The Vulgate Cycle makes extensive use of 'emergent direct discourse,'a stylistic procedure that consists of frequent shifts — even in mid-sentence — from narration or indirect discourse to direct discourse and sometimes back again, often in situations where the points of shift are impossible to determine. The effect of the method is to support other efforts within the Cycle to merge all voices into a single overarching one: the voice of the conte.


UNLABELLED
This article provides an historical synopsis from the 17th century to the present regarding the disease process known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Type I. An overview of the disease symptoms, plausible theories, and a review of the pain cycle, relief measures, and a case scenario are reported. The focus of pain blockade was chosen because this was the intervention used in this particular case. The author presents the holistic standpoint of the importance of incorporating complementary alternative medical practices (CAMP) to enhance a positive outcome for this client.

OBJECTIVES
-Based on the content of this article, the reader should be able to (1) distinguish the main characteristic between CRPS Type I (reflex sympathetic dystrophy) and CRPS Type II (causalgia); (2) identify symptoms related to CRPS Type I; and (3) identify the stages of CRPS and state potential interventions used in the treatment of CRPS Type I.


This work presents a CAMD (computer-aided molecular design) approach for the design of working fluid mixtures used in ABR (absorption refrigeration) cycles. Compared to previous works, the proposed approach introduces two major improvements. It employs for the first time an ABR process model in the course of CAMD, hence enabling the evaluation of the generated mixtures considering process performance indicators. It enables for the first time the simultaneous generation and evaluation of molecular structures for both refrigerants and absorbents. The employed model and CAMD optimization problem formulation incorporates major ABR operational driving forces pertaining to efficient refrigeration, sufficient solubility of mixture components and ease of separation in the generator. The approach employs a multicriteria assessment methodology both during CAMD and for the evaluation of selected mixtures using a more rigorous ABR model at a second stage. The work identifies novel mixtures, with Acetaldehyde/2-Methoxyethyl acetate and Acetaldehyde/Methanediol exhibiting the highest performance. The latter exhibits 3% higher COP (coefficient of performance) and cooling output than the reference mixture NH3/H2O, whereas it operates at 87 and 89% lower high and low cycle pressures. The novel mixtures are also compared with novel mixtures previously identified through a heuristic approach by the authors. The latter mixtures indicate overall higher ABR performance but similar or worse performance in safety, health and environmental impact indices. Further performance improvements may be achieved by including into CAMD additional chemical groups to be able to simulate the complex absorbent structures available in published works.


Extreme engineering of an organism's genetic code could impart true genetic incompatibility, even blocking effects of horizontal gene transfer and viral infection. Recent experiments exploring this possibility demonstrate that such radical genome engineering achievements are plausible. However, it is unclear when the modifications will compromise the fitness of an organism. Efforts to reformat an entire genome are difficult and expensive; computational methods predicting fruitful experimental trajectories could play a pivotal role in advancing such efforts. We present a framework for building in silico models to assist genome-scale engineering. Genetic code engineering requires choosing from many possible codon-usage schemes, to find a design that is viable and effective. We use machine learning to identify which alternative codon-usage schemes are likely to result in no observed viable cells. Our data-driven approach employs observations of how modifying codon usage in individual genes impacted observed viability in E. coli, revealing salient features for early identification of problematic genetic code designs. We achieved an average area under the receiver operating characteristic of 0.72 on out-ofsample data. Author Summary As machine learning and artificial intelligence play an increasingly central role in science and engineering, it will be important to establish standardized techniques that facilitate the dialogue between experimentation and modeling. Biological experimental techniques are concurrently evolving at a rapid pace, providing unique opportunities to collect high-quality, novel information that was previously unobtainable. This work navigates the landscape of this vast, new territory, identifies interesting landmarks for exploration and posits new approaches towards advancing our research efforts in these areas. In this work, we show that, using a small dataset of 47 observations and rigorous nested cross validation techniques, we can build a model that makes better-than-random predictions of how codon usage changes in essential genes influence viability in E. coli. These predictions can be used to inform experimental trajectories in both genetic code and codon optimization experiments. We discuss ways to improve this model, iteratively, by performing high value experiments that decrease uncertainty in predictions and extrapolation error. Finally, we present novel visualization methods to aid in developing intuitions for how re-coding impacts groups of genes. These methods are also useful tools in building important insights into how well machine learning algorithms can generalize to new data.


Background Epratuzumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting CD22 that may affect B-cell signaling, adhesion and migration.1,2 We report immunologic response in SL0008 (NCT00660881), an open-label extension of EMBLEM™, a 12-week phase IIb study in moderate-to-severe SLE patients. Objectives To assess the effect of long-term epratuzumab treatment on B cells and other immune parameters. Methods EMBLEMTM patients who completed 12 weeks of blinded treatment and patients who discontinued due to lack of efficacy but completed ≥8 weeks were eligible for SL0008. Patients received 1200 mg epratuzumab at weeks 0 and 2 of repeating 12-week cycles. Immune assessments included B-cell (CD20+) and T-cell (CD3+) counts, and immunoglobulin levels. B-cell surface CD22 levels are given as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). Results SL0008 recruited 203 patients aged 18–68 years (mean 39 years; 95% female; 78% Caucasian). Median (range) epratuzumab exposure was 845 (75–1185) days. Median absolute B-cell counts decreased, plateauing at median (range) 50% (–94 to 286) below EMBLEMTM baseline at week 112, the last timepoint at which >50% of patients reported this endpoint (Table). CD22 expression on all B cell subsets (median MFI) remained low relative to EMBLEMTM baseline throughout SL0008. No consistent trends were seen in median absolute T-cell counts, which remained similar to EMBLEMTM baseline (3.0% [range –74 to 1608] higher at week 112). No consistent trends were observed for IgA and IgG levels but IgM levels decreased slightly (–0.21 g/L by week 112). At week 48 (including last visit data if week 48 unavailable), mean total BILAG (n=195) was 13.9 for patients with screening B-cell count <median (n=96) vs 13.2 for patients ≥median (n=99; p=0.712). Week 48 BILAG improvement rate (defined as BILAG A/B at screening to B/C/D and C/D, respectively, and no new A and ≤1 new Bs; last available value used if Week 48 unavailable; n=150) was 33.8% (24/71) for patients with screening B-cell count <median and 35.4% (28/79) for patients ≥median (p=0.833). Conclusions Total B-cell count reductions in SL0008 remained within or slightly below normal range in most patients.3 Immunoglobulin levels remained within normal ranges.4 The moderate reduction in B-cell counts and the lack of correlation between screening counts and week 48 BILAG scores or improvements support B-cell modulation rather than depletion as a mode of action for epratuzumab. References Sieger N et al. Arthritis Rheum 2013, in press. Daridon C et al. Arthritis Res Ther 2010;12:R204. Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-info/pediatric/refvalues/reference.php Dati F et al. Eur J Clin Chem Clin Biochem 1996;34:517. Disclosure of Interest V. Strand Consultant for: UCB Pharma, Abbott Immunology Pharmaceuticals, Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Biogen Idec, Canfite Pharma, Centocor, Inc., Cypress Biosciences, Inc., Euro-Diagnostica Inc., Fibrogen, Forest Laboratories, Genentech and Biogen IDEC Inc., Human Genome Sciences, Inc., Incyte, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Alder, CBio, Chelsea, Crescendo, Idera, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Lexicon Genetics, Logical Therapeutics, Lux Biosciences, NovoNordisk, Nuon, Ono, SKK, Pfizer Inc., Rigel Pharma, Roche, sanofi-aventis, Savient Pharmaceuticals and Schering-Plough., P. Leszczyński Grant/research support from: UCB Pharma, Speakers bureau: UCB Pharma, M. Keiserman Grant/research support from: UCB Pharma, B. Kilgallen Shareholder of: UCB Pharma, Employee of: UCB Pharma, S. Bongardt Employee of: UCB Pharma, D. Wallace Consultant for: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech and Biogen IDEC Inc, GlaxoSmithKline, Human Genome Sciences, Inc., C. Gordon Grant/research support from: Aspreva, Consultant for: Aspreva, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech and Biogen IDEC Inc, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Roche and UCB Pharma


If a pen is stuck in a hard rubber ball and dropped from a certain height, the pen may bounce to several times that height. The results of two such experiments, which can easily be duplicated in any undergraduate physics laboratory, are plotted for a range of mass ratios. A simple theoretical discussion which provides a qualitative understanding of the phenomenon is presented. A more complicated formulation which agrees very well with one of the experiments is also presented. The latter involves a simple analog computer program. Finally, an intriguing generalization of the phenomenon is considered.


The aim of this study was to research how stress and anxiety affected the development of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in 55 high school graduates at two different times: six months before and one the week before their college entrance examinations. The American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP) Questionnaire, Lipp's Stress for Adults Inventory (ISSL) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to evaluate TMD, stress and anxiety, respectively. The data were submitted to Pearson's and Spearman's correlation tests. At first the results showed higher positive correlation between anxiety and TMD than between stress and TMD. Out of the total participants, 36% had TMD, and of these, only 12.7% had no psychological disorder. One week before the tests there were high positive correlations between TMD and the psychological factors studied, and 50.9% of the students had TMD, of which only 9% had no psychological disorder The most prevalent signs of TMD symptomatology were joint sounds and headache, followed by neck pain. It was concluded that students preparing to take college entrance examinations are a potential risk group for developing TMD due to psychological factors generating anxiety and stress. Anxiety becomes more significant as the semester progresses, and both anxiety and stress increase as the examination dates approach.


Plumes of buoyant fluid rise in a stratified environment until their buoyancy with respect to the environment reverses, they become heavier than their surroundings and gravitational forces bring them to a halt. Obstacles to turbulent plume rise, occur in the form of external stratification and two–component mixing, which changes the buoyancy of the plume. Volcanic eruptions introduce large amounts of heat to the water column, and the question arises as to whether or not such eruptions can drive plumes up to the sea surface, and create a significant sea surface temperature anomaly. A turbulent plume model is used to estimate the magnitude of an eruption which might be capable of driving a plume across the ocean's thermocline, which poses a substantial barrier to vertical motion—more so, for instance, than the tropopause with respect to atmospheric plumes. The confining effect of Earth's rotation helps to maintain stronger anomalies in the horizontal spreading phase of the motion at the sea surface. Plumes which cannot attain the surface may also have substantial temperature and salinity anomalies if these quantities vary in the the source or water column through which the plume rises and entrains water.


Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) has shown great promise as a cancer therapeutic in some hematologic malignancies. However, several barriers prevent widespread use of cellular therapies in other cancers, including the need for T cells to perform and persist within the nutrient-poor tumor microenvironment (TME). Extensive in vitro culture is required for all current forms of ACT, but current culture strategies favor the energetic needs of T cells for rapid and robust expansion while ignoring their metabolic requirements within the TME. Here we demonstrate that the deleterious effects of in vitro culture can be mitigated by redirecting T cell glycolysis away from terminal lactate production to more energetically efficient OXPHOS during initial expansion. This in vitro metabolic shift drastically improves anti-tumor efficacy in vivo and establishes long-term memory without any further modifications, thus demonstrating an easily applied improvement for all forms of ACT.Antigen-specific T cells were activated in culture with their cognate peptide or in vivo in response to cognate antigen. The pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK1) inhibitor dichloroacetate (DCA) was used to redirect glucose flux during cell expansion. Mouse experiments were performed with gp100-specific pmel-1 TCR-Tg T cells transferred into B16 melanoma-bearing mice. Human experiments were performed with anti-hCD19 CAR-T cells transferred into NSG mice bearing hCD19-A549 lung cancer cells.Identical, antigen-specific T cells stimulated with typical in vitro culture conditions or responding to cognate antigen in vivo differ not in effector function but heavily in their metabolism: typical T cell activation and culture heavily favors aerobic glycolysis. The PDHK1 inhibitor DCA allows for glucose uptake and metabolism but shunts glucose into the mitochondria, maintaining mitochondrial health. In vitro expansion of T cells in the presence of DCA improves their pre-infusion metabolic profile, cytokine production, and survival in low nutrient culture media. Expansion in the presence of DCA results in striking improvements in ACT in both murine TCR-Tg and human CAR-T cells.Current culture strategies do not prepare T cells for performance within the TME. DCA shunts glycolysis in a manner that re-directs metabolism to a more oxidative state. This small redirection improves the phenotype of T cells pre-infusion and better prepares them for the lack of nutrients in vivo. By generating more functional T cells for infusion, we are able to metabolically enhance their in vivo performance in a manner potentially synergistic with other more engineered improvements.


Mindfulness-based art therapy has shown to improve psychological well-being. Zentangle is an easy-to-learn, mindfulness-based art therapy suitable for everyone. We reported the transition from face-to-face to online Zentangle workshops in family social services during COVID-19. We explored feedback from face-to-face workshops and the acceptability of an online approach utilizing information communication technology (ICT) to achieve greater service reach, satisfaction, and knowledge and related outcomes. Under the Hong Kong Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project and in collaboration with Caritas Integrated Family Service Centre—Aberdeen, this study was conducted in two phases: a four-session, face-to-face workshop (phase one) and eleven online single-session workshops (phase two) from September 2019 to September 2020. A total of 305 participants joined the workshops. Phase one participants (n = 11) reported high satisfaction (4.7 out of 5), increases in knowledge (4.2/5) and confidence (3.9/5) towards managing stress, increases in knowledge (4.1/5) and confidence (3.9/5) in showing support and care towards family members, and an increase in knowledge towards strengthening family relationships (4.0/5). Phase two participants (n = 294) also reported high satisfaction (4.7/5) and strongly agreed that ICT helped with learning Zentangle more conveniently, that they had increased knowledge and interest in Zentangle (all 4.7/5), and would definitely join the workshop again (4.8/5). The qualitative data supported the quantitative findings. We are the first to report on the utilization of ICT in an exploratory trial of brief, online Zentangle art workshops targeting the general public, with high satisfaction and positive participant experiences with ICT integration, learning Zentangle, and enhanced psychological and family well-being. This study provided preliminary evidence on the use of ICT to successfully transition face-to-face to online workshops and reach a wider audience.


We present a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) nanoreactor that enables high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) (HRTEM) of nanostructured materials with atomic-scale resolution during exposure to reactive gases at 1 atm of pressure. This pressure exceeds that of existing HRTEM systems by a factor of 100, thereby entering a pressure range that is relevant to industrial purposes. The nanoreactor integrates a shallow flow channel (35 ¿m high) with a microheater and with an array of electron transparent windows of silicon nitride. The windows are only 10 nm thick but are mechanically robust. The heater has the geometry of a microhotplate and is made of Pt embedded in a silicon nitride membrane. To interface the nanoreactor, a dedicated TEM specimen holder has been developed. The performance is demonstrated by the live formation of Cu nanoparticles in a catalyst for the production of methanol. At 120 kPa and for temperatures of up to 500°C , the formation of these nanoparticles can be observed clearly and with an exceptionally low thermal drift. HRTEM images of the nanoparticles show atomic lattice fringes with spacings down to 0.18 nm.


There are three possible modes by which the incident primary beam in a scanning electron microscope releases the secondary electrons that are detected. Secondary electrons may be released as the beam passes through the final aperture. These do not contribute any information about the specimen, instead they contribute only additional noise and background signal which reduces the contrast range available. From the specimen itself, there are two sources which contribute information about the specimen: namely the secondary electron signal released by the surface interaction of the incident primary beam, and the secondary electron signal released as the back-scattered electrons pass out of the specimen. This latter signal constitutes approximately 80% of the secondary electron signal strength from the specimen.


We describe the measurement of the anticonvulsant drug phenytoin (5,5-diphenylhydantoin) in human blood and plasma using a self-contained fiber-optic immunosensor which gave a reversible response to changes in concentration. No regenerative treatment of the immunosensor was required between measurements. The analytical signal depended on the degree of energy transfer from B-phycoerythrin labeled with phenytoin to Texas Red labeled anti-phenytoin antibody. Dextran 70K was added to the reagent system to equalize the oncotic pressure across the encapsulation membrane. A gas chromatography reference method was used to measure free drug concentrations. Regression analysis for plasma samples gave the relationship (sensor) = 1.02 (reference) + 0.07 microM; Syx = 1.00 microM; r = 0.953; sensor mean 4.45 microM; reference mean 4.31 microM. Sensor performance in plasma and whole blood was essentially equivalent. We demonstrate the feasibility of measuring free phenytoin directly in blood and suggest that the sensor design is generally applicable for the measurement of other haptens in blood.


Anyone who has lived with hunting dogs knows the sudden change in demeanor. That perpetual dependent in your life suddenly becomes all business. One moment you are the center of her universe; the next moment you'd better keep up. It is as if the book Predator–Prey Dynamics, by Michael R. Conover, is written for this audience. Truly, hunters should be alerted that this book could make you a better hunter. But what about that pheasant, which itself is well aware of the canine tracker? At times, the book reads like an advisory guide to prey species. As an anthropologist, I could not help but imagine how helpful this book might have been to our not-so-distant ancestors. (How best to avoid that leopard?) The title of this book is not misleading in any sense—a dual, predator–prey point of view is provided within. The book is logically organized to describe the mechanics of olfaction and the physics of airflow before discussing species of predators and prey and their ecology. This may sound like dry reading at the outset, but Conover employs animal attributes or behaviors to keep the reader along for the ride. Chapters 1–4 discuss anatomy and behaviors that are related to olfaction, characteristics of the molecules (odorants) that stimulate olfactory organs, odorant deposition and movement, and the manner in which odorants may be used by olfactory predators. These chapters succinctly introduce elements that the reader will encounter throughout the text. The author introduces a major theme of the text in Chapter 1, the ''olfactory concealment theory,'' which, according to the author, explains predator–prey dynamics. The introductory chapters navigate through complex concepts, such as the dynamics of air movement (Chapters 3 and 4). Conover has a judicious, skillful approach to help apply information through the use of predator– prey scenarios. Some of the boxed text is used in this manner, or as tangents for anecdotes and some speculations. Chapters 5–8 discuss the environmental factors that affect the rate of success with which predators can locate prey by olfaction. The best time of day, air temperature, and cloud conditions are all discussed, followed by factors that may complicate the task more, such as the type of forest canopy. The remainder of the book puts the preceding pages to work in the context of another important sensory modality (visual predation) and different ecosystems. Throughout, predictions of the olfactory concealment theory are tested, most explicitly using avian examples (e.g., Chapter 11). There is cause for some reflection in Chapter 14, where the predation rates along forest edges, which are artificially created by human deforestation, are discussed. Overall this book seems very friendly to those not specialized in the physics of airflow, such as myself. The author has taken pains to include ample illustrations, text boxes, and appendices to ease the digestion. Others may find this book fascinating as an exploration of an unknown world. Although there are benefits to being a visual specialist, the abilities of olfactory predators to analyze other variables (e.g., time) via a special sense may make readers envious. I would caution readers about problems with Chapter 1, stemming from oversimplification of the neural olfactory systems and the odorants they detect. For instance, many taxa other than certain primates lack an accessory olfactory system, such as numerous bats, all cetaceans, and sirenians. In terms of function, it is far too simplistic to state the main olfactory system is ''designed to sample the air for odorants that may convey information about the presence and location of food or predators'' and that the accesory olfactory system functions mainly to detect pheromones (p. 2). Some species that lack an accessory olfactory system likely rely on the main olfactory system for pheromonal communication. The accessory olfactory system on the other hand, is not restricted to pheromonal communication. Indeed, the author misses the opportunity to explain that snakes use their accessory olfactory system in prey detection. These are minor issues, and do not detract from the book overall. This book provides potential answers to some complex questions. Many such questions exist as chapter headings. Can animals hide from olfactory predators by masking their odor? Can prey reduce their odorant emission rate? Do females reduce their production of odorants at parturition sites? On the other hand, the optimal conditions for predation are discussed. And this reveals a specific bias of the book: the relations of diurnal predators and prey. Nocturnality is viewed as a cryptic niche, advantageous in that visual predators must be highly specialized to exploit it. Arboreal settings are likewise virtually ignored. Information on predator–prey relationships in such settings is hard-won, and these are not deficits that detract from the book. Still, I hope this book stimulates further work to rectify the relative lack of information on olfactory predation in such niches.—TIMOTHY D. SMITH, School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA 16057, USA; email@example.com.


This article comprises a series of critical reflections on some current directions in marketing, with reference to empirical material from a case study of the promotion of a series of live music events. In particular, it highlights a key theme in contemporary marketing: the attempt to approach consumers in an expanded range of everyday spaces. This, in turn, is related to a heightened emphasis on branding, which derives from a complex of factors including a perceived fragmentation and diversification of media audiences and new ideas about the best ways of structuring and stabilizing markets. Within this scenario, the case study is presented as an example of 'experiential marketing': one of a range of possible strategic choices in the attempt to insinuate marketing practices more deeply into the lives of consumers. In addition, the case study shows how these spatial practices may be connected to electronic marketing technologies, such as databases, consumer websites and'viral marketing'campaigns, in an attempt to extend the scope of emotional or affective bonds forged between consumers and brands. The article concludes by arguing that whilst such strategies may not always succeed in their stated aims, their emergence should nonetheless be taken seriously as an important development in the mediation of production and consumption.


This study investigates the relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability in the East and South-East Asian countries focused on the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using data from environmental performance index (EPI) in 2010. Both pollution and eco-efficiency measures, two components of environmental sustainability, are considered as dependent variables while GDP per capita is used as an independent variable. Besides independent variable, the study also considers population density and civil and political liberty index (CIVLIB) as control variables and East and South-East Asia as a dummy variable. By using ordinary least square (OLS) method, this study reveals that while the increase of the GDP per capita appears to have positive impact on the pollution measures, it is found mix (both positive and negative) results on eco-efficiency measures. These findings prove the hypothesis of environmental Kuznets curve partially but not entirely. We conclude the paper by suggesting that the policy makers should give priority to the eco-efficiency measures along with pollution measures in order to ensure environmental sustainability in the process of economic development.


We investigated the structural, optical, and magnetic properties of Ni–Zn(O,S) films. The Zn(O,S) films were deposited by a spray pyrolysis method on glass substrate. A thin Ni layer evaporated on these films served as the source for the diffusion doping. The XRD of the undoped films revealed the presence of two wurtzite phases corresponding to zinc sulfide (ZnS) and ZnO with a strong preferred orientation along the ZnS [002] direction. Results from scanning electron microscopy showed arrays of hexagonal micro‐rods perpendicular to the substrate. Results from energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy studies employing varying accelerating voltages suggested that Ni atomic concentration decreased towards to the back of the films in all Ni diffusion‐doped samples but a more uniform distribution was obtained at increasing annealing temperatures. The optical transmission measurements showed that both undoped and Ni diffusion‐doped films had a low average transmittance in the range of 8–35%. A decrease in the band gap was observed with Ni‐doping from 3.44 to 3.38 eV upon diffusion‐doping. The magnetization of films as a function of magnetic field and temperature were measured. Clear ferromagnetic loops were observed for the Ni–Zn(O,S) films.


An operator's workload increases substantially when the operator must control multiple robots and continually shift attention from robot to robot. As the number of robots increases, the amount of time an operator can spend operating any particular robot decreases, which leads to inevitable changes in the robot's performance. If the robots could self-report encountered faults, the operator could conserve cognitive resources to spend on reasoning about more complex situations. In the reported experiment, participants performed foraging tasks while assisted by an alarmed system, either Open-queue in which all alarms are displayed or SJF-queue (shortest-job-first), whose reliability level was high (90%) or low (50%) under different task load (3-robots vs. 6-robots). The results showed that simply increasing the system reliability might not effectively contribute to the overall performance or the participants' trust in automation. An inverse relationship was observed between experienced workload and rated trust which also amplified the effects of imperfect automation.


OBJECTIVE
To study the operation of C1-2 dumbbell-shaped tumor, and its effect on the cervical spine stability.

METHODS
Different surgical tumor resection was selected according to the tumor size and the invasion scope. Hemilaminectomy was the first choice for the resection of the tumor at intr-extraspinal canal in the conventional prone position. After the tumor was fully revealed, the epidural tumor was removed first with enough space to be vacated, then the subdural section was removed. If the tumor in the spinal canal was more than half of the spinal canal, to prevent spinal cord injury, the part of the C1-2 spinous process base should be removed to facilitate the exposure. Dural defect should be repaired and the muscle sutured to achieve anatomic reduction in order to facilitate the stability of the cervical spine. Lateral approach should be combined to resect the tumor if its total removal was impossible as the tumor had invaded the spinal canal outside over 4 cm or completely surrounded the vertebral artery.

RESULTS
C1-2 dumbbell-type tumors were treated in 16 cases, of which 12 were of schwannoma, 3 of meningioma and 1 of ganglion cell tumor. Total resection was in 14 cases, and subtotal resection in 2. After operation, the symptoms of pain in the neck and upper limb muscle weakness were relieved. All the patients were followed up. The follow-up period was 3-48 months. No cervical spine instability or tumor recurrence was found.

CONCLUSION
C1-2 dumbbell-shaped tumors could be well resected by poster-median hemilamiectomy approach or joint lateral approach , and the stability of cervical spine could be better maintained at the same time.


In constructivist approaches to research on career adaptability it has been conceptualized that the development of one's career is formed from the interplay between the individual and the environment. In this study we utilized structural equation modeling analysis of longitudinal
 data obtained from 145 Chinese undergraduate students to examine the effects of social support and career decision-making self-efficacy on career adaptability. Our results provided important evidence regarding the effects of career decision-making self-efficacy, which functions as a significant
 mediator of the effects of social support on career adaptability. We provide integrative conclusions for explaining the relationships between the environment, the individual, and the individual's career outcome, and have enriched constructivist theories of careers, providing implications
 for counseling and practice.


The potentiating effect of O,O-dimethyl O-(3-methyl-4-nitrophenyl) phosphorothioate (fenitrothion) on the toxicity of 2-sec-butylphenyl methylcarbamate (BPMC) in male mice was analyzed pharmacokinetically. The animals pretreated by dietary administration of 1000 ppm fenitrothion for 1 week (4.4% of the po LD50 daily) did not show toxic symptoms except for a slight decrease in body weight. In the fenitrothion-pretreated mice, toxicity of fenitrothion was not changed but a fivefold potentiation was observed in po and ip acute lethality and a threefold potentiation of iv lethality of BPMC. Toxic signs after BPMC administration were similar regardless of fenitrothion pretreatment or of route of administration. Fenitrothion pretreatment followed by BPMC administration (20 mg/kg po or 8 mg/kg iv, approximate LD5 in the pretreated mice) significantly increased the plasma BPMC concentration and the total area under the plasma concentration versus time curve (AUC0-infinity). The pretreatment increased the oral AUC0-infinity more greatly than the iv AUC0-infinity (for po, 6.3-fold; for iv, 2.0-fold). The oral systemic availability of BPMC (fraction reaching systemic circulation) was increased by fenitrothion treatment to 3.3-fold. These results suggest that a major cause of the potentiation may be the increase in amount of BPMC in the systemic circulation.


The paper contributes to the literature by developing a linear programming (LP) model for optimization of the development of the regional energy system according to environmental and economic criteria by involving various types of renewable energy sources in the energy balance. The environmental criteria are taken into account throughout the entire life cycle of each energy product. Validation of the model was carried out on the example of a large southern region of Russia Krasnodar Territory. This region was chosen for testing for several reasons: firstly, the region has significant potential for the development of various types of renewable energy sources, including solar and wind energy, hydroand geothermal energy, rich biological resources, as well as a large number of bio-waste that can be considered as resources for bioenergy. Secondly, the Krasnodar Territory is currently one of the most densely populated and dynamically developing regions of Russia, experiencing a serious energy shortage and problems with air quality in large cities. The solution of the LP problem shows that when optimizing the development of the regional energy system of the Krasnodar Territory in terms of economic parameters, it is advisable to include bio-waste and municipal solid waste as priority energy sources. Solar power generation is involved in development on a leftover basis in order to make up the difference between the already used renewable energy sources and the required heat and electricity demand. When optimizing the energy balance according to environmental criteria, the involvement of biogas in the energy balance becomes impractical, therefore, after the complete use of the potential for processing solid waste and wind energy, the gap between the used potential of renewable energy sources and the required volume of generation can be replenished through the development of photovoltaics.


This paper presents a compact harmonic-tuned rectifier using an inductive matching network. An inductance is employed in series with a diode to obtain a suitable input reflection coefficient and furthermore, this inductance supports suitable harmonic termination. Compared to a typical rectifier, a matching network between the input source and the diode can be removed. Hence, the advantages of the approach are compact and no insertion loss from the matching network. The principle of the inductive matching network is discussed in this paper. A prototype is implemented to demonstrate the concept. Measured peak efficiency of 65.4% is obtained at input power of 0.5 dBm at 2.4 GHz. The occupied area is less than 1.3 cm2.


This manuscript aims to investigate the existence and uniqueness of fuzzy mild solutions for non-local impulsive neutral functional differential equations of both first and second order, incorporating finite delay. Furthermore, the study explores the properties of fuzzy set-valued mappings of a real variable, where these mappings exhibit characteristics such as normality, convexity, upper semi-continuity, and compact support. The application of the Banach fixed-point theorem is employed to derive the results. The research extensively employs fundamental concepts from fuzzy set theory, functional analysis, and the Hausdorff metric. Additionally, an illustrative example is provided to exemplify the practical implementation of the proposed concept.


Medical management of lymphedema is warranted in all dogs with suspected congenital lymphedema, before surgical intervention. Although pharmaceutical agents, such as the benzo-pyrones, have not been investigated for clinical use in dogs, such studies appear to be justified. None of the surgical techniques discussed will cure lymphedema. The only technique reported with any frequency in the dog has been excision of affected tissues, and although some successes have been reported with this procedure, others have found it to be of no benefit or severe complications have occurred. Excisional techniques require meticulous attention to prevent infection intraoperatively and postoperatively. Staging the procedure may decrease problems associated with devascularization of remaining tissues. Evaluation of other techniques may be warranted in dogs; however, no technique has proven to be consistently beneficial in human beings with lymphedema.


The single most important thing to remember about any enterprise is that there are no results inside its walls. The result of a business is a satisfied customer." In present era of cut-throat competition, it is no longer enough to satisfy the customers. You must delight them! As Philip Kotler puts it, "Today you have to run faster to stay in the same place." The most important tool available to the business firms these days to make the customers happy is "Relationship Marketing".


The aim of this study was to examine the influence of a time factor that may lead to inaccurate interpretation of data on the incidence of side effects in a double-blind study with drug cross-over. After a washout period, 58 patients with essential hypertension received either 20 mg of enalapril or 50 mg of atenolol. After two weeks, the dosage was doubled (to 40 mg of enalapril and 100 mg of atenolol) in those patients with diastolic blood pressure higher than 95 mm Hg. After four weeks of active treatment and a second two-week washout period, patients received the alternative antihypertensive agent under the same procedure and time schedule as in the first treatment phase. Four patients dropped out. Side effects were evaluated by questionnaire at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 10. In the 54 patients who completed the study, enalapril and atenolol led to almost identical blood pressure reduction in both treatment phases, indicating that pooling these data is a sound method. However, incidence of side effects was twice as high in phase 1 as in phase 2 and markedly decreased in each treatment phase, with no differences being observed between enalapril and atenolol. These results clearly demonstrate that pooling side effects data from a cross-over study may lead to quite wrong interpretations.


Two different types of antenna systems for a distress buoy for use in the maritime satellite communication system (MARSAT) are described. The buoy radiates signals alternately on the frequencies 2182 kHz (medium frequency (MF) beacon) and 1.65 GHz ( L band beacon). The L band antennas had to be combined with the MF antenna of a commercial buoy. The antenna systems have been tested with success during the application technology satellite (ATS-6) experiments and during a previous European Space Research Organization (ESRO) balloon communication experiment [1].


Initial studies are presented on the use of polysulfones as non-chemically amplified resists (non-CARs) for 193 nm immersion lithography. Polynorbornene sulfone films on silicon wafers have been irradiated with 193 nm photons in the absence of a photo-acid generator. Chemical contrast curves and contrast curves were obtained via spectroscopic ellipsometry and grazing angle - attenuated total reflectance FTIR spectroscopy. Results were consistent with previously reported mechanisms for the degradation of aliphatic polysulfones with ionizing radiation. It was shown that E0 values could be reduced significantly by using a post exposure bake step, which propagated depolymerization of the polymer. Initial patterning results down to 50 nm half pitch were demonstrated with EUV photons.


When, after the first World War, the Association of Muslim Brothers was formed, it soon established itself as the largest movement among the political Islamic groups in the country. Hasan al-Banna, originally a teacher, founded the Association in Ismailia as a religious society in 1928. In 1939, however, the Brotherhood came to be a political organization, and began to participate in various political campaigns. Having as one of their main tenets that everything foreign to the recognized teachings of Islam ought to be abandoned, the brothers fought the British role in Egypt as well as the Jewish settlements in Palestine. Up to the revolution of the 23 rd of July, 1952, their political activity increased considerably, conspiring at the same time with both the regime and its opponents. In 1954 the new government decided to dissolve the Brotherhood, and during the next twenty years, they were intensively harassed and out in jail. From the mid-seventies the Brothers began to be released and were even permitted to resume their activities as a religious society.' Both during the time of Hasan al-Banna and in recent years the political confrontation between the Brotherhood and the regime has frequently been characterized by a well-founded literary propagandism. That is, various kinds of books, magazines and pamphlets which in a politically exaggerated form either defend the existing regime or oppose it. As to the former, it is – in addition to the more ordinary presentation of the government's political positions and future plans – very much occupied with defining the concept of practical Islam by emphasizing its cultural achievements of the past while at the same time limiting its present role to be basically individual and spiritual. Reversibly, the opposition literature is agitating by means of claiming various political implementation of Islam. It has two basic approaches. There is the more direct mode where arguments of rejection, mocking and damnation are propagated by comparing the day-to-day political events with ideal Islam. Then there is the more indirect kind, which compares the contemporary situation with the hardship and suppression which, according to the Islamic Tradition, are one of the signs that the final battle against evil accompanied by the Last Judgement, is immanent. More significant, however, is the fact that this trend of spreading agitative literature seems to indicate the kind of adapted political profilation which the Muslim Brotherhood has sought to establish, defining itself both as a legitimate and oppositional movement between the government on the one side, and the remaining activist groups, such as Takfir al-hidjra , on the other.


Solute transport in heterogeneous soil systems is determined by a combination of physical and chemical processes. Heterogeneity can cause physical nonequilibrium, which results in asymmetrical breakthrough curves with early initial breakthrough and tailing. In the case of reactive transport, the shape of the breakthrough curve is also effected by the sorption isotherm and by multicomponent effects. The combined effects of physical nonequilibrium and nonlinear multicomponent chemistry are the subject of this study. We show how an experimental system composed of alginate gel beads, together with two-region transport modeling, can be used to study transport phenomena in reactive heterogeneous systems. Proton transport through the gel column with ion exchange of protons and calcium ions was measured and simulated. The results show the combined effects of nonlinear sorption and of competition, which add to the effects of physical nonequilibrium. The results emphasize the importance of a thorough understanding of both physical and chemical processes for a reliable prediction of reactive solute transport.


A new spectrum sliced multi-wavelength fiber source (MWFS) with no power loss is presented in this paper. The source is composed by a reflection Mach-Zehnder filter (RMZF) with double-pass backward superfluorescent fiber source (DPB SFS) configuration. The RMZF not only provides spectrum filtering but also provides the double-pass function. Multi-wavelength source with extinction ratios larger than 15 dB can easily be obtained over the total conventional band gain region with appropriate erbium-doped fiber (EDF) length and pump power. There is no power loss with the MWFS as compared to the original DPB SFS owning to the RMZF also provides the double-pass function. More than 50 channels of 0.57nm wavelength spacing between 1530nm-1560nm are obtained.


The evolution of volcanic landscapes and their landslide potential are both dependent upon the weathering of layered volcanic rock sequences. We characterize critical zone structure using shallow seismic Vp and Vs profiles and vertical exposures of rock across a basaltic climosequence on Kohala peninsula, Hawai'i, and exploit the dramatic gradient in mean annual precipitation (MAP) across the peninsula as a proxy for weathering intensity. Seismic velocity increases rapidly with depth and the velocity–depth gradient is uniform across three sites with 500–600 mm/yr MAP, where the transition to unaltered bedrock occurs at a depth of 4 to 10 m. In contrast, velocity increases with depth less rapidly at wetter sites, but this gradient remains constant across increasing MAP from 1000 to 3000 mm/yr and the transition to unaltered bedrock is near the maximum depth of investigation (15–25 m). In detail, the profiles of seismic velocity and of weathering at wet sites are nowhere monotonic functions of depth. The uniform average velocity gradient and the greater depths of low velocities may be explained by the averaging of velocities over intercalated highly weathered sites with less weathered layers at sites where MAP > 1000 mm/yr. Hence, the main effect of climate is not the progressive deepening of a near‐surface altered layer, but rather the rapid weathering of high permeability zones within rock subjected to precipitation greater than ~1000 mm/yr. Although weathering suggests mechanical weakening, the nearly horizontal orientation of alternating weathered and unweathered horizons with respect to topography also plays a role in the slope stability of these heterogeneous rock masses. We speculate that where steep, rapidly evolving hillslopes exist, the sub‐horizontal orientation of weak/strong horizons allows such sites to remain nearly as strong as their less weathered counterparts at drier sites, as is exemplified by the 50°–60° slopes maintained in the amphitheater canyons on the northwest flank of the island. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) derived from epithelial cells of bile ducts is highly aggressive tumor. Hesperidin extracted from citrus fruits is a promising antitumor compound. The purpose of this study is to explore molecular mechanism by which hesperidin affects cholangiocarcinoma progression. Cellular functional experiments were performed and subcutaneous transplant xenograft model was established. Our findings indicated that hesperidin suppressed iCCA cell proliferation in time‐ and concentration‐dependent manners. Hesperidin treatment induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, whereas it has no effect on cell apoptosis. Further, data revealed that hesperidin attenuated MEK5 and ERK5 phosphorylation and inhibited ERK5 nuclear localization by reducing MEKK2 activity in MAPK signaling pathway. It could cause alterations in expression of the downstream genes, including CDK4, CDK6 (cell cycle protein kinases), Cyclin D1 (a G1/S checkpoint), P21, and P27 (two G1‐checkpoint CDK inhibitors), thereby arresting cell cycle distribution of iCCA cells in the G0/G1 phase. BIX02189 treatment, a specific inhibitor of MEK5, in combination with hesperidin displayed synergistic inhibitory effects on cell cycle arrest and gene expressions. Furthermore, hesperidin administration alone or in combination with MEK5 inhibitor BIX02189 restrained iCCA tumor growth in vivo. Taken together, these results confirmed that hesperidin regulated the expression of cell cycle‐related genes by inhibiting the activation of MEKK2/MEK5/ERK5 signaling pathway, inducing iCCA cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Our study provides a theoretical foundation and experimental basis for further development of hesperidin as a therapeutic agent for iCCA treatment.


In this Letter, we present a method for the decoration of layer-by-layer (LbL) structures by heavy metal ions, which allows X-ray reflectivity (XRR) measurements at the solid/water interface. The improved contrast has allowed us to obtain well-structured X-ray reflectivity curves from samples at the liquid/solid interface that can be used for the film structure modeling. The developed technique was also used to follow the formation of complexes between DNA and the LbL multilayer. The XRR data are confirmed by independent null-ellipsometric measurements at the solid/liquid interface on the very same architectures.


The interdental dimension discrimination (IDD) ability was tested at seven different degrees of mouth opening: 40 mm, 30 mm, 20 mm and 10 mm openings for the dentate subjects, and 10 mm opening, intercuspal position (ICP) and the ICP minus 5 mm for the edentulous subjects. The subjects were asked to discriminate between pairs of sticks held alternately between the upper and lower incisors. The IDD ability, evaluated in terms of the 50% difference limen (DL), did not differ significantly between any two of the tests conducted at seven different openings, although the number of misjudgments of the dentate subjects tended to increase with the degree of mouth opening. On the other hand, the directional specificity of the IDD, which is a tendency to overestimate the dimension of the first stick of each pair, developed almost linearly with a decrease in the opening degree. These findings indicate that the behaviour of the receptors concerned varies with the intermaxillary distance. Some edentulous subjects could not perceive the presence of a small test stick at the overclosed position (ICP -5 mm), but vibration applied to the mandible enabled the subjects to detect the stick at the same opening. These results support the assumption that the muscle spindles of the jaw-closing muscles are the receptors responsible for the IDD.


In telecommunications (5G/6G) lenses can be used to manipulate the electric field emitted by an antenna. In this paper different permittivity lenses were studied with 3×3 dipole array acting as antenna source. Iterative study to the lens eccentricity showed different lenses for different permittivity where a low permittivity lens with heavily eccentric shape increased antenna gain by 14.6 dB and high permittivity lens gain by 9.9 dB and the total gain was 32 dB for low permittivity lens and 27 dB for higher permittivity lenses. With high permittivity lenses the whole lens surface was not illuminated by the feeding antenna.


Abstract
A method has been developed for isolating Trypanosoma cruzi from the blood of infected animals by inoculation into monolayers of a cell line (DC2) derived from a murine chondrosarcoma. The isolation rate and the time needed to detect the parasites by this method were compared with results obtained by inoculation into NNN medium and by the intracerebral inoculation of mice. Blood from mice experimentally infected with T. cruzi during the acute and chronic phases was withdrawn aseptically, the plasma centrifuged, and the sediment resuspended in phosphate-buffered saline solution for inoculation into NNN medium, newborn mice intracerebrally, and tissue culture. Parasite isolation rates for the eight acutely infected mice were similar with all three methods. However, parasites were found with a mean interval of 5 days after inoculation into tissue culture, whereas the average time needed with NNN medium was 10 days and isolation in mice was 12 days. Parasites from the 30 chronically infected mice were found in the 30 instances when blood was inoculated into tissue culture, but only in 28 instances in NNN and in mice. The average time interval required for isolation in tissue culture was 11 days, in mice 15 days, and in NNN 20 days. The ease of isolating T. cruzi from blood in tissue culture offers advantages when parasites are scanty, since it permits their demonstration in shorter periods of time. The method could be useful for the rapid differentiation of T. cruzi from Trypanosoma rangeli.


The present paper questions the validity of Maurizi o Ferraris' critique of Searle's development of social ontology. T he article compares both Searle's and Ferraris' positions in the attempt to stress the critical and problematic issues informing the latter's views. The paper fina lly seeks to offer a better interpretation of Ferraris' thought. The present article explicitly questions the validi ty of Maurizio Ferraris' critique of Searle's 'construction' of social ontology. Ferraris has principally developed such a critique in his two books Documentalità (2009) and Anima e Ipad (2011). In both works, Ferraris attempts to correc t what he considers a series of misinterpretations which h ave so far prevented theorists from developing a true social ontology. T he Italian philosopher critically engages the works in which Searle attemp ts to elaborate and elucidate the tenets of social ontology: The Construction of Social Reality (1995), and Making the Social World. The Structure of Human Civ ilization (2010). The third chapter of the volume Documentalità. Perché è necessario lasciar tracce is dedicated to social objects. Here, after clarify ing the distinction between ontology and epistemology, Ferrari s seeks to provide a definitive formulation of his views concerning the ontological value of social objects. He then moves on to illustrate the re ality these objects determine (in relation to different speculative position s which Ferraris defines according to a series of peculiar properties which I will soon examine). As the title suggests, my paper aims to discuss the ma in arguments that constitute Ferraris' critique of Searle and, in particula r, of Searle's description of the structural dynamics that give rise to social re ity. Subsequently, I will illustrate, albeit in passing, the links existing b etween the issue of 'social This paper has been translated in English by Alessa ndra De Marco, firstname.lastname@example.com * University of Calabria, email@example.com Stefano Santasilia 19 reality' and that of intersubjectivity in order to stimulate a more accurate and thorough reflection on such issues. In order to highlight the value of his theoretical approach called "weak textualism", Ferraris focuses on a critique of stro ng realism, weak realism, and strong textualism. 1 I am particularly concerned with Ferraris' critici sm of Searle's position, defined as "weak realism", in sofar as such a form of realism cannot arguably be dismissed in the same fa shion as the others. In effect, both "strong realism" (which claims that so cial objects are not socially constructed) and "strong textualism" (affirm ng that every object is socially constructed), have been mistakenly develop ed (as both Searle and Ferris acknowledge) in the absence of any distincti o between ontology and social ontology. 2 Indeed, for both thinkers, social ontology is subor dinated to epistemology. As Searle affirms in relation to this issue: " For our present discussion two senses are crucial, an epistemic sense of the objective-subjective distinction and an ontological sense ." Similarly, Ferrari argues that: In effetti, una volta che si sia distinta l'ontolog ia dall'epistemologia, si ottengono due risultati importanti. Primo, si mostra quali sfere d'essere risultino intrinsecamente dipendenti dall'epistemol ogia – e si tratta degli oggetti sociali, non degli oggetti naturali, sebben e qui l'epistemologia non riguardi le credenze giustificate che nascono in am bito scientifico, bensì quelle appunto che si generano nell'ambito delle in t razioni sociali e delle istituzioni. Negli oggetti sociali l'ontologia risu lta sistematicamente subordinata a una epistemologia. 4 Weak textualism and strong realism are rooted in th e same logic. Why, then, the disagreement between Ferraris and Searle? The reason for Ferraris' critique lies in his description of social obj ects. According to the Italian thinker, social objects po ssess four principal characteristics: 1) they belong to a social sphere clearly distinct from the 1 Cfr. Ferraris, 2009, p. 153. 2 Cfr. Ferraris, 2009, pp. 134-152; Searle, 2006, pp . 12-15. 3 Searle (1995), p. 8. 4 "In effect, once we have separated ontology from e pist mology, we achieve two significant results. First, we are able to show whi ch dimensions of being are intrinsically dependent on epistemology – that is social objects, not natural objects, although within such a context epistemology does not concern the affirmation of justified beliefs within science. Rather, epistemology concerns those convictions and beliefs arising from social interactions and instit utions. Ontology is systematically subordinated to epistemology when it comes to socia l bjects." Ferraris, 2009, p.


Today wearable electronics are playing a vital role in many applications such as Military, Medical application, telecommunications and health care garments. Conductive textiles also provide wide range of applications in areas of civilian and military purposes. In this research work an attempt has been made to design and develop core-sheath conductive yarns with copper filament and optical fibre as core and cotton as sheath using Dref-3 Friction spinning system. The special guide mechanism has been designed and used to produce uniform structure of core-sheath conductive yarns. Three different core-sheath ratios such as 67/33, 80/20 and 90/10 respectively, were produced by varying the draft in the second drafting unit which fed the cotton carded slivers to cover the core component. Copper filament of 38 SWG British Standard Gauge has been used as core component. The nominal count of core-sheath conductive yarn produced in this research was 328 tex and core component kept as constant 261 tex for all the yarn samples. Optical core conductive yarns are produced by using CK-20 type optical fibres. The process parameters such as perforated drum speed and yarn delivery speed are 4000 revolution per minute and 70 metres per minute respectively, kept as constant for all the samples. The copper core conductive yarns were used to develop the conductive fabrics. These fabrics have very good scope for many applications for development of electromagnetic shielding wearable textiles, mobile phone charging and body temperature sensing garments. It also has the optical fibre core conductive yarns which were used for the development of signal transferring garment for telecommunication and data transferring purpose. In this work two sensors have been integrated in sensorized garments for monitoring the body temperature. Moreover, it has been pointed out the use of these sensorized garments as a valid alternative to existing instrumentations which are in several health care areas. The results on the copper core conductive yarns and Optical core conductive yarns have studied. The characteristics of core conductive fabrics such as air permeability, tensile strength, electromagnetic shielding effect, aerial density, and fabric cover factor have been analysed. The performance of the conductive fabric garment has been briefly reported. The copper core conductive yarn, Optical core conductive yarn, copper conductive fabric and conductive fabric garment have the very high potential which is to be commercialized.


In the last couple of years, actors in the construction industry have demonstrated an increasing
willingness to move
towards circular businesses. However, many consider circular construction to be more expensive,
which makes actors reluctant for investing in circularity. This study contributes to existing
literature by relating the building's circularity level to its Life Cycle Costs. Using
design-oriented research, scenarios with a gradually increasing circularity level are designed on
the basis of a standard one-family house. The scenarios are then related to their Life Cycle Costs.
The results revealed that it is possible to double the current building design's circularity level
while keeping the Life Cycle Costs equal. At the highest circular scenario, the Life Cycle Costs
increase sharply due to almost doubled purchasing costs. Increasing the lifespan of the building
revealed an increasing difference in the operational and End of Life costs between low and high
circular building scenarios. The turning point of which the Life Cycle Costs are lower for
buildings with the highest reachable circularity level (of 0,49) is around 85 years of lifespan.
Although, it is more economic attractive to double in circularity level as it directly decreases
the Life Cycle costs. Incentives of the government should encourage the industry to invest and
collaborate with chain partners to develop better circular building materials and decrease the
purchasing costs.


Europe has stressed the importance of lifelong learning as a way for its citizens to enrol and to engage fully in day-to-day demands of work and citizenship life events. Support is more urgent for those who are at risk of social and educational exclusion. This paper presents an overview on the goals of the European project LIBE "Supporting Lifelong learning with Inquiry-Based Education", that aims at designing, developing and trying out an innovative e-learning management system devoted to develop key information processing skills for ICT with an inquiry-based approach to learning, focused on the young adult population (16-24) that have low levels of competences regarding literacy, numeracy and ICT skills. Additionally, it presents the results of a content analysis of focus groups sessions, carried out with Portuguese teachers, trainers and students, aiming to identify the key competences and skills most needed by young low achievers. The Portuguese results integrate the alignment of the proposal of the LIBE framework for the learning outcomes, instructional objectives and ICT key information processing competencies. Results highlight literacy skills and social competence as the most relevant for the target audience, adding ICT competences as very important in developing literacy skills and self-efficacy. Pedagogical support is considered a significant part of the students' successful learning, both in face-to-face or e-learning environments.


The internet of things is an illustrative technologies modernization for future computing and communication. Sensors have cumulated vast consideration in both academia and industry. After all, the expected fast assumption and dispersal of IoT technologies have not still taken place till an insufficiency of understanding about IoT and how industries can apply IoT well. To understand IoT usage, conclude the dispersal orientations as IoT, and hand over decent instructions for potential IoT adopters. Zigbee , a one and only communication standard designed for wireless personal area networks, has an acutely low complication, worth, and power devastation for wireless connectivity in reasonable, convenient, and mobile devices. In this paper, we present a compact circuit of the wireless sensor node and low power consumption circuit. Wireless sensor node senses the data and this collecting data sends towards gateway by the zigbee transmitter. In this paper, we use solar for alternate power supply.


Project VELA UNIFORM is part of a broad research program designed as the first full-fledged national effort for developing a specific type of arms control technology. Based on earth science research, the VELA UNIFORM effort is directed towards obtaining a suitable system for the detection, identification and location of nuclear explosions underground in support of a possible nuclear test ban. The principal work areas are classical and explosion seismology, the development of suitable field equipment and prototype observatories and data centers, and the conduct of an extensive monitoring program of seismic and other unique signatures from the present U. S. series of subsurface nuclear detonations.


A novel microencapsulated intumescent flame retardant (MIFR) agent containing 4A zeolite has been prepared. The morphology of MIFR agent is characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Properties such as cure and tensile characteristics, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and flame-retardant (FR) properties are researched and compared. The addition of this MIFR agent into natural rubber (NR) leads to an improvement in its physicomechanical and FR properties. Results demonstrate that the NR composite filled with 50 phr of MIFR-4A zeolite and 50 phr of IFR-4A zeolite show better FR and tensile properties than that of pure and 50 phr of IFR-filled NR systems.


It is significant to monitor respiration conveniently and in real time for people suffering from respiratory diseases. Polymer optical fibers (POFs) have the advantages of flexibility and light weight, which is highly desirable for wearable respiratory monitoring. However, in most current applications, the POFs are stitched on the textile substrates in the form of macro-bending. This method is complex to fix the bending with certain curvatures and uncomfortable compared with the POF sensors woven into the textile. In this paper, a respiratory fabric sensor based on the side luminescence and photosensitivity mechanism of POF is proposed and demonstrated. The 750µm-diameter POFs were woven into a fabric as warp and laser marking was performed at their designed positions to make them release or couple light. The spacing change between the POFs caused by the respiratory movement accordingly makes the light intensity change in the photosensitive fiber. We chose four fabric widths (10cm, 8cm, 6cm and 4cm) and four fabric weaves (plain weave, honeycomb weave, 1/3 right twill weave and 8/3 warp satin weave) to implement the full-factor experiment for exploring the measurement effect of the respiratory fabric sensor. The result is that the fabric with width of 4cm and weave of 8/3 warp satin is optimal. The calm and deep respiratory tests of the human chest and abdomen in sitting and standing posture were carried out and the test performance of the fabric sensor is almost comparable to that of the medical monitor. The proposed respiratory fabric sensor is comfortable, easily woven and high in precision, which is expected to realize industrialized scale production.


The ability of tumor cells to develop simultaneous resistance to multiple lipophilic cytotoxic compounds represents a major problem in cancer chemotherapy. This review describes recent molecular biological studies which resulted in the identification and cloning of the gene responsible for multidrug resistance in human tumor cells. This gene, designated mdr1, is overexpressed in all and amplified in many of the multidrug-resistant cell lines analyzed. Gene transfer and expression assays have indicated that the mdr1 gene is both necessary and sufficient for multidrug resistance. The product of the mdr1 gene is P-glycoprotein, a transmembrane protein which shares homology with several bacterial proteins involved in active membrane transport. P-glycoprotein appears to function as an energy-dependent efflux pump responsible for the removal of drugs from multidrug-resistant cells. The functions of the mdr system in normal cells and its potential clinical implications are discussed.


Purpose of review The term staghorn is plagued by an unclear morphology There is a need for clinical definition of staghorn that could classify patients in either of the two ends of the treatment spectrum for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) monotherapy. Recent findings Staghorn morphometry was identified as a prognostic tool to predict tract(s) and stage(s) for PCNL monotherapy for staghorn. Staghorn morphometry requires a three-dimensional computed tomography urography assessment by volume rendering software. As per the detailed stone morphometric analysis, a clinically important definition of staghorn calculi based on the high odds probability of multiple tract(s) and stage(s) is proposed. Type 1 staghorn has a total stone volume of less than 5000 mm3 with less than 5% unfavorable calyx stone percentile volume, whereas type 3 staghorn has a total stone volume of more than 20,000 mm3 with greater than 10% unfavorable calyx stone percentile volume. Type 2 staghorn is in-between type 1 and 2. Based on the prediction model for achieving clearance by PCNL monotherapy, type 1 staghorn would require single tract and stage, type 2 single tract–single/multiple stages or multiple tract-single stage and type 3 multiple tract and stage. Summary Staghorn morphometry based clinical classification of staghorn is an exciting concept for PCNL monotherapy. Further prospective studies are required to validate the staghorn morphometry based clinical variate of staghorns. The prospective studies should take into account clinical presentations, operative complications, tract and stage required, postoperative complications, hospital stay, operative cost and stone-free status.


This article contrasts the interdisciplinary enrichment of mediation as a subject of scholarly study with the often distorting even damaging interdisciplinary influences on mediation, family mediation in the UK in particular, as a practice intervention. The article identifies four historical phases of disciplinary influence over the evolutionary development of family mediation from the early welfare and therapeutic influences to those more recent pressures arising from legal practice and from the legal system itself. The article raises current concerns about the detrimental impact these pressures are having on the integrity of mediation practice in providing a genuinely alternative dispute resolution process with distinctive process and outcome benefits for the public. The article argues that lacking conceptual clarity and coherence provided by the rich interdisciplinary body of twentieth-century mediation theory and scholarship, mediation practice becomes vulnerable, unable not only to resist distorting, damaging and even destructive pressures but even to recognise them.


A simple method to prepare large‐scale graphene sponges and free‐standing graphene films using a speed vacuum concentrator is presented. During the centrifugal evaporation process, the graphene oxide (GO) sheets in the aqueous suspension are assembled to generate network‐linked GO sponges or a series of multilayer GO films, depending on the temperature of a centrifugal vacuum chamber. While sponge‐like bulk GO materials (GO sponges) are produced at 40 °C, uniform free‐standing GO films of size up to 9 cm2 are generated at 80 °C. The thickness of GO films can be controlled from 200 nm to 1 µm based on the concentration of the GO colloidal suspension and evaporation temperature. The synthesized GO films exhibit excellent transparency, typical fluorescent emission signal, and high flexibility with a smooth surface and condensed density. Reduced GO sponges and films with less than 5 wt% oxygen are produced through a thermal annealing process at 800 °C with H2/Ar flow. The structural flexibility of the reduced GO sponges, which have a highly porous, interconnected, 3D network, as well as excellent electrochemical properties of the reduced GO film with respect to electrode kinetics for the [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− redox system, are demonstrated.


We demonstrate an Ethernet based local area network (LAN) with clinical workstations (Apple Macintosh). The patient archiving and documentation system (PADS) represents a computerized patient record system presently used in a university hospital's ICU, CCU, and oncology unit [1]. Since 1990, over 100 users have documented more than 6,000 patient admissions, equaling 30% of all inpatient admission in our hospital. Taking full advantage of the macintosh based graphical user interface (GUI), our system enables nurses and doctors to perform the following tasks: admission, medical history taking, physical examination, generation of problem lists and follow up notes, access to laboratory data and reports, and the semiautomatic generation of a discharge summary including full word processor capabilities. Furthermore, the system offers rapid, consistent, and complete automatic encoding of diagnoses following the International Classification of Disease (ICD - 9 CM; WHO). The system has links to other educational programs such as cardiac auscultation and image analysis. A MEDLINE literature search through a CD-ROM based system can be performed from within the system. CD-ROM based medical textbooks can be accessed as well. Users can customize their working environment and use any commercially available macintosh programs from within the main application. Additional options include: automatic background monitoring of users learning behavior, analyses and graphical display of numerous epidemiological, and healthcare related problems. Furthermore, sound and digital video can be recorded in our system. E had initially developed a relational database 4GL development tool in the rapid prototyping phase, and have since completed the next step of development: rewriting the complete application using C++ and Oracle. The user interface has hardly changed, maintaining the "look & feel" of the initial application and introducing the performance of a professional relational database management system (RDBMS). This system represents one in a line of modular departmental models which are being integrated to form a decentralized hospital information system (HIS) at the University of Munich. The proposed theater-style demonstration will walk the audience through the system simulating a true patient admission and work up.


Louvre is a common type of shading devices and has been increasingly used in office buildings. Meanwhile, some reflective types of louvre have been used to provide shade and to redirect daylight deep into buildings interior simultaneously. Furthermore, daylighting systems have been recently engaged with automation control to improve their performance and increase their accuracy. Accordingly, automation of a louvre can optimise daylighting performance, maximising visual comfort, and lighting energy saving. In order to maximise the benefits of daylight, these shading devices should be controlled efficiently using advanced control methods. On the other hand, one of the significant application in daylighting systems is the prismatic panel, which was used in several buildings to improve daylighting due to its easy installation, which also based on redirecting the light into the interior of the buildings, besides its reflective and refractive characteristic. This article presents a feasibility study on the combination of two advanced daylighting designs, i.e., prismatic panel and automated louvre, aiming to achieve simultaneous shading and redirecting daylight for better daylight distribution. In the proposed design, the louvre is comprised of prismatic slats, i.e., prismatic panel as slat. The prismatic louvre is implemented virtually based on an algorithmic system using parametric software Grasshopper, in order to control the automation process parametrically as a first step, and then the daylighting performance is simulated using Radiance as a plug-in to Grasshopper. The optical characteristics of the prismatic slats in an automated louvre is investigated. A comparison has been made in simulation between a prismatic panel and the automated louvres with reflective slats and prismatic slats, respectively, to evaluate their daylighting performance in a south-orientated virtual room in New Cairo. The simulation results are given for the conditions of clear sky on the 21st of June, 21st of September, and 21st of December. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by solarlits.com. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).


Conference and fair events are fully integrated into the cities' economic activity. They are highly valued as place marketers, promoting tourism and talent-attraction. Considering sustainability, they can make critical choices to have a positive influence not only on the local environment but also to avoid embodied impacts in the form of CO2 emissions, land, and water use. The increase of this kind of activity and not taking into consideration the COVID-19 crisis, motivates this article to describe the process to design the "Circular Conference Toolkit" which aims to provide tips for organizing more sustainable conferences. The Circular Conference Toolkit lowers carbon emissions contributing to achieve carbon neutrality, reduces and recirculates waste towards zero waste, and increases sustainability awareness amongst the attendees promoting sustainable consumption to conference and fair events. Following the Action-Research methodology, the toolkit was piloted in the 19th ERSCP Conference as a case study. Under the research paradigm of pragmatism, the design process was divided into three cycles; the first one implied analysing the state of the art; the second cycle consisted firstly in designing the tools through stakeholders and location analysis, brainstorming, co-creation and co-decision matrix. Secondly, piloting the toolkit in the case study and thirdly involving the post-conference evaluation that presented an assessment of the sustainable initiatives implemented during the ERSCP 19 Conference including a checklist, an environmental impact assessment, surveys and social media analysis. The environmental impact assessment was carried out through the comparison of two material flow analyses represented with Sankey diagrams of the estimation of the conference streams, with and without the implementation of the Circular Conference Toolkit. This analysis showed savings of 20th European Round Table on Sustainable Consumption and Production Graz, September 8 – 10, 2021 GHG emissions due to the use of renewable energies, and the CO2 offset program, which compensated 19% of the attendees' travel emissions (49000kg of 252426,38kg of CO2 eq/kg). Regarding materials, the strategy adopted considered a degrowth and an ecological perspective in the conference purchasing. The use of paper was reduced from around 400kg to 20kg thanks to digitalization. Plastic use also showed a significant reduction, from approximately 500kg to 4kg as a result of the zero plastic approach during the conference. Refusing plastic packaging at the catering in favor of compostable and biodegradable materials and avoiding other plastics by eliminating merchandising gifts to the attendees contributed to reducing the amount of plastic used. After strongly reducing waste streams, ensuring the treatment of the remaining waste through a conscious-chosen circular approach contributed to enhancing the sustainability of the event. The result of the whole process was the Circular Conference Toolkit, a set of 37 guidelines divided by areas of action consisting of carbon neutrality, towards zero waste and sustainable consumption. The toolkit encompasses an open process of collaboration and reflection where the conference attendees, organisers and service providers are all included.


We present a high probability complexity bound for a stochastic adaptive regularization method with cubics, also known as regularized Newton method. The method makes use of stochastic zeroth-, first- and second-order oracles that satisfy certain accuracy and reliability assumptions. Such oracles have been used in the literature by other stochastic adaptive methods, such as trust region and line search. These oracles capture many settings, such as expected risk minimization, simulation optimization, and others. In this paper, we give the first high probability iteration bound for stochastic cubic regularization, and show that just as in the deterministic case, it is superior to other stochastic adaptive methods.


The paper is a continuation of numerous studies of a candidate for encryption national standard of Ukraine, the Strumok new symmetric stream cipher. The result of a study is compare the most famous algorithms of stream cipher, which were presented at various contests, such as eSTREAM, NESSIE and the AES symmetric block cipher in mode of stream about usage CPU time for transformation of one octet data.


OBJECTIVES
Despite the high prevalence of comorbidity in later life, scientists do not fully understand its financial impact. The objective of this study was to enhance researchers' understanding of the impact of compounded health problems on the wealth of older people.

METHODS
Using data from the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old study (1995 to 2002 waves), we conducted ordinary least squares regression analysis on wealth changes.

RESULTS
We found that comorbidity leads to significant wealth depletion in later life, especially for single elders. Single elders with comorbidity depleted 20% to 22% of their wealth over a 2- to 3-year time period, especially those with the combination of heart disease and diabetes. The impact of comorbidity was disproportionately greater than the estimated impact of a single health problem. However, the impact of comorbidity did not appear to be significant among married people.

DISCUSSION
We found that compounded health problems also create compounded financial problems in later life. For an accurate estimation of the financial consequences of health problems, it is important to consider comorbid health problems, as the effect of comorbidity is not equal to the sum of the effects of single health problems.


The ethanol extract of the roots of Cassia auriculata was studied for its nephroprotective activity in cisplatinand gentamicin-induced renal injury in male albino rats. In the cisplatin model, the extract at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg body wt. reduced elevated blood urea and serum creatinine and normalized the histopathological changes in the curative regimen. In the gentamicin model, the ethanol extract at a dose of 600 mg/kg body wt. reduced blood urea and serum creatinine effectively in both the curative and the preventive regimen. The extract had a marked nitric oxide free-radicalscavenging effect. The findings suggest that the probable mechanism of nephroprotection by C. auriculata against cisplatinand gentamicin-induced renal injury could be due to its antioxidant and free-radical-scavenging property.


Testosterone (T) could be detected by immunocytochemistry after cryoultramicrotomy and T is likely bound on a binding site of a high affinity. Castration and adrenalectomy involve a swift disappearance of T in the gonadotropic cells. Synthesis of new binding sites was induced by daily T injection in the castrated and surrenalectomized Rat from 90 days. This synthesis is inhibited by cycloheximide. These data suggest that binding sites are proteins. The captation of T by the gonadotropic cells was diminished similarly at the diminution of T, afterwards, T captation was stabilized at a weak level which became stable for several weeks. It seems that immunocytochemistry permits the study of the variation of T captation by Rat pituitary gonadotropic cells.


An experiment was conducted with piglets to evaluate the effect of dietary sorghum tannin level on trypsin activity, digesta pH, weight of digestive organs, and intestinal morphology. Sixteen weaned (at 28 days of age) Duroc x Landrace piglets (eight per treatment) were fed, from postweaning until slaughter, either a diet with low-tannins sorghum (SBT) or one with high-tannins sorghum (SAT). Four animals per treatment were slaughtered on each of days 3 and 16 postweaning. Also, four piglets were slaughtered at weaning (day 0) as a control group. There were not effects (P>0.05) of dietary tannin level on pancreatic trypsin activity; development of pancreas, stomach, liver, and small intestine; pH of digesta in stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum; and morphology of intestinal villi and crypts. The variables weight at sacrifice and relative weight of digestive organs, excepting liver, were affected (P<0.05) by days after weaning (0, 3 or 16), being highest at d 16. Ingesta pH in all four parts of the digestive tract was also affected (P<0.05) by days postweaning, with significant differences as follows: stomach, max. at d 0 and min. at d 3; duodenum, max. at d 16 and min at d 3; jejunum, max. at d 3 and min at d 0 and 16; ileum, max at d 3 and min at d 16. Crypt depth in jejunum and ileum was greater (P<0.05) at d 16 than at d 3 postweaining. In conclusion, dietary tannins did not impact negatively the morphological and physiological characteristics studied. The changes observed suggest a digestive adaptation to starter feed.


Since recent recommendations advocate that smaller doses of estrogen should be used a combination of .5 mg of norethindrone and .015 mg ethinyl estradiol was tested on 198 patients for a total of 2546 cycles the longest usage being over 2 years. The women ranged from 15 to 45 years of age the average age being 28 and the average number of pregnancies 5.2. The medication was taken daily for 21 days and then stopped for 7. The group was controlled for secondary effects bleeding weight changes and nucleal or hormonal changes. 14.2% stopped taking it because of secondary problems like spotting nausea transhormonal bleeding and depression. The only pregnancy was due to inadequate attention to the prescription by the patient. Tolerance of the medication was quite good overall and no severe difficulties resulted.


CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2008 Abstracts

Abstract #73

We sought to determine whether loss of the lipid phosphatase PTEN confers resistance to antiestrogens in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cells and primary tumors. Stable knockdown of PTEN expression (PTEN-kd) with shRNA in MCF-7, T47D, and MDA-361 ER+ human breast cancer cells resulted in upregulation of PI3K and P-Akt, resistance to tamoxifen and faslodex, and estrogen-independent growth. Upon PTEN-kd, ER levels were maintained in MCF-7 cells but markedly reduced in T47D and MDA-361 cells. While PTEN-kd upregulated ER transcriptional reporter activity in MCF-7 cells, opposite effects were seen in T47D and MDA-361 cells. We evaluated mechanisms of PI3K activation in PTEN-kd cells by immunoprecipitating the p85 regulatory subunit of PI3K and examining p85-bound tyrosine-phosphorylated adaptors or receptors. PTEN-kd increased the binding of p85 to IRS-1 (MCF-7) and ErbB3 (T47D). PTEN-kd increased PI3K pathway sensitivity to IGF-I (MCF-7) and endogenous ligand (T47D, MDA-361). PTEN-kd cells had increased and prolonged activation of IGF-IR and ErbB3, thus implicating PTEN in the regulation of signaling upstream of PI3K. Further, PTEN-kd increased non-genomic, estrogen-induced signaling via IGF-IR by increasing p85-IRS-1 binding and activation of PI3K/Akt in MCF-7 cells. Inhibition of PI3K and mTOR with the small molecule BEZ235, of IGF-IR with the small molecule AEW541, and/or of ErbB2-mediated activation of ErbB3 with lapatinib restored the growth inhibitory effect of antiestrogens. We generated gene expression signatures of PTEN loss in each cell line by microarray analyses. Comparison of these signatures to the Connectivity Map ( Science 313:1929, 2006) suggested activation of PI3K, as signatures of PTEN loss negatively connected with those induced by the PI3K inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 (all p <0.06). We found a 24-gene signature of PTEN loss common to all 3 lines, which we used to score the gene expression profiles of tumors from a cohort of 268 patients with ER+ breast cancer treated with adjuvant tamoxifen for 5 yrs and a median follow-up of 9.1 years ( BMC Genomics 9:239, 2008). Patients with tumors exhibiting a signature of PTEN loss had shorter relapse-free survival ( p <0.0001; log rank test). Eleven genes in the PTEN signature were individually predictive of disease outcome ( p <0.05). In a separate, smaller cohort of patients with ER+ cancers treated with adjuvant tamoxifen ( n =34), undetectable PTEN in tumor cells (measured by IHC) correlated with shorter relapse-free survival vs. tumors with detectable PTEN ( p =0.06). These data suggest that 1) PTEN loss confers antiestrogen resistance to ER+ breast cancer by genomic and non-genomic mechanisms; 2) PTEN loss is permissive for activation of IGF-IR and ErbB3 signaling; 3) inhibition of IGF-IR and/or ErbB signaling pathways overcomes the resistance to antiestrogens conferred by PTEN loss; and 4) a gene expression signature reflective of loss of PTEN and/or absence of PTEN protein can predict poor patient outcome after adjuvant hormonal therapy.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 73.


Dynamic texture is a part of the natural scene. Currently dynamic texture segmentation issue is research hotspot in the field of computer vision and even robot research area. This paper presents a efficient dynamic texture segmentation method based on level set strategy. We define the evolution energy function according the characteristics of intensity constancy and conservation in the dynamic texture movement. We use the re- initialization condition to punish in the evolution process and use the optical flow based terminal condition to limit the evolution and make the level set more efficient. It overcomes the shortcoming of reinitializing and slow evolution speed in the existing methods. The experimental results show that the method can effectively achieve the dynamic texture segmentation of moving objects and it is a very useful method.


The introduction of flow-directed, balloon-tipped pulmonary arterial catheters has made possible measurement of central venous pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), and pulmonary-capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) before, during, and after anesthesia and surgery. Complications, including intracardiac knotting,' inadvertent snaring2 in the right atrium, have been reported. Perforation of the pulmonary artery with3 and without' hemoptysis has also been reported in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The present case report records an instance of perforation of the pulmonary vasculature associated with the use of a flow-directed catheter in a patient without pulmonary hypertension.


Abstract Getting old is not a sickness. It is actually a social-personal experience and one of the sensitive and vital stages of human development that is regarded as a normal trend of passing of life. Anxiety is among the major problems of senescent period. Research shows that the memory of group treatment among the elderly is not only useful but also considered as a type of treatment. This method helps the elderly to cope with the disasters and changes during their life and with what they have missed and to accept the present condition by resolving the previous conflicts. Also, the aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of the memory of group treatment on reduction of anxiety signs among the elderly. As a start, a number of 30 elderly people were accidentally chosen from Kahrizak nursing-home in Tehran. Having received population information, their anxiety status was measured using Beck anxiety questionnaire. Then, they were divided into experiment and control groups. The first group (n=15) were under the memory of the group treatment and the second group (n=15), as control group, received no treatment. After finishing the treatment period, the anxiety rate of the people was measured. The results of co-variance analysis show that there is a meaningful difference between these two groups in such a way that the anxiety score in treated group has been decreased, comparing that of control group. Regarding these findings, we find that the method of memory of group treatment significantly influences the anxiety among the elderly living at the nursing-homes.


Ekupakameni. Believers come to buy water and vaseline blessed by Vimbeni Shembe at the headquarters of the church, KwaZulu-Natal. Shembe is a staunchly traditionalist Zulu cult that was founded in 1913 by Isaiah Shembe after a vision. Their beliefs are a mix of Old and New Testament and the ancestral veneration of traditional Zulu culture.


Compression of cohesive, poorly compactable, and high-dose metformin hydrochloride into the orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) is challenging. The objective of this study was to develop metformin ODT using the moisture activated dry granulation (MADG) process. There are no reports in the literature regarding the development of ODT based on MADG technology. The feasibility of developing metformin ODT was assessed utilizing a 32 full factorial design to elucidate the influence of water amount (X1) and the amount of pregelatinized starch (PGS; X2) as independent variables on key granules and tablets' characteristics. The prepared granules and tablets were characterized for granule size, bulk density, flow properties, tablets' weight variation, breaking force, friability, capping tendency, in vitro and in vivo disintegration, and drug release. Regression analysis showed that X1 and X2 had a significant (p ≤ 0.05) impact on key granules and tablets' properties with a predominant effect of the water amount. Otherwise, the amount of PGS had a pronounced effect on tablet disintegration. Optimized ODT was found to show better mechanical strength, low friability, and short disintegration time in the oral cavity. Finally, this technique is expected to provide better ODT for many kinds of high-dose drugs that can improve the quality of life of patients.


The procoagulant material of lymphocytes has been characterized as tissue factor. Lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin or the purified protein derivative of the tubercle bacillus developed procoagulant activity with incubation in tissue culture. While this material corrected the prolonged clotting time of factor VIII (AHF) deficient plasma, we have shown, utilizing a sensitive radioimmunoassay, that no AHF antigen was present in the cell cultures. Further, we have demonstrated this material to be tissue factor by coagulation techniques and immunological cross-reactivity. The published data regarding factor VIII synthesis is reviewed in light of these observations and comments are made regarding the role of the lymphocyte procoagulant.


This article analyses the institutional power of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the process of education policy formation in El Salvador during 2003-2005. The results show how bi- and multi-lateral institutions are able to leverage financial and intellectual capital to guide the policymaking process and sway which policies are seen as acceptable and desirable. As is show, one key to this influence is how USAID was able to manipulate the policymaking process by creating key events and producing key informational inputs that led to future events and subsequent opportunities to present and emphasize their research. Additionally, this research underscores how even exceptional leadership and political will at the national level can be insufficient to avoid the agendas that are at times advanced by international institutions. Finally, it is suggested that research on education in small states expand the notion of smallness to focus on institutional.


Pegasid fishes (sea moths) have only entered the arsenal of traditional Chinese medicine within the past few decades, but are now used in southern China and Hong Kong to treat respiratory ailments and cancers. Brief trade surveys suggest that millions of individuals of two pegasid species are used each year, and that they cost relatively little compared with other ingredients. Most pegasids are apparently a bycatch of trawl fishing, which has recently intensified near China. Trade and use of these fishes is expanding – they have been sought in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam – and should be monitored, particularly because the biology of pegasids makes these fishes vulnerable to exploitation.