ABSTRACT The primary aim of this study was to determine if self-reported occupational noise exposure was associated with Raynaud's phenomenon. In northern Sweden, a nested case–control study was performed on subjects reporting Raynaud's phenomenon (N=461), and controls (N=763) matched by age, sex and geographical location. The response rate to the exposure questionnaire was 79.2%. The study showed no statistically significant association between occupational noise exposure and reporting Raynaud's phenomenon (OR 1.10; 95% CI 0.83–1.46) in simple analyses. However, there was a trend towards increasing OR for Raynaud's phenomenon with increasing noise exposure, although not statistically significant. Also, there was a significant association between noise exposure and hearing loss (OR 2.76; 95% CI 2.00–3.81), and hearing loss was associated with reporting Raynaud's phenomenon (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.03–2.23) in a multiple regression model. In conclusion, self-reported occupational noise exposure was not statistically significantly associated with Raynaud's phenomenon, but there was a dose–effect trend. In addition, the multiple model showed a robust association between hearing loss and Raynaud's phenomenon. These findings offer some support for a common pathophysiological background for Raynaud's phenomenon and hearing loss among noise-exposed workers, possibly through noise-induced vasoconstriction.


Nanophthalmos is a developmental ocular malformation that has been associated with high risks of uveal effusion syndrome and exudative retinal detachment (ERD). A variety of surgical procedures and systemic/topical steroids have been described as effective for treatment of ERD. However, the possibility of side effects should be considered. Here, we describe a patient with nanophthalmos who was treated for recurrent ERD during long-term follow-up, and we discuss non-surgical treatment options that are available in such cases. A 43-year-old woman with bilateral nanophthalmos exhibited ERD in her right eye for one month. After partial thickness sclerectomy with central sclerostomy, the retina was completely reattached. However, ERD recurred 3 years later. The patient refused surgery; therefore, we employed conservative treatment of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and observation. One month later, the retina was completely reattached. To the best of our knowledge, no previous report has described resolution of recurrent ERD in a patient with nanophthalmos using NSAIDs during long-term follow-up after successful surgical treatment. Our success using this approach suggests that it could be used as alternative treatment for ERD in patients with nanophthalmos before application of further treatments.


This paper aims to investigate whether providing voluntary external assurance on voluntary environmental information by firms operating in environmentally sensitive industries (ESI) is relevant in terms of market value. It also examines how various characteristics of assurance statements (i.e. level of assurance, scope of assurance and provider of assurance) affect the value-relevance of environmental disclosure by ESI firms.,To mitigate the endogeneity problem, the authors use the two-step generalized method of moments estimation approach.,Focusing on annual and social reports of French companies listed in the SBF120 index, results show that environmental disclosure by ESI firms and its assurance are destructive in terms of market value. Moreover, while providing a broader scope of assurance and having a professional accountant as the assurance provider enhance the value relevance of environmental reporting of the whole sample, this is unlikely to be the case for ESI firms. In particular, a higher level of environmental disclosure is financially rewarded by market participants for ESI firms that provide a higher level of assurance.,The study provides a better understanding of the circumstances under which market participants assign value to voluntary environmental information disclosed by companies operating in ESI. It also provides insights into the value added to different characteristics inherent in the quality of assurance provided with regard to environmental disclosure.,The study indicates that the institutional context of the relationship between the firm and its shareholders influence the value obtained from assurance. Results provide value insights regarding cultural and legal dimensions of environmental reporting.,The study extends the prior literature on the capital market benefits of voluntary assurance practices by focusing on the French legal environment. France can be considered as a new institutional context that has been little addressed by the existing literature.


Global warming and the unsolved issues in nuclear power technology (e.g., nuclear waste disposal, security) challenge the global community to change the energy supply and reduce energy consumption. In the electricity sector and namely after Fukushima 2013, 'change' includes the phasing out of nuclear energy as decided by several nations in Europe such as Germany and Switzerland. The next steps to make the transition from the fossil and nuclear energy age towards alternative and renewable electricity demand not only a solution how to finance the phasing out. Increasing the share of renewable electricity is seen as indispensable to solve the energy supply dilemma.

But what leads to citizens' acceptance of renewable electricity policies and their implementation?

Traditional approaches on 'green' solutions and their acceptance within the population encounter several practical and methodological issues. First, just because a citizen is in favor of a certain action, e.g., saving electricity, does not mean that this citizen will actually do it (value-action gap). Second, survey research faces the problem of social desirability, i.e., citizens may identify themselves as more 'green'-friendly than they actually are in order to satisfy the researcher. And thirdly, when researching votes where citizens were asked to accept or reject a given policy, political behavior research has thus far usually been limited to ex post analysis.

Especially when citizens take on the role as decision makers through their vote in the direct democratic arena, it is preferable to know in advance which policy solution (such as incentive/steering taxes, subsidies or bans on technologies) or mix thereof has a realistic chance at the ballot box. Policy makers usually have several instruments and policy options at hand when drafting future policy. While opinion polls give insights in public opinion, traditional approaches encounter the mentioned problems of social desirability and the value-action gap and leave policy makers in the dark on how citizens will actually react to a proposal for change. However, an experimental approach could unravel these challenges and offer more insights into political behavior by citizens when asked about possible policy solutions and how they would vote in the future.

Following these considerations, we present results based on a large-scale survey with a representative sample for Switzerland, which allows us to develop empirically on individual acceptance on socio-political level. Our factorial experimental survey design allows us to confront respondents with varying and randomly assigned proposals for renewable electricity policies. Based on a forced-choice paired conjoint, we evaluate constellations of policy features which lead to the acceptance or rejection by citizens in the context of Swiss direct democracy.

From a societal and practical point of view, our results will allow to accompany the transition process and supply more refined information on public opinion regarding various designs of renewable electricity policies. Moreover, we hope to contribute to political behavior research on how citizens react to suggested transitions by the political elite. Similarly, the learning on citizens' behavior can be included into policy studies research, providing insights into how future policies should be designed to be accepted by the citizenry generally, and not only in electricity policy.


Cancer care consumes approximately 8% to 9% of all healthcare spending. The use of technology plays a key role in cancer, with both diagnostic and treatment implications, and technology is a large driver of healthcare spending. Understanding the role of technology and its integration in care may contribute to appropriate selection and utilization of technology, better decision making as to priorities in acquisition, and clinical cost efficiency.


Markov decision processes (MDPs) with large number of states are of high practical interest. However, conventional algorithms to solve MDP are computationally infeasible in this scenario. Approximate dynamic programming (ADP) methods tackle this issue by computing approximate solutions. A widely applied ADP method is approximate linear program (ALP) which makes use of linear function approximation and offers theoretical performance guarantees. Nevertheless, the ALP is difficult to solve due to the presence of a large number of constraints and in practice, a reduced linear program (RLP) is solved instead. The RLP has a tractable number of constraints sampled from the original constraints of the ALP. Though the RLP is known to perform well in experiments, theoretical guarantees are available only for a specific RLP obtained under idealized assumptions. In this paper, we generalize the RLP to define a generalized reduced linear program (GRLP) which has a tractable number of constraints that are obtained as positive linear combinations of the original constraints of the ALP. The main contribution of this paper is the novel theoretical framework developed to obtain error bounds for any given GRLP. Central to our framework are two max-norm contraction operators. Our result theoretically justifies linear approximation of constraints. We discuss the implication of our results in the contexts of ADP and reinforcement learning. We also demonstrate via an example in the domain of controlled queues that the experiments conform to the theory.


Purpose To determine the origin of epiretinal proliferation (EP), a condition that is occasionally observed in lamellar hole and macular hole cases, and EP outcomes after vitrectomy. Methods This is a retrospective observational case review of 17 eyes with EP that underwent vitrectomy, EP dissection, and internal limiting membrane peeling between January 2013 and December 2016. Surgical specimens of EP tissue were successfully obtained from 5 cases and they were analyzed after immunohistochemical staining. Postoperative outcomes, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and macular configuration in spectral domain-optical coherence tomography, were reviewed. Results Mean BCVA improved from 0.54 ± 0.36 logarithms of the minimum angle of resolution preoperatively to 0.32 ± 0.38 logarithms of the minimum angle of resolution postoperatively (p = 0.002). BCVA improved in 13 eyes and remained unchanged in four eyes. No cases experienced vision decline after surgery. All 17 patients' lamellar hole or macular hole were successfully closed. Despite hole closure, ellipsoid zone defects were not corrected in 11 of the 17 patients. In immunohistochemical analyses, anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein and pan-keratin (AE1/AE3) were positive, but synaptophysin, anti-α-smooth muscle actin, and anti-CD68 were negative. Conclusions The epiretinal proliferative membrane seems to originate from Müller cells, not from the vitreous. It is unclear whether retinal pigment epithelia also contribute to EP formation. Gentle handling and preservation of the epiretinal proliferative tissue is crucial for successful surgical outcomes.


A theoretical evaluation of the collective excitation spectra of nucleus at large deformations is possible within the framework of the dinuclear system model, which treats the wave function of the fissioning nucleus as a superposition of a mononucleus configuration and two-cluster configurations in a dynamical way, permitting exchange of nucleons between clusters. In this work the method of calculation of the potential energy and the collective spectrum of fissioning nucleus at scission point is presented. Combining the DNS model calculations and the statistical model of fission we calculate the mass, total kinetic energy, and angular distribution of fission fragments for the neutron–induced fission of 239 Pu.


Density functional theory (DFT) and Complete Basis Scale methods (CBS-QB3, G3B3) are used to investigate the reactivity, the mechanism, structure-reactivity relationship and the kinetics of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) with Cl atom. To obtain rate constants of the reaction, the RRKM theory is employed at atmospheric pressure and temperature range 273–380 K. This study provides the rate coefficients and detailed H-abstraction mechanism for the reaction of Cl with NMP at high level of theoretical methods. The obtained rate constant ~ 0.92 x 10− 10 to 8.98 × 10− 10cm 3 molecule− 1s− 1 at 298 K agreed with those obtained previously for N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) and N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMA). The study shows that the reaction mechanism of Cl with NMP goes favorably through an H-abstraction from N-methyl groups and adjacent CH2. The rates constants obtained for the three amides confirm our prediction regarding the structure-reactivity relationship where 1000/T.


W-NiTi tungsten heavy alloys were prepared by an infiltration process using submicron W powders, and the effect of sintering temperatures on grain-coarsening behaviors and the mechanical properties of W-NiTi tungsten heavy alloys were investigated. The microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and compression tests. The results showed that tungsten particles were uniformly distributed in the NiTi binder. The W-NiTi tungsten heavy alloys consisted of B19′-NiTi and body-centered cubic W phases. The average tungsten particle sizes of W-NiTi tungsten heavy alloys sintered at 1400 °C, 1480 °C and 1560 °C were 2.62 μm, 4.04 μm and 5.20 μm, respectively. The average tungsten particle size increased with sintering temperatures, while the densities decreased at higher temperatures. The cavities retained in the W-NiTi tungsten heavy alloy sintered at 1560 °C, which degraded the mechanical properties. The calculated grain growth activation energy of W particles in the NiTi binder was 330 kJ/mol, which was higher than those in conventional W-NiFe and W-NiCo tungsten heavy alloys. The higher activation energy means more difficult diffusion process of W atoms in NiTi binders during sintering. Therefore, finer-grained heavy tungsten alloys were more easily obtained by using NiTi binders. Yield strength of W-NiTi tungsten heavy alloys decreased with increasing sintering temperatures due to coarsened tungsten particles.


Patient-specific measurements are typically used to validate the dosimetry of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). To evaluate the dosimetric performance over time of our IMRT process, we have used statistical process control (SPC) concepts to analyze the measurements from 330 head and neck (H&N) treatment plans. The objectives of the present work are to: (i) Review the dosimetric measurements of a large series of consecutive head and neck treatment plans to better understand appropriate dosimetric tolerances; (ii) analyze the results with SPC to develop action levels for measured discrepancies; (iii) develop estimates for the number of measurements that are required to describe IMRT dosimetry in the clinical setting; and (iv) evaluate with SPC a new beam model in our planning system. H&N IMRT cases were planned with the PINNACLE treatment planning system versions 6.2b or 7.6c (Philips Medical Systems, Madison, WI) and treated on Varian (Palo Alto, CA) or Elekta (Crawley, UK) linacs. As part of regular quality assurance, plans were recalculated on a 20-cm-diam cylindrical phantom, and ion chamber measurements were made in high-dose volumes (the PTV with highest dose) and in low-dose volumes (spinal cord organ-at-risk, OR). Differences between the planned and measured doses were recorded as a percentage of the planned dose. Differences were stable over time. Measurements with PINNACLE3 6.2b and Varian linacs showed a mean difference of 0.6% for PTVs (n=149, range, -4.3% to 6.6%), while OR measurements showed a larger systematic discrepancy (mean 4.5%, range -4.5% to 16.3%) that was due to well-known limitations of the MLC model in the earlier version of the planning system. Measurements with PINNACLE3 7.6c and Varian linacs demonstrated a mean difference of 0.2% for PTVs (n=160, range, -3.0%, to 5.0%) and -1.0% for ORs (range -5.8% to 4.4%). The capability index (ratio of specification range to range of the data) was 1.3 for the PTV data, indicating that almost all measurements were within +/-5%. We have used SPC tools to evaluate a new beam model in our planning system to produce a systematic difference of -0.6% for PTVs and 0.4% for ORs, although the number of measurements is smaller (n=25). Analysis of this large series of H&N IMRT measurements demonstrated that our IMRT dosimetry was stable over time and within accepted tolerances. These data provide useful information for assessing alterations to beam models in the planning system. IMRT is enhanced by the addition of statistical process control to traditional quality control procedures.


In this paper, we developed a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) for the classification of malignant and benign masses in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) using a multi-stage transfer learning approach that utilized data from similar auxiliary domains for intermediate-stage fine-tuning. Breast imaging data from DBT, digitized screen-film mammography, and digital mammography totaling 4039 unique regions of interest (1797 malignant and 2242 benign) were collected. Using cross validation, we selected the best transfer network from six transfer networks by varying the level up to which the convolutional layers were frozen. In a single-stage transfer learning approach, knowledge from CNN trained on the ImageNet data was fine-tuned directly with the DBT data. In a multi-stage transfer learning approach, knowledge learned from ImageNet was first fine-tuned with the mammography data and then fine-tuned with the DBT data. Two transfer networks were compared for the second-stage transfer learning by freezing most of the CNN structures versus freezing only the first convolutional layer. We studied the dependence of the classification performance on training sample size for various transfer learning and fine-tuning schemes by varying the training data from 1% to 100% of the available sets. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used as a performance measure. The view-based AUC on the test set for single-stage transfer learning was 0.85 ± 0.05 and improved significantly ( ${p} < 0.05$ ) to 0.91 ± 0.03 for multi-stage learning. This paper demonstrated that, when the training sample size from the target domain is limited, an additional stage of transfer learning using data from a similar auxiliary domain is advantageous.


No. But I'm known to be prejudiced in this area. Decide for yourself.

One dollar buys your library about 46,000 words of JGR. This amount of material costs over $4.00 in Earth and Planetary Science Letters and Geochima et Cosmochimica Acta, two of the more reasonably priced, commercially published journals and about $9.50 in Geophysical Surveys. But, you say, ' Wait a minute! What about the page charge of $80? That's 6.5c per word.' OK; if there were no page charge, your library would still pay less than $2.40 for those 46,000 words.


We developed two quantitative counterimmunoelectrophoretic (CIEP) assays to detect serum prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP). The assays were designated counterimmunoelectrophoresis-colorimetric (CIE-C) and counterimmunoelectrophoresis-densitometric (CIE-D). One unique feature of these assays was the use of a primary standard for the quantitation of PAP. The sensitivities of the assays were 0.08 and 0.04 IU per liter for CIE-C and CIE-D, respectively. Precision coefficients of variation and recovery studies for four levels of PAP over a 3-month period have shown the reliability of these newly modified assays. PAP activity in sera from patients with early stages of prostatic cancer which was demonstrated to be normal by conventional chemical methods was found to be elevated by the conbined methods in a substantial number.


Abstract Since the late nineteenth century metallised textiles created by electricity and chemistry have been impersonating and combining with precious metal in finishes, treatments and embellishment. During the early twentieth century, innovation in the metallisation of aluminium could be seen through the process of bonding and coating. Indeed, amongst the traditional craft techniques used to imbue exquisite garments, ceremonial dress and treasured artefacts with gold, silver and copper, sits the transformative electro-chemical science of making. In this article I will discuss the historical development, techniques and renewed interest in processing associated with electrodeposition and textiles. It first charts ancient metallurgical work on materials, created by chemical reaction. It then explores nineteenth century innovation in electrochemistry and electrometallurgy that led to the earliest rare examples of electrodeposition on cloth, thread and yarn used in transport, jewellery and dress. It will then move onto how renewed interest in the magic of electrodeposition has begun to transform the creation of bespoke metal textiles; eclectically and aesthetically driven by seminal contemporary practice-based research and thought-provoking work in laboratory-based textiles. It considers the artistry, control and scientific underpinning needed and gives examples of unconventional processing led by a small group of ground-breaking studio textile designers in the United Kingdom (UK), Belgium and Hong Kong. I will pose the question: is interdisciplinary exploration at the forefront of twenty-first century textile design? As such the article reviews the interplay between chemistry and design; the interface between historic and contemporary techniques analysing how the potential glimpsed in past patents by inventors and methodologies from artisan manufacturing and the metal finishing industry can be drawn upon to create forward thinking designs and materials in fashion and textiles.


Composite -Ni+' coatings on an iron substrate with a nickel interlayer were developed by the conversion of electrodeposited Ni+Al films with dispersed Al particles in Ni matrix. The conversion was made by vacuum annealing at 900 oC for 3 h without and under uniaxial pressure of 1 MPa to obtain porous and full-density coatings, respectively. The cyclic-oxidation resistance of both types of produced coatings at 1000 oC was compared. It was noticed the detrimental effect of porosity on the oxidation resistance of -Ni+' composite coatings. SEM/EDS and XRD characterisation of nonporous coatings showed that during oxidation a protective continuous Al2O3 layer is formed below a zone of NiAl2O4 spinel. The Al2O3 layer in porous -Ni+' coatings was identified as discontinuous and therefore not fully-protective. After 100 h at 1000 oC a mass gain for nonporous -Ni+' coatings was about 7 times lesser than for nickel coating.


IMPORTANCE Understanding the prevalence and symptoms of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) dependence and its association with future e-cigarette use among youth may help to guide pediatric clinical services and health policy. OBJECTIVES To examine the cross-sectional prevalence and symptom presentation of e-cigarette dependence and to determine whether e-cigarette dependence is associated with subsequent e-cigarette use patterns 6 months later among youth with baseline past-year e-cigarette use. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This prospective cohort study used baseline and 6-month follow-up surveys among students in the 12th grade during the 2016 to 2017 school year who reported any past-year e-cigarette use. Surveys were conducted on site in 10 high schools in Los Angeles, California. Data were analyzed from March 2019 to December 2019. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Self-reported checklist of 10 tobacco product dependence symptoms reflecting loss of control over use, craving or urge, or withdrawal symptoms while abstinent, completed at baseline and administered separately for e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes. Reporting 1 or more symptoms indicated a positive screen for dependence. Vaping continuation, defined as any past 6-month vaping, and past 30-day nicotine vaping days (range, 0–30), sessions per vaping day (range, 0–20), and puffs per session (range, 0–20) at 6-month follow-up were assessed. RESULTS Among 3168 twelfth-grade students who completed the baseline survey, 444 youths (mean [SD] age, 17.48 [0.39] years; 217 [48.9%] female) reported past-year e-cigarette use. Among these, 52 youths (11.7%) reported at least 1 e-cigarette dependence symptom. Among youth who reported past-year dual e-cigarette and combustible cigarette use, combustible cigarette dependence, reported by 43 youths (29.7%), was more prevalent than e-cigarette dependence, which was reported by 24 youths (16.4%). The most common symptoms, craving, urge, and need to use, and least common symptoms, abstinence-related concentration and emotional problems, were similar in both combustible and e-cigarette dependence. The prevalence of e-cigarette dependence was higher among youth who reported vaping in the past month than among those who did not (41 youths [17.6%] vs 11 youths [5.2%]; P < .001) and among youth who used e-cigarettes with nicotine than among those who used e-cigarettes without nicotine (42 youths [15.2%] vs 10 youths [6.0%]; P = .004). After adjusting for baseline vaping and e-cigarette dependence risk propensity scores, baseline e-cigarette dependence symptom status was associated with vaping continuation (adjusted odds ratio, 2.30 [95% CI, 1.07–4.94]; P = .02) and past 30-day number of nicotine vaping days (adjusted rate ratio, 2.17 [95% CI, 1.44–3.28]; P < .001), vaping sessions per day (adjusted rate ratio, 2.41 [95% CI, 1.52–3.83]; P < .001), and puffs per session (adjusted rate ratio, 1.70 [95% CI, 1.09–2.66]; P = .02) at 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These findings suggest that e-cigarette dependence may be an expression of tobacco use disorder associated with future use persistence and escalation among youth. Electronic cigarette dependence may be a behavioral health consequence of adolescent vaping that warrants consideration in pediatric patient care and public health policy.


The research on which this poster is based deals with the requirements engineering of an application for medical photo documentation. Against this backdrop, the poster sets out the underlying concepts of medical informatics, the process of medical photo documentation and the standardized procedure of requirements engineering. Using these standards and methodologies, requirements for a mobile photo documentation solution have been elicited, prepared, documented and modeled. As a result of this work, a standardized specification according to ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148, a demonstration model as well as a functional prototype of the application to be designed have been established. From this prototype, an application was developed that is now in routine clinical use and is constantly being refined.


Vibration tests are encountering a growing success in earthquake engineering as a valuable tool for the seismic assessment of buildings. Ambient vibration measurements, in particular, offer reliable support for the updating of mechanical models, as well as the enhancement of seismic mitigation strategies for existing buildings. In this respect, the common description of the floor diaphragms as planar rigid bodies tends to oversimplify the actual mechanical behaviour of some traditional structural solutions, especially in masonry buildings. This assumption can be violated even in modern concrete and steel buildings due to inadequate design, poor manufacturing, or damage. The paper addresses the mathematical validation of the rigid diaphragm simplification using vibration measurements. To this purpose, a model‐based inverse kinematic problem is stated and solved to discriminate the in‐plane rigid motion and the angular deformation time histories from vibration data. Simple formulas, leveraging the approximate solution in the case of problem under‐determinacy, exploit the spectral content of vibration data to discuss the diaphragm deformability. Natural modes exhibiting different (rigid, quasi‐rigid, or nonrigid) diaphragm behaviour are distinguishable by comparing the power spectral densities of the rigid motion and angular deformation. Modes of pure floor deformability can also be identified. The influence of adverse testing conditions is discussed through pseudo‐experimental data simulating the dynamic response of a simple frame structure. As a complementary contribution, the procedure effectiveness is experimentally verified by analysing vibration data related to, first, laboratory tests on a scaled concrete‐steel frame and, finally, full‐scale tests on a masonry building.


Introduction: Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) was used to conduct a biological and behavioral surveillance survey (BBSS) in Fortaleza, Brazil in 2005 among men who have sex with men (MSM). The study recruited many more MSM of lower social classes than Time Location Sampling and Snowball Sampling studies conducted in Fortaleza previously by the study team. Although poorer MSM are arguably more important for public health purposes, a surveillance method should provide information about all of the MSM population at risk. Objective: to explore reasons for low participation of higher social class MSM in the BBSS. Methods: RDS was used to recruit 406 MSM in Fortaleza, 2005. Data were analysed using the RDSAT to adjust for network size and recruitment patterns. A small-scale qualitative debriefing with eight higher social economic status (SES) MSM and staff from two Brazilian NGOs was also conducted to understand why they did not participate in the cross-sectional study. Results: of the 406 participants, more than half (56.1%) of MSM were less than 25 years old. Only 7.0% were of high SES. This paper found that the differential recruitment of higher social classes is due to: siting of the offices in a poor downtown area, insufficient incentives, NGOs associated with lower SES MSM, lack of solidarity among MSM, traditional class and wealth divides, fear of discrimination, and concerns about testing in general and the confidentiality of test results in particular. Because network links between high and low SES MSM appear to be minimal, the failure should not be attributed solely to RDS's networking sampling methodology. Conclusion: operational, cultural, and socio-economic factors are barriers to the participation of high SES MSM. Strategies to enhance representativeness include additional formative research to explore the inclusiveness of networks, strategies to respond to the needs of higher SES MSM and encourage participation.


This paper uses a finite element model to investigate the temperature change of the interconnects of an integrated circuit due to the power dissipation of the transistors in the substrate. The temperature of the local interconnect is more significantly affected, exhibiting an increase of 49 K and 34 K, for the Metal 1 and Metal 2, respectively. We discuss the impact of the temperature increase in the electromigration and, as a consequence in the lifetime of the operational amplifier, which demonstrates the importance of considering the metallization temperature distribution in the design stage.


The article covers some of the results of the study on the management and activities of the national statistical bodies during the Great Patriotic War. The authors analyzed several historiographic issues connected to the research area and related to more or less major publications on the history of the national state statistics. It is argued that there is an extreme shortage of scientific publications on archival materials about the activities of the CSB under the State Planning Committee of the USSR and its territorial bodies in 1941–1945. The specifics of managing statistical work activities during the war period are shown to provide country leaders with the necessary statistical information, primarily for operational management decisions in extreme conditions. The process of transforming the content of basic statistical work and statistical methodology to wartime realities. In this context, organizational and substantive aspects of urgent censuses (resources and production capacity) are relevant. The article formulates conclusions and proposals for further study and generalization of experience with the operation of the national state statistics in extreme conditions.


Highly enantioselective conjugate addition of nitroalkanes to alkylidenemalonates has been accomplished for the first time by the utilization of efficient phase-transfer catalysis of N-spiro C2-symmetric chiral quaternary ammonium bromide 1. For instance, simple mixing of nitropropane (2, R1 = Et), diisopropyl benzylidienemalonate (3, R2 = Ph), Cs2CO3 (1 equiv), and (S,S)-1 (1 mol %) in toluene at 0 degrees C for 2.5 h gave rise to the desired conjugate addition product 4 (R1 = Et, R2 = Ph) quantitatively (anti/syn = 86:14) with 97% ee (anti isomer). The applicability of this procedure has been demonstrated with other representative alkylidenemalonates and nitroalkanes. Since 4 can be readily transformed into the corresponding gamma-amino acid hydrochloride 5 without loss of diastereo- and enantioselectivity, the present method provides a new and practical access to various optically active gamma-amino acid derivatives.


To support online index and range queries, the Distributed B-tree is adopted to index the mass and rapidly in- creasing data in cloud computing. But current Distributed B-tree has three defects: low degree of concurrency, frequent node splitting and high cost of updates in clients. For above mentioned defects, this paper presents efficient distribute B- tree index in cloud computing environment, which effectively enhances the performance of the distributed B-tree index. First, it improves concurrent access by the distributed B-tree high concurrency access method based on node split history. Second, it reduces the splitting frequency by the method of dynamic changing node size. Finally, it reduces node update cost in all client buffers by the regional delayed update method. Experimental results show that, this method has high per- formance in cloud computing environments.


The world of computer aided design has been characterized for many years be a constant flow of new approaches and techniques. Itis difficult to recognize the real value of the different items. Some of these techniques are computer aided (stereo)imaging, animation, holography and virtual reality. These systems and thesetechniques are mainly used for the presentation of a final design.Because of the constantly improving performance of CAD systems andtheir users, these systems are more and more useful for the evaluation of several design proposals during the design process. However, because of the great impact that artistic images and advanced animations have on a presentation of a designit seems tobe more rewarding to use CAD systems for this purpose only. Even new techniques like Virtual Reality systems seem to be valued in relation with their presentation capabilities instead of their possibilities to support design modeling and evaluation during thedesign process. This paper describes the main results of research and development work on a Virtual Reality system. One of the results is a Virtual Reality application that will allow differentparticipants in the designprocess to work together in a virtual building on a scale of 1:1. This system, a multi user design system, will offer modules for modeling and for evaluation. With these modules this system will show that new media are not only useful for the improvement of design presentations but that they can also be used for the improvement of the building performance. Virtual Reality systems are based on different existing presentation techniques, like photo-realistic images, stereo-images and real time- animation. The added value of this kind of CAD systems is determined by a new kind of interface (a sensored interface) for the control over the animation, displayed through the head-mounted displays oreye phone and for the controlover a 3D pointer for the selection of commands and objects in a model. For a bett


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

Pancreatic cancer remains a "death sentence," with the poorest survival rates reported for solid tumors. Escalating this problem is the fact that pancreatic cancer is among the most resistant cancers to traditional forms of therapy. But in this new era of targeted therapies, there is reason to hope that significant progress will be made in the development of new interventions for both treatment and prevention in the near future. In fact, we have entered into a new era of cancer therapies and are witnessing the rapid approval of antibodies and small molecule agents that inhibit cancer associated pathways. In the past few years we have also witnessed the approval of vaccines for cancer prevention (HPV vaccines, Gardasil, Cervarix) and cancer treatment (prostate cancer vaccine, Sipuleucel-T, Provenge); and the first immune modulating agent (Yervoy, Ipilimumab) that blocks the down regulatory signal, CTLA-4 on T cells, thereby enhancing immune activity against malignant melanoma. These groundbreaking examples have opened the floodgates for a whole new class of anticancer agents that harness the power of the immune system.

Until recently, barriers to immunotherapy clinical successes for pancreatic cancer have been due to a lack of understanding of the immune pathways within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment that hinder successful immune responses even at the earliest stages of cancer development. Recent advances in our understanding of its immunobiology has identified new targets for developing cancer specific vaccines and new targets for modulating the tumor microenvironment to allow more potent activation and improved access of vaccine induced immune responses. We are just learning that non-neoplastic cells, including cancer-associated myofibroblasts, regulatory T cells, dendritic cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and tumor-associated macrophages, are hijacked by pre-invasive and invasive cancer cells to create a tolerogenic tumor microenvironment. Current research is focused on elucidating the mechanisms of this cancer supporting polarization within the tumor microenvironment with the goal of tipping the balance in favor of an anticancer immunity. With the recent advances in molecular technologies and the development of relevant pancreatic cancer mouse models, it is now within our reach to dissect the inhibitory pathways within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. This will in turn, lead to new therapeutic opportunities that will eliminate these barriers and convert this deadly cancer into a treatable and hopefully preventable disease.

This presentation will provide new data supporting a role for targeting tumor initiating and metastasis supporting genes as immunotherapy for preventing tumor initiation and progression.

References

1. Thomas AM, Santarsiero LM, Armstrong TD, Chen Y-C, Huang L-Q, Laheru DA, Goggins M, Hruban RH, Jaffee EM. Mesothelin Specific CD8+ T Cell Responses Provide Human Evidence of In Vivo Cross-Priming by Antigen Presenting Cells in Vaccinated Pancreatic Cancer Patients. J Exp Med., 200(3):297-306, 2004.

2. Laheru D, Jaffee EM. Immunotherapy of pancreatic cancer - science driving clinical progress. Nat Rev Cancer 2005; 5(6):459-67. PMID: 15905855

3. Laheru D, Lutz E, Burke J, Biedrzycki B, Solt S, Onners B, Tartakovsky I, Nemunaitis J, Le D, Sugar E, Hege K, Jaffee EM. Allogeneic granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor-secreting tumor immunotherapy alone or in sequence with cyclophosphamide for metastatic pancreatic cancer: a pilot study of safety, feasibility, and immune activation. Cancer Therapy: Clin Can Res 2008 Mar l:14(5):1455-1463. PMID: 18316569 NIHMSID # 105519

4. Lutz E, Yeo CJ, Lillemoe KD, Biedrzycki B, Kobrin B, Herman J, Sugar E, Piantadosi S, Cameron JL, Solt S, Onners B, Tartakovsky I, Choi M, Sharma R, Illei PB, Hruban RH, Abrams RA, Le D, Jaffee E, Laheru D. A lethally irradiated allogeneic granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor-secreting tumor vaccine for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. A Phase II trial of safety, efficacy, and immune activation. Ann Surg. 2011;253(2):328-35. PMCID: 3085934.

5. Le DT, Brockstedt DG, Nir-Paz R, Hampl J, Mathur S, Nemunaitis J, Sterman DH, Hassan R, Lutz E, Moyer B, Giedlin M, Louis JL, Sugar EA, Pons A, Cox AL, Levine J, Murphy AL, Illei P, Dubensky TW, Jr., Eiden JE, Jaffee EM, Laheru DA. A live-attenuated Listeria vaccine (ANZ-100) and a live-attenuated Listeria vaccine expressing mesothelin (CRS-207) for advanced cancers: phase i studies of safety and immune induction. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. 2012;18(3):858-68. PMCID: 3289408.

6. Blankenstein T, Coulie PG, Gilboa E, Jaffee EM. The determinants of tumour immunogenicity. Nat Rev Cancer 2010; 12(4):307-13. PMID: 22378190

Citation Format: Elizabeth M. Jaffee. Vaccine induced immunity against cancer genes to prevent and treat pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr SY26-01. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-SY26-01


Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults, but is distinctly rare as a primary tumor of the heart. Herein we report a case of left ventricular MFH obstructing the outflow tract and presenting as congestive heart failure. Surgical removal of the mass confirmed the tissue diagnosis of MFH. To our knowledge, this is the first report of MFH originating from the left ventricle.


The purpose of this paper was to analyze multicultural elements and propose measures to strengthen them in the 2009and the 2015 school curriculum. Based on Kim Cheong-ha (2015), the multi-cultural guidance elements and Bennett (2003:32-35) the target system and Choi Moo-sung and Kim Soon-ja (2009) were reconstructed and analyzed. Multicultural elements shown in the 2015 revised curriculum were analyzed for cultural diversity, recognition and tolerance, community awareness, and self-identity. The analysis targets analyzed multicultural elements of "seeking human beings","core competences" and "school organization and operation" during the elementary education curriculum in 2009. As a result of analyzing the multicultural elements of the former primary education process, "cultural diversity" is 1,Recognition and tolerance"0, community spirit"3, and "self-reliant"2 total6. In the new elementary school curriculum, 18 were analyzed as "cultural diversity"1,"Recognition and tolerance"1, "community spirit"8, and "self-identity"8. The first analysis of multi-cultural factors appearing in the new elementary school curriculum should include the addition of multicultural elements "cultural diversity" and "cultural diversity area" and "education and tolerance" to the following: Second, to grow into a balanced multicultural society member, it proposes an enhanced multicultural curriculum in four areas: cultural diversity, recognition and tolerance, ccommunity spirit, and self-identity.


A 35-year-old Qatari man presented to our hospital with a 4-month history of mild abdominal pain, weight loss, and jaundice. He was found to have central intra-abdominal mass and a single testis in the scrotum. His investigations showed cholestatic jaundice and very high level of β-HCG (1131379 IU/L). CT scans of the chest and abdomen showed a huge pelvic-abdominal mass with extensive retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy, in addition to liver and lung metastases. CT-guided Tru-Cut biopsy of the mass showed mixed germ cell tumor. Chemotherapy was refused by the patient and his family. In the following days, the patient bled from his liver metastases leading to hemorrhagic shock, hemorrhage from metastatic sites of choriocarcinoma containing tumors is named choriocarcinoma syndrome. He was transferred to the medical intensive care unit, where he was intubated and resuscitated. Embolization of the right hepatic artery was done, but failed to control the bleeding, which continued with development of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and a severe abdominal compartment syndrome, and eventually the patient died.


Multiculturalism has succeeded in bringing much-needed attention to historically neglected minority populations. Despite the gains that multiculturalism has facilitated, as presently implemented, it may inadvertently contribute to reduced social cohesion and declining intergroup relations. We draw from social-psychological, including attitudinal and social-cognitive, perspectives to provide a theoretically and empirically informed analysis of why, despite many of its successes, multiculturalism often struggles to deliver on some of its laudable promises. We highlight three areas of concern regarding contemporary presentations of multiculturalism: (a) a strong emphasis on intergroup differences rather than a more balanced emphasis between differences and commonalities; (b) majority group members' perceptions that multiculturalism excludes them; and (c) framings of multiculturalism that evoke extrinsic forms of motivation. Finally, we provide several recommendations aimed at a balanced and scientifically informed understanding of multiculturalism. Although these recommendations are theoretically grounded and empirically supported, the proposed benefits of our approach need to be tested against alternative approaches.


This paper addresses the fault estimation problem for discrete-time dynamic systems. First, using a specific system decomposition, we propose a new reduced-order fault estimation observer (RFEO) with multiconstrained idea. A detailed discussion of the RFEO is given. Then, with the help of the slack-variable technique, fault estimation performances are further enhanced to reduce the conservatism generated by the direct design method. Simulation results of a discrete-time aircraft application are presented to illustrate our contributions.


An information theoretic criterion for the feasibility of reconstructing diffraction signals from noisy tomographs, when the positions of the tomographs within the signal are unknown, is derived. For shot-noise limited data, the number of detected photons per tomograph for successful reconstruction is much smaller than previously believed necessary, growing only logarithmically with the number of contrast elements of the diffracting object. Reconstruction up to the theoretic criterion is demonstrated on simulated data with an algorithm that combines the expectation-maximization (EM) principle with constraints arising from the band-limited nature of the signal.


Of all the church Fathers, Erasmus preferred St Jerome, for in him he found the perfect combination of 'bonae litterae' and 'philosophia Christi,' which were to become the two fundamental concepts of the Erasmian reform program. This volume is devoted to Erasmus' edition of the works of St. Jerome, including his letters and a variety of other writings, and, most important, Erasmus' Life of Jerome. As a work of patristic scholarship, this first critical biography of the saint was a major achievement, distinguished for its historical portrait of Jerome with all his faults and virtues, and free of the myths, legends, and stories that grew up around him in the Middle Ages. Originally published in 1516, the edition of the works of St Jerome consisted of nine folio volumes, the first four of which were Erasmus' chief responsibility. This selection from the edition, translated and annotated by James F. Brady and John C. Olin, is the first presentation of this outstanding work since the sixteenth century and makes available parts that are both important in themselves and representative of Erasmus' contribution. Extenstive introductions and notes by the editors provide full information about the texts.


In order to investigate the mechanical characteristics of rocks under saturated water conditions, uniaxial loading experiments were conducted on rock specimens using the RMT-150B Rock Mechanics Experiment System based on theoretical analysis of the damage evolution mechanism of rock specimens considering saturation factors. And the damage of the specimens was monitored using the Soft Island DS5-16B acoustic emission system. During the test, the specimens were taken from six rock samples in different directions at the same roadway section location in a coal mine. The combined findings suggest that: The dispersion rate is positively correlated with the bearing capacity of rock specimens taken from different directions, AE ringing counts, amplitude, and energy appear to have a time-limited steady increase influenced by direction. For rock specimens in the same plane, the rock damage instantaneous energy lag amplitude and AE activity is proportional to the direction angle. The AE localization points in different directions are randomly distributed and scattered in various areas, and fracture beams and surface cracks are produced inside the rock corresponding to the AE acoustic emission.


This Special Issue of Nutrients, entitled "Nutritional Management and Outcomes in Anorexia Nervosa", aims to advance aspects of the scientific understanding of some serious or frequent somatic involvements and of the precocious nutrition management of severe forms of the disease in order to assist clinicians in the management of such patients [...].


Except in the case of chylous or hemorrhagic effusion, the gross appearance of ascitic fluid is not especially helpful in the investigation of ascites of unknown origin. The differential diagnosis of ascites rests on more objective data obtained from chemical and cytologic analyses. Both routine and special ascitic fluid tests are listed here, and test results are interpreted as they apply to four major disease states.


Soft-switching ac-link buck-boost converters, also known as ac-link universal power converters and partial resonant ac-link converters, have received remarkable attention during the last few years. These converters, which can be configured as dc-dc, dc-ac, ac-dc, or ac-ac (single-phase or multi-phase), are compact, reliable, and expected to offer longer lifetime compared to the other types of converters. These single-stage converters are an extension of the dc-dc buck-boost converters. However, several modifications are applied so that the current of the link inductor is alternating. By adding a small capacitor to the link and by modifying the control scheme the switches are all turned on at zero voltage, and they also have a soft turn-off. In this paper, it will be shown that the soft-switching ac-link three-phase ac-ac or dc-ac converters have some restrictions on the power factor of the load connected to them. Lower load power factors may damage the link capacitor as well as lead to hard switching of the switches. The range of the acceptable load power factor will be determined in this paper and a solution will be presented to overcome this problem. The proposed technique allows the converter to operate normally regardless of the load power factor value.


Accidents caused by insects of the Hymenoptera are rarely described in large animals. The attacks caused by honeybee (Apis mellifera) may cause severe consequences and its intensity changes according to the number of stings. Local and systemic reactions can occur, including progression to death. This report describes a case of honeybee attack on an equine, which took place in the city of Lages, in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. In the clinical assessment the horse showed apathy, anorexia, head and pectoral edemas, dyspnea, icteric mucosa, increased mandibular lymph nodes and darkened urine. The blood count showed anemia and serum biochemical tests suggested, muscular and hepatic lesions. The urinalysis test indicated hemoglobinuria and increased clotting time. Treatment included lactate Ringer's solution fluid therapy, furosemide, promethazine, corticosteroids and 20% mannitol solution. Hot and cold compresses were applied alternately on areas with edema. There was a satisfactory response to treatment and the animal was discharged after 30 days in veterinary hospital. The description of honeybee sting accidents in large animals is important because of the evolution that can lead to death. The early approach associated with appropriate treatment, avoiding the worsening of the lesions is fundamental for the recovery of the patient.


Abstract. Rifqiyati N, Wahyuni A. 2019. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) leaf  infusion effect on mammary gland activity and kidney function of lactating rats. Nusantara Bioscience 11: 101-105. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) leaf, traditionally, is believed to have a potential in increasing and smoothing breast milk production. This study aimed to determine the effect of fennel leaf infusion on milk production and to know the side effects of its use. The material used in the research was infusion of fennel leaves (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) collected from Kopeng, Central Java. The research utilized 12 female rats each with 5 newborns off springs. The experiment was designed in Completed Random Design (CRD) with 4 treatments and 3 replications. Histological preparation of mammary glands was set using paraffin method with HE staining. Kidney function was observed through uric acid level in the blood. The results showed that the diameter of lactiferous ducts and of its lumen diameter were significantly influenced by 15 days fennel leaf infusion treatment. The largest lactiferous duct diameter observed was on P3 treatment group (452.97 ± 75.033 µm) and the smallest was observed in control groups (273.17 ± 38.746 µm). The numbers of active alveoli observed in treatment groups, i.e., in P1 (20 g/300  mL), P2 (40 g/300  mL), and P3 (60 g/300  mL), increased than inactive alveoli. The blood uric acid level observed was 4.0-4.6 mg/dl. The results suggested that the infusion of fennel leaf with a treatment dose of 60 g infusion in 300  mL distilled water administered for 15 days can significantly increase the diameter of lactiferous lumen of female rat mammary glands, and increase the diameter of the alveoli and the number of active alveolar mammary glands. Histological picture of mammary gland also showed that the female rats treated with dose of 60g infusion per 300  mL aquadest increased milk secretion and than the other treatment groups. The treatment also showed no significant side effects.


Background. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infectious diseases in outpatient and hospital practice. Goals: was to identify the epidemiological aspects of UTI among the patients of «Altai regional hospital for veterans of wars» (AKGVV). Methodology . AKGVV: is a multi-specialized medical institution. The structure of which includes an advisory-polyclinic department for 180 visits per shift and a hospital for 305 beds of round-the-clock stay. A retrospective analysis of the incidence of UTI in AKGVV was carried out. During the analysis, the data of the information system «Hospital» for 2008–2017 were used. The study materials were subjected to statistical processing. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of programs STATISTICA 10.0 and MSExcel 2010. Results . From 2012 there was a tendency to reduce the dynamics of incidence of UTI. In the dynamics of incidence of chronic cystitis, there was a tendency to reduce it. In the dynamics of the incidence of chronic pyelonephritis, there was also a tendency to decrease. There was a sporadic incidence of acute pyelonephritis .1 case of acute cystitis incidence recorded in 2010. In the structure of patients with UTI, patients from 80 years and older – 57.70%; patients aged 70–79 years accounted for 20.59%, 60–69 years – 15.29%.. С onclusions The average severity (81.2%) prevailed in the structure of patients with UTI, which requires special approach of medical personnel to care of patients, ensuring proper sanitary and anti-epidemic regimen in hospital departments and selection of antibacterial therapy.


Abstract Beach traffic can substantially modify the physical environment on sandy beaches. Vehicle impacts on beaches were quantified on North Stradbroke Island, a barrier island on the east coast of Australia where large volumes of recreational off-road vehicle (ORV) traffic are concentrated on two beaches (Flinders Beach and Main Beach). The distribution, density, and depth of vehicle ruts on these beaches were quantified during the peak holiday period around late December and early January 2005–06. The density of tyre tracks per meter of beach face ranged from 2.69 to 6.35 on Flinders Beach and from 2.38 to 8.06 on Main Beach, and substantial areas (54–61%) of each beach were covered withy tyre tracks up to a maximum of 90% in some areas. ORVs corrugated the sand as deep as 28 cm (mean depth: 5.86 ± 4.72 cm), with the deepest rutting occurring between the foredunes and the drift line. On a volume basis, vehicles disrupted 5.8% (Main Beach) and 9.4% (Flinders Beach) of the available faunal habitat matrix (top 30 cm of the sand) in a single day. Traffic density was higher on the lower shore, but ruts were significantly deeper in the soft sand of the upper shore. Thus, half of all sand displaced by vehicles on Flinders Beach originated from the upper shore, although this section represents only 36% of beach width. Similarly, the narrow (13% of beach width) upper shore on Main Beach contributed 55% of the total volume of sand dislodged by ORVs. Beach traffic overlapped to a large extent with the distribution of the invertebrate infauna, and vehicles routinely disturbed the drift line and the base of the foredunes. This study emphasizes the need to develop multifaceted management strategies for recreational ORV use on beaches that balance ecological requirements with sociocultural and economic demands.


Jacques Derrida invites a reconsideration of the myth of Echo and Narcissus. Echo's voice translates and remediates Narcissus's beauty. In this "histoire d'amour," it is the blind repeating of someone else's words which constitutes her voice. And this translating voice is hers, not merely a borrowing from Narcissus. Derek Jarman's Blue (1993) and the medium of film itself equally promise the power to mirror/echo the human, to translate sound and motion to the flat reflective surface of projection and to preserve voices in a sound track. At least two queer texts from the turn of the nineteenth century anticipate this Derridean "blind echo," Oscar Wilde's prose poem "The Disciple" (1894) and Rainer Maria Rilke's "Narzis" (1913). Lou Andreas-Salome, in "Der Mensch als Wieb" (1899), moreover, sees a double directionality of narcissism. All three insist that the surface on which Narcissus views his reflection and Echo's repetition are not an abject predication but rather the initiation of a relationship. Trans...


ABSTRACT A fluorogenic PCR was established for the quantification of feline herpesvirus 1 (FeHV-1) DNA in ocular fluid samples of clinically diseased cats. The new assay was specific for FeHV-1 and sensitive. The 100% detection rate ranged from 0.6 to 6 50% tissue culture infective doses per sample. When spiked samples with known quantities of virus were used, infectious virus titers and quantification of viral DNA by PCR correlated to each other in a linear fashion (R2 = 0.9858) over a range of 4 orders of magnitude. Within this range, it was possible to calculate the FeHV-1 DNA content from a given infectious dose, and vice versa. The new diagnostic procedure was applied to ocular fluid samples from cats experimentally infected with FeHV-1 and specific FeHV-1-free cats. A good correlation between virus titer and quantitative PCR was observed, although only early in infection. In a second stage, the titer of infectious virus collapsed, while the PCR signal remained high. A constantly decreasing PCR signal accompanied by negative virus isolation was characteristic for a final stage of the infection. Finally, clinical samples from 20 cats that were suspected to suffer from FeHV-1 infection were analyzed. By comparing virus titers and quantitative PCR signals, it was possible to determine the current stage of the ongoing infection. Based on these findings, comparison of the results of consecutive samples allows the tracking of the course of the infection. Therefore, the new method combines the advantages of the two previously established conventional methods, qualitative PCR and virus isolation and titration.


We investigated how climate change affects the diameter growth of boreal Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) at varying temporal and spatial scales. We generated data with a gap-type ecosystem model for selected locations and sites throughout Finland. In simulations, we used the current climate and recent-generation (CMIP5) global climate model projections under three representative concentration pathways (RCPs) forcing scenarios for the period 2010–2099. Based on this data, we developed diameter growth response functions to identify the growth responses of forests under mild (RCP2.6), moderate (RCP4.5), and severe (RCP8.5) climate change at varying temporal and spatial scales. Climate change may increase growth primarily in the north, with a clearly larger effect on birch and Scots pine than Norway spruce. In the south, the growth of Norway spruce may decrease largely under moderate and severe climate change, in contrast to that of birch. The growth of Scots pine may also decrease slightly under severe climate change. The degree of differences between tree species and regions may increase along with the severity of climate change. Appropriate site-specific use of tree species may sustain forest productivity under climate change. Growth response functions, like we developed, provide novel means to take account of climate change in empirical growth and yield models, which as such include no climate change for forest calculations.


Tracer doses of Mg28 were used to study the metabolism of parenterally administered magnesium. Plasma clearance was rapid, and accumulation of radioactivity in bone started within 2 hours. Of the tissues studied, skin and muscle showed the lowest concentrations of Mg28. In most tissues the ratio of tissue to serum radioactivity became fairly constant after 18 hours. The values for the exchangeable body pool of magnesium, calculated from the specific activities of urine specimens obtained between 18 and 24 hours, approximated the carcass content of magnesium. During starvation the renal excretion of endogenous magnesium amounted to 61.7 mEq/kg of weight loss.


The article is based on the analysis of changes in voter turnout from 2000 to 2015. It considers all types of election, including presidential, parliamentary, local, and European parliament one within the territory of West Pomerania, detailing the municipal district of Szczecin; Police District, with Dobra (Szczecińska) commune, Kołbaskowo and Police; and Stargard District, with Kobylanka commune. Focusing exactly on this area is no coincidence and closely relates to the mobility of people. The analysis enabled the formulation of the following hypothesis: communes neighbouring cities attract politically conscious human potential; and the attempt at answering the research question referring to the observed phenomenon: whether the suburbanisation in Szczecin and neighbouring communes is a fact.


We have been studied on amphiphilic polymer monolayer structure at the air/water interface by X-ray and neutron reflectometry. By complemently use of X-ray and neutron reflectometry, we have found (1) the existence of carpet layer in ionic polymer brush in monolayer system and (2) characteristic structural change in polymer/subphase interface. Furthermore, interesting experiment on small ion distribution was carried out by NR with contrast variation method. With our experimental examples, characteristic points in the neutron reflectivity measurement at the air/water interface and further possibility in this research area are discussed.


The Formosan language Tsou embraces three serial verb constructions where verbs bearing nonagreeing voice marking are strung together. While the combination of a nonactor voice first verb and an actor voice second verb appears to be an exception to the widespread tendency that components within a serial stricture have the same value for grammatical categories typically associated with verbs, this study argues that the nonconcordant voice marking actually reflects the syntacticosemantic conditions for integrating verbs as well as the event descriptions in their denotations into a joint predication, and adjustment in the pattern of argument realization jointly attests to the presence of these conditions. In Tsou, a nonconcordant verb series that introduces thematically peripheral, nonsubcategorized entities into a monoclausal structure is only well formed if the participating verbs do not clash in event properties crucial to the Vendler-Dowty style of lexical aspectual classes. On the one hand, constraints on the use of voice marking and combinatorial possibilities of verbs show that serialized verbs share common specifications for telicity and duration. On the other, changes in the morphosyntactic expression of arguments illustrate the possibility to shift aspectual characteristics in the verb's denotation so as to bring event descriptions within the entire verb series to a unified integration. As a whole, the Tsou data make evident the presence of event integration within verb serialization, even though the nonconcordant voice marking appears to suggest otherwise.


The local optimality hypothesis that natural river systems adjust their average channel properties toward an optimal state in which the rate of energy dissipation per unit channel area, Pa, is constant throughout the river network is explored on an analysis of Goodwin Creek, Mississippi. River network parameters describing the variation of channel forming and maintaining discharge, channel downstream hydraulic geometry, bed slope, and sediment concentration as a function of cumulative drainage area are estimated from Goodwin Creek data. Optimal channel characteristics that produce constant Pa are determined and superposed onto the digital elevation model‐;extracted river network with reach averaged bed slopes, and the spatial distribution of the energy dissipation rate Pa throughout the network is analyzed. Channel reaches with average energy dissipation rates different from the constant value of the optimal network are identified. We argue that these reaches are potentially unstable relative to the remainder of the network, and that their average channel properties will adjust in the direction of constant Pa. Qualitative statements are made about the direction of this adjustment through differences between the observed and optimal channel widths, and comparisons are made with recent observations of channel change in Goodwin Creek. This energy expenditure analysis suggests that the hypothesis of local optimality can be a useful tool for studying the relative stability and potential channel adjustment of river networks.


Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system literature lacks research on post-adoption stages, that is, actual usage. even less studies focus on the specificities of an industry analysis. Based on the Technology-Organizational- Environment (TOE) framework, the present study develops a research model to measure and examine determinants of ERP Use in regards to the impact on Iberian Manufacturing Small Medium Enterprises (SME). Hypotheses are postulated based on five determinants (Training, Compatibility, Firm size, Best- practices and Competitive pressure). Testing was conducted through structural equation modeling, utilizing data from 158 web-surveyed firms in Portugal and Spain of the Manufacturing sector. Results showed that all determinants contribute to explain "ERP Use" except Training. The paper provides insight on which determinants contribute for ERP use in Manufacturing Iberian SME, offering managerial and academic implications.


The effects of the membrane-permeable dibutyryl guanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (db-cGMP) on the bombykol-elicited receptor current and nerve impulse activity were studied using the open sensillum recording technique. db-cGMP was applied to the outer dendritic membrane of the olfactory receptor neuron of the moth Bombyx mori. db-cGMP reduced the amplitude of the overall receptor current activated by a pulse of strong pheromone stimuli as well as diminished the nerve impulse frequency elicited by continuously applied weak pheromone stimuli. The observed inhibition of the response to pheromone was due to size reduction of an elementary receptor current that elicits the nerve impulses and underlies the overall receptor current. It is suggested that cGMP is a factor which may adjust cell sensitivity to odour and play a role in olfactory adaptation.


The event model of implementing informed consent treats it as a discrete act to be performed once in each treatment course. While satisfying the legal requirements of providing complete and accurate information, this model can lead to unintended consequences including: • Not improving a client's comprehension of the treatment process • Creating a more bureaucratic and less humane clinician and client interaction • A client sensing that participation in the decisionmaking process is not desired The process model engages the clinician and client in a continuing dialogue to: • Promote ongoing communication throughout the course of treatment regarding client and clinician expectations for treatment; thus, informed consent is a process, not a single event • Ensure that the client is able to integrate information into a well-organized understanding of their clinical situation • Build on a vision of active client participation in treatment decision making The Traditional Approach to Informed Consent: The Event Model An Alternative Approach to Informed Consent: The Process Model


Addition of organolithium reagents to corannulene (1) produces 1-R-1,2-dihydrocorannulenes (2), which can be easily converted to 1-R-corannulenes (3). Molecular mechanics (MM) calculations predict a slight pseudoequatorial preference for the small substituents in both exo and endo arrangements of 2, whereas bulky substituents are expected to favor strongly the exo-pseudoaxial location. X-ray diffraction studies show the exo-pseudoaxial conformation in the solid state for both i-Pr and t-Bu-2. In solution, a gradual increase in the contribution of pseudoequatorial conformations with decreasing size of the substituent is demonstrated by analysis of the (3)J H-H coupling constants within the reduced ring.


Automated Measuring Stations (AMS) for river water quality monitoring have been used on the Belgian Zwalm river, to generate on-line measurements of water quality variables. Although a high degree of automation has been implemented at the levels of measurement, maintenance & control, data communication and data management, the resulting data series easily inherit errors and uncertainties. To ascertain confident series, organisation and standardisation at the different levels is needed. The experience of one year of measurement gives a lot of insights in the strong and weak points of AMS. Generating a data set with AMS is easy, but ascertaining the confidence of the data requires human supervision and follow-up.


This study tested the hypothesis that a layperson's social perceptions of a dentofacial deformity (DFD) patient with primary mandibular deficiency (PMD) are more positive after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery.A survey was implemented comparing layperson's social perceptions of emotional expressions and personality traits before and >6 months after orthognathic surgery when viewing standardized facial photographs. The study sample comprised 20 patients selected randomly from a larger primary mandibular deficiency database, treated by 1 surgeon after orthognathic surgery. The outcome variable was change in 6 perceived emotional expressions and 6 personality traits studied. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were computed (P < .05).Five hundred respondents (raters) completed the survey. The respondents were 52% male with 44% aging from 25 to 34. After bimaxillary and chin orthognathic surgery, primary mandibular deficiency patients were perceived to be significantly more dominant, trustworthy, friendly, intelligent, attractive, and less threatening (P < .05). They were also perceived as happier and less angry, surprised, sad, afraid, or disgusted than before surgery (P < .05).Laypeople consistently report improved social traits in primary mandibular deficiency patient's perceived emotional expressions and perceived personality traits after bimaxillary and chin orthognathic surgery.


Automated license plate recognition (ALPR) technology is a powerful technology enabling more efficient and effective law enforcement, security, payment collection, and research. A common license plate standard was adopted by the member states of the Mercosur trading bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and consequently requires an upgrade to the ALPR software used by law enforcement and industry. Due to the scarcity of real license plate images, training state-of-the-art supervised detectors is unfeasible unless data augmentation techniques and synthetic training data are used. This paper presents an accurate and efficient automated Mercosur license plate detector using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) trained exclusively with synthetic imagery. In order to obtain the synthetic training data, Mercosur license plates were faithfully reproduced. Digital image processing techniques were employed to reduce the domain gap and a CNN with basic image manipulation was used to embed the artificial licensed plates in to realistic contexts. The trained model was then validated on real images captured from a parking lot and a publicly available traffic monitoring video stream. The results of experiments suggest detection accuracy of about 95% and an average running time of 40 milliseconds.


'In the evaluation of health services, objective criteria such as the adequacy of the sources used and the number of people utilizing these services are considered primarily; whereas the attitudes patients face while they receive these services, and issues like patient rights and patient satisfaction become secondary. Considering the importance of patient rights and patient satisfaction in our day, it is necessary for institutions giving health service to recognize the psycho-social nature of the health service, and to develop appropriate solutions addressing the needs that will rise in accordance with the patient rights and patient satisfaction. The questionnaire used in this study was filled out by 1206 individuals. Findings obtained from this study reveal that the 72.6 % of the participants are generally satisfied with the military health service institutions that provide health care to them. However, from the perspective of patient rights, the following findings stand out as issues to be deliberated and improved upon: 10.8% of the participants said that they had never been treated with due respect, 36.2 % were not satisfied at all with the communication their institutions had with them, 22.0 % had never participated in the decisions about their treatment, 26.4 % had never been asked for their consent prior to interventions for diagnosis and treatment, 6.2 % secrets had never been kept confidential, and %13.4 said that their privacy had not been respected in general.'


Abstract This study examines how men configure their gendered identity in relation to a traditionally feminised domain. Hegemonic masculinity is said to structure men's dominance over women. We use the lens of hegemonic masculinity along with social fields of cultural production to understand new allocations of status capital in relation to gendered identity work. Sweden, a country permeated by an ideology of egalitarianism and having a history of high economic and symbolic incentives for the domestic field, has seemingly legitimised the domestic consumption field in the search for higher status. By exploring the transforming meanings of masculinity when men enter a traditionally feminine consumption domain in this particular cultural context, we identify how feminised masculinities are shaped into hegemonic masculinity. This in turn suggests that the currently most honoured way of being a man includes forms of masculinities that incorporate egalitarian relationships between men and women.


The Digital Image processing applications like medical imaging, satellite imaging, Biometric trait images etc., rely on multipliers to improve the quality of image. However, existing multiplication techniques introduce errors in the output with consumption of more time, hence error free high speed multipliers has to be designed. In this paper we propose FPGA based Recursive Error Free Mitchell Log Multiplier (REFMLM) for image Filters. The 2x2 error free Mitchell log multiplier is designed with zero error by introducing error correction term is used in higher order Karastuba-Ofman Multiplier (KOM) Architectures. The higher order KOM multipliers is decomposed into number of lower order multipliers using radix 2 till basic multiplier block of order 2x2 which is designed by error free Mitchell log multiplier. The 8x8 REFMLM is tested for Gaussian filter to remove noise in fingerprint image. The Multiplier is synthesized using Spartan 3 FPGA family device XC3S1500-5fg320. It is observed that the performance parameters such as area utilization, speed, error and PSNR are better in the case of proposed architecture compared to existing architectures


The instant trend of mobile functionality in the digital age is performing a mediating role of promoting the hybrid tendency in fashion and cosmetics industry. Consumers` needs, which are getting complex and diversified along with development in scientific technology, are requiring product of technology equipped with multi-tasking function in the whole industry. The social and cultural factors, which are shown in cosmetics due to the instant trend of mobile functionality, came to be known on the basis of a ground for classification caused by a change in nomadic lifestyle and by the advance in scientific technology. The irst, The mobile functionality, which is being developed in fashion in the digital age, was indicated to be types such as mobility, one-off, and unity. Second, Even the types of mobile functionality, which are also being developed in make-up and cosmetics in digital age, were indicated to be mobility, one-off, and unity. Third, The trend caused by mobile functionality in fashion was consistent with a type in mobile functionality, which is being developed in cosmetics, thereby having been indicated to be the same type. This implies that there is the same type through independent trend in each sphere even while fashion and cosmetics organically function in the middle of the whole frame, which expresses a human being`s external beauty, and implies that even the cosmetics are influenced by fashion. Swift-type beauty product, which is thrown away within one week lengthily and after being used once, are being launched diversely. This quick product can be said to be product that best reflected the characteristic of digital age. However, at this point of time that fast fashion and instant cosmetics, which are thrown away in the wake of being worn easily, are overflowing, the clothing and product with perfection, which has philosophy and thinking of being put more devotion, exert more value and are felt to be necessary.


The Coscoroba Swan, Coscoroba coscoroba (Molina, 1782), is a poorly known aberrant Anserine endemic to South America. We captured adult birds (189 male, 157 female) from the largest population in Brazil at the Taim Ecological Reserve, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Different patterns between sexes can reflect differences in selection, and positive allometry may indicate that a character is sexually selected. We used body weight and 10 morphological measurements to examine allometric differences between males and females of C. coscoroba. Males were consistently larger than females. Analysis of scaling relationships against body mass showed that nostril, tail, wing and bill height were positively allometric (i.e., heavier birds had relatively larger character lengths), but there were no sexual differences in allometric slopes. However, for a given mass, mature females had longer tails, longer wings (up to metacarpophalangeal articulation) and shorter heads than males. In the light of current debate in the literature, we discuss whether such positively allometric traits and sexual differences in scaling may be indicative of sexual selection. Although Coscoroba Swan is a monogamous species, increasing the size of some attributes may confer some advantage for mate selection or male-male competition and, contrary to other studies, we suggest that positively allometric slopes alone should not be considered as evidence for sexual selection of the considered traits.


"Our study...addresses the issue of availability of NFP [natural family planning] within the established family planning provider setting--clinics and private practice.... The data for this study were gathered by means of questionnaires administered by mail to clinic administrators and service providers, OB/GYN physicians in private practice, and NFP-only providers...in Los Angeles and San Diego Counties in California.... The principal analytical goal in this research is to determine the effect that service provider attitudes may have on the availability of NFP....Our research has indicated that the single most identifiable barrier to the availability of NFP is the negative attitude of physicians toward the method, prompted by their skepticism about its use-effectiveness."


Walnut (Juglans sinensis L.) is an important economic tree. Its fruit are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are valuable nutritionally (Cheon et al, 2013). In March 2019, severe branch blight of walnuts (cv. Qingxiang) were observed in two fields in Ganquan Town, Gansu Province, China (N 33°56'/E105°44'). The incidence was about 3% among 10,000 walnuts. Disease symptoms included fusiform or oval black lesions gradually expanded on the branches, blight and dieback of branches, reddish brown dead branch bark with lots of black small spots (pycnidia), and defoliation. To isolate pathogen, 30 diseased tissues collected from different trees were disinfected with 0.1% HgCl solution for 1 min, rinsed in sterilized water 3 times, and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25℃ in the dark. About three days later, 4 fungal isolates (3-3, 3-6, 3-9 and H3) with similar morphological characteristics were obtained. Their colonies, with regular margin on OA, 6.1~6.8 cm diam. after 7 days, were loose, greenish olivaceous to olivaceous grey, velvety, floccose to woolly. The conidia (n=60) were 4.77 to 8.84 μm long (mean = 6.88 μm; SD ± 0.91 μm) × 1.71 to 3.89 μm wide (mean = 2.81 μm; SD ± 0.53 μm), cylindrical, ellipsoidal to oblong, hyaline and aseptate. Pycnidia (n=25) were 76.66 ~ 132.86μm diam. (mean = 102.93 μm; SD ± 12.15 μm), variable in shape and size, mostly globose to subglobose. These characteristics were similar to B. exigua var. exigua (Boeremia et al, 2004). Pathogenicity tests of four isolates were performed 3 times on 5 healthy 2-3 years old walnuts (cv. Qingxiang). Plants were wounded by insect needle No.6 and inoculated with 5 mm mycelium block grew on PDA medium or PDA medium as control and kept moist in climatic cabinet (> 85% RH, 25°C). After 3 days, oval black lesions were occurred on branches and gradually expanded, but control was asymptomatic. And original isolates were re-isolated from these diseased shoots. Genomic DNA of four isolates were extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), β-tubulin (tub2) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) gene were amplified and sequenced using the primers ITS1/ITS4, Btub2Fd/Btub4Rd and RPB2-5F2/fRPB2-7CR (White et al, 1990; Woudenberg et al, 2009; Chen et al, 2015), respectively. Sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession no. ITS: MT154621, MT154622, MT154623, MT154624; tub2: MT223481, MT223482, MT223483, MT223484; rpb2: MW448152, MW448153, MW459982, MW459983), and compared with available sequences in NCBI. Results showed that ITS of four isolates have 100% sequence identity to Boeremia spp., tub2 and rpb2 have 100% sequence identity to B. exigua var. exigua (GenBank accession no. MN983734, MN983315) and B. exigua var. linicola (GenBank accession no. MN983785, MT920619). According to host specificity (Boeremia et al, 1976). A 106 conidium/mL spore suspension of four isolates or sterile water were inoculated on stem base of two-month old flax seedlings, placed in climatic cabinet (> 85% RH, 25°C) for moisturing and repeated three times. After two weeks, all inoculated plants still were asymptomatic, indicated that four isolates aren't B. exigua var. linicola. Therefore, they were identified as B. exigua var. exigua based on morphological characteristics, molecular analysis and pathogenicity tests. To our knowledge, this is the first report of B. exigua var. exigua causing walnut branch blight worldwide, which will provide further guidance for prevention and control of walnut branch blight.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the effects of different doses of P-8 in increasing the Hypoxia tolerance of mice and the mechanisms involved.

METHODS
The health mice were placed into the oxygen deficit bottles and measured the survival time in the condition of hypoxia. The male mice were put into the ladder cage, then placed them into the hypobaric champer to determine the survival time of mice with decompression hypoxia (min). We observed the activity changes of the mice's organization carbonic anhydrase II (CAII). By using the drug in prophylaxis, we investigated the effects of carbonic anhydrase target-based inhibitors P-8 for improving the hypoxia tolerance.

RESULTS
(1) In improving the endurance of mice in the condition of hypoxia, the survival time of 6.25 mg/(kg x d) and more doses of P-8 groups were (27.38 +/- 4.63, 29.53 +/- 4.43, 29.67 +/- 7.28, 31.55 +/- 6.34, 32.45 +/- 6.65, 36.81 +/- 7.24 and 35.41 +/- 4.20) min, compared with the control group (22.90 +/- 3.19) min , the survival time significantly prolonged (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); compared to the same dose of acetazolamide groups (24.54 +/- 3.17, 22.70 +/- 3.04, 22.67 +/- 2.99, 23.93 +/- 0.96, 27.87 +/- 5.06, 30.79 +/- 5.12 and 35.14 +/- 6.46) min, the survival time significantly prolonged; P-8 groups and Acetazolamide's minimum effective dose were 6.25 and 100 mg/(kg x d), the potency of P-8 is 16 times Acetazolamide. (2) In improving the endurance of mice in the condition of hypoxia, the survival time of middle and high doses of P-8 groups [(24.82 +/- -3.92, 28.27 +/- 5.89) min] were significantly longer than those in control group [(21.96 2.51) min, P < 0.05]; compared with the acetazolamide (23.11 +/- 3.71) min, the survival time of high dose of P-8 group was significantly prolonged. (3) Compared with the normal control group, P-8 [(25 mg/(kg x d), 50 mg/(kg x d), 100 mg/(kg x d), 200 mg/(kg x d)] dose groups inhibited the activity of carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) in the renal (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); P-8 [100 mg/(kg x d) and 200 mg/(kg x d)] dose group significantly inhibited the activity of carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) in the brain (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION
P-8 treatment improved the endurance of mice in the condition of hypoxia and worked better than Acetazolamide. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase organization.


Background: Development of multiloculation and septation in complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion (PPE) may lead to difficult treatment. The studies pointed out that as fibrinolytic therapy might have the potential of complications and a time consuming character, so we should change our management strategy in such patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether or not uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (UVATS) is an initial effective therapy based on clinical and radiologic manifestations.

Methods: İn this retrospective study, sixty patients who underwent UVATS as the initial intervention with the diagnosis of multiloculated PPE were evaluated between 2016-2019. The patients comorbidities, ASA scores, durations of hospital stay and tube thoracostomy, rate of thoracotomy/decortication, the type of pleural fluid cell and also broad-spectrum antibiotic use, culture results, % neutrophil (NE) ratio with other biochemical parameters before and after VATS were recorded and analyzed.

Results: Of the patients, 46 of them (77%) underwent UVATS and a subsequent second port incision was inserted in 14 patients,. Shortening of broad-spectrum antibiotic use after VATS was found to be statistically significant in the patients underwent early VATS (p <0.05). We found a statistically significant decrease in the rate of NE % after VATS (p <0.05), that is consistent with the clinical and radiological improvements. The radiological improvement was detected in 96.6% of the patients.

Conclusions: We conclude that early UVATS without prior tube thoracostomy is a simple, effective and reliable method as the first-line treatment in patients with complicated PPE. It also confirms that earlier administration of UVATS and more aggressive therapy in the proper indications offers better clinical results


This paper reports an on-chip micro- flow cytometer that focuses cells to the center region of a microchannel by a negative dielectrophoretic force generated by ac fringing fields from microelectrodes. This design eliminates the sheath flow that makes the conventional cytometer sophisticated and difficult to operate. The micro- cytometer has a circular microfluidic channel that is fabricated by isotropic etching of soda lime glass wafers and a subsequent wafer bonding process. Electrode arrays are patterned inside the circular channel to facilitate dielectrophoretic particle focusing. We have demonstrated that the device can focus micro-beads into the center of the channel, and are integrating optical components with the micro- cytometer to realize a handheld device with integrated fluorescence detection, and will test the micro- cytometer for blood cell profiling and tumor cell detection.Copyright © 2003 by ASME


Numerous metabolic disorders, teratogenic agents, and in utero infections lead to congenital bone disease and malformation. This review focuses on hereditary and familial disorders of bone with particular emphasis on impaired hematopoiesis, myelofibrosis, pathologic fractures, and dysmorphology of the forearm and craniofacial structures. The severity of bone disease and marrow dysfunction of any given disorder may vary considerably from one affected individual to the next, and intrapersonal variability over time may be substantial as well. Both can impart difficulty to the appropriate evaluation and delay the correct diagnosis. Many of these disorders are phenotypically quite similar but require very different therapeutic intervention.


Background. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and its changes in the last 20 years in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Spain. Methods. A systematic review with a meta-analysis was carried out on the studies published between 2001–2020 on the prevalence and incidence of DR and sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) in Spain. The articles included were selected from four databases and publications of the Spanish Ministry of Health and Regional Health Care System (RHCS). The meta-analysis to determine heterogeneity and bias between studies was carried out with the MetaXL 4.0. Results. Since 2001, we have observed an increase in the detection of patients with DM, and at the same time, screening programs for RD have been launched; thus, we can deduce that the increase in the detection of patients with DM, many of them in the initial phases, far exceeds the increased detection of patients with DR. The prevalence of DR was higher between 2001 and 2008 with values of 28.85%. These values decreased over the following period between 2009 and 2020 with a mean of 15.28%. Similarly the STDR prevalence decrease from 3.67% to 1.92% after 2008. The analysis of the longitudinal studies determined that the annual DR incidence was 3.83%, and the STDR annual incidence was 0.41%. Conclusion. In Spain, for T2DM, the current prevalence of DR is 15.28% and 1.92% forSTDR. The annual incidence of DR is 3.83% and is 0.41% for STDR.


Software metrics are easy to define, but not so easy to justify. It is hard to prove that a metric is valid, i.e., that measured numerical values imply anything on the vaguely defined, yet crucial software properties such as complexity and maintainability. This paper employs statistical analysis and tests to check some plausible assumptions on the behavior of software and metrics measured for this software in retrospective on its versions evolution history. Among those are the reliability assumption implicit in the application of any code metric, and the assumption that the magnitude of change, i.e., increase or decrease of its size, in a software artifact is correlated with changes to its version number. Putting a suite of 36 metrics to the trial, we confirm most of the assumptions on a large repository of software artifacts. Surprisingly, we show that a substantial portion of the reliability of some metrics can be observed even in random changes to architecture. Another surprising result is that Boolean-valued metrics tend to flip their values more often in minor software version increments than in major increments.


Abstract We prove the analog for the $K$ -theory of forms of the $Q=+$ theorem in algebraic $K$ -theory. That is, we show that the $K$ -theory of forms defined in terms of an $S_{\bullet }$ -construction is a group completion of the category of quadratic spaces for form categories in which all admissible exact sequences split. This applies for instance to quadratic and hermitian forms defined with respect to a form parameter.


Ubiquitin (Ub) is a small post-translational modifier protein involved in a myriad of biochemical processes including DNA damage repair, proteasomal proteolysis, and cell cycle control. Ubiquitin signaling pathways have not been completely deciphered due to the complex nature of the enzymes involved in ubiquitin conjugation and deconjugation. Hence, probes and assay reagents are important to get a better understanding of this pathway. Recently, improvements have been made in synthesis procedures of Ub derivatives. In this perspective, we explain various research reagents available and how chemical synthesis has made an important contribution to Ub research.


Translating whole exome sequencing (WES) for prospective clinical use may impact the care of cancer patients. However, since this approach greatly expands the quantity of genomic data generated for an individual patient, multiple innovations are necessary for clinical implementation. These include clinical analysis and interpretation of large scale WES data, effective representation of WES data in a clinical environment for physician consumption, and development of knowledge-sharing platforms to ensure effective curation of clinically relevant variants. Here, we describe heuristic methods for the clinical interpretation of WES data. We also discuss approaches that may facilitate physician understanding of WES data in a clinical setting. Finally, we review existing knowledge bases and emerging mechanisms for crowdsourcing variant curation that may enable prospective WES-scale genomic profiling. Overall, this methodology may inform the widespread implementation of precision cancer medicine. Citation Format: Eliezer M. Van Allen. Clinical whole exome interpretation for precision cancer medicine. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr SY16-02. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-SY16-02


Objective To study the role of extracellular sigual-regulated kinase (ERK) in cerebral ischemia and the mechanism of protective effects of U0126 ( 1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano- 1,4-bis[2-aminophenylthio] butadiene) on ischemic brain.Methods Mice underwent left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) by introducing a suture in the lumen. U0126 was injected intravenously through the internal jugular vein. The immuno-activity of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (pERK1/2), phosphorylated mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (pMEK), and phosphorylated Elk-1 (pElk-1) was assessed by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Interleukin (IL)-1β mRNA level was measured by ribonuclease protection assay.Results Phosphorylated ERK1/2 in 2 hours MCAO mice was down-regulated after intravenous injection of U0126. The inhibition was dose dependent and treatment time related. pMEK and pElk-1 were also reduced in a similar fashion after U0126treatment. IL-1β mRNA increased after 1 and 2 hours of MCAO. After injection of U0126, it was down-regulated during 1to 4 hours after MCAO.Conclusion Intravenous administration of the MEK inhibitor U0126 inhibits pMEK, pERK1/2, and pElk-1 up-regulation induced by cerebral ischemia. The protective effect of U0126 against ischemic injury is probably resulted from the reduction of IL-1 β mRNA via the inhibition of ERK pathway.