In order to study the regulation of expression of Ig lambda genes we have analyzed lambda-producing hybridomas derived from transgenic mice which harbor a functionally rearranged kappa transgene. We also analyzed lambda-producing hybridomas from nontransgenic mice. Surprisingly, all but one of the transgenic lambda-hybridomas co-produce kappa L chains. Also, in contrast to transgenic kappa-hybridomas, most lambda-hybridomas have rearranged endogenous kappa genes despite the presence of transgenic kappa-chains and endogenous H chains. Analysis of spleen cells and hybridomas from nontransgenic mice shows that about 20% of lambda-producing B cells in the spleen co-produce kappa, and a similar proportion of lambda-hybridomas from normal spleens produce both kappa- and lambda-chains. The data argue strongly against the strictly sequential expression of kappa and lambda genes. We present a new model for the regulation of kappa and lambda gene expression, whose key feature is the distinction between a kappa cell lineage in which Ig gene rearrangement is susceptible to feedback by a complete antibody molecule at the pre-B cell stage, and a kappa lambda B cell lineage which does not show feedback inhibition during B cell development.


There were a number of decisions rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1994 dealing with Section 1983 litigation. In the author's opinion, the two most important of those decisions dealt with the litigation of malicious prosecution claims brought under Section 1983, Albright v. Oliver; and with prisoners' rights claims that are litigated under the Eighth Amendment deliberate indifference standard, Farmer v. Brennan. Somewhat significantly, both of those decisions were in favor of Section 1983 defendants, and this Article concentrates its analysis on those two cases. There are two other cases that are also discussed, in a more abbreviated form. One dealt with attempts by prisoners to attack the constitutionality of their convictions or sentences under Section 1983, Heck v. Humphrey. The other, Elder v. Holloway, dealt with qualified immunity issues.


The goal of this paper is to study the spanning trees of the 3-cube by understanding their edge slide graph. A spanning tree of a graph G is a minimal set of edges that connects all vertices. An edge slide occurs in a spanning tree of the 3-cube when a single edge can be slid across a 2-dimensional face to form another spanning tree. The edge slide graph is the graph whose vertices are the spanning trees, with an edge between two vertices if the spanning trees are related by a single edge slide. This report completely determines the edge slide graph of the 3-cube. The edge slide graph of the 3-cube has twelve components isomorphic to the 4-cube, and three other components, mutually isomorphic, with 64 vertices each. The main result is to determine the structure of the three components that each have 64 vertices and we also describe their symmetries. Some partial results on the 4-cube are also provided.


We examined the role of various hemopoietic factors in the survival of hemopoietic stem cells in methylcellulose culture. Bone marrow cells from 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-treated mice were cultured without hemopoietic factors. Several days later, a mixture of colony-stimulating factors (CSF interleukin-3 (IL-3), interleukin-6 (IL-6), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), and erythropoietin (Ep)) was added to the culture (delayed addition of CSF) to induce the maximal colony growth in surviving progenitors. In this system few colonies grew, suggesting that some hemopoietic factors are required for the survival of hemopoietic stem cells in vitro. In a further series of experiments, similar cultures were initiated with single known hemopoietic factors or with a mixture of CSF, followed by the addition of CSF 7 days later. Although IL-3 and G-CSF, as single factors, supported colony growth, the other factors did not. In this experiment, while the total number of colonies in cultures initiated with IL-3 or G-CSF was less than that observed in cultures initiated with a mixture of CSF, the number of multipotential GEMM (granulocyte-erythrocyte-macrophage-megakaryocyte) colonies remained constant. We concluded that IL-3 and G-CSF played important roles as single factors in the survival of murine dormant hemopoietic stem cells in vitro.


Since the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) first published its terminal degree statement in 1975, the topic of librarians and advanced subject degrees has been controversial, and research on the topic has remained limited. Based on data gathered from two major online job sites as well as library and information science programs accredited by the American Library Association (ALA), this article analyzes the status of the requirement for advanced subject degrees for academic librarians and compares it to the dual-degree options currently offered. This research identifies important challenges and opportunities for both academic librarians and schools of library and information science.


Black powdered residues from ammoniacal leaching of iron-nickel laterite ores at Sereď plant (further: SOR), the raw and mechanochemically activated by the grinding in potassium ferrocyanide solution in vibrating, ball or attrition mills, were used as a seminatural magnetic sorbent. The sorption properties for Cs+, Sr2+ Pb2+, and Eu3+ ions were evaluated using the Toth sorption isotherm. Activation of sorbent occurs on a small fraction of surface. The vibrating mill activation appears as the most efficient in respect of its activation, though the biggest increase of specific surface was achieved by attrition grinding. Speciation by the Tessier and BCR standard leaching procedures indicates differences between the ions. Raw and activated SOR have convenient sorption properties for caesium, strontium, lead and partially also for trivalent lanthanides. That, together with their magnetic properties makes them promising for treatment of radioactive contaminated soils and sediments. Sorption of anions was demonstrated by TcO4- sorption as a result of secondary ion-exchange mechanism. The feasible desorption process and recycling of used SOR remains an open task.


The current study focuses on systematically analyzing the recent advances in the field of Multimodal eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (MXAI). In particular, the relevant primary prediction tasks and publicly available datasets are initially described. Subsequently, a structured presentation of the MXAI methods of the literature is provided, taking into account the following criteria: a) The number of the involved modalities, b) The stage at which explanations are produced, and c) The type of the adopted methodology (i.e. mathematical formalism). Then, the metrics used for MXAI evaluation are discussed. Finally, a comprehensive analysis of current challenges and future research directions is provided.


Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous illness associated with aberrant inflammatory immune reaction in the lung in response to noxious particles and gases. Our previous epidemiological studies discovered that long-term exposure to air pollution PM was associated with an increase in the incidence of COPD and lung function decline, but the impact of air pollution on the onset of COPD and its pathogenesis remains obscure. In recent years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been documented to have a crucial role in COPD. Our preliminary study found that the expression of lncRNA MHC-R in the lung tissues of rats exposed to air pollution PM was dramatically elevated, and the specific expression was mainly focused on the immune-related MHC I, antigen-presenting, and adaptive immune response. After transcription factor prediction, it was found that GATA3 could be combined with the specific sequence of the lncRNA MHC-R promoter region. Dendritic cells (DCs) are necessary antigen-presenting cells (APCs) with the most potent antigen-presenting function. We proved that GATA3/lncRNA MHC-R might regulate the immune activities of DCs to participate in the pathogenic mechanism of COPD induced by air pollution PM, which opens up a new way for early COPD diagnosis and treatment.


Cognitive radio is a revolutionary technology that aims to solve the spectrum-underutilization problem, through spectrum sensing, which is a technique focused on detecting spectrum holes. Automatic modulation classification plays an important role in this scenario, as it can provide information about primary users, with the goal of aiding in spectrum sensing tasks. In the present work, an implementation methodology for a multiclass classification system, using support vector machines (SVM) for recognizing seven types of modulation (AM, FM, BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, 64QAM and GMSK), is described, where test signals are generated in a more realistic way than usually found in the related literature. In the classification stage, the parameter selection for SVM and classifier validation steps are performed with grid search and k-fold cross-validation techniques. Finally, one-against-one and one-against-all multiclass approaches are compared. The overall correct classification percentage, with one-against-one, was approximately 94%, which is very good, considering that SNR levels range from 0 to 30 dB.


If you bend a piece of metal into a new shape, it will not spontaneously revert to the condition in which it started. The reason is that bending causes the metal to undergo a plastic deformation: an irreversible change of shape that occurs when an applied load exceeds a certain threshold. In Physical Review Letters, Ariel Haziot at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, France, and colleagues report that the plastic properties of a "quantum solid," helium4, can be strikingly different: in helium-4, within a certain temperature range, large plastic deformations can still be reversible [1]. The findings highlight the unusual mechanical properties of quantum solids, and may serve as a model system for understanding the fundamental mechanisms contributing to plasticity.


: Simple procedure was developed for production of fibrinogen concentrate from small amounts of human autogenous blood using precipitation with polyethylene glycol and ammonium sulfate. Maximal yield of fibrinogen was obtained using polyethylene glycol 2,000 and 6,000 daltons at concentrations 7% and 4.5%, respectively. The fibrinogen preparations included fibronectin, inhibitors of proteinases, factor XIII of blood coagulation, plasminogen. Sigma-Aminocapronic acid and contrical should be added during bloodletting as well as into blood plasma before isolation of fibrinogen to avoid possible fibrinogen proteolysis.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Weak oral bacteria, such as periodontal bacteria, have been found in various vascular lesions, including atheroma, the thrombus of the occluded artery of Buerger's disease, the abdominal aortic aneurismal wall and varicose veins. Serum titer levels of each bacterium are now available and have shown a significant relationship between severity and individual differences.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The Medline and Tokyo Medical and Dental University databases were searched to identify the literature currently available on oral bacteria and vascular diseases.

RESULTS
It is estimated that lymph vessel openings trap bacteria en route from the mouth to the bloodstream and then carry them to the vein of the venous angle near the supraclavicular area. In the case of periodontal bacteria, a typical bacterium, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, strongly activates platelets and makes them mass, including the bacteria without phagocytosis. Simultaneously, cytokines and serotonin are discharged. Platelet engulfment was clearly demonstrated by electron microscopy analysis. An animal study using rats showed the formation of a small arterial thrombus after continuous intravenous infusion of P. gingivalis for 2-4 wk.

CONCLUSION
Weak oral bacteria, such as periodontal bacteria, may play an important role in the development of various vascular diseases, such as Buerger's disease, atherosclerosis and varicose veins, through bacteremia.


In this paper we are interested in the design of switching control strategies which, as pursued in classical direct torque control (DTC), are aimed to directly regulate two outputs: torque and flux amplitude. A criterion in terms of the error and/or the prediction in one-step-ahead on these outputs is proposed to design the switching sequence. As a result, a control vector, i.e., the switch position, is directly selected without the requirement of an auxiliary space vector or other modulation technique. We consider two types of criterion: quadratic and absolute value. Finally, experimental results following these two approaches are presented and compared with respect to the classical DTC.


Each Cuvierian tubule of Holothuria leucospilota consists of a bounding layer of large cells beneath which are bundles of fibres embedded in a clear ground-mass. Present also is an axial cavity containing a core of morula-shaped cells. Immediately below the outer layer longitudinal muscles occur and, internal to these, muscle-bands which run spirally are found. The cells of the outer layer contain either granulated compartments or angular bodies. Both compartments and angular bodies contain proteinaceous materials. When a tubule is stretched in sea water the cells of the outer layer split and their contents form an amorphous mass which has strong adhesive properties. The fibres present in the connective tissue of the tubules are collagenous and are associated with acid polysaccharides part, at least, of which are mucopolysaccharides. A polysaccharide which can be removed by testicular hyaluronidase is present in the interfibrillar ground-mass. The chemical constitution of the tubule connective tissue is similar in many respects to that of vertebrate connective tissue. The mode of discharge and elongation of the tubules is discussed.


Cableready television sets are a three win situation: First, the consumer wins because features purchased with the television are not diminished by the presence of a cable converter; secondly, the cable operator wins because capital and operating maintenance costs are eliminated by not having to provide a converter; thirdly, the television manufacturer wins because more high end full feature television sets will be purchased. To be truly cableready, some rather stringent cable requirements must be met. Until those requirements are met, cableready television sets will remain a myth.<<ETX>>


In the period 1956-1976, 3 649 kidney transplantations were performed on 3 040 patients in Scandinavia. In the same period 67 primary malignant tumours were detected in these patients. In comparisons using age and sex-specific incidence in a background population, the observed tumour incidence was significantly higher than expected. Analyses were made in regard to a number of factors with potential influence on oncogenesis. The interval from transplantation to appearance of tumour was significantly longer in the recipients of grafts from living relatives than in cadaver kidney recipients. Significant correlation of tumour incidence was found with HLA mismatch in recipients of necrokidneys. Chronic interstitial nephritis as underlying kidney disease and blood transfusion showed correlation with tumour incidence. From these observations the hypothesis is proposed that a chronic antigen effect is a dominant factor among the numerous possible oncogenic mechanisms in patients with transplants.


These active components and monomes inhibit thrombosis aimed directly at activation, adhesiveness and aggregation of platelet, thus preventing and curing ischemic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Here we summarized the effect of active components and monomes of the traditional Chinese medicine targeted platelet on ischemic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, to provide references for drug investigation and clinical application.


Using the closed-top tube incubation method, we examined the soil nitrogen (N) mineralization and nitrification in the primary Lithocarpus xylocarpus forest, a secondary oak forest and a tea plantation in the Ailao Mountain, Yunnan Province, China. This study was conducted in the dry season from November 20, 1998 to May 15, 1999. Results showed that there were significant differences among the three vegetation types in both net N mineralization and nitrification rates, and they also demonstrated temporal variation. The net ammonification rate (RA) was much higher than net nitrification rate (RN), and the latter was about 0.5%-10% of the former. Our results indicated that incubation period, vegetation type and the location of plot all interactively affected RA, RN and net mineralization rate (RM ). We provided evidence that anthropogenic disturbances could result in changes of ecosystems processes such as N mineralization and nitrification rates. It is obvious that tea plantation and secondary growth forest have more physically (mainly temperature and moisture) controlled N transformation processes than the well-preserved primary L. xylocarpus forest, implying that the conservation of primary forest ecosystems in the Ailao Mountain region should be emphasized.


With the increase in commercial electronic equipment and its complicated control interfaces, how to design an effective and user-friendly control interface has become a topic for many researchers. This research introduces two-directional communication of an interactive graphical user interface on a universal remote control (URC). It is different from current URCs where users must often spend huge amounts of time setting the command codes and encoding each device. With the increase in the number of appliances that the controller needs to manage and the complicated and numerous control buttons, using such controllers often causes difficulties for users. This research employs a cross-platform with integration theories, so when a user wants to connect an appliance, both the appliance end and the controller end will build a two-directional connection through pairing over Radio Frequency for Consumer Electronics (RF4CE). After connection, the system will automatically set the communication protocol between the controller and the device. The appliance will automatically transmit its current state and service in the form of bundles to the controller, then the controller will project it onto an LCD screen. The controller can also show the number of appliances connected to the current position of the user, allowing the user to use one controller to control all home appliances with ease, achieving a simplified and instinctive control interface to build the integrated control environment for commercial appliances.


Purpose: Little is known about the impact of standard cardiac rehabilitation (CR), consisting of health education and exercise, on self-reported behavior change among people who have completed rehabilitation. This qualitative study aimed to explore the lived experiences of participants' behaviors toward exercise and diet in the short- to medium-term after CR program completion. Methods: Using a phenomenological framework, we interviewed participants who had completed a 4-wk CR program and then 6 mo later. The program included education and exercise in a private outpatient facility. A thematic analysis was conducted to explore changes in self-reported behavior. These themes were triangulated with Bandura's self-efficacy scales and Stages of Readiness for Change questionnaires to identify any convergence of themes. Results: A total of 21 participants were recruited to the study. One main theme and 4 subthemes emerged from analysis of the data. Most participants reported that they had either maintained or initiated positive lifestyle changes in both exercise and diet in the short- and medium-term. Fear of having another myocardial infarction, seeing the benefits of adhering with recommendations, and family involvements were motivating factors along with the involvement of the multidisciplinary staff in the program. The themes converged with the results from the questionnaires. Conclusions: A standard form of CR can result in positive self-reported behavior change in the short- to medium-term. Further trials are needed to determine whether a standard form of rehabilitation is sufficient to change health behaviors at sufficient levels to result in long-term health benefits.


Among the burgeoning family of unconventional T cells, innate-like CD8(+) T cells bear a memory phenotype without having encountered a foreign antigen and can respond to innate-like IL-12+IL-18 stimulation. Although the concept of innate memory (IM) CD8(+) T cells is now well-established in mice, whether an equivalent memory NK-like T-cell population exists in humans remains under debate. We recently reported that CD8(+) T cells responding to innate-like IL-12+IL-18 stimulation and co-expressing the transcription factor Eomesodermin (Eomes) and KIR/NKG2A membrane receptors with a memory/EMRA phenotype may represent a new, functionally distinct innate T cell subset in humans.
 Here, we proposed Eomes together with KIR/NKG2A and CD49d as a signature to standardize the identification of this innate CD8(+) T-cell subset in humans. Focusing on cancer diseases, we have provided new insights into the potential role of these IM CD8(+) T cells in a physiopathological context in humans. Based on empirical data obtained in cases of chronic myeloid leukemia, a myeloproliferative syndrome controlled by the immune system, and in solid tumors, we have observed both the possible contribution of IM CD8(+) T cells to cancer disease control and their susceptibility to tumor immune subversion. Finally, we have investigated the involvement of IL-4 and IL-15 in the generation of the IM CD8(+) T cell pool and its dependency on promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF)-expressing invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells.
 All in all, this study significantly contributes to understanding of the physiopathological role of NK-like CD8(+) T cells in humans and raises the question of the possible involvement of an iNKT/IM CD8(+) T cell axis in cancer.


The cardiac valvular endothelial cells (VECs) are an ideal cell source that could be used for the fabrication of the next generation tissue-engineered cardiac valves (TEVs). However, few studies have been focused on the derivation of this important cell type. Here we describe a chemically defined xeno-free method for generating VEC-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) through an intermediate endocardium stage. HPSCs were initially specified to KDR+/ISL1+ multipotent cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs), followed by differentiation into endocardial progenitors under the combined treatment with VEGFA, BMP4 and bFGF. In the presence of VEGFA, BMP4 and TGFb, valve endocardial progenitor cells (VEPs) were efficiently derived from endocardial progenitors without a sorting step. Mechanistically, administration of TGFb and BMP4 may specify the VEP fate by facilitating the expression of key transcription factors ETV2 and NFATc1 at the immediate early stage and by activating Notch signaling at the later stage. Notch activation is likely an important part of VEP induction. HPSC-derived VEPs exhibited morphological, molecular and functional similarities to that of the primary VECs isolated from normal human aortic valves. When hPSC-derived VEPs were seeded onto the surface of the de-cellularized porcine aortic valve (DCV) matrix scaffolds, they exhibited higher proliferation and survival potential than the primary VECs. Our results suggest that hPSC-derived VEPs could serve as as a potential platform for the study of valve development, and as starting materials for the construction of the next generation TEVs. Highlights Valve endocardial progenitor cells (VEPs) could be efficiently derived from hPSCs without a sorting step The combined treatment with TGFb and BMP4 induce VEP fate by enhancing the expression of ETV2 and NFATc1 HPSC-derived VEPs resemble the isolated primary VECs molecularly, morphologically and functionally HPSC-derived VEPs exhibit proliferative and functional potential similar to the primary VECs when seeded onto the DCVs


Ischemic colitis is the most common form of intestinal ischemia. It is a condition that is commonly seen in the elderly and among individuals with risk factors for ischemia. Common predisposing conditions for ischemic colitis are major vascular occlusion, small vessel disorder, shock, some medications, colonic obstructions and hematologic disorders. Ischemic colitis following colonoscopy is rare. Here, we report two cases of ischemic colitis after a routine screening colonoscopy in patients without risk factors for ischemia.


Fruit ripening is a specialized process that can not be observed in other plant organ. Research about genes relating to major characteristic of fruit such as color, sugar content, and aroma is required to understand the ripening process and to breed new cultivar by molecular engineering. Through differential screening between leaf and fruit mRNA, we isolated six genes including Lea (late-embryogenesis-abundant) protein, pyruvate kinase, signal recognition particle protein, dehydrogenase and two unknown genes, whose transcripts were dominantly detected in the fruit. The expression analysis showed stronger signal in fruit than in leaf, which is matched to the results of differential screening. The results suggest that fruit-dominant genes are related to the physiological functions including stress-responsive and sugar metabolism in fruits.


The possible use of the swimbladder of carp as auxiliary respiratory organ when the animals are exposed to air has been studied. After exposure to air, blood pH and pO2 and mean swimbladder O2 concentration decrease and blood pCO2 increases in normal animals. Exposure to air after ligation of the pneumatic ducts results in increases in blood pH and pCO2 and decreases in blood pO2 and swimbladder carbon dioxide concentration. Possible reasons for these observations are discussed.


identity construction. At oddswith this seeming rejection of interdisciplinary framing, however, are the book's chapters, which represent more dynamic, interdisciplinary cases than the introduction portends. In fact, despite Adelakun's somewhat dismissive characterization of "anthropology, history, religious studies, and political science" in favor of performance studies (7), most of the book is fundamentally interdisciplinary. It reflects roots inAfrican studies, a field that has brought together multiple disciplines since its beginning, often at the leading edge of methodological innovation. After the introduction, the book offers a multifaceted landscape in which a variety of sources andmethods come into play. Adelakun analyzes a wide range of materials, from television dramas to financial campaigns, social-media movements to naming rituals drawing from interviews, ethnographic observations, visual analyses, and an array of media sources. For example, Chapter 3 explores expressions of the global #MeToo movement leveled against prominent Nigerian pastors. The case study brings together theological principles, gendered analysis of social respectability, visual analysis of social-media accounts, and discussion of the fetishized role of pastors' images (literally posted on billboards or paraded on Instagram) as tools for fashioning power. Other chapters deal in nuanced ways with the democratic potential of internet communities, the role of comedy in producing worldviews, and ongoing interpretations of traditional practices, like naming. At its core, this book is not historical in focus. The first chapter with analysis lays out something of the history ofNigerian Pentecostalism, but it focuses more on exploring the role of theatrical activities in boosting congregants' faith and commitment. The heart of Adelakun's interest is clearly presentist. She is more interested in charting a discursive landscape than in exploring cause and effect or change over time. Similarly, her intellectual agenda is almost exclusively devoted to illuminating the contributions of performance studies to understanding the development and impact of Pentecostal identity in Nigeria. Readers interested in how she draws from other fields will need to go searching for them in her footnotes and text. Although Adelakun's book does not immediately situate itself as a work of interdisciplinary history, those willing to engage with her chapters and content will find challenging material about the ways that attention to performance can deepen our analysis of historical problems.


We report basic results from newnumerical simulations of passive scalar mixing at Schmidt numbers (Sc) of the order of 1000 in isotropic turbulence. The required high gridresolution is made possible by simulating turbulence at very low Reynolds numbers, which nevertheless possesses universality in dissipative scales of motion. The results obtained are qualitatively consistent with those based on another study (Yeung et al., Phys. Fluids 14 (2002) 4178-4191) with a less extended Schmidt number range and a higher Reynolds number. In the stationary state maintained by a uniform mean scalar gradient, the scalar variance increases slightly with Sc but scalar dissipation is nearly constant. As the Schmidt number increases, there is an increasing trend towards k−1 scaling predicted by Batchelor (Batchelor, J. Fluid Mech. 5 (1959) 113-133) for the viscous-convective range of the scalar spectrum; the scalar gradient skewness approaches zero; and the intermittency measured by the scalar gradient flatness approaches its asymptotic state. However, the value of Sc needed for the asymptotic behavior to emerge appears to increase with decreasing Reynolds number of the turbulence. In the viscous-diffusive range, the scalar spectrum is in better agreement with Kraichnan's (Kraichnan, Phys. Fluids 11 (1968) 945-953) result than with


A successive interference cancellation (SIC) algorithm based on breadth-first search (BFS) is developed to achieve a soft-input soft-output detector via the tree structure of the MIMO system model in this paper. Instead of visiting all nodes of the tree, the proposed BFS-SIC algorithm only browses and extends those paths with large metrics. If paths are enough, the performance of BFS-SIC algorithm can approach that of sphere decoding but is much more flexible due to its providing a good tradeoff between complexity and performance. Moreover, the BFS-SIC algorithm possesses path metrics including only scalar operations rather than matrix operations. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.


Objective: To review the clinical efficacy and tolerability of vildagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, based on recent Phase 3 trials. Data Sources: Primary literature and review articles were obtained via a MEDLINE search (2005–November 2007) using the search terms diabetes, vildagliptin, and LAF-237. Additional data from abstracts presented at clinical meetings were included when appropriate. Study Selection: Nine double-blind, randomized, multicenter, parallel-group trials and vildagliptin studies were identified and reviewed. Data Synthesis: Vildagliptin, a selective DPP-4 inhibitor, has been shown to produce clinically significant reductions in hemoglobin A1c (A1C) levels when used as monotherapy (0.6–1%) or in combination with other glucose-lowering agents (mean decrease 0.7%). Phase 3 trials indicated a 24- to 52-week sustained effect on reduction of blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes. The primary endpoint for all trials was change from baseline A1C. In the intent-to-treat population, baseline A1C was compared with end-of-study A1C. More than 2,500 patients with type 2 diabetes enrolled in monotherapy trials; an additional 2,119 participated in combination therapy trials. Males outnumbered females, and all groups included obese patients. The most common adverse effects reported were nasopharyngitis, headache, and dizziness. Vildagliptin was weight-neutral and produced a rate of hypoglycemia similar to that of placebo. Conclusions: Vildagliptin appears to be a promising agent for the management of type 2 diabetes.


Microcercous cercariae possess a very short tail and are produced by digenean species of several families including medically important species, such as members of the genera Paragonimus Braun, 1899, Nanophyetus Chapin, 1927 and Troglotrema Odhner, 1914. During our survey of cercariae of Paragonimus spp. in Vietnam, we found microcercous cercariae from ten (0.29%) out of 3,400 snails of Triculinae gen. sp. 2. They were morphologically and molecularly analysed for species identification. The molecular analysis, based on ITS2 sequences, revealed two distinct species: four specimens were identical to Paragonimus proliferus Hsia et Chen, 1964 (Paragonimidae Dollfus, 1939), and the other six specimens were closest to members of the family Troglotrematidae Odhner, 1914 and were temporarily named Troglotrematidae gen. sp. Morphologically, cercariae of the two species found in this study are similar to each other in their gross characteristics but can be distinguished from one another by subtle morphological details. The cercaria of P. proliferus has an I-shaped excretory bladder and does not have mucous gland cells. In contrast, that of Troglotrematidae gen. sp. has a Y-shaped excretory bladder and mucous gland cells. Besides, the redia of P. proliferus is elongate with a short intestine and contains 5-6 cercariae whereas that of Troglotrematidae gen. sp. is more round with a longer intestine and harbours 3-4 cercariae. Our results have shown the importance of the shape of the excretory bladder and the presence/absence of mucous gland cells of the cercaria as well as the shape and size of the redia, and its intestinal length as valuable taxonomic characters of intramolluscan trematode larvae. In addition, the finding of similar microcercous cercariae of different species in the same snail species suggests that careful attention to morphological details is required in the differentiation of Paragonimus cercariae and those of closely related species.


Glutamate (1 mM), iodoacetate (0.01 mM) and ionomycin (0.25 μM) are reported to induce several characteristics of ischemia and neuronal degenerationin vitro, e.g. glutamate and ionomycin lesion result in a disturbance of Ca2+ homeostasis, iodoacetate impairment leads to an inhibition of energy metabolism, suppression of protein synthesis and generation of oxygen free radicals. In this study these three lesion models were used to investigate the effects of the nootropic drug Cerebrolysin (Cere) on the survival of cortical neurons in culture and on the occurrence of apoptosis. The viability of the cells was evaluated with the colorimetric MTT-reduction assay. Apoptosis was detected with Bisbenzimide (Hoechst: 33258), a fluorescent DNA stain. Administration of Cere resulted in dose dependent neuroprotection independent from the kind of lesion. In the glutamate model the drug almost doubled neuronal viability compared to lesioned controls. After acute glutamate exposure Cere reduced the number of apoptotic cells significantly. In spite of the protective efficacy after cytotoxic hypoxia induced by iodoacetate, the drug significantly increased the number of apoptotic neurons, indicating a shift from necrosis to apoptosis. In contrast to previous studies investigating acute ionomycin lesions, the chronic Ca2+-overload used here did not increase the abundance of apoptosis compared to the unlesioned control. Summarizing the findings it can be suggested that Cere is able to stabilize Ca2+ homeostasis, to protect protein synthesis and to counteract neuronal death in differentin vitro models of ischemia.


To develop a smart, colour-changing wood material, photochromic microcapsules were incorporated into coatings while painting veneered plywood. The properties of microcapsules and coatings were investigated. The colour-changing behaviour of the photochromic wood material in response to sunlight exposure was evaluated. The microcapsules exhibited sensitive colour-changing function and had good thermal stability. The prepared photochromic wood material spontaneously altered its appearance from the veneer colour to a blue colour following intensity changes of the sunlight exposure on the sample. The incorporation of microcapsules had no obvious effect on coating adhesion, but it obviously reduced coating wearability. With the microcapsule content increasing from 2.5% to 10% (of the coating weight), the colour difference (ΔE) of photochromic wood stimulated by sunlight linearly increased from 7.45 to 21.58. The performance of the prepared photochromic wood material can be adjusted by controlling the addition amount of microcapsules.


We consider a multiple femtocell deployment in a small area which shares spectrum with the underlaid macrocell. We design a joint energy and radio spectrum scheme which aims not only for co-existence with the macrocell, but also for an energy-efficient implementation of the multi-femtocells. Particularly, aggregate energy usage on dense femtocell channels is formulated taking into account the cost of both the spectrum and energy usage. We investigate an energy-and-spectral efficient approach to balance between the two costs by varying the number of active sub-channels and their energy. The proposed scheme is addressed by deriving closed-form expressions for the interference towards the macrocell and the outage capacity. Analytically, discrete regions under which the most promising outage capacity is achieved by the same size of active sub-channels are introduced. Through a joint optimization of the sub-channels and their energy, properties can be found for the maximum outage capacity under realistic constraints. Using asymptotic and numerical analysis, it can be noticed that in a dense femtocell deployment, the optimum utilization of the energy and the spectrum to maximize the outage capacity converges towards a round-robin scheduling approach for a very small outage threshold. This is the inverse of the traditional greedy approach.


ABSTRACT
There may be some confusion regarding the use of supplemental oxygen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are experiencing acute respiratory distress. This article addresses a common nursing misconception regarding the use of high-flow oxygen administration via non-rebreather masks instead of low-flow oxygen administration via nasal cannulas in patients with COPD who are in acute respiratory distress, an issue that was investigated in a simulation education exercise and survey of the nursing staff at the authors' facility.


Within a European research project the tip endwall region of low pressure turbine guide vanes with leakage ejection was investigated at DLR in Gottingen. For this purpose a new cascade wind tunnel with three large profiles in the test section and a contoured endwall was designed and built
up, representing 50% height of a real low pressure turbine stator and simulating the casing flow field of shrouded vanes. The effect of tip leakage flow was simulated by blowing air through a small leakage gap in the endwall just upstream of the vane leading edges. Engine relevant turbulence intensities were adjusted by an active turbulence generator mounted in the test section inlet plane. The experiments were performed with tangential and perpendicular leakage ejection and varying leakage mass flow rates up to 2%. Aerodynamic and thermodynamic measurement techniques were employed. Pressure distribution measurements provided information about the endwall and vane surface pressure field and its variation with leakage flow. Additionally streamline pattern (local shear stress directions) on the walls were detected by oil flow visualization. Downstream traverses with five-hole pyramid type probes allow a survey of the secondary flow behavior in the cascade exit plane. The flow field in the near endwall area downstream of the leakage gap and around the vane leading edges was investigated using a 2D Particle Image Velocimetry system. In order to determine endwall heat transfer distributions, the wall temperatures were measured by an infrared camera system, while heat fluxes at the surfaces were generated with electric operating heating foils. It turned out from the experiments that distinct changes in the secondary flow behavior and endwall heat transfer mainly occur when the leakage mass flow rate is increased from 1% to 2%. Leakage ejection perpendicular to the main flow direction amplifies the secondary flow, in particular the horse-shoe vortex, whereas tangential leakage ejection causes a significant reduction of this vortex system. For high leakage mass flow rates the boundary layer flow at the endwall is strongly affected and seems to be highly turbulent, resulting in entirely different heat transfer distributions.


Background: The old Kajawa classification which considered eight possible forms of aberrant mammary tissue has been recently modified into a simpler one that considers this condition only when there is glandular parenchyma or when the aberrant tissue is not a glandular tissue but a nipple, an areola or both. This new classification disregards 'polythelia pilosa' defined as an 'isolated patch of hairs only'. Objective: To demonstrate that polythelia pilosa is at least a marker of subjacent accessory mammary tissue and, consequently, that the term should be incorporated into the current classification. Methods: Among 72 cases of aberrant or accessory mammary tissue, we have studied 14 cases (7 men and 7 women) that were clinically diagnosed as 'visible isolated patches of hairs, apparently without pigmentation nor structures of areola or nipple'. We excised such isolated patches in 3 women. Results: The histopathological examination showed an acanthotic and hyperpigmented epithelium with central depression closed by keratin plugs; in the dermis there were follicles with hairs surrounded by hypertrophic sebaceous glands. In the deepest portion, abundant secretory glomerules and excretory ducts of apocrine gland type could be observed. Conclusion: Since the biopsy of isolated patches of hairs demonstrated structures of either areolar or apocrine glandular tissue, we think that the term 'polythelia pilosa' should be reinstated into the classification as it is at least a marker of true aberrant mammary structures in men and hirsute women.


Fatigue and rutting are two major modes of distress of flexible pavements that are typically characterized by the primary response of the pavement and so calculations of the pavement's structural responses should be measured carefully for more accurate predictions of pavement performance. Response to it, this task aims to predict the primary response of the forces using Influence Function and Peak Influence Function Method for several differences top layer pavement thicknesses. In this tasks, both the aforementioned critical responses were highlighted, that are horizontal tensile strain at the bottom of bound layers and the vertical compressive strain on top of the sub-grade layer, that relates to fatigue and rutting damage respectively. The vertical load applied to the surface is uniformly over a circular area, leading to an axial symmetric problem. The pavement structure was modeled as semi-infinite linear elastic system considering three layers; an asphalt surface layer, a granular base layer and semi-infinite sub-grade or soil layer. A multilayer linear elastic approach was used to calculate the response of the pavement structure under uniform contact stress. The simulation results were compared to the results from BISAR application. As a finding, the comparison between computed critical strains and output from BISAR and a good consensus was reached. The variation of radial and vertical strains at the bottom of asphaltic concrete and on top of the sub-grade layer is matched well and conforms to the capability of the programme that was developed


Heteromorphic self-incompatibility (SI) is an important system for preventing inbreeding in the genus Primula. However, investigations into the molecular mechanisms of Primula SI are lacking. To explore the mechanisms of SI in Primula maximowiczii, the pollen germination and fruiting rates of self- and cross-pollinations between pin and thrum morphs were investigated, and transcriptomics analyses of the pistils after pollination were performed to assess gene expression patterns in pin and thrum SI. The results indicated that P. maximowiczii exhibits strong SI and that the mechanisms of pollen tube inhibition differ between pin and thrum morphs. While self-pollen tubes of the pin morph were able to occasionally, though rarely, enter the style, those of the thrum morph were never observed to enter the style. The transcriptomics analysis of the pistils revealed 1311 and 1048 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were identified by comparing pin self-pollination (PS) vs. pin cross-pollination (PT) and thrum self-pollination (TS) vs. thrum cross-pollination (TP). Notably, about 90% of these DEGs exhibited different expression patterns in the two comparisons. Moreover, pin and thrum DEGs were associated with different Gene Ontology (GO) categories and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways following enrichment analyses. Based on our results, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pin and thrum SI in P. maximowiczii appear to be distinct. Furthermore, the genes involved in the SI processes are commonly associated with carbohydrate metabolism and environmental adaptation. These results provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms of Primula SI.


Aims Alcohol use among Icelandic adolescents has declined substantially in the last decade. This paper evaluates the source of this decline by examining changes in the frequency and quantity of adolescent alcohol consumption in the period 1995–2003. Data and Methods The total population of 10th grade (15–16-year-olds) students in Iceland was surveyed in 1995, 1999 and 2003 as part of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD). Results The total volume of alcohol consumed by 15–16-year-old students declined by 15% between 1995 and 2003. This decline can be traced to an increasing number of abstainers. Among adolescent alcohol consumers drinking was more frequent and the total volume of alcohol they consumed increased by 19% between 1995 and 2003. Conclusion Declining alcohol use among Icelandic adolescents is due to fewer alcohol consumers and cannot be traced to less consumption by active drinkers. Adolescents who consume alcohol regularly have increased their consumption in this period.


This paper details about various methods prevailing in literature on strategies developed for mining functional dependencies. Efficient discovery of functional and approximate dependencies of partition is discussed in detail. An efficient algorithm for discovery functional and approximate dependencies called TANE is examined. Mining functional dependencies from data and Depth first algorithms and influencing for AFD mining are examined in detail. Polynomial time queries over inconsistent databases with functional dependency and foreign keys are reviewed. This survey would promote a lot of research in the area of mining functional dependencies


It is argued that developmental psychology is the "third discipline of scientific psychology" , emphasizing the formal aspect of behavioral continuity/change. Constructs elaborating this aspect are semantical and not empty mathematical models or fuzzy common sense concepts. Assessment is comprehensively describcd as a matrix of four components (test theory, constructs, tests, diagnostica! proces) by three levels (common sense, scientific constructs, mathematical models). Developmental psychology and assessment are confronted to conquer and extend the meaning of continuity/change, as in "convergent" and "discriminant" construct validation. Test theory, tests and the diagnostica! proces respective! y offer models, instruments and a program for assessing behavior.


Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are a unique group of photosynthetic bacteria amongst the oldest forms of life, which widespread in aquatic environments including freshwater lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Furthermore, they have ability to produce a wide range of secondary metabolites with toxic property for aquatic animals, as well as human beings. Considering the importance of cyanobacteria in public health, the introduction of sensitive and reliable methods for their detection is the main aim of this study. In the present study, 30 water samples were collected from six locations of the Kor River, Iran. The samples were analyzed for the prevalence of cyanobacterial species using conventional culture methods and morphological tests. Then, molecular identification of the isolates was performed by the comparative evaluation of three sets of primers (CYA106/CYA781; CYA781/CYA359; and PCα/PCβ). Furthermore, their abilities to produce cyanobacterial toxins including microcystin and nodularin synthetase enzyme complexes were investigated by using polymerase chain reaction method. The results obtained from this study indicated that two isolates were identified as Cyanobacterium aponinum and Phormidium sp. none of the isolates had ability to produce selected toxins. In addition, the results indicated that the selected pair primers were proper for detection of the isolates. Hence, due to importance of cyanobacterial isolation from water samples and their effect on human health, periodic studies in different water resources and regions seem necessary. Furthermore, among the selected primers, CYA106/CYA781 could be a proper primer pair for detection of cyanobacterial isolates.


Thomas E. Bitterwolf, 72, died on Jan. 30 in Moscow, Idaho. "About the time Tom was completing graduate school, he received an invitation he couldn't refuse and elected to join the US Navy. He later taught at the Nuclear Power School and then the US Naval Academy. Tom created a one-man research program at the Naval Academy that helped land him in what proved to be his dream job as a professor at the University of Idaho. Over his more than 30 years at Idaho, Tom had the honor of teaching thousands of the finest students in the Northwest. His office walls are covered with wedding and birth announcements, graduation photos, and scores of pictures of his academic grandchildren."—family of Thomas Bitterwolf Most recent title: Chemistry professor, University of Idaho Education: BS, chemistry, Centenary College of Louisiana, 1968; PhD, chemistry, West Virginia University, 1972 Survivors: Wife, Caroline; daughters, Katharine Bitterwolf-Hyde


It is not known whether one or a combination of different mutations will alter the viral clinical and epidemiological manifestations, transmissibility, virulence, or efficacy of the vaccine. Transmission of the new variant by asymptomatic carriers is also unknown. Vaccines or antiviral agents have not yet induced the pressure of the mutation; however, other mutations are anticipated after global vaccination and after the introduction of proven therapies. Thus, a willingness to rapidly emerge new options is prudent. Less virulent but highly heritable variants can also be expected, which may contribute to herd immunity. There is a need to develop clinical and rapid laboratory tests to monitor vaccinated individuals for secondary infection potentially caused by the new variant. Importantly, restrictive countermeasures, spatial distancing, personal hygiene, travel bans, and facial disguises remain relevant in the fight against the virus.


ABSTRACT A new, simple synthesis of succinimides is described. The reactions were carried out under the ultimate green conditions excluding both catalyst and organic solvent by applying simple stirring at 100 °C. A wide variety of N-susbstituted succinimides have been prepared in high yields by using succinic acid and primary amines in hot water. Yield of N-alkyl substituted succinimides were found to be higher than those of N-aryl substituted succinimides. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


Poor adherence to food safety and wholesome practices in meat processing and handling is a common phenomenon in some public abattoirs in Nigeria. The quality of beef consumed by the University community is an issue of concern. Information on the extent of beef patronage has not been documented. Thus, beef demand at the University of Ibadan abattoir was assessed. Ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections by the  University Veterinarian were performed on slaughter days from January 2013 to April 2015. The data collected were customer: day of purchase, Department/Unit, sex and rank. The quantity demanded and the parts requested were also noted. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that a total of 22,884 contacts were recorded. An increase in patronage from 42.24% in 2013 to 57.76% in 2014 was evident. Women (53.60%) requested for meat than male counterpart. The requests for 1-2kg, 2-4kg and above 4kg at a time were 58.9%, 19.1% and10.0% respectively. For the day of purchase, the patronage was higher on Fridays (59.20%) as compared to Wednesdays. The last week of the month attracted higher demand (36.20%) than weeks 1 (21.0%), 2 (22.3%) and 3 (20.5%). A noticeable increase in demand was during festive periods. A high percentage occurred in the number of customers that specified the actual parts (63.5%) of the meat requested and those that did not while females specified more (57.82%) than males. Highest preference for special parts was observed among the Professors (45%). More patronage was observed for people at closer Departments/Unit to the abattoir. It may be concluded that day of slaughter, proximity to slaughter house, sex, status and special occasions are vital factors that affect beef demand enterprise in the University of Ibadan.
Keywords: Beef demand; slaughter house; University of Ibadan


Objective: To determine the comprehensive antibiotic susceptibility profile of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales among clinical samples received at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Apr to Sep 2020
Methodology: Over six months, 150 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales were isolated at the Armed Forces Institute ofPathology, Rawalpindi Pakistan. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer Disk-Diffusion technique, and their susceptibility was interpreted according to the CLSI 2020 and EUCAST 2020 guidelines.
Results: Out of 150 clinical isolates resistant to Carbapenems, 99(66%) were identified as Klebsiella Pneumoniae, followed by Escherichia Coli 38(25.7%), Proteus Mirabilis 7(4.6%), Enterobacter Cloacae, Serratia Marcescens, Citrobacter Freundii, Providencia retgerii 1(0.6%) each. The isolates were highly resistant to the following categories of antibiotics tested. For Penicillins/Cephalosporins and their combinations, the resistance range was between 94 to 100%, and it was and >79% for Aminoglycosides, >97% for Fluoroquinolones and >48% for Tetracyclines. Isolates showed the highest susceptibility to Colistin, 94(92%) out of 102 then to Tigecycline 81(81%) out of 100, followed by Fosfomycin 60(78.9%) out of 76, Minocycline 41(52%) out of 79 and Doxycycline 33(50%) out of 66.
Conclusion: Extensively drug-resistant Enterobacterales 'Superbugs' with ever-worsening antimicrobial resistance threaten the human race back to the pre-antibiotic era. This real menace cautions against the lack of antimicrobials for treating lethal and hazardous infections caused by such difficult-to-treat bacteria in times to come.


We present a generalized nonlinear theory for large-amplitude electrostatic (ES) ion shocks in collisional quantum plasmas composed of mildly coupled degenerate electron fluid of arbitrary degeneracy and nondegenerate strongly correlated ion fluid with arbitrary atomic number. For our purposes, we use the inertialess electron momentum equation including the electrostatic force, pressure gradient, and relevant quantum forces, as well as a generalized viscoelastic ion momentum (GVIM) equation for strongly correlated nondegenerate ions. The ion continuity equation, in the quasineutral approximation, then closes our nonlinear system of equations. When the electric field force is eliminated from the GVIM equation by using the inertialess electron momentum equation, we then obtain a GVIM and ion continuity equations, which exhibit nonlinear couplings between the ion number density and the ion fluid velocity. The pair of nonlinear equations is numerically solved to study the dynamics of arbitrarily-large-amplitude planar and nonplanar ES shocks arising from a balance between harmonic generation nonlinearities and the ion fluid viscosity for a wide range of plasma mass densities and ion atomic numbers that are relevant for the cores of giant planets (viz., Jupiter) and compact stars (viz., white dwarfs). Our numerical results reveal that the ES shock density profiles strongly depend on the plasma number density and composition (the atomic-number) parameters. Furthermore, ion density perturbations propagate with Mach numbers which significantly depend on the studied plasma fractional parameters. It is concluded that the dynamics of the ES shocks in the superdense degenerate plasma is quite different in the core of a white dwarf star from that in the lower density crust region.


Population density and spatial distribution pattern of Tetranychus urticae Koch and its predatorStethorus gilvifrons Mulsant on different agricultural crops including cucumber (var. Superdaminus) andfive bean varieties including Phaseulus vulgaris var. Talash, P. lunatus var. Sadaf, P. calcaratus var. Goli,P. calcaratus var. Sun-ray and Vigna sinensis var. Parastoo were determined in the Tehran area, Iran,during 2005. The mean population density of the adults and total life stages of T. urticae on cucumber(150.71 mites per leaf) was significantly more than bean crops. Among bean varieties, the higher andlower density of the pest population was observed on Sun-ray (59.37 mites per leaf) and Parastoo (4.73mites per leaf), respectively. Spatial distribution pattern of T. urticae was determined on different cropsusing Morisita's index and Taylor's power law regression method and spatial distribution of S. gilvifronswas measured using variance to mean ratio. The slope of Taylor's regression for T. urticae was 1.60, 1.89,2.05 and 1.35 on Talash, Goli, Sadaf and Sun-ray, respectively. Morisita's index for T. urticae wassignificantly greater than one for all crops (Ia>1). The variance to mean ratio for S. gilvifrons wascalculated 1.64, 1.90 1.32 and 11.54, on Talash, Sun-ray, Parastoo and cucumber, respectively. Theresults indicated that the spatial distribution pattern of T. urticae was aggregated and this pattern for S.gilvifrons in most cases was aggregated and in a few cases was random. Linear regression between densityof T. urticae (independent variable) and density of S. gilvifrons (dependent variable) was used fordetermining the reaction of S. gilvifrons to the population density of T. urticae. The reaction of S.gilvifrons to density of T. urticae on Sun-ray variety was density independent and on other crops wasdensity dependent. It could be concluded that different crops can influence the population density of T.urticae and spatial distribution pattern of S. gilvifrons. Spatial distribution parameters can be used topromote sampling programs and exact estimation of the population density of an organism.


The purpose of this research was to study the validity and variability of a projection Moiré system, measuring volume differences of geometrically different formed specimens mimicking localized alveolar ridge defects. Nine pairs of specimens were fabricated, each of which simulated a preoperative ridge defect and a corresponding surgically-corrected postoperative ridge defect. All specimen pairs had a mathematically defined form which allowed the accurate assessment of their volume differences by a mechanical 3-D coordinate measuring machine or by a software-controlled milling machine. Measurements achieved with these methods were used as the references for comparison. Six specimen pairs, A1 to A6, possessed a simple rectangular geometrical form which facilitated their fabrication. Three specimen pairs, B1 to B3, were milled and consisted of geometrically more complex 3-D sculptured surfaces, which came closest to a true imitation of a localized ridge defect. An optical measurement system in the form of the projection Moiré was utilized, applying a 4-phase shift technique, and results obtained with this device were regarded as test volumes. The absolute variability of the test volume measurements differed between 0.397 mm3 to 15.872 mm3, corresponding to a relative variability of 0.83% to 2.83%. The mean of the relative variability was within 1.68% for the "A" specimens and 2.15% for the "B" specimens. However, the difference was not significant, probably due to the limited number of "B" specimens. The systematic error of the Moiré measurements in relation to the reference methods was surprisingly low, ranging from -0.12 mm3 to 7.67 mm3. The relative systematic error, expressed as a percentage of reference volume, ranged between 0.06% and -2.23%. The mean of the relative error for the more complex "B" specimens was 1.37%, which was less accurate in comparison to the more simply formed "A" specimens with a relative systematic error of 0.35%. Therefore, in this in vitro model it was possible to measure volume differences of geometrically different formed specimens, mimicking localized alveolar ridge defects, with a validity within 2.2% and with a variability of less than 2.8%.


This book builds on the large volume of existing literature that details the social, moral and economic context in which women of this era operated. It further complements the smaller body of existing writing that probes the interior lives of women. However, where as these latter works use personal documents, such as diaries and letters, to gain insight into the interior lives of mainly upper middle- and upper-class women, this study concentrates on women from the lower and middle levels of the middle classes and on the lower classes. There are many 'gaps' or 'silences' in women's history - especially in relation to their interior lives. Historians seeking to penetrate the thoughts and emotions of 'ordinary' single middle-class women living during the Late Victorian and Edwardian years face a challenging task as these women rarely left personal documents. Popular or bestselling novels are numbered among the few written sources that are available to help historians to fill in some of the absences in the conventional historical record. This study looks at a selection of the popular and bestselling novels of Arnold Bennett (1867-1931) and Marie Corelli (1855-1924). Bearing in mind the extensive readership that Bennett and Corelli each enjoyed, we can legitimately assume that these authors' ideas and values, consistently recurring within their fiction, corresponded with many of the emotional concerns and standards of their audience, resonating in the minds of their readers, as well as simultaneously entering into the wider contemporary debate. Using a comparative approach to examine Bennett's solidly popular middlebrow books and Corelli's phenomenally popular or bestselling novels, this work asks the question: which is more valuable to historians of mentalite - middlebrow or bestselling fiction?


The focus of this paper is on self-recording, a method for collecting empirical data. The context for the method is a study of the professional identity development of novice primary school mathematics teachers as seen from the perspective of the teachers themselves. The background for using the method is based on theoretical and methodological issues as well as problems regarding data collection in this study. Self-recordings were tried as a complement to observations and interviews and contributed with data of original character, e.g. data regarding current happenings and data giving insights into day-to-day work from the perspective of the informants. In this paper, the theoretical and methodological starting points, the method as such and examples of the empirical outcome will be presented and discussed.


The dynamics of a guided laser pulse propagation and wakefield generation in plasma channels, ionizing gases and gas filled capillaries is investigated. The efficient generation of a regular wakefield over long distances suitable for laser wakefield accelerators is demonstrated. The different schemes of electron bunch injection and compression to provide monoenergetic electron acceleration to high energies are analysed. A possibility of effective multistage acceleration of short electron bunches with low emittance and energy spread is demonstrated. The analytical results are confirmed by the results of numerical modelling.


Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) is engaged in the modulation of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system activity. Effects of repeated intravenously injections of TRH in a dose of 100 ng/100 g b.w. on vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) biosynthesis and release from the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system was investigated in rats in different age (1-, 3- or 7-months of the life). To estimate the biosynthesis rate of both neurohormones the colchicine procedure was used (the dose of 5 microg/5 microl icv 20 hours before the decapitation). It has been observed that vasopressin synthesis in the hypothalamus increased gradually with maturation of rats, while OT biosynthesis decreased in the same animals. Hypothalamic biosynthesis rate of VP and OT is most effective in youngest rats and declines during the adolescence of animals. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone directly affects VP-ergic and OT-ergic hypothalamic neurons activity and both neurohormones biosynthesis process. This effect, however, is opposed: TRH acts as a stimulator of vasopressin biosynthesis most of all in young male rats and as an inhibitor for oxytocin biosynthesis especially in mature animals.


Perceptual fluency and response inhibition are well-established techniques to unobtrusively manipulate preference: objects are devalued following association with disfluency or inhibition. These approaches to preference change are extensively studied individually, but there is less research examining the impact of combining the two techniques in a single intervention. In short (3 min) game-like tasks, we examine the preference and memory effects of perceptual fluency and inhibition individually, and then the cumulative effects of combining the two techniques. The first experiment confirmed that perceptual fluency and inhibition techniques influence immediate preference judgements but, somewhat surprisingly, combining these techniques did not lead to greater effects than either technique alone. The second experiment replicated the first but with changes to much more closely imitate a real-world application: measuring preference after 20 min of unrelated intervening tasks, modifying the retrieval context via room change, and generalization from computer images of objects to real-world versions of those objects. Here, the individual effects of perceptual fluency and inhibition were no longer detected, whereas combining these techniques resulted in preference change. These results demonstrate the potential of short video games as a means of influencing behaviour, such as food choices to improve health and well-being.


In last decades, biofuels have gained a significant momentum to be a sustainable alternative of gasoline. Among the lignocellulosic materials explored for second generation ethanol production, sugarcane bagasse (SB) generated by sugar-ethanol industries has proven as a promising feedstock for the ethanol production in countries like Brazil. The carbohydrate skeleton of SB can be hydrolyzed into sugar monomers which can be subsequently fermented for ethanol production. Dilute acid hydrolysis of SB released 10.9 g.L xylose in addition to other sugars and inhibitors. This hemicellulosic hydrolysate after concentration by vacuum evaporation followed by detoxification with overliming showed 30.89 g.L xylose along with other products (0.32 g.L glucose, 2.31 g.L arabinose, 1.26 g.L acetic acid etc). Fermentation efficiency of the detoxified hydrolysate was compared with the synthetic medium consisted of commercial sugars for the ethanol production by Candida shehatae UFMG 52.2, a novel isolate from Brazilian forests. After 24 hours of fermentation, maximum ethanol production (8.56 g.L, productivity 0.36 g. L. h ) and (9.48 g.L, productivity 0.395 g. L. h ) was achieved from detoxified hydrolysate and synthetic medium respectively. The significant productivities obtained in both experiments


It presents an industrial view of the gap between theory and practice, and initiates a dialog to: 1) address the gap from practitioners' perspectives; 2) help academic researchers better understand the issues in engineering practice and make their research more relevant; and 3) help practitioners gain a perspective of the potential impact of system and control theory to practice. Suggestions for the next steps in bridging the theory-practice gap are given.


Symptom development during the prodromal phase of psychosis was explored retrospectively in first-episode psychosis patients with special emphasis on the assumed time-related syndromic sequence of "unspecific symptoms (UN)-predictive basic symptoms (BS)-attenuated psychotic symptoms (APS)-(transient) psychotic symptoms (PS)." Onset of syndromes was defined by first occurrence of any of their respective symptoms. Group means were inspected for time differences between syndromes and influence of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on the recalled sequence. The sequence of "UN-BS/APS-PS" was clearly supported, and both BS and, though slightly less, APS were highly sensitive. However, onset of BS and APS did not show significant time difference in the whole sample (N = 126; 90% schizophrenia), although when each symptom is considered independently, APS tended to occur later than first predictive BS. On descriptive level, about one-third each recalled an earlier, equal and later onset of BS compared with APS. Level of education showed the greatest impact on the recall of the hypothesized sequence. Thereby, those with a higher school-leaving certificate supported the assumed sequence, whereas those of low educational background retrospectively dated APS before BS. These findings rather point out recognition and recall bias inherent to the retrospective design than true group characteristics. Future long-term prospective studies will have to explore this conclusively. However, as regards the criteria, the results support the notion of BS as at least a complementary approach to the ultrahigh risk criteria, which may also allow for an earlier detection of psychosis.


In 1944 the Journal of Experimental Medicine published a paper by Osvald T. Avery and collaborators (1) entitled "Studies on the Chemical Nature of the Substance-inducing Transformation of Pneumococcal Types. Induction of Transformation by a Desoxyribonucleic Acid Fraction Isolated from Pneumococcus type III." Avery reported the results of more than 15 years of systematic attempts to identify the chemical nature of the substance that changes a heritable property of a bacterium. He demonstrated that DNA is the chemical equivalent of the then purely formal concept of genes. Considering the scientific developments during the remaining 20th century this was arguably the most important discovery in physiology or medicine of the century. Avery lived until 1955 but was never even in the vicinity of a Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. Why? The scientific community was not very interested in nucleic acids in 1944. Only a few scientists were active in this field. One of them was Einar Hammarsten, Professor of Chemistry at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. In 1924 he had published a thesis (2) about the preparation and properties of DNA or thymonucleic acid as it was called at that time. In the ensuing 20 years he worked with both DNA and RNA. Only a few students joined his endeavor. Most notable among them was Torbjorn Caspersson who by 1944 already was Professor and head of a Nobel Institute at the Karolinska Institute. Caspersson was surrounded by a large group of young enthusiastic collaborators. Some of them were graduate students; others had already established themselves in medical specialties such as microbiology, virology, and pathology. Caspersson headed one of the most active research centers at the Karolinska Institute. He had developed a new ultraviolet microscope to study nucleic acid and protein metabolism (31, and he and his collaborators applied the new methodology to many different biological systems. I have described elsewhere (4) my intent in 1945 to start my graduate studies with Caspersson and how, instead, I turned to Hammarsten and became his student. I stayed in his laboratory until his retirement in 1957 and (in particular during the early years) listened to many of his monologues both on nucleic acid research and on Nobel prizes. Later on, as Professor at the Karolinska Institute after 1964, I became rather heavily involved in the work of the Nobel committee during a 20-year period and had the opportunity to learn about deliberations of earlier committees. As described below, I became introduced to Avery's work already as a young graduate student but only later in life began to ask myself questions about why he never received a Nobel Prize. Here, I make an attempt to give my answer. I will first briefly describe the organization of the Karolinska Institute's Nobel activity in the middle of the previous century. I will then in more detail discuss the research carried out by the groups of Hammarsten and Caspersson, their concepts about the biological function of nucleic acids, and how this may have affected their attitude to Avery's work.


Soil moisture is a key variable that controls the exchange of water and energy fluxes between the land surface and the atmosphere. However, the temporal evolution of soil moisture is neither easy to measure nor monitor at large scales because of its high spatial variability. This is mainly a result of the local variation in soil properties and vegetation cover. Thus, soil moisture prediction models are normally used to predict the evolution of soil moisture, but these models are based on sparse measurements of soil hydraulic parameter information or typical values. Therefore, more accurate and detailed soil hydraulic parameter data is vital if regional or global soil moisture predictions are to be made with the required accuracy. To overcome this limitation, it is hypothesised by this thesis that the soil hydraulic properties, e.g. hydraulic conductivity, porosity, field capacity, and wilting point, may be derived through model calibration to remotely sensed near-surface soil moisture observation. To test this hypothesis, the work presented in this thesis is conducted in three distinct steps. The Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) was used for this purpose, as it was identified as a suitable soil moisture prediction model for the proposed work. The soil hydraulic parameters most sensitive to soil moisture prediction were determined and were thus the focus of this research. In the first step, the proposed methodology was tested via a one-dimensional synthetic twin-experiment. The intent was to identify the most suitable meteorologic conditions for soil property retrieval, and hence make the most efficient use of computational resources when applying the methodology at large scales. The methodology was also tested for four different soil types including a homogeneous column of sand, a homogeneous column of clay, a duplex column of clay over sand, and a duplex column of silty sand over clay. In the second step, field measurements of soil moisture from the OzNet Soil Hydrological Monitoring Network over the Murrumbidgee Catchment have been utilized. The purpose being to determine the feasibility and the level of accuracy that can be expected for soil hydraulic property estimation of duplex soil profiles in a semi-arid environment using near-surface soil moisture observations under naturally occurring conditions. The soil hydraulic parameters retrieved from near-surface soil moisture measurements were validated against field and laboratory measured data. The derived root zone soil moisture predictions using the retrieved parameters were also validated against field observations from the same network. The last step of this thesis was to apply the methodology to a larger area, the size of a Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite footprint. However, rather than using a single soil moisture value for the entire demonstration area, a downscaled soil moisture product, Disaggregation based on Physical And Theoretical scale Change (DisPATCh), was used in the retrieval of soil hydraulic parameters. Spatial maps for the parameters, including surface and root zone, were obtained for the focus area.


This thesis explores the phenomena of controversial advertising, its regulation, and the ethical dimensions of its practice in a UK. context. The £19bn advertising industry is a major contributor to the British economy, helping to stimulate consumer demand, market competition and employment (IPA, 2012). Despite these benefits, advertising is often criticised for its negative social consequences. Controversial advertisers utilise content or tactics that breach acceptable standards of society (Harker et al., 2005). Controversial advertising practices include: shocking, offensive or distressing content or tactics (Waller et al., 2005); deceptive or misleading advertising claims (Preston, 1996); or harmful social consequences (Pollay, 1986). The UK advertising industry use self-regulation via voluntary codes of practice to maintain acceptable standards; address stakeholder complaints and forestall government intervention (CAP, 2012). Before advertising is placed, media clearance and pre-vetting procedures are also common. However, despite these controls, over 25,000 complaints are received by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) every year and on average 2,500 campaigns annually are found in breach of the code (ASA, 2012). This raises questions as to the ethics of controversial advertising practice and the effectiveness of its regulation. This research employs exploratory interpretive methods to makes sense of practitioner ethical decision making (EDM) involved in creating, pre-vetting and regulating controversial UK advertising. New findings highlight the importance of proactive clearance rather than post-complaint regulation. The code of advertising represents a fluctuating line to be pushed at, rather than acting as a moral brake on malpractice. Practitioner EDM is built from the collective interactions of actors, not the actions of individual decision makers or organisations, thus advertising practitioners become myopic to their stakeholder responsibilities. The thesis presents a new 360 degree model of the advertising process from creation through to regulation. The research has important implications for academic, marketing and advertising and regulatory practitioners.


Different materials are used in operations for embolization of arteriovenous aneurysms on which radical operation cannot be performed. A case is described with successful embolization by means of silicon-tantulum balls of vessels supplying a giant arteriovenous aneurysm. The patient died 6 years after operation from recurrent massive hemorrhage with escape of blood into the ventricles. Morphological examination of the artery revealed neither necrotic or inflammatory changes in its walls at the site of the embolism.


In the context of our investigations into high-pressure / hightemperature synthesis of new rare-earth oxoborates, we were able to discover several new high-pressure polymorphs of known compositions and additionally new compositions, whose successful syntheses were indispensably based on the ''pressure'' parameter. For example, all attempts to produce rare-earth borates with the ratio RE2O3: B2O3 = 2: 3, 1: 2, and 3: 5 under normal-pressure conditions were in vain. In contrast, the corresponding multianvil high-pressure experiments [1] led in most cases to phase pure rare-earth borates RE4B6O15 (RE = Dy, Ho) [2], β-RE2B4O9 (RE = Sm-Ho) [3], β-RE2B4O9 (RE = Dy, Gd) [4], and RE3B5O12 (RE = Tm-Lu) [5]. Due to the pressure-coordination rule, extreme synthetic conditions of 10 GPa favour structures, in which boron is exclusively coordinated to four oxygen atoms. Therewith, structural similarities with silicate chemistry can be assumed. In fact, we found several examples of beryllosilicates, in which the topology of the tetrahedral (Be,SiO4)-network corresponds to the arrangement of BO4-tetrahedra in our new high-pressure borates. E.g., the crystal structures of the former mentioned high-pressure borates RE3B5O12 (RE = Tm-Lu) [5] are homeotype to the beryllosilicate mineral semenovite ((Fe, Mn, Zn, Ti)RE2Na0-2(Ca, Na)8(Si, Be)20(O, OH, F)48) [6]. Recently, Krivovichev et al. reported about the crystal structure of clinobarylite BaBe2Si2O7 [7], which is isotypic to SrB4O7 and the high-pressure polymorphs β-CaB4O7 and β-HgB4O7. Additionally, we discovered a new ternary borate in the system Hf-B-O with the composition HfB2O5 (P21/c, a = 438.48(9), b = 690.60(2), c = 897.60(2) pm, β = 90.76°, wR2 = 0.0502 (all data), 1186 F values, 74 variable parameters). This compound represents the first crystalline hafniumborate exhibiting a structure, which is homeotype to minerals crystallizing in the gadolinite-type structure (e.g. NiYb2Be2Si2O10) [8]. The talk will introduce the topological similarities and differences between high-pressure borates and ambient-pressure silicates.


Administration is a form of business and activity related to a policy arrangement in order to achieve a goal that has been set or has been designed and made before carrying out activities. And also supervision can be called Supervision which is an effort to help the development and improvement of parties in supervision so that they can carry out the tasks assigned activities efficiently and effectively. Whereas the supervisor is someone who carries out the supervision. There are two characteristics and nature of supervision that is natural and that is good. Supervision also has the functions and duties of the Coordinator, Consultant, Group Leader, Evaluator. The purpose of supervision is to provide assistance to subordinates directly, so that subordinates have sufficient stock to be able to carry out tasks or jobs with good results and orientation, train workers, lead, provide direction, and develop personal skills.


THE demonstrable capacity of afferent stimulation to arouse a sleeping subject. and the obvious benefits of reducing sensory inflow in predisposing to sleep, are in seeming disharmony with recently discovered influences for wakefulness exerted by the central reticular core of the brain stem. Direct stimulation of this part of the neuraxis reproduces the electrical pattern of wakefulness in the cerebral cortex (14) while a t the same time it facilitates lower motor activity (16), and so arouses the nervous system generally (9). The ascending course of this reticular activating system is distinct from that of afferent pathways in the brain stem (19) and selective destruction of its cephalic portion is followed by the EEG synchrony and behavioral somnolence, hitherto attributed to deafferentation of the cerebrum (7, 8). Such consequences do not follow selective interruption of ascending somatic and auditory paths in the midbrain and after this latter injury both somatic . and auditory stimuli are still capable of awakening the sleeping animal and activating its EEG (7, 8). I t seemed likely that the apparent conflict might be resolved if evidence were forthcoming that collaterals from afferent paths turned into the reticular activating system in the brain stem and exerted their admittedly important arousing and awakening influences, indirectly, by modifying its activity. The present study has explored this possibility by probing the brain stem for alterations in electrical activity evoked by somatic and auditory stimuli. The findings establish the existence of collaterals from these sensory systems to the brain stem reticular formation, the rich wealth of which has never previously been suspected, though indications for it have been afforded by earlier anatomical investigation (2, 11, 13) and by study of the atypical route of conduction of the 'secondary response' to sciatic stimulation (5). Though the results are presented here only with reference to the problem under discussion, i t is felt that implications of these findings may be broad indeed, for they appear to enlarge outlooks in afferent conduction far beyond those which have been envisioned within the circumscribed Limits imposed by classical sensory paths.


Since little is known about carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) half-life in humans, we followed changes in CEA levels after curative resection of a small bronchial adenocarcinoma in a 54 yr old man with an unusually high preoperative serum CEA level of 1,199 ng.ml-1. Serum CEA followed a four phase curve with an initial increase, attributed to release of CEA from the tumour, a rapid fall during four days (CEA half-life 3.2 days), a slower exponential decay to normal levels during almost three months (CEA half-life 11 days) and eventually maintenance of normal levels for 14 months. These results are consistent with data from animal experiments and a single report on CEA half-life in humans, but CEA half-life seems longer in man than in animals. This observation also suggests that a very high serum CEA level should not in itself preclude curative surgical resection of a primary bronchogenic carcinoma.


The Rac1‐specific guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase)‐activating protein Slit‐Robo GAP2 (Srgap2) is dramatically upregulated during RANKL‐induced osteoclastogenesis. Srgap2 interacts with the cell membrane to locally inhibit activity of Rac1. In this study, we determined the role of Srgap2 in the myeloid lineage on bone homeostasis and the osteoclastic response to TNFα treatment. The bone phenotype of mice specifically lacking Srgap2 in the myeloid lineage (Srgap2 f/f:LysM‐Cre; Srgap2 conditional knockout [cKO]) was investigated using histomorphometric analysis, in vitro cultures and Western blot analysis. Similar methods were used to determine the impact of TNFα challenge on osteoclast formation in Srgap2 cKO mice. Bone parameters in male Srgap2 cKO mice were unaffected. However, female cKO mice displayed higher trabecular bone volume due to increased osteoblast surface and bone formation rate, whereas osteoclastic parameters were unaltered. In vitro, cells from Srgap2 cKO had strongly enhanced Rac1 activation, but RANKL‐induced osteoclast formation was unaffected. In contrast, conditioned medium from Srgap2 cKO osteoclasts promoted osteoblast differentiation and had increased levels of the bone anabolic clastokine SLIT3, providing a possible mechanism for increased bone formation in vivo. Rac1 is rapidly activated by the inflammatory cytokine TNFα. Supracalvarial injection of TNFα caused an augmented osteoclastic response in Srgap2 cKO mice. In vitro, cells from Srgap2 cKO mice displayed increased osteoclast formation in response to TNFα. We conclude that Srgap2 plays a prominent role in limiting osteoclastogenesis during inflammation through Rac1, and restricts expression of the paracrine clastokine SLIT3, a positive regulator of bone formation. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.


ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Kinesio Taping (KT), alone or together with balance exercises (BE), on parameters related to postural control, such as dynamic balance, static balance and flexibility. Forty-four male amateur soccer players (mean age 24.45 (4.79) years) were randomly allocated to 3 groups: KT+BE that received KT and BE (n = 16); KTp+BE, in which the KT was used as a placebo (n = 15) and KT alone (n = 13). The intervention period lasted 4 weeks. Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), Unipedal Stance Test (UST) and the Toe Touch Test (TTT) were assessed at baseline (pre), two weeks after beginning the treatment (mid) and after the intervention (post). We observed a significant improvement on the SEBT (mid and post-treatment) and the UST (post-treatment), but not on the TTT in either KT+BE or KTp+BE groups post treatment. No differences were found either in KT group at any time point or between groups in any variable studied. In conclusion, KT functional correction technique does not improve static and dynamic balance when applied alone, whereas BE alone or combined with KT significantly improves these variables. None of these techniques has any effect on flexibility. Abbreviation: KT: Kinesiotaping; BE: Balance exercises; KTp: Placebo Kinesiotaping; UST: Unipedal Stance Test; SEBT: Star Excursion Balance Test; TTT: Toe Touch Test


In estimating the frequency of oscillation of a positive-grid oscillator, it isusually assumed that the space charge effect is negligible. Under this assumption, the potential distribution in the space between the plane-parallel electrodes is linear. Thus the electric field in the space is uniform and the average velocity of electrpn flight can be used to evaluate the frequency of oscillation. The presence of space charge affects the potential distribution in space so that the electric field in this region is no more constant. Hence more exact formula must be used to compute the frequency of oscillation. The calculation is further complicated by the fact that the anode potential is usually made slightly negative with respect to the cathode. In this case, the location of the virtual cathode at which the electrons turn back does not coincide with that if a straight line potential distribution were assumed. The predicated trequency of oscillation is about 10-20 percent lower than that if space charge were neglected.


A previous study showed the additive methane (CH4)-mitigating effect of nitrate and linseed fed to non-lactating cows. Before practical application, the use of this new strategy in dairy cows requires further investigation in terms of persistency of methanogenesis reduction and absence of residuals in milk products. The objective of this experiment was to study the long-term effect of linseed plus nitrate on enteric CH4 emission and performance in dairy cows. We also assessed the effect of this feeding strategy on the presence of nitrate residuals in milk products, total tract digestibility, nitrogen (N) balance and rumen fermentation. A total of 16 lactating Holstein cows were allocated to two groups in a randomised design conducted in parallel for 17 weeks. Diets were on a dry matter (DM) basis: (1) control (54% maize silage, 6% hay and 40% concentrate; CON) or (2) control plus 3.5% added fat from linseed and 1.8% nitrate (LIN+NIT). Diets were equivalent in terms of CP (16%), starch (28%) and NDF (33%), and were offered twice daily. Cows were fed ad libitum, except during weeks 5, 16 and 17 in which feed was restricted to 95% of dry matter intake (DMI) to ensure complete consumption of meals during measurement periods. Milk production and DMI were measured weekly. Nitrate and nitrite concentrations in milk and milk products were determined monthly. Daily CH4 emission was quantified in open circuit respiration chambers (weeks 5 and 16). Total tract apparent digestibility, N balance and rumen fermentation parameters were determined in week 17. Daily DMI tended to be lower with LIN+NIT from week 4 to 16 (-5.1 kg/day on average). The LIN+NIT diet decreased milk production during 6 non-consecutive weeks (-2.5 kg/day on average). Nitrate or nitrite residuals were not detected in milk and associated products. The LIN+NIT diet reduced CH4 emission to a similar extent at the beginning and end of the trial (-47%, g/day; -30%, g/kg DMI; -33%, g/kg fat- and protein-corrected milk, on average). Diets did not affect N efficiency and nutrients digestibility. In the rumen, LIN+NIT did not affect protozoa number but reduced total volatile fatty acid (-12%) and propionate (-31%) concentrations. We concluded that linseed plus nitrate may have a long-term CH4-mitigating effect in dairy cows and that consuming milk products from cows fed nitrate may be safe in terms of nitrate and nitrite residuals. Further work is required to optimise the doses of linseed plus nitrate to avoid reduced cows performance.


Introduction Cell-based layout systems are widely used for automatic physical design of large digital systems. Standard cell and gate array layout systems are reaching a state of maturity: small differences in layout effectiveness are used to distinguish commercially available systems. General cell and mixed standard cell and general cell layout systems have moved from research projects to general availability. Even with this widespread use and the many publications of cell-based layout systems, no recognized benchmarks are available to form the basis of comparison and evaluation. In addition to the difficulty of comparing layout systems, algorithm research is hampered by the lack of recognized benchmark examples. It is very difficult to evaluate published algorithms because common examples are not used. Potentially promising algorithms have been denied publication because some researchers do not have access to real circuit descriptions. Random or contrived examples are, to a large number of reviewers, no longer acceptable for journal and conference publication. For some problems, publication of examples is sufficient to establish industry wide benchmarks; channel and switchbox routing are examples. However, cell-based layout problems are much too complex for such casual methods. Practical circuits may have several thousand cells, and circuits with over 10,000 cells are reported with some regularity. For such circuits, the parts list and the interconnection list may require a substantial fraction of a megabyte for storage. In addition to large size, the complexity of the cell libraries and the design rules inhibit sharing of layout examples. This panel wiH consider the benefits, problems and challenges of creating, distributing and maintaining a representative set of benchmarks for cell-based layout systems.


The increasing use of oral endoprostheses has offered new alternatives for fixed and removable prosthesis design. However, the use of implants also requires the complex understanding and use of sound prosthodontic principles. The establishment of proper maxillomandibular relationships (vertical dimension, occlusal plane, curve of Spee, tooth arrangement), esthetics, and function are essential precursors to success. Although the usefulness of rehabilitation with overdentures supported by osseointegrated fixtures is sometimes underestimated, overdentures provide an adequate treatment alternative in indicated cases. A case is presented in which previous preprosthetic surgery had failed and subsequently an overdenture supported by osseointegrated fixtures was constructed.


In a pilot study the antimycetic effect of the lectin anti-AHP in 40 patients suffering from different mycoses was studied. The treatment with an aqueous solution of anti-AHP resulted in a complete healing in 15 of 40 cases and in 16 patients in a remarkable improvement, whereas in 9 cases such an effect has not been observed. The mode of operations remains still unknown, possible actions of anti-AHP on fungi and stratum corneum are discussed.


The research evaluated the interactions of two main factors (strain / types of spawn) on various parameters with the purpose to assess its effect on yield and biochemical composition of Lentinula edodes fruiting bodies cultivated on pasteurized wheat straw. The evaluation was made with four strains (IE-40, IE-105, IE-124 and IE-256). Different types of spawns were prepared: Control (C) (millet seed, 100%), F1 (millet seed, 88.5%; wheat bran, 8.8%; peat moss, 1.3%; and CaS04, 1.3%) and F2 (the same formula as F1, but substituting the wheat bran with powdered wheat straw). Wheat straw was pasteurized by soaking it for 1 h in water heated to 65 °C. After this the substrate (2 kg wet weight) was placed in polypropylene bags. The bags were inoculated with each spawn (5% w/w) and incubated in a dark room at 25 °C. A proximate analysis of mature fruiting bodies was conducted. The mean Biological Efficiency (BE) varied between 66.0% (C-IE-256) and 320.1% (F1-IE-124), with an average per strain of 125.6%. The highest mean BE was observed on spawn F1 (188.3%), significantly different from C and F2. The protein content of fruiting bodies was high, particularly in strain IE-40-F1 (17.7%). The amount of fat varied from 1.1 (F1-IE-40) to 2.1% (F2-IE-105) on dry matter. Carbohydrates ranged from 58.8% (F1-IE-40) to 66.1% (F1-IE-256). The energy value determined ranged from 302.9 kcal (F1-IE-40) to 332.0 kcal (F1-IE-256). The variability on BE observed in this study was significantly influenced by the spawn's formulation and genetic factors of the different strains.