We estimate the demand for money for monetary aggregates M1 and M2, and cash in Algeria over the period 1979-2019, and study its long-run stability. We show that the transaction motive is significant for all three aggregates, especially for the demand for cash, reflecting the weight of informal economy "practices". The elasticity of the scale variable is very close to unity for M2 and M1, and even equal to unity for cash demand (1.006). The elasticity of inflation is also significant for all three aggregates, although its level is higher in the case of cash demand (-6.474). Despite the persistence of certain financial repression mechanisms, interest rate elasticity is significant for all three aggregates, but higher for M1 and cash. The same observation is made for elasticity of the exchange rate, reflecting the effect of monetary substitution, especially for M1 and cash. Finally, our study concludes that the demand for money in terms of M1 remains stable, the same observation being confirmed for the M2 aggregate. However, the demand for fiat currency proves not to be stable. The consequences for the optimal design of monetary policy in Algeria are clearly stated.


In the regression setting, given a set of hyper-parameters, a model-estimation procedure constructs a model from training data. The optimal hyper-parameters that minimize generalization error of the model are usually unknown. In practice they are often estimated using split-sample validation. Up to now, there is an open question regarding how the generalization error of the selected model grows with the number of hyper-parameters to be estimated. To answer this question, we establish finite-sample oracle inequalities for selection based on a single training/test split and based on cross-validation. We show that if the model-estimation procedures are smoothly parameterized by the hyper-parameters, the error incurred from tuning hyper-parameters shrinks at nearly a parametric rate. Hence for semi- and non-parametric model-estimation procedures with a fixed number of hyper-parameters, this additional error is negligible. For parametric model-estimation procedures, adding a hyper-parameter is roughly equivalent to adding a parameter to the model itself. In addition, we specialize these ideas for penalized regression problems with multiple penalty parameters. We establish that the fitted models are Lipschitz in the penalty parameters and thus our oracle inequalities apply. This result encourages development of regularization methods with many penalty parameters.


This study aims to analyze the relationship between the level of social disclosure and the cost of equity in public companies in Brazil. The hypothesis is that external social programs promoted or supported by a company increase the organization's reputation, compensate for externalities and bring economic benefits through the negative relationship with the cost of equity. To test this hypothesis, social responsibility reports of 83 companies listed on the São Paulo Stock, Mercantile and Futures Exchanges (Bolsa de Valores, Mercadorias e Futuros de São Paulo BM&FBovespa) from the period 2005-2009 were collected and analyzed. A composite index of 13 indicators was used to evaluate the social disclosure level of the companies analyzed. The cost of equity was risk-adjusted using the capital asset-pricing model (CAPM) and regression tested using panel data with cross-sectional fixed effects. The results show a negative relationship between the cost of equity and level of social disclosure, indicating that the Brazilian stock market has a semi-strong form of market efficiency.


Since 1995, the most intensive mapping of the seafloor off the Spanish coast has been carried out in the framework of the Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone Project (ZEEE). The main objectives of this project are to obtain improved multibeam bathymetric cartography of the areas off Spanish coastlines, and to perform a geophysical survey, well-suited with a 10-knot navigation velocity (some techniques requires lower navigation velocity).

The geophysical survey includes gravity, geomagnetism, and low-penetration seismic techniques in order to infer the geological structure of the seafloor. Other oceanographic variables such as current, surface salinity, and temperature profiles, can be recorded without compromising this systematic survey effort.


Recent studies have identified disk storage systems as one of the major consumers of power in data centers. Many disk power management (DPM) schemes were suggested where the power consumed by disks is reduced by spinning them down during long idle periods. Spinning the disks down and up results in additional energy and response time costs. For that reason, DPM schemes are effective only if the disks experience relatively long idle periods and the scheme does not introduce a severe response time penalty. In this paper we introduce a dynamic block exchange algorithm which switches data between disks based on the observed workload such that frequently accessed blocks end up residing on a few "hot" disks thus allowing the majority of disks to experience longer idle periods. We validate the effectiveness of the algorithm with trace-driven simulations showing power savings of up to 50% with very small response time penalties.


The benzodiazepine (BZ) agonist midazolam, the BZ antagonist Ro 15-1788, and the peripheral BZ binding site ligand Ro 5-4864 have been assessed, separately and in combinations, as to their effect on the active uptake of serotonin (5HT) in human blood platelets in vitro, in an artificial, protein-free medium. Midazolam had a moderate noncompetitive (or mixed competitive/noncompetitive) inhibitory effect on the uptake. This effect was not influenced by Ro 15-1788, which in itself had only a very weak inhibitory effect. Ro 4-5864 showed in several independent experiments (but not always) a biphasic inhibitory effect, with a moderate but significant inhibition in the concentration range of about 10(-8) to 10(-6) M, and a stronger, noncompetitive inhibitory effect above 10(-6) M. When Ro 5-4864 was tested in the presence of a fixed concentration of midazolam (4 X 10(-6) M), the inhibitory effect of the former was markedly reduced (at higher concentrations), eliminated (at intermediate concentrations), or even reversed into a relative stimulatory effect (at low concentrations). Thus, low concentrations of Ro 5-4864 reduced the inhibitory effect of midazolam. A possible explanation of this interaction is that low concentrations of Ro 5-4864 have both an inhibitory and a stimulatory effect on platelet 5HT uptake (often seen to vary in relative strength between experiments), and that the stimulatory component is unmasked in the presence of a drug that already has an inhibitory effect, probably mediated by the same site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Reading Beauvoir's "Must We Burn Sade?" alongside the chapter called "Sexual Initiation" in The Second Sex, I argue that the problem with Sade is not his perversity, but his perpetual virginity. In The Second Sex, Beauvoir advances a new understanding of sexual initiation as a physical and spiritual movement toward the other, disqualifying any purely physical machination as sufficient to initiate one into "authentic erotic reality." Sade's refusal of Eros as described in "Must We Burn Sade?" demonstrates that the Marquis's commitment to his characteristic Sadism in fact condemned him to a barren promiscuity, a trenchant and joyless virginity that he elected to perpetuate. Finally, I argue that we should reread Sadism not as a perversion but as based on the Greek model of the "virgin ailment." As such, Sadism may turn out to be a more genuine and widespread threat than we ordinarily acknowledge.


We consider the dependability of fault tolerant software executed iteratively, as e.g. in process control applications. We first recall the models usually adopted for evaluating the probability of mission survival (reliability at a certain time) and performability, and show the results obtained by applying these models to the adaptive scheme for software fault-tolerance SCOP, "Self-Configuring Optimal Programming" and to the more popular schemes, recovery blocks and multiple version programming. Then we explore the consequences on dependability figures of two characteristics of iterative software: a) system failure must be defined in terms of the behaviour of the software over successive iterations, because the controlled system can usually tolerate short bursts of errors of the control software; b) the probabilistic correlation between successive executions of the software is an important factor in determining the failure behaviour of the software. Positive correlation is to be expected for various reasons, not least the fact that the input values representing physical variables of the controlled system evolve along a "trajectory" in the input space of the software. We present models accounting for these characteristics and evaluate the effects of different distributions of the correlation between successive executions of the software and the sensitivity of the dependability figures to our model parameters.


Epitaxial graphene films have been prepared by pulsed laser deposition. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis shows that the carbon binding energy is 284.7 eV, corresponding to sp2-C. Raman spectroscopy indicates that there exists 2D and D peaks and thus graphene structures have been formed. Meanwhile, according to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis, suitable depositing temperature for graphene films is found to be 873 K and the single oriented crystal domains of graphene are observed only with the condition of 100 pulses laser.


Dynamic environments that include unstructured moving objects pose a hard problem for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) performance. The motion of rigid objects can be typically tracked by exploiting their texture and geometric features. However, humans moving in the scene are often one of the most important, interactive targets – they are very hard to track and reconstruct robustly due to non-rigid shapes. In this work, we present a fast, learning-based human object detector to isolate the dynamic human objects and realise a real-time dense background reconstruction framework. We go further by estimating and reconstructing the human pose and shape. The final output environment maps not only provide the dense static backgrounds but also contain the dynamic human meshes and their trajectories. Our Dynamic SLAM system runs at around 26 frames per second (fps) on GPUs, while additionally turning on accurate human pose estimation can be executed at up to 10 fps.


Objective: Chronic low back pain in children is a condition that should be investigated. In this study, we examined the effects of agricultural work on imaging results, risk factors, night pain, and vitamin D levels in children and adolescents with chronic low back pain. Material and methods: The study included 133 patients who presented to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Neurosurgery outpatient clinics with low back pain that had lasted more than three months. The patients were evaluated based on the duration of their low back pain, the presence of night pain, a family history of low back pain, their employment status, local or radicular pain, and their body mass index (BMI). A physical examination was carried out to look into the etiologies of low back pain. Appropriate imaging, such as x-ray radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT), was performed for the patients. Blood samples were collected from patients to assess inflammatory pathologies and vitamin D levels. Results: The 133 patients in the study ranged in age from seven to 16 years, with a mean age of 14.3 + 1.9 years. Further, 60.2% (n = 80) of the cases were male, while 39.8% (n = 53) were female. Imaging revealed findings in 59.4% of the patients. In 97.7% of the participants, D hypovitaminosis was detected. There was no significant relationship between the patients' imaging findings and vitamin D deficiency, family history, BMI, and employment status (p = 0.441, 0.147, 0.082, 0.605). The relationship between family history, employment status, and night pain was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant relationship between night pain and vitamin D deficiency (p = 0.667). Conclusion: Mechanical strain due to agricultural work and family history was found to be associated with night pain in patients with chronic low back pain in our study. The most important finding of this study is that night pain, which is considered a red flag, can occur in both inflammatory pathologies and situations causing mechanical low back pain, and risk factors should be thoroughly investigated. Studies with patients who have sufficient vitamin D will help to clarify the relationship between chronic low back pain and vitamin D.


Technology is affecting the life of every individual in this present age. Online banking is also one of the technologies which are getting recognition around the globe. There are a lot of customers around the world who are accepting this technology very quickly but in growing countries like Pakistan the adoption ratio is very high. There are many banks which are providing these facilities to customers. The basic purpose of this research is to evaluate the customer acceptance of online banking. Almost 50% of the clients shifted from traditional banking to online banking system. The core reason of this transfer is perceived usefulness, security and privacy provided by online banking.


PURPOSE
Four fluoridated composite resins were described and separated into four groups. Two composite resins were high viscosity core materials Ti-Core (Group 1) and Ti-Core Natural (Group 2) and two were low viscosity core materials Flexi-Flow Cement with titanium (Group 3) and Flexi-Flow Natural (Group 4).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study recorded the fluoride release measured in parts per million in deionized water for each of four fluoridated composite resins for one year.

RESULTS
Repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) was computed to separately analyze interval release and cumulative release over time and between groups. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) (P<0.0001) was selected to compare average weekly release between the four groups. The student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) test revealed that the mean weekly release was similar for both Flexi-Flow Natural and Flexi-Flow with titanium.

CONCLUSIONS
The Ti-Core systems of groups 1 and 2 were both different from the Flexi-Flow systems and different from each other. Ti-Core with titanium Group 1 yielded the greatest fluoride release over a 52-week period, followed closely by Ti-Core Natural of Group 2. The fluoride released for these systems in Groups 1-4 was similar to the ranges reported in other fluoridated dental cements and composite resins.


An emerging problem that encompasses both traditional ergonomic as well as macroergonomic concerns involves assessing the potential implications of computer-based tasks for older workers. An increasing older workforce and the influx of computer technology into a wide variety of work settings has motivated both a re-examination of the literature concerning ageing and work performance and research that more directly addresses the computer-interactive task domain. In this paper, we overview this literature and raise a number of crucial issues concerning potential age differences in performance and stress associated with computer-based tasks. Underlying our discussion throughout is the intention of identifying the challenges that await interested practitioners and researchers.


A wave-following towed planing vehicle operates in head seas, Sea State l and 2, at speeds in excess of l 6 knots (824 m/s). The as-built beam of the vehicle is either 4.25 in (10.8 cm) or 7.75 in (19.7 cm), for the two configurations; V-hull (deadrise pointing outboard) or catamaran (deadrise of each hull pointing inboard). Thus the Froude number is in excess of 8.1 or 5.9, respectively. For stable operation the vehicle requires a tail attached to the stem of its deck. The most successful tail tested consists of several feet of cord tied to a materially dense truncated cone or drogue, which provides drag as it plows through the water.
 The vehicle is apparently always stable in calm seas. In head seas, the stability of the vehicle depends on the cable angle (the angle measured between the freestream flow direction and the tangent to the tow cable) where the cable attaches to the body. The vehicle is apparently always stable at speeds up to 22 knots (11.3 m/s) at cable angles above 0.185 radians (10.6 arc degrees). At smaller cable angles the vehicle is apparently stable up to 16 knots (824 m/s) in head seas. Tow cable tension measurements reveal tension between 180 and 360 N ( 40 and 80 lb), with tension spikes occurring at frequencies approximately equal to the wave encounter frequency. Heave and roll acceleration measurements on the vehicle indicate average acceleration values of approximately 4-6 g's, with spikes up to 12 g's.


Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography related duodenal perforation is an infrequent complication and associated with significant morbidity. The management of such perforations, especially in the setting of malignancy, is not standardized given the paucity of literature. We encountered a patient who was diagnosed with periampullary carcinoma and had a perforation in the duodenum during endoscopy. Emergency pancreatoduodenectomy (EPD) was performed considering it to be a resectable disease with minimal contamination. He had a prolonged hospital course due to surgical site infection and hepaticojejunostomy leak, however, which was managed successfully. At one year follow up, he is healthy with no evidence of recurrence. We conclude that EPD can be attempted for selected iatrogenic duodenal perforations with co-existent resectable malignancy in a stable patient. It may help to avoid the morbidity of a second surgery in the setting of a distorted anatomy and simultaneously preventing the probable upstaging of disease due to peritoneal seedling.


This paper presents optimal control method to path planning of mobile robots with flexible joints. Dynamic equations are derived and additional kinematic constraints are used to solve the extra Dofs arose from base mobility. Then with modeling the elasticity at each joint as a linear torsinal spring, the set of equations are formed. The Hamiltonian function is formed and the necessary conditions for optimality are derived from the Pontryagin's minimum principle. The obtained equations established a two point boundary value problem solved by numerical techniques. This problem is known to be complex in particular when combined motion of the base and manipulator, non-holonomic constraint of base and non-linear and complicated dynamic equations as a result of flexible nature of joints are taken into account. The study emphasizes on modeling of the complete optimal control problem by remaining all nonlinear state and costate variables as well as control constraints to establish accompanying boundary value problem. Another advantage of this method is obtaining various optimal trajectories with different characteristics by changing the penalty matrices values which enables the designer to choose the best trajectory. A mobile flexible joint manipulator is studied to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach.


Bacteria-host interaction is a common, relevant, and intriguing biological phenomena. The host reacts actively or passively to the bacteria themselves, their products, debris, and so on, through various defense systems containing the immune system, the bacteria communicate with the local or distal tissues of the host via their own surface antigens, secreted products, nucleic acids, etc., resulting in relationships of attack and defense, adaptation, symbiosis, and even collaboration. The significance of bacterial membrane vesicles (MVs) as a powerful vehicle for the crosstalk mechanism between the two is growing. In the recent decade, the emergence of MVs in microbial interactions and a variety of bacterial infections, with multiple adhesions to host tissues, cell invasion and evasion of host defense mechanisms, have brought MVs to the forefront of bacterial pathogenesis research. Whereas MVs are a complex combination of molecules not yet fully understood, research into its effects, targeting and pathogenic components will advance its understanding and utilization. This review will summarize structural, extraction and penetration information on several classes of MVs and emphasize the role of MVs in transport and immune response activation. Finally, the potential of MVs as a therapeutic method will be highlighted, as will future research prospects.


Revision with unchanged content. Terminal cancer and other severe diseases do not only affect the patient but also the whole family. Terminally ill patients often choose to spend as much of their time as possible at home, thus involving family members in the care process. This book is a mother's story about the palliative home care of her dying adult son, also a father to a three-year-old daughter. The son was cared for at home while dying from leiomyosarcoma. The palliative home care and the mother's grief and bereavement are described in four stories: Hope and disavowal versus fear and despair, Communication in action between family caregivers and a palliative home care team, Words that made a difference in grief and bereavement and Communication across generations. The stories are interpreted and analyzed. Trust, flexibility, continuity, accessibility and empowerment were key concepts in the communication between the family caregivers and the palliative home care team. Empathy based on institutions, on compassion, on shared experiences and loss, but also empathy to self, contributed to the mother's reconciliation.


The issues of nutrition and dietary habits are timely because nutrition plays an important role among the external factors that may impact the health of an individual. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of nutrient intake and physical activity on nutritional status of second cycle students within the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted from February, 2015 to April, 2015 where a total of 200 students, comprising both male (49.5%) and female (50.5%) students were conveniently selected from two schools; a day school (44%) and a boarding school (56%). A questionnaire containing closed ended and open ended questions were developed to cover socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometric measures, physical activity and nutrients intake. The mean age of the participants was 17.78±1.7 years. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in this study were 6% (BMI), 28% (WHR) and 1% (BMI), 10% (WHR) respectively. The prevalence of underweight and high physical activity was higher in males (p=0.0017 and p=0.0027 respectively) whiles the prevalence of overweight, obesity and low physical activity were higher in females (p=<0.0001, p=0.0023 and p=<0.0001 respectively). The mean total daily energy intake of the study population was 4177±7569 Kcal/day. Males significantly consumed more calories (p=0.0189), carbohydrates (p=0.0401), proteins (p=0.0282) and iron (p=0.035) than females. Prevalence of overweight and high physical activity were higher in day students (p=<0.0001 and p=0.0014 respectively) whiles prevalence of overweight and low physical activity were found in boarding students (p=0.0257 and p=<0.0001). This study brings to bare the increasing prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in adolescents, hence the dual burden of under nutrition and over nutrition. It brings to light the higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among female adolescents as a consequence of reduced physical activity. The study also reveals the nutritional deficiencies coupled with reduced physical activity in boarding school students as well as the unhealthy eating habits of day school students. Journal of Medical and Biomedical Sciences (2017) 6(2), 25- 37


In this paper, by employing Bogliubov backreaction method, we investigate quantum correction effects on dynamical phase transition in a single species bosonic Josephson junction induced by increasing nonlinear interaction. Compared with mean field theory results, we find that the transition point is shifted. The dynamical phase transition is accompanied by a change of the entanglement entropy, which is found to reach a maximum at the transition point of the mean field theory.


We present an updated and improved Mbh–σ diagram containing 64 galaxies for which Mbh measurements (not just upper limits) are available. Because of new and increased black hole masses at the high-mass end, and a better representation of barred galaxies at the low-mass end, the 'classical' (all morphological type) Mbh–σ relation for predicting black hole masses is log (Mbh/M⊙) = (8.13 ± 0.05) + (5.13 ± 0.34)log [σ/200 km s−1], with an rms scatter of 0.43 dex. Modifying the regression analysis to correct for a hitherto overlooked sample bias in which black holes with masses <106 M⊙ are not (yet) detectable, the relation steepens further to give log (Mbh/M⊙) = (8.15 ± 0.06) + (5.95 ± 0.44)log [σ/200 km s−1]. We have also updated the 'barless' and 'elliptical-only'Mbh–σ relations introduced by Graham and Hu in 2008 due to the offset nature of barred galaxies. These relations have a total scatter as low as 0.34 dex and currently define the upper envelope of points in the Mbh–σ diagram. They also have a slope consistent with a value 5, in agreement with the prediction by Silk & Rees based on feedback from massive black holes in bulges built by monolithic collapse.

Using updated virial products and velocity dispersions from 28 active galactic nuclei, we determine that the optimal scaling factor f– which brings their virial products in line with the 64 directly measured black hole masses – is 2.8+0.7−0.5. This is roughly half the value reported by Onken et al. and Woo et al., and consequently halves the mass estimates of most high-redshift quasars. Given that barred galaxies are, on average, located ∼0.5 dex below the 'barless' and 'elliptical-only'Mbh–σ relations, we have explored the results after separating the samples into barred and non-barred galaxies, and we have also developed a preliminary corrective term to the velocity dispersion based on bar dynamics. In addition, given the recently recognized coexistence of massive black holes and nuclear star clusters, we present the first ever (Mbh+Mnc)–σ diagram and begin to explore how galaxies shift from their former location in the Mbh–σ diagram.


Benthic foraminifera are dominant members of tb meiofauna, commonly occurring below the anoxic-oxic interface in marine sediments. The absence of oxygen in marine coastal sediments is often correlated with the formation of hydrogen sulphide. In this study the tolerance of benthic foraminifera (from the northwestern Adriatic Sea) to hydrogen sulphide was examined experimentally. Although the foraminiferal assemblage exhibited a high tolerance to short-term exposure (21 d), prolonged exposure to sulphidic conditions (66 d with a final concentration of 12 mu M dissolved hydrogen sulphide) resulted in a significant reduction of total foraminiferal densities with time. Reproduction was evident under oxic conditions but none of the genera proliferated under sulphidic conditions. This implies that tolerance of sulphidic conditions was restricted to survival and that sulphide may be a prominent distributional factor for benthic foraminifera. [KEYWORDS: hydrogen sulphide; meiofauna; foraminifera; laboratory experiments Macoma-balthica bivalvia; northern adriatic sea; pore-water oxygen; differential response; thiobiotic meiofauna; subsurface activity; continental-margin; body-size; sulfide; microhabitats]


The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for diagnostic platforms that are rapidly adaptable, affordable, and accessible globally, especially for low-resource settings. To address this need, we describe the development and functional validation of a novel immunoassay technique termed the cell-free dot blot (CFDB) method. ABSTRACT Since its emergence in late 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused severe disruption to key aspects of human life globally and highlighted the need for timely, adaptive, and accessible pandemic response strategies. Here, we introduce the cell-free dot blot (CFDB) method, a practical and ultra-low-cost immune diagnostic platform capable of rapid response and mass immunity screening for the current and future pandemics. Similar in mechanism to the widely used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), our method is novel and advantageous in that (i) it uses linear DNA to produce the target viral antigen fused to a SpyTag peptide in a cell-free expression system without the need for traditional cloning and antigen purification, (ii) it uses SpyCatcher2-Apex2, an Escherichia coli-produced peroxidase conjugate as a universal secondary detection reagent, obviating the need for commercial or sophisticated enzyme conjugates, and (iii) sera are spotted directly on a nitrocellulose membrane, enabling a simple "dipping" mechanism for downstream incubation and washing steps, as opposed to individual processing of wells in a multiwell plate. To demonstrate the utility of our method, we performed CFDB to detect anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 nucleocapsid protein antibodies in precharacterized human sera (23 negative and 36 positive for COVID-19) and hamster sera (16 negative and 36 positive for COVID-19), including independent testing at a collaborating laboratory, and we show assay performance comparable to that of conventional ELISAs. At a similar capacity to 96-well plate ELISA kits, one CFDB assay costs only ~$3 USD. We believe that CFDB can become a valuable pandemic response tool for adaptive and accessible sero-surveillance in human and animal populations. IMPORTANCE The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for diagnostic platforms that are rapidly adaptable, affordable, and accessible globally, especially for low-resource settings. To address this need, we describe the development and functional validation of a novel immunoassay technique termed the cell-free dot blot (CFDB) method. Based on the principles of cell-free synthetic biology and alternative dot blotting procedures, our CFDB immunoassay is designed to provide for timely, practical, and low-cost responses to existing and emerging public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, at a similar throughput and comparable performance as conventional ELISAs. Notably, the molecular detection reagents used in CFDB can be produced rapidly in-house, using established protocols and basic laboratory infrastructure, minimizing reliance on strained commercial reagents. In addition, the materials and imaging instruments required for CFDB are the same as those used for common Western blotting experiments, further expanding the reach of CFDB in decentralized facilities.


Neurons typically function as transduction devices, converting patterns of synaptic inputs, received on the dendrites, into trains of output action potentials in the axon. This transduction process is surprisingly complex and has been proposed to involve a two-way dialogue between axosomatic and dendritic compartments that can generate mutually interacting regenerative responses. To manipulate this process, we have developed a new approach for rapid and reversible occlusion or amputation of the primary dendrites of individual neurons in brain slices. By applying these techniques to cerebellar Purkinje and layer 5 cortical pyramidal neurons, we show directly that both the active and passive properties of dendrites differentially affect firing in the axon depending on the strength of stimulation. For weak excitation, dendrites act as a passive electrical load, raising spike threshold and dampening axonal excitability. For strong excitation, dendrites contribute regenerative inward currents, which trigger burst firing and enhance neuronal excitability. These findings provide direct support for the idea that dendritic morphology and conductances act in concert to regulate the excitability of the neuron.


In order to investigate the pressure dependence of Tc of the Hg-based cuprates, we performed the electrical resistance measurements of high purity HgBa2Ca2Cu3O10+δ (Hg-1234) synthesized under pressure. We used a diamond-anvil cell to generate high pressure up to 30 GPa. In this work, two Hg-1234 samples with different hole concentration (Tc = 125 K for optimaldoped sample and Tc = 124 K for underdoped one at ambient pressure) were measured. With applying pressure Tc of underdoped sample increased (dT/dP = +0.6 K/GPa) and passed through a peak with 143 K at ∼30 GPa and decreased drastically at higher pressure. This behavior was different from previous works for Hg-1234 and Hg-1223, in which the Tc saturates above the pressure giving the maximum Tc.


Morphological characterization of nanoparticle assemblies and hybrid nanomaterials is critical in determining their structure-property relationships, as well as in the development of structures with desired properties. Electron tomography (ET) has become a widely utilized technique for the three-dimensional characterization of nanoparticle assemblies. However, the extraction of quantitative morphological parameters from the reconstructed volume can be a complex and labor-intensive task. In this study, we aim to overcome this challenge by automating the volumetric segmentation process applied to three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of nanoparticle assemblies. Key to enabling automated characterization is to assess the performance of different volumetric segmentation methods in accurately extracting predefined quantitative descriptors for morphological characterization. In our methodology, we compare the quantitative descriptors obtained through manual segmentation with those obtained through automated segmentation methods, to evaluate their accuracy and effectiveness. To show generality, our study focuses on the characterization of assemblies of CdSe/CdS quantum dots, gold nanospheres (AuNSs) and CdSe/CdS encapsulated in polymeric micelles, and silica-coated gold nanorods (AuNRs) decorated with both CdSe/Cds or PbS quantum dots. We use two unsupervised segmentation algorithms: the Watershed transform and the spherical Hough transform. Our results demonstrate that the choice of automated segmentation method is crucial for accurately extracting the predefined quantitative descriptors. Specifically, the spherical Hough transform exhibits superior performance in accurately extracting quantitative descriptors, such as particle size and interparticle distance, thereby allowing for an objective, efficient, and reliable volumetric segmentation of complex nanoparticle assemblies.


The report reviews the options of drug supply for patients with chronic hepatitis C in the Russian Federation and elsewhere. The results of the Moscow regional program aimed at improving the quality of medical care in such patients are discussed. The proposed measures contribute to the reduced mortality rate in patients suffering from infections. The prospects of further improvements in the availability of antiviral medications for patients with chronic viral hepatitis C are outlined.


Lifelong learning is a 'keystone' of educational policies (Faure, 1972) where the emphasis on learning shifts from teacher to learner. Higher Education (HE) institutions should be committed to developing lifelong learning, that is promoting learning that is flexible, diverse and relevant at different times, and in different places, and is pursued throughout life. Therefore the HE sector needs to develop effective strategies to encourage engagement in meaningful learning for diverse student populations. The use of e-portfolios, as a 'purposeful aggregation of digital items' (Sutherland & Powell, 2007), can meet the needs of the student community by encouraging reflection, the recording of experiences and achievements, and personal development planning (PDP). The use of e-portfolios also promotes inclusivity in learning as it provides students with the opportunity to articulate their aspirations and take the first steps along the pathway of lifelong learning. However, ensuring the uptake of opportunities within their learning is more complex than the students simply having access to the software. Therefore it is argued here that crucial to the effective uptake and engagement of the e-portfolio is embedding it purposefully within the curriculum. In order to investigate effective implementation of e-portfolios an explanatory case study on their use was carried out, initially focusing on 3 groups of students engaged in work-based learning and professional practice. The 3 groups had e-Portfolios embedded and assessed at different levels. Group 1 did not have the e-Portfolio embedded into their curriculum nor was the e-Portfolio assessed. Group 2 had the e-Portfolio embedded into the curriculum and formatively assessed. Group 3 also had the e-Portfolio embedded into the curriculum and were summatively assessed. Results suggest that the use of e-Portfolios needs to be integral to curriculum design in modules rather than used as an additional tool. In addition to this more user engagement was found in group 2 where the e-Portfolio was formatively assessed only. The implications of this case study are further discussed in terms of curriculum development.


Limbal stem cells are essential for continuous corneal regeneration and injury repair. METTL3-catalyzed N6-methyladenosine (m6A) mRNA modifications are involved in many biological processes and play a specific role in stem cell regeneration, while the role of m6A modifications in corneal injury repair remains unknown. In this study, we generated a limbal stem cell-specific METTL3 knockout mouse model and studied the role of m6A in repairing corneal injury caused by alkali burn. The results showed that METTL3 knockout in the limbal stem cells promotes the in vivo cell proliferation and migration, leading to the fast repair of corneal injury. In addition, m6A modification profiling identified stem cell regulatory factors AHNAK and DDIT4 as m6A targets. Our study reveals the essential functions of m6A RNA modification in regulating injury repair and provides novel insights for clinical therapy of corneal diseases.


In the following section we provide general background information about mathematical descriptions of phase partitioning of chemicals, mechanisms of their transfer between and within environmental media, and degradation, also introducing the most common mathematical representations of the processes described. Eventually, such representations are combined in a general equation used for fate and transport modeling: the advection–dispersion–reaction equation (ADRE). The processes described by the ADRE are very general; depending on the specific medium (soil, water, air) where they take place, the different terms of the equation are represented differently.

In a subsequent section, we describe specific cases of the ADRE in relation to surface water, soil/groundwater, and air, which are the domains where it is normally solved. For each case, we introduce some examples of publicly available computing codes that solve the equation.

In the last section, we introduce multimedia/multispecies fate and transport of chemicals using linear box models.

Keywords:

advection;
dispersion;
reaction;
phase partitioning;
mathematical models


Elderly patients are at high risk of over-anticoagulation and of haemorrhagic risk when on warfarin, especially during treatment induction. In Charles Foix Hospital, a 800-bed geriatric hospital, we specifically developed for in-patients older than 70 years (target INR 2.5) a simple low-dose warfarin induction regimen. The dosing recommendations were summarized on a prescribing guidance pocket chart. Eighteen months after the distribution of the chart, we conducted a one-year observational study in order to evaluate: i/ the time needed to achieve the warfarin maintenance dose; ii/ the prescriber'adherence to the recommendations; iii/ the benefit for elderly patients receiving warfarin therapy. The mean time needed to achieve the warfarin maintenance dose was 12.3 +/- 7.0 days for the 89 patients included in the study: 10.6 +/- 5.9 days for the 30 patients whose prescribers followed the recommendations versus 13.5 +/- 7.6 days for the 59 patients whose prescribers did not follow the recommendations. There is a trend to a more frequent over-anticoagulation in patients whose prescribers did not follow the recommendations. The duration of the heparin-warfarin overlap was significantly shorter when the recommendations were followed. Finally, the reasons for non-adherence to the recommendations were analyzed. This study illustrates an assessment of practice in an health care institution.


Cells need to convey information from signals on their surface to a variety of intracellular targets, including transcription factors, contractile proteins, and enzymes. To do so efficiently, they construct information pathways with enzymes called kinases, using the same enzymes over and over. But what prevents cross talk between pathways? In her Perspective, Elion discusses new results in this issue by
 Whitmarsh
 et al.
 and
 Schaeffer
 et al., who identify proteins that act as scaffolds in mouse cells, binding certain kinases to make a pathway for a specific function that is insulated from the rest of the cell.


Lung injury, characterized by the flooding of interstitial and alveolar spaces with serum proteins, induces the expression of fibronectin (FN). This cell-adhesive extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoprotein is believed to modulate inflammation and wound repair. Murine NIH/3T3 fibroblasts transfected with a 1.2-kb human FN promoter-reporter gene were studied to gain insight into the mechanisms involved in the induction of FN by serum. Transcription of the FN gene, followed by FN protein production, was enhanced by 10% fetal bovine serum. This effect was blocked by inhibitors of protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein kinases. ECMs typically found in injured tissues (i.e., type I collagen, fibrin, and FN) had no effect. Conversely, disruption of actin microfilaments inhibited, whereas disruption of microtubular assembly enhanced, the serum-induced FN response. The stimulatory effects of serum and microtubular disruption on FN gene transcription were related to increased DNA binding of the transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein. The data suggest that regulation of serum-induced FN expression in fibroblasts is dependent on protein kinases and on cytoskeletal integrity.


This paper addresses an innovative approach to learning and teaching support in respect of information handling and knowledge management within web-based learning environments, where learners perform open learning tasks. The approach involves integrated domain-oriented informational support for both learners and instructors. It has three significant aspects: 1, building a domain ontology (represented as a concept map) and using it for defining course structures; 2, powerful visualisation and graphical navigation of the subject domain and the information search results; and 3, adaptation to the individual information needs and preferences of the learners. A system prototype called AIMS exemplifies the main ideas of this approach. It represents a task-based information and performance support system with an underlying agent-oriented architecture. Several pilot experiments are being performed within web-based courses in Dutch and Belgian universities to evaluate the system.


In the present paper a new approach to scene digital model reconstruction from pair of stereo images is considered. We propose to perform image matching with use of weight coefficient as a penalty function for the distance from the point to the correspondent epipolar line. Technology implementation for unknown camera parameters is also considered. In this case, identification of the fundamental matrix from corresponding points is performed on the initial stage. The main advantage of this technology is the absence of the image rectification stage which causes additional distortions due to image interpolation. There is an example of scene reconstruction from pair of test images and a digital model reconstruction from satellite images.


As demonstrated for extreme events, the resilience concept is used to evaluate the ability of a transportation system to resist and recover from disturbances. Motivated by the high cumulative impact of recurrent perturbations on transportation systems, we have investigated resilience quantification as a performance assessment method for high-probability low-impact (HPLI) disturbances such as traffic congestions. Resilience-based metrics are supplementary to conventional travel-time-based indices in literature. However, resilience is commonly quantified as a scalar variable despite its multi-dimensional nature. Accordingly, by hypothesizing increased information gain in performance assessment, we have investigated a multi-dimensional approach (mD-Resilience) for resilience quantification. Examining roadways' resilience to recurrent congestions as a contributor to sustainable mobility, we proposed to measure resilience with several attributes that characterize the degradation stage, the recovery stage, and possible recovery paths. These attributes were integrated into a performance index by using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) as a non-parametric method. We demonstrated the increased information gain by quantifying the performance of major freeways in Los Angeles, California using Performance Measurement System (PeMS) data. The comparison of mD-Resilience approach with the method based on area under resilience curves showed its potential in distinguishing the severity of congestions. Furthermore, we showed that mD-Resilience also characterizes performance from the lens of delay and bottleneck severities.


Insect wings change its shape dynamically through the interactions of the structure, and the aerodynamic and inertial forces when flapping, which can greatly affect its aerodynamic performances. While the detailed change of the wing shape has been extensively measured with high-speed photogrammetry, its implications on the flapping wing aerodynamics are poorly understood. In order to clarify the linking between the wing deformation and the flapping wing aerodynamics, the aerodynamic effect of the wing deformation in terms of the twist, the camber and the spanwise bending have been systematically investigated by means of the computational fluid dynamic analyses of a hovering hawkmoth with artificially deformed flapping wings. With the appropriate magnitude and phase, the twist and the camber are found to enhance the aerodynamic efficiency of flapping wing by redirecting the aerodynamic force vector on the wing so as to reduce the drag or increase the lift. The spanwise bending can increase the aerodynamic force without the redundant increase in aerodynamic power by appropriately adjusting the speed of the wing. We specified the magnitude and the phase of deformation that give the highest efficiency in the range of the study, and pointed out that, while the twist and the camber can enhance the efficiency, the deformation beyond the optima can reduce the aerodynamic efficiency drastically. The results in this study revealed the aerodynamic contributions of each kind of wing deformation, and will be of great implications for the design of bio-inspired micro air vehicles.


We consider a dilute or semidilute polymer solution with localized attracting centers near a flat phase boundary and assume it driven by both stochastic and periodic forces. The attracting inhomogeneities restrict the free motion of macromolecules and play the role of fixed pinning centers. The flat boundary is modeled by a bistable potential whose minima attract the movable polymer segments between neighboring pinning points. We study the motion of these segments. The stochastic forces lead to stochastic oscillations of the polymer parts between the two potential wells near the phase boundary. Application of a small temporal periodic force can synchronize these oscillations and leads to the phenomenon of stochastic resonance for a nonvanishing noise intensity. As an outcome of our theory in agreement with numerical simulations, the resonance is stronger for wider and/or less deep potentials and observed at smaller values of the noise intensity. Additionally, we discuss under what conditions doubly stochastic resonance of the macromolecular motion occurs, that is, if bistability of the potential near the boundary originates in the action of multiplicative noise.


Quantitative assessment of key proteins that control the tumor-immune interface is one of the most formidable analytical challenges in immunotherapeutics. We developed an targeted mass spectrometry (MS) platform to quantify programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), and programmed cell death 1 ligand 2 (PD-L2) at fmol/microgram protein levels in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from 22 human melanomas. PD-L1 abundance ranged 50-fold, from approximately 0.03 to 1.5 fmol/microgram protein and the PRM data were largely concordant with total PD-L1-positive cell content, as analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) with the E1L3N antibody. PD-1 was measured at levels up to 20-fold lower than PD-L1, but the abundances were not significantly correlated (r2 = 0.062, p = 0.264). PD-1 abundance was weakly correlated (r2 = 0.3057, p = 0.009) with the fraction of lymphocytes/histiocytes in sections. PD-L2 was measured from 0.03 to 1.90 fmol/microgram protein and the ratio of PD-L2 to PD-L1 abundance ranged from 0.03 to 2.58. In 8 samples, PD-L2 was present at more than half the level of PD-L1, which suggests that PD-L2, a higher affinity PD-1 ligand, is sufficiently abundant to contribute to T-cell downregulation. We also identified five branched mannose and N-acetylglucosamine glycans at PD-L1 position N192 in all 22 samples. Extent of PD-L1 glycan modification varied by approximately 10-fold and the melanoma with the highest PD-L1 protein abundance and most abundant glycan modification yielded a very low PD-L1 IHC estimate, thus suggesting that N-glycosylation may affect IHC measurement and PD-L1 function. Additional PRM analyses quantified immune checkpoint/co-regulator proteins LAG3, IDO1, TIM-3, VISTA and CD40, which all displayed distinct expression independent of PD-1, PD-L1 and PD-L2. Targeted MS can provide a next-generation analysis platform to advance cancer immuno-therapeutic research and diagnostics. (Supported by NIH grant U24CA159988) Citation Format: Carlos Morales Betanzos, Hyoungjoo Lee, Paula I. Gonzalez Ericsson, Justin M. Balko, Douglas B. Johnson, Lisa J. Zimmerman, Daniel C. Liebler. Quantitative mass spectrometry analysis of immune checkpoint protein expression and N-glycosylation in human melanoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-056. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-LB-056


Critical Information Infrastructure Protections (CIIP) is one of the key priorities of the European Union. High dependence on critical information infrastructure, their cross-border interconnection and interdependencies with other infrastructures, as well as the vulnerabilities and threats they are exposed to increase need to address issues of their security and resilience in a systematic way. There are numerous new EU initiatives in this area such as the adoption of regulations that regulate the issue of security and integrity of public communications networks, the measures aimed at addressing the issues of security of European operators of critical infrastructure, redefining the role of the European Agency for Network and Information Security related to CIIP, harmonization of the criminal legislation regarding cyber crime, funding for relevant research and development in the EU, etc. CIIP is a global issue that impacts developed and developing countries alike. Developing countries present a challenge that cannot be ignored without risk to global cyber security. The main objective of this paper is to presents the results of initial assessment of national preparedness of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the risk management of critical information infrastructure, based on ENISA methodology, and to provide an overview to the law of information security in Bosnia and Herzegovina.


A fit and well 16-year-old girl presented to the emergency department with signs and symptoms suggestive of appendicitis. A transabdominal ultrasound scan revealed a normal appendix but there was significant free fluid in the pelvis. Consequently, a CT scan of her abdomen was performed which showed mucosal oedema and inflammation involving virtually the entire length of her large bowel (the 'accordion sign'). Clostridium difficile colitis was thus suspected; however, the toxin was not detected in her stool. The patient was treated conservatively with intravenous fluids and antibiotics and had an uneventful recovery. She was subsequently discharged home 3 days later with a full recovery. In this case, the radiological appearance of the accordion sign which is traditionally known to be pathognomonic of pseudomembranous colitis, reveals that it may also be indicative of severe colonic luminal inflammation.


Purpose of reviewWith an increasing range of biological therapies available in the management of rheumatoid arthritis, sequencing of such therapies is becoming more frequent, particularly with more ambitious treatment aims. This review will address the evidence to date on use of successive targeted agents. Recent findingsDouble-blind, randomized controlled trials have confirmed the role of alternative tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (TNFi), rituximab, abatacept and tocilizumab, following TNFi failure with no comparative studies to date. Registry data have demonstrated efficacy of switching from a first to a second TNFi. Observational experience has confirmed benefits of switching from TNFi to TNFi and TNFi to rituximab. Within available randomized controlled trial data, tocilizumab appears effective in TNFi failure group, irrespective of number of TNFi previously failed with similar data on abatacept. No safety signals have been identified thus far with biologic sequencing. Although formal comparative, controlled studies do not exist, type of previous failure to TNFi and disease characteristics (serology, comorbidity, concomitant therapy) can provide a good platform for choosing the next biologic treatment. SummaryAlthough biological sequencing is well established, optimal approach represents a significant knowledge gap; well designed clinical studies with associated mechanistic investigation are necessary to identify disease subgroups that would benefit from one sequence over another.


Capgras syndrome is a condition characterized by the belief that a relative has been replaced by an almost identical imposter. The disorder has been reported in several neurological diseases. We describe the uncommon case of a transient Capgras syndrome manifesting as focal temporal seizures in a woman with a right frontal meningioma. Our patient represents an exceptional case of Capgras syndrome for several reasons, namely, the association with meningioma, very rarely reported before, the transient manifestation of symptoms, and, most importantly, the epileptic etiology of reduplicative paramnesias. Lastly, our report also confirms the importance of frontal and right hemisphere dysfunction in generating Capgras syndrome-like delusions.


This paper introduces a new approach of hybrid meta-heuristics based optimization technique for decreasing the computation time of the shortest paths algorithm. The problem of finding the shortest paths is a combinatorial optimization problem which has been well studied from various fields. The number of vehicles on the road has increased incredibly. Therefore, traffic management has become a major problem. We study the traffic network in large scale routing problems as a field of application. The meta-heuristic we propose introduces new hybrid genetic algorithm named IOGA. The problem consists of finding the k optimal paths that minimizes a metric such as distance, time, etc. Testing was performed using an exact algorithm and meta-heuristic algorithm on random generated network instances. Experimental analyses demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed approach in terms of runtime and quality of the result. Empirical results obtained show that the proposed algorithm outperforms some of the existing technique in term of the optimal solution in every generation.


Intake of healthy fruits and vegetables is vital as they are the source of energy for all living beings. There is an increasing demand for quality in all the consumed food items. Nowadays, starting from consumers, retailers to food manufacturing companies are inspecting food visually for its quality. This manual process incurs more time and it is a laborious and tiring task. So, there is a demand for an automated process which quickly examines, detects the defects and sorts them according to quality. There are many factors such as temperature, humidity etc., affect the quality of fruits. In this work, we have put forward a reliable mechanism for detecting the defects in fruits. The principal goal of this work is to detect and segregate low and best quality fruits. It is achieved using the combination of hardware and image processing techniques and machine learning algorithms. The novelty in this work is interfacing Raspberry Pi with MATLAB and image is captured. The segmentation, feature extraction, and classification is done using MATLAB. Our proposed system exhibits better performance than the existing system.


Introduction The purpose of this study was to identify effective individualized positive behavior support strategies and cognitive behavior therapy strategies for young adults who are deafblind. It discusses findings specific to four young adult students with CHARGE syndrome. Methods This collaborative action research study employed collective case study design and elements of grounded theory analysis. Principles of positive behavior support and modified cognitive behavior therapy supported the identification and implementation of individualized behavioral interventions that addressed environment arrangement, sensory needs and sensitivities, and how adults communicated with the students. Results Eight themes were identified as being important to each of the students, although to varying degrees. These were: provide structure, establish and maintain a positive climate, address students' sensory needs and sensitivities, support on-task behavior, support transitions between activities and environments, support mature behavior, support students in coping with anxiety, and use adult language supports. Each theme included multiple strategies. Discussion Proactive and reactive strategies must be individualized even when children share an etiology. Educational team members must know each student's preferences, likes, dislikes, reinforcers, and unique communication needs in order to identify and effectively implement behavioral supports. Modified cognitive behavior therapy may be helpful in addressing the anxiety experienced by individuals with CHARGE syndrome. Teams require time to collaborate on behavioral assessment, the identification of individualized behavioral strategies, and the effectiveness of behavioral plans. Implications for practitioners Providing well-structured environments and teaching rules and routines can reduce anxiety because students know what to expect. Educational team members should prevent sensory overload, provide structured desensitization opportunities, and teach relaxation techniques to these students. Adult communication must be positive, clarify what will happen next, and redirect behaviors when needed.


The Obama administration recently reiterated its call for the United States to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who expressed strong support for the Law of the Sea treaty during her Senate confirmation hearing in 2009, again called for passage of the treaty during 15 December remarks at a business roundtable in Washington, D. C., sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts. "Signing on to the convention is critical to protecting American security and enhancing our economic strength," she said, noting that the U.S. ratification of the treaty would protect American business interests by providing "legal certainty and predictability that businesses can rely on." The treaty—which also touches on a wide range of other issues including navigation, conservation and management of resources, and scientific research—is opposed by some who are concerned about the undermining of national sovereignty.


In an accompanying article we have described the construction of the water-rich sections of raffinose-glycine-water and trehalose-glycine-water state diagrams. In this study, we use the information obtained from the state diagrams to identify the minimum weight fraction of the crystalline component in glycine-carbohydrate systems necessary to withstand collapse at high primary drying temperatures. We also determine the impact of primary drying, substantially above T'g, on the recovery of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Ambient and variable temperature X-ray powder diffractometry and differential scanning calorimetry were used to characterize the frozen and freeze-dried systems. Aqueous solutions with glycine to carbohydrate (raffinose pentahydrate or trehalose dihydrate) weight ratios ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 were freeze dried. The protein formulations contained 20 mM citrate buffer (pH 6.0) and LDH (20 microg/mL). A glycine to anhydrous raffinose weight ratio >or=1.18 and a glycine to anhydrous trehalose weight ratio >or=1.56 were necessary to withstand macroscopic collapse in the system, when the primary drying was carried out at a product temperature at least 10 degrees C above the T'g. The recovery of LDH activity was almost complete in the reconstituted lyophile whether the primary drying was carried out above T'g (-10 degrees C) or below T'g (-32 degrees C). Thus, by judiciously combining crystalline and amorphous components, it was possible to primary dry at temperatures substantially above the T'g.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the need for a pedagogical shift from "problems" to "possibilities", which will help ease the transition of students into higher education (as well as the transitions between levels of study and employment), especially those coming from under-represented and under-privileged backgrounds, known in the UK as the widening-participation category.

Design/methodology/approach

GSM London is the first higher education provider in the UK to implement a strengths-based approach to staff and student development. This study looks at the delivery plan for strengths-based education, especially how it can inform and reshape information literacy instruction in the library and other academic skills modules.

Findings

Higher education is an important environment to help learners develop their talents into strengths, which can be defined as "the ability to provide consistent and near-perfect performance in a given activity" (Buckingham and Clifton, 2005, p. 20). There is a perception that widening-participation students have more significant gaps or weaknesses upon entering university education. This case study confirms that not remediation but a strengths-based approach has the strongest potential to enable students to better manage their weaknesses and become independent learners.

Research limitations/implications

Further research is required, as not enough empirical data could be collected after only one semester of strengths-based learning implementation at GSM.

Originality/value

The author attempts to re-conceptualise information literacy instruction and propose a mapping exercise, in which library instruction is aligned to the principles of strengths-based education and the language of 34 themes in the popular strengths assessment tool from the Gallup organisation. The expectation is to build fluid transitions between levels of study and academic matters and extracurricular activities that students take part in. This approach can also assist learners far beyond the library and long after they leave university, equipping students with a skillset that enables a more meaningful participation in society.


In this paper, we will report the result of developing resist strip processes compatible with low-k materials at International Sematech (ISMT) using a standalone Ulvac Environ/spl trade/ resist stripping system with dual plasma sources. Processes with non-oxygen chemistry were successfully developed and characterized for several non-porous low-k materials, such as spin-on hybrid siloxane-organic polymer and CVD OSG. However, extensive experiments performed on porous MSQ low-k materials reveal the need for directional resist stripping and low wafer temperatures to avoid damage to porous low k materials. Desirable process results were achieved for the porous low-k film in the modified Enviro/spl trade/ chamber with turbo molecular pump and electrostatic chuck.


Systematic testing is very important for assessing and improving the quality of embedded software. Yet, testing turns out to be expensive, laborious, time-consuming and error-prone. The project Cˆote de Resyste has been working since 1998 on methods, techniques and tools for automating specification based testing using formal methods. The main achievement of the project is a test tool, baptized TORX, which integrates automatic test generation, test execution, and test analysis in an on-the-fly manner. On the one hand, TORX is based on well-defined theory, viz. the iocotest theory, which has its roots in the theory of testing- and refusal-equivalences for transition systems. On the other hand, the applicability of TORX has been demonstrated by testing several academic and industrial case studies. This paper summarizes the main results of the project.


In this paper, I survey the academic literature on the economic implications of the corporate decision to list a company's shares on an overseas stock exchange. The focus is on the valuation and liquidity effects of the listing decision, the impact of listing on the company's global risk exposure and its cost of equity capital. The evidence shows: (1) the share price reacts favorably to cross-border listings in the first month after listing; (2) the post-listing price performance up to one year is highly variable across companies depending on the home and listing market, the company's capitalization, capital-raising needs and other company-specific factors; (3) the total post-listing trading volume increases on average, and, for many issues, home-market trading volume also increases; (4) liquidity of trading in shares improves overall, but depends on the increase in total trading volume, the listing location (e.g., non-U.S. companies listing on the NYSE or Amex experience greater liquidity than those listing on Nasdaq) and the scope of foreign ownership restrictions in the home market; (5) the stock's exposure to domestic market risk is significantly reduced and is associated with only a small increase in global market risk and foreign exchange risk, resulting in a net reduction in the cost of equity capital of 114 basis points on average; (6) American Depository Receipts can represent an effective vehicle to diversify globally; (7) stringent disclosure requirements are the greatest impediment to cross-border listings.


The aim of the present article is to further check the use of the horizontal-to-vertical (h/v) spectral ratio, which has been recently suggested as an indicator of site effects. The data set consists of 110, three-component, high sensitivity accelerograms, recorded at five different depths by the Garner Valley Downhole Array (GVDA), in southern California, with peak ground accelerations 0.0002 g ≦ ag ≦ 0.04 g, magnitudes 3.0 ≦ ML ≦ 4.6, and hypocentral distances 16 km ≦ R ≦ 107 km. First, the stability of the (h/v) spectral ratio is investigated by computing the mean for the whole data set in different depths. The (h/v) spectral ratio on the surface is compared with the surface-to-depth standard spectral ratio, with theoretical S-wave transfer functions derived from the vertical geotechnical profile, as well as with the (h/v) spectral ratio of synthetic accelerograms generated by the discrete wavenumber method. Both theoretical and experimental data show a good stability of the (h/v) spectral ratio shape, which is in good agreement with the local geological structure and is insensitive to the source location and mechanism. However, the absolute level of the (h/v) spectral ratio depends on the wave field and is different from the surface-to-depth spectral ratio. Consequently the (h/v) spectral ratio technique provides only partially the information that can be obtained from a downhole array. But surface-to-depth ratios may also be misleading because they combine effects at surface and at depth.


OBJECTIVES
To document the level of HIV infection in Senegal and also to review evidence of the impact of efforts in prevention, developed by the National AIDS Control Programme and the Civil Society, on the level of the HIV epidemic.

METHODS
Research, compilation and critical review of all relevant data on HIV and sexually transmission diseases (STDs) epidemiology, sexual behaviour, and the efforts in prevention developed in Senegal.

RESULTS
From 1989 to 1996, the levels of HIV infection estimated in four sentinel urban regions remained stable at around 1.2% in the population of pregnant women, and at 3% in male STD patients. It had increased to 19% in female sex workers. A strong political and community commitment led to an early response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic that has been extended since 1986. Blood transfusion safety was established at the start of the HIV epidemic. The level of knowledge of preventive practices relating to HIV/AIDS among the general population exceeded 90% in the early 1990s. From 1991 to 1996, a 30% to 66% decrease of the STD prevalence rates was observed in pregnant women and sex workers in Dakar. In 1997, 33% of men aged 15-49 years in Dakar reported having had sex with non-regular partners. Among them 67% reported condom use.

CONCLUSIONS
It is not possible to know what the course of the HIV epidemic in Senegal would have taken in the absence of efforts at prevention. Certainly, several factors that pre-dated the occurrence of AIDS in Senegal laid the groundwork for a positive response. However, data from a number of sources do reveal the successfulness of efforts in prevention. From available data, Senegal can rightfully claim to have contained the spread of HIV by intervening early and comprehensively to increase knowledge and awareness of HIV/AIDS and to promote safe sexual behaviour.


Purpose: To examine the rate of use of prenatal screening tests and the factors related to the use of prenatal screening tests in pregnant women at Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.
Participants and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on 350 pregnant women who came for prenatal screening at Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.
Results: 62% of pregnant women performed fetal ultrasound; 59.1% used Double test. 20.6% and 28.6% of pregnant women performed Triple test and NIPT. Only 25.4% of pregnant women used prenatal screening test according to the correct gestational age. The results indicated that the factors related to the use of the prenatal screening test included age, academic level, times of pregnance, previous results of screening tests, counseling. Specifically, the participants in the age group older than 30 years old, with a university degree or higher using the prenatal screening tests were higher at 5.26 times and 3.08 times compared to younger and lower educated participants. The participants with the second time or more of pregnance, risks from previous test results and counseled for prenatal screening tests using prenatal screening tests were 3.80 times, 3.22 times and 2.57 times compared to the participants with the first pregnancy, the previous normal test results, and without prenatal screening test counseling.
Conclusion: These findings suggested that nurses and health care providers who are responsible for pregnant women should pay more attention to strengthen health education, timely counseling to raise awareness of pregnant women, especially in the group of pregnant women over 30 years old, with low education level, abnormal previous test results about the importance of prenatal screening tests, to help pregnant women make the right decisions to take the right prenatal screening tests in protecting the health of both mother and fetus.


The use of catalytic nanoparticle additives in composite solid propellant as burning rate modifiers has received much research attention in recent years, and as the widespread application of nanoparticles becomes more practical, scale-up processing and testing will be required. This article investigates the potential benefits of various additive processing methods and their effects on the burning rate of propellant consisting of ammonium perchlorate and hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene. Titania was investigated herein, but many of the results should apply to any metal oxide catalyst. Depending on how the additive was processed, it was seen to be both an effective and ineffective burning rate modifier. The ideal processing method was determined, leading to a better understanding of how the additive interacts with the propellant. The physical properties of the additive agglomerations were found to be a link between the additive processing and its effectiveness. Specifically, sintering of the additive agglomerates during heat treating limited the dispersion of the additives, ultimately hindering their ability to modify burning rate. This article presents one of the first studies that conclusively demonstrates the link between the processing of nanoparticles and their effectiveness in modifying propellant burning rate.


Introduction: The prevalence of gingival recession is 50% larger in adults smokers than nonsmokers. Epidemiological studies show that smokers have worse periodontal clinical parameters than non-smokers, including the extent and severity of gingival recession. The aim of this study was a systematic review aimed to establish the influence of smoking on the root guards. Methods: Thus, we conducted a search in the databases Pubmed and Cochrane databases, by crossing the following key words: gingival recession, root coverage, smoking, cigarette and tobacco, and a manual search magazines in periodontics. Inclusion criteria for the inclusion in this review were organized on the smoking habits, characteristics of gingival recession, root parameters and for coating, and all the clinical studies should be controlled . The search end with 7 articles. Were assessed using clinical parameters of complete coating (RC), gingival recession initial (RGI), gingival recession period (RGF), change in gingival recession (ARG), covering percentage root (RR) and change the amount of keratinized tissue (TQ). Results: The results of this study show that smokers compared to nonsmokers, get a smaller percentage of sites with complete root coating (6% and 43% respectively) and show a smaller change in the size of the gingival recession (2.0 mm and 2.7 mm respectively). Conclusions: Within the limits of this study can be concluded that regardless of surgical technique, both groups show an improvement in gingival recession, but the results reported by smokers are not as satisfactory as those submitted by non-smokers.


Steps being taken by US companies to prepare for the post-1992 European market are described. In some cases, US companies may be better organized than their European counterparts to deal with a unified market. However, US trade officials still fear possible trade barriers. In particular, Article 115 of the 1957 European Economic Treaty has been used to protect the domestic automobile industries. The single market that is supposed to emerge in 1992 will do away with Article 115, but some European Community (EC) members have simply proposed enacting similar trade rules on an EC-wide basis, rather than a national one. What has provoked the ire of some US high-technology companies is a 1989 change in EC rules of origin that allows a product to be classified as European. To get the made-in-Europe seal, semiconductor chips must be fabricated in EC territory, whereas previously they only had to be assembled into packages and tested in Europe. Some of the largest US electrotechnology companies-AT&T, DEC, and IBM-have joined the European Strategic Programme for Research and Development in Information Technologies (Esprit), and, in January, Philips Consumer Electronics Co., Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc., and NBC formed a high-definition television (HDTV) consortium. >


The efficient operation of all types of transport is an essential condition for the stable operation of Ukrainian economy. Since the transport industry of Ukraine is closely connected to almost all branches of production and social sphere, its trends in development follow the general dynamics of the country's economic development. At the same time, transport industry's development priorities should take into account the distinguishing features of road transport as a fast, convenient, mobile, socially significant mode of transport whose activities are subject to certain safety and environmental risks and guided by international regulatory and legal codes and standards. Today there are more than 1 million trucks and approx. 7 million cars in Ukraine, and this number is growing. This, in turn, leads to an increase in fuel and energy resources consumed by motor vehicles. Raising requirements on the ecological condition of the urban environment causes a problem in the effective planning and functioning of protective and planning elements of trunk road adjacent areas. Trunk road adjacent areas are those located along the main street and road network within the boundaries from the trunk road to the construction line. These are the boundaries of the location of houses and structures related to the red lines, according to the construction line definition. They account for about 15…30% of the city's area. The study of methodological foundations of sustainable development of urbanized areas should be based on a comprehensive, problem-oriented approach of various related scientific studies. Therefore, the task of studying the environmental impact of the main street network is relevant for the city. Thus, the city's main street and road network can be called the main source of complex ecological impacts, particularly on the intra-city environment and the environment, i.e. the urban ecosystem as a whole. All-natural components of the urban environment, namely, geological, atmospheric, hydrological environment, are subject to harmful anthropogenic impact of the street and road network. The most critical is the atmospheric air condition, whose deterioration is a planetary scale problem


The potential for intra-SADC trade expansion exists and is quantifiable. In statistical terms, current levels of intra-SADC trade amount to an estimated 6% of the region's total trade. The book focuses on intra-industry trade between Zimbabwe and SADC member states. SADC has established itself as an international trading bloc. Current levels of trade between selected SADC countries reveal imbalance in trade patterns, in favour of RSA, which exports several times the volume of its imports, and to some extent of Zimbabwe. Very few studies have been done on intra industry trade in SADC. There is no study so far that has been done to determine the factors that influence Zimbabwe's IIT with SADC. The non-existence of attention given to IIT and Zimbabwe has increased the author's curiosity to explore the factors that influence IIT between Zimbabwe and its trading partners within SADC. This book aimed at identifying those variables that influence intra-industry trade between Zimbabwe and a selected number of SADC member states: Botswana, RSA, DRC, Mauritius, Malawi, Namibia, and Zambia. The book attracts a wide range of readership, from high school to university level.


This article systematically examines sovereign debt restructuring in light of bankruptcy reorganization law principles. It proposes that a simple and arguably practical convention, based on just three of these principles, would encourage free market funding of troubled States, thereby avoiding reliance on the International Monetary Fund (and the moral hazard and taxpayer subsidy issues caused by such reliance). On the other hand, the article proposes a limited role for the IMF that would allow it to continue its current practice of imposing conditionality on funding, but without triggering any of the problems presently associated with IMF lending. Furthermore, the article explains why a convention is needed to solve the problem of holdout creditors undermining collective action toward a negotiated settlement. In this context, the article shows that recent proposals to contractually solve this problem by introducing special-majority voting clauses in new bond issues are doomed to failure. The article additionally explains why no international bankruptcy court or other new organization is needed.


Semiotics - the study of the encoding of meaning - has so far been confined largely within the humanities, where it has forged a whole new way of understanding meaning and its construction. In this multidisciplinary study, Edwina Taborsky applies semiotic theory to her analysis of the organization of knowledge and therefore the organization of societies. Taborsky looks at knowledge as a social construction involving two forces: stasis and variation expressed within the group and the individual. These levels never merge, but exist in a state of continuous dialogical interaction, which transforms energy and permits meaning to exist. The unique, even tragic nature of individuals is that they are the only means of expression for both realities, for the two opposing forces of energy - stasis and variation. Focusing on the nature of the dialogue between the two realities, Taborsky draws key theoretical themes from the pragmatics and semiotics of Charles S. Peirce, the dialogics of Mikhail Bakhtin, and the fields of biology and quantum physics. As a whole, the book explores cognition as the social transformation of energy, and looks at different types of societies as differently organized forms of energy. In this unique look at the social construction of knowledge, the dialogical framework of two realities - that of the group and that of the individual - provides a powerful analytic tool for the analysis of cognition and social behaviour.


On the afternoon of Saturday 4th March 1989 two trains, both bound for London Victoria Station, collided. Part of the rear train rolled down a steep railway embankment and jack-knifed against a tree. The mechanism of the crash and the injuries sustained by the 55 victims who were seen in the A&E Department of the Mayday University Hospital are described. Improvements in signalling technology and design of rolling stock which may reduce both the risk of collision and severity of injury in future accidents are discussed.


Abstract The existing non-destructive inspection method employed for concrete structures uses high energy X-rays to detect internal flaws in concrete structures and iron reinforcing rods. In addition to this conventional method, the authors are developing an innovative inspection system that uses a mobile compact linac-driven neutron source that utilizes neutron backscattering, to measure the moisture distribution in concrete structures and estimate the corrosion probability distribution of iron reinforcing rods.


This study discusses the process of Pariaman Market Development in the City of Gandariah Beach Attraction in Pariaman City and its impact on the surrounding community. The results of this study indicate that the impact of the development of the Pariaman Market in Gandoriah Beach Tourism Objects for the local population is concluded as follows: The rise of the dimly lit shop actually gives a bad image for the existence of the Pariamam Market on Gandoriah Beach. Many local people who sell handicrafts, clothing or food and beverages are actually disturbed by the existence of this dimly lit shop. Bad image not only occurs in the community or traders who are in the location of tourist markets and tourist gandoriah, but the visitors also become ugly. Many visitors are reluctant to shop at the market because they think that the place is not good enough and is a less attractive place. Not only that, local people who deliberately want to shop at a dimly lit shop also like to be gossip. One concrete example, a student comes home from school while still wearing a school uniform goes to the Market to buy accessories, when someone sees them walking in the market location they think that the student is "looking for prey" or considers them to be "peddlers of love". As a result, these students were called by the school because there were reports from the community. This negative image is what destroys the existence of traders and craftsmen who make a living in this place. But for the owners and residents of this dimly lit shop is a good business land for them to earn a fortune or is a source of income for his family. This controversy is very difficult to overcome. On one hand, the existence of dimly lit warungs that are increasingly widespread makes traders and craftsmen feel disadvantaged by decreasing their income. The purpose of this research is to create an organized, orderly, integrated and comprehensive environment so that the Pariaman market development plan has a more meaningful control element. The realization of effective, effective, specific local and konkrik space utilization in accordance with the regional spatial plan. The realization of unity of character and improving the quality of buildings and the environment / area in the Pariaman market area. On the other hand as a tourist area of course this will continue to grow. The existence of dim shops is also one of the attractions of tourist attractions in accordance with their motivation to simply eliminate fatigue. Keywords : Market, Tourist Area, Recreational tourism of the gandoriah beach


This thesis explores the reception of the Virgilian biography in antiquity. The ancients were interested not only in the Virgilian oeuvre, but also in the man who created these works. The thesis will investigate the ways in which various authors respond to Virgil's life, with an especial emphasis on how the Virgilian biography is something amenable to creative appropriation and manipulation. The authors we will be studying both respond to, and contribute towards the construction of, the biographical tradition of Virgil. Chapter 1 seeks to complicate the idea of Virgil's poetic career by considering how certain writers broach the issue of the Culex as a putative piece of Virgilian juvenilia. The second chapter examines how Virgil's tomb and the cult which surrounded it play a part in the biographies and autobiographies of his epic successors. The third chapter offers a fresh look at biographical readings of the Eclogues, focusing on the different ways in which this practice is carried out, and the different purposes to which it is put. The final chapter looks at Tacitus' presentation of the Virgilian biography in the Dialogus de Oratoribus, examining how the historian raises the question of Virgil's political allegiances, and how he interrogates the idealization of Virgil's life.


NPF Islamic banking needs to be resolved because it affects banking performance in terms of income and the quality of its productive assets. This study aims to solve problems of non-performing financing and assess and analyze whether the implementation of the Islamic Humanity model can reduce the problem of financing at Bank Syariah Mandiri Indonesia. The study uses qualitative method with Miles and Huberman approach for analizing data through four steps which are; (a) data collection (b) data reduction (c) data display, and (d) conclusion drawing/ verification. The results of the study found non performing financing can be reduced with using a new approach namely the Islamic Humanity Approach, which is an interaction between several aspects, namely (a) spiritual aspects, (b) economic aspects, (c) social aspects, and (d) justice aspects. The Islamic humanity model carried out in problem-solving activities at Bank Syariah Mandiri Indonesia includes a friendly approach, communication and deliberation in a family, respect for people, empathy, the concept of justice, and the concept of prayer. Islamic humanity approach shows success in reducing non-performing financing. The research concluded Islamic humanity as a new approach to reduce non-performing financing at Bank Syariah Mandiri Indonesia and it can be implemented to all Islamic banking in Indonesia.


Oscan was spoken in Southern Italy in the second half of the first millennium bc. Here, for the first time, all the evidence for the spelling of Oscan in the Greek alphabet is collected and examined. Understanding the orthography of these inscriptions has far-reaching implications for the historical phonology and morphology of Oscan and the Italic languages (for example, providing unique evidence for the reconstruction of the genitive plural). A striking discovery is the lack of a standardised orthography for Oscan in the Greek alphabet, which seriously problematises attempts to date inscriptions by assuming the consistent chronological development of spelling features. There are also intriguing insights into the linguistic situation in South Italy. Rather than a separate community of Oscan-speakers who had adopted and subsequently adapted the Greek alphabet in isolation, we should posit groups who were in touch with contemporary developments in Greek orthography due to widespread Greek–Oscan bilingualism.


Background and Purpose: Due to adverse effects of cancer on children's mental health, relaxation, chemotherapy side-effects and positive effects of music therapy on stress, this study was performed with the goal to determine the effect of music therapy on children's stress after chemotherapy. Methods: The present study is a randomized clinical trial done on 32 children undergoing cancer chemotherapy in Bu-Ali Sina hospital in Sari in the 2012-2013. By convenience sampling method and then allocation, they were randomly divided into two groups (16 people) as control and experimental. The data included the demographic questionnaires and self-assessment questionnaire stress of Sharrer -Wenger. In the intervention group, after recounting how to perform music for the child and the mother and select the songs chosen by the child for 20 minutes, half an hour before and after starting and completing chemotherapy, based on child's bearing, the was music of relaxing sounds of nature and the music for children was played. In the test group, the stress questionnaire was executed before and after music therapy before chemotherapy and after the treatment course. In the control group, before starting chemotherapy and after a course of chemotherapy treatment, the questionnaire was completed. The data was analyzed using statistical software SPSS 18 and the t-test and ANOVA with repeated measures and Pearson correlation. Results: No Significant difference was found between the control and experimental stress scores in the two groups (after a music therapy session) before chemotherapy (p=0/240), but after chemotherapy, the average stress score in the experimental group, after the music therapy was significantly lower, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0/000). Conclusion: Due to a substantial reduction in stress scores of music therapy in children undergoing chemotherapy, the music therapy can be an effective intervention for reducing stress and helping the children to better cope with life after being afflicted


Abstract The proteasome plays a key role in regulating protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. A range of synthetic inhibitors of proteasome activity have been developed which have helped elucidate its role in the cell. These inhibitors have selectively induced apoptosis in malignant cells in vitro suggesting that the proteasome may be a novel therapeutic target. First generation proteasome inhibitors are currently showing promise in phase II/III clinical trials for patients with multiple myeloma.


Abstract Following the development and standardization of the British Sign Language (BSL) Receptive Skills Test (Herman et al., 1999), the test was made widely available to professionals working with deaf children. Test users were asked to return completed score-sheets on individual children they had tested in order to compare a selection of children from the wider population of deaf children with those from the sample upon whom the test was standardized. The analysis of almost 200 score sheets is presented. Overall, children from the wider population achieved lower standard scores than those from the standardization sample, with the exception of native signers, whose scores were equivalent to the native signers' scores in the original sample. The findings raise important questions about the adequacy of BSL provision for deaf children in hearing families. Data on tester ratings and children's reading scores provide an opportunity for a preliminary investigation of the psychometric properties of the test. Finally, tester feedback on the test itself, the training offered and the overall contribution of the test to assessing deaf children's BSL development are reviewed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a biomarker that is overexpressed on prostate cancer, and it's also present on the neovasculature within many non-prostate solid tumors. We previously reported on EC0652, a 99mTc-labeled small molecule that specifically binds to PSMA-positive tumors and is currently being clinically evaluated for diagnostic imaging applications. Herein, we report on the construction and biological testing of novel tubulysin B-containing, companion therapeutic agents for the treatment of PSMA-expressing cancer. One of these compounds, EC1169, recently emerged as a lead candidate for preclinical development. This water-soluble conjugate was shown to have high affinity for PSMA-positive cells. When tested in vitro, EC1169 was found to inhibit the growth of PSMA-positive cells, but it displayed no activity against PSMA-negative cells. Brief treatment of nude mice bearing PSMA-positive LNCaP human xenografts with EC1169 led to complete remissions in 5/7 mice, and cures (i.e. tumor free >90 days post implantation) in 2/7 mice. Furthermore, this activity occurred in the absence of weight loss or major organ tissue degeneration. In contrast, the non-targeted tubulysin B drug proved to be inactive against the LNCaP tumor model when administered at doses near to or greater than the maximum tolerated level. PSMA-negative KB tumors did not appreciably respond to EC1169 therapy, thereby confirming this compound's targeted specificity for PSMA-expressing cells. Finally, treatment of LNCaP-bearing mice with docetaxel (the most active chemotherapeutic agent approved for prostate cancer), was found to produce only modest anti-tumor activity (2/4 partial responses, 1/4 cures), and this outcome was also associated with severe weight loss (18%). Taken together, these results strongly indicate that PSMA-positive tumors may be more effectively treated using highly potent, PSMA-targeted small-molecule drug conjugates using regimens that do not cause unwanted toxicity.

Citation Format: Joseph A. Reddy, Alicia Bloomfield, Ryan Dorton, Melissa Nelson, Marilynn Vetzel, Spencer Hahn, Iontcho Vlahov, Christopher Leamon. PSMA-specific anti-tumor activity of the targeted-tubulysin conjugate, EC1169. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2145. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2145


Abstract Identifying the mechanism for sex determination in amphibians is challenging. Very little is known about sex determination mechanisms of Rana dybowskii, a species of importance to evolutionary and conservation biology. We screened for sex‐linked molecular markers in R. dybowskii in China using target region amplification polymorphism with 2 fixed primers against the sequences of Dmrt1. We found 2 male‐linked molecular markers in R. dybowskii, which were 222 bp and 261 bp long. The detection rates of 222 bp marker in males form Xinglong, Huadian, and Dandong were 93.79%, 69.64%, and 13.64%, respectively, while the rate in females from Huadian was 27.50%. Besides, the detection rates of 261 bp marker in the above 3 regions were only observed in males at the rate of 93.79%, 87.50%, and 32.73%, respectively. The inheritance patterns of sex‐linked molecular markers showed that the 2 sex‐linked molecular markers were heterozygous. Compared to the XY‐male parent, progeny from XX‐pseudo‐male parent possessed lower sex reversal ratio at the same rearing temperature, and the proportion of female froglets from an XX‐pseudo‐male parent was more than 95% at low rearing temperature (15°C). Our findings suggest that R. dybowskii displays male heterogamety, and the 2 sex‐linked molecular markers may have a guiding significance for the protection and utilization of R. dybowskii.