This manuscript reports the synthesis and X-ray characterization of two octahydro-1H-4,6-epoxycyclopenta[c]pyridin-1-one derivatives that contain the four most abundant halogen atoms (Ha) in the structure with the aim of studying the formation of Ha···Ha halogen bonding interactions. The anisotropy of electron density at the heavier halogen atoms provokes the formation of multiple Ha···Ha contacts in the solid state. That is, the heavier Ha-atoms exhibit a region of positive electrostatic potential (σ-hole) along the C–Ha bond and a belt of negative electrostatic potential (σ-lumps) around the atoms. The halogen bonding assemblies in both compounds were analyzed using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surfaces, the quantum theory of "atom-in-molecules" (QTAIM), the noncovalent interaction plot (NCIplot), and the electron localization function (ELF).


The Sierra de Catorce is a N-S-trending mountain range located in the northeastern portion of the Mesa Central physiographic province, Mexico. The Sierra lies at the northern end of the Taxco-San Miguel de Allende fault system, which is interpreted as the surface expression of a major crustal discontinuity. A Triassic to upper Cretaceous sedimentary succession, deformed during the Laramide orogeny, crops out in the range. From the structural point of view, the Sierra de Catorce is a double plunging anticlinorium bounded in its western side by a post-Laramide N-S-trending and west dipping normal fault. We report geochronologic and geochemical data for several post-tectonic granitoids cropping out in the range. The intrusive bodies are I-type continental arc granitoids with Eocene instrusion ages (ca. 38 to 45 Ma, U-Pb determined by LA-ICPMS on individual zircon crystals). Epithermal argentiferous ore deposits are spatially associated with the granitoids. The geochemical signature of the granitoids indicates that magmas derived from a metasomatized mantle, and were highly contaminated with crustal materials. Despite the inferred position of the subduction zone during the Eocene (over 600 km westward), an influence of the subducted slab is needed to explain the metasomatization of the mantle wedge and the high-Ba content observed in all the Sierra de Catorce granitoids. Geochemical features of the granitic rocks are consistent with the regional and local geological framework that allowed rapid emplacement of magma pulses in a post-orogenic extensional geodynamic setting.


Recently, Marko and Litvinov (ML) conjectured that, for all positive integers $n$ and $p$, the $p$th power of $n$ admits the representation $n^p = \sum_{\ell =0}^{p-1} (-1)^{l} c_{p,\ell} F_{n}^{p-\ell}$, where $F_{n}^{p-\ell}$ is the $n$th hyper-tetrahedron number of dimension $p-\ell$ and $c_{p,\ell}$ denotes the number of $(p -\ell)$-dimensional facets of the $p$-dimensional simplex $x_{\sigma_1} \geq x_{\sigma_2} \geq \cdots \geq x_{\sigma_p}$ (where $\sigma$ is a permutation of $\{ 1, 2, \ldots, p \}$) formed by cutting the $p$-dimensional cube $0 \leq x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_p \leq n-1$. In this paper we show that the ML conjecture is true for every natural number $p$. Our proof relies on the fact that the validity of the ML conjecture necessarily implies that $c_{p,\ell} = (p-\ell)! S(p, p-\ell)$, where $S(p,p-\ell)$ are the Stirling numbers of the second kind. Furthermore, we provide a number of equivalent formulas expressing the sum of powers $\sum_{i=1}^{n} i^p$ as a linear combination of figurate numbers.


The present case report describes a unique example of recurrent hemarthrosis and associated arthralgia in a 41-year-old male after laparoscopic left medial meniscus repair, which failed to resolve with conservative treatment and surgical revision. Due to the worsening symptomatology as evidenced by increasing volume of aspirated blood during serial arthrocenteses and gradually decreasing range of motion of the joint despite surgical revision, geniculate artery embolization (GAE) was recommended. GAE is not routinely utilized to treat postoperative complications following meniscus repair; however, in the present case, utilizing selective angiographic embolization of the geniculate arteries led to successful treatment of recurrent spontaneous hemarthrosis and associated arthralgia. At this point, the patient has been symptom free for nine months. Relevant patient history, along with progress monitoring data from follow-up visits, demonstrates that spontaneous hemarthrosis and associated arthralgia following laparoscopic medial meniscus repair may be successfully treated with GAE. This is a noteworthy finding which underlines the importance of investigating alternative therapies in treatment refractory cases. However, a thorough evaluation of the appropriateness of this intervention is of paramount importance and its potential benefits need to be determined on a case-by-case basis.


In the present work, the flow pattern in pipe flows has been simulated for drag reducing fluids using a low Reynolds number k–e model. The model uses a non-linear molecular viscosity and damping function to account for near wall effects. The comparison between the predictions and the experimental profiles of axial velocity and kinetic energy are in good agreement. A systematic study has been undertaken to investigate the effect of rheological parameters and to consider the modification to the flow that arises in the presence of a fluid yield stress.


Abstract The phase diagram of the Cd–In–Sn ternary system was studied by X-ray powder diffraction analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. 138 alloys were elaborated on nine vertical sections. Three transition peritectic reactions (U-type), two ternary eutectoid reactions (E-type) and one ternary eutectic reaction (E-type) were characterized.


This dataset contains fatty acid (FA) data expressed as mass percent of total FA for bearded seals, ringed seals and walrus. This is one of many datasets used in Bromaghin et al., In press, Assessing the robustness of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis to assumption violations, Methods in Ecology and Evolution. These supplemental data were used in computer simulations to compare the bias of several quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) estimators and develop recommendations regarding estimator selection.


Currently, cardiovascular disease is the second highest cause of death globally. The occurrence and development of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) have attracted attention, and inflammation has been found to play an important role in the occurrence and development of ACS. We investigated the roles of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), as well as their relationship, in patients with ACS. We analysed the dynamic changes in IL-17 and IFN-γ levels in patients with ACS before and after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). Patients were divided into the following 3 groups: (1) an Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) group (n=30), (2) an Unstable Angina Pectoris (UAP) group (n=30), and (3) a control group (n=30). We found that the IL-17 and IFN-γ levels were higher in the AMI and UAP groups than those in the control group. However, no significant association was observed between IL-17 and IFN-γ levels and the degree of coronary artery stenosis. A low correlation was found between IL-17 and IFN-γ levels before treatment; however, no correlation was detected after treatment. In the AMI and UAP groups, IL-17 and IFN-γ levels were significantly lower after PCI than those before PCI. IL-17 and IFN-γ may play a central role in the occurrence and development of ACS; however, their levels may not reflect disease severity. Additionally, IL-17 and IFN-γ may act synergistically in ACS. Moreover, the clinical symptoms in patients with ACS can be alleviated and inflammation in the body can be reduced through PCI.


This article develops rank tests for the nonparametric main factor effects and interactions in multi-way high-dimensional analysis of variance when the cell distributions are completely unspecified. The design can be balanced or unbalanced with the cell sample sizes fixed or tending to infinity. An arbitrary number of factors and all types of ordinal data are allowed. This extends the use of rank methods to the Neymann–Scott and triangular array problems. The asymptotic distribution of the rank statistics is obtained by showing their asymptotic equivalence to corresponding expressions based on the asymptotic rank transform. Compared with test procedures based on the original observations, the proposed rank procedures are free of moment conditions, converge to their limiting distribution faster, and have better power when the underlying distributions are heavy tailed or skewed. These advantages are demonstrated by simulations and an application to a real data set.


Robotic swarms are nonlinear dynamical systems that benefit from the presence of human operators in realistic missions with changing goals and constraints. There has been recent interest in safe operations of robotic swarms under human control. Verification and validation techniques for these  human-machine systems could be deployed to provide formal guarantees of safe performance. A current limitation that hinders practical significant applications of verification to human-machine systems is the lack of analytic models of the human operator that include realistic cognitive constraints. Our research aims to develop  high fidelity analytic human models via abstraction of cognitive models based on ACT-R. In this paper, we report on results from the first step in this process. We designed a 2-choice control task of a robotic swarm, obtained data from human operators and compared the fit of these data to two analytic models and an ACT-R based cognitive model. We present the experimental results and discuss our future plans on how the analytic model will be derived from the cognitive model so that the whole human-swarm system could be amenable to verification techniques.


Background H pylori infection is one of the major causes of health problems with considerable morbidity and mortality. H pylori seroprevalence is common in populations with poor standards of sanitation and hygiene. Methods A two-stage cluster sampling technique was employed to draw the required sample. A crowding index with three categories (low, moderate, high) was constructed by dividing the number of individuals per household by the number of the rooms. Assessment of socioeconomic status (SES) was calculated by Hollingstead Index (HI). Results Serum of 1976 children was tested. H pylori seropositivity in 1 e 5 years were 53.5%. It increased with moderate crowding index (CRI) of 2 e 4 to 45.9% and to 51.2% with CRI > 4. In middle SES, seropositivity was 331 (50.5%) while in lower SES 500 (47.1%). Multivariate analysis showed H pylori seroprevalence was high in 6 e 10 and 11 e 15 years (OR: 1.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.9 and OR: 1.9, 95% CI 1.56 to 2.47, respectively), in lower-middle SES (OR: 1.6, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.1 and OR: 1.5, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.0, respectively) and uneducated fathers (OR: 1.58, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.95). Conclusion H pylori seropositivity increased with age, in low-middle SES and is related to father ' s educational status.


Long-term trials are established in order to explore and observe plant and soil interrelationships in situ. Long-term trials can be described as live instruments providing ceteris paribus conditions in temporal sequences.
 This review provides an introduction to major long-term trials in Hungary and in other parts of the world. It gives a brief summary of the origins of plant nutritional research, beginning with some data from Homer and the willow tree experiment of van Helmont, as well as the discovery of physiological processes by von Liebig, Lawes and Boussingault. The most profound long-term trials, like the Orto Botanico in Padova, the Linné Garden in Uppsala and the Broadbalk in Rothamsted are presented in the paper.
 The agronomic, educational and scientific benefits of the major Hungarian long-term trials are also discussed, from Westsik (1929) to Martonvásár and the National Plant Nutrition Trials (OMTK) set up in 1963. There is a list of experimental sites giving information on the most important recent long-term trial locations and their activities.


In this study, fluorescent dye-conjugated magnetic resonance (MR) imaging agents were investigated in T mode. Gadolinium-conjugated silica nanoparticles were successfully synthesized for both MR imaging and fluorescence diagnostics. Polyamine and polycarboxyl functional groups were modified chemically on the surface of the silica nanoparticles for efficient conjugation of gadolinium ions. The derived gadolinium-conjugated silica nanoparticles were investigated by zeta potential analysis, transmission electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. MR equipment was used to investigate their use as contrast-enhancing agents in T1 mode under a 9.4 T magnetic field. In addition, we tracked the distribution of the gadolinium-conjugated nanoparticles in both lung cancer cells and organs in mice.


The p21‐activated kinases (PAK1), PAK2, and PAK3 are members of the PAK group I and share high sequence identity and common biochemical properties. PAK3 is specifically implicated in neuronal plasticity and also regulates cell cycle progression, neuronal migration, and apoptosis. Loss of function of PAK3 is responsible for X‐linked non‐syndromic mental retardation whereas gain of PAK3 function is associated with cancer. To understand the functional specificities of PAK3, we analyzed the structure of PAK3 gene products. We report here the characterization of a new alternatively spliced exon called c located upstream of the previously identified exon b. Exon b is detected in all tetrapods and not in fish, exon c is only present in mammals. Mammalian PAK3 genes encode four splice variants and the corresponding proteins were detected with specific antibodies in brain extracts. All PAK3 transcripts are specifically expressed in brain and in particular in neurons. The presence of the exons b and c renders the kinase constitutively active and decreases interaction with GTPases. The expression of the new splice variants in COS7 cells alters cell morphology and modifies the structure of focal adhesions. We propose that the appearance of new alternatively spliced exons during evolution and the resulting increase of complexity of PAK3 gene products may confer new functions to this kinase and contribute to its specific roles in neuronal signaling.


A computational constitutive model was developed to predict damage and fracture failure of asphalt concrete mixtures. Complex heterogeneity and inelastic mechanical behavior are addressed by the model by using finite-element methods and elastic- viscoelastic consti - tutive relations. Damage evolution due to progressive cracking is represented by randomly oriented interface fracture, which is governed by a newly developed nonlinear viscoelastic cohesive zone model. Computational simulations demonstrate that damage evolution and failure of asphalt concrete mixtures is dependent on the mechanical properties of the mixture. This approach is suitable for the relative evaluation of asphalt concrete mixtures by simply employing material properties and fracture properties of mixture components rather than by perform- ing expensive laboratory tests recursively, which are typically required for continuum damage mechanics modeling.


Background: The expression of HER-2neu and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with osteosarcoma may determine the response to treatment. These two factors are likely to be effective in cancer progression. This study aimed at investigating the prevalence of these two factors in the pathological samples. Methods: Pathological samples of patients with osteosarcoma collected at a cancer surgery center between 2017 and 2018 were evaluated, of which 37 samples were included. The samples were evaluated using the IHC technique by two pathologists. Results: 12 women and 25 men with an average age of 26.7 years were studied. 21 patients (56.8%) developed metastases from the beginning or during follow-up, whereas 16 patients (43.2%) have not yet developed metastases. Regarding HER-2neu, 21 patients (56.8%) scored 0, 9 patients (24.3%) scored 1, 3 patients (8.1%) scored +2, and 4 patients (10.8%) scored +3. The VEGF intensity scores of 0, 1+, 2+, +3, +4 and were found in 7 (18.9%), 2 (5.4%), 18 (48.6%), 8 (21.6%), and 2 (5.4%) patients, respectively. The results of the study did not show a significant relationship between age, gender, metastasis, and positive expression rates of HER-2neu and VEGF. Conclusion: The high expression of VEGF (75.7%) in the studied samples should be considered and further studies on this biomarker in cases with osteosarcoma are recommended from different aspects. To achieve validated results and prove the results of this study, similar studies with a larger sample size should be performed, and using targeted therapy for angiogenesis in large scale trials should be considered.


The current efficiency for the electrolytic generation of cadmium(ll) from an amalgamated cadmium anode was investigated as a function of electrolyte composition and current density. The generation of cadmium(ll) proceeded with 100% current efficiency over a wide range of current density, when both sodium chloride and sodium acetate concentrations were higher than 0.1 M. Thus, the use of cadmium(ll) instead of zinc(ll) as a coulometric titrant for complexometry (T. Tanaka et al., Bunseki Kagaku , 33, E9 (1984)) reduced the error in amperometric indication of the end point. With 0.5 M sodium chloride-0.5 M sodium acetate medium of pH 5.5, high-purity gallium and indium were assayed coulometrically. The method was based on the reaction of the sample metal ion with a known excess of EDTA, the unconsumed EDTA being back-titrated with electrolytically generated cadmium(ll). The relative standard deviation of the results was about 0.01% for both metals in the range of 200-300 mg.


N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) has been claimed to markedly inhibit the transvascular passage of small proteins and albumin by interacting with the docking and fusion of plasmalemmal vesicles with their target membranes. To investigate the role of transcytosis in the transcapillary passage of albumin, we assessed the effects of NEM on (125)I-labeled radioiodinated serum albumin clearance (RISA-Cl) from blood to muscle in isolated and maximally vasodilated perfused rat hindquarters, in which vascular pressures, pre- and postcapillary resistances, and the capillary filtration coefficient (CFC) were continuously monitored. NEM (0.3-0.5 mM) caused a marked increase mainly in precapillary vascular resistance. Thus the arterial-to-venous resistance ratio in NEM-treated animals was 3.12 +/- 0.56 versus 1.66 +/- 0.17 during the control period (P < 0.05). Despite that, there was a doubling of both CFC from 0.0363 +/- 0.0028 to 0.0778 +/- 0.0101 ml x min(-1) x mmHg(-1) x 100 g(-1) (P < 0.01) and RISA-Cl, compared with the control situation, signaling markedly increased microvascular permeability. Our results strongly suggest that NEM, besides producing marked vasoconstriction, also causes damage to the capillary endothelium. Thus, instead of inhibiting transvascular transport, NEM may induce increases in the bulk transport of albumin from blood to tissue.


The DMTPC detector is a low-pressure CF4 TPC with optical readout for directional detection of Dark Matter. The combination of the energy and directional tracking information allows for an efficient suppression of all backgrounds. The choice of gas (CF4) makes this detector particularly sensitive to spin-dependent interactions.


Phagocytic abilities between casein-induced Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat macrophage and kidney macrophage of fish were compared. First of all, latex bead phagocytosis abilities of macrophages from rat and fish by the same water sample were compared. In vitro exposure of the water samples to the induced SD rat macrophages for 4 hr at concentrations ranging from 10 × to 80 × of the water sample reduced the latex bead phagocytosis of the macrophages with concentration dependency. This result was similar with that of the head kidney macrophages from Cyprinus carpio and Carassius auratus. The most important advantage of using rat macrophage is its availability, because it is very hard to catch resident fishes in highly polluted rivers, and it is almost impossible to determine the extent of biological crisis in the river. These critical difficulties of previous monitoring systems could be solved by the application of casein-induced SD rat macrophages. With the above result, rat macrophage was used to investigate the acute toxicity of polluted water samples and compare pollution levels of the Kumho, Kum and Mankyung Rivers and Miho Creek in the southern part of Korea. Finally, it was confirmed that the in vitro monitoring system for exposure of SD rat macrophage to polluted water samples was available for environmental monitoring purposes.


Streptococcus suis is a major swine pathogen and an important zoonotic agent worldwide. At least nine serotypes can infect human so far. Although 29 serotypes (1-19, 21, 23-25, 27-31 and 1/2) strains are considered as authentic S. suis, a novel variant serotype Chz and strains carrying 20 novel capsular polysaccharide loci (NCL) have been identified recently. However, information about pathogenic and antimicrobial resistance characteristics of strains carrying NCLs is still unavailable. In this study, we identified six new NCLs (designated as NCL21-26) from 35 non-typeable S. suis strains by agglutination tests and whole genome sequencing analysis. Further analysis of the genetic context of NCL25 and NCL26 showed a mosaic structure of the capsular polysaccharide loci. NCL25 exhibited considerable similarity to that of serotypes 10 and 11, and NCL26 shared similarity to that of serotype 9 and NCL4. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated that strains carrying NCL21-26 were all resistant to clindamycin, lincomycin, erythromycin, tilmicosin and tetracycline. Animal infection experiments showed that the virulence of NCL26 strain NJ1112 isolated from a disease pig was similar to that of S. suis serotype 2 virulent strain SC070731 in both zebrafish and mouse infection models, highlighting the necessity for surveillance of strains belonging to NCL26. We also developed a multiplex PCR assay to detect NCL21-26 strains. Our findings expand the views of genetic diversity of S. suis capsular polysaccharide loci and S. suis pathogenic characteristic.


The relationships between environmental factors and temporal and spatial variations of benthic communities of three rocky shores of the state of Espirito Santo, Southeast Brazil, were studied. Sampling was conducted every three months, from August 2006 to May 2007, using intersection points. Chthamalus bisinuatus (Pilsbry, 1916) (Crustacea) and Brachidontes spp. (Mollusca) were the most abundant taxa, occupying the upper level of the intertidal zone of the rocky shore. The species richness was higher at the lower levels. The invasive species Isognomon bicolor (C. B. Adams, 1845) (Mollusca) occurred at low densities in the studied areas. The clustering analysis dendrogram indicated a separation of communities based on exposed and sheltered areas. According to the variance analyses, the communities were significantly different among the studied areas and seasons. The extent of wave exposure and shore slope influenced the species variability. The Setibao site showed the highest diversity and richness, most likely due to greater wave exposure. The communities showed greater variation in the lower levels where environmental conditions were less severe, relative to the other levels.


Results of salinity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), total inorganic nitrogen, orthophosphate phosphorus and reactive silica were investigated in relation to the fouling organisms settled in the different marinas of the Eastern Aegean coast. Water samples were taken 3 m below the surface and from bottom. Seasonal changes in sessile macrobenthic groups settled on test panels were studied during 1993-1994. Fifty-five sessile macrofouling organisms belonging to 8 different groups prevailing at the study sites were identified. In the more stressed marinas, the covering values of dominant groups were found to be notably different. Some pollution resistant species such as Hydroides elegans, Balanus eburneus, Balanus amphitrite, Bugula stolonifera, Bugula neritina and Ciona intestinalis were predominantly present. The early colonisers as well as rapidly breeding opportunistic species were dominantly present at the sites enriched by organic pollutants.


To address the question whether the abundancy of agricultural land in regions of Russia can favour growth of their crop production in a long run, a simulation framework is developed that is robust to a high level of uncertainty. Its core is a variety of a partial equilibrium model with a fully specified demand function and an equilibrium point as the only datum about the supply function. Procedures of systems analysis are applied to reduce the uncertainty and to measure its harm. As a result, reliable conclusions are obtained from 1000 random trials. The uncertain parameters of the model are ranked on urgency of their more accurate estimations for the purpose of obtaining a more precise projection. Among 11 uncertain parameters of the model, only four significantly affect incremental land use. Simulations suggest that combining protectionism with monetary inflows in R&D allows moderate growth of the cultivated land area. So, the hypothetical congestion effect of land abundancy is ruled out.


Today, a consistent part of our everyday interaction with art and aesthetic artefacts occurs through digital media, and our preferences and choices are systematically tracked and analyzed by algorithms in ways that are far from transparent. Our consumption is constantly documented, and then, we are fed back through tailored information. We are therefore witnessing the emergence of a complex interrelation between our aesthetic choices, their digital elaboration, and also the production of content and the dynamics of creative processes. All are involved in a process of mutual influences, and are partially determined by the invisible guiding hand of algorithms. With regard to this topic, this paper will introduce some key issues concerning the role of algorithms in aesthetic domains, such as taste detection and formation, cultural consumption and production, and showing how aesthetics can contribute to the ongoing debate about the impact of today's "algorithmic culture".


Objective to determine the relationship of sonographic features to the histological typing and grading of breast mass. Methods: 292 breast masses were prospectively evaluated with ultrasonography. Sonographic features included irregular shape, microlobulation, spiculated margin, halo, posterior attenuation, microcalcification, ductal distortion. Lesion morphology was analyzed and correlated with histopathologic results, which included tumor typing and grading. Then we make a retrospective analysis and evaluation of patients scanned completely by qualitative and semi-quantitative methods. All patients have signed the informed consent form before the test, together with the recognition of the Ethics Committee. Resuls: Among these masses, there are breast cancer accounted for 45.89% (134/292), A rounded or lobular mass was strongly associated with ductal carcinoma in situ(DCIS), poorly differential invasive ductal carcinoma(IDC), or some of the specific invasive cancer. Mastitis accounted for 8.22% (24/292), fibroadenoma accounted for 43.84% (128/292), and phyllodes tumor accounted for 2.05% (6/292). In 134 breast cancer cases, 92.70% (127/134)have obviously sonographic features with justled growth was found around the turmor with lamellar necrosis in different extents and lympholeukocytic infiltration, microlobulation, speculated margin, halo, posterior attenuation, microcalcification, ductal distortion, with justled growth was found around the turmor, neoplastic cell array showed as massive nest, patchy and satin ribbon structure, and the membrane of tumor cells was unsharpness with less cytoplasma, round or oval nucleus, great heteromorphism, higher karyoplasmic ratio and common nuclear mitotic figures. Other 7 cases with fibrous tissue hyperplasia under microscope show a regular shape. In fibroadenoma, phyllodes tumor and mastitis team, they shows unobviously sonographic features and the cell morphology contrast with breast cancer are quite different. Conclusions: Ultrasonography appearance of breast masses is related to pathologic characteristics and can be a predictor of histopathologic pattern preoperatively. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-01-16.


The 2011 Syrian uprising looks, from afar, like a paradigmatic example of ethnically exclusive rule giving way to civil war. The ruling regime is drawn almost exclusively from the Alawi minority, and the challengers were drawn heavily from the Sunni majority. But many Sunnis remained quiescent or actively supported the regime. This article argues that variation in revolutionary participation among members of an excluded ethnic group is best explained in terms of the networks states construct across ethnic boundaries. It identifies several forms of linkage that regimes can develop with their subject populations and relates them to variations in local social structure. Drawing on an original data set of ethnic identity and challenge events in the Syrian uprising, the article quantitatively tests the state networks hypothesis. Its findings suggest that the mechanisms commonly associated with ethnic identity and "ethnic exclusion" frequently operate upon social boundaries below the ethnic group level.


Abstract Adopting an agnotological perspective, this article extends the critical literature on APIs (application programing interfaces) by systematically showing that social media APIs are largely blind to acts of disconnectivity such as unfriending and unliking. We do this through analysis of the traces of social media usage that are not accessible through APIs as gleaned from the technical documentation published for developers by 12 major SNSs. Our findings make two main contributions. First, we show for the first time that APIs offer virtually no access to data about disconnectivity. Second, we show that APIs offer a very limited historical perspective, particularly regarding disconnectivity. However, for types of users that might spend money on advertising, far more historical and disconnectivity-oriented information is accessible through the API. This has practical consequences for research and contributes to an agnotology of social media that sheds critical light on the advertiser-friendly atmosphere of connectivity that social media try to create.


The genetic form of retinoblastoma carries a high risk of secondary malignant neoplasm, apparently not related to the use of chemotherapy. A child with unilateral non‐genetic retinoblastoma who had received chemotherapy and radiation therapy and developed acute non‐lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) is reported. The occurrence of ANLL and Retinoblastoma has not been previously reported.


Formal modeling of cyber-physical systems (CPS) is hard, because they pose the double challenge of combined discrete-continuous dynamics and concurrent behavior. Existing formal specification and verification languages for CPS are designed on top of their underlying proof search technology. They lack high-level structuring elements. In addition, they are not efficiently executable. This makes formal CPS models hard to understand and to validate, hence impairs their usability. Instead, we suggest to model CPS in an Active Objects (AO) language designed for concise, intuitive modeling of concurrent systems. To this end, we extend the AO language ABS and its runtime environment with Hybrid Active Objects (HAO). CPS models and requirements formalized in HAO must follow certain communication patterns that permit automatic translation into differential dynamic logic, a sequential hybrid program logic. Verification is achieved by discharging the resulting formulas with the theorem prover KeYmaera X. We demonstrate the practicality of our approach with case studies.


ABSTRACT Peroxisomes are independent organelles found in virtually all eukaryotic cells. Genetic studies have identified more than 20PEX genes that are required for peroxisome biogenesis. The role of most PEX gene products, peroxins, remains to be determined, but a variety of studies have established that Pex5p binds the type 1 peroxisomal targeting signal and is the import receptor for most newly synthesized peroxisomal matrix proteins. The steady-state abundance of Pex5p is unaffected in mostpex mutants of the yeast Pichia pastorisbut is severely reduced in pex4 andpex22 mutants and moderately reduced in pex1and pex6 mutants. We used these subphenotypes to determine the epistatic relationships among several groups ofpex mutants. Our results demonstrate that Pex4p acts after the peroxisome membrane synthesis factor Pex3p, the Pex5p docking factors Pex13p and Pex14p, the matrix protein import factors Pex8p, Pex10p, and Pex12p, and two other peroxins, Pex2p and Pex17p. Pex22p and the interacting AAA ATPases Pex1p and Pex6p were also found to act after Pex10p. Furthermore, Pex1p and Pex6p were found to act upstream of Pex4p and Pex22p. These results suggest that Pex1p, Pex4p, Pex6p, and Pex22p act late in peroxisomal matrix protein import, after matrix protein translocation. This hypothesis is supported by the phenotypes of the corresponding mutant strains. As has been shown previously for P. pastoris pex1,pex6, and pex22 mutant cells, we show here thatpex4Δ mutant cells contain peroxisomal membrane protein-containing peroxisomes that import residual amounts of peroxisomal matrix proteins.


Twelve patients with a history of aspirin-induced urticaria and/or angioedema were studied before and after the provocation of symptoms with aspirin. The resting plasma histamine levels in these patients (0.95 +/- 0.25 ng/mL) were significantly higher than in 30 control subjects (0.21 +/- 0.02 ng/mL) (P less than .0005) and nine patients with non-aspirin-sensitive urticaria (0.27 +/- 0.06 ng/mL) (P less than .01). The plasma histamine levels fell significantly at the time of adverse reactions to aspirin (P less than .01). The high resting histamine levels, like the high venous prostaglandin F2 alpha levels that we have previously reported in the same group of patients and the high plasma histamine levels we have found in aspirin-sensitive asthmatics suggest an abnormality of mediator release in aspirin-sensitive patients.


The effects of compressibility on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) are investigated. It is shown that the controversy over compressibility effects in the previous studies is due to improper comparison, in which the density varying effect obscures the real role of compressibility. After eliminating the density varying effect, it is found that the compressibility destabilizes RTI in both the cases of constant density and exponentially varying density when M<<1. This destabilizing effect is more important at smaller values of the Atwood number AT or greater values of gravity g, and the increment in the growth rate produced by compressibility depends inversely on the pressure p or the ratio of specific heat Γ.


We address issues raised in designing a new work for saxophonist and digital media involving 3D motion capture technology. A saxophonist's kinaesthetics are recorded with a 3D motion capture system, and used as control data in the real-time processing of sound and 3D visuals. We address current gesture research and propose an extension to current gesture taxonomies. Linguistics has been taken as a basis for analysis of communication in musical processes, and serve as a fundamental reference in our discussion. The writings of Julia Kristeva, in particular her concept of dialectic oscillation between the semiotic and symbolic modalities, inform our approach to designing a system which articulates gestural intention with technological imprint. Notions of physicality and effort in the context of sound based performance prove useful in this research as the sophistication in processing that is associated with real-time audio-visual systems is often not complemented by gestural intention. By focusing on short performance segments we are able to test various mapping strategies that address the issue of relating control-spaces of different dimensions and qualities. The resulting connections between the performers gesture (as recorded by the motion capture system) and the sonic output are a product of the character of each individual segment and its context within the work. The work is designed using the MAX/MSP/Jitter graphic-programming environment (Cycling74, 2004).


Little is known about the impact of surface transient storage (STS) zones on reach‐scale transport and the fate of dissolved nutrients in streams. Exchange with these locations may influence the rates of nutrient cycling often observed in whole‐stream tracer experiments, particularly because they are sites of organic matter collection and lower flow velocities than those observed in the thalweg. We performed a conservative stream tracer experiment (slug of dissolved NaCl) in the Ipswich River in northeastern Massachusetts and collected solute tracer data both in the thalweg and adjacent STS zones at three locations in a fifth‐order reach. Tracer time series observed in STS zones are an aggregate of residence time distributions (RTDs) of the upstream transport to that point (RTDTHAL) and that of the temporary storage within these zones (RTDSTS). Here we demonstrate the separation of these two RTDs to determine the RTDSTS specifically. Total residence times for these individual STS zones range from 4.5 to 7.5 h, suggesting that these zones have the potential to host important biogeochemical transformations in stream systems. All of the RTDSTS show substantial deviations from the ideal prescribed by the two‐state (mobile/immobile) mass transfer equations. The deviations indicate a model mismatch and that parameter estimation based on the mass transfer equations will yield misleading values.


Lysosomal exoglycosidases participate in the destruction of the articular cartilage by cleaving glycoside bonds in glycoproteins and proteoglycans. The aim of the study was to determine the activity of exoglycosidases: hexosaminidase, β-glucuronidase, β-galactosidase, α-mannosidase and α-fucosidase in serum and synovial fluid of patients with Lyme and rheumatoid arthritis. The study group consisted of 10 patients with chronic Lyme arthritis (age 18 – 74 y), 13 with rheumatoid arthritis (age 32 – 70 y) and 10 with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (age 8 – 17 y). The control group consisted of 9 healthy volunteers (age 24 – 62 y). The activity of the exoglycosidases was determined with the p-nitrophenyl derivatives of sugars as substrates. A significant increase of the activity of all the exoglycosidases in serum and in synovial fluid of the patients with different forms of arthritis was found. The ratio of synovial fluid/serum activity of exoglycosidases was above 2.0 in LA but not in JIA and RA patients. As the main source of exoglycosidases in the joint is the synovial membrane, this result supports the appropriateness of therapeutic synovectomy in chronic Lyme arthritis with knee effusion. The serum activity of hexosaminidase may be used in monitoring the course of Lyme arthritis and the efficiency of treatment.


Background and purpose: Atherosclerosis is a form of arteriosclerosis that is one of the main causes of death in the world. In coronary artery disease, the vessels are stenosed due to lipid aggregation and inflammation. Epidemiologic studies have shown that in addition to demographic factors such as age and sex, blood pressure, smoking, obesity diabetes and genetics are also associated with development of atherosclerosis process. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between these factors and atherosclerosis. Materials and methods: One hundred twenty six Iranian subjects (68 males, 58 females) were recruited based on the study�s inclusion criteria. Total RNA was extracted from WBC and, the gene expression level was determined by RT-qPCR method. Results: Significant relationship was found between sex (P 0.05). Conclusion: We found that among factors affecting atherosclerosis, sex and LDL-C could change the Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein-2 gene expression. © 2016, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.


Today's radars exhibit tremendous capacity to detect, locate, track and even provide the basis for identifying targets. However, these capabilities come with a price. Higher resolution means increased processing requirements, and generally smaller regional coverage. Also the complex behavior of some targets requires the judicial prediction of the "right" radar mode for continued observance of the target. As such, the need for offboard cues from other platforms can be beneficial in selecting and prioritizing regions of activity and at the same time provide the basis for predicting the appropriate radar mode. Distributed fusion provides a fundamental structure for capitalizing on off-board sources as a means of improving on-board sensor resource management. Also, the synergistic use of overlapping and complementary data sources provides information that is otherwise not observable from individual sources. Many existing fusion systems use a centralized architecture by processing all data at a single fusion node. The availability of distributed computing and the need to deal with bigger problems, however will imply distributed fusion systems with multiple fusion nodes processing data from their own sensors and communicating with other nodes to improve upon the local results.


Background: Hypoxia is the hallmark of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and in hypoxic environment, significant changes are observed in malignancy-related microRNAs (miRNA). Our aim is to examine whether there is any difference in the levels of miR-210, miR-373 and let-7, which are directly related to malignancies in patients with IDA.
Methods: Thirty-five female patients with IDA between the ages of 18-65 and 10 healthy controls were included in the study. Patients who received oral iron therapy, who had inflammatory disease, and who were pregnant were excluded from the study. Student t Test was used for comparing variables with normal distribution in two independent groups, and Mann-Whitney U Test was used for variables without normal distribution. Comparison of categorical data was made using the chi-square test.
Results: The mean hemoglobin and ferritin level were 10,78±0,93 and 6.28±5,76 respectively. Plasma miR-210 expression were found as -7.27±2.23 and -6.15±0,88 in IDA and control group respectively (p = 0.022). Plasma miRNA-373 were -7.36±2,58 and -6,96±1,93 and let-7 expression were 2.14±2,15 and 3,57±2,21 in IDA and control group. (p = 0.65 and p = 0.20, respectively).
Conclusions: Plasma miR-210 expression was significantly up-regulated and miR-373 and let-7 expression was down-regulated, though insignificantly, in IDA group.
Keywords: miRNA; iron deficiency anemia; malignancy.


Abstract. In the last 2 decades, Pine Island Glacier (PIG) experienced marked speedup, thinning, and grounding-line retreat, likely due to marine ice-sheet instability and ice-shelf basal melt. To better understand these processes, we combined 2008–2010 and 2012–2014 GPS records with dynamic firn model output to constrain local surface and basal mass balance for PIG. We used GPS interferometric reflectometry to precisely measure absolute surface elevation (zsurf) and Lagrangian surface elevation change (Dzsurf∕ Dt). Observed surface elevation relative to a firn layer tracer for the initial surface (zsurf − zsurf0′) is consistent with model estimates of surface mass balance (SMB, primarily snow accumulation). A relatively abrupt  ∼  0.2–0.3 m surface elevation decrease, likely due to surface melt and increased compaction rates, is observed during a period of warm atmospheric temperatures from December 2012 to January 2013. Observed Dzsurf∕ Dt trends (−1 to −4 m yr−1) for the PIG shelf sites are all highly linear. Corresponding basal melt rate estimates range from  ∼  10 to 40 m yr−1, in good agreement with those derived from ice-bottom acoustic ranging, phase-sensitive ice-penetrating radar, and high-resolution stereo digital elevation model (DEM) records. The GPS and DEM records document higher melt rates within and near features associated with longitudinal extension (i.e., transverse surface depressions, rifts). Basal melt rates for the 2012–2014 period show limited temporal variability despite large changes in ocean temperature recorded by moorings in Pine Island Bay. Our results demonstrate the value of long-term GPS records for ice-shelf mass balance studies, with implications for the sensitivity of ice–ocean interaction at PIG.


A novel, facile method based on a non-aqueous sol–gel solvothermal process has been developed to synthesise spherical TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in one pot. The reaction between titanium(IV) tert-butoxide (Ti[OC(CH3)3]4) and benzyl alcohol was a simple process, which resulted in the formation of highly crystalline titania NPs with a small size of only 6 nm, and with a correspondingly high surface area. The chemical formation mechanism of the metal oxide NPs has been proposed, and the degree of surface hydroxyls (–OH groups) has been examined. The products of the synthesis were characterised by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) using the advanced whole powder pattern modelling (WPPM) method, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity (PCA) was evaluated in both the liquid–solid phase, by monitoring the degradation of an organic dye (methylene blue (MB)) under UV-light irradiation, and in the gas–solid phase, by following the degradation of 2-propanol under UV- and visible-light exposures. The synthesized titania powders not only exhibited excellent photocatalysis in the liquid–solid phase (under UV irradiation), but also possessed a superior PCA in the gas–solid phase under a visible-light exposure. The effects on the PCA of the very small crystalline domain size, surface composition and the presence of organic molecules due to the synthesis process of the TiO2 NPs were shown to account for this behaviour.


We analyze LED-allocation algorithms for high-speed parallel wireless optical communication system that we have developed. It enables up to gigabit-class communication using two-dimensional transmitter composed of LED array, and two-dimensional receiver composed of lens and image sensor. However, there are some interference problems when the allocation of packets to LEDs is not good. Considering these problems, we propose new LED-allocation algorithms to improve the affection of interference. In this paper, we analyze the link of parallel wireless optical communication system and show the effectiveness of our proposed algorithms by simulation.


Palladium/norbornene (Pd/NBE) cooperative catalysis has received enormous attention and found numerous synthetic applications in the past two decades. Considering the critical roles that NBE plays in the catalytic cycle, the use of structurally modified NBEs (smNBEs), starting from 2015, has become an important approach to address limitations and modulate reaction selectivity in Pd/NBE catalysis. This Perspective highlights the development of three types of smNBEs: C1-substituted, C2-substituted, and C5-substituted or C5,C6-disubstituted NBEs, as well as their synthetic applications toward site-selective C-H functionalization. A focus is on the structure-activity relationship of smNBEs in these reactions, and rationales for using smNBEs in many cases have also been provided.


The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism remains a difficult problem. the clinical findings are insensitive and often nonspecific. The exact role of imaging, specifically ventilation-perfusion scanning, has been controversial. This year, the results of the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis were published. The findings confirm that lung scintigraphy remains a key diagnostic procedure in the work-up of pulmonary embolism. "Normal" and "high"-probability scans are reliable categories and can usually be used without further investigation to make treatment decisions. "Intermediate"-and "low"-probability scans are not adequately reproducible as categories and are therefore difficult to separate. Most patients with scan results in these two categories will require further confirmatory tests.


This paper deals with the problem of robust H-infinity filter design for uncertain Markovian jump singular systems with Wiener process. The system under consideration involves parameter uncertainties, Markovian jump parameters and It-type stochastic disturbances. The aim of the paper is to design a H-infinity filter such that, for all admissiable uncertainties, the filtering error system is robustly stochastically mean-square stable, and a prescribed disturbance attenuation level is guaranteed. A sufficient condition for the existence of an H-infinity filter for the system under consideration is achieved in terms of LMIS(Linear matrix inequaLities). Moreover, the expLicit expression of the desired filter parameters is given.


OBJECTIVE
To employ enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure the serum level of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and analyze its diagnostic value for prostate cancer.

METHODS
The serum levels of TSP-1 were measured by human TSP-1 ELISA kit in 50 patients with organ-confined prostate cancer (n = 22) and non-organ-confined prostate cancer (n = 28). And the subjects of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 16) were selected.

RESULTS
The average serum concentration of TSP-1 was (200 ± 49) µg/L in prostate cancer group, (281 ± 53) µg/L in BPH group and (323 ± 56) µg/L in healthy control group. There were significant inter-group differences in the serum levels of TSP-1 (both P < 0.05). The average serum concentration of TSP-1 was (216 ± 34) µg/L in organ-confined prostate cancer (including stages I and II) and (188 ± 49) µg/L in non-organ-confined prostate cancer (including stages III and IV) respectively (P = 0.030). The level of TSP-1 was also correlated with Gleason score (r = -0.32, P = 0.023). However, the relationship between TSP-1 levels and lymph node metastasis remained elusive (P = 0.189). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of TSP-1 and prostate specific antigen (PSA) for prostate cancer were 72%, 90% and 64%, 70% respectively (both P < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) of TSP-1 and PSA were 0.886 and 0.719 respectively (P = 0.028).

CONCLUSION
As a relatively ideal predictor of prostate cancer, the serum concentration of TSP-1 can not only distinguish prostate cancer from BPH, but also correlate with tumor stage and Gleason grade.


In this paper we report on advances made in the installation and use of distributed fiber optic sensors to monitor reinforced concrete piles subjected to static load tests. Eight concrete test piles, at three construction sites in London, have recently been instrumented with embedded DFOS. The Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry (BOTDR) technique was used to measure the changes in internal strain and temperature of the piles, during concrete curing and during load testing. These data were used to assess the quality of the pile and derive the load capacity parameters to be used in the foundation design of tall buildings which are to be erected on these sites. The measurements obtained from the DFOS system agreed well with the measurements taken simultaneously using conventional point sensors embedded in the piles. Whereas the conventional sensors only provided measurements at a small number of locations within the piles, the DFOS system made it possible to record the complete strain / temperature profiles along the length of the piles.


In addition to their adjustable functionality, structural tunability, and compositional tunability, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), often known as MOFs, are a distinct form of crystalline porous material. When reduced to two dimensions, ultrathin layers of MOF retain more of its fantastic external features, which is beneficial for a variety of technological applications. Due to their ultrathin atomic-level thickness, easily modifiable structure, and huge surface area, 2D MOF nanosheets and nanocomposites have been the subject of significant research. MOFs are considered intriguing materials for removing toxic contaminants among the novel technologies taken into account in water remediation processes because they exhibit numerous qualities that make them advantageous in water treatment: large surface area, easily functionalizable cavities, a few stable in water, large-scale synthesis, etc Nowadays, water pollution is a rising environmental concern that must be addressed. Due to their special qualities, which include chemical activities, a variety of functionalities, excellent stability, and the ability to be modified for the detection or adsorption of particular molecules, MOFs are widely used in detecting and removing contaminants from water. This review explores most recent wastewater treatment advancements (WWT) using the 2D MOFs mechanism.


Student performance remediation is an ongoing issue in higher education due to the need for student retention. However, remediation is costly. For example, it is estimated the total annual cost of remedial courses across all types of higher education in 1998 was between one and two billion dollars. In the current financial environment, these additional costs will likely come under increased scrutiny. This study employed empirical research methods on undergraduate participants in order to explore the effect of student self-remediated learning as evidenced by preand posttest scores, and to provide research-based recommendations for educators charged with course delivery or management of remediation programs. Specifically, a repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted in order to explore the extent to which exam scores could be predicted based on student term as well as course section. The results of the analysis did not indicate that either measures of student term or course section were significantly associated with exam scores. Observed power was found to be very low with regard to these effects, indicating a low probability that significant effects would be found even if they do exist in the larger population. Thus, student self-remediation without instructor involvement provided a larger increase between preand posttest scores than student self-remediation with instructor involvement.


Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are increasingly common and present a major problem for the modern day ENT surgeon. This article reviews the development of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and how it has come to affect ENT practice. We look at the evidence behind measures taken to help deal with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and to prevent its spread. We go on to suggest a departmental guideline for infection control, which we hope can be implemented to help deal with the problems created by MRSA.


Residual stress distribution at the cylinder block wall in 1500cc class aluminum engine was measured using RESA in JRR-3 of JAEA. In order to increase neutron flux at the gauge volume measured, newly developed vertically focused collimator was employed. Since the grain size in cast aluminum engine block was large, the oscillation method was applied. The residual stresses near the surface layers of cylinder block wall were compressive all in the tangential, the thickness and the cylinder axial directions, but tensile in the middle part of cylinder block wall. This means the residual stress distributions are likely to be hydrostatic. The residual stresses in the tangential direction were not balanced in the cylinder block wall. If the residual stress distribution in the hoop direction is approximated by 2 dimensional power equation, the residual stresses on the cylinder wall surface is estimated as about -140MPa and the mean residual stress in the cylinder wall is 15MPa.


Preordering of a source language sentence to match target word order has proved to be useful for improving machine translation systems. Previous work has shown that a reordering model can be learned from high quality manual word alignments to improve machine translation performance. In this paper, we focus on further improving the performance of the reordering model (and thereby machine translation) by using a larger corpus of sentence aligned data for which manual word alignments are not available but automatic machine generated alignments are available. The main challenge we tackle is to generate quality data for training the reordering model in spite of the machine alignments being noisy. To mitigate the effect of noisy machine alignments, we propose a novel approach that improves reorderings produced given noisy alignments and also improves word alignments using information from the reordering model. This approach generates alignments that are 2.6 f-Measure points better than a baseline supervised aligner. The data generated allows us to train a reordering model that gives an improvement of 1.8 BLEU points on the NIST MT-08 Urdu-English evaluation set over a reordering model that only uses manual word alignments, and a gain of 5.2 BLEU points over a standard phrase-based baseline.


Abstract Experimental results on suppression of fine sea-surface structures by surfactant in terms of the roughness length obtained from wind profiles and of the wave-energy density from sun-glitter photographs, wave-staff measurements, and microwave returns are analyzed. The suppression was shown to be most effective at low winds, say below 7 m s−1, and for wave components with their lengths between 2 and 40 cm. Both wave-staff and microwave measurements further indicate that the maximum suppression can be up to about 95%, occurring at surface-wave lengths of 4–5 cm. Other features of reported experiments were also discussed.


France literally 'discovered' sexual abuse following neighbour Belgium's Dutroux case in the late 1990s. Since then, sex offenders have been the focus of politicians, media and law-makers' attention. Further law reforms have aimed at imposing mandatory supervision and treatment, and in rare cases, preventive detention. The legal framework for mandatory supervision and detention is rather complex, ranging from a mixed sentence (custodial and mandatory supervision and treatment upon release or as a stand-alone sentence) to so-called 'safety measures', which supposedly do not aim at punishing an offence, but at protecting society. The difference between the concepts of sentences and safety measures is nevertheless rather blurry. In practice, however, courts have used safety measures quite sparingly and have preferred mandatory supervision as attached to a sentence, notably because it is compatible with cardinal legal principles. Procedural constraints have also contributed to this limited use. Moreover, the type of supervision and treatment that can thus be imposed is virtually identical to that of ordinary probation. It is, however, noteworthy that a higher number of offenders with mental health issues who are deemed 'dangerous' are placed in special psychiatric units, something that has not drawn much attention on the part of human rights lawyers.


This research background was triggered by students problems at the first grade of MAS Darul Makmur Sungai Cubadak. Based on preliminary observation and interviews with the teacher, the researcher found several problems in teaching speaking. First students` were less motivated in learning speaking because of a lack of vocabulary. Second, students who do not understand the learning material feel embarrassed to ask their teachers and friends, or students just keep silent when they don't understand the learning material. Third, in groups, not all students discuss learning material and only a few students participate in the discussion. The research question of this research is how effective using the Number Head Together strategy is in teaching speaking. The purposes of this study were to identify the effectiveness of the use of the Number Head Together (NHT) strategy in teaching speaking at MAS Darul Makmur Sungai Cubadak.This research used mix method with first grade MAS Darul Makmur Sungai Cubadak students as the research population. The sample in this research was all students at first grade. In this study, the researcher used total sampling. Data collection was carried out by interview, observation, and documentation. In the interview, the researchers interviewed the teachers who used the Number Head Together in teaching speaking. There are 15 questions asked by the researcher to the teacher. In the observation, the researcher used an observation checklist. In addition to documentation, the data is taken from students' scores in speaking. Then the student's score was analyzed by the researcher.  Based on the result of the study, it was revealed that Number Head Together strategy was effective in teaching speaking. This can be seen from the results of the researcher interview with the teacher who used Number Head Together strategy, and also it can be seen from the result of the observation sheet and was supported by an average student learning outcomes in speaking which reached 82.770%. It can be said that the Number Head Together Strategy was in very effective category.


The use of Building Information Models has recently moved to a focal point in the Architecture, Engineer-ing, and Construction (AEC) Industry. While there has been much attention on the added value of the modeling process, little focus has been given to the documentation and project requirements in the early stages of the design. This research focuses on a case study project of the new Dickinson School of Law (DSL) building at Penn State Univer-sity. The research identifies the areas which provide added value through the use of BIM at the Schematic Design (SD) stage for communication of information and the manner the information is obtained. The focus of the paper, however, is on the issues that arise in how building geometry, building information, and building analysis and simulations are viewed and their potential impact on the Schematic Design phase of a project. To conduct this research, the completed Schematic Design documentation, including drawing system descriptions, and preliminary specifications, was obtained for the DSL building. This Schematic Design information was then converted to a Building Information Model and in-formation related to different building components was incorporated. An analysis was performed, based on the Univer-sity's design requirements, to assess the information that can be incorporated and utilized. Feedback through inter-views was also documented to define the perceived value of a Schematic level BIM for the project. The conclusions identify the likely value that a project owner can derive from instituting schematic design BIM requirements and con-siderations when defining the scope of BIM requirements for Schematic Design. The results of the model analysis and the interviews are presented in the paper.


This paper presents a 3-dimensional finite element formulation for predicting the behaviour of complex umbilical cross-sections exposed to loading from tension, torque, internal and external pressure including bending. Helically wound armours and tubes are treated as thin and slender beams formulated within the framework of small strains but large displacements, applying the principle of virtual displacements to obtain finite element equations. Interaction between structural elements is handled by 2- and 3-noded contact elements based on a penalty parameter formulation. The model takes into account a number of features, such as material nonlinearity, gap and friction between individual bodies, and contact with external structures and with a full 3-dimensional description. Numerical studies are presented to validate the model against another model as well as test data.


Low-pressure broadening and shift of three spectral lines of argon: 667.7 nm (3p54s-3p54p), 430.0 nm (3p54s-3p55p) and 360.6 nm (3p54s-3p56p), emitted from a low current glow discharge in pure argon, Ar-Ne and Ar-He mixtures have been investigated by means of a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The values of the pressure broadening and shift coefficients are determined.


The stories of four practitioners are presented regarding their involvement with the Aspen conference and their reflections on the essays in this forum. Their stories suggest that the ability for academics and practitioners to co-create engaged scholarship depends on articulating common values and interests, creating a shared language that allows them to develop and execute a project and to disseminate their findings in useful ways, and constructing a space for reflection on organizational processes. This suggests that academic and practitioners need to negotiate their differences in values, language, and approach in ways that co-create a mutually satisfying project.


Recent reports have demonstrated that growth hormone (GH) is inconsistently released after intravenous administration of synthetic 1-24 ACTH. This study was designed to evaluate the role of estrogens in mediating this response. 250 mug of synthetic 1-24 ACTH were administered to 8 men in 12 studies and 6 women in 11 studies. None of the men exhibited a rise in GH after 1-24 ACTH, while the women exhibited a significant increase. Pretreatment of 5 of these men with 100 mug of ethinyl estradiol daily for 3 days did not alter GH response from the initial studies. Pretreatment with 10 mg of diethylstilbesterol daily for 3 days, however, resulted in a rise in GH which was similar to the female group. It is concluded that the variable GH responses to synthetic 1-24 ACTH may be in part due to prevailing concentrations of sex steroids and their effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary GH release mechanism.


Abstract : This report summarizes investigation for international partnerships and technology transfer to with various European Countries. AFRL (formerly Wright Laboratory) formalized an Education Partnership Agreement in 1997. Additional goals for this summer research were to improve and/or enhance the Remedial Action Cost Engineer and Requirements (RACER) System to support the cost engineering studies for the AFRL/MLQC Automation and Robotic Program. The technologies cover a wide variety of interests in the fields of Civil and Environmental Engineering, with particular interest in automation and robotics, construction engineering, and cost engineering and management. In addition, a parallel study included an elementary school curriculum developer to help design technology integration in K-12 curricula in an effort to attract and prepare more U.S. students in engineering and sciences. The work was conducted by means of visits, discussions with technical leaders and managers, and supporting documentation reviews when documents were made available. Visits were conducted during the summer 1998. Organizations contributing to and interested in this effort include the Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Base Technology Branch, Georgia Institute of Technology (GA TECH), Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Georgia Tech Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.


Reflective cracking is one of major early distresses in newly constructed semi-rigid pavements in China. Such semi-rigid pavements usually consist of three layers of hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures on the top of a cement-treated aggregate (CTA) base. To control the CTA base cracks reflected to the surface, a HMA binder course mixture is desired to be not only anti-reflective cracking but also fatigue resistant. This study was in an effort to investigate the reflective cracking problem on semi-rigid pavements through a proper binder course mixture design and laboratory characterization of the fatigue and anti-cracking properties of binder course mixtures used in China.


A 33-year-old male patient was admitted to hospital because of "dyspnea after activity for 3 years and aggravation for 15 days". With a history of membranous nephropathy, irregular anticoagulation led to acute exacerbation of Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension(CTEPH) and acute respiratory failure, and endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation was given. Although treated with thrombolysis and adequate anticoagulation, the condition worsened and hemodynamics deteriorated, and then VA-ECMO was performed. Due to severe pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure,ECMO could not be weaned off, and the patient subsequently developed pulmonary infection, right lung hemorrhage, hyperbilirubinemia, coagulation dysfunction and other complications. Then the patient was transferred to our hospital by airplane, and multidisciplinary discussions were quickly arranged after admission. Considering that the patient was critically ill and complicated with multiple organ failure, pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) could not be tolerated, rescue balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) was recommended and performed on the second day after admission. The mean pulmonary artery pressure was 59 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) measured by right heart catheterization, and pulmonary angiography showed that the main pulmonary artery was dilated, while the right lower pulmonary artery was completely occluded, and there were multiple stenoses in the branches of the right upper lobe, middle lobe pulmonary artery and the left pulmonary artery. BPA was performed on a total of 9 pulmonary arteries. VA-ECMO was weaned off on day 6 after admission, and the mechanical ventilation was weaned off on day 41 after admission. The patient was successfully discharged on day 72 after admission. Rescue BPA was an effective treatment for severe CTEPH patients who could not be treated with PEA.


Domain-specific modeling languages (DSMLs) facilitate concise and succinct model descriptions. DSMLs are commonly realized by defining a custom grammar and executing models in an interpreter. This provides flexibility in language design as well as in the implementation of simulation algorithms. However, this type of implementation can lead to a negative impact on simulation performance in comparison to implementing models in general-purpose programming languages (GPL). To mitigate this problem, we propose using runtime code generation. This allows us to replace specific parts of a model at runtime by compiling generated GPL source code. In this paper, we demonstrate the potential benefit of this concept based on ML-Rules, a DSML for modeling and simulating biochemical reaction networks. Using code generation for arithmetic expressions in ML-Rules' reaction rate functions, we were able to decrease the runtime by up to 40% in complex application scenarios.


Background: Fatty infiltration of rotator cuff muscle is a limiting factor in the success of repairs. Fibroadipogenic progenitors (FAPs) are a population of stem cells within the rotator cuff that can differentiate into white adipocytes, fibroblasts, and beige adipocytes. The effects of patient age and rotator cuff tendon tear size on the number, differentiation patterns, and gene expression profiles of FAPs have not yet been analyzed. Purpose: To determine if patient age and rotator cuff tear size independently regulate FAP number, differentiation patterns, and gene expression profiles. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Supraspinatus muscle samples were collected from 26 patients between the ages of 42 and 76 years with partial- or full-thickness rotator cuff tears. FAPs were quantified using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Gene expression analysis was performed across a custom 96-gene panel using NanoString. In vitro differentiation assays of FAPs were conducted using adipogenic, fibrogenic, and beige-inducing (amibegron-treated) media, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to assess gene expression differences between adipogenic and amibegron media conditions. Multivariable linear regressions were performed using Stata to independently analyze the effects of age and rotator cuff tear size on FAP number, differentiation, and gene expression. Results: Increasing age and tear size were independently correlated with increased FAP number (βage = 0.21, P = .03; βtear size = 3.86, P = .05). There was no clear association between age and gene expression of freshly sorted FAPs. Under adipogenic and fibrogenic media conditions, increasing age and tear size were independently associated with increased adipogenic and fibrogenic differentiation of FAPs. Under amibegron treatment conditions, age positively correlated with increased beige differentiation (β = 1.03; P < .0001), while increasing tear size showed a trend toward decreased beige differentiation (β = −4.87; P = .1). When gene expression patterns between adipogenic and amibegron media conditions were compared, larger tear size strongly inhibited beige gene expression, while advanced age did not. Conclusion: Patient age and rotator cuff tear size independently regulated FAP number, differentiation, and gene expression. Age and tear size were positively correlated with increased FAP number and fibrogenic/adipogenic differentiation. Advancing patient age did not limit FAP beige differentiation and gene expression, while increasing rotator cuff tear size strongly inhibited these processes.


Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) and cavum vergae (CV) have separately and together been associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders and psychosis; however, there is little literature on the psychopathological significance of isolated CV, and no previous report of isolated CV in late-onset psychosis. We describe an 80-year-old woman who presented with a 1-month history of psychotic symptoms qualifying for a diagnosis of schizophreniform disorder. Physical (including neurological) examination, bedside cognitive testing, and laboratory investigations were all within normal limits. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the brain revealed an insignificant CSP with prominent CV. The patient showed almost complete recovery from psychosis after 4-6 weeks of treatment with quetiapine (200 mg/day). She maintained improvement with this medication at an 18-month follow-up; medication taper was associated with re-emergence of hallucinations. We briefly discuss CSP and CV in the context of vulnerability to psychosis. We examine whether isolated CV is a benign and incidental finding versus a biological risk factor for neuropsychiatric illness. We suggest specific studies to resolve the uncertainty.


Robot localization is the problem of determining a robot's pose in an environment, typically within a given map or a similar representation. Different methods have been proposed to address this localization problem for robots with limited sensing. In this letter, we present a localization method for a robot equipped with only a contact sensor and a clock. We make the limits of localization accuracy precise by establishing the fundamental limits imposed by symmetry as revealed by the robot's sensors. Our method is based on finding periodic cycles and transient trajectories of the robot path as it bounces within an environment filled with obstacles. Based on the cycles and transient trajectories, space-efficient and automata-based combinatorial filters are synthesized to solve localization problems modulo symmetries. Experimental results from multiple simulations and from real robot demonstrations attest to the feasibility and practicability of our method.


RATIONALE
In the 4-year UPLIFT trial, tiotropium improved lung function and health-related quality of life and decreased exacerbations compared with usual respiratory medications except inhaled anticholinergics in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mortality and its causes was a secondary endpoint in UPLIFT.

OBJECTIVES
We describe the effect of tiotropium on survival and analyze differences between mortality during treatment and during follow-up of discontinued patients.

METHODS
This study involved a randomized, double-blind trial comparing tiotropium with placebo in patients with COPD (>or=40 yr of age; postbronchodilator FEV(1) <or=70%; FEV(1)/FVC <or=70%). Mortality was evaluated during treatment and with follow-up of discontinued patients. Cause of death was adjudicated by an endpoint committee.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
A total of 5,993 patients were randomized, 3,006 to placebo and 2,987 to tiotropium. While patients were receiving treatment, there were 792 deaths, with a lower risk in the tiotropium group (hazard ratio, 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73-0.97). Statistical significance was observed at the end of the protocol-defined treatment period (P = 0.034) but not 30 days thereafter (P = 0.086). Adjustment by GOLD stage, sex, age, baseline smoking behavior, and baseline respiratory medications subgroups did not alter the results of the analysis. The most common causes of death adjudicated by an independent end-point committee were lower respiratory, cancer, general disorders, and cardiac disorders. The hazard ratios for lower respiratory and cardiac mortality during treatment were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.68-1.09) and 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75-0.99), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with tiotropium over 4 years is associated with decreased mortality, with the effect being most prominent in the cardiac and respiratory systems.


Objective: Little is known about the extent of mental, neurological and substance-use (MNS) disorders re-hospitalization in South Africa. We examined the extent of one-year MNS re-hospitalization (MNS-R) in a rural South African primary health care facility (PHCF). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of hospital administrative data from 10,525 adults discharged from a rural PHCF in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Chi-squared tests were utilized to describe MNS-R within one year of an index hospital admission in individuals with MNS, with a sub-analysis also being conducted to describe schizophrenia re-hospitaliza-tion (S-R). Results: The prevalence of MNS and schizophrenia recorded at an index hospitalization was 5% and 1%, respectively. A total of 44/67 (66%) individuals with a diagnosis of MNS at the index hospitalization were classified as having MNS-R during one-year follow-up period. Half of those diagnosed with schizophrenia at the index hospitalization (6/12 patients) were classified as having S-R during one-year follow-up period. There was a significant association between re-hospitalization outcomes (MNS-R and S-R) and MNS (p<0.01) or schizophrenia diagnosis (p<0.01) at index baseline hospitalization. Conclusion: The extent of MNS-R and S-R remains relatively high in rural South Africa, and needs further health systems strengthening to prevent revolving door occurrences.


Our understanding of the history of Buddhism in Southeast Asia has often been oversimplified, biased, or vague. The twelve innovative essays presented here shed new light on terms such as sthavira, theravada, theriya, or theravasa, each of which may carry a variety of meanings and connotations. Some of the contributors reconsider known data to present new and challenging perspectives on the complicated history of the Mahavihara and Abhayagiri schools in Sri Lanka, or the Indian historiographical tradition on the formation of Buddhist orders/schools (nikaya/acariyavada). Others stress the central role of lineages and their transmission, as well as the dynamic impulse that this problematic provokes in terms of long-distance exchanges. Topical inquiries based on epigraphical material reveal the force of institutional practices, or invite scholars to analyze the textual traditions of Southeast Asia more deeply, particularly its "transitive" mode of translation. Essays range across Buddhism in early Lanka, in Burma during the Pagan and Dhammachedi periods, in nineteenth-century Cambodia, and in Thailand from the late eighteenth- to early twentieth-centuries.


Resonant metamaterials have attracted significant research interest in mechanical and acoustic engineering with applications in the fields of sound and vibration control thanks to their integrated tuned mass dampers. One prevailing issue regarding industrial application of such structures is the high probability of local damage for their resonating parts. Accurate and efficient health state estimation methods for resonant metamaterials are therefore urgently required. In particular, the quantification and localization of damaged resonators represent key pieces of information for the operator of a structural asset. This work presents for the first time an investigation into quantifying and identifying damaged oscillators in a resonant metamaterial based on the measured frequency response function (FRF) data. Both data-driven and physics-based methods are implemented and corresponding results are exhibited. Manufacturing-induced structural uncertainty is quantified through physical measurements and taken into account in this work. It is demonstrated that such uncertainty may have a rather significant impact on the response of 3D printed resonant metamaterials, leading to difficulties vis-a-vis damage quantification. The proposed theoretical developments are able to properly account for such uncertainties, providing probabilistic estimation indices for the existing damage level and location. Both simulated and experimental case studies are presented to validate the two proposed methodologies and comparisons are also exhibited and discussed.


This paper deals with innovation and its determinants in small and medium-sized hotel enterprises in alpine tourism. After analysing the alpine tourism market and the characteristics of small and medium-sized enterprises with regard to innovation, the author describes an empirical study to investigate further the determinants of innovation in small and medium-sized hotel enterprises in Austria. The results reveal that the size and categorization of hotels as well as cooperation and knowledge networks positively influence innovation activities.


The linear servo motor mechanism for high-voltage circuit breaker is presented and the control to new operating mechanism is analyzed according to the d-q axis mathematics model and the thrust characteristics of the permanent magnetic synchronous motor. The three closed-loop control schemes of location, speed and current for moving contact control is designed and executed on DSP. The high accuracy grating is chosen as the speed and location sensors by which the requirement for real-time and high accuracy in the system can be fulfilled. The control and regulation of the moving contact movement during opening and closing of the high-voltage circuit breaker are realized which make the movement curve the same as the ideal one. The opening and closing abilities and running reliability of circuit breaker are enhanced and the mechanical and electrical lifespan is improved.


A central question for environmental policy is whether the long-term benefits of energy-saving technologies are sufficient to justify their short-term costs, and if so, whether financial incentives are needed to stimulate adoption. The fiscal effects of incentivizing new technologies, and the revenue effects of using the technology, are also policy relevant, given current fiscal constraints. This study evaluates the economic and fiscal effects of promoting diesel-electric hybrid technology in urban delivery vehicles, an application supported by U.S. policymakers. An economic model is used to simulate the conditional probability density functions of the net present values (NPVs) of diesel electric hybrids annually from 2012 to 2030. The NPV time paths, which reflect fuel price, environmental, and technology trends, show the expected dates that hybrids become economically viable, and allow an evaluation of the net benefits of hybrid technology as an investment over the entire simulation horizon. The NPV distributions are computed for five stakeholder classes, including transportation firms, parties benefiting from reduced externality damages, state and local governments, and the larger society. The analysis shows that hybrid technology investment does not appear to be justified from a societal perspective at a 7 percent discount rate, but the probability for positive net returns increases substantially at a 3 percent rate.


A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Agribusiness Management and Trade, Kenyatta University. October, 2014. HD 9437 .K4N52


Trajectory calculations have been carried out in a three-point- charge model for the case of spontaneous ternary fission of $^{252}\mathrm{Cf}$ with a view to obtain the initial parameters characterizing the scission configuration. Without any a priori assumptions regarding the distribution of the points of emission of the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particle and the fragment velocity at the time of scission, the values of the initial parameters were obtained by fitting the observed energy distributions by making use of the method of multivariate analysis. It was found that there exist two points of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particle emission, nearer to either of the two fragments and off the axis joining the fragment centers, which reproduce the experimental distributions equally well. This result does not support the often made assumption that the point of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particle emission coincides with the potential energy minimum on the line joining the fragment centers. With the initial parameters thus obtained, an inverse Monte Carlo calculation was carried out to obtain various correlations between the final values of the energy and the angle of emission of the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particle and the fission fragment kinetic energy. The calculated results agree well with the experiments. The implication of present results on the emission mechanism of the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particle in ternary fission is discussed.


I write regarding David Dudgeon's letter about Chek Lap Kok (Oryx, 26, 53), site for Hong Kong's proposed new airport. I led teams of professional biologists and field assistants in a 7-month comparative study of Chek Lap Kok and nearby islands during 1990-1991. The island was about 3 sq km and about 20 per cent marshland. The two mangrove swamps, albeit small, were excellent indeed, containing a Bruguiera now reduced to extreme rarity this far north. All mangroves in China are tiny patches. The only two that compare in size are at Mai Po, Hong Kong, and Deng Zhai Kong, Hainan Dao. It is said that no mangrove at all remains in Guangdong or Guanxi Provinces except that at Deep Bay, adjacent to Mai Po. Not one square centimetre of all South China is free from human impact. Chek Lap Kok, however, supported an amazing diversity of animals at least three times more nonflying vertebrate species than are known from any other South China Sea island of comparable size. Dudgeon implies that our tally of 32 amphibians, reptiles and non-flying mammals was wrong. Voucher specimens for all 3̂0 reptiles and amphibians are in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard and both native mammals are in Peabody Museum, Yale. Chek Lap Kok was an amazing place. fames Lazell, The Conservation Agency, 6 Swinburne Street, Jamestown, Rhode Island 02835, USA.


Summary form only given. We have shown for the first time that large photon-number squeezing of coherent pulses can be produced by a Sagnac loop for a significant range of input energies and that it is larger than predicted for directly spectrally filtered optical fiber solitons. Despite this, we pointed out the similarities between the two schemes. In essence, a Sagnac fiber loop is capable of producing optical pulses closer to true quantum solitons than their coherent counterparts from modelocked lasers.


Dielectric elastomers (DEs), which represent an emerging actuator and generator technology, admittedly have many favourable properties, but their high driving voltages are one of the main obstacles to commercialisation. One way to reduce driving voltage is by increasing the ratio between dielectric permittivity and the Young's modulus of the elastomer. One system that potentially achieves this involves interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs), based on commercial silicone elastomers and ionic networks from amino- and carboxylic acid-functional silicones. The applicability of these materials as DEs is demonstrated herein, and a number of many and important parameters, such as dielectric permittivity/loss, viscoelastic properties and dielectric breakdown strength, are investigated. Ionic and silicone elastomer IPNs are promising prospects for dielectric elastomer actuators, since very high permittivities are obtained while dielectric breakdown strength and Young's modulus are not compromised. These good overall properties stem from the softening effect and very high permittivity of ionic networks – as high as e′ = 7500 at 0.1 Hz – while the silicone elastomer part of the IPN provides mechanical integrity as well as relatively high breakdown strength. All IPNs have higher dielectric losses than pure silicone elastomers, but when accounting for this factor, IPNs still exhibit satisfactory performance improvements.


Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA

Introduction: It has become evident that tumor cells are responsive to mechanical forces in vivo, and prove critical to tumor cell proliferation and death. Recent work has shown that tumor cells exposed to fluid shear forces increase receptor-mediated signaling. We hypothesized that biocompatible, polymeric particles conjugated to the tumor cell surface act as mechanical amplifiers in presence of fluid shear forces to increase mechanotransduction, and can be exploited to increase the efficacy of therapeutic ligands.

Methods: Polymeric particles (size:100 nm-1 μm) were conjugated to free amines on tumor cells via NHS cross linker chemistry. Particles bound to tumor cells were assessed using flow cytometry, brightfield, and confocal fluorescence microscopy. A cone-and-plate viscometer was used to apply a fluid shear force (2.0 dyn/cm⁁2) to tumor cell suspensions and to amplify the force exerted by polymeric particles on tumor cells. Tumor cells (COLO 205, PC-3) were treated with 0.1 μg/mL of a TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) to assess amplified mechanotransduction and receptor-mediated apoptosis in the presence of polymeric particles. An annexin-V apoptosis assay was used to characterize the mode of cell death. Caspase colorimetric assays and inhibitors (Z-VAD-FMK) were utilized to assess caspase-dependence in the mechanotransduction response. Tumor cells were injected into C57/BL6 via tail vein to assess amplification of TRAIL apoptosis in vivo.

Results and Discussion: NHS crosslinker chemistry was successfully used to conjugate polymeric particles to the tumor cell surface. In the presence of fluid shear forces, it was found that polymeric particles act to mechanical amplify tumor cell mechanotransduction, as evidenced by increased receptor-mediated apoptosis and decreased tumor cell viability in the presence of the therapeutic ligand TRAIL. Additionally, amplification of TRAIL-mediated apoptosis was increased with particles of increasing size, demonstrating that increasing the force exerted on the cell surface with larger particles amplified the therapeutic response. Annexin-V apoptosis assays showed the addition of conjugated polymeric particles to the cell surfaces nearly doubled tumor cell apoptosis in the presence of TRAIL under shear forces, and inhibition assays revealed the response to be caspase-dependent apoptosis. Polymeric particles amplified

TRAIL-mediated tumor cell killing in mice, and reduced both circulating tumor cells in blood and overall tumor cell burden in vivo by over 90%.

Conclusions: These data demonstrate that polymeric particles, both degradable and non-degradable, act as mechanical amplifiers of tumor mechanotransduction in the presence of shear forces in vitro and in vivo, and are exploited to increase therapeutic efficacy. Clinically, this approach shows that increased mechanical force applied to target tumor cells can increase sensitivity to therapeutic ligands.

Citation Format: Michael J. Mitchell, Robert Langer. Polymeric mechanical amplifiers of tumor cell receptor-mediated apoptosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3901.


Two coprogen-type siderophores, neocoprogen I (4), C31H47N6O12Fe, and neocoprogen II (5), C27H41N6O11Fe, have been isolated from the fungus Curvularia lunata, and their structures and conformations have been elucidated. The coprogens have a linear trimeric skeleton made from three N!-hydroxy-N6-acylated ornithines, two of which form a diketopiperazi ne ring while the third forms an ester linkage to the dimer. In 4, one of the terminal 7Vs-acyl groups is an acetyl group, while in 5, both of these are acetyl groups. The structure of neocoprogen I (4) (identified as the ferric complex of isotriornicin (7)) has been determined by single-crysta l X-ray diffraction at 138 K with crystals grown from ethanol/acetonitrile. The crystals are orthorhombic: /"22,2,, a = 8.683 (13) A, b = 28.33 (4) A, c = 36.84 (4) A, K= 9062.2 A3, Z = 8. The structure has been determined from 2756 diffractometer data and refined to a final R = 0.114. The distinct feature of neocoprogen I (4) structure is the A-trans geometry of its iron coordination. This is the first example of a trans isomer of an iron trihydroxamate siderophore in the solid state. The structure of neocoprogen II (5), a novel siderophore, has been elucidated on the basis of chemical degradation and spectroscopic studies including 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. CD spectra show that both neocoprogen I (4) and neocoprogen II (5), like coprogen (1), exist predominantly as A optical isomers in aqueous solutions at neutral pH. Stereoisomeric possibilities of the ferric complexes of the linear trihydroxamates are discussed, and their structural features are related to their role in microbial iron transport.


We offer a simple method Monte Carlo for computation of Volterra's and spherical type multiple integrals with weak (integrable) singularities.
An elimination of infinity of variance is achieved by incorporating singularities in the density, and we offer a highly effective way for generation of appeared multidimensional distribution.
We extend offered method onto multiple Volterra's and spherical integrals with weak singularities containing parameter.


This study examines the relationship of anxiety disorder and dysthymia comorbidity to the generation of life events prior to major depression episode onset in a cross-sectional community sample of 76 women. Those with comorbid anxiety and dysthymia experienced higher rates of events that were at least partly dependent on their own behavior but did not differ from those without these clinical risk factors on independent life events outside of their control. This relationship remained significant even after controlling for overall severity of depression and demographic covariates. The implications of these results for understanding the increased rates of major depression onset and recurrence among those with comorbid anxiety and dysthymia are discussed as avenues of future research.


In gravitropism of Arabidopsis root, the Arabidopsis root proteins induced and/or changed by gravitational stimulation were analyzed using a proteomic method. In this study, it was found that the levels of expression of some proteins related to the cytoskeleton and the calcium signal transmission system had changed during gravitational stimulation. In addition, the β subunit of the E1 component of pyruvate dehydrogenase, fructose bisphosphate aldolase, and 20S proteasome β subunit E1 protein appeared in two different molecular weight types during gravitational stimulation. The transitory changes in molecular weight in these three identified proteins were important findings although their functions in the gravity response in the roots of Arabidopsis seedlings remain uncertain. As far as we know, this is the first study involving the molecular weight shift-change in the same protein during the gravitropism response in plants using proteomic analysis.


A 71-year-old man with congestive heart failure due to acute myocardial infarction was referred to our hospital. He was under the support of mechanical ventilation and the intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP) and coronary angiogram revealed the thromboembolism of the obtuse marginal artery. We completed the revascularization by the direct percutaneous coronary intervention. However, grade II mitral valve regurgitation and heart failure were worsening. Mitral valvuloplasty and the modified maze procedure through the partial lower sternotomy were performed. He is still in good condition 4 years later. Ischemic mitral valve regurgitation due to the coronary thromboembolism is very rare. Careful follow-up on the grade of ischemic mitral valve regurgitation is necessary even after the early coronary recanalization. The surgical approach of the partial sternotomy should be used in such a case of acute mitral valve regurgitation.