Based on a new approach to quark and lepton masses, where the mass spectra originate in vacuum expectation values of U(3)-flavor nonet (gauge singlet) scalars, a neutrino mass matrix of a new type is speculated. The mass matrix is described in terms of the up-quark and charged lepton masses, and it can lead to a nearly tribimaximal mixing without assuming any discrete symmetry. Quark mass relations are also discussed based on the new approach. One of the most challenging problems in contemporary particle physics is to clarify the origin of flavors. For this purpose, searching for a unified description of the observed quark and lepton mass spectra will provide a promising clue to us. In conventional mass matrix model, the quark and lepton mass matrices Mf are given by the forms (Mf )ij = (Yf )ijvH , where (Yf )ij are coupling constants of the Yukawa interactions fLifRjH and vH is a vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the neutral component of the Higgs scalar H, vH = 〈H0〉. Usually, each matrix Yf has many independent parameters. Against this conventional approach, there is another idea: the origin of the mass spectra is due to VEV structures of Higgs scalars Hij [1], i.e. (Mf )ij = yf 〈(H)ij〉. In the present paper, we will investigate an extended model by separating the role of Hij into two roles: one of the roles is to cause SU(2)L symmetry breaking at the energy scale μ ∼ 102 GeV, and the conventional SU(2)L doublet Higgs scalars Hu and Hd still play the role in this scenario; another one is to give an origin of the mass spectra, and we consider gauge-singlet scalars (Yf )ij whose VEVs give effective Yukawa coupling constants 〈(Yf )ij〉/Λ (Λ is an energy scale of the effective theory). In this model, we assume U(3)-flavor nonet scalars [2], and we consider the following superpotential terms:


Background: CD19-specific 2nd generation chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy with either CD28 or 41BB co-stimulatory domain has demonstrated complete remission (CR) rates of 30-50% in relapsed or refractory (R/R) NHL and 20-30% in CLL. The lesser activity of CD19 CAR T cells in CLL and NHL relative to ALL may be in part due to diminished intrinsic T cell quality or greater CAR T cell inhibition in the tumor microenvironment. We previously demonstrated that 19-28z CAR T cells that express 4-1BBL achieve greater proliferation, IL-2 secretion and persistence compared to 19-28z or 19-4-1BBz CAR T cells (Zhao et al., Cancer Cell, 2015). Herein, we report on adult patients (pts) with CLL or NHL treated with escalating doses of autologous 19-28z/4-1BBL+ CAR T cells (NCT03085173).
 Methods: Pts with R/R NHL (DLBCL, follicular lymphoma (FL), transformed FL (tFL), Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM)) and CLL including Richter's transformation were eligible for the trial. Pts received conditioning chemotherapy of cyclophosphamide (Cy) alone or combined with fludarabine (Flu) followed by escalating doses of CAR T cells. CAR T cells were administered at dose level (DL) 1 (1x105 CAR T cells/kg), DL2 (3x105 CAR T cells/kg), DL 3 (1x106 CAR T cells/kg), and DL4 (3x106 CAR T cells/kg). The primary objective of the study was to evaluate safety of autologous 19-28z/4-1BBLCAR T cells. Secondary objectives included rates of overall response.
 Results: 25 pts were enrolled with R/R CLL (n=9), de novo DLBCL (n=6), tFL (n=3), FL and WM (n=4), and Richter's transformation (n=3). Median age of the pts was 70 (range, 53-81), and median number of prior treatments was 5 (range, 2-17). All 10 pts with CLL progressed on ibrutinib and 9 pts were refractory to venetoclax. 3 pts received DL1 CAR T cells, 3 pts DL2 CAR T cells, 3 pts DL3 CAR T cells and remaining 16 pts received DL4 CAR T cells. Of the 9 de novo DLBCL and tFL pts, all were >70 years old, 7/9 were refractory with progressive disease as best response to any line of chemotherapy or relapsed ≤12 mo after ASCT or any line of therapy. Six of 9 pts received R-GemOx as bridging chemotherapy with 2/6 progressing on R-Gemox prior to CAR T cell therapy. 3 pts received conditioning chemotherapy with Cy alone, and 22 pts received Flu + Cy conditioning chemotherapy. No dose-limiting toxicity has been observed.
 Of the 25 treated pts, 24 pts are at least 2 weeks from T cell infusion and evaluable for toxicity. Overall, 16 pts experienced CRS (67%), all of which were grade 1 (n=13) and grade 2 (n=3). No pts experienced severe CRS. 8 pts (33%) experienced any grade neurotoxicity (NTX), including 6 pts with grade 1-2 and 2 pts with grade 3 NTX. No cerebral edema was observed, and all NTX were transient and reversible. 2 pts (8%) received one dose of tocilizumab and 4 pts (16%) received corticosteroid for NTX.
 21 pts had at least 4 weeks of follow-up and were evaluable for response. 12 of 21 pts (57%) achieved CR, including 7 of 8 pts (88%) with large cell lymphoma, 2 of 2 pts with FL, 2 of 9 pts (22%) with CLL and 1 of 2 pts with Richter's transformation (Figure). CR was observed in pts with ≥10cm bulky lymph nodes (n=1), extra nodal disease involving bone, muscle, perineural and CNS (n=3), and extensive bone marrow involvement ≥80% (n=3). With a median follow-up of 93 days (range, 30 - 439), 11 of the 12 CR pts remain in CR.
 Peak CAR T cell expansion occurred at a median of 9 days after CAR T cell infusion (range, 2-82). While analysis of CAR T cell persistence is ongoing, CAR T cell detection beyond 160 days has been noted.
 Conclusions: Treatment with 19-28z/41BBL armored CAR T cells appears to be safe. No severe CRS was observed and severe NTX occurred in 8% of the pts with no case of cerebral edema. The overall CR rate of 57% is encouraging with 11 of the 12 pts remaining in CR at the time of this report. CR rates were higher in pts with large cell lymphoma (88%) compared to CLL (22%), though most of CLL pts received lower dose of CAR T cells (7 pts at DL1-3 vs. 2 pts at DL4). Pts with CLL may require higher doses of CAR T cells or incorporation of the CAR therapy in earlier lines of treatments. Detailed cytokine and CAR T cell expansion analysis in comparison to our previous cohort of pts treated with the 2nd generation 1928z CAR T cells will be presented.
 Figure. Figure.

 Park: Adaptive Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Kite Pharma: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Shire: Consultancy; Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Amgen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AstraZeneca: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Palomba:Celgene: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy. Riviere:Fate Therapeutics Inc.: Research Funding; Juno Therapeutics, a Celgene Company: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Furman:Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company: Consultancy; Acerta: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy, Other: DSMB; Loxo Oncology: Consultancy; Sunesis: Consultancy; TG Therapeutics: Consultancy; Verastem: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy. Brentjens:Juno Therapeutics, a Celgene Company: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Sadelain:Fate Therapeutics Inc.: Research Funding; Juno Therapeutics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding.


A filament discharge plasma reactor, with electrostatic confinement, has been constructed. An Ar plasma has been produced in the reactor at a pressure of 10-1 Pa and has been investigated with a movable Langmuir probe. The plasma parameters have been determined and the influence of the confining potential on them has been studied. Three electron populations with different temperatures have been found. In addition to the electrons emitted by the filament and those generated in the plasma ionisation processes, there exist the electrons originated by secondary emission at the walls. These are energetic enough to contribute to the ionisation in the plasma. It has been demonstrated that by electrostatic confinement a significant increase of the plasma density can be achieved.


A composition and method for inhibiting white rust formation on galvanized surfaces. The composition includes thiols, polymeric dithiocarbamates, and xanthates. The composition may be introduced onto the galvanized surface, especially in an industrial water system, using a variety of different methods or programs including integrating with current programs or developing a new program.


Walt Whitman, we learn from an introductory quotation, knew Doctor Bucke; indeed, for as long as he could stand the experience, he used to wander freely through the wards of Bucke's Canadian asylum. But few historians will know who Bucke was, even if they have read the good recent literature on Victorian lunacy. Shortt does not claim that his subject was a major figure; indeed, he uses Bucke as a way into a range of issues and problems seen as characteristic of Victorian medicine. Slices of Bucke's biography are painted in their context so as to create a series of tableaux—scenes from provincial psychiatric life, as illuminated by modern critical, medical history. He was either typical or idiosyncratic; in the latter case he is treated as a foil, so that here too he provides a route to the typical. Bucke (1837-1902) was born in England, and raised in upper Canada. After his father died in 1854, he wandered the American West before enrolling for medicine at McGill. He then studied in London (England) and Paris, before returning to general practice in Canada. Declining health led him to seek an easier life as an asylum doctor, a career for which his English contacts and his philosophical and religious interests had predisposed him. As an alienist he wrote several books and papers. He also experimented with therapeutic gynaecological surgery. All this is well told by Shortt. He is a good guide to the universalist sect, to provincial medicine, to London physic, to positivism, to asylum life and to Victorian conceptions of madness. He is self-conscious as a historian and knows he is presenting an interpretation. Yet the book is rather unsatisfying. It reads as a series of exercises in historical reconstruction, bound together by the life of Bucke. But because this career is rarely engaging, the sequence of explanations, for all its competence, inevitably seems somewhat arbitrary. JOHN V. PICKSTONE Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine, Department of Science and Technology Policy Manchester University


Montmorillonite modified with the cationic biopolymer, chitosan, has, in weak acidic solutions, protonated amine groups which act as anion-adsorption sites. Due to the specific surroundings of the adsorption sites and diffusion paths in the interlayer of chitosan-montmorillonite, preferential adsorption of certain anions is likely. In the present study, the adsorption properties for the inorganic anions Cr(VI) and As(V) were determined, taking into account solution pH and competitive adsorption in the presence of Cl− and ${\rm{SO}}_4^{2 - }$SO42−. Chitosan-montmorillonite was prepared by adding an amount of chitosan equivalent to 500% of the cation exchange capacity (CEC) at pH 5 and 75°C. The resulting anion exchange capacity was ∼0.34 molc/kg. The adsorption properties for As(V) and Cr(VI) were determined with the batch technique at pH 3 to 9. Adsorption isotherms were fitted to the Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich equations and judged quantitatively by the correlation coefficient. To describe the competitive adsorption, the selectivity (S) was determined by the ratio of amounts of anions A and B adsorbed (qA/qB) in a binary system. The ionic species adsorbed, i.e. either Cr(VI) or As(V), depended on the pH, as did the degree of protonation of the amine groups, and this played a decisive role in the amount of anions adsorbed. The maximum amount of Cr(VI) adsorbed was 180 mmol/kg at pH 3.5, whereas for As(V) it was 120 mmol/kg at pH 4.0 to 5.0. The adsorption process of Cr(VI) and As(V) fit well to the Langmuir isotherm. By increasing the concentration of the competitive anion, Cl−, in solution, the amount of Cr(VI) and As(V) adsorbed remained almostconstant, whereas ${\rm{SO}}_4^{2 - }$SO42− had a more pronounced competitive effect. At concentration ratios of 0.5 and 1 for ${\rm{SO}}_4^{2 - }$SO42− to Cr(VI) and As(V), respectively, the sorption capacity decreased by 10 and 25%, respectively. The sequence of the selectivity was: ${\rm{Cr}}\left( {{\rm{VI}}} \right) > {\rm{SO}}_4^{2 - } > {\rm{As}}\left( {\rm{V}} \right) > {\rm{C}}{{\rm{l}}^ - }$Cr(VI)>SO42−>As(V)>Cl−. Chitosan-montmorillonite showed a high selectivity for Cr(VI), which adsorbed chemically. Despite the lower affinity for As(V) and physical adsorption, the adsorption capacity was relatively high.


Psychologically, Human Age Limits include, First, Childhood. Second, Adolescence, Third Adulthood, Fourth, Old Age. At the Adult Stage is calculated at the age of 21 years to about 40 years. Means that the age of marriage aged 19 years does not include the adult category. In general, marriage problems between men and women are not seen from the age factor but age limits affect the maturity of thinking and human development psychologically. Especially in the case of marriages that need to be considered is the age of maturity, since the enactment of Law No. 16 of 2019 concerning amendments to Law No. 1 of 1974 concerning marriages, the current marriage age limit between men and women is equal to the age of 19 years. Of course this becomes a problem, because at that age according to the psychological development of the ego is still relatively high. So the cause of early divorce at the age of about 25 years and over.


Within blowdown and pressure relieving systems, a phenomenon known as acoustic induced vibrations (AIV) increases the risk of costly failures at branch connections, pipe supports and other discontinuities downstream of pressure relieving devices. Broadband pressure fluctuations generated during these AIV events lead to elevated stresses at welded connections. Based on recent research, modeling and measuring the effects of AIV in piping systems, it is possible to reduce the dynamic pressure fluctuations that cause AIV closer to the excitation source. This can lead to more cost effective and efficient means of reducing the likelihood of failures caused by AIV.
 This paper will discuss the results of full-scale testing of a novel mitigation technique that reduces pressure fluctuations that cause AIV. The reduction in dynamic pressure leads to significant lowering of the overall stresses near the pipe welds at discontinuities. In addition, results indicate that a reduction in dynamic pressure can be obtained with the mitigation technique tested to a level acceptable by current screening methods.


AbstractA laboratory study on the concentration factors and steady state condition of Cadmium (Cd) by green mussel (Perna viridis) has been carried out. Radiotracer 109Cd was applied in the study. The objective of the study was to evaluate bioaccumulation parameters including con- cent ration factors and steady state condition of cadmium by green mussel from dissolved phase. It was found that both salinity and temperature had significant effect (P<0.001) on accumulation rate of 109Cd. The highest concentration factor of Cd (31,23-54,09) was appeared in water salinity of 29% and of water temperature 31°C. Apparently, green mussel accumulated 72,21-107,80 Bq/gr Cd at the steady state condilion. It revealed that the small Perna viridis (5.2 cm in length) accumulated 109Cd about 107,80 Bq/gr, whereas the bigger size of the green mussel (6.6 cm in length) had an uptake of about 72,21 Bq/gr. Keywords: concentration factor, steady state condition, Perna viridis


This chapter analyzes the fundamental importance of monitoring and review procedures to assess the implementation of human rights to advance public health. Recognizing monitoring and review as central to human rights accountability, the evolving functions of human rights monitoring highlight the range of national, regional, and international review mechanisms that provide oversight to support the realization of health-related human rights. While these mechanisms often do not have judicial powers—their recommendations are advisory rather than legally binding—the interpretive role entrusted to these review procedures has endowed their health-related recommendations with legitimacy in clarifying human rights treaty provisions and reviewing state efforts to meet treaty obligations. Assessing the implementation of international human rights law through national practice, monitoring institutions can facilitate human rights accountability for public health promotion and operationalize public health data to press governments to implement rights.


This contribution attempts to shed light on the surge of direct investment flows from India because of the limited understanding of this huge country in the context of liberalization of inward and outward foreign direct investment. As far as the latter is concerned, India cannot be described as an underdeveloped country since it can mobilize substantial native capital and it hosts flourishing multinational companies. The liberalization of the national economy in the early 1990s and the resulting arrival of large foreign multinationals have prompted domestic companies to engage in a restructuring path along with to seek new business opportunities overseas in order to expand market share. If the bulk of Indian outward direct investment is still directed toward developing countries, mature economies are emerging as a growing host place. The paper focuses on Europe and draws on a wide range of data from various sources, and tackles the question empirically in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding on entry modes and strategies followed by Indian investors.


Evidence on the effectiveness of melatonin in breast cancer patients suffering from sleep disturbances is contradictory, and there have been no meta-analyses on its use in humans with breast cancer. This study investigated the melatonin supplementation effectiveness in alleviating sleep disturbances in breast cancer patients. We searched Embase, PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and Clinical trial.org databases for relevant reports by following PRISMA guidelines and collected clinical experimental studies of melatonin supplementation in breast cancer patients. Breast cancer for the population, melatonin supplementation for intervention, including sleep indicator, cancer treatment-related symptoms for outcomes, and clinical trial for humans were the searched keywords. Among the 1917 identified records, duplicates and irrelevant articles were excluded. Among the 48 full-text articles assessed, 10 studies met the criteria for inclusion in a systematic review, and five studies had sleep-related indicators and were included in the meta-analysis after quality assessment. The estimated average effect size (Hedges' g) was −0.79 (p < 0.001) in a random-effects model, thus indicating that melatonin supplementation had a moderate effect in ameliorating sleep quality in breast cancer patients. Pooled data from studies on melatonin supplementation indicate that melatonin administration may alleviate sleep problems related to treatments in breast cancer patients.


A study has been made of the optical properties of semi-transparent films of variable thickness produced by sputtering in hydrogen. The masses of the films have been computed from the assumed optical constants and densities of the metals, and from the locations of the interference fringes, when the films are viewed by reflected monochromatic light at approximately normal incidence. With few exceptions the computed masses are much greater than the masses determined directly by weighing. The differences between the computed and weighed masses can be accounted for by assuming higher refractive indices and lower densities of the films than those assumed for the bulk metals. Such would be the case if the films were composed of compounds, e.g., oxides of the metals. This has been verified by a colorimetric analysis of the iron films. Further confirmation is supplied by a study of the optical dispersion of the films, which seems to be characteristic of transparent insulators rather than of the metals. High refractive indices are also called for from a consideration of the aging of a platinum film. A mathematical analysis of the reflectivity of the films has been made, based upon the consideration of multiple reflections within the films. To account for the number of fringes observed, very low indices of absorption must be assumed, such as possessed by transparent insulators.


Background: New and more effective treatments for cancer have resulted in individuals living longer with a better quality of life. Thus, the Quality of life (QoL) is now a major concern of cancer survivors. This study tried to identify the factors affecting the quality of life among cancer survivors. Methods: Data was collected from the sixth (2013-2015) National Health and Nutrition Survey. Among total 16,522 participants aged 19 years old or more, 721 cancer survivors who had any previous history of cancer were included in the analysis. QoL was measured using EuroQoL-5D which evaluated 5 domains including the problem of mobility, self-care, usual activity, pain, and anxiety. Results: Cancer survivors had lower QoL than the general population and participants with other chronic disease. Among cancer survivors, age had the strongest association with mobility. The problem of self-care was affected by age, female, income state, and comorbidity. More income had an impact on better self-care. The problem of usual activity was affected by job state, stress and comorbidity. There was a positive association between job status and the problem of usual activity. The problem of pain was related with female, education state, and stress. Higher education was associated with lower problem of pain. The problem of anxiety was in relation with age, female, and stress. Conclusions: To improve the QoL of cancer survivors, the appropriate intervention is needed for effective management considering the different factors which affect the QoL of the cancer survivors. Korean J Health Promot 2018;18(1):7-14


Wireless video streaming Quality of Service (QoS) support has got a lot of attention recently. Due to error-prone nature of wireless media, one of the main challenges is to improve wireless video streaming reliability, remaining within strict throughput/delay constraints of video applications. In the paper, we focus on video stream buffering as a tool for reliability improvement and compare different buffering algorithms using a matrix method.


This paper describes and analyses the discussions on the subject of hereditary disease that took place between 1748 and 1800 among French physicians. Two essay competitions which set prizes for dissertations on the hereditary transmission of disease (Dijon, 1748; Paris, 1788-1790) prompted several writers to try and specify the peculiarities of hereditary causes. The publication of a sceptical essay written for the first competition by Antoine Louis was a major cause of concern for medics wishing to preserve hereditary influence as a valid etiological category. Louis' analytical denial of even the possibility of the existence of an hereditary cause led both the judges and the best medical writers who took part in the Paris competition to force the situation towards the establishment of clear criteria for isolating the hereditary cause from other pathological influences. The transition from a humoralist to a solidist view of the human constitution (body) provided the frame within which the different criteria for heredity were discussed. The prize essays of the Paris competition shared the position that hereditary influence was characterized by a latent, predisposant kind of causation, which could produce some well known phenomena like atavism (or regression) and homochrony. The solidist causes were thought by most to be better candidates for that role. These developments turned out to be crucial for the emergence and strength of 19th century French (and European) hereditarianism, in medicine and other fields.


Despite increasing interest in technology-assisted education, technology-based instructional design still lacks support from a reliable body of empirical research. This dearth of reliable information hampers its integration into mainstream school systems. In fact, many teachers remain resistant to using technology in the classroom. In order to encourage uptake of new educational technologies, Roblyer argues that fundamental research on the potential impact of technology on school life must be conducted. This line of inquiry needs to offer a clear research agenda and provide evidence that will help drive effective classroom practice. Indeed, in Roblyer's view, it is only when the impact of technology on school life is clearly articulated and demonstrated that educators will start to adopt technology widely.


The scope of this paper is to demonstrate that only in case of unilateral accident a party will take efficient level of activity. In all cases of bilateral accidents there will be aowaus a party that will take a too high level of activity. But the reason that I try to demonstrate in this work is not that one party does not consider the expected damage, but instead the also the party that has an interest to consider the expected damage will take a too high level of activity (i.e. even if the expected damage is part of her private costs). The reason why that happens is that, in case of strict liability for the injurer with a defence he will not take account of the precaution costs of the victim, and in any case of a regime of negligence the victim will not consider in her cost-benefit analysis the precaution costs of the injurer. The consequence of that is a level of activity which is inefficient for a different reason with respect to that well known: that is the fact that a party does not bear the expected damage. I accept this known solution but I underpin another problem. The conclusion is that also decoupling does not produce an efficient consequence and that the search of tort efficient rules is still more difficult.


In this paper, a sub-millimeter-wave HBT oscillator is reported. The oscillator uses a single-emitter 0.3 m15 m InP HBT device with maximum frequency of oscillation greater than 500 GHz. The passive components of the oscillator are realized in a two metal process with benzocyclobutene used as the primary transmission line dielectric. The oscillator is implemented in a common base topology due to its inherent instability. The design includes an on-chip resonator, output matching circuitry, and injection locking port. A free-running frequency of 311.6 GHz has been measured by down-converting the signal. Additionally, injection locking has been successfully demonstrated with up to 17.8 dB of injection-locking gain. This is the first fundamental HBT oscillator operating above 300 GHz.


Onuigbo, W. I. B. (1974).Thorax, 29, 132-133. Contralateral pulmonary metastases in lung cancer. It has long been known that lung cancer may attack many organs and yet spare the opposite lung. In 100 cases of this tumour studied at necropsy, only 22 showed contralateral pulmonary spread. Contralateral deposits are generally small and may be related to damaged tissues. Although tissue unsuitability is supposed to underlie the limitation of metastases in recipient organs, this does not apply to the contralateral lung. Since lung tissue is readily accessible to bloodborne cancer cells, research should be directed towards explaining the paradoxical paucity of the metastases.


The concept of discourse is an important tool in negotiating conflict and facilitating conversations within therapy. This article offers a useful framework for negotiating conflict in a couple relationship by highlighting the manner in which individual's expectations are mutually emergent from particular discursive positions. Specific discursive practices and approaches that make more visible the cultural production of conflicts are presented via a case illustration. These practices provide more freedom to couples in relationships to explore conflicts with less totalizing descriptions of the other as blameworthy. In addition, a discursive analysis of conflict invites therapists to be more intentional, reflexive, and socially responsible in their work.


List of Recipes. Acknowledgments. Preface. Chapter 1: How to Use this Book. Chapter 2: Yeast Breads. Chapter 3: Laminates(Layered Doughs). Chapter 4: Cakes. Chapter 5: Egg-Based Components. Chapter 6: Pies, Tarts, and other Fruit Desserts. Chapter 7: Cookies. Chapter 8: Working with Sugar. Chapter 9: Working with Chocolate. Chapter 10: Frostings. Chapter 11: Fillings and Components. Chapter 12: Assembling and Decorating Cakes. Dessert Glossary. Appendix A: Metric Conversions and Other Helpful Information. Appendix B: Weight-Volume Equivalents for Common Ingredients. Appendix C: Volume of Baking Pans. Appendix D: High-Altitude Baking. Bibliography. Index.


OBJECTIVE
To understand how the risk of vertical HIV transmission is perceived and interpreted by people living with HIV/AIDS, when making decisions regarding reproductive health.

METHODS
This was a qualitative study carried out at three municipal health clinics specializing in STD/AIDS, in the city of São Paulo. Semi-structured thematic interviews were conducted with eight patients (male and female), from July to December 2001. The interviewees were key informants and either they or their partners were seropositive. All of them were aged 18 or over and had been living with their partners for at least one year.

RESULTS
Among the motivations for having children, those related to the partner's expectations were highlighted, especially as a form of "recompense" for their actions. The risk of vertical transmission was used by health professionals both for discouraging pregnancy and for giving guidance on transmission prophylaxis. However, reproductive issues were not voiced at the health clinics, either by the patients or by the healthcare providers.

CONCLUSIONS
Attention should be directed not only towards controlling the infection, but also most importantly towards the wellbeing of people living with HIV/AIDS. There is a need to clarify the different points of view of users and professionals in order to achieve the most effective and appropriate solution for each specific caregiving situation.


Complex chromosomal rearrangements are very rare events in the human population. According to our knowledge on the consequences of simple reciprocal translocations for male fertility, translocations involving three or more chromosomes are thought to lead to severe reproductive impairments in terms of meiotic disturbance or chromosomal imbalance of gametes. We report the case of a 48 year old man whose sperm count revealed either oligozoospermia (<10(3) spermatozoa/ml) or azoospermia. He was referred to the laboratory for in-vitro fertilization after intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Cytogenetic investigations showed a complex chromosomal rearrangement involving firstly a translocation between the short arm of chromosome 7 and the long arm of chromosome 13 and secondly a translocation between the short arm of the same chromosome 13 and the short arm of chromosome 9. Diagnosis was ascertained by fluorescence in-situ hybridization and staining of the nucleolar organizer regions. Theoretical study of the translocated chromosomes predicted a 'chain' configuration of the hexavalent at the pachytene stage of meiosis. In all, 32 modes of segregation were considered and only one resulted either in a normal or a balanced gamete karyotype. Genetic counselling and choice of appropriate artificial reproduction technique are discussed.


This article demonstrates the extent and significance of exchange between English and French poets in the years leading up to World War I, a crucial period for the development of modern Anglophone poetry. Through archival research, I trace the growing interest in French poetry of Imagist poets F. S. Flint, Ezra Pound and Richard Aldington, exhibited in various little magazines including the New Age, Poetry Review, Poetry and Drama, Poetry, the New Freewoman and the Egoist. Moreover, I show that such interest was reciprocated by contemporary French poets, notably Henri-Martin Barzun and Guillaume Apollinaire, who published works by English poets in their respective little magazines Poème et Drame and Les Soirées de Paris. This suggests that not only were modern English poets influenced by their French counterparts, but they were also given a voice in the Francophone artistic world, resulting in a unique moment of cross-channel poetic exchange before the war.


This paper is the result of studying effects of mechanical chamomile harvesting on yield and quality of harvested chamomile. Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita (L) Rausch.) was harvested at three time intervals (T1 – 240 days, T2 – 250 days and T3 – 260 days after sowing) by three conceptually different harvesters. The results achieved indicate that the harvester type significantly influences quality of harvested chamomile, whereas it is not influenced by chamomile harvesting time. Quality of harvested chamomile was classified into four categories, and it was observed that the greater number of rotations of a picking device increased the content of the first category of quality. The harvester A achieved 54.79% of the first category of quality in respect to the harvester B achieving 50.26% and the harvester C with 42.93%.


This paper seeks to explore the use of rewards to motivate learners. We hypothesize that rewards are great; however, they must not be used as a sole motivating factor to encourage students to learn. Teachers have to structure learning in such a way that the students become more engaged and willing to participate. To achieve the aim of this paper, we will explore the different research studies conducted in the past, which are relevant to the use of rewards inside the classroom. Drawing from the research, we will conclude whether rewards should be used as a motivating factor and explore other options to help students become more engaged and willing to learn. The use of rewards to motivate learners can be an effective tool. However, there should be no better substitute to motivate learners to study than letting them understand the importance of learning and structuring the classroom in such a way that it becomes conducive for transference of ideas and knowledge.


Newcomers to Ireland confront a context of reception shaped by large-scale historical emigration and more recent immigration defined by an increasingly diverse set of origin contexts, both within and outside the European Union (EU). How has the Irish population responded to these groups, and how openly do Irish residents express their views toward different immigrant groups? We test this response using a survey experiment, which offered respondents an anonymous way to express any negative attitudes to immigrant groups they may have had. Results from the survey experiment show that Irish residents' support for Black and Polish immigrations is overstated when expressed directly. In contrast, their sentiment toward Muslim immigrants is notably insensitive to the level of anonymity provided, indicating little difference between overt and covert expression of support (or antipathy). In other words, when race/ethnicity or EU origin is made salient, Irish respondents are more likely to mask negative sentiment. When Islam is emphasized, however, Irish antipathy is not masked. We find that in-group preferences, instead of determining support in an absolute sense, shape the reluctance with which opposition to immigrant groups is overtly expressed.


The survey aimed to assess street vendors' responses to Clean Street Food Hub Guidelines and its effect on the socio-demography post Covid-19. The study reports 70% of the vendors are male followed by a female (30%) with a mean age of 35.785±2.702 years, of which mostly 37% were youth and 48% were adults. In this informal sector, it was evident that 72% of primary to higher school qualified were employed for their family income with experience of 1-4 years (50%) and 8-10 years (35%). A significant response was received from vendors on twelve golden rules knowledge good response (77%) and 30% poor status was reflected on un-hygienic premises, and lack of disposal facilities. Whilst, 42% of the vendors have a significantly good attitude (questions 2, 6, 10, 11, and 12) reaming 17% is poor concerned on clean and disinfecting work station after vending, and constantly washing raw food before cooking. The street vendor's practice was average level for material collection, preparation, and washing (67.70%), fair at personal care (59.67%), sanitation practice (54%), and food handling, leftover disposal, and inspection (54.60%), whilst unscientific facilities and environment type (48.67%). It was found that, a significant (P <0.00) association exists between vendor's responses on clean food safety guide scores and gender, age, education, and experience at a significant level of p=0.05.


Intervening in aging processes is hypothesized to extend healthy years of life and treat age-related disease, thereby providing great benefit to society. However, the ability to measure the biological aging process in individuals, which is necessary to test for efficacy of these interventions, remains largely inaccessible to the general public. Here we used NHANES physical activity accelerometer data from a wearable device and machine-learning algorithms to derive biological age predictions for individuals based on their movement patterns. We found that accelerated biological aging from our "MoveAge" predictor is associated with higher all-cause mortality. We further searched for nutritional or pharmacological compounds that associate with decelerated aging according to our model. A number of nutritional components peak in their association to decelerated aging later in life, including fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E. We additionally identified one FDA-approved drug associated with decelerated biological aging: the alpha-blocker doxazosin. We show that doxazosin extends healthspan and lifespan in C. elegans. Our work demonstrates how a biological aging score based on relative mobility can be accessible to the wider public and can potentially be used to identify and determine efficacy of geroprotective interventions.


Purpose To investigate the association of automated visual field (VF) reliability indices (false positive [FP], false negative [FN], and fixation loss [FL]) and sleep quality, VF experience, and age. Methods Prospective, cross-sectional study. Adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) completing automated VF testing were invited to participate. Baseline participant characteristics were obtained, and all participants were asked to complete the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Nonparametric Spearman correlations and logistical regression models were performed. Results 63 patients were enrolled. Lower PSQI score was correlated with higher percentage (%) FL in the right eye (p = 0.03). Fewer prior VF was significantly correlated with higher %FP in the right eye (p = 0.008). Older age was significantly correlated with higher %FN in the left eye (p = 0.01). Greater mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD) were strongly correlated with higher %FN in the right (p = 0.02 and 0.002, resp.) and left eyes (p = 0.01 and 0.02, resp.). Conclusion In this prospective, cross-sectional study, worse MD and PSD are strongly correlated with increased FN in both eyes. Increased FN in the left eye associated with older age might be attributable to test fatigue. Worse sleep quality is associated with decreased FL in the right eye.


ABSTRACT Chronic voluntary exercise elevates total daily energy expenditure and food consumption, potentially resulting in organ compensation supporting nutrient extraction/utilization. Additionally, species with naturally higher daily energy expenditure often have larger processing organs, which may represent genetic differences and/or phenotypic plasticity. We tested for possible adaptive changes in organ masses of four replicate lines of house mice selected (37 generations) for high running (HR) compared with four non-selected control (C) lines. Females were housed with or without wheel access for 13–14 weeks beginning at 53–60 days of age. In addition to organ compensation, chronic activity may also require an elevated aerobic capacity. Therefore, we also measured hematocrit and both citrate synthase activity and myoglobin concentration in heart and gastrocnemius. Both selection (HR versus C) and activity (wheels versus no wheels) significantly affected morphological and biochemical traits. For example, with body mass as a covariate, mice from HR lines had significantly higher hematocrit and larger ventricles, with more myoglobin. Wheel access lengthened the small intestine, increased relative ventricle and kidney size, and increased skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity and myoglobin concentration. As compared with C lines, HR mice had greater training effects for ventricle mass, hematocrit, large intestine length and gastrocnemius citrate synthase activity. For ventricle and gastrocnemius citrate synthase activity, the greater training was quantitatively explainable as a result of greater wheel running (i.e. 'more pain, more gain'). For hematocrit and large intestine length, differences were not related to amount of wheel running and instead indicate inherently greater adaptive plasticity in HR lines. Summary: Organ morphology and biochemistry were altered in response to selective breeding for voluntary wheel running, chronic exercise and interactions as a result of 'more pain, more gain' or the evolution of greater phenotypic plasticity.


Inference on the time of onset and the duration of a treatment effect is a challenging problem in biomedical research. These studies often generate repeated measurements from subjects in a treated group and a control group during the same time period. We propose a simple approach, called the 'Fishing License' method, to test for a treatment effect occurring during an unspecified time interval. The method is based on a statistic of the largest absolute value of the t statistic between two groups obtained by considering every possible time interval in the observed time period. A bootstrapped null distribution of the test statistic is used to determine the critical value. The method also provides estimates of onset and ending times, when the null hypothesis of no effect is rejected. Simulated and real experimental data sets were generated for assessing the performance of the method. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


We envision that CaWO4 (CWO) nanocrystals have the potential for use in biomedical imaging and therapy because of the unique ways this material interacts with high-energy radiation. These applications, however, require development of nanoparticle (NP) formulations that are suitable for in vivo applications; primarily, the formulated nanoparticles should be sufficiently small, chemically and biologically inert, and stable against aggregation under physiological conditions. The present study demonstrates one such method of formulation, in which CWO nanoparticles are encapsulated in bioinert block copolymer (BCP) micelles. For this demonstration, we prepared three different CWO nanocrystal samples having different sizes (3, 10, and 70 nm in diameter) and shapes (elongated vs truncated rhombic). Depending on the specific synthesis method used, the as-synthesized CWO NPs contain different surfactant materials (citric acid or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide or a mixture of oleic acid and oleylamine) in the coating layers. Regardless of the type of surfactant, the original surfactant coating can be replaced with a new enclosure formed by BCP materials using a solvent-exchange method. Two types of BCPs have been tested: poly(ethylene glycol-block-n-butyl acrylate) (PEG-PnBA) and poly(ethylene glycol-block-D,L-lactic acid) (PEG-PLA). Both BCPs are able to produce fully PEGylated CWO NPs that are stable against aggregation under physiological salt conditions for very long periods of time (at least three months). The optical and radio luminescence properties of both BCP-encapsulated and surfactant-coated CWO NPs were extensively characterized. The study confirms that the BCP coating structure does not influence the luminescence properties of CWO NPs.


In the period 1968 to 1978, 83 vascular malformations (AVM's) were treated by operation: 65 were excised and 18 were managed by interruption of afferent arteries. Three cryptic AVM's (two in the thalamus and one in the caudate nucleus) were discovered during exploration of hematomas in normotensive young women. All three of these small malformations were detected on computerized tomographic scans; none was apparent on preoperative angiograms. Two of the four deaths in this series occurred after excision of large, high-flow fistulas; the proposed cause was restoration of normal perfusion pressure in a chronically ischemic hemisphere rendered incapable of autoregulation. The addition of operative adjuncts, in particular, bipolar coagulation and operative microscopy, has extended traditional indications for operation to include favorably situated AVM's that have not bled and certain AVM's situated in critical regions of the brain.


Organophosphorous (OP) insecticides reveal acute toxicity because of their capability to affect the nervous system through the inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase function in regulating the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The present work shows an example of an easy to be handled inhibition electrochemical biosensor, based on thick film technology for low cost production of screen printed electrodes. Anti-cholinesterase activity in specific fruits was determined measuring the inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase enzyme owing to the presence of OP pesticides. Paraoxon was taken as reference pesticide for each measurement. The main fluidic critical parameters were investigated under flow injection analysis, through the comparison of different enzymatic immobilisation methods. Analytical features were evaluated as a function of experimental parameters. The analytical detection was developed in a three step procedure and the pesticides content was measured in strawberries samples taken from the local market. The separation between the acetyl cholinesterase inhibition and the electrochemical detection with the choline oxidase biosensor decreases the total analysis time, allowing improvements in reproducibility and stability of the system. A comparison with reference materials and standard analytical procedures for pesticides will be required in the future for evaluating the reliability of the method.


A dicopper(I)/phenol-ligand complex in RCN solvents reacts with O2 producing a mu-1,1-hydroperoxo dicopper(II) species. Subsequent thermal transformation results in nitrile hydroxylation and elimination of cyanide, as revealed by the isolation in comparable yields of (i) a cyanide-bridged tetranuclear cluster complex and (ii) benzaldehyde (for R = PhCH2); 18O labeling confirms that the PhC(O)H oxygen atom derives from O2.


Hypertrophy of liver cells, as measured by decreased mg DNA per g wet liver, from obese mice (C57BL/6J ob/ob) was associated with a marked increase in triacylglycerol content per g wet liver when compared with control lean mice (C57BL/6J ?/+). The difference between the rates of net glucose production from lactate in isolated perfused livers from obese and lean mice was small when expressed per g wet liver. However, calculation of these rates either on a DNA or body weight basis indicated that the rate of gluconeogenesis in livers from obese mice was twice that of lean mice. Using perfused livers from lean mice, the ratio of net uptake of C3-substrate to gluconeogenesis indicated that a major proportion of lactate disappearing from the perfusion medium could not be accounted for in the appearance of glucose; but using the perfused livers of obese mice, almost all of the net lactate disappearance could be accounted for by a net increase in glucose production.


The industrial gas separations have been attracted in using membrane for gas separations since membrane separation technologies have the advantages of energy efficiency, simplicity and low cost.This lead to the exploration mixed matrix membrane (MMMs) that combining the polymeric membrane filled with organics particles.In order to improve the interaction between polymer and zeolite,chemical modification on the surface of zeolite using silane coupling agents need to be done to increase the compatibility between zeolite and polymer.In this study,the effect of difference coupling agents used on zeolite modification in development of Polyethersulfone MMMs for O2/N2 separation was studied. Three types of coupling agents were used which are 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane,glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane and aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTMOS).The polymer solution was prepared contains of 30% Polyethersulfone (PES) as the polymer, 55% of N-Methyl Pyrolidone (NMP) as the solvent and 15% of zeolite 5A.The dry/wet phase inversion method was used to produce the membrane.The membrane was coated with silicone and n-hexane in order to decrease the surface defect and tested using O2 and N2 gases to determine the membrane performance.For surface and cross section image of membrane were identified using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).Membrane was also characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to analyze the presence of silane coupling agent functional group.As a conclusion,the best performance was identified by using glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane which gives high selectivity about 3.14.


Six normal volunteers consumed high protein, high carbohydrate, and high fat isocaloric diets on a metabolic ward for 10 days each. On the high protein diet, serum creatinine, BUN, albumin, and total protein exceeded the normal range in from one to four subjects; the increases were directly related to the percentage of calories derived from protein (R = 0.82, 0.62, and 0.73 respectively; all p less than 0.01). Fasting serum glucose was higher on the high protein diet than on the high fat diet (p less than 0.01); values on the high carbohydrate diet were intermediate. Fasting serum glucose was not significantly related to the percentage of either total carbohydrates or simple carbohydrates in the diet. Within the range of diets frequently ingested in the United States, laboratory values can vary significantly and can exceed the normal ranges in healthy individuals. These variations may mislead clinicians and lead to further unnecessary tests.


Domain wall depinning and propagation in a long wire of amorphous Fe77.5Si7.5B15 alloy in the as-quenched state are studied during AC magnetization under a DC biasing field produced by a solenoid perpendicular to the wire. The active walls undergoing the depinning and propagation are classified into positive and negative ones. Consequently there are alternating and unidirectional magnetic reversal modes, both having two distinct types. The alternating mode can easily be induced by an external magnetic pole equidistant from the wire ends. The experimental data obtained in this work and published elsewhere are discussed in detail. It is concluded that the eventual depinning of the closure domain wall from the end is induced by its elongation and transverse movements. The latter process is essentially the same as domain wall propagation. Both are dynamic with a dominant eddy current damping and domain wall shape-dependent DC critical field.


River water quality in Daegu city has fluctuated over the last several years. This condition requires more attention to avoid the possibility of more severe water quality degradation. This study aimed to identify temporal and spatial distribution, sources of pollutants, and the effects of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents on the Nakdong River. Water quality data from the Nakdong River and treated water from WWTPs over a 4-year-period has been collected and analyzed statistically. The results showed that river water quality went down several times at specific sites. Compared to other locations, the Habincheon experiences the most polluted conditions. This area should be carefully managed, primarily because it serves as a keywater source for two water treatment plants. Industrial WWTP contributes higher pollutant concentrations than municipal WWTP, particularly for Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Total Nitrogen (TN), which is 5.21 - 9.77% of the COD and 6.86 - 15.45% of the TN into the river. The contribution rate of all WWTPs affects the river was 6.05% of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), 12.54% of COD, 2.33% of Suspended Solids (SS), 20.19% of TN, and 13.33% of Total Phosphorus (TP). Treated water from WWTPs had a low contribution as the pollutants into the river, whereas other sources likely delivered a higher amount of pollutant load.


The circumstances arising from the exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected all socioeconomic areas in the last two years. The field of Education has not been an exception and the management of the situation seems to have caused an increase in the level of perceived stress of university students. On this basis, this research that aims, first, to analyze the student's level of perceived stress during the de-escalation and return to normality period, secondly, to evaluate its relationship with life satisfaction and, finally, to detect the students' needs in stress management, has been developed. An exploratory-descriptive study of quantitative and cross-sectional nature has been carried out. 222 university students of the Childhood and Primary Education Degrees of the University of Jaén (Spain) have participated. The instruments, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) have been used. The results show a moderate and partial relationship among the dimensions of the used instruments. The obtained coefficients of determination are, Academic Performance (r² = .019) and Life Satisfaction (r² = .402), with a mean square error (SRMR) of .079. These findings show the need to develop actions within the university training program in effective stress management strategies.


Dyeing of polyester is done by using disperse dyes. Some of the disperse dyes remain unfixed during dyeing and create problems in shade and colorfastness properties. Reduction clearing (RC) is a process to remove these unfixed dyes and to enhance colorfastness properties. In the Pakistani textile industry, reduction clearing is being done by using sodium dithionite (Na2S2O4), which has the best results in reducing dyestuff.  The problem with sodium dithionite is that it is sensitive to air and also creates a lot of environmental issues. Its sensitivity causes inconsistent results of reduction clearing. Different dyers used different processes and recipes of reduction clearing. Thiourea Dioxide (TUD) is a green reducing agent and can be used as a replacement for sodium dithionite. TUD (CH4N2S) is a stable product with a comparable result with sodium dithionite. Interlock knitted fabric is used in this project whose composition has recycled polyester. The fabric was first dyed using black dyestuff and then reduction clearing was done on a lab-scale with different factors (Shade depth, the concentration of TUD, RC temperature). Three colorfastness tests were conducted to evaluate the different levels of each factor i.e. colorfastness to washing, fastness to perspiration, and fastness to water according to standard numbers ISO 105-C06, ISO 105-E04, and ISO 105-E01, respectively. It was observed that shade depth does not affect the results while concentration and RC temperature have a significant effect on the results. Moreover, the effective concentration of TUD was also determined.


Da' al-Sadaf (Plaque psoriasis) is the most common form of the psoriasis in which raised, red patches covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells. These patches or plaques most often show up on the scalp, knees, elbows and lower back. Sometimes it is itchy and painful and, may cracked and bleed. Unani oral and topical medicines along with Narrow Band Ultra-Violet (NB-UV-B) therapy is used here for treatment. Unani coded formulation UNIM-401 containing Barg Shahtra (Fumaria parviflora Linn.), Chiraita Talkh (Swertia chirata Buch.), Babchi (Psoralea corylifolia Linn.) and Haleela Siyah (Terminalia chebula Retz.) in the ratio of 5:5:5:2, in a dose of 2 capsules (500 mg each) orally with lukewarm water twice a day in empty stomach for a period of three months are given and Soranil ointment mixed with clarified butter in 1:1 ratio was applied on the affected part and exposed to the NB-UVB light for 10 minutes. Plaques of psoriasis getting shade off after one month of treatment and almost disappeared from the site of lesion after three months. The skin of patient almost become normal. It may be concluded that Unani drugs (oral & topical) along with NB-UVB therapy is beneficial for controlling and treating plaque psoriasis.


In this work we present a new way to mask the data in a one-user communication system when direct sequence - code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) techniques are used. The code is generated by a digital chaotic generator, originally proposed by us and previously reported for a chaos cryptographic system. It is demonstrated that if the user's data signal is encoded with a bipolar phase-shift keying (BPSK) technique, usual in DS-CDMA, it can be easily recovered from a time-frequency domain representation. To avoid this situation, a new system is presented in which a previous dispersive stage is applied to the data signal. A time-frequency domain analysis is performed, and the devices required at the transmitter and receiver end, both user-independent, are presented for the optical domain.


WHIM syndrome, an extremely rare congenital disease with combined immunodeficiency, is mainly caused by heterozygous gain-of-function mutation in the CXCR4 gene. There have been no previous case reports of WHIM syndrome with Kawasaki disease. We herein report a case of a boy who developed Kawasaki disease at the age of 1 year. After treatment, the number of neutrophils in his peripheral blood decreased continuously. His medical history revealed that he had been suffering from leukopenia, neutropenia and low immunoglobulin since birth, and his neutrophils could return to the normal level in the presence of infection or inflammation. Clinical targeted gene sequencing of 91 genes associated with granulocyte-related disease revealed that the patient had a novel heterozygous NM_003467; c.1032_1033delTG;p.(E345Vfs*12) variant in exon 2 of CXCR4 gene. Family verification analysis by Sanger sequencing showed that his father also had heterozygous variation at this site, while other family members did not. The computer prediction software indicated that the variation had a high pathogenicity. The computational structure analysis of the mutant revealed significant structural and functional changes in the CXCR4 protein. It should be noted that when unexplained persistent neutropenia with low immunoglobulin occurs after birth, especially when there is a family history of neutropenia, immunodeficiency should be investigated with genetic testing.


Speech processing is the study of speech signals, and the methods used to process them. In application such as speech coding, speech synthesis, speech recognition and speaker recognition technology, speech processing is employed. In speech classification, the computation of prosody effects from speech signals plays a major role. In emotional speech signals pitch and frequency is a most important parameters. Normally, the pitch value of sad and happy speech signals has a great difference and the frequency value of happy is higher than sad speech. But, in some cases the frequency of happy speech is nearly similar to sad speech or frequency of sad speech is similar to happy speech. In such situation, it is difficult to recognize the exact speech signal. To reduce such drawbacks, in this paper we propose a Telugu speech emotion classification system with three features like Energy Entropy, Short Time Energy, Zero Crossing Rate and K-NN classifier for the classification. Features are extracted from the speech signals and given to the K-NN. The implementation result shows the effectiveness of proposed speech emotion classification system in classifying the Telugu speech signals based on their prosody effects. The performance of the proposed speech emotion classification system is evaluated by conducting cross validation on the Telugu speech database.


Physical and virtual K&C analyses are performed to achieve the vehicle dynamics targets by finding the optimum variables such as the position of hardpoints or stiffnesses of bushings. However, finding appropriate design variables that meet all the aims is challenging. This paper evaluates a hardpoint optimization approach to attain suspension K&C characteristic objectives with the design of experiments, neural networks, and genetic algorithm, based on a reference compact-sized prototype vehicle. The MBD model correlation is provided to optimize the hardpoints to improve the vehicle's steering kinematics concerning Ackerman error and camber angle variation that are out of target in baseline suspension. The results showed that NN based optimization strategy to define the hardpoints has significantly improved targeted characteristics compared to conventional response surface methods in the limited design space.


Recent mapping has identified the paleosurfaces contemporaneous with the epithermal polymetallic vein systems of Sombrerete, Colorada, and Fresnillo, Zacatecas. The characteristics considered indicative of an environment close to fossil erosion levels and found in these systems include stratiform deposits of cryptocrystalline or opaline silica, intrusive or stratiform breccia bodies related to hydrothermal explosions, pervasive fine-grained silicification of volcanic or clastic rocks associated with the erosional surfaces, tabular zones of argillic alteration in the footwall of the jasperoid bodies, and the occurrence of mercury mineralization in veinlets or breccia bodies.Ag-Pb-Zn ore zones generally occur within the Mesozoic basement rocks, whereas the paleosurfaces are located within the overlying Tertiary volcanic pile. Premineralization volcanic rocks exhibit compositions which range from rhyolite to andesitc whereas the postmineralization volcanic units are mainly rhyolitic. The similar stratigraphic position of the paleosurfaces and the K/Ar dates from the three districts indicate that the hydrothermal systems may have operated between 35 and 30 m.y. ago. This age interval might represent the most important metallogenic epoch of ore-forming systems in the belt which occupies the eastern margin of the Sierra Madre Occidental in the state of Zacatecas; it coincides with a hiatus in volcanism.Stratigraphic reconstruction and fluid inclusion data predict hydrostatic or hydrodynamic fluid pressures, and depth from the palcosurface to mineralization. The Pabellon vein in the Sombrerete district lacks evidence for fluid boiling and the reconstructed depth to the top of mineralization is at least 1,000 m. However, for hydrothermal systems that operated along the liquid-vapor boiling curve (the Santo Nifio vein in Fresnillo and the No Conocida vein in Colorada), depths to the top of mineralization of less than 500 m are indicated. Higher temperature and salinity fluids coincide with ore zones at depth, and fluids of progressively lower temperature and salinity occur in the high-level environment near the paleosurfaces. These trends most likely result from fluid mixing and dilution of ore-forming fluids circulating in the deeper parts of the systems, with meteoric waters of near-surface derivation.Combined geologic and fluid inclusion data become useful exploration and development tools. On a districtwide scale the identification of the paleosurface defines the highest level of a fossil hydrothermal system and can help to evaluate from the top downward the sectors of the district where economic potential remains preserved at depth. On a regional scale, the geologic level which corresponds to the hiatus of volcanism within the Tertiary volcanic pile defines an excellent guide for new mineralized systems along the eastern margin of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Recognition of the palcosurface and its expressions can aid in locating exploration targets in terranes not yet exposed at depth by erosion.


Abstract A retrospective review of all patients admitted between February 2004 and December 2009, with a diagnosis of burns associated with electrocution, was conducted at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Data regarding type of electrocution and associated burns were collected. Of the 36 patients identified, 31 (86%) were shocked by electrical current, and 5 (14%) by lightning. Most burns associated with current were first degree (58%). The upper limbs, most frequently the wrist and arm (n = 23), were injured in 26 patients, and the lower limb in 2 patients, whereas 3 patients suffered multiple sites of injury. Twenty-eight patients were treated conservatively with dressings and minor surgical interventions such as debridement and primary repair. The remainder required excision and/or grafting. Fasciotomy and/or escharotomy were performed in 2 patients, and no one required amputation. Burns associated with electrical injuries remain a worldwide problem, responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality. They can usually be prevented through simple safety measures. An effective prevention program would help address this problem.


HTLV-I is a transforming human retrovirus that is an etiologic agent of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma. To investigate the effects of this virus on T cell functions, two OKT3+, OKT4+, OKT8- cytotoxic clones (8.7 and 8.8) specific for allogeneic cells bearing DPw2, a class II histocompatibility antigen, were studied before and after infection with HTLV-I. The clones retained cytotoxic function for up to 70 d after exposure to HTLV-I, even without subsequent antigenic stimulation, but then lost their cytotoxic activity. Prior to infection with HTLV-I, clone 8.8 also lysed OKT3 hybridoma cells; after infection, cytotoxic activity against these OKT3-antibody bearing cells was lost in parallel with the loss of activity against DPw2-bearing target cells. In addition, expression of T3 surface antigen by HTLV-I-infected 8.8 cells was decreased at a time when they lost their cytotoxic activity, possibly contributing to the loss of cytotoxic function. Finally, clone 8.8 could provide help for nonspecific IgG production by autologous B cells when stimulated with irradiated DPw2-bearing non-T cells. After infection with HTLV-I, this helper function became independent of DPw2-stimulation and persisted even when the cytotoxic activity was lost. An OKT4+ T cell clone thus could simultaneously manifest both cytotoxic and helper T cell activities, and these activities were differentially affected after HTLV-I infection.


The article is devoted to the problem of interpersonal communication with peers at children under school age. The system of control this process is revealed.


Linear and planimetric measurements have been made on tracings of the right and left ventricular chambers from successive motion picture frames, obtained by cinefluorographic angiocardiography in anesthetized dogs. At the end of systole, varying amounts of residual blood, some 35 per cent of the diastolic volume, remain in the chamber. Filling occurs more rapidly than ventricular ejection and is virtually completed in early diastole. The left ventricular chamber is reduced in size during systole primarily by a reduction in width rather than a shortening of the longitudinal axis. Increased stroke output was accomplished by three mechanisms: (1) increased emptying of the ventricle by progressive shortening of the ventricular chamber; (2) increased filling in early diastole; (3) increased filling in the presystolic period, persumably because the atrial contraction more effectively distended the ventricle. The mechanisms responsible for the systolic residual blood and the retardation of filling which occurs early in diastole are discussed in terms of the anatomy, geometry and functional characteristics of the ventricular myocardium. A comparison is made of the right and left ventricles with reference to their luminal pressure and fiber tension relationships.


A clinical study on the failure rate of 882 bands and 1194 directly bonded brackets placed on the teeth of 100 consecutively completed orthodontic patients treated with the Begg light wire technique showed an overall adhesion failure rate of 4.7%. This was significantly lower than the 7% recorded in a comparable study by Mizrahi in 1979 using only bands. The reduction was due primarily to a much lower failure rate of directly bonded brackets compared to bands on the maxillary cuspids and incisors. These results indicate that the lowest attachment failure rate during orthodontic treatment can be achieved by using bands on molars and bicuspids, directly bonded brackets on maxillary cuspids and incisors, and either on lower anterior teeth.


Exemplar-based inpainting is the process of reconstructing missing parts of an image by searching the remaining data for patches that fit seamlessly. The image is completed to a plausible-looking solution by repeatedly inserting the patch that is the best match according to some cost function. We present an acceleration structure that uses a multi-index scheme to accelerate this search procedure drastically, particularly in the case of very large datasets. The index scheme uses ideas such as dimensionality reduction and k-nearest neighbor search on space-filling curves that are well known in the field of multimedia databases. Our method has a theoretic runtime of O(log2 n) per iteration and reaches a speedup factor of up to 660 over the original method. The approach has the advantage of being agnostic to most modelbased parts of exemplar-based inpainting such as the order in which patches are processed and the cost function used to determine patch similarity. Thus, the acceleration structure can be used in conjunction with most exemplar-based inpainting algorithms.


This study documents empirically that contractionary US monetary policy may generate short-term expansionary spillover effects. In individual Euro Area (EA) member countries, economic activity increases, mainly via the trade channel. Also, domestic credit and stock markets expand, highlighting the importance of the financial channel. However, the international repercussions are transitory and distributed unevenly within the EA. The effect diminishes as EA interest rates increase with a few quarters delay. While the effects are heterogenous and rather large before 1999, responses become more homogeneous and smaller in size after the implementation of the euro. Still, country-specific asymmetries remain.


The study was conducted to determine the sex of the male and female goat embryos produced in vitro fertilization by Epididymal spermatozoa of local buck and separated by swim-up technique. The sex of produced embryo was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results indicate that the fertilization by Epididymal spermatozoa selected using Swim-up technique at 200×g centrifugation showed that 48.70 ±0.62 % of spermatozoa were detected in the supernatant while the precipitate contained 42.1±0.70. Spermatozoa in the supernatant were used for IVF of matured oocytes. The sex of goat embryos produced in vitro fertilization was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers to detect the SRY gene. The percentage of male embryos recorded 71.73% while female embryos recorded only 28.26% from the total goat embryos obtained after IVF by sperms selected using swim-up at centrifugation force of 200×g. It was concluded that the use of swim-up technique up at centrifugation force of 200×g on Epididymal spermatozoa showed the ability of selection male embryos in caprine.


Use is made of the Radon transform on even dimensional spaces and Gegenbauer functions of the second kind to obtain a general Gegenbauer transform pair. In the two-dimensional limit the pair reduces to a Chebyshev transform pair.


The repair of dense fiber-reinforced tissues poses a significant challenge for the tissue engineering community. The function of these structures is largely dependent on their architectural form, and as such, scaffold organization is an important design parameter in generating tissue analogues. To address this issue, we have recently utilized electrospinning to instill controllable fiber anisotropy in nanofibrous scaffolds. This abstract details the mechanical characterization of the bulk and local properties of these scaffolds, and points to their potential application in the repair and/or generation of fiber-reinforced tissues that recapitulate the native form


The wireless communication system, a frame transmission method and a method that a computer program is provided. The system comprises a subscriber station and base station. The frame includes a map space and user space. Map area includes a broadcast test area. The method and computer program product for it is: the base station sends the first burst in the user area by the first transmitting module initially; First burst is the first transmission by the first transmitting module is determined to see if they comply with certain conditions, and; If ten thousand and one Yes, the base station requests the transfer of data by the second transmitting module in its transport or join the test information in the broadcasting test region by the second transmitting module. Radio communication, frame, transmission quality, transmission rate, data transmission rate, bit error ratio, CINR, burst


Motivated by security and privacy considerations in applications of discrete event systems, various notions of opacity have been introduced. Specifically, a system is said to be current-state opaque if the entrance of the system state to a set of secret states remains opaque (uncertain) to an intruder — at least until the system leaves the set of secret states. This notion, which has been studied in non-deterministic finite automaton settings where the intruder observes a subset of events, has been shown to be useful in characterizing security requirements in many applications (including encryption using pseudo-random generators and trajectory coverage of a mobile agent in sensor networks). One limitation of these existing approaches is that they fail to provide a quantifiable measure for characterizing the degree of opacity of a given system. In this paper, we partially address this limitation by extending this framework to systems that can be modeled as probabilistic finite automata, characterizing in the process the probability of observing a violation of current-state opacity. We introduce the notion of step-based almost current-state opacity which provides a measure of opacity for a given system. We also propose a verification method for this probabilistic notion of opacity and characterize its computational complexity.


This paper is the record of a reflexive process which attempts to understand the meaning of my resistance to psychodynamic therapy. Through the method of reflexive research process and using a narrative style, I explore how repressed experiences from an abusive childhood were recalled to my conscious mind, how I began to understand the transference and its effect on the therapeutic relationship and finally how I came to recognize the resistance and appreciate the potential contained within such understanding. The paper concludes with a brief description of the ways in which this experience has influenced my practice.


alpha-Latrotoxin, the major toxin of black widow spider venom, was suggested to bind to the specific receptor on the membrane of presynaptic cells and to activate a nonselective cation channel. The aim of this investigation was to express the receptor to alpha-latrotoxin in the membrane of Xenopus laevis oocytes. Responses to alpha-latrotoxin were studied using a double microelectrode voltage-clamp technique on X. laevis oocytes previously injected with poly(A+)-RNA from rat brain. alpha-Latrotoxin (10 nM) was shown to induce a slow activating reversible inward membrane current at a clamp potential of -60 mV. A second application of alpha-latrotoxin immediately after washing out induced a smaller response. Reversal potential of this current was near to 0 mV; it hardly changed in low Cl- external solution. Response to alpha-latrotoxin did not depend significantly on the variation of Ca2+ concentration in external solution. Ethyleneglycolbis(aminoethylether)tetra-acetate (EGTA) injection into oocytes did not decrease alpha-latrotoxin-induced current, but seemed to slow the kinetics of the response. Inorganic Ca-channel blocker Co2+ had no effect on alpha-latrotoxin response. These results indicate that alpha-latrotoxin-induced inward current flows mainly through cation nonspecific channel. A lectin concanavalin A irreversibly inhibited alpha-latrotoxin-evoked inward current. Many of these observations are similar to those reported for nerve cells after alpha-latrotoxin application. The data obtained suggest that functional receptor to alpha-latrotoxin can be successively expressed in the membrane of Xenopus oocytes providing future search of DNA encoding receptor subunits and study of receptor structure-function relationship.


Abstract Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a 14-session programme of individual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (iCST) for people with dementia (PWD). It addressed potential limitations in previous literature of iCST and evaluated possible impact on cognition, quality of life (QoL) and positive psychology. Method The 14-session iCST programme was developed using existing manuals for group and individual CST and consultation with experts in the field. Thirty-three PWD were recruited from care homes and randomly assigned to iCST (14, 45-min sessions) or treatment as usual (TAU) over seven weeks. Outcomes measures were assessed at baseline and follow-up after the intervention. Results The intervention appeared feasible with high attendance to sessions, minimal levels of attrition, and ease of recruitment. Analysis of covariance indicated significant improvements in cognition (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale) for PWD receiving iCST compared to TAU. There were no significant differences between groups on follow-up scores on the standardised Mini Mental State Examination, measures of positive psychology or self- and proxy- reported QoL. Conclusion A 14-session programme of iCST delivered by professionals was feasible and acceptable to PWD and may provide benefits to cognition. A larger randomised control trial would be necessary to fully evaluate intervention impact on cognition, as well as QoL and positive psychology.


Seawater batteries are unique energy storage systems for sustainable renewable energy storage by directly utilizing seawater as a source for converting electrical energy and chemical energy. This technology is a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries, benefitting from seawater-abundant sodium as the charge-transfer ions. Research has significantly improved and revised the performance of this type of battery over the last few years. However, fundamental limitations of the technology remain to be overcome in future studies to make this method even more viable. Disadvantages include degradation of the anode materials or limited membrane stability in aqueous saltwater resulting in low electrochemical performance and low Coulombic efficiency. The use of seawater batteries exceeds the application for energy storage. The electrochemical immobilization of ions intrinsic to the operation of seawater batteries is also an effective mechanism for direct seawater desalination. The high charge/discharge efficiency and energy recovery make seawater batteries an attractive water remediation technology. Here, the seawater battery components and the parameters used to evaluate their energy storage and water desalination performances are reviewed. Approaches to overcoming stability issues and low voltage efficiency are also introduced. Finally, an overview of potential applications, particularly in desalination technology, is provided.


Cobb Douglas type production functions were fitted in order to evaluate agricultural productivity. The country was divided into five fairly homogeneous regions for this purpose. Agricultural productivity tended to improve between 1976 and 1988, but serious malallocations persist. Overmechanization has occurred in all but one region. Labour is underutilized and underpaid. The Karoo is overstocked with livestock.


Abstract:In the 1820s, James Gates Percival was the foremost poet in the United States. But by the time he died in 1856, his verses had all but vanished, and he was known primarily as a failure. This essay examines Percival's strangely precipitous decline from celebrity to obscurity in order to reinvestigate the critical paradigms shaping our expectations for early nineteenth-century American poetry. Following the meager reception of his work up to the present day, it considers the limits and prospects of current recovery scholarship for writers like Percival. The sudden availability of historical texts through large-scale digitization projects changes the very concept of recovery and allows for a different mode of appreciation that takes a more comprehensive view of its subjects. Percival may be seen as more than simply the author of some once-praised poems.


Background: Cancer is a pathogenesis that happens when modification in collections of normally occurring cells inside the human body occurs leading to non-controlled growth causing a lump called the tumor; this applies to all types of cancers except leukemia (cancer of

the blood). Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the highly effective anti-neoplastic drugs of the anthracycline's family used to treat many pediatric and adult cancers, e.g. solid tumors, lymphomas, leukemia and breast cancer. Doxorubicin is known to produce severe cytotoxicity. Metformin (Met) is a biguanide used for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metformin have cytoprotective effect in addition to reducing basal and postprandial levels of glucose by decreasing the production of ROS, maintaining energy homeostasis and apoptosis regulation by its activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Met has also the ability to increase apoptotic factors and suppression of proliferation thus MET consider as cytotoxic and anti-proliferative drug.
Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the cytotoxic and antiproliferative effect of Met comparing to DOX as a control in RD cell, also combination of both.
Materials and Methods: Cell lines that used (Epithelial cells as a normal cell line and RD cell line was taken from human breast cancer) cultured in suitable media potentiated with different concentrations of heat-inactivated human serum. MTT assay (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) using for detection of cytotoxicity in Epithelial and RD cell lines for duration 72hrs.
Results: The results showed that treatment with DOX, MET and combination DOX with MET there is significant (p≤ 0.5) cytotoxic, apoptotic and antiproliferative effect and there is potentiation effect between MET and DOX on tumor cells when treated by combination DOX with MET also Met showed a valuable cytotoxic effect through the detection of IC50.
Conclusion: From the results, it can be concluded that Metformin have a good cytotoxic and antiproliferative effect on tumor cell lines.


Despite its prevalence, little is known about when parties buy turnout. We emphasize the problem of parties monitoring local brokers with incentives to shirk. Our model suggests that parties extract greater turnout buying effort from their brokers where they can better monitor broker performance and where favorable voters would not otherwise turn out. Exploiting exogenous variation in the number of polling stations—and thus electoral information about broker performance—in Mexican electoral precincts, we find that greater monitoring capacity increases turnout and votes for the National Action Party (PAN) and the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Consistent with our theoretical predictions, the effect of monitoring capacity on PRI votes varies nonlinearly with the distance of voters to the polling station: it first increases because rural voters—facing larger costs of voting—generally favor the PRI, before declining as the cost of incentivizing brokers increases. This nonlinearity is not present for the PAN, who stand to gain less from mobilizing rural voters.


Over the past decade there has been an increasing interest in what is referred to generically as 'family or divorce mediation' (Brown and Mandela, 1977, Irving and Benjamin, 1983). This practice is concerned with the process of marital dissolution and involves a structured orientation to separation and termination in a relationship (Haynes, 1984). While superficially the opposite of marriage counselling, it does in fact encompass many of the same dynamics.


Background: Providing developmental care for preterm infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is of special importance. To implement developmental care accurately, NICU nurses must have a proper understanding and sufficient knowledge in this field. This study aimed to investigate the effect of distance education on perception and knowledge of neonatal developmental care in nurses working in neonatal intensive care units. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted using a pretest-posttest design with two groups. The participants were 60 nurses working in neonatal intensive care units who were selected using convenience sampling. The instruments used to collect the data were the Demographic Information Questionnaire, the Developmental Care Knowledge Scale, and the Developmental Care Perception Scale. The data were collected before and one month after the intervention. The participants in the intervention group received developmental care training using an electronic file uploaded in Navid Learning Management System, while the members of the control group received no intervention. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS V25 software. All statistical tests were performed at the significance level of 0.05 (P = 0.05). Results: The results of paired samples t-test showed there was no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of perception and knowledge of developmental care before and after the intervention in the control group (p> 0.05). However, the difference in the pre-intervention and post-intervention scores was statistically significant for the participants in the intervention group (p<0.001). Moreover, the results of the independent samples t-test showed that the mean scores of perception and knowledge of developmental care between the two groups before the intervention was not statistically significant (p= 0.67)). The results of univariate analysis of covariance also showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the mean score of perception and knowledge of developmental care between the two groups after the intervention (p=0.05).Conclusion: The results of this study showed that distance education for the developmental care of premature infants plays an effective role in the perception and knowledge of nurses working in the neonatal intensive care unit. Therefore, the development of e-learning packages for developmental care and their availability for nurses can be a step to improve the quality of nursing care for infants admitted to the NICU.


OBJECTIVE
To adapt and validate the Hungarian version of the DASH and the shorter QuickDASH Outcome Measures and to establish their validity in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

METHODS
The Hungarian adaptation of the questionnaires was performed using forward/backward translations, expert and lay reviews. 128 patients completed the DASH, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ-DI), the Modified HAQ-DI for patients with SSc (SSc-HAQ), and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. 76 patients participated in a 12-month follow-up examination. Sensitivity to change was estimated using the standardized response mean (SRM).

RESULTS
Cronbach alpha in the DASH sections were between 0.94-0.97. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the test-retest reliability of DASH was 0.89. DASH scores showed a correlation with both SSc-HAQ and the physical dimensions of the SF-36 (Spearman's rho: 0.89, -0.77 and -0.42, respectively). The SRM of DASH was 0.64 among the scleroderma patients with worsening HAQ-DI status.

CONCLUSIONS
The Hungarian version of the DASH and QuickDASH demonstrated equivalent reproducibility, internal consistency and validity to the originals. The strong correlations of the DASH and QuickDASH with the HAQ-DI, and with the physical dimensions of the SF-36 show that the disability of the patient with SSc is predominantly caused by the functional impairment of the upper limb. Because both questionnaires were valuable tools for measuring upper extremity function and joint damage in SSc patients, we recommend the shorter and simpler QuickDASH for everyday clinical use.


Large numbers of Americans claim public resources and participate in direct relationships with government through the diversity of welfare programs found in the United States. Most public debates ignore the political importance of these activities, focusing instead on the economic and moral questions raised by welfare policy. By contrast, "Unwanted Claims" asks how different types of welfare programs, such as social insurance and public assistance, affect the lives of ordinary citizens. The author investigates why citizens turn to welfare programs, how they view the welfare system, and what they learn from experiences in welfare programs about themselves and government. The analysis shows that the welfare system plays a surprisingly important and sometimes contradictory role in modern political life. Depending on their designs, welfare programs can draw citizens into a more inclusive and vibrant democracy or treat them in ways that reinforce their social and political marginality."Unwanted Claims" is a work of political sociology that provides an illuminating account of political life in the U.S. welfare system that should be of interest to scholars, students, policy practitioners, and the general public. Written in a style that minimizes technical jargon, avoids complex statistical presentations, and makes extensive use of clients' own descriptions of their experiences, beliefs, and actions, it offers an accessible and humanizing portrait of welfare participation that challenges conventional wisdom and raises important questions about poverty, welfare, and democracy in America.Joe Soss is Assistant Professor of Government, The American University.


Heterodinuclear ruthenium(II)-cobalt(III) complexes have been prepared as part of investigations into a new approach to selective cancer treatment. A cobalt(III) centre bearing amine ligands, which serve as models for cytotoxic nitrogen mustard ligands, is connected by a bridging ligand to a ruthenium(II)-polypyridyl moiety. Upon excitation of the ruthenium centre by visible light, electron transfer to the cobalt(III) centre results in reduction to cobalt(II) and consequent release of its ligands. We have synthesised several such structures and demonstrated their ability to release ligands upon excitation of the ruthenium centre by visible light.


1. Clarke AC, Chiragakis L, Hillman LC, Kaye GL. Sedation for endoscopy: the safe use of propofol by general practitioner sedationists. Med J Aust 2002; 176: 158-161. 2. Knoblanche GE. Sedation for endoscopy [editorial]. Med J Aust 2002; 176: 147. 3. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. Guidelines on conscious sedation for diagnostic, interventional medical and surgical procedures. Melbourne: ANZCA, 2001. (ANZCA Professional Document P9.) Available at: <http://www.anzca.edu.au/pdfdocs/ PS9_200l.pdf>. ❏


Using site-specific mutagenesis, we have constructed two mutants of Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (ecDHFR) to investigate further the function of a weakly acidic side chain at position 27 in substrate protonation: Asp27-->Glu (D27E) and Asp27-->Cys (D27C). The crystal structure of D27E ecDHFR in a binary complex with methotrexate shows that the side-chain oxygen atoms of Glu27 are in almost precisely the same location as those of Asp27 in the wild-type enzyme. Kinetic evidence indicates that Glu27 can indeed function efficiently in the proton relay to dihydrofolate. Even though vertebrate DHFRs all have a glutamic acid at the structurally equivalent position, the kinetic properties of Glu27 ecDHFR more closely resemble those of wild-type bacterial DHFRs than of vertebrate DHFRs. The D27C mutation produced an enzyme still capable of relaying a proton to dihydrofolate, but with the intrinsic pKa in its pH-activity profiles shifted upward to values characteristic of the more basic thiolate group. The crystal structure of the binary complex with methotrexate reveals two unexpected features: (1) the Cys27 sulfhydryl group does not point toward the pteridine-binding site, but the side chain of this residue is instead rotated 120 degrees to interact with a tyrosine side chain projecting from a neighboring beta-strand; (2) a bound ethanol molecule occupies a cavity adjacent to methotrexate. Ethanol is a component of the crystallization medium.


The relative importance of pulse field strength E and pulse length tau 1/2 (half decay time of an exponential decay pulse) on the stable transfection frequency for HeLa or HUT-78 cells was investigated. Cells were transfected with plasmids containing the promoter and drug resistant genes pRSVgpt or pRSVneo by electroporation. The stable transfection frequency was assayed using the marker rescue technique. The transfection frequency increases with increasing values of E tau 1/2. For a given pulse length, the transfection frequency is proportional to the power of the pulse (E2 tau 1/2). Pulses with half decay times of 2.2 to 4.6 ms appear to be more efficient than 0.275 to 0.31 ms for stable transfection of HeLa cells.


With the rapid increase in the number of mega-infrastructure projects underway across East Africa, how the social, economic, political and environmental repercussions of these projects intersect with ongoing conflict dynamics is a poorly understood topic. Although recent interest in large-scale land acquisitions has led to a number of detailed investigations into specific projects and trends, there has not yet been a broad, systematic review of how large-scale infrastructure developments in East Africa interact with previous, ongoing and potential conflict in their areas of operation. The objective of this article is to report on an analysis of 26 mega-infrastructure projects across Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda, with an explicit focus on the common tension points that contribute to security dynamics. The methodology used involved two composite indicators of risk—a conflict risk score and a project impact score. The study found seven common tensions across all projects: in-migration, population displacement and relocation, a negative history of community relations with previous or follow-on developments, land rights, securitisation, environmental degradation and expectations of the local population relative to benefits delivered by the project. The study recommends increased attention on prior assessments that focus on the broader and more interconnected impacts in addition to those confined to the immediate project location, as well as in-depth examination of possible mitigation measures. JEL Classification: O1, O2, Q2, Q3, Q4, R1, R4