This paper concerns multi-agent models predicting Twitter trends. We use a step-wise approach to develop a novel agent-based model with the following properties: (1) it uses individual behavior parameters for a set of Twitter users and (2) it uses a retweet graph to model the underlying social network structure of these Twitter users to predict trends. The model parameters can be optimized using empirical data. To investigate to what extend this agent-based model can predict Twitter trends, we validate the model performance on two case studies using real Twitter data: tweets on banks and tweets on universities. We furthermore compare a version of the model that only uses the retweet graph (PM1) with the model that also simulates individual behavior (PM2) for small to larger prediction time intervals. For both case studies the results show that PM1 performs better for small prediction time intervals (up to one day in the future), while PM2 performs better for larger time intervals (from a day to a week). We think this opens up the possibility to use similar models for helping organizations to extend their monitoring capabilities of social media with predictive modeling and to become more pro-active and less reactive.


Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC) are the major diseases of the lower gastrointestinal tract. The intestinal epithelium plays a critical role in the host's interactions with the large communities of resident luminal bacteria. Epithelial cells recognize the bacterial components via pattern-recognition receptors. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a major class of pattern-recognition receptors that are present on intestinal epithelial cells, including putative stem cells. Stem cells are responsible for tissue homeostasis and regeneration after injury including IBD. Stem cells are also implicated in the pathogenesis of CRC. In susceptible individuals, disruption of normal homeostatic balance between the host's mucosal cells and enteric microflora is believed to result in aberrant immune responses against the resident commensal bacteria, leading to IBD. Microbiological analyses have revealed that the composition and localization of microbiota is altered in CRC and IBD. It is plausible that stem cells directly sense and respond to microbiota. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on the effect of microbiota and TLR signaling on intestinal stem cells. It also describes how TLR signaling could affect the stem cell regulatory pathways.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the inadequate diagnostic rate of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology (USFNAC) in thyroid calcified nodules.

METHODS
208 thyroid calcified nodules in 202 patients were retrospective analyzed, and all of the nodules were acquired cytological diagnosis.

RESULTS
There was no significant complication in the all 208 thyroid calcified nodules. The inadequate diagnostic rate was 25.5% in thyroid calcified nodules. The inadequate diagnostic rates in micro calcifications , macro calcifications and circumjacent arc calcifications were 16.0%, 26.4% and 76.5%. The inadequate diagnostic rate in circumjacent arc calcifications were higher than those in micro calcifications and macro calcifications (P < 0.01) , and the rates were no significance in micro calcifications and macro calcifications. There was no statistical significance in different size of thyroid calcified nodules.

CONCLUSIONS
The inadequate diagnostic rate in circumjacent arc calcifications was higher, and should to avoid USFNAC in these nodules.


The crystal structure of intermediate-valence (IV) samarium hexaboride has been studied on single-crystal double-isotope samples 154Sm11B6 by X-ray diffractometry at room temperature and by high-resolution powder neutron diffraction in the temperature range 23 K<or=T<or=300 K. The X-ray experiment revealed the occurrence of vacancies at the boron site, larger thermal vibrations of the Sm atom than of La in the isostructural non-IV material LaB6 and an aspherical charge distribution around the Sm nucleus. The neutron diffraction experiment confirmed the anomalous temperature dependence of the lattice parameter and revealed both a peculiar temperature dependence of the anisotropic thermal vibrations of the boron atom and a temperature-dependent change in the ratio of the isotropic thermal parameters of the Sm and B atoms. Thermal vibrations of the Sm ion can be satisfactorily described by the Einstein model with characteristic temperature Theta E approximately=120 K within the whole temperature range. The data obtained are discussed in terms of the influence of the fluctuating valence of the Sm ion on the structural parameters of atoms.


Research indicates that death-relevant thoughts (mortality salience) have a nuanced effect on judgments of life's meaningfulness. Thoughts of death diminish meaning in life only among people who lack or do not readily engage psychological structures that confer meaning. Building on this past research, the current research examined how an important source of meaning, long-term goal progress, affects the ways that death-relevant cognitions impact judgments of life's meaning. In Study 1 (N = 118), mortality salience decreased perceptions of meaning in life only among participants who were induced to feel closer to (vs. farther from) completing a long-term goal. Study 2 (N = 259) extended these findings by demonstrating the moderating influence of individual differences in locomotion. Mortality salience again decreased perceptions of meaning in life among participants who felt closer to accomplishing a long-term goal, but it only did so among people who do not quickly adopt new goals to pursue (i.e., those low in locomotion). The implications of these findings for better understanding how people maintain meaning in the face of existential concerns and how aspects of goal pursuit affect these processes are discussed.


Linear scoring is widely applied in domestic animal species, mainly in cattle and horses. There are only few cases of linear scoring in sheep, probably because the small body size and the narrow range of the classes make difficult to correctly evaluate the measures. In this paper the results of a linear scoring test carried out on Merinizzata Italiana sheep breed in order to verify the feasibility of this method in sheep, are reported. Twenty untrained people, with three different levels of scoring experience in meat sheep morphology, evaluated 52 pluriparous ewes for body length, chest circumference, chest width, rump height, rump width, and withers height; to check for misclassification, their scores were compared with a reference score, previously obtained measuring the same animals by the suitable tools (measuring tape and a Lydtin stick). The percentage of correct scoring ranged from 44.4% for body length to 61.8% for withers height, and was not affected by the experience of the judge. In all characters, the distance of the class from the trait mean had a significant effect in increasing the intensity of misclassifications; the judge's experience showed a positive effect in reducing the intensity of the misclassification for body length, that was the hardest trait to score. These results encourage to further verifying in practice the linear scoring in the Merinizzata Italiana sheep and in other meat breeds.


The implementation of green roof on top of buildingsis becoming a trend in the urban cities and provides numerous benefits to the green development growth. Despite the benefit and enhancement on green roof installation,
maintenance consideration isstill largely unexplored asthe main significant factor in the viability of green roof installation. This paper is aimed to identify the significant criteria of green roof maintenance practice in Malaysia. The literature findings revealed that there are generally twenty
(20) criteria pointed as maintenance criteria. Out of 20, six maintenance criteria were identified as the most significant factors towards the best practice of green roof maintenance.


This collection of 17th century sermons examines the relationship between faith and reason, and forms one of the first attempts in English Protestantism to stress the role of reason in ethics and to develop a doctrine of natural law. Nathaniel Culverwell is considered one of the principal scholars of the seventeenth century. This collection of sermons he delivered in 1645-46, examines the relationship between reason and faith, and forms one of the first attempts in English Protestantism to stress the role of reason in ethics and to develop a doctrine of natural law. Culverwell represents a crucial intersection in the discussion of reason and faith. While providing a link between the Calvinist dependence on faith and grace and the Enlightenment dependence on reason and humanism, Culverwell's Discourse is a picture of the world on the brink of the Enlightenment. The seventeenth century was an era that included the Puritan migration from England to America and the English Civil War. During this period, an understanding of the divine, and the interrelationship between reason and revelation, was often a matter of violent debate. An Elegant and Learned Discourse of the Light of Nature spans several centuries, during which the very nature of knowledge as a product of reason, not the means of revelation, gained ascendancy in Western civilization. This discourse was crucial to the development of a theoretical grounding for individual challenges to established authorities, both political and ecclesiastical, and thus to the development of modern theories of liberty and responsibility.


Novel ester-functionalized polypyrrole-silica nanocomposite particles were prepared by oxidative copolymerization of pyrrole and N-succinimidyl ester pyrrole (50/50% initial concentrations), using FeCl3 in the presence of ultrafine silica nanoparticles (20 nm diameter). The N-succinimidyl ester pyrrole monomer was prepared in aqueous solution using 1-(2-carboxyethylpyrrole) and N-hydroxysuccinimide in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide. The resulting nanocomposites (N-succinimidyl ester polypyrrole-silica) are raspberry-shaped agglomerates of silica sol particles "glued" together by the insoluble poly(pyrrole-co-N-succinimidyl pyrrole). The N-succinimidyl ester polypyrrole-silica particles were characterized in terms of their size, density, copolymer content, and polydispersity. Scanning electron microscopy and disk centrifuge sedimentometry confirmed that the nanocomposite particles had narrow size distributions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated a silica-rich surface and a high surface concentration of N-succinimidyl ester groups. These nanoparticles exhibited good long-term dispersion stability. The chemical stability of the ester functions in aqueous media after several weeks of storage was monitored by FTIR spectroscopy. The functionalized nanocomposites were tested as bioadsorbents of human serum albumin (HSA). The very high amount of immobilized HSA determined by UV-visible spectroscopy is believed to be due to covalent binding. Incubation of the HSA-grafted nanocomposite with anti-HSA resulted in immediate flocculation, an indication that they are alternative candidates for visual diagnostic assays.


Schizencephaly is a rare disorder of cerebral cortical development with a frequency of 1.54 / 100,000. It is caused by defective migration of neurons with the subsequent formation of fissures extending from the pia mater of the cerebral wall to the underlying ventricular surface. It is often associated with other brain abnormalities such as polymicrogyria, pachygyria, ventriculomegaly, heterotopia of the gray matter, agenesis of the septum pellucidum, agenesis of the corpus callosum and others. It is most often accompanied by mental retardation, learning difficulties and epileptic seizures. An atypical case of late epileptic onset in a 21-year-old man with normal neuropsychiatric development due to schizencephaly and agenesis of the septum pellucidum is presented.


OBJECTIVE
To conduct an exploratory investigation of possible relationships between individual levels of social anxiety and the ability to classify emotional expressions in a group of schoolchildren observing pictures of children of similar age.

METHOD
One hundred forty-nine second- and third-grade schoolchildren underwent a facial expression discrimination trial. Children were characterized on the basis of the number of spontaneous comments they made during a pause in the trial, and on their scores on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, the Stevenson-Hinde and Glover Shyness-to-the-Unfamiliar Scale, and the Cloninger Harm Avoidance scale. The scales were filled in by appropriately trained teachers.

RESULTS
The overall rate of correct identification was 72%, without gender-associated differences. Regression analyses showed that higher rates of misidentifications were significantly associated with higher scores on the Liebowitz scale and fewer spontaneous comments. Misidentifications of the "anger" expressions (most often misclassified as "disgust") were associated with higher ratings on the Liebowitz scale when children were exposed to a boy's picture and by fewer spontaneous comments when children were exposed to a girl's picture. Misidentification of a neutral expression of a girl's picture (most often misclassified as "sadness") was significantly associated with fewer spontaneous comments.

CONCLUSIONS
These pilot results suggest that a child's ability to correctly identify other children's basic emotions is partially associated with his or her level of observed social shyness.


Retention of molten corium inside calandria vessel is crucial for arresting accident progression in pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) during severe accidents. Our earlier tests have demonstrated corium retention and its cooling inside the calandria vessel of PHWRs through external cooling by vault water. However, the presence of nozzles and moderator drain pipe at the bottom of calandria vessel has not been considered in these studies. These nozzles and drain pipes used for moderator circulation can make the viability of corium retention even more challenging. Once the moderator has evaporated, debris reheating, compacting, and finally melting can cause the release of molten corium into the moderator recirculation system. This can lead to the relocation of corium beyond calandria vessel. The corium might reach the pump room or calandria vault after the failure of moderator drain pipe and/or moderator pump seals. This has severe consequences on containment integrity due to molten corium concrete interaction (MCCI). The risks posed by MCCI can be avoided if corium can be contained inside calandria vessel even with the presence of nozzles (at the bottom of the vessel) or if at all it enters into the drain line, does not cause its failure. Thus, it becomes crucial to evaluate the challenges faced by "in-vessel retention" (IVR) as a severe accident management strategy due to the presence of openings in the calandria vessel. Relatively colder debris present near the bottom of calandria vessel might help in obstructing the nozzles of the moderator drain line and can prevent the entry of hot molten corium into the moderator cooling line. The role of debris, therefore, becomes important under such scenarios for not just insulation of calandria vessel from hot corium but also for retention of corium within the vessel. In this article, these issues are addressed by conducting two sets of experiments for assessment of retention capability (IVR) of calandria vessel: (i) with the presence of debris and (ii) without debris at the bottom of calandria vessel. The moderator recirculation line was scaled to simulate the heat transfer from corium to vault water and solidification of corium simulant while flowing through the moderator drain pipe. It was observed that debris bed present at the bottom of the vessel helps in arresting the molten corium front and thus prevents corium from entering into moderator drain pipe. When experiments were conducted without debris, molten corium was found to be relocating in the moderator drain pipe. The drain pipe, however, did not fail under the thermal load.


Abstract Personal Medical Records (PMR) manage an individual's medical information in digital form and allow patients to view their medical information and doctors to diagnose diseases. Today's institution-dependent centralized storage, fails to give trustworthy, secure, reliable, and traceable patient controls. This leads to a serious disadvantage in diagnosing and preventing diseases. The proposed blockchain technique forms a secured network between doctors of the same specialization for gathering opinions on a particular diagnosis by sharing the PMR with consent to provide better care to patients. To finalize the disease prediction, members can approve the diagnosis. The smart contract access control allows doctors to view and access the PMR. The scalability issue is resolved by the Huffman code data compression technique, and security of the PMR is achieved by an advanced encryption standard. The proposed techniques' requirements, latency time, compression ratio and security analysis have been compared with existing techniques.


The Bcl2 family of proteins is capable of switching the apoptotic machinery by directly controlling the release of apoptotic factors from the mitochondrial outer membrane. They have 'pro' and 'anti'-apoptotic subgroups of proteins which antagonize each other's function; however a detailed atomistic understanding of their mechanisms based on the dynamical events, particularly in the membrane, is lacking. Using molecular dynamics simulations totaling 1.6µs we outline the major differences between the conformational dynamics in water and in membrane. Using implicit models of solvent and membrane, the simulated results reveal a picture that is in agreement with the 'hit-and run' concept which states that BH3-only peptides displace the tail (which acts as a pseudo substrate of the protein itself) from its binding pocket; this helps the membrane association of the protein after which the BH3 peptide becomes free. From simulations, Bcl-xL appears to be auto-inhibited by its C-terminal tail that embeds into and covers the hydrophobic binding pocket. However the tail is unable to energetically compete with BH3-peptides in water. In contrast, in the membrane, neither the tail nor the BH3-peptides are stable in the binding pocket and appear to be easily dissociated off as the pocket expands in response to the hydrophobic environment. This renders the binding pocket large and open, thus receptive to interactions with other protein partners. Principal components of the motions are dramatically different in the aqueous and in the membrane environments and provide clues regarding the conformational transitions that Bcl-xL undergoes in the membrane, in agreement with the biochemical data.


BackgroundOral pigmentation can be either normal or abnormal discolouration of the oral mucosa.
Objective: To help clinicians establish a better approach towards the care of patients with pigmented oral lesions and to establish early diagnosis and treatment of such conditions.
Data source: Works of literature concerning oral pigmentations, clinical features and treatment were reviewed thoroughly from renowned electronic databases such as PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library and personal clinical experience in managing such conditions. The following words were used for the search: oral pigmentation, aetiology, and clinical presentations.
Findings: Oral pigmentation presents in various clinical patterns that can range from just physiologic changes to oral manifestations of systemic diseases and malignancies. Oral pigmentation may be physiological or pathological. Knowledge of the different presentations of oral pigmented lesions is quite crucial to improve and mastering the skill of differential diagnosis, definitive diagnosis and prompt treatment. The deposition of pigments in oral tissues may be due to various etiological factors. It can arise from intrinsic and extrinsic factors and can be physiological or pathological.
Conclusion: A good understanding of the various presentations of oral pigmented lesions would aid in the proper diagnosis and treatment of the condition.


Background: Nurses and student nurses in Malawi often encounter challenges in taking a moral course of action. Several studies have demonstrated a need for increased awareness of ethical issues in the nursing education. Objective: To explore the challenges experienced by nurse teachers in Malawi in their efforts to enhance students' moral competence in clinical practice. Research design: A qualitative hermeneutic approach was employed to interpret the teachers' experiences. Participants and research context: Individual interviews (N = 8) and a focus group interview with teachers (N = 9) from different nursing colleges were conducted. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was granted and all participants signed their informed consent. Findings: Two overall themes emerged: (1) authoritarian learning climate, with three subthemes: (a) fear of making critical comments about clinical practice, (b) fear of disclosing mistakes and lack of knowledge and (c) lack of a culture of critical discussion and reflection that promotes moral competence; and (2) discrepancy between expectations on learning outcome from nursing college and the learning opportunities in practice comprising three subthemes: (a) gap between the theory taught in class and learning opportunities in clinical practice, (b) lack of good role models and (c) lack of resources. Discussion: Our findings indicated that showing respect was a central objective when the students were assessed in practice. A number of previous studies have enlightened the need for critical reflection in nursing education. Few studies have linked this to challenges experienced by teachers for development of moral competence in practice. This is one of the first such studies done in an African setting. Conclusion: There is a clear relationship between the two themes. A less authoritarian learning climate may enhance critical reflection and discussion between students, teachers and nurses. This can narrow the gap between the theory taught in college and what is demonstrated in clinical practice. Moral competence must be enhanced in order to ensure patients' rights and safety.


Background In April 2018, the acquisition of two echo-endoscopes enabled the deployment of a new activity within the hospital centre. Echo-endoscopy is an act of exploration combining ultrasound with endoscopy, which allows, using specific needles, the realisation of sampling and therapeutic drainages. Purpose Therefore, we compared the different market-available needles. Material and methods Three providers (A, B, C), previously selected in a regional framework agreement, were solicited for new quotations and specimens. A technical sheet was designed evaluating: quality of packaging and labelling; composition of the kit; characteristics of the needles (dimensions, materials, fenestrated or not, echogenicity, penetration, graduation accuracy, grip, diameter compatibility with the working channel); and quality of the samples obtained. The scores of each supplier were calculated with a weighting of 80% for the quality and 20% for the price. Results After analysing the new offers, provider B proposed separate needle references for cytological and histological diagnostic and for therapeutic drainage. Conversely, supplier A offered three sizes of the same model allowing these three functions. Finally, supplier C was not selected because of its higher quotation without any particular technical advantage. Subsequently, three specimens from A and B were evaluated on six patients. These trials revealed four criteria differentiating needles A and B: quality of packaging, echogenicity, penetration of the needle and quality of the sample. Indeed, needle A displayed soft packaging offering a lesser protection, a lesser echogenicity and a lower sampling quality despite better penetration. The responsible gastroenterologist, aiming to use this technique mainly for diagnosis, therefore chose the needles of supplier B. The final marks were 16,56/20 for supplier B, 16,19/20 for supplier C and 16,00/20 for supplier A. Conclusion The difference in the quality of the samples may be linked to needle B fenestration which allows the obtaining of a larger core at the expense of a weakening of the needle, and a decrease in the case of penetration. Thanks to a tight partnership with the medical team during these tests, pharmaceutical involvement helped to optimize the sourcing of a new product and the deployment of a new activity. References and/or acknowledgements https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30197399 https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/eli/decret/2016/3/25/2016–360/jo/article_59 No conflict of interest.


The Portable Acoustic Monitoring Package (PAMP) has been designed to record and monitor acoustic signals in high-pressure natural gas (NG) transmission lines. Of particular interest are the three acoustic signals associated with a pipeline fracture. The system is portable (less than 30 lbm) and can be used at all line pressures up to 1000 psig. The PAMP requires a shut-off valve equipped 1/2 inch NPT access port in the pipeline. It is fully functional over the typical pressure range found in the natural gas transmission pipelines in the West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio areas. With the use of the PAMP, a full spectrum of acoustic signals can be recorded and defined in terms of acoustic energy in decibels. To detect natural gas pipeline infringements and leaks, the acoustic energy generated inside the line is monitored with a sensitive pressure-equalized microphone and a step function type {Delta}p transducer. The assembly is mounted on a 1000 psig pipe fitting-tree called the PAMP. The electronics required to record, store and analyze the data are described within this report in the format of an operating manual.


Ceramides (CER) are involved in alcohol-induced neuroinflammation. In a mouse model of chronic alcohol exposure, 16 CER and 18 sphingomyelin (SM) concentrations from whole brain lipid extracts were measured using electrospray mass spectrometry. All 18 CER concentrations in alcohol exposed adults increased significantly (range: 25–607%); in juveniles, 6 CER decreased (range: −9 to −37%). In contrast, only three SM decreased in adult and one increased significantly in juvenile. Next, regional identification at 50 μm spatial resolution from coronal sections was obtained with matrix implanted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MILDI-MSI) by implanting silver nanoparticulate matrices followed by focused laser desorption. Most of the CER and SM quantified in whole brain extracts were detected in MILDI images. Coronal sections from three brain levels show qualitative regional changes in CER-SM ion intensities, as a function of group and brain region, in cortex, striatum, accumbens, habenula, and hippocampus. Highly correlated changes in certain white matter CER-SM pairs occur in regions across all groups, including the hippocampus and the lateral (but not medial) cerebellar cortex of adult mice. Our data provide the first microscale MS evidence of regional lipid intensity variations induced by alcohol.


Background Serum cystatin C concentration is associated with cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between cystatin C and acute aortic dissection (AAD) remains unclear. In the current study, we aim to evaluate the predictive value of cystatin C in the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and the prognosis of AAD patients. Methods The patients with AAD admitted to our hospital from November 2019 through January 2022 were consecutively included in the retrospective cohort study. A complete blood cell count, serum biochemistry tests, including cystatin C and creatinine, in-hospital mortality and the incidence of AKI were recorded. All the patients were categorized into four groups according to the quartile of their serum cystatin C levels. Multivariate logistic and Cox regression analyses were conducted to determine the independent risk factors for the incidence of AKI and the prognosis of AAD patients, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analyses and log-rank tests were used to evaluate differences in survival. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the predictive value of cystatin C for short-term mortality and the incidence of AKI in AAD patients. Results A total of 357 patients were included in this study. The results showed that the higher the concentration of cystatin C, the higher the level of serum creatinine and the higher the incidence of AKI. Mortality was significantly higher in the group with serum cystatin C levels >1.18 mg/L. Type A AAD, white blood cell count >10×109/L, platelet count <100×109/L, and serum cystatin C concentration >1.18 mg/L [adjusted hazards ratio (HR) =2.405, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.029–4.063, P=0.041] were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Cystatin C levels >1.18 mg/L remained an independent predictor of AKI in AAD after adjusting for the confounding [odds ratio (OR) 76.489, 95% CI, 25.586–228.660]. The areas under the ROC curves of cystatin C in predicting the mortality and incidence of AKI in AAD patients were 0.655 (95% CI, 0.551–0.760) and 0.807 (95% CI, 0.758–0.856), respectively. Conclusions In sum, serum cystatin C concentration is a potential predictor of short-term mortality and the incidence of AKI in AAD patients.


Teenagers are a unique but little studied user group within the field of Interaction Design. Current literature on methodologies for research with children predominantly focuses on working with younger age groups and leaves a distinct gap between this and research methodologies used with adults. The aim of the workshop is to bridge this gap by bringing together practitioners and academics that have developed and used novel methods for carrying out research with teenagers in the interactions design area. The workshop will also refine and develop existing methods, create new methods, foster new collaborations, and define new research agendas to grow the research and literature in this area.


Many risk factors for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), such as hypertension and recent infection, have already been established. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common respiratory pathogen that has been implicated as a potential risk factor for hypertension and atherosclerotic diseases. The purpose of the case-control study presented here was to examine the causative relationship between C. pneumoniae infection and SAH. Serum C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA antibodies were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 52 patients with SAH and in 104 healthy age-matched control subjects. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between SAH and both a strong seropositivity for IgG and/or IgA antibodies against C. pneumoniae (odds ratio, OR, 3.62; 95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.06–12.39; p = 0.040), which indicates the presence of acute C. pneumoniae infection, and hypertension (OR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.42–5.96; p = 0.0035). These results provide evidence that infection with C. pneumoniae may be a risk factor for SAH from a ruptured intracranial aneurysm.


Aim : The high likelihood of multicentricity and multifocality linked to lobular histology (ILC) has called into question the partial breast irradiation. Patients with ILC are categorized in the cautionary group according to ASTRO guidelines. We looked into the population treated with intraoperative radiotherapy with electrons (ELIOT) as full dose to investigate the impact of lobular compared to ductal histology (IDC) in terms of local recurrence. Matherials and methods : From 1999 to 2007, 2220 patients were treated with breast conserving surgery and intraoperatory radiotherapy with electrons ( 21 Gy at 90% isodose) as sole treatment. The study population includes both patients treated outside and inside the clinical randomized phase III trial ELIOT. Out of 2220 patients, 255 (11.5%) presented ILC. We compared this group with patients having IDC, treated in the same period. The rate of local recurrences has been analyzed, with a minimum follow-up of 5 years. The role of patients and tumor features on local control has been evaluated. Results : Compared to IDC group, patients with ILC were older (≥ 70, 20% vs. 11%), with no lymph node involvement( pN0, 79% vs. 70%), low grading( G1-2,86% vs.72%), absence of vascular invasion( 81% vs. 98%), higher hormonal receptor status (ER +, 97% vs. 88%), HER2 negativity (96% vs. 89%), low proliferative index( Ki-67, 23% vs. 44%). No differences were noticed with regard to the technical parameters of ELIOT. On the whole, the incidence of local relapse was 4.5% at 5 years (0.9/100 per year). Within the first 5 years of follow-up, no differences were observed between lobular and ductal histology, but after 5 years the difference became significant (p 0.05). Higher risk of local relapse was also observed in old patients ( over 60) with ILC. Regarding the biomolecular classification, lobular carcinomas belonging to Luminal A subtype had a more aggressive local behavior than Luminal A ductal carcinomas, showing a significantly higher rate of local relapse (p 0.0021). Conclusion : In spite of a favorable tumor profile, a greater incidence of local relapse occurred in tumors with ILC compared to ductal histology. When considering the anagraphic, histological and biomolecular variables, the old age (>60), the proliferative index and the luminal A subtype turned out to be significant. Interestingly, the incidence of local relapse becomes statistically significant 5 years after the treatment. This event points out the importance of an adequate follow-up length, especially in lobular histology for which other reports on whole breast irradiation in literature describe similar biological behavior . Citation Format: Maria Cristina Leonardi, Patrick Maisonneuve, Anna Morra, Nicole Rotmensz, Samantha Dicuonzo, Roberta Lazzari, Veronica Dell9acqua, Federica Cattani, Mauro Mastropasqua, Alberto Luini, Roberto Orecchia. Lobular histology and partial breast irradiation: To what extent is it a cautionary parameter? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-15-06.


As extracellular soluble proteins decreased during hypocotyl elongation significantchanges in polypeptide pattern in the same protein fraction were observed,suggesting the presence of cell-wall associated protease(s) Extracellular fluid(EF), containing water-soluble and cell wall-ionically bound proteins, was extractedfrom etiolated bean hypocotyls, and protease activity was measured at differentpHs. Significant endopeptidase activity was observed at acid pH, becoming maximalat pH 4 5 Moreover, an endopeptidase (EP) with similar pH optimum, wasisolated from EF by affinity chromatography on haemoglobin-agarose gel Theisolated enzyme showed high thermal and temporal stability and dependence onmetal cofactors, EP seems to be a monomeric enzyme with apparent mol massof 52 kDa and it could hydrolyze several extracellular soluble polypeptides AcidicEP activity increased during hypocotyl growth, reaching its highest value duringthe exponential phase of the elongation, and then decreased It is proposed thatthe EP could be involved in the regulation of cell wall elongation.


Mastitis deteriorates the quality of raw milk and higher proteolytic activity in mastitic milk has been reported. There are no published studies on the effects of health status of the animal on the casein micelle microstructure, therefore the specific objective of this study was to determine the effects of somatic cell count (SCC) on the dimension and microstructure of casein micelles in raw milk. Raw milk samples were collected from the individual quarter of the dairy cattle in three different levels of SCCs (i.e., low: SCC<200,000, medium: 200,000<SCC<800,000 and high: SCC >800,000 cells/ml) and prepared for study by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results suggested that the size of casein micelle changes in mastitic milk, and there were significant differences in casein micelle microstructure between high and low SCC milk samples. The mean diameter of micelles in medium and high SCC specimen decreases dramatically and SEM micrographs revealed that aggregation of casein micelles increases considerably in raw milk samples, especially in high SCC milk, except for that of low SCC. Increase the activity of proteolytic enzymes such as plasmin and lysosomal enzymes (Elastase, Cathepsin B, D and G, etc) was realized as the main reason of hydrolyzing casein in milk, especially in milk with high SCC, which can be the cause of changes in size and tendency to aggregation of casein micelles in mastitic milk. In addition, decreased milk synthesis ability and reduced steric and electrostatic repulsion among casein micelles might be other causes for this phenomenon.


CONTEXT
Speculation exists that use of a full face shield by ice hockey players may increase their risk of concussions and neck injuries, offsetting the benefits of protection from dental, facial, and ocular injuries, but, to our knowledge, no data exist regarding this possibility.

OBJECTIVE
To determine the risk of sustaining a head or neck injury among intercollegiate ice hockey players wearing full face shields compared with those wearing half shields.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
Prospective cohort study conducted during the 1997-1998 Canadian Inter-University Athletics Union hockey season of 642 male hockey players (mean age, 22 years) from 22 teams. Athletes from 11 teams wore full face shields and athletes from 11 teams wore half face shields during play.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Reportable injury, defined as any event requiring assessment or treatment by a team therapist or physician or any mild traumatic brain injury or brachial plexus stretch, categorized by time lost from subsequent participation and compared by type of face shield.

RESULTS
Of 319 athletes who wore full face shields, 195 (61.6%) had at least 1 injury during the study season, whereas of 323 who wore half face shields, 204 (63.2 %) were injured. The risk of sustaining a facial laceration and dental injury was 2.31 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53-3.48; P<.001) and 9.90 (95% CI, 1.88-52.1; P = .007) times greater, respectively, for players wearing half vs full face shields. No statistically significant risk differences were found for neck injuries, concussion, or other injuries, although time lost from participation because of concussion was significantly greater in the half shield group (P<.001), than in the group wearing full shields.

CONCLUSIONS
These data provide evidence that the use of full face shields is associated with significantly reduced risk of sustaining facial and dental injuries without an increase in the risk of neck injuries, concussions, or other injuries.


Woodchip bioreactors have proven effective in removing nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) from agriculturally drained water in the Midwest USA region. Both NO3-N and phosphorus can lead to algal bloom and hypoxia in the receiving surface waters and degrade the water quality. This study explored the effectiveness of bioreactor technology in removing NO3-N and orthophosphate. Three types of media were examined in a pilot-scale lab experiment: deciduous mixed hardwood chips, biochar chips (created from the same type of woodchip) and corn cobs. Chemically formulated water was fed through each system using a residence time of 24 hours. NO3-N reduction occurred in all three media, although biochar showed a relatively longer lag time. An average of 90% NO3-N reduction was observed from the 24 hours retention time. An average of 80% of the orthophosphate was sequestered, with the biochar media providing the most reduction in outflow orthophosphate concentration. Given the recent development of state-wide nutrient management plans to reduce nutrient concentrations in surface water, study results of these technologies will help the row-crop producer community manage nutrient export to surface water.


Dystrophin Dp71 is the most ubiquitous and highest expressed dystrophin isoform in brain, however, Dp71 function and those specific for its spliced dand abisoforms remains undetermined. To study Dp71, utrophin and β-dystroglycan in cell-to-cell interactions, we first established a co-culture model using PC12 cells and L6 myotubes. Confocal microscopy assays of these co-cultures, in which PC12 cells are differentiated in the presence of L6 myotubes, showed that the Dp71d isoform accumulates in PC12 nuclei, Golgi-complexand endoplasmic reticulum-like structures, being depleted from neurites and cytoplasm, while Dp71ab concentrates at neurite tips and cytoplasm and colocalizes with β-dystroglycan, utrophin, synaptophysin and acetylcholine receptors. Evidences suggest Dp71ab isoform unlike Dp71d, may take part in neurite-related processes. This is the first work on the role of dystrophins as well as members of the DAP complex in a cell-line based co-culturing system, which may prove useful in determining protein associations in a more controlled environment than ex-vivo systems.


The standard die materials in aluminium extrusion offer good mechanical properties like high tempering resistance, high strength and ductility. On the other hand, they struggle with the problem of sliding wear. As a result, there is a growing interest in using surface treatment techniques to increase the wear resistance of extrusion dies. In this study, it is aimed to observe the effects of the different friction conditions on material flow and contact pressure in extrusion process. These friction conditions can be obtained with the application of a variety of surface treatment. In this way, it is expected to decrease the friction force on the die bearing area and to increase the homogeneity of the material flow which will result in the increase of the quality of the extrudate as well as the improvement of the process economically by extending die life. For this purpose, an extrusion process is simulated with a finite element software. A die made of 1.2344 hot work tool steel-commonly used die material for aluminium extrusion process- has been modelled and Al 1100 alloy used as billet material. Various friction factor values defined on the die surface under the same process parameters and effects of changing frictional conditions on the die and the extrusion process have been discussed.


PURPOSE
To investigate refractive prediction accuracy with the OA-2000 (Tomey), Anterion (Heidelberg Engineering), and IOLMaster 500 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG) in patients with cataract.

METHODS
Patients with cataract referred for phacoemulsification were enrolled and scanned with the OA-2000, Anterion, and IOLMaster 500 in random order. The success rate of axial length (AL) measurements per device was calculated and a chi-square test was used to identify the differences in acquisition rate between the three devices. The Bland-Altman method was used to appraise the agreement of biometric parameters between the three devices. Four different formulas (Barrett Universal II [BUII], Haigis, Holladay 1, and SRK/T) were included in the study. The parameters of refractive prediction accuracy comprised predictive error (PE), absolute PE (AE), and percentages of eyes with a PE within ±0.50, ±0.75, and ±1.00 diopters (D).

RESULTS
The acquisition rates of AL measurements with the OA-2000 and Anterion were 97.35% and 94.70%, respectively (chi-square = 3.82, P > .05). A significantly lower acquisition rate of 84.82% was obtained with the IOLMaster 500 compared with the other two devices (P < .05). Bland-Altman analysis identified good agreement between the three biometers with narrow 95% limits of agreement for flat and steep keratometry (K1 and K2), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and AL. For PE, only the differences between the Anterion and IOLMaster 500 with the Barrett UII and Haigis formulas were statistically significant (P < .05). The three devices revealed no statistically significant differences in MAE, MedAE, and the proportion of eyes with a PE within ±0.50, ±0.75, and ±1.00 D (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS
The OA-2000 and Anterion showed a similarly higher acquisition rate of AL measurements than the IOLMaster 500 in patients with cataract. Good agreement for K1, K2, ACD, and AL was found between the three biometers. Regarding refractive prediction accuracy, the Anterion did not significantly outperform both the OA-2000 and IOLMaster 500. [J Refract Surg. 2023;39(1):48-55.].


Based on the principle of gyroscope and the structure of gyro stabilized platform, this paper gives the analysis and comparison of control strategies for stable platform included classical PID control, and three kinds of advanced strategies: Fuzzy Control, Sliding Mode Variable Structure Control and Active Disturbance Rejection Control. The compensation methods for stable platform's error are also discussed and evaluated based on the sources of error, especially for the non-linear friction and gyro drift. The paper provides the reliable methods for recognizing and improving the accuracy of gyro stabilized platform from the control strategies and error compensations.


In the past, different slag materials were often used for landscaping and construction purposes or simply dumped. Nowadays German environmental laws strictly control the use of slags, but there is still a remaining part of 35% which is uncontrolled dumped in landfills. Since some slags have high heavy metal contents and different slag types have typical chemical and physical properties that will influence the risk potential and other characteristics of the deposits, an identification of the slag types is needed. We developed a FT-IR-based statistical method to identify different slags classes. Slags samples were collected at different sites throughout various cities within the industrial Ruhr area. Then, spectra of 35 samples from four different slags classes, ladle furnace (LF), blast furnace (BF), oxygen furnace steel (OF), and zinc furnace slags (ZF), were determined in the mid-infrared region (4000-400 cm(-1)). The spectra data sets were subject to statistical classification methods for the separation of separate spectral data of different slag classes. Principal component analysis (PCA) models for each slag class were developed and further used for soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA). Precise classification of slag samples into four different slag classes were achieved using two different SIMCA models stepwise. At first, SIMCA 1 was used for classification of ZF as well as OF slags over the total spectral range. If no correct classification was found, then the spectrum was analyzed with SIMCA 2 at reduced wavenumbers for the classification of LF as well as BF spectra. As a result, we provide a time- and cost-efficient method based on FT-IR spectroscopy for processing and identifying large numbers of environmental slag samples.


Background: Breast cancer is the leading neoplasm affecting women. Despite all of the studies in this field, the aetiology of breast cancer has not been fully elucidated. The present study was the first to investigate the number of hours that women wear a bra associated with its stretch percentage in a case-control study. Methods: In total, 152 patients with breast cancer and 152 controls were investigated regarding risk factors for breast cancer and bra-wearing habits. The bra and the chest of the patient at the bra band level were measured. The percentage obtained was multiplied by the number of hours per day that the bra is worn. The data were analysed using multivariate analysis with Poisson regression. Results: Women who had a high daily bra wearing hours x bra stretch percentage coefficient had a frequency of breast cancer that was 2.27-fold higher compared to those who had a low coefficient. This result demonstrated that there is an association between these variables and breast cancer among pre- and postmenopausal women. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a correlation between wearing a tight bra for several hours per day and an increased risk of developing breast cancer.


Managers and professionals are increasingly using microcomputers to improve their decision-making capabilities and employee productivity. The acquisition and use of microcomputers, however, are often uncontrolled, leaving the organization exposed to breaches of security and other abuses.


Epidemiological studies suggest that retarded growth before birth is associated with increased plasma total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations in adult life. Thus perturbations of prenatal growth may permanently alter cholesterol metabolism. To determine directly whether restriction of prenatal nutrition and growth alters postnatal cholesterol homeostasis, the plasma cholesterol response to cholesterol feeding (0.25% cholesterol) was examined in adult guinea pig offspring of ad libitum-fed or moderately undernourished mothers. Maternal undernutrition (85% ad libitum intake throughout pregnancy) reduced birth weight (-13%). Plasma total cholesterol was higher prior to and following 6 wk cholesterol feeding in male offspring of undernourished mothers compared with male offspring of ad libitum-fed mothers ( P< 0.05). The influence of birth weight on cholesterol metabolism was examined by dividing the offspring into those whose birth weight was above (high) or below (low) the median birth weight. Plasma total cholesterol concentrations prior to cholesterol feeding did not differ with size at birth, but plasma total and LDL cholesterol were 31 and 34% higher, respectively, following cholesterol feeding in low- compared with high-birth weight males ( P < 0.02). The response to cholesterol feeding in female offspring was not altered by variable maternal nutrition or size at birth. Covariate analysis showed that the effect of maternal undernutrition on adult cholesterol metabolism could be partly accounted for by alterations in prenatal growth. In conclusion, maternal undernutrition and small size at birth permanently alter postnatal cholesterol homeostasis in the male guinea pig.


The dichotomy of the world along two economic poles, of developed and developing is mostly linked to the level of science and technology sophistication. This implies that science and technology play pivotal roles in the development of nations. However, to be effective and relevant, science and technology must be carried out in such a way that promotes sustainable development. This is because there are certain issues that are associated with science and technology that need to be properly addressed. Some of these issues are social, economic, ethical, political and environmental. The totality of all these can be said to be what  constitutes sustainable development. The global power play is focused on the levels of science and technology of nations. This has placed African countries at a disadvantage. There are also ethical implications of these vital aspects of man's endavour. Science and technology are human centered since they strive to make man to conquer, domesticate his environment and understand nature towards making man comfortable. This makes science and technology to provoke certain epistemological questions that border on the relevance and benefits of science and technology. In this paper, effort is made to establish the imperative of education to science and technology.


High absenteeism and dropout rates in school are considered one of the major stumbling blocks in achieving educational goals in developing countries. Absentees and dropouts impose a large resource cost on the educational system and the society. The study examines the economic cost of absentee and dropout students in public schools of Nepal. Using data from public schools in a rural municipality in Nepal, the study estimates the unit cost of absentee and dropout students by level. Cost of human resource, stationery, utility and fixed costs of building and furniture were the components for estimating unit costs. The findings reveal that the unit cost of students was equivalent to U.S. $295, 130 and 143 for primary, lower-secondary, and secondary levels respectively, and an average of U.S. $189 overall. The resource loss due to dropout was around 28, 12, and 11 percent of the total resource spent for primary, lower secondary and secondary levels respectively with an average of around 16 percent. The combined resource loss from dropouts and absentees were found to be 39, 23 and 20 percent for the different levels. On average, 26 percent of the public-school resource was lost due to dropouts and absentees. The main causes of dropout and absenteeism were the lack of interest, motivation of parents and the children to attend the school. The study suggests the need for more comprehensive and in depth study for effective policy formulation to address this problem.


The authors examine an emergent association between low-income Mexican mothers' control of housing and power relations in their romantic unions. Guided by valued resource theory, and mothers' lived racial, ethnic, and gender experiences of navigating access to housing and sustaining intimate unions, the authors used secondary longitudinal ethnographic data on 29 low-income mothers of Mexican descent as exemplar cases to explore (1) mothers' housing dependencies as they transitioned from their natal homes to coresidential housing with romantic partners, (2) the factors that differentially shaped mothers' housing options, and (3) how mothers' control of housing procurement influenced their intimate relationship power. The findings suggest that mothers followed one of five housing dependency pathways, with 25 percent securing housing independently. Most traversed complex and transient levels of dependence on their partners for housing with immigrants and native-born Mexican Americans evincing nuanced differences in their relationship power depending on their housing situations. In most cases, regardless of their national origin (Mexico or the U.S.), mothers' control of housing procurement directly corresponded to increased relationship power. The importance of considering the impact of race/ethnicity on housing and women's power in Latino families in future research is also discussed.


Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a common and increasing health risk. Indication for therapy in men is an aneurysm over 55 mm and in women, over 50 mm in diameter. Novel endovascular treatment procedures are nowadays suitable for a large proportion of patients and will improve patient safety, shorten the duration of therapy and speed up rehabilitation. Therapeutically very challenging problems are aneurysms affecting the renal and visceral arteries, infections of aortic prostheses as well as aneurysmal ruptures during emergency services. Managing of these problems requires experience, whereby centralizing their treatment will improve treatment outcome.


In Canada, there is a wide academic achievement gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth. The rate of high school non-completion for on-reserve Aboriginal Peoples is approximately 61% (Statistics Canada, 2006).  The need to close the educational achievement gap is great given the growth of the Aboriginal population in Canada. A variety of approaches will be necessary to address this complex problem. Increasing physical activity is one method that is worth investigating; it is relatively simple to implement in comparison to other strategies. Research over the past decade has consistently shown that physical activity improves the learning ability and academic performance of children (Tomporowski et al., 2011; CDC, 2010). Purpose: This study examined the effects of short classroom based physical activity lessons (CBPAL) that incorporated curricular content on the on-task behavior of grade four and five participants at an on-reserve elementary school. Methods: This study utilized participatory action research methodology, which engaged teachers and community leaders in its design. Time on task was assessed for thirteen participants (N=13) through direct observation before and after a CBPAL and before and after an inactive classroom lesson. A two way [time (pre lesson vs post lesson) x period (active lesson vs non active lesson)] repeated measures ANOVA was conducted. Results: The CBPAL were effective in improving the on task behavior of the participants. On task behavior scores decreased from pre to post lesson in the non active lesson period, while on task behavior scores increased from pre to post lesson in the active lesson period. The two way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant time x period interaction [F(1, 12) = 36.067, p< .001]. Conclusion: This research illustrates that incorporating physically active lessons that reinforce curricular content into the classroom may be an effective way to improve the on-task behaviors of Aboriginal children. Acknowledgments: This research was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Research Award


PURPOSE
To characterize in detail the phenotype and genotype of patients with pericentral retinal degeneration (PRD).

METHODS
Patients were screened for an annular ring scotoma ranging from 3° to 40° (n = 28, ages 24-71) with kinetic perimetry. All patients had pigmentary retinopathy in the region of the dysfunction. Further studies included cross-sectional and en face imaging, static chromatic perimetry, and electroretinography. Molecular screening was performed.

RESULTS
Genotypes of 14 of 28 PRD patients were identified: There were mutations in eight different genes previously associated with autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive RDs. Kinetic fields monitored in some patients over years to more than a decade could be stable or show increased extent of the scotoma. Electroretinograms were recordable but with different severities of dysfunction. Patterns of photoreceptor outer nuclear layer (ONL) loss corresponded to the distribution of visual dysfunction. Outer nuclear layer thickness topography and en face imaging indicated that the greatest disease expression was in the area of known highest rod photoreceptor density.

CONCLUSIONS
Molecular heterogeneity was a feature of the PRD phenotype. Many of the molecular causes were also associated with other phenotypes, such as maculopathies, typical retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and cone-rod dystrophy. The pericentral pattern of retinal degeneration is thus confirmed to be an uncommon phenotype of many different genotypes rather than a distinct disease entity.


We present a new improvement in the linear programming technique to derive lower bounds on the information ratio of secret sharing schemes. We obtain non-Shannon-type bounds without using information inequalities explicitly. Our new technique makes it possible to determine the optimal information ratio of linear secret sharing schemes for all access structures on 5 participants and all graph-based access structures on 6 participants. In addition, new lower bounds are presented also for some small matroid ports and, in particular, the optimal information ratios of the linear secret sharing schemes for the ports of the Vamos matroid are determined.


Despite the fact that Australia has a reputation as a land of sunshine, studies have found that vitamin D deficiency is common in the normal Australian population, even in the subtropical region of the continent. Deficiency is usually corrected by large doses of cholecalciferol. Patients are given 300,000–500,000 IU of cholecalciferol over 1– 10 weeks, and this has been shown to be a safe, effective way of replenishing vitamin D stores. As ultraviolet (UV) light therapy is now generally given as narrowband UVB (nUVB) therapy rather than broadband UVB, we aimed to determine if nUVB therapy could correct vitamin D deficiency as effectively as high doses of cholecalciferol. The study was carried out during the winter of 2006 in Melbourne, Australia, which is located at 37 south. The study population was divided into two groups. The two groups were not closely matched because the aim of this small pilot study was to see if nUVB could raise serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD) and to evaluate its efficacy compared with vitamin D supplements. The UVB group comprised outpatients (seven men) with extensive psoriasis or dermatitis requiring nUVB therapy to clear the condition, and the cholecalciferol group comprised people (five men, two women) with pronounced vitamin D deficiency as assessed by the 25-OHD level. This group were either outpatients with skin diseases that did not need UVB therapy or doctors working in the outpatient department. In the UVB group, serum 25-OHD was measured before the start of UVB therapy. Patients were given nUVB three times ⁄ week for 6 weeks and the serum 25-OHD level measured again at the end of that period. The entire body, apart from the area covered by underpants, or by goggles to protect the eyes, was exposed. The starting dose was 0.1 J ⁄ cm, which this was increased by 0.05 J ⁄ cm at each visit. No patient received burns during therapy. Participants in the cholecalciferol group were given cholecalciferol 50,000 IU ⁄ mL. They took a dose of 1 mL ⁄ week for 10 weeks and serum 25OHD level was measured at the end of this period. Serum 25-OHD level increased in all patients. The cholecalciferol group had an average serum 25-OHD of 20 mmol ⁄ L (range 13–25) before therapy, increasing to an average of 55 mmol ⁄ L (range 42–67) after treatment. The nUVB group had an average serum 25 OHD of 31 mmol ⁄ L (range 23–37) before therapy, increasing to an average of 95 mmol ⁄ L (range 66–126) after therapy. One dose of 50,000 IU of cholecalciferol raised the serum level by an average of 3.5 mmol ⁄ L, which was similar to the effect of one dose of nUVB to the entire body. In summary, nUVB therapy is an effective way to correct vitamin D deficiency in outpatients, as effective as high doses of cholecalciferol. D. Czarnecki Repatriation Campus, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia E-mail: email@example.com Conflict of interest: none declared. Accepted for publication 29 June 2007 Correspondence: Dr D. Czarnecki, Suite 1, 333 Wantirna Road, Wantirna, 3152 Australia.


Purpose: To compare the efficacy of antiallergic drugs in an experimental ocular anaphylaxis model. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two rats were divided into 8 groups. Dithiothreitol and ovalbumin (OVA) were applied to both eyes of previously OVA-inoculated rats in groups 1–5 and 7. In groups 1–5, antiallergic efficacy of the drugs (lodoxamide, sodium cromoglycate, levacobastine, cimetidine, and diclofenac sodium) instilled on the right eyes were compared with the buffer instilled on the left eyes, measuring the amount of extravasated Evans blue (EB) dye by spectrophotometric analysis. Group 6 served as a control of EB dye extravasations in nonimmunized eyes. Histopathologic examinations for anaphylaxis and controls were done in groups 7 and 8. Results: Only levacobastine and lodoxamide decreased vascular permeability at a significant ratio (46%, p < 0.01 and 31%, p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion: Levacobastine and lodoxamide but none of the three other drugs mentioned above were found to be effective in decreasing vascular permeability.


HLA-DM (DM) catalyzes CLIP release, stabilizes MHC class II molecules and edits the peptide repertoire presented by class II. Impaired DM function may have profound effects on antigen presentation events in the thymus and periphery that are critical for maintenance of self-tolerance. The associations of the HLA-DQ2 (DQ2) with autoimmune diseases, like celiac disease, have been appreciated for a long time. The explanation for these associations, however, remains unknown. We previously found that DQ2 is a poor substrate for DM. Here, to further characterize DQ2-DM interaction, we introduced point mutations into DQ2 on the proposed DQ2/DM interface in order to restore the sensitivity of DQ2 to DM. The effects of mutations were investigated by measuring the peptide dissociation and exchange rate in vitro, CLIP and DQ2 expression on cell surface and the presentation of α-gliadin 57-73 Q65E epitope to T cell hybridomas. We found that the three α chain mutations (α+53G, α+53R and αY22F) decreased the intrinsic stability of peptide-class II complex. More interestingly, the α+53G mutant restored DQ2 sensitivity to DM, likely due to improved interaction with DM. Our data also suggest that α-gliadin 57-73 is a DM-suppressed epitope. The DQ2 resistance to DM changes the fate of this peptide from a cryptic to an immunodominant epitope. Our findings elucidate the structural basis for reduced DQ2-DM interaction and have implications for mechanisms underlying disease associations of DQ2.


In this paper we present how charge transfer processes influences the induced optical losses (photodarkening) in ytterbium doped fiber lasers. The location of the charge transfer absorption band is strongly composition dependent and is correlated to the valence stability of the ytterbium ion in the silicate glass matrix. An improved photodarkening performance can in general be observed for a charge-transfer band shifted to shorter wavelengths, although other routes are also possible to reduce photodarkening. Other parameters that affect the laser performance, such as absorption and emission cross section, must also be considered.


[Abstract]: This project is seeks to investigate the product of CSR autoclaves lightweight concrete (ALC) as well as to produce an outline of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and lastly to set up a model. In order to achieve the aim of the project, literature review of
Life Cycle Assessment related to building and construction industries have been carried. Damage to human health, ecosystem quality and resources will be shown in the LCA
model. These results can be used as guidance for future improvement of the CSR ALC products. The improvement also can minimise the occupational health and safety risks in
the process.

LCA model is an idea tool to reduce the environment impact and help to achieve sustainable development. It is internationally recognized as a method which complies
with international standards (ISO 14040-14049). LCA also is a potentially powerful tool which can assist regulators to formulate environmental legislation. Besides that, LCA
helps manufacturers analyse their processes, improve their products, and perhaps enable consumers to make more informed choices.

History of life cycle assessment is introduced in the first section in this chapter. Life Cycle assessment is made of the methodology, data demand and software. These are the three main components to make a Life Cycle Assessment. At the present time, it is used by industry, government and consumers. Last but not least, even though LCA is largely used today, but there are some of limitations encounter during the process. Usually the
limitations are due to lack of knowledge, databases, finance and long duration of time to carry out the job.

The inventory results have proved that CSR block is an environmental friendly product. Even though, the most serious impacts on environment are caused by cement, which is up to 79.2 % of the total impacts. The least environmental impact caused by the product or process in each stage its life cycle is the truck (0.249%), Cutting process (0.17%) and the remaining process is 0.146%.


Approaches to memory assessment generally fall into two categories: a) Evaluation of the integrity of specific cognitive processes, and b) Quantitative measurement of performance levels on global dimensions of behavior. The California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) is an exemplar of both the process and global approaches, while the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) represents the global approach. Despite the popularity of both instruments little extant research, examining their convergent/divergent properties or their compatibility, exists. In the present study we replicated, on a mixed sample of normal and psychiatric elderly, a previous study's pattern of CVLT/WMS-R convergent and divergent findings. In addition, we found that both instruments are similar in their discrimination between normal and psychiatric elderly subjects.


Dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) is used to protect sensitive loads from harmonic distortion, voltage sag/voltage swell, and unbalance in supply voltage economically. In this paper, fuzzy logic-based control scheme has been developed for the production of compensating voltages for controlling DVR. Linear as well as nonlinear loads can be controlled by this scheme. A three-phase programmable voltage source is taken for producing voltage sag/swell and voltage harmonic distortion and this voltage is compared with a reference voltage of same magnitude. At the time of any disturbance, an error signal is generated which is processed by controller based on fuzzy logic theory. The controller generates the gate pulses for PWM inverter energised by a DC source and inverter injects the missing voltage into the distribution line and tightly regulates the voltage at the load terminals. By extensive simulation studies in MATLAB/Simulink and SimPowerSystems environment, the above control strategy is tested. The simultion results for voltage harmonic distortion, voltage sag/swell, and voltage unbalanced mitigation using the proposed control algorithm prove the effectiveness of DVR.


Gaussian kernel regularization is widely used in the machine learning literature and has proved successful in many empirical experiments. The periodic version of Gaussian kernel regularization has been shown to be minimax rate optimal in estimating functions in any finite order Sobolev space. However, for a data set with n points, the computation complexity of the Gaussian kernel regularization method is of order O(n). In this paper we propose to use binning to reduce the computation of Gaussian kernel regularization in both regression and classification. For periodic Gaussian kernel regression, we show that the binned estimator achieves the same minimax rates as the unbinned estimator, but the computation is reduced to O(m) with m as the number of bins. To achieve the minimax rate in the kth order Sobolev space, m needs to be in the order of O(kn), which makes the binned estimator computation of order O(n) for k = 1, and even less for larger k. Our simulations show that the binned estimator (binning 120 data points into 20 bins in our simulation) provides almost the same accuracy with only 0.4% of computation time. For classification, binning with L2-loss Gaussian kernel regularization and Gaussian kernel Support Vector Machines is tested in a polar cloud detection problem.


Recent satellite observations of Rossby waves and chlorophyll anomalies propagating in subtropical gyres have suggested that wave-induced upwelling could stimulate photosynthesis. Instead, we show that chlorophyll maxima are located in abnormally warm water, in Rossby wave-induced convergences. This excludes inputs of nutrients from deeper water. We argue that the sea color anomalies are not caused by chlorophyll but by floating particles evolved from the ecosystem and accumulated by Rossby waves, acting as "marine hay rakes," in convergence zones. Such processes may be determinant for the distribution of living organisms in oligotrophic areas.


Since the appearance of the original article by Babinski, 1 in which the association of lesions of the pyramidal tract with hyperextension and abduction of the great toe was pointed out, the plantar response of infants has been the subject of extensive investigation and speculation. This interest was created by the observation that digital extension on plantar stimulation is common among newborn infants. No less than seventy articles in eight different languages have been published on the subject as it relates to infants specifically, and countless volumes have appeared on the pathognomonic aspects of the Babinski sign in adults—not to mention significant work with animals, particularly the primates. These studies have covered a great many details. The incidence of dorsiflexion and of plantar flexion of all the toes and of the great toe has been painstakingly calculated by a number of investigators. The extent and variability of the response


In a study of multifunctional ('hybrid') molecular materials, with one function being spin-crossover and the second being reversible redox behaviour, we describe ferrocene-appended ligands and their d(6) and d(7) complexes trans-[Fe(II)(FTP)2(NCS)2] (1), [Co(II)(FTTP)2](ClO4)2·2(MeCN) (2) and [Fe(II)(FTTP)2](ClO4)2·Et2O (3) (where FTP = 4-(2-pyridyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-ylferrocene and FTTP = 4'-ferrocenyl-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine). The structures, magnetism and solution electrochemistry are described. Complex 1 remains high-spin, 2 displays gradual, incomplete spin crossover and 3 remains low-spin between 350-2 K. The electrochemical results show that one-electron oxidations at the ferrocene group, located external to the coordination site, occur at more positive potentials than the 'inner' M(II/III) couple in 1 and 2, but not in 3, and this has implications for retaining and influencing spin transitions at the M(II) centres, in future.


Establishment and stratification of reference values for a laboratory area of practice enhances the test result interpretation and sensitivity. Plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is a metabolite of methionine which is dependent on vitamin B6, B12 and folate as co-factors. Plasma level (Hyperhomocysteinemia) is influenced by age, sex and diet. High levels can be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke. This is why plasma tHcy determination is assuming a routine screening test of cardiovascular profile in patients with increased risk of cardiac event from existing cardiovascular diseases. This study was to determine the age, sex stratified reference interval in a Nigeria population. Fifty eight reference individuals were selected randomly from a North Central zone, Nigeria population and tHcy was determined by fluorescent polarization Immunoassay method using IMX immunoanalyser. The reference interval of tHcy determined in our study was 1.7 – 17.7 μmol/L (minimum = 4.9μmol/L, maximum = 21.4μmol/L). Plasma tHcy level is influenced by diet, sex and age, laboratories may need to establish their practice area reference interval for proper interpretation of test result.


The low cost and wide availability of PC-based clusters have made them an excellent alternative to access supercomputing. However, while network of workstations may be readily available, there is an increasing need for performance tools that support these platforms, in order to achieve even higher performance. One of possible ways to increase performance is parallel program restructuring. It is introduced in this paper a toolkit to generate graphical charts for visualization of MPI parallel programs, reflecting to its execution over time, with the use of DP*Graph representation, parallel version of timing graph. In other words, parallel programs are shown through charts its sequential codes, dependencies and communication structures in a particular cluster system platform. Still in this paper, it is discussed the implementation of this toolkit and present some experimental results obtained.


Background: Few studies have reported the return-to-sports (RTS) rate in patients after augmentation of autologous anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with the Ligament Augmentation and Reconstruction System (LARS). Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative outcomes in patients who underwent ACLR with single-bundle 4-strand hamstring autograft either without augmentation (HA-ACLR group) or with LARS augmentation (AUG-ACLR group). It was hypothesized that clinical outcomes and RTS rates would be better in the AUG-ACLR group at the 1-year follow-up, with similar outcomes in both cohorts by 2 years. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Patients who underwent ACLR between April 2014 and December 2017 were included in the current comparative study if they were skeletally mature and had 1- and 2-year follow-up outcomes; patients with concomitant meniscal surgery were also included. Included were 66 patients with AUG-ACLR (mean age, 26.8 years; 67% male) and 130 patients with HA-ACLR (mean age, 27.5 years; 61% male). Subjective outcome measures included the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Evaluation Form, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Lysholm scale, Tegner activity scale, and the Noyes sports activity rating scale. Objective measures included knee laxity, maximal isokinetic knee flexion and extension strength, and the results of 4 functional hop tests. Results: There were no significant differences between the study groups in age, sex distribution, body mass index, time to surgery, or number of concurrent meniscal surgeries. At the 1-year follow-up, the AUG-ACLR group had a significantly higher Tegner score (P = .001) and rates of RTS (P = .029) and return to preinjury level of sport (P = .003) compared with the HA-ACLR group. At the 2-year follow-up, there were no differences in these measures between groups. There were no between-group differences in other subjective outcomes, knee laxity, or strength and hop test results at either postoperative time point. There were also no differences in rerupture rates or other complications between the groups. Conclusion: Patients with AUG-ACLR had higher 1-year postoperative Tegner scores and rates of RTS and preoperative sport level compared with the HA-ACLR group. The 2-year rerupture rate for the AUG-ACLR group was low, and no intra-articular inflammatory complications were noted.


A huge solitary neurofibroma of the radial nerve was resected in a 74-year-old woman. The nerve was cut across and repaired with epineural suture. The patient made an excellent recovery of nerve function. The ability for regeneration of a neurofibromatous nerve even in the elderly is outlined, and the relevant literature briefly reviewed.


Cerium oxide nanoparticles are being widely explored for cell therapies. In this study, nanoceria was functionalized with hyaluronan (HA) using the organosilane linker, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. HA-nanoceria was found to be cytocompatible and to reduce intracellular reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts. The HA-nanoceria was found to colocalize with CD44 on the surface of the cells and once internalized traffic to the lysosomes, be degraded and induce markers of autophagy. These particles were also effective in reducing the cell surface expression of CD44. Together these data suggest that HA-nanoceria is a promising drug delivery material to target CD44-expressing cells through a variety of mechanisms. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 1736-1746, 2016.


Few studies have explored Louis Wirth's propositions regarding the independent effects of population size and density, due to the conceptual difficulty in distinguishing between them. We directly address this conundrum by conceptualizing these as micro-population density and macro-population density. We propose two novel measures for these constructs: population density exposure to capture micro-density, and a measure of population within a twenty-mile radius to capture macro-density. We combine the theoretical insights of Wirth with routine activities theory to posit and find strong nonlinear effects of micro-density on crime rates, as well as the moderating effect of macro-density. We find strong evidence of macro social processes for population size, including that (1) its strongest effect occurred for crimes generally between strangers (robberies and motor vehicle thefts); (2) there was virtually no effect for homicides, a type of crime that often occurs among non-strangers. For micro-density, our findings include (1) strong curvilinear effects for the three types of property crime; (2) diminishing positive effects for robbery and homicide; and (3) a strikingly different pattern for aggravated assault. The effects for micro-density are stronger than for macro-density, a finding unexplored in the extant literature. We discuss the implications of these results within the context of Wirth's theoretical framework as well as routine activities theory and suggest ways to extend these findings.


Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are the major health problem in Indonesia; this is mainly due to their resistance to antibiotics. Based on this, the quest for new sources of natural based antimicrobial drugs is necessary. Bawang tiwai (Eleutherine bulbosa (Mill.) Urb.) is one of the natural materials that have potential as an antibacterial natural-based of Indonesia origin. Bawang tiwai already used empirically by local communities in East Kalimantan to treat various diseases. The aim of this research is to know the antibacterial activity of E. bulbosa ethanol extract on MRSA and to know the type of secondary metabolite with antibacterial activity tested by TLC bioautography method. The experiment was conducted on Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Mulawarman University, Samarinda. TLC results showed that ethanol extract of E. bulbosa has compounds containing sugar, alkaloids, steroids, and flavonoids. The results of TLC bioautography show that ethanol extract of E. bulbosa can inhibit the growth of MRSA. MIC results show that ethanol extract of E. bulbosa has potent antibacterial activity against MRSA with MIC 1 mg/mL. The conclusion of this research is all the results support the potential of bawang tiwai as the alternative component of natural-based antibacterial agents against MRSA.


A wind-forced weakly nonlinear weakly dispersive evolution model is derived for a continuously stratified circular lake of slowly varying depth under the effect of the Earth's rotation. The model was numerically integrated to investigate the evolution of long internal waves of vertical mode one for various sets of environmental parameters. It is demonstrated that the Kelvin wave steepens as it propagates, and the steepened front subsequently generates a train of oscillatory waves. It is demonstrated that Poincaré waves do not steepen, but their amplitude is modulated in an oscillatory manner with time, exhibiting a pseudo recurrence character. The model was applied to the wind forced problem, confirming that Kelvin and Poincaré waves are the dominant response. Energy partition among Kelvin and Poincaré wave modes is estimated as a function of wind-forcing parameters. For large lakes, the most significant wave amplitude is found in the Kelvin wave mode, but the gross field energy is most significantly contained in Poincaré wave modes.


ABSTRACT Breeding of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) shows restrictions in the genetic advance because of the effect of the environment. Therefore, the behavior of the yield components of genotypes varies according to the crop's environment. The genotype x environment interaction can cause genotypes with high yields in one location not to behave in the same way in other localities, which limits the recommendation of cultivars for different environments. The objective of this research was to evaluate agronomic traits in new improved bean cultivars in high tropic environments, as well as to determine which cultivars show phenotypic stability for yield. Multi-environment tests were carried out during 2016 and 2017 in two regions of the department of Cundinamarca, in Colombia. Significant differences were found for the genotype x environment interaction and highly significant differences for the evaluation environments and genotypes. The greatest variation was attributed to genetic effects, followed by environmental effects and the genotype x environment interaction. The first two principal components for grain yield showed 88.86% of the variation of the genotype x environment interaction. Cultivars Serrania and Sutagao, of climbing growth habit, were identified as stable and with high yield potential, so they can be considered as a commercial alternative for bean growers. Graphical abstract


The rapid introduction of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers for airborne navigation has outpaced the capacity of international aviation authorities to resolve human factors issues that concern safe and efficient use of such devices. Current certification technical standards appear to have had little influence on standardizing receiver architectures, interfaces, and operating manuals despite evidence from research simulation and flight tests that lack of standardization may undermine safety. The present research used factor-analytic techniques to reduce 308 pilots' ratings from a 163-item survey to 24 factors. These factors are suitable for identifying human factors issues related to GPS receiver displays and controls, operating procedures, navigation performance, training, and other topical areas. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that GPS experience and receiver type influenced pilot ratings for several of these factors. The results of this limited survey are consistent with previous research, and their application to certification procedures and standards is discussed.


OBJECTIVES
This study tested the hypothesis that small changes in temperature above the hypothermic range may alter myocardial infarct size after acute coronary occlusion-reperfusion. A secondary hypothesis, that a correlation between temperature and infarct size may be independent of an associated change of heart rate, was also evaluated.

METHODS
Eighteen pentobarbitone-anaesthetised, open chest rabbits underwent 30 min coronary artery occlusion and 3 h reperfusion at blood temperatures ranging from 35-42 degrees C, achieved and maintained using surface methods (not paced, group NP). In a second group of 11 animals, heart rate was held constant across the same range of temperatures (paced, group P), before and throughout coronary artery occlusion-reperfusion. Infarct sizes were assessed by the tetrazolium method.

RESULTS
Target temperature was effectively controlled over the duration of the experimental protocol to within +/- 0.25 degrees C. Area at risk did not vary with temperature. Infarct size, normalised to area at risk, was correlated with temperature in both groups (infarct size = 7.9 x temp-250.0, r = 0.75, p = 0.0003, group NP; infarct size = 11.7 x temp-404.5, r = 0.88, p = 0.0004, group P). There was no significant difference between the slopes of these two lines (p = 0.18), indicating that the positive correlation between infarct size and temperature is not related to changes of heart rate.

CONCLUSION
Temperatures in the range of 35-42 degrees C affect myocardial infarct size significantly, independent of heart rate.


The technique of network analysis has been used to define the connectivity and growth of networks generated by monochotomous, dichotomous, and trichotomous branching. The number of distinct topologic branching patterns exhibited by networks with a given number of pendant arcs is defined mathematically; when all types are represented, a complete pendant arc series is formed. The frequency of occurrence of topologic types in these series is unique for a given hypothesis of growth. The growth of the small dendritic arrays such as the basal dendritic fields of neocortical pyramids may be studied by comparing the actual frequency of topologic types with those computed according to given hypotheses. For larger dendritic networks such as those of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum it is only practicable to use the topologic types formed by the peripheral parts of the tree as a basis for comparison. Individual dendritic segments can be ordered sequentially to define their hierarchical arrangement; the frequency of orders in a given network always forms an inverse geometric series. The ratio between orders is called the "bifurcation ratio," and the relationship in a given large series between adjacent orders becomes stabilized to a fixed or "established" bifurcation ratio at the periphery of the tree only. This "established ratio" characterizes the pattern of growth of the network. In the proximal part of the tree the ratio between adjacent orders is unstable and accounts for the variability of the overall bifurcation ratio exhibited by different networks with the same fundamental growth pattern and for the deviation of the overall from the established bifurcation ratio. For a given size of network the overall bifurcation ratio may be similar regardless of the mode of growth. It is concluded that the precise definition of branching structures afforded by network analysis makes this technique well suited for the study of the connectivity, growth, and morphology of dendritic trees.


This review has ®ve objectives: ®rst, to identify systematically the salient literature on acute urinary retention (AUR); only one other review exists which was intended for a general rather than specialist urological readership [1], and addressed AUR only in adult men. Second, to classify the literature in a way that will be helpful to the reader; this is particularly important for the many case reports relating to AUR, which accounted for over half of the papers/abstracts identi®ed. Third, using the published information, to try to understand the pathogenesis of AUR, which to date remains elusive. Fourth, to identify and appraise high-quality research studies which could in ̄uence the way that men with AUR are managed. Fifth, to identify information not so far published thus suggest a research agenda and order of priority. AUR is a condition characterized by a sudden inability to micturate that is invariably but not always painful; painless AUR is rare and is usually associated with CNS pathology. Over 10% of men in their seventh decade will experience AUR over a 5-year period [2] and the risk increases to one in three over 10 years. AUR results in prostatectomy in 24±42% of men presenting in Britain and North America [3±8].


Abstract We describe a patient with severe and progressive encephalitis of unknown etiology. We performed rapid metagenomic sequencing from cerebrospinal fluid and identified Powassan virus, an emerging tick-borne flavivirus that has been increasingly detected in the United States.


Recently application of open protocols and external network linkage to the national critical infrastructure has been growing with the development of information and communication technologies. This trend could mean that the national critical infrastructure is exposed to cyber attacks and can be seriously jeopardized when it gets remotely operated or controlled by viruses, crackers, or cyber terrorists. In this paper virtual Honeynet model which can reduce installation and operation resource problems of Honeynet system is proposed. It maintains the merits of Honeynet system and adapts the virtualization technology. Also, virtual Honeynet model that can minimize operating cost is proposed with data analysis and collecting technique based on the verification of attack intention and focus-oriented analysis technique. With the proposed model, new type of attack detection system based on virtual Honeynet, that is Cybertrap, is designed and implemented with the host and data collecting technique based on the verification of attack intention and the network attack pattern visualization technique. To test proposed system we establish test-bed and evaluate the functionality and performance through series of experiments.


Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent proinflammatory compound potentially involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders, including bronchial asthma. To elucidate the pathophysiologic roles of PAF in bronchial asthma, we studied airway responsiveness in transgenic mice overexpressing PAF receptor. In the transgenic mice, PAF-induced airway smooth muscle contraction was demonstrated by physiologic and morphometric analyses, whereas there was no significant response in the littermate control group. The PAF-elicited bronchoconstriction in the transgenic mice was significantly reduced not only by a PAF receptor antagonist (WEB-2086) but also by a thromboxane synthesis inhibitor (indomethacin or ozagrel), an inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (MK-886), or a cysteinyl leukotriene (LT) antagonist (pranlukast). LTB4 receptor antagonist (ONO-4057), however, had no effect on the PAF-induced responses. The transgenic mice showed a bronchial hyperreactivity to methacholine challenge, which was also inhibited by pretreatment with either thromboxane synthesis inhibitor or cysteinyl LT antagonist. These observations suggest that both thromboxane A2 and cysteinyl LTs (LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4) are involved in the bronchial responses to PAF or cholinergic stimulus in mice. The transgenic mice overexpressing PAF receptor may provide an appropriate model to study various PAF-related lung diseases, including bronchial asthma.


Previous work had shown that the immunogenicity of conjugate vaccine against group C meningococci (CRM-MenC) is enhanced when it is delivered intranasally (inl) with mucosal adjuvants, such as mutants of the Escherichia coli enterotoxin (LT), and with delivery systems such as chitosan derivatives. We show, in mice, that the concomitant use of limiting doses of the fully nontoxic LTK63 mutant as a mucosal adjuvant and of the trimethyl derivative of chitosan as a delivery system allows the reduction of each of the components for the induction of antibody and bactericidal responses to CRM-MenC conjugate vaccine delivered inl at titers similar to or higher than those induced by parenteral immunization. These data could affect the design of efficacious mucosal vaccines and their safety.


Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract is rare in HIV infection and occurs most often in the colon and small intestine. Gastric perforation in HIV-positive patients has not been reported so far. We report an HIV-positive patient who developed gastric perforation.


Introduction: Introduction: A large number of studies have reported mild to moderate cognitive deficits in patients with Type II Diabetes, compared to the healthy population.
Objective: In this study, we compared the cognitive functions of Greek patients with DM II, with a demographically equal group of normal subjects. We researched the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients that affect their cognitive function as well as their quality of life.
Material and method: The participants were 44 patients diagnosed with DM II and 28 healthy people. Both the diagnosed and the healthy group were evaluated with a comprehensive array of neuropsychological tests. Beck's Depression Scale and the WHOQOL-BREF quality of life questionnaire were used.
Results: Diagnosed participants differed significantly from healthy ones in the fields of episodic memory, verbal fluency, active memory, mental speed of processing information and executive function. Regression analysis showed that HbA1C levels, the interaction of age, education and predisposed mental potential explain high rates of fluctuations in cognitive dysfunctions. It was found that patients with severe cognitive deficits had a lower quality of life.
Conclusions: Cognitive impairment can be considered a significant complication in patients with Type II Diabetes. Informing a diabetic patient about the strong possibility of cognitive dysfunction manifestation and investigating the clinical significance and implications of cognitive disorders in daily functioning and quality of life for diabetic patients, is of major importance.


Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene mutations are associated with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Recent studies have suggested that MEFV gene mutations may act as disease modifiers in neuro‐Behçet's (NBD) disease and neuro‐Sweet disease (NSD). We investigated MEFV genes and clinical features in 17 patients with NBD or NSD. MEFV gene mutations were frequently observed (70.6%). Headaches and exertional leg pain were associated with MEFV gene mutations (P < 0.05). Moreover, higher frequency of white matter lesions without sites predilection (P < 0.05) and non‐parenchymal lesions (P < 0.05) were also observed. MEFV gene mutations may be associated with particular findings and lesion sites.


This single‐center study retrospectively reviewed 12,680 percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) to identify those performed by an operator who was awake the previous night performing PCI. Success and outcomes of PCIs were similar regardless of whether the operator performed PCIs the previous night. This study generally confirms the results of a previous single center study and another study using the NCDR CathPCI Registry. This study suggests that day‐after PCI is generally safe, but it behooves cath lab managers and interventionalists to take simple steps to minimize the risk to patients when day‐after PCIs are performed.


Technology changes how classroom instruction happens, and, unlike K-12 educators who receive pedagogical training, academic librarians are not always experts in teaching information literacy—especially with the advent of twenty-first century technology tools. As such, the question of how to prepare on-the-ground academic librarians to effectively teach with technology tools while still addressing the Association of College and Research Libraries information literacy competency standards needs to be considered. This article shares how one academic library addressed this need while also considering how to: assess knowledge, competencies, and needs; share information in meaningful ways; and encourage librarians to build their technology knowledge independently and as part of a cohort.