3D models of indoor environments are important in many applications, but they usually exist only for newly constructed buildings. Automated approaches to modelling indoor environments from imagery and/or point clouds can make the process easier, faster and cheaper. We present an approach to 3D indoor modelling based on a shape grammar. We demonstrate that interior spaces can be modelled by iteratively placing, connecting and merging cuboid shapes. We also show that the parameters and sequence of grammar rules can be learned automatically from a point cloud. Experiments with simulated and real point clouds show promising results, and indicate the potential of the method in 3D modelling of large indoor environments.


Increasingly dyslexia is becoming a whole-school issue. The responsibility for addressing the needs of dyslexic students no longer rests with one individual but is the responsibility of all school staff-subject specialists and school management. This timely book addresses this need by providing specific guidance to secondary school staff on how to support dyslexic students within different subject areas and within the principles and practices of inclusion.
Table of Contents:
Part 1 Dyslexia - implication for secondary schools: dyslexia and its manifestations in the secondary school; biological and cognitive dimension of dyslexia - current scientific thinking; the dyslexia-friendly secondary school. Part 2 Inclusion - principles and practices: inclusion - the challenges, changing the variables; inclusion and equal opportunities. Part 3 The subject of success: learning styles and mathematics; dyslexia and the teaching of modern foreign languages; implications for the humanities - dyslexia in the history classroom; implications for the sciences; supporting students with dyslexia in the maths classroom; dyslexia and music; dyslexia in the art classroom; dyslexia with geography, drama and PE. Part 4 Cross-curricular aspects: dyslexia across the curriculum; cross-curricular approaches to staff development in secondary schools. Part 5 Professional perspectives: assessment and support in the secondary school - an educational psychologist's view; the careers service; dyslexia and the law; implications for teachers.


Though early childhood nutritional status is an important aspect of children's health, different factors affect it. Intestinal parasitosis is common among children of developing countries. Even if studies well discuss the public health significance of intestinal parasites and nutritional deficits as a separate issue, evidences discussing their relationship are limited from Ethiopia. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between intestinal parasites and anthropometric status of pre-school children in Hawassa Zuria district, South Ethiopia. A community based cross-sectional study design was applied. Five hundred ninety seven (597) child-mother pairs were selected using simple random sampling. Basic data was collected by interviewing mothers with a semi-structured questionnaire. Z-scores of children's anthropometric statuses were generated using the WHO-Anthro software. Pearson's chi-square analysis was done to test the association between intestinal parasites and nutritional status. Prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were 245 (41%), 134 (22.4%) and 79 (13.2%), respectively. Half (51.3%) of children were infected at least with one type of intestinal parasite. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most prevalent (42.2%) parasite. A. lumbricoides was associated with weight for age (X2 = 16.44 and p-value <0.001), weight for height (X2 = 11.86 and p-value = 0.001) and height for age (X2 = 27.77 and p-value < 0.001). Hookworm (X2 = 4.08 and p-value = 0.04) and Trichuris trichiura (X2 = 5.32 and p-value = 0.02) were associated with weight for height status. Giardia lamblia was associated with height for age (X2 = 8.81 and p-value = 0.003) and weight for age (X2 = 6.41 and p-value = 0.01). Entamoeba histolytica was associated with height for age (X2 = 4.59 and p-value = 0.03).  Both undernutrition and intestinal parasites are prevalent in the study area. A. lumbricoides, Hookworm, G. lamblia, E. histolytica and T. trichiura are associated with pre-school children's nutritional status. Better attention shall be given to preventive and curative measures of both undernutrition and intestinal parasites.

 Key words: Intestinal parasites, pre-school children, nutritional status.


Network Function Virtualization (NFV) has the potential to offer service delivery flexibility and reduce overall costs by running service function chains (SFCs) on commodity servers with many cores. Existing solutions for placing SFCs in one server treat all CPU cores as equal and allocate isolated CPU cores to different network functions (NFs). However, advanced servers often adopt Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA) architecture to improve the scalability of many-core systems. CPU cores are grouped into nodes, incurring performance bottleneck due to cross-node memory access and intra-node resource contention. Our evaluation shows that randomly selecting cores to place NFs in an SFC could suffer from 39.2% lower throughput comparing to an optimal placement solution. In this paper, we propose Octans, an NFV orchestrator to achieve maximum aggregate throughput of all SFCs in many-core systems. Octans first formulates the optimization problem as a Non-Linear Integer Programming (NLIP) model. Then we identify the key factor for problem solving as evaluating the throughput drop of an NF caused by other NFs in the same SFC or different SFCs, i.e. performance drop index, and propose a formal and precise prediction model based on system level performance metrics. Finally, we propose an efficient heuristic algorithm to quickly find near-optimal placement solutions. We have implemented a prototype of Octans. Extensive evaluation shows that Octans significantly improves the aggregate throughput comparing to two state-of the-art placement mechanisms by 26.7%$\sim$51.8%, with very low prediction errors of SFC performance (an average deviation of 2.6%). Moreover, Octans could quickly find a near-optimal placement solution with tiny optimality gap (1.2%$\sim$3.5%).


The mid-eighties of the 19th century was a period of the increasing interest in non-material spheres related to the crisis of scientism faith. This redefinition was taking place in the atmosphere of disappointment with philosophical and ethical ideas which were not able to satisfy the most basic, non-material needs and yearnings. The ideological transformation undergoing at that time, not only resulted in an overall increase of interest in the secret/occult knowledge but also was translated into the field of literature. A wave of fascination with "unnamed" brought about a growing number of occult motives especially in works of second-rate writers belonging to the second generation of positivists. The interests were presented not only as motives related to spiritualism, mediumism, theosophy and hypnotic practices but also as a fascination of evil issues — its origins, spread and functioning in reality. Artistic works that explore a similar theme correspond to the Gothic aesthetic; however, as the author claims and proves, these references are not always conscious or intentional.


The utilization of medicinal herbs has been steadily increasing globally since the Pandemic. The use of these medicinal plants helps minimize side effects and adverse consequences. As technology evolves, insilico analysis, such as screening, is often employed to figure out the mechanism of action of these medicinal plants. This method takes into account the pharmacokinetics and screening of medicinal plants. The main emphasis is on the profile of Ocimum sanctum Linn using insilico techniques like Swiss ADME. The results of these studies can be utilized to future studies involving in vivo and in vitro studies for establishing the particular activity of medicinal plants.


Actinobaculum suis is an important agent related to urinary infection in swine females. Due to its fastidious growth characteristics, the isolation of this anaerobic bacterium is difficult, thus impairing the estimation of its prevalence. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection and identification of A. suis and then compare these results with traditional isolation methods. Bacterial isolation and PCR were performed on one hundred and ninety-two urine samples from sows and forty-five preputial swabs from boars. The results indicate that this PCR was specific for A. suis, presenting a detection limit between 1.0 × 101 CFU/mL and 1.0 × 102 CFU/mL. A. suis frequencies, as measured by PCR, were 8.9% (17/192) in sow urine samples and 82.2% (37/45) in preputial swabs. Assessed using conventional culturing techniques, none of the urine samples were positive for A. suis; however, A. suis was detected in 31.1% (14/45) of the swabs. This PCR technique was shown to be an efficient method for the detection of A. suis in urine and preputial swabs.


Chemometric tools were applied for exploratory analysis and classification of fuel blends using the combined information on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and stable isotope analysis through isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Principal component analysisand hierarchical clustering analysis were applied for exploratory analysis, while support vector machine (SVM) was used to classify the biodiesel/diesel blends. All of the chemometric models used present better results from the combination of spectral information with isotopic data for biodiesel contents of over 10% in the mixture, with the best results being obtained from the SVM classification. Therefore, the development presented in this paper could become an important technique to improve the discrimination of the feedstock used in biodiesel production and a resource for quality control in industry.


In recent years, the interest in the use of oral fluid as a biological matrix has increased significantly, particularly for detecting driving under the influence of drugs (DUID). In this study, the relationship between the oral fluid and the blood concentrations of drugs of abuse in drivers suspected of DUID is discussed. Blood and oral fluid samples were collected from drivers suspected of DUID or stopped during random controls by the police in Belgium, Germany, Finland, and Norway for the ROSITA-2 project. The blood samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), sometimes preceded by immunoassay screening of blood or urine samples. The oral fluid samples were analyzed by GC-MS or LC-MS(/MS). Scatter plots and trend lines of the blood and oral fluid concentrations and the median, mean, range, and SD of the oral fluid to blood (OF:B) ratios were calculated for amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine, opiates, and ▵9-2 tetrahydrocannabinol. The ratios found in this study were comparable with those that were published previously, but the range was wider. The OF:B ratios of basic drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, and opiates were >1 [amphetamine: median (range) 13 (0.5-182), methylenedioxyamphetamine: 4 (1-15), methylenedioxymethamphetamine: 6 (0.9-88), methamphetamine: 5 (2-23), cocaine: 22 (4-119), benzoylecgonine: 1 (0.2-11), morphine: 2 (0.8-6), and codeine: 10 (0.8-39)]. The ratios for benzodiazepines were very low, as could be expected as they are highly protein bound and weakly acidic, leading to low oral fluid concentrations [diazepam: 0.02 (0.01-0.15), nordiazepam: 0.04 (0.01-0.23), oxazepam: 0.05 (0.03-0.14), and temazepam: 0.1 (0.06-0.54)]. For tetrahydrocannabinol, an OF:B ratio of 15 was found (range 0.01-569). In this study, the time of last administration, the dose, and the route of administration were unknown. Nevertheless, the data reflect the variability of the OF:B ratios in drivers thought to be under the influence of drugs. The wide range of the ratios, however, does not allow reliable calculation of the blood concentrations from oral fluid concentrations.


The broad host-range pathogen Serratia marcescens survives in diverse host and non-host environments, often enduring conditions in which the concentration of essential nutrients is growth-limiting. In such environments, carbon and energy source starvation (carbon-starvation) is one of the most common forms of stress encountered by S. marcescens. Related members of the family Enterobacteriaceae are known to undergo substantial changes in gene expression and physiology in response to the specific stress of carbon-starvation, enabling non-spore-forming cells to survive periods of prolonged starvation and exposure to other forms of stress (i.e., starvation-induced cross-resistance). To determine if carbon-starvation also results in elevated levels of cross-resistance in S. marcescens, both log-phase and carbon-starved cultures, depleted of glucose before the onset of high cell-density stationary-phase, were grown in minimal media at either 30 °C or 37 °C and were then challenged for resistance to high temperature (50 °C), low pH (pH 2.8), and oxidative stress (15 mM H2O2). In general, carbon-starved cells exhibited a higher level of resistance to thermal stress, acid stress, and oxidative stress compared to log-phase cells. The extent of carbon-starvation-induced cross-resistance was dependent on incubation temperature and on the particular strain of S. marcescens. In addition, strain- and temperature-dependent variations in long-term starvation survival were also observed. The enhanced stress-resistance of starved S. marcescens cells could be an important factor in their survival and persistence in many non-host environments and within certain host microenvironments where the availability of carbon sources is suboptimal for growth.


A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) with digital error detection and correction implements a fixed-delay tree search with depth of 2. The disk-drive read waveform is first equalized to EPR4 for clock recovery and then re-equalized to the DFE target. A mostly analog implementation of this read channel in 0.6-/spl mu/m CMOS implements a tapped delay-line forward filter with a cascade of track-and-hold circuits and variable transconductors. Using MTR (2,k) code, the compact read channel IC surpasses a conventional EPR4 read channel with Viterbi detector at user densities in the range 2.0-3.0.


This book summarizes a yearlong study that investigated the various strategies implemented by teachers in a computer-based Mathematics course delivery model. This model was a course design that included whole class instruction time as well as time spent (with teachers' assistance) utilizing computer software to practice exercises, submit homework assignments, and take quizzes and tests. The author surveyed the teachers involved in this model to determine the proportion of teachers that opt to support a conceptual agenda as opposed to those that had a procedural focus in their instruction. Then, through extensive observations and detailed interviews, the author highlighted the instructional methods used by each teacher group. The various intricacies of the model, combined with the analysis of the survey, interviews, and observations led to interesting conclusions on the model used and its compatibility with conceptually oriented instruction.


Neutral fluorine (F I) lines are identified in the optical spectra of several R Coronae Borealis stars (RCBs) at maximum light. These lines provide the first measurement of the fluorine abundance in these stars. Fluorine is enriched in some RCBs by factors of 800-8000 relative to its likely initial abundance. The overabundances of fluorine are evidence for the synthesis of fluorine. These results are discussed in the light of the scenario that RCBs are formed by accretion of an He white dwarf by a C-O white dwarf. Sakurai's object (V4334 Sgr), a final He-shell flash product, shows no detectable F I lines.


: Autologous red blood cells were loaded with L-asparaginase and injected intravenously into monkeys. A single dose of 1850 IU/Kg suppressed plasma asparagine for 19 days compared to 10 days for the same dose injected free in solution. Rabbit antisera to asparaginase was used to passively immunize guinea-pigs. These animals were then challenged with RBC-entrapped asparaginase versus asparaginase free in solution. RBC entrapment allowed a ten fold greater dose of asparaginase before anaphylaxis became a problem. RBC entrapment prolongs the duration of action of asparaginase and offers protection against anaphylaxis. Clinical trial in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia is recommended.


Subgrid correlation of mixture fraction, Z, and progress variable, c, is investigated using direct numerical dimulation (DNS) data of a hydrogen lifted jet flame. Joint subgrid behaviour of these two scalars are obtained using a Gaussian-type filter for a broad range of filter sizes. A joint probability density function (JPDF) constructed using single-snapshot DNS data is compared qualitatively with that computed using two independent β-PDFs and a copula method. Strong negative correlation observed at different streamwise locations in the flame is captured well by the copula method. The subgrid contribution to the Z–c correlation becomes important if the filter is of the size of the laminar flame thickness or larger. A priori assessment for the filtered reaction rate using the flamelet approach with independent β-PDFs and correlated JPDF is then performed. Comparison with the DNS data shows that both models provide reasonably good results for a range of filter sizes. However, the reaction rate computed using copula JPDF is found to have a better agreement with the DNS data for large filter sizes because the subgrid Z–c correlation effect is included.


Guava tree (Psidum guajava L.) is a rustic fruit crop that can be used in areas with marginal soils. This research evaluated the response of guava tree to saline stress during the growth stage. The plants were obtained from rooted cuttings of the Calvillo Siglo XXI and Merita cultivars. The experiment was conducted under a floating root hydroponic system, in 50 % Steiner solution. Five salinity conditions were evaluated, and the electrical conductivity was adjusted with NaCl to 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 dS m-1, and the control to 1.2 dS m-1 without NaCl. The experimental design was completely randomized with five replications. The evaluated variables were number and length of sprouts, number of leaves per sprout, average leaf lifespan, transpired water volume, chlorophyll content, leaf area, root length, fresh and dry matter in leaves, stem and root. Additionally, leaf and root concentration of P, Ca, K and Na, and density and longitudinal diameter of stomata were determined. Calvillo Siglo XXI cultivar outperformed Merita in chlorophyll content (36.35 vs 32.74 SPAD units); in contrast, Merita presented higher concentration of P (0.1306 vs 0.1106 %) and Ca (1.0514 vs 0.7463 %) in leaf. Salinity decreased the average leaf lifespan from 74 to 42 d. Leaves contained, on average, a higher K concentration than roots (2.372 vs 0.966 %). At 3.5 dS m-1 EC, the K concentration decreased by 31.8 % in leaves and 55.5 % in roots, and the Na concentration in leaves increased by 68.6 % compared to the control. The capacity of the two cultivars to maintain high K concentration in leaves, as well as the transport of Na to leaves, increased their salinity resistance at the evaluated levels. Salinity had no significant effect on the growth of guava plants.


We compare current and forecasted constraints on dynamical dark energy models from Type Ia supernovae and the cosmic microwave background using figures of merit based on the volume of the allowed dark energy parameter space. For a two-parameter dark energy equation of state that varies linearly with the scale factor, and assuming a flat universe, the area of the error ellipse can be reduced by a factor of {approx}10 relative to current constraints by future space-based supernova data and CMB measurements from the Planck satellite. If the dark energy equation of state is described by a more general basis of principal components, the expected improvement in volume-based figures of merit is much greater. While the forecasted precision for any single parameter is only a factor of 2-5 smaller than current uncertainties, the constraints on dark energy models bounded by -1{<=}w{<=}1 improve for approximately 6 independent dark energy parameters resulting in a reduction of the total allowed volume of principal component parameter space by a factor of {approx}100. Typical quintessence models can be adequately described by just 2-3 of these parameters even given the precision of future data, leading to a more modest but still significant improvement. In addition to advancesmore » in supernova and CMB data, percent-level measurement of absolute distance and/or the expansion rate is required to ensure that dark energy constraints remain robust to variations in spatial curvature.« less


Accurate typing of human leukocyte antigen (HLA), a histocompatibility test, is important because HLA genes play various roles in immune responses, and have also been shown to be associated with many diseases such as cancer. The current gold standard for HLA typing uses DNA sequencing technology combined with sequence enrichment techniques using specially designed primers or probes, causing it to be slow and labor-intensive. Although there exist enrichment-free computational methods that use various types of sequencing data, hyper-polymorphism found in HLA region of the human genome makes it challenging to type HLA genes with high accuracy from whole genome sequencing data. Furthermore, these methods are database-matching approaches where their output is inherently limited by the completeness of already known types, forcing them to find the best matching known alleles from a database, thereby causing them to be unsuitable for discovery of rare or novel alleles. In order to ensure both high accuracy as well as the ability to type novel alleles, we have developed a graph-guided assembly technique for classical HLA genes, which is capable of assembling phased, full-length haplotype sequences of typing exons given high-coverage (>30-fold) whole genome sequencing data. Our method delivers highly accurate HLA typing, comparable to the current state-of-the-art database-matching methods. We also demonstrate that our method can type novel alleles by experimenting on various data including simulated, Illumina Platinum Genomes, and 1000 Genomes data.


The photovoltaic (PV) model is used in simulation studies to validate system design such as the maximum power point tracking algorithm and microgrid system. It is often difficult to simulate a PV module characteristic under different environmental conditions due to the limited information provided by the manufacturers. In this paper, a new approach using particle swarm optimization (PSO) with inverse barrier constraint is proposed to determine the unknown PV model parameters. The proposed method has been validated with three different PV technologies and the results show that the maximum mean modeling error at maximum power point is less than 0.02% for Pmp and 0.3% for Vmp.


Abstract Fungus ball (FB) of the paranasal sinuses has a distinctive clinicopathological presentation. The disease occurs more frequently in elderly patients and has a female preponderance. Classically, it involves only one paranasal sinus in more than 90% of the cases, most commonly the maxillary sinus. Imaging characteristics (calcifications and / or erosion of the inner wall of the sinus visible on CT) and histopathological ones (luminal aggregation of fungal hyphae) confirm the diagnosis. Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) usually occurs in younger, immunocompetent patients, with a history of atopy, including allergic rhinitis and / or asthma, or a long clinical picture of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), refractory to antibiotic treatment. Nasal polyps (NP) are present in almost all patients, while extra-sinusal complications are described only in some of them. Usually, there is involvement of several sinuses, as well as bilateral damage. The definitive diagnosis is confirmed only by examining surgical specimens - the characteristic appearance of eosinophilic mucin is the most reliable indicator of AFRS.


Author(s): Hromatka, Bethann S. | Advisor(s): Fisher, Susan J; Rosenthal, Philip J | Abstract: The human placenta is an organ that is derived from the fertilized embryo. It develops in advance of the embryo/fetus and through its specialized trophoblast populations, forms an "anchor" between mother and offspring. It carries out numerous important functions, including maintaining the pregnant state by secreting hormones and other molecules, and promoting tolerance of the genetically foreign (i.e., hemiallogeneic) embryo/fetus. The human placenta is bathed in maternal blood, which allows for nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange. Finally, the placenta must defend the embryo/fetus from blood-borne pathogens. In this dissertation, I discuss placental malaria, which is characterized by the accumulation of parasitized erythrocytes at the maternal surface of the placenta. Although placental and congenital infection does not often occur (i.e., parasites are not usually found inside the placenta or embryo/fetus), infant low birth weight and pre-term labor are associated outcomes. Since examination of the placenta usually helps to explain an abnormal neonatal outcome, the characterization of Plasmodium falciparum-infected placental biopsies formed the basis of my studies. I carried out an in-depth histological analysis of samples obtained from pregnant women in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. These placentas, which were severely infected, displayed loss (necrosis) of syncytiotrophoblasts, the cells that cover the chorionic villi and form the primary barrier between maternal and fetal circulations. In parallel, I immunolocalized putative receptors for P. falciparum and my results suggested that histological changes (including syncytiotrophoblast loss) influenced their availability, such that many were only exposed in the infected state. Together, these results suggested that a reexamination of the mechanisms involved in initial adhesion was warranted and prompted me to carry out a binding screen to identify novel glycan receptors. P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes bound Lewis blood group antigens that were spatially and temporally positioned to initiate infection. Finally, I explored the possibility that parasitized erythrocytes might adhere to the uterine arterioles, which channel maternal blood to the intervillous space. Overall, my studies revealed that P. falciparum sequestration involves a complex series of interactions with both fetal and maternal cells, and is influenced by histological changes that expose receptors. As an offshoot, I also examined the role of Hofbauer cells, the fetal macrophage, in relationship to hemozoin, the byproduct of heme digestion by Plasmodium parasites. As my work on placental malaria familiarized me with glycobiology, I undertook a second project investigating the role of polysialic acid during placental development. Previous studies in the nervous and immune systems demonstrated that this cell-surface glycan has an enormous hydrated volume and globally modulates cell-cell interactions. In this dissertation, I showed that it is expressed by human placental trophoblasts and regulated as a function of gestational age--abundant early in pregnancy and barely detectable at term. It promoted cellular migration and invasion. Intriguingly, my results suggested that placental polysialic acid is associated with desmosomes, cell adhesion complexes. Together, these studies demonstrated that polysialic acid influences development of the human placenta.


Abstract While health effects of retirement have been well studied so far, previous findings remain inconclusive, and mechanisms underlying the linkage between retirement and health are unclear. This can be driven by regional or cohort heterogeneity as well as methodological differences, such as outcome measures and identification strategies; thus, much evidence needs to be accumulated. Utilising a national household survey conducted every year in 2004-2019 in Japan (the Japan Household Panel Survey), we evaluate the effects of retirement among Japanese adults aged 50-75 on their happiness and health in addition to other outcomes that could attribute to happiness or health changes (e.g. health behaviours, time use for some activities, and the expenses by item). As outcomes are not measured every year, we analyse 4,340-7,902 person-year observations by 756-1,389 individuals with the necessary information from 2009. To deal with the potential endogeneity of retirement, we adopt an instrumental variable approach utilising changes in retirement policy and public pension eligible age. Consequently, instruments seem valid only for men, and we find that retirement increases male retirees' happiness and decreases psychological stress while effects on other health measures are not observed. Although their satisfaction with their income decline, perhaps because of the loss of their wage income, they tend to increase the proportion of expenses for cultural and recreational activities. Enhancement in personal life quality by more leisure activities and stress reduction from work, rather than improvements in health behaviours and physical health, may be key to understanding health benefits in retirement.


During spring time, one of the best types of weather conditions favouring pollinosis symptoms appears to be dry storms. Recently, we had the opportunity of studying one of these. It was a wellremembered dry storm for pollinic patients, who referred to it as 'the perfect storm', i.e. the ideal weather conditions to make their symptoms as bad as they could remember. The study was carried out in Salamanca (Spain), a city with a continental climate where anthesis peak of most allergenic plants occurs from mid-May to mid-June. The study period was 29 May 2002 to 4 June 2002. To register the aggravation of pollinosis, we reviewed the medical records of patients who attended the three major emergency departments of the city during the study period for pollinosis. The pollen count was made with a volumetric spore trap (Burkard Manufacturing Co. Ltd, England). The slides corresponding to the period of study were scanned transversally at 2-h intervals. Meteorological recordings were obtained from the National Meteorological Institute. Finally, the relationship between variables was carried out by means of Pearson's R, seeking the best possible adjustment by linear or polynomic regression. A P-value < 0.05 was considered to be significant. Between 29 May 2002 to 4 June 2002 in Salamanca, 90 patients were examined in emergency departments for pollinosis, of whom 31 sought assistance in the 24 h following the storm (Fig. 1A), which corroborates the reports of our pollinic patients. The circadian periodicity of some important allergenic pollens observed during stable sunny weather was lost during our study period. In the evening of 1 June 2000, after the dry storm, a peak of pollen levels was observed at the same time as a peak in visits to emergency departments for pollinosis (Fig. 1B), but we observed other higher peak pollen levels in the period of study not accompanied by increases in emergency visits. In fact, there was no significant correlation between the levels of any pollen and emergency visits. Climatologically, the period of study was characterized by low atmospheric pressure (Fig. 1E). Temperature and relative humidity showed the habitual circadian pattern (Fig. 1E). Only a slight decrease in temperature was observed during the last two days of the study period (the cold front of the storm). The only factor that showed a clear variation related to dry storm and increase in emergency visits for pollinosis was wind speed. Whereas in the rest of the study period, wind speed fluctuated following a circadian pattern under a value of 3.5 m/s, dry storm was characterized by a sharp increase in wind speed (to 8 m/s). Within hours of this peak wind speed, pollinic patients visited the local emergency departments (Fig. 1A). No significant correlations were found between meteorological variables and pollen levels. During the passage of one dry storm through the city we observed that the only factor clearly associated with an increase of emergency visits for pollinosis was an increase in wind speed in the previous hours. Therefore, we infer that wind affects pollinosis symptoms by a different mechanism from merely pollen transport, at least during a dry storm. Other authors have attributed epidemics of asthma during thunderstorms to rainfall, wind, lightning, and other factors (1–3); but all the storms involved were different from that observed here because of the presence of rainfalls. Taylor et al. (4) recently demonstrated that after a cycle of wetting and drying followed by wind disturbance, grasses produced an aerosol of particles; the allergenicity of these aerosols has been demonstrated by other authors (5, 6). In the days previous to the dry storm, there were no rainfalls, but we observed high relative humidity throughout the study period, which perhaps played a role in releasing micronic allergenic particles. In conclusion, it seems that dry storms – 'perfect storms' – establish ideal conditions to trigger pollen allergic symptoms during spring time. In these conditions, pollen level is not the only factor which determines the symptomatology of pollinic patients.


This paper proposes a methodology, based on Copula, Monte Carlo, and Bootstrap methodologies, to price a CDS without using more data than the one provided by the financial statements. This means that our methodology could be suitable not only for firms listed in the exchange market but also for nonlisted firms, so the results shown on the paper could extend the possibility of pricing CDS. The propounded methodology links the default probabilities to some key variables which dependence structure is captured by a copula and recombine it for pricing the CDS. To test the validity of the proposed methodology, we used data from TV Azteca (a media Mexican Company with recent financial concerns) and we obtained a CDS spread similar to the default rate implied in its credit risk rating.


This study analyzes environmental, energy, and economical benefits of a ground source heat pump coupled poly-generation system by incorporating exergy into the energy efficiency analysis. Two additional terms, namely the rational exergy efficiency and the coefficient of performance were introduced to the primary energy savings equation in the European Union Directive 2004/8/EC. Based on the new equation, an optimization algorithm was developed, which can quantify the environmental, energy and economy benefits of any poly-generation system in a broader extent and scope. This algorithm was used to investigate the factors affecting the optimum split of the power generated by a poly-generation system between the heat pump and the customer. A base system was analyzed, which consists of a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) and a combined heat and power (CHP) system. Results show that any increase in the split in favor of the heat pump boosts the primary energy savings potential and thus CO2 emissions reducing potential while the pay-back period of the system is reduced. When all the constraints, including electricity and fuel costs in the energy market are taken into account, a one-to-three split seems to be optimal for many practical applications. It is concluded that benefits of CHP may be enhanced by GSHP coupling pending a careful exergy balance analysis between the resource supply and the application demand. This paper provides the fundamentals of the algorithm and discusses that a win-win-win situation among the environment, energy, and economy is feasible, most importantly, from the global warming perspective.© 2007 ASME


CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2008 Abstracts

Abstract #5046

Introduction: Basal-like breast cancer is associated with high grade, poor prognosis, and younger patient age. Because tumors are estrogen receptor (ER) and HER2 negative, effective targeted treatment for basal breast cancer remains elusive. The lack of efficacy of currently used chemotherapies may reflect their inability to eradicate cancer stem cells (CSC) within a basal breast tumor. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), a molecule initially identified in melanoma cells, is a cell surface antigen involved in migration and invasion of tumor cells. The rat homolog of the human CSPG4, named NG2, is expressed by progenitor cells in several types of tissues. Furthermore, NG2 expression is typically maximal when progenitor cells are mitotic and motile. As one important characteristic of cancer stem cells is their ability to migrate and metastasize, and both CSPG4 and NG2 play a role in tumor cell migration, we tested whether CSPG4 is expressed on cells with the CSC phenotype in ER negative/HER2 negative (basal-like) breast cancer, and can thus serve as a target for immunotherapy of breast CSC. Methods and Results: The mRNA levels of CSPG4 in ER- and Her2- breast cancer were compared to ER-/Her2+, ER+/Her2-, and ER+/Her2+ breast cancer using a publicly available, clinically annotated breast cancer data set. The gene expression level of CSPG4 was elevated in the ER- and Her2- subgroup when compared to ER-/Her2+ (Mann Whitney, p=0.03), ER+/Her2- (Mann Whitney, p=0.01), and ER+/Her2+ (Mann Whitney, p=0.06). These results suggest that CSPG4 expression is best correlated with the basal phenotype of breast cancer. Flow cytometric analysis showed that CSPG4 is expressed on CD44+, CD24-/lo cells in the human basal breast cancer cell lines, i.e., MDA-MD-231, MDA-MB-435, HS578T and SUM149, but is not detectable on the luminal breast cancer cell lines, i.e., MCF-7, SK-BR-3 and T-47D. Furthermore CSPG4 is expressed on the cell surface of putative breast CSC identified as lineage-negative (CD2,3,10,16,18,31,45,64,140b), CD44+, CD24-/lo cells in pleural effusions of 12 patients with breast cancer. Further, inoculation of flow cytometric sorted CD44+CD24-/low CSPG4+ cells from the MDA-MB-231-luciferease expressing cell line, to the mammary fat pads of immunodeficient mice, led to the development of tumors detected by whole-body bioluminescent reporter imaging 3 weeks after the injection. In contrast, inoculation of CD44+CD24-/low CSPG4- cells, sorted from the same cell line, did not generate tumors. More importantly, CSPG4-specific mAb significantly inhibited post-surgery tumor recurrence and lung metastases in SCID mice transplanted with the human basal breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-435, which has the putative breast CSC phenotype (CD44+, CD24-/lo) in more than 99% of cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that the CSPG4 is a potential new immunotherapeutic target for basal-like breast cancer and breast CSC.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 5046.


The Sustainable Development Goals will challenge low- and middle-income settings to look at new approaches for rural sanitation. In 2013, Mzuzu University, in partnership with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Malawi, started a low-cost latrine program in rural areas using the corbelled latrine design supported by locally owned sustainable businesses. The objective of this work was to trace customers (early household adopters) and non-customers through field observations and interviews in 15 districts of Malawi. The research team spent 193 personnel work days in data collection and found 21 households as adopters in 7 districts. Most respondents had a preference with regard to the design of the sanitation facility they would like to use. Although sharing of sanitation facilities was common, the corbelled latrine is promoted as a single household pit latrine design. Unfortunately, 8% (23/304) of non-adopters responded they practiced open defecation. Households were satisfied with the corbelled latrine design, and no latrine was found to have collapsed during field visits. To promote the corbelled latrine in Malawi, the following are recommended: (1) education of frontline government extension workers towards non-subsidized household latrines; (2) identification of rural low-income households as the best target for potential adopters; and (3) linkage of low-cost sanitation technologies to community mobilization campaigns led by the government, such as Community Led Total Sanitation.


For the past decade, wind turbines have become the largest source of installed renewable-energy capacity in the United States. Economical, maintenance and operation are critical issues when dealing with such large slender structures, particularly when these structures are sited remotely. Because of the chaotic nature of non-stationary rotating-machinery systems such as the horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs), in-operation modeling and computer-aided numerical characterization is typically troublesome, and tends to be imprecise while predicting the real content of the actual aerodynamic loading. Loading environment under operation conditions is usually substantially different from those driven by modal testing or computer-aided model characterization and difficult to measure directly in the field. In addition, rotational machinery such as HAWTs exhibit complex and nonlinear dynamics (i.e., precession and Coriolis effects, torsional coupling, nonlinear geometries, plasticity of composite materials); and are subjected to nonlinear constrained conditions (i.e., aeroelastic interaction). For those reasons, modal-aeroelastic and computer-aided models reproduced under controlled conditions may fail to predict the correct non-stationary loading and resistance patterns of wind turbines in actual operation. Operational techniques for extracting modal properties under actual non-stationary loadings are needed in order to (1) improve computer-aided elasto-aerodynamic models to better characterize the actual behavior of HAWTs in operational scenarios, (2) improve and correlate models, (3) monitor and diagnose the system for integrity and damage through time, or even (4) optimize control systems. For structural health monitoring (SHM) applications, model updating of stochastic aerodynamic problems has gained interest over the past decades. For situations where optimizing objective functions are not differentiable, convex or continuous in nature that is the case of gradient methods such as Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC), global optimization (metaheurstic) methods based on probability principles have emerged. These search engine techniques are promising suitable to cope with non-stationary-stochastic system identification methods for model updating of HAWT systems. A probability theory framework is employed in this study to update the wind turbine model using such a stochastic global optimization approach. Structural identification is addressed under regular wind turbine operation conditions for non-stationary, unmeasured, and uncontrolled excitations by means of the eigensystem realization theory (ERA). This numerical framework is then tied up with an adaptive simulated annealing (ASA) numerical engine for solving the problem of model updating. Numerical results are presented for an experimental deployment of a small HAWT structure. Results are benchmarked and validated with other empirical mode-decomposition and time-domain solutions.Copyright © 2013 by ASME


In view of the large deformation of thin-layer soft rock in the No. 2 inclined shaft of the Muzhailing Tunnel, we performed an experimental investigation on the mineral composition, physical characteristics, and uniaxial compressive strength of the surrounding rock of the tunnel. The characteristics of the large deformation of the surrounding rock of the tunnel were analyzed, and the main factors influencing the deformation of the tunnel were revealed. The influence of various factors on the large deformation of the surrounding rock was analyzed using the 3DEC-Trigon discrete element numerical simulation method. The results show that (1) the deformation of the surrounding rock of the tunnel has remarkable asymmetry, the deformation of the initial support of the tunnel is significant, and the buried depth of the area where the maximum deformation of the tunnel exceeded 1 m is greater than 500 m; (2) the main factors influencing the deformation of a thin-layer slate tunnel include joint inclination, buried depth, water absorption, and softening of the surrounding rock; and (3) the maximum deformation of the surrounding rock is observed for a joint angle of 45°, at which the buried depth is directly proportional to the deformation and failure of the tunnel. Furthermore, after the surrounding rock was softened by water absorption, the floor of the tunnel, the left shoulder socket, and the right side of the tunnel are deformed greatly. The results of this study will provide a theoretical basis for the study of similar deformation control methods and supporting measures for tunnels excavated in thin-layer soft rock.


The paper describes an attempt at developing an analytical method to provide a guideline for predicting the limit for acceptable power output of dual fuel engines due to the onset of autoignition and knock primarily through improved modeling of the chemical reaction rates of the charge during compression and subsequently following pilot ignition. Some performance results with methane as a fuel are presented


This article investigates the emergence of protest music in Tahiti, understood as voiced feelings of opposition against social or political injustice and processes of cultural standardization, as well as more implicit and "pacific" forms of artistic reactions to such issues. The study identifies a system of overlapping musical "fields" within the Tahitian musical landscape, and discusses key historical, cultural, and artistic factors that have, led in the last decades to the emergence of contemporary Tahitian protest music. It unveils connections between literature, oratory art, and songwriting, and looks into their implications on the work of selected singers-songwriters.


This paper applies the panel unit root test proposed by Im, Pesaran and Shin (1997) to test for unemployment hysteresis in the US states and the EU countries against the alternative of a natural rate. The results show that hysteresis for the EU and the natural rate for the US states are the most plausible hypotheses.


Chorea was observed in a 12-year-old girl with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). She developed severe chorea in a few weeks. On immunosuppressive treatment, including high doses of glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide, she had a rapid clinical recovery. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of the brain showed decreased circulation in the basal ganglia and in the medial parts of both temporal lobes. One month after treatment, SPECT was completely normalised. APS in children has a variety of clinical manifestations, and should be suspected in cases of unexplained thromboembolic disease or obscure neurological symptoms.


Effect of Pb doping on the structural and low temperature magnetic properties of SrPbxFe12-xO19 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4), synthesized by sol-gel autocombustion technique, has been investigated. The powder samples were sintered at 800°C for 2 h in order to develop the stable hexagonal phase, characteristic of the SrFe12O19 structure. The consequences of Pb substitution (at iron sites) on various structural parameters like lattice constants, unit cell volume, crystallite size, and porosity have been discussed. Fourier transform infrared frequency bands were utilized to determine the formation of tetrahedral and octahedral clusters of M-type ferrites. Hexagonal texture of the grains, a characteristic of the hexagonal crystal structure of SrFe12O19, was refined by Pb substitution. The magnetic properties, determined using a vibrating sample magnetometer, revealed that saturation magnetization decreased, while coercivity was increased with the increase of Pb contents. However, the increased squareness ratio and hence the energy product motivate the utilization of these ferrite compositions where hard magnetic characteristics are required.The increased values of saturation magnetization were observed at reduced temperature of 200 K, attributable to the better spin alignments of individual magnetic moments at low temperature.


Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze the mesophilous forests of Albania including Fagus sylvatica and submontane Corylus avellana forests. Mesophilous Albanian forests are poorly known and were not included in the recent syntaxonomic revisions at the European scale. Study area: Albania. Methods: We used a dataset of 284 published and unpublished releves. They were classified using the Ward's minimum variance. NMDS ordination was conducted, with over-laying of climatic and geological variables, to analyze the ecological gradients along which these forests develop and segregate. Random Forest was used to define the potential distribution of the identified forest groups in Albania. Results: The study identified seven groups of forests in Albania: Corylus avellana forests, Ostrya carpinifolia-Fagus sylvatica forests, lower montane mesophytic Fagus sylvatica forests, middle montane mesophytic Fagus sylvatica forests, middle montane basiphytic Fagus sylvatica forests, upper montane basiphytic Fagus sylvatica forests, upper montane acidophytic Fagus sylvatica forests. These can be grouped into four main types: Corylus avellana and Ostrya carpinifolia-Fagus sylvatica forests, thermo-basiphytic Fagus sylvatica forest, meso-basiphytic Fagus sylvatica forest and acidophytic Fagus sylvatica forests. This scheme corresponds to the ecological classification recently proposed in a European revision for Fagus sylvatica forests Conclusion: Our study supports an ecological classification of mesophilous forests of Albania at the level of suballiance. Analysis is still preliminary at the level of association, but it shows a high diversity of forest types. Taxonomic reference: Euro+Med PlantBase (http://ww2.bgbm.org/EuroPlusMed/) [accessed 25 Novemeber 2019]. Syntaxonomic references: Mucina et al. (2016) for alliances, orders and classes; Willner et al. (2017) for suballiances.


The fifth enlargement of the EU has necessitated various adjustments to the pan-European trade and integration framework. This article discusses ways in which the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) has been affected by this process. What was CEFTA's role in the EU pre-accession process? How did CEFTA downsizing affect trade arrangements between the enlarged EU and the remaining CEFTA members? Also, how realistic is the idea that the end of CEFTA's role in central Europe could be a prelude to its revitalization as a vehicle for multilateralization of trade arrangements in the south east European setting?


Oxidized bacterial nanocellulose (OBC) is reported to prevent microbial growth, but its antibacterial characteristics and mechanism are still unclear. Here, the antibacterial mechanism of OBC is explored by detecting and assessing the interaction of OBC with different carboxyl content on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The results show that OBC has strong antibacterial activity and antibiofilm activity against S. aureus and E. coli, which is positively correlated with the carboxyl content of OBC. After OBC treatment, the bacteria adhesion is inhibited and the cell membrane is destroyed leading to increased permeability. Further investigation reveals that the concentration of cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) that induced biofilm formation is significantly decreased to 1.81 pmol mg-1 after OBC treatment. In addition, OBC inactivates mature biofilms, with inactivation rates up to 79.3%. This study suggests that OBC has excellent antibacterial and antiadhesion properties, which can increase the cell membrane permeability and inhibit c-di-GMP formation. In addition, OBC also has a strong inactivation effect on mature biofilm, which can be used as an effective antibiofilm agent.


This study examines creative idea generation within a given task involving the use of a mobile collaboration platform (MCP). Drawing upon the theoretical perspectives on cognitive creativity, mobility, and self-select communication mode, the study proposes a research model that explains how individuals generate creative ideas through MCP use in a group collaboration context. To validate our model, survey data was collected from individuals involved in a group collaboration—particularly when performing tasks that requiring creative solutions. The results of this study indicate that: 1) MCP use has a positive effect on the individual's creative idea generation; 2) both perceived MCP effectiveness and perceived freedom determine the individual's MCP use levels; and 3) the individual's personal innovativeness level in information technology (PIIT) has a conditional effect on the relationship between the perceived MCP freedom and MCP use. The significance of these findings stems from the fact that creative idea generation through group collaboration is a highly sought-after quality in organizational setting. Given the centrality of the mobile ecosystem in today's organizational task environment, this study presents both theoretical and practical contributions. during


Designing the converter for an induction cooker, the main difficult lies in the variability of the load, due to the wide range of vessels available in the market. Such issue is equivalent to the problem of identifying the vessel's properties. In this paper an identifying method of such properties is proposed with the objective of system-level simulation and design. The method is based on a combination of analytical electromagnetic calculations, and Fourier-series-based waveform synthesis.


Efficiency and robustness are increasingly needed for applications on 3D point clouds, with the ubiquitous use of edge devices in scenarios like autonomous driving and robotics, which often demand real-time and reliable responses. The paper tackles the challenge by designing a general framework to construct 3D learning architectures with SO(3) equivariance and network binarization. However, a naive combination of equivariant networks and binarization either causes sub-optimal computational efficiency or geometric ambiguity. We propose to locate both scalar and vector features in our networks to avoid both cases. Precisely, the presence of scalar features makes the major part of the network binarizable, while vector features serve to retain rich structural information and ensure SO(3) equivariance. The proposed approach can be applied to general backbones like PointNet and DGCNN. Meanwhile, experiments on ModelNet40, ShapeNet, and the real-world dataset ScanObjectNN, demonstrated that the method achieves a great trade-off between efficiency, rotation robustness, and accuracy. The codes are available at https://github.com/zhuoinoulu/svnet.


In the era of big data, new transportation-related concepts and methodologies need to be proposed to understand how congestion propagates. pNEUMA, a unique dataset that was acquired during a first-of-its-kind experiment using a swarm of drones over a dense city center, has uncovered new opportunities for revisiting and evaluating existing concepts, and new ways to describe significant traffic-related phenomena. This dataset is part of an open science initiative shared with the research community and consists of more than half a million detailed trajectories of almost every vehicle that was present in the study area. The aim of this paper is to describe the first methodological approach to how such information can be utilized to extract lane-specific information from this new kind of data and set the benchmark for possible future approaches. Specifically, we describe the methodological framework of two related algorithms: lane detection and lane-changing maneuver identification. Azimuth was the main concept utilized in this methodological framework to overcome existing issues in the literature related to identifying lane-changing maneuvers. The combination of high-quality data, clustering techniques, and detailed spatial information in the lane-detection algorithm indicated it was an effective tool without the need for complex computational effort. Moreover, high-resolution data together with modern time-series analysis tools for lane-changing identification, showed that high-accuracy predictive algorithms can be obtained. The accuracy of both tools was over 95%. Challenging scenarios are identified for future studies and to further improve the tools.


The achievement of the ultra-high-speed rotation is needed for performance improvement of the turbo machinery. The ultra-high-speed rotors, supported by herringbone grooved aerodynamic journal bearings, have a good advantage in miniaturization of these machineries. The objective of this work is to study herringbone grooved aerodynamic journal bearings for support and ultra-high-speed rotor. This paper described about the effects of the grooves, the bearing clearance, the groove depth and bearing-support-methods of the herringbone grooved aerodynamic journal bearings in the ultra-high-speed rotational regions. Two types of bearing test device, rigidly support type and O-ring support type, were developed. The experimental works were conducted by elevating the supply pressure and the flow rate gradually with monitoring the behavior of the rotor in vertical type test devices. As the results of this works, a 6.0 mm diameter and 30.75 mm length rotor has been operated at a rotational speed greater than 509 000 rpm by using the herringbone grooved aerodynamic journal bearing which has the groove depth of 4 gm and is supported by two O-rings.


Energy plants represent large energy consumers with a wide array of energy needs, assets (e.g. boilers, chillers, storage, on-site generation), and constraints on operations. An innovative energy management system for energy plants is presented in this paper. Through predictive optimization of plant assets, energy analytics, pricing signals, and historical and real-time data, the online energy management system supplies energy plants with salient hourly, real-time recommendations and enables "what-if" analysis to achieve improved economic efficiency. Within a systems context, the paper draws upon ideas from power systems and highlights technical issues related to plant optimization. The paper also describes actual implementations of the energy management solution at two energy plants in the US, providing economic details and an analysis of the savings achieved.


Summary.  Both HCV and HIV are common in haemophiliacs previously treated with non‐viral‐inactivated clotting factor concentrates. Because of increased bleeding risks, little data are available on the safety of percutaneous outpatient liver biopsy (LBx) and impact of HIV coinfection in this population. This study aims at reporting our experience with percutaneous LBx in a cohort of haemophiliacs infected with HCV and describe the spectrum of disease and impact of HIV coinfection. A retrospective review of consecutive patients with haemophilia and HCV who underwent percutaneous LBx was performed. All patients were positive for HCV RNA by commercial assay and received factor concentrate prior to biopsy. A total of 29 male patients (mean age 36, 24 haemophilia A, five haemophilia B, and 44% coinfected with HIV) underwent successful outpatient percutaneous LBx without bleeding complication. Histologic activity index was 6.44 with advanced fibrosis (bridging fibrosis/cirrhosis) in 31%. When patients were stratified by HIV positive (n = 13) vs. HIV negative (n = 16), coinfected patients had higher fibrosis scores and higher proportion advanced fibrosis (54% vs. 12%; P = 0.0167) with no differences in age, demographic or other laboratory parameters. Multivariate logistic regression found that HIV positivity was independently associated with advanced fibrosis (OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.17–11.8; P = 0.026). Outpatient percutaneous LBx can be safely performed in patients with haemophilia. Despite similar age, HIV coinfection was an independent predictor of advanced fibrosis. These data support the hypothesis that HIV accelerates fibrosis progression in those coinfected with HCV and highlights the importance of liver histology in this population.


Blunt chest trauma is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome and can be masked by other injuries in polytrauma patients. It can have devastating consequences due to damage to the myocardial tissue if left un-recognized. Myocardial injury can result in life-threatening arrhythmias and complications such as systolic and diastolic dysfunction. This can significantly affect patients' quality of life. A 34-year-old man involved in a paragliding incident in Kazakhstan. His equipment failed at 30 meters height and result him to be propelled at high velocity to the ground. He sustained multiple injuries including spinal fractures, lung contusions and a mediastinal haematoma. He was transported to a local hospital and noted to have ST segment elevation on his admission electrocardiogram (ECG). He underwent an angiogram that showed sub-occlusion of his left anterior descending (LAD) artery. This resulted in a time-critical Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). He was stabilized and repatriated to the UK to manage of remaining injuries.


ABSTRACT Extant research suggests there is considerable overlap between so-called 2-polarities models of personality development; that is, models that propose that personality development evolves through a dialectic synergistic interaction between 2 key developmental tasks across the life span—the development of self-definition on the one hand and of relatedness on the other. These models have attracted considerable research attention and play a central role in DSM planning. This article provides a researcher- and clinician-friendly guide to the assessment of these personality theories. We argue that current theoretical models focus on issues of relatedness and self-definition at different hierarchically organized levels of analysis; that is (a) at the level of broad personality features, (b) at the motivational level (i.e., the motivational processes underlying the development of these dimensions), and (c) at the level of underlying internal working models or cognitive affective schemas, and the specific interpersonal features and problems in which they are expressed. Implications for further research and DSM planning are outlined.


Wavelet transforms have a simple representation in the frequency domain (Daubchies, 1992; Veterlli and Herley, 1992; Mosher and Foster, 1995). Since wave propagation also has a simple representation in the frequency domain, frequency domain wavelet transforms provide a useful framework for studying the nature of wave propagation in the wavelet domain. In this paper, we study phase shift extrapolators for 2-dimensional wavefields that have been Fourier transformed over time and wavelet transformed over space. The wavelet transform over the space axis is implemented in the wavenumber-frequency domain by complex multiplication of low and high pass wavenumber filter functions to form wave packet trees. To differentiate this operation from time-frequency wavelet transforms, we refer to the space-wavenumber-frequency transform as the 'beamlet transform.' The interaction of beamlet transform filter banks and phase shift wavefield extrapolators are simple complex multiplications. Wavefield propagation in the beamlet domain is complicated, however, by the digital implementation of decimation and upsampling operators used in orthogonal wavelet transforms. Unlike the filter functions, which can be viewed as diagonal matrix operators, the decimation and upsampling operators have significant off-diagonal terms. Since these operators do not commute with the filter and phase shift operators, the effects of the non-diagonal operators must be accounted for in the application of wave propagation operators. A simple (but unsatisfying) solution would be to apply forward-inverse transforms at each extrapolation step. Beamlet transforms with compact support in the wavenumber domain (Mosher and Foster, 1995) provide an alternate solution. Analysis of phase shift migration in the beamlet domain yields a simple matrix representation defining the interaction of filters, phase operators, and decimation/upsampling. The effects of decimation/upsampling are represented by simple folding operations. Use of filters designed for simple shape and compact support in the wavenumber domain reduces the domain of the interactions, resulting in efficient implementations of phase shift extrapolators that compare favorably with traditional Fourier approaches. Coupled with data compression, implementations of phase shift migration with multi-dimensional wavelet/beamlet transforms that exceed traditional implementations in computational efficiency may be possible.


The addition of inorganic expanded aggregates, such as perlite or vermiculite is well known in gypsum plasters. However, the reuse of organic wastes in coatings like plasters and renders has been poorly studied. This paper shows the effect of tire rubber wastes on the mechanical properties and fire performance of gypsum plasters. The rubber waste was added to the mixture in mass percentages of 14.50% (C1) and 46.60% (C2). Flexural and compressive strength of plasters made with rubber wastes was visibly reduced as well as their surface hardness (Shore C). In addition, fire tests produced major damages through the entire 2 cm thickness of samples containing rubber wastes, as it was corroborated by X ray diffraction (XRD) and Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The heat transfer due to fire exposure modified considerably the chemical composition of plasters, since, on the nonexposed face to fire, the amount of gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) equivalent to mass loss obtained by TG due to water released by these plasters made with rubber wastes, was 5.4-7.2 lower than that of conventional plasters. The results suggest that certain wastes may reduce the efficiency of gypsum plasters in protecting underneath construction and structural elements against fire.


In this chapter the use and organization of use of a project website is described in the design and realization of a construction project. The case concerns a complicated project with a high number of different parties involved, managed by an architectural office and having an internationally operating client. Performance improvement in terms of increased output delivering electronically all project documents was realized by using the project website and effective organization and coordination of design team communication (see Chapter 4). By effective coordination of asynchronous team communication using the project web, all design changes could be made more transparent to participants and checked to identify their effect on the budget. Project management organized the collective use of the project web very effectively,resulting at the end of the project in an up-to-date electronic project archive containing all the as-built-drawings for life-cycle purposes, such as maintenance and facilities management. Following completion of the project the architectural office that lead the project and initiated the use of the project web improved its internal information flows and procedures to become more effective using the project web at an organizational level.


Susana Perez Alonso's novel Melania Jacoby proposes two levels of meaning: on the one hand, it deals with what it means to be Asturian and its social rebelliousness, and the visible traces left in the history of the region by the Asturian revolution of 1934 as well; on the other hand, the novel can be read as a universal metaphor of two forces in conflict: the untamed Nature (represented by the sea, the fields, and the coal mines) and the efforts by men to subjugate it and put it at the service of the Asturian bourgeoisie and the incipient power of the franquists. The purpose of this article is to analyze how the figure of Melania Jacoby, a woman who transgresses the hegemonic order in terms of class and gender, acts as a point of articulation and dialogue between those conflicting forces and constitutes an "interstitial space," a border, and a place of resistance for the marginalized people (the women, the persecuted, and the poor).


: Few major hospitals have been left untouched by the rapid growth of preceptorship programs for nursing students. The value of these programs has been widely acknowledged, but there are disadvantages for the institution and staff. This article identifies several problems with preceptor programs and offers suggestions for preventing and/or solving these problems.


Polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD) is a kind of engineering plastic which possesses excellent mechanical performance. It can be made by dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) through Ring-opening metathesis polymerization. In this paper, a supported catalyst of WCl6-phenol on montmorillionite (MMt) was prepared, formed a high efficienct, low-cost and more stable in air, tagether with Et2AlCl as activator, to polymerize the DCPD monomer through ring-opening metathesis polymerization mechanism, and obtained a Polydicyclopentadiene/MMt Nanocomposites. The Molding of PDCPD was finally made by Gusmer-decker's RIMcell Lt Machine, and the products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, TEM, TGA, SEM, DMA. Mechanical properties were also measured. The result showed that the supported catalyst had good catalytic activity in polymerizing DCPD. MMt was exfoliated in the matrix after the in-situ polymerization, according to the XRD and TEM, which brought about improved properties of PDCPD with small amount MMt dispersed in the matrix.


Comorbidity is defined as the coexistence of two or more diseases in a person at the same time. The mathematical analysis of the COVID-19 model with comorbidities presented includes model validation of cumulative cases infected with COVID-19 from 1 November 2020 to 19 May 2021 in Indonesia, followed by positivity and boundedness solutions, equilibrium point, basic reproduction number (R0), and stability of the equilibrium point. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to determine how the parameters affect the spread. Disease-free equilibrium points are asymptotically stable locally and globally if R0 < 1 and endemic equilibrium points exist, locally and globally asymptotically stable if R0 > 1. In addition, this disease is endemic in Indonesia, with R0 = 1.47. Furthermore, two optimal controls, namely public education and increased medical care, are included in the model to determine the best strategy to reduce the spread of the disease. Overall, the two control measures were equally effective in suppressing the spread of the disease as the number of COVID-19 infections was significantly reduced. Thus, it was concluded that more attention should be paid to patients with COVID-19 with underlying comorbid conditions because the probability of being infected with COVID-19 is higher and mortality in this population is much higher. Finally, the combined control strategy is an optimal strategy that provides an effective guarantee to protect the public from the COVID-19 infection based on numerical simulations and cost evaluations.


Phosphonoformic acid (foscarnet) is an antiviral agent that is used to treat severe cytomegalovirus infections in AIDS patients. We demonstrate by using the ferrous iron indicator Ferrozine and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) that foscarnet can chelate ferric iron and form a redox-active iron complex. By using the hydroxyl radical indicator coumarin-3-carboxylic acid we found that the foscarnet-Fe3 complex formed can readily catalyze hydroxyl radical (.OH) generation by the Fenton reaction: (Fe2+ + H2O2-4Fe3+ + .OH + -OH) if hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid are present. Hydroxylation of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid could be blocked by addition of known hydroxyl radical scavengers such as mannitol, sucrose, glucose and dimethyl sulfoxide. Moreover, by using a DNA nicking assay, we found that foscarnet catalyzed hydroxyl radicals can induce single strand brakes in DNA. The potency of the hydroxyl radicals formed to induce damage could also be demonstrated in a phosphate-free buffer where the hydroxyl radicals formed attacked and liberated phosphate from the foscarnet molecule. Our results indicate that foscarnet catalyzed hydroxyl radical formation might take place during conditions where a peroxide generating system(s), vitamin C and transitions metals are present.


This study investigated how decisions on recruiters' field of activity are influenced by information they find on adolescents' Hyves pages. The Internet and social media are gaining more and more importance in present society. The role of Hyves, a Dutch profile website, as a tool for screening job applicants, is growing. The first study, a content analysis of 200 Hyves profiles, resulted in nine different topics probably playing a role when recruiters are judging on the appropriateness of an applying candidate. The analysis provided a large amount of qualitative samples, which were included in the second study. In this second study, a written questionnaire, 78 recruiters chose out of these nine topics the main reasons for rejecting a candidate. They self-reported that the presence of racial comments and prove of drug use are of large influence on an eventual rejection. A questionnaire though proved no influence of either one of the nine items on the judgment of the suitability of the candidate in the company of the recruiter. Though, recruiters' vision on alcohol and their judgment on the intelligence of the candidate, just as statements by a third party were of provable influence on the judgment of the appropriateness of the candidate. Both intelligence and the attractiveness of the candidate play a role when deciding to employ an applicant. Recruiters' written declaration differs from the data at this point, attractiveness should not be of influence. This study formed one of the first 'kick-offs' discovering the role of Hyves when recruiting and resulted in the first content analysis discovering the diverse subjects a recruiter can find on Hyves. Future research on social media will give more insight in the different topics that influence recruitment decisions. When two worlds meet: Hyves and recruitment Marlon ten Broeke


In order to identify heavy metal contents, the pollution characteristics and influencing factors of soil in typical farming areas in the Sichuan basin were analyzed, with Jiangjin District of Chongqing City chosen as the study area. Two hundred and forty-seven topsoil samples were collected and analyzed using the Nemerow index (NPI), geographical information system (GIS), and geodetector method. The results demonstrated that: 1 the arithmetic means of Cd, Cu, and Zn in the topsoil were 1.22, 1.10, and 1.98 times that of the soil background values in western Chongqing, respectively. 2 The high-value areas of the six heavy metals were mainly distributed in the northern, western, and central Jiangjin district, whereas the low-value areas were distributed in the eastern and southern Jiangjin district. 3 The NPI showed that the polluted sample points accounted for 22.1% of the total sample points, indicating that the overall soil pollution was mainly safety and vigilance in general. The high value of NPI was distributed in Dingshan street in the northern Jiangjin district. 4 The explanatory power of stratum on the distribution of heavy metal contents in the topsoil was the strongest, followed by that of the topographic factor. The interaction effect of the stratum and topographic factors on the distribution of heavy metal content in soil was the strongest. The results showed that the stratum and topographic factors were the key factors affecting the distribution of soil heavy metal contents in the study area.


This paper presents a method of hardening the 8051 micro-controller, able to assure reliable operation in the presence of bit flips caused by radiation. Aiming at avoiding such faults in the 8051 micro-controller, Hamming code protection was used in its SRAM memory and registers. A VHDL code has been used for this hamming code protection. Keywords—Radiation, hardening, bitflip, hamming code.


Indigenous religious organizations in southern Togo represent organized means of professionalizing and legitimating indigenous religious specialists that provide ritual services such as healing to congregations and communities. Drawing upon interviews with religious specialists and observations surrounding these organizations, this article ethnographically details a particular organization whose principal aim is to codify and enforce social sanctions that originate in Vodu law. The article concludes that in this case study processes of formalization and professionalization signify processes of "NGOization," the adoption of the "NGO form" that allows for the representation of beliefs and people not typically represented by the state or market.


This best-selling software testing title explains the basic steps of software testing and how to perform effective tests. It provides an overview of different techniques, both dynamic and static. It is the only official textbook of the ISTQB-BCS Certified Tester Foundation Level, with self-assessment exercises, guidance notes on the syllabus topics with sample examination questions. This third edition includes examples and exercises reflecting current technology and applications, such as the use of open source software, component-based and agile development and application building for mobile devices. It is ideal for those with a little experience of software testing who wish to cement their knowledge with industry-recognised techniques and theory.


This study aims to see and obtain empirical evidence regarding the effects of Tax Avoidance, Revenue Management and Managerial Ownership Against Debt Costs. This research was conducted at the manufacturing sector company consumer goods listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2014-2018. Population in this study were 51 companies listed on the Stock Exchange Indonesia se;ected using purposive sampling method, namely technique taking data sources with certain considerations. Data analysis method this research uses multiple linear regression analysis. Based on the research results show that Tax Avoidance has no effect on the Cost of Debt, Earning Management affects the Cost of Debt, and Managerial Ownership has no effect on the cost of accounts payable.


The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which creativity is fostered in online education courses and the inhibiting elements to the promotion of suitable conditions to the e-students' creative development and expression. Fifty-two online education tutors completed a questionnaire with an open question and a checklist of barriers to the development and expression of student's creativity. Results indicated that, for the majority of respondents, creativity has being contemplated in online education courses in which they were involved. The most frequently reported barriers were focused in students' participation and behavior, such as lack of interest in course contents and difficulties in participating in online education courses. Lack of autonomy to conduct online tutorial practices, of enthusiasm towards online tutorial activity, poor quality of the instructional material and asynchronous communication were the least frequently pointed barriers.


Digital technology has given people the opportunity to have a voice and to express themselves in new and effective ways. This has had important ramifications for those living in nations ruled by oppressive regimes, such as Myanmar. This paper will examine the role media technology has played in exposing the atrocities, injustices and secretive activities of Myanmar's paranoid military junta by looking at three examples of how guerrilla news gatherers have plied their craft in a bid to bring about change within their nation. Until recently in Myanmar, disasters such as the catastrophic cyclone Nargis, pro-democracy crackdowns and the ongoing forced exploitation of ethnic minorities would have occurred unreported and hidden from the outside world. But these events have now received global attention thanks to the use of digital technology, social networking sites and groups of independent guerrilla news gatherers who use digital images and eyewitness reports to document stories from the frontline. Most of these guerrilla news gatherers are not trained journalists but rather socially and politically-aware citizens with an understanding of the power of the media in bringing about change, but more importantly attempting to accurately report history as it occurs. These guerrilla news gatherers use a variety of equipment, from mobile phones with image capturing technology; to sophisticated digital technology attached to satellite phones. However, most of the information is leaked either from Internet cafes in Yangon, Myanmar's former capital, or smuggled illegally across the porous borders between Myanmar and Thailand. The research for this paper has been collected during fieldwork in the Mekong Sub-Region during the past three years, two of which were spent as a full-time community development worker, in a project working with Burmese refugees in Thailand.


Loefler endocarditis is a potential fatal adverse event of hypereosinophilic syndrome. We report a case of a 5-year-old girl diagnosed with peripheral hypereosinophilia refractory to corticosteroid therapy who developed eosinophilia-related endocarditis. Echocardiography revealed infiltration of the left ventricular free wall and the posterior mitral leaflet causing moderate mitral regurgitation. Genetic tests failed to recognize FIPiLi-PDGRFA genotype; however imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor was initiated. After a 4-week period of treatment there was a complete resolution of eosinophilia and a complete recovery of cardiac manifestation. This case highlights the introduction of imatinib for the treatment of hypereosinophilic syndrome refractory to corticosteroid therapy even in the absence of FIPiLi-PDGRFA genotype in pediatric patients.


A field effect transistor1 is a unipolar device, distinguishable from a junction transistor in the following two ways: 1. the current flow is carried predominantly by one type of carrier alone; and 2. the electric field intensity is relatively high, thus the current flow is caused by field drift instead of by diffusion. Fig. 1(A) shows the construction of a field effect transistor. It consists of a piece of n-type germanium or silicon slab with a p-type junction formed around the center of the slab. Two ohmic contacts are placed in the vicinity of the junction. Three electrodes are connected to the transistor. The electrode connected to the junction is called the "gate." The electrodes connected to the ohmic contacts are called the "source" and the "drain." Five papers have already appeared on the field-effect transistors1‾5 in which the design theory, their experimental verification, the d-c equivalent circuit, and the estimate of the maximum cutoff frequency were presented. This paper describes an a-c equivalent circuit of the field effect transistor; the measured parameters of a type of germanium field effect transistor, and some of its circuit applications, with emphasis on oscillators and switching circuits. Special features of a field effect transistor with cutoff frequency near 5 mc (megacycles) are also presented.


The five articles in this special section had their origin at a 2019 conference on the Future of Cyber-Assisted Chemical Engineering Education, sponsored by CACHE (Computer Aids for Chemical Engineering Education) as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the non-profit corporation. The proposal founding the Computer Aids for Chemical Engineering Committee was submitted to the NSF on July 14, 1969 and the first official meeting of the CACHE organization was held on November 18, 1969 in Washington DC. From its inception, CACHE (cache.org) has promoted the development and distribution of technology-based materials and software in chemical engineering education through projects applying computational chemical engineering, sponsoring conferences, recognizing outstanding contributions, and providing leadership in chemical engineering education.


In a dualistic labor market, self-employment is classified as the informal sector because its members are usually unable to find formal jobs. In big cities throughout the world it has been reported that the urban self-employed are often faced with highly restrictive government regulations in the belief that they do not contribute very much to the output. This thesis studies the factors that can explain the successes of these self-employed such as the extent of their capital, entrepreneurial experience, and education. The discriminant analysis is used throughout the study.


Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) can be induced in mice through the combined expression of activated forms of KRas and Akt in glial progenitor cells. We have previously demonstrated that KRas is required for the maintenance of these tumors in vivo as inhibition of KRas expression resulted in apoptotic tumor regression and significantly increased survival. To determine the reliance of these tumors on Akt signaling in vivo, we generated a viral vector that allows the expression of Akt to be controlled post-delivery. Survival rates were compared between those animals with continued Akt expression and animals in which expression of Akt was suppressed. Although a fifth of the tumors were refractory to treatment, inhibition of Akt significantly increased the survival of tumor-bearing mice and nearly a fourth of the mice remained in remission four months after the treatment period. These data suggest that Akt is required for glioblastoma maintenance in the context of activated Ras and that loss of Akt expression results in increased survival; therefore, the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is a viable therapeutic target in this context.


Aflatoxins become an economical problem in our country due to its contamination in agricultural commodities for export. The toxin may also cause hepatoma and liver diseases in the Thais as well. It is, therefore, necessary to search for and to develop efficient technology to combat and control such dangerous mold and mycotoxins. This paper is a collection of our previous and present studies towards reduction of risk from aflatoxins in foods and feedstuffs. The investigation of mold and aflatoxin contamination in local foods and feedstuffs in Chiang Mai area was made. The inhibitory effect of garlic extract on growth of Aspergillus flavus and its aflatoxin production was demonstrated. Detoxification of aflatoxins by chemicals such as ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium benzoate was also shown. Preventions of toxigenic mold growth and its aflatoxin production by means of some food preservative were reported. Modifications of such effective chemicals were investigated for safety in future application.


Ganglion cells and topographically related nerves in the vallate papilla/von Ebner gland complex were investigated in rat tongue by cytochemical, immunocytochemical, and ultrastructural methods to evaluate the possible presence of different neuronal subpopulations. Immunostaining for neurofilaments and protein gene product 9.5 revealed ganglionic cell bodies and nerve fibers. A large part of the neurons were positive at immunostaining for neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), or vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). A small subset of nerve fibers revealed immunoreactivity for cholecystokinin. Axons traveling under the lingual epithelium were evidenced by their content of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or substance P (SP). Cell bodies positive for SP or CGRP were not detected. Using methods of co-localization, three different neuronal classes were detected. The main population was composed of AChE/NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHd)-positive cells. Small groups of acetylcholine esterase (AChE)-positive/NADPHd-negative cells were visible. Isolated neurons were AChE-negative/NADPHd-positive. The results of co-localization experiments for VAChT/NOS were consistent with those obtained by cytochemical co-localization of AChE and NADPHd. Experiments of co-localization for peptidergic and nitrergic structures revealed CGRP- and SP-immunoreactive fibers in the vallate papilla/von Ebner gland ganglion. In conclusion, the results demonstrated in the VP/VEG complex peptidergic, cholinergic, and nitrergic neurons. The presence of different neuronal subclasses suggests that a certain degree of functional specialization may exist.


Abstract Background Esophageal atresia with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) represents the most common developmental malformation of the upper digestive tract. It is classified into six subtypes according to the classification of Vogt, depending on anatomical variation of this malformation. Around 50% of the patients with EA/TEF present additional anomalies, which often influence, next to the EA/TEF subtype, the overall prognosis of EA/TEF newborns. Here, we investigated the association of the different EA/TEF subtypes with co-occurring congenital anomalies in EA/TEF patients and demonstrate their implications for postnatal diagnostic workup. Materials and Methods We investigated 333 patients of a large German multicenter study born between 1980 and 2012. After evaluation of all available clinical records, 235 patients were included in our analysis. We compared our results with existing data. Results The highest risk for co-occurring anomalies was seen in patients with most common Vogt 3b (p = 0.024), especially for additional gastrointestinal anomalies (p = 0.04). Co-occurring anomalies of the skin were significantly more common in patients with subtype Vogt 2 (p = 0.024). A significant correlation was observed for an impaired neurodevelopmental outcome and EA/TEF Vogt 3a (p = 0.041). Patients with EA/TEF showed a higher risk to present with any additional congenital anomaly compared with the general population (p < 0.001). Conclusion Our results warrant thorough clinical workup for gastrointestinal anomalies especially in patients with Vogt 3b. Moreover, it might be necessary to focus on a thorough aftercare for neurocognitive development in patients with Vogt 3a. The here presented observations need to be confirmed by future studies.


Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most important and frequent cancer in women which increase in developing countries. It becomes major cause of death in women between ages 20-59 years. The most prevalent malignant tumor is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC). Pathology reports play an important role in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of patients. So, we decided to evaluate the prevalence of coexistent pathology in patients with breast cancer who underwent MRM surgery. Methods and Materials: We study all patients who underwent MRM surgery between years 20082014 in Rasool-e-Akram hospital. We evaluate electronic documents and pathology reports of patients and analyze all variants in spss v.18 software. Results: We have 72 cases which 2 of them are men and the rest are women. The mean age is 50.56 year. (Min=27 yrs, max= 86 yrs). The main pathologies are IDC, DCIS, ILC, LCIS, Tubulolobular Carcinoma and the most prevalent one is IDC. In 61.1% of patients, coexistent pathology is reported and the most prevalent one is Fibrocystic changes (84.1%). The other coexistence pathologies are: Ductal Hypeplasia (31.8%), Adenosis (20.5%), Intraductal Papilloma (6.8%), Fibroadenomatoid changes (6.8%), Stromal Fibrosis (4.5%), Columar changes (2.3%), Apocrine Metaplasia (2.3%), Hypersecretory hyperplasia (2.3%), Lobular Hyperplasia (2.3%), Adenomyoepitheliomatosis (2.3%). There is no significant correlation between main pathology and presence of coexistent pathology. (Sig =0.47). Conclusion: Overlay, the most prevalent main pathology is IDC and Coexistent pathology is fibrocystic changes. There is no significant relation between main pathology and coexistent pathology. Dina Rajabi far, Hamid reza Alizadeh otaghvar, Hamid reza Baradaran and Arefeh Zavari* Department of Breast Surgery, Iran University of Medical Science, Iran


Abstract Fas-activated serine/threonine kinase (FASTK) is a mitochondria-associated nuclear protein that inhibits Fas- and UV-induced apoptosis. This protein is generally activated during Fas-mediated apoptosis by phosphorylating a nuclear RNA-binding protein T-cell intracellular antigen-1 and thus considered as a modulator of apoptosis. In the present study, we have examined the equilibrium unfolding and conformational stability of the kinase domain of FASTK (FASTK353-444 ). The kinase domain of FASTK353-444 was cloned, expressed, and purified. The folding ↔ unfolding transitions of urea-induced denaturation was monitored with the help of circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence, and UV absorption spectroscopies. Analysis of transition curves obtained from different probes revealed a coincidence of denaturation curves, suggesting that folding/unfolding of FASTK follows a two-state process with the midpoint (C m) value at 3.50 ± 0.1 M. Urea-induced denaturation curves were further analyzed to estimate change in the Gibbs free energy in the absence of urea (ΔG D 0) associated with the equilibrium of denaturation. To get atomistic insights into the urea-induced denaturation of FASTK, we performed an all-atom molecular dynamics simulation for 100 ns. A close agreement was noticed between experimental and computational studies. This study will help to understand the unfolding mechanism and structural stability of the kinase domain of FASTK. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma


The bikunin peptide chain of the protease inhibitor inter-alpha-inhibitor (IalphaI) has been reported to be an inhibitor of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystallization, and hence has been proposed as having a role in CaOx kidney stone formation. However, further experimental evidence is required to assess if fragments of IalphaI other than bikunin may play a role in the regulation of crystallization events in stone formation. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of IalphaI and several of its derivatives on CaOx crystallization in a seeded inorganic system and to compare these effects with those of a known inhibitor of crystallization, prothrombin. IalphaI was purified from a preparation of human plasma and fragmented by alkaline hydrolysis, and two of its peptide chains, bikunin and heavy chain 1 (H1), were purified further by HPLC. Their purity was confirmed by SDS/PAGE. Using Coulter counter and [(14)C]oxalate analysis and scanning electron microscopy, IalphaI, its H1 chain and bikunin from urine and from plasma were shown to be relatively weak inhibitors of CaOx crystallization in vitro at expected physiological concentrations. It was concluded that members of the IalphaI family may not be as important in kidney stone formation as has been generally proposed, although further studies are required before a possible role for IalphaI and its fragments in stone formation can be unambiguously discounted.


Powdery scab affects most potato production zones in the world. The causal organism Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea forms galls in roots and lesions on tubers during its replication. Recent researches suggest that S. subterranea could cause harmful effects on the host plant and potentially on yield.In order to quantify the disease impact on plant growth and yield, potato Solanum tuberosum ssp. andigena, cv. Diacol Capiro was grown in a soil infested with S. subterranea and compared to a healthy control soil. Data was taken at the flowering stage and at harvest. S. subterranea caused a plant length reduction of 23%, a foliar dry weight reduction of 32% and a tuber weight reduction of 30%, whereas S. subterranea did not reduce the number of tubers or stems.


Internal degrees of freedoms of the quantum electron (spin and charge) introduced by Dirac lead to the non-Abelian field configuration of the electron in the complex projective Hilbert space $CP(3)$ of the unlocated quantum states (UQS). Such fields represented by the coefficient functions of the local dynamical variables (LDV's) corresponding $SU(4)$ generators of the Poincar\'e group. These generators describe the deformation of the UQS by the dynamical shifts, boosts and rotations. Interaction of this non-Abelian field with the electrodynamics-like gauge field (internal+external) will suppress the divergency of the Jacobi vector field in the vicinity of the ```north pole" in $CP(3)$. Thereby, the stable ``bundle" of the nearby geodesics comprises the lump-like quantum self-interacting electron.


The quantum and classical transitions of the Neel vector in antiferromagnets are considered. Expressions for the tunnelling and thermal activation rates of the transitions are given for low temperatures, near the cross-over temperature and for high temperatures, so that they could be checked experimentally. Quantum and thermally activated nucleation in bulk solids and two-dimensional films of antiferromagnets is also presented.


This article proposes to auto-encode text at byte-level using convolutional networks with a recursive architecture. The motivation is to explore whether it is possible to have scalable and homogeneous text generation at byte-level in a non-sequential fashion through the simple task of auto-encoding. We show that non-sequential text generation from a fixed-length representation is not only possible, but also achieved much better auto-encoding results than recurrent networks. The proposed model is a multi-stage deep convolutional encoder-decoder framework using residual connections, containing up to 160 parameterized layers. Each encoder or decoder contains a shared group of modules that consists of either pooling or upsampling layers, making the network recursive in terms of abstraction levels in representation. Results for 6 large-scale paragraph datasets are reported, in 3 languages including Arabic, Chinese and English. Analyses are conducted to study several properties of the proposed model.