Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

Background: The pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 32 (IL-32), is a novel tumor marker highly expressed in various human carcinomas including gastric cancer (GC).

Materials and Methods: A total of 120 patients with gastric cancer undergoing gastrectomy were enrolled into this study. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR, western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on resected specimens were used to confirm the IL-32 overexpression in surgical patients. The clinicopathological correlation and survival outcome of IL-32 were analysed for clinical significance in these patient. In vitro study, using ectopic overexpression and knockdown of IL-32 in GC cell lines, was established to investigate the invasiveness and the signaling pathway of IL-32 in GC.

Results: IL-32 was significantly upregulated in GC and positively correlated with aggressiveness of cancer and poor prognosis. Stable suppression or overexpression of IL-32 revealed marked influence of cell migration and invasion by modulating phosphorylation of AKT and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), leading to activation of β-catenin. Expression of IL-32 was accompanied by the induction of interleukin 8 (IL-8), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and 9 (MMP9) in vitro and in vivo.Conclusion: Our results clearly suggest that IL-32 is an important mediator for GC metastasis and an independent prognostic predictor of GC.

Citation Format: Chia-Siu Wang, Chung-Ying Tsai, Kuan-Huei Lin. Interleukin 32 is an independent prognostic biomarker of human gastric cancer correlated with tumor progression and metastasis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 556. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-556


Two novel multilevel switchable [2]rotaxanes containing an ammonium and a triazole station have been constructed by a Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. The macrocycle of [2]rotaxane containing a C6-chain bridge between the two hydrogen bonding stations exhibits high selectivity for the ammonium cation in the protonated form. Interestingly, the macrocycle is able to interact with the two recognition stations when the bridge between them is shortened. Upon deprotonation of both [2]rotaxanes, the macrocycle moves towards the triazole recognition site due to the hydrogen-bond interaction between the triazole nitrogen atoms and the amide groups in the macrocycle. Upon addition of chloride anion, the conformation of [2]rotaxane is changed because of the cooperative recognition of the chloride anion by a favorable hydrogen-bond donor from both the macrocycle isophthalamide and thread triazole CH proton.


Background We investigated the changes in the values of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and Doppler index measurements in the autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), and hemodialysis (HD) patients. Material/Methods Twenty outpatients on HD (mean age 46.1±16.4), 27 outpatients on PD (mean age 45±12.4), and 26 normotensive outpatients with ADPKD (mean age 52.4±16.7) as the case groups and 21 healthy subjects (mean age 48.4±7.2), as the control group, were included. The participants underwent ultrasonography of the common, right, and left carotid arteries for the IMT and Doppler flow measurements. Results Overall, compared to the normal group, in the study groups, the IMT and peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), resistive index (RI), and pulsatility index (PI) were significantly higher in common carotid arteries; however, their differences were not meaningful in internal carotid arteries (p<0.05). Conclusions Overall, ADPKD, PD, and HD increase the IMT, PSV, EDV, RI, and PI values of CCA; however, their effect considerable less on the study parameters of ICA. There is no considerable difference among the effects of ADPKD, HD, and PD on the study parameters. Of CKD patients during the first diagnostic and follow-up workups, the measurements of carotid IMT and Doppler indices may provide valuable data for improving success of the clinical management.


In this study we evaluate the effects of six types of fertilization: no fertilizer, lime, manure, lime + phosphorus, lime + phosphorus + boron and manure + inorganic fertilizer; and two types of pasture: spontaneous vegetation and sown pasture, on soil pH and micronutrient concentrations in herbage of pastures established in the NE of Portugal. The results showed that there were higher levels of Cu in the fertilizer treatments that promoted legumes. The 'no-fertilizer' treatment and inorganic fertilization with lime increased the percentage of grasses in the swards and herbage Mn levels.


To examine the effects of multiple stressors on the onset and specificity of a neurodegenerative disease, we derived mnd/mnd mice expressing a neurofilament-H/lacZ transgene. The mnd mutation causes adult-onset motor dysfunction, and produces abnormal ubiquitous accumulation of autofluorescent lipopigment, with retinal degeneration and late-onset motor neuron degeneration. The neurofilament H-beta-galactosidase fusion protein causes endogenous neurofilament subunits to precipitate in perikarya, but shows neither significant neuronal degeneration nor behavioral changes until advanced age. In mnd/mnd-transgenic animals, neurological symptoms, lipopigment accumulation, and motor neuron loss were substantially accelerated. Newly vulnerable populations of neurons also degenerated, including cerebellar Purkinje cells and dorsal roots. This study exemplifies a synergistic interaction between a neuron-specific and a ubiquitous defect, leading to significant neurological consequences. It further indicates that cytoskeletal abnormalities similar to those observed in late-onset human neurodegenerative disorders can interact with other cellular defects and contribute to pathogenesis.


Two new signal space detectors designed to take advantage of maximum transition run (MTR) coded modulation are presented. These detectors are designed to perform across a wide range of densities and offer lower error rates than a 3D-110 detector at low densities while requiring only modest increases in complexity. The first scheme, 2D-121/spl alpha/ employs an equalization constraint that reduces low density noise correlation relative to the 3D-110 target. The second uses a 3D-110 detector but includes a linear noise predictive filter to reduce the effective noise between the minimum distance sequences. Analysis and simulation results indicate that the two detectors perform equally well in terms of bit error rate.


INTRODUCTION
Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is recommended for revascularisation of patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) with a duration of symptoms less than 12 hours. Primary PCI is recommended even if the patient is to be transported from a non-invasive hospital to an invasive centre. Normally this transport requires an attending physician. This transport strategy is associated with an increased treatment delay. The aim of this study was to assess pre-hospital tele-transmitted electrocardiogram (tele-ECG) and risk stratification by using a questionnaire in order to assess if selected patients with STEMI can be transported safely to primary PCI without an attending physician.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Since January 2005 Fyn Svendborg Hospital has received pre-hospital tele-ECG recorded in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with simultaneous risk stratification by using a questionnaire. Transportable STEMI patients were referred directly to an invasive centre without an attending physician.

RESULTS
During a period of 17 months tele-ECGs were recorded from 1,148 patients. 82 patients had STEMI and 71 patients were transported to an invasive centre without an attending physician. In this group, 1 case of resuscitated ventricular fibrillation was reported. 11 patients were transported to the nearest hospital: 2 to invasive centres, 7 patients were inter-hospital transported with a physician, and transport was not relevant/possible for 2 patients.

CONCLUSION
Pre-hospital tele-ECG and risk stratification can select patients with STEMI and transport them safely to an invasive PCI centre without an attending physician.


During neural circuit formation, axons navigate several choice points to reach their final target. At each one of these intermediate targets, growth cones need to switch responsiveness from attraction to repulsion in order to move on. Molecular mechanisms that allow for the precise timing of surface expression of a new set of receptors that support the switch in responsiveness are difficult to study in vivo. Mostly, mechanisms are inferred from the observation of snapshots of many different growth cones analyzed in different preparations of tissue harvested at distinct time points. However, to really understand the behavior of growth cones at choice points, a single growth cone should be followed arriving at and leaving the intermediate target. Here, we describe a spinal cord preparation that allows for live imaging of individual axons during navigation in their intact environment. The possibility to observe single growth cones navigating their intermediate target allows for measuring growth speed, changes in morphology, or aberrant behavior. Moreover, observation of the intermediate target – the floor plate – revealed its active participation and interaction with commissural axons during midline crossing. Summary statement Live tracking of single growth cones is more informative about axonal behavior during navigation than inference of behavior from the analyses of snapshots of different growth cones.


In soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities wide tumor excision (R0) has become the most important factor for local control. The tactical and technical surgical parameters are defined, which allow for diminished complication rates during tumor biopsy and definite resection. Reconstructive plastic procedures play a key role in coverage of major defects and prevention of problems due to wound infection and irradiation. If localized within the periphery of limbs, the vast majority of cases will require sophisticated techniques to achieve limb salvage.


Hydrogen is regarded as a key renewable energy source to meet future energy demands. Moreover, graphene and its derivatives have many advantages, including high electronic conductivity, controllable morphology, and eco-friendliness, etc., which show great promise for electrocatalytic splitting of water to produce hydrogen. This review article highlights recent advances in the synthesis and the applications of graphene-based supported electrocatalysts in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, powder-based and self-supporting three-dimensional (3D) electrocatalysts with doped or undoped heteroatom graphene are highlighted. Quantum dot catalysts such as carbon quantum dots, graphene quantum dots, and fullerenes are also included. Different strategies to tune and improve the structural properties and performance of HER electrocatalysts by defect engineering through synthetic approaches are discussed. The relationship between each graphene-based HER electrocatalyst is highlighted. Apart from HER electrocatalysis, the latest advances in water electrolysis by bifunctional oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and HER performed by multi-doped graphene-based electrocatalysts are also considered. This comprehensive review identifies rational strategies to direct the design and synthesis of high-performance graphene-based electrocatalysts for green and sustainable applications.


paper deals with the usage of bio-data from performers to create interactive multimedia performances or installations. It presents this type of research in some art works produced in the last fifty years (such as Lucier's Music for a Solo Performance, from 1965), including two interactive performances of my authorship, which use two different types of bio-interfaces: on the one hand, an EMG (Electromyography) and on the other hand, an EEG (electroencephalography). The paper explores the interaction between the human body and real-time media (audio and visual) by the usage of bio-interfaces. This research is based on biofeedback investigations pursued by the psychologist Neal E. Miller in the 1960s, mainly based on finding new methods to reduce stress. However, this article explains and shows examples in which biofeedback research is used for artistic purposes only.


A Michael addition initiated cyclopropanation/[1,5]-hydrogen shift has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of Rauhut-Currier products. The reaction of α-alkyl diazoesters and in situ generated o-quinone methides proceeds in the presence of chiral oxazaborolidinium ion, providing Z-stereocontrolled Rauhut-Currier products in high yields (up to 96%) with excellent Z/E selectivities (>20:1) and enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee). The synthetic utility was illustrated by conversion of the product to 3,4-dihydrocoumarins with two adjacent chiral stereocenters.


The contemporary Web is heading towards its next stage of evolution. From a clump of unorganised information spaces, the Web is becoming more focused on the meaning of information (the Semantic Web) and on community awareness (Web 2.0). One of the key concepts in this new Web is that of social networking, where both sophisticated trust modelling and personal identity/reputation management are required for the creation of social networks and for the exchange of information in these networks. The Web has many instances of sites and services where reputation management and trust form the basis of social and commercial interaction between members of those sites. However, there are few systems that enable users to share their credentials among many websites. It is also important that systems should provide strong security and protect user identities, but all of these features should also be transparent from a user's perspective. In this article we begin by detailing how trust can be modelled within online communities. We present methods for constructing community-aware identity management systems and for computing trust levels between users of a social network, using a novel trust model that takes advantage of both the capabilities of the Semantic Web and of a distributed topology. We also describe how the trust of a particular person relies on the separate social networks that they are members of. Finally, we evaluate our research against current studies in the psychology domain.


ULTIMATE-Subaru is a next large facility instrument project at Subaru telescope. We will develop a 14x14 sq. arcmin wide-field near-infrared (NIR) imager and a multi-object spectrograph with the aid of a ground- layer adaptive optics system (GLAO), which will uniformly improve the seeing by a factor of 2 over a wide field of view up to ~20 arcmin in diameter. We have developed system modeling of the GLAO and wide-field NIR instruments to define the system level requirements flow down from science cases and derive the system performance budgets based on the GLAO end-to-end numerical simulation and optical system models of the telescope and wide-field NIR science instruments. In this paper, we describe the system performance modeling of ULTIMATE-Subaru and present an overview of the requirements flow down.


This article serves as an introduction to the following article, An Inventory of U.S. Health Care Data Bases. As an introduction, this article-reviews the characteristics of U.lS. Health Care Data. These characteristics include a lack of common definition and uniformity of reporting of observations, systems that are sometimes duplicative, and a resistance to data sharing on the part of collecting agencies, arising from the pluralistic American health care economy. Yet federal, state, and local governments as well as private organizations need health data to operate and evaluate their programs. Moreover, recent shifts to block grants and cutbacks in federal funding without accountability requirements will adversely affect our ability to adequately monitor the impact of these programs on the nation's health. The article discusses these data issues, but also emphasizes the need for coordination between the government and private sectors.


: This study proposed a reframing of Sociopolitical Development Theory (SDT) towards contextualising civic engagement (specifically political participation and human rights activism) in emerging democracies like Nigeria. The modified theory developed from the application of SDT lenses on the analysis of the influence of five sociodemographic factors on 372 participants' civic engagement report. Results showed significant variations across groups – male participants and individuals who have higher education and income were more likely to participate in politics, while male participants and individuals who have higher income were more likely to engage in human rights activism. Human rights activism was also more likely to be engaged in by emerging adults and individuals with secondary education. Generally, based on the SDT, low sociopolitical awareness were found. Analyses of these patterns led to the contextualised SDT that better explained our findings. Using the modified SDT lenses, high sociopolitical awareness with low sociopolitical (civic) action were found, although variations across sociodemographic factors remained consistent with SDT. The implications of these results were discussed in terms of the importance of understanding the nuances of civic engagement in diverse democracies and the relevance of contextualising imported theories. Suggestions for increasing civic engagement towards stronger democracies were also advanced.


The Supreme Court revisited the problem of the summary judgment procedure with a view toward clarifying burdens of proof and evidentiary standards. In three cases, Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, and Matsushita Electric Industrial Corp. v. Zenith Radio Corp., the Supreme Court took the opportunity to instruct the lower federal courts concerning which parties carry what burdens of proof, according to what evidentiary standards. Unfortunately for summary judgment law, these cases contain three less-than-desirable effects. First, rather than illuminating a difficult aspect of civil procedure, the Court obscured summary judgment proceedings even more than before. Second, by viewing summary judgment through a traditional directed-verdict perspective, the Court arrived at indefinite conclusions concerning burdens and evidentiary standards. Third, the Court's pronouncements undercut the very purpose of the summary judgment procedure, thereby further hobbling the already limited utility of the rule. In essence, the Court transformed an intended summary procedure into the necessity for a full-blown trial-before-trial. For many litigators, this interpretation raises the ultimate question: why bother with making the motion?This article focuses on one dimension of summary judgment law — the troublesome burdens of proof and evidentiary standards required by the rule. The hypothesis is quite simple: the problem of assigning burdens of proof and establishing evidentiary standards has been inappropriately refracted through the directed verdict lens. Courts traditionally reasoned backward from directed verdict to summary judgment. This mode of analysis compelled the conclusion that the burdens and standards attached to a directed verdict should govern summary adjudication. This conclusion is based on the premise, loosely articulated, that the purposes and effects of the motions are the same—that is, to remove a case from the fact-finder where there is only one factual outcome as a matter of law. The practical result of this analysis, however, allocates burdens of production and persuasion inappropriately at an early stage of litigation, and imposes higher evidentiary standards than necessary for summary procedure. Thus, the Supreme Court and lower federal courts approach summary judgment analysis ineptly, rendering interpretations that undermine the rule's fundamental utility. Rather than reasoning backward from the directed verdict, summary judgment should be evaluated in relation to the demurrer, the motion that Federal Rule 12(b)(6) effectively replaced with the abolition of code pleading. When viewed from this perspective, different burdens and evidentiary standards for summary proceedings make sense. The purpose of the demurrer was to prevent insufficiently pleaded causes of action from proceeding to trial, whereas the directed verdict comes after the presentation of evidence at trial. The directed verdict, by nature, requires more stringent standards of evidentiary proof and different allocations of the burdens of production and persuasion. Summary adjudication at the pleadings stage was never intended to become a mini-trial, yet recent Supreme Court cases will have precisely this effect. Summary judgment procedure, therefore, needs to be salvaged from Supreme Court interpretation.Part I of this article discusses the Supreme Court's interpretation of the federal summary judgment rule in relation to burdens of proof and evidentiary standards. This section reviews the Court's two most significant cases on these issues, First National Bank of Arizona v. Cities Service Co. and Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co. These problematic, anomalous cases articulated broad principles of summary adjudication, without useful elaboration of rules relating to burdens and standards. Part II discusses the most recent Supreme Court cases — Anderson, Celotex, and Zenith — in which the Court analyzed the burdens and standards issues with more specificity. The argument is that the Court not only failed to clarify the summary judgment procedure in a meaningful fashion, but seriously undercut the rule's utility. Part III analyzes the traditional theoretical framework supporting summary judgment, and advocates a rethinking of the rule more relative to the old common law demurrer.Summary judgment should be just what it is intended to be — a summary disposition of claims. The requirement of trial-like burdens and evidentiary standards transforms this motion into the trial itself, thereby defeating the very purpose of the rule. Federal summary judgment should assume this more practical and appropriate role in federal civil procedure: a demurrer-like procedure to dismiss insufficiently pleaded causes of action.


The optimization of the procedure to grow accurate amounts of amorphous silicon and germanium by CVD free of con-tamination in opals has been performed. The samples have been optically characterized and results agree with theoretical calculations of band structures. Multilayer systems of both semiconductors have been fabricated. Samples have been optically characterized and observed with a scanning electron microscope. Selective removal of germanium with aqua regia has proven to be possible. Theoretical calculations show that subtle variations of the topography may give rise to important effects (flat bands, pseudogap openings, etc). As an example, a photonic band structure with a complete photonic band gap (cPBG) between the 5th and 6th band has been provided along with a method to obtain it. It would be impossible to discuss all the possible structures that could be obtained from samples with different number of layers and materials forming them. However, there are many interesting topographies that could be fabricated in a relatively straightforward manner following the techniques described here.


he set out to encapsulate the first historical decades of Soviet cybernetics. The timelines and bibliographies do little to support the claims made in his opening section, which forms the only real analysis of Soviet computing as a whole in the two volumes. As a bibliographic guide to the first decades of Soviet computing or as an index to what are now, in most cases, obsolete Soviet computers, they are acceptable. They do not, however, present a satisfactory picture of Soviet computing relevant to the researcher of modern Soviet cybernetics. Ross A. STAPLETON University of Arizona


Partition coefficients for 84 varied compounds were determined for n-heptane-formamide biphasic partition system and used to derive a model for the distribution of neutral compounds between the n-heptane-rich and formamide-rich layers. The partition coefficients, log K(p), were correlated through the solvation parameter model giving log K(p)=0.083+0.559E-2.244S-3.250A-1.614B+2.387V with a multiple correlation coefficient of 0.996, standard error of the estimate 0.139, and Fisher statistic 1791. In the model, the solute descriptors are excess molar refraction, E, dipolarity/polarizability, S, overall hydrogen-bond acidity, A, overall hydrogen-bond basicity, B, and McGowan's characteristic volume, V. The model is expected to be able to estimate further values of the partition coefficient to about 0.13 log units for the same descriptor space covered by the calibration compounds (E=-0.26-2.29, S=0-1.93, A=0-1.25, B=0.02-1.58, and V=0.78-2.50). The n-heptane-formamide partition system is shown to have different selectivity to other totally organic biphasic systems and to be suitable for estimating descriptor values for compounds of low water solubility and/or stability.


INTRODUCTION
Given the limited data on autonomic dysfunction in patients with primary restless legs syndrome (pRLS), we compared autonomic dysfunction and presence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) between patients with pRLS and control patients.

METHODS
Consecutive adult drug-naïve patients with pRLS, and age- and gender-matched healthy control patients were enrolled in this study. Diagnoses, based on validated self-reported questionnaires, were made using the following guidelines: Rome III classification system for functional gastrointestinal disorders for IBS; Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for the presence of anxiety and depression, respectively; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for severity of sleep disturbances; and Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease-Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT) for autonomic dysfunction.

RESULTS
There were 88 patients with pRLS (18 male, 70 female) and 128 control patients (40 men, 88 women). The mean age of the pRLS patients and control patients was 50.3 ± 9.3 years and 49.7 ± 8.2 years, respectively. Overall, 41 (46.6%) of the patients with pRLS and 16 (12.5%) of the control patients had IBS. Among patients with pRLS, IBS was significantly more common and the total autonomic SCOPA-AUT scores were higher than those found among control patients. Among pRLS patients with IBS, total autonomic SCOPA-AUT, PSQI, BAI and BDI scores were significantly higher than among pRLS patients without IBS. The presence of IBS did not affect the severity of restless legs syndrome.

CONCLUSION
The presence of autonomic nervous system impairment in patients with pRLS and the strong link between IBS and pRLS merit further, more extensive investigation.


In this note we calculate Igusa's zeta functions associated to the Du Val-Klein singularities by using the stationary phase formula due to Igusa.


The availability of a suitable database is critical in a proteomic approach for bacterial identification by mass spectrometry (MS). The major limitation of the present public proteome database is the lack of extensive low-mass bacterial protein entries with masses experimentally verified for most bacteria. Here, we present a method based on mass spectrometry to create protein mass tables specifically tailored for bacterial identification. Several issues related to the detection of bacterial proteins for the purpose of database creation are addressed. Three species of bacteria, namely, Escherichia coli, Bacillus megaterium, and Citrobacter freundii, which can be found in the ambient environment, were chosen for this study. Direct matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) MS analysis of each bacterial extract reveals 20-29 protein components in the mass range from 2000 to 20,000 Da. HPLC fractionation of bacterial extracts followed by off-line MALDI-TOF analysis of individual fractions detects 156-423 components. Analysis of the extracts by HPLC/electrospray ionization MS shows the number of detectable proteins in the range of 46-59. Although a number of components were common to the three detection schemes employed, some unique components were found using each of these techniques. In addition, for E. coli where a large proteome database exists in the public domain, a number of masses detected by the mass spectrometric methods do not match with the proteome database. Compared to the public proteome database, the mass tables generated in this work are demonstrated to be more useful for bacterial identification in an application where the bacteria of interest have limited protein entries in the public database. The implication of this work for future development of a comprehensive mass database is discussed.


Accurate estimation of cloud and aerosol optical depths using backscatter lidar data requires knowledge of the particulate lidar ratio (i.e., the extinction-to-backscatter ratio). In those cases for which a measurement of molecular backscatter can be made on the far side of a layer, knowledge of the lidar ratio can be derived directly from the data. However, obtaining a reliable clear air constraint is a function of layer optical depth, system sensitivity and overall signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). To date, the design constraints imposed on space-based lidars such as LITE and CALIPSO have rendered the use of this retrieval technique virtually impossible for measurements made at 1064 nm. Layers to which the constraint method can be successfully applied are assumed to be homogeneous with respect to particle composition and size distribution, and therefore are characterized by lidar ratios that are range-invariant throughout the layer. By extending this assumption of homogeneity to include the layer backscatter color ratio, this work derives a new technique that simultaneously retrieves both the color ratio and the 1064 nm lidar ratio from two wavelength elastic backscatter lidar measurements of transmissive clouds and/or lofted aerosol layers. Retrieval examples are illustrated using data obtained from LITE. Initial error estimates derived from numerical experiments using simulated data show the retrieval of the backscatter color ratio to be stable, even in the presence of considerable noise in the data.


The introduction of new generation materials with improved mechanical and operational properties increases the reliability of water transport means, thus the safety of shipping, and reduces operating costs. This group includes cast metal composite materials. However, there is still no precise and quick description of the method of combining these materials, which significantly hampers their use. Therefore, work is ongoing on the selection of good quality methods of their bonding. In this work, an attempt was made to join cast AlSi/SiC composites by TIG welding using direct current.


The present paper deals with the application of 4500 m2 of reflective pavements in an urban park in the greater Athens area. The aim was to improve thermal comfort conditions, reduce the intensity of heat island and improve the global environmental quality in the considered area. To our knowledge, this has been the largest application of cool pavements in urban areas in the world. To evaluate the thermal impact of cool paving materials, specific and detailed measurements of the climatic conditions in the park have been performed before and after the installation of the new materials. Validated computerized fluid dynamics techniques have been used to homogenize the boundary conditions occurring during the two experiments and to perform direct comparisons of the climatic quality in the park. It was estimated that the use of cool paving materials contributes to the reduction of the peak ambient temperature during a typical summer day, by up to 1.9 K. At the same time, the surface temperature in the park was decreased by 12 K, while comfort conditions have been improved considerably. It is concluded that the use of reflective paving materials is a very efficient mitigation technique to improve thermal conditions


The publication of this comprehensive dictionary almost fifty years ago was an important event in Ukrainian-Canadian scholarship. The Ukrainian-English Dictionary has remained unsurpassed for decades, a most useful work in its field. This paperback printing will serve thousands of students well, just as the original did.


Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) biogenesis takes place in the nucleolus, the most prominent condensate of the eukaryotic nucleus. The proper assembly and integrity of the nucleolus reflects the accurate synthesis and processing of rRNAs which in turn, as major components of ribosomes, ensure the uninterrupted flow of the genetic information during translation. Therefore, the abundant production of rRNAs in a precisely functional nucleolus is of outmost importance for the cell viability and requires the concerted action of essential enzymes, associated factors and epigenetic marks. The coordination and regulation of such an elaborate process depends on not only protein factors, but also on numerous regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Herein, we focus on RNA-mediated mechanisms that control the synthesis, processing and modification of rRNAs in mammals. We highlight the significance of regulatory ncRNAs in rRNA biogenesis and the maintenance of the nucleolar morphology, as well as their role in human diseases and as novel druggable molecular targets.


In the past 20 or so years, the African diaspora's engagement in universitiesin Africa has inspired numerous studies. This article contributes to thisliterature both empirically and theoretically. Questioning the nationalismparadigm, which chiefly attributes African diaspora academics' interventionsin African higher education institutions to patriotism, it arguesthat any explanation of the privileged forms of this engagement oughtto consider two major factors. The first is that African diaspora scholarshave been socialised in a strong colonial-era ideological imperative, whichvalues engagement in Africa; their socio-professional relevance on theircontinent of origin should thus be assessed in this light. The second factoris that African diaspora academics are integrated into professional foreignacademic institutions with their own rules and high stakes. While theyare urged to serve in Africa, they are also required to excel in their localinstitution and at the global academic level. Given the time constraints thisimposes, diaspora academics' engagement in Africa is confined to rolesthat are compatible with the expectations imposed by Western academia.
Key Words: diaspora, African academics, higher education, engagement,Africa


In the year 1304, Matilda Bonamy of Guernsey, a young woman from one of the Anglo-Norman island's most established and affluent families, found herself in a predicament familiar to many of today's youth. A liaison with Jordan Clouet, also from a family of long provenance in Guernsey if not as comfortable, had left her pregnant. To Matilda the solution to the problem was obvious: marriage. An exchange of vows before the birth of the child would avoid any stigma or legal impediment of bastardy. Clouet, however, was not compliant with her wishes. He steadfastly refused to marry her. Faced with the shameful prospect of single parenthood to an illegitimate child, Bonamy turned to the church in an effort to find support for her cause. Jordan's obstinacy prevented the court from hearing the suit; he ignored repeated summonses to appear before the bishop. Given the church's promarital stance, Jordan probably supposed the best strategy was non-appearance, in the hopes that the court could not conduct a proper case in his absence (Donahue 205). What he did not count on was being excommunicated. To offer Jordan added incentive to respond to the citation, the court awarded Matilda letters informing Jordan of his excommunication. When she met with Jordan to consider the matter, he was fuming, suddenly finding himself backed into a corner. Excommunication was a serious disability in fourteenth-century society: once announced, no good Christian might converse with him without risking excommunication themselves. An excommunicate was not only prohibited from enjoying the sacraments, but was ousted also from the protections of the common law—endangering the repayment of any


Material systems and the changes occurring in them were described with algebraic methods in the previous paper. However, there is a basic connection between the two subjects: the changes occur on the material systems, and produce new ones from them. This may be termed transformation and is described. This expression means that the material system a0 is, as a consequence of the change v1, transformed to material system av. In the following the changes will be discussed and the relations between the mentioned changes and other material systems will be examined.


Nuclear Pore Complexes (NPCs) mediate the nucleocytoplasmic transport of macromolecules. Here we provide a structure of the yeast NPC in which the inner ring is resolved by cryo-EM at - helical resolution to show how flexible connectors tie together different structural and functional layers in the spoke. These connectors are targets for phosphorylation and regulated disassembly in cells with an open mitosis. Moreover, some nucleoporin pairs and karyopherins have similar interaction motifs, which suggests an evolutionary and mechanistic link between assembly and transport. We also provide evidence for three major NPC variants that foreshadow functional specializations at the nuclear periphery. Cryo-electron tomography extended these studies to provide a comprehensive model of the in situ NPC with a radially-expanded inner ring. Our model reveals novel features of the central transporter and nuclear basket, suggests a role for the lumenal ring in restricting dilation and highlights the structural plasticity required for transport by the NPC.


This study investigates the interaction of the use of modern contraceptives, fertility, education, and long-run growth. It develops an economic model that takes into account that sexual intercourse is utility enhancing and that birth control by modern contraceptives is more efficient and more costly than traditional methods. The study shows how a traditional economy, in which modern contraceptives are not used and fertility is high, gradually converges towards a high growth regime, in which couples use modern contraceptives. Innovations in contraceptive technology at later points in time speed up the fertility transition and the convergence to steady growth. Utility enhancing sexual intercourse provides a "natural" explanation for why net fertility decreases with income. Lower prices or higher efficacy of contraceptives are conducive to an earlier onset of the fertility transition and a quicker convergence but do not effect economic performance (nor sexual intercourse) at the steady state.


We report the case of a 43-year-old man with anaphylactic shock and concurrent ST-elevation myocardial infarction during a planned inguinal hernia surgery. This event occurred shortly after introduction of latex into the surgical field. Coronary angiography revealed a 70% occlusive lesion in the right coronary artery. Further discussion with the patient revealed a potential latex allergy. Skin prick testing showed marked sensitisation to latex. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with the type II variant of Kounis syndrome.


Proteolysis of the invariant chain (Ii) leads to the generation of abundant MHC class II‐associated invariant chain peptides (CLIP), which bind in the MHC class II binding groove via supermotifs in a manner similar to that of antigenic peptides. We have engineered an Ii vector with the capacity to express any antigenic peptide of interest instead of CLIP, for T cell stimulation. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were pulsed with Ii hybrids encoding T cell epitopes of tetanus toxin or acetylcholine receptor, stimulation of T cells was dramatically enhanced compared to stimulation after priming with either the native or recombinant proteins. Site‐specific insertion of antigenic sequences into the CLIP region promoted enhanced antigenicity of Ii hybrids which were shown to be processed intracellularly in a chloroquine‐sensitive compartment. Naturally processed T helper epitopes were visualized directly on the surface of PBMC and identified as analogs of CLIP associated with MHC class II molecules. This novel Ii vector provides a flexible and efficient system for the delivery of defined peptide epitopes to T cells which might be useful in the development of specific vaccines and in the study of intracellular processing.


Caustic scrubbers are proposed to remove vaporized iodine from nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. Resulting caustic slurries of radioactive iodine (129I) and other anions can be captured and immobilized into the cage structures of sodalite-type minerals. Here, mixed-anion sodalites were hydrothermally synthesized from a simulated caustic scrubber solution containing hydroxide/water, carbonate, chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrate, and nitrite ions with added kaolinite. Experiments were conducted with twenty-five different sets of process conditions. Resulting powders were characterized by quantitative x-ray diffraction (XRD) and multi-functional thermal analysis, including gravimetry, calorimetry, and mass spectrometry. Using statistical analysis, process variables were tailored to maximize conversion of kaolinite into cage silicates, immobilize caustic scrubber anions, and minimize amorphous content. Chemical analysis showed the incorporation of all the targeted ions into the solids. Detailed investigation of a batch characterized after washing (creating secondary waste) and one without washing but subsequent calcination is given. This work contributes to defining the constraints required for subsequent consolidation process steps of the waste form to avoid volatilization.


The major portion of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) is accounted for by consumer spending, which significantly affects the business cycle. Consumer demand has been extremely volatile since 2000, especially given the booms and busts in housing values and in subprime mortgage lending. While it is well-established that housing net worth, credit availability, and household debt levels help to explain changes in consumer spending, the roles played by other potential determinants of consumption are not well identified or understood. This paper uses county-level data and a multiple-regression framework to explore how fluctuations in consumption between 2000 and 2012 are correlated with these macroeconomic variables: income, unemployment, debt, income inequality, consumer expectations, housing wealth, credit access, cash-out refinancings, and foreclosures. Four subperiods are considered: the "dot-com" recession (2001-2003), the "subprime boom" (2004-2006), the Great Recession (2007-2009), and the "tepid recovery" (2010-2012).


The physical, emotional, and economic burdens of family caregiving can present a serious threat to the stability and continuity of a caregiving situation. Public policymakers, aware of the high costs of replacing such voluntary efforts with publicly funded institutional care, are becoming more and more concerned about the needs of caregivers and possible intervention strategies to meet those needs. This article begins with a description of Pennsylvania's new policy initiative for caregivers, the Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP). Following is a discussion of the evaluation of the program's demonstration phase by the Human Organization Science Institute of Villanova University. The evaluation concluded that the FCSP has a significant positive impact on the lives and abilities of caregivers, including the reduction of caregiver stress and burden. The concluding summary of program results seeks to sharpen the reader's interest in the potential benefits of an intervention strategy such as this and suggests a need for additional research for the benefit of those concerned about health care cost containment.


This study evaluated the cost effectiveness of the "Power Breathing" program for asthma among middle and high school students. Few systematic evaluations of school based interventions—let alone cost-effectiveness programs—have been identified in the literature. Power Breathing was developed by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and is currently available for implementation by school districts. For the overall evaluation, 8 junior high schools and 2 high schools were selected and matched based on grade range, enrollment, income and race/ethnicity. Schools were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Surveys were administered at baseline, immediately post-intervention and 3 months' post-intervention. Children in the intervention arm had a significant decrease in the number of days they experienced an asthma attack or had trouble breathing during a 2-week period of 0.18 days per 2 weeks. In contrast, subjects in the control group had an increase in the in the number of days experiencing an asthma attack or having trouble breathing during a 2-week period of 0.102, from 0.696 to 0.793. The program cost approximately $3.9 per asthma attack-free day gained, on par with pharmaceutical interventions, suggesting that Power Breathing may be a cost effective asthma intervention. The results of this study suggest that school-based interventions aimed at asthma, properly implemented and administrated, are an appropriate use of societal resources.


A wide range of toxic chemicals have been found in the umbilical cord blood of newborns, indicating the potential for health risks from chemical exposure that begin in utero. The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting may also have potential chemical exposures that create health risks. Given the extreme vulnerability of this patient population, it is critical to minimize unnecessary hazardous chemicals. Neonatal intensive care unit nurses have an important role to play in making the NICU as safe as possible for their patients and themselves. This article will focus on the human health effects of several chemical exposures commonly found in the NICU for which nurses can help to eliminate or select safer alternatives: (1) diethylhexyl phthalates (a plasticizer commonly found in intravenous tubing/bags and other products); (2) bisphenol A (commonly found in the lining of baby formula cans); (3) personal care products used in the NICU; (4) cleaning, sterilants, and disinfectants; and (5) mercury. A tool for assessing environmental health risks will be presented and associated intervention options including purchasing policies; hospital-wide chemical policies; and development of institutional infrastructures, such as Green Teams, to address NICU and hospital-wide environmental health concerns. Nursing's evolving role in environmental health will be reviewed.


Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta is a protein kinase in the wingless/wnt pathway and as such is involved in the regulation of growth and development of the neural tissue in Drosophila and in vertebrates. This enzyme is also abundantly expressed in the mammal adult brain, where it might play a role in the regulation of several substrates. The expression and the neuroanatomical distribution of GSK-3beta immunoreactivity in the rat brain from embryonic up to adult stages has been studied. GSK-3beta was expressed in the developing brain with the highest expression observed from 18 days of embryonic life up to 10 days of postnatal life. Its expression decreased thereafter and was lowest in the adult. GSK-3beta was strongly expressed in developing neurons but only weakly expressed in layers containing neuroblasts. In the adult and during development, GSK-3beta was detected in the pericarya and proximal part of dendrites. In the embryo, an intense GSK-3beta immunoreactivity was also observed in axonal tracts. This axonal immunoreactivity had markedly decreased by 10 days of postnatal life and was absent at 20 days of postnatal life and in the adult. No GSK-3beta immunoreactivity was detected in astrocytes. The GSK-3beta immunoreactivity was found in most brain regions, although significant local variations of GSK-3beta expression were observed. The developmental evolution of GSK-3beta compartmentalization in neurons parallels that of phosphorylated tau, a protein considered to be a physiological substrate for the kinase.


We examined the distribution of Co ions in ferromagnetic n-type Zn1−xCoxO semiconducting films with Co concentrations of 0.0–0.07 using x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements at the Co and Zn K edges. Extended XAFS (EXAFS) revealed that Co ions mainly occupied the zinc sites in the films. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra demonstrated that the pre-edge peak of the Co K edge was substantially affected by the second neighboring Co ions in the zinc sites due to their environmental potential distortion. From the pre-edge peak and EXAFS analysis using ab initio calculations, we found that Co ions uniformly occupied the zinc sites of the Zn0.93Co0.07O film, whereas the Co ions of the Zn0.97Co0.03O and Zn0.95Co0.05O films were substituted at the zinc sites with a non-uniform distribution. The ferromagnetic properties of the Zn0.93Co0.07O film may be induced by direct interaction between the magnetic dipoles of the Co ions with a mean distance of 4.3 Å, or by the Co conduction-electron mediation.


This executive summary reports the findings from an investigation into the interest rate risk
management (IRRM) practices of UK firms. It is based on a more detailed report of the same name.
Details of where to find this can be found at the end of this executive summary. Risk has become very
prevalent in society and responsibility for the management of risk, in the guise of corporate governance,
has hit the headlines after many recent scandals. Financial risk, in particular, has dominated the
discussion in the media, which has focused on the use of fraudulent financial transactions, special
purpose vehicles and accounting abuses. Financial risk has also hit the headlines as a result of derivative
transactions that are normally used to reduce or hedge risk not working as anticipated, such as at Orange
County and Gibsons Greetings.The illegal use of derivatives by rogue traders such as Nick Leeson at
Barings Bank and John Rusnak at Allied Irish Bank have further served to concentrate the spotlight on
corporate risk management practices.


In the last two decades, the income and security of the individual middle class worker has declined, and the gap between the rich and the poor has widened. In contrast to the last twenty years and the "gilded age" that preceded it, from the time of the first New Deal through the 1970s, the middle class prospered. Wealth and income were more equitably shared in America. This article examines policies that strengthened the middle class during the New Deal, during World War II, and after World War II. These policies strengthened the bargaining power of labor. This article offers suggestions for reviving the middle class now with particular focus on empowering labor.


: This paper focuses on the design process of a student dashboard, in the frame of a Learning Analytics project. The dashboard is intended to reduce dropout of first-year University students. The strong points of this dashboard are three-fold: 1) the involvement of students in the whole design process, 2) the possibility of students to personalize the dashboard, 3) the possibility of indicating personalized goals.


Primary carnitine deficiency is a disorder of fatty acid oxidation caused by mutations in the Na+-dependent carnitine/organic cation transporter OCTN2. Studies with tyrosyl group-modifying reagents support the involvement of tyrosine residues in Na+ binding by sodium-coupled transporters. Here we report two new patients with carnitine deficiency caused by mutations affecting tyrosyl residues (Y447C and Y449D) close to a residue (Glu-452) previously shown to affect sodium stimulation of carnitine transport. Kinetic analysis indicated that the Y449D substitution, when expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, increased the concentration of sodium required to half-maximally stimulate carnitine transport from 14.8 ± 1.8 to 34.9 ± 5.8 mm (p < 0.05), whereas Y447C completely abolished carnitine transport. Substitution of these tyrosine residues with phenylalanine restored normal carnitine transport in Y449F but resulted in markedly impaired carnitine transport by Y447F. This was associated with an increase in the concentration of sodium required to half-maximally stimulate carnitine transport to 57.8 ± 7.4 mm (p < 0.01 versus normal OCTN2). The Y447F and Y449D mutant transporters retained their ability to transport the organic cation tetraethylammonium indicating that their effect on carnitine transport was specific and likely associated with the impaired sodium stimulation of carnitine transport. By contrast, the Y447C natural mutation abolished the transport of organic cations in addition to carnitine. Confocal microscopy of OCTN2 transporters tagged with green fluorescent protein indicated that the Y447C mutant transporters failed to reach the plasma membrane, whereas Y447F, Y449D, and Y449F had normal membrane localization. These natural mutations identify tyrosine residues possibly involved in coupling the sodium electrochemical gradient to transmembrane solute transfer in the sodium-dependent co-transporter OCTN2.


For the past 10 years, chemotherapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma has centered on cisplatin-based combination regimens such as methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin (MVAC). Although such regimens have provided modest improvements in response rates, time to progression and survival, this has been achieved with moderate to severe toxicity. The median survival of patients with advanced disease remains at 12 to 13 months, and attempts to increase the dose intensity of existing regimens have been unsuccessful. Increasingly, attention has turned to the identification of new active agents, and a number have been recently identified, including paclitaxel, gemcitabine, ifosfamide, trimetrexate, piritrexim, and gallium nitrate. These agents will form the basis of new combination regimens that will attempt to improve on the advances in response and survival achieved with combination chemotherapy during the past decade.


It was attempted to produce novel furosemide (FS) fast-disintegrating tablets by direct compression. The combination of FS, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium and xylitol was used as the basic formulation, and sucrose stearic acid ester (SSE) was chosen as an additional additive. The tablets with SSE were prepared by the simple addition of SSE, using a lyophilized mixture of FS and SSE or using a FS/SSE mixture obtained by evaporation of their ethanol solution. Only the tablets, produced using the FS/SSE mixture obtained by organic solvent (ethanol) evaporation, showed hardness of more than 30 N and a disintegration time of less than 20 s, which were the properties suitable for fast-disintegrating tablets. These properties were considered to result from well-mixed and fine-powdered SSE and FS.


Abstract Introduction: Several aspects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remain ambiguous, including its transmission, severity, geographic, and racial differences in mortality. These variations merit elaboration of local patterns to inform wider national policies. Methods: In a retrospective analysis, data of patients treated at a dedicated COVID hospital with moderate and severe illness during 8 wk of the pandemic were reviewed with attention to mortality in a competing risks framework. Results: A total of 1147 patients were hospitalized, and 312 (27.2%) died in hospital. Those who died were older (56.5 vs 47.6 y; P < 0.0001). Of these, 885 (77.2%) had tested positive on reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), with 219 (24.2%) deaths (incidence rate, 1.9 per 100 person-days). Median time from onset of symptoms to death was 11 days. A competing risks analysis for in-hospital death revealed an adjusted cause-specific hazard ratio of 1.4 for each decade increase in age. Conclusions: This retrospective analysis provides broad patterns of disease presentation and mortality. Even COVID test-negative patients will receive treatment at dedicated facilities, and 33% presenting cases may die within the first 72 h, most with comorbid illness. This should be considered while planning distribution of services for effective health-care delivery


In this paper, the equivalent coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of fiber reinforced plastic composite material is investigated with various CTE prediction schemes. Although there are several methods for predicting the equivalent CTEs, most of them have some limitations or are not much accurate when comparing prediction results with test results. In the framework of computational homogenization, a representative volume element is taken from the predefined fiber-volume ratio, and modelled with finite element mesh. Finally, the equivalent CTEs are obtained by applying periodic boundary condition. To verify the performance of the proposed method, the results obtained are compared with those by the existing methods and test results. Additionally, the thermal pointing error analysis for star tracker support structure is conducted and its accuracy is estimated according to CTE prediction schemes.


Interstellar space is not empty, but contains gaseous and particulate
matter that is concentrated into very large regions known as interstellar
clouds. In the denser and cooler clouds, the gas is molecular and most of
the molecules detected are organic in nature. The gas-phase molecules are
synthesised from precursor atoms by rapid exothermic reactions in the gas
and on the surfaces of tiny dust particles. Since dense interstellar clouds
collapse to form stars and planetary systems, the molecules produced in the
clouds may be eventually incorporated into solid bodies such as comets, meteors,
and even planets.


The authors present a new method for the analysis of individual brain PET (positron emission tomography) activation maps that looks for activated areas of a certain size rather than pixels with maximum values. High signal to noise ratio pixels clusters (HSC) are identified, and their sizes are statistically tested with respect to a Monte Carlo derived distribution of cluster sizes in pure noise images. The sensitivity and the specificity of this method have been assessed using realistic Monte Carlo simulations of brain activation maps. Compared to the gamma-2 statistic of the local maxima distribution, the proposed method showed enhanced sensitivity.<<ETX>>


Manufacturing Industry has an essential role in West Java economy in contributing to regional output and level employment. Besides, it is very fragile from internal and external shudder. Thus, government intervention is considerably needed to offset the negative impact that might be ensued due to internal and external shocks. This study will analyze the impact of both government fiscal policy and bank monetary policy on industry and West Java economic performance by using the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model. Fiscal and monetary policy will positively impact West Java macroeconomic performance in terms of change in real GDRP, investment, consumption, and capital rate of return, with the most significant fiscal policy impact. Conversely, the result is expected to vary at the sector level, and the West Java industry is not so receptive to changes in interest rates that represent monetary policy.


Introduction Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common cause of heart failure in dogs, and assessing the risk of heart failure in dogs with MMVD is often challenging. Machine learning applied to electronic health records (EHRs) is an effective tool for predicting prognosis in the medical field. This study aimed to develop machine learning-based heart failure risk prediction models for dogs with MMVD using a dataset of EHRs. Methods A total of 143 dogs with MMVD between May 2018 and May 2022. Complete medical records were reviewed for all patients. Demographic data, radiographic measurements, echocardiographic values, and laboratory results were obtained from the clinical database. Four machine-learning algorithms (random forest, K-nearest neighbors, naïve Bayes, support vector machine) were used to develop risk prediction models. Model performance was represented by plotting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calculating the area under the curve (AUC). The best-performing model was chosen for the feature-ranking process. Results The random forest model showed superior performance to the other models (AUC = 0.88), while the performance of the K-nearest neighbors model showed the lowest performance (AUC = 0.69). The top three models showed excellent performance (AUC ≥ 0.8). According to the random forest algorithm's feature ranking, echocardiographic and radiographic variables had the highest predictive values for heart failure, followed by packed cell volume (PCV) and respiratory rates. Among the electrolyte variables, chloride had the highest predictive value for heart failure. Discussion These machine-learning models will enable clinicians to support decision-making in estimating the prognosis of patients with MMVD.


Resonant frequencies of the two-dimensional plasma in FETs reach the THz range for nanometer transistor channels. Non-linear properties of the electron plasma are responsible for detection of THz radiation with FETs. Resonant excitation of plasma waves with sub-THz and THz radiation was demonstrated for short gate transistors at cryogenic temperatures. At room temperature, plasma oscillations are usually over-damped, but the FETs can still operate as efficient broadband THz detectors. The paper presents the main theoretical and experimental results on detection with FETs stressing their possible THz imaging applications. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of application of III–V GaAs and GaN HEMTs and silicon MOSFETs.


AIM
To elucidate whether mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to aggravated periodontitis in diabetes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sixty-four wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups: control, periodontitis, diabetes, and diabetic periodontitis. Two weeks after induction of diabetes, periodontitis was induced by silk ligation for 2 weeks and thereafter evaluated by assessing alveolar bone loss and apoptosis of periodontium cells. Mitochondrial oxidative stress was detected by MitoSOX staining. Mitochondrial function was determined by measuring ATP production, and by assessing mitochondrial DNA copy number, activities of electron transport chain complexes, and biogenesis with real-time PCR.

RESULTS
Significantly severer bone loss, enhanced periodontium cell apoptosis, and mitochondrial oxidative stress were found in the rats with diabetic periodontitis than the others. Furthermore, diabetic rats with periodontitis presented severer mitochondrial dysfunction than lean rats with periodontitis, as reflected by compromised ATP production, decreased mitochondrial DNA copy number, reduced gene expression of electron transport chain complex I subunits, and impaired mitochondrial biogenesis (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis further indicated a close correlation between these mitochondrial events and bone loss in diabetic periodontitis.

CONCLUSIONS
Mitochondrial dysfunction was positive correlated to aggravated periodontitis in diabetes and might represent a therapeutic target for diabetic periodontitis.


Urine is thought to provide earlier and more sensitive molecular changes for biomarker discovery than blood. Numerous glycoproteins, peptides, and free glycans are present in urine through glomerular filtration of plasma, cell shedding, apoptosis, proteolytic cleavage, and exosome secretion. Urine biomarkers have enormous diagnostic potential, and the use of these biomarkers is a long-standing practice. The discovery of non-urological disease biomarkers from urine is also gaining attention due to its non-invasive sample collection and ease of analysis. Abnormal protein glycosylation in plasma or cerebrospinal fluid has been associated with Parkinson's disease, however, whether urine with Parkinson's disease has characteristic glycosylation remains to be explored. Here, we use mass spectrometry-based glycomics and glycoproteomics approaches to analyze urine samples for glycans, glycosites, and intact glycopeptides of urine samples. Reduced abundance of N-glycans was detected at the level of total glycans as well as specific glycosites of glycopeptides. The most abundant N-glycan in urine is S(6)1H5N4F1; S(6)2H5N4 and N4H4F1 are highly present in serum and urine, and 10 biantennary galactosylated N-glycans in the urine of PD patients were significantly decreased. The downregulation of sialylation may be due to the reduction of ST3GAL2. Site-specific N-glycosylation analysis revealed that AMBP, UMOD, and RNase1 have PD-specific N-glycosylation sites. GO and KEGG analysis revealed that N-glycosylation changes may provide clues to identify disease-specific glycosylation biomarkers in Parkinson's disease.


Subject to uniform strain, an elliptical patch of vorticity in an in viscid, incompressible, two-dimensional fluid generally rotates or nutates and extends or compresses while retaining a precisely elliptical shape (the Kida solutions). This result is of interest because the uniform strain idealizes the leading-order distortional influence of distant vortices in a flow with many vortices. Because of the unsteady motion of the distant vortices, both the strain rate and the rotation rate of the strain axes typically vary with time. In the special case that the strain rate and rotation rate are steady, and when the strain rate is not too large, periodic motion of an elliptical vortex is possible. Larger strain rates lead to indefinite extension of the vortex. Uniform strain, however, only approximately mimics the effect of distant vortices. The local variations- in the strain field around a vortex disturb the vortex, preventing it from retaining a simple, elliptical shape. These disturbances may amplify because of instabilities. In this paper, we examine the stability of periodic elliptical motion to small boundary disturbances, for the case of steady, uniform strain and rotation rate, first by linear Floquet theory and then by direct, high-resolution, nonlinear numerical integrations. It is discovered that a significant portion of the periodic solutions are linearly unstable. Instability can occur even when the strain rate is arbitrarily small and the basic motion arbitrarily close to circular. Extended nonlinear calculations exhibit recurrence, in some cases, and attrition of the vortex by repeated wave amplification, steepening, and breaking in others.


My engagement in this article with the South African systematic theologian Cornel du Toit in recognition of his valued scholarship is restricted to only two of his contributions in the context of the science–theology debate. The first of these are his recent unpublished paper Immanent transcendence and the nature of life: developments from Schrodinger to Kauffman (April 2012) delivered in Tartu, Estonia. In this contribution Du Toit points towards a challenging way and direction in which reflection on life should be pursued, namely holistically in a bio-century. The second of Du Toit's contributions discussed in this article is his thoughts on life in Values in the science–religion dialogue: biological roots of human nature and interaction with cultural environment. Here he focuses on the biological roots of life-supporting values. I subsequently ask what specific theological contribution can be made to a redefinition of life in the context of the science–theology debate. In my conversation with Du Toit a brief account is given of his argument for a redefinition of life. Broad outlines are then given to suggest how theological thoughts about life can contribute to its redefinition. Lastly the case for the integration of the constitutive importance of affectivity in any effort to redefine life holistically is argued.


We present the results of unified geophysical validation of errors bars
of individual Level 2 vertical ozone profiles, measured by limb and
nadir sensors participating in the Ozone_cci Project: GOMOS,MIPAS,
SCIAMACHY, ACE-FTS, OSIRIS, SMR and IASI. This work is a part of
Comprehensive Error Characterization Report of Ozone_cci Project.
The validation is performed by comparing the squared mean error estimate
with variance of a sample derived from the dataset, in a region with low
natural variability, for different separation distances. The approach
allows simultaneous validation of random component of uncertainty
estimates and experimental estimate of the structure functions of ozone
variations. In our presentation, we discuss how realistic we find the
ozone profile uncertainties for different instruments to be.


The purpose of this review is to highlight the risk factors, clinical presentation, and different surgical management options for vaginal evisceration after vaginal, abdominal, or laparoscopic hysterectomy. We identified all reports of vaginal evisceration after these procedures using sources in the literature from 1900 to the present. We found that a total of 59 patients were reported, 37 (63%) had a prior vaginal hysterectomy, 19 (32%) had a prior abdominal hysterectomy (2 of which were radical hysterectomy), and 3 (5%) had a prior laparoscopic hysterectomy. The majority of these patients were postmenopausal women. Also, the precipitating event was most often sexual intercourse in premenopausal patients and increased intra-abdominal pressure in postmenopausal patients. In addition, the small bowel was the most common organ to eviscerate. Most of the patients presented with vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, or a protruding mass. We conclude that vaginal evisceration after hysterectomy remains a rare event. It is more often seen after vaginal hysterectomy than after other types of hysterectomy. It can also occur spontaneously or following trauma or vaginal instrumentation, or any event that increases intra-abdominal pressure. Vaginal evisceration represents a surgical emergency, and the approach to therapy for it may be abdominal, vaginal or a combination of the two. Target Audience: Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians Learning Objectives: After completion of this article, the reader will be able to identify the potential risk factors for vaginal evisceration, to explain the clinical presentation of patients with vaginal evisceration, and to outline the management strategies for patients with vaginal evisceration.


Objective: To determine physical therapists, dieticians and nurses self-reported practice and knowledge of evidence-based practice (EBP), to determine availability of resources for accessing information & related skills and to identify the barriers in implementation of EBP in everyday practice.
Methodology: This comparative cross sectional survey used convenience sampling technique. Physical therapists, dieticians and nurses working at different public & private institutes of Lahore 81 each) were included in the study. Data were collected using a translated questionnaire, which was made to survey health professionals and was found to be a consistent instrument.
Results: Physical therapists, dieticians and nurses had knowledge and understanding of EBP and they know the usage of research evidence for making clinical decisions. Literature survey and research findings were viewed useful in routine clinical practice. The mainstream showed having the requisite skills for evaluating and apprehending the evidence. Insufficient time was considered as a major barrier for the application of EBP. No significant differences were found among groups.
Conclusion: All three groups showed positive opinion and knowledge of EBP. Survey results can help health care trainers while designing EBP coaching syllabus.


BACKGROUND AND AIM
To evaluate the accuracy of the three-dimensional (3D) printing of cardiovascular structures. To explore whether utilisation of 3D printed heart replicas can improve surgical and catheter interventional planning in patients with complex congenital heart defects.

METHODS
Between December 2014 and November 2015 we fabricated eight cardiovascular models based on computed tomography data in patients with complex spatial anatomical relationships of cardiovascular structures. A Bland-Altman analysis was used to assess the accuracy of 3D printing by comparing dimension measurements at analogous anatomical locations between the printed models and digital imagery data, as well as between printed models and in vivo surgical findings. The contribution of 3D printed heart models for perioperative planning improvement was evaluated in the four most representative patients.

RESULTS
Bland-Altman analysis confirmed the high accuracy of 3D cardiovascular printing. Each printed model offered an improved spatial anatomical orientation of cardiovascular structures.

CONCLUSIONS
Current 3D printers can produce authentic copies of patients` cardiovascular systems from computed tomography data. The use of 3D printed models can facilitate surgical or catheter interventional procedures in patients with complex congenital heart defects due to better preoperative planning and intraoperative orientation.


A novel optically controlled SiCGe/SiC heterojunction transistor with charge-compensation technique has been simulated by using commercial simulator. This paper discusses the electric field distribution, spectral response and transient response of the device. Due to utilizing p-SiCGe charge-compensation layer, the responsivity increases nearly two times and breakdown voltage increases 33%. The switching characteristic illustrates that the device is latch-free and its fall time is much longer than the rise time. With an increase of the light power density and wavelength, the rise time and fall time will become shorter and longer, respectively. In terms of carrier lifetime, a compromise should be made between the responsivity and switching speed, the ratio of them reaches maximum value when the minority carrier lifetime equals 90 ns.


Author observed two patients affected by Pseudoxanthoma elasticum with different extent of alternation on the eye background. The separate states of progression of this eye disease are observed by fluorescein angiography. Beside the finding of angioid streaks fluorescein angiography more precisely demonstrates extent of Bruch membrane abnormalities and alteration of pigmentary epithelium of the retina. This way fluorescein angiography significantly contributes to clarification of other accompanying pathology of this eye disease.


This paper will explore if and how psychological strain plays a mediator role between the learning climate and job performance in a group of health workers. Although the relationship between learning climate and job performance has already been explored in the international literature, the role of psychological strain, which may hamper or deepen this relationship, has yet to be investigated. The research hypothesis is that psychological strain mediates the relationship between the climate toward learning (including also the error avoidance climate) and job performance. Data were gathered in a Public hospital in Italy. Participants (N = 61) were health professionals (nurses and obstetricians). Considering the relatively small sample size, a mediation analysis with the aid of the SPSS macro PROCESS was performed. The results show that the relationship between the learning climate (specifically its dimension of organizational appreciation toward learning) and job performance is mediated by psychological strain. The future research agenda and practical implications are discussed in the paper.


The development of the single point cam guided cornea trephine frees the cornea surgeon from always cutting a round recipient window perpendicular to the visual axis of the eye. This new trephine allows for any angle of cut relative to the visual axis of the eye and any shaped window, be that window round, ellipse, oval or "other than round." Full development of the technique lies in the future with the development of more complete topographical measuring techniques and the integration of the measurement into a computer program wherein the computer controls the indexing of the blade cutting the recipient window and the angle of the blade while the blade is making the incision.


Abstract Turing patterns are a class of minimal mathematical models that have been used to discover and conceptualize certain abstract features of early biological development. This paper examines a range of these minimal models in order to articulate and elaborate a philosophical analysis of their epistemic uses. It is argued that minimal mathematical models aid in structuring the epistemic practices of biology by providing precise descriptions of the quantitative relations between various features of the complex systems, generating novel predictions that can be compared with experimental data, promoting theory exploration, and acting as constitutive parts of empirically adequate explanations of naturally occurring phenomena, such as biological pattern formation. Focusing on the roles that minimal model explanations play in science motivates the adoption of a broader diachronic view of scientific explanation.


Selected recent advances in immunoassay are reviewed. Development has continued on new labels (beta-lactamase, pyrophosphatase, luciferases, photoproteins, pyridopyridazines, europium cryptates, metal carbonyl complexes, porphines, phosphors) and label-detection methods (e.g., chemiluminescence assays, thermometric assays, NADP(+)- and FADP-based coupled assays). Various methods have been explored to increase assay sensitivity, including label amplification via catalyzed reporter deposition (peroxidase label) and immuno-polymerase chain reaction (DNA label). The focus of new immunoassay strategies has been on improved reliability (bispecific antibodies), assay simplification (piezoelectric and surface plasmon resonance immunosensors, phase-modulation fluorescence spectroscopy, polymerized bilayer assemblies), and simultaneous multianalyte testing (e.g., quadruple labeling with lanthanides, one-step test devices for drugs of abuse).


The method of solid phase extraction (SPE) combined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was established while nickel iso-nicotine MOFs was employed as adsorbent of SPE to concentrate eight kinds of PAHs in water. The chromatographic conditions, such as flow rate of mobile phase and composition of mobile phase, were investigated. Several important factors of extraction efficiency of SPE, including mass of absorbent, volume of water sample, content of methanol and pH were discussed. The detection limit, precision and recovery rate were calculated.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe the X-ray features of the neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) of breast to raise the awareness for the disease.

METHODS
The mammography, sonography and clinicopathologic features in a total of 16 cases of pathologically proven breast neuroendocrine carcinoma in Fudan University Cancer Hospital were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS
All the 16 patients were women with a mean age of 67.3 years old (ranged from 45 to 75 years old). Twelve patients had palpable masses and the other four patients had outflow from the nipple. Pathological diagnosis included endocrine ductal carcinoma in situ (E-DCIS) in 4 cases, E-DCIS with microinvasion in 5, and invasive solid neuroendocrine carcinoma in 7. On mammography, 9 of 16 cases exhibited round or slightly lobulated masses. Five of the 16 cases exhibited irregular or asymmetric opacities. Two of the 16 cases had negative findings. The borders of the 14 masses detected on mammography were vague in 7, partly unclear in 3 and clear-cut in 4 cases. Malignant microcalcification was not found in all cases. The accuracy rates of preoperative qualitative diagnosis for NEC with mammography and sonography were 68.8% (11/16) and 81.3% (13/16), respectively. Given the application of combined mammography and sonography, the accuracy rates could be improved to 87.5% (14/16).

CONCLUSIONS
A round mass and irregular or asymmetric opacities without malignant calcification are the most frequent appearances of mammography in neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast. Combination of mammography and sonography may be useful to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and early detection of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast.


Tungsten spectra have been observed in Large Helical Device (LHD) by injecting a coaxial tungsten pellet to identify the emission lines in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) range of 10 500 Å. The spectra of line emissions from tungsten ions have been measured in neutral-beam-heated discharges using two EUV spectrometers of EUV_Short and EUV_Long working in wavelength ranges of 10 130 Å and 50 500 Å, respectively. As a result, a lot of tungsten lines from low-ionized ions of W4+, W6+ and W7+ are observed for the first time in the toroidal device in addition to tungsten lines from highly ionized ions of W41+-W45+. Measured line emissions are carefully identified based on the NIST database and the determined wavelengths show a good agreement with the NIST database. The result is summarized in table with information on blended lines obtained from the radial profile measurement. c © 2018 The Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research


The microwave frequency performance of InAs/ AlSb/GaSb resonant interband tunneling diodes has been examined experimentally. A bias-dependent small-signal circuit model that matches the measured data well for the full range of measured frequencies (dc to 35 GHz) and the full range of device biases (0 to 0.5 V) has been obtained. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of a microwave-frequency circuit model that is valid over the full range of device operating biases, including the negative differential resistance region. The bias dependence of the circuit elements contained within the model is examined, and is consistent with device operational principles.


We report the first integration of selenium (Se) segregation contact technology in ultrathin-body (UTB) n-MOSFET featuring Ni fully silicided source and drain. During the Ni silicidation process, the implanted Se segregated at the NiSi-n-Si interface, leading to significant reduction of Schottky barrier height and contact resistance. The UTB n-MOSFETs integrated with Se segregation (SeS) contact technology show significant external series resistance reduction and drive current performance enhancement. Drain-induced barrier lowering and gate leakage current density are not adversely affected by the SeS process.


The present Article provides a contextualised commentary to the preliminary ruling of 16 January 2019 by the CJEU, in case C-496/17 Deutsche Post AG v. Hauptzollamt Köln which concerned interpretations of requirements related to maintaining Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status by Deutsche Post AG in the context of data protection of the personal information from senior management under the Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) and sets out the broader implications stemming therefrom. It also provides a brief selected overview of certain recent developments concerning data protection cases within the sphere of customs law at country level and EU institutional level. It finally also highlights certain relevant issues important for cross-border data flow in the EU such as the current use and future creation of various EU integrated databases used by customs and other authorities, the right of access to these, and the new European Data Protections Board's guidelines on lawful data processing for online services.


Origin-destination (O-D) trip matrix estimation from traffic count surveys is regarded as the most economical and effective methodology in road network analysis for transport planning and traffic management. Despite the numerous mathematical estimation techniques previously developed, the fundamental procedure of selecting count locations itself is a prime determinant in the quality of the ultimate estimation and deserves more in-depth exploration. In this paper, some existing methods being adopted in practice are reviewed. Two basic rules are established based on previous works and are formulated in a linear programming model to determine the best survey locations for O-D estimation. However, technical problems will be incurred when applied to a large network with huge number of variables involved. The proposed maximal O-D selection method is proved to provide results with a comparable level of reliability, and a sensitivity test is conducted with different objective functions to verify this proposed str...


Inula racemosa Hook. f. (Pushkarmula), a perennial Himalayan herb known for its aromatic and phytopharmaceutical attributes, is not yet explored at genomic/transcriptomic scale. In this study, efforts were made to unveil the global transcriptional atlas underlying organ-specific specialized metabolite biosynthesis by integrating RNA-Seq analysis of 433 million sequenced reads with the phytochemical analysis of leaf, stem, and root tissues. Overall, 7242 of 83,772 assembled nonredundant unigenes were identified exhibiting spatial expression in leaf (3761), root (2748), and stem (733). Subsequently, integration of the predicted transcriptional interactome network of 2541 unigenes (71,841 edges) with gene ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed isoprenoid, terpenoid, diterpenoid, and gibberellin biosynthesis with antimicrobial activities in root tissue. Interestingly, the root-specific expression of germacrene-mediated alantolactone biosynthesis (GAS, GAO, G8H, IPP, DMAP, and KAO) and antimicrobial activities (BZR1, DEFL, LTP) well-supported with both quantitative expression profiling and phytochemical accumulation of alantolactones (726.08 μg/10 mg) and isoalantolactones (988.59 μg/10 mg), which suggests "roots" as the site of alantolactone biosynthesis. A significant interaction of leaf-specific carbohydrate metabolism with root-specific inulin biosynthesis indicates source (leaf) to sink (root) regulation of inulin. Our findings comprehensively demonstrate the source-sink transcriptional regulation of alantolactone and inulin biosynthesis, which can be further extended for upscaling the targeted specialized metabolites. Nevertheless, the genomic resource created in this study can also be utilized for development of genome-wide functionally relevant molecular markers to expedite the breeding strategies for genetic improvement of I. racemosa.


Background The prevalence of gout in China has been increasing to as high as 15% in some reports in the past 2 decades. Optimal management including patient education has been emphasized in clinics, but few reports on patient knowledge about gout have been published. Objectives To investigate the disease-related knowledge level of patients with gout in South China in order to identify important targets for patient education. Methods A survey of 154 patients with gout was conducted using a questionnaire in Chinese modified from Zhang et al.[1] This had 10-items concerning essential areas of knowledge of gout. Data were analyzed by multiple logistic regressions to identify factors associated with gout awareness. Results 5 patients could not finish the questionnaire because of communication problems or low education so 149 patients were recruited for statistical analysis. 133 (89.3%) patients were male and 16 (10.7%) female. The mean age was 54.9±15.8 (range 19∼94) years. The mean duration of gout was 3.8±3.2 years, and varied from 3 days to 24 years. Education levels were stratified as a) primary school or lower (20.1%), b) junior high school (2.1%), c) high school (39.6%) and d) college or above (18.1%). The mean of correct answers was 6.6±2.2, with a median of 7(5-8). The following were numbers of correct answers (%): 133 (89.3%) patients knew that too much uric acid causes gout, with 64 (43%) patients knowing that crystals inside the joint cause attacks of gout. 138 (92.6%) patients recognized acute attacks by painful swollen joints, and 105(70.5%) patients knew NSAIDs or colchicine as effective drugs for acute attacks. 90(60.4%) patients recognized that colchicine can prevent attacks induced by urate -lowering therapy (ULT). 83 (55.7%) patients knew allopurinol as a kind of urate-lowering drug. Only 72(48.3%) patients knew the optimal SUA level is ≤6mg/dl and 44 (29.5%) patients knew that urate-lowering drugs should be taken lifelong. Logistic regression showed that high education significantly predicated the awareness of gout-related knowledge. The other factors including age, sex, disease duration, annual income, the number of affected joints, frequency of acute attacks, tophus formation and frequency of doctor visits were not predicators. Conclusions Gout patients in South China were familiar with the characteristics and management of acute attacks, but had poor knowledge on ULT. Patient education for our population should be focused on the use of urate-lowering drugs, treatment duration, optimal target SUA level and prevention of attacks, especially for patients with low education. References Zhang LY, et al. Development and evaluation of a survey of gout patients concerning their knowledge about gout.J Clin Rheumatol, 2011;17: 242-248 Disclosure of Interest None Declared


The SMAS was described more than 25 years ago, yet its full potential in face-lift surgery has become appreciated only more recently. A reappraisal of the various aspects of SMAS surgery is now appropriate. These include aspects of its release from the deep fascia, the several considerations underlying the vectors of flap redistribution, and the rationale underlying the methods of flap fixation. These are unique, compared with the traditional considerations in subcutaneous face lifts and en bloc subperiosteal lifts. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 107: 1545, 2001.)


Phenol and phenolic compounds are found as major pollutants in various types of environmental sites. They exist in industrial wastewater of oil refineries, and petrochemical and phenol resin industry plants. To remove these components, using biofilm-forming microorganisms is new approach currently. From isolated bacteria which could degrade diesel oil and several hydrocarbon components containing in crude oil, we selected the strain VTPG5 having capacity of biofilm formation and phenol utilization. Comparing of the part of 16S rRNA of the strain with bacterial strains in NCBI and LNSP by using specific primer pair 9f and 1525r, this strain belonged to the genus Rhodococcus then was named Rhodococcus sp.VTPG5. The gene was registed in Genbank NCBI with accession number LC057207. The optimal conditions to form biofilm of the strain after 48 hours were elucidated as 37 o C, pH 7, 1.5% of NaCl with glucose and (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. These optimal biofilm-forming conditions were conducted to investigate phenol degradation capacity. As the result, the phenol degradation productivity of the biofilm formed by VTPG5 was 99.8% after 7 day-incubation with the initial concentration of 200 mg/l. The result gave a hint to apply the biofilm formed by VTPG5 to remove phenol and phenolic compounds from waste-water.


Introduction: pleural effusions are the result of an inflammatory response of the pleura, that might be caused by a variety of mechanisms including infectious diseases, resulting in a parapneumonic effusion also known as empyema. Aim: To identify the clinical characteristics and therapeutic trends in pediatric patients with diagnosis of empyema, in the Western National Hospital. Methods: Descriptive study -consecutive case series from year 2000 to 2010 Results: We included 63 clinical files. 50.8% were male. Age 4 ± 3 years, with a normal nutritional state in 87.3%. Mean time of hospital stay was 23 ± 15 days. The main signs and symptoms that characterized this review were fever in 88.9% and consecutively hypophonesis in 76.2% and cough 58.7%. Only 44 pleural fluids were cultured, and 13 of them were positive, isolating gram negative bacteria mainly (6/13) followed by staphylococcus aureus (3/13) and group A streptococcus (2/13). The therapeutic trends were: thoracic drainage and diagnostic and therapeutic thoracentesis in 91.1 and 88.3% of the cases respectively, followed by open thoracotomy and decortication 23.8%. At last, and practically unused, fibrinolysis and video assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) was conducted only in one patient. Conclusions: As already known, the early intervention with VATS and fibrinolysis in the management of patients with empyema has reduced disease related complications and length of hospitalary stay. After this review, we encouraged our authorities to acquire medical equipment to perform VATS and improve the availability of fibrinolytics on demand in our center in order to start using the newer therapeutics techniques in the management of empyema.


For sessile organisms, dispersal and recruitment are typically spatially stochastic, but there is little understanding of how this variability scales up to influence processes such as competitive coexistence. Here we argue that coexistence of benthic marine animals is enhanced by stochastic differences between species in the spatial distribution of larval settlement. Differentiation of settlement distributions among competitors results in intraspecifically aggregated settlement, which can reduce overall interspecific competition and increase overall intraspecific competition. We test for the components of this mechanism using a pair of subtidal invertebrates, and we find that the mean interspecific effect of the dominant competitor is substantially reduced by natural settlement variability. Using a simulation parameterized with experimental data, we find that variable settlement could play an important role in long-term coexistence between these species. This mechanism may apply broadly to benthic marine communities, which can be highly diverse and typically exhibit large settlement fluctuation over a range of scales.


The scope of big data protection is confined not only to the present-day statistics but also it depends on the ancient records to recognize threats, anomalies, fraud to make sure that the network can be secure from the targeted assaults.To deeply talk about the issues of Big Data,this paper starts with a brief introduction of big data analytics,observed via the discussions of big data statistical analytics and further studies on security challenges is also presented for the subsequent step of Big Data Analytics.


This study considers a sustainable supply chain including the collector, cleaner, and recycler for recycling of PET plastic bottles and reusing them in textile industry. In the market, some suppliers of textile industry purchase cleaned and non-fragmented bottles and then they fragment them, whereas others prefer to buy recycled materials (i.e., cleaned and fragmented bottles). The collector collects used plastic bottles. To meet demand of the recycled materials, the collector transfers a portion of the collected bottles to the recycler and then the recycler cleans and fragments them. Furthermore, the collector cleans another portion of the collected bottles himself or via a cleaner to meet demand of the cleaned and non-fragmented bottles. In this setting, two different structures are established for transferring the cleaned bottles to suppliers. Under the first structure, the collector cleans the collected bottles through the cleaner by giving a share of the profit to him, while he is equipped with the bottles cleaning technology by paying a setup cost under the second structure. Moreover, the game-theoretic models are developed including Nash, Stackelberg, and Centralized to make decisions under two considered structures.


The association of hepatitis B virus infection and vasculitis or other immune-mediated manifestations is well documented. Reports on such manifestations in relation to hepatitis B vaccination are scarce, however. We report 2 patients who developed polyarteritis nodosa following vaccination against hepatitis B. In one patient this resulted in an ischemic and necrotic digital ulcus, necessitating surgical amputation. The other patient presented with typical cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa which responded well to corticosteroid treatment. A third patient developed a severe pityrias rosea-like eruption. He was treated with topical steroids with healing of the lesions, leaving only post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The literature on these associations is reviewed.