3′‐Azido‐3′‐deoxythymidine (AZT), a nucleoside analogue used for the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), induced a significant dose‐related increase in the thymidine kinase (Tk) mutant frequency (MF) in L5178Y/Tk+/− 3.7.2C mouse lymphoma cells. Treatment with 1 mg/ml (3,742 μM) AZT for 24 hr resulted in a MF of 407 × 10−6 compared to a control MF of 84 × 10−6. The MFs of the large and small colony mutants resulting from AZT exposure were 142 × 10−6 and 265 × 10−6, respectively. One hundred and fifty mutants from the 1 mg/ml (3,742 μM) AZT‐treated culture and sixty‐nine mutants from independent untreated cultures were isolated and analyzed. LOH analysis using a heteromorphic microsatellite locus located in the Tk gene was performed to determine the presence or absence of the Tk+ allele. Eight other microsatellite markers spanning the entire mouse chromosome 11 also were examined for heterozygosity to determine the extent of LOH. In addition, Tk gene dosage analysis was conducted using Real‐Time PCR in those mutants showing LOH at the Tk locus. The presence of only one Tk allele based on Real‐Time PCR indicated that the mutant resulted from deletion while the presence of two alleles was consistent with a recombination event. More mutants from the AZT‐treated culture showed Tk LOH than did independent mutants from the untreated cultures (91% vs. 64%) and the induced mutants also showed distinct chromosome 11 LOH patterns. The mutation spectrum of mutants from AZT‐treated cells was also significantly different from that of spontaneous mutants. More deletions and fewer intragenic mutations were observed in the mutants from the AZT‐treated culture than independent mutants from the untreated control. Our data indicate that AZT primarily induced LOH mutations in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells and a large number of LOH mutations resulted from deletions. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2007. Published 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Robust, real-time tracking of objects from visual data requires probabilistic fusion of multiple visual cues. Previous approaches have either been ad hoc or relied on a Bayesian network with discrete spatial variables which suffers from discretisation and computational complexity problems. We present a new Bayesian modality fusion network that uses continuous domain variables. The network architecture distinguishes between cues that are necessary or unnecessary for the object's presence. Computationally expensive and inexpensive modalities are also handled differently to minimise cost. The method provides a formal, tractable and robust probabilistic method for simultaneously tracking multiple objects. While instantaneous inference is exact, approximation is required for propagation over time.


HUMAN GENOMEAcademic and corporate labs alike are mining the human genome for minute differences between individuals called single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Many researchers hope that random collections of these mutations will yield a shortcut to identifying the genes underlying such major diseases as asthma or cancer. New findings suggest, however, that the payoff may be slow, because the SNPs that directly influence disease risk are scarce.


Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an uncommon and frequently misdiagnosed inflammatory dermatosis. This neutrophilic inflammation of the dermis has been well described in relation to other inflammatory illnesses (i.e. inflammatory bowel disease). Although rare, PG is increasingly described in relation to trauma or surgical interventions. It is important for vascular surgeons to be aware of the potential development of PG at vascular access sites. Although endovascular surgery is a minimally invasive form of vascular surgery, it does require cutaneous manipulation, which can incite PG. The purpose of this report is to describe a case of PG that developed after an attempted endovascular surgery and to elucidate this rare dermatologic disorder's diagnosis and treatment.


Virtual test bed environments are the next S-curve of the computer-aided design (CAD) systems. These "advanced" CAD environments will combine not only the 3D solid modeling capabilities of the current CAD systems but will also seamlessly integrate models that represent the different stages of the life-cycle of a system. Virtual Test Bed environments are more adequate to study complex systems. One interesting characteristic of a complex system is that it is by default a system of systems. This system of systems is non-linear in nature and the interactions among the different components bring interesting emergent properties that are very difficult to visualize and/or study by using the traditional approach of decomposition. Spaceports are complex systems. Therefore, it seems logical to think that a virtual test bed is needed to host the different models that represent different systems and elements of a spaceport. These models in the virtual test bed will work in an integrated fashion synthesizing in a holistic view and becoming together a Virtual Spaceport. This Virtual Spaceport can be utilized to test new decision-making technologies and new operational processes. This presentation discusses current efforts at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Ames Research Center (ARC) to bring the concept of a virtual test bed to reality.


The release of CO2 into the atmosphere has been verified as a significant reason for global warming and climate change. To prevent a large amount of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere, its utilization and storage become very important for human survival. Regarding the utilization of CO2 in oil reservoir engineering practice, CO2 enhanced oil recovery (CO2EOR) as a mature technology has been widely applied in several types of reservoirs, such as sandstone, carbonate, and shale gas/oil reservoirs, and scientists and reservoir engineers aim to improve displacement efficiency with different injection modes and study its influencing factors over the past few decades. However, related to the experimental evaluation of storage capacity potential with the CO2EOR displacement mode and the long-term storage of CO2 in situ in the formation experienced by CO2 flooding is rarely studied experimentally. In this study, we investigated the effect of injection mode and reservoir heterogeneity on CO2EOR and its storage potential.
 Several core flooding experiments on displacing remaining oil and water by scCO2 after water flooding have been performed, including injection modes, which are horizontal, vertical, and tapered WAG injections, using reservoir carbonate rock, live crude oil, and seawater under reservoir conditions. The dual-core core flooding experiment was used to study the effect of reservoir heterogeneity on scCO2 storage capacity.
 As a result of this study, the previously proposed experimental methodology was used to calculate the scCO2 storage capacity, which involved that the scCO2 dissolves into residual water and oil after scCO2 injection, and evaluate the CO2 storage capacity efficiency for different injection modes. The vertical-continuous injection mode of scCO2 flooding can maximize the process of its storage advantage. This study found that the main scCO2 storage mechanism is mainly pore storage (structural trapping) for depleted oil reservoirs. Based on experimental results, the storage efficiency is related permeability of rocks, which expresses the logarithmic relation and increases with an increase in air permeability. The experimental results show that the scCO2 injectivity is not strongly affected, although the relative permeability to scCO2 decreased somewhat after the scCO2EOR process. In addition, the effect of rock heterogeneity on scCO2 storage efficiency is also discussed.
 The highlights of this study are that the comparison of the scCO2 storage potential was made based on experimental results of different injection modes, and improving the displacement efficiency in the low permeable zone also increases scCO2 storage efficiency. Furthermore, the experimental results can be applied directly to be helpful for the evaluation and strategy of scCO2 storage and can be used to simulate the performance during the injection process of scCO2 storage.


Abstract Objectives The contribution of heritability to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is of interest as the identification of genes enhancing the susceptibility of individuals to CVD may help the design of clinical interventions optimized for the individual's genome. Methods We studied the associations of polymorphism of ADRB3 and PPARγ2 genes with obesity indices, unfavorable lipid profile parameters and insulin resistance index HOMA in 343 postmenopausal women. Results No association was found between tested polymorphisms and CVD risk factors such as total cholesterol ≥ 5.0 mmol/l, high density lipoprotein cholesterol < 1.2 mmol/l, low density lipoprotein cholesterol > 3.0 mmol/l and triacylglycerols > 1.7 mmol/l. The presence of arterial hypertension and HOMA value ≥ 1.95 were also not related to these polymorphisms. A significant association between PPARγ2 gene polymorphism and total body fat mass (odds ratio = 1.90 at p = 0.037) as well as android fat deposit mass (odds ratio = 1.82 at p = 0.048) was found. Conclusions CVD risk factors in postmenopausal women are not directly associated with the polymorphisms of PPARγ2 and ADRB3 genes. We suggest that some indirect link between PPARγ2 gene polymorphism and susceptibility of postmenopausal women to CVD may exist. This suggestion is based on our finding that high total body fat mass and high android fat deposits are associated with the presence of the Pro12Ala allele of the PPARγ2 gene.


Selective adult-type hypolactasia, the main cause of primary malabsorption of lactose, shows considerable variation in terms of its symptoms, which mainly depend on the amount of milk consumption. The article discusses congenital lactase deficiency and familial lactose intolerance. Links between hypolactasia and non-specific abdominal complaints, coronary heart disease and cataract are presented. The decrease in lactase activity in the brush border of jejunal mucosa, associated with diseases of the mucosa or any other condition which damages the enterocytes, is discussed as a cause of secondary hypolactasia. It is shown that adult-type primary hypolactasia and selective lactose malabsorption represent a major problem in the everyday work of general practitioners, particularly in populations where hypolactasia is common. Therefore, the examination and treatment of non-selected patients with vague abdominal complaints is important in primary health care. As the need for calcium in humans is largely met by the intake of milk, the consumption of milk has to be in amounts that are tolerable for the individual.


Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can be easily isolated form craniofacial bones during routine dentistry procedures. Due to their embryological origin from neural crest, they represent a suitable cell population to study cell-biomaterial interaction in the craniofacial field, including osteoinductive/osteointegrative processes. The biological and immunomodulatory properties of MSCs may be influenced by chemistry and topography of implant surfaces. We investigated if and how three different titanium surfaces, machined (MCH), sandblasted with resorbable blasting medium (RBM), and Ca++-nanostructured (NCA), may affect biological activity, osseointegration, and immunomodulatory properties of craniofacial MSCs. Cell proliferation, morphology, osteogenic markers, and FasL were evaluated on MSCs isolated from the mandibular bone after seeding on these three different surfaces. No statistically significant differences in cell proliferation were observed whereas different morphologies and growth patterns were detected for each type of surface. No difference in the expression of osteogenic markers was revealed. Interestingly, FasL expression, involved in the immunomodulatory activity of stem cells, was influenced by surface properties. Particularly, immunofluorescence analysis indicated that FasL expression increased on MCH surface compared to the others confirming the suggested role of FasL in promoting osteogenic differentiation. Titanium surface treatments and topography might reflect different biological behaviours of craniofacial MSCs and influence their osseointegration/immunomodulation properties.


Antibody against aflatoxin B1 was obtained after one multiple-site injection of bovine serum albumin-aflatoxin B1 conjugate into rabbits. The antibody has greatest binding efficiency for aflatoxin B1, less efficiency for B2, G1, and Q1, and least for aflatoxicol, G2, and M1. Sterigmatocystin, coumarin, and 4-hydroxycoumarin did not give a cross-reaction with the antibody. The sensitivity of the binding assay for detection of aflatoxin B1 is in the range of 0.2 to 2.0 ng per 0.5-ml sample. Detailed methods for the preparation of the conjugate, production of immune serum, and methods for antibody titer determination are described.


Background and Objectives Pain resulting from head and neck cancer can be severe and difficult to manage. Avoiding hospitalization for as long as possible with a reasonable level of comfort requires a number of therapeutic modalities. The usefulness of self-administered sphenopalatine ganglion block was evaluated in a patient with lethal midline granuloma requiring large doses of morphine. Methods A 30-year-old woman with intractable pain from lethal midline granuloma was taught to self-administer 4% lidocaine, 1.5 mL topically into each nostril three times per day. Results A 3-month follow-up examination showed substantial pain relief and reduction in morphine requirement. No adverse side effects or complications developed. Conclusions In certain patients, sphenopalatine ganglion block can be effectively self-administered at home to manage chronic pain.


Ictal asystole (IA) is uncommonly diagnosed and has been implicated as a potential cause of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy is an increasingly recognizable condition and is more likely to occur in patients with medically intractable epilepsy and those suffering from convulsive epilepsy. We report 2 cases of recent onset of prolonged syncope and unrevealing cardiac work up. The inpatient video-EEG monitoring recorded left temporal ictal discharges followed by IA. Although the role of cardiac pacing is controversial in these patients, both patients had favorable outcome following cardiac pacemaker insertion. This report demonstrates the variability in IA pathophysiology and clinical manifestations. It also advocates that cardiac pacing might have a role in the management of IA.


The general practice for establishing the consumption in asset ratings of a building consists of entrusting the energy analysis of the shell of a building to calculating software. The building is the subject of an extremely complicated analysis, and there are many variables at stake, is it more correct to aim for a simplification of the problem, in the knowledge that behind every analytical formula there is the possibility of an evaluation error, or is it better to aim for calculation models that are more and more detailed in an attempt to succeed in predicting the real energy behaviour of the building ? Depending on the objective that has been set, it is a good idea to identify the tool best adapted to reaching it: it is not correct to use simplified calculation methods for every analysis, but not correct to apply dynamic simulation models unconditionally either. This article shows the different predictive results of energy performance implemented on a sample building and obtained using different software and methods of calculation.


Various binary similarity measures have been employed in clustering approaches to make homogeneous groups of similar entities in the data. These similarity measures are mostly based only on the presence or absence of features. Binary similarity measures have also been explored with different clustering approaches (e.g., agglomerative hierarchical clustering) for software modularization to make software systems understandable and manageable. Each similarity measure has its own strengths and weaknesses which improve and deteriorate the clustering results, respectively. We highlight the strengths of some well-known existing binary similarity measures for software modularization. Furthermore, based on these existing similarity measures, we introduce several improved new binary similarity measures. Proofs of the correctness with illustration and a series of experiments are presented to evaluate the effectiveness of our new binary similarity measures.


The synthesis of highly substituted hydroanthraquinone derivatives with up to three stereogenic centres via a Diels–Alder reaction, starting from easily accessible 2-substituted naphthoquinones, is described. The [4+2]-cycloaddition is applicable for a broad range of substrates, runs under mild conditions and results in high yields. The highly regioselective outcome of the reactions is enabled by a benzoyl substituent at C2 of the dienophiles. The obtained hydroanthraquinones can be further modified and represent ideal substrates for follow-up intramolecular coupling reactions to create unique bicyclo[3.3.1] or -[3.2.2]nonane ring systems which are important natural product skeletons.


Multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurologic disorder that affects 400,000 persons in the United States, consists of an inflammatory and a neurodegenerative phase. Treatment options now approved by the FDA specifically target the inflammatory phase of MS and include immunomodulators (i.e., interferon betas and glatiramer acetate) and an immunosuppressant, mitoxantrone. This article discusses the methods of monitoring disease progression using disability scales and MRI and reviews the clinical efficacy and tolerability of the FDA-approved therapies. All of the immunomodulators are approved for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. Only mitoxantrone is approved for the treatment of worsening relapsing-remitting MS, secondary progressive MS, and progressive-relapsing MS. Early treatment with these disease-modifying agents is desirable to reduce the progression of the disease and to limit long-term disability.


Almost all women have felt disturbances during menstruation in the form of menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) to varying degrees, ranging from just aches in the pelvis from the inner side to extreme pain. One of the treatments of nonpharmacology is with hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is a method of instilling suggestion when the brain has been in a relaxed state, but it does not mean falling asleep or not being self-aware during practice. In Pondok Meja village, there are already many herbal plants available, one of which is turmeric which can be used by teenagers to overcome menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) and there are those who have done the habit of drinking turmeric acid in overcoming this dysmenorrhea, it's just that to add it with hypnosis has never been done. The purpose of this activity is to increase the knowledge of young women in overcoming dysmenorrhea in addition to drinking turmeric acid. The method used is to conduct education about hypnosis to reduce menstrual pain then pretest and postest by asking 10 true and false questions with a < value of 50 is determined to be less good education, if the final score of > of 50 is determined Good Education. education about increasing the knowledge of young women reducing menstrual pain by hypnotherapy.  The results were that before the education of 76 young women only 23 were well-informed and 53 were poorly knowledgeable, while after education there was an increase in knowledge from 76 young women, 66 were well-informed and 10 were not good about hypnosis to reduce menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea).


We introduce a cognitive framework for non-cooperative target identification using high range resolution profiles. In a sequence of successive measurements, the transmit behaviour is changed to enhance the classification performance with a minimum number of measurements. In the current work these are linear frequency modulations with different bandwidths and centre frequencies. A partially observable Markov decision process fuses the information (type and angle) over time and dynamically selects the most promising waveform to increase the overall classification performance. The framework is tested on electromagnetic models of four different civilian cars to obtain a realistic environmental simulation. The validation shows up to 15% improvement of the correct classification compared to static approach with multiple measurements using a single waveform.


[1] A four-year seafloor geodetic study was conducted to measure vertical deformation of the submerged south flank of Kīlauea volcano on the active Hilina slump. The Hilina slump is a site of significant deformation, major earthquakes with ground cracking and associated tsunami. A new technique was developed to measure vertical deformation on the seafloor using pressure sensors in campaign-style surveys. The data revealed the midslope bench of the offshore slump is uplifting at 9.0 ± 2.4 cm/a, but transitions to no significant deformation on the outer bench and slump toe. Elastic half-space inverse modeling of these data show that the observed deformation can be fit by seaward slip of 28.1 ± 7.3 cm/a extending from the East rift zone 27.0 ± 0.5 km on a gently island-dipping decollement fault plane at a depth of approximately 7 km. Modeling suggests that the outer bench is not currently deforming. Because the majority of Kīlauea is submerged, these offshore measurements are necessary to constrain the seaward extent of fault slip and the motion of the outer bench.


PURPOSE
The goal of this study was test expectations derived from sociological and developmental perspectives that the association between phonics instruction in kindergarten classrooms and reading achievement during the first year of school in the low-income population would depend on whether children had previously attended preschool as well as the socioeconomic composition of their elementary schools.

METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH
Autoregressive modeling was applied to nationally representative data from 7,710 children from low-income families in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, with a series of sensitivity tests to improve causal inference and explore the robustness of results.

FINDINGS
The association between phonics instruction and achievement was strongest among children from low-income families who had not attended preschool and then enrolled in socioeconomically disadvantaged elementary schools and among children from low-income families who had attended preschool and then enrolled in socioeconomically advantaged elementary schools.

RESEARCH AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
Insight into educational inequality can be gained by situating developing children within their proximate ecologies and institutional settings, especially looking to the match between children and their contexts. These findings are relevant to policy discussions of early education, instructional practices, and desegregation.


We present a novel morphing operator for spatially-varying bidirectional reflectance distribution functions. Our operator takes as input digital materials modeled using a set of 2D texture maps which control the typical parameters of a standard BRDF model. It also takes an interpolation map, defined over the same texture domain, which modulates the interpolation at each texel of the material. Our algorithm is based on a transport mechanism which continuously transforms the individual source maps into their destination counterparts in a feature-sensitive manner. The underlying non-rigid deformation is computed using an energy minimization over a transport grid and accounts for the user-selected dominant features present in the input materials. During this process, we carefully preserve details by mixing the material channels using a histogram-aware color blending combined with a normal reorientation. As a result, our method allows to explore large regions of the space of possible materials using exemplars as anchors and our interpolation scheme as a navigation mean. We also give details about our real time implementation, designed to map faithfully to the standard physically-based rendering workflow and letting users rule interactively the morphing process. CCS Concepts • Computing methodologies → Texturing; Reflectance modeling;


The use of enzymes immobilized or as markers formed the subject of more than thousand publications in the field of industry or biomedical applications, during the last five years. Recently, some authors published works concerning immobilization of total microorganisms for catalytic purposes, others use the enzymatic activity for marking molecules involved in immunological analysis processes. Together industrial biotechnology and medical analysis laboratory are interested with the evolution of these procedures involving the activity of immobilized enzymes. Enzyme immobilization allowed the lowering of analysis costs for, in this case, the enzyme can be used several times. We take account of the two main cases which are encountered during utilization of immobilized enzymes of analytical purposes. The enzyme is used directly for the catalysed reaction or it is used as enzymatic marker. These both aspects are developed mainly for the elaboration of enzymatic and immunoenzymatic electrodes and the realization of automatic computerized devices allowing continuous estimation of numerous biological blood parameters. From these two precise examples, glucose and antigen determination, the authors show the evolution of these technologies in the field of immobilized enzymes or captors and the analysis of signals given by these electrodes requiring a computerized treatment. This new technology opens to important potentialities in the analytical field. The automatization of these devices allowing the control in real time, will probably make easier the optimization steps of procedures actually used in the biomedical sphere.


The growth of the Internet and requirements for enhanced flexibility and versatility have resulted in packet classification becoming an essential part of network systems such as routers and firewalls. Classification of packets into flows based on multiple header fields is a complex problem. Several algorithms have been proposed to achieve wire speed classification performance. However, an ever widening gap between wire speed and memory access speed continues to motivate the quest for techniques to enhance classification performance. In this paper, we propose a caching technique to improve search performance of any classification algorithm using characteristics inherent to Internet traffic.


Intracranial schwannomas most commonly occur in relation to vestibular nerves followed by trigeminal nerves. Authors describe a very unusual case of schwannomas originating in lateral recess of the fourth ventricle. Tumor was completely excised micro-surgically via midline suboccipital craniectomy and C1 laminectomy. Dissection of the surgical specimen revealed that the tumor was completely free from surrounding structures and just hanging in the fourth ventricle. It was not attached to any cranial nerves, brain parenchyma, and blood vessel or to the dura mater. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma. To our knowledge, no such case has been reported so far from this extremely rare location. Relevant literature is reviewed and hypothesis for ectopic location of these tumors has been highlighted.


Information is needed in all activities aiming at the development and improvement of working conditions. The information and communication technology has made it possible to have information available 24 h a day, 360 d a year. The administrative structures in various countries also call for more information steering at the workplace level. This means that more web-based and other materials for small enterprises are needed in all countries in order to improve safety and health of the workers. Four different approaches to improve workplace level activities are described here to provide models for others to modify them to their local conditions. The networking of small workplaces supports the development of their safety and thereby also their productivity and possibilities to offer jobs also in the future.


In this paper, we report a system that uses a microsphere to induce a photonic nanojet to directly write on a sample surface with sub-diffraction limit resolution, while simultaneously observing the writing processing in situ. Because of diffraction limit, sub-wavelength laser processing resolution has been difficult to achieve. Recently, we have shown that a microsphere-induced photonics nanojet could be used to create an optical light spot size beyond the diffraction limits, i.e., the diameter of the light spot could be reduced to −200 nm or smaller. This capability could allow a laser (with significant reduction in input power) to pattern nano-scale structures on various substrate materials through the use of microspheres. Many researchers have attempted to use this photonic nanojet (PNJ) based technique to process sub-diffraction limit patterns on all types of materials. However, applying this method to process features at precise locations is very difficult, because the technique requires that a sample being "cut" by the PNJ be observed by a common optical microscope, which cannot resolve features smaller than the optical diffraction limit. This disadvantage limits the applicability of this novel method to nano-scale processing; for example, in trimming resistors in an integrated circuit chip, many circuit components on the chip are much smaller than 200 nm, and not being able to see features beyond the diffraction limit will inadvertently destroy many components while PNJ is used to trim resistive elements. We will show in this paper that processing resolution better than 200 nm is achievable using our laser-based photonic nanojet method, whereas a simultaneous imaging resolution of less than λ/2 could be obtained. Therefore, the method presented in this paper has potential applications in processing sub-diffraction features and bio-specimens in real time with optical information feedback.


This study compared two procedures for the vertical scaling in the Item Response Theory (IRT) context: fixed estimation, and simultaneous estimation. The results favored the simultaneous estimation procedure to the fixed estimation procedure, especially when there were few anchor items. However, the results also revealed that using expected a posteriori estimates (EAP) of ability scores in 3-parameter IRT model may have a deteriorating effect on the vertically scaled test results through the simultaneous estimation procedure. Overall, the results of this empirical study showed that in the large scale tests which aim to monitor the development across grade levels, the simultaneous estimation procedure with the 2-parameter or the 3-parameter IRT models would be a reasonable choice.


India has a long history of economic linkages with the EU member states. In recent period, the volumes of Indo-EU trade both in case of merchandise products and services have considerably increased and a number of investment collaboration opportunities are emerging. Since 2007 the two sides are engaged in the negotiations on concluding a Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), which is expected to augment the present level of economic exchange further. Once completed in coming months, the BTIA will be the biggest trade agreement involving India, surpassing its earlier RTA with the ASEAN countries. However, while EU and India can collaborate in several spheres, the potential conflict of interest may not be uncommon either. In particular, the provision of farm subsidies offered by the EU to local producers, imposition of anti-dumping measures on several Indian export categories in EU markets, barriers on movement of professionals, EU interest in inclusion of several WTO-Plus provisions in the agreement etc. are among the concern areas of India. By looking at the trade data and the negotiating dynamics, the present analysis attempts to understand the challenges and opportunities for India in the EU market. The paper concludes that India needs to focus on augmenting its competitiveness for benefiting from the integration exercise.


Results after one year treatment of tuberculosis with a regimen associating streptomycin, isoniazid and thiacetazone in a rural region of eastern Zaïre are analyzed. A 46.9% cure rate is found. A high death rate (21.5%) and a relatively low number of "lost" patients (13.8%) are noted. The usefulness of the introduction of short term chemotherapy is discussed.


The purpose of the study was to examine: (1) which perspectives of Reader Response Theory were most applicable in this study; (2) which factors influenced reader responses; and (3) how readers' responses changed over time. The four participants for this case study were chosen from a subject pool of 10 initiate adult full-time divinity students in a theological seminary and college. Standardized testing, which was administered as a part of the school's orientation procedures, showed that these four students needed reading instruction in order to meet the academic demands of the college and seminary. Data collection, which provided,a deep picture of the bounded system, included documents, interviews, and observation during a semester of instruction in the fall of 1999. Triangulation of data was secured from the syllabus, lesson plans, the researcher daily log, student questionnaires, initial written student responses, student journals, transcribed class discussions and individual discussion with students, and transcribed interviews with students as well as with assistants and others within the milieu. Assessment instruments for qualitative analysis included "Levels of Engagement" (Iser, 1978) (Labercane, Olafson, Hunsberger, Watt, et. al., Unpublished Manuscript), the "Efferent/Aesthetic Continuum " (Rosenblatt, 1978) (Cox and Many, 1992), and the "Levels of Personal Understanding" (Cox and Many, 1992). The textual and the experiential perspectives were both well employed. Students had a deep understanding of the text as well as a latitude of efferent/aesthetic response. Among factors which affected student response, initial fears disappeared with the development of social and cross cultural growth. Types of teacher questions and class discussion influenced student response, as did task type and text. Reflection, writing assignments, and reader interest provided thinking opportunities for students. Christian values, ethics, morals, and religious views, against a background of embedded loving concern for humankind and a deep faith, figured heavily in student responses. Students extended their reading stances, both efferent and aesthetic, across time. The two week period used for transactions with each text provided for a deeper understanding and growth across the efferent/aesthetic continuum. (Contains 19 figures, 144 references, and a 63-item list of texts used for student choices. Appendixes contain evaluation instruments, a literacy autobiography assignment, and five texts chosen for response analysis.) (Author/RS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. fzr UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Finding a (W)hole in the Text: A Case Study of Four Readers Reading


The essential feature of the presented method is the characteristic boundary curve (CBC), which represents the potential error reduction as a function of the parameter correction for one iteration step. The CBC in the unconstrained case has been described by Antreich et al. (1988) but most practical optimization problems include constraints. Therefore, this paper presents a definition of the CBC for problems with constraints and provides a new algorithm for the calculation of the CBC. This algorithm is more accurate and allows the calculation of the CBC for unconstrained problems as well as for constrained problems. A second new algorithm is also described. It calculates a point on the CBC corresponding to a given parameter correction norm. This new algorithm is faster, more accurate, and additionally deals with constraints. Another new property of the CBC is described: The CBC shows the influence of constraints on the optimization process. The algorithms presented in the paper have been implemented in the program system CANDI (Circuit level Analog Design system for Integrated circuits), which is now tested in several installations in industry. >


Abstract. The skull morphology of four species of cottontails from the mountains and plateaus of southwestern United States and northern Mexico, currently recognized as Sylvilagus nuttallii, S. cognatus, S. robustus, and S. holzneri (=S. floridanus holzneri), was analyzed using multivariate statistics. Based on 26 or 30 measurements taken on each of 350 adult skulls, and formulation of 16 pooled samples, with each representing a different geographic population, the results show there are two species-level distinctions in skull type. Cottontails from southern Utah, northern and east-central Arizona, and northern New Mexico show morphological overlap among geographically adjacent samples and all have a highly arched skull. These are referable to S. nuttallii. Cottontails from central Arizona, central New Mexico, and western Texas southward along the Sierra Madre Occidental to Durango, Mexico, and Sierra Madre Oriental to central Coahuila, Mexico show morphological overlap among geographically adjacent samples and all have a relatively flat skull. These are referable to S. holzneri. Both S. nuttallii and S. holzneri are polytypic in the study area. Sylvilagus n. pinetis is restricted to the White Mountains of Arizona. Those north and west of the Colorado River in Arizona and Utah are referable to S. n. nuttallii and those from southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona and northern New Mexico are referable to S. n. grangeri. The population of cottontails previously referred to S. cognatus from central New Mexico is indistinguishable from topotypical S. holzneri from southeastern Arizona as well as populations from southwestern New Mexico, Chihuahua, and Sonora, Mexico. Cottontails previously referred to S. robustus, from the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico and Texas, southward in the mountains of western Texas, and the Sierra Madre Oriental to central Coahuila, Mexico, average larger in overall size and, on average, have proportionately larger auditory bullae and are referable to S. holzneri robustus. The relationship of S. holzneri to other mountain/plateau-inhabiting taxa, outside the study area in central and southern Mexico remains to be resolved.


In the modern society that is advancing rapidly, the hair art is also advancing and subdividing. The purpose of this study is to investigate unique field of formative as characteristics and forms of copper wire, focused on such a harmony of hair art, the present thesis aims at developing concept of hair art as a creative way, and recognizing the formative characteristics of copper wire as analyze and arrange the concept of hair art, formative, a way of practical application, material aspect, through literature, academic journals, photo data, and researched about prior piece, for example, architecture and costume with hair art, and then pieces of hair art were made. Influenced by the theory, applied the social phenomenon and the formative principles, produced the five pieces which includes balance, composure, flying, harmony, way, spring etc. The results of this research are outlined below. Firstly, It showed that the copper wire can express the mysterious and beautiful formative world, and it could know the possibility of design. Secondly, formative activity using copper wire can differ according to approach and interpretation, and it can be a works with aesthetic value. Thirdly, hair could be express the art of the three-dimensional forms which constitute the mixture of line, surface and space. So, hair art has enlarged the fields with development of technique, and changed to recognition of the hair art, and opened up a new field. Hair art will be positive fields to maximize the possibility, and not only the beauty artist but also the public will be communicate each other.


A concise stereo- and enantioselective synthesis of lingzhiol has been achieved featuring a biogenetically inspired Brønsted acid catalyzed semipinacol rearrangement of a glycidyl alcohol intermediate.


DIVERTICULUM of the canaliculus with the development of purulent inflammation has been previously described.1The following case not only represents this condition, but a rational, yet simple surgical approach based on a known general surgical principle, ie, that of eliminating a blind passage. A 22-year-old white woman stated she had had epiphora of the right eye since birth. At age 12 years, she had her first probing of the right nasolacrimal duct. She states that the epiphora did not improve, and over the next ten years she had many (approximately 50) repeated attempts by probing to cure her epiphora. Examination in our clinic was normal in all respects with the following exceptions: (1) Epiphora was not present. (2) Pressure on the right lower lid resulted in a white creamy material being expressed from the right lower canaliculus. (3) Irrigation of the right lower canaliculus resulted in regurgitation of material.


A laboratory basin of saltwater with a freshwater layer at the top is exposed to cooling from above and inflowof freshwater from a layer that lies alongside. It exhibits oscillations of temperature, salinity, and layer depth when certain parameters are set. A simple analytical model illustrates the basic mechanism. Upon cooling, the layer gradually becomes denser. Ultimately, a density inversion at the interface between the layer and deeper fluid causes a gravitational instability. The layer is mixed with the deeper water and it vanishes. The emplacement of a new thin layer from freshwater inflow at the top repeats the cycle. Layered numerical models duplicate this cycle. Examples incorporate transport of heat out of the top and into the bottom of the layer. In addition, there is salinity transport up through the bottom from turbulent mixing. They reproduce the qualitative structure of the experimental data, but the many simplifications in the model do not permit precise quantitative agreement.


A qualitative study was conducted to assess interest in contingency management (CM) for younger American Indian (AI) adults (18-29 years old), how to culturally and developmentally adapt CM for younger AI adults, and interest in CM relative to culturally grounded treatment approaches. We conducted a total of four focus groups with younger adults and families in two AI communities: a rural reservation and an urban Indian health clinic (n = 32). Four overarching themes emerged suggesting that offering prizes, cultural activities, and activities that capture the attention of younger adults integrated into the CM intervention is ideal for enhancing engagement.


We present an insertion algorithm of Robinson–Schensted type that applies to set-valued shifted Young tableaux. Our algorithm is a generalization of both set-valued non-shifted tableaux by Buch and non set-valued shifted tableaux by Worley and Sagan. As an application, we obtain a Pieri rule for a K-theoretic analogue of the Schur Q-functions.


&agr;B-crystallin (CRYAB) is a small heat shock protein with a chaperoning activity that is present in the postnatal healthy human brain in oligodendrocytes and in a few astrocytes. The involvement of CRYAB in cell differentiation, proliferation, signaling, cytoskeletal assembly, and apoptosis in various model systems has suggested that it might also play a role in the developing human brain. We analyzed the distribution and the levels of this molecular chaperone in healthy and polygenetically compromised (Down syndrome [DS]) human telencephalon at midgestation. We demonstrate that CRYAB is expressed in a temporospatial pattern by numerous radial glial cells and some early oligodendrocyte progenitors, including dividing cells, as well as a few astroglial cells in both healthy and DS fetalbrains. We also found abundant phosphorylation of CRYAB atSer-59, which mediates its antiapoptotic and cytoskeletal functions. There was only marginal phosphorylation at Ser-45.In contrast to our earlier study in young DS subjects, upregulation of phosphorylated CRYAB occurred rarely in DS fetuses. The distribution, the timing of appearance, and the results of colocalization studies suggest that CRYAB assists in the biological processes associated with developmental remodeling/differentiation and proliferation of select subpopulations of progenitor cells in human fetal brain at midgestation.


Graphene has recently emerged as a promising material for a wide range of potential applications, thanks to its outstanding electrical, mechanical, thermal and optical properties. This interest has fueled many efforts to establish methods for large scale graphene synthesis. One of the most promising scalable approaches is to obtain graphene on metal surfaces, most notably on copper, via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). We have developed novel fabrication methods to obtain CVD graphene devices in large quantities. This allowed a thorough study of the polycrystalline structure in CVD graphene, as well as the characterization of mechanical and electrical properties, which are affected by graphene's grain structure. We found that grain boundaries are not the dominant factor in determining the electrical properties of devices. However, grain boundaries were observed to strongly affect graphene mechanical properties. For example, tearing and unzipping along grain boundaries were observed in graphene membranes, as a result of nanoindentation. Finally, we have fabricated microcapsules featuring atomically thin windows made of reinforced double-layer CVD graphene. We have demonstrated the use of these windows for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of samples in water. As proof of principle, we have imaged metallic nanoparticles in solution, with resolution and signal to noise ratio superior to those obtained with polyimide-based commercially available environmental cells.


Abstract Identification of novel anti-inflammatory strategies are needed to avoid the side effects associated with the currently available therapies. Use of anti-inflammatory herbal remedies is gaining attention. The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the pharmacological potential of the withanolide-rich root extracts of the medical plant Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal using in vivo and in vitro models of endotoxin-induced inflammation and oxidative stress. The pharmacological effects of W. somnifera root extracts were evaluated using a mouse model of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide)-induced peritonitis and various relevant human cell lines. HPLC analysis of the W. somnifera root extracts identified the presence of various bioactive withanolides. In vivo challenge of mice with endotoxin resulted in the infiltration of various leukocytes, specifically neutrophils, along with monocytes and lymphocytes into the peritoneal cavity. Importantly, prophylactic treatment with W. somnifera inhibited the migration of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes and decreased the release of interleukin-1β, TNF-α, and interleukin-6 cytokines into the peritoneal cavity as identified by ELISA. Liver (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, glutathione disulfide, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase) and peritoneal fluid (nitrite) biochemical analysis revealed the antioxidant profile of W. somnifera. Similarly, in human HepG2 cells, W. somnifera significantly modulated the antioxidant levels. In THP-1 cells, W. somnifera decreased the secretion of interleukin-6 and TNF-α. In HEK-Blue reporter cells, W. somnifera inhibited TNF-α-induced nuclear factor-κB/activator protein 1 transcriptional activity. Our findings suggest the pharmacological effects of root extracts of W. somnifera rich in withanolides inhibit neutrophil infiltration, oxidative hepatic damage, and cytokine secretion via modulating the nuclear factor-κB/activator protein 1 pathway.


This paper estimates the travel time for pedestrian in Kist Medical Hospital- Balkumari route using cell phones' GPS as probes. Using Google Map's individual timeline, GPS data was traced for this route. Then, Kalman Filter Algorithm is used to estimate the travel time for pedestrian for that week day. Using algorithm result, statistical tool is used to measure the accuracy of travel time in particular origin-destination pair. Kalman filter algorithm is better approach for travel time estimation since the parameters get updated quickly if there is traffic fluctuation. Based on mean travel time, Kalman filter has better travel time estimation of 16.6 min with the help of historical data in compared to Google Map estimation of 18 min irrespective time of day in above origin-destination pair. Real observation is close to estimated travel time which signifies estimated travel time. Here author manages to compare the mean travel time between Kalman filter estimation and Google map data estimation.


Background We sought to test the hypothesis that older donor cardiac allografts in pediatric recipients had worse outcomes. Methods: Medical records of 207 consecutive heart transplants in 190 patients were reviewed. Donor allografts were divided into three groups by age. Analysis was limited to recipients between 10-21 yrs due to few children 0-9 yrs receiving grafts from donors ≥ 18 yrs of age. Recipients were stratified into low and high-risk categories, the latter bearing one or more of: CHD diagnosis, re-transplant, ventilator or mechanical circulatory assist dependency. Study endpoints were survival and freedom from rejection. Statistical analysis employed a Cox proportional hazards model with donor age 0-18 yrs as baseline. (Table) Results One and 3-yr actuarial survival for low-risk adolescents was 100 and 81%; and high-risk was 80 and 65%. One-year freedom from acute rejection for low-risk and high-risk patients was 58 and 78%. In the high-risk category alone, there was a trend towards lower 30-day mortality (0 vs. 17%, p=0.12) in Group 2. One year post-transplant, Group 2 had higher graft survival (96 vs. 66%, p=0.03) and a trend toward less rejection (87 vs. 68%, p=0.3). Freedom from the composite endpoint of graft failure, rejection, or death at 1 year was 35%, 85% and 58% for Groups 1, 2, and 3 respectively (p=0.01). Conclusion Adolescents had better outcomes with allografts from donors 18-36 yrs than less than 18 yrs. The results support use of older donor allografts in patients in their second decade of life given critical organ supply shortages.


In this paper we describe research that has been on-going within our group for the past four years on semantically-smart disk systems. A semantically-smart system goes beyond typical block-based storage systems by extracting higher-level information from the stream of traffic to disk; doing so enables new and interesting pieces of functionality to be implemented within low-level storage systems. We first describe the development of our efforts over the past four years, highlighting the key technologies needed to build semantically-smart systems as well as the main weaknesses of our approach. We then discuss future directions in the design and implementation of smarter storage systems.


Since the traffic accidents cause serious damage to human lives and economical activity, the transportation risk assessment of dangerous goods is a valuable and useful methodology for the decision making of accident prevention and damage reduction. This paper describes the prediction method of the accident frequency, which is one of the factors of the transportation risk analysis, with the road attributes using the cluster analysis technique. The cluster analysis of motor highway in Kanto area was performed based on the statistical data of motor highway accidents in Japan. The result of cluster analysis was applied to the motor highway of Yokohama city, and the validity of the method was examined using the Mann-Whitney's U-test. It was found that the predicted accident frequency showed a good agreement with the actual accident frequency data.


Among the students of medicine in Padua from the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth, in XVII and XVIII centuries, we can note a certain number of Jews. This article contains a short analysis of so far findings in the area of research on this aspect of Jewish history in the First Republic of Poland. Referring to more and less known facts, the Author paid particular attention to the motivations and aspirations of Jewish scholars who had come to City of Antenor from PolishLithuanian land. Following the careers of Jewish medical graduates, we can see, that for most of them having a Padua diploma was not only the way to gain a better status in the Jewish community but also a gateway to overcoming cultural barriers. According to the Author, this was possible due to the fact, that many of the representatives of polish nobility, who were called "Paduans," had similar experiences of contact with the university environment and the culture of the Venetian Republic.


A neutral-point-clamped (NPC) three-level inverter is used more and more in the grid-connected power generation system. In order to achieve the lower current harmonic, an LCL filter is widely utilized due to its superior filtering performance. Passive and active damping control are studied to solve the resonant problem appearing in an LCL filter, active damping control overcomes the weakness of power loss existing in the passive damping method, thus it gradually becomes one of research focus. According to the feature of the NPC three-level grid-connected inverter and active damping method based on feedback control of the capacitor current, design method of the LCL filter is thoroughly discussed in this paper, simulation and experimental results show that the filter design method is right.


SUMOylation in the DNA double-strand break (DSB) response regulates recruitment, activity and clearance of repair factors. However, our understanding of a role for deSUMOylation in this process is limited. Here we identify different mechanistic roles for deSUMOylation in homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous enjoining (NHEJ) through the investigation of the deSUMOylase SENP2. We find regulated deSUMOylation of MDC1 prevents excessive SUMOylation and its RNF4-VCP mediated clearance from DSBs, thereby promoting NHEJ. In contrast we show HR is differentially sensitive to SUMO availability and SENP2 activity is needed to provide SUMO. SENP2 is amplified as part of the chromosome 3q amplification in many cancers. Increased SENP2 expression prolongs MDC1 foci retention and increases NHEJ and radioresistance. Collectively our data reveal that deSUMOylation differentially primes cells for responding to DSBs and demonstrates the ability of SENP2 to tune DSB repair responses.


Dysarthria is a frequent symptom in cerebral ischaemia. However, speech characteristics of these patients have not previously been investigated in relation to lesion site in a prospective study. We investigated the auditory perceptual features in 62 consecutive patients with dysarthria due to a single, non-space-occupying cerebral infarction confirmed by MRI. Standardized speech samples of all patients were stored within 72 h after stroke onset using a digital tape recorder. Speech samples were assessed independently by two experienced speech therapists, who were unaware of the clinical and neuroradiological findings, using an interval scale ranging from 0 to 6. Separately assessed were features of articulation, phonation, prosody, and the global severity for a total of 31 items. Extracerebellar infarctions (85.5%) were located in the lower motor cortex (14.5%), striatocapsular region (46.8%) and base of the pons (24.2%). Isolated cerebellar infarctions were present in 14.5% of patients. There was a strong correlation between the findings of both examiners, showing identical scores, or only minor differences (<1 on the assessment scale) for 80% of all items. The average severity of dysarthria was 2.9 +/- 1.3. Articulatory abnormalities were the predominant deviation characteristics, affecting in particular the production of consonants. However, phonatory and prosodic abnormalities were also frequently observed speech characteristics. As revealed by factor analysis of speech characteristics the total severity of dysarthria was mainly influenced by the impairment of articulation. Speech parameters describing characteristics of articulation and prosody showed significant side-to-side and area differences, while this effect was lacking for any voice parameter. Left cerebral lesions showed a more severe overall impairment of speech and articulation, independent of lesion topography. Thirty-eight of 62 patients were available for follow-up. Speech evaluation showed normal speech within weeks in 15 out of 38 patients (39.5%). In the other 23 patients overall severity of dysarthria was mild. This is the first prospective study which describes speech characteristics of dysarthria due to acute unilateral cerebral infarctions. We could demonstrate that dysarthria in extracerebellar infarctions was more frequently caused by left-sided lesions and that the severity of dysarthria was more pronounced in left-sided lesions independent from lesion topography. All extracerebellar lesions were located along the course of the cortico-bulbar tract fibres. Compatible with a common pathophysiological basis of dysarthria in these patients, none of the 31 speech items differed significantly between subcortical and brainstem lesions.


This article aims to address the issue of the donation of gametes and the anonymity involved in this act of medically-assisted reproduction. It briefly discusses the technical aspects of the donation and selection of gametes and the need for specific legislation on the issue in various countries that have adopted this method, in view of the plurality of different social systems in the world today. The article addresses the legal and ethical issues that are currently being aired in Brazil, and the rulings contained in the Federal Medical Council Resolution 1,358/93, which rules on the conduct of physicians in Brazil and defines, among other things, an act of donation and anonymity, in a way that addresses the question of autonomy. The need for the protection of subjects by way of terms of informed consent or informed refusal, ensuring that necessary information and clarification is made available both to the couple that decide to submit themselves to medically-assisted reproduction and to the donor, who should, in turn, give written assurance of his or her free consent and willingness to cede any rights regarding the gametes to the institution that has taken responsibility for them. All of this, in combination with veracity and confidentiality, are essential if anonymity between donor and recipient is to be upheld. This question of anonymity has been much discussed by scholars from various fields and various parts of the world.


The application of new power electronics equipment to the rolling stocks of electrified railroad vehicles in recent years brought about the benefits of smooth acceleration and braking, higher efficient of propulsion systems, improved power quality, easy-and-simple maintenance of propulsion motor, and even lower procurement and service costs. Hence, they are generally regarded as a blessing and progress for the rail industry. The switching techniques and new power modules with fast response times are key components to make the above functions possible. If a railroad system is built with vehicles and traction power substations are designed for new equipment, then all power components should be designed to withstand the transient dynamic behavior, especially, the switching surge voltage and current. This is usually the responsibility of the general consultant or the turn-key contractor. Unfortunately, the situation in most electrified railroad systems is new, and renovated trains equipped with new converters and new IGBT power modules join service together with old trains and existing traction networks designed and commissioned decades ago. The impact of the switching surge voltage and current will become an issue of great concern, as illustrated by the two cases presented in this article. The problems presented in the two cases were eventually solved by some sort of soft-switching schemes as a remedy or correction solution. Yet, this problem should be addressed and examined in front of the commission phase to avoid impacts. In conclusion, clear specification of surge transients or permissible impacts need to be included in the procurement documents, and field tests are recommended to verify the compatibility of new power converters with the existing equipment in the entire system.


This paper deals with fair assignment problems in decision contexts involving multiple agents. In such problems, each agent has its own evaluation of costs and we want to find a fair compromise solution between individual point of views. Lorenz dominance is a standard decision model used in Economics to refine Pareto dominance while favoring solutions that fairly share happiness among agents. In order to enhance the discrimination possibilities offered by Lorenz dominance, we introduce here a new model called infinite order Lorenz dominance. We establish a representation result for this model using an ordered weighted average with decreasing weights. Hence we exhibit some properties of infinite order Lorenz dominance that explain how fairness is achieved in the aggregation of individual preferences. Then we explain how to solve fair assignment problems of m items to n agents, using infinite order Lorenz dominance and other models used for measuring inequalities. We show that this problem can be reformulated as a 0--1 non-linear optimization problems that can be solved, after a linearization step, by standard LP solvers. We provide numerical results showing the efficiency of the proposed approach on various instances of the paper assignment problem.


Sleep disorders are common in children, yet several clinical pitfalls give rise to the unrecognition or improper management of those children. Here, we present diagnostic difficulties in two adolescents with narcolepsy and Kleine–Levin syndrome. The first patient was a 12‐year‐old girl who had been given Na‐valproate for nearly a year because hypersomnia was initially perceived as unconsciousness periods of epileptic spells, and later attributed to the antiepileptic drug. The other patient was a 14‐year‐old boy who had been managed as a specific psychiatric disorder for several months despite the characteristic symptoms of Kleine–Levin syndrome (hypersomnia, hyperphagia, hypersexuality, behavioural and cognitive dysfunction). Both cases emphasize that sleep disorders could be manifested with various clinics and that there are several diagnostic challenges in children.


Levodopa therapy remains the most effective drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and it is associated with the greatest improvement in motor function as assessed by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Dopamine agonists have also proven their efficacy as monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease but also as adjunct therapy. However, the chronic use of dopaminergic therapy is associated with disabling motor and nonmotor side effects and complications, among which levodopa‐induced dyskinesias and impulse control behaviors are the most common. The underlying mechanisms of these disorders are not fully understood. In the last decade, classic neuroimaging methods and more sophisticated techniques, such as analysis of gray‐matter structural imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging, have given access to anatomical and functional abnormalities, respectively, in the brain. This review presents an overview of structural and functional brain changes associated with motor and nonmotor therapy‐induced complications in Parkinson's disease. Magnetic resonance imaging may offer structural and/or functional neuroimaging biomarkers that could be used as predictive signs of development, maintenance, and progression of these complications. Neurophysiological tools, such as theta burst stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, might help us to integrate neuroimaging findings and clinical features and could be used as therapeutic options, translating neuroimaging data into clinical practice. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society


Abstract The work–family interface can be viewed as a process in which daily fluctuations in work demands and resources influence family functioning and behavior, and vice versa. This study aimed to test the daily processes of both directions of the work–family interface through two studies. The first study consisted of 103 male and female workers from 17 Brazilian states. The participants' ages ranged from 20 to 61 years (M = 33.68; SD = 9.13). Each participant answered a daily questionnaire over the course of 10 days, totaling 1,030 answers. The second study's sample consisted of 101 male and female workers from 15 states in Brazil. Participants' ages ranged from 20 to 62 years (M = 33.77; SD = 8.46). Each participant answered the daily questionnaire over the course of ten days, with the number of answers totaling 1,010. The first study showed that at the daily level, perceived work-related demands and social support at work were significantly related to family satisfaction. The second study indicated that at the daily level, perceived family demands and family social support showed significant associations with job satisfaction. Positive affect had a mediating role in these relationships, whereas the use of problem-solving coping strategies had a moderating role. Both studies also showed that the relationships identified remain significant when the variables were tested at different times: independent variables, mediating variable and moderator variable on one day, and the dependent variable on the following day. Day-to-day implications for organizations are discussed, and suggestions for a future research agenda on the work–family interface are presented.


ABSTRACT The treatment of hammer toe has been advocated for years, and many procedures have been proposed with skeletal and soft tissue intervention. The purpose of the present study was to compare arthrodesis of the proximal interphalangeal joint with shortening osteotomy of the proximal phalanx neck. In most cases, both procedures have been associated with elongation of the extensor apparatus, capsulotomy of the metatarsophalangeal joint, and stabilization with a Kirschner wire. To experiment with a technique that respects the anatomy and joint function, we used a distal subtraction osteotomy of the proximal phalanx neck. We compared a series of 78 patients, divided in to 2 groups: 38 (48.7%) treated with arthrodesis and 40 (51.3%) with shortening osteotomy. Patients were aged 22 to 78 years, with a mean final follow‐up period of 56.6 (range 24 to 96) months. For clinical evaluation, we used the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score, Foot and Ankle Outcome Score, and a subjective rating scale. The results were comparable between the 2 techniques; however, we report faster functional recovery in the group treated with shortening osteotomy (p < .0001), with an adjunctive advantage of preserving the integrity of the proximal interphalangeal joint. Thus, according to our results, this technique is comparable to arthrodesis. &NA; Level of Clinical Evidence: 3


The article analyzes the processes that affect the training of future professionals in higher education institutions and highlights the philosophical and cultural principles of foreign language training of students of philology. It is about the conditionality of the issue of foreign language training of students of philology by the tasks of intercultural interaction, international integration and partnership, which is ensured by the balance of material and spiritual factors of development of peoples and nations. Foreign language training is an important factor in intercultural communication, aimed at ensuring the European integration of Ukraine, needs to adapt to appropriate educational conditions. The author calls the openness of Ukrainian education, as well as the priority of national interests in the process of intercultural interaction an important condition for cultural integration; the need for transformations of higher education in both substantive and procedural aspects on the basis of personal values.
It is claimed that the renewal of education is carried out under the condition of revision of its content, its structure, procedural norms and results of mastering the program material and its value characteristics. The purposeful nature of higher education is determined by the social order of the state, which expresses public opinion and the purpose of educational activities, choosing certain competencies as the main categories of educational programs and determining the relevant learning outcomes.
Among the factors of transformation of the higher education system in Ukraine, the scientist mentions the construction of integrated educational programs, development of common criteria for creating comparable qualification requirements, adoption of standards for assessing the quality of training of specialists with higher education which causes changes in the purpose and content of educational activities and, in turn, requires appropriate program and methodological support.
Restructuring of foreign language training of students of philology is associated with the formation of its content, as well as the creation of new educational and methodological complexes designed to ensure this work in higher education institutions.


Starting from the importance of being able to define which products are creative and which are not in a completely objective way and with one single evaluator, the present work has been done in order to identify which methods for product creativity assessment have a better performance against established requirements, that is, the method must be useful, objective and easy to apply in enterprises, as well as to determinate their lacks and the possible improvements that can be done in order to solve them. In order to achieve these results, three different known methods of creativity assessment have been analysed, and they have been used over five different products for determining their creative value through one single evaluator. Validity of results has been made through creativity evaluation with questionnaires to experts, in order to have reference values for each parameter which creativity depends on.
Results analysis, both in graphic and numerical way, show the trend of different metrics to similar results, but not an absolute coincidence due to different scales and doormats used in each metric. Most common lacks when evaluating creativity are pretended to be find from the conclusions and, from that, being able to raise global improvements that must be established with the aim of develop an objective creativity metric.


OBJECTIVE
EEG synchronization is usually estimated in terms of coherence amplitude, but the estimation is with apparent uncertainty because of the poor resolution both in time and frequency. The purpose of this work is to surmount this problem.

METHOD
A new definition of EEG synchronization index spectrum [SynI(f)] was developed basing on the distribution characteristics of EEG coherence phase which was calculated by a tested algorithm with 1 s and 1 Hz resolution. The basic feature and its changes during visual selective responses were calculated in 25 normal subjects. EEG signals were recorded from 9 locations in two conditions: looking at the central LED only(VC) and making switch response to the target LED flash signals (T) differentially (DR): switch to left or right for Ts from left (LVF) or right (RVF) visual field, repectively but making no response to the non-target ones (NT).

RESULT
(1) The frequency dependency of SynI varied with brain location, e.g., SynI was higher in alpha range than others at frontal locations but the situation reversed at posterior locations. (2) The SynIs between midline and right brain locations were higher than that between mid line and left ones. (3) As compared with VC, SynI was increased in DR condition at central and posterior brain locations but not frontal ones, it happened mainly in 7-23 Hz at central locations but in 1-4 Hz at posterior ones. (4) The augmentation of SynI in DR was greater for T than for NT signals.

CONCLUSION
The results indicated that the SynI(f) was meaningful for studying the frequency-spatial feature of EEG synchronization change among brain locations related to cognitive activities.


This study aimed to examine the effect of organizational justice (distributive justice, procedural justice, and interactional justice) on employee performance by leader-member exchange as mediating variables. The object of this research conducted in Unit Libraries of Sebelas Maret University. Respondents in this study are employees working in Unit Libraries of Sebelas Maret University. The unit analysis in this study is dyad. The data collection method of respondents on this study is census with using questionnaires. The hypothesis in this study were tested using simple linear regression analysis and hierarchical regression analysis. The variables in this study consisted of distributive justice, procedural justice, and interactional justice as an independent variable, and the performance as the dependent variable. Further variables of organizational justice variables mediated by leader-member exchange on performance. The results of this study indicate that distributive justice and procedural justice positive and significant impact on performance, but in contrast to interactional justice is positive and not significant effect on performance. Mediation results showed that the leader-member exchange mediating effect of distributive justice, procedural justice, and interactional justice on performance. Keywords: Organizational Justice, Distributive Justice, Procedural Justice, Interactional Justice, Leader-Member Exchange, and Performance.


Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and the third most common one in women worldwide (Parkin, 2004; Parkin et al., 2005), accounting for approximately 436,000 incident cases and 212,000 deaths in 2008 (Quirke et al., 2011). This cancer has an important economic impact, estimating that in the initial, continuing and last year of life phases of care a total of more than $7 billion were spent (Yabroff et al., 2008). Randomized trials have shown that systematic screening of a target population of suitable age can reduce colorectal cancer by detecting asymptomatic lesions (Center et al., 2009). Although there are differences in the etiologies and epidemiology of colon and rectal cancer (Giovannucci & Wu, 2006), the majority of the studies chose to examine colon and rectum cancers combined. However, a better understanding of these diseases nowadays, shows that these differences have an important impact in their approaches. First of all, the location of the tumours may determines different locations of metastisation. Unlike colon cancers, distal rectal tumours may first metastasize to the lungs because the inferior rectal veins drain into the inferior vena cava rather than into the portal venous system. The histological type can also vary. The vast majority of colorectal tumours are adenocarcinomas but 11-17% are mucinous carcinomas. This type, which has a penchant for the rectum and sigmoid colon, tends to be present at a more advanced stage (Consorti et al., 2000). The carcinoid tumours have a different clinical presentation too, depending on whether they appear in the rectum or in the colon (Marshall & Badnarchuk 1993; Spread et al., 1994). The rectum carcinoids develop at a young age, most of which are less than 2 cm and tend to be indolent. In contrast, colonic carcinoid tumours can be clinically aggressive and often metastise. With a more accurate review, we can see that many habits could influence the development of rectal cancers and not colon cancers. Some studies support the view that family history, as well as the level of physical activity, is a stronger contributor to colon cancer relative to rectal cancer (Wei et al., 2004). The Women's Health Initiative (a large cohort study) (Paskett et al., 2007) also found a significant link between active cigarette smoking (not passive exposure to cigarette smoke) and rectal but not colon cancer. These differences are important in terms of monitoring and have implications in treatment options, as well. Compared to colon cancers, the sensitivity of CT scan for detection of


Prickly pears, called tunas, are nonclimacteric fruits. That is, their respiration declines with time and is not different for fruits harvested at different stages of ripeness (Lakshminarayana et al., 1979). Nonclimacteric fruits are also characterized by a lack of starch as a carbohydrate reserve. Therefore, there is no significant increase in sugar content of nonclimacteric fruits after harvest (Tucker, 1993; cited by Cantwell, 1995). According to Cantwell (1991), the ethylene production rate in tuna fruits is also very low, so their physiological activity is low. Therefore, the perishability of tunas lies not in their physiology, but mainly in physical damage to the peel and stem end during harvest and postharvest handling.


Nascent RNA, synthesized by calf thymus RNA polymerase II on restriction endonuclease BamHI linearized hamster papovavirus (HaPV) DNA, was rehybridized to the template strand under conditions allowing transcription R-loop formation. Hybrids, visualized by electron microscopy, were plotted and mapped according to the physical map of HaPV. Two predominant regions of transcription could be localized at 0.10--0.40 and 0.50--0.82 m.u., respectively. For the start sites of transcription at map positions 0.67 and 0.75, respectively, on the HaPV genome a transcription in opposite direction were estimated. This genome region harbours the putative origin of replication of HaPV DNA. These results suggest a distinct relatedness of HaPV to the polyomavirus group.


Purpose: Patients presenting to Emergency Departments (ED) may or may not access the EMS system as a means of transportation. This study sought to identify patterns of EMS utilization so that the design of interventions to encourage appropri-ate utilization of EMS by ED patients can be facilitated. Design and Methods: Descriptive, consecutive sample derived from all 10,460 patients entering an academic ED over a three-month period. Inclusion criteria were arrival by EMS or triage as urgent or emergent. Patients were excluded if EMS trans-port primarily was for non-ambulatory/institutionalized status. All eligible subjects were enrolled (n = 1485). Main Results: EMS transportation was utilized by 37% of the subjects. Using triage criteria, 16% of EMS transports were deemed inappropriate. Conversely, 67% of urgent and emer-gent subjects did not use EMS transportation. Subjects with sig-nificantly higher rates of EMS use were those age 40-59 years and those with neurologic or traumatic complaints (p <.O5). Sig-nificantly lower rates of EMS utilization were found in subjects age 10-19 years and those with cardiac complaints (p <.O5). Inappropriate EMS use was highest in subjects age 40-59 years (/K.05). Conclusion: EMS transportation probably is underutilized on an overall basis. There is wide variability of use which cannot be explained using simple appropriateness criteria alone. The demand on EMS resources changes with population demo-graphics. Efforts should be made to improve EMS utilization, especially for patients with cardiac complaints. Hypothesis: On-line medical command (OLMC) for patient-initiated refusal of care (PIR) is associated with improved ambulance call report (ACR) documentation. Patients who refuse care may be ill and may


OBJECTIVES: Currently, surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is associated with an 1.1% 30-day mortality rate. Those with junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) and restrictive right ventricular physiology have poorer outcomes. Routine postoperative adrenergic or inodilator therapy has been reported, while beta-blockade following cardiopulmonary bypass has not. This study evaluated routine perioperative treatment with esmolol in infants undergoing TOF repair. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of the perioperative course following TOF repair. SETTING: Single-center case series describing perioperative management of TOF in a cardiac ICU. PATIENTS: This study reviewed all patients less than 18 months old who underwent TOF repair, excluding cases of TOF with absent pulmonary valve or atrioventricular septal defect, at our institution from June 2018 to April 2021. INTERVENTIONS: This review investigates the hemodynamic effects of esmolol following cardiopulmonary bypass for TOF repair. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Preoperative clinical characteristics and perioperative course were extracted from the medical record. Descriptive statistics were used. Twenty-six patients receiving perioperative esmolol after TOF repair were identified and included. Postoperative hemodynamic parameters were within a narrow range with minimal vasoactive support in most patients. Three of 26 patients experienced JET, and one of 26 of whom had a brief cardiac arrest. Median and interquartile range (IQR) for hospital and postoperative length of stay was 7 days (IQR, 6–9 d) and 6 days (IQR, 5–8 d), respectively. There were no 30-day or 1-year mortalities. CONCLUSIONS: In this infant cohort, our experience is that the routine use of postoperative esmolol is associated with good cardiac output with minimal requirement for vasoactive support in most patients. We believe optimal postoperative management of infant TOF repair requires a meticulous multidisciplinary approach, which in our experience is enhanced with routine postoperative esmolol treatment.


We consider accelerated black hole horizons with and without defects. These horizons appear in the C-metric solution to Einstein equations and in its generalization to the case where external fields are present. These solutions realize a variety of physical processes, from the decay of a cosmic string by a black hole pair nucleation to the creation of a black hole pair by an external electromagnetic field. Here, we show that such geometries exhibit an infinite set of symmetries in their near horizon region, generalizing in this way previous results for smooth isolated horizons. By considering the limit close to both the black hole and the acceleration horizons, we show that a sensible set of asymptotic boundary conditions gets preserved by supertranslation and superrotation transformations. By acting on the geometry with such transformations, we derive the superrotated, supertranslated version of the C-metric and compute the associated conserved charges.


The aim of this paper is to show a common origin of religion and ethics in the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas. The concept of religion is closely related to metaphysics of being because it expresses the experience of a person facing the Source of being (God as Creator, actus essendi). By applying the aristotelian concept of justice and, at the same time, by pointing out its insufficiency to express the essence of religion, saint Thomas reveals the phenomenon of simultaneously metaphysical and religious desire. God is known as the Unknown, as absolutely Different, to which human being aspires. The structure of that phenomenon coincides with the structure of the origin of ethics: aspiration to the Source of being, imperceptible by the mind, forms the roots of natural good in the being of a person. With the help of synderese, which is one of the fundamental notions of ethics, saint Thomas clarifies the link that human being constantly maintains with his own ontological roots. The phenomenon of moral conscience, which links the deep heart of human being with the psychological level, is used as a basis to establish morals. Thus, common origin of religion and ethics occurs in the simultaneous real experience of the Source of being and of Good, experience which grants human being a particular purity called holiness.


The issue of whether auditor fees affect auditor independence has been extensively debated by regulators, investors, investment professionals, auditors, and researchers. The revised Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requirements that resulted from the implementation of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act (2002) limit nonaudit services (NAS) and mandate NAS fee disclosure. The SEC's requirements are based on the argument that auditor independence could be impaired—and hence audit quality may be reduced—when auditors become economically dependent on their clients or audit their own work. Economic bonding leads to reduced independence, which can lead to reduced audit quality. We study a sample of firms sanctioned by the SEC for fraudulent financial reporting in Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases (SEC‐sanctioned fraud firms) and examine whether there is a relationship between auditor fee variables and the likelihood of being sanctioned by the SEC for fraud. We use SEC sanction as a measure of audit quality that has not previously been used in the auditor fee literature and is more precise than some of the other proxies used for flawed financial/auditor reporting. We find, in univariate tests, that fraud firms paid significantly higher (total, audit, and NAS) fees. However, in multivariate tests, when controlling for other fraud determinants and endogeneity among the fraud, NAS, and audit fee variables, we find that while NAS fees and total fees are positively and significantly related to the likelihood of being sanctioned by the SEC for fraud, audit fees are not. These findings suggest that higher NAS fees may cause economic bonding, thereby leading to reduced audit quality. Our findings of significantly higher NAS fees and total fees in fraud firms hold after controlling for latent size effects and other rigorous testing. These results contribute to the literature that examines the SEC's concerns regarding NAS and can be used by policy makers for additional consideration.


ABSTRACT. The isolation of Zika virus (ZIKV) from serum of suspected human cases for diagnostic purposes can be challenging due to infrastructure constraints of laboratory testing technology. Therefore, as an alternative method, the objective of this study was to evaluate a random sample of oropharyngeal swabs for the diagnosis of ZIKV infection among patients with symptoms of arboviral and respiratory illness. The results revealed that ZIKV RNA could be detected by a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay and isolated from oropharyngeal swabs from five of 38 samples, but serum samples from the same patients were negative for ZIKV by a variety of laboratory diagnostic approaches including RT-PCR and viral isolation followed by immunofluorescence assays. The findings suggested that the molecular detection and isolation of ZIKV in oropharyngeal swab warrants further study for consideration as an improved diagnostic procedure.


Sensitivity of cultured chick embryo heart cells to acetylcholine changes with time in culture. In 24 h cultures, about 25% of the cells exhibit a positive chronotropic response to acetylcholine. This effect is no longer observed after 48 h in culture. Positive and negative chronotropic effects of acetylcholine can be related to the presence of nicotinic and muscarinic receptors evidenced by autoradiography. Some data suggest a possible relationship between the type of sensitivity to acetylcholine and the changes in cell membrane properties occurring in culture.


Histories of 4 dairy herds with increased incidence of Pseudomonas mastitis associated with contaminated wash hoses in milking parlors are described. Problems of detection and elimination of the organism from contaminated water sources and the inadequacy of iodide germicides in eliminating Pseudomonas are discussed. In problem herds, greater numbers of organisms often are found in the water left standing in the wash hoses between milkings. Thus, flushing of hoses before their use in the milking process may be beneficial in reducing exposure of the cows to the organism.


The frequency of ketosis among the Black-pied cattle in western Siberia have been determined. The genotype of sires and genetic composition of lines were shown to affect resistance and susceptibility to ketosis. The heritability of resistance to the disease was 0.186. Variation in biochemical parameters and natural resistance in cows with ketosis and in healthy cows was studied.


There is good evidence that Mycobacterium tuberculosis evolved with Homo sapiens and, like our ancestors, migrated throughout the rest of the world from Africa some 70,000 years ago (1). Since M. tuberculosis, which is now a familiar human pathogen, coexisted with other mycobacteria within different niches, it is possible that mycobacteria once coexisted with man as a symbiont, much as bacteria such as gut bacteria assist and benefit mankind now. Related to this is the ability of mycobacteria, including M. tuberculosis, to form biofilms. A number of bacteria form biofilms, which likely helps them grow and communicate like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is associated with the disease cystic fibrosis. For human pathogens, biofilm growth helps bacteria become more tolerant of antibiotics and persist in chronic disease and to elicit different immune responses which can affect the efficacy of vaccines (2). This is good for the bacteria. In the case of certain mycobacteria, biofilms coat medical devices and are a nemesis of patients in hospitals. Biofilms require a matrix, and, for M. tuberculosis, species-specific mycolic acids (3) or complex sugars (4) or DNA (5) may be utilized. Anyone who has cultured mycobacteria in a laboratory has noticed the peculiar aggregated growth. They seldom grow as single organisms. Indeed, growth of tuberculosis (TB) organisms as pellicles in stationary cultures, which is the method used by most manufacturers of Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine, occurs in the form of biofilms and new recombinant BCG vaccines cultured in fermenters may differ in safety and efficacy. In a recent issue of Infection and Immunity, Wright et al. (6) showed that mycobacterial membrane protein large (MmpL), a cell wall lipid transporter, is essential for the formation of biofilms in M. tuberculosis. The investigators used a unique in vitro granuloma model generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and containing macrophages, multinucleated giant cells, T cells, and B cells to suggest that biofilms are important in vivo in granulomas. The results of those studies affirm the importance of biofilms in tuberculosis and imply that biofilms are underappreciated in M. tuberculosis pathogenesis. Additional investigations are needed to determine if TB vaccines manufactured from biofilms are more efficacious, if biofilm growth in vivo affects the pathogenesis of tuberculosis, and if vaccines produced from mycobacterial biofilms may be more effective against different stages of the disease such as the chronic phase.


Objective: Education sessions are very important in relapse
prevention in smoking cessation programs. Smokers can improve
their coping skills to deal with high-risk situations by education. The
aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the nicotine
replacement therapy (NRT) on the participation in education sessions.

Method: The records of 67 consecutive smokers were assessed
retrospectively in a smoking cessation outpatient clinic. All outpatients
were diagnosed as nicotine dependence according DSM-IV criteria.
The smoking cessation program was consisted of four weekly group
education sessions and pharmacotherapy as determined by the
patient and clinician preference (nicotine replacement or drug free). The
relation of NRT use and attendence to education sessions was investigated.

Results: Thirty-two outpatients who received NRT (transdermal
nicotine patch and/or nicotine chewing gum) were compared with 35
outpatients who did not receive NRT with respect to the frequency of
attendance at education sessions. We found that outpatients who
received NRT (25%), attended more sessions than did outpatients who
did not receive NRT (5.7%) (p


CENOZOIC INVERTEBRATES OF ARGENTINA. The Cenozoic rocks of Argentina contain a rich, excep- tionally well preserved and remarkable diverse marine and continental invertebrate fauna. The main goal of the present synthesis consists in revealing the continuous progress of the scientific research performed during the last 50 years dealing with these assemblages. Initial studies of microfaunas were carried out be- tween the 50' and 60' and since then the interest for forams and ostracods experimented a marked increase among workers. Analysis on these faunas not only improved the knowledge of their taxonomic composi- tion, provided a proper frame for biostratigraphic works for accurating age assignments of Argentinean Cenozoic strata, but also became a new source of data to be used in paleoenvironmental interpretations. Although known since the middle part of the XIX century, during the last five decades, macroinverte- brates have been matter of a renewed interest by paleontologists. Being the most abundant, the Tertiary marine shallow- water molluscs are the group that most noticeable drew the attention of researchers, and a large part of the investigations focused to clarify systematic aspects that led to meaningful comparisons with other Southern Hemisphere and Caribbean assemblages. Nevertheless, though a large amount of work has been already done, these assemblages are in need of a comprehensive revision in order to ac- complish the proper information to make any final inferences involving origin of these faunas, as well as their biogeographic and paleoclimatic implications. Several Tertiary groups (braquiopods, equinoids, bry- ozoans and corals) still remains poorly understood, and only arthropods were subject of study by scien- tists during this last decade. By the way, Cenozoic continental molluscs have been recently receiving at- tention after that many years elapsed since the pioneer studies.


Introduction: Pacemaker implantation is routinely and widely used around the world for a variety of heart conditions. The use of venography guidance is very important for the operator at the puncture site and prevent complications such as pneumothorax. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of venography in preventing complications and to compare the rate of pneumothorax between patients operated with and without venography guidance. Methods: A total of 539 consecutive patients who had a pacemaker implanted in our clinic between 2012 and 2022 were included in this study. Pacemaker type according to the number of leads used, diagnosis for pacemaker implantation, patient age, gender, concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), presence of defibrillator battery and lead, venography guidance were evaluated and their contribution to the complication of pneumothorax was analyzed. Results: The incidence of pneumothorax development was found to be 1.3% in our study. Venography guidance was found to be significantly protective against pneumothorax, as the patient group that developed pneumothorax consisted of patients who did not undergo venography at a high rate. It was determined that in the patient group that developed pneumothorax, there was a high percentage of patients between the ages of 18-65, of female gender, without concomitant COPD, with 2 leads inserted and with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation (single/double leads). Our study revealed that routine venography in pacemaker implantation is an effective method to protect patients from pneumothorax as well as lead fracture. Discussion and Conclusion: Our study revealed that routine venography during pacemaker implantation is an effective method to protect patients from pneumothorax. Since blind puncture of venous structures increases the risk of complications, venography guidance can be used routinely in pacemaker


Cell transplantation presents great potential for treatment of patients with severe heart failure. However, its clinical application was revealed to be more challenging than initially expected in experimental studies. Further investigations need to be undertaken to define the optimal treatment conditions. We previously reported on the epicardial implantation of a bio-engineered construct of skeletal myoblast-seeded polyurethane and its preventive effect on progression toward heart failure. In the present study, we present a long-term evaluation of this functional outcome. Left anterior descending coronary ligation was performed in female Lewis rats. Two weeks later, animals were treated with either epicardial implantation of biograft, acellular scaffold, sham operation, or direct intramyocardial skeletal myoblast injection. Functional assessments were performed with serial echocardiographies every 3 months and end point left ventricle pressure was assessed. Hearts were then harvested for histological examinations. Myocardial infarction induced a slow and progressive reduction in fractional shortening after 3 months. Progression toward heart failure was significantly prevented for up to 6 months after injection of myoblasts and for up to 9 months following biograft implantation. Nevertheless, this effect vanished after 12 months, with immunohistological examinations revealing an absence of the transplanted myoblasts within the scaffold. We demonstrated that tissue therapy is superior to cell therapy for stabilization of heart function. However, beneficial effects are transient.