2). Publication bias was examined by funnel plot and the Egger's regression test. The random-effect model was fitted to estimate the pooled prevalence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia among patients in Sub Saharan Africa. The meta-analysis was performed using the STATA™ version 14 software.Results: A total of 30,486 studies were collected from the different databases and 10 articles were included for the final analysis. The overall magnitude of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia was 28.08 % (95% CI: (20.23, 35.94)) in sub-Saharan Africa. Neonates with G6PD deficiency were 2.42 times (95% CI: 1.64, 3.56) more likely to develop hyperbilirubinemia as compared to infants with normal G6PD levels. Moreover, the risk of developing hyperbilirubinemia was 3.3 times (95% CI: 1.96, 5.72) higher among neonates that had a blood type that was incompatible with their mother's.Conclusion: The failure to prevent and screen G6PD deficiency and blood type incompatibility with their mother's results in high burden of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, early identification and care strategies should be developed to the affected neonates with G6PD deficiency and blood type incompatibility with their mother's to address long-term medical and scholastic damages among those exposed to severe hyperbilirubinemia


For fast realistic simulations of parasitic effects on boards, a novel "parasitic-effects simulator" has been developed at the FhG-IFT in Munich. The tool divides the circuit to be simulated into line systems and network parts. Compared to the original network, the network parts feature a reduced complexity and are computed by conventional network simulators (SPICE, ELDO, etc.). The line systems in between are simulated by a transmission line simulator especially conceived for this purpose.<<ETX>>


The article aims to study the coupling coordination and spatial correlation effects of green finance (GF) and high-quality economic development (HQED) in 30 Chinese provinces. The index system of GF and HQED is constructed by selecting relevant index data from 2007 to 2017. The index of GF and HQED is measured by the entropy value method. Next, the coupling coordination degree (CCD) and spatial association strength are calculated based on the index using the coupling coordination degree model and the gravity model. Then the driving factors of the CCD between GF and HQED are analyzed by using geographic detectors. Finally, the spatial association network is constructed and its robustness is studied. The research results show that the coupling coordination degree between GF and HQED in each province is generally low, with strong regional heterogeneity, and the coupling coordination degree shows a trend of decay from the eastern region to the western region, but the western region has more room for development. Green credit, green, coordination, and sharing are the strong driving factors of the CCD between GF and HQED. The network of spatial association between GF and HQED in each province is gradually tightened, making the western peripheral provinces more closely connected with the eastern provinces through the intermediate node provinces. The network robustness of GF and HQED is more influenced by provinces with higher node degree values. Accordingly, the article proposes that China should continuously improve relevant GF policies, environmental disclosure systems, enhance green innovation technology and guide private capital to enter the GF market.


A novel control strategy based on optimal control theory is developed in this paper and applied to an induction generator based variable speed wind turbine. The proposed approach modifies a classical LQR approach by augmenting the system with first order filters and integrators to ensure perfect decoupling between the controlled variables while minimizing the control effort. Application of the proposed approach to an induction generator based variable speed wind turbine has led to optimum operations and a reduced mechanical stress in the turbine drive train during wind gusts. Simplicity of the overall scheme, minimization of the required energy and stabilization and excellent tracking performance are the main positive features of the proposed approach.


The unprecedented growth of cities has a significant impact on future flood risk that might exceed the impacts of climate change in many metropolitan areas across the world. Although the effects of urbanisation on flood risk are well understood, assessments that include spatially explicit future growth projections are limited. This comparative study provides insight in the long term development of future riverine and pluvial flood risk for 18 fast growing megacities. For these cities a spatially explicit urban growth model has been developed capable to identify and extrapolate spatial development trends into growth projections for the short, medium and long term. For some cities like Dhaka or Lahore, the outcomes are alarming while others show an implicit tendency for flood adverse urban growth. The outcomes not only provide a baseline absent in current practise, but also a strategic outlook that might better establish the role of urban planning in limiting future flood risk.


This is a study of whether it is possible for the governmental form of democracy to be ap-plicable in states that have not had democracy as their governmental form earlier in their political history. In this thesis the concept of liberal democracy is the major theory used as well as the concepts of rule of law and civil society. After giving a description of the con-cepts the thesis continues with two chapters that respectively describe and explain the states of Belarus and Cuba. The two states are going to be used in the analysis at the end of this thesis. The analysis includes several conditions to asses if democracy exists. These conditions are derived from the chapters on democracy and rule of law. In the analysis the states of Bela-rus and Cuba are analyzed based on the conditions derived from the chapters on democra-cy and rule of law. The results of the concluding discussion are that the probability for de-mocracy to survive in Cuba is higher than in Belarus because Cuba seems to be transition from an authoritarian form of regime to a form o f democracy. In contrast to Belarus, Cu-ba seems to be willing to open up from seclusion and isolation, as well as listen to its people than what the state of Belarus is willing to do.


The documentation of an information and communication system according to the requirements of the ISO 27005 standard is difficult, because the standard only provides sparse descriptions. We propose the use of specific patterns for the ISO 27005 standard, which can be instantiated for any given information and communication system. Each of our pattern will cover a section of the standard. In this paper we present one pattern for Section 7 of the standard, the context establishment. This is one of the initial steps of the standards and it is the input for following steps, e.g., the asset identification.


AIM: Assessment of NO-synthase (NOS) activity in bronchial asthma (BA) basing on cytochemical identification and quantitation of NADPN-diaphorase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Operative samples from 12 BA patients and biopsies from 8 patients free of bronchial inflammation or obstruction. Experimental data on control and BA rat males injected either with NOS agonist acetyl choline (AC) or beta-2-agonist fenoterol (F). RESULTS: A direct relationship was found between BA severity and activity of NADPN-diaphorase resultant from activation of inducible NOS (iNOS) mediating constrictive effect via different cellular and humoral mechanisms. AC treatment caused bronchial relaxation and severe constriction in control and BA rats, respectively, though NADPN-diaphorase activity was enhanced in both groups. Introduction of F brought about bronchial relaxation in both groups. However, there were some cases of constriction in the bronchi with impaired epithelium and high baseline iNOS activity. CONCLUSION: In intact bronchial epithelium, administration of cholino- and adrenoreceptors agonists induced bronchial myocyte relaxation due to activation of constitutive NOS. In impaired bronchial epithelium, AC stimulates iNOS induction provoking severe constriction of small bronchi.


Four points relating to Dr. Loevinger's "attenuation paradox" have "been brought forward:

The usual product-moment "validity" coefficient is inadequate for any discussion of the paradox. A curvilinear correlation coefficient must be used. The "region of paradox" is still found when the correct coefficient is used, although its size is reduced.

A greatly magnified notion of the extent to which the "paradox" occurs in actual achievement and aptitude testing is frequently encountered. Some numerical values are tabled so as to clarify this point.

It is pointed out that any over-all "validity" coefficient for a group of examinees can be no more than an average of heterogeneous information. It is not surprising if this inhomogeneity produces so-called paradoxes. Such a composite coefficient is not basic to psycho-metrics. The discriminating power of the test for a specified decision problem regarding a specified examinee is the truly basic concept. A very simple index for describing this discriminating power is defined.

One instance where a consideration of the discriminating power of a test at a particular ability level leads to some practical conclusions (irrespective of the "region of paradox") is mentioned, and a common misconception is corrected. A table is given showing the optimum item-difficulty level for the peaked tests required when the examiner's purpose is merely to classify a group of examinees as successful or unsuccessful.


Background: There currently is no standard practice for optimal urinary catheter removal after rectal resection (proctectomy). Delayed removal may increase urinary tract infection risk, an important hospital quality metric. This study aimed to assess the effect of catheter duration on urinary tract infection rate. We hypothesized that early removal would be associated with fewer infections. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent proctectomy from January 2007 to December 2017 with urinary catheter placement in our colorectal surgery department. The main outcome measures were urinary tract infection, post-operative urinary retention, and length of stay. Patients were divided into early (post-operative day one or two) and late (day three or later) removal groups. Results: A series of 2,429 patients were included; 1,176 in the early and 1,253 in the late group. The early group had a shorter median length of stay (5.26 versus 7 days). The urinary tract infection (n = 77) multivariable logistic regression model showed no association between timing of removal and infection; however, females had more infections (odds ratio [OR] 2.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.65-4.41). The post-operative urinary retention model (n = 280) showed no association between the timing of removal and retention; however, patients who underwent pre-operative radiation (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.15-2.09) or total proctocolectomy (OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.21-2.49) or were male (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.02-1.78) were more likely to have retention. When analyzed by specific removal day, each one-day delay in removal increased the odds of infection by 21% (OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.09-1.35] and decreased the odds of retention by 12% (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.80-0.97] with a cross-over at 9 days. Patients who experienced retention were not more likely to have infection. Conclusion: Early urinary catheter removal after proctectomy was associated with a lower urinary tract infection rate and a shorter hospital stay.


The dipeptidase activity of the cotyledons of the squash (Cucurbita maxima Duch. 'Hubbard') increases during germination. Several herbicides inhibited this increase in various degrees. Those herbicides inhibiting the development of dipeptidase activity 70% or more were (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)-acetic acid (2,4-D), 3,6-dichloro-o-anisic acid (dicamba), (2,3,6-trichlorophenyl)acetic acid (fenac), and N-1-naphthylphthalmic acid (naptalam). Those inhibiting dipeptidase activity by 63 to 34% were 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid (picloram), 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (dichlobenil), 3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxybenzonitrile (bromoxynil), 3-amino-s-triazole (amitrole), 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine (atrazine), 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1] heptane-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (endothall), and 5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil (bromacil). Those causing only slight inhibition, 24 to 16%, were N,N-dimethyl-2,2-diphenylacetamide (diphenamid), isopropyl m-chlorocarbanilate (chlorpropham), and α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine (trifluralin); 3-(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (monuron) was essentially the same as the control. However, 2,2-dichloropropionic acid (dalapon), O,O-diisopropyl phosphorodithioate S-ester with N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-benzenesulfonamide (bensulide), N,N-diallyl-2-chloroacetamide (CDAA), and 2-chloroallyl diethyldithiocarbamate (CDEC) were somewhat stimulatory. When compared with previously reported herbicide activity on the proteinase activity, those herbicides which inhibited dipeptidase activity did not necessarily affect proteinase activity to the same degree.


Objective: To explore the association of personal demographic factors with adaptive functioning in children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted in Lahore from April 2015 to October 2016 at Child Psychiatry and Developmental Pediatric Departments as well as special education institutes of Lahore city. A group of 113 children diagnosed with ASD was selected through non probability purposive sampling. All were assessed for personal case history and adaptive functioning. The participants included both girls (37%) and boys (63%) with mean age of 8.43±1.95 years. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.
Results: Age, autism severity and behavioral problems had significant inverse correlation with adaptive functioning. However, intellectual functioning emerged as a significant positive correlate of adaptive functioning. Gender failed to reveal any significant difference in adaptive functioning mean scores (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The relationship of adaptive functioning and various personal demographic factors vary among children following different developmental pattern and these variations should be taken into consideration while developing management plans.


BACKGROUND
Depressive symptoms are associated with distress, but research has not focused on the processes underlying this association.

METHOD
We interviewed 18 patients experiencing depressive symptoms to identify the various reasons why depressive symptoms cause distress. Digital recordings were transcribed and grounded theory methods were used in analyzing the data and building theory.

RESULTS
We identified 14 reasons for why patients find depressive symptoms distressing. These reasons frequently were particular thoughts, behaviors, or subsequent outcomes in response to the symptom; in other cases, the experience of the symptom itself directly caused distress.

CONCLUSIONS
We present a general model of direct and indirect symptom-distress relationships that may help target clinical interventions for depression.


Despite the increasing costs of education and the growing use of information communication technologies (ICTs) in developing countries, the need for more educational opportunities is increasing. This paper aims to answer the question: is e-learning a panacea for education in developing countries? It is based on the case country Sudan, and analyzes students', academics', and policymakers' attitudes toward e-learning, ICTs, and educational technology. This study uses an exploratory research approach, and relies mainly on two data collection instruments: questionnaire and semi-structured interview. A survey was conducted on a population of academics and students at five public universities in Sudan, as well as policymakers from these institutions and the higher education ministry. A convenience sample of 400 was chosen as the target population representation. A total of 388 valid questionnaires were returned. The results show more conservative attitudes toward e-learning and ICTs among academics and policymakers. The study concludes that there is an increasing demand in developing countries for more authentic learning opportunities and simulated experiences that the e-learning can provide. E-learning, however, is a paradigm entirely different from traditional face-to-face education. To do e-learning work, a different roles and practice is required for the educator.


Fas (CD95/Apo-1) ligand-mediated apoptosis induction of target cells is one of the major effector mechanisms by which cytotoxic lymphocytes (T cells and natural killer cells) kill their target cells. In T cells, Fas ligand expression is tightly regulated at a transcriptional level through the activation of a distinct set of transcription factors. Increasing evidence, however, supports an important role for posttranscriptional regulation of Fas ligand expression and activity. Lipid rafts are cholesterol- and sphingolipid-rich membrane microdomains, critically involved in the regulation of membrane receptor signaling complexes through the clustering and concentration of signaling molecules. Here, we now provide evidence that Fas ligand is constitutively localized in lipid rafts of FasL transfectants and primary T cells. Importantly, disruption of lipid rafts strongly reduces the apoptosis-inducing activity of Fas ligand. Localization to lipid rafts appears to be predominantly mediated by the characteristic cytoplasmic proline-rich domain of Fas ligand because mutations of this domain result in reduced recruitment to lipid rafts and attenuated Fas ligand killing activity. We conclude that Fas ligand clustering in lipid rafts represents an important control mechanism in the regulation of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity.


The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of different amount of constant practice, prior to random practice with manipulation of motor requirements of the task, in the adaptive process in motor learning. The task consisted of pressing five buttons sequentially in conjunction with visual stimulation provided by a coincident timing apparatus in complex tasks. Different sequential response patterns were performed during the random practice. Thirty-three children aged between 10 and 12 randomly assigned to three groups performed different amounts of constant practice: C-R, C-R33%, and C-R66%. The data were analyzed in respect to the timing coincident (absolute, variable, and constant errors) and measures of invariant (relative timing and relative peak force) and variant (overall absolute movement time and peak force) aspects of the movement pattern. The results showed similar performance among groups and that the C-R66% group adapted by modifying the macrostructure.


To effectively understand the impetus function of improving regional logistics capability in promoting regional economic growth and optimizing the industrial structure, the authors established a control model of regional logistics capability and industrial economy. First of all, the authors analyzed comprehensively the elements of regional logistics capability, and based on this chose three key elements as control variables; then by using the principle and method of grey system theory, the authors built a grey control system of regional logistics capability and industrial economy; finally, choosing Sichuan province of China as a regional sample, the authors calculated the actual parameter values of the model according to the raw data of Sichuan province from 1999 to 2005 and analyzed the calculated result. The case study indicates that the model can reflect the characteristics of the relation between regional logistics capability and industrial economy perfectly, and the result is reasonable and scientific.


Melting parameters are reviewed for the nitrates of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs and Ag, and are compared with values for the corresponding halides. Previously published information has been supplemented by experiments on the viscosity of molten AgNO3, and on the dilatometry and electrical conductivity of AgNO3 in the solid and melt. It is suggested that the low melting points of group I nitrates, compared with the corresponding halides, is due to the formation of association complexes in the nitrate melts. This process could contribute a term to the overall entropy of fusion Sf without greatly increasing the heat of fusion Hf. Since Tf = Hf/Sf, this would explain the unusually low melting points. The small volume changes of fusion of nitrates, where measured, and the abnormal activation energies for the viscosities of molten nitrates, support the suggested mechanism of melting.


The Runner's Textbook is a comprehensive and multifaceted approach to distance running. Dr. Anderson takes the latest in academic knowledge and writes it into an easy to understand, and engaging manner. Dr. Anderson's training as a coach, a sport psychologist, and a sport sociologist makes this a balanced approach between the physiological, psychological and sociological factors of running. It also offers the most extensive collection of racing tactics and strategies yet published. The Runner's Textbook covers every conceivable aspect of distance running and racing and it is therefore a must-read for runner's of all abilities.


The increase in population and industrialization has led to increase wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Turkey's pharmaceutical sector has grown by over 30% in the last decade, therefore the levels of estrogenic hormones are also expected to increase in wastewater. When exposed from external sources, estrogenic hormones may cause endocrine disturbance. This paper assesses the levels of 17β-estradiol and estrone levels in treatment plants. A total 16 treatment plants and 4 water reservoirs were analysed for 17β-estradiol and estrone using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) test method. 17β-estradiol and estrone values were detected in the range of 37–382 ng/L and <1–187 ng/L, respectively. Pre-treatment plants had the highest levels estrogenic hormones, while reservoirs had the least levels.


Abstract Aim: To evaluate factors affecting survival and long-term outcome of extremely premature infants and to determine whether small for gestational age (SGA) status is an additional risk factor. Methods: Survival was analyzed in 193 infants born between 23 and 27 weeks of gestational age (GA) and compared between SGA (n=43) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. Long-term outcome was assessed in 123 infants at six years of chronological age by neurological evaluation and cognitive tests. Results: The long-term survival rates were 72.1% for SGA and 84.0% for AGA infants. Significant independent factors affecting survival were GA (OR 1.79 for one week advance, 95% CI 1.36–2.34) and SGA (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.18–0.997) in comparison with AGA. There were no significant differences in rates of cerebral palsy or mental retardation, 12.0% and 24.0% in SGA, 14.3% and 17.3% in AGA, respectively. Fifty-two percent of SGA and 70% of AGA infants had intact long-term outcome. The perinatal factor found to affect the intact long-term outcome was RDS with surfactant therapy (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.07–0.45). Conclusion: SGA status as well as short gestation had significant effects on survival. Respiratory complications after birth had a larger detrimental effect on long-term outcome than whether the infant was SGA or AGA.


Synergy of nonadiabatic molecular dynamics with real-time time-dependent density functional theory has led to significant progress in modeling excited-state dynamics in nanoscale and condensed matter systems over the past decade. Nonadiabatic coupling (NAC) is the central quantity in such simulations, and its accurate and efficient evaluation is an enduring challenge in time-dependent Kohn-Sham theory, particularly in conjunction with planewave basis sets and projector augmented-wave (PAW) pseudopotentials because of the complexity of the PAW "all-electron" wave function. We report a method for rigorous evaluation of the NAC with PAW wave functions and demonstrate an efficient approximation to the rigorous NAC that gives comparable accuracy. As a validation, we intensely examine the NAC matrix elements calculated using both pseudo- and all-electron wave functions under the PAW formalism in six representative systems. The approximate NAC obtained with pseudowave functions is close to the exact all-electron NAC, with the largest deviations observed when subshell d-electrons are involved in the transitions. The developed approach provides a rigorous and convenient methodology for the numerical computation of NAC in the Kohn-Sham theory framework.


In today's turbulent business environment, organizations face the need to rapidly respond to demands, explore new opportunities, apply evolving technologies, and create novel competitive advantages. Knowledge management (KM) and organizational entrepreneurship (OE) are two strategic tools through which companies can concurrently improve their competitive advantage while seeking new potential opportunities. Since KM and OE practically help to improve organizational performance through their own resources, they not only seem to be interrelated but they also influence each other. In this regard, the aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of KM on the OE among agricultural extension experts in Kermanshah Province, Iran. The population of this study consisted of all agricultural extension experts in Jihad-e-Agriculture management and centers of agricultural services in Kermanshah Province (N=536). Using Bartlett's et al. (2001) sampling table, 155 extension experts were selected as the sample using the proportionate stratified sampling method (n=155). The main instrument used in this study was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by a panel of experts, and its reliability was established by a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient (α> 0.70). The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that KM components (knowledge creation, knowledge acquisition, knowledge organizing, knowledge storage, knowledge dissemination and knowledge application) had significant and positive effect on OE among agricultural extension experts in Kermanshah Province.


Background: The addition of Rituximab to front-line therapy has improved clinical outcomes in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), but it has also altered the biology of relapsed/refractory disease. To better understand the mechanisms responsible for Rituximab associated chemotherapy cross-resistance our group developed and characterized several Rituximab resistance cell lines (RRCL). We previously demonstrated using SiRNA interference, that X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) is critical for chemotherapy sensitivity and survival in RRCL. MX69, a dual inhibitor of Mdm2 and XIAP that indirectly downregulates XIAP, is undergoing pre-clinical testing. MX69 affects XIAP levels by its effects on the ubiquitination and degradation of endogenous MDM-2, resulting in decrease XIAP translation and activation of caspase 3, 7 and 9 as well as PARP cleavage leading to apoptosis of cancer cells. In our current work, we pharmacologically inhibited XIAP in lymphoma pre-clinical models using MX69.
 Materials and Methods: A panel of Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL, including RRCL), germinal center B-cell (GCB)-DLBCL (including RRCL), activated B-cell (ABC)-DLBCL, Mantle cell Lymphoma (MCL) and Pre-B cell Leukemia cell lines were exposed to MX69 as a single agent (0-80uM) over 24, 48, 72 hrs and IC50 concentrations were calculated for each cell line. Changes in Mdm2, p53, XIAP and PARP expressions were determined following MX69 exposure (at IC50 doses) for 24 hrs. Induction of apoptosis was evaluated by Annexin V/propidium iodine staining. Subsequently, cell lines were exposed to MX69 (0-80 uM), in combination with Doxorubicin (0-1uM), Cytarabine(0-50uM), Vincristine (0-10nM), Etoposide(0-50uM), Carboplatin (0-20uM), Ixazomib (0-1.5uM), Ibrutinib (0-20uM) and Venetoclax (0-10uM) for 48 hours. Cell viability was determined by Cell Titerglo. Coefficient of synergy was calculated using CalcuSyn.
 Results: In vitro, MX69 single agent exposure induced cell death in a dose and time-dependent manner in all cell lines tested. Western blotting studies confirmed downregulation of Mdm2, XIAP and changes in P53 and PARP, following in vitro exposure to MX69. Induction of apoptosis was observed by flow cytometry in all cell lines tested. The combination of MX69 with Doxorubicin, Cytarabine, Vincristine, Ixazomib, Carboplatin, Etoposide, Ibrutinib, and Venetoclax resulted in significant synergistic activity. The strongest CI of synergy was observed when cell lines were exposed to MX69 and Venetoclax, Ixazomib, Etoposide or Ibrutinib.
 Conclusion: Our data suggests that in vitro exposure of a wide variety of B-cell lymphoma cell lines (including BL, DLBCL, MCL or RRCL) to MX69 resulted in anti-tumor activity. Perhaps related to its anti-tumor effects, MX69 inhibited XIAP levels. These findings are similar to prior SiRNA XIAP knockdown experiments. Strong synergistic activity was observed when XIAP was combined with various chemotherapy agents and small molecules inhibitors (such as Venetoclax, ixazomib or ibrutinib). Ex vivo experiments using primary tumor cells isolated from lymphoma patients and lymphoma mouse models are been planned. Targeting Mdm2 and XIAP can be an attractive therapeutic strategy in patients with Rituximab-sensitive or -resistant B-cell lymphoma.

 No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


The movement from regional economic cooperation towards regional integration in Southeast Asia has been gaining strength since the end of the Cold War and more remarkably since the economic crisis of 1997-1998. The ambitious plan for regional integration, however, could face challenges due to the diversity of economic development and structure and the lack of political will. In particular, this paper will argue that the ASEAN Way, which has been a basis for regional cooperation in Southeast Asia, is now under pressure for modification, if not removal. It has been argued that the ASEAN Way emphasizing on compromise through formal and informal meetings, consensus-based decision making, avoidance of strict reciprocity, and rejection of hard legalization, often conflicts with the move towards deepening economic cooperation or regional integration. This article elucidates key factors that have challenged the practice of the ASEAN way such as changes to the regional security environment since 9/11, emerging non-traditional security issues, deepening of economic cooperation, strengthening of external relations of ASEAN, and democratization of ASEAN member countries. The article also argues that despite the challenges and limitations, the principle of non-interference cannot be simply abandoned. It remains essential to ensure that smaller states are not brushed aside by big states, and it is particularly important for ASEAN at a time when it expands its cooperation scope towards East Asia.1


Human-swarm interaction has recently gained attention due to its plethora of new applications in disaster relief, surveillance, rescue, and exploration. However, if the task difficulty increases, the performance of the human operator decreases, thereby decreasing the overall efficacy of the human-swarm team. Thus, it is critical to identify the task difficulty and adaptively allocate the task to the human operator to maintain optimal performance. In this direction, we study the classification of task difficulty in a human-swarm interaction experiment performing a target search mission. The human may control platoons of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to search a partially observable environment during the target search mission. The mission complexity is increased by introducing adversarial teams that humans may only see when the environment is explored. While the human is completing the mission, their brain activity is recorded using an electroencephalogram (EEG), which is used to classify the task difficulty. We have used two different approaches for classification: A feature-based approach using coherence values as input and a deep learning-based approach using raw EEG as input. Both approaches can classify the task difficulty well above the chance. The results showed the importance of the occipital lobe (O1 and O2) coherence feature with the other brain regions. Moreover, we also study individual differences (expert vs. novice) in the classification results. The analysis revealed that the temporal lobe in experts (T4 and T3) is predominant for task difficulty classification compared with novices.


Abstract The occurrence of sector zoning in minerals of regional metamorphic or low-temperature intrusive origin implies that rapid growth is not required for the development of this particular form of homogeneous disequilibrium. It is shown here that sector zoning can be a natural consequence simply of slow lattice diffusion. Given anisotropic surface enrichment coupled with the low dilfusivities typical of highly charged elements in refractory accessory minerals such as zircon and titanite, sector zoning can arise even in cases of growth rjates as low as a few micrometers per million years. According to the proposed model, the development of sector zoning depends upon the competition between growth rate (V) and lattice diffusion (Di) within the near-surface layer (l), such that above a critical value of Vl/Di (~0.5-3), sector zoning is unavoidable in crystals that exhibit selective enrichment on some growth surfaces. Known diffusivities of rare earth elements in zircon and titanite lead to the expectation of sector zoning in these minerals with respect to REEs for reasonable geologic growth rates. Even in the case of clinopyroxene, diffusion of REEs and high field-strength elements may be slow enough to contribute to the development of sector zoning in laboratory-grown crystals.


Accurate and rapid detection of organic amines in the vapor phase is essential for various applications such as agricultural use, industrial and environmental testing, and food security. Supramolecular gels composed of cholesterol derivative-based low-molecular-mass gelators (LMMGs) have attracted considerable attention owing to their unique character and formation mechanisms. In this study, a ZnS-supramolecular organogel hybrid film for amine vapor sensors was reported. It must be pointed out that the method of preparation of hybrid films considered here is different from that of the ZnS-organogel hybrid films previously reported. Because the sensing performance of nanomaterials strongly depends on their nanostructures, it is expected that nanomaterials synthesized by different methods exhibit different nanostructures and ultimately different sensing properties. The luminescent ZnS nanoparticles were first prepared by the oil-water interface method, before being dispersed in an organic solution containing the LMMG. Finally, the aforementioned solution was casted onto the surface of a glass substrate to fabricate a ZnS-supramolecular organogel fluorescent hybrid film after drying at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopy observations revealed that the surface morphology of the hybrid film was uniform cross-linked nanofibers. Transmission electron microscopy results revealed that the average particle size of the obtained ZnS nanoparticles is about 200 nm. The crystal structure of the ZnS nanoparticles is cubic, as revealed by X-ray diffraction. The photoluminescence emission spectra of the ZnSsupramolecular organogel film were recorded for various quantities of ZnS loading; the maximum emission wavelength of the hybrid films hardly changed, indicating that the dispersity of the ZnS nanoparticles in the hybrids is very well. Because the film network formed by the gelator has a good confinement effect on the ZnS nanoparticles, the hybrid film exhibits stable luminescence performance. Sensing experiments showed that the hybrid films are sensitive to the existence of organic monoamine and diamine vapors, and the sensitivity improved as the dosage of ZnS nanoparticles was increased. The quenching mechanism was discussed by comparing the fluorescence lifetimes of the hybrid films in the presence of air and ethylenediamine (EDA) vapor. It was found that the sensing mechanism is mainly static quenching, with a very small amount of dynamic quenching. The sensing performances of the film for common volatile organic compounds were investigated with a detection limit of 10.13 ppm (1 ppm = 1 × 10−6, volume fraction) obtained for the EDA vapor. Reversible experiments indicated that the films have a good reversible response in the presence of EDA vapor. It is anticipated that this type of supramolecular organogel hybrid film could find applications in the monitoring of volatile organic amines in the areas of industry and environment.


Online testimonials have actually really come to be an essential source of information for customers before making an enlightened procurement decision. Early endorsements of a point typically have a tendency to have a high end result on the being successful item sales. In this paper take the task to have a look at the regimens characteristics of very early consumers utilizing their uploaded evaluations on considerable ecommerce systems. Below quantitatively define extremely early consumers based upon their score routines, the helpfulness rankings obtained from others as well as additionally the link of their assessments with item charm. Right here discover that to start with an exceptionally very early customer typically tends to note a greater normal ranking score; as well as also 2nd of all a very early client generally has a tendency to release much better statements. Our analysis of product analyses additionally reveals those exceptionally very early clients' ratings along with advises a one-of-a-kind margin-based embedding variation for truly really early customer forecast. In addition to moreover boosted the version with ranking and also additionally pre-owned two thinking's for spammer expedition. One is if precise same Statement along with different user ID's under particular similar category/product with accurate exact same tally. Substantial experiments on 2 different ecommerce datasets have actually revealed that our assessment exceeds a series of inexpensive demands.


Parliamentary systems are generally regarded as superior to presidential ones in democratic sustenance. This article contributes to the debate on the relationship between systems of government and the survival of democracy by bringing in a new perspective and analysing the experiences of 131 democracies during 1960–2006. We argue that systems of government do matter, but their effects are indirect; they exert their influence through societies' prior democratic records. Confirming the conventional argument, our data analysis shows that uninterrupted parliamentary democracies face significantly lower risks of a first breakdown than their presidential counterparts. Contrary to the common understanding, however, we find that the risk of a democratic breakdown can be higher for parliamentary regimes than for presidential regimes among the countries whose democracy has collapsed in the past. Furthermore, the risk of a previously failed democracy falling again grows as (the risk of) government crises increase(s). Hence our study questions the common belief that parliamentary systems are categorically more conducive to democratic stability than presidential ones.


Machine learning algorithms have difficulties to generalize over a small set of examples. Humans can perform such a task by exploiting vast amount of background knowledge they possess. One method for enhancing learning algorithms with external knowledge is through feature generation. In this paper, we introduce a new algorithm for generating features based on a collection of auxiliary datasets. We assume that, in addition to the training set, we have access to additional datasets. Unlike the transfer learning setup, we do not assume that the auxiliary datasets represent learning tasks that are similar to our original one. The algorithm finds features that are common to the training set and the auxiliary datasets. Based on these features and examples from the auxiliary datasets, it induces predictors for new features from the auxiliary datasets. The induced predictors are then added to the original training set as generated features. Our method was tested on a variety of learning tasks, including text classification and medical prediction, and showed a significant improvement over using just the given features.


Background and objective: Tissue engineering is an option in reconstructing large tendon defects and managing their healing and regeneration. We designed and produced a novel xenogeneic-based bovine platelet, embedded it within a tissue-engineered collagen implant (CI) and applied it in an experimentally induced large tendon defect model in rabbits to test whether bovine platelets could stimulate tendon healing and regeneration in vivo. Methods: One hundred twenty rabbits were randomly divided into two experimental and pilot groups. In all the animals, the left Achilles tendon was surgically excised and the tendon edges were aligned by Kessler suture. Each group was then divided into three groups of control (no implant), treated with CI and treated with collagen-platelet implant. The pilot groups were euthanized at 10, 15, 30 and 40 days post-injury (DPI), and their gross and histologic characteristics were evaluated to study host–graft interaction mechanism. To study the tendon healing and its outcome, the experimental animals were tested during the experiment using hematologic, ultrasonographic and various methods of clinical examinations and then euthanized at 60 DPI and their tendons were evaluated by gross pathologic, histopathologic, scanning electron microscopic, biophysical and biochemical methods. Results: Bovine platelets embedded within a CI increased inflammation at short term while it increased the rate of implant absorption and matrix replacement compared with the controls and CI alone. Treatment also significantly increased diameter, density, amount, alignment and differentiation of the collagen fibrils and fibers and approximated the water uptake and delivery behavior of the healing tendons to normal contralaterals (p < 0.05). Treatment also improved echogenicity and homogenicity of the tendons and reduced peritendinous adhesion, muscle fibrosis and atrophy, and therefore, it improved the clinical scores and physical activity related to the injured limb when compared with the controls (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The bovine platelet gel embedded within the tissue-engineered CI was effective in healing, modeling and remodeling of the Achilles tendon in rabbit. This strategy may be a valuable option in the clinical setting.


Pesantren and the kitab kuning are two inseparable sides of Islamic education in Indonesia. Since its early history, pesantren could not be separated from the literature of the book of thoughts of the salaf scholars which began around the 9th century. It could be said that without the existence and teaching of the yellow book, an educational institution would not legally be called a pesantren. Those are the facts that surfaced in the field. Contextual learning is a holistic educational process and aims to motivate students to understand the meaning of the subject matter they are learning by linking the material to the context of their daily life (personal, social, and cultural context) so that students have knowledge or skills that can be flexibly applied from one problem to another. The most basic idea of this model is that students need to get used to solving problems, find something useful for themselves, and wrestle with the ideas they get from the learning material.


Oxytocin (OT) is a developmentally important neuropeptide recognized to play a dominant role in social functioning and stress‐related behaviors, in a sex‐dependent manner. Nonetheless, the underlining factors driving OT and OT receptor (OTR) early brain development remain unclear. Recent evidence highlight the critical influence of gut microbiota and its bidirectional interaction with the brain on neurodevelopment via the gut microbiota‐brain axis. Therefore, we aimed to determine the impact of gut microbiota on the OTR system of the rat brain at different developmental stages in a pilot study. Quantitative OTR [125I]‐OVTA autoradiographic binding was carried out in the forebrain of male and female conventional (CON) and germ‐free (GF) rats at postnatal days (PND) 8, 22, and 116–150. OTR binding was also assessed in the eyes of PND 1 and PND 4 GF female rats. Significant "microbiota × sex × region" interaction and age‐dependent effects on OTR binding were demonstrated. Microbiota status influenced OTR levels in males but not females with higher levels of OTR observed in GF versus CON rats in the cingulate, prelimbic, and lateral/medial/ventral orbital cortex, and septum across all age groups, while sex differences were observed in GF, but not in CON rats. Interestingly, OTRs present in the eyes of CON rats were abolished in GF rats. This is the first study to uncover a sex‐specific role of gut microbiota on the central OTR system, which may have implications in understanding the developmental neuroadaptations critical for behavioral regulation and the etiology of certain neurodevelopmental disorders.


A systematic review was conducted of the research into the use of drama techniques to enhance social-emotional development of people with special needs. Only eight studies that were conducted in the period 1990-2005 met the criteria for inclusion in this review. The conclusions of the review were that there are indications that the dramatic processes have the potential to be effective in enhancing social-emotional development of people with special needs. However, the authors have not provided enough evidence to substantiate their claims. Further, there were several limitations in the studies, indicating the need for further research if the full potential of drama techniques is to be realized. On the basis of this analysis, this paper presents recommendations for future systematic and rigorous research in this area.


Lab-on-a-chip systems are currently one of the most promising areas in the development of ultra-compact sensor systems, used primarily for gas and liquid analysis to determine the concentration of impurities. Integrated photonics is an ideal basis for designing "lab-on-a-chip" systems, advantageous for its compactness, energy efficiency, and low cost in mass production. This paper presents a solution for "lab-on-a-chip" device realization, consisting of a sensor and an interrogator based on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) integrated photonics platform. The sensor function is performed by an all-pass microring resonator (MRR), installed as a notch filter in the feedback circuit of an optoelectronic oscillator based on an electro-optic phase modulator. This structure realizes the frequency interrogation of the sensor with high accuracy and speed using a conventional single-mode laser source. The system sensitivity for the considered gases is 13,000 GHz/RIU. The results show that the use of frequency interrogation makes it possible to increase the intrinsic LoD by five orders. The proposed solution opens an opportunity for fully integrated implementation of a photonic "laboratory-on-a-chip" unit.


Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) has proven to be an innovative green technology that improves the environmental sustainability of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) by reducing emissions and conserving energy while maintaining or enhancing pavement performance through improved compaction. Approximately 500,000 tonnes of WMA have been paved on Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) roadways since 2008. WMA technologies that have been used include both chemical and organic additives. While WMA has many benefits, it also has challenges that are being addressed by a joint task group comprised of members from MTO and the asphalt paving industry. In 2010, MTO built several WMA test sections along with HMA control sections to evaluate the performance and environmental benefits of WMA. Emission measurements were conducted at the asphalt plants as well as at the paving sites for both WMA and HMA mixes. Laboratory investigations included moisture sensitivity testing on production samples, Hamburg wheel track testing, coating, compactability, and Flow Number. MTO is monitoring the performance of the WMA pavement sections based on the distress data obtained by MTO's Automated Road Analyzer (ARAN). Pavement performance of WMA has been comparable to HMA, with slightly better joint quality. Given the positive experience with WMA, MTO adopted a permissive specification in 2012 allowing the contractors to use WMA in lieu of HMA. In conjunction with this specification, the desire to grow the WMA market has prompted MTO to continue to build WMA projects in 2013 and 2014, by specifying its use. This paper presents quality assurance and emissions data collected during construction of our WMA projects. The paper also discusses laboratory test results


In situations where the molecular mechanism of many ocular disorders is unknown, owing to the difficulties associated with sampling from ocular tissues, human tear film can be a promising medium in ophthalmic research. The present study demonstrates an in-depth gel-based proteome optimization survey to approach more appropriate and efficient systems in various situations such as normal and dry-eye syndromes. Therefore, systematic and statistical evaluations were performed on different preparation methods, including acetone, acetone-methanol, chloroform-methanol-water, trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-acetone, tri-n-butylphosphate-acetone-methanol precipitations and ammonium sulfate fractionation at three different percentages of saturations (50, 70 and 90%). Methods were compared quantitatively on both one- and two-dimensional patterns. Some important parameters such as total protein recovery yield, densitometric analysis of some protein contaminants, banding patterns and total spot numbers along with statistical models for proper clustering were considered. Findings revealed noticeable impacts of preparation methods on all aspects of gel-based separations as well as recovery yield (ranging from 5.29 ± 0.96 to 22.56 ± 1.77 µg/mm) and banding and pattern resolution. In addition to all these, the most important point is that the total protein spot number on the final two-dimensional patterns (varied from 528.00 ± 19.00 to 657.00 ± 21.52 for different methods) were also noticeably increased in comparison with previously published reports (maximum of 250 spots), which is essential for a more comprehensive analysis. Increasing the proteome coverage in the present study is supposed to originate from improved solubility and effective rehydration during the sample application and isoelectric focusing (IEF) procedure along with proper sample preparation.


: This work analyzes the Electromagnetic Frequency Regulator (EFR) when used in a wind power system with hybridization of energy sources. The study was conducted through numerical simulation on Scilab platform. The conventional mechanical transmission (gearbox) was substituted by a hydrostatic system (pump and motor). Feedback linearization was used to control the motor's displacement, and a prediction algorithm was developed to compute the reference steady-state angular speeds of the EFR's armature and the rotating electromagnetic field. The results indicated that the EFR can effectively supply the generator load regardless of the wind speed. It was also shown that electrical energy can be accumulated in batteries during regimes of wind speeds higher than a reference set-point, to be used when the harnessed wind power is lower than the load. This shows that the EFR is a viable hybridization solution to wind energy systems, ensuring the highest levels of power quality.


Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background: Uninsured patients with end-stage renal disease face barriers to peritoneal dialysis (PD), a type of home dialysis that is associated with improved quality of life and reduced Medicare costs. Although uninsured patients using PD at dialysis start receive retroactive Medicare coverage for required predialysis services, coverage only applies for the calendar month of dialysis start. Thus, initiating dialysis later in the month yields longer retroactive coverage. Objectives: To examine whether differences in retroactive Medicare were associated with decreased long-term PD use. Research Design: We exploited the dialysis start date using a regression discontinuity design on a national cohort from the US Renal Data System. Subjects: 36,256 uninsured adults starting dialysis between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2014. Measures: PD use at dialysis days 1, 90, 180, and 360. Results: Starting dialysis on the first versus last day of the calendar month was associated with an absolute decrease in PD use of 2.7% [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.5%–3.9%], or a relative decrease of 20% (95% CI, 12%–27%) at dialysis day 360. The absolute decrease was 5.5% (95% CI, 3.5%–7.2%) after Medicare established provider incentives for PD in 2011 and 7.2% (95% CI, 2.5%–11.9%) after Medicaid expansion in 2014. Patients were unlikely to switch from hemodialysis to PD after the first month of dialysis (probability of 6.9% in month 1, 1.5% in month 2, and 0.9% in month 4). Conclusions: Extending retroactive coverage for preparatory dialysis services could increase PD use and reduce overall Medicare spending in the uninsured.


The single phase clathrate-I Ba(8)Ge(43)square(3) (space group Ia3d (no. 230), a = 21.307(1) A) was synthesized by quenching the melt between cold steel plates. Specimens for physical property measurements were characterized by microstructure analysis and X-ray diffraction on polycrystalline samples as well as single crystals. Transport properties including thermopower, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity and specific heat were investigated in a temperature range of 2-673 K. The electrical resistivity exhibits a metal-like temperature dependence below 300 K turning into a semiconductor-like behaviour above 300 K. The analysis of the specific heat at low temperature indicates a finite density of states at the Fermi level, thus corroborating the metallic character below 300 K. The temperature dependence of the specific heat was modelled assuming Einstein-like localized vibrations of Ba atoms inside the cages of the Ge framework. A conventional crystal-like behaviour of the thermal conductivity with a low lattice contribution (kappa(l)(300 K) = 2.7 W m(-1) K(-1)) has been evidenced.


We have explored the use of steric hindrance for favouring/hindering the tautomerisation of Schiff bases (SB) into tetrahydroquinazolines (TQ) in two systems that derive from the condensation of 2-tosylaminobenzylamine with two different aldehydes: 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (H2L1SB/H2L1TQ) and N-(3-formylpyridin-2-yl)pivalamide (H2L2SB/H2L2TQ). The four possible ring-chain tautomers were unequivocally characterised by a combination of 1H NMR spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. Furthermore, two of the tautomers, H2L1SB and H2L2TQ, have been characterised by X-ray crystallography. Crystal data of E-H2L1SB have revealed the existence of a prototropic ketoenamine–enolimine equilibrium at room temperature that is the cause of the thermochromism of H2L1SB. A firm intramolecular interaction Ohydroxyl–H⋯Nimine hinders the conversion of the chain tautomer H2L1SB into the ring tautomer H2L1TQ. Crystals of H2L2TQ and H2L2TQ·HCCl3 consist of racemic mixtures of their enantiomers, C(R),N(R)-H2L2TQ and C(S),N(S)-H2L2TQ. A terminal pivalamide group prevents the existence of the intramolecular interaction Npivalamide–H⋯Nimine in the chain tautomer H2L2SB, favouring its conversion into the ring tautomer H2L2TQ.


SUMMARY Describing Archives: A Content Standard breaks important ground for American archivists in its distinction between creator descriptions and archival material descriptions. Implementations of creator descriptions, many using Encoded Archival Context (EAC), are found internationally. DACS's optional approach of describing creators in authority records separate from, but linked to, descriptions of holdings has the potential for the "rediscovery" of provenance in U.S. repository collections. Multiple provenance (e.g., the Australian series system), postmodern theory of archives, and an increased emphasis on provenance as function are some of the reconceptualizations of archival context that compliance with DACS may inspire.


The production of biogas is positioned as energy which can not only generate a source of energy known as "green" but also which can recycle waste. In the context of sustainable development, the place of biogas is therefore essential. The risks corresponding to the production processes and uses of are still too little known. Several questions about the optimization of the production, the safety, the harmonization of the regulations and the need to develop standards are discussed in this paper, based on the results of a workshop on biogas safety and regulation organized in November 2010 by the authors.


BACKGROUND: The prevalence of joint arthroplasties is increasing internationally, putting increased emphasis on patient education. PURPOSE: This study describes information and control preferences of patients with joint arthroplasty in seven European countries, and explores their relationships with patients' received knowledge. METHODS: The data (n = 1,446) were collected during 2009–2012 with the Krantz Health Opinion Survey and the Received Knowledge of Hospital Patient scale. RESULTS: European patients with joint arthroplasty had low preferences. Older patients had less information preferences than younger patients (p = .0001). In control preferences there were significant relationships with age (p = .021), employment in healthcare/social services (p = .033), chronic illness (p = .002), and country (p = .0001). Received knowledge of the patients did not have any relationships with information preferences. Instead, higher control preferences were associated with less received knowledge. CONCLUSION: The relationship between European joint arthroplasty patients' preferences and the knowledge they have received requires further research.


Patients with recurrent glioblastoma achieving response to bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy have clinical improvement and prolonged survival. High gene expression of angiotensinogen (AGT) is associated with a poor bevacizumab response. Because AGT expression is epigenetically regulated, we aimed to investigate whether AGT promoter methylation in tumor tissue predicts response to bevacizumab combination therapy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. The study included 159 patients with recurrent glioblastoma, treated with bevacizumab combination treatment (training cohort, n = 77; validation cohort, n = 82). All patients could be evaluated for treatment response and biomarkers. DNA methylation of 4 CpG sites in the AGT promoter was measured using pyrosequencing. A model for nonresponse was established using logistic regression analysis. In the training cohort, lower methylation of each of the four CpG sites in the AGT promoter was significantly associated with nonresponse (all P < 0.05). Moreover, the mean methylation level of all four CpG sites was associated with an increased likelihood of not achieving response to bevacizumab combination therapy (twofold decrease: odds ratio = 3.01; 95% confidence interval: 1.41–6.44; P = 0.004). We developed a model for nonresponse in the training cohort, where a threshold of mean AGT promoter methylation levels was set to below 12%. The model could predict bevacizumab nonresponse with 96% specificity. Importantly, this predictor was also significantly associated with nonresponse in the validation cohort (P = 0.037). Taken together, our findings suggest that low AGT promoter methylation in tumor tissue predicts nonresponse to bevacizumab combination treatment in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. We have, thus, established and successfully validated a predictor for nonresponse that can be used to identify patients who will not benefit from bevacizumab combination therapy.


High-performance 0.1-/spl mu/m In/sub 0.4/AlAs/In/sub 0.35/GaAs metamorphic high-electron mobility transistors (MHEMTs) on GaAs substrate have been successfully fabricated with Ar plasma treatment. Before the gate Schottky metallization, the devices were treated with Ar plasma, which might clean and improve the surface of exposed barrier layer. The devices fabricated with Ar plasma treatment exhibited the excellent characteristics such as 50% reduction of the reverse gate leakage currents, the improved Schottky ideality factor of 1.37, high extrinsic transconductance of 700 mS/mm, and high maximum drain current density of 780 mA/mm. And the cutoff frequency f/sub T/ as high as 210 GHz was achieved. To our knowledge, this is the best reported cutoff frequency for a 0.1-/spl mu/m MHEMT with an indium content of 35% in the channel.


A fatigue model for unidirectionally reinforced composites that are loaded parallel to the fibers is proposed that is based upon the growth of interfacial fatigue cracks. Certain predictions of the model are verified by experimental results, namely, that the rate of crack growth is independent of crack length and that the fatigue life at >10 6 cycles is relatively insensitive to the mean stress. Depending upon whether the matrix is elastic or elastic-plastic, a different dependency of the rate of crack growth on stress results, but the data available are insufficient to make a precise distinction between the two cases. In addition, at higher stress amplitudes the tensile rupture mode of separation becomes increasingly important, a fact dealt with only empirically by the model. It is concluded that for loading parallel to the fibers the most fatigue resistant composites will consist of strong, uniform, and defect-free fibers in a relatively soft matrix.